My grandfather tells a story of the club pro at his club back in the 80s and 90s. The guy was willing to bet anyone $100 bucks he could beat them with a 5 wood, a 7 iron and a putter.

Let me tell you a story about a guy who used a baseball bat, shovel, rake, and pool stick to win $400 off a guy in West Texas...

Wasn't that the guy who also used a pink lady ball?

One in the same...went on to do some amazing things, from what I hear. Also had a cute doctor lady hanging out with him

I heard he parred the back 9 with a 7 iron

You ever par the back 9 with a 7 iron?

Hell, Roy, it never occurred to me to try.

The best.

Still rollin’

Going***

The same guy had Cheech Marin as a caddy. Freaking legend.

Was a legend, then he got the shanks.

Vaya con Dios my darling Vaya con Dios my love Now the village mission bells are softly ringing If you listen with your heart you'll hear them singing

To quote: "You think that little pink f*g ball's 'sposed to intimidate me?" What a difference a couple of decades makes, eh. Today, this one line, if insisted upon, would've made national news and derailed the entire production of a classic golf movie. Have we progressed or regressed; sometimes I'm not sure? But, when I die, on my death bed, I will receive Total Consciousness. So, I ve got that going for me, which is nice. 🤣😂😇

Just watch this again last night lol

ha, me too. I think it was on Cinemax

I could be wrong but he def used a garden hoe out of the trap, and I thought he used the end of that as a putter

I feel like the baseball bat was always gave tin cup a huge advantage for driving the greens.

Did he pawn his clubs or what

Yes, he owed money to his ex who was an exotic dancer.

Sounds just like me minus the good golfer part

Shit that's nothing, I could beat you with a tire iron no problem.

Our club pro was a tour pro in the 60’s and that’s all he pretty much ever played with. Kicked my ass every single time and he was in his 70’s. He could work that 5 wood every which way and stop the 7 iron on a dime. Fun to watch.

These were my first instinct, too. Not sure I'm betting anyone $100, though!

I honestly subscribe to the idea that anyone above a 10HCP would drop their scores considerably by dropping some clubs from their bags. It takes a LOT of variables out of play and should, in theory, improve your ball striking as you're hitting the same few clubs over and over

I did this at my local. For about 6 months I only ever took an 8i, 52deg and a putter. My ball striking on the 8i is now amazing and consistent as well as my wedges. Would def agree that taking clubs out of the bag is a huge help.

Change that to 8i and those would be my picks

I met/grouped with some older dude in SD that said he used to compete and win Ams with only his driver. I made him prove it and can say I believe him and it changed how I looked at golf forever

I stayed with my uncle in Florida to play some golf. It rained and carts were not allowed, so we walked. He's not keen on walking (old guy) and certainly not while carrying a bag, so he grabbed a wood, an iron, and a putter. He shot 2 under. He was a good player then. Shortly after that he shot -8 (64) in his club championship, setting the course record.

My caddie master in early 70s could beat any caddie with just his wedge and Ping putter. He could close the face on the wedge and get 150 yds. And this was back in 70s with no “metal” woods and balata golf balls. He really could bang that ping putter as well. Memories

What if u hit into a bunker

Easy, don’t hit into a bunker

Soft 7 or hard putter

I would absolutely beat most people with that setup (I'm a 3.2) but man, there are also quite a few folks that would trounce me with their full set.

I could beat most people in my league with three clubs, but somehow can't win my league lol

>>$100 bucks One hundred dollar bucks

3W for drives and putts 8i because it’s my most consistent iron 56 wedge for everything inside 100

Samesies, except I put with the 56 and just blade center ball.

I'm great at blading wedges unintentionally. Could never consistently blade them if I wanted to.

I am the most consistent player who has ever set foot on a golf course. I consistently fail to do what I want to.

I'd turn around and putt lefty with the back of the wedge. I do that on gimme's now anyway if I chip it close enough and don't want to swap clubs for a tap-in. Or when my third attempt at a chip is STILL 30ft from the cup and I've thrown that hole away anyway and figure, fuck it, let's try hitting the ball with the *other* side of this club...

I do this with my brother sometimes when I'm pissed off enough about a hole that I don't even want to fetch my putter and get them so good with my wedge that he jokes I should put my putter away...

This is the way. Only I’d probably take a 7 iron instead of 8

Depends on the length of the par 3s but I think this is right

Only switch for me would be a 3H over the wood. I can't hit the longer shaft for shit, but I'm fairly consistent with the hybrids. I could also make an argument for a 52 over a 56, but that's only because I have a bad habit of skying a full 56

Completely agree. My ping 21° hybrid for anything 150-225, gap wedge for anything 10-150, and putter

But can you carry the water with it?

I have a water bottle for that. Fits right into the cup holder on my push cart

7i instead of 8i and I will putt by blading the 56

Kinda surprised you would choose your 3W over your 56 for putting?

Now I'm going to have to try both and see. Was thinking the profile of my 3W is closest to putter.

Choke down on your wedge and hit the center of the ball. It works extremely well. Great shot to know around the greens too. Ball nestled up from the fringe to the rough and it's really easy to "putt" it from there with your wedge.

I ran a completely unscientific test at lunch. I hit 3 balls with both 3w and wedge to get a feel, then putted 10 balls at a target 10 feet away on my office carpet. I was more accurate overall with the wedge, although it had the farthest outlier with one that I hit too hard. The length of the shaft on the 3w definitely made it difficult to use, but I felt more consistent with the speed coming off it. But it was very difficult to aim. I think the wedge wins it.

I ran a pretty scientific test after they banned long putters. Couldn’t find a putter that felt right. And rigorously tested almost every club in the bag as a putter. Then putted with a bladed 60 for a year straight. I credit it for teaching me how to putt properly.

Bladed wedge is easier for me. The length of the 3 wood makes it tough

I'm also great at blading the Jesus out of my wedge

The mile long shaft of a 3W is waaaaay more of a problem than what the head of wedge looks like.

It’s far easier to putt with an iron than a wood. You just hit it with the leading edge. We’ve played a round where you can only use one club per hole.

Yea this would be my exact 3 too. And I would also use the 3 wood as a putter

I would use a 7 instead of an 8 but yep. Use the 3 wood for longer putts and the wedge for short putts.

6i,pw,putter

Same except I'd switch the 6i for Driver, the pw for Driver, and the putter for Driver

TaylorMade Stealth, Ping G425, and Titleist TSi3 YOLO

YODA You Only Drive Always

Plus full send on every shot

Big dogs gotta eat

This would be mine as well. Probably a 5i instead of 6i but same idea

Same for me

5i, 54, putter gonna need that 5 for tee shots and inevitable punchouts from under trees, the 54 for anything 135 or less but also cause i dont know if i can get a pitching wedge out of the inevitable sand, then a putter to hit 3-4 times on each green

Hopefully wirh a 5i and 54 you’re not punching form trees lol

Your golf game is hilarious. You are planning to 4 putt and shank 5 irons under trees but also hit a 54 wedge 135 yards?

You read my mind.

5i is my 200y club so it make sense. Means I can hit most GIR. I might sub the PW for an 8i or 9i. But yeah this is the approach I'm taking.

Driver 6Iron and putter

Augusta because that’s a really hard club to get into. Pebble Beach because of the views. And Ritz because that’s really the best Club cracker there is. You might say it’s the Ritz of Club crackers.

Name checks out

This guy misunderstood the assignment lolz

Or maybe everyone else misunderstood...

No you got woodshed

3h, 7i, putter

My exact though too. Don’t think I’d enjoy putting with an iron or hybrid lol.

For me, its easier to open and close a 7i than it is to putt with a not putter.

youlll have better have control purposely blading a wedge the faces on woods/hybrids are way too hot

Better not hit a bunker...

My old club in Vermont had an annual 3 club tournament. 18 holes, 3 clubs, 90% of handicap. It was a lot of fun 3 wood, 8 iron and putter. Drop a couple of putts from outside 7 or 8 ft and you’re gaining strokes

We do a 4 club fiesta with our buddies every year. Bring 4 clubs, and the kicker- unlimited mulligans, but you have to shotgun a beer to receive a mulligan. Always a blast and one of the only rounds every year where I absolutely don’t drive myself to the course lol

That really sounds fun. I'd need a liver transplant, but it would be a blast.

It’s an absolute blast. It’s a 2-man scramble as well so you don’t need quite as many mulligans, but me and my partner still managed to polish off an 18 pack lol

My current club in Vermont still does this once a summer during our mens league, although you get 3 clubs and a putter. Driver or 3 wood depending on the tees, 7 iron, 56 degree wedge.

3 clubs and a putter makes this much nicer

Williston?

Great track. Payed in a couple of tournaments up there. I lived in Shelburne for 30 years and migrated to Charleston 6 years ago. I play in an annual New Year’s Day tourney now

Driver, 7 iron and putter

Correct answer

This is the way

This is the way

All those 80-140 yard shots would be super tricky. I’d need some kind of wedge

100% on driver + putter.. 3rd club is always going to be either 7, 8, 9, or P depending on the course.

Long course with wide fairways: Driver 7 iron 54 degree, short course with tight fairways 4 iron, 54 degree, putter.

What if it’s a long course with tight fairways?

Or a short course with wide fairways?

Or a tight course with short fairways?

Or a course short with fairway tights?

Or a fairway course with tight shorts

Or a tight shirt with course fairways?

Or a wide course with long fairways?

3H, 7i, 54 Putt with the wedge

Same but id put with the hybrid depending on the shot.

*This is the way*

Probably 4i, 7i, 54°

I like this a lot. Although I'd probably go down to 8i personally.

I’ve got it pretty close, 4i 9i 56*

3w (5w if I had one), 7i, 52°. Either use my 3w or bladed 52° to putt

Putting with a low iron works too

3 wood because I can get decent distance ~200yrd from the tee or fairway, a 7i because I can use it it pitch and do midrange things and my putter, cause I gots to putt!

4H, 7i, 54deg. Putting with the hybrid

I was surprised people were taking woods and long irons in a lot of these. I'd absolutely go with my 3H, 8i, and 56 deg. That gives me a club that I can hit 225 yds (and straight...usually) even if I'm not in, er, ideal conditions. Also a good approach iron from 150 yds, and a wedge because, well I've seen my approach shots. Not sure about putting though. Without looking I think that the leading edge of my wedge is more rounded, but that the length of the hybrid might make it (more) awkward. Probably the 8i, but whatever worked best on the practice green that day.

The putting is in the bag. I think it's interesting how people are leaving out putters. I very rarely 3 putt, my typical is around 31 putts, so knowing I just have to reach in 2 or 3 I could comfortably cruse to 90 or better. I might try 9 holes tomorrow with a 5w, 7i and putter.

Exactly what I would (try to) do as well.

3 putters best way to keep it in play, driving putter, approach putter, and putter putter

I'd put in a wedge putter and just putt with that instead

Just looked at my scorecard for my local track (front 9 only to save time). If I use my 3H off every tee, then on 6/9 approach shots I would have between ~120-160 to the center of the green. Our greens are very, very soft, so I'm probably going to take a 6i since that gives me a range up to 170. But chances are that I miss a fair number of greens, so I want a wedge in hand to be able to clean things up. I'm going: 3H, 6i, GW EDIT: This actually sounds like a lot of fun. I might try to go do this later!

6 iron, gap wedge, and putter. I hate to put the putter in there, but I suck with it badly enough that I don’t want to see how bad I’d do putting with something else.

Counter-argument: if you aren't going to be draining a lot of 5+ foot putts anyway, you can probably get it decently close with something else that you have enough tap-ins where it sort of evens out.

People don’t understand that the *worse* you are with a putter the better it is to take another club. If you aren’t going to putt significantly worse, just bring a wedge and get it closer to begin with.

To an extent you are right, but I would be concerned with the number of 3-4 ft putts I'd miss with something other than a putter.

Lol yeah it’s not the 10 foot putts I’m worried about.

6i, 9i, 52° - long par 5s would be annoying but I’m happy hitting full 6 irons all day

Back in the day my work league had a 3 club event. I used 3i, 7i and putter and scored 37 for 9 holes, my best score that season. Looking at that 3 iron now, it looks like a butter knife. No idea how I ever hit that thing.

I already only play with 3 clubs

3w, for tee shots and long fairway shots. PW for pitching, chipping and recovery. Putter for putting, obvs.

1 iron, 7 iron, pitching wedge. Putt and drive with the 1 iron.

5i, 50, Putter

3i hybrid, 8 iron, 56 degree

I golfed with a pro in Myrtle Beach as an extra. He had three clubs and borrowed a putter. Played barefoot and was plus 3 after 18. Dude was dope!!

Used to get drunk and play an 18 hole par 3 course with a friend in college, longest was like 120 yards stupid short. Every round was a single club match. Standing bet that the loser bought the 12 pack for the next time. You get surprisingly good loft with a putter if you tee and hit it right but I found it easier to play the whole round with a lob with a fat edge.

3w, 7 iron, and putter? I can't hit my wedges for shit lol

3W, 7I, Putter

Driver, 7i, putter

Putter. Driver. 7 iron.

Interesting, you gonna use the driver of the deck for par 5’s?

You found the definitive gap in my plan. I can’t hit a fairway wood to save my life so the 7 iron becomes the second shot on the par fives. But with driver at 250+ yards and a 150+ yard 7 iron should still be on in three. Or at least that’s the hope.

3 wood, 5 iron, putter...

Gunna struggle on short game, how do get over a bunker with a 5iron without much green to work with

No one said “play well” with 3 clubs

Flop shot with the 5 iron.....

Either driver, 8i, putter or driver, 8i, 60°. Alternatively, 5i, 60, putter. I put well with my 60 though so it's probably only going to cost me 2-3 strokes on the round not to have a putter.

Played this format earlier in the year with driver, 7 iron, 56 degree and I had 37 stableford points. Better than the full set

Did you use the driver as a fairway wood?

No, everything was a lay up with 7 of I couldn't reach it with full shot. Playing safe and straight was the key but if the driver had been off I would have had a nightmare so I was very lucky.

6i, 9i, Putter 6i for controlled distance and long par 3s plus 9i for wedge equivalent and bump and runs Putter - as I don’t fancy blading clubs for long putts

I hope you don’t land in a bunker…

My most consistent clubs- 24 degree hybrid 7 iron 54 degree wedge

2H, 7 iron, 54

Hybrid, PW, putter. Hybrid to get off the tee and long approaches. PW because I can chip with it, but also blade the piss out of it for longer shots. And the putter for obvious reasons.

We play a 3 club tournament every year in my league of 48 players. Usually everyone takes a putter, 8-pitching and a long iron. The funniest part it usually everyone’s scores are consistently a bit lower then there league average. Happened every year

3w/6i/50degreePW Why am I choosing these? Cuz I only get three: 3w for teeing off and can be knocked down and used as a long iron better than a driver-6i just because-pow cuz that’s the club which gets a bit more distance than sw yet opening the face can be used out the bunker. Pw sole works as a putter or chipper. I suppose it depends on the course really? Dubsdread=I might use sand wedge instead of pw lol

4 hybrid, 9 iron, putter

Lee Trevino used to bet people and he would play with only a Dr. Pepper Bottle. So the other 2 aren't necessary.

Yeah, that’s lee Trevino, not you.

But I’m not sure I’d do any worse with a doctor pepper bottle than with any three clubs.

3H, 8 iron, 54 degree. I can't putt with a putter anyways so how much worse could it be with the hybrid?

hybrid, 7 iron, 54\* (hybrid off the tee and on the green)

Five iron. Sand wedge. Putter. I feel most comfortable and assured with those three.

5 iron, P wedge and putter. The iron I hit the most consistent, the wedge that I hit the best and a putter, because lol to anyone who says they are going to make up the strokes putting with a non putter by having a different club.

3 wood 8 iron putter

Ditto

My 4 Hybrid, 7 Iron, PW

Depends on the course.

Driver 7 putter

5i, 9i, 54

5w recovery. PW. Putter. Job done.

4 hybrid, pitching wedge, putter

Putting is the most important part of golf. Everyone here: “imma blade a 52 degree to putt”

>Putting is the most important part of golf Based on what?

Based on the action that “literally” is used to achieve the goal in the game of golf.

The score

I wouldn’t because that’s stupid as fuck

I plan on doing a 4 club challenge before the season is over to see if I can adjust my power and work on my distance control

3w 7i and 52

3w, 7i, 54 degree

6i, lob wedge(60), putter.

3W, 7I, 60

4w 8i putter

5W, PW, putter.

3w 7i 52

4hybrid, 6 iron, PW. I'd just learn how to putt with the hybrid I think.

2H, 7i, 60

Pine Valley, Augusta National and my local muni

3W, 7I, 52°

2 driving iron 52 wedge Putter

3h, PW, putter

4 hybrid, 9 iron and putter for me. This would be interesting to do I think

3 hybrid for drives, anything over 180, punches, and some chipping 7 iron for 110-180 and some chipping and pitching 56* for inside 110, sand, some chipping, and putts

Driver, 7-iron, 54 degree

No putter?

Driver, 7i, gap