Opinion & Analysis
The 48 “essential” items every golfer has in their bag
After a winter of snow and cold, golfers get excited for their emergence from golf hibernation. This thought usually peaks when we get our first glimpse of the hallowed turf at Augusta during the Masters in April. We instantly get that Pavlov’s dog, watering-in-the-mouth desire to play. So off we go to hunt out the clubs from the garage, attic or shed and get ourselves in golf mode. And with that usually comes the annual bag clean-out.
Golfers know the rules enforcing a maximum of 14 clubs in a bag, but as far as I’m aware, there is no rule as to the amount of “stuff” one can carry in his or her bag. The realization that your bag now weighs 80 pounds (and getting it from your car to you cart is a health hazard) makes you think, “Do I really need all this stuff?”
Akin to the contents of a women’s purse, the golf bag is considered personal space. It’s filled with all sorts of goodies, essentials and lucky charms that golfers needs to survive for the few hours they spend on the golf course.
You decide to do a quick stock check and start opening the multiple compartments, slots and pockets on your bag. After 15 minutes of digging around and removing these items, you’re faced with an array of stuff on the floor that could easily start a yard sale. So you resolve to declutter, archiving the non-essential items.
Here’s what you’re likely to encounter:
- Enough balls to start your own mini-range, most of which have seen better days.
- An assortment of tees, ranging from wooden to plastic to brush in different shapes, sizes and colors, including at least one naked-lady tee.
- Ball markers: a selection of coins, as well as plastic and metal discs with sponsors or club motifs. You only ever use that lucky one you’ve had since you were 11.
- Seventeen pencils, usually only half of which can write or have lead.
- At least one edition of the rules of golf, so badly ripped and dog-eared by successive soakings that it is like an Egyptian relic when you attempt to use it.
- Spare change that has accumulated each week of the previous five golfing seasons. Added up, it’s enough to send your kid through college.
- Pitch mark repairers in an assortment of designs, colors and materials including that Scotty Cameron one that cost a fortune, but still does exactly the same job.
- Those four incompatible wrenches for the multiple drivers you have consumed in the last five years.
- A rangefinder with spare batteries.
- A waterproof jacket and trousers — taken off, stuffed away and forgotten about after that last soaking you got. They now smell like a vagabond’s crotch.
- A windproof top crumpled down to the size of an orange.
- Several faded caps, beanies and visors, all displaying mold, sweat stains, or other bodily fluids.
- Winter mittens for those “cold” early-morning July tee times.
- At least 10 golf gloves, most of which either have holes or rigor mortis-like rigidity, including a right-handed one should you ever face the dilemma of trying a shot left-handed.
- Rain gloves that have developed blue mold.
- Energy and chocolate bars, most of which passed their expiration date several months ago.
- An array of bags of nuts/crackers/trail mix/beef jerky and other consumables.
- A bottle opener/cork screw.
- Either a banana or apple that has leaked into a black goo at the bottom of the bag.
- Eye drops.
- A comb that is at least 15 years old.
- Sunglasses, possibly two pairs. One wraparound and a pair that you actually use.
- Sticking plasters (Band-Aids) for cuts, grazes, blisters and other severe golfing injuries.
- Deep Heat/Mentholatum/Tiger Balm or similar witches potions to loosen those weary/arthritic bones.
- An assortment of medications ranging from mild pain killers, anti-inflammatories and anti-histamines through to hallucinogens and anti-depressants (for those tougher days on the links).
- Insect repellent.
- Baby wipes/tissues.
- Sun cream (sun screen). In Ireland, it acts as a thermal insulator in cold weather. Long-distance swimmers smear themselves in grease for the same reason.
- Lip balm in an assortment of fruit flavours and colors.
- A cigar/cigarettes and a lighter, and possibly chewing tobacco.
- Several Sharpies in an array of colors, most of which have lost their cap and are dried out.
- A small hip flask of hooch, half-filled with some cheap intoxicant, probably whiskey.
- At least one half-drunk plastic soda or energy-drink bottle.
- Amino Vital packets to add to water, which for some reason are next to a flare gun and compass.
- An array of scorecards and yardage books built up over several seasons, which you felt compelled to hold onto.
- Membership and visitor tags from at least one top-100 course that you always brag about playing.
- An umbrella, the only one the wife hasn’t “borrowed” and failed to return.
- An extra pair of socks. Maybe even clean ones!
- Alignment rods with matching impact stickers. An indication of how seriously you take your game.
- Ball retriever. Note to self: make sure to change the worn-out grip.
- Putter headcover that was an essential when you first bought that priceless flat stick, but the magnetic closure is now broken and it keeps falling off. You actually thought you had lost it.
- Iron covers (which you justify keeping for travel). Two of them were lost.
- Extra spikes and a wrench.
- A rain hood.
- A club-cleaning wire brush, on which you’ve cut yourself on several times and sworn to get rid of… but never do.
- A Swiss Army knife.
- A magic sponge for cleaning your ball, which you got as a Christmas present five years ago.
- At least one extra towel, “borrowed” from the clubhouse.
Then there’s the several mystery items and things you thought you had lost like the spare car keys. You feel like Indiana Jones recovering this stuff.
And don’t forget you need to leave that last pocket, the valuable’s pocket, with enough space for your wallet, money clip, mobile phone(s), car keys, rings and all those other essential items that you will need to safely store during your round.
Your inner self tells you to chuck half of this crap, but you are conflicted. There may well be an occasion when you need that fifth glove or you lose your 37th ball of the day. Or you will find yourself starving to death or dying of dehydration on the 7th hole.
So you resolve to buy a bigger bag.
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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After having four of the top twelve players on the leaderboard at The Masters, LIV Golf is set for their fifth event of the season: LIV Adelaide.
For both LIV fans and golf fans in Australia, LIV Adelaide is one of the most anticipated events of the year. With 35,000 people expected to attend each day of the tournament, the Grange Golf Club will be crawling with fans who are passionate about the sport of golf. The 12th hole, better known as “the watering hole”, is sure to have the rowdiest of the fans cheering after a long day of drinking some Leishman Lager.
The Grange Golf Club is a par-72 that measures 6,946 yards. The course features minimal resistance, as golfers went extremely low last season. In 2023, Talor Gooch shot consecutive rounds of 62 on Thursday and Friday, giving himself a gigantic cushion heading into championship Sunday. Things got tight for a while, but in the end, the Oklahoma State product was able to hold off The Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri for a three-shot victory.
The Four Aces won the team competition with the Range Goats finishing second.
*All Images Courtesy of LIV Golf*
Past Winners at LIV Adelaide
- 2023: Talor Gooch (-19)
Stat Leaders Through LIV Miami
Green in Regulation
- Richard Bland
- Jon Rahm
- Paul Casey
Fairways Hit
- Abraham Ancer
- Graeme McDowell
- Henrik Stenson
Driving Distance
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Joaquin Niemann
- Dean Burmester
Putting
- Cameron Smith
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Matt Jones
2024 LIV Adelaide Picks
Cameron Smith +1400 (DraftKings)
When I pulled up the odds for LIV Adelaide, I was more than a little surprised to see multiple golfers listed ahead of Cameron Smith on the betting board. A few starts ago, Cam finished runner-up at LIV Hong Kong, which is a golf course that absolutely suits his eye. Augusta National in another course that Smith could roll out of bed and finish in the top-ten at, and he did so two weeks ago at The Masters, finishing T6.
At Augusta, he gained strokes on the field on approach, off the tee (slightly), and of course, around the green and putting. Smith able to get in the mix at a major championship despite coming into the week feeling under the weather tells me that his game is once again rounding into form.
The Grange Golf Club is another course that undoubtedly suits the Australian. Smith is obviously incredibly comfortable playing in front of the Aussie faithful and has won three Australian PGA Championship’s. The course is very short and will allow Smith to play conservative off the tee, mitigating his most glaring weakness. With birdies available all over the golf course, there’s a chance the event turns into a putting contest, and there’s no one on the planet I’d rather have in one of those than Cam Smith.
Louis Oosthuizen +2200 (DraftKings)
Louis Oosthuizen has simply been one of the best players on LIV in the 2024 seas0n. The South African has finished in the top-10 on the LIV leaderboard in three of his five starts, with his best coming in Jeddah, where he finished T2. Perhaps more impressively, Oosthuizen finished T7 at LIV Miami, which took place at Doral’s “Blue Monster”, an absolutely massive golf course. Given that Louis is on the shorter side in terms of distance off the tee, his ability to play well in Miami shows how dialed he is with the irons this season.
In addition to the LIV finishes, Oosthuizen won back-to-back starts on the DP World Tour in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritus Open. He also finished runner-up at the end of February in the International Series Oman. The 41-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers of 2024, regardless of tour.
For the season, Louis ranks 4th on LIV in birdies made, T9 in fairways hit and first in putting. He ranks 32nd in driving distance, but that won’t be an issue at this short course. Last season, he finished T11 at the event, but was in decent position going into the final round but fell back after shooting 70 while the rest of the field went low. This season, Oosthuizen comes into the event in peak form, and the course should be a perfect fit for his smooth swing and hot putter this week.
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
Rory McIlroy WITB 2024 (April)
Rory McIlroy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
Sam Burns WITB 2024 (April)
Sam Burns’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (9 degrees...
Will Zalatoris WITB 2024 (April)
Will Zalatoris’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)...
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole1 day ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole3 weeks agoReport: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole1 week agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole1 day agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
don d.
Mar 4, 2016 at 7:40 am
Reminded me of my caddy days. A member I always got stuck with actually counted his balls and gloves and went through his bag after every round. Needless to say he paid minimum for maximum effort.
steve
Mar 4, 2016 at 8:38 am
Counting his Balls! How much were you tipped
SirShives
Mar 3, 2016 at 10:01 pm
I was once paired with a fellow who for the entirety of the round continued to produce beer out of his bag. Not just a couple of cans of beer mind you, more like the entire case. Guy drank from start to finish, loads his clubs back in the car at then end of the round, and heads home. I bet any beers that weren’t drunk on the course didn’t sit around in his bag until his next round.
cb
Mar 3, 2016 at 3:22 pm
great list! i lost it when i saw the wire bush one. thats happened too many times to count
ND
Mar 3, 2016 at 10:19 am
Am I the only person who walks? No wonder America has an obesity problem.
steve
Mar 3, 2016 at 9:58 am
I know a lot of tour pros have this in their bags, weed and a onehitter
devilsadvocate
Mar 5, 2016 at 10:33 am
Actually you’d be surprised how many do
steve
Mar 6, 2016 at 9:05 am
I have a friend that’s been a tour caddy for 20 years with various players and he tells me that most do
RoGar
Mar 2, 2016 at 10:52 pm
A bag, 13 clubs, 10 tees, 5 balls, 2 gloves, and rangefinders…Period!!!
talljohn777
Mar 3, 2016 at 4:12 am
You are allowed 14 clubs.
Scooter McGavin
Mar 3, 2016 at 8:35 am
Yeah, if you’re a Sally!
Mat
Mar 2, 2016 at 8:01 pm
What? Who does this?
Clubs, dozen balls, tees, laser, marker, repair tool. I wear my gamegolf, but it stores in the bag. The bag has a hanging towel and a brush.
Man, you guys think too much!
that guy
Mar 3, 2016 at 12:07 am
1 dozen balls is 6 too many… if you need more than that to get through a round god help you
Mat
Mar 3, 2016 at 4:24 am
I didn’t say I needed them for a round… sometimes a dozen is a good amount for practice. Don’t be *that guy*.
Scooter McGavin
Mar 3, 2016 at 8:36 am
One dozen balls is 11 too many for real players…
Double Mocha Man
Mar 3, 2016 at 11:09 am
I like to carry lots of balls so I can toss ’em to the gallery after every putt out.
Navy Mustang
Mar 2, 2016 at 5:01 pm
I once had most of the necessities listed. Until I decided to go old school – walk and carry. Goodbye umbrella, ball retriever, and a whole lot of other crap. Just me against the course.
kn
Mar 2, 2016 at 4:41 pm
I don’t even have half of this stuff in my bag. Only 21 of the 48. But NO rain gear or “vagabond’s crotch” smell. I have my standards.
Butch
Mar 2, 2016 at 2:43 pm
I have all those plus a pair of “reader” glasses and some “golf mints” (motrin)!
Mike Honcho
Mar 2, 2016 at 2:19 pm
A comb? Seriously! Even if you even own a comb much less have one in your golf bag, you’d be made so much fun of in our group that by #4 you’d be asking the marshal to give you a ride back to the clubhouse.
Mark Donaghy
Mar 3, 2016 at 4:14 am
Why, are you all bald? 🙂
steve
Mar 3, 2016 at 10:08 am
Toe to Toe to Honcho. Do you know what Mike Honcho is known for?
Regis
Mar 2, 2016 at 2:07 pm
Well Done. One minor change for me. Since I enjoy a cigar on the back nine I carry two (one plus a backup) triple flame cigar lighters. They are filled with premium fuel and are tested before I set out. Nothing ruins a good round or makes a bad round worse than deciding that now is the time for my cigar (or trying to re-light it) and finding out its a no-go, usually in the snottiest weather at a point farthest from the clubhouse.
Abother Lefty
Mar 2, 2016 at 2:07 pm
Is there a nail clipper on that swiss army knife
kn
Mar 2, 2016 at 4:43 pm
I carry a separate one. Doesn’t everyone?
Tim
Mar 2, 2016 at 1:35 pm
It is amazing how much stuff accumulates in a golf bag over the course of a season. Once or twice a season I audit my stash. I have to admit I am guilty of hording ball markers. I only use one, but I have a slue of backups should my lucky one come up missing. Also, I must have 10 divot tools, but only use the same one from Crooked Tree. Golfers are very peculiar creatures. A good lot of us actually carry these bags on our backs. We must be gluttons for punishment.
Tim
John Muir
Mar 2, 2016 at 1:27 pm
Excellent, Mark. I have most of the 48 in my bag, #49 an old empty beer can with a little warm beer at the bottom of the can.
John Muir
John
Mar 2, 2016 at 12:57 pm
6 balls, 15-20 tees, glove, 2 ball markers and one pitch mark tool is all I carry… I keep it very simple!
Scott
Mar 2, 2016 at 3:44 pm
so you are the one…
mhendon
Mar 2, 2016 at 5:31 pm
No he’s not the only one. Add a range finder and subtract the two ball markers. My ball marker is part of the pitch mark tool.
Mat
Mar 2, 2016 at 8:02 pm
Definitely not the only one. Atta boy.
that guy the caddie
Mar 3, 2016 at 12:08 am
amen. you must have been under the strap at some point.
Geo
Mar 2, 2016 at 12:32 pm
Love this I have at least 20% of this stuff and now know what to collect and gather over my next 10 years.
Walker
Mar 2, 2016 at 12:12 pm
Just get a mackenzie golf bag, you wont have any pockets to put all this stuff, nor will you have any money left to buy anything to put in the bag.
Double Mocha Man
Mar 2, 2016 at 11:31 am
Funny stuff! Anyone who has a bag like this definitely needs to use a power cart. I outfit my bag light and lean for carrying or rolling. The only excess in my bag is that golf ball emblazoned with the word “Dad” that my son gave to me for Father’s Day 10 years ago. Every time I am lucky enough to play a Top 100 golf course I use it for one hole, for good luck. Currently is has Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach and Chambers Bay DNA smeared all over it.
Steve
Mar 2, 2016 at 8:21 pm
Wow your awesome