Equipment

How to play golf: Building a bag for your skill level

Published

4 years ago

Aug 1, 2020

When it comes to learning how to play golf, putting together a set of clubs is a vital step. The best way to do so will always be to see a fitter and go through the process of getting everything dialed in.

The problem for many golfers is this process can be both cost and time prohibitive. So to help you simplify your bag, we have put together an easy to follow guide, as well as a link to some of our most recent pieces about selecting clubs to put in your bag.

How to play golf: Building the right bag for you

Beginner/Casual golfer/Lower swing speed

how to play golf beginner set

This is where most new golfers fit in, and the biggest goal when putting together a set for a player in this category is to make the club selection process on the course easier and use clubs that provide the most confidence.

A typical set for someone just learning how to play golf will include but not be limited to

A driver with a fixed hosel and loft between 10.5 and 12°.
Fairway wood, generally a single (18°) 5-wood to be used all over the course. One of the hardest clubs to hit even for skilled players is a 3-wood, so even if one comes with your set, maybe set it aside for a while.
Hybrid clubs to replace hard to hit long irons, which can also be helpful with chipping around the greens.
Cavity back irons offer the greatest amount of forgiveness, and for beginners and slower speed players their perimeter weighting and a lower center of gravity help get the ball in the air.
Sand wedge. Having a single wedge (after the pitching wedge) for around the green will help simplify the decision-making process and for new players. Getting comfortable with a single club around the green for different shots can help quickly lower scores.
A putter that is the right length and has a comfortable grip should be all you’re really focusing on at this point. Try not to get too caught up with a certain design, but keep in mind larger mallet putters can be easier to line up and can really help nail down the basics.
Value two-piece golf balls to help reduce spin, keep shots more on line, and save a few dollars—because over the course of a round of golf this player is likely to lose a few.

Intermediate/Occasional golfer/Average swing speed

This is the largest part of the golf population and simply having the right clubs can vastly improve scoring and consistency. It is at this level when most golfers start to build preferences towards certain styles of clubs, particularly putters, and it becomes a lot more important to have a number of properly gapped wedges.

An adjustable driver can help correct for misses and a changing golf swing.
Multiple fairway woods including higher lofted options like a 7 or 9-wood can help with longer approach shots and getting out of the rough.
Hybrids are another option for long shots because of their increased forgiveness and ease to launch – for golfers in this category looking for irons sets, hybrids are often included.
Cavity back irons are still going to be the best option but as mentioned above. Finding a combo set with hybrids included can help with gapping and keep costs down too.
Multiple wedges after the pitching wedge, most importantly a gap wedge before a sand wedge can tighten up distance gaps with shorter clubs and help prevent the dreaded “in-between clubs” situation.
Using a multi-piece ball that offers more spin and a softer feel around the green or a urethane “tour” ball will help tighten dispersion and control around the green and can assist in turning bogeys into pars.

Low Handicap/Regular golfer/Higher swing speed

It is at this level where getting fit becomes vital in being able to maximize potential and scoring. One thing to keep in mind—not all low handicap golfers have high swing speeds, so make sure you select clubs with the right shaft flex and weight. The general setup for this golfer is as follows

An adjustable driver can optimizing trajectory and flight and will maximize potential distance while reducing dispersion.
Multiple fairway woods that offer proper gapping to approach longer holes or lay back off the tee.
Hybrid or driving iron—because everyone can need help hitting longer approach shots.
Irons with a smaller profile are a favorite of lower handicap players, and one of the most common setups involves a combo set to increase control.
Multiple (specialty) wedges assist in saving shots and this means selecting the right ones for different situations based on playing style and course conditions.
A putter that matches stroke style, as well as a golfer’s eye, will provide the most confidence and consistency.
Using a multi-piece urethane “tour” ball will offer the most control and help with short game scoring.

The half set

Using a half set is the great equalizer. Regardless of swing speed or skill level, it is still one of the best ways to enjoy the game. It makes clubs selection simple, it promotes creativity and can speed up play. Add on the fact that you are potentially carrying half the weight you would normally carry during a round of golf, and it’s a recipe for fun.

Don’t just take my word for it either, a few months ago Rory McIlroy said this on the McKellar Podcast

“I think it’s one of the best ways to practice, I do it quite a bit… because when you have only half your clubs you are always in between clubs and you have to do something…I tell junior golfers to learn to hit a 7 iron 140 yards (implying hitting it much shorter than a stock shot) because it teaches artistry, which is something they don’t do enough of in the modern game.”

Other GolfWRX resources for selecting clubs

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

8 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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