Overall I consider myself practical and traditional when it comes to my equipment. Golf is a game of misses, so I would link to thank Pat Carli and Ping for providing me with a bag full of forgiving clubs to make my misses better.
Driver:
I am currently playing a Ping G400 LST. I have the 8.5-degree head set at the stated loft. The LST head helps to maintain a lower spin while the neutral face alignment allows me to shape shots in both directions. The shaft in my driver is the Ping Tour 65 stiff at a playing length of 45.75″.
Fairway:
My fairway wood is a Ping G400 3-wood set at the stated loft of 14.5 degrees. Like my driver, the neutral face alignment allows me to shape shots in both directions. The shaft in my 3-wood is the Ping Tour 75 stiff at a playing length of 43″.
Hybrid:
This is the part of my bag where I sometimes interchange clubs depending on the playing conditions. My normal hybrid is a Ping G400 19 degree with the Ping Tour 85 stiff shaft. Under summer conditions, I transition to a Ping i210 22.5 degree 4-iron with a KBS Tour 120 stiff steel shaft. The 4-iron gives me a lower trajectory with more roll which makes it a good option off the tee on tight driving holes during the summer months. Under softer conditions, or at courses demanding a higher trajectory on approach shots, I have incorporated a Ping G410 22 degree hybrid with the Ping Tour 85 stiff shaft instead of the 4-iron. This hybrid provides a higher trajectory and a steeper landing angle which helps to hold the greens on longer approach shots.
Irons:
My iron set is a black color code (standard lie angle) Ping i210 4-iron through U-wedge with KBS Tour 120 stiff steel shafts. This smaller profile cavity back set provides a great feel and forgiveness on mishits, while still allowing for workability and trajectory control. As I stated above, I sometimes remove the 4-iron in favor of a 22 degree 4-hybrid depending on the playing conditions.
Wedges:
I carry 4 wedges in my bag. My pitching wedge and utility (gap) wedge are a part of my Ping i210 iron set, with lofts of 45 degrees and 50 degrees respectively. I chose to match these two clubs to my iron set because I primarily hit these clubs with full swings and a square clubface. My two higher lofted wedges are Ping Glide 3.0. My sand wedge is a 56 degree SS 12 (standard sole with 12 degrees of bounce) bent 1 degree strong to 55 degrees with 11 degrees of bounce. This allows for a consistent 5-degree gap between all of my wedges. My lob wedge is a 60 degree TS 6 (this sole with 6 degrees of bounce). Having a mid bounce sand wedge and low bounce lob wedge allows me the flexibility to play short-game shots from all turf conditions, types of lies, and sand conditions. As with my irons, my wedges all have the KBS Tour 120 stiff steel shafts.
Putter:
My Putter is the Ping Sigma 2 Valor set at 34 inches with a 70-degree lie angle and 3 degrees of loft. It is a face-balanced, full mallet with a long, single white line. I use the site line in conjunction with a Sharpie line I drew on the side stamp of my ball for aiming and feedback on my putting stroke. If I see the line roll end over end on a good line with good speed I am happy! I also like that the high MOI design of the putter provides extra stability and a more consistent roll on putts of all length.
Grips:
Golf Pride Tour Velvet.
Carry Distances:
Clubs: | Distance: |
---|---|
Driver (8.5 deg) | 260 yards |
3W (14.5 deg) | 230 yards |
3H (19 deg) | 216 yards |
4H (22 deg) | 205 yards |
4i (22.5 deg) | 203 yards |
5i (26 deg) | 191 yards |
6i (29.5 deg) | 178 yards |
7i (33 deg) | 165 yards |
8i (37 deg) | 152 yards |
9i (41 deg) | 140 yards |
PW (45 deg) | 140 yards |
UW (45 deg) | 127 yards |
SW (55 deg) | 100 yards |
LW (60 deg) | 85 yards |
Ball:
I play the Titleist Pro V1. I mark my ball with three dots by the number and draw a Sharpie line over the side stamp that I use for putting. The three dots remind me of my family (my wife and two children) as well as my Christian faith. Overall, the ball has a soft feel and provides good control and performance throughout the bag.
Other Accessories:
I like to keep my bag as light as possible while having all the supplies I need for the course. I have two Ping Tour gloves in my bag that I rotate between rounds. If one gets wet or rips it is always nice to have a second on hand. I carry at least 6 to 12 golf balls in my bag, as well as a couple of dozen tees. I trust my Bushnell Pro XE rangefinder to get accurate yardages while on the course and make sure I have an extra battery. I carry a small supply kit with medical tape, bandaids, pain reliever, spare contact lenses, as well as hand sanitizer, and a mask. I wear sunglasses while I play so I always keep a pair in my bag as well as my “lucky” divot tool. I always try to stay hydrated and nourished on the course with water or Vitamin Water to drink and trail mix or granola bars to eat.
Thank you for reading What’s In My Bag! Stay healthy and safe. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!