Evaluating performance is one of the aspects of Golf I have grown to love. In this modern age, anyone can track performance like we do on TOUR. Whether it’s via an app, a coach, or a personal system you designed, taking an honest look at your performance is the only information that matters when looking to 2023. This is On-Course performance, by the way; it’s easy to find yourself having clubs in your bag that you stripe on the range but when you get in live action, they don’t hold up consistently.
For example, if I look at my own bag, I have two main areas I know need help in the future. The first would be my fairway wood play. I played a Rogue ST LS 3-wood for the bulk of the year, and although I hit some great shots, my off-the-tee performance wasn’t solid, and in no way did my setup offer me something I could trust on a day-in-day-out basis. That’s the club’s primary function; at a bare minimum, it has to be a club I can trust when the driver isn’t jiving. I can’t say that it is right now.
So what are the best questions to ask when looking to improve your own bag?
- What club/s require serious work? We all have a few in our bag, even me. Whether it’s my 3-wood, long irons, etc. I know there are a couple in there that require my best to perform, that’s counter-productive. If there are clubs in your bag that only do their job when you’re tuned up but a complete question mark otherwise, they gotta go. Good golf is all about raising your floor, not your ceiling.
- What is my BIG MISS? For me, it’s a center-faced, no spin block to the right with a driver and 3-wood. The ultimate rally killer, and I don’t have the time to restructure my golf swing at this stage in the game. I have what I have. So to mitigate that, I added loft to both and squared up the face angles; those sharp edges are now softer. Do I still miss it? Oh God, yes, but I’m very rarely hitting three off the tee. Fairway woods still need work, but that’s the focus this winter. I’m trying to build in pars and build out doubles. Make sense?
- Do I have enough spin? I’ve been preaching this for a long time. Proper spin is king, and it’s needed at every point of your bag. If you have to choose between four yards shorter in the right spin window or longer with less spin, choose the first option. Always. Without question. You can go to the gym and make up the difference.
You have a staff of fourteen (plus your ball) in the bag, and like a Navy Seal team, they all must harmonize. Golf is HARD, and not giving yourself the proper tools to combat the course is literally making the game harder.
I challenge you to evaluate your bag and ego and commit to the best golf of your life. Whether your clubs have our logo or something else, I want my readers/followers to level up every season.
Otherwise, what are we doing here? LOL
Happy Hunting
JDub
Dave
October 13, 2022 at 1:00 pm
Great suggestion. I wish there were more fitting opportunities from the manufacturers that didn’t cost almost as much as the clubs
Steverino
October 13, 2022 at 6:26 pm
After a round, I make a list of the clubs in my bag, top to bottom, Dvr, 3W, 4H, down to my 58*. Then I review each hole and note each shot result next to the appropriate club. + means good, -L, -R, Fat, Thn, Sht (for Short), Ovr (for Long). Or Shk for Shank, or Skl for Skull, for two bad results. Then, I have a list of all the clubs I hit in the round, how many times and the results. At a glance I can see my weak clubs, miss tendencies and most-used clubs. Do that for each round for a month and you see your trends and areas needing improvements either by practice or club replacement.
Johnny Wunder
October 13, 2022 at 6:35 pm
Love this
Mike
December 29, 2022 at 10:42 pm
What a great idea this is, awesome stuff.
Steve Nakada
October 14, 2022 at 9:18 am
JDub,
What if you are low speed player (85 mph driver) do you go low compression low spin? Callaway ERC is the fitted choice but Chromesoft X is better for my short game…..