Building a Short Set
There are three things I am:
- A tinkerer: always trying to optimize things that don’t necessarily need optimizing.
- Someone who likes to add unnecessary creative constraints (golf included).
- A guy who loves carrying his clubs. Bonus points if it’s a single-strap bag (I swear it makes me look cooler, and I’ll take all the help I can get).
Combine those three traits and you get me playing 99% of my rounds with a short set in a Sunday bag. Do my scores suffer? Sometimes. But my lowest round ever came with a short set. And truthfully, I always walk off happier when I’ve played with fewer clubs, no matter what the scorecard says.
Below are the key considerations I use when building a short set. I usually carry 8 clubs, but the same principles apply whether you roll with 6, 9, or even 10. (I’ll skip the putter, because that’s basically a given (though if you want to putt with the leading edge of a wedge or a long iron, more power to you.)
1. Start with your favorite iron
For me, everything begins with the 8-iron. I can hit bump-and-runs, knockdown shots, or full swings, and it’s the club I trust most to hit my target. Starting with the club that gives you the most confidence is the foundation of a short set.
Short Set Progress: 8i, Putter (2/8)
2. Build your gapping around that favorite iron
I like to work in ~20-meter increments. My irons are 6 (140m), 8 (120m), and PW (100m). That keeps my distances even without unnecessary overlap. Your gaps might be 15, 20, or 25 meters, whatever makes sense for your game.
Short Set Progress: 6i, 8i, PW, Putter (4/8)
3. Get as far off the tee as you can (while staying in play)
For most golfers, that means a driver. Modern drivers are packed with forgiveness and distance, and there aren’t many reasons not to game one. Exceptions? If your dispersion is wild and you’re constantly finding trouble, or if you’re down to a super-short set (say 6 clubs), where you may need a more versatile long club instead.
Short Set Progress: Driver, 6i, 8i, PW, Putter (5/8)
4. Add a wedge you can trust
I’m comfortable hitting my PW 100m or even down to 80m, so I want a wedge that covers ~60m. For me, that’s a smooth 56°. I recommend a 54° or 56°, much easier to swing consistently than a 58° or 60°, while still versatile enough for bunkers. If you want two wedges here, go for it, you’ll just sacrifice a spot at the top of the bag.
Short Set Progress: Driver, 6i, 8i, PW, 54°, Putter (6/8)
5. Fill out your long clubs
I’m not a long hitter, so I trade the extra wedge for a couple of long options. I use a TourEdge X525 ironwood (5i lofted more like a modern 4i) for ~160m, and a 5-wood turned down to 4-wood loft for ~180m. That completes my 20-meter gaps across the bag. Anything over 180m, I'm realistically not hitting that target consistently enough, so I'm plotting my way around the course.
Short Set Progress: Driver, 5W, 5 Hybrid Iron, 6i, 8i, PW, 54°, Putter (8/8)
6. Stick all of it in a Sunday Bag (Optional)
You don't have to a own a separate bag to go short-set, but part of the allure of playing less clubs is that your bag is lighter, and to an extent the "minimalism" that comes with playing with less clubs flow into other parts of your set up; you start removing stuff from your bag that you don't use or need in your round. There are plenty of good options here, we stock the First Light Sunday Bag, but other options can include Jones, Mackenzie or even a personal favourite Pine Coast Golf
My 8 club set up.
There are limitations to the short set life, I’ll get into those in another article. But with some creativity and smart course management, I’ve never felt like I needed the extra six clubs to hit the 14-club limit.
Hopefully I’ll see you out there, walking lighter and having more fun with a short set.
