The Rules of Golf allow a maximum of 14 clubs in your bag during a round. There's no minimum. You can carry 1 club if you want. You can't add clubs during a round, but you can replace a damaged club if it breaks during normal play.
The 14-club rule
If you start a round with more than 14 clubs, the penalty is 2 strokes per hole played with the extra club(s), up to a maximum of 4 penalty strokes in stroke play. In match play, you lose 1 hole per violation, up to 2 holes.
Count your clubs before every round. It takes 10 seconds and saves potential disaster. Pros have been penalized for having 15 clubs, including Ian Woosnam at the 2001 Open Championship (he was leading at the time).
Typical bag setup
| Skill level | Typical 14-club setup |
|---|---|
| Beginner | Driver, 3-wood, 5-hybrid, 6-PW, 52° wedge, 56° wedge, putter |
| Mid-handicap | Driver, 3-wood, 4-hybrid, 5-PW, 50° wedge, 54° wedge, 58° wedge, putter |
| Low handicap | Driver, 3-wood, 3-hybrid or 3-iron, 4-PW, 50° wedge, 54° wedge, 60° wedge, putter |
The biggest decision for most players: how many wedges to carry. More wedges give you more short-game options but fewer long clubs. Most Tour pros carry 3-4 wedges.
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Club care basics
Cleaning
Clean grooves after every shot with a brush. Full clean after every round with warm water and dish soap. See our detailed cleaning guide.
Regripping
Replace grips every 40-60 rounds or once a year. Worn grips cause you to grip tighter, which creates tension and inconsistency. New grips cost $5-15 per club for the grip, plus $2-5 per club for installation.
DIY regripping:
- Remove old grip with a hooked blade or grip solvent
- Remove old tape from the shaft
- Apply new double-sided grip tape to the shaft
- Pour grip solvent over the tape and inside the new grip
- Slide the new grip onto the shaft, align it, and let it dry for 6-8 hours
Total DIY cost: $4-8 per club. A regripping kit with solvent, tape, and a vise clamp costs $15-20.
Shaft care
Check steel shafts for rust spots. Wipe them with a dry cloth after wet rounds. Graphite shafts are more fragile: don't bang them together in the bag. Use headcovers for woods and hybrids to protect the clubheads and shafts.
Rules about club modifications
- You can add lead tape to adjust swing weight. This is legal.
- You can change grips, shafts, and loft/lie angles. All legal.
- You can't alter the clubface (no filing grooves deeper or adding texture).
- You can't use clubs with non-conforming dimensions (the USGA publishes a list of conforming clubs).
For equipment selection, see how to measure club length, grip guide, and our beginner's golf guide.
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