.
I'm about to head off to
a reputedly beautiful golf course on the island of Crete.
There's nothing like golf travel to open ones eyes to the myriad possibilities this game holds.
Variations in topography and climate, as well as local and exotic vegetation, create distinct experiences from place to place, and require you to adapt your game...sometimes even your entire strategy. Add to that the fact that you may be playing with a dubious and unfamiliar set of rental clubs, and the challenges are amplified.
For this particular trip we debated long and hard about bringing our golf clubs. Not only were we encountering draconian baggage restrictions on Delta Airlines, but we were already carrying many pairs of obscure and expensive designer jeans for Greek friends who seem to
be obsessed appreciate such things. And jeans, designer or not, are heavy.
My solution was to take one golf bag for both Nick and I, and each bring five clubs. That would keep the number of bags - and the weight - down. It was then that I asked the golfers on
Twitter and at the
Business Golf Country Club which clubs they'd choose if they had to play with only five for an entire summer. I posed the question that way because I wanted to determine which clubs they were actually most attached to day-to-day. I automatically included my putter, which I have an unhealthy attachment to and my amazing Sweet Spot driver, so it was the other three items I was interested in knowing about... and I got lots of replies (thanks so much to the repliers).
Though there were many variations, basically, the theme was this: 1 hybrid, 1 iron, 1 wedge. Duh, right? In the majority of cases, it was 3H, 7I + 56*/60* wedge. Which is what I went with in the end.
And here's the thing... I feel like I'm playing better here - with just my five clubs - than I play in CT with my full set. And the courses definitely haven't been easier. OK, yes... I have missed a couple of shots that I might
I'm convinced I could have made had I had "
the right clubs." But basically, I feel like the pared down set has removed some of the distraction that comes with a myriad of choices. After all, I'm a recreational golfer who's been playing for three seasons, and just broke 100 a month ago.
I packed my
Sweet Spot 3H which is currently my favorite club. It's 19* of multi-faceted, playing perfection, and it's one of
three Sweet Spot hybrids I play with regularly. They're all stellar and uber-stylish. With it's pink on black stripes. It's inspired some major club-lust here, and on my next trip I have a feeling I'll be over Sweet Spot golf clubs instead of designer jeans. My 7I is far more basic, as 7Is should be. It's a no-nonsense relic from my first days of golf and the Ram set I got for $80 at Target. Finally there's my Cleveland 56* CG11 wedge, which is what I feel most comfortable with around the greens, in the traps and - to be honest - on any shorter shot. It just works for me. Oh BTW, with room for only one pair of
golf shoes I chose my PUMA black & whites. A good choice.
So there you have it. My solution to the
golf vs. baggage restriction issue, a dilema golfers will probably encounter more and more frequently as airlines attempt to trim costs. And yes,
of course Nick has been blaming his every mishit and each of his blatant miscalculations on
a missing club that would have been perfect for that shot.
But you wouldn't do that, would you?
My awesome Sweet Spot 3H and my favorite PUMA golf shoes ❀ Photo by Golf Girl Media Το Γκολφ στην Ελλάδα, Greek Golf Tourism
