WHAT'S IN THE BAG?
Dave Baltzer
GolfTEC Director of Instruction, City Manager, PGA Member
GolfTEC Houston
Houston, TX
Driver: Nike SQ DYMO STR8FIT (9.5-degree); UST Proforce AXIVCore shaft, 79-gram, X-flex
With my driver, accuracy has always been more important to me than distance. As I've improved my swing over the years, my typical mis-hit has shifted from a fade to more of a draw. I've now entered the world of adjustable face technology. My STR8FIT driver allows me to set the club head in a position to help guard against my typical misses. This has resulted in more confidence on the tee box, as well as more fairways hit and fewer penalty strokes from wayward drives.
Fairway wood: Nike SQ DYMO 4-wood (17-degree); UST Proforce AXIVCore shaft, X-flex
Because of my preferred set make up (four total wedges), I was forced to make a decision on the long end of my set to stay within the 14-club rule. Eleven years ago, I decided to dump the traditional 3-wood and 5-wood and opt for something right in the middle. My 17-degree 4-wood gives me more distance than a 5-wood and it's easier to hit off the deck than a typical 3-wood. This has been one of my bread and butter clubs ever since I put it in the bag.
Hybrid: Nike VR 3 Hybrid (21-degree); Aldila VooDoo shaft, S-flex
Five years ago, I said goodbye to my 3-iron…FOREVER! Hybrids are so easy to hit and so versatile from many different lies on the course that anyone who is playing a 2-, 3-, or 4-iron really needs to reconsider their set make up. My Nike VR hybrid gives me more distance than a 3-iron, which helps my distance transition from my 4-wood down into my irons. It's also a great club to hit off of the tee on tight par 4s or long par 3s.
Irons: Nike VR Forged Split Cavity (4-, 5-iron); Nike VR Forged Blade (6-PW); Dynamic Gold S300 shaft
I've always liked a "blended iron set" where the long irons are more forgiving and the middle to short irons become more workable. Since Nike hasn't made a combo set for several years now, I went ahead and created my own. I like this setup as it helps continue the smooth transition from hybrid to irons. Increasing the forgiveness of your long irons, even slightly, can do wonders for your confidence and shot performance.
Wedges: Nike VR Forged Wedge (52.10, 56.14, 60.06); Dynamic Gold S400 shaft
Wedges are my absolute favorite clubs in my bag and they are also the deadliest part of my game. Because of this, I made sure that my loft and bounce combinations were spot on. 52, 56, and 60 are pretty typical lofts for a gap, sand and lob wedge. Where I really customized my set make up here is going with a high-bounce, 14-degree sand wedge and a low-bounce, 6-degree lob wedge. Around the green, I typically choose my wedge based on the optimal bounce-rather than loft-for the lie I have. Bounce has a lot to do with how effectively you are able to execute wedge shots around the green.
Putter: Kirk Currie Brazos (32.75")
I've been using my Kirk Currie for about eight years now. I've tried a few others along the way, but have always come back to what works. My favorite thing about this putter is the adjustable head and grip weights, which allows me to customize the feel of the putter to best suit my putting stroke.
Ball: Nike One Tour D
I haven't played with the new ball yet but am very excited to try it. It looks to be a step up from the Tour ix ball, which was designed to reduce backspin off the tee (which I need) without sacrificing feel around the greens.
Accessories: None
No gadgets for me! Although I think range finders and GPS devices are very useful, I grew up stepping off my own yardages and still use that practice today when I'm playing. It's part of my pre-shot routine and helps keep me in a rhythm while playing.
