14 Clubs

[jeffc]

does anyone know who came up with this rule and when? The more I think about it, the more it makes sense as the perfect number. Sure we'd all like more, but this number requires golfers to make decisions about what to carry and be a bit more strategic than just filling their bag with as many clubs as possible.

It does seem like an odd number though as my guess is when they picked it there was probably no GW or LW and definitely no hybrids.

[Gropper]

Some one tried to tell me the other day that its 14 clubs plus a putter but I was sure it was 14 including the putter. I am right on this?

Gropper

[NoBack]

14 WITH the putter (or 13 plus a putter)

[1972Apex]

Some one tried to tell me the other day that its 14 clubs plus a putter but I was sure it was 14 including the putter. I am right on this?

Gropper

You're right.

[Agent99]

does anyone know who came up with this rule and when?

The rule was passed by the USGA in 1936 and two years later the Royal and Ancient followed suit.

[buckylasek]

14 is enough, 10 would be a strategic choice.

[Kilroy]

I did quite a bit of research on golf history. It's all under Articles / History of golf off the main menu

History of Golf Clubs

The old timers looked down on the new sticks. They believed that a real golfer should play a variety shots with fewer clubs. The idea of one swing and lots of clubs seemed like cheating. In 1934, a player by the name of Lawson had so many clubs that his caddy demanded extra money. In 1936, the USGA passed a rule limiting the number of clubs to 14.

Chronology of Some Important Events in Golf

[Thimble]

thanks for the link. i especially liked seeing the names for the old clubs:

Modern	Old
1 wood	Driver
2	Brassie
3	Spoon
4	Cleek
1 iron	Driving Iron
2	Mid Iron
3	Mid Mashie
4	Mashie Iron or Jigger
5	Mashie
6	Spade Mashie
7	Mashie Niblick
8	Lofting Iron
9	Niblick
Putter	Putter