Zach

What's in My Bag?: Zach's Essentials

What's in my golf bag? Check out the clubs, balls, and accessories that are must-haves for me.

Last Updated: Nov 06, 2023

Posted in:

Written by: Zach

TLDR; What's in My Bag

Below is a summary of my golf clubs and basic specs at the time of writing. For more detailed specs, commentary, and photos, scroll down!

TLDR; Golf Clubs

TLDR; Other Gear

In addition to golf clubs, here are some of the other golf items I use:

WITB: My Golf Clubs

As you can probably tell by the looks of this set, I'm long overdue for some upgrades. But hey, you don't need the newest golf clubs to play great golf—you just need quality golf clubs.

I've spent hundreds of hours testing clubs. And these are the clubs that have been in my bag for years. For me, a bag of golf clubs is all about trust. If I don't trust the club I'm holding, it's hard to hit great shots with it.

Early in my career, it was hard to find golf clubs that I trusted because I couldn't even trust my own swing! But over the years, I slowly built this bag that I truly love.

I don't hit great shots every time, but I know these clubs have great shots in them!

Driver

My Driver

I play the Titleist 913 D3 with a Matrix Black Tie 6M3 and GP Z-Grip.. On this club, I play with a Midsize grip size (3 extra masking tape wraps under standard grip).

Here are the golf shaft specs I use for the Titleist 913 D3:

ShaftFlexWeightLaunchSpin
Matrix Black Tie 6M3extra-stiff64 gramsLowLow
Titleist 913 D3 product image
Titleist 913 D3

The Titleist 913 drivers are all about speed, distance, and performance.

I've gone through a lot of drivers. Callaway, Taylormade, you name it. All my Callaway drivers broke after a few years and while I liked the Taylormade drivers I played, they just never lived up to the consistency and durability of a Titleist.

I've had a lot of success with the Titleist 913 D3 and think this line of drivers is a very solid one.

My

My 3-Wood

I play the Ping i15 with a Oban Devotion Shaft and GP Z-Grip.. On this club, I play with a Midsize grip size (3 extra masking tape wraps under standard grip).

Here are the golf shaft specs I use for the Ping i15:

ShaftFlexWeightLaunchSpin
Oban Devotion Shaftextra-stiff85 gramsMidMid
Ping i15 product image
Ping i15

With a thin face, the Ping i15 fairway wood is perfect for a golfer that likes a "minimal" feel and needs something that can launch high from the fairway.

Over my golf career, the single hardest club to get right has been the 3-wood for me.

I struggled to find something I could trust off the tee but also rip from the fairway on par 5s until I hit this Ping i15.

I absolutely love this thing, but I've gone through 3 of them (they lose "pop" after so many hits). So... At some point, I'll have to upgrade this since the Ping i15 is running low on inventory, but this is my trusty 3-wood for now.

My 3-Iron

I play the Callaway X-Forged with a DG X100 and GP Z-Grip.. On this club, I play with a Midsize grip size (3 extra masking tape wraps under standard grip).

Here are the golf shaft specs I use for the Callaway X-Forged:

ShaftFlexWeightLaunchSpin
DG X100extra-stiff---
Callaway X-Forged product image
Callaway X-Forged

The Callaway X-Forged irons are a forged iron with a cavity-back feel. These things look great to a player and give the forgiveness every golfer needs.

I've been gaming these Callaway X-Forged irons since high school! They have treated me well and provided a nice tour look with a solid amount of forgiveness.

As you can see, I'm about due for a new set:

Article image

My Gap Wedge

I play the RTX Zipcore with a DG S400 and GP Z-Grip.. On this club, I play with a Midsize grip size (3 extra masking tape wraps under standard grip).

Here are the golf shaft specs I use for the RTX Zipcore:

ShaftFlexWeightLaunchSpin
DG S400stiff---
RTX Zipcore product image
RTX Zipcore

Cleveland has been a leader in golf wedges forever. And the RTX Zipcore delivers on its promise to help you spin those shots around the greens!

While I think there are lots of good options out there for wedges, I've played Cleveland wedges for years.

I always like a 56 degree with lots of bounce for thick rough and bunkers followed by a 58 degree with a low bounce to hit off tight turf.

My wedges have been bent to 50, 55, and 59 degrees for covering my yardages better.

My Putter

I play the Cleveland HB4 with a Lamkin Cord. I play with a Standard grip size.

Cleveland HB4 product image
Cleveland HB4

I believe the Cleveland HB4 is one of the best putters you can find at a budget price. This thing looks great and performs even better.

Throughout college, I played the Odyssey #7 "claw" putter, but I never loved the look of it.

After college golf, I switched to this HB4 which has a minimal and clean look to it and really helps me feel that "pendulum" stroke better. Overall, I've putted well with this and intend to stick with the "plumber's neck" style for the foreseeable future!

WITB: My Must-Have Accessories

Rangefinder

My Rangefinder

Bushnell Tour V5 Patriot Laser Rangefinder product image
Bushnell Tour V5 Patriot Laser Rangefinder

While certainly not the cheapest laser rangefinder on the market, you cannot go wrong with a Bushnell rangefinder. The Tour V5 is reliable and durable.

While there are much cheaper and more convenient options, I'm a huge advocate of a high-quality laser rangefinder. I need something that is durable, has a good battery life, and shoots accurate yardages.

Even if you don't believe that getting an exact yardage matters, it does. Having an exact yardage teaches you how to adjust your setup to "knock off 5 yards" from the shot or "juice it an extra 10 yards".

I trust Bushnell as a brand and can't play golf without this thing!

Launch Monitor

My Launch Monitor

Garmin R10 product image
Garmin R10

I LOVE this launch monitor. With fairly accurate shot distances and a TON of integrations, you're getting a lot of bang for your buck here.

This is a recent edition to the bag but has been an absolute blast taking it to the range and getting a better understanding of my ball flight and carry distances.

Not the cheapest thing ever, but I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about this game and wants to make it more fun!

Golf Ball

My Golf Ball

Vice Pro Plus product image
Vice Pro Plus

In my opinion, the Vice Pro Plus is the best "budget" alternative to the ProV1x. If you want tour quality at a fair price, this is your ball.

In college, I played the ProV1x, but after graduating, I quickly realized how expensive those golf balls can be! After a pretty extensive test, I realized that for a fraction of the price, I could have the ProV1x without losing any performance or feel.

So I switched.

If you want to know how I came to this conclusion, here's my full comparison:

Golf Glove

My Golf Glove

FootJoy StaSof Golf Glove product image
FootJoy StaSof Golf Glove

Made by an industry-leading brand, the FootJoy StaSof glove is a reliable choice for any golfer.

When it comes to golf gloves, I'm a huge advocate of paying a little extra for a genuine leather glove.

While any quality leather glove will do, this is the glove I've leaned on throughout college golf and to this day.

You absolutely cannot go wrong with this glove.

Golf Shoe

My Golf Shoe

FootJoy Tour Alpha Boa Shoes product image
FootJoy Tour Alpha Boa Shoes

A classic shoe with a modern look. The FootJoy Tour Alpha Boa shoe is an excellent choice for any golfer.

I've tried a lot of different shoes, but I always seem to end back with the classic look and feel of a FootJoy shoe. These are a great pair and I love the little "twisty" on the back to tighten and loosen the shoe. Just pop that thing in, twist to your desired tightness, and you're on your way!

My Favorite Golf Books

Book

The Golfing Machine

The Golfing Machine product image
The Golfing Machine

This book is TOUGH. I don't recommend it for most golfers, but it is one of the most influential texts of our time and deserves a spot on my list!

While I wouldn't exactly "recommend" this as reading for most golfers, it's at the top of my list because of how influential it has been on my game.

This book taught me a lot of what I teach at The DIY Golfer and gave me a deeper understanding of how the golf swing works.

Book

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose product image
Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

In this book, the authors present a perspective starkly different than many mental game books. If you're serious about your game, this is an MUST READ.

While this book is definitely geared towards the competitive, slightly analytical golfer, I have to keep it at the top of my list because of how much it helped me.

There were times in college golf when I felt like my game was absolutely hopeless, yet I still had to get out there and perform well.

This book got me through a lot of those challenging rounds along with helping me "go low" with a career-best of 64 from the back tees (bogey-free)!

Book

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect product image
Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

If I had to choose a single book to gift to a golfer of any skill level that I thought would improve their game overnight, it is this one.

If there is any book I'd recommend to all golfers, it's this one. Dr. Bob Rotella is a world-renowned mental game coach. He has worked with many PGA Tour golfers along with athletes outside of golf (e.g. Lebron James).

There are no "instructions" in this book, but rather, this book puts you in the winning mindset. I used to read a few minutes of this prior to my competitive rounds which always seemed to give me a few helpful thoughts to carry with me through the round.

My Favorite Training Aids

Putting Aid

Pelz Putting Tutor

Pelz Putting Tutor product image
Pelz Putting Tutor

The Putting Tutor is my FAVORITE putting aid that I used while playing D1 college golf. Also used by Phil Mickelson, this is a must-have for any serious golfer

I'm not really a training aid "junkie", but there are a few that I always keep at arm's reach. And this is one of them. I love the Putting Tutor and believe all golfers would benefit tremendously from using it.

Swing Aid

GoSports Alignment Sticks

GoSports Alignment Sticks product image
GoSports Alignment Sticks

Any golfer serious about improving their game NEEDS alignment sticks in their bag. These can be used for drills, practicing alignment, and more!

Nothing complicated here. I always keep two alignment sticks in my bag because they can be used for just about everything.

During the first 10-20 minutes of each of my range sessions, I throw one of these down and work on my alignment. You can never practice your alignment too much!

Explore other WITB Posts