What should and shouldn't be in your golf bag

I have just bought myself a new golf bag. I had little or no choice - two of the zips on my previous bag had failed and things kept falling out.

I have invested my hard-earned cash in a shiny new TaylorMade bag with pockets and compartments galore. And I love it.

However, before I could put it into play there was the small matter of emptying my old bag.

And dear, oh dear, oh dear! What a shock I got. In truth, I have to admit that I was pretty embarrassed.

Where to begin?

• What the golf Pros says
• Getting your bag winter ready

The Great Golf Ball Hoard

Let’s start with golf balls. There were 49 balls in my bag. I repeat, FORTY-NINE golf balls. 

The most I have ever lost in a single round was some years ago at Carnoustie when it was pouring with rain, blowing a gale and the rough was knee-high. It was, and remains the toughest golf course I have ever played. And I managed to lose eight golf balls.

I have just completed a third round with the same golf ball. It will not see a fourth round because the time has come to change it. 

So you can see that there was absolutely no need for me to have 49 balls in my bag. Especially when several of them were balls I had found in the rough that were not fit for purpose - that I had promised to put in my practice bag. The thing is that I go to a driving range and use range balls so I actually have no need whatsoever for a bag full of scabby old golf balls. 

I am now carrying 12 balls in my bag. Quite apart from anything else, it lightens the load. Go on, try it. I guarantee that you, like me, will be carting round far more golf balls than you will ever need.

Tees, Tools and Gloves Past Their Best

What next? Ah yes, golf tees. Hundreds of them. Pink ones, orange ones, white ones, broken ones. Now here is the thing - I only ever use pink tees with my driver and small or broken tees when I hit any other club. So they have also now been sorted out. As have the SEVEN pitchmark repair tools and 12 markers! I now have two pitchmark repairers and two markers in my new bag.

And then there were the golf gloves. I don’t like throwing things away. There were six golf gloves in my bag - four of them with holes in the fingers. They have been consigned to the dustbin.

It gets worse. 

I constantly preach about how you should all regularly clear out your bag. I found one rotten apple in a compartment I had never used, two mouldy chocolate bars and a biscuit of indeterminate origin that I have no recollection of ever putting in my bag. Oh, and a water bottle containing water that had not been changed for months.

There’s more, I’m afraid. There was also a jumper (which I was convinced that I had lost) tucked away and crumpled - and so smelly that I swear it could have found its own way to the washing machine. Mrs Clements was NOT amused!

There were also numerous scorecards, five pencils, six pens, an empty cigarette packet and a pack of five cigars - again, I have no memory of ever putting cigars in my golf bag. Why would I? I don’t smoke cigars, and never have.

I also decided that it was time to ditch a ball retriever that I have carried around with me for years but have used maybe twice.

What the Pro Says You Actually Need

Golf professional Aaron Holtom, who provides golf lessons in Derbyshire at the East Midlands Golf Academy at Morley Hayes, has a much more sensible idea of what should be in your golf bag and what should stay at home. Here are his simple tips.

Carry a Lighter Bag

One of the easiest ways to improve your game is to lighten your load. A heavy bag can wear you out, especially on the final few holes. Do you need 14 golf clubs.

Remove clutter: Take out old water bottles, extra layers if it's a dry day, and anything else you don't need.

Limit your golf balls: Restrict yourself to about 6 balls instead of carrying dozens.

You'll be surprised at the difference a lighter bag makes on your energy and performance for the entire 18 holes.

Fill the Gaps with a "Safe" Club

I often see players with a big gap between their driver and their next club, without a reliable, easy-to-hit option for the tee.

The Problem: Drivers and 3-woods can be difficult for mid to high handicappers, leading to inconsistent shots.

My Recommendation: Instead of a 3-hybrid, try a 4 or 5-hybrid. These clubs are far easier to hit and still provide plenty of distance, making them perfect for tight or shorter holes.

Many higher handicappers are decent golfers who just have two or three disastrous holes—often from hitting multiple balls out of bounds with their driver. If you have a safe, reliable club to use off the tee when you're not confident with your driver, you can avoid those big score-wrecking holes.

What It All Means for Your Game

Aaron makes a lot of good points and none of it is rocket science. Where I would take slight issue with him is that many senior golfers are not physically able to carry a bag, no matter how light. And most simply don’t want to!

The truth is that your golf bag quietly tells a story about you as a golfer and, if you’re anything like me, it’s probably not a very flattering one. Clapped-out gloves, mystery snacks, enough balls to see you through Q-School… it all adds up. 

So here’s my suggestion. Next time you’re not playing, tip the whole lot out on the floor and be brutally honest with yourself. Keep what you actually use, bin what you don’t and give the poor bag a fresh start. 

Your shoulders will thank you, your golf might just improve and, with a bit of luck, you won’t find any rotten apples or ancient cigars lurking in the darkest corners. Mrs Clements would certainly approve of that.

Finally Thought - Get Your Bag Winter Ready

When the temperature drops, your golf bag should change with the season. Winter is the ideal time to move to a lighter, more compact setup with fewer clubs. Be honest: do you really need every wedge and long iron when the ball isn’t going anywhere and you’re mostly hitting little knock-downs and chasers under the wind? 

A stripped-back bag makes walking the course much easier when trolleys or buggies are off limits, cuts down on fatigue and generally makes winter golf feel less of a slog. It’s also a good excuse to tinker - maybe add a wedge you trust around soft, muddy greens, or swap a long iron for a hybrid that actually gets the ball up from those heavy, wet lies. 

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve put together a YouTube video called “What should be in your winter golf bag” that walks through a simple winter setup and how to get your clubs ready for cold, damp conditions.