For some time now, golf debates have usually revolved around the distance conundrum. The golfers continue to make long shots, pushing the organizers and league brass to either roll back the ball or find a way to increase a course’s area. But the problem is that while the first one brings technical problems from the manufacturer’s side, the other one is simply not always possible. Neither is sustainable. Just then, back in July, two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal’s clever solution came to light.

“Just use nine clubs,” he said. It made sense. No one knows when the concept of 14 clubs became the norm anyway. And his challenge of seeing who can “really play golf” would only make the sport vying for more young followers more attractive. Adding to that was Englishman Nick Faldo, who spoke exclusively with EssentiallySports at the DP World India Championship 2026 and presented his own reason why Olazábal’s idea should be implemented already.

“It’d be great. It’d be perfect here (in Delhi Golf Club). This course is kind of short,” Faldo told EssentiallySports when asked about the nine-club bag idea. “You can pick a number, 9, 10… It’d make the players think; it’d be great for television because the guys would have to work.

“If it was my day, I’d love that because you’d arrive at 20 clubs, you’d play a couple of practice rounds, rounds you’ve traveled now, and you go, ‘Right, I’m gonna strategize my round. I’m playing to there ’cause I wanna play with whatever, six, seven, and eights. I’m gonna try and get every shot in a window, so I keep it in the same club.’ You know, it makes sense, wouldn’t it? So that would be a great start. I just want them to do it for fun.”

In a fast world today where results matter too much to play carefree, Faldo still understands that this approach is easier said than done. But he’s not leaving anyone hanging. He had one more idea to share:

“Just saying to the guys, ‘Right, this week’s ten clubs.’ Get it. And they go, ‘If you don’t like it, go home.’ You know, ‘Don’t play. That’s it. You don’t want to do it? Yeah.’ But I think the guys would, and the ladies would. You know, why not? It doesn’t have to be just the guys.

“Let’s give it a go for fun. And I don’t think it’s gonna cause any real harm, and I think it’d be a great talking point. What have you got in the bag, and da-di-da-di-da. Maybe he’s going to go, ‘Well, I should have done that. I should have had a whatever, seven wood in the bag.’ Yeah, let’s just do it for fun. What the heck.”

See for yourself how his humorous side came out while discussing the idea with EssentiallySports:

Nick Faldo was speaking after an appearance on The Locker Room Delivered by DP World, the official studio show of the DP World India Championship created by title sponsor, DP World, where he joined hosts Anna Jackson and Kevin Pietersen alongside special guest and DP World Global Ambassador Sachin Tendulkar. The show can be followed on the DP World Tour YouTube channel. But the proposal isn’t new, not even from the veteran golfer himself.

Why going down on your club count could matter, as Rory McIlroy and others adapt the idea

The idea of limiting golf clubs in the bag centers on adaptability. With fewer clubs available, players would need to adjust their swings, control trajectories, and manufacture shots rather than automatically reaching for a club suited to a particular yardage.

“Olazabal said well nine clubs, well yeah, and again, bring back skill,” the nine-time PGA Tour winner discussed the idea during a conversation with Golf Monthly’s Kick Point in August.

Nick Faldo has experienced that challenge himself. Recalling a PGA Championship, he explained that he had left his 9-iron out of the bag. When faced with a shot that might have called for it, he was prepared to adapt.

“Well, I’ll hit a little eight, you know,” he said.

A player might need to take something off an 8-iron, flight a shot differently, or find another solution to a distance that would usually call for a different club. Those adjustments could reward touch and imagination while creating situations that viewers would enjoy watching.

Nick Faldo also suggested that he believes this proposed rule change wouldn’t be fun for golfers alone. It would also bring more entertainment to golf coverage. Using smart tactics based on instincts could also become a great talking point among golfers and broadcasters. Golfers could even be mic’d up to understand their strategy for choosing or leaving a particular club.

A player might prioritize a particular wedge combination on one course but favor different long clubs at another venue. Every selection would involve a trade-off, and an omitted club could become significant when an awkward yardage appeared during the round.

The current Rules of Golf allow players to carry up to 14 clubs, though golfers can choose to carry fewer. Faldo’s suggestion would turn that existing freedom into a shared competitive challenge.

Delhi Golf Club offers an interesting backdrop, according to the 69-year-old.

Rory McIlroy is already leaving his clubs behind in India

The Delhi Golf Club’s tight, tree-lined fairways and doglegs can make accuracy more valuable than maximum driving distance. Rory McIlroy, for instance, said he would play without his driver because he’d rather win than hit long. He also did the same last year. But he’s not the only one thinking about it.

“It’s very different and it’s a fun test in that regard,” Ryan Fox said of the course after removing his driver from his bag.

Those decisions illustrate how professional golfers sometimes leave familiar weapons behind when conditions demand a different approach. Thus, equipment choices at Delhi Golf Club can influence strategy before players even begin a round.

But even if that doesn’t work, golfers could always return to carrying more clubs, as Faldo suggested.

The veteran golfer’s proposal also ties into a broader debate about the skills professional golf should reward. He has previously discussed other equipment-related ideas, including one-inch tees, as possible ways to encourage greater emphasis on ball-striking and shot control.

PGA Tour player Michael Kim has independently advocated a ten-club limit, while instructor Butch Harmon has expressed interest in seeing professionals try a reduced-club format in a tournament. Their suggestions differ, but they share an interest in testing whether fewer equipment options would make players rely more heavily on their skill.

For Nick Faldo, though, the appeal seems to go beyond settling golf’s equipment debates. Because, after all, what’s the worst that can happen?