From Brent Kelley,
Your Guide to Golf.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Definition: Bag Raid, a k a Pick Up Sticks, is a match play game between two players. It's pretty simple: Every time a player wins a hole, his opponent gets to choose one club from his bag and remove that club from play.

Example: After A wins the first hole, B removes A's pitching wedge from play. For the rest of the round, A cannot use that pitching wedge.

Any club can be chosen, but most players give immunity to the putter (otherwise it would be the first club to go, and putting is hard enough without having to do it without a putter).

The strategy - well, aside from the strategy of not losing holes - is to first remove from your opponent's bag the clubs which he's most comfortable and best with.

When playing Bag Raid, make sure you carry the maximum allowed 14 clubs at the start of the round.

Bag Raid can be a good game for learning creative shots and practicing draws, fades, punch shots and the like. Because by the turn - unless you're winning every hole - you'll be playing shots for which you may no longer have the appropriate club.

Also Known As: Pick Up Sticks