12 clubs for me.

Driver
4W,
4 Driving Iron
5-PW
52
58
Scotty

I barley have time to master the 12 I have in my bag, let alone add 2 more and try to find time to practice with those.

I use a one strap quiver bag with a small collection of clubs. D2 917, 913 3 wood, 4,6,8,PW,54 and Scotty. I switch it to odds so the irons wear even.

Reworked my set makeup due to loft overlap. I now carry 13 clubs. Driver, 3 & 5 woods, hybrid set to 26 deg., AP1 6 iron thru W-wedge, Vokey SM7 54 & 56 and a Scotty X-5R.

Since I have a love/hate relationship with every lob wedge known to man, I often ditch that and my 54* sand wedge in favor of a 56* SW, so I carry 13 clubs. I just know if I try to hit a lob wedge, I'll cost myself strokes.

As for people who carry a handful of clubs, there must be enough out there to justify the space taken up by the selection of tiny 6" round carry bags at my favorite golf store. (Planet Golf in Miami, FL) Somebody must be buying them...

I was carrying 12 for the longest time but did have a few gaps that needed filling. Recently added 818H2 19degree to fill my biggest gap but still only carrying 13 if that makes me minimalist; cannot think of time I've had 14 in the bag.

Also, occasionally it is fun to play a round of 9 holes with 4-5 clubs to see the course in a new light and hit some different, more creative shots.

I play with a driver, 3 wood, hybrid, 5-9 iron, Vokey 46,52,56,62 and Scotty putter. Almost 14.

I've played 12 clubs for over 50 years, Driver, 4-wood, 3-PW, SW, putter. Played in a national championship with this set-up.

Modern lofts have changed this slightly, now Driver, 18* hybrid, 4-PW, AW, SW, putter. I bet if I measured the old sticks they'd be within a degree club for club, just have different numbers now.

I really appreciate the light bag now that I'm in my sixties and still hoofing.

The thumbnail shows my full bag. If I want to play minimalist and still have a good setup I can go driver-7W-23H-27H-7-8 iron- 44-50-56-64 and putter. If I want to go with 10 clubs, use the 25H and a CB 7 iron (bent to 32) in place of the hybrids and the 6-7 irons.

Coming to this thread after playing with a reduced set for fun the other day. Another forum I'm on has this handmade sunday bag that travels around the world and we take it for loops wherever we can, I went 8 clubs: driver, 3 wood, 4i, 6i, 8i, pw, sw, putter. I knew I would need the 3 wood a few times so I kept it, otherwise it would have been out with that and probably added a hybrid.

Overall the small set was a lot of fun, and something I'll probably do in the summer evenings after work quite a bit when I'm just looping a quick 9.