Just curious as to how many of you who are so tied to your putters have actually played in a limited club tournament, and how well you actually did. As I said above, my experience playing in 4 such tournaments, one 3 club and three 4 club competitions with no restrictions on the clubs chosen, I was never beaten in my flight by anyone who selected a putter as one of his clubs (I only actually won my flight once.
I play in one of two of these a year and I always put putter in my bag because I know I NEED to use it every hole. I am usually playing with people right around my skill level, 16 handicap, and watching them struggle trying to putt with a club they are unfamiliar with is comical. Three putts are often the best case scenario. I am trying to remember but I don't think I have ever finished below someone who didn't have a putter.
My other go to club is my 54° wedge because it is my everything from 90 yards and in club, another area where you can gain strokes because people aren't used to using a certain club around the green. For my other three clubs I would probably go driver, five iron and eight iron.