The Golf Thread

[crazyguy]

:lolabove: Nothing hindered my game more than trying to recapture the draw. Back in the summer of 05 I was playing three times a week. I was bombing the ball consistently off the tee with a draw.....trying to recapture that has meant nothing more than higher score. I have tormented myself..and for what...an extra 20 yards off the tee? To top it off, I am much more comfortable hitting a full 8 or 9 iron from 170/160 than I am hitting a 3/4 wedge from 145. I really don't need that extra yardage off the tee.

I went through the same thing. Lately I've been laying off the driver on a lot of par 4's and hitting more 3/5 woods to give me a longer shot into the green, those 50-80 yard shots drive me nuts sometimes. Also, to anyone playing old club technology....RUN, don't walk to your nearest shop to upgrade. I just got a set of Cleveland CG4's this month and the change in my game has been unbelievable. I had played tommy armour 645fs' for forever and the new clubs make it so much easier to play the game.

 

[BigPapaVol]

:lolabove: Nothing hindered my game more than trying to recapture the draw. Back in the summer of 05 I was playing three times a week. I was bombing the ball consistently off the tee with a draw.....trying to recapture that has meant nothing more than higher score. I have tormented myself..and for what...an extra 20 yards off the tee? To top it off, I am much more comfortable hitting a full 8 or 9 iron from 170/160 than I am hitting a 3/4 wedge from 145. I really don't need that extra yardage off the tee.

most people would benefit enormously from ignoring the extra 15-20 yards and getting better with those mid irons to handle the added approach distance. all would benefit more by spending time with wedges around a practice green than they would from ever hitting a driver on the range.

 

[crazyguy]

most people would benefit enormously from ignoring the extra 15-20 yards and getting better with those mid irons to handle the added approach distance. all would benefit more by spending time with wedges around a practice green than they would from ever hitting a driver on the range.

most average golfers don't ever practice the bump and run either which is an essential shot to scoring well.

 

[utchatt]

I went through the same thing. Lately I've been laying off the driver on a lot of par 4's and hitting more 3/5 woods to give me a longer shot into the green, those 50-80 yard shots drive me nuts sometimes. Also, to anyone playing old club technology....RUN, don't walk to your nearest shop to upgrade. I just got a set of Cleveland CG4's this month and the change in my game has been unbelievable. I had played tommy armour 645fs' for forever and the new clubs make it so much easier to play the game.

New tech clubs can only help so much. I have Callaway X-16 that are pretty old and went to demoed the X-20 Tour irons and could not tell much difference between the two.

 

[utchatt]

most people would benefit enormously from ignoring the extra 15-20 yards and getting better with those mid irons to handle the added approach distance. all would benefit more by spending time with wedges around a practice green than they would from ever hitting a driver on the range.

I have higher hadicap friends who want to "gain distance" with their drivers and ask how I did it. I tell them to worry about hitting it in the fairway first.

 

[volfanbill]

New tech clubs can only help so much. I have Callaway X-16 that are pretty old and went to demoed the X-20 Tour irons and could not tell much difference between the two.

x18 to x20s isn't a huge upgrade. However, when an idiot like me refuses to give up his old 975D for the new age drivers, it's lunacy. I finally wised up last year and bought Titleist's 905T. I love that bad boy. If i can ever scrounge up enough money I'm probably going to upgrade it to the D2.

 

[utchatt]

x18 to x20s isn't a huge upgrade. However, when an idiot like me refuses to give up his old 975D for the new age drivers, it's lunacy. I finally wised up last year and bought Titleist's 905T. I love that bad boy. If i can ever scrounge up enough money I'm probably going to upgrade it to the D2.

I went from X-16 to X-20 Tour. I went from a super game improvment iron to a players iron and couldn't tell the difference, but I am a 2 handicap. I do agree that technology can help greatly, but you still have to make the swing. Drivers, I feel, you need to upgrade every 2-3 years.

 

[rpvol]

most average golfers don't ever practice the bump and run either which is an essential shot to scoring well.

7 times out of 10, I will use my 7 iron within 50 yards of the stick. I love the bump and run. If you practice that shot, it will save you 4 or 5 strokes a round if you are a high handicapper like me.

 

[BigPapaVol]

x18 to x20s isn't a huge upgrade. However, when an idiot like me refuses to give up his old 975D for the new age drivers, it's lunacy. I finally wised up last year and bought Titleist's 905T. I love that bad boy. If i can ever scrounge up enough money I'm probably going to upgrade it to the D2.

975D was the sweetest driver ever made. took me years to get away from it. I've hit tons of drivers since then and have stuck with the TM 510TP from about 6 or 7 years ago. Can't find anything I like better today. It sets up dead square (like my 975 did) and hits a high boring shot. I probably could find something that lowers spin, but it'll have a hard time making the bag.

Still hit MacGregor blade irons, down to the 3. Am looking at going to the x-tour from Callaway since I think they've worked out the hooking issues it had.

I have changed putters a bit, but I still always go back to a Cameron studio blade, which I just replaced with a Mizuno Bettinardi blade and may never change again.

I do change out my 60 degree wedge about every 18 months.

 

[volfanbill]

975D was the sweetest driver ever made. took me years to get away from it. I've hit tons of drivers since then and have stuck with the TM 510TP from about 6 or 7 years ago. Can't find anything I like better today. It sets up dead square (like my 975 did) and hits a high boring shot. I probably could find something that lowers spin, but it'll have a hard time making the bag.

Still hit MacGregor blade irons, down to the 3. Am looking at going to the x-tour from Callaway since I think they've worked out the hooking issues it had.

I have changed putters a bit, but I still always go back to a Cameron studio blade, which I just replaced with a Mizuno Bettinardi blade and may never change again.

I do change out my 60 degree wedge about every 18 months.

I agree on no need to change a swing to get an additional 20 yards, but the extra distance I get out of the T is outstanding. I wouldn't say I'm as accurate off the tee with the 905 as i was the 975, but I also think it relates more to the fact that I was playing 4-5 times a week in college compared to 2 times a month on a good month today.

I hit the D2 this summer and I've never noticed a spring like effect off a Titleist like i did with this club. For instance, I blasted my 905 down the pipe once this summer. Off the same tee, i took one practice swing with the D2 and hit it for fun and it cleared my actual ball in the air.

 

[BigPapaVol]

I agree on no need to change a swing to get an additional 20 yards, but the extra distance I get out of the T is outstanding. I wouldn't say I'm as accurate off the tee with the 905 as i was the 975, but I also think it relates more to the fact that I was playing 4-5 times a week in college compared to 2 times a month on a good month today.

I hit the D2 this summer and I've never noticed a spring like effect off a Titleist like i did with this club. For instance, I blasted my 905 down the pipe once this summer. Off the same tee, i took one practice swing with the D2 and hit it for fun and it cleared my actual ball in the air.

the new stuff is all long, but they're just a bit squirrelly. Buddy of mine on the Nationwide Tour swears by the Nickent 4dx and says tons of them are out there on their tour with different headcovers on them. Gave me one from the trailer and it is one long dude. The tour version sets up square and is deep faced. Has a tour x V2 shaft tipped to 44.5. I hit it well late last year and have yet to try it this year. If I can continue to hit it like that, it will be in the bag, maybe with the same shaft, but untipped.

 

[crazyguy]

New tech clubs can only help so much. I have Callaway X-16 that are pretty old and went to demoed the X-20 Tour irons and could not tell much difference between the two.

but you're the exception. A 2 handicap doesn't fit into a recreational golfer mode, you were hitting them pure enough to not tell that much of a difference. I was a 10 with my old clubs...I have a feeling it's about to drop a few shots.

 

[crazyguy]

the new stuff is all long, but they're just a bit squirrelly. Buddy of mine on the Nationwide Tour swears by the Nickent 4dx and says tons of them are out there on their tour with different headcovers on them. Gave me one from the trailer and it is one long dude. The tour version sets up square and is deep faced. Has a tour x V2 shaft tipped to 44.5. I hit it well late last year and have yet to try it this year. If I can continue to hit it like that, it will be in the bag, maybe with the same shaft, but untipped.

I'm hitting a 580xd but I would love to change out shafts...I have heard some good things about nickent drivers...I'll have to check that out.

 

[BigPapaVol]

I'm hitting a 580xd but I would love to change out shafts...I have heard some good things about nickent drivers...I'll have to check that out.

I don't know how on earth you deal with that closed face on the 580. Those things scare me to death. In the immortal words of Fat Bastard, they make me feel "all squidgy".

 

[crazyguy]

I don't know how on earth you deal with that closed face on the 580. Those things scare me to death. In the immortal words of Fat Bastard, they make me feel "all squidgy".

it is pretty annoying, but i'm going to have a wait a few months or find something used before I switch drivers.

 

[utchatt]

I really like Callaway irons but I am looking to get a top end set of blades. I like the Callaway Forged but I don't feel they are a true blades. If anyone cna suggest a good blade please let me know. Right no i have in the bag: Volkey 50 and 58 degree wedges, 2-pw Callaway X-16, Callaway Big Bertha 3 & 5 woods, Taylor Made R5 duel Neutral and Odyessy White Hot 2 Ball putter.

 

[crazyguy]

I'm waiting for the "hairline crack" to surface. Apparently it's worth 30 yards.....and a free driver from taylor made.

 

[crazyguy]

I really like Callaway irons but I am looking to get a top end set of blades. I like the Callaway Forged but I don't feel they are a true blades. If anyone cna suggest a good blade please let me know. Right no i have in the bag: Volkey 50 and 58 degree wedges, 2-pw Callaway X-16, Callaway Big Bertha 3 & 5 woods, Taylor Made R5 duel Neutral and Odyessy White Hot 2 Ball putter.

why not mizuno's? If you really want to go with blades...

 

[crazyguy]

Speaking of irons, does anyone have the J33's? I like the way I hit my new irons but the huge topline is pretty disgusting to look at. I like the idea of the combo set in the 33's.

 

[utchatt]

but you're the exception. A 2 handicap doesn't fit into a recreational golfer mode, you were hitting them pure enough to not tell that much of a difference. I was a 10 with my old clubs...I have a feeling it's about to drop a few shots.

There is no doubt that new tech can help the mid handicapper greatly. Good luck with the new clubs.

 

[utchatt]

why not mizuno's? If you really want to go with blades...

I am going to Demo Day and will give any brand a try. I was looking for opinions from anyone that plays blades on this board.

 

[volfanbill]

I firmly feel swapping out putters is all mental, however, it's sometimes a much needed swap. There is probably no part of my game I work on more than putting, but I realized there is going to be a couple of rounds here and there where I'm either going to be completely baffled by the speed or undulations of the green and my putting will suffer. I won't even consider swapping putters unless I falter for months on end.

Wedges need to be swapped out with regularity. I know I wear the grooves out quite quickly on my 56 and 60.

I have heard the Nickents actually being under different headcovers as well. However, I've also noticed a lot of nickent hybrids sitting in PGA bags for all to see.

 

[BigPapaVol]

why not mizuno's? If you really want to go with blades...

If I were buying blades right now, I'd choose between several of the Mizuno's (it's what I grew up on), Hogan Apex (prettiest club in golf) or the Taylor Made TP muscleback's with the vibration absorbing notches carved out.

I hear great things about the MP-32 "cut muscle".

Do you have a good reason to move to blades? I stick with 'em because of the aesthetics and I hit enough balls to keep hitting them solid. That said, there are several players cavity backs that I'm going to look at because they have removed the offset and thinned out the toplines. Setup looks like a blade and forged metals, but the forgiveness and higher trajectory long irons have to help everyone.

 

[BigPapaVol]

Speaking of irons, does anyone have the J33's? I like the way I hit my new irons but the huge topline is pretty disgusting to look at. I like the idea of the combo set in the 33's.

I hit the J33 hybrid 2 iron. Sets up square, neutrally weighted and boring flight. I can't praise it enough.

They've now quit making it. Had to go through hell to get the 3 iron model with the right shaft in it, but I hope it's as good as the 2. If so, I'll no longer be hitting a 3 iron either.

 

[utchatt]

I firmly feel swapping out putters is all mental, however, it's sometimes a much needed swap. There is probably no part of my game I work on more than putting, but I realized there is going to be a couple of rounds here and there where I'm either going to be completely baffled by the speed or undulations of the green and my putting will suffer. I won't even consider swapping putters unless I falter for months on end.

Wedges need to be swapped out with regularity. I know I wear the grooves out quite quickly on my 56 and 60.

I have heard the Nickents actually being under different headcovers as well. However, I've also noticed a lot of nickent hybrids sitting in PGA bags for all to see.

A good friend of mine who is on th PGA Tour *cough name dropping cough* Eric Axley recommend the Nickcent hybrids if were to switch my 2 & 3 iron to hybrids.