Golf - what's in your bag and why? - Page 4

hey hrstrat,

Looking at major overhaul on gear this year. Maybe even get the spider webs out of the wallet for new irons. I have the original ping eye 2 U groove models, 1984 or so, looking for new irons, maybe the callaway 16's not so new ones for cash considerations. What could you tell me about them, if you can compare them to pings?

Also going hybrids, I think with TM rescues, just because for $99, they seem the most cost effective and get good reviews. Probably two for now, 19 and 22.

I play a few times a month now, and hit the range a 2 times a week in between baseball games. Hopefully I'll play more this summer however when I was in college (graduated in 04) in the summers I played 40-50 rounds a year. Anyway I play:

- Cleveland TA5 irons that I bought 6 years ago and they have served me well, 3-SW,
- Cleveland CG10 52degree gap wedge
- I recently sold my King Cobra SS D/3W/5W and picked up a Titleist 905T 8.5 driver with garfalloy stiff shaft, and ping G5 16degree hybrid to replace those clubs. This year was the first time I've hit a hybrid and I was considering buying a 2 iron to add to my set until that first swing...and all I can say is wow, I am a believer in hybrid clubs now.
- Since I have an extra space to fill in the bag I'll be adding a 60 Lwedge before the weather really gets good.

*Edit for balls - Usually play titleist prov1, I like the prov1X, however my favorite were the surprising Nike TA2 Spin. Bring those things back! very durable and long but man do they bite - great feel and just an overall fantastic golf ball.

Two issues

Actually there are two distinct issues involved.

Path (inside/outside, outside/inside-to the intended direction of flight) will determine the initial direction of travel. So often we see the big bananna slice start left then go wildly right. Ball postion can have a significant influence here. But in addition to path-see below

Clubface angle at impact will determine the spin put on the ball and subsequent curvature. A lot of variables come into play in determing why the clubface is closed at impact-grip, rotation of the forearms etc.

That is so true.

This is the time of year when you start to see many demo days. If you ever have the chance to attend one and try before you buy-do so, it is a great investment of time and may prevent a poor financial investment.

In my bag I found:

1 Swedish pecker enlarger
1 book How to use your new Swedish pecker enlarger

I swear I have no idea how these got in there.

After the golf lessons I took last year, I knew it was time to get a better set of clubs. The "bargain shopper" in me convinced me to snatch up a deal on some Lady golden Bear Irons. I demo'd some putters and actually found a putter that feels very good to me for $30.00(I'm sure I'll be investing big $$$ in my golf tools in the future but for a Second full season golfing, these will be a good step two for me) The problem is, I have irons 4,5,6,7,8, P, S. I have a putter. I even have one wood 20*5. I know I need some hybrids and drivers, What do I need to add?

Don't worry about a driver right now. I would look for a 3 or 4 wood-the driver is the hardest club in the bag to hit. The average golf would be far better off teeing off with a 3 or 4 wood and keeping the ball in play rather than trying to solve the driver riddle. (Basically the less loft a club has, and the driver has the least of any club except your putter, the more side spin the club imparts.)

Consider dumping the 4 iron and adding a 22 degree hybrid. Long irons give most golfers difficulty and the hybrids are more forgiving-especially when hitting out of the longer grass. Otherwise you appear to have a good set up for now. Spend time developing the fundamentals and worry about more/better equipment later.

TC,

I would recommend reading The Short Game Bible by Dave Pelz, and maybe adding a lob wedge.

I am getting the idea that golf clubs are like ski quivers.
The more I play the more of an idea I'll get on which to use for which conditions/terrain.
Like a soft ski for moguls, a stiff ski for spring crud, a carving ski for hard pack........
Now looking for a 22* hybrid.
I'm sure I'll become as much of a golf gear junkie as I am a ski gear junkie.

Just remember, ultimately, it is the mechanic not the tool-some tools just make it a little easier

Knowing this fact and restraining the "gear whore gene" are two completely different things.

I know-I have a garage full of clubs and that doesn't include what I've shipped to my bro and nephew.

ROTFLMAO!

I've got a set of '60 or '61 MacGregor Tourney Irons (Black Face), a set of Walter Hagen "The Haig" blades, a set of Tour Limited Edition cavity backs and my current set of TM RAC LT irons. Then there is the MacGregor Tourney woods, the Hogan Apex persimmon woods, the PGA Tommy Armour persimmon woods plus some extra clubs I have. Then the kids and wife each have a set of clubs too. Did I mention I have several golf bags and 3 pairs fo shoes too.: I play so much I have a shag bag full of Callaway HX Tour golf balls; although, I'm going to have to change that because I switched to ProV1s.

My bag is pretty close to being set; however, I have made or in the process of making some changes this year.

First, new driver. Cobra Speed LD F series, 10.5* NV 55 S shaft. With the ProV1 ball I am 15 yards longer than my old driver. Why? I think my fit changed as my swing improved. (I went from a ~4-5 index to a 1.5 last year) I was hitting the old driver too low and I needed more loft. I get 235 - 240 carry and hit this 250-260.

2nd, fairway wood upgrade. I had a Titleist 904F and I got the new 906F. With the new sole design it's more forgiving and it eliminated the slinging hooks the 904F produced on slightly heavy hits.

3rd, my irons are getting the shaft. I like steel and I am staying with steel. Just upgrading from Dynamic Gold S300 to DG Super Lite S300 which lightens the clubs just a bit. While that's getting done and I having the lies and lofts checked.

That's pretty much it. I play TM Rescues with stock steel S shafts to replace the 3 and 4 irons. I have some minor issues, yardage gaping and the occasional slinging hook, with these and they could get replaced if I find something better. Going to a Nickent demo day Sat.

The wedges are good Cle 588 51*, 56* and 60*. The 60* is great for me; however, I would not recommend it for most golfers. i.e. double digit handicaps. The only thing I might do with these is get the lies and lofts checked.

Typically, I have about 16 clubs I use to get my set of 14 for the day. Some days I may play the 4 iron and take out the 4 hybrid for example. One thing I never do is mess with the scoring clubs. I think it would take too long to get used to it and get my yardages dialed in.

Did I mention I have a boatload of putters too. Funny thing, I always keep coming back to my 1970 Ping Anser. (Although, right now I am thinking of locking it in the closet )

TC - since I have not seen you swing a club or know what level you are playing at, I can't really recommend any thing to you specifically. I think mikewil covered a lot of what I was thinking anyway. One thing I would do, knowing what I know now, is build a set of clubs for a beginning golfer. i.e. my wife plays a little, but she doesn't play that well or that much. She would do well with a Driver, 7W, 5H, 7H, 9I, SW and putter. I would make her a 15* Ti driver with a 55g L flex shaft 44.5". $60 for the head, $30 for the shaft and about $10 for the grip and club building supplies. I can build the other clubs for about $30 each.

Have fun putting your golf arsenal together.

You! SrMike! are a gear whore!!!!


I actually wondered about the TM rescues when I was looking for a 22*
I can get a great deal on them at a local shop but am not good enough to really tell the difference yet.


Needs a time out?

I am a beginner with only one solid season under my belt
I have taken a 5 lesson series with two lessons being putt specific(need more putt lessons)
I have picked up a 22* inexpensive club and can't believe what a difference.
Beginner stuff fine for now, that's why the golden bear clubs, but I see gear whoring in my future.

get a 52 or 56 degree wedge, I prefer Cleveland for those short shots. I call mine the miracle club

THAT is exactly what my coach told me!!!
She had me practice for with a 56 over and over to get it on the putting green.

The time spent in lessons practicing this type of shot was well worth it. I only hope I can remember how to do it when its necessary. Nothing beats confidence and luck in this game. I hope my 56 doesn't let me down.

Short Game is where you score

TC - you are wise to work on the short game. There is a reason for the saying "Drive for show, putt for dough." Having shots around the green that you are comfortable playing is a plus. IMHO, having 3 or 4 shots to play around the greens and getting good at playing those shots will do more to drop you scores than being able to pound long drives. Learn a chip shot with an 8 iron and a wedge. Learn to hit pitch shots with the wedge and sand wedge. Learn a green side bunker shot. Then, if you have time, learn a bump and run, a flop shot and learn to chip with the hybrid.

For my short game around the green, I only use my wedges; however, I have 5 or 6 shots I can hit with confidence that cover most every situation. I will chip with my wedge, GW, SW or LW depending on how much I want the ball to roll out. I have a cut shot I play with the SW or LW depending on the lie that I can get stopped really quick. I can hit a lob if I need to and I play the SW or LW out of the sand depending on the lie, type of sand and the way I need the ball to react on the green. I don't think you have to know how to hit all the shots, just be able to play the shots you know with confidence.

Yes, the putter needs a timeout. : I gave it one last year and it came back strong. I think I will go back to the heavy putter for now. I think that putter, because it's so heavy, really grooved my putting stroke and I was a better putter for using it. All I know is I have been getting the ball close to the hole lately and the putts aren't dropping. I've hit the ball well enough tee to green to go low and didn't. It's not like I am putting bad, the putts are just missing. I am due.

As far as being a gear ho with all the clubs, the MacGregor irons are probably worth something. That was the first adult set I played in high school and I always liked those clubs. The "Haigs" are a really neat little blade. I like to hit them occasionally because it reminds me of how much easier the game has become. The other irons are really old 20+ years and I can't get rid of them. (I have tried.) The old laminated maple and persimmon woods really aren't worth anything any more. However, they look neat and they feel great to hit. I wish I could still get balata balls to hit with the old drivers so I could show some of the young kids just how hard this game used to be.

One thing that really helped my game in the last few years is working on the mental game. I thought I had been playing golf for a long time, turns out I was hitting a golf ball around the course. I've been a single digit handicap pretty much as long as I have played, but I really started playing "Golf" the last couple of years. The best thing I did for my game was getting Rotella's books, Golf is not a Game of Perfect, Putting out of Your Mind, The Golfer's Mind, and putting what I learned into practice. Maybe before I put the putter in timeout I should do a little reading again.

Have a good one and play well.

Brad Faxon, one of the best putters on tour (and hailing from Rhode Island) says "putt like you don't care".

He's right! Just relax and hit a good putt, don't worry about the result. Or, as Rotella says, get over the putt and let it go. The result doesn't matter. BTW, Rotella uses Faxon as an example in his book, Putting out of Your Mind, and Crenshaw and Nicklaus and Watson and Bobby Locke.

OTOH, Pelz is out there with a lot of information. It's good statistics and information; however, I've never been a fan of his approach to putting. I think it's too mechanical. Yet, I agree with Pelz that most golfers don't play enough break on the greens and that they don't realize most of the scoring in the game is from 100 yards in.

What if you're both

Billy Billy Billy

Oh Billy Billy Billy

Noonan

The original or the sanitized, safe for TV version?