rich e

I've been playing in the hi 80s low 90s for a long time and totally enjoy the game...I always say "the good ones play on TV" and realize for a weekend hacker the most important thing is having fun and relaxing....For some reason the bug bit me this year..I've never been one to spend that much on equipment but this year I went crazy,,(for me anyway)..So far this year:::::: A new Odyssey White Hot blade putter..My putting has improved but I do practice more with it... A new Cleveland Driver that averages 25-40 yrds farther than my old R7..I needed to jump up to 10.5 deg from 9.5 to get this increase.. A new set of Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 irons..So far I love these irons and can finally hit greens at 175-195 more consistantly.. Just ordered a new Tour Edge Exotic Tour Proto 56 degree sand wedge after two weeks of research... Plus I'm hanging out here a lot more and that alone will lower my scores Rich

Luckily for you,,the internet can teach you just about everything..I'm 43 and started golfing when I was around 13 or 14..Totally self taught with a set of old Spaulding Sam Sneads..The old forged irons had a sweet spot the size of a peanut and the persimmons (real wood) woods were challenging to say the least...No internet, I would read my dads golf magazines for tips..I spent years just chipping plastic balls around my back yard..We wrapped them in electric tape to weigh them down a little and I had three old tires I used as holes..No putting had to chip it in... Get some plastic practice balls and play in your back yard,local park,etc...The most important lesson I was ever taught..I play my irons off my back foot and try to pinch them into the ground every time..My swing changes for chipping and I kind of sweep through the ball and chock up on my PW depending on distance..Over the years I've seen so my styles of play and differant swings..I used to take "everyone" advice and try to apply it to my game..Some helped and some,,not so much... Rich

Great advice, I'll be doing this as well..Man I love this place..Rich

I've been researching this myself for at least a week,maybe two..Mr Barzeski (iacas) showed me some valuable videos and a lesson on bounce,,THANK you sir..I've been golfing along time and shoot high 80s to mid 90s..Sometimes high 90s if the greens suck..I just ordered the Tour Edge Exotics Proto V1.1 wedge..56 degrees and a 14 bounce..I wish I had time to get fitted for the Edel wedges but I barely have time to golf two-three times a month.. My new irons are the Tour Edge Exotics and the set came with a 45 deg PW and a 50 deg AW...I play these irons really well and I feel confident the new SW will be fine for me...Rich

Thanks for all the advice everyone and the chipping videos...I actually play my chip shots similiar to the videos but I still get some ball carry..This guy appeared to be hitting the same chip shot, but the ball would just "hop" once or twice and stop close to the pin...Thats why I think he was opening the face on his 52,56 deg wedges.. ALSO,,,,I've never played a course that had such differant greens ..Seriously, the front nine greens were smooth and fast...I ended up six over par,, and my first drive of the day was left side fairway OB, penalty stroke....I was playing strong until I hit these heavily airated sandy greens..The sand wasn't spread in any kind of uniform pattern,some areas were thick some thin..It was impossible to judge speed and his high pitch play removed the problem all together.. I will definately work on my chipping more and thanks for the videos,,.I know they will help improve my game...Now I cant decide between a 56 or 58..I'm leaning towards the 56 degree because several years ago I had a bad experience with a 60 lob wedge for at least a month...I practiced and practiced until I felt confident...It cost me so many strokes on the course,, thats what made me work on my bump and run even more...I struggle less with a lower lofted wedge and I'm thinking a 56 will be my highest loft in the bag.. My new set of irons came with a standard PW...ALSO a 50 deg approach wedge that I drop dead on at 100 yds,,LOVE IT...I havent tried to many short pitches with it yet though..I need to plan a pitching practice session one of these weekends... Rich

Thanks for all the replys everyone..Now that I know the differance I can clarify what the low handicapper was hitting...He played high pitch shots, not flop shots..I seen him using 52 and 56 degree wedges and "I think"? He was opening up the face a little..He also said they were $120 wedges with almost no bounce?..Looked in my bag and said I don't have anything like that..Like I said the back nine greens were aerated and sandy and were very,very slow...The front nine greens were all clean and fast, my bump and run was leaving me close and I ended up 6 over par on the front nine...The super slow greens on the back nine killed me..Between all the aerated holes and the sand everywhere I struggled to get close...Made me wish I practiced my pitch shots more often...I just struggled through the back nine and ended up in the mid 90s...Wasn't my strongest game ever but I still had fun and learned something...I need more practice on my pitching game... BTW I'm playing a new set of Tour Edge Exotics XCG5s and love them so far..My set came with 4-PW and a AW which is 50 degrees...I did a little research on the "bounce" and think I might need to add a better wedge to my bag...Tour Edge has a Tour Proto wedge that you can order in all kinds of lofts for around $100.00..Since I'm allready playing TE I was thinking about adding a 56 degree wedge....Thanks again everyone...... Rich

Hello everyone new member here with my first post..I've been golfing for a long time and was taught and play the "bump and run" style short game..I'm around a 16 handicap and stay competitive with all my co-workers, friends and family....But, today a co-worker who I new was a low handicap player,,, played flop shots around the greens and I was impressed...On several holes we were close or next to each other around the green...His close flop shots resulted in all pars..My bump and runs turned into bogies/doubles..The greens on the back nine were aerated and sandy and I struggled with distance.. I allready new he was going to out play me today because of his low handicap..But on the front nine the greens were fast and the scores were close..The back nine with the slow greens,, I got crushed... I'm seriously re-thinking my bump-run style short game... So how many of you low handicappers play the bump and run? And thanks guys and gals.. Rich