Hidalgo

Or you're coming from the inside and have an open clubface at impact.

I have used Tour Velvet Cords for years. After every 3-4 rounds, I clean them as you did with hot water and a stiff brush. People can't imagine the amount of oil that comes out of their hands. After 5-6 cleanings, the cord looks like a week-long growth of beard.

Erik, with all due respect, you CAN pull the ball from the inside. I've seen a student "snatch" the ball off the tee with a hooded/closed face. And it didn't hook. Straight left. I'll admit...it's a rarity. But I have seen it happen. Ball position comes into play.

I agree. But bear in mind that the smaller the grip...the more hand action you should have. Larger grips tend to impede hand action.

Another one bites the dust...Another one bites the dust...... That's what they WANT you to think. Milling is done to make the face flat or uniform. What little it may or may not bring to the game otherwise is too little to have any effect.

I actually PREFER it if he's NOT in the field. I'm sorry...I know he's a great player...but yesterday was a prime example of the televised coverage showing ONLY Tiger when he wasn't even in contention! It just gets very, very old watching Tiger when I'm wondering how the rest of the field is doing. Sure...he's their "Cash Cow" but I get tired of watching "Tiger TV" when there's supposed to be a golf tournament televised. Now if he's lighting the course up...that's a different story. He deserves the coverage in that situation.

.....and he's coming on strong again today!

www.usga.org will get you all the info you need. Quoted from The Rules of Golf: Sandblasting or other treatments of roughness greater than 180 micro inches are not permitted. Additionally, milling is not permitted if the crest to trough depth exceeds 0.001 inches (0.025 mm). A reasonable tolerance is allowed for both of these measurements. So...yes....those millings are legal PROVIDED they are not too deep.

Verify your accusations, please. If this is the case, I'd like to know.

You haven't been "beat"......just disagreed with. Everyone has their own preferences and what bothers some of us might not cause others to blink. And a lot of my disdain for the practice in question is caused by the lack of respect by the "stopped" party when trying to get back on the course. Unfortunately...not everyone out there is as polite and thoughtful as they should be.

Perhaps the reason Phil comes off as a know-it-all is because he's a very intelligent person. His hobbies are the stock markets/finance and he has a penchant for science. "Most" guys on tour would prefer to talk about the Celtics and Knicks, etc. That might be the case for the statements that he is hard to talk to and doesn't have a lot of "friends" out there. It's hard to communicate with someone who has interests that you can't even pronounce the name of. Sample: TIGER: "Hey Phil, did you see the Bulls game last night?" PHIL: "No, I was studying my stock portfolio. And by the way...did you know that the shaft in your wedge vibrates twice as fast when you hit it off of Bermuda than if you hit it off of Bent grass? And the sun angle this morning was 2* more to the West than yesterday?!"

I'll have to agree. Usually a banana or apple will tide me over until I am finished. If we get to the 10th tee and there are 2 groups waiting that are trying to get back in line, I'm usually NOT happy. Why should I have to wait because they wanted to take a break? This is where a good Ranger comes into play. This scenario us a rarity for us because they tend to keep the groups moving and warn them if they decide to do more than take a bathroom or beverage break.

Hmmmmm? I'm fairly new here and didn't realize that he was looked upon that way. I can't believe that, however. With the media coverage and photo hounds out there, there would be some hard evidence of his real personality if it weren't what we see on TV. You can't "put on" forever and he's always pleasant with the crowd and usually offers a smile or nod. A friend of mine plays off and on on the Champions tour and has clubhouse privileges at the regular tour events. He always talks highly of Phil. But...he isn't so complimentary of Tiger and some others. Yeah....I've been there before myself.

Usually...but not necessarily or in all cases. You can pull the ball from the inside simply by having very quick hands or being too steep. All it takes is a hooded clubface and you're off to the races. Believe me....I know. This is my worst miss and a problem that I have fought for a looooong time.

You gotta love this guy. He's probably got more raw talent than anyone on Tour (even Tiger). Continually causing huge roars with his short game, and causing huge moans with the driver. Taking chances that no sane player would attempt. He's "Mr. Excitement" as far as I am concerned, and except for Fred Couples, he's absolutely my favorite player. Phil walks the ropes between holes nodding and smiling at the gallery, sometimes having a quick word for a kid standing there. He ALWAYS gives his glove and ball to a youngster when he exits the 18th green. He actually gave away 3 Cameron putters (and took the time to sign them no less!) during a tournament 2 years ago...one after each of his first three rounds (he wasn't putting very well at the time). At the Masters during Wednesday practice, he signs autographs when the opportunity presents itself and it doesn't hold up play (even though the Masters staff says this is a NO-NO). He donates huge sums of money on a regular basis, never says anything derogatory about a fellow competitor or caddie (are you reading this, Steve Williams?). A lot of you might not like Phil. And sometimes you and I surely question his intelligence on the course. But you have to give him a nod as far as excitement and courtesy are concerned. A lot of players could learn a lot from following Phil around a course and watching him interact with the fans. I hope he has 3 more good rounds this week. He's definitely my pick for Augusta at this point in time.