Jamo's Blog on TheSandTrap

[jamo]

After a disappointing round, I went to the range with my father who was giddy after buying himself a new golf bag. We went and I focused on figuring out the problem with my long clubs. I had him take some looks too, and what we found, well, this explains is best:

Basically, with my short irons (LW-8) I purposely open my stance a little. I have always felt that is the best way, so that's the way I do it. Because of my recent distance related struggles with those clubs, I have been practicing with them a lot, and this had migrated to my long irons and woods. So I closed up my stance a little, hammered out my transition timing, and there you go. Straight to a slight draw. I'll take those any time, especially since my distance was much better. I also felt like my right armpit has been separating a little too much, so I have to check that out. Although, I have been watching Sean O'Hair (one of my favorite players) in the Bridgestone all week, and his swing can make anyone's right elbow look like it is miles away from their body!

NOTE: Having seen how bad the local munis are right now due to the drought, I am not only crossing off Ponkapoag (because I played it), but Leo J Martin. I don't want to waste money on a crappy course. Here is my list:

• Leo J Martin
• Ponkapoag
• Shining Rock
• Hopedale CC
• Maple Gate

[jamo]

Again I was looking to play Hopedale CC, but they had some sort of tournament going on today so I went to play 18 at Highfields instead. Most courses around here are in terrible shape right now because of the drought. Dead fairways, hardpan around the greens, dirt tee boxes. But not Highfields, and for $20 as a junior to play 18 holes it's a great deal.

I struggled with my swing early on, then I just struggled to score, then my game was just sort of average. My irons were solid all day, and I think my biggest (and really only) problem with my irons right now is that I don't have the necesary confidence. I keep overclubbing, and walloping the ball over the green. Most of my really good shots lately have come when I needed to squeak a few extra yards out of it, and most of my worst ones have come when I have been taking an easier swing. When I swing to easy to tend to come out of the swing a little, and my quality of contact is much worse.

My driver was decent. I started the day with the flare swing of a few days ago, but around the 8th hole I worked it out. A few times I hit it off the heel, which produced a shorter pull fade that leaves me in the fairway. They were good swings though, I just caught them a little off the heel.

My putting was atrocious. The greens seemed inconsistent, but I managed to get the speed right most of the day. My lines were just really bad though.

I ended up shooting a 76, +4, for a differential of 3.2. Here is My Scorecard.

Hole #1: I started off the day on this 516 yard par 5. My tee shot was a flare to the right that caught the rough. Part of it was the wind though, but it was definitely a flare. I took an aggressive line with my hybrid, but I pulled it a little left and a tad long. I caught a bag lie on some hardpan, but I managed to hit a decent pitch to 20 feet. 2 Putt par.

Hole #2: I caught my 8 irons perfect on this 138 yard par 3 (the tees were back, about 158 yards). I hit it dead perfect, right at the hole, but the slope took the ball back and to the left to 21 feet. Another 2 putt par.

Hole #3: A perfect drive, a slight (and intentional) cut, on this 399 yard par 4. I had a PW to the green that I surprisingly drilled over the green. I was a good 8 feet below the surface of the green, at least 20 yards behind the green, off of hard ground, with a wedge in my hand. I caught my flop shot a touch fat, sort of bouncing the club off the dirt, but contact seemed alright and the ball went to a miraculous 1 foot.

Hole #4: My drive went left into the trees on this 365 yard par 4. My second shot with a PW hit the tree in front of me but somehow managed to get onto the green. AN ugly 2 putt game me my first blemish.

Hole #5: The tees were back to 234 on this normally 214 yard par 3. Not wanting to fly the green, I pulled 3 iron to try to run the ball up. I hit my worst shot of the day. It was fat and the ground contact closed the face down. It was really ugly, and the ball went maybe 150 yards. My next shot was more of the same, and I still hadn't gotten to the green. I putted it from just short, and managed to get down in 2 for a bogey.

Hole #7: This 383 yard par 4 has water short and right of the green, and although my drive flirted with the water, it stayed out. I drilled my approach shot with a PW from about 140 almost 20 yards over the green. From the rough with the ball sitting up, maybe it was a flier? I couldn't get up and down from where I was, and my pitch shot was good to just get to 30 feet.

Hole #8: I pulled my tee shot on this 339 yard par 4, but I got to nearly pin high with it (the hole plays shorter when you go straight for the green). I hit a decent lob to 15 feet, but I couldn't make par.

Hole #9: I cannoned my drive to the middle of the fairway on this 570 yard par 5. With my second my play of choice on this hole is to hit a 6 irons straight over the tree on the left and get it to roll down the slope in the fairway. If you catch the slope right you can get it to roll all the way to the greenside bunker short of the green. I didn't catch the slope, and I was left with about 80 yards. I felt good standing over my LW, but I caught it a touch fat and the ball didn't get back to the back of the green, where the pin was. Putting the length of the green, I was happy with a 2 putt.

Hole #10: With a bunker cutting through the center of the fairway, I had to carry the ball at least 270 to carry it (according to my yardage book). I caught the ball a bit off the heel, and just didn't get the power I needed to carry the bunker. I landed in it, and had a touch 6 iron over a tall lip. I never really practice fairway bunker shots, and I caught this one way fat. I had about 80 yard for my third, and I closed the clubface a little, pulling the ball and sending it to the back of a very deep green. Not a great play with the pin in front. I had 63 yards, and a great 2 putt gave me a birdie.

Hole #11: I hit a really bad one on this 145 yard par 3. Because the green is so far downhill, I got lucky when the ball rolled all the way to the green. But I was left with a tough 70 feet to the hole. A good read on my first putt gave me a tap in par.

Hole #14: This 321 yard par 4 is straight, short, but way uphill. I have hit a good drive on this hole I think every time I have player here, and this was no different. This hole just really fits my eye. I hit a straight bomb, and I had about a 30 yard pitch shot for my second. I way lucky to hit it to the back, and correct, tier, and was also lucky that I go the ball to stop up there. I burned the edge with my birdie putt, but I was happy with that hole.

Hole #15: On this 501 yard par 5 I hit a high draw over the trees. I must have gotten lucky because I thought that I was OB right in someone's back yard, but the ball must have kicked down and I had about 175 yards to the green. With the ball above my feet and water short and left, I took a 5 iron and aimed right. I probably should have hit 6, and my ball went quite a but far. I had a really hard, and really hard looking, pitch shot, but I managed to get it to 9 feet. I was really happy with this one, just the way I wanted. I hit it into the slope and got the bounce I was looking for. I was just a tad disappointed that it didn't trickle down the the hole. Solid par.

Hole #16: On this monster of a par 4, at 441 yards I bomber a driver. With an 8 iron to the green I hit a perfect draw to 11 feet and I knocked in the birdie.

Hole #18: A slightly toes driver and a solid lay up gave me a SW to the green. I hit on about 2 yard too far right, and it went slightly into the rough. I caught my chip a little chunky, and I couldn't get up and down.

[jamo]

I finally did get to play Hopedale Country Club and I was happily surprised at the quality of the course. It is well maintained, reasonably priced ($20 for 9 holes, and that's the normal rate, not a junior price or something), and provides a solid test of golf.

The only gripe I have is the last hole, #9. It's a 227 yard par 3 from the Gold (back) tees. It has a tricky green and tough bunkering and slopes around the green, and the length just seems forced. Sort of gimmicky. I should say that I do hate long par 3s in general and the reason is thus: With long par 4s and 5s you have two options: you play conservatively and accept a long iron into the green, or you play aggressively and you have a short iron into the green. With par 4s and 5s you have options, and your skill and decisions making determines how long you need to hit your 3rd shot. With long par 3s you have no options; just a long, hard, and (in this case) gimmicky hole. It is tough to design a long hole for amateurs that doesn't seem like they just took a short par 3 and added some length.

Anyway, the rest of the course was great. The first hole is a decent length par 4 with an elevated green. The second hole (a par 5) gives you a chance to go for it in two (a chance that I took) but if you do the shot to the green is blind. The third is a tough par 3 with a large bunker in front, the 4th and 5th are straightaway par 4s. The 6th is a fun dogleg right with trees right and a small, elevated green. The 7th is nearly driveable with a huge elevated green and a triangular tee box that borders a residential street that makes you feel like you aren't on a golf course. The 8th is a tough, longish dogleg right par 4 where the green is blind unless you drive it, say, 260ish. And the 9th is gimmicky.

As for how I played, I managed an even par 35, with a differential of .3. I was disappointed with the result though because I was -2 after 3 holes, and I remained there until I bogeyed the last two holes. I had my swing going, especially with the irons, and I was just hitting green after green after green. Here is my Scorecard.

I started with a flare on the first hole, but after that my driver was long and straight.

Hole #1: I flared my drive on this 384 yard par 4 towards the few trees on the right, but I was lucky that I didn't hit the ball that far and it stayed short. I then badly chunked my 6 iron approach shot and had a 20 or so yard pitch to an elevated green. I hit a good one, and the ball settled to 6 feet where I knocked in the par.

Hole #2: I hit a nice draw with my driver on this hole, and I was set up with about 240 to a blind green on this 502 yard par 5. I decided to go for it, picking a tree to aim and and giving it a whack with my hybrid. I finished just short of the green, and a good chip left me with a tap in birdie.

Hole #3: The tee were up on this par 3, at about 170 yards. I used a 6 iron, with my new mindset of not overclubbing and going over green. It was tough on this hole because of the sand short, but the 6 was the right club and I hit a beauty to 22 feet. I then read the break and the speed absolutely perfectly and rolled in the birdie.

Hole #4: I hit another slight draw with my tee shot on this 399 yard par 4. I had a nice iron to the green my didn't make great contact. the ball landed in the middle of the green and spun way to the front, where I had a39 foot putt. I cozied it up to a few feet and tapped in for par.

Hole #5: Another good drive gave me a SW on this 363 yard par 4. I hit a good one to 18 feet, but couldn't covert the chance.

Hole #6: I was disappointed with this drive. The hole was dogleg right and, not having played the course before, I just tried to take a driver and hit it straight. I flared it but it worked out because the ball just traced the fairway. There was a tree branch slightly impeding my second but I was able to get a LW barely on the front of the green. With the pin in front I had just 11 feet but I slightly underread the break and the putt lipped out.

Hole #7: I bombed my driver on this 311 yard par 4, so much so that I had just a chip to the green. I didn't hit the ball perfectly, but I was on the green and had 22 feet. A poor first putt left me with a long second, but I saved par.

Hole #8: I decided to take my ball straight over the right hand trees on this 400 yard par 4, and I hit the ball perfectly. I thought that I had hit it a little to far though, into the left rough. When I went up to look for my ball I was frustrated because it was no where to be found in the trees. I was about to go back and hit another when I saw my ball in the middle of the fairway, much better than the trees! I hit a really poor 7 iron to the green and could not get up and down when I hit a poor chip.

Hole #9: I flared my hybrid into the right rough, and my pitch shot didn't get to the green. I settled for bogey.

NOTE: As for that list of courses I want to play before the summer ends, I am playing Shining Rock probably thurs, which leaves my (now revamped) list as thus:

• Maple Gate
• Sandy Burr
• Leo J Martin

I might get one or two of them in, but Maple Gate, Sandy Burr, and the aforementioned Shining Rock are a little pricier than the places I have been playing most of the year. I'm still iffy about playing Leo J Martin, but if I can't get the money for the others, Leo J Martin is much less money. It's just lower quality.

[NI4NI]

I hear that HCC is a nice little track based on several people I know who play it regularly. I have been invited to play it several times by a few members - I may need to get over there soon, and give it a shot. I know a guy who aced hole # 3 this season.

How would you compare HCC to other area courses, condition-wise, and what are your top 5 area courses to play this season (based on condition and value)?

[jamo]

My value might be a little skewed because I get junior rates, but here it is, my top 5 courses that I've played this year:
1) Georgre Wright- It's in Boston though, a little farther away.
2) Highfields
3) Juniper Hills
4) Cyprian Keyes
5) Hopedale CC

Condition wise Hopedale is up there with any of the courses I have played this year. The fairways were green, the greens were decently fast, the tees has grass. There are some other courses I have played before but not this year that are better (Shaker Hills, Marlborough, Maple Gate, and private courses obviously), but that list is for this year.

I would definitely recommend Hopedale CC but if you do go make sure you call ahead just to see if they open that particular day. They are private fridays after 11 AM and all of sat and sun, and they host all of their events during the time when the course is public.

[NI4NI]

My buddies are raving about Shining Rock in Northbridge - I need to get out there at some point. What about Cyprian Keyes - I played there only once (last year). Based on value, it's probably higher than the five mentioned above...

I've played Maplegate this season, and it's beat-up, esp. in the fairways. The greens recovered nicely from the early season aeration, but the barren tee boxes and beat fairways take a lot of the shine off the track.

[jamo]

Like I said, the values are a little skewed for me because I can play George Wright for $8, Highfields for $20, and Juniper Hills for $18.

I'm a little surprised to hear that Maple Gate is in poor shape, it's always been great for me. I might play there the week after next, but maybe not. Maple Gate doesn't really have a junior rate, so if I do go I'd be paying the full ~$50 price.

Cyprian Keyes is a great course, and for a while i was considering getting a membership there, but it's $35 to play so the value isn't quite as good. It's probably my favorite course on that list though.

I also just played Shining Rock yesterday, I should be able to post my round and a review of the course sometime today.

[jamo]

I played Shining Rock Golf Club in Northbridge, MA yesterday. First, a little background. The course is a sister course to the private course in my town. It is under the same management and has been in the works for some time now. They just started letting a few people play there last year, and this year is really opened to the public.

The course is pricy, and carts are required, but that’s really the only bad thing I can say about it. It was in great conditions. The fairways were cut short, the rough was long and sticky, and the greens were rolling fast. A few issues I came across: there were a few wet spots where sprinkler heads had apparently been leaking, the greens were a little inconsistent, the first few were slow but as we got to the end of the round we were getting into double digits on the stimp, and the play was really slow- 5 hours and that was with a cart. But there were plenty of good things to outweigh those. The fairways were big and rolling, with a lot of options of where you could hit the ball. It seemed like on every hole you had a choice to make: do you go for the green, or lay up. Do you go down the right, where you will have a better angle to the green but risk the woods, or go left and have a poor angle but minimal risk on the tee shot. Then there were the greens. They had some of the biggest slopes that I have ever seen on the golf course. There were some pin positions that were just unputtable from certain locations on the greens.

Here is the course tour from their website if you want to follow along.

Because I was with my dad and was paired up with two older gentlemen, I played the blue tees which are third from the back. I would have loved to have played from the tips (the golds) or the blacks, which were in between, but they didn’t want to. The blues are still tough though- rated at 71.2/134 and 6289 yards. The first hole is a 395 yard downhill par 4 slight dogleg right. The second is a straightaway 390 yard par 4 with some bunkers short and a ravine to the right. The third is 496 yard par 5. It is possible to hit it over the crest of the fairway and get a lot of roll, like I did, and if you do that you have a good chance to go for it in two. The fourth is a great short par 4 at 296 with a ravine that is 180ish to carry and the tricky green is in a big bowl. The fifth is the first par 3 on the course and it, like all of them, is really long at 223 yards. A huge two tiered green puts a premium on accuracy, which is hard because you are hitting a long iron into the green. The sixth is another short par 4 at 288. This one is a nearly ninety degree dogleg right downhill on the tee shot and uphill on the second. The green is three tiers and is blind from the fairway. The seventh is another short par 4 at 290. This one is a little trickier because you can go for the green but there are trees on both sides that are very easy to find. This green is maybe the hardest on the course, especially where the pin was yesterday; cut 5 feet from the front of the green. The eighth is the shortest par 3 at 176, but it is uphill and you can’t see most of the green from the tee. The green on the eighth is also very narrow, especially from the tee box. The ninth is the longest par 4 on the course, uphill dogleg right with a lot of bunkers and collection areas around the green.
The back nine starts out with a short and straight 332 yard par 4 that has a waste area left and woods to the right. The eleventh is a tricky dogleg left par 4 at 355 yards with a waste area left and woods right again. The twelfth is a 202 yard par 3 with a big, yet tricky, green and it is very easy to go into the right woods on this hole. The thirteenth is a long 498 yard par 5 with a slight dogleg right and a very elevate green. The fairway is very sloped uphill and it is quite possible for golf balls to start rolling downhill and just keep going. The fourteenth is a quirky 335 yard par 4 with two different fairways. You can go down the right and risk the right trees but have a good angle to the green or you can go to the left and risk the waste area but not be able to see the green and you will have a tough angle. The fifteenth is a 180 yard par 3 with another huge sloping green where is very easy to putt yourself off the green. The sixteenth a monster 594 yard par 5 which is straight then doglegs to the right for the third shot. It does have a fairly easy green though. Very receptive and gently sloped back to front. The seventeenth is a fun 290 yard par 4 with some big rocks down the left that are very easy to accidentally drive into. This green is pretty easy to get to and just about anyone who can hit a solid fairway shot will have a chip shot to the green. The eighteenth is a 509 yard par 5 with a weird looking blind tee shot. There is water short and right of the green and if you’ve never played there you might not be able to see it from the fairway.

I played pretty well. My swing was perfect but I was able to hit 12/14 fairways and 14/18 greens. My putting was good early on as the greens were pretty slow at the beginning of the round but on the back nine when the greens were slow I just could not adjust my speed and my putting suffered. Off the tee I had a slight fade going (by slight I mean 5 yards) but I was spinning the ball back with my driver. And I don’t mean with ProVs. A few times I tried distance balls like DT Carrys and XL 5000s and they still spun back in the fairway. It is clear that I need a new driver. By offering my dad my r7 SuperQuad I might be able to convince him to buy me a new one on tax free weekend here in Massachusetts, but I doubt it. My irons were good but could have been better. Of my 4 missed greens one was with a PW, two were with a 9 iron, and one was with a 3 iron. I don’t expect a ton from the 3 iron but I should have hit the greens with the 9 and PW. Here is my Scorecard.

Because I have already typed so much I am going to keep this brief, but here are some holes:
Hole #1: I busted a driver down the right side but chunked my PW short and couldn’t get up and down.
Hole #2: Another good drive but I put my 9 iron into a greenside bunker. I hit a good bunker shot to 7 feet but I was above the hole and I just could not read the break. I missed the putt and made bogey,
Hole #3: Another good drive and then I went for this par 5 green in two. I hit a perfect hybrid that flew the green by a few yards and finished on a steep slope behind the green. From the rough I used my putter to barely tap the ball but when it got to the green it would just not stop.
Hole #4: I went for the green with driver on this one, and I hit it hole high just off the green to the left in a bit of a hole. I had to go over a large ridge and I gave the putt too much speed. It went 18 feet past but I rolled in the birdie putt.
Hole #5: I hit hybrid into the green on this one, and hit a beauty hole high and just left of the pin. When I hit my birdie putt I was sure that I had left it well short, but it just kept rolling and eventually fell into the hole for my 2nd straight birdie.
Hole #7: I layed up with a 6 iron and then hit a decent SW to the green. I was going well downhill over a mound with my putt and nearly putting it off the green. I ended up 3 putting for bogey.
Hole #12: A bad 3 iron left me off to the right of the green and a bad pitch shot gave me a bogey.
Hole #13: The tees were up here, so far that I the hole only played about 430. A good drive gave me a 7 iron in which I cautiously put to 36 feet. Two putts gave me a tap in birdie.
Hole #14: A good drive and a decent LW and a 3 putt gave me a bogey.
Hole #17: I drove the green on this par 4, but going way downhill I 3 putted and made a most disappointing par.
Hole #18: A good drive and a hybrid left me thinking a had just a short pitch to the green. What I didn’t realize was that there is a pond short and right, and I was lucky that I missed it by about a foot. I was technically within the red line, but I just made sure not to ground my club and I was able to get in for a par.

[jamo]

I've never been fit for a driver, and with today being the first day of Massachusetts' no sales tax holiday weekend I decided to try my hand at some drivers.

I have only one gripe about the way my driver is fit. I fit into standard loft/lie/length, so that is not an issue, but I regularly spin back driver shots in the fairway. And I'm not talking ProV1s and PentaTPs. I spin back DT Carrys, XL 5000s, E6s, anything. It was really getting back during my last round, where I was regularly carrying the ball 250-270, but without any roll that's where my drives topped out (excpet maybe once or twice when I was going downhill). Not only does this copious amount of backspin rob me of distance, it exacerbates slices and hooks. It's a double whammy- less distance and less accuracy. I launch the ball high and with a lot of spin. How high and how much spin is what I was looking to figure out, as well as what I could do do optimize the two numbers.

Currently I have a Taylor Made r7 SuperQuad, 10.5* with the stock shaft- a stiff ReAx shaft by Taylor Made and Fujikura. I have three drivers currently on the list of possibilities: the Taylor Made R9 SuperTri, the Cobra S2, and any of the three Titleist 909 models. I would be hesitant to buy any of the Titleists because they are coming out with the 910s soon, so those were first off the list. I took a few swings with the Cobra and didn't like two things. First the shaft is very very long. And second I just didn't like the look of the crown. So that left the SuperTri, which coming in was already my favorite. I found some slightly used demo SuperTris that were in great shape and only $300, minus a 7% discount the store was offering in addition to the no sales tax. That put me at $271, a fair price.

So they guy had me hit some shots with my driver and then some with the SuperTri. With my driver I was launching the ball about 16* and had about 3700 RPMs. With my swing speed of a little over 110, the computer had me at about 260-270 yards. I can't verify 100% the validity of the machine, but it seemed about right.

Then I hit the SuperTri. I'm not sure of my old driver was just worn out or if the shaft was just a little better, but with the SuperTri I picked up a few mphs of ball speed. But I was actually losing distance with the SuperTri because the spin rate was nearing 5000 RPMs! Kudos to the employee for letting me use the machine for free (though I must say I hit a total of about 7 ball) and for telling me not to take the deal (even though that is what I was going to do anyway) because the new driver was actually making my problem worse.

The guy told me a few things. First he said I might want to try drivers like the SuperFast or the Cleveland DST, which typically spin less (or so he said). Second he said I might want to try the TP model of the SueprTri, which the store did not carry, because the shafts on the TP are typically lower spin. Thrid he said I might want to go through a full shaft fitting, which i couldn't do if I was going to by that demo club, I would have to pay the full $400 to have it customized. I'm not against that, it's just not an option right now. And fourth he said I should look into an X-stiff shaft, which they do not offer either. That would also likely require a full driver fitting. So that's where my driver stands.

[enis750]

frusterating man
i havebeen there - want someting, go in to find out it doesnt suit your game
good on your for not buying it anyways

well, i may be able to help you out here bro
but please, i am not a fitter or have even seen your swing, so dont think i am some type of professional

but.......

based on the numbers you are showing, i would try a few different combos
like you, i rarely can buy an OTR driver...i have and its worked, but i usually end up going through a few shafts/head combos to find what works
i was similar to you, high launch, high spin, zero roll

your prob on the verge on a an X-stiff, i would try a stiff tipped an inch and it should get you a good stiffness
IF you are considering the Titleist 909 series, the D3 is a low launch/spinning head
combine that w a Whiteboard, and you have a good combo
they can be had on ebay or thr wrx BST for approx. $200-250 (which is less than you wanna spend)

the set up i have now is also a low launch/spin combo - PING Rapture V1 w Aldila NV Green Stiff shaft (tipped 1/2 " )
this head is HOT and the shaft fits me great
i like it a lot

but my dream driver is similar to the one i posted above

909 D2 head w a stiff Diamana WB tipped 1/2"........maybe over winter

if you like TM Gear the R9 (regular not 460) can be had for $199 brand new from Golfsmith right now
w the stock Motore shaft, would also be a good combo, as its also low spinning

finding the right driver is tough man, but once you find it, its money

good luck in your search

[jamo]

So today I'm on vacation and during some downtime I decided to go to a local Golfsmith to hit some balls. This was a much better store. There were only two hitting bays but both had a simulator so I could instantly see ball speed, distance, and spin.

I hit a bunch of different drivers. SuperTri TP, SuperDeep, S2, 909D2, Superfast TP, Fast 10, and the older r7 Limited.

The SuperDeep had an X flex Aldila RIP shaft. I think I can clearly rule out an X shaft. I just can't load it enough and it robs me of distance. the spin rate was much lower but I was hitting it shorter because ball speed was down. The S2 was still too long, so I ruled that out again. The Fast 10 was decent, but I just wasn't crazy about it. The Superfast, like the S2 was too long.

Then I picked up a SuperTri TP to see how the Motore F1 differs from a normal Motore. Not a lot. Spin was down in the low 4000s but still way to high.

Last I tried the 909D2 and man I was blown away. First off, with most of the drivers I was hitting a soft fade. I was drawing the 909D2 without any swing adjustments. I tried it in two varieties: the VooDoo shaft and the Diamana Blue Board. Both increased my ball speed and both got my spin into the high 2000s. So, for now, the 909D2 is tops on the list. If I do buy one it won't be soon. It would be after they come out with the 910. I could then try out the 910 and if they weren't that different I would just get the 909.

NOTE: Just so no one gets the impression otherwise; I know why I generate so much backspin. I hit down on the ball considerably. My angle of attack is about 8* to 16* down. It's great for the rest of the club, but with the driver it generates excessive backspin. I think the reason is how far back I play the ball with my driver, so next time I get to the range I will try out playing the ball a little farther up. Problem is I might only get to thee range one or two times the rest of the year. I leave for college at the end of the month and after that I have no idea how much I will play.

[Fatphil]

i had to chuckle at your comment on the sales tax holiday...we had an article in the local paper yesterday on the crazy stuff that is included. The purpose of the "holiday" is so that parents can buy "back to school" stuff like clothes and school supplies. What it's turned out to be is a sales boost for private interests who can get the corrupt SOB's in Tallahassee to vote for their particular products to be included...like snow ski equipment!!! in Florida!! or scuba equipment? Didn't even think about golf clubs. Thanks for the tip!!

[jamo]

frusterating man

Yeah I'm actually leaning towards the Titleist now. I'm not a huge fan of the D3, but the D2 is pretty low spin also and I can team them up with a bunch of different shafts. All of the combinations I have tried so far with the SuperTri yield lot of spin no matter what. I think I'll wait until the 910 series comes out though, I want to at least check those out.

i had to chuckle at your comment on the sales tax holiday...we had an article in the local paper yesterday on the crazy stuff that is included. The purpose of the "holiday" is so that parents can buy "back to school" stuff like clothes and school supplies. What it's turned out to be is a sales boost for private interests who can get the corrupt SOB's in Tallahassee to vote for their particular products to be included...like snow ski equipment!!! in Florida!! or scuba equipment? Didn't even think about golf clubs. Thanks for the tip!!

Haha, you're very welcome. I actually bought a lot of stuff on saturday.

[jamo]

This is long overdue, but I played Long Island National Golf Club last Wednesday. I had been wanting to play Bethpage, but those plans fell through. Regardless, I had been itching to play this course for a long time. I used to live on Long Island about 40 minutes away, and I also have a summer house about 20 minutes away.

As for my play, it was erratic. I was moving the ball well up in my stance in an effort to reduce spin. That led to a few pulls at the beginning, but by the end of the day I was hitting it long and straight. Because I was playing with my father we played from the gold tees, which are second to back. I would have like to have played the greens, the tips, but the golds were alright. The course was in amazing shape, and has to be one of the coolest looking and more interesting courses that I have played. It is a classic looking Scottish links course, just without the water. Very sloping greens and long fescue lining the holes put a premium on accuracy. That is what led to the poor first few hole. My swing felt decent, but I just wasn't hitting the ball close. I chipped in on the 14th hole (I'll explain later) for (I think) my first chip in of the year, which felt awesome. I ended up shooting 76, +1, for a differential of 3.7. Here is my Scorecard.

Hole #2: I pulled my drive well to the left on this 426 yard par 4. I was in the third fairway (which is connected to the second) and had a hybrid to the green. I hit a good one but the shot was totally blind and it went through the green and into the deep fescue. It took me a couple more to get the ball in and limp my way to the third with a triple.

Hole #3: I hit what looked like a good drive on this 362 yard par 4 but the ball ran into a fairway bunker. The sand was a lot softer than I am used to, and on the backswing both my feet sunk well into the sand. I tried to compensate mid-swing and bladed the ball over the green. I hit a good chip to 15 feet from the fescue but made bogey.

Hole #4: I had no idea that there was a huge drop off area right in the middle of the fairway on this 474 yard par 5. I got really lucky, pounding my ball over the ravine and barely into the rough. I hit a great hybrid about two feet off the green to the left. With the pin in front and my ball a little long I had to hit the ball barely onto the green and let it trickle over the huge ridge to the front tier. I hit it perfect to 3 feet.

Hole #10: After a great drive I toe hooked my second with my hybrid into a bunker about 80 yards out on this 481 yard par 5. I hit way too far behind the ball and failed to get up and down.

Hole #11: On this 156 yard par 3 I thought a stock 8 iron would bad a touch too short, and with water short I decided to pull 7. I hit it as perfect as I could, but I think the wind caught it and it was short. I caught an extremely good lie in the long grass between the green and the water, and was able to make good contact with my chip. I didn't make the putt though.

Hole #12: On this 314 yard par 4 I hit a good hybrid with my tee shot and had what I thought was a solid 9 iron to the green. With water short I hit a solid 9 that just totally took off, and landed in a bunker over the green. The bunker shot was tough, with a tall lip and water long, and I was unable to get the ball to stay on the top tier. I had 30 feet and I left the par putt on the lip.

Hole #14: This 193 yard par 3 was uphill so I decided to use the 3 iron rather that the 4. I hit it pin high but just right of the green. I used my LW for the chip and it came off perfectly. I watched as the ball seemed to funnel right down to the hole, and gave it a fist pump as it rolled right in for birdie.

Hole #16-17: I made par on both of these holes, but it was the tee shots that wowed me. The 16th is 429 straight and the 17th is 451 straight and on both hole I hit awesome drives, leaving me with about 140.

Hole #18: I made par on this 556 yard par 5 too, and again the drive was great. I had just 200 to the green, and I hit my hybrid on the green with my second. I had a long putt for eagle but hit it really terribly, and made an ugly 3 putt par.

[jamo]

On sunday I went to the range in preparation for a tournament I was supposed to play in on monday. I started with the wedges and hit a bunch of shots using a Heavy Wedge that I won in a contest. I like the club, more than my current Mizuno that is in need of replacement, but I like to have 9 or 10 degrees of bounce in my LW because I use it out of the sand. I got the 60* Heavy Wedge with the most bounce, which is only 7*, not enough bounce to use from the sand. Unfortunately this is going to ultimately cost that club a spot in the bag. Anyway, the tournament was going to be a shotgun start tournament and I was supposed to start on a long par 3, so I spent a lot of time with my long irons. I was actually hitting them pretty well. I had one two swing thoughts for the day: keep my head steady on the backswing, and let my hips lead the downswing. When I got them right I was pounding the ball long and straight. I felt good for the tournament the next day, but it got cancelled because of rain.

[James_Black]

Will the tournament be rescheduled?

[jamo]

Yeah but I will already have left for college so I withdrew.

[jamo]

Another long overdue article but here it goes. I played 18 holes in absolutely pouring rain on tuesday at Maple Gate Country Club. It's a good course but overpriced. Depending on the tees you play it can also be a pretty long course. I played the blue tees, which are second from the back. I probably would have normally played the golds, but in the pouring rain I didn't want to be hitting long irons into all the greens. The funniest thing about the day was that my swing was as good as (or better than) it has been all year. I didn't mishit a single shot that wasn't because the club slipped in my hand. I was hitting my driver as long as I have all year too, but with the wet fairways and my spinny ballflight I was getting no roll at all. My only two swing thoughts were keep the head down on the backswing, and make a hip first transition.

I don't really remember the holes but I ended up shooting a miraculous 1 over par 73, for a differential of .7. Here is my Scorecard.

I leave tomorrow for college so the rest of my year of golf will be very erratic. I might hit some balls here and play a few holes there, but I probably won't get out much, and I won't have a camera either. When I come home for thanksgiving I might be able to film my swing, so that should be good. Then after that I don't know at all. I would love to hit balls occasionally over the winter, but on the internet I have yet to locate an indoor golf driving range near Newark, DE.