It's funny how trendy golfers can be...

[tristanhilton85]

At my home course, there are a lot of guys that practice there that are on some sort of mini tour or do Monday qualifying or stuff like that.  I've noticed lately that quite a few of them have belly putters in the bag now.  Even on the PGA tour this seems to be happening (Phil among others).  It just seems funny that a few have some success with it and everybody starts going that way.  Hell, I considered picking one up recently too.

And I don't mean anything negative at all by this.  It's just kind of funny that, as golfers, we are kind of in this never ending search for better equipment and better results and because of that we'll copy almost anything that has worked for somebody else.

[Stewie007]

I noted this trend. Monkey see monkey do. hehe

I think that they like the fact that its easier to take a nice and square stroke. However, I wouldn't use one at gun point.....

[MSchott]

I don't know why this would be a surprise. Pro golfer's have always been sheep when it comes to equipment. Anything to help shave strokes. I guarantee they have done their own testing proving the validity of the change.

[Kieran123]

White drivers....everyone has white drivers

[Stewie007]

I think I'm going to have a custom paint job done on my driver.... A nice green powder coat.... hehehe.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Kieran123

White drivers....everyone has white drivers

coughgaycough

[JetFan1983]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

coughgaycough

White drivers are cool. I don't care what you say, Sean. Not that I own one, but I really don't think they're that bad. Call me crazy. Although, I do like some tacky shit to be honest.

I will say this though -- the R11 is enormous.

I would use a belly putter just to try it out and what not, but I'd feel like a jackass pulling that thing outta the bag if it happened to be one of my "bad" holes and I'm about to be putting for a quad.

[MiniBlueDragon]

I think it depends on the golfer to be fair. I tend to notice "trends" and then decide if they're a good fit for me. For example when white drivers came out I took one look at the club at address and put it back in the rack as for me it was too distracting. Likewise with long putters I figured it was worth taking a look, hit a couple of putts with various models and didn't get along with it at all so again it went back into the rack.

On the flipside one of my family members saw an R11 driver being gamed by a pro on whatever tourney we were watching and said, "I need that club!" and then the very next day he bought it; no fitting, no testing, no trial and error of shaft stiffness or whether it suits his "power fade" (*cough* slice *cough*), he just bought it.

[newtogolf]

I think most golfers look for any edge they can get.  Since many golfers have a disposable income that's above average they are more likely to jump on the latest club that promises to make them a better golfer.  If I think a club can lower my scores by a few strokes then I'm likely to spend money on it, but I won't just buy a club because everyone it's the latest trend.  For example I don't own a white driver because I haven't hit one that is worth buying.

I do know a number of golfers that do follow the trends and buy the latest and greatest of everything.  They turn clubs over so fast they never get used to hitting one.  I only wish I was right handed I'd get some good deals

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

coughgaycough

White drivers are cool. I don't care what you say, Sean. Not that I own one, but I really don't think they're that bad. Call me crazy. Although, I do like some tacky shit to be honest.

I will say this though -- the R11 is enormous.

I would use a belly putter just to try it out and what not, but I'd feel like a jackass pulling that thing outta the bag if it happened to be one of my "bad" holes and I'm about to be putting for a quad.

In the right hands any driver can be considered a work of art. The sound of a properly struck drive with an R11 is like a snippet of smooth jazz (like the opening of "Take 5"). In most people's hands it's a like the screeching wheels of a trainwreck ore even worse, Kenny G.  I've seen (and heard) exactly 1 person weilding an R11 where it seemed like the riight person with the right stick. Every other guy seemed like a sad pathetic poser douchebag. The results don't liie. My overall impression of the R11 and the typicaly guy using one? Lame. Very very lame.

[JetFan1983]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

In the right hands any driver can be considered a work of art. The sound of a properly struck drive with an R11 is like a snippet of smooth jazz (like the opening of "Take 5"). In most people's hands it's a like the screeching wheels of a trainwreck ore even worse, Kenny G.  I've seen (and heard) exactly 1 person weilding an R11 where it seemed like the riight person with the right stick. Every other guy seemed like a sad pathetic poser douchebag. The results don't liie. My overall impression of the R11 and the typicaly guy using one? Lame. Very very lame.

Fair enough. And I like the Jazz reference. I saw Brubeck play Take Five live once and it made my month. Yes, aren't I special.

[RPMPIRE]

The R11, just like any other new TM driver, was quick to make it into a lot of people bag's within the first month after being released on retail.

But it's not just TM and their white driver, it's white in general. Recently we've started to see tour players styling white belts and now white pants. Wasn't really a surprise to see that white trend spread to the equipment.

[SVTGolfer]

Seriously! Look at the ProV1… Hahaha

Im not joking here. If I bought the R11 I would spray paint it black. I tried it out, it wasnt bad, but that damn white head was messing with my vision. I just kept catching a white blur in my peripherals and I couldn't stand it!

[DublinMeUp]

Is it just me are should we not be happy about these "trends", for one as newtogolf points out there are huge bargains out there because people have to have the next big thing and they need it NOW. Secondly where do you think the big brands get most of their profit ( which in turn leads to new developments, which again benefits us ), not from someone who settles on his clubs for years at a time and only begrudgingly upgrades from his beloved sticks ;)

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

In the right hands any driver can be considered a work of art. The sound of a properly struck drive with an R11 is like a snippet of smooth jazz (like the opening of "Take 5"). In most people's hands it's a like the screeching wheels of a trainwreck ore even worse, Kenny G.  I've seen (and heard) exactly 1 person weilding an R11 where it seemed like the riight person with the right stick. Every other guy seemed like a sad pathetic poser douchebag. The results don't liie. My overall impression of the R11 and the typicaly guy using one? Lame. Very very lame.

Fair enough. And I like the Jazz reference. I saw Brubeck play Take Five live once and it made my month. Yes, aren't I special.

I'm jealous.

I may have overstated the lameness of the person using it. TaylorMade occasionally produces drivers that are worth playing if only for the sound they produce. I also have no idea how much worse (or better) these guys were hitting their other drivers. Just because they sucked, didn't mean they hadn't improved. R11s are clearly not for me, but I'll stop judging people for using them, because acoustically speaking, they're really fantastic drivers.

[awmgolfer]

I tried out a half size long putter, a little longer then a belly putter. Our pro has been using it for about 10 years or so and I was curious because of the latest trend..lol. I putted just as well with it as I normally do but I can see the aide of it as I get older and maybe less steady. I'll always give the latest and "greatest" a try, if it helps I don't care what people say about it, I will use it. If it doesn't help, well, there is always a sucker, I mean a buyer out there..lol.

[jamo]

The only thing worse than me putting with a normal size putter? Me putting with an extra-long putter.

[clubchamp]

I can't say trends really bother me too much but sometimes I struggle with guys who carry/dress everything their favorite pro wears. I played with a guy in NJ last week who had a cally staff bag, proto irons, FT tour driver/ 3w, cally X wedges (64*), a nice odyssey belly putter (which he just picked up), and to top it all off he was wearing a KPMG hat. He also was telling me he's been toying with a modified 2 iron. Other than being a righty he had it all going for him oh other than the 120 he probably shot and he was painfully slow. I mean if you have the money and want to own everything your favorite pro owns that's fine with me but don't play like you are a pro when you are not. This guy lost a lot of IZs and every time he went through his same long practice routine.