Sherpat

1. Greens fees near me that are rapidly approaching the price of a used Buick. 2. An unbelievably sore right elbow I seemed to have developed over the past few weeks after going to the range every day for several months straight. Seriously, I've having trouble doing things like turning doorknobs all of the sudden. Thank god for Ibuprofen and Maker's Mark.

Hey Elivate, I just found this guy on the web: David Jamieson Jamieson's Custom Clubs Miramichi New Brunswick Canada 1 506-778-0834 drgolf@nb.sympatico.ca I don't know if he does fitting or just assembly, but it might be worth giving him a call to see what he thinks about your "local" GolfSmith. I'm sorry I can't answer your Calloway question, but I'm sure somebody here can. ( I only carry a 3-wood for the safety of myself and others ). However I see that the Sand Trap has done a review of the X460 at: http://thesandtrap.com/equipment/clu..._driver_review . Perhaps that might address some of your concerns. All the best, Tom

Thanks very much for the reply, Tomas! That was exactly the kind of detailed info I was looking for. All the best Tom

It cost me $50 for an iron/hybrid fitting with a custom clubmaker. That cost was NOT able to be applied to the price of irons he made me. I think some of the larger stores will fit you for free if you buy from them, as will demo day manufacturer vans. Good luck with the new clubs!! Tom

9 at the moment. I only started playing a few months ago. On the advice of everyone on the planet it seems, and most importantly the pro I was taking lessons from, I skipped buying a driver and use a 3 wood off the tee. And the club fitter who made my set recommended, after a lengthy fitting and analysis session, that I not get any irons longer than a 5. What I ended up getting therefor was 6 - PW, SW, and a hybrid. I'm planning on making it 10 soon, with the addition of a lob wedge. I really like wedge play and since I often find myself just 30 feet off the green that seems like it would be a welcome addition to my bag. Tom

Elivate, 2 hours from the nearest retail outlet is indeed a haul. But you might be suprised to find an independant clubmaker a lot closer than that, and often they offer more extensive fittings than the simple launch monitor programs available at places like GolfWorks, Golf Galaxy, et al. You never said where you live, but I suggest you check out the "Locate a Clubmaker" page at the Professional Clubmakers Society website. ( http://www.proclubmakers.org/locator.cfm ) The PCS is the largest governing and certifying body of club makers and fitters. These are not just backyard hobbyists who order parts from the GolfSmith catalog and have fun building sets. If there is a clubmaker designated "Class A" in the list of makers near you, THOSE guys have achieved the society's highest designation. They have to pass a stringent exam and continue taking courses in materials and techniques to keep their "Class A" status also, I understand. I was lucky enough to find one within an hour of my house, and I'm glad I went for it. If you decide to go that road, you can expect a very thorough fitting. Mine took something like 3 hours, all told, and measured things like changes in acceleration at different points in my swing (to find where the optimal flex points in my shaft shoud be), lateral and vertical head movements that would affect lie and loft at impact, which clubheads have the optimal sweet spot for how consistant my impact itself was...all sorts of stuff I never considered, and which I'm sure would not have been bothered with at a large "push it out the door" mega-store. If you can at all swing it (so to speak), I really think it would be worth your while. You can't believe how good a set of clubs exactly matched to your physique and swing feels. Good luck, whatever you decide! Tom ____________________________________ Bag It: 3-Wood: Taylor Made Bubble Burner (ca.1994!) Hybrid: Wishon "321", 24*, MSF shaft, Winn DSI Irons: Wishon 770CFE, Matrix Studio 74 shafts, Winn DSI Putter: Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Hi! From what I've read, a lot of people recommend having your clubs checked by a clubmaker once a year in the off-season to see if the shafts are ok, if the loft or lie has changed through use, etc. Most of these normal wear and tear adjustments are fairly simple, and keep your clubs in like-new condition for a lot longer than if you don't. The clubmaker will also tell you if your heads are unacceptably worn down also. But from your description it doesn't sound like it's at the point where it's affecting your game. Having said that, it's probably also true that if you THINK your clubs might need replacing there is probably nothing you can do to them to make you feel better about your set. I think we all know what it feels like to start the "New Equipment Obsession" cycle Good luck! Tom _________________________________ Bag It: 3-Wood: Taylor Made Bubble Burner (ca.1994!) Hybrid: Wishon "321", 24*, MSF shaft, Winn DSI Irons: Wishon 770CFE, Matrix Studio 74 shafts, Winn DSI Putter: Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Hi! My boss, now that he knows I've taken up golf, has begun asking me to join him for a round after work at least once a week. Since I never know when he might pop in to ask, I keep my clubs in the trunk of my car so I'll always be ready. (I live too far from work to make the drive home, grab my bag, then drive an hour to his course.) One of my buddies told me he thought that temperature fluctuations inside the trunk of a car are bad for graphite shafts however. Has anyone any knowledge of this? I imagine that with summer coming up, the temps inside a parked car can reach a sustained 110 degrees or more. Will this have an effect on the structural integrity of modern graphite sticks? Bumping around is not an issue, as I have a nifty little rig securing them. But I certainly don't want the heat to shorten their useful lives, especially since they're the first set of clubs I've ever owned. Thanks very much! Tom ___________________________________________ 3-Wood: Taylor Made Burner Bubble (ca.1994!) Hybrid: Wishon "321", 24*, MSF shaft, Winn DSI Irons: Wishon 770CFE, Matrix Studio 74 shafts, Winn DSI Putter: Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Personally, I'd go with the club fitter's recommendation and re-shaft. Generalizations are all well and good (ie: "lighter shafts allow for higher clubhead speeds") but a good club fitter might see that because of your particular swing you hit the ball BETTER with a different shaft, even if it means a slight reduction in swing speed. Another way to increase feel of the club head is by switching to a different weight grip. A lighter grip will make the head feel slightly heavier, vice-versa for a heavier grip. When I got my clubs fitted, this was explained in detail to me and it's why I went with the grips I did. And it turned out to be good advice. Good luck, whatever you decide! Tom _____________________ Bag It! Irons: Wishon 770CFE's on Matrix Studio 74 shafts, Winn DSI grips. Hybrid: Wishon 321 24-degree, DFS shaft 3 & 5 Woods: TM Burner Bubble, circa 1994 baby! Why mess with success? No driver. I know my limits.

If I recall, they won the 2006 (or it may have been 2005) hybrid shootout conducted by Golf Magazine. The testers had nothing but praise for it, highlighting its ability to hit from rough, chip, and even shape shots. Now if only the price would come down.... :)

Just got back into the game after an almost 15 year forced layoff. Decided it was time to retire my 1994 Tiger Shark PRL's and go for a more modern set. After two solid days under a PCS Class-A fitter's microscope, I emerged with: 6-SW Tom Wishon CFE770 heads on Matrix "Studio 74" shafts and Winn DSI grips. And a Wishon 321-LI w/ MFS-85 shaft Hybrid, same grip. I've only had 'em five days now, and they've already made me a better golfer, 3 inches taller and filled in my bald spots. If only I'd met them before my wife....