Sherpat

This isn't a grammar or spelling error so much as it as gaffe. But I can't resist telling it. I'm a network radio announcer for Clear Channel. During the news portion of my shift I have to rip through stories filed by field reporters all over the country, edit and assemble the ones I want for each 'cast, and rush to get on the air at a time that's determined to the second. Then I have to read the copy out loud - often for the first time - while simultaneously watching a countdown clock because I know when it hits zero my mic will be automatically cut off and every client station carrying my report will return to local programming. I have to adjust my tempo starting about a minute before that so I finish my outcue right at that cut-off point and not a second earlier or later. To do that my mouth goes on autopilot while my brain gives priority to everything else. Which is why I know exactly what happened when this (female) ABC Network anchor wrapped up her top-hour national news feed the other day with: "...as announced today by the American Board of Obgins. I'm ______, ABC News." It took me a second after I heard that. "Obgins"? ( She said it almost as a rhyme with "hopkins" .) Then it hit me: "OB-GYN's". Seeing that clock tick from 3...2...1.... does funny things to your composure :doh:

I'm a very happy Wishon convert. Of course, getting a good custom fit with any brand gives a huge advantage over off-the-rack. But I just love the way my Wishons feel more than any other brand I've tried. On top of that, when I had a question about one of their new clubs I was considering I wrote to the customer service e-mail and got a prompt response back...from Tom Wishon himself. And not a perfunctory form letter either, but a detailed and thorough answer to my questions. He also answered my follow-up. I love that he's determined not to put his name on any product that doesn't meet his standard. I intend to keep playing Wishons as long as he stays that dogmatic. Best of luck, whichever brand you go with. I like the idea of those small component companies, personally, and have rarely heard anything bad about the most famous ones like Wishon, Bang, et al.

Woo hoo! I'm in! Lol...if I win, it'll be the first thing I ever got from Global that wasn't used. LOVE their used club section!

Dear Clueless Cheapskate: Do not let your introduction to the sport be via a set of discount lessons given by some fat "pro" at the local driving range. Learning to hit every single club, from driver to wedge, off the left big toe while shifting your weight BACK on the down stroke to "help the ball get up in the air" is going to cause almost unimaginable frustration for at least the next 3 years.

That was back before Luke was #1.

Can I come stay with you for the winter?! Tom, in already snow covered Sussex County....

You misspelled "chipping".

What part of Jersey you from, JSap?

Your hobby is magic? Could you make my wife disappear? That would [U]really[/U] help my golf game. Thanks! Willkommen!

I just saw this thread, and it reminded me that I read a post on almost the same subject by Tom Wishon recently. At the beginning he notes "...sadly as an American I have to tell you that the US forging factories used to rule the roost in this area of clubhead production, but since the late 90s, the US forging companies have either gone out of business or no longer play a significant role in the forging of clubheads. Cornell of Chicago and Hoffman of Memphis, the two forging factories that ruled the golf industry for most of the 20th century are sadly gone. I can’t tell you if Wilson’s forging factory in Tennessee is still in business, but as of 1998 when I last worked with them on a project related to my work on helping Golfsmith buy the Snake Eyes name, their business was pretty much gone then." The rest is a discussion of Chinese vs. Japanese forges (Japan being the other big player). It's his assertion that there is no quality difference between the two, concluding "Plain and simple, the price difference comes chiefly because of the labor cost differences between Japan and China." (He is associated with Virage Tech, in western China, which makes forged heads for a number of US and Japanese club makers.) It's an interesting article from a guy who certainly has experience in the field. If you'd like to read it, it's at: [URL=http://wishongolf.com/forged-irons-from-japan-vs-us-or-china-the-facts/]Forged irons from Japan vs US or China[/URL]

Bridgestone: fit to play.

Well done!

Like I said, it was just a guess. Based on an almost 20 year old memory. But Shorty, really? You don't think either of the following two pics of IBF have even a single similarity to the OP's image? I'm not saying it's a definite, but can you see where one might make the connection after imagining either with his head bowed? [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/177068/width/150/height/150][IMG]http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/177068/width/150/height/150[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/177069/width/200/height/267][IMG]http://thesandtrap.com/image/id/177069/width/200/height/267[/IMG][/URL]

If an Open winner slept with my wife I'd only be upset if she didn't get me an autograph. (He'd probably birdie THAT hole, too.)

This is just a guess, and given the head angle obscuring facial details it's probably a wild guess, but that looks a lot like Ian Baker-Finch to me. Additional speculation: that's a BGC jacket in that pic. Did Ian, an Australian, ever belong to (or sport the colors of) the famous Brisbane Golf Club? If so, might help make the case. Can I ask why this is "crucial"? Sounds dire! Good luck with it.

No offense buddy, but I think you may be going about this the wrong way. If you own 3 top notch drivers and "hit them equally bad", the answer might not be "pick this one", but "learn how to hit driver". Get to a teaching pro and fix your flaw(s) so you'll hit them equally good . Technique always trumps technology. If you're still hell bent on attacking the problem from the equipment angle though, how about getting to a fitter? Find out if the shafts/lies/angles on those three are out of whack for your swing, and if so take the one you think is prettiest and have it changed to your specs. Good luck, whatever you decide!

I. Can. Not. Stop. Singing. This. [VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbrmnrQuh0[/VIDEO] Got me in trouble at work, too. After my 35th chorus. On air.

Damn Irene. Damn Lee. Where am I gonna play now? I can't afford any of the other GC's around here. This might be it for the season. My poor little muni.... http://scenicfarmsgolf.com/ http://scenicfarmsgolf.com/floodphotoalbum.php A/O 9/16: "A Special Message To All of Our Customers: On August 28th, Hurricane Irene hit the Pine Island region with a terrible force. Within 36 hours the entire Golf Course was flooded and we had over 5ft. of water in the Clubhouse. One week later Tropical Storm Lee delivered 10 inches of rain on top of the already flooded region. Mother Nature has dealt us the most devastating blow in memory! Due to the flooded Wallkill River Region, our course is still underwater and we have not been able to assess the true damages that these storms have inflicted upon us. Unfortunately, we are unable to operate under these conditions and we can not reopen until repairs are made. We are truly sorry that we can not be open for our customers. Please know that we are doing everything we can to bring the course back to its former condition. We would like to thank all of the support, prayers and words of encouragement from our customers, friends and neighbors. Sincerely, All of Us at Scenic Farms Golf Course Anyone else's playground still under water, or maybe burned to a crisp from the fires out west? Hope not. Misery doesn't always love company....

Hey thanks for that, Zeph! Can I ask, though, what you consider "good ball position" for you?

Thanks very much, Tank. I'll give it a shot!

Hi Guys - After 4 or 5 years of just cruising along and accepting my swing flaws as "god's will", this season I decided to really bear down and fix as many as I could. The hell with determinism. I'm glad (startled, frankly) to say I've actually had some success. But there is one shot that bites me time and time again, and I face it at least once a round on the course I play most often. There's this one par-4 that has an elevated tee, and whether you hit it 150 or you hit it 300, it's gonna land on the side of one very long hill. If you're a righty (I am), you'll have the ball above your feet. To compound it, from there the green is elevated rather high up. So you've got a steep sidehill, uphill lie. To top it off, there's a large bunker fronting the green. All it needs is dementors to make it perfect. For some reason I have been absolutely unable to pull off this swing. It is my Linear-A, golf-wise. I just can't decipher it. It's not like I haven't utilized the various free videos and advice columns online, either. (The only thing I haven't resorted to, strangely, is a paid lesson. Ask my wife....). So I've tried everything from the obvious ( "grip way down and swing flatter ") to the, well, more faith-based apparently (" wear a green hat and tug your left earlobe three times before you take your grip "). Nothing. Chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk. I could have (and have) just pulled off the drive of my life (210? 220? Who cares - it looked great from that elevated tee!), and I'll still be on the green, finally, in 5. If I'm lucky. So...anybody here have a tip they can pass along to an increasingly frustrated - but otherwise improving - mid-handicapper? One that's at least as useful as tugging body parts and color co-ordination? Me and my sanity both thank you!

Ah, sorry. I guess the word "Lefty" in your sig should have been a tip-off, huh? Anyway, I like it so far. Having said that, I only managed to get three practice sessions in so far (this HEAT is a real deal breaker). But the three times I worked with it it forced me to hit with a downward strike, hands ahead of the clubhead at impact. Since hitting fat tends to be my biggest flaw, I'm hoping that swing becomes muscle memory soon and carries over to the course. I'll post here later in the season with a status update. All the best! Tom

Where in Jersey are you? I just bought on last week and I'll be glad to let you give 'er a test rip if you're in my area. I live up in Sussex County, right at the top of the state near the NY line. If you're familiar with Vernon, I'm right near there.

I might go for those gloves if they fit, and perhaps a few other items specifically marketed to women assuming they were pragmatic. But I'd draw the line at a merkin. Unless it was a really, really manly merkin. Then...maybe.

Hey Bart - I may be off on this, but are you sure you don't mean "Cedar Grove" NJ, near the "[U]Willow[/U]brook" Mall? I grew up in Wayne, NJ just off Rt.23, and that's the only town I know of with the word "Cedar" in in, likewise the "Willowbrook" Mall where Routes 23, 80 and 46 all cross. There's a large, multi-tiered driving range and mini-golf course that's been there for some years also, which is what makes me think that's what you're referring to. If it is, I'm afraid I have never seen one of those balls. How far back are we talking? The latest incarnation of the driving range has been there since the 90's, I believe. I've only been there a few times (I've moved up 23 to Sussex County) but if I ever stop there again I'll take a look through the weeds on the side, and ask at the desk for you. Good luck in the hunt! Tom