phicar2

actually I have an old beat up Tei3 Santa Fe that I would like plated in pro plat but the insert kept as is. The Custom Shop won't do this, which is why I am looking for someone else.

I just went to Colbert Putter Plating and it turns out he is no longer doing restoration/plating work. Does anyone else know of a good shop that does this work? There was a post here about GA Resotarion or something like that but their site is gone...

I agree, but I still hate him. Give me Faldo and Curtis Strange... They know their stuff and are entertaining in a non obtrusive way...

I am more of the semi-snob. I generally put a new ball into play and play with it until I have finished at least 18 holes, then it gets to graduate to the shag bag at the end of a round. So, if I start with a brand new ball (and I don't have to start a round with a brand new ball) and I play all 18 with it, it graduates to the shag bag. If I hit a ball into a body of water, let's say on the 12th hole, then the new ball must be played the remainder of that round and then 1 more round before graduating - assuming no major damage of course... To me this strikes a balance between my desire to play shiny new balls and my desire not to toss a perfectly good ball into the shag bag before it's had it's good shots used up...

Well, I have to disagree here. Personally, when I am playing a round that is not in a tournament or for cash (small cash, I don't play big money matches I always know my score and I set goals for the front nine, back nine and total score and I track my progress. The reason I do this is to PUT pressure on my (I WANT to go into the 17th knowing I need par par to break 80). For me it helps to get used to playing like this (under pressure) because then when I do play a tournament or a cash game the difference in pressure isn't there, or not much of a difference anyway. I have seen/played with a number of good players with nice single digit or low teens handis and I watch them crumble under the pressure of tournament time because they aren't used to the pressure... That said, if you don't plan on playing in pressure matches then absolutely don't keep track of score until after you are finished. And definitely play smart - when trying to break 100, remember that bogie is a great score, don't forget that! Bogie, bogie, double, double, bogie, double, par, double, bogie is 12 over through 9. Double that and you break 100 easy. You have to avoid triples (or worse) to break 100. Breaking 90 is just a few doubles becoming bogies. You can do it!

My thoughts on this are that when you are talking about the big boys (Callaway, Titleist, TM etc.) there probably isn't that much difference - as you said you can go hit them all and see if one jumps out. Other than that, I always take comfort in knowing that if 1 was truly "better" than another then all the pros would play with it. Personal preference with sound, looks, feel etc. for the majority of folks is what matters as long as you get it fitted to your swing. And don't have buyers remorse!

I think the good advice everyone is giving is you need to hit them. I just bought a new set of irons after playing my previous set for 7 years. I tried the Callaway X-20 tour, X forged, Titleist 775CB, 755, Taylor Made r7TP and a 2 or 3 others (I looked at the golf digest hotlist, golf mag list, reviews on this site and others to figure out where to start). My process was taking 2 models to the range and hit balls with both for an hour or so and decide which I liked better. Then I would take that club and another repeat, and in that way I got it down to the club I liked the best (this was a 4 or 5 week process). Funny thing is, I would have put the clubs I ended up with (Titleist 755s) at the bottom of my list going in and the first club I eliminated I thought was going to be the one I loved...

I would say my 4 iron. I can't actually remember hitting a bad 4 iron (and I can vividly remember hitting many bad shots with all my other clubs). Off the tee, in the rough, out of the sand, off the deck, out from the forest, you name it. My best golfing buddy in the world tells me when I absolutely need to hit the shot of my life, hit the 4 iron anywhere no matter if I'm at 210 all the way down to a punch 120...

Well, I'll let you know my experience with this. I have been an average to above average golfer for about 10 years or so. The first time I got the shanks was on a golf trip about 6 years ago. Well, not playing really is not an option when you are on a golf trip, although that's not a bad idea. Since then my game has improved steadily, but, every so often I get the shanks, usually once or twice a year. It is so painful. Heck, I had my handicap down to 2.9 last summer and since then I have had 2 bouts with the shanks. My handicap is back up to 9 or so and it is funny when I go out an play and shoot a nice 3 or 4 over I get all kinds of crap about sandbagging - but I don't seem to hear anything when I shank a 100 around the course. Anyway, the real question is why it happens. Well, as you can imagine I have been looking for that myself. What I found finally - and I have done lots of video taping of my swing - is that I actually moved my head (and thus weight) forward during my backswing (not the downswing). It seems that as my arms got past parallel going back as my swing would move to the top I would subtly move my head forward. On the downswing my head would stay were it was but by then I was 2-3 inches forward and hello hosel rocket. So, to combat this I obviously focus on not letting my head move forward on the backswing. Mostly I just focus on keeping my weight centered without rocking forward (or rocking back). The other thing is that over time my hands get closer and closer to my body and thus when I get my hips through I don't have space for my hands and they move away from my body and shanks can occur for that reason as well. I hope this helps - I know your pain. It is beyond frustrating to improve, shaving strokes off the handi and then all of a sudden it's like you never played before... The only other bit of adivice I would give you (which I plan to follow myself is "they" ever happen again) is when it happens on the range don't keep hitting balls. Try a few more and if you are in a rut go chip and putt for an hour and try again or go back another day..

Follow up (stupid) question - is it that important that you hit the bottom? The reason I ask is I got fitted and I hit the ball straighter with a flatter lie 2 degree flat (so went with that) even though my marks were toward the toe - the marks were in the center of the club at 3 upright but I couldn't hit the ball straight just kept hitting draw/hooks.

Personally I don't seem to have better accuracy with my 3 wood - I choose based on distance. If longer brings more trouble into play then I go with 3 wood. That said, i haven't counted fairways hit so maybe I am more accurate with one or the other...

I am a member of Stonebriar in Frisco, TX www.stonebriar.com