ArjunGFX

I might be an anamoly in that I've broken par for 9 holes dozens and dozens and dozens of times... including 1 under on the front 9 at the TPC at Boston and 2 and 3 under on many other tough 9s.... but I've somehow never broken par for 18. That is now my goal, and I am very focused on it. I'm playing to about a 3.7 and was down to a 2.... thinking back I'm kind of stunned that I've never experienced the feeling of breaking par.

I don't think golf will change that dramatically, and some of the technologies you describe are just not golf. Golf will progress like baseball... technologies will surely advance and more emphasis will be put on power and strength.... but at the core the game will still not be so different from how it started, especially considering that nature can't be altered so drastically. Also, the best of the best may not necessarily improve that much. In the early 90s Tom Kite was shooting in the high minus 20s.. you don't see scores like that too often today. If you watch Shell's Wonderful World of Golf, Jack and Arnie weren't driving it much shorter than Tiger does today back in the 60s.

very happy 2 hear you got things straightened out, pun intended. you're not part of the "target" of my post: http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10825 but check it out.... you are part of the group that knows whats up, and props to that pro for enlightening you.

Very well said. If a new golfer can afford Pro V1s and Mizunos, then go for it.... though your game won't be so much different than fi you start with Rock Flites and Spaldings... With the latter setup, one can develop as much. I could have afforded the pro vs etc when I started but it was never a priority..... equipment was very peripheral to my focus of improving my actual skills. It is just amazing how 98% of golf discussions are about the supershaft 6000 vs. the ultrashaft 9000.... and the really important things (tempo, feel etc) that will actually bring amazing moments on the golf course are seldom given importance.

240-250. When my draw is on and there is roll I can squeeze it out 270-300. Oddly I hit my 13 year old 3 wood about 240 as well. This summer one of the first things I want to do is try a couple rounds with the driver at home.

That is fascinating to me. I learned golf gloveless and played my first 5 or 6 years like that... had to get a glove because my hands got too sweaty to the point where I couldn't even hold the club. However, looking back, during that period I had a ferocious hook which "somehow" dissappeared around the time I got the glove. Never thought about that connection... you might be onto something with the grip pressure insight.

One other thing - for those of you starting out, I would actually recommend practicing feel shots with hard Top Flites and stuff like that - people wonder how I hit such buttery, handsy flop shots with a fast swing speed. the answer: i learned to do it with xl2000s, so imagine how i can do it with pro V1s. I'm not trying to sound arrogant, I'm just being real. I play with guys who still have "normal" Biggest Big Berthas from 1997 or 1998 with regular shafts who don't even think about the new clubs, and they hit those things farther and straighter than I do with my fancy new 460cc driver. It might help them to get a stiff shaft, but what's helping them the most is that they are thinking about the grip and swing before the club - they are in a much more win-win-improve situation. And for the record I broke my new Callaway 3 wood and have been using the War Bird from the first yr it was released, like 94 or 96 or something. And it hits as long and straight as any of the new fairway woods I've checked out.

I've been meaning to post this for some time and I'm curious what y'all think. I just have to say... I'm amazed and kind of worried about golfers' fixation with equipment these days. Now obviously I agree that there are clubs that are higher quality (though not necessarily "better") than others... and that being custom fitted is a good idea, and that there's nothing wrong with having synergies and loyalties towards certain brands. That is something that I take part in as well, and I like it, as my clubs have meaning to me. However, despite being young (23) I still come from more of an old school equipment about mentality than most golfers these days, and I think a lot of players are making a mistake in treating equipment more like laptops than cars. I have a nice set of clubs now but it's not like without them I can't play golf. I played in India in December using I have no idea whats from the 1970s probably and it probably cost me a few shots, but not my game. After some getting used to I could get the ole thin, unforgiving 2 iron up in the air. And I think a lot of this is because when my dad got me into golf, the focus at the time was not so equipment obsessed - it was more on feel and shotmaking and on YOU creating the shot with your club helping, rather than the club creating the shot as you just hold it. That's why I'm grateful that I started with wooden Spalding drivers and irons from Building 19. It made me focus on feel and shaping shots. I am pretty sure the majority of guys on tour would agree with me. Sure they get custom custom custom fit now, but when they started, they were literally wacking the ball around and barely thinking about blade vs cavity back or shaft flex or ball or any of that stuff. They started with "this is a club, this is a ball, and it's my swing that make this club hit that ball however I want, regardless of the quality of the equipment." Of course it's all a fine balance - I play Callaway irons for a reason. There are reasons I prefer certain clubs over others and I do get technical now... but I feel like golfers shouldn't get that technical until they can hit most of their shots solid and break 80 fairly consistently. Of course differences in equipment should be taken into account until that point, but not to extent that is actually happening - it's getting out of hand. This seems to be the era of the corporate slave golfer, not the feel player. On this forum and on the course I am seeing 20 and 30 handicap golfers arguing about shaft flex and actually knowing about all the different shafts, way more than I do.... 18 handicappers discussing launch angle... beginners to the game discussing differences in MOI and golf ball technology... guys who can't hit a hybrid solid talking about musclebacks vs. blades vs. cavity backs.... there are some exceptions, no doubt... I understand people have different priorities and schedules and that there are 15 handicapers who hit the ball better than I do but never practice there short games etc etc.... BUT.... most of the guys I know who shoot in the 80s, 90s, 100s are fixated on comparing shaft flax, launch angle, ball speed, etc but don't even know how to hit a flop shot, or how to shape the ball, or think about tempo and feel as priority #1 which they should be. I'm somewhat of an equipment junkie now when I see it as value add... but the bigger value add for me is having started using old spalding irons and top flites, and I am grateful for that.

ive hot a couple bombs. I wasn't a long hitter until I started posting on the web - then things just got crazy. I noticed the correlation of high internet use and longer distances, so I tried it out. After spending 82 hours on an online forum, I hit the links. Uphill par 5, about 580 yards, wind in my face and a slight drizzle. I hit my custom 1993 Wilson Killer Whale (with a piece of the satellite they just hit with the missile as the shaft - extra extra stiff). The ball flew about 500, right down the middle. Hit a lob wedge on the green and then had a four putt, but the drive was a really great feeling. Unfortunately I haven't been on the web as often so I'm only hitting about 340 now, pretty average I guess.

Callaway Callaway Callaway. Don't care what ppl think. I'm a 4 handicap and I still play Callaway.

Met Arnie who is genuinely one of the nicest people I think I'll EVER meet. That man's #1 priority is caring for other people. Great man. And one of the most meaningful experiences I've had is when Paul Azinger was fighting Lymphoma, I sent him a letter and a paper cat too put in his golf bag (I was like 10) and his dad wrote back a really sweet letter saying that Paul liked the letter and that the "cat was in the bag." Meant a tremendous amount to me considering the tens of thousands of letters he got, and that he was, and still is, my favorite golfer (and fellow MA representative)

Where are you playing?! Have a great round. I'm coming to Boston from NY next weekend so my dad and I can have our traditional start to the season - March golf at Presidents in Quincy CAN'T WAIT. Friends are hollering at me to stay and go barhopping but I'm just putting balls in my apartment LOL

You must have a really good team. MOST HS teams I've seen in the Northeast/Tristate... I'd say average score is mid to high 80s. If you can shoot in the low 90s you still have a good chance. I imagine in hotter areas it's different but I can't speak on that. I do know that looking back on HS Golf, what I miss most is the team camaradarie and all of us just being crazy and having fun with each other.... how we did in tournaments in less important. Golf is a great team sport in that literally every player, whether they shoot 70 or 90, can be equally important in winning those matches, especially if you play match play / best ball like we did.

Hey young buddy, Go have fun and try out! You will probably make it but if not, it doesn't matter. However, shooting 45-46 in middle school is pretty solid and I think you have a great chance. It will be great preparation for high school. Just promise me one thing - don't let ANYONE pressure you or stress you out. Golf right now should be a fun activity for you, enjoy every second. Golf, especially competitive golf, in middle school is a blast. Once you enter the world of work and being entangled with girls and only getting to play golf like once a month... you'll miss those days a lot.

I'm excited. My launcher 400 has taken too much of a beating and the shaft is too stiff so I picked up a HiBore XL 10.5 deg from Dick's for 200 bucks.... gonna use that for now but eager to get my hands on the MP600, which is definitely still in the picture for this season.

As a golfer and bird lover... I find his actions just sad and digusting. It's almost like he consciously killed one of the things that makes golf beautiful. I hope he gets serious action taken against him.

Also, another great thing about golf is that it doesn't matter where you play. I didnt join a CC till I was like 20 so I have a lot of love for the municipal/public courses I played growing up... a lot of the best golfers I've ever met have stuck to those courses, even those that could afford to be members of PineHurst. OP, if it is country club arrogance that is bothering you, the trust me, I totally understand...... Most of the members at my club play a round in like 5-6 hours whereas I play in like 3.5... even if I'm right on their tail they won't let me go through because I'm a "kid."

He would be a great Republican Candidate.

You sound very resentful. I think that's your problem. You remind me of a kid I lived with who had trouble financially and was always knocking my "wealthy" town etc not realizing how hard people worked to get to that town... and how they deserved it, and how they had actually struggled with a lot of the same issues that those less fortunate have experienced... why is that?... because most peoples families in this country or anywhere have had generations who have faced those same struggles. AJGA helping to finance JR golfers is a great idea. I volunteered for the First Tee and some of those kids who can barely afford to play have some of the most talent I've seen in golfers.... they can go a long way with some guidance and help. So I feel you on that, though these things are very complicated. BUT... I'm from MA and played on the same Jr tours as Peter.... and it's clear that in many ways you have no idea what you're talking about, and your "big picture" mentality is actually very "small picture" and narrow. Why is he so good? TALENT is the first reason. Golf schools, his dad etc, do play a role. But it's mainly talent. I take your post as a personal insult because I grew up wealthy with plenty of resources to play golf.. it is an incredibly special gift from my parents and I am grateful for their support and the work they did to get to the position where they could provide for me. My dad came here with 80 dollars and now his situation is much better. I never had to struggle to afford golf but you bet I worked my tail off in other areas of life and faced my own struggles. You can't generalize people based just on their monetary struggles. There are people who are rich because they've inherited money from a parent who has passed on - do you think most of those people prefer being rich without mom or dad verses poor but with their parents? hell no. The key is appreciation. If some kid never has to work a day in his life but still appreciates hard work and understands and values where it's brought him... then I see no issue at all. It's people who don't appreciate that bring the problems, and appreciation/respect/being grateful transcend wealth. You don't sound very appreciative to me. So let me ask you a personal question... lets say you do very, very well for yourself and become rich enough to become a member at Oakmont. Are you not going to finance your kids' golf??? You need to make a big choice - take the resentful/blame route and torture yourself by constantly being around people you hate. Or work hard and follow the Lee Trevino route and work, work, work.... if you love golf I say go that way and put yourself in a situation where the question of struggling to afford to play golf won't be in your kids' minds. In this country anybody can do it.

I think that the conclusion that we can all draw from this is that we've discovered a secret to hitting the long ball... this could be the next revolution in golf instruction: posting on the internet. I can't wait to see Tiger, Phil, Rory and all those guys forgetting the gym and just chilling on their laptops before teeing off. If you spend a day at a golf course you'll probably see a few 300+ yard drives out of the thousands of drives all day. However, you spend a day on an online forum in a discussion with 50 ppl and you see dozens and dozens of golfers who hit it 300+! The data speaks for itself.

I feel like Mizuno woods might be the least hyped up clubs out there. I can't even name a specific model of their woods.... even the 3 wood I demo'd for an entire summer... I remember it was dark blue... small head.. and that's it. The other thing I remember is that that 3 wood was responsible for setting me up for more eagles than any other club I've played with. And that it hit straight as an arrow and in a way that was both exciting and dissapointing... it hit just about as far as my driver (cleveland hiBore XL at the time). This makes me curious about their drivers. I LOVED their 3 wood... the way it sat, the way it hit.... seemed like a real feel club, almost reminiscent of the original war birds and taylor made burners in terms of playbility. I do feel like the club hit the ball unusually long as well. For me to be hitting 250 yard 3 woods was bizarre... I actually wish I left driver at home for many of those rounds because that 3 wood was all I needed off the tee. But alas.. the mental game. Anyway, do any of you have experience or recommendations about their drivers???

Thanks for the replies everyone! It's been decided... Orlando. Eagle Creek, Southern Dunes, and World Woods

Tiger has been a major influence on my life... he's a hero of mine who I've followed since his US Jr Amateur days (back when I was in like elementary and middle school). I even worked for his foundation, and he has been important for my life as a fellow non-white golfer (people who want to respond to that negatively, relaaaax, I'm not liberal or very PC either but Tiger's skin color is a huge aspect of his positive impact) However, for the sake of competition and the underdog, I just can't really root for him these days.. yet I'm amazed at how many people do. I guess it's something very subjective. When Baddeley had that eagle putt on Saturday I was crossing my fingers hoping he'd beat Tiger.... and I felt for him when he lost. Anyone else share this perspective?

We're not jealous, we're realistic. Lets talk stats for a minute. I've played golf since I was 8... I'm 23 now and my handicap has fluctuated between 2 and 4 since I was 17. So over the years I've played with a lot of great players, including many pros and many juniors who can BOMB the ball. I haven't played tooo much on the West Coast and down South, but I'll leave them out of this discussion because players in those areas do hit the ball a lot longer... there is no doubt about that. I can average 260-280 including roll when I play in Arizona, and I have friends that can average in the 290-300range as well. However, you sir are part of a true minority - a New England golfer that can fly it 290. I'm from Mass as well, I'm curious, which course/hole is the green you're talking about? I believe you because you sound pretty adament but in all my years of golf in New England I've met LITERALLY (so few I can't even remember any specific ones except for one ex hockey played that I've seen fly it 290ish on average) a handful of golfers that average above 280 including roll (whatever roll we get..) on their drives. I know you guys are out there but I'm always mystified that Northeastern, non tour players who can fly the ball 290 are sooo commonplace on online forums, and sooo rare in real life. I post on several forums and it seems like the average drive of people who do a lot of web surfing is around 290 or 300... maybe it's all the typing?

You might be surprised. You might have to get your handicap down a littttle bit but it's more about how you're managing the course. I can't fathom going for birdies on every hole of a 7000 yard course. But as amateurs we can enjoy being at peace going for the bogey on a course like that - to me that was the beauty of playing as a young kid, the distance limitation was actually a great benefit. if you play every par 4 as a par 5... you can make plenty of bogeys and even some doubles (because the par 5s are still birdie-able or parable) and shoot below 100 on a 7000+, deep rough beast. The key is keep it in the fairway.... enjoy 60 yard or 100 yard approaches into par 4s.... I feel like even though my scores were higher, I was a more polished, "better" golfer when I had to hit three shots to get onto a par 4... my ballstriking was surely better. If you go to a big, US Open style course with the grip it and rip it mentality... you'll have a tougher time breaking 100.