The Tin Man

To start off the Blade vs Cavity controversy is like a religious war and just as stupid. With golf we have 14 different rackets. Learning to play with a blade 3 iron is not easy, the 9 iron is no big deal. Good hand to eye coordination is what matters most. (On a bad day a more forgiving club is not going to help me when my hips don't want to turn.) Solution: Buy used and buy two sets. There's no rule against playing a mixed set. (I would start with forged cavity backs and go from there. It's nice to have a set of clubs that are not to demanding as the baseline.) Cavity Backs for 4-7. Blades for 7,8,9 The 7 iron is where the change occurs with me. That's why I have two sets. (Mizuno JPX-800 Pros and MP -67's.) Forged vs Cast is another religious war. However, forged irons are more adjustable then cast. (nobody argues about that.) Irons: Graphite is easier on your body and more flex can be designed in for slower swing speeds. Most blades come with steel for fast swing speeds. Woods/Driver: Nobody plays steel shafts anymore. No brand is best, but some like Mizuno and Titlist don't bother with the lower end of the market. With irons there's been no real technology break though in the last 5 years or so. (The exception being graphite shafts that keep getting better. With steel nothings changed.) Unless your playing in tournaments grooves are an non issue. Fitting is as good as whoever fits you. (Beware the sporting good store.) The internet is full of counterfit crap - quality clubs are NOT discounted!

With that high T it looks like you can end up grooving a swing where you hit up on the ball with your irons.

Try a lot of different clubs and buy what you hit best. However, the best values will be in used clubs a year or three old. Used $400 will get you $800 clubs.

Thanks! It's about time Scotty came out with something about his putters that didn't sound like a wine commercial with silly stamps.

Thanks good to hear.

If it's possible to chip I wouldn't consider using a lob wedge. A 60 is easier to use then a 64. Both lofts require knowing what lies they work with and don't. A poor shot that turns out OK with a sand wedge with some bounce can be a disaster with a lob wedge. A few inches here or there in your setup, weight on the wrong leg, a few degrees too open....... In the rough you can swing under the ball and not move it due to the low bounce. That same low bounce makes it ideal for lifting/picking out of steep hard dirt green side "sand traps." Yet a soft lob shot requires some grass underneath. Confusing? This is why the are cheap used. In this months Golf Digest Bubba says he uses a 64 at 90 yards. That's beyond my comprehension. PS: They are great for fooling around off course in parks etc.

I ordered a used Cleveland yesterday. The price was about the same as what a clean model goes for on e-bay. (Beaters go for much less and it's not an easy club to find clean. So it appears overpriced but is not. ) Their relationship with the SandTrap played an important role in using them. My verdict depends on what they call "very good condition".

I wonder if the new series Stack & Tilt DVD's are delayed because they are still with them? I hope not.

LOL! Time to invest in new gear. Replace the preordain with Oxycitin, and the Walther with a Glock.

Putters are like wives. Try a few and keep one you like.

Bottled water Sharpie Old dish towel Pot scrub brush long T's I don't use T's Ball Markers I can't find Good Balls OK Balls Balls to sacrifice to Poseidon. Ball Mark fixing tool Glove I don't wear I take my Advil at the car.

Can I chop off the extra fingers on my hands instead? Nobody sees the face growing out of my chest or the web toes, but those fingers freak everyone out.

In photography white comes out grey and needs to be adjusted for.

Newport 2 toe hangs a bit less then 45 degrees. Wilson Tour Special 1, and Bulls Eyes - toe hangs 180 deg. and they are dirt cheap on e-bay. But, the Newport 2 is more forgiving.

Whatever you pay me to play.

Some of the irons on the top of the Maltby list are as horrible in their own way as whats on the bottom, Ultra Game Improvement bananas on a stick.

I re-shaft my wedges because it costs $20 labor for a single club and I like graphite shafts matching the set. I break the bond using my gas stove and pull the old shaft off wearing pot holders. My work space is the kitchen sink which is why I pay to have my clubs re-gripped. It's cleaner and easier to change a shaft then mess with grip tape in the kitchen. I JUST NOTICED HOW OLD THIS THREAD IS!

That's correct. However, if the clubs are ordered from Tileist as an incomplete set then every club will have a serial number,

As often as you like.

My first lesson (not from Haney) was "how to hook". Not really....but that's what it looked like. Anyway, when I slice I'm lost, but a hook can lead me back to a playable game.

Driver Fitting: Like trying on suits - all 3 sizes too big - expecting one of them to fit. The newer 3 wood is what the driver used to be.

Lady Percept IQ - is one of the softest balls made

Once you can hit the ball shafts make a big difference. As far as being laughed at - nobody cares what you play. On the net beware of counterfeits - the major club makers DO NOT DISCOUNT!

I agree - if we can control or influence it - it's not luck.

Pay to have one gripped then try it.