tpicciani

If you're still growing, maybe a cheaper set that is 'custom fit' would work for you. There are a handful of clone vendors out there. I bought a set of irons from gigagolf.com for around $150. You take measurements as directed and they tell you what length and lie angle the club should be. It isn't as good as having a pro measure you up but the clubs are pretty nice. I got a set of RC-2's. Tom P.

Ain't that the truth. I'm a 30+ handicapper and I wish I could hit the driver 300+. What I do have going for me is that my Orlimar Ti440 puts nearly every ball in the fairway at 220-250 yards. I've been out of golf for some time, since 1994. Got back in a month ago and have played five 9 hole rounds. Back then, the metal woods seems to be just coming into style and there was nothing close to titanium. Back then I it one in five drives straight. My boss, who golfs with me, says that I forgot all my bad habits! :) But the key IMHO is iron play. There you get uneven lies, you tend to have to hit out of the rough, etc. I'm slowly making progress. The first two weeks (after my refresher lesson) I worked on the full shoulder turn thru impact and teeing the drive up to the left of my left toe. That's what got my drives nice and straight. (It's almost scary how far forward the ball looks!) Then last week I started working on keeping down through the approach shot. Now I keep my weight a little more on the inside of my right foot until I've started the downswing. That allows my weight to transfer better. My balance is a lot better and my irons are now producing a slight fade. My objective? Break 90 before I get to 90! :)

OK, I've been out of golf for 10+ years. I got back into it just last week, taking a lesson, spending 4 sessions on the range, and playing two 9 hole rounds. I'm 50 years old, weigh 178, and I'm 5'3". My lesson yesterday showed I still had good mechanics but I have some conditioning issues. As I get tired things go bad. So today, for 4 holes I did pretty well. My drives went 250. My 8 iron went 125 and everything went straight. Then my left side started tightening up. There's no pulled muscle, just stiffness. My round went to pot after that because I couldn't turn through impact. What sorts of exercises are there to work this stuff out and strengthen that left side? I'm sure if I keep at it the stiffness will go away. Hoping there are a few PT people out there that read this thread. :) BTW, I'm stretching with torso twist stretches every night to help firm up the area. Thanks. Tom P.

Thanks. That's not quite what my clubs look like but it's close. Craig Hall, a real genious of a pro at Four Seasons Golf Course in Lancaster, Pa. said back then they were the best of the Ping knockoffs. Anyway, the regripping went well and a I'm 1 hour and 20 minutes from my tee time.... I'll let ya know!

I did just that. I regripped 3-SW. They're drying now. I used Griprite Tour Wraps. They cost less than 3 bucks each. Just got done. I got my Olimar TI440 driver today. I pulled it out of the shipping box less than half an hour before my lesson today. Now, understand, last week, in my 9 hole game I didn't hit one drive in the air and most of my irons were topped. Scott, the pro at Crossgates Golf Course in Millersville, Pa. has me hit a few with a 9 iron. So I take my stance and hit a few over the flag at 80 yards out. I'm going, why couldn't I do that last week? So we progress through the irons slowly over a 30 minute span. After just a few shots he sees that I'm leaning too far forward and he wants me to be more vertical. Fine by me. I'm short! I'll take all the height I can get. Anyway, after a few thin shots I start consistently making solid contact. And then we take out Mister BIG! First shot fades right. Next two go hard left. Next three????? 250+ right down the middle. I hit a few more bad shots then tagged one more down the middle. And then he hands me a wedge and has me hit two or three until I can stay down on them, to work on the transition between the driver and the short irons. Going out tomorrow after 4 with my boss. He'll want to know. I'm going to tell him that I need a lot more work but I'll struggle..... We're playing modified best ball where on each shot we all drop from the best ball location. We get done faster that way and we still have fun. It's really fun when you make the best shot and everyone else has to drop from your location. My pro said that I should probably scrap the 3 wood, 5 wood and perhaps the 2 and 3 irons and get a new 3 wood and a couple hybrids. Hmmm, the demon credit card calls my name! Later, and thanks for all the advice. Tom P.

Just got it today: Olimar Ti440! Took it to my Pro and we had a lesson today. First shot fade right. Next two, pulled left. Next three 250+ dead center!!!!! Only $70. FYI, I've been out of golf for 10 years due to job schedule, etc. Well, I'm back!!!! Last week, in a 9 hole game I didn't put one drive into the air. Tomorrow is another 9 hole game. Hoping to show off.... :) Later, Tom P.

Oops! The actual name of the company is pinemeadowsgolf.com (not pinetreegolf). The web reviews seem favorable.

I'm getting back into golf after 12+ years of inactivity. I'm 50, 5'3" and 180 lbs. Back in 1990 I had a set of Pal Joey irons made for me. At the time, they were marketed as almost the same thing as the Ping irons at half the price. They have forged heads and perimeter weighting and ran around $400 for the set. The shafts are light to medium steel. With my short height, custom clubs were the only way to go so the sole would lie flat. The pro measured and ordered them for me. Now, with the newer technologies involved in club making, the shafts, the redesign of the club heads, etc. some have suggested I buy a new set. Others have said that the clubs I have are as good as or better than anything I could get for under $500. They need regripping so I'm putting new grips on them this week. Done it before so I know the routine. The cost is under $30, which is a cheap but effective fix for now. But would you guys buy new clubs? How about pinetreegolf.com? Are these inexpensive clubs any good or are they poorly made. Those prices seem too good to be true! Thanks, Tom Picciani. p.s. Any Lancaster, Pa. viewers?

Honorable mention to Lee Trevino. My favorite moment. 1987 skins game from WAILEA, Maui. Lee hits first and holes it! His competition? Hale Irwin, Gary Player, and Jack! Wow

Both are awesome. Sometimes though I think Tiger is the best thing and worst thing that's happened to golf. If he's in a tournament, people flock to see him. But if he is out, nobody watches the game! The interesting thing is that he has competition all around him. But the powers that be aren't marketing rivals well enough. I keep thinking that golf needs a big hype event (one on one, perhaps) in prime time, like a skins game. Anyway, we're fortunate to have such talent in the sport! later. Tom P.

I am the Help Desk Tech at Millersville Univeristy near Lancaster, Pa. Hi everyone!