cubfanbob

> I've looked into the Top-Flite Tour 2003 irons and though they are cheap I can't seem to find any manufacturers information on the clubs. I am kind of a stickler for details and I like to know what metal material the head and shaft are made from. Heads are steel. Shafts are either Precision steel [same folks that make Rifles] or graphite. For a beginner, I'd suggest steel. Long story short: just pick a name brand, NO clones. As a beginner, you're looking for a set to last you a couple of years - until you decide that either you're serious enough about the game to want a better set, or that golf really isn't for you. Regardless, you're going to be hitting a LOT of strokes and taking some of them from some very "interesting" lies those first few seasons, so you don't want to be too self conscious about getting your clubs scratched up and dinged. Have fun!

If you're just starting out, don't spend too much until you know what you really want and need - and you won't be able to figure that out until you've played for a while. For now, I suggest a set of Top-Flite Tour 2003 irons - about $100 on eBay.

> The problem with the new guy, is he hasn't done a single thing that displays any golf knowledge. It's like he's just the straight man to Stepanie Sparks. In my opinion, this is NO different than Vince Cellini, who never added anything more insightful than "He really needs to make this putt to stay in contention." Vince was a performer, an announcer - not a golf expert. This guy serves the same purpose. Stephanie does all the analysis, she's the one with a golf background.

I'm not recommending that you buy a cheap putter ["Wal-Mart Special"]... just that a $300 price tag is more than I want to pay. I go the frugal route, generally avoiding the latest bleeding edge products in favor of prior-year or older models, both in golf and other areas as well. My driver [$40] and putter [$30] were eBay acquisitions and are hardly the latest models, but they're quality clubs and serve me well. If paying top prices for the latest and greatest works for you, by all means go for it. I'm just saving that money for other uses, that's all.

They're BOTH too effing expensive.

Here in The Great White North [Minnesota] we're pretty much out of luck for at least 4 months. The latest in the year I've ever played is the middle of November, the earliest was the middle of March. One year we got 31" of snow on Halloween! So during the winter we hit the indoor golf domes, take sabbaticals to warmer climes, or sit in front of the fireplace with tears in our eyes and golf books in our laps.

> I looked for clubs discounted from mfg/models that had previously listed on Golf Digest's Gold and Silver lists. That at least gave me somewhat of an idea of what manufacturers I could trust. I scoured the online discount houses and ended up with some MacGregor woods from RockBottomGolf that have served me extremely well and I only have $50 a club invested. As my game improves, future upgrades will be a little less painful money wise. This sounds like 100% solid advice to me - good quality clubs at frugal prices.

Just added myself - I'm in!

Bought a dozen Wilson Fiftys for colder weather play, now that the temps are heading down. Played it this morning in 42 degree weather. Nice soft feel off the tee [not quite as marshmallowy as the Nike PD PowerSoft - a good thing], and good distance. Different sound off irons, more of a "thwock" than a "thwack". Putted true and somewhat lively. All in all, a good ball that I'm also going to want to try in warmer weather.

Hi there, I live in St. Paul - near Lexington & Summit. I'm a native Chicagoan myself - welcome to the Twin Cities! To help come up with some course suggestions, a few questions for you: 1. Where in the area will you be moving? 2. What's the highest amount you prefer to spend for a round? 3. How far are you willing to drive?

No, because I already own the matching 50º GW for my set. I do own 56/10 and 60/4 Vokeys [non Spin Milled] and think they're great.

Now 100 years - and counting...

Out of a field of 28 golfers: 1st Half - 10th Place 2nd Half - 4th Place

Here in Minnesota: April - October. I've sometimes been able to play in March and November, but those were anomalies.

Last night, Piniella was the goat - for yanking Zambrano early.

I asked this question of the Ping Customer Service department several years ago, when I was considering cutting down an Anser 2 from the original 36" to 34". Ping replied that they do not make different weight putter heads for different length shafts. Therefore, while a 36" putter cut down to 34" will indeed have a different swingweight than one left at the original 36", the "cut down" 34" will have the same swingweight and feel as one that was built to 34" at the factory.

Yes, the Cubs last won the World Series in 1908... a long time ago. In order to put things in perspective, consider the following: Let's say that following the Cubs' World Series triumph in 1908, you felt so good about their chances of winning the World Series in 1909 that you bet your neighbor that they'd repeat. Your neighbor is a cheapskate, so he only wants to bet $ .01... a penny. You make the bet. Of course, the Cubs did not repeat as WS champs in 1909, so you would have owed your neighbor one cent. Just for the heck of it, you go "double or nothing" in 1910... and then proceed to owe him two cents. After the 1911 season you'd have owed him four cents. If that pattern were to continue, you would right now owe that neighbor the grand total of: $ 792,281,625,142,643,375,935,439,503.36 Now THAT's a long time.

I use Brush-Ts, which last forever [or at least until you lose them] and scrounge broken tees for those iron tee shots on Par-3s. So I haven't had to buy a tee since 2004.

April 2004, first round with my current golf crew - 349 yard Par 4. Shot #1 - Top my tee shot off #1, into the bunker at #18. Shot #2 - Blast out of the bunker Shot #3 - Hit a decent 3-wood to just inside the 150 marker Shot #4 - 6-iron hits the front of the green, bounces once and rolls into the cup

I agree with the consistency point - especially around and on the green I like a consistent feel, so I'll use the same ball until I run out. But that said, the universe of ball brands/models I use is dictated by what I can get for $10 a dozen or less. These days, that's a list of three: - Maxfli Red MAX - Srixon AD-333 - Precept Laddie Xtreme All of which I've found suitable, and none of which match any club in my bag.

My first set of clubs was a Christmas present my sophomore year of high school: 1966. A "Sam Snead Blue Ridge" Driver, 3 Wood, 3-5-7-9-P; still have the irons. I think mine were the first Snead woods that didn't have screws on the clubface [ever wonder where the phrase "hitting it on the screws" came from?], and the irons have leather wrap "Reminder" grips. Boy, do those clubfaces look tiny today. So, yes... I recall persimmon and balata very well, and I remember lots of smiley-faced golf balls and switching to Surlyn the earliest chance I got. "Upgraded" to a complete 1W-3W-5W, 3-PW Blue Ridge set in the summer of 1979... used that set until 2003 when I finally joined the modern era.

> He is a fine putter and always has been Um... no. Just look at the stats.

> If you water them, not only does that make the grass hotter, it depletes the plants of oxygen, just making things worse. Then I stand corrected. Thanks for the clarification.

It counts as both.

High: 111 [blegh] Low: 92