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TourSpoon

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Blog Entries posted by TourSpoon

  1. TourSpoon
    The starting line-up has changed with the addition of a face balanced TM Spider Tour putter. I ordered it at 33.5" with the tour red body with black, silver, and tour red accents with a black shaft. Three footers don't stand a chance. 
    Intrigued with the driving iron buzz, I checked out the offerings wanting to be fit into a 2 iron Cobra or Titleist U510. When the dust settled, the Titleist U500 was declared the champion in the 20* lofted 3 iron with the 6.0 Hzrdus Smoke Black. I let go of the process and I hit this thing the best and most consistent. I was consistently carrying this 212-215 with a tight dispersion. The 2 irons being a little longer with a flatter face carried about the same but were just all over the place. This is the same carry as my Adams 2 hybrid, which after many years has been retired and fits perfectly gapped between the 3 wood and 4 iron. The first strike on the course was into a par 5 with 225 to the front edge of the green and I got it to one yard on the fringe. I hit a couple of bullets on some shorter par 4s so we shall see how this goes.  Even on some poor strikes, I seem to hit it better than my hybrid and it certainly sets up a lot cleaner. 
    Other tweaks - I bent the 4 iron one degree strong to 23, 5 iron 1/2 degree to 26.5 (6 iron is at 30 and 4 degrees from there), flattened the SW 1/2 degree to standard and the lob wedge 1 degree to 1/2 down. For reference my 3-Gap are 1/2 up and my SW and LW from a fuller swing hit dead on middle. I was feeling a little heel in the LW and the bunker scrapes were just inside the midpoint. Taking it down a degree puts the center for short game outside of center toward the toe. I could immediately tell a difference in the nip city factor and wished I did this a while ago.  
    Why that Wear Mark is toward the heel of your Sand Wedge and what to do about it!
    A Mark towards the heel of your sand wedge is a sure sign the lie angle on your sand wedge is too upright! Do you "pull" your wedge shots to the left of the pin? Do you struggle in the bunkers? In many cases you can see a wear...  
  2. TourSpoon

    General
    It's been a while, but I haven't had a lot to write about. Until Saturday. It finally happened. The hip pivot showed up. It's been my number one thing to fix for a long time and I finally had enough. 
    Two weeks ago, I took some video and just realized that if I am ever going to get to the next level of consistent sub 5, I need to fix 2 things. The hip pivot and the overswing. So I decided that I would do the damn wall drill and turn the right cheek towards the target a few hundred times until it became habit. I did it, I exaggerated it, I did it at the office and at home.  It's part of my pre-shot.  It finally showed up Saturday and off the tee I only hit one ball right of target slightly. I hit some bombs, hit a couple hooks, but more importantly didn't hit one block right. 
    The second thing I need to nail down is the overswing. I get to a perfect backswing position and in the last 3 inches my arms keep going moving my spine and head forward. I kept thinking 90% swing.  Again, with the proper hip pivot, the 90% swing feel produced penetrating ball flights that I haven't seen in years. I have to keep these 2 things going and really ingrain them before moving on. 
    With my commitment to change my swing, I haven't really been scoring well. The handicap moved up a smidge with a lot of 81s lately, but I will get back there. From the back tees, that's a 7.5 but I have some better scores still hanging around before anyone starts giving me more strokes. 
  3. TourSpoon
    A few months ago my group was on the second 18 of the day when we get to number 6 which is a 415 yard dogleg right that you can cut off if you carry some trees about 220 out. We hit our shots and I rocked one that made the corner and I've got 9 iron in. One of our guys takes it straight toward the green and really cuts it off leaving him 100 yards but hidden from the tee box. We get a text from the group behind us that they let a quick twosome through and they will be coming up on us.  I am next to last to hit and put it on the green but leave my cart (Covid single carts that day) in the middle of the fairway while our last guy plays his shot from the hidden spot. Right before he swings a ball flies over my left shoulder and lands about 5 yards in front of me. I think its a guy in my group pranking me so I laugh it off until someone tells me on the green that the ball was from the group playing the white tees. While we are on the green the tee ball guy starts pacing by his ball waiting for us to clear. I am thinking that this is going to be interesting. 
    My group is now inclined to let them wait but I said, "No let's just sit on the Par 5 tee box and let them play through because that's what we normally do and it was probably just an accident. Besides, if the guy is jerky, we can see how well he hits this tee shot with us standing behind him". A few moments later this cart screeches up and a guy comes bounding out about 60 years old looking like a curly-haired ruddy-complected type with a Corey Pavin build, about a buck fifty soaking wet. I explained that we were going to let him play through and he just kind of blew me off like it was his right.  I then informed him that he should be careful because he hit into us and he said to me, "Yah, I hit that one really good" then he goes on to say, "You guys shouldn't hit multiple shots". I told him we played one ball each and he replies, "Well, that's golf for you". I said, "The proper thing to do would be to apologize and be thankful that we are letting you play through". He walks up to the white tee (we are standing behind him on the blue tee) and takes a stance (chest facing the fairway), bends his knees and shakes his ass like a duck shaking water off his tail. We are just dumbfounded. He then puts a ball on the tee, walks up to take his stance, bends at the knees, shakes his rear again, and swings. He hits a perfect draw 250 out and turns around to look at us and yells "Boom!" and starts laughing. My group just doesn't know what to think so I tell him that I cannot believe that you didn't know you hit into us. As he walks to his cart he then says, "Honestly I was aiming for the roof of your cart". I then replied, "You are just an Asshole!" and he quips, "That's golf for you" and I say, "Let me take that back, you are the biggest asshole I have ever met a golf course". His partner sheepishly explains that he just met this guy and he apologizes and I tell him to relax, he is not the problem, and not to worry that we will not hit into them. 
    My group cannot contemplate what happened as I am laughing at this spectacle. I tell them that I am not a confrontational guy but the ex-middle school principal comes out of me and I can smell a jackass a mile away. I would never let this get physical because I am a grown professional, I can make my point respectfully, and people don't really rattle me (especially with 20 years of martial arts experience). Reflecting on this story, I am still shaking my head. I offered the guy a way to save face and all he had to say was that he didn't realize that I was there and he appreciates us letting him play through. But that was too big of an ask for him on this day. I have to admit though, the guy had some nerve to be able to pull that tee shot off with us 10 yards behind him after our exchange. Boom! 
     
  4. TourSpoon
    My comeback started in July and its time to check in on what's going on. I found a serious group of guys that all play scratch and single digits that play for a little cash twice a week. Its been great for my game to play it down every time. The last 8 rounds I have shot 75, 77, 80, 78, 82, 75, 81, and 78. But let's talk about the last 75 and 78 because I learned a lot from those rounds. The 75 was the second round of the day after a 39-43 (OB, Lost Ball on back) performance so I was not expecting much. Well maybe that was a good thing as I ripped off 4 birdies, 3 pars, 1 bogey, and a double for a 35 before the darkness fell. I came back Monday afternoon to finish up and found myself with a few pars and another birdie and two bogies and I am even going into 17. I push a tee shot right on the narrowest fairway on the course and a bogey ensues. I get to 18 and I just want to make a nice swing and I block it off the face of the earth into the lake for a double resulting in a 75 from the big boy tees. I have been working on my right hip pivot and turning with the club going down the line and the tension of the moment had me doing the all arm don't turn blocky boy swing. 
    Fast forward past a boring 41-40 and some range work on my turn to a very windy day. I was killing it on the range and hit 4 drivers that were perfect. Thinking I have it nailed down, I step up to the first tee and confidently block it into the treeline narrowly missing the adjoining fairway. Punch out and make bogey. Second tee and Blockarooni into the trees again but almost have a miracle up and down par. Well, now I am beside myself, but I manage to scrape it around with nothing worse than bogey.  I start to trust the turn and start aiming down the left side with a full release (aka power fade) and manage a 42. I start the back going bogey, par, birdie, and with the wind now howling, rip off 6 pars in-a-row for a 42-36. Funny thing is that I hit every fairway on the back whether it was downwind, sidewind, and the last 2 holes into the teeth. 
    So what did I learn in these 2 rounds? 
    1. Don't get ahead of myself and let the pressure of a good round get me out of my routine. 
    2. Never give up on a round. Bogies don't kill me and help me hang around, pars are my friend, and birdies will come if I am patient. 
    3. If my shot shape is a little off that day, remember "You gotta dance with who ya brung" and work it out on the range. 
     
  5. TourSpoon
    Today I decided to go to the local Golf Super Duper Store to try out a 3 wood that caught my eye. As the product expert sets up my request, I take a few practice swings with my own club. The lighting is not great, its hard to see if my club face is square, and I hit about the 3 worst balls in my life warming up. I was hemorrhaging on the astroturf as someone's grandfather just stood behind me wondering why the hell I asked to try the tour model.  Then, on the 5th ball, I finally hit the ball down the middle with a quiet draw to roll out at 245. Feeling some redemption I hit 2 more on a similar note, put the club down, and walked slowly to the end of the hitting bay. 
    On to the first victim, I mean club. Snap, push, skank, slop, and then a gorgeous draw on the line 245 with identical numbers from my 3 wood. I hit 2 more and then the guy says, "I don't know what you are looking for but that Diablo Octane Tour you brought in put up identical numbers. It's got a heavy stock shaft that feels like it was tipped". Then he says, "Henrick Stenson would still be playing this club if he had his way". OK, I get it, don't fool with what isn't broken. 
    At this point I am feeling frisky so I ask to hit a driver model that has the newest and greatest shaft ever in it. In fact I may have just ordered that shaft and its coming Wednesday. Well the store is having an issue in getting inventory so he sets up what he can find and hands me an adjustable game improvement club set to 8.5. Low snap, low push, and then as he steps away I open the face for more loft and I hit it. I mean on the screws coming down on the center line and I stop right there. I mean why even chance it by hitting another ball? So he comes back and says that looks pretty good. He tells me to come back when they get their inventory in and I thank him for his time. 
    Now I don't know why it took so long to hit a decent ball because that did not happen when I demoed my irons. I can only think that the thrill of the long club, coupled with the instant gratification of seeing the numbers, only intensified my out of body experience. So yeah, once I swung it like I do in real life I was rewarded with my mere mortal numbers, but nothing fear inspiring like you see on the commercials. 
    All in all, the trip was not a total fool's errand as I happened to find some shorts on sale. Like modern drivers they were bigger than the ones of yesterday. While I blame Covid on that I can only think that 25 years in the same size was a pretty good run. 
     
  6. TourSpoon
    If there is one thing that I have learned over the years is that your setup and backswing should put you in the very best position to make a good swing through the golf ball. So during this latest comeback, it was pointed out to me that I was slipping back into a pattern of relying too much on compensating moves because I was working against myself before I made my downswing. My setup had the outside of the right hip even with the outside of my right foot which encouraged a hip slide instead of a hip turn. By moving my weight a little more to the left and setting the right hip inside the right foot I was able to turn that hip and keep a more steady and centered head. To help with the feeling of keeping the right hip turning back inside that line I hit balls while doing the right foot stepping on a ball drill. The pictures below show the drastic improvement in position which has led to being centered and my ball striking having that crispy feeling that you get when you hit the ball in the center of the clubface consistently. Its amazing how this setup adjustment made such a difference in the quality of ball striking and distance control. Progress is being made! 

  7. TourSpoon
    After the stellar 75, I followed with rounds of 81, 78 (1 birdie, no doubles, bogey-bogey from both fairways finish), and another 78 on a tough course (3 birdies with a double bogey-bogey finish). This last round, despite 2 doubles, was about playing golf (not playing swing) and making good decisions in tough conditions. Let me set it up for you guys. 
    I arrived at the course early and hit about 25 balls into a significant left to right wind. This is my least favorite wind, but I was there to warm up, not practice so I didn't let the fading ball flight get into my head. I hit a few wedges, a couple of 7 irons, the hybrid, and a couple of 3 wood and driver tee shots. I didn't fight the wind, I just wanted to get the feel of what swing I brought to the course today and to establish some rhythm. I then putted from 3 feet and 6 feet holing at least 3 each and then a few from 20 for speed. Finally I chipped with the 54 to get some feel and off to the first tee. This is a pretty typical warm-up hitting the essential shots and seeing who showed up. 
    The first tee shot was fairway and set up a missed u/d, while the second hole I made the u/d from a few feet off with a 5 footer.  The short par 4 third left me with 90 yards into a quartering wind and normally I would hit a stock 58, but went to a smooth 54 with the ball slightly back with the idea of a 90% back swing and stay down through the shot. The flighted wedge held its line and set up 10 feet for a birdie. The next hole was straight downwind and I hit a solid 7 180 yards (stock 7 is 165) with a 2 putt. Nothing eventful happened until the par 5 when I stuck my pw into the ground from 130 (it happened) and was so bad it missed the pond in front of the green. A little flick with the 58 to a 15 foot side hill putt which slid and I was left with a 3 footer, I rushed to finished and lipped out for a double. So in essence a fairway flub and a lazy routine cost me 2 shots. The following par 4 tee shot found the left bunker and I decided that a 5 iron into the wind with the lake running the entire right side was a great idea and that shot crossed the hazard resulting in dropping 70 yards from the pin. Another 58 flick to 4 feet for a saved bogey. A solid u/d on the long par 3 into the wind and a missed u/d on the 9th led to a 40.  I hit 5/7 fairways and only 2 greens so I was really happy. 
    I start the back with routine par, hit hybrid on the very short 300 yard par 4 and I have 105 left into the wind. I took the same swing I did on the third hole with the 50 and was left 20 feet under the hole. My partner makes from just behind me so I pick the line for birdie #2.  A routine par with a well struck knockdown 8 iron from the fairway is followed by a bogey. We have a short rain delay and now the wind is a solid 3 clubs. The next hole is 370 into the teeth so I grip down a bit, move the ball back slightly and hit it about 230 (one of my best placed tee shots of the day) leaving a 140 yard 7 iron punch that landed 20 feet past the pin and another key par. The next hole was 170 uphill with a hurting wind and a solid 5 iron under the hole and birdie #3. I par 16 with an off the fringe u/d and then I am on 17 facing a tee shot into a now 2 club wind. I choked down with ball slightly back again, cut off my back swing somehow and cold topped it into the lake 20 yards away.  Re-tee and walk with double and on 18 I hit the fairway bunker, laid up this time and made bogey. So I was 3 over for the first 16 and 3 over for the last 2.  
    Overall the 78 (4.3 differential) was a really good round but what really got me was that I only hit 6 greens so how did that happen? Well it was the ball striking. Given the wind, I never missed in a place that didn't leave an easy chip or in some cases a putt from the fringe so I really managed my game well.  Aside from getting cute with a stuck wedge, unrealistic fairway bunker shot, and the cut off tee shot, I was proud of being able to manage in such difficult conditions. I didn't have real high expectations, kept my swing within myself, and felt like I stayed down through the shots for solid contact which allowed me to flight my ball when needed. Oh, and those 3 and 6 footers I made before the round gave me the confidence I needed to make a few putts (28 total, 9 one putts). Progress is being made! 
  8. TourSpoon
    So those of you that know me from back in the day know that I am a numbers guy. I totally geek out on lofts especially when it comes down to wedges. Here is one example of my thought process that really still applies today: 
    So to set the backdrop, back in the early 90s my first real iron set came from my buddy who played on the Tommy Armour Mini Tour.  TA had the hottest irons at the time with the 845 Silver Scots and had Davis Love and Freddy Couples on Staff. My friend sends me a custom embroidered Staff Bag along with 1 iron through Wedge 4. Well I sold the 1 iron and the ditched the sand and lob wedges and thus started the obsession on gaps. See the TA PW was 48 and then they had the Gap at 52 so I added a Cleveland 588 in 56 and 60.  Well I had a love-hate relationship with the gap wedge and really like the 2 iron so I kept it 48-56-60. I tried to like the 52 but it just never really panned out and I just felt like I had too many choices. I eventually settled on a Vokey Spin Milled 54 and 60 that became my 3 wedge system of 48-54-60.  
    That really worked really well and I was able to cover my gaps for years. When I got into the Titleist blended 735s I set them up identical to the 845s ending with 48-54-60.  I wore holes in those Vokeys and my cousin who was on staff for Titleist sent me the SM4 TVD 54/10, 60/8 M grinds. Again, I played these down to a 4.0 cap and really learned some cool shots to cover those 6 degree gaps. As long as I kept up my practice routine, I was knocking the pins down on a regular basis. 
    Well fast forward to my latest comeback that started right before Covid and a friend of mine knows I love the Vokey brand and he gifts me a new SM6 50 degree wedge. What do I do with that? It doesn't even fit in my line-up, but I take it and practice with it but never put it in the game but damn its an automatic with chipping.  My gears start to grind and I am struggling with consistency with the 60 and think I need some more bounce and I end up compensating by flighting my 54 more and more. Add in the purchase of the AP2s (4-pw) with a 46 degree PW and it kind of evolves from there. Since the AP2s are half a club longer I didn't need the 3 iron. I go to the local golf center and check out the Vokey demos and surprisingly found the 58/10 S to be a great option from a variety of lies, especially in the bunkers. More gear grinding ensues and before I purchase anything I schedule a Titleist wedge fitting just for fun. The fitter puts me through the paces and we decide on the 58/10 S, the 54/10 S and the 50/08 F.  I find out that he has all the SM7s in stock and get a great deal on the 50-54-58 and he takes the SM6 off my hands.  
    So to wrap this up, I am now playing the 46-50-54-58. The 46 pw is basically a weak 9 iron and covers 130, the 50 gap is the PW that flies 118 and hits those lower longer chips/pitches, the 54 is my 105 club and is my preferred chipping/pitching club 90% of the time, and the 58 is my 75-90ish yard club that I prefer from the sand and when I need to get the ball up quickly around the greens. So far its working out well around the greens, the bounce is more forgiving, and the flight is more predictable. This set-up seems to be pretty simple and given my golf experience, I just instinctively have a feel about what shot to hit and when its appropriate and I often pick the more controlled flighted option. 
    If you made it this far you really need help and its probably with your wedge gapping! Welcome to my world! 
     
  9. TourSpoon
    So today was a total surprise. I didn't sleep well and was out early to meet my group a county north to play a friendly track that is very receptive at 6400 yards and rated at 70.5/127. The driving range was closed so I chipped, putted, and hit 5 balls into the "driving net" they had set up by the bag drop. Feeling a little tired, I decided to concentrate on my swing keys and to not try to kill it. The first key is set up and making sure my right hip is even with my right instep. I had been getting it even with the outside edge of my foot which led to a slide of the hips, instead of a hip turn. The second key was just starting with my elbows feeling closer together and more connected which syncs my upper body and gets me on plane. 
    The 1st hole is 380 and I hit a nice easy drive and have 135 and hit 9 to 10 feet and make the putt for birdie 1. I make my way around the front in similar fashion with 3 bogies (one 3 jack) and 5 pars for 38. I notice the relaxed tempo is making the ball contact center of the face so I am going to do my best to keep it going.
    The 10th hole is a shortish hole and hit driver, lob wedge to 15 feet and birdie 2. A couple of pars follow (one a big-time scramble) and I am thinking lets just avoid the big numbers. A sloppy bogey follows and then on the par 3 at 172 into the wind I balloon a 6 which hits the bunker. Hard as a rock, I thin it over the green, chip it to 8 feet, and make the putt for bogey, phew. The next hole I pull it behind a tree, punch out and take my medicine with bogey. With 3 to play, I know I can post a great number if I keep it together and follow with a solid par on 16. The 17th is a par 5 and I push it, get blocked by some trees and punch it to 150. I hit a crisp 8 and have a 20 footer downhill that somehow pours in for birdie number 3. On to 18 where the fairway runs out on the right 260 out, but if you have guts you take it left and take your chances. I grabbed the driver, gripped down and hit a 240 yard bunt which left a 155 yard 8 iron over water that I put 15 feet for an easy 2 putt and a 37. Holy cow, I shot a legit 75 because I kept my head and smoothed it all day.  What a great feeling to have a handful of rounds under my belt and to post a real number! 
  10. TourSpoon
    For those of you joining on the new blog format, I started this thread 10 years ago (see link above for 12 pages) and chronicled my path to getting back down to 4.5 index being a weekend warrior. It was my way of capturing the lessons I learned and the golf I played.  Stay tuned (or not) and I will chronicle the next chapter from equipment, practice, rounds and general golf thoughts.
     
  11. TourSpoon
    So let's get right to it. I have probably played 10 rounds this year since the "comeback". Now lets just say there has been some good, some bad, but not too much ugly. The worst score was an 88 and last month on a trip to Orange National I posted between 80 and 86 for six rounds averaging one birdie per round (fill in the blanks with doubles and maybe a trip or two). Since the trip I have seen my old coach and shot some video and most of my issues start right at set-up. Its the simple things that if neglected can do you in before you even finish your backswing. A little work pays off along with a lot of short game practice. 
    Yesterday was a bit of a break through with a solid 77 based on some great tempo (keeping everything in sync) and keeping my head together. After a double by hitting a bomb into the lone palm tree in the middle of the fairway, I went on a string of pars and on the par 5 9th hit driver-hybrid to the fringe only to 3 putt par and a 40.  I laugh it off and on 10 hit 9 iron to 3 feet for birdie. I keep my head with pars and a few bogeys and then on the par 5 18th hit a lob wedge to 4 feet to make another birdie and close the back with 37 (77). Solid performance from 6500 yards and felt very encouraged as I was using new irons and wedges. 
    So let's talk about the new line-up in clubs. I was playing the Titleist 735 cms (cavity/blade combo) with the DGS300s since 2007 along with some custom Vokey SM4 TVD 54/60M wedges. The key of this set-up is that I bent the irons weak so that I could play 48-54-60. The 60 was becoming a problem child so I rethought my wedges after a friend gave me a new 50 degree SM6 and it got me thinking about 46-50-54-60. I did a Titleist wedge fitting and found that the 58/10 was more my speed (so much better from all lies and bunker) so I got a SM7 demo club hardly used for a song and rethought the set-up. In the meantime, I pulled the trigger on some 718 AP2s that have the AMT white S300s in them 4-pw. The AMTs are the same profile as the DGs they just get progressively lighter as they go into the lower irons which make them a little easier to launch. Since I hit them half a club longer it was easy to ditch the 3 iron and add the 50 in there as a gapper. I ended up horse trading some items and got the closeout SM7s in 50/8, 54/10 to complement the 58/10 all in S200s. So far the irons and wedges are a solid set-up with the predictability of the DG family. 
    Now the Razr Fit TA set at 9.5 is solid but its so 2013. The numbers I post are 240 carry but a little high. So my fitter friend sets up a few clubs for me and I really like the Cobra closeout F9.  I just ordered it in the adjustable 9 degree variety with an PX Even Flow white 6.0 (I couldn't demo the F9 with the shaft I wanted because of Covid lack of inventory but the shaft was insane with a different head). My Octane Tour 3 wood is still a solid 225 carry and the Idea Pro fills in reliably between the 3 wood and the 4 iron for great spacing. I really need to wait until the F9 comes in and I work it out before I go any further. Lastly, there is the Scotty Cameron and its not going anywhere! Stay tuned! 
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