Jiogolf

I happen to think that all golf equipment companies have gone way too far with the price tags on their products. $800 for metal on irons? $400 for a single club (driver)? It's funny if you were to ask them for a discount, they wouldn't give to you, but when a tour player tries a club out and doesn't like it, they simply throw it away or give it away. So if the company doesn't say anything when a tour player throws away they're clubs why should they price the equipment the way they do? I've actually found a way around it. If you find something you like, wait about 6 months to a year and you'll see the price drop drastically. I bought a Taylormade 425 R7 driver, new, for $200. Cleveland CG2 irons, new also, for $200. Some people say, "well there's always new technology coming out, so why not try it?" My answer: It's not new technology. It's just different asthetics. These guys sell you on the idea that they've found a new way to gain distance, but that's all it is, a concept. I'm very happy with my clubs and don't think I'm changing until 15 years from now. It's your swing that makes the ball fly straight not the club.

Oh and another thing, you're casting the club. Don't throw the club at the ball with your arms. Use your legs in order to "hit" the ball. With the irons you want to swing down on the ball. With the driver, up.

Hello AnalogAG. Listen, I've had the same problems you've had before. My iron game depends on the following swing action. You seem to be spinning your hips way open on the downswing, thus your clubhead gets "stuck" or stays behind your body too long. This in turn will never allow you to square the clubface in time in order to ensure a clean hit and secondly, you'll never transfer your weight properly and get achieve much distance. As a remedy, try to slow down your hips and let your arms catch up with your body. Try to feel like your left arm is pulling the club through impact. You'll notice immediate results. My thought is the simpler the swing the better. Also, I'm sorry to disagree with others, but I don't agree with the statement that you must get new clubs. If you're comfortable with your irons, then keep using them. From the first day I played, I used forged players cavity backs. I'm thankful I did because I can't live without them. Currently using the Cleveland CG2's. Hope this helps.

I am currently using the Cleveland CG2 irons with True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 Shafts. Love the feel, love the feedback.

I can understand your point. But it doesn't mean you're going to automatically lower your score if you bomb it. Let me ask you another question: Why, if these "bombers" at your course are hitting anything between SW to 8i are so dependent on their short games? Shouldn't they be hitting greens with those clubs? And another point: I can't buy into your argument that bombers' short games are good because I've played with most of them first hand and they can't chip or putt a lick. I recently attended the Merrill Lynch Shootout in Naples and had the opportunity to watch Bubba Watson, Camilo Villegas and some others in the field, guys who are known for their length. These guys couldn't buy a birdie unless they went on some hot streak with their putters, which didn't last long. The guys who were scoring machines were the Johnson's, Calcavecchia's, Austin's, Funk's of life who put the ball in the fairway, and accuracy is their game. I say again the reason Tiger wins so much is because of his putting. 1 three putt all week at the Target World Challenge. And another thing, course designers are basically catering their designs to the longer hitters. Courses are getting longer and longer and the game is getting out of hand. They're leaving the rest of us out in the cold. Example, next year's US Open course Torrey Pines, is playing at 7,600+ from the tips. That all being said, I'm rooting for Josh. Hope he beats up on the tatooed gorilla.

I understand that, but the argument is with respect to club selection. Most guys nowadays are trying to increase carry yardages with all of they're clubs. It's funny because you begin to see that most of these numbers are exaggerated but nevertheless, all I'm saying is that if you want to lower scores, you need to treat all of your clubs as scoring clubs. Most guys are into the whole distance thing nowadays, but it seems to me that the more they give into the Bomb n' Gouge side of things, parts of their game begin to deteriorate. The short game and putting are so underestimated in the game today that practically most weekend golfers neglect to even work on these things. Ask Tiger and he'll tell you the reason he wins so much isn't because just because of distance, it's because of the short game and putting. Example, he only had one three-putt all week and the Target World Challenge. Outcome: He ran over the field. I'd also choose the 100 yard shot every time, but having the mentality where that's the only shot you want to hit every time is lethal to scoring.

I don't understand the reasoning behind the argument of having an advantage over others if you have a shorter club in hand. It's not the club you're using, it's the way you get to the hole that's important. I remember a couple of months ago standing on the tee box of a par 3 192 yard hole. Someone I was playing with pulled out a 6 iron and pushed his shot right, 30 feet from the hole. I pulled out a 4 iron, made a smooth swing and stiffed it to 3 feet and made birdie. It's important to treat all of your clubs as scoring clubs. I've seen Tiger nail 4,3 and 2 irons to a couple of feet because he uses the same mentality. Hitting greens is key to lower scoring. Isn't that more important than hitting the longest drive of your life?

Isn't anyone annoyed at the fact that Brian is still around? I hope Josh SMOKES him. Brian is extremely cocky, especially being a mini tour player. I don't think that's much to brag about. I also had a chuckle when they aired the last hole of the competition on the last episode. Hiroshi and Josh said they both hit an 8 iron into a par 3 182 yard hole! Inflated numbers people.

I will always live and die by the R7 425 driver from Taylormade. It's the only driver I've been able to hit consistently in terms of distance, feel, control and playability. Better than Callaway, Nike, Ping and all others. Funny thing, even tour pros that don't endorse other companies use Taylormade drivers.

My longest drive happened a couple of weeks ago. Killian Greens Golf Club, 5th hole, par 5 520 yards, downwind. I hit it 320 yards with driver. Bridie only though.

Sorry dude. I know my carry distance. 250 carry, total yardage 280-285. By the way, there is no way you can completely trust launch monitors. All they do is give you an APPROXIMATE reading on ball speed, launch angle and spin rate. Ask any honest clubfitter and they'll tell you the same thing. Once the machine calculates these numbers, then it spits out carry distance. You want to actually get a proper fitting done, go outside and watch your carry distances. That's the best feedback as it pertains to ball flight and carry.

My swing speed is about 98-100 mph. I measured it the other day. I can usually carry the ball with the driver about 250 yards. If the fairways are in good shape, thus allowing the ball to roll, my total yardage is anywhere between 260 and 285. But what's important is to put the ball in the short stuff. The game is so much easier when you play "fairways & greens" golf.

Some of the numbers at the LG skins game could be decieving. Fred Couples hit a couple of drives where his speed was measured in at 118 mph. He hit one drive 295 carry and one 277 carry, both solid. Zach Johnson was averaging 250 carry and Ames 285 but I saw a couple and hit only carryied the ball 250. Numbers are inflated.

I kind of enjoyed the coverage. Just way too many interruptions. I did like the fact that they showed players' swing speeds and carry distances. I find it hilarious that Zach Johnson says in the current issue of Golf that he hits his driver 285 and the numbers from trackman showed he was carrying the ball 245 to 250 on average. Same thing with Couples. On average he was swinging 118 mph through the hitting zone and was carrying the ball 277. All these guys are shorter than what they make us think they are.

jammer 59: So what you're saying is that these tour pros are infalible, right? They can't be questioned? They can't be doubted? That's like saying that you would could trust Victor Conte with the knowledge that you are taking steroids. Just because they say that they hit a club a certain distance doesn't mean you have to take their word for it. Wouldn't you feel cheated if you knew you were paying too much for a certain item yet you didn't find out until much later that you were taken for a ride? Of course. Just look at the facts. To say that only pros can do these things is junk. Look at the likes of Nicklaus and others who are saying that the gap between tour pro and amateur has grown to insurmountable depths. It isn't like it used to be when the old timers were playing. The gap wasn't as big as it is now. Something has got to give.

I'm just saying that it seems like we're all being fed a line. When you guys get an opportunity, check out the Callaway website and take a look at the video were Ernie Els is being fitted for his driver. Ernie has stated before that he hits his driver 290 (carry). Funny thing is when you look at the screen shot of the lauch monitor computer screen his three drives max out at 265 to 270 yards (carry). Moments later the clubfitter tells Ernie he's carrying the ball an average of 301 yards!

Listen Norm 66, when have you ever seen a tour pro hit a 9 iron 165 yards? Every time I look in the "What's in my bag" articles in Golf Digest, the average pro says they hit a 9 iron anywhere between 135 and 145 yards. That's almost 20 yards less than what is stated on the show. You're meaning to tell me that a mini tour player as feather thin as Josh can outhit a tour pro by 20 yards in every club? Wake up! Okay, I can understand the whole fact of alttitude and what not. But come on, Common Sense dictates that these yardages are inflated. Another thing, wouldn't you think that club makers want you to think that if you buy their products you'll automatically gain 20 yards a club? It's all over the ads today. Distance is at a premium. Companies know this and they expose it to the max. I recently attended a Nationwide tour event in Miami and when the grouo I was following came to a par 3 175 yards, a scorer told me that all the guys in the group were hitting nine irons into the green with the wind in their face. When I looked over, a player peeked into another golfers bag and signaled out to his caddie that the player teeing off was in fact using a 5 iron. Plus, if you were on national TV wouldn't you want to make yourself look like if you could hit it a ton? Give me a break.

This is ridiculous. Guys hitting their 3 irons 270 yards!? Sorry. The Golf Channel and the golfers on the show think that I'm some sort of idiot or something. Last night I saw a challenge were Josh hit a 9 iron 165 yards. That's outrageous. All of these numbers are inflated. And trust me, it doesn't matter what the alttitude is. I can understand 5 or 6 yards per club but 10 to 20? Don't try to pull my leg.

You know what I hate the most about some of these guys, are the yardages they say they hit when in reality, they hit some other club in the bag. Example: In the first episode, the contestants played in a challenge were they had to pick a yardage and land the ball on a green within the circle. Joshua says he picked a 9 iron from 165 yards and blew the circle. In this latest episode, the guys in the elimination challenge are hitting an approach shot to a green from 175 and 185 yards respectively. Everyone said they were hitting a 7 iron from 175 yards with the wind in their face and some guys were even blowing the green. Same thing with the 185 yard marker. Most everyone says they're hitting a 6 iron from that yardage with the wind in their face and some guys blew the green. Give us a "Big Break". I'm tired of hearing these inflated club numbers and yardages from all of these club makers and golfers who are trying to make the rest of us think that they're above the rest.

My longest was 315 yards on a 450 yard par 4. Nike SQ, 9.5 degrees aldila green shaft stiff. No wind, flat terrain.