Tomboys

Yup, played with them for years. My first pair were from the Montgomery Ward catalog. Went out to play my first round in them. Made it to about the 5th hole and the spikes felt like they were going into my feet. Barely made it to the 9th. Tossed the shoes in the trash as soon as I got home. Moving forward, wore metal until forced to go soft-spikes a few years later. Aside from the ease of cleaning, don't miss metal at all.

Unfortunately, the 716 AP1 PW will probably go further than your current PW. My AP1 PW goes almost as far as my AP2 9i. That's why I went 4-W1 to replace my 3-PW 712 AP2s. Also, I've always pitched and chipped with my Vokeys around the greens. However, I tried the W1 just to see what it would do and, if I'm being totally honest, I'm getting much better results than I ever had with my BV 52*. I don't know if it's due to the clubhead design, shaft or the combination. But, I seem to be able to execute the shot closer to what I envisioned beforehand. Play it back in my stance, the ball will run. Play it forward in my stance, the ball checks. I simply alter the length of swing to get the run or carry that I want. Pretty awesome given my lack of talent. Sure, I will keep playing my 56* for bunkers or when I need to hit those high soft shots over obstacles next to the greens. But, I will probably be ordering the W2 to replace my BV 52*.

Perhaps. It really depends on the distance gaps you're getting. In my case, I have a driver, 3W, 4-W1, 52, 56 and putter. So, that's only 13 clubs. Since my low-end is set, I have space for a 19* hybrid that'll slot between my 3W and 4i.

I had similar concerns because I have a BV 52* GW and 56* SW that are integrated with my set of 712 AP2s. In those, I had 3-PW, but when I ordered my 716 AP1s, I went 4-GW (W1). Fortunately, it turned out great. I hit the W1 as far as my AP2 PW and so on.

My $.02, get 'em. I went from 690.mb - 735cm - 712 AP2 and the 716 AP1 are "legit". I was able to hit some knock-down shots in addition to low draws from underneath trees. Stock shots are a little higher than I'm used to, but nothing ballooning. Also, I knew by feel, where I missed the strike on the clubface, high, low and toe. For some reason, I have a harder time feeling heel shots with irons, but that's been consistent with all my irons over the years. Overall, I'm very impressed with these clubs. I was hesitant moving from forged clubs fitted with DGS300 because that's what I've been playing with for the past 13 years. But, I took a leap of faith and gave a cast club fitted with a lightweight shaft a try. I think it turned out well.

Congrats. I, too, just got my set of 716 AP1 with XP90 S300. Played 27 holes with them so far and I like them. Can't say I love them just yet. I think the biggest issue is going from DGS300 (130gms) in my 712 AP2 to the XP90 S300 (97gms) in these. So, I'm having some timing and feel differences to overcome.

IMO, proper golf shoes are a necessity. However, what is deemed "proper" varies greatly. Suffice to say, if you're happy with what you're using, then that's all that matters. For me, I prefer stability over all else, so I wear FJ Icons. Sure, they can be a tad bit on the rigid side, but I have a tendency to hit shots into places that aren't on the course map, so it helps to have shoes that perform like military boots.

This.

As others have stated, it's not uncommon for some golfers to play by a different set of "standards". Suffice to say, the vast majority of us that frequent this site are pretty serious about getting better while playing by the proper rules of golf. At the end of the day, IMO, the whole idea of playing golf is to have fun and to enjoy yourself. I have no delusions that I will ever be good enough to be on the tour, any tour. So be it. The challenge for me has always been to become the best that I can be while enjoying myself. So, I work with my instructor and I practice and play as my schedule permits because it's a heckuva lot more fun to shoot a low score than a high one. However, I also enjoy playing with my friends. Some of them are, quite frankly, terrible and they lack the time (and sometimes the desire) to get better. So, do I give them 10 footers? Yep. Do I let them drop instead of going back to the previous spot when we discover that they've gone OB? Yep. And, so on. Why do I do this? Simple. Golf is hard and nobody wants to spend a day apologizing for being a poorly skilled golfer. And, as the old adage says; even a blind squirrel finds a nut. So, sometimes these guys will card a legitimate par or even birdie. When this happens, that look of unbridled joy on their face is a thing of beauty. So, how is the above relevant to the OP's query? It's relevant in that I'm suggesting to the OP to play his game the way he enjoys it while allowing others to play the game the way they enjoy it. Obviously, if your playing partners are obnoxious and/or raucous, then maybe at that point you can politely excuse yourself from the group or finish up the round and never play with them again.

Your 122-125 (driver) SS puts you in rarified company. So, maybe the "beasts" on this site can make some suggestions. If not, my suggestion would be to call the rep you worked with and explain your (financial) concerns. I'm sure he'll be able to suggest some options. You can also contact a facility that has a Titleist fitting cart and go through a series of trials and errors to find some no-additional-cost shafts that would give you similar numbers that you got with the Oban and Rombax. As far as the difference between the 915 and 913, there's some videos out where they isolated the performance differences between just the heads (by using the same shaft). The reviewers were getting some noticeable differences (~10 yards or more depending). I've been playing the 910 (9.5* D2) since it came out. When the 913 came out, I tested it and got maybe a yard or two at most. The 913 felt better, but the numbers weren't So, I didn't change. My experience seemed to be consistent with the comparison videos online. Fast forward to last week when I tested the 915. I bolted the head onto my existing shaft and this time, I got ~8 yards more out of it. Surprisingly, I got the best result (launch angle and spin rate) with the D3 head, so that's the one I picked up today.

I've used denatured alcohol without any problems.

I would've loved to have kept the golf balls from my memorable holes. Unfortunately, in my efforts to extend that success by continuing to play those particular balls, they met with an untimely demise =(.

+1. I tinkered with lasers and GPSs and I found that I'm more comfortable with GPS-type rangefinders. Either system will give you distance, so that's neither here nor there. However, I like GPS because it provides me with a topographical view of the hole. With that information, I can quickly determine where the safe areas are on layups and where the "fat" part of the greens really are. So, for me, the GPS gives me not just distance, but equally important, an idea of where I should aim. I just bought a Garmin G6 and I really like it.

IMO, it's very difficult to improve by doing nothing. As the old saying goes; the definition of insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results. Unless your equipment is totally trashed or totally ill-fitted, the greatest improvement will be realized by improving the swing. Suffice to say, if you had $5.50 in your pocket, the swing is the dollars and the equipment is the cents, if that makes sense. Therefore, do I recommend a transition to blades (for the OP)? No. Primarily because it doesn't sound like he has the time to work on improving his swing, so I don't think he's going to be able to extract any of the performance benefits they offer--other than an occassional "buttery feel", with his current skill set. Also, with the constant refinement of (players) cavity backs, there's an abundance of high-performing and forgiving equipment on the market today that provide ample feedback on mis-hits, etc. Does all of this mean he shouldn't buy blades? Not necessarily. The reason is because golf means different things to different people. Sometimes we want what we want and it's not about being logical. It's about satisfying our desire. Sure, we all want lower scores. However, for some, the desire of playing with equipment meant for pros or for those that are very skilled can be every bit as important (to them) as shooting lower scores. At the end of the day, it's about being happy. So, if you think playing with blades will make you happy, then I say buy 'em and start a new chapter in your "Golf Story".

That Prolaunch Red shaft seems to run about $50. So, if worse comes to worse, it won't cost you an arm and a leg to buy a new one if the clubmaker/repairer is unable to salvage the shaft out of your 909. The bad news is that the adapter sleeve for the Titleist surefit system runs about $75. Also, while not 100% sure, I think the fitter that works on my clubs said that there's different tips depending if you have a driver/FW or hybrid. So, make sure whoever works on your club orders the correct adapter. I tested my 9.5* 910D2 head and a 9.5* 913D2 head with my current shaft (Fujikura F3 60 stiff). Both set to A1 (.75* more loft/face angle slightly open). The numbers on the machine (don't know which one they use) came back pretty much identical (~101cs/~147bs/~13*launch/~3K backspin). Because of this, I opted not to spend the money on a new driver.

Because that's what all "Geep" owners would do. Better be careful of what you post on this thread. His uncle may pay you $50 so you take back what you wrote...

Well, my birthday (the big five-oh) was just last month, so I pulled the trigger on a new bag, 712 AP2s, SC California 1.5 and Garmin G6. Considered a 913, but decided instead to reshaft my new Vokeys with S300s (came stock with S200s). Because of the above, my Chistmas list is pretty short. In fact, it has just one item: It's not gonna happen by this Christmas. Maybe by the next one. Maybe never. Nonetheless, how does this relate to golf? Simple. You gotta get to the golf course somehow...

The same. The reason I know this is because I have days where I do lose that many. Sure, it sucks, but c'est la vie.

According the Johnny Miller(isms), you had a wood moment at the range. Wood = works only one day. Sounds to me like you're flipping now.

What performance attributes are you looking for in a new set of clubs that your current set of clubs aren't able to provide?

I don't doubt that you've hit some drives that traveled 300 yards. However, you have to understand that there's a difference between having a swing that is capable of producing a 300 yard drive versus playing in conditions that result in a 300 yard drive. IMO, after viewing your swing, the 300 yard drives you hit were because of the latter. I'll give you an example of what I mean. My average good drive is about 275. However, if I consider all my drives, that average drops to about 250. As such, I do not possess a swing that is capable of producing 300 yard drives yet, today, I got one. And, here's the crazy thing about it; it happened with my 3 wood. It was on a 429 yard par 4 that was downhill and downwind. With 20 mph winds--just a guesstimate--at my back, a fairway that's been baked from the triple-digit temps earlier this week, and a little bit of science; it was the "perfect storm" of conditions. As a note, the science part of the equation was an experiment. I remember reading a post from Iacas stating that when there's a tailwind, you lose lift. In order to "ride the wind" to gain distance, you want to hit a shot with a higher launch angle combined with greater spin. Hence, I decided to try my 3w instead of the driver to see what would happen. Now, I couldn't tell you how much each element (wind, downhill slope, fairway firmness, higher launch angle/increased spin) contributed, but one thing is for sure; my swing did not yield a 300 yard drive, the conditions did. All in all, I understand your desire to be recognized for hitting those 300 yarders. It's one of the emotional needs that many people need fulfilled; the emotional need for status and/or the emotional need for accomplishment/competency. How strong is the desire to have these emotional needs fulfilled as it pertains to golf? So much so that people will cite their "average" distance based only on their absolute best shot(s) and/or shave strokes in order to claim a low(er) score. FWIW, forget trying to convince people that you hit 300 yard drives. It's a losing proposition for you. Invest your time in becoming a better golfer. Above all else, have fun. At the end of the day, if you're having fun, you've already "won" at golf and nobody can take that away from you.

I find FJs overall to fit true to size. Unfortunately, there's no real standard in the shoe fitting world. The reason for this is because the last (the form that is used to build the shoe) greatly influences the fit of the shoe. The type/design of the lasts can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and sometimes can vary in different product lines within the same manufacturer. The net result is varying fits amongst shoes with the same numerical size designation. If you don't feel any pinching or heel slippage, then they're probably ok. If you're concerned that they may be too big, you can always try to slip in an aftermarket insole (Dr, Scholl or equivalent) to take up some of the shoe's volume. The downside of this is that there seems to be a big move in golf now to where the shoes are built "lower" or in a minimalist manner so that the player gains a greater sense of connection to the ground. So, while adding an additional insole may help the overall fit, it may take out some of the "feel" of being connected to the ground. As such, whether or not this works for you will depend on your personal preference. Ultimately, you can get away with wearing shoes that fit less than perfect because golf isn't an action sport that requires running or a quick change in direction while running, unless you're prone to sneaking on golf courses without paying. As far as keeping them comfortable as well as prolonging their life, I recommend the following: 1). Use shoe trees. 2). Storing your shoes in a cool, dry place (read: not the trunk of a car). 3). Periodically use a leather moisturizer or shoe creme. 4). Use polish sparingly. 5). Don't use harsh chemicals to clean the shoes--plain water and a mild cleaner will usually suffice. 6). Use a shoe horn. #1 is important because when you wear your shoes, you'll develop creases in the leather. If you don't "straighten" them out between wears, the creases will "set" and you'll end up with a tear in the leather sooner than later. The primary reason for doing 2 through 5 is to prevent the leather from drying out. Heat and solvents dry out leather. Once leather dries out, it becomes brittle. At that point, it's easier to crack and eventually tear through. #6 is important because the heel counter rests against the achilles and holds the back of the foot in place. If you distort it, you could end up getting blisters or an awkward feeling shoe because the fit will be altered. Balled up newspaper is just to absorb the excess water from shoes that get soaked. It speeds up the drying process without having to resort to artificial heat--which you want to avoid because it damages the leather. Also, the longer your shoes stay wet, the higher the chance that mold may develop. So, if your shoes get soaked, use the newspaper for several hours, take it out and place in your shoe trees. Some say to just use cedar shoe trees because they absorb moisture. Well, that's not really true. Cedar (or any wood for that matter) can absorb some moisture, but given that they're really not that porous, the amount tends to be minute at best. The primary use for (cedar) shoe trees is the aforementions shape retention and odor control. Plastic shoe trees will give you the shape retention--to a lesser degree than cedar ones because they tend to be flimsy, but none of the odor control. Lastly, your Contours are full-grained leather with synthetic linings, so they're actually pretty "bulletproof". IMO, if you follow the above shoe care even on a somewhat regular basis, you'll probably out-grow or get bored with them long before you actually wear them out.

Don't sell yourself short, you posted some great scores and unless you own that dog from the Traveler's Insurance commercials, that was "all you". Congrats and it looks like all the hard work you put in is starting to pay some dividends. Keep on truckin'.

There's been some great debates as to which to practice more, long-game or short-game (I'll put putting is a separate category). While there's more than one way to "skin a cat"--sorry for the analogy to all the PETA supporters out there, confusion stems from the interpretation of what construes the long-game. The association is that it's just about hitting the longer clubs (driver, woods, etc). It's not. Long-game is anything that involves a full swing. So, a full swing SW that goes 90 yards or a full swing LW that goes 75 yards, can be considered part of the long-game. The reason why I suggest spending the bulk of your practice time to learning the full swing is because it is more complicated, so it's more difficult to learn and master. From there, once you have a fairly solid full swing, learning partial swings to become adept at the short-game becomes easier. There are studies and statistics that show the major scoring differentials between the various levels of golfers (pro, scratch, mid, high) tends to be in the "long-game". Now, I'm sure that there are those that feel their full swing is close to a single-digit player and the major reason why they have a 15 handicap is due to their lack of short-game and putting skills. And, for some, that may very well be the case. However, for the vast majority of golfers, it's not. It's reversed. Generally speaking, if you have 60 minutes a day to practice, spend 35 mins on the full swing, 15 mins on the short-game, and 10 mins on putting. Lastly, while hitting balls is a requirement, don't fall under the illusion that it's simply about quantity. Quality is every bit as important if not more. For instance, going out to hit 200 balls with your 7 iron for an hour will not be as beneficial as say hitting 100 balls or less with a variety of clubs where you focus on the components of your swing so that each swing yields quality ballstriking (contact, direction and distance). Too often, I'll go out with some buds and they'll hit bucket after bucket where they only remember the good shots. Then, they go to the course and wonder how they just topped both their drive and approach shot. Inevitably, they get upset because "they were hitting the ball so well at the range." I usually reply, "You did hit some great shots at the range, but you also hit some stinkers. So, if your swing is capable of producing a series of good shots and a series of bad shots, why does it surprise you when you hit a series of bad shots on the course?"

To OP-- We're all pretty hardcore golfers on this site, so when it comes to abiding by the rules of golf, "you're either pregnant or not". There are no mitigating cicumstances. Understandably, you may have played under some "revised' rules before because you may not have known what the correct rules were. However, once you've learned what the correct rules are, then you should abide by them. If you choose not to, which is fine by me, then you forfeit the right to complain about "cheaters". Also, don't bother to quote a handicap index or even a score because they have no merit. I play with a bud that moves the ball all the time and "magically" finds all his wayward shots. He tends to shoot on average about 5 strokes better than me per round. However, I play according to the rules and I've had to hit balls off roots, cartpaths, heck, even left-handed (I'm a righty). I've got the gouges in my irons to prove it. But, to me, hitting a good recovery shot out of those dodgy lies is part of the allure that makes this game rewarding. For others, it's all about the score, regardless of how that score is "calculated". To each his own. I will say that I grew weary of my bud boasting about how good he was and how he was better than me a while ago, so I played a round under "his" rules. I thrashed him by 8 strokes. Afterwards, he said, "You know, we should really play by the proper rules." LOL. No sh*t, Sherlock...