follyforhire

Amen. I enjoy GolfWRX but rarely post on it. I prefer the general tone here. "Friendlier" isn't really the right word, but it's something like that. Also, GolfWRX's interface makes my eyes bleed. I find it impossible to spend more than 20 or so minutes over there.

Of the two you mentioned, I would say that the Big Bertha might be a bit better for you off the tee, but you might find the X series a little more effective from the fairway/rough. If I recall correctly, the BB is slightly bigger and has a larger and deeper face; I haven't hit it, but the reviews were generally very good. You might also consider the X Hot (good Sand Trap review of it here ), which most folks thought was incredible off the tee. For around $100, you might have better luck on an auction site like eBay or the Callaway pre-owned site . Also in that price range, you'd probably be able to pick up an '04 or '05 Big Bertha. The '04 was smaller and steel-headed; I had one and loved it. I think the '05 had a larger (though not as big as the current one) titanium head. Good luck.

Nicklaus?

I loved my Ping Eye2 2-iron, but I've been quite pleased with my 17* hybrid.

I use Golf Pride Tour Wraps and am very happy with them. I've been tempted to try a Winn wrap, but I just feel so comfortable with the Golf Prides.

I just got one of these today, and I think I'm going to like it. I was skeptical about its ability to hold a full set of clubs, but it seems to do it rather easily, and with minimal annoyance in terms pulling them out and putting them back in. Also, it's incredibly lightweight, which is, of course, the reason for the purchase. I'll try to post some pics later, if I can figure out how to do it.

I'm fairly hesitant to wade into this mess. My thoughts on the episode itself, which I saw/heard live, are fairly close to those Rusty2228 expressed in post #94, page 11 of this thread. The belligerent outrage about the comment (ripe as it is with blatant and disgusting racial meaning, intended or not) is, at best, quite misplaced. The outrage seems to be based on the fact that she said such a thing out loud and into a hot mic. Should we not be more concerned with the fact that such an ugly sentiment still has palpable meaning in our society? I really doubt she intended such a nasty slur, but she's certainly guilty of poor judgment. I could not care less whether her employer reprimanded her. JaY_B, you're obvious annoyance about this is interesting and understandable, I think. I wonder whether you get what that word really means in the states. It synonymous with/inseparable from a thing white folks did to black folks, especially in the south, the region from which Ms. Tilghman supposedly hails. Whether she meant to invoke that sense of it is not really the issue. The ugliness in Jena, Louisiana, last year as well as the incident at Columbia illustrate that lynching and the image of the noose are still quite resonant.

Half-hearted +1: I agree with the sentiment, if not the passion. Though I wouldn't describe myself as waaaaaaay left, I think of myself as a pessimistic liberal. (But I do work in a bank for chrissakes, so I'm probably not as much of a leftist as my conscience would like! And I remain undecided about Mr. Debs!) I have never voted for a Republican and cannot imagine a scenario in which I would ever vote for someone who has thrown their electoral lot in with them. So, I vote for Democrats. (Gag reflex currently working.)

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has offered their comments and suggestions so far. I really am looking for a sort of bare bones carry bag. I currently have two bags with which I am quite pleased, but neither of them are very useful for walking, especially on the hilly tracks in North Arkansas. (A vintage leather Titleist - made by Miller maybe - cart bag and a Callaway stand/cart bag - made by Ogio - with dual straps that sounds similar to the one Sammamish described above. I believe it was called a Hybrid 45. Great bag, but at 7 pounds it weighs nearly as much as the leather Titleist.) I've made a commitment to walk more this year, and even though I'm 29 and in reasonable shape, walking 18 in the humidity of the Ozark foothills is quite taxing. I need all the help I can get. The Callaway XTT looks and sounds great, and I've found a good price on one. Also, if you're interested, check out this additional contender, a Titleist x81 Sunday Carry bag . It's a Sun Mountain Mini with a Titleist logo, a much better single divider top, and a great dual strap. Thanks, again, to everyone who's read and posted. I really appreciate your input.

Excellent Sand Trap review of the 775.CB irons here .

I am about to buy a new carry bag and want to get the Sand Trap fellowship's thoughts before I pull the trigger. I've imposed a budget of $100 (or about that, my budgets are um... fluid!), so I'm looking at smaller bags and closeouts. I've browsed around, read reviews, searched the forum threads and (somewhat) narrowed it down to the following contenders. I'm leaning toward the Ogio Sticks bag. Smallish, but I can cram 14 clubs, some tees, a few balls, and a water bottle in it. I found a new one from an evidently reputable dealer on eBay for $45 plus shipping, so that's great. But I cannot find many (helpful) reviews of it anywhere, and no one I know has ever used one. Still considering: Ping Craz-e-Lite : probably the most balanced package in terms of size, space, functionality, and weight. Discontinued, but still available new for reasonable prices. Sun Mountain Mini : I like the looks of this one the best, really, but it's at the high end of my price range and doesn't seem to be readily available on sale or on eBay. And even though I've seen one with 14 clubs in it, I wonder whether I'll have enough patience with the rather ridiculous X divider it has. There's apparently a newer model out with a single divider, but I've never seen one, and they're not available at any major online retailers. I could also probably be convinced to consider: Ogio Vaporlite Sun Mountain SL 3.5 Thanks for reading and for any comments, suggestions, or warnings you might offer.

Got to be that.

On the live leaderboard at the PGA TOUR website, they have a running stats graphic showing the leader and field average in several different categories. At the beginning of the second round at the Mercedes-Benz, Jim Furyk is nearly lapping everybody in, of all things, driving distance. (Furyk = 280; Field Avg = 254) Is that the first time this has ever happened?! Furyk's average is nearly to his identical season average from 2007, which put him in something like 170th! What I would give to be that consistent off the tee...

I couldn't get signed up in time for this week, but I'm in next week.

I followed your earlier thread and just wanted to say congratulations. Sounds like you got a few nice deals. I think you'll find the loft difference between your 45* and 52* accounted for in trajectory. If not, as you say, you're not out very much for trying. Good luck with them.

That's always bugged me. There was a pretty informative thread on this a couple of months ago. Here .

I would second everything Sherpat says here. I bought one of the shag tubes in June, and I really like these things. In my experience, they provide excellent feedback off the face of the club, and the ball flight, in terms of both trajectory and direction, is true. I have also drilled a window (a church window, actually!), and it did not break. And you do need some space if you're planning on hitting anything more than a wedge; 1/3 the yardage of a regular shot is a deceptively long distance.

Hey, that sounds like a great gift. Enjoy it. I've had a couple of great transactions with Callaway's pre-owned operation. I don't have much advice about the irons. You've identified, I think correctly, the main issue in your decision between the Big Berthas and X-18s (or 20s). Good luck. But I would say that I don't think you should feel bad about trying out clubs at another shop. I understand you don't want someone to spend three hours fitting you and get nothing out of it, but there's certainly no harm in hitting balls with a few different irons. Some places will even do a fitting for a fee, so that might be something you could try. Also, and you may really like Callaway irons, so that's perfect, but Callaway Pre-owned does carry some other brands. Again, congrats on the new gear, and good luck. Huh?

As I recently decided to join the USGA for the first time, I voted yes. However, I am not as adamant or excited about it as the exclamation point in the poll answer would suggest. Possibly it is in New Haven!

Mizuno makes an oversized long iron/hybrid: MP Fli Hi (I think). I've had both the 2 and 3 irons, and liked them. They are forged and look like the MP-60 or MP-57 on steroids.

I use a Callaway branded Ogio bag with an Izzo dual strap thing. I don't know the Ogio (or Callaway) model name, but it's a medium weight stand bag with a zipperless ball pocket and a sorta cool rubber cart strap that really stabilizes the bag when I ride.

I'm sure some other guys on this forum will be able to point you to several great places. I can say that the PGA TOUR Superstore in Plano is quite something, and they can do the sort of thing you're looking for. You wouldn't be able to hit any balls outside, though.

Thoughts, anybody? Clemens looks to be the biggest figure implicated.

You're right to make the distinction. I was lumping them together and was wrong to do so. Really? That's quite an ambitious claim. But it is legal, the long putter. And if it was absolutely and measurably easier to use than a standard length putter, guys who play for pay or bragging rights or kicks would be using it much more frequently. Isn't it possible that lots of folks simply find it uncomfortable, awkward, difficult to align, and lacking in feel, feedback, and touch? Or, better said, not necessarily easier to use and produce the desired result?

The "yes" answer option is qualified/supported in the poll by the phrase "golf is a game of tradition." If tradition was important in the area of equipment, we would be playing with clubs made out of the materials that their very names imply. I don't really want to bicker about that, though. Your argument about the long putter making use of a more or less fixed point is something quite different and, I think, much more plausible. However, that doesn't necessarily mean less skill is involved in using a long putter. It may make use of different skills, maybe even skills that are easier for some people to master, but that does not mean it is absolutely easier to be a good putter with a shaft stuck in your gut. Personally, I can't stand the posture you have to use for it. I believe my alignment suffers when I use one, and I cannot stand the feel of it. I find the touch I have with a long putter quite lacking. And I don't think my experience is unique. If it truly was absolutely easier to use one, wouldn't more people do it?