hansmixer

You could try the Ben Hogan Edge CFT hybrids. I'm not sure why, but these hybrids receive almost no coverage, but seem to be generally well regarded. I've also noticed that the price is very reasonable (I'm pretty sure you can pick one up for around $100). I haven't seen any of the 2006 models out (titanium version), but that may be worth a look too.

Is it me, or does Natalie Gulbis think she's better looking than she is? I'd say that she's attractive (definitely above average), but I'm not sure I'd go so far as to classify her as "hot". But, Natalie's definitely much easier on the eyes than the "old" school ladies on tour :)

True - but she was a LPGA player in the past - that means she knows how to play the game. She obviously wasn't as athletic as the others, but she had good course management.

I missed the first few minutes of the show - how did Divina get hurt? But, as Erik pointed out, she played well considering her (legitimate) injury. I, too, expected Divina to go further, but those are the breaks. I was surprised to see Jeanne get so flustered and get so negative about her swing. Her swing looked pretty good to me - granted, she didn't hit them all great. Other than Divina, I would have put Jeanne as one of the favourites. Ashley is starting to get annoying - I guess the producers are doing a good job by getting a reaction from the viewers. My prediction is that either Julie or Kim will be knocked out next. They seem to have the weakest games of the remaining women.

Was anyone else surprised to see Katie get eliminated? After the first couple of shows, I thought that Kim would be the next one out after Nikki. But, seeing some of those ladies perform during the immunity and elimination challenges sure put a different spin on things. Here are some of my observations: - the remaining ladies all seem to have pretty good golf skills, but boy do they have difficulty handling pressure. I thought most of the contestants play golf on the Futures Tour - shouldn't they be used to making "pressure" shots? - Is it me, or does Ashley seem to have some "attitude". From her interviews, I get the impression that she thinks she's a better player than the rest of the ladies out there based on some of the comments (the comment about not being able to make a 150 yd. iron shot and so forth). - My prediction is that the winner will be either Divina or Jeanne. I think the other ladies get too stressed (so far). Anyone else think so?

While I'm more of a Michelle supporter than Morgan, give her a break. She's only 17! Sure she talks down about Michelle quite a bit, but she's still young, and honestly, Morgan's won at the amateur ranks and qualified for the LPGA. Morgan just seems like she's more emotional than the other ladies/girls on tour. Give her a year and I'm sure she won't cry after a round. Regardless, looks like we may have ourselves a nice little rivalry brewing among the ladies (Morgan and Michelle, if not all four including Paula and Natalie).

Congrats on the purchase - hope you enjoy them. You should post your thoughts on the clubs once you've had a chance to try them out.

I know exactly what you mean. The Hogans are just super soft and easy to hit. That's what people have said is the great thing about the Hogans over the Mizunos, but they also said after a year and a half, the clubs were just too dinged up from normal wea & tear. I messaged Erik about the 735.CM and he said that he prefers the feel of the Titleist over the Hogans - but he also said that you can't go wrong with either of them.

I'm shopping for new clubs and I've noticed something strange. Everytime I go into a golf store and ask to try out a set of clubs (e.g., Mizuno MP-60, Ben Hogan Apex FTX, Cleveland CG2, Taylor Made RAC LT, Titleist 735.CM), I'm asked what my handicap is. When I tell them my handicap (I shoot in the high 80's), I'm told that I should try something else. Is handicap the best/only way to determine what clubs you should play? My problem hasn't been with my irons, but rather my driver/woods and poor wedge play. I actually hit my irons consistently and straight. Any thoughts?

I don't think you can go wrong with either one. The Ben Hogan clubs are excellent and feel very soft. Some feedback I've received from other players using Ben Hogan clubs was that they are too soft and don't last (i.e., get dinged far too easily). I'm also considering both of these clubs, but after trying out the Mizuno MP-60s, I have another set to choose from. Make sure you read the review of the Titleist 735.CM by Erik.

In no particular order... 1. Tiger He sure seems like a golfing prodigy/genius. Watching him play, I get to see how the game can be played if you've got talent and imagination. 2. Vijay Singh I love his work ethic. Also, I like how he continues to play high level golf (and win too) even though he's one of the older guys. I started playing golf after university, so I use Vijay as a role model to remind me that I still have time to get better :) 3. Fred Funk Similar to the reasoning behind Vijay, but also because Fred funk has been fairly successful without being the most talented guy out there. He knows how to pick his spot, take advantage of his skills and talents, and (most importantly) score. 4. David Toms I really can't think of a specific reason why I like Toms, except to say that he seems like a really classy player. After pulling himself out of a tournament because he wasn't sure if the ball moved, I gained so much more respect for him (even though I already liked him as a player). Well, here's one more... Mike Weir - because he's a lefty, Canadian, a "little" guy, and has class.

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on whether or not one should upgrade their set in any particular order. For example, should you start with the irons, then move to woods or wedges, etc? I'm asking because I'm making improvements in my game and taking golf more seriously and want to upgrade my clubs. But, Mr. Wallet doesn't like paying for new clubs all at once :) My plan is to slowly upgrade my clubs over a year or two, but would appreciate any suggestions on where to start. I've heard that you should start with the irons and then "build-out" from there with wedges, then driver, then woods (and hybrid if used). Any thoughts on that? Where does the putter fit in?

The ball mark repair video/faq was very useful. In terms of the divot repair tool, ever since I saw that video, I've been trying to find one of the tools that was recommended (i.e., sharp and pointed) without any success. At all of the local golf shops, all I see are the blunt pronged tools that are "bad" to use. Does anyone know where I can find a good divot repair tool?

Can anyone provide me with some information/link regarding how one's "dominant eye" affects putting? I found a few pages on the web describing that it's important to know which eye is dominant (left or right), but couldn't find information on what you're supposed to do with this information. Are you suppposed to set-up above the ball with your dominant eye?

I can't speak for those two models specifically, but I've found that Nike Shox shoes are very, very comfortable. The only problem I've found is that Shox provide great vertical (i.e., "up and down") comfort and support, but very little lateral support. When I tried Shox shoes before, I didn't feel very stable when pivoting or doing any lateral/side-to-side movements. Hopefully Nike has addressed this issue with the newer models.

Yeah, that reporter is an ass. Why didn't he ask about it that same day. Anyway, I'm wondering why tour players even need to sign their own card anymore? I mean, with all of the coverage by the networks and everyone, why even bother with these crazy rules. Why not let the tournament officials score for the players? It's not like there's any "judgement" involved with scoring - just add up the number of strokes plus any penalties and there you go.

I think I that have to agree that way this was handled is a bit strange. When I first heard that Wie was DQ'd and heard the reason, I was very confused. She was disqualified for something that happened a day before? Is there some sort of limit on how far back one can review an issue? I mean could we then say go back and review Tiger Woods's/Steve Williams's infamous "stepping on ball" incident several months/weeks after it occurs? Personally, it just seems absurd that a player's scorecard is scrutinized *after* the tournament is over. If the scrutiny occurs during the tournament, I think it's fair game. But, to ask what happened and where you dropped the ball a day after the event seems somewhat strange, particularly when the on-course officials didn't investigate the issue during or immediately after the event. Sorry Michelle, but you just have to get used to the idea that you have a big target on you. Better it happens now than at a major or if you are winning a tournament.

So, the main difference is control? Assuming you can hit them consistently (2i-4i), you get more control hitting an iron versus hitting a hybrid. Okay, that makes sense. I didn't realize that the shafts on hybrid clubs are a bit longer than the comparable iron - definitely explains the extra distance.

I've been doing some reading and testing out some hybrid clubs to see if I should include one in my "bag". Everything that I've read makes me believe that hybrids are better than long irons (2i-4i and maybe even 5i). I'm pretty decent hitting the ball with the longer irons, so I haven't noticed too much of an improvement using the hybrids. But, all my friends swear by them. Are there any situations (or reasons) when a long-iron is a better choice than a hybrid club? The October issue of Golf Magazine had "your 3-iron is obsolete! Newest hybrids reviewed" on its cover. In the same issue, there was a small blurb that had a test showing that hybrids are carried the ball about 16 yrds longer. I even read somewhere (might have been Golf Digest) that many people think that future iron sets will include hybrids instead of the long irons. Is the hybrid vs. long-iron question a "no-brainer"? There's got to be some benefit of a hitting/using a long iron, right? Is this the main issue - that most people have difficulty hitting a long iron consistently?

Your dad must have quite a bit of disposable income. I was looking at some of the prices for the Bettinardi putters - wow! Almost makes Scotty Cameron putters look relatively inexpensive.

Thanks for the info (and to you, Maverick). Since I'm only starting to take golf more seriously, there's quite a bit of a learning curve in terms of equipment, reputations, and the like. I guess all of the million$$ that the large golf companies like Titleist, Callaway, and Taylormade does pay off in that those are the first names that come to mind when I think about equipment. In terms of putters, I never knew that there were other "high-end" putter manufacturers. Thanks. Hans.

Can anyone tell me how Bettinardi products (specifically putters) are regarded? I'm somewhat new to golf, so I'm not too familiar with Bettinardi. How do Ben Hogan (by Bettinardi) putters compare with Scotty Cameron putters? In terms of "mind share", when I think about "high-end" putters, Scotty Cameron is the name that comes to mind. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hans.

Yeah, that's where I got the idea from (David Pelz) and was wondering if this device made a difference.

I was wondering if anyone has used the "Check-GO sweet spot finder" ( http://www.check-go.com) . If so, what did you think of the device? Any advice would be much appreciated. Hans.

Hello everyone - I came across the Sand Trap a few days ago and thought I'd like to hang-out with other golfers. Greetings from the "great white north" - I'm in the Toronto area (Canada). I also have the fortune of playing "left", so I'm interested in any comments/recommendations on equipment. Cheers. Hans.