dreamsmith

I've been a loyal member for years, and I just don't understand the changes you've made in the forum. It just looks AWFUL! There's no character, nor charisma. All white? Who thought of that one? I find myself not wanting to go to the forum anymore! B-O-R-I-N-G Is that what you intended?

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the MX-19s! Their the most forgiving irons, according to Maltby, that Mizuno has EVER made. I absolutely love them! And they aren't that 'clunky' either! They feel like forged, but they're cast.

OK, let's get real here. Some things in life feel good when you do them. Examples: eating ice cream, or some other delicious food; sexual gratification; alcohol; drugs; etc. etc. Well guess what? If you hit a golf ball in or near the sweet spot of the club, it feels good! And you want that feeling again. There is probably a medical explanation why (chemicals released by the body, just as adrenalin is released when necessary for the body to use it. Now some of those feel-good activities aren't practical, for example: drinking alcohol at work, so we usually don't do it. But then again, some people do, and then pay the price. These things are often addictive. If you find an activity(or addiction) that IS practical, and not that expensive or penalizes you for doing it that much, then it's a pleasurable activity that you will do often. Golf can be one of those activities. If you're addicted to heroin, that's not practical, because it ruins your life usually. And so can golf, if you let it. But those two activities are obviously very different, and taken as an occasionaly physical activity that does not cause great mental anguish, golf can be very pleasurable. The difference is in the words 'great mental anguish'. We all get somewhat upset when we hit poor golf shots, but we usually get as much - or more - pleasure than anguish from playing golf. It's that pleasure we like to feel, so we keep going back over and over and... So it's a matter of degree. If I was miserable most of the time I was playing golf, I wouldn't play golf. If I expected to get much better with time, and instead got worse, I'd probably quit. It depends on my expectations. Bottom line: don't expect too much, and enjoy yourself. And if you don't enjoy yourself, but still insist upon playing the game, QUIT YOUR BITCHIN'!

Up until the first of this year, I had the 07 Burner, and really was happy with it. It was at the time, the best driver I ever hit. But then I purchased the R9460, and I was amazed at the results! My drives suddenly gained 10 - 15 yards, and were straighter! Then something else happened. Because I would mess a drive up every so often, I decided to try choking down an inch or so, and unbelievably my drives were way more consistant, and were still long! In fact, they were probably a little longer. My swing speed is about 90 or maybe a little less (I measure it with a Speed Stik), so you should have similar results. Was the R9460 worth it? Boy, was it!

I have tried most hybrids, and the one that stood out for me was the Cobra Baffler DWS. His is a 2- or 3-year old club, so you can get them fairly cheap from eBay. I had the new Cobra TWS for awhile, and fount it was no better than the DWS. So now I play with 2 Cobra DWS hybrids - a 4 (20-degrees) and a 3 (26-degrees). I love them both! They have a nice high ball flight, so that they sit down nicely on greens on longer approach shots. By the way, the 'DWS' refers to double weighting on eht back side, and the "TWS' is triple weighing. Good luck.

To a point - yes, it might be you. But noone can tell you what's the best wedge for you. If you like a club, then that's it. In my case, I had Mizuno MP-R wedges, and loved them. But then I decided to try Vokeys because of all the love given them on this forum (and others I'm sure). I liked the Vokeys very much, but eventually realized that I also liked the Mizunos a lot. After about a year of using both intermittantly, I wound up with the Mizuno 58-degree for my lob wedge, and the Vokey 54-degree for the sand wedge. And I'm starting to hedge on that one. Once you get used to the slightly heavier weight of the Mizunos, they can be deadly. They aren't, in my opinion, that heavy - but they are heaavier. It's a lot like putters. ALL KINDS of different weights, for example the Scotty Cameron blade vs. the Heavy Putter. But you know what? They both work for different people. What you prefer is the important thing. Just make sure you give both a fair try, in order to give yourself the best tools with which to enjoy the game. Good luck.

To me, this is an easy one, because I've been through it several times. It's always the same answer - I'm using all arms in my swing, and forget to turn the shoulders. This is easy to understand when you think of it: you're trying to finesse the shot, and in the process it's easy to forget to turn. This problem also occurs in short pitches and chips for the same reason. It's easy to know you have to turn during a full swing, because it's natural. But the shorter shots are more delicate and you can pull them off with arms only. But don't do it, because the ball will go to the left. Good luck.

You know, I've never heard of the Callaway i-bird irons. Do they just fly out of the bag into your hands? Does the ball really fly high when you hit them?

I think you need to look at why your thinking is so narrow. Do you actually think everyone thinks the same as you? Do you not understand that people are different, and no two are alike? And that includes their thinking, as well as their appear"ance. "Live and let live - while you may" George C. Scott, The Hustler

Yes! I was surprised how well they work. Just add a little liquid soap to some water to the washer, and you're ready to go. It works fine for irons and hybrids. Woods are kind of tight, but overall, I feel the $50 it cost at the PGAStore was well worth it.

I have a ball/club washer mounted on the back of my cart. If I see anything on my club after hitting it, I run it through the washer - works great! Then I wipe the clubhead with a towel. Maybe once a month or so, I'll throw my clubs in the utility club and soak them for a few minutes in soapy water. Then wipe them down well. [ I get a kick out of people who like to make themselves feel more important by knocking other folks' ideas. This is a good thread, and there were many good ideas in the answers that many of us didn't think of! Pay no attention to the idiot who knocked the thread. Every forum has it's trolls, who may as well go around with a sign on their forehead that says, "Look - I'm stupid!"

You've already got clubs from the most forgiving club company - Adams. Why not get the A7OS or A4OS? I had them, and they were very forgiving. But the MOST forgiving irons I ever had (also according to Ralph Maltby, the most forgiving), are the Callaway Fusion Wide Sole. Unbelievably easy to hit. The X-20 are somewhat similar, but the Fusion Wide Soles are the most forgiving irons ever! And they're LONG. I created my set by purchasing them one club at a time from eBay.

I'm a golf club junkie. I've tried them all. One Hybrid has stood out for me as the best, and I have two in my bag right now; easy to hit, and inexpensive to boot. The Cobra DWS (2006-2008). At least as good as the new TWS, and I think better. I have great confidence in mine, and they cost less than $100 each.

Let me give you the scientific answer: All physics equations, including that for the max energy (that's what you're talking about), have the term "mv2 (where the '2' means the exponant - squared. So the higher the mass (weight) the more energy is imparted. BUT, the higher the speed (v), the higher the energy by a SQUARE factor! The energy to the ball equals the weight of the object hitting it multiplied by the velocity of the object SQUARED! The speed of the club is much, much more important than the weight of the club. And guess what? You can swing a lighter club much faster! Why do you think major league sluggers use light bats?

It's not about snob appeal; that lasts 5 minutes. it's about what feels right. I've had them all, and the best feeling putter I've ever had is the Scotty Newport Fastback. It is just butter when struck correctly, which is an advantage in itself. now I'll tell you, I'm frugal, and very much a person not impressed by names. In fact, I'm always knocking down institutions that others swear by, including Scotty Cameron putters. But damn it, I've NEVER felt as good about a putter as my new Fastback. I've had Odysseys - they're nice. And Yes, and all the rest. The softest feel, the most confidant feeling, I get only with my Cameron Fastback. It took me a couple weeks to get that feeling, but I wouldn't trade it for anything - at any price.

I thought 'bump and run' WAS chipping! What's the difference??

The answer is...NEITHER! Here's why. First of all, in my 50 years of playing golf, I've tried them all, and last year, I finally found what i truly believe is the answer. And it has worked beautifully for me - I can chip usually to within 4 feet or less 99% of the time. What I did was buy an old Bob Murphy 8-iron blade. I had them cut off about 2 inches, so I could get down low like I was putting, and really get the line - just like a putter (see Jack Nicklaus). Then I ground the bottom of the club in such a way as to create a club with a much more upright lie (so I could get closer to the ball, and have the bottom of the clube contact the ground over the entire club length - not just at the toe). The grinding of the club and the cutting down of the shift resulted in a lighter club that is very easy to control. I did not want a heavy club to chip with (which these 'chippeers' really are!). It's something I had thought of many times in theory. When I put this new weapon to use, i was amazed how accurate it was! I felt like a surgeon! I can't tell you how many 1-putt greens this club has created for me! I would NEVER go back to a regular club or 'chipper', because for me, this is the best solution imaginable. It may not work for you, but I'll tell you this: it has definately worked for me! Now you may say, 'yeah, but you have an extra club in your bag. If you just used your regular 8-iron, you wouldn't. My answer to that is: True, but how important to you is it to have 5 or more less putts per round? My average putts have gone from 35 to 30 per 18 holes, and I often have less than 30. I'm very happy with my 'homemade' chipper!

I am probably the oldest guy on this forum. I'm 72, and I've seen it all, and played them all in my 60 years or so of playing golf. Here's my take on all this. 1. My handicap is about 10. I don't play in a league any more, because I got tired of all the sandbagging and emphasis on winning. I don't need it, and I'm perfectly happy playing open golf with my lady (who absolutely LOVES the game-as I do). 2. We are serious about golf, and work at it almost daily. And being retired, we have plenty of time. 3. This year we both got new clubs. I got her Adams A4 OS ladies, and she loves them. She shoots about 80 average, but has gotten as low as 74. I got Mizuno MP-52 irons, the R9 460 driver, Adams woods and Cobra Baffler hybrids. Great set, except I had trouble with the Mizunos. I hit them fairly well, but every so often I'd chunk one or just hit a poor shot. 4. My most troublesome iron was the lowest in my bag-the 6-iron. I decided to try something, and bought a Callaway Fusion Wide Sole 6-iron. These clubs are, according to Ralph Maltby, the most forgiving iron made. I found out quickly why: they're fantastic! Easy (VERY easy) to hit, and long. 5. This made me re-think everything. I thought as many of you do, that I needed to go to the next lever with the Mizunos. After all, everyone said to work up to 'players irons'. You know what? Golf was less fun struggling with those. Like a dumb blonde: very pretty, but ineffective. 6. Obviously this is my opinion, but I have decided that I don't want to fight to get a solid shot; I want to enjoy the feeling of a perfect hit on almost every iron shot!! 7. So I traded in my new mizuno irons for a set of Adams A7 OS irons. Voila! Golf is fun again. And guess what? I'm playing better while enjoying golf more! AND, I can hit fades, draws, low and high shots!! Who needs player's irons? 8. I'll tell you who: macho guys who want to feel important by going to clubs more like the pros! It's ALL IN YOUR HEAD PEOPLE! The pros play golf all day, they can hit brooms and be effective. We can't 9. I'm sure I'll get flak for this; go ahead, I could care less about opinions from golfers who need to brag about the clubs they use to feel important. You are the same guys who love to tell you they hit a 9-iron on a 160 yard par 3. I don't need to feel like that, I'm perfectly happy hitting my 6 iron, as long as I hit a good shot. 10. The point is to hit good shots, not to become a 'shotmaker'! What a joke. I hope I haven't insulted anyone. It's just my opinion. But if you'll notice, more and more pros are going to game improvement clubs, like hybrids, big drivers, and cavity back irons. And someday they'll play super game improvement irons, like the Callaway Fusion Wide Sole or Adams hybrid irons.

Looking for an Adams Insight BTY 5-wood with a senior graphite flex shaft. I have the 3, and it's the best fairway wood I've ever hit! Long, very forgiving and a pleasure to use. So I'm trying to find a matching 5-wood. Anyone?

I am replying to the notice, "Attention dreamsmith": I'm confused as to this notice. Do you have the right person? I have NO idea what you're talking about! I NEVER posted anything about purchasing clubs from a site that might be counterfeit, or whatever. In fact, I just bought: a new TM R9 460, Adams Insight 3- and 5- woods, and Mizuno MP-52 irons from The PGA Superstore here in Chandler, Arizona! You think YOU'RE annoyed?? I'M annoyed, because I'm not the guy you're talking about!!! Is there another 'dreamsmith'? And if not, why don't you put your brain in gear before opening your mouth?

You will NOT believe this, but after playing golf for more years than I want to admit, and trying every possible 3-wood, I'm here to tell you there is a product out there that is absolutely KILLER: very forgiving, and the longest I've ever hit! They came out in 2007, and you can bet them now for about $40-80! The titanium face is combo-brazed to the stainless head, therefore saving much weight over the normal welding process. This weight is then transferred to the back/bottom of the head, resulting in an exceptionally forgiving, HOT 3-wood! The reason Tour Edge claims their woods are 20 yards farther is they copied the combo brazing process (and it's true, they do go farther). You don't have to believe me, but if you're smart you'll check into the Adams Insight BTY or BUL woods. They're still selling new ones on eBay. I bought a new 3-wood(a 12.5-degree strong one!), for $79, and a 5-wood demo (standard loft of 18-degrees) for $29! And to top it off, they both come with fantastic magnetic headcovers. That's my opinion. You asked for recommendations; I gave it to you.

Do NOT be afraid of blades! Not anymore. Mizuno has come up with a set of blades that even I can hit - the MP-52s. They are great irons, and I like them even more than the irons I traded int: the Mizuno MX-25s, which are supposed to be for 'less-skilled' players. The MP-52s are a different animal, and exactly as advertised: good players clubs, and easy to hit - believe it or not!! Hell, go hit one, and you'll see for yourself. The set, in fact is progressive in the senese that while the 8-iron on up to the wedge are solid blades with some muscleback-type cutouts(that work wonderfully to put the center of gravity, etc. where you can hit them), the 7-irons down to the 3 have clever 'cutouts' that place the weight even further back to make the longer irons easy-to-hit! You have to try them to believe it - trust me!

I have the Mizunos, and I'll tell you this: I've NEVER hit an iron better. I'm not an expert on the Burners, but why is iron distance important to you? If a 6-iron isn't long enough, then use the 5!!!! I just don't get people who are more concerned with distance than accuracy-especially with irons. What's the goal of the game called golf? Getting the ball close to the hole AFTER you drive. Long drives ARE important, but then, it's all control and skill. I'd rather thoot seventy-six with my Mizunos (and I have), then hit 84 with some other irons that carried farther! Do you get it? If you want macho points, get the Taylormade; if you want good golf scores and the satisfaction of hittin crisp, smooth straight irons- go with the Mizuno.

I guess the first response guy didn't understand or didn't care what your question was.; If your shaft is too flexible, then the clubface will be open at impact, and the ball will either be sliced or pushed to the right. If the shaft is too stiff, the opposite will occur: the face will be closed, and the ball will be hooked or pulled to the left.

Hey, God bless you! I'm sure you'll do fine. But I've done this for a LOT of years, and I was only trying to help a young person avoid making a mistake. Of course, you'll probably never realize it! So do what you want. And someday, maybe you'll learn to not be so defensive and learn from those who have made many mistakes. Over and out.