BD57

If you're referring to the Prolaunch Red, I've had it in my Ping G10 fairway woods since November and I have a Cleveland 460 I put one in. IMO, the shaft plays a bit stiffer than advertised and it keeps the ball down some. I'm happy with it.

stainless steel was (and still is) the standard metal Ping works with. IMO, berrillium (sp?) copper showed up in the ISI's as a carryover from the Ping Eye 2's; BC was introduced into the Eye 2 line as giving a different, more 'forged' like feel at impact (at an upcharge). Nickel in the ISI's was evolutionary - another metal for a different, perhaps "improved" feel. Also at an upcharge. A lot of people worked with nickel in those days - Ping made putters in SS, BC & Nickel, Cleveland used a nickel alloy in their classic "Designed By" 8802-style head. Eventually they all stopped. I've read that the manufacturers eventually decided the difficulty in working with the materials wasn't worth it; my guess is, after a while, consumers decided nickel & BC wasn't worth the upcharge.

Hit the new square Nike @ Golfest in Orlando. I was really, really surprised by it. As drivers have gotten bigger, I've developed more & more of an issue with backspin - I hit more fairways than ever ... and get less roll than ever (sometimes even backing the driver up). First generation Nike square spun the ball WAY too much - pretty much more than any other driver (with the possible exception of the FT-i). While I haven't had it on a launch monitor, my initial impression of 2nd generation Nike square is that it spins the ball significantly less. While it launched the ball high, it didn't balloon & the ball ran out on landing. I'd love to test it on a monitor. For those who care about such things, 2nd generation looks & sounds better than 1st.

A lot of interesting comments. I don't mind blind shots - one of my favorite "non-home" courses when I was growing up was East Aurora Country Club in East Aurora, New York, which was an amalgamation of somewhat goofy layups & blind shots. It took a while to figure out the shots, but it was a lot of fun. I don't like being bored - do SOMETHING with the target area on every shot (bunkers here, a flat spot to play your second shot from there, etc.). I don't like "score inflator" shots - - - - the hole that demands you hit driver because of its length & then gives you 10 yards between water hazards to hit it into. Generally speaking, I think the challenge should increase the closer you get to the hole. Please, some variety - four par 3's playing from 180 - 200 yards is BORING. IMO, there should be one short iron par 3 on every course (I mean "short iron for us humans" here). Likewise, there ought to be a couple of wedge par 4's and a couple of long iron / hybrid / fairway wood par 4's and at least one par 5 you don't have to be a gorilla to reach under the right conditions. I've been fortunate enough to play Pebble 4 3/4 times (we got through 14 one time before we lost light). What I love most about Pebble is this - with the exception of one shot (2nd to #8), there isn't a shot there that scares the hell out of me, even though the vast majority of them are "difficult" to "very difficult." I guess that's the key for me - I want a challenge, not "impossibility."

Gap: You're right of course that how the club plays will depend on how it is swung. My comment was premised on "all other things being equal" - if the swingweight / balance changes by adding 1/2", it's possible that all other things wouldn't be equal. In my case, it was suggested because I have a tendency to stoop over at address & then stand up as I swing the club; I'll also 'shorten' the club by straightening out the 'left shoulder - hands - clubhead' line (wrists arch). The goal of my set-up isn't to get the clubs to fit my swing; we're looking for clubs that reward a proper swing, i.e., my clubs are fit to where the club should be, not where it necessarily is. Which is (IMO) one part of fitting that's not given nearly enough attention by clubfitters.

Gap's right about the swingweight effect & use of extensions vs. reshafting to the new length. I disagree with him re: lie - it WILL affect it somewhat (longer will make the club play more upright, shorter makes it play flatter). My teacher suggested I add 1/2" to my irons a few years ago for "posture" reasons - - -

Favorite: 10 years ago, I never would've believed it, but driver on any hole that demands accuracy from the tee. 460cc heads made those shots a lot more fun. Least Favorite: any type of short game pitch off a tight lie. Losing spine angle is fault #1 in my game; when it happens on a pitch I either hit the ball 4 feet (now I have the pitch shot again!) or I blade it across the green. It's almost to the point of having the yips - I'll be good in practice, I might even hit a number of good ones on the course, and then I'll get over one and it's as if I black out the second the club starts back. I'm going to overcome it. Until I do, though, I'll be playing a lot of hybrid bumps when that option's available.

As you know, the PGA Tour plays Copperhead @ Innisbrook. I've played the Island course @ Innisbrook 3 times. There are a couple of goofy holes, but it's a very good golf course. I've read some good things about El Diablo (up near World Woods).

Largely concur with Gapwedge. Remove the outer layer of tape before you clamp the shaft in your vise. Make sure it's square - I've found the club rotates a little bit in the one-piece rubber shaft clamps commonly sold as you tighten the vise, so double check it. I recommend using LOTS of solvent and a "catch pan" (a paint pan makes a fine 'homemade' catch pan) - there's nothing worse than having the grip stop sliding about 1/2 way on (you have to pull like heck to get the grip off before it sets there - that or you cut the grip off). With Golf Pride grips you'll have at least one "checkpoint" for getting your grip on straight - on top of the grip, there will be two small alignment 'notches', one at the top and one at the bottom that point down (or up) the length of the grip. You line them up & then check up & down the grip for any twisting & you'll be set. Some Golf Pride grips give you another "checkpoint" - a 'separation line' in the grip pattern that'll be in the 3 o'clock & 9 o'clock positions from the top & bottom notches. If you have that type, then you line up the top & bottom notches & use the separation line as your check for 'untwisting' everything in between. All this said, there is an easier solution - use round grips. Tiger does. ;)

The only course in the area I'd pay $144 to play is Bay Hill; no, I don't think Grande Pines is worth $144.00. Panther Lake, World Woods - Pine Barrens, Victoria Hills, Southern Dunes would all be better values than Grande Pines at that price.

1) Work the Process Take a lesson every other month & work the lesson between lessons. I have a bad habit of changing my focus from the lesson after a week or so. 2) Short Game!!! I hit more fairways these days than I ever did, and greens in regulation per round aren't far off my historic "top end" - yet my handicap index is almost 4 shots higher. 3) More Competitive Become capable of qualifying for the State Am & Mid-Am (doesn't mean I do it, though I'd like to); qualify on points in my flight for EW Tour National & Senior National tournaments.

While I understand the "advertising" point, it's not entirely accurate where the drivers are concerned. The list gives us the launch & spin characteristics of each clubhead, which is VERY valuable information to me because my Achilles heel with the driver is excessive backspin. Right now I'm playing a Taylor Made Burner TP 8.5* with a Bassarra 43 shaft @ 46.75 inches. I'm very pleased with the accuracy; carry distance is OK, but I get little if any roll out. I've tried more "distance oriented" golf balls. Unfortunately, any benefit I get from distance gained I more than give up in the short game, so that solution isn't there for me. Long story short - - - a third party story which says "This driver head spins the ball less than that one" is very valuable to me.

Orange County National: Panther Lake is excellent. Crooked Cat is OK. Celebration: Not bad, but nothing really special. Southern Dunes: Good, solid course; it's not particularly pretty (it's on a sand ridge, so it can be dry), but it's a good test. Champions Gate: Skip it. National is better than International, IMO, but I don't like either of them. Falcon's Fire: Good, solid golf course. Not flashy. At Disney .... Osprey Ridge is a good golf course; it appears they've closed Eagle Pines (their Pete Dye course). The Lake Buena Vista course is nothing special. The appeal of Palm & Magnolia is tied to their status as PGA Tour courses, IMO. There's a course in Deland called Victoria Hills. It's worth the drive. World Woods is about an hour west of Orlando, outside of Brooksville. DEFINITELY worth the drive (play Pine Barrens if you can't play both courses). Mystic Dunes: The greens are a joke - good shape, but Gary Koch was on something when he laid out those elevations. Layout's not bad except for the condo wall on the front nine. If it was me, I'd make sure I got to World Woods, Victoria Hills & Panther Lake @ Orange County National, then Southern Dunes, then Falcon's Fire, then Celebration.

75 @ Harmony Golf Preserve. The year goes downhill from here.

I've hit the CGB Max. It depends on what you're looking for. In terms of head shape, it's similar to the 907 D1. I hit a 9* with a VS Proto shaft (thanks to the TaylorMade fitting system, you can put the club together with this combination). It didn't suit me - it's not a particularly "low spin" head, which is what I need. IMO, moving the weights around will alter performance.