bwgolfer

When I was 10 years old a fellow named Ed Thompson introducted me to the game of golf and I've been a card carrying sicko for 45 years(happily)....bwgolfer

I have a friend his name is Jack Downing, and like me he's about 55 years old. Several years ago we were playing a round and we came to a par 5, well I smoked a drive 325 yards dead straight, and thought hmmm. Jack is about 6' 4" and 230 lbs and played in the NHL for 12 years for the Minnesota North Stars, well he flew me by 100 yards(425 yards). It was nuts even he had to laugh, Jack had 200 yards into a 625 yard par 5 for his 2nd shot. By the way he hit it 5 feet with a 7 iron(sick)....bwgolfer

The reason Tiger gets the support he does from so many people is the average person loves to see something special. In my opinion the most amazing thing Tiger has done over his career is really never talked about. The fact that he has only missed like 2 cuts in 11 years is a joke. I mean some of the guy's they talk about in a good way about only missing 3 to 5 cuts in a season is considered acceptable, as long as their $ total is good. Tiger also might be the best player under the gun ever in any sport. It's hard not to pull for him so you can see that next big thing he pulls off. Look at the match play, Arron Baddley(who's great) birdies 6 holes on the BACK NINE and gets beat....WOW bwgolfer

Hey Riche3jack what is a Tru Tech 3000? I've never heard of it....Thanks bwgolfer

I measure drives based on what the gps tells me I have left to the green. All through high school and college golf we would look for the 150 marker and play for it depending on which side of the fairway we needed to be on. In college the longest guy I knew was my teammate R.W. Eaks, Bob used persimmon back then as I did and had an average carry of 290 to 310 in the early 70's. Bob had and has forearms like Popeye. There is no question that today's equipment has slowed down father time for us old dogs a little bit, but I'm always playing against 30 something pro's and the body types of these guy's today is much different and the training(weight's etc) has taken abilities to new height's. I really enjoy attempting to keep up with them but it's tough, at 55 i'm hanging in there but I've had to try alot of new things to keep up. My latest thing is 2 drivers a 9* and 12*. I move the 9* low and straight and the 12* I bomb to achieve lots of carry. I just played in Vegas Monday and so far so good.....bwgolfer

It depends on the hole and what shot is required. I will admit that I like to in general take the left side of the hole out of play. You know what they say" you can control a fade ,but a hook has a mind of it's own". bwgolfer

You have to understand how very hard this game is. I've been playing for 45 years and thing I work on the most is consistant ball striking. It sounds like your being a little tough on yourself. Make a list with the help of your PGA pro on a list of realistic goals for your game and then work on one thing at a time and be patient. Most of all have fun! bwgolfer

It depends on what size your hands are or if you have arthritis like me. Check out Golf Pride or Lambkin tour velvet's, I like the way they feel in all conditions as well as being very durable. Winn grips feel good from the outset, but then start to feel kind of squishy and start wearing soon after....bwgolfer

Tiger could and might play the 3 wood or 2 iron stinger when it comes time for the 4 majors. Gee I don't know 295 to 310 down the middle with his distance control and putting ability. I take that!!!! bwgolfer

I can't vote because this season I'll be using 2 drivers. One is 9* and the other is a 12*. I will be using the 9* for position, I can hit it very straight pretty much where I want but it doesn't fly as far but rolls out. The 12* I'm going to use for long carry holes. I've always been most comfortable with a driver in my hands rather than a 3 wood, plus I carry a 16* utility for 230 to 240 shots....bwgolfer

Before you make this kind of choice I would set a priority to attend a large well represented demo day. You can find when one will be in your area on the internet. Make sure you attend one that alows you to try clubs on grass and hittng shots on a range long enough to see really what the clubs performance is. Go by sight and feel and don't go by what someone tells you to think, go with your gut(your the one that's going to be swinging these babies). All of the top eom's and top independant components are really good, it all comes down to looks and feel, and get them fit to you if you can, it means alot for your consistancy of ball striking....bwgolfer

Probably to much but what the heck. I feel the winter is when you evaluate the previous season and how well your equipment lived up to what you hoped. It's a great time to look at each club and how big of a roll it played in your sucsess. I love to tinker with new things but not just to try "new". I really try develop a purpose to what I want each club to bring to the party. I also try and create a consistant degree gap between each club so I have a better idea what my distance control is going to be. You also have to evaluate the tracks you play which plays a roll in what you get. Thanks bwgolfer

The thing today is what ever course you play you are going to have to play under the conditions of the combined EGO of the clubs leadership. Which today means fast greens. It's the great equalizer. Now if I'm playing a tournement and the greens are a joke I take the approach that It's the same conditions for everyone and I take it personal that I'm going to beat the sob's no matter what. Does it always work? Maybe not but tuning your attitude this way always makes you raise your level. Yes I would go back I like the challange....bwgolfer

Hey guys I'm 55. Still hard at it. bwgolfer

In the past the feeling about grafite was just for more distance but sacrifice control. Technology has taken over and you can get fitted with grafite that is just as stiff tip wise as steel. If you are still young and have no problem with your elbo's don't change or try the new rifle shafts. I have a wedge with that shaft and really like it, but steel tears up this old guy.....bwgolfer

It depends if you have the sickness! I've always been a club sicko, can't help it. Besides it's fun to use the off season to evaluate your clubs based on what was successful and what wasn't. For the past 5 years since I turned 50, I have been retailoring my set to fit what I feel I need. I compete against 30 something pro's who hit the ball off the world so I've had to find ways not only to keep up but to make so I can play without being so sore I can't breathe. It's amazing what grafit shafts with dampeners can do for older guys. Plus the way designers are building new courses you have to do something, 7400 to 7700 yard tracks, hell you have to bust it as far as you can so you only have 190 to 225 to the pin on par fours. Oh well its all great fun...bwgolfer

Hello there. You are doing the classic mistake of swinging off your back foot with the ball way to far forward. Set the club up with your hands even with your zipper(the golf ball will then be even with your left heal) now what ever you do get to your left side. If you ever played baseball it's like stepping into the pitch, you have to finsh on your left foot which meens you turned through the shot. Go slow at first and get the feel of getting to your left side as you start your down swing. You should do this on every shot in your bag....Good Luck, bwgolfer

I know this has long been a debate and make no mistake as to the greatness of jack during his era. The most common arguments are equipment, and ball. What people in general forget to take into account is how different the game has become over the last 50 years. No one wants to or will ever admit that their time has been past by, but the fact is that it has. Not only is the equipment light years ahead but so is the difficulty of all of the courses. Watch the golf channel which plays a series showing great championships from the past and check out the conditions of the tracks. Stemp meter was a non factor back then because all of the greens back then were lke the 2nd cut of the rough. As in every sport there has been a huge level of increase in the players abilities not to mention the level of golf as a business. Even Jack himself has been quoted when asked about Tiger's game, "he plays a game for which I am not familiar". bwgolfer

thanks for the vine....bwgolfer

Just a call out to anyone whom has owned,tried,etc. these driver heads. Thanks

If it aint broke don't fix it!!!!!bwgolfer

Bill Weiting is the fellow from www.conquestgolf.com that makes my clubs for me. My irons are Infinity AW-3 with SK Fiber stiff shaft built to my spec's. I did this originally to help my problems with tennis elbow, but what has happened is irons so well balanced and weighted for me that has it helped my elbows and increased the consistantcy of my ball striking. Last April 1st my index was between3.8 and 4.1, and I put the Infinity's in play. I finished the season with a 1.5 with the only thing different I did all season was to play these irons......bwgolfer

Well I'm going to be alittle different this year and carry 2 different drivers and pull my 3 wood. I have an Infinity 440 propulsion 9* stiff wishon shaft that I hit dead straight with alot of roll but lower trajectory less carry. I plan to use this on par fours 350 to 450 with nothing in front of you dead straight to a target yardage for my second shot to the green no stress not trying to kill the shot just position for my approach. Driver #2 is a Geek Dot Com This 12* stiff wishon shaft little or no spin to carry 240 to 260 on holes that require alot of air time. I'm sure some people will think I'm nuts to remove my 3 wood but I did an evaluation of how many times per round I use my 3 wood as compaired to my 16* cleveland utility(which I move an average of 230 to 245) and know where it's going to justify this move. Pluss this the beauty of playing golf, do something different to spice things up(why not?) Biggest thing is I have a fellow make these clubs for to my spec's, good to do this, not as much money....bwgolfer

I agree with you to be skeptical. The old "garbage in garbage out" with any type of computor applies here. I have a friend who took his kid to Carlsbad, Ca to the TaylorMade work shop to be fitted and when he recived them and played a couple of rounds the kid went back to his old clubs. My point is that all monitors measure something, but it's how the human reads the information and applies it to you. Most of the big box golf retailor's just go through the motions and tell you something to make a sale, it's very difficult to find a guy with a real passion to fit and make clubs. Just remember depending what catagory of player you are all of the clubs are good, it's all about what is right for your body and mind....bwgolfer ps I have a guy if you are interested.

If it were me I would try to find a demo event and try a 15* 3wood. See if it feels like you have as good a feel with it as compaired to your utility. The 15* would be a nice fit between the 10.5 driver and the 19* utility, about 4 degrees each way. Plus a 15* is a little eazyer to get in the air than a 13* or a 15* strong....bwgolfer