shortgame85

I put the R9 3 wood in my bag a couple of months ago. I have found it easy to hit off the fairway. But I love to hit it off the tee. I am, at least for the moment, smitten.

I was given a Taylormade Superfast Driver, 10.5 degree loft, regular flex shaft. I was a bit intimidated by the length of the shaft. I have always read that a shorter shaft provides the opportunity to strike the ball closer to the sweet spot. I was pleased to hit most fairways. Out of 14 swings, I had two mishits. My contact with the ball was pretty good. Perhaps because of its weight, or lack of it, or maybe its look at address; whatever, I felt confident standing over the ball. As for distance, I hit about as far as the driver I've had in my bag a few months: the Taylormade 08 Tour Burner. My average distance is about 210 and, occasionally I will pop it out there about 225 to 230, once or twice a round. I didn't notice any improvement over my older driver. Nonetheless, I shall keep it in the bag for now, especially since the price was right.

OK. I'm in your neighborhood in age. You're nuts. Stay with the hybrids.

I remember the "Time Warp!" It was a song and dance from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Wait....that's from the 1970s: a real time warp. Seriously, what a great round. Congratulations.

I have found the Callaway Diablo 3 wood, either the neutral or draw versions (I've tried both), to be the easiest to hit off the ground. I have tried and owned several 3 woods and the Diablo is easy off a hard fairway or light rough. It found a place in my bag.

I think a low lofted hybrid is an excellent choice for chipping around the green. While it does take some practice to get used to, what in golf doesn't? I have had good luck chipping with a seven iron, as well. If the lie is good, I tend to reach for the seven iron. If the lie is in any way questionable, I have found the hybrid quite effective.

Charcoal grilled chicken salad made with grilled bone in chicken breasts, grilled vidalia onion chopped fine, boiled eggs(one per breast), mayo, salt and pepper. Yum.

I just realized this fellow posted this thread several times: very bad form. These threads should be closed and this fellow censured for making himself a nuisance.

This is so very jeunot. Name calling is pointless but, this is beyond pointless. If you disagree with someone a clever, pointed response may be in order; a childish outburst becomes not even a child.

I replaced all my fairway woods with hybrids a couple of years ago, including substituting a 16 degree hybrid for my 15 degree 3 wood. I figured that I would gain consistency at the expense of only a little distance. I was right. That set up worked for me. This year, I demoed a Callaway Diablo 3 wood. With a loft of 16 degrees, it was as easy to hit as my hybrid. Because it had a longer shaft, I hit it somewhat further than my shorter shafted hybrid. Bingo! A 3 wood went back into my bag. The equipment choices today available to the amateur are staggering. I would say you could certainly choose a 16 or even 15 degree hybrid appropriate to your skill level. Or, you may wish to look at a 16 degree 3 wood like the Diablo. Or, you may wish to look at the wood like hybrids. Or....I'm starting to confuse myself. Good luck.

It seems to me that many, if not most of us, have found it easier to hit the hybrids than the comparable fairway wood under most circumstances and most of us enjoy the versatility of those clubs. I use to carry 3, 5 and 7 woods. For several years, I replaced all three woods with hybrids. Only recently have I tried to work a 3 wood back in the bag for a little extra carry off the tee. It remains to be seen whether or not the 3 wood stays in the bag or is replaced by the hybrid.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I am a follower of golf fashion, like most everybody else. But it seems to me that, while these bags are attractive (as far as bags go), they are BIG. I mean, I've seen house trailers in Mississippi smaller than some bags out there. Bags today appear built to hold the contents of a small cruise ship, rather than the necessities for a round of golf. I just need a bag to hold 14 clubs, a few balls, a few tees, a towel and Frogger brush clipped to the side of the bag, a little tape for blisters and that's it. I stow my rangefinder in my cart, not the bag. I'm looking for a new bag, but I prefer the minimalist approach. But I'm not one from whom to take advice about bags. I have a Japanese version Titleist stand bag. I thought I might enjoy walking and carrying my bag while playing golf and, I just liked the way the bag looked compared to domestic carry bags. The pleasure derived from the fantasy of walking and carrying one's own bag greatly exceeded the reality. After one round, my back was sore and, at my age, a sore back and golf don't mix well. So now, I stash the bag on the back of my cart and persue cardiovascular improvement elsewhere. I sort of feel foolish riding around for the past three years with a stand bag strapped to my electric cart (plus the stand mechanism doesn't fit properly in the cart well). So, like the fellow who began this thread, I, too, am looking for a cart bag. Still, aesthetically, I long for a more minimalist approach in cart bag design, without sobriquets like "Diesel," "Exodus," or "Atlas" (of course, one is tempted to write Ogio to say, "I saw the Atlas and shrugged."). I prefer a less ostentatious design, yet accomodating to the clubs better than some of the so called "Sunday" bags. I mean no offense to those who don't pack light or prefer big staff bags. I would just prefer lighter fare.

From one dawg (class of '78) to another: woof!

I demoed the 3 wood a few weeks ago. I tried it on the range and, I was able to borrow it for 2 rounds. I thought it was perhaps the easiest 3 wood to get up in the air off the fairway I've ever hit. It performed equally well off the tee. Now the one I demoed was a draw model. I have not hit the non draw wood, but I intend to do just that tomorrow. I will choose one then, although I doubt I will hit the neutral model any better than I hit the draw. My guess is that I will end up with the draw version. The wood does appear a bit closed but, this doesn't bother me as it might some. I like the shaft: I can load it easily and the weight works well for me. I am replacing a 16 degree hybrid with this club. While I hit the 16 degree hybrid well, I am hoping for a bit more distance from the Diablo because of the longer shaft. The key element for me with this club is the consistency of good ball strikes I have enjoyed with it. It seems as easy to hit as the hybrid it is replacing, but a little longer off the tee and fairway because of the longer shaft. In any event, I have really enjoyed getting to know this club.

Well done Neudi! Nicotine addiction is one of the most onerous addictions and difficult to quit. I know a little about this. In 1989, after 16 years of smoking cigarettes, I quit at age 31. I started again two years later and quit after six months. Several years later I flirted with cigars but quit them when I started smoking them like cigarettes (yes, you read that right). I quit each time cold turkey. Headaches, nausea, restlessness and constipation were problems I dealt with. The nicotine craving works in cycles. For me the craving started just about fifteen to twenty minutes after I finished my last cigarette. A key to stopping for me was the realization that the longer I went without a cigarette, the length between the cravings increased. After a week, I went several hours without an intense craving. At that point I realized that if I could just wait out the craving, it would go away for a little while; eventually, forever. Here's the reality: if you really want to stop you can. It is easier for some than others but most people can end their nicotine addiction. Good luck to you. You'll breathe easier, feel and smell better and lower your risk of heart disease, cancer and emphysema. Seems to me that you have lot of people pulling for you.

Quick 18 this morning before the rains came and the Masters began: shot 87. Typical beginning of the season round: 5 pars, 10 bogies and 3 double bogies. I couldn't putt worth a damn but, some elements of the game started to feel like there's hope for lower scores in the future. Considering there were winds up to 25 mph ( blew my cap off a few times ), I'm not too disappointed.

After witnessing Perry's shot on 16, his bogies on 17 and 18, Cabrera's first two shots on the first playoff hole, I suppose one lesson we can take from this is to not give up, keep grinding it out and success may come our way: not a bad lesson in golf and in life. Congratulations Senor Cabrera!

Mr. Harrington is a class act, a fierce competitor and he's smart. I would predict a top 10 finish, probably in the top 5 and certainly a possible win. He's got the game to do it and he's not as intimidated by Tiger as so many others are.

You may also wish to try the Callaway Diablo 3 wood. It is, without a doubt, the easiest to hit 3 wood I have ever tried.

My swing speed is between 85 and 90mph. I was given a box of these balls. The RX felt soft off the driver and didn't travel as far on well struck shots for me as mid price balls by Callaway and TaylorMade did. The RX felt soft around the green but didn't seem to spin as much as, say, a ProV1. I'm not impressed.

I play to the same handicap you do. I recently demoed the Diablo 3 wood. I tried it on the range and, I was allowed to play a round with it. It is, without a doubt, the easiest to hit 3 wood I've ever played. Everybody is different, of course, and you should demo the clubs you think might be appropriate to your game. However, I would heartily recommend the Diablo. I plan to add it to my bag shortly.

I almost always grip down on my wedges for short shots, for better control. My hands aren't large, so the narrower part of the grip doesn't bother me. I have also gripped down on longer irons for better control, especially toward the end of round, when I may be a bit tired. I may compensate for gripping down by taking a longer club and swinging easy.

Par 5 18th: drive straight, topped the second shot but it wormed its way along the ground to about 129 yads from the green. Aced the third shot to three feet, pin high. Sank the put for a birdie. Nice ending to a good back nine.

This past Sunday, I demoed a new Callaway Diablo 3 wood, draw model. I own several 3 woods, I've tried many. They are for me an elusive lover: highly desired but somehow just out of reach (perhaps I should reach for a performance metaphor). The Diablo was, by far, the easiest to hit off the grass 3 wood I've ever tried. I used it off the tee on a short, par 4 dog leg right: straight and long. I wish to try the Diablo neutral. But regardless how I hit that club, I am sure one of the Diablos will be in my bag in the next few weeks.