negcx

I like to hit balls with my eyes closed. Helps keep balance and allows you to feel where your body is positioned throughout the swing. When I'm hitting it pure like this, my swing is on track and I can just swing naturally.

I'd like to first point out that the following information may be inaccurate, it's based mainly on my perceptions as a golf equipment consumer. Hopefully later someone with more technical information can correct any mistakes in my information. As far as I know stiffness and weight never "cross over." Acceleration and speed in the swing causes the shaft to flex at the flex point. I suppose you can swing and accelerate a lighter shaft more easily thus making it easier to flex, but as far as I know this doesn't cross over. In general, a smoother swing that accelerates at a steady rate can use a more flexible shaft and produce relatively consistent results. More flexible shafts are less consistent in general -- but can also produce more distance. I guess at some level the flexibility responds to your swing whereas the weight can actually influence how you swing. If you grab a club and swing it back and forth just in your hands very quickly you can notice the flexibility, whether in a light graphite shaft or a heavier steel shaft (assuming they're the same length). The weight probably won't affect this quick movement. I have a very fast swing with a medium tempo so I prefer stiff, heavier shafts. When I use normal flexibility shafts -- whether in a steel iron or a graphite driver -- I get inconsistency in distance and control. I prefer heavier shafts because I don't feel I need the extra speed and I feel it helps my tempo and consistency. I apologize -- this was a hodgepodge of random intuition -- but I hope it will help you in some way.

I think that's probably what I'll do. I'm not particularly concerned about the distance gap between my 17-degree hybrid and my 3-wood anyway.

I've actually played there a handful of times since it opened and encountered summer rain on several occasions. One day I even played 36 holes in the pouring rain. But I gave up on rain gear; after the first round I just put on a T-shirt and shorts and embraced the fact that I was going to be drenched. Coming from Florida I'm sure it's worth going to Portland and Eugene. Both are unique towns well worth investigating. If you're a member of a country club you may want to have your pro try to set you up to be able to play Eugene CC, as that's also a fabulous course -- I believe one of the top 100.

I am a member at Pronghorn. Unless I'm mistaken, the Nicklaus course is available for resort/public play. It's a great course. The Tom Fazio course is extremely unique, though, as many Fazio courses are. If you get a chance and have the opportunity, it's worth going there. I've played a handful of other courses in the Bend area. They're all beautiful and it's a very cute town. It also has other perks -- fly fishing, restaurants, skiing, etc. Unfortunately the golf season isn't as long in Bend as it is here in Northern California and down in Palm Springs.

Eugene Country Club - Eugene, OR Pronghorn Golf Club - Bend, OR Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes - Bandon, OR Pumpkin Ridge - OR I actually play in California but these are some of the courses in Oregon I like to play from time to time.

It's come time for me to replace my old 3-wood. Currently I use Titleist PT 13, 15, and 17 degree metals (the 1990s models) depending on the course I'm playing. For perspective, I also play a 905R driver with a Proforce V2 shaft and a Titleist 585 hybrid with a steel shaft. My irons (735cm) have steel shafts as well. I like the steel in my hybrid -- it feels like more of an extension of my iron set and acts as a 2-iron. With a graphite shaft it would undoubtedly go farther given the additional length of graphite shafts, but ultimately that wasn't my goal with a hybrid. I'm looking to get a new 3-wood, probably a Titleist 906F2. What do you all think about the V2 shaft versus a steel shaft?

You may want to try loosening up your grip a bit. Grip the club firmly but make sure that your forearms and arms aren't tense during your swing. You'll generate better clubhead speed if you don't try to muscle and manipulate the club. This should also help you with ball contact.

My dad wears orthotics in his shoes. He has tried Callaway and Adidas, but I think he likes the Ecco shoes the best. He didn't have to cut them; he switches them between his Ecco street shoes and the golf shoes.

I use the spin milled Titleist Vokey oil can wedges 54 and 58 degrees. I find these wedges to be softer than the Cleveland wedges I used to play.

I don't play the Cleveland Zip wedges but I've cut the Callaway 56 balls pretty deeply with my Titleist spin milled wedges. In one incident a pure wedge resulted in four deep groove cuts in the ball and enough spin to bring the ball up a tier on the green. My solution: I switched balls

My 3-iron isn't going anywhere. It took arm twisting to give up my 2-iron.