ragontona

I decide to stop in to The Trap and this argument's STILL going on. It's been going on for years. Awesome.

Nice to see that I can drop off the site for a year and we're still arguing this

380, downhill, downwind. Flat surface longest drive was 315. Average drive is about 270...

They're an introduced species with absolutely NO natural controls in the United States. Their numbers far outweigh any potential predators, so they pretty much go unfettered in their life cycles. They eat vegetation as beetles, but also worth remembering is that in their larvae form (grubs) they can be devastating to turf grasses like your lawn, fairways, and greens. I blow 'em away any chance I get. They're not harmless little bugs. Tell a fruit farmer that they're harmless and see what happens.

They rehab'd it. It used to have a MAJOR ding in the topline (bag chatter after a three-putt). Can't even tell it was ever there now. By the way, took it out this morning for its first round with the new finish. It rolled just as true as ever, and the difference in feel was negligible (at least for me).

I'll keep an eye on it. Worst case scenario -- I don't like it and send it to Scotty's studio after the season to get it restored to its original state.

The actual service itself ended up around $60 ($46 for the finish, $13 to pull/replace the shaft). I paid an extra $30 for the express service... I believe the normal turnaround time is 3-4 weeks, and I got mine back in two. So it ended up around $90 plus shipping. Less if you're patient and can be without your gamer for about a month. Not too bad, considering it's essentially a brand new putter now. Oh, and the custom paintfill was free with the refinish.

I didn't inquire about a warranty or anything, but the Black Oxide finish will last for as long as you take care of it. I used to have a black Studio Design that needed to be wiped dry after every round with a silicon cloth, and the finish was quite durable when cared for correctly. I plan on taking care of this putter in the same way. The customer service reps are very helpful, and quite responsive with their emails, I found.

Sent my Newport into Black Oxide Services in California a couple of weeks ago. Got it back today, and I'm pleased with the results. Unfortunately, I don't have any "before" pics, but it's a Studio Stainless Newport, was pretty well-worn, and had a major ding on the topline. BOS worked out the dings and applied a triple black finish for me. I believe that Scotty used to use their services for his putters.

Short answer: You have to wait for them to wave you through. Never hit into the group ahead of you intentionally.

Scorpion tattoo picked up in Japan in 1995.

Though I'm an inadvertent stack-n-tilter, I agree with you. It took many years of refinement to make my flukey swing work for me. It wasn't until this article came out that I realized what I'd been doing, and why it was able to work for me. I'd hope that others don't honestly think this is a cure-all for all that ails them.

Funny thing with this whole "Stack and Tilt" phenomenon is that it turns out I've been doing this exact move for the past five years. Because of a history of back problems, I've always addressed the ball with my spine lined up directly over it. Regular playing partners have always commented on my "reverse pivot" backswing, which again was a result of me trying to create torque while limiting stress on my back. Pushing down with my left leg in the downswing created compression/explosion through impact, straightening out my left leg to an upright finish. I've always considered my swing a little flukey. Funny that it's now the new "big thing."

You and your buddy finish up a hole, and he's hacked it to death. You: "So, what'd you take on that?" Buddy: "Bogey."

For two-footers and in, I make sure to make an agressive stroke and pretty much take the break out of the equation. I line it up with the cup and accelerate through the ball crisply and confidently. Three-footers are pretty much the same, though I pay a little more respect to the break. Unless it's a really tricky pin location though, I rarely give the hole away completely. I still make sure I make a confident stroke. At worst, I'll lip it out -- but more often than not, it goes in. Being tentative about any aspect of the putt inevitably leads to a decelerating stroke, which (in my case) leads to either my hands becoming too active through impact to compensate, or a weak push to the right that won't get the job done. Just spend time on the practice green. Hammer putt after putt into the back of the cup. Do the same for every hole location on the practice green.

83 at Cannon Ridge today. Last minute decision to play -- went on teetimewatch and was able to get on 30 minutes later. Started off cold -- no warm up, no range. Needless to say, I was all over the place the first few holes, but settled down for a 44 on the front. Finished strong (-1 the last 3) for a 39 on the back. Highlight of the round: 540 yard par 5 18th. Best drive of the day (380 yards! I caught a downslope... lol) left me with a 160 yard green light special to the green. Proceeded to yank an 8-iron 25 yards left into some wispy rough. Flopped a nice lob wedge to within 5 ft and drained the birdie putt. Still kicking myself for missing from 160 to give myself an eagle chance, but I probably would've missed the putt anyway.

Both a BMW and a Hyundai get you from Point A to Point B. It's up to you which one you want in your garage.

Yeah, she's big-time old school. I've actually seen her do that with Driver, if she wants to hit a low running shot from the tee box.

Do I personally think that Cal used PEDs? No, probably not. My point was that ANY accomplishments from that period of baseball should be subjected to some level of scrutiny.

Wasn't trying to assume how you feel, Erik. Only the first part of my post was a direct response to you. The rest was just another cliched steroid era rant damning the entire era. Ah, it's good to be back in the fray.

By that logic, steroids or any other performance-enhancing drug (creatine, andro, amphetamines, diet pills, etc) taken before 2002 weren't against the rules either. Prior to that point, no rule existed in baseball. I'm not trying to be a Bonds apologist here. I'm from the SF Bay Area, love the Giants, and even have an autographed Bonds ball -- and I feel let down and ashamed by his alleged actions. All I'm saying is that he's not the only villain in this controversy. By all accounts, a pretty good chunk of players were using steroids prior to baseball's new policy. If we're going to try to condemn his accomplishments because of what we believe he did, then there are others that require just as much scrutiny: McGwire breaking Maris' record, Sosa's multiple 60 HR seasons, Canseco's 40 HR/40 SB campaign, Albert Belle's 50 HR/50 2B season... the list goes on. And what excuses other players from the same scrutiny? Look at Roger Clemens circa 1986 versus today -- his body's obviously changed, and he's throwing just as hard now as he did then. What about Cal Ripken's Iron Man streak? Rickey Henderson's base-stealing records? Brady Anderson's out-of-nowhere 50 HR season? To me, that entire era is under a cloud of suspicion in terms of who used PEDs. If we're going to villify Bonds, then I have a few more names to throw into the ring, is all I'm saying.

Well, when they set up an elaborate system at the Polo Grounds involving hidden telescopes -- it may not be on the up and up.

Hate to say this, but the fact is he hasn't tested positive for steroids. Ever. And, if you're gonna say Bonds, then you need to say McGwire, Canseco, Sosa, and countless others who took advantage of a flawed system that intentionally looked the other way. None of them ever tested positive either. But all of them are just as guilty of "cheating." Also, I'm wondering where the outrage is to remove Sutton, Perry, and other KNOWN cheaters from the Hall of Fame? Funny that we look at their cheating differently than we look at Bonds'. Norm Cash won the batting title in 1961 with a corked bat. Whitey Ford never saw a baseball he couldn't doctor. Joe Niekro carried an emery board in his pocket. The New York Giants stole signs for pretty much the entire season in 1951, tipping their batters to what opposing pitchers were throwing. Ken Caminiti won an MVP award, then admitted (after he retired) that he was all juiced up at the time. I don't condone Bonds for what he's allegedly done. But let's face facts -- cheating happens. Always has, always will.

I have two nominees: 1) Greendale Golf Course in Alexandria, Virginia. AKA "Home of the seven hour round." 2) Meadows Farms in Locust Grove, Virginia. 27 hole layout, but gimmicky as all hell, and the tee boxes are some of the worst I've ever... and I mean EVER... seen. The gimmicky stuff includes "The World's Longest Hole," an 847 yard monstrosity that forces you to play layups the entire length of the hole; the "Baseball Diamond" hole, which is a par-3 that actually looks like a baseball diamond, complete with outfield fences, and the "Waterfall Hole" which is another par 3 with the green perched atop an artificial waterfall. The course plays like some gigantic Putt-Putt golf course. Not a fan.

Shot an 83 at The Gauntlet today, which actually should've been better. The new Ignite irons I've put into play have helped with my ballstriking, though I still have a nagging tendency to get quick from the top resulting in some pulls. Anyway, started on the back 9 and shot a 38 as a single. I got to the front nine and started catching up to groups THAT WOULDN'T LET ME PLAY THROUGH EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD HOLES OPEN IN FRONT OF THEM. So my round (and rhythm) ground to a screeching halt. Started getting impatient, blood pressure started rising, adrenaline started pumping -- and I started yanking balls left. Ended up with a 45 on the back (actually, front). Yet another good round spoiled by slow play and lack of etiquette. On the plus side, I'm driving the ball as well as I ever have. Steadily pumped 275-285 yard drives, all with the same high fade ball flight.