antnee94

What do you look for exactly? I just purchased 3 Fujikura Rombax Type-X Shafts for basically $160 each. That's almost half off. I know they are being phased out, but it's still a huge discount. It turned out to be a Golf Pro Shop in South Carolina which is an authorized dealer. So that put my mind more at ease. I'd flip if those were fake though. But on the putters what do you look for or on anything in general? I'm very curious.

While you are right, it's the store's lack of choices for better players that annoys me. They never have the right shaft combo for me. I have to go to a high end fitter in order to test those shaft and head combos. But you are right, I do get my clubs re-gripped there and buy my tees, gloves, and small things there.

A fitter told me optimal distance for driver heads are 400-440 cc's. Which is why the tour players use smaller heads...and to work the ball. I can draw the ball consistently with the D3, not the D2. But then I spray the ball and lose control with that D3. In fact I hit more of a fade with the D2. The funny thing is it's the same swing. But, I also hit the center more often with the D2 thus maximizing my yards that way (and with the fade). I just brought home my 913 D2 and this year am determined to just play the fade. Line up open, and let it rip down the left and come back. Last year I obsessed over a draw that I all of a sudden I forgot how to hit with my 910 D2. I was hitting the D3 in every simulator and mentioned it to my fitter who thankfully talked me out of it. Those big heads are very hard to work the ball. In my opinion.

The funny thing is you do not have bad swing speeds and carry distances. You are actually very close to me. My golf instructor told me that everyone wants a 280 carry, but the reality is most a mateurs that are better than average are in this range. For me it's making contact with the sweet spot. My annoying flaw is that my 3W is 238 and my driver is 242. I've been trying to figure out another 10 yards on that driver for years...my pro told me, I hit it far enough to play virtually any course. Work on your short game and scoring clubs. I also spin the ball off the driver much more. I'm in the lowest launch and lowest spin shafts and still get to 3200+. But when I keep the spin down I get that 250+ ball and it feels and looks great. But I agree with the guys above. Lessons and then a fitting. Shaft technology will break the bank and drive you crazy like it did with me. I've heard the OEM fitting guys speak and say they can fit all tour pro's into a combination of 4 shafts and it won't make a difference to them. I've heard teaching pro's say the stock shafts are fine for the majority of average Joe's.

Scotty Cameron Baby T Mid-Sized. It's feels better than sex...well not really, but it is an awesome grip. Other than that one I have the Lamkin 3Q mid-sized in White & Black. It's a firmer grip.

Wow are these loaded questions: 1. Get fit for your clubs. Before you do hit everything at GG, Golfsmith, and Dick's in their simulators. Take notice of your swing speed, launch angles, and dispersion. When you narrow down the feel to 3 or so sets, make an appointment with a recommended fitter. It will be OK is it's at one of the chain stores as long as that person know's what they are talking about. At the point you seem to be in your game, I don't think you will be getting into exotic shafts like I do. My problem with the chain stores is they don't carry what I want and need. I refer to my clubs as my babies. So for me the club buying process is a several month trek. I just did that last year and the club fitter gave me a set I never tried after I told him I like the feel of three different sets. Sure enough I was in love with the clubs from swing #1. But I went to a reputable high end fitter. 2. The fitter will put you in the right shaft. But if you hate the feel, tell him that and he will work with you getting you the right one. 3. Driver is the funniest and pickiest club in my bag. Last year I bought a club that I hit a ton. All the numbers in the simulator were perfect. When I got it out on the course, it went a mile. But I was so far right with the club I never took to it. The old driver went back in my bag and I lost the 10-15 yards I gained, but I was in the fairway again. Bottom line is you might need an adjustable driver and the fitter can dial you in. My advice is keep it simple. You need the lessons and the best way to learn to hit properly will be with a neutral face to really correct any swing flaws. I use an adjustable driver because I'm trying to flight the ball a certain way more than anything. 4. See a fitter. They will dial you in. 5. Lessons are the best thing in the world. I'm an 11 Handicap and took about 12 lessons from my local pro last year as I'm trying to break into single digits and learn shot making skills. When I started I was like you. Shooting high 100s. Took lessons, started breaking 100. Skipped a season and played in the mid-upper 90s. Took more lessons to start breaking 90. Skipped a season of lessons. Now I'm at the point I want a consistent low 80/high 70s score. So I look more lessons. I corrected a slight swing flaw and started gaining yards and accuracy again. They also taught me a short game. Up until last year I was dead inside 85 yards. I learned how to pitch and flight balls from 50, 65, 85, and 100 yards out. Before I would lay up to full swings. Now I love these touch shots. The best part, I figured out how to hit them with multiple clubs from 9I, PW, 50, 55, 60 degree wedges. It opened up a whole new aspect. I'm a big lesson fan. I've learned an expensive lesson. It's the Indian, not the arrow. I tried to buy a game for a long time. I am finally set and ready to move to a single digit with time and practice....and lessons.

Way too often. Although now that I am nearing a single digit handicap, I've seemed to finally realize I do not need to buy a game. Practice and additional lessons have helped. IT is definitely the Indian, not the arrow. When I was playing TaylorMade Drivers, I always bought into the hype every year and purchased the latest & greatest. I was not a fan of the original R11 TP, sold it 10 rounds into that season and bought a Titleist 910 D2. That club stayed in my bag for two full seasons. But I did try and replace it with the rest of my clubs last season (w/ an Adams Fast 12 LS which only lasted 5 rounds and the 910 went right back in the bag). As for woods, I bought a new 3 & 5 wood every year from the 1st TaylorMade Superfast on (so that was 3 years straight). Same with the hybrid (a new 21 degree). Irons, I seemed to hold onto a little longer. I started with the Ping G2. Held them for 5 years before selling them and buying TaylorMade Burners 1.0. Those I kept for two years. It was also when I got really serious about getting better. I got fitted into and improved so much that I grew out of them in year two. The offset hurt me more than helped me and light weight KBS 90 shafts made me spin the ball off the charts. I was dead in any type of wind. I saw my biggest improvement though in year two with them, moving from an 18 to 14 handicap. So what did I do, get fitted for new clubs again. This time I wanted something I would grow into. I purchased my 1st set of forged irons Mizuno JPX 800 Pro's with KBS Tour Shafts (X-Flex/soft stepped one time). I was also fitted into the Adams driver I got rid of. The numbers were great, but I could not hit the damn thing straight. I lost everything right and had a draw ball flight with my last two drivers. This also coincided with the lessons which I think was more of the issue. I was now able to pick up distance on every club in my bag which was fantastic. But my driver swing had a slight flaw that caused the draw. Now I have a more correct swing and causes a baby fade. Go figure. Everything else is straight and still draw biased. That same fitter put me in a 3 & 5 wood, Adams XTD Superfairway. Again, never fell in love with them and when the toe weight fell out, I bought the RBZ 3, pulled a Fujikura Rombax Type-X 75S Shaft and stuck it in that fairway. I've been in love ever since. I've gone through thousands in new equipment over the last 4-5 years. I can honestly say I am set finally and looking forward to set up for this season and many seasons beyond. D: Titleist 913 D2 (Diamana D+), 62 grams, tipped half inch 3W: TaylorMade RBZ, Fujikura Rombax Type-X 75S 5W: TaylorMade RBZ, Fujikura Rombax Type-X 75S 4-PW: Mizuno JPX 800 Pro, KBS Tour, X Flex, soft stepped one time 50: Vokey Oil Can Spin Mill, KBS Tour, X Flex, soft stepped one time, non-conforming 56: Vokey Black Nickel Spin Mill, KBS Tour, Stiff, bent to 55 degrees, non-conforming 60: Vokey Black Nickel Spin Mill, non-conforming P: Scotty Cameron, California Series, Coranado, 33 inches, Mid-sized SC Babt T grip Extra's (I like to play with my set up depending on the course I play) D: Titleist 910 D2, Aldila RIP Alpha 60, Stiff (I just can't get rid of this club) 4W: TaylorMade RBZ, Miyazaki Kusala Black, 72S 3H: TaylorMade RBZ Tour, Miyazaki C.Kua 83S 4H: TaylorMade RBZ Tour, Miyazaki C.Kua 83S 64: Vokey Chrome Spin Milled, non-conforming P: Rossa Suzuka, Mid-Sized Grip My history of clubs: Drivers: Callaway ERC Fusion, TaylorMade Burner '07, TaylorMade Burner '09, TaylorMade R9 SuperTri, Cobra ZL, TaylorMade R11, Titleist 910 D2, Titleist 913 D2 Woods 3 & 5 (and a 4 sometimes just because): TaylorMade V Steel (never should have gotten rid of them), TaylorMade Burner '09, TaylorMade Burner Superfast, TaylorMade R9 (4 wood only), Cobra S2, TaylorMade Burner Superfast 2.0, Adams XTD Superfairway, TaylorMade RBZ Hybrids 18 & 21 degree: TaylorMade Rescue Mid, TaylorMade Burner '09, TaylorMade Burner Superfast 2.0, Adams A12, TaylorMade RBZ Tour Irons: Ping G2, TaylorMade Burner 1.0, Mizuno JPX 800 Pro Wedges: In total I have 10 Vokeys that are all playing 50, 55, 60 with all different bends and bounce configs with one or two that play to 52 degrees legit Putters: Ping Anser, Rossa Suzuka, Titleist Scotty Cameron Mil-Spec, Scotty Cameron California Series Coranado

I just brought my new baby home yesterday... The Titleist 913 D2, Diamana D+, 62 Gram, Stiff, Tipped a half inch. Before that I played the Titleist 910 D2, Aldila RIP Alpha, 60 Gram, stiff.

My favorite is Tiger. We were both born in 1975. Must be an age thing. I remember watching the 97 Masters with my grandmother at her house on Sunday (a really great memory I still hold). I will never forget how she hated him. She said he seems like a phony...I guess it only took 15 years for the truth to come out. I always wondered how she had that ability to see through people that way. It still cracks me up. Anyway, I'm also one of the few that also loves Phil. Nothing better than watching them battle back in the day. Other than those two, I really like the pride of St. Johns Keegan Bradley (because I also graduated from there), and Adam Scott. I love that swing. But Tiger trumps them all.

Ad Sales Executive...Living the dream day by day...maybe not. My life is simple. It's about three things, 1. my family, 2. career, 3. golf...some have questioned the order of 2 and 3. Every free moment is about getting out for 9, 18, or the range. It's my release.

In my opinion, I think the economy has a lot to do with it. I justify my 35-40 rounds a year and my equipment obsession because it's all I do as a hobby. But when I lost my job in 2009, I had all the time in the world to play and had to restrain myself. I played about 20 weekday rounds that year, half of what I normally play. I don't drink, smoke, gamble, play video games, join an expensive gym, or spend money on anything else because I save it all golf. I also have a great wife who is not high m aintenance and realizes golf is my realease. Time has a lot to do with it as well, but let's face it, $75 bucks or more a round is a lot of money for a privately owned public course. Even if you play at one of the Long Island muni's like I do ($35-$45 walking at Bethpage and/or Eisenhower Park) the tee times that are family friendly are very difficult to get unless your are like me and get on line between 3A-5A to make sure you are one of the 1st tee times each Saturday morning. But I realize I'm nuts. It's my only other true love in life besides my family!