amac

I've benn gaming my Edels for a year now. I'm not sure they're any shorter than my old Vokeys, but they aren't longer. What I have noticed is my contact spot is very consistent on the club face. The custom fit is doing its job there. The feel off the face is very soft and I have have the cast version. Mid year, I picked up a Mizzy TP4 gap, 52*. This is an odd feeling club compared to my MP64's and Edel wedges. It produces more spin than my Edel, but has no feel. The feedback I get is a hard smack. YMMV.

This.

How are you trying to throttle back your PW? I was taught to simply grip down about an INCH and that should take nearly 10 yards off your distance. From there, work on stopping your backswing at the 9 o'clock position. You will probably continue a little farther, but from that point make your downswing. That should take another 10 yards or so off. Another quick thought would be to have your current Titleist PW bent up one degree, making it a 46* wedge. Your yardage will not change much, maybe 2 - 5 yards. Combine that with the above mentioned technique and you are closing the gap. Otherwise, if you have the funds to blow, go buy more wedges. New stuff is great.

Glad to see this post. I was unaware the impact of bending a club. But, I'm only changing the lie angle. Edwin Watts is the shop I'm planning to use. They should be gtg. Thanks

$100 is a smoking good deal! Enjoy your new sticks.

Good choice. If you're after forgiveness and might want a little extra distance AND want a few years newer Mizuno technology, check out these JPX 825 Pro's . On sale at Ebay. Lots to choose from and probably pretty similar to what you want to spend. amac

LOL! I started my response and had to navigate away. I thought I was starting all over, but apparently, both replies were attached. Silly dope!

I don't consider myself a good player, but I do appreciate the importance of getting fitted. I play MP 64's and replaced my Vokey wedge's with Edel's. A day with a fitter revealed that I had too little bounce, the shaft was creating a ballooning flight and the standard lie angle was too flat. Before the Edel's, I had played Vokey's since I can remember. Why, they do nothing but Wedge's! They specialize in wedge development. If you want to maximize your game, why not purchase one of the most important clubs in your bag from a manufacturer that specializes in that one club? I certainly agree that we are influenced to make purchases based on what we see on TV. Most people are probably playing clubs, drives and golf balls they will never fully appreciate. But if it inspires confidence, and that relates to one or two strokes better play per round, then I say it's worth it. I don't consider myself a good player, but I do appreciate my custom wedges. I play MP 64's and stock wedges are not offered. I had to purchase after-market wedges. I did replace my Vokey wedge's with Edel's. A day with a fitter revealed that I had too little bounce, the shaft was creating a ballooning flight and the standard lie angle was too flat. At this point, I wouldn't trade my Edel's for all the Vokeys in the world. Vokey makes a great wedge, but my Edel's were made for me! I am a proponent of purchasing specialty items from a specialist . My wedges are in and out of my bag all day on the course. I don't want a stock, "generalist" club when I know there is a better club designed by a company that spends millions of dollars developing the best wedges in the game. Does my handicap justify the money spent? To me, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks when they look in my bag. The clubs I have inspire confidence and knowing bad shots are not the result of an improper fitted club - it's on me! To the point above about the multiple offerings from Vokey and Cleveland - both are specialist's offering an excellent product. The difficulty is knowing which club is right for your game. Where I live, the sales guys are not fitting wedges and or matching shafts to your swing. What good is sole grind selection if you don't understand the difference and have no example of how your swing is impacting each one? There is no replacing custom fit. IMO, buying any club off the rack will always be a crap shoot. amac

I've never owned Cleveland's, but I'm a first time owner of Mizuno's. I've played Ping and Titleist prior and feel my current MP64's are by far the best clubs I've owned. I say if the clubs fit your specs, you are happy with the appearance represented on the net, then go for it! You've owned Mizuno's before, so now guess work there. Why buy a new brand you have no experience with? Stick with what you know. Sorry to hear about your loss. : (

I'm wanting to add a gap wedge to my bag. All my irons and wedges to date have been fitted and ordered at +2* UP. My local golf shop says they can bend a Mizuno gap wedge up. Will this be as reliable (holding it's new angle) as ordering it custom? Or will Mizuno just do the same thing? What would you do? Thanks amac

This is a major problem all golfers have. The book I mentioned has several chapter dedicated to negative self talk and the impact that has on our game. How often to you cheer for yourself when you hit a good shot? Probably never. But you find it okay to openly criticize yourself when you miss a 5 footer. The mind is a powerful tool. I believe if you don't dedicate some time to the mental game, you will find it difficult to advance to the next level. That's not just for you, but anyone that wants to improve their game will run into the mental road block at some point.

I'm no 5 hcp, but understand how you feel. Nerves get the better of me way too often. You need to take mental note of how you feel on those "casual" rounds when you shoot 68 vs the tournament round when you shoot 78. It's all in your head. There is no trick or gimmick. It's your personal routine that is somehow changing. You are doing something different or thinking something different before the putts and don't realize it. Maybe you realize the importance of each putt in tournament situations. Perhaps your birdie putts are more tentative strokes for fear of blowing it past and missing the comeback. Could be a number of things that you are thinking that's interfering with your natural stroke. How to get over it? That's a tough question to answer. Sports psychologist is one answer. Or, there are tons of books on the market that talk about the mental side of golf. I just finished Zen Golf. It's an easy read that focuses on mental relaxation while playing. I'm trying to implement the techniques now and have found them helpful. Plenty of others out there. Good luck and let us know how you progress.

Don't misinterpret my message. I'm all for force on force. My message is to train yourself better to handle people like this. I don't know how big you are or how big the dude coming at you was, but I do know that he could have been easily thrown to the ground - weapon or not. His state of mind would have made him vulnerable to easy counter attacks. Wanting to "draw down" on a threatening guy leads me to believe you were simply afraid of him - he must have been bigger. With better training, you will be able to think more clearly if you ever find yourself in this situation again. Watching a few how-to video's on YouTube and then practicing with your friends is no substitute for entering a gym with qualified instructors. Golf is supposed to be a game for gentleman. When you incorporate alcohol, bets and personal egos, tempers can flare. I like to think cool heads will prevail. I think people here are suggesting you find other, less than lethal means to settle disputes on a golf course. You are well within your rights to carry a firearm, but I propose that be your last resort. You can get several months of self defense training for the $700+ you spend for a Sig semi-auto. In the end, I'd rather hit a fairway than my fellow golfers! : )

OP, I'm all about conceal carry whenever and wherever its legal. Personally, I don't perceive a golf course the type of place to "expect" life threatening trouble. While your experience sounds threatening, I agree with the poster stating that if you require a firearm to handle a drunk, you need to reassess your self defense plans. What happens if you reach for your weapon and the assailant knocks it out of your hand with his 5 iron? You've given him another weapon. Forgive my tirade here, but too many people purchase a handgun, get a permit to carry and think they are ready to defend themselves. They never train, shoot maybe once or twice a year, and have never experienced firing under duress. However, they feel prepared to take on the world because they have a gun! Does buying a set of golf clubs, going to the range once or twice mean you should consider yourself a scratch golfer? No, you're a high handicapper! My suggestion to you is take self defense classes. Learn how to disarm an assailant with your hands. Secondly, if you haven't already, you should take CCW classes where simunitions are used. These training classes teach you how to handle threats like the drunk at a golf course and will illustrate how quickly an overpowering drunk can take your weapon and use it against you. I may be stating things you've already done, so I'll ask, what type of training do you have? To answer your question, I don't carry on the golf course. I don't EDC, but I do have my carry permit. I have trained extensively on how to use my weapon in multiple situations and have spent several years training in personal self defense. I support the right to bear arms. I also support the right to revoke that right if you prove to be irresponsible with your firearm. Taking a life is a serious deal. It should be your last option. amac

I suppose my confusion is understanding at what point I'm swinging left. If Trackman say's I'm 4* out and the Pro says swing left, then I'm thinking I have to approach the ball more square. I'm allowing myself to think I have to get around or behind the ball before impact. The result is reducing the degree of outside swing path. Or, is the left swing what happens just after impact? The turn and follow through should eventually take the club's path to the left. From watching slow motion swings of professionals like Adam Scott, I notice his swing approaching from the inside. But, it seems his divot path is on a straight line to the target. If my swing approach has a slight in - out bias and I make proper contact, what direction would / should my divot be? Is divot path something you focus on when evaluating swing / shot results? Thanks

Key 4 - the sweet path to the ball. Given your desired approach to the ball, what would Trackman report as your swing path to the ball? I'm very curious because I'm being taught to "swing left" and I wonder if this works with your teaching or against. Thanks

Here is a shot of my blade. I commented on the softness of the steel in another thread. You can see the strike marks on the face of the putter. I don't know what's causing the marks to appear. There are lots more than shown and they are not as bad as they appear. Also, you can see where most of my contact is taking place.

Here a few shots of my two Edels. Very similar setups.

So, the new Edel mallet made it's way into my bag last weekend. I've played 3 rounds with it and all I can say is, WOW! I wish I had received this putter to begin with. First, the setup of this putter is nearly identical to the first Edel blade I received. The aiming lines, loft and my personalized grip are all the same. Due to the way the mallet sits, the lie is 1/2* higher up and the overall weight is slightly heavier. The real differences are the insert and face balancing. My blade didn't have the insert and I can definitely tell a difference when striking putts of any length. The insert feels much better (to me). I am looking to the insert to provide some forgiveness on off-centers strikes. By face balancing, this putter doesn't balance 100%, but it's not toe down like my blade. I would say it's about a 20-30* angle when balanced on my finger. For me, this creates a stable feel on the backswing. I especially notice the stability on short putts / short strokes. The face feels very square and the stroke feels very smooth. I've had several long putts in the last 3 rounds. My distance control has been very good. Whats more, my accuracy has been even better. In the end, I'm glad I went through with the new Edel. I feel very confident with this putter. I now I have two Edel putters I can aim equally well. If something ever happens to the one in play, I have a backup ready to go. When I get a minute, I will try to post some picks of the pair.

I am pretty sure I got to the bottom of my putting woe's - NERVES!!! I had 12 birdie putts yesterday and noticed how smooth my practice swings were. Then, when I addressed my ball, I felt my hands begin to slightly tremble. My putting stroke felt a bit wobbly and my touch was greatly affected. Luckily, the greens were rolling smooth and fast and my putts seemed to track to the hole. But, nonetheless, the nerves were definitely impacting my stroke. I'm glad to report no three putts and I converted three of the 12 birdie opportunities. One of them from about 25'. Also wanted to point out that after reading iacas post on putting about taking the putter back further on longer putts vs. shorter and harder has made a huge difference in my distance putting. Thanks

@mvmac , what do you make of his inside-path backswing? Seems to me, the problem with his right arm and ELBOW is they get trapped behind his body. This is a common byproduct of a backswing that comes too far inside. I've always been taught to keep the arms away and in front of the body. Then, proper position at the top of the backswing allows for the right arm/elbow to move to/in front of the right hip. This promotes a proper path to the ball and good lag. Just watched all your video's again and it's the same in each one. @14ledo81 , you most closely resemble the golfer on the LEFT. As a result, your arms are too close to the body on the downswing. There are plenty of ways to compensate for this, but the best thing is to free up your arms with a backswing like the guy on the RIGHT. This will allow you to drop your right arm into the slot and create the lag you want. Simple fix. Simple swing plane adjustment. As mentioned, mirror work is best to see it happening. I fight the same problem, just not as severe.

Your golf swing is really solid. If your flying drives 295, then you can definitely break 80. From watching your video in slow motion, the one thing I'll comment on is your release and follow through. If you've analyzed your swing in slow mo, then you've probably noticed how your arms collapse and make a quick move upward after contact, especially your right arm. Take a look at the position below. While you may be very effective with your current swing, consistency may continue to be a problem. I would work the 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock drill to develop better extension and release into your swing. I'm a huge advocate of professional lessons. If you want to harness your power, consider taking a few lesson to improve what already is a great looking swing. Hope this helps.

Nice swing. Question... why don't you complete your swing when hitting the ball the way you do when practice swinging? Stopping short can lead to decelerating, which can lead to fat shots, hooked shots, improper hand release, closed toe, incomplete hip and shoulder turn, etc... I'll defer the technical swing advice to the pros, but would offer that your completed practice swing looks a lot better than your abrupt, short follow through swing when hitting the ball.