amac

Early release can be caused by several different things. It's impossible to diagnos by a picture and or a full speed swing. I suggest you consult a local teaching pro and or download the V1 Pro app and video your swing. A slow motion example is easier to pinpoint where the breakdown occurs, but more, what is causing the early release. Personally, my early release has been explained to me as a turn issue. My body doesn't clear properly - shifting into line vs. down the line - and my hands begin to release at the 7 o'clock position to catch up and reach the ball. Result is high ball flight. In your PW swing above, your head appear's still and you finish nicely on your left side. I like your tall, even shoulder finish position. Your swing looks good for a 2 year player. You are on your way to much lower scores! Enjoy. Amac

Thanks. I'm going to have a tough time lowering my handi hitting only 6 greens per round. I hit 11 fairways that day and with 9i or less in my hand, only hit 5 greens. Thanks again for your input. I wll be making the drive for my Edel fitting ASAP. I'll be sure to report back. amac

Thanks for the reply cipher. Your input is very appreciated since you have the clubs I am considering. Another poster somewhere mentioned he struggled with fuller/three quarter type swings. Did you find your distances changed with the Edel's? I would expect different turf interaction on fuller shots and I don't want to re-learn to hit my SW's. To be direct, I fear the Edel method will tell me I should be using wedges with much higher bounce and that my swing style has adapted to improper bounce. Therefore, if my swing does "this" with the proper bounce, then your results will be "that". Did you experience anything like that? As a junior golfer growing up, I spent hours upon hours working on my short game. This is one area where I have no fear and believe I have Mikelson like touch! LOL. I played yesterday and hit 6 greens. Of the 12 I missed, I converted on 8. Add four bogies, two three putts, a double and a birdie, and you get a colorful 79. Some days it doesn't go as well, others, I have more tap ins. I don't keep running stats. Maybe I should. Might not get better on the good days, but possibly on the bad? Can a properly fit wedge send confidence up to my head? At this point, I feel certain that I will at least do the fitting and hear the Edel fitter out. For $50, I think the lesson is worth it. Thanks again for the insight. Amac

I've been playing Vokey's forever. I like the look and feel of the club. They were ordered from my local Edwin Watts. The only custom option is that these are 2* upright to match the rest of my clubs. The sales guy didn't know any more than me about bounce. However, I haven't had any issues using them as is, as far as I know. Recently, I had another golf shop guy swap the shaft to a KBS C-Taper. So, how are they holding me back? I don't know what I don't know. Until I read the Edel theory, I was unaware what a custom fit wedge could potentially do for my game. Perhaps I've adapted my shot and swing style to fit an unproperly fit club? My current handicap is 7 and dropping. I am looking to get the most out of my equipment. I don't like to make changes and thus am willing to pay a little extra if it truly helps. I am merely attempting to vet out the need and benefits of custom fit wedges. Thanks for your reply. amac

After reading through the Edel thread and then the warm welcoming to Hopkins, I have been researching the wedge market. I've played Vokeys most of my golfing life and feel as though my short game is pretty solid. I spent about 30 - 45 minutes on the phone this morning talking with my nearest Edel fitter and he said their product will make my best green side shots easier and stop quicker! Great sales line or truth? I asked all the common sense questions about "why" custom wedges would be better. I'm not sure he convinced me, but I'm intrigued enough to spend $50 to learn more. Then, I went to Hopkins website. They have a great product and marketing program - money back guarantee! What's missing for me is the personal custom fitting process offered by Edel. How do I know what I want is what I need? When ordering online, you have no one to walk you through the benefits of one bounce and grind style vs another. In addtion to Hopkins, I looked into Scor wedges. I am sure there are others I didn't find, but the tour-like, custom grind wedge is making a push into the market. There are lots of good reasons to purchase one of the many custom, small production wedge lines. But why not customize an "off the rack" Vokey? Or Cleveland? Or what ever your favorite brand is? So, I visited the Voke.com website. Bob Vokey knows a thing or two about custom wedge design. More Tour players use his product than any other wedge maker. My pockets aren't deep enough to spend $350 for a hand ground wedge, but the mass produced wedge of today is different from what I purchased five years ago. With the introduction of multiple groove types, four head models, mutliple bounce and grind design, you get an "almost custom" wedge OFF THE RACK. I am in the market for new wedges. As stated, I've got over five years on my current SM wedges. I place a high importance on my wedge game to save par more times than I like. : ) That being said, I want to make sure I have the right wedge in my hand. I am willing to pay a little extra, but do I need to? I rate my up-and-down success at better than 70%. I've done that with non-custom wedges. Should I expect that to go up with custom wedges? Have the major manufacturers made enough advances to improve the performance of their product to negate the advantage of a custom fit wedge? My final question... Since I don't fully understand bounce and grind and how that affects my shot and how my swing is affected by different configurations of each, should I forget custom? Or is this all the more reason to get custom fit to learn the why's and how's of wedges? Thanks for your input. amac

Custom fitting your clubs is important if you want to get the most out of your game. I haven't custom fit my putter or wedges yet, but Edel, Hopkins and other custom wedge companies are certainly making a case. I currently use "of the rack" Vokeys and feel pretty proficient. I do have to confess that I don't know much about bounce and thus choosing a grind type would be difficult. The Edel method says they recommend grinds based on your swing style - angle of attack and such. The Hopkins website recommends sole grinds based on your typical playing conditions. Which is correct? I've always been told the course conditions dictate what type of sole / how much bounce you need. So, if I get fitted for my playing conditions of my home course and then go out of town, am I screwed if the bunkers and rough are deeper and softer, and the fairways aren't as tight? Titleist and Cleveland sell lots of wedges and plenty of low handicap golfers have them in their bags. I'm just wondering if a sandwedge is that complicated of a club...?

Funny thing, I just updated my driver. I've been swinging a Ping i15. I wasn't having any problems hitting it down the fairway. My yardage was in the 270ish range and ball flight was good. However, after recently changing out my 3 wood - another Ping i15 - I found that the shaft and overall swing weight was heavier than current models. What I previously fitted into was due to the technology available at the time. In order to produce lower spin and trajectory, the earlier recommendation was heavier shafts. With newer technology in the club face, all that has changed. So, I decided to give my driver a comparison test. As with my 3 wood, my swing speed was 5 mph slower compared to newer drivers - launch and carry were also both lower - ball speed increased. I walked out with a black R1. : ) To answer your question, "when do you upgrade your driver?"... When you can prove the technology in your current model is lagging behind newer models. For me, proof is in the numbers. If you're open to other manufacturers, I suggest taking your driver into a local shop where you can compare the performance of several offerings. If there is no marked improvement, then you know what to do. Good luck and enjoy.

absolutely! It's been a long time since I played competition golf. I will look to make my weekend rounds more competitive to challenge my game and get back the mental aspect of how to play in stressful situations. To add more to the story, I am so new at this club and haven't fully established my handi, the club entered me as a 7! I was playing more like a 17. Oh well, it's a new day and time to move forward.

Thanks for all the great advice. I will certainly take note of them all in the future. I am very methodical on the course and stayed in my pre-shot routine with every bad shot. LOL. My swing thought is "make the turn". It worked well for tee shots and other fw's, but clearly not my irons. I can't recall, but would bet the tension level in those iron shots skyrocketed and my grip pressure unknowingly increased. However, with each of those shots, my last thought was swing smooth. I think a lot of those swings were more arms, less body and thus, shank'u'verymuch. To add to the mental challenge, this is a fairly new course for me. I am still trying to get mentally comfortable with various approach shots. Lots more water than I'm used to and the greens are pretty small. The slope rating from the mens tees is 130. My old home course is a 116. Big difference! Thanks again. I plan to seek professional advice this week and will continue the journey to conquer the swing.

Not sure about my grip pressure, but my blood pressure was pretty high!!!

I'm not talking about a blow up hole. I think or feel I flat out choked on the course. In my defense, I haven't played competitive golf in over 2 years, so this was a test. However, to shoot 80 on a friendly weekend round and then shanking SW's is pretty discouraging. I made par from some improbable spots, but to be looking at the green from 150 and in all day, I expect to be throwing a few darts... I guess it goes back to bringing the driving range swing onto the course.

I posted BALL STRIKING. I feel pretty confident off the tee and with a hybrid, but I am having a rough go lately with any iron. However, as another posted said, the mental game seems to be the cause of my poor ball striking on the course. I can sit on the range and stripe iron after iron. A regular "range pro", but on the course the nerves take over and bad habits show up. What to do?

So I played in my club's member-member tourney this weekend and played absolutely horrible. My worst rounds ever and today it got even worse - I shanked nearly every iron shot I hit! On the range I have no problems. Off the tee, I was hitting lasers down the fairway. I had 8i or less in my hands all day and couldn't execute the second shot. A few times, I would re-hit from the same spot and then nail the shot. I can only assume this is nerve related and totally mental. Question is, how do I overcome the mental block? I am planning a lesson for this upcoming week. I have to check the direction of my swing. This was a confidence buster!

There are so many professional swings I'd like to emulate. Adam Scott came to mind first. I can't deny that I like the robotic perfectness of his swing. However, I'm a rhythmic swinger and have always liked D Love III. 10 years ago, his swing was one of the best on tour. Luke Donald is another fluid swinger and his balanced finish is picturesque. Lastly, the Big Easy, as well as Retief Goosen, have powerfully smooth swings. So many to chose from. I haven't seen anyone voting for TW, but if you look at his swing back in 1997 before he started messing with perfection - I'd take the TW swing from back then. It was simple, powerful and delivered the results by which he is regarded today. FWIW, I don't like Tiger and don't like his current swing.

Bought my 3 wood today! I went in to my local Edwin Watts and hit the Callaway X hot, X Hot Pro, TM Rblz Stage 2 and Stage 2 Tour. I compared all these to my existing i15 3 wood. First, I concluded that not all monitors are the same. This monitor clocked my swing speed 5 mph faster than another local golf store. According to the EW store monitor, I was swinging my Ping 90 mph. I swung the TM 95-97 mph! That's quite a difference from the 85mph recorded at the other store. Anyway, for those looking, I strongly suggest testing as many different clubs as possible. I didn't like the feel of the Callaway X Hot. The X Hot Pro felt a little better and I produced decent results. The TM Stage 2 Tour was too flat - 13* - but is adjustable. I didn't ask the guy to adjust the loft because I was smashing the TM Stage 2 15*. The sound difference between these two clubs is easily noticeable. Depending on what you like, the Callaway is a low thud, while the TM produces a higher pitched ping/crack noise. Personally, I liked the feel of the flex in the TM shaft better than the Project X Stiff in the Callaway. Both Pro models had 10 gram heavier shafts and that did slow my swing speed by 2-4 mph. In the end, I was most consistent with the TM Rocketballz Stage 2 with Stiff shaft. I don't know anything about the "Rocketfuel" Matrix shaft, but it works with my swing. The club sets up very square for me and the white head isn't as awkward as I feared. I consistently hit it 220 + and clocked 95mph + swing speeds. I am playing in a golf tournament this weekend and can't wait to bring this club to the course. I post some reports after this club has hit the course a few times. Thanks for the feedback. amac

+1 on H4. I just purchased a set of MP64's and added the H4 4i. The sole is fairly wide/large and gets progressively smaller with shorter irons. These would blend in perfectly with your set.

Good info. I saw you post similar clubs in another thread. My local shop is suggesting the X Hot's. In your assessment, are all X Hot's generally longer than Stage 2 Tour, or is there a specific model you're referencing? The Tour Edge Exotic's seem pricey. I like last year's model for the price break. Soo many blowout sales right now, makes me think new clubs are on the way.

Thinking more about position off the tee and it's what I hit on shorter P4's. Ten more yards = one LESS club! 17 more yards would be a club and a half. I am looking at the Stage 2 Tour. Is that what you hit?

On the course, I'd say it rolls out about 225-230ish. The launch monitor clocked chs at 85 with my 3w and 90 with the Speedline. The monitor was set up for a driver, so I'm not sure how that would affect accuracy. I'd like to see 240 with my 3w. : )

Last weekend I swung an Adams SpeedLine 3W and then compared it to my i15 3w. I consistenly swung the Adams 5mph faster. The launch monitor showed between 10-15 yards more carry. I didn't feel 100% comfortable with the shaft flex and or setup of the club. But, fast swing speed and further launch can't be overlooked. I need all the xtra yards I can get! I didn't purchase that club, but it has me looking. I don't trade out clubs frequently, but I am assuming technology over the last 2-3 years has improved club head speed and increased distance of drivers and fairway woods. So, is an upgrade imminent? I am considering Calaway and Taylormade 3W's and am wondering what others would recommend? Is the Taylormade Rblz Stage2 Tour the same thing as the Adams? Anyone have experience with the XHot? Open to suggestions. Thanks amac

I recently purchased new irons. There are a lot to choose from and some really great feeling clubs. As mentioned, be sure to hit as many as you can before making that final decision. As for me, I put my vote in for the Mizuno's - MP64. I've played Titleist for the last 8 or so years and wanted a new look. I hear the AP2's are really good, but nobody forge's a club to feel and sound as good as Mizuno. I don't swing 3i and added Mizuno's H4 4i to my set. It's a great compliment and makes swinging a long iron very easy. Good luck and have fun shopping around.

My routine is pretty methodical. As another poster stated, while I'm standing behind the ball picking out my line and targer area, I take a couple of loose swings to release tension. I step in, check alignment and let it fly. I do find that when I play with strangers and or in competition, I speed up my routine. I get self-conscious about the time it takes and or what the other golfers think about the time I'm taking. The problem is, this usually ends up in a faster tempo and poor swings. Do you just tell yourself to ignore what others may think and play your game?

I'm glad to hear the putter is working out for you. Anything that gives you confidence is a major plus in the game of golf. I played over the weekend with my father and a couple of his friends. Their putting was so bad, I had to look away when they were putting. It started with their aim being off and then their stroke compensated for bad aim. Some went in, but most missed. So, my point is whether an Edel putter can take a bad stroke and make it better? My assumption of the answer is if you have the confidence that your putter is truely aiming at the hole/line, you will make a better stroke. However, that's a far stretch from what I witnessed over the weekend. Yikes! On the other hand, I had 29 putts and made 8 one putts. I work hard on alignment and making a stroke down the line, not towards the hole. I am definitely open to having my stroke, alignment and choice of putters evaluated. If there is a better setup for my game, then I'm all in. Thanks and enjoy your putter! : )

Really great read and thread here. I have a couple of questions. I, like some others here, feel as though I'm a pretty good putter. I don't keep track of putts per round, but have multiple one putts - par savers. From what I've gathered, the folks that have done the Edel fitting realized they were aiming way off their intended target lines. My first question is, were you making putts BEFORE the Edel? If so, how? I saw where Tristan mentioned he's "almost got all the compensations out of his stroke". If this is the ultimate culprit - misalignment + compensation stroke, then wouldn't a putting lesson be a better place to start? A good teaching pro should be able to watch your setup, alignment and stroke and assist in getting your stroke on line. It seems to me people are looking to the arrow to fly straighter and not the Indian pulling the string of the bow. Thoughts? adam

John, I'm in Metairie and would be interested in a fitting. Is Ben still in Abita Springs? I'd love to make the drive up and check out this process. Let me know. Thanks adam