manninm

I always club up...I guess I've never had a problem taking a little off my irons. The one thing I don't do, however, is swing softer - I always choke down and shorten my swing. I was finding the 80-95 yard distance tough. 80 is a three quarter 60 degree for me and I find any harder of a swing and the ball goes too high. I'd rather hit a low 54 degree that bounces once and stops. It took me going out to the short game range and hitting shot after shot, but I finally nailed down those distances.

I personally think the comment was a crack at Faldo's size. But I can see your argument with regards to misinformation. I too am a proponent of custom fitting - I think that anyone who wants to improve should have custom fit clubs.

Welcome to another USGA event. Remember the 18th green at Olympic Club? The USGA is known for making their events the toughest in golf. Sometimes they go a little overboard. I do have to say they're getting better. Torrey could've been MUCH tougher. I thought they made it a very fair test of one's game.

Didn't see the show on Tuesday, but I too am glad to see Lori gone. I thought her game wasn't up to snuff and she clearly used "mind games" to get as far as she did. I think she's had enough chances. Perhaps next year if Lori is back next year they can change the title from Big Break to Semi-Regular Break.

It's crossed my mind a couple times post-college and when I talked it over with those more experienced, they're indication was that a) I'd need 6-12 months to prepare for such an endeavor (this is back when i was a +) and b) even with that practice the chances aren't great. It's a commonly perceived notion that the difference between a touring pro and a scratch golfer is the same difference between a scratch golfer and an 18 handicap. The amount of time, practice and general skill it would take for an 18 handicap to get down to scratch is similar to that of a scratch golfer being prepared for a run at the tour. I don't mean to rain on anybody's parade. If you think you can do for it, then go for it. Just be prepared on what you have to do to be competitive. P.S. When I was 18 (0.6 index) I played Sandpiper in Santa Barbara a couple weeks after it hosted Q-School. I shot 83. Made it real clear what I had to do to reach that level.

I manage 3 commercial properties. Doesn't afford me too much time to golf, but it's not bad!

it's in between clubs for me, but up here in the northeast with our high humidity and low temps I'm hitting a 5 iron. If I'm in Vegas (and I am a lot) I'm probably hitting a gap wedge

It seems like a lot of people are getting on the hybrid bandwagon, and I don't blame them. It seems like they're more forgiving and certainly you can hit them out of many different lies giving them versatility. However, I still cannot get away from my long irons, and I can't see myself replacing my fairway metal with a hyrbid either. I suppose I am giving myself a minor disadvantage in the longer rough, but I probably hit my 2 iron off the tee 3+ times a round (and in the fairway too). And it gives me control too, low ball flight with workability. I guess I value 3+ tee shots more than a shot or two out of the rough, and I couldn't see myself using a hybrid off the tee (unless it was a par 3). I guess it depends on what your game demands.

How about professionals who haven't had a million shots to make the tour (ahem...Lori)?

I don't think any of the girls on this show have any game. As for the 3 finalists, I dunno, I think Kim fell into the chicanery that Lori and Sophie have been pulling for the past few episodes. I have no doubt in my mind every move Lori made was to gain an advantage, simply because her game is weak. Sophie's game is a little more refined, but she clearly showed she could stoop to those low levels as well. Kim, the longest of them all, probably has the most game and that's not saying much. I'm definitely DVR'ing the Navistar classic this year to see how these girls stack up with real golfers.

81 at Beaver Island. It wasn't pretty. 25 MPH winds coming off the river certainly didn't help. Ball striking just wasn't there, although I could play a cut off the tee all day for some reason (I'm a natural draw). Really liked the way I battled, but 81 at an easy course like that doesn't cut it.

My favorite tournament is the Masters, and, actually, it's the only tournament I watch beginning to end. However, it's kinda funny, but I actually think the US Open is more fun to watch. I think it's the ability that tournament has to make these guys (especially Tiger) look human. It adds to the drama and certainly the competition as well.

I would say that it's way too early to be making this comparison. Certainly if Tiger's career ended now he'd be behind Jack and probably a couple others as well. That's the golf comparison. If you wanted to compare some other things, maybe overall game or overall impact, then Tiger would be ahead. But I think it's silly to say Tiger's the greatest ever at this stage.

3rd at Sheridan Park. Par 4, 420. I tug my drive into the trees...two large maples block my view to the green. Closed my eyes and hit a moonball 8 iron from 153 to 13 feet. If I did it 10 times, I'd probably hit the green twice. Make the snake of a putt for bird and I'm rolling.

I only played 12 holes yesterday, but I was 1 under for them, which is damn good considering I don't play that often anymore (my index is 1.7 but I probably play to a 6). Blasted my drive on 1 into the trees and tried to make a hero shot which just knicked a branch and came straight down. From there I parked a wedge to 4 feet, made par and rattled off two birds after that. The rest of the round was uneventful with 8 pars and a bogey.