Young Golf Prodigy

Both of you are right!

Yea, I saw that you had high school golf as an occupation, looks like we're the young guns on the website. I'm 17 and I pay for about 20% of the equipment, usually replacement wedges and balls. I got the new irons for a Christmas present, the woods for my birthday, and bought the wedge and putter myself. Can't complain with anything except the driver shaft though. Bag's looking awfully PING-ish. If I try a PING wedge better than a Vokey Spin-milled, I might have to get sponsored! As far as the shaft goes that looks like a great budget shaft and I have heard great things about it. I'll probably demo that and the whiteboard if I feel like going crazy with the money. Thanks for the help!

Ok, so I have been probably a 112-114 swing speed guy for about 2-3 years, being a teenager, but I bought a Rapture driver looking for a nice, cheap upgrade, knowing that I would eventually put a nicer shaft in. I have looked around, but finding the right fit for my needs within a budget (at my age) is tough, and the distance that I have lost from this switch is demoralizing. The shaft is the stock TFC stiff that came with the driver. Here are my issues, I hope that someone can help! Problems: Last year i averaged about 280-285 with my driver, a Callaway X. Now, I am averaging about 245-255. Currently, my ballflight is high to skyhigh at times, even when I pure the ball trying to hit it low. I am obviously putting a ton of spin on the ball because the ball either rolls 4 feet or spins backwards (*sigh* it's a driver). My budget is most likely $150. What I have done: I have researched the TFC to see if it launches high, and the use of such words as "optimal launch conditions" by PING leads me to believe it does. Looked for lower launching shafts such as Aldila VS Proto and NV as well as the Diamana Whiteboard. Does anyone have experience with any of these problems with the TFC? And if you have hit the Whiteboard or Aldila shafts in a driver and could make a recommendation, your help would be appreciated. If any more information is needed, I can happily cooperate.

A few of my friends and I went to the Bridgestone Invitational two years ago like we do every year, but we got to go an extra day on Wednesday for free. We caught Philly Mick finishing up his practice round and we got our picture taken with him. He's really a classy guy, but it's hard for them to be open during a tournament like that.

NO! Don't hit it! Questions about it. 1. Is this the shaft you bought the club with? 2. Who is the maker of the club? 3. Have you called them yet? This happened to me with a Callaway X Hot 3w and I had it replaced in less than a week, so don't fret.

Interesting, because I am having this issue at the moment as well. I switched from my old Cobra irons to MP-52s, going from 170 with a 7 iron to a 155. Unfortunately, I have not been to GolfTec to frequency test the shafts, but even with my handicap and consistently shooting around 72 or 73 at my home course, something just isn't right.

Got in a quick nine before dinner. Started par-birdie-birdie and ruined the round with a double on the seventh. Shot a 36. I drove the ball like a champion, but the greens were airated, so putting was really inconsistent. I had 15 putts, so not a bad round overall.

No, no no! He has not gone back to his old ways. He is recovering an ankle injury, and that aside from an arm or back injury can be brutal. It's a shame to see him playing poorly, driving and putting are struggles right now and he never seems to struggle with the driver. He's young and really hasn't dealt with the struggling game and getting back from it thing. I agree he should be taking it more seriously, but the "old ways" were more serious than horseback riding (?) and surfing. Good luck, Anthony, we want you back!

It has been really distracting and I rolled my eyes a couple of times, but I am just trying to watch the golf. I love to hear him talk, but you are right, we don't need to beat a dead horse on the histrionics.

Shot 75 today with some brutal wind. It was the first round outside this year and I felt good enough to shoot under par. I started birdie, but my driver was off all day. The callaway has been ok, but I am looking to invest in some new woods. The Mizunos I have labeled for irons just came in today, so hopefully I can play a round with them tomorrow! :)

I would say that Ogilvy will be a real contender, but his style of play fits open-ish, straight shot golf courses. He could be hot coming into Augusta, but a win isn't likely. He is more fit to win the US Open this year, as every year, hitting it long, straight, and high in the air. My Dark Horse: Paul Casey. When he is hot, he's hot. The match play showed that he doesn't blow up on many holes and can go low, but he has been inconsistent on the PGA Tour. He has very solid finishes the last two years at T11 and T10. Contenders: My contenders are three very solid guys and really they could fit the Dark Horse in many ways. My first is Brandt Snedeker. Awesome in all majors last year and a really sad story about losing it on Sunday last year. Gotta root for him. Justin Rose has been a favorite player of mine, but his game really suffered last year with injury. He is always fun to watch, but he needs to play well to win come Sunday. Last, of course, is Philly Mick. If he can play with any sort of consistency, it's his. He has the talent, but he has to be consistent, and with his ridiculous 9 of last 10 top ten's and 6 of 10 top 5 he is the only man to beat... *Winner*: Tiger Woods (?) The man is the best golfer to walk the face of the earth. It you doubt him, you will fail. Let's see, he has won it 4 times, 3 of the last 10 times and has only finished outside of the top 5 twice in those years because of "off years." This week at Doral will set the tone going into Augusta, but if he wins and regains the confidence he has always had, there is no doubt who will win this year. Welcome back, Tiger, welcome back.

Yes he can! I have the faith!

Thanks for providing all the necessary evidence in proving you wrong. Tiger was in every one of those events that he won, minus the Mercedes, which he won wire to wire by playing some clutch golf like his eagle to save his front nine and five birdies down the stretch. As far as the major, no one ever talks about Paul Lawrie or even Paddy H two years ago (by now we know it wasn't a fluke). He shot the equivalent of a 66 to beat McIlroy and probably a 65/69 to beat Casey. He was no slouch for five days, not four. Plus he is the only multiple winner so far this year. Over-rated? Not at all. Reaching his potential. You bet.

Safe to say that after nearly blowing a lead and winning by the skin of his teeth, no, Tiger will not be seeing a Phily Mick upset, ever.

Exactly, something about this kid screams incredible talent. And yea, after the US amateur he talked about how his mom would lecture him about his swing when he was winning matches 5&4. I think that there is something about how he trains. And yea, he beat a lot of great players, albeit Kim is recovering an injury, Monty can't play for beans anymore, and Poulter and Casey are always second page players