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Everything posted by Donald MacKenzie
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New arrivals from Titleist
Donald MacKenzie replied to Donald MacKenzie's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
I'm working on a formal review of the Circa 62 No. 3 that will be in the site in a couple weeks. But a couple other thoughts as I keep working with it... 1. The putters only come in 35" models. I much prefer 34", but I wouldn't want to cut the shaft down and mess with the weight/balance of the putter. So I've been choking down an inch or so and that's working out fine. But I'd love a 34" version with a heavier head weight. 2. This is the putter equivalent of a forged blade. No high MOI, no elaborate weight schemes. Hit it on the sweet spot, get great feel and results. Miss it on the toe or heel, lose distance and get a clanky feel. If you're one of those people who thinks a less-forgiving club can help you hone your stroke (at the expense of short-term results), this is a putter for you. 3. The gun-blue finish takes a little more care than I'd prefer, but it looks great. This is the best-looking putter I've ever used, and it makes me smile every time I take it out of the bag. I know Scotty's custom shop can put a Pro Platinum finish on it that wouldn't require any care on my part, but that would completely change the look of the putter. (I think Geoff Ogilvy or one of the other young studs is using a Pro Plat version of the No. 3.) -
Heel-Shafted Mallets and Alignment Lines
Donald MacKenzie replied to iacas's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
I do think some designers intend to have a club play a certain way by engineering small details, like a sightline not being 90° to the target line (though I'd find that pretty annoying). I asked someone from a club manufacturer once why a certain set of irons set up a particular way, and it was to encourage a forward press at address, as his research showed that making a forward press with irons/wedges helped eliminate casting/breaking the wrists. Remember, any club that's not custom fit/custom made is designed for a general audience. Maybe most golfers could do with a forward press in their putting setup. It would just be for pushing/pulling putts. It could also be that a forward press helps keep from adding loft/backspin at impact. OR ... they could just be manufacturing problems. The alignment lines were meant to be square, but by the time the tooling was done, molds were made and product rolled off the line in China, things had shifted a bit. I'll be that if you had 10 of any putter from a big OEM, you could find 1-2 that was off a bit from spec. As the Replacements sang, "I suppose your guess/is more or less/as bad as mine." -
Heel-Shafted Mallets and Alignment Lines
Donald MacKenzie replied to iacas's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
Hmm. I think manufacturers are making alignment marks on drivers/fairway woods/hybrids point a little left at address (to account for toe droop and lag at impact, what Callaway used to call "dynamic address position"). But putters, I don't think there's a movement afoot to encourage a certain swing path. Aren't the mallets you refer to both face-balanced? That's a design that works with a "swinging gate" stroke, but is optimal for a back-and-through "square to square" stroke. I'd guess the faces seem a little closed because the manufacturer/designer wants to encourage a forward press to keep the stroke from getting wristy. That's my thought on the matter. Your mileage may vary. -
Taylormad R5 XL ~ SWEET?
Donald MacKenzie replied to sungho_kr's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
It's a Dick's exclusive line, just like the current Maxfli clubs. Dick's has been pretty good at getting exclusive deals from OEMs the last couple years, but it's been mostly things like bags. Now they clearly have some sort of exclusive club deal with TaylorMade/Maxfli to go along with their house brand (Walter Hagen). The other OEMs like Callaway, Nike, etc. can't be happy, since there are now many lower-priced options for shoppers at Dick's. [sidebar: In a conversation about sporting goods stores, my brother-in-law once dreamily said, "I just love Dick's." We've never let him hear the end of it.] -
Wanted "hot" 3 wood...
Donald MacKenzie replied to cape cod beachfront golfer's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
The hottest 3-woods I've hit in the last couple years are the Tour Edge Exotics and the MacGregor MACTEC. Both have pretty similar design, with titanium faces and steel bodies. Both are close to driver distance for most people (you don't have to have tour-player swing speed to hit them a long way). The MACTEC is a little too shallow-faced for me, especially since I like to use my 3-wood off the tee on shorter par-4s. But off the deck, the MACTEC really goes. The Tour Edge has a bit deeper face and is better for hitting off the tee. That said, I'm still partial to Callaway 3-woods. I have the new X 3-wood and really like it so far. In my first round with it, I almost drove a downhill par-4 with it (325-yard hole, hit it to the front fringe, easy birdie). That was atypical for distance, but it's good for 250-260 off the tee and 235 off the deck. And if you can find an old Steelhead Plus 3-wood or Strong 4-wood in good shape, they're still my all-time favorites. Put the shaft of your choice in one and you're got a fairway wood that will hang with just about anything. -
TaylorMade TP Black First Impressions
Donald MacKenzie replied to iacas's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
Erik: Any distance difference off the driver between the Red and Black? How about distance off the irons? -
Odyssey Tri-Ball SRT Putter: First look
Donald MacKenzie replied to Donald MacKenzie's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
Quick update: Took the Tri-Ball out for a quick 9 holes on a biz trip to Florida (got to play the back 9 of the Quarry course at Black Diamond: Wow!). Had a weird time on the greens with the Tri-Ball. The putts I expected to struggle with (longer putts) were no trouble. I had 3-4 putts of 25-30 feet with considerable break, and each one I lagged to within 3 feet. But...the putts I expected to make (6 feet and in) with were a struggle with the Tri-Ball. Don't know why, but I lipped out 3-4 short ones. I was a bit uncomfortable over the ball with this putter. Maybe it's because the head's so big. Have to play a few more rounds before forming more of an opinion, but it was an odd first outing for the Tri-Ball. -
callaway x14 pro series?
Donald MacKenzie replied to Cobra-SSI's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
The X-14 Pro Series is a great set of irons. A lot of people think the X-14s are the best of the Callaway X-series irons, and the tour players who used the Pro Series version were very slow to change (I think Annika never did switch to the X-16s, keeping her X-14PS in the bag until the X-Tours/X-18s came out). I've played all the Callaway X irons from the first (X-9 were the original Big Bertha irons, X-10 the redesigned Big Berthas in 1996, then the X code names went public with the X-12s in 1998). I think it's a toss-up between the X-12 and X-14 irons as to which is better (X-12: more forgiving, longer; X-14: more solid-feeling, better looking). The X-14PS is great. Easy to hit, but lower offset so you can work the ball a bit easier. A real "players" cavity back. If you are a decent iron player, you can handle these. -
Played a quick 9 on Saturday at Deer Ridge Golf Club in Belleville, Ohio. A pretty cool little course if you're ever in the area. Some great driving holes, including a downhill 450-yarder with an 80-foot drop from the back tee to the fairway. Hit the ball well off the tee, but was horrible with the irons. Last round with the 775.CBs in the bag for a while. A little too much draw bias for me right now, as nearlyeverything went left or long on approach shots. As it was, I hit 6/7 fairways and had to scramble to shoot 45. OUCH.
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New arrivals from Titleist
Donald MacKenzie replied to Donald MacKenzie's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
I'm just back from a four-round golf trip, where I used the 775.CB irons and the Circa 62 #3 putter for every round. My quick impressions: Irons: Solid. A good setup for someone who is a decent ball-striker from the mid-irons down to wedges, but needs some extra help with the long irons. The 3-4-5 irons with the channel-back design and extra offset are very easy to hit and quite forgiving. The short irons are much more traditional-looking at address, and they are as versatile as I need them to be. I didn't have any trouble keeping the ball low under the wind with them. Color me impressed. Putter: Love the look and the feel. But the putter doesn't love me so far. I made a 10-footer for birdie in my last round of the trip, and that was the only putt I made over 6 feet. I'm going to say it was the indian and not the arrow, but I'm going to give the Circa 62 a break and try it again in a few weeks. The putter did draw a lot of attention from people wanting to look at it and try it. -
Nothing (other than short-term product testing) could move the Sonartec Md 21° hybrid out of my bag. No other hybrid I've hit comes close for distance, trajectory, forgiveness, feel, etc. It just looks "right" to me at address, and I can't imagine going back to a 7-wood at this point. Also, the Md is the club I'd choose for a one-club tournament. 225 off the tee, easy to hit little punch shots of varying distances, and good for chipping and even putting from the fringe. Great poll question!
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Odyssey Tri-Ball SRT Putter: First look
Donald MacKenzie replied to Donald MacKenzie's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
Jack: It's a White Steel model, so it has the white urethane insert with a milled stainless steel insert in the center (supposed to provide both softness and distance control). It seems softer to me than other White Steel models I've tried, probably because the body of the putter is aluminum and not stainless steel. -
Tifosi vs PeakVision sunglasses
Donald MacKenzie replied to iowa_hacker's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
The review of the Tifosi shades is now live: http://thesandtrap.com/archives/appa...sunglasses.php Now that I've used them for a while, I'd have to say I prefer the Tifosi shades vs. PeakVision. Not that PeakVision isn't a good product. But Tifosis are less expensive, I like the styles better, and they're more versatile for off-course use. -
Odyssey Tri-Ball SRT Putter: First look
Donald MacKenzie replied to Donald MacKenzie's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
I don't know the exact weight of the head, but the putter feels the same weight as the standard 2-Ball models that are in the pictures. It feels light because the head is so large, you just expect it to be heavy, yet it isn't. This must be why they used aluminum (lighter) instead of steel (heavier) for the body of the putter. When I demoed the putter in Orlando earlier this year, I liked how light it felt, as it seemed to give me good distance control. -
Just got my new Odyssey White Steel Tri-Ball SRT (whew, that's a mouthful) via UPS. I've attached some (blurry) pix so you can check it out. For as weird as it looks, this thing feels just perfect in my hands. I just wish it made a light-saber sound as I moved it around. It's such a futuristic head that I expect some special effects when I use it. Note from the pictures: 1. How much longer the head is from heel to toe compared with a White Steel 2-Ball putter. Massive. 2. How much darker the aluminum head is than the stainless steel of the White Steel version. It looks almost like the darker DFX version (pictured in the address photo) 3. There are holes milled through the center of the body, one under each "ball." The fit/finish of the putter are great. The CNC milling really gives it a feeling of high-tech quality, and I love the dark aluminum of the body. Oh, and I think I could use the headcover as a spare tire if I needed to.
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New arrivals from Titleist
Donald MacKenzie replied to Donald MacKenzie's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
I only played 6 holes with the irons at the TaylorMade golf ball launch, so I don't have a good feel for the 775.CBs yet. I'll be playing a few times next week, and that will give me a better idea. From those 6 holes, I hit one shot I was very happy with. There was a 175-yard par-3 playing dead into a pretty fresh breeze. I choked down on the 5-iron and played a 3/4 punch under the wind. It worked out exactly as I wanted. Since the 3-4-5 irons have so much offset and a very low CG, I was afraid that kind of shot would be hard to pull off, but it worked great. My other quick impression is that the clubs feel good at impact even though they are forged stainless steel, not forged carbon steel. There were complaints about the feel of the 704 and 822 forged stainless irons last year, but I like the feel of the 775.CBs (though not as soft as my 690.CBs, of course!). More feedback after next week. (And I really like the Circa 62, too.) -
Erik and I had a brief chance (only six holes, due to travel schedules) to play with the new TaylorMade TP Red golf ball yesterday at Reynolds Plantation. This is by no means a full review, but here are my first impressions of the ball: This is a good ball. It is definitely in the same league as the Pro V1 and the HX Tour 56. Until I test it head-to-head with those balls, I can't say which is better for me. But the TP Red feels as soft off the putter/wedges as those balls, and I was happy with the performance. The TP Red appears to be durable. I played one ball for the six holes we were on the course and there are only a couple very minor scuffs despite hitting full wedge shots (and a very sturdy pine tree branch). The feedback from the club professionals who tried the ball was very positive. One pro who has been on TM's staff for a couple years was excited about taking the ball home for his members to try. They liked the trajectory and distance the ball gave them. We didn't get to try the TP Black, but should have some review samples in a few weeks. But I can say the TP Red is deserving of a place among the best tour-caliber balls on the market. I'm sure Erik will weigh in with his opinions, too. If you have any specific questions, post them and we can try to answer them.
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Wanted: New Writer for The Bag Drop
Donald MacKenzie posted a topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
Are you a golf equipment nut? The type of gearhead who is on the cutting edge of the latest clubs and balls? If you are, and you like to write, I have one more question for you: Would you like to join the staff of The Sand Trap and write The Bag Drop, our weekly equipment feature? I started The Bag Drop last summer, and I’ve enjoyed writing it and getting great feedback from fellow golfers and golf industry folks. My travel schedule is about to get much busier, however, and I won’t have time to give The Bag Drop the attention it deserves. I’ll still be a part of The Sand Trap staff, popping in with a review or a story when I have the chance. But you’ll be in charge of The Bag Drop, which is a lot of fun to write What do you need to write The Bag Drop? How about : 1. A strong knowledge of golf equipment, including current and recent products 2. A good source of information on new golf equipment 3. The opportunity and ability to demo new products so you know what they’re all about 4. An hour or two each week to turn your ideas into a story, and the writing skills to make it a good read. Ideally, you work in a golf shop (with good relationships with sales reps) or are a range rat (with a good relationship with golf shop employees or a golf pro who knows his equipment) so you have a pipeline direct to the latest equipment news. Interested? Respond to this thread or drop Erik an email at erik(at)thesandtrap.com. Include your name, qualifications and a couple ideas for Bag Drop stories. We’ll be in touch. -
New arrivals from Titleist
Donald MacKenzie replied to Donald MacKenzie's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
I really like the way the short irons look in the 775.CB set. Very much like a slightly larger version of the 690/695.CB in terms of head shape, and they don't look like they have too much offset. The 775.CBs could end up being a very good iron for me--a decent ball-striker who doesn't have enough time to practice like I should. So I'll get extra forgiveness out of the aggressive offset and multimaterial construction of the 775 long irons, and still have short irons that I can feel precise with. That's the theory, anyway. Looking forward to putting it to the test this weekend. As for the Circa 62, I find myself drawn to it. Every time I've been in the proximity of my golf bag the last few days, I've had to stop and roll a few putts on the carpet and admire Scotty's work. Like the irons, can't wait to see how the putter works out on the course. I'll post some pics later if I get the chance (had some technical difficulties this weekend). -
New arrivals from Titleist
Donald MacKenzie replied to Donald MacKenzie's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
I ordered standard loft/lie/length with True Temper Dynamic Gold R300 shafts. I hear good things about the NS Pro shafts, though. -
Randy: I put the 21-degree Sonartec Md in my bag about a year ago in place of a 7-wood. I kept my 3-iron for a month or so until I noticed the same thing you did in your range session: the Md does the job better. So for me, the Md gives me the distance and ease of use of a 7-wood with the trajectory and accuracy of a 3-iron. Nice combination. I also find it very handy for scrambling: low punch shots under tree limbs, hitting low punch shots into the wind, even using it like a putter from off the green. Very versatile. I haven't contemplated dropping my 4- or 5-irons yet, because I hit them fairly well. But I tended to only hit my 3-iron a few yards farther than my 4-iron, and my Md is longer (4-iron: 200; 3-iron: 205-210; Md: 220 yards). I know a couple people who don't carry an iron above a 5-iron, and one long-time golfer I know has an assortment of woods and hybrids and no iron longer than a 6-iron. Trial and error will help you discover where you get more benefit from a hybrid than from an iron. For me, the line is the 3-iron, so the 4-iron stays in the bag. But your mileage may differ. Good luck finding out, and let us know what you decide.
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UHPilot: You went from the ISI wood driver to an X460 Tour? That's got to be the biggest jump in size I've ever seen someone make in a single driver change! The ISI was around 210cc, I believe. You're playing a driver more than double the size! How's it treating you?
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Clear Covers (Noodles, MoJos etc)
Donald MacKenzie replied to Deep Stuff's topic in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting
I'd use 'em for early-year rounds when the ground is muddy and I want a firm 2-piece ball that's going to carry a long way. But yes, they are a marketing gimmick. They aren't bad balls, but at the end of the day they are 2-piece distance balls. The clear cover doesn't help performance (or hurt it). Res ipsa loquitor. -
I arrived home yesterday to the lovely sight of two Titleist boxes at my house. Inside were a set (3-PW) of 775.CB irons and a Circa 62 #3 putter. I'll post an unboxing picture of the putter later, but for now, here are my very initial impressions: 775.CB irons: The photos on the Titleist website don't do justice to how cool the cavities of these irons look. The 3-4-5 irons have the red aluminum stabilizer bar, and the deep red color is much more attractive up close than on a computer screen. A nice change from everything being either blue or yellow these days. The shorter irons all have a very thin line of red paint fill across the center of the cavity that also looks nice. But I really like the circular mill marks in the cavities. In the online photos, this part of the club looks a bit chintzy, but in person it looks very high-tech and powerful. I really like the square look of the clubheads, with the high, square toe. I also like the sole, which is wider at the toe and narrower at the heel. Reminds me of my old DCI Gold irons. The long irons do appear to have a ton of offset, but I think the high heel of the design makes it look more pronounced than it is. But a player looking at the 660s or 695s is not going to be interested in the 775.CBs. That's not a bad thing. I'm looking forward to hitting these, as they could be the most compelling game-improvement irons from Titleist since the aforementioned DCI Gold irons. Circa 62 #3: It's a beautiful Scotty Cameron putter. Look, you already have an opinion on Cameron putters, so you know how you're going to feel about this putter. If you're anti-Scotty, you're going to say it's a TP Mills knockoff. And yes, it is cut from that cloth. But it is a great-looking putter that has a nice, crisp feeling (with HX Tour golf balls on my practice putting turf). And in the massive MOI mallet world that we live in, I feel very comfortable with a compact blade like this. The headcover is a cool muted yellow leather (with the "pivot tool" in a similar gunblued finish to the putter). The leather grip has the stitching on the bottom, which serves as a cool reminder for your hands. But I've gotten used to the tacky feel of Winn putter grips, and the leather is a bit slick (that'll change after a few rounds, I'm sure). A yellow cloth with oil on it is included, along with a sheet of care instructions. Questions? Ask me and I'll try to answer them as I test these new toys out before I write reviews. And I'll try to post some pics later today.
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Happy B-day! I just sent you an e-mail where I estimated your age at 25. You're aging gracefully.... Your birthday is a great time to remind everyone of the importance of being on the organ donation registry. And I would add that being on the bone marrow registry is also something that could save lives. Do it for Erik!