Donald MacKenzie

My numbers are a bit skewed, since I've been in the golf business for more than 10 years (plenty of freebies). I have at least 20 putters in my basement, and have given away at least that many after one or two rounds. I agree with Erik. If your stroke stays pretty much the same, it shouldn't bother you much to switch putters. I think putting is about 90 percent mental, anyway. Sometimes, you just need to look at a different putter to get the ball rolling right. I keep coming back to my trusty Ping Scottsdale Anser as my mainstay. But I used four putters for multiple rounds this year, including an Odyssey Dual Force 338, an Odyssey White Steel 2-Ball and the MacGregor by Bobby Grace MOI-GT whatever-it's-called.

Hmmm. I conditionally agree with your point. The condition being, I think a mid-handicapper (10-15) who is going to take the time and effort (practice, lessons) to become a better player could show improvement using blades that are meant for a "better" player. But, take that same skill-level golfer and subtract the commitment to improve. Blades aren't going to do anything but make the game harder when he/she does play. I know you learned to play using fairly unforgiving irons. So did I. But I think that has to do more with drive to succeed and ability to learn. If you'd been gifted a set of Ping Eye2s, I think you'd still have turned into a pretty good stick. The more I see, the more I think that equipment is incredibly personal. Everyone's seen the poser with a $$$$ set of blades and the latest driver that can't break 100, and everyone's played with the guy using 7 clubs, including a chipper and a putter that looks like it came out of the barrell at Putt-Putt, who shot a smooth 74. The bottom line: Get fit. If Jeff's going to go to 690s (which are nice, but not very forgiving), he'll have the most success if he gets the right shaft installed. And, he'll also be able to ask the fitter if the 690s are really right for him. [All that said, the 690.CBs are such sweet-looking clubs that I wish I had the time to practice enough to feel confident with them! I enjoyed playing with them earlier this year, but my scores absolutely suffered. Maybe next year...]

She had much better penmanship than Towwy Arwour, er, Tommy Armour.

Erik, I'm with you on this one. It cracks me up to hear about the supposed driver-wedge monotony on tour. Uh, what about back in the Days Before Technology? It isn't like Jack and Arnie were bunting it 225 down the fairway before hitting 2-iron into every green. What's Arnie's signature moment? Driving the par-4 first green at the 1960 U.S. Open, 350 yards (at altitude, but still quite a poke). What was Jack known for? Big drives and clutch putts (see Woods, Tiger for similarities). Hogan, Snead, Watson, Hagen ... many of the top players through history have been long off the tee. Not everyone used to be Gene Sarazen and Paul Runyan. Would anyone really enjoy golf more if Tiger was hitting it 225 off the tee? Who cares? The game is won or lost on the greens. Could I field a screaming liner while playing third base for the Tigers? Possibly, but there's no way to really know. My co-ed softball league isn't really comparable. But can I stand on the 17th tee at Pebble Beach and try hitting a long iron into the wind? Yep. Do I expect that I would be hitting the same club as any touring pro? Nope. Would I expect a club pro or scratch amateur to play a course differently than I do? Of course. So when Tiger (or Dicky Pride, or anyone else) gets home in two on a 550-yard par-5 with driver/8-iron, I don't see that as monotony. I see that as a freak of nature being able to do something I could only do on my best day. And, golf being aspirational, it makes me want to grab my sticks and go see what I can do. One more thing about Shackleford's original point. He fails to deliniate between TV Golf and Real Golf. TV Golf is the PGA Tour, Champions Tour, LPGA Tour, et al. This is all about viewership, sponsorship and selling stuff on PGATour.com. Will a race-to-the-finish format help TV Golf? Will the style of play in vogue (smash and scrape) help or hurt ratings? We'll see. But Shackleford makes it sound like the future of Real Golf--what's played at munis and private courses every day by real golfers, often at the expense of watching golf on TV--is somehow in the balance. It isn't. Real golf is where more technology is welcome. The Tour? Whatever. I say the genie's out of the bottle, and rolling things back stagnates the game. But for the rest of us, don't use Tim Finchem's schedule and TV ratings to justify imposing even more equipment limitations.

My list, for your pickin' and choosin': Tiger roars back Phil's scorching start (especially Pebble Beach) and second major Jack loses a grandson, bows out of majors at St. Andrews USGA/R&A; move to limit MOI of drivers, golf ball distance The influx of young U.S. talent (Wie, Pressel, Creamer) in women's golf Horrible weather dogs the first few months of the PGA Tour schedule Vijay keeps winning despite bad putting Era of "smash and scrape" golf in full swing Els blows out his knee, misses PGA Championship and Presidents Cup Hybrids break through as big-time sales item at retail I might have some more later.

I agree on how much power she gets out of her swing. The big factor: She hits it flush EVERY TIME. I've watched dozens of tour players go through lengthy practice/equipment testing sessions. Annika and Monty were the only ones who essentially never made bad contact. Even ball-striking savants like Johnny Miller and Bruce Fleisher catch one a bit off every 20-30 swings. But Annika and Monty (back in 1998-2000, at least) hit it square on every swing. Monty doesn't always bring that precision to the course anymore, but Annika does. When she has a miscue, it is almost always because she pulled the wrong club or her alignment was off. When you can do that with the driver, you're going max out your distance. The reason she was shorter before was that she wasn't as strong and flexible, and her driver was fitted to accentuate accuracy (she never used a driver until she got on tour; she used a 3-wood all through her amateur/college days). Once she got comfortable mentally with the driver and got stronger physically ... shazam. As an aside, Callaway's fitting system captures the "efficiency" of each ball strike (complicated formula to show how distance/accuracy you get out of your swing speed/launch angle). Annika and Monty were among the best. The absolute best? Jim Colbert. Strange but true.

The depth of talent on the LPGA Tour is certainly less than on the PGA Tour, but I don't think that taints Annika's accomplishments one bit. Saying that Wie finished second in an event at age 15 is a bit like saying Tiger won the Masters in his first try as a pro. Doesn't really diminish the previous several decades of Masters champions, it simply signifies an amazing accomplishment by the youngster in each case. Anyone who has ever played competitively can appreciate how hard it is to win golf tournaments at any level, much less against the best players in the game. Annika's winning percentage over the last few years is simply amazing, especially for someone who once had a reputation as a bad putter and a poor closer. Pound for pound, Tiger's a much better player than Annika. But by the same standards, Annika's much better than just about anybody else out there on any tour. Tiger is the only one to match her work ethic and determination. Vijay is close. It's a small club, and Annika belongs. Plus, think of the transformation that Annika has made in the middle of her career. Through a year of hard work in the gym and on the practice range (and with the ball flight monitor), she went from averaging 230 off the tee to nearly 270. That was the year that Sports Illustrated (Alan Shipnuck, I believe) wrote that Annika was done as a factor, that her brand of "small ball" wouldn't play compared with the stronger games of Se Ri Pak and Karrie Webb. Oops.

Sounds like the same problem DiMarco had with his driver at the Masters, and many others have had. The quick-set epoxy used in many tour vans doesn't hold up as well as the stuff that is typically used at the factory. This is the downside for tour players who are constantly reshafting/tinkering, then expect to be able to go out and play with a club in a few minutes. It might hold for a while, but the long-term failure rate is much higher. Daly's case(s) strike me as odd, though. These are putters. Unless they are heating the hosel to bend the lie (and weakening the epoxy in the process), there isn't much reason for the epoxy to go bad. Nice pub for Dunlop, eh?

Unfortunately, the stupid keeps seeping back in (also called "equipment rules")...

I see plenty of clubs in the used bins that still have sales stickers on them from the initial sale. I think this is like leaving all the stickers on your computer/printer/digital camera. My parents do that, and it drives me nuts. Like you're going to suddenly need to look at your Windoze box and see that "Intel Inside" sticker for some reason... I don't like graphite shafts that have busy graphics, but they don't bother me much as long as they are confined to the top portion of the shaft, near the grip. But anything down toward the hosel makes me crazy, and that's where most of the stickers I see on shafts are. It would bug me to the extreme to leave them on.

I'll jump in at this late date to say that the Heavenwoods are an acquired taste. Or, rather, that they work well for some people but not everyone. I can't say what swing characteristics they work best with, but I seem to see "better players" have more luck with them than higher handicappers. I have a friend who plays to a 5 and has two of them in the bag. He uses them like deadly weapons, having replaced his 3-wood and 2-iron with them. This is likely why some of the tour pros have had success with them. They don't hit the ball overly high, and you can work the ball with them. They aren't especially point-and-shoot, and they aren't hook machines (like lots of hybrids). I, on the other hand, have never had trouble hitting a Callaway club. Until, that is, the Heavenwoods. They just don't work as well for me as some other hybrids (like my Sonartec Md). I'd take a Big Bertha FW of a comparable loft over a Heavenwood hybrid everyday. I think I do better with a more iron-like hybrid, and the Heavenwoods look like small woods to me. Different folks, different strokes.

I take off all the extraneous stickers that are put on as either a sales aid (like the stickers Cleveland and Callaway use to warn you that raw wedges will rust) or inventory aid (stickers with bar codes and prices). But I leave on the shaft bands, the stickers that display the flex of the shaft. If they start looking grody, then the Goo Gone comes out and I go commando.

Erik: Haven't hit the Black Gold, but I can offer some Rifle vs. DG thoughts. I've been back and forth between the two shafts for the last few years. Rifles have a unique feel. A bit like graphite, more springy than DG. Feelwise, DGs are Pro V1x and Rifles are Pro V1. Also, most of the really good players I've known over the last 5 or so years have gone to Rifles over DG. There were some consistency issues when the Rifles came out 10 years ago. But now they are very consistent, and there are plenty of options (standard, Tour Flighted, constant weight, Project X, etc). Fitted properly, they're both great shafts. I prefer the feel of the Rifles, and that's why I keep coming back to them. I also think Rifles perform better on half and 3/4 shots, but that is likely just perception on my part. So it's all about feel. I'd see if someone has a few irons with Rifles in an appropriate flex for you (to me, Rifle 5.5 = DGR300) and hit a bucket with 'em. You'll know if you like 'em or not pretty quick.

Someone earlier mentioned Aviara. It is a 3-wood down the street from La Costa. Quite pricey, but always in immaculate shape and it has a few knockout holes. The restaurant in the golf clubhouse (Argyle Room) has the best ahi sandwich in the world. I only played there a few times while I was out there, but mainly because I had friends who were members at La Costa which made it a much cheaper option. Aviara is also about 5 minutes away from Encinitas Ranch, which I mentioned before. And right by the water, so you can head up the Pacific Coast Highway into downtown Carlsbad and hit Cessy's taco shop for some greasy post-round grub. Ah, good times.

Nope, never heard of Oak Quarry. I've been gone from SoCal for almost years, so I'm not up on anything new (or much outside San Diego/OC). If you go out to Palm Springs, a course I've always wanted to play was the La Quinta resort Mountain Course. It is right next door to PGA West (and was owned by the same company, or might still be). La Quinta's a nice resort that has a couple courses. I covered a tournament on the Mountain Course once and thought it was one of the coolest layouts I'd seen. Several of the holes play right up against and around the so-called mountains. There's a par-5 where you can try to cut the corner over the rock, a downhill par-3 where you hit from one plateau to another. Pretty nifty stuff. I'm pretty sure it's open to the public. If I was going out there, I'd try to play the Weiskopf Course at PGA West, then head over to La Quinta. The San Diego options are good, too. I like the LA-to-SD drive better than LA-to-Palm Springs. More water, easier driving. As for the golf, apples and oranges. Either way, it beats not playing at all!

If you're looking for the Pacific Ocean experience south of LA, Pelican Hill is one of your best bets. Torrey Pines is on the bluffs, but isn't as close to the water as Pebble Beach. You do get the winds off the water, though, which is part of the experience (though you mentioned the work they're doing on the courses, and the fact that it's almost impossible to get on without buying a package through a tee-time reseller). A compromise in the north part of San Diego County would be Encinitas Ranch, a public 18-holer on the east side of the I-5 expressway. It has views of the water from something like 14 of the holes, and is close enough to get the ocean wind/breeze. I've played there several times, and it's a fun course. It can be kind of slow, though. It is easy to find, just off the I-5 only 10 mins. from the Carlsbad HQs of Callaway, TaylorMade, Titleist/Cobra, Ashworth, etc. It would make a great two-fer with Meadows Del Mar for a 36-hole day. Meadows Del Mar is more of a canyon course, with more of a target golf layout. Lots of elevation changes and cool views. In four years of living out there I felt like there were more golf courses than out east, but fewer good ones. I can think of dozens of courses in Orange County and San Diego, but only a couple I'd suggest playing. Go figure.

La Costa isn't bad, but it isn't worth the money they want for non-resort-guest play. And the "tournament course" you see on TV is parts of both 18s (North and South), so you'll only play some of the familiar holes depending upon which side is open for public play that day. Another 15 minutes south of that is Meadows Del Mar, a sweet Tom Fazio course. It's also pricey, but it is worth it. Very entertaining course, only a few years old. Worth the drive. If you decide to play there, let me know and I can suggest a second (cheaper) course in the area for your second 18. Further up the coast toward LA, Pelican Hill in Newport Beach is supposed to be great. I haven't played it (yet), but it has great views. Also pricey, but probably worth it.

Erik: What'd you think of Mystic Rock? I played there in 1997, when it was fairly new. I liked the older course there, too. I thought Mystic Rock was a bit contrived in spots, but was a fun 18. Nemacolin is an amazing resort. Hard to get to, but worth the trip. D

A quick follow-up, now that I've played a few more rounds with the HX Tour 56. I used the ball on a couple of courses I only play once a year on vacation, which gives me a good indication of how far I'm hitting the ball compared with the previous year. I was just as long this year as I was last year (using original HX Tour) and actually longer on a few holes. This obviously is influenced what clubs I'm using, how I'm swinging, etc. But on the whole, I'm very happy with how far the HX Tour 56 is going for me off the driver and irons. Where it is really making a difference is around the greens. I'm much sharper from 75 yards and in now, and that's making an impact on my scores. You can really put some tour sauce on the HX Tour 56 and make it stop where you want it.

S. Irons: I had surgery on my right wrist two years ago to alleviate persistent tendinitis, which could probably be attributed at least in part to hitting too many balls. I still have soreness in the area after I play, but other things (working in the yard, picking up my kids, etc.) are more troublesome than golf. I've tried some of the various copper/magnetic/ionized bracelets. I can't say they've really made a difference. Sorry. No magic bullet. What does make a difference is stretching the area and doing exercises to strengthen the wrist muscles. I had physical therapy on the area following my surgery, and was given several movements that do help. I would recommend seeing an orthopedist who specializes in wrist/hand stuff, and they should be able to point you in the right direction. I also have a splint that I wear for biking (a tough activity with wrist problems) that makes things a lot better. One other thing. A doctor friend suggests doing a higher-than-normal course of ibuprofen for a week to see if that helps this sort of pain/inflammation. When I get a flare-up, I take four Advils four times a day for a week. That's not enough to cause any damage, but certainly enough to kill a minor inflammation. If you still have pain after that, you'll definitely want to see a specialist. Hope this helps. D

Jeff: I know you have already put some new wedges in the bag, but let me give you one more potential set-up to think about. I use four wedges: PW/46, Gap/51, SW/54 and LW/58. The PW and Gap wedges are part of my iron set (Fusions) and the SW and LW are more traditional blades (in my signature). I use the PW only for full shots, 115-130 yards. My 51-degree wedge (an "approach wedge" in Callaway terms) I use for full and 3/4 shots, 115 yards and in. It has a pretty wide sole, and it is great for hitting chips and other short shots off tight lies around the green and off the fringe. The SW is good for 80-100 yard shots from the fairway, and is great for little punch shots too. It has enough bounce (10 degrees) to hit bunker shots, but a thin enough sole that it is also great at hitting delicate chips from the rough. And the LW has enough loft for flop shots, and enough bounce for short bunker shots. I can hit it from the fairway about 80 yards if I need to bring a shot in very high, but generally I only use this club around the green. I bring this all up just because that 51-degree gap wedge is my MVP. It gives me more confidence to hit certain shots with a perimeter-weighted wedge rather than a blade. I know there's a gap wedge available for your iron set, so if your new set-up doesn't work, perhaps you'd want to take a look at adding the gapper. I dropped my 3-iron because I never used it (thank you, Sonartec Md!), so I had room for the extra wedge. Otherwise, I'd probably go 46-51-58 with my wedges. As much as I love the 54-degree wedge I have in my bag now, I could get by without it. And there are some shots you simply need a lob wedge for in this day and age. Hope this doesn't confuse the issue. Just one more voice telling you to try something else! D

Let us know how you like it. (The FT-3, not your second kid!) I've used mine for about 10 rounds now and I love it. After fiddling around with a lot of other drivers earlier this year, it feels great to have a driver I have complete confidence in again.

Just back from a week's vacation, and my best two rounds of the season. Played last Monday at Pinecroft Golf Course in Beulah, MI and shot 79. On the third hole, I blocked my drive OB. This was a wake-up call. I scrambled for a 6 on the hole (a par-5) and played solidly the rest of the way, managing three birdies and plenty of pars. This course sets up well for me, as I shot my career low (76) there last year. On Friday, I played Pinecroft's sister course, Champion Hill. Shot 80. Knew I needed a birdie at the last to break 80, and I hit a 212-yard 5-iron to 8 feet. The putt lipped out on the high side, but I was still happy with the day. Missed plenty of birdie putts (only made one), but made plenty of 5-8 foot par putts. Very happy with the two rounds. I drove the ball great, needing nothing more than a chip or short pitch on several par-4s. I also rediscovered my inside-100-yards wedge game. And most importantly, I putted very well. Golf's a lot of fun when those things come together. And if you ever find yourself in the northwestern part of Michigan's lower peninsula, check out Pinecroft and Champion Hill. Family-owned and operated, great views and very interesting layouts.

Now that I've played the HX Tour 56 for several rounds, I've found that I like it better than the original HX Tour. The softer feel is great with the irons and wedges, and I love the way the ball checks up on short pitches and chips. Gives me a lot more versatility in what I can do in the short game. I still think the 56 is a couple yards shorter than the standard HX Tour off the driver, but it is still a very long ball, and just as long with the irons, which is where I don't want any distance surprises. I've seen the two balls going for $39.99 at most places, though some have bumped the HX Tour down to $34.99. That's a good deal for that ball.

As noted in my sig, the FT-3 is happily in the bag right now. A 904T stands at the ready as a backup.