chingali

Why not try a TM r510TP, older driver with good technology and a range of high quality shafts at 390cc that looks great at address and they are pretty easy to find secondhand. Another option is one of the original series Mizuno MP001's that were 380cc, also a more compact looking head with good technology and you can pick them up secondhand for next to nothing. Whack a decent shaft that suits you in one of them and they are fantastic. However as others have already mentioned, it's 99% certain that the problems you are experiencing lie more with the indian than the arrow.

Hit a 3 wood.

Being at the beginning of the round (hole 4) I am happy to hit the fairway and then the green and make no more than 4. Assuming the hole is flat and it's 173m to the first bunker then I'm aiming at the right hand edge of the second fairway bunker with a 5 iron and hitting my stock draw. With a 5 iron I can't reach either of the bunkers and I am aiming at the biggest part of the fairway. The worst I am going to do is turn it over a little bit too much and be on the left edge of the fairway leaving myself a slightly longer second, very rarely will I lose one right. From there I have about 130m or so to the middle of the green so it's about an 8 iron in. If the pin is cut right edge I'm going nowhere near it, I'm knocking it to the middle of the green.

So long as it's 90% consistent does it really matter? No it doesn't. Many years ago I was taught by a former tour player who won many tournaments down here in Australia and who played for quite a lot of years on the PGA tour in the 70's and the first thing he talked to me about was developing a "stock" shot. One where you can stand over the ball and know where it is going to go and what shape it will take getting there. He told me that if it worked out to be a draw or a fade it wasn't the most important thing, the most important thing was that I could repeat the pattern over and over. I ended up going with a right to left ball flight as it was more natural to me and it has worked out well. I know that I am not going to lose a shot to the right, occasionally I'll block one but it happens so infrequently that I don't even think about it. If the pin is in the middle of the green I just aim at the right edge of the green, if the pin is left edge I can aim at the middle of the green or if the pin is cut right I can aim at it and know I'll be in the middle of the green. If the pin is cut hard left and there is trouble on that side, I can just start it at the middle of the green or the right edge. It's all about what you are used to doing. Similar scenario when driving, I'll generally just start it out at the right edge of the fairway and know that I have 30 or 40 yards to bring it back in to. I can hit the ball left to right if I want to but I'll only do it if there is a specific reason, otherwise I just stick with what I know is predictable. So basically I don't think that there is any correct ball flight, a fade is no better than a draw, they both have their advantages and disadvantages in my opinion. The one that IS BEST is the one that is most comfortable to you and you can repeat continuously. Either way if you practice and play often enough then unless you are dumber than dogsh*t you'll work out a way to get yourself around any golf course with either shot pattern. It's when you have no idea which way it's going to go that you'll find yourself in trouble.

Never a truer sentence spoken. It's amazing the crap that creeps in to your head while standing over the ball when you've been on the road for three weeks racked up expenses of $4k and last cashed a cheque for $800 about a month ago! Living on toasted cheese sandwiches and water to save money probably doesn't help much either.

Go out to some tournaments and have a look in some bags, you'll see some really old stuff in a lot of them particularly fairway woods, putters and irons. You do see a lot of new looking wedges, but the replacements will often be for the exact same model with the same specs and grind etc but you'll also see some wedges that have been around for quite some time. You'll find that a lot of the Ping guys will keep their irons for what seems to be a much longer period period than some others. The reason being that Ping's are made from 17-4 stainless and take a lot longer to wear out than softer carbon steel forgings. Changing clubs for the Pros a lot of the time isn't a matter of simple tinkering it's a matter of replacing worn equipment.

I doubt it'd be the courses' fault either, how many other carts flipped over on the same day? The best near accident I've had in a golf cart was whilst I was driving, I have rather large feet and one time I was in amongst about a million trees driving around looking for a ball when I managed to get my right foot stuck with the toe underneath the brake pedal so it couldn't be depressed and the heel jammed on the accelerator at full throttle. My mate saw what had happened while I was going around in circles trying to dodge trees and being the quick thinking individual that he his he grabbed the ignition key to switch it off and in his excitement snapped the key off, at which point he said something along the lines of "f*** this" and bailed out in to a bush and got covered in cuts and scratches. I eventually figured out that if I pulled the choke out it'd flood the engine most likely which it did and the thing pulled up to a stop. It then took me a few minutes to get my foot out, it really was stuck in there pretty well. At the end of the round I was up for the cost of having the key extracted and a new one cut, I think it cost me about $50 but it was well worth the money spent as it was a bit of an experience that I'll never forget!

Who really cares? Paddy won and that should be the end of it. If Paddy can manage to bash Mr Woods' other knee hard enough then he's a chance of catching up. It's nice when something good happens for the Irish, they've had a lousy time of things throughout history.

I can't decide between a towel and a pitch mark repairer, if pushed I'd say towel because at a pinch you can get away with using a tee to fix pitch marks, wiping your grips dry and mud off your clubs with your shirt would probably be considered bad form although I'd do it if I had to and deal with the consequences of ruining a shirt when I got home and the missus saw it

After your putter and then probably driver wedges for most people will be the next most used clubs in the bag for the majority of decent golfers so they are very important in your bag setup so take your time and get what you need. Given the huge variety of loft/bounce/shaft combinations available from all of the manufacturers these days I wouldn't be too worried about matching up your brand of wedges to your irons. What I would suggest you do is buy whichever wedges you like the look and feel of the most. Pick up a lot of different ones and look at them in the address position, some of them will give you confidence and others probably won't. Pick out the ones that you like the look of and then see if you can hit some balls (off grass and out of sand) with them and decide which of them feel the best and they are the ones you should buy. Next up is deciding on the loft/bounce combination. Considering that your current PW is 46* (which if you go back a few years would have been a 9 iron) I'd suggest getting something like a 50*/54*/58* setup probably with the bounce at 6*/12*/6* or thereabouts. Basically your 50*/6* (GW) is a normal old fashioned PW loft and bounce, the 54*/12* is a traditional SW for bunker play and fairway use and the 58*/6* is a lob wedge. If you start out with something along those lines you won't go too far wrong and you can fine tune the setup from there. The truth of the matter when it comes to wedge setups is really pretty simple, practice a LOT with whatever you have and you will be good with them, don't practice a LOT and tinkering with this and that combination won't help. Talk to your clubfitter about getting them fit to suit you and also about the ideal loft/bounce setup as he should have seen you swinging a club more than once and will have a better idea of what would be suitable than some random web poster would and you won't look back. And finally, I think that the Ping option is a good one because they are manufactured from 17-4 Stainless Steel and therefore are very durable when compared to softer mild steel forgings. Yeah yeah yeah I know I know that wedges are about feel, however to the vast majority of players this is such a fussy little thing that they will never know the difference. The beauty of 17-4 Stainless Steel is that it still feels softish, but it will last for a long long time compared to a mild steel forging, and if you take the advice and practice with your wedges a lot you aren't going to have to be changing them every year or so. It's a shame when you have been using something for ages that you really like and are confident with and then it wears out and needs replacement causing you to go through the whole selection/fine tuning/practice cycle again.

My advice is to try out a few that you like, by try I mean off grass on a range or on the course. In my experience if you can hit a 3 wood comfortably off the fairway then it's going to be really easy off a tee, but the reverse isn't true. Also, consider carefully the length of the 3 wood. Not that long ago a standard 3 wood was somewhere in the order of 42" long and over the past 10 years 43" and even a touch longer has become the norm. When you are trying them out, grip down an inch or so and see what happens, you'll probably make better ball contact than at full length. In the modern quest for more distance we seem to have gone mad with generating more clubhead speed and increased shaft length delivers it but usually at the expense of getting the ball in the middle of the clubface.

Lots of water for the 12 hours before you play and then at the very least 2 litres for each nine you play, preferably more than 3. And don't forget to wear a big wide brimmed hat. Also don't forget to drink plenty of water for the 12 hours AFTER you have played as well. If you find yourself with a splitting headache in the evening after you played guess what? You didn't drink enough water. As for sweaty hands, carry a couple of towels with you and 3 or 4 gloves and keep rotating the gloves and hanging them on your bag to dry. If you can carry an extra towel and wet it as often as you can and hang it over the back of your neck between shots that helps too. It gets plenty hot down here in Australia during summer!

I always use a paint pen, I don't know what you call them In the USA but here in Australia we call them paint pens. They are different to a permanent marker, when you put a dot on your ball it is something like a paint substance comes out of the tip and it'll smudge unless you leave it for a few minutes. If you take a sniff of the tip of the pen it smells a LOT like nail polish. Come to think of it I have marked balls with a few dots of nail polish and the result is similar so perhaps that what the stuff is. I found a link to the ones I use http://www.superiorrubberstamp.com/s...product_id=210

The 17th hole where I play once or twice a week is a par 4 of just over 300 yards from the back tees. The thing is though, to have a crack at it you are faced with a carry of 252 yards to clear a creek and I always have a go unless the wind is in to me and always clear it comfortably. If you can carry the creek there is a nice little downhill bit for about 20 yards before it flattens out closer to the green so get it over the creek and on the fairway and you get a big bounce forward and are often putting for 2. Without the downhill stretch over the creek there'd be no point in having a go as I wouldn't be getting it there anyway. So basically, anything under 250 and I feel comfortable in carrying it from the tee with driver, again though it depends on what you are trying to land the ball in. Trying to carry it 250 and also avoid some very deep bunkers would mean the option is a bit silly. Off the fairway, I am comfortable carrying my 3 wood 220 but again it depends on how tight the landing area is as to whether I'll have a go.

Fact: There is absolutely no point whatsoever in yelling "Get Down" at a Bridgestone golf ball because they are made in Japan so they don't understand a word of english. Source: My drive on the 18th yesterday that despite my protestations still ended up going in the water on the left.

At the course I currently am a member at cargo shorts are allowed and I have no problem with them so long as they are neat clean and all the same colour for example NOT some sort of camo print. I'm moving back to Sydney very shortly and am looking at a few clubs I'd like to join, all of them have very strict dress codes. The following is a copy of the typical dress regulations from one of them, there is also a note or two on the appropriate use of mobile phones. RESPONSIBILITY Standard of dress and general appearance will, at all times, determine the privilege of Members and Associates and their guests to use the facilities of the Clubhouse and Course and shall be consistent with the dignity of the Club. It is the member's responsibility to comply with these regulations for themselves and their visitors. All employees of the clubhouse and the Professional Shop have the responsibility to ensure all people comply with the dress and etiquette code prior to accessing the course or clubhouse. All golfers including visitors must report to the Professional Shop prior to hitting off or using the practice facilities. MEN'S GENERAL DRESS REGULATIONS (when on Club grounds) Trousers and shorts (tailored and up to 2" (5cm) below bottom of the kneee must be neat and clean. Cargo shorts are NOT permitted Denim, elastic & cord top pants & shorts are NOT permitted. Shirts must have collars, sleeves, be clean and tucked in at all times. Skivvies with rolled collars are acceptable (including mock turtle necks). Clean socks must be worn at all times. With shorts, long socks must be kept up at all times. Acceptable short socks are plain white or plain white with a golf club logo. Sockettes (below ankle) are NOT permitted. Shirts, pants, pullovers, jackets and hats must not display any advertising that is not directly related to the sponsorship of golf - clothing manufacturers' logo excepted (excludes transfer from vehicle to locker room(lower floor)). MEN'S SPECIFIC DRESS REGULATIONS Golf shoes are essential for play. Soft spikes are preferred. Walking and/or Running shoes are only permitted for caddies and spectators. Jacket with tie is preferred within the dining room but neat and tidy casual wear is acceptable. (Special function notices will prescribe related appropriate attire). Clean golf shoes with soft spikes are not preferred but are acceptable in lounge areas. Jogging, Tennis, Sandshoes or canvas shoes are NOT acceptable in lounge areas. (Excludes transfer from vehicle to locker room(lower floor)). LADIES DRESS REGULATIONS (On the Golf Course) Skirts, Shorts, Tailored Slacks, Culottes or Plus Two's. Shirts or blouses must have collars or turtle necks and be tucked in unless fitted or intended to be worn outside the undergarments. No brief skirts and shorts, tank tops, T-Shirts or sun tops. IN THE CLUBHOUSE Golfing attire as above or neat casual wear. Jeans, Cargo pants or cargo shorts are unacceptable either on the course or in the clubhouse. If a ladies dress is considered inappropriate, the Associates committee may discuss this with the lady concerned. MOBILE PHONES Use of mobile phones is restricted to the carpark only. Use of mobile phones on the practice greens, outside the professional shop, at the halfway house and in the clubhouse is NOT acceptable.

I'm an active member of our town's local Rural Fire Service Brigade. Whether it's fighting bush fires, house fires or motor vehicle accidents there is always plenty to keep me busy. In photo 1 I'm the second person running out a hose, in photo 2 I'm the big guy supervising the other 2 at work and in photo 3 that's just me trying to look as if I'm busy.

Good topic! On my local course I hate the 9th hole, it's an absolute bastard of a thing. It's an uphill par 4 of 428 yards, but the fairway is kikuyu and generally quite soft so there is NO run. The green is tiny, raised back left and right and bunkered left and slopes severely back to front and is impossibly steep for about the first 5 yards, lob it on the front and it always rolls off. Basically miss the green and if you can get up and down 4 times out of 10 you are a magician, trust me I'm VERY good around the greens and I have spent hours and hours chipping pitching and putting from everywhere around the 9th and 4 or 5 times out of 10 is my average, even then it's freak show stuff to get 50%! The number one problem I have with the hole is hitting the fairway with anything longer than a 2 iron. In the landing area for a driver the fairway is only 19 yards wide, you do however get a bonus 4 yards or so of thick kikuyu rough either side of that before you go in to the trees on the right or water on the left. The trees are no place to be either, they are very tall she oaks placed very close together, get it in there and you are chipping out sideways or backwards. So instead of hitting driver I'll usually knock a 2 iron up the middle, problem with that is it leaves you with another 2 or 3 iron in to the previously described postage stamp green! Basically I've given up on hitting the green, when I get to the 9th I play it as a par 5 where I lay up off the tee. I've made almost equal numbers of 4's, 5's and 6's on the hole with a couple of 7's and 6 birdies, 2 of the birdies were chip ins. My Stats for the hole Rounds: 112 Avg Score: 4.84 Fairways: 57.6% GIR: 21.2% Keep in mind that I can play a bit too, the course is a par 70 and my average score there over 122 rounds is 71.2, give me a par on the 9th every time and I have almost averaged even par!

If you give them a call they should be able to help you out.

No wonder there's so much on eBay! So what happens if you get a new putter and the grip feels too thick, do you change it? Of course you do. So the new putter grip weighs 30 grams more than the old one and now your putter feels a lot lighter, do you add a bit of lead tape on the head to get the same feeling back? Just interested to know.

Bugger how much they charge you, if they do a good job and you feel comfortable working with them then in the long run they will end up saving you money by doing it correctly first time. Always remember, you will be enjoying the quality of an item a long time after you have forgotten how much it cost you. It's not always about the price you know.

I forgot to mention, if it's a face balanced putter check that it is still a face balanced putter after adding the tape. If you check and you have upset the applecart so to speak, fiddle around until all is well.

I have quite a lot of lead tape on my putter, it's been on there for over 10 years so I am figuring that at some point yes it must have made a difference to me! If you already like the balance of your putter and it is going on to increase weight put it on evenly. If you put 5 strips on the toe put 5 strips on the heel or even better if possible put it all on the back evenly centred behind the sweetspot. If you get it wrong or if you don't like it peel it off, just remember that what's on there at the start of a round can't be changed until you have walked off the 18th. Another option if you want to increase the weight by a lot, more than is feasible with lead tape is to drill the head and plug with tungsten inserts again do it as evenly as possible. Unless you know what you are doing or you don't mind the possibility of trashing the putter it's best to get this done by a decent clubfitter.

The shorter you hit it the smaller your distance gaps are. Say for example you do hit your 4 iron only 130 yards, in that case you would likely hit a 5 iron 125 and a 3 iron 135. Think about it, it makes sense. This is the reason why in general women, young kids and old people would be better off dropping a lot of the inbetween irons and putting in some more wedges and more fairway woods/hybrids. I worked this out a few years ago when my partner was getting in to golf and I was trying to work out what set makeup she should most likely use. I noticed that when she was hitting a 5 or 6 iron, there was virtually no distance gap between them whatsoever and it got me thinking as to why that would be. If you hit the ball a good solid distance, next time you are out playing and you have an old guy in your group pay attention when you are on the tee of a 160 yard or so par 3. You will be trying to decide between a 6 or 7 iron and he'll be tossing up 3 or 5 wood. To you it makes no sense because you have a 30 yard gap at least between 3 and 5 wood, but he only has a 10 or 15 yard gap between them.

If you aren't in my group nor are you in a group in front of me so it is basically impossible for you to hold me up, then I reckon you should have to grind it it out and hole your 7 footer for an 11. However, if you are in my group or are in a group in front of me, pick it up after 7 shots and get out of my way! Seriously though, I much prefer it when we play stableford at our club or on open days at other clubs and people (including myself) pick up when we can't score a point. I'll even pick it up if I need to hole a wedge for a point, not going to happen very often and I'd rather get out of everyones way and keep things moving. To give you an example, when we play stableford at our club (which is 3 saturdays out of 4) a round is usually done and dusted in under 4 hours. Once a month we play stroke and rounds upwards of 5 hours are normal and 5.5 hours aren't too unusual either. So yes, pick the bastard of a thing up when you are having a big score so we can all keep moving.