dragonflyin

Actually what I gathered from TV interviews of some of the all time greats, is that putting is actually one of the first things to go with age. Distance is more trivial in comparison.

Yeah these are fakes. Even though most golf clubs are manufactured in China, authentic gear is usually 50-100% more expensive than what we pay here in the States. So that's one of the reasons you find a thriving businesses like this one. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these clubs performance rather well. As someone already pointed out, usually they are produced in the same factory as the American companies, they would produce these "fakes" on their own time without the quality checks and controls thus to lower costs.

Smaller prize pools.

Like others, I'm on the fence on this subject. As a biased golfer, I'd love to see this sport included. However, I believe the greatest incentive of including golf being financial. Think of the markets this would open up. It would accelerate the rate of growth of the game for many countries, as well as introducing equipment and apparel companies to these corners of the world. Thus, I think including golf probably does more for the sport itself than the overall Olympic entity. This doesn't mean that the Olympic Governing Board wouldn't consider this. Think of all the "X-Game" time of "activities" that are included now. This was purely a financial decision. If we were to look at the seven sports fighting for the two spots, golf has the largest marketing potential worldwide. I do see the Olympics wavering in its decision making when it comes to including/excluding sports. The idea of providing amateur athletes a global forum to compete for the greatest prize in their sport, doesn't quite translate to basketball, tennis, baseball, or golf. These sports already have established tournaments, tours, and traditions. Perhaps biggest reason being that at the best of the competition, the competition is comprised of professionals, the worst of the competition, the best (pros) don't show up, and interest in the Olympic events declines. Having an athlete like Tiger Woods is great, and probably provides a great impetus for the Governing Body to include golf. But, like someone already mentioned, when golf in the Olympics actually becomes a reality, Tiger will be closer to the tail end of his career. Lastly, I have a hard time imagining the format of competition. How will they make it competive for countries that are NOT the US or Australia? Sports like basketball, softball, and baseball gets a lot of bad rep in the Olympics for being disproportionately dominated by the US. Venue for the competition will be difficult as well. Yes, golf courses are popping up everywhere. But, can you find a championship type of a course in every site that holds the Olympics? You can build a swimming pool, but golf courses needs time to mature and grow into form. You'd hate for the athletes to compete on a second-tier course for the "greatest" prize in their sport, once every four years...

Slow down the swing, with high lofted wedges I find it helpful to not take a huge full swing as that compounds your chances of hitting it fat or thin. Even though they are the shortest clubs in your bag, doesn't mean they're necessarily easier to hit...

"Good shot".

I currently use a mixed set of T-Zoid pros and MP-33s. I have to say, T-Zoids are not as forgiving as some of the later cavity backs. Just a little more than blades. They are great feeling clubs though. To answer your question, I guess it depends on why you are switching. T-Zoids are classic player's irons, if you are switching because they are getting busted up, switch perhaps to another cavity set. If you are switching because you demand more feedback and control over your irons, and you are an excellent ballstriker, switch to the MP-67s.

I use it for pitch shots 70 yards and in. For chipping, I use it most of the time as well. Except when I need to carry the ball prior to the ball roll more than 30 feet. With that much carry on such a delicate shot, I prefer my 52 degree.

Wow, sounds like people find bermuda difficult.

I live in Minnesota, so the courses here are all bent grass. For people who have played on numerous surfaces, what are some of the characteristics of the different grasses? Do you notice a big difference? How do you adjust?

What is your preference for the alignment aid on the putter? For my putters, the Tei3 has a sight-line pointing to the path of the ball. The Circa 62 has a dot on top. I was on the putting green yesterday experimenting and realized how much of an influence the aid has on my alignment. Is this something you consider when you buy putters? Personally, I believe this to be one of the most important features on the putter. Up there with weight, length, and lie.

Apparently, the world record for tossing a golf ball is 170 yards. So it's conceivable the same guy can shoot a respectable round...

I've really been struggling with my irons lately, relying solely on driver and short game makes golf really really tough. What do you do with your upper and lower body gets out of sequence? Are there easy ways to "press reset" on swings? I'm a feel player and this bugs the heck out of me! Any tips would be appreciated!

I've recently started to draw the ball as opposed to having a boring ball flight. This has been caused by me strengthening my grip a bit. The nice thing about it is the added distance. The down side as others have pointed out is that it's harder to control at times...

I've been switching back to my T-Zoids to start off my season going a little easier on myself than the MP-33s I normally play. There is definitely a difference in forgiveness. In terms of playability, T-Zoids are on average a degree stronger, so it goes an extra couple of yards. There is a slight feel difference even between these Mizunos, granted, MP-33s are perhaps the best feeling blades ever made. The only major downside are the short irons, I prefer the blades for a crisp chip here and there.

My blades are feeling rather scrappy this early in the year. Going back to my old set of T-Zoids to regain some consistency and confidence. Anyone else still play these? If so, what do you think of them? How do they stack up against current day clubs?

I'm liking those Miuras blades...

You're descibing my bag perfectly and I can't not disagree! For me, they each have their own characteristics, and they each shine in their own right.

That's because the professional fade is usually different than the amateur fade. Pros you see hitting it 300+ are still delivering the club on plane, but they leave the face a little open to push it. They still have all the power delivered, but it just fades to their intended target. Amateur typically come over the top creating an unintended fade or slice. This usually has the added consequence of power loss. If you think about it, a great majority of the long hitters are faders of the ball. VJ, Freddie, Davis, AK, and KJ. Also, this is just the "preferred" shape of the pros. Any one of them can hit any type of a shaped shot. At their level, consistency/comfort may take precedence over a slight distance gain.

Depending on the finish, metal polish works well to get the shine back. Nothing you can really do for dings or nicks. Rust can be rubbed off, but just keep in mind that underneath the rust there isn't any finish. If this is meant to be just a gamer, then get it to the best shape you can and maintain it by wiping it dry after play and polish when needed. That's how I'm treating my Camerons. Paintfill can really change up the look, just keep in mind that personalized putters lose value if its DIY. If there is any collectible value, or you plan to sell it one day, careful what changes you make. There are also several other shops that'll personalize or refinish a putter at a cheaper rate than the Custom Shop. Google it up, and maybe it fits your budget better.

That was probably true ten years ago, but conditioning is key to any perennial winner on tour now. You don't see too many Craig Stadlers anymore...

What kind of shape is your putter in right now? If it's just buffing out some rust or maybe even some paintfill, DIY is simple.

Best is a tie between Tiger (clutch), Sergio (power), and Freddie (rhythm). Worst is Kenny Perry... Probably one of the ugliest take-aways and up-swings in the game...

Flush Brewery Up N' Down Brewery

Yes, Cameron putters are expensive. However, there must be a reason that the world's best players consistently play these sticks. I do find it ridiculous that a particular stamping pattern can raise the value by 10 folds. I personally like models with the Teryllium inserts. They're probably the best feeling putters I've ever tried. That and a Newport II head, makes for a great putter. Like others have said, it's really a personal choice. Try a few out, and perhaps Scottys aren't the best for you.