LaPuzza

A good golf course should have demo clubs you can take to the range, if you want to do that. Alternatively, take your current driver into the sim. If you know you hit your driver 240 now, and the machine says you're hitting it 300, that will give you a baseline.

I had a professional football player once complement me for an entire round at a par 3 on how smooth and athletic my swing was. Granted, it was at a nice local par 3 course, so he didn't see my "smooth" swing produce a 220 yard drive :)

Clearly, every golfer in the world needs $1000 of lessons more than $1000 of clubs. God knows I do :) However, playing with clubs you hate means that you enjoy golf less. I went back and forth on getting new clubs when I was playing with Wilson musclebacks from the early 80s. The instant improvment in my game from the clubs inspired me to play and practice more. I think his rush to buy clubs is that he doesn't save money well, and if he waits to buy he'll end up spending the money on 700 beers instead. Re: Ebay, he's a hands-on guy, and he pays cash for everything, meaning the he'll be the last man on earth to use ebay. Old economy guys keep the golf shops in business for people like me to browse before I buy online :)

One of the mags did a test on this, and there was a return rate in the 90%+ range for return of clubs left in conspicious places (near the green in plain sight). The chance of theft may be less than the chance that it was not found, or that it was destructively discovered by a cat wheel or lawn mower, at which point no one is going to turn in a busted club.

Ping Rapture V2s seem to be findable, and very well respected, but are not made anymore and still expensive as hell ($1000-$1200 at local shops according to the web sites). I always tend to assume that max GI clubs improve from year to year, but are these "old" clubs really that amazing as to warrant the price?

Too many options and not enough time - he's working double shifts right now, so shopping takes up valuable sleeping time. He's looking to narrow those options. Thanks for the hint on the K15 driver, I was looking at the irons as options for him, too. Any other ideas?

I have a friend that has finally decided that he is going to spend some savings, $1400, and buy some new golf clubs. His current set is about 20 years old, and he is a foot taller and 200 pounds heavier than he was when he purchased them as a young teenager. He is convinced that he needs longer clubs, which he might, so he understands that he needs a fitting. I’m trying to talk him into lessons, but he wants the new sticks first. What he has asked me to do is scout some options for clubs. About his game: 1)Slice off the tee. Not always, but often and severe. 2)Generally in the 220-240 range for drives. 3)He hits at least a few awful iron shots a round (20 yard burners, etc). On good contact with short irons he is consistent in range but not on target, usually pin high but off the green (I assume this is setup and aim, not club, but full disclosure) 4)Although he shoots in the 100-110 range, much of that is due to lazy putting. 5)He chips well, so he is planning on keeping his wedges for the time being. I know no one can just tell him what to buy, but I’m trying to give him options to consider. Thinking Nike Machspeed, TM Burner, Ping (?)15s, but I don’t know much about Adams and Calloway options. If this guy was your friend, what are 2 or 3 options, in irons and woods, that you would suggest hitting? Thanks for any suggestions.

It makes me feel better to see so many low handicap players admitting to this. I'm often amazed when I play with a good player and he hits a genuinely bad shot, but apparently it is pretty common. I can honestly say that if I shoot my handicap, I have an average of 10 shots that are just worthless - a chip that goes 12 inches, a 30 yard drive, making shooting par in a sand trap, etc.

Carry or ride, i have the woods at the stand end and the wedges at the "front" with the pockets. It would be really weird to me to do it the other way. This bag may be my favorite piece of golf equipment, but I have considered a different bag for days that I ride. The feet keep it from sitting squarely in the back of a cart, meaning that its never really secure. Also, without a good opening on the rain hood, I just got a tower/cover from the pro shop and called it a day.

Let me just start out by saying that I'm not looking to enforce the rules on someone else in a friendly round or complaining about losing a round. With that out of the way, I was playing with a friend of mine yesterday and picked up his wedge greenside while he was putting out. Grabbing the face, the thing literally felt like sandpaper. I asked him if he knew if that was a legal club, because I'd never seen anything like it. He didn't know, but admitted that it was an odd little club. The brand/name was "Zircon" or something like it - there was even a little diamond-shaped plastic gem on the back of the clubhead. 1) Anyone know off the top of their head if this is legal or not? 2) Anyone know a list of legal, or a list of outlawed, clubs that I could search to figure this out? Again, I'm just really wondering about this, because if it is legal I can't imagine why I've never seen one like it.

Wow, interesting to look back. Handicap Dropped: nope, that went up because a few of by best scores were run off the board. Break 95: Shot a 92 this weekend! It was on a par 70, but from the blues. I'm counting that Practice: I'm actually practicing a lot by my definition, because I count playing a par 3 as practice, as I'll hit multiple balls and try new things. I'd say I've hit this goal. Less money: done. I'm having less fun because of some really bad rounds, but that's not a budget issue Flop Shot: nope. But I'm playing my distances better and not putting myself in a position to NEED a flop shot, which is much better. New SW: I found a way to use my old one and my lob wedge, so no need there. Hard-Swinging: I forgot this was a goal, but boy was I awful at the begining of the year. I've slowed down my swing a ton and gotten much better ball control. So all in: I'm 2/3 on my specific goals. On my general goals, I've nullified some and met others. Overall, I suddenly feel better abotu my year!

I was going to make this exact post.

I have that, and I think it's the best thing ever. Easily my favorite piece of equipment. It has saved me its sticker price in walking in the first year alone. The only drawback is that it is a below-avearge cart bag, because of the legs. It doesn't sit straight when belted into a cart. If you're carrying, or don't mind having to shift the bag around on the cart, this is a fantastic bag.

The point is that net score makes golf the only sport where two people with wildly different skill levels can enjoy friendly competition. I couldn't play basketball, baseball, football, soccer, tennis, or really any other sport with a professional athelete and have it be fun for either of us. I could have a pro tennis player spot me a set and it still wouldn't be fun. I could play golf with a player much worse or much better than I am, and aside from some frustration here and there, have a good competitive outing. Also, with a handicap calculation, I could potentially take a couple of bucks off of, or lose a couple of bucks to, anyone in a skins game. That's one of the things I love most about golf.

Nike has a thing on their site, or used to, regarding a hole in one story and certificate. . . Well, not there any more. Looks like Tiger took it with him.

I haven't swung a club outdoors in 5 months, and I'm hitting the range for the first time today. What I'm planning to do is to pull out my old Wislon blades for my warm up. I'm not good enough to play those clubs, but I'm thinking that they will be a good way to make me focus on the range. I miss the feedback from those clubs. I'm hoping that practicing some with clubs this demanding will be good for me, even at a 28 handicap. I know this won't be good practice for chipping, distance measurement, etc, but I'm hoping that it will be good ballstriking practice. Anyone else practice with hard-to-hit clubs?

I expected the Gamer2 to be an excuse to raise teh price on the same ball because the original was a huge bargan. Golf Galaxy has the G2 at $20/doz, though. Now my only concern is that they didn't screw up the ball. I have a few dozen closeouts of the Gamer 1 left to use, though. Anyone play the Gamer and Gamer 2 that comment on the difference, if any?

Specific goals: Drop my handicap to a 25 from the 28.2 I have now by July 1. Break 95 at least once this season. Spend at least 1 hour practicing for every 18 I play. General Goals: Spend less money without having less fun. Get comfortable enough with my flop shot to use it consistently. Get a new SW soon enough that I can use it well before season’s end. Stop trying to swing hard with my driver.

I envy anyone that lives somewhere predictable enough to know when the ranges and courses open. We've had a few range days here, but not many. Yesterday was 65, right now it's 32 and snowing. There is no place like Nebraska . . .

For this reason I've considered putting an old low-trajectory driver back in my bag on certian days. I couldn't imagine hitting a 2-iron from the grass anyway.

Confessions of a hacker •I can't play golf - I can play golf, but no one would mistake what I play for the thing that you see on TV. •I hit 90% of my shots fat I'm down to 50%! •I hit the ground with my driver when swinging Been there, done that. I've grounded my driver so badly that I hurt my wrist and screwed up the next 3 holes. •I hit my PW 110 yards After I could an extra 10 yards last year, me too! •I can hit my driver 240 yards, but usually 190 and sky-high I can hit my driver 260 on my best day, but I'm far more likely to hit a 190 weak-sauce hook or a 120 yard wormburner. •I hit my 7i 150 yards I hit my 6 iron 155 yards, and that's after I added some distance last year •I finish on my toes and fall forward I wish I was consistent enough to be able to comment on how I finish. •I chunk when chipping See above; I hit every miss possiblefrom chipping range •I shoot in the 90s I shoot in the 100s more than I do the 90s. •I have fun when playing, but want to quit after most rounds or practices I can get pretty upset at any time, but all I need is one good shot to keep me coming back. •I swing too long, too hard, too fast Yup. •I've once broken 90 I wish! •I think I know more about the swing than I really do I know enough to think that I know what I don't know, but I really know that I don't know anything helpful. •I've gotten rid of my slice, only to exchange it for a hook Started hooking, still hooking. •I lack most swing fundamentals I lack all swing fundimentals, unless you count the fact that I'm holding a club when I start. •I try to hit the ball Try as in hope I don't miss? Yup. •I lose balls all the time I'm as likely to lose 6 balls in a round as I am to go 18 on the same ball •I'm not a good short game player, or putter, it just seems so because my long game stinks When I was horrible, I used to have a "good" driving or putting day here and there. Now I think I am exactly average for my handicap in all areas: straight D+ . All that being said, I can't wait to go out and do it all over again when the snow melts.

Other than courses that run too close to the driving range, this seems like a good idea. A more visible ball can't be a bad thing, apart from tradition.

Thanks. I never understood the "outside a hazard" aspect of that. Sorry for the dumb question, but thank you for the smart answer.

TW10 on Wii is fantastic. Q school, sponsorship, Etc is fun, as is the career skills development stuff. I heard that the Wii version had more of that than the PS3 version. The Wii Motion Plus thing is a huge improvment over the original. 09 wasn't fun, espcially ebcause you could drive half the Par 4s and then six-put to 3 over. Putting is drastically better, and the read on draw/fade is good. you will very seldom hit the ball perfectly straight, and you will be punished in putting for not making square contact with the putter. Hot Shots was great for PSP - its the only PSP game I still own. I still miss Links 386, though.

Ok, I read this thread because I try to know my rules, but I've got a question on that first one. I have certianly hit a ball near a water hazard, not knowing if i was in the water, and announced a provisional. I assumed this was OK because (1) I wasn't playing the second ball if I found the first, and (2) I was adding the penalty stroke if the first ball was unfound and, given the circumstance, presumed to have gone in the water. Was I wrong on this? Can I not hit a declared provisional if I think, but don't know, that a ball is/could be in the water?