mgresh

In my humble opinion, the manufacturer of the iron set you decide to purchase is far less important than the type and fit of the irons. Your index shows 20 so I would guess that a more forgiving club might be right for you, to help the mishits a bit, but whatever you decide to go with, get them professionally fitted. Loft and, more importantly, lie make a huge difference in the quality of contact you will make with the golf ball. Keep in mind that as your comfort level with your swing returns, and as your swing improves, these things may change somewhat so it is important to get them checked every couple of years at least. Some clubs bend/adjust easier than others so make sure you ask your retailer if there are any problems with loft/lie adjustments with the clubs you are wanting to purchase.

Well, it's been almost a year since my first post on this topic and I have yet to really be able to bring these methods to the course in the purest form i.e. precisely the techniques described in the book. Practice sessions continue to be good which indicates to me that tension is 'death' to this method. That said, I have not abandoned the concepts rather simply modified them to fit my game a bit better. Like Stan, I went to the 54, 58 Vokey combination with a lot of bounce. I didn't like the 54 so I went back to my previous 54 and 60 with less bounce but left the Vokey 58 in my bag and use it under softer conditions and out of the sand. I found I really missed my low bounce 60 and the shot Utley advocates for lob shots never really worked consistently for me. I do like the square set up, however, and have kept that aspect for the most part (less side spin, easier to get on line, etc.). Bunker play has improved definitely but on the flip side of that, I do leave the occasional shot in the bunker which I rarely did before. I think practice will take care of that, plus the sand at my club is very fluffy and deep and I've always had a hard time with it...never really get that true 'thump' out of our bunkers. The putting is probably a topic for another post but suffice to say that the Utley method helped me there as well though I had to back off after the first couple of months as I found I was over-exaggerating the motions. All in all some great concepts but, for me, it has been difficult to implement in its purest form, under pressure. Also doesn't help that I haven't been able to play nearly as much over the past couple of years so I can't blame the technique....just had to modify it slightly for it to work for my level of practice.

36 been playing since I was 7.

I have to agree with iquest golfer's observations. Having spent a summer in Scotland earlier in life, I had the opportunity to play a few courses over there including the Old Course (and see the British Open played at Royal Birkdale that year, 1991). While the Old Course had everything I expected from a nostalgic point of view, I found the Jubilee more challenging. I also got to play Troon and a few other courses that I thought were more difficult. For the time and money though, I wouldn't trade playing the Old Course for any of the others (probably helped that I scored well too ). I'm not sure that answers your question of what to expect as conditions vary greatly out there but there is so much publicity surrounding this course that most folks who follow golf but haven't played it probably know it as well many who have. Good luck!

Just finished this book and I have to say, not a lot of new stuff here. In my opinion, the principles are good, especially the flat left wrist, but in reading reviews prior to purchase I was expecting more. I didn't find the description of the "aiming point" very adequate so that section completely missed for me. I'd recommend this book for beginner to intermediate level players primarily because of it's focus on a few basic fundamentals. Not that there isn't any value to more skilled players but as a long-time student of golf swing theory I found this relatively elementary. Pretty well written and some fun anecdotes from Clampett so not a waste of money by any means.

I'd recommend giving the CLK a try before adding basically a 2 iron to your bag. You might be surprised. Don't know many people who hit their 2 iron better than their hybrids that aren't scratch golfers

It's pretty simple and easy to avoid. On the green a golfer should be aware of many things. One of them is the putting line of each player. Every ball is connected to the cup by an imaginary line, the path the ball will (hopefully) travel into the cup. Walking, standing, or stepping on these lines creates footprints that can deflect the ball off its path toward the cup. Golfers should note each player's putting line, and avoid stepping on it as they play on the green. The through-line is the extension of the line beyond the hole. It is also considered good form to avoid stepping on another player's through-line since if the player misses their putt they will have to putt back along that line. A golfer should walk around the lines or step over them. Just do it and help keep the game different from other sports.

1. Titleist S55 2. 3 years 3. Nice look (all black), plenty of pockets in convenient locations, putter slot, not all individual full length dividers (I don't like those), strap tucks away without removing it entirely 4. Beverage bottle net on side tore at bottom but other than that no dislikes.

For my money, TGW is where I spend most of it. I've heard that rockbottomgolf.com is great for closeouts, etc, but haven't used them myself. My better bit of advice is to avoid bhmgolf. Terrible service....really bad attitude.

I picked up the 21* a couple of months ago and have been very pleased. I also prefer the hybrid favoring the iron type for whatever reason and this one was a good buy. Consistent trajectory and distance and looks good with my MP-67s. I also have the CLK FLI-HI 17* (more wood-like hybrid) which I found to be a very nice replacement for a 5-wood. It looks great and satisfies my primary reason for purchase which was use off the tee.

I picked up this book a few weeks ago because, as I said in a post about The Art of the Short Game , I needed something to jolt my short game. I've never been a particularly good putter (don't make a lot of birdies but I two-putt a lot) so I thought this couldn't hurt. Plus, I was already an arc putter so it wasn't a major diversion from what I was used to. What I found most valuable and immediately noticed in my own stroke is that I was really more taking it back on a arc and through straight. This is no good as it is basically a push stroke and goes against what your brain really wants to do. Needless to say, when I began folding my left elbow back in on the follow-through and releasing the putter head my rolls became instantly more true and went into the hole with "purpose" as opposed to seemingly dropping against their will when they did go in. A major confidence builder which is one of the most important things in putting IMO. I'd recommend this book to anyone regardless of skill level. I picked it up used on amazon for like 10 bucks and read it in a couple of hours. Well worth the time and money.

I bought The Art of the Short Game a couple of months ago, read it in an evening and couldn't wait to get out to the course and try it. I found the reading easy and some of it I was already incorporating into my short game but needed something to "jar" my game as it had grown rather stagnant and scores seemed to bottom out. Anyway, the techniques take some getting used to and I found myself having to really think about the shots more than usual on the course but that is decreasing the more I practice. The sand technique provided immediate and significant benefits to my bunker play and my ball dispersion around the holes at my club's practice facility tightened dramatically with these shots as well as chips and pitches. I've had some trouble taking it to the course but I think that is more mental than anything in that one really must trust that it works (which it does). All in all I'm thrilled with what I'm seeing and am finding enjoyment in some shots that had quite frankly become frustrating and/or boring. Incidentally, I also purchased The Art of Putting a couple of weeks later because I liked the short game book so much and am equally impressed. I have more trouble with putting than the shots covered in The Art of the Short Game so it is taking me longer to acclimate but I expect that over time good results will surface.

Thanks for the replies folks. One additional question; it's hard to tell from the pictures but do they look totally different at address? Thanks

Hey Folks, I'm considering buying a set of mizuno wedges and can't decide whether the mp-t or mp-r would better suit my swing and game. Does anyone out there have experience with either and what other wedges they might compare to? Thanks, Matt

Hi folks, I haven't posted in a while but I was wondering if any of you have had a chance to look at the up and coming Callaway forged irons and what you think about them. They look really sweet and I'd love to see them reviewed here when they debut. Check em out here... http://www.golfmagic.com/news/articl...98972332729360 . Thanks, Matt

I just finished a book by Bob Rotella called The Golf of Your Dreams and found it had some very good ideas on game improvement for folks who are really serious and willing to commit. Given your handicap index you must already have a good grasp on the fundamentals so I think what this book discusses may aid you in your quest to continue to improve more than some of the other books I have seen mentioned. I am not discounting the importance of the fundamentals...we all need to check ourselves for those regularly...but at the level of your game, strokes do not come off easily. It is about making the right decisions on the course, placing the ball on the right level on the approach, making two or three six footers you might not have otherwise, and having the ability to trust your swing/technique whether it is a two dollar nassau or to qualify for the US Open. This book talks more than about just banging balls or taking lessons...it discusses choosing a mentor/teacher and developing a plan to get your game from point A to point B. It discusses charting your rounds and focusing on the "scoring clubs" and I believe that is where you will find you can improve the most. Hope you enjoy it. -matt

I concur...I grew up playing Torrey Pines quite often and let me tell you; if you've never played that course (South) it can be an absolute beast. I've also caddied in the pro-am couple of times and it is impressive and informative to be that near and watch how the tour pros handle a venue as such. I hope to go back there for the 2008 US Open.

Sounds like you had a great time Britboy. I played quite a few courses in the Palm Springs area many years ago including the staduim and Nicklaus courses at PGA West. My handicap wasn't quite a low then as it is now but I found the Nicklaus course very enjoyable and fair. The staduim course was a blast, although I was only able to play it once. I seem to remember having to target very specific areas of the fairway to have a level lie for my approach. Incidentally I also was in the famous bunker at 16 and out in one (can't say I was close though) and hit alcatraz on my first shot though I played from the blue tees and not the tournament. I'm sure there was some luck involved in both cases! I do plan to go back in the not to distant future and give it a go from the tips. Lucky me, my folks have a home at Ironwood CC in Palm Desert (though I've never been there) so I have built-in accommodations and if I time it when they're not there it shoud be perfect j/k! Take care and good luck. -matt

I think that the question depends much on the golfing venue and don't believe that one standard can be applied to all. In a private club environment the members (in a member owned club) or board dictate what is appropriate and they can require a wetsuit and football helmet if they like. In that situation I would gravitate towards requiring slacks and collared shirt for men and whatever the equivalent of that is for women. That said, I am also of the opinion that golf should accommodate all who have a desire to play. In a municipal or public course situation I think the rules need to be relaxed somewhat to allow those who might not otherwise be able to meet a strict dress code to participate. There should be limits of course (shoes and shirt)

My first set of clubs (7 years old) were patti berg blades donated to the boys' club because my mom couldn't afford anything new but when times got a bit better I had a set of toski blades until about high school when I started playing some serious golf. That was when I got a set of eye2s and had them until after college. I have since had several sets of irons not manufactured by ping but will always attribute much of my early success in golf to those eye2 irons. My last purchase was a set of taylor made mb irons (which I really like) but they were narrowly purchased over a set of s59s which carried weight with me just because of the ping name. All in all I think ping has always had a great thing going and a very admirable business model and I don't think anyone could really go wrong in purchasing their products.

Formally educated graphic designer but paychecks come from being an IT manager for a large data warehousing company.

Mine is over Labor Day weekend (weekend after next) and it is match play. I have to play a qualifying round from the tips (75.0/142) which I don't play from all that often as it is hard to get a game from there I'm with most of you guys in that I think stroke play is the better way to go for the "accepted" club champ but mine is what it is so I must do with what I have. I am on the upper end (as in higher) as far as indices go from championship flight (which I have to qualify for) so I hope to just have a great weekend...two 18-hole matches and, God willing, a 36-hole final.

In 22 rounds: Avg Putts 1.79 Avg Putts Front Nine 1.8 Avg Putts Back Nine 1.77 Avg Putts Per Green in Regulation 1.94 Avg Putts Per Green Non-Reg 1.58 Zero Putts 3 (1%) One Putts 89 (27%) Two Putts 217 (65%) Three or More Putts 24 (7%) Putting is more-or-less my weakest part of the game but I'm working on it. Hard to learn "feel" I have found.

Good point Larry and I appreciate the insight. I'm sure, were I on tour, that I would be one of those guys having to have their mental coach go with them to every tournament Thanks for everyone's input. I have clearly violated two of the four agreements I try to live by (numbers 2 and 3): 1. Be impeccable with your word 2. Don't make assumptions 3. Don't take anything personally 4. Always do your best Thanks again to all who replied. Matt

Thanks...I have experienced the same issues with my index staying the same which makes tournament play very sketchy for me. It's more or less a gamble as to whether I will be "on" or not that particular set of rounds. I think "one shot at a time" is a great idea to focus on and I will definitely give it more attention. Thanks, Matt