gas_can

FortAsel, There are some test and tour samples floating around now, but expect to pay through the nose for them. Other than that, I would most likely predict late March or early April for the full release with the new irons.

Erik, There aren't any hard and fast rules about bending. There are lots of variables that all play a role in how far a club can be bent. A good club maker and feel when a club is at its breaking point. The equipment being used to bend is a big part of it. A high quality Mitchell steel club bolted to the floor along with a good bending bar that has a large surface area to grab the hosel will diffuse the pressure and greatly reduce the chances of cracking. With Vokeys, although they're cast, the soft 8620 carbon steel they're made from means it's not really an issue. I've bent some old ones six degrees without issue while practicing. However, as you said at that point you might as well buy a new wedge because the offset and bounce will be so far gone the club is essentially worthless. Ping is another cast club that bends wonderfully. With a Cleveland CG-10 I would never dare attempting more than 2 degrees, the metal is simply too brittle. As a general rule, 1-2 degrees is no problem, three or more and you should consider buying a new wedge.

FortAsel, Fastback and Squareback are what I've been hearing about. Also something called the Studio Select to replace the Studio Style. More of a return to his roots - standard shapes without inserts. The tour samples of the Studio Select I've seen all have interchangeable weights in the sole although some debate remains as to which form these will take in retail trim.

Matt P, You've got it exactly. I would agree that it would probably play with too little bounce. This could be somewhat alleviated by grinding the leading edge slightly blunt, but this needs to fit your swing. Better to trade in the 58 and pick up a 60 with the correct bounce configuration.

mikelz, your reasoning is sound, but application is compeltely missing. Although you are correct in that swing weight is measured in a fulcrum the swing weight does not translate onto the golf course. If you were to wear a glove, would you consider the impact it has on swing weight? How about a ring? The answer is no, because the weight is in your hands. The balance point of a club changes when you grip it because you are effectively taking some weight away by gripping it with your hands. That's why getting caught up in what the swing weight scale says is essentially worthless. Swing weight scales are a starting point and not an end. Step away from the books and start thinking real world application. Again, you've found something that works for you. That does not mean it will translate to anyone else. How many average players miss left versus right. I would say 1:9. I'm willing to bet that 90% of the golfing population does not need help preventing the left shot. When giving advice, it might be worthwhile to present both sides of information so people can tailor it to their own needs rather than simply saying what works for you. You're correct that lead powder and a cork is a rather poor method of increasing swing weight. However, lead tape is not exaclty clean, nor is it efficient. It take miles of high density lead tape to accomplish changes in swing weight. Lead tape is fine for fine tuning swing weight, it is not meant for making major changes. Tip weights are for more efficient and durable when properly installed.

mikelz, Those are some interesting tips. Point one is counterbalancing and it is not guarantee of hitting it straighter nor is it a guarantee of even reducing swing weight since the weight is in your hands. Point 2 is not for a hook, it is actually for a fade. Faders of the golf ball often take taper out of their grips by building up the right hand. A narrower club promotes a more active hand and is easier to turn over for a hook. If you want to hook the ball, use no tape under the right hand. Point 3 is only good if it fits you. Point 4, how do you achieve D6 by gripping alone?

If you want to get good at this game, at some point you have to learn how to use a driver and use it well. Why not learn how to use it right off the bat and gain some confidence with it. People say learn on the range and then take it to the course. I think anyone who has tried that strategy will tell you that golf on the range and golf on the golf course are two completely different things. With such good prices on used drivers, pick one up, and start swinging away!

hawkeye, Your bronze putter will ship that bright shiny color pictured and will patina over time into the darker color you'd like. If you want to speed up this process, just leave it outside under the patio or in the garage and it will speed the process.

nykfan4life, If it's distance you seek, high end balls aren't what you need. At your swing speed, low compression is the key to getting the most distance you can. Look to 50 compression balls like the Wilson 50, Bridgestone E6, and Precept iQ180. Most premium balls tend to be in the 70-90 range. Compressing the golf ball allows for club head energy to be transferred efficiently into the ball to "activate" the core. If you can't compress a ball, you won't get the most energy input into it.

thumper, Dynamic Gold Plus is a discontinued shaft that was replaced by Dynamic Gold Lite. Think lighter weight, and softer tip than Dynamic Gold while being stiffer in the butt.

rydaddy, Bounce is only one part of the equation when it comes to selecting a wedge. There are "high bounce" wedges with wide, flat soles that are easier to use on tight lies than "low bounce" wedges with narrow cambered soles. The key is picking something you feel comfortable using around the greens. Also, tweaking wedges to fit your specific needs is not a bad idea if there is a club maker in your area who is capable of effectively grinding wedges. I assume by the 54/14 designation that you purchased a Vokey? If so I think you picked a good one, as the wide, flat sole of the Vokey will allow you to use the club effectively to pinch the ball against the tightest of lies without having any issues at all. If you like to put a descending blow on your wedges and face loose fluffy sand, going with more bounce was the right way to go. It might be slightly prohibitive on a full swing flop off a tight fairway lie, but then again I doubt you use your 54 for that shot much anyway.

elchene, The purists say it does - but the fact remains it is still stainless steel. How soft can it be? Whether it is 303, German, or Double Aged like Bettinardi uses I've tried them all and can't feel any difference. Construction, mass behind the ball, and even things like shaft and grip make significantly more difference to me than the steel used. If you truly want a soft putter, carbon steel is the only way to go.

N.V.M., I would suggest looking into the Bridgestone E5, NXT Tour, and Callaway's new HX Bite. All are great golf balls that will help you increase your launch angle and spin (to hopefully pick up some yards with the irons) while still allowing you to maintain full feel around the green. The HX Bite especially has really been impressing me as I've been using it.

Spot on Shindig. I think you pretty much nailed it on the head, nice work. The only thing I would add is that low compression balls aren't just for mid to high handicaps, especially when the weather is beginning to get colder. Many low handicaps play low compression balls in the winter since golf balls tend to become harder to compress as the temperature drops. The only balls I would add to your list CodeRed would be the Topflite D2 Gamer. All the golf balls mentioned are excellent low compression balls that still allow for you to experiment with short game spin around the greens as you continue learning. The iQ 180 especially is a great super low compression ball that still retains a good bit of feel.

CodeRed, I might not be able to fit you exactly into a golf ball, but I believe I can give you a few options to try that you might find the ball for you. You might be surprised to know that golf balls react surprisingly similarly off the driver. You should really work on picking your golf ball from around the green and up to 150-160 yards. Pick the one that gives you the performance you want from those distances. What is your handicap? What is your swing speed? How far do you hit your driver? What is your miss with the driver? What one shot would you like to eliminate the most? How far do you hit your seven iron? With a full swing with a sand wedge, what do you typically expect the ball to do once it hits the green? (drop and stop, come ripping back, roll forward) Do you prefer to hit high flops around the green or chip and runs? What price range are you looking at? From this information I should be able to help you find a ball that suits you.

Crafty, They're actually not. The Studio Stainless are made from standard 303 stainless over the counter steel. Scotty saves the special stuff for the special guys. You might want to read through the thread again, as there are significant differences between the Tour and retail putters that go way beyond numbers and stamping. Of course the Cameron marketing machine would rather you believe otherwise. Anyhow, here it is straight from Scotty: http://www.scottycameron.com/product...ails.asp?id=10 Studio Style on the other hand has a body made from 303 stainless and a thin GSS milled insert suspended in elastomer. http://www.scottycameron.com/product...ils.asp?id=286

blkdiamond, There are some pretty major differences in head shape and design in the Tour 009's and Newports. Different neck styles, hand welded necks, hand ground soles, truly milled putters (versus forged and skim milled for retail), different metals are all just a starting point. Note the welded neck on this 009 Tour model, not something you're going to find on any retail anywhere in the world. If you don't think it makes any difference, why would they spend hours hand welding and grinding necks for Tour players?

yamhang, Without seeing you actually hit them, I'd err on the side of higher loft providing greater initial launch and spin which both contribute to increased carry distances. Also, shorter shafts allow golfers to make better contact, and often with better contact golfers free themselves up to swing harder. Either way, if it works for you, keep it going. I should mention that I am anxiously awaiting the proofs of my new MacGregor MT Pro Muscle Back irons that are being custom ground by Don White, the master himself to my exact specs. I'll try to post some pictures when they arrive, because I have a feeling I might change my answer after hitting those.

Arathel, Bend away, it should be no problem at all.

yamhang, They are significantly different specs than today's clubs. They were made back in the day when golf balls spun like the dickens and getting the ball in the air wasn't as big of a challenge. The specs are based off a 50 degree wedge going up in four degree increments from there. The five iron is an inch shorter than today's standards I believe at 37 inches, add and subtract in half inch increments from there. Great set of clubs, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only old goat on this board who hasn't forgotten about some of the old classic clubs.

Arathel, It depends on the club, direction of bending, the machinery used, and of course the monkey doing the wrenching. Bending a 56 to 58 shouldn't be a problem for any club as long as the club builder knows what he's doing. Remember, that by doing so you will be adding roughly two degrees of bounce to the club, so take that into consideration before bending. You will also be reducing the offset of the club slightly. Possible hazards if your club builder doesn't know what he's doing are snapping the hosel or if the club is chrome, spidering the chrome finish. Typically forged clubs carbon steel clubs bend far easier than stainless cast clubs. Just out of curiosity, what club are you trying to bend? The only club I would be very careful with are any of Cleveland's CMM products. Although soft, the metal is extremely brittle and can crack if bent too quickly or with too much pressure.

blkdiamond, The answer lies in the all might dollar - Titleist pays for each Cameron putter a tour pro puts into play. Throw in an all expenses paid trip to San Diego to visit Scotty and the studio and a putter hand made to your specs and desires and you can begin to see why he dominates tour counts. His off the rack putters bear no similarities to the ones hand made for tour pros. Take a look around Cameron Collector and you'll see some pretty big differences between circle T's and retail models.

Cahal, AWT is related to the shafts, as the clubs get longer, the shafts get lighter and swing weight decreases, so in theory you can swing the longer clubs faster to generate a higher ball flight and more spin. The i10's vary from D3 in the 9 iron and PW to D0 in the long irons. It's a very good shaft and although a bit soft for higher swing speed guys many people are beginning to like it a lot.

ks8829, If you bought a milled GSS Cameron off e-Bay for $150 you made out with the deal of the century. The cheapest GSS Cameron I have bought went for $1800. There are no retail putters made from a block of GSS, only milled inserts in the Studio Style and Red X series. Herein lies the genius of Scotty Cameron - marketing. Getting people to buy into an image and idea all enhanced by things like letter openers, divot tools, and dancing head covers. It's a pretty good racket, and with some help with his buddy Vog he's created quite a secondary collector's market for himself.

Without a doubt MacGregor's Muirfield Customs. Forged in the USA by Hoffman with a true copper underlay (rather than nickel like today's irons), they are the softest clubs I have ever hit. It's too bad Hoffman doesn't make golf clubs any more because the quality of their work surpasses anything I have ever seen.