leo3

Vokey wedges are made by Titleist. Titleist makes blades. Go buy some.

I am always amused by the way online annonimity inflates peoples abilities. Heard a saying on a business trip out west, "All hat, no cattle" that sums it up in my mind.

Lob wedge. 550 yard hole, uphill, into a 2 club wind, hit it over the green, had to chip back on,.....oh wait, do you mean REAL golf, as opposed to internet BS.... then I would have to say 6 iron, and it was only a cheesy 435 yard par 5.

This is kind of a chicken or egg type question. For starters, lets leave Pros and elite amateurs out of this dicussion, as their needs are different than the vast majority of golfers. As amateurs, do we have the same swing every day? If not, which swing should we be fit for? A club you are fit for in a perfect environment, level lie and stance, etc. will be perfect in that environment, but how often do you encounter those conditions on the course? A person as tall as you are will need certain size adjutments, but I believe the majority of folks will be well served with standard equipment. After all +/- 1 degree is not really that huge a difference to the casual weekend player. I have been through several fittings, with recomendations from 1 flat to std. to 1 up, and length from std. to 1/2 " short. I play off the rack standard stuff, and didn't notice any difference with the slight variations of "fitted" equipment.

Way too many variables to even begin to rate a clubs forgiveness level with any amount of accuracy for a given individual. The OEM's have forgiveness guidelines, but ultimately the only way to judge a clubs performance for your swing is by hitting balls.

Fake heads with "real" shafts?? I would doubt that.

I don't believe it, first off, a chainsaw would have shredded the ball, and in the photo, it appears to be cleanly sliced, and directly in half. Second, it's a multi layer ball, which would seem too new to be imbedded that deeply in a tree, and the people in the linked story say it happened many years ago.

Just let it go and forget about it. You are going to run across A-holes everywhere in life, and the true measure of a man is how he deals with them. Never stoop to their level, be the bigger person, and you will gain the respect of others who are witness to such events.

It might be a good idea to actually hit some blades before you buy a set. No matter how cool you think they will look in your bag, they will do you no good if your swing can't handle them.

I agree with iacas, different strokes for different folks. My criteria for a good course is 1. Variety of hole design, doglegs left and right, uphill and downhill approach shots, varying length on par 3's and 4's, etc. 2. Visual intimidation, bunkers and hazards that may not actually be in play for a good shot, but guide you where to play your ball. 3. No hidden trouble, the hole is right there in front of you, no surprises 4. Challenging green complexes, lots of contours, lots of short game options These preferences are most likely influenced by the courses at my home club, a mixture of Donald Ross, Tom Fazio, and Ellis Maples courses.

The 22's are a little more forgiving than the 14's, not a whole lot of difference in the Callaway X series, just slight tweaks and improvements with each new model. I'm still playing the X20's, and have no plans to replace them anytime soon.

The Diablo's are the replacement for the Big Bertha series, a super game improvement iron. The X22's are the previous offering in the Callaway X series, which is classified as game improvement. You list your handicap as 6, so I would guess the X22's may be a better fit for you, but both are good clubs. You may want to check out the Diablo Forged, a really nice set for people who want a more "player" type club.

Average 230, index 8.5

I use irons with stiff graphite shafts, to allow me to play pain free, due to tendonitis and some other injuries from an earlier time. I can't imagine breakage being a factor, as I make a proper swing down into the ball, take a dollar bill size divot on most iron shots, and have hundreds of rounds on my current set.

I'm not an expert, but I don't think it's possible to shorten bubble shafts 1 1/2 inches. I don't think you can trim the butt end that much, and to cut 1 1/2 off the tip would put the flex off the charts.

Performance wise, not really too much. The X24's obviously have the dark finish, and maybe one degree or so of stronger loft in a few clubs, but the playability is very similar. I still play the X20's, and tried both the 22's and 24's, and thought they wre more of a sideways move than an upgrade. I think the 20's have a cleaner look about them too.

For a good shot, clear your mind as you address the ball and just hit the damn thing. For a bad shot, everything you listed.

Pre-owned would be the way to go, as you won't have too large an investment as you progress in the game, and possibly change your mind on equipment. With that said, any of the Callaway X series, (x-18, 20, 22, etc.) or Ping G series, (G-5, 10, 15) would be a great choice. Plenty of forgiveness for a newer player, but still the clubs of choice for lots of single digit handicappers.

The relationship of the shaft to the sole of the club (lie angle) does not change. If you clamp the club in a Mitchell machine, the lie angle will remain constant, no matter how much you cut the shaft. Swinging the club on a lie board is an entirely different matter, as the dynamics of a shorter shaft on a players swing will have the sole interact with the ground at a different angle. I will overlook the dumb comment, as I won't get into a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

Changing length will not alter the lie angle.

If you are in fact a 25 hcp., look into fixing the indian before you replace the arrows, as shanks are almost always swing issues.

Sounds like some people are being "THAT guy on this forum". Does it really make that much difference to you what someone else does at the driving range?

The AP1's are great clubs, if you are hitting them well, just enjoy them. You made a good choice.

Anything is possible, however, the difference between a 7.8 index and a tour player is tremendous, likely a larger difference then from where you started to where you are now. My index is close to yours, and personally I can't imagine my game ever getting to the level you are trying to achieve. Good luck with your quest.

I would try to treat the weekend like any other weekend with 3 rounds of golf, don't psych yourself out over it. Play the game that got you where you are, don't over practice, or try last minute changes because it's the Club Championship. Enjoy the atmosphere and camaraderie of the tournament, and play well. Good Luck.