leo3

I played the One Black before I started playing the TM Red LDP. The One Platinum has too much spin, and is about 10 yards shorter off the tee.

+1 Getting on a secure career track, and making sure your family is provided for come first. Take care of these, and there will be plenty of time for golf later.

To get really comfortable, and have absolute trust in my irons, it usually takes about 3 months of play. New irons are great on the range, from a perfect lie, and the first few rounds are great,(honeymoon period) then a few glitches may work their way in, then the process of learning exactly what to expect from the less than perfect lies on the course. After about 3 months, I figure I've seen it all, uphill, downhill, sidehill lies, rough, hardpan, pinestraw, etc., and I know what to expect from them all.

I don't like the look of the Ibrids, but thats a personal thing, you can get Big Berthas with standard style long irons as well. The Berthas are super forgiving, and lots of people love them, but the X series might be a better choice for a 19 hcp. as yourself. I would try them both, if you can, and unless you really need a lot of help getting shots in the air, I think you will prefer the X series clubs. All are good irons, just a matter of what suits your eye and swing.

You have made a wise decision. Play well...

I have an obvious bias for the X20's, as I play them, but seriously, they are great clubs. Are you looking at the X18R, or the original X18's? The X18R's are club Callaway brought out to compete at the $399 price point. They don't have the Bore-Thru hosel, the 360 degree undercut, or the same shaft and grip as the original X18. They are still good clubs, but the X20's are worth the extra money. Look on the Callaway Preowned site for some great deals, their condition ratings are accurate, and the prices are hard to beat. Watch out on Ebay, as there are more fake Callaways than you can imagine on there.

I've never heard of either, could you explain??

My wife and I were in Sedona a couple of years ago, stayed in the Sedona Hilton, and played 2 rounds at the Sedona Golf Resort, next to the Hilton. It was a good course, with some spectacular views, bring your camera for the par 3 10th hole.

If you have a new bag, with missing parts, maybe checking with the place you bought it would be a good place to start.

I think it might be more a case of mallet vs. blade causing the difference. You might want to try having the shaft extended 1 inch, as a more cost effective way of finding out if it is causing your problem, rather than reshafting.

Course management and hitting greens. 43% of the holes you play result in a double or worse, which indicates you try to hit the "hero" shot if you find yourself in trouble. Resolve yourself to the fact that you are going to make a bogey, and play smart, don't let holes get away from you, and roll up your score. Also, with only 20 GIR, you put a lot of pressure on your short game. If you can't get your GIR % up, sharpen up your short game to improve your chances of getting up & down. Pay attention to where you are missing greens, short, right, left, etc., to see if it's a course management issue (short), or a swing issue. Good Luck.

Wedges are about control and accuracy, not how far you can hit it if you swing out of your shoes. I guess some people are impressed by a 110 yard sandwedge, but I will settle for hitting mine 80 - 85 yards, and knowing it will be 5 - 10 feet from the pin.

I would go with the X22's. I have hit the regular R7's, and they were pretty good, but I would not reccomend a draw biased iron, as they only cover up swing flaws, if not actually cause them.

Buy whatever irons you like, the Mizunos and Callaways you are considering are all good clubs. Having said that, don't look for them to be the magic sticks to lower your handicap by "shaping your shots". At an 18.5 hcp, you most likely can't hit the ball straight on a consistent basis, let alone a reliable draw or fade. The X22's are a club that any level player can use, and will shape shots as much as your skill level allows, but if you've got the itch for new sticks, by all means, get them. Just keep the Callys around for a while, just in case....

For the vast majority of golfers, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the standard shafts manufacturers install in their clubs. There are some people on these type of sites who are VERY serious about their equipment, and will use aftermarket shafts to optimize ball flight and club performance. All of the major OEMs spend a ton of money researching what shafts optimize club performance for 95% of the golfing public, and they work fine for most of us.

I've got a 20 degree Baffler, the one just before the DWS model. It looks the same, and in my opinion, plays the same. DWS is just some weight added to the corners of the club, and while it may make a small statistical difference in robotic testing, I saw no difference on the range. I think my baffler is one of the best clubs in my bag, and it will take a lot to replace it.

Golfsmith stocks them, if you are close to one, go try them out. I got a Rife Mr. Beasley last week, I like smaller, mallet style putters, and after 3 rounds, it is a great putter. I was not sure the groove technology on the face really worked, but it puts the smoothest roll on the ball you can imagine. The black finish Beasley was not in the Raleigh, NC store, so I ordered online, as it was marked down to 59.95, unreal deal. The 2 bars wre in stock here, along with several other models.

I'm not so sure buying a shaft because it looks "bad ass" is going to solve your driver issues. LOL

If you hit it well, KEEP IT. I had a BB 3 wood for years, re- shafted it 2 years ago, and it was never the same. Went through 3 different shafts, with little success, and sold it. Finally, after trying lots of clubs, bought the F speed Cobra, and like it almost as much as the old BB.

I agree with your thoughts that the X22's graphics are gaudy, but your X18's are probably an ideal fit for your game, as you describe it. Going for "the next level" in clubs is over-rated. I know lots of single digit handicappers playing Callaway X series, Ping G series, Taylormade R-7's, etc.. Many of us have the ability to play a more "players" club, but don't have the time to devote several range sessions a week to keeping our swing on the level needed to produce the same scores we get with a game improvement iron. It is all about the score, right? Just my opinions....

If this is the case, why is your index 28, and mine is 8 ? I guess I'm glad I actually don't know what I'm doing. LOL

Try the Hibore XLS, longer and straighter than the XL you have now, IMO

I don't think 1/4 inch is really going to make a difference. 1/4 inch is a pretty small amount, and a different fitter might fit you into standard, depending on the accuracy of his wrist to ground measurement of you on any given day. If you find a deal on standard length clubs, and really feel that the 1/4 inch is important, you should be able to extend them easily the next time you re-grip.

I play X20's, and have hit the X22's, and found no difference between the 2 clubs, other than some slightly gaudier graphics on the 22's.

If the higher trajectory is helping you, why would you want to hit it lower because it "looks better"?? The irons you are using are somewhat designed to get shots up, and that should help you keeping shots from running off the green.