Clambake

Wait a minute, are you saying there isn't one? #$@%, that's the one I was gunning for! Oh well, I'll graciously accept this lesser award in it's place. Thanks everyone!

Sharp looking bike! Good equipment combo as well - great performance for the value. I've had my bike a whopping week now, and have gotten out for 4 rides. The first one I did was around the streets in my immediate neighborhood, and right off it started with a pretty severe hill and then another fairly steep grade back to my house. The ride was only about 2 miles, but I literally couldn't finish the last hill, I was so out of shape. But hey, that's why I bought it! A couple other rides were at a nearby lake where it is fairly flat (but windy), and I did a nice 10 miles on each ride, with the second time noticeably faster than the first. Yesterday I did another ride in my neighborhood but up into the hills nearby, with one long steep hill and then a lot of slight grades, and I managed about 8 miles pushing it pretty hard. It's only been a week, but I am feeling better already, although I'm pretty sure at 54 I'm not going to be getting in racing shape any time soon. One thing I need to do is get a better saddle. The reviews on the Trek I bought were all fantastic except everyone complained about the seat, and I see what they mean - it is literally a pain in the butt. I think an investment in something really good like a Cobb will be worth every penny.

So why doesn't he have it fixed? If he really had a problem with his wisdom teeth or suffering with pericoronitis like you're speculating, why is he taking forever to deal with it? My dentist can take me in with no appointment if I'm having a significant problem; I'd think Rory would have no problem doing the same (unless he's relying on the UK health system?). One of Rory's people was quoted saying one of his wisdom teeth has been bugging him for a few months. Why would he go through the whole off season ignoring it? I think if any one of us was a pro golfer sitting at #1 and we had a few month before the tourney schedule ramped up again, we'd have taken care of any physical maladies so we could be fully ready to prepare for the Masters.

I can only tolerate watching this with the sound off. No, it isn't Johnny Miller that's bugging me, but the incessant shouting and screaming by the morons on every shot. The guy hollering while Thompson was putting was the worst. Is it just me or does it seem moronic verbal outbursts here at the Honda is even worse than normal?

Wow, is he ever going to get skewered for this. He was at 7 over on the day, and hit hit second shot into the water on 18 (his 9th hole of the day) and then walked off without finishing the hole. A couple holes early he put 2 into the water on 16, taking a triple. He told reporters in the parking lot that he just "wasn't in a good place mentally", but then later issued a statement saying that he had a sore wisdom tooth, which sounds like backtracking after the mental comment.

If I ever start putting something like this in my bag, all of you have my complete permission to beat me totally senseless (with whatever club you chose), confiscate all my golf gear, and put me on the TSA "Do Not Golf" watch list.

I know this thread is about a putter addiction, but I really feel like I need to comment on your statement above. You say you've only be golfing for 9 months and have played 75 rounds - wow, that's about twice a week, which is more than most of us get to play! But one thing you're doing is ingraining in swing habits which are almost certainly a collection of adjustments and compromises which come together to help you play a bit. Every time you swing a club, you're going to make it tougher and tougher to correct and build a better swing which will last you years. The best time to take lessons is when you're just starting out. A decent pro can get you on the correct habits from the beginning. You'll spend the rest of your life struggling to unlearn bad habits and change your swing.

Are you sure that's both ways? I just looked into shipping my clubs from San Diego to Monterey and the FedEx calculator shows $52 each way for slow ground, or a whopping $360 each way for express. It's only a distance of about 460 miles, so I'd be surprised at a $35 each way cost unless you're just shipping them across town.

He's recommending buying ONE more putter instead of another couple dozen.

Wow! You, sir, are a true putter hoe. A ****ty Scotty strumpet. A brazen Odyssey hussy. A putter of ill repute. A flatstick floozy. A Taylormade tramp. A trollop who only says YES! A Kombi concubine. There is probably an addiction program that would help you through this sickness. Maybe something called "putting lessons"?

Curious why you would want to do that. Have someone call you every time you want to practice your tempo?

That's an interesting juxtaposition! I always liked the stuff he did with David Lynch. I seem to be on a female singer kick lately. Some of the classic "torch singer" stuff from Dianne Reeves, Diana Krall, Debbie Luna, Renee Marie, and old Julie London. Love this song (although Debbie Luna does a better arrangement): Staying in the female singer genre, I've also been listening a lot to some alt rock acts like Gin Wigmore and The Duke Spirit:

A few more for consideration: Diane Lane Salma Hayek: Raquel:

Thanks. I was torn between the Cannondale and Trek, but the great price picking up a 2012 Trek won me over. Boy, you're not kidding about the technology changes over the last 30 years! My last bike was pretty much top of the line for the time: Ciocc frame with Columbus SL tubing, all Campy Super Record groupset, shifters on the downtube, top end Mavic wheels, and silk sew-up tires. I cherry picked the best components in every category and built it myself (even lacing the wheels) - I used to manage a bike shop in college so I still had the wholesale connections for parts and the bike building skills. It was about as high end as one could do, and I had about $1300 into it. It weighed about 19 lbs and handled great for tight racing but wasn't real comfortable in the bumpier stuff. Now even the lowest end groupsets probably are lighter than that old Super Record set, and they perform great. 10 or 11 cogs are on the rear, where the state of the art with the prior bike was squeezing 6 on the rear hub. The whole concept of having shifters built into the brake levers is great, and it's amazing how responsive and snappy they are even with the extra cable length and mechanisms needed. The use of carbon fiber in the frames and a lot of components is certainly one of the more observable changes, but I found that even steel and aluminum frames were much higher tech than previously; I imagine the use of finite element analysis has enabled much stronger structures even with the old materials. The frames are much lighter, and have amazing stiffness in the drivetrain yet still manage to offer some compliance in their ride. I've promised myself that I'm going to stop browsing the cycling component sites and stay satisfied with what I have. Cycling is a sport where the equipment freak inside one's head can really go nuts, so some serious willpower is needed. I know that I bought a bike that is way more capable than I'll ever be, so there isn't any need to start tweaking and upgrading. At least that's what I'm telling myself this week.......

I've recently joined the ranks of road bike ownership. Many years ago I used to be heavily into cycling and raced a bit, but after a nearly three decade layoff I've decided I needed to get in better shape. I think getting winded walking downstairs was the clue! This weekend I picked up a nice Trek 4.6 on a great sale: I did my first ride on it yesterday and was astonished how badly out of shape I really am. I live in a hilly neighborhood and was gasping for air after less than a mile. I guess it will be quite a while before I can call myself a cyclist again! Or course I'll have to start getting more familiar with all the new cycling terms, like EPO, PED, hGH, CERA, etc........

And more recently Kyle Stanley at last year's tourney at Torrey Pines.

As Erik indicated, about 100 feet high is what Trackman has shown for the Tour pros. And they hit every club in the bag about the same height (except for the putter of course). It's pretty hard to look out at a drive and gauge if it's too high or not compared to surrounding fences. You're looking over 600 feet downrange trying to compare a rapidly moving object to the height of nearby objects which are also unknown height. Think about that 100 feet high - that's roughly the height of a 10 story building. Does it feel like you're hitting over a 10 story building? If so then maybe it's too high, but that's a pretty damn tall building to hit a golf ball over!

Yep, I was fit by Jack and Sheri at SDGI (they worked together on this). The turnaround time was was couple days over 3 weeks, but I also ordered this right before the start of the PGA Merchandise Show and I know Edel was pretty busy right then. They quote up to 4 weeks just to be careful, but I'd guess I had about a worst-case turnaround because of the show.

I don't know about the Bushnell watch, but there is a fairly long thread on the Garmin S1. I've got one and love it. To answer your questions with the S1: 1) I've found a charge will last through 36 in a day, but it does consume some power as a watch only so it really should be charged before each day. 2) No uploading necessary - courses are all loaded in. You can also update it easily through their website using the USB charging cable. 3) Seems very accurate. I've also got a laser and occasionally carry it too just for fun, and the S1 seems very close. 4) Yes! Especially if you get a decent deal....I got my S1 for $150 and it is a great tool for that price

If someone doesn't want to buy an air compressor, here's another inexpensive alternative - small portable air tanks are readily available for $20-30 at places like Home Depot, Sears, and auto parts stores. Take it to the service station and pump it up to 80-90 psi and you have a ready source of air. Putting on the PURE grips takes very little air volume, so I wouldn't be surprised if a tankful of air would last you several seasons worth of regripping.

Golfingdad, I sent you a PM with details.

Amazing that the simple question of Seemore vs. Edel can create such polarized and misdirected posts. Erik arrogant about Edel? I sure don't think so. Passionate, yes, but not arrogant. And he was that way before he became an Edel fitter - to me he simply seems passionate about anything that can make us common golfers get better, whether it is in the swing or the equipment. What seems to be missing in all this discussion is "What truly are the fundamental differences between the two companies' approaches?" Both make excellent putters, but SeeMore and Edel are coming at the problem of making someone a better putter through different directions. SeeMore The SeeMore putters have proven themselves on Tour and for many amateur golfers, and they make quality putters in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their primary distinction is the red dot and little sight lines (their "RST technology" that are designed to help ensure a consistent ball, hand, and eye position in order to make the stroke more consistent. If you keep everything lined up, it helps make sure the putter is delivered at the ball the same way every time with a consistent loft. What the RST does not do is aid one's perception of where the putter is initially aimed. It is up to the user to sort through the SeeMore product line and find the putter that has a head shape, length, and weight that they feel works best for their swing. Edel Edel's approach is targeted towards that latter problem: to find the best putter style for the user that addresses how that individual person perceives where the putter is aimed, and then to find the right weight and balance to help them make a controllable stroke. Every person perceives where they think the putter is aimed a little differently, and that is the whole premise behind Edel's philosophy. There approach is somewhat predicated on the user having a fairly consistent stroke with decent enough fundamentals that they can best benefit from something that fits their brain's interpretation of what they see and their stroke physiology. They two companies' approaches are to address different problems for different people . It isn't really a SeeMore vs. Edel question. If you're having issues with your the consistency of how you deliver the putter head on the ball, SeeMore's technology may help. If you can figure out which putter head fits your aim perception the best, they can be a great solution. If you have a reasonably consistent stroke, Edel takes fitting the putter to your eye to a whole new level. I'd characterize that the SeeMore is focused on repeatability , and Edel on controllability . It's a pity that the two can't be combined, as that would probably make a really great solution! Tour Use? We see a number of the SeeMore putters on Tour, probably most notably Zach Johnson. So why don't we see any Edels out there? I think the answer is also closely related to why we see so many Scotty's on Tour. Edel's major premise is to finely tune a putter that fits you, and among putter manufacturers they probably the ones that have brought the finest degree of variability and locations to the amateur masses. Scotty, however, has long provided this same service to the Tour pros. In a way, the pros don't need Edel as much as us amateurs. Cameron's putter studio in the north San Diego county area has been the destination of Tour pros for years, and they get a detailed analysis using high speed cameras and other measurement tools. For Cameron, this is also very smart marketing - by providing this extensive service he gets more of his putters in Tour pros' hands than any other manufacturer, and that has made him a pretty wealthy man. In some ways, Edel mimics the whole treatment that a Tour pro gets at Cameron's studio. My Recent Edel Experience Disappointed with my general putting performance, I've been looking at different putters to see if there might be something that worked better for me. I checked out the SeeMore putters, and quickly found that my stroke was pretty consistent already with what their RST technology was trying to do - without focusing on it, I found I already kept the little dot nicely centered throughout my stroke. That was a nice reinforcement that I must be doing something right. In my quest, I recently dropped by my local Edel fitter to see what it was all about. I'm pretty objective, so I had no preconceived notions that this was the holy grail, but I do feel that the psychology of perception and feel are pretty intertwined with being able to putt well, so I felt there might be something to the Edel approach. Since the fitter had a little time to kill, he grabbed the aiming tools from his Edel kit and we headed to the range to see how my current putter stacks up. The fitter set up his little black screen background and laser, and we checked the aim with my putter where I lined up multiple times to a simulated cup about 8 feet away. Here is where it got very interesting. I was absolutely dead on consistently aimed. The problem was I was consistently aimed about 3" outside the left edge of the cup. My putter was an Anser-style, with a single sight line on the flange. The fitter took a little piece of tape to cover the line, and then we experimented with different marks using a Sharpie. After a little trial and error, he came upon a solution that had me consistently lining up dead at the center. The solution? Cover the sight line completely, and put a single little dot on the top of the head. We went back and forth multiple times on this and it was astounding how consistent I was between the solutions. Sight line visible, I'd aim left. Dot only, I'd aim right on. At this point the fitter was happy to send my on my way with no charge, suggesting I could probably improve quite a bit by simply keeping a little tape on the back and a Sharpie dot. Distance control has been my other issue, so I went ahead and did the full Edel fitting the next day to see if things could be improved. Starting from scratch with the Edel heads, some experimenting quickly validated the previous days results and showed that I was best staying with the Anser-style head and a hosel similar to what I was already using, but put an aiming dot and no sight lines on the putter. Again, we went back and forth for about an hour doing blind tests and tweaking only a variable at a time, and the results were consistent. We also then spent some time with a high speed camera stroking putts in front of a measuring stick to pick the loft that provides the best roll for my stroke; this didn't take very long, but looking at the video it was surprising how much difference a degree one way or the other had on how much the ball skidded. We then spent almost another hour on the weighting, and again it was very revealing. Edel's process doesn't just concern itself with how heavy of putter head you like, but the distribution of weight throughout the shaft. We eventually came on a solution with some weight anchored about 6 inches down from the shaft butt, and my distance control was greatly improved. Again, we went back and forth with the different combos to reduce the variables and make sure the effect we were seeing was really caused by the weight changes and not just by my zeroing in on the distances on the green. I've only had my new Edel a week and haven't been able to get out on the course yet, but I have noticed that I am more consistent on the practice green. No, I'm not making every 10 footer, but it seems like I'm making more of them, and I'm also leaving a lot more 30 footers within a couple feet than I used to. If the Edel is only worth a stroke every few rounds, it will have been worth it to me.

Cliff, does your garage look like this (Arnold Palmer's)?

When they said they were going to make golf one of the sports in the Olympics, I mistakenly assumed they meant the Summer games.

I hope your wrist recovers quickly...it's been a few weeks, hasn't it? There is nothing more frustrating than being injured just when starting to make good progress.