Hidalgo

He can say whatever he wants about his score....I could care less...and you should be of the same mindset. Unless under tournament or other competitive conditions, a person breaking the rule in that manner is only hurting themselves by possibly/probably lowering their score that day and thus recording a handicap score that is lower than actual. This results in a lower handicap index and a loss of strokes in competition. They're only hurting themselves.

Nope...perhaps I wasn't clear...... You hit your drive OB or lost..... When you re-tee (drop) that's ANOTHER stroke. When you put the second ball into play that's the THIRD stroke. What I was suggesting is that the DROP not count as a stroke. Instead of lying 3 in the fairway it would be better if you were lying only two. There's still the one stroke penalty. Lying three off the tee is a death sentence on that hole for all but the best amateurs. As for involving the most severe penalty, who says WHAT the most severe penalty should be? One stroke...two strokes...three strokes?

There are many different things that can be causing this, and none can be definitive without seeing you swing. All of the above COULD be the cause....or not. One thing I would encourage you to do, especially since it's cool weather: Make SURE you take a full backswing. Cutting off your backswing early will ALWAYS cause a thin shot. Other than that, it's impossible to say over a computer.

I've played on courses that had front/back yardages on the sprinklers....courses that had only the center measurement....courses that had plaques in the fairways....and courses that were not marked at all. But I played my first round last week with one of the new SkyGolf SG-5 units, and it is almost like cheating. Not to mention the fact that it made the game quicker because I had my yardages right there in my hand. Are there a bunch of these units being used and have they proven pretty reliable over time? I think I'm going to make this thing part of my everyday equipment.

Couples has always been a fader of the golf ball. He struggles to hit a draw at times. The shot on 18 wasn't a fade...it was a block. The club was behind and never got caught up with his hands. Tiger has always preferred the fade because it is more consistent for him. Other players who prefer to fade the ball if conditions call for it: Calcavecchia, Duval, Nicklaus (of course), Maruyama, Weir, Kite, Stadler, just a few that cometo mind. Remember...most tour players have INCREDIBLY fast hands. They prefer a fade because it almost never turns into a slice. On the other hand...it's very easy for them to "hand flip" a draw into a violent hook. But remember this: Very few tour players hit the ball straight. They will intentionally bend teh ball in order to make SURE they have control of the shot. At the higher levels, it's all about controlling the golf ball. One thing about shot shaping that Mr. Hogan said in one of his writings......... "Scoring is dependent on how efficiently you manage your missed shots, and the decisions you made that caused those missed shots. No matter what the situation, I'll always play the easiest shot that allows me to score and fits my eye. I never force a shot that I don't have total confidence in. And I never aim at trouble, nor turn the ball towards trouble." I don't remember the tournament, but Mr. Hogan lay up short of the green on a par 3 all 4 days....simply because he deemed the "appropriate" shot was too dangerous and didn't fit his eye. It required starting the ball over water to get to the pin. He got up and down all 4 days and won the tournament.

You're paying a professional.....and won't follow his recommendations? Seriously..."most" players will waste more strokes with a 64* wedge (or a 60* for that matter) than they will save. As for the bounce discussion (again).....most amateurs will do better with high bounce wedges. I'm referring to 12* & 14* bounce angles. The only time that this will cause you a problem is with a VERY tight lie in extremely firm hardpan or other situation where there is a lack of turf. If your home course usually produces those situations, then you might want to look into a 4*-6* bounce sand wedge. But bear in mind that the low bounce will likely cause you problems in softer (normal) situations unless you are very good at nipping the ball off the grass.

Wedges from the fairway (provided they are full shots) should be played with the same swing that you use on your other short irons. I didn't see the loft of your wedge listed, so I have to assume it's a 56* club. It's hard for most average players to push that club to 100 yards. More like 70 or so would be more appropriate. The average player, IMO, needs to have a PW (45*), GW (50*), SW (54*), and LW (58*) in their bag. (These are just my lofts...yours might be different) This eliminates those huge gaps in yardage in your short game. I prefer 4* steps in my wedges. Some use other gaps and do an excellent job with them. In my experiences, most players will do better with a PW and 3 additional wedges. Even if you have to pull the 3 iron out to make room for them. Not to be critical, but if you are struggling to make solid contact already...why should you handicap yourself by having too few clubs and then having to try to "manufacture" shots around the green? And there is NOTHING wrong with playing wedges that match your other clubs. Instead of following the herd and buying Vokey, Cleveland, or other brands, you can do just fine (for now) with wedges that are offered by the manufacturer of your irons. While they might not spin the ball as much, and aren't as versatile, they ARE usually easier to hit and have a wider sole which results in less digging and fat shots. You can get better, more versatile wedges later on when you are capable of utilizing them appropriately.

^^^^^ Like he said ^^^^^

Zeph...that's a scary statement...you're starting to sound like me......

I don't want to see ANY rule changed in the manner in which this one is being discussed. Like was said.....there would be more arguments than you could sort out. What I WOULD like to see, is the stroke and distance part changed to only a 1-stroke penalty and a ball must be replayed. Same for OB. In my opinion, lying 3 off the tee is a little too harsh of a penalty for an amateur. They have little chance of making par and most times a slim chance of making bogey.

TMan, we never took swing speed into account except as an initial starting point to begin an evaluation. In our experiences, the ONLY way to make an accurate assessment of a player's needs is to have him/her actually hit balls with the different shafts. Ball flight and distance come into play, and there is absolutely NO WAY that someone can ACCURATELY fit you without seeing you hit the ball. To answer your question...I never hesitated to try a STIFF or FIRM shaft even with a swing speed as low as 85mph. You never know what will come out of a real-life test until it is done. I have seen smooth type swingers with lower speeds play "X" flexs in their irons. Ernie Els (when he was with Titleist) played "XX" flex shafts. And he's as smooth as it gets, and doesn't generate excessive speed.

In all fairness....it IS correct to some degree. Given the same clubhead and shaft model, the firmer the flex the lower the ball flight will be. And while the shaft doesn't touch the ball as you so eloquently put it, it is connected to the head which DOES hit the ball. That's like saying that hand position isn't important....because the hands don't hit the ball. As a clubfitter, you should know better.

He said: I'm on a budget though, not really looking to spend more than $50-75 That's why I commented on his mention of a 983 series.

The 983 series is a GREAT clubhead. I have been using a 983E since they became available and am still using it. A word of CAUTION...the 983 series offers a "K" model and a "E" model. The "E" model is more of a fade-enhancing head and offers quite a bit more workability than the "K" model. Judging by your description, I think you would benefit from a "K" model head. Shafts options are many. As was said...you might want to stay with a lighter shaft...especially in a Titleist. Titleist drivers tend to provide a lower ball flight than some other brands. A 9.5 or 10.5 might be your best option, but it's hard to say sitting here looking at a computer screen.

I don't think that asking about it is a "hijack" at all. Usually, a shaft that is too soft will cause erratic accuracy and a tendency to draw or hook the ball given a straight approach to the ball, as well as causing a trajectory that is higher than desired. Erratic accuracy is the biggest problem. As a general rule, the stiffer the shaft, the better the consistency/accuracy. But if you can't properly flex the shaft, distance will suffer as well as ball flight. Like I said earlier...swing speed is not the end-all to determining shaft preference. Tempo also has a lot to do with it as well as the steepness of the approach to the ball.

I think it's VERY doable. The only variable will be Tiger's continued penchant for excellence. He's got a family now, and regardless of what anyone might think, that will come into play sooner or later. While Tiger is inherently talented and athletic, his willingness to practice and excel will have to remain at the current level to achieve such a feat. Will anyone else ever do it? Probably. We all thought that Mr. Nicklaus was the best ever and would not be beaten. The same with Mr. Hogan. Sooner or later, there will be another person willing to do what it takes. All of that said.........UNLESS the USGA or Tour throttle back the balls and clubs. If that happens, all bets are off and the current and immediate stats will never be approached.

Exactly. While swing speed is a good place to start when fitting shafts, it's sometimes not the defining variable. Angle of attack and trajectory preference play a big part also. And bear in mind that one manufacturer's "stiff" isn't going to necessarily be the same as another. As an example, Rifle shafts (especially the flighted series) generally play a little softer than Dynamic Golds. And when you get into graphite it gets even more confusing.

My statements weren't "presumptuous" at all. A wedge is one of the easiest clubs in the bag to hit if you just put forth the time and effort on the practice range and bunker. There's no reason for anyone with a little extra time to put in (even once a week) practicing with the wedge to have the excuse that they hit it heavy. Most every beginning player hits the wedge heavy because they either try to slide it under the ball or help the ball by scooping it. Neither is correct unless a lob shot is required. I shouldn't be called "presumptuous" simply because a person isn't willing to learn to hit the club. Why the sarcasm? All I did was state the facts and provide some direction to the question as I see it. I didn't post sarcasm...and don't appreciate it being directed my way, either. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with a low bounce wedge sole. I personally don't play those shots very much. Mickelson has a 64* wedge that has 4* of bounce. Nothing wrong with that if you want that type of grind and prefer it for some shots. Now THAT'S funny. FWIW...there isn't a course in my region (as far as I know) that overseeds in the winter. Our fairways are dormant Bermuda, and have also been very wet recently. They are ANYTHING but lush in the off-season. You won't get any sympathy from me because of your course conditions....ours are about the same right now. As should I.

I wasn't suggesting to "never hit driver" at all. I was saying that if the conditions and landing area call for it, a 4W would be a far better choice than trying to hit a bunt with a driver. And...I love my 4W also. I took a 5W out of the bag to make room for it.

Bounce has absolutely nothing to do with skulling the ball or hitting it fat. Remember...you hit the ball FIRST except in a bunker. A fat or thin shot with a wedge, regardless of bounce angle, is simply a bad shot. Most players will find that if their swing is upright...and if they come down at a steep angle into the ball...they will be better off with a lot of bounce. If you tend to sweep the ball...you will be satisfied with less bounce. As for bunker play, bounce is a definite requirement if you play the shot properly. Sure...you can "pick it clean" with most any club, but to do it right the sole must have a pretty prominent bounce angle. The only time I have not wanted bounce in a bunker is after a couple of days of rain on a poorly maintained course where the bunkers were like playing off hardpan. Out of the rough and off the fairway, more bounce is usually a better choice. Around the green where the club must be opened up and slid under the ball (as in playing a high lob) is about the only time that bounce is a bad thing.

You ABSOLUTELY cannot use .355s in a .370 hosel. There are spacers that can be used (but I wouldn't) to surround the shaft, and I have also heard some so-called clubbuilders who say that if you twist the shaft as the shaft is installed the epoxy will surround the shaft and provide a cushion all the way around. In real life....neither one works. And FWIW....unless they have changed recently, ALL Titieist shafts are .355 unless they are a special order.

If your wife is going to get mad at you for spending time with your dad......she needs to get some marriage counseling. And I don't usually say these type of things randomly. I sincerely hope that you and your dad have a GREAT time. It's absolutely something that never gets old to a golf fan. Even if it were your 20th time.....

A couple of things...... Why would you suggest that a 17 hdcp player use a driver in that manner? It's the hardest club in the bag to hit, and IMO isn't something to start manufacturing shots with at his/her skill level. Every club in the bag is another "tool". As an example...would you use your circular saw to make a clean straight cut, or use your skil saw "just because" it will do the job if you modify your method? I say use the 4 wood ANYTIME that it's comfortable for you to hit. Watch most any tour event and you'll see as many 3W off the tee as you do drivers. If choking down on a driver was a smart and reliable thing to do, you'd see the better players doing it.

Unless it's something REALLY weird...you NEVER cut an iron shaft at the tip. Are these tapered or parallel tip shafts? It makes a difference. Sounds like you need to get a professional to do this for you.

Good info. Instead of concentrating on hitting UP or DOWN on the ball...I would encourage you to hit the ball with the driver on more of a "sweeping" path. If you have to hit either up or down...your driver loft and possibly shaft choice is incorrect. But that's hard to know until you get the correct swing path and a more shallow delivery of the clubhead to the ball.