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I think I (coincidentally) just read a review of the es14 that said it was using 2 radars already, one for the ball and one for the club. I guess more is better. Wonder how much the price of the old one is going to drop by...

I think it is a pretty good gesture from the club. I don't know if they have any small print in their membership agreement that covers the specifics of this type of case but it seems like it isn't the sort of thing they would have to reimburse you for just because your situation changes. (Would they refund someone who simply moved away from the area for instance or decided to just stop playing golf?) I think I have seen some Golf Insurance policies that cover membership fees in cases where you get injured for a long period of time and can't play so maybe not getting refunded is the default situation and in your specific case the club is doing a good thing.

Yes the gaps do change quite a bit as the irons get longer. I thought possibly that I am was swinging a bit easier with the short irons and then building up exertion to peak at about 6i then easing off a bit (relatively) at 4i and 5i (plus maybe I was getting a bit tired as we started at the short irons and worked up). So my PW-8I numbers were a bit less than I thought. I guess I can look at the data and see if I can figure anything out from my dynamic loft and swing speed etc. At the short end I'm going to see if I can get the loft on my 50' glide changed closer to 51.5' and then maybe regrip and extend by 1" the 56 and 60 (assuming those sort of changes are possible to make). I've spent some time at the range trying to get more comfortable with my 4 iron and practicing hitting up on my driver and the driver especially felt much better so I just need to make the changes stick. Will think about having another session in a few months to see if I've been able to change the picture.

That is interesting about the measuring range being up to 300 yds. I had always assumed that most of the data is captured at a very short range and then some kind of simulation took care of the actual predicted flight. Does that value actually mean the range over which it can take measurements or the range over which it can predict ?! Even after reading through the webpages of most of the currently available launch monitors I am left a bit confused as to what and how accurately they are measuring.

I had my first TrackMan session this week and found it really useful to be able to see the data for my swings and compare it to the feel. is this technology likely to trickle down to consumer level any time soon? If there was a unit for 500 bucks (or less!) that showed club and ball data (including launch angles and spin) then it seems like that would be a great product. I've seen there are some products out there already but the big thing that's missing seems to me to be the launch characteristics of the ball - using a fixed angle based on the club you are hitting seems to be quite a big approximation. Are there reasons why this type of kit is always going to be many thousands of dollars or is it just a matter of time before it becomes much more accessible?

I had my first TrackMan session today, partly as a result of seeing this thread and not knowing the answer for my own game!. It is just amazing the swing information you can get out of it and if you have someone to interpret it who knows what they are doing then it is really useful. Having been away from golf for a good while I am constantly amazed by the advances in technology that are available now. My numbers today were (carry / total) D 245 270 3W 228 252 5W 213 231 4I 182 191 5I 180 190 6I 171 178 7I 158 166 8I 143 149 9I 120 123 PW 103 106 50' W 98 101 56' W 73 75 60' W 58 58 Turns out I need to hit down more on my 4I and up more on my Driver, plus that 50' Glide wedge impulse buy might not have been such a good idea.

I was going to buy this book last week but read a lot of reviews about how it was very technical so instead I got 'One Putt' by Ken Brown. That book is the complete opposite and very non-technical (some people would say not enough content maybe) but I actually really enjoyed reading it and I buy into a more simple 'get the ball in the hole' approach.

I've had this problem recently - been doing a fair amount of range hitting to get back into golf and when I played a few courses near me (where the climate is quite dry and during summer the fairways are pretty solid) everything seemed fine. Went on vacation to somewhere much wetter where the fairways were much softer and boy was that a shock - I managed to pick a foot long divot with a wedge that went further than the ball - turns out I've picked up the habit of hitting a bit behind the ball and I guess bouncing through contact, especially on my wedges. Need to practice more on grass.

I'm 6'4" (and a quarter) and play pings +1 silver dot. I used to play standard length and the transition took a bit of work but I would say my swing feels much less cramped and more consistent now. Definitely getting a club fitting with someone who knows what they are doing makes a difference because it isn't just down to height.

I just switched from a Big Bertha (from 2008 I think) to a PING G30. You'd think from reading all the club makers adverts about technology improvements over the intervening 6-7 years that the G30 would be night and day easier to play but for me it isn't massively different. I can maybe hit it a bit further with a nicer trajectory and the adjustability has been interesting to experiment with but bottom line it still takes a lot of practice to hit it right! One of the golf magazines in the UK did a test recently with a bunch of new drivers and then compared them with the same makers top of the range from a while ago (maybe a decade or more) and even for the pro that was doing the testing the difference seemed marginal. I'd say trying different options out with a club fitter that knows what they are doing is a good option.

+1 on this - I think I take more putts than I 'should' simply because I'm always starting further away from the hole. Plus I often end up with putts in the wrong place - on the wrong tier or above the hole or with a nasty break which makes my 40 footer harder than a better player's who maybe manages their misses better. I feel like if I had better control of my approaches I'd begin putting closer to the hole and have a higher percentage of my misses in a better place to putt from which would immediately make me look like a better putter on a putt count basis. So I try not to beat myself up about 3 putting or total putts per round because the context has a lot to do with it. I feel like I'm a good putter I just need some easier putts to start showing it on the scorecard.

Forget the science. Just hit a ball 150 dead and see how much you're left with. It would probably measure about 220 for me....

I use a 5w between 4i and 3w. Hit it much better than any hybrids I've tried - I just seem to prefer hitting a wood to a hybrid. I hit the 3w under control though so I take that confidence to the 5w- might be that just choosing a different model of hybrid solves your problem.

Can't help you with determining if it's a good idea or not but one thing that does seem like a good idea is to have a plan. Reading Pete's thread (nosevi) it is good to get a realistic idea of the level you would need to achieve and a strategy for getting to that level from where you are now. You should be able to do that without committing to anything and better understand if a year is enough time to give it a realistic chance of making it happen.

Really enjoying following your progress - keep going! I was wondering if you have something built into your plan where you practice making shots in a pressure situation? I've been reading a lot of golf books lately as I'm just getting back into golf after a long time away and it does seem like a lot of tour players had to play shots that mattered from a very early age. Whether it is playing for quarters or a bag of fries on the putting green or hitting chips over your parents house without smashing a window. Not necessarily a full round of golf but just getting used to dealing with the I've got to make this shot thought from an early age. Is that something you do as part of your routine now or is it covered at another point in your plan? Strategies for getting the mind under control before making a shot are quite interesting to me as I think it is something I struggle with so I'm always interested to find out how good players do it.

I think where and when you play makes a big difference. When I started playing golf I played in a part of the country that got a lot of rain so the course was always slippy and golf shoes really helped keep me stable. Now I play in a place that is much drier and my sneakers seem fine (and more comfortable) one thing about having golf shoes I've found is that it can help me get into 'golf mode' more easily. Once they are on I've definitely stepped across the line and am trying to concentrate on the game and leave the off course stuff behind.

If they borrow it, like it and then buy it themselves then maybe. It might work more for instructional books rather than novels but i would say I've bought books this way.

Of course everyone's different but I'm reading Faldo's book on my kindle at the moment and definitely take it to the range (my kindle is smaller than the hardcover edition). Plus I also have it on my phone which I always have on the range and the course (for the gps) Some kindle books are very badly formatted but this particular one seems pretty well laid out. Using it on my phone also has the benefit of being able to access the videos linked to from the text which makes it very useful on the range to be able to see Faldo showing me what to practice. For swing and technique topics I really like the benefit of what an app style book can deliver.

If that is the goal then you are 100% spot on imho. Very interesting to read about your progress and looking forward to the next update.:dance:

Hi everyone - seems like every golf question I typed into Google led to TheSandTrap.com forum so I figured I should sign up to the source! I played golf for a few years as a kid but then basically gave it up for a couple of decades. Started up again a couple of months ago at the local driving range here in Kent, U.K. and have played a few rounds since. Even bought myself some new clubs but not sure I believe everything I am reading about technology advances in golf clubs as it seems like it was much easier to hit the ball when I was younger. However I am persevering and keen to learn more. Feels like this is the place to do it.