Golfaway

I have a friend who collects sand from the sandtraps of every course he plays. He then puts them in labeled glass jars and stores them in his garage.

Beautiful photos with the macro. I love when irons gets worn this way, gives them character.

Can't brag about awesome shots like these, but today I made a shot that I was really proud of. Par 5, 3rd shot, about 200 yards to the green. My ball is stuck to the left near a tree with just enough space to swing, but I don't have a straight line towards the green so I had to face a little bit to the right and try hitting a draw. I took the chance, knowing that chances I can reach the green are almost nothing. Surprisingly, I hit the best 4 hybrid shot of my life, starts out high to the right then comes back to the left directly landing on the green, rolls a few feet and stops at the end of the green. I made a par. I also did an exactly similar shot on an earlier par 4. My tee shot ends up on the left side of the fairway with about 150 yards to the green. Again, I don't have a straight path to the green, so I try to play a draw shot with my 7 iron. Played a beautiful draw, but unfortunately it did not come back enough to reach the green. Landed on the right side of the green. Could've easily made a pitch and a putt to save par, but I hit my first pitch fat (as usual with my crappy short game these days) and ended up with a bogie.

You're talking like forged irons need any kind of special swing requirements. Forged is just a way of manufacturing the club heads, that's all. They do not require any kind of different swing.

Dings and nicks and scratches are all a part of the golf experience. Specially when you're the first owner of the irons. The more you play the more worn-out your irons will look, and it gives you a nice feeling about how much you played, knowing that you're the one who had done every single ding or scratch to the iron. It just makes your own personal set very unique in their own way. And yes, they're forged from softer carbon steel, so expect them to wear out quicker.

Get the AP2s, or Mizuno MP57's. You're a 12 handicap for god's sake, you SHOULD be able to hit these. Even if you couldn't now, you will learn to hit them. Sometimes I regret not getting something more developed than the MX-950. I was eyeing the MP52s, I think I should've got them, specially how I turned out to not like fat soles.

That's your punishment for abandoning Mizuno for PING.

The hammer putter!

I like Mizuno as well, so I'm probably going to say Mizuno and be accused of being a fanboy by the forum's admins. But heck, Mizuno!!

Within these these, I'd say the G15s. But on a general scale, I'd say check the Srixon I701, they're really cheap right now on Edwin Watts, or the Mizuno MX-200s, I think they would suit your game.

First of all, I'd like to know what is your average SW yardage on a full swing shot. Second, is there a huge difference between a blade style SW (like Vokeys or Mizuno MP wedges) and a cavity back SW, in terms of forgivness and yardage?? I used to game a very old cavity SW called FOXBAT and I loved it. It was my most confident and preferred shot in 100 yards and under. Now with my new Adams Tom Watson wedge, which is a blade style, I seem to be having hard time hitting it the same distance I used to hit the FOXBAT. It's much better in chipping, pitching and bunker shots, but in full shots I don't know why I am not liking the feeling, I find it a little bit tougher to control and even on flushed shots I am not going as far as I used to be. Whats the problem here??

I have the same one you want, 18*. For a 28 handcapper like me it's hard like hell to hit even from a tee, let alone without one. But it feels amazingly sweet when I catch it on the sweet spot, and it's amazingly beautiful in punch and run shots, as it's loft is already very low, you do not need to close the face, so it's very easy to punch with. I'll have to admit, I bought it on impulse, and I knew 99% it would be hard for me to hit, but at $40 brand new in plastic wrap and DG R300 shaft I just could not resist the clean look of the MP cut muscle. It looks really nice in the bag, and it sits there teasing and tempting me to become a better golfer. At all costs, try one before you buy it. Edit: I just recently tried fooling around the range trying to shape shots, and I found it to be really easy to work the ball with. As I said, I can't really hit it that good, but even on punch shots I can still move the ball right to left and left to right easily. The MX-950 hybrids thought are beautiful for these kinds of shots; I never even thought I could draw the ball one day until I tried it with these babies, just beautiful.

Never seen it before, looks nice though. Maybe a prototype of some sort??

I am looking forward to breaking 90. My lowest is a 93.

56*. I play nothing but a 56* and I don't think I really need anything else. You can do much about everything around the green with a 56*. Just master it and you won't need any more wedges.

OGIO King Pin. They're a steal on RockBottomGolf.

As far as I know, PING does not make any forged irons. I have Mizuno MX-950. They're a combo set in the sense that they have hybrids (3 and 4), hybrid irons (5, 6, and 7) and regular irons (8, 9 and PW). They're forged and their feel on impact is extraordinary, specially the short irons. You can get them for $300-$500 depending on where you get them from, and they can be adjusted to your specs at Mizuno. Also the Srixons I701 and the Bridgestones J36 are very good iron sets. You wouldn't go wrong with any of these.

I have a friend who cracked the head of a Callaway FT-i. He had bought it from the Callaway golf pre-owned and outlet website.

You guys wondering about the guy's short game; rest assured, it's top notch. He can stick his approach to within no more than 10 feet from the flag. He's a registered 7 handicap but I am sure he plays to 1 or 2 maximum. He's just that good. He's been playing since 3 for god's sake. I just wonder how will he play when he's 25 or something.

I currently have a Mizuno MP Fli Hi 2 iron in my bag, and I really regret getting it. I have a lot of trouble hitting it even off the tee. It's marevelous for low punch shots under the trees or even under the bushes. Much easier to punch than, say, a 5 iron, due to the very open club face. Other than that it really has no use in my bag. I just like the professional look of the MP line (the cut muscle) and it's always there sitting tempting me to try hitting it and regreting after it.

I hit, or let's say at least tried hitting a 1 iron. A Callaway X-14 cavity back 1 iron (I didn't even know there were X-14 1 irons) and all my tries went in vain. Hit it off the tee, all I could get was wrist pain and no more than 50 yards with severe left and right ball flight. It's useless. I don't think anybody uses these guys anymore.

Today I played with an 18 years old kid at our course, a 7 handicap. On the par 3 7th, 185 yards with a lake just before the green. I usually play a 3 hybrid and I can barely reach the green. My usual shot is a fade that ends up by the right side of the green, when I nut really pure, I barely reach the green. Anyway, we proceed to play the hole, and he gets out a PW (PING G2). I almost chuckled and I thought he won't even reach the lake. Anyway, he proceeds, makes his pre-shot routine, and THUD. He reaches the green, and the ball even lands in the middle of the green not at the beginning. I was really stunned. I wish you guys could see the power by which this guy plays, the ball is literally ****ed at impact. Needless to say, his drives were crazy; at least 320 yards carry.

My home course is exactly like the one you're describing. Imagine that's the only place I can play in :(

I lost a putter the same way. The worst thing is, I did not lose it myself. I had a friend who was new to golf and he asked if he could borrow my bag. I made the mistake and said OK. When I went there next time (we leave the bags at the club's warehouse, there's a place specially designed for keeping member's bags) I found the putter was missing. Needless to say, calling my friend, asking around the course, etc.. resulted in nothing. Thankfully it wasn't even a good putter and I didn't like it anyway. But I learned it the hard way: DO NOT GIVE YOUR STUFF TO OTHERS!

Here are some videos from a local tournament held at our club every year. The videos are really of a nice quality and they show nice views so I thought I'd share with you. This guy is one of the best amateur golfers in the Middle East, if not THE best. I think he's won the Middle East Cup (or whatever it's called) several times before. Plays scratch. He's golf wasn't in it's best that day though. Seen here driving from the 16th tee. Two guys, 3 handicap and 7 handicap. Both very skilled players. Same tee. Same guy (7 handicap) 2nd shot on the 17th. Not a very good shot, ended up in the green side bunker. 3rd shot, from the bunker. And he saves par. Hope you like them.