deafheaven

Wish I had this problem. Out of curiosity... how are you for greens in regulation and in number of putts in a round? I imagine the issue lies in the short game somewhere.

Man, this game is difficult enough without me cursing at myself. I do talk to myself but it's usually a conversation of encouragement. For example, after just topping a ball I'll say "stay down on this". Probably the words I say to myself most often is "just relax".

My username here comes from my favourite Shakespeare sonnet. There is a line in it that says "with what I most enjoy contented least".

I had planned to at least start the season with just 10 clubs but I just can't bring myself to do it.

http://shopping.aol.com/sporting-goo..._ben-hogan-BH/

http://www.amazon.com/Ben-Hogan-Edge.../dp/B001IURSYM Then take the money you save and get some Edge CFT hybrids which you can get really cheap right now.

Can't go wrong with any of those. I saw there was a ben hogan set at golfsmith also. I love Ben Hogan stuff.

I like Intech for low cost starter sets. They have a women't line... i think called Allante. I wouldn't go with a men's set... they'll be too long and likely too stiff.

I have the Craz-e and really liked it but my putting stroke really called for a blade so this year I went and tried out a lot of different putters and loved the Redwoood anser from the moment I picked it up. It's in my bag now and I couldn't be happier.

If you decide to go hybrid there is a Cleveland Hibore Iron Set available at pgatour.com for $400 which is half price. I think you are better to go with a regular set of irons though. Get something forgiving. As a newbie to the game myself I went with King Cobra S9's a couple of years ago and I"m still happy with them and using them. A little pricier than what you want to spend if you buy them new but I bet you could find a set online somewhere around the $400 area.

I can relate. I switched this year to the Ping Redwood Anser after playing the Craz-E for the past 3 years. I went in to the store specifically with changing to a blade in mind so it was just a matter of selecting the one that felt best. I find I have to concentrate more with the blade but that's probably a good thing. I love my Redwood. Are you aware that your putting stroke should determine what type putter you use? I discovered I was opening the club face on the takeback, particularly on long putts. That's why I made the change.

How about "Stack and Tilt" as in stack em up and tilt them back.

For me I find that as I try to relax and make a smooth swing everything is good and I'll hit shots right down the middle. But at some point my swing goes from relaxed to lazy and I'll start slicing or topping the ball. Then I start speeding things up and I'll hit some good shots and then it starts to get out of hand with me swinging too hard. Man, this game can have you pulling your hair out sometimes.

My buddy bought a rangefinder this year while I purchased a gps. We played a round today. While the rangeinder with pinseeker was awesome and could read distances to any point on the course, I believe he only pulled it out twice... maybe three times, because it is a more cumbersome and time consuming routine. Me... I used my gps on every hole. Reach into pocket, look at the distance, back in the pocket and grab my club.

I struggle mightily with a 3i and also with some of the longer hybrids I own... 2h and 3h. I switched to steel from graphite for my hybrids and haven't had an issue since.

I'm soooo jealous. If only I had a garage.... or a much higher ceiling.

I think labelling with your yardages may be illegal but I'm not sure. I did so when I first took up golf 4 years ago and was told so but I never bothered to look it up. Love the idea of labelling all the other info though.

I make sure I take practice swings. I won't address the ball until I've had a practice swing that takes a little turf past where the ball would be. It's surprising how many of my practice swings sweep rather than hit down so it is crucial I find the correct swing and THEN address the ball.

All I can say is that for me, it speeds up play. I really only use it for approach shots.

You can't go wrong with an Odyssey but putting is all about feel so go to a golf store where they have an area you can putt and try out every single putter they have their in your price range. Some people like heavy putters and some people like light putters. Once of your key areas to focus on should be what kind of stroke you use when putting. If you are someone who opens the putter face on the takeaway then closes on the follow through, you'll want to look at a blade. If you like to putt with a straight backe takeaway and then follow through straight to the target, then look for a mallet. Selecting the right type putter is crucial. I've switched from a mallet to a blade this year and it has made a big difference on long putts as I tend to open and close on longer strokes. Personally I like Ping, Odyssey and Taylormade putters best. You should be able to find older models of all these makes of putters in your price range.

I love my igolf neo. It's simple (front, middle, back of green), inexpensive ($150) and small enough to keep in your pocket.

Practice hitting draw shots on the driving range. To do so you'll have to use an exaggerated inside out swing. Also, if you don't already have an offset driver, you might consider getting one. It will help a lot (although ultimately it is the mechanics you want to fix).

Can't recommend anyone for you but I just wanted to wish you the best. Hope all goes well and you are playing pain free golf soon.

This might be much more than you have in your budget but http://shop.pgatour.com/golfequipment.aspx has a set of cleveland hibore irons for 50% off. That's still $400 though. That said, they are the perfect iron set for a beginner imo.

Good advice for sure. Sometimes I feel rushed playing as my playing partners play what they like to call "ready golf". I don't consider myself to be a slow player by any means but I do prefer to be deliberate.