umpiremark

A good instructor should have SHOWED you a neutral grip. There are tons of articles on line, google "golf grip." Normally (with a good swing) - strong grip = hook/draw; weak grip = slice/fade.

First , I'd get my 9-iron and PW checked for loft. With a plus/minus tolerance of up to 1-degree at the manufacturer, it sounds like you 9-iron is -1 degree and PW + 1 degree, making them a 2-degree gap rather than four. IMHO ... Again, this thread is on here a number of times, all the same answers - keep the scoring clubs: PW, AW, SW. Most 60-degree shots are "help me - oh crap" shots and you'd "NEED" that club maybe once or twice in 18 holes. I'd lose the 60-degree. Maybe replace the 60 degree with another SW with less bounce for better fairway shots from 75 yards?

For me, definately Augusta: The Masters. The course in full bloom, the azaleas, the stone bridges, the long, winding holes, up some 300 feet and back down ... definately Augusta is the most beautiful course on the planet. If it was me, definately the Masters . And I agree with Woodzie ... if I got the exemption here in DreamWorld, of course I win, I get to keep coming back and we're eating Wisconsin Bratwurst for next year's meal!!!!

What are your other clubs like - hitting wise? Do you hit a fairway wood okay? Irons? I mean if you're a 20 hndcp and hitting other clubs fine (straight, far, high, etc.), then the driver problems are more related to swing faults than they are to shaft (weighting) faults. If - for example - you're hitting irons okay and maybe longer irons and fairway woods semi-okay and driver for sh!t, take a day on the range and groove your swing from 7-iron, 6-iron, 5-iron, 4-iron, fairway wood then driver ... repeating good, on plane swings "up the ladder." Or, if you hit some irons okay - some not, a fairway metal okay or not and driver stinks, perhaps you're having a problem with clubs that have a high degree of swingweight varience issues, static weight change issues with a poorly matched set? You have a lot of PineMeadow clubs, did you build them yourself? I do not recommend a steel shafted driver because the weight of the club issues will lead (could lead) to swing problems (flat plane, poor tempo, excessive turn, etc.).

Now that's great!! That had to be a hoot. By the way, what did Bob shoot? As if it matters!!!! I'll bet a fun day on the course, eh?

Obviously a club is heavier with a steel vs. graphite shaft. My guess -without seeing you swing - is that your swing speed and swing tempo is far too fast with a lighter club. The heavier steel shafted club slows your swing down. Swing with your graphite shafted clubs and slow down.

The ball is also an inch or more closer to you (sitting "up" in the grass). Compensate by griping down an inch or so on the club. Play it a little forward in your stance too, as has been stated.

I repeat ... great customer service yields future customers!! What a great break (no pun intended) for you!! Excellent news. By reading this result on 2 pages of posts, Calloway just got great "word of mouth" marketing!!

Smoke a cigarette, curse the slow play under my breath and fume a little ... What I won't do (or let my partners do) is: goof off, talk loudly, make jokes and be obnoxious. Regardless how bored or mad we are waiting on that tee, someone nearby on the last green is concentrating on their game. Nothing grinds my gears more than to see a back up ahead, see a group of loud mouthed, foul mouthed "weiners" waiting on the next tee box, making noise while I'm still trying to hole out behind them.

Calloway (Taylor Made, Ping, who-ever) do not make OEM heads that you can "buy" and replace. A licensed/franchised Calloway dealer may be able to get a new head from the factory, but you cannot, commercially. I agree with everyone on the second page here; call up Calloway, explain the "accident" in the truthful manner and they may - as good customer service means more customer's later - replace it for you or at minimal cost (shipping, handling, etc.) ... you won't know until you try. Good luck!

Go to a corner of the practice green, far away from the holes and other putters. Find a flat or fairly flat putt, 5-8 feet long. Put a tee in the ground and with a 6-foot string attached, pull the string tight and hold it with the second tee. Putt next to this line and maintain the same distance at finish from the string as started. Off left ot right, something is amiss.

That's called an 8-iron. Why waste the money or one of your 14 clubs in the bag with two identical clubs? And to the post that said "roll your wrists like a mini-hook" I say, "Never." On any pitch shot near the green, the club face should always be pointing to the sky. IMHO.

There's so many courses to play there, I love Myrtle Beach ... I agree with above, Barefoot is great - play all three. Each is a differenet experieince. Last spring when we were there we played a new one called Thistle. Very nice course. Also, you have to play World Tour ... all reproduction holes: Amen Corner, 16 at Augusta, 1 & 18 at St. Andrews, 17 at Sawgrass ... fun, fun course. Always go in the spring, never been there in August ... have a great time!!

I can't agree more ... I think the NUMBER ONE job golf courses have is to determine the BEST way to keep golfers engaged, enthused and want to come back for more. Business Finance 101, folks. Relaxing the rules for the recreational golfer and encouraging such on a "friendly basis" should be part of the courses' plans in keeping things moving, keeping things fun and keeping customers returning to their establishment.

Nah, I think the anything equipment rule needs to be dropped. There needs to be some limitations.

I think there are two issues here at play and the lines got blurred in four pages (and a year's worth) of responses. In my interpretation the "sort of golf" rules would be for the weekend players, the after work - fit between league folks. For tournaments, leagues, matches and the avid, under 10 handicap players, etc. the USGA rules are there to be followed for those events. Too often on weekends, we're playing behind groups (and groups and groups) of players learning the game, not adequately skilled at the game or just out having a good time. All viable and acceptable reasons for playing on the weekends with friends, but sort of golf rules would assist in speeding that process up. Plop in the pond, drop a ball; search in the weeds; drop a ball. Crap-ola shot off the tee; mulligan time. For fun, for recreation, for moving along foursomes who are playing holes for dimes or bragging rights or beers in the club-house, I say, "Move along, let's go." Some of the posters on here were concerned with "real scores" and "true scoring" and handicaps. Guys (and gals) - handicaps are developed in leagues, tournaments and scores are posted in these events also that "mean something." Play them by USGA military strictness; for sure. But the 4-5 hour rounds of "hunt and peck" whack and walk" need to be more relaxed - while faster, no doubt. I'm all for clubs and courses publishing versions of these rules (modified perhaps) to encourage golfers - especially weekend fun golfers - to keep things moving by following the "abreviated" rules of golf. Print these 7 rules on the card and ask players to follow them whenever scores, matches, whatever matters little, except for the fun derived from playing that day with your buddies. Amended rule # 3; on the green - double bogey is max. Not on the green yet - triple bogey is max. But in either case, pick up your ball, you're done!

This reminds me of a funny story: The first time Sergio ever played Firestone, they asked him about the course. Sergio replied, "It's a tough course; some holes you have to draw the ball, other times a fade and some times, just a straight shot is needed." I thought, "What's so hard about that ? I do that all the time!! I just don't know which one will show up when!!" HAHAHAHAHA

My definition of a "good" golfer is this ... I played in league a few weeks back against a guy who was 6 handicap (for nine holes in league he was a 3) and every bit of it. He put on a clinic that night that opened my eyes a bit. He wasn't super long off the tee, just accurate as hell. Every shot he had to the green - albeit a long iron or wedge shot - was dead on the stick. He rarely missed left or right, by huge margins; just short or long. And putt? He was either dead on or just a tiny bit left or right. Distance control was phenominal. Accurate, straight and putt lights out - to me that was the difference between his 37 that night and my 44. BTW - he kicked my butt!! HAHAHAHA

We talked about this on Friday, because although we played in Wisconsin, we must've had the same greenskeeper - he probably was making a sweep of the country putting pins in the most horrible places .... but I digress ... We talked about the PGA having a "gentleman's rule" where there has to be a 3-foot circle of relatively flat green around the hole at PGA events. Anyone else ever hear this? On one hole Friday, I was 8-feet up hill of the hole (poor chip???) and touched the ball lightely only to end up 15-feet below the hole. 3-putts were quite common in our group that day, as well.

I think Tiger and Rodger should play ... A five set match in tennis and 36-holes in golf. Let's see who wins and crown that guy, "Best Ever!!" HAHAHAHAHA +1 on the Federer/Roddick match. What a show, what a performance by both. 14-15 in the fifth and Roddick is still serving 136 mph. Amazing.

Who ate a burger, brat, hot dog, cole slaw, jello or potato salad, left over from some 4th of July cookout ... ... today, for lunch!!! HAHAHAHA One left over venison burger, here!!!

Inconsistency ... my ability (or lack there of) to put together a par, blow-up hole, par and wonder just what the hell happened. In that vein, as stated above, my inability to put together a complete round. I've had scores on 18 this year that have been 40-48; 41-49 ... and that grinds my gears, big time ...

Hopefully I'll be on a beach somewhere with one of them funny drinks with an umbrella in it by that time ... livin' the high life and not worrying about the grooves in my wedges!! HAHAHAHA

I'm not going to agree or disagree with the two posts above, merely state that I feel (personal preference) that it would be important to the mid- to possibly the higher handicapper to be fitted from this perspective: If all clubs have been swingweighted (and dynamic weighting) to the same SW for the entire set, less effort/skill is required to swing consistently, the same "feel" club. A mis-mash of differing weighted clubs could possibly make a free-feeling swing less repeatable. Second, I would recommend a set of irons be checked for loft - as a full set - from this perspective: Clubs reduce in loft an average of 4-degrees between numbers. Manufacturer's tolerances, although tight, can vary up to +/- 1-degree. Suppose (for arguments sake) a 5-iron is -1 degree and a 6-iron is + 1-degree. The club differences are 2-degrees apart. Conversely, the 4-iron could be 5-or 6-degrees less loft. I read on here often about players confused they can hit this club "x" yards and cannot figure out why the next club is "x" yards as close or far away. Loft tolerances 'could' be a factor. Again, these are just my opinions and I posted the Tom Wishon guidelines as just that - something to read and consider before heading into the club stores. Thanks for the posts guys, varying viewpoints and quality discussion is what these boards are about, right?

I was golfing with my brothers when my older brother (54 at the time) hit his first! I remember the joy and happiness we all felt that day. Congratulations to you and good luck sleeping tonight with that wide, wide grin on your face!!!