BTGolfer

The TGM statement is correct, but only because the clubhead velocity the instant after impact is directly determined by the clubhead velocity the instant before impact. Impact lasts well under 1 millisecond and during this time somewhere around 1/2 ton of force is applied to the golf ball (re: Cochran and Stobbs 'Search for the Perfect Swing'). Even an XX flex shaft can't apply anything near that amount of force as it just is not strong enough. If you were to remove the shaft from the club right before impact it would not have much of an effect on the results. BT

Regarding the 'fastest moment was when you hit ....', this would seem to be mathematically impossible. To decelerate your velocity must decrease and if you are at your maximum speed you can't have decelerated. And the club can hardly be at its peak speed right after you hit the ball. The clubhead gives up some very serious momentum to the ball at impact (IOW it loses some serious velocity). What you said just cannot be a correct statement, so I wonder if you intended to say something else. BT

Here is an interesting experiment that was posted recently on another board. http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index....owtopic=284753 BT

You are average or longer when compared to the guys that I normally play with. And you have only played 3 times (they have been playing for years). Lessons would be great I would think. But you are doing OK. BT

I think that Lee Trevino used an extremely strong grip and then "held off like crazy at impact" to avoid hooking the ball. So he took this wildly strong grip, aimed 30 yards left, and hit big blocks (in the fairway with pretty good success). It sounds like you are most of the way there. BT

Take lessons until you know what to practice, and then go practice. Practice until you feel like you are making progress, and then go play. BT

If somehow Michelle Wie were to qualify for both US Opens (and play them back to back), that would be cool. And I guess that would be very unlikely as well. BT

The Topflight Gamer is a pretty good/affordable all-round ball. BT

In the final round at the Memorial, how many times did Tiger hit driver? Clearly he was on form with his full shots in a way that had been missing earlier this year. But he also left the driver in the bag a whole bunch more than I recall earlier. Does anyone know how many times he hit driver? BT

I have very little experience with GPS and none with laser - can't help. I just wipe my ball off with my fingers. If it is really bad I'll change to a clean ball. BT p.s. I know - this is illegal, but I do it anyway on rare occasions.

For me it is either my SW or my 7i. I'm practicing with my LW, but it isn't a very reliable club right now. BT

Interesting comments. Thank you. FWIW, I changed (mostly) to the TF Gamer because it in my judgment encouraged me to develop a better short game (you can bump/run a Gamer, but stopping a TF Freak is much tougher). And a 175 yard approach vs. 160-165 is not a ton of difference. But on par 5's that are marginally reachable there is a big difference in my mind between being near the fringe or on the green vs. 20-30 yards off the green. I'm assuming here that I net maybe 25 more yards in 2 shots with the Freak vs. a Gamer. I'm simply too cheap to start paying big bucks for a Pro V1, or .... BT

Does anyone other there regularly "change ball types" during a round. Barring a 'condition of competition' limitation (as far as I know) you can legally change ball types at the beginning of any hole. My index is a reasonably accurate statement of my abilities (not bad - but not all that good either). I can play kind of spinny wedge shots to the green with some success. I can also play bump and run golf from inside 40 yards, also with 'some success'. But I'm not all that good with either approach to the game. So lately I have been playing a Topflight Gamer ball on most holes (an affordable, but reasonably spinnable ball), and switching to a Topflight Freak on reachable (for me) par 5's. Of course when I "don't reach" on those par 5's I am mostly limiting myself to bump/run shots around the green. But my 'spinny wedge game' is not so good as I feel like this is a huge sacrifice. Does anyone else do this? I do believe that this is perfectly legal within the Rules of Golf. BT p.s. For me where a good drive is around 250 yards, the Freak ball gives me another 10-15 yards. I have not done any experiements, etc. This is just a general impression.

I liked JD in his prime. During his continual "falls off the wagon" I kept hoping to see him come back. But at some point in the last year or so I finally got to the a point where "this is just too big a waste to tolerate". I find it hard to care any more. BT

In general I would say that you would be best served by experiencing as many different golf scenarios as possible. This probably means playing both easy and hard courses - probably. BT