Amused

I dumped my MX-25 gap wedge a while ago for a Vokey 52.08 to match my other 2 wedges. I prefer the traditional size of Vokeys over the oversized MX-25s. Having consistency in feel (and look at address) with my wedges is a definite plus for my chips and pitches.

Do long drive competitors count? A few years back I was at my local grass tee range and some long drive competitor hopped into the adjacent tee. I probably wouldn't have noticed anything but he was using very brightly colored shafts (pink, yellow, orange) that caught my eye and the sound of the impacts were heavier and deeper. So, I stepped over and asked him what kind of shafts they were. He said they were Harrison something or another long drive spec. I was like, interesting! I didn't want to bother him anymore, so I just went back to my tee and watched. We were at the farthest tees and to reach the nets is a legit 320 yards. He was carrying them with ease, not to mention that the nets are a good 20 ft tall. I'm assuming he was crushing them a good 370 yards. It was impressive, but he had the funkiest swing.

CV I can't stand Kim and agree that he's overhyped...talented, but overhyped. I think McIlroy will be far better, but he's not in this equation.

I didn't realize the Brockton plant shut down. But I'm not surprised. Ultra high end golf shoes seem to be a thing of the past. I would never pay that kind of money for a golf shoe. I do believe in you get what you pay for, but there's a limit. I consider golf shoes a highly disposable product. I tend to buy a new pair every 18 months or so. They're meant to be played hard with, so I don't think tossing that much cash into something that won't last is sound. Plus, with new technology, shoes are comfy right out of the box and perform better than any of the lux level shoes. Lastly, no one wants to spend the time breaking in the fancy leather of those shoes anyway I'm happy to stay with in the $100-150 range.

I believe Acushnet primarily uses Cobra for the GI/SGI market. The current and new AP1s are about as close to a GI club as Titleist will get in their current/new line up. I think it's smart of them to not get too broad in their offerings and utilize their brands to focus on market. That allows them to remain focused in their target market and save on R&D.; As for pricing, here in MA, Titleist prices are fairly consistent and rarely experience markdowns. Maybe it's the region? I'm not sure what the pricing policy is for Acushnet in general.

I bought the S9 for my cousin a couple of years back and he loves them. They really are great irons and can be had in your price range pretty easily. You'll probably dip into the $375 - 425 range if you trade in your current set too. Just make sure you try some more irons before settling on the S9, if that's your choice. You don't want to run into this situation again My buddy who worked his way from a low 20s handicapper to a low single digit handicapper over the past 3 years swears by the Ping G and I series. I've never played them, but they're probably worth looking at too.

Mizuno MX-100 and Cobra S9 come to mind.

What helped you to keep the shaft angle down longer until impact? I'm trying to work on that myself. I think being able to see myself swing would help me with keeping my hands in front of the ball at impact.

I've had my best luck with the Titleist Perma-Soft glove in terms of fit and longevity.

Ball position. Try teeing up the ball a bit more forward, like a 1/2 ball at a time until you dial it in.

Cool story. It's nice when pros are just normal friendly people. I like Ogilvy more now for calling Tiger an a-hole :)

Great! I'm looking forward to it.

The putter's your most personal club. So, if it makes you more confident, happier, or if it just puts you in a more positive mindset, then yes.

Same here. For really short chips, I tend to use more of a putting stroke, and for anything longer than 6-7 yards, I "hinge and hold". I've tried the Utley technique for both long and short chips/pitches, but I found it harder to control.

I'm looking to take a lesson(s) sometime soon and was wondering if any of you from Massachusetts can recommend an instructor. One with video analysis would be great. Aside from being a class "A" PGA member, are there any other credentials I should be looking for? I've never taken a lesson before, so any input is appreciated. Thanks - Jason

I'm in the market for some new shoes. I'm getting tired of my Nikes...not really satisfied with the comfort and the spikes keep falling out. Is it me, or is the Q-Lok system junk? I've read here about the Adidas 360s but I have low arches and Adidas have traditionally been narrow for me, which ultimately hurt my arches. So, I've been thinking about the FootJoy SYNR-G. Do any of you have experience with this shoe? I'd be interested in any suggestions as long as the shoe has a roomier toe box and arch area. Thanks - Jason

I'm currently gaming a Cameron Squareback 1 mallet, but I usually swing a blade, Cameron Newport 2...so, I voted blade.

Also, commit to your putt. Trust your line and swing through smoothly. It helps more than you think.

Chipping technique and spending a lot more time practicing on the chipping green.

Some places around me charge more for grass tees, so anywhere from $8-13 for a large bucket (100-120 balls). The more expensive place has a decent practice bunker and multiple chipping greens.

160-170 yards for me.

I've only been playing regularly for the past couple of years and I realize that I need to take a few lessons. But, I've always wondered what I was doing wrong with my down swing because I never take a divot, and when I do it's behind the ball. With that said, I feel like I'm not compressing the ball, maximizing my swing, or utilizing my ball's potential. I can't seem to figure out how to adjust my swing in order to "hit down" on the ball and take divots in front of the ball. I don't know if it's my ball position, weight distribution, or if my hands are behind the club head during impact. For my short irons, I position the ball just forward of center, maybe below my left eye, and for my long irons, below my left ear. I'm curious as to what you all focused on when tackling this issue and how you corrected yourself. I know lessons will do me wonders, but some insight in the meantime would be appreciated. Thanks - Jason

I putt fairly regularly at home. I have a small patch of artificial turf that I lay down (more for protecting my putter than anything else) and I putt on that. I generally work on tempo, swing path, and center ball strikes. I used to be really inconsistent with my backswing which caused frequent off center ball striking. So, it's something that I work on at home.

The Masters...it's my favorite major and I'd love a crack at #12 :)