djake

Hmmmm - this is always an interesting discussion. Speaking of this summer from first hand observations of 5 new(er) golfers, all in the 21 to 25 year old range. All getting golf clubs for the first time. Group 1 2 of them were told "all you need is this" and the "this" were from the bargain bin at 2nd Swing. Cost maybe $100.00 Group 2 2 of them went to 2nd Swing for an unscheduled semi-fitting that anyone can get walking into the store. Definitely an above average club fitter working off of a flight scope or similar equipment. They both spent $1500.00 each on an entire set plus bag. The putters were Evenroll and Scotty Cameron, both ended up with Mizuno irons, hybrid. One got the Mizuno 180 Driver and the other got the Titleist T2 Driver - the clubs were all used except the Scotty it was on one heck of a sale! All of them looked new and would have rated out at a 9+ Group 3 (if you can call 1 a group) Last one scheduled 2nd Swings Tour Fitting Session - budget $1500 for an entire set. She ended up with new Ping putter, used Ping irons (Fitter really debated on what to do here) Ping G410 Driver with an aftermarket shaft, it was barely used she did not need a new bag. She "loves" this Driver as well as the putter. Group 1 has stopped playing golf, they hated the clubs and did not like anything about using them. Group 2 plays as often as possible, they go to the range and practice and want to start taking lessons. They would tell anyone to do what they did for getting their 1st set of clubs, that is until they heard about the final Group. Group 3 is my daughter, golf is her choice and these are her words. She just started playing golf this summer, late summer. She took a few lessons and had 4 different sets of clubs to work with at first. 2 lessons and 2 range sessions before her Tour Level Fitting, that was it. She would flat out tell anyone that going thru a full fledge Tour Fitting with a Trackman is the only way to go, even if you just started. She learned more about her swing then any instructor could teach that is not using a Trackman. She is working with a PGA Instructor. She literally wants to be the very best at golf! Her words, going thru the Tour Van Fitting took all of the doubt out of the equipment equation. She knows those clubs are right for her and she also now knows what to look for in her next of irons when she improves. Her Fitter said it was easier to fit my daughter into clubs then most golfers who had been playing. The reason why, she totally trusted what he said and she did not come in with a preconceived idea of what she wanted or needed. The irons he almost sold her were Ping I210s - he told her with her swing, even though she is new these were the best fit for her. But he backed down at the last second, partly due to budget as the Ping G410 Driver while at a used price was still eating into her budget and it was obvious how much she liked that Driver as well as the Trackman clearly stated it was by far the best Driver she had been testing. He sold her used G400s but made her promise to come back later for Ping I210s. 5 golfers, all in the 21 to 25 range. 3 are working at the game and really enjoying it, they want to play because their clubs are cool, fun to fit. 2 quit because their clubs sucked. To top it off, the 2 golfers that quit had more then enough money to get whatever clubs they wanted, they just did what they were told to do because someone who already golfed told them too. Moral of the story. You can get high level club fitting with a budget and walk out the door with excellent used clubs. You can spend less then $1500.00 as well. Bonus at 2nd Swing if you do not like the clubs you can return them. Golf is hard for anyone at any level, the technology is there to help make it easier even if this is your first day out. Why would you not take full advantage of everything at your disposal to help make it easer. And finally, no one's swing is ever going to have a repeatable enough swing to wait to utilize the technology that is available today. Get fit, Get Lessons Get going, this is a blast of a game to play

OK, if a player that is looking at entering the NFL draft sits out as much as it sucks as a fan of that team I can understand the decision. You cannot fault a young man for making a financial decision, he already gave for his team and his Coaches helped as well. Next player up, if that player(s) do not care then why were they even on the team to begin with. Why would a Coaching staff even allow this to happen. Bowl games are major recruiting moments no matter which bowl game it is. They are also games that define whether a HC is retained or fired. They are games where those "Next Up" player is getting an opportunity for that moment as well as next year if they are returning. If they happen to be a Senior they are being rewarded for all of the time they put in. As a fan of College Football I feel there should be a playoff system beyond the current CFP model for the FBS level. All other levels of College Football have extensive playoffs. The FCS Playoffs are 24 teams and many of those teams produce NFL players every year. I think the reality you are speaking of is fan based and not player based. If you asked every player that played in every bowl game last year you would find out just how much they cared. Coaches, good coaches prepare their entire team day in and day out to be prepared and ready for at any moment they may very well be "Next Up". Otherwise they would not get a helmet, pads and a uniform on the sidelines.

That just shows a lack of depth on a team and is a poor excuse. And it is just that - an excuse. Amost every bowl team I can think of had players sit out due to NFL. Yet the teams that had the depth won. The SEC proved they did not on the field. If the SEC were so almighty all powerful losing a couple players on a team would not make a difference. Their depth was not there and the belief that they are so amazing is misguided and simply something you cannot back up. College football teams play roughly 40 per game, not 11 on D and 11 on O only. Every team loses players all season long for a large variety of reasons. The NFL reason just does not cut it and it only an excuse for the team that loses.

While I agree with you regarding OSU and just how good they are this year, overlooking Penn State is a mistake. Iowa is a very good very well coached football team and with their defense no one in the nation would blow them out. I am not saying Iowa would beat all, but that is a team that is capable of beating anyone on any give Saturday. Just like Auburn. Two dangerous teams that find a way to always be the Bridesmaid. With all of my B10 friends up here in B10 country, I picked Penn State as a the team to beat OSU this year. Since OSU won their CFP National Championship they find a way to lose 1 game a year. Pitt vs Penn State is a massive rivalry game. Records mean nothing in those types of college football games. Wisconsin is to 1 dimensional on offense to beat OSU. As much as this pains me and the bile building in my mouth, OSU v Bucky Badger will be a very hard fought physical game. When Bucky got their a$$ handed to them at Camp Randal in the last game of the year and thus The Axe came home. Their Defensive team leader had a team meeting and that team got real serious about their off season work. Bucky Badger is playing with a chip on their shoulder. They are out to do to everyone what got done to them. A complete and utter physical domination on their home field in the last game of the year. In summation: Penn State has the team speed, offensive firepower and defense to beat OSU and win the B10 Championship. They are the only team that has enough across the board in the B10 to do so. Wisky has what appears to be the defense to do so, but they are way to one dimensional on offense. Whisky it overrated. I enjoy talking smak about college football. still - Clemson is the only team all should be comparing too. They proved it on the field, Bama did not.

thank you Laphroig is a wonderful dram 🙂 I like all the regions that produce single malt. From the sultry seductive peaty to the refined sensual highlands.

Well if by chance you are up this way I have a couple for you to try. I would be happy to share them with you.

Penn State is for real this year. The OSU/PSU game should be excellent and fun to watch. Whisky is not though and it will prove out soon enough. Only B10 team that is overrated

Then why does the SEC have such a poor Bowl record? Oh I know, it's because they are not playing against SEC teams. 2018-19 SEC 6 & 5 2017-19 SEC 4 & 5 that's only .500 football from the supposed most dominate conference. Didn't Clemson not only beat Bama last year but they actually blew Bama out. It wasn't much of a game, well at least for Bama & SEC fans. Clemson played in the lowly ACC that had a winning record in bowl games against the SEC last year. Probably more like Clemson. Bama isn't the National Champion, but don't tell Sabin that. I agree, not another Clemson/Alabama game. Bama will get their hat's handed to them again. How anyone can say Bama is "The Team" after they got crushed last year by Clemson is beyond reasoning. Alabama is the most overrated college football team in the Nation. Georgia was, but South Carolina proved that on Saturday in Georgia.

Wisconsin has to get there first! They are so over rated. The only B10 team that is overrated. The Axe is HOME where it belongs and will still be here at the end of the season.

Nice! I enjoy a nice single malt. Have you ever tried Compass Box? While they are not a single malt they really make a very nice blend. They are worth exploring

I read your example as BPA is a carcinogen. BPA is not a carcinogen, there is a mountain of evidence that supports this. @boogielicious what do you do? PM me if you want. What is your experience with Prop 65? Have you worked thru SB 258 yet? Always looking for insight from someone else. California is a regulatory nightmare. I have been in the coatings industry since 1985 and own a coatings & chemical manufacturing company. California compliance is our Number #1 goal as then you are compliant with the rest of the USA.

Thanks for the chuckle. I am sitting waiting for Mediterranean take out and rubbed the tip of my noise for a mud spot 😎

Yes. It is a cover your a$$ statement due to the recent and ongoing legislation in the State of California. You will see placards on the entrance to hotels, buildings on to many things. Their recent legislation has watered down the intent to the point that the warning is on everything so no one will take head of the real dangers. We do a lot of business out in California, it is cheaper to put this type of warning on everything then pay for employees to monitor the regulations out there. They also rely on whistleblower litigation for compliance. There are Attorney firms that specialize in just doing this. And it is only getting worse BPA has been approved by the FDA to be used in water bottles and such. Bis-A (BPA) is not a carcinogen. the issue with BPA is that China baby food formula produces would add it to their baby formula as a cheap filler to raise protein levels (memory maybe failing me on protein). This rightfully so caused a lot of alarm when it was discovered and caused the anit BPA fit. But BPA does not break down easily in water so it will run afoul of Prop 65 as Prop 65 also addresses California clean water rights.

I grew up on rural nine hole golf courses. Every high school golf match "winter rules" applied. The best was when one kid tried to apply winter rules on the green. Now that got everyone pretty excited and the coaches had to intervene. Playing on courses that are better maintained I almost always play it as it lies. There have been exceptions to this. I do not mind hitting out of divots, sorta fun actually. Sand is my friend. I would almost always prefer when I miss the green to be in a sand trap then green side 3rd cut. Some of that grass is very nasty to chip out of and really takes concentration. If the sand traps are not maintained then we all agree as to what we will or will not do. I will not ruin a golf club with sand traps that have lots of rocks in them and I will not let another playing partner do the same. It is not our fault the course cannot maintain the traps. There are times when I have run into sand traps that are not maintained and have found a very polite way of mentioning to the club house they should considering turning their sand traps into grass bunkers. That usually leads to a pretty nice conversation about the topic. Hitting off of really damp wet lies, that depends on if we are going out to dinner after golf and I do not have time to change clothes. Then an automatic pick and drop. Otherwise I will hit it. 90% of the time everyone is laughing because I am covered in mud. But I enjoyed the challenge. I generally do not care what others do when playing, tee it up all they want. It is their game. I never play for money with anyone as someone sooner or later gets upset at payout time. Playing for a beverage is not an issue. Even if you lose you still get to enjoy the beverage. Am I perfect with this rule? No, I am out to play golf. But if I am playing in a tournament, or with serious golfers I have no issue hitting the ball where it lies.

Excellent. Snell and Bridgestone are my two favorite balls. I just ordered MTB-X in yellow