NativeTxn

I too play the X-22s and I've noticed that they seem to go pretty high. I'm sure that some of it is my swing (probably most of it), but like mhodar13, those uniflex shafts may be causing more of it than anything. I've seriously considered selling them/trading them for a set of R7s, or one of the other sets I was hitting well when I was testing irons several months ago (or sell the X-22s and revert back to playing the Hogan Apex Edges that I have).

I just had the PGA Tour Superstore in my area re-grip 8 clubs for me at $1 labor + the price of the grip (in this case $2.99 for the Lamkin Crosslines). I had Golf Galaxy do 13 clubs (different ones) for me, as they also told me they charged $1 per club for labor and I also had a $30 off coupon from my rewards account. However, I was in a hurry when I picked them up and didn't realize until I left that they had charged me about $3/club in labor (yes, I should have realized the total was higher than I expected, but like I said I was in a hurry). I'm going to call them when I get back in town this week and see if they will refund the money, but it's not that big of deal in the long run if they don't. In any event, PGA Tour Superstore did a great job, and they both had them done the next day, so I don't see a reason I won't go back to have any re-gripping done at the PGA store. That being said, I want to learn to do it myself, but I have another couple clubs I can practice on that I don't use right now, so it wouldn't be a big deal if I managed to screw them up on my first try. Since you don't have a PGA store in the Albuquerque area, I think the $2-$3/per club for labor is a reasonable expectation.

He may not drive one in his personal life, but during the PGA Championship, they showed Tiger and Steve Williams drive up to Tiger's parking spot in a Buick. And Tiger was in the driver's seat.

I sometimes run into the problem that you describe. You may already do it, but if you pretend like you're playing a hole at the range, that may help a touch. For example, after you've warmed up, etc., say, this is a 520 yard par 5. Tee a ball up, aim at one of the flags or targets down the range, and hit driver. Then pretend like you have a 200 yard approach shot, and hit toward the same or different target with a different club. Then pretend like you've got a different third shot. Etc. To me it sometimes helps because it "simulates" playing a hole versus mindlessly hitting 10 balls with your 7i, then 10 with your 6i, etc. Just a thought. I know it costs more and takes more time, but another option, is play on courses more often since you seem to shoot better there. In the end, you'll learn more from playing 9 or 18 than you will hitting 100 balls at the range anyway.

I've heard that to. I just don't see how the couple to few millimeters of offset helps with promoting hands ahead of clubface. Doesn't seem like a few millimeters would make that much difference in that respect.

I know I've read that a lot of people don't like offset (or at least too much offset) in their irons from an aesthetic standpoint. However, it seems like I've also read that offset helps you get the ball in the air easier than if there is little to no offset. If that is the case, how does offset help get the ball in the air easier? If that is not the case, what is the reason to have offset in irons?

I love testing new balls, but hate the cost typically associated with trying out different balls. I always look at the individual sleeves when I stop by the golf store, and every now and then I'll find a ball that I've been wanting to try and grab a sleeve. Just today, I bought a sleeve of the Wilson Zips to try out, as I've heard good things about them.

This is in no way meant to sound derogatory or negative, but I played soccer my whole life and in college, and I have an idea of how college sports recruiting works. So, if you are truly a +3.6, am I crazy to think that some of the better D-I schools should and would have been offering you scholarships? Not to take anything away from Arkansas Tech, but it's a D-II school, which means there are plenty of other D-I schools that can also offer scholarships and would be a higher level of play and competition than Arkansas Tech. Furthermore, the D-I schools have the resources to find the top players in the country and the world. Maybe you were offered scholarships from some of these D-I schools and chose Tech for various reasons, but it just seems to me that if you are good enough to make the pro tour, you'd be asking us whether you should go to Oklahoma State (or one of the other top D-I schools) to play golf, or go to Q-School. Again, this post is not meant to offend, just more about my curiosity. That being said, I'd say go to college. As Denver_nuggs said, you'll get to practice for free, and you'll still be in situations that are more similar to a pro tour (i.e. tournaments) than if you just go hang out in Florida for a year to play and practice. Unless, of course, you mean that you are going to go play for the University of Florida for a year! ;) In any event, I don't think you'd be set back from trying Q-School by attending college for at least a year or two, and it would probably only help your game, even if it isn't a D-I school.

I know it's probably not easy, but the best way would obviously be to take your 5W and 4i, and then take several hybrids with varying lofts and see what fits the gap the best. Since that may not be possible, I'd say the following. I've got a 5W, a 3h (20*), a 4h (23*), and then 5i and up. The 3h and the 5W go a similar distance for me from good lies; however, the 5W is nice when I'm on the first cut and the ball is sitting up a bit. And the 3h allows me to work out of nastier lies that a 5W might not be great for. At least that was the case today (which was the first actual round I've played with the 5W, as I just recently added a 3W and 5W to the bag). As far as loft is concerned, I've read where some people say that you should look at the loft of the iron you're trying to replace (in the case of a 3i, which is what you'd essentially be replacing, probably about 20*), and add about 3* or so of loft, as you often get about a club longer from a hybrid vs. a comparably lofted iron. So, under that theory, you'd probably want to go with something between a 22* and a 24* hybrid if you are replacing a 20* iron. However, if you look at this link ( http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/display_...sguide_hybrids ), it suggests going with a 20-21* hybrid to replace a 3i. . . for what it's worth.

Well, I went to several different golf stores last weekend looking and trying. I was liking the Nickents; however, they only had 5W and 7Ws to choose from. I ended up picking up a used Taylormade V Steel 3W (15*) and 5W (18*) at my local Golfsmith. I'd heard/read good things on here and other forums, so I figured that with their 10 day/90% refund policy on the used clubs, it was worth a try. I played a round with them today, and I liked them a lot. I was hitting with them more often and in more situations than I might normally to try to get a feel for them, but they performed well. I figure I'll stick with them for a while - at least until I get good enough where I could actually tell the difference between them and other woods. So far, so good, though I do need to get them re-gripped badly, as they have the original grips that have become rather smooth.

I use them when I am transporting my clubs. I usually ride and I'll leave them on even once I've put them on the cart. As I use the club during the round, I'll usually stick the iron cover in one of my bag pockets so I'm not putting it on and taking it off constantly, though I have put it back on after each shot a few times. I'll sometimes put them back on for the ride home, but sometimes, I'll leave them off - just depends on how tired/lazy I am after a round. I usually clean my clubs when I get home after a round or time at the range, dry them with a towel, and leave the iron covers off at least overnight, and usually until I need to transport them again, so that they will dry without having to worry about corrosion or anything like that. I play cast clubs, but you still never know, and if they're just sitting in my house, there is no hurry to stick the iron covers back on anyway. I will put the cover back on my woods and hybrids after every shot with them. My thoughts are: 1) A set of irons might typically cost anywhere from $200 - $1,500. 2) Irons are made to hit balls. They are made to hit toward and into the ground. 3) Irons will inevitably get some dings and scratches on on them over time, regardless of whether they are cast or forged. 4) However, why exacerbate the situation and make it easier for them to get beat up when you can put covers on the heads? As for whether the pros use iron covers of not, who cares? For one, the caddies walk the clubs, so they are not getting jostled around in the cart during a tournament; therefore, they are less susceptible to dings and scratches. Furthermore, most tour pros can call their company, whether it be TM, Nike, Cally, etc. and get a new set of whatever irons they want for free. Many of them probably have several sets of irons in their equipment trailer anyway. The natural result of that is that most of them probably don't care whether their irons do get knicked up as they didn't have to pay for them in the first place, and they won't have to pay to replace them either. If I could get a new set of irons any time I wanted for free just by calling my sponsor, I know I wouldn't care if any of my irons got a big ding in them. Now, all of that being said, if I walked the courses most of the time, instead of riding, I likely wouldn't use iron head covers, except possibly for transportation to and from the course/range.

I've never played them, but I hit them many, many times indoors when I was looking for a new set of irons. I finally settled on the Cally X-22s, but there are times I think I might have liked the R7s better. They came in a very close second to the X-22s mainly because I liked the weight of the Cally a bit better - it's a touch heavier and it was easier for me to tell where the club head was throughout my swing. I was hitting them about the same. Out of the X-18 and the R7s, if you liked the feel and the look of the R7s better, I say go for them. I don't think you could go wrong with them for a set of irons for a very good price.

I've been thinking about adding a 3W and a 5W to the set. I hit one of my friend's 3W and 5W and hit them quite well, even though I'm pretty new to the game. My current make up is in my signature. I've spent some time hitting quite a few different woods over the last week or so. I'm not wanting to necessarily spend a ton of money. Ideally, I'd be able to keep it around $100-125/club. I would want to use the 3 wood from the tee and from the ground. I've noticed the following clubs can be had for under a $100 new in retail stores (possibly even cheaper online): Nickent 4DX 3W Wilson Staff Fybrid 3W, 5W (or FY) MacGregor Mactec I've also hit (albeit indoors) the PING G10 3W and the '07 Burner ( http://www.golfsmith.com/products/TM...Graphite_Shaft ) and liked both of them. In addition, I've hit the Mizzy MX-700, TM Burner (newer version), Titleist 909F2. The Cobra S9-1 had the best numbers on the launch monitor (for what those are worth, which may be nothing - and that certainly could have been equal parts quality ball striking and dumb luck). I've heard good things about Sonartecs and have seen some in the used bins, but they've either had shaft flexes that were too light, or too stiff. In any event, what are your thoughts on the ones I've mentioned above? Are there any others that I'm missing that are just really worth looking heavily at, even if more expensive than I'd like to spend?

For flexibility and playability. From what I've read and from their looks, they appear that they are quite forgiving. However, it seems like it may be a bit more difficult to accomplish the delicate and finesse shots with them. Is that the case, or do they still offer a good amount of playability?

Do you know when this sale is over?

We are - people were just using "big auction site" so I did too. But I wouldn't say disregard EBAY completely because you can get some good deals as long as you're careful and sensible on who you buy from, but that is certainly your call.

There are plenty of reputable sellers on the big auction site, and you can get some really good deals. You just have to use some common sense and be careful, but to completely ignore would be passing up some good deals.

1) I doubt they are manufacturing any new X-18s or X-18Rs, BUT I definitely do not know that for sure - it is just my assumption since they have come out with 2 newer models (X-20 and X-22) in the X-series since the X-18 (which was the 2005 model). I know you can go on Callawaypreowned.com and get a used set of X-18s (not the X-18Rs), but I could never find the X-18s in the stores - only the X-18Rs. 2) I do not think it means refurbished. The main difference is that there is no Tru Bore hosel. Another poster on a different forum said he received the following response from Cally's customer service department when he posed the question: "In response to your inquiry, the X-18R does not have the Tru Bore at the bottom of the clubhead like the original X-18 irons. The X-18R has a new uniflex shaft and grip not found on the original version. Also, they are not available in graphite, nor can you custom order them. They come as a complete set available in 4 iron through Sand Wedge." This apparently allows them to hit a lower price point. But, if you chose the X-18R irons from Dick's or another retailer, you would be getting brand new clubs (unless they said they were used, in which case, the price should be even lower). 3) I think just about anything in the X-series from Callaway would serve you well for several years. IMO, you will not outgrow them too quickly. All of that being said, if you sniff around on EBAY you could probably get a set of X-20 or X-22s for close to (and possibly less than) $400 brand new from a reputable seller. I got my X-22s off of EBAY for $450 shipped (it was only 4-PW, but I didn't care as I wouldn't, and wasn't going to, use the AW or the SW from the X-22 set anyway, and I can't hit a 3i consistently either). However, that would only be worth looking into if the X-20 or the X-22s worked for you, but it is something to consider.

You could get the R7s brand new in a retail store for $399 + tax tops. However, if you search EBAY, there are a lot of reputable sellers on there selling the R7s and you can probably get them for closer to $300. If you can do that (and you've hit and like the R7s) then I'd personally say go for that over the 2005 Rac OS. My final decision came down to the X-22s (which as you can see I chose) and the R7s. Part of me sometimes thinks I maybe should have gone with the R7s. In any event, I think the R7s are a good set. Again, if you've hit them and liked them and they worked for you, you can probably score a set for close to the same (if not the same) cost as the $290 you mention for the Rac OS used set.

56* is typically your most common loft for SW. Most SW have a higher bounce to help get through the sand and not just cut down into it and stick there. Thus, the 14.

The main difference is that the 18R doesn't have the bore-through hosel like the "regular" 18. If you do a search for X-18R on here, you should be able to find a more in-depth discussion/explanation of the difference.

I too have noticed that often times, the price actually listed on a used club/set is close to and sometimes even higher than the same club(s) new. I too find that strange. However, sometimes, if you ask one of the sales associates, they will work a deal for you that does bring it under the new price (as it should be). Were they the Cally X-18 or the X-18 R ?

Nice! I love my Cleveland Classic 1. My last trip resulted in a Cleveland CG14 (52/10) and a Mizuno MP-T (58/10) as I've decided to try going with a 2 wedge setup (in addition to my PW) as opposed to 3 additional wedges above my PW.

Depends on who is selling. I'd be less likely to buy from an individual, but that is just me personally. There are quite a few stores that sell used clubs at their website, but also through EBAY (one example is 3balls.com - you can go straight to their site or through their EBAY auctions).

Check out EBAY - it is a good place to find some good deals on clubs (for example, I got my X-22s for about $300 less than I would have paid retail at a store in Dallas). For example: http://cgi.ebay.com/Set-of-New-Mizun...d=p3286.c0.m14 Now, those Mizzy's will go up higher as the auction nears its end, but you can always at least check EBAY to see if you can scare up a good deal on whatever set you decide on. HOWEVER YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHO YOU ARE BUYING FROM. Make sure that they appear reputable (e.g. over 1,000 feedback, and the more feedback the better, with at least 99+% positive feed back, and NEVER EVER buy from someone where their location is China or another Asian country. There are a lot of fakes coming out of Asian countries so it's better just to avoid them all together). Again, EBAY can be a great place to find some good deals, you just have to use some common sense.