Sean_D

I was just fitted for an iron set. Everything about how I hit a golf ball with my irons/wedges has improved exponentially. More distance, better control, more confidence... all of it. Getting fit was the best $100 I have spent on golf, followed closely by the fist $100 I spent on lessons.

I received my G400s yesterday. I was delayed because PING close for 10 days for the Christmas/New Year's holiday. I absolutely love these clubs. They feel great, fit well and I hit them significantly better than the Cobras they replaced. I am going out on the course after work today to start gapping my new iron set. The course where I am a marshal has a long, straight par 5. I will hit 10-12 shots with my 5-iron and, leaving my bag as a marker of where I hit from, I will go out to the estimated center of all my golf balls and laser back to the bag of an average distance for that club. I probably won't get through the entire set of irons in one evening, but I'll get it done in a couple of days. As part of my fitting, I will also be going back to where I was fitted for a follow up. I don't know if a gap analysis is included in that appointment (I'll ask that question when I schedule the appointment tomorrow), but I am glad the shop where I was fitted has this as part of the fitting. Next up.... Putter fitting.

I completed the Trackman Fitting yesterday and I am amazed at the difference a properly customized club makes. I started the fitting with AP3, P790, AP1, and G400 as the contenders. During my warm up I was hitting the 7-iron around 135 carry (I don't remember which club I was using) and that is about how far I would normally hit my off-the-rack Cobra Bafflers. We started out looking for the head which provided the best ball speed and spin. The AP1 spun too much and had the slowest ball speed, so it was eliminated first. As we progressed, the P790, AP3, and G400 were all very close in ball speed, but the P790 had the least optimal spin, so it went next. The AP3 and G400 performed almost identically. I liked the sound of the AP3 better and I liked the feedback the G400 gave on mishits better. When both were struck well the fell was very good with both. I liked them both a lot, and decided to go with the Ping G400 because they are significantly less expensive. My fitter also wanted me to hit the Callaway Rogue. I have read a lot about how people feel about the look of a golf club and thought they were crazy... until I saw Callaway Rogue. I absolutely hated everything about how that club looked. Way too fat, too much offset, and the color even bothered me. I hit one ball with it and handed it back... This is not the one! During clubhead selection, I was still hitting around 140 yards carry with a couple of outliers that would pop out to 150+. Then we started switching shafts... and that is when things started to improve dramatically. Through changing the weight, length, and profiles of the shaft, I started consistently hitting the ball in the center of the clubface. I didn't hit a single fat shot (one of my main misses) and I consistently started carrying the ball between 160-165 yards right down my target line. My dispersion tightened up and the impact tape looked like it had a single ball impression. I ended up ordering the G400 with the AWT 2.0 shaft, Green dot and +1/2" in length with a midsize grip. My clubs should be here just after the 1st of the year. I am excited for them to come and I don't even want to hit current clubs any longer. Thanks to everyone who provided feedback, I don't think I would have ever considered G400 before starting this thread. I was skeptical about the Trackman fitting and hesitant to shell out the cash for one, but I am glad I did. I will not buy clubs without doing on again. It made a 30+ yard difference in my 7-iron, and I am confident that as I improve my swing, I will see the results more quickly in my ball-flight.

So I hit all the clubs in my original post last week. I couldn't hit the Callaway Rogue pros well at all, so I eliminated those first. In the end, I hit the Titleist AP3s the best, the TM P790s and Srixon Z585s after that. All in all, I didn't hit any of the clubs much better than I hit my current set of irons. I decided to get a full trackman fitting and I am including the Ping G400 and Titleist AP1 in my quest for new clubs. I have found that off-the-rack clubs are generally too light for my swing, so I am looking forward to trying the two Titleist clubs, the P790, and the G400 in my fitting with heavier shafts and proper lie angles. I appreciate all the advice, even the stuff I generally don't agree with. You have all given me much to think about, and your input will certainly help me end up with the clubs that work best for me and my swing.

I just started with GHIN and have stopped entering scores into the app where I tracked my handicap. My current differentials in GHIN suggest my handicap will be around 17 when I get enough scores entered. I started the year at 38 and will finish at least 20 strokes lower. I have been taking lessons all year and my swing is much better than my handicap would suggest. I am looking for irons I can "grow into" so I am willing to get something that might be a little bit difficult to hit. I am certain I'll get there soon enough. I hit the P790s (from the demo day fitting) exceptionally well and carried the 7 iron ~160 yards. I found it much easier to hit consistently than my current 7 iron. But if I get to the shop and find those clubs impossible to hit well, I am not above changing my mind and buying something different or nothing at all.

I've already done that bit of research. One of the main reasons I chose the sets I did is because the lofts are very close or equal to the lofts of my current set. I really wanted to be sure any distance gains were not due to strong(er) lofts but to other design elements or fitting. I already know my current set is too flat, too light, and perhaps too short. Hopefully matching those criteria to my swing/body will help me eliminate my fat mishit.

That is a great question, and one I didn't think to ask or research. I'll have to ask when I get there.

Today I'm going to start hitting clubs with the intent to select a set for purchase. I have been researching this for quite a while now and I have made a few decisions going into this purchase. I also went through a Taylormade demo day fitting at a local course about a week ago and learned a few things about what works for me. At the demo day, the Taylormade fitter fit me into a P790 head with a True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 shaft with S300 stiffness. With that information in mind, I'm going to go to the superstore to pick out my new set of irons. Here is my process. Through research, I have narrowed the field down to a short list which includes: Ping i210, Ping i500, Callaway Rogue Pro, Titleist 718 AP3, Taylormade P790, and Srixon Z585. Using the Ping fitting chart, I have determined that my clubs should be 2 degrees upright and about +1/2" in length. At the superstore I am able to take three clubs at a time to their hitting bay to test out. I plan on having them assemble each of the clubs on my short list with the TT Dynamic Gold 120 at 2* up and hit each of them to determine which one I like best. Once I have done that, I am going to have a full trackman fitting done to see what the recommendation is from that fitting. Then I will compare the club I like best vs. the club recommended from the fitting (hopefully it will be the same club with maybe a different shaft and/or loft, length. Then order the clubs and begin the waiting period.

For those still interested... I have played my way through the Q Star Tours and the Bridgestone E6 Soft. As I played each ball more the differences in distance shrank to being very close to each other. Sometimes the E6 was further and sometimes the Q Star Tour was. I attribute that to my swing and that the two balls are equal in the distance category. The Q Star Tour definitely spins more on short shots, pitches and chips, and stops quicker on the green. I even backed up several of the QSTs on shorter par 3s. So for my purposes, the QST beat out the E6. Next Up... QST vs Z Star. Stay Tuned.

That is interesting information. Thanks for that. Being in North CA, I am unable to continue my testing of golf balls as the air is densely filled with smoke, and the projection of when the Camp Fire will be contained is November 30th. I have a couple of weeks before I will be able to do any outdoor golf activity.

I recently started volunteering at the local muni course. For 7 hours a month of volunteering, I receive full access to the course, driving range and golf carts. So, last night I decided to get two of the golf balls on my list and compare them head to head in a single elimination style competition. I went down to Dick's and purchased a dozen Bridgestone E6 Softs, and a dozen Srixon Q-Star Tours. I spent just over $40 for golf balls. To test the balls out I played a 9-hole scramble between the two balls. I will continue pitting these two balls against each other for a couple of weeks just to be sure my impressions of the balls are not overly influenced by small sample size bias. From last night (A night when I didn't hit the ball particularly well) I definitely noticed two significant differences between the two balls. 1 - I hit the E6 further than the QST on just about every shot. I can only think of one instance where I hit the QST further was a shot I pulled way left, while I hit the E6 pretty much on my target line. 2 - The QST stopped faster and rolled out less than the E6 on every shot into and around the green. To me the feel/sound and putting the two balls are very similar to each other. I will continue to pit these to balls against each other. If I had to make a choice now... It would be tough ( I still need to play each ball more) I liked that the E6 went further but didn't like watching it roll off the green. I liked finding the QST right next to its mark on each successful shot onto the green. If I could hit the E6 off the tee and then play the QST from there, I would choose that. But after the first inning, the QST is slightly in the lead.

For those who have endorsed Snell, I am ordering a dozen of those at the start of November (Have to wait for payday) and they will be the ball I try/test first. Thanks again to all who have participated in this thread.

The 200 yd 3H was a single shot where my ball was within three feet of it''s mark and the only one I have made like that. Most of the shots to which I referred are from 150 and in, and I miss more greens than I hit. But when I hit them, the ball is usually right there next to its mark. The spinning is my hypothesis, I may be wrong, but when hitting similarly struck iron shots between my regular 3-piece and the V1X from 150 and in, the V1X was shorter. I know the V1X is designed for higher spin on shorter shots, so my hypothesis does not seem unreasonable, to me. I have been taking lessons at least twice a month all year and have gone from shooting in the 130s to the low to mid 90s with a low score of 88 a few weeks ago. I may be a 24 now, but I am moving lower quickly. Thanks for the recommendation on the holiday sales. I am planning on purchasing (and receiving as Christmas gifts) during the offseason and testing when the weather permits (in Northern CA that should be pretty often). By the time my league starts in April, I hope to have my ball for the 2019 season sorted out.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll definitely check those out. I really like Callaway as a brand.

I wish Titleist still offered the NXT Tour it was a 3-piece under $35. I was disappointed when I discovered all their 3-piece (or more) balls are $45+.

Before my last round I would answer until I hit it into the water. But this week I played an entire round with the same ball for the first time. I was surprised to see the ID mark I made with a Sharpie fade to almost nothing. The ball is still structurally sound (no scuffs, discoloration, or wedge marks) so it is still in my bag and available for use. I have considered removing it and displaying it in much the same way a business will display the first $1 bill they earn.

I played a round Monday with a found Titleist Pro V1X. I shot well (9-strokes better than my previous best at that course). I felt the Pro V1X spun a little too much for my swing. Shots I normally hit 150 yards were traveling 140 or less. The ball seemed to fly a bit higher than my usual 3-piece TF Gamer. I liked the V1X off the driver. It has a really good feel and I hit my normal distances. I was gifted three sleeves of V1Xs and will play them just to be sure this one round was not a fluke. But I think it is confirmation that a 4-piece ball is not for me, at least with my current irons.

Thanks for the recommendation... I've not read much about the Project A. I'll have to check it out.

I recently started playing a 3-piece ball, the Top Flite Gamer. I chose that ball because I'm cheap and I found those on a twofer a little while ago. I have had very good results with that ball, contrary to what I have read. I don't have a problem with the ball "running out" as it is always within 3 feet of its pitch mark (even on 200 yard 3H approach shots) and most time behind its mark. I like the feel of the ball and the distance is good. My problem is the Gamer is being discontinued without a direct replacement. I am viewing this as an opportunity to try out other golf balls. I have a box of Srixon Z Stars (which I got for $16 at Dick's when they were on sale a couple of months ago) which I will test when my last box of Gamers is exhausted. I am planning on ordering a box of Snell MTB Blacks and perhaps the Bridgestone E6 Speed and I have been thinking about the 3-piece K-Sig as well. I have read about Cut and Vice balls and don't really have any interest in those, I don't have any reason for my lack of interest or know why they don't interest me, but they don't. So right now my short list is: Srixon Z-Star Srixon Q-Star Tour Snell MTB Black Bridgestone E6 Speed K-Sig 3-Piece. My criteria: 3-Piece and cost less than $35 per single dozen. My plan to test them is to buy a dozen and use them until they are gone and then make my decision on my overall impression. I know it is not scientific, and probably horribly flawed... but that is the plan. I don't have the ability to take multiple balls out onto course and pit them head-to-head. When I playing on the course I am playing for a score, I am usually trying to get my round in before the sun goes down, and I don't want to pay a green fee to test a bunch of golf balls (I'm cheap... remember.). So are there any other 3-piece balls which meet the criteria? I don't care about the cover material just yet (although I know 4 out of the 5 I listed are urethane covered balls). I also left the Top Flite Urethane off the list intentionally, not because I don't like Top Flite balls, but because Top Flite are all I have played since I started golf again. I want to check other brands out.

Sure... I had 6 pars, 10 bogeys, and two 8s. I had just recently implemented a grip change recommended by my coach and was hitting the ball better, straighter and further than I ever have before. I made it through the round using only three golf balls, which is the fewest number of balls I have ever used in a round of golf.

Thank You. So a two stroke penalty for each infringement.

So two penalties are applicable in this situation, both general (two-stroke) penalties. 20-3. Placing and Replacing a. By Whom and Where A ball to be placed under the Rules must be placed by the player or his partner. If a ball to be replaced is placed other than on the spot from which it was lifted or moved and the error is not corrected as provided in Rule 20-6, the player incurs the general penalty, loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play, for a breach of the applicable Rule. 20-7. Playing from Wrong Place a. General A player has played from a wrong place if he makes a stroke at his ball in play: (i) on a part of the course where the Rules do not permit a stroke to be made or a ball to be dropped or placed; or (ii) when the Rules require a dropped ball to be re-dropped or a moved ball to be replaced. Note: For a ball played from outside the teeing ground or from a wrong teeing ground - see Rule 11-4. b. Match Play If a player makes a stroke from a wrong place, he loses the hole. c. Stroke Play If a competitor makes a stroke from a wrong place, he incurs a penalty of two strokes under the applicable Rule. He must play out the hole with the ball played from the wrong place, without correcting his error, provided he has not committed a serious breach (see Note 1). From what I have read (and I am just learning the rules), should the correct penalties assessed be four strokes as I interpret two separate infractions in the described scenario. I have read of situations where if one penalty is assessed, other penalties are not compounded. Is that the case here? Or should four strokes have been added to his score for each breach of the rules?

Broke 90.

I started playing golf "seriously" (meaning more than 1-2 rounds a year) in February of this year. I was shooting in the high 120s. I started taking lessons and have continued taking two a month from March through October (my last lesson of the year will be on the 15th). I consistently shoot in the mid 90s now and shot an 88 in my last round (still waiting for my badge from the achievement thread). I practice for an hour or more each day and play at least once a week. My coach has helped me set my 2019 goal of shooting 78 at least once next year, so I'll be working toward that. In total it took me 7 months to break 90 with a lot of hard work and practice.

When you hit a snap hook, look at the alignment of your club face right after your swing, it is most likely closed. Adjust your grip so the club face is vertical when you look it in front of you with your arms outstretched. At address the club face should appear to be open. Hope this helps.