etlreams

Another vote for the Bridgestone E series ball here. The E5 is great. It's a two piece ball with a urethane cover. So you get great distance with good spin rate. They check up nicely and I was even able to get some backspin. It is supposedly their "high launch" ball, but I dont find it to fly that high. The only negative is that, personally, I don't find it to play all that soft. Doesn't feel hard like most two piece distance balls, but it doesn't play soft enough to feel it compress on the mid-short game. The E7 is supposed to be their "low trajectory" ball. That's the only E series ball I have yet to try, so I can't really speak to it. Flight wise, sounds like it fits the bill for you....but my guess is you won't like it for the short game. Their 330 series balls are also great, but they are premium balls priced up their with ProV1s. Something you might want to consider..... at Golf Galaxy I recently saw a sample pack. It had 2 balls each of the 330, 330s, and 330rx. Might be a good way to see which one you like.

Or....as in my case, you play par 3s and executive courses that allow you to shoot great scores. Like me, for example, my profile on OOBgolf.com shows me at a 7.5 handicap because I play an executive 9 course quite freaquently where I shoot around par. No way would I shoot around par on a regulation 18 hole course. I'm usually in the high 80s, low 90s. Regardless....... to the OPseter......congrats on breaking the 90 marker!!!

Shortening your putter is going to change the total weight of the putter, and therefor the swing weight. Shortening it will cause the balance to be different. You may or may not notice it.

I picked up the FTIQ Tour version last fall and played it for a few months. I loved it. Great driver. Distance was good (equal to other drivers I had hit), very forgiving and very straight. What I liked most about it what the Fubuki shaft. I loved the trajectory it gave. I trade mine in, though. The stiff shaft was just a little too stiff for my swing speed. After trying new drivers, the R9 gave me the best numbers, so I went with that. I was tempted, though, to get another FTIQ with a Regular flex Fubuki shaft.

You should try the Noodle Softest. THe only thing I didn't like (and why I stopped playing them) is I didn't like the feel of them off the putter. Pick up a box. If you don't like them, then you've got 24 good practice chipping balls!

Well.... I'm glad I could start a debate. Sorry. That wasn't my intent. Thanks for the first couple of responses. They were helpful. I love the feel of my Vokey wedges (and quite frankly, hit them more consistantly than any of my other clubs) so the thought of changing out one of my "regular" clubs to add another Vokey was very appealing to me. Glad to hear the bounce angle should be a problem. I'm sure I'll learn soon enough if there is any distance difference and will adjust accordingly.

I played the Softest Noodle exclusively for a couple of years. I love that ball! Feels soft off the irons and nice high ball flight. I didn't find that they spun very well. They did check up ok and kind of a one or two hops and stop. I think they are designed to hit high and land soft. Not necessarily a high "spin" ball.

I've always played high spin premium balls because I love the short game. But, lately, I've been struggling off the tee and with long irons. So....as an experiment, I picked up a pack of the Titleist NXTs. A two piece, low compression ball. I played 18 on Friday and lost 1 ball into the water. Played 18 yesterday and didn't loose one.

So today I had a 48* Vokey wedge bent to 46* so I could replace my set's Pitching Wedge. The AP1 pitching wedge is listed as 45* and 6* bounce. My Vokey is now at 46* and 4* bounce. Do you think this low 4* bounce is going to be ok for a pitching wedge? I figure most of my pitching wedge use is 90-110 yard shots from the fairway, sometimes light rough, and for chipping around the fringe. So I think it might be ok. Thoughts?

Now that the Nike One Tour balls have dropped to $30 a dozen, I think they are probably going to give you the most spin for your dollar. If you look at it purely on the Golf Digest ball test results, statistically this is the spinniest ball for under $40 (if I remember correctly)

I am incrediably streaky. I'll shoot in the 80s for a few rounds, and then turn around and shoot around 100 for a few rounds. What I've found is that there is one or two things that are causing me to shoot high scores. Typically if I shoot a higher than average score for me, it is attributed to too many 2 and 3 putts; and/or getting in to trouble off the tee. As my game has evolved and as I've improved, I find my scores aren't erratic due to a few "blow up holes" like I use to have. I seem to shoot pretty consistantly over a round. I'm either playing an entire round at bogey golf, double bogey golf, etc. So...my scoring for the day comes down to putting and tee shots. If I'm not feeling my putter that day, I may 2 and 3 putt every hole and play double bogey + golf.

There will be varying opinions on this, of course. But your post interested me because I am doing the same thing right now. I've been experimenting with different balls lately and have found that a low compression, 2 or 3 piece ball is giving me much better distance and accuracy off the tee and with long irons. But....of course, the softer more spinny ball is better around the greens and off short irons. So....I've been playing the Titleist NXT off the tee and I use a ProV or Nike One Tour on par 3s and if I have to take a drop on a Par 4/5. Is this bad to do? I don't know. Maybe. Different balls will act differently and I suppose some would argue it will be hard to judge distance, etc. if you are changing balls.... But if you know how each balls plays, then I say why not. Or....continue searching for a "the ball" that will give you everything you want. Personally, I haven't found that ball yet.

Me too. I love my little flop shot with my 60*. If I can flop it up there for a little 2 ft or less 1 putt, that's where I score. I am not great at hitting GIR, as my approach shots are often close to the green, but not on. So.... one-putts for me are key to a good score.

I wish they'd call these tools groove CLEANERS and not sharpeners. All of these carbide tip tools really do is dig down in the grooves and get the junk out of them. If you look at it that way... yes... I've found that they really do work. Having completely clean grooves does make a difference in your wedge performance. But as for "sharpening" them..... you'd have to work pretty hard and long to actually make a change in the shape of the grooves. I mean....these clubs are cast or forged at how many hundreds or thousands of degrees heat?

Last year I played both. Distance for me seemed about equal. The hybrid was a little more versitile - essentially it hit out of the rough better than the 5 wood. I decided to go with the 5 wood though. I hit it more consistantly and it inspires more confidence for me. If you're going to go with a 5 wood, just look closely at the sole design. The sole design of my 5 wood allows me to get at the ball a little better in the rough.

Anyone have experience with the NXT line of golf balls? I was given a sleeve of the old NXT Extreme and really liked them. They were the longest ball I have hit and (something i have been struggling with lately) were really straight off the driver and long irons/woods. Since the NXT Extreme is no longer part of the line up..... what are people's thoughts on the NXT and NXT Tour balls. I'd prefer the NXT Tour, so I can have more green side control and spin.... but if I'm struggling with side spin in the long game.... might the regular NXT be better? Thoughts???

I sported the neoprene head covers last season when I purchased my AP1s. I bought them for this reason alone - because I had heard that the polished finish on the AP1s scratched easily. Well...they do... Even after I used the headcovers they still looked like crap from hitting dirty balls, driving range, etc etc. So...I stopped using them. Figured they're going to get banged up anyways. That said....if you want to use headcovers....use 'em. If some people don't like them and say they're "gay" - who cares. They are your clubs and if you feel like they protect your investment, then do it. Personally, I found that they only prolong the enevitable. I do still use them when storing my clubs and traveling, though.

I've played the Nike Tour ball for a couple of rounds now. It seems to be the shortest ball I've played from the tee box and from long-mid irons. This is probably because I don't have a very high swing speed and probably don't compress it. It also does seem to enhance side spin on miss hits. It feels great for the short game, though. Spins and checks very well...and I like the feel of it off the putter. Think I'm going to try the Tour D to get some added distance.

Yes, I am. Started playing when I was a little kid. Just kind of had a "natural swing" I guess. I didn't say "good swing." I just always felt I had a comfortable, natural ball striking swing. I've tweaked it, of course, as I've learned more about proper swing mechanics and fundamentals. I did, however, take my first lesson this year. I took one lesson to help me fix a slice off the tee box I all the sudden developed. Worked great! I may consider lessons in the future. I don't know. I feel like I've kind of reached this plateau and I'm not seeing any more improvements in my game. But then again...as others have said....I don't really want to "start over" with my swing either.

I don't play many par 3s, but I do play two "executive 9" courses near my house and work all the time. Most of the time, actually. Both are par 29 - so they each have two par 4 holes. They are seldom busy, cheap and I find them great pratice for the short game and a couple holes to pull out the big dog. I typically sneak out of work for a long lunch and play a quick round by myself. I usually play two balls and it typically takes me an hour - to an hour and a half.

Try the Nike One Tour balls. They play similar to the ProVs in the short game. High spinning balls. I've only played the Nike One Tour ball, but am thinking of trying the Nike One Tour D ball to get a little more distance. The Nike One Tour ball is definately short.

i had that shaft on my Callaway FTIQ Tour driver. Best shaft I have ever used. Loved the trajectory it provided.

I clean my clubs just about once a week. After a round, if they are dirty (which is typically every time), I bring the bag in the house, fill up a bucket with warm water and soap and use an old toothbrush to clean them up while watching TV. Guess it's just kind of a routine for me.

I don't know about the word "want" to carry. Really, for me, it's more about riding vs walking. If I'm walking (which I usually do), I carry. I've tried a few push carts and just don't like how my bag sits in them. So.... I carry. Frankly, I just don't think about it. If I walk, I carry my clubs. I don't think "hey, I'm GOING to walk this round so I can carry my clubs!"

Well....those are four fairly different putters. All good ones. You just need to find which one feels best to you. Looks like three of the four are insert putters and one (the scotty) is a milled face. Milled vs insert provides two very different feels. I would spend some time with each and focus on three things: 1. which one FEELS the best to you - weighting, stroke, ball of the face, etc. 2. which one gives you better distance judgement (try some longer lag putts) and 3. which one are your most consistant with in sinking 3-5 foot putts.