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I applaud the part about going back to school. Hard to do so many years after a career. I have ten years between my degrees, so I understand it on a very small degree in comparison to his career and subsequent schooling. However, on Undisputed, Shannon pretty much explained my initial thoughts on it: don’t take a spot from a college kid. I’m sure he won’t take a scholarship from a kid, but, assuming J.R. makes the team, he’d likely take a spot from another deserving kid who is not a former professional athlete. While I also understand that perhaps playing competitive golf could bolster J.R.’s determination to stay in school when things get tough, he can scratch his competitive golf itch in other ways. I suppose I’ll relent if the school/coach states that they really want J.R., that he would really help the team compete for a championship, and bring attention to the school’s program. Otherwise, let the kids play, J.R.; you had yours, man.

Haha. I don’t know. HR doesn’t reveal names, only numbers. That’s unfortunate. He definitely hasn’t figured it out, or maybe he has but doesn’t care.

Just found out that 99% of our firm is vaccinated. Not sure about the support staff, because I don’t have those numbers, but I’m certainly encouraged.

I think you’re assuming as part of your argument that new courses are required as a part of “the future of golf.” I don’t think that’s necessarily the case, especially if you have access to great golf courses that have been around for a long time. Moreover, if you want a new experience, you can always take a golf trip. Not necessarily. It depends on which golf course you purchase, your overhead, your prices, competition in the market, how you run it, your clientele, etc. Do you have data to back this up? As compared to which golf course(s)? I’m not sure about this one either. When you say “greater,” do you mean in terms of total numbers, among the golfing population, or across wider demographics? It’s a bit unclear. Sure, it’s quick, casual fun that many can appreciate with their friends, but I’m not familiar with the numbers regarding the traditional golfing population v. TopGolf population. Again, even if true, I don’t think it’s necessary that we courses spring up left and right. The same could be said for running your own restaurant—it’s hard work and risky. You’ve got a lot of competition in the market, so newcomers may struggle. Additionally, some courses may close due to a great number of reasons. I’m not sure TopGolf is going to avoid those potential problems. They certainly have an interesting model, but I don’t think it is “the future of golf” by any stretch of the imagination.

I’m not a big fan of the TM foam. I have a gapr hybrid lying around in the garage. I could hit it pretty well, but I never liked the sound or feel of it. It didn’t “match” to the strike, IMO. However, I think I like the feel of tungsten. I haven’t used another manufacturer’s clubs that have tungsten in them, but I have a Titleist u510 driving iron, and I absolutely love it. It’s hard to describe the feeling of the club. I thought it would be very clicky because it’s a gigantic hollow headed iron. There is a higher pitched sound, but it still has a “thwack” to it without feeling dead like the foam-injected hybrid I mentioned. It’s very subjective and hard for me to describe. Hopefully, it makes sense to some degree.

I never looked at slope to make a determination. I just looked at course rating as compared against par.

Best of luck to you. Be sure to start a “my swing” thread if you’d like input from others. We have several golf nerds that have a breadth and depth of golf knowledge that may be useful. Be sure to work on what you need to work on and block the rest out, all the while achieving quality practice.

Very true. Also very true.

I agree. I messed around with one as well. I’d just rather use another club. Seems odd to have such a limited club for a purpose that is fulfilled by others. I think you’ve been told multiple times by the mods to discuss chippers. I’m not engaging you further. If you like chippers, use them. I think it’s a terrible decision, but you do you.

Begrudgingly and when indoors.

I wear a couple of big brimmed Nike golf bucket hats from circa 2014-15. I’ve got a white one and a black/grey one. I put a couple of push button “locks” on each hat’s strap to secure the hat on my head in windy conditions as well. The hats also did well at Disney World last week in the scorching heat and even at the pool.

I suppose you’re right, but I think masking isn’t as easily enforced. A small sample size and admittedly anecdotal at best, I was in Florida last week. Lot of masks being worn (and yet look at how Florida is doing overall). Lot of masks being pulled down or taken off pretty quickly once they get in the door of a place requiring masking. Hardly see n95’s any more. Usually it’s simple cloth masks worn below the nose, or as I said above, pulled down or taken off subsequent to entry. Conversely, requiring vaccination or proof of vaccination prior to entry into businesses, government buildings, etc. would remedy the enforcement problem, whilst providing the best protection for the person and society at large. Mind you, I say these things as one cautious of government flexing its muscles.

They seem to just be an appeasement to the ignorant unvaccinated. The vaccine appears to be very effective. Not perfect, but very effective. Masks don’t seem to be nearly as effective. I mean, people reuse the same mask, probably don’t wash it, they put in on in indoor situations when required, stuff back into their pocket after they’ve breathed into it and collected germs all over, put it back on, etc. At this point, masking seems to just be lip service of commitment to a public health concern. Moreover, if people who are vaccinated won’t get covid, or if they do it won’t be as bad, then the masks are just feeble attempts at protecting the people who don’t want to be protected in the first place. Seems to be an unnecessary burden on the vaccinated. Instead, states should mandate vaccination. It can be done legally and probably logistically.

Classic move. People push back by challenging your reasoning and logic, you feel personally offended, so you lash out with disparaging remarks, and then you play the victim.

Gotta get rain gloves, my dude! They’re a blessing. That’s all I wear.

That’s different.

Lol As many have already stated, use a chipper. We don’t care. We think it’s objectively foolish, but you do you. As long as you’re having fun and enjoying yourself, then that’s all that matters.

I gotta get me a chipper. Apparently, I’ve been doing punch shots wrong my whole golfing life. I’d say a punch shot out of the trees with a high lofted wedge/chipper far exceeds any other club in my bag on punch shot ability. 🤣

Exactly.

Hitting it hard my man. Keep it up. I’m jealous of your speed.

🤣 good call; chipper is certainly the best club for that shot. It’s totally worth a spot in the bag for this shot. Makes sense 🙄. Gotta use that chipper for when you’re in the trees!

Nothing you say makes me feel bad. I just call bull shit when I see it. Carry on with your chipper. I’m done here.

You claim to hit a 9w up to 225 and even 245. That would require Tour quality speed. I am in the 150’s mph ball speed with my driver and mid to high 140’s mph with my 3w. Not fast, but certainly not slow. My 3w flies 225-235. Tour players, on the other hand, average 152 with their 5w and average carry of 230. So, yes, you are claiming Tour quality speed even if you aren’t doing so expressly. This is a strawman. I never argued to the contrary. However, just because something is easier to get in the air doesn’t mean it is per se easier to hit. That’s where fitting comes into play and getting the right loft to match your swing, launch characteristics, and ball speed that you produce. If indeed you have the ability to hit a 9w, again a a freaking 9w, as far or further than an average Tour player, you shouldn’t have any trouble hitting a 5w. You even carry a mini driver, dude. And you shouldn’t need a chipper (the whole point I’m making here), unless you completely suck. You said above that you carry a gap wedge, 58, and 62. I went off the information you gave. Perhaps it was a typo. No mention of a 56 any where here: I didn’t say you are lying, but I do find it hard to believe that you hit the ball as far as you claim. Especially when you state that you don’t have Tour quality speed, when mathematically speaking, you would require such speed to hit these distances. If your definition of pompous is merely pushing back on your statements when they seem off, then I guess I am “pompous.” Try not to be so defensive when engaged in conversation and challenged on your ideas. Not everyone you meet in life is a “yes man” and blindly believes what you say, especially when you make contradictory statements. You don’t need a chipper. Play one if you want though. You say you are a 13 HC. You have implied that you have Tour quality speed because you have stated that you “literally” can hit your 9w 190-225 and have hit it up to 245. A 13 can still have Tour quality speed because they can hit the ball way offline as the reason why they are a 13. As stated above, average Tour players average 230 with their 5w. Therefore, it appears that you have Tour quality speed. That’s awesome. While speed and short game are certainly two totally different things, if you possess the ability to hit the ball as far as you do, then you certainly have enough ability to chip the ball reasonably well. Therefore, you don’t need a chipper. That has been my point the whole time that you have apparently missed.

It’s not hard to speculate as to the loft of a gap wedge. Generally, we’re looking at 50-52*. Meh, not really. As far as hitting it by the pin, sure. But not in terms of getting at least a nGIR. Safely advancing your ball from long distance is a very important skill, which is why keeping more clubs with more versatility than a chipper is important. Having more clubs at the long end of the bag helps you get those nGIR’s and have more full shots in to avoid partial shots. I’ve said this many times on this site: Id rather have more “long clubs” than wedges because wedges are easier to finesse and retain more spin. Finessing long clubs is more difficult unless you’re playing a lot of curve. Moreover, when you finesse a long club, the peak height drops, the spin drops, it is more difficult to control your carry, and it is more difficult to hold the green when the foregoing occur. No so with a wedge. Maybe you’re a high speed player, if so, that’s awesome, and perhaps you can hit a 9w that far. However, your reliability is in question given several conflicting statements: — you say you “literally” hit your 9w anywhere from 190-225. — you say you took an easy swing, the ball was flying further, and hit your 9w 245. — despite the seeming Tour quality speed and ability you appear to possess, you carry a hybrid wedge/chipper. So either, 1) you really do hit the ball a long way and absolutely suck around the greens, or, 2) well…you know, some exaggeration is at play here. Regardless, a chipper may be useful, but it is not worth taking the spot of another, more versatile club because you only need to be reasonable around the greens. No need to have a top class short game to chip with other clubs to get the same result. Nonetheless, if you want a chipper in your bag, then by all means do you and have fun. Golf is a fun game, so get out and enjoy it.

Wait, I thought you “literally” can hit it from 190-225? 🤔