Bart

Here's a video at normal speed (rather than super slo-mo). I'm swinging a 2-hybrid, which is what I use most often off the tee. I look a little...jumpy...or something. The ball started out straight and hooked left about 5 yards into the rough. My usual shot with that club is a very slight fade or a long hook, but I'd eventually like it to be a draw (same goal with the rest of my irons). Thanks very much to everyone who commented. I agree 100% that my shots turn out better when I have a longer takeaway. Thanks in advance for any additional comments. I hope to have a few more videos to post soon. My girlfriend has volunteered for camera duties--although she doesn't know it yet.

Ha! Yeah, I guess that looks a little weird. I don't know for sure, but it has something to do with helping the computer calibrate my height, posture, etc...The guy that gave me the lesson made me stand up straight for a few seconds so the camera/computer/whatever could get a fix. Both straps had a battery pack on the back, so I assume they served some sort of function, but I didn't ask specifically about the technology. They were practically unnoticeable, which is why I didn't think to mention them in the first place.

I think my introduction may have been lacking, or I should have explained what I'm working on. Please forgive--the former incarnation of my golf game was well before Al Gore created the Internet, and I'm still trying to feel my way around this forum. I didn't want to say what I'm working on, because I'd prefer unbiased opinions on my swing. Regardless, since I'm just getting back into the game, I'm working on so many different things that it's hard to pinpoint some one thing in particular I'm trying to improve. Basically, I just want to find a smooth, repeatable swing and go from there (as if it were that easy). Anyway, thought my post might not have been adequate or got lost in the shuffle and wanted to make one more plea. Thanks again.

Sorry if this is a little long, but I played so far above my head today that I'm still a little giddy. I was at 34 through 8 holes, when I thought about how low I was and promptly chunked one into the water. Even after the double, I was thrilled with a 40 on the front. Had several makeable birdie putts that just missed, to go along with two 3-putts. On the back, I just kept hitting fairways and greens and took advantage of the two short par 5s--had two eagle putts that missed by a combined 1 inch. So I'm on 18 and know I need a bogey to break 80. Good tee shot down the left side that decides to roll down a hill, over the cart path, and behind some trees. I still think I have a shot at the green, so I step up and proceed to make the worst swing of my round. The ball hits a tree, caroms backward and left into the adjacent fairway. So for my third shot I have 195 yards, uphill, over trees and over water. Somehow I stick a 5-iron on the green, and I'm praying I can two-putt from 40 feet for my bogey....and I f---ing hole it for a 78. It was that kind of round. I even got up-and-down four times...when I think I average about one per round, if that. I beat my previous best score by nine strokes and lowered my handicap by a full stroke. All the same, I'm sure the game will humble me the next time I'm out...maybe I should just quit. You know, go out in my prime, on my terms. Yeah, right.

I'm not qualified to give you advice, so take this for what it's worth...Have you thought about a shorter backswing on your short irons? On your second swing, you're parallel at the top, if not a smidgen past parallel. I would imagine you'd gain some control if you shortened up a little bit (like you do in the first swing). But mainly, I wanted to bump your thread and tell you that you have a really nice swing. Great tempo and awesome finish. Also, please explain how you're lucky enough to have your own private driving range!

Two swings with my 6-iron. Any thoughts/tips are appreciated.

I hit it a long way like you (6i ~ 195-200), but I'm not as good of a golfer and lose a lot of balls...so I'm always on the lookout for a ball that performs well for the limited amount of money I have to spend. In other words, I feel your pain. My advice is to buy "used" golf balls from any of a number of Internet vendors that are in "mint" or "5-star" condition. They are basically new balls (some with logos, weird numbers, etc.) at a used price. There are some good recommendations on other threads in this forum (I don't remember all the names, but my preferred seller is "Golf Ball Nut," which sells on ebay and through its own site). For the price, I've had the best success with the Bridgestone e6+ and TM Burner LDPs. I've heard and read a lot about two-piece balls (like the e6+ and LDP) not having the stopping ability of more premium balls, but at your swing speed I assume you hit your irons high enough that it wouldn't be a big disadvantage (e.g., I hit a 7i on a par 3 today that hopped maybe six inches forward, and you can spin back anything with a higher loft). I just bought 72, "mint," used TM Burner LDPs for $54, and I haven't cut one yet. If you lose a lot of balls and/or can't afford to buy balls all the time, $1 or less per golf ball is a pretty good start.

The best prices on used golf balls, with consistent quality, that I've found have been from the seller "golfballnut" on ebay (also has a website, golfballnut.com). I just bought 50 AAAAA Bridgestone e6+ for $50 (free shipping). At lostgolfballs.com, they want $60 for 48, and that seems about typical of the price difference between those two sellers. Golfballnut is also good about sending discount coupons via email, and they have frequent "sales" in their ebay store. Customer service is very good, as well.

I just got an Adams A7 2H, and my conclusion after two rounds is that it's unbelievable. Six months ago, I took up the game again after a 16-year hiatus (the equipment choices alone have been overwhelming), so I'm basically relearning how to swing a golf club. I've spent 90% of my range time hitting irons, with the result that my woods are still all over the place. Since I'm really long off the tee, poor driving (with the 1W and 3W) equals LOTS of penalties. So, I asked my instructor if a 2H might be a good driving alternative while I'm working on straightening out my woods. He agreed, and I got fitted for a 2H. It was a toss-up between the Adams and TM Raylor--the Adams is probably better off the tee and the Raylor better from the rough, so I went with the Adams. It's probably because I don't regularly hit the sweet spot with my 3W, but that Adams 2H is as long or longer than my Cleveland Launcher 3W. It's equally as good from the fairway--haven't hit it out of the rough yet, but that's not what I bought it for. It's so straight and so long, it almost makes me want to leave my driver and 3W in the bag forever.

What differences, if any, are there between any given ball and the "practice" balls of the same brand/type?

I did a little research before I bought one, and GolfShot seemed to have the highest overall reviews (as a function of price). I've been very happy with it, but then again it's the only one I've used. Very accurate--matches up with the sprinkler heads pretty much every time. Also has an auto-handicap feature, which I like since I don't play anywhere I can get an official handicap.

Coincidentally, I got fitted for a 2H today. Demoed the Ping G15, Adams A7, Adams Pro Black, and TM Raylor. The Ping was okay, with the least amount of feedback. The Pro Black was awesome-looking but the hardest to hit. It came down to the A7 and the Raylor. Roughly the same distance, maybe a few yards longer with the A7--although both are really long. I ended up going with the A7 because of two deciding factors: (1) At address, the Raylor looked a little open (even though it wasn't), which I thought was bad karma for someone still guarding against a slice; and (2) The face of the Raylor is deeper but not as wide as the A7, so ostensibly the Raylor is a better option out of the rough and the A7 maybe slightly better off the tee/fairway. I was looking for a 2H as an option to hit off the tee on narrow par 4s and didn't think I'd need to hit it 230 out of the rough often enough to prefer the Raylor.

Although the facts aren't exactly the same, I think my experience with shaft selection might help you out. I got fitted for irons about 6 months ago. My 6-iron swing speed was around 100, and my instructor/fitter recommended x-stiff shafts. For a number of reasons I still don't completely understand (apparently, x-stiff was not available with the TM Burners I purchased), I had the KBS shafts hard-stepped once to give the same feel as an x-stiff shaft. Bottom line: When I'm warmed up and swinging the way I should, my irons feel great. Otherwise, or if I want to take a little off, swing easy, etc., I feel like I'm hitting with boards. I don't know if this is right, but I feel like the consensus is that people tend to swing harder than normal during a fitting. So if you're on the border between two flexes, less stiff seems to be the best option. I'm still trying to figure out all sorts of stuff about my swing and my game, so my experience might not be typical--but that's my opinion for what it's worth.

Par 3, 189 yards, over water, slightly uphill, into a 20-mph wind. Played a 4-iron with a slight draw to about 12 feet behind the hole. Best chance at birdie through the front, and I'm really concentrating on my putt. Got the line; theoretically had the speed. Swing back, swing forward and....my ball hopped up about six inches in the air and stopped eight feet away. Two-putted for my bogey. Lesson: On a wet course, make sure your shot onto the green isn't plugged in the putting surface. Never had it happen before but, from now on, I'll make sure to mark and pick up my ball from the putting surface before I get all giggly about what I great shot I just hit. Oh, and does anyone know the rule on that situation? I assume you can replace your ball next to the indention, but I don't know for sure.

I started reading this book last night and am about halfway through it. The most interesting observation to me, so far, is that scratch is awesome--but not it's not even in the same ballpark if you're thinking about being a tour player. Pardon the length, but it's an interesting (if not enjoyable) excerpt: