wmiller

Only once have I had the misfortune to play with someone who couldn't control his temper. After the second outbreak, I told him to go on ahead, as my friend and I were no longer interested in playing with him. He started mouthing off and my friend told him to just go ahead and leave. When the idiot started walking towards my friend with a club in hand, he calmly pulled his off-duty piece and badge and (in so many words) told him to take a hike. The idiot left, yelling and throwing clubs (not in our direction) as he walked. Amazing. I am glad we didn't have to shoot him though. I think I'll stick to playing with old guys and couples on Sunday morning. Doesn't mean I'll go unarmed though... ;)

Have a sg5, previously had a sg3. When I first got these, I compared yardages with my laser and never was off more than a couple, three at most. I'm not good enough to shave/add 2 or 3 yards to a club, so the tolerances of the gps is fine for me. I have a laser, but find the gps sitting on the handle of my push-cart easier/quicker to use so the laser sits at home. On rare occasions that I go to a driving range, I might take the laser if I remember it.

I recommend you go to a golf shop/store and compare different drivers on their launch monitor. While oftentimes the numbers don't reflect real world performance (misadjusted equipment, etc..), you can compare the different numbers you get with various clubs and pick the one that performs the best for you. I (and others) can tell you what WE like, but are not going to be able to give you any type of worthwhile recommendation that would fit YOUR swing and preferences. NOTE: If you tend to fade the Big Dog a lot, try some of the new draw type drivers. Slightly closed face at address attempts to correct for the leaks to the right.

I have one friend that I play with every other Sunday. On the other Sundays (and occasional Saturdays) I get a tee time for a single, and play with whoever they fill the slot with. Some people play golf to socialize, I play golf to play golf. With whom I play with is secondary. And my friend knows this... :)

Just received my Clicgear 3.0, and dumping my sun mountain v2. Wider track, better balance, smaller footprint when folded, and slightly lighter. Very impressed with the build quality also. Appears to be a well though out design.

I don't go to the range either. I play every Sunday, year round, and an occasional Sat. The swing is what it is, and I'm satisfied with my current level of play. Yes, I'd like to break par more often, but it isn't a priority.

Riviera CC in LA, and Inverness in Toledo, OH are my most memorable. When I lived in SoCal, we used to play Torrey Pines a couple times a month, so I just considered it a nice muni.

Before I married, (almost 20 years ago) I went through almost a two year period where I played 36 on Saturday, and 36 on Sunday. Every weekend. Always walked the first 18, but sometimes would ride the second 18 if it was over 100. I used to go into the club house between rounds and have lunch, maybe watch a little golf on the boob-tube, then head out. The rest and food made all the difference. I was really hard core back then...

Took about 3-4 weeks for my home course to recover here in Tucson. Not sure if the timeline is constant across states though.

Hardest shot I've ever had to hit was two weeks ago. Needed a slight draw around the first tree, and under it's branches, then through a (6'-8'?) hole in the canopy of a tree behind it, rolling it up to the green and staying out of the bunker left. Distance wise, the shot called for a 8 iron, but the trajectory needed called for a 5. Had to hit a soft 5, around one tree and through another. Actually pulled it off, sort of. Threaded the trees perfectly, but the ball took a funny hop about 3/4 of the way there and ended up in the bunker. Didn't make the up-and-down, but was very pleased with myself for pulling that shot off. Probably a one in one hundred shot, doubt I could ever pull it off again.

I don't remember ever seeing a cavity back in the 60s. Nor a metal driver. You assume with your 'stands to reason' remark that score is the only motivation a recreational golfer has, and therefor needs to hit SGI irons and hybrids? I take exception to that, but am not offended. Others here probably even agree with you. That's cool. Not everyone plays this game with the same goals. Heck, I'm about 50/50 on keeping score on any given Sunday. Not why I play.

It's the 'instant gratification generation', to a degree. But not all of it. We get more people playing (and more equipment sales) if the clubs are easier to hit. Growing up, everyone learned with blades, if you couldn't hit 'em, you didn't play. Now pretty much anyone with a drop of hand-eye coordination can play, which is cool. More interest, more sales, more money, etc., etc.. I asked an equipment rep why some pros are playing hybrids, and he told me that the ones he talked to who are using them want/need a higher trajectory on long approaches to better hold these firm/fast PGA greens. NOT because they can't hit a long iron. They're trying to make a living, and want every advantage they can get. I still see a lot of pros playing long irons though. Mostly the good ones. I'm not a pro, don't care why a pro does something, because I can't swing like them anyway. Don't want his equipment either, for the same reason. I like using long irons, and appreciate the skill it takes to hit one properly. I play them a little more forward in my stance, but that's about it.

Sean, we sometimes have hugely disparaging viewpoints on subjects, which is perfectly fine in a forum such as this. Nice to hear differing viewpoints. Having said that, we are in complete agreement on this and you Sir, are far more eloquent about it. Or maybe you just have more patience to type it out? So I'll just say "+1!"

Not in that heat. Or should I say "not with that humidity". I have enough challenges on my home course (#6, 485 yd par 4 , and #16, 253 yd par 3 come to mind. And then there's #15, a 595 yd par 5 into the prevailing wind). Now...I WOULD like to play a PGA quality course again. With pristine fairways, challenging rough, and firm, fast greens (about 13 on the Stimp), a knowledgable local caddie, and a fore caddie for my wayward shots. Last course I played like that was Inverness in Toledo, OH with my Grandfather many, many years ago. For less than $200 of course...

Not sure where the guy who built mine got it, but it's about 2" long, and maybe 3/8" in diameter? I've seen them like this, but can't remember where? I don't think length matters, within reason. But it needs to be small enough in diameter so you don't have to drill/bore too much metal mass out of the end of the tip weight.

You're the one trying to tie walking or riding to rules. Nobody else mentioned it. Golf carts can ruin golf courses. At the very least, they are hard on the course, requiring extra cost/upkeep You can see the tracks/smashed grass all over the fairways. Worse when some idiot drives through a really wet area. Fact: Several times a year here in Tucson, carts are not allowed on the grass. The fairways are in much better shape then. Carts are excellent sources of money for the courses, so will never be banned. Too bad. Maybe if they banned carts, less people would play, and I could get back to my sub-3 hour round walking the course.

On rare occasion I will play a course with a friend that forces me to ride, but I walk every Sunday, year round, at my home course. Today was 104, but the humidity was down a bit (monsoons took a break for a few days). Next Sun. the monsoons will be back, temps will be high 90s likely, and humid. Yea, I get tired this time of year walking the course, but I personally believe that the game was/is meant to be walked. Maybe when I get old I'll ride, but as I'm only 56, that may take a while.

Buy one of those tip weights used when determining a shaft's frequency, have the end drilled to accept one of those small laser pointers, and presto! You now have a FLO laser. I use a sheet of paper on the wall with a grid on it, my shaft vise on my golfworks shaft puller, and the tip weight with the laser pointer in it. Those PVC spine finders will work fine for steel shafts, but be careful on graphite. The inner race can have a sharp enough edge to damage a graphite shaft. I got one of those 'No B.S.' spine finders off Ebay and it works really well. Uses eight pivoting bearings that won't ever damage a shaft. FYI

Best golf hat I've ever worn. Lighter, cooler, and doesn't get soaked. Now I can throw away all the sweat-stained ones I have on the bookcase... :)

I have played three rounds with both the S and X versions. I found both balls to be more durable than the ProV1-x, my normal ball. I can play an entire round with the Nike ball, whereas I need 3-4 Titleists because I fish-gill them pretty bad. I do chew up the Nike 20Xi but not as bad. The S is more easily damaged than the X. Distance and spin, Driver: I found the X ball to be my favorite with the driver, comparable to the V1-x from a control standpoint, maybe a tad longer, but this I cannot back up with hard data. Just seemed I was a club or so closer on some holes. The S ball spins too much for me, and I have the same problem with the V1. Whereas the X (both Titleist and Nike) might go a little left or right, they're still in the short stuff. The 20Xi-S and ProV1 are both further left/right, sometimes a few paces into the Deep Stuff. Not good. Distance and spin, short irons/approach shots: The S ball seems to be slightly longer on the par 3s than the X. Not a huge difference, no more than 10' or so, but significant. Maybe because I'm spinning it more? Dunno for sure, but the S does seem to pull back harder/further than the X. I would put the Nike 20Xi-S in the same category as the ProV1, but slightly more durable. The X ball on the other hand, seems to check quicker than my normal ball. I was getting some rather surprising two-hop-and-check shots with the X ball that would normally release about 4-6' or more with the ProV1-x. These were partial shots around the green with my sand and lob wedges. Very nice! Again, with little damage to the ball. Nice bonus. Putter: I found both to be very controllable off the putter face when using my California Coronado. Soft click, with the X, even softer click with the S. Off my Betti, I found the X to give off a much harder/harsher click, but it didn't appear to affect my ability to putt with it. The S was slightly more subdued, but, I have to say, I didn't like the sound or feel so much off the Betti. Overall impression: I know, this is entirely subjective, but I like the 20Xi. Specifically, the X. More durable than the ProV1-x, maybe a tad longer, seems to spin slightly less off the Driver, yet gives some surprising results around the green. I like being able to throw those short shots into the par 5s and know they'll stick. That and the fact I can play a round with one ball is more than enough incentive for me. I might just keep some 20Xi-Ss in the bag for the par 3s though...

Just ordered one. Tired of looking at my stack of faded, worn out golf hats! I can soak a hat to dripping while I putt here in Tucson in the summer. We'll see how this hat does.

I'm a lefty, and play golf right handed. Actually, everything I do with two hands I'm right handed. Single hand (write, eat, shoot a handgun) I'm a lefty. In my teens, my dad had me out in the yard chopping weeds with a thing we called a 'whip'. Wooden handle, steel shaft, down to a flat, double serrated blade. Sat on the ground like a golf club. Anyway, I started swinging with just my left hand, pulling through the weeds as hard as I could with that whip. When Dad asked me what I was doing, I told him I was practicing "pulling through the ball." I'm a little bigger/taller than average, grew up throwing 100lb. bales of hay and working a hammer and dolly at the local auto body shop till I graduated. Over the years I have pretty good success at this game 'pulling through' with my left side. Sometimes on partial/touch shots I even leave my right index finger and thumb off the grip so my left 'leads through the shot' with no intervention of the right hand. It's just along for the ride in my case. Even manage to break par a few times a year.

I play my old Wilson Staffs (blades and persimmons) at least two or three times a year, sometimes more. Today's shaft tech is much better than that found when these clubs were made. Freshen the shafts and grips, and you'll be good. A word of caution: Blades from the 70s and earlier are NOT forgiving of loose swings. Because of the sharp leading/trailing edges, you need to have a measure of control over you swing. These things will dig if you're a little too steep on the approach. ;) Having said that, they are as good as anything on the market today when struck well, IMO. Lofts are weaker, so expect to 'club up' one or two for a given yardage too.

Had this problem about a year ago. Got so bad I couldn't shake your hand with any grip at all. I discovered (quite by accident) a few stretching routines that made the pain go away, and hasn't been back since. And I play year round. I start by raising my arm palm up, in front of me. I then bend my palm upwards/towards me. Using my other hand, I pull it in tight as I can stand for a about 10 seconds, then rotate the hand away from my body i.e., left hand is rotated counterclockwise, right hand is rotated clockwise. I take it as far as I can comfortably stand, and hold for maybe 10 seconds. Release. I then raise my arm palm down, raise the back of the hand towards me, and then using the other hand pull it back as far as I am comfortable with. I alternate between these two for a few min a day to keep the tendons and muscles loose, and the tendon pain in my elbows has gone away. Like I said, I've been pain free for about a year now. YMMV...

I'm surprised that the golf courses haven't thought of this: If everyone in a group wants to ride, put each into their OWN cart. Four players, four carts. Once everyone tees off, each makes his way to his own ball, and hits when ready. The exception of course is that if your ball is directly in front of someone else, you need to go up the side of the fairway and wait for that person to hit. But you'd still be fairly close to your ball, know the approximate yardage, club, etc., etc.. Courses would make more money, play would speed up (hopefully). The course would take a beating from all the traffic, but hey, they're making more money, they can put a little more back into the course.