Gilly

Wow! I had a set of theses Tour Grinds handed down to me from my dad back in the 90's when he bought his BC Ping Eye 2's. still one of my favorite sets of blades I've played. Not nearly as forgiving as today's blades. Nice sticks!

Another Yellow Srixon Q-Star XV guy here! I started using them last season during the rainy-er season here in Oregon. I absolutely love these balls...I've played both versions (white and yellow) and cannot believe how good these balls really are.

^hahaha...that's awesome! Ok...back on topic. Wasn't the OP's original question answered already? Why is everyone going down a path that has already been beaten to death on just about every golf forum out there?

They're actually 1* open. As mentioned by the OP...the size, custom shaft options, hozel lengths, face and graphics is about all that I'm aware of.

+1 Glad you found a good fit. Now, go and work on your 150 --> clubs.

I'm in the same boat as you. I've been using an old Nike SQ head with 8.5* of loft and a Harrison PRO 2.5ti shaft for many years. However, after searching for the past 2+ years for the perfect driver, I just upgraded things a bit last week....ended up going with a Nike VR Pro ltd. edition head with 8.5* and a Fubuki Alpha 70x shaft. During my search I hit a lot of driver/shaft combos and found that I must keep lofts below 9* or else my spin numbers go through the roof. If I were you, I'd start looking into a new head with less loft. You are lucky in the sense that you already like and are familiar with the UST shafts - which are phenomenal and priced very well. I've hit both the 8800 and 9090 in x-flex and found the 8800 not only felt better, but actually fit my swing better as well. Both models have extremely low torque numbers which is a huge plus in my book. If I remember correctly, these shaft can be had for well under $100. So, if I were you I'd find a new head ($100-$150) and slide a Proforce V2 Tour 8800 or 9090 shaft in ($50-$75ish) and you should be going in the right direction. My .02

I use a strong 3w and love it! However, I tend to spin the ball a lot and have issues keeping the ball down. From what I have seen/heard from people, the biggest gripe with the strong 3w is being able to get the ball in the air. As far as hitting off the deck, I've not really noticed it being much of an issue. I'd just go out and test drive a couple of them if I were you. It might suit your swing well. My .02

Personally, I'd go with the CG16's or the Adams. However, as a few folks have mentioned, you could probably snag two solid sets of sticks for the $1k you are looking to spend on one. Also, I'm not sure if you have any interest in blades, but I'd highly recommend giving the Cleveland CG Tours a test drive. Very nice club that can be had for around $400-$500 (3-pw) even less used. This way you would have two sets of clubs to choose from...blades or a set of aggressive CB! If I could swing it, this is what I'd do. My .02 Good luck with your choice!

Great thread! Wish I would have seen it sooner. I too have had a back issue since 1998. I finally had surgery for it back in 2009 (discectomy). The single greatest choice I've made in years! I still have back pain and some discomfort, but nowhere near as bad as before. The one piece of advice I have found to give the best results is to stretch and keep on stretching throughout the round. Most days I look like Ichiro out there during my rounds...always stretching trying to keep the back, hamstrings and shoulders loose (two shoulder surgeries as well). This has helped, but in the end, I'm only getting older and these nagging aches and pains are probably gonna be with me till the end. :-)

I'm sure the OP has already found a new putter by now, but for what it's worth, I just picked up an Odyssey White Hot XG 2-Ball F7 and fricken love it! Some people have complained the face is too soft, but this putter works better with my stroke than any other putter I've used in the past. It might not be the prettiest, but damn I make a lot of puts with it. My .02

I'm just itchin' for some new 588's, too! My old ones are just about shot groove wise. Where can you source these from?

I'd personally spend the money and get a newer set of clubs. I bought my irons off craigslist for $250, and they were hardly even used (probably a 9.75 out of 10). Good used clubs can be had for a great price, you've just gotta be willing to search for them. I'm sure you can find many sets of Callaway irons on Craigs or eBay. I'd also look at some Cleveland or Adams irons if I were you. Either way, good luck with your search!

Personally I'd give an 8.5* a shot. I've been playing with drivers for the past decade with anywhere between 7* and 8.5* of loft. Granted, I have a rather upright swing and above average SS, so I tend to spin the crap out of the ball. If you are hitting the ball 275+, but feel the ball flight tends to balloon on you, I'd stick that V2 X in an 8.5* and give it a rip. My .02

^ What he said.