dmnoland

Distance has nothing to do with the stiffness of the shaft. When I get one right on the screws I can get 280 with both my regular and soft regular drivers. Don't believe "others" in regards to butt trimming shafts. I have cut down both a driver and 4 iron, 2 inches and 1 inch, respectively (both duplicates) and they both play far stiffer than the originals hit side by side. Plus you will loose alot of distance. I'm only 5'5" and I now have no problem playing any standard length club. All it took was several lessons.

First round of the year for me. I shot 9 over with 38 putts but as bad as the putting was, the chipping was simply pathetic.

RBZ is an awesome driver, dead straight for me. I've already committed to buying my clubs demo when it comes up for sale. I can buy a lot of white out to hide the skymarks of a demo with the couple of hundred bucks I'll save vs. new.

On Thursday I compared the RBZ 3 against my Ping 4. Today Callaway X 3 and Cobra 3. Avg. yardage: Callaway 220-230 but felt the best and straightest. Cobra 225-235 with the longest single shot (250) but also felt the worst and the least straight. TM RBZ 230-240 good feel, sound but a little fade. I didn't hit it as well as on Thursday but isn't that always the case 2nd time around. So I didn't get 17 extra yards, maybe 10 but do I need a 3 wood to go 240 when my driver average is 250-265? I'll stick with my current setup for now, even, equal, and workable gaps & distances. I did hit the RBZ driver today against my R11. Distances were really close to each other but the RBZ felt better, sounded better, and was DEAD STRAIGHT. My R11 has been acting up all month (slice), that's why the G10 is back in my bag. While I am not in dire need of any clubs right now, TM definitely has two of their best offerings ever in the RBZ line.

You're lucky to have a par 3 course long enough where you can hit a 3 wood. The longest hole on my par 3 course is about 220.

Most courses I carry 4 wedges, 5 on an executive or par 3 course instead of the driver. But I don't think of them all as wedges, just another iron. I do all my pitching/chipping/bunker play with the 54 and 60 so the PW and GW are just shorter irons. I like to keep equal gaps throughout my bag from 4 wood through SW.

If your clubs are really old they probably have weaker lofts then todays. Here are the lofts of my G-10s and the G-15/20s have been strengthened by .5 to 1 degree. Club Length Loft Lie Offset Bounce Swgt. 2 39.25" 18.5° 58.50° .34" -3.0° D0 3 38.75" 21.0° 59.25° .32" -2.0° D0 4 38.25" 24.0° 60.00° .30" 0.0° D0 5 37.75" 27.0° 60.75° .28" 2.0° D0 6 37.25" 30.5° 61.50° .26" 4.0° D0 7 36.75" 34.0° 62.25° .24" 6.0° D0 8 36.25" 38.0° 63.00° .22" 8.0° D0 9 35.75" 42.0° 63.75° .20" 9.0° D0 PW 35.50" 46.0° 64.00° .18" 10.0° D2 UW 35.50" 50.0° 64.00° .15" 11.0° D2 SW 35.25" 54.0° 64.25° .13" 12.0° D4 LW 35.00" 58.0° 64.50° .10" 12.0° D6 My 7 fw replaces the 3 iron and 9 fw replaces the 4 iron. An 11 wood would replace the 5 iron.

Since you said you liked hitting your fairway woods and you hit them well, how would you be hurting yourself? Two years ago (after giving up on hybrids) I bought a used 7 wood (in sig) and while chatting with the guy he mentioned that he also had the matching 9 wood. I figured why not, $15 per club was not gonna break me. Wow, I immediately fell in love with both and have forgotten all about hybrids. If your set on going new I recommend the new TM RBZ's, awesome clubs.

I think you have that backwards. Cutting down the club will make the lie flatter. It's easier to think in terms of lengthening, if you add to the length the toe comes more off the floor.

""Can anyone recommend a standard sized grip, that has a good feel, but is somewhat shock absorbant? That Ping blackout is not going to absorb much shock.

I don't remember much of 1977. I had some second hand, cut down set consisting of 1 & 3 woods, 3, 5, 7, 9 irons and putter. I do remember they were not very good. In fact my second set sucked too, so bad in fact that I can't even give them away.

I am NOT a TaylorMade fan. I am not a fan of white clubs, however....... Yesterday I get to the course for only the second time this year and I'm going through all the pleasantries with folks in the clubhouse when my pro/instructor starts into some kind of paid commercialized sounding speech about the new TM RBZ fairway woods. I really thought that he had either lost his mind or his ethics. He went on and on and on about this being the greatest FW ever. Ok, fine, whatever, not interested. Then I read this thread, big mistake. Well I hit the demo 15 degree 3 wood on the range today and HOLY CRAP! This thing is the greatest 3 wood I have ever hit. The extra shaft length seemed to make no difference at all. From the first swing it literally took off like a rocket. Usually it takes me a while to adjust to a new 3 wood, not this one. Even off the deck it was fool proof. The whole reason I went to the 4 wood was to hit well off the deck but damn, I am seriously impressed. I want them all 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9, yes you read that right, TM offers a 24 degree 9 wood! Just wish they came in black. Anyone considering new fairway woods owes it to themselves to demo these. TaylorMade seems to have captured lightning in a bottle. Well done TaylorMade, well done. I take back most of the bad things I have said about you.

So last summer I bought a new Ping putter from Golf Galaxy but they had lost the headcover. While I received a discount for the disappearance, I still needed to find one. Ebay prices were $20 + shipping. Well, guess what I found in the lost headcover bin at my course today? Mint condition and FREE! Another surprise in the pro shop today, they called it the "lucky shoe size sale". All Callaway shoes $30, size 9 only. These are the Razors and they sell everywhere else for $185. And it hit 70 degrees today! It was a good day.

Is it really that hard to ask for help if you want/need it? These guys really need to get a clue. I don't mind being asked once but they don't seem to understand no thanks, I'm fine, already taken care of, we're good, etc. I do understand, however, the beverage cart gals coming back around since you are constantly working up a sweat. I know my whole rant went further than just the beer cart but this subject really irritates me. I've got a couple of rounds at resort courses coming up in the next month and as I called them, vultures, suck a lot of the fun out for me. I just want to play golf and not be hassled.

I have no problem with tipping and even over tipping when it is a service I request however some of these golf courses are out of control. Valet, kid that takes your clubs from trunk to bag rack, another kid that loads your bag on a cart, starter, and then the kid with a muddy rag that wants to "clean" your clubs! Then there are kids to tip in reverse order when your round is finished. They even want to shuttle you to your vehicle if you didn't use their valet service. Of course another tip is expected. This is all on top of folks I normally tip, beverage cart girl, waiter/waitress and bartender. How much do they expect you to pay for a simple round of golf? These courses are already plenty expensive. I can, and do, park my own car, get my clubs out, walk to the proshop, load my own bag and my clubs are already clean! And It wouldn't bother me so much except for the fact that these people constantly hover like vultures and will not leave you in peace. Some courses will not even let you take the cart to your car to load up, it's like they're trying to force you into using the services. Wait, I forgot another one that expects a tip, the kid you get the range balls from. Unbelievable.

That's right, your in Hilton Head. Where do you normally play? I usually play Golden Bear at Indigo Run.

Not to change the subject but does anyone know if Rory is going to play The Heritage, week after The Masters? I can't seem to find any info on this. I go every year and would love to see him play.

I've always been told that wedge flex is just like uniflex, right between regular and stiff. Is that not right?

I use a Maltby standard size wrap from Golf Galaxy for $4. Good feel and shock absorbent.

You just can't go wrong with a Ping. I mentioned adding a little lead tape to the bottom because my G10 felt too light compared to my R11. I also think that the stock Ping graphite shafts are quite nice.

The golf course/driving range I practice at gets lots of demos but they don't seem to advertise it. They will let folks they know take any demo to any course for a few days. I would ask at the ranges you frequent.

Lighten up Francis. And ya better get used to it. Rory is the biggest talent to emerge on the golf scene since Tiger and he will here a long time. Go Rory!

So does that make a strong 3 wood 12 degrees?

Unless you live right next to them. If you live in NC you have to pay tax and shipping. They will not let you just walk in the door and purchase. Craigslist, Callaway preowned, and Golfsmith are great for preowned but Golfsmith will not negotiate in pricing at all.

The best club decision I ever made was to dump the 3 & 5 wood and add the 4 wood. I hit the 4 just as far as any 3 plus it's much easier to hit off the deck. Something else to consider is that a current model 4 wood has the same loft as a 15 year old 3 wood. The companies just keep jacking the lofts. Whats next a 13 degree 3 wood?