mdbuschsr

I bought a 52* gap wedge, and at first I did not like it at all. After working with it for a while, I love that club. Perfect for me from 100-yards. It is also fantastic around the greens. If you find you have a gap in your yardages that is uncomfortable, then fill it. If you have the talent to fill that gap with partial, or knock down swings, then maybe don't bother.

I have never played refinished golf balls, but I too have read some less than flattering things about them. On the other hand I rarely ever see anything negative about recycled AAAA or AAAAA balls. There are tons of threads here to peruse regarding used/cheaper balls.

I'm glad he didn't make it. Set aside the fact that I think he acts like an ASS on the course too often. For the first season ever he has failed as a golfer. He has a few weeks to get it together for the Ryder Cup, and then several months to really put it together before next season. If he does the work that everyone (even me) knows he is capable of, I think he still has more ability than anyone else out there. On the other hand I also enjoy seeing others win tournies. Tiger is fun to watch when he is playing well, but I truly can't stand his infantile behavior when things are even slightly askew! I say good for the PGA in not bending their rules for the kitty!

Read the putt, usually quickly and keep with gut reading of break. Align with sharpie line on ball. Set up in line with shot and take 2 practice strokes to gauge speed. Address ball, square club, take a moment to be amazed at how far left my alignment appears to be from over the ball, trust that alignment, and let the shot go. During the stroke, I try to ensure that I'm actually NOT thinking about anything, other than keeping my head still and in place until long after the ball is gone.

I was an employee at Carolina CC in Raleigh, NC about ten years ago, and I got to play it twice. It is a very, VERY nice course. I played some of my nicest shots ever there. That is the only private course I have ever played. I have also played some very well maintained munis. Chenango Valley State Park used to be a great course. It may still be, I haven't played it in eons. I recently played a 9-hole executive course in Kirkwood NY (River Run 2). That is a very well maintained course, just too short! Then there is the tract I normally play. They are making great headway, and turning it back into a nice course, but they have a long way to go.

I'm hoping to do this either today, or tomorrow. I will be playing Meadowbrook GC in Garner, NC from the reds. I normally play from the whites 66.4/116 @5812 and shoot 92-95. The reds are 64.4/104 (womens rating) @4422. I expect to shot 85-88. I'll be playing with my wife.

I go to thinking about my comment above. My wife would probably want to go golfing with me. A tournament that had been planned out that long in advance would be no problem for her. But then we got married when you were 4, so we've already done all of the cutsie sh!t.

UMM, good luck... And my wife plays golf!

I've never hit one for negative yardage, but I have "hit" a few for exactly 0-yards. Complete whiff. You know that swing out of your shoes swing that gets nothing but air. I've also swung so hard that the air knocks the ball from the tee... Total distance 1-2 inches!

I'd say get him in the First Tee program. The instructors are geared more to children, and will keep it fun. If he has progressed beyond that point, then find a pro that is very kid friendly. Make it his decision. Tell him that if he wants... You will get him some lessons, but only if he wants. My 10 year old loves the game, but I found I was putting too much pressure on him to follow all of the rules, and it was taking most of the fun out of it for him. When I started allowing him to move his ball back to the fairway out of the rough, and not necessarily making him putt everything out his enjoyment of the game returned. I simply told him that when he wants to start getting better and REALLY paying attention to his scores, that would stop and we would start keeping his score again.

Actually that is before gripping down. Good point, but what am I giving up in gripping down, 3-5 mph? Not a rhetorical question, I really don't know.

@ Ignorant I really don't want to take this down the "I don't believe his driver distance" road. Let me just say, the 300+ driver is not an average. Not even close. My unofficial average is more like 240-260 including roll. I just happened to get that particular drive just right. I was just as astonished as you. @ 6'3" with an "average" driver swing speed of 95mph per Golf Galaxy, I don't find it terribly difficult to have all of the stars align once in a great while and achieve the swing speed and contact necessary to smack one out there 300+... Nothing scientific, I'm just sayin'. Honestly I couldn't care less right now if I never hit another that far. If I can find the short grass, I'm happy!

I can understand the "need" for a short guy to choke down some. But A.K. @ 5'10" isn't short, and @ 6'3" neither am I. My gains in both accuracy, and distance can only be explained by a little more club control. When I hit my 3W, and don't fat it (only happens occasionally) I am usually right on target either nice and straight or with a slight 5-yard fade. Choking down on the driver helps me make contact closer to the sweet spot. Easing up on the swing certainly adds control. Both of which have apparently given me added distance. I loaned a driver to a guy almost two years ago that I just got back. The sole of the club was horribly dented, so I yanked the shaft from it (Aldilla VS Proto-DR 65-S), and another driver that I hated (UST Competition 65). When I pulled the Aldilla I damaged the tip, so I had to cut off about an inch. Don't know what that's going to do to the performance of the shaft, but I'm looking forward to giving the club a try. The new combo is the above mentioned Aldilla in a Maltby KE4 Beta 9* head. Hopefully it turns out to be a fortunate accident.

In my round yesterday I found that if I choked down on my driver and swung "easy", I not only was way more accurate, but I actually picked up distance. My previous grip was with the butt of the club about .5" beyond the heel pad of my grip. I was yet again spraying the ball, but I made the decision to continue hitting it, and see if I could work it out. I wasn't having any luck, until I accidentally choked down on the club. I hit a nice long straight drive and I was like WTF?!? I looked down at my grip and saw that it was choked down about an inch (meaning 1.5" of club past heel pad). I'm not sure how I got there, but I'm glad I did. I made the mistake a few times during the rest of the round of not gripping down on it, and the result was either a monster hook, or gigantic slice. When I focused and gripped down, the ball went straight... EVERY TIME! I even hit my first 300+ yard drive. About 265-270 carry rolled out to 308 per Google earth.

Funny, I did all of those today only I can one-up all but number 1 & 2. I'm used to #1 or the oppostie variant of hitting it inches. The bunkers at my course SUCK, so I don't get too bunched up about that either. #3 I missed not only the eagle putt, but the birdie, and par putts, all starting from inside 10-feet. #4 OK I guess I can't one-up it, but I had the same thing happen today. #5 ricocheting of from THREE trees to lose 20 yards. There used to be a saying among my group to "aim AT the tree. You'll never hit it." It seems that I can only hit those sasafrasin things now!!

I know the idea is to have as few as possible. It seems I "need" to have a different group of thoughts for almost every club in my bag for different situations. Alignment/distance from ball... for full swings cuz' there all different for partials! LW & SW align 15-20 yards right address with hosel on ball. GW & PW Align 10-15 yards right address just outside of hosel. 9i align 5 yards right address just inside center. 8i align 10 yards right address just outside center. 7i align on target address center. 6i align 15 yards left address ball .75" outside toe of club. 5i-4i align straight at target, address ball on toe. 3H haven't figured it out yet. 3W align 20 yards left address ball on toe but not completely covered. Driver align straight on target, choke down 1.5" address between toe and center. For all clubs... REMEMBER TO KEEP THE RIGHT ELBOW IN. KEEP WEIGHT LEFT. ELBOW IN. STRAIGHT BACK. STICK BUTT OUT. ELBOW IN!!! JUST LET THE BALL GET IN THE WAY. Did I mention... KEEP YOUR FREAKIN' ELBOW IN!!! Now, and then I actually remember AND execute all of that. When I do, I make the prettiest shots. When I don't... I make the ugliest SH!TS Suffice it to say I need some time on the range!

I'm sure there are times when they close. NC does get snow periodically, and we do get cold enough for frost and such... But I imagine they are open most of the year.

I don't know anything about how all of this has transpired over time. I will say it's about time we see some honesty and damn the torpedoes. I get really tired of hearing/reading comments that are so censored and politically correct. Say what you mean, mean what you say and stand by it!

I think this would be a good idea for the next Sandtrap unoficial tournament. My choice would be my 8 iron. I know I would be giving up distance, but I have such confidence it the club that I know most of my shots would be straight. Only problem is, I still can't bump and run that club.

I can't speak to the Charlotte area yet (we are planning a move there too). I know I can play here almost year round. Certainly it gets colder than 50*, but if you are wearing appropriate clothes you can play in +30* weather. My course used to have little tournaments in Nov. Dec. Jan.

My normal solo time for 18 is 3.5 hours. I played with a guy a few months ago that is a much quicker player, and we got around in just over 2.5. The amazing thing is that after the first hole or two I never felt rushed. I played last weekend, and a guy caught up to me on #6 and we played out the course together. I have never felt so rushed in my life. He was just fidgety, and seemed rushed himself. It took all of the enjoyment out of it for me. As for playing honors golf versus playing ready golf... I was taught to play honors. When I played the 2.5 hr. round it was all ready golf. It felt just wrong to play a shot before my partner if he was away. I mentioned it to him, we talked about it and he convinced me that it was OK. I definitely agree that ready golf is the easiest way to to improve playing times. Unfortunately, there are many folks like me that were taught honors golf, and it's uncomfortable to play ready golf.

OK, I'll be the first... Mid round the other day I realized I had 15 in the bag. I didn't realize it until the 8th hole. Fortunately, I was playing a practice round and not a tournament or anything serious. I have since removed the offending extra club and I'm back down to 14.

I like scrambles. I tend to loosen up and not over think my swing. The results are usually a longer straighter flight.

That's a pretty intimidating hole. I could see a lot of my tee shots going in the drink there.

I hit one of those RARE drives this past weekend. I knew I was in the rough because I could literally see (or at least I thought) the whole shot. I looked for several minutes but didn't see it. Finally I got pi$$ed, hit the accelerator, and drove 30 yards forward for no reason. There was my ball, right on the edge of the rough. Meaning, it was a +/- 270yard drive. Had I hit the rock hard fairway, I have little doubt that I would have reached that 300 yard mark we all want so badly. I knew I hit the drive well (distance wise), but I didn't think I made quite THAT good a connection.