MJP

True, maybe it is more of a gravity sensation. All I know is at impact with this shot the shaft seems almost perpendicular to the ground.

Very true. But a low handicap playing all touranment rounds (collegiate at that) is very impressive. Playing to a +4 at the exact same course over and over as casual rounds is a lot different than moving around and playing many different courses in tournaments.

What you don't seem to understand about the handicap system (I'm sure you do but it's evading you?) is that courses are rated to make the system fair. When I played with my +4 buddy at a 70.0/131 course 6600 yards, he shot a -4 66. Which plays him to about a +3.2 that day. He missed a 4 foot birdie putt that would've put him exactly at +4 differential. Then, in a tournament round where the course rating is 74.0/135+ or something 7200yards, he shoots 69 or 70 and plays to that +4 there as well. By no means does he go out and shoot 80 on a "hard course". Hell, his highest tournament round was a 79 at the 77.0 (or mayeb even slightly higher, it's insane) rated Chambers Bay at the U.S. Amateur, probably the most pressure tournament he's played in. I honestly prefer to play very high course ratings because even if I miss the green with my long irons I know my short game is pretty good. Off the green from 180y or from 120y is the exact same thing...

If you're backswing is too steep, that's the same as being over the top. However, you can't go over the top if you are standing far enough away from the ball, because you would miss the ball completely. Unless you were to lean over the ball in your downswing or something. But if you keep your posture there's no way.

okay buddy. keep telling yourself that. I give up, just like the many before me have. Your head is as thick and hard as a diamond. Open up your mind and then you'll see... :) (who doesn't love that song?)

For the last time wedges don't have different amounts of spin. Spin is applied by the amount of force you strike down on the golf ball with, plus the softness of the cover of the ball. Assuming no grass inbetween the grooves, I believe these are the only two things that create back spin (headwinds do too, but were talking about chipping/pitching here and wind isn't a factor). I bet you didn't know you can produce just as much spin from a tight lie with a 60* with no grooves as a 60* vokey (or any other 60* with grooves for that matter)

MIddle aged is like 40-50 so yeah, well past. It's unfortunate things like this can happen in this amazing game. I've almost got hit in the head twice (once yesterday!!, missed by like 4-5 feet) and once a few months ago by a foot. Yesterday my playing partner shanked a 20y pitch like 45* to his right where I was standing. Scary stuff. When i got missed by a foot it was a full swing shot too. Certainly would have knocked me out if not killed me, it was a thinned line drive shank.

Oh and contrary to what you may believe the average person doesn't live to be 80, as unfortunate as that is

When I think of elderly I think of someone with gray hair. I think the majority of seniors are elderly (69 is most def a sr citizen)

Just that last statement alone made me realize I am not holding the angle of my right elbow. Not only that but I was throwing it across the front of my body. Thinking about holding the right elbow angle and driving ONLY the left arm gives me the SENSATION that my elbow is pushing into my hips laterally, which actually seems to help me push the hips forward (go figure). Great tip Erik. I honestly didn't know that about the right elbow angle. I need to get Evolvr lessons..

No doubt. Just stating ProV1s are as cheap as buying Pinnacles at the pro shop. ~$1.30 per ball Prov1s online, 1.30 per ball Pinnacles at the pro shop Could you elaborate? What exactly does that mean? Less spin?

You guys and your buying balls at retail stores. I get 100, 2008 ProV1x's for 130 dollars with no cuts, scuffs, or blemishes period. Just like new, apart from the minority of balls that come with faded permament markings.

For the longest time I struggled not to hit a pull. I finally figured out what has been causing that pull. When I stand too close to the ball, there is no way I can swing in to out at it. Why? Well, I would miss the ball completely on the OUTSIDE. The only way I can successfully make contact is to swing OTT. The easiest tip I've heard of to hit a push draw is to focus on the inside back of the ball. When I stand farther away and reach out, It's almost impossible to hit a pull fade (which isn't a terrible shot, but it's not the proper way to swing the club because it requires an out to in path to be successful). I can still push fade it if the clubface is too open, but visa versa is true with standing too close and OTT you can STILL hit pull hooks. I'd say a push-fade is a much better miss than a pull-draw if there is no trouble on either side. If you struggle with this, give it a try. I'm finally not pulling the ball when I draw it :)

Are the "swirly things" on the face simply a marketing gimmick or do they actually affect performance like sean_miller says he experienced?

It's all about the ball you play and how you play the shot when it comes to spin. You say you play a soft course. I don't even break out the Prov1 for courses that are 11 on the stimp. I use a 2008 prov1x because it still only rolls out 3-5 feet on any well struck mid iron, yet it's not so spinny that I can't chip with it on the greens. It's also ever so slightly softer than the 2010 prov1x. But the difference on spin is hardly noticeable. This ball might release 5% less than the 2010 prov1x, but like 20% more release than the prov1. The reasons the pros use the ProV1 is because it is the highest spinning softest ball. They often play 12 stimp and have to use comforming wedges (less spin from rough on hardfast greens). This is why they play it. Maybe try the v1x? Or Bridgestone B330-RX? Or anything but a ProV1. I like my low checkers around the green to land maybe 80% of the way to the pin so they can release to 95-100%. If I fly a low checker 80% of the way to the pin with a Prov1, it might only release 5%. It has too much check for the courses the average player plays. The C-C is only lower spinning from the rough if I am not mistaken. From the fairway or tight lie (no grass in grooves), it's the same.

I'd imagine it'd be hard for them to do so, although not impossible. Some guys just carry it 295 which happens to be where the flag was today. I'm pumped that Rocco won. Golf still needs his all around likeable personality.

They didn't re-order it, he just returned it. The employee that he returned it too made the stupid mistake of not logging it in the inventory. Now they have a club just sitting there that still "belongs" to him because they didn't log it in the inventory when it was returned. I don't really know how that could be possible because he probably had to give them a receipt to get it back. If it was logged in the inventory, the club would probably have been returned to where Dick's got it from. But since it wasn't, it's sitting there and they think he hasn't picked it up. No one on here said it was the right thing to do. But, it's likely not illegal if he takes it, since there is no record of it belonging to Dick's.

I have a buddy who started when he was 15 and now plays at UNLV to a +4. I sure hope he makes it. He's an awesome guy and a fantastic player. Has the long game for the PGA tour too. 290 carry distance. Has all of sohpomore, junior and senior year to get up to a ~+6 where he can contend in Q School. I'd imagine about +6-8 are most of the guys going deep into Q school.

And if the kid gives it away without accounting for sale of it, he'll likely be fired. It's his own damn fault. But now that I think about it, I care more about the kid than the golf store. I wouldn't want him getting fired for being a moron, although he would deserve it.

Obviously, it's not the "right" thing to do, but they are offering it to you.

They said they don't care what happens to it. Obviously, they don't care too much about their finances if they can't even keep track of who returned an item or not.

I'd go pick it up and sell it :) Spend the cash on a range membership or something golf related :)

I'm really confused on what the problem is here. If you got you're money back for the return and they are still offering it to you, take it. If you didn't get your money back yet and it has the wrong shaft, get your money back and order one with the right shaft. This seems easy.

I can finally hit this shot. What I do is play the ball off the lead foot. This allows the bottoming of the club to be just after the ball. Basically, the goal is to get no or barely any forward lean at impact. This is the only shot in golf where I feel like I am conciously releasing the wrist hinge and cock, almost throwing the club at the ball so I can lose the forward shaft lean and utilize bounce. I use this shot when I am short sided or I know I need a high trajectory shot to stop the ball. I find it more difficult to judge the distance using this shot so if I have 20y to the pin and 10y of green to work with, I will play the ball close to my back foot and hit a low checker. I feel more confident with how the ball will react once it hits the green. But if I have to fly the ball over 20+y to reach the green I won't use the low checker, unless I have like 20y of green to work with. Can't watch the 2nd video yet because I am using dial up atm. I will when I am home

You're problem is you're clubface is lets just say 10 degrees OPEN at impact. You're swing path is ALSO 10 degrees OPEN. To draw the ball right back at you're target line (assuming no wind) with a 10 degree push, you would need a 20 degree in to out path. The other alternative is closing that face down slightly so you are hitting a 5 degree push with a 10 degree in to out path. But hey if you can do that consistently you're probably a scratch or better.