Javaman

I used to live in Texas and while I was in college I worked at a golf course. I left my clubs in the trunk of my car all the time and the epoxy did weaken. I had two heads depart the shaft rather unexpectedly (not at the same time!) and then had to hunt them down in the weeds. I suggest that you grab the grip in one hand, the club head in the other, and give it a good twist. See if you can feel any movement or hear the epoxy crackling. If not, you are probably ok. But, if you live in a hot climate, you are on borrowed time until you launch one. If you change your grips every year then they are probably going to be OK in the trunk.

Top Flite Gamer....awesome ball for $20 a dozen! I posted my thoughts on this ball in another thread a couple of days ago if you care to look..I can't find the link though! I normally play ProV1x but decided to try the new Gamers and was very impressed. I think you will find a great value and great performace in this ball. Javaman

Short answer: AWESOME BALL!! Long Answer: I normally play ProV1x but decided to try the new Top Flite Gamer due to some good experiences I had with their higher spin balls in the early 1990's, when Lee Trevino was playing them on the senior tour. It was kind of odd for me to change balls like that, but I just had a feeling and went with it. My buddies were laughing at me when we teed off as the greens we were playing were firm and fast. The general consensus was that the Top Flite was going to go BOING.... over the green and into trouble. They were WRONG!!!!! I play off a 3 handicap right now and feel like I put the ball through it's paces. Off the tee it performed as well as the ProV1x. No issues there at all. Plenty long, nice flight, good results. Off mid irons it was great. Jumps into the air, great flight, and stops quickly, even on harder greens. I had a full 5 iron from 185 that stopped within 5 feet of the pitch mark. Great result! From inside 100 yards (full wedges, chips, pitches, etc) I found it as good as the ProV1x. When hit properly the shots check nicely and the ball as a soft feel to it. Wedge shots were stopping within one foot of the pitch mark. One more thing I found noteworthy is that after 18 holes the cover is still in great shape, whereas a ProV1x would have had been looking pretty rough. I was very impressed with the durability factor! I had 3 birdies and and eagle, shot 72, and took $85 off my group. if I hadn't 3 putted (no fault of the ball!) 3 times I could have had a very special round. Bottom line: This is a great performer at a fantastic price. I highly recommend this ball to anyone who wants a high performance ball and does not want to spend $50 a dozen. Awesome ball! Pars and Birdies to all, Javaman

In the May Golf Digest there is an article on page 138 entitled "Focus on Your Faults" and it deals with, among other things, tracking your personal stats when playing. The author has his own program called ShotByShot that "..breaks down a round into specific areas and interpolates a player's performance in each." I am wondering if any of you have your own unique system by which you track your own stats, and if so, are you willing to share with the rest of the community? Also, how do you use it towards improving your performance? Please share with us! I used to track my stats on GIR, Putts, Up & Down % on missed greens, etc, but the way I had it set up was really pretty lame and I lost interest in my own system due to it's cumbersome nature and lack of genuine value. I am about to check out the ShotByShot.com website and also the tracker provided by GolfDigest.com/Tracker. However, I am keen to see what anyone has come up with on their own! Thanks to all who are willing to share their systems or comments with me and everyone else regarding this topic. Javaman

I have broken par 3 times. Once I shot 70 (-2) by hitting 17 greens and making zero putts of any length, and twice I shot 71 (-1) just by being steady and not making any mistakes. Also have a handfull of even par rounds. I have been under par for 9 holes a million times with my best at -3 twice, once with a bogey and once with two bogeys. Actually I have a -1 for 9 holes in my last two rounds, I just usually fall apart and do something stupid. Hey, if I was any good, I'd be rich!

I look after a service company in the petroleum industry, currently based in Indonesia. I have been fortunate enough to play in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia recently. Great golf in Asia, and usually good weather too!

Where I live we always have a caddy, so I prefer to walk with a caddy. I don't ask the caddy to club me unless I know that particular caddy, and more importantly, if they know me. I do ask for a read on the green now and again, but by and large I just let them take care of the bag and I will do my own thinking. I know that having a caddy is very, very expensive in most parts of the world, but if you do ever have a chance to walk with a caddy I highly recommend it. It can make for a very enjoyable game.

I read his Short Game Bible and his Putting Bible and I think they are both excellent. The 3 x 4 system works reasonably well for me though to be fair I have not spent enough time on the range working on it. I think once I spend more time on it that it will really help lower my scores. In fact, I am about to take one of his 3 day scoring schools later this year. Has anyone taken one, and if so, do share your experiences. Thanks in advance.

I live in Indonesia. The only question about weather we have is rain, or shine? 90 F every day. Played on Wed, playing again tomorrow. Life is good!

I have one goal, and if I achieve that, everything else will take care of itself: Course Management (young players, say it with me now, COURSE MANAGEMENT!!!!) I paly off 3, and until last year I had never shot level par. Then one day I did it by playing smart golf (COURSE MANAGEMENT!) In my last 6 rounds I have two under par and one was even par. My game is steady, I do nothing exceptionally well, but I also have no major weakness (except my brain.) Now, instead of trying to make a birdie on every hole I play, I play the hole to ensure a par, and a birdie is a bonus. I know I will make 2-5 birdies a round, and by eliminating the trouble spots that lead to bogies and worse, I now have lower scores on a regular basis. I HIGHLY encourage young players to think a bit before pulling the trigger with a 4 iron and firing at that back pin, behind the bunker, next to the water, with 6 inch rough lurking around. No birdies in that water, or that rough! When faced with a nasty shot, play to the safe side of the hole and take your chances with your putter. Par is almost assured, and birdies happen sometimes! So, to try and get back to the topic, my goal is to manage my game efficiently by reducing the mental mistakes and making solid pars on hard holes, and attacking the pins when possible. In my 20's I fired at all flags, no matter what. Now, in my 30's, I fire at them when I know that if I miss, I can still make my par and move along. It doesn't make you a wimp to play smart golf, but it will make your scores lower, and for me that is what I want.