BradMatejo

It's very rare to find anything other than 35" in stores around here. And IMO that's too long for a lot of people because it makes them stand too upright, preventing them from using their shoulders in their stroke. Once I decide to put a putter into my bag (not just test-driving) I take off the stock grip, cut the shaft down, and put on the grip I like. I have the tools to do it myself and it's not hard to do, but it's not expensive to have a golf shop do it either. Probably less than $20. For your reference, I am 5' 9" and I like my putters to be about 33.5". As was said above, you should go to a store to test-drive. Since they will probably only have 35s try that. Then move your hands down the grip an inch at a time to see what you like.

Balls go loose in the front pocket. I put tees in a snack-size ziplock in one of the front pockets, along with rangefinder, small tube of sunscreen, chapstick, pencils & divot tool. In the big side pockets, I have a few sleeves of fresh balls, a towel, gloves, etc. I also carry some Gatorade packets and granola bars in a tupperware-type box. I think it's actually a pencil box because I found it in the school supply aisle. It's the perfect size & shape to sit in the bottom of the side pocket, so I don't have to pull everything out to dig in the bottom of the pocket.

I got a 2007 Burner HT cheap off Craigslist. What I didn't realize is the HT is a 13* club! No wonder my drives seemed to fly high! That being said, the HT did hit good, and the high angle did translate into more distance (coming from my 9.5* TM R5). The high launch was an issue in windy conditions, and this summer has been verrrry windy here in Texas. So I sold the HT on ebay, coincidentally for $75, and picked up a 10.5* 2009 Burner.

I keep a constant eye on Craigslist, either for stuff I want or for stuff I can sell. Some clubs I play for a while and end up selling, and some have proven to be keepers. And once in a while I'll come across someone who is asking way too little for their item -- I'll buy it and make a profit on ebay. Best one I've seen is a guy who had a TM Burner Superfast, the white one, right after they came out. Said he won it in a poker game and had no clue what to charge for it, but thought $20 seemed good (!!!!) Someone else beat me to that one, but what a steal!

My brother-in-law and I play together most of the time. We bring a deck of cards and earn cards throughout the round to make the best poker hand. Bogey gets you one card, Par gets you two, Birdie gets you three. (We're high HC so this can obviously be adjusted). Once you have five cards, you draw and discard to maintain five cards. Best hand at the end of 18 wins. We also play that if anyone's drive doesn't make it past the ladies' tee, you have to finish the hole in your undies. This rule has to be suspended sometimes though, depending on who's around :)

I think you would be overpaying a little bit at $90. The ebay auction closed at 31.99 + 16.95 shipping. Add on the price of new grips that Jon's has and you're in his ballpark. I would aim to pay about $70. The Taylormade RAC wedge he has looks good at that price, especially if it's in as good a condition as he says. But I'd aim to pay $20. If you haven't dealt with CraigsList a lot, people usually post what they would LIKE to get. You should almost always negotiate. Happy hunting!

I would go for the Adams. They are designed for beginner golfers. All the others looked pretty out-of-date, and using out-of-date clubs when you're learning is almost sure to inhibit your learning and consequently your enjoyment of the game. Plus, the grips are new -- the grips on the others are likely to be hard and cracked rubber, and the grips make a difference. What part of Austin are you in? I live in far-south Austin. I have bought some wedges from the guy selling the Adams before, he works at a golf course or something so he's always selling stuff on Craigslist. CL is a good place to find bargains if you are patient and can recognize a good deal. You might also consider looking on ebay, I've had good luck both places. FYI, you might be able to get those same clubs a lot cheaper on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ADAMS-TIGHT-LIES-UC-10-IRONS-3-PW-STEEL-STIFF-/230661745364?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item35b482ead4#ht_3422wt_932 That is a very good seller (I've bought from them too), and they ensure all clubs they sell have decent grips (they put new ones on otherwise). Hope this helps!

Yes, I have some pain in my chest. Sometimes it feels like it needs to "pop", and I can usually make it pop by stretching and taking a deep breath. For me, this feeling usually signals that it's time for a trip to the chiropractor. The ribs connect to the vertebrae in the back, so if the vertebrae are out of whack it makes sense that the chest would experience some change as well. Do you see a chiropractor? I know some people are skeptical, and some people (even chiros themselves) will attribute all sorts of far-fetched things to chiropractic care, but to me the proper alignment, pinched nerve, and freedom of motion stuff just makes sense. Having had minor alignment issues, it's made a huge difference to me! Golfwise, any necessary popping usually works itself out in my warmup routine and practice swings.

Here's the problem I'm having: In the last 6 holes or so, my right bicep feels sore. At the same time, by driver deteriorates. All my drives have terrible top-spin and as a result don't fly very far. What am I doing wrong in my swing? Info that might help: right-handed, and I use a ten-finger (baseball) grip. Thanks!

I do pick up balls if it is clear they are truly lost. I don't go out of the way, just what I find along the way. Most go into the bucket in my garage, but I'll keep a few of the better ones in my bag as throw-away balls for those shots where there's a good chance of hitting into water. What I find fun/interesting are the logo balls I find. I have found some neat ones. I usually play a cheap little muny course, and last summer I found one from Trump National. What that ball was doing on my course is anyone's guess!

You should add an OptiShot. Cheapest simulator you'll find, and from reviews it seems a pretty good value. You've already got the computer, so you don't have to worry about that additional cost.

Tiger is unstoppable

109 :/ I can do better. Not much better, but better.

I herd cats. Actually, I regulate the billboard industry -- almost as difficult as herding cats.