2017 Golf Thread

TFP

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Thanks to a gift card I got at Christmas, I braved the snow storm yesterday and took a trip to Joe and Leigh's to get fitted for woods. Just an awesome experience, the fitter was incredibly nice, knowledgeable, and low pressure. One side effect that the snow brought is that I literally could not see my ball when I hit it, the grey sky and white snow background of the range made it impossible. So I really did end up making my decision based on the stats and overall feel - I wasn't influenced by watching my ball. Pretty cool stuff.

Ended up with a Ping G Series Driver 10.5º tuned up ++ Tour65 S shaft and 5 wood head tuned normal with a 3 wood Tour 80 XS shaft in it. Really looking forward to using them when I go to Palm Springs in a month.

Oh yeah - Playing PGA West Stadium, both Indian Wells courses, Escena, and Desert Willow out in Palm Springs in March.
Clubs arrived this week. Other than the wrong color grips being on them - looking great. Can't wait to swing them next week and then realize my swing is actually the real problem.
 

TFP

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Yes - was quoting my post that described which clubs I got. Messageboarding 201 right there.
 

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
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Why is it 60-70 during the week but only going to be 20 on Saturday? Sneaking in a quick round in February is always such a nice boost to life.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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Yeah, after two weeks of warmth and snow-melt only for Saturday to be in the low 20s is such a ballbreaker. I'm sick of waiting to play a round with the new G30.
 

dhappy42

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Oct 27, 2013
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Michigan
Made my own single-length irons this winter. Used old Titleist forged heads and eight True Temper XP shafts. 3-PW plus a 52-degree wedge all 37" long. Skipped the 4-iron and bent all loft gaps to 4 or 4.5 degrees. Adjusted all lies to 67-degrees. Added or subtracted headweight so they all swing the same. So far, on the range, I'm hitting them more consistently and straighter than my standard set. Also switched to a single-plane swing. Can't wait for better weather to play a round with them. Anyone else here play single-length irons?
 
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Phragle

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Made my own single-length irons this winter. Used old Titleist forged heads and eight True Temper XP shafts. 3-PW plus a 52-degree wedge all 37" long. Skipped the 4-iron and bent all loft gaps to 4 or 4.5 degrees. Adjusted all lies to 67-degrees. Added or subtracted headweight so they all swing the same. So far, on the range, I'm hitting them more consistently and straighter than my standard set. Also switched to a single-plane swing. Can't wait for better weather to play a round with them. Anyone else here play single-length irons?
That's cool. Probably even cooler that you can make them yourself. Why did do this though?
 

Phragle

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No I think making them yourself is cool AF. I'm wondering why you're going to them. Also why you're changing your swing plane.
 

dhappy42

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Oct 27, 2013
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No I think making them yourself is cool AF. I'm wondering why you're going to them. Also why you're changing your swing plane.
I've only been golfing three-four years and my iron play, especially long irons, sucks. And I hook hybrids. Never completely understood why irons are made in variable in lengths, in 1/2 inch increments, since distance is mostly determined by swing speed and loft. (Read somewhere 1/2 inch = 1-2 yards in distance.) Different length clubs 3-PW means eight slightly different swings. If all clubs were the same length, then one swing. Easier to practice and easier to repeat consistently. Who doesn't hit their 8-iron better than their 4-iron?

Then I read about Bryson DeChambeau's custom made single-length irons. Did some research and figured out how to make my own single-length set. (This was before Cobra and Wishon came out with commercial single-length sets.) Picked up the heads on eBay for about $30, bought eight shafts, some tungsten weights and lead tape. Added weight to the 3-5-6. The 7-iron is the "base" weight and length. Ground off weight from the 8-9-PW-GW with a Dremel. They're all 37- inches long. Took them to the nearby golf shop to have loft and lies readjusted. (About $30.) They're all the same swing weight. Use the exact same swing for all the clubs. If you close your eyes, can't tell the 3-iron from the gap wedge.

Why the single-plane swing? DeChambeau swings that way. So did Ben Hogan and Moe Norman, who I'd never heard of until looking into it. Thought I'd try it. It's simpler. Your take-away and back swing are on the same swing plane as your swing. Higher hands at setup and address take some getting used to though. But it's fewer "moving parts" and therefore, for me, at least, more consistent. I've heard it's easier on your back too, if you've got back trouble, which I do.

The downside? Trading some distance for accuracy. (For me, a little distance for a lot of accuracy.) And there's some distance gap bunching at the top, probably because I don't have enough swing speed to get the 3-iron in the air enough. (Not a huge deal for me because I can't hit a regular-length 3-iron at all.) And it takes some getting used to -- not subconsciously over-swinging a short 5-iron or under-swinging a long wedge -- learning to trust the club.

Edit: Forgot to mention another advantage. Same stance and ball setup 3-GW. No moving the ball up/back in your stance depending on the club. (Not everyone does this, I'm told.) One less variable. More consistency.
 
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TFP

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Might get to 60 on Saturday - anywhere open yet in Central MA?

Also - Palm Springs/Palm Desert was awesome.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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I'm not sure about you MA folks but melting has been very slow here in southern NH and most places still have a good 4-6'' on snow on the ground. Doubt we're on the course until late or April at this rate.
 

TFP

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Anywhere else open that we know of? I was hoping to get out Saturday but not looking promising at this point.
 

Koufax

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My go-to course for off-season golf is Crosswinds in Plymouth. Probably open.
 

Doug Beerabelli

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Any of you have kids that golf? My 11 year old son finally got the bug last year, and he outgrew his current set of clubs, so I'm looking at some new ones. He's at a tough age for this from what I can tell - Outgrowing the 9-12 age clubs, not big enough for the junior sets out there. US Kids is the one company that has a tweener set. They do theirs based on height, and have gaps 57-60", 60-63", and then 63" and above. The boy right now is about 61.5", and I'm thinking I'll get the clubs in his height range, even though he'll probably outgrow them in a year. The shaft lengths on these are 1.5" longer than the old set, which seems like a good increase.

His current set are Tour Edges, which I though were great to start off with to see if he liked the game enough. He wants more clubs, not the big gaps between clubs in the starter sets. While I'm generally a cheap bastage, I want to encourage his interest. Kids Golf has irons 5-SW for that size range/group, unlike most other companies. I did some Ebay snooping, but not much out there.
 

jercra

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Jul 31, 2006
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Are you even a tiny bit handy? If so, re-shafting and re-gripping clubs is about the easiest thing in the world. You use a torch or a heat gun to losen the existing epoxy, pull the old shaft out, drill out the remaining old epoxy, mix new epoxy, put new shaft in, cut to length. You can buy whole sets of cheap shafts for like $30 on Ebay or you could just use butt extensions to lengthen once or twice a year.

Re-gripping is even easier if you learn how to blow on grips and have a compressor. I can change out my entire set of grips in sub-30 minutes. I don't know what your kid is like but it's even something he may be able to do himself.

There is no need to buy new clubs or specialty clubs to fit someone short or growing.
 

southshoresoxfan

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Im thinking of playing a fade this year. Any real negatives to this if youre long enough? I struggle to draw it my misses tend to be hooks and snap hooks. The few times i line my feet left of the target slightly i feel its easier to sync my hips w my downswing.

Also any general tips for playing the power fade consistently would be great.
 

jercra

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Well, it's the same downsides as playing a draw. Block it and your fade is a slice into the shit. If you can already play a draw then the right thing, in my opinion, is to fade it when there's danger left and draw it when there's danger right. Hitting a fade into a tucked left pin is a much harder shot than hitting a draw. Hitting a draw to a tucked right pin is harder than hitting a fade. If you have the swing to be able to decide then why decide before the shot you need to hit?
 

Doug Beerabelli

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Are you even a tiny bit handy? If so, re-shafting and re-gripping clubs is about the easiest thing in the world. You use a torch or a heat gun to losen the existing epoxy, pull the old shaft out, drill out the remaining old epoxy, mix new epoxy, put new shaft in, cut to length. You can buy whole sets of cheap shafts for like $30 on Ebay or you could just use butt extensions to lengthen once or twice a year.

Re-gripping is even easier if you learn how to blow on grips and have a compressor. I can change out my entire set of grips in sub-30 minutes. I don't know what your kid is like but it's even something he may be able to do himself.

There is no need to buy new clubs or specialty clubs to fit someone short or growing.
Lol. Not handy with that kind of stuff. At all.

I was hoping there were some other people out there who bought clubs for kids, kid lost interest in game, and they put them out there for sale.
 

southshoresoxfan

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Well, it's the same downsides as playing a draw. Block it and your fade is a slice into the shit. If you can already play a draw then the right thing, in my opinion, is to fade it when there's danger left and draw it when there's danger right. Hitting a fade into a tucked left pin is a much harder shot than hitting a draw. Hitting a draw to a tucked right pin is harder than hitting a fade. If you have the swing to be able to decide then why decide before the shot you need to hit?
Well im about a 15 handicap. Shaping the ball not my strong suit. I cant consistently draw the ball and when i block one i then tend to hook or pull hook some. When im synced up and playing well it clicks but thats not the norm for me. The lower body tends to rush then i try to play catchup.

When i set up for a slight fade everything clicks more. I feel i have more room to turn. The shot just makes more sense to me. So instead of toggling back and forth I was considering just primarily playing the fade this year.
 

Byrdbrain

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I'm a 14 and I also try to play a fade as my standard shot. If the shot requires it I generally can hit a draw but let's be real if I could hit whatever shot I wanted all the time I wouldn't be a 14.
The only way I'm firing at a tucked pin is if I have a short iron in my hand and I'm sure not trying to shape those. If I have a mid-iron and the pin is tucked then I'm happy with firing for the middle of the green.
 

jercra

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Ok, for the mid and high capper trying to do whatever is the opposite of your miss is a good method to avoid the miss. I misunderstood your original question to mean that you wanted to be able control a fade to avoid the miss with the draw when the course called for not missing left. I've used the tip with many big slicers at the range to try to hit the biggest hook they can (and vice versa) since it's get you to feel where your swing is off.
 

Saints Rest

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I've discovered something in my own mid-20s swing that I wonder if anyone else has ever experienced.
Namely, the angle of my swing plane determines my shot's shape. More specifically if I get very upright in my swing plane, I'll hit a fade/slice. If I get too flat, I'll go the other way into a draw/hook. The steeper, the more slice; the flatter, the more hook.
When I can find the right swing slot/plane, I hit it straight with a slight draw.
So time on the range warming up is all about trying to find that slot.
Even on the course, mid-round, if I find myself hitting more one way or the other, I now know how to adjust that one element (swing plane angle) to try to get back to hitting straight.
Likewise if I need to work a shot for some specific reason, I can make that same adjustment.
All that said, being a mid-20's with two kids under 6, I don't get out nearly enough, either to the range or the course, to try to get anywhere near the consistency to bring that hcp down with any consistency. But I don find that I can have a round where I shoot something like 56-44 (or the reverse) when I can find that slot for a run of 6-10 holes.
 

southshoresoxfan

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Ok, for the mid and high capper trying to do whatever is the opposite of your miss is a good method to avoid the miss. I misunderstood your original question to mean that you wanted to be able control a fade to avoid the miss with the draw when the course called for not missing left. I've used the tip with many big slicers at the range to try to hit the biggest hook they can (and vice versa) since it's get you to feel where your swing is off.
Do you give lessons? Or have a good reco for anyone down near Mansfield MA?
 

4 6 3 DP

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Well, Ive spent all winter trying to get better hip rotation while not moving my head forward in the swing. This is much harder than it appears. Sadly it's likely what is keeping me from being a single digit. I can hit driver straight all day but just can't consistently get pars when my irons end up being fat more than not.
 

Over Guapo Grande

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Nov 29, 2005
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I've discovered something in my own mid-20s swing that I wonder if anyone else has ever experienced.
Namely, the angle of my swing plane determines my shot's shape. More specifically if I get very upright in my swing plane, I'll hit a fade/slice. If I get too flat, I'll go the other way into a draw/hook. The steeper, the more slice; the flatter, the more hook.
When I can find the right swing slot/plane, I hit it straight with a slight draw.
So time on the range warming up is all about trying to find that slot.
Even on the course, mid-round, if I find myself hitting more one way or the other, I now know how to adjust that one element (swing plane angle) to try to get back to hitting straight.
Likewise if I need to work a shot for some specific reason, I can make that same adjustment.
All that said, being a mid-20's with two kids under 6, I don't get out nearly enough, either to the range or the course, to try to get anywhere near the consistency to bring that hcp down with any consistency. But I don find that I can have a round where I shoot something like 56-44 (or the reverse) when I can find that slot for a run of 6-10 holes.
That's where I am at. Not sure if you recall the round we played together with ERR and Average Reds, but I tend to get very flat on my back swing. Like, below shoulder level flat. Not shockingly, I hit the ball left, and fat.
Last year I was trying to key on "thumbs up to ear" - thumbs up to make sure that I had a proper wrist cock, and to ear so I could get to/near that slot. It worked great on the range. And I will leave it at that.

Heading down to Myrtle Beach in a few weeks. It will be a 13 year old, two 40 somethings, and OGG Sr (70ish).No matter how/where we play (I hear that Volcano Island Putt Putt is in great shape this time of year), a tri-generational golf trip is something to be savored and cherished.
 

WallDenter

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Has anyone ever played Lake Oconee in Georgia? Heading down tomorrow for 5 days......looking for travel/golf/restaurant tips.
 

Koufax

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I've played 3 courses at Reynolds Plantation. If you can get on at Reynolds, it's a good take. They have 5 courses - study up on which is which. IIRC, one of them is pretty ordinary, one is short but the women love it, and three are very nice. I can dig up some details if that's something you want or need.
 

WallDenter

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we're playing The Landing, The National, The Oconee, Great Waters, and the Plantation Friday so I guess we're hitting 'em all. ........ Bars, restaurants??? Close to "town"? Thanks for the reply.
 

Koufax

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Sorry, we never left the resort. Not sure what's in the vicinity. Atlanta is 90 minutes (or less) away. That might be your best bet for entertainment.

How are you arranging to play all those courses? Are you renting a place there? For how long? I'd love to go back. Never got to play Great Waters.
 

Comfortably Lomb

Koko the Monkey
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Feb 22, 2004
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The Paris of the 80s
Maybe my driving range will open sometime in the next week. It open for a day or two before the snow started falling again a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, still some snow on the ground in Central MA. I'd really like to get the first early season swings out of the way ASAP.
 

TFP

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Maybe my driving range will open sometime in the next week. It open for a day or two before the snow started falling again a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, still some snow on the ground in Central MA. I'd really like to get the first early season swings out of the way ASAP.
Wachusett has tee times open on Saturday, I booked one today. No where else seems to be open yet but I can't imagine they won't be by Sunday.
 

Comfortably Lomb

Koko the Monkey
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Wachusett has tee times open on Saturday, I booked one today. No where else seems to be open yet but I can't imagine they won't be by Sunday.
The snow will be gone but with possible rain tomorrow, Thurs, and Fri it will be very soggy this weekend. We're probably a few weeks off the ground drying signicantly and greens being passable.

Does Wachusett drain well? Last I played there was a few years ago but I remember it being on the side of a hill.
 

TFP

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Wachusett is pretty much at the top of the hill. I expect most of it to drain well, but who knows at this time of year. I'm of no illusion that the courses will be in nice shape, and I definitely expect them to be quite soggy, I just want to get outside and swing the sticks.
 

HoyaSoxa

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Dec 4, 2003
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I know this has been discussed in these threads before, so I apologize for not finding it at the moment, but I am looking for a good recommendation on fitting for a new driver. I currently play a Cobra driver that I got around 12 years ago. I don't have my bag with me at the moment, so can't really give the specs, but suffice to say it was considered pretty close to state of the art at the time, but that was quite a while ago now. It also makes a horrible sound (always has) that I liken to an aluminum baseball bat - seriously, people are always commenting on the noise. I tested several models at the time with the help of a pro, and it gave me the best results, but I don't think you could call the testing session "fitting" by today's standards in that there was no analysis of ball speed/spin rate/launch angle that seems to be standard now.

Although I hit it reasonably straight (although not too far - avg is probably 230, can get it out to 260 when I really crush one), I am pretty sure newer technology and more precise club fitting would result in better distance and accuracy. I am intrigued by the new Callaway Epic line, but have not hit one for myself, so I am also open to other options. I live in Needham and work in Back Bay, so looking for somewhere close by to do the fitting.

Somewhat relatedly, does anyone have any experience with Big Sticks Golf in Burlington? They don't appear to do club sales/fitting, but they do have lessons and simulators, and I have a gift certificate there that needs to be used. I figure it can't hurt to take a lesson there, I have not had one in a decade, but wanted to know if people have gotten good results from their pro. I am high teens handicap (index of 16 at the end of last summer) who could use help with pretty much all aspects of my game, but in particular I would like to work on getting a lower ball flight - I lose a pretty good amount of distance and really struggle in the wind due to the fact that I hit every club extremely high.
 

TFP

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Joe and Leigh's is awesome. I highly recommend it there.
 

Phragle

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Thanks, that is the name I was trying to remember. Much cheaper than Club Champion in Needham - $150 for a driver fitting, and none of it goes toward buying the club!
Wait do people pay for fittings? I thought it was free as long as youre buying stuff. Idk, anyway I like Pings drivers. I hangout at a store all the time and it looks like the Titleist, TM, and callaway drivers all have small faces. I also don't hit them well, but I'm shit at golf, so who knows.

Anyone near southern NH going to be open on Saturday? This snow is pesky but with this rain it is going fast. Weekend looks nice.
No but I'm in the area and I'm interested in getting out soon. I saw monday and tuesday are supposed to be nice.
 

Byrdbrain

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Anyone near southern NH going to be open on Saturday? This snow is pesky but with this rain it is going fast. Weekend looks nice.
Not S NH but Butterbrook in Westford is opening on Saturday per their website. I stopped by the Souhegan Woods proshop yesterday and they still have a bunch of snow on the ground. They are hoping to open by the 15th.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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Not S NH but Butterbrook in Westford is opening on Saturday per their website. I stopped by the Souhegan Woods proshop yesterday and they still have a bunch of snow on the ground. They are hoping to open by the 15th.
Yeah, I still have a bunch of snow in my yard in Nashua. This weekend is wishful thinking. I'm sure the "big" five hour round places around here like Green Meadow and Souhegan will be open next weekend if it isn't raining. Some of my usual spots like Loudon CC near the race track and Crotched Mountain Golf west of here will probably take longer.