Game Changers of 2014 - Forum Discussion Thread

[RoverRick]

On the Blog side, MyGolfSpy would like you to participate in a survey about Game Changers of 2014.  You can click here and participate. It is just two questions.

 

Oh, I changed several clubs, and reshafted some older heads with newer shafts, but that was not my game changer.

 

I did have two game changers, one was the swing, and the other was the bag set up.

 

First, the swing.  I read where if you want more distance than you have to turn your lead shoulder completely behind the ball.  I have done this for years, however, recently I found that like most golf tips is crap by itself.

 

I now take less shoulder turn and am more upright with my swing and make better contact, thus getting the same distance but more accuracy and less effort.

 

Second, the bag set up.  I now carry Driver, 2 FM, 2 Hybrids, Bladed irons, for the most part, and 2 wedges.  I carried long irons because I can hit them, and the hybrid misses were always much worse than the irons, but the PXv shaft in some older heads made this combo work for me.  I dropped a wedge that I used maybe once a round and added a FM that I use 3 or 4 times a round.

 

This has allowed me to extend my game.  I was a 100 yard and in player, meaning that I had to get within 100 yards of the green to have any serious chance of finding the green.  Now I can not only reach from 220 out, but even hit the green from that distance.  Not all the time but more often than most of the guys I play with.  Last weekend, I think I was 4 for 10 during all the rounds between 200 and 220.  That is awesome.

 

Click over and take the survey and come back and talk about it here.

[hckymeyer]

Similar story hear with two game changers for me this season. 

 

First was a small swing change that lead to great results.  I concentrated on a much smaller back swing.  In reality it's still probably a full swing, but it feels much shorter to me.  This lead to getting rid of the huge fade and now I hit straight or a small draw mostly.  I still get the double cross pull hook and occasionally balloon one to the right, but I'm much more consistent and a much better ball striker.

 

Second change was really looking at the clubs in my bag and realizing I should pay more attention to averages and misses than the times I pure a club.  I got rid of my 3w for a 15° hybrid, and replaced my 4i & 5i with 22° & 25° hybrids.  I'm much more consistent with them and go for real the distance I thought the previous clubs could go, but realistically didn't go more than 2 or 3 out of 10. 

 

I've still got a lot of work to do, but as of the last revision my handicap is the lowest it's ever been.

[Kenny B]

My game changer was adding two more SCOR wedges. I had SW and LW for the past year and they worked great, but I didn't even think about adding a GW and PW until I followed the SCOR forum testing by Rev and markb. Now after a month with them, I can't believe how much better approach shot are. Going to spring for the 9-iron replacement, and wish they had longer clubs too. Looking forward to trying out the new Ben Hogans. Until then, I am reshafting a set of Macgregor M685 with UST ProForce 95 graphites which are supposed to be a similar shaft to the SCOR Genius9 shaft that is in my wedges (according to SCOR). SCOR even sent tip trimming instructions to match my SCORs.

[markb]

Scors. That's it, period, exclamation point. The only things that made any difference this year.

 

 FG Tour ball was really good, but it is just equal to the ProV for half the money.

 

 Biggest disappointment was every 2014 driver I've tried so far. They are simply no better than the class of 2013.

[mbrodeur86]

For me, it was actually playing in our club championship for the first time this year. People kept telling me I should play but I didn't feel my game was ready to compete and was having too much fun playing for fun but this year, things changed. I felt pretty good and gave it a shot. It was just a complete different animal to what I'm used to. I was incredibly nervous and played like crap both days and finished last. I did, however, learn a lot about competitive golf. I'll be better next year....

 

As for equipment, I had gotten my handicap down to 7 but after the club championship, I felt that I couldn't get better with what I had. I really started to play poorly and could not break 80 anymore. I figured something drastic had to happen and I decided to sell ALL of my clubs and start fresh. Armed with reviews from this site, I set out and went after clubs that could get me to the next level. First round with them, I shoot a 79, hit 9 of 14 fairways and 10 greens. I have never hit so many of each. 

 

The funny thing was my putter. I struggled with my putter all season long. I had a YES! putter that the previous season was simply unstoppable. I sold it and bought an Odyssey Black series #1. I struggled with that. Tried to sell it, even give it away and couldn't so I kept it. So I figured getting a mallet would install some confidence in me. I bought a Versa #7 and struggled with that. Sold that but wasn't sure what to do. Went back to the Black #1 and started putting incredibly! Sometimes, things happen for a reason I guess lol. 

 

 

Oh, and I almost forgot - Playing in our summer league (Also a first for me) my partner and I (me playing close to my 7 handicap at the time and my partner who is also my boss and a 14-15 handicap) beat the team of the senior club champion (who had just won it the day before and is a 2-3 handicap) and his partner who is a 8 or 9 handicap. The guy who won the club championship is also the same guy who tried to crap on what my Dad had previously done (Dad won 9 club championships) and this guy is just overall a piece of work that hardly anybody likes at the club. Just your typical, bully golfer and we beat him. I nearly got my first hole in 1 against them too. Was awesome!

[revkev]

Thanks for bringing this discussion in here RR!

 

This was a huge year for me golf wise.  I'm moving into my late 50's, my game has declined since I was sick two years ago and while I put up some good scores the past 2 seaons I had lost a good deal of consistency particularly on the ball striking side of things. 

 

The season got off to a crapy start with some terrible golf and a huge power outage.  I decided I would either quit playing (seriously) or take lessons.  Given that golf is my stress relief I opted for the lessons. 

 

Of course the results were not immediate and the first half of league play put me so far behind (I started the season as a 2 and made it up to a 9 by May) that I was never able to catch up just final getting out of last place in the A flight last week - at least I never dropped to the B flight which was a goal of mine - to stay in that A flight.

 

After a time the lessons began to kick in and by mid summer I was hitting it acceptably.  When I played TPC with Jax I was able to get the ball around the course well enough to enjoy myself and I even broke 40 on the second 9 (we were reversed that day.)  A week or so later I played reasonable golf on a tough course with Mr. Theo and I've done nothing but improve since then.  My handicap is back down to 4 and I'm able to play to that with little difficulty at this point.

 

I took another lesson this past weekend and will take one at some point during the winter to make sure that I continue on track with the stuff that we wanted to work.

 

The lessons are the game changer for me although I did buy a good deal of new equipment - thank you Globalgolf!  I have a new driver that I hit very well and the surprise is that I'm more accurate with it than my old one.  I replaced my fairway woods and I get a higher ball flight with the new ones so more carry and I'm also longer off the tee with the 3 wood.

 

I have new irons and love them, easy to hit but ugly as sin.  Mr. Theo will be shocked to learn that I'm also capable of flighting them down at this point.  When we played I only had them for a few weeks and was unable to do that.

 

While I was a SCOR player already the test let me add an additional SCOR to my bag.  When I entered that contest the SCOR wedges were what intrigued me the most and even then I wished that I had won 3 of them.  I love those clubs and will consider the Hogans when they come out.  (Did I mentioned that I hit my Wilson's fine but they're ugly as sin?)

 

I also shifted from GPS to the Bushnell V4 for yardages - for me it's easier and faster.  I prefer the GPS for a new course but on courses I'm familiar with I'll take the Bushnell every time because it's to the target.

 

Overall I'm pleased with where I'm at.  I still have a bit more to go to get back to a 2 but I can see the pathway there and of course because I live in Florida the season is far from over.  Most of courses have finished their make over for the winter months and frankly I'm far enough South that some courses do nothing in regards to overseeding.

 

I'm hitting the range later, the putting green tomorrow and have another tournament Saturday.

[Kenny B]

Nice going Rev. Sounds like you have a plan and are living to it. I'm more than just a little envious. Good luck on Saturday.

[westy]

Well as I said in the survey, equipment wise it's been a Superstroke Fatso grip on my SHORT putter - first season away from a belly putter. Holed a lot of puts this year at times.

 

Best club I've bought - not the SLDR! It's good but the prize goes to the Tight Lies fairway, just great - really impressed by it.

 

Mentally: I played a bit more match play, mainly foursomes (take note US PGA - that's the format most leagues use in the UK) for my club in the city league. taking out players off much lower handicaps in a format where one bad shot punishes you (and your partner) has given me more confidence than anything else in the last few years.

[Chal]

I have struggled with my putting for a number of years.  I tried claw, belly, everything.  I happened to remember an article on this site about a gentleman by the name of Bruce Rearick. I found the article and looked him up.   He happened to be less than an hour away from me.  I spent 2 of the best hours I have ever spent with a man who is very very passionate about what he does.  Some very simple changes have resulted in big gains on the green and a huge increase in confidence.  Heck, I even got his input to have a new putter made that will complement my stroke perfectly.  Might be the biggest game changer of my life when it comes to golf.  Wish I would have met him 15 years ago when I was grinding on the mini tours....

[t5timesb]

1) Changing from a D2 to D3 Titleist driver - not as off the deck as I thought!  The DCI Starship is out of the bag!

 

2) SCOR Wedges - I have said this in other threads, but it's like cheating as my mis hits are closer than they used to be.

 

3) Going back to a ProVx from ProV

 

I think it's time I go buy a new golf bag.  Adios.

[revkev]

Hey are both of you gents scratch for real? That's awesome!

[hckymeyer]

I'm really thinking I need to get in on this Scor business!!

[MattF]

I'm really thinking I need to get in on this Scor business!!

 

You should. While I have the original Eidolon's, they are for mine, the best wedge on the market.

[Kenny B]

As we all say here, SCORs are just better. You heard it here on the internet, and if it is on the internet, it must be true.

[revkev]

As we all say here, SCORs are just better. You heard it here on the internet, and if it is on the internet, it must be true.

 

+ 1

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Made a couple of changes that helped this year --- bought a Cally X2Hot 2 Deep that 's been the go to cub off the tee (I couldn't hit the SLDR with any consistency whatsoever, sad to say).  Also, my irons got in my head and was able to find a great deal on some 4 year old Srixon Z-TX irons - was able to be more consistent with them as the season went on.  

 

All the Hack To Jack lessons  - thanks to awesome teaching pro Bryan Skavnak - also helped a ton.  

 

Looking forward to a new season trying out the Nike sticks -- after a round-and-a-half, so far, so good!

[revkev]

Are any of the guys who went on the TMag excursion still playing their SLDR?

 

I have to say that I love mine and would have never demo'd it let alone bought it if not for the MGS review. Oddly enough mine is a 12, stock shaft, I have the weight two slots towards fade and I hit nothing but medium high baby draws right down the middle all day long.

[Mr_Theoo]

Are any of the guys who went on the TMag excursion still playing their SLDR?

 

I have to say that I love mine and would have never demo'd it let alone bought it if not for the MGS review. Oddly enough mine is a 12, stock shaft, I have the weight two slots towards fade and I hit nothing but medium high baby draws right down the middle all day long.

It hasn't left my bag and I don't forsee it leaving unless something can out perform ig

[JBones]

Are any of the guys who went on the TMag excursion still playing their SLDR?

 

I have to say that I love mine and would have never demo'd it let alone bought it if not for the MGS review. Oddly enough mine is a 12, stock shaft, I have the weight two slots towards fade and I hit nothing but medium high baby draws right down the middle all day long.

Mine is also still in the bag. My FWs hit with it are up from about 68% to 75%. My last time out to was 60° and I hit 11/14 at a 308 avg. I dot see it leaving my bag, but I do wanna try the new Nikes.

[hckymeyer]

I haven't changed a thing since I've gotten it. The SLDR is by far my most consistent and reliable club. I've even been putting off re gripping it since I don't want to mess with the mojo, but the original is getting pretty slick so I think I'll have to.

 

Bottom line is the SLDR is not leaving the bag

[revkev]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who loves his. Thanks guys!

[Mr_Theoo]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who loves his. Thanks guys!

No problem, it's great having a driver that you have 100% confidence in

[revkev]

No problem, it's great having a driver that you have 100% confidence in

At least we have that going for us, now about those other 13 clubs.

[jpcgolf]

I changed my whole bag because I keep growing out of all of my clubs, but I think the best change for me was going from super game improvement (jpx 825) to a players iron (mp 54).  I lost a club of distance, but I gained that back already in about 3 months because I am growing so fast.  They feel like butter, and are extremely accurate.