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  1. Hello All, This is my 2000th post. I tried to time it up, to hit on March 27th. The 1 year anniversary of my stumbling into what has become a rather integral part of my life. However, because there are so many great things going on the forum, and I gotta get these posts off, I am a week early. Such is life. A look back at the past year reveals quite the journey so here are a few highlights: The Callaway Paradym Iron testing opportunity is what prompted me to join. I signed up and impatiently waited for the announcement. The tester’s were announced and to my dismay, I wasn’t one of them. What happened next is/was critical to my journey. I read @GolfSpy_APH’s how to be a tester thread. Which prompted me to take the initial steps with a completed profile and photo where the B had been. My first actual post came on April 13, 2023 7 people gave a blue heart, which was gratifying, so my initial trepidation about posting was overcome and we were off. My next pivotal moment, and what I would argue is my finest contribution to these here forums would come from a fundamental question I asked myself: Over the course of 2000 posts, this was and still is my absolute favorite. Because I followed the prescribed steps and got myself involved I was chosen to test the Garsen Max Putter Grip. Which was cool, because Garsen sent us three different putter grips to try out. That resulted in: Subsequently followed by: I’m fairly certain this review remains unread by the masses, for reasons I have explained on the community call, IYKYK (yes, it’s still there). We have mentioned in the “want to be a tester” threads that doing a great job on a small item review can be a springboard into bigger tests, I am proof of that as I was selected for one of the most coveted spots for 2023: It was around this time that @GolfSpy_APH put out a feeler for anyone interested in joining the staff. Along with @GolfSpy AFG, @GolfSpy_SHARK, & @GolfSpy_KFT, I joined the staff as a forum leader. Which prompted @GolfSpy AFG to rename us as the “interns”. Almost immediately @GolfSpy TCB had to step away from the forum and I inherited a moderator role and the VCT. For those who are interested: And if you haven’t joined us yet, but would like to, our 3rd season will be kicking off the week of April 8th. We would be honored to have you join us. Lastly, my latest endeavor: Follow along as I try to overcome a series of seemingly random and unfortunate events. As I look back on the past year, I am filled with gratitude and admiration for my fellow testers and the membership at large. You have all made this place a special corner of the interwebs, where civility, intellectual curiosity, and kindness rule the day. A special thanks goes out my fellow staff members: @GolfSpy BOS, @GolfSpy SAM, @GolfSpy_BNG, @Golfspy_CG2, @GolfSpy AFG, @GolfSpy_SHARK, & @GolfSpy_KFT you guys are the absolute best of us and I’m proud to call each of you, my friend. To @GolfSpy_APH, my sincere gratitude and admiration for not only the opportunity you have entrusted me with, but the ever steady hand with which you guide this ship. It has truly been one of the great pleasures of my life, finding this place. Finally, if you made it this far, thank you for indulging my vanity post and know that you have a friend in me. - Ben
    42 points
  2. Okay we have a pretty unique opportunity open to all members in the US regardless of whether they are testing something currently or not. The process is simple, but you need to read and follow instructions in order to take part. What is it? Bridgestone is looking for up to Forum members to get a free dozen Bridgestone Mindset golf balls for sampling. Yes, you read that right up to 125 members. That's not all though, if you are in a part of the country that isn't able to golf right now, don't worry! Next month we will run this back for another week and another 125 members. Then again the next month and the month after that for a total of up to 500 members! Note: Each member is only eligible to participate once! Pick your month for when you can golf the most and get the most out of this opportunity! A huge thank you and shout out to Bridgestone for this. So how do you apply and what do you have to do? Step 1: Watch this YouTube video Then watch it again. Seriously, a second time would be beneficial and it is only 2 minutes long. Step 2: Go over to Bridgestones website and go through their Ball Selection Guide. https://www.bridgestonegolf.com/en-us/find-my-ball/ball-selector-tool#/ Once you have done that you will know which ball is best for you! Easy. Post a screenshot or photo of your results. Step 3: Fill out this form and answer all the questions correctly! Questions need to be correct in order to be eligible for the free dozen golf balls. Link below for those that are not able to fill out as is in the forum above. There are two sections - one for the questionnaire and second for shipping information to be sent to Bridgestone. (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1xWU_2ZHalyaHbKJGBO-KP5nCs5iYtTa6W9XMUvM96IUUrQ/viewform?usp=sf_link) Step 4: Wait for your golf balls and get ready to start posting! We will leave this open for 1 week and then send all the correct responses to Bridgestone for them to ship out the golf balls. Few final notes for this opportunity - There will be no PM or other message confirming your participation. When the golf balls show up we will ask that you post and share your experience with them. We will create that thread after the opportunity has closed. Last - take an extra minute and read all of this again! In this case it really pays to read and follow instructions! Thanks all!
    41 points
  3. Testers Announced! It has been a few years, but we are very happy to have PING golf clubs back as part of our Forum Member Testing! The PING s159 are the newest wedges from PING; however, it is not just new wedges that PING is excited about for this testing opportunity. They have also released their new WebFit App that aims to simplify the often confusing wedge grind dilemma. PING s159 Wedge Features: The s159 wedges are now offered in six different grind options, with two brand new grinds introduced for this series (the B and H grinds). As PING worked closely with their tour professionals on an updated design and look which would appeal to more golfers. PING has included their Friction Face that combines face blast and their optimized precision-milled grooves for what they claim is "the launch and spin control to play score-lowering shots from every distance." Add in appropriately spaced MicroMax grooves depending on the loft; these wedges are packed full of technology. All of their loft and grind combinations have been made available in two different finishes: The Hydropearl 2.0 Chrome and Midnight. The WebFit Wedge App: A simple step-by-step questionnaire based on what their wedge experts use to identify the best grinds and options for their tour pros, the WebFit app aims to simplify and find the best grinds and lofts for your game. The entire process takes only a few minutes and provides several options that best suit your answers, making the choice of knowing what grind should work for you a whole lot simpler! Please welcome and congratulate our 4 testers! @bens197 @johngschulz @aguybadatgolf @Leonvdwesthuizen
    38 points
  4. Good morning everyone! For those new here (and there seem to be a lot of you), I used to be one of the main moderators here on the Forum. Last fall, I took a position as the editor and social media guy for Hack It Out, the golf podcast of Mark Crossfield, Lou Stagner, and Greg Chalmers. So my presence here has tapered off a bit; hoping to post a little more frequently in the months ahead. One great bit of news I figured I share here; a little over a week ago, my wife and I welcomed our sixth child. This is Claire, and she and the whole family are doing well.
    35 points
  5. Turned up at work this morning a few minutes before my scheduled start time of 9.30, only my third shift working here. Straight forward start, supervised a student doing a chest Xray. That’s when things went a bit off script. Felt some discomfort in my chest, not too bad but definitely not great. After a couple of minutes I called out to the student for some help. By this stage the pain in my chest was crushing and I had gone sweaty and clammy. He called an ambulance and the nurse and radiologist I was working with started obs and gave me some GTN spray. Paramedic arrived, bluetoothed ECG to Cardiologist at the local hospital (where I worked for 19 years until last January) Heard the following discussion “S-T elevation “ and knew I was off to the Cardiac Catheter Lab. 1/2 an hour later I was on the table in the lab. Another 1/2 hour and I had a stent in my previously occluded right coronary artery. 2 more stenoses were picked up that need stents, but they are waiting for my heart to have rest before going back in on Monday or Tuesday. Echo cardiogram showed all is looking good. 24 hours of total bed rest now So thankful for all the staff (at both places and paramedics) and the technology that is available Also thankful that the health care system in Australia means I don’t have to worry about any expenses. Hoping to get back on the course in the next couple of weeks
    34 points
  6. After paying close attention to my post count tick towards 3,000, I completely forgot about it for creating this post and see that this one will make 3,001 . Similar to @GolfSpy_BEN, I wanted to create a post to reflect on what has been the past almost two years of consistent posting for me here at the MGS forum. Thanks for the inspiration, Ben! I first joined the forum back in April of 2018, and what brought me initially was the lure of testing golf equipment. I will fully admit that I did not take the time to actively post and engage, and my account was dormant for a long stretch, save for looking at testing opportunities that came up on occasion. All that changed in 2022, when I was having a miserable time hitting my 3 wood and had wondered if a 5 wood would give me an advantage. I created this thread, and as they say, the rest is history I posted this thread not really expecting to get much by way of replies. I was a complete newcomer with hardly any posts, and in my experience at other forums, that leads to you largely being ignored. I quickly found out how different this community was, and had some longtime and very active members replying with advice. Later on in 2022, as I was signing up for testing opportunities but not being selected, I decided to post an unofficial review of some Craftsman headcovers I had received from them. I figured it would be a push in the right direction for me to express my writing ability. Some photos were good, some were so-so with lots of clutter in the background due to my messy garage, but excitement to get some posted . It was shortly after this that I was given a chance to participate in the ProV1/1x Whitebox testing in the fall of 2022, but turned it down as the season was almost over in Wisconsin and I knew I wouldn't be able to to my due diligence. I was bummed, but also opportunistic that I would get a shot at testing in 2023! Fast forward to 2023, and I decided that I wanted to continue some strong engagement and created a " Journey to Breaking 90" thread. With some sound advice from @GolfSpy TCB, I was off and running. That was a step in me being more accountable to my golf game, and did ultimately help me to accomplish that goal on a couple separate occasions. Hoping for lots more this year! To those of you that followed along with me on this thread, it truly meant a lot. I don't have many friends who are "golfers" at home, just friends who play golf. So this aspect of the community has helped me immensely as I tend to take the game, equipment, etc., much more serious than who I play with on a regular basis. Next came the highlight of my golfing and forum life to date in being selected to participate in the COBRA 50th Anniversary Challenge! This was my first testing opportunity and proof that you do not need to be an experienced tester to be selected for big opportunities. Just be a positive and contributing member of the forum! Have to shout out my running mates @chisag, @CFreddie, @sirchunksalot, @Tom the Golf Nut & @JerryB in making this a super fun and memorable event for the majority of my summer season last year. Also a big THANK YOU to @GolfSpy BOS for all the hard work he put into organizing the event. The #LeftyGang was well represented in this one, with @TSauer staying step for step along the way! It was an absolute blast. The remainder of 2023 golf wise was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. I saw my scores improve a lot throughout the challenge, then went through a bout of terrible ball striking later in the summer/early fall where I couldn't put a score together to save my life. I played some of my best golf, though, at the end of the season, and carded 9 hole scores of 40 and 41 on back to back days on the front/back 9 of my home course for a combined score 81 and easily the best golf of my life. Moving further into the year, myself along with @GolfSpy_BEN, @GolfSpy_SHARK & @GolfSpy AFG, were given the opportunity to join the forum staff when @GolfSpy_APH put out a message looking for some extra help on the forum. It has been a privilege to join this group of guys, and I am just trying to keep up with everyone else on providing quality support to all of the great members here. Thanks to @Golfspy_CG2, @GolfSpy BOS, @GolfSpy SAM & @GolfSpy_BNG for believing that we wouldn't mess anything up too bad This has also led to me having an opportunity to write some content for the main site, which I have loved every second of getting to do. There are tons of you here that have made this place what it is today. I am sorry I can't list everyone off, I wish I could. But then this post would be EVEN LONGER than it already is and no one would read it . I just want to finish with saying that I do believe this is the best collective community of individuals you could hope to find on the internet, and I am looking to many more interactions with everyone as the years continue to roll along!
    33 points
  7. This is kinda a big deal for me - Made the big leagues https://mygolfspy.com/our-team/ I am so proud to have been part of MyGolfSpy and had the chance to see my role expand and grow. While this is still my part time job, it is a crucial part of my life and I am thrilled to be part of this community and part of the greater HQ team!
    32 points
  8. End of another month means another update! I don't think it would surprise anyone to know that February was our busiest month ever. We cracked 15k posts and if we include the testers wanted posts that number jumps to 16,800. More than 500 posts above the next closest in forum history. We also had just under 5000 new members join the forum. Which again was a near record (5400 was the highest in a month back in 2016). It was just a really amazing month to be involved with the forum. It was hard to keep up! Which is a good thing. We have some updates and changes coming for season 3 of the VCT. We have an updated feature which will hopefully add in some friendly competition to the Forum. The social crew (Hayes and Mark) had a reel go viral and it has since amassed over 3.4 million views. Which to me is just bonkers. We are also getting more guests on for the community calls which we love to see. All in all an incredible month and a huge thank you from the entire forum staff! Lots more to come this year and we hope that this trend of being hyper busy on the forum continues!
    32 points
  9. Introduction Firstly, thank you MyGolfSpy and Ping for this amazing opportunity to test these wedges and use their Webfit Wedge app, to get the correct fit to suit our game. Hi Spies, my name is Leon vd Westhuizen and I play off an 18 handicap in and around Durbanville, Western Cape, South Africa, a small country at the bottom of Africa with about 60 million people but with a huge golf following. Our country has gifted the world the likes of Gary Player, Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen to name a few, so we have a rich history of producing great golfers, but I am not one of them! (these are not Gary, Arnold or Jack) As a youngster, I grew up watching Gary, Arnold, and Jack battle it out at the Masters and I wanted to be like them. So, I started playing golf occasionally, while still at school, but I loved rugby more, so I never focused on it. Forward many years later, and I have a wife & son, but I still love golf, cycling and rugby (Our national team, The Springboks, are the 4x World Rugby Champions you know!) But enough about me, this is about the opportunity to test these beauties from Ping, the brand-new Ping S159 wedges in Midnight Black for me. Just a disclaimer, I’m a virgin Ping player... I have never owned and played any club from Ping. Yes, I have taken their driver at the golf shop for a few hits on the trackman, but that is it, not a single club on the course, so this will be my first time in the world of Ping My Rationale We get so exhilarated when we watch DJ, Rory or Rahmbo hit their wedge just inches from the hole, but what about us mere mortals who hit our wedges, on the green, sometimes missing the green, and sometimes fat or thin. I am one of those guys who normally hit my wedge and be happy to get the ball to stay on the green, very lucky when it is anything closer to the hole for a decent chance at birdie, par, or bogey. I am one of those guys, who used to hit my wedges thin or fat. I am one of the guys who had to get creative with my hybrid, 9 & 7 iron, cause my wedges would scare the heck out of me! But I am not that guy anymore! I have more confidence with my wedges, I don’t use my hybrid around the green anymore, I can play a shot onto the green and the ball would check and stop rolling... I have gained a lot of confidence with my wedge game, so I will use my new found skill and confidence and apply it to my testing. Pings’s Webfit Wedge App With the launch of the S159 wedges, Ping also launched their Webfit Wedge app (btw, you can also do a Webfit for all your clubs). This app makes the daunting task of choosing a wedge really easy, as they take the fundamentals of your game, through an easy questionnaire, into consideration and give you the best suggestion to have as little gaps in your game as possible, because that’s how we will improve our short game! Check my results out: Ping suggested I take the S grind on all the wedges, which will help me with enhancing versatility around the green, or just calming my nerves! My Gameplan My game plan is to compare the Ping S159 to my current gamers, the Cleveland RTX Zipcore, which has been instrumental to calm my nerves and my hands. I will play my local, 18-hole par 3 course, Hazendal, twice a week for a month, so I can get used to the Pings and thoroughly test these wedges and see if I can make small incremental improvements or hoping they will be big strides of improvements. Then I want to apply those short game improvements, to the longer courses every weekend, and see how they translate to the everyday golfer and the mid to high handicapper. I have also booked a session at the The Pro Shop (our big national golf retailer offering fittings using track data), to see what my details are, like spin rate, launch angles, bounce control, all while playing my trusty Taylormade Soft response or Callaway Supersoft ball. Thank you for coming on this journey with me!
    31 points
  10. About Haywood Golf Founded in Vancouver, Canada in 2018, Haywood Golf is a relatively new addition to the DTC (Direct-to-consumer) market. However, Haywood has made a concerted effort to differentiate itself by offering multiple fitting locations worldwide. They also build all their clubs in Canada. With a move to a new and bigger location in the Vancouver area, Haywood looks to expand on its existing lineup, which already includes a multi-material designed driver and fairway wood, along with a newly released hybrid. Haywood then boasts four different iron models, a driving iron, wedges, and two different putter models (one mallet and one blade). Impressively, all their golf clubs are also available in right and left-handed options. Very Canadian! With so many DTC brands available to consumers, Haywood separates itself by offering more fitting location options and special runs of copper and black nitride finish clubs, along with extremely competitive prices and a ton of options to fit your game. Please welcome and congratulate our testers! @Nunfa0 @CB Lobo 4 Life @frazzman80 @ArizonaLogan
    30 points
  11. With the regular season finished, it's time to look back on our weekly winners for each of the categories we spotlight each week. The number next to the member represents how many times this award was shared or won outright by the member. Low Net Score @RoverRick- 9 @Javs - 8 @Randall Robbins - 6 @buckpillar & @warrenator8 - 3 @Placasse61, @LinksgolfFever, @invee123, @Mr. Mushball, @J7Hawkins, @EMacK1961, @GolfSpy_KFT, & @fozcycle - 2 @GregB135, @mulliganbet, @GTI07, @Millwrightofgolf, @tommyb1683, @Mr_BogeyPro, @BKervin, @MsWalkrOfSky, @BassMaestro, @Turbo-Dad, @GolfSpy_BEN, @RichL85, @Golfspy_CG2, @MC3157, @Siamese Moose, @CudaKota66, & @LBC - 1 Low Gross Score @Javs - 29 @Bohnson - 12 @Randall Robbins - 5 @BNewton51 - 3 @snicerz, @Tom the Golf Nut, @GolfSpy_BEN - 2 @invee123, @Meat7272, @Mfain15, @golfer3411, @buckpillar, @Cfhandyman, @vandyland, & @Josh Parker - 1 Most Net Birdies or Better @RoverRick - 16 @EMacK1961 - 5 @Mr. Mushball & @J7Hawkins - 4 @MsWalkrOfSky & @warrenator8 - 3 @daviddvm, @LinksgolfFever, @GolfSpy_KFT, @Caddie1966, & @buckpillar - 2 @GregB135, @EasyPutter, @Alan Stewart, @SteveGH7, @tchat07, @fredsharky, @Stereotype, @Lee Stanek @Placasse61, @CudaKota66, @Subdiver1, @MrBandit, @Cubby540, & @unccross - 1 Longest Drive @Javs & @CB Lobo 4 Life - 9 @TylorJudd - 8 @J7Hawkins - 7 @Bohnson - 6 @Cfhandyman - 2 @snicerz, @ncwoz, @Preeway, @PMookie, @RayOstroskiLD, @vandyland, & @Josh Parker - 1 There are some eye-popping numbers here and a lot of consistently good play by our members. Congrats to all, on a successful season! I look forward to what Season 3 will bring!
    29 points
  12. An update of sorts: The last week has been an adventure, to say the least. Last Thursday, I went to my favorite local golf shop, The Golf Exchange, with the notion of trying out other X stiff shafts with a QI-10 LS head. There is something about the Kai Li white that I’m not jiving with. So after trying a number of different options, I decided to grab a Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 6x. To fully commit to the QI, and help offset the cost, I traded in the Paradym TD. Fast forward to a testing session on Saturday and tragedy struck. I went with the intention of using club spray to get some data on center strikes vs toe hits, etc. On the 2nd swing, I heard a loud sound that has no earthly business at a driving range and discovered this: So while I patiently wait for Taylor Made to indicate how they wish to proceed, I sourced a backup plan, as the timing of the Paradym TD trade in has been less than optimal. A quick word of praise for this head/shaft combo. It is fantastic and will make a wonderful back-up club. Rapsodo_MLM2PRO_110051_14031240export.mov Hopefully, in the next week or two I will have the replacement head and the Ventus shaft and can resume my testing. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy my time with the Cobra. The work continues…
    29 points
  13. Early day and long night with the kids just not sleeping. However the sun is shining and overall a good day. Have some golf equipment on order and should arrive in the coming weeks which is exciting. Unfortunately the ticks in our area are awful and even in the back yard we are finding them crawling around and on the dogs. Not fun, but also not much we can do about it.
    28 points
  14. Afternoon MGS Nation, Hope all is going well for you, I just wanted to let everyone know I;ll be off the site for a short period, My oldest brother pasted away last night at the age of 64. Keep hitting them straight Talk to you all very soon.
    28 points
  15. Unboxing/First Impressions As mentioned previously, the sweet sight of a FedEx delivery man graced my driveway on Monday. Rocky, the guard beagle, was on full alert. He kindly let the driver know to conduct his business in a quick and courteous manner, and not to overstay his welcome. Time to make the donuts… Similar to the others, the packaging was clean and simple, while the internal packing met the minimum requirements for protection of the precious cargo it was charged with keeping safe I am going to take a moment to highlight one aspect Taylor Made absolutely got right, no questions asked and that is the head cover, simple, elegant and classy. Well Done. Especially considering this abomination that came with my current gamer: Included was a spec sheet for the build. (Placeholder for the unboxing video, that frustratingly would not load, will be added in post) Suffice to say the club made it to me unharmed and it is as gorgeous as you might imagine. As if the weather gods had a conversation with the golf gods and decided to throw me a bone, we have had temps in the high 60’s the last two days, which for the end of February, ain’t too shabby. So off to the range I went. My initial session with the LS was a bit of a feeling out but the numbers were encouraging: In comparison with the baseline numbers I grabbed for the Paradym TD prior to the arrival of the LS: There are modest gains, but nothing to get too excited about. Which brings us to today and range session #2, this time the LM data is provided by top tracer. The day was warm, but the clouds were giving off a “go ahead and set up your mlm2pro, so we can let loose” vibe. So I opted for the covered hitting bays, rather than the turf range. Today went a long way toward making me a believer: I am acclimating to this Driver nicely. Today’s session resulted in the following thoughts 1. These numbers are based on average range balls, which makes me giddy thinking about what this driver will be capable of, with good balls on the course. 2. The center of the club is easy to find, and while there were some misses, it produces a great shape, and the misses didn’t feel punitive. Lastly, as mentioned prior, the shaft I was fit into, Tensei Black 65 X was backordered until sometime in March, so Taylor Made sent the Kai Li White 70 X in its place. After today’s session, I take back every unkind thought I had about this arrangement but didn’t vocalize. Today went a long way toward making me a believer of this shaft. It felt great, and that is a relief. the work continues…
    28 points
  16. Testers Announced! For this tester's wanted opportunity, we introduce you to RUNNER Golf, a small and up-and-coming putter company from France. Founded in 2021 by Simon Linot, the process of getting their putters to market took a little time. However, the time and hard work paid off when they won the “Best in Show” innovation prize at the 2022 PGA GOLF SHOW. About RUNNER Golf Putters: Available in three different models (RUNNER ORIGINAL, BLADE, and MALLET), this series of putters is packed with technology and RUNNER’s signature moving weights system at the back of each putter. All of the RUNNER golf putters are built in Normandy, France. They consist of a multi-material design with precision-milled 6061 aluminum, complete with various weight options and setups to help golfers make more putts. RUNNER Golf also has a comprehensive self-fitting guide on their website, which will help you choose which one of their putters is best for you. This AI configuration guide will consist of a handful of questions and only takes a few minutes to complete. The questions are thorough and cover everything from putter preferences to putting grip. At the end, it will give the best recommendation for putter style, weight setting, and more! Please welcome and congratulate our testers! @Bobbers @Northern Monkey @RTH1 @SDunne
    27 points
  17. When your morning starts with a trip to the dentist but then he reminds you that he's a golfer, too!
    27 points
  18. Good morning everyone! I'll start out by saying Happy Birthday to @Josh Parker! I hope it's a good day for you Today is my dermatology visit so I'm up a little earlier than I wanted. The appointment isn't until 3, but I woke up to a buzzing mind and couldn't shut it off. That, and I'm only used to getting about 6 hours of sleep so the body gets a tad achy if I'm laying down too long. It's going to be a good day, though. My wife and I are going to have lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant beforehand. I need to stop at Academy Sports and see what wood they have for my smoker and hopefully they have some maple. Nummy. I hope y'all have a good day!
    27 points
  19. GolfSpy_APH

    The 10K Club

    So I had all these big plans on doing a fun and cool post for my 10K... apparently that happened sometime yesterday and I blew right past it and am now at 10,062.... oops So for my 10,063 rd post I just want to thank this whole community! Seriously, all of you here make this place a truly incredible community! From the 7k plus new members who have joined in 2024 to those that have been around since day one it is just an fantastic place to spend my online hours. Thank you to the current and past staff. I love working with you guys and we have so much fun and make this job not feel like a job... most the time. I won't be long winded with this, but more just a wow! 10k posts... didn't think or ever believe that near 8 years ago I would make it to 10k. Thank you everyone for making this place what it is!
    27 points
  20. Good morning MGSpies from still dark but not for long Chesney SC for this WNYer starting the second half of my son's Spring Break road trip. Golf was not part of yesterday but a good visit to Cowpens National Battlefield was which was determined to be a pivotal success for the Colonial Army in 1781 including a first time since 281 BC that a "double envelopment" effectively culminated the British regulars into surrender, Hannibal had done it first to the Romans. Hope golf is a part of your day when we all manage a double envelopment of the ball into the last cup of the round 75
    27 points
  21. Good morning, Spies! I have a busy day ahead of juggling work balls this morning, then shuttling the college kids to the airport, oil changes, car cleanouts (vacuuming sand - ack), etc. It will be good, productive day, if I have any control at all. I think my golf brain, body, and swing need a few days respite anyway. Too much range time can be counter-productive in my case. The mods are doing a fantastic job here with all the testing opportunities and whatnot. Thank you. I wish you all super days and a wonderful weekend!
    27 points
  22. Whether it be with mannerisms or course layout or something else that just drives you nuts... What is it? I'll start, mine is when people aren't ready to hit when it's their turn. I used to golf with one of my father-in-law's friends and every time it was his turn to hit, he would still be in the cart carrying on conversation, finishing a smoke, and just oblivious to everything else going on. Needless to say, I don't golf with him anymore.
    26 points
  23. Runner Golf Putter INTRODUCTION Firstly I would just like to thank MGS, the Forum mods and of course Runner Golf for giving me this opportunity and entrusting me with such a fantastic opportunity. I appreciate how lucky I am to be selected for this and I hope to be able to provide a balanced, informative review for all those that showed interest in this opportunity PLAYER PROFILE So a bit about me. I’m Mick, 52, married to my long suffering wife Michelle (God knows how she puts up with me) for the last 14 years and currently live on the edge of SE London, England. I’m originally from the NE of England but moved down here to the “Big Smoke” 18 years ago when I met my wife. Hence how I got my nickname, Northern Monkey. I’ve been a police officer for 28 years and the last 17 years have been on Traffic, or Highway Patrol as those over the pond call it. As a result I’m an advanced police TPAC (Tactical Pursuit and Containment) driver and motorcyclist. Which means lots of driving and riding at high speed on fast bikes and cars, chasing bad guys and getting paid for it. Who said you needed to work for a living? It can have its downsides and one of these was getting wiped out on a police motorcycle which resulted in numerous breaks in my left hand and wrist, in 2007. 18 months, and four operations, later I have been left with limited movement in my left hand including no movement in my ring finger and partial movement of only one joint in my little finger. This meant 10 years away from golf, due to not being able to grip a club, but I managed to start playing again properly around 4 years ago following a lot of physio. This also helped me get back on a bike and I’m back riding police motorcycles operationally again, and just as fast as I ever was I started golfing in my early teens when my dad used to take me to our local pitch and putt and loved it. This progressed to moving on to our local municipal 18 hole course. It wasn’t that regular due to him working in Africa for 8 weeks out of every 10 but I did keep an interest in the game even if I wasn’t playing that often. Fast forward to me starting a new job with Rothmans ( Tobacco manufacturer) at 20 and there was an active golf society there which I quickly became involved in and started playing regularly. This continued through my police service, where there was also active societies, until the motorbike accident. Although at this point I had never been a member at a golf club I was still playing pretty much every week and had got my society handicap down to 12. Following the bike accident I really missed my golf, and motorbikes, and for a long time there were doubts as to whether I would ever play again. However, thanks to a great surgeon and the fabulous NHS, I was able to lightly grip a club again in late 2015. About 18 months of work at the range, managing to adapt what little grip I have left in my left hand, meant I was able to get back into golf regularly although now with a tendency to play with an aggressive fade, or slice as some prefer to call it. 80910f9c-82cd-4c42-a065-fa0b790f315b.mp4 When I started out I inherited my dads old clubs which were a set of Titleist blades, Wilson woods - which were wood in those days, and a Ping Anser putter. I continued with these for many years before moving on to a Taylormade R5 driver, an ancient Persimmon wood and a set of Ping Zing 2 irons and stuck with my trusty Ping Anser. I changed the Ping irons out for a set of King Cobra cavity back irons and gamed these up until my bike accident in 2013. When I started again I bought a Taylormade RBZ Driver and 3 Wood, a set of Taylormade burner irons and some Mizuno wedges, all second hand from eBay. The reason for this was I didn’t know at that point how well I was going to be able to play again so didn’t want to spend a great deal. Once I realised I was going to be able to stick with it I then bought a Callaway Mavrik driver, 3 wood, 3 hybrid and 4-AW irons with Jaws MD5 wedges and an Odyssey 2 ball ten putter which I still use now. Although I must admit I am looking at changing out the driver for a Ping G430 Max. I also joined my local club, Sidcup, and now play there regularly as well as playing a variety of courses through the society. This includes a yearly trip, away which this year is to Portugal, and we have previously played Celtic Manor so I get to play some really nice courses too. I’ve now managed get my handicap down to 15.9 and am hoping to get it down even further this year. My putting is something I want to, and need to, work on which is why I applied for this test so to be selected was awesome for me and I can’t tell you how excited I am for it. I’m really looking forward to receiving the putter and to see if it looks as good as it does in the pics. I intend to get out as much as possible playing full rounds as well as using the practice green for testing. I’m hoping to improve my putting through this test and become more consistent. Some days I seem to putt well and the next I couldn’t hit a barn door from 5 yards but that’s the beauty of the game isn’t it. If we were all consistent we would be golfing for a living! I intend to compare the Runner to my Odyssey 2 ball ten and see how they fare against each other. I also use ShotScope X5 so will be able to track my putting and give accurate feedback. Feel free to ask anything about the Runner, or anything in particular you’d like me to try and incorporate into the testing, and hopefully I’ll be able to give you an interesting and relevant testing of this gorgeous looking putter. Thanks
    26 points
  24. Good morning everyone. Not glad to be eliminated from the finals of the VCT but the weather gods appear to have not wanted me to play any golf anyway. Heavy rains overnight last night and now it appears some snow could arrive for the next 36 hours. DAMN YOU GROUNDHOG!!! Crossing fingers it's only a 1 week interruption/delay for spring. Happy birthday @Josh Parker! May you have lots of fun planned for the day. Hope everyone has a great day ahead.
    26 points
  25. Good morning all and welcome to the half way done and half way to go part of the week… Medico stuff was a mixed bag of results, options , opinions, and one non medical life threatening situation. The orthopedist said while not to make light of my wrist hand pain; to put it in layman’s language; I have a blue collar worker’s case of arthritis. In my case it has been somewhat exasperated by other social life style choices. He is more concerned with what he believes is a more severe nerve issue. He wants to pass me off to another orthopedist that is a more of a nerve specialist. He also recommended limited to NO work, driving, weight work outs for strengthening with hands, or golf until I see the nerve doc… Yeah, right. Getting into see the gastroenterologist was a lengthy process.. While waiting over an hour for the appointment to begin, I did do a few fun things.. Signed up for the forum Ghost Golf Bag buy special. Got the wife-person stirred up over the buy, and found the protection strap for the bag discounted to around $21.25. As for the gut doctor…. My blood is still showing some abnormalities. The needed stuff is low and the change in the Rx’s and supplements has caused some of the bad stuff to start pushing up through the normal levels…. Still not absorbing the needed nutrients needed for strength and stamina. So the doctor and wife decided to change around the Rx’s one more time. If this doesn’t work, I need to prepare myself at the very least, to having infusions for a very long time. The Doctor and the wife left the exam room and while I was waiting for either or both to come back, I imagined their conversation and outcome being something along the lines of… When the doctor came back into the room, I asked about travel and he said that I still needed to stay relatively close until the end of April, when they will again evaluate how my insides are getting along. Still worried about another “ belly blowout “. But did allow me a few more links in my choke chain. So… Cliff’s Note version… I am still having issues but currently not as severe as before. That I am not that bad off compared to a lot of people. Wife harping at me to be adult about a lot of things… Have multiple repeat appearances with current Medicos, plus at least one more. Me, I am just trying to concentrate and decide what the definition of limited golf is Go grab this day as yours my friends..
    26 points
  26. Late night getting work done, but meant I had a much more relaxed morning. Finally a good morning at the curling hall with no core issues and lots of good coffee. Yesterday was a banner day for the forum. We fell 3 posts short of 800 in a day, which to me is wild. Considering looking back not too long ago we were regularly seeing monthly post counts in 4-5 thousand range. I have said it before and I will continue to do so, thank you all for diving into this community and taking part. It has meant the world to us as a community, staff and for all of MyGolfSpy.
    26 points
  27. I am thrilled to share my next six weeks and beyond as I work with an awesome group of guys to test the PING S159 wedges. A little about me. Steve, I’m 42, a husband to an amazing wife, father to an incredible daughter and dog dad to a 12 year old American pit bull terrier. My daughter fell in love with golf last year and both my wife and I couldn’t be happier watching her hit balls with utter joy. IMG_2943.mov Golf has played a significant role in my life since I was 7. A native Rochester, NY resident who spent 9 years living and working in golf in Southeast Florida after graduating college. I’ve worked pretty much every job you can name in the golf services. It all began as a 14 year old caddy at Oak Hill CC in Rochester, home of the recent 2023 PGA. I also worked the bag room there for 3 years which included the 1998 Amateur won by Hank Kuehne…who famously hit massive bombs using none other than the PING TiSi. Many of you are familiar with my background but it’s worth sharing now that we have so many new members involved in the forum! I left the golf business after working as a 1st Assistant Professional in 2006. I loved the job but it was not for me. Since then I have been in public safety as a Firefighter / EMT. I currently work as a Captain and as our fire district covers a portion of Oak Hill, was able to spend time working emergency services during the event. I get to play often and while my competitive days are behind me, you will find me playing around 2-3 times a week. Last year was my best ball striking and scoring year since my club pro days and I was able to lower my index to a 3.5. PING has always been a favorite of mine and was cemented for me in 2005. I traveled to Phoenix to visit the PING plant and was certified as a PING fitter. This experience was truly phenomenal, the entire tour of the facility left no stone unturned. From the gold putter vault to the foundry, a complete fitting process, a round at the now defunct ASU Karsten and at the end, a sit down with the Solheim family for some Q&A. I was so impressed with the company that when I returned home I ordered a set of PING i5’s, G5 driver and PING Tour wedges. So let’s talk about WHY I chose to apply for this test… When I thought about this year and eligibility for testing I was dead set on one item…wedges. Earlier in the year in the “what equipment are you thinking about” I shared my thoughts on why these were what had my eye. I certainly consider myself fortunate to be able to test these and put them through an entire season of play. I also am someone who loves to hit wedge shots. It’s a strong part of my game and I love being able to be creative around the greens. IMG_7592.mov Why these wedges? I like my Vokey’s, I want to see if there is something better. PING is THE engineering company. They are the early adapters and the innovators…I’ve seen it first hand in Phoenix and I am looking forward to comparing them to my current setup. I loved the early release photos of the S159, notably the higher lofted wedges. What I loved more was the emphasis on better grind options. I stopped by the local shop last week to finally put my eyes on them and ming…they look even better in person. The shape of the top line off the hosel is exactly what I would dream and I am really believing that PING took a lot of TOUR feedback to design a winner…I mean, look at that 50… My Webfit results were about what I had expected. I’m using it as a baseline and made one change. I really wanted to push my comfort level and dig into something that would prevent digging…I’ll get into that when the wedges arrive and I do the unboxing. Among all three clubs, the 50* will continue to be the workhorse. This club for me will be my go-to as it’s been for years. It’s the inside 100 yards club almost exclusively. I’m playing a similar grind to my recommendation so I expect it to perform similarly. I’m going to be hardest on this club because I hit it for almost every full and half shot inside 100 yards. Around the greens I am excited to get into the turf interaction and really put to test how these grinds work for a variety of shots and conditions. My current setup doesn’t give me the most confidence with the 54 and 60 so I have high hopes that opting for a more versatile bounce will give me a better sense of confidence for creativity. We get the weather and the conditions in Rochester. I have high expectations and a very open mind. At work, I like to say often to my crew that the best ideas have to win. Similarly, the best clubs have to win and if these perform anywhere close to as good as they look, it’ll be a pleasant experience. That’s it for now…Stay tuned
    26 points
  28. Good morning all! Back from out kids birthday trip after some fun, skiing, skating, and swimming at the indoor pool. It was a great time and the kids seem to have had a blast. Was still off work yesterday so my son and I got our hair cut and then went for bike ridding where our middle child rocked it and moved up to the pedal bike! I will give a shout out balance bikes, our first two have used them and moving to a pedal bike for both has been very smooth. One odd day of work work today to get a few things done and then dive into another weekend with not much going on, but I am sure we will find something fun to do. Have a great day and weekend everyone!
    26 points
  29. Good morning everyone! After a couple of warm days this week it has decided to turn cold this morning. I'm just hoping it doesn't feel like they're trying to boil us in the plant. It's community call day and I'm sad I won't be able to make it due to a doctor's appointment where I'm going to get them to look at a mole on my head. Keep Mrs Chunks in your thoughts because she's a nervous wreck. I'm glad the weekend is almost here, hopefully I can get some practice time in. I saw some positives in my round last Tuesday and I want to keep the momentum going. I hope y'all have a wonderful day!
    26 points
  30. Morning All, Work day is finally here and after working all of 2 days in the last 2 weeks, it's a weird feeling being back at work. Inventory needs to be done some time this week so I don't have to rush to get it done next week, and since there isn't a lot going on this week it makes it perfect time to do it. Anyway, Hope everyone has a good start to the week.
    25 points
  31. Good morning MGSpies from a hopefully last frosty morning in WNY for the SPRING season (hear that Spring?) Curling was a great time yesterday with my team that's been put together many times (it is recreational therapy and not a league) seemingly outclassed by the other team for most of the 2 hour game but we were all tied with 8 minutes left in the day and just enough time for the last and 6th end. This time we finished strong as the other team seemed to tire and we took it by 3. Like golf it keeps me thinking I will have to play again! Brilliant sunny day that finally broke above freezing which always makes spirits happier. Hope golf is a part of your day! 65
    25 points
  32. Good morning and happy Monday! Another busy work week - heading to SF this morning for meetings with a partner. Absolutely ecstatic to move onto the championship round of the VCT tournament with my partner in crime @Javs as well! Also, happy birthday @Josh Parker!!! Have a great day Spies!!!
    25 points
  33. Erin B

    The Good Morning Thread

    Good morning MGS troops. Need some good vibes and prayers. The spousal unit had to have a biopsy yesterday and she needs good vibes. won’t know anything until tomorrow or Friday. But pretty nervous. She’s a tough lady and we’re hoping for the best. Los poopies wouldn’t leave her side. I think they sense the stress. On a positive note we got to spend time with the kids. Hope you all have a blessed day and if your playing happy birdie hunting!
    25 points
  34. Good morning MGSpies on this week's Community Call Eve with frozen windshields, driveways, and all things outdoors this first full day of Spring in WNY. Like Robert @rkj427 and the rest in MI and the Northeast, we had record highs in the last 2 weeks and winter weather is back like a guest returning for something left behind. Already up on the network on this zero commute day and quick break to scrape wife's vehicle so she could be off to work, and you know, writing here. Counting down the days until summer weather will definitely be here and hope golf is a part of your day! 70
    25 points
  35. Good morning everyone. Busy couple of days ahead with district level meetings, soccer season starting at school (coaching yet another season) and more baseball games for my son. Was able to get an hour in on the putting green after work yesterday to iron out a few wrinkles and I think all I did was expose a couple new ones. But that’s for a different thread. Hope everyone has a great day ahead!
    25 points
  36. Good morning MGS Troops! I’ve lost track of which day it is today. It’s either Thursday or Friday but I don’t know what course we’re playing today. It’s either Palmer or Canyons. Conestoga yesterday was windy! Like 40 mph windy. Hope you all have a great day! Happy Birdie Hunting!
    25 points
  37. Good morning from Las Vegas where I must have brought the Iowa weather with me. Highs in the 50s with rain today are expected for our first soccer game off the tournament. At least it’s conditions that we are used to playing in. The time zone change is definitely messing with me. Woke up at 3:45 (5:45 at home) and am struggling to go back to sleep so here I am on the forum. Did a little sight seeing yesterday by visiting the Hoover Dam. Didn’t take any tours but just walking around and checking things out was impressive enough. Have a great day spies!
    25 points
  38. Morning all! Yesterday was an eventful day with wind gusts at 20 mph on the golf course. However, things turned around on hole 14 (161 yard par 3) when I hit 9i and caught the slope of the green putting it straight in for an ACE. My second ace in the last year! Of course the rest of my day was spent buying drinks at the club and shaking hands haha. I feel like I needed the boost from the ace as I’ve been struggling a bit with my game haha. Have a great one! Oh, and I was using the Snell MTB Prime X that I bought with the MGS discount!
    25 points
  39. Good morning all! Busy day here with a lot going on. Lots going on with the forum as well, just a fun week and looking forward to this weeks community call more than most could imagine!
    25 points
  40. Good morning Spies! I really hope this isn't just a tease, because it's starting to feel and sound like Spring in the morning now too, lots of birds chirping and some dew on the grass. I cannot wait for the golf season to begin here!
    25 points
  41. Good Monday morning to you MGS Troops! Typical weather that we’ve had all last week looks like it’s going to continue here in the real Windy City. Yes Cheyenne is windier than Chicago. Still reminiscing about hockey. It was Zoey’s last game of the season yesterday and they closed out with a win. All in all a good weekend with our elected officials on Friday night and hockey over the weekend. I’m sad I didn’t get to play golf but too much wind and a little snow will do that to you. I hope all of you had a stellar weekend and have a great day today! As Hardy said in The Legend of Bagger Vance, “G*D is happiest when his children are at play.” Make G*D happy and play! If you can’t, don’t work too hard today. Happy Birdie Hunting!!!
    25 points
  42. Good morning Spies! In the gym parking lot about to head in. No coffee as I have not yet found a good place on the way to the gym in our temporary digs. Working hard on my golf swing to cure the casting and over the top caused by my lower body mistakes. Where in the wide world of sports do these issues come from over a winter layoff? It’s like an unknown infestation crawls in from somewhere. Why don’t better habits show up instead? This damned wonderful horrible beloved betraying game. i hope you all have great Mondays and great weeks.
    25 points
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