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Today is my last day before I get started with my new job on Monday. I'm leaving early to maybe get some golf in on what looks like a decent afternoon. Very excited.

A range about an hour from home opened this week! My boys and I got to watch non-virtual golf balls fly through the air.

Busy week, gentleman in the middle is Bruins Hall of Fame goalie Gerry Cheevers [emoji106] Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Very happy with my +4 76 today Greens were punched 10 days ago and winds were gusting around 25mph. G410 was an absolute beast. Had 4 downwind drives (but not downhill) of 331, 341, 337 and 343. My buddy I played with was pretty depressed when he got up to his good drives that were gpsed at 280 and I was 50+ yards passed him. I've never hit a driver like this before.

Back at Dave - but we're guys, how many of us are ever going to ask another guy for help by having them attend the flag? Next thing you know you're going to be telling me to stop at the gas station to ask for directions. Does anyone remember when Seve used to have the flag attended for 10 footers?

Don’t know if you guys care or if it’s appropriate for here (and if it’s not take it down) but I had a good morning doing a little turkey hunting. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Flash is still going DEEP and I like how little curvature there is on my ball now. I'm not used to it not moving left, and I need to adjust my aim a little now. I'm pretty sure I can just take aim dead center and with the weight in the toe the ball will start right and baby draw back towards center. If it doesn't, hopefully at worst I'll be right edge depending on fairway width. I didn't have Arccos up today because it didn't have the correct yardages and par numbers, and I got butthurt and turned it off. Hit 4/6 fairways and one of the misses was a bomb down the left that kicked further left than I think it should've ended. Sent from my Pixel 3 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

Got both my dogs of the truck and they did well with training which makes me very happy

Ahem. That would be me. Reader of My Golf Spy reviews. Not much for posting, but since you asked . . . Virginia grad and fan. 16 handicapper. Currently using an Evenroll #8 putter, but looking forward to trying out the Cleveland HB SOFT #6 with navy and orange accents and a white alignment dot. I will post pictures when it arrives.

Bought a Putt Out practice putting mat and Put Out Pressure Putting Device so that I could continue to practice putting at home during total knee replacement recovery.

I went and played today after work to see if all my range work would reap any benefits. I was only able to play 14 holes, due to having to pick up supper for the family. Fortunately, there's a local course that is under new ownership that has a single price whether you play nine or eighteen. I hit 5/10 fairways and averaged 215 off the tee. For any of you who follow me on Arccos, you know my average drive is around 200. I've struggled with my swing, hitting down on the ball and having several pop up. It took a few holes to really get the handle on what I needed to do, as I had adjusted the loft down to 9.5 to see how that worked out. My shot of the day came on the 250 yard par 4 12th. Keep in mind, I was playing into a 15-20 mph wind. I striped my drive, a nice fade. I landed just short of the green, but this was the closest I've come to driving it. It wasn't my longest drive of the day, but the Epic Flash still got me 221 into a head wind. We're supposed to be getting storms the next few days, so this weekend is pretty much a no go, but I'm really excited about what I'm seeing. Sent from my SM-G955U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

Two positives today. Went out with my nephew who shot a -1 under 35. Just fun watching people play this game right. Second positive was beating the rain and cold that now has overtaken the area Now my score :( . Shot a 53, but the ball striking was really spot on for me. Just a few bad decisions cost me from being mid 40’s imho.Its a marathon not a sprint for improving in this game.But my nephew did say that my short game is horrendous.And my ball striking should easily net me better than what I am.Maybe a new driver or irons might help me a bit?

Which is crazy considering we all use our putters for about 1/3 of our shots. Getting fit can be a game changer and is also eye opening!

... GB the older you get the more you realize you are gonna have days like this ... unfortunately more often than we would like. Those days you just grind out a score. The days when it is all working you go low. But this is the allure of the game, one day it's easy and everything is working. The next day little seems to work and the good players find a way to score. You did that today, so well done!

Yeah...and some people actually work on Saturdays -- not me, mind you -- for me, every day is a day off

Very unhappy with my +5 77. My driving and iron game was... horrible! I only hit 4 fairways and 6 (ugh) greens. I made a decent score by scrambling well and putting great!! My Betti and I are starting to get to know each other better.. Oh yeah, only 24 putts...

Just ran a 75% effort 1.5 mile at 10:38... Need to shave off 45 seconds so I can beat the kids at work Monday. I’ve got 10 years on them all. Only 2 that I’m worried about. A sub 10 will probably put me in 3rd.

Training with live birds? Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

No one likes slow (4.5+) rounds. Its maddening. That being said, and I've seen it a few times in this thread, being courteous to the groups around you is the way to go. Playing the right tee box for your game, and letting the group behind you play through if your group is slow makes this game we enjoy great for everybody. Ready golf is the way to go, if you're not in a tournament situation, and I feel needs to be practiced more.

A very soggy morning in Snohomish, WA. Consistent rain the entire round. I will say that I am absolutely soaked to the bone after finishing 18 holes. No umbrella. Just my Galway Bay gear on for the entire walk on Mandatory Golf Friday. Started the round at 51° F and finished at 55° F... Thank God I did not get the lined pants because I was sweating like a ***** in church. (God bless loves them too!) Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

I’d love to [emoji16]. I’m not a “trophy” hunter. Everything I kill, I eat. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

With the amount of comments I'm reading about the sound it's really making me wonder if I ever hit the middle lol. I really don't think it sounds that loud/bad but I know this is a personal thing. Sent from my Pixel 3 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

Yep... I understand the physics of it. A ball going into a hole with a vertical object protruding out of it is the same no matter what the angle of the hole is. My comment was more from an "aiming/alignment" perspective....will golfers find it easier to read the break with the stick in or out? Personally, I think the pin in for long breaking putts makes it easier to read. There are 2 parts to the discussion - the first part is as you mentioned - the ball physically rolling into the hole at certain speeds and the second part is more theoretical - does it help golfers start their ball on the proper line with the correct speed? I realize it's nearly impossible to test the second part but I think perceptually that does play an important role.

Went to the range late afternoon yesterday to work on playing the ball slighty further back in my stance for more crisp contact, been hitting a little turf before ball lately. The range was packed and I hit for about 20 minutes, going up through the bag until I reached my driver. First swing I absolutely crushed and I hear “that was a beauty, an old one too”. I looked over and the gentleman in the stall next to me was commenting on my M09 persimmon driver. I happened to take my full classic bag yesterday and we proceeded to talk about my woods and my irons, and were soon joined in the conversation by the gentleman in the the stall next to me on the other side. Well, 45 minutes passed talking golf, life, and everything else. So instead of working on my ballstriking I ended up making two new acquaintances, which is great. It’s amazing what great conversation starters the old clubs are. I’ve had so many guys come up to me at the range when they see and hear the persimmon woods. Lots of fun. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If your nephew thinks your ball striking is good enough to score better than you are and your short game is horrendous, then a new driver or irons is not going to help much. Get a short game evaluation and lessons, and work on developing a "feel" for shot around and on the green. It will take time to develop feel, but that's what's needed to score better.

And a bummer for those not involved as they might have passed over for a test opportunity for someone that took the clubs and split. It’s work to do these reviews but sometimes members don’t treat it as such. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Odyssey stroke lab 7s and some Nike Vapor Pro BOA shoes.

I agree with what you have to write but haven’t made myself clear on the 30 footers. I think the optics of the flag in will lead to a closer proximity to the hole not because the ball hits the pin but because the human putter has a better sense of distance. I’d love to see a test done on that. I read the Profs narrative. Based on what he says his data found it’s preposterous to say that the flag out benefits 99 percent of the time or even a majority of the time. I think there are rare occasions where the flag out would benefit - since those are rare and unpredictable I will leave it in. Sorry that I missed Adam’s response - thanks to everyone for providing links. I appreciate reorganizing the threads but it has caused me to loose track of some of them. That’s a me thing not a MGS thing. :) Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Update...I've gotten about 4 rounds outside on my hot metal pros and all I can say is wow. The feeling is out of this world. Nice tight baby draw. Excellent trajectory and a nice tight dispersion. About 5 yards longer than more old rsi2's. The 4 iron is still a love/hate relationship but 5 thru gap have been money. I'm definitely glad I made the switch. Looking to lower the ole handicap a few more notches this year.

This is on my wishlist as well!

We had kinda funny conversation as I had Hartford Whaler season tix and hated the Bruins then. He’s a pretty cool character. Great story teller. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Nope, that’s retired ole fart me. Guy on right works for Buffalo Bills. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

A shame indeed and a bummer for all involved including Cleveland Golf that was so generous in offering us clubs to test and keep. Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

Stage One – Bettinardi SS38 Armlock - 4/15/19 My sincere thanks to MyGolfSpy and Bettinardi Golf for the opportunity to review this Armlock platform. Rather than bore you all over again with my story, I'll just leave this link to my Ping G400 LST review intro from last year - Stage 1 - Ping G400 LST If you'd rather not click through: (the short story) despite a very serious and time intensive approach to the game over the past 25 years, with age and hopefully increasing wisdom, it has become clear that truly having fun on the golf course was both an essential and missing ingredient from my experience. Don't get me wrong, I still _love_ winning, but have discovered it's personally a flawed foundation to build upon when the subject is playing my best golf. If you're interested WITB, my signature is up to date - all have spots for one reason... they work. My body (and life in general) no longer allow me to bang 500 balls a day, so I spend the majority of my time at the short game complex. I really enjoy working on all areas of the short game and my stat lines in that area are typically tidy. But the subject today is putting - more specifically Armlock putting (of which I am insanely curious). What the heck is Armlock putting? I'm glad you asked - it involves using a longish putter intended to take your hands/wrists out of the stroke via a design that intentionally "locks" the handle against your lead forearm. Why do I need an Armlock putter to take those body parts out of the equation? Another excellent question - technically you don't need an Armlock putter to neutralize their potential movement in your stroke...but it makes the task much easier. Why is important to neutralize those body parts? Many people actually don't think it matters much, but I disagree with those folks and I will explain further in Stage 2. I have not always been a good putter. In fact, I used to be a terrible putter or at the very least terribly inconsistent. Through High School my stroke was super handsy, some days it worked fine and others like I had never putted before. The stroke improved greatly in College but it was still pretty sad how close to the hole I was usually thinking "just don't 3-putt". I went through 4 putters over that stretch, all toe hanger blades. In 2004, I was introduced the concept of high-MOI faced balanced mallets. In my case, it was in the form of a center shafted Macgregor Bobby Grace V-Foil M5K GT. And it opened up a whole new world. It's been my gamer ever since, despite going toe-to-toe against 25-30 different face balanced mallets over the past 15 years. The M5K just won't go away. Let's talk a bit more in depth about my stroke - specifically path and face rotation. I adopted a straight back-through path in College. The face opens 1.5 degrees in my back stroke and is typically within 0.5 degrees of square (in relation to line) at impact. I'd say my tempo is somewhere in the middle of the road - not hurried but not really slow either. It's probably a combination of the M5K being a great putter for my tendencies, the experience of gaming it for over a decade and my love for practice, but I do not know anyone that putts better. Last season I played a stretch of 96 holes without a 3-putt. And there are also a few Spies that can additionally attest to the M5K's affinity for dropping bomb after bomb. Alright, thanks for staying through all the background, but I know you really came to hear about the Bettinardi SS 38 Armlock. Mine happens to be 40” long with a 71 degree lie angle and 3 degrees of loft. I say happens to be but those are actually the specs for which I was fit at my local Club Champion. I am of the opinion that being fit for your putter is important. And since this was my first real foray with the Armlock concept, I put myself in Mitch's (Manager - Club Champion Highlands Ranch) capable hands. First we confirmed my stroke stats with the M5K and then started comparing results with the Bettinardi Armlock putters they have in inventory. Almost all of my putters are set up with a 71 degree lie angle and 3 degrees of loft (2 degree of loft at impact is my ideal for USGA qualifier green speeds). At the end of my SAM Puttlab session, I was surprised to learn that my Armlock loft/lie specs were identical to my current gamers (more on why they matched and why I was surprised in Stage 2). Now let's dive into technical aspects of the SS38 Armlock with some putter porn. Bettinardi's packaging is both secure and classy. The deep etched blue cord grip (a Lamkin specialty product) is 15 inches long and feels firm, tacky and of a quality that will last for decades. I think Bettinardi has one of the cooler shaft band labels in the biz and the SS38 head is easy to sole squarely. 303 Stainless Steel is on the hard end of the metal spectrum from which putters are typically made and to soften up the face (and probably also improve the impact sound), Bettinardi milled some seriously deep grooves into the face. The top and face are both a matte gray finish but the polish can still shine back a bit under the right light (read: high noon). The sole is a much higher polish with a classy arrangement and paint fill, as is typical of Bettinardi. It's important to regularly check for cavities and also instructive to see the before/after of the rear cavity view to highlight how Bettinardi bumped up MOI on the relatively compact SS38 mallet. It's not quite face balanced (Mitch called it an eighther - roughly 10 degree toe hang) What does all this mean to me? Well, I'm intrigued but not certain of anything at the moment. Except that I intend to roll at least 200 putts a day on different practice greens (and a lot more dry fires in the living room sans golf ball) until I can conclusively determine what (if any) effect an anchored handle has on my path/face rotation, feel for pace and overall putting stats. In my experience feel -vs- reality can sometimes present an astonishing disparity, so I intend to continue analyzing and updating with video throughout the review process. Thanks again for reading and please reach out in the review thread if you have any specific questions or additional testing requests.

OFFICIAL MGS FORUM REVIEW -BETTINARDI STUDIO STOCK #38 ARMLOCK PUTTER Stage 1 - Tester Introduction 4-15-2019 by GB13 I'd like to start off by thanking MGS and Bettinardi for the wonderful opportunity! I've was super excited to be selected for this test, and want to do my best to give y'all a killer review! INTRO I was lucky enough to do a review on True Golf Fit and Global Golf's U-Try program last year, so if you want to learn a little bit more about me personally, you can check it out here. (These reviews are a great read too, if you haven't checked them out already.) My bag hasn't changed too much since my TGF review. Obviously the Wilson C300 was added, and I also added a Callaway Rogue 3W and removed the Aeroburner 3W. I'm still a 4 handicap who is terribly inconsistent, (although I am improving with some swing changes). If I can get my putter to cooperate, I should be really close to scratch. Anyway, the club we need to focus on is the putter. I currently putt with a PING Sigma G B60 putter. It was 34" and standard lie. It's been in my bag for almost 2 years, and if I hadn't been selected for this test, it could have easily stayed for another 2 years. (Maybe, I'm kind of a club ho...) My putting is really streaky, (read: inconsistent). I usually hit a high number of greens per round (11-13), and end up leaving myself a lot of tough two putts. This puts my average putts around 32-34. In rounds where I miss more greens, my putting average is around 26-28. As you can see my putting stats can be very deceiving, so I wouldn't put too much stock into my putts per round. I'd focus more on whether or not my speed and line improve. While using the B60, I putted left hand low, with a quick tempo, and waaaaay too much wrist hinge. I chose the B60 because it fit my quick tempo and had 40°ish toe hang. I'm hoping to slow down my tempo and remove the wrist hinge with the armlock technique. My putting strategy is pretty aggressive. My goal is normally 2 feet past the hole. However, unfortunately, my goal and my reality is not the same. My speed is inconsistent at best and usually I end up leaving too many putts short. This is usually caused by an off-center hit. Then, later in the round, I overcompensate, hit one out of the center, and hit the putt 10 feet past the hole. To summarize this paragraph, my speed is extremely inconsistent. I usually start the ball on the line I want to. I putt with a line on my golf ball and just align the putter to the line. For me, it really allows me to focus on speed, and treat it like a straight putt. All I have to do is put a good stroke on it. I don't intend to change this with the armlock. What I do hope to change, is that pesky making a good stroke part... I make a lot of putts at 8-10 feet and am extremely confident from the 8-10 foot range. I really struggle with 3-5 footers. I know I should make most of them, but I just don't have the confidence standing over the ball that I'm going to make it. I'd rather have a 10 footer than a 4 footer, that is how bad I am putting from close range. Otherwise, I'd say I'm a pretty average putter from outside 15 all the way out to lags. One of my goals with the armlock is to get some sort of consistency from 3-5 feet, while not compromising the rest of my putting. INITIAL IMPRESSIONS First off, this putter is BEAUTIFUL! Bettinardi did a great job making a visually appealing mid mallet. Mid-Mallets (to me) are usually chunky and just ugly. Bettinardi shortened the heel-toe length and the SS#38 has a surprisingly small footprint. Bettinardi always nails the small details that set their putters above and beyond the competition, and the SS#38 is no exception. From the deep etch grip, to the premium milled face, to the classic graphics on the sole, every part of this putter has a premium feel and look. Now, you'll probably think I'm crazy for adding an entire paragraph for a headcover, but I just need to mention how nice and classy the graphics are. Bettinardi does have a reputation for their limited edition headcovers. I've almost always found their limited run headcovers, obnoxious. Bettinardi has definitely not made an obnoxious headcover here. It is actually quite simple blue with white accents, and an American flag. Super classy. Bettinardi is billing the SS#38 Armlock as "compact mallet with maximum forgiveness and easy alignment..." and having "20% deeper grooves for an even softer feel at impact." Does the SS#38 live up to what Bettinardi says? I'm not convinced yet, but I've only begun to get know my new Betti. I ordered my Betti at 41", 6° of loft, and with a 72° lie angle. The stock model is 40", 5° of loft, and 71° lie angle. I went longer because I'm 6'2". I went with the higher loft because of the armlock technique, which requires a lot of forward press. And, I went with the more upright lie angle, well, because I putt with the shaft more upright. I'm super intrigued by the armlock putting style. It has been gaining a lot of traction on tour, and as we know, our games perfectly mirror tour pros. Kidding aside, I'm really hoping to end up with a more repeatable putting stroke, that can start the ball online with decent speed. I'm trying to grip the putter fairly "conventionally" just with the putter grip/shaft running up my left forearm. After I grip the putter, my goal is to just rock my shoulders. I'm trying to keep it simple, and not over complicate things. So far, my results have been mixed. I've been able to get a great end over end roll, with decent speed, however I'm struggling to get the proper alignment. Not only has the armlock technique opened my shoulders at set up, this putter has a full shaft of offset, and sets up open to my eye. When I first tried the armlock, it was really uncomfortable. This is not a technique that you will have a quick adjustment period to. I've been hitting around 500 putts on my putting green everyday, and about 2 weeks after first receiving my Betti, I'm just starting to get comfortable with my set up. CONCLUSION If you got bored halfway through reading that (heck, I probably would have too), here is the summary: I previously putted left hand low with a PING Sigma G B60. I have a quick tempo and lots of wrist hinge. My speed is inconsistent, but I'm pretty good on hitting my line. I'm looking to improve on my short putts while retaining my performance long putts. Bettinardi created a beautiful premium putter. I'm struggling to adjust to the armlock, but am improving every day. My goals, and what ultimately drove me to switch to armlock are; -Better speed control -Eliminate wrist hinge -Slow down my tempo -Help on short putts -And to MAKE MORE PUTTS If any of the above goals aren't met, it will be tough for me to keep the SS#38 in the bag. As of right now, I'd say the odds are 50/50 that it gets a "permanent" spot in my bag. My testing has come to a screeching halt with this lovely mid-April snowstorm, however, you can expect plenty of updates from me until the stage 2s drop. Again, I'd like to thank Bettinardi and MGS for this opportunity and providing us an place where we can write unbiased reviews! Y'all are awesome!

First and foremost, a huge thank you to both MGS and Bettinardi Golf for providing the opportunity to test and provide feedback for this product. I’m honored to be a part of this test and will strive to provide an honest review that will give the readers more insight to this putter. A bit about me before we delve into the nitty gritty of the putter. I took up golf later in life around the age of 38 after retiring from the US Submarine Service. For some reason, brass frowned on driving a golf ball down the narrow passageways of the sub. I’ve been playing golf for around 30 years now and thoroughly enjoy the game. Until recently, I carried an 8 handicap. Following neck and knee surgeries, my game has slipped quite a bit, as has my handicap, moving up to between 10 and 12. I carry a driver and 3 fairway metals, all TaylorMade M4. My irons consist of custom fit Callaway Apex CF19 6-AW and a 54 and 60 degree Callaway Mack Daddy 4. Since the review is on a putter, I’ll only discuss my putting. I’m currently putting with an Odyssey Stroke Labs 7S putter. Prior to this putter, I was gaming a Taylor Made Tour Spider, both being toe balanced mallet putters and both being found by Club Champion as suitable to my putting stroke. Until going with these putters, I used toe balanced blade putters exclusively. My putting grip is conventional. Over the years, I’ve attempted to adopt other putting styles, including left hand low and various claw grips. None of them felt comfortable and I always returned to a conventional grip. I’ve never been a lights out great putter, but I’ve always felt as if I were a decent putter. My biggest fault putting is not aggressively stroking the putter to get the ball past the hole, preferring to die it in the hole. This method has often left me short or getting more break than I had planned for. I’ve tried to be more aggressive, but have never achieved comfort putting that way. Another fault is that occasionally my left hand will twist counter clockwise, closing the face at impact. Having said all of my, I stand over putts fairly confident on short putts from tap in to 6 feet out. On putts 6-15 feet, I feel confident that my line and distance control will leave me a tap in. As I get further out than 25 feet, I’m far less confident in my distance control and have a tendency to get further off line when taking longer strokes. Perhaps this armlock putter will be the answer these issues. Now on to the more important matters – the gear I and others will be testing and reviewing -- the Bettinardi Studio Stock 38 Armlock putter. The specs from the website list it at weighing 400 grams made of 303 stainless steel. It is face milled and comes with a custom 15 inch Lamkin grip. They further describe it as a compact mallet with maximum forgiveness and easy alignment with 20% deeper groves for a softer feel at impact. It comes in a hand polished platinum finish with a sharp sapphire blue paint scheme. They offer a number of fit options regarding length, lie, and loft. I opted to go with standard length of 40 inches, standard lie of 71 degrees, but I wanted a more lofted face and chose to go with 7 degrees of loft. It was suggested that length should hit your forearm 2 inches below your elbow. My reasoning to go with more loft was to overcome any forward shaft lean at impact while still providing 3-4 degrees of loft. From reading, the amount of forward lean is significantly affected by ball position. MSRP is a hefty $450. First Impressions! From the custom Lamkin blue grip with white lettering to the polished head, it is a good looking putter. It is a face balanced putter and it feels well balanced in the hand. The grip has a very nice texture to it, but isn’t too rough on the hand. At address, as you look down on the putter head, you see a duller matte finish to minimize glare. The compact mallet head has a single alignment line on the body of the mallet, leaving the top line of the putter void of markings. The design of the head also has a stepped build that also acts as a ball centering aid. The face has a blue logo on the heel of the putter and the center is adorned with grooves. As you look down at the putter, you notice the added loft but once you press the grip against your lead arm, the effective loft is offset by the forward shaft lean. While the head cover is attractive, it is a very tight fit on the putter and uses a Velcro closure at the heel. Personally, I would have preferred to see a mallet style cover with magnetic closure. I’ve been out on the putting green with it a few times and I have to say that it’s an awkward feeling to get used to putting with this style putter. After adjusting ball position and how far down the shaft to grip, I believe I’ve found the most comfortable position that is delivering somewhat consistent results. While it’s rolling the ball nicely and I’m controlling distance fairly well, I’m finding it difficult to align, mainly because of the forward shaft lean and the way my eyes want to set over it. Thank you for the opportunity to review this putter. Feel free to ask any questions and I’ll do my best to give you my thoughts on that. Below are a couple of links to videos (no Oscars for them) 20190412_123900 by Carl Harsch, on Flickr 20190412_124913 by Carl Harsch, on Flickr

I want to first start off by thanking Bettinardi and MyGolfSpy for this opportunity to test this beautiful putter and this style that is rapidly gaining traction on tour. Now let me tell you a little bit about me and my game. I am a scratch golfer and I play 6-8 times per month and also practice 2-3 days per week. I play all types of courses in the San Diego area. I played one year of Division 2 college golf before deciding that college just wasn't for me. Something about not having to go to class just sounded so good. I was young and dumb back then but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I tried some small mini tours and did well until I injured my back which it was only recently that I found out was caused by a birth defect in my spine the lead to scoliosis. Now I play competitive golf on the Veterans Golf Association Tour as well as USGA and SCGA events. I am currently prepping to try out for the All Navy Golf Team Tryouts in mid-May. In southern California we have a vast array of types of course I play. I have a few that are by the ocean and typically softer and shorter. Then I have a few desert style firm and fast courses that I can play also. The one thing nearly all of them have in common is Poa greens. A few have bent greens but most are that scary Poa Annua they talk about on Tour. The green speed can vary greatly also from 9-13. I tend to play the Military course as they save me a good amount of money on greens fees. They are all good course nothing to challenging but they have all drastically improved their greens over the last year. A little about my game and how I attack the course. I have been a bomb and gouge guy most of my life. I competed in long drive 9-10 years ago and I was pretty long for a guy who could reasonably control the direction with the driver. After several injuries to my back and a ruptured Achilles that I never fully recovered from I focus on iron and wedge play. I still have a club head speed between 115-122 depending on how hard I want to go at it. I have always felt like I have been a pretty good putter but like most golfers I am always searching for that lightening in a bottle. I have been extremely happy with my current putter after I did a putter fitting but this arm-lock style makes so much sense to me that I have been itching to try it. It’s that constant pursuit of perfection or uncontrollable urge to get better that makes me love the game. I love that I can control how good I can be by putting more time and effort into my game. The other part is that as a golfer you have an automatic connection with any golfer regardless of their skill level. All golfers understand each other. You step on the first tee with 3 complete strangers and by the end of the round you have a very good understanding of each person and who they are. The thing all Spies want to know the most is the WITB. Most of us are gear heads and that’s likely why we are here. Driver: Cobra F9 Yellow 9* 2G forward 18G back Accra TZ5 65 M5 tipped 3/4” plays 44.75 3 Wood: PXG 0341 15* set 1.5* lower HZRDUS Yellow 76 6.5 tipped 1.5” plays 42.75 Irons: Ben Hogan FT Worth Black or new PTx Pro both have KBS Tour V 120X shafts standard length 2* flat Wedges: Ben Hogan Equalizer 50, 55, 60 KBS Tour V shafts Putter: PXG Mini Gunboat H/Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Buttonback both have the P2 Aware Tour grip at 34.5 http:// This is a putter review so let’s talk about my putting. I have a medium arc stroke but that is largely influenced by the type of putter I use. I have a slower more controlled putting stoke also. The studies with blast Motion and other types of measuring devices show a 2 to 1 stroke pace is best specifically 0.6 seconds on the back stroke and 0.3 seconds to impact. I have tried to replicate this in practice but it just doesn’t work for me, I struggle with distance control. My slower tempo is also why I prefer to die the ball in the hole. I am looking for 8-14” past the hole as my target pace. My typical miss is low side on longer putts and a push on shorter putts as I sometimes steer the ball and not release the putter face. I am extremely confident inside 10ft I feel like I am going to make every putt. I am also a very good lag putter, I rarely 3-putt due to a bad first putt. First Impressions Enough about me let’s talk about the reason you are all here the Bettinardi BB38 Arm-Lock putter I chose to go with 40.5” 5 degrees of loft and 2* flat lie angle. The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was the beautiful finish and blue paint fill. The headcover is fantastic looking and fits perfectly, the quality of the cover is probably the best of any OEM in a stock offering. The grip is a really nice corded grip that is the perfect size in the hands in my opinion but it’s not perfect. The head shape is very clean and the lines are beautiful, aesthetically its very pleasing. The 400-gram head weight and 40.5” length create a really balanced feel. Everything about this putter screams high quality. They claim that the arm-lock style helps create a more pendulum motion and eliminates the hands in the stroke. To me this style is for people that are not the best putters and becomes more of a band aid. After some quick testing the putter feels great but this style is very uncomfortable at first. I was able to get used to the feeling and roll in a few putts. But this putter will have to show a noticeable improvement in my putting for me to make the permanent switch. Will the improvements out-weigh the uncomfortable feeling over the ball? Will I make enough putts to get over the embarrassment of using an arm-lock style putter? These are some big questions I will answer in my stage 2.

Which leads to one more disadvantage of leaving the stick in -- the ball's harder to get out and for those of you using the suction cup on the putter grip, it's impossible....hahahaha

People do seem to have differing thoughts when it comes to putters. We see get fit for every club in the bag except putter, that is strictly based on looks, feel, and/or confidence ; or the putting stroke is too small for technology to help; or X professional doesn't use putter tech so it doesn't matter.

Heck us old farts have been leaving it in since 1962 plus we don't like bending over to pick the damn thing up!

Tomorrow is Saturday..

You teach em how to track a rabbit or tree a coon huh? Good job!

Yep. I think he’s good as he once was. It will be a feat for sure. But if there is anyone that can do it... it’s Tiger. He’s fragile, 40 something, but man he’s got game. But I’d wager that he is in as good of physical shape in a long time, and probably could out bench half the tour. Tiger vs the majority of the guys out there? I’d take Tiger over them all. Anyone in the Top 20 will be challenging and always were. But I’d still pick him even at 43 years old. [emoji3]

I haven't been technically cleared by my doctor yet. But dont tell him ..... I've been swinging in my back yard and hitting balls the last couple weeks. I played my first round two weeks ago, without PAIN! I'm thrilled beyond words. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Snuck out on the range.... Got the irons working. Got the pull fade down pat. Jason Day height 3 iron fades. The push draw needs work. Over all I’ll give the irons 90% grade. Wedges I must be getting a little hands cause they are launching higher than I’d like. 75% Woods.... I’d rather not talk about. 5% or less. I hate the driver, and 3 wood. Always have.

That's a Hall of Fame career right there and it illustrates my point perfectly. No one has come close to doing this before after the age of 40. But of course people who are the greatest or close to the greatest do things that no one has ever done before so again if anyone is going to do this it's Tiger. I believe Jack is the only one to have won three majors after the age of 40 and he had a top 10 in the Masters after the age of 50. This is a great Major year for Tiger with Bethpage and Pebble up next. I think he's pretty comfortable at those places.

I don't know how old you are but I'm guessing late 20's, early 30's so you don't remember Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzke. I love your post! I saw Jack and he was my man as a kid/young adult so that's why my preference remains with him. I do wish he would keep his mouth shut about the ball. He may think golf has become too easy but I certainly don't. It seems to get harder and harder the older that I get. Tiger is great, what he has done is incredible. It will be tough to hammer out those last three or four - think about it - three or four more majors is going to mean 5 to 8 more regular tour events or a Hall of Fame career all by itself all after the age of 42. If there's anyone who could do that it is him.

I believe you're right, that the flagstick improves depth perception, and so improves speed control, for a majority of players. I think that advantage will get some attention, due to the attention the flagstick is getting in light of the rule changes, but we've always been able to get that same advantage by having the flag tended.

I'm enjoying the info coming out of this group! Keep up the great work guys.....

... Before any comment about irons, the ball has changed radically. It was so much easier to shape shots with a MB and a balata ball. In all honesty hitting a straight shot was dam near impossible as everything curved some because Balata balls spun like crazy. One of the reasons Nicklaus always said find a shot shape and increase the size of the fairway. Hitting down the center you have 50% of the fairway on either side for error, but hitting a fade or draw down one side and curving it back you have 100% fairway to work with. Same with an iron shot into a green. I played a draw back then and every shot was a draw to some degree. Fast forward to todays ball and everything changed. ... Nothing more frustrating than hitting a fade/draw that goes straight and todays clubs and balls really want to go straight. So forgiveness is your friend, producing high straight irons shots. I would guess todays players iron is more forgiving than perimeter weighted GI irons of yesteryear. So much technology packed into thin top lines, mid narrow soles and mid to shorter blade lengths. If you are a good ball striker with a repeatable swing there just is little need to go to a GI or SGI iron. One of my favorite current sets is the Cobra Forged Tour. I played the Amp Forged and Fly Z+ as well so very familiar with these irons. They have a very thin top line that appeals to my eye, a mid-narrow sole and a mid size blade length. They are both forgiving and very accurate providing exactly the forgiveness playability combo to best suit my game. ... Then there are those that do not have repeatable swings and make contact all over the face, and this is where SGI and some GI irons can really help. I have said this a million times but I believe if you are looking to shoot your lowest score, every golfer should play the most forgiving irons they can effectively play. This means very different things to different skill levels. Golf is about managing your worst shots, not playing your best shots. Only you know how bad those misses are and what irons give you the best chance of combining your worst and your best shots in one iron. I will never understand current players switching to MB's. I understand those that have played MB's and feel uncomfortable moving to something that doesn't suit their eye or their sense of feel. This is about shooting your lowest score and as others have stated, there are other reasons to play this game. If MB's increase your enjoyment on the course there is nothing wrong with playing them or any other iron that you enjoy playing.