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Better. Better than usual. Played a 9-hole Par 3 where each hole is a scaled-down recreation of a famous Par 3; eg. #12 at Augusta and that "Island Hole" at TPC Sawgrass. From the middle tees holes range from 95-100 yds (flat) to 140 yds (uphill), so great iron and wedge practice. First two holes hit the green both times and almost sank the first putts to get two "easy" pars. Just ahead of me was a group of two men and two boys; no one behind me so I did a little extra putting practice on the #2 green to let them go ... then I look up to see them waving at me to come up and play through, "We're playing very slowly and practicing - go ahead" .. so as I walk to the tee I remark: "Don't watch - I usually make a mess of this hole!" ..which I did. Now #3 there is the Augusta #12 and i-dunno-know-why but 9 times out of 10 this one 'gets in my head'... Topped/pulled the tee shot, thought it was gonna land safely left of the pond but .. yep, it rolled right in... Take a drop, put a wedge on the back of the ball and .. watch it plunk! right into the middle of the pond..... Not wanting to embarrass myself too much further - and to let that group finally continue their game - I just muttered to myself "Practice Round!!" and walked in shame to the next tee........ Missed the next green but got up and down for another par; did the same on #5; hit the green on #6 and two-putted for par; on #7 .. the shortest hole .. pushed the tee shot into the right-side bunker, got in there to find the sand very firm so made a pitch type swing, caught it clean but landed it a little too far onto the green and it rolled out to the far side .. but .. fairly flat green and I sunk the comeback putt for a sand save! Whoo-hoo! #8 was into the wind, has a two-tiered green, the pin was on the back tier so I aimed a little into the windward side and long .. thought I'd hit the right side of the upper tier but got up there to find my ball way behind the pin and a short ways into the rough. Make a decent chip-pitch back but again landed it just a little deep past my "spot" and watch it roll close past the pin but still heading towards the crest at the front of this upper tier .. and it drops off steeply! .. so I'm like "Nice ball .. good ball .. stop there..." .. and I got lucky, I guess, as the ball actually listened to me this time. Juuuusst missed that comeback putt .. right line, decent stroke but just a touch firm as it danced around the edge of the cup but rolled out ... two putt for bogey. #9 is that Island Hole, was about 115 today also into the wind; tee shot was going high and straight but .. maybe a little too high? .. got hung up and came down on the bulkhead wall and bounced backwards into the pond... In hindsight I shudda gone to the drop zone but re-tee'ed only to push it out to the right... Made bogey on the second ball but plus the penalty for a triple. So... 6 pars (yea), 1 decent enough bogey, that closing triple and then that 1, ummm, "meltdown" hole (boo). More solid shots than not today and felt like I followed my pre-shot process fairly well.

- 82 (+10) - 11/14 FIR (!!!) - 5/18 GIR (2 birdies) - 30 Putts (12 2-putts, 6 1-putts) - 2:30 Round Time MOST. FUN. ROUND. OF. YEAR. PERIOD. Apologies for the caps. It's been a rough two weeks both golf and not golf related. Instead of playing the course where I'm a member and always play, I decided I needed a change of scenery and visited a course about 35 minutes away from me. I had not played the course previously, but it was in great shape and a steal of a deal for $22 for 18 and cart. All bentgrass tees, fairways and greens, too. I think playing a new course helped both to make me focus on hitting shots and also to relax more. Because I didn't know the course at all I wasn't trying to play it, "like I have in the past," which has been my downfall lately. I had been getting angry/upset with poor shots because I knew I had done better in the past. Epic Flash was on fire . I made a small change to my setup by adding more secondary axis tilt at address and it made a huge difference. I missed three fairways, but only one miss put me in any sort of trouble. The course was very open and very windy, which made for some really tough conditions. Rolled in a 15 footer for birdie on No. 1 and on No. 17 I hit a 30 foot big left to right breaker for another. Honestly, this round made me feel even better than my 79 a few weeks ago. To go out there and just play loose again was an amazing feeling.

Got to the course this morning and my wife and I were just a twosome today. The proshop said that one of the juniors was supposed to caddie today but her teaching pro forgot to set it up. Seems like it's part of their training. So, since we were just a twosome, he asked if we would let her "caddie" for us. We said fine. She was sweet, but there wasn't a whole lot for her to do. We were riding in a cart and she walked, so my wife walked all 18 holes with her. They talked and talked and talked and talked and talked.... and talked. She fixed a few pitch marks, lasered the pin occasionally, cleaned my wife's clubs and put them back in the bag, but we leave the pin in the hole, so she didn't have to pull it. She did keep score for us, and we had to sign it so she could turn it in to her teaching pro. Oh yeah, I shot 78; couldn't make a putt over 5 feet.

par par par NINE SEVEN EIGHT It was as if I was possessed by the original me when I had my first ever game!! /That is all

- 80 (+8) - 4/15 FIR - 8/18 GIR (1 birdie) - 34 Putts (2 3-putts, 12 2-putts, 4 1-putts) - 3:00 Round Time Back at my home course this morning and had another great round for me. Sadly my putting kind of fell off on the last four holes, with the three-putts coming on 15 and 18 and costing me my second-ever sub-80 round. It's OK - the course gave me two very generous bounces today in my favor that saved me at least three strokes. Didn't find as many fairways but wasn't far off them. Need to post an update in the Epic Flash thread because it's been money for me with my "rediscovered" driver swing.

Best round I have played in a while 38/37 - 75. I wish I had kept my stats; felt like I hit lots of fairways and most of the greens. when I missed greens, I was able to effectively execute short game shots. Basically just played within myself and used the results of my gap testing to pick clubs. Had a laminated sheet with all the clubs and distances and referred to it when picking a club; really helped from 100 and in. Struggled a bit with the putter in the 4/5 foot range but I'll say that was a result of aerated greens.

Well, I have been experimenting this week with mixed bag: Driver: Callaway Rogue 3W & 5W: PowerBilt Air Force One 4H: Tour Edge CBX119 22* 5-8 iron: PowerBilt Air Force One (graphite shafts) 41/45/49/53/57 Wedges: SCOR (steel shafts) Putter: Friday: Ping Ketsch.....Sat&Sun: Evnroll E6 3 rounds at Pebble Creek(my home club): Friday: 41/45:86.....one Birdie Saturday: 40/47:87...one Birdie Sunday: 40/46/86...two Birdies My current handicap is 17, so the rounds are pretty good. But I know I can do better. Dilemma: Do I stay with the mixed bag or do Ig9 back to either the Cobra F8’s or Hogan Ptx’s. The plethora of birdies says that using steel shafts for my scoring clubs may be helping. They may be more accurate than the Recoil graphite shafts. In the near future I have one week in Hilton Head(annual trip) then our Fall 2 day tourney in mid October. The reason I switched out my bag was I have been having major issues with Arccos and my iWatch(Series 3). It seems that after about 12 holes, the system fails to advance to the next hole, putting all the shots on one Hole. Have spoken at length with Arccos and am waiting for their reply. Back to my bag....should I stick with consistent play(3 rounds) or should I put the Cobras or Hogans back in play. Next to last round before I took a week off was a 78 with the Hogans. Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

Been about a month since my last update, and the Epic Flash continues to help my game. I really started struggling with the driver a few weeks ago, but after making a small swing change (more secondary axis tilt at address) I've been much more accurate and longer the past few rounds. My trending unofficial handicap continues to fall, now sitting around 11, and during the last three rounds I've been better off the tee than the average 5 handicap according to GAME Golf. I cannot get past the forgiveness and length of this driver. Last night's round was played on a course carved out of an old apple orchard, very open and very windy. A few drives caught nice tailwinds and I ended up with five drives over 250 yards, with two of those drives topping 275 total. During this morning's round I had five drives of 260 yards or longer. Coming from someone who had rarely seen 240 before this year, I'm still in awe of this club. The shot that stuck out most to me this morning was my drive on No. 13, a 330-yard par 4. I mis-hit the ball high on the club face and toward the toe. Not only did the ball stay right near the fairway, it still traveled 249 yards despite basically falling straight down from the sky, leaving me a wedge into the green. I stuck my 54 degree wedge to three feet and birdied the hole. The forgiveness is silly.

I was fitted by a TrackMan Certified Master Fitter today at Carls Golfland in Bloomfield Hills Michigan by Ryan Johnson. Considering I've been playing the game nearly 55 years I think I learned as much today and I ever have. First my 15 year old Bridgestone J-36 irons (which I LOVED) with Project X 6.0 Rifle shafts Just aren't for a mature swinger. I can't flex them anymore. Tested with 7 iron. I hit Ping G-410, (Very nice hit, good consistency, accurate. My first choice until... Taylor Made M-6 Lots of vibration felt through my hands. Honma P747. Excellent fit and feel Everything felt and looked great except spin rate too low. Cobra King F9. Didn't please my eye and didn't feel right. Finally what I though I would NOT like, the Titleist T300. WOW! Couldn't even feel the ball off the face. A nice "click" and the ball was gone. Very tight group. With the AMT Black R300 shafts I increased my ball speed 10mph and gained from123.1yds to141.3yds yards carry. Smash factor from 1.21 to 1.33 Spins and angles all good. For an older gent like me I enjoyed the increased speed and distance but MORE IMPORTANTLY the tight grouping and consistent distances. Now I can adjust my club selection with confidence instead of guessing as with my old set. Just my 13 cents worth of contribution to the forums. I'll be happy to answer Q's if anybody has any. May I add. Mr. Ryan Johnson did not assume anything when we met as some in the industry do. See my age assume my swing. He took his time. Evaluated every aspect and not only made recommendations but allowed me the time to hit and self evaluate along with the numbers. Very pleased with Carl's over my years of buying equipment, shoes and apparel.

I have been a lifelong NFL fan and would watch every game I could. The shine has now worn off. Years ago I watched something on Jim Otto well after he retired. Hearing him talk about the punishment his body endured and seeing footage off him just trying to get out of bed was sad to watch. Easy at the time to think he knew what he signed up for. Now that has completely changed for me with CTE issues. Every time I see a player retire early I am happy for him. Every time I see NFL lip service to concussion protocols I get angry at the commissioners office and the owners. NFL players are lower paid and have shorter careers than other major sports like baseball and basketball. Even hockey has guaranteed contracts. Why shouldn’t players sit out until they are paid what they are worth? Why shouldn’t they get more guaranteed money? Team owners will use them up and toss them away without a second thought. Players need to get everything they can to last them the rest of their lives, they know they can’t rely on the NFL or their ineffective union to help protect them. I expect the NFL will go the way of boxing. A slow decline as the puppeteers in charge destroy and then start running out of its human assets.

I walk with a cane. The idea of my playing golf has become so implausible--ridiculous, actually--that finally, after a pretty long time, I don't think about it anymore. I loved playing the game at one time...really loved it. Then came the metal spike ban and the modern equipment. And the sudden bitching about slow play when I was never in a hurry playing golf. I still enjoyed playing, but give me something to complain about and that's mother's milk to me. (If you don't believe that, explore my posts on other venues. You know what's been going on.) Not being able to play but still thinking about it a lot made me a perpetual motion complainer, though. I bitched and bitched and bitched about a game that I couldn't even play anymore! But now it's gone away. My only thoughts about golf, when they infrequently come, are memories of playing with my friends and my uncles and those few but memorable times when my dad took a shot at it. His swing was a manifestation of terrifying violence, bless his soul. You had to see it. The Red Sox pitching staff kicked me in the balls this year, but it's time to make this football season a Stairway to Seven...Lombardi Trophies, that is. I think the Kraft-Belichick-Brady Triumvirate may have one more middle finger salute for half of Connecticut and the other 44 non New England states (although we're all patriots, after all). The defense looks good, and even at 42, and without the magnificent Gronk, Mr Brady is still the GOAT. I personally saw Ted Williams put up a 1.096 OPS as he glided toward his 43rd birthday. So one more, please, and then I'll forget about football, too. [As an aside, do you know how young 42 sounds to me? Our baby, our littlest, is 42. She looks like a teenager.] Hell, I should be looking at urns at this point. I'm thinking old school brass. Opinions? Anyway, hi. I miss you guys. You're a great group with whom to share venting. Yours always, Nifty

73 7/14 fir 11/18 gir 31 putts Not pretty but effective. 3rd straight 73. All different varieties to get to that score but consistent scoring nonetheless. I will take that.

My club has the best practice facility - which my friend Dennis and I hit today - we then played 2,3,8,18 in - I was even. It also has a great 19th hole - 8 dollar martini’s with this view. I hit it very well on the range and for those 4 holes. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

No use arguing with trolls who will fight with no actual facts. Gotta love the internet

At long last, following a summer of testing, my review is up for your consumption: This is a beta test for a new review format for 2020. One combined post that's easier to consume with steady discussion throughout. Open to any comments you may have....and of course, any questions about G410+. Thanks for reading.

LOL'ING!!!

Great results - sounds like it's the right driver for you!

Playing OGA this Thursday. I will check it out. Im 52 and can play the tips at most places but prefer not to as its not fun for me to hit driver and longer irons every par 4. It's not even always the distance that gets me from the tips, its the narrow chutes to find the fairways on many boxes. I play with a guy who is 69 and was a 4 hdcp but is up to a 12 or so. I give him strokes when we play the same box. When he moves up we play straight up and its a much more enjoyable game for him. When the wet Oregon weather arrives, I will probably move up a box as it creates similar approaches for once it dries out.

9 ball test with 3 trajectories and shapes... Nailed it with the 7 iron and then decided to try it with a 2H which didn't work nearly as well.

Abracadabra...and he said unto them ‘Let their be dogleg Left’

My Stage 1 is up. Click HERE to read

2 double bogeys on the front nine and shoot 2 over (38) followed by an even par backside for a sweet 74. 12 pars, 3 birdies, a bogey and 2 doubles. Played 6-6-6 game today (aggregate score net) and I was on the losing end of that deal! Lost 2 of the 3 matches, pushing the third.

It is exhausting to read though. This thread is 15 minutes of my life, I'll never get back

Most of the time they catch it before anyone logs on

Worked on the 5 iron low punch. Need that to get out of the trees. Yesterday at the range I was either shanking or topping it. In the backyard, with plastic balls, concentrated on rotating with the shoulders and not takeaway with the hands. Much better results. Ready for my golf trip now

I was communicating via email with the VP of Sales for Graphite Design regarding shafts after I had sent him some TrackMan numbers from a couple fittings. During the conversation he mentioned a website I could go to where one can order shafts to “rent” and they are equipped with the OEM tips. I got on the site, and it’s $35 for a 7-day rental! Sweet! Now I can try the shafts recommended, and then buy after seeing if they work for me. So cool! The website is Shaft Shack. Here’s the link: https://www.shaftshack.com Once I’m back from training in California, I’m going to order two shafts. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

... I have spoken with Srixon's VP of Marketing and their golf ball engineers so I do know Srixon has complete control of their manufacturing process. And far from "knowing a guy, who knows a guy who heard something" I have heard from a few in the industry that told me in confidence any catalog order is just that, ordering an existing product with no input on anything. ... The above said, this is much ado about nothing imo. Pick whatever ball you want, pay what you like and play some golf. For me, it isn't worth it to take a chance on a ball that might cost me a few strokes so I avoid DTC balls other than Snell who has a proven pedigree.

To me it doesn’t matter where one plays if they are enjoying themselves. For some that may be shooting low scores, others it may be testing their abilities at a longer distance or whatever gives them joy while being out. the problem is when a group is slowing down the course and that can happen at any distance. Course setup plays a role as much as just some golfers are slow no matter what tees they play from.

Still have to listen to that... But wanted to mention I've been playing Par 3s a bunch this season; the courses are more than pitch & putts so you still have to make good golf shots to hit the greens, or else to get up and down. It's great practice - even while you're playing golf - and has definitely helped me get better with the irons and wedges.

Once a cheat, always a cheat. A leopard does not change its spots.

Just keep hoodie and his henchmen away from recording devices.

Wait !!! is ther next hole a dogleg left - one that can actually favor a lefty???

Planning the parade route now... 8-8... hahaha hahaha... that's a good one. The acquisition of Brown moved the Patriots past the Kansas City Chiefs and into the role of Super Bowl favorites. The Patriots went from 6-1 to 4-1 to win the Super Bowl, per Caesars Sportsbook. The Chiefs are 6-1. New England's updated win total moved from 11 to 11.5, per Caesars.

Thank god Bob Kraft had paid off the refs in that game so they could win. And also paid off Donovan McNabb to choke and throw picks to Rodney Harrison. And to also pay off the Falcons coaching staff to blow it. Oh and also paid off Pete Carroll too so he wouldn’t call a running play. Good thing he’s got an “in” with the league so he could steal AB from the Raiders. Cause the NFL never comes down on the Patriots and lets them do whatever they want, whenever they want. Obviously. Totally the only reason they have 6 rings in 18 years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That tuck rule play still burns hard....

Once upon a time in Lefty land...

Julio Jones with less talent and proving he is a team guy just got $66M guaranteed. That is double what he just pissed away. Not sure how your math works but mine tells me he is pissing money away. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Already thinking about getting rid of the Callys I just got and just going with something tried and true like some G25s. The XRs just don't feel "right" to me. This damn tennis elbow sucks, need to find something that'll work with my swing and my stupid arm.

Worked on grip, tempo, sequencing, lag, release, alignment. Just hitting 60-70 yard wedges. Mostly focused on using a half or 2/3 backswing and a very full follow through, which when put together help you to really delay your release so you get that sidearm skipping stone throw feeling. When I get it right it feels like Freddy Couples looks, like I’m just throwing the club to the target and oh there the ball goes too! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just hate the AB thing as a guy that played D1 football and always tried to play the game right. My old man told me if you could walk away when you were done and your teammates said you played hard and played right that was the best that you could do. 20 years later the guys I played with always said I played hard and played right and glad that is my legacy. I would have played in the league for a decade at the veteran minimum had I had the talent. Kills me to watch a guy that has more talent in his pinky toe than I had in my entire body just p!ss it away. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting day at the range. Everything went left. My draw from last session is now a hook. Distance is there, but taking off mid flight on a hard dive left is unexpected. Also, can’t work the fade anymore... More trial and error coming up. Going to try a little less tilt away from the ball and a slightly weaker right hand.

Went to the driving range to continue working on getting the right elbow in-place, and took my first swings with the new Flash SZ. I then spent 30 minutes on the putting green using a new hand placement, and it seemed to work well. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Definitely. I’ve played with 70 year olds that are still players and can handle the longer yardage. I’m not one of them. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Great post; This process is “encouraged” in The Villages. The teaching Pros I know, local News Paper and Starter Shacks has this posted. We have WAY too many guys who believe they’re the 30 year old studs from 49 years ago. Our golf groups have adopted this type of thinking and has somewhat worked. There’s always that 10% that want to play poorly from the tips instead of decently from the proper yardage. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

I wish people who post pics would learn to keep their 'plates of meat' out the picture

@Kevin E, this happens to most, if not all, of us. When it happens to me it usually creeps up on me over a couple of increasingly erratic rounds. Then it dawns on me what is happening (usually old bad habits sneaking back in and exagerating my natural out-to-in path by not rotating my body enough), so i can then work on getting back to trying to do it properly. Going back to basics is the way to go for me too.

Hi. I.m Louise. I was very pleased to have been chosen to test the Wilson D7s. Especially since they included two women golfers in the testing. I didn't pick up golf until I was 43, but managed to win my first club championship 2 1/2 years later at Dallas CC. I have since won 12 more spread over 4 different clubs. 2 in Dallas and 2 in Calif. I am currently a 9 hdcp but have been as low as a 5. I am having a foot issue so I haven't been able to play a full round with the D7s yet, but I have hit them on the range a couple of times and am very pleased with the results. When I initially did the challenge with my Cleveland men's length Apex 7 iron, I was amazed that the women's clubs actually went farther and had better numbers than my club. And I have always played with men's clubs, although I' did try women's Pings a few years ago and did not like them. The D7s practically hit themselves. They feel really well balanced and look great at address. Hopefully my Achilles heel bone spur will be under control enough to really put them to the test and see where the numbers go. I am very very optimistic that these are gamers. And they sure are pretty!!

Why So Late? What’s up fellow spies? Well I know my Stage 1 is late, but I have a very good excuse. My name is Joe and I am in the Navy out of Jacksonville Florida. We left port to go out for Naval exercises and then got extended by 5 days and of course there was this huge hurricane Dorian coming up from the Bahamas so we couldn’t pull back in. We had to go up to Virginia for a few days then around the storm back to Mayport. The video below is what we went through trying to make it home. Needless to say my wife and 6 kids evacuated to Pensacola Florida while I was away. Sorry its sideways. Sorry couldn't figure out how to embed here...just follow the link and enjoy the show. https://www.facebook.com/100008543405169/videos/2080569485571145/ So as you can see I have had a rough few weeks. I have been playing golf since age 15. I only got serious about the game a couple of years ago when I was playing every week and got fitted into some Ping I200 irons. I love the game. It’s the ultimate challenge each day trying to stay focused and play the correct shot. To me it is a huge test of patience and perseverance and those two qualities don’t come easy to me. It’s amazing to me that every round can be so different, one aspect of my game can work perfectly while the others fall apart. My Game I have a 10 handicap right now and it has been trending upward for the past year. I am not sure what happened but being on a Navy ship hasn’t given me much time to play and practice and my game is suffering. I have played with Cobra Forged Tec One Length irons for about a year and even though my accuracy has greatly improved with these in the bag my distance has decreased way too much. I am getting older and my swing speed has started to decrease. Last year I won the Cobra Connect Challenge and got fitted into the One Length irons. Right now my 150 yard club is my 7 iron and I have about 10 yards between each club which makes club selection easier but when you hit your 4 and 5 iron both 170 well golf can be frustrating. My current ball flight is a tiny draw which I like and I can hit the ball high or low with no issues. I always aim for the middle of the green unless I have the perfect wedge distance in so I am looking for a combination of distance and forgiveness in my irons. Wilson D7 Challenge I have to admit I have never played with game improvement or super game improvement irons. I have always gravitated toward the players irons because of the look. I took the D7 challenge and I got some amazing distance and accuracy gains from the Wilson D7 irons. My D7 7 iron increased 14 yards and 5 iron increased a whopping 24 yards! I shared my experience on the forum and didn’t think much of it at the time. I surely didn’t expect to get selected to test these irons. I am grateful to say the least. It seems like the moderators really pick the perfect testers because I have been considering SGI irons and my game was suffering. I am sure there are alot of spies out there that have always played players irons and have considered making the switch so I hope to help them with this decision. The Tech So let’s talk about the technology in these irons! There is RE•AKT Technology that is supposed to improve power translating to greater ball speed. The long irons have power holes, in fact three rows of them and a thinner face to maximize distance. As you move down the bag the weighting is optimized and the power holes are decreased leading to precise distance control. I think so far I believe that their claims are justified. I have shortened my swing a lot in the past year and have seen better accuracy but less distance. Well my initial testing has confirmed Wilson’s claim as I still have the same accuracy but my distance has increased unbelievably. If these irons continue to do what the are doing then I will have to rethink my bag entirely. Maybe a hybrid or two will get knocked out of my bag and I may need to add another wedge. Here is the 4 iron with the 3 rows of power holes...it definitely has some heft looking down. Here is the 7 iron with the 2 rows of power holes which is supposed to decrease the power some but allow for good distance and more control. And finally the Gap Wedge with the one row. The reflections might look odd but I assure you these irons are flawless!!! Overall I love the look of these irons. They look premium to me and I like the color scheme. The thick line actually doesn't bother me at all and to me the 4 iron looks like most of the driving irons I see on the market today. I think Wilson did a great job with these irons and the value here is astonishing. How I Will Test My testing will include TopGolf range testing for accurate distance numbers, and I will also look at spin rates and launch angles to insure that I will have the proper descent angles and spin rates to hold the greens. I will do a lot of on course testing because this is where I want to see if they hold up. Do I get a flyer on some shots leading to overshooting greens or do they remain consistent across the face of the club and build confidence in the yardages? So will these irons pass the test? Will these super game improvement irons convert an old players iron golfer into the game improvement category?

Edit: We'll do an auction draft so auto draft is NOT encouraged. Other notables: No waivers, FA all day every day Rosters will be the 8 positions +2 Bench Max you can start a single player is 8 times during the season @Berg Ryman is working on the detailed scoring.