FmrCaddie13

Slow play. Has been since I was a kid playing twilight golf in Michigan as the heat, humdity and mosquitos added to the thrill of watching hacks lining up 12 putts for triple and taking 6 practices swings before every shot. Still hate it 40 years later. Also hate that almost everyone will say slow play in response to this thread, but I've yet to ever see a golfer self-identify as a slow player, Patrick Cantlay included. Even some Spies are slow. For reference, my group regularly plays in 3 hours or less and we switch between the standard men's tees and the tips every other round. One of our foursome has a 24 HDCP and it doesn't matter. We play ready golf, have fun and waste time in the clubhouse post-round where it only interferes with our livers.

Do you like to play it? If yes, it's good. The end.

I haven't either. Assume it will happen at some point. There are some bucket list places I know will cost over $100, but if it's not on the list I'll avoid it if at all possible. Lots of great golf options for under $50 and I am in favor of volume golf.

Best might depend on your mental side. I can struggle with over-thinking the game and have found that 1-on-1 lessons give me too much information in too little time. The small clinic setting (under 8 golfers) has been best for me since the pro can give me a tip or two to work on without me getting overwhelmed. I have done a 6 session/1x week spring clinic for the last 5 years and have found it extremely beneficial. Try both and see which suits you best.

For pros: narrow and stop rolling/double cutting fairways. Grow rough thicker. Make accuracy a premium. As a single digit hdcp 51 y/o playing the proper tees and still averaging 260 driving thru gym work & speed training losing 10 yds sucks. Bad job USGA/R&A. Been playing for 40 years so too hooked to quit the game but for newer players, especially if changes are coming to drivers as well (less hot face, smaller head size) the powers that be may severely damage efforts to grow the game.

It is round dependent and comes down to the type of shot I need to hit. Full swing distance is about 75 yds. I first got it to play a more squared stance on short-sided chip shots but it is now fully incorporated into my bag. My PW is probably used the least. The 50, 56, 60 and 64 all see pretty equal use. I am fortunate to still be pretty long off the tee at 50 years old so get to hit a lot with the scoring clubs. The 56 was my first wedge addition beyound the PW 35 years ago. 60 was next, then the 50 and now the 64. Each time I added I was able to hit the shots I need with the others but looked to do so as perfectly and consistently as possible. Since the 5 iron was mostly gsthering dust I had room to add it. I prefer a choked down 80ish percent 23° hybrid to the 5 iron. Better control, accuracy, height and spin to hold the green. If you can, borrow one from a friend for a range session. The 64 is definitely not for everyone. My 56, 60 and 64 are all low bounce as well which I hear all the time is not ideal for most players but it is my ideal setup so I know a lot of what I have laid out could make things worse if you already struggle with wedges. Hope this helps though!

Footjoy gloves, Ecco shoes, Ping driver, Tour Edge 3W, Cleveland hybrids, New Level irons, Cleveland wedges, Odyssey putter and Titleist ProV1 and Maxfli Tour X balls. No loyalty to brand. I game what independently tests well and what performs best for me for there.

5 tool wedge guy. PW (44°), GW (50°), SW (56°), LW (60°), 64°. Rarely play a round where I don't use all 5. Other clubs are 7.5° driver, 14.5° 3W, 19.5° and 23° hybrids, 6-9 irons. Replaced the 5 iron with tbe 64° this year. Don't miss it. Gripped down 23° has better height, spin and accuracy for holding greens. 5 iron was becoming a punchout only club. Rather have another scoring club in the bag.

Wood, plastic, , bamboo, whole, broken, pencil w/eraser removed. Haven't bought tees in years. Find so many I give away bags several times a year. If they aren't broken I compulsively pick them up. I start each round with one from my bag and end with a bunch in my pocket. My preshot routine starts with checking for consistent height once I put the ball on the tee. That's the only time I think about tees. If it lets me put the ball at the height I need it works.

Several thousand rounds of playing and a ton of rounds caddying over 39 years lead to these (sorry I can't do only one) and a lot of players, especially average to bad ones will argue on them all. So from tee to green: 1) Choke down on or purchase a shorter driver. You will hit it farther and straighter. Watch the long tour guys like Rory and Sergio (in his prime). They choke down and bomb it straight all the time. 2) When deciding between two clubs take more club every time. The one time you hit a 7 iron 175 is the one time. If most of the time you hit it 165 play for most of the time. 3) Except with scoring irons (or all irons if you are a high hdcp) play your full irons aiming for the center of the green. Don't flag hunt. That way inconsistencies long, short, left, right, combo give you a better chanxe of being on the green. 4) Until you master it, chip with the same club every time. I recommend any wedge between 48-56 degrees. You'll develop distance control and touch. Once you have those you can apply it to various lofts based on circumstance (or you'll be so deadly with the one club you won't mess around!) 5) For putts outside of 12 feet pretend the cup is the center of a wagon wheel. If you're first put ends inside the wheel it's an easy 2 putt. Success! Not sure I have ever seen a bad putter who had grest distance control but just could't read greens. Unless you are putting first your companions' putts give a ton of info on break. Watch every putt, not just yours and watch each until they stop rolling for max info. Master distance control, master putting.

Really excited for this one! Congrats to all the testers. Interested to see how each conducts side-by-sides with their current gamers.

Already was a Maxfli Tour X convert from MSGs ball lab testing last year. As a very long time Pro V1x only gamer I would have never tried this ball without MSG even at half the price. I can't play any super spinny ball with my driver or things go wrong quickly. The Maxfli Tour X hasn't disappointed me at all. Also converted another Titleist guy and a Callaway guy I play with weekly. This is my gamer for now.

I understand not wanting to blame the putter for deficiencies in mechanics. Just turned 50 and have only had 4 putters in my 40 years golfing: Arnold Palmer "the original", Never Compromise Voodoo, Odyssey Tank #7 and my current Rife Raider X. I have the old putters in my closet except the Voodoo which I sold. All four have essentially the same hosel, so alignment doesn't change. The reason I have changed over 40 years is that if you are a good putter, feel doesn't really come and go, but the mental side does. The last time I was struggling, prior to buying the Rife, I put the Odyssey in the closet and played one round with the Arnold Palmer just to remind myself I'm a good putter. Completely different weight from the Tank, but I putted just fine. The Arnold Palmer flaws for me now are weight and absolutely no tech so I won't game it daily, but it confirmed for me that the Odyssey issues were all mental. I tried going back to it and the same issue came back. Bought the Rife online in the club parking lot after a miserable round and haven't looked back. Sounds like you trust the Evnroll to work for you. Take that positivity and go with it. You'll be glad you did.

You already own the Evnroll so this isn't a $ question. You got fitted and bought it for a reason. In practice you prefer it. So it's all mental now. Why wouldn't you play it at this point? What is holding you back? Subconsciously you may be putting worse with the Odyssey to give yourself a reason to switch. Or you have lost confidencd in it knowing the Evnroll seems like an even better choice for you. Stop torturing yourself and game the Evnroll already. It's not like you have to throw the other putter away.

Anyone else have a Bridgestone or other premium ball fail in this manner? Cracked on driver impact. In 38 years playing and caddying I have never seen this. I've even seen balls survive run-ins with the fairway gang reel mower blades with less damage. Ball was performing with no issues up to that point. Back to Titleists for me based on this.

6'2". 36". Never tried anything shorter tha 35" since I hit this height.

What do you define as bad putting? Played to vanilla perfection hitting 100% GIR leads to even par with 36 putts. If you are 36 putts or under per round, give yourself some slack. So many players put pressure on their short game because putts inside 10 feet seem like they should be easier but the added pressure to make a putt to save par or make a birdie to make up for a previous bogey makes them even harder. Set 36 or under as a putting goal for a month and see if you attitude changes. I'm a 9 HDCP and average 29 putts per round. Obvious with "7 under" on putts I'm dropping shots elsewhere putt I know the pressure and frustration on days the putts aren't dropping. If I end round with 34-35 putts it's still the other shots failing me and often putting me in positions on the green where making 1 putts is not a reasonable expectation.

I like the test it in the dirt approach you are using. It might cost more but you aren't hurting anyone. I could still re-whip an old persimmon club if needed but tinkering is a lost art not appreciated by everyone. A fitting and numbers can tell a lot but I've seen people misfit because they swing differently in the fitting. My most regular golf partner got put in a Hzrdus Smoke Black over the winter in a Titleist T3 which shocked me since his previous shaft was the Evenflow and it fit his tempo perfectly. He struggles with the new driver unless he swings "angry" which suits the Smoke Black shaft but not his swing. Matt Saternus (PluggedInGolfl and also a forum member is a great driver shaft source of knowledge. He provides numbers but as importantly his in the dirt impressions on feel. As someone who turns 50 this year his reviews have been invaluable. I tried the shafts that appealed to the feel and descriptions that matched my swing style and tempo. All the said I now have a Ping G425 with a Veylix Mansion 50g X flex and my 3W has a Paderson Ballistic 85g F40 (X flex) for non-Paderson people and hit it longer/straighter than in my younger, stronger days. I don't have monitor numbers and a fitter might get me even more distance but I did it my way in the dirt and had fun with it. My previous tinkering shafts included HZRDUS Yellow HZDRDUS Smoke Yellow, Fujikura Fuel, Aldila NVS. Messed around with shafts weights as well and the lightest, most stable driver shaft and heavier 3W shaft shook out in the end....for now. As I continue to age I will continue to tinker. It's a life long game. Interested to hear how your current search progresses. Ebay is great for trying used shafts and getting rid of ones that don't work out.

Sergio can also crank it. Here's his simple explanation of pros vs. Joes https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cdb5ZD_lgp6/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I don't hink you mentioned what flex you are playing or your age. My dad was frustrated by his lack or distance over the last few years. Discovered he was stiff playinf stiff flex at 75 years old. Got him some senior shafts in a lighter weight and he is back close to his old distances.

I used one for a year. Accuracy improved but found the same issues others have noted regarding distance control. I did find it helpful as a training tool most as it really does help you learn to putt with the bigger muscles and become less "handsy". Don't expect it to solve all your problems as Adam Scott continues to show how to flounder with the broom flat stick. I'd recommend a putting mirror instead. Much cheaper and useful regardless of what type of putter or grip you experiment with going forward.

Is your Ventus the stock or the Velocore version?

I buy almost exclusively gently used equipment so upgrading for me is inexpensive and often break even. Just upgraded my Ping G400 LST to the G410 LST and installed a Veylix Mansion shaft. The G400 is available. I expect this upgrade will cost me $100 max. When I upgraded to the G400 from a 2017 Taylormade M1 I made $25. I keep the old club long enough to make sure I like the new one (tried an M2 prior to the M1, hated it, sold it for a $50 profit) so every upgrade has been worth it.

Just scored a box. Will report on these soon! Last box the local Titleist rep had in his trunk. Always pays to ask and be nice!

Definitely a lefty club. Rarely need but my cavity back irons are harder to hit lefty than my old blades. Ambidextrous so can actually hit a decent recovery shot lefty. Would probably use once every 5 rounds but in those rare occasions it would be sweet.