Gusset

Looking forward to hearing people's thoughts on this one. I do both, mainly as a method to regulate distance, with both chipping and pitching clubs. For carrying it up to 20 yards, I use no wrist break. Beyond that it's gradually more wrist break (with a longer swing).

If you decide that the balanced/zero torque potential is most important to you, you might also have a look at Axis1. They've been making "torque free" putters for 10 or 15 years now, with the shaft axis passing through the CG/impact point of the head. The look bothers some players, but their more recent offerings have gotten less weird to look down at. Their latest designs are usually available to try out in larger golf stores or pro shops. Their web site also has most of their historical offerings. Not common on tour, if that matters to you, but they are out there in the hands of a few players (Justin Rose is the most well known). I play an Umbra. Whatever you decide, good luck!

No line for me. To my thinking, my eyes need to be directly over the ball to see correctly to get the line on my putter aligned with the line on the ball. When I tried it, I didn't think I was getting that alignment correct and it threw me off. I have to say, though, that a good roll from someone that uses a line is fun to watch.

One tip that I recently took from Mark Sweeny when he was a guest on the Sweet Spot podcast: you're usually better off overestimating the break on a putt than underestimating it. I'm over-simplifying the entirety of his discussion with that summary, but I've found it helpful.

Similar to OP, I wanted something I could track better in the air, both in clear skies and overcast. Red is a color whose visibility seems to vary with different individuals, but for me it showed up the air really well...a nice black dot that I could follow as far as one could hit it on most shots. Unfortunately I found it sometimes a bit harder to pick up on a green fairway or in the rough. I settled on OnCore's matte green (Vero X1). I see it easier in the air than white, yellow, or orange, and also a bit easier on the ground as well. On a slightly different track, I like looking down at a matte ball. Not entirely sure why...maybe there actually is something to the marketing claims about that. Might try Vice's lime green someday.

+1 on the Fiberbuilt mat. Really nice for full swing work...you definitely know when you hit it fat, and it's pretty easy on the joints. I have the small version, the Flight Deck, and I had to construct a platform to stand on in order to use it because it puts the ball an inch or two off the ground. But it's far and away the best mat I've tried at home (backyard/net), and it's still in good shape after 2 years of pretty hard use.

I really like my Fiberbuilt Flight Deck hitting mat...it's easy on the joints, feels closer to being real turf than most of the less expensive mat offerings, and lets me evaluate contact- I can tell if a shot would have been fat because I can feel that the impact was high on the face. It's holding up very well after two years of heavy use, some of that being chipping/pitching across my yard (up to about 55 yards), but mostly full iron shots into a net. I also like the portability since I move it around the yard a fair amount. The only real drawback of its design is that it's on the tall side, so I generally have to be standing on a platform if I want to get the ball at the same height as my feet. So it's a great hitting surface. However, a lot of my short game shots on the course are out of the rough, so I'd like to find something that better simulates imperfect lies. I see that there are a few small mats on Amazon that have "rough" sections. Has anyone tried these? Do they get any closer to simulating shots from the thick stuff? Are they reasonably durable? I know that an artificial mat can't truly simulate real conditions, but something with a bit less optimal lie than the typical hitting mat would still make at-home practice more profitable. Any recommendations?

My stat tracking is transitioning. Breaking through the "90 wall" has been the goal for some time, but an elusive one. When I've been able to break 90, it's been interesting to experience that it didn't take miracle shots or a dazzling approach game- just gotta keep the ball in play/don't waste strokes. So, for much of this season, I've been tracking "un-useable tee shots" (including penalties) and 3-putts, since those were the biggest pareto items leading to wasted strokes. Lately, due to improvements off the tee and on the green, the "85 wall" is the new target. Still tracking tee shots and 3-putts, but I've started also keeping tabs on GIR and short game proximity/up-down (and proximity) as the next pareto items.

Can't be easy to judge the broadcast on such a small sample...maybe you caught a bad 4-5 minutes? Quality was good for me (I watched on livgolf.com). There was a fair amount of shot tracer, but a lot of shots didn't have it also. Maybe they don't have it on all holes, and it gets lost due to the shotgun start and covering the whole course throughout the whole broadcast? After a few minutes to get used to it, I liked the leader board concept. I also like that it was constantly present, instead of coming and (mostly) going as I'm used to on televised PGA Tour events. LIV's leader board is definitely a big improvement once you understand it, IMHO. One criticism I have, though, is that they never showed distance to the pin for shots. I could also do with less sugary LIV cheer leading from the commentators, but I can't hold that against them, given that it's the inaugural broadcast and they're trying to drum up support...other than that they were fine.

One of the MGS ball test summaries noted that when wet, a matte ball has "significantly" lower spin (or similar wording), but the overall test report didn't provide numbers, so I don't know what "significant" means. I've also seen a post by a MGS member with a launch monitor that shared methodology and numbers from his own testing of wet/dry glossy/matte balls...I didn't see great problems with his test process, and his results consistently had the opposite trend. So I don't know what to think. I use matte because I like the reduced glare at address.

Wish my contact points were consistently like that...looks great to me. Not much chance of hitting fat.

I'm in the Vancouver area. I'm not sure what to tell you about grass being hard to grow, that's not a generalization I'd make (though where I am, in the hills to the east, I've got more clay than I'd like). Last summer was a little on the brutal side, though. I can't speak to Green Meadows or Royal Oaks, the two main private courses I'm aware of...I haven't played them since high school in the 80s when I was on the golf team. There are a number of public courses in the immediate area to investigate. Generally what you might expect for a $40-60 green fee. Everyone will have their own thoughts, here are some of mine. Camas Meadows is probably the most upscale and well kept public course in SW Washington. Not much margin for error off the tee. I like the layout. It's uncommon- stretched out and meandering through the local woodlands and neighborhood...not a lot of side-by-side fairways. Most tees are a 2-3 minute walk from the previous green. Only drawback there comes when I'm walking and my playing partners are riding. Heron Lakes, just over the river in North Portland, has 36 holes. Being close to where the rivers meet, drainage isn't the best, so not my #1 option for winter golf. Good courses, tons of bunkers. I play most of my rounds at Tri Mountain in Ridgefield. Wind usually picks up in the afternoons. They keep it in pretty good shape...only complaint I have is with the bunkers (in need of a sand refresh/replenishment). Lewis River Golf Course, about a 30-45 minute away in Woodland, is probably my second most played course, largely because it's so peaceful and quiet. Front nine has a few holes that are a bit on the short side. #12 is the longest hole I've ever played, 620/647 from white/blue. This course recently came under new ownership, and yesterday the starter told me he's hearing mixed messages about the future. I'll let others speak to what's over the river in Portland and further south...some really nice courses there. If you don't mind a 5 hour drive, you can also keep going south and head for Bandon. I hope this overly long post is at least a little bit helpful.

When I started playing semi-consistently again about a year ago, I got a set of Tommy Armour 845s Silver Scots off ebay. I hit a lot of shots into a net, apparently too much for 30+ year old clubs starting to rust, and I broke the 3-iron shaft at the hosel about 8 months after getting them. I could make do without a 3-iron, but the 4-iron broke last week, and that's a bit more gap than I want to deal with. As much as I like the 845s, I've decided to move to something a little newer rather than replacing individual clubs (my 845s set is one of the very early ones with a 1-degree weaker loft than most of the production run had, and might be difficult to match). I know the prevailing wisdom is to buy new and get fitted, but realistically that can't happen. It's a "newer" used set, or stay where I am. Now to the question. I really like the Adams A3 19 degree hybrid I got last summer, and it's got me coming around to the prospect of a combined hybrid/iron set. After some digging, I'm leaning toward the Adams A7. Reports were that the hybrids are excellent, and the set's 5-iron does a good job of bridging the distance gap between the hybrids and irons, which was a concern I had based on my own hybrid experience. Buying based solely on what I've researched and read from others, without having actually hit them, doesn't really bother me. I've done that sort of thing with golf clubs (eg my 845s set), musical instruments, vehicles, etc., and it's a low $$$ risk I'm OK with. I'd likely continue to bag my 845s PW, W3, and W4. Has anyone here hit both TA 845s and A7 irons, and can give me a bit of a comparison? I lack experience with many different clubs, so I don't know how forgiving my TAs actually are, whether they're considered a GI set or something else, or how they compare to what came along as club design advanced.

Golf is fun, it gets me outside continuously for a few hours, the camaraderie is good (on those few occasions where I'm able to play with someone I know), and the moments where I make something good happen (a good drive, approach shot, putt, up/down, etc.) are really enjoyable. But what drives me is that I see it as a challenge to be conquered, from a score standpoint. I'll never be "good", but "better than I used to be" is a reasonable goal to be pursued.

I read an article that had much of his comments, and after "learning" what was there to glean, it's clear to me that there are a lot of factors I'm not up on. It sounds like the sort of thing that would probably make decent sense if I were immersed in it. I have to give the benefit of the doubt that he's not just interested in lining his own pockets. Whether he's a greedy jerk or whether he is speaking out for more than just his own interests, when Phil talks, he's heard more than a lot of golfers. If it's actually a thing worth standing up and talking about, would anyone listen to someone who hasn't been successful? If barely-keeping-my-card tour player Fred Furdledurk said the same thing, would anyone take note, or would there just be a flood of comments like, "Hey, loser, if you want more money, be a better golfer"?

Go through ebay...many reasons as stated, not to mention integrity- it's a violation of the policy you agreed to when you listed the item.

I totally missed that. Wiping the egg off my face now. Also- indeed, yes, the world of YT advice and instruction is definitely a quagmire that has to be thoughtfully navigated. I can attest.

I suppose I was just pushing back a bit against the initial responses in this thread (advising against watching YT golf instruction). Over-reaction on my part, my apologies.

I've never taken lessons, and for my own reasons, I have no imminent plans to. Maybe I don't belong on this forum. I learned my basic golf swing from the DIYer's YouTube predecessor known as a book (Jack's "Golf My Way"). Since picking up the game last year after over a decade away, my iPhone's video camera has helped me identify some (lifelong?) swing flaws, and a few poignant YT vids have helped me where they are concerned. Add in a few non-swing related vids and podcast episodes, and I've finally manage to improve from the mid-high 90s down into the 80s on occasion (never broken 90 before September). Clearly there's crap YT content to beware of, and clearly I'm not intending to brag about anything, especially surrounded by so many better players, but hopefully that improvement continues in 2022. As far as this vid is concerned, it seems disjointed and difficult to follow after the initial moments. On the positive side, though, his side-by-side comparison of the two swings that get into plane from different positions at the top (~6:20) was educational to me, showing a couple of examples of how a player can take a full backswing in different ways and bring it on plane in the downswing. I won't be applying any of that myself, but I still found it interesting.

Glad to hear things are progressing, and that your accident wasn't worse. My situation can't compare, but I'm in PT these days for "run of the mill" rotator cuff syndrome, so I feel for you. I'll be praying.

Might be a tough question, given that by the time someone knows a good answer, the shoes may no longer be available. Like in my case. I bought a pair of Callaway Del Mars last year. My experience is that they are waterproof and comfortable for a full round. I've played in soggy, spongy NW course conditions, as well as outright rain for most of a round, including some downpours (though I've never exceeded about a 2-inch deep puddle). On 3 back-to-back days of golf last month, wearing them for ~8 hours/day, my feet didn't complain any more than if I'd been wearing my Skechers. Looking on the Golf Galaxy web site just now, my Del Mars look fairly similar to the Solana variants. For whatever it's worth! EDIT: I see Del Mars on Amazon now...

Might not be exactly the same thing, but is the concept of a "hybrid driver" a similar variant of your thinking? After spending my first eight months back in the game consistently missing off the tee with both driver and 3-wood, I decided to leave the driver swing for the future and focus on my iron/hybrid swing. After watching a Rick Shiels review that didn't condemn it as a gimmick, I picked up a used 15-degree Teton HxD in September. Might have been the best golf related decision I made all year. A bad swing is still a bad swing, but in general I now have a realistic second shot on most holes. I really, really like it. Now they have a 12 degree version. One January round played at 40-45 degrees isn't enough to really know, but it seems similar in terms of control. Might not be a huge leap in carry (shaft length is the same), but I did note better roll out. Just one data point. I haven't heard anything from anyone else who has tried a Teton, a Thomas AT 705, or any of the other hybrid drivers.

2021: started playing semi-consistently, 2x/month, after 10-12 years away. Bought a net to hit into. After seeing my swing on video for the first time, and semi-slow motion at that (thank you iPhone), identified a couple of things that were likely causing problems for decades and (hopefully) improved them. Broke 90 for the first time, twice. Clubs: using old Tommy Armour 845s. Found a club to use off the tee that I can keep in play much more (Teton hybrid driver, I suppose some will laugh, that's OK). Found a putter I like (Axis1 Umbra), changed to claw grip. Rotator cuff injury. Playing with a brace since October, can't swing at 100%, inconsistent. In PT. Joined MGS. Went on my first golf vacation, to Bandon Dunes. 2022 goals: Rotator cuff recovery, so I can play without a brace. Get GIR up around 30% (currently around 22%) Short game: average <34 putts/round. Get handicap down to 10-15 range. Play a round with one or more of y'all. Re-visit Bandon Dunes at season's end, shoot in the 80s at least once.

(full disclosure: I know that none of what I'm about to say is news to most of the folks here, and I wasn't surprised by what I experienced, either, having read up and watched any number of videos about this place...but this was my first time playing this sort of golf, so please indulge me. . ) Just arrived home a couple of days ago. Wow, what an amazing time! I played about like I expected: some good shots and holes, some that I'm anxious to play again, and some outright whiffs. Overall scores I won't be bragging about. But the truth is that the beautiful courses, amazing views, the experience of playing links golf, and the overall vibe here couldn't be overshadowed by some poor shots and scores. I really liked having to approach things differently than on my usual inland courses. It's such a different game. I expected that, though I could not really internalize it until experiencing it. The tight fairways really magnify contact issues on both the approach and short game, and wearing a shoulder brace to limit my backswing and follow through the whole time didn't help (right rotator cuff issue). Plus the courses are just tough- so many blind tee shots, undulated fairways and greens, the wind, etc. But while my approach and short games weren't always up to the challenge, at least my tee shot game on most of the par 4 & 5 holes was pretty reliable...I think I only put two balls into the gorse, and hit just one fairway bunker the whole trip, so I'm calling that a win. On a lot of approach shots and chips, though, when I managed to correctly select a club that would get the distance I was targeting (the brace made distance regulation difficult), I simply couldn't hold the green. Then there was Pacific Dunes #17, when we had a one-hole monsoon roll in just as we walked up to the tee. Went from calm to pouring rain and 30+mph wind left to right and slightly in our faces, about 190 to the pin. Couldn't play under the wind there, so we all ended up attempting 50-yard wind-slices. Great fun! A few highlights: Bandon Dunes #15: Par 3, ~140 yards dead into the wind, bunker of death right of the green and ocean to the left. I managed to bounce a low 3/4 4-iron off the hill running down the left side of the "fairway" and run it up on the green. Pacific Dunes #13: Par 4, #2 handicap hole, dead into a 30mph wind, so too long for me to reach in regulation. Good tee shot, if a little short. On the second shot I managed to keep a 3-hybrid low, to within 40 yards in front and maybe 15-20 feet below the green. 8-iron bump/run under the wind to within 20', two putt for bogey. Sounds weird to say this about a bogey, but this might have been the most satisfying hole I played throughout the whole trip. Pacific Dunes #14: short par 3. I hit my tee shot fat. It went maybe 60 yards and ended up on the "cart" path. Dropped next to the path, tried for a chip to land on the front of the green. I pulled it off and leveraged a bit of luck on top of that- landed up front and released toward the hole, stopped 2' short for an "easy" par. Sheep Ranch #18: short par 5. I had a string of bad shots going when I stepped up to the tee. I turned things around with a good tee shot. For the second shot, the pin placement and bunkers scared me, so I laid up with a 6 iron. Ended up about 55 from the pin, slightly off the fairway in the right rough. The ball was on a lie that's pretty similar to what I'm used to playing, and I have a 50 yard shot in my repertoire with my 52-degree wedge. I executed it well. The ball still rolled out to 20 feet past the pin, but the 2-putt par was a nice finish to the round. I got a real kick out of putting from 30 yards off the green at times. Tough greens! I managed to sink a number 8-15 footers, but I also had a lot of 3-putts as well. I somehow avoided having any putts roll off a ridge and end up 20 yards off the green, though my playing partners did on a couple of occasions. It's an opinion that will probably change with future visits, because there are sooooo many beautiful holes and views to be had here, but my favorite holes might have been Sheep Ranch #6 (pic below, my brother teeing off), and Bandon Dunes #16 (pic below, me on the tee), just based on the view...turns out I'm a sucker for a hole that follows the coastline/cliff. I can't wait to go back and do it again.

I've seen a number of folks reference the MGS matte wet spin statement. I would be very interested in seeing the data. Watching the youtube clip, Tony does seem quite adamant, and that counts for something. However, between my not knowing what "significantly" means when the blog summary says "...matte finish balls are affected more significantly by moisture", and the test described in this thread ( https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/38535-data-re-tony-coveys-matte-balls-claim/ ), I don't feel as though I can fully understand the phenomenon. The test in the thread I referenced, as I read it, was not intended to challenge anything, but rather to attempt to put some rough numbers to things. While it was presumably not performed in as rigorous and controlled of a lab setting (I don't know what the standard deviations were, groove condition, etc.), it suggests the exact opposite trend, and does so strongly enough that it's hard to categorically dismiss as a test anomaly. In either case, though, at my playing level and with my inconsistencies, I'm not sure how much it matters. Generally speaking, when the grass/ball and club are wet, it usually means the air is heavier, which has its own effects on a shot (hard to factor in with a studio test). Until recently, a change in backspin and rollout weren't on my list of concerns. Great...one more thing to worry about!!! Anyway, it doesn't seem likely that I'll ever get to see a summary of the MGS data on this, but it would be cool to see one. Full disclosure: after spending my entire golfing life playing mostly balls found on the course, and recently deciding to give consistency a try, I've been using matte red Volvik New Vivids exclusively of late. I chose this ball mainly because I really like the in-air visibility. They're a smidge harder to see against green grass, but, "I lost it..." are three words I haven't said in some time while tracking a shot.