TheCanadianBogeyman

I don't judge, because it doesn't really matter to me the caliber of the player in golfing with. I am more concerned with their attitude and etiquette. Now I absolutely do look in the bag though, because I like to nerd out about equipment if someone is into it.

I would like to say I replace them when I see a performance drop off in spin/distance. But in reality, my swing is not consistent enough to be super confident that I'm not the reason for the change in numbers. In reality, I replace them whenever I see something new and shiny and I can't stop myself.... which sadly is waaay more often than I actually should.

Happy to see Matty back. The only videos I really enjoyed after Matt left were the ones with Mac. I feel he brought a similar energy to the studio (maybe it's a lefty thing). But I definitely missed the chemistry between Matt and Ian. Hopefully he's back for a while.

Unfortunately, I've reinjured my back a couple minor times late this season. So the next couple months will be working on my fitness, focusing on rehab and strengthening my lower back and being able to rotate fully without fear of injury. After that, my goal for next year, is to try and work my way down to a 10 hdcp, and biggest opportunities for improvement according to my shotscope data, are putting and approach play. I don't have an area to do full swing practice at my house, so at home I'll be focusing on putting and non-full swing drills. When I get a chance to head to the simulators here (about once or twice a week), I will be primarily working on consistency from 150yrds and in.

I take mine off for putting. I don't think I would sink any less if I left it on, I just only have it on because of the grip on full swings, and I don't need that on a putter, so it feels weird to putt with it on. It comes off any time my setup changes to short approach shots and I don't need the full or 3/4 swing. Basically anything inside 40 yards, with the exception of bunker shots, my glove will be off.

Ah the dreaded cobra chickens. Most courses around Edmonton that have any substantial amount of water have a goose issue. For casual play (which is 90% of my rounds), there is no way in hell that I am playing out of goose $#@!. I will lift, clean and place, or just move the ball an inch or two so I'm not having to scrub turds off my club after. All my friends and I are fine treating that as a local rule here. In a tourney, unless you ask them about this specifically before hand, I guess you are stuck. But most of the time, I treat it as any other element that isn't designed as a natural part of the course and take free relief of some kind.

I wouldn't give up on the driver entirely, but I wouldn't look at a new club as a permanent fix. Last year, I had a monster slice, and I was playing a B21 with full draw setting. I could still slice that thing two fairways over. I think that there is no true anti-slice club. The draw models really excel if some has a bit of a fade that they are trying to straighten out, but they aren't a full fix for a really out to in path or open clubface. If I were you, I would stick with the lessons, and play the 5W more until you straighten out the driver. Or alternatively, you could slow your driver swing down a little (for me, my path was way worse when I would swing hard at the ball, than if I slowed down and just tried to hit an easy one). It may take a while, but the lessons will eventually pay off. Big swing changes take time.

I was in a similar position last winter. I had got back into golf a year before after a few years off due to circumstances. When I got back, I used some second hand woods/driver, my old putter that I still had, and some off the rack wedges. I did end up getting fit for irons for the first time. Played decently all summer, but my swing was a mess. Ended up taking lessons all winter and correcting a lot of swing flaws. The only problem was that I was no longer in the 'correct' irons for my swing. So this spring I got fitted for new ones. I still played my old irons while I waited for my new shiny ones to get in. Now that I have the new irons, I can safely say that aren't hugely different. I play slightly better, and am more confident with them, but it wasn't night and day. My old irons were 1 flat, and my current are standard lie. I honestly couldn't tell you the difference. I'm pretty sure that most manufacturers would send clubs out with a enough of a margin for error in loft/lie that 1 degree could be the variance without you knowing. So I wouldn't get too caught up in your swing being vastly different and correcting the wrong things with your old irons. I would take some lessons first, and then worry about clubs after. You will probably have a better idea of what you are looking for following your lesson anyway.

Currently running 6 different shafts, plus the stock shaft in my Spider putter. Driver - Mitsubishi Tensei AV white 3W - HZRDUS smoke iM10 7W - Ping tour 4H - Ping Alta CB 5i - 50(GW) - Project X IO 54/60 - True temper Spinner

I would give a higher lofted fairway wood a try. Of the ones you mentioned, I only saw one 5W. I carry my driver between 240-260 depending on the day. I have a 3W, and for me that's about a 220-230 carry off the tee. I can't reliably hit it off the deck though, so I don't even try. I had all but given up on ever playing a fairway wood off the actual fairway until I tried a 7W. For me it was the answer on long par 5s, or any approach over 200 really. I carry mine around 205-210. It's super easy to hit off the fairway, and it gives me a lot of confidence. If it's a longer shot that 215, I just accept that I won't be able to get there. As others have said, you could throw a longer shaft in it, or even turn it down a degree or two to make sort of a 6W. I think you'd have a lot better luck than with a 3W.

Kicking myself in the ass after the last hole today. Was having a great round. Made the turn @ 3 over. Coming to 18, I was 7 over with two doulbes on the day. Last hole is a short par 4. I put if 20 feet right of the green off the drive. No problem, chipping has been great all round, with at least 4 or 5 chip/one putt saves. All I need anyway is par to break 80, so anywhere on the green will do. So of course I blade the chip over the green! Nearly snapped my wedge in half after that. Easily my worst shot of the day, and I had to do it when things counted. I ended up chipping back on and two putting for bogey. 80 is still a great score for me, but to barely miss breaking it when it should have been so easy, that hurt real bad.

I'll say first of all that I have never been a club member. I just don't get the opportunity to golf enough in our short season in Alberta to justify the price (typically about 30-40 rounds a year is all I get in). So maybe I am way off base her based on the demand that clubs see with their members. But I have never had a problem booking a 9 hole round at any public course where I live (admittedly, I only do 9 holes if I am booking a late/twilight round). I may have to be flexible with times, but I have to be flexible if I am booking 18 as well unless I book way in advance. I play most of my rounds as a single, so I get paired up all the time with groups. And I frequently see people leave after 9 holes. I am assuming that as a 9 hole member you are paying less in dues? If that's the case, I can understand restrictions based on times/dates, but not being able to book with others who are playing 18 is pretty stupid in my opinion. I can't see it affecting pace of play that much if you play the front. I can understand not adding you to a group that is halfway through a round, as that could slow pace down, but if you are only playing front 9, then the foursome becomes a threesome on the back, and will likely be quicker because of it. That might cause them to be waiting if they catch the next group, but it certainly isn't slowing them down, so it won't affect groups behind them.

Well we need to keep adding on letters and words each year. So I'm expecting the Epic BLZR Sub LS Zero Max Ultra.

I should probably do that as well. I typically just have my 6 iron dialed. But I need to make a shot like that enough that it would probably be beneficial to know my distances with different clubs.

We all do it more often than we like. Put a ball into a bad spot and have to dig ourselves out of the situation. So do you guys have a go to get out of trouble shot that you are confident in? Or are you coming up with whatever you think will work best on the spot? For me trouble is usually an errant tee shot that puts me in the trees, or near enough that I can't flight a normal shot back into play. So my most confident rescue is a punch/short stinger 6 iron, played far back in my stance, to get back into play. I feel confident enough that I can hit it short and accurately enough to get out of the trees, or play longer and run it up the fairway closer to the green if I have the room. It's saved bogey for me several times on holes where I should have scored far worse.

Currently I carry a G425 max 4 hybrid and a 7 wood. Love them both. For me the 7 wood is more versatile in flight, while I am more comfortable hitting the 4H from different lies (ball above/below feet), due to the shorter shaft. I find more success out of medium to long rough with the 4H. I suspect that is because of how I swing the shorter shaft and maybe how I mentally approach the shot (I've never felt confident hitting any fairway wood out of rough). Off short rough of fairway lies, I much prefer the 7W. I find it easier to elevate, and am more confident controlling distance with it.

These irons look great. But I really don't understand the need for so many models. Seems like there is more overlap than is necessary. Is there anyone playing the tour that wouldn't be suited to something in the Pro line? Does anyone who plays the HM think they couldn't get the same thing out of the HM pro, or vice versa? I would think that Mizuno could offer the HM forged, HM pro, and HM high launch and combined with the Pro series, and still cover all golfers needs. They could even go as far as to do what Ping does with offering different loft specs in each series so players/fitters could dial in spin and ball flight to a greater degree.

I don't disagree with Scheffler as player of the year. But I was really pulling for McIlroy. I know a lot of guys put Smith as Scheffler's competition, but in my mind McIlroy had a better season than Smith. McIlroy and Smith both had 3 wins this year, and while Smith won a major, McIlroy was the only one to finish in the top 10 in all 4 majors, won the Tour Champ, and was 1st in strokes gained. I can't really argue McIlroy beating out Scheffler based on numbers though. Scheffler had more wins and more top 10 finishes overall. And even Rory said that he should win Player of the Year.

I think you have the right idea in getting a hybrid. They are typically much easier to hit than long irons. However, in my opinion, I would look into a 4 hybrid rather than a 3H. I think the idea is good, but if all you need is 185 off the tee, a 4 will get you there and be easier to elevate. I carry my 7 iron around the same distance as you, and my 4H carries about 190-195. I tested some 3H when getting fitted, but the ball flight was always too low for my liking. I ended up going with a 7W instead of the 3H in my club progression. I can't speak to any of the clubs on your list unfortunately. I play the Ping G425 hybrid, and love it. It is a bit over your max price, but they are coming down in price recently. Callway preowned does have really good prices, but I have always found a version of the club to try locally, and see if I like the feel, before buying it from Callaway.

Easily the best round of golf I've played today. Got out for first tee time, so no one to slow me up. I always have 3 goals before each round: no lost balls, no 3 putts, and no double bogeys. Today was the first time I achieved them all together. 41 front 9 (a good score for me, but not amazing or anything). Now I usually can only hold it together for 9 holes before falling apart. But today, I think because it was such a quick round, I was able to keep things under control. 37 back 9 with a birdie to finish and my first time breaking 80! Not the best I have struck the ball on tee shots or approaches, but probably the smartest golf I have played. No going for it or ego shots, just play it back out of trouble and try to scramble well. And scramble I did. The best my short game has every been working. 31 putts for the round with no 3 putts!

Those look great. I love the sight lines. A little pricey for me to give a try without having the putter in hand, but hopefully we see them in North America in the future to give a shot.

I agree. Picked up a ChipR myself, and have used it for half a dozen rounds so far. Technically it's my 15th club, but if I ever play competitive, I don't mind taking out my 3W (can always use my 7W off the tee if need be). I used to bump and run with a 9, but the problem I kept running into was that I wanted to be more upright. Anytime I did lean the 9 more upright, I would make poor contact. So I decided to give the ChipR a go. I was also surprised at how much check I got on the ball (it's nothing like an actual wedge for spin, but compared to my 9 iron it definitely has more). I have issues with my approach shots, and often end up just off the green in the short rough, or in front on a tight lie, and I've found the ChipR to be excellent at helping me get up and down. I would say I probably use it on 4 or 5 holes a round.

Well, if I ever needed proof that consistency was my problem, today was it. I shot 89, which for me is not too bad. 45 front, 44 back, no 3 putts. However, for the 9 consecutive holes in the middle (6-14) I was only 1 over par (par, bogey, and then 7 consecutive pars). So to shoot 89, I had to shoot a combined 16 over on the other 9 holes. I don't think I've ever started a round so mediocre, only to turn it around and play great, and then go back to absolute garbage by the end. I really need to work on eliminating those big number holes. and keeping my swing under control.

Is there a way to combine rounds? I was golfing earlier today, and accidentally pressed the end round on hole 8. So I ended up starting a new round from 8 onwards, but now I have two separate rounds in my dashboard.

I'm just hoping for a couple more lefty options. Currently playing the 921 HM this year, and although I love em, I would have really liked to get into the HM Pro. Sadly, it was HM or go all the way to the Tour, and unfortunately, my swing is just not consistent enough to be able to give up that much in forgiveness.