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Prodigal Duffer

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Everything posted by Prodigal Duffer

  1. Good to know. I hesitated on whether I would deduct. I saw that for last year's Edel irons test, our testers received a shipment email, so decided to deduct just one point.
  2. Iron practice for me today. Still focused on takeaway and not bouncing. Did well on staying down. Several balls faded or sliced. Remembered coach saying to try and “swing right.” Did that, and things got real good. Will continue to rep that. As a bonus, got a very light rain, leading to this:
  3. First Impressions 19/20 I have been excitedly awaiting the arrival of my Array blade putter for what feels like a month. I got fit at the end of February, and Bryan confirmed our orders on March 4. Edel’s website says that orders ship within two weeks. I received my putter on March 26; the packing slip says that the order was placed on March 7 and checking the tracking number, the putter shipped on March 22, almost exactly two weeks. I deducted one point because I never received any communication about the shipment. The box bears the Edel logo prominently on one side, and the inside of the box has a very nice, branded liner. The putter was securely fastened with cellophane to a piece of folded cardboard, ensuring that the putter head would remain immobile. Perhaps most surprising on opening the box was the included head cover, which struck me as abnormally large. It is well-padded, and has a simple elegance to it, with a black field, the Edel name in script on the end, with Array in smaller font on one side. Assuming I keep this putter, I would strongly consider keeping the head cover instead of swapping out for something else, like the blade cover from MGS’s store. Readers, let me know which one you would rock. The head has a black matte finish that I really like. I chose the single alignment line, as I think it provides a stark contrast to the matte finish and makes it easy for me to gauge my direction. The back of the head has a clean look with the Edel name on the back of the putting surface, and the Array name and model (B-1) on each side. I don’t like the B on the B-1, as it looks like part of it chipped, but it’s just the font style. I chose a single bend hosel, which gives the putter the least amount of toe hang. I found in my fitting that I tend to slightly close the face through impact, so my hope is that the toe hang will help me keep the face more square. Edel prides itself in its customization options, both in hosel and weight. The blade’s standard weight is 365 grams; in my fitting, we determined that a good weight for me is 360 grams. I ordered my putter with 10 gram weights, giving the putter a total weight of 355 grams. I will pay special attention to my putting speed during testing. If the 355 grams is too light, it would be pretty easy to swap the weights out (assuming I can order them from Edel separately from the putter). The putter has a milled face, which I have never used. My gamer has an insert, so I expect the ball to come off the face a bit hotter. Finally, I chose the Edel flat standard grip. I really like the look of the grip, which is understated (much like the head cover). The flat side is textured and reminds me of the milled face, which I think is really cool. The end cap is slightly rounded. I use Shot Scope tags, and my putter tag does not fit in my gamer putter. I hope that the tag fits the Array, but I also would guess that using the manual putting tracker on my X5 is more accurate than the tag. Problem is that I frequently forget to mark my putts on my watch. With Easter coming up (in my faith tradition, we start celebrating tomorrow, Thursday), I will not be able to really start testing until early next week. I plan to do some speed tests at the practice facility while my son is at First Tee. I will also begin with my own laser alignment tests on my Birdie Ball putting mat. Look for some updates next week!
  4. You need to stop making those aces, or you won't give us any meaningful testing data from your Edel.
  5. I got fit last November and have generally been playing worse than before I got fit. I am confident it's not the clubs, but me swinging like an idiot with my irons. I think the benefit of the fit is that I am more comfortable with these irons, as they are a different shaft length and flex. At the end of the day, I still have to make a good swing with them to get results, and I haven't been living up to my end of the bargain there. When I have made good swings, though, the results have been very good. You said you're playing less. I would bet $1.00 that more reps would lead to better results. Or maybe you (like me) need some coaching intervention. Regardless, I'm sorry to hear that you feel like you did not get the value you desire.
  6. Neither did I. The packing slip had all my information except the email address.
  7. That makes two of us: The UPS guy arrived while my son and I were shooting hoops. I restrained myself from abandoning him to go open the box. Consequently, I still haven’t opened it, but will do so and post my first impressions hopefully tomorrow.
  8. Hope you're right - I feel like I'm a five year old on Christmas Eve.
  9. What size and model did you order, and how do they compare to your old gamers?
  10. I’m loving this thread and, pending the testers’ results (also appreciate other uses, like @Josh Parker’s input), very strongly considering pulling the trigger on these. Did any of the testers get the Tour Stars in the jumbo size? If so, how does it compare to a midsize on your gamer? If it is bigger, I would probably prefer to get a standard and build it up with some layers of tape.
  11. What you said makes a lot of sense. Of course, with GPS being accurate to within a few yards, it could think I’m closer or farther from any given spot. I may have to take manual notes while I play to better assess the misses.
  12. Admittedly, I did not. I don’t update it as I play, and I wouldn’t trust my memory for every hole. I just pulled up the dashboard, and I can’t zoom in far enough to determine the accuracy. I use Shot Scope’s manual putting, so I would think (hope) it’s getting it right.
  13. I played Whitestone Golf Club in Benbrook, Texas today. The course has a reputation for being a good and challenging course, and is frequently a regional host for the Texas Amateur tournament. I had also heard that it has serious pace of play problems. Both the good and bad turned out to be correct. The good: Check-in is easy and the green fee includes a small bag of range balls. Weekend green fee was $62 with cart. The course is in pretty good shape considering it is early in the season and the last few years we have had a drought. The course is hilly, with several holes cutting between slopes. This makes the course feel far more isolated than its location would otherwise suggests: This is a view from the first green looking back. The holes were fairly interesting and, generally, fit the land rather than being forced into their location. Greens are very challenging, with lots of undulation that (to my poor putter’s eye) is difficult to read. Based on the greens alone, I can see why this course hosts the Texas Am regional. There are relief houses on the front nine. I don’t recall seeing any on the back nine. The bad: Pace of play was downright pathetic. I was in a twosome and it took us over five hours to play. We were frequently one or two groups deep waiting on a tee box. Here, there is a group in front of me on the tee box, a group in the fairway, and a group on the green. The starter came by after we hit our tee shots and asked us how pace of play was. He was genuinely surprised when we told him it was awful, and then blamed the starter. I have heard that this course double-books several of the tee times. I can’t confirm that this is the case, but it would not surprise me. The other primary negative is that this is definitely not a walkable course. The back nine is very isolated from the front, and it took almost 5 minutes of driving the cart to get from hole 10 to hole 11. Clubhouse restaurant is okay, reasonably priced. Bottom line: challenging course with significant pace issues. I would suggest avoiding it on weekends.
  14. Played 18 today, first time at this course. Greens were quick and extremely contoured. Had a heck of a time out there. Hoping this is my last round before the Edel ships/arrives. Stats were a bit grim: More puzzling is this: I felt like several putts (far more than 15%) ran past the hole. Based on my SG from short distance, I will probably focus a good amount of my testing on putts of less than 10 feet.
  15. I have a hard time telling the difference in taper between the two grips from Star’s website. Best I can tell, the Tour Star is a reduced taper. The Sidewinder has a traditional taper. Is that right? Also, is the Sidewinder firmer and the Tour Star softer?
  16. In a similar boat, but with approach being my worst:
  17. Getting my first cart bag as a birthday gift in the near future. Asked for the Sun Mountain C-130, mostly on the strength of past reviews and some friends’ input. I wish the article had links to reviews of the bags it mentioned as performing well in various categories, but were not winners.
  18. Agree with what others have said about the X5 navigation. Playing tomorrow, and should be the first time it includes my P-Avg distances for tee shots. I’m looking forward to that. I can’t use my putter tag with my current putter, as it won’t get all the way into the grip. Whenever my Edel Array arrives, I plan to use the tag on that. I don’t like manually tracking my putts, as I frequently forget to mark my putt location. Like others, I went with SS instead of Arccos because I don’t want to pay ongoing subscription fees. I have found that battery does not typically last two rounds, but several of the rounds I played were pretty slow. Played last week in 3 hours and had 55% left.
  19. Just now seeing this thread. Conceptually, I am interested. Obv will depend on schedules - getting to the busy time of year.
  20. That is what I do not miss about living in the north. But your summer is far superior to the scorchers down here in Texas.
  21. Still haven’t heard anything from Edel. Pushing almost three weeks, I think. Fellow testers, have you heard anything?
  22. Thanks for sharing this. I have that tire inflator and hoped to use it whenever I next change my grips. Now, I know that I can.
  23. I bet I speak for the other testers when I say that I am getting antsy to get started. Edel’s site says that orders will ship within two weeks, so I am anxiously awaiting that shipping confirmation email. Planning to get out this weekend with my golf group; would love to have the Edel in hand, but if not, will give me one (hopefully) last opportunity to get a baseline with my gamer. Until then, cheers!
  24. Awesome thread, Michael. I am just under a 15 now and have issues with my approach ball striking. My goal for this year is to improve that and, hopefully like you, crack the single digits. Even if I don't get to a single digit, my hope is to improve the strokes lost on approach play. Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to reading about your continued efforts (and success!).
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