JerryK

Well this thread has convinced me even more to go for a LAB 3.1 putter as evidenced by the success so many are having with them. I am a much better than average putter and I have tried the LAB and I feel that I putt even better with it as it seems to always be very close to square at impact. I presently use a Ping Ketsch which I really like and I see the guys with the Scottys who really need something to help them but vanity will not let them switch. So the answer to the question posed is $550 with the only question being when I can sneak it into my bag as I played at least once a week with my wife.

I completed everything - B RXS was best for me.

I will start out by saying that I am not a person who can test every item that comes available for testing as I am in my 70s and my game is not what it used to be so I wouldn't be able to give information to the young guys who blast it out there. On the other hand, I am still play to a 10, play 5 times a week and take a lesson nearly every week to continue my education in learning my swing and how to play the game better. My short game is still very good and I amaze a lot of guys with my putting ability at my age using a conventional grip. So I can evaluate many areas of clubs, etc. and other items used in playing the game as well as training aids, etc.

I appreciate what you are saying about the new clubs and I agree that new clubs can and should certainly make a difference but my point is that nearly every manufacturer offers stock shafts which will be very close, if not equal to, significantly more expensive shafts for nearly all players except the very best.

Here's where I will throw something into the discussion and see what kind of reaction I get. I am 77 years old and I have seen members of my club who are a little than I am and pretty good players go for a fitting and they wound up being fitted for upgraded shafts in their irons adding $200 to the cost of each iron. Another fellow I played with is a 20 handicap and went for a driver fitting and wound up paying $450 for an upgraded shaft. Perhaps I am a skeptic but I just cannot believe that club manufacturers do not have stock shafts that would work in both of these instances. Somebody please explain to me what those upgrades could possibly do to justify that kind of expenditure.

I think that most golfers do not hit a perfect shot every time so a fitting has to be more than optimal results on your best swings. I also think that a fitting benefits greatly if you are hitting outside where you can see and feel each shot. Another thing that helps greatly is if the person fitting you knows your swing and your tendencies or takes the time to recognize them. I guess what I am saying is that getting fit indoors into a screen can work for getting numbers but there is nothing like watching the ball as opposed to seeing it on a screen which is only two dimensional.

I have been playing golf for a very long time and I have yet to find a new club that suddenly makes a significant difference in my game. Irons certainly have little difference while drivers are more a question of fitting than innovation. it appears that many manufacturers are recognizing cost as an issue to some and are continuing to manufacture prior generation clubs at a reduced price. Buy the year old clubs, including used ones, and use your savings for lessons and you will be far ahead.

Ping Ketsch - best mallet which I like with soft insert but milled also was available.

I have found that a speaker on a particular subject can be very interesting and at times helpful, but I am not a fan of clinics. I saw Michael Breed once and he discussed what a player does most during a swing and how it relates to the club face because the club face is what our efforts translate into. On the other hand a group clinic not only has you thinking about your improvement but you also hear about other players and their needs which can add more complexity and confusion to what you are doing. There is nothing like one on one where the instructor stays with you and watches you as you try to perform what he or she has given you to do.

It is obvious that the decision not to have bifurcation was done as a compromise with the ball manufacturers. If there are two different balls then it will be very difficult for ball manufacturers to induce golfers to play a particular ball if it is not being used by the pros.

The West Palm Beach municipal course was just redone by Gil Hanse and I believe they also have a par 3 course. Walking only before noon.

I bought some of the Tour balls and found their performance to be really good and comparable with premium balls I use. The only thing I have noticed is that when I am fortunate enough not to lose a ball after 2 or 3 rounds the balls lose their luster/gloss which makes me want to put them away even if they are still performing well.

Ping irons and Vokey wedges. I was fitted for the irons at the Ping factory in Phoenix and I am comfortable with them. So far as wedges go I am not convinced that any one of the better wedges makes that much difference but what is important is finding the right loft, bounce and profile. I am using 54 and 58 degree wedges and I had them put the lines on the hosel which help you repeat the position of the face when it is open, slightly open and square. It doesn't sound like much but it is important to be able to find consistency in shots around the green and bunkers and the lines help me do so.

So what is causing the shaft to twist - the way I would see it is that the head coming into contact with the ball causes the shaft to twist or turn - correct? Simply moving the putter back and forth would not cause any twisting - correct? There is not enough speed for the shaft to flex - correct? So if I am gripping the putter - holding it - and it impacts the ball the only time it would twist is if I somehow caused it to do so as opposed to impacting the ball in and of itself causing the putter to twist. Again, I can see the value of a graphite shaft for feel issues and whether you like to feel the head moving or not, etc.

Sorry, but I am a skeptic. I simply do not see how a putter shaft could flex or twist on a putt of let's say 30 feet or less. However, even if it does, how much will that affect the stroke? So much of putting is feel and confidence. Feel can be based upon the weight of the putter or perhaps the type of face on the putter such as smooth, milled or some type of insert. You could make a case to me about the weight of the shaft and how you could use combinations of heads and shafts to create a different feel during the stroke. But I would have to see it to believe it when you say that a shaft flexes during the stroke and if so, that it is significant enough that you can feel it and will determine the speed and/or the direction of the putt.

I would like to see comparison of current/new balls compared to previous generation. This would be especially interesting for slower swing speeds as manufacturers claim more distance but that is usually for higher swing speeds so it might be worth saving money for slower speeds to use the lesser expensive prior generation.

Am I correct that there was a change of the rule concerning a permanent immovable obstruction affecting your stroke or stance when you are in a penalty area other than a bunker? A rule which I believe many players don't know is if your ball is played from off the green and it hits another player or his or her equipment, you play the ball as it lies providing it was done accidentally - correct? Finally, if you are on the green and you putt your ball and an outside agency affects its direction or speed you must replay the shot - I understand this no longer applies to leaves blowing and hitting a leaf - how do you differentiate between when you must replay your shot?