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ga_pike

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Everything posted by ga_pike

  1. I volunteered every year we had the South Georgia Classic here in town. I always chose to be a walking scorer. I'm not sure if that's an option but if you get selected and you can do that, it's hands down the best job of them all. Often times I'd finish up 18 and they'd ask me to go take over 9 for someone who couldn't make it or even pull a double. You can't ask for better access to the event.
  2. There is a DIY thread somewhere that explains how to build a set yourself. My thought was with all the positive reviews, go ahead and drop the coin. Apparently it works as advertised.
  3. So this afternoon after work was my 2nd day. My swing speeds were down a good 6 or 7 MPH and still jumping all over the place. I'm thinking that it will take 2 or 3 more times to "normalize". One thing for me is I have "bad shoulders"... always have. I was never able to do military presses when lifting weights as my shoulders would pop out and swinging as hard as I can does make them sore. Some of this will get better as I improve the strength in my shoulders with this move. It is a bit different thinking though... I've always been told I swung too hard and needed to smooth out (better tempo) but my understanding of this is I'm supposed to swing as absolutely hard as I can. Doing this, I'm trying my best to stay on balance but I'm catching myself stepping through... not the worst thing I assume. Anyone have similar experience when they started? Thanks!
  4. Seriously... the only thing I saw in the video was the old man with his socks pulled up to his crotch.
  5. So, I've run through my allotment of balls and decided to finish up stage 2 of my review. Check it out at the link below!!
  6. So after reading this thread and the article, I pulled the trigger. Mine arrived today and I did my first protocol this afternoon. Couple of observations... 3 swings per side is way more intensive than I expected it to be My swing speed is all over the place... I assume that is normal to start with? Right handed swings are tough for a lefty I'm understanding this is 3 times a week... I assume at least 1 day off in between?
  7. Dave Marr was talking about this on his radio show this morning because of the New Orleans event. I called in and suggested "Don't Mess With My Toot Toot"... good old Louisiana song!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGnu3GdUna8
  8. I wonder if the white balls have a clear coat that add to the shiny finish and the colored balls do not? The Vice matte yellow balls I play do not seem to have a clear over them. With this thinking, I also wonder what effect clear coat vs no clear coat might have. It's most likely minimal and not an issue for us peasants but any difference in production should equate to a difference in performance.
  9. If this post is not permitted, please delete. The 2019 Milltown Open to benefit the Lanier County Lions Club is being held on Friday, May 10th at Stone Creek Golf Club in Valdosta, GA. 4 man scramble with cash prizes for 1st and 2nd place along with gift certificates for longest drive and 4 close ups. If you are in the south Georgia or north Florida area and interested in playing, please come out and join us!! Box lunches provided pre-round and a BBQ buffet will be provided post round. Thanks!
  10. Maybe that Surfactant stuff?? https://www.ispot.tv/ad/IlEw/bridgestone-golf-e12-translator-featuring-tiger-woods
  11. A little late but... Starter: Bolitas de Platanos and Chorizo bites Entree: Arroz Con Pollo, Spanish Paella, roasted asparagus Dessert: Flan de leche Wine: Horse Creek Vineyards assortment
  12. I'm roughly 1/2 club short across the board with the E12 Speed compared to the Vice Pro Soft.
  13. You missed the joke... by a country mile. Sent from my SM-G935V using MyGolfSpy mobile app
  14. Not according to my wife. :-O Sent from my SM-G935V using MyGolfSpy mobile app
  15. https://www.yahoo.com/news/masters-2019-tiger-woods-explains-204027433.html The real question is... does Tiger get special Tour Only gum? You know you want to know!!
  16. If I heard correctly, she gets an invite to the Champions Dinner as well. How cool would that be?? Sent from my SM-G935V using MyGolfSpy mobile app
  17. Must say, that was one of the more entertaining events to watch this year. Happy for Conners. Hope one of the guys hooked him up with a ride to Augusta! (I'm sure they did). Sent from my SM-G935V using MyGolfSpy mobile app
  18. A little update from my 9 hole scramble last night (sorry no photos). I played back and forth between the E12 Speed and Vice Pro Soft. I'm still able to tell a noticeable difference in feel with the E12 Speed feeling more firm across the board. Iron shots with the E12 Speed seemed to fly about 1/2 club short for me and my drives were about 8 yards shorter on average using my Swing Caddie SC100. Control was very similar with none of my shots really getting too far offline. Pitches and putts with the E12 Speed still come off hotter and with the really fast and firm greens, this was increased. We are getting some rain today through Sunday and the greens were just fertilized so I expect them to slow down a little bit as they transition back to normal. Also, I really want to call this the B12 instead of E12... just seems to make sense. So in any of my reviews, please ignore that potential mistake.
  19. So I actually received my E12 Speeds last week and have been able to put a couple of rounds on them. Instead of waiting 3 or so weeks for my full review, I will drop some quick reviews along the way to keep you up to speed (pun intended). My initial on course experience with these really didn't go all that well. I teed one up in our weekly Thursday 9 hole scramble. Our 1st hole was #3, a 558 yard par 5 with a tight tee shot, uphill over native area/water. Swing and low bullet right into the bank on the other side. Not a great way to start. Thankfully, we had a 74 year old on our team that got to hit from the other side. My next shot was a 5 wood from 225... again, low screamer with a hard duck hook. All I can say is both shots felt really, really bad. We get up to the green and are putting for eagle. I knock it inches from the hole and we ended up with birdie. Fast forward through the rest of the round where my use of the E12 Speed was a calamity of terrible shots. Crazy low, harsh feeling balls that really made me wonder if it was my swing or the ball or what?? So after 4 holes, I swapped to my Vice balls and instantly, my game was back. I finished the final 5 holes looking like I knew how to play golf. This really left me shaking my head. Could this ball be that bad a fit for me? I've never had a ball react like this based on the ball itself. Lots of questions... time to find some answers. I went out over the weekend and focused on the driving range. Trying to continue to get my swing back in form... last night after work, I played 9 holes with the E12 Speed and it was completely different. The ball came off the face as expected, irons shots got up ion the air... it wasn't completely the ball. Whew! That said, this ball still feels more firm than I like but it's not old school Top Flite hard. Irons shots seem to fly about 1/2 club short. Drives are slightly shorter but not too much, couple 5 or 6 yards at most. One really nice shot was a 5 wood on that #3 hole I previously mentioned... I hit the dang thing 235, high and straight. That's about 20 yards farther than I expect to hit my 5 wood. Also, this is not a perfectly straight ball. It will turn both left and right... but I could tell it didn't turn as much. So the cut 5 wood I hit on 6 that would have been across the path and into the deep rough, stayed short of the path and safely in play. I'm going to put these into play again tonight in the 9 hole scramble. Keep checking back for more updates and please share your thoughts and let me know what else you'd like to see from me! A few pics from last night: Just washing my balls... Tee shots on #1. You can barely see the Vice ball in the middle a few yards ahead. Both were well struck shots. My lie on #3 when I hit the 5 wood. Post 9 holes ball condition. A little more beat up than I expected. No trees or cart paths hit. 2 approach shots on #9 from 167. Both balls landed in basically the same spot and this was the result.
  20. Be sure to check out my initial thoughts upon receiving my E12 Speed balls here: Let me know what you think and what else you'd like to see.
  21. After several rounds with the E12 Speed and direct comparison to my gamer, the Vice Pro Soft, my initial feeling is that while the ball is nice, it’s not for me. After spending quite a bit of time putting, chipping, and pitching with it, I was extremely excited to see what it could do on the course. The remainder of my testing was performed during live rounds both regular and scramble along with some specific shot conditions where I was able to hit several shots from various locations around the course with both balls to gauge performance. Looks & Durability - 5 out of 15 points From a looks standpoint, this ball appears to look the same as its high end siblings. The large “B” logo is appealing to me and the finish is nice and glossy. During my first round, I had the pleasure of knocking this ball off a couple of trees and also a cart path. There was noticeable scuffing and discoloration. I would have normally removed the ball from play but decided to see how much the performance was affected. Additional rounds proved that there was significant scuffing and wear on the ball from normal use. By the end of a round, these balls seem to be worn enough that I wouldn’t use them again. I would suggest that the worst thing about these balls is their lack of durability. Sound & Feel (12 out of 15 points) Putter: Noticeable “click” at impact but the feel was surprisingly soft. Ball seemed hot off the face but got rolling quickly with limited skid. Irons/Wedges: The ball had a very “clicky” sound and somewhat harsh feel on full shots… reminded me of what I remember about surlyn covered balls. On chips and pitches, the click was still noticeable but not as much. It was easy to feel the ball on pitches and chips which I liked. Driver: With the driver, the ball had a firmer feel than the Vice Pro Soft, but not anything to write home about. Sound wise, it was acceptable. Not too loud but a more noticeable sound than the Vice. On-Course Performance (30 out of 50 points) · Putter: The E12 Speed jumped off the putter face a little faster than the Vice Pro Soft and it seemed to roll out a little more. This would be acceptable once you get used to it. Roll was true to line and the ball did not seem affected negatively by any imperfections in the green. Overall, this is a ball I’d be happy to putt with at any time. · Chips/Pitches: The ball seemed to come out slightly lower and roll out a little more. It seemed that the ball came off the face of the club “hotter” but it was consistent. As with putting, this is something that would only take a little getting used to and would be totally acceptable for normal use. · Irons/Wedges: Ball flight was slightly lower than my gamer and the ball seemed to “knuckle” instead of spin. I found it difficult to control the ball in wind and carry distance was a ½ club to full club shorter than my current gamer but the additional roll made up for the distance. I feel like I do not have the swing speed necessary to properly compress this ball to achieve desired flight and carry distance. The ball works well when you do not have a forced carry but can allow for some run up. I started hitting irons to a target short of the green with the desire for the ball to run or hop up and then roll out. This became an issue with elevated greens or under softer conditions because it was difficult to judge how the ball would react as opposed to landing on the green and stopping. · Driver: As with the irons, I simply couldn’t get this ball up like I wanted. Most shots were low to mid-low and seemed to “knuckle” instead of spin. I actually lost my first tee shot because it didn’t get up high enough to clear the waste area between the tee box and fairway. I tried hitting before and after my gamer, but just couldn’t seem to get consistent results from hitting these off the tee. That said, during afternoon rounds, total distance was only 5-8 yards short of my gamer… morning rounds however were a different story as the softer, dew covered ground greatly reduced any run out. They did seem to carry significantly less meaning forced carries were of concern. As before, I feel like it may be a swing speed issue as my driver swing speed as measuring 95 – 98 MPH and this ball is designed for 105+. It will be interesting to see if there is any difference after I get through the first stage of the Superspeed Golf program. I’ll be sure to report back on that later. Game Bag or Shag Bag? (12 out of 20 points) Right now, this just isn’t the ball for me. While I was pleasantly surprised upon initial testing around the practice green, the performance in regular play was just not where I’d like it to be. It wasn’t horrible, but there is definitely room for improvement. As stated previously, I feel as though some of this is attributed to my swing speed not being high enough. Their marketing clearly states this ball is designed for swing speeds of 105+ and my 95-98 MPH swing speed just isn’t there. The bigger issue for me was durability. Although these balls are less than a premium ball, the cost per round is higher because they need to be replaced every 9-18 holes. Conclusion · I feel like my swing speed is not enough to generate the positive effects this ball is meant to provide from the E12 Speed Short game shots come out lower with less spin but are very playable. E12 Speed ball flight with full irons shots was lower than expected Driver ball flight was lower than expected but generated lots of roll on firm, dry fairways Durability is an issue At the end of the day, while I wouldn’t personally purchase this ball, I can see where it would be helpful for fast swingers looking for help keeping the ball in play. If your course has lots of trouble around the greens that requires you to get it up and spin it to stop it close, this may not be the best choice… but if you have the option of running it out and playing lower shots into the pins, this would definitely work. If Bridgestone can address the durability issues, tis ball could really become a viable option in the future. Final Score: 59 out of 100
  22. I was selected to test the new Bridgestone B12 Speed. This ball is considered “Distance Performance Class”. Per the Bridgestone website the B12 Speed is a “3-piece surlyn golf ball that delivers sidespin reducing performance, with explosive distance off the tee with a solid feel. Bridgestone’s proprietary new Active Acceleration Mantle layer is a key component of the 3-piece construction. The Active Acceleration Mantle is comprised of a new High Performance Polymer material that provides increased thrust and higher initial velocity at impact, while allowing Bridgestone to enhance the core for greater forgiveness and enhanced feel. Designed specifically for players with greater than 105 MPH driver swing speeds. The e12 SPEED utilizes Bridgestone’s Delta Wing Dimple pattern for less drag and optimized aerodynamics in the cover.” Lots of big words that basically sound to me like a 3 piece, hard cover ball that should fly straighter but still feel “soft”. If I sound skeptical, I am. I’ve not played a surlyn covered ball in many, many years as I’ve found them to feel hard and harsh. That said, if the feel is there and the ball flies straighter (as they claim), then I’m very interested. A little about me. I’m a 41 year old regular guy who works as an administrator in the healthcare field. A former college football player who took the game up my freshman year in college. Up until about 2 years ago, I played multiple times per week. Then I took over as president of our local classic car club and golf went away for 2 years. I made a decision to step down and play more golf again. My game isn’t where it was when I stepped away but everything is there… just have to find that consistency. I live in South Georgia. We normally golf year round here… unless it’s the 40 year flood which apparently is happening right now. For me, a golf ball needs to feel soft and it needs to help me with height and carry since I’m a low spin player. My current HDCP is 10.3 and dropping but I’ve been as low as a 4. My ball flight is a mid-low, penetrating flight, generally with a slight cut right to left (yes, I’m a lefty). My typical miss is hitting it heavy when I get too quick and move too much (dip my head/shoulder). Strengths of my game are putting and full irons. Weaknesses are partial iron/wedge shots and fairway woods off the deck, although this new 5 wood has been money. My current bag is as follows: Driver: TM 2017 M1 w/ DI-6S, 10.5* 5 wood: Callaway Rogue Sub Zero, Aldila Synergy 3 Hybrid: Callaway Rogue X, Aldila Synergy 5 Hybrid: Callaway Rogue X, Aldila Synergy Irons 5-PW: Srixon Z565, Miyazaki 8S 6554 GW 50*, SW 55* & LW 58*: Ping Glide 2.0 w/ stock steel shafts. Putter: Big Oak Havana or Slighter Custom (both 33”) Ball: Vice Pro Soft (matte yellow) - decided to try this ball because of the promise of tour quality for a good price. After doing the online fitting and some research, the Pro Soft became my ball of choice. So what is it about golf that I enjoy? There is something special about a game where you play by yourself, call penalties on yourself, and the only one who know if you’re honest are you and God. It’s a game where you can go out on a late afternoon, alone, and simply enjoy the fresh air or you tee it up at 6:45 in the morning with 3 buddies and challenge each other for best score. No matter how you play on any given day, there is always that one shot you hit that you know was perfect… and it keeps you coming back to find a way to replicate that shot over and over. First Impressions The balls arrived and when I pulled them out of the box the first thing that struck me was this ball is bright white. I’ve been playing the Vice Pro Soft which is a matte finish and the brightness of the glossy finish on this ball is impressive. First thing I did was the “bite test”. The cover is not as hard as I was expecting. It’s not as soft feeling as the Vice to me, but it’s not a rock. I also did the same an unidentified test ball from Titleist and the B12 felt extremely similar to the Titleist. The dimples on all 3 balls were similar as well… shallow would be the best way to describe them. I like the “B” logo as opposed to the older “Bridgestone” logo they used to put on balls and the overall finish is of very high quality unlike some other balls of this level I’ve played in the past. A quick trip to the putting green revealed that while it’s not as hard as I was expecting, it’s “firmer” feeling than my Vice balls. Putts seem to come off the face faster and roll out a little more. Nothing uncontrollable, just more than I’ve been accustomed to. Pitches come out lower and hotter and there doesn’t seem to be any stopping this ball with spin. As far as my plan for testing… I’m plan to play the snot out of these balls until they wear out or decide to go swimming. I will spend lots of time at our practice facility putting, chipping, and pitching with these and put them head to head with not only the Vice Pro Soft, but the Cut Blue and Pro V1x. I’ve also got approval from the pro to spend some on course time hitting multiple shots from 200, 150, and 100 yards with each to see how they react. I’ll use this ball during our weekly 9 hole Thursday scramble and play it in my regular weekend rounds. As I said before, I’m skeptical about how much I will like this ball simply because of the cover material. Stay tuned for my full review and see if Bridgestone can make a believer out of me.
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