GolfSpy Barbajo

So I went through another TrueGolfFit fitting yesterday, to get a look at how the 2019 sticks would fit me, and this came up... I'm going to be in Chicago next week and made arrangements to meet owner Jason Hilland for a quick fitting session at their place in Sycamore. Have spoken with Jason a few times and finally got to meet him at the PGA Show in January - very interesting guy. I have a week to get my swing in shape so I don't wind up getting embarrassed. It's been a long, cold, lonely winter....

Hit 60 degrees in New Hampshire yesterday - got to hit outside for the first time in forever, even if it was off mats. Still enjoying the VT's - am able to hit the high or low - still with a nice draw. Distance is hard to judge with relatively cold and beat-to-hell range balls (Sagamore has the moteliest collection of range balls I've seen), but I liked the flight and if I had to guess I'd say distance is acceptable to good. As long as it's consistent and not stupid short, we're good. Been particularly impressed with how easy the long irons are to hit. The set Lynx sent me includes a 4-iron, which isn't part of their standard set, and it launches beautifully and easily. I'm trying out the Wilson D7's at the same time and I had no problem hitting the Lynx 4-iron as consistently as I was hitting the D7 5-iron (longest iron in my set). Did notice something hitting outdoors that I didn't notice in the enclosed portion of the range - when you hit the VT's toward the toe there's an unusual metallic "clink" sound. It was weird the first time I heard it, but it is noticeable. I didn't find it off-putting because the results were still really good, but I would imagine some might find it annoying. I haven't hit the PING G700's, but I've heard from people who have the sound bothers them - I'm guessing that might be the fate of a hollow-body iron. Hit is square and the sound - and as a result the feel - is a little different from a true forged iron (only the face of the VT is forged) - but not one I mind all that much. The D7, on the other hand, feels very nice when you hit it square and a tad harsh when you don't, but it doesn't have the metallic clink. Still no word on US availability or pricing, but Lynx promises that all will be revealed in May. For what it's worth, they've changed their Twitter handle from LynxGolfUK to LynxGolfGlobal, but we'll see what happens. I read somewhere - I think it was Twitter - refer to Lynx as a mom-and-pop outfit - and from the context it was not meant as a compliment. Truth is, Lynx is a mom-and-pop outfit, quite literally. It's a small time operation run by a husband and wife team, with all the limitations inherent with said operation. I'm guessing most of their lineup is made up of open models - although they say the VT and the new Switch Face Prowler driver are their own patented designs, but again, what does all that really mean? So far, I can say the VT irons are definitely in the running for the starting lineup this year - along with a progressive Srixon set and - oddly enough - the D7's. And maybe the Bridgestones. And maybe my 1993 Hogan Edge's. And maybe the MacGregor VIP's. I think I have a problem....

You're not far from a bunch of different courses - Newport is only about a 1/2 from Providence/Cranston/Warwick - Cranston CC isn't bad - they have an interesting island green. Triggs in Providence is a nifty Donald Ross design. A little further into Mass you have some other options - Swansea CC, New England CC in Bellingham and a few others - depends on how far you want to drive.

+1 on Spargo's - they're in Warwick in the basement of Mulligan's Island. The shop itself is very modest but they have a first rate enclosed fitting facility - you hit out to the range rather than hitting into a screen, which helps a ton. Talk with Steve Colletta, tell him I sent you - he's one of the best.

Here it is... https://mygolfspy.com/behind-the-curtain-just-who-is-designing-your-golf-clubs/ Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Open model,open mold - means the design is open to anyone who wants it. Chinese manufacturers have designs that are either o longer covered by patents or that are of their own design and shared - basically anyone can sell it, or modify it in conjunction with their own people, and sell it. Basically, you and I can go into the club business tomorrow and sell open models with our name and logo. Small companies like Lynx and - I presume Sub70 - will make use of open models to fill out their line rather than investing $30k in developing their own mold for a particular club they don’t think they’ll sell a ton of. The challenge is with the way manufacturing is over there, a mold one company think is theirs may wind up being an open model at a completely different factory. We had a blog on it last year - I’ll dig out the link for you Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

VT's are hollow body construction - no fill. The Black Cat has a polymer fill - and does resemble the Sub70, as well as the PING G700, which is hollow but similar in appearance, and the TaylorMade P790, which has the much-ballyhooed Speed Foam, and the PXG whatever it is, which led to a series of lawsuits between TM and PXG. Can't speak for Jason and Sub70 (met him once - he's a really good guy), but Lynx contracts with a gent named Kevin Woolgar to handle its club design. Kevin spends most of his time in China working with foundries over there. Some of Lynx's stuff is open model, some of it Kevin co-designs with China's R&D people - mostly adapting/improving/altering their in-house designs. From what they've told me, the VT is a patented model for Lynx (sure, it looks like others, but it's a golf club - it's gonna look like a golf club), and the new Switch Face driver is also a Lynx patent. Not sure if the Black Cat is an open model or if it's based on an open model with some Kevin-specific alteration. Based on some of the pricing I've seen bandied about (don't believe they've finalized it yet), I'd lean towards the former. Which begs the question - if an open model performs well, has the shaft you want and is priced right, does it matter if it's an open model or not? Would you buy it and feel confident in it? That's a question that might lead to another thread...

Buddy is a member there - so got to play it at least 8 to 10 times over the years - once right after the CVS Classic. The stands were still up. The last 4 holes are on the ocean - really fun. Another time got to play with Brad Adamonis - he played on the PGA Tour and made a playoff out of nowhere a few years ago some tourney in the Midwest - he got a ton of TV time. We had a match and he gave me a ton of strokes -- I took two bucks off him.

Met Brad at the PGA Show in January - young guy (at my age, most people are young), but as you said, he's truly passionate about his craft. An artist who found his passion with putters.

First range session with the Prowler VT irons - I could definitely see these in the bag this year. Admittedly plenty of winter time rust, but despite their blade-ishness, the VT's are pretty easy to launch and, if you're able, to hit high or low on demand (I pulled it off about 70% of the time -- or maybe 65). I can't fade or draw on demand reliably - so "working" the ball remains a theoretical part of my game, but nearly all my well struck shots were a nice, tightly little draw. The long irons (set is 4-PW) were easy to launch high or low, and seemed to have some nice distance to them (it's winter, Sagamore Golf Center has seriously beat up range balls) - at least impact felt good, like the ball would be going somewhere if it was spring or summer and balls weren't cold. The VT's are a hollow-body iron - the face is forged and the head is hollow cast. The knock on clubs like this is a harsh sound/feel (Ping G700, for example), but with the cold and the crappy range balls it's really hard to tell, other than for today anyway the sound and feel was well within what you'd consider acceptable. I kind of like the KBS Tour V shaft, too -- for today anyway. Lower flight and lower spin than the KBS Tour - and a little lighter than the C Taper. Seemed to work well for today on the range in the winter in New Hampshire hitting crappy range balls off a well worn mat.

As soon as the weather clears brother, we're on!

I tend to play a lot of my golf during the week - either here or when I'm traveling for work. First year back in NH my go-to course was Breakfast Hill in Greenland NH. I'd put it in the Good Value/Cheap category - can usually walk it for under $40 on weekday, under $50 on weekends. Haven't played Stow Acres on the weekend since the 80's, but even back then I remember it being the Bataan Death March of golf - 5 hour minimum at least. Weekdays it's much better and not terribly expensive. The really expensive courses - $100 or above - those are special occasion/1 or 2 times a year events for me. Have thought about joining a private club, but can't seem to pull the trigger. I do get to travel a lot for work, and the wife doesn't mind if I bring by sticks along, so I get to play in other parts of the world which satisfies the itch for new and different. And.....coming up the end of May will be another trip to Scotland - one full week at St. Andrews!

Let know when you go - I'm always up for a trip to Red Tail and Shaker. And Stow. Ever play Rhode Island Country Club? Got to play there several times -- typical Donald Ross course -- the more you play it, the more you get it. Fun track... How about Wachusett?

They have some spring specials - if you can get away on a weekday it can be had for around $65 or so...