GolfSpy Barbajo

Just got a combo set of 699 and 699 Pros -- took them to the heated driving range over in Hampton this afternoon and mercy, they are sweet. And they go like hell, too. They're going in the bag this weekend for the PGA Show trip - they're really, really good. I'd suggest giving them a demo. The set I have features the standard 699 V2's in the 4-5-6 irons, and the Pro models in the 7-PW. Struggled a bit with the 4 - but the 5 is a friggin rocket.

As @DaveP043 says - lots of great choices. New and Jubilee at St Andrews are excellent. The Castle Course is just part of the St Andrews links, and is just outside of town - fun play unless it's windy, then it'll be ass-kicking and you're providing the target. Eden is in the downtown complex, and while it's not a headliner, everyone I spoke with said for sheer fun it's hard to beat. Check out the daily pass deals - you can play as much golf as you want on any of the St Andrews courses that aren't the Old Course. I thoroughly enjoyed Kingsbarn - yeah, it's pricy but its really, really good. We were going to play Dumbarnie when we went this last May, but they shut it down after losing their greens. All is good now and I hear it's spectacular. Also thumbs up for Lundin Links - it's an under-the-radar course but it has Old Tom's fingerprints all over it. Really fun track right on the water. If you want to stray a little bit, Ladybank is terrific, and as mentioned, Carnoustie is an experience. We've done 2 MyGolfSpy Experience articles on St Andrews. We talk about different courses (New, Jubilee, Kingsbarns, Lundin Links are discussed), as well as places to eat, drink and visit. You'll have ball and you won't want to leave. Here are the links; 2019 trip: MyGolfSpy Experiences: A Trip To St. Andrews | MyGolfSpy 2022 trip: MyGolfSpy Experiences: A Return to St Andrews | MyGolfSpy

Bennet will be hitting "publish" soon enough - but here are some inside deets... 1. The LS version has a very good shot of going in the bag for '23 - it's going up against the Titleist TSR3. For at least one round earlier this week, the LS was the winner. 2. Srixon ditched the carbon fiber crown from previous generation to go back to titanium. It's ultra-with a Star Frame support structure (first used by XXIO). It helps stiffen the stiff portion of Rebound Frame even further. The sound is higher pitched than what you'd get with a carbon crown, but it's not objectionable. 3. LS version has a sole weight forward, behind the face to move the CG forward - and it has a heavier stock shaft - HZRDUS Smoke black, same as ZX7 - to achieve low spin status. 4. Standard ZX5 has sole weight in the back for launch and forgiveness, and lighter HZRDUS Red RDX shaft. Liked this one, just not as much as the LS version. 5. ZX7 has swappable weights in the back to alter ball flight - make it more draw or fade bias. It's 460 cc like the other two, but has what OEMs call a more "tour preferred shaping" 6. Hideki - a notorious tinkerer, is gaming the LS. Lowery is gaming the ZX5. Koepka - who dumped his previous gen ZX7 and Z-Star Diamond just before last year's US Open - is playing a Tour-only LS version of the ZX7. He's also gaming the new Z-Star Diamond.

The round we played at Firestone was a blast -- and my 6 months as a member there was the best six months of my life!!!

Don't miss much about Minnesota, but the golf was always exceptional...as was your tricked out custom blue golf cart! My son is still there, so maybe we can get out and play...he may be planning a major life event soon, depending on how this weekend works out

Me too! Coming down for the PGA Show - might be going to the big Society of Golf Historian's gala at Belleaire CC if you're interested. Be good to see you guys again!

These have been my gamers since August. Was fit for PXG 0211s last December and vowed this would be the year I committed to - and played - one set of irons for an entire season. Then the D9 Forged showed up with KBS C-Taper Lite shafts and, well, you can guess the rest. These are special sticks, especially with the KBS shafts. While not nearly as long as the PXGs, dispersion tightened way up - especially with the short irons. And the feel is like getting a foot massage from a mid-1980s Kathleen Turner.

Been using the 10.5S with the ALL-IN shaft on the practice green - the shaft thing is real. It definitely feels more stable compared to a standard steel shaft. I just had it shortened to 33 inches (35 is too damn long for me) and will see how it stacks up this week. Cleveland has consistently offered a lot of putter tech for a really decent price, but the question remains how seriously do golfers take Cleveland as a putter company? I think it would be a mistake to discount it just because their putters aren't $400 and up. As the song says,- stop, hey, what's that sound? - everybody look what's doing down.

Yep - you are correct. Went back and checked and the last Apex update was January of 2021 -- so it would make sense that an update would come this January. For giggles and grins, here's the launch story from the most recent update... 2021 Callaway Apex Irons & Hybrids | MyGolfSpy

I can probably get one more...

I'm in, baby! Love the Fox...

Callaway is generally on two-year product cycles on its irons. Apex was updated for 2022, so I don't think they'll bring out a new model until 2024. They will have something new in the iron category this year, but it will probably be the Epic line or a new version of that concept.

I'm in for any date but Oct 30th. Let the merriment begin!

Sitting in the media center at the LIV Tour stop in Bolton, MA - about 45 minutes outside of Boston right now. Today is Pro-Am day, and there are no fans in attendance (by design). It's been an interesting afternoon, so if you'll indulge me, I'd like to share some thoughts... 1. You can't to a leak without seeing LIVGolf signage. It's literally everywhere. 2. For better for worse, LIV is all in on the team thing. Team names are on banners all over the course. 3. Plenty of music on the range - looks like it will be a party atmosphere. 4. There's an expansive "Fan Village," with a long putt contest, chipping contest, concert stage, a playground, food trucks and other things to keep you occupied if you get bored with golf. 5. The grandstands and hospitality stands are all first class - very nice with air-conditioned enclosures along with patios to watch the action. 6. Player access is pretty informal - you could talk with players as they left the 18th after their rounds (the pro-am is not shotgun). 7. Spoke with a guy who was Sergio's pro-am partner. Said he got a call about a week ago from a friend involved with LIV who said they had an opening if he was interested. He plopped down $10K for the opportunity - said he had a blast. 8. All in all a very relaxed vibe on pro-am day. They look prepared to make it a party atmosphere over the weekend. 9. There's a merch tent - they're still setting it up but it will all be LIV-branded stuff, as you'd expect. 10. The course itself is not set up for a big tournament - it wasn't built to handle it. LIV has said they're limiting tickets to about 6,500 - or it could be that they couldn't sell any more than that. Hard to tell and no one here to ask. Also had an interesting chat with Anriban Lahiri after he finished his round. He gave me some honest answers - how you feel about it all is kind of up to you...

Just got press credentials for the LIV stop outside of Boston next week. Just need to see for myself what it's all about. My guess is the fan experience is going to be very good, and I'm expecting all the logistics to be fine. It'll be interesting to see how the town of Bolton and the course itself handle crowds, but from what I've read about other venues, it all seems like it's been very well done. They do have some interesting Media Guidelines...