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GolfSpy Barbajo

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Posts posted by GolfSpy Barbajo

  1. 1 hour ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

    Lucky SOB's!  Not that I'm jealous or anything!   Curious did you arrange this through the contact we met at the PGA Show a couple years ago, or go with someone you knew previously.

    Arranged the trip with Jack Sallis from Halcyon Golf Travel - I met him at the PGA Show in 2019 I think. He arranged the trip my cousin Paul and I took that year. Paul is also on the trip this year. 

    Jack is a terrific kid - I call him a kid, he's what, 26, 27? - and put together a nice itinerary for us. He doesn't have Old Course Tee times, unfortunately. And we did get some bad news this week. We're going to be in St Andrews May 5-7 (Leaving Sunday, the 8th), and just found out the Old Course will be closed down the 5th for Open Championship work, and there's a tournament on the 7th, so there's no ballot that day. So our only chance will be Friday, the 6th. All those plans were made long after we booked the dates, so what can you do...

    So if we're miss out on the ballot, we'll be camping out at the starters shack Thursday night. I'll bring snacks. 

     

  2. Two weeks away, baby!!!

     

    FQS3eBeWUAI9dU-.jpg

     

    Heading to Scotland with a group of 8 for the first week of May. Will join longtime MGS Forum member @MGoBlue100, along with @evershady and several other old friends.  Here's the itinerary:
     

    April 29: I arrived in Edinburgh after spending a week in Northampton and London on day job business and spending a little time with the Mrs.

    April 30: Morning round with Gavin Dear and Jenn Saxton of ShotScope. Rest of the group arrives in Edinburgh - spending the day and night downtown.
    May 1: Travel to East Lothian - warm up round at Kilspindiecheck into the Duck Inn in North Berwick
    May 2: Round at North Berwick - which remains maybe the most fun golf course I've ever played. 
    May 3: Round at The Renaissance, where they played the Scottish Open last year. This one will very likely kick our ass. 
    May 4: Round at Dunbar, then hop in a van and head to St Andrews. 
    May 5-7: Day passes at St Andrews-which means we can play as much golf as we want and any St Andrews course that isn't The Old Course. Tee times already set We don't have tee times for The Old Course but will enter into the ballot process. If that doesn't work, well, there's camping out at the starter's shed overnight and hope. Cousin Paul and I have already played it, but the other 6 guys haven't - so I hope they get the chance. It's special. 
    May 7: Four of us will play Dumbarnie on our last day there - it's new and is supposed to be spectacular. They were just finishing it up when we were there last and is said to rival Kingsbarns - can't wait to give it a go. 

    The group will be providing plenty of social media. Follow us on Twitter and/or IG for all kinds of fun 😉

    Twitter: @golfspybarbajo @MGoBlue100
    Instagram: 
    golfspy_barbajo mgoblue100

     

  3. 3 hours ago, Matt Wallbank said:

    Hey Guys,

    I’m planning on squeezing in a 1.5 day trip to St Andrews July 27th & 28th on my Europe Trip from New Zealand. Really would love to play the Old Course (Just like everyone else). I’m planning on sleeping in the singles line on the 27th night and trying to get out the next morning. Had a couple of questions:

    1.      If it gets to 4pm and I’m still not on the course, how hard would it be to walk onto the New/Jubilee/Castle courses?

    2.      Does anyone know anyone playing on the 28th of July in a 2 or a 3 who wouldn’t mind an extra walking the links with them (Long long shot?!) hahaha

    Appreciate any advice or tips!

    I'd say your odds are better to walk on at the New, Jubilee or Eden courses - Castle may be more difficult only because it's not at the same complex - it's about a 10- minute ride outside of town. If you're planning on doing the overnite thing, dress warm. It gets mighty cold there, even in the middle of summer. Last time I went we got there at around 2:30 AM or so. The first night we were #'s 11 and 12 in line, the second night we were #s 35 and 36 in line. It's a crapshoot. Make sure you bring your handicap card. They check. 

  4. 13 hours ago, Dave73nl said:

    Everything is up and running again... The place is magical and the open-ish of everything make's it so enjoyable.

    I had a foursume in front of us with 2 dag's and 3 students who were just like 1 minute before teatime at the tee boxes hahaha Golf is so pure there, not a hot shot fancy thing, no high fences nope you just walk the course... When we were there the opening of ' The Open'. was there with a big lasershow, fireworks and 5000 people on the fairway's of hole 1 and 18 hahahaha ... Allot of other places can learn allot of St. Andrews. It truly is the home of golf!

     

     

    b111ea95-6550-401c-adc0-9ff87eba40db.JPG

    Awesome picture!

    Going with a group of 8 guys May 1-8, including @MGoBlue100. We're going to spend the first part of the week in East Lothian, playing Kilspindie, North Berwick, Dunbar and the Renaissance. Then it's up to St. Andrews with tee times at the New, Jubilee and Castle. We'll be in the lottery for the Old Course and will probably pull at least one all-nighter at the starter's shack to see if we can get on. Also have a tee time at Dumbarnie, which I hear is special. 

    Will post a ton of pix!

  5. We're playing Kilspindie in May - can give you an overview afterwards. If you take the train south, it'll go all the way to North Berwick. I've played it once and it is maybe the most fun golf course I've ever played and it's definitely a links course. YOu can walk from the train station to the golf course - it's about 5 minutes. The clubhouse is great - you can eat upstairs plus there are a bunch of great restaurants in the area. 

    There are also several good parkland type courses right in Edinburgh. Played Prestonfield four years ago and enjoyed it very much.  And if you want a different experience, the Old Course at Mussellburgh is an adventure - the only 9 holer to have hosted 2 Opens. It's in the middle of a racetrack, and if you're so inclined you can rent a set of vintage hickory shafted clubs and go old school.

  6. 42 minutes ago, russtopherb said:

    Giving this thread the ol' bumparoo with this Pete Finch video from today. 

     

    He honestly could have chilled it with the multiple vomit comments about the looks, because honestly these are much better looking than the 1st gen. However he just could not stop laughing with how forgiving they are and how well he was hitting them. 

    "...more forgiving than Mary Poppins on kite day." 

  7. 14 hours ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

    I know Bryan said he can't make it.  What about that other New Englander guy up there.   You know the guy that sometimes write articles about old companies on the Blog 🙂    Hey @GolfSpy Barbajo I know you're headed to the Home of Golf...AGAIN!! in May, but what about a short trip down the coast in August!! 

    August 5-7 you say? Hmmmmmm.....depends on many things, but would love to make it. Depends on schedule and SWMBO.

  8. Wrote a blog post a couple of years ago on Quantix and another DTC company (Seed). Quantix is a Texas company and what I found fascinating is its owner was only 21 at the time - so that would make him a still youthful 23 today. Ean Martin is a very interesting and motivated young man - it's been a while since I tried the balls, so I can't say where they are now - will anxiously await your thoughts.

    Here's a link to the article...

    Quantix and Seed - Two New Faces in Direct-To-Consumer Golf Balls | MyGolfSpy

  9. 1 hour ago, dlow206 said:

    That Mati had an awesome performance on the MGS Most wanted. I would love to try one of their plumber neck blades, but I am guessing their aren't many places in the US that have them available. 

    `Not many, as in none. Mati is based in Italy - custom orders only. 

    I've known Seliano for several years, and he finally took the plunge to participate in Most Wanted. Here's the kind of guy he is - I don't think he'll care if these results in even one more putter sale. The most important thing to him is validation of his life's work. Don't know of too many people who truly love what they do like he does. There's a lot of amore in each putter...

  10. So you've probably seen this all over social media, but for SQAIRZ, Sepp Straka's win at the Honda is a certifiable big deal. Some do find it annoying when equipment companies promote the fact their players win using their gear - the worst I ever saw was a press release from a water bottle company congratulating a player who just won with their water battle in his bag. 

    But that's the way of the world. And as Tim Clarke from Wilson once told us - Majors move product, but regular Tour wins validate your equipment. I'd say that's especially true for challenger brands or brands outside the norm like SQAIRZ. I've known Bob Winskowicz for two years now (he lives about 30 minutes from me), and find him to be a smart businessman and a passionate believer in his product. And the fact he's taken his company from nothing to a Tour victory in two years is something he can rightfully be proud of. 

    I have a pair of the original SQAIRZ - not bad shoes at all but I found them to be on the heavy side. I bought a pair of the pink shoes for the Real Men Wear Pink promotion last fall (wife is and father was a cancer survivor, so it was a cause near and dear). Haven't had a chance to try them on the course, but that will come. They are noticeably lighter than the first edition and--- they're pink. 

    I can say the wider sole had a totally different feel when you wear them. I can't put a better word on it than you feel....stable.

    Anyway, here's the press release. What are your thoughts?

     

    WINDHAM, NH, February 28, 2022 -- SQAIRZ, the fastest growing golf shoe company, congratulates SQAIRZ Brand Ambassador, Sepp Straka, for winning his first PGA Tour Event. The Honda Classic is the first PGA Tour Event won by an athlete wearing the new SQAIRZ golf shoes.

    Straka made birdies on holes 14, 16, and 18 to shoot 66 and best Shane Lowry by a single stroke. Straka ranked first in strokes gained off-the-tee and gained nearly five shots on the field. His combined distance (310-yard average) and accuracy (a field-leading 83.9% fairways hit) led him to his inaugural PGA Tour win.

    After his massive 334-yard drive on the 18th hole, the longest drive of the week, SQAIRZ served Straka well as the rain began to fall, allowing him to nail his second shot and putt to secure the birdie and the win. SQAIRZ’s traction, waterproof material, stability, and comfort all came into play during that 18th hole.

    When asked about his victory, Sepp Straka responded, “I can’t believe what a difference my SQAIRZ made on the 18th hole. Even with the poor conditions I was still able to get great traction to hit that great drive and nail that six iron, setting up the winning birdie.”

    After hearing Sepp’s comment, Bob Winskowicz, the Founder and CEO of SQAIRZ responded, “That’s great testament to the performance of our new Speed golf shoes and we’re so glad to have been a part of this tremendous moment. All of us at SQAIRZ would like to congratulate Sepp on his amazing come from behind victory.”

    For his win, Sepp Straka took home the winner’s share of the 8-million-dollar purse, $1.44 million. Not only was this Straka’s first PGA Tour Event win, this is also the first time an Austrian has won a PGA Tour Event. Straka has moved up to 14th on the current FedExCup points list and has secured his place in the Masters Tournament in April 2022. This first PGA Tour Event won by an athlete wearing SQAIRZ golf shoes comes on the heels of John Daly and son’s Champions Tour victory at the recent PNC Championship.

    About SQAIRZ: SQAIRZ is the fastest growing golf shoe brand and the first golf shoe designed to increase distance, balance, stability, and speed. SQAIRZ®’s patented toe design, spike positioning, specially placed comfort padding, Sta-Put laces, and other performance innovations have been proven to improve golfers’ positioning, biomechanics, comfort, balance, and stability. These innovations help golfers to consistently achieve greater accuracy as well as increased ground force connection and swing speed for greater distance. For more information, visit sqairz.com or connect with the company on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

    sqairz 1.jpg.

  11. Will echo what others have said about PXG fitting. Was in Scottsdale in December for the Day Job and scheduled a fitting and tour at the PXG HQ.  My fitter was very thorough, and while he wanted to get me into the Gen 4 irons, it was pretty clear there wasn't all that much difference between those and the 0211 irons. I told him "you guys made these too good!" He agreed. 

    We tried but couldn't come up with a combo to beat the driver I brought with me (new XXIO X), but I did get a Gen4 2-wood and hybrid, along with the irons. We tried every shaft imaginable but couldn't come up with anything better than the no-upcharge Elevate. 
     

    As for business, since it's Parsons owned, he doesn't answer to anyone, so he can run his business the way he wants. I will tell you the assembly area was running like a finely tuned machine. They had 12 work pods and each would build up 8 custom orders at a time - very well organized for maximum efficiency. One area would pick the materials for the orders and place them on carts, which would then be wheeled to one of the 8 pods. There a team would build the order in an assembly line. 

    They wouldn't let me take pictures in the warehouse, but Parsons read the pre-lockdown tea leaves perfectly. He saw that one result of the pandemic could be a global supply chain mess, so he stocked up on damn near everything - and his warehouse is still packed. That's why PXG can turn around a custom order in about a week or so, while others are 3 to 6 months out. 

    And pricing? When you have high-end product like the Gen4, you don't have to have big market share to make money. Let's say they have a 15% margin on both the 0211s and the Gen4s (I don't know what the margin really is, just making a point), would you rather have 15% margin on $600 or $2500? In Bob's case, he'll take both, especially since he doesn't share any of it with retail accounts. 

    Additionally, their PR/Marketing person told me PXG will be opening up several new fitting centers in major cities in 2022. Basically they'll be PXG branded stores where you can get fit and buy other PXG accessories and apparel. Even more are planned for 2023. 

    So yeah, I'd say they're doing okay. 

     

     

  12. 22 hours ago, juspoole said:

    I should have clarified, My Boss and I coming from Indiana would likely drive as it's only around 6 hours.  The others would be coming from the Northeast primarily (Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore).  Likely would fly into Chicago or Detroit I'm guessing then to Madison I think, then an hour drive from there it looks like.  

    I think it would be worthwhile to do.  We did Bandon a few years ago, which is just (if not more) difficult to get to and it worked out great.   Streamsong is on the list as well, but pricing it a bit outrageous in my opinion, even if the company is footing the bill.

    Sorry to ramble - thanks for the assist.  

    There are a ton of great courses all over Wisconsin, as @DaveP043 points out. Have never played Lawsonia, but hear nothing but great things about it. Sentry World in Stevens Point is less than an hour away from Sand Valley, and there are a ton of excellent courses within an hour or so of Milwaukee - I believe one of them hosted a major event this past fall...

     

  13. On 12/23/2021 at 5:31 PM, juspoole said:

    @GolfSpy BarbajoLooking to potentially take some customers there this summer as well.  How was the travel for your customers?  That is the main drawback I can see, is that you lose a day just from travel just about.  

    Very excited to look more at the Lido renovation they are adding there as well.  Seems like it will quickly be a top 30 course as well.  

    In our case, the customers were from central Wisconsin, so it was a day trip for them. Indiana is a hike, no doubt about it. And while flying may be less taxing, it'll probably be just as long if not longer if you can't find a direct flight to Madison, which is another hour and a half drive to Sand Valley. 

    If you're there for a few days, it's definitely worth the drive. Like Streamsong, it's in the middle of nowhere so you're kind of isolated - it's about an hour drive to Wisconsin Dells where at least there are restaurants and hotels with water parks if you're so inclined. Otherwise, get a lodge at the facility and do some customer-vendor bonding. 

  14. On 12/21/2021 at 10:38 AM, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

    Depends what you have for irons 😛 

    All old stuff: '99 Hogan Apex blades, 2002 or 2003 Hogan Apex FTX progressive set, 2002 MacGregor VIP 1025 MC/MB set and the coveted 2010 MacGregor VIP cavity backs. 

    And a really old set of Burke Tommy Armour Silver Scot irons with aluminum shafts - collectable but not playable. I tried - it didn't work at all. 

     

  15. 17 hours ago, russtopherb said:

    Thanks for your thoughts on the Hy-Wood. I'm looking at replacing my 3W and my V-Series Heavenwood with that club for 2022. Seems like a no-brainer for me, since I only use my 3W (lofted to 16*) off the tee only, and the HWood is my "off the deck" club on long approaches. 

    I was very pleasantly surprised with the Hy-Wood - it's very easy to launch and the glide rails work as advertised. There have been a couple of shots that is swear were fat but still went the full distance - Cleveland has a solid club there. And not for nothing, the driver ain't bad, either. Sounds more than a little tinny, but it goes like hell and is VERY forgiving. 

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