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chisag

 
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Everything posted by chisag

  1. ... Hole #8 is a round killer too. Hard to tell from the picture but the green is crowned in the front and the drop off below the bunker is about an 80foot drop. I have hit shots on the front left that almost stoped, caught the false front and rolled 80feet down the hill. And the dormant Bermuda is growing down the lope so lots of fat pitches where the grass just grabs the club head and it never gets out of the grass. Just a brutal hole. After a year or two I play to the middle if I am swinging well, the right side of the green if not sure of my swing and when winging poorly just hit to the left pf the green leaving a decent chip depending on pin location. The bunker is no picnic with hard sand and a very high lip. Below is a scorecard when I was swinging really well and put the ball on the front right. I turned to get some water and heard "Oh No!" and saw my ball moving, picked up speed and rolled al the way down the hill. My pitch mark was 10 feet below the hole and 8 feet on the green. You can't run the risk of doing it again and I have learned to play long to the back fringe and hope for a 15-20 foot par save. ... I play a combo tee and all par 3's are played from the tips. This one plays 190 into the prevailing wind. My guess is this par 3 hole plays to an average of around 4.5 considering all indexes that play it. On a very windy day an average of 5 is probably more accurate. Calling it the 15th handicap hole is pretty ridiculous. Of course my highest index playing pard had a hole in one to a very difficult back right pin LOL.
  2. ... Maxfli Tour balls cost $2.50 a ball. Considering the cost of equipment and Greens Fees, that is almost an insignificant number. ... And Rob because you don't notice it, doesn't mean it isn't happening. I don't wanna end up in a bunker guarding the front of a green because that slight scuff of some dimples changed my flight and distance. That said, I understand someone without a repeatable swing and distance just looking to make good contact will have much more variance in the swing and ball striking than any scuff could influence. ... Like you cnosil I have played with really good golfers using a ball I can't believe they have in play. But if you are happy with your scuffed ball that's all that counts. ... Back in soft Midwest conditions, if I didn't find a bunker I would use a ball for 36 holes if it looked brand new after 18 holes. But on the desert hard fast sand based fairways, sandy spots and rocks or an occasional bush or tree contact and I replace my ball the next hole. So I normally start every round with a new ball, unless I replaced a ball on the back 9 my last round and it looks unblemished, I will start my 18 with a ball used for 9 holes or less. And I play 4-5 times a week so I go through balls pretty quickly.
  3. ... First off just opinion so take that for what it is, but I just don't understand that philosophy. By far the 2 most difficult holes at my home course are both par 3's. Mainly because they have virtually zero recovery ability for a marginal tee shot. The area around the green is so penal that an up and down is extremely difficult unless you miss in the right spot, which is long so even that negates the distance theory. Par 5s: 2, 3, 4, 7 Par 3s: 15, 16, 17, 18 ... The par 5s give you not one but two chances to recover from bad shots. I have birdied all 4 in one round. I have never come close to birdies on all 4 par 3's. I can probably count on two hands the times I have made 4 pars. I very rarely make a bogie on the par 5s but have had a few rounds with 2 bogies on all the par 3s. ... I would certainly make the argument that a 515 downhill par 5 with wide fairway and no hazards is much easier for a high index player than a 170yd par 3 with severe fall offs on all sides of the green and a much more contoured and difficult putting surface. My normal pards are a 10, 12 and 15 index and have infinitely more bogies and double bogies on the par 3s compared to the par 5s.
  4. ... I understand it is a flawed system and admittedly the best we have, but never been a fan of ratings/slope. Perfect example is my home course has the most difficult par 3 I have ever played and I have seen more bogies and double bogies than any other hole on the course. And it plays to a yardage of 108-115-138. The green slopes off on three sides with the rear of the green the only place it does not but has a steep bank and with a back pin it's easy to go a little long and have a tough putt. The biggest issue is just hitting to the center isn't always the best play because a ridge runs through the center and a shot landing on the ridge will kick one way or the other, hit the false side and go off the green. 3 bunkers with a very deep bunker guarding the front. ... I have a love hate relationship with that little par 3 as I have hit many iron shots within 2 feet of the flag that ended up off the green. Granted that would be a slight push or pul as I rarely aim at the flag but it just shows how difficult the hole plays. But what I find the real shocker is it is the 18th rated hole for handicap because it is short in length. Yet plenty of low index golfers walk away with a bogie. And when the greens are running at a 12 for tournaments, it os by far the most difficult hole on the course.
  5. ... Clearly you don't understand the meaning of the word. I, and all my purchases are pretty offended by unessential. I have 3 sets of iron heads obviously essential sitting in a box. I have 3 more not needless sets shafted and leaning against a wall. Then a plethora of wood/hybrid/iron shafts that "unessential" doesn't even come close to describing. unnecessary: [ uhn-nes-uh-ser-ee ] adjective not necessary or essential; needless; unessential.
  6. ... I play my driver at 45". I know what that feels like at address. When I have a fitting I just choke down to 45". Only one fitter I worked with in the last few years said anything when I choked down. But when they all wrote down the specs I always told them I play my driver at 45".
  7. ... Haha Congrats! Like a good break hitting a sprinkler head and bouncing onto the green instead of away from it, the Golf Gods were smiling on you. About a month ago I went into Golf Galaxy to order a T200 4 iron. Looking at the used rack like I always do, I found a set of T200 5-GW still in plastic for $899. Only the 9 iron had been hit and it looked like once into a net. They had the exact same T200 5-GW on the shelf for $1399. Normally I talk to the manager and get a discount since I would have to re-shaft them myself. But this time I was like Seinfeld in line with the Soup Nazi and didn't say a word hoping to avoid "NO Soup For You!" and finding out these had been mislabeled. ... She rung em up and sure enough the $899 was correct.
  8. ... You can thank Sales Departments that need the Robot manipulated for their specific driver to be "the longest in our testing". A Robot hits a longer shaft farther every time. Golfers do not. I used to have this discussion with Cobra engineers and after the Fly Z and another of my reviews saying the stock shaft is too long for the average golfer the next year he said "Your gonna love this. We are offering a Tour Length driver on our website that is shorter than standard and has a heavier weight." Rickie Fowler was playing his Cobra driver at 43.5" at that time so DUH. I doubt I was solely responsible but like to think I had a little influence. ... Two rules for drivers I think are critical. Play the softest shaft you can control, and to be sure for some that is an X Flex and tipped. And play the shortest shaft you feel comfortable playing. Usually 44" to 45" and most will find on average they hit the ball straighter and farther. Sure you have that one drive with a 45.75" shaft that is the longest on that hole, but your misses are shorter than average because you are missing the center. New drivers are making misses less penal so this general rule no longer completely applies but missing the center by .25" without a square face angle can lose 5-7yds. Missing by 1" which many do, will lose you 20-28 yards! This explains the one big drive someone hits and laments "why can't I do that every time?" and the truth is if they hit the center of the face they could. And in most cases a shorter driver shaft helps players do exactly that.
  9. ... I know you know. Peter Malnati's irons: Titleist T200 (4), T150 (5), T100 (6-9) True Temper AMT Tour White S400
  10. ... You can thank Ely Callaway for that. Before the Big Bertha there was pretty much a uniform frequency that gave you an X, S or R flex rating. Granted shafts have become much more complicated with super stiff butt and/or tip sections and any combination of stiffness in the top/middle/bottom that can make one shaft with a similar frequency play quite differently than another with a similar frequency. But Ole Ely knew players (meaning men) were using shafts too stiff for their swing and not enough loft on the drivers so he did something actually quite brilliant but it changed shaft designations forever. ... He took a R-flex shaft and labeled it S-flex. Then he took a 10.5* head and labeled it 9*. So appealing to the ego of many manly men, he put a 10.5* R-flex driver in their hands labeled as a 9* driver with a S-flex shaft. And Oh My did record numbers of players start hitting the ball higher and farther LOL. So much so that there was a waiting list to get one of the new drivers. At that time it was about a 4 year cycle for new drivers so many were waiting up to 6 months after putting down a deposit to get their "magical" Big Bertha Driver. He did the same thing with fairway woods and they were almost just as successful. Brilliant.
  11. ... Just about impossible to give a recommendation without seeing your swing, trajectory and spin numbers. I will say this in a very general way, if you have a smooth swing and transition, the softer the shaft the better. If you have an aggressive transition and quick swing the stiffer the better. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule and why I said "in very general way". I have a smooth transition and a longer smoother swing at 95mph and when fitted for the Stealth2 HD the Red NX Speeder senior flex was my best fit. The R was close and I think on the course where I don't have the advantage of dialing in my tempo hitting multiple drives, I think the R Flex is a better fit. But that said I could play with the senior flex. ... In the end, if you are hitting the NX senior flex with a trajectory you like, getting the distance/dispersion you want and are able to maintain your normal tempo there is no reason to change. That said most of us are golf nuts and love to tinker so we would try a few (or more ) different shafts to see if they produce an improvement.
  12. ... Having a smooth transition the Velo Red is a very interesting shaft for me. Kinda like hitting the center of a forged iron, I feel nothing from the shaft as far as kick. It is as if the entire club works together as one unit and is just so silly stable and accurate for my swing. I have historically liked like a little kick like my AD-IZ but for me at least, the Red doesn't feel like it kicks through impact. Clearly it does, but I guess I am not used to stiffer tipped shafts with a very stiff butt end. The feel is just so unique, but for me soooooo good.
  13. .. Ya big tease. Blue 5R is exactly what I am looking for. How much difference do you find between the Red 5R and the Blue 5R?
  14. ... I am intrigued by the new Blue Velocore+ shaft but think I will wait til they come out with the Red Velocore+. Kinda like you "just looking". ... Not to be a broken record, but you really should hit the T200 3 iron just to see if it works even better than the T150. You are such a good ball striker it may not make any difference but so many on tour playing T100/150's have put a T200 3 or 4 iron in their bags. Like the man said:
  15. ... I love that and it's an individual decision. I like to play strictly by the rules with one local amendment. When I first got out here I played with some guys on the ASU golf team and they told me about a local rule they use. When in the desert where the ground is basically sandy rocks, we move the ball to the closest grass. If we have a clear shot we drop with no penalty. If we are obstructed we drop with a one stroke penalty. Interestingly there are times when we move the ball to the closest grass and have a tree or bush in the way when we had a clear shot from the desert. I had a clean lie in the desert and didn't see any rocks, brushing the small pebbles away from my ball and I played the shot from there. There was a rock just under the surface and it put a huge gouge in my 7 iron. That's when the kids from ASU told me of their local rule to save their forged irons. With irons costing $1300 or more, destroying the finish for a casual round just isn't a very smart economic decision.
  16. ... According to History: "In old folk medicine, courage was associated with the liver. Liver disease (of course) products jaundice, which gives a distinct yellow hue to skin and eyes, and so therefore cowardice became associated with the same condition. Thus we get "Yellow Bellied" and "Lily Livered" and "Yellow Ball" to indicate a lack of courage".
  17. ... I have a JBL speaker on my ZIP remote cart and play it at a level pretty much only I can hear while walking the course. My normal playing pards love 70 classic acoustic rock so if they are walking with me they can hear it too. As far as being respectful, it is very easy for me to turn my cart so the speaker faces away from the tee box and green and can't be heard at all when teeing off or putting. ... As some know I was an air personality on radio stations from 1971-1983 starting in NC to ending up in Chicago and music from that era just gives me a good feeling. That said, I only like it to keep me company while walking.
  18. ... Having played Taylor Made as my last 4 drivers, I was pretty familiar with the hosel settings. I have played with a little lead tape on the toe with lighter weights in the heel of my Sim2 Max and Stealth 2 HD but not needed with my standard Qi10. Based on my preferred trajectory and spin, the turned down twice for -1.5* loft and 3* open face also look best at address. That is a nice bonus because I play a straight ball to soft draw and an open face gives me the confidence to swing freely without fearing a bigger draw or hook. I did try the standard and turned down once before settling on the turned down twice setting.
  19. ... There was a time when even serious players didn't think twice about gaming some Golfsmith Snake Eyes MB's and CB's. As Dave said earlier, Maltby also made some seriously good clubs for the higher/mid index player but his better players irons and MB's and Forged CB's were just not very pleasing to the eye. Obviously he has rectified that and currently Maltby makes irons and clubs that are right there with the top OEM's. ... It's kinda like someone making fun of you for playing Maxfli Tour balls. Soooooo easy to ignore those haters as well as those too ignorant or obtuse to understand the scorecard and the ball doesn't care whose name is on their clubs.
  20. ... Good stuff. I usually get a new driver most every year although sometimes every 2 years. Much more often than not there is little to no performance difference, especially more distance. More a look, a feel or a sound that is different and more pleasing. Obviously that is very subjective. ... As an example going from the OG Sim Max to the Sim2 Max on the premise of more forgiveness in the Sim2, I found zero difference. I did not get along with the OG Stealth as well as not liking the look at address, and played my Sim2 Max a 2nd season. The Stealth2 HD actually gave me a few more yards but was more accurate than my Sim2. I was very pleased with my S2 HD and only the promise of 10k MOI worth of forgiveness in the Qi10 Max prompted me to "upgrade". In my fitting that was indoors, I didn't hit the Qi10 Max or standard head very well which is normal for me indoors and the fitter recommended the Max. ... On the course I hated the Max right from my first swing. Looking down at the very large head did not fill me with confidence. For whatever reason, I hit very poor shots with too many big draws to out right hooks and after 5 rounds it was glaringly apparent the Max was not a good driver for me, even though on paper it should have been as well as being fit for the Max by a TM rep. Using the 90 day exchange, I swapped it out for the standard Qi10 and fully expected to play it a few rounds and then sell it and go back to my S2 HD. ... To say I was surprised by the performance of the standard Qi10 is a huge understatement. I have gained 10+ yds pretty regularly which has netted as much as 25 extra yards because I am hitting downslopes I normally couldn't reach. And very forgiving for my swing, especially a little high toward the toe which is my normal miss that reduces the same yardage or even a hair longer than dead center. This is the first driver in basically forever that has been longer and more accurate and after a fitting recommending something different, I basically stumbled onto the best driver I have ever played. So as you said "long story short: ignore the marketing and test them all !" is some pretty good advice.
  21. ... This is really a MGS Tester thread and I don't wanna steal any tester's thunder. So I will keep this brief. After about 15 rounds with my Qi10 I have three words about my experience. Best. Driver. Ever. Disclaimer: Objects in the fairway may be much farther away than they appear.
  22. ... Awesome pick up! Cobra just might be the most under appreciated OEM when it comes to fairway woods. I made the mistake of letting my 81 yr old pard hit my Aerojet 5 wood and he hit it so much better than his old Callaway. I put an Aldila DVS 55 A-Fex shaft in it for him and he is hitting not only straighter and higher but about 10 yds farther, so I gave it to him. I just started playing a Qi10 5 wood and the jury is still out. I prefer the feel of the Aerojet but performance seems to be very similar. The hot new fairway wood from Taylor Made just isn't performing any better than the Cobra and I think that speaks volumes.
  23. ... Interesting as I guess we all play our own game. My playing pard won $200 playing in the Arizona Golf Ass Championship with lightening fast greens at 7100yds, and he switched last year from ProV1x to Maxfli Tour X. He says they are virtually identical for his game. I love the Maxfli Tour but will admit the cover is just a little less durable than the Chrome Tour or new TP5x. For me, it is no different scuffing than any ball I have played but the cover does begin to lose its luster after 18 holes compared to the CT and TP5x. If I don't land in a bunker or hit any desert areas those two look almost new after 18 holes. But I start every round with a new ball so the slight loss of gloss with the Maxfli Tours are irrelevant for my game since the performance is very similar to the other two balls. I keep the "played one round balls" in my bag in case I find the water, or hit a cart path and scuff my ball and then I will put one I played for 18 holes in play. No need for a new ball in the middle of my round. Obviously Ymv's. ... I bought 3 doz Chrome Tours and just ordered 4 dozen Tp5x with a Peach instead of a number so I should have a better idea of how they perform on the course in the next few months.
  24. ... Some people aren't seduced by money, especially those already set for life and their kids/grandkids are set for life. The Grand Slam would be a jewel for Rory no doubt but that would make 5 Major wins and 7 would pass Michelson and put him in a tie for 6th all time. LIV is just money from a controversial source and I doubt even a Billion would tempt Rory. McIlroy currently sits second behind Woods in the PGA Tour's career money list with earnings of over $80m. However, this doesn't factor in his three FedEx Cup victories, which total $43m, meaning the number now jumps over the $120m mark. On the other side of the pond, and with the DP World Tour, McIlroy sits top of its money list, with over €50m, although there is some overlap with the PGA Tour due to Majors and WGCs. That figure doesn't include his five Race to Dubai victories either, which would have netted him around $12m. His TaylorMade deal, which he signed in 2017, is said to be worth $10m per year for 10 years. Playing 14 TaylorMade clubs, golf ball and TaylorMade bag, McIlroy also has a Nike contract which was extended in 2017 for 10 years. This is said to be worth $10m per year, having been worth $20m per year from 2013-2016 when he was using Nike clubs, ball and bag. In total, he is estimated to earn around $35m a year from his sponsorships alone. In 2023, Forbes released the highest paid golfers list and, although LIV golfers dominated, McIlroy placed third with $80m - $40m on-course and an equal amount off-course. The same year, the Sunday Times Rich List estimated his net worth at a staggering £200m ($255m) and it's only likely to increase from there.
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