mwsb1998

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s yourhandicap or normal score?  Started in early teens. 20 yrs off and on since then. Getting back into it. Shooting bogey golf but started to make some good progress lately. 
2. What do you love about golf? I enjoy the mental and physical aspect. When something finally clicks. And that pure shot that keeps ya coming back. 
3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?
Came to MSG for the reviews and getting into the community. 
4. Where are you from? What is your home course?  Central SoDak. Have two courses close that each have their own pros and cons. City course that’s a nice par 72 and a locally owned Par 63 that’s super laidback. 
5. I’m a Commercial HVAC Tech. That’s also how I came up with my user name. 

Hey there! I've golfed MCC a handful of times and it's safe to say that we have a tough relationship. Those par 3's are out of this world....Idk if i've played a course with a longer average distance on par 3's

Introducing the MGS x TheGrint Virtual Tour!
Many of you are familiar with TheGrint - a great golf app that let’s you get a valid handicap, track your score and Pro like stats, use a best in class GPS rangefinder, Scorecard Photo Service and much more. MGS has teamed up with TheGrint to bring you an exciting new feature - a season long virtual tour running from April - September with multiple contests along the way!
The plan is to have one contest each month PLUS a contest in the week leading up to the remaining majors. All you have to do to participate in the 9 contest is tag the event, log a round using the app, and you're automatically entered for that months contest.
How To Enter
Create or Log-in to your Grint account - don't worry, it's all free to use Navigate to the "Spring Invitational" - our first stop on the tour - BEFORE your qualifying round *Note: Qualifying round is considered 18-holes You can play at any course - one entry per event Here's the catch: you won't know the winning metric until the contest closes! That's right, we might pick the scorecard with the most 5's, or highest GIR, or lowest Putts. One thing we can say for sure is that it will NOT be the lowest round for each event! There will be prizes each month for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners We are also going to have a season long contest, so make sure to get a qualifying round in each event! How to navigate to the correct Event
In APP:

On Desktop/Laptop:

Now that you are all setup in TheGrint, let's take a look at our first event.
 
THE SPRING INVITATIONAL
Details:
Qualifying rounds for the event must be entered between April 13th - May 3rd The contest metric and winners will be announced on May 4th Select the Spring Invitational before your round begins Play at ANY course and enter your score That's it! Prizes:
1st Prize - We're going big to get started...
That's right - Driver Time! But not just any driver. 1st prize is a driver of YOUR choice with shaft, loft, grip, bells, and whistle options up to a $600 Value!
 
2nd Prize is Two (2) Dozen Titleist PRO V1/x Balls + 1yr Premium TheGrint Membership
 
3rd Prize is a One (1) year Premium TheGrint membership
---
We're really excited about this series and the contest for the season. Let us know any questions you have and can't wait to see the leaderboard!
********
WINNERS ANNOUNCED!
 
Congratulations to our three randomly selected winner!
1st Place: @XMasterXDrewX 2nd Place: Justin K 3rd Place: @IPlayLikeAStormTrooper - Perfect timing as you won on May 4th! We'll contact the winners directly to get the prizes setup accordingly. We'll have another contest for May announced VERY SOON!
 

I understand course markers not being perfect.  Another example. Yesterday I played with a guy who used a range finder.  My Grint GPS said 95 yards to middle.  His laser shot 105 to the pin (in the middle).  I really like the app, I like it's connection to the GHIN, I like the data tracking, it doesn't suck my battery life.  But 10 yards is club change or at least a swing change difference.

Happy user for two years now.  My only advice is if you are looking to upgrade just do the $20 version to give yourself access to a handicap.  The $40 premium or pro membership offers more features but I'm not sure they're worth the $20 upgrade.  As far as I can tell the $40 version gets you the ability to upload scores via a snapshot of your scorecard rather than entering scores hole by hole, but I like entering hole-by-hole as a means to track stats (GIR, Fairways, Putts, etc.). Not really sure what else the $40 gets you over the $20.  The $20 membership is enough IMO.

This might have been brought up in this tread. I have used Grint for a year going on 2 , I guess my question is their a way to better utilize it and how to use it with friends that you don't get to golf with often?

I added you as well...
I agree!
Feel free to add me as well, "ncwoz"

How long have you been playing golf? I started playing golf when I was 19 so 21 years.
What’s your handicap or normal score? I play to mid  80's
What do you love about golf? I love meeting new people, the personal challenge of individual play, and being outside.
What brings you to MyGolfSpy? I found the site a couple of years ago I don't remember how I found it.
Do you already know any other Spies? Not really
Where are you from? Currently in Madison, SD - Grew up in Eastern South Dakota, moved around a few places and different states, but back in the area recently
What is your home course? Madison Golf and Country Club Golf Course
What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? Well, it's April and we are in a blizzard.  The season is short and the weather in the spring is very unpredictable.
What do you do for a living?
How’d you pick your user name? It was school i went to

I
I agree! I have a cart bag with a push cart. Finding that good fit is a challenge, unless you buy the cart/bag combo.

I would love to see MGS include how well bags work with popular models of push carts in their bag testing.  It's a very important component to buying a bag for those of us who belong to the #PushCartMafia.

Ping G410 Plus Driver - Stage 2 Review - jlukes

It has been a great 6 weeks testing the G410 Plus driver.  Over the testing period, I have played about 12 rounds of golf and had about 14 range sessions.  I tested the G410 in every weight setting and every hosel setting. I tried to hit draws, fades, cuts, hooks, high bombs, low bullets and everything in between.  I was able to get G410 on trackman and purchased the Arccos system that I had in play for the last few rounds. I made it a point to make this the most thorough club testing I have ever done.  I hope that my fellow forum members enjoyed following along as I posted regular updates and answered questions throughout the testing process. I always enjoy forum testing for MGS, but this one was my favorite by far simply because of how much work I put into.  
Now onto the scoring...
 
Looks
Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder and everyone has their own preferences when it comes to how their golf clubs look.  For me, the G410 Plus is a knockout. I always thought Ping turbulators were gimmicky, but I never spent any time with a Ping driver to really form a real opinion.  Now that I have spent a ton of time with them, I love them. Yes, they provide some sort of aerodynamic properties, but where they really shine for me is how well they work as an alignment aid.  The shape and size of the turbulators do such a great job of framing the ball. I have never had a easier driver to line up.

I also have to say that I am glad that Ping decided to invert the Dragonfly Crown and “hide” it under the hood this go around.  The combination of the turbulators and dragonfly crown on the G400 was a bit much for me, but G410 has a much cleaner look. The paint job is a beautiful matte dark grey and it is such a great finish to look at (and there are no glare issues).  The red, black and silver color scheme is simple and clean on the underside of the club, and the implementation of the weight ports/track does not take away from the aesthetics of the club at all.


Another thing that is often overlooked, but plays a huge role in how the club looks at address, is the size of the adjustable hosel.  Ping has the cleanest implementation of an adjustable hosel in the industry. When looking down at the club, it is barely noticeable. The shaft seems as if it transitions seamlessly into the head.  Just a small detail, but it really completes the look of the G410.
Score: 10 (out of 10 points)
 
Sound & Feel
Having played composite-crowned drivers over the last 6+ years, it was definitely adjustment when I first started hitting the Ping G410.  Heck, I wasn’t even sure I liked it. It  isn't a bad sound like the Nike SQ, it was just very different. There is definitely a tingy-ness to the sound rather than the “thwack” you get with a composite driver.  The more I hit it, the more my hearing adjusted to the sound and it became more and more pleasing. It is definitely a distinctly “Ping” sound, but it is a good sound.
Feel is often linked to sound, but for me, the G410 felt softer than it sounded.  That might not make sense to some people, but I feel that sometimes people associate loud with harsh, but that is not the case here.  The G410 feels explosive. Stability is also a strength of the G410 as I found the feel of the sweet spot to be rather large. If you followed along with my regular updates, you would know that I don’t always find the center of the face.  The feel and sound does differ a bit off low-face and heel-side hits, resulting in a more “thwacky” sound when compared to center and even toe strikes.
For me, the Callaway Big Bertha Alpha was my favorite feeling/sounding driver ever.  It felt explosive and had an intoxicating smooth sound at impact. How does the G410 compare?  All I can say it is different. At first I was slightly turned off, but like one of those deep album tracks from your favorite band, it grows on you over time.  The sound never once impacted how I would swing or my confidence in the club. Is it my favorite sounding driver of all time now? Honestly, it likely isn’t in my Top 3, but it still sounds good and feels even better.  If I could separate the sound and feel scores, it would be 3 out of 5 for sound and 5 out of 5 for feel.
Score: 8 (out of 10 points)

Basic Characteristics
Now that we have the vanity stuff out of the way, it is time to get into the nuts and bolts of the review.  Performance.
From the moment I had my initial fitting, I knew that the G410 was going to be something special.  I have struggled with over-draws for much of the last 36 months and with the Flat hosel setting and weight in the fade position, I was actually able to hit baby fades.  That is just not something I felt I could pull off with my current (and soon after getting the G410 on the course, previous) gamer.
After I got the G410, I went to Club Champion to get some Trackman numbers as well as test shafts.  I posted full details of that experience right here.  What I saw on Trackman were ball speeds in the low to mid 160s and carry distances that were in the 270s and occasionally touching 280+.  Those are lifetime best numbers for me all around. I was really really happy with everything I saw on trackman and couldn’t wait to hit some balls outside to see real ball fights.
I spent a lot of time at the range for this review (twist my arm) and the more I hit the G410, the more I am impressed with it.  I find the G410 to be low/mid spin and very easy to launch. The ball gets up fast and then flattens out for a very appealing flight.  
As I mentioned above, I tested just about every combination of adjustments the G410 had to offer and I found them all to make a noticeable difference.  Loft down to open the face, flatten the lie, and put the weight in the toe and you’ll notice a drastic difference in flight than when you loft up to close the face, neutral lie, and weight in the heel.  I played around with the settings to find an ideal setting for me and I have just about settled on the weight in the neutral position with the hosel set to the big minus sign to open up the face. This setting gives me a desirable baby draw with my standard swing and gives me the ability to hit a power fade if the situation calls for it.

In terms of accuracy, the G410 puts out what you put in.  I didn’t find any issues where a ball didn’t react in a way that wasn’t dictated by the strike.  The ball flew where the face to bath relationship says it should have flown and that is really all you can ask for in any golf club.
When it comes to forgiveness, I found the G410 Plus as stable and forgiving as any driver I have ever tried.  Where the the G410 really impressed me was on ball speed retention on low face hits. Yes, I saw lower launch and higher spin on low face shots, but the ball speed retention was so good that the distance losses were more than acceptable.  Heel and toe hits also produced above average results and I can’t think of one instance where I lost more distance or was more offline than I expected.
Where I think the G410 really shined for me was the distance category, and more specifically, the consistent distances I was seeing.  The G400 Max was an extremely forgiving driver, but it didn’t produce the best ball speed numbers. I feel as if the G410 Plus kept the stability of the G400 Max and added in ball speeds that allows it to compete with every driver on the market.  Is it the longest driver on the market? No. It isn’t. However, that isn’t because of a lack of ball speed, it is because the G410 isn’t a super low spin head. I demoed drivers like the M5, Epic Flash SZ, and TS3 and while all 3 drivers would give me slightly longer drives on well-struck shots, they penalized me more on off-center hits more.  As someone whose miss is a hook, super low spin can spell disaster on a mishit because it leads to ugly quacking duck hooks. While the G410 will never save me from a truly awful swing, I know that there is a greater margin for error.
That greater margin of error allows me to swing more freely, resulting in faster swings and better drives.  When on the range, I felt like I was in cruise control with the G410 in my hand. But we all know what really matters is how it performs on the course.
Score: 19 (out of 20 points)

On-Course Performance
So as many of you know, I undertook a big swing change this offseason, which is still in progress.  However this review isn’t a review of my swing or my struggles - it is a review of the performance of a driver.  On the course, the Ping G410 Plus was everything I could want in a driver. Stable, forgiving, and long. I played about a dozen rounds over the last 6 weeks, most of them at my home courses, and I had drives that left me yardages into greens that I’ve never had before.  Irons into Par 5’s where I am normally hitting at least a hybrid. Sand wedges instead of PW. Mid Irons instead of long irons. No matter the hole, the G410 gave me great results. I have only begun using the Arccos tracking system, but it has already showed me some great data.  Even on poor shots, my drives are still going 250 yards, which is a true testament to how good the G410 is.
I had two rounds where a really struggled with my swing, but even then the G410 produced relatively great results.  I mentioned above that I seemed to get good results off strikes low on the face while at the range. That proved true on the course as shots where I felt like a nearly missed the face entirely still traveled 250 yards, or about 88% of my average distance.  My fairways hit have been around 40%, but that number is more indicative of my swing struggles than the club itself. For me to be carrying drives in the 270s consistently is really something else. Unfortunately I don’t have any hard data to show what my tee game was before the G410, but I know my max carry was in the low to mid 260s and I needed some good roll out to 300.  Now I am seeing my really good drives carry almost 280 and even with the wet conditions we’ve had in the North East I have seen several drives crack 290. On dry days (but before I had Arccos), I had several drives go over 320 yards (measured with GPS watch). That is just absurd for me. I cannot wait to get out of this wet spring and hit some summer fairways with this bomber to see what new parts of the course I can explore.  


While my scores may not have improved yet, mainly due to the swing changes and iron play being worked on, I have no doubt that the added distance and consistency will eventually lead to lower scores.  All of the strokes gained data that MGS publishes shows that distance is king. Hitting longer drives, leading to shorter approach shots, which in turn lead to closer proximity to the hole, is the single most efficient way to improving scoring.  Seeing what the G410 has done over such a short period of time, even while I go through the growing pains of implementing my swing changes on the course, makes me believe that the G410 will absolutely be leading me to lower scores.  I will continue to update this thread as my time with the G410 continues to show just that.

I mentioned in my Stage 1 that I had never gamed a Ping club before.  I always had a perception of Ping that wasn’t quite favorable: I thought they were weird and gimmicky.  Testing the G410 shattered that perception for me and made me really gain a appreciation for the Ping engineering team and what they look to accomplish when they create a club.  I gained so much respect for Ping that I even tried out the G410 fairway wood at a local multi-vendor demo day and to my surprise the G410 LST 14.5* beat out every fairway wood on the market for me and earned a spot in my bag.  So I went from no Ping clubs in my bag ever, to two Ping Clubs in the top of my bag. I won’t lie - Ping firmly has my attention and I will be giving their clubs a shot at earning any spot in my bag going forward.
The G410 Plus is a great step forward from the G400 series.  At the time of this review, the LST head has just been announced and I can definitely say that while I want to try it, I am not sure how good of a fit it will be for me.  I really enjoy the stability and predictability of the G410 Plus and wouldn’t want to sacrifice any of that for a few extra yards. I really don’t see anything I would change in future iterations.  If they Ping engineers could fine tune the sound a bit more, it would appeal a bit more to the masses, but that is really the only major improvement I could see them making.
From the adjustable hosel and the movable weight, to the way the turbulators frame the ball, the G410’s feature set all serves a purpose.  I love that Ping fine tuned their hosel to add flat lie setting for better players, and the weight ports absolutely influence the closure rate of the head.  I hope Ping sticks with the adjustable weights and I wonder if they are already looking at what else they could possible do with them. We know they will never add adjustability if it means sacrificing weight placement and performance, so I am not sure how much more they can tweak this design.  It would be cool if they could offer a front/back weight tuning similar to the Cobra F9, but I am not sure they’d be able to do so while maintaining the weight distribution they desire.
Score: 29 (out of 30 points)
 
Miscellaneous
I have always heard how customer-service oriented Ping was, and this testing proved it.  We received our drivers extremely fast and mine came to the exact spec that I ordered. The packaging was more than acceptable from a protection standpoint.  Another thing I wanted to call out is the cost of additional weights. I wanted to experiment with a slightly different swing weight in both the G410 driver and the LST 3W I purchased.  The price of the weights are noticeably cheaper than competitors’ weights. The Ping driver and FW weights retail for $18 and $13 respectively. In comparison, Cobra F9 Weights are $25. Titleist TS2 weights are $25.  Just a great price point from Ping.
In MGS’s write-up of the Ping G410, they mentioned that Ping redesigned the headcover to be a bit heavier so it would would not blow away in the wind.  While I normally use my own personal headcover for my drive, I did bring the Ping headcover to several range sessions and rounds and can confirm that it definitely doesn’t blow around as easily as other headcovers.  Not something that would make or break the driver, but just a pretty cool detail from Ping.
Score: 10 (out of 10 points)
 
Play it or Trade it?
Considering the G410 Plus knocked my Titleist TS3 driver out of the bag in less than two weeks, it should be no surprise that is is now my full-time gamer.  I truly believe that the Ping G410 maximizes my overall tee game and my game is better for it. The LST version of this head does intrigue me. Did Ping simply create a lower spin version of the G410 plus, maintaining the stability and consistency of the G410, but in a lower spin? If so, that head could potentially change my tune.  I did win a full bag fitting from True Spec Golf, so it is only a matter of time until I find out just how good of a fit the G410 is for me. Until then, it isn’t going anywhere.
I believe the G410, due to all of its adjustability, will fit an extremely wide range of golfers.  We already see tour players using the G410, and there is no doubt that 20+ handicaps could game the G410 as well.  Throw in the SFT and LST heads and Ping has created a line of drivers that literally fits every golfer. 
I believe the $499 price point is right in line with where it should be.  $500 is the going rate for a new premium driver, and that is just a fact of life.  The G410 is the total package and is appropriately priced. Can someone find a used driver from 2017 or 2018 that performs close to the G410 for less money?  Of course they could. But if someone is looking for a new driver in 2019, the G410 should absolutely be at the top of the list to try.
Score: 19 (out of 20 points)
 
Conclusion
So if you’ve made it through the entire review and reached the conclusion, you already know what I am going to say here.  If you have skipped to the conclusion with hopes of getting a quick recap, you’re in luck.
The Ping G410 Plus driver is simply the most well balanced driver I have ever gamed.  It gives me great ball speeds and fantastic stability that result the best drives that I have ever hit.  Throw in the adjustable hosel and weight ports and you have a driver that can be customized to fit just about any golfer.  
A driver should give you confidence the moment you pull it from the bag, remove the headcover and set it down behind the ball and for me the Ping G410 Plus does just that.  I am excited to have the G410 Plus as my driver moving forward and will continue to post updates throughout this thread as the season progresses.
 
Final Score: 95 out of 100 points

How long have you been playing golf? I’ve been playing golf since I could walk. Having a dad as a teaching pro you just kinda grow up into all of it! What’s your handicap or normal score?    I have a +2.5 handicap, I play in a lot of local and some out of state amateur events. Looking to go pro someday.
What do you love about golf?  About the game of golf what I love is the constant challenges it presents to you. The problem solving you need to do during a round to hit high quality shots. Then just the bigger picture on how it’s more than a game. I love how it’s a journey you’re on meeting so many different people. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Been a longtime follower of the Instagram account and really enjoy your guys content then saw there’s actually an opportunity for us golfers out there to give back our feedback on the new equipment out this year! I saw the ping g410 and me having the G400 was excited to see how they compared. Do you already know any other Spies? I do not know any other spies at the moment.
Where are you from? I’m from South Dakota. What is your home course? My home course is Prairie Green and Elmwood both our the two public courses in Sioux Falls and I play in a fair number of local tournaments at them. As well as money games with some of my golfing buds. I also work at a private club called Minnehaha Country Club where we have a champions tour event and I get to play there a decent amount.
What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? The best I would say is the competition between all of the top players we have. There’s the Dakota Tour which is a great mini tour for guys to start out. Being in South Dakota it’s definitely a disadvantage trying to make a living with a shorter season due to winter. The Jr golf here isn’t anything special and you have to travel pretty far to play in some national ranked events. That’s one thing I’d really want to change for the next generation of young guys!
What do you do for a living? I work on the grounds crew at Minnehaha cc as well I help my dad out at the family business where we have a mini golf, driving range, and do club repairs.
How’d you pick your user name? I don’t get to crazy and like people to see my name then I added the 59 cause that’s a goal of mine is to shoot a 59!

How long have you been playing golf? I started playing golf when I was 19 so 21 years.
What’s your handicap or normal score? I play to mid  80's
What do you love about golf? I love meeting new people, the personal challenge of individual play, and being outside.
What brings you to MyGolfSpy? I found the site a couple of years ago I don't remember how I found it.
Do you already know any other Spies? Not really
Where are you from? Currently in Madison, SD - Grew up in Eastern South Dakota, moved around a few places and different states, but back in the area recently
What is your home course? Madison Golf and Country Club Golf Course
What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? Well, it's April and we are in a blizzard.  The season is short and the weather in the spring is very unpredictable.
What do you do for a living?
How’d you pick your user name? It was school i went to

Congrats to Army, it  had a great year and Navy has struggled all year, after a very successful run of 10 plus years.   Best of luck to Army in it's Bowl game, and thanks to all the young men who chose to serve our country by attending any of the service academy's.  They are all true hero's  no matter who wins the games. 

Couldn’t let this thread go unbalanced. Retired Army here (1984-2007). GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY!


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

I also found a couple of print resources.  I have attached them.
DIY-Supernatural-Grass.pdf
purchase-green-backyard-putting-green.pdf

I am pretty confident that they are rubbish. That's what would make it such a great test. 
Sent from my SM-G935V using MyGolfSpy mobile app

Cleveland Srixon #FitLikeAPro: 6 Month Report
 
My journey to better began last November during the MyGolfSpy #FitLikeaPro Cleveland/Srixon experience at their headquarters in Huntington Beach, California. It was a whirlwind adventure over 2 days that involved full bag fittings, a tour of HQ, sit down dinners with all the people in the know from marketing to R&D and a few quality holes of golf.
 

 
 
Yes, it's been 6 months since I visited California, but I didn't want to rush back and write something without putting legit playing time on these while still drunk on the Srixon koolaid. I did that after the TaylorMade #LoftUp trip to the Kingdom and learned my lesson, that driver and I were so such a mismatch it was straight up commical. I've already taken a lot of flak and jabs (jokingly I hope) from buddies who see my social media and say I've become a part of the Srixon axis of evil hive collective taking over the internet, or I've been brainwashed by my free trip, but that's just not true and I can speak to that on two levels. First, I went to Cleveland/Srixon, so as MGS staffer I'm the guy with first hand knowledge of the product. If I had gone to PING, Callaway, or TaylorMade my social media and forum voice would be the same because that's the product I can actually attest to. Secondly, and this one's important: Cleveland/Srixon products flat out perform and I'll get into that more in-depth as we go on.
 

 
 
When I arrived in Cali I was met by Eli Miller (Marketing Communications Manager) at the airport and whisked off to a little Mexican joint, there we hooked up with the rest of the MGSers and Noelle Zavaleta (Marketing Communications Associate). This was a non pretentious lunch and set the tone early as to who Cleveland/Srixon are: a company run by real everyday people just like you and me, who just want to tell you their story. Nothing about it felt forced or staged, they come across as genuine.
 

 
 
The fitting experience was great. I spent the majority of it hanging out with Cleveland/Srixon marketing and PR gurus Eli and Noelle where I learned all the great details of the 2017 Z series lineup. I also learned that their staff are extremely​ knowledgeable and golf experienced outside their title roles as Eli fit me through the entire bag.
 

 
 
So now 6 months removed from my tryst in Huntington Beach, the honeymoon is over and I feel I'm finally in a good place to speak to the product. I've got 2 solid months of golf in, which have started their typical way as they seem to annually for me. Month one my ball striking is lights out, can't miss a shot and short game is meh. Month two is a complete reversal where I'm between my old swing and new, but my short game is lights out and I'm still shooting around par. But all this is good, why? Because I can speak to how each product affects or helps my game during inconsistent struggles and when it's on.
 
So with that said let's take a look at Cleveland/Srixons 2017 lineup with what's in my bag.
 
 
Driver
 

 
 
Srixon Z565 10.5* with Miyazaki Kaula Mizu 7 73g Stiff shaft
 
My impressions going into this was that Srixon is an iron and ball company and that drivers (woods) were just a product sku to fill out a full bag listing; I couldn't have been more wrong. The driver may actually be the shining star of the whole 2017 Srixon lineup, but don't just take it from me, there's a reason MyGolfSpy named the Z565 the 2017 Most Wanted driver and the Z765 rounded out the top 5 and I'll say it again--they flat out perform.
 
2017 Srixon drivers are powered by 3 new key technologies: a power wave sole, stretch flex cup face and lightweight crown.. Well R&D must be onto something because I've been not only smashing the cores out of balls, but hitting a lot of fairways at the same time.
 

 
 
The unsung hero though might be the stock shaft offerings with 2017 Srixon drivers - the Miyazaki Kaula line. Here it pays to own a high end shaft company as Srixon do and because of this they can offer the Kaula to golfers in 4 profiles and 32 different configurations to find the best fit for each player.
 
Kaula models consist of:
KIRI - for players who need to increase distance with a higher launch.
MIZU - mid launch mid spin fitting a wide range of players who want maximum distance and control.
MIZORE - high-speed players who prefer a low-mid trajectory with low spin.
KORI - high-speed players who prefer a penetrating launch with low spin.
 
OK enough tech talk...
 
The Z565 has been as long as anything for me and it it's finding fairways. I think that speaks to its workability as much as the tech that keeps it from straying offline. I want to point out one thing good or bad - these drivers are loud, you know when you've smacked one and your group will tell they heard it. Probably my biggest takeaway from this driver is it's ability to produce minimal distance loss on miss-hit shots, yes I've hit some skanky drives this year and never find myself more than a club back of optimal distance.
 
My own performance aside, I've seen others with the same results. On the trip KCLeo (this guy's pure stick and can golf a ball) was fit to the Z765 and has long struggled to find an ideal low spin and workable combination. He was nutting the driver and if you follow his social media continues to to this day. SCC4380 (Steve) was fit into a Z565 9.5⁰ driver with a Miyazaki Kaula Mizore 6 S shaft and may have hit his career drive on our 6th hole, which I swear was somewhere in the 340 yard range.
 
So yes those are guys who joined me on the Srixon smchooz fest trip, what about the pure and unsullied masses? A good friend and member of my weekly foursome put his order in last week for a very similar setup to mine, he just couldn't get over how well I'm hitting it.
 
My takeaway from all this - Srixon is a driver company and should be on your list of drivers to try.
 
 
3 wood
 

 
 
F65 3 15* wood with Miyazaki
 
Since my late 80's TaylorMade spoon, I haven't met a 3 wood I loved... A lot of that plays into look and comfortability at address . The Z F65 3 wood not only sits nice, but performs and feels like the Z series drivers. Not much more to say here, it works, but I’m sure I could hate it in a month just because it's a 3 wood.
 
 
Utility
 

 
 
U65 2 utility iron with Nippon Modus3 120 S shaft
 
Want a hybrid that doesn't tend to flip over into hooks, enter the Srixon U65 utility series clubs. These things like to hold straight or baby cuts and they got everything covered in the distance department too. These are the perfect clubs for those who don't like the look of hybrids at address.
 
 
Irons
 

 
 
Srixon Z565 4-5 & Z765 6-PW with Nippon Modus3 120 S shafts
 
V.T. Soles - that's the magic of these beauties. Designed to move through the ground easier and help tighten up shot dispersion. Translated: they make club go fast through the grass. You can be tired, lazy, hitting em fat and they still cut through the turf and minimize your miss-hits. Believe me I've seen it.
 

 
 
The Z565 irons are compact for a cavity back not much bigger than the Z765, feel really smooth and offer quite a bit more playability than they suggest.  I went with these in the long irons because they just added a touch more confidence on long shots. Other than my semi-shovels RocketBladez  have I found it this easy to get long irons up in the air and and stop them near targets.
 

 
 
Z765 in the mid and short irons were a no brainer. A Slimmer muscle cavity loaded with improvement technology that feel like butter. When you pure one these it feels as good as any irons on the market and I've hit the proclaimed kings: the Mizuno line.
 

 
 
I was fit into the stock Nippon Modus3 120 option and it's a incredible pairing for a stock combo.
 
Oh and I should mention, Srixon irons tested really well at MyGolfSpy HQ too. https://www.mygolfspy.com/tested-2017-srixon-z-series-irons/
 
 
Wedges
 

 
 
Cleveland RTX-3 Tour Raw V-MG sole with Nippon Modus3 120 S shafts 50*-54*-58*
 
These come in 3 grinds and like Srixon irons, feature Cleveland's extremely versatile V-Sole technology. I was fit to the V-MG which is a mid-range bounce and adapts nicely to the variable course conditions I experience in Pacific Northwest. The combinations of sole technologies combined with micro milling and laser milled face technologies have been noticeable when pulling off shots I haven't been able to make in years.
 

 
 
As an example I had a 50 yard, half wedge pitch recently that that I could hear and feel I caught pure, "crisp and clean", however it flew 3 feet past the hole. Well to my shock and surprise I only had a 7 footer left. That ball literally one hopped and stopped dead.
 
Oh and there's a cool face balancing technology, a shortened hosel, some weight move around, resulting is more head stability and straighter shots. I'm not going to ramble anymore, here's a video explaining it all.
 

 
Shaft wise I was fitted to matching Modus3 shafts like my irons and I really like this combo. Not only have these wedges been a treat around the greens, but they play like irons on full shots. I've had wedges in the past that just felt limited in their abilities outside of 100 yards, either pop-up off the face or never seem to load properly. With the RTX-3 combo I'm able to flight trajectories, work them left and right, and step on them when I need that extra 4-5 yards.
 
I gotta  point out that I went with the raw finish and I'm curious to see if my OCD freaks out as the clean beauty starts to look more like a Jackson Pollock painting.
 
 
Putter
 

 
 
I thought for sure I was going to be gaming the Cleveland Huntington Beach #1 this season. The HB series putters are all about wow factor forged feel and milling, plus incredible balance all for under $100. But then something happened...
 
On golf day I was informed they would not have a Huntington Beach available for me due to stock issues, so I was supplied with a TFi 2135 1.0. I had tested the TFi during fitting day and frankly, was not in love with the feel. You know though somethings are just fate, because I canned 3 putts over 20 feet in the first 6 holes we played, and then the epiphany; this putter is super easy to align, hard to get the ball started offline and the distance control is unreal.
 
So then Cleveland was awesome enough to ship me home both putters, and being me I got all excited when the Hunting Beach finished fourth in MyGolfSpy's Most Wanted Blade test. So I bag the HB for the first month of season and putting just ok. So the next round I put the TFi into play and finish with 24 putts... Same epiphany... and guess what's still in the bag to this day?
 

 
 
I'm gonna go out and say it. I don't think you'll find a putter out there that performs better than any Cleveland for under $150. If you see these on sale I'd buy one as backup even if you didn't need it.
 
 
Balls
 

 
 
Durability
 
Unless you hit a cart path (or two), or 7 trees, or a railway track, a 67 Buick, or any combination of the these, and trust me I can attest to all this; all of the Z Star lineup look pretty much brand new after a round.
 
 

 
ZStar
 
Driver: Gets up a little, maybe on the high side of mid
Irons: same as driver
Wedges: suck back
Putter: very soft
 
I find the ball tends to drop out of the air faster with the Z for me on full shots, but they're by far my favorite from 100 yards and in. Spin control around the greens is just a touch above the other two balls and putter feel is amazing.
 
 

 
Z Star XV
 
Driver: mid flight
Irons: mid
Wedges: hop and stop
Putter: soft
 
The XV is my preferred ball for the long game. Ball flight is a consistent mid flight and it just seems to stay in the air a little longer. Spin is great, I'm just not sucking them back like the Z, but maybe that's a good thing because they're stopping where I need them to.
 
 

 
Q Star Tour
 
Driver: Gets up a little, maybe on the high side of mid
Irons: same as driver
Wedges: hop and stop
Putter: super soft
 
What a treat this ball was in our cold early spring. The Q Star is easy to compress thanks to its 75 compression, flies a mile and stops when you need them too. Around the greens these work like a tour ball checking when called upon and putter feel is exceptional.
 
The jury's still out on which will be my official gamer as I continue to tweak the swing, but honestly I could play any of the Z Star Tour balls and be pretty happy.
 
 
Bag
 

 
 
Z4 Carry
 
This a lightweight carry bag, with ample storage, it's solid feeling and so far displays quite sturdy legs. It fits on both my carts with no issues and has a fairly minimal footprint in the trunk.
 

 
 
The top is a 4-way design, which having come from 6, 14 and OGIO's Woode system (which I freekin loved) I didn't think I'd adjust. I actually have zero issues with the 4 way after having used it and with the angled dividers find it quite effective at keeping clubs apart from chatter. I asked Eli Miller why only 4 and he told me they were gunning for more of a player's style bag, which I think combined with the overall stature of the bag design is quite a nice touch.
 

 
 
There's 2 velour lined valuable pockets, which being the social and photo guy I am, I absolutely love. There's the usual higher up one on the long pocket side you'll find on most bags, which is fairly deep and has enough space for wallet, keys etc. And then there's the cell pocket on the side of the ball pocket, which sits on a perfect angle when standing or on a cart. I was able to keep it open with my phone in it over the past few 18's for quick access for taking photos.
 
Finally completing the players bag touch is a removable ball pocket which is pretty standard for stitching purposes. Once again nice touch, because I need to sew the most important thing.
 

 
 
The Z4 might be my new favorite thing after my driver cover.
 
 
 
The wrap
 

 
It’s hard not to come across as a fanboy at the end of the day (somewhere GolfSpy X is rolling his eyes at me), but I’m going to have to say this; Cleveland Srixon may offer the most complete bag setup of all the OEM’s. From award winning drivers, right thru to more award winning putters, balls, wedges and hell even the bag, Cleveland Srixon makes it a hard case to argue against.

You don't have to wait for a test. They aren't worth the box you'll get them in. And good luck on getting your money back if you try.  
Last I heard they have a very poor rating with the BBB and there are lots of horror stories from people who've taken the bait.

That may still be a great thread if you can get some victims....Err...I mean volunteers.
 
 
When I used to be a gamer, I'd read through the magazines for reviews on the games I really wanted. In addition, I'd read on the games that got really awful scores because the reviews would be hysterical. Obviously, the time and quality of the reviews wouldn't need to be the same level as a normal review but I think it could be a good time.
 
Who doesn't want to see the Warrior side by side with the Epic on a launch monitor?
 
 
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I also found a couple of print resources.  I have attached them.
DIY-Supernatural-Grass.pdf
purchase-green-backyard-putting-green.pdf

I'm looking at doing this project next summer as well!  I'm using artificial turf for sure.  Youtube has some good tips a couple of videos I have found that I will use as a resource are below:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY_hgT9DCHc&index=5&list=FLclenl0czSZdrE9PbJffNRQ
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVe0n8_eO5Q&index=2&list=FLclenl0czSZdrE9PbJffNRQ
 
If you end up doing one, share some pics and tricks

Bubble shafts and fat shafts. I have heard that the fat shafts really did perform but people couldn't get over the look of them.
 
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Bubble shafts and fat shafts. I have heard that the fat shafts really did perform but people couldn't get over the look of them.
 
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Sign me up! I know I'm free! 
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