JFitzroy

I've played Wilson iron in the past but am currently using the Titleist AP3. Handicap is 6.6 I'd love to give the C300 forged a try!! Jim, the retired GC Super

1. AGE: 70 2. SWING SPEED: 90-95 3. HANDICAP: 6.7 4. ROUNDS PER YEAR: 80 5. CURRENT DRIVER: 6. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN FIT FOR A DRIVER IN THE PAST YEAR: Y or N No, I'm scheduled for a fitting next Tuesday 7. AVERAGE DRIVER DISTANCE: 240

Played in the NEPGA Pro/Superintendent tournament for years. One time was pair with Dana Quigley when he was a club pro. I spend 18 holes going WOW and holy sh--t. They don't play the same game we do. While I served as an office of GCSAA, I attended many majors, 2 Ryder Cups, and play in a couple of Pro Am events. Was paired with Paul Stankowski one year in the John Deere Pro Am at Deere Run. He's the only pro to win on the then Hogan Tour one week, get the field promotion to the PGA tour and win on that tour the next week. He made all in our group very at ease and we won!!. ( 2009.) Paul's tee ground was typically 75-100 yards behind the amateur players and his drives were usually by us all. And he got it up and down from everywhere!! I had 2 birdies on holes he made par and a friend of mine chipped in for eagle. If you have a chance to attend a PGA event, I strongly recommend that you spend some time at the range.....watch their ball flight, how effortless their swing looks, and how different the sound of the strike is compared to we mortals. Jim, the retired GC Super.

Today was typical of my year. Par 70 course. Shot 77 with 3 double bogeys and one 3 putt. can't seem to get rid of those doubles in my rounds this year! Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

What is your favorite hole on your home course? This is mine. #14 at the Presidents Golf Course just south of Boston. It's a 385 yd par four dogleg left. Pond on the right, bunkering along the left side with high fescue left of the bunkers. The green has some sever contours along the left side and is well guarded with bunkers and mounding.

SuperStroke flatso 2.0 Love it

I used to caddy for Jack Toski, of the famous Toski brothers. He was Bob's oldest brother. He also was my first teacher of the game. One day while in college I complained to him that my putting was terrible. He simply said "learn to hit it closer to the hole" There's a lot of truth to that but I over came weak putting with much work and a "grip" change. In the 1980's I went cross handed. (that was before they called it left hand low) I also spent hours and hours practicing...mostly 10' and in. A friend used a chalk line on a level area of the green and I spend hours concentrating on rolling the ball down that line. I still imagine starting my putts along that line. I also used many drills but found the most effective were ones that when you missed, you had to start over. I helps when you really need to make one to go home...or win a match! Good luck....find a flat stick you like....and put in the work. You won't regret it!! Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

Presidents Golf Course just south of Boston. I was the Director/Superintendent there for 38 years. Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

I place the ball and tee in my hand between my index finger and middle finger and use the length of my ring finger as a guide for the height of the ball. Seems to work well with my Ping G driver. Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

Dana Quigley won the Chas. Schawb cup on the champions tour with his first iron being the 7 iron. . 3-6 were hybrids. I'm 69 yrs old and have the same configuration and still beat the young guys every once in a while. Actually had my USGA index down to 4.6 last summer. So it's a matter of how you get it done....NOT WHAT YOU USE!! Play well and enjoy the hybrids with their high flights and soft landings!! Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

Red F with the number of the ball between the two bars on the F

Following up...played today ...very bad front nine, 3 doubles and real funky shots. Shot 39 on the back with another double and really didn't make anything on the greens...but the ball striking was great. Hit 7 out of the last nine greens. So I'm hoping there's light at the end of the tunnel. Jim

Do to family obligations and some work with my photography business I haven't touched a club in about 10 days. This spring I've struggled with my iron play and am scheduled to play tomorrow. So I went to the range this am and hit a bucket of balls concentrating on my irons....thinking tempo and swing plane,ie, delivering the clubhead back to the ball on the same plane I took it back. I was amazed at how many quality shots I hit. I actually hit the 150 marker twice with my 7 iron! Now the quest....can I bring that to the course tomorrow??!! Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

I live in Massachusetts and use an Odyessey Backstryke blade. I need the most work on my 10-15 foot putts. I feel like this is a "go" distance and I'm just not converting enough. Jim

Alan, I've had a bit more time to think about your post and offer the following: 1. You are now a turfgrass student and GCSAA has a student membership. Join! The resources are great and it is a wonderful place to start networking. 2. Get a job on a course in your area that has THE best Superintendent. Preferably a Certified Golf Course Superintendent or Class A GCSAA member as you can be assured they are up to speed on the latest developments in the industry. 3. Work hard, show interest, and ASK QUESTIONS. A good Superintendent will always help someone who show interest. 4. Don't forget the business side.....a Supt. works with the most personal, largest expenditure, and most important aspect of a golf facility. 5. As stated before, get your state pesticide license. 6. Keep playing...I always said I played well enough to understand what the good players are looking for and poorly enough to sympathize with the high handicappers! 7. Don't neglect public relations....you will need to develop a filter as to what are justified complaints and a golfer grousing after a bad round. Being a Golf Course Super. is one of the most rewarding professions ever....and one of the most challenging. Again feel free to contact me through my website www.fairwayphotos.net Jim

I'm a retired Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS) and spend over 40 years in the business. I don't know how to private message here, but you can contact me through my website www.fairwayphotos.net Jim

That picture of JFK is at the Hyannisport Golf Club on Cape Cod. A good friend of mine is the Superintendent there and I've played it a bunch. Some members of the Kennedy family are still members there and play some during the summer. Jim

Short irons with sticks to align myself and the club to the target line. Missed too many greens lately with 8,9,w in my had. Hopefully the work will pay off!

Absolutely the driver. If you're not driving in play consistently, you are always playing catch-up with the other clubs. The one putts for pars instead of birdies and the unnecessary pressure on wedges etc Jim, the retired GC superintendent

I've had 5... but two of notice. 1. The old Wollaston Golf Club in Quincy Ma. about 2 weeks prior to starting reconstruction for what was to become the Presidents Golf Course. The third hole is 150 downhill right into the teeth of a strong spring sea breeze (cold east wind) I tried to hit a knock down 7, skulled down the hill, thru a bunker, and into the hole. 2. 2006 Golf Course Supt. Association or America Championship at Panther Trail in Woodlands Texas. 135 yd par 3, 9 iron one bounce and in. The problem is that I was a candidate for election to the GCSAA Board of Directors that year. Man did my credit card take a spanking that day with all the drinks I gave everyone. Jim, The retired GC Superintendent

My old MacGregor M1W persimmon with the famous keyhole insert. I either had this or a shallow faced Power Bilt persimmon in my bag until the late 1980's. I finally played a round with an 11 degree Taylormade Pittsburg Persimmon and didn't miss a fairway all day. the rest is history with drivers. I couldn't get rid of this on though. Jim the retired GC Superintendent

The foam balls you saw are a marking system for liquid fertilizer or pesticide applications. At the end of each of the spray booms the foam is dropped so the applicator can see where he has sprayed, preventing skips or over applications. Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

If most of the courses in your area are performing aeration at basically the same time it should indicate that it is the proper time to do that work in your area. I'm a former GC Superintendent and avid golfer.....so I understand both sides of this coin! As a Superintendent I dealt with those complains all the time. One particularly complainer was very loud and constantly bitching about it. We had a terrible winter in '02 and a number of greens were damaged. However, you could see healthy bent grass plants in the aerification holes. I took this gentleman to one of the greens, showed him the health grass, and said "this is why we aerate! Believe me, no Superintendent likes to do this work. It is disruptive, time consuming, and labor intensive.....but the long term health of the greens depend on it. Here's an interesting article from the USGA Green Section: http://www.usga.org/course-care/forethegolfer/why-do-golf-courses-aerate-so-much-.html Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

Been a cross handed putter since the late 1980's Nowadays, they call it left hand low? Used to use the Tiger Shark grips until the USGA made them illegal and have finally settled on the Super Stroke flatso 2.0 Jim, the retired GC Superintendent

The devices you saw that look like shot link are used by Augusta's Architect Tom Fazio to plot the shots, where they land, and roll out. I'm a retired GC Superintendent and I know a number of fellow Superintendents (most of whom work at Fazio courses) that plot, monitor and record with these devices. A good friend and fellow Superintendent worked the tee shot locations on #11 for a number of years and I did get to sit in with him for a while. I seems that many of the changes at Augusta are a result of these close record keeping efforts. Jim ps. my course was designed by Tom Fazio's uncle George. Tom did most of the green details and Jim, his cousin, did most of the routing. George oversaw their work and made a couple of site visits. This was back in the mid '70's when Tom, Jim, and myself were in our mid to late '20's.