downlowkey

Not to further complicate deliberations, but also specifically to complicate matters further than you ever thought possible, there’s an Easter Egg on L.A.B. Golf’s Meet DF3 page, that explains how you can even _combine_ multiple alignment aid options. If anyone else hears something that resembles a distant steaming kettle, do not be alarmed, as it is just @CFreddie’s brain in full meltdown after reading these words. I’ll give you fellas one hint where to find the double secret alignment option - Go Nuts

That’s fantastic news - hip hip hooray for Lamkin coming through! Although it would’ve been fun to see a Judgement of Solomon (the grip version) shake out. Re: more chances to win - I’d probably have better luck letting the auto-pick bot handle my team for the remaining majors. I do still have three auto-picks left… hmmm

What’s even more amazing is that @SBB and @Pettitt95 only had a 3 pick overlap and still finished with the exact same score and winnings. Those odds are long. I’m hoping Lamkin Golf are big Oprah fans - @SBB gets grips, @Pettitt95 gets grips, DLK gets grips, errbody gets grips!!!! That’s some admittedly pie-in-the-sky hoping, but it seems like the actual winners ought to at least get their due on the photo finish. It’s too close to call. If not, perhaps there’s enough in the kitty from our whopping $2 entry fee to cover an extra set? Maybe take up a collection? Or even go the Judgement of Solomon route and threaten to cut all the grips in half? That’d be my vote. All I’m certain of is that I do not envy you as arbiter of this situation.

Very generous… and sporting. Based on the rules as written, that probably wouldn’t have been my opening move at the negotiating table. I was just speculating on the coin flip option, as there is no official second tie breaker. Going to FedEx Cup points breaks straight (PGA vs LIV) for the two of you, and would be sorta crummy IMO. Also - congratulations on your first forum post! It’s all downhill from here.

The Masters proved to be a pretty brutal week for the pick’em league. More war of attrition than birdie bonanza. Congrats to @Pettitt95 _and_ @SBB on the win - the only 2 teams to finish under par (-1). They had different teams but finished at the same score total and winnings. Presumably @GolfSpy BOS is going let us know soon whether they both won a set of Lamkin grips or will be facing off in a double tie breaker coin flip. Another signature event this week for the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links, so the big names are in town. With Meredith in the baby red zone, ride the Scheffler heat at your own peril. Good luck errbody!

I’m gonna need to see that recipe, please and thank you.

Congrats pards! Look forward to seeing some pics of the Vokey setup you go with… even though they’re left handed

The technology is a noteworthy development for bespoke customization but it’s still very much a niche market. The specific advantage re: custom bulge/roll shaping that Bryson showed up with this week, is one of the primary benefits that I envisioned nearly four years ago when @GolfSpy Barbajo wrote a nice article about Cobra’s initial foray into the 3-D printed retail space. That it took a company four years to implement that particular personalization potential in a tour player’s bag is the most surprising thing to me. I can’t remember the exact cost referenced to manufacture Bryson’s irons this week but pretty sure it was north of $10K. If true, the retail price point would be truly eye-watering and out of reach for all but the PJ charter class. It’s hard to fathom that Bryson would put those virtually untested irons into play this week at Augusta, where recovery shots so often demand exaggerated shot shape. I personally think the straighter ball flight that the custom bulge/roll face shape lends itself to is the reason we witnessed him pleading for his second shot into #15 Saturday afternoon to “hook, hook, hook!!!” to no avail.

MLAB - look forward to seeing that!

I’m always impressed with your builds, so you certainly have my attention. Willing to drop a hint? With so many alignment options, I struggled to settle on one.

My favorite for a long time was the Matrix Ozik Program 130. Played them in a set of Cleveland TA1, Adams MB2 & most recently Ben Hogan ICON. Built a set of Adams CMB last season with Matrix Ozik F15 120 and they are also super solid. Both of those stout Matrix products are almost impossible to find new these days. Currently planning a rebuild of the ICONs and the LA Golf Tour AXS Blue 105 is on the short list as a very similar replacement in a lighter weight class. It’s a shame the LA Golf price point is hard to swallow for a lot of players because shafts built on the HD (hexadecagonal) mandrel are special.

I would say solid result for your first build @Josh Parker but it’s a really solid result, period! Not sure I could bring myself to hit them off the sandy turf we’re dealing with in TX.

If the weekend ticket package includes Berckman’s Place access, I’d absolutely go that route. And I’d also parlay my annual attendance into the following: 1. Reach out to every conceivable media outlet with an offer to cover the weekend with a column. 2. Secure deal and receive press credentials. 3. Enter the journalist lottery to play Monday, following the tournament. 4. Bide my time enjoying the greatest weekend of the year until my number eventually comes up.

Word. My squad is much more LIVely this week.

Big pick’em week with a set of Lamkin grips going to the winner of the year’s first major contest. I definitely did a little more stat homework than usual hoping to bring home some fresh UTX green rubber for a Masters victory. Get those picks in errbody!

My pimento cheese game has gotten pretty tight over the years and I’ll be washing down those sammiches with Arnold Palmers all weekend. Been hanging onto these delicacies since 2014. I wonder where the oddsmakers would set my food poisoning over/under. Ehhh… they’re probably fine, right?

L.A.B. - Less To Think About That’s a comforting promise. But the quiet mind quality must come once you put your hands on it, because zeroing in on an alignment selection required some serious deliberation. Typically, I would pick the option that looked best in a square orientation. However, for this mock-up exercise I went with the double right angle alignment because it’s the option that was easiest to recognize when the face was slightly open/closed. I suppose it stands to reason that an entirely different approach to putter design would also lead to different personal feelings about alignment.

Cut (-1) Low (Faux) Am - John Stewart Hagestad III

For reasons entirely unrelated, I’ve always known that you’re a winner. And for a man with your refined palate enduring hospital food, my feelings re: good luck coming your way, stand.

Fingers crossed for you, mate. You’re definitely due some good luck.

Keep your wig on. Way out here in the provinces, we’re still mesmerized by indoor plumbing. Proper nomenclature is wayyy down the to-do list. Anyway… 1. The Masters 2. THE Open (note the emphasis) 3. The US Open 4. Always seem to forget something when I’m making a list

Expense Account Golf (concentrated) - and I can honestly understand the appeal for golf adjacent client relations outside normal working hours. I played in the 2-person team league at their South Denver location for several seasons. First season was $20 per head each week and after league play we could pound balls for free until they closed. We ended up winning. Among other things, it granted us completely free league play the next season. Rinse and repeat. I’m certain (winning + free) is a the best formula for enjoying the place. I can also say with certainty that @Shankster is rarely, if ever, satisfied with anything. If it’s a beautiful sunny day, he’ll be the one complaining that it’s too bright. DLK: Have you considered sunglasses? Alan: Can’t do sunglasses - everything on the market has too much offset. PS - it’s good to see you around Mr. Shanks. One request - please, pretty please, stick to the standard forum formatting for your L.A.B. DF3 review, because trying to read the post at the top of this thread bout gave me a migraine.

Tour Edge - Pound for Pound I envision all sorts of early bird (noon-4pm) discounted rate structures marketed to seniors.

Pulled my dog-eared copy off the bookshelf a couple days ago for another read through too. It’s been lent out to several of my golf pals and always come back with a new note jotted inside the cover. I went through a less than pleasant stretch where my thought standing on the first tee was something akin to “just don’t play terrible”. My golf mentor turned me onto Shoemaker during that period and his thoughtful approach was truly eye-opening. I believe it’s the kind of text with the potential to hit each reader in a unique way, so I don’t want to prematurely color your own journey of discovery any further. But feel free to reach out anytime if you want to kick around what you’re reading.

Extraordinary Golf - The Art of the Possible by Fred Shoemaker. It’s a comprehensive text that I think you could really benefit from @Berg Ryman. The only other counsel I’ll offer is that golf is damned difficult for everyone. I’ve whittled my game down to a (+4) index, carded a smooth 42 over 9-holes in the wind last night and didn’t pull my hair out over it. Can’t wait to get back out there and Mr. Shoemaker deserves a lot of the credit for my rosy outlook.