DiscipleofPenick

Just an old junk towel, nothing special. And the cheapest wire club brush they sell at GG.

I am always shocked at the number of Pro V1s I find out there. At $4+ a ball, I'm gonna find one if I hit it wild. My home course has more hackers than serious players, so I find 1 of 3 balls. 1. Pro V1s 2. Brand new Srixon Soft Feel or Callaway Supersoft/hot cause that's what the course sells (probably have 2 swings on them) 3. Grandpa's Maxfli, for the discerning golfer playing whatever's in the back of the garage.

My full swing got really off line, so I've been working with a pro to get it back on plane. So my swing thought right now is "down the line" or "finish at the target". In the short game, I tell myself to just "hit a good one". I'm only gonna get in trouble when I try to get cute and hit the perfect shot, so I need to avoid temptation.

Finally someone else who does this. On the tee and green I find a blank side and put that facing up. I find all marks distracting too.

I've been able to find my balls on Amazon when the price is right. Otherwise I just go with Golf Galaxy when the BOGOs are on. If I run out of deals, I'll turn to the bulk buys via Snell or Vice. Always looking to stay under $40/doz.

That was a great ball when Bridgestone brought it out. Never understood the e5/e7 either. Couldn't beat it. A Titleist for under $20/doz

Velocity. That ball is longggg.

Yes both 9s were great entertainment. Brian is really funny too. I like the vibe of EAL and wish I could incorporate more of that chillness into my own game.

I would like to see a return of the app. The mobile forum site works fine, but it's a little lagging on Android phones. If I have to type out something longer than this I find it's easier to jump on a computer. That want an issue in the app.

Played a tournament today and while I wasn't in the money, I did break 80 for the first time in a tournament firing a 79. Overall it was a great day, the weather was perfect and the course was set up firm and fast how I like it. I broke 80 without my A game as well, so that was also a big confidence booster. I striped drives and chipped beautifully as is my usual strength. Putter was not great, but not terrible (34), and irons were off, only 6 GIR. Also the two guys I played with finished tied for dead last. So I'm equally happy that I was able to block out what was going on around me and just play my shots. Even when I hit a bad one I stayed in it. Today didn't feel like such a grind either as we were done in just over 4 hours. Best I've felt after a tourney round in a long time.

Oof, I know I'm gonna hear it for this. (Deep breath) I've reviewed it, narrowed it down to the balls I'm interested in, and nothing's changed. Soooo (trigger warning) I'm going to kind of ignore it . Hear me out I've already switched to the Z-Star from ProV1 and I have a 107 mph driver speed so I looked at both high and mid data sets. The balls I'm considering are all in the tour category. BX, BXS, TP5, ProV1, Z-Star, ZXV, AVX, and MTBX. MGS has already done ball labs on these other than the AVX. I haven't really learned anything new. The ProV1x & TP5x didn't make the cut because I've already tested them and did not like them. They were very clicky to me and I didn't like them around the green and didn't notice that I hit them any further. To clarify further, it's not that they were bad performing in the short game, it's that they weren't performing the way I like a ball to perform on the green. So when I looked at the data on those 8 balls and, from best to worst, I saw 10 yards difference on drives, 7 yards difference on 8i, and a few hundred rpm on wedges, I'm just not seeing a huge performance difference in any of them. Why pay $50 for Bridgestone, TM, or Titleist offerings when my Z-Star is already performing the way I want it to for a much better price. I will say Snell had my curiosity, now they have my attention. I keep reading these things and trying to break down the data and qualities, and come up with my own conclusions, and I never come to a decisive result. I look at this and expect to find THE BALL FOR ME. One ball that jumps off the page that is undisputably the best fit for my game. And nothing ever does. As much as the manufacturers try to make their products stand out, the only conclusion I've come to is that there's actually very little difference in them. What I have learned from this is find a ball you are comfortable paying for (and losing!), and that has the feel a performance you prefer. And stick to one ball!

I play the regular Z too. Let me know what you think of the XV. I bought a dozen over the winter but haven't had a chance to test them yet this year.

Right malls are dead, let's start there. Or maybe take a really radical approach and rehabilitate our decaying urban centers Instead of building new houses altogether.

In Cleveland, munis ARE the future. We already have 2 of the best in the country, and 3 other quality 18s and a number of 9s in our metro parks. The city itself runs 36 holes in the eastside suburbs which caters to a majority of young and minority golfers (the course itself has a number of detractors, given the clientele, you can guess who they are). A bunch of cities on the southeast suburbs and Summit county operate their local course as munis, and Akron Elyria, and Youngstown, operate them as well. New courses weren't being opened around here, I think less than a handful since 2000. So if we get a "new" course, it's a CC opening doors for public play. On the other hand, we've had about 15 courses closed since 2017, with another turning into an Amazon warehouse after labor day (Stanley Thompson designed Skyland Pines). Most of those courses were in the hands of kids or grandkids that has no interest in running grandpa's course so now it's a housing development. Munis are how we're going to protect and keep golf public.

Unless you're playing an awfully long course sick with the 3 wood until you have confidence in the driver. Hitting it 240-250 and in play should be able to get you around any course from the middle tees.

That's what it should be man! Comfort and confidence. Not just blanket metrics, but what works best for you! If you're comfortable making those decision and know what putts and shots you are comfortable with, go play your game and ignore the haters. I know what I am comfortable with, and stick to it. You are right, people need to know their true carry distances, not always focus on that personal best number.

I know this isn't your train of thought. I disagree with the podcasts on this, or whatever the metrics say. The traditional way green complexes were constructed was the green was sloped back to front, and the direct front of the green is open to give the shots of less skilled players a chance to bounce the ball onto the green. It's only on the newer courses, say ones constructed since say the 1980s that more obstacles have been appearing in front of greens to force players to carry the ball onto the putting surface. On the majority of courses around me (Cleveland, OH so we have older courses) if I try to be pin high or worse I'm going to have a lot of downhill putts, or chips from over the back of the green onto a downhill. If I play to stay short of the pin, I am leaving myself with uphill putts, and giving luck a chance to bounce the ball on if my 80% shot doesn't quite carry all the way on. Even if it's a front pin, I'll putt from the apron. And I read those ShotScope metrics reports. Where I disagree is their conclusion, not with the numbers themselves. They point out that the vast majority of approach shots (or 2nd shots) end up short. They also point out that the vast majority of trouble around a green is towards the front. Their conclusion is to hit more club to make sure the player avoids trouble short. What this does not account for are the slick, downhill chips and putts I just mentioned. I think what their conclusion should be is for the player to make note of were trouble is, and make the best shot selection to avoid said trouble. If that's a lake, then take one more club. If it's a pin tucked on the right side next to a bunker, and you only hit draws, maybe don't play for the pin on this hole and aim for the center of the green. The logic should be three things - understand your ability, be aware of trouble, make the intelligent shot to avoid trouble.

I play the tees I want to. My home course is around 6600. When I'm playing well I'll stretch it out, if not, I'll move up. Especially if conditions are sub optimal or if it's a new course. If it's a casual round, I just don't keep score. I'll note the birdies or a good par save, but then I can ignore the rest. I just focus on hitting good shots and ignore the rest. Tbh don't play enough of these.

Played today and not as good yesterday. Though this course was far wetter than yesterday's round, and I hope they didn't mow the fairways in a few days. Just a local course with my buddy and his wife. I didn't really keep score but I think it was in the 82-84 range. Only 1 birdie and 1 double. The course itself was...interesting. It's about 15 minutes away from my house and I've played 9 a few times at it, but today was the first time playing 18, and the blue tees. So as I mentioned the fairways were long. Not plush or grown in, just long. I'm hoping this means they just haven't been able to mow in the last few days. Unfortunately, there was crab grass all over, fairways too. Some of the blue tees were tucked back in a chute, which was a nice feel (and messed with me a bit) but a lot of the big trees have over grown with limbs sticking out into the fairway or hanging right in front of the tee box so you couldn't even use half of it. The par 3 17th, I couldn't even see the flag from the tee as there was a pine tree about 20 years in front that blocked the left third of the green. Trim it back. Also the course is listed at 6985, but when I measured it on Google Earth, it came out to under 6400. To top it off, this is the sign that greets you as you drive in. The audacity....

Hell yeah it was a great morning. The course is Hawk's Nest in Creston, OH. It's run by Ohio St.'s ATI program. It was a little soft still but we were off the cart path. I shot 78 (37/41) with 37 putts. Other than one drive, the putter really let me down. I average 31. One birdie on the hole I hit the Epic. 12/14 were good drives and I hit 14 greens. I'm feeling close and glad one of the Spies got to see me break 80 so they don't think I'm fibbing . Looking forward to the next time!

I don't care about being in the fairway. No courses around me have rough so penal that it will cost shots. I often say "this isn't the Open" when someone questions my logic. All I consider is that wherever my drive lands, do I have an unobstructed second shot at roughly the distance I would expect? So If this is a 400 yard par 4, do I have 150 or less into the green, and can I hit my desired shot shape? If those answers are yes, then it's a good drive and I move on.

If you're missing short putts it could just be lack of focus more than an issue with technique. You could be rushing or just not giving yourself a chance to settle over the putt. As they say, treat the short ones with respect.

So my buddy blew me off today, so I went out late this afternoon for a solo round. Shot 74 37/37 with two birdies tying my best round of the year and low round at my home course. Even went brain dead for a few holes but got lucky with some bounces or hit fantastic recovery shots. Now if would just stop raining in Ohio.

High end launch monitor for sure. And a super expensive rangefinder. $100 shirts And if ProVs get any more expensive....

The advice I've had on clubs are the following 1. Get fitted. 2. Update drivers/irons every 5-7 years. Someone on our level isn't going to notice those minor performance changes year to year. We will notice those cumulative changes every half decade or so. 3. Don't be in a hurry to swap those distance clubs (FWs and Hybrids), or putters. Even top pros are reluctant to swap those clubs for the latest and greatest. I think Cantlay is a top 10 guy with a 915 fairway wood. We all know about Stenson's 2013 Callaway, or Snedeker's and Phil's old Odysseys.