TR1PTIK

Been a few weeks (at least) since my last post in here. I either haven't played and or have played and played poorly. It honestly felt like I started to lose my swing for a bit. Everything has just been off, but Saturday I took my neighbor to Southern Oaks and had a pretty good day overall. The front nine was actually really good despite a rocky start. I duffed and topped the first two shots of the round after a great range session , but was able to collect myself and bogey the first hole before playing the front at +4 (40). The back nine started with a few more horrid shots, but slowly came together though not nearly as well as the front. Thanks in part to a penalty, two 3-putts, and a 4-putt , I fired a +14 (50) to go 40/50/90 with no help at all from my handicap... Highlights of the round: Driving, driving, and well... the driving. I was +1.53 strokes gained versus a 5-handicap according to ShotScope (-0.83 vs. Sratch). Apart from holes 1 & 10 I was either in the fairway or within a yard or two with a clear shot and absolutely smashing it. I averaged 270 yards with driver with a "performance average" of 303 and my longest drive of the day was 321 on #14. It plays straight uphill off the tee before going back down towards the green around 270. Best drive I've ever hit on that hole by a mile as I've never even once reached the downslope. Now I can't wait to get back out and see if the better play continues!

IMO, shot tracers just depend on the shot being hit and what exactly you're trying to showcase. I don't think anyone wants a tracer on a stinger if the ball is visible for a large portion of flight and I wouldn't recommend using one if you're trying to show off some dramatic scenery. However, if you're posting a shot where the flight is less visible then a tracer could be beneficial - especially when shaping shots with a fade or draw. Mac Boucher and James Wiltshire have some good examples on their accounts - I'm sure there are plenty of others (but those two spring to mind first).

I started to during the pandemic but haven't really touched it in a long time. I still use the account to keep my golf stuff separate from my other interests - IG is just a mess nowadays if you follow a certain number of accounts - and will comment and like other posts but that's about it. Maybe you'll inspire me to get back after it. Anyway, best advice is to make good use of hashtags and post regularly. Interact with pretty much anyone who comments (at least starting out) as it will increase the chances of them sharing your content with someone else. Bonus points: a good logo never hurts. I made mine using basic shapes in MS PowerPoint lol. As for what content people like, I think it really just varies. My two cents is just do your own thing and let people come to you. Good luck!

Same, but Mike and the NLU guys did a good job of making me rethink this as well when speaking about the considerable differences in course length, conditions, and pin placements. Most golfers think 10-11 on the stimp is lightning, but pros often play 11+ and will occasionally see 14-15. It is indeed a different game under a different set of "rules" whether we want to believe it or not. I also enjoyed when the guys went down the list of other MLRs to further drive the point home.

I've given some thought to this and I think what you'll see is a niche market develop that wants balls like this as a sort of novelty thing like hickory clubs.

I'm currently listening to the podcast and Mike Whan addressed this by saying that this MLR is intended to more or less lock-in distance where it is even if it doesn't look like that. I don't think we'll see any change in the tees that are used on Tour, in the majors, or even in elite amateur events. The intent is to take distance away in the short term so as to slow the inevitable creep in distance we'll likely see over the coming decades and get the players to utilize more/different skills by requiring them to hit longer clubs into greens. The sustainability portion comes into play when you look at the next generation of players. I will say, I think NLU and Mike Whan have successfully changed my opinion on bifurcation and the new proposed MLR. All you have to do is look at guys like Wilco Nienbar and James Hart Du Preez to see what the future of golf could look like. Tall, muscular, athletes who simply crush it. I'm sure the argument against them will be "What tournaments have they won?..." and my answer to that is, "It doesn't matter." There will be players in the future who match the length of guys like Nienbar and Du Preez while also having great skill in the remaining areas of the game. These guys won't be long because they spent months in the gym and packed on weight (to their own detriment) like DeChambeau did, these guys will be naturally gifted with height, long arms, and athleticism. They won't suffer the way Bryson did and they'll learn how to fill in the gaps. I'll also add that when I think about the increasing distance of elite players, matters of sustainability, and the long-term future of golf, I see a lot of simulator golf. I'd very much like to see golf evolve in a way where simulators and virtual golf are not the only options. I want the game to succeed and continue to be played outdoors in a manner that is accessible to all. I could easily see things in the US become just like we see Japan and Korea where most golf is "played" in a simulator or at a driving range and golf courses are reserved only for those with deep pockets.

Swung the new lineup at PGATSS. They don't have the CB/MB in stock for purchase but they have the demo heads. Surprised to see that I wasn't getting a ton of spin with them. Hitting 7-iron in all 3 clubs I was spinning less than 5k. I really don't like the hitting bay setup at that store so maybe there's something to that, but still surprising nonetheless. My gamer was spinning at 6400 on average during my last TrackMan session. I was also surprised to see how much trouble I had making contact with the shaft the store clerk tossed in there for me - Modus Tour 120. Starting to wonder if I just respond well to heavy shafts? I've almost always gamed the standard DG Gold in S300 before buying my Bridgestones with X100s. According to True Temper's site the S300 and X100 both weigh in at 130g. Another note... Looked briefly at the new TaylorMade irons and was stunned at the butterknife profile of those things. Definitely places the Cobras more in my window than just about anything else. Need to give Srixon a hard look though.

Walked in the PGATSS today to check out some wedges I'm considering and saw they had the new Wilson lineup. I'll definitely have to go back and give it a try.

The irons posted above are all the current models. Bridgestone just isn't doing new releases in the US anymore outside of GI/SGI clubs, but as mentioned above you can get the new stuff from Tour Spec or look on eBay.

Launch, spin, and peak height mostly. I’ve spent a lot more time on launch monitors in recent months and typically launch somewhere between 13-14 degrees with about 2400 spin and peak height in the low-mid 90’s. The data report I had on hand I was launching around 17 degrees with 2800+ spin and peak height above 100ft (in some cases as much as 135ft).

I recently did Ballnamic as well. Results weren't too much different from what everyone else has seen except that if I skewed my answers towards a ball that performs well in the wind it would recommend AVX. Other than that, it was Tour B X or CSX from what I remember. Maxfli Tour was a 93% match and if I tweaked a couple of parameters would bump up to a 96% match. I did use TrackMan data though admittedly it was not the best data - really wasn't swinging my best when I collected it but could remember enough from other sessions to know what was reasonable when playing around with the results. Not sure I'd ever pay for it again now that I've seen more people do it and get pretty much the same recommendations despite different swing speeds and numerous other differentiating factors.

I doubt I'll be able to articulate my points as well as I did the other day commenting on social media, but basically... The designated events give the big name, top-performing players a spot to battle against one another without as much "noise" and get the paychecks they arguably deserve given how much viewing demand they generate. Fans get a more exciting product (so long as broadcasters don't completely ruin it). The lower tier guys get increased opportunities to earn a reasonable living on the tour as the upper echelon of the sport work their schedules around designated events and majors - they will still have to play some non-designated events in order to sufficiently maintain their status as the elite of the golfing world and to satisfy sponsor obligations just to be clear. Again, fans get a better look at the guys working their way up the ranks and broadcasters (assuming they do their job) will be able to highlight them more easily. Is it a perfect system? No. Absolutely not. However, I do think it's much better than what the tour has done to the FedEx Cup.

I use 18 Birdies on the course as of now. Was using the GHIN app until the app started crashing all the time when I'd use it for GPS. I might switch to Grint but I'm not sure. 18 Birdies allows me to keep the basic stats I'd normally keep on my scorecard and all the more detailed stats I want are collected on my ShotScope H4. I recently posted about Upgame Golf after hearing about it from James Wiltshire on his YT channel, but after testing it out I think it's best left for those who play competitively and want an alternative to DECADE. I also use the PING putting app quite regularly as well as the WellPutt app and Swing Profile App. The PING app is really useful for me right now as I try to compare my HB SOFT Premier putter to the Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K I just bought. I actually went quite nerdy on it and have put together a comprehensive stat sheet to compare for the next few weeks while I decide if I should sell the loser or start a putter collection.

Yep. That's basically what I was going to say. Anything that gets those muscles firing quickly will be of benefit and you see it in the workouts pros do now with medicine balls and such.

I'm really happy with it so far, but I did notice it seemed a bit shorter than my Cleveland so I measured it. 33.5"... It's not a huge deal and I could play it as is, but using the PING app I can see it does affect my ability to maintain proper lie angle. Just sent a message to see if they'd be willing to help me out with a shaft extension or some additional reward points since I don't want to do a return. Worst they can say is no and I fully expect that to be honest. Never hurts to ask though. I'll probably swap the stock grip for my preferred SuperStroke grip so I can always do a shaft extension then. EDIT: I already got a response and they offered me some reward points that I'll probably put towards some wedges so I'm super happy with this purchase!

Callaway Pre-Owned

It's here! And still in the factory plastic!!! What a steal. Can't wait to start testing directly against my HB SOFT Premier and see which comes out on top.

The way I figure, it ought to look about the same as the clubs I tried at GG and PGATSS that had the plastic removed and would have still been charged $400+ tax for. CPO helps me save on the club and helps me save on the tax for the same thing. WIN!

Could be the placebo effect or it just might help me claw my way towards fewer putts but I ordered a new putter. While killing some time the other week at Golf Galaxy I decided to try a few putters to see if anything stood out. Initially, I didn't see anything that differed greatly from my gamer regardless of shape, materials, or really anything else. Then, I grabbed an Odyssey Tri Hot 5k Two... I've honestly been steering clear of Odyssey putters for several years and didn't know anything about the 5k putters. Immediately, I liked the way the club looked behind the ball as the black steel face with white insert and muted gray aluminum rear caused setup and alignment to just snap into place. I stroked a few putts and couldn't help to notice how nicely the ball rolled and how good distance control was - if the ball didn't go in it finished within mere inches of the cup consistently. I walked out of the store did some research to see what the putter was about and look at price but had zero intention of making a purchase until later this season if at all. A few days ago I was at PGA Tour Superstore and grabbed the putter they had in stock. Same thing happened. They also had some of the new mallet models so I rolled putts with the #7. Both produced similar results with ease but I found the Two fit my eye much better - most likely because I've been playing the same shape for at least 2 seasons now. Anyway, went home and looked for the best deal I could find which was $310 at 2ndSwing for a mint-condition putter until I remembered about Callaway Pre-Owned. Holy crap! Was able to get a "like new" putter in the length I wanted with the grip I wanted for $260 shipped! I can't wait to put this thing into play and see how it performs on the course. If I don't like it for some reason, I can utilize Callaway's 90-day buyback guarantee or possibly sell it for more than I paid on eBay.

I read the first few, skimmed a few more, and then just closed the page lol. Absolutely pointless, waste-of-time article if you can even call it that. At least the uproar over Tiger's tampon joke had some merit to it.

I waited to listen until after I watched all 8 episodes. Didn't want spoilers and wanted to form my own opinion before listening to their takes. Overall, I thought it was okay but certainly not great. I watched it with my wife who hesitantly tolerates golf and I'd definitely agree with the idea the series was made for people like her (though perhaps with a little more acceptance of golf lol). The Joel Dahmen episode is definitely the best and was our favorite. The Finau episode was probably a close second for us because of Tony and his family. Both episodes were mildly difficult to watch however because of the fact my mom also passed too soon (I was 28, she was 52?). Naturally, that is one part of why we connected with those episodes, but also, we just connected with Joel's humility (read imposter syndrome) and humor and Finau's down-to-earth, family-man appeal. As a result, my wife started following the Finau's joint Instagram account. The episodes featuring Brooks, DJ, and Poults were good from the stance that you could maybe start to understand why they went to LIV (agree or not). However, Poults was the only one that made sense - a guy at the tail end of his career struggling to compete against younger more powerful players. The argument against him of course is that he really doesn't need the money regardless of what he says. I can only assume Netflix didn't touch on his Ferrari collection in an attempt to make him more appealing somehow. I'll probably give a couple of the episodes a re-watch and look forward to season two. Hopefully, they won't spend as much time on meaningless details and provide a better picture of what professional golf looks like: feeder tours, Monday Q's, designated events, the majors, and perhaps a brief synopsis of what makes golf relevant in the 21st century (i.e. Tiger and the proliferation of young athletes who decided to pursue golf instead of other sports).

Decent round today at Shady Valley Country Club. It was cold and windy and the fairways were a bit wet, but I managed a 44/43/87 without much trouble. Hit the ball pretty well and just had a few balls get gobbled up by the wind and fall short on several holes. Putting was fairly solid and I only had one 3-putt which occurred late in the round on the 17th hole. I finished out on a high note with a solid drive on the Par 5 18th leaving a great angle in with 4-iron. Pushed the 4-iron a touch and wound up in the back bunker, got out and drained a 30ft left-to-right putt for birdie.

Interlocking and somewhere in the neutral to strong range. I always grip the club the same way regardless of what shot I'm hitting, all of my adjustments are made in the setup and swing.

While my putting stats have declined somewhat, I still feel as confident as ever over any putt because I practice all the time and putt with every intention of making it from any range. It doesn't mean I'm always successful but I like to putt as though I have never failed.

Was about to start a new thread until I came across this in a search. I just got the 2nd gen Apple Watch SE yesterday and wanted to share how I "hope" to use it on the course. For starters, I created a watch face specifically for golf that will launch when I use the "Golf" Focus setting I setup on my phone (or, I can simply swipe to it if I want - things to play around with). I used the Modular watch face and set the following complications: Top Left - Heart Rate Range via FITIV Pulse app - shows heart rate range (small numbers) and most recent heart rate (big number). Middle - Now Playing - to give me control over music or podcasts that I might play through a speaker via my iPhone (no cutting in and out audio as I walk away from the cart). Bottom Left - Temperature - may change this to Active Calories via FITIV Pulse app but not sure just yet. Bottom Middle - Compass - pretty self-explanatory. Bottom Right - Wind - to use in conjunction with the compass so I always know where the wind is coming from. I played around with complications by GHIN and GolfShot but they really weren't that useful. I plan to use the 18 Birdies app for distances and scoring because it allows me to track stats I would normally write on my scorecard and will just have to switch back and forth between the app and the watch face. Obviously, I just got the watch yesterday and haven't played golf with it, so we'll see how it all goes but that's what I'm thinking as of right now. I'm really excited to see how I can leverage this watch to help me on and off the course this year as well as helping me with my fitness. The only other golf app I've downloaded to experiment with is Zepp. I recall being able to get club speed readings from that (could be mistaking it with the SkyPro I used to have) and it was only ever off by a little. Thought it might be useful as I try to gain some speed in 2023. Hoping to reach 110+ MPH (currently, 104 MPH so not impossible by any stretch). Now that you've had your watch for a few years, I'd be interested to know if you still use it and if you have any preferred apps or suggestions for what else I might play around with.