tdc1

Just beat the rain to get in 9-holes. When posting the score I looked at my history and 7 of the 8 scores being used for HI are from 2023. Today's might make the 2nd one used from 2024. On the upside, I talked myself out of the one "hero shot" I could have tried today.

I think numbers HI will be much more volatile early this year. Due to the April 1-October 31 season here some of my 2023 rounds are still being used. Once those are off the books I’ll have a clearer sense of where I stand and how things are going. And I have to remember that I told myself no “hero shots” this year — broke that rule the 2nd time out.

Good morning, y’all! A mixed bag this Thursday morning. Cloudy and cool with rain possible this afternoon and — say it ain’t so! — snow flakes this weekend! Playing earlier than usual today to beat the rain but hoping not to rush myself. Got a new Shot Scope V5 hoping to get more detail about my game with shot tracking. However the first sensor I tried to insert twisted apart leaving the post embedded in the grip. Tried to get it out with pliers but the top of the post just shredded leaving the rest still stuck. SS is sending a replacement but I’m a bit leery of trying the others. The new GHIN handicap numbers are interesting. I play a lot of 9-hole rounds with my older friends so I know that the old system of pairing 9-hole rounds often resulted in an artificially low number, but WOW! The new system has caused my hcp to jump 1.5 strokes already and my season only started on April 1. And, yes, I have played very poorly, but still. It makes my goal of lowering hcp by a full stroke this year seem a bit more challenging. Happy birthday, @GolfSpy SAM! have a great day, everyone.

Wowser, what an adventure! And I thought my drive was going to be a bad one. Glad you made it down/back safely (and found your wallet). Hope Mark made it through the storm as well. Looking forward to hearing about the actual Terra Forza fitting experience.

You’d be forgiven for thinking she’s had a hard day if you didn’t know there was a small bowl of Wheat Thins just out of the frame.

In my fitting the pressure plates were used to get the algorithm's recommendations but not when testing the two TF shafts I hit. It will be interesting to hear from others if the same process was used.

Good morning, y'all! Looks to be another nice day in central Michigan before the weather turns progressively colder and wetter for the rest of the week. I understand CBS has another "Heidi" incident on its hands because of coverage of the Masters. I don't quite understand the sequence but apparently the network got into its Billy Joel concert programming late and cut away from it in the middle of "Piano Man"! Yesterday was lovely -- and frustrating. Gorgeous day on the golf course -- but absolutely abysmal play on my part. First round with new Shot Scope V5 -- but 1st club sensor I tried to insert twisted apart leaving part of the sensor post stuck in the grip (SS has already replied and replacements on the way). Lawn tractor wouldn't start -- but it was just low battery so got it started and took the tips of the lawn. I hope everyone has a great day at work, home and.or on the course!

Looks to be a beautiful day here in the middle-of-the-Mitten. A bit breezy but near 70° and sunny. Maybe time to break out the shorts (and the accompanying OB stakes. On the downside, however, lawn tractor wouldn’t start this morning (hoping it’s only low battery), and the funny pages are looking too much like my life some days.

I wonder if this is a question @MrBandit can explore with Colin during his fitting on Tuesday?

Thanks, @GolfSpy_BNG. I'm sure you guys will have fun with it. I'm expecting to get some of my test data by e-mail so I can look at it more closely.

It was — relaxed, informative, and fun.

Today I made the 2+ hour drive from my house to Larry Hamilton Golf (https://larryhamiltongolf.com/) in Rochester, MI to get fit for my Terra Forza shaft. Before describing the fitting process I want to say how much I enjoyed working with Larry. He was warm, welcoming, patient and informative -- everything you'd want in a fitter or coach. Thanks, Larry! Information about Terra Forza and their approach to shaft fitting can be found here: https://terraforzagolf.com/. Essentially, the fitting is based on each golfer's individual interaction with the ground ("ground reaction forces") during the swing. Using information gained through a pair of pressure plates (see photo below -- sorry about my shadow) and an app, a proprietary algorithm determines the most likely fit for a given golfer. As Terra Forza says, "After some trial and error, we were able to create a line of golf shafts that matched a golfer's pressure trace and pressure data. Our patented algorithm allows us to recognize those traces, along with all of the pressure data coming from the TF Pressure Plates, and objectively determine the proper shaft for any golfer." As I understood it, TF assesses primarily vertical force during the swing. This as a view of what the fitter sees (stock photo from TF website). After warming up (I used 8 iron and Driver), Larry had me stand on the pressure plates and hit several shots with my current driver (Ping G425 Max in standard 10.5° and neutral back weight position) and shaft (stock Ping Alta CB 55 • R). Data was collected using Trackman while hitting Titelist ProV1 RCT balls. After discarding a couple of outliers, the algorithm determined that the place to start was with the Green spec shaft (from the TF website: "As the smoothest shaft in the Terra Forza range, this shaft allows golfers with the easiest of transitions to optimize their club head speed while being able to control their trace. Mass: 49g. Torque: 5.8º. Pressure Trace: Linear.") This shaft is slightly lighter overall than my current shaft, and a bit softer in the tip. The Green shaft was inserted into my driver head and I took a number of swings with it but not while on the pressure plates. Trackman results showed an increase in carry and total of about 10+ yards over my usual set up, and with a better dispersion pattern. At this point, Larry suggested I try another shaft. His thinking was that while the Green shaft was a good fit in most areas, the tip was possibly a bit too soft. The TF algorithm had a recommendation of Green+ (stiffer tip) but that configuration wasn't available in the shop. The alternate shaft was the Orange spec (again from TF: "Designed for a player with a more linear trace, this shaft allows the player with a larger lateral movement to control their launch. This shaft also caters to the player who has a stronger transition than green. Mass: 57g. Torque: 4.7º. Pressure Trace: Lateral"). It was put into my G425 head and the process repeated. This shaft resulted in slightly shorter carry/total numbers (2-3 yds.) than with the Green but a significant improvement in dispersion over the Green. Larry and Colin (TF President) will review the data and decide which shaft -- Green+ or Orange -- will make a better fit for me. In either case, I am pretty stoked to get it out on the course when it arrives!

I have my fitting scheduled for this Saturday. A much easier drive than @ChiefMikeOfficer -- only a little over 2 hours. Very curious to see what the process is like!

My favorite set up from the non-adjustable days was Driver, 4-wood, and 7-wood. I struggle just a bit with lower lofted hybrids.

Almost always looking for shoes. A new 7-wwod is in the near future.

Somebody is very comfy. Someone else has legs that are starting to go numb.

Only about 3 hours in and I already know it’s gonna be a day.

Yikes! Be safe and I hope tow gets to you soon (and any repairs are covered bu Warranty/insurance).

Good morning, everyone! Although I was about 120 miles North of the edge of the totality yesterday, I'm still going to blame this on the eclipse. Eating dinner last night I went to put the cap back on a bottle of steak sauce but it wouldn't fit. I probably tried for a full minute -- cleaned the top of the bottle, pushed the inside of the bottle cap, used more muscle -- still couldn't get it to fit properly. Finally gave up, placed bottle and cap back on the table rather heavily, and sighed deeply. Only then did I realize I had been trying to put the cap from my water bottle on the steak sauce bottle. My wife, who was watching silently the whole the whole time, was shaking so hard to keep her laughing inside. She finally let the laugh go but then had to excuse herself from the table because, well, you know. On the golfing front, I'm working on finding a more natural putting stoke. The last few years I've been kind of choking the club to force a straight-back/straight-through stroke. Functional but requires a lot of effort. Trying to be lighter and let the putter head arc if it wants. Feels good on long putts but everything inside 3' is getting pushed to the right. Greens still haven't been mowed yet here (groundskeeper said that would start today) so maybe it is just shaggy grass and tons of worm casting. We'll see.

Thanks to MGS and Terra Forza for this opportunity! The timing could hardly be better since driver tune-up was on my to-do list this spring. I can't help but wonder if my current set-up isn't under performing. Really looking forward to the fitting and testing! A little background on me: I first started to play golf at 40 and was, by all accounts, a fairly high ball hitter with some power and a generally reliable fade off the tee. Now, 30+ years later, 40+ pounds lighter, and several failed tries at finding a draw, things are different -- tee shots are shorter, lower, and wilder. I have not done any testing outdoors with a launch monitor but recent indoor testing with a Uneekor launch monitor produced these results: Club Speed: 89; Ball speed: 125; Apex: 53'; Launch angle: 11.25°; Carry: 185 yds.; and Total Distance: 204 yds. I was using my Ping G425 10.5° driver with loft and back weight in standard position. The shaft is a stock Ping Alta CB 55 R-flex. (One caveat here -- the simulator bay I used is physically large enough for me to swing freely but is psychologically inhibiting so I don't know how accurate the numbers are.) I'm hoping that this fitting process can help me find more accuracy over everything else. Although, I won't turn down a few more yards as well.

Always a conundrum — rip the band aid of quick and early so there is time to heal, or do it slowly and hope. Hope it all works out!

Good morning, y"all! Been a little absent from this thread lately -- too much silly stuff going on. Looks like an almost 70° day ahead here in mid-Michigan so I'll be taking a walk on the course for sure. Not sure where in the round I'll be when the eclipse rolls by but I don't expect it will be all that visible (but my viewing glasses will be in the bag with me just in case). Oh, and today I started my two weeks of being on-call for Federal jury duty -- not called today but who knows how it will go. Have a grest day!

I added my final review to my introductory/main post. Also, I've put the "Conclusion" early because the whole thing is a bit TL;DR. Thanks for comments and on my earlier posts in this thread!

Only one sleeve? I will usually keep a ball active for 36 holes barring any adventures with cart paths or trees. If the cover loses a little paint it becomes a provisional ball or for high risk tee shots (e.g., long carry over water). Any damage that alters the cover beyond cosmetics (e.g, cart path rash, little cover spikes) and ball is out of play.

Now you're just showing off!