tdc1

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!

Good Monday morning, y'all! A little cool and cloudy here today but still going out for a 9-hole round later. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, today marks the official start to the posting season in Michigan. I'm interested to see (1) how the new GHIN/USGA system will translate my 9-hole score to an 18-hole score, and (2) how my 2024 stats will end up. Here is my 2023 GHIN rewind: My goals get a little more modest each year. For 2024, I’m aiming to end the year at (or below!) my lowest handicap from last year. Really going to concentrate on course management — limit the “hero” shots, take more club, and aim for the middle of the green. Wish me luck!

Waaaaaaayyyyyy past morning, I know. I hope everyone had a great day. The official golf season in Michigan begins tomorrow so today was probably the last day until November 1 for the El Camino carry bag and half set of clubs. The push cart and the rest of the clubs are coming out of hibernation!

Mornin’, y'all! I'm not sure it is possible to get a better cup of coffee than the coffee in the waiting room at your local QuickLane while getting an oil change and tires rotated. Yum! I forgot to post this story yesterday. Tuesday was raining and cold so I decided to hit some balls on the simulator at my course before meeting some buddies for bowling. The night before I had cooked steak dinner for my wife and I, and the leftover steak was going to be my lunch (I bowl at 1:00 so I figured I munch on a sandwich while hitting balls at Noon). Because I was going right from the house to the course, I simply wrapped the sandwich in a paper towel and put it in the open side pouch of my Sunday bag (right above the plastic bag in photo below). Then, things went wrong. I left my golf bag inside by the garage door while I went outside for a minute or two. When I got back inside, the dog, Lil Miss Who-Me? (aka, Princess Butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-My-Mouth) had decided I didn’t need that sandwich more than she did. She had eaten one slice of bread, a slice of cheese and half the steak when I found her — perfectly positioned over the paper towel so as not to get any crumbs on the floor. She was not pleased to be interrupted but was perfectly okay with me having to settle for a plain cheese sandwich for lunch. Oh, and she was so sneaky that my wife, sitting less than 10’ away, had no idea what was going on. And I lost 75¢ bowling.

I’m in the same boat — must have glasses, no contacts. Just saw eye doctor this morning and will be getting new prescription so the search is on for new clip-ons.

Today’s medical adventure was just my annual eye exam. Small prescription change but I’m okay with that. Eye drops wearing off and thank goodness for the clouds! I have to play with my glasses so I need to decide what color clip on sunglasses to get. Currently have a dark amber but am wondering if another color might be better. Catching up here, then reading for a bit and bowling this afternoon (I love this perk of my course membership in cold and/or yucky weather). Second cup of coffee at hand but since I’ve finished off the morning belVita biscuits my faithful assistant has lost interest. Oh, well. Y'all have a great day!