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Kansas King

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Everything posted by Kansas King

  1. I will second this set. Great performer for the new golfer at a great price, especially if wanting new. I will say it's unlikely you will find anything of the caliber of Maltbys for the same price. They should be cheap enough to leave some money for other clubs as well.
  2. I appreciate the effort put into explaining Callaway's use of AI. However, I don't find anything about what you've written particularly insightful simply because you only have the public information Callaway has released to write about. It seems Callaway has done a good job about not releasing too much information about whatever they are doing with AI. I am skeptical of Callaway's AI claims. I am mainly skeptical because as you and other have noted that Callaway's process, AI or not, is largely a generative and iterative design process. Perhaps the real progress with AI is that Callaway is saving money on engineering costs. I'm also skeptical about how much AI is worth in golf because golf equipment has been some of the most highly engineered sports equipment for the last 50 years. I don't think club design is where the gains are. I could be wrong but I think the gains for golf equipment is largely in new/improved manufacturing techniques and materials. I would be for confident in Callaway marketing if they said they used AI to design better tooling or better composites. On the whole, golf equipment improvement has been at a point of diminishing returns for the better part of a decade, at least. Until the USGA and R&A change the rules, we're going to see wheels continue to spin.
  3. They will hook and fade. You can also get a feel for backspin based on how much they ballon in the air. The only thing I don't know is how firm and heavy those balls are. The foam balls I used were very light and you couldn't hit them more than 20 yards no matter what you did.
  4. I find offset off-putting in the short irons. I used to really dislike offset in general but overtime I've found that some offset it really beneficial for forgiveness. I really wish manufacturers would go back to making some of the highly progressive offset iron sets like they used to. The Ping i-series irons up until like the i25 were all extremely progressive sets regarding offset and head shape from the short to the long irons. It seems that most iron sets today aren't as progressive. I would love to play an overall more forgiving set of irons but the chunky short irons are simply a no-go for me. I know you make combo sets but it's hard to do that and get gapping right. I still think the Ping i15 may have been one of the best sets of irons ever produced for the slightly above average hacker. I sometimes contemplate going back to them but I really do love the S55s I play now.
  5. Hasn't Mizuno offered wedges in blue in the past? Is this actually a new thing?
  6. I remember using foam balls growing up in the yard. Generally, these balls are only used to practice in smaller spaces. They aren't something I recommend spending hours hitting but if you have an itch to hit balls in your yard, they can do that. The only real good thing about these balls is that they exaggerate the effects of spin. So, you'll see them curve depending on how you strike them. Again, I wouldn't spend too much time with them. They are too soft to provide any meaningful feedback. They aren't a waste at $4 but they are more so a fun backyard toy than a meaningful training aid.
  7. I have yet to meet a golfer who worked out or lifted "too much". As others have said, unless you're already huge and trying to bulk more, it's unlikely to be an issue. Just make sure you continue working on flexibility and you'll be fine. Even then, most golfers that lift are far more flexible than their non-lifting counterparts even without focusing on flexibility. Lifting naturally stretches you out. So, I say lift to your hearts content. I always laugh on the inside when people get concerned about "bulking up". As you know it doesn't happen overnight. If you feel lifting is getting in the way of your swing, simply stop lifting or change course. I know some golfers that play D1 college golf and they lift weights at 6:00AM at least three days a week during golf season (much lighter workout on tournament days) and even more during the offseason. They don't do any fancy lifting or workouts. Just the basic lifts (squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, etc.).
  8. I prefer spikeless Eccos. I've worn athletic shoes on the course before but they just lack some of the stability I need when swinging. Plus, I've torn up some non-golf shoes at places like Top Golf before. Twisting on shoes with the "normal" rubber sole that is glued to foam tends to get shredded on my left foot (right-handed swing) when I rotate. Trail shoes are probably better. I will also note that I no longer where traditional spiked golf shoes anymore, especially the FJ ones with really stable and stiff sole structures. It's not that they don't work, but it's that they work too well. I tend to start overswinging when my shoes behave like they are strapping my feet to the ground.
  9. My preference is to have set wedges for the lower lofts 46* - 52* where it's unlikely you're manipulating the clubface much at address. The seamless transition and gapping generally leads to more consistency. Plus, set wedges usually have a more forgiving sole design over a specialty wedge. Yes, you can get almost any grind known to man on a specialty wedge, but I have yet to find a Vokey that is more forgiving than any non-muscle back set wedge. The key thing to remember with most specialty wedges like Vokeys is that they are basically muscle back irons. I think they're great in higher lofts but I've found they can promote inconsistency in some of the lower lofted wedges, especially wedges under 50*. I've found the hardest part with specialty wedges is fitting. I think off the shelf wedge shafts tend to be too light for a lot of golfers. Most stock wedge shafts do the max possible to promote spin, but I find that can sometimes compromise consistency and accuracy especially on fuller swings. The other issue most golfers buying off the rack mis on is bounce/sole grind. I find it rare to have too much bounce even on hard/dry courses. I'm not saying you need a 14* bounce but any bounce angle less than 10* starts to become an invitation for chunks and lost strokes. It also pains me when I see people trying to hit flop shots with a K or F grind (wide flat soles) Vokey. It can be done but you're working against yourself.
  10. I had what seemed like a less than helpful call with them last summer when I had a question about an order. I suspect they had some staffing turnover. My guess is that doing fulfillment work for a low-cost custom golf company isn't the highest paying job. I would guess the shipping issues are either fulfillment related, or shipping cost related. I know I have to cut the length of boxes down when selling online so I don't get nailed with a fat shipping cost for sending a "normal" sized box that clubs come in. I can't remember what length I had to cut boxes down to, but I think it was like 42" or else my shipping cost basically tripled. I'm sure GolfWorks has some form of corporate deal with their shippers, but I would imagine costs have gone up.
  11. I've had a couple days to let everything soak in and my current mood is unchanged: **** the PGA Tour. That said, I'm curious what the long-term ramifications are of this assuming it isn't stopped by antitrust actions. It seems to be an inherently risky proposition for the purse not just of the PGAT but of most professional golf to be in the hands of one sovereign investment fund. Obviously, the Saudis have a long-term plan to try and improve their image around the world and one way they're doing that is through sportswashing. The PIF is an enormous fund. However, I have some questions. What happens if there is a regime change in SA? What if they don't support the sportswashing efforts? Will the PIF still be equally financially supportive if there is a global recession that results in depressed asset valuations around the world? While this is a long way off, what happens if oil becomes a far less profitable global commodity? Or if Saudi oil resources start drying up? I know a lot of these questions are unanswerable but there are some real long-term risks that I fear can't be addressed with words on a piece of paper that we call a contract. The amount of concentration risk that professional golf is going take on is massive. This won't be an issue anytime soon but what about 20, 40, or even 60 years from now? What happens if SA has another human rights/ethics blunder? What happens if SA is put on the OFAC list? These aren't unimaginable risks. The United States was days away from defaulting on its own debt. While very unlikely that congress would fail to kick the can down the road, the risk was present. I know this will sound cliche, but I have friends from SA that I met in college. Great guys. I have no ill feelings for the regular people of SA. My biggest qualms with the PIF taking over the professional golf is that 1) professional golf is no longer an organic self-supporting organization. I know some will try arguing that it's better for the players but I don't care. It's an unnatural organization. 2) This goes beyond professional golf. The SA PIF has been taking large stakes in other sports and many private/public companies. On top of the PIF's ownership in U.S. entities, they are a major purchaser for the American defense sector. I'm not against foreign investment in the U.S. However, this isn't a Russian billionaire looking for to diversify their wealth, this is a sovereign country directly buying influence in America and around the world. I know someone will say "bla bla bla, it's what the U.S.A. has been doing forever". Don't care. The most concerning thing about all of it is that it seems we're just rolling over and taking it without a care in the world. It feels lazy. It feels corrupt.
  12. I think I'm done watching any golf that is going to be under this new PIF umbrella corporation. Maybe I'll watch the PGA Championship and US Open but not for a while. I hate that money ruined the one sport I truly love. The saddest part is I know the whole industry will capitulate to this new entity. I would be surprised if there were any companies that stopped spending money on marketing for the PGA or if any networks would decline to cover this abomination. We're going to hear the same disgusting statements companies have said about China and now the PIF. We're going to get a lot of "it's complicated". Puke. I'm not a perfect person and I don't have a special moral high ground. However, this is likely where I'm drawing a line. I will not purposefully watch PGA Tour events. I will not wear anything that states or promotes the PGA Tour. I will not support companies that openly support this move and/or the Saudi PIF. If that means not wearing many name brands, I can live with that. I know that my avoidance of the Tour won't make a difference. However, it's impossible to make a difference if I act like nothing ever happened. Golf is something I feel strongly about and this is a very disappointing timeline.
  13. I agree with this. If a golfer knows how to actually use a wedge, there is no reason they can't play a 60* regardless of handicap. I will say this until I die, if a golfer can properly learn to use the bounce on a wedge, their short game will improve 10-fold. Most golfers have never truly learned to use the bounce on a wedge. I will say that I think there are too many low bounce wedges on the racks at golf shops. High lofts (any loft really) and low bounce are a recipe for chunks and inconsistent wedge play unless you truly are playing courses with rock hard ground and tight lies. I also think there are too many higher lofted wedges with too narrow of soles on golf shop racks as well. I'm happy to see more forgiving wedge designs becoming available like the CBX. However, I don't think these chunky cavity back designs are really all that necessary if they would just make some of the soles on traditional wedges a little wider which will effectively increase bounce. They're not as sexy but they would perform. IMO, the majority of forgiveness and playability in a wedge comes down to the sole design. The MOI and CG in a wedge is far less important in relation to a wedges forgiveness as the ball has more of a glancing strike. For me it's a tragedy that Callaway stopped making the PM grind wedge. Those wedges are a perfect combination of bounce, sole width, leading edge shape and sharpness, and relief grinds. I so rarely chunk that thing and I'm confident that I can slam the bounce of that wedge hard into the ground on any shot and know it won't dig. Alas, my PM grind wedges are starting to get worn and I'm looking for a replacement.
  14. I think the used LM market is probably going to be significantly cheaper in the future. There are quite a few LMs on the market and some people are going to be ditching their pandemic LM splurges. I think used SkyTraks will have some value but I don't see used units being worth much more than $1000 anytime in the future. They're a solid piece of kit but the indoor only functionality really limits their use case. People may think this sounds crazy but IF, big IF, if SkyTrak does a big production run, the used market may get flooded by used golf shop SkyTraks. I personally think that we could be seeing $500 used SkyTraks going into next summer. This is probably a big reason why SkyTrak is going to have a trade-in program. However, if golf shops can earn a couple hundred extra bucks on eBay, I don't think they are going to let that income go. A lot of golf shops run on pretty tight margins as it is. I think the value of used LMs will especially crater if we see any budget Chinese entrants in the space. I think with the current state of technology and all the LIDAR being developed for automotive uses, we are probably on the precipice some potentially very cheap and decent LMs.
  15. It keeps getting harder and harder to not order some Edison wedges. I was a big fan of the Scor wedges and while I know the design isn't the same, the design does share some similar philosophies. Must....resist....ordering
  16. I know the gaps look bad but I love my 60. My theory on wedges is to work backwards and pick the wedge lofts you think suit your game. I like a 60 in my bag regardless of my PW. SO if my PW was 45, I could do a 50, 56, 60, or a 50, 54, 60. I don't find myself swing wedges at 100% that often, so gapping isn't as big of deal to me but I know others play differently. For me, I need my 60 and I'm comfortable with it up to about 60 yards out. So my next wedge decision is what wedge loft do I need to throw a dart from 60 yards? For me, that is generally a 56* but I've also had success with a 54*. Then I would generally fill the gap between the PW and 56*. However, I currently don't have a wedge between my 46* PW and 56* wedge and I get along just fine. I feel I need the help in the longer end of my bag currently.
  17. If this unit is truly accurate, it should put a dent in the $10k+ market. Golf shops, especially if they have multiple bays, will have to try justifying spending almost $10k extra per unit if they think they need a trackman or GC4. Heck, if SkyTrak doesn't lock data behind a paywall, is there anywhere near $4k in value for the GC3? I doubt it. Honestly, the original SkyTrak is adequate for most golf shops as it is today for general fitting purposes. For maybe net $2500, golf shops will be able to upgrade to the new SkyTrak and be able to offer fittings using data nearly equivalent to that of a GC4/Trackman, assuming the new SkyTrak is reasonably accurate. I mentioned this in the article about the Bushnell LM price dropping to $3k but I think we're going to see LM prices crater over the next decade, at least for consumer units. Cameras, radars, and other sensors used for vehicle LIDAR systems will inevitably have some of that technology and factory production efficiencies filter down into consumer products and I could see golf LMs being a potential landing spot for some of that stuff. The hard part is software and I don't know if there is a good solution on that front. There seem to be a couple random open-source projects out there but I don't know if they are any good. I'll be curious to see in the coming years if AI will have any notable impacts on golf. Perhaps in time, AI could help write code to improve LM software, especially if it's open source. I don't think AI is at that point today but who knows what it will look like in five, 10, or 15 years. AI is probably a big enough topic that it will probably get it's own dedicated thread in the future on this and other golf forums. Overall, I'm very excited for the future of technology related golf products. My only hope is that the USGA, R&A, and PGA can keep their head on their shoulders and ensure that technology doesn't lead to an unbalanced sport.
  18. Graphite shafts will likely help. ProSoft dampening inserts can also be put in your steel shafts if you're looking to save a few bucks and keep the feel of steel.
  19. Great job! Looking forward to updates on this!
  20. I'm personally fine with the idea of trying to reduce the length the pros are hitting it. However, I don't love the idea of limiting ball performance. I would personally rather see limits on club loft, length, etc., than having to try making a whole new product. I honestly don't know what the best solution is for containing the distance pros are hitting it but I don't like the current plans. Maybe they can require only steel shafts in all the clubs like wood bats in baseball. IDK. I'm just spit balling a little. I just don't want courses to keep tightening up and the rough becoming unplayable. I want pros to be able to go after low scores with a course that is set up in a "fair" playing condition. I simply don't like the idea of a fairways as wide as pencil with foot long rough and brown greens that are rocks. I imagine 45" steel shafts would sufficiently slow down club speeds, at least in the medium term.
  21. If you're reasonably strong/athletic, you're going to probably be knocking on the door of stiffer/heavier shafts in the not-so-distant future. Realistically, your i210s will probably fit you okay today. However, you should take them somewhere and hit them on a lie board to determine lie angles and look at face markings for length. An extra 1/2" isn't the end of the world with irons and being 1* flat may help compensate for that as well. If possible, I would recommend going to a golf shop with a launch monitor and see if they will do a free iron fitting. Maybe even use the Mizuno shaft optimizer if they have it. It may not be the i210s in the hitting bay but even if you tried the new i230s, you'll still get a good feel for what iron shafts you need. If your using a regular driver shaft, the XP 95 is probably okay in the irons but if you go through a fitting and you find out the DG S300 is best, then you'll probably want to send those irons back and try again. There is not a shortage of irons in the world, there will always be more used sets, especially at 2nd Swing.
  22. Not bad. Personally, I always like to compare adding Maltby clubs to a set versus used. You could put together a whole new Maltby set for less than this used set if you content with midweight stock shafts they include in their club paks. If you go full custom shafts or use some of their premium paks, you'd probably be a little higher than this used set. All-in-all, I think this would be a good used set. I personally think the wedges are a little pricey and the Adams 3 wood is a little too expensive but that's splitting hairs.
  23. I would probably say you're better off with only using two shafts to reduce variability but there are no rules against trying three shafts. Worst case scenario you change a couple shafts in the future if you don't like it.
  24. I love Eccos. I generally wear 11.5 - 12 US and 45 in Eccos. On rare occasions I'll need a 46 depending on the Ecco shoe model. The golf shoe sizing seems to follow their other shoes pretty close. If you have a Dillards around or another store that sells Ecco shoes, I would go try those on to find the size that works for you. It's best to try on the Biom shoes if they have them as they will be closest aligned to golf shoes regarding fit.
  25. Maintaining 80 - 200+ acres of grass and vegetation is expensive, even at lower-end golf courses. This props up the cost of everything else. If people can afford to play on really any golf course, then they can also afford more expensive equipment and other more expensive stuff. Yes, there are less expensive ways to play golf but none compete with the costs of other "leisure" sports. Bowling and billiards would cost a fraction of even cheap golf in the long run. It all comes down to the real costs of the product being offered.
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