Middler

I'd love to be 75% GIR (instead of 50% for 5 years running...). That would definitely lower my scoring.

If most amateurs will lose 5 yards off the tee, it's hard to get worked up about it. And if elite pros will lose up to 15 yards off the tee, it's hard to believe it will change scoring much if at all. Rory will still be longer than his peers, so nothing really changes. Seems close to a nothing burger to me. And bifurcation is a bad idea IMO - you spend years improving your game only to graduate to an inferior ball? This debate has gone on way too long already, do the (trivial) rollback and let's move on. If the USGA/R&A take steps to forever limit ball distance performance to stop forcing courses to move the tips back, I'm good with that. I am sure ball manufacturers will still find a way to make us think their ball is longer. Doesn't this mean they have to restrict golf club makers from further distance increases as well. Will be funny if golf courses start mowing fairways even shorter, and keeping courses drier to enhance distance. I can see the ad copy "your ball will go further here at Bushwood CC." For anyone who's not a pro, just move up a tee if you're concerned...this isn't rocket surgery.

10 irons - 4i thru LW 3 "woods" - D, 4W, 7W 1 putter I think it's amusing wedges are not irons to some...YMMV I don't get to use my 7W or LW very often, but if we're allowed 14 clubs, might as well have as many options as possible.

Hypocrite? Rahm’s strongest statements on staying with the PGA were when it looked like they would do right by the players who stayed - BEFORE Monahan pulled the rug out from under the players in June. And that was six months ago, still no agreement. I don’t fault Rahm at all, this is all on Monahan and PIF. If they do unify the PGA/LIV/PIF Rahm is going to look like a genius. If not, he’s a much richer player still in all the majors for 5+ years. I hate LIV but the PGA has been stumbling along for 2 years now - enough!

He already admitted money was a part of it!

Lighten up Francis, he did… But he also made it clear that the arrival of LIV and the June 6 announcement of a framework agreement between LIV's Saudi backers and the PGA Tour changed the landscape of golf. From saying he had to "laugh" at rumours linking him to LIV in August, he had to admit yesterday the money turned his head. "It's one of the reasons; I'm not going to sit here and lie to you," he said of a deal that he admitted came together "a lot quicker than some people maybe expected”.

I'm disappointed to see Rahm go, but I can't blame him after the PGA surprised the players with the PIF framework agreement out of nowhere, and then failed to produce anything concrete for 6 months! Rahm is in all the majors for at least 5 years, Masters for life, so what does he really have to lose? Grinding on the PGA tour, after they've left their players in the lurch for 2 years? If the PGA ever does come to some agreement with PIF/LIV, Rahm is back in the unified mix along with everyone else - several hundreds of millions richer than he would have been otherwise. Rory should cash in too IMO and really force the issue once and for all. It's disappointing this has lingered this long. I still don't have any interest in the LIV product/format and I was on the PGA bandwagon from the start, but it's starting to wear very thin. Maybe many other remaining PGA stars will cash in on LIV, which would force the PGA to actually do something? Has the PGA rewarded the loyalty of Rory and all the others who defended them?

Is there anyone who watches pro golf and thinks I wish these guys wouldn't hit it so far? Somehow I seriously doubt it. When my buds and I talk over tournaments we've watched, part of the discussion is all about did you see that '340 drive on #xx' and 'Rory only had a SW left on the par 4 #X hole. No one EVER says someone should dial those guys back. And who prefers seeing pros winning with -2 vs -22? I like to see a mix with some really tough courses but it's exciting to watch top players get hot and birdie a bunch of holes (within reason). How about taking whatever steps are necessary to prevent further distance gains, ball, equipment, or whatever else - but not an actual rollback/degradation of anything currently approved? I do understand the arms race needs to end, so golf courses don't have to keep adapting year after year. I know, whistling in the wind.

I was surprised reading the article, would they really roll back the golf ball for everyone? I guess we'll have to wait and see, but I wouldn't think that would be a popular decision for anyone who plays golf. I'm not much worried about ball and equipment manufacturers, their marketing teams will always find a way to sell us more. I can see the ad copy now, your existing equipment is optimized for the old ball and therefore obsolete, our new driver technology maximizes your performance with the new (inferior) ball.

Sorry to hear about your eye issues, hope you have a full recovery. In 59 years I've never really been any more than an OK player, but I still enjoy golf as much as anyone I know. It can be very "appealing"...

Not for or against, but I would not be surprised if they put Mike Tirico in. Cheaper than hiring another NBC commentator. They seem to use him for lots of sports, and he's pretty sharp. There's no way they would put Paige Spirinac in, she's not qualified. She's certainly entitled to her audience, but not mainstream golf. On a related topic, IMO Trevor Immelman is no substitute for Nick Faldo at CBS. YMMV

+1. I didn’t have a problem with Azinger, he was a vast improvement over Johnny Miller IMO - who became WAY too full of himself for me. I can name several golf commentators who were way worse than Azinger. Could be Azinger was too expensive. We’ll see who’s next… So who do you Azinger critics think it should be?

Different strokes I guess. I don't like stores that hover or ask you every time they see you, 'can I help you.' If I need help, I ask, and I've never been disappointed. YMMV

The Charlotte PGASS is very well stocked. The store is as large and well stocked as Chicago, where I used to live FWIW. Been to both many times. Like anywhere you go for free fittings, you never know what you're going to get IME. Could be great, or not. I've taken to getting fitted at demo days over fittings after a few sketchy free big box fittings and even a worthless fitting at Club Champion.

We usually play ready golf, but if we’re all ready to hit we let furthest out hit first. We make one exception teeing off, birdies or better have honors ready or not. However, once on the green we usually putt from furthest out first, might as well take advantage of getting a free read from someone on your line. All of us make every effort to be ready to hit - e.g. if I’m closer I’ll shoot distance and pick a club while waiting for others to hit. If one of us is in a greenside bunker and blasts out onto the green, the rest of us may putt out regardless of distance while the bunkered player rakes and gets ready to putt. It’s all just common sense, whatever leads to fastest pace of play. I for one don’t miss strict furthest away goes first. No one has mentioned the ultimate in pace of play, everyone hitting at once. I’ve seen some super seniors who routinely do that everywhere possible, most often approach or chip shots, other than teeing off or putting. They can’t hear anyway, so they’re not disturbing each other…

Even though I wore a size 12 Foot Joy and Adidas golf shoes, you may have noticed I bought size 13 in Payntr and glad I did, they fit perfect. My Ecco’s are also size 13, also glad I ordered that size. A 12 in either would fit fine in a store, but they’d be a little tight after walking 18. FWIW

Well it doesn't appear the Payntr is catching on in the USA. I am completely satisfied with my Paynter 002's after almost 18 months, including quite a few walking rounds. However, my Ecco Boom C4's are just as good for comfort, traction and stability, although they cost $30 more than the Payntrs. I have yet to see anyone else wearing Payntr golf shoes, and only 1 person in over 150 rounds has ever even noticed or asked about mine...

There was an above average Golf Galaxy in Charlotte that I bought from occasionally over the years. Then a PGA Superstore went into the same shopping center, great store and they got most of my business - at least what I couldn't get from a different nearby GG or online. I assumed the former Golf Galaxy would survive, but in a little over a year it's closed/empty/kaput. Surprised me at least...

I warm up with 3 stretches & an orange whip, but could/should do mo' better. I don't use visualization and I don't practice often. I sometimes chip and always putt before every round, but that's just to get used to speed for the day/course - I don't consider that practice. I do all the others for the most part, my clubs are always clean and my mental game is better than my actual game...

Same here, no contest. Ryder Cup is way down my list of tournaments to watch. I don't care for team golf to begin with, or team/nation taunting.

I’ve backed off how hard I swing, almost always my issue. I used to average 250-270, but only averaged about 6 fairways a round. Now I average 230-250 and I’m averaging 8-9 fairways. I’ve had to relearn that simple lesson hundreds of times…too soon old, too late smart.

I take my glove off to putt when it’s hot, but not for “feel” like pros do, I’m just trying to dry my glove off whenever I can. I also rotate between two gloves some times in summer, again to have a dry glove. I leave it on when it’s cool/cold season, even wear winter gloves on both hands when it’s really cold.

There isn’t a universal answer. I know people for whom driver is issue #1, others who’ve decided they can’t hit irons, others who can’t putt, can’t chip/pitch, can’t get out of sand - or combinations thereof. And there’s course management as well, knowing when the risk is worth it, or not. I know people who always go for hero shots, and others who are unnecessarily conservative (though much less common). I also know players who swing way too hard and chronically under club. I average 83-84, break 80 about 10% of the time, and my driver still gives me more trouble than any other club/shot. I know others with similar HI’s to me who are very consistent with driver but they throw away strokes on and around the green. I know a couple very good players who are lost in bunkers - totally unnecessary BTW. ABOVE ALL, I know quite a few guys whose basic mental game is the issue. They don’t have any confidence, notably putting - they expect to miss putts, so they do. Or they let one bad shot ruin a hole, or one or two bad holes ruins a whole round. A surprising number of golfers never learn these essential fundamental requirements to better scoring. Playing every single hole, every single shot as an independent new opportunity and believing in a good outcome every time you address the ball is crucial. Sure you’ll make mistakes, but you can’t let them be part of your mental game.

Bought an Evnroll EV5.3 satin about 6 weeks ago, and I’m very happy with it. It replaced an ER5B, which replaced an ER2. I tried every other putter multiple times at several stores, but none seemed to work better than Evnrolls for me. Might just be familiarity, but I really spent a lot of time with alternatives and nothing seemed to work better. Really tried to like several Scotty’s, PING, LAB Mezz, Odyssey’s, Cleveland, Wilson and Mizuno. I almost had myself convinced to buy a Bettinardi Queen B, but on my third session with it, it didn’t work better than an Evnroll for me…

Wow. I signed up when registration opened at 8:00pm on Monday. Had to fill in player info for four guys, finished in a couple minutes. When I looked at the player field at 8:07pm it was full at 104 players! We made it in. I know four other players who entered and they ended up the 11th foursome on the waitlist - guess they weren’t fast enough. I can’t wait to play Pinehurst #4 in December, I’ve wanted to play there for years…