GregB135

Did my first Level 1 protocol workout yesterday; so that is after 6 weeks of the starter protocol now adding the kneeling swings and bumping up to 5 swings per set. The good news - I hit a new max speed of 121 with the green club during the max swings; and started with kneeling swings near 90. The bad news - REALLY sore afterward, especially right side of lower back. Did anyone/everyone else experience similar results making the protocol transition?

Hey Spies, For those whose teacher/coach does not often use video recording of your swing check out the Flow app. I've only used the free version so far, which has up to 8x slow motion capability and editing options. It's already told me i've got a little too much head movement and a couple of other minor tweaks to work on. And it has let me see the same problem area my coach has highlighted.

That one is just golf. The longer you play, the more days like that you will see. Or, the opposite may be true, when you are not hitting bad shots, but score is higher than normal. And sometimes the ball just bounces funny and you can't catch a break.

Just finished Week 6/Day 2. This is the last week of the beginner/starter protocol for me. So far, I've seen my green club max speed increase from 110 to 116, and my recorded driver swings from 95 to 103. I"m playing in a scramble event this weekend so should have the opportunity to see if I'm getting any distance gains from that. (Of course, the ball landing in the fairway more often would be just as welcome) I will probably send another email to the SS folks to see if they will offer up the ASD protocols. Sounds like a good way to coordinate with my coach to target improvement and incorporate the SS training into my regular sessions.

MCC+4 Align grips for the hybrid and irons. SuperSpeed Training System Lag Stick training aid.

Just qualified for the Donor tag. (verify please)

I have definitely seen faster speeds at the end versus the start of the workout with the light club. In most cases, |'m at least matching my light club swings with the medium and sometimes the heavy. Then the max swings with the light club at the end are significantly faster than the first swings. And I'm in eastern Hillsborough - Bloomingdale is my 'home' course.

1st workout of week 4 this morning. High Max swing speed was 114, which matched the top Step-thru swing of week 1. I received the updated protocol schedule from SS which, so another couple of weeks on the starter protocol before I have to figure out kneeling swings. So far I've been able to use my patio for workouts. That won't have to change until protocol 3 and taking multiple steps into the swing. I didn't check my radar device while hitting a ball until this past weekend and after 3 weeks of SS training I was at 103 avg. I did my initial driver speed measurement on the patio with no ball. That gave me a max of 95. The device guide says swinging with no ball produces a slower swing, so even if my swing to ball speed was a bit higher, I'm looking like a 4-5% gain already. Using this in conjunction with other workouts and another swing training aid at the range has me pretty optimistic for the start of league season in the spring.

Just finished week 3 of the intro protocol. Had the radar out at the range yesterday during a practice session. Driver speed was averaging 103, low was a 99 and high was 136 (I think the radar caught the ball on that one since it didn't carry over the end of range net) For reference, driver speed (with no ball) prior to starting was 93. At my driver fitting 6 months ago, my speeds were 95-100. 3 months to go before league season, hoping to see some additional gains before then.

Hey fellow spies. Last summer I submitted course reviews from my competitive league season down here in the Tampa area. As I am preparing again for the start of the season in March, I will plan to do the course reviews again here, as well as summarizing my prep and performance. When the league schedule is posted I will list the courses, then as each play week concludes I'll do my course review and my best sports analyst impression to report on that week's play. I'll try to include a few more pictures this season as well, we play some pretty nice courses. The league has about 45 members, uses a full handicap stroke play format with each week's field set at 32-36 players split between two flights.. League points are earned for weekly placement, and there are options for skins and close-to-pin. There are three majors on the schedule worth double points, one of which is a two-day event, and another week set aside for a two-man team event. The season concludes a Top-20 invitational, then a Ryder Cup style event with teams selected by two team captains from first the top 20 finishers, then captains picks from the rest of the field. Since I finished 25th last year, my goal for the season is to crack the Top-20 and earn a playing spot in the invitational and an invite to the Cup event. What have I done to prepare so far? Lessons for one thing, though I'm not certain the teacher/student dynamic is working well because I sometimes struggle to translate his input into something I can feel in my swing. I was lucky enough to be selected for the Odyssey EXO putter test, and my putting has been improving since. Since I'm now one year away from Champions Tour eligibility, I got a set of the SuperSpeed Training system to at least try to maintain what club speed I've got left, if not improve a bit. I hope you all enjoy reading about the journey, and I welcome any/all input and encouragement. Cheers for now.

These are great! Requesting the Tester badge and Veteran badge please.

Got my set for Christmas and just finished the first week. Saw a pretty big jump in speed from day 1 to day 2. The day 3 numbers were a little mixed but closer to day 2. Has anyone else seen that immediate increase?

I got mine from Santa as well I've done the first two days of the beginner protocol, did anyone else see what looked like a drastic rise in the numbers from day 1 to day 2?

If he can come back at all it won't be until '20. Reports are Milton's injury was similar to Zach Miller of the Bears a couple of years ago. Complete dislocation of the knee, causing circulation issues in lower leg. The quick action of the on field med folks and emergency surgery saved his leg. He's in for a long recovery whether he plays again or not.

I was there. Definitely a huge loss for their CFP chances. Still like them vs. Memphis and have to wait and see on bowl game. I expect a medical redhirt year for Milton in 19 then a possible senior season in 20.

I"m hoping the "High Priority" designation on the Amazon wishlist will get a set of these in the Christmas stocking as well. Great job so far guys. Keeping an eye on the progress.

One of my memorably bad shots came as a relative beginner. Playing with some more experienced friends, I topped a tee shot that plugged about 3 feet in front of the tee and stopped dead. They offered me the opportunity to play another, so I did. Not only did I top that one as well, but it hit in the previous shot's divot and bounced backward... netting a -5 yards off the driver.

I was a KC-135 pilot in the Air Force for 20 years so I mix that with my name/initial. It makes for an easy and rarely taken number suffix to separate me from all the other "GregB"s out there.

Re-watched a previous instruction video on some basics, mostly setup and swing path through impact. Focused on my hand position at setup while on the course (I know, I know) and saw a big improvement in ball striking and consistency on the back 9. Thanks to the Odyssey EXO putter test, the next 6 weeks is going to be mostly putting.

I'm a proud UCF Knight alum and fan. They stand a decent chance of going undefeated again this season. New coaching staff did not change the dynamic of the offense. Defense has some vulnerabilities. We will see how they fare against run heavy/option teams like Navy, Memphis, and USF. If they run the table again they should definitely get playoff consideration. I doubt the committee will give them their due though. Alabama is looking like a runaway favorite for another title.

Yep. The additional padding in the palm and fingers does not conform the the portion of the rule regarding assistance in placing the hand on the club. A player would need a medical exemption to use it in USGA governed play. I tried the Stable Grip before I learned of the rules issue, and found it felt too bulky and muted feel. I do like the Performance Grip model though (conforming).

Looking again at the gloves on Bionic's website and double checking the USGA site (excerpt below) the models to be wary of are the Relief Grip and Stable Grip. Those have some extra padding that may not conform without the medical exemption (exemption 1). The PerformanceGrip models all include the 'conforms to rules' statement in the product description so those should be good to go. Recent use for me says the regular PerformanceGrip model holds up a bit better to the Florida humidity than the PerformanceGrip Pro. From USGA Rules: L2. Gloves (Rule 14-3) Gloves may be worn to assist the player in gripping the club, provided they are plain. A "plain" glove must: consist of a fitted covering of the hand with a separate sheath or opening for each digit (fingers and thumb); and be made of smooth materials on the full palm and gripping surface of the digits. A "plain" glove must not incorporate: material on the gripping surface or inside of the glove, the primary purpose of which is to provide padding or which has the effect of providing padding. Padding is defined as an area of glove material which is more than 0.025 inches (0.635 mm) thicker than the adjacent areas of the glove without the added material; Note: Material may be added for wear resistance, moisture absorption or other functional purposes, provided it does not exceed the definition of padding (see above). straps to assist in preventing the club from slipping or to attach the hand to the club; any means of binding digits together; material on the glove that adheres to material on the grip; features, other than visual aids, designed to assist the player in placing his hands in a consistent and/or specific position on the grip; weight to assist the player in making a stroke; any feature that might restrict the movement of a joint; or any other feature that might assist the player in making a stroke or in his play.

Final Week: 2-Day - Mission Inn Resort, Howey In the Hills Florida Tees Played: El Campeon - Blue 6,601 yds 73/139, White 6,242 yds 71.1/135 Las Colinas - Blue 6,829 yds 74.1/130, White 6,365 yds 71.3/129 Conditions: Hot, Humid, Afternoon Rain Price: Golf $ ($49), Lodging $$$ https://missioninnresort.com The Mission Inn Golf and Spa resort sits in little, out of the way, Howey In The Hills Florida. It is about a 45 minute drive from the eastern side of Orlando near Lake Harris and just east of the Florida Turnpike. This was our league's final regular event, played over two days. The first was on the El Campeon Course with the second round on the Las Colinas course. El Campeon is a challenging, shot-makers course with a parkland feel to the layout. Las Colinas has more of a links feel but still requires sound strategy and good shot making to manage a low score. Both courses offer more elevation change than you expect to find in Florida, and it is incorporated very well into the course designs. Course Conditions were consistent between the two courses, and between the better side of good and excellent. Tees were all well manicured. The fairways had good feel and playability and showed good drainage to maintain that after some heavy rain at the end of day one and overnight between rounds. Greens received shots well and rolled true with moderately fast speeds. The only mark against course conditions were some bare/rough spots along the edges of a few Las Colinas greens. Most of the greens are rather large and there is lots of undulation and slope that will challenge you to place the ball on the proper portion of the green with your approach or three putts are definitely in play. The rough on both tracks was noticeable but not penalizing, allowing you to miss the fairway - just don't miss by much. There are ample trees and other hazards that dictate the strategy for each hole such that any shot wandering too far off the line of play will likely cost you a stroke (or more) to get back in the hole. The practice facilities are all adjacent to/near the central clubhouse. The large practice putting green sits across the path from the starting holes and replicates the on-course conditions well. There is a large, all turf, full-swing range and chipping/bunker practice area just across the parking lot with quality practice balls pre-positioned for each. The clubhouse attendants maintain a cart shuttle to-from the range or it is only a short walk. As expected with any resort property, the course employees were all friendly, energetic, and seemed genuinely interested in making sure we had a good experience. Clubhouse attendants were there with cart shuttle service from the parking lot and to the practice range. The were given our group's tee sheet, so carts were all pre-positioned. Post round club attendants were there to clean clubs, and were happy to hear stories of the round and share a laugh. There is also club storage available for guests of the resort. The folks inside the clubhouse were all fantastic as well. The bar/grill is fairly large and overlooks the 1st/18th fairways withe a view of the lake between. On-course personnel were present, without being intrusive. The rangers will be nice about asking you to maintain pace of play and the bev cart will circulate frequently enough you'll not need to wish for them. Overall impression: the golf courses at Mission Inn will not disappoint and are worth the drive to play. They are challenging for all levels while being fun to play. Using good course strategy and making quality shots will lead to a good score, while wild misses or over-aggressive shot selection can quickly build up to big numbers. The golf courses are a great value and since this is a golf course review not a resort review I will only say the accommodations and other resort amenities may not feel like the same. A definite recommend for golf, while only a mild recommend for the overall resort.

Week 10: Innisbrook Resort, Island Course - Palm Harbor, FL Tees Played: Green: 6,686 yds 72.7/140 ; White: 6,130 yds 69.7/130 Conditions: Warm to Hot, Very Light Breeze Price: $$$ ($75) www.innisbrookgolfresort.com/golf/island-course The Innisbrook Resort is a large golf and spa resort in Palm Harbor, just a short drive north of the Clearwater/St Petersburg area on the Central Florida gulf coast. A longtime favorite of Tampa Bay area golfers, the resort has three championship courses and hosts an annual PGA Tour event, now the Valspar Championship, on it's Copperhead course (previously reviewed). While not quite as long as Copperhead, the Island Course can play every bit as tough. The Island is somewhere between a shot-making and target golf course. Each hole offers a unique challenge creating a course that demands good decision making and shot choices, and then makes you execute those shots. The course conditions in general are very good to excellent. While Copperhead is the show-piece, the other courses are maintained with the same care and detail to ensure a quality golf experience for resort guests. The Island's fairways are narrow so accuracy off the tee is a premium for a good score. The turf conditions were excellent considering our summer date meant lots of recent rain. Even so, we were not cart path restricted and the fairways were only just soft enough to slightly affect roll. The rough was deep enough that you knew you didn't want to be in it, but it wasn't penalizing. Wander too far off the line of the hole there is a variety of trouble waiting for you. Some holes have bunkering around the landing area, others are lined with cypress, and others shaped by water (though maybe not as much as the name 'Island Course' suggests). The greens were in excellent condition, held shots well, and had true, consistent roll with medium speed that approached fast as they dried out from our early morning start. The practice facilities at all the resort's courses are very good. The Island's large practice putting/chipping green is adjacent to the clubhouse and first tee, and represents the course conditions well. The full swing range is across the street from the clubhouse but they maintain a 10 minute cycle of carts shuttling from the clubhouse to the range. The practice range has great turf, plenty of hitting stations and targets, quality practice balls, and coolers with chilled water bottles. Again, top rate even for a resort facility with a practice bunker the only piece lacking. The best description for the course employees is fantastic. Clubhouse personnel were friendly, enthusiastic, helpful and informative. The outside assistants are a great source for info on how the course is set up and how it's playing. Since keeping things on-time is part of maintaining the good resort experience, you will see the on-course rangers more often than some other places. Our tournament play rules can slow things down a bit, but even with that we were only asked once to try and speed up our play. The rangers are present, but not typically fussy or in any way disrespectful. You'll also never find yourself wondering when/if you'll ever see the beverage cart again. They make rounds enough to avoid that without being intrusive or a hindrance. In short, I've never had a negative experience with any course employee during any of my several visits to the resort. Overall impression: A definite recommend. Innisbrook does a fantastic job making sure you have an enjoyable golf experience. The Island course will challenge your course management and shot making skills while the course conditions and environment will leave you wanting to come back. Like most Florida resorts, the peak (cool weather) season rates will be a bit higher. You'll also want to be aware of the Tour's early spring play date as the resort accommodations will be full along with increased traffic and more crowded play at the other courses.

The league only did one stop at World Woods this year. Last season was my first in the group and I missed the Rolling Oaks play date. Next up is the Islands Course at Innisbrook. That one should be 'fun'.