TeeBrain

I've not used BOA for golf, but have on trail running shoes. Didn't like them at all. I actually like the ability for a cloth lace to have different tension over different parts of my foot. The friction allows a looser portion to stay (somewhat) looser, and yet keep another portion (somewhat) tighter. BOA didn't allow for that, so I ditched them. Just my preference, of course.

100% agree with the above to first and foremost concentrate on exercises/stretches and PT. I bet you can get a good PT appointment for less than a pair of shoes, insoles or certainly orthotics. A decent PT will set you up with some good exercises to work on. I've tried stiff soles (think FJ Premier type shoes), super cushy (think Hoka running shoes), various insoles including Superfeet and some customs too. Different ones are somewhat more or less comfortable on certain days, but in the end, for me it came down to getting my legs/calves & feet back in proper shape. Shoes can help, no doubt, but I think they are rarely the cure.

My Caddytek is easily as good, and in some ways, better than my old Sun Mountain cart and the Clicgear I borrowed for the better part of a full season. Solid and convenient. I wouldn't hesitate to say it's not just good value for the money, but just plain good.

Perhaps. But I've been hitting (and practicing) the bunt/chip driver for a couple of decades. I'm pretty darn comfortable with it and it is a reliable shot. Since I'm still working full time, I'm in a mode where I'd rather keep my existing habits in tune rather than introduce new variables with little upside.

I was sort of anti-3w for a long time. It wasn't until I got a relatively newish (2016 Callaway) model that I found one that performed reliably for me. The older (early 2000s) models I had tried before just didn't get it done for me. I only use the 3w from the fairway. Off the tee, I much prefer to bunt my driver when I need a tee shot into a shorter/tighter target. The big head is just more forgiving. Even though I only use the 3w for par-5 approaches, it does prove to be pretty useful - potentially gaining me a stroke or more when the hole conditions are inviting enough to use it. So, low frequency of use, but generally it has high enough reward that it keeps a solid spot in my bag. This all said, I think it's a demanding club to hit - probably the most demanding in the bag for most golfers. For those that don't learn how to use it and practice it, I think it can wreck a round in a hurry. Just because the pros use a 3w as a "safe club" from the tee, that doesn't translate to those who haven't learned how to use it. Mishits are all-too-common as the shaft is the next to longest in the bag, and the clubface really isn't all that big. Hitting a clubface edge is a pretty common occurrence with these clubs for many players.

Sounds like a perfect subject for an MGS test.

Wide foot guy here, too. More specifically, wide forefoot, narrow heels. While it's great to find a pair that fits well out of the box, I don't hesitate to stretch shoes to fit. I've been doing this all my adult life with various shoes - dress, athletic, golf, and especially ski boots. Devices like these are easily found and are pretty inexpensive: https://www.google.com/search?q=shoe+stretchers&oq=shoe+stretchers&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.5187j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 If the material needs to give a bit more, a quick spritz of iso alcohol before putting in the shoe stretchers can allow the material to relax even further. I've had this work with synthetic as well as natural materials (leather, canvas). Just another option to consider. It has worked very well for me over the years.

I've never used a swivel wheel cart, so I can't comment on whether I would like it better or not. But I will say maneuverability has never been something I've ever even thought of with a cart. They always go where I push them without any sort of thought involved, so I guess that's good enough. The Caddytek 3 I bought fits in a space 16.3"x14.4"x28.15". That's pretty small. The space I need to fit it into is the "front trunk" of a small sports car - i.e. the trunk that is located where the engine is in most cars. This is an exceedingly small space compared to anything any other regular sedan/coupe/hatch will have. But the Caddytek fits in there perfectly, but just barely. If I had to guess, I would imagine they designed it explicitly to fit into these front trunks. One more note about the swivel version: it's a little over an inch longer at 29.3" when folded and that would definitely NOT fit into the trunk space of my car. I have barely 1/8" clearance as it is with the cart I have.

Actually, it seems like they're available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/CaddyTek-Caddylite-EZ-V8-EZ-Fold/dp/B07DSXGLN5/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=caddytek%2B3&qid=1597590027&sr=8-2&th=1 The Amazon listing seems to change daily, if not hourly, depending on the stock available on hand from Caddytek. Be careful - that listing also shows "other sellers" who are marking it up above what Caddytek sells them for. But it seems like Caddytek is selling them at their regular $180-ish price. Good on them for not price gouging (though I know this cart has been available in the past from Costco for less, I think this is still a fair price for an excellent cart.)

I have an older Sun Mountain which I use less these days as it doesn't fit in my car. Good cart, and I do like how its pneumatic tires roll easier than the foam tires on all of today's carts. I borrowed a Clicgear for the better part of a full season and it was nice and does fit in my car, but was somewhat finicky to setup and fold up. I then bought a Caddytek 3, which I like even better than the Clicgear. It's significantly easier to fold and unfold, and also fits in my car nicely. In the end, pushing a cart is far less fatiguing than carrying. Especially these days where I need to carry extra water since the courses aren't putting water jugs out due to COVID. If a cart is good enough for the young guns playing collegiate golf, it's good enough for me.

The software migration is a minor issue. It's the nature of the discourse there that gets to me. Too much self importance, the refusal of many to accept that what others experience is real, and a real arrogance among a very vocal subset. No doubt there are a lot of great folks over there too, but the equipment, rules and technique preachers get harder to stomach as time goes on. I still read over there, as it simply has a higher volume of content than any other forum.

I think it's a wholly imaginary thing that the game is not already significantly bifurcated. TV coverage exists to enough extent that it has had impact on rulings. There are always grounds changes (stands, TV gear, concessions, sponsor stuff) that affect how the course plays. Usually, there are fans around to trample rough and find lost balls. Frankly, they always have caddies giving them advice (yes, a small percentage of us non-pros get that, but really, that's a minority of golf play, if we're honest.) Each of those is a bigger deal and has a bigger impact on the real outcome of the game than score keeping. Effectively, I don't buy the argument that this is an aspect that makes the game that they play the same as it is for us. In more ways and in more significant ways than the scorecard, it's not. Having a pro DQd because of this when the technology and staffing already exists to make it go away is just silly. Stupid, really.

Also glad you got to get both. But if I was forced to make a choice, it'd be driver 100 times out of a 100. Most of the distance gains you're getting on the irons isn't from technology, it's loft. Not much different than using the next stronger club in your old set. But, getting new sticks is a nice treat every once in a while so enjoy them.

I don't change a ball unless it's lost or badly damaged from a rock or cart path. I admit that in non-competitive rounds, I keep a clean version of the same ball in my pocket to putt with as I don't usually bring a towel onto the putting green. Yes, I think this is technically not legal, but I'm willing to make the compromise.

A chip/bunt driver is absolutely my go-to fairway finder shot off the tee. For me, it's just easier and I much prefer this to a 3w, which I reserve pretty much exclusively for the fairway.