[What Golf Technology Do You Use On The Course?]

For many years I used a Bushnell Tour V1 range finder. Then I read about Shot Scope’s V2 GPS and shot tracking watch. While I was thinking about ordering one, they launched the V3 version and I ordered one at the introductory price. It worked very well and gave me a very accurate read on my club yardages and pointed out some tendencies that needed work. I upgraded to the X5 when it launched and it has become a fantastic piece of tech (GPS, shot tracking, hole maps, hazard distances, green layout and more. Plus the app provides more additional features than I can list here). I also have a Shot Scope Pro L2 range finder which I rarely use (my Grandson is using the old Bushnell which still works very well). 

[What is your golf pet peeve?]

The foursome ahead waiting in the fairway (or rough) to hit their second shots on a par 5 that they can only reach in their dreams. 

[Used Golf Balls…Thumbs up or down?]

It may depend on the sorting and classification of the particular retailer, but I recently purchased some balls from Found Golf Balls. I wanted to buy some balls for the Winter season in Myrtle Beach and decided to go the used ball route. Having never done this before, I selected the retailer based on price and assortment. The pricing was great, particularly with the extra first order discount and free shipping. I purchased a dozen each of four different balls. Pristine Pro V1x (2021), Mint 5A Pro V1x (2021), Mint 5A Vice Pro Drip and Mint 5A Vice Pro. 
I was very pleased with the balls. As their website stated, the Pristine balls are no different than new ones, the mint balls have no marks or scars from play and are also no different than new ones except they are almost all logo balls and some have player ID markings. Probably because of the drip finish, the Vice Pro Drip balls did not have logos or ID marks. 
I have been using the Pristine Pro V1x balls since November and they look and perform just like new balls. My wife is very happy with the Mint 5A Vice Pro Drip balls and neither of us have started into the Mint 5A Pro V1x or Vice Pro balls. However, I expect they will also perform like new balls. 
Anyway, I would recommend used balls as a less expensive alternative to buying new depending on the grade of the balls. I, personally, would only consider Pristine or Mint 5A rated balls. 

[Set Wedge vs. Specialty Wedge]

I’m also in the set wedge camp. My gap wedge is a full swing club and is an extension of the rest of my iron set. Prior to all the loft strengthening, there were no gap wedges in iron sets. The pitching wedge was the end of the set. Then you added a specialty sand wedge. Now the loft gaps are roughly 4 degrees so you have a pw, gw, sw and lw with specialty wedges to fill every slot. I’m not sure having 4 clubs in the bag with wedge in the name really helps the beginner to average player. 

[Why Do You Watch/Care About Pro Golf?]

As many others have stated the reasons are many. The earliest professional golf I watched was when Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf started in 1962. Prior to that you could only read the results in the newspaper. I was fascinated to see the players I had only read about. How their swings looked, their putting strokes, the clubs they used, even how they dressed. I also recall the attraction of vicariously visiting these great golf courses all around the world. It was these early broadcasts that helped to turn me into the golf addict that I still am today!

To address the question today…my reasons would still be the same. 

[Distances for 7 iron]

Interesting numbers. I’m going to see how they relate to my 7 iron…I think pretty well. 

[Golf bags- stand or cart, and why?]

I have used a Sun Mountain Sync 14 way cart bag to go with my Sun Mountain push cart. Three years ago I switched to a Clicgear 4.0 push cart and also switched to a Ping Hoofer 5 way stand bag I switched bags principally because the range at my course does not have bag stands, so I had to set up my cart and wheel it over to the range. With the stand bag I just carry the bag to the range. I am talking about range practice sessions, not pre round warm ups. 

[Planned 2030 Golf Ball Rollback]

I have been playing golf for more than 65 years - I love golf! There have been many changes to clubs, balls and agronomy/mowing) during my lifetime, some I liked, others I did not. None of these changes have altered the premise of the game for me - getting the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes. While I enjoy the technology that has allowed me to keep hitting the ball a long way (relative to my peers), I do not think losing 10 yards from my tee shots is going to have any impact on my scoring or my enjoyment of the game. 

[How many irons do I carry?]

I had a similar bag make up as you until I went for a Driver and Fairway fitting a year ago. The Ping fitter left my Driver (G425 Max 10.5 R, std lie) and replaced my 5 wood, 3 hybrid and 4 iron with a 3 wood (G425 SFT R @17.5, flat lie) and a 7 wood (G425 Max R @ 21.5, flat lie). My irons are now 5 to Gap plus 54 and 58 wedges. According to Trackman I have no gaps with this set up, so I only carry 13 clubs now. My scoring has improved with the new set. 
Interestingly, the new clubs did not increase my distance all that much, but I hit them much higher. This past summer I was fit for new irons and replaced my Ping i500’s with i230’s which, as with the woods, I don’t hit that much longer, but a lot higher. 

[Happy Birthday thread]

Thank you for the Birthday wishes!

[Talk to me about your go-to premium golf ball!]

I have been waiting for the MGS ball test results to help me find the best Winter substitute for the Pro V1x that I use all Summer. I don’t lose many balls at my home course, but during the 5 Winter months I spend in Myrtle Beach, my losses go way up. I have decided the Vice Pro is a good candidate based on the test results, but like you, I am in Canada and not able to access DTC balls reasonably. I did notice that I could buy a single dozen of the prior gen Vice Pro balls from Amazon, so I am using these to test out until I head south. If they work out well, I’ll be able to order the current gen balls while I’m in Myrtle Beach. 

[The Still Aceless Thread]

This is just the thread for me! I’ve been playing since I was 11 and now at 77, and still a very active player, I’m wondering “what the heck?” I find it particularly annoying when I ask friends who have recently had holes-in-one if this was their first and they respond with “nope, my third” or “ my fourth”, etc. Oh well, at least I’ve enjoyed the free beer!