ElmMan

My problem is that I switch putters fairly often. My stats show that for a time after the switch I putt much better, then I fall back to my average (which is really not too bad - better than most people). I keep all of the old putters, so I have just about every style. I am currently killing it with an original Odyssey 2-ball that I bought when they were first introduced. I ended up not liking it pretty quickly after buying it, but now, many years later, I LOVE it. I did get fit and paid about $300 for a putter that I don't really like right now. All that being said, I would prefer to pay $250 or less - and I would have no problems buying a gently used putter.

Easy. Play!

I don't have your swing speed. I added a 7 wood to my bag. Fairway woods are a key part of my game to make up for my lack of length.

I would like to see something on Maltby irons; push carts; 7w vs. 3hybrid; driver shafts (including less expensive ones - or even less money vs more). You do a great job and I always look forward to seeing what you have been doing.

I appreciate your analysis and the effort it takes to come up with results. I personally find it interesting and thank you.

5W all day....however, I found that I hit my 5 wood better than my 3 wood (more consistently and almost as long). If you find this to be the case, you might keep both the 3H and the 5W and get rid of the 3W. You will have to notice your yardages and fill in the gaps. I also can say that I prefer a hybrid from the rough or tricky shots that are not in the fairway much more than my 5W. Sometimes, the 5W will slide under certain lies that the hybrid hits better.

I agree 100% with Preeway. That is exactly what I was going to write.

I use a 7 wood. It goes a little farther than my similar lofted hybrid - probably due to longer shaft. I have played a 7 for many years and LOVE it. My only suggestion is to get one that is adjustable. There are not too many new ones that are adjustable, but you may find that you want to dial in your yardage to fit in between your other clubs. I have an old Cobra that I like and use. I also have a newer Cobra with the rails - I personally do not like the rails, so I stick with my old one. I highly recommend that you give a 7 a try!

Interesting question. So, I can get a new Stealth 2 Driver for pretty close to nothing. BUT, my last rounds in October and November, my current driver was spectacular! It was decent, but not great all year, then as soon as I started even thinking about a new driver, everything went down the middle and an extra 10 yards. Irons are safe. Playing good and only a year old. FW woods - I have way too many of them already. I will just rotate them to see what is working. Hybrid - hated it at first, but now I love it. Putter - last year was a nightmare until I settled on this Taylormade, so safe for now. I will probably try some different balls, but have been very happy with Maxfli. Now, I KNOW that I HAVE to buy something. I just don't know what yet.

I think the Wilson irons you mentioned are a great bargain - especially if you get last year's model instead of the newest. I have a friend that plays them and loves them. They seem very forgiving. I, personally have the STi irons from Golfworks. I absolutely love them. I know they are not the coolest or the most trendy, but I chose a very good Fujikura shaft that I like and the combo works great for me. I have also purchased from the Callaway pre-owned site quite a few times and every time I have been impressed with the condition of the clubs. You have a lot of great suggestions here. If you want a brand name, check out gently used ones from Callaway or Global Golf. If you want new, but not expensive, Sub 70 or Golfworks or Wilson. If you want to spend the big bucks, the Pings are very forgiving and should last a long time. Good luck! Let us know what you decide. (Also, if you have arthritis, I recommend graphite shafts).

I try to score in the mid 80's, but I can be happy if I hit good shots. There are times when I feel that I hit a lot of good shots, but my score is not so good. I am ok with that. I really just want to strike the ball well, hit good shots, then on some days they will fall and I get a low score. Other times, they don't fall, but I feel ok. Prior to last year, my MAIN golf goal was to get a hole in one. I always shot at the pin on every par three. I was happy to get a terrible score on the par 3's as long as I went for it. Well, last year, I got a hole-in-one! I was so happy, I actually cried a little. I feel like I am in a new class of golfer now.

5'6" and have tried every length from 32 to 35. A fitter fit me with a 32" that felt pretty good, but I ended up not liking the putter. 33" is what I have settled on and it works the best.

I have been using 14 way tops for years. I found the 9.5 tops to be too small once out on the course. I know prefer 10.5 so much, that I will never go smaller.

I have a 14 and have had several of them in the past. The key to me is to make sure that the top is large enough. Sun Mountain seems to always have plenty of room. My Callaway a little less - and in the past, I had a few others that were not big enough, causing it to be a pain to pull clubs out.

I become convinced that a club or shaft or head will provide the exact one thing that my current doesn't. Reviews and ads reinforce that. I then have a mediocre round and become convinced - for example, that I would play better if my I hit my 5 wood higher. I then obsess over the solution until it goes on sale. Then I can't resist the sale.

I have not been able to hit my 3W consistently off of the fairway for several years, so I dumped it. Hitting it off of the tee once or twice a round was not enough to keep it in my bag. My 5w is more versatile in that I can hit it off of the fairway and almost as far as a 3W off of the tee. In place of the 3W, I added a "heavenwood" that is 7W loft with a longer shaft. I LOVE that club. It is incredibly consistent for me. I can hit it from almost any lie and know that it will be straight and long (for me). Please note that I am not a long hitter. My drive is only 200-220. I can hit the 5 about 200 or a little more with roll from the fairway. HW goes about 190. The two higher lofts are much better for my swing speed.

I was reading on another thread that quite a few owners of the Ping G400 Max feel that they are sacrificing distance for accuracy. I had never heard that before and I actually believed that the 400 max was considered a longer hitting driver. I have had mine since they came out. My distance has been ok. Accuracy is a little less than expected, but pretty good. I have tried changing shafts, but was concerned about the fact that Ping uses a counter-balanced shaft. I did get more distance with a Kuro Kage shaft, but kept yanking drives to the left. My swing speed is about 88 so I need every yard that I can get. If I can drive it 215-220 instead of 200-210, it allows for a few less fairway wood 2nd shots. Also, I have the chance to get the Callaway Epic Max driver at a very nice discount. But with a retail price over $500, it is still quite a few bucks even with a discount. I don't mind spending it if I feel confident that it is worth it. I haven't hit the Callaway yet and of course, I will, but I don't always trust the distance measurements at indoor units at the store. I did go to a paid fitter to get the Ping in the first place. At that time, the 400 max and the Callaway Rogue were both recommended to me. I chose the Ping. I am curious to know if people who have tried or have used the Ping G400 Max if it is a consensus that it is a comparatively shorter hitting driver. Thx

I am 5'6" and I cut down my irons 1/2 inch about 6 years ago. It was one of the best things I've done. Other than that, I agree with most of the other comments and suggestions.

I am similar to Alf S. I change my grips every off season. I usually do it myself because I enjoy doing it. It is a fun winter activity to connect with my clubs and get me excited. I used to be a GP guy, then I went hard for Lamkin for many years. The downside to Lamkin is that they seemed to get very slick when they are worn. I switched to Winn Dritac 2 years ago because a friend had them and liked them, so I gave them a try on my fairways first. The old Winn's from 20 or so years ago seemed to wear out quickly. That is not true of the DriTac. I have the same "Pros" as above. I have not had the wet condition "Cons" though. Mine have been fine in rain. I do use rain gloves. They are a softer feeling grip. I happen to like that now (not always) and I can play round after round without any hand problems. This is important because I take several golf trips a year where I will play up to 8 days in a row. I have to say that I am a strong Winn convert now and for anytime in the near future. I do like having a color other than black too.

Old Head (Ireland) #12. If you are not familiar with Old Head - google it. It is one of the coolest golf spots on earth. I don't even remember what I shot. It was incredible!

I agree. I was lucky enough to play once in some light rain. It is something that I will never forget. Just hitting and walking and smiling and smiling and smiling.

May I make a suggestion: get a routine that you use on every drive. You said you tinker with location, stance etc. Figure your best way to line everything up the same way everytime. Set club, set feet, confirm grip, hit ball. This has helped me tremendously. I recommend it. Just my thought.

We did a similar trip 4 or 5 times. There are so many good courses there, it is ridiculousl This year, we are finally play Pinehurst resort. I have enjoyed all of my trips there. I am looking forward to playing #2 for the first time. I think the area is one of the best value buddy trips. Great courses. All close to each other. Good rental options too.

I am really looking forward to this.

ow long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? I started when I was in my mid-20's. My interest accelerated dramatically when i hit my 40's and technology started to help my game. Now I am an addict. What do you love about golf? I love being with my friends. Being outdoors in fresh air. The competition of beating my previous scores or trying to lower my handicap. I have been on several European trips to places that I never would have seen if not for my love of golf and the good group of buddies that I am in with. My wife generally goes with me for a few days, she leaves...I play golf with my buds, everyone wins! I love the technology and the ability to improve despite getting older. I like the details as well as the overall good feeling of being out. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies? I have been aware of MGS for years. I have "lurked" and never signed up. I am finally signing up. I do not know any other spies. Where are you from? What is your home course? Western Suburbs of Chicago. My current favorites are The Preserve at Oak Meadows and Village Links, but I play a wide variety of courses. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? Summer is glorious. Winter sux. What do you do for a living? I own a small sales company. How’d you pick your user name? My name is somewhat common so i chose one more in line with my city.