HAC

I switched from standard grips to midsize grips a couple of years ago because I have a little arthritis and thought they would help. I have liked them with my driver but not with my other clubs and am switching back. I put one standard size grip on my pitching wedge to test it out and while I sometimes pull hook with it, I think I will be able to correct that in a few rounds and then will be able to hit irons with a less aggressive swing and hit the ball straighter and with just as much distance. Asked our pro shop to put them on all the clubs after playing yesterday and will see how they work. If I hate them, I can always go back to midsize. But, I think I am better off with the standard grips as my hand and fingers aren't that big. I also get blisters on my thumbs. I put tape on both sums. Solves the problem. I use this. Mueller Golfer's Grip Tape 1 Inch x 5 yds - Walmart.com - Walmart.com

One time my stockbroker asked me to play at his club and we used a forecaddy. He helped us line up putts. It was the best I have ever putted.

My view is that the lasers, etc., should be allowed in professional tournaments. I think it levels the playing field a bit between the top players and the lesser players. I watch a golf tournament to see how good the golfer is, not how good the caddy is. I have to assume that the best golfers get the best caddies. This will always be true as the best caddies want to be paid like it and will always provide an advantage to the top golfers unrelated to how well they play. If the devices help level the playing field even a bit, I am in favor of them and think they would be good for competition.

Are you going to get fit or just buy the clubs? If you are going to get fit, how much in practice are you? You might want to wait until spring (even though you likely will lose bargains on 2020 clubs) until you are playing a good bit again.

Ping - Driver and 2 wedges (and alternate putter - when my first one isn't working) Titleist - Hybrids, irons and putter Cobra - 5 wood - although this is the oldest club in my bag and I doubt it lasts through 2021 Cleveland - wedge

Thanks for your thoughts. With regard to your idea of a four wood, one reason I am interested in trying the Ping 5 wood is because its loft is a bit stronger (17.5 compared with 18) than a lot of five woods. One reason I am looking for a new five wood is to get a bit more separation between the 5 wood and my Titleist 21 degree hybrid, which is a lot newer. But, there are a couple of long par fours at my course where I would be happy with another 5-10 yards from the new wood from what I am getting now but not more - really don't want to go over the green. So, I am think I want to go with the club where I find the most consistency rather than the longest club. Since, by late winter spring (when I am likely to go out testing), almost all the clubs will be new or tweaked, it is hard right now to say what I will like best. Thanks again.

My main want for this year is a new 5 wood. I don't hit my 3 wood very well so I only have a driver, a 5 wood and 2 hybrids (21 and 25 degrees with irons starting at 6 iron. My current 5 wood is by far the oldest club in my bag and, while I have traditionally liked it, I want to try out new ones this winter/spring. Not easy to try out at fitters because I am left-handed, but I am trying. I have toyed with the idea of getting a XXIO 5 wood in addition to something else as almost a pseudo 3 wood. My guess (from hitting one for a few minutes at a demo day for XXIO at my club) is that I will hit the XXIO further but not as consistently than other five woods. I would use another 5 wood as a five wood for when I want a distance a little bit further than my current 5 wood (say on a long par four) and the XXIO if I want one to go further - say on par five. My thought is to first get a replacement 5 wood (most likely a Ping, Titleist or Callaway) and then see if the XXIO goes enough further to make this worthwhile. I am a senior by the way. Thoughts?

Obviously, I do not plan to buy a 20 year old golf ball, but we can expect this winter to see new versions of golf balls come out and older versions on sale. If Pro VIs have not changed in 20 years other than durability, it makes a lot of sense to look for the ones going on sale rather than the newest, greatest version. That is my thinking unless someone talks me out of it. In the last couple of years, I can only think of a couple of major changes in golf balls: 1. Titleist and TaylorMade have come out with Urethane covers for lower priced golf balls (Srixon has had this longer) and 2. The Bridgestone ball this year was supposed to have more spin or something (I have not played these). Anything else from major manufacturers?

Ping's bag seems to have four wheels (all on the bottom) PING - Rolling Travel Cover and I think a couple of other brands do as well.

Found this test by Rick Shiels interesting where he did not find much difference between a current Pro V1 and an original Pro V1 from 20 years ago. (45) I DIDN'T expect this! | 20 year golf ball test! - YouTube Might explain the rise of the internet golf ball. If not much has changed in golf balls for 20 years, and assuming that now everything new in the original ball is off patent, then the main thing left distinguishing between top level golf balls would seem to be quality control. Thoughts?

Should mean some really good prices on the existing ones coming up pretty soon.

Looking forward in the next few months to getting a vaccine and traveling again. When that happens, I am thinking of getting a new travel bag. What do you guys have and why. Getting older so want something easier to maneuver than my existing bag with two wheels (and which does not have much protection). Already have a a stiff arm. Thanks for your help.

I like bags with 15 dividers rather than 14. That gives me a space for something other than clubs - have in mine an orange whip, a ball retriever and an alignment stick (pretty jammed).

I notice many more people who like Snell balls pick the X over the Black. About a year and a half ago I bought a mixed case and very much preferred the black. What am I missing with the X. I stopped buying Snell after that because I found that the Z star was just as good and cheaper with BOGO but could see trying Snell Black again sometime.

Might you want a driver with less loft to get more roll?

In general, I like to wear the polyester shirts for playing golf and cotton "golf" shirts for everyday wear. However, sometimes when we travel and are walking a lot in fairly hot weather, I wear polyester golf shirts because they are good at absorbing sweat and look good even when walking a lot in hotter weather.

You agree with me because I also am a Tar Heel. UNC class of 1977.

I went for a fitting a couple of weeks ago for new wedges and the fitter gave me a couple of tips on my swing during the fitting. Since then, I have gained distance on my driver and five wood and consistency on all clubs. So, there can be many benefits to a fitting.

Could be because Australia's season is just starting and ours is ending. They probably want to introduce them next winter at the big show in Orlando.

That is what I do. I am 65 and my distances are around the same as those of the OP. Earlier this year, Srixon had a two for one sale and I got some Z stars for $20 a dozen. I also found on the web last year's TP 5 for $30 a dozen. From what I can tell, I have enough balls to last me through this season and probably into next year. My hope would be that next year I will find comparable sales.

We don't need to have a debate. I am getting fitted before I buy a club. The head is not the only thing. I want to try the clubs with different shafts at different weights, etc.

I don't buy clubs randomly without trying them out or being fitted. Buying online seems like a great way to waste a whole bunch of money.

Thanks. I am finding the process confusing at the moment. It is much harder buying clubs when one is lefthanded.

My current fairway wood is 10 years old. I am hoping for both a bit more distance and a bit more forgiving. I think I can hit my 21 degree hybrid almost as far as my 5 wood. Of course, my hybrids are two years old and are fit to me more the way I was two years ago (better swing, older body) while my fairway wood was fit to me 10 years ago (my guess is there also is a difference between the shaft I should have been playing with at 55 and the one I should be playing with at 65). There are a couple of holes on my course where 5-10 more yards would make a lot of difference, at least on some days. I have tried a couple of 5 woods on the range and think I will get what I am seeking. I liked the Ping G410 best of the couple I have tried so far. What I have tried as encouraged me enough to want to go to a fitter and try out a few with a Trackman or whatever.

To be more specific, I am thinking about getting a new five wood. Finding five woods to demo at my club is really hard because I am left-handed. I am planning to go somewhere to get fit but am waiting for the Titleist new woods to come out. I have never even swung a Titleist wood of any kind but love my Titleist H1 hybrids. Am I likely to like a fairway wood from the same company or will they be pretty much unrelated?