MikeL Pittsburgh

When I had my LASIK surgery my doctor told me to start wearing sunglasses with UV protection whenever outside. (Somewhat ironically, having worn polycarbonate lenses in my glasses for decades my eyes were protected because those lenses filter out all UV radiation.) After a number of failures, I settled on shooter sunglasses because they do not distort vision and have UV as well as polarization. I found dark lenses made green reading impossible. Yes, it is easy enough to just take them off when on the green, but with the ones I have now (light amber tinted) I can read the greens as well as I can without them (greens reading is always a challenge for me). I keep mine in a hard case in my golf bag. If shooter sunglasses are good enough for target shooting they are absolutely good enough for my golf game.

I have been fitted four times. Despite the Ping and Mizuno guidance, both times I was fitted with clubs of standard length and lie - and being only 5'5" this surprised me. When I was fit my third time for PXG clubs I got the same result. Driving home from the fitting I was reflecting on this when it struck me - hell I had been playing standard lie and length clubs my whole life so my swing was adapted to them (rather than the other way around). The one time I ordered clubs online I followed the standard practice of measuring the length between my wrist and floor and ordered them 1/2" shorter. I hated those clubs. My last fitting was for a PXG driver and it was the best I have had - mostly because the fitter corrected a swing error I had acquired. I have always had a reservation about fittings - despite having them - which is I do not doubt that the fitting was appropriate for my swing that day, but what about my swing tomorrow? In retrospect, I suggest it is advisable to not get fit early in the season but to wait till it your swing has "settled in" after laying off for the winter. Other than that - I guess I have always tried to fix my swing rather than accept it and get clubs that hide the problems of my swing since I intend to fix those problems. Does that work? Hell no, but it is at least a plan!!

Price often seems to affect course conditions and the clientele, so it becomes a balancing act of your appetite for golf (price) and expectations of the playing experience. I avoid bottom-tier courses due to playing conditions and crowding/player behavior. If the greens are like a gravel parking lot I just do not enjoy the experience. If the players are drunk, rowdy, and take forever to play, I also do not enjoy the experience. Some idiocy is expected, but there are limits. So, why is golf so expensive? It isn't unless you want to have a better experience. Then it is a balancing act. If it costs you more than you think it is worth, either cut back (play less often) or adjust your expectations and choose cheaper venues. If the greens fee is $80 and you play 4 hours you just spent $20 per hour. You cannot bowl for $20 per hour - it costs twice that much per hour in Pittsburgh, and there are plenty of decent courses around here that charge $50 or less for 18 holes.

My goal is to be thinking of nothing, but sometimes I start overthinking and have to tell myself to "Shut The F**k UP!!" It seems to work. If I let it go, my mind will just start rattling along, telling myself how to swing, how hard to swing, yakkity yakkity yakkity. I have learned to let my brain rattle on until I get over the ball. If it insists on taking over, I am toast until I get it to just shut up. It seems to work...mostly. Then I take a deep breath and just go.

PXG is playing a strategy that has to be driving the major brands crazy. For years the only time you got a discount on clubs was when the newer model was being introduced, strictly to clear out old inventory. PXG has stood that model on its head. After starting as a super premium brand they convinced the major brands that there was a market of super expensive clubs. The majors decided to follow suit - resulting in major increases in the prices of their clubs. Then PXG cycled around and introduced far cheaper models that were still pretty damn good, undercutting the majors. So far none of the majors have followed suit, likely fearing they would undercut their premium models. Now PXG has started using specials to slash prices on their own premium brands - but time limited. I have to think the majors are pulling their hair out trying to figure out how to compete with PXG. As a DTC (with free club fittings, which no other DTC does to the best of my knowledge), PXG can move far faster than manufacturers tied into dealer networks. Frankly, I love it. I have a full set of 0211 irons and 0311 wedges and woods - all for way less than anything the majors offer. So long as PXG doesn't grab too much of the market the majors (Taylormade, Ping, Cleveland, Mizuno) will likely think they can just ride it out - but that is likely wishful thinking. I suspect PXG is profitable and will just keep pounding on the majors. So, yes, keep checking their website because you never know what outrageous offers they may have.

That's a Joe Pesci putt - it's a mean little 5 footer.

Public and semi-private. The public couses I play have all upgraded their greens and overall maintenance to the point they are as good as the semi-private ones. The biggest difference is the clubhouses, with the semi-private ones having bigger and fancier ones. Played a fully private course a couple weeks ago and I have to admit both the course and clubhouse were a step above any semi-private course I have played. That said, I would not want to only play one course and at the price I would likely feel compelled to play the private course to justify the expense. I suspect many private course members justify the cost as business related expenses, but I am retired. As Groucho Marx said: "I wouldn't join any country club that would have me as a member." Apropos of nothing, when Groucho was told he couldn't join a club because he was Jewish he replied: "I'm only half Jewish. Can I use the pool if I only go in up to my waist?"

Here goes: Been playing for a few decades. Handicap (unofficial) is around 18, but that's not an official handicap. Been shooting in the mid-80's but not immune to low 90's on a bad day. Oddly, I can play well on a challenging course and lousy on an easy one - go figure. When I still worked (now retired) golf was how I got away and just relaxed. I would tell myself (and still do) that there is nothing else I would rather be doing and no place else I would rather be, just to remind myself that whatever the score it was the best thing I could be doing. Since retiring I have been working on my game...and likely will be as long as I play. Long time MyGolfSpy reader. Don't know any other Spies - but then how would I, if they are Spies?? Pittsburgh is my adopted home. My home course is probably Saxon, although I like Buffalo, Birdsfoot, Suncrest and Pittsburgh North. Former member of River Forest, but let that go this year - happy to discuss if anyone is interested. The availability of good public courses at very reasonable prices is the primary advantage of living in Pittsburgh. Slow play is the worst thing, but really its just an occasional irritant. I was a transit system planner/project manager before retiring - primarily rail transit but also bus, busways, one cablecar and pretty much whatever a client would pay for that I could do competently. User name is just a placeholder I suppose. No special meaning (I thought GolfGod would be a bit presumptious - and amazingly inaccurate, maybe GolfDud, I have to think on that).