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TBS

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Posts posted by TBS

  1. 2 hours ago, vandyland said:

    Rickie will be much too busy filming commercials and crafting sponsored posts for his socials to win the tournament. Would love to see Zalatoris win it, ridiculous that he is not a fully exempt tour member but someone like Sean O'Hair is still exempt off some BS medical exemption. I'll be interested to see if guys like Luke List and Keith Mitchell can build off of their performances last week. 

    Does anybody know what kind of course TPC Craig Ranch is? Looking at it on GPS it seems to be fairly wide open? I would push back a little of Trinity Forest not being enjoyable. To me, it was a nice change from all the tree lined golf courses and TPC crap the tour trots out most weeks. Has a links like feel and seems like to could play incredibly fast and firm which really gives a great player a chance to separate. I think it was hurt by (a) it doesn't POP at all on TV and (b) the sponsors didn't seem to like it for whatever reason. 

    I agree that Trinity Forrest is an awesome course and a great change from the other tour courses. You're right, it definitely felt like sponsors were never really in it. And as a result, the tournament is scheduled close to a major, when there is a chance of really hot temps (this week looks enjoyable, 80s), plus no shade makes it a tough event for fans (even though I'll be attending Kiawah in a few weeks). I think it is a missed opportunity.

  2. I lived in Dallas and never made it out to the Byron Nelson, it was at Trinity Forrest when I was there and just did not seem enjoyable. There is so much potential for this to be a great event especially with the Salesmanship Club, but the venue changes makes it hard for the city to buy in.

    I'm going to go with Daniel Berger. I think the big name players are going to have Kiawah on their minds, trying to prep for the shots required out there, and just trying to get in good form. But you never know, Bryson could show up for the home crowd, Rickie could find himself, Zalatoris could show he is here to stay. I'm hoping for some good golf!

  3. 1 hour ago, sixcat said:

    You mention watching 'Bama games in public all over the country, which implies you're going to road games or watching in bars.  Bars lean heavily toward the underdog, always have and I suspect, always will.  'Bama may be the underdog once every three seasons.  And you're not going to be the crowd favorite in Knoxville, Athens, Oxford or Fayetteville. 

    Just saying, let's be realistic!  People love to hate the dynasty.  Whether anyone is willing to admit it or not, having a team everyone loves to hate is still love when it comes to sports.  It generates eyeballs which generate dollars.  That's why ESPN/ABC can pay a Billion Dollars to be the exclusive broadcaster of the College Football Playoff.  It's the same reason the Game OF The Week is always the Yankees, Lakers, Patriots or Cowboys.  Loads of fans plus loads of people wanting to watch them lose.  Double the pleasure for TV executives and advertisers.  In Tiger's heyday, just as many people tuned in hoping he would fall on his ass as did to see him dominate.

    In my travels, I see 'Bama gear in some pretty surprising places and in pretty surprising numbers.  That was definitely not the case 15 years ago!

    Good points. I definitely see what you’re saying. 

  4. I'm a big HOVR Drive fan. They are comfortable and stable and keep my feet dry from the morning dew. I got 2 pairs of the older GTX version on sale roughly $100-$125, which is a steal when it comes to the price of golf shoes today. I walk a lot and keep my spikes fresh and changed out every few months. 

    When I was looking for a new pair, I went into PGA Superstore to try on anything and everything. As long as they weren't the sandals (sorry CPG), and they fit and were comfortable, I was going to buy. I wanted to like the FJs, but my biggest issue is that the cushioning in FJs comes from the insole/sock liner insert, not from the actual sole of the shoe. I have very flat feet and need a little extra support. I used to run a lot and my Brother in law owns a running store, so he has me hooked on Superfeet insoles. They keep your heel and arch in a more stable position. So when I went to replace the current liners with Superfeet, there was no cushion in the FJs. 

    I think more golfers, especially walkers would benefit from Superfeet. I also think that golf shoes still have a long way to go when it comes to shoe tech. Yeah we see advances in BOA or traction/spikes, but the actual shoe, cushioning, upper, etc. is not caught up to where running shoes are at. 

  5. 22 hours ago, Mtbryant01 said:

    Did an update ever get sent out, that you know of, where you don’t have to keep the app open for it to work? I know like people use other apps to keep track of their rounds and might be annoying having to bounce back and forth.

    Not that I am aware of. Although the app has its issues, I'm still not sure that the device that's on your push cart actually provides any additional data that a free gps app would not provide.

  6. Interesting question - science has proven that force generated from your body pushing against the ground is imperative power. Many golf instructors (Jake Hutt, gankas, Mark Blackburn) teach push/pulling ground with feet (front foot pulls on the downswing to generate more power). If traction is poor then less power can be generated. 
     

    So my guess is that new plastic spikes VS metal spikes will see little no difference. Old plastic spikes vs metal, bigger difference but marginal. 

  7. On 10/1/2020 at 12:39 PM, Micah T said:

    IMG_3145.PNGThis beauty of a tee shot on the 18th to set up a par on the hardest handicap hole on the course, shot 3 over 75...


    Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

    This looks like a great course but it made me chuckle because it reminded me of the opening holes of ClubProGuy's latest venture in 3 Jack National. If you follow him on social, you will know what I'm talking about.

  8. First credit PMT podcast for posing this question in their latest interview with Brian Baumgartner.

     

    In most other sports the dynasty teams are hated - Bama football (roll tide!), Patriots, Yankees, Lakers etc. BUT we love Tiger (Spieth, Rory, Brooks, to an extent, too. Are they a dynasty? maybe, maybe not)

     

    So why is this? I theorize that golf is more so player vs course, conditions and self rather than team vs team. What do you all think?

  9. On 2/18/2021 at 2:51 PM, SydneySowers said:

    Can you review accuracy and just overall ease of using the product? I am wondering if it takes a while to get the hang of or if it is pretty self explanatory. Also, do you think something is missing on the app? 

    Sorry that it took so long for the review. Life got a little crazy...  But overall, it's pretty straightforward but make sure your location settings are turned to always on for the app. Maybe if it integrated into tracking your score and some basic stats, the app would be more useful.

     

    Overall, I think using an activity tracking app like Strava would serve you better if you want to record your golf "workouts" (walks). 

  10. 1 hour ago, beerag04 said:

    I recently moved to the Birmingham area from Texas. I'm always looking for opportunities to get out and play with new people if you need someone.

     

    Welcome! Although I'm native to Birmingham, I most recently lived in Dallas before moving back in summer of 2019. Alabama has some great courses. If you have not already, get a Robert Trent Jones Trail card ($40/year) and gives major discounts/points for rounds played at any RTJ course. My group plays at Oxmoor Valley weekly. You're welcome to join. Message me additional contact info and we can set something up. 

  11. Hello everyone! Who cares about new drivers, launch monitors, or shafts when there is the BAGBOY TRACKER! Well, skip over those articles about the new ProV1, pour another drink, and get ready for the greatest review of all time. 

    First, introductions-

    I live in Birmingham, Alabama and have committed to walking as much as I can in 2021. I try to play weekly and thankfully it has not been too wet or cold. The cold is never too bad of an issue here, but the winters can be wet. My course does not drain the best so walking is better than Cart Path Only anyways. 

    I committed to walking to improve my health and gain fitness, but also it makes golf a little cheaper, and I find it more enjoyable. I used to be into endurance sports, like cycling, running, and triathlon where gps tracking was really important for training. For golf, honestly, I really don't care how far I walk, but I know others might, which is why I'll give you an honest review. Once I get a few rounds in using the tracker, I start hooking up a few of my other gps devices to see how it compares to accuracy. 

     

    Besides comparing accuracy and overall ease of use, is anyone looking for anything special in this review? I'll do my best to offer my opinions.

     

  12. The Review - 3.23.21 (LOL) - 5.6.21

    BagBoy Tracker – Official MGS Forum Review by TBS

    Intro

    My name is Trevor Sutton and I have been fortunate enough with good weather this winter to be able to test out the BagBoy Tracker. My group has committed to walking this year to increase our fitness, save some money, and better conversation. I work in Student Housing at University of Alabama in Birmingham, so I have seen just about every good, bad, dumb, stupid, REALLY bad, funny, and smart decision 18-22s make. Let’s just say 7 am golf is a good escape from the craziness of campus.  I’m rushing to get as much golf as possible in over the next 6 months as my wife and I are expecting our first child. 

    My golf has been steadily improving when I got serious about it in the Fall of 2019. I had always played but had never gotten lessons and had never been fit for my clubs. Both have been accomplished. I’m knocking on the door of a sub 10 handicap as well as breakin 80. It is going to happen this year! The main courses that I play are definitely not considered walking friendly with either lots of undulation or holes that are not very close but that does not discourage us. I’m rushing to get as much golf as possible in over the next 6 months as my wife and I are expecting our first child. 

    The Personal Questions

    I currently play out of Birmingham, Alabama. We are very fortunate that the winter months are mainly windy, wet, and somewhat cold.(Anything less than 40 degrees is cold.)  Before moving to Birmingham, I have lived in Dallas and Columbia, SC. All three of these cities have had good to great public golf, so I have been very fortunate. I started golfing in middle school but nothing serious. A golf camp here and there but I picked it up more seriously in college. I became a lot more serious the Fall of 2019 and have been playing regularly since. I play weekly with about a lesson every couple of months and regular range sessions in between. 

    The Golf Questions

    I’m currently a 10.6 but will be sub 10 by end of the summer or at least that’s my goal. I’ll also have broken 80 a couple times by then, too. Current strengths are my irons. I recently got fit for Ping i210s and they are sweet. My weaknesses right now are my woods. I have finally been able to limit the 2 way miss but trying to find the consistent fade is my next goal. I don’t hit my 3 wood off the deck only off the tee, which I know I need to get better at. Honestly I don't get to practice off of grass much, so that makes it more difficult. My hybrid has gotten a lot better..

    Here is my current setup. I’m pretty happy with it. The only area that I want to fine tune is my woods. I was fit mid way through some lessons, so in the over the next couple of years, I may upgrade. The Driver and 3 wood were bought used because it was my first major golf upgrade. I was fit for all of my clubs- woods at Club Champion, Irons and wedges were fit by my local pro.

    Driver - M6 12 deg, Oban Kyoshi Purple 

    3 wood - TS2 16.5 deg, Oban Kyoshi Purple

    Hybrid - G410, 20 deg, Aldila NV 2kxv 

    Irons - i210, 4-U, KBS tour 120g +½”

    Wedges - Cleveland RTX zipcore 54 deg; Ping Glide 3.0 58 deg

    Putter - Taylormade TP Black Copper Juno

    I consider myself to be fairly tech savvy. As I said when I put in for the test, I used to do a lot of endurance events so fitness watches and devices were important for my training. Although I am pretty tech savvy, I really only want to spend the time to learn how something works once or twice. I don’t care to do trouble shooting, or have multiple issues while using the device. 

    I currently use an Apple Watch series 4 for fitness tracking, steps, and all other smart watch features. I have previously used various Garmin products, Fenix 3 and Forerunner.

    First Impressions

    Overall, its a very basic product, but there is not much info on how the sensors work. The box makes the same claims on all 3 sides - Measures how far you walk. THat’s it. From my experience cycling and triathlons, I know that this sensor is essentially an accelerometer. that Measures how many rotations the wheel gets. I only got this information from DC Rainmaker, one of the most comprehensive reviewers of fitness tech there is. Here he is outlining how an identical sensor works for cycing - https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/05/garmins-spd-cad-magnetless-sensors.html. As you look more closely at the box, you notice that in addition, the device will “track your time and calories burned from the convenience of your mobile phone”. It will also allow you to review your history of lifetime and individual rounds.  NOTE - it's impossible to accurately measure calories burned without measuring heart rate. This app is estimating based off of a basic formula that uses your height and weight.

    This is where my eyebrows started to raise and I felt that the marketing was not as clear as it could have been. There are 2 devices that the Bag Boy tracker is advertising - the accelerometer and the app. The accelerometer will not work without the app. This needs to be noted if you are interested in this device. The 2 of these work together so that you can add it to your push cart, connect to the app, and when you start your round, it will track.

    IMG_2229.jpeg.5b4b8d738817eb8b1bb107f9c5e23724.jpegIMG_2230.jpeg.810507c84aaff25a8d72363676c9af82.jpegIMG_2234.jpeg.971da55defe7e3838ffbce65779bf7a9.jpeg

    (Everybody loves a good unboxing picture sequence. Nothing special, just a simple setup and unboxing.)

    Grading 

    NOTE - because the device works directly with the app, I will be creating my score based on the average of rating both out of 10 for some of the sections.

    Looks & Feel (9 out of 10 points) 

    Device - It’s basic black with a simple design. No issues, also not much to judge. The light is clear to see when it is flashing, but is not like a christmas light when unlit. Durable, I have played in wet and dry conditions and this thing has no issues. Through thick brush when looking for a lost ball, it never came loose or had any issues. Only issue is that the batter came with a 50% charge. 9/10

    The app - Looks like an app that I had on my original iphone from 2010. It’s basic with 1 main function to start your round and start tracking. This is not a bad thing, I have so much going on in my head that I don’t need a difficult app to work with while I’m playing 9/10. The reason I took 1 point off was because the instructions could be clearer when setting up. More on that during setup. 9/10

    Setup (10 out of 15 points)

    Device - Instructions were good. It clearly outlined how to attach the device to your pushcart. I mean, this should not be rocket surgery but at the same time, instructions should be able to be followed by a 5th grader. With that in mind, they could have been a little more specific with additional pictures but hey, you’re using a fancy rubber band to attach a piece of plastic to your pushcart wheel. There is no charging needed, but the battery that mine came with only had 50% charge. Kind of annoying but I get it, during shipment, these packages are tossed around and movement activates the battery. THese batteries aren’t hard to find or expensive but you don't have C4 batteries sitting around the house. So if it dies you either go to the store or order one. Kind of annoying. 12/15 due to battery

    App - Not many instructions on how to optimize this. Look, I’m pretty tech savvy, but when it comes to an app and privacy settings continue to get changed during updates, it’s important to provide clear and updated instructions on how to optimize the settings of your phone. The issue that I had was the app. It took me a couple of rounds to realize you have to allow location services “All the time” not just when you are using your app. The first round, I walked, I had the wrong setting and it only tracked when I had the app open, not just running in the background. 8/15 due to app setup

    IMG_2237.png.260d34fa030294d4609abf450f149840.pngIMG_2238.png.684b97cb17ce7ec15434db8d889043cd.pngIMG_2239.png.98aa483b5934edc21070959981e3b47d.png

    (Here is what you get when you first log into the app. So even when you select turn on location services, the new update does not give you allow all the time, only these two options. So you have to manually change that setting.)

    Accuracy (14 out of 15 points)

    Yes the tracking is accurate because it uses the same satellites that your phone uses. It’s not using GLONASS which many high end fitness watches uses, which is superior to gps, but it is accurate. It held its own against my iphone tracking, apple watch tracking, and garmin tracking which uses GLONASS.

    My biggest issue is that if you already use an apple watch or iphone to track your steps/mileage, why spend the money to get this, it’s just using the exact same data that your phone already collects and storing it in a different app. Which brings me to a point that I will discuss further in teh Play it or Trade it section. How much data is the thing on the wheel really providing to the app? Can’t the app just use GPS? It honestly seems unnecessary.

     

    14/15 - there were small discrepancies, .05 - .1 mi difference between Bag Boy GPS and GLONASS of Garmin

     

    On-Course (8 out of 30 points)

    This is where this product went from somewhat useful to honestly, annoying. Personally, my phone(s) are constantly on less than 80%. I’m on them a lot. With COVID, I do a lot of work on my phone when playing golf. Additionally, I use 18 birdies to track my round, though I do turn off the GPSfeature because I use a rangefinder and know my course pretty well. So, balancing all these things not only ran my battery down but I also had to keep remembering to open back up the bag boy app after I input my score into 18Birdies. 

    I do have 2 phones, one for work and one for personal use. So after a few rounds where my phone died or I messed up the tracking by not opening the Bag Boy app, I used 1 phone for 18 birdies and the other for Bag BOy. This worked, but it was annoying. It was not as easy as set it and forget it, which is what I want for an activity tracker. Also, post round, the metrics aren't that great. I would have rather seen elevation gain rather than calories burned.

    I did not care to keep using it after I did my few rounds of tests. Like I said, I want to hit start, let it run in the background, and hit stop after I fist bump on the 18 green. Also, when I run or workout, my goal is different each run. It might be to keep my heart rate low, or run a specific distance in a certain time, or run a new route. Golf goals are fairly constant - have fun, shoot low. Once you walk a course a few times, you know roughly how much you walk. So why do you need to keep tracking? 

     

    IMG_2472.png.850881ad2b2869e6f8003632f799b678.pngIMG_2473.png.566622b42fe7632bd57204a14f21f74a.png

    (Here are 2 examples of how the settings can mess up your data. First you get the screen of starting a new round. The first image shows where it picked up my location when I put in my scores after each hole. See the straight lines.)

     

    Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)

    It’s fine, nothing too miscellaneous about this. The device is fine, but I firmly believe that it's not necessary. I would much rather see someone tracking heart rate on the golf course than distance. I think whoop does this well. Much more expensive with a monthly charge though. I believe heart rate is a more accurate measure of exercise because distance and gps does not count the hills I walk. But if you don't track on your phone or watch already, I guess this is for you. 8/10 because it's fine but leaves something to be desired.


     

    Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 20 points)

    Trade it. It does not help me on the course. It does not give me data or metrics that I don’t already have access to. I would only use this product during casual games not in a big money game or tournament. I think this is geared toward the casual golfer who is trying to justify to their spouse, partner, doctor, accountant that golf is important because it helps them walk and here is how much I have walked because of golf! So, yeah, I think people will buy it but it's a niche. It’s also reasonably priced so if you don't want to buy a garmin, I guess this is a good choice? I honestly would just pop open Strava and hit start. 


     

    Conclusion

    TL;DR - If you don’t know how to use an activity tracking app on your phone, need to justify to a significant other that walking 9/18 holes is exercise, or walk a different course weekly, this product is for you! JK, but not really, this product works and does exactly what is advertised; it tracks how far you walk. Pay attention to your app location settings, and be sure to keep your phone charged, other than that this app works. It’s not necessary and it won’t help you play better golf but its a reasonably priced distance tracker.

    Final Score: 54/100

     

    POST REVIEW UPDATES

    1 Month Later

    I left the tracker on my push cart because I have forgotten about it but once I felt that I had enough tested rounds, I stopped using it.

    2 Months Later

    Haven’t used it and forgotten about it

    3 Months Later

    Finally took the accelerometer off the bag. 

    4 Months Later

    @GolfSpy MPR is disappointed in me for not posting. Maybe he thinks that I forgot or took the goods and ran. Nope. I was deep into writing this… Okay well, my dog ate my review… I don’t have a dog… Crap, well work has been busy and my wife is pregnant. Okay that last excuse is legit. 

     

    Thanks for letting me test! I promise to be more timely in the future!


     

  13. 84 - 42/42. Front 9 was good and I started feeling confident. A couple of bad decisions resulted in 2 doubles on the front.

    Made the turn and was even on the back through 14. +1 going into 17. As I was standing on the 17 tee (at +7) the dumb thought of if I went par, par I would break 80. I proceeded to triple, double to close out the round.

    Although it was a bad finish, I’m happy with my game and my confidence is growing. For any No Laying Up fans, I flew too close to the sun and got a taste of Icarito.


    Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

  14. The other day as I was playing I noticed a couple of putts where I was playing the ball in different positions. Both slightly forward and middle of stance.

     

    I haven’t thought too much about my ball position while putting until then. I guess I just lined up with what felt natural. I want to be consistent and more conscious of this during my pre shot routine.

     

    All that to say, what’s your ball position when putting and pre shot routine as you address the ball?

  15. Played RTJ Oxmoor Valley, Valley Course, this morning. The dew was very heavy and they had just cut earlier in the week so lots of grass clippings. My usual golf buddies were out of town, so I was paired up with a three some. Very nice guys who didn't speak much English but they were great at laughing off bad shots and celebrating the good ones. I need to learn more from them. I had 9 FIRs  but only 5 GIRs. Short game was still an issue with multiple holes with multiple chips. I have to hit it close to score. Shot a 91. Didn't drive the ball very well either and I have learned it's really hard to score if I'm not driving it to the landing area. Time to hit the range and short game practice area this week!

  16. Just finished up playing RTJ Oxmoor valley short course. Started the round off hitting it close with a tap in birdie. Then fell apart a little bit. Hit 9 greens and finished +18. Could have had 2 other birdies but had issues reading the greens. Chipping was also a struggle which has been decent. And it was blazing hot. Playing early tomorrow morning, hoping to turn it around on the Valley course.

     

    Short courses are really fun but man can they be challenging!

     

    Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

     

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