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Why do I love blades?


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I wish I had the game to play blades, but sadly I don't. So given that fact I wish I could afford a nice set of Scratches :)

I love my set of scratch irons. I have only taken out one other set since I bought them and it was a set of Ping Eye2 Becu.

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I currently have these set of blades:

 

1963 Hogan IPT's (2-PW)

1967 Hogan Percussions (4-9)

1978 MacGregor Custom Tourney 985's (3-PW)

1983 Hogan Apex PC (2-PW)

 

The Hogan forgings feel awesome. Plus the leading edges on the 60's Hogan irons are really sharp and feel good cutting thru the grass. Just love hitting blades...should've never gotten away from hitting them.

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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Here's a look at my various blade irons:

 

1963 IPT's

 

635.jpg

IPT+IRONS1.jpg

 

1967 Percussions

 

Hogan+PT+Back.jpg

 

1978 MacGregor 985's

 

macgregor+irons1.jpg

 

1984 Apex PC's

 

apex+pc.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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Wow, awesome looking blades - thanks for those photos!!!

 

I've heard many say that the MP32s are perhaps the most forgiving blades out there. Would any of you agree with that statement?

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I'd check the Maltby playability rankings.

 

I don't want blades that are impossible to hit, but I really don't want very forgiving blades as it sort of ruins the idea behind the blades...which I believe are in part created to make your swing more precise. That's what I don't think people get, they say 'I don't have the game for blades' but often times playing with blades allows you to develop that game.

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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In my opinion, most golfers can play forged bladse designns in the 7-PW clubs. The golfer may lose overall distance, but like suggested above, they may actually teach you to be a better ball striker in the end. I've only played forged blades for 30 years, with the exception of a two year break placking 1996 DCI Black Triangles. With the older lofts and shorter shafts, I was hitting my 7-iron 150 yards in my prime. Now I hit my TaylorMade 300 7-iron 170. I have a friend who is pushing 60 and he's a short hitter who's currrentl, and has been playing a set of TourStage blades for the past 4-5 years. He's lost some overall distance, but he's still as accurate as ever with them.

 

As they say, it's the arrow, not the Indian. If you practice with purpose correctly and on a regular basis, you will hit the ball better.

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I have a set of MP-62's. The 5-iron measures about 38.5" long and the loft is about 27*. I just started using my Apex PC iron today and I was hitting it as long as my MP-62 give or take 5 yards. The Apex PC 5-iron has a shaft length of 37.75" and a loft of 30*. The COG is higher, thats why the added loft.

 

But pretty much the same length in distance.

 

If I wanted to really gain some distance with the irons, I could go with longer, lighter graphite shafts and much lower lofts and use some type of cavity back with a thick top line and sole. But with irons it's more important to be accurate and consistent than be long. I think the blades make your motor skills better and your swing more precise and I think you'll be more accurate with blades. I think people get too put off by the feel of a mis-hit and the loss of distance on a mis-hit. But if they would learn that feedback is crucial to getting better I think they would be shooting lower scores in the end.

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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No feeling like striking my MP-32s on the button. Just switched to MX-300s though, a little bit of forgiveness with very little sacrifice in feel.

Titleist 909D2 | Taylormade r7 Ti | Titleist 909 H 19* | Mizuno MX-300 4-GW - Nippon 1050GH | Vokey SM 56*, 60* | Odyssey Black Series i #9 - UST Frequency Filtered |

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I admit. I love blades.

 

I think that I might have "issues"!

 

I don't see the problem here. :P

Driver: TM Original One 11.5* set to 11*, Aldila NV75 X, 43.5" -or- SpeedZone, HZRDUS Black 75 6.5, 43.5"
3w:  Cobra King LTD, RIP Beta 90, 42" -or- Stage 2 Tour, NV105 X, 42.5"
2h or 3h:  TaylorMade Stage 2 Tour, Aldila NV105 S -or- RIP Alpha 105 S
Irons:  3-PW Mizuno MP37, Recoil Proto 125 F4 (reshaft in progress, slowly); 1i & 3-PW Golden Ram TW276, NV105 S; 2-PW Golden Ram TW282, RIP Tour 115 R
GW: Dynacraft Dual Milled CNC 52*, Steelfiber 125 S; Scratch 8620 DS 53*, Steelfiber 125 S
SW:  Ram TG-898 56*, DGX ss2x; Ram Tom Watson 55*, DGX ss2x; Wilson Staff PMP 58*, DGS; PM Grind 19 58*, stock shaft
Putter:  Snake Eyes Viper Tour Sv1, 34"; Ping Scottsdale TR Craz-E, 35"; Cleveland Huntington Beach 1, 35"
Ball:  Wilson Staff Duo Professional, Bridgestone Tour B-RXS, Callaway Chrome Soft

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You are the WRONG person to be saying that :blink:

 

Me? ;)

Driver: TM Original One 11.5* set to 11*, Aldila NV75 X, 43.5" -or- SpeedZone, HZRDUS Black 75 6.5, 43.5"
3w:  Cobra King LTD, RIP Beta 90, 42" -or- Stage 2 Tour, NV105 X, 42.5"
2h or 3h:  TaylorMade Stage 2 Tour, Aldila NV105 S -or- RIP Alpha 105 S
Irons:  3-PW Mizuno MP37, Recoil Proto 125 F4 (reshaft in progress, slowly); 1i & 3-PW Golden Ram TW276, NV105 S; 2-PW Golden Ram TW282, RIP Tour 115 R
GW: Dynacraft Dual Milled CNC 52*, Steelfiber 125 S; Scratch 8620 DS 53*, Steelfiber 125 S
SW:  Ram TG-898 56*, DGX ss2x; Ram Tom Watson 55*, DGX ss2x; Wilson Staff PMP 58*, DGS; PM Grind 19 58*, stock shaft
Putter:  Snake Eyes Viper Tour Sv1, 34"; Ping Scottsdale TR Craz-E, 35"; Cleveland Huntington Beach 1, 35"
Ball:  Wilson Staff Duo Professional, Bridgestone Tour B-RXS, Callaway Chrome Soft

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Hitting a blade long iron pure is absolutely the greatest feeling in sports. While CB have come a long way blades are just easier to keep the ball low if your a high spin, high ball flight guy. I don't play enough for this to impact my club choice, hence the Bridgestone combo's...

 

Specs

KWheels 

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If I were you I'd practice a ton with the 1-iron off the ground. If you can hit that, you can practicaly hit anything.

 

Great training club.

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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By the way, do any folks remember the old Hogan Radials?

 

I think that was the only "old school" type of blade that I could successfully hit. Then again, purists may think those to have "cheater" soles because they were so wide.

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Radials weren't blades. They were Hogan's first attempt at GI irons and they failed quite a bit.

 

Look up Hogan irons on eBay and usually the search results are filled with Radials.

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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Wow, awesome looking blades - thanks for those photos!!!

 

I've heard many say that the MP32s are perhaps the most forgiving blades out there. Would any of you agree with that statement?

 

Yes I would agree with that. I think it is the cut-muscle design which shifts some weight lower on the head that helps a lot with forgivness.Another very forgiving blade is the Macgregor VIP 1025m. It also has a design (V-foil) that shifts weight lower on the head. They are also not compact headed like a lot of blades. The 3 and 4 irons launch higher than most blade sets and are surprisingly easy to hit.

Cobra S2 9.5 with Aldila Voodoo reg.

Sonartec SS 3.5 14* with Fuji tour platform.

TM V-Steel 18* 5 wood with stock reax stiff shaft.

Sonartec HB-001 21* hybrid with graphite design stiff.

4-pw KZG Evolution irons with Rifle 5.0 Flighted.

TM rac gap wedge 52/8 with DG wedge flex.

Mizuno MPT 10 56* sw with DG wedge flex.

Knockoff 2 ball putter.

ProV1 or Bridgestone 330RX.

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I love blades because they are one BEAUTIFUL,two Simple, three separate the men from the boys..... well not really but it sounded good. I like blades because it's the purest form of golf and if you really must know....nothing feels better then a perfectly struck ball with a set of beautiful forged blades! PERIOD!

 

That's why I have these sets always ready to go:

 

Hogan Apex 2-pw

Mizuno MP 14's 2-pw

Taylormade RAC "T" stamp 2-pw

Titleist 681's 2-pw

Callaway Prototypes 3-pw

The Bag:

Right handed

Cobra King FLYZ+ 10.5* w/ Aldila Rogue 125 R 44.5"

Tour Issued TM M2 10.5 w/ Mitsubishi Tensi CK Pro Blue 60S

Tour Issued TM M2 15* w/ GD Tour AD 7S 43"

TM R7 17.5 HFS w/ Tour AD 7S Stiff 42"

Cobra S3 Pro's 4-pw w/ Aldila RIP Tours SLT 115 Reg. 5i 38.5"

Titleist Vokey Proto's

52*,54*,58* all TTDG S-400

TM TP5 X

Scotty Cameron SSS Tiffany 009 350 34.5" or Bettinardi BB1 DASS Proto

GHIN # 5144472

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I had a set of Titleist 690MBs shafted with some NSPro950s that I sold about five or six months ago. No real reason for their departure other than an effort to reduce stock. Anyway, I know many find that their iron shots are shorter with blades than CBs. I never found that to be true. Certainly off-center hits suffered, but normal distances were more or less the same as my other similarly lofted clubs. While I personally never experienced this, some people blade players have told me that they actually hit their blades longer than a similar cavity back. They say that they can get more mass behind the ball which results in a more transfer of momentum to the ball. I don't pretend to understand this. I always thought it was an efficient swing that had more to do with the 'smash factor' than the club.

______

Dave

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Is it just me? I think that blades are the best way to improve your game.

 

Why should we always be striving to make the game as easy as possible?

 

Blades make golfers be more precise with their swing and also teaches them how to feel in the swing and make adjustments so they can start hitting the ball well again.

 

Most golfers that go with GI irons that I've come across, their swing gets much worse almost instantly.

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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In my junior year of college I was struggling a bit with my swing and was hitting some Ram FX Tour Grinds and back then the main OEM's that gave clubs away for cheap to college players were Ping and Titleist. So at the time I went with Titleist 962's and started hitting them worse.

 

About a year after graduating, I quit for 8 years and just got back into the game a year ago. I bought some MP-62's which to me are more of a hybrid blade-CB and hit the ball pretty well. I got as low as +1.2 this year. Recently I decided to buy some sets of old vintage blades and have noticed my swing and ballstriking has got even better. I've made some changes to my swing, but going to blades has helped me be more precise and improves my motor skills.

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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Is it just me? I think that blades are the best way to improve your game.

 

Why should we always be striving to make the game as easy as possible?

 

 

Blades make golfers be more precise with their swing and also teaches them how to feel in the swing and make adjustments so they can start hitting the ball well again.

 

Most golfers that go with GI irons that I've come across, their swing gets much worse almost instantly.

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

It's not just you. When I first started playing with blades I was a golfer that played to a 8-10 handicap. I decided I wanted to get better and I personally thought the best way to do this was to play blades figuring it would force me to swing better. Now I'm not going to lie when I bought the set they were brand spanking NEW MP-29's. I went from an 8 to a 4 in one summer. Now I practiced almost every night after work and I played 3-4 times a week during the spring/summer. the following season I went down to a 2 and after getting there I just haven't had the time to dedicate to practice like I did about 10 years ago. But I hate when people say to someone who's a 10 that they can't play blade. Maybe it's not the norm but it worked for me. That and playing with golfers that are better then you helps as well. The only problem with the ladder some of those very good golfers are always in clicks and they don't seem to play with anyone other then another low handicap player. But that's an all together different topic!! LOL

The Bag:

Right handed

Cobra King FLYZ+ 10.5* w/ Aldila Rogue 125 R 44.5"

Tour Issued TM M2 10.5 w/ Mitsubishi Tensi CK Pro Blue 60S

Tour Issued TM M2 15* w/ GD Tour AD 7S 43"

TM R7 17.5 HFS w/ Tour AD 7S Stiff 42"

Cobra S3 Pro's 4-pw w/ Aldila RIP Tours SLT 115 Reg. 5i 38.5"

Titleist Vokey Proto's

52*,54*,58* all TTDG S-400

TM TP5 X

Scotty Cameron SSS Tiffany 009 350 34.5" or Bettinardi BB1 DASS Proto

GHIN # 5144472

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It's not just you. When I first started playing with blades I was a golfer that played to a 8-10 handicap. I decided I wanted to get better and I personally thought the best way to do this was to play blades figuring it would force me to swing better. Now I'm not going to lie when I bought the set they were brand spanking NEW MP-29's. I went from an 8 to a 4 in one summer. Now I practiced almost every night after work and I played 3-4 times a week during the spring/summer. the following season I went down to a 2 and after getting there I just haven't had the time to dedicate to practice like I did about 10 years ago. But I hate when people say to someone who's a 10 that they can't play blade. Maybe it's not the norm but it worked for me. That and playing with golfers that are better then you helps as well. The only problem with the ladder some of those very good golfers are always in clicks and they don't seem to play with anyone other then another low handicap player. But that's an all together different topic!! LOL

 

I was around 18 to 20 when I switched. The telling moment was demoing an MP14 5 iron and hitting it ridiculously better than the CB 5 and 6 irons I had in my bag at the time. It wasn't even close. Bought a set of Golden Rams, dropped to 13 that season. Tried a set of CBs I REALLY wanted to like, scores went up slightly. Back to the Rams, scores came down again.

 

The general wisdom at the time i switched would've had everyone telling me to stay far, far away from the blades, that they would be too tough for me to play, ruin what little game I had, and so on. Obviously, I did not find it so. :o

Driver: TM Original One 11.5* set to 11*, Aldila NV75 X, 43.5" -or- SpeedZone, HZRDUS Black 75 6.5, 43.5"
3w:  Cobra King LTD, RIP Beta 90, 42" -or- Stage 2 Tour, NV105 X, 42.5"
2h or 3h:  TaylorMade Stage 2 Tour, Aldila NV105 S -or- RIP Alpha 105 S
Irons:  3-PW Mizuno MP37, Recoil Proto 125 F4 (reshaft in progress, slowly); 1i & 3-PW Golden Ram TW276, NV105 S; 2-PW Golden Ram TW282, RIP Tour 115 R
GW: Dynacraft Dual Milled CNC 52*, Steelfiber 125 S; Scratch 8620 DS 53*, Steelfiber 125 S
SW:  Ram TG-898 56*, DGX ss2x; Ram Tom Watson 55*, DGX ss2x; Wilson Staff PMP 58*, DGS; PM Grind 19 58*, stock shaft
Putter:  Snake Eyes Viper Tour Sv1, 34"; Ping Scottsdale TR Craz-E, 35"; Cleveland Huntington Beach 1, 35"
Ball:  Wilson Staff Duo Professional, Bridgestone Tour B-RXS, Callaway Chrome Soft

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