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It's OK to be Different


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Having been an eight at the very peak of my game, I've never been a good enough player to offer advice.  To anyone.

 

Sadly, that never stopped me.  Even now, as a dinosaur in a back brace trying to fight my way back onto the course, I've still got no shortage of ideas for those who'd actually listen. And here's another one about equipment.

 

I've never, in decades of almost playing golf, been afraid of anomalies and exceptions when it came to equipment. Some examples:

 

I accept serious gaps in my loft progression in order to play the clubs that I like to hit, even at the expense of playing the clubs that I probably need to hit.

 

I have obsolete shafts installed in my clubs--Penley wood shafts and Aldila NV Pro 105s in irons and wedges--in order to make newer clubs feel more like familiar older ones.  Leave years of advanced technology to the kids under sixty.

 

Because I don't wear a glove, I won't even try a non-wrap style grip that doesn't look like the old leather ones.  If they start to feel a bit slippery, I go to an old-fashioned resin bag.  If that was good enough for childhood idle Ted Williams' bats, it's good enough for me.

 

Ever since they stopped making wound golf balls,

 

which I truly hated except that's all that they made when I took up the game,

 

my game can't tell the difference from one brand name ball to another.  I know that Snells--

 

I thought that they were hi fi loudspeakers--

 

are popular here. I play Top FLite Gamers because I played Top Flites back when Spalding used to make them.  I'm just used to the logo.

 

The size of my set--fourteen or fifteen--depends on the number of slots in my cart bag.  I have a nice little carry bag for Middleton, a favorite executive course as well.  Suddenly, my set shrinks to about eight clubs.  I can't explain why. Ask my back.

 

That's just a few gems to improve your life. I'm sure that I'll think of more. 

 

You're welcome.

 

 

 

 

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LOL.  Thanks for sharing.  Golf is a game meant to be enjoyed.  If that means you play with whiffle bats and shovels, who cares.  Most of us aren't competing in tournaments, so just go out and have fun.

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LOL. Thanks for sharing. Golf is a game meant to be enjoyed. If that means you play with whiffle bats and shovels, who cares. Most of us aren't competing in tournaments, so just go out and have fun.

Yeah it's fine to just play golf for the fun of it.

 

 

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SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

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Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

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Given the means, I'd be even more different.  I have often opined that I'd need the means to purchase an OEM to acquire a truly well-fitted set of clubs.  You only get exactly what you want when you're the one ordering the tooling.

 

For years, I've wanted a set of nine irons and wedges from 20º to 60º in five degree increments.  Even Hogan can't give you that and still having matching swingweights.   They claim to offer any loft, but for my system to work, the head weighting would have to be designed for it.

 

2-iron..........20º (designed as a driving iron)

5-iron..........25º

6-iron..........30º

7-iron..........35º

8-iron..........40º

9-iron..........45º

PW..............50-07

SW..............55-09, moderately curved leading edge 

LW..............60-04

 

This nine club set would leave room for a full set of four metals.

 

2W..............13.5º

3½ W..........18º

5W..............21º

7W..............24º

 

Seems like a pretty obvious idea to me, especially for seniors, women, and juniors for whom the 5º iron increments and higher metalwood lofts would work well. 

 

But will anybody do it?  Apparently not. 

 

Although they might do it a week after I'm in my urn.

 

 

 

 

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Given the means, I'd be even more different. I have often opined that I'd need the means to purchase an OEM to acquire a truly well-fitted set of clubs. You only get exactly what you want when you're the one ordering the tooling.

 

For years, I've wanted a set of nine irons and wedges from 20º to 60º in five degree increments. Even Hogan can't give you that and still having matching swingweights. They claim to offer any loft, but for my system to work, the head weighting would have to be designed for it.

 

2-iron..........20º (designed as a driving iron)

5-iron..........25º

6-iron..........30º

7-iron..........35º

8-iron..........40º

9-iron..........45º

PW..............50-07

SW..............55-09, moderately curved leading edge

LW..............60-04

 

This nine club set would leave room for a full set of four metals.

 

2W..............13.5º

3½ W..........18º

5W..............21º

7W..............24º

 

Seems like a pretty obvious idea to me, especially for seniors, women, and juniors for whom the 5º iron increments and higher metalwood lofts would work well.

 

But will anybody do it? Apparently not.

 

Although they might do it a week after I'm in my urn.

Wishon used to offer a set in 6* loft increments, the 730CL line I believe. I still see them occasionally on ebay.

 

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... The one "error" I would correct is the NV 105's are far from absolete. Discontinued certainly but every bit as good as Recoils and Steelfibers, if they fit your swing.  :)

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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Given the means, I'd be even more different. I have often opined that I'd need the means to purchase an OEM to acquire a truly well-fitted set of clubs. You only get exactly what you want when you're the one ordering the tooling.

 

For years, I've wanted a set of nine irons and wedges from 20º to 60º in five degree increments. Even Hogan can't give you that and still having matching swingweights. They claim to offer any loft, but for my system to work, the head weighting would have to be designed for it.

 

2-iron..........20º (designed as a driving iron)

5-iron..........25º

6-iron..........30º

7-iron..........35º

8-iron..........40º

9-iron..........45º

PW..............50-07

SW..............55-09, moderately curved leading edge

LW..............60-04

 

This nine club set would leave room for a full set of four metals.

 

2W..............13.5º

3½ W..........18º

5W..............21º

7W..............24º

 

Seems like a pretty obvious idea to me, especially for seniors, women, and juniors for whom the 5º iron increments and higher metalwood lofts would work well.

 

But will anybody do it? Apparently not.

 

Although they might do it a week after I'm in my urn.

Why does it matter what number is stamped on the bottom or what loft a club is?

 

If they fill your gaps properly and let you hit the shots that you need to know hit that's all that matters.

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My quote function isn't working.

 

It's mostly about the 5º increments in loft, not the number /loft correlation.

 

Nobody is making a set with five degree gaps.  5º gaps cover the same range with fewer clubs and make room for loft overlaps that somebody might want with woods and irons.  You can make completely different types of shots with a wood and a long iron of the same loft.

 

Having said that, everything matters.  It's just natural for people who played with 48º 9-irons to have just a little bit of contempt for 39º 9-irons.  The first wedge was 52º. Now that could possibly be third wedge of five or six. If you're not fifty years old or younger, that sounds almost psychotic.  If you're my age, it sounds fully psychotic.

 

Having success is never all that matters.  Having success your way is what matters.  The technology of modern clubs may be improved, but to me, the cosmetics and the physical specs suck.  Of course, that's just me.

 

 

 

 

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My quote function isn't working.

 

It's mostly about the 5º increments in loft, not the number /loft correlation.

 

Nobody is making a set with five degree gaps.  5º gaps cover the same range with fewer clubs and make room for loft overlaps that somebody might want with woods and irons.  You can make completely different types of shots with a wood and a long iron of the same loft.

 

Having said that, everything matters.  It's just natural for people who played with 48º 9-irons to have just a little bit of contempt for 39º 9-irons.  The first wedge was 52º. Now that could possibly be third wedge of five or six. If you're not fifty years old or younger, that sounds almost psychotic.  If you're my age, it sounds fully psychotic.

 

Having success is never all that matters.  Having success your way is what matters.  The technology of modern clubs may be improved, but to me, the cosmetics and the physical specs suck.  Of course, that's just me.

 

 

You are getting caught up on the number on the bottom of the club.

Does it really matter if someone's PW is 45 while another person's 9 iron is 45?  If it does, then the person worrying about it has some insecurity issues.

 

You could have animal stamped on the bottom of a set of irons - who cares what they are - as long as I know my Moose goes 184 and my Flamingo goes 161 then that is all that matters.

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You are getting caught up on the number on the bottom of the club.

Does it really matter if someone's PW is 45 while another person's 9 iron is 45? If it does, then the person worrying about it has some insecurity issues.

 

You could have animal stamped on the bottom of a set of irons - who cares what they are - as long as I know my Moose goes 184 and my Flamingo goes 161 then that is all that matters.

I am stealing your line for my launcher hb iron review regarding insecurity.

 

 

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You are getting caught up on the number on the bottom of the club.

Does it really matter if someone's PW is 45 while another person's 9 iron is 45?  If it does, then the person worrying about it has some insecurity issues.

 

You could have animal stamped on the bottom of a set of irons - who cares what they are - as long as I know my Moose goes 184 and my Flamingo goes 161 then that is all that matters.

 

 

...  Mouse and Flamingo, not squirrel? ^_^ And taking it one step further, the number you write in the box on your scorecard is really the only number that matters. If you write a 2 in the box on a 171yd par 3 there is no place to write in "I hit a 3 wood and made a 17 foot putt" or "I hit a sweet 7 iron to 2 inches and tapped it in" or "skulled a 5 iron to the fringe and hit a lucky chip that fell in the hole" and of course "perfect 5 hybrid to 6 feet and made the putt". A 2 is a 2 is a 2 is a 2. What club you use is irrelevant. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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My quote function isn't working.

 

I understand your point about number / loft correlation.  It's perfectly reasonable from your perspective.

 

I just don't agree with it, or more precisely, it doesn't work for me.

 

I mean, if I want to use the latest technology, I have to go with it, but I don't like it one bit.

 

Loft jacking started gradually forty years ago, so younger players never played with a 48º nine iron.

 

Remember, there's more difference than just the loft.  At the bottom of the set, strong lofts are now used with short shafts because the lengths haven't changed much.  Stronger lofts were never paired with shafts of that length except with chippers.  It changes the entire dynamic.

 

There are two scales that I like, neither being in use today, which is why I say that I'd actually need to own an OEM to get clubs that I really like.

 

Traditional:

 

1-iron.........17º

2-iron.........20º

3-iron.........24º

4-iron.........28º

5-iron.........32º

6-iron.........36º

7iron..........40º

8-iron.........44º

9-iron.........48º

 

Juniors-Women-Seniors:

 

5-iron.........25º

6-iron.........30º

7-iron.........35º

8-iron.........40º

9-iron.........45º

 

It ain't gonna happen, but it's what I would like.

 

 

 

 

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... Nifty I started out playing persimmon woods, heavy steel shafts, knife like MB's and of course used a balata ball. Younger players talk abut "durability" of current balls like Snell or Vice, but they have no idea that playing a ball you hit thin would actually cut the cover making it unplayable. But times change and so has equipment. Obviously nothing wrong with your opinion about hating modern clubs, even if you are in the curmudgeon camp. :rolleyes: I on the other hand, have embraced modern technology and I am playing the best golf of my life at age 65. There is no doubt modern equipment is a huge factor in my scoring. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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I appreciate your view. 

 

This is where it gets frustrating, though.

 

I also appreciate the technology, although a little more restraint on the cosmetics would be appreciated.

 

It's the simple mechanical specs that I don't like....lofts that are too strong on irons.  Bend them weaker and you add too much bounce to the sole.

 

Metalwoods with lofts that are too strong, faces that are too closed, and lies that are too upright. 

 

When you could buy a brand new MacGregor Tommy Armour Eye-O-Matic from your club pro for forty bucks, he could literally tell the guy running the lathe what you wanted for loft, lie, and face angle. You can't do that anymore.

 

I don't miss wound balls though. I switched from Spalding Dots to Spalding Top Flites as soon as the original Top Flite was introduced.  It was hard as a rock, but it was so much easier for me to club myself with it. Each one played exactly the same.

 

 

 

 

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I appreciate your view.

 

This is where it gets frustrating, though.

 

I also appreciate the technology, although a little more restraint on the cosmetics would be appreciated.

 

It's the simple mechanical specs that I don't like....lofts that are too strong on irons. Bend them weaker and you add too much bounce to the sole.

 

Metalwoods with lofts that are too strong, faces that are too closed, and lies that are too upright.

 

When you could buy a brand new MacGregor Tommy Armour Eye-O-Matic from your club pro for forty bucks, he could literally tell the guy running the lathe what you wanted for loft, lie, and face angle. You can't do that anymore.

 

I don't miss wound balls though. I switched from Spalding Dots to Spalding Top Flites as soon as the original Top Flite was introduced. It was hard as a rock, but it was so much easier for me to club myself with it. Each one played exactly the same.

Not trying to be argumentative. Apologies if it comes off that way.

If you have proper gapping why do the specs matter? I agree the cosmetics aren't great but if they help your game who cares? If I need 6 wedges that doesn't matter. All that matters is the distance you hit it. If you want to take a modern 8 iron with 37* of loft and write a 6 in Sharpie beneath it, fine. But if the club goes 160 then the club goes 160. If the gaps are fine, it isn't a problem.

Wilson Staff C300 9.0* Fujikura Pro 58 stiff

Callaway Rogue 3W Mitsubishi Diamana D+ LTD 80 stiff

Mizuno MP-18 MMC FLI-HI 2 iron UST Mamiya Recoil 95 stiff

Ping I200's 4-W Aerotech Steelfiber I110 CW stiff

Ping Glide 52* and 58* stiff

Bettinardi Studio Stock #38 Armlock

 

 

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All of that is true. It's just a matter of what one likes. 

 

In the case of juniors, women, and seniors, however, the gaps really aren't ideal at all. 

 

5º gaps are what I need, and nobody is offering them. 

 

As for upright lies and closed faces on metalwoods, what does one do about that.?

The adjustable hosel gadgets can't give you weak, open, and flat at the same time.

 

I suppose that if these are my biggest problems in life, I'm not doing that badly.

 

 

 

 

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.......

 

You could have animal stamped on the bottom of a set of irons - who cares what they are - as long as I know my Moose goes 184 and my Flamingo goes 161 then that is all that matters.

 

^^^ That is a GREAT idea for a kid's set - Animal Crackers!!!

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite)
Putter...Ev
nRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both)
...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour.

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All of that is true. It's just a matter of what one likes. 

 

In the case of juniors, women, and seniors, however, the gaps really aren't ideal at all. 

 

5º gaps are what I need, and nobody is offering them. 

 

As for upright lies and closed faces on metalwoods, what does one do about that.?

The adjustable hosel gadgets can't give you weak, open, and flat at the same time.

 

I suppose that if these are my biggest problems in life, I'm not doing that badly.

 

 

... You should post your clubs in your signature so we can see what kind of hickory shafts you are using and we could all use a good recommendation for a Mashie.  :)

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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Here's something on this topic:  Ping offers their i210 irons with THREE loft options, "standard," "power," and "retro." I would add that retro isn't exactly 1955.  It's more like 2005.  Still, it's something.

 

As for my main man, chisag,  both Louisville Golf and Tad Moore offer brand new golf sets with hickory shafts. If I were sure that I'll be able to play, I'd strongly consider them. 

 

Check out their websites just for fun.

 

 

 

 

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