Midwest: MN, WI, MI, IL, IN, OH, WV

[Ben Hogan mark]

1. How long have you been playing golf?  On and off since I was 5 years old.    What’s your handicap or normal score?  Uh.....17

2. What do you love about golf? The challenge of the game, the competition, being outdoors and the interesting people I meet.

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Decided to join after browsing the site the last couple of years. Do you already know any other Spies? No

4. Where are you from? I currently reside in Southeast Mi and originally from Georgia. What is your home course? Dunham Hills

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? Best: Number of great courses to choose from. Worst: No winter golf

6. What do you do for a living? Engineer in automotive field.

7. How’d you pick your user name? I use Ben Hogan equipment and my taste is a litte old school.

 

 

[Pjholden]

1. How long have you been playing golf?  Since my early teens, which means about 30 years. I did take off about 10 years while playing agent and chauffeur during my son's athletic run as a kid.  What’s your handicap or normal score?  Currently bouncing around the 14 - 15 mark. Late 2019 was hard on the index.

2. What do you love about golf? I enjoy the solitude when I get to play alone. But I also enjoy playing with a group while talking stupid and having a few adult pops.

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Been a member on the site since 2016 originally just taking in all of the content. Really used the site over the past winter while researching information for new irons and wedges. Ended up getting fit and buying a set of irons from Sub70 and Vokey wedges.  Do you already know any other Spies? Not that I know of.

4. Where are you from? I currently live in Mount Pleasant, WI approximately 20 minutes south of Milwaukee. What is your home course? I split time between Johnson Park in Racine and the Kenosha County courses (Brighton Dale Links & Petrifying Springs)

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? Best - The choices for top quality, affordable golf. Worst - obvious answer is the weather but we manage. 

6. What do you do for a living? Facilities & Maintenance Manager for a manufacturing company.

7. How’d you pick your user name? Its my name. Not real creative.

[ckeller52]

1. How long have you been playing golf?   Started when I was 18 quit when I was 21 started again at 57, I'm now 63 and a much better golfer than I was at 20. 

2. What’s your handicap or normal score?  I play to an 16 typically.

3. What do you love about golf? That I can't ever beat it. And neither can you.

4. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? I came for the equipment ratings and stayed for.... I don't know why I stayed. 

5. Where are you from? Illinois, Evanston, Chicago, Skokie. 

6. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? The best thing is the amount of quality courses within an hour of where I live. The worst thing is winter but I dress for it and play through it. 

7. What do you do for a living? I fix peoples interactions with technology. 

8. How’d you pick your user name? First initial last name and a number I like. 

•  

Edited April 9, 2020 by ckeller52

[ChitownM2]

How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? 

I've been playing since I was 11 or 12 so close to 30 years but I didn't really take it seriously until after college. My golf life went on hiatus when my son was born 5 years ago where I only got out a few times a year, but now this season I'm looking to change that and get back to regular rounds and practice. When I last was tracking my handicap I was a 20 and I've probably regressed a few strokes with all the time off.

What do you love about golf? 

I love the challenge of constantly trying to improve

What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies? 

One of the articles popped up in my google news feed and I liked what I read and started checking out the rest of the site.  Since I'm getting back into golf this season, I'm looking to update my bag and replace most everything since my set is made of clubs from ~ 2008 and there is a wealth of information on this site to help me create my short list of new clubs.

Where are you from? What is your home course? 

I live in the NW suburbs of Chicago and don't have a fixed home course. I play a lot of the local municipal courses.

What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? 

The best thing is the large number of courses in the area so there are always options for getting on the course somewhere at a reasonable fee. The worst thing is definitely the shortened season compared to living in the south. I'd love to have the option for year round golf.

What do you do for a living?

Structural Engineer

How’d you pick your user name? 

I've always been a huge car guy and this is high on my list for my next purchase.

[Play18]

1. How long have you been playing golf?   28 years

2. What’s your handicap or normal score?  7.2 index and 82-83 score

3. What do you love about golf?  The competition, friendships made, memories created and chasing scratch

4. What brings you to MyGolfSpy?  I enjoyed the reviews for years and committing to participating consistently as a full member

5. Do you already know any other Spies?  No

6. Where are you from?  Chicago

7. What is your home course?  Aurora CC

8. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?  Variety of great public course options and wonderful private courses, too.  Golf seasons are too short

9. What do you do for a living?  Residential Mortgage Lending

10. How’d you pick your user name?  It's my passion and first email handle back in the aol days

[alexhofeldt]

1. I have been playing golf since I was very young. I played junior gold, varsity, college. I haven’t had a handicap in a while. I am consistently a sub 80, but range from 76-82. 

2. I love the chase, the outdoors, and the feeling a perfectly struck shot/perfect flight. 

3. I followed spy on insta and have enjoyed all thing my golf spy. 

4. Northern IL.. Stonewall Orchard in Grayslake, IL. 

5. Winter sucks hard, but summer is wonderful. 

6. I am a science teacher/administrator. 

7. It’s just my name ha ha.  

[Golfernaught]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? I've been playing for over 30 years which is hard to believe!  My index is 4.2, but I'd say my game doesn't translate the well to other courses than the course I play 95% of my rounds.

2. What do you love about golf?  I love the feeling of a well struck iron shot...I can't duplicate that feeling anywhere else!

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?  I listen to the podcasts pretty religiously when I travel.

4. Where are you from? What is your home course?  I live in Kewanee IL and play at a former Private Club now public, Kewanee Dunes Golf Club.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?  Weather!!!  It's April 17 and we just got 5" of snow over night!

6. What do you do for a living?  I'm in industrial sales.

7. How’d you pick your user name?  Golfernaught is a play on Golfer (not!).  

[Jim Oppold]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?  58 years old. Introduced to the game as a kid, played for a bad HS team, played a lot before marriage/kids, played very little for 20 years, started playing a lot again late last summer. Playing at about a 10 handicap.

2. What do you love about golf? a) Hitting an iron flush. b) Walking a course. c) Playing with my son. d) Breaking 80.

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? The reviews.  Do you already know any other Spies? Nope.

4. Where are you from? Indianapolis. What is your home course? None. Play all the publics in my area.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? Best: A lot of affordable public courses; Not much traffic if you can wait until the afternoon to play. Worst: Weather (unpredictable and too short of a season); Inconsistent playing conditions.

6. What do you do for a living? IT

7. How’d you pick your user name? It's my name :^)

[DcobbCWG]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? Been playing on and off since I was 14( roughly 16 years). Been bit with the golf bug badly in the last 3 years. Currently trending to a 10.8.

2. What do you love about golf? I love the competitive spirit of the game while never being able to play with someone of all skill levels.

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies? Dont know any other spies but always looking to expand my network. Was brought to MGS by their reviews.

4. Where are you from? What is your home course? South Suburbs of Chicago. Play between Mistwood GC, Calumet GC, Ravisloe GC, Bolingbrook GC while sprinkling in other courses throughout the summer

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? A lot of Private clubs turned public that allow you to play some historic courses. Short season due to our lovely Midwest weather. 

6. What do you do for a living? Technology based supply chain consultant,

7. How’d you pick your user name? Combination of my initials and Nickname. 

[Eric D.]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?  I've been playing golf for 25 years. I'm currently a 9.2 - which means I'm usually in the mid-80s.

2. What do you love about golf?  The never-ending pursuit of perfection. My wife labels it an addiction. 

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?  I love the authentic, unbiased reviews and testing. It feeds my addiction as the mot reliable source of information on golf products. I don't know any other spies, but look forward to connecting with them here.

4. Where are you from? What is your home course?  I grew up around South Bend, Indiana. I still love going back to play Blackthorn and Warren (Notre Dame's course). I've been living in Columbus, Ohio since 2002. Thanks to Jack, there are so many great courses here. Murfield has to be my favorite!

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? The best is the number of private and public courses. I think Ohio is top 3 in courses per captia. The bad - - the weather and not being able to play year round. I guess that's an excuse for golf trips.

6. What do you do for a living?  I'm the head of HR for a furniture company.

7. How’d you pick your user name?  It's the same one I use for most sites. 

[Tw1z]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?

   • Only about 2 years now, didn't touch a club prior.

   • Average score in the mid-90s

2. What do you love about golf?

   • Love competing not only against others but myself. Also, strangely enough, really enjoy how frustrating the game can be at times

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?

   • Primarily reviews and commentary

   • Do not currently know any other Spies

4. Where are you from? What is your home course?

   • Minneapolis, MN

   • Was Crystal Lake GC but now Braemar GC due to proximity

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?

   • Best: Tons of courses within a 30 minute drive

   • Worst: Winter

6. What do you do for a living?

   • Corporate Finance

7. How’d you pick your user name?

   • Nickname a friend randomly gave me

[Walter8]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?

First round ever was about ten years ago. Current 11 HC.

     2. What do you love about golf?

Love having so many options what shots to hit, what equipment you can select and combing these together strategically.

     3.  What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?

Ran into NoPuttsGiven on YouTube. Loved the contents, and wanted to be more involved.

     4.  Where are you from? What is your home course?

Born in Japan. Home course is Eagle Crest in Yipsilanti, MI.

     5.  What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?

Closed down for 4~5months due to weather. During the season it's fabulous. Great courses with great rates, not over crowded overall. 

     6.  What do you do for a living?

Work in sales. Occasionally have the luxury of entertaining clients on the golf course.

     7.  How’d you pick your user name?

Not much meaning. 8 is my lucky number.

[DHug62]

New to the discussion board here and trying to "get my wings" so to speak ... 

1. How long have you been playing golf? - Started nearly 50 years ago (57 now - 8 then)
2. What’s your handicap or normal score? - 'Cap varies - about 9-10 nowadays
3. What do you love about golf? - Can play alone or with a group, the never ending challenge(s) both physically and mentally

4. What brings you to MGS? - Have been with them on the fringes since they started, now getting involved in a tangible way

5. Do you already know any other Spies? - nope

6. Where are you from? - Cincinnati area

7. What is your home course? - Member at Stonelick Hills

8. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? - Limited season due to winter - nice amount of and different types courses around

9. What do you do for a living? - Run a small manufacturing company

10. How’d you pick your user name? - dart board 

[Zubegolf]

Hello gang.  Glad to join the group

55yr old pharmacist. 
been playing 40+ years 
im a 2.1 hdcp ( currently playing to probably an 8–haha— got the hooks going on with my driver)

current with:  guess you could call me Team Hogan player

                             Driver:  Hogan GS53 10.5*  tensei Blue stiff. 1/2in short

                              FW Wood:   Hogan 16*. 
                              Hybrid:        Hogan VKTR 21*

                               Irons:          Hogan PTx. 24*/28*/32*/36*/40*/44*/48*/52*/56*

                                                     LW-  Bettinardi 60*

                              Putter:         Scotty Cameron Futura X7 35in

                               Ball:             Vice Pro or Titleist Pro V1

[Davis Moes]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?

I am 31 years old and have been playing golf for 26 years. I grew up playing at a small 9 hole campground course in Iowa where a junior membership for the year was $100 or so. My current handicap is 3.7 and I normally shoot between mid-low 70's and low 80's

2. What do you love about golf?

I love the challenge of golf and the competition when playing with others. I also love how humbling the game is, you can have one of your best rounds of the year and the very next time you go out and play you shoot one of your worse scores. And finally I love the creativity of golf - having to try to hit crazy shots or being extra creative around the greens. 

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?

I know one other Spy, who basically introduced me to the site, but I had heard of it before. What really brought me here though is the independent club testing, that’s what I’m most interested in. I wanted another source of information of data for clubs, balls, equipments, etc.

4. Where are you from? What is your home course?

I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Don’t have a home course but love to play lots of public courses in the area. If I had to say which one I play the most it is probably Kaufman golf course or Thornapple Pointe

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?

Lots of affordable options for public courses, and a lot of them are really good quality too. Worst thing is the limited time to golf due to the long winters.

6. What do you do for a living?

I’m a mechanical engineer who does product design and product development.

7. How’d you pick your user name?

I’m lame and just use my name.

 

[JPK59]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? First round when I was 18. Started really playing when I was 20. So 40 years. I have been as low as a 3/4 (when I was a club pro). Right now 6/7.
    

2. What do you love about golf? The first thing that brought me to the game was to be able to compete with my buddies from work. After playing for a very short time the time you had to put in the game to practice and get better really hooked me. I love the time you can just grab a few golf balls and chip/putt and see the improvement right away. The fact it is just you and the course even when you are playing a match it is still you vs the course.
    

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies? Just my thirst for more knowledge about this great game and everything that goes along with it.  With all the testing done here makes it a great place to learn more information. I love I can come here and get honest and none bias information. 
    

4. Where are you from? What is your home course?
   I am from Dayton, Ohio. I play around the area both private and public courses.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?
   The best thing about golf in my region are the exorbitant amount of great golf courses. Even in our small town we have three different courses that have held majors.   Cold, ice, and snow are here too long, about 3-4 months out of the year.

6. What do you do for a living?
   I own a small company that does silk screen, embroidery, direct to garment items. We can do team jerseys, spirit packs for team parents, corporate apparel. Help with retail sales in a local golf shop.

7. How’d you pick your user name?  It is my initials and year born
   
    

[Luke.johnston]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?  

I've played a few rounds a year for most of my life, but really started getting into playing more seriously over the last 3 years, pretty much starting from a blank canvas since my previous golf could be described as "hacker". (maybe still so)

1. What do you love about golf?

Since I've stared playing more over the last three years, I've fallen in love with the challenge and the camaraderie of the sport. I've always been in a sport from 1st grade on, but I've never found a sport that continues to challenge and inspire me to be the best I can be at something I'm certain is impossible to master.

Along with finding the golf community of amazing people you find yourself paired with, or just playing with your buddies, the people cant be beat.  

1. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?

I found MyGolfSpy through Instagram as I was trying to figure out how to swing a club. The transparency and methods of testing and reviewing clubs was extremely helpful as I was learning the sport and continues to be. 

1. Where are you from? What is your home course?

I live in Minnesota in the Twin Cities and don't have a home course. I really love to explore and play all the vast public courses in the area and get the best golf has to offer in its variety of course lay out. 

1. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?

The best is the sheer number of quality public courses in the area, the robust golf community, and because of that, reasonable prices. The obvious worst part of the region is the shortened season, but we make up for it by playing in the simulators.

1. What do you do for a living?

I work in the healthcare industry as a Perfusionist.

1. How’d you pick your user name?

I just used what mama gave me.  

[MaxEntropy]

1 hour ago, Walter8 said:

Home course is Eagle Crest in Yipsilanti, MI.

I used to go to a yearly conference there and part of the entertainment was playing golf for those interested. It's been almost 20 years since that conference ended, but as I recall, that was a fun course.

[BigSnoop15]

Hi All. Excited to be here. Craving any golf outlet while stuck inside.

• How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?

  • I've been playing golf since I was 11, so 25 years. My handicap is 6. 

• What do you love about golf?

  • I love the connection between the mind and body. I also love and appreciate the difficulty of the game. It's always a challenge. I also love walking on beautiful properties on beautiful days playing a game with hundreds of years of history. I love to geek out on equipment. So much to love.

• What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?

  • I enjoy the data drive approach to equipment evaluation and the non-affiliated opinions. I don't know any other Spies. 

• Where are you from? What is your home course?

  • I am from Bainbridge Island, WA and grew up playing Wing Point Country Club. Now I reside in Milwaukee and play Brown Deer often. 

• What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?

  • Best is the number of quality courses for affordable prices. Worst is the weather. THE WEATHER. 

• What do you do for a living?

  • Sales leadership for startups. 

• How’d you pick your user name?

  • It was my AIM name in middle school. You knew that!

[Dre C]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? Played a bunch in high school 20 years ago, but just a few times a year since. Shoot around 90.

2. What do you love about golf? Outside with no distractions.

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?  Testing

4. Where are you from? What is your home course? Minneapolis. Don't know yet, just moved here.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? Seasonal. Lots of trees.

6. What do you do for a living?  Arborist

7. How’d you pick your user name?  not a lot of thought