edingc's 2022 WITB

[edingc 12,458]

Clubs needed some updating. There will be some other updates (bag, shoes, shot tracker, etc.) to add in a later post as well . Hopefully set until spring! Probably still three months away from my first round of the 2020 season.

• Driver: Callaway Epic Flash 10.5, turned to 9.5, weight in draw position. HZRDUS Yellow 6.0 with Golf Pride Yellow NDMC grip.
• 3 Wood: Mizuno GT 180, turned to 16 degrees, weight in back. MRC Tensei White Stiff, Stock Mizuno/Golf Pride Tour Velvet
• Irons (4-GW): Maltby PTM Chrome, KBS C-Taper Lite 110 Stiff, Red Star Sidewinder grips 
• 52/56/60 Degree Wedges: Custom Tempered DTG Inazone CNC Spin, Apollo Standard Stepless Stiff (soft-stepped), Black Star Sidewinder grips
• Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Red with Sightline, 33", Stock TM/SuperStroke Pistol GTR 1.0

Looking back to my original post from early this year, nearly everything has changed. Only the putter remains (and I have not intention of changing it, at least, not right now ).

[azstu324 4,528]

Clubs needed some updating. There will be some other updates (bag, shoes, shot tracker, etc.) to add in a later post as well [emoji3]. Hopefully set until spring! Probably still three months away from my first round of the 2020 season.

• Driver: Callaway Epic Flash 10.5, turned to 9.5, weight in draw position. HZRDUS Yellow 6.0 with Golf Pride Yellow NDMC grip.
• 3 Wood: Mizuno GT 180, turned to 16 degrees, weight in back. MRC Tensei White Stiff, Stock Mizuno/Golf Pride Tour Velvet
• Irons (4-GW): Maltby PTM Chrome, KBS C-Taper Lite 110 Stiff, Red Star Sidewinder grips 
• 52/56/60 Degree Wedges: Custom Tempered DTG Inazone CNC Spin, Apollo Standard Stepless Stiff (soft-stepped), Black Star Sidewinder grips
• Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Red with Sightline, 33", Stock TM/SuperStroke Pistol GTR 1.0

Looking back to my original post from early this year, nearly everything has changed. Only the putter remains (and I have not intention of changing it, at least, not right now [emoji1787]).

Man those PTMs look slick! So clean and simple yet so Maltby/non-OEM! And that's what we love about them [emoji51]

the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

[edingc 12,458]

Final bag update prior to #COBRACONNECT. I'm pretty happy with the current setup, minus some gapping issues at the bottom of the bag, where I should go 52/58 instead of 54/60.

• Driver: Callaway Epic Flash 10.5, turned to 9.5, weight and shaft adapter in draw position, HZRDUS Yellow 6.0 cut to 44.5" finished length, Black Star Sidewinder
• 3 Wood: Mizuno GT 180, turned to 16 degrees, weight in back, MRC Tensei White Stiff, Stock Mizuno/Golf Pride Tour Velvet
• 19 Degree Driving Iron: Tour Edge Exotics CB Pro Tungsten, UST Mayima Recoil 670 F4, Tour Edge/Lamkin R.E.L..
• 22 Degree Hybrid: Cobra F8, AeroTech SteelFiber i95 Stiff, Black Star Sidewinder
• Irons (5-GW): Maltby PTM Chrome, KBS C-Taper Lite 110 Stiff, Red Star Sidewinder grips
• 54/60 Degree Wedges: Maltby M-Series+, KBS 610 Stiff (54°), KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 Regular (60°), Lamkin Crossline
• Putter: TaylorMade Spider X, 33", KBS CT Tour Putter, Golf Pride Tour Only Red Star
• Training Aid/Warm Up Club: 48" SKLZ Gold Flex

Plus, some additional goodies:

• Bag: Personalized 2020 Sun Mountain Sync
• Golf Towels: Custom state flag towels of Michigan, Wyoming and New Mexico
• Glove: MG Golf DynaGrip Elite
• Tees: Flex-Head G3
• Ball: Snell MTB-X Optic Yellow, Two dots surrounding number and alignment done with Check-Go Pro
• Divot Tool: Michigan Di-Cut Stainless Tool
• Ball Marker: 1988 Topps Coins Alan Trammell
• Shoes: Puma IGNITE PWRADAPT DISC and Puma IGNITE PWRDAPT CAGED

[GolfSpy_BOS 15,500]

That divot tool is something special! Where did you find that?

Looks like it will be a good backup bag for you after the Cobra gear arrives.

Anything you think will put up a fight against the Speedzone stuff?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[edingc 12,458]

2 minutes ago, B.Boston said:

That divot tool is something special! Where did you find that?

Looks like it will be a good backup bag for you after the Cobra gear arrives.

Anything you think will put up a fight against the Speedzone stuff?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! The divot tool is available from a Michigan-themed company called High Five Threads: https://www.highfivethreads.com/products/michigan-divot-tool

I'm guessing it's similar around Boston, but there are tons of Michigan-themed stores here that do t-shirts and other merchandise.

It'll be interesting to see how the Epic Flash stacks up to the SpeedZone. I'm not sure the rest of the clubs are in the same league. The SpeedZone irons intrigue me a lot because I'm getting to be a better ball striker with my irons and the Maltbys actually work pretty darn well at the moment. Will I trade presumably even more forgiveness for feel? I can tell exactly where I hit the face on the Maltbys.

Comparison of the PTM leading-edge relief and the Cobra soles are something I'm eager to keep an eye on as well. Currently love the turf interaction of the PTMs.

I need to check out the wedge grinds. I don't do well with sharp leading edges. These Maltbys have a nice soft leading edge, looks like maybe the Cobra versatile grind is what I'm going to want to match.

[Nic 163]

I've heard nothing but good things about Maltby...  nice!

[edingc 12,458]

edingc’s WITB – 2021 Edition


I’m finally back for another WITB update following a season and offseason full of big changes! Fair warning, this is a pretty long post.

The 2020 season was a crazy year for my golf game. I topped the 75 rounds played mark, thanks in large part to #CobraConnect Challenge 4 and COVID ruining other summer plans. Additionally, the continuation of my lessons led to pretty big improvements in my golf swing.

This winter I took a long look at my golf bag and made some major tweaks based on what I’ve learned about my game over the past two years and where I want to get during the 2021 season. So, this post is not only a “What’s in the bag?” but also a “Why is it in the bag?”

Driver – Callaway Mavrik (9°), 45.75", Aldila Rogue White 60 (130 MSI) X-Stiff

I’ve been through three driver fittings in the past two years since picking up golf seriously as a hobby. All three fittings yielded low-launch, low-spin shafts and very little loft to combat a very steep swing that I’ve gradually neutralized through my lessons and practice.

I fit into the SpeedZone Xtreme Tour Length driver with an Aldila Rogue Silver stiff shaft for #CobraConnect. As I finished out the year and spent time on the range this winter, it became pretty apparent the club wasn’t the right pairing for my improved swing. I couldn’t elevate the ball, even with the driver loft dialed up a bit, and I produced too much spin.

I picked up the Mavrik off Callaway Pre-Owned on a whim, hoping the Rogue White would be slightly more active and get the ball up a little more. My guess was correct – in my first range session with the Mavrik, I picked up extra head speed from the club length, hit all-time bests in ball speed and most importantly, launched the ball about two degrees higher with ~500 RPM less spin. It was the first time I’ve ever recorded 270-plus yards carry from range balls on my FlightScope Mevo.

The kicker of it all is that I didn’t lose any accuracy with the longer shaft. I’ve come to realize that for me, the shorter driver shaft of the Tour Length SpeedZone Xtreme was a Band-Aid on my otherwise awful driver swing.

2 Hybrid – Callaway Super Hybrid (17°, lofted to 16°), 41.5", Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 80 Hybrid Stiff

I’ve always carried a 3-wood because, well, everyone carries one? Looking back at my Arccos data from 2020, I hit 3-wood a whopping 14 times over all of my rounds. And that number is only that high because during the #CobraConnect 14-club challenge week, I was forced to use the 3-wood multiple times each round. That means, by my own election, I only chose to use the club less than five times. 

Why carry a club I’ll never use? I find the shorter length and design of the hybrid to be better off the deck for me, and it’s a rocket launcher off the tee. My home course is not particularly long, but the lone par 5 on the back nine could be in trouble this year thanks to this club. I think the Super Hybrid could be a reliable 230-yard carry club from the deck if struck well, and even longer off the tee.

The Super Hybrid was another Callaway Pre-Owned purchase.

4 Hybrid – Callaway Epic Flash (21°, lofted to 20°), 40", Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Silver 80 Hybrid X-Stiff

I think the Epic Flash hybrids got lost in the shuffle between product cycles since they were released well after the Epic Flash woods. The Epic Flash hybrid launches the ball pretty high and really far, and for me will serve as a 5-wood equivalent. I certainly feel it was a great deal for $160 brand new on eBay.

As I mentioned above, I don’t play a ton of afternoon/evening golf on dry courses, so carry is almost always king for me. I expect the Flash hybrid to give me another a tee club for some of the short doglegs my home course offers, and also to provide a club that I can drop and stop balls on the green from 210 yards out or slightly more. 

My only complaint about the Epic Flash is that it is definitely draw-biased. I also immediately replaced the stock Tensei AV Silver stiff shaft. It was way too soft. I much prefer the stouter feel of the Kuro Kage Silver, although there may be room for a change here in the future.

4-AW –  Sub70 699 (4-6)/699 Pro (7-AW) Combo Set, 1° Flat, 37" 7 Iron, Mitsubishi MMT 105 TX

I was honest during #CobraConnect – I just didn’t get along well with the SpeedZone irons. Even when I struck them well, I struggled with distance consistency and that was a major turn off.

This winter, the volume of mat work increased. As the number of swings went up, so did the pain in my elbows and wrists. I decided this offseason was the right time to move to graphite, especially given the number of quality options in heavier weights.

I very nearly jumped on a mixed 2021 Callaway Apex set after demoing the Apex Forged a few weeks ago with the MMT graphite shaft, but the cost was more than I wanted to pay. Sub70 699s and 699 Pros have always been on my radar, and when a used combo set popped up on their site at a major discount, I jumped all over them.

I finished reshafting the Sub70s with the MMT 105 TX shafts this week. They turned out great, and look awesome when combined with BB&F Co. Mr. Peacock ferrules.

I chose the MMT 105 TX largely because the raw weight (113 grams) is similar to shafts I have been fit for in the past. 

Initial numbers with my test 4 iron two weeks ago at the range were extremely favorable. Loft-for-loft, the Sub70/MMT combo launched the same as my beloved KBS C-Taper Lite shafts but I picked up a little swing and ball speed. I can’t wait to get these out on the course in the spring.

I detailed the build over in this thread, but all-in, the DIY Sub70s were comparably priced to ordering a new graphite-shafted set from Sub70 and much cheaper than ordering the new Callaway combo set I had been thinking about.

 

54°/58° Wedges - Cobra KING MIM Black, 1° Flat, Mitsubishi MMT Wedge 105 TX

These wedges were the all-stars of #CobraConnect for me and stay in the bag for the 2021 season, freshly reshafted to match the Sub70s. 

There’s not much to say about these wedges because they are great, although I do plan to have my shop bend them slightly more upright. I tend to miss right and off the toe with the flatter lie angle. I should not have let my fitter talk me into going this flat last summer.

As of Feb. 13, the wedges have been bent back to only one degree flat.

Putter – L.A.B. Golf DF 2.1, 36", 68°, Black with Custom Sightlines, BGT Stability Tour, L.A.B. Press II 3°

I detailed my fitting and ordering experience for this over in a separate thread:

Putting has historically been one of the weaker parts of my game, especially speed control, and I hope the L.A.B. is the answer to those problems. I only got the putter out on a real course a few times at the end of last season, but the results were great. I’ve had an entire winter’s worth of practice with it on my EXPUTT simulator, so I expect to hit the ground running once we thaw out.

Grips – Lamkin Sonar Tour

As a part of the iron project, I ordered enough grips to outfit the entire bag with Lamkin Sonar Tours. I played the regular Lamkin Sonars for #CobraConnect and loved the pattern and traction. However, as someone with small hands, I found the reduced taper design of the regular Sonars to be a little too large. The Sonar Tours have a more traditional taper design and feel amazing in the hands. 

Ball – Snell MTB-X Optic Yellow

I swapped between the MTB-X and Srixon Z-Star XV toward the end of last season, but still prefer the MTB-X. 

What’s next?

I’ve made a deal with myself, with a few exceptions. There will be no changing of this equipment for the next two seasons as I continue my quest to become a solid single-digit player. I ended last season right around 10, and think I probably could have played better throughout the year had I not changed around equipment so much.

That’s not to say I won’t dabble in a few experiments here or there or apply to be an equipment tester again here on MGS. I picked up a 2016 model Cobra KING Utility head for cheap a few days ago. I mentioned I don’t often play courses where wind/roll in a big factor, but when I do, I might prefer to swap in the KING utility for the Epic Flash. I can always loft the Super Hybrid up a little more to fill the gap in that situation.

I’m looking at shafting the KING Utility with the matching MMT utility shaft, and I may also look at ordering a matching MMT hybrid shaft for the Epic Flash and Super Hybrid. As you can probably tell, I’m really loving the feel of that profile. 

Always fun to see the change from when I first joined… 

[BIG STU 10,470]

Ok I really like it including the research and the why to of your choices. Seems well thought out and fitted to your needs.

[RollingGreens 2,359]

Really cool bag. Starting doing some research on the MMT shafts. Needless to say I’m intrigued. I love the modus tours I have but I will consider graphite when my body tells me it’s time. 

[edingc 12,458]

1 hour ago, BIG STU said:

Ok I really like it including the research and the why to of your choices. Seems well thought out and fitted to your needs.

Thank you! I've been through enough clubs and fittings over the past two years to know what I like and dislike in clubs now. One of the things I picked up from here is, "Why make golf harder than it needs to be?"

I really tried to analyze the weakest parts of my game and see how I could play better and think I've come up with a setup that will do that.

27 minutes ago, RollingGreens said:

Really cool bag. Starting doing some research on the MMT shafts. Needless to say I’m intrigued. I love the modus tours I have but I will consider graphite when my body tells me it’s time. 

Thanks! That's probably the nicest comment I could get in a sea of other very cool WITB posts.

Callaway has the MMTs in this year's fitting cart. I encourage you to go hit one (I demoed an Apex Forged and the 95S shaft before buying the Sub70's). They feel amazing for my swing, and I love the dampening effect. I hit 150 balls today in 20ish degree weather off the mats and have zero wrist or elbow pain tonight.

[tchat07 1,856]

Very interested to see what kind of success you have at the top end of the bag with the hybrids. I plan to get a fitting for that area of my bag and was leaning more toward woods vs hybrids. Seeing your thoughts there has me a little more open to hybrids and not just having woods because that's how it normally is.

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[edingc 12,458]

Picked up a gently used 2016 model Cobra KING Utility to give me some more flexibility at the top end of the bag. Paired the head with a MMT 105 TX Utility shaft to match the profile of the irons.

I don't expect this club to get a lot of use at my home course, but there are a handful of more open, links-style courses that I like to play where this will likely make an appearance as a tee club. In those situations, I'll drop the Sub70 4 iron to make room and loft the Epic Flash hybrid up to 22 or 23 degrees so that I still have a 200-ish yard club for approaches into greens.

[edingc 12,458]

Couple additions/changes since my last update:

Both hybrids have been shafted with MMT 80TX hybrid shafts. The feel isn't quite the same as the tapered tip MMT iron shafts, but I'm really liking the "smooth stoutness" that they bring to the hybrids. They still launch plenty high but I feel like I have a little better control:

I'm really happy with everything in my bag at the moment, so I started looking around at headcovers. The stock Super Hybrid cover was already starting to fall apart, so I opted to match everything with some sweet blue/white/red Callaway "vintage" covers. They fit great and look awesome in the bag. Best part? They cost something like $35 for all three:

[edingc 12,458]

edingc's WITB - 2022 Edition

Another semi-lengthy WITB bag as the 2022 season draws near. There has not been nearly as much turnover in my bag this offseason as last, but I still made a few changes.

Driver - Callaway Epic Max LS (9°, set to 8°), 45.75", Dumina AutoFlex SF505X

You can find a pretty lengthy review of my experience with the mythical AutoFlex over in my unofficial review:

This combination returns in 2022 as I hope to continue to improve from the tee box. I still suffer too many penalties off the tee box, so naturally this spot of the bag is also open to change as I continue my quest to lower my handicap.

2 Hybrid - Callaway Super Hybrid (17°, set to 16°), 41.5", Mitsubishi MMT 80HY TX

This club primarily sees tee duties off one specific hole at my home course, but this offseason I've focused on improving my off-the-deck swing with it as well. A change from my last WITB post is that this club now has the Mitsubishi MMT shaft in it, continuing the trend from my irons below.

4 Hybrid - Callaway Epic Flash (21°, set to 20°), 40", Mitsubishi MMT 80HY TX

The Epic Flash is sneaky long and just wants to hit the ball straight. Like the Super Hybrid, this also now has a Mitsubishi MMT hybrid shaft.

4 Utility - 2020 Cobra KING (22.5°, set to 21°), 38.5", UST Mamiya Recoil 110 F5

This was an addition late to the bag late season. I've found it much more forgiving than the set 4 iron, and the adjustable loft is a nice thing as well.

5-GW - Sub70 699 Pro, 37" 7 Iron, Mitsubishi MMT Taper 105 TX

Small change from last year, when I gamed 4-6 regular 699s in a combination set with the 699 Pros. I ended up not liking the offset difference between the regular 699s and 699s Pros. I caught a great Black Friday deal on a used 699 Pro set and scavenged heads from it to make the swap.

I absolutely love these irons and the graphite shafts have been awesome on my joints. I practice a ton off of mats in the winter and have had nearly zero wrist or shoulder pain this winter.

54°, 58° - Cobra MIM Black, Mitsubishi MMT Taper Wedge 105 TX

No individual picture, but these wedges are going on year three in the bag. While I love the MIMs, these are also likely to be replaced in the near future.

Putter - L.A.B. Golf DF 2.1, 36", 68°, Black with Custom Sightlines, BGT Stability Tour, L.A.B. Press II 3°

This was an excellent purchase and I netted about a two stroke improvement in my putts per round last year despite hitting roughly the same amount of greens.

Estimated Gapping

• Driver: +++
• 2 HY: 235 yards
• 4 HY: 225 yards
• 4: 215 yards
• 5: 210 yards
• 6: 198 yards
• 7: 186 yards
• 8: 174 yards
• 9: 162 yards
• PW: 150 yards
• AW: 138 yards
• 54: 126 yards
• 58: 114 yards

Future Plans

I am hoping to go for a full bag fitting sometime in early July, more just to have fun than out of need, but I'll be curious to see how the early season goes. I'm definitely open to changing anything and everything in the bag, except for putter. Wedges are the most likely change (or at least will be refreshed with new MIMs), but I wouldn't be surprised if a new Epic Super Hybrid makes an appearance at some point during the season.

[yungkory 11,109]

What's all that white stuff on the ground

[edingc 12,458]

57 minutes ago, yungkory said:

What's all that white stuff on the ground

Massive sand trap... 

[hartrick11 782]

Recognizing that all mileage varies, now that you have played the 105tx for a while can you talk about them compared to other iron shafts you have tried? I have a 125tx utility in my 3i that is a bit too much for me so am thinking about 105tx in my next iron set. I did see that you came from C taper lites so that scares me a bit when I will be coming from $ taper 130 and have always played heavy shafts, but it also looks like you have stout wood shafts so I am guessing your swing may have changed a bit over the years?

I am guessing that 125 stiff or tx soft stepped is likely my answer but the 105 is so much easier to get and I would rather save the hundreds of dollars by avoiding a fully customized component build if possible. My local golf mart didn’t have the 105tx to try so I am sourcing as much outside information as possible. Thx!

[edingc 12,458]

17 minutes ago, hartrick11 said:

Recognizing that all mileage varies, now that you have played the 105tx for a while can you talk about them compared to other iron shafts you have tried? I have a 125tx utility in my 3i that is a bit too much for me so am thinking about 105tx in my next iron set. I did see that you came from C taper lites so that scares me a bit when I will be coming from $ taper 130 and have always played heavy shafts, but it also looks like you have stout wood shafts so I am guessing your swing may have changed a bit over the years?

I am guessing that 125 stiff or tx soft stepped is likely my answer but the 105 is so much easier to get and I would rather save the hundreds of dollars by avoiding a fully customized component build if possible. My local golf mart didn’t have the 105tx to try so I am sourcing as much outside information as possible. Thx!

First and foremost, I primarily ended up with graphite because of my winter practice off of mats. The previous two winters I visited a heated range about once a week from November to March and had various issues with sore wrists and shoulder pain. This is the first winter I've been all graphite. Combined with having my own home hitting area with a Fiberbuilt FlightDeck, I've had little to no soreness or pain despite practicing more often.

All that being said, yes, I came from C-Taper Lites (primarily the 110 models in stiff) after the outcomes of two separate Trackman iron fittings from different companies in 2019 and 2020. During both fittings I saw noticeably better results from the CTLs than anything else at the time. I looked back and my max 7 iron swing speed was roughly 84-87 MPH during both fittings.

You are correct that my swing has changed a bit since those fittings as I've continued to take lessons and pushed myself in the gym. I've had a few lessons this past winter and have been pushing closer to 95 MPH cruising speed on Trackman with a 7 iron at times. On my Mevo+ I've seen 100+ a handful of times as well.

I ended up with the MMTs specifically in 105 TX because I was looking for something tip stiff with a fairly high bend point, which seems to be the general profile of the CTLs. I also was looking for something in the 110-115 gram range. During the 2019 fitting, I had good results with SteelFiber i110s which led me to believe I was in the right sweet spot for weight. 

After that, it was a trial and error process. I'm not sure if this is still the case, but I was able to order the 4 iron shaft separate from the 5-9 shafts. I ordered the 4 first, installed it straight in and figured I could soft-step if necessary. That turned out not to be the case. I then ordered the rest of the shafts and the matching wedge-specific shafts as well.

Overall spin is a probably a little lower than ideal with the Sub70 699 Pros, but I also tend to close the face a bit and hit lower spinning draws in the first place. I do get enough height, however, and paired with a higher-spin ball I usually get hop-and-stop performance into greens. 

Late last season I ordered my Cobra Utility with the Recoil 110 F5 and that's a nice feeling shaft as well, and it produces a slight bit more spin. I would be interested in trying those in a full set, too, but I see the price has recently gone up a little into SteelFiber territory.

Regardless, I don't see myself going back to steel anytime in the future.

[russtopherb 9,650]

44 minutes ago, edingc said:

First and foremost, I primarily ended up with graphite because of my winter practice off of mats. The previous two winters I visited a heated range about once a week from November to March and had various issues with sore wrists and shoulder pain. This is the first winter I've been all graphite. Combined with having my own home hitting area with a Fiberbuilt FlightDeck, I've had little to no soreness or pain despite practicing more often.

...

Regardless, I don't see myself going back to steel anytime in the future.

Same here, graphite shafts have completely eliminated joint pain and my tennis elbow. I am still hesitant to practice off mats to be honest, but I haven't had any concerns practicing a lot otherwise. The additional cost for graphite is well worth the reduced wear & tear on my body. 

Nice looking bag to start 2022!

[LeftyMatt89 900]

What an awesome WITB with thorough thought of each club. Thanks for sharing. I think I’m in the same boat with your decision in 2021 to get rid of your fairway wood. I only hit mine once every 3/4 rounds. It’s probably a useless club at my home course and would be better to have a club I would actually use. Definitely have my wheels turning in my head right now.