Penick's WITB (Last Hurrah?)

[DiscipleofPenick]

I realized I haven't done this since I joined. I can't recall what has changed, and nothing is really up to date, but I thought this might be a good time. Sometime in the near future I want to get a full bag fitting done. Let's see what I have, and I'll tell a little story about each club.

 

Driver - Titleist 915 D3 w/ Diamana White 70g X

This is the only club in the bag I was fitted for. I did it at Windmill Golf Center in Macedonia, Ohio, which the other CLE Spies @MattF @MaxEntropy will testify is an awesome place. I tested TM & Callaway as well, with the TM being not much different. However, I need to upcharge into their TP line to get this same shaft which is a stock offering in Titleist, so it came home with me. I currently have it in the B4 setting which is 1.5* added loft & .75* flat. I've actually been leaving it right this year so I'm going to swap to A4, which is just 1.5* extra loft, as I'm not so scared of a hook anymore. When I hit a hook, baby, no club setting is gonna save it.

3 Wood - Titleist 917 F3 w/ Kuro Kage X 

This is the first 3W I've ever carried, usually never had more than a 5W. I picked it up off eBay last year for $50. I love it though, even though I don't hit it a lot. It's always just felt great from the start. I knew I wanted a X shaft and any major brand, but I was delighted when I saw the price on this and grabbed it. It's set in the A4 position, so that's 16.5* loft.

Hybrid - Adams Idea Pro Boxer Gold w/ Aldila Proto X

What??? Adams still in the bag??? Hey there's still guys on the Senior PGA, and PGA guys still gaming Nike, so I don't mind. I replaced my 3i with this years ago and I know it's always a safe shot. It's the juice, when I gotta give one a squeeze this is the club I use. Even though I prefer to hit draws, and hybrids are supposed to be draw machines, this is a club I can reliably fade. That's why it's not coming out of the bag, it's the one thing I know I can hit the other way.

Irons (and Grips) - Titleist 714CB w/ DG X100

I've not had many iron sets. I went from MacGregor blades to TaylorMade R7 TP to this set. I wasn't sure I wanted to go back to a forged club and these seemed small at the time after the R7s (which were the tour player's club when released), but they were the winners. I kind of fit myself into them too. I went to GG and hit these, the MBs, the AP2 & 3, Ping iBlades, and a couple Mizuno heads. And with KBS and all the DG AMT shafts too. This combo ended up the best feeling by far. Though I didn't trust their monitor for distance. I think I was hitting 7i and they said I was hitting it 190. My R7 7i only went 165. So I went back a week later with my 7i and guess what? My R7 was also going 190. So I was actually hitting the 718s, but I found these 714s on eBay for $150 shipped. I was like GTFO those are mine NOW!! I have gained a club over my R7s and hit the 7i about 175. So I've kind of accidentally become a Titleist guy. 

The paint fill had worn out, and green is my favorite color. I found that Testors makes their paints in pens, so I bought a green pen and did the paint fill that way. I usually need to touch it up mid season, but the pen was $5. This year I also put green grips to match. The whole bag has MCC +4 Midsize in green. I love the look. I've had them for awhile, but just in gray.

Wedges - Vokey 50/54/58 w/ DG Stock Wedge Shafts

So I bought the 50/8 because it was a bad gap for me, and I just wasn't sure what else to do. When I had the R7s it filled the gap, I hit it about 120 max and my PW was 130. Well now my PW is 145 and this club still only went 120. Turns out it was bent to 52* and I didn't know it, another eBay purchase. The first lesson I had with a pro he asked me what a problem distance was and I told him 130. He put it on his loft/lie bench and bent it back. That gave me the distance I need now. This club does need replaced though.

The 54/10 is Never. Coming. Out. Of. My. Bag. You can see it doesn't even have the SM series stamp, that's how old it is. It is my can't miss club for 100 yards. And everything out of greenside bunkers. There is no club in my bag I have more confidence in. This is my baby and I'm never getting rid of it.

The 58/4 is brand new to the bag this year, though I've carried it for years. Originally, I had several pros tell me I needed high bounce wedges because of my steep swing. So I bought high bounce Cleveland CGs. Boy were they terrible. So the next season I went and bought the lowest bounce wedge on the market, and it's been in my bag since. This is the first time I've had it in black, and it's the raw too, but it hasn't started rusting yet. Problem is, after the SM6, Vokey stopped making the L grind in the 58, they only offer it in the 60. I've seen a few on eBay, but if you've got one lying around send me a PM. While I don't mind used clubs, this one I always buy new.

Putter - Odyssey Versa #7

I was actually gaming an original Zebra for awhile, then I tried my buddy's #7 and after the round ran home and bought one myself. I cut it down to 32 inches and put the fattest grip Super Stroke makes on it. I think it works just fine for me. Though it was really tough to not buy the White Hot OG #7 when those were released this spring. It ain't the fiddle, it's the fiddler, so I'm gonna stick with this.

Ball & Glove - Srixon Z-Star & Z Cabretta

2 years ago I switched to the Z-Star from the Pro V1. Absolutely nothing wrong with the Pro V1, it was just an affordability thing. I've not regretted it, I still play Pro Vs occasionally, just not going to spend my own money on them, and I've not noticed any performance drop off or durability issues with the Z-Star. This year I got a dozen in yellow (thanks @Golfspy_CG2!!) and I love playing a yellow ball. When I was a kid my dad always gave me the distance balls, and I had a soft spot for the yellow Pinnacles. So why not play what I love AND what brings back good memories. 

With the glove, my home course carries Srixon stuff. So I've been buying the synthetic all weather glove from him the past few years. At the beginning of the season, pro gave me the cabretta leather, and I forgot how much nicer they are. I went on eBay and found 6 for $70. The first one lasted me about 20 rounds, and the only complaint I would have is that really humid days effect the glove more than the synthetic. The fingers get a little iffy with the moisture. 

Bag - Ping Hoofer 4

I know what a faux paus, having a Ping bag and no clubs.  I needed a new bag and it was an offseason closeout at GG. I had garish yellow & black Titleist that finally gave out. This bag is more subdued and I know the durability is there. Ping bags were the standard at the country club I caddied. A few other quick things - I have the classic Crown Royale valuable pouch, I only use pink tees since I found out we were having a girl (in the future I'll let her pick what color I order), I use a Precision Pro rangefinder, and I carry 1 Titleist Professional 100 since my dad passed as that was his ball.

Custom Items -

The towel I just thought was funny, and at the time, full send was the way I played. Now I'm older and wiser and pick my spots. Still a conversation starter, and I think it would look odd if I didn't have a towel hanging down. I have a separate towel for cleaning clubs. And the ball marker, just posted this in a different thread, but want to include it here. I covered the third line of text, but you can guess what it is, and what it's referencing. Got them off Etsy, one of my favorite purchases. I think next year will be the time to pull the trigger on some custom club covers.

 

So that's what I jam. Hope you found this entertaining. 

[Shapotomous]

Nice set up!!  I completely understand the affection for an old wedge!!  You only listed 1 putter though.....doesn't everybody have a gamer and a bullpen of relievers that deserve a mention??!!

[MaxEntropy]

I dig the stories behind everything!

This got me thinking - since I first posted my WITB a few years, 100% of it has changed, including the bag. Maybe after the Epic Speed vs M5 battle is over, I'll post an update.

[DiscipleofPenick]

47 minutes ago, Shapotomous said:

Nice set up!!  I completely understand the affection for an old wedge!!  You only listed 1 putter though.....doesn't everybody have a gamer and a bullpen of relievers that deserve a mention??!!

I'm just not that guy lol. I have plenty of other things I collect without a bunch of putters. I'm happy with what I have. The OG and maybe the Spider have my eye if this ever goes sideways.

[DiscipleofPenick]

49 minutes ago, MaxEntropy said:

I dig the stories behind everything!

This got me thinking - since I first posted my WITB a few years, 100% of it has changed, including the bag. Maybe after the Epic Speed vs M5 battle is over, I'll post an update.

Thanks! I enjoyed putting this all together.

I think the Epic will win hands down now that you've been fitted. You'll find that consistency.