RoverRick WITB and DIY Putter Well

[RoverRick]

I realize that none of you really care near as much about what is in my bag as much as I do, but right now, I absolutely love all my clubs. I recently replaced my Ben Hogan hybrids that I have played since 2004 with some Titleist 909H. Ironically, after trying 9 different combinations of shafts, I ended up putting the same shafts that was in the Hogans in the newer Titleists. The Hogans were great but even if you take care of you clubs, they were showing some wear.

 

There will be an new addition to the bag before long. The Callaway Razr Fit with the Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7. This will not only break up the completely Titleist bag but wil also break up the yellow shafts of UST. But I am very excited about it coming. I was planning on waiting until it arrived before making this but decided to go ahead because there has been a request about the Umbrella Putter Well DIY project so I will include pictures of that. But first is the WITB.

 

Driver is a 909D3 9.5 with a UST Proforce V2 Stiff

 

Fairway Wood is 909F2 15.5 with a UST Proforce V2 Stiff.

 

Hybrids are 909H with a 19 and 21 degree both with UST Axivcore Red Stiff shafts.

 

Irons are Titleist ZB 5-pitching wedge with a Dynalite Stiff shaft. What I love most about these are that chipping with these blade irons feels as precise as chipping with a wedge.

 

Wedges are 2009 Vokey Spin Mill Tour Chrome in 52, 56, and 64.

 

The putter is a Scotty Cameron Big Sur that has been copper plated. This was a long putter but the shaft is now cut down. I am considering sending this back and having some work done on it, but have not made up my mind. I have a 33 inch Odyssey 2 Ball putter that I also play and a mid Odyssey that I also play occassionally. I find the belly putter to be an excellent training aid. While I can not putt that great with it, I still practice putts with it to get the feel of a perfect arc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the DIY project. I like a bag with a putter well. I had a Callaway with a short 18" putter well on it for a number of years. This bag was worn out and my wife got me a new Callaway Org. 14 last year for my birthday. It should have been great. However, there was a hard plastic top on it and it left marks on my graphite shafts. This made me very unhappy. I complained about it and one of my friends ended up buying this golf bag from me. I came across two Titleist golf bags for sale so I ended up buying them. They did not have putter wells but what the heck.

 

fter a month of not having one I decided I would make my own. And here is how I did it.

 

First I took the short one off of the old Callaway. I then found a cardboard tube that a shaft had come in and it was the exact size that I could cut the short putter well in two and stick the top in one end and the bottom in the other. This would give me the mechanism to attach it to the bag, I then noticed that the umbrella loop at the bottom and the strap at the top would be perfect. I did not have to use it but it was more convienent, and that doubled the lock methods. So I have the tip sticks in the umbrella loop and is held in place by a black zip tie, and the top is held in place by another black zip tie and the umbrella strap.

 

Oh yeah, I covered the cardboard with black ducktape and then using the spray glue for the headliner in your car, I covered this with a faux leather that I bought at Walmart for $2.70. I spared no expense.

 

 

View of the bag with the putter well where the umbrella should be.

 

Close up of the top of the attachment method of putter well.

 

 

Close up of the bottom attachment method. I used a wood burner to poke holes in the bag to get the zip tie through to keep it from ravelling.

[Stuart81]

I wonder if any of the big companies spot this and put it into a new bag sometime soon, I think it is a good idea

 

Stuart

[SeeRed]

Now I know what I'm doing while it rains this weekend. Thanks!

[skihippy]

Awesome DIY, thanks for the info. I got a cleveland cart right now and the putter spot is really starting to annoy me!!!

[RoverRick]

I was very happy with my clubs. But that was last month. Well, actually in January, if you would have asked me I would have said I was planning on doing some tweaking iron shafts and perhaps some work done to the putter but I was set for the year. Then I won the Callaway driver. When this arrived, the shaft on it proved that there really was a spin problem. And it could be fixed with equipment. Tour AD DI 7 reduced spin and 30 yards, over two clubs less on approach shots, appeared overnight.

 

This caused a minor ripple in the shafts on the hybrids. Lower spinnning, lower launching shafts were added to the mix. The 3 wood has left the bag for the most part. Project X Graphite and Motore F1 are the replacements. But there was a problem with the iron shafts.

 

In an effort to get more distance, I have been trying the lighter is faster route. "You should play the weakest flex that you can control." Only problem is I now hit the 5 iron at 90+ mph and still only get about 175, but the good news is I can back up a 5 iron on the green. I have serious spin issues. So last week I went to the launch monitor and checked out some shafts.

 

I found out with the driver that a heavier shaft spins less and that works better for me. I have some more testing to do to get the right shaft but this brings me to the reason for this post....

 

 

Friday afternoon I was on the range before a round talking with one of the guys that was playing with me that afternoon. I had both sets of irons trying to decide which to game that day. I explained that I was about to replace the shafts in the irons. He said, "That sounds like a lot of work, why don't you just buy some with the right shafts?" I said that I liked my irons and besides, they I would have to sell these, and it was just as much work. He said he liked my irons also, and would buy them. So I sold my irons.

 

I also bought a set of practically brand new Mizuno MP62 heads. I am on a quest for the shafts but I plan to have a in the new bag next week.

 

Never had Mizuno's before. Pretty excited.

[RoverRick]

Well, I finally got around to taking a few pictures of the new clubs in the bag.

 

First the club on the golf car with headcovers on.

 

 

Headcovers removed.

 

 

First is the driver.

Callaway Razr Fit with Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 shaft and Golf Pride White Tour Wrap Grip

 

 

The Irons:

Mizuno MP62 with KBS C Taper XS shafts and Pure Grip red tour wraps with black trim. Matching Ferrules.

 

 

 

The Wedges:

Mizuno T Series 51* Raw Haze KBS C Taper Shaft. Titleist Vokey Oil Can 56* and 64* KBS Wedge shafts.

 

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Big Sur Copper Plated

 

[Flv02]

Beautiful looking set! Best of luck with them this season! With all this talk around the forum and after these pictures, I think my next set of irons are going to be Mizunos. It may have to wait a year or two but it seems like everyone is having so much success with them.

[GolfSpy Tim]

inspired - about to update my bad... so I'll do a pre-update and an updated version this month!

[RoverRick]

So more slight modifacations to the game bag. I played an Odyssey White Hot Mid Putter cut down to 33" for years. At the end of last year I switched to an Odyssey White Hot 2 Ball Putter. Then with my back issues, I used the Mid putter as a test bed for a longer putter. I have really, really, really tried to fall in love with the Scotty Cameron Big Sur that has been copper plated. It is a beautiful putter. But I have struggled with the putter of late. So what I had was the Scotty and the 2 Ball. I have gone back and forth with these putters, and will putt great one day and horribly the next. The short 2 ball was great but the more I used it during the weekend, the worse it got, and the more my back hurt. I would then play a few hole with the Scotty and would start great and get worse. I even carried two putters for one weekend and changed back and forth.

 

Finally, I have reach a conclusion. I have experimented with the length and have modified the Mid to be the best of both worlds. So I have the 34" 2 Ball and the 48" Scotty and have added the 42" Mid putter. The Odyssey Mid Putter is so much better balanced than the Scotty it is rediculous. I played yesterday 9 holes with a Scotty Anser type putter and hated it.

 

I have tried to putt the way everyone says you are supposed to, with a pendulum type motion, but I am a handsy putter. I use my wrist more like Jack Nicklaus did and this works. The other way does not work for me. I will also add that while I complain about my putting and say that I can not putt, I am actually a better putter on my bad days than most people I play with. I have been bitterly disappointed this year because I have only won the Wednesday Night Scramble with my putting twice this year. Last year, I had won 8 times by now. I was a great putter, my driving and irons sucked, but wedges and putter were my game. Now, I am doing everything well except putting.

 

[RoverRick]

New addition to the bag. I still have MP62's and Razr Fit and Titleist stuff but for my everyday play I have gone with White and Black, actually black and gun blue.

 

First a copy of my bag signature.

In my Titleist Golf Bag

Driver: Taylormade R11 10.5* (Breast Cancer) w/Talamonti PD80 X Stiff (Redesigned)w/Golf Pride White

Fairway Metal: Taylormade R11 T14* w/Talamonti PD80 X Stiff (Original) w/Golf Pride Tour Wrap White

Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro Black 18* w/Aldila Voodoo SNV8 w/Golf Pride Tour Wrap White

Irons: Mizuno MP 32 4-9 Irons Gun Blue w/KBS Tour Black Nickel XS w/ Pure Grip Tour Wrap Red personalized

Wedge: Mizuno MP 33 PW Gun Blue w/KBS Tour Black Nickel XS w/ Pure Grip Tour Wrap Red personalized

Wedge: Mizuno MP T11 51* Gun Blue w/KBS Wedge XS w/Golf Pride Tour Wrap white

Wedge: Mizuno MP T11 56* Gun Blue w/True Temper Spinner Shaft w/Golf Pride Tour Wrap white

Wedge: Titleist Vokey Spin Mill Gun Blue 64* w/KBS Wedge XS w/Golf Pride Tour Wrap white

Putter:Titleist Scotty Cameron Kombi 37"

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x or Taylormade Penta

Shoes : Ashworth Cardiff

 

 

[The Dansome]

These are seriously good looking. Sweet ferules of I must say.

[GolfSpy WD]

Very nice looking set Rick. When did you get the Adams btw? I noticed it in your sig, but forgot to ask.

[RoverRick]

Very nice looking set Rick. When did you get the Adams btw? I noticed it in your sig, but forgot to ask.

 

Monday, it came with the MP32's. I have not even changed the grip yet. It looks odd to me to be sitting there with all those highly customized clubs and still have the factory grip. I have not added the 8 layer of tape below the right hand. Or anything. I do have about a half dozen shafts to put in it but honestly I liked the green VooDoo that is in it. But it may end up with a KBS Hybrid in it. Unless I go with a KBS Tour Black Nickel.

 

I have only hit this on the Range. So I am anxious to see how it does. I have only hit any of them on the range. I spent all day today working on my golf car. Not all day but most of it. I had a bad end on the wire going to the motor, so I replaced it, and over tightened the bolt and it broke. I find out in the morning if it is a $25 screw up or a $450 screw up. What an idiot. It is a copper bolt and I cranked on it like it was a Grade 8 Stainless Steel bolt holding the rotors on a helicopter I was about to fly in.

[kygolfer1980]

Irons look great Rick!!

[revkev]

Wow - those irons look great. Tell me about the 4 iron - is that a 32 as well or is it the fli - hi colored in some way?

 

Also is it possible to coat traditional looking irons to make them gun metal shade without changing their playability?

 

I hate to sound so stupid but this is a beautiful looking set and more importantly a very functional set, look wise, for someone who lives in a Southern climate where glare is a factor.

 

Thanks for the pics Rick - wish I could go out and play.

 

Also gave me an idea for another thread.

[RoverRick]

Wow - those irons look great. Tell me about the 4 iron - is that a 32 as well or is it the fli - hi colored in some way?

 

Also is it possible to coat traditional looking irons to make them gun metal shade without changing their playability?

 

I hate to sound so stupid but this is a beautiful looking set and more importantly a very functional set, look wise, for someone who lives in a Southern climate where glare is a factor.

 

Thanks for the pics Rick - wish I could go out and play.

 

Also gave me an idea for another thread.

 

This is just the standard MP32 4 iron. I hit it just fine on the range. The 2008 MP FLI HI would look the same but I am not so sure about the 2010, it is a different metal.

 

As far as changing the playability? This made them a touch softer, simply because the Chrome Plating is more wear resistant and a bit harder than the steel underneath. I do not know if this is enough of a difference to actually feel or if it is just a perceived difference. Last week, on Friday, I played with the Titleist 64* wedge as tour chrome. Friday night when I got home, I stripped it and refinished it and paint filled it. Saturday, it just felt so soft and I just loved it. However, that could have been my imagination but honestly that is just as good. Reality is not really important in the area of feel. Imagination is everything.

 

As for wear, I have no idea if these will wear the same as chrome but that was one of the reasons I did not want to do this with new irons. A side for the fact that I think it would be a crime to deface a brand new set of Mizzies this way. Since these were already worn and looking a bit ragged I had no qualms about doing it. That is not totally true because these actually looked a little bit better in person than they did in the photos so I considered not doing it to them, but now I am glad I did.

 

I hear people all the time talk about glare, and I also live in the south, and have never had an issue with glare.

 

However, a side effect is that not only does the bag look a lot bigger with these heads in it, (this is the same bag in all of the pictures in this thread.) I can not have a new bag because I did not like the last one my wife gave me. She does not care about clubs but if getting a new bag is a sore subject. This also makes the ball look bigger. Some people thing that a bigger club adds confidence but to me the bigger looking ball seems easier to hit.

 

I also like the white heads of the driver and 3FM compared to the black of the hybrid and irons, however, a flat black driver and FM would also look pretty good.

[RoverRick]

I still have all my chrome set and I have not decided which is which but one set will stay here and the other set will travel with me. I am thinking that the black set will travel better than the chrome but I can always put on head covers. However, I doubt I will play anywhere that the ground is harder and has more rocks in it than Texas and the Southwest and the black are definitely better for that.

[GolfSpy WD]

Dude, amazing pics and beautiful bag! I like the 62s, but I lovvvve the 32s! Gentlemen, now that's an iron. When you guys are feelin like you got game, put the mallets away, pick up a 30 series, and take a swing. You'll know real quick if you're a contender or a pretender!

 

Oh yea, I'm glad that ya still got the 11 in the bag. i'm glad it found a good home!

 

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever

 

I agree the 32s are beautiful, but I don't think I need to swing one to know if I'm a contender or pretender