jbern Intro and WITB

[jbern]

Intro:

I’ve been a forum member for over a year now and haven’t done a proper intro and WITB, so here we go!

First off, I'm a dad to three young kids (ages 1-6). They are awesome and keep my wife and I very busy. None of them are into golf yet, except for driving around in the cart! The kids are into soccer and gymnastics and then as a family we like to go on hikes and bike rides and get out on the lake in the summertime. 

For work, I'm an engineer for a fleet of generation facitlities of all types. I design the protection systems that keep the equipment and people safe within the generation facilities.

As far as golf goes, I golfed for the first time when I was a 14 years old, the day before high school golf team tryouts. I proceeded to tryout for the golf team and I ended up making the final spot on the golf team. After that I golfed almost everyday the weather obliged from May-October for the rest of high school. I was not a nerd for golf during that time, but by my senior year, I was floating between a 5-7 hdcp. We did not have a good team as you can see from the local newpaper article (that is me in the photo):

After high school, golf and I had a falling out and I only golfed 7 times over the next 15 years. Then a friend from church asked me to be in a scramble in the fall of 2021 and at the scramble they talked me into joining a fall golf league. Ever since I've been obsessed and get out every chance I get.

 

WITB:

Drivers:

I've been gaming a PXG Gen4 10.5* (turned down to 9*) with a Mitsubishi Tensei Blue 65g S-flex. It's been a good driver and was definitely an upgrade from my Cleveland Launcher 460 (circa 2003).

I felt like I was missing out on a little distance and forgiveness. So I've been slowly browsing for something different and landed on a Cobra LTDx with a Project X Blue Smoke 60g 6.0 shaft that I got from a fellow forum spy! I'm going to be doing a head-to-head for the next few weeks to make sure it's worthy of going in the bag!

 

Fairway metals and hybrids:

My 3W came from coming runner up in the MGS Forum Open Championship Pick'em contest sponsored by Titleist!!! I won my choice of fairway wood! I chose the TSR2 15* (turned down to 14*) with a Project X Blue Smoke 60g 6.0 shaft. It's been a fantastic club and perfectly filled the gap between 5W and Dr I used to have.

The 5W has been a staple for me since a started golfing. My first 5W was an actual wooden 5W and was my go-to club when I was nervous or in any trouble. The PXG Gen4 XF 5W (19* turned down to 17.5*) has rails along the bottom that really help it glide over the turf. I can't see myself replacing this one for a while.

I had never used a hybrid before and when I came back to golf in 2021, I could NOT hit my long irons at all. My 3, 4 & 5 irons all went the same distance. PXG was running a bonkers sale on their Gen4 fairway woods and hybrids so I just decided to get a 4hybrid to try out. It hasn't left my bag since. My only complaint with it is the sound is not good to me.

 

Irons:

I’m writing up a long term review on these Sub70 659 CB irons so I won’t say much about them here. I’ll just say that I like them a lot! I bought them used off of fb marketplace. They were a little beat up, but the price was too good to pass on. I have the 5-AW (50*) with Project X 6.0 steel shafts. 

 

Wedges:

I used to buy cheap wedge sets that came in 52*, 56*, & 60* sets. They did the job, but since switching to a more premium 54* & 58* wedge in the Sub70 286, I’ll never go back. The feel and playability is just different and better in about every way.

 

Putter:

Armlock putting took some time to get used to and I’m still not quite there, even after half a season with one. There’s no denying that my putting stats have improved since making the switch to the Sub70 AL-6 armlock putter. I have an Unofficial Review here that goes into a lot of detail about the putter and my stats.

 

Grips:

I use Graves Golf Academy single plane grips on my irons, hybrid and fairway woods. I’m a single plane swinging golfer and the grips are just an easy checkpoint for hand position. They are kind of a pain to install because of the spot on alignment that’s needed.

 

Balls:

This one will be ever changing, but my main two balls of choice are the Vice Pro Drip and the Maxfli Tour S. The Vice Pro Drip just looks and the Maxfli Tour S was a top performer during Titleist white box testing and again later when I did a ball test of my own! 

Bag and Accessories:

I have a Titleist 6 divider bag that’s about 20 years old and it’s fine. I love the simple look of it, but I wouldn’t mind an upgrade soon. It also looks great on my Clicgear 4.0 pushcart. I walk 90% of my rounds and was fortunate enough to be a ’23 MGS Forum Tester for the Clicgear 4.0. If you’re interested in it, see my review here!

 

I also carry a ruler or two to use as alignment aids. One I have marked up with where my foot and ball position should be for each club. 

My glove has been Kirkland Signature since reading an MGS article about them, putting them on my Christmas list and my Costco loving M-I-L’s eye’s lighting up at an easy gift opportunity! They’re great gloves, but I’m beyond excited to try the MGS forum badged Red Rooster gloves that are coming my way in May!

 

 

I think that’s about all. It’s been a pleasure being a forum member for over a year now and getting to know so many wonderful golfers and fellow spies!

Have a great day everyone! 

[Michael.Sandoval33]

Great looking bag. Can't wait to see which driver you choose and read your review on the sub 70's. Would you say that changing the the loft on your wedges might have helped or is it very indicative of the quality? 

Also, smart move putting the KSig gloves on the Christmas list, that was an alley-oop to the MIL for the slam home. 

[TSauer]

That’s a great setup. This might be the first bag I’ve seen rocking Sub70 irons, wedges, and a putter... love to see it! 

Also, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m a sucker for nice photos. Well done! 

[jbern]

53 minutes ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

Great looking bag. Can't wait to see which driver you choose and read your review on the sub 70's. Would you say that changing the the loft on your wedges might have helped or is it very indicative of the quality? 

Also, smart move putting the KSig gloves on the Christmas list, that was an alley-oop to the MIL for the slam home. 

The quality was the big difference maker. I think the lofts helped with gapping more than anything else. 

[jbern]

41 minutes ago, TSauer said:

That’s a great setup. This might be the first bag I’ve seen rocking Sub70 irons, wedges, and a putter... love to see it! 

Also, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m a sucker for nice photos. Well done! 

I didn’t intend to go with Sub70 for all those things. The irons and wedges were a great fb marketplace find and the putter was an armlock experiment that seems to be going well! I definitely want to go visit their fitting studio sometime soon.  I hear it’s a blast! 

I appreciate the comment about the photos! It took a lot longer than I intended to get them all taken and spliced together. 

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Calling @GolfSub70 you have a real fan and supporter in @jbern!

Great WIYB and fantastic photos! 

Thanks for sharing

[Splatt]

Quite the diverse bag you have there.

Always nice to have something in the bag that you won in a comp, haha.

Those Sub 70 irons look slick

[funkyjudge]

22 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Calling @GolfSub70 you have a real fan and supporter in @jbern!

Great WIYB and fantastic photos! 

Thanks for sharing

I could be playing an entire Sub 70 bag, with the exception of the putter, as I own a Sub 70 driver, three Sub 70 fairway woods, five Sub 70 hybrids in various lofts, a mixed set 0f Sub 70 699 / 699 Pro irons, and several Sub 70 wedges.

[Rob Person]

Great witb detail! Not many can say their full lineup is nearly 1 brand!!  I've read through your armlock putter stuff, and have to say it's not something I've tried, but looks promising for you!

Thanks for sharing!!!

[BobBC78]

Great looking bag @jbern!!! I am looking forward to reading your long term review of the Sub70 irons. FWIW, I'm considering replacing my G710s with 699 V2s and am ordering a 7i to test.

Love to hear that you are a single plane guy. I am converting to this method and have signed up with Kirk Junge's Setup4Impact; so far so good. 

[Shankopotomous]

Good write up and photos.  You even snuck in a calf shot for those that are impressed by that kind of leg action! 

[jbern]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Calling @GolfSub70 you have a real fan and supporter in @jbern!

Great WIYB and fantastic photos! 

Thanks for sharing

Thanks! Yes, there’s no denying that I’m a big fan of Sub70. It’s been one of my most frequented websites for a long time! 

[jbern]

5 hours ago, Splatt said:

Quite the diverse bag you have there.

Always nice to have something in the bag that you won in a comp, haha.

Those Sub 70 irons look slick

Thanks! The 3W was one of those clubs I didn’t think I needed, but now use it a ton!

[jbern]

5 hours ago, funkyjudge said:

I could be playing an entire Sub 70 bag, with the exception of the putter, as I own a Sub 70 driver, three Sub 70 fairway woods, five Sub 70 hybrids in various lofts, a mixed set 0f Sub 70 699 / 699 Pro irons, and several Sub 70 wedges.

Talk about a Sub70 fan! Wow!  
How do you like the mixed iron set? I had a buddy ask about them and I had to tell him I didn’t have any hands on experience with them, but it sounds like a good idea. 

[jbern]

3 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Great witb detail! Not many can say their full lineup is nearly 1 brand!!  I've read through your armlock putter stuff, and have to say it's not something I've tried, but looks promising for you!

Thanks for sharing!!!

Thanks! 
My thought with the armlock was that if it took my wrists out of the stroke it was one less thing to worry about. Give it a shot sometime! Most people that I’ve let try it either love it or hate it so you’ll probably know pretty quickly if it’s for you

[jbern]

1 hour ago, BobBC78 said:

Great looking bag @jbern!!! I am looking forward to reading your long term review of the Sub70 irons. FWIW, I'm considering replacing my G710s with 699 V2s and am ordering a 7i to test.

Love to hear that you are a single plane guy. I am converting to this method and have signed up with Kirk Junge's Setup4Impact; so far so good. 

Thanks!

 I’ve been a single plane golfer for two seasons now! It just seems to be simpler and make sense in my little brain! Haha

[jbern]

46 minutes ago, Shapotomous said:

Good write up and photos.  You even snuck in a calf shot for those that are impressed by that kind of leg action! 

Thanks! I guess I should’ve tagged all those calf crazy forum members!  

[GolfSub70]

Thank you for the support @jbern! If you ever need anything let us know...and you should definitely come down to visit us in Sycamore whenever you get a chance. It's a great time and there's no cost for fittings.

[Josh Parker]

Nice WITB!  Photos are great and I like all the Sub70 gear!  

[Erin B]

12 hours ago, jbern said:

Intro:

I’ve been a forum member for over a year now and haven’t done a proper intro and WITB, so here we go!

First off, I'm a dad to three young kids (ages 1-6). They are awesome and keep my wife and I very busy. None of them are into golf yet, except for driving around in the cart! The kids are into soccer and gymnastics and then as a family we like to go on hikes and bike rides and get out on the lake in the summertime. 

For work, I'm an engineer for a fleet of generation facitlities of all types. I design the protection systems that keep the equipment and people safe within the generation facilities.

As far as golf goes, I golfed for the first time when I was a 14 years old, the day before high school golf team tryouts. I proceeded to tryout for the golf team and I ended up making the final spot on the golf team. After that I golfed almost everyday the weather obliged from May-October for the rest of high school. I was not a nerd for golf during that time, but by my senior year, I was floating between a 5-7 hdcp. We did not have a good team as you can see from the local newpaper article (that is me in the photo):

After high school, golf and I had a falling out and I only golfed 7 times over the next 15 years. Then a friend from church asked me to be in a scramble in the fall of 2021 and at the scramble they talked me into joining a fall golf league. Ever since I've been obsessed and get out every chance I get.

 

WITB:

Drivers:

I've been gaming a PXG Gen4 10.5* (turned down to 9*) with a Mitsubishi Tensei Blue 65g S-flex. It's been a good driver and was definitely an upgrade from my Cleveland Launcher 460 (circa 2003).

I felt like I was missing out on a little distance and forgiveness. So I've been slowly browsing for something different and landed on a Cobra LTDx with a Project X Blue Smoke 60g 6.0 shaft that I got from a fellow forum spy! I'm going to be doing a head-to-head for the next few weeks to make sure it's worthy of going in the bag!

 

Fairway metals and hybrids:

My 3W came from coming runner up in the MGS Forum Open Championship Pick'em contest sponsored by Titleist!!! I won my choice of fairway wood! I chose the TSR2 15* (turned down to 14*) with a Project X Blue Smoke 60g 6.0 shaft. It's been a fantastic club and perfectly filled the gap between 5W and Dr I used to have.

The 5W has been a staple for me since a started golfing. My first 5W was an actual wooden 5W and was my go-to club when I was nervous or in any trouble. The PXG Gen4 XF 5W (19* turned down to 17.5*) has rails along the bottom that really help it glide over the turf. I can't see myself replacing this one for a while.

I had never used a hybrid before and when I came back to golf in 2021, I could NOT hit my long irons at all. My 3, 4 & 5 irons all went the same distance. PXG was running a bonkers sale on their Gen4 fairway woods and hybrids so I just decided to get a 4hybrid to try out. It hasn't left my bag since. My only complaint with it is the sound is not good to me.

 

Irons:

I’m writing up a long term review on these Sub70 659 CB irons so I won’t say much about them here. I’ll just say that I like them a lot! I bought them used off of fb marketplace. They were a little beat up, but the price was too good to pass on. I have the 5-AW (50*) with Project X 6.0 steel shafts. 

 

Wedges:

I used to buy cheap wedge sets that came in 52*, 56*, & 60* sets. They did the job, but since switching to a more premium 54* & 58* wedge in the Sub70 286, I’ll never go back. The feel and playability is just different and better in about every way.

 

Putter:

Armlock putting took some time to get used to and I’m still not quite there, even after half a season with one. There’s no denying that my putting stats have improved since making the switch to the Sub70 AL-6 armlock putter. I have an Unofficial Review here that goes into a lot of detail about the putter and my stats.

 

Grips:

I use Graves Golf Academy single plane grips on my irons, hybrid and fairway woods. I’m a single plane swinging golfer and the grips are just an easy checkpoint for hand position. They are kind of a pain to install because of the spot on alignment that’s needed.

 

Balls:

This one will be ever changing, but my main two balls of choice are the Vice Pro Drip and the Maxfli Tour S. The Vice Pro Drip just looks and the Maxfli Tour S was a top performer during Titleist white box testing and again later when I did a ball test of my own! 

Bag and Accessories:

I have a Titleist 6 divider bag that’s about 20 years old and it’s fine. I love the simple look of it, but I wouldn’t mind an upgrade soon. It also looks great on my Clicgear 4.0 pushcart. I walk 90% of my rounds and was fortunate enough to be a ’23 MGS Forum Tester for the Clicgear 4.0. If you’re interested in it, see my review here!

 

I also carry a ruler or two to use as alignment aids. One I have marked up with where my foot and ball position should be for each club. 

My glove has been Kirkland Signature since reading an MGS article about them, putting them on my Christmas list and my Costco loving M-I-L’s eye’s lighting up at an easy gift opportunity! They’re great gloves, but I’m beyond excited to try the MGS forum badged Red Rooster gloves that are coming my way in May!

 

 

I think that’s about all. It’s been a pleasure being a forum member for over a year now and getting to know so many wonderful golfers and fellow spies!

Have a great day everyone! 

Great intro!

[Erin B]

6 hours ago, funkyjudge said:

I could be playing an entire Sub 70 bag, with the exception of the putter, as I own a Sub 70 driver, three Sub 70 fairway woods, five Sub 70 hybrids in various lofts, a mixed set 0f Sub 70 699 / 699 Pro irons, and several Sub 70 wedges.

I checked Sub70 out when I chose New Level. It was a hard choice. Maybe next year… I did like their products. How’s the driver? What does it compare to? Inquiring mind wants to know.

[funkyjudge]

3 minutes ago, Erin B said:

I checked Sub70 out when I chose New Level. It was a hard choice. Maybe next year… I did like their products. How’s the driver? What does it compare to? Inquiring mind wants to know.

I was briefly a New Level fanboy, but their horrendous customer service and the constant antagonistic attitude of NL's owner turned me off to their company, no matter how good their products might be.

Sub 70 wins the customer service category hands-down, and that is very important to me.

[funkyjudge]

1 hour ago, jbern said:

Talk about a Sub70 fan! Wow!  
How do you like the mixed iron set? I had a buddy ask about them and I had to tell him I didn’t have any hands on experience with them, but it sounds like a good idea. 

The 699 and 699 Pro heads are pretty forgiving and they are nearly as long as the longest irons I have hit (Cobra King Forged Tec X, Callaway Paradym, and Tour Edge Exotics E721 and E722).  The only things that I don't particularly like about the Sub 70 699 and 699 Pro irons are that that the sole has too much of a curved leading edge (not camber, curvature from heel to toe), and that they have a little harsher feel than some other hollow-body irons.  Also, to get the yardage gaps right in the transition between the 699 and 699 Pros (the break is between the 7 and 8 irons in my blended set), the lofts need to be adjusted some.

[funkyjudge]

13 minutes ago, Erin B said:

I checked Sub70 out when I chose New Level. It was a hard choice. Maybe next year… I did like their products. How’s the driver? What does it compare to? Inquiring mind wants to know.

I have their 849 Pro driver model (9* loft).  It's a very good driver, and I have had some fairly long drives with it, but it's not QUITE as forgiving as some other drivers, such as the Paradym X and Ping's G430 MAX.  After all, it does have the word "Pro" in it's name.  I think that the standard 849 model would have been a better choice for me.

[ParFore74x]

Great looking bag and an outstanding WITB writeup!! Love the pics and level of detail that you went into. 

I placed an order for a Sub70 JB Forged 58° wedge about a week ago and keep getting more excited for it’s arrival everyday. So many great things said about the brand that I have to give them a try. 

[rkj427]

Great WITB and "Formal" introduction @jbern.

Awesome attention to detail, and great explanations of why the clubs currently are in play for you!

 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

@jbern stellar WITB post! Love those 659 CBs and they are in strong consideration for me when I eventually make a move out of my current irons a few seasons down the road. 

[funkyjudge]

2 hours ago, GolfSub70 said:

Thank you for the support @jbern! If you ever need anything let us know...and you should definitely come down to visit us in Sycamore whenever you get a chance. It's a great time and there's no cost for fittings.

Hey, how about me? I currently have 20 Sub 70 golf clubs in my arsenal, and there always at least two or three Sub 70 clubs in my bag!

[jbern]

7 hours ago, ParFore74x said:

Great looking bag and an outstanding WITB writeup!! Love the pics and level of detail that you went into. 

I placed an order for a Sub70 JB Forged 58° wedge about a week ago and keep getting more excited for it’s arrival everyday. So many great things said about the brand that I have to give them a try. 

I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! Are you planning to write a review? I’m thinking about going with the full-face grooved JB’s for my next wedge set!

[jbern]

8 hours ago, Erin B said:

Great intro!

 

8 hours ago, Josh Parker said:

Nice WITB!  Photos are great and I like all the Sub70 gear!  

 

7 hours ago, rkj427 said:

Great WITB and "Formal" introduction @jbern.

Awesome attention to detail, and great explanations of why the clubs currently are in play for you!

 

 

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

@jbern stellar WITB post! Love those 659 CBs and they are in strong consideration for me when I eventually make a move out of my current irons a few seasons down the road. 

Thanks everyone! It was fun to put together and I appreciate the support!