Whats in your bag?

[007]

I thought I would open up this forum with an easy one to start:

I play a Taylor made R7 Quad driver (9*) This club is LONG. Believe the hype. There is a reason 65% of Pros play Taylormade Drivers...They change my game.

Orlimar Tri metal 3 wood (13*) I hate this club, but rarely ever use a 3 wood. Maybe once every 2 rounds to attack a par five

Cleveland TA 3 gun metal (jet black color) irons 3-9 (with a PW,GW,SW and LW in gun metal as well) I love these irons, but am the type of player who should be playing a large cavity back nowadays. These irons feel soft and have a ton of control. They have rifle 6.5 shafts as well.

Also a 17* Nike CPR hybrid- Favorit new club in the bag. Nice replacement for a 2 iron.

My putter is a white hot Odyssey two ball putter.

I am also a bit of a ball snob. I play Titliest Pro V-1's almost exclusively, but will mostly use a higher quality ball...

Anyone want to share what equipment they have or recommend me something?

[CrossBones]

TaylorMade R7 425 Driver
TaylorMade V-Steel 5 Wood
3-PW Mizuno MX23 Irons (Forged) -Dynamic Gold Shaffs (Regular Flex)
Cleveland 900 Forged 52 degree gap wedge
Cleveland 900 Forged 60 degree lob wedge
Celevland 900 Forged 56 degree sand wedge

My putter is an older Rosa mallet style. I like it. I bought one of those Scotty Cameron new style Phantom putters but hated it and sold it on eBay. Just couldn't feel it especially on long putts.

What I need to is to take that damn 3i out of my bad and get one of the new hybirds. I like the 4i cuz I hit it pretty good sometimes. I'm hearing the TaylorMade Duals are nice. I've hit one once at a demo day but it's hard for me to get a good feel for a club under those circumstances.

My R7 is the shit but for some reason it just went South on me the last couple of months (pilot error I know). I know I'm coming over the top and either hitting a dead pull or a pull slice when the face stays open. Very frustrating. I was hitting that thing a ton (for me) for months and you know how it is -- all of a sudden I REMEMBERED I WAS PLAYING GOLF. ::sigh::

007...we used to go to Vancouver every year for the CART races before it ws cancelled and then would play golf up there a couple of days. You ever play Westwood Plateau? Nice golf course. I really like that place. There and Morgan Creek. Played Northview a few times but don't like it all that much.

[007]

Northview is overrated, and yes WP is among the nicer courses in the Vancouver area.

If you get a chance, play Swan-E-set..Beautiful. (They filmed Happy Gilmore there, and the clubhouse/Pro shop is amazing)

[Rupert]

Jeez. I have no idea what I had. They were 70's era. I had actual woods 1, 3, 5. Funny thing was, I could mash them as far as my friends who had early 90's era technology. I gave them away when I gave up the game. I wonder if my sister's boyfriend still has them. I've never played with any new technology woods or irons, but I know the 70's era required lots of precision. When I was on, they were sweet. When I wasn't, oh boy!

[007]

My dad is the same, Rupe. Just a naturally powerful man, who pounds the ball with persimmon headed clubs.

Until I bought him a Ping eye 3 Titanium driver. Now I think he is about as long a 50 year old driver as I've ever seen.

Can't beat the control of a wood head though.

[Madturk]

Bout time you guys showed up.

Driver Titleist 980 9.5
3W Mactec 12.5
5-PW Tileist DCI's
2-4 Tour Edge Bazooka Hybrids (I've hit my best shots with these)
Gap 54 degree Tileist Vokey
SW Calloway
Putter Ping Zing
Balls-Usually look for good sales but I do love the PRO V-1's when I have a few extra bucks to spend. I love the Strata Balatas but they are very difficult to find.

I've hit all the newfangled drivers, honestly I thought I'd crush the 425 and 460 R7's but I test drove those along with the Cleveland Hi-Bore, Ping, and Calloway 460 and my Titleist consistently outdrove all those clubs.

I'm not crazy about the Mactec off the carpet as I have the driving distance to get home in 2 on some of the par 5's but I usually hit the 2 or 3 hybrid because I'm not confident in the 3W. I'm really looking for a nice fairway wood with 15 degree loft. Any suggestions?

Bones, the hybrids are the best investment I have made. My pro told me to dump my 2-4. Advise well heeded. They take a bit of getting used to but I have a lot more confidence on those 175-210 yarders where I'd normally overswing with my low irons and pull everything left. The loft makes it easy to stick greens too.

[CrossBones]

Balls: I've been using the Callaway HX Tour 56...but recently switched to the new TaylorMade TP (Red)...they're pretty sweet but ya know, ya gotta hit 'em.

Don't matter -- I suck anyway and these balls don't swim any better than the $30/dz variety! :p

Thanks for the advice Turk...I'm gonna be shopping for the hybirds before the next season comes along. I'm kind of a fair weather golfer so that leaves playing out during the crappy rainy, cold weather up here probabluy until March or so. And you wonder why people more to Arizona.

[Madturk]

You guys need to come down here to Florida. I live within 15-20 minutes of about 25 courses and that's no bull. I'm 10 minutes from a TPC course where they played PGA events a few years back. We're getting into the nice cooler weather right now but the rates go up a bit. Probably still cheaper than what you guys pay up north.

If you don't mind the heat, you pretty much have carte blanche here on most of the tracks in the summer, some of them private in season. No one plays.

[007]

15 minutes and access to 25 courses...Dreamland if I may say so.

I have 3 courses in my hometown (1 really nice one) and 3 full 18 hole courses in the city (Of 60 thousand people) that I live in now...

Im jealous.

BTW are those TM balls good CB? I got all my Pro V-1's from Ebay, and they have lasted me a long time...I bought 48 though. (And 1000 3 inch tees included with them :) )

[007]

And Bones, listen to Turk...Hybrids are the shit. I swallowed my pride, and dropped the 2-3 irons a while back.

I added an extra wedge, and a hybrid to go on the long iron end. Best decision ever.

[CrossBones]

First, as for the TM balls, I was skeptical at first as TM tried to get into the ball business several years ago and it was a dud. Rmeember the 'gel" something ball? Garbage. Well I found one of those new TM balls while playing (just wondered into the wood for no goodrason I guess :p) and used it the rest of the round and liked it a lot. They're soft, spin nice around the greens and the guys thought I was a gorilla off the tee (for a while). So, yeah they're good although they're pricey. The Pro VI's aren't a good ball for me for some reason. I leave those for guys like you and Turk who seem to understand how to play this game.

I used to play those nice MaxFli (Red) ball before they decided to screw them up. Used to buy them like 3-4 dozen at a time on eBay. Great stuff. I only have one doz of the TM balls now but I'm gonna use them for the time being.

More on the hybirds. You know how men are -- ``...yeah I hit my 3i 210..." :rolleyes: Isn't that what the 3i is for? What BS. Most guys are lucky to get their 3i in the air in the first place. So it's time to check the ego at the door and bust out and buy a couple of hybirds and retire the 3i nd 4i. I'm gonna do it this winter and try and practice throughout the rainy season. Hopefully it won't be like starting over in the Spring like it is usually.

Thanks for the nudge guys.

[Rupert]

Hah! That's funny about the 3i's. My old-tech 3i hit about 190's. The funny thing is I had trouble keeping my 2i low. Whenever I wanted to undercut some trees I always wound up in them. I used the 2i and 3i until I was comfortable with the 3w and 5w off the fairway. When I got the 5w grooved I used it a lot. Then of course I'd leap-frog the green a couple times with the wedges and ruin the hole. :rolleyes:

[CrossBones]

That's called "Army Golf"...left, right, left, right! ;)

[007]

Great point about the 3 iron distances, CB.

Most golfers would hit his 2-3 iron solidly 1 out of every 3 or 4 shots, and it might go 200-225 (depending on swing speed)

Therefore, his average three iron is about 175, because he is topping it, slicing it or chunking it most of the time.

Not with a Hybrid...Its like hitting a mid iron accuracy, with wood-like distance.

A great investment for any handicap of player. (Even the majority of Pro's sans Tiger are switching out the trusty 2-3 irons)

[CrossBones]

Tiger > Freak of Nature.

[Rupert]

Great point about the 3 iron distances, CB.

Most golfers would hit his 2-3 iron solidly 1 out of every 3 or 4 shots, and it might go 200-225 (depending on swing speed)

Therefore, his average three iron is about 175, because he is topping it, slicing it or chunking it most of the time.

Not with a Hybrid...Its like hitting a mid iron accuracy, with wood-like distance.

A great investment for any handicap of player. (Even the majority of Pro's sans Tiger are switching out the trusty 2-3 irons)
Bah! Until I got the 3i pretty consistent I would hit it around 160. I often questioned taking it out of the bag. "WTF am I using this thing for? I hit the 5 iron farther!"

No doubt about the pros. Give themselves an extra club in the bag by replacing 2 with 1? Silly to bypass that.

[CrossBones]

I hit all my clubs (irons) the same distance. :eek:

Look, normal weekend golfers have no business with a 3i in their bag. Hitting it well when you need to is just a 1 out of 20 proposition (maybe worse than that). So why?

Because we're MEN! ;)

[Madturk]

Therefore, his average three iron is about 175, because he is topping it, slicing it or chunking it most of the time.

Not with a Hybrid...Its like hitting a mid iron accuracy, with wood-like distance.

A great investment for any handicap of player. (Even the majority of Pro's sans Tiger are switching out the trusty 2-3 irons)

That's a pretty good analogy 007. You can actually take aim at the pin with the hybrids and stick them to boot. Usually with the 2-3 iron, even the 4, the average golfer is just looking to get it close to the green.

[Rupert]

That's a pretty good analogy 007. You can actually take aim at the pin with the hybrids and stick them to boot. Usually with the 2-3 iron, even the 4, the average golfer is just looking to get it close to the green.
Very true. I NEVER got the hang of the 4i. I only hit the 2 and 3 when I needed distance before I got comfortable with the woods off the fairway. That little 5 wood could do some distance and would lie up pretty well too. The 2 tended to run waaaaay too much.

[Rupert]

I hit all my clubs (irons) the same distance. :eek:

Look, normal weekend golfers have no business with a 3i in their bag. Hitting it well when you need to is just a 1 out of 20 proposition (maybe worse than that). So why?

Because we're MEN! ;)
You what!!! :eek:

I don't doubt that at all. I just inherited them. I never got consistent with the 2i, but I could use it to keep the ball low and let it run. Once the 5 wood got decent off the fairway, the 5i was the longest I'd use.

[Madturk]

What a day in Florida yesterday 80's no humidity. I managed to sneak 27 in yesterday.

Why is it that you can't get all facets of the game working together? Drove the ball well and putted like shit yesterday.

[CrossBones]

Why is it that you can't get all facets of the game working together? Well it wound't be any fun then. What would you have to bitch about? Oh hell another 72...sigh.

One word man --- GOLF.

[Madturk]

Well it wound't be any fun then. What would you have to bitch about? Oh hell another 72...sigh.

One word man --- GOLF.

80% of the game is half mental:D Seriously, my goal is to get the handicap into single digits by the spring. Frustrating part of the game is that playing a lot doesn't necessarily equate to playing better.

What's really has helped me is keeping my drives in play which goes without saying. I'll sacrifice 10-20 yards rather than trying to bomb it and wind up OB or behind a tree somewhere. While driving for show and putting for dough may be true, Nicklaus said that you still have to get off the tee.

[CrossBones]

For me, getting off the tee is the single most important part of the game. If you don't things just get worse.

A 230 yard drive is better than a hot hook into the trees. Even if you have a shot you're pressing and trying to hit the next shot HARD to make up for it. Whether this is intentional or just mental doesn't matter. A poor drive is always putting you behind the eight ball. A decent to good drive in the short stuff does wonder for those critical second shots. Tiger is about the only one that it doesn't seem to matter. He hits a big banana slice into the trees and somehow manges birdie. Fuck him. (He's my fav though).

Single digit HCP...you and 007 make me want to throw up. I'm lucky to break 90! Crap.

But to some exetent I disagree with the thing about playing a lot. IMO playing on a regualr basis is critical to getting your game more consistent. It's just impossible to lay off for three weeks and expect to have a good round. Just doesn't seem to happen. But that's just me maybe.

[Madturk]

Single digit HCP...you and 007 make me want to throw up. I'm lucky to break 90! Crap.

But to some exetent I disagree with the thing about playing a lot. IMO playing on a regualr basis is critical to getting your game more consistent. It's just impossible to lay off for three weeks and expect to have a good round. Just doesn't seem to happen. But that's just me maybe.

I said single digits is my goal. Doesn't mean I shoot close to that currently:p
I play golf like the Raiders play football. I only beat myself. That's the frustrating part. The one thing I've avoided lately is tanking on a hole or two which blows your score out of the water and we count every stroke. A bogey is obviously a lot more manageable than a triple or quadruple.

I guess my point on playing 2-3 times a week is that you will get better, it's just that I'm not progressing as fast as I'd like. This is the first year I've made a concerted effort to play and practice on a regular basis.

[007]

Hve you guys ever read the golf digest article 'Bomb and gouge' the new style of the PGA tour?

Guys like Bubba Watson, Camillo Villegas, JJ Henry, Daly, Mickelson and Tiger are hitting fairways at a record low pace (In most cases, sub 50 percent) yet they are playing terrific and are able to attack the same courses of the last 50+ years on a new level.

We're talking driving 400 yard par fours, using mid irons into par fives, sacrificing some accuracy for raw, aggresive power.

I'll take a chip or flop shot from 50 yards out, over a 120 yard PW or short iron anyday.

That's just me though.

Putting it bluntly, they gave me an excuse for how I've played for my whole life, lol.

[007]

I guess my point on playing 2-3 times a week is that you will get better, it's just that I'm not progressing as fast as I'd like. This is the first year I've made a concerted effort to play and practice on a regular basis.

Good to hear about the extra practice paying off, Turk.

The best advice I ever received from a Golfer was to practice like you play. Easy enough, but its never followed or used on the range.

70% of players shots are inside 100 yards. (Putts+Chips+Approaches) so you should spend the same ammount of time on those parts of your game, no?

Most amateurs (And I'm in this category a ton of the time too) Will go out to the range and whack half a bucket of drivers and half a bucket of 7 irons, and then call it a day...This isnt helping your game as much in the end.

Spend time chipping from all around the chipping area, putt for a good half hour or so (If you can stomach it) and hit 10-14 drives as well as plenty of wedges and middle irons.

That's how I've changed my practice and it helped immensely.

[CrossBones]

I've always looked at it this way (probably because I'm not very good) -- If I'm lying 6 by the time I'm on or close to the green my chipping and putting doesn't make all that much difference. I have always had more probelms getting from tee to green so that's why I haven't become great putter. It seems hopeless. :o

So naturally when I'm at the range I'm tring to find a way to get down the fairway better -- that mean driver, 4i, 5i etc. Sure I hit some 7i's and my wedges but frankly without getting off the tee decent none of it really matters that much with my game.

I usually try to use the Tiger Woods practice routine at the range...SW, 8i, 5i (he hits a 4i), 5w, driver. By then I'm so frustrated I go home. :D

[Madturk]

Hve you guys ever read the golf digest article 'Bomb and gouge' the new style of the PGA tour?

Guys like Bubba Watson, Camillo Villegas, JJ Henry, Daly, Mickelson and Tiger are hitting fairways at a record low pace (In most cases, sub 50 percent) yet they are playing terrific and are able to attack the same courses of the last 50+ years on a new level.

We're talking driving 400 yard par fours, using mid irons into par fives, sacrificing some accuracy for raw, aggresive power.

I'll take a chip or flop shot from 50 yards out, over a 120 yard PW or short iron anyday.

That's just me though.

Putting it bluntly, they gave me an excuse for how I've played for my whole life, lol.

I did happen to read that article. I have no problem sacrificing accuracy for distance, provided I hit in the first cut and am not chipping out into the fairway from behind trees. I consistently out drive my playing partners anyway. It is nice hitting a short or mid iron when they're hitting hybrids or even fairway woods into the green.

That 50 yard chip or flop is about the most difficult shot in the arsenal. Tom Watson talks about it in this month's Golf Digest. Personally I'm more comfortable taking the full swing from 100-110 yards out.

[Madturk]

I took Harvey Pennick's advice and hit the majority of my practice shots with my short irons. While it's a lot more macho to show off your driver, it's actually counter productive when you hit too many of those shots. It tires you out. I save my driver and hybrids until the end.

Pennick like 007 alludes also said to practice your shots like you're playing a round. It's just silly to hit whack the ball with no idea of where you're going with it. I'd say the majority of driving range hackers are guilty of this.

The pro I go for my lessons encourages playing lessons and charges the same hourly rate either way. It's a real good way to gauge your course management skills and I highly recommend it to every one who wants to play serious golf.

[007]

Nice stuff in this thread Turk, you know your game well, which is great.


That 50 yard chip or flop is about the most difficult shot in the arsenal. Tom Watson talks about it in this month's Golf Digest. Personally I'm more comfortable taking the full swing from 100-110 yards out.

This is just a personal preferance of mine. Give me 10 shots from varying spots (Rough, bunker,fairway, hardpan etc.) at fifty yards out, or give me 10 shots from the same spot from 120 out, and I will do better from closer in. (Although I understand your point)

I had Penick's little red book, and then lost it, which pissed me right off. Good stuff in there.

In the end, its drive for show, putt for dough. Big drives me dick all, as some have alluded to in this thread.

[CrossBones]

I'm also more inclined to have a distance where I can take a pretty good swing at it...like 100 yard SW or maybe 120 PW...rather than trying to finesse a 50 yard shot. Those are tough for me.

[Madturk]

Man got some great news last night. One of my friends is going back to managing the cart barn at a private club which means a lot of free golf for the Turk this season. The rates get jacked up really high in season down here plus you can't get on some of the private courses after Nov.

[CrossBones]

Man got some great news last night. One of my friends is going back to managing the cart barn at a private club which means a lot of free golf for the Turk this season. The rates get jacked up really high in season down here plus you can't get on some of the private courses after Nov.That is great news. Nothing better than free golf at a nice golf course.

Speaking of which, for me I hate playing any sort of course that is less than considered very nice. They can take those public cow pastures and shove 'em. For me if I'm gonna send the better part of 8 hours traveling, playing and throwing down a few beers I want nice manicured coruse with great scenery. I'm not concerned with the green fees as much as I want to be sure I'm going to enjoy the day's experience and not wish I was someplace else. That's part of the fun of it. Plus I don't like playing with women. My buddy always wants to play with his ex-wife believe it or not. I get really tired of that. Playing golf is for the guys.

GOLF > Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden ;)

[Madturk]

That is great news. Nothing better than free golf at a nice golf course.

Speaking of which, for me I hate playing any sort of course that is less than considered very nice. They can take those public cow pastures and shove 'em. For me if I'm gonna send the better part of 8 hours traveling, playing and throwing down a few beers I want nice manicured coruse with great scenery. I'm not concerned with the green fees as much as I want to be sure I'm going to enjoy the day's experience and not wish I was someplace else. That's part of the fun of it. Plus I don't like playing with women. My buddy always wants to play with his ex-wife believe it or not. I get really tired of that. Playing golf is for the guys.

GOLF > Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden ;)

We get so spoiled living down here and paying next to nothing to play in the offseason. The only girls I want to see on the course are the Hooters girls bringing me a cold beverage. Nothing like a round of golf with your buddies complete with cigars and a visit to the titty bar afterwards:p