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The Force Awakens...

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ualtim

ualtim

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Good to hear your Florida bag is thriving in your Dad's hands. :D
Apparently, I am a better club mechanic than golfer.:D
 
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ualtim

ualtim

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Well, I have to admit defeat. I was reviewing my rounds from last year (did not take long as I play so infrequently) and came up with some conclusions on why I suck at golf. The majority of my lost strokes came from shots around the green followed by the cold hard shanks or off the toe balls which resulted in penalty strokes. Tee game has been surprisingly good. Putting was okay considering the amount of time I practice. Shots 50 yards and in are usually the culprits for my Trips and Quads.

Putting/Chipping/Pitching used to be the cornerstone of my game. Even at my worst, my short game used to saved me from some atrocious scores. Right before my decade long sabbatical from golf, I played a round with a couple of other Shottalkers and walking off 18 one was surprised when I told him that I shot a 105. I was making long putts, chipping in, and did not have a 3 putt the entire round. Problem was that I was hitting three off most of the tees that required a driver. My driving was so bad back then that I had no idea which was the ball was going, and in Florida, that means a lot of trips to Davy Jones locker for my Strata’s.

Back when I lived in Orlando, practicing the short game was cheap an easy. I spent a lot of time at some of the great courses in the area on their practice facilities rather than playing on the courses or spending hours hitting balls on the range. After taking a decade off and moving to Texas, the same conditions do not exist. The short game facilities near me are relatively bare bones and do not inspire me to visit them often. The conditions where I play most often, at my folk’s home course in Florida, are some really tight lies that seem to encourage chili dips and bladed balls. Conditions that require a level of practice that I am unable/unwilling to give to be successful on.

I admit defeat when it comes to a traditional short game.

Enter the new era of the duffer/hacker/cheater/ugly wedges.

I have ordered a set of Cleveland Smart Sole 3 wedges (SW and Chipper) and a 55 Deg. Mazel Pitching and Chipping Wedge (it is essentially a Square Strike Wedge with a different name on it, you know the infomercial). Just set up square to your line and fire away. They are not as versatile as traditional wedges, but I do not need 10 different ways to blade a wedge across the green. I need to simplify my short game that will fit the amount of practice time I can dedicate to it. I found myself using my putter out of rough on several occasions in an effort to avoid the dreaded bladed wedge into a bunker or into the pond on the opposite side of the green.

Long story short, out of desperation, I am open to trying anything.
 

bdcrowe

ST Homeland Security
Aug 30, 2004
2,207
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Well, I have to admit defeat. I was reviewing my rounds from last year (did not take long as I play so infrequently) and came up with some conclusions on why I suck at golf. The majority of my lost strokes came from shots around the green followed by the cold hard shanks or off the toe balls which resulted in penalty strokes. Tee game has been surprisingly good. Putting was okay considering the amount of time I practice. Shots 50 yards and in are usually the culprits for my Trips and Quads.

Putting/Chipping/Pitching used to be the cornerstone of my game. Even at my worst, my short game used to saved me from some atrocious scores. Right before my decade long sabbatical from golf, I played a round with a couple of other Shottalkers and walking off 18 one was surprised when I told him that I shot a 105. I was making long putts, chipping in, and did not have a 3 putt the entire round. Problem was that I was hitting three off most of the tees that required a driver. My driving was so bad back then that I had no idea which was the ball was going, and in Florida, that means a lot of trips to Davy Jones locker for my Strata’s.

Back when I lived in Orlando, practicing the short game was cheap an easy. I spent a lot of time at some of the great courses in the area on their practice facilities rather than playing on the courses or spending hours hitting balls on the range. After taking a decade off and moving to Texas, the same conditions do not exist. The short game facilities near me are relatively bare bones and do not inspire me to visit them often. The conditions where I play most often, at my folk’s home course in Florida, are some really tight lies that seem to encourage chili dips and bladed balls. Conditions that require a level of practice that I am unable/unwilling to give to be successful on.

I admit defeat when it comes to a traditional short game.

Enter the new era of the duffer/hacker/cheater/ugly wedges.

I have ordered a set of Cleveland Smart Sole 3 wedges (SW and Chipper) and a 55 Deg. Mazel Pitching and Chipping Wedge (it is essentially a Square Strike Wedge with a different name on it, you know the infomercial). Just set up square to your line and fire away. They are not as versatile as traditional wedges, but I do not need 10 different ways to blade a wedge across the green. I need to simplify my short game that will fit the amount of practice time I can dedicate to it. I found myself using my putter out of rough on several occasions in an effort to avoid the dreaded bladed wedge into a bunker or into the pond on the opposite side of the green.

Long story short, out of desperation, I am open to trying anything.
I posted this in another threat earlier. Hope it helps.

 

MCDavis

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...and came up with some conclusions on why I suck...
If you need help figuring out more reasons, I'm your Huckleberry! :p

I fully believe having wedges that you have total confidence in is huge. I still have a set of TM TP black wedges in my main bag that, after all these years, I know I can play well on any day. That's why they don't leave the bag because from the day I bought them, I have never questioned making a shot with them. Find those wedges, your game and enjoyment will change.
 

sssmokin

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If you need help figuring out more reasons, I'm your Huckleberry! :p

I fully believe having wedges that you have total confidence in is huge. I still have a set of TM TP black wedges in my main bag that, after all these years, I know I can play well on any day. That's why they don't leave the bag because from the day I bought them, I have never questioned making a shot with them. Find those wedges, your game and enjoyment will change.
I'm still searching for a wedge for 75 yards. Also, has Washington come up with a new name yet. That's going to be strange.
 

MCDavis

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I'm still searching for a wedge for 75 yards. Also, has Washington come up with a new name yet. That's going to be strange.
No, they're using this stupid name for a year so they have time to come up with a name.
 
OP
ualtim

ualtim

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I have let the dark side take over my sole…

Full set of Cleveland Smart Sole 4 dark finish wedges have arrived. 😉

There has also been an order placed for a set of irons, well technically they are irons….

To be continued…
 
OP
ualtim

ualtim

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Played 9 holes this evening and came away fairly pleased. Bunker game needs work even with the cheater sand wedge. That square strike thing still requires practice, unfortunately. Putter was as good as it’s ever been on these greens at Vanderbilt. I swear on the practice green this morning I had several putts break up hill. Not joking. Green slopes left to right, putt breaks right to left. 22* Hybrid was money…out of fairway bunker just short of the green, out of the pine straw onto a green, and smoked one out of the fairway on 18 to 5 feet from the pin.

First time swinging the club sine December 2019…the last time I was in Naples. Felt good to be back out on a course, and other than the sand debacles, played halfway decent golf. Actually hit some greens on approach shots instead of the dreaded toe shanks….so I got that going for me, which is nice.
 

MCDavis

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Played 9 holes this evening and came away fairly pleased. Bunker game needs work even with the cheater sand wedge. That square strike thing still requires practice, unfortunately. Putter was as good as it’s ever been on these greens at Vanderbilt. I swear on the practice green this morning I had several putts break up hill. Not joking. Green slopes left to right, putt breaks right to left. 22* Hybrid was money…out of fairway bunker just short of the green, out of the pine straw onto a green, and smoked one out of the fairway on 18 to 5 feet from the pin.

First time swinging the club sine December 2019…the last time I was in Naples. Felt good to be back out on a course, and other than the sand debacles, played halfway decent golf. Actually hit some greens on approach shots instead of the dreaded toe shanks….so I got that going for me, which is nice.
Played any since?
 
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ualtim

ualtim

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WITB 2022 Texas Edition:
8FD358C8-49DF-4723-8558-2CC81C10B4EE.jpeg

Lots of head covers 😄. The Cleveland XL Halo’s are prone to damage due to their hybrid based design so I cover them up.
4952C6C4-E62D-4B8A-97CB-995126BAABBE.jpeg

The Top End of the bag:
Cobra King F9 Driver (10.5 deg) Fujikura Atmos Blue (Reg) Tour Length (44.5 inches with increased weights in the sole)
Cobra King F9 3W/4W (set at 14.5 deg ….for now) Fujikura Atmos Blue (R)
(I have a couple of Tour Edge Spec (4T) Fujikura Ventus Red 5R shafts and some Cobra connectors on the bench so shaft change is coming)
Tour Edge C721 5W and 7W, Fujikura Ventus Red 4T 5R (Reg)

Current plan, with the addition of the 5W and 7W is to turn the 3W into a mini-driver by lowering the loft a bit after some testing.
CD8C0B24-6202-4FE4-A619-0C3374280FF3.jpeg

The irons (hybrids?):
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo, 5-PW, Project X Cypher 6.0 (soft stepped)

You can see the progression in the iron heads from very hybriddy to less hybriddy 5-8 irons and into a SGI look in the 9 and PW. Decided to go stiffer in flex and then have Cleveland soft step the shafts for weight purposes. Flex will be somewhat stiffer than my normal 5.5 flex, but I did not want to go any lighter in shaft weight.

F80B5319-518A-4EF7-AA8F-D412C02DBA4D.jpeg

The Bottom End of the bag:
Cleveland Smart Sole 4, GW, SW, C, Cleveland Graphite (wedge flex)
Odyssey 2-Ball Ten Triple Track, Odyssey Stroke Lab shaft. (33 inches)

Wide sole wedges and a chipper. 😄 I do not get an opportunity to practice my short game as much as I did when I lived in Florida, so I need all the help I can get.

The putter. I had my best putting rounds in a long time down in Florida last month with an Odyssey Triple Track 2-Ball. While I added some weight to that putter, I wanted more. Enter the Odyssey 2-Ball Ten Triple Track. I replaced the stock 15g weights with 35g weights and have a Super Stroke XL grip in the garage that will replace the stock grip if I want to add a bit more counter balance and weight.

Final thoughts on the WITB:

Graphite shafts through out the bag. Fujikura on the top end, Project X in the irons, Cleveland graphite wedge shafts in the wedges, and an Odyssey Stroke Lab in the putter. The only steel in the shafts is about a foot of steel in the Stroke Lab shaft.

Hacksticks at their finest. Knowing my practice time is limited, I went with the easiest to hit clubs I could find with the exception of the top end of the bag. I have always hit TEE fairways well even with limited practice so they are in the bag. Cobra F9 driver is relatively forgiving, but the jury is still out on the 3W/4w. That will be replaced with a TEE 3w if it does not behave well in testing/play.

I was going to out this morning for a range session but with an 88% humidity morning and temps in the mid 80’s I decided to wait until the front goes through this afternoon and hit it tomorrow. You can see the difference up in Tulsa at Southern Hills after this front passes, it should be a bit more comfortable if not a bit chilly tomorrow.
 
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ualtim

ualtim

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Range session, finally.

I was able to break out a whole host of new stuff for testing. Ran through all the new clubs from wedges, to irons, to fairways. Wedges performed as expected. Irons performed well. Definitely easy to hit, but I was still able to miss hit them 😄. There is not enough technology on existence to fix this swing. All in all, the results were more consistent than with any iron I have used lately and the yardage gaps were good. Tour Edge C721 Fairways we’re exactly what I expected. Easy to hit long and straight. Great feel. Tried the Cobra F9 3 Wood right after and was not impressed. Does not have that same solid / hot feel. It could be the shaft, so I have the same Fujikura Ventus Red shaft that is in the TEE’s ready to go, just got to put it on the Cobra adapter and test it out.

Also got to test out the Mevo+ at the range and it is quite good at telling me how bad I am hitting the ball. 😄. There is an audio aspect which will call out one parameter (user definable) from your phone so the whole range soon knew how bad I was hitting it. 😳. In my case the default parameter was carry distance. Nothing builds the ego like an electronic voice calling out 70 yards when you miss hit your 7 iron. All jokes aside, there is a lot of good data to analyze once you are done. Spending some time between clubs or after a poor shot with the data allowed me to try to correct the issue. So at least I know why I am bad at golf.

The journey continues.
 
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ualtim

ualtim

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Back in Florida. Amazingly, hit the range the first day here and found my swing fairly rapidly and was hitting the ball well. Short game is always a struggle with out practice, have hit a lot of chips pitches on the practice area and ditched the chipper for my gap wedge. That used to be my go to chipping club when I was good at it, and dialed it on the practice ground. Did not translate to the course.

I was smoking the driver long and straight on the range to the point I only hit 4 or 5 balls with it to avoid over doing it. 1 st hole, cracked another long and straight ball down the middle. All down hill from there, by the time I pulled it from the bag again on the fourth hole the magic was gone for the rest of the day.

9 more holes scheduled for today. After reading the news about the pro who took a 69 on the front nine in a qualifying round at Champions Gate, I am feeling a whole lot better about my 55 over 9 yesterday. 😄
 

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