Golf Talk Tuesdays - 2021

[harllee]

I also watched a lot of the Ryder Cup. Great golf and entertaining. The USA has a lot of great young golfers.

 

[pb4uski]

And I'm hoping that the cherry on top wil be a thawing of the Brooks/Bryson feud... which is a bit annoying to me.

 

[Midpack]

I don’t like team golf, but I found myself watching a lot of the Sat and Sun coverage. It helped that I was fascinated by Whistling Straits - wow what a tough but beautiful course. The US Ryder Cup team was overdue for some new blood, and hopefully this bodes well for future Ryder Cup competitions. Lots of amazing young US players coming up.

 

[pb4uski]

I'm the opposite... I like team golf... I think the alternate shot is very interesting.

 

[harllee]

I haven't watched any golf coverage for a long time. Any word on if Tiger is walking unassisted yet? Any chance he returns to professional level golfing or is he just hoping to be able to play with his Son recreationally and live a relatively normal life with decent mobility?

Don't know Tiger's current health status. Last time I saw a picture of him he was in a walking boot but without crutches. He was invited to be a Ryder Cup assistant coach but he declined and did not attend the tournament. He did send texts to all the team members. At the post tournament press conference, a reporter asked a question about Tiger's texts and someone (I think Justin Thomas) said "Tiger who?' which I thought was kind of tacky.

 

[harllee]

I'm the opposite... I like team golf... I think the alternate shot is very interesting.

DH and I have played in many couples tournaments with the alternate shot format. Sometimes it is called the "divorce open."

 

[Music Lover]

I played on Friday, Oct 1. My first game this year was Mar 29 when it was 20C. For someone living on the Canadian prairies being able to play in 8 different months of the calendar year is unheard of.

 

[Midpack]

I'm the opposite... I like team golf... I think the alternate shot is very interesting.

I enjoy playing team golf as a change of pace, but I don’t enjoy watching pros doing it for some reason FWIW. I love playing 4 person scrambles as a change of pace, and it so happens I’m playing a 2 man alternative shot round this Wed. And a variation on a 2 man scramble next Wed.

 

[robnplunder]

I enjoy playing team golf as a change of pace, but I don’t enjoy watching pros doing it for some reason FWIW. I love playing 4 person scrambles as a change of pace, and it so happens I’m playing a 2 man alternative shot round this Wed. And a variation on a 2 man scramble next Wed.

I stopped watching pros. I can't relate to PGA golf. I bet they can play with only 3 clubs - driver, wedge, putter. I now only watch KLPGA or LPGA. As far as team playing goes, I love to play better ball, and scramble. DW plays better in tournaments so I do my best to get her to play with me.


I scored my personal best today - a 78.

 

[Midpack]

I scored my personal best today - a 78.

Congrats. It’s a great feeling while it’s happening, almost surreal?

 

[frayne]

I scored my personal best today - a 78.

Anytime I break 80 is cause for celebration.

 

[jcretire77]

A new personal best is most definitely a cause for celebration! Well Done.

 

[harllee]

I need new irons--my irons are old ( they are Nancy Lopez irons., that is how old they are!!) and the irons need new grips so I thought I would just get new irons. My woods are newer and OK (Cobra Bafflers). My problem is that I am a tall female--5'10". I cannot play with regular women's clubs--too short. I have tried senior mens clubs in the past but I like the womens shafts better, at age 70 my swing has slowed. My old irons are womens tall. I have searched locally and on the internet for womens tall irons and there seem to be very few made and what is available is "out of stock". There are a few used sets on Ebay. I am hesitant to buy clubs I cannot try but none are available locally for me to try.

Any ideas?

 

[f35phixer]

https://www.golfworks.com/shaft-extensions/c/2555/

maybe go to a golf store, try some irons that they can put an extension into say 7 iron and see how it feels.

 

[zinger1457]

I am hesitant to buy clubs I cannot try but none are available locally for me to try.

Any ideas?

You should get fitted for clubs, just about every golf store has a fitting section where you get try out different clubs and shafts. Most golf courses have someone on their staff that can do fittings but they are often tied to one particular brand of clubs, still worth a try.

 

[Midpack]

I need new irons--my irons are old ( they are Nancy Lopez irons., that is how old they are!!) and the irons need new grips so I thought I would just get new irons. My woods are newer and OK (Cobra Bafflers). My problem is that I am a tall female--5'10". I cannot play with regular women's clubs--too short. I have tried senior mens clubs in the past but I like the womens shafts better, at age 70 my swing has slowed. My old irons are womens tall. I have searched locally and on the internet for womens tall irons and there seem to be very few made and what is available is "out of stock". There are a few used sets on Ebay. I am hesitant to buy clubs I cannot try but none are available locally for me to try.

Any ideas?

Your height may/not indicate you need longer than standard clubs. Your wrist-to-floor measurement is a better indicator.

Though maybe not ideal, I doubt you can't play with regular women's clubs. If through a fitting it's determined you need clubs 1/2" longer than standard (it's unlikely to be any more than that), that means for example you'd have a 45" driver and a 35" sand wedge instead of a 44.5" driver and a 34.5" sand wedge and everything in between - there will still be a range of 10" graduated throughout you bag. The only club that might be genuinely too short will be your wedges. Everyone who plays golf adapts to up to 14 clubs of varying lengths over a range from longest club to shortest of about 10". With regular clubs the lie angle might be off by 1º or so...

But if you really want clubs that are tailored to you, get fit. Any Golf Galaxy can fit your for free, it's pretty rudimentary but they should be able to determine proper club lengths. Or to be sure go to a Club Champion or GolfTec - it'll cost you and custom fitted clubs will probably cost about twice as much as off the rack.

..the standard size of golf club for women is shorter in length and is designed for women that are between 65-inches (5'5") and 69-inches (5'9") tall.

 

[harllee]

You should get fitted for clubs, just about every golf store has a fitting section where you get try out different clubs and shafts. Most golf courses have someone on their staff that can do fittings but they are often tied to one particular brand of clubs, still worth a try.

Yes, I have been to the local golf shop and the golf course but they don't have any ladies tall clubs for me to try. And they say that most all clubs are now on back order--there is evidently a shortage.

 

[aja8888]

Nice job Rob....78 is good golf.

I have been playing in scrambles with my 70+ year old buddies (one guy is 85 and still plays well.). This month I turn 78 and will be trying to score that number as I will be playing less scrambles.

We are lucky here in the Houston, Texas area as there are many courses to choose from. I gave up my country club membership when we moved into a 55+ community years ago and I was limited in playing with a bad hip. Now that both hips are new, I am playing each week.

 

[harllee]

Your height may/not indicate you need longer than standard clubs. Your wrist-to-floor measurement is a better indicator.

Though maybe not ideal, I doubt you can't play with regular women's clubs. If through a fitting it's determined you need clubs 1/2" longer than standard (it's unlikely to be any more than that), that means for example you'd have a 45" driver and a 35" sand wedge instead of a 44.5" driver and a 34.5" sand wedge and everything in between - there will still be a range of 10" graduated throughout you bag. The only club that might be genuinely too short will be your wedges. Everyone who plays golf adapts to up to 14 clubs of varying lengths over a range from longest club to shortest of about 10". With regular clubs the lie angle might be off by 1º or so...

But if you really want clubs that are tailored to you, get fit. Any Golf Galaxy can fit your for free, it's pretty rudimentary but they should be able to determine proper club lengths. Or to be sure go to a Club Champion or GolfTec - it'll cost you and custom fitted clubs will probably cost about twice as much as off the rack.

Thanks Midpack, I have been fitted by the pro at my golf course, according to him I need 1 inch longer than the standard womens clubs (same as the clubs I have now). When I bought my current irons many years ago I remember having several tall womens clubs to demo. Now there seems to be very few and they are all on back order due to the club shortage (the pro said no idea when they would be available). The golf pro suggested I buy mens clubs and have the shaft changed out but that made the clubs very expensive.

Really there is nothing wrong with my current clubs, they have graphite shafts (except I need new grips) but I thought there might be some new technology.
I might just get the old clubs regripped and continue to play with them until the club shortage is resolved.

 

[Midpack]

Thanks Midpack, I have been fitted by the pro at my golf course, according to him I need 1 inch longer than the standard womens clubs (same as the clubs I have now). When I bought my current irons many years ago I remember having several tall womens clubs to demo. Now there seems to be very few and they are all on back order due to the club shortage (the pro said no idea when they would be available). The golf pro suggested I buy mens clubs and have the shaft changed out but that made the clubs very expensive.

Really there is nothing wrong with my current clubs, they have graphite shafts (except I need new grips) but I thought there might be some new technology.
I might just get the old clubs regripped and continue to play with them until the club shortage is resolved.

You must have very short arms for your height.

 

[harllee]

You must have very short arms for your height.

I just measured and my wrist to floor is about 33 inches and my height is 5"10 and a half. My arms are actually pretty long for a women, the sleeves of most womens shirts are too short for me. I assume your chart is for men's clubs, based on that chart I would need a standard mens golf club. My club pro says that most mens clubs are about 1.5 inches longer than a womens clubs. "Tall" womens clubs are 1 inch longer than a standard womens club. I hit the tall womens club better than I do a mens club. I can hit a standard woman's 5 iron OK but the 7,8, and 9 iron in the womens clubs are just too short and hurt my back. With the golf club shortage there are just not any tall womens clubs available locally and everything is on back order. Strangely enough, there are several sets of "petite" women's clubs available locally. Midpack, thanks for all this information. If I still played a lot I would just have some custom clubs made but I only play once every couple of weeks and just cannot justify the cost.

 

[zinger1457]

Harllee, if you're going to change the grips on your current clubs then it's a good opportunity to extend the length. They sell shaft extenders for both graphite and steel shafts, just need to make sure you get the right size. Fairly easy to install with the grip off, just slide the shaft extender into the end of the shaft using epoxy to secure it, when the epoxy cures cut off the shaft extender with a hacksaw to give you the total length you want, then install the new grips. If you are having someone else install the grips for you they should be able to do both.

https://www.amazon.com/Extension-Ex...3482947&sprefix=shaft+extender,aps,233&sr=8-1

 

[f35phixer]

Well, I just got my successful application for OPEN Championship tickets for July 10-17 2022 at St Andrews.... I had applied for practice rounds July 10-13, 300 GBP for four days, 2 people. Whole point was to see the course and watch players practice, I enjoy that more then competition rounds.

Anyone else get a successful email?

Going to put this in BTD thread too, Went and looked at hotels that ~500 GBP / day..
Got great perk of flying standby for CHEAP....

 

[RetiredHappy]

My husband and I went for club fitting at Club Champion. The conclusion was that my 2-year old Cleveland Launchers (women's) irons were "perfect" for me, based on smash factor, and they believed the Miyazaki shafts on those irons were great. I promptly went home and ordered new Cleveland Launcher XL Halo irons. I have been playing with them for about a month now and really like the feel of them. The old irons will go back with me to California as my spare set when I play with my son.

Unfortunately, my husband's fitting ends with a sad tale, so far. He had also been playing with Cleveland Launcher irons for the past 2 years. He had gotten a couple of Callaway sand and gap wedges earlier this year. With his fitting, Trackman showed that the Titleist T300 gave him slightly longer distance when compared with his Cleveland's.

He ordered 2 new Ping hybrids and a full set of Titleist T300s (P to 5) and it took 2 months to get here, because they had to be "built". He got them last week and the Titleist irons were playing much shorter than his old irons. He is very upset and we are going back to Club Champion tomorrow with both his old and new irons to see what Trackman says. At this point he is about ready to give them to Goodwill and order a set of Cleveland Launcher XL Halo. Yesterday, on one hole, he used my new (women's) 7 iron and it went as far as his old Cleveland's and further than his new Titleist. I suspect they gave him old man's shafts instead of standard. We don't know when looking at his shafts.

 

[Midpack]

While Club Champion has happy customers, mostly advanced players who already know what they want/need, they have many unhappy customers too. Their methodology is highly suspect statistically. I’ve been thru that in detail elsewhere, and it won’t help after the fact.

I went for a driver fitting to reduce dispersion off the tee, they recommended a new driver for $950. Since they told me the shaft was 80% of the benefit, I bought the shaft for $400 and kept my Callaway head (just a 2 year old model of what they’d recommended). I used that new shaft for 6 weeks, believing and determined to make it work, but I found my dispersion got measurably worse - I have always kept detailed records of all my rounds. I ended up selling the shaft Club Champion recommend for 20% of what I paid, and went back to the standard shaft I had before.

Club Champions guarantee is useless, you won’t get your money back, more likely it will cost you more. In fairness there are undoubtedly some great fitters at CC, but repeat customers who know what they need/want are more likely to get them. They have plenty of newer fitters who follow the Club Champion fitting script and really don’t know much other than how to sell you a new club, at great expense.

Great fitters are invaluable, but they’re very hard to find. Sort of like the investing analogy. ‘By the time you know enough to choose a great investment advisor, you don’t need one anymore (because you know all you need to know).’

Fittings aren’t always the silver bullet many people think these days. They can help you find clubs that MAY improve your distance - though some of that is stronger loft slight of hand. In most cases, custom fitted clubs won’t help you deliver the club at impact on the right path, dynamic loft and face angle - the player has to develop that skill.