The Golf Thread - 2017!

The Golf Thread - 2017!

Author
Discussion

Rosscow

8,787 posts

164 months

Friday 3rd March 2017
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Took the clubs home for a clean up before the new season starts on Sunday!

Can't wait!


bodhi

10,664 posts

230 months

Friday 3rd March 2017
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Sadly our course was closed all last weekend (and looking at the rain probably this wekend as well), so went to the driving range (again), where they were having a small driver demo day - a selection of the latest clubs and a Trackman set up, so I thought I'd have a play. No Epic to try sadly, but did have a go with an M1, a 917 D3 and a Cobra F7. I was probably the biggest fan of the M1 going on numbers and performance, but I couldn't get over the feel of the thing - or lack of.

I also asked if I could hit a couple with my existing driver - went to get the Covert out and realised I had my practice bag with me, so had the Covert and the Powerbilt Persimmon in there I posted a couple of pages back - so you can guess which one we tried against the new models smile

Turns out, on dead centre hits, the Persimmon was actually getting incredibly close to the M1 numbers, and beating the 917 and Ping G we were trying! Slightly higher spin rates, carry was slightly lower, but the end distance was very similar thanks to the top spin the Powerbilt put on the ball.

As you can imagine when we hit the Persimmon off centre the numbers were fairly horrible, but an interesting exercise.

And no, I didn't buy an M1. When I got the Covert out afterwards, it was getting within 10 yards of the M1, slightly straighter and much better feel. Plus the Covert is red, so clearly the way forwards smile

Rosscow

8,787 posts

164 months

Friday 3rd March 2017
quotequote all
bodhi said:
Sadly our course was closed all last weekend (and looking at the rain probably this wekend as well), so went to the driving range (again), where they were having a small driver demo day - a selection of the latest clubs and a Trackman set up, so I thought I'd have a play. No Epic to try sadly, but did have a go with an M1, a 917 D3 and a Cobra F7. I was probably the biggest fan of the M1 going on numbers and performance, but I couldn't get over the feel of the thing - or lack of.

I also asked if I could hit a couple with my existing driver - went to get the Covert out and realised I had my practice bag with me, so had the Covert and the Powerbilt Persimmon in there I posted a couple of pages back - so you can guess which one we tried against the new models smile

Turns out, on dead centre hits, the Persimmon was actually getting incredibly close to the M1 numbers, and beating the 917 and Ping G we were trying! Slightly higher spin rates, carry was slightly lower, but the end distance was very similar thanks to the top spin the Powerbilt put on the ball.

As you can imagine when we hit the Persimmon off centre the numbers were fairly horrible, but an interesting exercise.

And no, I didn't buy an M1. When I got the Covert out afterwards, it was getting within 10 yards of the M1, slightly straighter and much better feel. Plus the Covert is red, so clearly the way forwards smile
How did the M1 compare with the G, Cobra and 917?

sidicks

25,218 posts

222 months

Friday 3rd March 2017
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DuncanM said:
Nice write up, and good to read that they didn't try and push the new irons too much.

Do you mind me asking how much the fitting was?
Not trying to sell anything at all - hence they were very happy to tweak my current clubs rather than replace them. The cost was £200 for the two hours, which also includes a TM polo shirt and some golf balls. Oh, and free driving range token!

As I said before, the first 30 mins to so was pure swing analysis, nothing to do with new clubs at all, which was very useful.

bodhi

10,664 posts

230 months

Friday 3rd March 2017
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Rosscow said:
How did the M1 compare with the G, Cobra and 917?
I didn't get a chance to hit the G (the pro was hitting that one), but the M1 was generally around 5 yards further on both carry and total distance than the others - was getting 105 mph clubhead speed vs around 103 for the others. Total distance around 280 for the M1, 275 for the Cobra and 273 for the 917 (only hit a couple with each). Covert was around 274.

Was most disappointed with the 917 if I'm honest, not a huge amount of feel and not as accurate as the 915 I used in California earlier in the year.

JamesNotJim

Original Poster:

755 posts

187 months

Friday 3rd March 2017
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bodhi said:
I didn't get a chance to hit the G (the pro was hitting that one), but the M1 was generally around 5 yards further on both carry and total distance than the others - was getting 105 mph clubhead speed vs around 103 for the others. Total distance around 280 for the M1, 275 for the Cobra and 273 for the 917 (only hit a couple with each). Covert was around 274.

Was most disappointed with the 917 if I'm honest, not a huge amount of feel and not as accurate as the 915 I used in California earlier in the year.
Its a weird world when it comes to golf clubs. What works for one, doesn't work for another.
I own a 917. Tried everything, nothing came close to it consistency wise (it wasn't the longest, but more accurate) The only other club that was close was the M2.

JamesNotJim

Original Poster:

755 posts

187 months

Friday 3rd March 2017
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Forgot to add, just picked up a Srixon Z U45 18* driving iron. Straight into the bag for the weekend. ITS A BEAST.

Rosscow

8,787 posts

164 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
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Interesting you say that, had a look at some Srixon Z565/Z765's today and thought they looked lovely...

Edited by Rosscow on Saturday 4th March 23:15

Blaster72

10,909 posts

198 months

Sunday 5th March 2017
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Hit a 6 iron on a 225 hole to perfection and this is what you end up with

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJJgAZbCGQE

It's annoying that they make it seem so effortless too eek

Dan_1981

17,422 posts

200 months

Tuesday 7th March 2017
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Anyone else following the guy doing this blog?

https://twenty2scratch.com/author/twenty2scratch/

Interesting read - also on instagram & FB and all the rest.

Finds himself in Dubai this week - didn't have much fun out this morning though.

It's a good blog.

bodhi

10,664 posts

230 months

Tuesday 7th March 2017
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JamesNotJim said:
Its a weird world when it comes to golf clubs. What works for one, doesn't work for another.
I own a 917. Tried everything, nothing came close to it consistency wise (it wasn't the longest, but more accurate) The only other club that was close was the M2.
To be fair to the 917, I only tried a cuple of shots with the stock shaft (a Fujikara Speeder I believe) which seemed a bit soft for me - the 915 I tried had a Diamana Whiteboard, and that was a very impressive driver, long and accurate. If I decide the Covert needs to be replaced, then the 917 will be getting a very close look.

Blaster72

10,909 posts

198 months

Tuesday 7th March 2017
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Dan_1981 said:
Anyone else following the guy doing this blog?

https://twenty2scratch.com/author/twenty2scratch/

Interesting read - also on instagram & FB and all the rest.

Finds himself in Dubai this week - didn't have much fun out this morning though.

It's a good blog.
He's got a damn good swing for a 20 handicapper eek

Rosscow

8,787 posts

164 months

Tuesday 7th March 2017
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Blaster72 said:
He's got a damn good swing for a 20 handicapper eek
Perhaps he's crap at chipping and putting biggrin

JamesNotJim

Original Poster:

755 posts

187 months

Tuesday 7th March 2017
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Blaster72 said:
He's got a damn good swing for a 20 handicapper eek
A good looking swing means naff all IMO. I play with a guy off +1 that has the most horrid looking swing you've seen for a plus handicapper, but he gets the club back to a good position at impact everytime.
I've seen this guys blog before. I'd take him more seriously if it was 20 to cat1. Scratch handicap is something 99.8% of golfers will never achieve, no matter of how much money/time you throw at it.

Blaster72

10,909 posts

198 months

Tuesday 7th March 2017
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Rosscow said:
Perhaps he's crap at chipping and putting biggrin
rofl

Blaster72

10,909 posts

198 months

Tuesday 7th March 2017
quotequote all
JamesNotJim said:
A good looking swing means naff all IMO. I play with a guy off +1 that has the most horrid looking swing you've seen for a plus handicapper, but he gets the club back to a good position at impact everytime.
I've seen this guys blog before. I'd take him more seriously if it was 20 to cat1. Scratch handicap is something 99.8% of golfers will never achieve, no matter of how much money/time you throw at it.
Exactly what I meant, his swing looks fantastic but he's still playing off 20.


_Neal_

2,690 posts

220 months

Wednesday 8th March 2017
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JamesNotJim said:
Blaster72 said:
He's got a damn good swing for a 20 handicapper eek
A good looking swing means naff all IMO. I play with a guy off +1 that has the most horrid looking swing you've seen for a plus handicapper, but he gets the club back to a good position at impact everytime.
I've seen this guys blog before. I'd take him more seriously if it was 20 to cat1. Scratch handicap is something 99.8% of golfers will never achieve, no matter of how much money/time you throw at it.
Completely agree. Scratch means talent in excess of that which many highly-talented golfers have (if you see what I mean). The guys I know, for example, who are Cat1 tend to have very good hand-eye coordination and be good across different sports.

Scratch is another level entirely, and I'd argue that there are many who get to single figures (let alone 20) for whom getting down to scratch (regardless of time/money) is simply not possible. Category 1 is much more realistic, but still hard.

PS - I think you can build a pretty swing with enough lessons.






Edited by _Neal_ on Wednesday 8th March 11:39

GTO-3R

7,528 posts

214 months

Thursday 9th March 2017
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Soon as you get in that .1 catagory it gets very very difficult. I found getting from 4 to scratch was harder than getting from 15 to 4 and required a lot more practice and fine tuning various parts of my game smile

_Neal_

2,690 posts

220 months

Thursday 9th March 2017
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GTO-3R said:
Soon as you get in that .1 catagory it gets very very difficult. I found getting from 4 to scratch was harder than getting from 15 to 4 and required a lot more practice and fine tuning various parts of my game smile
Presumably consistency is even more of a premium in the 0.1, right? As any over handicap round is a plus 0.1 and so a couple of bad comps can damage progress in a much more meaningful way?

JamesNotJim

Original Poster:

755 posts

187 months

Thursday 9th March 2017
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_Neal_ said:
Presumably consistency is even more of a premium in the 0.1, right? As any over handicap round is a plus 0.1 and so a couple of bad comps can damage progress in a much more meaningful way?
On the head.
As a Cat1 golfer, 1 bad hole can determine your round, but you know there are always chances to get the dropped shots back.
Its a hard school sometimes though, I've shot level par a good few times this winter, only to be beaten (read that as well and truly stuffed) by a 20some handicapper thats had a lifey.
Whats even harder to take, is when you're not playing your best but you knuckle down and make buffer, only for CSS to shift down and give you 0.1 back. Thats disheartening.