The Golf Thread - 2018!
Discussion
SpeckledJim said:
Anyone noticed anything get better or worse with the new putting with the flag in rules?
It seems the pros generally don't like it.
It certainly helps speed things up in my opinion.It seems the pros generally don't like it.
Since the new year it's becoming common sense at our club - putt with it in until you're close enough to the hole to take it out.
Just got back from a quick 9 holes at the local municipal course. It's in a shocking state, not surprising really. All temp greens and boggy ground. However, having not played since before the terrible weather , it was great to be back out there! Will do the same on wed and thurs and then a full round somewhere else on Friday as should be back up to speed by then!
kiethton said:
Considering we were in storm Eric and the 50mph wind/rain that entailed it wasn't that bad really! Came in with 28 points (playing off 8), only lost one ball and managed to birdie 3 holes....
Putting/chipping could definitely have done with some improvement (not used to bump and running!) but managed to get in with 28 points - when you take driver then a very well struck driver off the deck and still don't reach a 370yd par-4 you know you're in trouble! (I'd be driving 290yds in summer....). Another highlight was a driver off the 165yd par 3 17th......
Think the flag that I'm right next to will attest to how windy it was!
Bloody hell that is a strong wind. At least you did not get hail like they did yesterday in the PGA event!Putting/chipping could definitely have done with some improvement (not used to bump and running!) but managed to get in with 28 points - when you take driver then a very well struck driver off the deck and still don't reach a 370yd par-4 you know you're in trouble! (I'd be driving 290yds in summer....). Another highlight was a driver off the 165yd par 3 17th......
Think the flag that I'm right next to will attest to how windy it was!
Noodle1982 said:
That's a coincidence. It was only the other day i was looking at non conforming drivers and ended up just a click away from buying a Cobra 440SZ Unlimited to pit against my current Fly Z, just to see how much, if any, of a difference a non conforming driver makes.
I've one of those trampoline face drivers in the garage. Can be good fun at the range if it's got concrete wall enclosures - sounds like a gun going off every time you hit it! SpeckledJim said:
Anyone noticed anything get better or worse with the new putting with the flag in rules?
It seems the pros generally don't like it.
I can certainly see how it will speed up play, but having spent 30 years having to take it out, psychologically it's difficult to leave it in!It seems the pros generally don't like it.
Yep, well done, I'm feeling good too after a bit of post-lesson improvement brought me a couple of good scores, one of them handily in the medal. It was nice to get back to the home track after a recent excursion to the very clayey St Pierre. Their greens are infected with fusarium and are all over the place (and before you ask it wasn't just me! 
)
)I too will be out on the golf course this weekend.
I played last weekend but my game was nothing to write home about. I did however use the driver far more than just on 1 hole - I was very pleased with the way I hit the ball. Even my caddie was impressed as he normally refuses to give me the driver.
I am hoping for less humidity this weekend as by the second hole last weekend (around 06:30) my towel was out and I was already wiping the sweat away! Perhaps the reason for my poor game.
I played last weekend but my game was nothing to write home about. I did however use the driver far more than just on 1 hole - I was very pleased with the way I hit the ball. Even my caddie was impressed as he normally refuses to give me the driver.
I am hoping for less humidity this weekend as by the second hole last weekend (around 06:30) my towel was out and I was already wiping the sweat away! Perhaps the reason for my poor game.
soupdragon1 said:
Blackpuddin said:
I've noticed a real improvement on the driver recently simply by gripping down on it. Every driver just seems inherently too long.
Justin Thomas has been doing this a lot, most notably with a 3 wood, nearly gripping down to the steel on some occasions!Was also interested to hear a playing partner commenting on the amount of bend on my driver shaft. It's a regular Ping G5 10.5. Maybe I should have a stiff one in there, oo-er etc.
I'm forever tinkering whether it be changing clubs, grips, swing etc.
As it is i'm content with my club set up. The latest changes being cobra one lengths, centre shafted putter, jumbo grip on driver. My swing is where i want it to be so needed something else to tinker with. Balls!
I usually use wilson dx2 or srixon soft feel/AD333. with the odd ventured into the realms of ProV1's, Zstar, AD333 tour etc.
Today's offering was...................Slazenger RAW Distance! Who doesn't like a bit of raw distance?! Still don't know where these balls have come from but have been laying around the house for a while.
Onto the review....
Driving - Bloody Nora these things feel hard and make hell of a noise but..... i kinda like it. Add that to my Cobra driver and the result is an obnoxiously loud 'ting!'. I don't know if i was subconsciously swinging harder because i couldn't care if i lost one but they were some of the straightest longest drives i've hit. I guess the lack of spin being a contributing factor. On average 20yrds further than usual, GPS measured. I usually scoff when i read claims like that but there was that much difference! I'm not saying the ball will go further than say a ProV1, but they enabled me to get them out there further. It could be witch craft for all i know.
Irons - No difference what so ever. They were stopping just as well as any other ball i've used on full shots. The same with hybrids.
Chipping/pitching - definitely noticeable less spin but again i liked it. Too many times i had been caught out leaving chips/bump and runs short due to too much spin. With these there was no second guessing how much the ball will check up......it didnt!
Putting - I know putting is a personal thing and for me this is where these balls excelled. I thought i liked the squishy feeling of the Wilson DX2 balls but i seem to putt better with these spheres of granite. Not a single putt was left short on the 9 holes i played today. One of the areas of my game i'm trying to improve. I cant quite put my finger on it but these just seemed 'easier' to putt with.
I ended up shooting 40 on the front 9 (par 36) which is up there with some of the best front 9 scores i've had.
I'm going to buy a box of these beauties and continue with them. We've had some lovely weather here the last week or so and the greens are drying up nicely. Will be interesting to see how i get along with these the firmer the greens become.
There's something quite amusing playing such a cheap ball on a course, and scoring relatively well, where every ball found in the rough is a ProV1.
To be continued.....
As it is i'm content with my club set up. The latest changes being cobra one lengths, centre shafted putter, jumbo grip on driver. My swing is where i want it to be so needed something else to tinker with. Balls!
I usually use wilson dx2 or srixon soft feel/AD333. with the odd ventured into the realms of ProV1's, Zstar, AD333 tour etc.
Today's offering was...................Slazenger RAW Distance! Who doesn't like a bit of raw distance?! Still don't know where these balls have come from but have been laying around the house for a while.
Onto the review....
Driving - Bloody Nora these things feel hard and make hell of a noise but..... i kinda like it. Add that to my Cobra driver and the result is an obnoxiously loud 'ting!'. I don't know if i was subconsciously swinging harder because i couldn't care if i lost one but they were some of the straightest longest drives i've hit. I guess the lack of spin being a contributing factor. On average 20yrds further than usual, GPS measured. I usually scoff when i read claims like that but there was that much difference! I'm not saying the ball will go further than say a ProV1, but they enabled me to get them out there further. It could be witch craft for all i know.
Irons - No difference what so ever. They were stopping just as well as any other ball i've used on full shots. The same with hybrids.
Chipping/pitching - definitely noticeable less spin but again i liked it. Too many times i had been caught out leaving chips/bump and runs short due to too much spin. With these there was no second guessing how much the ball will check up......it didnt!
Putting - I know putting is a personal thing and for me this is where these balls excelled. I thought i liked the squishy feeling of the Wilson DX2 balls but i seem to putt better with these spheres of granite. Not a single putt was left short on the 9 holes i played today. One of the areas of my game i'm trying to improve. I cant quite put my finger on it but these just seemed 'easier' to putt with.
I ended up shooting 40 on the front 9 (par 36) which is up there with some of the best front 9 scores i've had.
I'm going to buy a box of these beauties and continue with them. We've had some lovely weather here the last week or so and the greens are drying up nicely. Will be interesting to see how i get along with these the firmer the greens become.
There's something quite amusing playing such a cheap ball on a course, and scoring relatively well, where every ball found in the rough is a ProV1.
To be continued.....
I agree with everything you say on the balls front. I use Dunlop Tour Softs which are so cheap you practically buy them by the pound. Mate of mine put me onto them and I can detect no difference between these and 'premium' balls I've had from Titleist, Calllaway etc. Undoubtedly part of it is me not being very good, but until I get nearer to single figure handicap they'll do for me. Annoyingly you can't get them new any more but I believe that the same ball is still available as a Slazenger V300.
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