The Golf Thread - 2017!
Discussion
DuncanM said:
Rosscow said:
I think you have to be careful - distances off a mat indoors are not the sam as you'll hit off turf outside. It's also very forgiving (if you hit a fat one, for example).
Save your £30, take some balls either to the club practice ground or even a large park, hit some balls with different clubs and measure. Much more accurate!
So wrong Rosscow! Save your £30, take some balls either to the club practice ground or even a large park, hit some balls with different clubs and measure. Much more accurate!
Golf is all about carry distance, you'll never get that with your park example, and besides, I can't think of a park that allows 200yard shots!
Golf Sims give you real data, if you swing a six iron at 85mph, there is a mathematical distance that you can carry that shot. It's fact based, and so useful.
Anyone not having a gap test and loft lie check at the beginning of a season, is doing themselves a disservice.
Everyone I know hits there 7 iron 150yards until a gap test
Some sims can give true data. But most of them do not track a ball but simply use a mathematical equation to 'guess' the spin numbers through impact conditions and club head speed. Thus giving out false readings. There are also other parameters that can be altered to give truer reflections of your distance but more often than not they are just set to perfect.
rsbmw said:
That’s not true- they take a series of pictures during launch so they know the speed and spin rates, they just use that to guess the resulting flight.
but its just the same, using pre inputted data to give you a result. You often can't fit certain clubs that use the system you've pointed out. (wedges normally)
My crew is planning a February overnight outing at Old Thorns, and I'm wondering whether to join in. Has anybody played there? Looks like an interesting challenge for an 18-handicapper.
https://www.oldthorns.com/golf/
https://www.oldthorns.com/golf/
After years of listening about golf stories from a friend and boss, I've decided to give it a go this year.
(Been to a driving range twice in my life and tried to play pitch and putt once at the age of 9)
First visit to a driving range last week with my boss (plays off 10) to get taught a few basics. Really enjoied it and first shot went as straight as you like ?? probably hit 60% of the balls well. Realise what I've done wrong when hitting some bad shots, other times I was mystified ??
Got my first lesson with a pro next week.
Not going to be able to play and practice loads, but will probably be at the club twice a week all being well.
Any advice on starter clubs? Obviously not wanting to spend a fortune until I know I'm really enjoying it.
Looked at some of the Wilson starter sets and also looked at a few 2nd hand Taylormade sets on ebay. And a new 12pc callaway strata set (all around £200-£250)
Thanks in advance
Matt
Matt
(Been to a driving range twice in my life and tried to play pitch and putt once at the age of 9)
First visit to a driving range last week with my boss (plays off 10) to get taught a few basics. Really enjoied it and first shot went as straight as you like ?? probably hit 60% of the balls well. Realise what I've done wrong when hitting some bad shots, other times I was mystified ??
Got my first lesson with a pro next week.
Not going to be able to play and practice loads, but will probably be at the club twice a week all being well.
Any advice on starter clubs? Obviously not wanting to spend a fortune until I know I'm really enjoying it.
Looked at some of the Wilson starter sets and also looked at a few 2nd hand Taylormade sets on ebay. And a new 12pc callaway strata set (all around £200-£250)
Thanks in advance
Matt
Matt
Edited by The Tea Boy on Wednesday 10th January 11:30
Edited by The Tea Boy on Wednesday 10th January 11:31
A tidy set of second-hand Ping or Mizuno cavity-backs from eBay would be my suggestion.
Get the pro to recommend what sort of shaft you need. V.v Important.
If when they arrive the grips are shiny, get them changed. Also v.v.important.
When you find your feet (or quit!) you'll get your most/all/more than your money back when you sell them on.
A new £200 starter set of Wilsons or Dunlops is worth about £45 by the time you get them home. Not to mention that they're crap. You can't make golf clubs and sell them for a profit at that sort of price without designing in crapness from the start.
(SJ boring broken record time - don't bother with a driver. A novice going golfing with a driver is like going deer stalking with a brass band. Counter-productive).
ETA - If you're somewhat of a clubhouse poseur (and lots of us are) be aware that a shiny set of Dunlops in a matching bag screams ROOKIE.
A slightly knocked-about set from a 'premium' manufacturer is much more on point and won't mark you out.
Confidence is a big thing for golfers of all standards, and feeling out-of-place on the first tee won't help with a case of knocking-knees at all.
Lots of golfers can feel intimidated in their early weeks and months, and anything you can do to allay that will pay dividends in your enjoyment, and make it more likely that you'll stick with it.
Get the pro to recommend what sort of shaft you need. V.v Important.
If when they arrive the grips are shiny, get them changed. Also v.v.important.
When you find your feet (or quit!) you'll get your most/all/more than your money back when you sell them on.
A new £200 starter set of Wilsons or Dunlops is worth about £45 by the time you get them home. Not to mention that they're crap. You can't make golf clubs and sell them for a profit at that sort of price without designing in crapness from the start.
(SJ boring broken record time - don't bother with a driver. A novice going golfing with a driver is like going deer stalking with a brass band. Counter-productive).
ETA - If you're somewhat of a clubhouse poseur (and lots of us are) be aware that a shiny set of Dunlops in a matching bag screams ROOKIE.
A slightly knocked-about set from a 'premium' manufacturer is much more on point and won't mark you out.
Confidence is a big thing for golfers of all standards, and feeling out-of-place on the first tee won't help with a case of knocking-knees at all.
Lots of golfers can feel intimidated in their early weeks and months, and anything you can do to allay that will pay dividends in your enjoyment, and make it more likely that you'll stick with it.
Edited by SpeckledJim on Wednesday 10th January 11:56
I'd just ask around, most golfers I know who've played for any length of time will have spare club sets they don't ever use.
There's no point splashing out until you've actually played on course a few times, you might hate it (as many do). If you do get hooked, Jim has posted some fine advice.
There's no point splashing out until you've actually played on course a few times, you might hate it (as many do). If you do get hooked, Jim has posted some fine advice.
JamesNotJim said:
Ordered my new bats last night.....finally after months of trying nearly everything that caught my eye.
Mizuno JPX 900 Tour 4-PW C-Taper 130 X. Should be here in 5 days. Cant wait
Lovely irons - nice choice on the shaft too. I have a C-Taper (albeit only a 120S) in one of my 2 irons, love the flight it produces. Am very tempted to get my Nike Blades reshafted with a set, but the current S400's are working well (if a bit rusty in places). Going to go to a local club builder early in the season to see what he recommends. Mizuno JPX 900 Tour 4-PW C-Taper 130 X. Should be here in 5 days. Cant wait
Still, when they arrive we need pics and a full review
I've been doing some tinkering over the last month or so to try and get a bag I am happy with. Main focus has been wedges - I did have 50, 54 and 58 in the bag, but I was finding I only really used the 58 for short bunker shots - the rest of the time the 54 was ideal, so I bought a 56 degree Engage to replace the 54 and 58, giving me another slot at the top of my bag. So I now go:
Driver
3 Wood
1 - 9 Iron
50, 56.
Reassuringly old school
I also talked the OH into getting me a new driver for Xmas. Not that there was anything particularly wrong with my old Covert (which I have kept), but it is 4 years old and new shiny is always good. So I pciked up one of these in the 2nd hand section of American Golf for £92. Probably my last ever Nike Driver (sadface).
As it was 2nd hand I didn't have much choice in the shaft department so ended up with a Tensei CK Stiff - far too soft for me, but luckily I have a few driver shafts with Nike adapters already fitted, so off the the range for a tinker I went.
Eventually settled on a Diamana Blueboard 60S - still feels slightly soft (was playing X-Stiff in my Covert), but can't complain about the performance - long, straight and seem to hover in the air for ages. From on the course I'd say it's 5 - 10 yards longer than the Covert, and much straighter.
Then had a lesson last night. Oh dear. We've got my full swing near where it needs to be, but I am struggling 60 yards and in. I can turn my lower body perfectly on a full swing, but on a pitch it's still all hands, arms and a slide, meaning I occasionally hit that shot that shall not be named. I'm predicting a fairly painful couple of weeks whilst I get my head round it.
thebraketester said:
SpeckledJim said:
(SJ boring broken record time - don't bother with a driver. A novice going golfing with a driver is like going deer stalking with a brass band. Counter-productive).
And yet both are equally hilarious.Edited by SpeckledJim on Wednesday 10th January 11:56
Either you take 5 hours to get round, or you scare all the bloody deer away!
Blackpuddin said:
My crew is planning a February overnight outing at Old Thorns, and I'm wondering whether to join in. Has anybody played there? Looks like an interesting challenge for an 18-handicapper.
https://www.oldthorns.com/golf/
bump?https://www.oldthorns.com/golf/
JamesNotJim said:
They've turned up a few days early!
So so nice. Straight out tomorrow with them.
Edit: Thumbsnap really can't handle iPhone photos
Edited by JamesNotJim on Friday 12th January 16:39
Regarding the shafts, do you have a very fast iron swing, or is it just a preferred feel?
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