As good a time as any to start this thread, so I'll ask: Should I jump on an ostensibly new sub-$300 2017 M2 driver to complete my return-to-the-game bag, or go with something much cheaper for the time being? The relevant listings are from reputable eBay sellers.

An M2 would create synergy among my hybrid and fairway wood (even a 2016 version would work), and I'm worried that prices will skyrocket soon after the holidays such that I'm paying $350 for a mint-used M2 four months from now.

About 4 times this weekend I've had a club in the virtual checkout aisle only to chicken out. Help and happy hacking in 2018!

Personally, I wouldn't buy a driver without getting properly fitted. But if you're just looking to put a bag together to start playing again, the M2 is a good club.

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TaylorMade releases a new driver every two weeks. Prices won't go up.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

I would go to a local Golf Galaxy or PGA Superstore and browse the used rack. Last February I picked up a very nice Titleist driver
that was less than a year old for $190. It is really hit or miss but might be worth a shot, plus they let you hit them in the cage.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

7:10 tee time for the Eskimo Open on Sunday!

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Juice, I cannot recommend getting fit highly enough. Especially for someone getting back into the game.

Yeah, that's probably better. I did the basic "wrist to floor" measurement myself, and according to some chart I found on the internet my irons should be a little longer than standard.

But I have no idea about my clubhead speed or anything like that. I would just feel bad going into the PGA Superstore for their free driver fitting then taking the info and walking back out to my car and hopping on eBay or 3balls/2ndswing.

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@audioidkid

Not sure how it works, but they might charge you for the fitting unless you order something from them. That is kind of how it worked for mine but I
went in knowing I was ordering a set of irons at the end of the day so it was free. It can be very helpful if you don't know what you are really looking
for.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Club Champion is offering 50% off full bag and 33% off all individual fittings through end of January. You can basically hit every head/shaft combo.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

Local course offering virtual golf in their clubhouse this winter. $30 during the week and $40 on a weekend. Not sure what courses are available
but seeing that I have not picked up a club in well over 2 months it is tempting to try out. It is the Full Swing branded one which I think is one of
the better ones and repped by Jordan Spieth among others. Anyone ever try this out? Looks kind of fun and you can "play" some famous
courses. I'm skeptical about the short game and especially putting but I think I am going to give it a go here in the next week or two.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

When we play we turn the putting off to "auto putt", or 2 putt max. For full shots it seems fairly accurate and is a good time.

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Which will take about 2 hours, and you'll have an absolute blast.

Very cool, kind of looking forward to it. Going to Mexico in 5 weeks and my wife is trying to get me to golf but I was going to say no.
Maybe this thing would help me change my mind.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I did it in the fall and really enjoyed the experience. You will get tired if you do the full bag though. I actually came back to do the driver/woods/hybrids in a separate session at no extra charge.

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Went do an indoor golf place in Naperville to test out my new driver (got a steal of a deal on a new R15 on eBay), and they had the ProTee golf simulator, never hit in one before.

I'm not sure what kind of accuracy this thing gives, because I was seeing numbers that I've never seen until I stopped playing about 8 years ago. The most ridiculous was my 19-degree hybrid, which the system said I was swinging in the 120-130mph range (I may have bought the wrong flex type) and carrying like 240. My HL 3-wood was apparently good for 240-250 pretty regular, and my 12-degree driver (with the weights set to draw) routinely 265-280. We won't talk about accuracy for the moment.

All that said, does anyone know if this system is actually tracking clubhead AND ball speed for quasi-accurate distance calculations, or like other systems is it deriving everything from clubhead velocity vectors relative to a fixed point? IF the ball speed and loft is measured independently, then the accuracy is likely pretty spot on and...I guess I gained distance out of nowhere?

Otherwise, really nice place in a strip mall next to Angeli's in Naperville. They serve [very expensive] beer and some [very expensive] pre-mixed alcohol beverages, and have a menu that, while narrow in selection, is solid in quality. I think I was helped out by the owner, who was incredibly helpful and courteous on a slow night.

Where we are moving to in suburban Columbus sits right next to a course . Hope to get out on a few Sundays this year.

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Not a mult.

Definitely X flex if those SS numbers are legit.

I know nothing about that simulator, but you should try to see spin rate and launch angle at the very least in order to optimize the driver/settings.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

You ever go to the TopGolf out in Naperville? The bays are open to the outside and I want to know how cold it is.

I've been there, but at the tail end of summer. I've had that same question about the bays this time of year, I might have an answer for you tomorrow from first-hand experience.

Let me know if you do. We are thinking of having a party there but need to know the min outside temp so we aren't standing there like icicles.

I know for a fact my driver is "Regular" flex and I was seeing club speed numbers in the mid 110's, maybe a touch above, so I'm guessing my hybrid is a "Medium" flex.

There is typically no medium flex. Keep in mind flex is a relative term - shafts can play weak to flex, stiff to flex or anywhere in between. What shaft do you have in the R15? It's common for Taylormade stock shafts to play weak to flex. There are also "made for" versions of aftermarket shafts that are typically watered-down versions of the original. I generally play regular flex in my clubs (better shafts that play true to flex), but would probably be fit into stiff for stock shafts.

Also, Taylormade is known for horrible manufacturing tolerances. Your 12* driver could actually be anywhere from 10-14*. Same with the shaft specs. That is why you should get fitted, especially at higher swing speeds. I experimented last season with a "made for" Fubuki shaft in a newer Callaway driver and it felt "loose" compared to the real- deal Fubuki. My dispersion was clearly much better.

If the current R15 shaft isn't a good fit, there are tons of inexpensive aftermarket shafts w/the appropriate adapter on eBay.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

In my experience it needs to be at least in the 20's to enjoy it.

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Also JLN, flex is just one factor when it comes to shafts. Weight, length and bend profile are just as important, if not more, than flex.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

This. 25 is about the cutoff, with 35-40 being the cutoff if the wind is really whipping around.

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The R15 I saw newly listed on eBay and snatched up has a ProLaunch Blue 65R shaft. Absolutely no clue what that means, but was seeing club speeds in the mid 110's and above.

My Hybrid is an 2017 M2 with the "standard" Fujikura 55 Flex A, saw clubspeeds above and sometimes well above 120.

The plan is to get back into the game with my current Frankenbag, then save up and do a full fitting for a brand new bag that will last me a few years if I want to stick with golf.

Thanks again for all the input.

Ok, I can see and understand the 25-30 degree threshold people have for Top Golf. It's fucking cold out there.

That said, if you really want to have this shindig, Spaulding, it IS bearable in this cold, the key is to request (and accept nothing less) than a bay in the middle of the structure and not on the wings of the facility, basically where all the high-top tables are and NOT the couches. The bays in the main structure have three rows of heaters, while the bays on the wings only have two, and the difference is staggering.

So basically, you have to specifically request a range of bays in order to be comfortable in this cold, but it can be done. Also make sure everyone has gloves, no exceptions

A couple of things:

- the ProLaunch Blue is a high-launch shaft
- A flex is senior flex (between Ladies and Regular)
- it makes absolutely no sense that you see a higher swing speed with a hybrid than a driver. The hybrid shaft is 4-5 inches shorter. It's simple physics. Well above 120 mph with a hybrid is only happening in fantasyland.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

I don't disagree that the numbers are crazy, which is why I looked at the reliability and accuracy of the ProTee system, but only found people saying it did well at approximating the calculations.