Starting to look at some hybrids to round out my set for the upcoming year. Selling a few clubs if anyone is interested. I listed a hybrid driving iron
in another thread. I got desperate enough to want to feel like I was playing golf that I bought a used copy of a Tiger Woods game with Augusta on it
that I can play on my step son's Xbox. My usual buddy that I have been getting a membership will not have one this year so I will likely be looking
to get out and play a few new places from time to time in IL if anyone is interested. I seem to get the golf itch when the weather finally hits hard
and things look a little bleak. I think the fact that my wiper fluid is frozen up in my car is a sign that I needed to start the golf thread.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Think I may have found my answer to the gaps between my 3 wood and the 5 iron in my current set. Going to put the old Ping 1 iron back in
the bag to replace the driving iron and then found this new club called the Ping Crossover. The 4 iron is lofted like a 3 iron and appears to be
much like the name suggests, something between a traditional iron and a hybrid. A little different looking but it is growing on me.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I am intrigued by that. My "miss" with driver/woods/hybrids is left and seems exaggerated with hybrids. I don't miss my irons left...this may be just what the doctor ordered.

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I feel like I have more control with the irons as well Franky. It is probably psychological but I just haven't been able to pull the trigger on a proper hybrid
yet. I like the idea of a beefed up iron instead. This one looks like it could get the job done. I don't think it hits the stores until mid February.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I am going to start to line up a couple of lessons. I know a pro personally but not sure I want to use him for fear of embarrassment. Kidding really but I want to find the right one for me. Commitment this year no more of the same old same old. I had a couple back ops so I never really ever crushed it but I am tired of going right with the woods. Irons generally straight but I need to learn to do it the right way.

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If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Do it. I'm glad I did. My wife bought four 1/2 hour lessons, and I have only used two. At the first lesson, the guy told me to grab my 6-iron, and whack a few. He immediately noticed that my grip and stance were fucked up, so we worked on that. I was interlocking the index finger on my left hand, and my pinkie finger on my right hand. He said my hands are too big, and I am way too right hand dominant to swing like that. He told me to hit 1000 shots with the new grip, and come back for my second lesson. It was uncomfortable for months, but it feels normal now.

At the second lesson, he worked on the flaws in my swing. I was standing too far from the ball, my backswing was too fast, I didn't keep my head still, and my body was moving forward in my downswing. I have a lot of work to do, but I did make progress last year. I used to keep my 3 wood and 3 hybrid in the bag, as I couldn't hit them. I fell pretty confident in both clubs these days. My short game is still a mess, but baby steps.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

That's cool. I'm going to do it.

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If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

After playing with TaylorMade Rocketbladez Tour's the past two seasons, I ordered new irons for this season. Got a great price from Discount Dan's on a mixed set of Titleist with the new Dynamic Gold AMT shafts. Ordered 3 iron through 6 iron in the T-MB and got 7 iron through PW in the MB's.

The T-MB is a tungsten filled iron that's similar to the Ping Crossover in T-Bone's post. I've only hit a 4 iron at demo and haven't played a 3 iron in the last few years mainly because I've played 3 additional wedges (52, 56, 60) in addition to the PW. Now looking at getting the new Vokey SM6 in a 52 and 58.

Still hitting the same woods, R15 driver, original RBZ 3 wood and Callaway XHot 5 wood. Don't need or foresee an upgrade there this season as I bought 4 drivers last year and ended up hitting the 12 degree R15 the best.

Those T-MB's are nice. Also, what I have found the past two years with the Vokeys that if you have any interest in last years models you can usually get them as new/ old stock for a
pretty good deal this time of year. I am tempted to take the 60 degree out of my bag and add another long iron or hybrid but am a sucker for having the 60 degree in for the flop shot
around the green.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Having seen the SM6's though, they just look better. I was looking online and could get SM5's for about half the cost, may just end up doing that BUT I need to figure out all the different grinds, K, S, M, F, WTF? I take 5-6" divots with my wedges, probably should be playing more bounce. Bad thing is, there are zero knowledgeable retailers in the Quad City area. I'll probably drive to the PGA Super Store off 88 in the suburbs to figure out the wedges.

https://www.vokey.com/nav/sm5-wedge-selection.aspx

This link should help you out with the letter designations QCD. I take big divots as well but don't like the bounce.
Usually takes a while to make adjustments early in the season but with the least amount of bounce I find
it easier to open up the face on certain shots around the green. You will love the Vokey's if you have not
had them before. I was a Cleveland guy for many years ( still carry a 52 degree ) Put the SM4's in two
seasons ago and love them.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Just checked out the T-MB's and the wedge looks like it is a 50 degree loft. You can obviously do what you want but 2 degrees between
the PW and the 52 Vokey is pretty tight, you might want to consider pushing it back to a 54.

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I'm getting the short irons bent 1 degree strong and they are also 716 MB's, not the T-MB's. So PW will be 46 degree.
Thanks for the link to the Vokey site, think I'll go with the 52 degree F grind and the 58 degree L grind so I can open it up and chip/flop with it.

Sounds like a nice set up. Good luck this season.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

My clubs are still in California.

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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

Sounds like they are in the right spot to play some golf....what's your excuse?

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

ESPN1000HEAD's "Now I hate him now I don't" guy in Rickie Fowler was able to win this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Also nice to see a thinner and clean shaven Dufner get back into the win column. Mickelson had one of his best tournaments in quite some time as well. Even with everything else going on in the sports world this weekend, it was a good weekend to watch some golf.

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Gonna have to get in to see a shoulder doc soon. For a month now been having bad pain in the L shoulder/bicep with certain movements/stress. Can't swing a golf club. Got a bad feeling about this one.

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That sucks. I was hoping to meet up with shakes in the northern burbs this season

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Was recording the Morning Drive program starting today and each morning through the end of the week. They are at the PGA Merchandise show
and spending like 16 hours of coverage there. I was hoping they were going to be reviewing all of the new clubs and equipment. I went home for
lunch and fast forwarded through almost 2.5 hours of fluff. Disappointing but maybe they will get down on the show floor later in the episode or
tomorrow.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Oh don't worry, that's still gonna happen. Just gonna get in to see a doc asap so in case there is something there I can get it taken care of right away and be back for the season.

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Yesterday was lame. Today they are breaking down all the new Drivers on the market. Tomorrow are the irons and Friday are all the
new industry gadgets. That should be some good info.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Mid-Upper 40s this weekend, maybe a 50 in the far south burbs. Tempted to try and walk 9 holes at Deer Creek just to get outside and do something. Don't care about conditions or score, but 45+ with very minimal snow on the ground in January is about as good as it gets in the weather department.

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The Morning Drive coverage at the PGA Merchandise show has been weak and I really think they missed the boat on reporting on the new
products. They only featured a handful of items from the bigger manufacturers. The show was dominated by interviews, thank goodness
I was able to fast forward through the coverage. 3 plus hours of television whittled down to 20 minutes of information. I wanted to see
them going from booth to booth talking to everyone there.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

you guys see the Addidas clothes for team USA olympics?

I can't figure out how to post the pic, but god damn I need those shoes!

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I commit to 10 rounds minimum this year. That's probably equal to the last 5 years combined. I miss golf.

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I see that FootJoy brought back the brown and white spectators. I love these shoes although I am not in the market for any right now.
Had a pair about 5-6 years ago. They only seem to come out with them about every 3 years or so.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

42-42 at Meadows on Saturday. I hit the ball better than I did almost all of last year. The course wasn't too bad for January, I thought it would be a lot soggier than it was. I hit my irons 20 yards further than I am used to. Putting was kinda shitty as the greens were wet and slow, but boy it sure felt good to get out there at hit some nice shots.

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