Curious if anyone picked up any new golf gear over the holidays. I got a couple of new golf shirts so I guess that is something. Haven't touched a club in almost 3 months so starting to get the itch again. I think I will be starting to log some simulator time by the end of the month. I have gotten stronger in the off season but not lighter or more flexible so I am going to try to focus on some of that these next 3 weeks. Hoping to get down to visit my mom in Charlotte by March and play a few times down there. I'd like to knock Pinehurst off the bucket list but not sure if it will happen on that trip or not. Hate to play somewhere like that when the game is rusty. Hoping to check off a couple other spots on my list this year including Lawsonia up in Green Lake, WI and possibly one of the Streamsong courses down near Tampa. My sister in law is moving there this spring so going to take advantage of maybe getting down there at some point. Anyone else have any golf trips planned? Any short term/long term goals trying to achieve?

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

At the tail end of last year I bought D/3/5 of the Ping G410. Have been trying to work them out. 3/5 have rounded into shape, especially the 5. Still trying to keep the driver straight.

Played the first round of the year Saturday at Moody Gardens Golf Club.

A couple of golf shirts and a Callaway pullover for me. I need to get new shoes this year.

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@audioidkid

I really need new irons. Biggest problem is the indian and not the arrow, but still I'm using clubs that are pushing 20 years old. Was hoping to get them this winter, but with no job and having to get a car I'll have to wait until the end of this season most likely.

I think I got 4 dozen Srixon balls for xmas. I seemed to really play well with that brand last year, so I'm going to stick with them as much as I can. They are fairly durable, reasonably priced, and really seem to work with my "game" so why not stay with what works, even if its a placebo.

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Wife bought me a laser range finder for Christmas. I was using a handheld Phantom which was cool too. Can't wait to use it. Depending on the virus might try to get somewhere drivable and warm enough in late Feb. I also bout her a Garmin watch model the ladies in our league seem to love.

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

A golf buddy of mine reminded me of a heated outdoor range up in Racine that was opened last year. Might give that a shot here sooner rather than later. The one thing I don't like about the virtual golf is the $30 an hour price tag and not really seeing where the shots are going. If I can buy a bucket for $10 and even just hit short and medium irons I might get more out of it. I don't suspect temps will stay in the 30s here forever but with a little heater and hardly any wind, that isn't too bad for January conditions at all.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

There are two heated ranges that are open year round near me, TBone. If the wind is not directly in your face, temps even the 30s are fine. I've been to those ranges when its sunny, no wind, and temps are in the 20s. Usually once you get loosened up one long sleeve layer is fine with the heater going. Obviously the ball doesn't travel as far in the cold, but its good to get out and get a few swings in during the winter. I generally make sure I go at least twice in late Feb or early March before I get out and play a round.

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I got in 2 rounds last week while in Tennessee, and will be back by March sometime. I just left my clubs down there.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

I need a new putter and a couple of new wedges, as I start to rebuild the bag from the hole backward. I looked at the Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5 last week but the shaft length is really short in the store (and I usually am +1 on clubs). I need to do some online research on options.

The weather here is shit rainy and chilly compared to this time last year. I can't imagine that the courses are anything other than waterlogged swamps right now. I'm still hoping to get down to the SC/GA border courses at the end of January.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

What’s the weather there late Feb?

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

Where is the heated range in Racine T-Bone?

I'm a little worried about about playing this summer with the condition of my right elbow. In July I had to stop playing after the 14th hole (after playing 2 days prior). I did get 9 and 18 in after that with some minor discomfort but nothing that some tylenol, beer, and the pen couldn't mask. I tried to keep right arm usage to a minimum since then (insert jokes here)....

but, I'm pretty sure after pitching so much in h.s. (insert joke here) and playing the guitar for 35 years, my elbow is toast. i can barely hold a gallon of milk upright. So, that's probably bad, right?

I'll see how it goes, but i'm fairly sure surgery this year is in order. i'll likely hold off until later summer/early fall if I can. Wife did get me new clubs for my b-day last June. Have to use them!

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@audioidkid

...double post.

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@audioidkid

I remember you got a really nice set of clubs so that really sucks! Hope you can find a way to manage the pain, like you said it sounds like surgery might be in your future.

The range is located next to Ives Grove golf course. Essentially at 94 and Hwy 20 west of Racine. Easy to get to. Owned
by Tony Romo's dad. Pretty nice facility with many hitting bays. It's called Range Time. Not sure if all the bays are heated or not, I am assuming they are not. Also have simulators and a bar inside. Really not a bad little place and prices are pretty reasonable.

Small basket with 30 ball - $4
Medium basket with 60 balls - $8
Large basket with 100 balls - $12

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

.
Very hard to say, weather is fickle down there this time of year. Like right now, it is snowing down there.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

Yeah I thought I might try Gatlinburg or something for a quick weekend but it could be 60 or it could be snowing.

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

Gatlinburg especially, as it is in the mountains.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

If you are in the western half of the state, drive the two hours south and hit a couple of RTJ Trail courses.

Between the shitty golfing weather in NC right now (every time it gets to 55 it rains like hell) and some work stuff, I'm just hoping I can get to the range a couple of times this week. My schedule opens up massively after about February 10, so I am aiming at that to get back out for 18.

Meanwhile, I spent Saturday late night researching semi-private and public golf courses along I-81 in Virginia and Pennsylvania for a driving trip this summer, and reading about Vokey SM8 grinds. It beats watching the news.

I think I'm going to give my putter another 15 rounds and use my January $165 golfing budget to pick up a 56 degree SM8 as southeastern courses have a lot of raised greens and my midwestern burnt grass bump and run doesn't work down here.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

I currently am carrying a 3-iron and picked up my first hybrid in the fall last year. The 3-iron is 20 degrees and the hybrid is 19 degrees. Kind of overkill to carry the same club but the hybrid goes a bit further and the 3-iron can come in handy chipping out from under trees and other sawed off shots I can't reach with a 4 iron. I just keep going back to it in my head that I should be adding a wedge and dumping the 3-iron. I currently carry a 46 degree PW, a 52 degree and a 58 degree Vokey. I don't really have the money to go out and buy more than one new wedge so I have been kicking around the idea of adding a 62 degree but I haven't carried something that lofted before and not sure it will be worth it. I feel like I will be able to make use of it out of some tight spots around the green and sand but probably won't hit many shots with it out of the fairway. I will likely just stand pat with what I have and then at some point get a more standard 52,56, 60 set up. I'm just impatient. Anyone carry a 60 degree plus wedge and do they use it much?

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

We played the Huntsville and Muscle Shoals courses a few Aprils ago. It was like 40 degrees one day and in the 70s back in Chicago. That was maddening, but nice layouts for sure.

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-Hank Kingsley

Should be quite a few nice courses along that route Chet. I used to live next to I-81 when I was living in WV back around 2000 or so. I played a number of nice courses in PA and Virginia, although I don't remember the names of any of them. As for the Vokey's that is what I have been playing for about the last decade. They make a nice product. I would just do your research and make sure you get the grind and bounce that works for your game. I used to play wedges with the least amount of bounce on them so I could open the face on them and dig them out of gnarly lies but it really hurt my sand game. I switched to a sand wedge with more bounce a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. Made getting out of the sand a breeze. I know they have some nice tools on the website to ask you what kind of conditions you play under and what your swing is like ( picker/sweeper or a digger ). Cleveland makes wonderful wedges as well and I think Taylor Made has made great strides as well over the years

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

This summer I learned how to use my 3 hybrid in the trees. Actually got to the point where am better hitting recovery shots with that than I was with my 3 iron.

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Same Franky but I use a 4.

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

I went down the rathole on the SM8 web site. I currently use a 20 year old original Alien (60 degree, 13.5 bounce, massive sole) out of the sand (poorly) and in thick rough (decently). I've learned from the uphill rough to open it up and hit a massive sky flop. My PW is the 48 that came with my current set, and it's the club I use the least because it's shit both on thin fairway (cheaper courses) and when they've oversodded or after a rain storm and it's soggy. When it's soggy, I pull out my blade 8 I use for chipping and open it up closer to a 9, and try and land it 20 feet short of the cup and let it roll. Not ideal.

I'm thinking the "common" grind 56 is going to be a good investment (either Vokey or Cleveland). Then next January if I see improvement buy a 50 with less grind to replace my PW. I can leave the Alien in the bag and save it for really shitty uphill rough where the weight of the sole does most of the work.

I also think I'm going to put my 3i back in my bag for the same reason you mentioned. I grew up hitting blade 2i punch shots from hardpan under the trees at the Forest Preserve courses. The 3h doesn't quite do that for me, and realistically with the 3h then I don't need a 4 or 5 iron.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

I have standard TM AW and PW which are 48 and 46 I think. Then Milled Grind TM in 52 and 58. Covers about anything.

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

I was so hesitant and resistant to buying a hybrid. I have been buying driving irons for the past 6 or 7 years and never found one I could depend on consistently. I have a number of holes I can use the hybrid off the tee on and hitting it off the ground has been a breeze. I have a number of par 5's that I would never dream of hitting in two that I was getting close or on with late this summer. I always thought it was for a lesser player but it just makes life easier. I still have more confidence on long par 3's with an iron but I think learning to hit a 90 and a 75% shot with the hybrid will eventually replace that 3 iron, although I believe I might keep it. Probably wouldn't get much more than $50 for it but I may try to sell it at the pro shop. It's a hell of a nice Titleist T-MB model. Goes a country mile. I think I will wait it out and see if I get a bonus at work in a few months and if I do, maybe reward myself with new 52, 56 and 60 wedges. It would be nice to tighten up the loft dispersion. I have been getting by with the 52 and 58 to cover the shots I need and carry an extra club on the top end of the bag.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I just carry a PW, 52, and 58. I usually only use my 52 and 58 from about 40 yards in. I've always struggled to hit them off the fairway. From 95-45 I use anything from 8 iron to pitching wedge and hit 50-75% shots with a narrow stance. I've got my carry yardage dialed in pretty good with those shots over the years.

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That's what I would do when I lived in Illinois, mostly with 8 and 9. Down here with mostly crowned greens, it has been difficult to get the trajectory right, and I've wasted a lot of shots. Even a shitty player like me should get down in 3 from a fairway lie 55 yards out unless the greens are treacherous, and I don't spend enough coin to play on those courses.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

It's not a bump and run shot though so I can still play it into a crowned green. My buddy is a teaching pro and he he taught me the shot. He got tired of seeing me decelerate with my sand wedges.

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My PW goes about 140 max, the 52 I can get out there about 105-110 without trying to kill it and the 58 I try to never swing full on so it is usually 75 yards max. Everything in between has to be manufactured. The courses I play 95% of the time don't really lend themselves to bumping and running. I also play early in the morning and with the wet conditions I tend to shy away from that kind of shot, not to mention some of the greens are well protected by sand. I really wish I knew more 8 and 9 iron driving type shots. Over the years I have learned to take more club and swing smoother rather than nuking something to get it there.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

None of the yardages you guys listed are my problems. My problem is 7-12 yards from the goddamn green edge.

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