SoSH Golf, 2023

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
What's different about the left dash?
High launch and lower spin off the driver, still retains some spin around the greens. It also performs extremely consistent in the wind, which I like. It's like the TP5x, but I find it's better on the greens with more spin/check. Basically a lower spinning ProV1x.

It's helped me off the tee a bunch.
 

bsan34

New Member
Jul 31, 2006
338
C'ville, VA / Hingham, MA
First 9 of the year after work yesterday. Just getting out there had me in a noticeably better mood!

I snagged a Callaway Epic Speed driver off CPO among my various offseason purchases. Absolutely loved this driver yesterday. It was absurdly forgiving. I'd one off the toe that basically still went further than my average drive from last year.
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
First 9 of the year after work yesterday. Just getting out there had me in a noticeably better mood!
Where'd you play?

Knocked out 54 holes at Wayland this weekend. In surprisingly good shape to start the year. Feels great to be out swinging. 78, 83, 84 - not a bad start to the year.
 

bsan34

New Member
Jul 31, 2006
338
C'ville, VA / Hingham, MA
Where'd you play?

Knocked out 54 holes at Wayland this weekend. In surprisingly good shape to start the year. Feels great to be out swinging. 78, 83, 84 - not a bad start to the year.
Wayland! And agreed, especially for March in MA. For the amount of play that course gets in general, they always keep it in good shape. 41 on 9, which is a hell of a 9 for my first round. I'll probably blow up and not break 50 next time.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,949
Where'd you play?

Knocked out 54 holes at Wayland this weekend. In surprisingly good shape to start the year. Feels great to be out swinging. 78, 83, 84 - not a bad start to the year.
Finally got out this past Sunday myself. I went 44, 43 at Waverly Oaks in Plymouth. I doubled 4 holes, including 2 of the par 5's which really killed me scoring wise, but also missed 5 birdie putts inside 15 feet. I almost drove the downhill, par 4 green (think it's #11 or 12), and blew the 50 footer for eagle by about 10 feet, but made the comebacker for birdie. Greens were sanded and very uneven, so not really concerned that I didn't make much of anything.

I'll tell you what though, this is the first season I've ever used a sim or got regular swings in during the offseason. I think it made a massive difference with my irons. Think I really only had one bad swing with an iron all day, and I just shoved a 9 iron probably 15 feet off my line, but otherwise, it was like I was hitting everything right where I visualized it. Driver has always been a fine club for me, and straight. Fairway woods, which tend to be the best clubs in my bag usually, were what killed me, hence the doubles on the par 5's. Think I overcorrected in the sim to make sure the ball got off the ground, that I started chunking them in real life. Will see how that shakes out.

Andover opens tomorrow, and weather dependent, playing tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday as of now... Thank God we're back.
 

BroodsSexton

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 4, 2006
12,630
guam
I am not much of a golfer, historically. I am desperate for golf season to start this year. I need 4 hour chunks of time to do nothing but drive around and chase a little white ball and not be attached to reality.
 

kelpapa

Costanza's Hero
SoSH Member
Feb 15, 2010
4,639
I was supposed to get my first round in on Saturday. Kelmama was taking both kids to a birthday party. About 30 minutes before she left, the 3-year-old threw a massive tantrum. Kelmama looked at me and said "I'm not taking her," which I reluctantly agreed made the most sense. Round was cancelled.

I had a weekend up in Granby in May scheduled for golf with some guys from my softball team. The course is usually in rough shape, but it beats being home. 2 of the guys dropped out last night. The fourth said we'll just do it another time. Now, I'm trying to figure out if I should call it off or find some replacements.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,949
Got my first round in at home, and went 40/41 on Friday. 9 pars, 9 bogeys, so never out of a hole, and really, I hit everything well. Three of the bogeys were where I missed a fairway by no more than 5 yards, and was blocked out and had to take my medicine, but managed to have legit looks at pars on all of them.

Short game is the only real issue I'm having right now, but given the conditions in the rough, inability to putt from even 5 feet off a green (I use the Texas Wedge a lot) due to the hairiness and uneveness, and the greens being punched and sanded, it's to be expected.

Washed out on Saturday with rain, and then played Sunday morning, in some of the hardest conditions ever. Had to be about 35 degrees, with the wind blowing upwards of 40mph. The prevailing wind at our course really only allows 3-4 holes to play downwind, and about 9 holes into the teeth of it, with the rest being crosswind. Coming in from the same spot I hit 7 Iron (which itself is normally an 8 iron, but the cold air is about a 10% yardage adjustment) on Friday, I had to hit 3 wood to get home. Shot 90, but felt just as good as the 81 given the conditions.

Gotta keep it rolling.
 

3puttking

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 18, 2020
5
Vancouver
For those on the fence about Arccos sensors and/or the new EA Sports PGA game coming out tomorrow, they've announced a partnership where you can get free sensors and a 45 day trial with purchase of the game.

I've seen a lot of these 45 day trial offers coming down the pipe lately, I wonder if it means anything for the overall viability of Arccos.

https://www.arccosgolf.com/blogs/community/arccos-partners-with-ea-sports
I wish I knew about this. Was thinking this was groundbreaking…
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,091
Tuukka's refugee camp
For those on the fence about Arccos sensors and/or the new EA Sports PGA game coming out tomorrow, they've announced a partnership where you can get free sensors and a 45 day trial with purchase of the game.

I've seen a lot of these 45 day trial offers coming down the pipe lately, I wonder if it means anything for the overall viability of Arccos.

https://www.arccosgolf.com/blogs/community/arccos-partners-with-ea-sports
They’re giving the hardware away for free in hopes of banking on the more lucrative subscription business . Basically the same strategy Gillette and the like do with its razor handles so it can sell razor blades.
 

mostman

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 3, 2003
18,740
For those on the fence about Arccos sensors and/or the new EA Sports PGA game coming out tomorrow, they've announced a partnership where you can get free sensors and a 45 day trial with purchase of the game.

I've seen a lot of these 45 day trial offers coming down the pipe lately, I wonder if it means anything for the overall viability of Arccos.

https://www.arccosgolf.com/blogs/community/arccos-partners-with-ea-sports
Are these any good? Are they just game tracking or do they offer good data for practice sessions.
 

jercra

No longer respects DeChambeau
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
3,147
Arvada, Co
Are these any good? Are they just game tracking or do they offer good data for practice sessions.
They won't offer anything for a range session, if that's what you mean. They track which clubs were hit how far for each shot, but they calculate the distance by using an external GPS (phone or watch) to know how far you've gone between each shot. Unless you walk to your range ball and add another shot, it won't give you any information.
 

mostman

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 3, 2003
18,740
They won't offer anything for a range session, if that's what you mean. They track which clubs were hit how far for each shot, but they calculate the distance by using an external GPS (phone or watch) to know how far you've gone between each shot. Unless you walk to your range ball and add another shot, it won't give you any information.
Yeah, I was thinking about swing path information during a range session. I’m the sort of person that will take any tech you can give me on the range, but when I get on the course, it’s the last thing I want to think about. But I would make an exception if they are worth it. I used the GolfShot app for a while, this looks like the natural progression of that.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,395
My first round is Thursday morning. Of course, I haven't swung a club since last October, and I won't even get to the range. I'll get to the course, walk to the first tee, take two practice swings, and let it rip.

And it could go..... ANYWHERE.
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,091
Tuukka's refugee camp
Played my first two rounds last week when I was in Georgia for the Masters and shot an 89 and 79. Started the first hole of the first round with a birdie then proceeded to go bogie, double, double before a sheet of rain came and entered me into an impromptu wet t-shirt contest. They practice area hosted the Drive, Chip and Putt kids and Finau's nephew was being followed by a camera crew so I may be in the foreground as a blurry shot in the next season of Full Swing.

Figured some stuff out for the second round plus it was an easier course. Need to figure out my short game but hope that will come with time. Will certainly take those as my first two rounds of the year.
 

Oil Can Dan

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2003
8,015
0-3 to 4-3
I played my second round of the season yesterday. I have no earthly idea where it came from but my wedge game was ON FIRE. I am not good with my wedges but yesterday I dropped 6/7 shots to within four feet from 40-90 yards out. I think the thing I figured out somehow is that historically I've been subconciously tentative with those clubs. Like, I don't think I used my normal swing with them but instead used a slowed down tentative almost scared swing. Yesterday I stayed a little more compact over the ball and really just focused on limiting my takeaway more than the swing itself, and then just swung the club.

I suspect it'll fade away but it felt awesome to actually be able to control my wedges. I still shot a 93 because my driver was crazy and I still can't putt, but I've been thinking about those wedge shots ever since.

So glad golf is back!
 

yeahlunchbox

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 21, 2008
764
My first round is Thursday morning. Of course, I haven't swung a club since last October, and I won't even get to the range. I'll get to the course, walk to the first tee, take two practice swings, and let it rip.

And it could go..... ANYWHERE.
This is pretty much exactly my situation, except it will be Friday morning at Crystal Lake in Burrillville. Look out for flying golf balls if you're in that general area.
 

steveluck7

Member
SoSH Member
May 10, 2007
3,994
Burrillville, RI
This is pretty much exactly my situation, except it will be Friday morning at Crystal Lake in Burrillville. Look out for flying golf balls if you're in that general area.
What time? I’ll be dropping my kids off at the school break “camp” at the elementary school right across the street from the 3rd and 4th holes.
I’ll take caution
 

yeahlunchbox

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 21, 2008
764
I love Crystal Lake. If it was closer to where I live I’d join instead of my club.
It's become my favorite over the last couple of years, taking over the crown from New England. The course is always in good to great shape and they get all of the stuff surrounding the round right. Always a good amount of beer carts and having the snack shack behind 17 that's also on the crossroads of 7 to 8 and 13 to 14 are just really good touches, and the clubhouse is always good after the round.
 

jercra

No longer respects DeChambeau
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
3,147
Arvada, Co
Yeah, I was thinking about swing path information during a range session. I’m the sort of person that will take any tech you can give me on the range, but when I get on the course, it’s the last thing I want to think about. But I would make an exception if they are worth it. I used the GolfShot app for a while, this looks like the natural progression of that.
For anything that gives you actual club path or face to path info you're looking at a $6k-30k device (Launch Pro/GC3, GC Quad, Trackman, some Flightscope devices, etc.)
 

mostman

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 3, 2003
18,740
For anything that gives you actual club path or face to path info you're looking at a $6k-30k device (Launch Pro/GC3, GC Quad, Trackman, some Flightscope devices, etc.)
So it’s really about shot tracking on the course. Not something I feel I want, but if I’m getting the sensors free, yeah, why not :)

I had a GC2 for a while. Wish I still had it. My friend started a golf school and bought it from me.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,395
First round in the books. 40-45-85. Not terrible. Driver was great until the 15th when it went haywire the last four holes, which included three doubles and a birdie (thanks to a 40 foot downhill curling putt that somehow I holed).

Iron play was good so when I drove the ball well I was on in regulation. But I didn’t get very close to the hole so I was always having like 30+ footers for birdie. I three putted five greens thanks to that so the flat stick - other than that one bomb I made - was pretty ineffective.

On the whole, a very positive start to my season. What a spectacular day to be out there too. Glorious.
 

Over Guapo Grande

panty merchant
SoSH Member
Nov 29, 2005
4,463
Worcester
Have a round scheduled for Saturday. They just aerated … so I am not going to take too much from the short game results. I am more interested in how my overall swing performs. Plus the bonus of getting out with the little one, who has caught the bug… she is always asking “can we golf?”
 

Gunca

New Member
Mar 5, 2020
44
New sticks day. Did a full bag fitting on April 1st at Spargo Golf and ended up with a full Taylormade set up. Luckily a friend of mine is on Taylormade staff and hooked me up big time. $377 for a Stealth 2+ driver, thank you!

Can’t wait to shoot 100 tomorrow!
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,395
New sticks day. Did a full bag fitting on April 1st at Spargo Golf and ended up with a full Taylormade set up. Luckily a friend of mine is on Taylormade staff and hooked me up big time. $377 for a Stealth 2+ driver, thank you!

Can’t wait to shoot 100 tomorrow!
Let's goooooooooo!!!!!!
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
New sticks day. Did a full bag fitting on April 1st at Spargo Golf and ended up with a full Taylormade set up. Luckily a friend of mine is on Taylormade staff and hooked me up big time. $377 for a Stealth 2+ driver, thank you!

Can’t wait to shoot 100 tomorrow!
Only way you'd shoot 100 is if you're playing 27 holes.
 

Gunca

New Member
Mar 5, 2020
44
What shaft did you get?
It was between the Ventus Black TR and Hzrdus Black Gen 4. Ultimately went with the Hzrdus because there wasn’t enough of a difference in performance to justify a $350 up-charge.

I may tinker by putting a TM tip on my old trusty Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec, but we’ll see.
 

BroodsSexton

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 4, 2006
12,630
guam
Got my first round of the season in today, at the Glen Cove Muni on Long Island. It’s a super short, and apparently not very busy course about 45 minutes out of Manhattan. Played with a random on the front 9 and two more randoms on the back, who I actually took off on and played forward (it was THAT not busy). I started the round with three double bogeys but then caught a couple pars and started to knock off the winter and remember what my clubs felt like. Playing alone and pretty fast-ish (muni 18 under 5 hours is pretty good!) I ended up throwing the card away on the back, but finished the round with a 180 yard Par 3 that I knocked to within 15 feet of the pin with a beautiful easy 5 wood off the tee. Of course I left it a foot short and right for the final par of the day, which was just fine.

It’s not a *nice* course but there are a couple pretty holes. I CRUSHED a drive out over the water on this hole, leaving myself maybe 120 to the pin.
 

Attachments

bsan34

New Member
Jul 31, 2006
338
C'ville, VA / Hingham, MA
Looking for opinions of those of you with semi recently updated GI irons. How much have they improved in the last 10ish years?

I’m currently playing with Ping G30s. Before that it was G20s. My consistency for a long time has decreased at whatever the 37.5”, 26-27* iron is. So when I look at something like the PXG 0211 or 0311XP, their 7 iron are these same specs. (Not to pick on them, everyone’s about there now.)

So has the engineering made the club in that range any easier to hit, or is it just what it is due to length/loft/physics?
 

Comfortably Lomb

Koko the Monkey
SoSH Member
Feb 22, 2004
12,960
The Paris of the 80s
G30s? Those things are still in their prime. There are some folks on GolfWRX who could speak in detail about exactly how Ping refined the G-series over the years (e.g., better vibration dampening, lowering lofts, fiddling with offset, minor heel to toe length changes, etc.), but if you're asking if the G430s are meaningfully more forgiving than the G30s... no. Maybe what you would be fit with changed over the last decade though!
 

yeahlunchbox

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 21, 2008
764
After taking up the game in spring of 97 (hmm, anything big happen then I wonder) with a full set of generic clubs I bought at Golfers Warehouse, I've been slowly rebuilding my bag with used clubs over the last few years. My bag consisted of a TaylorMade M6 D-type driver, Callaway Rogue Irons (5-PW), a 50 degree Callaway JAWS MD5 wedge, and an old Ping Pal 2 putter I found in the woods along with a few other miscellaneous clubs.

Finally added a Callaway Rogue 4 hybrid that just came in last week. This will be the first hybrid I've ever owned, so I'm interesting how I'll end up hitting that.
So finally hit my hybrid 4 on the course recently, and holy shit, where has this been all of my golfing life? If you don't have a hybrid in your bag yet (probably not many of us left), try one as soon as possible.
 

bsan34

New Member
Jul 31, 2006
338
C'ville, VA / Hingham, MA
G30s? Those things are still in their prime. There are some folks on GolfWRX who could speak in detail about exactly how Ping refined the G-series over the years (e.g., better vibration dampening, lowering lofts, fiddling with offset, minor heel to toe length changes, etc.), but if you're asking if the G430s are meaningfully more forgiving than the G30s... no. Maybe what you would be fit with changed over the last decade though!
Perfect, thank you.

In the case of Ping, a lot of the sentiment I’ve read around WRX is that the feel is better in G30 and older than the more recent Ping G models with the spring faces.
 

SoxJox

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2003
7,086
Rock > SoxJox < Hard Place
Just received notice...the US Senior Open Championship is returning to Newport CC for June 24-30, 2024. The 2020 event had been cancelled due to COVID.

They opened up a 3-week exclusive volunteer period today for those that had previously been assigned to the various committees. I had been assigned as a Shotlink / Walking Scorer for 2020, and again selected that as a my first committee choice for 2024, followed by 2) player shuttle, 3) practice area, and 4) caddy services.

General / open registration begins 5/22.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,395
Second round of the year this morning. Off to a good start. Put up a 40 on the front and am in good shape on the back. Striping the ball, hitting greens, etc. Missed a few putts but overall doing well. Sitting at +7 going into 16, a modest par 5.

Good tee shot. Pretty good second shot into a green side bunker. Blast out to 8 feet. In great shape for birdie, which could bring me down to +6. But I miss badly and leave myself 2 feet. And wouldn't you know it, I miss the comebacker. End up with a very frustrating bogey. Now sitting at +8.

17 is a good length par 4 with a huge pond in front of the green. Hit a lousy tee shot and am left with this decision - do I lay up short and right of the water, giving me an easy pitch to the green, or do I go for it (212 to carry the water)? My 3-iron can go 225 so I'd need to rip one. The best play is short and right, but instead I take out the 3-iron and aim for the right side, taking me over the shorter section of water. By the way, until this moment, I've made the smart, safe decision each time I've been in trouble, mitigating the damage and leaving myself with bogeys on the bad holes. But no, I'm a complete idiot here. I blast my 3-iron - I mean I crush it - but I pull it left, right over the longest part of the pond. And five feet short of clearing it, kerplunk. GGGGGRRRRRR. Frustrated, I butcher my next shot, three putt, and walk away with an 8. Now I'm at +12.

On 18 I slice my drive into the trees on the right. I find it but have to chip out. Then I chunk another easy wedge and end up with a double bogey to finish at +14 (85).

I easily could have broken 80 for the fourth time in my life. It was RIGHT THERE for the taking. And man, I absolutely mangled my round from the moment that first putt on 16 struck the club face.

Hey, that's golf, right? LOL
 

kelpapa

Costanza's Hero
SoSH Member
Feb 15, 2010
4,639
Came up to the mountains for my course's opening weekend. Definitely got a late start this year due to weather but whatever. Tee time for the whole family this morning. It fucking snowed last night.
 

Mooch

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,495
Just got back from playing 9 at lunchtime. Shot a 43 - My best in several years. Was really dialed in with 7 iron through SW and hit some really nice drives (and a few ugly misses left which is typical for me).

Been focusing on maintaining my spine angle and following through to finish and it's made a world of difference. Nice to actually be able to play this game reasonably well again.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,395
Played 18 yesterday. 38 on the front but opened the back with three straight doubles. Righted the ship but carded an 81. Another opportunity to Break 80 but couldn’t do it. Can’t be too upset but still. Had my chances.
 

jercra

No longer respects DeChambeau
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
3,147
Arvada, Co
Came up to the mountains for my course's opening weekend. Definitely got a late start this year due to weather but whatever. Tee time for the whole family this morning. It fucking snowed last night.
Where did you join?