I don't believe that putter technology has changed all that much, maybe with the exception of face-inserts like TMs AGSI or Nike's Method insert and the metals some manufacturers use. I know for certain there are a few guys on tour that still use ancient putters; I believe Corey Pavin uses some ancient hockey-stick thing from time to time that he first used on tour ages ago.


I'm so jammed about the way I am playing so far this year; all the previous years of play and lessons that I have taken seemed to have really sunk in. I am having unreal practice sessions and getting close to playing the way I practice. I start my fifth year of lessons at the end of this week and am really excited to see where I go from here.

My driver and 3 wood have some major scratches on top of the head (not sky marks, but I have no idea where they come from). The scratches bother me and I think that much of golf is psychological and you have to be confident in your equipment and like the look and feel of it. Has anyone ever tried touching this up with paint? FWIW I have TM R7s and the head is glossy black.

Been really looking forward to playing a new'ish course in the Greater Toronto Area for a year now, and finally have a tee-time booked for saturday.
www.pipersheath.com
Check out slide #2 from their main page, can't wait to play it, looks beautiful.

re: TV Golf and right-to-left ball-flights

When watching TV on golf and the camera sets up behind and right of a golfer, why do their shots appear to start 40 yards offline to the right? When this happens, are we to assume the golfer is playing a 40 yard rope hook, or is it just created due to some akward camera angle?

The camera guy doesn't set up directly behind the player, he sets up back and right of him. So the camera is looking across the target line, not down it, which means any ball starting at the target will look like it is starting right.

only if Bubba Watson is hitting the shot

I feel like I stepped back 4 years after two back to back range sessions on Monday/Tuesday. I've been hitting the ball better than ever recently purely through subconscious; I barely have any thoughts in my head during my pre-shot routine, and while i'm getting into address. However, as soon as my Monday range session started, I knew I was going to be a mess. I had no rhythm and I didn't have a clue where my alignment and club-face were pointing despite having an alignment device at my feet. I was doing everything wrong too; hitting it fat, thin, shanks. I've played a draw for the last 3 years or so, but for some reason I can't hit a draw with any club from wedge to 5 iron. Put a hybrid, 3wood or driver in my hands and I can draw it all day though.

For some reason, I always feel like I fall apart at this range. It's obviously something mental, but the minute I get out of my car at this place I'm already expecting to have a bad session. I guess I need to work on that a little too

It's a good thing i'm starting lessons again tonight, hopefully I can get back on track shortly.

Yes, work on that. Break that routine in every way possible.
Examples:
start with your 3 wd.
Cut the time you spend there in half the next couple sessions.
Do drills where the focus isn't on the quality of the shot, but on something else. (ex. thisnamedoesntfi's bucket drill)
Try to hit the lowest shots you've ever hit. Then the highest.
Try to hit the 100yd sign with a 4iron.
Play Augusta National hole-by-hole from tee to green on the range.
You get the idea.
Anytime you have negative feelings going into a situation it is extremely important that you recognize, and address it.

Also, don't take it too seriously. Have fun. Laugh. If you can't, work on that too!

Thanks for the tips, I'll try to mix it up a bit next time. I actually did try doing a few things last night to play tricks with myself. I hit a bunch of decent 7irons that were all fades, so I decided to start exaggerating the fade and trying to turn it into a banana ball. I was just focusing on hitting the ball on the outside and making this funny huge loopy swing, it seemed to take my mind off things a bit and I made some really solid contact with a bunch of them. Then I tried to draw a few and went right back to square one.

Unfortunately, this range is one of the only grass ranges near me, my choices are pretty slim. But the place that I am taking lessons opens their grass range next week and now that I am a paying customer of theirs, I should have open access to it.

Is it weird that I (newbie golfer) hit my 60-degree LW 120 yards? I'm not talking about skulling it either--when I hit it well it has a reasonably high flight. Granted, I'm not hitting it and having it stick or spinning it back, but when I look in the yardage threads it seems like people hit their lob wedges way shorter. I hit one off the tee on a 119-yard par 3 and landed in the rough to the left of the hole, and without much roll either--not sure the carry distance, but probably at least 110. And about a week ago I hit one out of some light rough and paced it off; it went about 95-100 yards. I really don't hit anything else particularly consistently off the fairway--probably the longest shot I've hit that wasn't off a tee would be a 5 or 6-iron in the 140-160 range. I know it's easier for beginners to hit more lofted clubs than longer irons, but it seems weird that I hit it as far as I do with my LW. I assume better golfers go more for a higher trajectory and a stick or spin-back, right?

Pelican,
A 120yd LW isn't totally unheard of. I can force a 120 carry out of my LW, but I get a lot of clubhead speed. For comparison, I hit my 5 and 6 irons anywhere from 190-215. So, you are either getting a lot of clubhead speed and just not getting good contact with your longer irons, or you are perhaps delofting the clubface, making your LW effectively a 50 degree wedge or something.

Hmm, that seems a lot more likely.

Taking a road trip this weekend to play "Best New Course in Ontario 2009" and "Runner-up Best New Course in Canada 2009" by golf digest.

Otter Creek

Looks pretty sweet, can't wait to play it.
http://www.ottercreekgolfclub.com/ASSETS/hole3.jpg

Alberta golf is the pits.

Relief or no? I hate golf rules because I don't know them.

No. Water hazard.

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules...f/Definitions/

Seriously? I thought man made unmarked ditches were treated like tire tracks or cart paths. These rules....my lord. What if I was on the other side over there in the dirt?

Anyway, it matters not since I hit a pretty LOLshot out of there and played another ball and made the same score with both b/c i sucks.

Obviously, it should be marked. But the lack of marking does not keep it from being defined as water hazard.
The fairway side should be covered under local rules and/or marked.

I'm going to start to play soon, and have no clubs. What is my best bet as a beginner?
I was going to look for a set on craigslist, what should I be looking for?
Thanks!

something with hybrids

My roommate bought an Adams beginner set last year for like $300-400 I think. It has low irons, hybrids, a few woods and a putter and a bag.

The cheapest ones you can find. Just make sure you get a putter, a wedge or two, a couple of irons, and a couple of woods. It's not worth spending more than $50-$100 until you know you'll stick with it, and by that time you'll have a better idea of what to buy. Obviously the fancy newer clubs are better, but old clubs are fine to start with. And the more you can get at once, the better--I pieced my set together from a few different places and probably spent more than if I'd have just waited to get a complete set for $50-$75. That said, you don't need 14 clubs to start, so if you only end up with a couple of clubs it's no big deal.

Also, this assumes you're of roughly average height. If you're really short or tall it can be a bit more difficult.

I'm 6'. I was willing to fork a few hundo out on a decent set, but I like the idea of starting with something cheap/used. Then upgrading when I have a clue. Thanks guys.

Erica Blasberg died yesterday.

wtf

http://golf.about.com/b/2010/05/10/l...-at-age-25.htm