I have the G20's. Went from the Callaway X20's to the Ping G20's and lowered my handicap by 6 strokes. A world of difference. I'd see if you could play a round with them if possible.

I don't know if they'll let me do that, but I don't think I need to. I mean, I know I only hit the Apex 7 iron on a simulator, but it felt really good. Really fluid, comfortable, light weight but still packed a punch with very good control.

Plus, I was getting an additional 10 yards carry (~180) compared to the other ones I tested, with more control -- and it just felt so easy.

A 4.9/5 rating on Golfsmith is just making this more convincing.

Literally just bumped into G-Mac at luluemon in mall.

Can anyone help me with being able to take a divot? Even if I try as hard as I can to take up earth it never happens unless i choke all the way down on the club. Couldn't find any videos online talking about what I am doing that doesn't allow me to take a divot.

Come down at the ball steeper?

YouTube Mark Crossfield. He's been my sole instructor thus far and, I feel he's pretty good.

Look up his videos, he has one called 'Striking the golf ball from the ground and taking a divot' that I think may help you.

Cheers.

(Cross posting from small stakes limit, limit hold'em forum)
I just booked a tee time on Pebble Beach as a single. The website said no hotel stay needed the week of May 11-14. I'm spending some of my recent poker jackpot winnings. My sister is getting married in a week and a half (to a guy I approve of), and she wanted a destination wedding, so she chose Monterey/Carmel. Great - that works for me - I'll pack my golf clubs. Most of my time is tied up with family events, but I do have time to squeeze in a little golf since I'll be in golf heaven. I have 2 questions about playing Pebble.

1. Which tees should I play? They offer US Open (7,000+ yards), Blue (6,800), Gold (6,400), and White (6,100). For me, it's between the Blues and the Golds. I am a good but not great golfer. My 3 rounds this year have been 89, 84, and 79. I usually shoot in the mid 80s, but those are easy east coast public courses. I am good off the tee and get worse the closer I get to the hole (at best just an average putter). That 84 round included 3 birdies and 6 balls lost in lakes - I hit some very good shots and several very bad shots. How tough is Pebble Beach? And what makes it tough? Are the greens difficult to read? Does it get windy, making iron shots difficult to control? I want to make it challenging, but don't want to make it so I never par a hole.

2. The options are to a) walk and carry my clubs, b) ride in a cart, c) get a caddy to carry my clubs and walk next to him, or d) use a cart plus a fore-caddy. I just got a tee time for me and I have no idea who I'll be playing with, so the decision depends in part on what the other players decide. I think walking and carrying might tire me out and make me play poorly the last few holes. What would you choose?

The greens are tiny. You'll have more fun playing it shorter.

And always take a caddy if it's an option. Awesome experience.

Would you even consider riding a cart around one of the most stunning courses on earth? You'll miss it all. I'd take a caddie, go for a walk and enjoy the day regardless of what the other 3 are doing

Being a fore caddie, I would advise taking one.

Your valid choices are white and gold, 6800 yards on a course like that can eat up a scratch let alone a double-digit handicapper. And don't forget Pebble is at sea level so the ball doesn't go anywhere. You'll probably get paired up with others, if they all plan on playing the same tees you probably should follow suit unless they're playing the tips.

Definitely walk and take the caddy, riding one of the best courses on the planet is a sacrilege.

But no matter what, make sure you enjoy.

BO

Now that I think about it, paying the money to play pebble beach and then ride would be the dumbest thing ever.

Choking down on the club makes it shorter. This makes no sense.

It must be something with my swing plane that when I choke down it forces me to tilt the shoulders more perhaps? Or maybe my clubs aren't built for divots. I play the G20 irons.

The club doesn't magically avoid the ground. You're obviously doing something wrong


Fork out a few bucks and get a golf lesson from a good instructor. You'd be shocked at how much better you perform afterward.

I've spent thousands on instructors. Every one of them wants to change what the last one told me to do. Maybe I can just be a picker who doesn't take divots.

Ed, It's obviously your swing plane (and possibly how you shift your weight) - not your clubs.

Everyone has a different way of teaching. Find someone you like and trust and stick with them.

Definitely take a caddy and walk. I couldn't imagine riding in a place as scenic as Pebble - it seems almost criminal to do so.

A shorter club creates a steeper swingplane since the ball is closer to your body which is why divots tend to be bigger with shorter clubs.

Not advocating he should try to force a steeper swingplane though. More likely it's a weight shift issue which means the lowpoint of his swing is behind the ball and he's forced to flip at it or hit it really fat.

I should know since I have the same problem. Personally I need to have a lateral shift (of the lower body) towards the target at the start of the downswing to be able to hit the ball solidly and take a divot or else I just pick it off the turf by flipping. Monte Scheinblum has a good video regarding this titled bump, dump and turn.

Ok I just went to the range and hit a bucket of balls with my 7 iron. I read somewhere about practicing with your left shoe off (for righties), and damn if I didn't pure everything. Put my left back on and the results were mediocre. Do I just golf with 1 shoe from now on? No but seriously I think if I hit a few thousands balls like that it will put me on the right path.

I think the point of that drill is to have your weight distributed more to your front foot.
~55/45 weight distribution is what I do for my irons.

I played last June. Greens are postage stamps, and completely surrounded by bunkers. I hit more sand shots that round than I had the previous two years combined. Go for shorter. As for caddy, yes, and preferably while walking.

I'm so torn.

I hit the same 2 irons again today at my local Golftown and feel more confused.

Callaway Apex vs Ping Karsten

For my game right now, I feel the Karstens are perfect--they're so forgiving (almost feel like I'm cheating) but the Apex has such a hot face, gives me an extra ~10 yards and is still relatively forgiving.

I feel like I'm going to grow into the Apex, but who really knows. And is an extra forgiving club (Karsten) ever a bad thing? I'm not at that point of shaping shots anyway. It has a huge cavity, to the point of looking kinda ugly and really chunky irl, whereas the Apex looks sleek and almost blade-like.

I'm going in tomorrow to make the purchase. Still not sure which option to go for, but leaning towards the Apex because I feel it's a more advanced club that I should be able to step up to.