No Beating the Heat

With the East Coast in the grips of a killer heat wave, I decided to rest my game this weekend. The thoughts of last weekend's final few holes at The Fairways and how I felt afterwards from the 90+ temperatures were enough to confirm that skipping golf this weekend wasn't such a bad thing. I did, however, pick up two new pieces for my arsenal--an Adams Golf Speedline Fast 10 3- and 5-Wood. They will replace the TaylorMade Burners that I had been previously carrying. I picked them up on sale at a Dicks Sporting Goods near Easton, Pa., while visiting family this weekend.

 The 3-Wood has an 15-degrees of loft and an Aldila Wasabi graphite shaft, while the 5-Wood is 18-degrees with a Grafalloy High Launch graphite shaft. As you may know, Adams Golf first made its name with its Tight Lies Fairway woods in the 1990s, which revolutionized fairways woods through its low center of gravity and upside-down head design. Adams has gone on to become a leader in hybrids and is very popular among players on the Champions Tour, including Tom Watson. I've ready really good reviews of the Speedline Fast 10 and I can't wait to get them on the practice range to get better acquainted

What's in My Bag

Since it's "Labor Day," I though this would be a good time to write about the clubs I labor with on the golf course. In the right hand column of this blog, you will see a listing of the clubs that I typically have in golf bag. I though I would finally take this opportunity to actually show you "what's in my bag." Although I typically walk and carry  my clubs in a Sun Mountain Swift X stand bag, I put the clubs in a larger staff-type golf bag for the above photo. The clubs are:

* Driver: TaylorMade R9, 10.5 degrees, Fujikura Motore 65 shaft, 44.5-in, R-flex. I have the shaft set in the neutral upright position and 4-6-4 gram weighs in the toe, back and front respectively.

* 3-Wood: TaylorMade Burner, 15 degrees, TaylorMade RE*AX 49 shaft, 42.5-in, R-flex.

* 5-Wood: TaylorMade Burner, 18 degrees, TaylorMade RE*AX 49 shaft, 42-in, R-flex.

* 2-Hyrbid: Nickent 3DX DC Utility, 17degrees, Aldila NV 75 hybrid shaft, 41.5-in, R-flex. This club plays as a 2-iron and I alternate between this and the 5-Wood.

* 4-Hybrid: TaylorMade Raylor, 22 degrees, TaylorMade RE*AX 65 shaft, 39-in, R-flex.

* Irons: TaylorMade Tour Burner, 5-Iron through GapWedge, TaylorMade Burner 105 steel shafts, R-flex.

*Sand Wedge: Solus 4.1, 56 degrees, True Temper supplied Solus proprietary USGW-38 shaft, R-flex.

* Lob Wedge: Solus 4.1, 59 degrees, True Temper supplied Solus proprietary USGW-38 shaft, R-flex.

* Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG #9, 3 degrees loft, 34-in.

  My Sun Mountain Swift X Bag

 Photos by The Muni Golfer

The Range of My Golf So Far

Fishers Glen Driving Range
4717 Fishers Lane
Philadelphia, Pa
215/533-9466

I feel like one of those rookies on the PGA Tour who survive through Q School to get their cards, but then have a hard time actually getting into the field at early season tournaments. So far, I've been limited to a mere 27 holes of golf this season because of the weekend commitments and unusually poor weather.

So once again this week I ventured over to Fishers Glen to hit a small bucket of golf balls. Having recently picked up two Nickent 3DX DC Utility hybrids in 15- and 17-degrees of loft, I worked with exclusively with my lower lofted hybrids. I already have a 19-degree 3DX DC Utility hybrid in my bag, and all three have the Aldila NV-75 in them. Hitting off the mat rather than the tee, I made solid contact on most of my shots; I can feel confidence beginning to build. I am almost contemplating replacing my 3 wood with the 15-degree hybrid. What I give up in distance I am hoping to make up for in accuracy by hitting more fairways.

This was my fourth time to the practice range this season, a new record for me. But it has been more necessary this season as I have been finding it more difficult to take my game to the actual golf course.

New Adams Hybrid in the Bag

After finishing a doctor's appointment early yesterday afternoon, I drove over to a nearby Dick's Sporting Goods in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. There I found an Adams Idea a2 4-hybrid with an Aldila NV shaft on sale. I already have the Aldila NV shaft in my 3 Wood and Nicket Utility club. Since I had a couple of Dick's gift cards that covered half of the price, I made the purchase and it will now get a tryout in my golf bag. Adams hybrids are very popular on the PGA and Champions Tours and I can't wait to see how this one performs for me. If fact, Mark Wiebe, who just won the Champions Tour's SAS Championship this past weekend, had an Adams hybrid in his bag. He beat Dana Quigley, who has about six Adams hybrids in his bag.

Equipment Changes

I've made a few changes in the equipment in my golf bag. I recently picked a slightly used TaylorMade Burner Driver, the newest in TaylorMade's line. A lot of the golfers on the various professional tours are putting the new TM Burner Driver in their bags. I found this Driver on the pre-owned rack at Golfsmith. It looked like someone had taken it to a driving range, hit a few balls and traded it in. It barely had a mark on it. I took it to the practice range tonight and hit a bucket of balls. I like the feel of it and when hit correctly, is pretty long. I started out hitting hard hooks, but gradually worked it into either straight or a slight draw. I believe I have enough confidence right now to put it in my bag.

I also recalled an old friend: a 16-degree Golfsmith XPC Plus 3-Wood. I took it back to Golfsmith and had an Aldila NV 65 shaft put in it. I've had this club for more than 10 years and it has been one of the most trustworthy, reliable clubs I have ever played. I will replace my Adams 4-Wood with it in my current club make-up.

I'm feeling really good about my game right now and I think these few changes will help boost my confidence and my game even further.