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

What was in the Bag: 2009

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I am a regular equipment junkie. Clubs, balls and gloves find their way in and out of my bag fairly often. Last year, as part of my year in review for 2008, I did my own version of the Darrell Survey by examining all the equipment I played with in 2008. For those of you who don't know what the Darrell Survey is, it is an independent company that for the past 70-plus years has been checking the equipment of each golfer at a Tour event, whether it be the PGA Tour, Champions Tour, Nationwide Tour LPGA, European Tour or other professional tournaments. The information is compiled into a weekly report for the various golf equipment companies. They also used to produce a yearly almanac of equipment usage by the pros.

I had so much fun doing it last year that I decided to do it again for 2009. So here is The Muni Golfer's version of the Darrell Survey for last year. During the nearly 25 regulation and practice rounds I played last season, I used 5 Drivers, 6 Fairway Woods, 11 Hybrids, 5 different models of Irons, 3 Wedges, 5 Putters, 7 different models of Golf Balls and 5 different versions of Golf Gloves. They represented 14 different equipment companies. I also worn PGA Tour Golf Shirts and adidas Golf Shoes.

In true Darrell Survey fashion, here is a breakdown of the equipment in The Muni Golfer's bag during 2009:

Drivers:
Wilson Staff Spine
TaylorMade 360XD
TaylorMade Burner
TaylorMade Tour Burner
Tommy Armour 845 Stripe
















Fairway Woods:
TaylorMade Burner 3-Wood
Golfsmith XPC Plus 3-Wood
Sonartec 4-Wood
Golfsmith Big Gun 5-Wood
TaylorMade 300 7-Wood
Wilson Staff FwC 7-Wood

















Hybrids:
Alpha Golf Rx 4
Wilson Staff Fybrid
Elevon Tour
Nickent 3DX DC Utility 3+
Nickent 3DX DC Utility 3
Nickent 3DX DC Utility 4
Nickent 3DX DC 3
Nickent 3DX DC 4
Nickent 3DX Ironwood 2+
Nickent 3DX Ironwood 4+
TaylorMade Raylor 4H











Irons:
Wilson Staff Di7s
TaylorMade 200s
TaylorMade LCGs
TaylorMade Tour Burners
TaylorMade r7 CGB 4-Iron

















Wedges:
Solus 4.1 53-degree
Solus 4.1 56-degree
Solus 4.1 59-degree

















Putters:
Odyssey White Hot XG-9
Odyssey White Hot Rossie
Never Compromise Z/I Omega
Carbite B-4
Snake Eyes MCS2

















Golf Balls:
Wilson Staff 50
Wilson Staff Zip
TaylorMade Burner
Maxfli Fire
Titleist NXT
Titelist HP
Titleist DT














Golf Gloves:
Wilson Advantage
Wilson Staff Pro Soft
TaylorMade React
Taylor Made Tour Ltd.
FootJoy SofJoy

Prepping for Golf in Delaware

As the Labor Day Holiday fast approaches, it's time to start prepping for my annual golf trip to Lewes, Delaware. While my wife hits the beach with a good book, I'll be hitting the links with my clubs. First up will my annual outing with my cousins on Friday. The past two years we've played at Baywood Greens. This year I'm hoping we try a different course. The Rookery or Bear Trap Dunes are two possibilities. Either way, I will probably play four rounds over the seven days I'm there. The Rookery will definitely be on my itinerary one way or another. I may return to Jonathan's Landing near Dover or head south to one of the numerous courses in Ocean City, Md.

The Lewes Beach (above) and
the Fourth Hole at The Rookery (below)

So far, I have changed the spikes in two pair of golf shoes and marked two dozen golf balls in preparing for the trip. My packing list also includes:

* TaylorMade Burner Driver
* TaylorMade Burner 3 Wood
* Golfsmith Big Gun 5 Wood
* Nickent 3DX DC Utility 2 Hybrid
* Nickent 3DX DC Ironwood 4
* TaylorMade Irons
* Solus Sand Wedges
* Snake Eyes MCS2 Putter
* Odyssey White Hot XG#9 Putter
* Two Dozen Titleist Golf Balls
* 3 Golf Gloves
* 2 Pair Golf Shoes
* Granola/Cliff Bars
* 2 Golf Shirts
* 2 Mock Polos
* 3 Pair of Shorts
* 4 Pair of Golf Socks
* Wind/Rain Shirt and Vest
* 2 Golf Visors
* 2 Golf Hats
* Sun Tan Lotion
* Elbow Support

I laundered the shorts tonight and the golf shirts will be washed tomorrow. The golf bag will be packed and ready to leave Thursday night. I am hoping to have a new set of TaylorMade irons to take on the trip.

Showing Some Game at Bensalem

Bensalem Township Country Club
Bensalem, Pa
Yards: 2759/3049 - 5808
Par: 35/35 - 70
Rating: 68.1, Slope: 121
Score: 45/47 = 92
Date: August 8, 2009

Saturday I ventured just over the city line to test my game at Bensalem Township Country Club, a municipal course in Bensalem, Bucks County. Although play can often be notoriously slow, the conditions of the course are pretty good for a municipal-owned course, and Saturday was no exception. An outing was finishing the front nine when I arrived, but the starter, who paired me up with a twosome (Tim and Billie) and another single (John), sent us off at Hole 7 to begin our round. Play moved along, with the only delays being our own, through wayward shots. Our round lasted around five hours, which seems to be the norm at Bensalem. But it is a good layout and a good test of golf.

Bensalem Country Club Scorecard

As for my round, I had put two new clubs in the bag. I swapped out my Nickent 3DX DC Utility 2-Hybrid for the same model in a 1-Hybrid, as well as my Nickent 3DX DC Ironwood 3-Hybrid for a 3DX DC Utility 3-Hybrid. I used the 1- and 3-Hybrid several time off the tee, as well as the fairway with very good results. I also went back to my Odyssey White Hot Rossie putter. Even though I hadn't played or practiced much lately, I hit the ball solidly and generally kept the ball in play. My short game was good enough to keep me in most holes and my putting was as good as it has been in the past two months.

The green at the Par 3 Sixth Hole

I made four pars during my round; three on the front and one on the back. I started with a par at the 7th, a 317-yard par 4 that features a 90-degree leg-dogleg and a downhill approach, and ended with a par at the 6th, a 183-yard par 3. Although I did have five 6s on my card, I managed to stay away from shotting a big number on any hole except the 18th, which always gives me trouble. The 18th Hole is 379-yard Par 4 that features a generous fairway that doglegs right and begins to slope down to the creek. Approach shots must clear the creek to a green that slopes from back-to-front and is guarded by bunkers on the left and right. I drove my tee shot through the fairway and had to chip out of trees. My third shot was pushed right of the green and short. I pitched on to the back of the green and faced a long downhill putt. My mind and eyes saw the putt differently, and this confusion led to a three-putt and a 7.

A large bunker protects the Par 3 Eleventh Green

I'm hoping that Saturday's showing is evidence that my game is starting to show some consistency, especially with my annual golf trip to the Delaware shore only three weeks away. I'll keep working on my game so that it hopefully peaks during this golfing getaway.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

A Bird is the Word at Juniata

Juniata Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2735/2070 - 4680
Par: 34/31 - 65
Rating: 63.2, Slope: 106
Score: 49/47 = 96
Date: May 24, 2009

Memorial Day weekend found me playing my second round of the year at Juniata Golf Club. I thought I might be playing up in the Lehigh Valley while visiting family, but those plans fell through. So after a long drive back from Central New Jersey in the morning, I headed off to Juniata for my round. It was sunny and hot at the start of the day, but I had to wait for early afternoon showers to move through before I was able to tee off around 3:30 p.m. The sun was again shining brightly and the rain only served to move the humidity up a notch or two. I carried two new clubs in my bag for the round, both Nickent 3DX DC Ironwoods: one was a 15.5-degree 2+ hybrid, while the other was a 21.5-dgree 4+ hybrid. Both have a UST Proforce V-2 hybrid graphite shaft. They replaced my 7-wood and 4-iron for the round.

Juniata Scorecard -- Front 9

I played well for the first six holes, making pars at the 260-yard 2nd Hole and the 360-yard 5th Hole, both Par 4s. I was driving the ball better off the tee, but my irons and chipping were not as good as I would have liked. This was especially true at the 4th and 5th Holes, where I had short iron approach shots, only to come up woefully short of the green each time. At the 7th Hole, the wheels came off. I pushed my tee shot right into a small stand of trees on the right side of the fairway. With no shot to the green, my attempt at chipping back into the fairway hit a tree and cam straight back, leaving me with a longer chip back to the fairway. Once in the fairway, I pulled my fourth shot into the bunker to the left of the green, then blasted out over the green into the rough. I fluffed my chip--I'm now 7--then preceded to three-putt for a 10! I trudged to the 8th Hole, where the tees were all the way back, making this difficult Par 3 play at 200 yards. I hit a hybrid on a line off the tee and left my shot just over the cartpath in front of the green, 23 paces from the hole, just over the crest in the front of the green. I pulled out my sand wedge and chipped it up...two hops and into the hole...a birdie! What a turnaround from the last hole. I closed out the front nine by pulling my tee shot around the large tree just over the Tookany Creek that guards the left side of the 9th fairway and into some very deep rough. After I search, I took a drop and finished with a 7.

Juniata Scorecard -- Back 9

The back nine didn't start much better: a fat tee shot at the 10th, three pitches to get on and a three-putt for a triple-bogey 6. I hit a great tee shot at the 11th, but thinned my wedge approach over the green to the top of the bank behind. My second chip rolled off the front of the green and by the time I holed out, I had another triple-bogey. That was third straight triple! But I settled down at bit after that. The conversion of the 12th Hole into a Par 3 has taken some getting accustomed. Although it plays severely downhill, it seems each time I have played it so far the wind has been in my face. I three-putted the hole for a 5. At the 160-yard 13th, I came up just short of the green and two-putted for a 4. I nice drive, pitch and two putts gave me a par at the 14th, a short 240-yard Par 4. I three-putted the 130-yard 15th, mostly because I was trying to quickly get the water cooler just beyond the green before the maintenance person emptied it for the night. I made a 5 at the last three holes for a 47 on the back nine and a round of 96.

View of the 12th Hole from the tee as a Par 3

While I probably played more consistently last week at John F. Byrne Golf Club in much tougher conditions, I still feel my game is starting to come around. The birdie at the 7th Hole was a pleasant surprise and it always feels good to get the first one of the year. I just need to keep getting to the range and grooving my swing, and also sharpen my course management. If I do that, my game will be a s good as it was last season.

Photo by The Muni Golfer

My Year in Review - Part II

The Darrell Survey is an independent company that for the past 70-plus years has been checking the equipment of each golfer at a Tour event, whether it be the PGA Tour, Champions Tour, Nationwide Tour LPGA, European Tour or other professional tournaments. The information is compiled into a weekly report for the various golf equipment companies. They also used to produce a yearly almanac of equipment usage by the pros.

Well, I decided I would do my own Darrell Survey of the equipment that found its way into my golf bag during 2008. What I discovered was, that during the 23.5 regulation and practice rounds I played last year, I used 3 Drivers, 9 Fairway Woods, 6 Hybrids, 3 sets of Irons, 3 Sand or Lob Wedges, 3 Putters and 8 different Golf Balls. Some clubs were in the bag for only one round. Others managed be there for every round.

The Muni Golfer's 2008 Darrel Survey Almanac breaks down as follows:

Drivers:
TaylorMade Burner
TaylorMade R580XD
Wilson Satff Spine
Fairway Woods:
TaylorMade V Steel 3-Wood
TaylorMade r7 3-Wood
TaylorMade Burner 2008 3-Wood
Callaway X 3-Wood
Golfsmith XPC Plus 3-Wood
Orlimar TriMetal 3-Wood
Adams Redline RPM 4-Wood
TaylorMade 300 7-Wood
Dunlop Loco 7-Wood
Hybrids:
Nickent 3DX DC Utility 3+/FW
Nickent 3DX DC Utility 4/FW
Nickent 3DX DC Utility 5/FW
Nickent 3DX DC 4-Hybrid
Nickent 3DX 5-Hybrid
Alpha RX 4-Hybrid
Irons:
TaylorMade r7
TaylorMade 200
Wilson Staff Di7
TaylorMade CGB Max 4-Iron
Sand and Lob Wedges:
Solus 4.1 53-Degrees
Solus 4.1 56-Degrees
Solus 4.1 59-Degrees
Putters:
Odyssey White Hot XG #9
Never Compromise Z/I Omega
Carbite B4
Golf Balls:
Maxfli Revolution
Maxfli Fire
Maxfli Fire Tour
Maxfli Noodle
TaylorMade Burner
TaylorMade Burner TP
Bridgestone e6+
Wilson Staff 50

Trading Up to New Irons

Yesterday I took 21 old clubs that I no longer used, or used very sparingly, to the Golf Galaxy in Mount Laurel, N.J., and traded them in for a new set of irons. The clubs I traded in were a set of TaylorMade RAC OS2 irons (3-AW), a TaylorMade R510 driver, a TaylorMade R5 Dual 3 wood, a TaylorMade R540XD 5 wood, two TaylorMade RAC chrome wedges, an Adams a2 hybrid, a Nickent 3DX ironwood hybrid, an Orlimar Trimetal Plus hybrid, a Cleveland 691 sand wedge, a Wilson Dyna-powered sand wedge, a Ping Zing sand wedge, and a Precept Tour Premium driver.

I have had very good experiences doing trades with Golf Galaxy to upgrade my clubs. In fact, the RAC OS2s that I traded in yesterday were acquired during a previous trade-in at Golf Galaxy. And, they made the process of trading in your clubs even easier. You can go to their Web site and click on the Global Golf Price Book Web site, which allows you find out the value of the clubs you want to trade in. The Global Golf Price Book quotes you the purchase value of the clubs, not just the marketplace value.

After Golf Galaxy agreed on the price stated by the Global Golf Price Book, I had a decision to make on what to get. I was going back and forth between a set of TaylorMade's r7 irons or Tour Burner irons. The sales associate at Golf Galaxy allowed me to hit both into a net and on the golf simulator. Both irons felt really solid, but I settled on the r7 irons, getting a set of 4-iron through gap wedge. According to TM's Web site, the r7 irons are "Engineered for a wide range players who prefer an iron that's easier to launch high and straight while also offering excellent workability. Inverted Cone Technology provides higher COR and increased average ball speed for greater distance. Exceptionally deep cavity design creates a low and deep CG, making it easier to launch the ball higher for the optimum combination of carry and control." The specs are almost identical to the irons I've been playing, and I like the fact that the irons have a medium sole width and moderate offset. I have put them in my bag and relegated the TaylorMade 200 irons into a backup set. I look forward to trying the new irons out tomorrow on the course.

Also yesterday, my wife and I went to the Oxford Valley Mall, where we shopped for our mutual birthday presents. I settled on adding to my golf wardrobe with four new golf shirts from the PGA Tour collection, which I picked out at J C Penney. I also bought myself three additional PGA Tour shirts at Boscov's and two from the Champions Tour line they sell at Macy's.

Shirts Photo by The Muni Golfer

This Practice Round was a Bethlehem Steal

Bethlehem Golf Club/Executive Course
Bethlehem, Pa.
Yards: 4906, Par 68
Score: Practice Round
Date: May 24, 2008

While doing the "family thing" in the Lehigh Valley over the Memorial Day weekend, I got an opportunity to get in an 18 hole practice round at the Bethlehem Golf Club's nine-hole Executive Course on Saturday. The course is part of a the City of Bethlehem's magnificent golf facility located along Illicks Mill Road. In addition to the Executive Course, there is a 36 bay Driving Range (second picture below) and an 18-hole course that plays over 6200 yards from the white tees (down from its original 6674 yards). But with my lack of on-course experience this season, I decided on a practice round at the Executive Course, which I considered a steal at only $14 for green fees.
Like most nine-hole courses, Bethlehem's Executive Course features split tees: white for the front nine and blue for the back nine. The front plays shorter at 2325 yards, while the back nine plays from 2581 yards. There are seven Par 4s and two Par 3s for a Par of 34 per nine holes. Total, the Bethlehem Executive Course plays to an 18 hole Par 68 at a total of just over 4900 yards. While the course is fairly wide open, several holes play either uphill or downhill, and the greens are small, raised, undulating and very fast; it's almost like trying to putt on uneven linoleum. Because of the recent rains, the rough was also a bit thick.

For this particular practice round, I left my 3-Wood out of the bag, opting instead for my 15-degree Nickent 3DX DC Utility hybrid. I drove the ball fairly well off the tee, but because there are no yardage markers on the fairways, I often found myself under-clubbing on my second shots. The windy conditions didn't help matters, as it was often difficult to judge what direction the wind was coming from. My short game was also extremely rusty and putting was a nightmare. But it felt good to be out on the course hitting shots and trying to get the ball in the hole.

Here's a short breakdown on the holes at Bethlehem's Executive Course (the yardages are listed for the front and back nine):

Hole #1/10, 319/338 yards -- A slight dogleg left (first picture above), the fairway is guarded by pine trees on the left and right. Two bunkers guard the raised green.

Hole #2/11, 274/300 yards -- From an elevated tee, the hole plays downhill with the fairway sloping to the right. The green (below) sits atop a mound, with a bunker to the right.
Hole #3/12, 276/303 yards -- This hole plays uphill, with a row of pines protecting Illicks Mill Road down the left side. The fairway slopes to the left and the green is also raised, with a shallow bunker short and the right of the green.

Hole #4/13, 265/288 yards -- From an elevated tee, the hole straight downhill to a green that is a slight dogleg left. Rough protects the whole left side, with a bunker short of the green to the left. Behind the raise green is an extreme drop-off and certain death for any approach shot that is long.

Hole #5/14, 109/127 yards -- The first Par 3 is a wide, but shallow green that is raised and slopes severely from right to left.

Hole #6/15, 360/372 yards -- The longest Par 4 on the course, it doglegs left. Rough and trees hinder shots on the left that don't reach the dogleg or run through the fairway on the right. The green is two-tiered with a severe back-to-front slope.

Hole #7/16, 320/350 yards -- A fairway bunker on the right side can collect short tee shots, but the fairway is generous. The green is again raised and undulating; second shots should land short and run up on the green.

Hole #8/17, 132/151 yards -- An uphill Par 3 (below) that features a small raised green that slopes severely from back to front. A bunker short right and three large pines can interfere with stray shots.
Hole #9/18, 324/352 yards -- A straight away Par 4 that plays slightly downhill to another raised, undulating green. A few pine trees left and right of the fairway can hinder approach shots if you stray far enough from the fairway.

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.

The Season's First Nine

Juniata Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 4805, Par: 66
Rating: 63.2, Slope: 106
Score: Practice Round
Date: April 19, 2008

I finally got out to the course for my first practice round of the season. The weather was beautiful; a warm, sunny day with a bit of wind. I played the front nine only since I didn't want to overdo the first time out. I carried 16 clubs in my bag since I picked up some new ones over the winter and wanted to test them out. I carried my two new Nickent hybrids which I picked up at the Victory Golf Show, a Solus sand wedge I bought at Golf Galaxy's TaylorMade-adidas night and a Dunlop Loco 7-Wood I bought at Walmart. I also played the new Bridgestone e6+ golf ball that I was sent to test as part of my membership in the PGA Tour Partners Club.

This was the first time I had played at Juniata Golf Club since it became independent from the Fairmount Park Commission. The conditions were surprisingly good and you could see visible evidence that they are working hard on making the course attractive. A new, larger office has been built in the clubhouse and you could see that further renovations were underway. The bridge over the Frankford Creek between holes 9 and 17 had been painted and a path of astroturf had been placed in the middle of the bridge to make it easier for walkers. Some tee boxes had been closed off to allow grass to regrow and the bunkers were filled with playable sand.

As for my game, I tended to strike the ball better than I thought I would, although I did tend to slightly thin some early tee shots. Those turned into pulls or hooks later in the round. My short game was fair, but touch around the green is always one of the last things to round into shape, and my putting was pretty consistent. I made two pars and only had one really bad hole--the uphill 6th, where I thinned a wedge well over the green on my third shot and ended up making a 7.

Overall, I was satisfied. It was good to once again be out walking the fairways, swinging my golf clubs, although my body is feeling it a bit today. I met up with three guys on the first tee--Mark, Ruben and Ken--and we all had a great time playing as a foursome. A couple of more practice rounds and a trips to the practice range and I'll be ready to go.

Victory Golf Show: Like a Kid in a Candy Store

My friend Ken and I attended the Victory Golf Show at the King of Prussia Convention Center this past Sunday. The show was just what any golfer needed to begin shaking off the winter blues and rekindle the excitement of the coming season. It was like being a kid in a candy store as hundreds of vendors offered discounted golf equipment, as well as information, discounts and bargains on golf courses and golfing destinations. There was also hitting bays in which you could test the latest golf equipment from the leading manufacturers such as TaylorMade, Callaway, Nike, Adams, Cleveland, and Mizuno; instruction from some of the area's top PGA professionals; contests, entertainers like comedian and impressionist Billy Finch and local sports celebrities like Eagles play-by-play broadcaster Merrill Reese.

One of The Muni Golfer's favorite stops was Rock Bottom Golf, an online discount golf retailer from which numerous clubs and other equipment. One of the advantages to visiting the golf show on Sunday is many vendors are slashing their already discounted prices. With that in mind, The Muni Golfer went looking a new 4 hybrid. I managed to pick up both a 4 AND a 5 hybrid from Nickent Golf. I got the newer 3DX DC Ironwood model to replace my 4 iron, and the older 3DX Ironwood to replace my 5 iron. They will make nicely complement the Nickent 19 degree 3DX DC Utility that's already in my bag. The guys from Rock Bottom Golf were even nice enough to credit an online $10-off coupon which I forgot to print out and bring with me. I got both hybrids for $100. Ken also picked up a Nickent 3DX Ironwood 4 hybrid at Rock Bottom Golf.

Another fun aspect of the golf show is seeing a lot of the unique golf products that you don't necessarily find in the golf catalogs or stores. One interesting item that Ken and I both bought was the Dry Grip Rain 'R' Shine golf towel from Golf Duck. This unique product is a microfiber golf towel that you clip to your golf bag to keep your clubs clean. But it has a water-resistant outer shell and flips over your clubs to keep them dry like a rain hood in wet weather. A neat little dual-purpose golf accessory that was being sold for $20. Ken also picked up a pair of winter golf gloves from Valley Forge Gloves, a local golf glove manufacturer, and a long-sleeve mock polo for $20.

All-in-all, it was a fun time, almost as fun as being out on the fairways. And by the end of the day, when it was time to leave, it sure felt like Ken and I had walked 18 holes...

Back in the Swing...An Ugly Swing

Juniata Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 4805, Par: 66
Score: Practice Round
Date: September 23, 2007

It has been almost three weeks since I last swung a golf club at a ball, so I ventured over to Juniata Golf Club this afternoon for a refresher 18 holes on how the game is played. I would have done better to stay home and watch the Eagles play. I rearranged the make-up on my bag, trying a different 3 Wood, taking out two of the hybrids and adding a 5 Wood. This experiment will be short-lived. The Nickent hybrid goes back in the back and out comes the 5 Wood, while the 3 Wood and 4 hybrid model has also been replaced by different models. I've gone back to the 16 degree Golfsmith XPC Plus and put a Black Max 24 degree hybrid with a Stripper graphite shaft in play. I've also replaced my irons with a set of TaylorMade RAC OC2s, which I used on-and-off since 2005. My biggest problem today was my concentration and focus. I questioned myself on whether I really felt like playing today, I sure sign I should have skipped the links. But since I've been able to play in almost three weeks, I didn't want to waste an opportunity. Because of the Eagles game, the course was virtually empty, so I played the 18 holes solo and my mind was everywhere but on the shot at hand. Lets just say I managed one par during my round. My short game was non-existent; not surprising since touch is one of the first things to leave you when you haven't played for a bit. I'm hoping this is past and already, I'm looking to make amends next weekend!

When It Rains, It Scores: A Round at Juniata

Juniata Golf Course
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 4805, Par: 66
Score: 48/40 = 88
Date: August 19, 2007

I played a round at Juniata Golf Course today in a steady, sometimes driving rain, and posted my best score of the season. It was drizzling when I started on Hole #1, and I was surprised at the number of people who were on the course playing. By the 4th Hole I pulled out a rain shirt I had tucked into my bag before I left home and was putting up my TaylorMade Staff umbrella, which I had fetched out of the trunk of my car in the parking lot.

I played a fair front nine, with pars at Holes #2 and 6. It seemed like the more it rained, the steadier my game became. Of course, when conditions are like this, you can be more aggressive with ships and putts. When I reached the clubhouse at the turn--in 48 strokes, not bad for these conditions--a few people thought I was done for the day. But one fellow who I've golfed with when I belonged to the Juniata Golf Association paid me the ultimate compliment when he told them, "Preston is a mudder, he'll be going back out." And go back out I did.

On the back nine--which I had all to myself--the rain stayed constant and it became harder to keep the grips of my clubs and my golf glove dry. I started to take the back nine as a quest and I found myself really focused and not trying to overhit the ball. I made pars at Holes #13, 17 and 18 to come home in 40, easily my best 9 Holes of the year.

Most golfers don't like playing in the rain, but I kind of like it. If you go to play in Scotland or Ireland, rain is almost assured to be of your round. As long as you have the right gear and right attitude, I find it easy to play in bad weather. Besides, this was my last chance to get in a round before heading off to Delaware in two weeks. I did make one change to my bag today. I replaced the Nickent hybrid with a old Golfsmith XPC3 Rough Rider 5 Wood. I was pleased with the way it performed and it will remain in the bag in Delaware, although I will be taking the Nickent hybrid with me.

New Equipment

I'm really excited. I've taken a new philosophy into my game recently and it is reflected in my equipment. I have been intrigued by Champion's Tour golfer Dana Quigley and his move to a majority of hybrids in place of his long, middle, and even now, some short irons. Realizing that I can no longer effectively hit my long irons (I had dumped the 3 iron ages ago), I decided to follow suit. I already use a hybrid in place of my 5 wood (a Nickent 3DX DC Utility, 19 degrees) and had put a hybrid in place of my 4 iron to start this season.

Well, I started researching a few weeks ago what Quigley had done. They have a great clip from The Golf Channel of Quigley explaining how he replaced his irons with hybrids. He said it was almost like stealing or cheating. Hey, if pro golfers are doing it, it is time for me to check my ego at the door! I have decided to replace my 4, 5 and 6 irons with hybrids.

After some more research, I found a golf company, Alpha Golf, who made a hybrid that did what I was looking for. If you've never heard of Alpha Golf, you are not alone. However, research revealed that they are very big in the competitive long drive field. Everyone review I read stated that they made quality heads, the same as the "big name companies" like TaylorMade, Callaway, etc.

The Alpha RX hybrid came in the required lofts: 22 degrees, 26 degrees and 30 degrees; almost identical to my TaylorMade 4, 5 and 6 irons. I had them custom built with steel shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. With minimal offset (very important for me since I already hit a draw), they look really sweet. They arrived last week and were in my bag for my 14 practice holes on Saturday at Walnut Lane Golf Club.

Here's how they performed first time out:

1st Hole: After losing my tee shot and taking a drop, I went to hit the 5 hybrid from the left rough, caught a tree and caromed to the right rough. With just over 150 yards to the green (my normal 6 iron shot), I hit the 6 hybid. It produced a nice, high draw that landed on the front of the green and rolled to about 6 feet. I made the put for a bogey 5.

2nd Hole: 186 yards to a smallish green that slopes back to front. With the pin on the right, I hit the 4 hybrid, a high draw that landed just off the left of the green, pin high. A mediocre chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4. Not too bad of a start.

5th Hole: 184 yard Par 3 that plays to a slight dogleg left over a ravine. Bad alignment caused me to hit the ball straight right. But the ball flew well off the club.

9th Hole: Two poor tee shots with the 3 Wood left me with about 170 yards and the 5 hybrid in my hands. I turned it over which left me left of the green and virtually no shot.

12th Hole: 317 yard Par 4, dogleg left. Again, the tee shot is over a steep ravine. I hit the 4 hybrid off the tee, caught it a little thin, but ended up with a 9 iron in my hands from the left rough.

I even used the hybrids to chip a few times from around the greens. My overall assessment? I think these clubs will be good for my game. I hit some good shots, some fair shots, and one really bad shot. But overall, once I get my swing more up-and-down as it has been successfully in the past, I think the 4,5 and 6 hybrid will make my overall game a bit better.

I also want to mention that I bought a new putter last October. It is the Odyssey XG #9, the same model used by Phil Mickelson. I feel like I have been rolling the ball tremendously well with putter. It really instills confidence when I'm standing over a putt. I would recommend it to anyone.