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

The Ongoing Search for a Fairway Wood

One of my biggest struggles this year has been finding a fairway wood that I am comfortable with and can hit repeatedly and consistently. That spot in my golf bag has been a revolving door, with no less than seven different clubs occupying that spot at one time or another. They include a TaylorMade V Steel (both 13 and 15 degrees), a TaylorMade r7, an Adams Redline RPM 4-Wood, an original Orlimar TriMetal, a Golfsmith XPC Plus and more recently, a TaylorMade '08 Burner.
Next up for a tryout is a Callaway X 3-Wood. What I am looking for is a fairway wood that I can hit reasonably straight, or with a slight draw, off the tee with some moderate distance and relatively easily from the fairway on really long Par 4s and short Par 5s. Off the tee is essential, especially on tight driving holes or when my Driver is misbehaving. And while I usually lay up on most Par 5s, there are those short ones when a good drive puts me in a position to at least give it a go. I'd like to have confidence in that situation that my fairway wood will at least give me the opportunity.

Old School 3-Wood

The fairway wood in my bag has been on a carousel this season as I have alternated between various TaylorMade 3-woods and an Adams Golf 4-wood. While in Rehoboth Beach over the July 4th holiday, I stopped into Ruddo's Golf, where I found and purchased a used Orlimar Tri-Metal 15-degree 3-wood for $30. All I had to do was put a new grip on it. Designed by clubmaker Jesse Ortiz, who now designs clubs for Bobby Jones Golf, the Tri-Metal debuted in 1997. It's extremely shallow face design came on the heels of the highly successful Adams Tight Lies fairway wood and the Tri-Metal was an instant success, finding its way in the bags of touring pros and average golfers worldwide. The club won rave reviews for its distance and the ease with which it could be hit off the fairway. Riding the popularity of the Tri-Metal, Orlimar grew too big too fast and was eventually sold the golf retailer King Par. Although the Orlimar name lives on, the Tri-Metal has all but disappeared from the golfing retail landscape, although they can still be found occasionally in the used club racks at golf shops or online. I have a 17-degree Orlimar Tri-Metal 4-wood that I put in the bag from time to time. I am planning to give this 3-wood an audition in hopes that it finds permanent residence in my golf bag for the rest of the season.

While at Ruddo's I also purchased on of the new TaylorMade NFL Nighthawk Brushed Twill Caps that feature the colors and logo of your favorite pro football team. The caps have TaylorMade across the front, the name of the team along the left side of the bill, the team logo on the left side panel and the TaylorMade "T" icon on the back. Of course, I bought one featuring my beloved Philadelphia Eagles. The hat will be fun to wear once training camp opens in a few weeks and during the fall. E-A-G-L-E-S....EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!