The Golf Thread

Adams is viewed a high handicapper’s club, but that’s what you are likely to be. If you want to avoid that impression, see if you can find a set of used Callaway RAZR X HL Irons. They’re also high handicapper clubs, but Callaway doesn’t have that “stigma” associated with it (for the record, Adams is a fine brand IMO). A complete set of irons with steel shafts (graphite in your irons is for women and old men) would have been less than $700 brand new a few years ago, so used should be available for under $500. Fill out your bag with whatever woods and putter are comfortable for you. As I mentioned earlier in this tread or in one of the other golf threads, there is a huge market for used drivers as everyone thinks a new $500 driver is going to fix their slice (it usually doesn’t, at least not for more than one round), so you can get really high quality drivers for pennies on the dollar if you shop around.

Really? So you’d rather invest your money with an underperforming firm/fund that looks good versus one that performs exceptionally well? If you do this, that you’re one stupid mutherfcker!

^ I’m talking about networking and internal politics. We all like to think that it is 100% meritocratic but it isn’t, finance can be pretty superficial, particularly the type of finance guy that plays golf.

Disagree.

If you have sh*t clubs and hit with a top flite and go out and shoot mid 70’s, you are, by definition, a BSD.

^ A true BSD hits the balls with his D.

Done. Bought a used set off eBay today for $200. 4h thru PW.

I figure I can go to the driving range and the local Par-3 course with that for a while. Then I’ll move up to “real” courses once I figure out how to not make an ass out of myself.

Appreciate the bump, given my recent golf post. At least I can say your interest seems to be coming from a more genuine place than most.

Good plan, but don’t wait too long before the real courses, that is where you’ll learn the most.

Awesome Greenie. Welcome to the world of golf, a world of nearly infinite happiness exceeded only by infinite despair. As I and others previously posted, get lessons, the money is more than well spent. A few range tips:

  1. Don’t start your session hitting driver. Instead, start with something like a 9 iron (pros start with their wedge) and hit 8 or 10 balls. Move up to a 6 or 7 iron and hit 8 or 10 balls. Etc.

  2. Don’t just mechanically hit ball after ball. Instead, create a fake fairway using one of the yardage markers and a pin or some of the telephone poles holding up the net at the end of the range to define it. Way too many people think they’re hitting the ball well, but don’t realize they’re not even close to hitting it in the fairway because the range is so wide.

  3. Buy a laser range finder, or borrow one from someone for a day. The yardage markers at the range are way off and you’ll think you’re hitting your 8 iron 170 when you’re really only hitting it 150.

  4. Hit off of real grass whenever possible.

  5. Develop a pre-shot routine that you do before EVERY shot and do it at the range too. Personally, I line up every shot from about 5 yards behind the ball, take a practice swing as I’m walking up to the ball (this keeps my shoulders loose), bounce the club to settle my grip, address the ball, look at my target, look down at the ball, swing.

  6. Have fun.

Bought a bag yesterday ($30) and I’m meeting up with somebody who wants to get rid of a putter tomorrow. Choices are an Odyssey 2-ball putter for $35 or an Odyssey White Ice for $65.

I was going to schedule some lessons, but since we’re going into my busy season, I figure I’ll just wait until after April 15. Until then, I’ll probably just keep scraping together equipment a little at a time. (Glove, tees, balls, etc.)

what number is the white ice? i used to have a 2-ball but have since sold it and never gone back to a mallet-head. I stick with the blade

^Options are the White Ice Mini T for $65, or the 2-Ball DFX for $35.

The few times I actually have putted, I liked the feel of the mallet-head. Little more weight, plus the line on the back of the club is a mental helper.

Just putt with whatever feels best. I used a Ping notchback for over 10 years because thats what I started with and it feels odd trying anything else. However I dropped some stuff off at Goodwill the other day and went inside. I found a Scotty Cameron Newport II for $4. Great club.

You’re joking right? A Scotty Cameron for $4?

BTW, I second the recommendation to put with whatever feels best (unless it’s a belly or long putter).

Went to a pro shop yesterday, just to look around and see what was there. I asked the guy behind the counter if they had any chippers. He almost doubled over laughing at me.

Does anybody here use a chipper?

I could go for one of these right now

Yes, but I call it a 7 iron.

So as of today, here’s where I stand.

Got a full bag (1-3-5 wood, 4-5 hybrid, 6-9 iron, AW, SW, and putter). Took a lesson. Now I’m in the process of trying to apply the lesson.

The day after my lesson, I went out of town for a few days with the kids. After I got back, it seems like I had forgotten everything he had learned me.

So I’ve gone to the driving range twice this week, and sometimes the balls go left. Sometimes they go right. Sometimes they bounce along the ground, and sometimes they go high in the sky. It’s frustrating, because I know I can’t go out on the course until I can at least make good contact with the ball.

Anybody remember when they were first starting out? How many times did you go to the range before you thought to yourself, “Hey, I can do this.”

can you go to the range, get a large bucket, and hit the ball every single time (no swings and misses)? if yes, you are ready for the course. but once on the course, just have a rule that if you are not in the hole after your 8th shot, pick the ball up, put it in your pocket, and go to the next tee box. nothing ruins a round of golf for more seasoned players than slow play.

I’m only 16 years into this thing. Stop rushing me.