RY1808's 2020 WITB

[ry1808]

Hi everyone.

 

Well I thought it was about time I posted a 2020 'What's In The Bag'. I very much see my physical play and equipment as a joint venture so I'll discuss a little about 2019 first...

 

2019 was a very solid season for me. I worked with a swing coach on a few changes and they worked well. I managed to get my handicap down to +1.3 which is better than I could have ever imagined. I had a couple of low tournament rounds which helped massively. I struggled a little in the major amateur events locally (Carolina's Amateur etc...) but that is a learning curve for me. My equipment was pretty set throughout the year:

 

M5 Driver

M5 Rocket 3-wood

M5 5-wood / MP-18 MMC 3-iron

MP18 4-iron - PW

Callaway Forged 50*, 54* and 60*

Odyssey EXO 7s / Scotty Cameron T22 Newport

 

The strength of my game was definitely my driving and weakness was putting (very streaky!).

 

Going into 2020 there are a few areas I want to improve upon and I feel equipment can help with that. Firstly a stronger mental game, no second guessing myself in the middle of my downswing! Develop a stock shot, be it a little draw or fade, just a shot I know I can go to and have a predictable outcome. Finally improve my putting, at the moment I am pretty much lost from a physical, mental and equipment basis!

 

As I build up my 2020 bag I want to try and show how it is combined with my game and where I see it improving and the decisions I take (and why I take them!).

 

Still very early in the season so I don't have the complete setup yet but I will slowly start to build it up in this post:

Driver

 

The M5 was a great driver and the most forgiving I've hit in a long while. I was going to carry that through to 2020 but I hit the SIM. Numbers where far far better and I'm about to pull the trigger on it. I am a very high launch / high spin player so I'm looking at the 8* SIM turned down to 6* carrying over my Tensei Pro Orange 70 TX shaft. When I get the SIM in I'll take some numbers from a launch monitor and post them here along with photos.

3-Wood

 

Still up for some debate here. I love the M5 Rocket and will probably stick with that, the only change is I may increase the loft a little from the 12* I currently play to 13* or 14*, depending upon the rest of the gaping. I currently play the weight all the way in the heel to help promote a draw, this is opposite to my driver which I like to have a fade bias. The idea being on a hole where I need to hit a draw off the tee I'll play a 3 wood, where I need a fade I'll hit driver. Now as I improve my swing and work on these aspects of my game I may go back towards a neutral setup.

 

2-Iron

 

I carried a 2-iron in 2018 but took it out for 2019 and I think it was a mistake. I have just received an MP-20 HMB 2-iron which I will re-shaft with a KBS prototype hybrid shaft (the same as I used in 2018). I really was a beast and a fairway finder. Almost went too far but I love the powerful trajectory compared to a 3-iron.

 

Irons

 

I am looking to replace my set of MP-18's with MP-20's for a couple of reasons. Firstly I want a full set of blades (at the moment I have SC in the MP-18 4-iron & 5-iron) and the feel is just that next step up. Additionally I want to do some loft & lie angle adjustments. I currently have the $-taper 125 S+ in the MP-18 but I will try the $-taper 130 X when I order the MP-20. If I find the shaft too stiff I will swap back to the 125's. I will get then in 4-iron to PW with the 4 iron 2* strong to cover that gap between the 4-iron and 2-iron, almost play is as a 3.5 iron.

Wedges

 

When the come out in RAW I'll choose between the T-20 and JAWS wedge. At the moment I play the Callaway forged wedge and I'll like to change it up a little. However, along with the 3-wood, these are the safest clubs in the bag for 2020. The only definite change I will make is to swap the 60* forget for a 60* PM Grind 2.0. Towards the end of 2019 I lost a little confidence with opening the face on my standard 60* and playing those cute little shots around the green. I played the original PM grind and loved the versatility with it and I'll see how 2020 starts with it. One of the areas I struggle is hitting little half and three quarter shots with my 54* wedge so if I do get new wedges the 54* will be something like the C-grind to allow me the ability to manipulate the face a little more. In all my wedges I play the 610 shaft to allow a slightly more penetrating flight that I can control better.

 

Putter

 

Oh my nemesis right now and I really don't want to commit for a little bit longer. I have pretty low confidence levels right now with the putter but I'm arranging a lesson with David Orr who can hopefully give me some guidance and build back that confidence. On the back of that lesson I hope I will come away with a putter style that I know will help. In 2020 I used 2 putters (a record low for me!), the Odyssey EXO 7s with Stability Shaft and a Scotty Cameron T22 Newport with Stability Tour Shaft. I have putted well with the EXO and only got the T22 from a nostalgic standpoint as I own an original Teryllium putter from that late 90's. I played a couple of rounds with it an putted great (relatively anyway) so got the new Stability Tour Shaft (I swear by these) installed, I feel like I put a great stroke on this putter, I just can't get the damn thing in the hole!! Just before Christmas I played a 36 hole event down in SC and had 74 putts, ouch...

 

Ball

 

For the last 18 months or so I've played the Bridgestone Tour B XS. Great ball, great feel, can't ask for any more!

 

Grips

 

Last year I played the Golf Pride align midsize. I like the grip and play midsize to help reduce my hand rotation through the ball. In 2020 I thinking of trying the non-align +4 grip to again help reduce the rotation of my right hand and that killer duck hook.

 

As I get my bag built up I'll post photos / numbers / specs etc on this post.

 

Any questions / comments ask away...

[Z1ggy16]

Where's the pics?

[ry1808]

Of the clubs I currently have, they'll be posted tonight...

[Z1ggy16]

Sweet looking forward to it

[ry1808]

Initial photos uploaded

[Z1ggy16]

Love the 2i. Wish I had the game for one. I have tried a few and when I middle ed it there was nothing better.

2020 is the year I hope to improve my putting, too. I went and got fit into an evnroll so now all my misses are on me!

[fridgey]

Nice bag. My friend has the same 2 iron, I found it surprisingly forgiving and goes a long way.

[livigolfs]

Great looking clubs man. The Scotty T is so sick

[ry1808]

Into to February and the tournament season in NC starts next weekend and my bag hasn’t changed much.

 

I have a SIM on preorder in 8*. When I demo’d it the numbers where definitely better than the M5. Hopefully that’ll be here in the next week or so.

 

For the last few weeks I’ve been contemplating picking up some MP-20’s but just can’t pull the trigger. Can I justify the cost?

 

Well I’ll find out in a couple of weeks... I’ve decided to go and do a full bag fit at True Spec Golf down in Pinehurst. In the past I’ve been to Club Champion and just never got on with them, I won’t go anywhere near a big box store as they really don’t have a clue and most of the individual fitters don’t have a full range of clubs / shafts. I’ve heard some really good reviews of True Spec so I’ll give them a go. Even if I don’t buy anything I am justifying the cost to know that what I’ve got in my hands over each shot is the best possible tool for the job.

 

The same day as I have the fitting with True Spec I’m also having a putting lesson with David Orr. It’s not a cheap solution but when I look at the number of tournaments I’ve missed out on in the last couple of years due to poor putting, again it’s probably justifiable. Part of that lesson also includes a putting fitting so I’ll have a chance to see if what I’m using is the best for my game or if there is something out there more suited.

 

Hopefully have my bag fully set by mid March with my first serious qualifier in mid April so can have some serious practice sessions.

 

I’ll post the results of both fittings on here.

[ry1808]

Well I picked up my SIM head today and took it to the local GG and hit on the launch monitor. A lot of online reviews haven't seen a big jump between the M5 and SIM but I saw a huge difference for sure. Now I think that is mainly due to my swing dynamics. I am typically a very high spin player who hits off my right side a little. I have the M5 in 9 degrees set at 7, the SIM is 8 degrees set at 6! I swapped my shaft between the two for testing. Tensei Pro Orange TX. I also used my gamer ball, the Bridgestone Tour B XS.

 

For the testing I started off with the M5 and those numbers where solid, 275 carry (normally I aim for around 280) with 2800 spin (a little high for my normal swing). My weights are one from and one in the fade position.

 

Swapped out to the SIM and I noticed that lofted down the face sat more open than the M5 and I definitely hit the ball more to the right but still long. After a few shots I moved the weight to the heel and I was hitting this thing out of the park! Numbers I had never seen from a launch monitor before. Here are my numbers and scatter:

 

I'm not too concerned about the dispersion on a launch monitor as I do struggle with alignment a little when hitting into a net. What I'm looking for is a consistent ball flight and something I know I can play under pressure (not too bothered if that's a baby draw or fade, as long as it's consistent).

 

I did got back to the M5 after these shots and the numbers where slightly better than the first 5 but still way behind the SIM. The lower loft and reduced spin is certainly playing into my hands!

 

One thing I missed out on was club head speed. The GC2 launch monitors at GG only give ball speed and calculate club head speed from a contact smash of 1.45.

 

Looks like the SIM is going straight in the bag, good work TM!

[Ben Berube]

Great WITB. Thanks for sharing

[ry1808]

Thanks.

 

Still a work in progress but should be complete by the end of February. Pretty much only lock-in is the SIM. Hopefully, for my wallet anyway, some of my other clubs survive the fitting day in a couple of weeks!

[ry1808]

Just got back from the fitting with Tour Spec Golf in Pinehurst.

 

Fantastic experience, far far better than Club Champion. I don't have the full specs yet but there was a bit of a surprise... The irons I picked out where the New Level Golf 902. Never really thought of looking at their clubs but the feel and response was great. Also went with a Modus shaft that I'd never hit before but the numbers looked great. I'll get a full spec list up here when they come through from TSG.

 

My driver will be staying with the SIM, that flat out performing.

 

I need to tune my 3-wood a little but they agreed to add that to the post fit gapping session so I can tune it a bit better.

 

The MP-20 2 iron is just solid and won't be going anywhere.

 

I will bend the 4-iron strong to blend between the 5-iron and 2-iron (I guess it'll be more like a 3.5-iron?)

 

We finally went with the MD5 in the similar Modus shaft. That had great performance. Not sure if I will go with the MD5 wedge or use the stock 902 wedge. I think I'll go with the MD5.

 

My only concern with these guys is (just like Club Champion) they charge so much for the build and extras. The irons retail for around $900 and maybe $300 for the wedges. They want over $2,500 in total with the up charges ($15 for a grip!!). Also they want to Pure the shafts, I'm not convinced about that one...

 

Hopefully soon I'll have my 2020 bag complete.

 

Here are the summary numbers look at the comparison between my game 6-iron (MP-18) and the 6-iron I was fit for (NL 902).

 

Looking at the numbers the NL 902 looks a great improvement but I have some concerns with ball speed and carry. Do I need to be hitting a 6 iron that far? Also, what effect will it have on the gapping at the bottom of my bag? I think that the Modus certain helped with ball flight and trajectory but I don't know if I really need a head that hot. I will try the MP-20 blade with the same Modus shaft and see the results. I'm not looking to gain yardage with these clubs, just improve consistency and distribution.