LafertyDaniel's WITB

[LafertyDaniel]

Hi all,

 

This is my new bag. I've read the forums for years, and recently decided to make an account. I am happy to say a lot of what I've read on this forum I have taken in to consideration in creating this set.

 

I was fortunate enough to have to opportunity to go out to the Ping Tour department in Phoenix as a collegiate player, and through Todd Gilgrist at Golf Club of Georgia. Bill Iseri fit me, and I got to experience that very cool indoor hitting bay with the fresh pallet of grass moved in every day thats been seen on this site. I still get goosebumps thinking about that day.

 

I was a Mizuno guy since I first started, playing a mix of MP-60's and MX-23's, then 3-PW of MP-68's. After deciding to give the professional game a go after school ends, I figured I should look for the clubs that are going to give me the best opportunity to score. If 10 guys on tour are playing blades, there in no reason I need to be. When I went for what I thought would be my only fitting at Sea Island, I compared the MP-59 and Titleist CB's. Both were great, but the biggest surprise was the i20. I was shocked at how well they went through the turf.

 

To make a long story short, I went to the Ping regional center at Golf Club of Georgia, where Todd recommended I go out to Phoenix if I had the time and means. Thanks to some excess skymiles, I did. The experience in Phoenix resulted in the following set:

 

 

 

Starting from the Driver, I decided to forego the oh-so-sweet matte black finish of the i20 and Anser drivers for the G20. It was the most forgiving, especially when hit a hair out on the toe, which is where I tend to miss. It may not be as long when pured as my FT-Tour, but every other shot it certainly is. I was able to request a head that was 1.5 degrees open and digitally lofted to 10*. I also had hotmelt placed on in the toe to deaden the boom this thing makes when hit.

 

My TisiTec woods have been in the bag for years. You can take them off of my cold dead body. For years I searched for woods that were better, and I simply couldn't find something that worked nearly as well. The AD-DI 7X and 8X in these heads are perfect for me. I had Ping restore the heads, swingweight them to D4 and use the 2* open ferrule when installing the new shafts.

 

The i20 Hybrid is a 20* and has an Aldila RIP 85 X shaft installed. Its half a degree flat, and sets up pretty neutral. That being said, I have never gotten along with any hybrid before until now. This thing is a 235 yard Par 3 killer. Plus, it looks sick "murdered out" with matte black on matte black.

 

As I said before, I was shocked at how well the i20 irons (4-W) went through the turf. As a digger, I found that Mizuno irons aren't exactly set up for my kind of swing. So far, I have been blown away with the results. The 4-8 are white dot, swingweighted at D5. We decided to go a little flatter in the 9 and W, at green dot and SW'd at D6. All have PXi 6.5, which surprised me, because I was set on re-upping on my KBS Tour X's. The lighter shaft really makes a difference for me.

 

The Gorge Wedges are fantastic. While I did love my MP T-11 wedges, I dug A LOT with them, especially in soft conditions. Because of this, we went with the WS and yellow dot in the 54 and 60. The 54 is bent to 53*, features a radius grind on the leading edge and SW'd to D7. the 60 is also the WS variety, with both a heel relief and radius grind done. It's SW is D8.

 

Ping was kind enough to etch my initials, and custom paint the "Gorge" Navy Blue for my school colors. Both have S400's, which I like for half pitches and shots around the greens.

 

Finally, my putter is a Rife Barbados Mallet 35". Its pretty much stock everything, bent just a hair flat, as I like to have my hands sit a hair lower. I changed from an Rife IBF Aussie Black after I had difficulties lining up properly.

 

What I like most about this site is people play what they love, and aren't ashamed to play a set that may, on paper, be completely out of their league. That's the fun of it - seeing what feels good, what looks good, what inspires confidence, and makes you the happiest golfer you can be. I'm jealous of you all and happy to be a part of this community.

 

With my goals in the next few years, I knew that finding the sticks that would help me the most was my number one goal. Coincidentally, they also look gorgeous to me. I'm also not ashamed to "grandpa" it around with 4 headcovers in my bag. I take pride in my set and, of course, the journey of assembling it.

 

Sorry for rambling - enjoy!

 

 

 

[seank237]

No shame with 4 headcovers, I'm in the same boat as you. Love the old school fairways with the new school shafts. Great bag and good luck.

[golfingchuck]

Nice bag yo! I too rock some older fairway woods. I have the Tour Edge CB1 3 and 5 and my back up 3 wood is a Cobra SZ which has a deep face but off the tee box is long. Anyway, good bag and good luck

[Blakester]

Cool fitting story. Would love to do something like that! Cool bag with the old and new PING gear. I've also had a hard time coming to terms with most hybrids. If I didn't already have a Titleist 910H that I really like I'd be all over the i20 hybrids. They are SWEET.

D8 swing weight? Seriously? That must be like hitting the ball with a 3-lb sledge!

Good luck!

[KyleGD]

Super solid bag, well done!

[MoaningM]

your hybrid is half degree flat and your irons 3 degrees upright is that correct?

have never tried those fairway woods purely based on looks, has me interested now...

[LafertyDaniel]

[quote name='MoaningM' timestamp='1347180926' post='5610661']
your hybrid is half degree flat and your irons 3 degrees upright is that correct?

have never tried those fairway woods purely based on looks, has me interested now...
[/quote]

That is correct. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to me at first either, but I trusted my fitter Bill's expertise on this one. I'm glad I did; it sets up beautifully to my eye, and sits the way I want it to. The wear pattern is spot on so far, so I think its a winner. For the record, the 3 & 5 woods are standard lie angle.

If you have a means to try them out of come across a few on ebay, I highly recommend trying them. I'm often asked about them and give them to friends who ask to try them. I haven't had anyone say they wouldn't pick one up after taking a few lashes.