bjtiger75 WITB Hilton Head Island update 7/25

[bjtiger75]

Alright guys, I'm getting back into the game after about a 3 year layoff due to a back injury. Now that I'm able to play again I've had to redo my bag due to a major drop in swing speed. I'm slowly starting to hit the ball better and finally shot a decent round today.

 

I thought I'd share my bag with you. I'm pretty happy with everything in the bag except the driver and putter. Those two spots are a revolving door. I'm also going to update this post with my round scores as I play.

 

Bag - Sun Mountain Four 5

Putter - Odyssey Versa Works Tank Lined Two Ball

Wedges - Ping Glide SS 56* bent to 55* and Glide WS 60* bent to 59*. Both are 1/2" over standard black dot with DG wedge shafts.

Irons - Ping G 5-UW White Dot Dynamic Gold S300 1" over standard

Hybrid - Ping G Crossover Aldila Rip Tour 90 stiff

5 wood - Taylormade Aeroburner TP 5 wood Matrix White Tie

3 wood - Taylormade Aeroburner TP 14* Mini Driver Matrix White Tie

Driver - Ping G 10.5 with Fujikura Fuel Tour Spec 6.2 Patriot Edition shortened to 44.5" with 16 gram weight

[bjtiger75]

Played Cobbs Glen CC today from the blue tees. Had a really good round with my wedges and putter. Missed a lot of greens but I chipped well and holed some putts. My usual miss with the driver is left but today was the opposite. I tried a little weaker grip today and it showed with the driver. I'll adjust a little next time out.

[Cash24]

solid sticks man

[bjtiger75]

solid sticks man

Appreciate it sir. Feels good to be back on the course. Still need to work to get back to were I was before but my handicap is at 15.9 and the round today will definitely bring it down some. I hope to be shooting mid to low 80's every round out by end of August.

 

I also have a Byron Morgan on the way which will get at least a couple of rounds in the bag to see if I like it.

[Cash24]

i feel ya, I am finally back to playing league and actually getting out to play more. Was on a good 5 year lay off myself. Kids, work, family and life man. And like you, scores are trending downward

[BIG STU]

Good to see you are back playing--- I will give you a piece of friendly advice though do not try to swing too hard or over do yourself hitting too many balls

[bjtiger75]

Good to see you are back playing--- I will give you a piece of friendly advice though do not try to swing too hard or over do yourself hitting too many balls

I agree fully. That's why I took so long off. I wanted my back to full strength before I got back in. Doctor gave me full permission well over two years ago but I wanted to be sure. . I've lost a lot of my flexibility and will continue to work on that. That is the reason for the swing speed loss plus the fact I gained 30 pounds sitting on my rear end. I've lost 6 of it in just the last 8 weeks being on the course again. I hope to be down the full 30 by the end of the year. I don't expect my swing to ever be at what it was previously(115 driver) but I'd like to be around 105 and right now I'm floating around 95. This results in between 230-260 yard drives and I'm just playing it instead of worrying about being long.

[bjtiger75]

This arrived this afternoon. Just rolled a few carpet putts with her and she puts a smooth roll on the ball. I got rid of a Byron Channel Island prototype with a plumber's neck before I quit and wished I still had it. This 006 may very well replace it. Sorry for the crappy pictures but it's raining outside this evening.

 

[calc61]

Nice bag!!

[bjtiger75]

Got to play a quick 18 this afternoon. Didn't have a driver in the bag as I traded mine today and didn't want to risk doing any damage before shipping tomorrow. I've got two incoming and one was supposed to show today but the PO didn't get it here.

 

On to the round. I used the Byron today for the first time and didn't putt well with it. Had 35 putts for the round, which I'm usually around 30-33. Hopefully the next round will be a little better but I missed some short putts, almost all left. I probably lost at least three strokes with the putter. I didn't miss the driver and hit my Mini pretty well today. I lost a couple right with it but nothing unplayable. I didn't have a good round with the irons today. No distance control and it showed. I made double bogeys on both of the par 3's on the back side and it was because of horrible tee shots. My wedge play was decent but not great. I can only think of two really bad wedge shots I hit.

 

Between now and my next round I'm going to try and get myself over to a par 3 course to focus on my irons and wedges. Until next time.....

[Dscvrr St Louis]

Solid bag! Good looking putter there!! Give it time, good change from the mallet!!

 

Keep us posted on progress...good to hear back on the course again!!

[bjtiger75]

Hit up a quick nine this morning at a par 3 course with my six year old daughter. It was her first time on a real course and she had a blast. I shot a decent +4, but it really should have been better. Went +4 on the last four holes and made a bogey on a 240 yard par 4 with a horrible on and three putts. I did hit my irons pretty well today and distance control was much better.

[bjtiger75]

Played 18 holes this afternoon. Shoot a 97, but it really wasn't a horrible 97. This was the first time out on a new course with a new driver and a new putter. It showed. Really struggled with the driver right today. Going to go to the range on Friday morning before work and see if I can get it fixed. I had 37 putts but I'll say that I should have had 34 at worst. #8 & #9 both had pins cut in horrible positions. #8 was a two tiered green and had the pin cut on the slope between the two tiers. Our group had one person shoot 80, 83 and 90 other than myself and everyone 3,4,or 5 putted that green and #9. I lost another 3-6 shots in course management and not taking good angles on blind tee shots. I lost two strokes on one hole due to taking to much club(5 iron) on a tee shot and hitting into a pond that can't be seen from the tee. I learned a lot about the course today and would definitely say I'll be mid 80's there next time if I can keep the driver out of the woods. I'll post pictures of the new driver and putter tomorrow.

[bjtiger75]

Added another Byron to the rotation this week. This may be a better fit as I was coming from a full mallet. I love the 006 but the Channel Island is gorgeous as well. I'll probably change the paint fill down the road.

[bjtiger75]

Played 18 holes this morning. Wasn't a great round. Really struggled with my irons and wedges again today. I probably didn't have any putt under 25 feet for my first putt all day. My putting numbers look bad but in reality they were decent. Hopefully I get the iron and wedge consistency worked out over the next few weeks.

[bjtiger75]

On another note I did get a new putter in today. Added this sweet Byron to the collection.

[bjtiger75]

On vacation this week and played the Jones course at Palmetto Dunes this morning. Unfortunately, I broke the shaft in my driver Friday evening before we came down. I dropped my bag at just the right angle getting it out of my car and snapped the shaft at the hosel. Had to go to Golfsmith 10 minutes before they closed and get a new driver off the shelf without hitting it. Ended up picking up a Cobra F6+ with the black tie. It cost me quite a few strokes today but by the back 9 it was working a little better. Put myself in some bad positions but I'll take it. I did have my longest drive of my last four rounds at 279 yards. I averaged a little over 250 today according to the Arccos driver. One more round later in the week but haven't decided which course yet.

[bjtiger75]