Drewtaylor21's Golf Journey (Swing Changes, WITB, Results)

[sethdavidsdad]

That's crazy Drew can't believe you only have one club! Callaway guys had a full bag waiting for them the next day

[drewtaylor21]

That's crazy Drew can't believe you only have one club! Callaway guys had a full bag waiting for them the next day

 

Don't remind me lol

[MK7Golf21]

you know anybody from TM you can contact? When I was lucky enough to go on one of the trips we got ours the next day on the trip but after playing a few rounds I had to make an adjustment to them. Sent them back per their advice and waited for awhile with no clubs. Ended up having to contact them again to remind and ask when they might come, they showed up very shortly after. The guys are just really busy there and after the trip is done you have to remind them it seems.

[drewtaylor21]

you know anybody from TM you can contact? When I was lucky enough to go on one of the trips we got ours the next day on the trip but after playing a few rounds I had to make an adjustment to them. Sent them back per their advice and waited for awhile with no clubs. Ended up having to contact them again to remind and ask when they might come, they showed up very shortly after. The guys are just really busy there and after the trip is done you have to remind them it seems.

 

Thanks Jeep, they are definitely busy! Brian Knudson from WRX was on the trip with us, and he's been communicating with TMaG on our behalf. Can't say enough good things about that guy!

[Dave D]

That's crazy Drew can't believe you only have one club! Callaway guys had a full bag waiting for them the next day

and that's why Callaway are great and taylormade less so :P

 

will never own a club again after a warranty issue with them, I ordered an R7 TP Quad with custom proforce v2 shaft from the taylormade rep. 5 months later the head cracked by the weights and they wouldn't replace it under warranty due to it having a non stock shaft in it, I said they fitted it! they wouldn't have it. The rep had left the company by this time so I was left high and dry. ridiculous scenario.

[robrey85]

That's crazy Drew can't believe you only have one club! Callaway guys had a full bag waiting for them the next day

and that's why Callaway are great and taylormade less so :P

 

will never own a club again after a warranty issue with them, I ordered an R7 TP Quad with custom proforce v2 shaft from the taylormade rep. 5 months later the head cracked by the weights and they wouldn't replace it under warranty due to it having a non stock shaft in it, I said they fitted it! they wouldn't have it. The rep had left the company by this time so I was left high and dry. ridiculous scenario.

 

Every day that passes and I read more stuff like this, makes me want to drop all my Tmag clubs and hop on the Callaway bandwagon.

 

 

you know anybody from TM you can contact? When I was lucky enough to go on one of the trips we got ours the next day on the trip but after playing a few rounds I had to make an adjustment to them. Sent them back per their advice and waited for awhile with no clubs. Ended up having to contact them again to remind and ask when they might come, they showed up very shortly after. The guys are just really busy there and after the trip is done you have to remind them it seems.

 

Thanks Jeep, they are definitely busy! Brian Knudson from WRX was on the trip with us, and he's been communicating with TMaG on our behalf. Can't say enough good things about that guy!

 

I still think you should call them yourself. Relying on someone else as a rep for you guys is like relying on someone to give you rides everywhere. It sucks.

[MK7Golf21]

That's crazy Drew can't believe you only have one club! Callaway guys had a full bag waiting for them the next day

and that's why Callaway are great and taylormade less so :P

 

will never own a club again after a warranty issue with them, I ordered an R7 TP Quad with custom proforce v2 shaft from the taylormade rep. 5 months later the head cracked by the weights and they wouldn't replace it under warranty due to it having a non stock shaft in it, I said they fitted it! they wouldn't have it. The rep had left the company by this time so I was left high and dry. ridiculous scenario.

 

It depends alot on who you talk to, when you call your just talking to a low level advisor who just answers basic questions and is wrong alot of times. That's where they could improve. You just have to get the right person really, call a few times. Once I had them replace a shaft because it was tipped an inch and it was my fault because I didn't request no tipping. They didn't even wait for my shaft to arrive before sending out a replacement, I was impressed but I think I called a few times getting different people.

[noahdavis_7]

Just curious Drew, you gonna keep that hybrid in play? Also, how far does that club go for you? Thinking of adding one and we have similar swing speeds.

[drewtaylor21]

That's crazy Drew can't believe you only have one club! Callaway guys had a full bag waiting for them the next day

and that's why Callaway are great and taylormade less so :P

 

will never own a club again after a warranty issue with them, I ordered an R7 TP Quad with custom proforce v2 shaft from the taylormade rep. 5 months later the head cracked by the weights and they wouldn't replace it under warranty due to it having a non stock shaft in it, I said they fitted it! they wouldn't have it. The rep had left the company by this time so I was left high and dry. ridiculous scenario.

 

Wow Dave, that's brutal! Can't say I blame you for your decision after that.

 

It's tough, we met a lot of great people at TMaG and the environment there was as good as it gets. However, I get the impression that their hands are tied right now when it comes to what they can and can't do with equipment, especially in a giveaway. There are an alarming number of backorders on both heads and shafts. I'm not sure what to make of all of it, but I have my suspicions.

 

I am definitely impressed with Callaway though :) I've mentioned it in #theWRX thread, but Callaway has THE best customer service in the game. No question.

[drewtaylor21]

Just curious Drew, you gonna keep that hybrid in play? Also, how far does that club go for you? Thinking of adding one and we have similar swing speeds.

 

I hope not! lol, I don't like it. I am trying an experiment with a 2017 M1 3 iron. That's what I ordered from TMaG, so hopefully it'll show up in the near future and I can test it out.

 

The hybrid is my 250 club on the course. Off a tee I can get it out to 265, but it's my most unpredictable club in the bag.

[GC70]

Drew they probably knew that you only needed was a M2 D(Drew) and a 60*!

 

Oh, and some shades!!

[drewtaylor21]

Drew they probably knew that you only needed was a M2 D(Drew) and a 60*!

 

Oh, and some shades!!

 

Haha thanks George, what a cruel joke from TMaG :rofl:

[noahdavis_7]

Just curious Drew, you gonna keep that hybrid in play? Also, how far does that club go for you? Thinking of adding one and we have similar swing speeds.

 

I hope not! lol, I don't like it. I am trying an experiment with a 2017 M1 3 iron. That's what I ordered from TMaG, so hopefully it'll show up in the near future and I can test it out.

 

The hybrid is my 250 club on the course. Off a tee I can get it out to 265, but it's my most unpredictable club in the bag.

 

I gotcha. I'm looking for something easy to hit and straight off the tee in about the 240 range. Something a little shorter than 3W that i can control better

[drewtaylor21]

Just curious Drew, you gonna keep that hybrid in play? Also, how far does that club go for you? Thinking of adding one and we have similar swing speeds.

 

I hope not! lol, I don't like it. I am trying an experiment with a 2017 M1 3 iron. That's what I ordered from TMaG, so hopefully it'll show up in the near future and I can test it out.

 

The hybrid is my 250 club on the course. Off a tee I can get it out to 265, but it's my most unpredictable club in the bag.

 

I gotcha. I'm looking for something easy to hit and straight off the tee in about the 240 range. Something a little shorter than 3W that i can control better

 

Yeah for me, irons are much more predictable than FW or hybrids, thus the M1 experiment (YMMV). If I can hit it high enough to be comfortable using it as an approach club into par 5's then it's a done deal. That was the whole reason I got a hybrid in the first place. I was living in Utah at the time and my home course had several long par 5's with water fronting the greens and not a lot of room front to back on the putting surface. I needed something to get the ball up in the air and my old MP-69 3 iron wasn't cutting it.

[kyle75]

That stinks that you have not gotten your clubs yet. After reading in the the Tour Spider thread about how every other Spider putter sets open or closed and the M1 testing thread where so many of those guys are talking about how the head weights and face angles are off, makes you wonder what's going on at TM. Hopefully you will get all of your clubs soon. Have you ever tried the Titleist TMB for your 3 iron, hit one this weekend and was really impressed with it.

[noahdavis_7]

Just curious Drew, you gonna keep that hybrid in play? Also, how far does that club go for you? Thinking of adding one and we have similar swing speeds.

 

I hope not! lol, I don't like it. I am trying an experiment with a 2017 M1 3 iron. That's what I ordered from TMaG, so hopefully it'll show up in the near future and I can test it out.

 

The hybrid is my 250 club on the course. Off a tee I can get it out to 265, but it's my most unpredictable club in the bag.

 

I gotcha. I'm looking for something easy to hit and straight off the tee in about the 240 range. Something a little shorter than 3W that i can control better

 

Yeah for me, irons are much more predictable than FW or hybrids, thus the M1 experiment (YMMV). If I can hit it high enough to be comfortable using it as an approach club into par 5's then it's a done deal. That was the whole reason I got a hybrid in the first place. I was living in Utah at the time and my home course had several long par 5's with water fronting the greens and not a lot of room front to back on the putting surface. I needed something to get the ball up in the air and my old MP-69 3 iron wasn't cutting it.

 

Definitely interested to see how this M1 3I works for you. I have a VR Blade that is butter just not forgiving at all and hard to consistently launch high enough

[drewtaylor21]

That stinks that you have not gotten your clubs yet. After reading in the the Tour Spider thread about how every other Spider putter sets open or closed and the M1 testing thread where so many of those guys are talking about how the head weights and face angles are off, makes you wonder what's going on at TM. Hopefully you will get all of your clubs soon. Have you ever tried the Titleist TMB for your 3 iron, hit one this weekend and was really impressed with it.

 

I've hit a 5 iron in the T-MB and loved it! I would definitely consider adding something like that to the bag if I had a chance to get fit for it.

 

I hoping this M1 does the trick though

[drewtaylor21]

Well, I have some more clubs! I'm completely baffled by TaylorMade's shipping system, but I have more clubs, so thank you TaylorMade!

 

This afternoon, FedEx dropped off a nice big box. I thought it might be the rest of the set, but when I picked it up it seemed a bit light. I had to examine the packing slip 3x to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. I got my M1 3 wood, M1 3 iron, 770 4-6 irons, 750 9 iron, and MG wedges in 50* and 55*. Somewhere out there are my 750 7 iron, 8 iron, and PW! No one on the trip has received a putter yet, but given that putter was one of the two clubs we were actually fit for at the Kingdom, we've been expecting them. We haven't heard a yes or a no there, but I remain at least a little hopeful that TMaG is sending me a Spider Platinum as well.

 

Anyway, no surprises, the clubs look great! Very much looking forward to spending some time with them, and I will be sure to report back in detail what I find with them compared to my current set.

 

 

[GC70]

Hum, 10 clubs!

[Dave D]

Well, I have some more clubs! I'm completely baffled by TaylorMade's shipping system, but I have more clubs, so thank you TaylorMade!

 

This afternoon, FedEx dropped off a nice big box. I thought it might be the rest of the set, but when I picked it up it seemed a bit light. I had to examine the packing slip 3x to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. I got my M1 3 wood, M1 3 iron, 770 4-6 irons, 750 9 iron, and MG wedges in 50* and 55*. Somewhere out there are my 750 7 iron, 8 iron, and PW! No one on the trip has received a putter yet, but given that putter was one of the two clubs we were actually fit for at the Kingdom, we've been expecting them. We haven't heard a yes or a no there, but I remain at least a little hopeful that TMaG is sending me a Spider Platinum as well.

 

Anyway, no surprises, the clubs look great! Very much looking forward to spending some time with them, and I will be sure to report back in detail what I find with them compared to my current set.

 

 

that's so weird leaving those clubs out!! you'll have to improve your course management to make sure you don't leave yourself 130-145 or 160-185 yards :lol:

[drewtaylor21]

Well, I have some more clubs! I'm completely baffled by TaylorMade's shipping system, but I have more clubs, so thank you TaylorMade!

 

This afternoon, FedEx dropped off a nice big box. I thought it might be the rest of the set, but when I picked it up it seemed a bit light. I had to examine the packing slip 3x to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. I got my M1 3 wood, M1 3 iron, 770 4-6 irons, 750 9 iron, and MG wedges in 50* and 55*. Somewhere out there are my 750 7 iron, 8 iron, and PW! No one on the trip has received a putter yet, but given that putter was one of the two clubs we were actually fit for at the Kingdom, we've been expecting them. We haven't heard a yes or a no there, but I remain at least a little hopeful that TMaG is sending me a Spider Platinum as well.

 

Anyway, no surprises, the clubs look great! Very much looking forward to spending some time with them, and I will be sure to report back in detail what I find with them compared to my current set.

 

 

that's so weird leaving those clubs out!! you'll have to improve your course management to make sure you don't leave yourself 130-145 or 160-185 yards :lol:

 

Haha thanks Dave, when I just had the driver and 60* I thought they were playing a cruel joke on me. I mean, that's all I really need anyway, right?! I can putt pretty good with a bellied wedge Lol

[Dave D]

Well, I have some more clubs! I'm completely baffled by TaylorMade's shipping system, but I have more clubs, so thank you TaylorMade!

 

This afternoon, FedEx dropped off a nice big box. I thought it might be the rest of the set, but when I picked it up it seemed a bit light. I had to examine the packing slip 3x to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. I got my M1 3 wood, M1 3 iron, 770 4-6 irons, 750 9 iron, and MG wedges in 50* and 55*. Somewhere out there are my 750 7 iron, 8 iron, and PW! No one on the trip has received a putter yet, but given that putter was one of the two clubs we were actually fit for at the Kingdom, we've been expecting them. We haven't heard a yes or a no there, but I remain at least a little hopeful that TMaG is sending me a Spider Platinum as well.

 

Anyway, no surprises, the clubs look great! Very much looking forward to spending some time with them, and I will be sure to report back in detail what I find with them compared to my current set.

 

 

that's so weird leaving those clubs out!! you'll have to improve your course management to make sure you don't leave yourself 130-145 or 160-185 yards :lol:

 

Haha thanks Dave, when I just had the driver and 60* I thought they were playing a cruel joke on me. I mean, that's all I really need anyway, right?! I can putt pretty good with a bellied wedge Lol

the distance you hit it it probably is all you need ;)

 

at least looking at a wedge when putting is nicer than looking at the directed force :D

[drewtaylor21]

 

 

at least looking at a wedge when putting is nicer than looking at the directed force :D

 

Ohhh! Haha you got that right :rofl:

[shoot63]

Of course, one thing I'm wondering is does it require a practice round or mapping ahead of time or can you do some of the evaluation on the course in order to make your decisions. I honestly just don't feel that I know enough about what it really entails.

From the driver video it seems like you'd have to google map every round at a new course for the club and target choices off par 4's and 5's. The approach shot target selections are based on pin positions, so as long as you had a pin sheet or close approximation of pin location, you wouldn't need to play a practice round at all (Q, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

I used Google Maps and planned my tee shots for my competitive round Wednesday, it took me maybe 20 minutes. After you figure out your dispersion with driver (carry distance and left-right dispersion width), it is pretty easy. I used his 65-yard dispersion that he talks about in the free driving strategy video, and we're roughly the same length off the tee. It was pretty confidence-inspiring to have that target and know that if you put a halfway-decent swing on the ball, +95% are going to be in your grid and okay.

 

Cool update. Lite version for those on the fence.

 

https://twitter.com/...016899474653184

 

Yeah it'll be interesting to see what the difference is between "lite" and full DECADE.

Howdy all. I'm going to try to start becoming a little more involved in this site but I'm pretty backed up as is. The Lite version is honestly just a placeholder for the minute in the App store for free. It's nothing exciting yet. We released the product and then I was going to make the content. Conveniently I broke two ribs later that day on my kids scooter and that set me back a bit. I'm on it as we speak and content is growing. Lite is designed for players shooting about 82 and up. Full DECADE is for those who can break 80 and want to really improve their game. It is exactly what my 25+ playing professionals use and my college programs.

 

More to come, but I just wanted to say thanks all for the kind words and I hope to start getting involved more in this site. I actually used to a bit under the handle Shoot63 as well.

[robrey85]

Howdy all. I'm going to try to start becoming a little more involved in this site but I'm pretty backed up as is. The Lite version is honestly just a placeholder for the minute in the App store for free. It's nothing exciting yet. We released the product and then I was going to make the content. Conveniently I broke two ribs later that day on my kids scooter and that set me back a bit. I'm on it as we speak and content is growing. Lite is designed for players shooting about 82 and up. Full DECADE is for those who can break 80 and want to really improve their game. It is exactly what my 25+ playing professionals use and my college programs.

 

More to come, but I just wanted to say thanks all for the kind words and I hope to start getting involved more in this site. I actually used to a bit under the handle Shoot63 as well.

 

You gotta stop this !

 

:cheesy:

 

On a serious note; definitely let us know when you update the lite version. I'd be happy to be a guinea pig because although I have broken 80 a few times before, it's been awhile and it sounds like that might be the way to go for me currently until I get my groove back.

[shoot63]

Howdy all. I'm going to try to start becoming a little more involved in this site but I'm pretty backed up as is. The Lite version is honestly just a placeholder for the minute in the App store for free. It's nothing exciting yet. We released the product and then I was going to make the content. Conveniently I broke two ribs later that day on my kids scooter and that set me back a bit. I'm on it as we speak and content is growing. Lite is designed for players shooting about 82 and up. Full DECADE is for those who can break 80 and want to really improve their game. It is exactly what my 25+ playing professionals use and my college programs.

 

More to come, but I just wanted to say thanks all for the kind words and I hope to start getting involved more in this site. I actually used to a bit under the handle Shoot63 as well.

 

You gotta stop this !

 

:cheesy:

 

On a serious note; definitely let us know when you update the lite version. I'd be happy to be a guinea pig because although I have broken 80 a few times before, it's been awhile and it sounds like that might be the way to go for me currently until I get my groove back.

Wasn't quite that uncoordinated, but not far off.

[r34civic]

Howdy all. I'm going to try to start becoming a little more involved in this site but I'm pretty backed up as is. The Lite version is honestly just a placeholder for the minute in the App store for free. It's nothing exciting yet. We released the product and then I was going to make the content. Conveniently I broke two ribs later that day on my kids scooter and that set me back a bit. I'm on it as we speak and content is growing. Lite is designed for players shooting about 82 and up. Full DECADE is for those who can break 80 and want to really improve their game. It is exactly what my 25+ playing professionals use and my college programs.

 

More to come, but I just wanted to say thanks all for the kind words and I hope to start getting involved more in this site. I actually used to a bit under the handle Shoot63 as well.

 

You gotta stop this !

 

:cheesy:

 

On a serious note; definitely let us know when you update the lite version. I'd be happy to be a guinea pig because although I have broken 80 a few times before, it's been awhile and it sounds like that might be the way to go for me currently until I get my groove back.

Wasn't quite that uncoordinated, but not far off.

Scott if you do ever need some people to test out the lite version, I'd love to add my name to the list. I love the thought of the DECADE system but would fall into that 80+ range at the moment.

[sethdavidsdad]

Well, I have some more clubs! I'm completely baffled by TaylorMade's shipping system, but I have more clubs, so thank you TaylorMade!

 

This afternoon, FedEx dropped off a nice big box. I thought it might be the rest of the set, but when I picked it up it seemed a bit light. I had to examine the packing slip 3x to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. I got my M1 3 wood, M1 3 iron, 770 4-6 irons, 750 9 iron, and MG wedges in 50* and 55*. Somewhere out there are my 750 7 iron, 8 iron, and PW! No one on the trip has received a putter yet, but given that putter was one of the two clubs we were actually fit for at the Kingdom, we've been expecting them. We haven't heard a yes or a no there, but I remain at least a little hopeful that TMaG is sending me a Spider Platinum as well.

 

Anyway, no surprises, the clubs look great! Very much looking forward to spending some time with them, and I will be sure to report back in detail what I find with them compared to my current set.

 

 

Wow so weird, but I'm still Jealous, would love to hit the 3 wood.

[drewtaylor21]

Howdy all. I'm going to try to start becoming a little more involved in this site but I'm pretty backed up as is. The Lite version is honestly just a placeholder for the minute in the App store for free. It's nothing exciting yet. We released the product and then I was going to make the content. Conveniently I broke two ribs later that day on my kids scooter and that set me back a bit. I'm on it as we speak and content is growing. Lite is designed for players shooting about 82 and up. Full DECADE is for those who can break 80 and want to really improve their game. It is exactly what my 25+ playing professionals use and my college programs.

 

More to come, but I just wanted to say thanks all for the kind words and I hope to start getting involved more in this site. I actually used to a bit under the handle Shoot63 as well.

 

Scott, just wanted to say thanks for dropping in to the thread! I'll be signing up for DECADE here shortly and I'm looking forward to the program. I've heard nothing but good things, and it's great to have you here on WRX in any capacity!

[drewtaylor21]

Time for an update!

 

Some of you may have noticed some radio silence lately as far as game updates go. Unfortunately, I had to take a month off from golf from the end of March until the end of April. I developed some tenosynovitis in my right hand, which I think stemmed from too much time hitting on a mat. It was starting to bug me ever so slightly at home in my garage set up, but I didn't think much of it. After my fitting at Club Champion, where the mat was firmer and I hit a LOT of balls, it was swollen and sore for several days. I was worried I might have fractured the hook of my hamate bone, as I failed the hook of hamate pull test. Seeing what Tai (Pure745) is going through just didn't sound like the way I wanted to spend my spring! Fortunately, after a couple weeks, symptoms had begun to subside a bit and pain was down. After another two weeks it feels essentially normal. The bad news was around the same time, I had a couple facet joints in my neck lock up, and I couldn't rotate my C-spine more than about 10* left or right! I got several sessions of manual therapy in from a PT friend here in town and the neck is feeling about 98% good to go now. All in all, I'm much happier than I was a few weeks ago!

 

This past week I had a few buddies from back home in WA come to visit. I went to high school with these guys and we've remained close friends ever since, with lots of vacations, golf, and general shenanigans thrown in over the years. The weather forecast was mid 90's and no wind all week, which is about as good as it gets in Vegas, so we were pumped! Our schedule was as follows:

 

Monday night: Top Golf! I had never been to Top Golf yet, but it was a lot of fun! Not really somewhere you go to work on your game lol, but it was a lot of fun with friends just messing around and playing the little competitions they have set up on the computers there. Got to watch some playoff basketball on the giant screens out at the end of the range too, which was really cool!

 

Tuesday: Reflection Bay at Lake Las Vegas. This is my favorite course in the valley and it is in absolutely prime shape right now. Here is the second shot view on the par 5 3rd

 

 

 

This was my first round in a month and a half, so I didn't expect much. I'd been slowly easing back into hitting some balls over the last week though, so the swing actually felt decent. I had a couple of squirrelly tee shots over the course of the round, but drove it well (9 FW) and hit some solid irons (12 GIR). This day and the other 2 rounds we played really showed off my horrible putting right now lol (36 putts today). Most of it is practice-related, but man....it's ugly right now. I'm kind of going back and forth between putting with a line on the ball and not, and I'm waiting on my TaylorMade Spider putter to get here, so things just feel a bit up in the air. Bad combo. We played 2 man best ball today and were all square coming down 18. My partner was out of the hole, and our opposing team was in about 8' for birdie on the last. They were getting a stroke on the hole, so I knew I had to birdie to have a chance at a half. I hit a nice wedge from 70 yards to 12' and didn't even scare the hole. Pretty much the theme for the week! It was a blast though and the guys' first time at Reflection, so everyone enjoyed it. After the round, 18th hole in the background:

 

 

 

I won't go into the details of our off-course adventures, but we had dinner at Vic and Anthony's steakhouse at the golden nugget this night....Ohhhh boy. It's worth checking out if you're in Vegas. Tuna poke, unreal filet mignon, some giant asparagus, wild mushrooms, and duck-fat potatoes...wow. Sorry I don't have pictures of this, but it was epic!

 

Wednesday: Wolf Creek! None of us had ever played here except for on a video game. It feels like you could see a dinosaur at any point here, but I remarked to my buddy that it also feels kind of like you're playing through Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland. It's just a crazy course carved out of the Mesquite desert. There are a handful of stupid holes that are just too wacky to really enjoy, but also a handful of absolutely gorgeous holes that will blow your mind. We all said after the round that we're glad we played, but probably wouldn't play it again. We were also disappointed that for such a "high end" course, they didn't have GPS on the carts, which would have been really nice given some of the tee shots and approaches. Overall it was a fun time though. We played the game "Wolf" as a group today, which ended up being a fun change of pace for team scoring.

 

First hole, par 5, I hit driver 7 iron to 4 feet and made the eagle!

 

 

 

I ended up making a few bogeys and a birdie on the front to shoot one over. Besides the eagle on #1, another highlight came at the 210 yard par 3 8th. This is a scary shot! The tee was elevated about 30-40 feet and we had ~10mph wind at us and a little from the left. Water fronting and on the left of the green, and desert right. I hit a PURE 6 iron that seemed to hang in the air forever, then landed on the front of the green and rolled a couple feet to about 12' for birdie. Made par, but the tee shot sure felt great. I should have taken a picture from the top, but this is at the bottom of the hill once you come off the tee box. Pretty, but it doesn't do justice at all to how tough the hole looks from the tee!

 

 

 

EDIT: Here is a stock photo that shows what we saw from the tee!

 

 

 

Another fun moment, I got into trouble on the par 5 5th hole. It's severely downhill off the tee, then the fairway slopes up and at a 45* angle to the left. I hit a 3 iron on a pretty aggressive line and didn't catch all of it so I ended up just past the desert, but blocked out on the left. My ball was 4" in front of a large rock and I needed to hit up and over a desert mound about 20 feet high, so I took a sand wedge and a very wide stance and gave it a go! Hit a great shot back into the fairway, had 95 yards in and hit the green in reg! Pretty nice save if you ask me :)

 

 

 

Hit another beauty off the severely downhill 11th hole, par 3, 185 yards, put it to 3 feet and made bird. The rest of the round was non-eventful, but it sure was pretty as the sun was going down!

 

Par 5 12th:

 

 

 

Par 4 14th:

 

 

 

Another day of pretty good ballstriking and very bad putting (33 putts today). A couple penalties thrown in and I shot 78. Not terrible given it was my first time at this course though.

 

Thursday: Arroyo Golf Club at Red Rock. This is essentially my home course and it's a lot of fun, though not on the same level as Reflection or Wolf Creek. Just a solid desert-stye course. We played a two man scramble this day, and I partnered with my buddy who is about a 25 cap. Now, we know scrambles aren't real golf, but I gotta be honest, I struck the ball fantastic today. I hit 16 GIR and had 4 approach shots inside 6 feet. Highlight of the day was the par 5 11th, where I crushed a 3 iron, then hit 9 iron to 1 foot for eagle! Always fun to have a kick-in for eagle, and again, even though it was a scramble eagle, I hit all 3 shots and it was my second eagle in 2 days, which feels like a good sign! My buddy and I shot 65 and won by two over the other team, which was made up of a 10 and 12 capper. The longest putt we made all day was 12 feet. Again, horrible putting, but the ballstriking was some of my best all year. Time to hit the practice green as much as I can, but very very happy with where my swing and mechanics are! I'm hitting a lot of quality shots, even though I haven't been able to practice much at all.

 

 

 

TaylorMade Club Update

 

I just received my PW today, so I'm only waiting on the Spider putter to arrive from the TMaG trip. I will say, the 750 PW looks great! A lot of "iron set" pitching wedges look a little funny to me, but this one has a great blade wedge look to it.

 

Because of issues with lofts/lies/swingweight on the clubs I ordered, I only have the M1 3 iron in the bag right now. It replaced my SLDR 3 hybrid, and I actually like it! It's a little bit chunky, but it responds nicely and when I hit it solidly, it's straight bullets! Definitely an improvement on the SLDR hybrid in terms of accuracy and consistency, so I think it's going to stay.

 

I didn't have time to mess with the new clubs and get my swing in shape from the layoff before my friends arrived, so I went back to the SLDR driver and my RSi TP's for the week and was very glad I did. I'd been struggling with the M2 driver and going back to the SLDR was like riding a bike - picked up right where I left off - long and in the fairway! I am looking forward to getting the specs all dialed in with the new gear though, and hope to have more to report in the next few weeks. Honestly, after going back to my old gamers, I will be surprised if the new clubs stick around, but who knows. It could be that I just need them spec'd properly and they'll really shine, but as of right now it's not even close. I could see myself keeping the new wedges, hopefully the new Spider putter, then sticking with the RSi's, the 2017 M1 3 iron, 2016 M1 3HL (which I'm KILLING right now), and the SLDR. Regardless, I'm looking forward to testing everything much more in the near future!