Tour Rickie Fowler - WITB - 2023 The American Express

[abh00]

Just now, Valtiel said:

 

And you're the tough smart one giving up 5 strokes just to look "cooler"? I'd love to see you trying to explain in the scoring tent how you actual won despite coming up 4 shy to someone using a bigger putter.

People so hung up on vanity and "bag swag" are the not type that should be giving advice on what is and isn't "weakness". 

Hear me out,

Bag swag is an acquired art that the older gentlemen on this app do not understand.  It doesn’t translate to having or using the latest and greatest gear. 
 

By glancing at your witb below your comment, it seems to me like you’re focused on having bag swag so idk where the hostility is coming from. 

 

 

[abh00]

1 minute ago, abh00 said:

Hear me out,

Bag swag is an acquired art that the older gentlemen on this app do not understand.  It doesn’t translate to having or using the latest and greatest gear. 
 

By glancing at your witb below your comment, it seems to me like you’re focused on having bag swag so idk where the hostility is coming from. 

 

 

Your profile pic shows a Bridgestone blade and a prototype ball. I’m sure those are the very best clubs suited for your game

[Valtiel]

8 minutes ago, abh00 said:

Your profile pic shows a Bridgestone blade and a prototype ball. I’m sure those are the very best clubs suited for your game

The ball is just a Bridgestone BX which is great for me and the blade is a practice club specifically because I use non-vanity, better for my game cavity backs on the course. I suppose I should be more concerned with striking fear into the hearts of my opponents and switch that up though 😆 

[abh00]

3 minutes ago, Valtiel said:

The ball is just a Bridgestone BX which is great for me and the blade is a practice club specifically because I use non-vanity, better for my game cavity backs on the course. I suppose I should be more concerned with striking fear into the hearts of my opponents and switch that up though 😆 

That’s where your Scotty/ tour ad/ 7.0s come into play

[pak]

1 hour ago, abh00 said:

Hear me out,

Bag swag is an acquired art that the older gentlemen on this app do not understand.  It doesn’t translate to having or using the latest and greatest gear. 
 

By glancing at your witb below your comment, it seems to me like you’re focused on having bag swag so idk where the hostility is coming from. 

 

 

I’m an old guy using a Yes Tracy 2 because I can’t stand the thought of going to an ugly mallet, even though I’ve tried one a few times with positive results. 
 

Rickie is one of the great gifts to pro golf and is adored by more kids than any other golfer anywhere. He looks and putts better with his Scotty and his bag is awesome.

 

I suggest watching his match against Rick Shiels to see how awesome he really is.

 

Bag swag is real and we need to accept it.

[Cwebb]

On 1/18/2023 at 11:57 AM, DFS PFD said:

Still can't believe Cobra pushed him to develop signature irons and he didn't use the final REV33 for more than 6 months. Suck's Cobra put him in that position

 

A good example of what can happen when someone designs an iron based primarily on traditional old school looks.  Might as well be playing something from the 1960's

[Vlade15]

On 1/20/2023 at 12:45 PM, CLEVELAND59 said:

I disagree with your premise that the balls all perform and feel the same at the premium level.  It's why they spend so much time at the highest levels of the game experimenting with different balls to maximize various areas of their performance.  It's not unusual to see balls at that level even the top amateurs can't get.  Titleist might say for example that 20  guys are playing Pro V1 on a particular week, but there might be 4 different versions of that ball among those 20 players.  Look at the USGA conforming ball list sometime.  It's staggering and there is a reason why its so big.

Even to the incredibly trained eye...I just really have a hard time believing somebody can tell the difference between an additional 1/2 a degree of launch at 200 revs of spin out on the golf course.  Honestly at that point its even pretty tough to tell the difference on the launch monitor.  Feel (hard or soft) is usually about the only truly noticeable difference.  Maybe, and i do mean maybe, somebody who is hitting four to five hundred balls a day can tell.  And there isnt a single WRXer that can truly tell a playable difference between any ball other than compression.  I will die on that hill.

[mlwenzlick]

1 minute ago, Vlade15 said:

Even to the incredibly trained eye...I just really have a hard time believing somebody can tell the difference between an additional 1/2 a degree of launch at 200 revs of spin out on the golf course.  Honestly at that point its even pretty tough to tell the difference on the launch monitor.  Feel (hard or soft) is usually about the only truly noticeable difference.  Maybe, and i do mean maybe, somebody who is hitting four to five hundred balls a day can tell.  And there isnt a single WRXer that can truly tell a playable difference between any ball other than compression.  I will die on that hill.

Spin around the green is noticeable even to a hack like myself.

[Vlade15]

On 1/20/2023 at 11:48 AM, LAgolf313 said:

If he was planning on making major swing changes, then why change the ball too? Seems like it was $$$ focused at the time and the result was a lost 3-4 years

I dont disagree with you there.  Seems weird to make all the changes at once.  As i stated, though, I am under the belief that the ball - when comparing premium to premium - makes little to no difference.

But if someone were waving money in my face to change golf balls - I probably wouldnt turn it down either, because I dont think he was under contract with Titleist playing the ProV - I could be wrong there, though.

[Vlade15]

1 minute ago, mlwenzlick said:

Spin around the green is noticeable even to a hack like myself.

Comparing a topflight to a premium ball, sure. ProV to a Tp5?  Doubtful.

[bcflyguy1]

1 hour ago, Vlade15 said:

Maybe, and i do mean maybe, somebody who is hitting four to five hundred balls a day can tell.  And there isnt a single WRXer that can truly tell a playable difference between any ball other than compression.  I will die on that hill.

 

1 hour ago, Vlade15 said:

Comparing a topflight to a premium ball, sure. ProV to a Tp5?  Doubtful.

This is getting silly now, and the quote in my signature applies.

Edited January 23, 2023 by bcflyguy1

[Nic1972]

Well, Rory called the ball change “the turning point of the year”. And he changed from one Taylormade ball to another, I would say that it has quite a significant impact at least for these players. 

[CLEVELAND59]

1 hour ago, Vlade15 said:

Even to the incredibly trained eye...I just really have a hard time believing somebody can tell the difference between an additional 1/2 a degree of launch at 200 revs of spin out on the golf course.  Honestly at that point its even pretty tough to tell the difference on the launch monitor.  Feel (hard or soft) is usually about the only truly noticeable difference.  Maybe, and i do mean maybe, somebody who is hitting four to five hundred balls a day can tell.  And there isnt a single WRXer that can truly tell a playable difference between any ball other than compression.  I will die on that hill.

If there wasn't a difference between them then they wouldn't spend the time they do to make sure that they have the correct version of the ball they either choosing to play or contractually obligated to use.  Very good amateurs and professionals can tell the difference between 1/2 a degree of launch or a 200 revs.  Maybe not to the naked eye, but you can see it on a launch monitor and testing data, and that stuff carries over to the course and we all know that at the top levels of the game the little differences are amplified in terms of their impact upon success.  I've played a lot of mid am events and I play a lot of golf.  If you don't think I could pick out differentiate bet ween premium balls you are sadly mistaken, in all aspects of the game, particularly the driver and wedges.  I can see how a ball flies off a wedge and lands and reacts.  If you think I can't tell the difference between a Pro V1, a TP5, a Chrome Soft, a Z-Star XV and a Bridgestone Tour B, you are sadlly sadly mistaken.  

 

You say you will die on the hill you are on, and I believe it, but I think you are going to be awfully lonely up there.  Just because you are standing your ground on a subject doesn't mean you are right about the subject.

[gentles]

15 hours ago, abh00 said:

That’s where your Scotty/ tour ad/ 7.0s come into play

How many strokes a round do you think bag swag helps with? If you showed up to play rickie and he has that putter which hole do you think you’re making a putt that you would otherwise have missed?

[IndyArcher]

15 hours ago, abh00 said:

Hear me out,

Bag swag is an acquired art that the older gentlemen on this app do not understand.  It doesn’t translate to having or using the latest and greatest gear. 
 

By glancing at your witb below your comment, it seems to me like you’re focused on having bag swag so idk where the hostility is coming from. 

 

 

 

So using underperforming gear in order to project a specific image is a GenZ guiding principle? I've just gotta explain to my kids how they're missing out!

 

 

[ac6]

7 minutes ago, IndyArcher said:

 

So using underperforming gear in order to project a specific image is a GenZ guiding principle? I've just gotta explain to my kids how they're missing out!

 

 

If you think bag swag is for intimidating others, you're also admitting you get intimidated by bag swag. There's always a bigger fish. Better to not even worry about it 

[IndyArcher]

24 minutes ago, ac6 said:

 

If you think bag swag is for intimidating others, you're also admitting you get intimidated by bag swag. There's always a bigger fish. Better to not even worry about it 

 

Me? Intimidated by bag swag? You dialed the wrong number. I could not find it in myself to care less. I like what I like and don't care at all what others think. Now if one of my friends was carrying around that Odyssey Zebra, then I'd harass him for sure! But in the end, we're just all golfers out for a fun round and trying to do the best we can with stuff we like. 

[Ex Blade User]

16 hours ago, abh00 said:

Hear me out,

Bag swag is an acquired art that the older gentlemen on this app do not understand.  It doesn’t translate to having or using the latest and greatest gear. 
 

By glancing at your witb below your comment, it seems to me like you’re focused on having bag swag so idk where the hostility is coming from. 

 

 

Ah the genius of the young, way to smart for us old experienced folk with more life experience 

[Ex Blade User]

15 hours ago, abh00 said:

That’s where your Scotty/ tour ad/ 7.0s come into play

You’ve already been beaten with the what youre focused on haha

[Ex Blade User]

5 hours ago, Vlade15 said:

Even to the incredibly trained eye...I just really have a hard time believing somebody can tell the difference between an additional 1/2 a degree of launch at 200 revs of spin out on the golf course.  Honestly at that point its even pretty tough to tell the difference on the launch monitor.  Feel (hard or soft) is usually about the only truly noticeable difference.  Maybe, and i do mean maybe, somebody who is hitting four to five hundred balls a day can tell.  And there isnt a single WRXer that can truly tell a playable difference between any ball other than compression.  I will die on that hill.

You would’ve died the other day when I was testing a couple different balls chipping and putting lol

[Ex Blade User]

4 hours ago, CLEVELAND59 said:

If there wasn't a difference between them then they wouldn't spend the time they do to make sure that they have the correct version of the ball they either choosing to play or contractually obligated to use.  Very good amateurs and professionals can tell the difference between 1/2 a degree of launch or a 200 revs.  Maybe not to the naked eye, but you can see it on a launch monitor and testing data, and that stuff carries over to the course and we all know that at the top levels of the game the little differences are amplified in terms of their impact upon success.  I've played a lot of mid am events and I play a lot of golf.  If you don't think I could pick out differentiate bet ween premium balls you are sadly mistaken, in all aspects of the game, particularly the driver and wedges.  I can see how a ball flies off a wedge and lands and reacts.  If you think I can't tell the difference between a Pro V1, a TP5, a Chrome Soft, a Z-Star XV and a Bridgestone Tour B, you are sadlly sadly mistaken.  

 

You say you will die on the hill you are on, and I believe it, but I think you are going to be awfully lonely up there.  Just because you are standing your ground on a subject doesn't mean you are right about the subject.

Are you lonely when you’re dead?

[Vlade15]

3 minutes ago, Ex Blade User said:

You would’ve died the other day when I was testing a couple different balls chipping and putting lol

Putting there is zero way to tell the difference other than compression - I did state people can tell hardness or softness.  So putting - sure - you can feel a difference because there is a compression difference.

 

Everything else - I just dont think you are going to see a noticeable, playable difference switching from a ProV to a Tp5. Or any other premium ball.  On a launch monitor you might see a spin difference or a ball speed difference.  But actually out on the course, good luck seeing the difference.  I think people read the package on the box and see what it tells them to see.

 

Anyway, I did not mean to hijack the thread.  Back to the original point - I was just simply stating that I did not think the ball had anything to do it.  More than likely the coaching changes and swing changes.

[Tummy Phleetwood]

16 hours ago, abh00 said:

If you are saying the jailbird looks good, I respect your opinion. 
 

If one of my friends decided to experiment with that much lead tape/length, etc it would nonverbally tell me that my opponent is mentally fragile and that I should run his pockets. 

Pirate’s cove has better putters than you

[ac6]

23 minutes ago, IndyArcher said:

 

Me? Intimidated by bag swag? You dialed the wrong number. I could not find it in myself to care less. I like what I like and don't care at all what others think. Now if one of my friends was carrying around that Odyssey Zebra, then I'd harass him for sure! But in the end, we're just all golfers out for a fun round and trying to do the best we can with stuff we like. 

 

I was agreeing with you! I was talking about those other guys 😂

 

  

18 minutes ago, Ex Blade User said:

You’ve already been beaten with the what youre focused on haha

 

Said it better than I could

Edited January 23, 2023 by ac6

[abh00]

15 minutes ago, Ex Blade User said:

You’ve already been beaten with the what youre focused on haha

No I fiddled him. His witb is posted under his name and it shows he cares deeply anout his bag presentation. Project x 7.0s don’t grow on trees. Every bit of his bag has been manipulated from stock configuration and he’s acting like he doesn’t care about his bag, so I commented on that. 
 

I don’t have bag swag either my putter is a Taylormade soto and my newest club was created before flash face tech

[Ex Blade User]

6 minutes ago, Vlade15 said:

Putting there is zero way to tell the difference other than compression - I did state people can tell hardness or softness.  So putting - sure - you can feel a difference because there is a compression difference.

 

Everything else - I just dont think you are going to see a noticeable, playable difference switching from a ProV to a Tp5. Or any other premium ball.  On a launch monitor you might see a spin difference or a ball speed difference.  But actually out on the course, good luck seeing the difference.  I think people read the package on the box and see what it tells them to see.

 

Anyway, I did not mean to hijack the thread.  Back to the original point - I was just simply stating that I did not think the ball had anything to do it.  More than likely the coaching changes and swing changes.

I can tell the difference between a prov and a Srixon or even tpx vs tp on driver and putting/chipping. Not sure what your point is. if you’re saying well of course you can tell cover hardness (top flight vs prov) and compression then what else is there to be able to tell?? 

[Ex Blade User]

1 minute ago, abh00 said:

No I fiddled him. His witb is posted under his name and it shows he cares deeply anout his bag presentation. Project x 7.0s don’t grow on trees. Every bit of his bag has been manipulated from stock configuration and he’s acting like he doesn’t care about his bag, so I commented on that. 
 

I don’t have bag swag either my putter is a Taylormade soto and my newest club was created before flash face tech

You can buy 7.0 anywhere online. It’s not like finding TN-87 in mint condition somewhere. Maybe he played 6.5 and said hmm I should try the 7.0. How is that shwag? The fact you’d look at someone’s iron flex to get an edge says a lot more about your mental approach to golf than his lol 

[abh00]

3 minutes ago, Ex Blade User said:

You can buy 7.0 anywhere online. It’s not like finding TN-87 in mint condition somewhere. Maybe he played 6.5 and said hmm I should try the 7.0. How is that shwag? The fact you’d look at someone’s iron flex to get an edge says a lot more about your mental approach to golf than his lol 

It’s the process that goes into it. He’s a gear head. if you post your specs to the forums you want people to see it. Go find a random joe who has posted their specs listing a jail bird in their witb and I’ll agree with you. 

[Ex Blade User]

28 minutes ago, abh00 said:

It’s the process that goes into it. He’s a gear head. if you post your specs to the forums you want people to see it. Go find a random joe who has posted their specs listing a jail bird in their witb and I’ll agree with you. 

So what? It has nothing to do with how a certain person competes. Not sure you’re aware but this is a site populated with golf nerds

Edited January 23, 2023 by Ex Blade User

[getair23]

I thought RF threads were relegated to talking about

• an overindulged young talent
• pole vaulting
• too many commercials
• irions he can't hit (all 33 of them)
• Butch and the Kardashians
• cool hair and mustaches
• he'll never win again 
• hope he finds his game again
• probably missing a few more, please add as needed
• not bag swag

this got weird fast