The Links Lounge (*** NO POLITICS/RELIGION/LIV ***)

[touch]

7 hours ago, touch said:

 

 

 

 

 

I carry my 7 iron 138 yards. 

 

 

 

 

 

Since you guys are smart and have been stating the actual loft of the 7 iron in your set besides the carry distance I thought I better also add mine ........my P790 7 iron has 30.5* of loft. 

 

 

[Hickory4ever]

My 7 iron in my modern set (Touredge CBX blades) is 35* and my carry distance 125 yards. The loft of the 6 iron in my 76 Wilson Staffs is also 35* and I carry it 125 also.

[touch]

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Edited March 27 by touch

[mshills]

My 7 (hybrid) flies right at 150. If I put a 7 utility iron in play, that is 144 in the air, then 138 for my first true iron, the 8i. 

[DLeightonReid]

Good morning, golfers!  I play my 7 iron at 140 yards and the loft is 28°.

 

 

 

 

[Mrgreen36]

I had to look it up, my 7i is 32 degrees and over the winter I've dialed carry number to 175.  

[Hickory4ever]

After posting on what my current carry distances are, it made me reflect on how my golf game has changed in the last 50 years. I will be 70 in less than three weeks and a lot of water has gone under the bridge.

 

At 5’8”, 160 lb and significant limitations caused by various injuries, it is safe to say that my game has had to change. Acquiring the 76 Wilson Staffs three years ago has given me the opportunity to make a comparison with my 80’s setup which was virtually the same set except for them having stiff shafts and the lofts are identical. For @Soloman1, a couple variables are that I play a modern ball now and don’t swing all out any more. My bad right knee forced a big swing change several years ago and has impacted distance as well.

 

The net effect in my irons are that loft for loft, I am almost 4 clubs weaker which is not surprising. With the classic woods, I believe that the same difference is in effect. The modern “woods” with their longer shaft and trampoline effect probably reduce the difference a bit. 
 

What has not changed is my putting. I still average about 30 putts per round with my favourite putters. 
 

My scores from appropriate tee decks are in a similar range as they once were. My short game is definitely better which has helped me keep the scores down. 
 

50 years later, the game is still fun and challenging. I have decided to withdraw from the tech war to “improve” my game and instead focus on improving my technique which works for me and saves money for other important things.

 

Thanks for indulging me. We are expecting a last gasp snowstorm today and I have some time on my hands.

[mshills]

41” clubs that say “7” on them right here. 😁

 

Keeps the club ho in check — resale value is tough on these!!

[Petethreeput]

@touch I missed your comment on the LHL putting stroke.  At 45, or so, I had that mid-life crisis which resulted in a lot of downtime while I was in college again.  My screen name came from the fact I was putting atrociously at the time.  The 3-8 footers were lucky to sniff the hole much less go to its home, so I created my screen name and asked about belly putters.  I have a Kombi belly in the house somewhere but when the anchoring was outlawed I had to figure something out.

 

At the time I couldn't get the feel for the claw, it felt too rigid for me.  So then I tried LHL and my putting was so bad at the time it didn't even feel awkward the first time I tried it.  I would bet there was about 2 months of speed control issues on the longer putts, and even now I will go back to a regular grip if the greens are super slow (last week) or I am in the next zip code.  But even then inside 15' I return to LHL.

 

For me, and I am not a dead hand putter no matter how hard I try, it forces me to swing at the ball which gives me a good roll.  My back is such that I can no longer practice it so my putting certainly isn't getting better but I would guess I average about 31 putts a round, I probably average a little over 9 GIR overall but I don't keep statistics.

 

During my mid-life crisis I did keep stats and I found I was so focused on what "I did before" that I wasn't truly focusing on what I was doing now that I stopped doing it after two years.  

[NCLancer]

2 hours ago, Mrgreen36 said:

I had to look it up, my 7i is 32 degrees and over the winter I've dialed carry number to 175.  

[Petethreeput]

2 hours ago, Mrgreen36 said:

I had to look it up, my 7i is 32 degrees and over the winter I've dialed carry number to 175.  

These are the amateur numbers of a guy who works with his hands and his forearms and grip strength are otherworldly.  Either that, or you only take pictures of the "work" you are doing on your way to the range while your kids work like Santa's elves.

[Mrgreen36]

10 minutes ago, Petethreeput said:

These are the amateur numbers of a guy who works with his hands and his forearms and grip strength are otherworldly.  Either that, or you only take pictures of the "work" you are doing on your way to the range while your kids work like Santa's elves.

 

I only have like 6 good fingers left. 😆 

 

I'm getting older and am probably hitting the ball better than ever.   

 

I think I'm right around 86 mph with 7i.  

 

Last couple years have been worst ball striking years I've had.  Trying real hard to fix that, by that I mean the once a month I get to hit some balls.  😆 

 

Always been a handsy/armsy player. Started changing that a few years ago. Almost broken those old habits. 

Edited March 22 by Mrgreen36

[chisag]

... Last couple rounds after dealing with typical Lounge injuries like a habitually stiff back and a torn meniscus in my left knee, I have been swinging as well as I could hope for. Especially off the tee with the Qi10 and getting to spots I have never reached. I wish I could bottle it but as well know, it slips away into feeling OK but just a little off. Gonna ride it though. Interestingly I have not been scoring as well. I hit the ball like a +5 yesterday but only made 1 of 4 birdie putts from 6-8 feet and shot a 73. Subtle little breaks are killing me.

... Perfect example of the diabolical Gary Panks greens was on #15 and after reaching pin high but left of the green, my ball settled into a green side divot. I had to gouge it out leaving me a 6 foot birdie putt. I know this putt looks like it breaks left, but Panks uses the mountain to fool your eye and it actually break right, seemingly up a slope. I played it 2" outside the hole and it broke 8" to the right missing on the low side. Nobody behind us so I hit it a few more times. I played it 6" outside the hole and it broke 2" missing on the high side. I played it 4" and it broke 3" still missing on the high side. I played it 3" and it snuck in the low side. I have never played a course where some putts need the perfect speed and line to go in. Most you can play within a few inches and it will fall in the high side/middle/low side. At least it keeps things interesting. 

... Normally this time of year we have the contrast of tan and dormant Bermuda rough with green fairways and greens. We have had so much winter rain  🤗  the rough is barely dormant and most unusual. Walking up the hill on #1 and it's almost hard to see where the rough ends and fairway begins, compared to a picture from last March:

Edited March 22 by chisag

[aenemated]

My putting for years was very much like Jack - very bent over (gamed a 32" ... and I'm right at 6' tall) and probably more wristy than it should have been. As I got older, really studied Tiger's setup and motion - so more upright and wrists stay firm but still control it with my hands; similar to what chi touched on. When I put the MMT in my Newport, I didn't even measure before cutting to length - just setup holding the uninstalled grip where I felt comfortable and stable and had Ms. ae hold the gripless build in place and mark it. 

[chisag]

46 minutes ago, aenemated said:

When I put the MMT in my Newport, I didn't even measure before cutting to length - just setup holding the uninstalled grip where I felt comfortable and stable and had Ms. ae hold the gripless build in place and mark it. 

 

 

... Noice! One of the ways I measured my students, especially those too bent over and very mechanical was have them just stand normal without a putter in their hands and then bend over to what felt comfortable and allow their arms to hang naturally. Then I would use a driver and have them just stay in that position and stroke the driver a few times like a putt to see if it still felt natural with their arms hanging freely and not elbows flared or bent to an unnatural angle. Like you, I then just measured and that was the length they should be playing. I NEVER had any student fit into a 35" putter length and that is mostly what OEM's put on the rack. 32" -34" and most were between 33" and 33.5". 

[DLeightonReid]

22 hours ago, touch said:

How long have both of you putted cross handed?

I wouldn't classify myself as one of the better putters in the Lounge, but I have been putting left hand low for probably 25 - 30 years.  I was an exceptionally bad putter and decided to try something different after watching some of the pro's.  Now if I go back to a conventional grip it feels very awkward.  

[chisag]

6 minutes ago, DLeightonReid said:

I wouldn't classify myself as one of the better putters in the Lounge, but I have been putting left hand low for probably 25 - 30 years.  I was an exceptionally bad putter and decided to try something different after watching some of the pro's.  Now if I go back to a conventional grip it feels very awkward.  

 

 

... LHL, is just such a bonus for those that can't stop flipping through impact, and not always but mostly because of too much right hand. Pulling with left hand just doesn't seem to encourage wrist flipping. I have always felt a "true pendulum swing" of the putter head using both hands equally is the most natural and reliable putting stroke. Admittedly it takes a lot of trust and patience but is one of the things you see from great lag putters. You don't have to hit or pull harder, just use a longer swing on long putts and a shorter swing on short putts. Easy Peasy. 

... In the end, I think putting is like full swings from Palmer, Nicklaus, Floyd, Trevino and Rodrigues that were all very different but worked well enough for them to get them in the Golf Hall Of Fame. If it works, it works and never more true than a putting grip and stroke. 

[touch]

You say you can't attend in person? Well you can make your "at home" Masters party more authentic with these tasty treats from Augusta. 🙂

 

 

Edited March 27 by touch

[aenemated]

11 minutes ago, touch said:

You say you can't attend in person? Well you can make your "at home" Masters party more authentic with these tasty treats from Augusta. 🙂

 

 

 

 

I got that back in 2020! Pretty good but then was like "Wait, I can make my own pimento cheese for a whole lot less than $100+" 😂

[dashanks]

8 hours ago, Hickory4ever said:

After posting on what my current carry distances are, it made me reflect on how my golf game has changed in the last 50 years. I will be 70 in less than three weeks and a lot of water has gone under the bridge.

 

At 5’8”, 160 lb and significant limitations caused by various injuries, it is safe to say that my game has had to change. Acquiring the 76 Wilson Staffs three years ago has given me the opportunity to make a comparison with my 80’s setup which was virtually the same set except for them having stiff shafts and the lofts are identical. For @Soloman1, a couple variables are that I play a modern ball now and don’t swing all out any more. My bad right knee forced a big swing change several years ago and has impacted distance as well.

 

The net effect in my irons are that loft for loft, I am almost 4 clubs weaker which is not surprising. With the classic woods, I believe that the same difference is in effect. The modern “woods” with their longer shaft and trampoline effect probably reduce the difference a bit. 
 

What has not changed is my putting. I still average about 30 putts per round with my favourite putters. 
 

My scores from appropriate tee decks are in a similar range as they once were. My short game is definitely better which has helped me keep the scores down. 
 

50 years later, the game is still fun and challenging. I have decided to withdraw from the tech war to “improve” my game and instead focus on improving my technique which works for me and saves money for other important things.

 

Thanks for indulging me. We are expecting a last gasp snowstorm today and I have some time on my hands.

I'm with you.  Pushing 70 and decomposing at an acceptable rate.  I play some Staff Lineovers (85?)  and Warbird woods.  Love the heck out of the game.   But I'm not gonna score much different If I take a second mortgage to buy clubs.   And I don't really care that much, truth be told.  I've been shooting rotten scores for a long time. I'm used to it. 

[Triple Lindy]

59 minutes ago, dashanks said:

Love the heck out of the game.   But I'm not gonna score much different If I take a second mortgage to buy clubs. 

My sentiment exactly! And I wish there was a correlation between money spent on clubs to scoring, because I’d gladly spend it. Every time I get the itch to “upgrade”, I head to a fitting bay. But I never see enough of a difference to justify the expense. The 2 best investments for my golf game have been a hitting net and mat. Being able to step out into the backyard and hit whenever I want to (weather permitting) has truly helped. Now if I can just get past this damn triceps injury…..

[Hickory4ever]

1 hour ago, dashanks said:

I'm with you.  Pushing 70 and decomposing at an acceptable rate.  I play some Staff Lineovers (85?)  and Warbird woods.  Love the heck out of the game.   But I'm not gonna score much different If I take a second mortgage to buy clubs.   And I don't really care that much, truth be told.  I've been shooting rotten scores for a long time. I'm used to it. 

We seem to have a lot in common. After my serious health issues, I am just happy to be able to play. I have played decently by my standard despite not being at full strength and playing in winter conditions. My buddies say that I play “boring old man golf” and I typically score in the low 80’s or high 70’s. I try to oblige them. In seven 18 hole rounds, my scores have ranged from 78-85 which is normal. 

 

After unseasonably warm weather in early March, the weather has forced at least a week to ten day break from playing. Hopefully we can get out by Tuesday. 

[dashanks]

8 minutes ago, Triple Lindy said:

My sentiment exactly! And I wish there was a correlation between money spent on clubs to scoring, because I’d gladly spend it. Every time I get the itch to “upgrade”, I head to a fitting bay. But I never see enough of a difference to justify the expense. The 2 best investments for my golf game have been a hitting net and mat. Being able to step out into the backyard and hit whenever I want to (weather permitting) has truly helped. Now if I can just get past this damn triceps injury…..

My yard is big enough to hit wiffle golf balls in, so that is pretty much the extent of my practice.   That and putting on the cheap indoor/outdoor carpet in my basement which probably stimps at about a 12.  That stuff is fast!  But as I say, if I catch the Warbird right, it's not going a lot shorter than anything I could spend 6 hundo on.  

[aenemated]

Warbirds were rad. Had the 3W back in the day. 

 

Last time I played Spyglass, was grouped with a guy about my age who played at Duke ... and still had his old Warbird in his bag. 

[dashanks]

13 minutes ago, Hickory4ever said:

We seem to have a lot in common. After my serious health issues, I am just happy to be able to play. I have played decently by my standard despite not being at full strength and playing in winter conditions. My buddies say that I play “boring old man golf” and I typically score in the low 80’s or high 70’s. I try to oblige them. In seven 18 hole rounds, my scores have ranged from 78-85 which is normal. 

 

After unseasonably warm weather in early March, the weather has forced at least a week to ten day break from playing. Hopefully we can get out by Tuesday. 

I aspire to play like the old geezers who used to pizz me off when I was a young buck.   Straight, straight, chip, putt, par.  Not there yet, but I can put on a decent game.  Break 80 when things are clicking.  I don't know about you, but it gives me a little extra buzz to do it with the relics.  I played yesterday and it was brutal.  38ish with howling winds.  Broke my usual rule about never playing under conditions conducive to free-flowing snot.

[dashanks]

11 minutes ago, aenemated said:

Warbirds were rad. Had the 3W back in the day. 

 

Last time I played Spyglass, was grouped with a guy about my age who played at Duke ... and still had his old Warbird in his bag. 

Not investing in Callaway BITD is one of my biggest regrets.  Watched them double and split and double and split until it made me sick but I was a broke-a** civil servant.  

[aenemated]

Watching the LPGA, chi? 

[Hickory4ever]

2 hours ago, dashanks said:

I aspire to play like the old geezers who used to pizz me off when I was a young buck.   Straight, straight, chip, putt, par.  Not there yet, but I can put on a decent game.  Break 80 when things are clicking.  I don't know about you, but it gives me a little extra buzz to do it with the relics.  I played yesterday and it was brutal.  38ish with howling winds.  Broke my usual rule about never playing under conditions conducive to free-flowing snot.

I also get a lot of satisfaction playing what some people think of as relics. I play at least half my games with hickory shafts and most of the others with classics. Scores are the same when playing the appropriate tees. My best round this year (78) was played with 76’ Wilson Staff irons and Pingeye 2 laminate woods. My best round last year was a 75 playing hickories. I love playing the vintage clubs especially on vintage courses. 

[Mrgreen36]

https://www.wane.com/high-school-sports/dekalbs-warner-picks-purdue-fort-wayne/?fbclid=IwAR3sbUTZbI6Gvx7ZJkuo8Q4wQbzIePdeX-CCHygW9bk0ap9mUVEI5NweOqQ

 

 

My daughter finally had her night.  

Had a nice dinner with her afterwards. 

 

 

[NCLancer]

12 minutes ago, Mrgreen36 said:

https://www.wane.com/high-school-sports/dekalbs-warner-picks-purdue-fort-wayne/?fbclid=IwAR3sbUTZbI6Gvx7ZJkuo8Q4wQbzIePdeX-CCHygW9bk0ap9mUVEI5NweOqQ

 

 

My daughter finally had her night.  

Had a nice dinner with her afterwards. 

 

 

Great interview and thanks for sharing!  Very cool moment.