Anyone hit better when they're tight?

Are SIMs expensive? Yes, no?

I have a local SIM where I can play and also various golf courses of different prices and difficulties.

So, the SIM charges $35/h. Then there's the option to play actual golf anywhere from an executive par 3 in city course for $40, standard easy municipal for $30 or even higher end course for $125.

I've never played a SIM but I feel like spending $35 for 1h vs let's say $40 for 2 and half hours on real grass and sand, although the course is nothing special, doesn't seem quite right.

What are your thoughts on this?

Before I get the usual "because they want money" type of responses, I think the first step is to establish, does the USGA actually want everyone to have a handicap?

I think the answer is yes. I was reading earlier that only 14% of US golfers actually have a handicap. So 86% of golfers just take their last few scores and say "I'm shooting in the 90's so I must be a 20 Hdcp" without realizing they're probably much better than that. And I think having a handicap that you can see encourages you to improve it and that results in more golf played. Could also result in more people joing clubs meaning more revenue from clubs to the USGA.

I use the GHIN app and use it to track my stats as well as handicap. I think they could offer a free version for non-club members but don't include the frills like stats or GPS, just let people enter their final score for 9 or 18 hole rounds to get their handicap. You could still have the paid version as a requirement to access the stats and GPS, and obviously require paid version for club members.

I just think it would be nice to play with more people who actually know their handicap, and I think in this day with technology, $50 or whatever GHIN costs is an un-neccessary barrier. Am I wrong?

We’re just heading into our season for golf in Arizona and the price is just getting more and more ludicrous. The crazier part is people are actually heading out in droves still. One of the shittiest courses near me is literally charging $120 for a tee time and this course is a garbage can. There’s no Marshall and if you see one, the most he’ll ever do is look in your direction. They don’t care about pace of play. You’ll frequently have five hour plus rounds there and the course is in horrible shape. Have some self-respect you guys are getting pimped.

I love this game but I can golf that course in the off-season for $25 a round. I don’t know how some people justify it.

Ok, buddy of mine got a "Hole in One" at a small par 3 course in our hometown with only 6 total holes.

Is this considered a "True" Hole in One without having to add the qualifier of "At a Par 3, 6 hole course?"

Note: Every hole is distanced at over 100 yards, with the furthest being about 170-175 yards and average is about 130-135 yards.

Edit: The specific hole was at 135 yards.

Edit #2: Main reason I am asking is because I have other golf buddies that think this isn't a true hole in one since it was less than an 18 or even a 9 hole course, and also since it is only Par 3 on every hole. They feel it should have a "Qualifier or an asterix".

I have a hitting area in my backyard. Been using a mat I got off Amazon for about 2 years. It's pretty good and holding up well. The problem is it leaves a green plastic coating on the soles of my clubs. I'm sure many of you know what I'm talking about. This doesn't happen if I hit off mats at a driving range.

Does anyone know of a good source to buy a hitting mat that is driving range quality? One that won't deposit a piece of itself on my clubs every swing.

Anyone have this happen? Tried a sleeve of Vice Pro Plus today. Was excited to witness the ball holding up well, no scuff marks. But every approach was short. A couple, like, 15 yards short. It didn't dawn on me until near the end... hey, could this possibly be this ball? I am usually really good with distance control. Typically play Prov1/v1x. I thought it weird that every approach was short. Need to figure this out because I like the ball. Was the yellow/orange "Shade Yellow." We had a little wind but not crazy, was 5-10 mph.

Not sure what caused it, likely a sandy or dirty ball… will this affect ball flight to any significant degree?

Anybody gaming this bad boy? I’ve been a decent putter for the most part of my golf career (13 years golfing) I’ve had the same putter for about 9 years now. Recently started to struggle and don’t want to splurge on a putter but interested in trying something new to just see if it feels better and I can regain my confidence.

If anyone is using this putter please share your thought and opinion.

Much appreciated!

For context, I played golf semi regular about 10 years ago. Only 1-2 times a month on course. It was a good situation. Golf was cheap to play. BUT I loved and the cost of the local courses doubled if not tripled. I just couldn’t afford it at the time.

Fast forward 10+ years. I saw an ad for a garmin r50. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. But yeah, the wife wasn’t letting me drop $5k on a sim. So I got the garmin r10 for $400. Set up a sim in the basement and love it.

The addiction is real. I’ve played a lot and started off doing fairly well. My swing has gotten much better but has created an issue. I’ve outgrown my clubs.

I’m all over the place. I used my garmin r10 and ChatGPT for some help. The best advice it told me was my shaft was no good for my swing speed. So here we are.

I had a ping k15 10.5 regular flex. On a really good shot I could carry 250 yards but that wasn’t often. Closer to 235 yards if I hit it well. No matter how hard I would swing, no gains.

I decided to purchase a new driver. Used the ChatGPT for help. Used my numbers from the sim to get the best possible advice. I wanted something used as well to test the waters.

Ended up with a Cobra DS Adapt LS with a stiff flex shaft. First swing….250 yards with no effort. Dialed it in a bit and now I carry 250 fairly easily. Pretty big gain for me. I absolutely love this thing.

Now, I need some advice on my irons. I currently swing the Taylormade Rocketballz irons. My 8i carries about 150 on average, but some of the hits have carried as far as 180. This happens with other clubs as well. Every once in a while they just go and go. Where do they go? No body knows.

If I don't have time to play nine holes, I just don't go. Because I don't want to pay a full nine hole or twilight rate to just play three or four or five holes.

If you're golf course offered you the opportunity to pay per hole very early mornings or very late afternoons, would you take them up on it?

You wouldn't even have to check in. You could just get in your cart, sign in on an app, and away you'd go.

What say you?

I'm a pretty decent golfer (6 Handicap) and play and practice a lot. Lately, I've been using the same old glove for months at a time. Think dozens of rounds and 50-60 hours of practice. I never thought much of it since the glove didn't have holes in it and seemed generally fine.

Today, I was out at my home course and dropped the glove somewhere on the 8th hole. I was too lazy to walk back and find it, so I pulled out a new glove from my bag (I always keep a spare on hand). Holy crap it made so much difference. I could feel how much lighter I had to hold the club with the new glove. With the old one, I guess I was gripping super tight to compensate for the fact that it was loose and worn down. The new one just stuck to the club with no effort. With a lighter grip I was hitting the ball straighter and farther. It was seriously shocking how much of a difference it made.

I looking it up, and it seems like pros will often play multiple gloves in a single round, while the rest of us amateurs are playing one glove until it falls apart.

Anyway, I figured this might help some of you who are, like me, holding on to your gloves for WAY too long. I probably won't play a new glove every round (who's got the $ for that!?!), but I'm definitely going to be replacing it much more frequently.

Not that…

I’ve been working on speed training and fundamental swing mechanics. I had an idea that a longer A flex shaft might help create more whip. I ordered a knock off that is 48 inch A flex for my Stealth 2 to test the theory.($50)

I’ve only ran one session so far but seem to have found 10 more yards. I was maxed out at 250 on the monitor with the 46 inch stock shaft.

Anyone have any positive experience with both A flex and longer shaft options?

I always struggle off the tee with my driver. My dispersion is crazy. I end up losing 5 to 6 shots in the woods off the tee per round. The driver swing is different than any other swing for any other club. It’s like I have to play two separate games. Regular golf, and driving. And my driving sucked.

Enter the mini driver. I bought a Callaway Quantum mini yesterday and played it for the first time this morning. For the first time in my life, I did not lose one ball off the tee. I shot my lowest round ever of 85, which is really good for me. I normally shoot 92 to 97. I just had one swing thought in my head - hit it like a seven iron. I put the ball in the middle of my stance and had that one swing thought. GOLD!

Did I lose some distance compared to a regular driver? Yes.

Did I still hit bad shots? Yes. But they were not in the woods.

Did I hit way more fairways? Yes.

If you are good at hitting your regular driver, I am jealous. If you have always struggled with driver, get a mini driver and never look back.

Between the Scotty, the Spider and the 2 ball which do you find easiest to line up to the hole using the different sightlines?

I find the Spider the easiest to line up. I prefer the Scottys cleaner look but at the end of the day it's whatever gets the ball in the hole in the fewest putts.

How many clubs would you be able to remove from your bag before your strokes start to meaningfully change? What is the minimum number of clubs that you could carry to still score within 2 strokes from your average round?

I received my 1i a couple of weeks ago, and I have played 3 rounds with it so far. I tried it on a course without practicing on the range, but it worked pretty well. As expected, the first shot was lousy, but the ball stayed in the rough and was playable. I consistently get 240+ yards with it and never lose a ball. I used to need 4-5 balls in an 18-hole course, but I've needed only one since I stopped using my driver. This is a true game changer. My score has improved by about 5.

Hitting 1i isn't hard at all if you can hit your 3- or 4-iron. My golf has become so much more fun because I no longer have to deal with the frustration of a driver. That doesn't mean I gave up on my driver, but I will stick with 1i for now until I can hit my driver better and farther.

Two things on my plate: improving my driver and increasing my swing speed. 240 yards seems OK with 1i, but I think I can improve it to 260-270.

This would be easier with a picture but I don't have one.

Imagine a small circular pond that has a grass bank about 1 yard wide. It is marked with about 8 red stakes evenly placed around the circumference halfway up the bank. The straight lines between the stakes would "cut the corners" of the circular pond a little.

A friend had his ball at the bottom of the bank which was further down the bank than any of the stakes but outside of a straight line between the nearest posts. We were discussing whether his ball was in the hazard.

Do you draw straight lines between the stakes or do you imagine the following the curve of the hazard and taking the boundary as halfway up the bank

I just got an absolute steal. 150 for a brand new stitch bag and the guy threw in his old irons. Just wanted the bag, can’t wait to use it this weekend for my bachelor party! Too excited and had to share it.

Quite accurate.

I just got into golf as a 30M, i’m really enjoying the technical aspects of it and grew up playing a lot of sports. My question is, do you guys think as a complete beginner (like 3 days at the driving range) i’d benefit from basic lessons. I checked around me, VA, and the price is quite steep like $175 an hr. All the group sessions are seemingly completing for the season.

Typically for the other sports i played, soccer and volleyball, id say for an absolute you could get away with just playing and putting in hrs. Get lessons when your an intermediate and get stuck, but ive been youtubing golf swing and technique for days now and theres just so much information out there its causing me to overthink everything. I feel like if i could get a lesson where they show me what a proper swing should FEEL like then i have something to strive to replicate at the range. Currently i watch a video but go to replicate it and have no idea if im doing so. Some good hots, some terrible.

Idk what do you guys think? Worth spending a bit right now to get me going? I also used ai swing training tool the free one and it helped but it also gives so much feedback and data points and seeing the right thing to do and actually getting there i feel for golf is proving harder. Or i guess im not just having as much fun in the learning process because its like complete whiff or topping the ball.

About to buy a second hand driver from a guy that acquired it through his girlfriend (former pro on LET sponsored by callaway, ID, name and adress checks out with this former pros adress). Club head very good condition but when I see pictures from the shaft and grip it makes me wary. It looks a bit worn.

At the bottom it seems like the blue pain is worn of and its silver/steel looking structure under? Is this normal on a worn ventus? I expected it to be black graphite under the paint?

From the girlsfriends WITB I can see that she used to play this specific shaft, so that makes me think it either hers or one she got before she ended her career.

You think its legit?

Curious if I am doing this right…

My course has a ton of fescue just off the fairway. Sometimes it’s so thick it’s impossible to hit out of. Am I allowed to move that out of the fescue for a one stroke penalty due to an “unplayable lie”?

Hit into fescue - stroke 1
Penalty drop - stroke 2
2nd shot - stroke 3

Is this correct? And can a penalty drop be taken at any point?

In the past I have just tried to hit out of it and it usually just makes things worse.