rbarthle17
One-length advocate
So I guess this is the "About Me" post.
I took up golf my senior year in college. Until then, my life was baseball. A friend of mine introduced me to golf, and then I learned that my dad was a 3 handicap and had given up golf when I was born. Wish he hadn't done that! I played, but didn't take seriously, for the next 15 years.
About 5 years ago I was tired of struggling to break 100 regularly, and started really working on my swing. In 2012, I felt I had improved enough (was shooting in the 90's 95% of the time) to warrant investing in equipment. I bought my first set of new clubs ever, RAZR X's, replacing a set my dad built for me when I took up the game (he is a USGA rules official now, and dabbles in club making via Golfsmith still). I did not carry a driver in my bag until this summer, when I bought the R1.
I play about 3-4 times a month. I am a father of 4, so that limits time severely. I typically play tees about 6000-6300 yards in length. My drives are around 260-275 on average. I can routinely putt in with 2 putts or fewer. My scores were becoming directly tied to my tee and second shots. Put a 7-iron or higher in my hand, and I have a good chance at going for the GIR and a good score. If my tee shot leaves me needing a 3-6i, I was in trouble. And long par 3's were score killers for me. Even with all that, I had a really good summer this year, breaking 90 for the first time ever with an 85, and following that up with another 85 two rounds later!
Full of confidence, I took my first ever trip to Pinehurst, and played my first rounds ever on bermuda grass. I was not prepared for that. Had no idea grass makes that big a difference. It was like I had forgotten how to play. Coming off the best season of my life, I broke 100 one time out of 5 rounds, and that was averaging less than 2 putts a hole! Wow. My nemesis of long irons killed me. For the week I played the par 3's at -2 total (easily a record for me), and had 5 birdies on par 4's for the week. Still couldn't break 100 4/5 times!
So, I went back home and decided that I need to fix this long iron issue. I've tried practice to no avail (though admittedly don't focus on long irons anywhere close to what I spend on my short game), so I decided to look at equipment for help. The last month, I found Adams a12 OS hybrids on sale, and replaced my 3-6i with them. In the two rounds I have gotten to play with them before winter set in, it was night and day difference. I am excited to practice with these over the winter and hopefully I can get back into the 80's routinely next summer.
Well, that's all. I guess I babbled plenty, huh? Glad to be on here!
I took up golf my senior year in college. Until then, my life was baseball. A friend of mine introduced me to golf, and then I learned that my dad was a 3 handicap and had given up golf when I was born. Wish he hadn't done that! I played, but didn't take seriously, for the next 15 years.
About 5 years ago I was tired of struggling to break 100 regularly, and started really working on my swing. In 2012, I felt I had improved enough (was shooting in the 90's 95% of the time) to warrant investing in equipment. I bought my first set of new clubs ever, RAZR X's, replacing a set my dad built for me when I took up the game (he is a USGA rules official now, and dabbles in club making via Golfsmith still). I did not carry a driver in my bag until this summer, when I bought the R1.
I play about 3-4 times a month. I am a father of 4, so that limits time severely. I typically play tees about 6000-6300 yards in length. My drives are around 260-275 on average. I can routinely putt in with 2 putts or fewer. My scores were becoming directly tied to my tee and second shots. Put a 7-iron or higher in my hand, and I have a good chance at going for the GIR and a good score. If my tee shot leaves me needing a 3-6i, I was in trouble. And long par 3's were score killers for me. Even with all that, I had a really good summer this year, breaking 90 for the first time ever with an 85, and following that up with another 85 two rounds later!
Full of confidence, I took my first ever trip to Pinehurst, and played my first rounds ever on bermuda grass. I was not prepared for that. Had no idea grass makes that big a difference. It was like I had forgotten how to play. Coming off the best season of my life, I broke 100 one time out of 5 rounds, and that was averaging less than 2 putts a hole! Wow. My nemesis of long irons killed me. For the week I played the par 3's at -2 total (easily a record for me), and had 5 birdies on par 4's for the week. Still couldn't break 100 4/5 times!
So, I went back home and decided that I need to fix this long iron issue. I've tried practice to no avail (though admittedly don't focus on long irons anywhere close to what I spend on my short game), so I decided to look at equipment for help. The last month, I found Adams a12 OS hybrids on sale, and replaced my 3-6i with them. In the two rounds I have gotten to play with them before winter set in, it was night and day difference. I am excited to practice with these over the winter and hopefully I can get back into the 80's routinely next summer.
Well, that's all. I guess I babbled plenty, huh? Glad to be on here!
rbarthle17!!
