Yesterday, Mizuno T24 Wedge on a driving range. Hit it like I owned it. i owned it. I plan to.
Last time you were truly surprised by a new club?
Honestly not sure. I always struggled with alignment of putts so back in 2007 I bought a Odyssey 2-ball F7 and played it for years. Then when I got picked for the Hogan Experience in 2020 they had a very similar style so I stuck with it. When I had my hand forced to play a blade putter I suddenly found my putts were starting on the line I wanted way more often so I decided to give blades a go. The Three just worked in LGS so I bought it and it's carried over to the course. My half baked theory is that back in those days they didn't have alignment aids on balls so theoretically those styles would make it easier, but perhaps they didn't fit me best. Fast forward to today where every ball has an alignment the 7 mallet style no longer is needed for alignment purposes, and a blade fits my stroke better. That being said, the neck on the Three seems to be a part of it as well because I didn't like the One or Two at all.
This Wednesday I was hitting the terrible clubs at Drive Shack in Raleigh with the MC Hackers crew and their 4h was a bomber with great ball flight
Cobra Radspeed one-length hybrids. I've commented about them at length often in the past. But the short of it is, Holy Smokes!!!
Then, with an asterisks, the TM 300 Mini-Driver. I say that because I already had one and was previously impressed. It got me through a spell of poor driving. Once the swing returned, though, so did the mojo with big driver, so the Mini was set to the side collecting dust.
Then (someone posted here) the video of Korn Ferry Tour player Kevin Dougherty playing a Mini cut down to 7W length. Instantly intrigued, I grabbed mine, cut it down, regripped it, added lead-tape to enhance feel. I only did any of this at all because our interclub matches would have us play some short courses where driver would be taken out of my hands. I hoped for just a dependable fairway finder that might offer some reasonable distance. But what I enjoyed was so much more.
Uh... Game Changer.
Then, with an asterisks, the TM 300 Mini-Driver. I say that because I already had one and was previously impressed. It got me through a spell of poor driving. Once the swing returned, though, so did the mojo with big driver, so the Mini was set to the side collecting dust.
Then (someone posted here) the video of Korn Ferry Tour player Kevin Dougherty playing a Mini cut down to 7W length. Instantly intrigued, I grabbed mine, cut it down, regripped it, added lead-tape to enhance feel. I only did any of this at all because our interclub matches would have us play some short courses where driver would be taken out of my hands. I hoped for just a dependable fairway finder that might offer some reasonable distance. But what I enjoyed was so much more.
Uh... Game Changer.
I’ll 2nd that. Straight, a mile high, then stops. I have been amazed by the whole G430 FW line but the 9 is my favorite.
You have peaked my curiosity. How so?
T350.
Had no real idea what to expect, but they've been incredible. I'm especially surprised by the height of my shots. You see the low lofts and think that they'll be low spin distance monsters, but I've hit balls with the 5i and 6i that have gone up into the stratosphere and check up within a few feet. Titleist really has a special lineup with this latest iteration of the T-series.
Had no real idea what to expect, but they've been incredible. I'm especially surprised by the height of my shots. You see the low lofts and think that they'll be low spin distance monsters, but I've hit balls with the 5i and 6i that have gone up into the stratosphere and check up within a few feet. Titleist really has a special lineup with this latest iteration of the T-series.
For the one-length hybrids, it was just an instant click. I'd gone a long time where I was wild off the tee. Standard driver, FWs, traditional hybrids, almost equally inconsistent. It was maddening because once upon a time, ballstriking was the heavy strength of my game. But 4 years of losing that can bring a brother down.
I saw this review of the 21° Cobra Radspeed OL hybrid by James Robinson on YouTube.
I didn't buy in, but considering my near desperate state to find a safe fairway finder, I was intrigued. Couldn't find the 21° for like, forever, but I quickly grabbed the 19°. The key, for myself and what other reviewers have recommended, is to set up for the shot as per its length, as if a 7-iron. Well, I tracked my first 50 tee shots with it, and I hit 48 fairways. The two misses being just fine. What I didn't expect was the distance I received. One flat hole, benign conditions, the drive settled a gps measured 243 yards. Typical shots aren't that far off.
Now, it wasn't always perfect. I developed a case of the hooks for a bit like I normally will with any hybrid. But that was easily worked out, and consistency returned. I'd since found a 21° and also grabbed a 24°. The 19° has been in the bag since last December, the other two since earlier this year. They're staying.
As for the cut-down to 7W length Mini, I've zero explanation as with maybe what I'd offer for the OL length hybrids. It immediately spiked my confidence, even at address before my very first swing. This confidence has realized a much more assertive pass through the ball. I'm not swinging any harder, at least I don't feel like I am, at all. Yet I'm going after it without a concern in the world. Resulting distance has shocked me. The hoped for improved accuracy is sure there, that was and is always the main goal, distance aside. But I played a round from our 7,000 yard tips in July and only pulled big driver a few times (it was a test-run before the club championship). The Mini performed great, I shot 77, and the only fail was one that I hit to remove the question during the tournament. Off our #9 handicap hole into a good breeze, needed to carry it about 260. It just wasn't enough. But, question answered. I didn't get to play in the championship, though, as I herniated a disk the week before. Bummer.
I'm not at all advocating that these shorter clubs would work for all, or even most. I have no idea. Both were merely experiments and put in play on a whim. But even some +handicap buddies have commented that these suit me perfectly and that I'd be crazy to get away from them.
This is the short video with Korn Ferry Tour player Kevin Dougherty with his 7W length 300 Mini Driver.
Kevin Dougherty shows off his mini driver
Prior to the 2023 HomeTown Lenders Championship, Kevin Dougherty shows off his TaylorMade mini driver to help him off the tee after struggling with controlling
www.pgatour.com
Came by an older TM Spyder Tour putter about six months ago and it was almost love at first sight and it seemed to roll decently. Was determined to putt good with it and the longer I tried the worse it seemed to get and lost confidence in my putting. Up until that point I thought I could putt with anything. Gave up on the Spyder. It’s taken about 3 months but finally feeling better about my putting, 28 last round with 11 on the back nine, only one 3 putt and that was on the back nine.
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I have been mulling over changing the 54 & 58 to T24's. They feel sooooo good. I look forward to the days the course is firm and tight enough my 4* bounce X grind T22 gets to come play.
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braveheart
Well-known member
Callaway Sure Out 56 degree wedge. Tried a friend’s during a round more than once and liked it a lot. Picked one up and have been loving how it works for me around the greens.
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The Rogue ST Max. Won it in 2023 Shaft Up #1. I looked up the costs and seriously thought I’d sell it. Played one round and there was no way that driver was going anywhere!!
Shocked how long, straight and consistent it is with the UST Mamiya Linq Blue shaft
Shocked how long, straight and consistent it is with the UST Mamiya Linq Blue shaft
This is going to sound odd. The last club to truly surprise me is my Callaway Apex AW. For the last several years, I've been losing distance with any AW or GW I tried. I used to hit my AW 105 yards consistently, but got it into my head those days were gone. As soon as I bought my Apex set, I fell in love with the AW. I'm accurate with it, I'm hitting it my old 105 distance, and it's a nice tool for both chipping and pitching. What's not to love?
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2018
- Messages
- 33,203
- Reaction score
- 47,434
- Location
- Oxford, Mississippi
- Handicap
- 10.4
Cobra SBX wedges.
Callaway Paradym hybrid. I don’t usually get along with hybrids. They usually give me a big draw at best and a hook at worst. It was bad enough that I was looking at long irons which I can not hit consistently. The Paradym gives me a straightish flight. I don’t hit hybrids straight so that was a really big surprise.
Apex Pros. Knew they would be good, but loved, loved, loved the feel.