Golf - what do you use for sticks and stones?

[cosine]

Up until last year I've been playing with an old set of Spalding Eagles (prob. from the late 1980's) with a ratty old stand bag, no shoes, and whatever golf ball were lying around. This year I'm updating my equipment a bit. So far I've gotten a set of Tommy Armour 845cs irons, a Nike NDS 3-wood and 5-wood, and a new, light Speedlite stand bag with a backpack strap. I'm still looking to get a new driver, a new putter, a pair of golf shoes, and probably some Maxfli Noodles golf balls.

What gear in those categories (driver, putter, shoes, balls) do you use? What do you like? I'm looking to keep the cost down somewhat though. I got some good deals on the new clubs I've bought so far (because the designs are all over a year old) and would like to keep any recommended purchases around $100.  I'm not averse to buying clubs designs that are several years old, as long as they are decent quality and fit my budget. I don't need the latest and greatest, I just need to update from the 1980's!

[Preacherman]

I'm afraid I don't play golf.  I'm one of those who regard a golf course as an unconscionable waste of a perfectly good rifle range.

[Stand_watie]

I'm afraid I don't play golf.  I'm one of those who regard a golf course as an unconscionable waste of a perfectly good rifle range.

Why not both? Golfers get out of your way quickly enough. Watch out for the girls with the beer carts though, they pop up out of nowhere

[Ben]

Watch out for the girls with the beer carts though, they pop up out of nowhere

What's up with that anyway? My boss made me go golfing with him once and that beer girl was everywhere. Either they use time displacement equipment or else micro-wormhole generators are built into their carts.

[cosine]

I'm afraid I don't play golf.  I'm one of those who regard a golf course as an unconscionable waste of a perfectly good rifle range.

Damn, I knew that was going to be the first response I'd get. C'mon, seriously, doesn't any else here besides me play golf?

[Preacherman]

Well, to show I'm not completely a Philistine, my mother and father told me that when I first saw golfers, at the age of two or three or so, I was completely nonplussed, turned to them, and said loudly "Look - 'e's playin' football wiv' an 'ammer!"

[cosine]

Okay, Preach, you've used up your allotment of humor for this thread.

Nobody here but me plays golf?

[Nightfall]

Nobody here but me plays golf?

While I have the equipment, I rarely go to the course anymore. I spend all my time learning math stuff I hate, or programming, which I like.

[Guest]

I used to many many years ago.
The last time I played I played 1 & 9 on the short course, par score...using only a 7 iron and Putter.
I had just gotten to using only a putter, 5 iron, and 7 iron.
McGregor's I believe.

Growing up poor, we didn't have anyone playing golf, Putt-Putt was a real special treat. Me being me would see the guys at the driving range and " I wanna try that" . So with a Putt-Putt 7 iron , no practice swing...straight down the fairway. I was trying to figure out what all the fuss was about. I did this a dozen times in the row, scratched my head and thought " the meat of this deal is putting...".

I grew up shooting at a rifle range, in the city, between two golf courses next to the river. So I would see these golfers , "hear these golfers" and ended up with a 7 iron and putter for free, these "fit" me. Plenty of cutt up golf balls to shoot with .22s and for fun...with a 7 iron, hit these into the river...the goal was to hit a barge, then I learned some girls do not fasten bikini tops while tanning on boats, or top decks and if you get really close - they sit  up and ...I'm a boy, your supposed to do stuff like this.

Golf Pro I knew , talked me into taking lessons. I took a lesson and 'You have a natural slow backswing yadda yadda yadda."  Just he did not want me use Woods - yet. If showed up with wood in my bag - he removed them.

I was piddlin' with the game for "business reasons" - which means folks want to drink and do a hobby - and since you cannot shoot guns and drink beer...tennis is hard to drink and play...golf is the business game. I would walk for excercise - sometime play, mostly piddle.

Then they closed the shooting range. Okay, I can still head out and fish the river, and backwater spots...and hit golf balls out into the river.

I won a set of nice clubs - whatever was in style that week, I won a rifle/shotgun shooting dealie and why in the world someone would have golf clubs as a prize is beyond me. I never touched them. I arranged for a 1911 instead.

I was the guy that never took a practice swing, never. I never used a tee, tees are for punching out trigger groups on shotguns. Figured out early carts were for beer coolers and showing off clubs.  Not my thing- a real turn off.

I liked the small canvas golf bags for totin' and exercise. Also figured out having a good putter that fits was real important, and the fit of club important as well - just like guns.  Then I figured folks carried too much crap, over thought stuff, and all they did was 1) confuse themselves, 2) bag full of crutches/ excuses.

I had a pretty nice putter, and would play with 7iron, 5 iron and if the long side, I was hell on wheels with a 3 iron I added. These were plain vanilla McGregors or Spaulding....had a  set here and elsewhere when I would piddle down in TX.

I liked the food at golf courses, and the Country Clubs, again mostly business. Just as soon smoke a cigar and watch the swimming pool with biknis...

I used to excercise with a 7iron, just out on the property hit a ball into #10 washtub, or practice chip shots. Then again I would a 7 iron for a sand wedge, 9 or 8, not the club or pitch, how I used a iron.

The reason I ended up atop a tin shed on a farm field - my butt burning in that hot TX heat...well it was a dare to see if could that bull out yonder. My buddy in a farm truck and had come out to say we were on for cow pasture skeet down the way.

I drop this cut up ball in the grass, look at the bull , no practice swing, head down - slow back swing, hit, hit the bull. The bull took off. So my buddy was laughing, and said he was going to check on something come back to my truck, and we would go in together.

I am chipping my way back to the truck, and I sensed something, I ease my head and I got the bull easing thru a clump of trees...real quiet. I am not going to make it to my truck. Eyeballs meet, his head goes down, that front  leg getting 'set" and off I went...

My buddy found me atop the shed, laughing, until the bull come around and started after him. I had dropped my  7 iron , still had a couple of golf balls...only seemed right to toss 'em at the bull to egg the bull to chase my buddy in the truck.

Matters finally settled down, bull got bored, I got down. My 7 iron was "whomper- jawed" bull stomped on it first, then the truck ran over it a time or two. That 7 iron ended up being "barn decor".

Putting is where the game is won or lost. A shooting buddy of mine had kids, we would walk a gold course to get  excercise, so I gave them kid sized putters, brass heads, names engraved. They did not care about Golf, still them kids were "putter hustlers" we spent time on practice putting greens.
Who knows how many hot dogs, snow cones, ice cream cones, cokes them kids won.

'Bet me a ice cream ( whatever) I cannot make this putt' Folks would and their dad and I just grinned. They once had a $25 pot going on the golf course on green one on some putts to make - they collected.
 They also won 4 games in a row one night at a Putt-Putt.
The kids could shoot .22 rifles, got to where the Putt-Putt gave them a choice of another game, or .22 ammo, or snack bar credit. Smart kids, one took the ammo, the other the snack credit - and they split it. *grin*

Been known to keep a putter or 7 iron in the vehicle or officeor taking a walk...not for playing - for fending.

Fun is whacking a golf ball while dove hunting...gets the dogs to chasing, and folks not real sure what that "thud" was...

"Steve must have limited out, now he is gonna start messing with us that have not"

Not me - would I do that?
*grin*

[SpookyPistolero]

I play a bit. I used to play a lot more, and will probably play a little bit this summer since I've actually got golf buddies to go with.

I don't have much interesting equipment though, some generic irons ('Hulks' ). I do love my Tomy Armour woods and my odyssey putter. My fairway woods have saved me many times.

Anyway, I'm consistently awful at it and regard it solely as a way to goof off with some friends, instead of sitting at home reading constantly.

[cosine]

Like usual sm, great story!

It nice to know that I'm not the only golfer here.

[Guest]

I recommend keeping a few cut up balls handy while on the golf course.

1) If them geese get weird and start coming at you, a couple of well placed chips shots come in handy.

2) Well, the young ladies "said" they gotten all the golf balls out of the little pond just in front of tee area.

It was too hot to be putting shirts over them bikinis...
Water evaporating keeps one cool...
I was keeping the ladies cool....honest.
If they choose to toss them golf  bals back, I chipped them back in...
I was just being a Southern Gentleman and obliging the ladies, honest.

Par 4 took 30 minutes that day, and I was playing solo. I pared the hole, and had assistance of two bikini ladies with a golf cart the rest of my game.

Hey, the Club paid the ladies to retrieve the hazard balls, never said how long it was supposed to take, never said they could not have fun, and I totally enjoyed seeing the Mgr  on duty turn beet red when the College Sophmores in bikinis, with shirts open said..." you said there was a bounty on balls, we got your balls , and ....."

They still make "Club Special" golf balls? I used to like them, anyway I picked out these before we got back in...

Pro again went beet red, gals pointing at me and "he has the Club Specials for sure".

I knew these ladies, and parents, we always cut up and caused trouble, needless to say that new Mgr fellow sure  was educated off the bat about some folks, and some tradtions...

btw, you get real funny looks with a Model 94 in the Pro Shop, I was checking the Kid sized canvas golf bags...,
I found what I wanted, just perfect to tote a few guns like the 30-30, a Police Shotgun and Marlin 60.

"You know that new hazard ya'll built on three? I got it figured out, gonna use 170 grainer instead of a 7 iron"

"Fore!"

You should have seen me in younger days playing volleyball...
"who is that serving?"
"the guy with the Combat Commander?"
"Yeah"
"oh that is Steve, wait until you seem him spike the ball"

I really was good at VB, all over the court-  but folks were a bit afraid to face me at the net.

[bratch]

I need to take up the game I believe its the life blood of my industry...

Only problem is I do not have the patience or disposition for it.  I tend to become frustrated and upset when something that I believe should be simple turns out to be difficult and I can not do it.  Like I said this only happens when something is ***supposed*** to be simple.

I have been known to launch a ball at Putt-Putt and walk off if its not going the way I think it should.

[Gewehr98]

The last time I played golf was in 1998.  I still have the ball, the 6.5mm 120gr bullet hit it on the first try almost squarely at 500 meters:

[SpookyPistolero]

I'm just impressed you were able to find the ball when it was all said and done, Gewehr. The times I've shot them, they ran off to infinity. Unlike real golf, where they go roll about 50 feet after a drive, which is still less than the distance the driver travels after I hurl it towards a pond in my rage.

[client32]

I use knock off clubs, except for my driver.  I bought a Taylor Made 510 off of ebay last year.

I was recently todl about www.gigagolf.com.  It has a neat little interface.

[Guest]

Gewehr98,
I was waiting for your pic. I always get a kick out of viewing it.

Golf: I am reminded of Lewis Grizzard's take : "You had the ball, then you knock it away, so you walk and find it , finally, there it is, and instead of picking it up - what do folks do? They knock it away again. You had the ball dummy! All you had to do was pick it up!"

Gewehr98's pic reminds me of a challenge.

Now it is said kids get restless, attention spans are short, sometimes they don't work as a team...

Kids were out shooting .22 rifles, we had them shoot golf balls, that was fun, and challenging - "Golf with a gun".

Kids also like treats, so we thumb-tacked a $50 bill to the post of the firing line - without saying a word, just tacked it up during a break. That got their attention, kids came up and looked at it, eyes got really big, sat back down, quiet as church mice, no heads turning, no whispering - I mean full attention, eye forward.

We had a box fan that no longer worked, removed motor, grill, just the frame, the plastic fan blades and had rigged it so the blades would turn. One blade had been spray painted red, the other three the off-white original color.

"We are going to have to shoot that red blade"  - one little whispering voice shared.

Then we stuck a yellow tennis ball behind the fan , a very faint groan was heard, shoulders slumped, and some evil grins were seen.

"Okay ladies and gents, here is the deal. You have noticed the  $50 bill tacked up, you want it, you have to earn it. You win it, you all have to agree on how to use it, for instance going out for Pizza, Seeing that play some said they wanted to see, that movie others mentioned...You only get 3 ctgs each, there are seven of you, and you are allowed to share ctgs.
Work as a team , and knock off that tennis ball, and the $50 is yours".

"Aw man!"
"This is going to be hard!"
"We need to shut up and think as a team"



Then I went out and spun the thing and walked back, rest of us adults just waiting...

Kids got their heads together, a hand was raised,
"We have a questions please"

The blades were spinning from the gentle breeze now, they wanted to know if we were going to spin the blades first, when told "yes".

"I knew it, this is going to suck big time"

"Does it count if we knock over the fan, and the fan knocks off the tennis ball? "

"Tennis ball has to be knocked over"

"Will .22 shells knock over the fan?"

"We have not tried it, so we don't know, that is up to you ladies and gents to think on"

"Will a .22 break the blades off...
What happens if you shoot the middle, it is plastic, will that break it..."

"Ladies and Gents, again - we do not know, remember 21 cts amongst you, and those are chances you have to decide on"

"Can we just have $20 and shoot another test?"

"No"

"Phooey"  [arms crossed]

Now early on as we suspected one girl being the the best shooter would get more ctgs, then - without arguement, or fussing, they voted on the second best shooter. This was interesting because kids like to shoot, and liked to outdo one another, all got along great with girl - no doubt the best shooter, electing a second best was - not like them.

Decided and agreed using the bench, instead of prone, or kneeling.

Then it got more interesting, and funny, littlest kid had a rabbit's foot on a keychain, "Here take this for good luck" as he wanted the best shooter to wear it. She decided it should be b/t her and the boy second best. Various "good luck" charms were placed in a pile between where the two shooters would be.
Offers to use each others sand bags, anything...

The three .22 ctgs passed out, decided one girl being the best shooter would get more ctgs, she rec'd 13, and the boy 8 - with the understanding, if one was "hot" use shells, meaning if the boy got the "Zen" he would use more.

15 yds, bench, single shot bolt ,22 rifles, shooters are ready , talk about game face - Fan Spun hard! I come back, "Range hot, shoot at will"

Non-shooters quiet, still, standing far enough behind, some holding hands, one about to sqeeeze off the hand of a lady adult assisting...

Shooter's wait, letting blades slow, getting a feel of the timing and seeing the tennis ball...

"crack...."crack-crack"

"YEAH!"

Shot number 9 , from the best shooting girl nailed it!

WE adult yelled out with the kids, we could be heard in the next county. Guns safed, and decided the littlest boy would snag that $50 bill.

I lifted him up, and he pulled out the tack (push pin actually) and snatched that bill. All these kids in a huddle taking turns handling it...

Adults put all guns and gear away, letting the kids have their moment.


Pizza Party, one little girl invited to attend that normally shot, could not attend being sick. So agreed party would be put off until better. One brick of ammo for the club, a card bought and signed by all the kids given to us adults thanking us, and one new crisp one dollar bill framed and inside clubhouse, with date and occaision.

Should have seen the kids hesitate for a second giving that $50 bill to the Pizza Place, we thought for a second they would chicken out and keep the money , getting change back they had this funny look ...they got over it, still for sometime a $50 bill was a popular topic.

"What do we have to do to get a $100 bill?"

Adults turn to act dumb and stupid, ignore a question...

[auschip]

I use Callaway knock off Irons (I am currently shopping for Taylormade RAC irons - probably the older model CGBs), Taylormade wedges, Callaway 454 driver, Taylormade hybrids (2&4), & a Scotty Cameron RedX2 putter.  I usually buy used either at a local shop (Golfsmith) or on Ebay.

I use Footjoy shoes, a C130 Cart Bag, & usually the Bridgestone E6 golfballs.

[Gewehr98]

That's one way to get kids involved in the shooting sports, and I like the idea enough that I may do something similar with my nephews and nieces.

Regarding finding that darned golf ball, it was painted silver to reflect better in the sunlight.  The ball deformed so much from the bullet impact (the dark spot near 3 o' clock in the picture above) that almost all of the silver Krylon was knocked off, leaving just a few speckles near the top.  The ball departed the tee for the top of the berm and over to the backside, spinning like a gyroscope, both from the impact and the unwinding of the rubber bands inside through the exit hole, which was considerably larger thanks to the Nosler Ballistic Tip. I've since had "Titleist" engraved on the floorplate, along with the date of the golf ball massacre, and then cold-blued the engraved steel to protect it and contrast with the parkerized Mauser bottom metal.  

The funny thing is, I can NEVER drive or walk by a golf course any more without thinking about the match.  Each time I see somebody on the course in their backswing with a big driver, I envision their ball vaporizing or sizzling down the course before they can hit it, courtesy of somebody else running a hot-rodded wildcat rifle from a half-klick or so away.   Bad, I know, but darned if that wasn't fun!

[Guest]

Shoes:

Let me think...Anyone remember them thin, black with white strips "track shoes" ?  I started with them, I used Puma track shoes when I ran track...err...1) do not let coach find out you were on a golf course with your meet track shoes, 2)  hardwood basketball courts are allergic the track shoes with spikes.

Whoopie-Doo folks with real golf shoes, well, I liked my track shoes, ( I had 2 kinds, and different) then again I ran cross country, so the ones I wore for cross country was different ( we ran thru the woods literally and then some concrete sidwalks, streets, roads with chat...) . My thinking  on golf shoes with spikes ... good for 1) raking shag carpet, and 2) getting holes in dirt to plant grass seeds...

I used LL Bean rubber sole/ leather upper shoes and boots, tennis shoes from Puma, Adidas, LLBean, Cordovan leather soled penny loafers, hip boots, chest waders...to play golf in.  Oh have played on the course with a canoe and johnboat...River flooded and all them fish for the taking, 7 iron works ...

Painted Golf Balls:

January 1 we always got together, cold here at that time of year, might be snow too. Traditon to play golf on New Years Day. No matter what, how big the hangover...we met at the Toddle House , open 24 hrs and Mabel was always on duty. I mean always, have breakfast that morning at 6am , she was there at lunch, then 2am before heading out to Private Clubs for serious drinking- she was always there.

It snowed, I mean it snowed deep for us, 8" on New Years.  We had to wait on one feller, his bail been posted for having a good time with booze...he used his one phone call to call Mabel - "I'll be there for golf, just I need bailing out and not sure I have money for a cab". Mabel spoke to a LEO, said she'd make it good and pay back the officer if he'd let the feller go - deal done, and our buddy showed up in a cab.

I mean this LEO and others always coming by the Toddle House anyway...

Mabel brings out more coffee, still snowing, "ya'll got balls?"
Mabel had been 60 yrs old for the 15 years I knew her...Sassy, and Smart.
We figured she meant being brave/ stupid for getting ready to play golf in the cold and snow.

"Let me see your balls, set 'em on the counter".

We ain't that hung-over, drunk still, or  sober enough to comprehend all this...

We hear a "tapping", then "well boys, get 'em out and lets see 'em."

Perfect timing for the juke box to have stopped, and some out of town couple to walk in " gonna make your balls red".

Helluva racket from the cook, Betty, pots and pans must have went everywhere...

Mabel painted the Golf balls with Red Nail Polish...that tapping was Mabel shacking the nail polish, against her other hand...

Well there went my plan to hit a ball, lose it, find a spot drop one and keep going...I swear she read my mind..."blew your game plan did I darling *wink*"


We get out there, and it is really snowing hard! Oh well Tradition being what Traditon is, we played 1, 9 and then  chipped onto the practice putting green to make a third hole...if you find a hole on the putting green. I chipped up where I thought a hole was supposed to be, kept poking into the snow, wallowed it really big, and chipped into it - I proclaimed I had Eageled that hole.

One fellow had  a blue golf ball in his bag, from a Putt-Putt course. I got an idea...we make a little snow man, used tees for shirt buttons, a beer bottle top for a hat, and one guess where that blue ball was fashioned.
Snowman went into a 50 cent foam ice chest.

Back to the Toddle house.

We had a gift for Mabel...we brought her the Snowman , she opens this chest and laughter erupts, then customers had to see, folks just bursting out...I took it to the kitchen for Betty to see...she lost it, the hashbrowns , steak and eggs ...well...spatula managed to get all three on the floor.

Until the Toddle House closed, there was a Blue golf ball behind the counter with other memorbilla...now you know why, and the story of its being so special.
Mabel kept this and other items .

Betty's Sinclair Dino  stuffed animal in the kitchen is whole different story.

"Dino, need two BLTs, smushed taters (tater chips) a Clubbed to Death Sammich and ruined popcorn ( club sandwich with Fritos)."

Folks thought there was a cook in the back named Dino, helping Betty...in a way he did...


"At least you boys ain't crazy like them folks going swimming on Jan 1 " - Mabel

[AJ Dual]

All this talk of shooting and golf makes me think of that movie "Falling Down".

Where "DEFENS" (Michael Douglas) is crossing the golf-course, and the angry golfer keeps shouting FORE, and finaly takes a drive at him. DEFENS looses it, and screams "FIVE!" and pulls out the sawed-off shotgun, shoots the golf cart which shorts out, and takes off.

The golfer is so frightened he has a heart attack, and his nitro pills are on the cart...

I laugh every time I see it.

"Your pills? Where are your pills? Oh? On the cart? And now you're going to die, wearing that silly little hat..."

LOL...

[crt360]

I just use some cheap Wilson clubs I bought about 15 years ago.  They were way better than the old crap I had been using and I don't really play enough to justify spending high dollar on clubs.  I might pick up a better driver if I find a good deal on a used one somewhere.  As for stones, I'll hit just about anything.  Last week I played with Nike power something something distance.  They were pretty good for $15.  I didn't seem to putt them well, but that may have been a result of the greens being only slightly slower than the cart path.

I've often thought a shotgun would be a very handy thing to have in my bag.

[Shalako]

I bought some knock off clubs a few years ago and just couldn't hit them nearly as well as the clubs I used on the golf team in high school. Lo and behold, the knock offs were about the length of a junior or women's clubs. Total peices of crap. My buddy collects sets of clubs from sales and thrift shops and set me up with some new oversied irons. They work great.

Deal of the century: they had a half price sale at Sports Authority. I saw a Taylor Made 8.5 degree loft driver on the rack. It had an original price of $200. With a new sticker saying $99. I thought half price on $99 would be a great deal. At the register it rang up at $14.99!

My peice of crap women's club driver would sky all the drives at about 100 yards high and 80 yards long. This new Taylor Made 8.5 gets them out near 300yds...

[erik the bold]

I got tired of all the hype for the name brand clubs, so I decided to build by own.  Luckily (or unluckily, as you will...) there's a Golfsmith around the corner from the office.  Saved a ton of money, had some fun assembling them, and they seem to play as well as anything I've tried so far.

Pursuant shoes, I went with Footjoy, just for the simple fact of their 30-day comfort guarantee.

[cosine]

No, you're really lucky to have a Golfsmith nearby. I'm going to build a putter and a couple of wedges, but am going to use Raven components because they're nearby. Any tips for building golf clubs?