What's In My Bag And Why

The Search For A Repeating Swing Is Almost Over.

     As I have not posted here in 9 months, I figured I'd better at least answer my old e-mails and tell you folks that I have been trying the same theories I've explained earlier for a full 9 Months. It was my promise that I would post nothing, and I do mean nothing, until I was certain I had something that I knew would work. I'm not talking one of those swing band-aids that buys you a few rounds until the next time the wheels fall off, but an actual technique that held up for an entire season. That's important, because I'm talking about a swing that has held up under recreational rounds, as well as competitive rounds. As I grooved my swing you will begin to see more and more that certain clubs fit my new swing like a glove, and those that didn't were soon discarded.
   After this season has come to a complete close I will write about all the new techniques that have worked so well. In the meantime, I have received many requests from people to tell them what I carry in my bag. Keep in mind that what works for my swing may not necessarily work for yours. With that in mind, I want to tell you why I carry each and every specific club that I do.


Driver

   I play an Adams F11 with 9.5* of loft, and sports the Aldila VS VooDoo Shaft in "Stiff" Flex. Keep in mind that this particular shaft is more of an "ego" stiff, and not a truly "board-like" stiff such as the the available Matriz Ozik Shaft option. I swing at 93.5-105 MPH, depending upon the amount of arthritis that cares to show up on any given day. Any swing between 90-95 MPH is enough to effectively load this version of The Aldila VooDoo in Stiff Flex. If you constantly "KRANK" your driver at 105  + MPH, then you need to try the Ozik. The F11 is perhaps the most forgiving driver currently on the market. It is the longest driver I have ever played, and is the basis for Adams new Long Drive head that will be available shortly. It replaces an '09 Burner that sported a very nice V2 Shaft, which in turn replaced a very long, but not quite as forgiving AGT Aurora Driver with an Accuflex Shaft. Each successive Driver in my bag has been  a tad longer and a touch more forgiving than the driver  in my bag which it replaced. I do need to mention that between The Aurora and The Burner there was a Wilson PD6 that stayed in my bag for 6 Months. She sported a Stiff Aldila NVS Shaft, and was, quite possibly the straightest driver I've ever owned. If only she had sported a bit more distance and a touch more forgiveness, she just might still be in my bag. The Adams seems to fulfill all the promises that my other drivers had made to me, and after blazing not one, not two, but 3 325+ Yard drives today(swing was on and fairways were baked), I do believe she will remain in my bag for at least another full season.


Fairway Metals

   Now I'm a little old school when it comes to these clubs, as I have tried hybrids in the past, but the shape and sweep of my swing is actually served better by fairway metals than it is by any hybrid. It's not a reactionary attitude on my part, as hybrids  can actually be back dated all the way to Harry Vardon. It's an deliberate and purposeful decision based on the facts that my swing contains a very wide swing arc, with a flatter sweeping motion. Up until this last month, I had a nicely matched set consisting of a  3(15*),5(18*), and 7(21*)  Callaway Steelhead Plus Metals, that sported what Callaway referred to as a "Firm" shaft. Now that my swing speed has finallyy graduated back to the rates it once had before my heart attack, it is time to get the Callaways to a good home, find a stiffer shaft, .and lower lofts,which I can mate to the driver.Fortunately, Adams has brought their fairway metals back to the forefront of technology, distance and forgiveness.
   The 15* of the former model became a strong 3 with 13* of loft . It is Adams 9032 Model which sports the fairway wood version of the VS VooDoo Shaft in my driver. It too is a "Stiff Flex." I chose this club as I actually hit it better than the new F11 Fairway Metals. Unfortunately, neither the F11, nor the 9032 had a 7 Wood in the makeup, and I personally need my 7 to match the 5 as. in all honesty, my 3 is a driver replacement, and or fairway driver, but my 5 and 7 metals are rescue clubs, and serious multi-taskers. In a desperate bid to stick with Adams so that my woods could stay consistent in feel, I had to do some Serious research. A couple of years ago, Adams built a tour prototype club that they wanted to market to the Asian Tour Players. It was based on the same Speedline Model as the originals, but features a special Fujikura Shaft built to Japanese Specs, as well as an interchangeable screw weight dead center of the sole, for tweaking a more forward center of gravity. I now have a strong 5 Wood at 17* of loft, and a Strong 7 at 20* of loft.
   When buying  a club built to Japanese Specs, it's very important to know a few things. These particular  Shafts are a big deal here. Most American Golfers will see a shaft labeled S/R Flex, and rightly assume, in America anyways, that the shaft is a "Senior" or "Soft-Regular" flex. In Japan," S/R Flex" actually means "Strong Regular" pr "Stiff/Regular." It's what we would usually refer to a s a "Firm" Flex. In this particular model, the fairly beefy tip has it playing more like a F/S--or Firm/Stiff. Similar to the driver, these are the longest fairway metals I have ever hit.

Irons

   My Wilson Di 9's have now worked there way through 3 full seasons with me. They feel good, they hit the ball long, and they forgive everything. 3 Years after they came out, other Irons are just beginning to match them for distance and forgiveness. Wilson Staff was one of the first makers to realize that 92% of all amateur's miss hits are off the toe. They were also some of the first to use a Polymer, or urethane vibration dampener, which makes even the crumbiest shots feel okay to your wrists and forearms. --"Look Mom, no Hogan Sting!"
   Now that my swing speed has come back quite a bit, I may be looking at replacing these next season. In the meantime, let me just say that I have owned lots of sets of irons over the years, and reviewed even more. These are still the only irons I've ever hit where the manufacturers got it right. There are no gaps in my bag when it comes to my irons. Wilson put in two extra wedges--both a Gap and an Approach in order to make these rather strongly lofted clubs work as a unified set, and all the clubs have a 3.5* loft differential between them. These may no longer be the longest irons I've ever hit (that honour now  goes to The Adams Redline Irons), but they remain the most forgiving. This is a set of irons that your average Joe can buy and grow with for many seasons. Take it from me. After the heart attack I had to start all over from scratch, and I am a certified club junkie who buys sells and trades clubs at the drop of a hat. These Wilson Staff Di 9's have made it through 3 full seasons with me, and in all likelihood, they will make it for a fourth season as well.Until you get to the level where you are consistently striping them long with your irons, and sport the skills to work the ball left and right, you may never need to replace them. At the current closeout pricing these are selling for, I have absolutely  no problem recommending these to any and all beginners, high-cappers, and mid-cappers.

UPDATE A/0 08/04/2011-----Unbeknownst to me, whie I was writing this latest post the boys at my favourite trading post, as well as my swing coach had a certain set of Irons from Wilson Staff. They are the newly re-designed Wilson Ci9's. I actually hit them further than the Di 9's, and they are allowing me the luxury of more than just basic directional shot. I can actally work the ball with these, and they feel great, and forgive a lot. Since they gave me absolute top dollar for my Di9's, I was able to walk away with a new set of even better fitting irons, and only a very inor dent in my wallet. If you are an aspiring mid-capper looking to go to single digits, ad you would like distance, feel, workability, and forgiveness along the way--I highly recommend these clubs. They can be had for the ridiculously low street price of $299. Se my full review here. Wilson Ci9

   Though most of my swing has come back, it's still not all there. Thus my Nickent Wedges, though works of art for my once well honed short game, were slowly getting phased out since the heart attack. After the heart attack I pulled the Gap and Sand Wedges from my bag, and replaced them With the Di 9 Wedges. There are no Di 9 Lob Wedges, and I used to love to hit my 62* Flop Wedge. For a while I was sporting Nickent Arc Blade Wedges in 50*, 54*, 58*, and 62*.. After the Heart Attack, the 50 and 54* models were pulled, and replaced with the Di 9 Versions. This last month I gathered up my 5 Nickents, and lumped them into a trade in pile with the Callaway Fairway Metals, and went after the Adams Puglielli Wedges. I now carry the matching 52,56 and 60* Adams Puglielli Wedges. They, similar toThe Adams Woods, are the longest, most forgiving clubs in their genre, and I an glad to have them in my bag.The forgiveness and distance certainly helped my short game today, as they allowed me to give my swing coach a real run for his money. These are amazing wedges, and very easy to hit. I plan on keeping them in the bag for a while as well.

Putter

   I am a bonafide "Pendulum" Putter. Because of this, I need a mallet putter to make the most of my stroke. I have gone through many a putter over the years, but I have finally found the best one for my particular stroke. Not only am I  Pendulum Putter, but I am also a Croucher. My opponents often jibe me about "turning a 34" putter into a belly putter." Funny enough, it's a TaylorMade. It's the Center Shafted Spyder Vicino Model. These are amazing putters. This one actually knocked an Odyssey Mallet out of the bag. That's saying a lot, as that Odyssey was the only club I had ever paid full price for. This putter has, of it's own accord, sawed an easy 3 Strokes off of my score. It's distance control is easy, as is the deadly accurate alignment system  If you are a Pendulum Stroke type of putter., this is a great putter to search for.

    I hope this helps answer all the questions that many of you had about my bag. By the way, these clubs are all carted about in a Sun Mountain C-130. I consider this "The Rolls Royce " of cart bags. Until next time--"Hit 'em lonmg and straight."