Dave's Bag Lotto and Club Reviews

[aussieashley]

Does the shaft flex have much affect on how you swing or your ball flight Dave (in the driver)? I've noticed you using mostly stiff shafts, but every now and again an X or a Reg. Do you go after it more with an X flex shaft?

[Daves]

Does the shaft flex have much affect on how you swing or your ball flight Dave (in the driver)? I've noticed you using mostly stiff shafts, but every now and again an X or a Reg. Do you go after it more with an X flex shaft?

Hi Ash,

actually the other way around. I find some softer X flex shafts give me extra stability and hits come out of the middle more often. They also tend to have less dispersion i.e. are more accurate. Distance is sometimes sacrificed for accuracy, but the AD DI 7x in some heads is actually one of my longest according to Game Golf. The stability and low launch/low spin also seems to work for me into strong wind.

The Reg shafts allow me to swing a bit harder, and hit hard running hook/draws when there is a bit of run in the course.

[Ferrins]

When can we have a readers pick?

[Daves]

When can we have a readers pick?

This isn't the Sunday Mirror!

[Daves]

A full bag rotation this week, every club changed;

Driver: SLDR 460 14* with PL Blue
Hybrids: #1 Adams A12 Pro 16*, #2 Adams XTD Ti 18*, #3 Adams XTD Ti 20*, #4 Adams A12 Pro 23*
Irons: Adams MB2 5-9 Dynalite SLs
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX CB 46*, Yururi Tataki 50.5*, Yururi Genki 57*
Putter: Carbite ZG Mallet

[Daves]

A full bag rotation this week, every club changed;

Driver: SLDR 460 14* with PL Blue
Hybrids: #1 Adams A12 Pro 16*, #2 Adams XTD Ti 18*, #3 Adams XTD Ti 20*, #4 Adams A12 Pro 23*
Irons: Adams MB2 5-9 Dynalite SLs
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX CB 46*, Yururi Tataki 50.5*, Yururi Genki 57*
Putter: Carbite ZG Mallet

A very mixed round yesterday. I started atrociously; DB, P, DB, DB, TB to be 9 over through 5 and a whole 5 points! I managed to then turn it around for 2 over and 25 points of the next 10 holes, before fading with only 4 points over the last 3. Not an ideal club test round! Nevertheless, it was worthwhile once I started striking the ball OK.

I have posted in the SLDR thread about the 460 14*. It worked pretty well. It probably needs to be shortened a tad, but otherwise was very easy to keep in play, and quite long when needed. The higher ball flight was also something my driving has been missing for a while.

The Adams XTDs went very well, typical Adams solid I found. The best thing about these, is they have the same adapter as the TMs, so I can swap heads and shafts.

I didn't get to hit a lot of full shots with the MB2s, so really not a great test of them.

The wedges went OK, I hit a few good ones, but just as many scungy ones I am afraid.

The Carbite was pretty good, the hard Carbite insert seems to be effective in getting the ball rolling well. I don't now the loft spec, but assume it is 4* as it worked well on our slowish greens. Though they are a bit quicker than they have been, the wind has dried them out a tad.

[Daves]

Tomorrow's bag selection;

Driver 1: Callaway BB Alpha 815 10.5* with Speeder 565 Stiff. Just bought this shaft off Jado and am keen to give it a run. I already have a reg version that works well with the 815.

Driver 2: TM SLDR S 14* Mini Driver.

Hybrids: TM SLDR #3 set to 17.5*, Adams XTD ti #3 20*, Adams A12 Pro #4 23*
Irons: Adams V4 Forged 5-9i
Wedges: Cleveland RTX CB 46*, Yururi Tour 53*, Yururi Tour 57*
Putter: Tommy Armour Torch 38"

[D22marshall]

Can I get your job

[Steve57]

Can I get your job

Retirement!

[D22marshall]

Where do I sign up

[Daves]

Tomorrow's bag selection;

Driver 1: Callaway BB Alpha 815 10.5* with Speeder 565 Stiff. Just bought this shaft off Jado and am keen to give it a run. I already have a reg version that works well with the 815.

Driver 2: TM SLDR S 14* Mini Driver.

Hybrids: TM SLDR #3 set to 17.5*, Adams XTD ti #3 20*, Adams A12 Pro #4 23*
Irons: Adams V4 Forged 5-9i
Wedges: Cleveland RTX CB 46*, Yururi Tour 53*, Yururi Tour 57*
Putter: Tommy Armour Torch 38"

I had a very steady round on Wednesday after a disappointing first hole that involved a 3 putt with the new putter. It was a one off though and whilst I didn't make anything of length, I was very steady on the greens, and most of my 2nd putts were tap ins.

The Callaway/Speeder 565 went (mostly) very well. A couple of poor swings, but most of the drives went exactly where I aimed them. I don't think I am as long with the stiff vs the Reg, but dispersion is very tight. I felt I regripped a couple of times on the backswing, so will swap the std Decade it came with for a midsize before the next time in the bag.

The TM Mini Driver is a beauty! I love it and could really get attached! Time will tell if I am still in the honeymoon period with it, but so far it is very easy to use off the tee.

The SLDR Hybrid is also working very well, ditto the other Hybrids in this rotation.

The Adams V4s are very easy to use. They are pretty chunky, but forged and feel quite good off the face.

My wedge game continues to be a bit mixed, some great shots mixed with a few ordinaries.

The TA Torch was interesting. Tommy Armour isn't a brand I normally buy, but I liked the look of this one and it was counter balanced which I wanted to try, and well priced. The face is metal, though I wouldn't call it milled. It is a hexagonal pattern that seems to give it a bit of a hot face. There is quite a tink sound on impact.

Our greens have been quite bumpy and slow recently, and I have found milled faces and plenty of loft is required to get the ball rolling well. As it turned out the strong westerlies this week had dried the greens out and they were actually quite fast and bumpy, not a great mix! In hindsight I would have been better off with a face insert putter like the TM Spider, but the TA was quite manageable and I like the 38" length and counterbalanced grip set up.

Tomorrow's bag;

Driver: Titleist 913 D3 9.5* with PL Blue Reg
Driver 2: TM SLDR S Mini 14*
Hybrids: TM SLDR set to 17.5*, TM AeroBurner 19*, TM Jetspeed 22*
Irons: Cobra Bio + 5 - 9i
Wedges: Cleveland 588 CB 46*, Yururi 53 & 57*
Putter: TM Spider S

[Ferrins]

perci does the same thing as you except they only get the one rotation.😀

[perci]

perci does the same thing as you except they only get the one rotation.��

Your point being?

[Ferrins]

Your point being?

You got me there, can't think of one.

[Daves]

perci does the same thing as you except they only get the one rotation.

Perci starts a for sale thread, I add to my Lotto thread same, same.

I am just glad that perci ain't left handed, or I would be in trouble!

[billp]

Any chance you could pull a tip of for me? Just bought a ad di that has a titty tip you can have for your troubles. I can drop of if you're free. Going to glue a srixon tip on for a 545 driver I swapped for the xr. Would need that tip pulled to come to think of it sorry.

[JADO75]

Daves, I'm with you on the mini sldr. I'm using the 12*, primarily off the deck but also from the tee & it's been nothing but awesome. It's in my top two of things I've ever purchased golf wise.

[Daves]

Any chance you could pull a tip of for me? Just bought a ad di that has a titty tip you can have for your troubles. I can drop of if you're free. Going to glue a srixon tip on for a 545 driver I swapped for the xr. Would need that tip pulled to come to think of it sorry.

No worries, gives us a yell when you are ready. Srixon tips are the same as the Cleveland ones I think!?

[Ferrins]

Dave I glued up my ferruless irons and was wondering if a ferrule can be sliced and then glued on.

[Daves]

Daves, I'm with you on the mini sldr. I'm using the 12*, primarily off the deck but also from the tee & it's been nothing but awesome. It's in my top two of things I've ever purchased golf wise.

It was pretty good again today in the wind. The obvious loft at address just seems to give you confidence in it. But I find I can hit it highish or low as I please. Low spin so it runs hard and is long.

For those looking at getting one, GCO have them for $149 at the moment, a bargain if ever there was one.

[Daves]

Dave I glued up my ferruless irons and was wondering if a ferrule can be sliced and then glued on.

You can buy ferrules that are split, just for this purpose;

http://www.golfworks.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_LE9004

[Ferrins]

That's like buying a cake that been cut in half. I was thinking about tying a rubberband in a knot as a vibration dampener.

[Daves]

Today's bag selection;

Driver: Titleist 913 D2 9.5* with PL Red Reg
Driver 2: TM SLDR S Mini 14*
Hybrids: Adams A12 Pro 16*, TM AeroBurner 19*, Cobra Baffler Pro 23*
Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo 5 - 9i
Wedges: Cleveland 588 CB 46*, Yururi 53 & 57*
Putter: TM Spider S

[Daves]

Tomorrow's bag;

Driver: Titleist 913 D3 9.5* with PL Blue Reg
Driver 2: TM SLDR S Mini 14*
Hybrids: TM SLDR set to 17.5*, TM AeroBurner 19*, TM Jetspeed 22*
Irons: Cobra Bio + 5 - 9i
Wedges: Cleveland 588 CB 46*, Yururi 53 & 57*
Putter: TM Spider S

It was pretty good again today in the wind. The obvious loft at address just seems to give you confidence in it. But I find I can hit it highish or low as I please. Low spin so it runs hard and is long.

For those looking at getting one, GCO have them for $149 at the moment, a bargain if ever there was one.

Just adding a short review of this bag. Played it in the gusty Westerly on Friday around Wynnum. It is hard to really rate them properly, as the conditions were pretty horrendous with the wind blowing its arse off, and gusting up 70kmh. The greens were very slick and the wind effected most putts and shots one way or another, sometimes gusting and blowing them off line, others times dropping out as you hit the ball and negating the allowance you had made for it!

My comments on the SLDR S mini are above. The 913 with PL Blue was pretty easy to hit, though I tended to drag a few right and/or over draw the shot. I hit a couple of nice drives to finish, which is always satisfying. The Bio + are solid without totally impressing me so far. It might be the S300 shafts that are dulling the feel, I am not sure?

The Hybrids went well, the SLDR is pushing its way into my favorites list, and is very versatile. Ditto the AeroBurner, though it is fixed shaft so not quite so versatile, but very easy to hit. The Jetty didn't really get used much in this round.

The TM Spider proved to be the right choice in the wind, but the greens were very tough, with debris all over them. Any made putts were as much luck as good putting.

[Daves]

Today's bag selection;

Driver: Titleist 913 D2 9.5* with PL Red Reg
Driver 2: TM SLDR S Mini 14*
Hybrids: Adams A12 Pro 16*, TM AeroBurner 19*, Cobra Baffler Pro 23*
Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo 5 - 9i
Wedges: Cleveland 588 CB 46*, Yururi 53 & 57*
Putter: TM Spider S

The Westerly winds had dropped out by the time we teed off on Saturday.

The 913 D2 is very easy to hit, and quite forgiving. The Reg PL Red shaft lets me sneak a few more metres when the space is there to open the shoulders, whilst being an easy hit it up the middle club, if you are trying to just keep them in play. I can over power it at times though, so have to be careful to not hook it into trouble.

The SLDR Mini continues to impress and is an easy option off the tee on shorter holes. Ditto it would be a great back up when the main Driver isn't behaving. I have yet to really try it off the deck, something for a future round.

The VR Pro Combo are one of my favorite sets in the collection. I just love the feeling off the face with these, and I find 7 - PW pretty accurate, almost surgical to use. I hit an 8i into 17 to a couple of feet, that was pretty much as good as I can hit them.

The Hybrids all worked pretty well, the A12 16* is a good alternative to something like the SLDR mini, and gives me versatility in bag make up.

THE TM Spider again proved itself on faster greens, though ours had been lightly scarified and sanded the day before, so were a bit fickle at times. I didn't make a lot of long putts, but a bit of technique tweaking plus confidence in the putter meant I missed very little inside 8 to 10 feet and keep total putts to 28 for the round.