Topic: Ask Golf Guru - Golf Instruction / Why Golf is Now SO EXPENSIVE!

At least I can answer simple questions.

ph

With insults and grossly inflated self agrandisement perhaps. All feathers, no meat. Little wonder this place is a ghost town.

Topic: Ask Golf Guru - Golf Instruction / Why Golf is Now SO EXPENSIVE!

all.

What are yours sad sack.

ph

Rather different to those of an internet legend in his own lunchtime. Who specialises in self glorification by denegration of others: and who’s on record here on the one hand blaming poor instruction for his own lack of acheivement as a player, and conversely blaming his own unfortunate students for “not getting it”.

Topic: Ask Golf Guru - Golf Instruction / Why Golf is Now SO EXPENSIVE!

Here are the actual facts, as inconvenient as they might be to the conspiracy theory. In this country a very few pros at big money courses are making a good income. Dont confuse cause and effect. The courses are not expensive because the pro is “driving costs up”. He’s making money because he’s at a place where money is getting splashed around.

For the rest of the pro population its working ridiculous hours for a ludicrously small reward. Actually going broke in many cases. And as a bonus being demonised by the ignorant.

Err i work 60 hours a week at my own range and make a nice income thanks.

Why do the PGA annually take in more apprentices than there are jobs for when you and i know 95% of them have no playing future and what does that leave them as salesmen shop managers teachers ?

How many of them are any good at teaching do they have the communication skills to teach ?

The reality is the PGA is all about hype and is an organisation which is increasingly without relevance to average golfers club members etc as too many have experienced poor service lessons etc from sub standard pro’s who try and teach one way as if their swing is some sort of nirvana . ( yet they failed to make a buck as a player ) they still think their swing is the bee’s knee’s.

Oh gee. My bad. I should have thought that investing in your own err driving range gives you far more credibility than somebody who actually has some time in the game and has made it a career.

The PGA lets its members down pretty much constantly. There are dolts in the game too, no doubt, just as there are in every profession.

None of which gives your own non credentials any authority at all.

Topic: Ask Golf Guru - Golf Instruction / Why Golf is Now SO EXPENSIVE!

And i am a member at a course with 4 pga types running around yet no one has lessons with them so where do they make their $ in their salary packages paid for by the members.

Then maybe you should run for Committee and trim down the numbers. Or join somewhere else. Or STF up.

Here are the actual facts, as inconvenient as they might be to the conspiracy theory. In this country a very few pros at big money courses are making a good income. Dont confuse cause and effect. The courses are not expensive because the pro is “driving costs up”. He’s making money because he’s at a place where money is getting splashed around.

For the rest of the pro population its working ridiculous hours for a ludicrously small reward. Actually going broke in many cases. And as a bonus being demonised by the ignorant.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Eeep! I don't know what clubs to get

LJ,

Ask around at Trentham and get somebody to introduce you to Paul, who teaches there about once a month. In fact I think from memory he’ll be there Sunday arvo this week (13th). Well worth your time to talk to – outstanding golf knowledge, and he’s likely to have a few options in hardware stashed away which will interest you.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Why the lack of customer service in the Golf industry?

To add to this;

About 8 lessons into my learning, I tried a driver that he pulled out, it felt good so I asked him for a price. In the end, I ended up buying it from a store as there was $130 difference in the price. I must admit, if there was a $40 or less difference, I would have bought from him. …

It might sound strange, but did you let the guy know what you could get it for elsewhere and give him a chance to look after a regular?

Pricing is complex, and you never know what the other guy is selling for, for a multitude of reasons. An aweful lot of gear gets sold at near cost in this industry, or even at a loss. Trust me – a significantly higher ticketed price often does not mean the seller is trying to make a killing with a big mark up.

With the exception of large pro shops at affluent Golf Clubs a Green Grass Pro is going to be competitive on average, if not on a particular item. I will sell at little or no profit to price match, and for a long term customer I’ll swallow a loss to allow him to buy from me. So long as I know about it.

Topic: Golf Talk / Hogan clip

Try to stop the clip at the point in the downswing where the shaft covers his right leg, or even better a frame before that. His legs are way past leading, and are driving excessively in conflict with the body/arm motion (which if viewed seperately from the legs is quite beautiful). And yet by impact it is all nearly back in synch.

The cautionary note is that if Joe average who’s read on the internet how wonderful the Hogan swing is emulates that leg action he’ll never get the clubface even close to square and miss everything 100 yards right. It didn’t matter to Hogan so much because other of his individual swing characteristics gave him a lifelong tendency to hook. Getting the clubface back to square was never an issue.

To the best of my observation it has never been the case in any era that the guy with the best swing on tour has been the best player on tour. In fact not even close.

Topic: Golf Talk / Hogan clip

and you won how many majors?

Idiotic comment from one who lacks the knowledge to further a discussion. Exactly how does Hogan’s record give authority to your empty statements?

Lets carry the logoc all the way and have everyone copy Tiger. We’ve allready had a generation of golfers ruined by mindlessly copying Jack. But hey, he won a truckload of majors?

Topic: Golf Talk / Hogan clip

Like everything else Hogan it is only of value if you can sort the good from the bad.

Good example this. What the lower half is doing in this clip, particularly theough the bottom, is HIDEOUS. Precisely the sort of thing that “they” are trying to stop golfers doing to this day.

Topic: Golf Talk / Golfs up and comers

Hi there

However the day after they played, there were divots all over the place not repaired and a lot of the members belive these little sods while being talented are not being taught to look after the course they play on.

Hey, I wasn’t there, but that comment sure rings a bell.

You hear similar things all the time about green fee players on private courses. “Look at the unrepaired pitch marks/divots/global warming. Bloody green fee players.”

And if you stand still and watch for a while you see member after member hit a poor shot, slam the club in the bag and walk away, leaving his crater unrepaired…..

Topic: Golf Equipment / Footjoy customer service! Very frustrated customer here!

Something is seriously out of synch here.

First. I have great difficulty with the idea that any FJ shoe in the correct size made your feet bleed.

Second. Having worn the brand for most of my golfing life I had my first problem this year with a pair I’d worn all day every day for ten months, rain or shine. My shoes were picked up by courier the following day and the replacement pair arrived 3 days after that.

I have my suspicions about what might be going on here, and the problem aint at Acushnet.

Topic: Golf Talk / No More Women On Golf Courses

Another internet legend…

Starts with W, rhymes with anchor.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Buying glue for regripping?

Otherwise, just use ordinary double sided paper tape like most pro shops do.

Most pro shops don’t these days. Plain tape and adhesive is much quicker, less messy and easier. In general you don’t need compressed air to help blow the grip on, which you often do with DS tape and solvent. And grips are generally far easier to remove when the time comes.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Buying glue for regripping?

Sorry NOT same same. FWIW worth guys this contact adhesive you mention or “contact bond” as it’s labelled is not the Bostik Rubber Cement #1222 I am talking about. It’s a totally different product & code in the Bostik catalogue. The rubber cement is made from natural rubber & is far easier to work with, remove & more flexible than the contact cement they make & sell commercially in Bunnings etc. It comes in 4L & 20L tins (not 10 as I said before..oops.. should have checked the workshop). It’s a bit like that snot stuff they use to hold inserts into magazines.

See this linky. Bostik Rubber Cement.

Apologies for inaccuracy. The products are very similar and interchangeable for this application. The differences are relevant in the primary use the flooring industry but mean little to us. Contact being readily available in the small quantities required is a good option for the guy doing a single set of clubs.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Buying glue for regripping?

For Bostik at the hardware, ask for “contact adhesive”. Same same.

Topic: Golf Talk / swing thoughts

elbowin keepyourheaddown swingeasy whatsfordinner don’thititinthewater whydidI3puttthelasthole beer stayonplane killtheball wonderiffI’llgetlaidtonight makeafullturn don’toverswing I’mgoingtokillthatkidfornotdoingwhathe’stold keepthegriprelaxed controltheclubface beer lowandslow watchtheball stayintheshot rudolphtherednosedreindeer.

Of coourse for simplicity I only include thoughts from the actual execution of the shot. The preshot sequence is a little more complex.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Project X Shafts?

Don’t get too excited about these babies unless you have deep pockets. Change of ownership/distribution means they now cost wholesale what they used to cost retail.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Golf Bags:

A realistic assessment of just how serious a golfer you are is the point. And attitude to weather will tell you the answer.

I can’t think of anything on the market other than a Staff Bag which has sufficient storage to carry everything you need if your temperament or the events you play don’t allow the choice to not play or to walk off if the weather turns pear shaped.

Lightweight bags have a lot going for them, and are doubtless better for the purpose of moving clubs around in. But. After the clubs, umberella, tees etc my standard bag load comprises: up to a dozen each of three different balls, wind jacket with removable sleeves, lightweight rain jacket, full rain gear, 6 gloves, 4 towels, plastic rain cover, microfibre neckerchief, bug spray, sunscreen, beanie, cap, floppy sun hat, brush, spike tool and spare spikes, bandaids, painkillers, shoelaces, leatherman…..

You can always repack for the conditions of the day, but personally I’d rather just leave it all in there.

Topic: Golf Classifieds / WTB Project X Iron Shafts

Looking for 3-PW project X 6.0 parallel, new preferred. Email glnnhew@hotmail.com.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Srixon Irons - What should I Choose?

Please don’t be offended, but the content of your post gives a clear picture of where you are in your golfing journey, and that is not a place where a $1200 set of irons is a sensible investment.

The three products you mention are very, very different. If you dont discern significant difference hitting them side by side, then in performance terms it doesnt much matter which you buy. Which leaves value – making the superceded 403 at half the price of the others as a clear winner.

Or… if you are emotionally drawn to Srixon then why not buy a Tour Special package at around 400 bucks. They will serve you well. Then spend some of what you save on lessons, and upgrade later in your development?

Topic: Golf Equipment / How far should I be hitting my 3wd?

Should I be looking for a better quality 3wd?

Your next purchase should be some lessons and a shag bag full of balls…

Topic: Golf Talk / Do the pros "cheat"?

I once had a fledgling pro tell me that I was stepping on his ‘through line’. I think it says a lot about your putting if you’re looking at where the ball might end when you miss. Needless to say this pro has never made a dollar.

Nice little story to make a point Liz.

However. 27 Putts is a damn fine putting round at any level. Until such time as I meet someone who doesnt ever need a second putt I’ll continue to take just as much care to avoid the line of the potential second putt as the first. To do otherwise is to trample another player’s line 50% of the time. We should aspire to 0%, should we not?

Topic: Golf Talk / Barbougle dunes

If you are a player who likes to know distances to holes, I would recommend getting a course guide from the pro-shop. It will make the experience much more enjoyable.

Nooooooooo. Don’t do it!

My first time out I played with two tour pros who live, eat and breathe yardages – but we decided to play blind anyway. It was just magic playing the course by eye – even those times when we were thoroughly deceived. Seeing the look on a fine player’s face when he FLEW his drive over the fairway and into the tall weeds beyond was worth the cost of the trip by itself.

Don’t rob yourself of the pleasure. If you must buy a course map, buy it on your second visit.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Two different opinions, HELP!!!

Sadly a large proportion of sales staff in this industry make a good living telling golfers they swing it a ton. Amazingly, even the guy who knows full well he hits it 50 yards shorter than his regular playing partners gets a warm buzz from it.

Topic: Golf Equipment / looking for a 3 wood, which one?

All Srixon products are good, and good value (although they are moving themselves up the price scale steadily).

But.. their fairways and hybrids are standouts. At least as good as anything on the market (and IMO better), and considerably less expensive than comparable clubs.