Topic: Rules of Golf / Ball lost in Bunker

QUOTE: Rawhiti Chopper @ May 23 2007, 04:07 AM

Ive always found the USGA site far easier

And you gotta understand Doc , these aussies are running around with 3-4 sheep chromosomes entangled in their DNA ...

Give it back to the buggers ...they love it

you have us confused with our eastern neighbours.

Topic: Rules of Golf / Ball lost in Bunker

QUOTE: Rules Doc @ May 22 2007, 10:54 AM

Come on - you can't be serious!!
The details are very, very minor, we are talking about 11 Decisions placed in a separate group - the rest of the Decision Book is <u>exactly</u> the same.
The USGA Decision Book is normally referred to on European boards, because it's much easier to use than the Book on the R&A home page.

I was new on this board, bye friendly aussies.

Gee, bit sensitive aren't you?

I was just trying to offer something constructive and you have a hissy fit.

The simple fact is that the R&A book

IS

different and most of the members of this board have no choice but to operate under its rules and would be better served looking there in the first place. That was why I suggested it. Not any criticism of you.

If you pack your bat and ball and run away every time someone tries to be helpful and offers an alternative suggestion you aren't going to have any where to go soon.

For what it is worth, I have never found any difficulty navigating the R&A site.

Topic: The Lounge / Hemiplegia Migraine

Just to follow up. I went and had the CT scan and some blood tests and should get the results tomorrow. I have taken everyone's advice and am going to have a couple of relaxing days at home until the results come back. I can always put in a few extra hours to catch up at work IF I WANT TO later on.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Shaft - What's It's Function

QUOTE: Indacup @ May 22 2007, 03:39 AM

Micks description is great..

This one comment is so very important and really sums up "pretty much" everything:

Also, like Mick said,

There is an exception here...

Over the last few years, a lot of companies like SK Fiber, Integra, Mercury...etc have created fiber would shafts that are made from computer, and not hand rolled process which is not just dramatically cheaper to manufacture (computer vs salary employee), but cheaper to ship and store (standard shafts are sheet rolled which need to be laid flat and stores in a climate controlled environment, whereas fiber wound material is kept rolled up and more resistant to environmental conditions.

Secondly, because of the process, the hand rolled products will have a prominent spine whereas fiber wound shafts have a marginally, if not undetectable spine...which is contributory towards incredibly tight tolerances...a deflection differential of under 2 cpms is not uncommon...Mercury used to guarantee nothing over 1 cpm from stated flexc...and they were never wrong.

Then, on top of the ease of manufacturer, and tighter tolerances, the shafts due to storage and automation savings were substantially less in cost.

Fiber wound shafts can be purchased RETAIL for under $15 bucks and will display better tolerance control than hand rolled shafts at 10x's the cost.

So why don't more people use this process and more people buy it?

A couple reasons...people tend to equate quality to price...Which is (in my opinion) why Mercury closed their doors last year...had they raised their retail price to $35 a shaft, they would have made tons of $$$$...but instead, they sold them for under $10 and people looked elsewhere.

Also, in my opinion is even though their construction and accuracy to specs is better than most hand rolled companies, the "FEEL" by and large was not as good as the better shaft companies products.

Higher handicappers would not find this an issue...but lower and (I think) most mid-cappers consider feel when buying a shaft/s.

I just wanted to add that there are a couple of reasons that fibre wound shafts were slow to take off in the beginning. The major advantage of graphite shafts was their lighter weight and sheet wrapped shafts could be made much lighter and stiffer than even the best filament-wound shafts. Back then, the lightest filament wound shafts couldn't come close to a sheet wrapped shaft and weighed somewhere in between a sheet-wrapped shaft and a steel shaft. This has changed over the last few years with different resin technologies and Filament wound shafts are much closer in weight to a sheet wrapped shaft.

For most shafts, they do need a large proportion of the filaments running the length of the shaft to give it the actual stiffness. Carbon fibres are very stiff in only one plane. Filaments wrapped around the shaft add greatly to torsional stiffness but little end-to-end stiffness.
In fact, a shaft could be manufactured with ALL of the carbon fibre filaments running end to end and it would be the lightest and stiffest shaft you could make. The only problem is that after a couple of hits in a driver the torsional forces would split it. Actually, even slamming the butt of the club down into your bag too hard could split it!

Another reason is simply that the machinery required to do computer controlled filament wound shafts was VERY expensive and many of the original graphite shaft companies were actually quite small. In some their golf shaft department consisted of only a few staff. In others, a lot of the actual construction was outsourced and with so few specialist composite companies in the world and the golf market actually being quite small most didn't see any value in investing in expensive, specialised equipment. As time has passed and the market has grown this has obviously changed.

Topic: Rules of Golf / Ball lost in Bunker

QUOTE: Rules Doc @ May 22 2007, 01:23 AM

This was my initial posting, it was <u>specificall</u>y pointing to a ball dropped outside a bunker.

Let's point DrDrift to Dec. 25-1b/8, (Rule 25-1b with Rule 28 thrown in.)
http://www.usga.org/playing.../8

For what it is worth, it might be more appropriate on an Australian forum to refer to R&A Decisions Bookas there are one or two minor differences between the USGA and R&A books.

Topic: The Lounge / Hemiplegia Migraine

I slept most of saturday. Everytime I got up I got tired again half an hour later. Today I managed to get out and play a round in Pennants practice though I had a weird situation where my left side is still feeling weak and with my normal fairly loose grip with the right hand my first shot of the day saw the club go sliding out of my left hand and down the range. After that I compensated by holding on a little tighter. Actually played surprisingly well, winning my match 2 up.

I have decided not to bother going to the doc tomorrow. It means another day off work and another day behind with the end of financial year coming up. As it is, I am going to need to put in an extra couple of hours a day on top of the extra that I was doing for a while to catch back up. I don't think that the CT scans are going to make any difference anyway.

Topic: The Lounge / Hemiplegia Migraine

Well, I have just gotten home from an afternoon in the hospital. I was at my desk at work when my vision started to go blurry then I lost all feel and control of the left side of my body. I tried to keep working but when my boss spoke to me and I couldn't reply because my mouth and tongue had gone numb she freaked out and called an ambulance.

After a couple of hours getting tests the Registrar came back and told me that I either had a Hemiplegia migraine or a TIA (mild stroke). He said that the TIA is unlikely due to my age even though there is a history in my family of others having serious strokes at around the same age as me.

It wasn't a lot of fun having no control over half of my body and not being able to think straight. Kind of freaky actually.

So anyway, has anyone here heard of this type of migraine and what is the best way to avoid it in the future?

Topic: Golf Equipment / Major Brand forbids sale over web

QUOTE: packard @ May 17 2007, 08:55 AM

You're getting warm guys, but not quite there yet.

Customers in general want to touch and handle the product before buying. THe topic of handling in one place and buying in another has been covered.

But. The distibutor is part of that process which allows you to see, handle and try before you buy. Even in our small market the distributor has a massive sum of money invested in the process. His business model must always be structured around the potential return of that money if invested elsewhwere. The end cost to the consumer reflects this, and it should not be construed as greed.

You may take my word for it that I am no fan of hardware distributors in this country, but they are not the ultimate problem.

Go to the source. To my best knowledge only one manufacturer practices strict price parity. The day a product line is reduced in price in the USA, it is reduced in price in Australia (plus import cost). It is impossible for the consumer to do better than the best Australian retail price by self importing.

Finally, don't take the impression that AUstralia is alone. Try buying in the UK. I know of a large volume Australian EBAY trader who buys in the USA, imports to Australia, sells to UK customers and exports to the UK. And STILL lands the gear to the customer at a lower price than they can buy locally. Now that is truly scary.

Well put. The cost of operating a business in Australia seems to be forgotten a lot of the time when these discussions come up.

And for what it is worth, I played golf last week with a fellow who decided to buy some new golf equipment when he was on holidays in Singapore last month. He got all of his Australian prices for comparison before he left and really shopped around when he got there. All he came home with was a couple of shirts of a brand that I had never heard of before. He said that everything else was at least as much and often more than it was here. He was in the UK last year on holidays (though he is originally Scottish) and said the prices there were ridiculous.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Golf Shoes V's Joggers

QUOTE: barnesm @ May 16 2007, 05:51 PM

Tell me if I'm wrong. Shouldn't you swing with balance then why are golf shoes needed.

Ask Ben Hogan. He even went as far as to have an extra spike put into his right shoe so that when he really went for it he had less chance of slipping.

I tried practising in leather soled dress shoes on wet mats once. No matter how smoothly I tried to swing I couldn't make more than about a three quarter swing without my right foot slipping badly.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Golf Shoes V's Joggers

During summer in a casual round I will wear joggers if it is hot. Otherwise golf shoes. Never really bothered me too much either way since I don't really swing that hard at the ball anymore.

Topic: Golf Talk / one major winner

QUOTE: Scottt @ May 15 2007, 09:57 AM

Wasn't it more a loss of form and injury?

There's a great interview with him on the Golf Digest website.

Yeah, it was an injury that started the slide. It was the "I've reached the top, what now?" attitude I think that stopped him getting his game back after the injury.

Topic: Golf Talk / one major winner

Tom Kite.
He could win on any course in any conditions and was in contention more than anybody during his career, hence the "highest money winner ever" tag that he carried until prizemoney skyrocketed.

Couples was good but never really a good enough putter or straight enough hitter to contend in the US Opens. Love was better and should have won more but didn't.

Duval was the best player in the world for a while. This in a time when Tiger was around. How good might he have been if he didn't just lose interest.

Tom Weiskopf had the swing and the ball striking to beat anybody. Unfortunately, it only took one bad shot to see his hole round unravel as he became disgusted with himself. Alcoholism also had a detrimental affect on his game.

Topic: Sports Talk / Who has played Senior Australian Rules?

Junior footy only for me. I started Motocross at 9 and that pushed every other sport to the background.

Topic: Golf Talk / Worst commentator

Riley. He isn't really funny and that staccato delivery of his that makes it sound like he is trying to build the drama is just grating after a while.

Topic: Golf Talk / The Players Championship

QUOTE: Hux @ May 11 2007, 07:51 PM

Well first of all, I don't think PGA Tour members can play wherever they want at present. Don't they need a note from the PGA Tour to play on other tours around the world?

I'm not even suggesting it needs to be done by force. Arrange it so the PGA Tour players want to boycott the PGA. Use the lure of an even bigger purse if The PLAYERS can become a major. Work the Tour pension scheme into it somehow.

According to Wikipedia, the PGA Tour split from the PGA of America way back in 1968. There's no tie between the PGA Tour professional and the PGA club professional any more. It's ridiculous the world's strongest professional golf organization doesn't control one of the four most important events, despite its members driving interest in all of them.

The restraint of trade argument is one that is often put forward when discussions of PGA Tour and players comes up. I don't know the intricacies of it but the players can pick and choose whatever events they want within the Tour calendar. It is only events outside the US that they are supposed to get rubber-stamped approval by agreeing to play a certain number of PGA Tour events in return for each "release". The PGA Tour tried to enforce that condition on Ernie Els last year and he told them that he would quit their tour entirely if they tried to enforce it. The promptly backed down as not only did they see a lot of bad publicity coming their way but they had no legal leg to stand on.

As for Majors, The PGA Tour doesn't own any of them and they hate it. The Masters is owned by Augusta National, The US Open is owned by the USGA, the Open is owned by the R&A and the PGA, is owned as you said by the PGA of America. That is probably why the PGA Tour is trying to promote the Players Championship as a "5th Major".

It is the history of the PGA that makes it a major.

Back in the day, apart from the US Open, which was originally run for the benefit of amateurs more than Pro's, it was an American Pro's own championship. Even though the PGA Tour was split off from the PGA of America to create a body that was solely dedicated to the new professionalism that came with being a full time player instead of a club pro/player the championship has stayed as a major. Whether it deserves to be or not I don't know. I do know that it draws a quality field as good as the Players does and it has that link to the early days of golf history.

Topic: Golf Talk / The Players Championship

QUOTE: Hux @ May 11 2007, 06:01 PM

I'm trying to find out what is stopping the PGA Tour insisting its members (Tiger, Phil, Vijay... you may have heard of these stars) boycott the PGA Championship, thus snatching rightful major championship status for The PLAYERS.

Were I commissioner I would probably grab the Ryder Cup as well before backing the bull-bars out of the PGA's store front window.

Restraint of trade laws. As "individual contractors" the players can choose to player wherever they want, hence the PGA Tour's failure to force Ernie Els to play more US Tour events last year. It is also why over the last few years, they have been trying to get members to support certain events with no success.

For what it is worth, I always consider the Masters a "two part" event. The first part is to play well enough during the year to be invited to the event, then the second part which is actually played at Augusta National. Afterall, the Masters really has become the most watched and most entertaining of the Majors now
Open qualifying doesn't make a winner any more worthy or an event any more auspicious, it just increases the likelihood of a fluke winner.

Topic: Ask Golf Guru - Golf Instruction / lag putting you Paul Hart and others

Two suggestions:

1. Try using your chipping grip on the long putts. I find it much easier to judge the really long ones if I imagine that I am just hitting a low running chip.

2. Look at the hole instead of the ball. For some reason, I have found it much easier to judge the distance if I am looking at the hole instead of the ball. It requires a leap of faith to trust yourself to make decent contact with the ball but after you have done it a few times it is a great practice aid.

Topic: Rules of Golf / 4BBB Matchplay Handicapping

QUOTE: Dingo @ May 10 2007, 08:02 PM

If it is the second hole and the standard AGU matchplay index is used, then it is index #8. The long marker gets a stroke by himself. If his gross score is equal to the opponents better gross score he wins the hole.

Our Par 5 second hole is index 3 on the Matchplay index.

Topic: Golf Classifieds / Taylormade Limited Edition stand Bag - $250

QUOTE: Peter @ May 10 2007, 01:36 PM

FFS it's a golf bag. He hasn't tried to disguise the brand, colour, condition, etc. All he has done is call it something that it may or may not be (Limited Edition, Masters, etc). Any potential buyer that does the slightest bit of research online to check comparable prices through other sellers will know exactly what bag he is referring to and can thus make an informed decision to buy or not.

Having been in the legal side of marketing I can tell you that it is against the law to misrepresent a product. It is not the potential buyers responsibility to research the item in question to find out if it is what the buyer claims it is. A potential buyer would have a legitimate claim against the seller and the selling medium (ISG) if the item is not what it is claimed to be.

QUOTE: Peter @ May 10 2007, 01:36 PM

In saying that, this is a

free

service that is provided by ISG. Members are going to ask questions when they think a product is not described accurately, priced appropriately or if there is some other information that they think looks wrong. If you can't accept this, go to eBay.

And finally, questions can be asked about a product and answered without resorting to personal attacks.

Isn't that what I did? I never attacked the OP. I didn't even mention his price. I only pointed out that he misrepresented his product. The personal attacks have come from those supporting the OP.

Topic: Rules of Golf / 4BBB Matchplay Handicapping

QUOTE: Dingo @ May 10 2007, 06:16 PM

...and if you are all square with a shot on the last it will carry you home. I don't care. It's just another game and I'm happy to give away shots wherever they fall.

Back on thread...

The point is what difference veefore feels it made in his match. What happened on the holes in dispute?

I don't know all the details but one of the players involved is a lurker so hopefully he will chime in with his take. As far as I know, the dispute started on the second hole when player D claimed it even though player B shot the same score as him and was entitled to a shot as well. In the end, I think that it was a tight match so this one hole could have determined the outcome.

Topic: Golf Classifieds / Taylormade Limited Edition stand Bag - $250

Did you even read my post or are just looking for a way to embarrass yourself?

QUOTE: PINGS58Player @ May 10 2007, 12:01 PM

Time for you too go an play some golf rather than heckle people on here...

Well,

That comment would be much more appropriate directed at yourself.

Afterall, that is all it is, a heckle and a pissant attempt at an insult that adds nothing to the thread.

The OP LIED in his ad by calling the bag a LIMITED EDITION MASTERS bag. It is NOT a Limited Edition Masters bag and never will be.

As I have already said but will reiterate for the comprehension impaired, I DON'T CARE WHAT HE SELLS THE BAG FOR, if someone is prepared to pay the asking price (which I never criticized) then good for them. He can put $10,000 on it for all I care.

What I don't like, and I will say it again just for you is that he

LIED

when he called it a Limited Edition Masters bag. Now whether it was intentional or not is not my concern. It was still untrue and he has made no efforts to correct that untruth but tried to deny it.

In reality, the Mods should have removed the ad as soon as it was discovered to be false and misleading and a breach of forum guidelines.

Topic: Golf Classifieds / Taylormade Limited Edition stand Bag - $250

QUOTE: Moe @ May 9 2007, 10:07 PM

the guy is trying to make a sale ffs, just leave him be.

if you don't want to pay $250 don't - if you got the same bag cheaper or your friend did - great, what are you looking at this one for?

its a nice bag and would probably fetch more than $250 on aussie ebay and you can ignore the stupid questions there

The guy also tried to advertise it as a limited edition MASTERS bag, which it is clearly not.

Do you really think that someone should falsely advertise a product and not be called on it????

I don't care about the price. He can advertise it at $1,000 for all I care and if someone is prepared to pay it great. But if someone buys it thinking that they have bought a MASTERS bag then they are getting ripped off.

Topic: Golf Classifieds / Taylormade Limited Edition stand Bag - $250

QUOTE: Nikey Ho @ May 9 2007, 02:46 PM

I have not seen any other TM 'major' bags previously. I was unaware that they had done this before for retail either. Similar to Callaway in the past, the TM staff players used the masters bag this year.

Whether its $200 or $250 or whatever the cost may be, it is still in-line with other 'normal' stand bags for sale @ retail.

I listed it here because its differrent, its not readily available and I thought an ISG'er may want something differrent.

If its not your go, I've got an old Titty s/bag going cheap too!

It's not really a "major" bag though is it? Maybe it is a "faux major" bag because it never really mentions Augusta National or the Masters anywhere on it. Just "Season Opener" and "Georgia 2007". It is not even close to being anything like their actual "Majors" bags that the Staff players get.

Their other "Faux Major" bags are equally vague.
It is up to the consumer to make the stretch and link the two to make it a "Masters" bag.

Otherwise, I have no quarrel with your price or anything else. I just thought that it was a cheap grab at the collectables market by TaylorMade and said so. Who knows, it may turn out that they DO end up as collectables. I certainly can't pick the next fad the masses will turn to.

Topic: Golf Classifieds / Taylormade Limited Edition stand Bag - $250

To be honest, I thought that they were just a cheap marketing stunt by TaylorMade. Making bags up to sort of look like a special Majors edition but without any actual reference to the major. Makes them look like a collectable without actually being one. Just because they didn't make a lot doesn't make them valuable. It probably just means that they didn't expect that there would be much real demand. Afterall, last time I was in Golf Box they had the full set of them, one for each major.

Topic: The Lounge / Jail Hilton

QUOTE: racinfarmer @ May 8 2007, 11:38 AM

Ok, here are a few parts of the case you Aussies may not get. Drunk, suspended licence, and no plates on the car. Plus, she didn't go to the required classes the court ordered her to go to.

Unfortunately, we get everything that you do.

QUOTE: racinfarmer @ May 8 2007, 11:38 AM

Now, she is blaming her publicist for it. Your telling me she is smarter then the landscape rock in my yard?

Of course she is. She is going to blame everything that she can. Just like 99.9% of the other "innocent" people convicted of traffic offences. I would think she was dumb if she didn't try to get out of it.