The 60 and over Thread

[MonroeBob1955]

Talk about instructional videos (well kind of, golf channel instructionAl), on Wednesday I was recovering after a morning of yard work. Looked up to see some pro from Florida demonstrating a move from the top that caught my eye. TV was even muted but just saw his knees. All my life I’ve felt I’ve never gotten my hips out of the way on the downswing no matter what I tried. Such a source of frustration For me.

He showed taking his right knee and pushing it into the left knee at the start of the downswing. As soon as his knees touched each other, wham, his hips spun open to target. Dang, I thought. Looks weird, but could it be that easy?

Fast forward Thursday on the driving range, let’s try this knee move. My typical 10 ball slow swing, stretch body warm up. Push knees together (kind of). Damn! Really high for a warm up swing And carrying out there. Continued this move as I slowly went up to full speed. High, straight to baby fade. And don’t even have to swing hard.

Flushed a good many iron shots that day, not over swinging. just put the knees together and bang, the hips spin out. My finish actually felt like the perfect finish you see with all the youngsters on tour. Doesn’t mean it looked that way, but it did feel that way.

As we all know so well. Having it work one day has no relevance whatsoever to do with the next round. Today, I’ll see if I can still make it repeat itself.

 

[Phil75070]

He showed taking his right knee and pushing it into the left knee at the start of the downswing. As soon as his knees touched each other, wham, his hips spun open to target. Dang, I thought. Looks weird, but could it be that easy?

Does this ever remind me of one of the few lessons I have ever had! Back in the mid-90s, I took a couple of lessons from one of the assistant pros at the course I belonged to, and he had me concentrate on doing this exact same thing, driving the trail knee forward toward the lead knee! I don't recall if the goal was to actually have the knees touch or not, but I am going to have to try this again.

 

[Grand Stranded]

Gorgeous day down here… high 70’s no humidity. The lady friend went to the beach with my neighbor so I got a chance to get the DCBs dirty.
The Recoil 460 ESX and the loft tweaking worked like a charm. I was getting the same yardages as the E722’s with a much higher ball flight. I also felt way more comfortable with the Jaws Raw Face than the CBX. Add that up and I had a smooth 42-40-82 which took low net and won a nice piece of change on a 6100+ yard course.
It wasn’t all peaches and cream though… the G425 26* just isn’t it for me and although the matching 5W and 22* 4H are better I made a mistake thinking the Distanza 40g shaft would work as well in them as it does in my driver. I sold the 3W yesterday, and the 5W, 4&5 hybrid have been demoted to the bench.
As @SC Putter already knows, changes have been made!

 

[1860VS]

Poor sim round going today. Then this happened:

 

[Grand Stranded]

Poor sim round going today. Then this happened:

You’re a monster!

 

[1860VS]

You’re a monster!

With no touch or feel the past week. . Squandering stroke after stroke inside 100 yards. Gotta be a tempo thing.

 

[skigolfmike]

Made a nice 2 on 17 today. Measured 165 playing 171 with the slope, but I do believe it plays longer than that. Today was into a 30 mph wind. I hit a FW really well and stuck it close. 2 net 1. 4 fairways, 9 GIR, 31 putts. 41-37 78

 

[alistaird]

Quick 9 holes this afternoon, shot 40 (+4 gross, -5 nett) 6 pars, 2 bogeys, one double, 5 GIRs, 2 good up and downs. Not a super striking day but the bad shots were straight…Even pared the difficult 9th which I’ve never done.

A

 

[MGoBlue]

Well after not playing for two months of rest and recovery for a sore knee, I felt pretty good today, on a beautiful 75 degree afternoon. So I headed over to the practice area.

Spent a fair bit of time hitting some chips of varying distances, working on the Grieve 3 releases. Had a fair amount of success with that.

Then the real test. Pulled the 8 iron for a few easy swings. The first four were miserable, about 4 inches fat. But then I started to get it. Hit 5-6 really pure shots with a nice easy swing. And the knee felt good! Final test was with a driver. Teed one up, took another easy (easier?) swing, and caught it center face. Straight and a lot longer that I would have expected.

Next was putting green. Three long putts (40 feet plus), three mid length of 15 feet or so. Each of those were downhill slightly and slid past the hole about 6 feet. I proceeded to make all three, then said to myself, “OK that’s enough of those!” Actually my back was starting to get a little tight. So I packed up and headed home.

But it was a very encouraging short session. I’ll see what my knee feels like tomorrow and Monday but I’m cautiously optimistic about being able to play in Men’s League (9 hole) Wednesday night!

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

Agreed! Would be nice to go back to being an 18 yo knowing everything I know now. Of course that would mean balata balls and persimmon woods. Might be interesting.

Of course, back when I was 18 I had absolutely no problem hitting balata balls and persimmon woods! And tiny, little muscleback blades for irons.

Does this ever remind me of one of the few lessons I have ever had! Back in the mid-90s, I took a couple of lessons from one of the assistant pros at the course I belonged to, and he had me concentrate on doing this exact same thing, driving the trail knee forward toward the lead knee! I don't recall if the goal was to actually have the knees touch or not, but I am going to have to try this again.

Back when I was playing the best golf of my life I felt like I was pointing my right hip bone at the ball at the moment of contact.

 

[SC Putter]

Well after not playing for two months of rest and recovery for a sore knee, I felt pretty good today, on a beautiful 75 degree afternoon. So I headed over to the practice area.

Spent a fair bit of time hitting some chips of varying distances, working on the Grieve 3 releases. Had a fair amount of success with that.

Then the real test. Pulled the 8 iron for a few easy swings. The first four were miserable, about 4 inches fat. But then I started to get it. Hit 5-6 really pure shots with a nice easy swing. And the knee felt good! Final test was with a driver. Teed one up, took another easy (easier?) swing, and caught it center face. Straight and a lot longer that I would have expected.

Next was putting green. Three long putts (40 feet plus), three mid length of 15 feet or so. Each of those were downhill slightly and slid past the hole about 6 feet. I proceeded to make all three, then said to myself, “OK that’s enough of those!” Actually my back was starting to get a little tight. So I packed up and headed home.

But it was a very encouraging short session. I’ll see what my knee feels like tomorrow and Monday but I’m cautiously optimistic about being able to play in Men’s League (9 hole) Wednesday night!

Good to hear you are getting back out. It will get easier each time. Continued good luck with your recovery.

 

[CTRosarian]

Making good progress on my driver swing, hitting Callaway foam golf balls across my long back yard.
It is very helpful to watch the flight of the ball.
Mostly interested in more distance, but my adjustments are also narrowing the dispersion as well.
I have a very consistent swing, so it isn't hard to see the results of adjustments I make.

 

[tehuti]

I am not good enough for a wedge lofted more than 56 degrees.

I would maybe consider a 58° but that would be the max. 56° is working just fine for now.


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[JonMA1]

I am not good enough for a wedge lofted more than 56 degrees.

This really surprises me and I hear it a lot about the 60*. I’ve certainly had 60* wedges I couldn’t hit well and by no means am I at a very high skill level. But the Cleveland I have now has become the most reliable club in the bag - both with contact and dispersion. I don’t take many full swings with it so maybe that’s why (?). I think the club design holds up to the hype. I’m thinking about investing in a 56, possibly a gw and pw of the same model.

 

[drb1956]

ARRRRRGH. I sat on my usual low light/ night driving glasses last night. Stupid. And replacement frames only are $169.00. How can the markup on eyeglass frames be justified? Two screws and some plastic for $169.00? Geez I can buy a much more complex mechanism like a fishing reel with gears and 10 bearings for that kind of money.
Insurance would have paid for a new pair last year but these were just fine and had $$$progressive bifocal Transitions XTRActive lenses in them. I ordered the new frames and will be getting new glasses anyhow, I think this time around I will get the same lens in single vision because when I go to look at all my truck control screens, or read, I just look under or over the glasses anyhow, I seem to have pretty much quit using the bifocals when I quit spending half my day on a PC and the other half in the field on the engineering side of construction at my real job I retired from 6 years ago. Why I kept buying bifocals I don't know. Habit?
I think single vision are better for golf anyhow. My Dad always switched from trifocals to single vision for golf and shooting.

I knew someone that worked at an optical store, and they told me that some of the frames cost them like $10, but they sold for $159. What!! Talk about mark up! Commonly done in the optical field. My insurance pays for certain frames up to $169, and not just the cheap looking frames, but some are designer brands. I don't want "flashy" frames, but fairly basic, lightweight metal, usually the frameless type under the lenses, for less weight, and wearing lined bifocals(32 years), I don't get a reflection of light at times when looking through the reader part of the lense. I get my glasses at Sam's Club, and all the add ons, like scratch proof coating, Transitions, and the one for headlights at night, are all half of what they are in an optical store. These are the best non scratching lenses in all the years I have worn glasses. I can pretty much clean them with anything, except steel wool. I have been buying them at Sam's for the last 6 years. I go every two years, as I drive an 18 wheeler locally. Need them for my DOT physical, which includes an across the room eye test, cover one eye, then the other. PITA when you sit on them, but the metal is soft enough that I can gently bend them back in shape, although I have only done this one time in all my years of wearing glasses. Never understand folks that need glasses to read are always having to find them, then put them on just to read something. Get some bifocals, no lines, and put them on in the morning, just like your pants, and no worries about looking for your glasses when you do need to read something. Some folks wear cheaters from the drug store. Ok once in awhile, but if you struggle to read, or see across the street, go to the eye doctor. They also check for a lot more than just what you see. They look for tumors behind your eyes, and also at the optic muscles, and if you have any other eye diseases. Being a senior, and a truck driver, my eyes are very important to me. I will be retiring soon, but still just as important, as I will still drive a car for quite a few years.

 

[1860VS]

I knew someone that worked at an optical store, and they told me that some of the frames cost them like $10, but they sold for $159. What!! Talk about mark up! Commonly done in the optical field. My insurance pays for certain frames up to $169, and not just the cheap looking frames, but some are designer brands. I don't want "flashy" frames, but fairly basic, lightweight metal, usually the frameless type under the lenses, for less weight, and wearing lined bifocals(32 years), I don't get a reflection of light at times when looking through the reader part of the lense. I get my glasses at Sam's Club, and all the add ons, like scratch proof coating, Transitions, and the one for headlights at night, are all half of what they are in an optical store. These are the best non scratching lenses in all the years I have worn glasses. I can pretty much clean them with anything, except steel wool. I have been buying them at Sam's for the last 6 years. I go every two years, as I drive an 18 wheeler locally. Need them for my DOT physical, which includes an across the room eye test, cover one eye, then the other. PITA when you sit on them, but the metal is soft enough that I can gently bend them back in shape, although I have only done this one time in all my years of wearing glasses. Never understand folks that need glasses to read are always having to find them, then put them on just to read something. Get some bifocals, no lines, and put them on in the morning, just like your pants, and no worries about looking for your glasses when you do need to read something. Some folks wear cheaters from the drug store. Ok once in awhile, but if you struggle to read, or see across the street, go to the eye doctor. They also check for a lot more than just what you see. They look for tumors behind your eyes, and also at the optic muscles, and if you have any other eye diseases. Being a senior, and a truck driver, my eyes are very important to me. I will be retiring soon, but still just as important, as I will still drive a car for quite a few years.

Thankfully Costco has started taking our insurance (Blue Cross). Glasses at Costco are 1/2 the price they are at the optician. Insurance pays for an annual exam and a portion of the glasses. I always get transitions, progressives, etc, so I still end up with a bit out of pocket. My wife got two pair of progressives with no tint bvut anti glare coating for $60.00 out of pocket.
My ENT told me to go to Costco for my hearing aids. Costco didnt take our insurance on them at the time, and insurance didnt allow us to back bill them. My out of pocket for the hearing aids and exam was 1500.00 for top of the line Phonak aids, bluetooth to TVs and phones etc...
Meanwhile If I had gone to Belltone the hearing aids and exam would have been $2400.00 out of pocket AFTER they took my $2600.. insurance allowance. Nothing better about them, unless you are the seller. LOL

 

[CTRosarian]

I have the digital eye scans at Lenscrafters. The doctor will often discuss what he sees with me!

It is yet another way to screen for health issues.

 

[Sean]

I may have already posted this, but I just don't recall.

Anyway, a couple of years ago I had room for one more club so I added a 62º wedge. I usually use a 58º wedge around the green, but I've found the 62º to be very helpful out of green side bunkers and for short-sided shots.

 

[1860VS]

I may have already posted this, but I just don't recall.

Anyway, a couple of years ago I had room for one more club so I added a 62º wedge. I usually use a 58º wedge around the green, but I've found the 62º to be very helpful out of green side bunkers and for short-sided shots.

The club I have fondly named "The Shovel" my 64⁰ Smart Sole has earned a permanent place in the bag. The low bounce, but dig resistant sole design is brilliant for high lofted straight faced shots even off of tight lies.

 

[Sean]

The club I have fondly named "The Shovel" my 64⁰ Smart Sole has earned a permanent place in the bag. The low bounce, but dig resistant sole design is brilliant for high lofted straight faced shots even off of tight lies.

I haven't looked into the Smart Soles. My wedges, including the 62º, are the CBX2's with the medium bounce I guess you would call it, i.e., good for all playing conditions. I can hit it off tight lies, heavy rough, as well as out of bunkers. It would be a lot simpler if I just hit more greens, lol.

 

[drb1956]

I haven't looked into the Smart Soles. My wedges, including the 62º, are the CBX2's with the medium bounce I guess you would call it, i.e., good for all playing conditions. I can hit it off tight lies, heavy rough, as well as out of bunkers. It would be a lot simpler if I just hit more greens, lol.

I love my CBX2's. 50*, 54*, 58*. The 58* gets panned opened for those delicate greenside shots, where the hole is close. I will use the putter if I can, and conditions allow. I also have a 46* CBX Zipcore that I added last year. Great line of wedges...

 

[1860VS]

I haven't looked into the Smart Soles. My wedges, including the 62º, are the CBX2's with the medium bounce I guess you would call it, i.e., good for all playing conditions. I can hit it off tight lies, heavy rough, as well as out of bunkers. It would be a lot simpler if I just hit more greens, lol.

On Trackman we play 8' gimmes, kind of the default setting because any less and you arent even putting to the screen.. Trackman default setting is hard fairways, we turn that to "normal" Green speed gets set to 8', more in line with the reality of the courses we play. I get more gimmie birds hitting that 64* on 70 yard and less approaches than I ever recall hitting with the 58*, and I am not a slouch with that either.......
Now, out in the real world, Since I got the SS over the winter, I am still learning it off of less than perfect lies.. The last couple outdoor rounds have been on either frozen greens or thawed out soft greens. If I hit the shovel out past 50 yards on a soft greens, I have to throw it well past the pin because it is definitely coming back at me. Even with less spinny balls like Bstone Tour B RX (not RXS) or a regular Chrome Soft. The sole design doesnt lend itself to opening it up, but with 64* and the spin it produces, I never wished for more.

 

[Sean]

I love my CBX2's. 50*, 54*, 58*. The 58* gets panned opened for those delicate greenside shots, where the hole is close. I will use the putter if I can, and conditions allow. I also have a 46* CBX Zipcore that I added last year. Great line of wedges...

I have the 54º and 58º as well. As you said, great wedges.

 

[Sean]

@1860VS I know the "experts" say amateurs shouldn't be using a 60º, let alone anything higher, but like anything else, if you practice with those very high lofted wedges they can be real stroke savers.

 

[CTRosarian]

An optical store has to pay for fixed overhead. It costs a lot of money to have someone interact with a customer to choose the best frame for their face.
That is the same whether you buy a cheap or expensive frame.

What you might want to do is buy cheap single prescription glasses from Zenni to find a frame that works really well with your face. Maybe start with reading glasses.

Once you find a frame you like you can buy something for driving and the golf course where fit is more important.