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OT My Poor Left Foot

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Most of you who know me here, know I am terrified of going to the doctor. Jackie, I think you know what I am talking about! :) I will do anything I can to keep from going. If it’s a doctor I know will not be taking my blood pressure, I am ok because my BP goes sky high sometimes when I go to my regular NP. My sinus doc never takes it, so I am ok going to him. This thing with my foot, I hate to say, I knew I would not go to the doctor. Now if it had not gotten better my husband would have thrown me over his shoulder and taken me to the car and driven me there. LOL This is a real phobia, white coat syndrome. I didn’t used to have it until my first panic attack in a doctor’s office. Of course it is high and the heart rate goes crazy. I can be so calm, doing my deep breathing and even taking a benzo beforehand, but when that nurse puts that cuff on my arm, a series of events unfold. I have gotten to where I say "Look, don’t freak out when you see it’s high. I take it at home and it’s extremely low but I am phobic about it in this particular doctor’s office. " One nurse knows when I get there and always says "Don’t worry, I won’t say ‘OH MY GOD.’ " That is the most unnerving thing. They say OMG!! I know I should have gone to the doctor with my foot. I pretty much self treated it with ibuprophen and staying off of it. It’s still sore but I can walk on it and the redness and most of the swelling is gone now. I was able to put a shoe on yesterday. I guess it wasn’t gout, since I read it is almost unheard of for a woman my age to have that. Usually it’s elderly women way past menopause. Not there yet!!! I did break that foot, hitting it against a wooden magazine rack about 17 years ago. I had a fracture across the top of that foot. The fact that the symptoms started like gout, this could be another of those "Vicki, you are part of the 1% of the population to have this." I can’t win the lottery but I get that all of the time from my NP. I am in the 1% who can take Zoloft for a year and then try it again in 4 or 5 years and it doesn’t help anymore. Her stats may be wrong but I sometimes do feel a bit like a freak!!! :) My husband was really worried about how my foot looked. As the swelling left, the redness went from the entire foot to the right 3/4 of it. Just a huge red blotch! I don’t eat much red meat, or any meat for that matter. I don’t drink much alcohol at all. Everything WebMD said can cause it was not something I do. Anyway, it is better. I promise I will go to the doctor if it reoccurs. I hope some of you can relate to the doctor fear. My MIL goes when she sneezes or coughs one time. I have never been that way. My kids and husband aren’t either. On a different note: The former houseguest is gone to India and I won’t be bothered with emails and phone calls for a while. I just cannot talk to him. I was hurt that he tried to tear my sister and me apart with his lies. Bad news, I’m telling you. Thank you all for your wonderful advice. Love, Vicki!! — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ::As if I don’t have enough problems, I cannot even put weight down on my left ::foot. Just below the big toe is swollen and it actually feels like ::something is broken. It started with a slight pain last night and has ::progressed since to horrible pain. I can walk on my heel but I cannot let ::my toes touch the floor. There is substantial swelling and I have no clue ::what is going on. I didn’t hit my foot on anything and I haven’t stubbed my ::toe. It just occurred out of nowhere. the entire area around my left big ::toe is aching. I had my husband look and he could see the swelling and just ::a slight touch is torment. It feels very hot also, like fever. :: ::Just wondered if anyone here has ever had this sort of thing. I just wonder ::if it’s some sort of bursitis or arthritis. I did break that foot once, ::many years ago. :: ::Anyway, Good Morning!!!

Oh, Vicki, I’m sorry! You are having a heck of time right now. I would see a doctor about that because it sounds unusual. (((((((((((Vicki))))))))))) Love, Dawn — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

viki i hope your are feeling better.my brother has gout in his feet.he has to wear shoes three sizes larger than he needs.hope you get relief soon.i hear its very painfull. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

viki i hope your are feeling better.my brother has gout in his feet.he has to wear shoes three sizes larger than he needs.hope you get relief soon.i hear its very painfull.

Thanks. Today the swelling has gone down quite a bit and I can walk. I have taken some prescription strength ibuprophen I had and it seems to be helping. Hopefully it isn’t gout. It certainly sounds like it, from what I have read about it. My poor dad had it in his hands when he died. For some reason they couldn’t give him the meds for it and they were so swollen and he would react if one of us touched his hands. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Most of you who know me here, know I am terrified of going to the doctor. Jackie, I think you know what I am talking about! :)

And so do I. I’m scared stiff of doctors/hospitals/medical procedures. On a different note: The former houseguest is gone to India and I won’t be bothered with emails and phone calls for a while.

This is a very good thing. It will give you relief from the stress he caused you and when he returns he’ll be busy doing other things. Philip — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, Vicki, Glad to hear your foot is doing better. Also that’s good news to know your houseguest is returning to India. Will he stay there permanently now? smiles, Elise

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Most of you who know me here, know I am terrified of going to the doctor. Jackie, I think you know what I am talking about! :) I will do anything I can to keep from going. If it’s a doctor I know will not be taking my blood pressure, I am ok because my BP goes sky high sometimes when I go to my regular NP. My sinus doc never takes it, so I am ok going to him. This thing with my foot, I hate to say, I knew I would not go to the doctor. Now if it had not gotten better my husband would have thrown me over his shoulder and taken me to the car and driven me there. LOL This is a real phobia, white coat syndrome. I didn’t used to have it until my first panic attack in a doctor’s office. Of course it is high and the heart rate goes crazy. I can be so calm, doing my deep breathing and even taking a benzo beforehand, but when that nurse puts that cuff on my arm, a series of events unfold. I have gotten to where I say "Look, don’t freak out when you see it’s high. I take it at home and it’s extremely low but I am phobic about it in this particular doctor’s office. " One nurse knows when I get there and always says "Don’t worry, I won’t say ‘OH MY GOD.’ " That is the most unnerving thing. They say OMG!! I know I should have gone to the doctor with my foot. I pretty much self treated it with ibuprophen and staying off of it. It’s still sore but I can walk on it and the redness and most of the swelling is gone now. I was able to put a shoe on yesterday. I guess it wasn’t gout, since I read it is almost unheard of for a woman my age to have that. Usually it’s elderly women way past menopause. Not there yet!!! I did break that foot, hitting it against a wooden magazine rack about 17 years ago. I had a fracture across the top of that foot. The fact that the symptoms started like gout, this could be another of those "Vicki, you are part of the 1% of the population to have this." I can’t win the lottery but I get that all of the time from my NP. I am in the 1% who can take Zoloft for a year and then try it again in 4 or 5 years and it doesn’t help anymore. Her stats may be wrong but I sometimes do feel a bit like a freak!!! :) My husband was really worried about how my foot looked. As the swelling left, the redness went from the entire foot to the right 3/4 of it. Just a huge red blotch! I don’t eat much red meat, or any meat for that matter. I don’t drink much alcohol at all. Everything WebMD said can cause it was not something I do. Anyway, it is better. I promise I will go to the doctor if it reoccurs. I hope some of you can relate to the doctor fear. My MIL goes when she sneezes or coughs one time. I have never been that way. My kids and husband aren’t either. On a different note: The former houseguest is gone to India and I won’t be bothered with emails and phone calls for a while. I just cannot talk to him. I was hurt that he tried to tear my sister and me apart with his lies. Bad news, I’m telling you. Thank you all for your wonderful advice. Love, Vicki!! — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ::As if I don’t have enough problems, I cannot even put weight down on my left ::foot. Just below the big toe is swollen and it actually feels like ::something is broken. It started with a slight pain last night and has ::progressed since to horrible pain. I can walk on my heel but I cannot let ::my toes touch the floor. There is substantial swelling and I have no clue ::what is going on. I didn’t hit my foot on anything and I haven’t stubbed my ::toe. It just occurred out of nowhere. the entire area around my left big ::toe is aching. I had my husband look and he could see the swelling and just ::a slight touch is torment. It feels very hot also, like fever. :: ::Just wondered if anyone here has ever had this sort of thing. I just wonder ::if it’s some sort of bursitis or arthritis. I did break that foot once, ::many years ago. :: ::Anyway, Good Morning!!! Dear Vic, Get thyself to the doctor as soon as possible! My husband had the same exact thing many years ago and it turned out to be gout. I`m not saying you have gout, only your doctor can tell you that. My husband had to get a shot of cortisone to relieve the discomfort. My husband told me it was one of the worst pain he ever experienced in his life. ~*~Gout usually strikes a single joint suddenly and violently. The episode begins with redness, heat, swelling, and pain – the classic signs of inflammation. Less commonly, gout can develop more slowly, involving multiple joints, resembling rheumatoid arthritis. The big toe is commonly affected first with distinct pain, called podagra.~*~ http://arthritis.about.com/cs/gout/a/whatisgout.htm I feel so bad that you`re in pain. I hope you feel better soon! (((((Vic)))))

Wow Jackie. (hope you are enjoying your day, Ms. Birthday Girl) Gout never crossed my mind but my dad had it and, bless his heart, died with red swollen fingers because they couldn’t give him the meds for it for some reason. I remember how much pain he was in.My foot is unreal. I am literally hopping from one place to another. I soaked my foot in epsom salts and took anti-inflammatory meds. It’s ok as long as I don’t touch it. This morning, for the first time ever, I didn’t see my son out for school. I just couldn’t stand up. He saw my foot and said "Gross, Mom. Why is it all swollen like that?" Like I would know!!! Thank you, Jackie. I think your "diagnosis" is probably close to being correct. It is red, it is hot, and extremely swollen. Oh, the lovely things that pop up as one gets a little older!! Have a wonderful day! Vicki — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

As if I don’t have enough problems, I cannot even put weight down on my left foot. Just below the big toe is swollen and it actually feels like something is broken. It started with a slight pain last night and has progressed since to horrible pain. I can walk on my heel but I cannot let my toes touch the floor. There is substantial swelling and I have no clue what is going on. I didn’t hit my foot on anything and I haven’t stubbed my toe. It just occurred out of nowhere. the entire area around my left big toe is aching. I had my husband look and he could see the swelling and just a slight touch is torment. It feels very hot also, like fever.

Sure sounds like gout, Vicki. My mother had an acute attack of gout in her big toe (called podagra). She told me "Do you know my toe was so swollen I couldn’t put on my golf shoes and I had to play golf in my bare feet!" And I said, "Are you crazy? You need a psychiatrist!" Chip — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

"Tori" wrote – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As if I don’t have enough problems, I cannot even put weight down on my left foot. Just below the big toe is swollen and it actually feels like something is broken. It started with a slight pain last night and has progressed since to horrible pain. I can walk on my heel but I cannot let my toes touch the floor. There is substantial swelling and I have no clue what is going on. I didn’t hit my foot on anything and I haven’t stubbed my toe. It just occurred out of nowhere. the entire area around my left big toe is aching. I had my husband look and he could see the swelling and just a slight touch is torment. It feels very hot also, like fever. Just wondered if anyone here has ever had this sort of thing. I just wonder if it’s some sort of bursitis or arthritis. I did break that foot once, many years ago. Anyway, Good Morning!!! Vicki

Based on my extensive research in matters such as these, I would have to add "Yikes! Ouch! Dammit!" to the comments of my esteemed colleagues. Feel better FAST, Vic! Deirdre — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – viki i hope your are feeling better.my brother has gout in his feet.he has to wear shoes three sizes larger than he needs.hope you get relief soon.i hear its very painfull. Thanks. Today the swelling has gone down quite a bit and I can walk. I have taken some prescription strength ibuprophen I had and it seems to be helping. Hopefully it isn’t gout. It certainly sounds like it, from what I have read about it. My poor dad had it in his hands when he died. For some reason they couldn’t give him the meds for it and they were so swollen and he would react if one of us touched his hands.

Vicki, you should get your serum uric acid level checked. If it’s high you could take a med to lower it so you don’t have recurrant attacks of gout. Or deposits of uric acid in your kidneys and other organs. Chip — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As if I don’t have enough problems, I cannot even put weight down on my left foot. Just below the big toe is swollen and it actually feels like something is broken. It started with a slight pain last night and has progressed since to horrible pain. I can walk on my heel but I cannot let my toes touch the floor. There is substantial swelling and I have no clue what is going on. I didn’t hit my foot on anything and I haven’t stubbed my toe. It just occurred out of nowhere. the entire area around my left big toe is aching. I had my husband look and he could see the swelling and just a slight touch is torment. It feels very hot also, like fever. Just wondered if anyone here has ever had this sort of thing. I just wonder if it’s some sort of bursitis or arthritis. I did break that foot once, many years ago. Anyway, Good Morning!!! Vicki

Vicki, I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry you’re having such a horrible health problem. I woke up one morning just after my mom passed away, and could barely walk on one of my feet. I put off getting it checked out, and finally did.. It was a blood clot. What you have does sound like gout, from the description Jackie posted. I’ve heard it’s really painful. I hope that you are at the doctor’s while I am typing this, getting some help. Please let us know what he says, and keep us posted on how you are doing. Sally — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

::As if I don’t have enough problems, I cannot even put weight down on my left ::foot. Just below the big toe is swollen and it actually feels like ::something is broken. It started with a slight pain last night and has ::progressed since to horrible pain. I can walk on my heel but I cannot let ::my toes touch the floor. There is substantial swelling and I have no clue ::what is going on. I didn’t hit my foot on anything and I haven’t stubbed my ::toe. It just occurred out of nowhere. the entire area around my left big ::toe is aching. I had my husband look and he could see the swelling and just ::a slight touch is torment. It feels very hot also, like fever. :: ::Just wondered if anyone here has ever had this sort of thing. I just wonder ::if it’s some sort of bursitis or arthritis. I did break that foot once, ::many years ago. :: ::Anyway, Good Morning!!! Dear Vic, Get thyself to the doctor as soon as possible! My husband had the same exact thing many years ago and it turned out to be gout. I`m not saying you have gout, only your doctor can tell you that. My husband had to get a shot of cortisone to relieve the discomfort. My husband told me it was one of the worst pain he ever experienced in his life. ~*~Gout usually strikes a single joint suddenly and violently. The episode begins with redness, heat, swelling, and pain – the classic signs of inflammation. Less commonly, gout can develop more slowly, involving multiple joints, resembling rheumatoid arthritis. The big toe is commonly affected first with distinct pain, called podagra.~*~ http://arthritis.about.com/cs/gout/a/whatisgout.htm I feel so bad that you`re in pain. I hope you feel better soon! (((((Vic))))) Jackie ~*~When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it~*~ ~~ Bernard Bailey — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, Vicki, That sounds like something you need to have you doctor check out. I have never had the impression the either bursitis or arthritis would flare like you have described. Definitely keep it up and ice off and on. But I truly would have my GP check it out. Keep us posted on how you are doing. smiles, Elise

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As if I don’t have enough problems, I cannot even put weight down on my left foot. Just below the big toe is swollen and it actually feels like something is broken. It started with a slight pain last night and has progressed since to horrible pain. I can walk on my heel but I cannot let my toes touch the floor. There is substantial swelling and I have no clue what is going on. I didn’t hit my foot on anything and I haven’t stubbed my toe. It just occurred out of nowhere. the entire area around my left big toe is aching. I had my husband look and he could see the swelling and just a slight touch is torment. It feels very hot also, like fever. Just wondered if anyone here has ever had this sort of thing. I just wonder if it’s some sort of bursitis or arthritis. I did break that foot once, many years ago. Anyway, Good Morning!!! Vicki — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Sneakers

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

New Balance is one of the best for x-trainers. Go to a store with knowledgeable salespersons and let them know your foot support needs. Chances are good that NB has something for you. Now, if it were me, I’d figure out exactly what options I’d buy in the store, and then I’d check out ebay–can you say "half price"? I also suggest buying 2 pair now. That way you can switch out the shoes and allow them to "rest" which will help them to last longer. Shoes do better if they can go unworn for a 24 hour (or so) period. Good luck! Heidi

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – At a fitness center I visited I asked about sneakers. I was told to get cross-trainers. Any thoughts on the best brand? I know good foot support doesn’t last long (forget where I heard that), so I have no problem getting new pairs a couple times a year. Just want the best available. So… chime in, please!? Andy — "Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!" – Ed Sullivan (1964)

Response:

At a fitness center I visited I asked about sneakers. I was told to get cross-trainers. Any thoughts on the best brand? I know good foot support doesn’t last long (forget where I heard that), so I have no problem getting new pairs a couple times a year. Just want the best available. So… chime in, please!?

It’s a very individual thing depending on the shape of your foot, some brands fit better than others. I personally like New Balance because they have a large variety of styles & prices and are available in pretty much every size and width. My DH also likes his NB cross trainers. I like Nike but find they’re too narrow in the front on some styles, though their golf shoes fit me great. Reeboks never fit me properly at all. YMMV. Jenn

Response:

I shun atheletic shoes for Rockport walking shoes that look like sneakers. They are actually classified as walking shoes but lace high to the ankle and have a narrow sole that curves up at the toe.Rockport is now owned by Reebok which may account for the appearance of a more athletic walking shoe in their inventory. Andy

– Diva ***** The Best Man For The Job Is A Woman

Response:

Part of it depends on your feet. I can’t remember the general foot types, but there are different styles of shoes that work better with certain types. — Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

Response:

I’m an Asics woman, because I have a wide foot and a narrow heel. NB rides up and down in the back on me. YMMV. The best shoe for you is one that fits. And the only way to know what grand is right for you is to go to a good athletic shoe store and get fitted. Barbara Hirsch, Publisher OBESITY MEDS AND RESEARCH NEWS The latest in obesity research and weight loss drug development http://www.obesity-news.com/

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I agree with NB shoes. But I have to warn against getting shoes off EBay- I thought I got a good deal off there too, except they were knock-offs, and the ad mentioned these were Nike shoes. Nike was all over the listing- but what I got was no where near the quality of real Nikes. They sure did look like them! It was the one and only time I tried buying runners off EBay, though. And I have over 100 transactions LOL coop

Go to reputable store, preferably one with clerks who know something about the sport(s) you’re interested in. Try on the shoes and buy them from that store. In this way, you can develop a rapport with the store and they will come in handy if you have questions or need advice later on. I truly believe in supporting local businesses. Myself, I love Asics and Muzuno, but I have very narrow feet with high arches. Martha

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – New Balance is one of the best for x-trainers. Go to a store with knowledgeable salespersons and let them know your foot support needs. Chances are good that NB has something for you. Now, if it were me, I’d figure out exactly what options I’d buy in the store, and then I’d check out ebay–can you say "half price"? I also suggest buying 2 pair now. That way you can switch out the shoes and allow them to "rest" which will help them to last longer. Shoes do better if they can go unworn for a 24 hour (or so) period. Good luck! Heidi

I agree with NB shoes. But I have to warn against getting shoes off EBay- I thought I got a good deal off there too, except they were knock-offs, and the ad mentioned these were Nike shoes. Nike was all over the listing- but what I got was no where near the quality of real Nikes. They sure did look like them! It was the one and only time I tried buying runners off EBay, though. And I have over 100 transactions LOL coop

Response:

choked out these words: At a fitness center I visited I asked about sneakers. I was told to get cross-trainers. Any thoughts on the best brand? I know good foot support doesn’t last long (forget where I heard that), so I have no problem getting new pairs a couple times a year. Just want the best available. So… chime in, please!?

you might check out Saucony (http://www.saucony.com/). people swear by their arch supports. some of the best, from what i hear. i can’t afford them. david — "Mr. Lancaster" as you call him is soooo full of donkey doo that it isn’t funny. Seeking his advice is akin to saying "lie to me". -Walter, AMOE, 01/26/2005

Response:

The "best available" would depend on your needs and your particular biomechanics. Think about what you will be using the shoes for. I would imagine the suggestion for cross-trainers would be if you decide to participate in several various activites at the fitness center including aerobics classes, racquetball, and weight lifting. A cross trainer would be acceptable (most of the time) but not ideal for all these things. But if all you are going to do is walk on the treadmill or ride the stationary cycle you can buy shoes more specifially suited for those activities. Personally I have two sets of "gym" shoes; a specific running shoe for the treadmill and a cheap canvas shoe for weightlifting. Your best bet would be to find a locally-owned athletic shoe store with knowledgable sales staff. They can fit you in a shoe that is best suited for your needs and your biomechanics. If you find such a store, I hope you will patronize it regularly as I believe they fill a need in the community as no online retailer can, 30% off or not. — Matthew 185/179/160

Response:

Heel spur or plantar fasciitis – what's the solution for golf?

admin — Sat, 13 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

TMI+++++ I swear I KNEW that was coming!!! Dave Clary/Corpus Christi, Tx Home: http://home.stx.rr.com/dclary RSG Roll Call http://www.rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=claryd

Cortisone shots work like a charm. I had it done after two years of pain. I could barely walk the last two or three holes at times. Believe it or not but playing pain-free has taken three strokes off my game. Get the shots! Happy Holidays Mark

Response:

To attempt self cure–heel pad, arch support, massage the foot from the toes towards the heel, and take a NSAID. You can also get one of those night splints–one place is www.roadrunnersports.com. Best bet–go see a podiatrist. Thanks for the advice. I’ve been fighting PF for a few months and it seems to be getting worse. Of course, it doesn’t help that I have to stand at work all day on a hard

floor. Lose 20 lbs. p.s. you can start right now getting used to that advice from your doctor; you’ll hear it for just about every ailment as you slowly creep towards 40.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To attempt self cure–heel pad, arch support, massage the foot from the toes towards the heel, and take a NSAID. You can also get one of those night splints–one place is www.roadrunnersports.com. Best bet–go see a podiatrist. Thanks for the advice. I’ve been fighting PF for a few months and it seems to be getting worse. Of course, it doesn’t help that I have to stand at work all day on a hard floor. Good luck. It can get really painful if you don’t win the battle. But then you’re better off than I was when I had to sit at work all day after having a ‘roid snipped!

TMI+++++ :-)

Response:

TMI+++++

I swear I KNEW that was coming!!! Dave Clary/Corpus Christi, Tx Home: http://home.stx.rr.com/dclary RSG Roll Call http://www.rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=claryd

Response:

Good luck. It can get really painful if you don’t win the battle. But then you’re better off than I was when I had to sit at work all day after having a ‘roid snipped! Dave Clary/Corpus Christi, Tx Home: http://home.stx.rr.com/dclary RSG Roll Call http://www.rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=claryd

Response:

Thanks for the advice. I’ve been fighting PF for a few months and it seems to be getting worse. Of course, it doesn’t help that I have to stand at work all day on a hard floor.

Response:

Lately I’ve been suffering with a lot of pain in my left heel, elevating all the way to the toes. The pain increases through the 18 holes. I’ve self-diagnosed plantar fasciitis and am asking if anyone else suffers as well? Anyone had the shock wave therapy treatment? And how long was the layoff? Inserts don’t seem to add much comfort on the course. And I am no longer able to walk for exercise.

Here’s what worked for me (ymmv): 1. I tried a lot of different drug store shoe inserts. None helped much till I found the Spenco "Orthotic" insert. It had enough arch support to help me. 2. I took ibuprofen every day. 3. I got a pair of cheap sandals with a "molded" footbed. I wear them around the house all the time – *never* barefoot. I slip them on even just to go to the bathroom. 4. I bought a pair of shoes with good arch support to wear to work. Good luck, Jay — ||~~~~| || | ||~~~~ || || || Have fun playing golf.

Response:

I had spurs on both heels and the pain was unbearable. Then I broke 3 ribs in a fall and the spurs didn’t hurt anymore. Not a recomendation for getting rid of spurs. juls

Response:

I had a bout with PF myself. I put magnetic insole inserts into my golf shoes and it helped relieve the pain. I alsway walk and there was a time I didn’t think I would be able to. It would kill me on the more I walked. Therapy and stretching helped very little, but the magnetic insert seemed to do the trick Try it. I always have them in my golf shoes now. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My wife is a hairdresser who has suffered from that. She tried the shock wave therapy, but to no avail. Finally, she had surgery last year to remove the spurs; she is much happier now. Her recovery time was roughly six weeks. Just a point of clarification here. Heel spurs and plantar fasciitis are not synonymous. You can have PF with no sign of a heel spur. There is a surgical remedy for PF but it involves making an incision into the fascia. Last resort. Dave Clary/Corpus Christi, Tx Home: http://home.stx.rr.com/dclary RSG Roll Call http://www.rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=claryd Good point. I have PF, and it’s has nothing to do with spurs. I am scheduled for injections, as so far no stretching, orthodics, have reduced the pain. And it is quite painful from time to time. Roger A. Pattee Savannah, GA – - – - – - – - Integrity is like virginity, once it’s lost, it’s lost forever. – - – - – - – -

Response:

Info provided by this site- might help. http://www.soccersix.com/coastal/achilles_heel.htm v

heel pads and a bad back

admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Anybody ever tried using heel pads for back pain? If you have back pain and haven’t, it might be worth five dollars to try. I have been using them for about a week and my CHRONIC back pain has all but disappeared. It looked like nothing good was happening for a couple of days, then the pain started to center itself (as opposed to being mostly on one side), and has been fading away for a few days now. Hope it stays that way. Short putting is a target game. Shouldn’t you play it that way? www.targetputting.com

Response:

I used to have a lot of back problems, especially in the winter when I wasn’t playing golf (the swinging/stretching apparently does me good). I’d see a chiropractor a number of times during the winter to adjust my back, and try to straighten me out. Lots of neck issues, just general problems. Last summer I had other back problems; saw a physical therapist who put me through a variety of exercises and therapies which resolved them; but she also asked me about my feet. I have flat feet. Flat arches. She suggested that I get orthotics specially molded for my feet. I was a little leery; these things cost $120 per pair, and it sounded fishy that these would have much effect. But I agreed since the first pair was covered by insurance (turns out they made a mistake on coverage, to my benefit). She took plaster molds of my feet (while I was lying on my stomach), and sent them in to the company. I had a 7mm lift in my left shoe; the orthotics included that. About 10 days later, plastic orthotics arrived. Well, it took me about 2 months to get used to wearing them, but the real effect came in the winter: I saw a chiropractor a grand total of zero times. I felt great all winter long. The back/neck problems disappeared. I’ve since bought two more pair, one for my golf shoes. Previous to this, I had a hard time getting through 18 holes w/o my feet hurting by the end. I started using the orthotics on the golf course, and that problem disappeared. It took me about 2 weeks to adjust to the balance issues (the orthotics changed my balance just enough that I was half a bubble off on my shots–had to learn to adjust). But since then, I’ve been fine. Interesting how much influence the feet can have on everything else, at least for me. Mike Mike Dalecki GCA Accredited Clubmaker http://clubdoctor.com RSG-Wisconsin 2003 Information: http://dalecki.net/rsgwis2003 RSG Roll Call: http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=daleckim I do not patronize spammers. Help keep RSG clean!

Response:

I have flat feet. Flat arches. She suggested that I get orthotics specially molded for my feet. I was a little leery; these things cost $120 per pair, and it sounded fishy that these would have much effect.

You got off cheap! My new ones set me back $300 but they are worth every penny because I’m walking the course again after several months of riding due to foot pain. I’m also able to resume my exercise walking which is helping with the weight loss. Unlike my old orthotics, these do include some heel lift as well as the arch support. Seems to be doing the trick! Dave Clary/Corpus Christi, Tx Home: http://home.stx.rr.com/dclary RSG Roll Call http://www.rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=claryd

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anybody ever tried using heel pads for back pain? If you have back pain and haven’t, it might be worth five dollars to try. I have been using them for about a week and my CHRONIC back pain has all but disappeared. It looked like nothing good was happening for a couple of days, then the pain started to center itself (as opposed to being mostly on one side), and has been fading away for a few days now. Hope it stays that way. Short putting is a target game. Shouldn’t you play it that way? www.targetputting.com

Response:

New Balance 901

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Running by my son the five year old. Both wearing Nikes.

Oh? A pervert and a dumbass?

Response:

If you buy a pair of shoes from today from Saucony and can’t find the same pair in six months or a year what would you call that? That said the same thing could well happen if you bought a target media pair of Nikes, which is part of the reason I bought a pair of Nike Air Pegasuses, they have been in production perhaps longer than any other running shoe model. Why in production for so long? because they work, last and are proven winners. However if you have high arches they may not fit well for you. They fit well on me, again why would this bother any of you? I just don’t understand this. I can’t wear the shoes I choose any of you do not approve? Grow up!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have not said any shoemaker makes poor quality shoes. …. so what did you mean by "fly-by-night operator like saucony?"

Response:

If you buy a pair of shoes from today from Saucony and can’t find the same pair in six months or a year what would you call that?

I’d call that bad searching. That said the same thing could well happen if you bought a target media pair of Nikes, which is part of the reason I bought a pair of Nike Air Pegasuses, they have been in production perhaps longer than any other running shoe model. Why in

There are several shoes that have been in production for years. production for so long? because they work, last and are proven winners. However if you have high arches they may not fit well for you.

The pegasus is a cushioning shoe. Its primary target market is people with high arches. If you have flat feet, chances are you’re a pronator and should go with motion control or stability. Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

Thats why you should choose Nike, they are dependable and not a fly by night shoemaker like saucony. All shoe makers probably make a model that will take care of you. To say Saucony, Nike, or any shoe company completely sucks is silly if not dumb.

He obviously is the latter.

Response:

No asshole that’s NOT what you said. Want me to dig up your post? The trouble with Nike is that they make so many models of shoes that you need to take care to buy the right one for you. No store in the worls sells all the models of nike shoes, their variety is just too great, far more than aasics and saucony combined.

Once again stupidass, here we talk about RUNNING SHOES, not basketball shoes, or soccer shoes, or any other kind.

Response:

Thats why you should choose Nike, they are dependable and not a fly by night shoemaker like saucony.

What kind of acid are you on? You are so pathetically misinformed it is hilarious to us more experienced runners. Why not go "get busy" with your nike socks, just be sure to wash them aferwards.

Response:

I have not said any shoemaker makes poor quality shoes. I said that all the aasics that I tried on hurt my feet. Since all feet are not equal the same shoes that hurt me might be right for another. All said I still believe that nikes are best for me. The trouble with Nike is that they make so many models of shoes that you need to take care to buy the right one for you. No

Which requires the buyer to be more informed than you, apparently. store in the worls sells all the models of nike shoes, their variety is just too great, far more than aasics and saucony combined.

If you only count their *running* shoes, Nike don’t have that much more variety than anyone else. Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

I put on 8 different pairs of aasics in the store and couldn’t even walk no less run. They were the most uncomfortable shoes I EVER had on my feet. My feet wear Nike. You may wear what you choose. I respect your choice. Why does my choice in shoewear offend you to the point of being vulgar? If you are so very qualified and am convinced that I am not, why should my feet or whats on them bother you?

No idiot, it offends me when you claim one of the shittiest brands of shoe on the market today is "for winners" (true in a sarcastic sorta way) and claim it’s the best shoe out there. Such comments only show you for the uninformed, inexperienced runner you are. KMA

Response:

I have not said any shoemaker makes poor quality shoes.

…. so what did you mean by "fly-by-night operator like saucony?"

Response:

Thats why you should choose Nike, they are dependable and not a fly by night shoemaker like saucony.

Surely, you’re joking ? Saucony were founded in 1898. I wouldn’t regard Nike as one of the more "dependable" shoe manufacturers. Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

Thats why you should choose Nike, they are dependable and not a fly by night shoemaker like saucony.

All shoe makers probably make a model that will take care of you. To say Saucony, Nike, or any shoe company completely sucks is silly if not dumb. — Doug Freese "Caveat Lector"

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thats why you should choose Nike, they are dependable and not a fly by night shoemaker like saucony. All shoe makers probably make a model that will take care of you. To say Saucony, Nike, or any shoe company completely sucks is silly if not dumb. — Doug Freese "Caveat Lector"

Response:

Running by my son the five year old. Both wearing Nikes.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Mr. Howarth’s qualifications are…. 27:30 5k 9th Nov 27:45 5k 16th Nov — Colm So asshole, what are your qualifications again?

Response:

Thats why you should choose Nike, they are dependable and not a fly by night shoemaker like saucony.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Which Mizuno model do you wear? The only bad thing about Saucony is that when I find a model I like, they go and change the last … That being said, the Trigon is a good shoe for people who have a wide forefoot like I do. Jonathan I have heard from some people that this shoe is better for walking and standing for a long time , your opinion? And what do you think of Saucony Since you haven’t got any followups yet: all the major brands have a broad lineup of different types of shoes. It’s more important to choose the right type of shoe than it is to choose a particular brand. For example, I wear Asics, Saucony, and Mizuno. Different brands, but they’re all cushioning shoes. Other posters here do the same — wear a few different brands, but always the same type of shoes. You need to find out what the right sort of shoe is (cushioning/stability/motion control) and then look for something that fits well. As far as Saucony goes: I have the Trigons. These shoes seem to have a wider toebox and narrower heel than most of my other shoes. Several of the Saucony shoes have a snug midfoot (Grid Web, and Grid Hurricane for example, as well as the Grid Trigon) and some of the others are more box-like, well suited to someone with a wider foot and a high instep (Omni 3, Stabil). Might be worth trying on a few pairs — a number of the Saucony models have a unique fit: some these shoes can be very nice for someone with the right foot. I know someone who simply can’t fit anything besides the Grid Omni 3 for example. Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Any runner who could wear the Aasics that I tried on in the store would need to have what amounts to a hole in their foot to fit into the bump on the inside of this those shoes. Thank you for proving to everyone here what a total fucking asswipe you are. Luckily the more knowledgeable amongst us (me) know that different people have different feet, and Asics is but one choice out there. I guess that is someone who has high arches. If that is your foot, then you need those shoes. If I ran in any of those Aasics I would be in pain, in one run. Nike makes the best shoes, You really are an inexperienced, ignorant little fuk. If you ran more than to the nearest beer cooler you might have a clue. Nikes are overpriced, cheaply made, poorly designed, and of the lowest quality materials available. I’ve been running for over thirty years, the last 24 doing about 6 mles minimum, to 9 per day, with ZERO injuries except for a two week long spat of madness where I was sucked into nikes only to be injured within two weeks. So asshole, what are your qualifications again? you just need to look. Check the players on your favorite baseball, football, basketball team, you know the men who really make a living at sports and depend on the best shoe. Tiger Woods does fine in his Nikes. Again it’s all personal preference, if you have a foot problem you will need a shoe for those who have foot problems. Nikes are for those who win. Christ what a jerkoff you are. See dumbass this is a RUNNING newsgroup where we were discussing RUNNING SHOES, not golf shoes, or basketball shoes, or any other kind. If you had half a brain you’d know they get these shoes free or at very little cost to endorse nike. That’s why you are paying $140 for a $70 shoe. Thankfully nike has ignorant dickheads like you to keep them in business. Do a Google search on nikes in this NG, and you’ll see the numbers are 3 to 1 in favor of nikes being garbage, this is from experienced, non-paid runners. Now go whack-off into your nike socks.

Response:

Mr. Howarth’s qualifications are…. 27:30 5k 9th Nov 27:45 5k 16th Nov — Colm

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So asshole, what are your qualifications again?

Response:

Which Mizuno model do you wear?

Wave Rider. I think the lasts on the Mizuno line are pretty consistent though. If you’re looking for a regular running shoe, the Wave Creation may be better (slightly heavier and better cushioned). I use the Rider as a speed shoe. The toe box and heel fit are quite nice. But doesn’t have the same pinched midfoot as a lot of the Saucony models (like the Trigon) do. Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

Which Mizuno model do you wear? The only bad thing about Saucony is that when I find a model I like, they go and change the last … That being said, the Trigon is a good shoe for people who have a wide forefoot like I do. Jonathan

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have heard from some people that this shoe is better for walking and standing for a long time , your opinion? And what do you think of Saucony Since you haven’t got any followups yet: all the major brands have a broad lineup of different types of shoes. It’s more important to choose the right type of shoe than it is to choose a particular brand. For example, I wear Asics, Saucony, and Mizuno. Different brands, but they’re all cushioning shoes. Other posters here do the same — wear a few different brands, but always the same type of shoes. You need to find out what the right sort of shoe is (cushioning/stability/motion control) and then look for something that fits well. As far as Saucony goes: I have the Trigons. These shoes seem to have a wider toebox and narrower heel than most of my other shoes. Several of the Saucony shoes have a snug midfoot (Grid Web, and Grid Hurricane for example, as well as the Grid Trigon) and some of the others are more box-like, well suited to someone with a wider foot and a high instep (Omni 3, Stabil). Might be worth trying on a few pairs — a number of the Saucony models have a unique fit: some these shoes can be very nice for someone with the right foot. I know someone who simply can’t fit anything besides the Grid Omni 3 for example. Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

I have heard from some people that this shoe is better for walking and standing for a long time , your opinion? And what do you think of Saucony

Since you haven’t got any followups yet: all the major brands have a broad lineup of different types of shoes. It’s more important to choose the right type of shoe than it is to choose a particular brand. For example, I wear Asics, Saucony, and Mizuno. Different brands, but they’re all cushioning shoes. Other posters here do the same — wear a few different brands, but always the same type of shoes. You need to find out what the right sort of shoe is (cushioning/stability/motion control) and then look for something that fits well. As far as Saucony goes: I have the Trigons. These shoes seem to have a wider toebox and narrower heel than most of my other shoes. Several of the Saucony shoes have a snug midfoot (Grid Web, and Grid Hurricane for example, as well as the Grid Trigon) and some of the others are more box-like, well suited to someone with a wider foot and a high instep (Omni 3, Stabil). Might be worth trying on a few pairs — a number of the Saucony models have a unique fit: some these shoes can be very nice for someone with the right foot. I know someone who simply can’t fit anything besides the Grid Omni 3 for example. Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Response:

Any runner who could wear the Aasics that I tried on in the store would need to have what amounts to a hole in their foot to fit into the bump on the inside of this those shoes.

Thank you for proving to everyone here what a total fucking asswipe you are. Luckily the more knowledgeable amongst us (me) know that different people have different feet, and Asics is but one choice out there. I guess that is someone who has high arches. If that is your foot, then you need those shoes. If I ran in any of those Aasics I would be in pain, in one run. Nike makes the best shoes,

You really are an inexperienced, ignorant little fuk. If you ran more than to the nearest beer cooler you might have a clue. Nikes are overpriced, cheaply made, poorly designed, and of the lowest quality materials available. I’ve been running for over thirty years, the last 24 doing about 6 mles minimum, to 9 per day, with ZERO injuries except for a two week long spat of madness where I was sucked into nikes only to be injured within two weeks. So asshole, what are your qualifications again? you just need to look. Check the players on your favorite baseball, football, basketball team, you know the men who really make a living at sports and depend on the best shoe. Tiger Woods does fine in his Nikes. Again it’s all personal preference, if you have a foot problem you will need a shoe for those who have foot problems. Nikes are for those who win.

Christ what a jerkoff you are. See dumbass this is a RUNNING newsgroup where we were discussing RUNNING SHOES, not golf shoes, or basketball shoes, or any other kind. If you had half a brain you’d know they get these shoes free or at very little cost to endorse nike. That’s why you are paying $140 for a $70 shoe. Thankfully nike has ignorant dickheads like you to keep them in business. Do a Google search on nikes in this NG, and you’ll see the numbers are 3 to 1 in favor of nikes being garbage, this is from experienced, non-paid runners. Now go whack-off into your nike socks.

Response:

Not sure about the 901 but NB shoes are in general fine until they wear out which seems to come too soon. (in my opinion). Never wore Saucony, I was just in a running store which sold predominantly Aasics and Saucony, all of the Aasics hurt my feet just to stand. I guess they are made for people with different arches than mine. The Sauconys just did not impress me. This store did not sell any Nikes so I went to Sports Authority and bought another Nike. The Air Pegasus, they seemed to be softer on landing than my TR9000 Nikes. It’s all personal preference though, I also tried on a pair of Nike racing shoes that were so light that the lace holders rubbed right through onto a bone, so they were unpleasant. Try lots of pairs and buy the shoes, do not let the salesperson sell them to you.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have heard from some people that this shoe is better for walking and standing for a long time , your opinion? And what do you think of Saucony

Response:

Idiot. Write us in a month when your injurys appear.

Response:

Any runner who could wear the Aasics that I tried on in the store would need to have what amounts to a hole in their foot to fit into the bump on the inside of this those shoes. I guess that is someone who has high arches. If that is your foot, then you need those shoes. If I ran in any of those Aasics I would be in pain, in one run. Nike makes the best shoes, you just need to look. Check the players on your favorite baseball, football, basketball team, you know the men who really make a living at sports and depend on the best shoe. Tiger Woods does fine in his Nikes. Again it’s all personal preference, if you have a foot problem you will need a shoe for those who have foot problems. Nikes are for those who win.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Not sure about the 901 but NB shoes are in general fine until they wear out which seems to come too soon. (in my opinion). Never wore Saucony, I was just in a running store which sold predominantly Aasics and Saucony, all of the Aasics hurt my feet just to stand. I guess they are made for people with different arches than mine. The Sauconys just did not impress me. This store did not sell any Nikes so I went to Sports Authority and bought another Nike. Idiot. Write us in a month when your injurys appear.

Response:

I have heard from some people that this shoe is better for walking and standing for a long time , your opinion? And what do you think of Saucony

Response:

I have heard from some people that this shoe is better for walking and standing for a long time , your opinion? And what do you think of Saucony

It sux.

Response:

Rules Question — Pressing down on the putting green?

admin — Fri, 14 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Interesting…. under the new rules could someone use a leafblower, vacuum or broom to clear debris?

Under the current and the future (2004) rules a player could use a leafblower. The current rules allow a player to clear debris ( sand and soil, and loose impediments) from his line of putt by ‘picking them up or brushing them aside with his hand or club [*only!*] without pressing anything down’. The new rules (Jan 1, 2004) allow a player to use anything he likes to remove the debris.

– http://rec-sport-golf.com/?rc=hayesd

Response:

If you read a bit further in the rule, there are exceptions that allow you to press down on the line – one of these would be when repairing an old plug or ball mark – I know that most players I play with would push down on an old ball mark if it is not smooth and I believe this is allowed. Perhaps your friend is just doing this? At many of the courses in our area, the greens are far from perfect and it is not always clear what has caused the damage – we usually allow defects that would clearly deflect a putt to be repaired in our $2.00 Nassaus. After all, it is just for fun, so we don’t push the rules to the extreme. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "Markus Dazkal" wrote The USGA Rule reads as follows: "The line of putt must not be touched except: the player may move sand and loose soil on the putting green and other loose impediments by picking them up or by brushing them aside with his hand or a club without pressing anything down; in addressing the ball, the player may place the club in front of the ball without pressing anything down."

Response:

You are in violation, regardless of the extremity to which you violate the rules. Not allowed, period. Old ball marks can be "confused" with spike marks, or other irregularities on the green, so none of that is allowed. Play the course as you find it. Rick

Response:

I do recall playing a round of golf where the greens had indentations on them that could be nothing other than "paw prints." Paws connected to what, none of us were sure. But whatever they were, their nails (spikes) needed clipping. Randy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What I wanna know is where anyone can play these days where you’d even find spike marks anymore. So they even sell those old spikes anymore? About a month ago I noticed the greens were spiked up on the course I was playing. I eventually caught up to the culprit, an old guy who played maybe once a year with golf shoes that were probably 20 years old. There are still a few of them out there. — http://home.att.net/~wamontgomery )

Response:

Interesting…. under the new rules could someone use a leafblower, vacuum or broom to clear debris? Under the current and the future (2004) rules a player could use a leafblower. — http://rec-sport-golf.com/?rc=hayesd

Cool! I’m asking for a gas powered leaf blower for Christmas! — JVDP Email: jpflumjr at cincii dot rr dot com

Response:

Interesting sideline – if your opponent walks in your line, you are allowed to correct his spike marks. You are allowed to have the course in the condition it was in when your ball arrived at the green. Any marks that came after are not "the course as you find it".

Response:

After he does this, you say… "Hey buddy. I was talking with some people about patting the greens with a putter the other day. It turns out you can’t do that, except to tidy up a repaired pitch mark. I’ll let you have that one, but I guess you’ll have to get out of that habit. That’s not a good solution. You have no right to let him ‘have that one’. Offering to overlook a breach constitutes agreement to waive a rule which is disqualification (1-3). If you’re going to play by the rules, you have to play by them all.

Then make sure to say "Of course I have to disqualify myself for allowing it – good thing this game doesn’t count". 1-3 is the one rule that I agree to waive. 8^)

Response:

You can fix old ball marks. You can’t fix spike marks. What I wanna know is where anyone can play these days where you’d even find spike marks anymore. So they even sell those old spikes anymore? Here’s how stupid I was when I first started playing golf. Didn’t own golf shoes, so I went to the course wearing football cleats. Not the big long metal spikes, but big, long rubbery "nubs." They stopped me in the clubhouse and said, "you can’t go out there in those shoes." I had no clue at the time. Funny thing about "soft-spike marks" is that they’re a lot more like old pitch marks than they are like spike marks in the sense we think of spike marks. Especially on soft, mushy greens. They leave more of an indentation, very similar in size and texture to a not-quite-fully-repaired pitch mark. Randy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If you read a bit further in the rule, there are exceptions that allow you to press down on the line – one of these would be when repairing an old plug or ball mark – I know that most players I play with would push down on an old ball mark if it is not smooth and I believe this is allowed. Perhaps your friend is just doing this? At many of the courses in our area, the greens are far from perfect and it is not always clear what has caused the damage – we usually allow defects that would clearly deflect a putt to be repaired in our $2.00 Nassaus. After all, it is just for fun, so we don’t push the rules to the extreme. You are in violation, regardless of the extremity to which you violate the rules. Not allowed, period. Old ball marks can be "confused" with spike marks, or other irregularities on the green, so none of that is allowed. Play the course as you find it. Rick

Response:

Damn, now I have to get a bigger bag to carry both the leaf blower AND the chain saw!!

Vacuum cleaner. Makes you more of a sport. –Blair "But not golf."

Response:

What I wanna know is where anyone can play these days where you’d even find spike marks anymore. So they even sell those old spikes anymore?

About a month ago I noticed the greens were spiked up on the course I was playing. I eventually caught up to the culprit, an old guy who played maybe once a year with golf shoes that were probably 20 years old. There are still a few of them out there. — http://home.att.net/~wamontgomery )

Response:

Interesting…. under the new rules could someone use a leafblower, vacuum or broom to clear debris? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The current rules allow a player to clear debris ( sand and soil, and loose impediments) from his line of putt by ‘picking them up or brushing them aside with his hand or club [*only!*] without pressing anything down’. The new rules (Jan 1, 2004) allow a player to use anything he likes to remove the debris.

Response:

Interesting…. under the new rules could someone use a leafblower, vacuum or broom to clear debris?

The current rules says 16-1. General a. Touching Line of Putt. The line of putt must not be touched except: (i) the player may move sand and loose soil on the putting green and other loose impediments by picking them up or by brushing them aside with his hand or a club without pressing anything down. ….." The new rule simply says: "……. (i) the player may move loose impediments, provided he does not press anything down; …." ..and in listing principal changes to the Rules the new book says : "…..Rule 16-1a. Touching Line of Putt. Amended to provide that the player may remove loose impediments on the putting green by any means, provided he does not press anything down. ….." Pros are already organising their caddies to carry small sweeping brushes and dust trays!! cheers david

Response:

Solution: After he does this, you say… "Hey buddy. I was talking with some people about patting the greens with a putter the other day. It turns out you can’t do that, except to tidy up a repaired pitch mark. I’ll let you have that one, but I guess you’ll have to get out of that habit.

That’s not a good solution. You have no right to let him ‘have that one’. Offering to overlook a breach constitutes agreement to waive a rule which is disqualification (1-3). If you’re going to play by the rules, you have to play by them all.

Response:

Pros are already organising their caddies to carry small sweeping brushes and dust trays!! cheers david

Damn, now I have to get a bigger bag to carry both the leaf blower AND the chain saw!! Dave Clary/Corpus Christi, Tx Home: http://home.stx.rr.com/dclary RSG Roll Call http://www.rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=claryd

Response:

If I were in your position and this guy was a friend of mine, I’d pull him aside BEFORE our next round and say, "Lookit, if we’re going to play by the rules, I think you need to know something… you can’t tamp down the green along the line of your putts (then show him the rule in the rule book). I see you do this all the time, and I just want you to know it’s a violation." You can frame this any way you want to. I like framing it as a way to be helpful. "Hey, if you ever did this in a tournament, you could be disqualified for having signed incorrect scorecards, and I wouldn’t want to see that happen to you." Or, "If you’re wanting to waive that rule, then let’s look at some other rules that I’d like to have waived during our matches together." Or, as others have pointed out here, "You may wish to waive that rule, but if you’re asking me to let it go, then you should know that my looking the other way and not seeing to it that all rules are enforced places ME in jeopardy of disqualification by the rules.’ Lots of ways to say it, but the bottom line is, if you’re going to play by the rules, play by the rules. This isn’t a "technical violation." Smoothing out the line of a putt (which can be for one reason only, it’s to gain an advantage) is one of most serious rules breaches there is. If your "friend" doesn’t want to play by the rules, I’d either stop betting with him, or go find another golfing buddy to play golf with. Randy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The USGA Rule reads as follows: "The line of putt must not be touched except: the player may move sand and loose soil on the putting green and other loose impediments by picking them up or by brushing them aside with his hand or a club without pressing anything down; in addressing the ball, the player may place the club in front of the ball without pressing anything down." I play matches with a friend who as a matter of course uses his putter to press down on the line of his putt, especially in front of his ball and around the hole, before he putts. Two questions: 1. Is he in fact violating the rules? Sounds like you’re not allowed to press down on the green. 2. Is this the kind of highly technical violation that one should not raise as an issue in friendly match play (5 dollar nassau)? Obviously this is a matter of opinion rather than fact, I was just wondering what folks think. Thanks — Markus

Response:

2. Is this the kind of highly technical violation that one should not raise as an issue in friendly match play (5 dollar nassau)? Obviously this is a matter of opinion rather than fact, I was just wondering what folks think.

It’s probably a good idea to mention that "technically that isn’t legal" when you see a rules violation that you suspect your companion is unfamiliar with. Do it in a way to indicate that it doesn’t bother you, but that you like to be reminded of such so that you don’t forget come tournament time. If you suspect he might not take it as well as possible, a set up by "technically it’s illegal to ask you, or you to answer me, but how far do you think that lake is from here"?

Response:

I think its legal because Bobby did it.

Response:

He is certainly violating the rules. The *only* repair allowed on the green is to ball pitchmarks and to old hole plugs…any other damage to the putting green ’shall not be repaired if it might assist the player in his subsequent play of the hole’. The current rules allow a player to clear debris ( sand and soil, and loose impediments) from his line of putt by ‘picking them up or brushing them aside with his hand or club [*only!*] without pressing anything down’. The new rules (Jan 1, 2004) allow a player to use anything he likes to remove the debris. What your friend is doing is not just a technical breach, it is a factual breach….incurring ‘loss of hole’ in matchplay, or two strokes penalty in stroke play. If I were playing for money I would make sure, before we start, what cheers david

Response:

I play matches with a friend who as a matter of course uses his putter to press down on the line of his putt, especially in front of his ball and around the hole, before he putts.

Screw that. Call him on it the next time he does it. He’s already had his first chance, over and over. ___, o | / . "Someone likes every shot" bk

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the player may move sand and loose soil on the putting green and other loose impediments by picking them up or by brushing them aside with his hand or a club without pressing anything down; in addressing the ball, the player may place the club in front of the ball without pressing anything down."

I always wondered why they allow this. I can’t see where it serves any purpose for the player to put the putter down in front except to press down, which is illegal but damn hard to decide, so why not simplify the rule and say no touching the line of your putt period? I play matches with a friend who as a matter of course uses his putter to press down on the line of his putt, especially in front of his ball and around the hole, before he putts. Two questions: 1. Is he in fact violating the rules? Sounds like you’re not allowed to press down on the green.

Sounds clear cut — it’s a rules violation. 2. Is this the kind of highly technical violation that one should not raise as an issue in friendly match play (5 dollar nassau)? Obviously this is a matter of opinion rather than fact, I was just wondering what folks think.

What you do about it depends on how much you want to make of it. Before playing anyone for money I’d make clear whether you are going to play by the rules or not, and if not what’s allowed. If there’s no agreement to allow this, I’d give him a warning first — i.e. tell him that’s not allowed by the rules, but that since he probably didn’t know that you won’t ask him to take a penalty (if he’s particularly honest and knowledgeable he probably will take one anyway). If he makes a stink about it, find another golf partner. — http://home.att.net/~wamontgomery )

Response:

The USGA Rule reads as follows: "The line of putt must not be touched except: the player may move sand and loose soil on the putting green and other loose impediments by picking them up or by brushing them aside with his hand or a club without pressing anything down; in addressing the ball, the player may place the club in front of the ball without pressing anything down." I play matches with a friend who as a matter of course uses his putter to press down on the line of his putt, especially in front of his ball and around the hole, before he putts. Two questions: 1. Is he in fact violating the rules? Sounds like you’re not allowed to press down on the green. 2. Is this the kind of highly technical violation that one should not raise as an issue in friendly match play (5 dollar nassau)? Obviously this is a matter of opinion rather than fact, I was just wondering what folks think. Thanks — Markus

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The USGA Rule reads as follows: "The line of putt must not be touched except: the player may move sand and loose soil on the putting green and other loose impediments by picking them up or by brushing them aside with his hand or a club without pressing anything down; in addressing the ball, the player may place the club in front of the ball without pressing anything down." I play matches with a friend who as a matter of course uses his putter to press down on the line of his putt, especially in front of his ball and around the hole, before he putts. Two questions: 1. Is he in fact violating the rules? Sounds like you’re not allowed to press down on the green. 2. Is this the kind of highly technical violation that one should not raise as an issue in friendly match play (5 dollar nassau)? Obviously this is a matter of opinion rather than fact, I was just wondering what folks think. Thanks — Markus

I’m not a rules guru but I don’t consider this as a "kind of highly technical violation". I consider this a serious breach. Your friendly match partner is, besides violating the rules and spirit of the game to play the course as you find it, is taking an important variable out of play and placing you at a significant disadvantage. It’s your money but I wouldn’t bet a penny with this guy. He probably rolls the ball in the fairway too. You might suggest to him that you will play with your regular handicap adjustments plus he can give you 3 or 4 strokes a side. joe

Response:

I play matches with a friend who as a matter of course uses his putter to press down on the line of his putt, especially in front of his ball and around the hole, before he putts. Two questions: 1. Is he in fact violating the rules? Sounds like you’re not allowed to press down on the green. 2. Is this the kind of highly technical violation that one should not raise as an issue in friendly match play (5 dollar nassau)?

Two issues: 1) It’s a rules breach, pure and simple. You can tamp down repaired ball marks, but nothing else. You can clear away debris, but you can’t make a nice smooth little path into the hole with your putter. 2) A $5 nassau isn’t friendly. It’s war. When a cheater can win $15, plus multiple presses, it’s a problem, evidenced by your posting. A "friendly" outing involves no scorekeeping, no wagering, no challenges, just golf. Solution: After he does this, you say… "Hey buddy. I was talking with some people about patting the greens with a putter the other day. It turns out you can’t do that, except to tidy up a repaired pitch mark. I’ll let you have that one, but I guess you’ll have to get out of that habit. — Doug Main "It’s never too late to have a happy childhood."

Response:

nike shoes

admin — Mon, 13 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

i bought a pair of nike shoes this time last year. i play about 3 rounds a week.i wore them all spring, and summer. about july a small hole started at the toe of the shoe. now i could fit about 30 tees in this hole. ther shoe isnt water proof anymore and lots of sand and dirt gets in the toe. however they were very comfterable. did htis happen to anyone else. thanks, kyle

Response:

nike dont make a quality golf shoe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i bought a pair of nike shoes this time last year. i play about 3 rounds a week.i wore them all spring, and summer. about july a small hole started at the toe of the shoe. now i could fit about 30 tees in this hole. ther shoe isnt water proof anymore and lots of sand and dirt gets in the toe. however they were very comfterable. did htis happen to anyone else. thanks, kyle

Response:

I used to wear Nike Max Air sneaker style golf shoes. They were very comfortable… for me and they fit well… for me. But I blew out the air bladders in every pair I had in a couple years use. Honestly though I’ve been told that a running shoe is only good for so many miles (400-600 I think) before they break down and don’t provide the support and PROTECTION that they should. Manny runners will put that kind of milage ona shoe and it will still look pretty new… but you can’t tell by looks. It’s probalby the same with golf shoes and 2 year old shoes (that have walked many rounds) may be ready for retirement anyway. So the busted bladders were never a problem for me. Nike did replace one pair for me free… even though the shoes were at least 2 years old and I didn’t think it was necessary. I would probably still buy this shoe… but I think they have been discontinued.

Response:

nike dont make a quality golf shoe

I have to respectfully disagree. I bought a pair of the Air Max Summer (the black one, that looks like a running shoe) – lightweight, very breathable and very, very comfortable. Not as comfortable as my footjoy contours, but I bought the Air Max Summer because I have a pair of Nike Presto running shoes and these are very similar in look and material and construction. They’ve held up wonderfully well. -b

Response:

Next time get some cedar shoe trees and buy two pairs of shoes. Let one pair dry off on the trees while you wear the other. Alternate rounds in each pair. Then they will last a long time. Leather and leather-like materials fall apart if you wear them repeatedly without giving them a chance to dry out completely. And if they dry out without being supported by a shoe tree or similar they will get all wrinkly. Wrinkly leather will tear easily. Or if you like to have your toes hanging out in the breeze get some Bite sandals. I’ve read that they are terrific. Cheers, Loren

Response:

The advice to alternate shoes is good, though I’ve never found shoe trees to be necessary on golf shoes. I almost always play first thing in the AM, so lots of dew. After playing the shoes go outside on a brick ledge to dry the rest of the day. Also, get as much of the muck and grass off them as you can. Aside from looking bad the stuff if full of agrichemicals that are no good for the shoes. The other big piece of advice is don’t buy any golf shoes without a 2 year waterproofing warantee and a Goretex or equivalent water layer. In my experience this makes a HUGE difference in how long the shoes stay dry and last and is well worth the extra cost. I used to buy cheap shoes and use waterproofing waxes on them but it just never seems to work very well on golf shoes (besides being generally a pain). I have a pair of Nike shoes (Air something or others which look like normal golf shoes, not running shoes). About a year and a half on them now and they are still in good shape, though the goofy directional spikes on them never worked all that well and on the second replacement I switched to Black widows. The only oddity I’ve noticed is that in wet weather, the shoes make a "squish" noise walking on soggy fairways, It doesn’t seem to effect the way they feel or perform, just sounds like I’m walking on whoopie cushions — http://home.att.net/~wamontgomery )

Response:

nike dont make a quality golf shoe

I have a couple of pairs of Nike TW shoes which are decent shoes. I will have to say that (IMHO) they do not measure up to my better Footjoy models.

Response:

Tiger = POY

admin — Mon, 18 Aug 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

#1 target of little dick white guys.

#1 With racist black trash.

Response:

#1 in swearing #1 in moping when behind #1 in slamming clubs in the ground when behind

#1 for being on camera when such things happen. But do you have any idea who behaves such without the camera there

Response:

On [GMT+0100=CET], #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice My source list Davis Love III as number 1 in money. Danny But Tiger is #1 in money/event, which is all that really counts…. Tiger doesn’t pad his money with 2nd tier events like DL3 and Vijay

Mason Verger: LOL!! U had me actually laughing out loud! Mason Verger, the ugly lil freak from Hannibal…your e-mail address had me falling out of my chair….!

Response:

#1 in swearing #1 in moping when behind #1 in slamming clubs in the ground when behind …

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

#1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins - Tied with Davis Love III #1 in total money - #2 behind Davis Love III

Tied for #5 in majors won (with Davis Love III and most of the other contenders). yeah, it’s easy choice

Not quite as easy when you look more closely. Let’s wait until the season’s over to decide.

Response:

Not a chance. Those who vote for POY (whose ballots actually count) always give deference to those who’ve won majors. See 1996. Randy Voiceovers for commercials, industrial narrations, training videos, corporate "on-hold" messaging, radio and TV station imaging, etc. Audio and video production. www.brownmedia.net Preserve your life story for your children, grandchildren and future generations of your family with a Video Biography. See what it’s all about at www.YourVideoBio.com.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

The old invent a new number when my number turns out to be bullshit trick. Nice try.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – On [GMT+0100=CET], #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice My source list Davis Love III as number 1 in money. Danny But Tiger is #1 in money/event, which is all that really counts…. Tiger doesn’t pad his money with 2nd tier events like DL3 and Vijay

Response:

<< But Tiger is #1 in money/event, which is all that really counts…. Really? I never knew that. Best, Ken

Response:

Only way Tiger should get POY is with a win at this weeks tournament which will vault him to number one on the money list and most wins for the year. Out side of that Weir or Furyk would be POY

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

Hahahahaha!!!! That bald-headed Canadian bitch !!! He’s too boring to be player of the year.

since when has tiger become "mr excitment"

Response:

I agree…if he gets at least one more win (preferably the Tour Champ.), and Weir or Furyk does not, he has to get it.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Only way Tiger should get POY is with a win at this weeks tournament which will vault him to number one on the money list and most wins for the year. Out side of that Weir or Furyk would be POY #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

As tiresome and obnoxious as this SLUMP talk is, Weir would be my pick at this point, Major winners get the nod, all things being even. Weir has also, all in all played better in the other Majors then Tiger. Tiger is still the best player in the world, but Weir has had the better year to this point. Now, if Tiger or Love or Furyk get hot the remainder of the year and put up some wins while Weir doesn’t, then I reserve the right to change my opinion.

Response:

I agree…if he gets at least one more win (preferably the Tour Champ.), and Weir or Furyk does not, he has to get it.

What if Davis Love III wins more instead?

Response:

#1 target of little dick white guys. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in throwing his clubs #1 in getting annoyed at the gallery if they sneeze #1 in freezing on his down swing after aforementioned sneeze #1 in acting like he’s owed a major win! #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice Tied for last in number of majors won. You can’t be POY if you can’t win one of the big ones. Flame away. Kenny — Kenny Stultz – Troll and SPAM intolerant RSG Rollcall: http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=stultzk "Golf is the only sport where a precise knowledge of the Rules can earn one a reputation for poor sportsmanship"

Response:

Hahahahaha!!!! That bald-headed Canadian bitch !!! He’s too boring to be player of the year. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – No majors. I would vote for Mike Weir. Especially if he can win the World Series or the Tour Championship. Ken #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

#1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

My source list Davis Love III as number 1 in money. Danny

Response:

as does espn, pgatour and just about any other legitimate sports reporting service

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice My source list Davis Love III as number 1 in money. Danny

Response:

I doubt even Tiger would vote for himself right now…and he is prone to give himself the benefit of the doubt…

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

On [GMT+0100=CET], #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice My source list Davis Love III as number 1 in money. Danny

But Tiger is #1 in money/event, which is all that really counts…. Tiger doesn’t pad his money with 2nd tier events like DL3 and Vijay

Response:

#1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice Tied for last in number of majors won. You can’t be POY if you can’t win one of the big ones. Flame away.

No, I agree with you, totally. So far, Weirsy is the man for this award, IMHO. Furyk’s close behind in second. But if the choice was between TW, Curtis and Micheel, then I’d choose TW among those three.

Response:

No majors. I would vote for Mike Weir. Especially if he can win the World Series or the Tour Championship. Ken – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

#1 in throwing his clubs #1 in getting annoyed at the gallery if they sneeze #1 in freezing on his down swing after aforementioned sneeze #1 in acting like he’s owed a major win!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice Tied for last in number of majors won. You can’t be POY if you can’t win one of the big ones. Flame away. Kenny — Kenny Stultz – Troll and SPAM intolerant RSG Rollcall: http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=stultzk "Golf is the only sport where a precise knowledge of the Rules can earn one a reputation for poor sportsmanship"

Response:

#1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

I totally agree.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – #1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Response:

#1 in money/event #1 in scoring #1 in wins #1 in total money yeah, it’s easy choice

Tied for last in number of majors won. You can’t be POY if you can’t win one of the big ones. Flame away. Kenny — Kenny Stultz – Troll and SPAM intolerant RSG Rollcall: http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=stultzk "Golf is the only sport where a precise knowledge of the Rules can earn one a reputation for poor sportsmanship"

Response:

Just announced on ESPN. Discuss

Response:

Just announced on ESPN. Discuss

Woods and Watson on their respective Tours. Hard to argue either choice; however, in each case, there were runners-up that certainly could have just as easily taken the honor. Tiger Woods is a force on the Tour for a number of reasons that the other players just don’t seem to possess. Yes, I’m going back a year or two now, but can you honestly say that fellow professionals would express the same "awe" in respect to Furyk, Singh or Love III? I don’t think so. Although Vijay had a great year, there just doesn’t seem to be the same … I don’t know … that there is with Tiger. My personal opinon? His coach and his equipment let him down this year. I truly feel he needs to get both back in order. Larry

Response:

Just announced on ESPN. Discuss

Response:

Just announced on ESPN. Discuss

For the Tiger doubters, consider that Singh, Weir, Love and Furyk just had their best year of their careers. Woods had his worst since 1998…and it became a toss-up for POY. Bruce Bruce E. Newman * Fredericton, NB, Canada http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=newmanb info at brucenewman dot com * http://brucenewman.com

Response:

Money title is not as prestigious as Vardon, 4 wins not as good as five wins (or at least not in the South). Neither had a major (also Love had 4 wins but no major) If Weir or Furyk had won 3 additional tourneys, I believe they would have been POY. Paul

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just announced on ESPN. Discuss For the Tiger doubters, consider that Singh, Weir, Love and Furyk just had their best year of their careers. Woods had his worst since 1998…and it became a toss-up for POY. Bruce Bruce E. Newman * Fredericton, NB, Canada http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=newmanb info at brucenewman dot com * http://brucenewman.com

Response:

Just announced on ESPN. Discuss

Is this like a take home test? Don’t you have an opinion? At least it was close, USA Today reports that three un-named sources claimed it was the closest vote since 98. Still, I don’t think there’s any surprise here. My take is that Tiger won due to several factors. #1, He’s Tiger the media star, damn good golfer, role model and bankable corporate citizen. In other words he won as much for what he’s done off the course as on it. #2 Tiger played fewer tournaments than Singh and missed money title by slim margin. #3 Singh didn’t win a major either #4 Earnie Els was in the playoff versus Tiger, not VJ. But what the hell do I know, I don’t know anybody who voted. I imagine by now the PGA guys think they need a damn good reason not to vote for Tiger. VJ’s year, as good as it was, wasn’t good enough.

Response:

@news1.news.adelphia.net: Just announced on ESPN. Discuss

Nice to see that Vijay’s desperate grab for the money title was dismissed by his peers. The POY should be awarded based on excellence. It should not go to someone looking to pad his bank account. Tiger was teh best player by far in ‘03. Hats off to him.

Response:

I’m stunned. And I guess I owe someone a steak dinner. Methinks the other players just didn’t want to piss him off thereby prompting him to actually start tearing himself away from Elin long enough to start practicing again. Randy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just announced on ESPN. Discuss

Response:

That’s a great point, Bruce. If Tiger actually rededicates himself (not that a 5-win season is anything to sneeze at, mind you), he might come roaring back and not give anyone else a chance in ‘04. Truth be told, a 5-win season is usually plenty good enough to win POY. The only reason some of us doubted he’d win is because he didn’t live up to the high standards HE had set. Silly in hindsight, I guess. Randy

Response:

If Tiger actually rededicates himself (not that a 5-win season is anything to sneeze at, mind you), he might come roaring back and not give anyone else a chance in ‘04. Truth be told, a 5-win season is usually plenty good enough to win POY. The only reason some of us doubted he’d win is because he didn’t live up to the high standards HE had set. Silly in hindsight, I guess.

What makes you think ‘01-’02 is a level Tiger can "roar back" to? I think Tiger can obviously continue playing some fantastic golf, and will win plenty more events and majors. But our expectations may be getting somewhat ridiculous. It might have been as good as it gets. — Cheers Colin Wilson RSG Roll Call: http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=wilsonc Trentham Golf Club: http://www.trenthamgolf.com

Response:

Fortunately for the rest of us golf lovers, Tiger doesn’t share your mentality. That probably explains why he’s a legend and you’re a walking turd.

Response:

: That’s a great point, Bruce. : : If Tiger actually rededicates himself (not that a 5-win season is anything : to sneeze at, mind you), he might come roaring back and not give anyone else : a chance in ‘04. I think that Tiger is breaking down physically. The nagging little injuries, after playing so much golf since he was a little boy, seem to be coming more frequently now. What we’re going to see now is how great he can be mentally if I’m right. But we’ll not see anything like 2000 again. cb

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If Tiger actually rededicates himself (not that a 5-win season is anything to sneeze at, mind you), he might come roaring back and not give anyone else a chance in ‘04. Truth be told, a 5-win season is usually plenty good enough to win POY. The only reason some of us doubted he’d win is because he didn’t live up to the high standards HE had set. Silly in hindsight, I guess. What makes you think ‘01-’02 is a level Tiger can "roar back" to? I think Tiger can obviously continue playing some fantastic golf, and will win plenty more events and majors. But our expectations may be getting somewhat ridiculous. It might have been as good as it gets. Fortunately for the rest of us golf lovers, Tiger doesn’t share your mentality. That probably explains why he’s a legend and you’re a walking turd.

Actually Colin’s post was correct. Tiger has lifted the bar so high by his dramatic achievements that even he may have a difficult time living up to his past sucess. Colin points out that *our* expectations may be difficult for Tiger to create. 2003 is an example. His results were great, but not up to past standards he set. Funny how rational comments bring out the low life shit from the fringe.

Response:

Just announced on ESPN. Discuss

This is the first year that I have really become involved with the professional players and the pro tournaments….all because I went to the TPC here at Ponte Verde last spring. I honestly have not enjoyed Tiger all that much. He seems like a petulant little boy. While there were no real individual standouts, his comments aside, I think Vijay was probably one of the most enjoyable players to watch. Tom Watson on the Senior tour wins hands down but Craig Stadler was an enjoyment to see too. I guess if POY means Best POY then it would have to go to Tiger. Although if it is just POY I’d have to give it to Vijay, I don’t think anyone expected him to have the kind of year he had. Just my thoughts. Sheila

Response:

I didn’t say he would, could or will. I say "maybe he might." IF he rededicates himself. It’s a bit unfair of me to even imply that he wasn’t as dedicated in ‘03, as Mr. Woods had not been clearing his practice itinerary with me for most of the year. A five-win year is a career season for most players, but I think even Tiger would admit it was disappointing from the standpoint of his not contending at any of the majors after he sent that wayward tee shot on #3 on Sunday at The Masters into never-never land. (How quickly we forget that he was, in fact, very much in the hunt until that rather uncharacteristic course management mistake.) Tiger has said, as Jack had said years earlier, that the key to winning majors is just getting your game to peak at the right time. As every player who’s ever lived has found, that’s easier said than done. It appeared for a few years that Tiger had figured out how to turn the switch to "on." But of course in ‘03, we learned he is human, after all. Whether or not his drop-off in majors this year was symptomatic of any bigger problem (distracted by Elin? not seeing Butch as regularly? too many Buick commercials?), well, none of us is in a position to say with certainty. It’s all speculation, and 19th hole fodder. But as Bruce Newman said elsewhere, it’s interesting to note that Tiger’s peers viewed him as the best player overall in ‘03, DESPITE his failures in the majors and the fact that he had, for him, a disappointing year while others like Weir and Singh had their best years ever. That speaks volumes about Tiger’s talent. The players know. Very simply put, Tiger Woods remains the most explosive player on the PGA TOUR. That doesn’t mean he’ll win everytime he laces up his golf shoes. But it does mean that his peers believe he’s the man to beat whenever they all meet at the starting gate. As for whether Tiger can "roar back" to the level he was at in ‘01-’02, who knows? ’99 wouldn’t be a bad place for him to roar back to. One major, 8 wins overall. It’s funny how such a thing would seem far-fetched for any other player but him. But since he’s done that before, and then topped it more than once, he’s raised a level of expectation. Unreasonable, perhaps, but it’s there. Randy

Response:

We’d never seen anything like it before. Why would we think we’d see something like it again? Like Haley’s Comet. If you blinked, you missed it. The difference, I suppose, is that unlike Johnny Miller, who burned white hot for a short period, Tiger has already shown more staying power. Whether or not he burns out sooner than some remains to be seen. One can only assume that if Tiger really wanted to beef up his win total, he could pretty easily start showing up at all the Fruit of the Loom Boxer Shorts Open tournaments, instead of focusing solely on the majors, the elite field events and the second-tier TOUR events like Memorial, Bay Hill, etc. Just ask Vijay Singh about whether entering a few extra tournaments can bolster one’s standing on the money list and pick up a few wins. I just don’t see Tiger doing that. If he’s burning out, as you say, he’ll burn out playing 16-19 events a year. Hard to imagine him burning out at that pace. Randy

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If Tiger actually rededicates himself (not that a 5-win season is anything to sneeze at, mind you), he might come roaring back and not give anyone else a chance in ‘04. Truth be told, a 5-win season is usually plenty good enough to win POY. The only reason some of us doubted he’d win is because he didn’t live up to the high standards HE had set. Silly in hindsight, I guess. What makes you think ‘01-’02 is a level Tiger can "roar back" to? I think Tiger can obviously continue playing some fantastic golf, and will win plenty more events and majors. But our expectations may be getting somewhat ridiculous. It might have been as good as it gets. Fortunately for the rest of us golf lovers, Tiger doesn’t share your mentality. That probably explains why he’s a legend and you’re a walking turd. Actually Colin’s post was correct. Tiger has lifted the bar so high by his dramatic achievements that even he may have a difficult time living up to his past sucess. Colin points out that *our* expectations may be difficult for Tiger to create. 2003 is an example. His results were great, but not up to past standards he set. Funny how rational comments bring out the low life shit from the fringe.

Colin’s post was right, if you’re a moron. Tiger continues to dominate like no other golfer in history. So he didn’t win 3 majors. He will next year. Suck it nice and easy.

Response:

Just announced on ESPN. Discuss This is the first year that I have really become involved with the professional players and the pro tournaments….all because I went to the TPC here at Ponte Verde last spring. I honestly have not enjoyed Tiger all that much. He seems like a petulant little boy.

You would be too if you had a million nerds named Sheila bugging you all day long. It’s a wonder he doesn’t bitchslap more people. While there were no real individual standouts, his comments aside, I think Vijay was probably one of the most enjoyable players to watch. Tom Watson on the Senior tour wins hands down but Craig Stadler was an enjoyment to see too. I guess if POY means Best POY then it would have to go to Tiger. Although if it is just POY I’d have to give it to Vijay, I don’t think anyone expected him to have the kind of year he had. Just my thoughts.

Thanks for your thoughts. Thankfully the PGA players have more going on upstairs.

Response:

: If he’s burning out, as you say, he’ll burn out playing 16-19 events a year. : Hard to imagine him burning out at that pace. I don’t think he’s burning out, though. I think he’s breaking down. And there is an ever-emerging generation of long-bombing upstarts who will be able to challenge his length and shotmaking. I could be wrong. I just have this intuition that the glory years are pretty much over already. cb

Response:

Whether or not his drop-off in majors this year was symptomatic of any bigger problem (distracted by Elin? not seeing Butch as regularly? too many Buick commercials?), well, none of us is in a position to say with certainty. It’s all speculation, and 19th hole fodder.

That’s true of course. In favour of Tiger repeating 01-02 at some stage is: 1. He’s Tiger Woods. 2. Despite what everyone says, a marriage/permanent relationship might be a positive, not a distraction. It certainly has been for players I am familiar with, like Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby. 3. Most players are at their best in their thirties. 4. His explosiveness could easily be replaced by greater experience and other more highly developed skills. Against Tiger getting back to those heady levels is: 1. He’s lost some of his huge advantage in power and length. Other players have caught up, the competition is stronger. 2. He’s getting a few niggly injuries that weren’t present before. 3. As a contra to 3. above, he’s getting older and therefore less explosive. 4. Every player seems to have a "window" in which they play their best-possible golf. For some it’s only a couple of years. For some it’s a decade. Few do it for a whole career. Even Jack had a 6-year period where he won 30 of his 70 or so USPGA tournaments; Sam Snead had two such periods, lasting about six years each, in which he won 57 of his 82. Tom Watson’s and Arnold Palmer’s windows actually only lasted about 7 years each in total. Tiger’s has been going on for seven years now (but he could be the exception). 5. Maybe the "will" to achieve at that level again just won’t be obtainable. I guess we’ll know next year. — Cheers Colin Wilson RSG Roll Call: http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=wilsonc Trentham Golf Club: http://www.trenthamgolf.com

Response:

Halley’s comet took much longer than a blink of an eye to cross the sky. We’d never seen anything like it before. Why would we think we’d see something like it again? Like Haley’s Comet. If you blinked, you missed it.

Response:

Just announced on ESPN. Discuss Is this like a take home test? Don’t you have an opinion?

Even though I don’t post here on a regular basis, my feeling all along was that Tiger would win/deserved it. That’s all I got, nothing earth shattering to me about him winning it again. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – At least it was close, USA Today reports that three un-named sources claimed it was the closest vote since 98. Still, I don’t think there’s any surprise here. My take is that Tiger won due to several factors. #1, He’s Tiger the media star, damn good golfer, role model and bankable corporate citizen. In other words he won as much for what he’s done off the course as on it. #2 Tiger played fewer tournaments than Singh and missed money title by slim margin. #3 Singh didn’t win a major either #4 Earnie Els was in the playoff versus Tiger, not VJ. But what the hell do I know, I don’t know anybody who voted. I imagine by now the PGA guys think they need a damn good reason not to vote for Tiger. VJ’s year, as good as it was, wasn’t good enough.

Response:

The average age of TOUR winners is in the 30’s. PGA TOUR pros seem to mature in their 30’s and play their best golf. Tiger has yet to even reach his glory years. His experience will be a huge asset as he gets older. Some people hope that Tiger will fizzle out. Not me. I just continue to enjoy watching him play out of this world. tim

Response:

: :

: : : : If he’s burning out, as you say, he’ll burn out playing 16-19 events a year. : : Hard to imagine him burning out at that pace. : : I don’t think he’s burning out, though. I think he’s breaking down. : And there is an ever-emerging generation of long-bombing upstarts who : will be able to challenge his length and shotmaking. : : I could be wrong. I just have this intuition that the glory years : are pretty much over already. : : The average age of TOUR winners is in the 30’s. PGA TOUR pros seem to mature in : their 30’s and play their best golf. Most PGA Tour pros haven’t been playing golf constantly since the age of 3. : Tiger has yet to even reach his glory : years. His experience will be a huge asset as he gets older. I agree with you there. He will still win because of his great mind for the game, even as his physical skills diminish. (Just like Nicklaus.) But I think the days of seeing him win *and* make jaw-dropping shots are passing. Not gone yet, but passing. : Some people hope that Tiger will fizzle out. Not me. I just : continue to enjoy watching him play out of this world. I think he’s a good guy with the best all-around game yet seen. I just also think that he’s played the same amount of golf as most 40 y/o pros. That should give one pause. cb

Response:

I don’t think he’s burning out, though. I think he’s breaking down. And there is an ever-emerging generation of long-bombing upstarts who will be able to challenge his length and shotmaking.

I know this might be heresy, but I think if anything he’s become a bit unsure of where he is with his swing. This year saw lots of times where he either pulled left or blocked right, and he seems a bit out of place sometimes with his hand/arm position vis-a-vis his body position. He needs to sort it out again. — Cheers Colin Wilson RSG Roll Call: http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=wilsonc Trentham Golf Club: http://www.trenthamgolf.com

Response:

Nike Golf Lesson 1 – LONG

admin — Sat, 16 Aug 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

You said you have been told three different things, but you have only mentioned two. What is the third type and which of the grips were suggested by this pro.

Another gave me a sort of "baseball style" grip, without interlocking. It works for some people, I guess, but I have some real difficulty with this grip. Doesn’t feel right. Also, are you sure that "… I’ve been told that right-y should point at right shoulder and left-y should point at left shoulder"? Usually, pros mention that as a check to make sure you are *not* doing that.

This was odd to me, too, but THIS particular pro told me that they should be pointing at different shoulders, unless I misunderstood what he was telling me, which is possible. As I said, I’ll double-check this and find out more. Finally, he had us reverse a club, holding it down by the hosel, and swinging it with just to left arm, using the body to create power. That is interesting. I have seen lots of instructors tell students to do this, but with both arms. That is not to say this is in any way wrong, just an interesting variation.

I think the idea, because the class was so new, was to get more focus going on the fact that the left arm was more important at this stage of the lessons, and to really accentuate rolling the arm through the downswing. I’ve seen it with both arms, too, so it was a novel approach for me. With a light grip and relaxed arms, a good swing for me also feels like the club is lagging and not being swung hard.

Ah! Good to hear I’m not the only one. -b

Response:

From there we got into basic grip. This was annoying to me, because three different pros have now told me three different ways to grip the club. I’ve been told that both "y’s" formed by thumb and forefinger should point to my right shoulder, and I’ve been told that right-y should point at right shoulder and left-y should point at left shoulder.

You said you have been told three different things, but you have only mentioned two. What is the third type and which of the grips were suggested by this pro. Also, are you sure that "… I’ve been told that right-y should point at right shoulder and left-y should point at left shoulder"? Usually, pros mention that as a check to make sure you are *not* doing that. Finally, he had us reverse a club, holding it down by the hosel, and swinging it with just to left arm, using the body to create power.

That is interesting. I have seen lots of instructors tell students to do this, but with both arms. That is not to say this is in any way wrong, just an interesting variation. I go back to the drill for a moment, and decide that I’m trying to "power" the club through the swing instead of…dragging…(might not be the right word, but that’s sort of how it feels) the club through the swing with my left arm – it then hits me that the proper rolling motion, to me, feels like a dragging sensation.

With a light grip and relaxed arms, a good swing for me also feels like the club is lagging and not being swung hard.

Response:

Trust your pro, and give him a chance to do what he’s got planned, as you’ve paid for just that. You wouldn’t start cooking, and take a few lines from lots of different recipes and toss them together — you’ll end up with a mess. Stick with the plan, and hope the pro knows what he’s doing, and is right for you — but you’ll never know if you second guess and fiddle with it on your own. If you want to do more than your homework, practice putting, do stretching exercises, break in your golf shoes…

Good ideas. Thanks. I need new shoes anyway.

Response:

Try this. Move your grip around on purpose. See what it does to your ball flight. strengthen your grip to reduce slicing by turning both hands gradually to the right.

This does not work for all…a major component in ridding my slice was to weaken my grip. Best advice always: see a pro….then take a lesson — bill-o

Response:

Try this. Move your grip around on purpose. See what it does to your ball flight. strengthen your grip to reduce slicing by turning both hands gradually to the right. http://www.aboutgolf.com/advice/karen/page.php3?site=6&page=placingclub Play with your grip, and think about it. Here’s my current theory: During the crucial time at impact, we mere mortals can’t really control and fine tune how our wrists and hands will be at impact. We have some control, but why not give up "manufacturing" a shot, and let the ergonomics of our body determine what happens. Why fight the natural structure of our wrists, hands, arms, etc… Create a strong grip. Your wrists should be cocked somewhat, with the left wrist supinated. Now – you should be a strong grip, the with club face squared to the ball. Now, relax your wrists. The club face should fall into a closed position. Guess what your club face is probably going to to when it’s at that crucial impact moment. I don’t know the answer to this yet – or if it’s correct or not. But I think that supinating and pronating your grip "preloads" your tendancy to hook or slice. Or, ahem, fade or draw… Grin.

Response:

Discuss.

Here’s my tip: Stick your fingers in your ears and ignore all advice you’ll hear, here and elsewhere. Don’t read the swing advice in the magazines, don’t read golf swing books, don’t listen to your buddies, don’t watch XYZ on the tube telling you how to fix your swing. Trust your pro, and give him a chance to do what he’s got planned, as you’ve paid for just that. You wouldn’t start cooking, and take a few lines from lots of different recipes and toss them together — you’ll end up with a mess. Stick with the plan, and hope the pro knows what he’s doing, and is right for you — but you’ll never know if you second guess and fiddle with it on your own. If you want to do more than your homework, practice putting, do stretching exercises, break in your golf shoes… Thomas Prufer

Response:

Bill, Check out the book by Hogan. Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons : Ben Hogans Five Lessons He goes into grip in detail. He’ll confuse you, and a lot of it you’ll think you understand, but you really don’t. Bottom line? Just try to get your grip to look a bit like his grip. That will at least get you down the right path on grip. Keep in mind that the instructor might be correcting something that he’s seeing right now, and may have a "plan" for you. Or, he may not even understand the grip fully and may be causing you future harm. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A couple quick disclaimers here before I get going with these posts. I’ll try to describe things as accurately as I can, but my own strange peccadilloes with regard to my swing and understanding of the mechanics may cloud things a bit – I’ll do the best I can. Any mistakes about what the pro was saying are my own. I’m working from the perspective that he has my best interests at heart, and even though some things may sound counter-intuitive, we can discuss those as we go through these posts. Good discussion often helps clarify stuff. Also – at times, I may explain something the pro said in fewer words than he used – I’m not transcribing the lessons here, but I’ll hit the salient points best I can. So…. Class of 6. There’s me, who has had some "lessons" from a friend and one session with a pro, three guys who have never swung a club before, and a father-son combination. Son hasn’t played (he’s 15) and father has been, at best, an every-six-months-business-golfer. Our pro is a guy named Steve, and it’s nine thousand degrees outside and my shirt doesn’t breathe very well. Steve is big on energy, and discussing how the body can efficiently transfer energy down through the club to the ball. The main item he wanted to hammer into all of us was that it doesn’t take a hell of a lot of work to hit the ball hard, and that energy transfer is affected by a number of things. Where this applied to me is my tendency to "chop" down on the ball (sort of a Ginsu-swing) and hit it really thin, or worm-burn it down the range. Keep in mind I have yet to play an actual 9 or 18 holes on my own. From there we got into basic grip. This was annoying to me, because three different pros have now told me three different ways to grip the club. I’ve been told that both "y’s" formed by thumb and forefinger should point to my right shoulder, and I’ve been told that right-y should point at right shoulder and left-y should point at left shoulder. I cheated a bit and went with what was comfortable, which may bite me in the ass later, but there wasn’t time in the class for me to ask him about it in more detail. I’ll get to that question next week and let you know the outcome. At that point, he had us just take the club back to a 3 o’clock position (where ball address is 6 o’clock) and notice the motion of the club. He stressed keeping the toe of the club pointing up at the 3 o’clock, and keeping the club and the hands in front of us. Immediately when I tried this I noticed that my hands were coming up, breaking my triangle somewhat, and had to focus more on the sweeping motion back. At the same time, he had us turning hips and shoulders and loading weight on the right leg. This is where it got interesting. I’ve always had difficulty with firing my left hip out to start the turn for the downswing, and I’ve never really managed the coordination, even though it’s been explained to me before. Steve pointed out that to get the motion started, you have to sort of "push" with your right leg to get things moving, which caused me to naturally shift my weight across and brought my shoulders through the turn with my hands ahead of the ball. It was very interesting to realize that I’ve hit good shots before, but I’ve done them incorrectly transferring weight. In slow motion, this made much more sense to me. Another item he got into with us was finishing the swing. He demonstrated how not finishing the turn would cause the ball to slice, assuming that your hands were neutral. I say assuming because this became a problem for me later. Finally, he had us reverse a club, holding it down by the hosel, and swinging it with just to left arm, using the body to create power. We were trying to listen for the whipsound that the club makes, and the type of sound and "location" of it would tell us whether we were doing it right. This was awkward for me, but I’m going to practice it at home and see if I can make it work. Next, we got to hit some balls. The total newbies struggled, and I took some solace from the fact that I was there once, and have come a ways since then. My first couple were bad chops. Steve tells me that I’m getting to eager, and to slow down and use a short backswing, because we’re just going for some small shots at a flag around 60 yards away. So I slow down, concentrate, and I start getting the ball to the target, but not along the intended trajectory. He also points out that I’m not really "rolling" my left arm and wrists, which I should be doing. I go back to the drill for a moment, and decide that I’m trying to "power" the club through the swing instead of…dragging…(might not be the right word, but that’s sort of how it feels) the club through the swing with my left arm – it then hits me that the proper rolling motion, to me, feels like a dragging sensation. I try this and have much better success with trajectory, and my weight transfer is more natural. Contact with the ball is much more consistent, and I feel a solid "thunk" all the way up the club. But I’m slicing. Consistently slicing, which means I’m likely doing something to open the club face, and I suspect it’s something with either my grip, which I will have addressed next week, or my wrists on the downswing and follow-through, because my belly and shoulders are finishing the shot on a deadline with the target, but I’m veering right. Tolerably right, in some instances, but not as straight as I want to be. The point is that if it’s consistent, it’s something I can figure out and fix under Steve’s watchful eye. For the last few balls, he let us go a bit so I started taking some full swings and really getting behind the ball. Still the slice, but the distance was much improved, and I felt much more in control of my swing, in balance and contact, while focusing on my left arm, was much more consistent. Miles more to go, indeed, and in my case, I’m occasionally a little frustrated that I can’t get all the attention I would like in a classroom setting, but it’s what I signed up for and $179 is a bargain for all the free stuff we get in addition to the instruction. So far, so good. Our homework is to practice just the "coiling" with hips and shoulders in front of a mirror for two minutes a day until next week, and to not hit more than 20-30 balls in a bucket at a time (I have a tendency to hit 100 or so when I practice) while we’re learning these fundamentals. It was a good lesson. I’m going to have to "unlearn" some things, but I feel pretty good about it so far. Discuss. -b You must remove MYPANTS to email directly.

Response:

A couple quick disclaimers here before I get going with these posts. I’ll try to describe things as accurately as I can, but my own strange peccadilloes with regard to my swing and understanding of the mechanics may cloud things a bit – I’ll do the best I can. Any mistakes about what the pro was saying are my own. I’m working from the perspective that he has my best interests at heart, and even though some things may sound counter-intuitive, we can discuss those as we go through these posts. Good discussion often helps clarify stuff. Also – at times, I may explain something the pro said in fewer words than he used – I’m not transcribing the lessons here, but I’ll hit the salient points best I can. So…. Class of 6. There’s me, who has had some "lessons" from a friend and one session with a pro, three guys who have never swung a club before, and a father-son combination. Son hasn’t played (he’s 15) and father has been, at best, an every-six-months-business-golfer. Our pro is a guy named Steve, and it’s nine thousand degrees outside and my shirt doesn’t breathe very well. Steve is big on energy, and discussing how the body can efficiently transfer energy down through the club to the ball. The main item he wanted to hammer into all of us was that it doesn’t take a hell of a lot of work to hit the ball hard, and that energy transfer is affected by a number of things. Where this applied to me is my tendency to "chop" down on the ball (sort of a Ginsu-swing) and hit it really thin, or worm-burn it down the range. Keep in mind I have yet to play an actual 9 or 18 holes on my own. From there we got into basic grip. This was annoying to me, because three different pros have now told me three different ways to grip the club. I’ve been told that both "y’s" formed by thumb and forefinger should point to my right shoulder, and I’ve been told that right-y should point at right shoulder and left-y should point at left shoulder. I cheated a bit and went with what was comfortable, which may bite me in the ass later, but there wasn’t time in the class for me to ask him about it in more detail. I’ll get to that question next week and let you know the outcome. At that point, he had us just take the club back to a 3 o’clock position (where ball address is 6 o’clock) and notice the motion of the club. He stressed keeping the toe of the club pointing up at the 3 o’clock, and keeping the club and the hands in front of us. Immediately when I tried this I noticed that my hands were coming up, breaking my triangle somewhat, and had to focus more on the sweeping motion back. At the same time, he had us turning hips and shoulders and loading weight on the right leg. This is where it got interesting. I’ve always had difficulty with firing my left hip out to start the turn for the downswing, and I’ve never really managed the coordination, even though it’s been explained to me before. Steve pointed out that to get the motion started, you have to sort of "push" with your right leg to get things moving, which caused me to naturally shift my weight across and brought my shoulders through the turn with my hands ahead of the ball. It was very interesting to realize that I’ve hit good shots before, but I’ve done them incorrectly transferring weight. In slow motion, this made much more sense to me. Another item he got into with us was finishing the swing. He demonstrated how not finishing the turn would cause the ball to slice, assuming that your hands were neutral. I say assuming because this became a problem for me later. Finally, he had us reverse a club, holding it down by the hosel, and swinging it with just to left arm, using the body to create power. We were trying to listen for the whipsound that the club makes, and the type of sound and "location" of it would tell us whether we were doing it right. This was awkward for me, but I’m going to practice it at home and see if I can make it work. Next, we got to hit some balls. The total newbies struggled, and I took some solace from the fact that I was there once, and have come a ways since then. My first couple were bad chops. Steve tells me that I’m getting to eager, and to slow down and use a short backswing, because we’re just going for some small shots at a flag around 60 yards away. So I slow down, concentrate, and I start getting the ball to the target, but not along the intended trajectory. He also points out that I’m not really "rolling" my left arm and wrists, which I should be doing. I go back to the drill for a moment, and decide that I’m trying to "power" the club through the swing instead of…dragging…(might not be the right word, but that’s sort of how it feels) the club through the swing with my left arm – it then hits me that the proper rolling motion, to me, feels like a dragging sensation. I try this and have much better success with trajectory, and my weight transfer is more natural. Contact with the ball is much more consistent, and I feel a solid "thunk" all the way up the club. But I’m slicing. Consistently slicing, which means I’m likely doing something to open the club face, and I suspect it’s something with either my grip, which I will have addressed next week, or my wrists on the downswing and follow-through, because my belly and shoulders are finishing the shot on a deadline with the target, but I’m veering right. Tolerably right, in some instances, but not as straight as I want to be. The point is that if it’s consistent, it’s something I can figure out and fix under Steve’s watchful eye. For the last few balls, he let us go a bit so I started taking some full swings and really getting behind the ball. Still the slice, but the distance was much improved, and I felt much more in control of my swing, in balance and contact, while focusing on my left arm, was much more consistent. Miles more to go, indeed, and in my case, I’m occasionally a little frustrated that I can’t get all the attention I would like in a classroom setting, but it’s what I signed up for and $179 is a bargain for all the free stuff we get in addition to the instruction. So far, so good. Our homework is to practice just the "coiling" with hips and shoulders in front of a mirror for two minutes a day until next week, and to not hit more than 20-30 balls in a bucket at a time (I have a tendency to hit 100 or so when I practice) while we’re learning these fundamentals. It was a good lesson. I’m going to have to "unlearn" some things, but I feel pretty good about it so far. Discuss. -b You must remove MYPANTS to email directly.

Response:

Snake eyes quick strike 3w/1i

admin — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

anybody tell me what length to trim a 14deg 3w/1i???? 3w length seems a little long… Thanxx

Response:

anybody tell me what length to trim a 14deg 3w/1i???? 3w length seems a

little long… ==== 41" / 42" – steel / graphite – respectively.