BallerNate’s WITB

[BallerNate]

So I was definitely premature in posting my 2021 WITB, Lol! The more I read up about different Irons, the more I was feeling like I probably shouldn’t be playing blades and could use some extra forgiveness and distance. When you read about PGA Tour Pros and scratch golfers that play clubs with forgiveness/CB’s, the more ridiculous it seemed to me that I was playing such unforgiving clubs.

 

So I posted my Tour Preferred’s for sale last night and sold them in less than 16 hours, Lol!

 

Right now with my research, I’m thinking the new 2021 Irons are too expensive for my budget, so I’m looking at used options. I have it narrowed down to these 3:

 

-TaylorMade P770 (‘17) w/ Project X Rifle 6.0 shafts

-Callaway Apex 19 w/ True Temper Elevate Tour shafts

-Srixon Z 765 (‘16) w/ Dynamic Gold S300 shafts

 

Anyone who’s gamed/hit these have any thoughts or feedback?

[BallerNate]

Deleted. Update coming.

Edited February 6, 2021 by BallerNate

[BallerNate]

Lots more updates to the bag, so figured it’d be easier just to do a new WITB. Since I posted that 2021 WITB, I switched up 9 clubs, full bag since my original WITB in December, and have now sold 29 clubs over the last 7-8 months.
 

Might be slightly addicted to buying/selling clubs, so going to try and stay consistent with this setup for a while and get a good feel for everything these clubs can do before giving up on any of them.

 

This has been a huge learning process over the last 8 months, and I feel like my setup now really suits my game and the type of player I am working on becoming! My goal for the 2021 season is to be a scratch golfer (or close to it), and I think this setup will help get me there!!

 

WITB 2021:

 

Driver: TaylorMade SIM Max D (9* @ 10.5*)

Shaft: UST Mamiya Helium 5F4

 

3-Wood:  TaylorMade SIM Max D (16*)

Shaft: UST Mamiya Helium 5F4 FW

 

Utility: Srixon Z U85 (20*)

Shaft: UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4

 

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4-PW)

Shafts: Project X Rifle 6.0 (+1”, +2* upright)

 

Wedges: Cleveland RTX Zipcore (52* Mid, 58* Mid)

Shafts: Dynamic Gold Spinner (+1.4”, +2* upright)

 

Putter: TaylorMade SOTO Tour Preferred (36”)

Grips: Lamkin Sink Fit Skinny Pistol

 

Ball: TaylorMade V3 Speed

 

Grips: Lamkin Crossline Midsize

 

Edited February 17, 2021 by BallerNate

[BallerNate]

Big day today...the golf shops in our area finally re-opened yesterday, so I was first in line to get my new clubs adjusted & re-gripped! At 6’7 all my Irons and wedges had to be tweaked (+1” for Irons & bent 2* upright and +1.4” for wedges & 2* upright).
 

Also picked up a new OGIO Fuse 4 Stand Bag in Black Stealth! I’m planning to walk most of my rounds this season, and the Fuse 4 had all the features I was looking for!

 

With 13 new clubs, all adjustments done, and all accessories ready to go, all I can do now is get used to these beauties in the garage and wait for the snow to melt!

 

Here’s the new setup...ready to Rock & Roll:

 

Edited February 17, 2021 by BallerNate

[MuniPukeLife]

Nice looking bag. How's the RTX ZC 58 mid treating you? 

[BallerNate]

18 minutes ago, MuniPukeLife said:

Nice looking bag. How's the RTX ZC 58 mid treating you? 

Thanks, much appreciated!!

 

Really like the Zipcores and could end up being a long-term Cleveland wedge guy! My last wedges were TM MG's, and I've traditionally used a 60* as my highest lofted club...but so far I prefer the Zipcores for look & feel, and I think the transition to a 58* should be pretty smooth overall.

[BallerNate]

A couple more updates to the bag in preparation for Spring 2021. Just picked up another Zipcore, this one is a 54* Mid, and bent the 52* to 50*.

Was planning on going 52-58, but since my wedge game is my biggest weakness, I’m going to take it easy on myself with getting distances fully dialed  in this season and go 50-54-58. Plus I love the Zipcores so much that I wanted another one in my bag! 😁

 

I’ve also been trying to find the perfect Stand Bag that also fits well on a cart, and have bought/sold/returned 7 bags over the last month. After all the trial and error, I think this TM FlexTech Lite is as close to perfect for me as I’m going to find.

 

Here’s the new additions to the setup:

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by BallerNate

[BallerNate]

Another addition to the bag. When I picked this Srixon Z H85 w/ Hzrdus Black Shaft up and swung it in the store, I knew I had to bring it home!!

 

I’ve traditionally had issues with control and consistency with Hybrids, but I think the issues were with shaft length and them being too light.

The 85g Hzrdus Black in this one feels like butter and I’ll be putting it head-to-head with the Srixon Z U85 Driving Iron for the spot in-between my 3-Wood and 4-iron, or could end up switching in between them depending on course layouts. There could even be courses where I carry both of them and take the 3-Wood out...we’ll see how it goes in the Spring!

 

[Bakes0]

On 2/17/2021 at 6:17 PM, BallerNate said:

Thanks, much appreciated!!

 

Really like the Zipcores and could end up being a long-term Cleveland wedge guy! My last wedges were TM MG's, and I've traditionally used a 60* as my highest lofted club...but so far I prefer the Zipcores for look & feel, and I think the transition to a 58* should be pretty smooth overall.

I also went from 60* to 58* and honestly barely noticed, you’ll still be able to open it up just fine for whatever shots you needed to pull off with the 60*

 

Not sure I’ll ever deviate from the 50-54-58 setup. It covers everything I need from my wedges.

[BallerNate]

32 minutes ago, Bakes0 said:

I also went from 60* to 58* and honestly barely noticed, you’ll still be able to open it up just fine for whatever shots you needed to pull off with the 60*

 

Not sure I’ll ever deviate from the 50-54-58 setup. It covers everything I need from my wedges.

Excellent...good to know!

 

Yeah, I’ve been surprised at how smooth the transition from 60* to 58* has been so far. Feels like I can execute all the same shots pretty easily.

 

Really liking the 50-54-58 setup so far from practicing with it also. I’m actually shocked at how much I like the 54*...super versatile and think it could end up being my go-to for a lot of scenarios and shots.

[BallerNate]

Well my WRX friends, it looks like another major bag re-shuffling coming soon.

 

Got my first fitting on Monday, and have gotten out to play 2 freezing cold/muddy rounds in the last week. Both have been very informative about my setup and what additional changes I need to make.

 

The biggest one is that I’ve been playing with clubs that are too short...so I’m going to need to custom order irons that are +1.5” and 2* upright.

 

So I’m going to flip my Irons (TM P770) that I’ve only had for a month, and I’m also getting rid of my SIM Max D Driver and 3-Wood that have been disastrous for me so far and just don’t fit.

 

Really like my Srixon H85 Hybrid, U85 Driving Iron, Zipcore wedges, and TM TP SOTO putter though, so at least those can stay in the bag for the foreseeable future.

 

Updates coming soon! 

[BallerNate]

Got a lot of work done on my bag re-building plan this week and have some very exciting goodies on the way!!

 

I’ll post the updates as the items come in, then once the bag is complete, will do my new WITB for 2021!

 

The first addition is going back to Callaway that has given me the best results in the Driver spot w/ my old Rogue! So after a short experiment w/ the SIM Max D, I’m hoping the Cally Mavrik w/ Tensei AV Blue shaft will bring me back some magic in the top spot in the bag!

 

Fingers crossed on quick deliveries for the other additions...coming soon!

[MikeW2]

The best lines in this thread are when you admit, “I have hoe tendencies.” Then state “I’ve sold 29 clubs in the last 7 months.” Add in the fact that you’ve been active in the bag thread where you exchange what 55-56 bags since Christmas??? I had a roommate in college that I’m pretty sure didn’t change his underwear that often😂😂😂. One of the biggest joys I think most of us here have is the rush/anticipation of new equipment, it definitely helps winter go by faster. In all seriousness, the stuff you have had looks great and I hope the search provides you with perfect set up for your game!

[BallerNate]

55 minutes ago, MikeW2 said:

The best lines in this thread are when you admit, “I have hoe tendencies.” Then state “I’ve sold 29 clubs in the last 7 months.” Add in the fact that you’ve been active in the bag thread where you exchange what 55-56 bags since Christmas??? I had a roommate in college that I’m pretty sure didn’t change his underwear that often😂😂😂. One of the biggest joys I think most of us here have is the rush/anticipation of new equipment, it definitely helps winter go by faster. In all seriousness, the stuff you have had looks great and I hope the search provides you with perfect set up for your game!

Haha...yeah, I’ve been on a tear of buying, selling, and exchanging for sure!

 

I swear that I plan on settling down and not being a Club Hoe forever, Lol! But at this point I’m just embracing the madness and chasing unicorns in every part of my bag!

 

Thanks and hope you have a great start to the season!

[BallerNate]

The updated/revised 2021 bag is coming together slowly but surely.

 

Picked up this Mavrik 3W to pair with it’s big brother Driver...this one has a Rogue White 130 M.S.I. 70g shaft in it.
 

I also forgot to post the update that I ended up finally figuring out my bag situation and settled on the SM 3.5 LS which I absolutely love, and *should* be my gamer bag for as long as it lasts!

 

Bombs away...the season is finally here!! 🚀🚀🚀

 

[J_Tizzle]

I have that exact SM bag but with no logos.  It's the favorite bag I've had the last 3-4 years, and I've probably had 8-10 bags in that time, lol.  

 

Whats happened with that Srixon hybrid?

[BallerNate]

6 minutes ago, J_Tizzle said:

I have that exact SM bag but with no logos.  It's the favorite bag I've had the last 3-4 years, and I've probably had 8-10 bags in that time, lol.  

 

Whats happened with that Srixon hybrid?

Yeah, the SM 3.5 LS is an awesome balance of being lightweight, great pocket layout and functionality, and 0 club tangle...love it!! I actually tried 8-9 bags just in the last month to get to this result, so I feel you, Lol!

 

The Srixon H85 is showing promise...very smooth swinging and launches easily. I’m having some dispersion issues right now, but I 100% think that’s me and not the club. Once I get the rust off and get the feel for the club down, it should be a good one!

[J_Tizzle]

2 hours ago, BallerNate said:

Yeah, the SM 3.5 LS is an awesome balance of being lightweight, great pocket layout and functionality, and 0 club tangle...love it!! I actually tried 8-9 bags just in the last month to get to this result, so I feel you, Lol!

 

The Srixon H85 is showing promise...very smooth swinging and launches easily. I’m having some dispersion issues right now, but I 100% think that’s me and not the club. Once I get the rust off and get the feel for the club down, it should be a good one!

 

The big thing for me on the SM is the little pocket on the side for the range finder, it makes the tee pocket so much more accessible and bigger than the old 2 pockets above the ball pocket.

 

Thank for the info on the hybrid, I'm trying to decide if I like the G425 enough to bag it and just looking for options.

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, J_Tizzle said:

 

The big thing for me on the SM is the little pocket on the side for the range finder, it makes the tee pocket so much more accessible and bigger than the old 2 pockets above the ball pocket.

 

Thank for the info on the hybrid, I'm trying to decide if I like the G425 enough to bag it and just looking for options.

Agreed...the 3.5 LS is extremely well designed and they thought of pretty much every detail. The other 7-8 bags I tried, it was easy to find design flaws within 24-48hrs, but haven’t found a major issue with the 3.5 yet.

 

My pleasure on the H85...happy to help! I haven’t hit the G425 though, so can’t compare them head-to-head. The H85 seems solid so far though and definitely prefer it to my previous Cally Rogue Hybrid for sure!

[BallerNate]

Ordered this P790 w/ graphite KBS C-Taper 120 shaft to fill my 4-iron spot and replace my Driving Iron. I picked up a P790 7-iron to hold me over while I wait for my new set of irons, and the distance and forgiveness has been so huge that I figured the P790 would be a monster in that 21* iron spot and be way easier to hit off the turf than my U85 Driving Iron!
 

I think this one is going to be really loooong!!! 🚀🚀

Edited April 7, 2021 by BallerNate

[prussell24]

that p790 driving iron looks nice.  Cant wait to hear how it works out.

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, prussell24 said:

that p790 driving iron looks nice.  Cant wait to hear how it works out.

Thanks @prussell24, I took it out to the range on Wednesday and got out for 11 Holes yesterday. Still too early for any in-depth feedback, but the initial impression has been good so far. Round 2 tomorrow where I can hopefully get a full 18 Holes in...we'll see how it goes!

[BallerNate]

Finally got my irons situation worked out!!

 

Picked up a set of Srixon Z 785 4-PW with N.S. Pro Modus Tour 120 shafts, and luckily found a shop that could adjust them (+1.5” and 2* up)!
 

Took them straight from the shop to the range, and they were maybe the purest club I’ve ever hit...so smooth and the feel is incredible!
 

Edited April 19, 2021 by BallerNate

[MattM97]

On 4/16/2021 at 8:23 PM, BallerNate said:

Finally got my irons situation worked out!!

 

Picked up a set of Srixon Z 785 4-PW with N.S. Pro Modus Tour 120 shafts, and luckily found a shop that could adjust them (+1.5” and 2* up)!
 

Took them straight from the shop to the range, and they were maybe the purest club I’ve ever hit...so smooth and the feel is incredible!
 

 

 

+1.5" are you like 6'6" or did these come short? 

[BallerNate]

32 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

 

 

+1.5" are you like 6'6" or did these come short? 

Yeah, I’m 6’7. A big part of all the turnover in my bag over the last year is that I had never had a fitting until last month.

 

Once I had a proper fitting, I found out I had always been playing with clubs that were too short and too flat, so now I know my proper specs are +1.5” and 2*. Feels so much better to be swinging clubs that actually fit properly!!

[MattM97]

1 minute ago, BallerNate said:

Yeah, I’m 6’7. A big part of all the turnover in my bag over the last year is that I had never had a fitting until last month.

 

Once I had a proper fitting, I found out I had always been playing with clubs that were too short and too flat, so now I know my proper specs are +1.5” and 2*. Feels so much better to be swinging clubs that actually fit properly!!

 

Damn and I thought I had issues trying to find clubs. I remember doing my first fitting and just topping half my shots, fitter gave me a club said take a few swings and don't worry about results then handed me the same club 0.5" longer and it was like night and day with my contact. I know some people don't believe in fittings but at the very least get length and lie down, it makes a huge difference. 

 

Also now I know if I see a 6'7" dude playing golf in the GTA it's most likely you lol. 

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, MattM97 said:

 

Damn and I thought I had issues trying to find clubs. I remember doing my first fitting and just topping half my shots, fitter gave me a club said take a few swings and don't worry about results then handed me the same club 0.5" longer and it was like night and day with my contact. I know some people don't believe in fittings but at the very least get length and lie down, it makes a huge difference. 

 

Also now I know if I see a 6'7" dude playing golf in the GTA it's most likely you lol. 

Yeah, makes such a huge difference! Obviously for guys outside of the “average” that are taller or shorter than normal, but probably everyone could benefit from knowing the right lie angles, shaft weights etc they should be playing.

 

And that’s awesome, didn’t know you were in Toronto! How about that idi*t Doug Ford huh? He needs to reverse that decision and re-open golf courses ASAP or people are going to start hunting him down with those clubs they can’t use! 🙄🙄

[MattM97]

4 minutes ago, BallerNate said:

Yeah, makes such a huge difference! Obviously for guys outside of the “average” that are taller or shorter than normal, but probably everyone could benefit from knowing the right lie angles, shaft weights etc they should be playing.

 

And that’s awesome, didn’t know you were in Toronto! How about that idi*t Doug Ford huh? He needs to reverse that decision and re-open golf courses ASAP or people are going to start hunting him down with those clubs they can’t use! 🙄🙄

 

Yeah small info does make a huge difference.

 

I am I think it says it on my profile info under my avatar. Yeah not quite happy about that decision, had 3 tee times go poof. I do hope they open soon, I just want to get out and play again. My handicap is probably going up cause of the past 2 years but I'll take that if it means we get over this stuff. 

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, MattM97 said:

 

Yeah small info does make a huge difference.

 

I am I think it says it on my profile info under my avatar. Yeah not quite happy about that decision, had 3 tee times go poof. I do hope they open soon, I just want to get out and play again. My handicap is probably going up cause of the past 2 years but I'll take that if it means we get over this stuff. 

Yeah, it’s brutal. I agree, I’d have no problem with sacrificing golf if it meant getting COVID under control sooner.
 

The problem is all the scientific evidence to the contrary...safest sport in the World being kept from us for political optics...sucks!! 

[deadsolid...shank]

It’s been fun to watch the development of a true club ho!!😀

 

Nice setup Nate, hope you reach that goal of scratch this year.