Callaway X-20

As a Callaway nut I'm always trying to see what's on the horizon out of Carlsbad, CA. (This is where Callaway is located). Anyway here's a picture of the lastest irons that will be hitting the stores for next year..yummm..sexy. The biggest difference is that there is no longer the bore-thru hosel design which has been so indicative of Callaway. I have a feeling these will sell like hotcakes.



"Callaway's X-Series irons have always featured two models. One is offset, while the Pro-Series has less offset on the face and shafts to enable the ball to be hit on a lower trajectory, but essentially the two have the same design. They have broken that mould though with the X-20 Tour irons. A shorter blade length, narrower sole, thin top-line, square toe and a more traditional hosel top the list of changes to the Pro-Series model. In fact, every improvement the tour guys requested on the forged X-Tour model. Plus, you get the new Project X-Rifle flighted shafts as standard. Golfers looking for something even more traditional from Callaway can look forward to a forged iron, which will be out next year."

It's pretty small..

Here a picture of the Sky Caddie SG3. As you can see it is relatively small compared to my Nextel i530 cell phone. I'm going to use it tomorrow but so you guys can see how small/big it is. It is small enought to easily put away in your bag but I assume that may interfere with it's continuous satellite reception.

So what did you all get..?

This was one of those rare times when something I wanted was close to Christmas so I asked and received. I wanted to try out one of those GPS units and got a Sky Caddie SG3. I previously had a Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 laser rangefinder but always pulling it out and then targeting in got to be a hassle in reality.

The benefit of the SG3 is that the yardage is always available. I don't have to lock in a target everytime. It's just more convenient as I can just glance down and see where I'm at and what I'm dealing with. It does have a neat feature where you can mark your position from where you hit and then it will tell how far you hit it when you get to your next shot. One thing the SG3 can't do is give you "exact" yardages like the laser rangefinder did.

I never really needed this precision anyhow, but I can see how the laser rangefinder would be ideal for tour caddies when they're measuring off distances for the yardage books. The laser range finder was able to tell you how far anything was in your line of view. Just point, shoot, and you got the yardage. It was although inconvienient to do this all the time.

I got my wife a new cell phone, Samsung A900M, which was perfect since she really wanted one and her current one was on it's last leg. I got my son, 3 years old, a bunch of Thomas the Train stuff, Tom and Jerry DVD's, books. I wanted to really surprise him and had a one of those train sets circle the base of the christmas tree. Out of all the toys/gifts we got for him this $5 train set, picked up at CVS Pharmacy, is his favorite toy at the moment. I got my daughter, 18 m/o, a Little Tike electric piano..which is now the "butt" piano since she would rather sit on it and bounce up and down than use her fingers.

New Blogger..

..I haven't changed over yet..have any of you guys? I'm just that way..if it ain't broke..you know..should I? I'm sure it' just a matter of time when everyone will have to be switched..do you guys like the newer Blogger?

Reset..

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Well, I just got back from playing an early morning back 9. I was debating whether to wear shorts today or not but I really don't have any golf "pants". I went with my shorts and when I checked it was 44 degrees according to the thermometer on our Sienna. When I got to the course it didn't feel that cold but the hands felt a little sore from the cold. My buddies thought I was nuts and they were all huddled inside the pro shop. I just got a large coffee and we were off to the 10th tee.

This was the absolute first time I was hitting the new irons, Callaway X-18 Pro Series, and was curious more of how my swing was and if it was back from the last episode. The 10th is a par 3 and it played today to about 185 yds. I went with the 5 iron which I can hit about 180 yards. My new set now comprises of only the 5 iron through PW. I decided to opt out of the 3 and 4 iron since they really never get any use, by me, and I added another hybrid. After much deabte I decided to step down and go with a lighter steel, regular flex, shaft..Dynamic Gold SL R300. It is 20% lighter than the regular DG as well as less stiff.. "Dynamic Gold on a diet."

My first shot felt great and I was just off the green. I really didn't catch all out it since I just wanted to get warmed up on the first hole anyhow. One of my buddies swung it and said how balanced it felt. I agree, this set felt perfect. I believe alot has to do with the also the R flex I chose and the lighter steel shaft. These two together should give me a faster head speed also which I can always use.

I hit every iron in the bag just to try them out and they all felt great. My swing was also back and didn't "S" any of them. I agree that the Callaways don't offer the most "precise" feel compared to some others but they seem to offer a little extra "oomph" when hit right. Not quite a Ferrari-esque sharpness, like Mizunos, but more like a dependable Ford truck..there's nothing wrong with straight right? The irons remind me of a nice domestic V-8. The handling might not be there but it's got plenty of power to get you where you want to go.

I just put a nice swing on them and they just had a nice, penetrating flight on them. I'm the last one to hit at the flag..the center of the green is so much bigger. I'm not one to stop it on a dime either and play my shots to a check and roll..why fight it.

Anyway, it's good to know that my swing is back and I felt very confident playing today..this game is all about confidence anyway. I read a story about Argentinian PGA tour pro Angel Cabrera, aka "El Pato"..The Duck, and he had a great comment regarding confidence:

"When somebody loses confidence in their drive, they're dead. Dead. What can I tell your readers?..When I get to that tee box, I believe in myself so much and I have so much confidence in my drives, and I'll know that I'll hit more fairways with my driver that with my 2-iron or 3-wood. My condfidence is very, very high with my driver."

Now that's my kind of player.

The World's Straightest Driver..

This is quite a statement made by Callaway, at first I thought it read "the World's Strangest driver", but seems like their new driver, FT-i, is turning quite a few heads with tour pro's on both sides. I was looking for some information actually on the FT-5 and ran into these gems on their site.

I was surprised to see Annika using one of those quirky arm-brace training devices (video)..if it's good for her I guess we all have no complaining to do.

About.com also has a nice little article on the FT-i with good pictures of this new driver. Don't adjust your monitor..it really does look that way. It looks like a duck's bill..

You know you love golf when..

..you have four (4) subscriptions to golf magazines. Right now I subscribe to:

1. Golf Digest
2. GOLF
3. GolfWeek
4. GOLF for Women

..and honestly I have to say out of all the four, I enjoy GOLF for Women the most. I'm not sure if girls are smarter but the overall layout of the magazine is easier on the eyes and have enough information without over analyzing every, minute, aspect of the game and/or technique. The biggest difference, obviously, is that most of the stories are on women golfers but I actually enjoy reading on LPGA tour players as well.

Although they do have a good deal of articles on the latest womens golf fashions, skin care, etc they honestly do seem to have better gadget reviews than the mens golf magazines. Although I will never be able to relate, or buy, to the functional "value" of a Hermes cashmere wrap (scarf), $1,975, or a Salvatore Ferragamo gray leather weekend tote with yellow trim, $1,300 (wait the scarf costs more than the bag?!?).

I also like the fact that every month there is a new "golfer" on the cover, and not necesarrily an LPGA tour pro, that is the featured golfer of the month. This month, Jan./Feb., has Sharon Stone on the cover which should be an interesting read..last month was Ivanka Trump (daughter of "The Donald")..and ahem..just check it out if you can find it..wow.

Now you may ask me why am I looking at female golf instruction if I'm a guy..right? Well, I see it this way, if I'm looking at the side-by-side photos of Vijay Singh's swing, who's swing I'll never be even able to replicate, I think there is nothing wrong from looking at Natalie Gulbis' swing (this month's swing profile) who could whoop my butt in golf anytime..and also who I don't mind looking at in the first place..how can you beat that..? and that Stina Sternberg has her own section. Oh..yeah..there's some gal named Annika Sorenstam and Se Ri Pak giving pointers too.

Although I still rely on Golf Digest and GOLF for most of my instructional golf mumbo-jumbo I'd have to say that GOLF for Women is the perfect complement to these "guy" golf magazines.

Trainwreck..

It's sometimes an enigma for me to come up with an appropriate title for my post..but it was easy today..and there were ALOT others that could fit the bill..but a "trainwreck" sends just the right visual imagery to everyone.

It was a glorious morning out in Temecula and I the first one there out of our group. We played at Temeku Hills Golf and C.C. The course seemed to have numerous elevation changes and overall a course that contoured through the hillside. The greens were fast and uber-undulating. It was rather chilly so I went to the snack shop and got large coffee and decided to hit some practice balls before our round. I usually try to hit some to get warmed up..standard operating procedure right..?

So I get to the range and it's a grass range, not mats, which I prefer. I spilled the bucket onto the grass. I took a few warm-up swings and then took out my 7 iron and hit the first practice ball. It was absolutely perfect. Good contact, good compression..not much more I can say really. It was a laser straight at the 150 yard marker and landed perfect. I replicated this swing for the next 10 balls then all of a sudden..shank..then another shank..then another SHANK..SHANK!..SSHANK!!

If it wasn't a shank, and the man upstairs know how much I hate saying this word, it was a low slice..I felt like my legs were cut from underneath me. I decided to try another club, my sandwedge, same thing. I felt everyone at the range grimacing with me on every fatal shot.

I went back to the pro shop to get another bucket token and loaded up another bucket. Threw the balls down on the grass and shank..followed by more shanks. By now my buddies showed up and we were off to the 1st tee. I told a friend of mine what just transpired at the range. He too was having major problems and sympthasized with my naseous disgust.

The first hole is rather short and narrow and best to hit a long iron or a fairway wood to layup for the next shot. My buddy went first and hit the ugliest and truest shank I've ever seen. He wasn't perplexed..he knew this was coming. I went next and prefaced my shot, to everyone, by saying I was in trouble too. I went with my hybrid, 21 deg., and hit a perfect shot down the middle..what the ?!?

Everyone was saying "Sure..yeah..problems..what problems?!?"

I knew I was in trouble..I tried to stay positive..it didn't work. On numerous holes I was trying to just chip and started to shank those. I basically ended up punch chipping all my shots just trying to get through the round. To make a long story short I shot a 60..on the front..but a 46 on the back. Here's to a long and hopefully forgettable day.

Latest acquisitions..

I just picked up a couple of Scotty Camerons recently. I got a Santa Fe in a Gun Blue
and then another Santa Fe in the Oil Can finish. I currently play with a Newport Beach 1.5 and it too has the classic "Santa Fe" flowing neck. Now if you're asking me if I need all these Scotty Camerons..no..but that's like asking a baseball card collector the same thing..no?

Santa Fe Gun Blue


Santa Fe Oil Can



I'm looking to get a couple more soon to finish the set. I'm looking at the Santa Fe TeI3 and then the Studio Style Newport 1.5 and that is REALLY going to be it! Here's one that I'm selling..

Laguna Oil Can


..I know..they look like a bunch of old putters..

I feel so bad for not wishing you guys a happy Thanksgiving..so Happy "belated" Thanksgiving. I played last weekend, just the back 9, and nothing worth writing about..so I won't.

I also got some new headcovers..yes, plural..for my driver. They're made by Daphne's Headcovers. I first got a Rabbit..but then wanted the Pig..my Chinese Zodiac symbol..although I'm not Chinese. I then saw the Shark and then a cool looking Pelican..something drew me to these also. I was actually surprised I was able to stand them up in this way to take a photo..almost seem lifelike..no..?




What also really drew me to them was the high quality design of them. I believe there are a few PGA Tour pro's that also use them. ..somebody uses one that looks like a Tiger. I've always wanted to get one when I saw them at my local Sport Chalet but always said "next time"..we'll now I have 4 of them. They're about $25 but guaranteed for life by Daphne's Headcovers. They have a tag inside them with even the number you can call if you have any problems with it..now that's service.