I think you need to be 10 handicap and below to see the any difference in wedges imo.

You need some sort of consistency in your game otherwise it’s pointless.
- bryant

Exactly.

Last summer was the first time I had a golf membership. I would say I took 8 strokes or so off my already high handicap, but until I get a fundamentally better swing, that is as low as I am likely to go.

What I did learn was that new clubs of any kind, including driver, are probably useless to me. My game isn't good enough to matter.

Fun golf story (if you like dark humour):

The only expensive golf thing I have is a Sun Mountain golf bag.

A few years ago, my MIL started developing dementia. At first it wasn’t so bad, she could still function in public - we got her help for groceries, took away her car.

She was still golfing a bit, and spending a month or two in Florida at her boyfriend’s place.

Turns out she was misplacing her golf stuff and replacing it. I discovered a golf store in her basement: two sets of clubs, two additional empty bags, three travel cases, a ton of smaller stuff.

We divvied it up - I got the Sun Mountain bag and a travel case.

Is it wrong I still giggle at this?
- Atomic Wedgie

Got a new Sun Mountain bag for Christmas

Probably 4 Hybrid, 8 iron, Sand wedge for me.

Putt with the hybrid
- TheMussel

We have to include the putter in our 3 clubs, so I go 5-iron, GW, Putter.

My score in 3-club rounds is virtually identical to the full bag.

GI irons and max woods / drivers seem to have come a long way over the last 5 years or so.
- TheMussel

There is no question that driver technology has improved. I was thinking of the Ping G430 MAX, but after testing one, it really wasn't any different than my existing driver, except maybe a little more forgiveness.

IMHO most people don't realize how bad their putting is. The best way I could improve at this point is stop 3-putting all over the course.

Not for me. I slice it with good clubs or bad.
- shack67

Watch the Hank Haney 5 minute video on never slicing the ball again. If you have any athleticism you can get to where you consistently score into the 80’s.

I think you need to be 10 handicap and below to see the any difference in wedges imo.

You need some sort of consistency in your game otherwise it’s pointless.
- bryant

I don't agree with this at all but whatevs.

At my level, it doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money on new clubs or lessons.

The money is better spent on beer at the turn.
- Atomic Wedgie

Actually Wedgie, lessons in particular would be a massive help for improving your game, especially at your level. You would know what to work on instead of flailing blindly, which doesn't work.

Actually Wedgie, lessons in particular would be a massive help for improving your game, especially at your level. You would know what to work on instead of flailing blindly, which doesn't work.
- fifty__missions

It was a joke!

Interesting night on the out of town scoreboard.

Everything broke the Habs’ way.
- Atomic Wedgie

Watch the Hank Haney 5 minute video on never slicing the ball again. If you have any athleticism you can get to where you consistently score into the 80’s.
- TurdFergeson

I should watch it as I can't get the slice out of drive.

Last year I broke down and bought a driving iron, I can hit it straight. Not quite as far as my driver but the ball generally stays in or around the fairway.

This year, my driver is up for sale.

nice to see the habs win over the Sens in regulation last night

nice to see the habs win over the Sens in regulation last night
- dmnted

Habs Mgmt wanted to be 'N da mix....well they are. Let's see if they are able to keep that spot, tough schedule ahead for MTL. They are playing desperate hockey...if they make it they will have emptied the tank on the way

Habs Mgmt wanted to be 'N da mix....well they are. Let's see if they are able to keep that spot, tough schedule ahead for MTL. They are playing desperate hockey...if they make it they will have emptied the tank on the way
- Symba007

They pretty much have a 3 pt advantage with those games in hand against the rangers. I old be huge if they get 2 wins out of it.

Edit: isles and avalanche are the next 2 games. Those might be tough

There is no question that driver technology has improved. I was thinking of the Ping G430 MAX, but after testing one, it really wasn't any different than my existing driver, except maybe a little more forgiveness.

IMHO most people don't realize how bad their putting is. The best way I could improve at this point is stop 3-putting all over the course.
- Aetherial

Focusing on putting an chipping is definitely the best way to lower scores for most folks.

I got a new driver a couple of years ago. I finished last year as a 10. To say that my driver is perfect would be a lie, but I definitely notice very little loss in distance on off-centre hits, and a lot less gear effect when hitting off the toe or heel. Helps me stay in play, and I would credit the driver with at least some of my improvement.

Focusing on putting an chipping is definitely the best way to lower scores for most folks.
- TheMussel

Exactly. Unless your hitting tee balls out of bounds the short game is where you’ll lose most of your strokes.

I’m currently a 5 handicap and my putting his the worst part of my game. Sometimes the putter gets hot but I average 5-6 3 putts a round which is just terrible.

Habs Mgmt wanted to be 'N da mix....well they are. Let's see if they are able to keep that spot, tough schedule ahead for MTL. They are playing desperate hockey...if they make it they will have emptied the tank on the way
- Symba007

They have 15 games left. Not the easiest - Carolina and Florida twice, Colorado, Ottawa, Toronto and a hungry Detroit team in the mix, too. 7 home, 8 away . . . let's say that despite that they pull 18 points out of those 15 games - that's 91 points.

The Rangers have 13 games left and trail by a point. So they need 19ish points out of those 13 games - or basically 10-3, if you assume that Montreal has 9-6 in them. Even if Montreal goes 8-7, the Rangers still need to go 9-4 to pass them. The Rangers have Toronto, LA, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tampa twice, Florida and Carolina in those remaining 13 - they probably the second hardest schedule of any team competing for a playoff spot.

Other teams to watch for - the Islanders with 15 remaining have 9 games and play Tampa twice, Washington twice, Carolina, Minnesota, Vancouver and the Devils - along with direct competitors in Montreal, the Rangers and Columbus; the only teams they play who are probably out of it are Nashville and Philly. So they truly have to earn their way in; this is the hardest path to the playoffs. Assuming the Habs went a marginal 8-7, the Islanders need to go 9-5-1 against harder teams to tie.

The Blue Jackets are a good story but I doubt they make it. They are 3 points back, also with 15 games to play. Of those they have 8 home games, but play Washington twice, Ottawa three times, Florida, Colorado, Toronto - along with the Islanders twice and Vancouver. The "easy" games are Pittsburgh, Nashville, Buffalo and Philly. I think they need to be 10-5 or 11-4 in those final 15. Columbus is also in a tailspin with 1 win and only 2 points in their last 8. Just like Columbus, assuming the Habs went a marginal 8-7, they'd need to go 9-5-1 against harder teams to tie.

If you'd asked me on February 25, I'd have figured the Wings were playing their way back in. They'd been amazing since January - but since then they've been 2-8-0 and that's not encouraging down the stretch. They are 3 points back of Montreal with 15 to go and 9 on the road. They still have Vegas, Colorado, Ottawa, Carolina, Florida twice, Tampa, Dallas, Jersey and Toronto - not to mention another plausibly important game against Montreal. The only real "Easy" games for them are St. Louis, Boston and Utah. I don't see how they make up the 3 points with that schedule. I don't see the Wings doing the 9-5-1 finish, either.

If you asked me right now, I think Montreal is going to make it. Solely based on calibre of roster/star players and goaltending, I would've been picking the Rangers, but they have played so far below their expectations it isn't funny. Even when I thought, as a casual observer, that they were putting it together - they weren't. Nothing sustainable.

They have 15 games left. Not the easiest - Carolina and Florida twice, Colorado, Ottawa, Toronto and a hungry Detroit team in the mix, too. 7 home, 8 away . . . let's say that despite that they pull 18 points out of those 15 games - that's 91 points.

The Rangers have 13 games left and trail by a point. So they need 19ish points out of those 13 games - or basically 10-3, if you assume that Montreal has 9-6 in them. Even if Montreal goes 8-7, the Rangers still need to go 9-4 to pass them. The Rangers have Toronto, LA, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tampa twice, Florida and Carolina in those remaining 13 - they probably the second hardest schedule of any team competing for a playoff spot.

Other teams to watch for - the Islanders with 15 remaining have 9 games and play Tampa twice, Washington twice, Carolina, Minnesota, Vancouver and the Devils - along with direct competitors in Montreal, the Rangers and Columbus; the only teams they play who are probably out of it are Nashville and Philly. So they truly have to earn their way in; this is the hardest path to the playoffs. Assuming the Habs went a marginal 8-7, the Islanders need to go 9-5-1 against harder teams to tie.

The Blue Jackets are a good story but I doubt they make it. They are 3 points back, also with 15 games to play. Of those they have 8 home games, but play Washington twice, Ottawa three times, Florida, Colorado, Toronto - along with the Islanders twice and Vancouver. The "easy" games are Pittsburgh, Nashville, Buffalo and Philly. I think they need to be 10-5 or 11-4 in those final 15. Columbus is also in a tailspin with 1 win and only 2 points in their last 8. Just like Columbus, assuming the Habs went a marginal 8-7, they'd need to go 9-5-1 against harder teams to tie.

If you'd asked me on February 25, I'd have figured the Wings were playing their way back in. They'd been amazing since January - but since then they've been 2-8-0 and that's not encouraging down the stretch. They are 3 points back of Montreal with 15 to go and 9 on the road. They still have Vegas, Colorado, Ottawa, Carolina, Florida twice, Tampa, Dallas, Jersey and Toronto - not to mention another plausibly important game against Montreal. The only real "Easy" games for them are St. Louis, Boston and Utah. I don't see how they make up the 3 points with that schedule. I don't see the Wings doing the 9-5-1 finish, either.

If you asked me right now, I think Montreal is going to make it. Solely based on calibre of roster/star players and goaltending, I would've been picking the Rangers, but they have played so far below their expectations it isn't funny. Even when I thought, as a casual observer, that they were putting it together - they weren't. Nothing sustainable.
- Monkeypunk

They have 15 games left. Not the easiest - Carolina and Florida twice, Colorado, Ottawa, Toronto and a hungry Detroit team in the mix, too. 7 home, 8 away . . . let's say that despite that they pull 18 points out of those 15 games - that's 91 points.

The Rangers have 13 games left and trail by a point. So they need 19ish points out of those 13 games - or basically 10-3, if you assume that Montreal has 9-6 in them. Even if Montreal goes 8-7, the Rangers still need to go 9-4 to pass them. The Rangers have Toronto, LA, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tampa twice, Florida and Carolina in those remaining 13 - they probably the second hardest schedule of any team competing for a playoff spot.

Other teams to watch for - the Islanders with 15 remaining have 9 games and play Tampa twice, Washington twice, Carolina, Minnesota, Vancouver and the Devils - along with direct competitors in Montreal, the Rangers and Columbus; the only teams they play who are probably out of it are Nashville and Philly. So they truly have to earn their way in; this is the hardest path to the playoffs. Assuming the Habs went a marginal 8-7, the Islanders need to go 9-5-1 against harder teams to tie.

The Blue Jackets are a good story but I doubt they make it. They are 3 points back, also with 15 games to play. Of those they have 8 home games, but play Washington twice, Ottawa three times, Florida, Colorado, Toronto - along with the Islanders twice and Vancouver. The "easy" games are Pittsburgh, Nashville, Buffalo and Philly. I think they need to be 10-5 or 11-4 in those final 15. Columbus is also in a tailspin with 1 win and only 2 points in their last 8. Just like Columbus, assuming the Habs went a marginal 8-7, they'd need to go 9-5-1 against harder teams to tie.

If you'd asked me on February 25, I'd have figured the Wings were playing their way back in. They'd been amazing since January - but since then they've been 2-8-0 and that's not encouraging down the stretch. They are 3 points back of Montreal with 15 to go and 9 on the road. They still have Vegas, Colorado, Ottawa, Carolina, Florida twice, Tampa, Dallas, Jersey and Toronto - not to mention another plausibly important game against Montreal. The only real "Easy" games for them are St. Louis, Boston and Utah. I don't see how they make up the 3 points with that schedule. I don't see the Wings doing the 9-5-1 finish, either.

If you asked me right now, I think Montreal is going to make it. Solely based on calibre of roster/star players and goaltending, I would've been picking the Rangers, but they have played so far below their expectations it isn't funny. Even when I thought, as a casual observer, that they were putting it together - they weren't. Nothing sustainable.
- Monkeypunk

For once in a bit, it looks like it might come down to if teams rest their players. I can't imagine Washington doing so despite their position with OV chasing it. Everybody else is more or less in a dog fight. Maybe Carolina?

They pretty much have a 3 pt advantage with those games in hand against the rangers. I old be huge if they get 2 wins out of it.

Edit: isles and avalanche are the next 2 games. Those might be tough
- bryant

A win against the NYI would really help.

Now if the Leafs can do THEIR job and beat the NYR tomorrow...that would also help

Building on Punksie's early morning math with coffee, Ottawa's loss last night gives the Leafs some Spatso relief:

If the Leafs go 9-6 to finish the season (60%, their current rate is 62%), the Sens would have to go 12-3 (80%, their current rate is 57%) to catch us.

A win against the NYI would really help.

Now if the Leafs can do THEIR job and beat the NYR tomorrow...that would also help


- Symba007

Rangers game at MSG.

Rangers are resting at home today while the Leafs play Colorado - one of the best teams in the league, then hop on a plane and fly to NYC.

One thing is for certain: if the roles were reversed, Toronto would be guaranteed to lose the game.

A win against the NYI would really help.

Now if the Leafs can do THEIR job and beat the NYR tomorrow...that would also help


- Symba007

Right??

Just looking at the weather forecast, tonight may be a great night to watch my first game of 2025 in the backyard.

It just means I need to find an hour beforehand to clean up all the dog poop of 2025.

Just looking at the weather forecast, tonight may be a great night to watch my first game of 2025 in the backyard.

It just means I need to find an hour beforehand to clean up all the dog poop of 2025.
- Atomic Wedgie

Fresh smell of spring

Fresh smell of spring
- Symba007

I can still remember the smell of what it's like being out in Montreal when all the snow melts