#AskMyGolfSpy – Mail Bag
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#AskMyGolfSpy – Mail Bag

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#AskMyGolfSpy – Mail Bag

Welcome back to #ASKMYGOLFSPY where readers like you submit questions to our team of experts here at MyGolfSpy! 

Submit yours anytime on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the comments below. 

Let’s get into it.

 

I can’t afford a new driver. What can I do to make sure the one I have now still works well for me?

 

TaylorMade Stealth 2 DriverIf your driver is fewer than five years old and your swing hasn’t changed, the good news is you might not need to do anything. That said, it never hurts to check in with a fitter, an instructor who understands fitting or spend some time alone with a launch monitor.

EXPERT TIP - Driver Spin

A question we commonly get in the Testing Facility is - "what should my driver spin rate be?"  As launch monitors become more accessible, it's important to be able to make sense of what you're looking at when the numbers pop up on the screen.

Ideal driver spin ultimately depends on your ball speed and angle of attack, but somewhere in the range of 2000 - 2400 can help you optimize trajectory and carry for max distance.

I love the idea of refitting or retrofitting your existing driver. If something has changed in your swing, a small tweak of the adjustable hosel or a shift in the movable weight can be all it takes to make you fall in love with your driver all over again.

If a shaft change is warranted, the aftermarket is rife with quality offerings at reasonable prices.

Do golf balls ever expire?

The modern solid-core golf ball will firm up as they sit, though compression should level off after a while. If your inventory is just a few years old, you’re probably fine.

Balata is a different story. Over time (and it doesn’t take much time), the liquid inside the ball evaporates. As George Constanza would say, there’s shrinkage. Any leftover inventory is going to be significantly lighter and smaller than it was designed to be.

Incidentally, shrinkage is the reason why direct comparisons between modern balls and left-over balata inventory are basically invalid.

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in equipment in the last five years?

Speed and distance will always be part of the conversation. In that respect, not much has changed. That said, as everyone moves closer to the USGA limit, things like manufacturing consistency, tolerances and durability are becoming larger points of emphasis.

Nearly every new piece of golf equipment brings with it the suggestion of a speed benefit but, with increasing regularity, companies are emphasizing how materials and manufacturing capabilities allow them to deliver consistency across an entire product line, ensuring every golfer who buys their products gets the maximum (speed) benefit.

Also, a carbon-fiber face on a driver and water-repelling wedges.

How come you won’t do a lab and review on the Wilson Ultra 500 Distance ball?

Do we need a review of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? Does the Mona Lisa need to be critiqued? Some things in this world speak for themselves.

To test the Wilson Ultra 500 would not only be undignified but also unfair to every other golf ball on the market.

When will all golf companies ditch laces and make BOA standard?

Whether he said it or not, P.T. Barnum is credited with saying, “there’s a sucker born every minute.” Truer words, if actually spoken, have never been spoken.

The next most true thing ever said might be, “laces are for suckers”.

So, anyway, as it relates to BOA not being standard on every pair of golf shoes, as long as the world keeps churning out suckers, there will be a captive audience for what has to be the most antiquated bit of technology on the golf course.

Also, the upcharge (and sometimes excessive upcharge) is inarguably prohibitive.

Got More Questions?

Got a question for #AskMyGolfSpy? Leave it in the comments below.

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Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony is the Editor of MyGolfSpy where his job is to bring fresh and innovative content to the site. In addition to his editorial responsibilities, he was instrumental in developing MyGolfSpy's data-driven testing methodologies and continues to sift through our data to find the insights that can help improve your game. Tony believes that golfers deserve to know what's real and what's not, and that means MyGolfSpy's equipment coverage must extend beyond the so-called facts as dictated by the same companies that created them. Most of all Tony believes in performance over hype and #PowerToThePlayer.

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

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Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey





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      Jonathan B

      2 years ago

      Why don’t you do the CGS chart for drivers anymore? I miss knowing the MOI numbers on each driver Thanks

      Reply

      Tom

      2 years ago

      Does spinning the ball and marking the equator, such as with Check-Go, improve accuracy? distance?

      Reply

      Duffer E

      2 years ago

      How do you fit someone for a shaft in a virtual/online fitting?

      Reply

      Mike Romain

      2 years ago

      I’m age 83 and have a TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2 driver 10.5 loft with an aftermarket senior shaft. I average about 175 yds. Been thinking about going for an XXIO with an 11.0 degree loft.. Your thoughts? Is it a productive move?

      Reply

      Handicap Police

      2 years ago

      Nah. I think you should go fishing lol

      Reply

      James

      2 years ago

      Would it be safe to assume that if I got fit for a 5 wood, that I would be able to get the exact same club in a 7 wood and not have to get fit?

      Reply

      Charles M Mecca

      2 years ago

      still waiting for the review on the Clear golf ball.

      Reply

      Andrew Mathrick

      2 years ago

      Hi MGS, putter shafts? Are the new and different putter shaft help the weekend golfer or is it BS from these companies just to fill there pockets with our money or is Steel still the best material to put in our putters. So the question is Graphite vs Steel vs 1/2 Graphite/ Steel ( stability) or what Steel shaft is better? What are the pros using?

      Reply

      Dave

      2 years ago

      “Laces for suckers”? … Seems you have that reversed.

      Reply

      Chet

      2 years ago

      I’m with you. Can’t stand BOA. I bought one pair ever. I was wearing them during a tournament and the damned things broke. If it had been a lace, no problem. No more BOA’s … EVER!!!!!!!!!!

      Reply

      Mike

      2 years ago

      Keep the BOA gimmick. All the suckers, er, I mean guys that I know who purchased them either dislike or are at best neutral about them. As long as I can physically tie my own shoes, I’ll stick with the laces.

      Reply

      Tim

      2 years ago

      AGREE!!! I have seen the dial strip (unable to tighten) and I have seen the cable break. These are completely avoidable issues with laced shoes. So for BOA price and the risk for unrepairable defect I’ll stick to laces..

      Reply

      Tony Covey

      2 years ago

      The BOA fit system comes with a lifetime guarantee, so it’s incorrect to suggest you’d have an unrepairable defect, but I’ll play along.

      I have seen flanges break. These are completely unavailable issues with outhouses. So for toilet prices and the risk of a defect, I’ll stick to pooping in a hole in the ground.

      Handicap Police

      2 years ago

      Can you ask Mizuno to bring their golf shoes to the US? lol

      Reply

      Handicap Police

      2 years ago

      BOA doesn’t work for my crooked foot, the tightness hits the wrong areas. With laces you have choices of different kinds of laces from thin to thick cotton to more elastic infused, and then there are different lacing patterns you can use to make it more comfortable depending on how many cross-hatches and lace holes the shoes have. Some shoes have the extra holes near the top to really tighten around the foot, if that’s what you need, etc.
      BOA literally sucks on most shoes they’re put on.
      There needs to be a separating line between people who actually play golf and those who are recreational golfers that may be get out on the weekends only who never WALK the course, ever. That alone changes the kinds of shoes people wear.

      Reply

      don

      2 years ago

      When my shoelace breaks I simply get a new one., not a whole new shoe.

      Reply

      Alex

      2 years ago

      I prefer laces over BOA. I know boa in the snowboard boot scene from over 15 years, but still prefer different lacing systems.
      A request: Seed golf ball test when? ????

      Reply

      Denis Haynes

      2 years ago

      The clubs are more expensive

      Reply

      Steve Carew

      2 years ago

      I am playing an old Taylor Made SLDR driver, because I know where it’s going and I’ve got a mental block against 460cc driver heads. Average distance 230 yards, I’m 65 years old and a 10.8 index. What am I missing out on, and are there great drivers with heads less than 460cc?

      Reply

      forgedforever

      2 years ago

      Steve, I hear you about those 460cc drivers! I too am a senior golfer. I play an old Cleveland TL 310. It is 440cc and 2 degrees open. It is a relatively low spin driver. Even with it being 2 degrees open I can draw the ball when I am swinging well. I should note it is 10.5 degrees and they can be quite difficult to find at that loft. The driver I really enjoyed was the Mizuno MP 650, which was 450cc and 1 degree open. That was until the head cracked. Best of luck in your journey..

      Reply

      Bob Greenop

      2 years ago

      Great article on a New Driver and exactly where I am at in my game. I am 74 and still breaking 80 from the senior tees . My drives are at best 215 yds and going down. I have a new Callaway Rogue ST with an A flex graphite and salivating looking at the Stealth 2 Plus. ! I live in Mexico so fitting is an expensive trip.. Trying to figure out my best options with my current shaft Project X Riptide 50 5.0 . I have a PRGR monitor and clocking about 84 MPH Club Head. Looking for any insights. Thanks

      Reply

      Mike Harmon

      2 years ago

      The new XX driver by Krank is the highest tech driver on the planet.. You will gain 20 plus yards . Look at the reviews. I am 70 and still hit it 260 w a under 90mph swing speed

      Reply

      Mike

      2 years ago

      I read that driver was non-usga submitted, which to me translates to “non-conforming”. Or more plainly put… cheating. Swallow your ego, move up a tee box & play by the rules like the rest of us

      Steve S

      2 years ago

      OK I get why NOT the Ultra balls. Why not the Spaulding Tour and Tour X? 3 piece, urethane. Made in the same factory as DTC balls.

      Reply

      Allan Chandler

      2 years ago

      Any tech out there that can educate golfers how to rake sand traps, fill divots, and repair ballmarks? #Shrinkthegame

      Reply

      Eric P

      2 years ago

      Amen!!

      Reply

      Joe Domill

      2 years ago

      thanks for the repley.

      Reply

      Max R

      2 years ago

      It’s a great question to ask about a new drivers’ prices and whether a current driver (less than 5 years old) can either have its settings tweaked or have some minor hardware changes made without spending $$$$ on a new driver.. Going to TXG to see if that’s a reality. Current Canadians prices for a new driver (e.g., TaylorMade, Ping, Callaway) all are within the $800 range. and that’s with the OEM hardware.

      Reply

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