Navigation

Ping G10 driver, Titleist Vokey wedges, Cobra Speed LDF fairway

Thursday, 23 October 2008
Luke Norman
1 Comments

The new G10 driver from PING has a classic shape

Ping G10 driver, Cobra Speed LD F 3-wood, Callaway Steelhead 5-wood, Titleist Forged 704.CB irons 3-PW, Titleist Vokey wedges 54 & 58 degrees and a Scotty Cameron Red X putter – welcome to my golfing life.

To change or not to change? That is a question – not a mind-blowing revelation I know but it is a question that is troubling me and even causing me the odd restless moment as dawn begins to break.

In fact to be honest it’s worse that than, it’s making me look in disgust at my equipment every time I hit a bad shot, which can’t be healthy.

Now I am not expecting any sympathy here because I am well aware that this is the best job of all time (well apart perhaps from being a taster for Stella Artois) but at times I do feel like a fat and very full kid being let loose in a sweet shop. I have got a fantastic bag of kit already but my eye and indeed my stomach can’t help but be caught by the shiny shelves.

Would the new Callaway FT-9 go that little bit straighter than my G10? Should I slip the Nike Victory Red irons in the bag and get myself another couple of Stableford points? Are the new Titleist Vokeys going to perform better than my well worn but tried and trusted ones?

This should give you some idea of how terrible my swing-thoughts are…

Perhaps I should really learn from my own experience – when I joined the GM team (happy days) two years ago I was a competent putter. Nothing better but nothing worse and good enough to be a consistent single-figure golfer.

One look inside the GM Grotto and I was sold – a shiny new See MoreMoney was the first flatstick to catch the eye. When it started wobbling from 3ft I moved on to a TaylorMade Rossa Tourismo, next it was a Scotty Cameron Detour Newport… and then the Priory. I was a fully paid-up member of the “yipp club” and I couldn’t even look at a putter without feeling sick.

The answer of course was medication (not in the form of morphine sadly) – but putter medication. Pick one, stick with it and address your technique was the loud and clear message from all sides.

Twelve months later and the Red X has been a constant. The putting may not be quite Brad Faxon-esque (think John Daly on a Margarita day) but at least it’s consistent.

They say that all great men learn from their mistakes… but perhaps I’ll just have one more look in the Equipment Cupboard and see if that Ping Rapture V2 really is as good as Mike says…