Bombs away, son!  I didn’t think my Taylormade r7 460 tp would be booted from my bag so quickly.

see: my Taylormade r7 460 TP driver review

I went to a local Taylormade demo day and tried out a bunch of their clubs.  I initially didn’t like the way the Tour Burner looked at address. But the numbers don’t lie;  low-spin and lots of carry!  And  it’s actually straighter than my 460 TP…which really surprised me.    It’s actually the crazy triangular design that allows it to be so accurate.  Their “inverted cone” design and double crown make it longer and straighter than any driver I’ve ever hit.

So I bought one w/ an R-flex Re-AX, cut it down 1/2″ and the result is a soft flexing stiff shaft and an EXPLOSIVE feeling contact that is unique to this club.  It not as loud as most of the other brands’ drivers.

Initially I had a tough time trying to get the Tour Burner to fade/cut like my 460.  It was likely a result of something I was doing because after a few days, I have no problem shaping it when I need to.  I actually cut the corner on a dog leg yesterday with a 320 yard tee shot.  I’ve also found it pretty easy to control the trajectory w/ the Tour Burner TP (even with the 10.5 degree head).  My home course has a very strong prevailing wind and 75% of the time I like to hit low-liners into or even with the wind.

I still haven’t gotten used to the head shape but it’s easy to deal with when the performance is so outstanding.  The headcover is a litte loud so I’ve been using my American flag magnetic cover from my 460 TP and it fits just fine.

If you’re considering this club, I strongly advise you to go try it out.  People scoff at the $599.00 price tag but in my opinion it’s worth every penny.  Though it will most likely be half that price next season.

Stonewall Orchard is probably one of the most difficult courses in the area.  At least for a first-timer.  Very demanding tee-shots, small, speedy greens,  thick rough and it’s always windy. Stonewall Orachard is definitely and interesting course and if you’re on your game it should be a lot of fun! Bring your range finder because you’ll definitely need it and the course’s carts are not GPS enabled.

The course starts off with a somewhat demanding blind tee shot to a dog leg par-4. If you’re not familiar with the course, I’d recommend hitting a three wood or something you know you wont pull.  There’s a bunch of junk on the left.  Other than that, the hole is pretty wide open.

And the course does NOT GET ANY EASIER!  The second hole requires a precision tee shot  and approach to a very narrow, elevated green.  If you have to hit anything longer than a six iron to the green, I recommend laying up to the 100 yard marker (or whatever you ideal sand wedge distance is.

Hole number three is your first real birdie opportunity.  It’s a short downhill par-5 with some bunkers and again, a somewhat shallow green.  But two long shots will have you putting for birdie and possibly eagle if you can get your ball up enough.

The fourth hole is incredibly deceiving.  A four iron to the 100 yard marker….no problem.  Only you have a very dramatic downhill lie to a small, well-protected green with water long. And you will most likely be left with a semi-blind shot to the green unless you can approach it from the right side of the fairway.  Arthur Hill and hist Stonewall Orchard aren’t messing around.

The fifth hole is a long par-3, where if you’re going to miss, it must be left…and not by much.  Good club selection is crucial here. The green is large…just hit it!

Number six is a very long par-4 but it’s pretty wide-open and again, the green is very small and guarded by a pair of bunkers short on each side.  Par is very nice here!

The par-4 seventh hole is a slight dog-legged  par-4 to a large, double tiered green with some major slopes. Check your tee sheet and get your approach to the correct level or get ready for three putt city.

Number eight is another short par-5 birdie opportunity.  Bomb your drive left for the shortest approach but even if you go right, decent yardage will leave you with a long iron tow the green which has a generous bail out area to the right.  The green is, again, small and slopes severely to a bowl in the back.

Walk up to nine with no wind and you might be able to make the turn with a smile on your face.  The par-3 ninth sets up from an elevated tee box with a large green with water on the right and long and bunkers and fescue on the left.

Stop and grab a snack and take a deep breath.  In my opinion, the front nine is more difficult than the back.  That’s not to say the back nine is easy, by ANY MEANS.

The tenth hole is a twisting par-5 with a blind tee  shot that requires a big fade around some trees to a pretty narrow fairway. The approach to the tiny green is fairly narrow with trouble on both sides &, long.  Despite it not being an overly long hole, par is a very nice score here.

Hole 11 is long and try to carry the bunker if the wind allows for it. Other than that, I don’t remember much about this hole.  The green is probably sloped and small like every other on the course.

Go for it on number 12! Take a driver and lit it rip up the right hand side.  Or take your 230 yard club and leave a nice wedge to a rather large green with many peaks and valleys. Birdie time, son!

You’re not making par on the 13th par-3.   It’s not long but the green has more tiers than any other green I’ve seen before.  If you get wet, there’s a nice drop area 75 yards to the right of the green.

14 presents a few options from the tee box. All of them require a precise shot if you want to hit the green with your second.  It’s a short hole but it twists and turns and the green is heavily guarded and raised.  Again, par is very good here.

Number 15- how much do you want to cut off. You’ll have to carry thelong bunker on this par-4.  It’s simply a matter of how much of it you want to carry. The large peninsula green on this hole is surrounded by water and a bunker on the right side.

DO NOT take your driver out on the 16th hole.  There’s nowhere to put it unless you’re going for the green. There’s a big oak tree on the left side of the fairway and a lake on the right.  Oh, and the green is tiny with a bunch of junk behind it.  Lay up to 120 yards and knock it close.

The 17th par-3 is the easiest par-3 on the course.  It’s not long, it’s protected from the wind and there’s not much trouble around. Placing your tee shot on the correct portion of the green is crucial if you want to make birdie or even par.

The final hole is a very long fun par-5 that plays from over 600 yards. Iy requires three long and straight shots.  Otherwise, it’s layup city.  If you do not hit the fairway, take your medicine and pray for par or bogey and LAY UP to the middle of the fairway…wherever you can. The green here is the smallest on the course and is guarded by water on the left and bunkers on the right. BOGEY is a finse score here, friends.

That’s it, I’m tired just writing about the Stonewall Orchard golf course in Grayslake, Il. If you have a choice, avoid it on very windy days.  You’ll have much more fun if the winds are blowing under 15MPH.

Enjoy!!!

The TaylorMade Spider is the latest “high MOI” putter to see the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour. JB Holmes recently won the FBR Open in Pheonix after trading in his Scotty Cameron Circa for the TaylorMade Spider.

The thing is ugly. But I guess when you’re playing for millions of dollars, aesthetics are secondary. There are quite a few tour players using the Spider. Fred Funk has been having some success with it.

It’s made of a lightweight but durable seven-metal alloy, the “AGSI” insert is supposed to reduce skid and get the ball rolling as quickly as possible. That’s the claim for the entire, mostly nasty looking Taylormade Rossa line of putters. The Spider is huge and well-balanced. And it’s my guess that you’ll see more of these on Tour as longs as people keep winning with it.

Personally, I prefer a softer feeling putter and I really don’t like inserts. I haven’t had the chance to try the Spider yet but I will post a full review as soon as I get the chance to roll one.

So, would you use a putter as ugly as the TaylorMade Spider if it helped you sink more putts?

April 21, 2008

Well, I’ve finally had a chance to use the TaylorMade Spider and I understand why it is taking the golf world by storm. From my first stroke with the Spider, it was obvious that this is a special putter. It is simply AMAZING!

The Spider almost feels as if it has a motor and is making the stroke for you. It’s incredibly smooth going back and steady going forward. This putter is easily the best I’ve used when it comes to distance control and lag putting. Most great lag putters I’ve used are typically not so great from inside ten feet. The Spider is different…

I played two rounds at different courses over the weekend. My first round was on slow greens and I had 28 putts. The second round was on the quickest greens I’ll play and I took 26 putts. I average 33.65 putts per round! So needless to say, the Spider is staying in the bag, friends!!!

I don’t care that it looks like something a mad man constructed with spare parts he had laying around his garage. I don’t mind that the headcover looks like a Domino’s Pizza box. I don’t even mind the fact that it  doesn’t fit properly in my golf bag. It took SIX strokes off of my score the first two times I used it.

The putter costs just $200 at most stores…after using it, I’d gladly pay $1,000!

It already has paid off for Adam Scott. He won the 2008 Qatar Masters using the new AP2 irons.

I had an opportunity recently to try the AP2’s last week. As soon as I picked up the clubs, I knew it wouldn’t take long for me to fall in love with them. They’re a lot like my Titleist 735’s in that they’re forged and confidence inspiring at address. But that’s basically where the similarities end.

I wasn’t thrilled with the asthetic features of the AP2’s but once you get past the badges and TaylorMade RAC-like dual-cavity, they’re EVERY BIT AS SOLID as previous Titleist irons.
The set I tested had Project-X (stiff) steel shafts. I’m not sure that these will be offered in Graphite….sorry, Dad!

The AP2 irons allowed me to work the ball just as well as my 735’s and the launch angle was similar. However, the spin control was much better (though that could be a result of the Project-X shafts). I also noticed that these clubs seem to be lighter than previous Titleist sets. That’s probably a result of the new multi-material design enhancements.

The Titleist AP2 irons will be available in March of 2008. I know most traditionalist are not turned-on by the looks but I’d definitely recommend trying them for yourself. I was able to hit each club a few times and I’m definitely sold.

Follow up (June 2008):

Well I’ve been using the AP2’s for a few weeks now and I’m really impressed! I didn’t think anything would replace my 735 CM’s but the Titleist AP2’s are staying in my bag. They are longer than the 735’s, more forgiving and did I mention LONGER! I picked up almost 5 yards per club. And they’re just as workable too! The AP2 irons feel so light and yet they’re extremely solid. They’re not quite as soft/smooth feeling as the 735’s but they’re still pretty buttery.

The Ap2’s seem to descend at a slightly steeper angle. I’ve been stopping four irons on the green after just a few inches of roll.

The Project X shafts are so sweet. Some people expressed concerns with the Titleist AP2 irons ballooning. I have not experienced this at all. If anything, the ball flight is high yet penetrating. It just keeps going!!!!

I plan on trying the ZB’s out in a few weeks…however, I don’t see the AP2’s being bumped aside any time soon.

Length: 7,508 yards
Rating: 78.1
Slope: 151

If you can’t hit your driver, go play somewhere else, or you’re in for a loooong day! This is not the type of course where you can get away with 200-220 yard tee shots.

This is a place of legend — Even the squirrels aren’t safe! Tommy Armour used to hunt them with his .22 while giving lessons here in the 30’s.

Obviously, the conditions are perfect. With over ten thousand trees lining the course, it’s easy to feel claustrophobic at times. But it also provides a feeling of complete oneness with the game.

On the day we played, the greens were pretty soggy from the morning rain. However, they were still fast enough to make your knees tremble while standing over a downhill four footer with a foot of break. The slopes on these small greens are violent and getting through the day with just a few three-putts is quite an achievement for any amateur.

By the end of the round I was exhausted. Not from walking 7,000+ yards but from having to think so much about each shot. You can see why the pros place such high importance on shot shaping and controlling the trajectory. I think I had to hit about a dozen or so punch shots from under or behind trees. Forget about running your ball up to the greens here. It’s just not going to happen so either lay up or be absolutely sure you have enough club. I was taking one more club than normal for most of my approach shots.

Medinah is host to the 2012 Ryder Cup matches. It’s previously been host to past U.S. Opens and PGA Championships- And it’s easy to see why!

Recommendation- If you have the chance to play here, do so!

Mill Creek Golf Club in Geneva Illinois was designed by Roy Case and opened for play in 1998.

The 18 hole course features elevation changes on just about every hole. The courses layout is pretty unique and would probably be considered by most as target golf. At 6,400 yards from the back tees, it plays short and offers many birdie opportunities.

Don’t automatically assume you’re going to hit driver on most of the par-4’s and 5’s. I think I used my driver just five times. Most of the holes require a layup tee shot (which is kind of annoying). And one of the par 5’s (#9) actually requires a 300+ yard carry or a 260 yard layup.

The par-3 second hole requires a cut shot to avoid a tree that overhangs the tee box. PRETTY DUMB!

I didn’t really care for this course all that much. The greens were pretty badly pock-marked, there are a few holes which are just dumb and the course gets a bit boring on the back nine. That said, the course was in nice condition otherwise. And for $60/round, I can’t complain too much.

Makray Memorial Golf Club is an 18-hole layout in Barrington, Illinois. It re-opened a few years ago after being renovated from the old Thunderbird Golf Club.

It plays 7,000+ yards from the tips. It features bent grass tees, fairways and greens and blue grass rough.

I’ve played this course twice now and it offers quite a challenge. Each hole is unique and requires some thought on the tee as to which club you’re going to pull from your bag. It’s definitely target golf!

Most of the greens are elevated making the approach shots very challenging. The putting surfaces are a little bumpy but roll pretty quick.

The bunkers at this course are filled with a nice white sand and most of the lies were pretty consistent. However, they didn’t rake the bunkers the day I was there and some of them were clumpy from the rainfall the night before.

Overall the course conditions are excellent. The rough is thick but fair and the fairways are nice and tight.

My favorite holes were three, nine and eighteen. Nine and Eighteen are great finishing holes leading up to the club house. And number three is unlike any hole I’ve seen in the area (see below).

The courses GPS system could use an upgrade. It simply shows you the distance to the center of the green. It would be nice to have distances to hazards and pins. And with many blind shots a full GPS system would be very useful.

Pace-of-play was pretty decent, although the course wasn’t very busy either time I played it. The rangers make frequent appearances and it seems like they do attempt to keep things moving. I played round #1 in just under four hours and round #2 in about 4:15.

I’d give the course an 8.5/10 rating. I really enjoyed Makray Memorial and I’ll probably play it a few more times this year.

I’ve been using this club for about a year and I’m still amazed at how something so small can produce such powerful results.

This is the TP version which means, “Tour Preferred”, so the club head isn’t as large as some of the other fairway metals these days. If you’re not a good ball striker, this is definitely not the club for you!

Like most of the r7 line, this club features TaylorMade’s “MWT” (Movable Weight Technology). I have the weights configured with a draw bias (4g, 10g). The weight set up really does make a difference.

The classic top line of the club head disguises all of the technology built into this club. The club is made of titanium and produces a nice high ball trajectory. However, it’s workability allows for low liners as well. The workability of this club is simply amazing. It’s design allows me to tee it up and crush it, hit it from a tight fairway lie or even from some hairy rough. I could probably even hit it from a bunker…but I’ve never tried.

Many “fairway” metals on today’s market are really more designed for players who can’t hit drivers. Thus, their 3-wood is going to be the substitute. That makes these clubs hard to hit from the turf. Not the r7 TP! And that’s another thing that makes this club so great. I don’t use it from the tee very often as I have an r7 460 TP driver (also nuclear) which is very easy to control. The r7 TP driver/fairway metal combo is a Par-5 killer! Getting home in two has never been so easy. Unfortunately, you still have to make the putts…

My r7 TP fairway has a Fujikura Vista Pro 80 weight 82 grams with an R flex. It’s also available with a steel shaft.

You can get this club for around $300 new….and it’s worth every cent in my opinion

I really enjoy this course. Its greens are some of the nicest in the area. They’re quick and true! The course was renovated in 2004 by Garrett Hill, the son of the original architect. Virtually every hole was changed in some way. The 16th was converted to a par-5 from a par-4 and is one of the most interesting holes on the course.

The bunkers look as if they were just re-filled with brand new sand. And LOTS of it…making these traps true hazards. Water is in play on 12 holes and these hazards seem to be set up to penalize the right-handed slicer.

Pace of play is generally kept to four hours or less. And the staff truly seems to loathe slow-play!

Overall, I give The Village Links a 9/10 score. It’s challenging & interesting, the greens are true, it’s not expensive and it’s one of the best-maintained courses in the area.

I recently picked up this putter after using the original Detour as a practice aid for a year. I’ve been using a Studio Stainless Newport Beach 1.5 for the previous two months or so. As the name suggests, this is a combination of the Detour and the Newport style heads.

In my opinion, Scotty came up a bit short with this effort. While the concept is money, the execution isn’t what I’ve come to expect from Scotty’s putters. The aluminum inserts he’s been using since the Studio Style line was first released is, in my opinion, JUNK!

He did score with the grip though. I’ve always preferred the Studio Design grips over the Winn style or Baby T grips he’s used recently. The Newport Detour comes with an Orange Studio Design grip with silver lettering. Nice!

The look and feel of a putter don’t matter one bit if it helps you sink more putts. I have only used this putter once on a course and it was early in the season when the greens were fuzzy. I will update this review once I’m able to get a bit more time on the greens w/ the Newport Detour. But for now, I’d rate this baby at a 7.5/10. Would give it an 8 if it weren’t for the disgusting orange headcover it comes with.

To be continued…