***Official U.S. Open Thread***

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Here's a head start on the thread of the most grueling test of golf in the world. Winged Foot is a beast, it could be like watching thrown amongst a pack of coyotes and pent-up Kansas wheat farmers.

One more thought--If I ever build a golf course, I think I should name it Clubbed Foot.

[tk13]

Will it be a Ferrie tale? Or will he Phil the pressure? FIND OUT TOMORROW!

[Miles]

Looks like there have only been 8 rounds total, under par for the tournament.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

+3 looks like a very good score Today. It is supposed to be in the low 90's there, so hopefully the USGA is smart enough to syringe the hell out of those greens so they don't go Shinnecock on everybody. If they do, you'll see an assload of rounds in the 80's...hopefully they don't get too psychotic with the pins either.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Sounds like it's going to be hotter than hell today today at Winged Foot. This is going to be fun to watch.

[WilliamTheIrish]

So Hamas,

What sticks do you use? Handicap? How often do you get to play? How long have you played the game?

A little personal golf history, if you please.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

So Hamas,

What sticks do you use? Handicap? How often do you get to play? How long have you played the game?

A little personal golf history, if you please.

Personal Golf History:

My dad used to be a Golf Course Superintendent back in the day, so I was always exposed to it, but not to a great deal since my parents divorced when I was like 3. I started playing seriously when I was 14, but once I started college, I became too busy for it and didn't play until my senior year. I got back in the swing after I graduated college, and have had a lot of time to play this summer, since I'm a grad student and have the summer off.

I'm a really high ball hitter, kind of like Mickelson, to the point where wind can reek havoc with my game. I have a penchant for playing amongst the trees, making pars from the sticks and doubles when I'm hitting a flip sand wedge into the green. The short game is my biggest weakness, but I'm a streaky putter.

You'll notice a theme in my equipment:

I have a Ping G2 Driver, 10 degrees with an Aldila NV 65 shaft, regular flex (I generally swing stiff flex shafts, but I feel the R in my driver gives me a little bit better tempo)

I carry a Sonartec 4 wood, 16 degrees of loft with a stock stiff shaft

Ping G2 5 wood 17 degrees of loft TFC 100 Regular flex shaft (I hit the sonartec a long way, so the loft difference is irrelevant, I hit the Sonartec like a 3 wood and the Ping like a 5). The ping is great out of the rough, and I've actually developed a little half punch shot 150-175 yard shot with it that I can use when I need to get out of the trees.

My Irons are Ping I3's which were introduced in 1999; O-size. They are white color code (3 degrees upright), and 1/4" longer than standard. I recently reshafted them with Rifle Flighted Shafts, 6.0 (stiff flex). The 3 iron is a Ping G2 HL hybrid 3 iron which is easier to get up in the air than my original i3.

Wedges are Titleist, 54 degree Vokey Black Nickel, and a 60 Degree Vokey Chrome. (Sometimes I alternate a Callaway Forged vintage 58 or a Cleveland 485 Copper 56 degree wedge that is older than sin).

Right now I probably play off of a 12 handicap, but I would imagine I should be a 6 by the end of the summer. My biggest problem is that I have a tendency to run off several pars and then make a huge number, or I'll just have a boneheaded breakdown.

Case in point: I made 3 sixes yesterday when I was hitting wedges as an approach shot in. Completely inexcusable, but I have a tendency for mental lapses, what can I say

My swing speed is about 105 MPH, so I hit the ball a fairly long way, but my misses tend to be bad misses; I always tend to miss into the place where you can't--shortsiding myself, for example--hence the big numbers

[Miles]

Just curious why you carry two 4-woods. Is there really that much yardage gap between the two?

All of your Ping stuff reminds me of what my bag looked like before I became a Titleist junkie.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Miles

Just curious why you carry two 4-woods. Is there really that much yardage gap between the two?

All of your Ping stuff reminds me of what my bag looked like before I became a Titleist junkie.

I hit the Sonartec 20 yards farther than the Ping, but the G2 is much, much easier to hit out of dicey lies. The sonartec is a good safe driver with a lot of pop in the face, and the 5 wood is great for approaches into par 5s.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Miles

Just curious why you carry two 4-woods. Is there really that much yardage gap between the two?

All of your Ping stuff reminds me of what my bag looked like before I became a Titleist junkie.

Titleist ....

To each his own...I've always been a Ping/Callaway guy....I can't stand Titleist woods, I hook the piss out of them. But that's just me.

[Miles]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I hit the Sonartec 20 yards farther than the Ping, but the G2 is much, much easier to hit out of dicey lies. The sonartec is a good safe driver with a lot of pop in the face, and the 5 wood is great for approaches into par 5s.

Makes sense. From what I can remember of the time I hit a demo 3-wood, those Sonartec fairway woods are fairly long.

[Demonpenz]

i like it when the pro's have horrible days.

[Miles]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Titleist ....

To each his own...I've always been a Ping/Callaway guy....I can't stand Titleist woods, I hook the piss out of them. But that's just me.

Callaway woods were the other I have used for a while and switch away from. I played Ping ISI nickles for almost ten years until I sold them a picked up some Titleist 704's. Only ping I have left in my bag now is an ISI tech driver.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Miles

Callaway woods were the other I have used for a while and switch away from. I played Ping ISI nickles for almost ten years until I sold them a picked up some Titleist 704's. Only ping I have left in my bag now is an ISI tech driver.

The ISI-N were awesome clubs, I've always wanted some. PING stopped making them b/c of some environmental effects regarding their manufacture. The TISI-Tec Driver is a good club, always very long.

[Demonpenz]

I wish golf was cheaper

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

I wish golf was cheaper

The amount of money that my fiancee's parents spend on golf makes me . They treat her little brother like he's going to be the next Tiger Woods . They even paid for him to go to a David Leadbetter Golf Academy last winter....