Golf Equipment: Mr. Monster’s Golf Equipment History Checklist

List of Mr. Monster’s inventory of golf items since starting golf back in 2006 that I can remember.

DRIVERS: 9
Cougar Power Cat -10.5 reg. flex
Pinemeadow Tour780-10.5 reg. flex
Top Flite HCT Tour-10.5 reg. flex
TaylorMade R7 Draw with stiff flex Aldila NV shaft
Intech Ripper-10.5 reg. flex
Cleveland HiBore -10.5 reg. flex, gold shaft
Macgregor MacTec NVG2-10.5 reg. flex
Cleveland HiBore XLS-10.5 reg. flex with Graffalow ProLaunch Blue shaft
Nicket 4DX Draw (9.0) with Aldila NV shaft

Hybrids: 8
Cougar Power Cat 3 & 5
Pinemeadow Command #3
Pinemeadow Excel #4
Top Flite HCT Tour 5
TaylorMade Rescue Mid 3 & 4
Nickent Genex 3DX Ironwood 2

Fairway Woods: 5
Cougar Power Cat 3 & 5 wood
Top Flite HCT Tour 3 & 5 wood
Macgregor MacTec NVG2 3 wood

Irons: 3
Cougar Power Cat 5-PW
Top Flite HCT Tour 6-PW
Titleist 775cb 5-SW

Wedges: 11
Cougar Power Cat PW & SW
Top Flite HCT Tour PW & SW
Cleveland 588 Tour Action SW & LW
Titleist 775cb GW & SW
Wilson Harmonized SW
Nickent 3DX SW
Nicklaus Bear Trap SW

Putters: 8
Cougar Power Cat blade
Top Flite HCT Tour blade
Knight EZ Roll ZR10
RAM Laser EV1
Wilson Alignment 3000
TaylorMade Monza Roza
Never Compromise GM2 Exchange 3
Arnold Palmer P-101

Golf Shoes: 4
Dunlop brown/white saddle
Top Flite IN04-57 white sneaker
FootJoy Impulse
Nike Dri-Fit black

Golf Bags used: 7
Cougar Power Cat stand bag
Top Flite HCT Tour stand bag
Taylor Made F1 stand bag
Deluxe Sunday Golf Bag by Wilson
Fila Sunday bag
Spalding leather cart bag
Viper by Hippo Golf stand bag

Golf Equipment Review: Arnold Palmer P-101 Blade Putter

After getting into golf there are things you start to notice that differs it from other games, mostly how equipment changes on an almost monthly basis and trying to not get addicted and spending money out the wazoo. I’ve done counts before and I was really into buying new clubs once in a while. I t wasn’t uncommon to get a new driver every few months or try out new putters or even get multiple golf bags. After moving and consolidating all my gadgets, I decided to dwindle the equipment and use the money to pay greens fees.

I purchased a Never Compromise GM2 Exchange 3 putter a few years back that just sat in my back-up bag and ended up selling it. I went to a local thrift shop last summer and came across some old putters and saw one in a ratty condition but had good potential. I was previously using a Taylor Made Monza Roza mallet putter and wanted to try a blade more regularly. I purchased the Arnold Palmer P-101 putter and took it home to clean off the well-used putter. With the nicks on the head I ended up using some filler paint to cover the blemishes and was able to soap and clean off the original Golf Pride grips that was still in remarkable condition.

Comments: The Arnold Palmer P-101 blade putter has a classic look to it, stands out with a black-colored head with the trademark Arnold Palmer umbrella logo on the far left of the face. It’s heel-toe weighted and the neck is a nice flowing non-plumbers neck flange. I believe the one I have is 33”-34”. The feel is a bit above average and allows for goof swing speed management with a good overall weight to it. Off-hits do result in shorter length, due to the age (I don’t know how old), it’s not one of the recent putters touting high MOI.

It sure is s beauty with its simple and elegant look that I’ve had other golfers comment on the putter’s look that I haven’t had with others. If you like classic blade putters that you don’t often see (*Scotty Camerons* cough), check your local used bins for this club.

Score: 4 out of 5

Golf Equipment Review: Cleveland HiBore XLS Driver

Comments: After selling my last MacTec NVG2 driver (see last equipment review), I decided to go back to the HiBore line from Cleveland after keeping the original version in my bag for close to a year (longest driver in use!), so I ended up with the 2008 Cleveland HiBore XLS version.

I previously tried the driver at a demo day and got good distance and low flight at the time. There was a sale at the local Dick’s Sporting Goods and couldn’t pass up the chance to get another 10.5 degree HiBore with an upgraded aftermarket shaft. Dick’s had for the same price as the stock Cleveland Fujikura Gold, either (in Regular flex) Aldila NV or Graffaloy ProLaunch Blue. I previously had an Aldila NV on my TaylorMade r7460 Draw driver and decided to try the ProLaunch Blue since the shaft seem a bit stiffer since I was looking for a lower launching ball flight.

The one thing I missed from the original HiBore that the XLS didn’t was the great metallic crisp sound off the face. The XLS had a deeper, more hollow sound to it. The sound isn’t as bellowing and muffled as the MacTec NVG2, but doesn’t have the “wow” factor as the original sound. The head is a huge 460cc and the deep scoop and alignment aid is nice. Red/silver graphics on the sole are nice as well.

For performance issues, the XLS is a good follow-up that has finally gotten me to consistently go 235+ yards on hits with some pure hits going up to 245-259 yards. Sweet spot is definitely larger and provides forgiveness that I needed. I routinely hit off center and shots still give considerable distance.

Haven’t been able to compare the XLS to the XLS Monster or the previous XL so I can’t compare the leap from the all-black XL or the huge Monster head.

The Cleveland XLS is recommended for those looking for a good amount of forgiveness and require a sweet spot for off-center hitters. Check your local stores for good prices with upgraded shafts that you may be able to get for around $130.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

Golf Equipment Review: MacGregor MacTec NVG2 Driver

Its been a while since I’ve done a golf equipment review, so for the new 2010 year I will try harder to give all you budget minded golfers my personal reviews on value-priced equipment that I’ve personally tried. So here’s the first golf review of the decade!

Comments: Recently replaced a few months back my previous MacGregor MacTec NVG2 10.5 degree driver. While I really like my MacGregor NVG2 3-wood, the driver just didn’t have the pop or additional distance I was hoping for.

The MacTec NVG2 3 wood is a blast to hit, crisp metallic sound, thin face for hitting off the deck and provided me a good 210-225 yards off the tee. I was hoping for the same magic when I got the driver and the honeymoon did not last long. The NVG2 driver afforded me approximately about 5-10 additional yards only when I hit the face on the sweet spot. If I mis-hit the shot (which I almost always do), then the carry would just be the same as the 3-wood. The sound of the hit was also totally different than the fairway wood, while the 3-wood had a nice high metallic sound, the driver had a low, almost tinny sound to it. The best sound I’ve had from a driver was the first generation Cleveland HiBore with the smashing metallic sound that made even my bad drives sound like pure zingers. The MacTec NVG2 driver lacked the sound and performance overall.

For those looking for traditional looks, the NVG2 line was not for you. It had an almost all chorme-like silver exterior with rivot-looking weights on the sole. The Fujikura shaft was a Regular flex for me and did an ok performance. Grip though was a minus, MacGregor used a corded grip, which for oft-tight grippers like me would cause blisters. As mentioned, the sweet spot on the face was small compared to other 440cc faces I’ve tried, causing hooks/draws when not properly hit, odd for a game improvement driver to not have such forgiveness.

The headcover had a nice black look with a zipper so a player didn’t have to struggle pulling the cover over. While I’ve read others say the zipper scratched the gofl shaft, that didn’t happen to me.

If you would like to try out this driver, you should be able to find a good price for it as it was not a hot seller. Since the performance wasn’t for me, I do recommend the looks of it, I’m into the modern look and its mechanical silver exterior looks like a space ship on its way to knock your golf ball into outer space.

Score: 2 out of 5

Golf Club Cleaning Tips 101

Golf Club Cleaning Tips 101

If there’s a certain item that Mr. Monster cleans the most, it’s my golf clubs. You spend a lot of time pounding out golf balls in the driving range tearing up their cheap range ball covers as well as bombing shots from the grass, dirt, sand, mud and rain. All-in-all, your clubs take a beating.

Basic club head cleaning

If the stains are easily removed by using a soft bristle brush then it’s time for a soaking.

Get a large bucket, place a few small drops of dishwashing liquid in the bucket and fill it with some warm water. Try not to make too many large suds and only fill up the bucket enough to soak the heads and NOT up to the hosel since that may weaken the glue that holds the shaft to the club head.

I then place my iron set (5-GW) in the bucket and leaning the grips to a wall or something to keep them upright. I like leaving the clubs soaked for about 15 minutes. Once the clubs are soaked I then pull one out at a time and place on a plastic sheet or newspaper (to capture water) and use a soft bristle brush and clean out the sole and head of the clubs. Usually the toughest stain are the ones left from the artificial grass from hitting mats.

Once the heads are clean just wipe them dry with a soft towel, and wall-a, you’re done and got a nice sparkling set with only the cost of a few small drops of dishwashing liquid (I use Sun or Ajax myself) and water. No need for special “golf club” cleaning detergents or such. Keep in on the down-low and cheap!

Golf Grip Cleaning

After a while the grips get dirty or you get a used set and don’t know where it’s been so you want to clean that puppy up. The main thing I try to not do is over-hydrate the grips which cleaning with water (makes them brittle faster) or using too much liquid soap (makes them slippery).

Too keep the grips shiny and close to new, I get a nice clean white towel (White lets you see how much dirt and such is still left on the grip but you can use any color you want) and place a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap on it then water it down. Once the towel is wet, then I twist it enough so it’s not soaking wet that it will make the grips soggy as it tends to soak in water.

Proceed with wiping the grips down until the oil, dirt, yucky items are cleaned off then wipe them dry with another non-wet towel. Once they’re nice and dry I like to personally spray them with a couple shots of anti-bacterial/disinfectant spray to make sure they’re clean as can been. After it’s sprayed let it sit for another 10-15 minutes and then wipe down dry. Let the grips dry out for a few hours and you should be left with nice clean grips!

Golf Shaft Cleaning

Here’s another part of the club that once in a while needs some cleaning, you can pretty much use the towel & liquid soap wipe-down as noted in the golf grip cleaning section. Just be careful when cleaning graphite shafts with the towel since if you have one that is coarse it may scratch the shaft. Mainly the times I clean the shaft is when you get a club that still has the retail stick or price tag on it. When the sticker is stuck and won’t peel out completely I bust out the WD-40 spray and let it soak for 15-20 minutes and then use a soft flat-edged item (or fingernail) to slowly scrape the sticker off. Once all the remnants are gone I then proceed with wiping down the area with a wet towel and dry off.

Golf Club Rust Removal

Now here’s a tricky item to remove, rust, since by the time you have it on your golf club head its probably bonded to it pretty good.

On a set of clubs I have that had rust stains on the inside perimeter of the back of the club I initially tried just using soap, water and a bristle brush to use but that didn’t do anything. I then used a generic household cleaning/rust removal liquid and that also didn’t work. I knew I had to break out the big guns. I ended up buying CLR (calcium, lime, rust removal liquid) to try out .

The instructions do say to start off using a small sample of CLR and diluting it with water, but since I wanted the rust gone ASAP I used the full concentration. Since I was targeting rust stains on certain spots of the club I used a Q-Tip to dab the areas affected by rust.

Golf Review: Nike Dri-Fit Golf Gloves- 6/21/08

Review: I have been using the Nike Dri-Fit golf gloves for the last couple of years on and off. For the price they sell around $10.00. These are synthetic gloves and have held up longer than some other name brand gloves I have used in the past.

I did choose this Nike version since I was looking for black golf gloves and the Nike Dri-Fits were the most readily available at a good low price. They also come in a nice vented hard plastic case which helps keep them in shape instead of throwing them crumpled into the side pockets of your golf bag.

I have regulated this version of the glove to mostly practice and driving range so it’s been going on almost a year for me. The last version I used during play laster about six months before rips appeared. This one I use for practice and sometimes play, the only wear showing up is that the synthetic leather around the thumbs and wrist area are rubbing off and exposing the lycra fabric.

The fit is good for a ML and breathes well without any major discomfort notice. Plus since this is a black colored version, dirt and stains are hard to notice. Major pluses for the glove holder.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

Golf Review: Neoprene Golf Iron Head Covers- 6/20/08

Review: When I first got into golf I started noticing on my sets of irons that they were getting scratched up and dinged, and not just from hitting the ground during my horrible play!

Carrying your irons around in your bag during a typical day of play or even dragging it out to the driving range does cause the clanging of the clubs to happen at they batter themselves in your bag.

I decided then to try and keep my irons in nice condition as long as I can since I don’t apply to the terms that certain golfers have in the thought that having scuffs and scrapes on your irons is a normal part of the game and a good “game scar” to show. Well, this can be applied to you car as well, it gets dings and bumps as well during normal use and if I see a horrible dent in it then I would get an auto body shop to fix that big dent on my car, that why I try and keep my car in a garage or not parked in tight spaces… I like keeping my things in good condition.

Still, not wanting to spend too much money I decided on neoprene covers. They’re low-priced, easy to put on, and light. I got these shown in the photo from Walmart for less than $10.00. They had labels from 4-SW. I do wish they had eliminated the 4 or had one blank or “x” since I would have liked to use on on my lob wedge, so instead I place the 4 on it.

My other friends have variations on the materials for the head covers, some expensive like the Club Glove version and some with the old-school hard plastic material. These have kept my irons in good condition, though I do take them off completely during games since I do not like spending extra time putting them on and off during course of play as well as the possibility of losing them moving around the fairways.

I recommend getting them for as low-priced as possible around $10 since the more expensive versions you can instead get extra golf balls. Mine have started to rip a bit after almost 2 years of play, but only a little. Check out your local Walmart, Target, Big 5 or Sports Authority store for them locally.

Score: 3 out of 5

Casta Del Sol Golf Course in Mission Viejo, CA Golf Course Review: 5/28/07

Comments: Played Casta Del Sol Golf Course in Mission Viejo, CA on May 28th, Memorial Day. Great weather and paid $23 per person on the Monday due to holiday rates otherwise it would have been $16.00.

Great challenging course even though only par 61/62 due to challenging greens and hilly fairways. Not a lot of players after 2:00 p.m. so was able to play the entire course in under 4.5 hours with 5 players and waiting for one group ahead of us.

The course was in good shape though expect a lot of rabbits and ducks which has a few smelly lakes. Did see on back to back holes in the middle of the fairways and tees one decapitated crows head and on next tee a dead rabbit. Need marshalls to be on the look out more. Other than dead animals the course looks nice with nice views and great price.

If you live in So. O.C. and choosing Casta Del Sol vs. Lake Forest Golf & Practice center during the weekdays, pay the extra $3 and play Casta Del Sol you won’t be disappointed.

Score: 3.5 out of 5