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Golf/Questions Answered by Expert Jim McCleery
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Driver Selection | 12/21/2011 |
| Q: I"m a very amateur golfer, in fact, I've never even broken 100. But I love the game, and try to get ... A: Not all golf shops do fittings. I California there is a plethora of fitters. Look up the ... | |
| Driver Selection | 12/20/2011 |
| Q: I"m a very amateur golfer, in fact, I've never even broken 100. But I love the game, and try to get ... A: Bret, Its always great to talk to a golfer that loves the game no matter the skill level, The driver ... | |
| Ping anser putter | 12/7/2011 |
| Q: I have recently been given a ping anser putter .I am just curious about its authenticity / value ... A: Phillip, Sorry for the delay, I believe the Phoenix putter is the common address of the putters. ... | |
| Driver Assembly | 7/16/2011 |
| Q: I am attempting to assemble a driver that has "spined shaft" so how would i install the head in ... A: You have three choices when installing the shaft. 3 O'Clock (toward the target), 9 O'Clock opposite ... | |
| clubs | 7/14/2011 |
| Q: Jim I am compensating for my stocky build, big abdomen (not fat) and short arms and legs by using my ... A: Bud, without seeing your swing I cannot make a real recommendation for you. I would suggest going ... | |
| Ping sand wedge lofts | 5/21/2011 |
| Q: I have seen 3 ping ISI beryllium copper sand wedges--circa 1997-- one with no number on the back, ... A: From the PING website 1 39.75" 16.0° 58.0° 0.36" -4.0° C9-D0 2 39.25" 18.5° 58.5° 0.35" -3.0° ... | |
| Traveling light | 4/30/2011 |
| Q: Jim As part of a fitness regime this year I plan to leave the golf buggy and even the cart behind ... A: Bud, I too will be making a firm commitment to shed ing some weight. I walk now with a push cart. ... | |
| use of putter | 4/12/2011 |
| Q: Can you use the toe or the back side of the putter to strike the ball when you are on the green or ... A: Greg, From an equipment point of view. There are only regulation on the construction of the putter. ... | |
| Swing Weight Scale | 3/28/2011 |
| Q: Jim, I recently acquired an Exact Weight Shadowgraph swingweight scale. Type 4210, serial# 313579, ... A: The shadow graph is a great old swing weight scale. I actually saw one on a tour trailer two years ... | |
| Hoping to Identify MacGregor Clubs | 3/4/2011 |
| Q: Teal colored shafts? I can't find this clubs anywhere. Im looking for age and a value if possible. ... A: Shannon, I was a certified Macgregor custom fitting center prior to the selling of the company. The ... | |
| Golf Club | 3/2/2011 |
| Q: I found a golf club the only thing it says on it is "Howie Johnson #3". Is it worth anything? I ... A: Nancy, I dont know much about the club itself except that if the wood or iron is labeled as a three ... | |
| taylormade | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: just got an older complete set of taylormade firesole forged h irons in perfect shape. each iron has ... A: Anthony, It sounds like you a very nice set of forged irons with graphite shafts. The firesole ... | |
| 60 degree wedge | 2/8/2011 |
| Q: I am looking for a 60 degree wedge that i can also use from sand trap, what amount of bounce should ... A: The V sole and the multiple sole grinds address the bounce, Without seeing a swing, the previously ... | |
| Drivers | 2/1/2011 |
| Q: My 11 yr old son is a 7 handicap playing from 5000-5200 yards. he hits a straight ball, but can hit ... A: It sound as if you son has game and has been watching too much golf channel. It is also important ... | |
| Golf swing | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: I play off an 8 handicap, and lately i have been hitting big pushes with the short irons and wedges ... A: Connor, I am more of the equipment person here. I know what I would say from an equipment ... | |
| DRIVER SHAFT | 12/22/2010 |
| Q: I am a senior(65), my swing speed is 95 mph and my launch angle is 14.6 and my spin rate is 2750. my ... A: Robert, First and foremost if you are looking to maximize your tee shot then I recommend a ... | |
| Fitting clubs | 12/6/2010 |
| Q: Is there a web site that could help me measure to determine what length clubs I would need? Thank ... A: In order to determine the proper length for your best golf a computerized fitting is required. It is ... | |
| lie angel | 11/8/2010 |
| Q: I am 5'6" and was fitted for 2* upright. Is this normal and what does it say about my swing? ... A: Don, Thanks for the positive input. I would recommend going to the fitter or another fitter that ... | |
| lie angel | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: I am 5'6" and was fitted for 2* upright. Is this normal and what does it say about my swing? A: Don, I am assuming two things Don. Yes, I know what happens when I assume. 1) the clubs are ... | |
| Ping II wedge circa 1978 | 10/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a Ping II (circa 1978) set of clubs that has a standard wedge. What degree was this wedge ... A: The early PWs of most companies were between 50 and 52 degrees. Each manufacturer had their own ... | |
| Ball movement before shot | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: Hey Jim, Today before I hit my second shot from the rough I placed the club head a couple inches ... A: jac, sorry for the delay,I was answering this question when the power went out, Just got it back ... | |
| Which clubs/type of clubs should i buy? | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I'm struggling to decide which clubs to purchase. i play with blades which were hand me downs from ... A: Dan, Right now will be a perfect time for a computerized fitting. You will know ALL the parameters ... | |
| Working the golf ball | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: It seems there is information available about how differnt balls can be hit to provide spin into the ... A: Don, Golf Ball manufacturers do create golf balls for increased spin or even lower spin via changing ... | |
| drivers | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: I currently am using a Lynks driver and am considering upgrading. I have a slight fade in my drives. ... A: Gene, Being a certified fitter it is very hard to make a game call on a driver over the internet. ... | |
| club length | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: I am pretty short. 5ft 6in (165cm). I have just started out playing. Have been for about a month ... A: Club length is paramount to being the correct posture for the best golf swing. The quickest way to ... | |
| Bees in bunker | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: I read recently that if your ball goes into the bunker and there are bees in there that you can take ... A: I think the guys that deal with rules more often than I would be better for this, please ask one of ... | |
| Course scoring records | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: I just had a dream weekend and shot a 64 in a tournament at my local course. We played from the ... A: Carl, Congratulations on a great score! Although I am not an official, I see course scoring ... | |
| set-up | 7/11/2010 |
| Q: i am 6'5 and it just seems akward when i stand to the ball seems that i am bending over instead of ... A: Elliott, Usually extensions on clubs or added length is required when a golfer is 6'3" or taller. I ... | |
| Stiff versus Regular | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: I am 60 years old, 6'3" and play to a 8-10 handicap. Time for a new driver. Just found out my ... A: Bob, First and foremost, a driver fitting from a certified or qualified club fitter is a must. That ... | |
| tour model III's | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: I just picked up a set of Tour Model III"s at a second hand store. My question is 3 fold. First, ... A: The tour models Are all inspired from the Ping modeling, I believe the IIIs are from the ping zing ... | |
| Taylormade r7 wedges | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: I have the chance to get a taylormade r7 pw and sw very cheaply. However i have heard lots about ... A: When it comes to equipment I am very picky as to the fit and function for the game. If you are ... | |
| Budget Friendly Golf Set | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: I want to buy my husband who is just a beginner and not very good a first set. Do you have any ... A: I cannot attest to the quality of a $100 set of clubs, however I cannot believe they are worth the ... | |
| golf shaft difference | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: I was recently on Mizuno's "Shaft Optimizer". The results show that I was consistently at their ... A: Ian, I am still finding out about the optimizer. From what I know the shaft selection is based on a ... | |
| golf club resizing / grip extension | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: John - I just purchased a used set of Ping Eye (Maroon) clubs steel shafts 3 - W (2 wedges) for a ... A: There is a way to remove the grips and cut them to the correct length however if you are getting ... | |
| Driving | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I'm Jack. Ever sense I started golfing I always had sliced no matter what driver or shape. Then, two ... A: Jack, I will assume that the swing, swing plane and release are all in order. If you play baseball ... | |
| Reshafting Ping clubs | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I have an old set of Pings which I am considering reshafting. Because the hosels are taper fit my ... A: Arthur, You are correct in that taper tipped shafted are a butt trim only set up. A taper tip shaft ... | |
| driver fitting | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: I was professionally fitted for clubs, including a driver in 2003 and I am interested in upgrading ... A: If I may who did the fitting? Because a 45" shaft is suspect unless you are very tall or approach ... | |
| Improving-two questions | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: Jim I am going to spend more of my leisure time this summer working on my game. I work nights, so ... A: Sorry for the delay. Based on your information, A set of custom clubs is not simply taking an off ... | |
| Wilson Augusta Irons | 3/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a beautiful set of Wilson Augusta Irons which have a classic blade look, in near mint ... A: to get the absolute answer I recommend going to the source. The Wilson sporting good site has a ... | |
| golf practice tips | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: i have been looking all over the Internet but i can not flind anything related to my question. I am ... A: Allie, Its great to hear about young people that have the drive to become the best. That is what ... | |
| ping zing 2 dot color fitting | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: I want to buy a set of ping zing 2 irons but i dont know what color dot would be best for me im 6`1 ... A: The PING website had or had a color code for the dots. I would go there first. Second and more ... | |
| Kid clubs | 3/1/2010 |
| Q: I have to replace my son's driver and get him a 3 wood. His driver fell and the head snapped off. ... A: US KIDS is probably the best overall in the industry. They provide more to junior golf than any ... | |
| Am I at a disadvantage playing with old clubs? | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: I play with an old set of Golden Ram tour grind irons, which my Granddad gave me a few years ago. ... A: The best set of clubs for your game are the clubs that fit your swing tendencies and the places you ... | |
| GOLF SHAFTS | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: I HAVE AN OLD SET OF MACGREGOR BLADES REG.075. THE CLUBS HAVE OLD TOUR FLEX ALUMINUM SHAFTS. THE ... A: Steve, It is quite possible the irons you describe have a flared tip. The flared tip is made to ... | |
| Scotty Cameron 1st of 500 Detour Putters | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: Jim, Thanks for your time. Regarding the Scotty Cameron '1st of 500' Detour putters: are those ... A: Mike, The designs are similar however the major difference is in the offset. The Newport 2 is a ... | |
| Fast swing speed and what type of drivers/woods? | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: I went to Roger Dunn to get fitted for clubs. He told me that I have a 105-115 swing speed and I ... A: Eric, The current equipment in your bag is not tour equipment by Taylormade Standards, It would be ... | |
| knockoff irons | 1/23/2010 |
| Q: i have a set of irons named megaflite. i can't find ANY information about them. the head say's ... A: Paul, Knock off clubs can be and are made by just about every foundary overseas. Most are not of ... | |
| proper shaft | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a new 2007 Taylormade Burner off ebay and it comes with a stock 50g stiff ... A: If the taylormade is a tour model it is more than likely to be a .335. Taylormade is notorious for ... | |
| proper shaft | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a new 2007 Taylormade Burner off ebay and it comes with a stock 50g stiff ... A: Each of the manufacturers have the information you are looking for, Ball flight weight ETC. Certain ... | |
| proper shaft | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a new 2007 Taylormade Burner off ebay and it comes with a stock 50g stiff ... A: There is alot more to shaft selection than just weight. The shaft in the current club is at 50 gram ... | |
| Club fitting | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: I feel like my putter is to small for me I am 6'6 what length would you recommend my putter to be A: sorry for the delay, apparently my email is a bit off. for most golfers,,, at 6' 3" in height the ... | |
| Driver Shafts | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I bought from a shop in CA (I live in PA) 4 sensicore 45" rifle shafts which are marked XH100. The ... A: Warren, The shaft you describe is a true temper shaft. Rifle did not sensicore their product. The ... | |
| Changed irons | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: Jim, This is a club fitting question. I have been playing forged irons with steel shafts for the ... A: Bruce, The TT Lite XL is a misnomer in that the shaft is not really lighter than the standard shaft. ... | |
| Golf Etique | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: In a golf round, often another players caddy will run across the green to mark his players ball, ... A: John, I did brief search through the USGA Site. First and foremost this applies: No Disturbance or ... | |
| irons | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: Calloway X series irons feature an X18 and an X18R series. What does the R signify. Is there a ... A: Bill, Callaway made and makes the X series irons in the standard and tour models. The tour models ... | |
| Need to identify this club | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: My father in law brought this club to my husband to put in our yard sale. We do not know what to ... A: Amanda, Obviously there is a lot of "crust" on the head. The best way to remove this stuff without ... | |
| Need to identify this club | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: My father in law brought this club to my husband to put in our yard sale. We do not know what to ... A: Amanda, Wooden shafted irons are typically identified via the head of the club. The club appears to ... | |
| Ping Zing & Ping Zing2 | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: What is the difference in the two models and why were they not popular being they both hit the ball ... A: Mickey, The zing and zing 2 clubs are very similar to be sure. These were the models to replace the ... | |
| golf shaft flexes | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: without knowing my swing speed ,how can i determine which shaft flex is best for me. also what is ... A: you can make an educated guess by distance. This is the distance the ball flies not where it ends up ... | |
| Driver Distance | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: Sir: I am a 67 year old male and looking for more distance on my drives. I am down the middle 98% of ... A: Gary, first and foremost a Driver fitting by a certified clubmaker is the best possible way to get ... | |
| golf shaft | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: and i have a r9 420 that hits the ball 25 yds. longer but a little to low and to the right but ... A: Richard, I have an answer but let me preface it with a few stipulations. Due to the nature of the ... | |
| Putting | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: Rule 19.5 is clear for stroke play and my question is it the same for match play,i.e. loss of hole ... A: Rule 19.5 states: If a player's ball in motion after a stroke is deflected or stopped by a ball in ... | |
| ping blue dot irons | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I am considering buying a set of Ping Blue Dot Irons, The problem is that I am told that the blue ... A: The Ping Dot corresponds to the lie, loft options. The length is traditionally standard. This is ... | |
| A BED IN GOLF GAMES | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: In 1922 in Scotland in Golf Games a bed was there. It was brought there by a different player each ... A: Yiangos, I have a series of history books and re-read the tournament history and the establishment ... | |
| outdoor putting green turf | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: Do you have a website or a recommendation of which is the best quality(8-10yr warranty), yet most ... A: Kyle, Nothing wrong with the DIYer in each of us. I have some good news and some bad news. Most ... | |
| ladies driver | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: I currently have a 460cc but not sure on loft. I am just starting to golf and have trouble getting ... A: Jody, Two things outside the swing cause the face to remain open at impact. This assumes your swing ... | |
| Golf Shaft | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: The Cobra Aldila Tour 60 Graphite Stiff Mid Kick 60 gram is too stiff for me... whereas the Aldila ... A: Based on this new data, I would stay with the recommendation except the tip trimming. The 85 MPH ... | |
| Golf Shaft | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: The Cobra Aldila Tour 60 Graphite Stiff Mid Kick 60 gram is too stiff for me... whereas the Aldila ... A: Nick, Cobra shafts are proprietary to the company and really don't correlate to an after market ... | |
| Backyard putting green | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: Any experience with backyard putting greens? IF so, which company/turf would you recommend to do ... A: Kyle, I own a driving range and did not have the time to maintain a green. We searched high low for ... | |
| Marking Golf Ball before all players reach green | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I know from courtesy, you mark your ball on the green. Is there any rule specifying having to mark, ... A: Chuck, Great question! I checked out the USGA and could not find any rule pertaining to marking the ... | |
| Stolen Clubs | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: STOLEN ! ! ! Hi I need to replace 2 Men's R/H Big Bertha Callaway 96 Gold wedges. ... A: Callaway has a used club program www.callawaygolfpreowned.com This is probably your best choice for ... | |
| senior tees | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: At what age is it appropriate to use the senior tee boxes? A: Steve, Actually Senior tees are a misnomer. The tees are designated for skill level or abilities. ... | |
| Distance markers | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: When were these first introduced and where? Thank you. A: Dave, In the general history of golf courses. Link style courses in Scotland were actually common ... | |
| Life of a Golf Ball | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: Assuming the ball is not lost, how long does a golf ball usually last? Or, how often does a pro ... A: Life of the golf ball is impacted by various things. 1) The coarseness of the club face. 2) How the ... | |
Golf
Answers by Expert:
Jim McCleery
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer questions related to golf equipment, golf fitting questions, golf accessories
Experience
I have owned and operated McGolf Custom Clubs since 1999, Since 1999 we have expanded to include a practice facility/ driving range.
I am the Internationalclubmaker of the year
a three time regional clubmaker of the year and a
top 100 club fitter nation wide.
I am Ohios only advnaced Rifle center.
I am a certified advanced professional clubmaker
I am a certified club fitter
Our facility was named a "TOP SHOP" for 2008.
I perform computerized fittings, all forms of repairs, give lessons at the range and publish articles on golf equipment at the CLUBMAKER a blog from Mcgolf.net
Organizations
Professional clubmakers society and the
International clubmakers guild
Publications
News watchman (local paper)
Chillicothe Gazette (local paper)
The journal - a professional clubmakers society publication - multiple times
the launch monitor - a one time publication
"The Clubmaker" a blog at www.mcgolf.net/blog
Education/Credentials
Completed:
Professional clubmaking certification
professional club fitting certification
professional club repair certification.
advanced professional certification.
Rifle and Advanced Rifle training.
Golfworks 5 day fitting and repair school
Golfworks Masters course. ( first class)
Awards and Honors
2008 International Clubmaker of the Year
2006 Regional Clubmaker of the Year
2007 Regional Clubmaker of the Year
2008 Regional Clubmaker of the Year
2008 Retail TOP SHOP
2006 top 100 club fitter.
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