Golf Digest
Frank's Equipment Secrets BY FRANK THOMAS, Golf Digest Chief Technical Advisor 70 Before you add a lob wedge to your bag, practice with it—a lot. 71 Most golfers don't have enough bounce on their sand wedge. 72 Dump your 3- and 4-iron and replace them with a hybrid. 73 Out of four-inch rough, grooves play no part in performance. 74 A face-balanced, mallet-style putter forgives your sins on the green. 75 A gap wedge is essential for success around the greens. 76 If you want to carry two drivers, they should have different lofts, not hook- and slice-correction features. 77 Unsure whether you should use a stiff or a regular shaft? Go for the regular first. 78 With a clubhead speed of 80 to 90 mph, launch the ball at 14 degrees with a spin rate of 3000+ rpm for maximum distance. 79 Try to hit the ball a little above the sweet spot on your driver to take advantage of the vertical gear effect (less spin, higher launch). 80 A 10-mph head wind will shorten your drive 30 percent more than a 10-mph tail wind will help. 81 A shot to a 10-degree elevated green from 150 yards will play approximately 175 yards, a two-club difference.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~