Cool Rocco Mediate witb video

[rainkingjr]

Love Rocco's insight. 

Edited December 23, 2022 by rainkingjr

[ScottyGolf]

That was a great video and a interesting view on the bounce of the wedges.  Good to see someone not chasing distance but consistent numbers.  Thanks for posting this!

[SEP1006]

Wow, very surprised at how stiff a shaft he plays throughout the bag. But especially his fairway woods / hybrids.

[OnTheBag]

1 hour ago, ScottyGolf said:

Good to see someone not chasing distance but consistent numbers.

Agreed.  We are seeing more of this with some of the highest level players.  When Lydia Ko was selecting new equipment after ending her PXG agreement, she chose ProtoConcept due to their consistency.  In an interview, she admitted to giving up 2-3 yards per club to get the consistent numbers she was looking for across the bag.

[vernon]

Although they weren't heavy, Karsten made a pretty good living selling only Stiff/Xtra Stiff shafts in his clubs for many years.

[rainkingjr]

Yeah, after watching this video, it's made me rethink my entire approach. I've never been more convinced to dump the lob wedge and stop at a 56. I can add another club at the top of the bag and tighten up distance gaps.

[OnTheBag]

8 minutes ago, rainkingjr said:

Yeah, after watching this video, it's made me rethink my entire approach. I've never been more convinced to dump the lob wedge and stop at a 56. I can add another club at the top of the bag and tighten up distance gaps.

I've been a 56° guy for as long as I can remember.  The Eye 2 SW was 57 and all my older SW's were 56.  Learned to hit all the necessary shots with those and never found the need for a 60.  Now that I'm old, I need the help at the top of the bag.  

 

Once you get comfortable manipulating the face on the 56, you can hit any shot you need.

[vernon]

I've probably owned at least 20 60 degree wedges over the years and except for out of bunkers all I ever got out of them was bad shots and frustration.  

 

Consequently it's been four or five years since I even tried and I doubt I ever will again.

 

I remember reading somewhere quite a few years ago that Tom Watson said that he never carried a lob wedge.  

 

Well he was attending an event and ceremony at our club a few years ago and I had a chance to talk to him for a few minutes and I asked if that were true.

 

His answer was, "I didn't say that I never carried a lob wedge - what I said was that I could never hit a lob wedge."  Said he tried every combination under the sun and just could never figure out a way to hit is as good as a 56 so he gave up.

 

Other than age it's probably the only thing I have in common with Tom Watson.

[rainkingjr]

Rocco is easily on my list of pros Id like to play a round of golf with. 

[Avidswampthing66]

He's a little cornbally cheesy to me with the skull logo on everything (including shafts).  Rocco is also pretty quirky which I can totally appreciate.  But, super curious about the shaft choice in woods...8x Ventus Black is rebar!?  The benefits of accuracy vs distance

[RHenderson]

I've always enjoyed watching him play golf and knew he was a little quirky, fellow long putter user but seems he shares some of the same ideas as I so it's nice to see a guy who tinkers with his equipment as much as some of us club junkies. I hate to addmit it but it just came to me why I've always liked him, he reminds me of my old Golf Pro who taught me so much about the game.

Thanks for sharing I enjoyed the video.

Merry Christmas

[dubbelbogey]

Funny personal anecdote about a super stiff hybrid shaft I've been using - which more or less happened by accident.

 

I normally play  pretty common "stiff" flex shafts in all of my clubs. Yes, I know that there is no true definition of "stiff" - but I go with standard S300 iron shafts and a Diamana stiff in my driver - so nothing particularly unusual there.

 

I had to reshaft a hybrid a couple of years ago and all I had to use in my garage was a Paderson  Kinetixx fairway wood shaft in X-flex. But the tip was damaged and I had to cut off over 1-1/4" of the tip to make it useable. Seeing as I needed to play the next day, I just went with it. So x-flex, tipped over an inch and this thing was super stiff. Comically stiff, actually.

 

But, it worked fine then, still works fine and though it's wildly "mismatched" in flex to the rest of my bag, it's funny how functional it actually is. I don't really notice it, to be honest. This is all golfer dependent, but just shows how things are not written in stone and we can pretty easily adapt to seemingly large differences in equipment. (Yeah - I'm solidly in the "it's the archer not the arrow" camp.)

[straightshot7]

Ping makes him pay for the irons? lol.

 

GolfWrx'ers rolling over in their graves with him playing the 2018 G400 driver.

[vernon]

9 minutes ago, straightshot7 said:

Ping makes him pay for the irons? lol.

 

GolfWrx'ers rolling over in their graves with him playing the 2018 G400 driver.

Yeah but they LOVE the shaft!

 

Quadruple super duper extra extra double stiff tipped six inches or whatever it was.

 

The crazy "spin is good" talk not so much though.

 

Rocco obviously has roc's in his head with that insane comment.......

 

And he WANTS his four iron to only fly 205 and NOT 220?

 

Blasphemy.  Get the bum outta here.

[straightshot7]

2 minutes ago, vernon said:

Yeah but they LOVE the shaft!

 

Quadruple super duper extra extra double stiff tipped six inches or whatever it was.

 

The crazy "spin is good" talk not so much though.

 

Rocco obviously has roc's in his head with that insane comment.......

 

And he WANTS his four iron to only fly 205 and NOT 220?

 

Blasphemy.  Get the bum outta here.

yeah if he dropped his spin from 2600-2700 down to 2200 he would pick up some serious yardage. 
 

not sure what he’s thinking. Maybe he needs to visit TXG or something. Get a proper fitting. 

[Troy_McClure]

1 hour ago, Avidswampthing66 said:

He's a little cornbally cheesy to me with the skull logo on everything (including shafts).  Rocco is also pretty quirky which I can totally appreciate.  But, super curious about the shaft choice in woods...8x Ventus Black is rebar!?  The benefits of accuracy vs distance

Blue in the 3W and HY, not black. 

[Wardman]

1 hour ago, straightshot7 said:

Ping makes him pay for the irons? lol.

 

GolfWrx'ers rolling over in their graves with him playing the 2018 G400 driver.

I saw an interview and he said he ditched sponsorships so he could play what works for vs the sponsors latest/greatest. He also uses a lite stand bag too if I recall.  No need to lug all that stuff I think he said 

[straightshot7]

9 minutes ago, Wardman said:

I saw an interview and he said he ditched sponsorships so he could play what works for vs the sponsors latest/greatest. He also uses a lite stand bag too if I recall.  No need to lug all that stuff I think he said 

Yeah but I would think Ping could still give him the irons for free if they wanted to. But maybe I'm wrong and that would have to require some kind of contract.

For example, even though he may not have a formal sponsorship agreement, I doubt Mike Taylor is making him pay retail for every one of those dozens of wedges he has.

[Cwing]

Very interesting video. I’d think most pros would have the same viewpoints vs what is marketed by oem’s to us average hacks.

[UNDY24]

On 12/23/2022 at 5:10 PM, vernon said:

I've probably owned at least 20 60 degree wedges over the years and except for out of bunkers all I ever got out of them was bad shots and frustration.  

 

Consequently it's been four or five years since I even tried and I doubt I ever will again.

 

I remember reading somewhere quite a few years ago that Tom Watson said that he never carried a lob wedge.  

 

Well he was attending an event and ceremony at our club a few years ago and I had a chance to talk to him for a few minutes and I asked if that were true.

 

His answer was, "I didn't say that I never carried a lob wedge - what I said was that I could never hit a lob wedge."  Said he tried every combination under the sun and just could never figure out a way to hit is as good as a 56 so he gave up.

 

Other than age it's probably the only thing I have in common with Tom Watson.

 

I agree 100%. I try not to use my Lob Wedge with the exception of bunkers. Rarely do I feel like I NEED to use it.

[ScottyGolf]

On 12/24/2022 at 1:13 PM, straightshot7 said:

Yeah but I would think Ping could still give him the irons for free if they wanted to. But maybe I'm wrong and that would have to require some kind of contract.

For example, even though he may not have a formal sponsorship agreement, I doubt Mike Taylor is making him pay retail for every one of those dozens of wedges he has.

I had a pro stay with me while he was in town for a tournament this summer and he had a new 60 Artisan wedge shipped overnight to the house, he said he pays for his wedges from Artisan.    

[UNDY24]

50 minutes ago, ScottyGolf said:

I had a pro stay with me while he was in town for a tournament this summer and he had a new 60 Artisan wedge shipped overnight to the house, he said he pays for his wedges from Artisan.    

 

This is true. During my putter fitting, John Hatfield said that they don't give the product away to pros. "We're not really in the business of giving stuff away" was what he said.

[CynicalFly27]

On 12/23/2022 at 2:34 AM, rainkingjr said:

Love Rocco's insight. 

I love Rocco. 

[golfinbrad]

This video is great.  Not sure I ever heard a pro talking about wanting the ball to go left.  Also, the comment about a not being stiff enough goes right.  I realize this can vary swing to swing, but total opposite you would hear from people on hear.  Read so many times if it goes right it is too stiff and left too weak.  Really makes you rethink some stuff.  Would love to see more videos like this.  Tour player insight is incredible. 

[AlohaPineapple]

his mention of the 8 iron shaft in the wedge was interesting, something that I had originally learned about here on WRX

[WipeyFade]

Until recently the only time I watched Rocco was when he got be by one-legged Tiger. I found his IG the other day and now, just like one of the posts above, it would be really cool to play a round with him. I will have to check in on some Champions Tour events to watch him. 

[jfrank]

I saw this on social media recently.  Very interesting approach.  I recently picked up an old driver with a X-Stiff Matrix shaft and heavy SW.  Control did seem to be easier, but distance suffered.  Seems to agree with what he was saying.  I want those i230s.

[TimBuma]

Has anyone seen similar results going stiffer in driver shaft that actually helps them turn it over? And also seen a shaft that is too soft just fly high right??

[RHenderson]

@littletimbo182 Yes I've seen similar results and have gone to stiffer Driver shaft for more accuracy, but yes there is a trade off like jfrank mentioned but he's not talking in General he's talking about his swing or play which if I were to guess he could play a Stiff or X Flex and he believes the Stiffer shaft gives him more control in which I agree as well. Now if you talking about a regular flex or a soft stiff then yes it will cause the face to be left open for most swings or someone with a late release or someone with more lag, it will cause the face to be left open because the shaft has not made the club head return back to square. But! if your someone with an early release his findings may not work, That is why it's crucial to always get fit for a range or multiple shafts that fit you, then you can tweak the shaft to your liking. I hope that helps and I know it sounds redundant to keep preaching the fitting but for most golfers it's the absolute best place to start. Rocco has been a Pro for a loooong time, I'm sure seen his share of Trackman's or fitting booths so you know he has his numbers that he knows what fits his swing and his eye within reason. 

 

Rocco's video reminds me of my old Teaching Pro, Old school if you will, but I found him to keep stating spin equals control and thats the key! Trouble is most Amateurs can't handle that much spin due to mechanics / technique because spin means it magnifies problems if they have any, so for that to be relevant you have to have great mechanics / technique to really see the bennefit of the kind of spin he is talking about, so good spin is deffinetly your friend.

 

Sorry to be so long winded, but hope that makes sense.  

[azgreg]

Interesting comment on the 56° shaft. Sounds like he is just going with an 8i shaft and not using the 8i spinner trick. Just a straight 8i shaft.