I tell you what, there is no legitimate excuse for playing bad because of the clubs. Lesson learnt I need to practice. Ps Ricky would you also caddie for me when I visit the UK
OK.......what if... you did this with special guests and do the same set of clubs on the same 9 holes, just change the Tour pro. Make it a "Top Gear" style thing. Just a thought
James has set the bar for these clubs, now open the challenge to other pros, same clubs different pro, what a fun leaderboard that would be. "Rick Shiels 9 hole Slazenger Open Challenge"
The fact James is this insanely good and still found it tough on the European tour shows just how insane the standards are to even get on the tour. Madness
to be fair, there are some differences in the clubs that may actually affect your ability to use them, like length, shaft material. All of these things did affect how well he played I think, he's just so much better than "us" that it's more discrete of differences. in my opinion...
I was thinking the same thing on that mention, he's on a completely different level. I'd probably be going with a 7 or 6 iron and give it maybe just over a half swing. I wouldn't consider the wedge unless it's under 80 yards.
I bought my son a set like this when he was 13 and wanting to move on from the kid's set he had. Now he's 16 and playing in High School. I offered to buy him a full and fitted set, but he said "No. Everyone I play against who sees these clubs immediately underestimates me, which gives me an advantage...Maybe next year".
@@Jetmech1781 my dad is a good craftsman. His table-saw blade got dull and needed sharpening. So he blamed the dull blade for a poorer-cut edge. Then, he sharpened the blade, and proceeded to make much cleaner cuts. Did I just blow your mind?
@FTVDiscGolf Nope. He recognized the blade was in a sub par condition and fixed the issue. Did he use the poor cuts in his finished product without fixing them?
The best golf video I've seen on TH-cam, someone playing with a smile, enjoying golf and proving that you don't have to 14 of the latest expensive clubs to play.
Do this challenge with as many guests as possible, same clubs, same course and have a board to track all of their scores, Top Gear ReasonablyPriced Car styles.
It's true, I'm not a great putter, have an awesome driver, iron, chip game - but I've never called it a "good" round unless I've done well putting... James distance control with an unfamiliar putter was incredible - eyes right over the ball.
This is one of the most entertaining videos I've seen on this channel. Rick was having a blast. And James seemed to be quite enjoying the challenge. Crazy what he was able to do with the PW.
Then again he also played this round without ever touching these clubs, I’m sure if he could’ve played a round or two before the video with them he would be fine but still not his normal self
Well part of the problem wasn’t just the club make. It was the fact it was missing clubs too which is not really a good experiment! He is using PW when he would normally use a 58 degree to drop it in. All this adds strokes. So he really needed a complete set to do the experiment
His swing is incredible smooth !! Things I learned in this video: 1. Take a smooth tempo in your swing - every damn time - do not rush it 2. Get out there and practice putting, putting, putting 3. Enjoy Golf
James's game is pure class! He's legitimately 1 of the best putters I've ever seen. Really like his positive attitude as well! I really hope to watch him play in The Open someday!
As a total beginner I went for a golf Lesson with James Robinson today - he was fab. I walked in and sliced & topped every shot, and after 15 minutes he had me hitting consistently. Really enjoyed, and certainly will be back!
@@victorchen8484 at the elite level it becomes more about putting. they can all play, i played a pro am once with an ex tour player and he hit 16 greens in regulation, he didn't make a birdie put all day, he said that was the problem he had on tour ! it was a real eye opener just how good he struck the ball but didn't score
@@smythrich nonsense the best drivers makes 5x as much as the best putters on tour Look at top 10 strokes gained off the tee and top 10 putting it’s clear which list is better
The -1 is crazy with no back story. But the fact that he did it without every taking a swing with them on the range - literally his fist time touching them - is truly astonishing. Outside of the driver off the deck on 8, did he ever not strike it cleanly? The consistently perfect ball striking is so impressive. All with a set of clubs that cost about as much as two dozen golf balls.
Oh he is! I've just had a couple days with him ... He's just like he seems. He changed my entire game and was patient and a bloody good laugh to boot. I will be going back for more!
As a bad golfer, that was truly incredible to watch, and the fact he wasn’t going out and just belting the driver, but in fact placing balls and Manoeuvring the clubs to suit the shot he needed to play.. top class
I mean this with the upmost respect and all sincerity. I've been watching a ton of your videos and I am so appreciative of seeing a low handicap/scratch golfer show all his shots and his blunders. Really makes me feel much more comfortable with my flubbed shots. Just your attitude when you flub one has taught me a ton on how to react and not allow that single shot to destroy the rest of your day. Thanks for the wonderful content, Rick!
Seriously good. And I think the most amazing thing is how he was able to immediately adapt to the regular shaft (especially with the driver) just through knowledge. Most people who go from extra-stiff to regular flex would be spraying balls all over the place. In fact the only place the ball probably wouldn't go, is wherever the player is aiming.
Literally 99% won’t see this but I lost my job due to covid. They shut down all the restaurants in Cook county which then led me to loosing my apartment. I'm currently living out of my car which I try and make the best of. I've applied to a bunch of places I'm hoping to get a call back. if anyone could help me with whatever you could bc I'm needing stuff like hand warmers which I stuff my clothes at night when it's cold. Also cheap burgers/fastfood. I know times are tough for everyone these days but if you're able to help me I have paypal username pay2winlife If you're unable to help I totally understand thank you
My dad was a scratch golfer when I was growing up and into my middle age. I never got below a 10 handicap no matter how much I practiced or how many lessons I took. One time he beat me using only his 7 iron. He always used to say to me, "It ain't the equipment son."
Well to be fair, it can just as easily be equipment that are to blame, when you're above 2 meters tall, and you're playing with none fitted standard clubs, believe me, the length of the clubs can be an absolute wreck to your game.
@@Reavix1 Oh, sure. Equipment *can* wreck you. but expensive equipment isn't going to help any more than if you found a tall set at a yard sale unless you're already very good.
@@psymar I disagree completely, and there are oh so many factors in play as to why, club length right of the bat is by far one of the most important parts of a set and the bounce on the surface is equally important, otherwise it can have serious ramifications to your swing, took me almost 3 years to unlearn the mistakes i made using a standard length golf club, when i finally did get fitted for clubs that were max length thats over 2.5 inches of club length which makes a hell of a lot of difference when it comes to your Angle of attack, steepness of your swing and such things. Honestly i dislike this video, because it is a gross misrepresentation of the truth, this is valid to people of standard size/build to a point, but that's it.
If this doesn't show that mechanics, tempo, and creativity conquers all then I don't know what does. One of the best videos yet. Rick didn't hit a shot and he was fantastic. Take lessons boys and girls, a draw driver will never FIX your slice.
That's why he isn't cut out for the pro set. He wont chew your nads off in competition like a Faldo would have. Faldo would literally growl at his playing partners if they got in his way.
As a relatively new golfer with a really basic set of clubs I've been toying with the idea of upgrading to a better set... I think this video just saved me £500 to put towards lessons instead!
It's probably too late for you but for anyone else, just recording yourself at the range and then comparing it to pros on youtube can save you even more money. I think it's mostly about having someone critique your swing and that is hard to do when you can't watch yourself.
@@pauldickman4379 I think this applies to most of the sports. It's certainly one of the best ways to improve in tennis without a coach, you record yourself practicing, then record a match, and if you spend a bunch of time looking at videos about proper technique and how professionals do it, you'll instantly see that you look horrible (at first) and not even remotely close to what you imagined you are doing. tl;dr recording yourself is very useful indeed.
@@Ben-tm6md he isn’t on tour and that could be said for 100s of players. There are top level guys and then there are 100s of pros that aren’t on that level.
This might be my favourite RS video. I play my local par 4 9 hole village course, with a set of clubs I've had for over 10 years, 1-3×per week and I love it. I would recommend anyone to just get out there and play, have fun, try and beat yourself and not worry so much about 'the equipment'. Great content 👍
This reminds me of a story I heard, an urban legend I'm sure as I've heard/read the same story where the pro and the clubs change. Anyway, the story is that Gary Player was playing a round at CMR, a club in Johannesburg, with some club members and they came to this par 3, about 130m across a pond, and he asked his caddy for a 9 iron. One of the club members commented that he played a sand wedge on the hole. Player then proceeded to hit every club in his bag, from SW to Driver, on or near the green. He then turned to the guy who made the comment and said: " I still say it's a 9 iron shot for me"
Honestly, he knows if he went back into tour he’d be in the much lower end, he wouldn’t come close to any of the top scorers. All though he is a very good golfer regardless
That was my takeaway from this as well. I cannot hit my driver with any more than 180m carry (12 degree loft). Now probably a fitted driver with less loft would buy me another 10-20m but I will still be rubbish. It will not change the fact that only half of my drives go anywhere near straight.
@@robsengahay5614 get lessons before getting fit. The lessons will help you straighten your drive out and thus gaining distance and the custom fitting will help bring dispersion down and maybe increase distance.
That was really fun to watch. i’m not sure if I should quit the game or practice more. But it’s so fun to watch a player with that kind of talent play with modest equipment and show us what real golfers do.
As a beginner (played my first round ever December 2020), I truly enjoyed this video because I actually use a cheap set of Strata clubs. But I also enjoyed how genuine is Rick in praising the skills of his friend. Speaks volumes about the person he is.
I started learning to play golf about half a year ago. I budgeted for lessons first and these clubs (but the full set) is all I could afford. I expected to struggle a bit with the clubs but I was completely wrong. The clubs are fine, my skill is still the limit and I think it will be for quite some time. The lessons on the other hand are invaluable. I'm happy to see Rick correcting this false expectation that you need expensive and fitted clubs to play golf. Those might have their place, but you certainly don't need them when starting out.
I had lessons from James a few years back in Rainford. Absolute gent and always smiling. He hit a ball to show me how it’s done, I just stood there mouth agape. Hope he qualifies again
Never did I think I'd watch a 22:20 video about golf in my life. But this was an extremely entertaining watch. Showed a side of golf I had never seen. Cheers from New Zealand.
I’m a pga golf coach living in Germany and this video is simply brilliant. This is what I try to explain to my golfers all the time. I once shot 5 over for 9 holes with a child’s (6-8 years) half set. I would just love to see James do something like that. I’m almost sure he could shoot par.👏👏👏👍
You should do more videos with him! Super humble guy and pleasant to watch! Also, for me, I took time to get a little better before switching to nicer clubs, and at about a 15 handicap, I switched to callaway apex mb18 irons and just practiced many hours. At the time, I knew game improvement irons would help me score better, but I did not want forgiveness, I wanted to learn to hit the middle, not to rely on forgiveness. It forced me to think more at the range (not overthink), and eventually, almost every single one of my iron swings looked and felt the same. I studied my swing, grip, club path/plane, tempo and that is what made me strike irons as well as I do today. I feel comfortable with them now. And now that I am better, I do not need to switch to a players iron from game improvement irons because I already got them a long time ago. My golf coach gave me that advice to save money and go strait to players irons and learn how to hit the middle of the face. I really believe this is the way to go for people to go if they are wanting to potentially shoot under par at some point. But other people are different and should do what they feel will improve their game the fastest! The important thing is to just love the game and treat your equipment with respect no matter what you have!
Good call, or to make it more interesting, they get to pick a half set from the same pool of clubs, just to let them tailor it to their own games. If it was the exact same set, it would presumably have them playing the same shots, I always fancied Formula 1 where they all had the same cars or darts where the numbers span round after every set of throws so that treble 20 would be in a different place every go. Look at how cricket came up with T20 to make it more interesting for casual viewers, a 1-round , 6 club challenge would be pretty cool!
@@peterdarr383 uh... i feel like you interpreted it a little odd. He means every player has their own set of the same clubs. Therefore its all tailored to their needs but the actual clubs themselves are the exact same make/model.
effort and golf dont go together. A golf club should be held like a wand and a golf swing should be executed like a dance move. When i golf it's like stuffing a hyena in a garbage bag.
I normally don't even comment, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this video. You two were nothing but smiles the whole time. For a guy that knows NOTHING about golf and has never watched a single match --- this was pretty awesome.
What I find incredible is that players a century ago were breaking par on tough courses with clubs that were basically variants of hammers, walking sticks and butter knives while using balls that were chicken feathers wrapped in leather.
I try to explain it to my son who is getting into golf. I bought me a set of used Titleist AP2 714’s. He liked them when he tried them and asked if he could have them in a few years. I said he can have them now. At 18 years old he hits the ball better than I ever have/will. My old Ben Hogans have served me well and continue to do so moving forward. The clubs are not what holds me back.
@@ka4sxi to a certain extent. i had callaway ft's since i was in highschool in 2010ish, then just recently got cobra radspeed irons. My old 7 iron went 165, my new one goes 200 if I catch it right due to the loft being basically what my old 5 iron was. Especially these days when there are hybrid irons. Which you should try instead of blades/cavities. They would improve your game alot.
You can't buy a skill with expensive equipment: Golf, bowling, playing the guitar, playing the piano. In the end, the most important factor is the person, their training and their practice. Great video! Well done, James!
Slazenger clubs are flying off the shelves. Stock prices for the company hit an all time high. Got my half set on order. Great eye opener to those who think the most expensive clubs are the ticket to lower scores. I've been converted! Thanks James. And Rick for another great video, thinking outside the box.
Thank you for making these videos. I have been put off playing golf by the extreme prices of golf kit. This shows it is skill, not ‘buying a game’. You vids are fantastic!!
To borrow a phrase: guys, I got to be honest: this video had me smiling the whole way through. That hybrid shot was ridiculous! James is a great sport. You guys may have saved me money!
100% my favourite video, with videos like this you're making the average golfer feel better about his/her clubs if they can't afford top of the range. Even my self felt conscious about my clubs when I stated playing, I always thought if I had better clubs maybe that would help and i feel like you're debunking golf stereotypes with videos like this. Amazing video!! Loved it!!
I thought Rick was a very good golfer but it shows there are several more levels to go to make it.....this guy certainly has the skill and talent,just needs the lucky break his persona deserves
Rick has lost accuracy (hands) and power (fast twitch muscle). But he is still an incredibly good golfer. Underselling himself badly here. I bet he could hit par with a full set of similar bulk Slazengers.
20:40 I remember reading a book when I was going through a bit of depression. It said that the human brain cannot move away from something, only toward something. So, if (in my case) I was focusing on 'not being depressed' my mind only focuses on the 'depressed bit' not the 'not' bit. So, the trick was to only give positive affirmation. So, change your internal mantra to 'I'm happy' (even if you're not). Putting this into effect on the golf course, I find that what the pro here said is quite right. If you or your partner says "You don't want to go right" you're more likely to 'go right' because your brain only hears 'right'. So, if your shot needs to stay left you say that "You want to stay left", and NEVER follow it up with "don't go right".
@@gordonlloyd6400 I think the difference would be minor. But with pressure in tournaments comes trust that one needs to have in what you hold in your hands. So for sure a mental thing is my chain of thoughts about it. 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
Excellent decision. Set a goal, work your ass off and reward yourself with those clubs! I've always said I'd buy Mizuno MP-20 blades when I get down to 5. Every time I get to 6-something, I blow out again. Perhaps I should just invest in more lessons too... Good luck Matthew and cheers from Sydney - Dave
what a cool cat and nice guy. most impressive to me the fact, that he obviously didn't just take it as a joke but really competed. well! done and a proove for his skills.
beginners half-set! But yes I get it. I think the idea with this set from slazenger (besides cost) is that a beginner doesn't need half the clubs and this simplifies the decision making. I think even myself who's like a 30 handicap right now would probably not do much or any worse with the limited club set vs a full set.
I bought a fairly cheap set of clubs and started lessons. I made good progress on everything but driving and my coach couldn't figure it out. Eventually we noticed on slow motion that the driver head was literally wobbling side to side on my down swing. So I think there is a point were the quality of the clubs can make a substantial difference.
Subcribe to my 2nd channel here! Lets get to 100K! th-cam.com/users/RickShielsGolfDaily
I tell you what, there is no legitimate excuse for playing bad because of the clubs. Lesson learnt I need to practice. Ps Ricky would you also caddie for me when I visit the UK
OK.......what if... you did this with special guests and do the same set of clubs on the same 9 holes, just change the Tour pro. Make it a "Top Gear" style thing. Just a thought
@@Archy03 I like the Top Gear style. Same set of clubs and same 9 hole course!
@@daren7786 morning
@@daren7786 hope ur doing better, I was living in my car too, but things turned out ok! Whatever you do, don't give up hope! God bless!! 🙏❤️👉🇺🇸
Imagine you see James in The Open Qualifiers making 30 foot putt's with the slazenger putter
I feel putters are like Harry Potters wand. They chose you, sometimes you just find your putter.
@@karlg1535 totally agree
feel like we need to see him game a full set of slazenger. New brand ambassador 🔥
Brilliant 😂
@@MrAnders1000 I've got my Taylormade putter from 1987. It's a sniper and I can't find anything better
James has set the bar for these clubs, now open the challenge to other pros, same clubs different pro, what a fun leaderboard that would be. "Rick Shiels 9 hole Slazenger Open Challenge"
That would be class, it would be like the Kia challenge, star in a reasonable priced car. Great idea.
This had to be done
That's actually a really cool idea.
Instead of celebrities in crappy cars from top gear it's pros with crappy clubs 🤣🤣🤣
Like Top gears reasonably priced car challenge,
The fact James is this insanely good and still found it tough on the European tour shows just how insane the standards are to even get on the tour. Madness
Notice Rick only volunteers to caddy when he'll be carrying the lightest set of clubs available. Smart man, that.
And the club choice is obvious 😂
how ridiculous would the electric bag cart have been here?lol
Ha.. Did you watch the video with Lee Westwood where Rick Caddied for him? It was Lee's tour bag (but Rick never carried it)...
I’ve just spent £800 on a new set of irons, told the Mrs it would improve my game. She sent me this video ... I’m in the dog house thanks Rick :,(
to be fair, there are some differences in the clubs that may actually affect your ability to use them, like length, shaft material. All of these things did affect how well he played I think, he's just so much better than "us" that it's more discrete of differences.
in my opinion...
Lmao
😆
This made me pee myself laughing a little.
You poor bastard.
Enjoy sleeping on the couch.
Check mate haha
Par 3 - 150 yards
James: "It's got to be a well hit wedge"
Me: *Thumbing my Driver* "Hmmmm"
Me while I watch both of y’all from the woods fiddling with my putter🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐
@@piercemccauley7079 I'd be looking for my ball in the woods!
😂
150 I’d probably hit my 8 iron and hope for the best
I was thinking the same thing on that mention, he's on a completely different level. I'd probably be going with a 7 or 6 iron and give it maybe just over a half swing. I wouldn't consider the wedge unless it's under 80 yards.
James with these clubs vs Rick with a full set. I'd watch that match!
Yes
Yes bring it on !!!
Agreed!!
Don't be a wimp Rick, I know you'll see this! 🤣
I was thinking the same thing. That’s the logical next episode.
I bought my son a set like this when he was 13 and wanting to move on from the kid's set he had. Now he's 16 and playing in High School. I offered to buy him a full and fitted set, but he said "No. Everyone I play against who sees these clubs immediately underestimates me, which gives me an advantage...Maybe next year".
Id say your son is a smart young man. Good for him.
Your son gets it
I love that!
What a star!!.... That level of intelligence is rare!!👍
Wise kid
This, to me, is a perfect example of the idiom, "A good craftsman never blames his tools." This man has handled this small set masterfully.
A poor craftsman blames his tools.
A good craftsman can afford good tools.
A good craftsman certainly can blame his tools, don’t you think?
@FTVDiscGolf
Of course he CAN. But he doesn't.
@@Jetmech1781 my dad is a good craftsman. His table-saw blade got dull and needed sharpening. So he blamed the dull blade for a poorer-cut edge. Then, he sharpened the blade, and proceeded to make much cleaner cuts.
Did I just blow your mind?
@FTVDiscGolf
Nope. He recognized the blade was in a sub par condition and fixed the issue. Did he use the poor cuts in his finished product without fixing them?
The best golf video I've seen on TH-cam, someone playing with a smile, enjoying golf and proving that you don't have to 14 of the latest expensive clubs to play.
Do this challenge with as many guests as possible, same clubs, same course and have a board to track all of their scores, Top Gear ReasonablyPriced Car styles.
This is class ....i will watch that series every week ..James already set the pace.
Doubt you will get Rory to turn up. You did it in.. 1 .. over .. par..
Absolutely this. I'd have watched this for a full 18 holes. Nice fella too.
Brilliant shout 👏
@@ksportz66 Does that mean he's not coming on then?
I could watch these two play golf all day. James clearly loves being on the course, and Rick’s enthusiasm is infectious.
This video is definitely a testament to the power of solid putting.
Most used club in the bag each and every round. Can’t think of a “good” round I’ve had when I’ve putted like a muppet.
It's true, I'm not a great putter, have an awesome driver, iron, chip game - but I've never called it a "good" round unless I've done well putting... James distance control with an unfamiliar putter was incredible - eyes right over the ball.
All of my personal best rounds coincide with some of the best putting performances of my life. Like 1.5 average putts for the round and no 3-putts.
Yes but hes got in position with good drives !
Keep it in play, get it on or close to the green, chip and putt well... Sums up my best rounds.
Greatest slazenger ad of all time, I hope he’s been offered a sponsorship because that was genuinely incredible
Just proves most clubs will get the job done when well !!
This is one of the most entertaining videos I've seen on this channel. Rick was having a blast. And James seemed to be quite enjoying the challenge. Crazy what he was able to do with the PW.
I wanna see the same guy play the same 9 holes with his own set to see how much of a difference it actually makes
Then again he also played this round without ever touching these clubs, I’m sure if he could’ve played a round or two before the video with them he would be fine but still not his normal self
Well part of the problem wasn’t just the club make. It was the fact it was missing clubs too which is not really a good experiment! He is using PW when he would normally use a 58 degree to drop it in. All this adds strokes. So he really needed a complete set to do the experiment
His own clubs ..
Birdie
Birdie
Eagle
Par
Eagel .....
Over 18 holes, I could see that being 6 or 7 shots lower.
Just play with 2 sets. He only plays the lie from the cheap sets shot.
His swing is incredible smooth !! Things I learned in this video:
1. Take a smooth tempo in your swing - every damn time - do not rush it
2. Get out there and practice putting, putting, putting
3. Enjoy Golf
Spot on. His swing was effortless and putting was 🎯
And timing
Wrong. Smash the driver as far as I can no matter what and 3 putt every hole. Don't tell me how to golf. :P
@@Cmcmillen77 legit my game 😅
@@Cmcmillen77 that's how I play golf as well xD
James's game is pure class! He's legitimately 1 of the best putters I've ever seen. Really like his positive attitude as well! I really hope to watch him play in The Open someday!
As a total beginner I went for a golf Lesson with James Robinson today - he was fab. I walked in and sliced & topped every shot, and after 15 minutes he had me hitting consistently. Really enjoyed, and certainly will be back!
you lucky boy
Thanks for the comment James. Good luck with qualifying 😀
Is that at Clarke's rainford
I played with james in a junior comp years ago, junior victory trophy 2005 lol. He was a top bloke then good to see the player he has become today
@@TheJayddub underrated comment
Boy James has the most beautiful swing I've ever seen. He makes it look so effortless
Incredible looking swing. 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
The fact that he had such a hard time when he was on tour just tells us how difficult the competition is
@@victorchen8484 indeed. 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
@@victorchen8484 at the elite level it becomes more about putting. they can all play, i played a pro am once with an ex tour player and he hit 16 greens in regulation, he didn't make a birdie put all day, he said that was the problem he had on tour ! it was a real eye opener just how good he struck the ball but didn't score
@@smythrich nonsense the best drivers makes 5x as much as the best putters on tour
Look at top 10 strokes gained off the tee and top 10 putting it’s clear which list is better
The -1 is crazy with no back story. But the fact that he did it without every taking a swing with them on the range - literally his fist time touching them - is truly astonishing. Outside of the driver off the deck on 8, did he ever not strike it cleanly? The consistently perfect ball striking is so impressive. All with a set of clubs that cost about as much as two dozen golf balls.
Cheers for answering the question. Don’t need to watch no. Knobhead
@@joemanoli9688 I'm going to steal knobhead as an insult going forward. Thank you.
I got a starter set of Callaway Strata clubs and I’m feeling like I got a chance of having a good time on the links with these clubs.
Those are good clubs I recommend them took a bit to get use to them but I love them
Skill, personality and importantly humility ....... James is a class act and I bet he’s a truly outstanding coach.
Oh he is! I've just had a couple days with him ... He's just like he seems. He changed my entire game and was patient and a bloody good laugh to boot.
I will be going back for more!
As a bad golfer, that was truly incredible to watch, and the fact he wasn’t going out and just belting the driver, but in fact placing balls and Manoeuvring the clubs to suit the shot he needed to play.. top class
Shaft would not allow him to smash it. Was getting max distance by swinging smooth so it would not balloon up by spinning to much.
I mean this with the upmost respect and all sincerity. I've been watching a ton of your videos and I am so appreciative of seeing a low handicap/scratch golfer show all his shots and his blunders. Really makes me feel much more comfortable with my flubbed shots. Just your attitude when you flub one has taught me a ton on how to react and not allow that single shot to destroy the rest of your day. Thanks for the wonderful content, Rick!
Can we all take a minute to recognize just how good that was?
Seriously good.
And I think the most amazing thing is how he was able to immediately adapt to the regular shaft (especially with the driver) just through knowledge. Most people who go from extra-stiff to regular flex would be spraying balls all over the place. In fact the only place the ball probably wouldn't go, is wherever the player is aiming.
Literally 99% won’t see this but I lost my job due to covid. They shut down all the restaurants in Cook county which then led me to loosing my apartment. I'm currently living out of my car which I try and make the best of. I've applied to a bunch of places I'm hoping to get a call back. if anyone could help me with whatever you could bc I'm needing stuff like hand warmers which I stuff my clothes at night when it's cold. Also cheap burgers/fastfood. I know times are tough for everyone these days but if you're able to help me I have paypal
username pay2winlife
If you're unable to help I totally understand thank you
^ no one send anything to that account
@@daren7786 no
@@Mr_Makina lol right... "pay2winlife" sounds like the laugh-in-your-face moniker a sociopath would use when scamming people.
My dad was a scratch golfer when I was growing up and into my middle age. I never got below a 10 handicap no matter how much I practiced or how many lessons I took. One time he beat me using only his 7 iron. He always used to say to me, "It ain't the equipment son."
".... just pure talent"
Great story bro
Well to be fair, it can just as easily be equipment that are to blame, when you're above 2 meters tall, and you're playing with none fitted standard clubs, believe me, the length of the clubs can be an absolute wreck to your game.
@@Reavix1 Oh, sure. Equipment *can* wreck you. but expensive equipment isn't going to help any more than if you found a tall set at a yard sale unless you're already very good.
@@psymar I disagree completely, and there are oh so many factors in play as to why, club length right of the bat is by far one of the most important parts of a set and the bounce on the surface is equally important, otherwise it can have serious ramifications to your swing, took me almost 3 years to unlearn the mistakes i made using a standard length golf club, when i finally did get fitted for clubs that were max length thats over 2.5 inches of club length which makes a hell of a lot of difference when it comes to your Angle of attack, steepness of your swing and such things. Honestly i dislike this video, because it is a gross misrepresentation of the truth, this is valid to people of standard size/build to a point, but that's it.
I still cannot believe he hit that hybrid 260 years out of the rough, what an insanely good golfer
Definitely the shot that showcases his class.
As a proud(?) Owner of a set of Slazenger V300 clubs this video brought a tear to my eye.
Nick for a beginner or occasional golfer these clubs will do you proud.
If this doesn't show that mechanics, tempo, and creativity conquers all then I don't know what does. One of the best videos yet. Rick didn't hit a shot and he was fantastic. Take lessons boys and girls, a draw driver will never FIX your slice.
So your sayin its false advertising? 🤣
true story
I haven’t played golf (badly) for over 20 years, but I’m addicted to this channel.
James is such a mild mannered, good natured golfer. And obviously very skilled.
That's why he isn't cut out for the pro set. He wont chew your nads off in competition like a Faldo would have. Faldo would literally growl at his playing partners if they got in his way.
@@CoIoneIPanic John Rahm is reportedly " the nicest guy in the world" he's also #1 in the world...
I really like the guy's presona, and his game is definitely strong too...
@@chrispafrieddreams9118 jon rahm is the Forrest Gump of golf
He just added 1 ⭐️ to the Slazenger brand, that hybrid shot was legendary 💪🎯
As a relatively new golfer with a really basic set of clubs I've been toying with the idea of upgrading to a better set... I think this video just saved me £500 to put towards lessons instead!
It's probably too late for you but for anyone else, just recording yourself at the range and then comparing it to pros on youtube can save you even more money. I think it's mostly about having someone critique your swing and that is hard to do when you can't watch yourself.
@@pauldickman4379 I think this applies to most of the sports. It's certainly one of the best ways to improve in tennis without a coach, you record yourself practicing, then record a match, and if you spend a bunch of time looking at videos about proper technique and how professionals do it, you'll instantly see that you look horrible (at first) and not even remotely close to what you imagined you are doing.
tl;dr recording yourself is very useful indeed.
Lessons are the best thing I ever did. In my first lesson, my coach noticed and fixed some flaws with my swing.
Unreal. Rick is so good compared to the average golfer, but that's another level.
@@rodrigodemiguellamminen5244 lmao this video puts tiger skill into perspective? Are you that ignorant?
@@LiLKK713PB no he’s saying that James is on the tour but no where near tigers level which shows how good tiger actually was?
@@Ben-tm6md he isn’t on tour and that could be said for 100s of players. There are top level guys and then there are 100s of pros that aren’t on that level.
@@LiLKK713PB oh he isn’t a tour player? Fair enough then
@@Ben-tm6md He was on European tour
I've watched this twice now... to call this guy "a skilled golfer" is the understatement of the year - great video
This might be my favourite RS video. I play my local par 4 9 hole village course, with a set of clubs I've had for over 10 years, 1-3×per week and I love it. I would recommend anyone to just get out there and play, have fun, try and beat yourself and not worry so much about 'the equipment'. Great content 👍
James came across as a proper sound bloke and a really solid golfer. Loved that vid.
James was a great addition to the channel. Best part is how much Rick is into it. When he’s into it, I’m into it. All the best, from Nashville.
Absolutely felt warm and fuzzy inside watching you two have fun and golf well! I felt like we were all a team that day, thank you
You gotta have James back on the channel, super skilled, and a very nice bloke. Goes with the flow, looks like he enjoyed it every bit.
Make it a regular thing.... Putting James to the test with weird challenges!!
But then the attention isn’t in Rick and he can’t handle that
@@jonafrica5739 But... he’s had Guy, Rob Potter, and others on...
@@jonafrica5739 he seemed to handle this just fine !!
This reminds me of a story I heard, an urban legend I'm sure as I've heard/read the same story where the pro and the clubs change. Anyway, the story is that Gary Player was playing a round at CMR, a club in Johannesburg, with some club members and they came to this par 3, about 130m across a pond, and he asked his caddy for a 9 iron. One of the club members commented that he played a sand wedge on the hole. Player then proceeded to hit every club in his bag, from SW to Driver, on or near the green. He then turned to the guy who made the comment and said: " I still say it's a 9 iron shot for me"
If any of Rick's videos convince me to take lessons, it's this one. James played some great golf with those clubs. Thank you Rick and James.
I am so rooting for James to qualify for the Open. He’ll have the entire Rick Shiels Army behind him!!!
Honestly, he knows if he went back into tour he’d be in the much lower end, he wouldn’t come close to any of the top scorers. All though he is a very good golfer regardless
I’m glad I spent all my money on a fresh set of clubs this season.
Oh hey Ego, I haven’t seen you in a while.
This is one of the most fun videos you've had in a while. My son and I were cracking up when he just kept making the putts. Awesome!
Im gonna watch this video anytime I think I need new clubs to remind myself Im just bad.
That was my takeaway from this as well. I cannot hit my driver with any more than 180m carry (12 degree loft). Now probably a fitted driver with less loft would buy me another 10-20m but I will still be rubbish. It will not change the fact that only half of my drives go anywhere near straight.
@@robsengahay5614 get lessons before getting fit. The lessons will help you straighten your drive out and thus gaining distance and the custom fitting will help bring dispersion down and maybe increase distance.
pay for lessons not for clubs
I enjoyed James and would love to see him qualify for the Open.
That was really fun to watch. i’m not sure if I should quit the game or practice more. But it’s so fun to watch a player with that kind of talent play with modest equipment and show us what real golfers do.
As a beginner (played my first round ever December 2020), I truly enjoyed this video because I actually use a cheap set of Strata clubs. But I also enjoyed how genuine is Rick in praising the skills of his friend. Speaks volumes about the person he is.
Strata’s are actually a very decent set of clubs!
@@Sinners4SaintsTV agree 100%. I'm having a blast in my new found addiction and these clubs are all I need.
That's what I use too except the putter and 52° those are academy wilson special lol
I started with the stratas; they are awesome!!!!
My first set as well! Stratas are pretty decent- they come off the same assembly line as the Callaway brand
I started learning to play golf about half a year ago. I budgeted for lessons first and these clubs (but the full set) is all I could afford. I expected to struggle a bit with the clubs but I was completely wrong. The clubs are fine, my skill is still the limit and I think it will be for quite some time. The lessons on the other hand are invaluable. I'm happy to see Rick correcting this false expectation that you need expensive and fitted clubs to play golf. Those might have their place, but you certainly don't need them when starting out.
I like how they're making fun of the clubs, but they look about 20 years newer than mine
Brilliant to see James out on the course on the channel. What a superstar!
Absolutely love watching James swing a club. Outstanding play, and always with a smile on his face. Well done, with short of par equipment. Exciting.
That was great to illustrate that skill/training/practice is far more important than equipment.
Slazenger: “It’s not us, it’s you”
Haha underrated comment !!
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha
🙌🏼
Best comment ever
You should trademark this and sell it to slazenger!
What a golfer James is! This channel needs more James. Great video, loved it.
Glad he's on the channel, seems such a decent bloke. Like to see more of him.
I had lessons from James a few years back in Rainford. Absolute gent and always smiling. He hit a ball to show me how it’s done, I just stood there mouth agape. Hope he qualifies again
Never did I think I'd watch a 22:20 video about golf in my life. But this was an extremely entertaining watch. Showed a side of golf I had never seen. Cheers from New Zealand.
I’m a pga golf coach living in Germany and this video is simply brilliant. This is what I try to explain to my golfers all the time.
I once shot 5 over for 9 holes with a child’s (6-8 years) half set. I would just love to see James do something like that. I’m almost sure he could shoot par.👏👏👏👍
Everyone: scratching their heads
James: I really like this putter
You should do more videos with him! Super humble guy and pleasant to watch! Also, for me, I took time to get a little better before switching to nicer clubs, and at about a 15 handicap, I switched to callaway apex mb18 irons and just practiced many hours. At the time, I knew game improvement irons would help me score better, but I did not want forgiveness, I wanted to learn to hit the middle, not to rely on forgiveness. It forced me to think more at the range (not overthink), and eventually, almost every single one of my iron swings looked and felt the same. I studied my swing, grip, club path/plane, tempo and that is what made me strike irons as well as I do today. I feel comfortable with them now. And now that I am better, I do not need to switch to a players iron from game improvement irons because I already got them a long time ago. My golf coach gave me that advice to save money and go strait to players irons and learn how to hit the middle of the face. I really believe this is the way to go for people to go if they are wanting to potentially shoot under par at some point. But other people are different and should do what they feel will improve their game the fastest! The important thing is to just love the game and treat your equipment with respect no matter what you have!
This dude barely missed a fairway or a green. His skill around the greens is incredible
And felt that with a 56* he could've gone even lower.... unreal.
@@JacqueRoberts yeah for sure, I'd have liked to see him play with a full set up cheap clubs. Like not having a 56-60 wedge is a huge disadvantage
There should be a PGA tournament with this setup. Everyone plays the same clubs - they can use their own ball.
Good call, or to make it more interesting, they get to pick a half set from the same pool of clubs, just to let them tailor it to their own games. If it was the exact same set, it would presumably have them playing the same shots, I always fancied Formula 1 where they all had the same cars or darts where the numbers span round after every set of throws so that treble 20 would be in a different place every go. Look at how cricket came up with T20 to make it more interesting for casual viewers, a 1-round , 6 club challenge would be pretty cool!
There would be a problem with club length and lie angles, so some fitting would still be needed.
@@casinodelonge you from the UK?
@@baconfacegamer792 yup.
@@peterdarr383 uh... i feel like you interpreted it a little odd. He means every player has their own set of the same clubs. Therefore its all tailored to their needs but the actual clubs themselves are the exact same make/model.
This guy is such a great sport and great on camera too I enjoyed you sharing the time with him
Watching this makes you feel like you could go and do this down your local course, he just makes it look so effortless.
effort and golf dont go together. A golf club should be held like a wand and a golf swing should be executed like a dance move. When i golf it's like stuffing a hyena in a garbage bag.
@@CoIoneIPanic 🤣😂😅Brilliant.
@@markknight6445 🤣🤣🤣
Yeah, world class hand-eye coordination can't really be taught or practiced into being.
@@CoIoneIPanic LMFAO
Anyone else screaming when that birdie dropped on 16th?!! GET IN THERE!!
Well I might have been but you ruined it now
Don't read the comments BEFORE watching the video then.
@@ATbaitboats You start the video, read the comments for the first minute whilst the intro goes on, then watch the rest of the vid. That's the law
There's like 1300 comments 😂
I normally don't even comment, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this video. You two were nothing but smiles the whole time. For a guy that knows NOTHING about golf and has never watched a single match --- this was pretty awesome.
What I find incredible is that players a century ago were breaking par on tough courses with clubs that were basically variants of hammers, walking sticks and butter knives while using balls that were chicken feathers wrapped in leather.
Yeah but the pars were adjusted to them
On courses that were 200 yard par 5’s…
@@SaintsCheat Uhhh, no.
I try to explain it to my son who is getting into golf. I bought me a set of used Titleist AP2 714’s. He liked them when he tried them and asked if he could have them in a few years. I said he can have them now. At 18 years old he hits the ball better than I ever have/will. My old Ben Hogans have served me well and continue to do so moving forward. The clubs are not what holds me back.
@@ka4sxi to a certain extent. i had callaway ft's since i was in highschool in 2010ish, then just recently got cobra radspeed irons. My old 7 iron went 165, my new one goes 200 if I catch it right due to the loft being basically what my old 5 iron was. Especially these days when there are hybrid irons. Which you should try instead of blades/cavities. They would improve your game alot.
He is just at another level. His putting skills are insane! What a joy of video.
You can't buy a skill with expensive equipment: Golf, bowling, playing the guitar, playing the piano. In the end, the most important factor is the person, their training and their practice. Great video! Well done, James!
James: *Takes practice swing*
Rick: “That is SO GOOD...”
Slazenger clubs are flying off the shelves. Stock prices for the company hit an all time high. Got my half set on order. Great eye opener to those who think the most expensive clubs are the ticket to lower scores. I've been converted! Thanks James. And Rick for another great video, thinking outside the box.
Thank you for making these videos. I have been put off playing golf by the extreme prices of golf kit. This shows it is skill, not ‘buying a game’. You vids are fantastic!!
To borrow a phrase: guys, I got to be honest: this video had me smiling the whole way through. That hybrid shot was ridiculous! James is a great sport. You guys may have saved me money!
Not me. 35 years of trying, lessons and all, i am still hoping I can buy a swing with the newest clubs. It’s my only hope at this point.
James' putting was absolutely unreal. He makes it look so easy
I like your new recent contents by inviting pro players to play local courses, different clubs to play with. Loving them. Keep up the creative work!
Loved this video and love James infront of the camera, such a big game in such a humble guy! 10/10
I have never heard of James until today, found a new HERO!
Listen to the podcasts he did with Rick. Really worth your time.
with your two personalities on the course and James’ phenomenal game - this made my Saturday morning. Thanks.
100% my favourite video, with videos like this you're making the average golfer feel better about his/her clubs if they can't afford top of the range. Even my self felt conscious about my clubs when I stated playing, I always thought if I had better clubs maybe that would help and i feel like you're debunking golf stereotypes with videos like this.
Amazing video!! Loved it!!
I thought Rick was a very good golfer but it shows there are several more levels to go to make it.....this guy certainly has the skill and talent,just needs the lucky break his persona deserves
Rick has lost accuracy (hands) and power (fast twitch muscle). But he is still an incredibly good golfer. Underselling himself badly here. I bet he could hit par with a full set of similar bulk Slazengers.
James showed it is all in the putting and short game. I would love to play with someone who putts that good. It's really just inches yet miles apart.
Would love to see James again. That was very fun video and make me feel better about my 317 clubs.
Slazenger must be absolutely licking their lips with this one, and It's not even sponsored 😂
That guy has the best un-forced easy swing I have seen on RS channel!
20:40 I remember reading a book when I was going through a bit of depression. It said that the human brain cannot move away from something, only toward something. So, if (in my case) I was focusing on 'not being depressed' my mind only focuses on the 'depressed bit' not the 'not' bit. So, the trick was to only give positive affirmation. So, change your internal mantra to 'I'm happy' (even if you're not).
Putting this into effect on the golf course, I find that what the pro here said is quite right. If you or your partner says "You don't want to go right" you're more likely to 'go right' because your brain only hears 'right'. So, if your shot needs to stay left you say that "You want to stay left", and NEVER follow it up with "don't go right".
I would like to see James play with his own clubs to see what he can shoot on that course from that yardage
That was my question as well - I suppose he would get birdie chance on each hole.
Especially if it was an equal set. Just driver, hybrid, 6, 8, P and putter.
+3
Without that Slazenger putter he may struggle to break par 😂
@@AdReNaLiNe9psn unreal putting that well with $15 putter when hes usual putters probably a $400 scotty cameron !!
So much wankery in golf !
James has such a good attitude. Awesome to have him on the channel
Absolutely one of the best videos I've watched. Point well made and James was talented AND a class act.
Just proves how good these guys really are.🇨🇦
It really does. Wow what a skill. Very cool to see. 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
I wonder how much better he would putt with a 300 quid putter...I'm guessing not much better than with the 10 quid one he had
@@gordonlloyd6400 I think the difference would be minor. But with pressure in tournaments comes trust that one needs to have in what you hold in your hands. So for sure a mental thing is my chain of thoughts about it. 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
@@gordonlloyd6400 yup !!
@@metalheads-golf yep tournament play is a bit different, need the confidence in your gear.!!
Having been about to pull the pin on a new set of irons, I've just scrapped the fitting session and booked a package of lessons!
Great video.
Excellent decision. Set a goal, work your ass off and reward yourself with those clubs! I've always said I'd buy Mizuno MP-20 blades when I get down to 5. Every time I get to 6-something, I blow out again. Perhaps I should just invest in more lessons too... Good luck Matthew and cheers from Sydney - Dave
Windy, cold, cheap set of clubs, never touched them before........no problem. Pure skill while having a blast. Great video Rick👍
what a cool cat and nice guy. most impressive to me the fact, that he obviously didn't just take it as a joke but really competed. well! done and a proove for his skills.
James was incredible and seems like a really nice guy as well
Man I love James he such a great golfer! A brilliant teacher! A+ support both! Lots of love from the states!!!
Best fun I've had on TH-cam in a long time
This video just had me smiling ear to ear watching a skilled golfer play with essentially a beginners set.
beginners half-set! But yes I get it. I think the idea with this set from slazenger (besides cost) is that a beginner doesn't need half the clubs and this simplifies the decision making. I think even myself who's like a 30 handicap right now would probably not do much or any worse with the limited club set vs a full set.
I bought a fairly cheap set of clubs and started lessons. I made good progress on everything but driving and my coach couldn't figure it out. Eventually we noticed on slow motion that the driver head was literally wobbling side to side on my down swing. So I think there is a point were the quality of the clubs can make a substantial difference.