Ok so I like what HB has done. Higher trajectories and more spin because of this, plus tougher rough and bunkers. All adds to a more realistic outcome I think.....BUT it is making the game easier. Definitely need swing enhancements to make hitting straight harder to bring the rough/bunkers into play.
On a medium green (144 speed), irons up to 8I stop almost instantly. On very fast and very firm (187), again they stop quite quick but not as quick as 144 obviously but certainly quicker than before the update. It will be rife with pin seekers especially as the distance for the 8I is now 160 yards so anywhere within this distance, you'd be hard done by to not be putting for a birdie within 10ft max.
For the potential swing updates, tempo needs to be more penal and the swing plane shrunk! I'm hitting a straightish fast/fast and the outcome is to go straight. This is on low winds (4mph max). Trust me when I say, the wind nor my swing path is countering the tempo. For the long game and iron play I have to hit way off the swing plane and/or a very fast or very slow for any real impact to my planned shot to make a major difference.
For driving, like I said in a post earlier, I think the swing plane needs to be as thin as what it is when fully lofted to increase the difficulty of it. It that's way too for people, then maybe 1.5 times the size of this.
I also still feel that the tempo boxes need to adjust when adjusting loft to make it harder particularly now the ball is stopping faster with the short irons. Get within distance of them for a full shot, a relatively easy shot now.
To make it harder now it seems you have to make it the most brutal conditions which to me is an artificial way of making the game of golf hard. On a clear, calm day on a course with soft greens it's not always easy to hit the shots you can in this game. Even a pro I don't think would always smash up a course 10+ under par consistently. Not saying I am as I play TST style and the short game (particularly the putting) is a good challenge for me, but I will certainly be hitting better scores than before the update - heck on 187 very firm greens at Sawgrass, I am already -4 after 6 holes whereas before in a society event, I was never under par on the front 9.
