# The Golf Thread



## drjeff (Jul 15, 2008)

Okay, so it seems that some of us have slight addictions to hitting the little white ball around the course when we're not on snow.  So here it goes.

Myself, currently playing to a 4.5 handicap index.  Low round of the year 73 (+1),  Career low round (69 multiple times and it's been both a -1 round and a -2 round depending on the course)

My game strengths,  iron play and chipping + pitching.  The driver is generally friendly to me, and my putter is definately the streakiest club in my bag 

Today, I had a great round going,  -1 through 13th holes(with 11 of 13 greens hit), with the last 5 being holes that I typically play very well.  Then the rain (read as firehose quality downpour hit),  just no way to keep things dry even with the cover on the bag and the bag hidden on the back of the cart backed into some dense woods. No dry towels or gloves either after the downpour   Post rain,  SLIPPERY grips which lead to 2 lost balls and only 1 of the last 5 greens hit   and and limping in +5 on the last five for a 76.

Oh well, i guess I'll just have to go give it another try again soon enough


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## Hawkshot99 (Jul 15, 2008)

I dont play 18 holes very often.  99% of the time I go out it is 9 holes.
My home course is par 34.  Usually hit a 40-43 or so.  Life time low there was a 37.

My strengths are my fairway woods, long irons and my lob wedge(but not the rest of wedges), and my putter if my mind is good.  My driver can kill the ball, but I have a inconsistent slice.

I do not take the game seriously at all, it is 100% fun time.

(And using a cart is cheating!):argue::smile:


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## riverc0il (Jul 15, 2008)

I just took up the activity and have limited myself to driving ranges at this point (though I have played in one charity tournament 'play from the longest ball style' and am doing another this coming Monday, those are fun  ). My biggest frustration so far is some days I hit the irons really well but am terrible driving and then other days vice versa. The other frustration is finally cranking one that feels really good and thinking "okay, three times in a row now to make sure it wasn't an accident... which the good one usually was. Gonna get involved in a local weekly clinic and then do some par three courses later this summer once I am a little more consistent.


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## Philpug (Jul 15, 2008)

still the funniest thing on golf.


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## Trekchick (Jul 15, 2008)

I[hart] ^^^^^^  :lol:
Lets just say, I'm relatively new to the game. (3rd season) Most of the time I get 9 in after work, occasionally I get 18 in on a weekend.  I was thrilled a few weeks ago when I golfed two days in a week with my score 56 and 54 on a 9 (par36).  Maybe I should be progressing faster.


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## Philpug (Jul 15, 2008)

It's funny, last year my golf game was in the crapper and I mountain biked a lot. This year it is the other way around. Other than my last round being awful, I was playing very well this year and enjoying the game again. I will hit the range on the way home today for a bucket.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 15, 2008)

My Dad is a big golfer..He plays every weekend and at least 1-2 days during the week..plus golf trips down south in the winter.  Most of the golf I play is with him.  I've maybe played 10 rounds so far this summer.  I shoot from about 85-100 depending on how tough the course is, conditions and how well I play.  I prefer dry conditions as wet mushy fairways from rain, dew and sprinklers stinks..and you don't get much roll..I like fast greens and hot beverage cart girls.  The thing I don't like about golf is the slow pace..and being matched up with strangers.

When it's just me and my Dad and we secure the first tee-time..we finish in less than 3 hours...but even an hour into the day...the pace is like 4 to 4.5 hours and sometimes 5 hours with lady golfers and slow ass'd senior citizens.  I also dislike bossy rangers/starters.  On one local course..the first hole is a 290 yard par 4 from the whites...and the starter told me I could go when the group in front were chipping.  I told him that I was going for the green and he said there was no way I could reach the green.  So I waited a few more minutes for the green to clear and ended up pin high to the right of the green.  A 75 year old starter who hits it 150 yards off the tee has no right to judge how far GSS with a happy Gilmore type swing can hit.  One of the good things about being fatter is that I hit the ball farther..it might also be because my arms are pretty big from pushing around tombstones.  Nothing steezier than getting on a par 5 in two and putting for eagle..although I usually end up 3 putting for a dissapointing par..


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## RISkier (Jul 15, 2008)

My index is 10.2 though I'm not really playing to it.  Haven't posted an 18 hole score since May.  It's not that I'm not posting scores, it's just that I've not found time to get on the course.  I took a bunch of lessons from a pretty unconventional instructor last year.  He really makes you challenge A LOT of conventional instruction.  He radically changed my swing without ever really telling me he was going to radically change my swing.  I was playing the best golf of my life last fall.  Now, I'm just not playing enough to play consistently.  My golf has pretty much been reduced to once a week for a 9-hole evening league.  Mostly been shooting low 40's.  Best 9 of the year was 38.  Strengths are fairly constent ball striking and I feel I make a lot of really good short game shots.  Weakenesses are a tendancy to really get in trouble with a vicious hook (If I got paid for hooking I could be a rich man) and I wast too many shots around the green.


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## ccskier (Jul 15, 2008)

Used to get out more than lately.  Played today also, pretty embarrassing, shot a 98, lost about 10 shots to "unfound" balls.  Handi-cap used to be about a 16.  The key to golf is play, play, play.  I do not get out as much as I used to, but I am fortunate that my job is kind of golf related.  Tend to shoot about 85-95, personal all time best was an 81, few years ago.


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## Warp Daddy (Jul 15, 2008)

Started four years ago at 61 years old  I  play about 75-80 rounds a season  ususally shoot mid to hi eighties depending on the given  course . A Bad day is 90-94 

 Play from the  white tees , still use regular flex shafts . But on windy days use steel shafts rather than Greaphite. Always carry a few steel shafts  JIC.  I  Got a Hole in One my second season which was my biggest thrill so far 

My best  ever was Today an 80  , Best last yr 82 , Best in yr 2 was 81 , best in my first yr was an 88

On Par 60 course which i try to play at least once a week to keep short game sharp  i avg 71  but have shot 64 numerous times


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## Warp Daddy (Jul 15, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Okay, so it seems that some of us have slight addictions to hitting the little white ball around the course when we're not on snow.  So here it goes.
> 
> Myself, currently playing to a 4.5 handicap index.  Low round of the year 73 (+1),  Career low round (69 multiple times and it's been both a -1 round and a -2 round depending on the course)
> 
> ...



Hey a 76 UNDER any conditions is one great score dude !!!


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## deadheadskier (Jul 15, 2008)

ccskier said:


> The key to golf is play, play, play.



couldn't agree more

It's funny this thread came up today because I just put my clubs up on craigslist considering they've been collecting dust for four years.

I have an interesting love affair with the game.  IF I am at a point in life that I can play often, like twice a week, I enjoy the game and play okay.  I've never been great, but I when I played often I would shoot in the 43-48 range for 9.  I never strung together that great of an 18, 91 was my best score ever. If I were to go out tomorrow, I'd probably shoot a 60, having not played the game in forever. As they say, the average golfer can't break 100, so I'm uber jealous of all you out there who are shooting in the 80's or lower.  

I won't say I'm an ultra competitive individual, but I do expect the best out of myself, so casual golf doesn't really work for me. I look at golf as a game I will pick back up when I retire.  It will be good exercise in my later years for the body and mind and I'll enjoy it when I can dedicate the time I feel the game deserves. 

Hopefully by then my body will have completely forgotten the massive slice it has programmed in :lol:


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## Philpug (Jul 15, 2008)

went out and hit a bucket on teh way home...felt pretty good. Anyone want to play? GSS?


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## drjeff (Jul 16, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Hey a 76 UNDER any conditions is one great score dude !!!



I know, I know, but until the downpour hit,  I was most definately "in the zone" and had a hunch that this was going to be a really good round.  Oh well, the golf gods just have a way sometime at quickly bringing things back to reality


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 16, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> went out and hit a bucket on teh way home...felt pretty good. Anyone want to play? GSS?



Me and Atomic Jeff sometimes play Friday afternoons at Bethlehem Muni..from the Blue tees in honor of Blue mountain the true mountain...Hideaway Hills in Kresqueville off 209 is my favorite semi-local course..lots of severly elevated tees..


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## Warp Daddy (Jul 16, 2008)

drjeff said:


> I know, I know, but until the downpour hit,  I was most definately "in the zone" and had a hunch that this was going to be a really good round.  Oh well, the golf gods just have a way sometime at quickly bringing things back to reality



 I   FEEL your Pain   

Been there too --------- its the old shouda, coulda , woulda  thing --- Golf,  like life  is what HAPPENS to ya when you're busy planning it .-- LMAO  

It's how ya handle it that counts . I have a great golf buddy an Ecudorean colleague that when my game starts headin south  simply says this thingy ;;;    JOOOST HEET DE Ball DUDE --DOOOOON  TINK


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## Philpug (Jul 16, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Me and Atomic Jeff sometimes play Friday afternoons at Bethlehem Muni..from the Blue tees in honor of Blue mountain the true mountain...Hideaway Hills in Kresqueville off 209 is my favorite semi-local course..lots of severly elevated tees..


I usually play from the green tees for the type of trails I ski. for some reason, I thought you were more south of the valley.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 16, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> I usually play from the green tees for the type of trails I ski. for some reason, I thought you were more south of the valley.



A-town represent....I can almost hit a golf ball to Route 22..


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## Trekchick (Jul 17, 2008)

Gosh I miss golf.  Even more than my bike.


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## campgottagopee (Jul 17, 2008)

Any hybrid fans???? Last year I decided to give them a try by demoing a cleveland hibore 3i. Turns out this thing was SOLID, I mean wicked solid so I bought it. Then bought the 4i, then the 5i. I know, I know, wimp is what your thinking.......but, let me tell you where I find these things absolutely amazing, and that is out of the rough. Those babys cut right thru like butter. Until now I dreaded that 210 yard shot out of the rough, now, no problem just grab my 3i and make a swing. The other impressive feature is how good my "misses" are. If I catch one out on the toe it still goes......catch a 3 iron on the toe and what happens???? Kinda looks like a wounded duck.

That is all


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 17, 2008)

campgottagopee said:


> Any hybrid fans???? Last year I decided to give them a try by demoing a cleveland hibore 3i. Turns out this thing was SOLID, I mean wicked solid so I bought it. Then bought the 4i, then the 5i. I know, I know, wimp is what your thinking.......but, let me tell you where I find these things absolutely amazing, and that is out of the rough. Those babys cut right thru like butter. Until now I dreaded that 210 yard shot out of the rough, now, no problem just grab my 3i and make a swing. The other impressive feature is how good my "misses" are. If I catch one out on the toe it still goes......catch a 3 iron on the toe and what happens???? Kinda looks like a wounded duck.
> 
> That is all



No hybrid for me..the dreaded 210 shot from the rough is my 5-iron..:-D...or maybe a 4-iron..I can only hit my 3-iron from the fairway or tee..My Dad is all about his 7-wood


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## drjeff (Jul 17, 2008)

Trekchick said:


> Gosh I miss golf.  Even more than my bike.



Atleast Trek, you could do some of this kind of golf 







I can see they used you as their model too!


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## Trekchick (Jul 17, 2008)

Love my hybrids.  I have a 22*, 18* and 26*.  I use the 22 the most.
Hybrids are least likely to end up in the time out compartment.

drjeff, you have an active imagination.  But, a good idea.  Maybe I'll go play put put to keep my mind off real golf.


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## drjeff (Jul 17, 2008)

Trekchick said:


> Love my hybrids.  I have a 22*, 18* and 26*.  I use the 22 the most.
> Hybrids are least likely to end up in the time out compartment.
> 
> drjeff, you have an active imagination.  But, a good idea.  Maybe I'll go play put put to keep my mind off real golf.



here's a mini golf gaper day for you if that's better!






Off to check the last hygiene patient of the day and then I'm stopping at the driving range on the way home to hit a bucket and see if I can get some of this wacky mood I'm in under control before to much of it rubs off on the kids tonight


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## Trekchick (Jul 17, 2008)

drjeff said:


> here's a mini golf gaper day for you if that's better!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ummmmmmm, those women are wearing too many clothes.

Good luck on the wacky mood.  Sumthin tells me its yours to keep, and/or share.


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## Philpug (Jul 17, 2008)

Nike CPR's here. I am not a big hitter so the long irons stay home.


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## drjeff (Jul 18, 2008)

How about The Great White Shark leading the British Open at the 1/2 point!  Not bad for a 53 year old "part time" golfer! 

I guess his new marriage is treating him (or atleast his golf game) very well!


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## Warp Daddy (Jul 18, 2008)

campgottagopee said:


> Any hybrid fans???? Last year I decided to give them a try by demoing a cleveland hibore 3i. Turns out this thing was SOLID, I mean wicked solid so I bought it. Then bought the 4i, then the 5i. I know, I know, wimp is what your thinking.......but, let me tell you where I find these things absolutely amazing, and that is out of the rough. Those babys cut right thru like butter. Until now I dreaded that 210 yard shot out of the rough, now, no problem just grab my 3i and make a swing. The other impressive feature is how good my "misses" are. If I catch one out on the toe it still goes......catch a 3 iron on the toe and what happens???? Kinda looks like a wounded duck.
> 
> That is all



Used to really love my 3  & 4 irons and hirt them pretty well - but for some reason this yr i can't hit them for -hit  so got me a 3 hybrid 18 degree and 4/5 hybrid   22 degree and my game is back on track . Love teh 3 coming outto teh rough with bout 190 -200  to go . 

thinking seriously of getting a 2 Hybrid  16 degree -- ANYBODY got one ?? recommendations requested !


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 18, 2008)

Anybody going to watch the British Open this weekend???


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## Trekchick (Jul 18, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Anybody going to watch the British Open this weekend???


Been watching it.  Sooooooo Stoked for Norman!


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## riverc0il (Jul 21, 2008)

Just played a charity tournament today down in Townsend, MA. Great to get paid and not work but not use a vacation day. I love work related recreation!

Front nine was real ugly. Tough course being played by a team of golfers with a combined less than four years experience. Our team sent a half dozen balls into the woods and scored a seven on one particularly nasty hole. This is a scramble play from the furthest ball, mind you.

Coming around the back nine, we all lit it up. Storm clouds started approaching one hole 12 and by 13 we could hear thunder in the distance and had a slight sprinkle. We started belting the ball with long straight drives and nailing puts. The wind kicked up and the breeze was sensational. An electrifying sensation as we just kept making great shots for three straight holes. Then the horn blew, the sky opened up, and the game was up as we charged back to the club house.

Fun day. But really fun on those last three holes when the weather started to turn and so did our game. Bummed we couldn't have finished things out but had a great time. After nailing a 220+ yard drive straight down the fairway, I couldn't help but exclaim "now I am starting to feel like a golfer!" Then on my next shot, I sliced a ball into the woods that hit a tree that rebounded behind my position and "now I am not feeling like a golfer!" Another fun moment was topping a shot that went towards the water and through a pack of geese. Walking through the geese to get my ball was amusing. I suggested to my team mates that I swear I heard one of them say "nice shot, ass hole!" as I was walking away!


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## drjeff (Jul 21, 2008)

Played in a chairty scramble today for my local hospital.  Knew it was going to be an interesting day when on the 1st hole we played (a par 3 playing about 165yards), one of the guys in my 4 some, gets up and hits what is his 1st shot of the year.  Well, he hits it right off the toe of his 7 wood, and the ball goes screaming almost dead sideways, splits the two volunteers who were watching the hole to see if anyone makes a hole in 1 and would thus win the car that his golf ball then proceeded to go screaming into the front quarter panel leaving a big 'ol dent   What makes it even funnier is that playing in the group immediately infront of my group was the owner of the car dealership who put the car up as a prize!  Let's just say that the jokes about "closest to the chevy" were flying all day long, and likely will for years to come!

As for the tourney,  we ended up at -4, but realistically hit the ball more like a -8 to -10 round as we just couldn't get any putts to fall   My 4 some had a total of 5 birdie putts that lipped out and then left 3 more birdie putts and 1 eagle putt dead center of the cup less than 1 revolution short of dropping in     Can't complain too much though as I had the irons working real well today, hitting approach shots within 15 feet of the cup 9 times today!


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## riverc0il (Aug 13, 2008)

Played my first Par 3s earlier this month. First time out was a humbling 54 on a par 27 (ouch). I quickly learned they ain't kidding about half your strokes happening on or right next to the green! Not being too sure on distances and some blind corners/lips did not help. Next round out was a much improved and more respectable 39 with my first two pars and nothing higher than a double boogie. 

Decided I needed to add some wedges to my club selection so I could do better with short game pitching onto the green. I have gotten a fairly dependable and straight iron shot and can get most balls near the green off the tee on the par 3. Short game definitely needs some work. 56 and 60 degree to go along with a 48 PW. Researching golf equipment was just as fun as researching ski equipment :lol:

Well, I think I am hooked. Never thought I would see the day. One or two more rounds on the Par 3 and the driving range and I think I'll be ready for the twilight rates at my home town full course and I can start building a handicap. Sure is a nice way to pass the time during the off season.


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## drjeff (Aug 13, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Decided I needed to add some wedges to my club selection so I could do better with short game pitching onto the green. I have gotten a fairly dependable and straight iron shot and can get most balls near the green off the tee on the par 3. Short game definitely needs some work. 56 and 60 degree to go along with a 48 PW. *Researching golf equipment was just as fun as researching ski equipment* :lol:
> 
> .



Riv, trust me then when I say then that you REALLY don't want to start building your own golf clubs.  The possibilities are practically endless for what you can get on the entire club specification list(lofts, lies, shaft flex, grip size, etc, etc, etc), and before you know it, you'll start to build "specialty clubs" for a certain shot on a certain hole at a course you play often


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## Philpug (Aug 13, 2008)

I play for pure enjoyment. For me, Bogey is Par. anytime I shoot under bogey, I am happy. I don't take mulligans but I do move the ball in for a better lie. When the sand trap is mud, dirt, puddles, or anything but sand, I use my palm wedge and toss the ball out. I am not a big hitter, at most a 230-240yd drive (with roll ) .  4 is a great score on any hole.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 13, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Played my first Par 3s earlier this month. First time out was a humbling 54 on a par 27 (ouch). I quickly learned they ain't kidding about half your strokes happening on or right next to the green! Not being too sure on distances and some blind corners/lips did not help. Next round out was a much improved and more respectable 39 with my first two pars and nothing higher than a double boogie.
> 
> Decided I needed to add some wedges to my club selection so I could do better with short game pitching onto the green. I have gotten a fairly dependable and straight iron shot and can get most balls near the green off the tee on the par 3. Short game definitely needs some work. 56 and 60 degree to go along with a 48 PW. Researching golf equipment was just as fun as researching ski equipment :lol:
> 
> Well, I think I am hooked. Never thought I would see the day. One or two more rounds on the Par 3 and the driving range and I think I'll be ready for the twilight rates at my home town full course and I can start building a handicap. Sure is a nice way to pass the time during the off season.




 STEVE welcome to  the GOLF GEAR WHORE addiction set . We ARE WAY FREAKIN WORSE  than ski gear whore  -- QUIVERS you SAY -- PSHAW   how bout boatload o crap that we can JUSTIFY cuz after all i jus T MAY ned that 68 degree wedge THAT only GOD can hit   

YA got it BAAAAD dude  -- YOU have NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO idea    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


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## drjeff (Aug 13, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> STEVE welcome to  the GOLF GEAR WHORE addiction set . We ARE WAY FREAKIN WORSE  than ski gear whore  -- QUIVERS you SAY -- PSHAW   how bout boatload o crap that we can JUSTIFY cuz after all i jus T MAY ned that 68 degree wedge THAT only GOD can hit
> 
> YA got it BAAAAD dude  -- YOU have NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO idea    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$



\
Warp is speaking the truth!  Let's just not get a "golf club quiver" thread going, that would get really ugly in a hurry with the vast collection of drivers, wedges, an putters that live in my basement.  Fortunately I "just" have 4 sets of irons currently in the basement and not in my golf bag   I wish I could say the same for the forementioned drivers, wedges and putters though


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## riverc0il (Aug 13, 2008)

Thanks for the induction to the club, guys. I think....

DrJeff... I already noticed the possibilities of club building. Which is why I went the Pinemeadows route with my wedges (aside from being cheap) as I am tall and have huge hands, so my measurements suggested I get an extra half inch on the shaft and the "jumbo" grip. Both issues I have suspected have been problems with my grip and stance. I choose that route over getting better branded used clubs for the same price off ebay... I wanted something that fit and offerred more comfort than standard specs. I can already envision making similar changes for all my clubs :roll:

Warp, no freaking kidding! Yikes! I thought golf was expensive due to greens fees. No freaking way. Par 3 and and discounts mean I can hit the driving range and a round of golf each once per week for less than $20 total. Twilight rate on 18 holes is like $15. Less than almost any day of skiing, even on a season pass. But my initial equipment purchase of $200 for a full set has quickly become dated and outgrown. Wedges need to be ordered, I want a 5W and 5I which didn't come with my set, the putter is adequate but definitely lacking even in my newbie hands, and of course a refit of the grips and an extra half inch on all the clubs would be really nice.

The amazing thing is how people need to build their bags one club at a time with exception of the iron set. Which is nice because you can build according to your needs. But I quickly realized why only beginners clubs are sold as a set (just like with ski packages though, but definitely this ups the ante).

I wouldn't say I got it bad. Just like so much in my life, I always need to have something to obsess over (as S noted yesterday evening!!!!). My only equipment purchases at this point have been a replacement PW and a pair of wedges (definite required club needs for playing full rounds and starting to build up a handicap). I am not currently interested in building my bag any further at this point in time (though I am guilty of paying more attention to wood reviews.... I could really use a 5W!).


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## riverc0il (Aug 13, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> I play for pure enjoyment. For me, Bogey is Par. anytime I shoot under bogey, I am happy. I don't take mulligans but I do move the ball in for a better lie. When the sand trap is mud, dirt, puddles, or anything but sand, I use my palm wedge and toss the ball out. I am not a big hitter, at most a 230-240yd drive (with roll ) .  4 is a great score on any hole.


Yea, I am right with you there. That was really why I ultimately decided to pick up the activity. I had this vision of snotty private clubs with strict rules or whatever. My first experience was a charity scramble during which it wasn't about the strokes but rather having fun and supporting a good cause. Kind of like skiing, you have to enjoy your own game. 

If playing with others, definitely important that everyone is on the same page. But I see nothing wrong with "one club length" being "one toss length" or a horribly topped 5 foot drive getting teed up a second time. Some people may say that you "are only cheating yourself" or "not playing golf if you break the rules" or whatever. But golf has some pretty stupid rules and taking a second tee shot when you topped the first one for a 5 foot dribble makes the game more fun and less frustrating. 

I wouldn't take a second tee when playing with others or if the points mattered or whatever or if it just wasn't my best shot. But sometimes you just make a pathetic swing for whatever reason and you just want the satisfaction of at least having given it your best. Maybe that will eventually change down the road, but for now, I made the decision that I am playing for fun and to each their own.


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## Philpug (Aug 13, 2008)

IMHO everyone who is just starting the the game, scrambles should be mandatory. It is the best way to start.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Pinemeadow is a great way to build your set  then when you start !!!

I demoed  a bazillion high end irons  was measured  then found the ONE i  really liked and had Pinemeadow CLONE it


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## drjeff (Aug 13, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Thanks for the induction to the club, guys. I think....
> 
> DrJeff... I already noticed the possibilities of club building. Which is why I went the Pinemeadows route with my wedges (aside from being cheap) as I am tall and have huge hands, so my measurements suggested I get an extra half inch on the shaft and the "jumbo" grip. Both issues I have suspected have been problems with my grip and stance. I choose that route over getting better branded used clubs for the same price off ebay... I wanted something that fit and offerred more comfort than standard specs. I can already envision making similar changes for all my clubs :roll:
> 
> ...



Steve,  I've gotten so bad with my quiver right now that currently I have only 1 club in my bag that I didn't put together myself   That's my driver which is one of those "big, ugly" square Nike Sumo Sasquatch.  My 3-PW are all Maltby MTF forged irons





that I've adjusted the lie to between 1.5 to 2.5 degrees upright (the more loft of the iron, the more upright I've bent the hosel).  All of these irons have Rifle Project X shafts in a 5.5 (basically extra stiff) flex shaft that are 3/4" over standard length and various style Winn grips (regular firmness in the 3-7 irons and soft in the 8 iron through my wedges) built up with 2 wraps of tape in the 3-7 irons and 3 wraps of tape in the 8 through wedges.
My wedges (51* 55* an 59*) are all SMT Durometers




all bent 2 degrees upright with Rifle Spinner wedge shafts in the 5.5flex shaft again.
My current putter is a Snake Eyes Pure Balance M-01 putter 




with a Winn USA padle style grip that I bent to have 2 degrees of loft and a face that is 0.5 degrees closed.

If you haven't guessed from my techie stuff here, you can REALLY go nuts if you get into this stuff, and frankly the assembly process is quite easy.  If you dare, 2 good sites for club components and assembly info are www.golfworks.com and www.golfsmith.com (click on the clubmaking link in the main menu bar on top).  The scary thing that I've found is that the more I understand about each part of the club and how differences in each part of the equipment effects ball flight the more I start tweaking my equipment to the point where the amount of work I do on my skis(hand tunes every 2 to 3 days on snow and just about any base repairs that need to be done) is childs play compared to what I do to my clubs


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## riverc0il (Aug 14, 2008)

Whoa. I ain't got it that bad. I am lazy by default. I love having fun but I don't like doing the hard work of learning how to tweak gear. I like my gear pre-tweaked. Same with skiing. I never hand tune and only have shop tunes done once or twice a year on my gear. I just don't have the time or energy. I really enjoy learning about gear but no way and I putting together clubs by hand, lol.

So drjeff, how has your golf game improved or handicap lowered since you made all those tweaks to your home build clubs?


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 14, 2008)

My Dad is a golf club whore like Dr. Jeff so I get alot of his hand me downs.  Recently when he bought a new putter he tried out about 10 different putters without looking at price because he didn't want the cost to affect his decision.  They all ended up being between $80 and $300 and he ended up liking the 2nd cheapest putter the best.  He's all about the Nike Supersoft golf balls and since he plays alot of golf..he always hooks me up with balls he finds on the course.  I haven't bought any golf balls in like 5 years.  At a recent outing..he got two dozen Titliest Pro V 1's which I'm using now.  I tee off with a 12 degree driver..it really boots the ball up and is great on holes where I want to cut a corner and go over trees.  I'd like to buy a driver with a little less loft.  Anybody carry two drivers in their bag?  I feel like I can get rid of my 5-wood since I rarely use it..to make room for a 2nd driver.


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## Philpug (Aug 14, 2008)

GSS,

Using ProV1's with a 12 deg driver is like using a intermediate ski boots with race skis, or something like that, it just doesn't match up and you will be loosing efficiency. A Pro V1 expects a 100+ MPH swing speed and a low spin rate. You might have the swing speed, but a 12 deg will create too much spin for that ball. 

As far as the square NIKE Sumos', I played with the Sumo2 5900 over the weekend...nice club..hear that Santa?


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## drjeff (Aug 14, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> GSS,
> 
> As far as the square NIKE Sumos', I played with the Sumo2 5900 over the weekend...nice club..hear that Santa?



And I Hart, you gotta agree that you just can't beat the sound that the sumo makes! Kind of like an aluminum baseball bat smacking an aluminum can.  The first time I hit mine was at an indoor range and that sound just reverberated all throughout the range!
Really cool


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## drjeff (Aug 14, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Whoa. I ain't got it that bad. I am lazy by default. I love having fun but I don't like doing the hard work of learning how to tweak gear. I like my gear pre-tweaked. Same with skiing. I never hand tune and only have shop tunes done once or twice a year on my gear. I just don't have the time or energy. I really enjoy learning about gear but no way and I putting together clubs by hand, lol.
> 
> So drjeff, how has your golf game improved or handicap lowered since you made all those tweaks to your home build clubs?



Handicap wise, when I first got the "club building bug" I was playing to about a 6 or 7 and religously playing atleast once a week and hitting the range and/or playing atleast once, if not twice more per week(this was in my pre kid days).  Nowadays, with my self built/tweaked set of sticks in the bag, my handicap index is at 5.4 currently, but if I'm lucky I'll play once a week(I've been averaging basically 3 rounds a month this season) and I've only been to the range 1 time this entire golf season.  So I have shown some improvement in the handicap department, and with ALOT less golf time.  Who knows, maybe its a pure psychological thing where I just feel very comfortable with my clubs now, or maybe it's just that I think my way around the course better now, or maybe it's actually the equipment.  I can say for a fact though that since I did start building my clubs, that on purpose, I've put together clubs that purposely help me hit the ball with a lower ball flight,  and that has made a difference for the better for my game.

It can get real addictive if you get the "golf geek" bug


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 14, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> GSS,
> 
> Using ProV1's with a 12 deg driver is like using a intermediate ski boots with race skis, or something like that, it just doesn't match up and you will be loosing efficiency. A Pro V1 expects a 100+ MPH swing speed and a low spin rate. You might have the swing speed, but a 12 deg will create too much spin for that ball.
> 
> As far as the square NIKE Sumos', I played with the Sumo2 5900 over the weekend...nice club..hear that Santa?



But only 12-14 shots in a round of golf are with a driver..I feel like I hit the Pro-V1 farther than with a Nike ball or Noodle..


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## riverc0il (Aug 14, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I feel like I can get rid of my 5-wood since I rarely use it..to make room for a 2nd driver.


I'll trade you my driver for your 5W :lol: I am much more consistent with my 3W than my driver and get similar distances with both clubs. I usually take the accuracy of the 3W rather than a few extra yards if I get a lucky shot. With that in mind and my lack of skill hitting hybrids, I think the 5W could potentially be my "go to" club in my bag. Especially for short yardage tee shots on which even a 3W would be over kill, let alone a driver.


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## riverc0il (Aug 14, 2008)

So when is the AZ golf gathering going to take place?


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## Philpug (Aug 14, 2008)

Played today and had one of my best rounds in a long time. I have scored better than today, but I don't remember hitting the ball so consistent, It has been a long time since I drove so well. 

12 bogies
1 dble bogie
4 pars
1 birdie


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 14, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> Played today and had one of my best rounds in a long time. I have scored better than today, but I don't remember hitting the ball so consistent, It has been a long time since I drove so well.
> 
> 12 bogies
> 1 dble bogie
> ...



85???  I play the best when it's a fast pace..If the pace is slow..then I have trouble..3 hour rounds are ideal..but rare unless I get out first group of the day..


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## drjeff (Aug 14, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> 85???  I play the best when it's a fast pace..If the pace is slow..then I have trouble..3 hour rounds are ideal..but rare unless I get out first group of the day..



Amen on the quick round thing!  If things fall into place correctly on many Monday AM's,  I can drop my son of at Daycare right at 7AM,  make it to my local course and be teed off by 7:20 and very often I'll have 18 holes done by 9:15 at the latest!  My 18 hole speed record this year is an hour and 41 minutes.  My personal favorite speed day though was a couple of November's ago, I played 36 holes in 3 hours and 50 minutes.  Speed golf rules!

Unfortunately,  I have a scramble this Sunday with a full field of 36 4somes and time wise that has 5 and a half hours writeen all over it


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## ChileMass (Aug 15, 2008)

drjeff said:


> .......My 18 hole speed record this year is an hour and 41 minutes.  My personal favorite speed day though was a couple of November's ago, I played 36 holes in 3 hours and 50 minutes.  Speed golf rules!



Whew - you don't even have time for a beer at that pace!  Sounds like fun, though.  I'd much rather play really fast than do a 6-hour round......


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## ChileMass (Aug 15, 2008)

I shoot in the low 90s and can occasionally get into the 80s.  I've been playing since high school, but have never played enough to really improve.  I love the game, though.  I go with 15-20 knuckleheads every year to SC or FL for a boys' long weekend, and it's always a highlight of the year.  I've played all over the US and even played a couple times in Sweden, of all places.  

My favorite course is in the southern Adirondacks just outside Saratoga - Brookhaven Golf Club.  It's a shorter course (less than 6000 yards from the middle tees), but it's beautiful, has some challenge and is still very affordable.  Plus the location 8 miles from Saratoga is great.  And I grew up working there in high school, so I admit I'm biased.  

If you're playing around Lake George, you should check out the views of the lake the Top of the World course - very distracting while you're trying to play.  

I'm in for the AZ golf tournament.........


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## ALLSKIING (Aug 15, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> Whew - you don't even have time for a beer at that pace!  Sounds like fun, though.  I'd much rather play really fast than do a 6-hour round......



A blast from the past......


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## bvibert (Aug 15, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> A blast from the past......



No kidding!  Good to see ya around Chile!


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## ChileMass (Aug 15, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> A blast from the past......




Hey dude - yeah, I come back every once n a while.  When people wanna talk golf in the summer, I'm all in......


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## drjeff (Aug 15, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> I shoot in the low 90s and can occasionally get into the 80s.  I've been playing since high school, but have never played enough to really improve.  I love the game, though.  I go with 15-20 knuckleheads every year to SC or FL for a boys' long weekend, and it's always a highlight of the year.  I've played all over the US and even played a couple times in Sweden, of all places.
> 
> My favorite course is in the southern Adirondacks just outside Saratoga - Brookhaven Golf Club.  It's a shorter course (less than 6000 yards from the middle tees), but it's beautiful, has some challenge and is still very affordable.  Plus the location 8 miles from Saratoga is great.  And I grew up working there in high school, so I admit I'm biased.
> 
> ...



Brookhaven is a cool course.  Played there a few times in High School tournaments (I grew up in Clifton Park).  Just absolutely gorgeous scenery there in the fall.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 15, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Amen on the quick round thing!  If things fall into place correctly on many Monday AM's,  I can drop my son of at Daycare right at 7AM,  make it to my local course and be teed off by 7:20 and very often I'll have 18 holes done by 9:15 at the latest!  My 18 hole speed record this year is an hour and 41 minutes.  My personal favorite speed day though was a couple of November's ago, I played 36 holes in 3 hours and 50 minutes.  Speed golf rules!
> 
> Unfortunately,  I have a scramble this Sunday with a full field of 36 4somes and time wise that has 5 and a half hours writeen all over it



mad steezy yo..amazing that you can be the first group out at 7:20AM..around here it's like the second it's not pitch black..lol....scrambles are so freakin slow due to all the once or twice a year golfers..and practice swings are for nubs..


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 15, 2008)

bvibert said:


> No kidding!  Good to see ya around Chile!



Welcome back Chile..


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## riverc0il (Aug 15, 2008)

Chile. Welcome back! I took up golf since you have been gone 

Humbling day today at the local par 3. Granted, this was only my third ever round of golf. But my 39 on the par 27 last time out on my second round ever had me feeling high on my horse. Didn't get a chance to hit the driving range and just never felt comfortable today. Walked away in a hulf with a 54.

Was trailing a slow pair for the first 6. They offered to let me play through but that is tough to do on a par 3 without making them wait for a full hole. I didn't want the pressure of having to keep in front of them if I passed through as I didn't feel I was going so much faster that they wouldn't catch me. Sure enough, I really catch up to them just off the tee on 7 and play through.... to the tune of 4 swings just to get on the green and start putting so they could begin play.

The only condolence of the afternoon was one of the pair letting me pass through was really surprised how well I was doing for my third round of golf and having just started this summer. He was really surprised when I told him about my 39 last weekend. I was about to pitch onto the green and I was mentioning how I just bought a set of wedges.... and the guy was about to stop me with a "here, let me give you a tip....." when he bit it back as I got into good stance and chipped it up with 8 feet. That felt good, lol. I would have appreciated the tip for what it was worth, but knowing I knew how to do it enough that the tip stopped the second I got into my stance was a helpful for my damaged morale at that point.

Interesting to see the mental game in action. By hole 4 after shooting 6, 6, 5 on the first three holes, I knew I needed to turn it around and refocus but I was still enjoying things. By hole 7, I knew I was having a bad day. When playing through, I was told "don't rush, take your time!" but I replied "I ain't just hurrying to pass through, I am hurrying to get this one over with!" Hitting an 8 on 8 was just pathetic. Every hole the mental approach just got worse. Rushing through practice swings, not even bothering to line up putts, etc. I just wanted to round down with.

Mostly I was concerned about practicing bad habits. I wasn't swinging well at all and I couldn't fix my faults on the fly for what ever reason. The mental aspect also came up during my practice swings which were generally acceptable. But then I would address the ball and tense up a bit. I would get to 1/2 swing position and feel like my feet weren't even on the ground and I knew the ball was going to get topped or skid across the grass before I even made impact. But last week I was walking around head high like a champ cause I was having a good round.


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## Greg (Aug 15, 2008)

Sounds like you discovered something new and fun for the summer months, Steve. Good on ya!


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## riverc0il (Aug 15, 2008)

Oh, I am forgetting one of the rules of golf.... it is never your fault. So let me follow up by saying it was humid as heck and having to play behind, through, and then in front of another couple totally disrupted my rhythm right from hole 1. Worst of all, I recently learned the correct way to chip and pitch balls and I haven't had any practice time, so if I had had more practice time, I would have had far fewer errant shots. So if you take all that into consideration, I would have had at most a 43 today if it wasn't for so many factors playing against me.


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## riverc0il (Aug 15, 2008)

Greg said:


> Sounds like you discovered something new and fun for the summer months, Steve. Good on ya!



Indeed. But come the end of October, I am dropping golf like a bad habit until at least May (and only then, mid-week at best).


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## Greg (Aug 15, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Oh, I am forgetting one of the rules of golf.... it is never your fault. So let me follow up by saying it was humid as heck and having to play behind, through, and then in front of another couple totally disrupted my rhythm right from hole 1. Worst of all, I recently learned the correct way to chip and pitch balls and I haven't had any practice time, so if I had had more practice time, I would have had far fewer errant shots. So if you take all that into consideration, I would have had at most a 43 today if it wasn't for so many factors playing against me.



:lol: Nice try. You hit a 54.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 15, 2008)

Riv  : Keep your chin up-- WE ALL screw up now and again !! Golf is a humbling game . !!

Keep working at it 


RELAX don't TENSE UP your forearms or put a death grip on the club. Try a  nice smooth swing with  good alignment to the target spot  .Often trying to kill the ball can really mess up a game and lead to the  infamous "snowman " score  on any given hole 

Above all have fun with it 

Warp


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## riverc0il (Aug 15, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Steve,  I've gotten so bad with my quiver right now that currently I have only 1 club in my bag that I didn't put together myself   That's my driver which is one of those "big, ugly" square Nike Sumo Sasquatch.


I have been looking at adding a 5W to my bag since I can't hit a hybrid to save my life and the square clubs look interesting. Probably would look into the clones because I ain't spending $300 on a club. Wish there was a place to try clubs out around here.

Haven't read a bad thing about the squares except from purists and people with sensitive ears :lol: Being a newbie, I thought drivers were _supposed_ to be loud! Some say accuracy sacrifices distance but that is more than fine by my standards! Consistency is was more important than distance. If I drive straight as a nail for barely better than my 6I's max distance, I am a happy man. I'll take straight at 200 yards every time compared to slight slice often and big slice sometimes for 240+.


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## riverc0il (Aug 15, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Riv  : Keep your chin up-- WE ALL screw up now and again !! Golf is a humbling game . !!
> 
> Keep working at it
> 
> ...


Indeed! Chin is up high, just got humbled a bit after coming off the horse a bit high last week. Been working on relaxing a lot lately at the range. It really helped. My biggest stance issue is my shafts are too short and grips too small. Being a tall dude with a high ground to wrist distance, I really should have .5"+ on my clubs. Not having good fitted clubs makes me want to bend my knees or push my arms away from my chest to get the club closer to the ball. It takes a real conscious effort to not bend the knees so much and get in close to the ball and that effort often tenses up the muscles. Definitely have been hitting better since I loosened up and just went with it. New clubs are all ordered with an extra half inch though!! That is... when I get new clubs. :roll:


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## drjeff (Aug 16, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Indeed. But come the end of October, I am dropping golf like a bad habit until at least May (and only then, mid-week at best).



This is just another reason why golf is a great compliment to skiing.  When the ski season is finally (and reluctantly done) the golf season has already started and when the golf season is done, the ski season has started.  52 weeks a year, you're set!


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 16, 2008)

drjeff said:


> This is just another reason why golf is a great compliment to skiing.  When the ski season is finally (and reluctantly done) the golf season has already started and when the golf season is done, the ski season has started.  52 weeks a year, you're set!



tru-dat..I've skied and golfed in the same day a few times.  Back in March of 2007..I skied 20 quick runs at Blue mountain from 7:30AM to 10:30AM..then drove home and at Noon my dad picked me up to play golf at Riverview in Easton.  I was freaking beat after playing 18 holes.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 16, 2008)

drjeff said:


> This is just another reason why golf is a great compliment to skiing.  When the ski season is finally (and reluctantly done) the golf season has already started and when the golf season is done, the ski season has started.  52 weeks a year, you're set!



TRUER words were never spoken thats why i got into it . It is perfect . By the time you're sick of one sport  the other season is upon you


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## ChileMass (Aug 16, 2008)

Glad to see a bunch of hackers on this site now.  

Steven has taken up golf - oh my.  Cats and dogs will be living together next and hell will freeze over.  :lol:  Seriously, Riv - enjoy it.  And for Pete's sake, slow down that backswing......

Golf is a great complement to skiing - not in the big muscles/footwork sense like hiking or tennis, but in the idea of getting all the moving parts going in the right direction.  Both golf and skiing require a lot of precision, and that may be why it has a cross-appeal.  

But, skiing is _obviously_ better since you can't go 50mph in a golf cart.........:wink:


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## riverc0il (Aug 16, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> Glad to see a bunch of hackers on this site now.
> 
> Steven has taken up golf - oh my.  Cats and dogs will be living together next and hell will freeze over.  :lol:  Seriously, Riv - enjoy it.  And for Pete's sake, slow down that backswing......
> 
> Golf is a great complement to skiing - not in the big muscles/footwork sense like hiking or tennis, but in the idea of getting all the moving parts going in the right direction.  Both golf and skiing require a lot of precision, and that may be why it has a cross-appeal.


Backswing definitely gets out of control every once in a while. What I have found that helps is gradually building up a practice swing. Start with a quarter, then a half, and then a full practice swing. Then I address and take one more quarter+ rotation and let it rip. Really slows me down and builds the rotation muscle memory over the "swing" muscle memory. At least that is my theory, all I know is it works!

I don't know about golf complementing skiing much. It does use a lot more muscles in the back, shoulders, etc. than I ever would have thought. But I doubt I will see any application to cross training for skiing during the non-snowy months.


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## riverc0il (Aug 16, 2008)

Much improved swing today  In an effort to save a few bucks, I decided to take a 9 Iron down to the local elementary school and tee up a 16 balls. Figured I would get some exercise in addition to saving a few bucks. After my foraging effort, I returned with only 12 balls and decided that "saving money" is all relative due to the price of balls and the dollars per swing ratio. So $7-8 at the driving range it will have to be, alas. But I really cranked a few balls and felt good. Started off drawing the ball and noticed I had an error in my club face address alignment. Once corrected, I was hitting my 9I the best I have hit it. Which means tomorrow, if I go out again, will be a pretty terrible day for sure 

Think I have finally settled on a 5W. At the risk of no resale value, I think I may go with a Nike Sumo clone. Add on a decent shaft with an extra half an inch and get a grip that fits my hand, $53 shipped with a 30 day refund policy. If I wanted a graphite shaft, I would probably go with a used version of the real mccoy. But I current prefer steel shafts (maybe I haven't found the right graphite shaft, who knows). Four new clubs in less than a month? Maybe Warp Daddy was right........


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 16, 2008)

Whaddya MAYBE !!


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## riverc0il (Aug 16, 2008)

Speaking of my drawing incident tonight with the 9I, I just realized that I often draw my lower irons, get pretty straight hits on my 6 Iron, and slice my drive (sometimes 3W but no where near as bad or often). That sound typical? I figured I would have the same type of slicing issue with all my clubs but my tendencies are different depending upon which club I am swinging.

Warp---as far as that maybe goes---I haven't gone out and bought a new set of irons or anything. I mean, so far I haven't really replaced any of my original set (besides a PW I left at a driving range, oops) but am just filling in the holes. That maybe changes to a definite when I start replacing clubs


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 17, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Speaking of my drawing incident tonight with the 9I, I just realized that I often draw my lower irons, get pretty straight hits on my 6 Iron, and slice my drive (sometimes 3W but no where near as bad or often). That sound typical? I figured I would have the same type of slicing issue with all my clubs but my tendencies are different depending upon which club I am swinging.
> 
> Warp---as far as that maybe goes---I haven't gone out and bought a new set of irons or anything. I mean, so far I haven't really replaced any of my original set (besides a PW I left at a driving range, oops) but am just filling in the holes. That maybe changes to a definite when I start replacing clubs



Yard sales are a great place to find additional clubs for your quiver.  Yes there are some 1970 Ben Hogans but I've seen some lightly used modern clubs at yard sales.  We recently had a yard sale and I sold a bunch of my old clubs along with some of my Dads old clubs.  Certain clubs like rescue clubs and belly putters that I have owned in the past but no longer use sold so quick.  I also got rid of my previous two golf bags which were just collecting dust and an old pull-cart.  A good golf-bag is also essential.  That way you don't accidently hit your 6-iron instead of your 9-iron...I almost hit the group on the next tee-box..doh.  The key when getting started is to hit lots of balls....also practice alot out of the sand.  After 15 years of casual golf, I'm finally comfortable in the sand..also practice shots on downslopes if the practice facility has grass tees..The worst thing ever is having a perfect drive end on with a downhill lie..and topping the ball..


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## ChileMass (Aug 17, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Speaking of my drawing incident tonight with the 9I, I just realized that I often draw my lower irons, get pretty straight hits on my 6 Iron, and slice my drive (sometimes 3W but no where near as bad or often). That sound typical? I figured I would have the same type of slicing issue with all my clubs but my tendencies are different depending upon which club I am swinging.



Riv - 

Most golfers will tend to overswing the shorter irons and underswing the longer ones.  It's really just the weighting and the length that screws with you.  Most golfers will therefore place the ball a little further back in their stance (4-6" right of center for a right-handed hitter) when hitting shorter irons (and maybe open the clubface a bit) and place the ball further forward when hitting a longer iron (and maybe close the face a bit).  However, don't put the ball too far back or you will catch too much dirt, or too far forward cuz you will tend to "top" to ball.  And then go to the range and do it about 100,000 times over a 25-year period, and you might break 90 someday.  

Doesn't that make you feel a whole lot better - ??  :wink:


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 17, 2008)

True about yard sales -- IF YOU KNOW what is a "decent" club for YOUR game 

I sold 2 complete sets last fall ( One set were   "muscle back  blades"  the other was perimeter weighed , a good set for game improvement) .  Also sold several bags


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## MR. evil (Aug 17, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> Riv -
> 
> Most golfers will tend to overswing the shorter irons and underswing the longer ones.  It's really just the weighting and the length that screws with you.  Most golfers will therefore place the ball a little further back in their stance (4-6" right of center for a right-handed hitter) when hitting shorter irons (and maybe open the clubface a bit) and place the ball further forward when hitting a longer iron (and maybe close the face a bit).  However, don't put the ball too far back or you will catch too much dirt, or too far forward cuz you will tend to "top" to ball.  And then go to the range and do it about 100,000 times over a 25-year period, and you might break 90 someday.
> 
> Doesn't that make you feel a whole lot better - ??  :wink:



I pretty much hit my low and high irons from the same spot. Sometime I will shift ball position slightly, but not much. I ussually line the ball up about one inch to the left of center (I am a righty). The only club I change my stance for is my driver or 3w off the tee. I pretty much have the ball tee'd up in line with my left foot so I can hit the ball just as the club starts on its up swing. The biggest improvment to my game over the years was to ease up on my swing. I now only take 3/4 swings (or smaller) and work on making good clean ball contact. I am also finding that I hit the ball further and straighter than I used to when I always try to crush the ball. I my friends comment that my swing looks pretty slow, yet I hit the ball much further and straighter than they do. It really pisses them off. My big weakness on the course is my short game. I would rather be 90 yards away from the green than 20 yards away. My putting also sucks! I am consistantly on the green in regulation and find myself 3 or 4 putting :roll: I just don't have time anymore to put into improving this part of my game. Too many other things going on and too many other hobbies


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## riverc0il (Aug 17, 2008)

Problem with yard sales is I still don't know enough about old equipment to tell the good from the bad or the pro from the amateur (though I do know to look for cavity backed irons for game development). I am just starting to get to know a little about current equipment.

Where is DrJeff with his tournament update?


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## riverc0il (Aug 17, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> I pretty much hit my low and high irons from the same spot. Sometime I will shift ball position slightly, but not much. I ussually line the ball up about one inch to the left of center (I am a righty). The only club I change my stance for is my driver or 3w off the tee. I pretty much have the ball tee'd up in line with my left foot so I can hit the ball just as the club starts on its up swing.


Same here. One of the best "digital lessons" I received was instead of playing with pall position in the stance, line up the ball just to the left of your jaw straight down from your left arm and change how far backward your back leg rests depending upon club length. That really helped me find the right spot in my swing where impact should happen. Before I had been playing with ball location and it just kept screwing me up.

Regarding putting, that is one of my better game aspects at this point. I need to learn how much swing speed generates what types of distance. But my aim is usually very good. I two put or better for most holes so long as I don't under shoot my first put. Pitching and chipping needs a lot of work though as a two putt happens but a two chip or two pitch is just brutal.


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## riverc0il (Aug 17, 2008)

Back to the Par 3 today and I am surprised to say that I actually improved my score. From a 54 to a 52. It would have been a lot worse without making two pars. I managed to get every score possible between 3 and 9 today :roll: Just felt absolutely terrible out there. Haven't hit this bad in weeks despite getting a better score (largely due to not counting rehits from the tee on three lost balls). Really need to get back to the range this week and get back to basics. Too many full rounds and not enough practice time has me going out and playing below my ability level. I really don't care about a high score and a few bad shots. I am disappointed when I am playing way below what I am capable of on even an average day.


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## drjeff (Aug 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Where is DrJeff with his tournament update?



Here ya go.

Overall, we played like DOGS   My foursome was me playing to my roughly 6 handicap now, about a 15 handicaper played pretty close to his number, and 18 who played more like a 25  and a 25 who played close to his number.

The person who the tournament was in memory of was an avid golfer who LOVED the course set up tough, and his relatives asked the course superintendant if he could us the toughest pin location on EVERY hole.  Let me tell you, if you got the ball on the wrong side of the hole (which we did alot), you're 1st put would be say a 15 footer(of course we missed it ) and then we'd have a 20 footer coming back up the hill (for some reason we made most of those ).

The team didn't win any hardware(not that I'd expect to only shooting -4), but it was a beautiful day out, and the beer was cold and plentifull all day


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## MR. evil (Aug 18, 2008)

was the tourney a scarmble or best ball?

I am playing in a scarmble on Thursday..... I hate scarmbles! They totally throw me off my game. I will be in a four-some with my father and 2 of my uncles. They are going to want me to kill it off the tee, and go for risky shots everytime so they can then play it safe when I miss. I know that is how you should play a scarmble, but it just kills my game for my next round when I am playing my own ball for 18 holes.


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## drjeff (Aug 18, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> was the tourney a scarmble or best ball?
> 
> I am playing in a scarmble on Thursday..... I hate scarmbles! They totally throw me off my game. I will be in a four-some with my father and 2 of my uncles. They are going to want me to kill it off the tee, and go for risky shots everytime so they can then play it safe when I miss. I know that is how you should play a scarmble, but it just kills my game for my next round when I am playing my own ball for 18 holes.



Scramble.  I tend to enjoy them, since usually I'm able to "build" my team with a "steady" player who hits lead off and gets us in the short grass 225ish out, then usually we'll have to players that aren't the best of golfer's but can bomb the ball (just not quite sure where it will land all the time  ) hitting 2nd and 3rd, and then I'll hit clean up, which depending on where the 1st 3 tee balls ended up will be either me just really taking a swing at it or playing the safety shot.  The fun thing about the course we played yesterday from the tees we played is that it was just under 6,000 yards, so our 225 person was really leaving us a "realistic" 2nd shot(we he hit the short grass), so on alot of holes where even off the back tees if I was playing my own ball, I usually hit 3 wood or even 3 iron on a couple of holes,  I was able to take a rip with the driver and go for the green (the course has 3 par 4's that were playing 300-315 yesterday and all were downhill!).

The biggest problem though I notice day in and day out in Scrambles, isn't so much the overswinging on a driver that causes the problem, but that you'll often end up with alot shorter approaches than we're all used to playing, and more often than not it seems that the 75 yard approach shot where not too many folks are comfortble with(or used to), and we won't hit it as close as if we had a full wedge/short iron from say 125.  And I can honestly say that I've seen WAYYY to many times over the years when in a scramble as a group, we'll go 0-4 on a 75 yard approach shot when the 4some has been going 3 for 4 or 4 for 4 from 125 yards.  I'm guilty of the same thing in my own game too.  Realizing this, I tend to try and leave myself with a comfortble distance (if I have  choice) in my own game.  

That's the whole mental aspect of golf, is figuring out what your strengths/ comforts are on the course and then trying to hit the shots that play to your strengths/comforts.  That's why i really enjoying what the pros on TV, just seeing how they mentally play the course to their strengths and then do everything they can to play to them, verses the typical amateur who all they think is "try an hit it as far as I can wherever it goes" as opposed to "it will be an easier hole if try and hit it over there"


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 18, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> was the tourney a scarmble or best ball?
> 
> I am playing in a scarmble on Thursday..... I hate scarmbles! They totally throw me off my game. I will be in a four-some with my father and 2 of my uncles. They are going to want me to kill it off the tee, and go for risky shots everytime so they can then play it safe when I miss. I know that is how you should play a scarmble, but it just kills my game for my next round when I am playing my own ball for 18 holes.



The last four man scramble I played in was back in June.  We had an order we stuck to and I was first since I'm the most agressive and being first kind of stinks because there is alot of pressure.  Some of the narrow holes..I would ordinarily just hit a 5-iron 180-200 yards so I would be safe in the fairway but in the scramble format..every shot off the tee was a driver.  I luckily sunk quite a few 6-15 foot putts to take the pressure off the other players.  We ended up shootinga 63 and tying with two other groups for first..and the actual winners were determined by how well they performed on the hardest handicap holes.  

My Dad and I are probably playing in a two man scramble in September.  We played in this one two years ago and prizes are given out based on flights.  So the top group from the bottom 1/3 gets prizes but the bottom group of the middle 1/3 gets nothing.  In that format..we'll most likely shoot about a 75..


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## riverc0il (Aug 18, 2008)

drjeff said:


> The biggest problem though I notice day in and day out in Scrambles, isn't so much the overswinging on a driver that causes the problem, but that you'll often end up with alot shorter approaches than we're all used to playing, and more often than not it seems that the 75 yard approach shot where not too many folks are comfortble with(or used to), and we won't hit it as close as if we had a full wedge/short iron from say 125.  And I can honestly say that I've seen WAYYY to many times over the years when in a scramble as a group, we'll go 0-4 on a 75 yard approach shot when the 4some has been going 3 for 4 or 4 for 4 from 125 yards.  I'm guilty of the same thing in my own game too.  Realizing this, I tend to try and leave myself with a comfortble distance (if I have  choice) in my own game.


Being new to the game, I have two comments on the issue of the short game. The first is that I immediately noticed how important the short game was on my first round of golf. Which is why I went out and ordered wedges ASAP. Though wedges are great to have, you still have to learn how to use them. Most folks hitting the range swing mostly drivers, hybrids, and low irons. You don't see a lot of people show up to the range and go through a bucket of balls with their wedges and low irons. When I hit the range, I usually start with my wedge and higher number irons and work my way up towards my 6I and only go for the woods once I feel I have improved my iron swing.

The other comment I have is in regards to equipment. It seems most people buying drivers and woods are all about distance. If it doesn't go long, then it ain't worth it. To me, accuracy trumps distance by a long shot. I have only played full courses in scrambles, but I noticed that on most holes except for the longest par 5s that you can easily hit the green or close by with a non-driver wood teed off accurately in the fairway followed by a mid-number iron. It seems silly to risk going left or right for an extra dozen or two dozen yards when accurate shots will get you there just as quick if not faster in many cases. The long drive sure is fun, but there are few things I enjoy more than a perfectly hit straight as an arrow 6I off the deck.


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## MR. evil (Aug 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> The other comment I have is in regards to equipment. It seems most people buying drivers and woods are all about distance. If it doesn't go long, then it ain't worth it. To me, accuracy trumps distance by a long shot. I have only played full courses in scrambles, but I noticed that on most holes except for the longest par 5s that you can easily hit the green or close by with a non-driver wood teed off accurately in the fairway followed by a mid-number iron. It seems silly to risk going left or right for an extra dozen or two dozen yards when accurate shots will get you there just as quick if not faster in many cases. The long drive sure is fun, but there are few things I enjoy more than a perfectly hit straight as an arrow 6I off the deck.



For the past 5 years I alway hit a 3W off the tee instead of a driver. I was very consistant with my 3W (still am) and hitting driver wasn't worth the risk. It wasn't until recently that I have been hitting driver off the tee. I was lucky to find a driver / shaft combo that worked for me and I have been hitting the D as consistant as my 3W. Interesting that a co-worker has the same exact driver / shaft combo, same lenght, and I hit his club like crap. I find that I hot 3i off the tee on many short par 4's. I would rather be hitting 5 or 6 iron to the green instead of PW or LW.


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## riverc0il (Aug 18, 2008)

I don't even both with my driver any more. I can kill a 3W for just as much distance as my driver with much less risk. Probably don't have a good driver/shaft combo for my swing style. And I slice the driver like crazy but get the 3W straight most of the time, so obviously I am doing something different with the driver that is messing up impact, perhaps face of the club not aligned I would guess. In any case, I will revisit the driver when I get my skills up. For now, I don't even put my driver in my bag if I am going out to play a round (well, hypothetically when I start playing full courses instead of par 3s!).


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## Greg (Aug 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> The other comment I have is in regards to equipment. It seems most people buying drivers and woods are all about distance. If it doesn't go long, then it ain't worth it. To me, accuracy trumps distance by a long shot. I have only played full courses in scrambles, but I noticed that on most holes except for the longest par 5s that you can easily hit the green or close by with a non-driver wood teed off accurately in the fairway followed by a mid-number iron. It seems silly to risk going left or right for an extra dozen or two dozen yards when accurate shots will get you there just as quick if not faster in many cases. The long drive sure is fun, but there are few things I enjoy more than a perfectly hit straight as an arrow 6I off the deck.





MR. evil said:


> For the past 5 years I alway hit a 3W off the tee instead of a driver. I was very consistant with my 3W (still am) and hitting driver wasn't worth the risk. It wasn't until recently that I have been hitting driver off the tee. I was lucky to find a driver / shaft combo that worked for me and I have been hitting the D as consistant as my 3W. Interesting that a co-worker has the same exact driver / shaft combo, same lenght, and I hit his club like crap. I find that I hot 3i off the tee on many short par 4's. I would rather be hitting 5 or 6 iron to the green instead of PW or LW.



I don't golf often, but most of the time I'll hit a 3 iron off the tee. Partly because I can hit it better than my woods and partly because my woods/driver have always been shit. I actually don't think I even have a wood in my bag right now. Way better to swing light and hit straight than to try to crush it out of the tee box, unless of course you can.


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## Philpug (Aug 18, 2008)

I am very confident with my driver, in fact, i don't even have a 3 wood. I do carry a 5 though.


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## MR. evil (Aug 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> For now, I don't even put my driver in my bag if I am going out to play a round (well, hypothetically when I start playing full courses instead of par 3s!).



That is what I did for years until I found a driver / shaft that worked for me. I am not sure this will work for everyone but this is the advice a co-worker / scratch golfer gave me. He told me to find a store with an in-door range and hit as many drivers as I could till I found one I liked. Once you find a model you like go back to the rack and take 5 or 6 more of the same exact club. Hit all of them until you find one that is really sweet. Even if that club is all dinged / sctached up from others testing it, buy that club. The only thing you should do is have the grip changed to something more you liking. His explaination for this was that not all club heads and shafts of the same type will play the same. Some club heads will have slighly different weights. Shafts of the same type will flex and twist slightly different from one another. Put those things together with the human factor of assembling the club and you can very easily have 10 different Taylor Made 580 drivers that all play slightly different from one another. He says this has less impact on irons as you don't swing them as hard. So for the last 5 plus years he has all of his irons custom made, but gets his driver and 3W off the shelf.


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## MR. evil (Aug 18, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> I am very confident with my driver, in fact, i don't even have a 3 wood. I do carry a 5 though.



Funny that I can now hit a D or 3W off the tee very well. And I am also very good with my long irons. But I cannot hit a fairway wood off the ground to save my life. I don't even have a 5W. I carry a rescue club instead. But I ussually hit a 2i or 3i in situations were most hit a 5w.

I think part of the problem is that with my irons off the ground I hit down into the ball for spin. But with a fairway wood you need to almost hit it clean off the ground and I just cannot seem to do it. Then again I am also lazy and do not practice anymore.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> I don't even both with my driver any more. I can kill a 3W for just as much distance as my driver with much less risk. Probably don't have a good driver/shaft combo for my swing style. And I slice the driver like crazy but get the 3W straight most of the time, so obviously I am doing something different with the driver that is messing up impact, perhaps face of the club not aligned I would guess. In any case, I will revisit the driver when I get my skills up. For now, I don't even put my driver in my bag if I am going out to play a round (well, hypothetically when I start playing full courses instead of par 3s!).



I think you're ready for a full course.  For newer golfers a driver is a very difficult club to hit straight.  I would still keep it in your bag for practice though..and every round you play is practice.  Sometime keep a legit score to see how you really stand..no mulligans..no improved lies.  Then track your scores the same method.  It's a good habit to get into.  I'm tough..I hardly ever give gimmes unless it's within a foot.  My Dad gives his buddies like 3-footers which amateurs miss 1/3 of the time.  Alot of newer golfers don't tee their driver up high enough..especially the more modern drivers with large heads.  Alot of golfers including my Dad use offset drivers to help cure a slice or fade.  They are incredibly forgiving.  On a 400 yard par 4.  The difference between a 250 yard tee-shot and a 200 yard tee-shot is huge.  I'd rather have 150 yards from the rough than 200 yards from the fairway...because I can go at the green with a more lofted club.  Wow now I want to play golf..


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## riverc0il (Aug 18, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I think you're ready for a full course.


Almost. Want to get some practice in with my new wedges first. I clearly need range time right now to get my swing back. $18 twilight rate for the full course right down the road from where I live which isn't a bad rate at all. Gets dark earlier now though. That is where DrJeff's speed golf comes into play!



GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Wow now I want to play golf..


That's what I am talking about! Just got my new clubs and am itching to get in some practice time and play a round.


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## riverc0il (Aug 18, 2008)

Has anyone done one of those custom fitting deals where you swing a bunch of different clubs and they analyze video to see what types of fitting, shafts, etc. will work best for your swing? Worth the $$$ to dial in your preferred specs or is it junk science designed to sell expensive top of the line clubs?


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## Greg (Aug 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Has anyone done one of those custom fitting deals where you swing a bunch of different clubs and they analyze video to see what types of fitting, shafts, etc. will work best for your swing? Worth the $$$ to dial in your preferred specs or is it junk science designed to sell expensive top of the line clubs?



I'm sure it's synonymous with putting a beginner skier on an expert ski...


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## MR. evil (Aug 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Has anyone done one of those custom fitting deals where you swing a bunch of different clubs and they analyze video to see what types of fitting, shafts, etc. will work best for your swing? Worth the $$$ to dial in your preferred specs or is it junk science designed to sell expensive top of the line clubs?



I doubt it is worth it till your a much more experienced player. Over the next couple of years your swing (path and speed) will probably change several times. I would wait till you more dialed in to a swing and then go that route.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 18, 2008)

Greg said:


> I'm sure it's synonymous with putting a beginner skier on an expert ski...



times two..


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## riverc0il (Aug 18, 2008)

Word. Not looking to buy top of the line clubs (definitely staying the game improvement stuff) but more interested in what type of shaft best suits my swing speed. Still seems like it would be more applicable down the road but as I look to fill up the holes in my bag, I just don't want to be making "learning the hard way" decisions on shafts.


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## drjeff (Aug 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Being new to the game, I have two comments on the issue of the short game. The first is that I immediately noticed how important the short game was on my first round of golf. Which is why I went out and ordered wedges ASAP. Though wedges are great to have, you still have to learn how to use them. Most folks hitting the range swing mostly drivers, hybrids, and low irons. You don't see a lot of people show up to the range and go through a bucket of balls with their wedges and low irons. When I hit the range, I usually start with my wedge and higher number irons and work my way up towards my 6I and only go for the woods once I feel I have improved my iron swing.
> 
> The other comment I have is in regards to equipment. It seems most people buying drivers and woods are all about distance. If it doesn't go long, then it ain't worth it. To me, accuracy trumps distance by a long shot. I have only played full courses in scrambles, but I noticed that on most holes except for the longest par 5s that you can easily hit the green or close by with a non-driver wood teed off accurately in the fairway followed by a mid-number iron. It seems silly to risk going left or right for an extra dozen or two dozen yards when accurate shots will get you there just as quick if not faster in many cases. The long drive sure is fun, but there are few things I enjoy more than a perfectly hit straight as an arrow 6I off the deck.



Solid thoughts in this post Riv!  +1

When your short game progresses, a GREAT drill that I tend to do ALOT when I do get the chance to practice  is hitting to short targets (basically a 25 yard, a 50 yard and a 75 yard) using 3 different lofted clubs for 3 different tragectories. Sometimes I might hit to each target with my 3 wedges (Lob (59*), Sand(55*) and Gap(51*) ), sometimes I might use my lob wedge, gap wedge and 9 iron and sometimes maybe something like Sandwedge, pitching wedge and 7 iron.  Basically I want to hit the same distance with a high shot, a mid shot, and a low shot - sounds easy,  but give it a try 

The big thing that I'm really trying to work on then is giving myself the option to hit the type of shot that I think will work the best, so if I need to lob a shot to a flag just over a bunker or if I want to hit a lower shot with some run when it gets to the green, I both have that option and feel comfortable with it.  

This is where watching the pros on TV, especially short game magicians like Tiger, or Mickelson or Sergio Garcia can really help ones game.  Watch how they'll alter the tragectory of their shots when they have to and use different clubs to do it(sure they have the "bread and butter" club and tragectory.  The other thing where watching the pros can really help, is LISTEN + WATCH when one of the commentators gives a "playing lesson"  They tend to do a GREAT job and giving some simple tips about shots that most golfers find difficult (the CBS guys with Peter Kostis doing full swing stuff typically, Gary McCord doing short game stuff and Nick Faldo doing the "speciality shots" are my favorites), and if you get The Golf Channel, they having a show called "Playing Lessons" where its a PGA/LPGA/Senior PGA tour pro playing a round either solo or with some amateurs and literally telling you what their mind is thinking and it tend to be a GREAT show for learning some relatively simple things that can make a quick and noticeable difference to the scorecard!


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## riverc0il (Aug 19, 2008)

Just got my new wedges and went to the range and all I gotta say is that....

I LOVE THE SHORT GAME!!!

50-70 yards easy with a full swing at 70-80%. Real fun aiming for the closest green and getting closer with every shot and often hitting the green. Sweeeeet. Had a large bucket of somewhere between 70-80 balls and played just over half of them with my wedges.

Went over to the practice green for working on my pitching which I found really hard to do with a 9I. After tweaking my technique a tad, I was reliable knocking em' up onto the green from within 10 yards of the green. Finally was able to get enough loft to get it up and stopped hear the pin. Accuracy was not super but 1/4 was close to the pin, 1/2 were good shots for a 1 put, and the remaining 1/4 sailed a bit long. Not bad for a first day with new wedges.

Got into the sand for my first real sand wedge action. This may make some long term golfers that have issues with the sand irate, but after watching a ton of video, I knew the right setup, took my first swing, and put the ball up on the green within 5 feet of the pin. Holy moly! The swing was effortless and I had expected to make some sort of contact with the ball, but I got under the sand just right and knocked it up. Felt great. I just kept walking back up onto the green and tossing balls down just past the fringe, into the sand, and into the rough. Sun was setting and I was over due to get home but I just wanted to keep on working the short game, sweet!

Dialed in some errors for my regular swing as well. My first issue was moving too much weight onto my back foot during my back swing. Instead of using my upper body, I was sliding my lower body back too to disasterous consequences. The other issue (probably due to over powering the back swing and forward swing) was not hinging my arms enough after I broke the quarter swing plane. That played into the previous issue of taking too much of my body weight and getting my balance too far back.

The other issue are my grips. My new wedges have jumbo sized grips. I had feared that they might be too big, but they are just right and going back to my regular clubs really sucks after swinging my jumbo grips (hand size is 8+"). Also I got 1/2 inch longer shafts on the new wedges and that really helps too (heavier weight but I think that helped even the tempo out on my swing). I feel my stance with the wedges is sooooo much more natural. Having a quality shaft on them is nice as well (went with the standard TT Lite though my CG11s have a Dynamic Gold which seems a bit much but I think I can grow into that).

Now I just gotta learn to hit the long ball and get more consistent with my irons.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 19, 2008)

SOMEBODY"S got it BAD now


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## drjeff (Aug 20, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> SOMEBODY"S got it BAD now



I'm sensing there might be a post from Riv in the next few weeks talking about the joys of some early season hiking for turns followed by a round of golf!


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 20, 2008)

Right on Doc -- maybe even the  ZEN of the Short Game N' playing the bounce


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## drjeff (Aug 20, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Right on Doc -- maybe even the  ZEN of the Short Game N' playing the bounce



Nice, Nice, Nice!!

I will admit to being a sucker for the two bounce and then stop dead pitch myself   And even though I've seen them end up giving me a much longer putt,  the super spin wedge that draws the ball back 15 feet always has me feeling like the Zen Master too.

Now, all this golf Zen talk combined with the absolutely gorgeous day it is here this AM in my part of CT really has me itching to cancel the rest of today's patients and go use the sticks for 18 holes!


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 20, 2008)

Yo Doc :  Check out my signature line -------that philosophy will keep ya SANE man -- DO IT !!!


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## drjeff (Aug 20, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Yo Doc :  Check out my signature line -------that philosophy will keep ya SANE man -- DO IT !!!



Trust me Warp, I'm a fan of that Sig line and my front desk is currently *VERY* busy trying to move a few folks around to get ALL of us out of here early today!

The one predictable thing is that during warm weather months, on a REALLY nice day, we tend to get a few last minute "I'm sick"     cancellations.  I figure I can fit most everyone in this AM, thus generating enough $$ for the day to pay the electric company(and maybe my staff too if they're nice to me for the rest of the day ) and still get to enjoy a great looking afternoon!  There are definately some days when it's nice to be the boss


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 20, 2008)

Keerectamundo !!!

I'd tell ya to keep it on the short grass later today but hell with your 6 handicap YOU should be Giving ME lessons -- have fun -- i'm going to !!

Warp


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## drjeff (Aug 20, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Keerectamundo !!!
> 
> I'd tell ya to keep it on the short grass later today but hell with your 6 handicap YOU should be Giving ME lessons -- have fun -- i'm going to !!
> 
> Warp




Warp, the game's too easy from the short grass   It's much more "mentally challenging" to figure out how to hit that 30 yard hook that has to stay between to trees and then climb over a 3rd and then stop dead to a pin tucked right in between a bunker and a pond.  That's what keeps me coming back


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## Philpug (Aug 20, 2008)

Played yesterday and played well. The game is fun when you are "on'...but control can be fleeting. Enjoy it while you got it.


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## riverc0il (Aug 20, 2008)

Bump for _stroke_!!

:lol:


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 20, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Bump for _stroke_!!
> 
> :lol:



Oh boy...lol..since you bumped the thread for stoke...I'm playing golf with my Dad and his BFF(Best Friend Forever) at Iron Lakes Sunday morning at 7:30AM..It's a fun course but the yardage markers are off.  Luckily my Dad has one of those yardage pro scopes to get accurate distances.  There are a number of elevated tee's and greens along with two par threes over water..One is only about a 125 yard carry and the other is 160ish..there is also a short par 5 with an island green.  A good tee-shot will get you within 200 yards of the pin but it's such a risky shot that I usually lay up and approach the pin with a wedge.  If the ground is really dry..my tee shot could get into 7-iron range..160-170 yards and then I have no choice but to go for the green in two...There is also one par 4 that is only about 290 yards from the whites where a bogey feels like a double bogey..good stuff..


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## MR. evil (Aug 20, 2008)

Tomorrow is going to be an ugly day on the course!

Just hit the range in prep. for tomorrows tourney. The only thing I was hitting well was my D & 3W. All of my irons were crap.


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## 2knees (Aug 20, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> Tomorrow is going to be an ugly day on the course!
> 
> Just hit the range in prep. for tomorrows tourney. The only thing I was hitting well was my D & 3W. All of my irons were crap.




drive for show, putt for dough.


my game is so far in the toilet its ridiculous.  i just dont get out enough.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 20, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> Tomorrow is going to be an ugly day on the course!
> 
> Just hit the range in prep. for tomorrows tourney. The only thing I was hitting well was my D & 3W. All of my irons were crap.



JUST RELAX  forget today's practice 

  like one  buddy  an 8 handicap  from Ecaudor says to me  ( JOOOST HEET DE BALL  WARPY--DOOOON  TINK")-- it works wonder s if you don't tense up or overthink the damn game --Have fun


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## drjeff (Aug 21, 2008)

MR. evil said:


> Tomorrow is going to be an ugly day on the course!
> 
> Just hit the range in prep. for tomorrows tourney. The only thing I was hitting well was my D & 3W. All of my irons were crap.



Sounds like some "swing lube" is just the thing to loosen you up a bit and let you forget about the range session.  Of course by "swing lube" I mean this


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## Philpug (Aug 21, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Sounds like some "swing lube" is just the thing to loosen you up a bit and let you forget about the range session.  Of course by "swing lube" I mean this


LOL, when I played Nemicolin, I brought a 375ML bottle of Johnny Walker Black to share with my buddies when we played. The bums wouldn't share so I had to drink it all by myself . I still played well.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 21, 2008)

SWIG LUBE --- NEED MONDO SWING LUBE and some HAPPY Meals too


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## drjeff (Aug 21, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> SWIG LUBE --- NEED MONDO SWING LUBE and some HAPPY Meals too



Swing lube is such great stuff!  Just the right amount will keep things nice and mellow, BUT if your game still sucks with the swing lube, then you can have LOTS of swing lube and forget how much your game sucks!


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## riverc0il (Aug 21, 2008)

After watching some more online instruction, hit the range again today and was feeling much better about myself. Really focused on a slower back swing and more of a whipping "swing" instead of a just swinging the club. Tough to find the balance between loosening up a bit and being too loose. But I hit some really good shots. Made sure I wasn't trying to kill the ball. My distance decreased but I hit some really pretty and straight iron shots off the deck.

Wood work is worse than ever with huge slices, almost as bad as my driver. I used to get 1/3 3Ws straight more or less. I am finding that my hands seem to be slipping around impact. When I pull back the club to the impact point after hitting the ball, the club face is way closed. I feel my grip pressure is good, perhaps even too tight. Wondering if grip size may be an issue as I really enjoy the feel of my new clubs with jumbo grips. Or perhaps it is grip texture? My regular grips are cheap beginner trash.

Any ways, will head back to the par 3 this weekend. My next trip to the driving range will be a focus on Teeing off, particularly with the 3W. I need to dial in that tee swing before I feel comfortable playing a full course. I can almost trust my iron play I think... so long as I can remember to relax, pivot without excessive weight transfer, keep that left arm straight, and "swing" instead of trying to hit the ball.... nice and easy.


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## Philpug (Aug 21, 2008)

Played 9 today. AlI was in the traps more today on 9 holes than I was all summer combined, 7 traps on 9 holes. Yeah, it was that bad. 

l I can say is as fast as it comes, it goes just as fast.


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## riverc0il (Aug 21, 2008)

I think I figured out my issue after analyzing my swing mentally. I don't think my wrists are "turning over" correctly at impact would be my best guess. I suspect choking down on the club a half inch or so will substantially help my ability to make better contact with a squared up club head at impact. Can't wait to try that this weekend. 

That is one of the things I find interesting about the game.... all these very detailed and precise mechanics all have to be just right at the same time throughout the course of a swing to make solid contact. At first I thought swing inconsistencies would be annoying. But rather they have become obsessive! And you cure one issue and then find two more.

Funny story. When I played little league baseball, the coach always told me to "choke up" but never explained what that meant. I thought it might to squeeze the club tighter and grip the club at the very end of the handle. In three years of little league ball, I got two or three "hits" on the scoreboard (though I often made infield dribblers for throw outs at first). Years after playing little league, I finally learned that choke up literally meant to slide that grip further up the bat. I hit a lot better after learning that tip. My wrists never broke correctly so I could never make contact with the ball. If only the coach had explained to me that I had been doing the exact opposite of what he was telling me to do!!


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## drjeff (Aug 22, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> I think I figured out my issue after analyzing my swing mentally. I don't think my wrists are "turning over" correctly at impact would be my best guess. I suspect choking down on the club a half inch or so will substantially help my ability to make better contact with a squared up club head at impact. Can't wait to try that this weekend.
> 
> That is one of the things I find interesting about the game.... all these very detailed and precise mechanics all have to be just right at the same time throughout the course of a swing to make solid contact. At first I thought swing inconsistencies would be annoying. But rather they have become obsessive! And you cure one issue and then find two more.
> 
> Funny story. When I played little league baseball, the coach always told me to "choke up" but never explained what that meant. I thought it might to squeeze the club tighter and grip the club at the very end of the handle. In three years of little league ball, I got two or three "hits" on the scoreboard (though I often made infield dribblers for throw outs at first). Years after playing little league, I finally learned that choke up literally meant to slide that grip further up the bat. I hit a lot better after learning that tip. My wrists never broke correctly so I could never make contact with the ball. If only the coach had explained to me that I had been doing the exact opposite of what he was telling me to do!!



Riv, it almost sounds like if you haven't yet, that soon you'll find yourself video taping your swing   That's both the greatest and worst thing that I've ever done to my golf game.  

It's great because it gives you exact feedback as to what you're hands/arms/shoulders/legs are actually doing in your swing as opposed to what your think they're doing in your swing.


It awfull because if you start getting really analytical about things,  you'll more than likely short term atleast suffer a swing set back as you start to stress about things that you didn't realize that you were doing before you taped your swing 

The first time I taped my swing, I was playing really well.  I had my handicap down to a 1 at that time, and I figured what they heck, lets see what the swing looks like.  OMG!  I totally lost the "big picture" view of my swing that was working well and immediately wanted to start tweaking about a dozen little things.  It literally took me until the next golf season, with a ski season in between for me to forget what I was trying to fix aftre seeing my swing on tape.

Generally speaking, what I find works best when your working on your swing, is just try and limit your swing thoughts to just 1 thing.  If I can do that, and just let the club take over for the other 99% of the swing, things tend to be decent.  If I start trying to simulatneously think about where my hands should be on the downswing, how full of a shoulder turn am I making, is my belt buckle facing the target on follow through, etc, etc, etc on each swing, well then I tend to be doomed   In golf it seems like the good 'ol KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle works the best for most folks!


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 22, 2008)

drjeff;302724 

 In golf it seems like the good 'ol KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle works the best for most folks![/QUOTE said:
			
		

> Da Bottom line


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## Trekchick (Aug 22, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> Played 9 today. AlI was in the traps more today on 9 holes than I was all summer combined, 7 traps on 9 holes. Yeah, it was that bad.
> 
> l I can say is as fast as it comes, it goes just as fast.


Its not that you got in the traps, its how you got out.  So, how well did you play out?


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## drjeff (Aug 22, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> Played 9 today. AlI was in the traps more today on 9 holes than I was all summer combined, 7 traps on 9 holes. Yeah, it was that bad.
> 
> l I can say is as fast as it comes, it goes just as fast.



I call days like that when I'm in the beach all day a "suntan lotion day"


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## Philpug (Aug 22, 2008)

Trekchick said:


> Its not that you got in the traps, its how you got out.  So, how well did you play out?


I don't want to talk about it. 


drjeff said:


> I call days like that when I'm in the beach all day a "suntan lotion day"


I spent more time on the beach than David Hasselhoff.


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## drjeff (Aug 22, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> I don't want to talk about it.
> 
> I spent more time on the beach than David Hasselhoff.



Ooh, this is just too good to pass up the token 'Hoff pic 





 uke:


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 22, 2008)

Barf  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## drjeff (Aug 23, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Barf  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Sorry, I probably should have put up a red flag warning infront of that on 


Here's a make-up pic that gets us back on golf for 'ya Warp!

My version of a "GILF"


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## riverc0il (Aug 23, 2008)

Warp, given my difficulties lately, I think a camera would already do way more harm than good. I am focusing on some major swing issues right now and it is already hard enough dialing learning into just one issue. Last thing I need is a couple dozen things to worry about :roll:

Very mixed bag today on the Par 3 course. Back was still tired from the range on Thursday but I really wanted to play. My focus today was upper body rotation. I had been doing too much full body turning instead of upper body rotation... specifically, rotating around the central vertical body plane instead of rotating the entire body and coming up out of the rotation zone.

Tee'd off with a 3W that dribbled about 20 yards. Then to an 8I to much the same result. At this point, I noticed someone teeing up behind me. Had I drove to the green, I would have taken my time. But I felt rushed having taken three strokes for a distance most people cover in one even on a bad shot. Any ways, 8 strokes later.... I went onto the second hole. By the time I sunk my putt, I decided that I wasn't keeping score for this game :roll: It was just that bad. I tried to stay positive and not keeping score helped. Every hole was hole number 1.

By the fourth, I nailed a beautiful shot past the green off a really great tee shot (some really bad pitching followed that!). I played the fifth better than any previous game and would have made par if not for a two putt. Creamed the ball off the tee on the sixth and put the ball past the tee by twenty yards on my best 8I tee swing ever. More bad pitching followed in addition to a two putt. Hole seven I would rather not discuss. On the eighth, I hit my longest 6I shot ever just a touch over 200 yards which is where I usually put my 3W. That felt great. More bad pitching felt bad. Ninth was horrid as usual with a mulligan off the tee on a lost ball followed by a 20 yard dribbler followed by another 20 yard dribbler followed by a shot into the sand. The sand shot was a really nasty lie as it rolled down a steep 40 degree angle. No problems, my sand game is really good all things considered and I got it within one putt range but only two putted. 

So it was a mixed bag. 2/3 iron tee shots were some of my finest hits ever with sensational distance. Accuracy would have been better if they had not flown so far! Pitching was suspect all around. And when I duffed the tee shot my green play that followed was atrocious.

My take away is to keep working on that spine rotation and keep my stance just a tad open to allow my arms to roll over after impact. 3W needs a ton of work. I started off hitting the 3W better than the irons but now I either have a major slice or dribble the ball.

My other take away is to not just buy the cheapest ball I can find. While researching balls for the first time, I noticed that some of the x-out balls I had bought from the local range were in fact tour level balls such as proVs, etc (which, at 50 cents per ball, is a pretty sensational price!!!). It may just have been mental, but I felt I had better shots when I was using my el cheapo balls instead of the tour level top brands.


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## Trekchick (Aug 23, 2008)

Dr jeff, that pic of DH even make me want to hurl.

Whatever happened to the website toplessgolf.com?


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 23, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Warp, given my difficulties lately, I think a camera would already do way more harm than good. I am focusing on some major swing issues right now and it is already hard enough dialing learning into just one issue. Last thing I need is a couple dozen things to worry about :roll:
> 
> Very mixed bag today on the Par 3 course. Back was still tired from the range on Thursday but I really wanted to play. My focus today was upper body rotation. I had been doing too much full body turning instead of upper body rotation... specifically, rotating around the central vertical body plane instead of rotating the entire body and coming up out of the rotation zone.
> 
> ...



How long are most of these par 3 holes?  Something like 60 percent of all shots are with a wedge or putter so that number is going to be even greater on a shorter course.  Since most of us aren't regularly hitting the green in regularion(1 shot on a par 3...2 shots on a par 4...3 shots on a par 5)....with 2 putts for a par.....we have tons and tons of short chips and pitches.  You can be great off the tee and putting but if you aren't good from 10-100 yards out..then it's gonna make things frustrating.  As you play golf longer..you seem to lose alot less balls and find alot more balls.  Investing in a ball-retriever can be worthwhile...for shots in creeks..shallow lakes...or if you don't want to risk poisen ivy for a golf ball in some thick brush..


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## riverc0il (Aug 23, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> How long are most of these par 3 holes?


They range from 130-210 yards. Most fall in the 150-160 range. Pretty much even if you make a crappy tee shot, unless the ball went sideways, you can almost always hit the green with a 8I, 9I, or wedge on the second shot. 

After having played the course a few times, I really tried to focus on my short game. But not giving enough time to my longer irons and woods hurt. When I am on, I can pitch onto the green and two putt no problem. But a missed pitch onto the green really hurts on a par 3 which assumes you are hitting the green in one shot so you can two putt into the hole.

My short game still needs a ton of work, but it is FAR less disappointing over shooting a hole on the short game than missing an easy iron shot or sending a tee shot dribbling 10-20 years in front. On a par 3, you really need to put that first shot within pitching, chipping, or putting range to even have a chance at a boogie, let alone a par.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 23, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> They range from 130-210 yards. Most fall in the 150-160 range. Pretty much even if you make a crappy tee shot, unless the ball went sideways, you can almost always hit the green with a 8I, 9I, or wedge on the second shot.
> 
> After having played the course a few times, I really tried to focus on my short game. But not giving enough time to my longer irons and woods hurt. When I am on, I can pitch onto the green and two putt no problem. But a missed pitch onto the green really hurts on a par 3 which assumes you are hitting the green in one shot so you can two putt into the hole.
> 
> ...


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 24, 2008)

I'm back from a morning round of golf.  The weather was sunny with the temperatures rising into the low 80s.  I started out decently playing mostly bogey golf including a great 275 yard drive which left me with only a 40 yard 2nd shot on a short par 4...which I ended up making par.  All was steady until a triple bogey 8 on the 9th hole which is a par 5.  My Dad had a hot front 9 and began with 6 straight pars....then 2 bogeys and then a birdie on the 9th for a 37 front nine.  His best nine ever is a 36.  I ended up shooting a 48 on the front.  I began the back 9 with a six on a par 3..then played some bogey golf and on the 13th hole..I had a birdie and followed it up with two pars in a row..then finished my round with two bogeys and I ended up with a much better 43 on the back nine for a 91 which is about average for me.  I can't expect much since I've only been playing a couple rounds a month.  My Dad ended up with a 45 back nine and he wound up with an 82 which will be good for his average.  My Dads buddy played crappy and shot a 97.  Dry conditions meant any shots in the fairway got an extra 30 yards.  Greens were running fast which is what I like.  I hate slow fuzzy greens.  Well that's my TR from todays golf outing.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 24, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Sorry, I probably should have put up a red flag warning infront of that on
> 
> 
> Here's a make-up pic that gets us back on golf for 'ya Warp!
> ...



 WORKS for ME Doc !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Philpug (Aug 24, 2008)

Was going to play today at the Nevele, but the rates are 40% less tomorrow, playing in the AM then bike ride in the aftgernoon.


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## drjeff (Aug 25, 2008)

Playing Lake of Isles (the PHENOMENAL course at Foxwoods) with my parents tommorrow.  With the travel schedule my parents have the between now and Thanksgiving,  this is going to be the last round in New England I'll get with my Dad this year, so we figured why not play a real kick a$$ course!


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 25, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Playing Lake of Isles (the PHENOMENAL course at Foxwoods) with my parents tommorrow.  With the travel schedule my parents have the between now and Thanksgiving,  this is going to be the last round in New England I'll get with my Dad this year, so we figured why not play a real kick a$$ course!



Damn that looks good doc -- make sure your "strategy mojo" is working  -- looks like some strategic layups may be in order ---------------------- BUT hell then again  it's fun to grip and rip --- have a great day with your dad  make some memories !!!


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## ChileMass (Aug 25, 2008)

Shot a nifty little 38 yesterday at my local home course (Juniper Hills in Northboro, MA).  3 bogeys and all the rest pars.  That's my all-time-low 9-hole score, so I'm pretty pumped.  Had everything going great - drives, approaches, short game, putting.  Left 2 birdie putts on the lip, but that's golf.  And, had 3 witnesses including my lovely wife, so this has BIG bonus points written all over it.  A nice Sunday.......


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## ChileMass (Aug 25, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Warp, given my difficulties lately, I think a camera would already do way more harm than good. I am focusing on some major swing issues right now and it is already hard enough dialing learning into just one issue. Last thing I need is a couple dozen things to worry about :roll:
> 
> Very mixed bag today on the Par 3 course. Back was still tired from the range on Thursday but I really wanted to play. My focus today was upper body rotation. I had been doing too much full body turning instead of upper body rotation... specifically, rotating around the central vertical body plane instead of rotating the entire body and coming up out of the rotation zone.
> 
> ...



Steven - you got it bad, bro..........:wink:


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 25, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> Steven - you got it bad, bro..........:wink:



+1


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## drjeff (Aug 25, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Damn that looks good doc -- make sure your "strategy mojo" is working  -- looks like some strategic layups may be in order ---------------------- BUT hell then again  it's fun to grip and rip --- have a great day with your dad  make some memories !!!



It was a semi butt kicking of the course on me today   But then again at just over 7200 yards, a slope of 146 and a rating of 76.7 well I definately wasn't playing a pitch and putt.  I ended up with an 84 after a real lackluster 44 on the front 9 (a double bogey 7 on a par 5 and a triple bogey 7 on a par 4 sure didn't help),  had a much more respectable 40 on the back 9. Realistically I should have shot closer to 90, but fortunately for me my irons were ON bigtime (including 2 wedges to less than a foot!).

Just new though that it was going to be an interesting day when as my parents and I were getting the pre round instructions from the starter on the 1st tee, a cart goes by heading to the practice facility (too fancy to call it a driving range ) and in the cart being driven to the range is none other than PGA Touring Pro, Woody Austin(the same guy that fell in the water in last year's president's cup!) and his big staff bag.  Turns out that on the "private course" at Lake of Isles today there was a big $$ charity pro am where a few of the PGA Tour pros who just finished the 1st leg of the Fed Ex Cup in NJ yesterday where there picking up some extra $$ on their way to the 2nd leg of the Fed Ex cup this coming weekend outside of Boston.


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## riverc0il (Aug 25, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> +1


+2^2.

Oh, speaking of squared....... :-D:-D:-D


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## riverc0il (Aug 25, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> Shot a nifty little 38 yesterday at my local home course (Juniper Hills in Northboro, MA).  3 bogeys and all the rest pars.  That's my all-time-low 9-hole score, so I'm pretty pumped.  Had everything going great - drives, approaches, short game, putting.  Left 2 birdie putts on the lip, but that's golf.  And, had 3 witnesses including my lovely wife, so this has BIG bonus points written all over it.  A nice Sunday.......


Nice game, Chile! Thanks for sharing and congrats on your all time low 9 hole score. 2 birdies on the lip is a lot easier to take when you hit your best score. Gotta leave some room for improvement, right?


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 25, 2008)

drjeff said:


> It was a semi butt kicking of the course on me today   But then again at just over 7200 yards, a slope of 146 and a rating of 76.7 well I definately wasn't playing a pitch and putt.  I ended up with an 84 after a real lackluster 44 on the front 9 (a double bogey 7 on a par 5 and a triple bogey 7 on a par 4 sure didn't help),  had a much more respectable 40 on the back 9. Realistically I should have shot closer to 90, but fortunately for me my irons were ON bigtime (including 2 wedges to less than a foot!).
> 
> Just new though that it was going to be an interesting day when as my parents and I were getting the pre round instructions from the starter on the 1st tee, a cart goes by heading to the practice facility (too fancy to call it a driving range ) and in the cart being driven to the range is none other than PGA Touring Pro, Woody Austin(the same guy that fell in the water in last year's president's cup!) and his big staff bag.  Turns out that on the "private course" at Lake of Isles today there was a big $$ charity pro am where a few of the PGA Tour pros who just finished the 1st leg of the Fed Ex Cup in NJ yesterday where there picking up some extra $$ on their way to the 2nd leg of the Fed Ex cup this coming weekend outside of Boston.



I assume you play from the Blues..or even Blacks if there is such an animal there...but I assume with your low handicap..you should be playing from the championship tees..what a slope..wow...the hilly courses around me are 120-something..


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## Philpug (Aug 25, 2008)

7200? Damn, thats long. I enjoy playing from 6-6300.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 25, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> 7200? Damn, thats long. I enjoy playing from 6-6300.




times two


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 25, 2008)

drjeff said:


> It was a semi butt kicking of the course on me today   But then again at just over 7200 yards, a slope of 146 and a rating of 76.7 well I definately wasn't playing a pitch and putt.  I ended up with an 84 after a real lackluster 44 on the front 9 (a double bogey 7 on a par 5 and a triple bogey 7 on a par 4 sure didn't help),  had a much more respectable 40 on the back 9. Realistically I should have shot closer to 90, but fortunately for me my irons were ON bigtime (including 2 wedges to less than a foot!).
> 
> Just new though that it was going to be an interesting day when as my parents and I were getting the pre round instructions from the starter on the 1st tee, a cart goes by heading to the practice facility (too fancy to call it a driving range ) and in the cart being driven to the range is none other than PGA Touring Pro, Woody Austin(the same guy that fell in the water in last year's president's cup!) and his big staff bag.  Turns out that on the "private course" at Lake of Isles today there was a big $$ charity pro am where a few of the PGA Tour pros who just finished the 1st leg of the Fed Ex Cup in NJ yesterday where there picking up some extra $$ on their way to the 2nd leg of the Fed Ex cup this coming weekend outside of Boston.



DUDE !!!!!!!! 84 on THAT monster  that's a great score !!!


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## drjeff (Aug 26, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> 7200? Damn, thats long. I enjoy playing from 6-6300.




Yup, it's a monster from the back tees!  A couple of holes had forced carries from tee to fairway of 265 yards! (and they even had a nice little plaque in the ground at the tee box letting you know that it was 265 to carry the wetlands and reach dry ground )  Many holes had significant elevation changes(both up and down) so you also spent a bunch of time trying to figure out if you need to add a couple of clubs or take a few away - it'a all fun though!

What really was scary is it looked like they were in the process of clearing out a few new tee boxes even further back then the one's I played from, since it's not too big a secret that the folks that run Foxwoods would LOVE to have atleast a Nationwide tour event, if not even a PGA Tour event there.

I really do though enjoy playing a real tough course where I've got to work at each shot and really think my way around the course.  Because while that 84 I shot was far from my lowest score this year,  I really had one of my better rounds interms of how I hit the ball of the year(okay for 14 holes it was one of my better rounds, I'm just trying to forget the other 4 where I had a few issues in the forum of 3 doubles and a triple )


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 26, 2008)

Was the 265 carry at least downhill from an elevated tee-box?


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## drjeff (Aug 26, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Was the 265 carry at least downhill from an elevated tee-box?



Yup, BOTH of them were downhill - maybe 100 feet on the first and 75 on the second, and BOTH of them were into the 10mph or so breeze yesterday   Let's just say that I really made sure that I didn't have the ball teed too high on this holes or else I wouldn't have had any chance of clearing the hazard

A quick google image search here

This pic is of the 17th hole, and this tee box is the middle on   I was back a good 75 yards behind this!





This one is of the 14th, and the relatively "short" cary of about 185 from the tees I played to reach the short grass 





This last one is of the 11th, a par 3 that was playing 195ish from the tees I played from.  It's also one of the 4 holes that I'd rather not remember  as I found out that a 6 iron and a 10mph tailwind was the perfect club for long and left 





The course is almost like playing 18 "signature" holes.  Of course when the owners of the course are the owners of the 2nd most successful casino in the world (Foxwoods) and they happen to buy this roughly 600 acre rolling piece of terrain with a few lakes in it right across the street from Foxwoods,  and then hire Rees Jones to design 36 holes with basically a blank check,  you're more than likely going to get a result like this!


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## riverc0il (Aug 29, 2008)

Shot a 46 today on the par 27 course today playing mostly solid double boogie golf (a measurable improvement from my last three outings!). Really need to work on my woods and drivers. I sliced some some balls about as far right as I have ever seen at an incredible steep angle off the tee on holes 1 & 2. After loosing a ball to the woods on the second tee, I put the wood back in my bag and grabbed an iron knowing I would come up short but at least have a straight shot.

After starting off with a 7 and a 6, I nailed the edge of the green off the tee on hole 3 and pared it after a chip shot that just missed. After duffing a tee shot while trying to play through a pair of older golfers, I notched my last 6 of the round and played double boogie golf or better for the last five holes. Hitting that par felt really nice on the 3rd. I had a great tee shot on 5 and 6 (my 2nd GIR for the round). Bad tee shots plagued my final three holes but I mad some great recovery shots and good chips including a beauty of a sand wedge down the fairway on hole 9 which sailed just past the tee onto the green's edge. That was a pretty, if slightly over powered, shot. When I get a clean hit, I always have too much club. I can't wait until my club selection is based off of a clean hit versus what I usually need to hit to reach a given yardage.

Overall, a great evening. Work has sucked this week but its great to be able to complete focus on something and totally get my mind off work, which I haven't been able to do for a single waking hour otherwise this entire week. Also, tried some new balls and decided I really enjoyed swinging with the Top Flite D2 Feel. Good day of golf defined? I found just as many balls as I lost today. If I could hit a wood without slicing, I feel a below 40 score could have been attainable which is where I feel my golf should be.

From a technique stand point, I have been working on some stance issues. Today, I made my best shots when I felt like I was hanging my rear end out a little more which better allowed me to rotate the torso and hips in the correct rotational position. Which in turn, made my hand position seem much more natural as I felt my arms swung below my head better than usual. Good progress with the irons. Teeing off with the irons needs to be dialed in and slicing with the woods is just terrible. Worse than when I first started swinging the club, which is really dumbfounding.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 29, 2008)

Nice report Rivercoil...I think I'm playing golf Monday morning.  The good thing about being a new golfer is that everyday you improve..for me..somedays I regress..As you start to make more solid impact..you'll eventually need less club.  I used to hit my 7 iron 150 yards...now if I have 150 yards..I'll hit an 8 iron..or even a 9-iron if the ground is really dry or it's a par-3 where I can tee the ball up.

I almost always hit a bad shot when I play through a slow group because I feel rushed..


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## Trekchick (Aug 29, 2008)

Pardon me while I take a cold shower.
If there were such a thing as a golfgasm, That would do it.


drjeff said:


> Yup, BOTH of them were downhill - maybe 100 feet on the first and 75 on the second, and BOTH of them were into the 10mph or so breeze yesterday   Let's just say that I really made sure that I didn't have the ball teed too high on this holes or else I wouldn't have had any chance of clearing the hazard
> 
> A quick google image search here
> 
> ...


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## riverc0il (Aug 30, 2008)

Jiminy Crickets, I think I just noticed what I have been doing wrong that has resulted in my slicing. While browsing the for tips, I found this video series:
http://www.youtube.com/user/clubfacegolf

The first two videos, especially the second, reminded me that when I first started playing, I was experimenting with my grip and I had used a "stronger" grip when hitting the driver. I used to hit decent shots and only sliced occasionally and almost never hit the ripping intense slices that I have been hitting recently. Going to hit the range sometime soon and try gripping for the driver and woods only with a stronger grip (my irons are usually pretty darn straight, thankfully).


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 31, 2008)

I played golf this morning with my Dad at Butter Valley which is in Bally..about 20 miles south of where I live.  They also have a landing strip so lots of planes fly in and out of there.  We were paired up with a mother and son and the son is getting married to a girl I went to high school with.  I recognized him from my 10 year reunion last year.  

Conditions were very dry which made carrying the greens a challenge.  I played O.K. and ended up playing mostly bogey golf on the front nine except for an 8 on a par 5.  I also found the sand quite a bit as well.  On the 10th hole I sprained my finger when I came down too steeply at the ball..the finder next to my pinkie.  It's really sore right now.  Otherwise my back nine was pretty solid an I played the three par 5's on the back nine one under par with a birdie and two pars.  One of the par 5's measures 550 yards from the white tee's and I hit a great 280 yard drive and then my Dad stepped up and hit a 295 yard drive..not bad for a 60 year old.  That drive was followed up with a 200 yard 5-iron to 70 yards and then a perfect wedge to about 7 feet which I missed but had an easy tap in par.

The weather was nice with temperatures in the low 60s to begin climbing into the low 80s.  I ended up shooting a 48 front nine and a 46 back nine for a 94..My Dad shot a 95 and the people we were paired up with most likely shot over 105.  My Dad is playing tomorrow up at Olde Homestead and I'm sleeping late.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 31, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I.  One of the par 5's measures 550 yards from the white tee's and I hit a great 280 yard drive and then my Dad stepped up and hit a 295 yard drive..not bad for a 60 year old.  That drive was followed up with a 200 yard 5-iron to 70 yards and then a perfect wedge to about 7 feet which I missed but had an easy tap in par.
> .



Nice  !! Time with your dad IS WELL SPENT.

U both really  POUNDED those drives and a 200 yd 5i  --awesome .!!

It's been awhile for me this year the courses have been  so damned wet -- just now starting to dry out . Hopefully  I'll NAIL a couple o drives this week .

 Last yr at this time on one of the courses( i'll be playing again this week in the Adirondacks) under bone dry condition i hit a drive across a dogleg right  swamp. I  hit it pretty well i thought at the time . I went up to where i imagined it had landed ( past the dogleg ,over the swamp and perhaps about 50 yds from the 311 yard green ) . I searched for a while couldn't find it -- I WAS PISSED --- it was a good shot 

  I decided well check out closer to the green .TO my amazement it was  just off the back lip of the damn green ! --  LMAO --- BOY DO I LOVE HARD DRY FAIRWAYS NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 31, 2008)

Hell yeah..dry fairways are awesome...one of the only advantages of being over 200 pounds is that I can hit the ball pretty far..and also pushing around tombstones all the time is making my arms really solid.  Todays round was 4.5 hours long...playing with a woman golf seems to slow things down considerably..The pace for the course is supposed to be 3 hours and 40 minutes..oh well


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 31, 2008)

Yeah  i agree ----- i hate playing slow pace too 

 Luckily when i play golf with The Queen she  is a good athlete so we can play 18 in bout 3-3:15 hrs


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## riverc0il (Sep 4, 2008)

So a stronger grip really helped me off the Tee. I was able to hit my 3W and Driver much straighter today with little slicing except when I wasn't thinking about my grip. Instead of a slice, I started having a really pronounced fade. The ball was going straight... but at 20-25 degrees to the right. My alignment felt and looked correct. Even with a slight mis-alignment, the fade was far to pronounced for that to be the issue. I was so pumped I fixed a major swing flaw but then bummed that a different issue reared its ugly head.

The other thing I accomplished on the driving range was figuring out how to hit a hybrid. Finally got past the mental block of hitting a hybrid like an iron instead of like a wood. I forced myself to overcompensate and took some deep divots trying to force myself to swing down into the ball. Finally nailed a few straight and longer than my 6I.

Think I may play the front 9+ at my local course sometime next week. With an acceptable drive in my bag and a crappy but workable short game, I think I should be able to manage well. Unlimited for $18 after 3pm kicks butt.


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## ChileMass (Sep 7, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> So a stronger grip really helped me off the Tee. I was able to hit my 3W and Driver much straighter today with little slicing except when I wasn't thinking about my grip.



Steven - you want to be able to see 3 knuckles on your left hand when addressing the ball for a nice, strong grip.  It will help you square up the clubface when you get to impact.  Doesn't solve every problem (too strong for me = hook everything), so mess with it and see what works for you.


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## ChileMass (Sep 7, 2008)

My team won the Kodak tournament in Rochester, NY on Friday with a group 68.  So -4 isn't normally that great in a best-ball tournament, but it was good enough to win this.  Sank a 40-foot putt on the second hole (won a pack of balls).  One of the guys on my team is a former AAA baseball player who can just crush the ball, so that helped.  On the last hole (385 yds, par 4), he smashed a drive to within 40 yards of the green.  He is the longest hitter I have ever seen and I have been playing golf for 35 years.  Last year on the 10th hole on the same course (par 4, 445 yds downhill with a trailing wind), he hit a drive that stopped 75 yards in front of the green.  He's amazing to watch and I'm glad he's on my team........


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 7, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> My team won the Kodak tournament in Rochester, NY on Friday with a group 68.  So -4 isn't normally that great in a best-ball tournament, but it was good enough to win this.  Sank a 40-foot putt on the second hole (won a pack of balls).  One of the guys on my team is a former AAA baseball player who can just crush the ball, so that helped.  On the last hole (385 yds, par 4), he smashed a drive to within 40 yards of the green.  He is the longest hitter I have ever seen and I have been playing golf for 35 years.  Last year on the 10th hole on the same course (par 4, 445 yds downhill with a trailing wind), he hit a drive that stopped 75 yards in front of the green.  He's amazing to watch and I'm glad he's on my team........



Dang...I don't think I've ever seen a 370 yard drive aside from the pros on TV..I don't think my vision is good enough to even see where the ball would end up.  Congrats on the win!!!

No golf for me this weekend...but maybe I'll hit the range one day afterwork..:idea: Because pretty soon golf season will be over.  Some die-hard golfers play right up until the first snow..once it gets into the 40s I stop..plus all the fallen leaves can be a pain.  Once the leaves are off the trees though..Some shots that seemed unimaginable with full foliage are realistic..until you hit a branch that knocks the ball in the stream..:argue:


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## riverc0il (Sep 7, 2008)

Played my first full length round of nine holes today. Sweet! Played Den Brae in Sanbornton, NH which may be the best value around in the I-93 corridor. Paid just under $19 for unlimited after 3 PM play and a medium bucket of balls to warm up on. Would have played more than 9 holes with the unlimited play but I promised the non-golfing significant other that I would be home for dinner :roll:

Scored a 62 on the par 36 course playing from the white tees for a total yardage of 3081. Quite frankly, better than I had expected though I wasn't actually "playing golf" since I did not quite follow the rules to a "tee", if you would. Took a few mulligans off the tee (would take a "practice swing" with the driver and send a ball into the woods and then do my real swing with my 3W). Also, kicked a few balls out from behind some impossible to hit around trees due to sliced tee shots (though I played out from behind quite a few trees too). My realistic score would likely have been 66-70 if I had played strict rules.

Best score was a 5 on the par 4 hole seven (after loosing about half a dozen balls into the woods off the tee, but that is another story). Worst hole was a 9 on the par 4 sixth (during which I duffed my way down the right edge of the rough... including a sand trap shot... and then four putted the hole). Most stoked hole was a double boogie on the long par 5 hole (500 yards) which included hitting out from behind trees on two different swings and a sand trap followed by a respectable two putt after barely missing a 40 foot putt from the fringe). 2 GIRs and 2 Fairways off the tee.

My iron play was decent except on hole 6. I really need to work on my drives off the tee. I finally have my 3W under control but I keep blasting my driver to the right even with a strong grip. The driver is such an awkward club to hit, especially compared to the 3W. I gotta wonder if this whole 460cc with a graphite shaft is the bees knees. I might settle up for a driver with slight less head size and mass with a shorter shaft that offers better control and reliability. Will keep practicing for now. I have neglected my driver and 3W at the range due to playing a par 3 course but I can really see the benefits of a straight and long drive on a par 4 or 5 that goes 275-300 yards.

It was a lot easier to recover with higher pars compared to the par 3 course I have been playing lately. You duff the tee shot on a par 3 and you can't possibly birdie without the hit of your life and will be very lucky to par on the longer par 3s. A bad tee shot on a 250-300 yard par 4 is hardly the end of the world and a birdie is still doable and a par completely reasonable even with a bad tee shot.

The longer holes were intimidating but my better drives happened when I just relaxed, pulled out the 3W, and gave an moderate swing. Really cool seeing a ball go straight and long down the fairway and being able to reach a 390 yard green in two shots (well, almost. pulled up just short on the second shot 6I but only because I faded the shot... still counted in my mind!  ).


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 8, 2008)

Nice golf TR..River...when I was getting started with golf I had alot of trouble with the driver and often times would tee off with a five iron simply to be in the fairway.  Not to be nitpicky but how would your actual score be 66-68 if you lost a half dozen balls off the tee??  If you hit your tee-shot in the woods..your second shot from the tee is actually your third shot..it's a good habit to keep a legit score for when you start playing with others..and if you have an unplayable lie..add a stroke..

Reaching a 390 yard hole in two is great..from the white tees..you'll only encounter a few par 4's longer than 390...


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## drjeff (Sep 8, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Played my first full length round of nine holes today. Sweet! Played Den Brae in Sanbornton, NH which may be the best value around in the I-93 corridor. Paid just under $19 for unlimited after 3 PM play and a medium bucket of balls to warm up on. Would have played more than 9 holes with the unlimited play but I promised the non-golfing significant other that I would be home for dinner :roll:
> 
> Scored a 62 on the par 36 course playing from the white tees for a total yardage of 3081. Quite frankly, better than I had expected though I wasn't actually "playing golf" since I did not quite follow the rules to a "tee", if you would. Took a few mulligans off the tee (would take a "practice swing" with the driver and send a ball into the woods and then do my real swing with my 3W). Also, kicked a few balls out from behind some impossible to hit around trees due to sliced tee shots (though I played out from behind quite a few trees too). My realistic score would likely have been 66-70 if I had played strict rules.
> 
> ...




Nice TR Riv, and congrats on your first "real" round of golf.  Watch out though it can get awfully addicting   And while I won;t say it's the same pure and total bliss as a sweet run through a glade in 18" of blower, there's DEFINATELY a bit of that same joy when you strike the ball just right and see it soaring off the tee/at the flag!


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## drjeff (Sep 8, 2008)

Today,  I shot a decent 78(+7) as I'm trying to figure out what the heck the owner of the course and architect that's overseeing the redesign of one of my local courses was thinking!  The architect or course owner, or both maybe, seems to think that a classical New England through the trees over rolling terrain course would benefit from LOTS of 5 to 15 foot high mounds lining just about every fairway and a slew of British Open-esque style pot bunk all over the place.  Just looks more like you're playing completely man-made course that you typically see in Florida/Myrtle Beach/The Southwest as opposed to what USED to be a very natural looking New England course.  I'll hold final judgement until I've played it a few more times AND all the grass on those ridiculous looking mounds has grown in.

As for the round today,  11 real solid drives with the driver, a solid 3 wood, and then a 3 wood that I'd care to forget   The 5 pars threes on the course I played decently (+1).  The Par 5's really annoyed me though, I was +3 on them and considering I was in position to hit 3 of the 4 in 2 with comfortable long irons, I wasn't exactly a happy camper with my par 5 play today.  Overall though,  good with the game off the tee,  A bit off with the distances of my approach shots(I hit alot of fringes short today) and with only 27 putts,  the putter was working pretty well.  And once again the golf gods weren't mean enough to me to convince me not to come back another day and play again


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## riverc0il (Sep 8, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Not to be nitpicky but how would your actual score be 66-68 if you lost a half dozen balls off the tee??  If you hit your tee-shot in the woods..your second shot from the tee is actually your third shot..it's a good habit to keep a legit score for when you start playing with others..and if you have an unplayable lie..add a stroke..


I should have clarified that issue. Basically, once I sent one into the woods, I figured I would just keep hitting them until I got something decent (no one was behind me, I was out pacing a pair on a cart but I like to play quick). If I was keeping score, I would have just taken my stroke from where ever the ball landed in the woods (if I found it  ). But I figured it was good practice for me to just keep hitting until I straightened out my drive off the tee. Had I been playing with someone else or playing for a handicap, I would have "played golf". But at this point, I am more interested in having fun and maximizing my learning time while on the course.

For what its worth, upon reflection, I think the reason for the slicing was that I was teeing the ball up to far forward in my stance. Thus, my arms were turning over and starting to pull upwards into my follow through which would curve the ball into a slice pattern. Gotta remember both to grip strong AND not be teeing up so close to my front foot.


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## riverc0il (Sep 8, 2008)

drjeff said:


> there's DEFINATELY a bit of that same joy when you strike the ball just right and see it soaring off the tee/at the flag!


Yup! Tasted a bit of that yesterday on hole 8 nailing a 3W off the tee long and straight. At first I was :-o and then I was all


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## drjeff (Sep 9, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Yup! Tasted a bit of that yesterday on hole 8 nailing a 3W off the tee long and straight. At first I was :-o and then I was all



Riv, after you've had that feeling a few times,  you won't even care where the shot goes, you'll get that instaneous feedback from the ball to the club and up into your hands and know that you've just hit a real good, solid shot(even it it happens to come up 20 yards short  )


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## drjeff (Sep 11, 2008)

I can sum up yesterday's round with the following word "splash"  That's the sound I heard 4 times in 9 holes yesterday 

Since the office was closed yesterday as we were having some major computer installation work done, and there was a continuing education lecture that proved to be very boring and well it was about 75 degrees an sunny, my business partner and I decided to skip out of the lecture early and play 9 holes before and evening meeting we had.  Sounds good so far.

Well, the driver wasn't exactly hitting the ball straight yesterday, and a few times I was able to get away with it as I was hitting the ball so far right off the tee that my second shorts were from the next fairway.  But,  on 4 of the 7 times I hit it, the last sound I heard was "splash!"  Not good.

In spite of that,  the iron play was very good, and the putter saved my a$$, and even with 4 water balls I still managed a 5 over 41.

I know that I've needed a little range time as of late as I've seen a few signs that my swing was getting a little loose, but yesterday proved it,  either today or tommorrow I'm hitting a bucket or 2 of balls to see if I can relocate my swing plane with the driving that is currently MIA


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## riverc0il (Sep 14, 2008)

*Course:* Oak Hill Golf Course

*Location:* Meredith, NH

*Date:* 09/14/08

*Conditions:* Wet (Rained last night and this morning)

*Executive Summary:* This was my first time playing Oak Hill Golf Course which features a rather challenging 9 holes (par 34, 2210 yards from the whites, and a 108 slope). Unlimited play after 3:00 P.M. is an easy on the wallet $14.00 any day of the week. That meant less than a dollar a hole. Started at quarter past three and ended around six thirty due to a slow start. I played respectably except for 3W tee shots and pitching withing 30 yards. My score was a 105 though you can add in 8 more for mulligans from the tees.

*Full Details:* Arrived at the course shortly after 3:00 P.M. to find two groups also getting ready for the post 3:00 P.M. unlimited play. Otherwise, the course was pretty much empty due to the damp over cast and slight fog following this morning's rain. A group of three with carts was just about to tee off when I paid greens fees and I made the mistake of going to practice my putting instead of asking if I could tee off first.

Despite the trio having a pair of carts, they played twice as slow as I play and played twice as bad as I play (coming from a player of only three months). I kept creeping up behind them but they were not stopping to offer a play through. Worse yet, they did not ring the gong after hitting the green on the third hole. I decided to just whack away and sure enough they were already teeing off on the fourth when I came over the ridge :angry:

After finishing the third hole, I side stepped holes 4-6 and played off the seventh to get ahead of the trio (who were also smoking and I was getting a tail wind). Things went great from then on so I played through to the end of the course, then played 1-9 again, and then finished up 4-6 a second time to finish my game. Would have finished within three hours if not for waiting for slow play and not being offered a play through. Slow play sucks.

Oak Hill is a somewhat difficult course for only being a nine hole par 34 at only 2210 yards. There are three blind tee shots including two up and over a ridge line and one hole up and over trees. What I would consider the course's signature hole is a horrendously nasty par 5 hole 9 which features a 340 yard straight drive followed by a 100* dog leg to the left. Then you have a 100 yard shot into a slot between the club house and some trees no wider than 30-40 yards. I got a nine on both the front and back even though I two putted both times.

My putting was generally good with 3 one putts, twelve 2 putts, and two three putts (one four putt after making a GIR due to a tremendous tee shot and good pitching :roll: ). Pitching inside of forty hards was horrendous with many wasted strokes on pitches that should have landed on the green. Chipping was acceptable though I smoked a few greens too quickly and then over compensated later in the day.

Worst play of today was my 3W off the tee. I seriously just keep getting worse and worse off the tee (and that is without even using my driver). Best decision of the day? Pulling out my four hybrid halfway through the back nine for tee shots. One month ago, I couldn't hit a hybrid to save my life. I "knew" they were supposed to be hit like irons. But knowing and doing didn't synch up until recently. Now my hybrids are some of the best clubs in my bag. I only mis-hit my hybrids once today and even then I got a line drive followed by a lot of roll and came up with a distance as good as my 7I on a good hit. Gotta think about lower number hybrids now instead of higher number woods :-D

Great day of golf today and psyched that I finally played my first full 18 (and did so on the cheap, no less!). Very happy with my putting since pars are based on two putts and I was two putting or better 4/5 greens (two near misses that were almost one putts). My hybrid play was stellar. With exception of hole nine and a few really stinky holes (including an 8 on a par 3 and a 7 off the first hole, a par 4), I felt I played rather respectable golf for a course that was rather challenging. I played boogie golf on 9 out of 18 holes and boogie golf is what I am currently hoping to achieve.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 14, 2008)

Nice TR...two putts per hole on average is great..most pros are around 1.6 to 1.7 but they're also playing on huge greens.  Most people will not ask a faster golfer if they want to play through..you usually have to ask them or just skip a hole.  

I hit the range yesterday and that's it in terms of golf for my weekend.  I remember the good old days when it was like $3 for a bucket of balls..where I was a medium bucket is 7 bucks..oh well..


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## riverc0il (Sep 18, 2008)

Benefit scrimmage in New London, NH today at Lake Sunapee Country Club (which is not exactly near Lake Sunapee, but I digress). Played absolutely horribly. Probably because I already played 18 and hit 100 balls at the range earlier this week, so my muscles were not quite rested up. Hit some amazing chips, many of which came within a foot or two of the hole. Greens were freaking fast with lots of angles and slopes. Fairways were wide open but the greens made up for it. I might have had a dozen quality shots all day. Worst part was that I was the strongest swing on the team playing with one first timer, one newb with less experience than myself, and one solid lady golfer that had me beat with consistency if not occasionally yardage due to my horrendous shots. Maybe I cracked under pressure. We would only be halfway to the hole and another group would be teeing up behind us. We ended up picking up a lot of balls and just moving on when neither myself or the other experienced golfer made our shots. Pretty bad day when a team of four in scrimmage play scores a 105! But I won a free shirt during the raffle at the reception, so that was cool.

What the game giveth one day, it takes away the next. It was all for fun and I had a good time, but it was frustrating having swing after swing go wrong most of the day.


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## Greg (Sep 18, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> What the game giveth one day, it takes away the next. It was all for fun and I had a good time, but it was frustrating having swing after swing go wrong most of the day.



You know, Steve. I've really enjoyed reading this thread, and specifically your posts this summer. You've obviously found something in golf that you are really passionate about. The early steep learning curve of things like this can be the most enjoyable. I've found something similar in mountain biking and it really has kept the ski jones at bay and made the off (ski) season much more enjoyable for me

Good on ya! :beer:


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## riverc0il (Sep 18, 2008)

Word! :beer:

Come the end of October, I'll be dropping golf like a bad habit and moving onto skiing. :lol: I got just as passionate about kayaking before I realized I wouldn't be able to afford to purchase the boat and gear that fit me  and my needs best. Any outdoor activity that encourages obsessive behavior, gets me outdoors, and keeps me active is a good thing. I used to road bike like crazy in my younger days. Doesn't have any appeal for me now but I can appreciate your interest in biking both as a former cyclist and coming from the perspective of a developing golfer during the "off season". 

Now back to reviewing golf equipment pages as I consider a club purchase.... :roll:


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## Geoff (Sep 19, 2008)

I practice safe golf.  My clubs are safely in the wheeled airline bag and have been there for the last 8 years.  I played on the golf team in high school and once had a reasonable game of bogey golf on average courses.   I completely suck if I don't hit balls pretty much every day and get with a pro once per week to sort out my swing.  I basically have no ability at all to self-correct and the wheels tend to fall off after 4 or 5 holes if I go out on a course cold.  I'm enough of a perfectionist that I can't stand playing hacker golf and I have so many other distractions and activites in my life that I'm not willing to carve out the slice of time every day I need to keep from getting hugely frustrated on the course.

A couple of times as an adult, I had spurts where I played a lot for a couple of years and pulled my game back together.  Back in the mid-1990's, I played a ton and flew with my clubs on monthly week-long business trips to Europe.  I played some pretty cool courses around Dublin.  Portmarnock.  Royal Dublin.  St Margrets.  I have a photo somewhere of me in the bottom of a pot bunker at Portmarnock.  It was like being stuck in a tree well.  I did a bunch of rounds around Sydney, Australia.  My dad was retired and living on Longboat Key in Florida and I'd bring clubs down and sneak in a round with him at the Longboat Key Club whenever I was down there on business.  I did a ski/golf day on the 4th of July skiing Squaw in the morning and played a round in the afternoon with a friend who lives on a course above Truckee.  They'd cleared the tee boxes and greens but there were still snowbanks in places on the fairways.  You get a really good lie in corn snow.  Way easier than hitting out of a fairway bunker.


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## riverc0il (Sep 21, 2008)

Warp- I noticed you are back. How were the links on your trip?


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 21, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Warp- I noticed you are back. How were the links on your trip?



SAWEET   and thanx for asking Steve !!

 Altho my game this year certainly is NOT what it was last year . My putting simply is killing me. I   tried 3 differant weapons of mass destruction ( putters)and they all were not much help -- guess its me 

In the DACKs I  played 3  Rustic style Adirondack courses.  Its a THING of mine , want to play all the old time  Adirondack courses before i go to the big 19th hole in the sky  

I shot several average rounds ( hi 80's  worst was a 92) . One course i played that was remote and scenic was one that was owned by a DUDE ranch in Warren County area . Course was ringed by mtns and along the upper  Hudson River in a fairly remote region . What a  beautiful backdrop to hit into-- awesome .

 On the third hole,  a short 210  par 3 along the river, i was greeted by what i thought was a damn wolf near the green alongside the river --------- turned out to be a coy dog .  I drove with my new #1 Hybrid and put it on the green. He saw /heard it land and took off .. Damn good thing cuz i didn't have ANY  SPARE fruit of the looms in my bag 

Played couple course in Ma with my son in law shot 88/89

SO it was funn , came home this week for my wife's surgery she sailed thru that but i've got a wicked cold  stiiff neck from sleeping on 2 pillows in front of aaa/c then like a damn fool i scraped and painted a small barn i've got yesterday -- and made it worse so no golf for couple days --   Sometimes i can be such a dumb shit


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 21, 2008)

Hey All,

I played golf with my Dad and his buddy earlier today at 10:00AM at Wedgewood..temperatures were in the 60s and 70s under sunny skys.  I played O.K. and I ended up with 7 pars and 2 triple bogeys along with a few doubles.  I shot a 44 on the front 9 and a 46 on the back 9 for a 90.  On one hole I sunk a 40 foot putt from the fringe of the green which was cancelled out by a 3 putt from under 10 feet.  Play was fairly slow and the round was 4 hours and 20 minutes...after golf I drank copious amounts of Magic Hat #9...for me the golf season is winding down..I'll probably play a few more times in October and then no more golf until April or May..


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## riverc0il (Sep 21, 2008)

With fall rates beginning soon, the season is just starting for me 

Warp, nice to hear you had a good trip and played some fun courses. What makes the old time Dacks courses special for those of us that will probably never play them?

Hit the range today and managed to cure my slice but now I have replaced it with a push. Straight to the right by about 15-20 degrees but straight as an arrow and good distance. Finally got the over the top issue fixed by keeping the right arm tucked into my body and leading the turn with the hips.

Broke my 3W today. Took a swing and the end of the shaft snapped at the hosel and I lauched the club head over 50 feet. After the bounces, it traveled a full 64 yard approximately. I am going to have to blame the breakage on poor quality shaft though I am sure a bad swing or two may have contributed to weakening the steel.

Oh well, guess I will need to buy a new one now


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 21, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> With fall rates beginning soon, the season is just starting for me
> 
> Warp, nice to hear you had a good trip and played some fun courses. What makes the old time Dacks courses special for those of us that will probably never play them?
> 
> ...



Steve : You have really put some effort in it and it will pay dividends down line. . Your enthusiasm and intelligence will help --JUST keep swinging the club at a less than full tilt boogie and square up to the target . If you continue to work on the grip( 2-3 knuckles max) and and swing smoothly your game will improve --JUST PLAY don't think too much !!

 The fixation with the old time Dack courses relates to acombination of the magnificent scenery , relaxed pace . low density and of course rustic natural conditions . Lies are often uneven, the rough really IS and the general ambiance is not plastic or country club like,  and  the price is very reasonable rather like playing with old friends . 

 --  I guess its just a more comfortable fit for  me -- Ever since childhood i've always just loved the "Dacks  but i  appreciate  what you guys have in the Greens and Whites. The Queen and I make several pilgrimmages annually to those great areas too .

Have fun and enjoy the fall golf Steve -- 

Cheers 
Warp


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## drjeff (Sep 24, 2008)

Charity Scramble today benefitting my local community college.  My foursome was a group that I play with in 2 or 3 scrambles a year, and basically we will always shoot between 6 and 12 under.  About the best thing I can say about today, is the weather was great and the beer cold and plentifull.  We stunk it up big time  *+2* on the par 3's  including 1 where we went 4 for 4 at NOT clearing the lake infront of the green  -1 on the par 4's and -4 on the par 5's including an eagle that ended up winning us a skin.

If we actually managed to get a decent look a birdie,  if we were lucky we'd have a lip out,  but most of he time we just plain and simple weren't even close 

Hopefully next week when I'm on vacation in Florida and golfing with my Dad at the course he belongs to,  I'll have something that resembles a respectable game, if not,  I'm going to loose ALOT of golf balls as that course can eat them often


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Sep 25, 2008)

My golf season is officially beginning this weekend, its just too damn hot down here to play golf tonite is the first time in 4+months the low temp will be below 70 degrees, 65 tomorrow, now with the high temps only in the mid to upper 80's its time to get back out there.  The one thing i noticed more down here is your scores will go up 3-5 shots per round if your a bogey golfer like me, if u are not on the fairway u are outta bounds in someones back yard, every course has houses just about, not alot of room for error like hitting outta the woods up north, and ya that bermuda grass will get ya everytime.


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 25, 2008)

Just back from a pretty nice round for me . A Glorious sunny  fall day  in the  70's with  leaves changing color and  i shot a 44/38--82 which is my  one of my best this season . 

Had seven pars and finished with an Eagle  on the 18th . Put my tee shot on the green 287 yds then sank a 23 footer  -- yee haa 

Only thing was i had 3 penalty strokes otherwise i's of bagged my first sub 80 ever , Oh well something to shoot for next time


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 25, 2008)

Awesome Warp...Eagle..I've never had an eagle although I've putted for eagle on a par-5,,


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 25, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Awesome Warp...Eagle..I've never had an eagle although I've putted for eagle on a par-5,,



Thanx Steeze ---- asou know its just dumb luck sometimes you are just in the Zone > Keep swinging the way you hammer the ball  who knows -- an ACE could happen . I got one once and believe if i can do it ANYONE can 


PS did u get Black Beauty  off the crane OK ??


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## drjeff (Sep 25, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Just back from a pretty nice round for me . A Glorious sunny  fall day  in the  70's with  leaves changing color and  i shot a 44/38--82 which is my  one of my best this season .
> 
> Had seven pars and finished with an Eagle  on the 18th . Put my tee shot on the green 287 yds then sank a 23 footer  -- yee haa
> 
> Only thing was i had 3 penalty strokes otherwise i's of bagged my first sub 80 ever , Oh well something to shoot for next time



Nice job there Warp!  Those golf gods definately will have you coming back for a bunch more rounds with that eagle on the 18th!


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## Trekchick (Sep 25, 2008)

I'm sorry if I am interrupting an important topic, but I've been avoiding this thread since I couldn't golf and it depressed me to chat golf with youz guyz.

So, I hit some ballz last night, and it felt sooooooooo good!
I went at lunch time, to hit some ballzzzz, and its not great, because I took soooooo much time off, but my wrist handled it okay and I'm cranked to get out there an play a 9 to see what I've got in me!!

Happy Freakin Birthday to ME!!!


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 25, 2008)

Go get 'em Tigress , Fall golf is really the best time to play ,

 Maybe put a neoprene/velcro wrist thingy on for support .  I  used one when i broke my wrist BOTH times  -- it helped 


 I met lotsa o my wifes girl friends out there today yukking it up and having a great time


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 25, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Thanx Steeze ---- asou know its just dumb luck sometimes you are just in the Zone > Keep swinging the way you hammer the ball  who knows -- an ACE could happen . I got one once and believe if i can do it ANYONE can
> 
> 
> PS did u get Black Beauty  off the crane OK ??



Black Beauty is set in the cemetery and it is there for eternity..or until it gets struck by lightning..lol


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## drjeff (Sep 25, 2008)

Trekchick said:


> I'm sorry if I am interrupting an important topic, but I've been avoiding this thread since I couldn't golf and it depressed me to chat golf with youz guyz.
> 
> So, I hit some ballz last night, and it felt sooooooooo good!
> I went at lunch time, to hit some ballzzzz, and its not great, because I took soooooo much time off, but my wrist handled it okay and I'm cranked to get out there an play a 9 to see what I've got in me!!
> ...



Glad the wrist felt good after the 2 range sessions Trek!  Sounds like it's time to hit the links for 'ya before the snow makes finding the little white ball tough and strapping the planks on your feet takes over!


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 25, 2008)

Do any of you golfers..ever talk golf on the ski lift????  I do


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 25, 2008)

Yep all my ski buds are golfers except one , even my grandboyz golf now


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## drjeff (Sep 25, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Do any of you golfers..ever talk golf on the ski lift????  I do



Yup.  Especially during Spring Skiing times!


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## SKIQUATTRO (Sep 25, 2008)

dont care for the game, i do get called to play at an occasional outing or with an uncle at the country club (18 holes in 3hrs)...ususally after the 6th hole I've had my fix and everything after that is just a rush shot to get the round over with. typically in the high 80's/low 90's....rather be doing other things: Sailing, surfing, mtn/road biking, waterskiing....maybe i have ADD....


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## campgottagopee (Sep 25, 2008)

SKIQUATTRO said:


> dont care for the game, i do get called to play at an occasional outing or with an uncle at the country club (18 holes in 3hrs)...ususally after the 6th hole I've had my fix and everything after that is just a rush shot to get the round over with. typically in the high 80's/low 90's....rather be doing other things: Sailing, surfing, mtn/road biking, waterskiing....maybe i have ADD....



High 80's and low 90's are darn good scores for someone who doesn't play much.....may want to take it up-----I know guys who play ALL THE TIME and wish they could shoot in the 80's. They really suck though:smile:


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Sep 26, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Just back from a pretty nice round for me . A Glorious sunny  fall day  in the  70's with  leaves changing color and  i shot a 44/38--82 which is my  one of my best this season .
> 
> Had seven pars and finished with an Eagle  on the 18th . Put my tee shot on the green 287 yds then sank a 23 footer  -- yee haa
> 
> Only thing was i had 3 penalty strokes otherwise i's of bagged my first sub 80 ever , Oh well something to shoot for next time



 Nice warp, ive had about 7 putts at an eagle lipped 2 out , never made one yet.


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 26, 2008)

FRITOLAYGUY said:


> Nice warp, ive had about 7 putts at an eagle lipped 2 out , never made one yet.



  Thanks FLG-- keep swingin it'll happen 

Funny thing yesterday  the Eagle was on a aerated green with all those damn holes filled with sand too --  i simply relaxed said what the hell and hit it after plumb - bobbing  the pathway 

THUS proving most of this stuff is more DUMB luck than skill


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## drjeff (Sep 26, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Thanks FLG-- keep swingin it'll happen
> 
> Funny thing yesterday  the Eagle was on a aerated green with all those damn holes filled with sand too --  i simply relaxed said what the hell and hit it after plumb - bobbing  the pathway
> 
> THUS proving most of this stuff is more DUMB luck than skill



As of late I like aerated greens ALOT.  Atleast then I have a reasonable excuse as to why my putts haven't been falling as of late!


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 26, 2008)

drjeff said:


> As of late I like aerated greens ALOT.  Atleast then I have a reasonable excuse as to why my putts haven't been falling as of late!



Yeah i know i had trouble a couple of days ago too with aerated greens  and have not putted well Most of the season 'cept for a stretch in July  . You guys all listened to me CRY ASS bout my vacation putting or lack therof  

-- BUT yesterday  my putter was on fire -- GO FIGURE 

 Its a friggin crazy game at times


----------



## drjeff (Sep 26, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Yeah i know i had trouble a couple of days ago too with aerated greens  and have not putted well Most of the season 'cept for a stretch in July  . You guys all listened to me CRY ASS bout my vacation putting or lack therof
> 
> -- BUT yesterday  my putter was on fire -- GO FIGURE
> 
> Its a friggin crazy game at times



What I keep telling myself, since the putter has made literally thousands of putts over the years, is that "its *NOT* the club that has the problem, its the idiot that's holding the club that has the problem!"  

As my grandfather used to tell me years ago when he was alive and I was playing golf with him, "Jeff, golf is a 4 letter word that most times can only be described using other 4 letter words!"


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 26, 2008)

drjeff said:


> What I keep telling myself, since the putter has made literally thousands of putts over the years, is that "its *NOT* the club that has the problem, its the idiot that's holding the club that has the problem!"
> 
> As my grandfather used to tell me years ago when he was alive and I was playing golf with him, "Jeff, golf is a 4 letter word that most times can only be described using other 4 letter words!"



KEERECT ON BOTH scores 

YOUR grandaddy was a SAGE --------------


----------



## drjeff (Sep 26, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> KEERECT ON BOTH scores
> 
> YOUR grandaddy was a SAGE --------------



Fortunately some of the DNA didn't get too mutated as it was passed on either


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 26, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Fortunately some of the DNA didn't get too mutated as it was passed on either



I'm SURE of that    Never met a "slow"  dentist 

Have fun on vacation and keep it on the short grass -- keep us posted on that golf scene


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## drjeff (Sep 26, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> I'm SURE of that    Never met a "slow"  dentist
> 
> Have fun on vacation and keep it on the short grass -- keep us posted on that golf scene



Two dozen ProV1x's are packed in the golf bag and ready to tempt the coastal marsh lands of Southwest Florida in a few days


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## riverc0il (Sep 26, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> THUS proving most of this stuff is more DUMB luck than skill


That is one of the things I have come to truly enjoy about the game. I appreciate that simple fact more often when I am hitting well than when I am hitting poorly, surprisingly. Probably because when I am hitting poorly it is not about luck but rather a lack of good technique.


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## drjeff (Sep 26, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> That is one of the things I have come to truly enjoy about the game. I appreciate that simple fact more often when I am hitting well than when I am hitting poorly, surprisingly. Probably because when I am hitting poorly it is not about luck but rather a lack of good technique.




That's the genius of golf.  You can be playing like cr$p, but with some good luck (like say hitting the cart path and then bouncing off three trees and ending up in the middle of the fairway) you can score well, or you can be playing great and with bad luck (like say your approach shot to the green bounces off a sprinkler head and goes out of bounds) end up scoring like cr$p.  Either way, you'll more than likely come back for another round


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 26, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Two dozen ProV1x's are packed in the golf bag and ready to tempt the coastal marsh lands of Southwest Florida in a few days



nice I look forward to some golf TRs..it doesn't look like I'll play this weekend in the rain but maybe if there's a clear hour or two..I'll squeeze in 9 or a bucket at the range..also a good tournement on TV


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## drjeff (Sep 26, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> nice I look forward to some golf TRs..it doesn't look like I'll play this weekend in the rain but maybe if there's a clear hour or two..I'll squeeze in 9 or a bucket at the range..also a good tournement on TV




TR's should start late Tuesday/early Wednesday.  Gotta do a few days of Disney 1st


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## riverc0il (Sep 26, 2008)

drjeff said:


> That's the genius of golf.  You can be playing like cr$p, but with some good luck (like say hitting the cart path and then bouncing off three trees and ending up in the middle of the fairway) you can score well, or you can be playing great and with bad luck (like say your approach shot to the green bounces off a sprinkler head and goes out of bounds) end up scoring like cr$p.  Either way, you'll more than likely come back for another round


I have had some pretty amazingly impressive lucky bounces due to balls that I have rocketed into the woods. Two weeks ago I came pretty close to a birdie on a par 4 (had it not been for a chip that came up short and a three putt...). Never would have even had a chance without the bounce that not only kicked it out but kicked it out with forwarded momentum. Happened also three weeks ago on a par four and I think I would have made par but for a three putt again. Then again, I have lost more balls than those that have taken favorable bounces.

:smash:


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 26, 2008)

Sometimes when I git the ball in the woods and get a lucky bounce back in play..it's like the tree spits..or throws the ball out..it's one of the more thrilling things in golf...On a par-4 with 150 yards of water to clear in front of the tee..my Dads buddy hit a worm burner..that skipped 4-5 times across the lake..bounced into the rocks and got a kick into the fairway..pretty crazy.  Alot better than a lipout on a downhill putt that leaves a testy 4 footer that is missed..turning what could be a one putt par or birdie into a three putt bogey or double..


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## riverc0il (Sep 27, 2008)

57 on 9 holes today. Not my best effort. Started off with a boogie and a par and it went downhill for the remaining 7 holes. Not having a 3W really hurt my game. I tried my driver once on a side by side fairway drive and put the ball right down the center of the fairway. The other fairway. So I was teeing off every hole with my hybrid which was hit and miss (mostly miss). New 3W shipped Friday and can't get here soon enough.

For the short game, I had 2 one putts and 7 two putts never using the putter more than twice per hole. Most people seem to have issues with their short game. I just can't get the ball down the fairway without hacking a tee shot into the woods and then using two clubs to go half the distance to the green. Getting an 8 on a par 4 with only two putts is a problem. Less than half of my shots were made within 20 yards of the pin today.

So I am really happy with my short game right now but not having a driver (nor the more reliable 3W off the tee) is a killer. Especially considering it is the only club other than my putter that I use on every hole expect the par 3s.


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 27, 2008)

Steve  RU using the "RIGHT" side of the TEE B0X and aiming left ?? 

ARE 2 knuckles showing on your LEFT hand  with matched up right palm on the grip , ANother trick  to help with the banana ball may be to Drop your back foot  in half a foot length behind your lead foot  and set up for a semi closed stance which should HELP to SQUARE up the face at impact

Relax your forearms , No tension at all , bring the club back slowly along the ground then up  -- Try swinging at a 7 out of 10 strength .   (10 being killer fast )


Hope some of this helps 

BTW treat yourself to a new 3W-- u deserve it boy  

Warp


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## riverc0il (Sep 27, 2008)

Doing all those things. It is a swing mechanics issue. What I keep coming back to is not enough hip rotation in the backswing and then leading with the shoulders instead of turning the hips on the downswing. My driver and wood play has always sucked but even my iron play was sub-par today. Actually, my iron play is worse now than it was about a month or two after I first started swing the clubs. Part of the problem is I have researched my swing faults to death and I am trying too many different things to "fix" the swing. End result is I have thrown my iron game off while trying to fix my wood and driver play.

I'll be starting next season off with a series of three lessons for sure. I have done well for a beginner but I really need someone to boil down my swing into two or three fundamentals, snow me how to fix the issues, and show me how to mentally get my game back if (when) I loss it again.

BTW... new 3W already on the way. Along with a new 3H to round up the bag. So I have already been well treated.


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 27, 2008)

Hybrids are nice !!
 I 'm loving my 1, 3 and 5 hybrids , the 1 and 3 are new this season . I always hit my irons fine but these puppies are VERY easy to hit  and land softly so now i'm good from 100-210 yds with one these clubs as my second shot depending on the hole ,


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Sep 28, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Two dozen ProV1x's are packed in the golf bag and ready to tempt the coastal marsh lands of Southwest Florida in a few days



 Where ya gonna be playing?  The weather is finally getting cooler high 80's, u should have some nice weather.


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## riverc0il (Sep 28, 2008)

Well, rain may keep me indoors, but I can still be practicing 

Did some "slow motion" step-by-step swings with my six iron and really noticed a few big things with my swing. The first is something I already noticed, I start the back and down swing with my arms instead of my hits. Slowing things down step by step really showed me how bad this issue was and I feel like I was able to make a few corrections.

Then I noticed the over the top motion was being created because I was standing up instead of retaining my posture at the top of the back swing. This was putting my weight in the wrong place and forcing my arms out and over on the down swing. By combing a one piece take away at the hips and retaining my upper body lean forward, the hips seemed to take care of themselves on the downswing and my club head lined up much better than before. Sweet!

Now, we'll see how these things I picked up on play out on the range. :roll: For some reason, I always seem to go backward one step immediately after I feel I have gone forward two...


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## deadheadskier (Sep 28, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> For some reason, I always seem to go backward one step immediately after I feel I have gone forward two...




That's golf for you.  Don't ever expect that to change :lol:


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## drjeff (Sep 28, 2008)

FRITOLAYGUY said:


> Where ya gonna be playing?  The weather is finally getting cooler high 80's, u should have some nice weather.



My parents live in as my father calls it a "gated gold ghetto" in Port Charlotte, called Riverwood.  I'm atleast playing a few rounds there and then maybe my Dad and I will go tour a few of the other "golf ghettos" in the area too


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 30, 2008)

just finished my last  round before our NY trip.  

Shot a respectable  for me  + 15  and sunk my  putt on the 18th - a 30 footer for the par  . Had some really nice 205 -210 yd straight shots with the new  #1 Hybrid

Doc jeff -- how ya doing down there -- hopefully no Gator balls


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## Trekchick (Sep 30, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Doc jeff -- how ya doing down there -- hopefully no Gator balls


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## drjeff (Oct 1, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> just finished my last  round before our NY trip.
> 
> Shot a respectable  for me  + 15  and sunk my  putt on the 18th - a 30 footer for the par  . Had some really nice 205 -210 yd straight shots with the new  #1 Hybrid
> 
> Doc jeff -- how ya doing down there -- hopefully no Gator balls




Only 1 gator ball today   Although I didn't see a gator in THAT pond    Salvaged a 78 today   I was 6 over after 6 holes  and then got it together and played the last 12 in even par   Could have been a better round as I was -3 on my back nine with 3 holes to go and then went bogey, bogey, bogey courtesy of some plain old bad luck with some of the lies I drew on those holes.

I'll tee it up again tommorrow AM and be ready to do battle with another 7,000+ yards of really lush grass! (and hopefully NOT any gators!)


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## drjeff (Oct 2, 2008)

Days like today are sometimes make we wonder about this game.  I hit the ball WAYYY better today than yesterday, but unlike yesterday where I had a few good bounces and breaks on the greens,  well today I had 0, nil, nada, nyet, none of those things at all   On the greens I had so many burned lips that I should go by a case of chapstick!(the big 0 for 8 on birdie putts inside of 10 feet  )  Off the tee,  I hit 8 of 14 fairways, with the 6 that I missed occurring by a combined maybe 10 yards, and each and everytime that I found the rough, the really luch Bermuda grass down here just swallowed the ball to the point where atmost I could maybe gouge a pitching wedge out of the rough for maybe 75 yards 

Oh well, 82 still isn't 1/2 bad.  I guess that I'll have to go and play again tommorrow, although I just need to figure out how to get off to a better start as each of the last 2 days I've started off with a double bogey


----------



## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 2, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Days like today are sometimes make we wonder about this game.  I hit the ball WAYYY better today than yesterday, but unlike yesterday where I had a few good bounces and breaks on the greens,  well today I had 0, nil, nada, nyet, none of those things at all   On the greens I had so many burned lips that I should go by a case of chapstick!(the big 0 for 8 on birdie putts inside of 10 feet  )  Off the tee,  I hit 8 of 14 fairways, with the 6 that I missed occurring by a combined maybe 10 yards, and each and everytime that I found the rough, the really luch Bermuda grass down here just swallowed the ball to the point where atmost I could maybe gouge a pitching wedge out of the rough for maybe 75 yards
> 
> Oh well, 82 still isn't 1/2 bad.  I guess that I'll have to go and play again tommorrow, although I just need to figure out how to get off to a better start as each of the last 2 days I've started off with a double bogey



  Ya that bermuda is tough, theres not many uneven lies here as up north but missing the fairway makes up for it


----------



## campgottagopee (Oct 2, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Well, rain may keep me indoors, but I can still be practicing
> 
> Did some "slow motion" step-by-step swings with my six iron and really noticed a few big things with my swing. The first is something I already noticed, I start the back and down swing with my arms instead of my hits. Slowing things down step by step really showed me how bad this issue was and I feel like I was able to make a few corrections.
> 
> ...




One little tip to help with the "over the top"---concentrate on pulling down with your left hand---no way possible to go over the top with that move---good luck


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## drjeff (Oct 3, 2008)

Today's round was an all or none 82.  *[size=+4]5[/size]* Double Bogeys  and *[size=+4]9[/size]* penalty strokes.  But when I wasn't loosing a ball and making a double, the other 13 I played in even par (2 birdies, 2 bogey's and 9 pars).  I had to deal with a distinct change in the ball flight off my drive during the round where it started off with my standard power fade, then mid round went to a stright ball flight and finished up with a slight draw.  This was the main reason for many of my doubles/penalty strokes 

Oh well, the clubs are packed in the travel bag and ready for a plane ride tommorrow.  Good thing, since the Bermuda rough has definately left my wrist/forearm a bit sore from having to gouge a few out.


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 3, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Today's round was an all or none 82.  *[size=+4]5[/size]* Double Bogeys  and *[size=+4]9[/size]* penalty strokes.  But when I wasn't loosing a ball and making a double, the other 13 I played in even par (2 birdies, 2 bogey's and 9 pars).  I had to deal with a distinct change in the ball flight off my drive during the round where it started off with my standard power fade, then mid round went to a stright ball flight and finished up with a slight draw.  This was the main reason for many of my doubles/penalty strokes
> 
> Oh well, the clubs are packed in the travel bag and ready for a plane ride tommorrow.  Good thing, since the Bermuda rough has definately left my wrist/forearm a bit sore from having to gouge a few out.



 Where your penalty strokes water or out of bounds in someones yard like all of mine usually are?


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## riverc0il (Oct 3, 2008)

Just got my new 3W and 3H today. The 3W felt really good until I started swinging (badly). The Face isn't as big as my broken 3W so that is going to take a lot of practice to get used to. I kept topping the ball in what used to be the center of the club. After the range work, I played the local par 3 and had two really bad first holes. Decided not to keep score it was so bad. We are talking getting close to double digits hacking straight down the fairway. Sure enough, once I ditched the score card, started playing solid boogie golf with a few double thrown in for good measure. My iron play was on fire today with very few miss hits though I haven't practiced pitching lately and it showed. Need to get it close enough to chip because I have gotten really good at getting it up and down with edge of the green chips. Those are the best. Finally managed to whack my new 3H for about 190 yards but managed to push it onto the previous hole's tee box 

Looking forward to the scramble on Sunday! Hope I can get my 3W going when the driving range is open before the game.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 3, 2008)

One thing is for sure..the ball doesn't travel as far in cooler weather..When it's hot I take a club less on my approach shots..I'd like to play this weekend..before all the greens start being covered with leaves


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 3, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Just got my new 3W and 3H today. The 3W felt really good until I started swinging (badly). The Face isn't as big as my broken 3W so that is going to take a lot of practice to get used to. I kept topping the ball in what used to be the center of the club. After the range work, I played the local par 3 and had two really bad first holes. Decided not to keep score it was so bad. We are talking getting close to double digits hacking straight down the fairway. Sure enough, once I ditched the score card, started playing solid boogie golf with a few double thrown in for good measure. My iron play was on fire today with very few miss hits though I haven't practiced pitching lately and it showed. Need to get it close enough to chip because I have gotten really good at getting it up and down with edge of the green chips. Those are the best. Finally managed to whack my new 3H for about 190 yards but managed to push it onto the previous hole's tee box
> 
> Looking forward to the scramble on Sunday! Hope I can get my 3W going when the driving range is open before the game.



 Riv i know it seems its harder to hit the ball with the smaller head but in time this will only improve your concentration and force you to have to hit it on the sweet spot with the smaller room for error on the head.


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## riverc0il (Oct 3, 2008)

FRITOLAYGUY said:


> Riv i know it seems its harder to hit the ball with the smaller head but in time this will only improve your concentration and force you to have to hit it on the sweet spot with the smaller room for error on the head.


Yup. Well aware of this and actually wanted a slightly smaller head for this particular club. I am of the impression that wood sizes seem too big on average. When I had a really good hit today (even if it did slice), I was hitting my new smaller head 3W further than my old one. I gotta imagine concentrating more mass in a narrower swath would produce more power at impact. Am I off on that one?


----------



## drjeff (Oct 3, 2008)

FRITOLAYGUY said:


> Where your penalty strokes water or out of bounds in someones yard like all of mine usually are?



Mainly water balls today.  Although it seemed like everytime after one splashed down, either the next shot from the drop I took, or the one after that would end up in a location that required me to take an unplayable lie and a second penalty stroke on the same hole  

Gotta love wet 7,006 yard courses with a rating of 74.8 and a slope of 144 and how quickly they can cause big numbers if the ball striking is off just a little  

On the flipside, I know from many years past experience, the next round I play at my home course in CT and it's 6,550 yards of glory will seem like a pitch and putt


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## drjeff (Oct 3, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Yup. Well aware of this and actually wanted a slightly smaller head for this particular club. I am of the impression that wood sizes seem too big on average. When I had a really good hit today (even if it did slice), I was hitting my new smaller head 3W further than my old one. I gotta imagine concentrating more mass in a narrower swath would produce more power at impact. Am I off on that one?



Generally speaking what works for most folks and club size is the only "big" clubs in the bag should be the driver, and if it looks OK to you, the putter.  Other than that standard size works well.


----------



## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 4, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Yup. Well aware of this and actually wanted a slightly smaller head for this particular club. I am of the impression that wood sizes seem too big on average. When I had a really good hit today (even if it did slice), I was hitting my new smaller head 3W further than my old one. I gotta imagine concentrating more mass in a narrower swath would produce more power at impact. Am I off on that one?



  No your not off golf is just weird, you can swing as hard as possible with a huge driver and maybe only hit it 240yards, where as if u used 70percent of your total power and made perfect contact in the sweetspot that baby would go 270, the key to golf i still cant master, tempo, and slow


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 4, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Mainly water balls today.  Although it seemed like everytime after one splashed down, either the next shot from the drop I took, or the one after that would end up in a location that required me to take an unplayable lie and a second penalty stroke on the same hole
> 
> Gotta love wet 7,006 yard courses with a rating of 74.8 and a slope of 144 and how quickly they can cause big numbers if the ball striking is off just a little
> 
> On the flipside, I know from many years past experience, the next round I play at my home course in CT and it's 6,550 yards of glory will seem like a pitch and putt



That's a crazy slope rating...and length..my Dad considers a 6300 from the whites course long..


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 4, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> That's a crazy slope rating...and length..my Dad considers a 6300 from the whites course long..



 anything that seems over 6600 to me is longer, im not one for par 4's that are all over 400 yards and your hitting a 5 iron into them, thats never fun


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 4, 2008)

FRITOLAYGUY said:


> anything that seems over 6600 to me is longer, im not one for par 4's that are all over 400 yards and your hitting a 5 iron into them, thats never fun



It's fun if you're good with your five iron..lol..


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## drjeff (Oct 5, 2008)

FRITOLAYGUY said:


> anything that seems over 6600 to me is longer, im not one for par 4's that are all over 400 yards and your hitting a 5 iron into them, thats never fun



The thing that I LIKE about LONG courses, or atleast LONG courses where the architect put a little thought into them,  is that for someone who can hit a long ball,  you actually end up using all 14 clubs in your bag during each round.  The course that my parents belong to in Florida is just that way (probably one of the reasons that it got a 4.5 star rating by _Golf Digest_).  Depending on how the wind and flag locations,  I'll usually have anything from a sand wedge to 4 iron as a 2nd shot on the par 4's (usually a 6 iron to 9 iron),  the par 3's I'll usally hit between a 6 iron and a 3 iron),  and the par 5's if I hit a well positioned drive,  there are 2 of them where I'll likely be able to realistically consider going for the green in 2 and the other 2 are 3 shot holes under just about any wind condtion.

The thing I really like about my parents course, is that from the back tees, I'll be able to hit driver 14 times, and usually that's one of my favorite clubs.  This past week,  per my Dad's Sky Caddie (which is an awesome device for distance info IMHO), I was driving the ball usally between 260 and 280 and the vast majority of the time, due to how much rain the course has had this summer and recently in particular, I was getting atmost a yard or 2 of roll.

On my home course in CT, at 6,550 or so,  I end up playing the course as basicaly Driver, wedge, and while that's fun in one sense,  from a shot making standpoint, I really do like round shwre I have to use each club and hit diffrent shots alot more.


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## riverc0il (Oct 5, 2008)

Scramble for the University Alumni today. Had a fun time at Owl's Nest in Campton. Weather was perfect, leaves are sensational, and views of the nearby 4ks were excellent. I only wish my game was as good as the weather and scenery. :roll:

Chilly temps to start the morning meant having to grab an extra club or two. I couldn't get much of anything going today. Haven't gotten used to my new clubs yet which meant lots of horrendous tee shots. Fairway play was poor as well. Finally, on about our 14th hole, I finally figured out I was swinging too hard. I let up a little on the gas and started having some good swings. Too little too late though as my game was already pretty much beyond repair at that point.

I had a few really good swings that felt like a million bucks and they kept my head up for all the bad ones. All my good shots usually did not go where they were supposed to... but seeing a ball take off like a rocket and go further than you would expect a club to go (in a straight line no less) after a good swing sure feels good. Even when the ball does land OB. :lol:

I look forward to the day I can be even slightly consistent. I don't care if I ever drive longer than 200 yards. And I don't care if I can't hit the green within 100 yards without a follow up chip or pitch. I don't care if I never break 90 or 100 or whatever. I just want consistent swings and the ball going straight on 8 out of 10 swings. I would be much more okay with bad shots if they were the exception rather than the norm. Something to work towards next season I guess as the amount of work I can do these next few weeks will be limited.


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## riverc0il (Oct 5, 2008)

Oh, here's another thing that I find odd. I hit better out of light rough than the fairway. It is almost this bizarre mental thing that I don't want to dig up the fairway too much and the fairway just looks like it should be skipping the club across instead of taking a divot. So I take the same type of swing for an iron or hybrid but some unconscious mental thing has me topping the ball because I don't swing down enough. Put me into like rough and the swing feels great again. I normally don't hit the fairway so I am all set :lol: but in today's scramble, my partners were hitting most fairways from the tee and I was bumming!!! Gah, what a game! When I get a good lie, I swing worse than from a bad lie. Any one else have that issue?


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 5, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Oh, here's another thing that I find odd. I hit better out of light rough than the fairway. It is almost this bizarre mental thing that I don't want to dig up the fairway too much and the fairway just looks like it should be skipping the club across instead of taking a divot. So I take the same type of swing for an iron or hybrid but some unconscious mental thing has me topping the ball because I don't swing down enough. Put me into like rough and the swing feels great again. I normally don't hit the fairway so I am all set :lol: but in today's scramble, my partners were hitting most fairways from the tee and I was bumming!!! Gah, what a game! When I get a good lie, I swing worse than from a bad lie. Any one else have that issue?



I hit well out of the semi-rough as well..sometimes it's a flyer lie where the little bit of grass around your ball launches it..boots it up..better.  Being in the rough..as long as it's a flat or uphill lie isn't that much of a handicap in my opinion..


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 5, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Oh, here's another thing that I find odd. I hit better out of light rough than the fairway. It is almost this bizarre mental thing that I don't want to dig up the fairway too much and the fairway just looks like it should be skipping the club across instead of taking a divot. So I take the same type of swing for an iron or hybrid but some unconscious mental thing has me topping the ball because I don't swing down enough. Put me into like rough and the swing feels great again. I normally don't hit the fairway so I am all set :lol: but in today's scramble, my partners were hitting most fairways from the tee and I was bumming!!! Gah, what a game! When I get a good lie, I swing worse than from a bad lie. Any one else have that issue?



  Thats not odd at all riv, it covers up for errors because the ball is almost slightly teed up because you can go underneath it without completely hitting it thin and missing it.  When you become better and learn how to take a divot off a hardpan fairway and are able to stick the shot you wont miss the fairway, until then like yourself if im 50yards out and have to hit over a bunker i much prefer to be in light rough where i know i can get under the ball,granted the ball will roll and not stop like out of a fairway but im not good enough to have constant success yet on a fairway where im totally confident in my abilities to hit it good everytime, half the shots are good the other have are chunks and go 30yards.


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## riverc0il (Oct 8, 2008)

Any one else use a double overlap grip? Looking around online for tips on what I can do to get my wrists to turn over and I found this tip. I tried it without a club, just standing up and comparing. Wow. I never noticed, but with the regular vardon grip, my arm and wrist were actually cocking or rotating clockwise. 

While practicing today, I was taking half swings. Really trying to slow things down and just work that straight whip at the bottom of the swing. It stopped the over the top motion and fixed the slice but replaced it with a hook. The same thing happened a couple weeks back when I tried tucking in the right elbow closer to the body on the back/down swings. What I noticed when I really slowed things down was that I couldn't get the club face square at impact... it was always open and pushing the ball. Couldn't figure it out.

I am wondering if my natural stance and grip with a vardon grip pre-sets my wrists to not turn over at the right time? Because looking down at my hands... a double overlap naturally hangs down with the wrists perpendicular to my body where as the single overlap causes an angle in the clockwise direction. I can correct the angle by either over tilting my shoulders or by bringing my left arm closer to my body, but both feel unnatural. Just trying the different grip without a club just felt like "WOW that feels soooo much better!"

Will try it out on the course.

Oh, half swings really help slow things down and develop a good rhythm. I always feel like I over swing even when I am thinking about slow things down. The half swing (or perhaps somewhere between half and 3/4 ish?) really felt nice. Perhaps, unconsciously, I knew if it wasn't a full swing, I shouldn't give it everything I got. I was hitting balls just a hair short of my normal distance but much more consistent. A few swings that hit more true than usual actually launched the ball further than I usually hit em.


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 8, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Any one else use a double overlap grip? Looking around online for tips on what I can do to get my wrists to turn over and I found this tip. I tried it without a club, just standing up and comparing. Wow. I never noticed, but with the regular vardon grip, my arm and wrist were actually cocking or rotating clockwise.
> 
> While practicing today, I was taking half swings. Really trying to slow things down and just work that straight whip at the bottom of the swing. It stopped the over the top motion and fixed the slice but replaced it with a hook. The same thing happened a couple weeks back when I tried tucking in the right elbow closer to the body on the back/down swings. What I noticed when I really slowed things down was that I couldn't get the club face square at impact... it was always open and pushing the ball. Couldn't figure it out.
> 
> ...



 I think the reason your shots are almost going as far as a full swing is because you are hitting them on the sweet spot which is alot easier to do with not a full swing, less time for things to go wrong, im sure u noticed that flush feeling like u didnt even feel like u hit a ball , thats called perfection.  As far as your grip ive tried them all, go back n forth just do what feels natural..


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## riverc0il (Oct 10, 2008)

My mind is starting to come around towards skiing recently, but I couldn't resist heading out of work a little early and doing 9 holes this afternoon. Waukewan Golf Club is Central Harbor, NH spanked my ass six ways to Sunday. I played some of my worst golf ever. Just terrible.

I hate playing when it is crowded. So I called ahead and it sounded like there was only one other couple on the entire course by the clerk's remarks. So I started off the first tee rushing to get ahead of a foursome of older folks in carts. I always hate having people right on my ass, almost as much as I hate waiting for slow play. So I pushed my tee shot into the woods and proceeded to hack my way down the fairway 40 yards a whack. I was so frustrated, I picked up my ball before I even got onto the green. Just needed some space and to calm down and focus and not feel rushed.

So then I am bumping up into a pair of golfers on the second hole. They let me play through which was very nice of them, though they really should have just kept playing. I think they just got slowed down looking for a ball and we all would have been fine. Sure enough, they start playing right up my butt as soon as I play through them. Gah. I am too much of a hacker to deal with groups too close in either direction without it throwing me off so I try to avoid crowded courses at all costs.

Any ways, I couldn't hit nothing today. The greens at Waukewan were nothing short of cruel with some mean sloping greens and the holes in the worst possible place. The ultimate in fail was a long par 5 uphill on hole 8 on which I pitched not once, not twice, but three times uphill onto the green and came up just short with the ball rolling downhill further and further each time, finally pushing back further down than my first swing. The green was on a steep slant and was not deep with trees right at the backedge, so an overswing would have been trouble. That is just mean.

I tried the double overlap grip on the range but it just didn't feel good. Neither did the baseball grip. I still have not tried interlocking, but I don't think I am going to solve my pushing issue by changing my grip. This course totally punished slicers and pushers to the max. The front nine go counter clockwise so the trees are always curving from right to left with a mess of dog legs thrown in for good measure.

On the 9th, I tried something new and closed the face of the club at address. Really nailed the piss out of the ball and didn't push it as far as normal, but still managed to land it in the next fairway over.

Probably will try playing two more times before switching my clubs for my sticks. Gotta give myself at least a week off as I played twice and hit the range twice this week and I am sure fatigue was an issue today. Just felt like it was a total waste of money and time today, just not fun out there at all and I really did not appreciate the course one bit.


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 10, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> My mind is starting to come around towards skiing recently, but I couldn't resist heading out of work a little early and doing 9 holes this afternoon. Waukewan Golf Club is Central Harbor, NH spanked my ass six ways to Sunday. I played some of my worst golf ever. Just terrible.
> 
> I hate playing when it is crowded. So I called ahead and it sounded like there was only one other couple on the entire course by the clerk's remarks. So I started off the first tee rushing to get ahead of a foursome of older folks in carts. I always hate having people right on my ass, almost as much as I hate waiting for slow play. So I pushed my tee shot into the woods and proceeded to hack my way down the fairway 40 yards a whack. I was so frustrated, I picked up my ball before I even got onto the green. Just needed some space and to calm down and focus and not feel rushed.
> 
> ...



Thats one thing i noticed everytime someone tells me to play thru i rush and suck balls for that hole, i never take my time because i feel like i need to rush because they are doing  me a favor.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 12, 2008)

T-minus 81 minutes until tee-off today at Whitetail in Bath...this will most likely be one of my last rounds of golf this fall so hopefully I play well..I haven't picked up a golf club in three weeks..I'll definitely need a breakfast ball on the first tee.  The cool thing is the ground is so freaking dry..


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## Geoff (Oct 12, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I haven't picked up a golf club in three weeks.



I just moved my clubs.  It was the first time I'd touched the bag in probably 8 years.


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 12, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> T-minus 81 minutes until tee-off today at Whitetail in Bath...this will most likely be one of my last rounds of golf this fall so hopefully I play well..I haven't picked up a golf club in three weeks..I'll definitely need a breakfast ball on the first tee.  The cool thing is the ground is so freaking dry..



 How did you shoot steez?


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 12, 2008)

I just got back from playing golf with my Dad and his buddy.  I played decent today..my ball striking was excellent and my putting was mediocre.  On the front 9..I played bogey golf with three pars, three bogeys and three doubles for a 45.  I began the back 9 with two straight pars followed by two straight bogeys..I was poised to break 90 until I had back to back triple bogeys..I managed a par on the 17th hole and on the 18th hole I had a 10 foot birdie putt which I hit the lip on and I missed about a 3 footer for par..yikes..That's the tough thing about golf..two shots to go 400 yards and 3 shots to go 10 feet.  I ended up with a 46 back 9 for a 91 total.  My Dad shot a 90 and his buddy shot an 85..not bad for a 66 year old.


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## Warp Daddy (Oct 12, 2008)

Just back from 18   another sunny glorious day  course was ablaze with fall colors -- Shot a good for me 83 ( 44/39) ended with  a string  of 3 pars and a bird on the last 4 holes . Funny thing the cours i played today i've played 3 times this year  each time out  i shot  an 83 .. My pardners are getting spooked by it


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## Warp Daddy (Oct 12, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I just got back from playing golf with my Dad and his buddy.  I played decent today..my ball striking was excellent and my putting was mediocre.  On the front 9..I played bogey golf with three pars, three bogeys and three doubles for a 45.  I began the back 9 with two straight pars followed by two straight bogeys..I was poised to break 90 until I had back to back triple bogeys..I managed a par on the 17th hole and on the 18th hole I had a 10 foot birdie putt which I hit the lip on and I missed about a 3 footer for par..yikes..That's the tough thing about golf..two shots to go 400 yards and 3 shots to go 10 feet.  I ended up with a 46 back 9 for a 91 total.  My Dad shot a 90 and his buddy shot an 85..not bad for a 66 year old.



Not a bad round Steeze  that last hole coulda gone either way -----KEEP SWING  teh putting will come along mine was crappy  tehn all of sudden its fine  i dropped another 25 footer on the 18th today for a bird


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 12, 2008)

Warp Daddy said:


> Not a bad round Steeze  that last hole coulda gone either way -----KEEP SWING  teh putting will come along mine was crappy  tehn all of sudden its fine  i dropped another 25 footer on the 18th today for a bird



I did 2-putt from 55 feet so it wasn't all bad...are the greens really fast up your way??


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## deadheadskier (Oct 12, 2008)

Geoff said:


> I just moved my clubs.  It was the first time I'd touched the bag in probably 8 years.



When I moved to NH four months ago, I realized I hadn't picked up my clubs in four years....ended up selling them to my boss this summer.  I like the game, but only when I can really get into it and play a 2-3 days a week for the season.  I started playing when I was 14, but there has probably been 12 years of not playing and 7 years of playing over the years.  My guess is I'll pick the game up again in retirement.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 12, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> When I moved to NH four months ago, I realized I hadn't picked up my clubs in four years....ended up selling them to my boss this summer.  I like the game, but only when I can really get into it and play a 2-3 days a week for the season.  I started playing when I was 14, but there has probably been 12 years of not playing and 7 years of playing over the years.  My guess is I'll pick the game up again in retirement.



My golf has remained the same for the past 5 years or so because I don't play that often.  My Dad and I used to ski together but since his hip is bad he doesn't ski anymore..so golf is something we can do together and my Dad is a better golfer than me..and he can hit it just as far with less effort.  I don't even wear golf shoes...I'm thinking about taking my Dad on a weekend golf trip late next spring...maybe to Hershey or Gettysburg..play some golf and drink a bunch of gimlits..


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## Warp Daddy (Oct 12, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I did 2-putt from 55 feet so it wasn't all bad...are the greens really fast up your way??



Yep the greens are fast , undulating and several are elevated


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 13, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> My golf has remained the same for the past 5 years or so because I don't play that often.  My Dad and I used to ski together but since his hip is bad he doesn't ski anymore..so golf is something we can do together and my Dad is a better golfer than me..and he can hit it just as far with less effort.  I don't even wear golf shoes...I'm thinking about taking my Dad on a weekend golf trip late next spring...maybe to Hershey or Gettysburg..play some golf and drink a bunch of gimlits..



 Steez im not sure how far it is from you but i played some nice courses up in the pokes, like east stroudsburg area, great views, cheap, not crowded, one in particular country club of the poconos real nice.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 13, 2008)

FRITOLAYGUY said:


> Steez im not sure how far it is from you but i played some nice courses up in the pokes, like east stroudsburg area, great views, cheap, not crowded, one in particular country club of the poconos real nice.



I'm about 45 minutes from some nice Pocono golf courses.  My favorite is Hideaway Hills is Kresqueville..right off of 209..between 33 and the PA turnpike(476)..What courses do you recommend in the East Stroudsburg area?


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 13, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I'm about 45 minutes from some nice Pocono golf courses.  My favorite is Hideaway Hills is Kresqueville..right off of 209..between 33 and the PA turnpike(476)..What courses do you recommend in the East Stroudsburg area?



 The 2 i recommend are actually in marshalls creek about 5-10min down the road from the highway off route 209, the country club of the poconos is nice, stunning views, kinda short i think its only about 6000 yards, also right down the street is a real challege, Great bear golf and country club, its designed by jack nicklaus, very fast greens,  a few blind shots, im sure a little more expensive than ccotp.


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## Warp Daddy (Oct 13, 2008)

Played again today another great  sunny fall day -- lost my mojo today  - shot a so so  88--  lost my putting touch today tho ------------too many blown opportunities 

Tomorrow's  another day


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## riverc0il (Oct 13, 2008)

Wanted to go out today but decided against it. Back is sore from too much time at the range last week and pushing things with a game on Friday too soon. Gah, drives me nuts. I just want to keep working at it but I gotta realize that playing with a tired muscle group just makes my shots worse and the game less fun. I have quickly realized that quality practice is better than just going out there and hacking, getting worse instead of better. Lessons for me next season for sure


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## Warp Daddy (Oct 13, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Wanted to go out today but decided against it. Back is sore from too much time at the range last week and pushing things with a game on Friday too soon. Gah, drives me nuts. I just want to keep working at it but I gotta realize that playing with a tired muscle group just makes my shots worse and the game less fun. I have quickly realized that quality practice is better than just going out there and hacking, getting worse instead of better. Lessons for me next season for sure



 Yeah i played the last 2 days with an aching back too !  I washed, waxed and detailed my 2 saabs saturday and i'm  aching from that .

  Strangely i played really well sunday  and so/so today  differance was i carted sunday and walked it today . I sitting here with my shatsu messager on now as i type this  -- going to play again tomorrow IF weather holds and back is less achy.


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 13, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Wanted to go out today but decided against it. Back is sore from too much time at the range last week and pushing things with a game on Friday too soon. Gah, drives me nuts. I just want to keep working at it but I gotta realize that playing with a tired muscle group just makes my shots worse and the game less fun. I have quickly realized that quality practice is better than just going out there and hacking, getting worse instead of better. Lessons for me next season for sure



sometimes u will shoot your best scores when u havent picked up a club for a few days.


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## riverc0il (Oct 13, 2008)

FRITOLAYGUY said:


> sometimes u will shoot your best scores when u havent picked up a club for a few days.


Word. I have already noticed that when I play more than twice a week my playing gets worse. Hard to resist though, but that is what kept me from going out today... knowing patience now will result in a much better game next weekend.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 13, 2008)

River..playing consecutive days helps a ton..just like with skiing...any playing is good even if you are playing bad..next season after some lessons and some more time on the course..you might break 100..from then on it's all gravy and frustrating..I shot a legit 91 yesterday and I slammed my club at least 10 times..lol


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## riverc0il (Oct 13, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> River..playing consecutive days helps a ton..just like with skiing...any playing is good even if you are playing bad..next season after some lessons and some more time on the course..you might break 100..from then on it's all gravy and frustrating..I shot a legit 91 yesterday and I slammed my club at least 10 times..lol


I agree that it is just like skiing but disagree on playing consecutive days if your back is sore. I do this with skiing when I need to do it. With skiing though, I have the technique and talent to grin and bare it and still ski respectably and not hurt myself and still have a good time. With my beginning golf game, I don't find it correlates. I have horrid days and want to quite half way through a game. Yea, I know what they say... its called golf. But when I hack my way down the first fairway of the day 30 yards at a time while hitting the best iron in my bag and can't make it onto the green without double digits, that is not a good time and its time to rest up. When I start slamming clubs into the ground, I know its time to give up the game. I saw a cool quote somewhere online that you're not good enough to be destroying your clubs or some such. I certainly can't afford it, regardless :lol:

Any ways, I could care less about my score. I only care about not making good contact consistently. I jump for joy when I make good contact, even if it goes in the completely wrong direction. I have hit some impressively off target shots and I just take a step back and say "wow, that one felt good." That is all I am after right now. I am sure I'll become a points hound in a year or two :lol: For this year, I started tracking my scores and gave up on it because while entering the numbers into the computer, I just sat there thinking "what the hell does it really matter to me?"


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 13, 2008)

Clubs are pretty tough..I slam them all the time and they don't break..the key for most patient/mature golfers is if you hit a bad shot..slow it down..regroup and   eliminate a second bad shot.  For most of us mere mortals..when we top..flub or dub the ball..we immediately run up to the ball and take another hard swing..and then we mess up and say f0ck and it leads to worse shots.  Also the worst thing to do when hitting a mediocre lag putt is to just finish up immediately..mark the ball and regroup and you'll have a better shot of making that 3-8 footer...

Oh yeah and has anybody ever putt out of the sand with success???  One of the weakest parts of my golf game is from out of the sand.  My Dads buddy is an excellent sand player and scrambler..and with greenside bunkers his advice is to get under the ball like you're also picking up a fried egg or dollar bill below the ball..it works well..but..I was matched up with somebody who putts from out of the sand..when there is no lip and if the sand is wet or solid..I've tried that and it is a very high percentage shot for me in certain situations..If I hit my sandwedge right..I can get it to go past the hole and get it to bounce back..

Does anybody have a favorite club..from out of the fairway..for me it's been my 8-iron lately.  My favorite shot to hit with an 8-iron is an uphill approach shot from 140-150..It hit my 8 iron alot higher than my 7-iron and a tad farther than my 9...it works well in clearing bunkers garding the front of the green while landing soft enough to hold the green even when landing on a downslope..I also enjoy hitting a 60 percent pitching wedge from 75-80 yards..


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## riverc0il (Oct 13, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Does anybody have a favorite club.


I have favorite clubs in various situations. My 6I has traditionally been my best shot so I'll go for that if I know I can pitch or chip it onto the green instead of taking more club. Love my 7I for chipping. My best swing in the bag is my 56* SW which is good within 100 yards. My hybrids have been misbehaving lately.

My most consistent and reliable club though is my putter. Pretty rare I do more than two putt a green. Never understood why putting is so difficult for so many golfers. First putt to get close (still go for it any ways) and second putt within gimme range ideally. I never even bother practicing putting because I know it is the most consistent part of my game.


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 13, 2008)

Steez is correct that playing alot sure helps, taking a few days off wont hurt, but if u stretch that out for say a week u will notice the first thing to go is the short game, chipping, putting, things like that.  The touch goes first.


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 13, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Clubs are pretty tough..I slam them all the time and they don't break..the key for most patient/mature golfers is if you hit a bad shot..slow it down..regroup and   eliminate a second bad shot.  For most of us mere mortals..when we top..flub or dub the ball..we immediately run up to the ball and take another hard swing..and then we mess up and say f0ck and it leads to worse shots.  Also the worst thing to do when hitting a mediocre lag putt is to just finish up immediately..mark the ball and regroup and you'll have a better shot of making that 3-8 footer...
> 
> Oh yeah and has anybody ever putt out of the sand with success???  One of the weakest parts of my golf game is from out of the sand.  My Dads buddy is an excellent sand player and scrambler..and with greenside bunkers his advice is to get under the ball like you're also picking up a fried egg or dollar bill below the ball..it works well..but..I was matched up with somebody who putts from out of the sand..when there is no lip and if the sand is wet or solid..I've tried that and it is a very high percentage shot for me in certain situations..If I hit my sandwedge right..I can get it to go past the hole and get it to bounce back..
> 
> Does anybody have a favorite club..from out of the fairway..for me it's been my 8-iron lately.  My favorite shot to hit with an 8-iron is an uphill approach shot from 140-150..It hit my 8 iron alot higher than my 7-iron and a tad farther than my 9...it works well in clearing bunkers garding the front of the green while landing soft enough to hold the green even when landing on a downslope..I also enjoy hitting a 60 percent pitching wedge from 75-80 yards..




Ive defidently putted out of the sand, obviously when the bunker has no lip however. I try to put whenever possible even if im  a few feet from the fringe inbetween the green and rough if the grass isnt too deep i have much better results putting then blading a chip and it scooting across the green into  a bunker.  My favorite club is a 60 degree lob wedge, its good from 90-100yds, i chip out of heavy rough with it, use it out of bunkers its hard to hit off the deck however, if u dont take the divot just right you will chunk it or skull it


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## drjeff (Oct 13, 2008)

*TR*

*Course* Haystack Golf Club

*Date*  Sunday October 12th

I manged to squeeze in 14 holes after my family left my place by Mount Snow Sunday afternoon before it just got too dark for me to see where the heck I was hitting the ball.  I hadn't played Haystack in about 6 years and while not the longest course,  I had forgotten how fun and scenic it was.  Okay, scenery wise, how can a mountain course during peak foliage season on an absolutely cystal clear 65 degree mid October day in the late afternoon sun, not be scenic 

Between the relatively tightness of the course and the relative shortness even off the back tees,  the driverf didn't get alot of use,  but most par 4's were still playing 3 wood and anywhere between an 8 iron and a gap wedge for me.

I was at 4 over par through 14 holes when it just plain and simple got too dark for me to go any further.  Not a bad round considering I wasn't 100% mentally into the round as I was a bit distracted by both the scenery and having to force myself to play as quick as possible as I was racing the daylight.

The mental not has been made for me to get a full 18 in at haystack next year in full day light!


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## ChileMass (Oct 14, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> One of the weakest parts of my golf game is from out of the sand.....



OK - try to picture it:  

1 - Stand with your left foot opened about 15-20 degrees from a normal square position.  

2 - Open the sand wedge clubface until the leading (lower) edge of the club is pointing at the target line you want your ball to travel on.  

3 - Put the ball in the middle of your stance.    

4 - Take the club back low and slow (shallow take-away angle).  

5 - Make your follow through on a line *along your toe-line* (look down at your open stance and swing from right to left).  

6 - Make your swing 3X more than what you would from the grass at the same distance.  

7 - FOLLOW THROUGH until your hands come up to your shoulders.  This is the biggest reason newbies leave it in the bunker.  

You can do this.  Now go practice it 1000 times and picture it in your mind all winter.


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## drjeff (Oct 14, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> OK - try to picture it:
> 
> 1 - Stand with your left foot opened about 15-20 degrees from a normal square position.
> 
> ...




The best tip I've ever had about bunker play came from the assistant pro at a course I worked in the pro shop in high school + college.  *[size=+4]ACCELERATE*[/size] the club through the ball!!!  So many golfers will leave the ball in the bunker due to a LONG back swing and a SHORT follow through, thus causing a major deceleration of the club through the sand and ultimately to the ball 

The key is a *SHORT* backswing(maybe 1/2 of normal length) and a LONG, full follow through.  That way, you'll keep the clubhead speed up through the sand and ball and get the ball out of the beach and back onto some turf.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 15, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> OK - try to picture it:
> 
> 1 - Stand with your left foot opened about 15-20 degrees from a normal square position.
> 
> ...



Thanks but I'm not thinking about golf during the winter..that would just be wrong..lol


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## ChileMass (Oct 15, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Thanks but I'm not thinking about golf during the winter..that would just be wrong..lol



I'm thinking of my planned round in Vegas in January........:smile:


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 15, 2008)

ChileMass said:


> I'm thinking of my planned round in Vegas in January........:smile:



steezy I might be going to Vegas in the spring..


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## riverc0il (Oct 19, 2008)

Glorious blue bird day out for what I think may have been my final game of the season. Went down to my favorite course I played during my first year, Den Brae in Sanborton for nine holes. Called up ahead of time to inquire how traffic was. This is kind of like calling up and asking for snow conditions :roll: "Oh, not many people out there today, things are moving along." Yea, right. Teed off without waiting but after three putting the first for a triple boogie, suddenly, two groups are backed up on tee two and looks like two double cart slow pokes on holes two and three are holding everyone up. The twosome in front of me invited me into their group and we enjoyed each other's company for the remainder of the eight holes.

Don't get to play with other people very often, but it was a lot of fun. It also slows my very fast play down somewhat which is a good thing. Luckily, play picked up by the long par 5 on hole four and we were good to go.

I swung the clubs rather well today (unlike most days) but putted very poorly (again, unlike most days). Seemed fitting that on the day when two ski areas fire up the guns and on the verge of a few inches in the mountains, that I would score not one, not two, but  and a nine for a 9 hole total of 65.

My short game was really a mess and for once I took more swings inside 100 yards than outside. I made a LOT of good recoveries and good decisions but still managed to play the ball out of the wrong fairway on three different holes.

My swing felt good but I am still really pushing the ball on woods and some hybrids. My playing partners noted that I had a good swing but was just hitting the ball "early" which I see as meaning what I already know about my swing... that I am not getting my arms turned over at the right time. Will be seeing a pro about that next season.

For now though, I felt really good about a lot of shots today even though my short game was a total mess. I rarely three putt but did so four times today and only had a single one putt. That doesn't count the three or four double pitches/chips because I came up short. But I could care less about my score as I got good distance and good connection more often than not... regardless of direction of ball flight.

The bag came out of my trunk for the first time this summer and skis are being picked up from the shop tonight. Time to close this thread down, lol.


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## ccskier (Oct 19, 2008)

Played twice this week.  Tuesday was a treat, http://kittansett.org , shot a 95, place kicked my ass.  Wind, tall grass and awful putting killed me.  Today I played at http://www.southersmarsh.com/ sweet little executiveesk course.  We played a scramble, not so hot again at -1.  It was freezing out and windy.  Today was the first time I can say my cold went through my body in about 6 months.  A few more days of the golf season left.


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## drjeff (Oct 19, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Glorious blue bird day out for what I think may have been my final game of the season. Went down to my favorite course I played during my first year, Den Brae in Sanborton for nine holes. Called up ahead of time to inquire how traffic was. This is kind of like calling up and asking for snow conditions :roll: "Oh, not many people out there today, things are moving along." Yea, right. Teed off without waiting but after three putting the first for a triple boogie, suddenly, two groups are backed up on tee two and looks like two double cart slow pokes on holes two and three are holding everyone up. The twosome in front of me invited me into their group and we enjoyed each other's company for the remainder of the eight holes.
> 
> Don't get to play with other people very often, but it was a lot of fun. It also slows my very fast play down somewhat which is a good thing. Luckily, play picked up by the long par 5 on hole four and we were good to go.
> 
> ...



In a golf thread is about the only time that we all hope against seeing a  

I'm debating whether or not I'm going to play this coming Wednesday.  I'm going to what looks like a REAL boring lecture Wednesday at Foxwoods.  It will be tempting to pop right across the street at play a round at their FABULOUS Lake of Isles Course, except that it's supposed to be in the mid 40's and breezy and maybe even some snowflurries around here Wednesday AM, and making a full shoulder turn in a bunch of layers isn't the easiest of things to do


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## ccskier (Oct 19, 2008)

drjeff said:


> In a golf thread is about the only time that we all hope against seeing a
> 
> I'm debating whether or not I'm going to play this coming Wednesday.  I'm going to what looks like a REAL boring lecture Wednesday at Foxwoods.  It will be tempting to pop right across the street at play a round at their FABULOUS Lake of Isles Course, except that it's supposed to be in the mid 40's and breezy and maybe even some snowflurries around here Wednesday AM, and making a full shoulder turn in a bunch of layers isn't the easiest of things to do



I did it today, wear less layers and ignore the cold.  That course is worth it.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Oct 20, 2008)

I think I'm done playing golf for the season unless we have an Indian Summer..I'm not a fan of playing in cool weather with fallen leaves everywhere..I'm a fairweather golfer..


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## Warp Daddy (Oct 20, 2008)

played today and yesterday in full foul weather gear


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## FRITOLAYGUY (Oct 20, 2008)

Played yesterday shot a 97, wasnt too bad for not playing in a good month and a half.. 20 mph winds didnt help but it was 81 blue sky and sunny out.  The short game defidently cost me at least 3-5 strokes as thats the first thing to go when not playing for awhile, driving was horrible lots of duck hooks and slices, the 2 i did hit good played about 275 which is below my avg when i hit it good of about 285 with an occasional 295-300 when im playing often.  All in all still summer rates here in FL 17 bucks for 18holes with a cart ya you cant beat that, the same round will cost 100bucks in 2months.


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## riverc0il (Oct 26, 2008)

One more before the end of the season, woot! I'll keep swinging the clubs until it starts snowing. 

Today had its ups and downs. Some really good ups like a pair of boogies on my usual two worst holes at Den Brae... their long par 5 fourth hole and the dog leg left uphill to the left par 4 sixth hole. A couple of double boogies due to two putting. Then there were some awful holes such as a three putt on the 1st hole and hacking my way back home 30 yards at a time on the 9th ICK!!!

After two holes, I was right up into another group as they were teeing off as I boogied the 2nd hole. Turns out they had another single that wanted to play fast, so we went on ahead. Of course... I hacked that par 3 playing through and ended up picking up in embarrassment after passing double boogie.

The rest of the game was interesting. My partner was a pretty good golfer in my eyes and it definitely helps your game playing with a better player. I like fast play but this guy was just a hair too fast for me which made me feel slightly rushed. I suggested he go on ahead once we got out far enough from the last group but he insisted we keep on playing together.

I really enjoy playing with company, so that was great. Very gracious of the gentleman to opt to play with me when he wanted to burn back to the clubhouse ASAP for a quick round. I should never have accepted his offer for a "tip" though. Upon learning I was a first year golfer that still needs to have a first lesson with a pro, he proceeded to try to explain a lot of my swing faults to me and offer solutions. The thing is, I already know what my swing faults are and when I tried doing things differently per his suggesting, I lost my swing and really broke down on the last two holes. A few of his suggestions did help on a few tricky shots, but I didn't enjoy pointers or tips after every second or third swing.

Biggest take away from today was I brought the woods but didn't pull them out of the bag aside for warming up. I always knew I could play a full length course with no woods... but I felt I would be significantly handicapped by at least one stroke per hole and two strokes on the par 5. Turns out I can make the par 5 in regulation using just hybrids and irons easily and with a better aimed approach shot, I could have been shooting for par. The ironic take away from today was that I was probably handicapping myself by teeing off with woods that I couldn't hit straight rather than using a club I could swing straight and accurate. My hybrid and iron play is usually between 170-190 for longest distances and those distances times two or three gets me to the hole every time. I won't be shooting for birdie anytime soon... but when my goal for par is double boogie and I treat a boogie as a birdie... that works fine for me.


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## Warp Daddy (Oct 26, 2008)

Sounds like your still having fun with it -- great 

Nothing wrong with using "YOUR" best club off the tee , Keeping it on the short grass will do much to help you achieve  your goal  of Bogie  golf


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## campgottagopee (Oct 27, 2008)

Final tourney of the year in the books. Just an amazing day here in CNY yesterday with sunshine and a few clouds but NO WIND and 50. Perfect for the annual cross country golf tourney, par 45 in 10 holes--sooooooo fun playing those long ass holes. We finished 3 under 42 wchic was good enough to get half our money back---yipee---40 won the darn thing so we were in the hunt for sure. By no means done for the year we'll play here as long as the course is open......gotta get ready for the Pro-Am in Feb---this year it's MEXICO!!!!!


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## riverc0il (Nov 5, 2008)

Hot damn, Golf Thread 2008 will not go down without a fight! Been working hard at work lately so I really owed it to myself to leave two hours early and barely squeeze out 9 holes at the local course.... just getting back to the club house before sunset. Then took the puppy out for a walk and experienced a brilliant and amazing sunset full of sublime color. Ari didn't think too much of it though.

After many attempts, mostly foiled by busy courses due to the on course condos and resort, I finally managed to play the White Mountain Country Club (which actually boarders my place... we walk past the par 3 11th every day on our walks with Ari around the perimeter trail). The place is horribly expensive and busy on the weekends but is playable after work during the week. Fall rates make the place even better.

I started off horrible with no warm up. Started swinging okay on the third hole but my wedge play was suspect. Finally hit my stride on the long par 5 fifth hole and managed a boogie after missing a putt for par (this got me really excited!). Proceeded to hack my way around the rest of the course playing really sub-par gold. 

The sub-par golf can partially be blamed on swing changes I made on the fly. I experimented with a little more back bend and less knee bend in my stance to really good results! But I also had a lot of mis-hits because I had not practiced that swing and it was not consistent. But I had a couple of slamming fine swings that went long (at least for my usual club). Once I solve the push next year with some lessons, I will really be enjoying the game.

Had the notion that if I can swing a 6I 160-170 yards and the green is 320 away, I can more accurately get to the green in two 6Is than a wood a short iron. Worked pretty well except for my wedge play was suspect.

Not a huge fan of White Mountain Country Club. After wanting to play at that course all summer, I was unimpressed. Very few trees, wide open fairways, and the holes just go back and forth up and down each other. No real hills or obstacles or funky bends. A great course if you can bomb a driver straight but I like funky golf and this was about as bland a course as I have played. Nice to try but my local in town option will continue to be the local par 3 where I never need a tee time, can play for $10, can stop by anytime and get on the course without traffic, and don't have to deal with the "resort atmosphere" as this course really caters to the bed base.

A fun 1.5 hours out on the course! I still need to play the back nine though which has a few interesting looking holes. That may just do it for the season for real this time.


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## riverc0il (Nov 15, 2008)

Got out earlier this week for one more round. Did the back 9 at White Mountain to see how it played. Much as I suspected, the first three or four holes were really fun and interesting but after that, the course plays side by side the front 9 in pretty boring fashion though hole 18 does have a water carry about where most people's drives would land (not that I needed to worry about that! I lay it up by default, not due to thinking about how to play the shot!). I played rather poorly but better than I had played the front 9. It is amazing how playable a par 4 is with a 6I from the tee. I still managed to get myself into trouble a few times though, LOL. Was the only person on the course, sweet.

Bought "How to Break 90" and How to Break 100" (not that I have 90 in my sites yet LOL but the information is still applicable, especially course management). I wish I had read these two books prior to starting to play the game. It took me six months to come to some realizations... and even more importantly... to actually implement these realizations on the course while playing!!!! (I know my accuracy with the 3W is not that great... but look at that open fairway! I am swinging good today and I want to have fun so I will just take a nice easy tee shot with the 3W..... into the trees :roll: -- knowing and doing are two very different things in golf!!!).

Any ways, I had already come to many of the same conclusions such as skip the driver, focus on breaking the course up into shots, playing boggie golf, personal par rather than course par, putt > chip > pitch in that order, not following the course design but rather shooting for the most open fairway area, avoiding trouble areas even if it is the direct line, not making one mistake cost two strokes, etc. It would have been a lot nice to have read through these books 6 months ago rather than finding this stuff out for myself the hard way!

Looking back on my first season, I noticed a HUGE drop in my effectiveness as a golf player and increase in scores versus par when I moved from par 3 courses to regulation length 9 and 18 hole courses. I stopped playing the smart golf that I played on par 3s only using irons, wedges, and my putter and started making dumb decisions on what club to play, how to play it, etc. I changed my game and was playing clubs I had not mastered and was not playing my game. The day I realized I could make course par, let alone my personal par, with no higher a club than a 6I was huge. I just need to consistently play that way instead of getting up to the tee box and thinking "I would really enjoy swinging a wood for this shot...."


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## drjeff (Nov 15, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Got out earlier this week for one more round. Did the back 9 at White Mountain to see how it played. Much as I suspected, the first three or four holes were really fun and interesting but after that, the course plays side by side the front 9 in pretty boring fashion though hole 18 does have a water carry about where most people's drives would land (not that I needed to worry about that! I lay it up by default, not due to thinking about how to play the shot!). I played rather poorly but better than I had played the front 9. It is amazing how playable a par 4 is with a 6I from the tee. I still managed to get myself into trouble a few times though, LOL. Was the only person on the course, sweet.
> 
> Bought "How to Break 90" and How to Break 100" (not that I have 90 in my sites yet LOL but the information is still applicable, especially course management). I wish I had read these two books prior to starting to play the game. It took me six months to come to some realizations... and even more importantly... to actually implement these realizations on the course while playing!!!! (I know my accuracy with the 3W is not that great... but look at that open fairway! I am swinging good today and I want to have fun so I will just take a nice easy tee shot with the 3W..... into the trees :roll: -- knowing and doing are two very different things in golf!!!).
> 
> ...




Riv, sounds like a solid season which has undoubtedly given you a warm weather addiction to complement your pre-existing cold weather addiction   My prediction is come May/June, you'll be looking for the "daily double" - some morning turns followed by an afternoon 9/18! :lol:


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