2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

[mookie1995]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Flying south after work today. Have 3 rds lined up at kinloch outside of Richmond tues/wed

Place is supposed to be the balls. Can't wait to get out there.

 

[Painted_Bandit]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Just made a tee time for next weekend at The Preserve at Verdae in Greenville, SC. Looked pretty good online and rated pretty good by Golf Digest

 

[SteveP]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

So there was a frost delay Tuesday for our golf league at Penn State.

Mrs. P and I have had perfect weather in Arizona, with temps topping out in the upper 80s. Could hit 90 today for my final round of our trip. Playing Pueblo Del Sol CC in Sierra Vista.

To paraphrase Jimmy Buffett, the weather is here, I wish my game was beautiful!

Started Thursday with a tough round at Superstition Springs in Tempe (after getting to Phoenix at 4:30am ET and four hours of sleep). Friday we played Apache Wells CC, which was a wide open track in a retirement community.

Monday the brother-in-law joined us on Mountainview GC on Ft. Huachuca. Narrow fairways surrounded by desert scrub from where I was hitting a lot of second shots.

I could get used to being here if it wasn't for PSU hockey! Oh well, back to reality tomorrow.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

I should probably try to get a round in before playing with PB in South Carolina. Just don't have the time.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Kinloch is pretty neat. Any of y'all ever get the chance, jump on it.

 

[pirate]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

You know #17 @ TPC Sawgrass is an extremely difficult hole when between 8-12 players put it in the drink in a given day, for all 4 days of the tournament. Especially when one of them decides to do it TWICE!!! /still snickering.

While seeing Sawgrass in person wasn't as high on my bucket list as Augusta, I'm stoked I was able to check that one off. It was said at the awards ceremony, but a major Bravo Zulu needs to go out to the grounds crew. After the rain Florida got last weekend, they had the course in tip-top shape for the tournament.

Hopefully The Tiger can keep his play at an elevated level through the rest of the majors this year and snag 1 or more.

There is a place, Renditions, outside of Annapolis, with a replica Sawgrass 17th. (and Amen Corner) Some of the holes are basic golf holes despite their likeness to another, more famous hole. Par on the island green for me...so, if I can do it 100% of the time...why can't they?????

 

[SteveP]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Sign the petition!!!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8sdxGPLoag0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Proud2baLaker]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Love the shorts video.

Nothing special to share...just what I've been up to in golf. I've been playing as much as I can (weekends mostly) which is less than I used to play when younger (5x a week at one point). But I am figuring out more and more how to really hit shots instead of just going up and hitting it. I've adjusted some things on my swing and improved accuracy but in the past I wouldnt have even known where to start. I'm figuring out some other shots and how to hit them better as well when in the past I just walked up and hit it. I'm hoping to spend some more time on the range to try to learn how to hit draws and fades...on purpose, haha. Though I have improved my accuracy I dont have the distance I feel like I used to, which I am fine with. At this point I would rather club up than hit it way offline.

Im lucky enough to be withing 40 minutes or so of several golf courses (of varying quality/styles and price ranges which is nice)...usually play at 4 different courses (with a few more that I play sporadically). That may not sound like a lot but considering the area Im actually quite surprised to see that many. My hometown in Indiana had 1 and it was a bit more of a hike to get to any others. One course started doing dynamic pricing too. So I was able to play 18 holes with cart on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for $12.50 when normally it was $44.50. Just have to keep an eye on the online booking thing which is no biggie.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

I played Arrowhead today. It's a beautiful course in the foothills south of Denver. While the price was a little steep (we got a "deal" for $79 w/cart - normally $119 w/cart), it was a lot of fun. I really struggled putting on the front 9, and carded a 48 (six 3-putts ). While I struggled putting on the first few holes of the back nine, I finally came back with the putter, and nailed some very nice putts, including two birdies and a few pars en route to a 39 (1-putt on five of the last six holes) on the back for an 87. It certainly wasn't the best I've played, but it was the best I've ever played at that course.

Anyway, I'll be out again tomorrow at Murphy Creek, which is a very nice muni south of the airport. Last time I played there, I shot a 95 (thanks to a 10 on the par 4 - 18th). I'm hoping that my putter is going hot, and that I can shoot somewhere around an 80-85.

EDIT: I wound up shooting an 88. Not bad, and the putter was doing a bit better for me, but I had 7 birdie putts, and zero of them went in.

 

[pirate]

So, they are beginning the ban in 2016. Hopefully all governing bodies join together on this one.

I don't think the anchored putter technique increases the number of golfers as some have claimed. So, the ban will not decrease participation or hurt the game of golf.

If they want more people to play, speed up play on golf courses...get more rounds played so people can actually play a round of golf and do something else that day...may also allow prices to come down a bit.

 

[joecct]

So, they are beginning the ban in 2016. Hopefully all governing bodies join together on this one.

I don't think the anchored putter technique increases the number of golfers as some have claimed. So, the ban will not decrease participation or hurt the game of golf.

If they want more people to play, speed up play on golf courses...get more rounds played so people can actually play a round of golf and do something else that day...may also allow prices to come down a bit.

Why do mamy golfers insist on hitting from the tips or the men's tees when they can't drive the ball 250+? If your second shot on a par 4 is not a mid-short iron, move forward.

I should be playing around 5,800 - 6,000 yard courses. Anytime I get over that it is a long round because I am going driver then 3 wood on the 400 yard holes. Ideally for me the par 4's should be in the 350 range.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Why do mamy golfers insist on hitting from the tips or the men's tees when they can't drive the ball 250+? If your second shot on a par 4 is not a mid-short iron, move forward.

I should be playing around 5,800 - 6,000 yard courses. Anytime I get over that it is a long round because I am going driver then 3 wood on the 400 yard holes. Ideally for me the par 4's should be in the 350 range.

My issue is that I hit it 300 yards, but I'm not consistant enough. I'll hook it pretty often, and occasionally slice it or duff one. I don't play the tips, I am usually the standard men's tees, but when I hit it like I can, I just have half wedges into the green on the short par 4's.

 

[pirate]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

My issue is that I hit it 300 yards, but I'm not consistant enough. I'll hook it pretty often, and occasionally slice it or duff one. I don't play the tips, I am usually the standard men's tees, but when I hit it like I can, I just have half wedges into the green on the short par 4's.

I've had a series of lessons last year and starting again this year with the biggest focus being consistency. In this case, I had enought small things I was not doing properly that I could hit one perfectly and then hit the next one in the woods. People I played with were surprised how high my handicap was, until I took a quadruple on a simple hole (and did it again 3 holes later). So, I don't hit the same 2-3 monster drives I'd hit in the old days but the tradeoff is the consistency. Now when I hit a really long drive it is a result of doing things properly not just a spin of the wheel.

I've been telling all of my friends that they owe it to themselves to get a set of lessons, if nothing else it reduces the uncertainty...I'm much quicker in figuring out why I hit a bad shot and have a few drills I can do waiting for other players to hit to help me on the next shot.

My "test" is if I can go to the range and hit the same shot 4-5 times in a row. I've learned a few new tips about lining up and ball position that help me pick a target and consistently hit it...I used to be able to hit the same shot 2 times max, now I can hit a series of shots the same distance and within a much tighter window. Still working on the driver in that regard, but the slice/fade that was killing me is now only a fade and is 1 in 20 instead of 5 in 20 shots.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

I've had a series of lessons last year and starting again this year with the biggest focus being consistency. In this case, I had enought small things I was not doing properly that I could hit one perfectly and then hit the next one in the woods. People I played with were surprised how high my handicap was, until I took a quadruple on a simple hole (and did it again 3 holes later). So, I don't hit the same 2-3 monster drives I'd hit in the old days but the tradeoff is the consistency. Now when I hit a really long drive it is a result of doing things properly not just a spin of the wheel.

I've been telling all of my friends that they owe it to themselves to get a set of lessons, if nothing else it reduces the uncertainty...I'm much quicker in figuring out why I hit a bad shot and have a few drills I can do waiting for other players to hit to help me on the next shot.

My "test" is if I can go to the range and hit the same shot 4-5 times in a row. I've learned a few new tips about lining up and ball position that help me pick a target and consistently hit it...I used to be able to hit the same shot 2 times max, now I can hit a series of shots the same distance and within a much tighter window. Still working on the driver in that regard, but the slice/fade that was killing me is now only a fade and is 1 in 20 instead of 5 in 20 shots.

That's the same boat I'm in. I took a few lessons back when I was playing regularly, and that helped, but at this point, I don't get out enough to make it worth it. I need to get back to playing regularly before I'm going to spend time on getting lessons and figuring out how to fix my swing. There is sure plenty to fix with it.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Keep at it until you can fade/slice 20-20

 

[pirate]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Keep at it until you can fade/slice 20-20

Yeah, I try to work on doing it when I want to on the range once in a while...right now it is more of a matter of hitting it straight when I want to instead of being able to bend it when I want to. I have a good friend who is a 2 handicap and it is just so frustrating to see him artfully bend it around corners and leave it on the correct side of the fairway etc. Unless we're in a scramble, then it is alright by me.

I know I will eventually get to hitting a fade intentionally, right now I only seem to do it when that is a bad place to be.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Straight shot is the hardest to hit

 

[SteveP]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

Why do mamy golfers insist on hitting from the tips or the men's tees when they can't drive the ball 250+? If your second shot on a par 4 is not a mid-short iron, move forward.

When I'm ranger and the students are out in full force I have no problem telling the newbies to move up to the next tee box and not play from the "Championship" tees. We only allow the golf team, PGM students and certain members to play from the tips.

Our 50+ men's league plays from the forward tees, but for some reason I find that I'm more accurate from the regular men's tees. Must be something (or lack thereof) between the ears!

On another topic -- does anyone use one of those tennis/golf elbow support bands? My right elbow is causing problems. While we were in AZ I had a bruise running down the inside of my forearm from the elbow almost to the wrist. I went to the local clinic and the doc thought it might be "compartment syndrome." The bruise is gone but the pain lingers.

 

[pirate]

When I'm ranger and the students are out in full force I have no problem telling the newbies to move up to the next tee box and not play from the "Championship" tees. We only allow the golf team, PGM students and certain members to play from the tips.

Our 50+ men's league plays from the forward tees, but for some reason I find that I'm more accurate from the regular men's tees. Must be something (or lack thereof) between the ears!

On another topic -- does anyone use one of those tennis/golf elbow support bands? My right elbow is causing problems. While we were in AZ I had a bruise running down the inside of my forearm from the elbow almost to the wrist. I went to the local clinic and the doc thought it might be "compartment syndrome." The bruise is gone but the pain lingers.

Last year had this almost whole season after getting into hard throwing contest with my son while playing lacrosse. Used the band for a while and it worked fine. Guy I know uses one all the time due to an old injury. It works. I eventually went with Advil before the round and would leave brace off if felt ok.

Pulled something in front shoulder yesterday. I think I'm getting old.

 

[burd]

Re: 2013 Golf Season - Does it leave you scratching?

I'm amazed when I see older guys (like me) who step up to the first tee without warming up or spending a little time on the range. Too many moving parts for us old guys to tweak.