2010 Golf

campgottagopee said:

AMEN--lick your wounds and move on.

Nice EAGLE!!!!! Few and far between, but sure awesome when they happen. Ever have a double eagle???? I never have, but have seen a few thrown in against me----f'ers.

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No double eagles for me (same thing with the elusive ace) in 30+ years of teeing it up. This was the 5th time in my career that I've holed out from the fairway/rough for a 2 on a par 4 though, and I can remember all of them as vividly as the one that happened today, even though the first one happened back in August of 1988

drjeff said:

No double eagles for me (same thing with the elusive ace) in 30+ years of teeing it up. This was the 5th time in my career that I've holed out from the fairway/rough for a 2 on a par 4 though, and I can remember all of them as vividly as the one that happened today, even though the first one happened back in August of 1988

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Nice!!! I was lucky enough to get my first hole-in-one this year, and like you I've been playing for a good many years. You'll get yours and I hope it's sooner than later 'cause it's mucho fun :beer:

Congrats Camp and Doc Eagles and Aces are few and far between and are a real thrill !!

What stoked me is i was LUCKY as Hell to get an ACE in my 3 rd season a few yrs back when i was 62 . I have been fortunate enuf to get a couple eagles last yr BEFORE the Heart attack .

Not playing a frequently this yr and am Just now starting to get some DISTANCE back probably because we're getting some ROLL now after a mondo wet June.

Boy u 2 gave solid advice bout letting go of any bad shots and re-loading for the NEXT one . I'm still chasing that elusive 79 tho -- sure hope it happens before i turn 70 cuz i AIN"T getting any stronger

Warp Daddy said:

Congrats Camp and Doc Eagles and Aces are few and far between and are a real thrill !!

What stoked me is i was LUCKY as Hell to get an ACE in my 3 rd season a few yrs back when i was 62 . I have been fortunate enuf to get a couple eagles last yr BEFORE the Heart attack .

Not playing a frequently this yr and am Just now starting to get some DISTANCE back probably because we're getting some ROLL now after a mondo wet June.

Boy u 2 gave solid advice bout letting go of any bad shots and re-loading for the NEXT one . I'm still chasing that elusive 79 tho -- sure hope it happens before i turn 70 cuz i AIN"T getting any stronger

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It's a cool feeling getting a hole-in-one, CONGRATS!!!!

You'll get the 79 for sure, you have the attitude to do it. Don't put pressure on yourself and let it go---kinda like carving your first turn, once you "feel it", you'll get it.

I'm very lucky that I have 3 pro's and one am (could be a pro) that I ski/golf with so all we talk about is this crap 365 days a year.....never gets old.

Camp u r on target ------------------- if u play better competiton you can both really learn any game and sometimes really play UP .

I'm sure that you two dudes PLAY SMART and use great course Mgt skills -- i'm still a hacker and have to PRESS myself to lay up rather than hit a hero shot ---

Man Camp u know it bro ---------------------ain't nothing like seeing that damn ball drop in an having your buddies go nutz . I was freaking dumbfounded could NOT believe what had happened Sure as hell . Didn't mind ponying up for drinks THAT day :beer:

Warp Daddy said:

Camp u r on target ------------------- if u play better competiton you can both really learn any game and sometimes really play UP .

I'm sure that you two dudes PLAY SMART and use great course Mgt skills -- i'm still a hacker and have to PRESS myself to lay up rather than hit a hero shot ---

Man Camp u know it bro ---------------------ain't nothing like seeing that damn ball drop in an having your buddies go nutz . I was freaking dumbfounded could NOT believe what had happened Sure as hell . Didn't mind ponying up for drinks THAT day :beer:

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Warp, that course management WITHOUT HAVING TO THINK ABOUT IT, will happen. Likely first on a par 5 when your hitting your 2nd shot (and you know there's no way, even if your ball bounces off 2 sprinkler heads and then 3 times on the cart path that you can get there) and will click that laying up with that 5 iron to a comfortable wedge distance is a much better plan than whacking that 3 wood to a funky 1/2 wedge distance, or on that recovery shot, the same type of thing, you'll play that punch out not necessarily as far as you could, but to a distance that leaves you with for favorite club/distance to the green. Same type of thing will happen with what side of the tee box you'll tee it up from to maximize the landing area for your usual ball flight.

The thing about course management that I love, and how important it is was exemplified in my courses club championship 2 weekends ago. It was 54 year old, "average" hitting dad vs. 18 year old "bombs it a mile" son - both were tied at -3 141 after 36 holes, and Dad won on the 2nd play off hole, a 525 yard par 5, where the kid went for it in 2, after seeing his dad lay up to about 90 yards. The kid, went through the green (from 240 with a 3 iron!), down a steep embankment and into some scruff brush, by the time he was done hacking it out and making 6, dad hit a comfy sand wedge to about 10 feet and rolled in the bird for the win, and his 5th title in the last 12 years (3rd time he beat his son in the finals!). After a certain point, golf is more of a mental game than a physical game, and having a strong mental game is good for MANY shots a round!

Geoff said:

Yeah, but unlike golf, I don't suck at downhill skiing if I haven't skied for 6 months. If my skiing degraded the way my golf game does after 6 months, I'd be in the hospital every November.

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THIS

You guys that are saying don't quit play at a somewhat respectable level at which you can enjoy your games more often than not. If I played golf like I skied, I would be competitive in clubhouse tournaments and could go amateur tour if I wanted to put in additional time and energy. Comparing golf to skiing may work for some of you guys but it is not a fair comparison for me. I can not abide being mediocre at something, let alone horrible. And it ain't about the score. It is about not wanting to commit to the time and money it would take to get to a slightly proficient stage. That would include lessons every few weeks and more time at the driving rage than the course picking up the clubs every other day at the least. I already have one job, thank ye very much, and I don't need another.

If Golf wants to keep more players in the game and keep the activity alive, they need to figure out how to cost effectively get new players quickly and cheaply to a proficient level. When lessons cost $50 a pop, it ain't going to happen. Not really comparable to skiing either even though skiing has similar price barriers as lessons are not needed as much with skiers. You can actually improve substantially as a skier just by increasing your days significantly, watching and copying good skiers, and maybe getting a little bit of extra instruction here and there. I don't know how golf can do this and still be profitable but the barrier as far as time and money to become proficient and somewhat mediocre is just too high for my liking.

Simply put... I am not having playing the game. Some guys can have fun while being terrible. I can't. People are different and I ain't like some of you guys in that sense. Then again, you guys saying not to give it up probably play well enough that a bad day for you is not making a certain number. A bad day for me is loosing 18 balls on a 9 hole course. A bad day for me is pushing every ball in a bucket except one straight right. A bad day for me is a complete lack of consistency and maybe one or two shots during a game being even slightly close to a good swing. That just ain't good enough for me.

let me summarize what rivercoil is saying

let there be no question, golf is the most difficult sport on the planet. I will say that the feeling of a perfectly struck golf ball is definitely SO SWEET. Playing a par 5 exactly as you have planned in your head when you step up to the tee is super rewarding. Drive it to here, lay up to there, pitch on to within 20 feet, 2 putt. Awesome feeling. I'm actually more than satisfied with a bogey. Pitch to near the green, chip on and 2 putt. I just don't like taking 10s on holes. Unless I'm playing at least 2, preferably 3 days per week, it happens all too often.

I think another distinction to make between golf and skiing is I've met very few people that with enough work can't become 'bogey skiers'. I've met plenty of people that simply never get beyond sucking at golf. I was on the cusp of bogey and suck during my golfing 'career'. :lol: There's a natural talent involved in that game perhaps more than any other sport. Some people can golf every day of their lives and perpetually be stuck playing in the 50s for 9 holes.

deadheadskier said:

let me summarize what rivercoil is saying

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:lol:

Funniest thing I have read on AZ in some time. A summary is likely needed!

:beer:

yeah, much like my slice that sends the ball two fairways over in golf, my 'summary' didn't turn out as intended. :lol:

in golf I often require multiple shots to accomplish a simple task. In writing, multiple paragraphs instead of a few sentences. :lol:

I really think that the thing about golf that got me hooked soon after I started playing 30+ years ago was that one day I was out playing with both my grandfather and my dad and even way back then I thought that it was pretty cool that there was this game where something like that could happen! And now I'm likely a year or two away from the day when it will be my dad, myself and my daughter out for a round

good point Jeff. The one thing I miss most about the game is playing with my mom and dad. Since they gave up skiing 8 years ago and retired to Florida, I don't have an athletic activity to share with them. There was a time when I had both skiing and golf to look forward to enjoying with them.

I know they both wish I still played golf. I know I wish they still skied.

riverc0il said:

Heck with it. Maybe I will pick it back up again when I am an old fart and might not care about time or money as much. But for now, the price in both time and money to become even competent is simply too high. Its a fun game. But I don't enjoy it that much, even on my best days and best shots, to justify that type of investment just to be competent.

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I hear ya. Golf is fun as hell. I totally get the appeal. I just don't have the time and money floating around to get good at it. I will probably get back into it later in life. Until then, once or twice a year for novelty's sake is fine. And I'll probably be psyched with my 115. :lol:

Puck it said:

Shot a 42 for nine on Saturday. And he is the kicker. I had three birdies. Boy was I inconsistent. Should have been a 37 if it were not for the 8 on #1 and the 7 on #2. I blame the heat.

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did the course have a windmill, a clowns mouth and maybe a waterfall?

JMHO but isn't comparing getting good at golf vs getting good at skiing/riding sorta apples and oranges? Wouldn't it be more apropos to compare improving golf skills to improving baseball batting skills? And compare improving skiing/riding skills to improving surfing skills?

I think comparisons between golf and skiing are common as they are both individual sports and often enjoyed by a similar demographic of people.

deadheadskier said:

I think comparisons between golf and skiing are common as they are both individual sports and often enjoyed by a similar demographic of people.

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Agreed. But my point is that its a very different skill set between the 2. Therefore the comparions made in some of the previous posts about enjoying the activity because of the ease of increasing proficiency (again IMHO) are of dubious validity

Doc and DHS u guys are on target about the cross- generational inclusivity of the game . It was and is BIG in our family . My dad moved to a golf oriented community in Fla had 22courses and my son and i would go down once a yr and play with gramps . We sucked but that whole experience is still grist for many great discussions today

We relived now . As i write this my kids , grandkids and BIL and Sister and husband are here for a week ( they're still bagging Z's this am so i have some time now) we'll ALL play tomorrow 13 of us !! I go in for my 2nd cataract surgery this month thursday so won't play for a couple of weeks. We'll have a great time , goofy ass awards will be presented , outrageous outfits will flourish and many laffs will be had .
BTW we do the same thing with skiing twice a year .

Point is is a real bonding experience and MAKES GREAT MEMORIES . Even tho Great Grandad is playing thAT BIG COUNTRY CLUB IN THE SKY NOW , we'll have some fun reliving some of the times we shared with him playing down at his fancy club and hearing him tell us all "Get in the Damn Cart " don't be runnibg all over hell chasing the balL

OOPS screwed that up my dad's golf community had 2 courses NOT 22 -- _ i also SUCK at keyboarding

jaywbigred said:

Just updating progress here...I'm hitting the crap out of the ball, longer than I've ever been, but still not breaking 80. Coming real close, just seems like if I play 12-16 great holes I play the other holes bad enough to not break 80. Have had an 80, two 81s, and an 83 that was double-par-double on the last 3. A handful of loose swings are really costing me strokes, and golf continues to be "something frustrating I do to pass the time between ski seasons," as I say, but I know I am getting close.

Once I buy the new car, I'll have more time to practice too. Should be good.

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campgottagopee said:

This may seem silly but give this a whirl:

Breaking 80 is all a mind set---if you're "really" (playin by the rules of golf" shooting 80 or low 80's then you are REALLY close to breaking thru. The only diff between a low single digit capper and 9-10 is his BAD shots. Meaning, your good shots are as good as anyone elses, but your/mine bad shots are no where near as good as a low capper. Does that make any sense??? If so, identify wat makes you hit a bad shot and then pratice that, then I think you'll see your score come down. Before every shot think to yourself how can I hi this and still save par, or at least save a boggie. That mind set has helped me in the past so maybe it will you too....good luck.

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Well, I have broken 80 4 times over the past 2 seasons, just not this year, so I know I can do it. As far as bad shots, I have no idea what causes them, but the holes that keep me from breaking 80 (the doubles and triples or worse) are almost universally tied to the tee shot, and sometimes I get penalized for GOOD tee shots.

Like most golfers my level, I can correct a mistake once it happens, but sometimes, out of nowhere, something will pop up. Like the other day when I was hitting great, high draws all day off the tee, and then on 16 a big slice into the woods. Lost ball, double bogey.

But then on 18, I had what I call a "Jayhole" (intentional rhyme there). I have no idea where I get my power from, but on the public courses I play (no caddies), sometimes I hit good shots, and it gets me in trouble, because I can't see the ball land, or because someone from another group picks it up. On 18 I hit a shot over the tree I always aim at. It is a wide open hole, no woods, no fescue. I aim over this tree on the right and draw it back. Even if it doesn't draw or even fades, there is plenty of room. It's probably the easiest hole on the course for me (unless I have a chance to break 80, in which case its an automatic double). The only possible issue is if you go too far right, there is a fence around a community pool.

On busy days, the pool is packed, and people are right up near the fence. The day in question was really hot and hazy, so the pool was thusly packed. I destroyed the ball off the tee, right over the tree, but we couldn't tell if the drive had any spin one way or the other because of the haze, the distance of the shot, and the tree. It felt to me like it would have a slight draw. We got up to the landing area and couldnt find a ball. Not in the fairway, not in the very reasonable rough. We asked the people sunbathing along the fence if they saw or heard a ball, and they said no. There is no way they could have missed it if it hit the fence or carried it. But we looked and looked, no ball.

Another double bogey.

I lose balls in bounds all. the. time. It is SO frustrating.

drjeff said:

Real solid advice here and the key to breaking that 80 barrier. It's not a question of if your going to hit a "less than ideal" shot during the course of a round, but when. And then when it happens, the 1st thing you should do 99% of the time is get rid of that mentality of trying to hit at miraculous shot that even a PGA Tour pro might be able to pull off 25% of the time, let alone an amateur. Just switch to the mindset of figuring out what you need to do, to make a bogey and take that dreaded double (or worse ) out of play, since you'll likely feel alot better on the next tee having made a bogey than if you have to put a double or triple or worse on the card

Had a sweet golfing treat this morning that I hadn't had happen to me in about 10 years. I holed out my 2nd shot from about 50 yards on a par 4 for a real nice eagle 2! Unfortunately I didn't get to see it drop, as it was an uphill pitch shot, with the pin placed on the backside of a ridge that divides thefront/back halves of 8th green at my course. I knew I hit a good shot, then when i drove the cart around the back of the green and didn't see the ball on the putting surface, at first i thought that there was no way that it rolled off the green into the rough, and then when i didn;t see it in the rough, it was a fun, quick walk upto the cup to find my ball at the bottom of it!

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Congrats on the eagle! I am 0/9 on eagle putts this year!

One of the problems I have with having distance is that every mistake is magnified. When your a light hitter, let's say a guy who drives it 230-250 off the tee makes a mistake, his slice winds up on the right side of the fairway; his hook on the left side. Maybe he makes the first cut, or a yard into the rough. When your normal hitter, let's say 250-290, make a the same mistake, he is usually a couple yards into the rough. When I make that mistake, that sucker is in there deep, and often not playable (OB, lost in bounds). So I can play more conservatively and hit irons and fairway woods from the tee and try to protect par, which is not in my nature, but which I gladly will do around the 5th or 6th hole of a round where I am close to or under par.

Or, when I have an avg 9 (41-44) on the front, and I have to get more aggressive on the back, it is hard to go away from the driver, because its my biggest weapon. Sometimes it works; I shoot 37-39 and break 80. Other times, it works for 6 or 7 holes but gets me in enough trouble on the other 2 or 3 that I am back at 41-44 and having an average round.

campgottagopee said:

AMEN--lick your wounds and move on.

Nice EAGLE!!!!! Few and far between, but sure awesome when they happen. Ever have a double eagle???? I never have, but have seen a few thrown in against me----f'ers.

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Double eagles are rare. You've seen more than 1? I've never seen one, and have only seen 1 hole in one. Still waiting for mine. Been oh-so-close, including this year at the end of May (landed 1 foot past the hole, spun back a touch, stopped literally one ball length from the edge of the cup).