The Golf Thread 2009

[mattchuck2]

The word is spelled "bogey" . . . Boogie sounds like you were picking your nose a lot during the round . .

;-)

 

[riverc0il]

The word is spelled "bogey" . . . Boogie sounds like you were picking your nose a lot during the round . .

;-)

Oops, heh! :lol:

Maybe I spell it that way because I love the nightlife....

:blink:

 

[Trekchick]

Unbelievably great day on the golf course today. Just Wow! Scraped a bunch of plans and ended up at the neighboring White Mountain Country Club, a course for which I don't really care much. But I wanted to stay local and could do 18 with a cart for $30, so game on (I think this was only my second time paying for a cart since I started playing).

Shot a 52 on the front. 52! Gah!!! So close to breaking 50 on the front. I could taste it! But on hole nine, I put a ball in the water and then missed a putt. I played solid double boogie golf with one boogie, one par, but an unfortunate snowman on a par 5 due to screwing up two approach shots. I had this one, I really did. I felt great even after screwing up because I knew I had it, I knew I could do it.

Shot 57 on the back and started out hot with three boogies in a row!! Then a snowman on a blow up hole and later an ugly nine plus a triple boogie on a par 4. If it had just been one or two holes, I had a chance for breaking 50 on the back nine as well.

So a total of 109 which is my lowest 18 hole score to date (not that I usually play 18 ). Bear in my that I played with my longest club being a 7 iron (165 yards on that club). I need to replace my broken 6 Iron and pick up a 5 iron. I have a 5H but it has long since failed me. Maybe some range time, perhaps. My short game totally did me in. My average putts was about 2 (no big deal) but I screwed up so many approach shots, it was laughable.

A year and a half after taking up this game, I feel like I can finally play at a competent level. Sure, I only hit 165 off the tee, but that means I can still get the ball to the green in regulation for par fours that are 330-350 or less depending on size of the green. And for 500 yard par 5s, I can make GIR. I am getting much better at breaking the course into small digestible chunks instead of looking at the pin from the tee and thinking "I can't possibly make boogie, let alone par, without a longer drive from the tee." Instead I think "if I hit my 7I well, I can make at least boogie and have a chance to make a GIR. Great feeling!

This is the epitome of my golf experience.
This will be my 4th full season golfing, and though I'm improving when I take the time to get out and play, I tend to claim personal victories for the parts of the game that come together, because it seems that I rarely have all of the parts of the game come together.
When my putting is on, my chipping sucks, when my drives are awesome, my putting sucks....ya know.
But, I've been hitting just under 120 consistently this summer, which is better than the just over 120 last year.
I figure I'll be playing a respectable game in about 4 more years. :lol:

 

[mattchuck2]

I haven't really contributed to this thread at all over the summer, but since this is my last week of Golf (before I go full on into skiing mode), I guess I'll chime in. I played all year in a golf league where we play 9 holes every Monday night. I consistently shot 41-44 for the nine with 19-22 putts every time. WAAAAYYY too much for 9 holes. I'm a pretty good putter on the practice green, but I get the "yips" big time during the round. It really sucks because I drive the ball well and consistently hit a lot of greens in regulation (7-8 a round). Around this time of year, my game starts to dry up. I don't know why it is, maybe I just get a little tired of playing golf. I shot a 46 on the final day of my league to lose the final match, and now I have a golf weekend up in Saranac Lake to try to right the ship. 18 holes for 3 straight days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I played on Saturday and shot an 83, so if I can do that in each round, I'll be happy.

 

[Warp Daddy]

I played on Saturday and shot an 83, so if I can do that in each round, I'll be happy.

83 is a STRONG round anywhere -- good luck in SL should be fun there this time of the season >What course (s) ru you playing there ? I've played several courses in that area and LP and really enjoy playing some of the "old time" Adirondack courses

 

[mattchuck2]

Saranac Inn on Friday and Saturday. Whiteface on Sunday.

Saranac Inn plays to my strength because I'm pretty long (haha), but Whiteface might be rough because it's so skinny and the greens are so small.

 

[campgottagopee]

Saranac Inn on Friday and Saturday. Whiteface on Sunday.

Saranac Inn plays to my strength because I'm pretty long (haha), but Whiteface might be rough because it's so skinny and the greens are so small.

Enjoy!!!! Early fall golf is the best!!!! I've never played either of those courses but I'm sure they're great.

PS---83 is darn good shootin'....lemme guess, under 30 putts???

 

[mattchuck2]

Enjoy!!!! Early fall golf is the best!!!! I've never played either of those courses but I'm sure they're great.

PS---83 is darn good shootin'....lemme guess, under 30 putts???

Haha, if I ever got under 30 putts, I'd be loving life. It was like 38 putts.

 

[riverc0il]

Scramble today at Lake Sunapee Country Club. They let the riff raff onto this private course designed by Donald Ross for a good cause. I played very well today with some incredible shots. My iron play was excellent with exception of shorter pitches. Lack of yardage markers made things difficult in that regard, especially on a course I have only played once before.

I won the 50/50 putting contest which was held on the practice green with a ~40ish foot putt with a severe left to right break. My second shot went in for a cool $280, very nice.

The day started off great when I saved par on a par 4 hole by sinking a chip in from off the green. About 50 or so yards on the chip and it went in! Incredible!!!

My iron play was generally long and straight and felt really good. Putting was less than reliable, ironically I can only sink 40 footers!

Great group. Funny being told that they were counting on me as the best player on the team, LOL. Teeing off with and only having a 7I as my longest club is hardly helpful. But I was playing with three ladies so those forward tees helped for the drive off the tee and I generally took care of the rest.

Awesome week of golf between posting my best score on Sunday, great play during today's scramble, and nailing both the long chip on the first hole today and winning the putting contest. I feel like a completely different golfer and I feel like I could play with anyone and have some pride doing it even without a driver.

 

[Puck it]

83 is a STRONG round anywhere -- good luck in SL should be fun there this time of the season >What course (s) ru you playing there ? I've played several courses in that area and LP and really enjoy playing some of the "old time" Adirondack courses

Played in the North Country over Labor Weekend. I shot a 79 at Waddington and a 85 Partridge Run. I should have been 6 under for the first nine but the putting was not there due to playing Waddington. It was great time. I love the North Country. Differtnent way of life. Wish we could find jobs up there.

 

[drjeff]

Looking forward to adding to this thread again this evening - far too many things going on the last couple of weeks to even give me a chance to think about swinging the sticks and hitting the ball. A couple of hours from now that changes!

A big "No Comment" on my round yesterday My business partner and I took the owner of a local restaurant that we goto for lunch almost daily out to the course we belong to for his 1st round at the course. While I enjoy this guys conversation while I'm in his restaurant, he absolutely drove me crazy on the course and if I had a roll of duct tape in my bag I would have used it to quiet him down!

 

[jaywbigred]

Man, I didn't know this thread existed. Should poke around AZ more in the summer.

Anyone ever played the Stratton, Mount Snow or Haystack golf courses?

Would I enjoy them? Golfing profile: 11.8 index, streaky player, I am as likely to shoot 97 as I am to shoot 77. Broke 80 for the first time last year (3 times actually), but lowest score this year is 80 itself. I hit the ball a ton off the tee ("Do you take steroids" is a common comment because I'm not that tall), but its a problem for me more than its a weapon bc when I lose the driver (always left), my whole game goes. I tend to play well on long, tough, wide-open courses, and have difficulty on shorter, tighter courses, or any course that repeatedly calls for a fade. My putting is a strength, I average a little bit more than 30 putts a round (30.8 last year).

Thanks folks--going to be up in the Mt Snow area this fall and would love to get some golf in...

 

[drjeff]

Man, I didn't know this thread existed. Should poke around AZ more in the summer.

Anyone ever played the Stratton, Mount Snow or Haystack golf courses?

...

Yes, Yes, and Yes!

Here's my take on the 3.

First off, all 3 are well maintained mountain courses with great views, and I enjoy all 3!

Stratton. 27 Holes in what last summer which was the last time I played it, was a very interesting tee time policy. Basically full members were given access exclusively to 1 of the 9's and basically every 2 hours that 9 changed (as did the "non member's 9's). Most of the time it would be fine, except that I was 1st out that AM as a twosome and after finishing our 1st 9 in an hour and 15 minutes we had to wait 45 minutes to go out on our 2nd nine (which was the "members 9" for the 1st 2 hours that AM) even though no members teed off on it during that 45 minutes The course though is very nice, reasonable in length and variety with the layout having you play more downhill from tee to green and more of the uphills occurring between the greens and the next tee.

Mount Snow. Very similar feel to Stratton (same course architect, Geoffrey Cornish). The front nine has more elevation changes than the back nine - basicallly the 1st couple holes of the front 9 plays downhill and then its plays back up the rest of the way to the turn and the back 9 is generally flatter. The back 9 is also quite scoreable if your hitting it well and makes it lots of fun!

Haystack. Ever so slightly my favorite of the 3. A bit shorter and definately tighter than Stratton and Mount Snow. I just enjoy the layout and for some reason everytime I tee it up there I play well (probably why I like it slightly more than the other 2 ) The majority of the elevation gain/loss also occurs on 5 or 6 holes with the remainder playing suprisingly flat for a "mountain course"

Jay, one thing not to fall Mount Snow area deceptive golf tease victim too, is The Sitzmark (the course where you see 2 holes off to the right of Route 100 maybe a mile North of the turnoff for Haystack) While to 2 holes you see from Rte 100 look like okay par 4's, the other 16 that are behind the treeline and across the river are SHORT (75-150ish yard) par 3's. On the positive, they've got a fun outdoor bar there

Enjoy using the clubs in the MS area

 

[drjeff]

Played in a charity scramble today benefitting the local community college. Nice to see a full 36 team field today for the 1st time this year in the 6 or 7 scarmbles I've played in. The tourney was held at the course I belong to, which makes it even more fun for me, getting to play off shorter tee boxes than I usually play from and playing a scramble. We ended up -9, which placed us in 13th place out of the 36 teams (winners were -14 done by a match of cards for the 3 groups that shot that). Overall given the group we had today, we played quite well, and left maybe 2 shots atmost on the course. The 9 birdies we had were all of reasonable length (tap in's to atmost 20 feet) and we never once had to really grind out a par on a hole. A good day on the course with 3 good friends for a good cause!

Just packed the clubs up in the travel bag. Next golf TR will be in a few days from the Princeville Course on Kauai, HI

 

[ChileMass]

Got in 18 at a course just outside Napa CA on Friday 9/25 - Paradise Valley Golf Course in Fairfield. Nice enough course with some decent challenges. Lots of sand which I avoided except once. Shot a wonderful 50-40. Opened with 2 snowmen and a hockeystick on the front, closed with 2 birdies and 3 pars on the back - my usual steady game. Hit my irons better than any round this year, so had some nice short putts to look at.

It was damn hot, too. About 97*F with crazy low humidity. All us Easterners got scorched.

Probably playing The Bridges course in San Ramon on Saturday - that's a gorgeous and difficult track. Played it last spring and got my butt kicked.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Played in the North Country over Labor Weekend. I shot a 79 at Waddington and a 85 Partridge Run. I should have been 6 under for the first nine but the putting was not there due to playing Waddington. It was great time. I love the North Country. Differtnent way of life. Wish we could find jobs up there.

Hey just saw this tonite . THOSE WERE REALLY GREAT SCORES FOR THOSE COURSES .I shoot Waddington in the low 80's had several 81's there . Believe it or not have never played Partridge but several ski buds belong to it . Glad u enjoyed your stay in God's Country ,

UR on target life up here is very laid back !!! We came up here right out of college in 1965 to join SUNY faculty . I thought i'd be here 3 yrs and here we are !!!!!!!!!!!! With the 4 colleges it's a Great place to raise a family if u like the outdoors and a simple life

 

[drjeff]

Played the Prince Course on Kauai 2 of the last 3 days. The #1 rated course on Kauai and a Robert Trent Jones design that is both visually spectactular and atleast with the wind conditions I had both days a real beast of a course!!

Played from the 2nd from the back set of tees which measured out at just over 6900 yards. I played pretty well both days, at worst I'd say that I had my B+ game going 95% of the time. Shot 88-87 with 7 lost balls the 1st day and 8 the 2nd day Both days from about hole 4 on we had to deal with a solid 20mph+ trade wind that the way the course was routed up and down and around a slew of cliffs, ravines and canyons basically never had you hitting either dead into the wind or dead downwind, but always dealing with a crossing wind Into the wind, figure add atleast 3, more often 4 or 5 clubs to get there, then you needed to figure between 20 to maybe 75 yards of lateral movement of the ball because of the wind too. A real mental test to say the least! I think one of the guys I played with on Tuesday summed it up as we were heading up 18 "I'm not usually this drained when I walk 18 holes!" You just had to really grind out each shot and really, really concentrate on making solid contact every shot, and considering that once you got off the tee box you had very few level lies, that made the task even for daunting!

I'll upload some pic in a day or so when I get to a place where the signal on my verizon wireless card is a bit stronger!

 

[drjeff]

Played the Prince Course on Kauai 2 of the last 3 days. The #1 rated course on Kauai and a Robert Trent Jones design that is both visually spectactular and atleast with the wind conditions I had both days a real beast of a course!!

Played from the 2nd from the back set of tees which measured out at just over 6900 yards. I played pretty well both days, at worst I'd say that I had my B+ game going 95% of the time. Shot 88-87 with 7 lost balls the 1st day and 8 the 2nd day Both days from about hole 4 on we had to deal with a solid 20mph+ trade wind that the way the course was routed up and down and around a slew of cliffs, ravines and canyons basically never had you hitting either dead into the wind or dead downwind, but always dealing with a crossing wind Into the wind, figure add atleast 3, more often 4 or 5 clubs to get there, then you needed to figure between 20 to maybe 75 yards of lateral movement of the ball because of the wind too. A real mental test to say the least! I think one of the guys I played with on Tuesday summed it up as we were heading up 18 "I'm not usually this drained when I walk 18 holes!" You just had to really grind out each shot and really, really concentrate on making solid contact every shot, and considering that once you got off the tee box you had very few level lies, that made the task even for daunting!

I'll upload some pic in a day or so when I get to a place where the signal on my verizon wireless card is a bit stronger!

Photo Time

#6 Looking back at the tee and the mountains of Eastern Kauai

#6 Green

#7 205 yards ALL CARRY into the wind!

#7 Green from the 8th tee

 

[midd]

Nice pics.

heading to maui for the honeymoon next month, have a date with the plantation course. can't wait.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Great scores on some really difficult courses there doc -- way to go