The Golf Thread

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

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..

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

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

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

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..

 

[drjeff]

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.

 

[riverc0il]

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.

 

[riverc0il]

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?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

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..

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

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.

 

[riverc0il]

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.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

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.

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..

 

[riverc0il]

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.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

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.

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.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

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..

 

[Geoff]

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.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

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?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

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.

 

[Warp Daddy]

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

 

[Warp Daddy]

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

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

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??

 

[deadheadskier]

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.