The Golf Thread

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I went out a noon to practice and found that standing closer to the ball helped. The club came into the ball with a more descending stroke and I made better contact. I will try keeping the feet together when I go out.

I had gone from playing well, for me, to spraying the ball all over the place. Yesterday I focused on standing closer to the ball and keeping my hands close to my body and was hitting the ball better than I had been when I thought I was playing well in March/April. Now if I could just putt!

46-49-44 yesterday.

[clackamascoug]

Damn... I was summoned but on the road to Florence yesterday.

Regarding the club. If one is good, thirteen should be better. I'm on the fence about stuff like that club. If it worked, I'd be the first to talk about it with everybody. (remember the Gamer Ball anyone?) But the problem is that it's a gimmick tool whose best design feature is to take money out of your pocket. At the end of the day the best way not to shank is to swing properly from the get go, not buying clubs to make a bad swing work.

[Donuthole]

As for my round, it was awful. I shot a 93 and I have nothing to blame but myself. I started the round by putting the ball into the lake off the first tee and scored an 8. I only hit one green in regulation. That's right, I missed the green on 3 of 4 par threes. And my putting? Let's just say that Saint Andrew would reject my request for advocacy.

Still, it was better than staying home and watching tv.

I sympathize; I have had way too many of that kind of day on the course lately, it seems.

I had gone from playing well, for me, to spraying the ball all over the place. Yesterday I focused on standing closer to the ball and keeping my hands close to my body and was hitting the ball better than I had been when I thought I was playing well in March/April. Now if I could just putt!

46-49-44 yesterday.

That's the most frustrating thing about golf to me--you learn something, utilize it, and think "I'll never forget this--how did I ever golf without this before." And then you don't golf for a week and you forget it.

Case in point, a couple months back I was gearing up for a big round of golf with an eye doc from the ghettos of El Pasco. The Saturday before my round, I go out and figure out two things that are causing me to push the ball off the tee: 1) I'm bringing the club back way too far inside on my takeaway, and 2) my wrists are open at the top of my backswing, causing me to have to hurry to close the gate at the bottom of my downswing. I correct these by hitting three buckets of balls and focusing only on these issues. By the end of the day, I'm effortlessly hitting nice, straight shots. I commit these tips to memory and create a routine for remembering them before each shot. I went back the next Tuesday and practiced them again for about an hour. That Friday I shot an 84--not a bad round. I putted pretty poorly (with the exception of one "better than most" double breaker downhill bomb from about 70 feet). But I drove the ball really well and kept it in play all day. Range sessions paying off.

A month later I am in the middle of an awful round wondering why I am spraying my driver all over the place. Lo and behold, I've abandoned the tips and routine that helps me remember to take the club back outside and close my wrists. How could I forget this?! Unpossible!

(remember the Gamer Ball anyone?)

I've tried to forget it, but I can't.

[clackamascoug]

I had gone from playing well, for me, to spraying the ball all over the place. Yesterday I focused on standing closer to the ball and keeping my hands close to my body and was hitting the ball better than I had been when I thought I was playing well in March/April. Now if I could just putt!

46-49-44 yesterday.

27 holes on a Tuesday? Around here we call that tall horse golf.

To improve your putting, you need to hit the ball closer to the hole on your first putt, and hit it harder on your second putt to take the break out. If you follow these instructions, you will shave 3 strokes off your score.

[RC Vikings]

I sympathize; I have had way too many of that kind of day on the course lately, it seems.


That's the most frustrating thing about golf to me--you learn something, utilize it, and think "I'll never forget this--how did I ever golf without this before." And then you don't golf for a week and you forget it.

Case in point, a couple months back I was gearing up for a big round of golf with an eye doc from the ghettos of El Pasco. The Saturday before my round, I go out and figure out two things that are causing me to push the ball off the tee: 1) I'm bringing the club back way too far inside on my takeaway, and 2) my wrists are open at the top of my backswing, causing me to have to hurry to close the gate at the bottom of my downswing. I correct these by hitting three buckets of balls and focusing only on these issues. By the end of the day, I'm effortlessly hitting nice, straight shots. I commit these tips to memory and create a routine for remembering them before each shot. I went back the next Tuesday and practiced them again for about an hour. That Friday I shot an 84--not a bad round. I putted pretty poorly (with the exception of one "better than most" double breaker downhill bomb from about 70 feet). But I drove the ball really well and kept it in play all day. Range sessions paying off.

A month later I am in the middle of an awful round wondering why I am spraying my driver all over the place. Lo and behold, I've abandoned the tips and routine that helps me remember to take the club back outside and close my wrists. How could I forget this?! Unpossible!


I've tried to forget it, but I can't.

I've thought about putting a little note pad on my bag and writing down what is working so I can review it the next time before I play.

[clackamascoug]

I sympathize; I have had way too many of that kind of day on the course lately, it seems.


I've tried to forget it, but I can't.

I look forward to the day when our paths finally cross, and we tee it up together. Me, twenty years older, playing an old used Gamer, and beating you by 5 shots. Pegs-Shocks-Lucky will be your reply. My reply will be "Pro Bono for the lesson."

[Y84it]

I have got this disease. Even though I stink and the signs of me getting better are not that great I cannot stop thinking of playing this game. I want to play everyday. When I am not playing I am looking at videos of how to improve. When I am at home I am in the back swinging a club or chipping in a bucket. <<<missing the bucket. Yet I am still a 23+ handicap. Why???? Someone explain.

[il Padrino Ute]

I have got this disease. Even though I stink and the signs of me getting better are not that great I cannot stop thinking of playing this game. I want to play everyday. When I am not playing I am looking at videos of how to improve. When I am at home I am in the back swinging a club or chipping in a bucket. <<<missing the bucket. Yet I am still a 23+ handicap. Why???? Someone explain.

The only way to lower your score is to play more rounds, hit more buckets at the range, chip and putt more at the range. In other words, ignore daily responsibilities.

Yep, golf is a bitch.

[Katy Lied]

I never miss the Feherty show. I like his dry, self deprecating humor. His interview with Billy Casper was amazing, I never knew that Billy had won so many majors. Also, Feherty deliberately bombed that sing along with the MoTab, I know he used to be an opera singer.

Anyway, I've been looking forward to the Rocco Mediate interview, because both guys are funny and gregarious. Can't miss, right? Wrong. The interview was depressing and Rocco seemed kind of angry, and that story about Tiger Woods stiffing Rocco for an autograph at the US Open at Torrey Pines just made me sad. That Tiger Woods can be a mean S-O-B.

[byu71]

I never miss the Feherty show. I like his dry, self deprecating humor. His interview with Billy Casper was amazing, I never knew that Billy had won so many majors. Also, Feherty deliberately bombed that sing along with the MoTab, I know he used to be an opera singer.

Anyway, I've been looking forward to the Rocco Mediate interview, because both guys are funny and gregarious. Can't miss, right? Wrong. The interview was depressing and Rocco seemed kind of angry, and that story about Tiger Woods stiffing Rocco for an autograph at the US Open at Torrey Pines just made me sad. That Tiger Woods can be a mean S-O-B.

I am only commenting because I always find it interesting how people react differently to things. For instance you are one of the ones on here I feel I rarely have a big disagreement with. Yet, I really liked the Rocco interview and back and forth with Feherty.

To me Rocco came across fine with getting the Tiger diss. I hear Hogan was even worse with his peers. I am the only person I have talked to who was sad a ballbaby like Sergio didn't kick Tiger's ass.

[RC Vikings]

I have got this disease. Even though I stink and the signs of me getting better are not that great I cannot stop thinking of playing this game. I want to play everyday. When I am not playing I am looking at videos of how to improve. When I am at home I am in the back swinging a club or chipping in a bucket. <<<missing the bucket. Yet I am still a 23+ handicap. Why???? Someone explain.

Their are a few guys I've seen who pick up golf later in life and turn out to be good players but it's rare. Get your kids golfing, someday they will thank you.

[clackamascoug]

I have got this disease. Even though I stink and the signs of me getting better are not that great I cannot stop thinking of playing this game. I want to play everyday. When I am not playing I am looking at videos of how to improve. When I am at home I am in the back swinging a club or chipping in a bucket. <<<missing the bucket. Yet I am still a 23+ handicap. Why???? Someone explain.

Old Tom Morris was a fraud. Young Tom Morris rode on his fathers fraud ridden coat tails. The whole Francis Ouimet story never happened. There's proof that Bobby Jones faked his injuries. Byron Nelson won 11 tournaments in a row because all the real golfers were fighting the war. Ben Hogan was a saint and loved everyone he met. Arnold Palmer had so many affairs that Winnie had to go on the road with him to keep his neck from twisting every time he saw a woman. Jack Nicklaus loved his wife and 6 kids so much, that he forgot to talk to the other tour members. I could go on.

How can golf be such a great game and have it's hooks in you when the best players of the past all had so many flaws? Why? Because there is so much truth in Golf that it stands up for itself when you apply the principles of the swing to a round of golf. You don't get good at golf overnight, it takes years of practice, humility, and patience. You've got to hit the range. You've got to practice putting. You need to learn the history, and nuances of the game. When you can do all of these things, and be happy with your score, you can become a Golfer, because Golf is the truest of all sports. Man against himself, in a never ending battle. While he never attains perfection within the game, he attains character traits he can be proud of, like honor, dignity, and sportsmanship. To some it's a religion. They are the ones that play for themselves, accepting the Golf gods score, and come back the next day ready to be punished again. At the end of the your life, you loved golf because you applied the principles, and the result was reward enough. Thank You God, for giving us such a great game to help us on our path to perfection.

Golf Worlds without End.

[Y84it]

Old Tom Morris was a fraud. Young Tom Morris rode on his fathers fraud ridden coat tails. The whole Francis Ouimet story never happened. There's proof that Bobby Jones faked his injuries. Byron Nelson won 11 tournaments in a row because all the real golfers were fighting the war. Ben Hogan was a saint and loved everyone he met. Arnold Palmer had so many affairs that Winnie had to go on the road with him to keep his neck twisting every time he saw a woman. Jack Nicklaus loved his wife and 6 kids so much, that he forgot to talk to the other tour members. I could go on.

How can golf be such a great game and have it's hooks in you when the best players of the past all had so many flaws? Why? Because there is so much truth in Golf that it stands up for itself when you apply the principles of the swing to a round of golf. You don't get good at golf overnight, it takes years of practice, humility, and patience. You've got to hit the range. You've got to practice putting. You need to learn the history, and nuances of the game. When you can do all of these things, and be happy with your score, you can become a Golfer, because Golf is the truest of all sports. Man against himself, in a never ending battle, while he never attains perfection. To some it's a religion. They are the ones that play for themselves, accepting the Golf gods score, and come back the next day ready to be punished again. At the end of the your life, you loved golf because you applied the principles, and the result was reward enough.

Golf Worlds without End.

Very good.

[The_Tick]

I absolutely love my new clubs.

I hit a 3 Hy 225 yards today. That used to be a 195 club.

I hit a 3W 245 on Saturday. Used to be 215.

[OhioBlue]

I haven't posted to this thread in forever. Oh yeah, that's because I only get to golf like 2-3 times per year now. And reading all your stories just makes me insanely envious.

I played this weekend though, 18 at Sleepy Ridge in Orem. Highlights included birdie on the 1st and a tap-in birdie on a par 5 on the back, and driving the par-4 11th (it was downhill and shortish). Scary drive though, I hit a draw so I had to hang it out over the water, draw it back in, hit the front of the green and rolled right on back to the back corner pin, left me about 12-15 ft for eagle.

Which of course I missed, but whatever.

And in typical fashion for me, I shot 41 on the front and 50-something on the back (didn't even score the last hole). Still, playing as infrequently as I do somehow makes it more enjoyable even when I don't score well, which for me is almost never.