The Golf Thread

[Donuthole]

Someone mentioned that a good part of the enjoyment playing golf is playing with good friends. I agree, but I also love the opportunity to meet other people when playing by myself.

I got the chance yesterday to play Bountiful Ridge with a truckdriver from Chicago named Amos. He is a black man with a wife and 3 kids, and he brings his clubs with him where ever he goes. Whenever he as a layover (or whatever truckers call them when they have to wait in a town for some reason) he finds a course to play.

He and I played as a twosome on what turned out to be a great afternoon weather-wise. He was impressed with the course, and commented on the scenery on nearly every hole.

On the back nine, we ran into quite a few deer, as is common at BR. This really amazed him. As you cross the road from 12 to 13, there were 4 deer just of the cart path, and one of them seemed to be following us. When we got to the other side, the deer was acting funny, and started coming towards us. It turns out he was just trying to "get to the other side", but in doing so he had to run within feet of us. I was able to pull out the blackberry and grab a picture, then email it to him. Hopefully he'll have a positive memory and story to tell his kids about the time he had to spend in Utah one Memorial day weekend, while he was missing his oldest boy's baseball game.

The great thing was that despite him and I having nothing much in common except for loving golf, we became pretty good acquaintances, and even exchanged numbers so that if he passes through again we can hopefully play another round. Despite our differences and how miserable we played (high 90's), it was one of the more enjoyable rounds I've had in a while. Here is a link to the picture of the deer.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

Very cool. I love meeting new people when I golf. Sometimes I get paired up with someone who is a grump or who isn't interested at all in conversation, but more often than not, I come away from the round having made a new friend.

On a semi-related note, I love Bountiful Ridge. I think it's the best course in Bountiful (better than Eagle whatever, contrary to what most say), and I even like it better than Valley View (though I know for most Davis Co. golfers that's heresy to say). I've only had one eagle in my career, but my nearest miss came on 18 at BR. I crushed my drive (with some help from the wind) and only had a 7-iron into the green. I hit a perfect 7. Too perfect, as it hit the flag and caromed about 20 feet away. When I got up to the ball, i found my ballmark was only about 2 inches from the cup-- I came 2 inches from an albatross. I two-putted for birdie, but couldn't help but think what might have been.

[il Padrino Ute]

Very cool. I love meeting new people when I golf. Sometimes I get paired up with someone who is a grump or who isn't interested at all in conversation, but more often than not, I come away from the round having made a new friend.

On a semi-related note, I love Bountiful Ridge. I think it's the best course in Bountiful (better than Eagle whatever, contrary to what most say), and I even like it better than Valley View (though I know for most Davis Co. golfers that's heresy to say). I've only had one eagle in my career, but my nearest miss came on 18 at BR. I crushed my drive (with some help from the wind) and only had a 7-iron into the green. I hit a perfect 7. Too perfect, as it hit the flag and caromed about 20 feet away. When I got up to the ball, i found my ballmark was only about 2 inches from the cup-- I came 2 inches from an albatross. I two-putted for birdie, but couldn't help but think what might have been.

Like you and renrut, I enjoy meeting people when I golf. I can't say that I've ever played with someone who wasn't likable - perhaps I've been fortunate in that regard.

I once played Wasatch Mountain with a gentleman from Boston who was in Park City while his wife was at some sort of conference. He and I got along well mostly because of our common dislike for the Yankees, but also because it turned out that he worked for a casket company from which we at the mortuary bought products. He was one of the chief officers for this company and at the end of the round, he took my contact info as he had offered me the first shot at a job for a regional manager when it came open within the next year or so - one that I ended up turning down, as my wife didn't want to make a major move so soon after giving birth to our oldest child. He had no problem with it and joked that it would be tough to leave the golf courses in Utah, which he had learned to love. I golfed with him several times over the years when he would come out to play, up until he passed away about 10 years ago.

As for Valley View, I've never been a Davis Co. resident, so I don't feel bad when I say that Bountiful Ridge kicks VV's hind end.

[falafel]

I haven't golfed with strangers much, but the few times I have I've had bad luck (wow- three variations of the word "have"!). The worst was when a friend and I were playing River Bend in Riverton/S. Jordan. They stuck us with a 3rd, a 50-ish guy who was traveling through the area and, like chrisenrut's friend, kept his clubs for whenever he had a few hours to golf. Right from the get go the guy was a total douche. He asked me who I worked for and when I told him, his response was "Oh, you work for the cocksuckers, eh?"

Around the 5th hole, he decided we should join with the 2-some behind us, making a 5-some. The 2some was a 40-ish guy and his wife. This guy was very good (much better than my friend and I) and he spent the entire round getting agitated at his wife when she mis-hit the ball or made some other mistake. Meanwhile, the first jerk was flirting like crazy with the new guy's wife. The three of them seemed like they were destined to leave the golf course and go straight back to someone's house for a different kind of 3-some.

On about the 15th hole, I hit a decent drive, which is not saying much for me. The really good guy was playing from the furthest tees and was bombing it all day. We all went down to the fair way (this was an elevated tee box) and I saw two balls in the fairway - mine and the long driver. His ball was about 30 yards in front of mine, naturally. I went up and hit my second shot and he watched. Then he went to hit his, but couldn't find it. He was looking all over. I pointed to his ball, which was easy to see, but he said that wasn't his ball. It was some crap ball, and he ONLY plays Pro V1s. I looked at the ball, and it turned out it was my ball, some crap ball I had found and played. Then I realized that I had hit his ball, and I became very embarrassed and apologized. This dude went ballistic and cussed me out like crazy. I thought, you didn't seem to think there was any chance that I was hitting your ball before when it was 30 yards behind.

After that I couldn't take it anymore and told them all to play ahead. They ruined my whole round. I suppose I may have ruined his round too, but I think he was being a little uptight.

[Babs]

(wow- three variations of the word "have"!)

lol. You are such a dork.

[Donuthole]

lol. You are such a dork.

A dork who can't count to four, no less.

[Sizzle]

Very cool. I love meeting new people when I golf. Sometimes I get paired up with someone who is a grump or who isn't interested at all in conversation, but more often than not, I come away from the round having made a new friend.

On a semi-related note, I love Bountiful Ridge. I think it's the best course in Bountiful (better than Eagle whatever, contrary to what most say), and I even like it better than Valley View (though I know for most Davis Co. golfers that's heresy to say). I've only had one eagle in my career, but my nearest miss came on 18 at BR. I crushed my drive (with some help from the wind) and only had a 7-iron into the green. I hit a perfect 7. Too perfect, as it hit the flag and caromed about 20 feet away. When I got up to the ball, i found my ballmark was only about 2 inches from the cup-- I came 2 inches from an albatross. I two-putted for birdie, but couldn't help but think what might have been.

Both courses are excellent. I'm a huge Valley View fan, but Bountiful Ridge very may well be the better course. In my eyes, it's a win win situation.

[falafel]

A dork who can't count to four, no less.

Well, I was more concerned about the three in such close proximity.

Either way, you exposed your own dorkiness with your comments, and for that I thank you.

[cougjunkie]

So I plan on playing tomorrow morning, I have a friend I play with every Thursday that comes from Tooele so we meet somewhere in Salt Lake County. I want to play a new course, I have played Glendale, Murray Parkway, River Oaks, River Bend, and South Mountain. Any others you guys have played that are recommended?

[Donuthole]

So I plan on playing tomorrow morning, I have a friend I play with every Thursday that comes from Tooele so we meet somewhere in Salt Lake County. I want to play a new course, I have played Glendale, Murray Parkway, River Oaks, River Bend, and South Mountain. Any others you guys have played that are recommended?

Old Mill is a fun course. It's nice and mature. I played Stonebridge a couple times, and it wasn't bad. Sort of links style, but it had 27 holes, so it was pretty wide open.

[Pheidippides]

I can finally participate in this thread! After 3 years of not even picking up a club (not that my clubs are worth picking up), I played 9 holes at a company event last Friday. Shockingly, I didn't do poorly, either - I missed two birdie putts. Any day I even have two birdie putts to miss is a great day.

I'm also playing at what I consider my "home" course in two weeks. The bro and I are hitting Soldier Hollow while I'm in Utah. Home of my lowest ever score without cheating or mulligans, home of my sanity while I was taking the bar.

[Surfah]

I can finally participate in this thread! After 3 years of not even picking up a club (not that my clubs are worth picking up), I played 9 holes at a company event last Friday. Shockingly, I didn't do poorly, either - I missed two birdie putts. Any day I even have two birdie putts to miss is a great day.

I'm also playing at what I consider my "home" course in two weeks. The bro and I are hitting Soldier Hollow while I'm in Utah. Home of my lowest ever score without cheating or mulligans, home of my sanity while I was taking the bar.

Which course you playing? I love Soldier Hollow. I like the Silver Course quite a bit.

[Donuthole]

I'll be in Davis County on June 12, and I plan on golfing that morning (probably at a course between Layton and Farmington). If CUFfers are interested, let me know.

[RC Vikings]

I finally got it figured out last night.

[Surfah]

I finally got it figured out last night.

What have you been working on?

Anybody watch the Titelist Academy Golf Fitness show on the Golf Channel? They had a great one the other night that I have been watching over and over about wrist release. I have been working hard this past week at trying to keep my right wrist cocked through the downswing and turning my hands over at impact. They had some great drills.

[cougjunkie]

What have you been working on?

Anybody watch the Titelist Academy Golf Fitness show on the Golf Channel? They had a great one the other night that I have been watching over and over about wrist release. I have been working hard this past week at trying to keep my right wrist cocked through the downswing and turning my hands over at impact. They had some great drills.

That is my biggest problem with both golf and softball. I do not turn my hands over (roll my wrist) consistently enough. You lose a ton of power when you do not do that.

I always watch Michael Breed and the Golf Fix, he said the biggest mistake amateur golfers make is that their hands are not in front of the ball at impact, instead they try to scoop the ball. I find my self scooping a ton with my shorter irons. 7,8,9, PW. My long irons I am fine, but that is why I have a big gap between my 7 and my 6 iron. I hit my 6 about 195-200, my 7 I only hit about 160-165.

Big hole in my game.