Official Golf Thread

[RedScarf7]

Some people are clueless on the course. On Saturday I was on the tee box of a 346 yard par 4 while the group ahead of us had just dropped the flag and they were putting out. My friend had just finished driving within ~25 yards of the green after hitting his best drive of the day. No e-thug exaggeration, the hole was downhill which allowed the ball to run pretty good. One of the ladies in the group ahead of us proceeded to walk back into the fairway and pick up his ball after she was done putting. She started examining it, looking it over as if she had never seen a golf ball before. We were jumping and waving from the tee box trying to get her to put the ball down. She put it in her pocket, hopped in her cart and went to the next hole. We immediately got in our carts and went to the next tee box where this idiot has the audacity to deny ever seeing the ball. After we told her that we saw her pocket it she turned bright red and gave the ball back. I'm pretty sure they left the course after this as we never saw them during the remaining 7 holes. Idiot.

 

[gilwood]

Just found this thread. Avid golfer over here. I usually play with a guy in my office that plays in semi-pro tournaments and regularly shoots under par. He only took 1 lesson in his life, but practices like a fiend. When I mean practice, I don't mean the range either. Most of his practice is in sand bunkers, chipping area or putting. Endless hours there. I once went to one of his practice session and I could barely stand the mind numbingness of looking at a green for 2 full minutes before taking a putt. Chipping and sand shots from every possible lie angle. He always tells me to practice like you are on the course and play like you are at the range.

Short Game:
I've pretty much taken to the Mickelson short game which has helped me considerably. His hands forward putting style really works well. You can pick up the DVD on ebay for $12.

Long Game:
I'm pretty much a fanatic for Hogan's 5 fundamentals of modern game book. It's a complex book, but it's grip methodology cannot be beat.

My biggest challenges are getting my grip perfect on every shot & completing my backswing on nerve wracking shots. Most important advice on difficult shots: complete your backswing without picking up your head. I'm hoping to break 80 this year on my home course. Already played 20x this year and pretty much know every angle of every green by heart.

My usual golf routine is to hit 40 balls at the range, Chip/Sand 40 balls, Putt 40, then play 9 or 18 holes, then lift for an hour at the gym. Never deny strength and flexibility to your game.

 

[Dburr]

I play often with a guy who insists on playing from the tips. He is fond of saying "I want to see the whole course". He said that at Pebble and he said it at TPC Sawgrass. I played from the whites as usual and I was consitently 30-40 yards past him. I contend it was he who never saw "the whole course" since he never could reach the proper landing areas from the tips.

Ego is your enemy on the course.

 

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by Dburr

I play often with a guy who insists on playing from the tips. He is fond of saying "I want to see the whole course". He said that at Pebble and he said it at TPC Sawgrass. I played from the whites as usual and I was consitently 30-40 yards past him. I contend it was he who never saw "the whole course" since he never could reach the proper landing areas from the tips.

Ego is your enemy on the course.


Haha, the longest course I've played is in the 7200 Yard range. It sucks not being able to lay back and hit a 3 or 4 iron of the tee. If your driver isn't on that day it can make a huge difference in score. Nearly impossible to score well when you're hitting from 200 or more in the rough on a par 4. It depends on how well I hit at the range beforehand. If i'm hitting my driver and long irons well I'll play the tips. Most of my friends i play with stick to the whites which turns out to be more fun most of the time.

 

[Piobaire]

Hit the range tonight. Worked really hard at "trusting my club," as my pro would say. Completely paid no attention to any target distance. Worked like an eff'ing miracle.

 

[zalb916]

Originally Posted by archetypal_yuppie

5% of several million golfers is a lot of golfers... but I'm not pushing that issue. if you draw into a random foursome, odds are none of them will break 90 without breaking some rules.

<80: 5.0% of golfers
80-89: 19.7%

It's actually 1/4 of golfers who shot in the mythical 80s (or better). This doesn't strike me as that odd. I generally play at good courses with decent players. Most of the time I play, I play with comparable players. We all tend to shoot in the high 70s and 80s, and it never struck me as being that unusual. I don't think any of us think we are awesome golfers. We just are solid players who have played for many years.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by zbromer

<80: 5.0% of golfers
80-89: 19.7%

It's actually 1/4 of golfers who shot in the mythical 80s (or better). This doesn't strike me as that odd. I generally play at good courses with decent players. Most of the time I play, I play with comparable players. We all tend to shoot in the high 70s and 80s, and it never struck me as being that unusual. I don't think any of us think we are awesome golfers. We just are solid players who have played for many years.

I think the question this thread has raised is, what %-age of SF golfers are "embarrassed" when they shoot in the high 70s?

 

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by zbromer

<80: 5.0% of golfers
80-89: 19.7%

It's actually 1/4 of golfers who shot in the mythical 80s (or better). This doesn't strike me as that odd. I generally play at good courses with decent players. Most of the time I play, I play with comparable players. We all tend to shoot in the high 70s and 80s, and it never struck me as being that unusual. I don't think any of us think we are awesome golfers. We just are solid players who have played for many years.


I agree. I'm aware of what i can and can't do on the course. I'm also aware that i aim for the green while pros aim for about a 3 foot box on a specific section of green. No delusions that i can walk on the tour anytime soon. Q school isn't in my immediate future.

 

[zalb916]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I think the question this thread has raised is, what %-age of SF golfers are "embarrassed" when they shoot in the high 70s?

Was it?

Originally Posted by archetypal_yuppie

there are an awful lot of people that shoot in the 70's and 80's, so it's not quite like the bigtimer talk on here.

Originally Posted by bdeuce22

i still don't really understand why you guys think it's so far fetched that a dozen or so people around here can shoot consistently in the 70s or 80s.

I really didn't see any claims in this thread like you have imagined. You just went off on making fun of a handful of people who claimed to be reasonably skilled. It was a little off-putting. I think I claimed I now shoot in the 80s, but used to shoot in the 70s and occasionally break 80 now. I've played golf for decades, including competitively in college. I wasn't trying to be an internet hero, nor do I think was anyone else who claimed to be a decent player. Your schtick of making fun of us has gotten a little tiresome and has been detracting from an otherwise good discussion about golf.

 

[RedScarf7]

I went golfing with my girlfriend and a good friend of mine. She used his dads clubs, and towards the end of the round she snapped the head off of the driver. What would be standard compensation in this situation if the club cannot be repaired? The driver is an older Wilson driver, maybe 5-6 years old. Obviously we feel terrible about it, and I'm thinking a gift card to Golftown and a nice bottle of rum. Thoughts?

 

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by RedScarf7

I went golfing with my girlfriend and a good friend of mine. She used his dads clubs, and towards the end of the round she snapped the head off of the driver. What would be standard compensation in this situation if the club cannot be repaired? The driver is an older Wilson driver, maybe 5-6 years old. Obviously we feel terrible about it, and I'm thinking a gift card to Golftown and a nice bottle of rum. Thoughts?

If it's an older wilson it's probably not worth reshafting. Who knows he might be looking for a reason to justify a new club to the wifey. But i think the gift certificate would probably be a good idea

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by zbromer

I really didn't see any claims in this thread like you have imagined. You just went off on making fun of a handful of people who claimed to be reasonably skilled. It was a little off-putting. I think I claimed I now shoot in the 80s, but used to shoot in the 70s and occasionally break 80 now. I've played golf for decades, including competitively in college. I wasn't trying to be an internet hero, nor do I think was anyone else who claimed to be a decent player. Your schtick of making fun of us has gotten a little tiresome and has been detracting from an otherwise good discussion about golf.

You are mischaracterizing things, which as an attorney, I have to feel you're doing on purpose. I stated repeatedly I am more than willing to believe we have some good golfers here, more than willing to believe people get in some good drives. Here are examples of claims I am willing to believe and sound totally credible:

Originally Posted by denning

Played my first round of the year last week. Considering our golf season is from May to September and I hadn't hit a club until the night before playing I shot a respectable 85. Hoping to get into the low 70s consistently this year.

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

First round of the year. Pretty solid 83 on a very tough course. Given how little I've been playing the last few years, I'm pretty happy with that.

Originally Posted by bdeuce22

shot a 79 today. first time breaking 80 in a long effing time.

Originally Posted by archetypal_yuppie

My actual driving distance is probably:
25%: 200 - 250 yds (I have a very low ball flight, so the rough can screw me)
50%: 250 - 280 yds
25%: 280+ (A perfect drive on a flat hole with no wind will put me out there around 320 if I'm lucky)

Yet a lot of those people that I play with (that end up 30 - 50 yds behind me) think their average drive is 250 and think they can hit it 300 on a good swing. People greatly inflate their distances in their minds.

I really like this post as Yuppie says he's played pro but does not claim to hit the vast majority of his drives outlandish distances. It's very believeable.

Here is questionable:

Originally Posted by imschatz

Had a drive last week that was close to 340 off a slightly elevated tee.

Here is hard to believe:

Originally Posted by imschatz

. Plus .. I don't think I've ever hit my driver at a driving range, and can consistently drive the ball 290+. I have a good driver, play good balls, and have the mechanics for a good drive. So, just because someone can hit the ball 280 .. doesn't mean they practice that.

Originally Posted by blofeld

like for instance, this past saturday, I hit 10 of the 12 fairways

Originally Posted by imschatz

I can hit a driver consistently 290+, with 1-2 drives a round north of 310. My home course has two holes, both par 4's in and around the 315 mark depending on where the tee is, and consistently drive the green on both as long as the wind isn't directly in my face.

This was just a fast scan of part of the thread. So to re-state, I am not mocking everyone. If the shoe fits, wear it. I am more than willing to believe we have good golfers here and have said so repeatedly. I also think some epeen has gotten into the thread and said so. If you want to call me out on calling out epeen, please also acknowledge that I do not think everyone is doing this nor do I doubt we have some really good golfers here. As my quoting of PGA stats, etc. shows, I'm just not willing to believe people in this thread are better than PGA pros.

I have benefitted from this thread as some posters are obviously knowledgeable and giving good advice. I don't think I'm the only one to have gained at least a little knowledge and hope the thread continues. I don't think people benefit from advice like, "just eliminate double bogeys" or "don't put your ball in a bad spot." If it will help, I will ignore things like this, so the thread can continue and good posts will be made.

 

[zalb916]

All four examples you give have nothing to do with scoring, which was the only thing I pointed out that you have been harping on. That's your mischaracterization of me, not mine of you.

Moreover, three of the four examples you just provided are from the same person. Why characterize a larger group of us when it was really just one person who seemed to be making outlandish claims? Even blofeld's comment was not that ridiculous if you don't take his statement out of context. He said that he wasn't using a driver. If I didn't use a driver off the tee, I could probably hit 10 of 12 fairways too.

Having read this thread, it seems like maybe one person was making over the top claims about his driving ability, but you've made about a half dozen posts making fun of people's outrageous claims. It got old.

 

[zalb916]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I'm sure he'd have a better score if his 14" schlong didn't get in the way of him driving his super model gf to the golf course in their Lambo.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I am doing the Netwebz wrong. I forgot I shoot under 80 and drive the ball 300+ yards on the Interwebz.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Not in the least. Just amazed by how many people here drive like the pros and score like the guys on the Champion's Tour. I understand, our case mix here leans towards "awesome," and don't let skepticism soften advice you give, like eliminating double bogeys to lower your score.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

No, I agree. Like I said, I forgot our sample universe skews towards "awesome." I'm going to retire to a part time position so I can practice my golf more. I'm not sure I'll get by on my 250k part time salary, but you have to sacrifice to improve.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Again, I forgot how we skew towards "awesome" in our sample pool here. Most people here apparently break 80 on a regular basis. I am not surprised in the least. I completely understand that the strategy of "not putting yourself in bad spots" is all that stands in the way of anyone just being a few strokes over par.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I could see some folks here being good golfers, being in the 80 on a regular basis, and occasionally getting in some good drives. But you don't get that people might look askance at the claim of say, embarrassing one's self by not breaking 80? Or these obviously bullshit claims about driving distances?

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Like I keep saying, I realize my mistake. I forgot the sample universe here skews to "awesome." I have not a single doubt that a number of people here have better driver averages than the #1 guy on the PGA Tour.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Like I said though, I understand we skew towards "awesome" and I want you to know I'm going to half time work, as I can squeeze by on 250k, and improve my game by eliminating double bogeys.

Glad to see epeens get larger every year.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I think the question this thread has raised is, what %-age of SF golfers are "embarrassed" when they shoot in the high 70s?
That's not even all of it. It's a lot of harping when one or two posters made a few silly claims. Now, I'll stop and let you guys get back to your golf discussion.

 

[Piobaire]

Zbromer, if my comments are getting old, there are two obvious solutions. Place me on ignore or don't read the thread. Further, I am not the only one to make comments about possible writer's embellishments, in this thread. I also did not re-read the entire thread, I just quickly scanned part of it: my above quotes should not be mistaken nor characterized as a possible exhaustive list. I am confused why you would treat it as such when I clearly characterize it as "a quick scan." I also provided examples of quotes that indicate uber levels of golf talent being implied, such as, "just eliminate double bogeys." This is totally in line with, "Why can't you afford that car? Just earn 300k a year," a comment which would get called out.

In my last post I told you I was willing to ignore posts I felt were epeen in order to facilitate the thread. Is this not good enough? Must you reach resolution in some other fashion?

Edit: ah, I see your post while I was writing this. My last question is answered.