Official Golf Thread

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Click to expand...

Well, the ranger finder has slope built in, so you get the corrected distance.

I don't know. Do you folks just grab a club at random or have you mentally dialed in approximate yardages for yourself? Yes, I'm brand new and will be full of changes to my game, this just seemed a pretty intelligent way to get a guesstimate of which club to pick. Also, good way to chart increases in club distance.

I see everyone out there with little pads checking yardage. Figured that over time, this would be a much slicker way, eliminating little notebooks and the need to pace off yards.

I was watching the Muirwood this weekend. I heard how Jack was the first to keep a yardage book. Would anyone like to guess a chance at the odds a bunch of people told him to forget that fancy idea and just play golf?

I learned to play before all that fancy stuff, so I never use it. For one, my distances change all the time. Early in the season (like now) my distances are much less than they will be later after my muscles are loosen up and my swing is better grooved. I've been playing so many years now that I can just get a sense of how I'm swinging and what my typical gaps are so that if I get out and find that I'm flying my 7-iron 145 in calm winds or 155 in calm winds I adjust accordingly.

Mainly everyone is right. Just go out and play. Get a general sense for how far your hitting your clubs and go with that. Until you are a lot better than you are now the variability in your distances won't make any scientific approach very valuable. It will mainly just slow you down and sap the fun out of the game.

If you care, distance devices are actually against the rules of golf. Some of people use them, I guess. I grew up playing tournament golf, so I never did. I've never actually played even a casual round with anyone who used them. :shrug:

Yardage books are a totally different thing and, yes I've used them. Lots of times, especially if I'm playing a new course, I'll buy the course's yardage book (if they have one). Yardage books aren't against the rules, though.

Guys, you do know I've not purchased this yet, right? Heck, I'm not even planning to do a full 18 for another several weeks. I'm taking this slowly and my instructor is just getting Mrs. Piob and me into trying a fairway wood this weekend.

Also, not to be the noob that knows it all, but:

Q: Is it permissible to use the rangefinder under USGA Rules of Golf?
A: All of our "non-Slope" units are designed to be permissible when the Local Rule permitting the use of distance-measuring devices is in effect. This is governed by the USGA's Decision as it relates to Distance Measuring Devices (14-3/0.5 Local Rule Permitting Use of Distance-Measuring Device), which sets forth that players are allowed to use these in rounds conducted under the Rules of Golf when the Committee adopts the Local Rule, as long as they only measure distance. Additionally, the USGA Handicap System manual (Decision 5-1f/2) sets forth that scores made using these distance-only measuring devices are acceptable for handicap purposes, whether or not the Local Rule is in effect.

Click to expand...

http://bushnellgolf.com/laser/tourv2.cfm

So the non-slope version isn't against the rules. (I planned on the slope version though).

Got up an hour early to hit the range before work. Both of us had a good result.

Lessons tomorrow. More putting work (been doing his three tee drill) and he's having us bring in fairway woods for the first time.

Gonna play this weekend for my birthday, assuming it doesn't rain. Will be my first time out in a while. Will have to hit the range for at least a small bucket first. Looking forward to it.

going out tomorrow as well, probably a quick 9 holes to catch up with a friend.. well see how it goes.

Happy B-day Douglas.

We're kicking around doing 9 holes on a nearby 3-par course for Sunday. I want to, Mrs. Piob is making excuses why we shouldn't.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Click to expand...

Well, the ranger finder has slope built in, so you get the corrected distance.

I don't know. Do you folks just grab a club at random or have you mentally dialed in approximate yardages for yourself? Yes, I'm brand new and will be full of changes to my game, this just seemed a pretty intelligent way to get a guesstimate of which club to pick. Also, good way to chart increases in club distance.

I see everyone out there with little pads checking yardage. Figured that over time, this would be a much slicker way, eliminating little notebooks and the need to pace off yards.

I was watching the Muirwood this weekend. I heard how Jack was the first to keep a yardage book. Would anyone like to guess a chance at the odds a bunch of people told him to forget that fancy idea and just play golf?

One of the things about hitting at the range is that their balls don't always fly true distances, but they're close enough for irons IMHO. I just take aim at the 150-yard green (or thereabouts) and bang away until I land on it consistently. After that, it's roughtly +/- 10 yards per club up or down. After a few rounds, using new balls, I have a better feel for distance. But even then, on approach - if you're a club long or short, you're still on or near the green. If you're still really fuzzy about distances and have to carry water, then take a longer club, just to be sure you get over.

Like Mark, I never used a GPS or rangefinder, they weren't an option at that time. I just winged it based on the yardage markers and the flag color. And if I hit it as well and consistently as Jack, and there was major money on the line, I could see using a yardage book. Otherwise, I see it as a distraction.

And Happy Birthday Douglas. Hit 'em well.

Putting practice this morning. Going well getting the drill ingrained my instructor wants.

Today's lesson will introduce us to the fairway woods. Still trying to talk Mrs. Piob into the nearby exec course tomorrow.

Offer her a quickie on the 9th hole if she shoots under 50?

Originally Posted by TheButler

Click to expand...

Offer her a quickie on the 9th hole if she shoots under 50?
We don't speak about other people's wives like that. Please refrain. Great lessons today. Will be hitting a course for nine holes next weekend.

I'm confused. It was a - clearly not very funny - joke.

What I don't quite understand is your response. If you were a gentleman's gentleman, here to talk only about style, food and, golf, I could see you being taken aback by a casual reference like mine. But you've started an entire thread centered on the premise that you might commit adultery on your wife with a direct report at work. Yes, I get it, its all hypothetical and a joke; you are still throwing yourself wide open to satirical examination of the state of your marriage, relative comparisons of the attractiveness of your wife to this hypothetical direct report, and so on. Perhaps it is only me but casual reference to "a quickie" between a married couple seems far less personal than this.

Anyway, I apologize if I've offended you. Comment retracted.

shot 76, which could have easily been a 70... 4 times a 3 putt and several missed easy birdies..


contemplating a slow and painfull death for my putter at the moment. Perhaps I should try one of those "deep" putters like the oddysey twoball.

Originally Posted by TheButler

Click to expand...

I'm confused. It was a - clearly not very funny - joke. What I don't quite understand is your response. If you were a gentleman's gentleman, here to talk only about style, food and, golf, I could see you being taken aback by a casual reference like mine. But you've started an entire thread centered on the premise that you might commit adultery on your wife with a direct report at work. Yes, I get it, its all hypothetical and a joke; you are still throwing yourself wide open to satirical examination of the state of your marriage, relative comparisons of the attractiveness of your wife to this hypothetical direct report, and so on. Perhaps it is only me but casual reference to "a quickie" between a married couple seems far less personal than this. Anyway, I apologize if I've offended you. Comment retracted.
You are confused. About many things, from the nature of DT to the concept of one's wife's attractiveness determining fidelity. I mean, think about the various supermodels and very attractive actresses who have their men wander. If you think fidelity is determined by this, you are very young an inexperienced/immature. And FYI, few men do not take exception to a "casual reference" like that with people they do not know. Putting my clubs in to get bigger grips. The stock grips are too small for my meathooks. I'm gripping too tightly due to this and my right thumb gets a little achy. Great putting practice on the practice green and a so/so range time for me.

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

pio, putting is where it's at. made a lot of putts today that obviously helped my score. i went through a spell where i couldn't hit a 4 footer to save my life and my scores were so inflated it was almost embarrassing.

good luck on your first real round.

Originally Posted by bdeuce22

Click to expand...

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

pio, putting is where it's at. made a lot of putts today that obviously helped my score. i went through a spell where i couldn't hit a 4 footer to save my life and my scores were so inflated it was almost embarrassing.

good luck on your first real round.

That is a great score, bedeuce. One day, one day...in the distant future.

Yes, our pro has been hammering us with the concept that usual par is 72 and the goal is to "two putt," meaning 50% of your strokes are putts if you're a scratch player. Makes you think.