Golfers

[Downing11]

I played 9 last Friday before work with a group of guys from work. Par 34, but I shot a 37 which was easily my best score for 9 holes. I was very close to calling in "sick" so I could finish the other 9. It was one of those days where everything was going right. Those days don't come along very often.

[dakshdar]

Up and at 'em!

6:36 am tee time this morning at Knollwood in Granada Hills.

I can barely make it to an 8 am meeting during the week for work, but I'll get up at 4:40 to make it to a pre-7 am tee time on a day off. Got to love golf.

[Cnasty]

Up and at 'em!

God I hate you.

I need new friends.

[Weasel]

I wish I was good enough at golf to justify playing a nice course. That course looks awesome but Id spend more time in the rough than anything

[dakshdar]

It is actually a cheap county course. $37.50 with the cart. But, I like it, it isn't too far away (less than 40 miles), and it is in pretty good condition.

Shot a 91 today. Really, really kicking myself now though. I had 6 pars and 2 birdies and shot 19 over on the other 10 holes including three 8s on the scorecard (two on Par 5s).

Definitely, definitely should have broken 90 today, and would have just needed one more round later this summer sub-90 to "qualify" for getting new irons (my rule for myself this summer is break 90 twice and then get new irons). Couldn't find my 95 yard wedge shot today, though. Every other part of my game was good, but I had some awful shots from 90-105 today. One cost me at least three strokes on a hole as I was 94 out and ended up missing the green right which put me down a sizable hill and behind a tree.

I was cruising too. My scorecard for holes 4 through 14 went:

Bogey, Birdie, Par, Par, Par, Quadruple, Par, Par, Birdie, Bogey, Bogey

So +5 for those 11 holes. The quad was awful.

I also closed Triple, Triple, Double, Bogey.

Threw the round away on just a few holes, but my game is right there, and I should be breaking 90 inside a month.

[Baker]

Love the desire and enthusiam...

I play on avg. 2/3 times a week. Its a very addicting game. Sounds like you got the bug.

[VeniVediV1ci]

damn joe not many 91's have 2 birdies in them.

Sounds like you're close, just tighten up the other holes

[dakshdar]

damn joe not many 91's have 2 birdies in them.

Sounds like you're close, just tighten up the other holes

You know, now that I think of the birdies, I realize I shot 21 over on the ten holes I didn't birdie or par. Double-bogey-city.

Two tee shots and one pitching wedge really did me in today. Probably cost me 6 shots making up for those three.

[dakshdar]

Playing again tomorrow morning.

7:42 tee time at Robinson Ranch (Valley Course) in Santa Clarita. Definitely a lot tougher than the course I played Friday, so if I shoot near the same score I'll be pretty happy.

[Seeitsaveit13]

Been working on my swing, changed the grip up a little bit and been actually hitting the range a bit to try to get more consistent.

Shot 81 Saturday. 1 Double, 2 Birdies. Hit the ball well, just couldn't putt to save my life. Kept the same ball the whole round.

Shot 80 today, No birdies, no Doubles, with a chip in for bogey on the last hole after hitting my 2nd out of bounds off a tree. Putted better but still don't feel as confident as I used to. Used to be the only thing I could do well.

Amazing what a little practice will do to revamp a golf swing.

[ReignOnU]

Great story from my weekend golf trip in Tennessee...

The Setup: 3 teams playing Pink Ball. If you're not familiar with it, it's a game where on each hole, you have a designated team member that is using the "Pink Ball" and their score counts, plus the best score of the other 3 in your group. (In our case, it was Yellow Sponge-Bob balls... but whatever..). At the end of the round you total up the scores and then there's a 2 stroke addition for any balls that aren't returned. (You get 6 for your round... we aren't great... and had 2 very inexperienced players)

The Funny Part: We're playing in a fairly typical golf community with 300k plus homes all over the place. We're some pretty good guys and really wouldn't hit it out of someone's backyard. And as you know, it's pretty common for some hackers to slice a drive off into someone's yard. Well, our top player on our team teed it up after 2 of us had already bombed our tee shots down the middle. He overcompensates and hooks it over the hill and out of sight. When we come over the hill to go find it, we see this Boxer in this unfenced backyard. Then, the ball is sitting about 20' into the yard and 20' away from the dog... the guy responsible for hitting it over there started to get out of the cart and the dog just started barking up a storm. When he looked at me and asked if I'd try to run into the yard and grab it, I just drove my cart right by and acted like I didn't hear him. So he goes back to his cart, grabs some food and tosses it towards one corner of the yard, while the other guy he was riding with used a super long ball retriever to grab it. Needless to say, had it been me, I'd be dropping and losing the strokes. Sponge Bob would have been on his own.

[Weasel]

When he looked at me and asked if I'd try to run into the yard and grab it, I just drove my cart right by and acted like I didn't hear him.

That move is always clutch!

[ReignOnU]

Gas carts FTW!

[dakshdar]

So I broke my summer rule.

For those not paying attention, I was going to buy new irons but only if I broke 90 twice. Well, I've shot a 91 and a 90 in the last two weeks and I found a deal on craigslist I couldn't pass up so I went ahead and bought a set of nearly new Bridgestone J36 Combo Irons. The guy had bought them as a back-up set to his clubs two years ago brand new. Used them four times and then didn't play them again because (and this is how dumb people are) he has all Titleist stuff (i.e. hat, bag, glove, balls, driver) so he wants to play all one brand.

Picked them up for $350, and if you told me they'd never been played before, I'd believe you. They go for $500 used (in "very good" condition) at Golfsmith and $800 new. These are all stock with the Project X Flighted 5.5 shafts, which I've hit on other clubs at the golf shop to be sure the stiffness was right for me.

The J36 Combo Irons (3-PW) are pocket cavity back irons for 3-4-5, a basic cavity back for 6-7-8, and a muscle back (psuedo blade) 9-PW.

Just hit the 9, 7, and 5 at the range for an hour and love them already.

[sixpackdan101]

They look nice. Forged are typically harder to hit so its good to hear that you are hitting them well.

[dakshdar]

My irons have been the strongest part of my game lately. I've really gotten away from "sweeping" and focused on making ball-then-ground contact to take a nice divot, pick up some good ball flight, and spin the ball into the green. My 6-PW play to a consistent distance with very little roll after the flight.

Now I need to start focusing on driving (weakest area of my game). Saving some dough on these clubs will let me upgrade my driver this fall since I'm playing a no-name one now with seemingly little forgiveness.

[dakshdar]

Golfing update.

Playing once a week at the cheap muni down the street from work. $17 to walk in the afternoon. We go out each Tuesday around 3:45/4 pm. It is nothing to write home about (no water, flat fairways, lumpy greens) but it is pracitice with every area of the game, which is good.

Played 36 for the first time ever last Friday down in Escondido. 18 in the morning at The Vineyard and 18 in the afternoon at Twin Oaks. Two rounds at really nice courses, total cost: $77. Shot 94 at the first course (didn't feel right and couldn't get on track with my tee shots) and an 87 at the second, which now ranks as my all time best round score wise (the 2 birdie/6 par round I had earlier this year was probably a better round that was just ruined by a couple of holes).

Driving has definitely gotten more consistent thanks to playing that muni each week and still playing a more decent course either every week or every other on the weekends. Bombed one out 310 (with my dumpy 395cc no-name driver) last Tuesday, and I still hit a slight fade rather than a power draw, so there is more distance hiding in there if I can get the draw going. Also been getting more comfortable at taking the 5 and 3 wood off the deck on par 5s and switched my putting grip to a split grip to avoid getting my wrists in the way of my putting. Been working really well (just one 3-putt in 36 holes last Friday).

Vineyard at Escondido:


Twin Oaks:

[Baker]

just one 3-putt in 36 holes last Friday.

Thats damn good!

[footballkelly31]

I'm going tommorow and just trying to break a 100 for the first time. I've only played 12-15 rounds in my life but each time it seems I'm getting more consistent. It is true though about that one shot that makes you come back. Sank a roughly 40 footer from the fringe for birdie, was so pumped that I totally lost focus and shot double par next two holes ha ha but that birdie putt will stay in my head forever. Any tips for a newbie on how to keep lowering my score? I also told my self I wasn't going to spend any real money on clubs untill I could shot a solid 90 consistently.

[dakshdar]

Up early for golf (taking the day off). 7:20 tee time at Moorpark Country Club (used this past year to film "The Haney Project: Ray Romano").

Some shots from their website: