The essential/official golf thread!

avelanchefan

First off I have been playing since the 8th grade...which really is not saying much. I play with Adam's Idea A1 Irons and Adams Redline RPM Driver, and 3 Wood. I have a Rams Golf 7 wood which I just cannot part with, and I putt with a Odyssey 2-ball putter.

I live in AZ which should mean I golf a lot but I don't/can't with a 2 year old. In fact this last Sunday was the first time I went since last July. But for not golfing for 8 months I shot a very Solid 93, which should have been a really good 88 if I have not lipped out 5 putts.....whatever....thats golf...coulda woulda shoulda.

Any ways I love my Idea clubs. They are really heavy but they play very straight. And the Redline Driver is by far the best driver I have played with. I have owned Taylor Mades and Calloways, but the Redline has a very soft fade to it, and when I hit the sweet spot I can carry well over 300 yards. But I average right at 260 in the fairway. So I got the bug again, and my renewed goal to break 80.

shack

Tour2ma wrote:

shack,
Any chance of getting my pics photoshopped for that thread?

Yeah...if you resond to your cell phone voice mail OR your email...there's a real good chance.

swerve

Gotta bump this.

Who is enjoying the weather and hitting the links?

I just picked up some Ecco Flexor shoes earlier this month and they are finally getting broke in after about 72 holes. My game is improving slowly (can almost consistently play bogey golf) but I'm contemplating some lessons!

Shizelbs

I've played about six rounds since I last posted.

Its a wonderful game. I've been playing only with friends that know how to both play and respect the game. Its a great way to do it.

My game is played a lot smarter this year. My game approaching and around the green is MUCH better, and I'm saving a lot of strokes there.

Shizelbs

Oh, the other development of the season is that I am trying to get my wife interested in golf, and so far I'm doing a fairly good job. We go to the driving range together. She is not ready for a round of 18 yet, but we are making progress.

swerve

awesome! i can't get my girlfriend to have anything to do with golf... so i use it as my "me time". My short game has came a long way but I still need some work off the tee. With my money from my birthday (21 next monday) i'm going to take a few lessons. But I think that I am on going down the right path as of right now.

pearsall001

This course is right in my own back yard. Maybe a 15 minute drive. Does it look any good???? Maybe someday I'll take a stroll over there & see what a round costs. Do you think they'll let me play? Hey, I'm a good tipper!!! http://www.golfclubatlas.com/pinevalley1.html

bobman1235

I'm about to go on a course for only teh second time in my life on Sunday with my dad and brother. I"ve been getting pretty consistent on the range, I hope it translates to at least not completely embarrassing myself on the course (the only other time I ever went... let's just say there were a lot of drops).

I love the game in theory, and enjoy the driving range, I just wish I were at least moderately better at it

AndyGwis

Played a few rounds this year. Am killing my driver and hacking with my irons. Need another lesson. It sucks to drive the ball 290, then lay the sod on an easy 150 yard fairway shot and end up bogeying. . . or much worse.

daboyz

AndyGwis wrote: »

Played a few rounds this year. Am killing my driver and hacking with my irons. Need another lesson. It sucks to drive the ball 290, then lay the sod on an easy 150 yard fairway shot and end up bogeying. . . or much worse.

What sticks are you playing?

AndyGwis

Some pretty nice cleveland CG2's. Just got them. Maybe need a few more rounds to get used to them.

I am in desparate need of a lesson, tho. It's not the sticks, it's my swing.

daboyz

So you're hitting them a little fat or are you doing something else. You may only need one small tweak instead of lessons.

Shizelbs

Time to bring this thread back.

Yesterday I played by best round ever to date. I won't post my score as its embarrassingly high to be my best score. I putted like I knew how to putt. My short game in general was accurate and played smart. My approach shots with my irons was where I really shined. For once I could hit everything consistently for a whole round. You get a lot of confidence quick when you know exactly the distance you will hit your iron AND have it go straight. No laying up for me. I was attacking the hell out of the pin. My drives still needed work, but in general I played a good round. A few mishits and bad drives, but never any stupid choices.

Boy was that fun.

tcrossma

I don't play too much now that I have a 4 year old and a 6 week old, but I love golf and have been playing casually for about 20 years. A few years ago I managed to get my handicap down to an 8.

I didn't really read any of the prior posts since it was so long and old, but I saw the title and figured i'd post

edit: seems to be mostly about equipment. I play with a set of Tailor Made's, about 5 years old.

tim

shack

I've been playing 3-4 times a week and the HC has dropped down to a 7. I'm hoping to get down below 5 by the end of the summer. Picked up a new Taylor Made Burner driver and gained 20+ yds. off the tee (ain't technology great!). It makes a difference...especially for us old guys without the limber backs. Short game has been really good lately. In the last couple of weeks I've had 4 or 5 chip in birdies and a chip in eagle.

The new wicking golf shirts are the best thing I've discovered lately (other than the TM driver). I walk 95% of the time and it is very hilly here in East TN. During the summer, by the end of a round I usually look like I've been running thorugh the sprinklers cause I sweat so much. These new hi-tech shirts don't stick to you and tend to dry pretty quick and really do keep you cool. Of course it is important to look good on the course...especially since it seems there are quite a few good looking young women taking up the game .

AndyGwis

daboyz wrote: »

So you're hitting them a little fat or are you doing something else. You may only need one small tweak instead of lessons.

Got a quick 30 minute lesson for like $50. Told the guy what I was doing (hitting short and high), he watched about 5 shots, then assessed the issue. I was majorly opening my clubface when bringing my club back causing me to just kind of glance under the ball, not drive through it. Rest of the swing looks good.

Hit the range one time since the lesson, then hit the links this weekend and shot in the high 80's (finally broke 90). Only mishit like 3 irons shots. All is good now, and I can't wait to play again. If I can finally combine good drives with my new iron shots and putt decently, I'll be a mid-80's guy by years end.

Shizelbs

shack wrote: »

The new wicking golf shirts are the best thing I've discovered lately (other than the TM driver). I walk 95% of the time and it is very hilly here in East TN. During the summer, by the end of a round I usually look like I've been running thorugh the sprinklers cause I sweat so much. These new hi-tech shirts don't stick to you and tend to dry pretty quick and really do keep you cool. Of course it is important to look good on the course...especially since it seems there are quite a few good looking young women taking up the game .

One of those shirts costs, what, $50? I think right there that makes it one of the most cost effective upgrades, or pieces of gear you can get. When I wear one of those nice wicking shirts on a hot day, I'm not exhausted by the end of the round, and its not sticking to my back so I still have a full, free range of motion.

shack

Shizelbs wrote: »

One of those shirts costs, what, $50? I think right there that makes it one of the most cost effective upgrades, or pieces of gear you can get. When I wear one of those nice wicking shirts on a hot day, I'm not exhausted by the end of the round, and its not sticking to my back so I still have a full, free range of motion.

Exactly. I picked up a couple the other day, Nike and Callaway for less than $30. They were on sale for $40 with an extra 25% off.

AndyGwis

Post a link to their "miracle" wicking golf shirts, if you have one available, please. Want to check them out, see what the fuss is all about

Are you guaranteeing it shaves a couple strokes off my game?

shack

http://www.tgw.com/customer/category/product.jsp?SUBCATEGORY_ID=7730

AndyGwis wrote:

Are you guaranteeing it shaves a couple strokes off my game?

Only the right mechanics and practice will do this...believe it or not, there is no magic bullet in golf...no matter what all the hype and advertising says.

bobman1235

The "C9" knockoff brand at Target is pretty good too for the more frugal of you. Similar wicking style, but only 14 bucks per shirt

Shizelbs

shack wrote: »

http://www.tgw.com/customer/category/product.jsp?SUBCATEGORY_ID=7730



Only the right mechanics and practice will do this...believe it or not, there is no magic bullet in golf...no matter what all the hype and advertising says.

On a hot day, you won't have a cotton shirt painted onto you, restricting your movement. I'll tell you that much. Whether or not that translate into fewer strokes is up to you, but I do know for sure that I play much better, and score better, particularly around holes 14-18 when I wear a nice golf shirt instead of some thick cotton polo.

AndyGwis

Thanks for the link. Maybe I'll grab me one of those wicked wicked shirts.

I know there is no "sure thing" to shaving strokes other than practice, repetition, and luck. My new driver has been a big plus from what I was hitting last year, so maybe technology/equipment is on that list somewhere, but doesn't help if your swing sucks. It will just be a longer hook / slice

Shizelbs

I have one of those exact Nike shirts. Very nice.

heiney9

Actually have been making time to play more golf this season. I have been playing since I was 8 or 9 but as life got more complicated, jobs, less time, no one solid to partner with, etc. I haven't played much in the past 5-7 years.

I was on vacation last week and ended up play 4 times and I'm playing again this Fri and Sat. It's taking some time to get the swing back in the groove but I am enjoying it a lot, just like I used too.

Driving is very good, short game is decent, putting and long irons have let me down so far this year. On my long irons I take a lot of sod at impact. When I do pick it clean it goes where it's supposed to and the correct distance for a the club selection.

I also need to work on tweaking my stance a little bit. This game takes practice, practice, practice. Other seasons I'd play on avg. 15-20 rounds and still shoot bogey golf. I'm hoping by playing more this year I can shave some strokes.

The only thing better than hitting a sweet golf shot is sitting in the SDA sweetspot

H9

AndyGwis

I hit a buttery 7-iron on a 180 yard par 3 to about 6 feet. Felt like heaven.

Of course, I missed the birdie putt and settled for tap in par. Had something like 8 birdie putts and ended up three putting 4 of them for bogey. Scorecard killer. . . been playing in way too many scrambles where there's a two putt max and you blast at the hole every time.

jdhdiggs

AndyGwis wrote: »

I hit a buttery 7-iron on a 180 yard par 3 to about 6 feet. Felt like heaven.

Of course, I missed the birdie putt and settled for tap in par. Had something like 8 birdie putts and ended up three putting 4 of them for bogey. Scorecard killer. . . been playing in way too many scrambles where there's a two putt max and you blast at the hole every time.

Hey! You stole the story of my golf life! My "best" similar incident was reaching a 630yd par 5 in two and then 4 putting the thing. Talk about pissed off.... :mad: I've also hit cups and flags on several par 3's and never birdied in any of those cases. 40' put? I'll make that, 2'? I'll push it...

swerve

i've gone out to the local pitch and putt a few times this week. posting a 7 and 8 over respectively.
I get to play the Whistling Straights Irish Course in two weeks. Looking forward to that. Hopefully tomorrow morning I make it out for a full 18. Last time I played 18 I shot a career best.

jdhdiggs

On 9 or 18? To me, hitting near par on a pitch and put is more impressive than full size courses. It is so frustrating for me to be on the T box and have a 60 yd hole in front of me. I'd much rather have a 520 ish par 5 than a 55yd par 3 as my strong suit is my long game. Half swings blow...

shack

I was a scratch golfer when I was 14. During the summers my mom would drop me off at the golf course every day and I would play all day long. An unfortunate accident, as well as discovering the swimming pools had better summer scenery, the fact that girls thought BB and football players were jocks and golfers were geeks led me away from the game. I played tennis through college cause it was a lot cheaper and took less time than golf. I picked up the game again in my late 20s...just about the time my kids were born. Work and kids took up most of my time and spring and summers were spent on the softball fields and fall and winters in the gyms as coach and spectator. My wife referred to the monthly dues at the Golf Club as the "Country Club Donation" since I rarely played more than once a month. As my kids got older and started into college I started playing more than just the occasional "customer golf" I was a 16-19 handicap until about 4 years ago. I started walking instead of using a cart and playing 2-4 times a week and practicing a lot around the putting green and short iron green. I only go to the driving range to warm up. I have the luxury of playing most anytime I want as our club is really only crowded on Sat. and Sun. mornings. Sometimes I will go on the course with only a single iron to work on swing mechanics..a much better method than hacking away on a driving range. I am now playing the best golf in almost 40 years. What I've lost in physical agility and strength have been made up by technology and touch. I CAN launch a driver 300 yds. ± but my average is now in the 270 range. Even with the new iron technology I'm still at least a club shorter than I used to be only a few years ago...but I understand course mgmt better and do not feel the need to "grip it and rip it" and that has made me a better golfer.