Imp

One here is the 525 yd par 5 17th hole. Nothing really special, slight dogleg right. Fairly wide open enough. The challenges are that it's uphill (60-70 feet constant/gradual elevation change from tee to green), and the bend is 370 yds away, leaving about 150ish to the pin on a left to right sloping green (if the pin is on the front right it's more accessible). What makes it difficult is the time of day you play it. It's a much easier hole in the morning than in the afternoon, because the prevailing winds off the ocean are in your face when the afternoon "breeze" kicks in, which with the elevation change and wind, can make it just brutal to make a GIR. Pars in the afternoon are few and far between.

The Legends at Parris Island. 2nded. Not a house on the course, and q-u-i-e-t, unless someone takes off from MCAS Beaufort about 10 miles up the road. I would also suggest Hilton Head National, my favorite public course there.

Missed the 'during'. More coffee needed. Still, common sense says no issue. It still does not meet the definition of a stroke, and therefore, not a practice stroke using any kind of ball (including similar size to conforming - interpretations 5.5.a.) If you make a stroke at a ball, that's practice. If you are just tapping it off the face of your club in an up/down motion, which fails to resemble any type of stroke made on the course, then should be no problem. I've called this on someone before. 2nd hole. After teeing off, walks to ball, waiting for group in front to move, drops shag ball and hits it into the water on purpose to get rid of it. "You know what you just did, right?" "Oh, come on, seriously?" "Yeah, seriously. Don't do that." It doesn't make friends, I'll tell you that much. Juggling? Meets no definition of a stroke.

Stroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball. Juggling is not a forward motion of the club. If you want to get pedantic, you're doing a series of what resembles chipping, which, per 5.5.b (Exception), is expressly allowed between holes.

Howabout Big Cedar in Branson MO? That's middle-ish.

I was on Harbor Town this Oct. Had a bit of rain on a few holes and ended up with an 81 after all was said and done. Great drive on 18, came up a little short/left on the shot on 18, and it bounced off the embankment and back into into the hazard, got up and down for a bogey. Ok, bad luck. I had taken an extra club to make sure it cleared, but chunked it a little and came up short anyways. I hardly ever blame the *over* due to the last hole. There were other shots on the previous 17 that I made a worse mistake, and I find myself looking back on those shots and ... yeah, that's why. I found this really helps take pressure off of *having* to score well on 18 and adding extra pressure on holes where none should really exist. I've had other shots (doubles even) where I've messed up on earlier, and... can't blame my round on just the last hole. All those bigger mistakes happened... back there. Especially since 18 is one of the easiest holes on that course. Maybe next time HT. Maybe next time.

I don't think pre-reg solves anything. I could pre-reg on the 19th after the round, then enter the score. The only way that works is if the starter gets your ghin and takes your attendance ... and you actually play the round instead of heading off to the bar, practice area, and never set foot on the course. --kC

A little more clarity on the 4 rounds. It's not a rolling average where the old one drops off as the new one is added. It's when you complete the 4th round, you get your average that counts. Then you need to play another 4 rounds to get your next average. Again... like combining the 2 9s. What this does is prevents entry of four rounds in a row, having it count, then next round, having it adjust, etc...... like "but I played 2 rounds a day the past 2 days". Yeah... it's going to take you 4 days to do that in a marathon of golf that not many people can handle to get that number up for the weekend tourney. Oh, and the 4 is an arbitrary number. Could be 3, could be 5. But I think 4 is good so that's why I picked it.

So, penalize the guy with no friends like me? Integrity is everything. But so is implicit trust that people will do the right thing by the rules like you do. I've pondered this quite a bit (solo rounds). What's the difference between a solo round, and being a single, joining up with 2-3 random people you don't know, at a public course (for those not members at clubs), and probably won't interact much with, nor will they pay attention to your shots, because you're not part of their sanctum? Better yet... when they don't have a GHIN? They're not going to care what you shot. They don't care about the rules. And they can't enter your score for you as they're not GHIN members. (I know, you do it yourself, but that brings me to my point.) How can a score played solo not count, when you follow the rules of golf, vs a round played with people that don't follow the rules of golf, nor care, nor have an index, themselves? Great, so you played with someone else. Check. Score counts. See the issue? Which is why solo rounds should count, with a caveat... the "score that counts" is the average of last 4 scores played as solo and must identify they were solo rounds when entering via a new field (more on that in a min). Much like the system can combine 2 9s. It's just math. I think that's more than equitable. What this means is those 4 individual rounds don't count towards your index. Only the average of them count as ONE score towards your index. Which brings me to the next point... I think for a score to count, the attesting GHIN should be entered along with your score (or, you cannot enter it, must be another player). If you don't enter an attesting GHIN, it gets counted as a solo round. And if the person attesting doesn't enter their round with your GHIN? Bam. It's a single round (using the rules above). There can be an exception if the scores are bulk entered (because competition/league/tourney) by the HC chair or Club Pro. (Again, it's just programming). But those in-between non-comp rounds? Too many rounds entered, without a score posted by the player you used to attest (they should have a score from same day/same course)? = flagging for review by HC Chair. 2-3 rounds sounds about right. While this doesn't eliminate sandbagging, it keeps more people honest. Sure, two people could be in on the sandbagging and doing it together... another flag for review could be repetitive entry by same GHINs as attesting. Husband/wife playing will probably be more common... or "buds". Still... review that stuff. Sorry for the stream of thought, but yeah I've been thinking too hard about this stuff.

It's easy enough to check their index, and then CH day of play, in the GHIN app with just their name and home club. The only time I can think of where they would be different, is a multi-day tourney where they freeze the CH at the start. Works great if they shoot worse, but doesn't protect the field if they shoot "lights out" the 1st day or two and it drops.

It's not a local rule. It's a rule of golf across the board (substituting ball) during the play of a hole that you cannot do it (unless the rules specifically allow like a damaged ball). Here's a link that USGA specifically addresses the "putting ball": https://www.usga.org/RulesFAQ/rules_answer2019.asp?FAQidx=261&Rule=0&Topic=12 No rule saying you can't switch BETWEEN holes though ... just cannot do it after teeing off (unless a condition of competition has implemented the "one ball rule" then you have to play the same ball/brand... and I also believe color - trying to find link about color being also included)? Couple things. No handicap index? No care. Go for it! However, you may get better if you do only play the same ball throughout the round as you get used to it's characteristics and consistency. Not all balls play the same to your swing/putting. Getting familiar with how certain golf balls react to your swing/putting helps build consistency and shoot lower knowing how a ball will react/fly. --kC

Can't wait to find some to give to my friends "you play ProVs?"

"* I understand I am opting in to receive the FootJoy US Newsletter" This is illegal in many states making this a requirement to enter contests. Should never have a mandatory opt-in.

Playing shenny on Saturday. It's supposed to be 32*.

I live in /near RI. 54 courses listed in the course/slope rating database. I've played 38. One of them is a childrens golf course. So that's a no. A handful of par 3s and 9 holes I haven't yet played either. And then there's a few ultra exclusives on the list, one of them being The Misquamicut Club and the other RI CC. I've had many opportunities to play RICC but every time I have tried, I get called away for work. (My brother used to caddy there). But I should go out to play those 3's and 9's to make it complete. In MA, it's going to be much harder due to places like The Country Club, Old Sandwich, Kittansett, and Myopia. *sigh*

I've always had a nit on looks or feel with the Cally iron offerings. These fit the looks column, and comes down to feel now and like others will still give them a swing. And I feel they are following the mizuno way of things by now doing mixed sets. --kC

Hey, cool. Count me in. @kpcasey --kC

Also may want to consider Hilton Head Lakes. Wife had a good time there (2nd year player) I play this every other year I'm down there. So much fun.

Have the fairways returned to being green yet? I played there in Sept and there wasn't green grass to be found on any fairway. Quite sad to see that course in that condition.

How long have you been playing golf? I started as a driving range pro at the age of 7 or 8 when my dad would take us to the one on Rt 6 in Seekonk MA across from the Speedway to get my brother and I out of our mothers hair. I was 13-14 for my 1st actual round on a course with my brother and have been playing since. Dad never played. And that was about 35-40 years ago. What’s your handicap or normal score? 11.9 index What do you love about golf? The change of scenery and hanging with like-minded individuals. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Never knew there was a forum until today. Used to just read the articles and admire the pictures. Do you already know any other Spies? The swallow flies at midnight in the stiff breeze. Where are you from? SE Ma/RI What is your home course? Green Valley, Portsmouth RI What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? Best: Can play it almost year round here in tropical southern New England. Worst: It's cold and usually windy. What do you do for a living? I tell people HOW to do things. Logistics trainer. How’d you pick your user name? Had it for a while on various forums. Based on the Subaru Impreza....

Played North Kingstown on Monday. Was in pretty good condition, but just a tad wet (and because of that was walking only). --kC