[2024 Masters Pool Sponsored by Titleist and Vokey Wedges]

Fantastic opportunity!

1) Cut +2 (would go +3 but the storms Thursday may lower scoring)

2) low Am - Christo Lamprecht (a) softer fairways may favor a bigger hitter.

Cheers and good luck to all!!

[How long do you play a ball before retiring it?]

Been a competitive golfer for 2+ decades now, and honestly it depends on the situation. Competitive rounds I'll sub out balls every few holes, though I've found my current model Bridgestonw B-XS is a bit more durable than other comperable models. Those subbed tournament balls are usually my go to rocks for practice rounds and prep. Really beat up balls (too many bunkers, cart path, tree, wedges, etc) go to the shagbag for chipping and pitching. I truly retire a ball end beginning of the season once the shagbag gets too full.

[How many sets of clubs have you owned in your lifetime]

Junior - Acer (with the red shafts)

High School - King Snake+, 3-AW and 1 iron (great for playing high school comps from the white tees)

College - Mizuno MP-33's 3-PW

Post College - Taylormade R-7 TP 3-PW; Taylormade MB TP 3-PW

Also have a set of Titleist 690MB's and old Hogan Apex blade's that I throw in the bag occasionally for fun.

Donated my MP-33's a number of years ago and still regret it, miss those irons. 

[How many sets of clubs have you owned in your lifetime]

On 3/29/2023 at 8:59 AM, Pvicary said:

and the almost embarrassed to say King Snakes.
 

Played a full set of King Snakes plus AW and 1 iron grade 8-middle of 12, earned a college scholarship with them, loved that set. 

[2023: Best Sunday Golf Bags]

In college our team was in dead last through 2 rounds of the conference championship. Coach played a game with us for round 3 (final round) - one (1) stroke off for every club removed from the bag for the round, lowest score got triple food budget on the way home or something like that. Three of us pulled 6-7 clubs, one pulled 4, the last played with a full bag, and he didn't break 80! I recall pulling 6 or 7 clubs and shooting the team low 74 gross that round, best of the week. If you're familiar with a course pulling every other iron and one wedge and one wood shouldn't be too difficult. You just may need to adjust layup shots to avoid the pulled club yardage (i.e. hit it inside 90 yards or outside 120 if you pulled your 54 or gap wedge.

[Happy Wife Happy...Golfer?]

On 3/28/2023 at 3:07 PM, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Having raised three children I know exactly what you are talking about. When my kids were young, I encouraged my wife to continue one of her hobbies. That would be my time to dedicate to the kids100% and give her a break. My wife was a bowler and even had a 200 average and even had a 300 game. She bowled in a league once a week plus some tournaments.  Giving her, her time, gave me a "my time" opportunity to pursue my hobby. I scheduled my rounds for the first tee time every Saturday when I lived in CT and then every Sunday when I moved to TN and now NC. Why Sunday? Because every Saturday is filled with sports that the kids were involved in. I still go to my daughter's track meets in college wherever it is, every Saturday.  At the golf course my nick name was the "dew sweeper" or "The Trail Blazer". I could play 18 and be home by 10:30 /11:00. Everyone was still just getting up and going. It became a habit even to this day. First one off Sunday morning and then back home. Once home it was "ok what do we want to do today". My kids are no longer kids, 19 ,21 and 34. Spend your time with them and get them involved when they are old enough. Time goes by too fast. Two are still at home but my pattern has not changed. I don't mind playing by myself. Actually, enjoy the peace and quiet taking in the nature first thing in the morning. 

Another thing that has helped me get to a lower handicap is building my own practice areas. CT house I put up a net in the yard and built a synthetic golf green for putting and chipping. The family could also partake. I would put up an obstacle course on the green to get the little ones to participate. They were two and three at the time. I had wooden animal cut outs that you could putt through. Someone gave the kids a cheap putting game and I used the parts. In TN where my kids grew up for the most part, I put in another synthetic golf green with a 100-yard tee box and a simulator in the garage. We would all go out and hit balls down to the green. The simulator also doubled as a movie theater. Fast forward to December 2022, now in NC I put my simulator back up and am now trying my hand at a real grass golf green. The youngest is off at college and my wife asks all the time aren't you going golfing it's nice out. 

Give your wife her space and she will give you yours. With all the stuff I did to be able to golf at home it really helped my game even though I was limited to actual play once or twice a week if I was lucky. Now working from home, I can start up the Sim and at lunchtime I can play nine. Eventually when the grass grows in, I'll go outside and chip and putt on real a real green.  I'm not retired so it is usually once a week I get to play 18 but can practice every day. I'm always doing something to help my game. I am now taking an old snow saucer from when the kids were little and adding a platform with a cup recessed and will have it floating in the pool. Nothing like an island green in the yard. 

The "play early" idea is the answer. I have two kids (2.5 and 1) and will be able to get out at 5:30-45 am every 2-3 weeks, home by 10 am, just in time for morning snack. My wife will either get the other morning/evening to herself that weekend or the next weekend. My co-worker does this nearly every weekend in the summer with kids 7 and 5, his wife will run on the other morning. I'll also take my oldest to the range and we alternate 5 balls each until the bucket is done.

Getting your kids involved in golf can add to your time on course/range/practice, especially when they're old enough to practice/play without your full attention. This can really help during the week so you can chip and putt while they're putting. You could also ask for one night a week to go to the range/short game after dinner, if you're decently close to a course/range. Putting the kids to sleep may not be as difficult as feeding everyone, so helping with the heavier lifts might free your time up.

Putting matt in basement or office, hitting net and matt out back, chipping targets all add to the at home practice times. 

Talk to wife about balance and ensure she's getting to do what she wants, whether that alone time for her interests or family time or time with only 1 kid. As long as you're open in your communication and allow for changes if things aren't going well or if someone's sick then you should have time to play/practice.