Byrnzee

Good morning Spies! Headed out to the University of Notre Dame this morning to play their Warren Golf Course. It's a beautiful links-style course that has been host to a U.S. Senior Open in 2019 and was designed by Coore and Crenshaw. Weather should hopefully stay dry but course may be wet from last night's rain. Supposed to be very windy as well but I can't complain as long as I'm golfing! Welcome to @BORDO and @ZachN97! This is definitely the best thread to start your day off right. I hope you enjoy your time here! Have a great Saturday everyone and if you're lucky enough to be golfing, hit 'em straight!

Adding a couple since I was able to visit Sand Valley last year. Really love their Sandbox (par 3 course) logo: And unfortunately I wasn't able to play their new Lido course but their logo is also pretty awesome:

I'm playing it in October! It'll definitely eat my lunch but I can't wait

I saw this Barstool Sports article (forgive me, my friend sent it to me) about the top 10 courses that this guy has played that make other people jealous. These weren't necessarily the best courses to play, but rather the courses that would strike envy into your golf buddies when they see you wearing a polo or hat with their logo on it. This made me start wondering about what the best golf course logos are. It seems like everyone has a different opinion when it comes to their favorite, so I would like to see which logos you think are best! Feel free to just post photos of your favorites and/or give explanations for why they top your list! Here are some of mine (in no particular order):

I really appreciate it! Always a work-in-progress, but really happy with how far I've come in just over a year. It's good to put that into perspective sometimes when I feel like I have hit a plateau.

Good morning Spies and Happy Friday! I'm proud to say this is my 500th post on the Forum and it feels poetic that it's happening in this thread. This community has become a second home for me over the last nine months or so and I'm very grateful to be a part of it. Cheers to many more posts and years ahead! Not much on the agenda today. Should be a pretty easy workday and I'll be checking out some of the Zurich on the side. Weather supposed to get rainy later on, but at least temps are starting to climb for the weekend. I hope that everyone has a great Friday and if you're lucky enough to be golfing, hit 'em straight!

Swing Thought of the Day - 4/26/24: Keep Your Back to the Target Longer I saw this great TikTok Video from Monte that has been helping me a lot to avoid coming over the top to start the downswing. By having the "feel" of keeping my back to the target longer, it allows my hips to start the downswing and my arms to fall into a better position. There's another video I saw the other day from Chris McClatchie that talked about how you're going to be wide on one side of the ball and narrow on the other. I had never heard this concept before, but it really resonated with me. Going to try and take these two swing thoughts with me into my practice and see how they translate.

I don't have kids, but this question reminded me of a clip I've seen of Padraig Harrington talking at the 2023 PNC Championship about this very topic: https://youtu.be/M2fFxE_QCTg?si=VlbFacw8IssazdfN I think this is some great advice that anyone with kids can benefit from!

I understand not thinking he’s an exciting World #1 or hoping for some change in winners, but I think it’s hard to argue he’s an unlikable person. You’re obviously entitled to your opinion, but out of everyone to dislike I was surprised at your answer. Just my two cents!

I think for me it's Patrick Cantlay. I hate slow play and some of his comments and attitude have just been a turn-off for me. I'm sure a lot of that is media portrayal, but I just don't really care for him. On the other hand I'm a fan of Xander and they're best friends, so maybe there's something to him I'm not seeing.

Good morning Spies! Opened the Forum this morning to see two more AWESOME testing opportunities. Shoutout to the mods for all their hard work and continuing to bless us! I haven't heard much about Stix but am intrigued to learn more. SM10s are the pinnacle of wedges! Good luck to all applying to both opportunities! Another cooler day in Chicago with no real plans on the agenda outside of work. Should be able to join the Community Call this afternoon as long as nothing unexpected pops up. Will be great to hear from Aaron at Titleist Vokey about all the ins and outs of the gold standard of wedges. Hoping to catch some of the Zurich today. The format isn't for everyone, but I do enjoy watching the team events. @GolfSpy_KFT glad to hear the good news about your son. Hopefully you can breathe a bit easier now. Have a great Thursday!

I typically go to either a driving range or simulator 2-3 times a week. I try to golf every weekend when the weather is cooperating and we don't have prior commitments. I do "dry" practice in my apartment on a daily basis. I work extensively on repeating those movements and trying to convert them to muscle memory. Obviously practice swings and drills don't always translate to the range/course, but I'm definitely working hard to make that transition easier. I played this past weekend and shot 86 with four doubles. Few bad holes, but otherwise was pretty happy with my performance. Had a stretch on the back nine with 5 straight pars where everything felt in sync. My last round before that was a randomly nice weekend at the beginning of March where I shot 79 on a course with newly aerated greens and some generous gimmes. Supposed to play this weekend if weather cooperates, so I'm looking forward to seeing how things are translating to the course. Hoping as the season goes on, I can see more consistent results and lower scores.

Hello Spies! Sorry for the (once again) long break in posts on this thread. It's not that I haven't been working on my swing changes, I just haven't been documenting them nearly as much. Looking back on a year or so ago when I began this swing change journey, I am very proud of the progress I've made and how far I've come. I'm not nearly as steep and over-the-top on the downswing, which was always a big fault of mine. Some of the main swing thoughts I've been focusing on lately: 1. Hip bump & Staying Centered - I've talked about this before, but starting my routine by setting up with a hip bump has really helped reduce the amount of sway in the golf swing. Adam Porzak on YouTube has been one of the instructors I've enjoyed learning from and he swears by this move. 2. Upper Body Takeaway - I've implemented a similar move to Nelly Korda on my pre-shot routine, where I take the club back using my left shoulder as the driver. I've tried to keep my lower body still until my club reaches this point a foot or two behind the ball. Then I rotate into my trail hip and feel a big stretch at the top of the backswing. 3. Abbreviated Backswing - I've noticed that whenever I try to hit the ball really hard, I end up lifting my arms more, which results in separation from my body. This typically results in less consistent ball-striking and rarely actually leads to further distance. I've tried to feel like I'm only swinging 3/4 of the way and maintaining that connection with my trail arm (think headcover under the trail armpit). Nelly also talks about having a feeling of "Shoulder to Chin" which lets her know it's time to begin the downswing. 4. Give Yourself Time at the top of the Backswing - I have a tendency to rush in transition, which typically leads to coming over the top because you're so focused on getting that clubhead to the ball as quickly as possible. By taking a fraction of a second to gather at the top of your backswing, it has helped me a lot in transition and has lead to more consistent ball striking. Bryson did a video with Garret Clark from Good Good where he talked about this concept and it's been a great thought for me ever since (starts at 3:56). These four swing thoughts have been great for me recently and I'm hoping to keep converting them to muscle memory in order to think less on the golf course. If you've made it this far, I appreciate you taking the time to follow along!

I recently got a new 3 wood and I love it. It's a Titleist TSR 2 with a Red Ventus VeloCore shaft. I think a big part of why I love it so much is because of the VeloCore shaft. It has an amazing feel and has been very reliable. It's become my favorite club in my bag as of late and I can't help but think I would benefit from getting a VeloCore shaft in my driver as well. I currently have a very good shaft in my driver, but it hasn't resulted in the feel or consistency I was hoping it would. Long story short, my buddy who works for a golf warehouse found a Blue VeloCore driver shaft for me. He's just going to re-tip it for my Ping head and send it my way. I can't wait to put it to the test and see if it improves my game!

Good morning Spies! A cooler day in Chicago as Mother Nature has decided we're not allowed three nice days in a row. Luckily no plans on the agenda today so will be staying inside bundled up for the foreseeable future. Went to the sim last night with a friend, which has become almost a weekly tradition. It's nice to play 9 holes and get some practice in during the week. I didn't hit it as well as I had expected, but still had fun nonetheless. Didn't get the clubs regripped as I had planned because they couldn't promise them back to me before this weekend. Will likely take them next week instead. Weather for this Saturday's golf round looking like warm with a chance of rain. I would like to hear other opinions on this, but would you rather golf in warm temperatures (high 70s) with a chance of rain, or cold temperatures (40s-50s) with no chance of rain? I think I'm choosing warm every time unless it's a downpour. Hoping I get lucky this weekend and we get warm with no rain (the best combo)! @CSiders12 terribly sorry for your loss. Sending positive thoughts to you and your family during this difficult time. Watched the Myrtle Beach Qualifier yesterday on YouTube. Very cool to see some content creators and pros compete for a spot in a PGA tournament. I won't spoil it for anyone who wants to watch it, but some of the content creators gave the pros a run for their money! Hope everyone has a great hump day!

Good morning Spies! Was able to hit the driving range after work last night and get some practice in. I've learned after a lot of swing changes this past year that a more abbreviated backswing and a slight pause at the top does wonders for my consistency. I'm able to gather everything together and swing through with the correct sequencing. Now just to translate that to the golf course! Hitting up the sim at PGA Superstore after work today with a friend, which should be fun. May even get my clubs regripped afterwards so that they're ready for my round this weekend. I'm most likely going to get the Lamkin Crossline 360 Grey grips, which I recently put on my new wedges. They have a great feel while still having good traction. Wife is attending a concert with a friend tonight, so I'll likely be laying low and watching basketball. No complaints on my end! Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

I would agree with @thundergun I think the Costco golf gloves are one of the best golf deals in bulk you can get. I don't usually buy tees (I take a generous donation anytime a course offers free wooden ones), but I'd say quality tees or balls are always good to buy in bulk as well.

Good morning Spies! Had a very relaxing Sunday watching golf on the couch for most of the day. Congrats to Nelly on five in a row and Scottie for continuing his dominance on the PGA Tour! We're witnessing a very special moment in golf history and I'm not taking it for granted. Scottie just needs to continue this for the next decade and he'll catch Tiger Weather looking pretty nice to start the week in Chicago. Hoping to sneak off to the driving range after work today to hit some balls. My irons weren't great over the weekend when I played, so looking for some more consistent ball striking that I can bottle up for the next round. PGA Superstore is doing a deal right now where if you buy 8 grips or more, you get the regripping service for free (normally $3.99 a club). My irons are in desperate need of regripping so I might take advantage of that this week. Should be a relatively chill work week. Coffee has been consumed and I'm ready to take on the day. Have a great one!

Prices have absolutely gotten too high for a round of golf. It's one thing if you're paying for a luxury stay-and-play experience, but if you're just going out for a weekend round, I don't think any standard public course should be more than $100. A perfect example is a course outside Chicago called Ravisloe CC. This course used to be one of my favorites to play. Donald Ross designed, beautiful clubhouse, easily walkable, and only about $70-80 to play. Now due to higher demand, they've raised the price over $100/round. I like the course a lot, but it's not a $100+ level course. It's unfortunate because my friends and I have essentially removed certain courses we like from our rotation simply based on unreasonable green fees. Seems like everything these days (flights, hotels, concerts, golf) is just charging the absolute maximum price they can gauge from consumers. Hoping there's a correction soon, but I'm not sure how that would even happen unless people stop golfing altogether.

Good morning Spies! Looking like a pretty nice day in Chicago. No real plans on the agenda besides watching the RBC Heritage and the Chevron Championship. Hoping for an exciting finish for both events! My wife and I recorded the Formula 1 race last night and woke up this morning to watch it. Had to stay off my phone to avoid any spoilers, which was actually a nice way to start the morning. Was able to unplug and just enjoy some peace and quiet with my coffee. Already scheduled a tee time for next Saturday! Seems like we're officially in golf season in Chicagoland. Will definitely be trying to take advantage of our short season of golf weather. Hope everyone has a great Sunday!

Played my first round with the Mindset balls this morning. I wasn't sure how I would feel about having the graphic on the balls, but I really did find it helpful during my shot routine. Especially on the tee, I liked pushing the tee into the ground while lining up the Mindset arrow with my target. I struggle sometimes on making sure I'm appropriately lined up to my target. By having the arrow setup before I even hit, I know that I'm in good shape and just need to focus on making solid contact. I will say I find the graphic more distracting on putts than on drives. I think it's because I mostly putt by feel, so having the graphic there makes me focus too much on hitting the green dot and less on having the right speed. For drives though, I like the mentality of just setting everything up, visualizing the shot, and smashing that green dot. Besides the Mindset graphic, I've always been a big fan of Bridgestone balls. I was gaming the Tour B RX before this sampling opportunity was announced. I love the feel and definitely will be continuing to play these this year!

Played my first official round of the season in Chicagoland this morning. Decided to try a new course about an hour north of Chicago in Mundelein, IL called Pine Meadow. At least I thought it was a new course until my buddy and I pulled into the parking lot and determined... oh wait, we've definitely played here before. Weather was pretty chilly, mid 40s with some wind. When the sun came out, it turned into a pretty good day. Luckily I came prepared with a winter hat, gloves and many layers to keep me warm in between shots. Course was in great shape for this early in the season. Greens rolled pure and was a really nice day of golf once we got things rolling. The driver felt pretty solid all day. I had some shots that started right of target but were dead straight. If that's my miss, I can't be too upset about it. I had some trouble with approach shots to start the round. I'm going to blame it on no warmup + the cold weather because I couldn't seem to turn fully through the shots so everything was staying right. On the back nine I focused more on feeling like I'm making a shorter backswing and fully rotating through the ball. I had 5 straight pars to start the back nine, which was a great feeling. Ended up shooting 86 (43-43), which isn't terrible for a cold round to start the season. Hoping to fix some of those mistakes I was making and avoid the double bogey holes going forward. Goal for this season is to shoot in the 70s more often so just gotta take it one round at a time.

Good morning spies! Braving myself for a very cold round of golf this morning. I made the tee time earlier this week being optimistic that the weather would get warmer - sadly, Mother Nature had other ideas. Still will be great to get out and play for my first official round in Chicagoland for the year. Not much else planned for the day. Going to cook some steaks for the wife and me tonight, which is her compensation for letting me golf all morning. Might try to catch some of the golf on TV later. Have a great Saturday and hit 'em straight if you're hitting at all!

Forgot all about the Bryan Bros! Let me edit my original post @GolfSpy MPR

Good morning Spies and TGIF! Should be a pretty low-key day with no plans on the agenda. Weather is looking decent with temps reaching the high 50s with some sun. Tomorrow morning looking a bit chilly for my golf round, but I'll just be happy to get out there. Was able to catch a bit of the RBC Heritage and the Chevron Championship yesterday. Nelly finished birdie-birdie on last two holes to shoot a solid -4 for her first round. She has gone from +550 odds to win the tournament before it started to +210 odds now (she's 3 back from the leader!) Hope everyone has a great Friday!