NubianRugby

I feel your pain on the short game and that's where I'm trying to focus my practice, even though it's more fun to bash a bucket of balls. I almost always play better when I walk, I have a better feel for where I am on the course and the wind than when I'm in a cart.

Played 15 holes after work yesterday and was striking the ball very well off the tee and on approaches after I started dropping my hands a little bit when I addressed the ball. The problem was that I couldn't putt, started off with 4 3-putts in a row!!! I would take a good line, hit the back of the cup (or just miss), and keep rolling 10 feet past the hole and follow that up by coming up short on the come backer. Also finding as that I'm getting my game together I'm hitting my short irons about 10-15 yards longer than usual which caused a couple of problems on approaches. I've been taking an extra club to make sure I have enough distance while I'm choking down and shortening my swing which results in me flushing those shots and overshooting greens. When I take the "right" club I tend to overswing, mishit, and otherwise make a mess of it. Still, I count airmailing a green with a pure shot a "good" miss that I'm willing to live with. Supposed to be 72 and sunny when I get done with work today. I should practice chipping/putting, but I may have to get another 9.

I just went and did what Tiger said to do yesterday: went and hit balls with no real plan or purpose. The do have the Top Tracer thing at the range I go to and I did play the "Top 12" game and approach challenges, it's a nice way to see how you're hitting the ball. Anyone else here use Top Tracer?

Played in a tournament at Renditions today with a couple of dudes I used to play rugby with. Shot five under par and played "Amen corner" at two under in a scramble. The green at "12" is way smaller than it looks on TV. We were two shots off the lead, and came in tied for third. I was also about 15 yards behind the long drive winner, with a nice ~285 blast. I practiced chipping and putting twice this week, and it really paid off on the course. When I was stepping up to chip, I felt confident and had a plan when I approached the ball. It made a huge difference to have spent time on the "boring stuff."

I feel your pain brother!!! That was me yesterday; I 3 putted on 3/4 greens I hit in regulation. So gross.

Scheffler plays a very conservative game, especially when he's ahead. He plays within himself, doesn't try to make the hero shots, and keeps the pressure on those chasing him. It's that simple. Morikawa, et al were pressing, trying to catch the world's #1 player and couldn't make it happen.

Played Bulle Rock up in Maryland yesterday, course was immaculate in preparation for the Women's Big10 Championship so it was cart paths only to protect the course. Not to whine too much but I keep noticing at the nicer golf courses that they do not have ball washers on the course. That's fine if it's a course that provides or makes caddies available, but that's generally not the case. I was also a little shocked to notice there was no water available anywhere on the course; maybe that changes during the hot weather, but not having water available on the course seems like a bit of a safety issue IMHO. I shot a 104 but was let down by my putting with 4 3-putts. I was pretty strong from tee to green (hit 4 GiR) and had a few more chances to get up & down for par that I did not convert. What I'm really struggling with right now is after a big drive and approach shot, is throttling down and adjusting my swing to hit a decent chip; I find myself either trying to baby it and fluffing it way short or trying to come through aggressively and blading it over the green. Despite my poor score I really enjoyed myself yesterday, I hit more good shots than bad ones and I feel my game heading in the right direction. I played at a beautiful course, the weather was perfect, and I was playing with two of my oldest friends, guys I've known since my freshman year of college. Days don't get too much better than that and I'm playing in a tournament on Friday at Renditions.

Greetings MGS! Played a slow 9 holes today in preparation for going to Bulle Rock tomorrow. Excited for my first round of the season away from Langston GC.

I don't know what's worse: a 3 putt bogie or a 3 putt par, a strong argument could be made either way.

Warm weather again today and it looks like rain the rest of the week, so I skipped the gym to play another 9. Shot 50 and couldn't anything going with the putter but played much better around the greens today by applying yesterday's lesson of coming through the ball strong even on a short backswing. Hit the green in regulation on both par 5s, but had a horror show 3-putt bogie on the second one. Missed three opportunities to get up & down for par by not draining the putt, but combined with the 2 GiR that means I was getting off the tee and hitting decent approaches for the most part today and that makes me happy. More #MissedBirdiePutts below

I had such high hopes yesterday. I hit into a fairway bunker on the par 5 first hole, got out of the sand, and hit a massive 4 iron to the left of the green leaving myself in position to get up & down for par. This is what you're supposed to do right? Don't try to make a hero shot out a bunker, take your medicine, and finish strong with a par in this situation. Then the wheels came off; hit a little too strong on the chip, hit & rolled off the green. Followed that up with a bladed chip over the green again, now I'm laying 5 off the green, then onto the green and a terrible 2 putt for a snowman on the first hole. Pulled my tee shot left on the second hole and hit a brilliant fade around a big tree, over water, and left myself another opportunity to get up & down for par from about 15 yards off the green. Naturally I bladed another wedge shot over the green and walked away with double bogie. It was at that point I decided I was playing a practice round and would concentrate on enjoying the weather and the fact that I was the only person on the front 9 cause the greens had been punched that morning and I was the first person sent out. I eventually settled down and hit a few decent chips after realizing I wasn't swinging through the ball with intention . . . because I was scared of blading the chip. I was striking the ball well but couldn't put it all together on any holes on the front 9. Because I didn't have to wait I played 9 holes in a little over an hour and flipped around to the back 9 because why wouldn't I? Again, I was getting off the tee pretty well and hitting OK approach shots where I wasn't hitting greens but leaving myself in position to get up & down for par. I hit 2/7 greens in regulation (I quit after 16 due to a massive backup) on the back and missed both "birdie" putts. See my shame below. #MissedBirdiePutts

Yes and when I think of it as a night out or a group activity, that gives me a different perspective where the cost isn't as onerous. I don't think of it as golf, it's its whole own thing: TopGolf.

Yeah, it's a coin flip between barely getting the club on the ball and ripping one in an impressive manner.

I feel your pain, today is the first day this week it's not supposed to rain here. Not trying to play today because 1. the course is going to be soaked 2. I have meetings that last until 5pm 3. it's still a bit chilly; might slip over to the range to hit a bucket at lunch time though.

I'm down for whatever, my schedule is usually pretty flexible with a week's notice, especially on Fridays.

Wasn't her fault, our playing partners broke out a bottle of this whisky on the back 9 and were pouring freely.

If you're coming from Leesburg I get that, there's a ton of golf out your way. Have you played Whiskey Creek or Musket Ridge?

[Krusty the Clown voice] Hey, hey!!! What's up with DMV Spies this season, where are you playing? I'm hitting Bulle Rock soon and will be looking to play University of Maryland in the next couple of weeks.

Yuck, I hate that for you.

Good morning Spies!! After playing in a golf tournament last Saturday where I was "over served," I haven't played or gone to the range because it's been a total washout (some combination of rainy, cold, and overcast) here in DC every day since. I'm so desperate to hit I may take the dramatic step of going to Top Golf if courses around here don't dry out enough to play over the weekend. Good news is that I'm meeting a couple of the boys up at Bulle Rock in 11 days for my first "travel" round of the year. We couldn't get it together for a full-blown golf trip this year, so we decided that we're going to get together once a month to play some of the nicer courses between DC and Philly. To say I'm excited is an understatement; home course is in rough, early season, shape and better conditions at Bulle Rock will be much appreciated. I shot 98 there last year and I seem to play better/concentrate harder when I play more challenging courses.

Sorry for your loss friend.

I have a pair, have wide feet, and I love them. I also got a screaming deal ($45 with shipping) 2 months ago on a pair of Adidas S2G spikeless golf shoes and they are available in size 15. The Adidas do run a little bit narrow though.

This is what I've been keeping track of using the Bushnell app that connects to the Bushnell Wingman GPS speaker. I got the Wingman in a swag bag at a tournament last year, you just have to download a free app, and at the beginning of the round download the course you're playing. It's not as comprehensive as some of the other stuff y'all are talking about, but it does give you the layout of the hole with distances to hazards and distances to the center, front, and back of the green which has helped me out a lot by giving me a range to hit instead of a single number. But for $79 all-in (no annual fees) it's a pretty good deal.

If only! The weather in DC has been garbage for the last 2-3 weeks. I don't get it, how was the weather nicer the last two weeks of February than the last two weeks of March?

Yeah, tough conditions are tough. However, hitting off hardpan and out of mud is going to make the game seem much easier when the grass comes in.