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apprenti23

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Everything posted by apprenti23

  1. Damn! Do you have a favorite or top three from that list?
  2. There are quite a few classics that I would absolutely love to play- Winged Foot, Oakmont, Valhalla, Merion, Oakland Hills, Hazeltine, Southern Hills, and Baltusrol come to mind...
  3. Have never been across the pond but would love to one of these days. Like you, I've played Pinehurst #2 (before the redesign) and also Whistling Straits. In compiling my list, I'm having a hard time finding public courses that have hosted, but that's how it is in my area. I've also played Olympia Fields ('03 Open) numerous times. Although it's private, it's not impossible to get on. Another local major venue I've played is Medinah #3 (private) and a very cool experience. You can do everything there including shoot trap and skeet. When I was in college we played at Bellerive in St. Louis and also St. Louis CC which were both major courses from a long time ago. Crooked Stick and French Lick Springs in Indiana hosted PGAs, Kemper Lakes also hosted a PGA, here are multiple blasts from the past that are local to me that I've played as well- North Shore GC, Skokie CC, Glen View Club, and Onwetsia CC all in the north burbs of Chicago; and my favorite course on the south side Midlothian CC, another course on the south side that hosted a PGA back in the day is Flossmoor CC but that GC sucks IMO. The one that has eluded me is the Chicago Golf Club. One of these days...
  4. That's what I was thinking of but couldn't put it into words! Golf is the only sport where you can enjoy it with your buddies on the same stage as the pros. I find that so cool and love that it is not found in any other sport.
  5. I have been lucky enough to play on multiple US Open facilities in the past. In fact, I am playing a future site, this Sunday, in Erin Hills. I have been lucky enough to play there a few times and have never really taken any pictures. I'll be sure to do that this time in hopes to share with you guys on here, but in a different thread.
  6. Part of this years' story-line is that the US Open is being played on a public facility; meaning that anyone who wants to pony up can pay to play there. Another intriguing part of the story is that the golf course is much more of a links facility or "Open Championship" style than the normal parkland "US Open" style. Personally, I don't really care where they play, but would prefer them to play public facilities as often as possible. I know that hosting any tournament is an extremely easy way to grow the game and also help out facilities. Sure just having the tournament in different, remote areas such as the Pacific North-West is going to hopefully grow the game, but I feel that having it on a course where anyone can play just gives it that much more. I am instantly reminded to think back to Bethpage Black. It seemed as though the fans during the tournament were just that much more involved in the entire event. Maybe it was because they were proud of their facility, maybe it's just because they're from New York, I don't know. IIRC the USGA dumped quite a bit of money in Bethpage which was considered a dump. I wish they would do more of that. Find an awesome muni or diamond in the rough so to speak, give it five years or so and throw some money into it. Turn a golf course where every local has played or grew up playing into a tournament or championship golf course and wow, what a tournament you will have! This would have to have some type of positive effect on growing the game, right? Honestly, the USGA has to be making a mint over events such as this. You know they have to have extra cash. What did they have? 9,000 applicants for the event? How many came out of qualifiers? 80? Pretty incredible to think though that anybody on here has an opportunity to play in our Nations Super Bowl of Golf. I love it. So, what are your thoughts? Have you ever played a past US Open facility? Were any of them public?
  7. Played my first round in over 6 weeks today (maybe 8)- have hit about seventy five balls during those six weeks to practice. Boy was I rusty... Didn't help that my buddy told me we were to tee off at 3, when I got there at 2:15 he said lets go now. Okay. Cool Started off with a cool Justin Rose shank in the pond right, followed by a half shank heel blade, I'm thinking oh dear this is going to be a long day... Front nine- 3 doubles, 2 bogeys 2 birdies 2 pars- 42, but I started to figure something out in the last three holes and was striking the ball very well. We tee off on ten and here comes the storm- Forty five minute hail and thunderstorm delay. The back nine was totally different as I continued figuring something out and started with three straight birdies- back nine total- 5 birdies, two pars, two bogeys- 33. Total round I had three doubles, four pars, four bogeys, and seven birdies for a smoke n mirrors 75. Thankfully I'm a good scrambler (putting and chipping) because when you suck, but can chip & putt you can turn pars into birdies and bogeys into pars very easily!
  8. Haven't played in about a month so I'm going a bit nuts. In that time frame I started a new job and moved to a new townhome, so I've been busy. Unfortunately my seasonal allergies just kicked in now, so it feels like someone shanghai'd me right in the face. No golf until the Zyrtec D does it's magic.
  9. Handicaps haven't changed over the years because hitting range balls and playing golf are two entirely different things. If you want to be a great striker of the ball, work on your swing, beat balls at the range all the time, and when you're on the course facing a full 8 iron into a green with a perfectly flat lie and the ball sitting up chances are you'll get a green in reg, not necessarily a birdie, but chances are you'll hit the green and maybe make a par. If you want to be a great golfer, you still need to practice, but you have to play a ton! Too many instructors teach people how to hit range balls and try to "fix" their swing or preach their method. Not enough instructors teach people how to play better golf. Unfortunately 9 out of 10 instructors are extremely guilty with this for beginners. They want to learn how to play golf, not hit range balls! Congrats on introducing another "method" for hitting golf balls.
  10. Beautiful Chicago Springday today- low 60's zephyr of a breeze and mildly sunny. Snuck out with three buddies to play a GC I hadn't in almost 15 years. Due to them not being able to break 115 and it being my third round of the year, they played the whites and I played the blues (one off back). I have to get out and get my swing on video n do some actual practice to see where/why my clubface is dead shut. I generally play straight or five yard fade, now my miss is a left or left and still going left. I don't like the shape and it's difficult to control. Courses are still nowhere near in good shape, but the grass is starting to turn green. I was able to manage five birdies for 73. Missed a few I should've made, including many poor lags and especially two birdies inside ten feet on the last two holes. Oh well, I'll take it for this time of year. It just nice hearing birds chirp, smelling freshly mown grass, and seeing green again.
  11. Yesterday was my second round of 2015 and second in over six months. It definitely had potential, but I was over reading putts. The over reading started on hole #1 with my first lip-out of the day (twelve foot birdie putt)'and didn't end until the 15th hole where I finally played half the break I was reading (5 foot birdie putt). I hit 9/14 fairways (6/11 with driver) 13/18 GIR, zero penalties, was in the sand twice and get up and down both times. All lead to a "oh what might have been" 2 birdie and 4 bogey 74.
  12. This ones a tie for me... 1A. Bull Valley GC in Woodstock, IL 7,325 yards 77.2/151 Golf Digest toughest in America Hazard and OB every hole, lots of blind shots. Very stupidly played it a few years back in a state open qualifier sight unseen. Slight drizzle and overcast day with decent 15mph wind. Normally par or better gets out for these events but 79 made it out. I ran out of balls on 18 (bring 6 when I play) both of the kids I played with (one Boston College, the other TCU) didn't even come close to breaking 80. Rough day. Remember striping two balls down the middle (or so I thought) only to find out they were in water. Cool. 1B. Fox Run GC, Eureka, MO 8,038 yards- no idea what the CR/Slope is from those tees Normal 7,232 yards 74.6/144 They used to host a Big Dog Shootout here back when I played college golf, now I think it's no longer, but they still host numerous qualifiers and section events. I remember one par three was 300 yards, 285 carry over water. There were also par fives over 700 yards, one being 750+ iirc. It was a LONG day. Played the course again a few years later from the normal tips and it was still pretty difficult, but I'll never forget playing over 8,000 yards!
  13. For me the #1 all time was my Cleveland Tour Action 588 blades- they were gunmetal black that i let rust to bits. Still have the 8 iron frm the set- I guess the rest went for tomato takes. #2 would be the hogan apex- I had a set in 98 or 99 maybe and freaking loved them- #3 were my set of don white custom blades- I played awesome with them but were worth way more to someone else. I still have a set of brand new hogan heads that were hand ground and tungsten weighted for hank kuehne. One of these days I'll shaft them up, grip em, and hang em on the wall!
  14. I hit the ball rather high with my irons. I don't take much of a divot with anything, yet I can still spin everything from a 8i on up on the green, so I know I'm hitting the ball crisply. Could it be that I need stiffer shafts? No divot but high ball flight means you're obviously adding loft at impact. I would think that you never get off your back foot and flip at it through impact. Prob not a shaft issue but the fact that you don't make a descending blow into the ball with your hands in front of the club head at impact.
  15. Had a Jack Daniel's Honey with Lemonade yesterday--- fantastic! The Summer Shandy of whiskey!
  16. Played Whittaker about a dozen times, fantastic golf course- two totally different nines but very cool- definitely not private. I have also played Lost Dunes which was fantastic as well. Made the trek last year to Harbor Shores but was rained out. I will try to go again this summer/fall. Michigan golf is very underrated! I play golf with my father maybe twice a year, but once for Father's Day, I'm thinking of taking him to The Dunes club.
  17. Those are bad ass! I love it! Is the course long???
  18. Here we go... Dunes Club- New Buffalo, Michigan... The last time I played it I remembered to take a couple pictures. Sorry they don't do the course justice as these were taken with an iPhone. If you haven't heard of it, read up! Pretty amazing place. Everything from the dead end road and parking lot on are amazingly cool at the dunes club. In this photo I'm looking back at the tee- it's way in the background on top of a dune. Tee off short of the waste area or do what I do and aim way left and hit to a fairway on an adjacent hole leaving a 9 iron in on the par 5. Then the second picture is a look from where most people hit their third shot approach into the green. I should've took one of the green and from the green looking back- maybe next time.
  19. Woah just noticed the price tag- $50???? For a pair of socks????
  20. Wow very interesting stuff guys... Are these socks available in larger sizes? I wear a 14 sometimes 15 shoe and if I were normal sized socks it doesn't work out well for the sock haha
  21. They look fantastic! What did you use to rescore the grooves on the face? Did you use a dremel for sanding or just man power? Congrats on a job well done!
  22. Oh man- when I was in college I think I lived on keystone light! And red dog and pizza. Lol haven't had one in YEARS
  23. If it's above 80* I'll have one before the round and then I'll bring the remnants with to the course. Other than that it's strictly water. I've wised up though... I'll tell ya what, my first job as an assistant pro, I used to be a +2 in a 9 hole match-play league when I was 20. The only goal my partner (who was on the board) and I had would be to drink 9 beers for the 9 holes. I once birdied the first five holes and closed my match. You'd think I would've kept going to see if I could "career it" right? Nope. Straight to the 19th hole haha what an idiot i was... That lasted almost the entire summer. That is when he tried to take the cart through a detour route into the parking lot and crashed it sailing him into some rose bushes... Thankfully I wasn't in their with him. I remember his wife calling me at the club the next day saying, "Kyle? This is Mike's Wife blank. He said he got into a fight at the course last night and that the other guy is much worse off than he is. I'm calling to see who the other guy was and how he's doing." Me- "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
  24. The first time I experienced this I was playing in a Pro-Am about 8 years back... When I arrived, other pros were coming up to me wishing me luck for the day. When I found my group I realized why... They had a gallon jug of homemade apple pie shots, had a dewalt radio blaring, and housing beers (an hour before the shotgun start). I said to myself "Oh boy..." I'll tell ya what- I had an absolute blast playing with those guys- I probably should've had someone chauffeur me home, but it was awesome and we took second place! I don't mind playing with music or if someone I'm playing with is playing music in the cart because none of that bothers me. I am sure that whoever has the music mutes it whenever near other groups and that the volume isn't too loud where it can be heard from other holes. I've never had to boot someone from my facility for music, but I've asked them to turn it down. It's become very popular during golf outings and charity fundraisers for people to be bringing the boom boxes with them. And ya know what- I'm all for it. There are too many people quitting golf these days and if being able to play music is keeping them in it, I'm fine with it.
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