Siamese Moose

20+ years ago, in a different age of air travel, airlines used to give a serious discount for trips that stayed over Saturday night. I had a work trip to Park City, UT, where the difference in the flight price was way more than the cost of an extra night in the hotel plus meals. My company required me to fly out on Saturday, which angered me greatly to lose a weekend day without compensation. I informed my boss (not asked!) that I was going to play golf, and the company was going to pay for it. Sunday morning I strolled over to the Park City Municipal (I think that's the name, it was just a couple of blocks from the hotel), and got paired up with a threesome of locals. Had a great time! However, the reason for this story, on one hole there was a solid line of very expensive condos down the right side. As we're walking up the fairway these guys are telling me about the famous people that owned these. I recognized all of the names (though I don't remember any of them now) except the last one. The biggest, most expensive place was owned by a woman I had never heard of. These guys were dumbfounded, "How could you not know her? She's the biggest porn star in the world!" I'm supposed to know the name of a porn star? When I asked them how many of her movies they had seen, they had to admit they hadn't seen any. They just knew her because she was local.

I saw this today, https://www.30seven.com/de/products/30seven-heated-vest-regular-fit-sleeveless-base-layer-with-zipper-for-men-or-women-with-rechargeable-battery-khaki, $122.45 I have heated gloves from this company I use for cycling (I have Raynauds), and am very happy with them.

Hamilton, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, recreated the turkey drop this week. However, they used rubber ducks dressed as turkeys, sold them for $10 ea, and dropped them on a target as a charity event.

Rodney Dangerfield would have been 102 this week. The article I saw this in pointed out that he made the first joke about Viagra, when it was first approved: I'm on a new diet, prune juice and Viagra. I don't know if I'm coming or going.

I will be getting new irons and wedges sometime relatively soon. I was planning to do it in the Spring, however, I recently read an article (that now I can't find again) that made the case for getting fit at the end of the year. The gist was that you've been playing all summer, and your golf muscles and mechanics are in better shape now that they will be after the winter. (I'm in Ohio, no four season golf for me!) Other advantages are the fitter's schedule is much more open, and delivery times are generally better. Most brands have already released next year's clubs, so that should minimize the risk of missing out on a new release. My fitter, of course, says do it now, he's got time. (An additional factor is that he's really good, I like working with him, and he knows my swing, but there's a real chance he moves on over the winter, and I lose him.) I've dropped a message to my instructor, but haven't heard back from him yet. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on the matter.

Date 11/20/2023 Course Name Indian Ridge Gross Score 75 Course Handicap 6 Gross Strokes over/under par 3 Net Score to Par -3 Net Score 69 Net Birdies or better 4 Longest Drive 257 SIM Round Once again I'm the early Monday morning guy. 39° at the start, 46° at the end, no sun, and a 2-3 club wind: I was cold, and it affected my play. Despite that, I'm quite happy with my overall scoring today. However, that net 3 under isn't as impressive as it seems, as a lot of tees were set well forward of the normal positions. I keep thinking this will be my last round of the season, and then I get out again, but I don't think I'll go out at this temperature again.

Date 11/16/2023 Course Name Twin Run Gross Score 78 Course Handicap 6 Gross Strokes over/under par 6 Net Score to Par 0 Net Score 72 Net Birdies or better 4 Longest Drive 265 Two rounds in one week in mid-November? Livin' large, Baby! I'm posting the second round as it was a stroke better, though in reality I played much better than Monday. Unfortunately, today's greens were freshly punched, and that cost me some strokes, arguably as many as five, which would have made this an exceptional round. The greens were so slow, that it made me live up to my old user name from a forum past, My Greens Stimp At Two.

I have no idea what Rory will do. I will only mention my slightly similar, though obviously very different, experience. I was twice involved in governance committees associated with my job (ASTM, national business association). There was a ton of politics, pressure from all kinds of people, and way too much uncompensated time. It sucked, made me very unhappy, and took time and focus away from my job. I was glad to be rid of it all. Rory has been in the thick of it in the worst time in history for this board. Time to chuck it aside, and look out for himself.

I can be at French Lick in two hours, If we go there I'd be happy to put together a bourbon excursion - the heart of Kentucky bourbon country is less than an hour away.

After waiting out a frost delay, and being bundled up in the cold, I started poorly. Through five holes I hadn't hit a single shot I was happy with (five 5s, five over). That turned around on 6. I hit a really good drive, 262 in the fairway when my average is more like 235. It left me about 80, but a little uphill, downwind, with the pin cut far left where the green is only 8 yards deep. Long goes down a hill and runs away, so the miss has to be short. There's a small mound right in front of the green, and I played to hit it with spin, hop over with the wind and hopefully check. If it's short that's okay. My approach hit the mound right where I wanted, but as it went over I couldn't see where it finished until I got up there. Pin high about 18" to the left - that's probably the best, hardest, knockdown wedge shot I've ever hit. It was the first of three birdies out of four, and almost birdied the other one.

Date 11/13/2023 Course Name Indian Ridge Gross Score 79 Course Handicap 6 Gross Strokes over/under par 7 Net Score to Par 1 Net Score 73 Net Birdies or better 4 Longest Drive 262 First score posted this week! It pays to get out of bed. Started poorly (I was cold, waited out a frost delay), with five straights 5s (5 over), but then birdied three out of the next four, and almost went four for four, just underread a 7 footer. Considering the start I made, finishing +7 for a net +1 for my first round in almost two weeks, I'm happy!

I definitely want to attend, but late May might not work. I have tickets for the PGA (weekend of 18 and 19), and Memorial Day is the following weekend. I will follow everything that is posted with extreme interest!

I don't care what your course handicap is, breaking 80 at Stonelick the first time you see it is some good play!

Thank you!

I'm not going to make it Maybe next time, sorry.

I have been off the grid for the last few days, so I just saw this. I'm still interested, will have a definitive answer tomorrow.

Date 10/25/2023 Course Name Pebble Creek Gross Score 83 Course Handicap 5 Gross Strokes over/under par 12 Net Score to Par 7 Net Score 78 Net Birdies or better 2 Longest Drive 221 My regular broup has turned into fair weather players, and shut it down for the year. I therefore haven't touched the clubs for two weeks, and it really showed this morning. I got off early for a solo round, and I'm glad there were no witnesses. At least on the back nine I hit a couple of really good shots (wedge and 4H) that resulted in kick in birdies, so I was reminded that I'm not all that bad.

I had it in the right index finger. Got a shot of Kenalog (steroid), and was fully normal in six hours with no restrictions. I was warned that it will probably reoccur, but it hasn't in over a decade. Good luck!

The previous code worked for me, but it's cool that you're staying on top of this. I'm curious, do you find out how many times the code(s) get used? I understand if that's proprietary business information, but it would cool to learn. Thanks again for arranging this!

Since he got a reduced sentence, he was probably able to submit an unopened package of the cold medicine for testing. I know golf has it's own protocols, but that's SOP for sports in the WADA system. There has to be some suspension, otherwise athletes could find a medication that has a banned substance, and if caught using that drug, just submit the OTC product and say, "I took this, it was unintentional." There are lists provided by most countries sports drug testing agencies that list products that are known to be clean, as well as others known to be dirty.

The course is in better shape than it's been in quite a few years. However, they're punching the greens Monday and Tuesday, so stay away for a bit.

Date 10/12/2023 Course Name Indian Ridge Gross Score 72 Course Handicap 6 Gross Strokes over/under par 0 Net Score to Par -6 Net Score 66 Net Birdies or better 7 Longest Drive 261 Just set my all time lowest score, 72, even par! My regular group has shut it down for the season (won't play if it's below 60° at the start!), so I haven't played much lately. I always seem to play quite well after a break, and that held true today. I was 2 under early, and but for a couple bad breaks might have stayed under par. My tee shot on the par 3 13th (165 yards) hit the flagstick, and kicked way off the green down a hill, and I did not get up and down. On 17 my birdie putt hit something, and kicked away. Still, I'll take it!

Great shot, bad result: I hit the flagstick on a 165 yard par 3. Ended up well off the green and down the hill, and made bogey.

I have light graphite (65g) in my irons, and 120g steel in my wedges, and it is a clear problem. I like the wedge shafts, and don't really want to change, but when I use the set-matching PW it's light weight causes me issues with both tempo and path. It's not so much of a problem once I get to the 9 iron. I will probably be getting new irons in the Spring, and I'm already talking to my fitter about the problem.

I just went from a Venu to a Forerunner (wanted HRV, it's a long COVID thing). I have all of the notifications turned off. I just can't figure out how to turn off the suggested daily workout notification. It keeps wanting me to run 30 minutes to 3 hours. I'm not a runner! (I'm a cyclist.)