DiscipleofPenick

I will be watching this as much as possible as I'm not interested in Texas. I think without the wall on 18 they'll play it as a 3 shot hole unless they need to win. Maybe some tough decisions on Sunday, but the other 3 days it could be boring. The wall was kind of odd, but they've had a grandstand back there for 30 years. It took a little strategy out of the hole because everyone fired their 5 wood or hybrid at the wall and took a drop. But now nearly everyone in the field has a chance to eagle 18. It's interesting, and a different way of looking at it, but I don't know if it's "better". Take Dead Aim

Avoid distances that you struggle with, then work on those shots on the range to develop touch and feel. So if you don't like that 50 or 70 yard shot, play to the distance where you have a comfortable full shot where's that's 90, 100, 130 yards. Take Dead Aim

Never liked them but you have to respect the longevity of this ball. Has to be close to 20 years right? BTW the lab report didn't mention launch and spin characteristics, can we get them for those of us keeping track at home? Take Dead Aim

I go down 2 clubs and take a 3/4 swing. Less spin so it won't rise into the wind. Take Dead Aim

Story time. My first experience in the golf business was as a caddy. This was at Chagrin Valley CC on the east side of Cleveland, it's a prestigious club designed by Stanley Thompson, but not as well known as the other, bigger clubs in the area. Canterbury is the one everyone knows because that's hosted most recently a Senior PGA event, and the Korn Ferry Tour. I worked there from 1999-2004 so high school and college. The membership was great, very rarely did I get a grumpy guy who yelled at me. Some members would just pay flat rate no matter who you were, which at the time was $30/bag. Or guys who expected that extra little bit of caddy help, you know what I mean, "Why don't you improve your lie sir?" I once had a guy literally tell me "if this ball was one FOOT over, I'd be in the fairway!" Anyways overall it was a good experience and getting to play the course for free on Mondays was special. What drove me nuts is that I think in the 5 years I was there, I maybe got a weekday loop half a dozen times. I don't know what it was but I was only ever looping on weekends, unless there was a tournament, or holiday. Also there was no place on site we were allowed to use the bathroom or get food. I tried other clubs but either they weren't interested in me, or you had to pay the caddy master a cut of your loop. So I left for awhile, but returned in 2008 for 2 more years. When I came back, it was a totally different place, I don't know if there was a caddies strike or what happened, but now I was making at least $50/bag, I was getting at least 4 loops per week, still playing on Mondays, and we could use the patio grill - we could at least buy a hot dog and some chips. or half a sandwich for $2. Loops were first come first serve so show up at 10 or 11 and sit there for the guys coming out after lunch. So it was nice to be able to grab a quick bite, and if you happened to catch 36 on a weekend, wolf down that dog in-between loops. Members would always take care of us for drinks on the course, but asking them for food was frowned upon. Though when they had the stations set up during the outings we were allowed to help ourselves to the drinks and snacks. No beer, but I had a few guys toss me one and say "Sorry we suck, you need this." Now for those in-between years. Getting tired of sitting around all week, I went to work for Dick's Sporting Goods in the golf department. I was essentially full time, without full time so pay was better over the 2 loops a week. Dick's was kind of a terrible company to work for, but the golf department was kind of left to it's own devices. It was cool to work one-on-one with a PGA pro and pick their brain about the business and get lessons because they're bored. We also got to demo pretty much every new club that hit our floor. So this is the time of the R7s, Nike Sumo, and MacGregor's final days. So everything from Callaway, TaylorMade, Cleveland, Adams, Nike, Odyssey I got to play with. The best time was our show day in March. It was one day where they would take us all to a hotel conference room and each company's sales rep would come in and give us a presentation. The best part was the goodies, everyone gave us a hat, and every company that produced balls gave us at least a sleeve. There was one year where Callaway gave us 2 dozen of their HX56 balls. I only remember that because it's the only Callaway product I ever liked, those balls were awesome. Eventually DSG started messing with hours and a new store manager and a miserable pro. So I decided to try and actually get into the business. Another country club on the east side, actually just up the street from Dick's was looking for a third assistant professional. So with a recommendation from the current pro at DSG, I landed the job. I started on April 1....and I was let go before the 4th of July. Boy did I get screwed there. So they hired me knowing I had zero experience in a club setting and no idea what I was getting into, I would need to be fully trained. I hadn't even registered in the local PGA Apprentice program. At least I got a few dozen balls, a couple dozen shirts, shoes, hats, and a few clubs. What happened was that at the time, this club was partnered with two others on the southwest side of Cleveland, about 45 minutes away. All 4 pros quit those clubs at the same time. So they took the head pro who hired me and was looking forward to teaching a new kid the ropes and made him the director of golf for both courses. The assistant pro was one of the most miserable people I'd ever met and he had zero interest in training me or even talking to me. The new head pro they brought in, also brought in his own shop people and staff members from the course he previously worked at. Now there wasn't a place for me anymore. I was hired not knowing anything, not given an ounce of training, then let go 3 months later because I didn't know anything. So that ended all ventures into the business. Regarding current pros, I've met a few that really don't play that much, but it's not necessarily for a lack of time. Mostly it seems that while they have time to get in at least that 18 a week, and they'll be comped at just about any course they go to, is that they don't have the time to play to get their games to where they know it could be, so they get frustrated and tired. Yes, they can go out and break 80 no problem, but they remember where the game was when they got into the business and know they'll not regain that level of play without serious work. When I caddied, all 3 pros played every Sunday with the members, but I don't know how much other time they had beyond that. I believe the other reason pros avoid playing too much is the local PGA chapter tournaments, lots of guys avoid them. If you look at the leaderboards, it usually the same half dozen guys that are in the money. The guys where it's a huge club with 4+ pros or a guy at a public course that has nowhere near the duties of a club pro. So these guys don't want to spend $200 to enter a tournament, shoot a 75, finish 18th and keep donating to the same group that actually have their game in top shape.

I remember taking trips to the golf course with my grandpa in the early 90s but I wouldn't call that a start. Probably best is that when I was 10-12 my parents sent me to junior golf clinics during the summer and I would occasionally play 9 holes with my dad, who also gave me most of my lessons. When I was 16 he asked the pro at the local course to give me lessons, but he only gave me three. The first two were amazing short game technique, as it really improved my putting and taught me a 7i chipping style I still use 20 years later. My grandpa died when I was 6, well before I was geared up for golf. However, his two younger brothers, my great-uncles, also helped teach me the game. One is still going, he's almost 80, but I still look forward to playing with him a few times a year. Take Dead Aim

I got mine around the time of MGS article in January, been using it all winter. I dropped a few bombs on the greens this past weekend. Take Dead Aim

The metro parks are less than a mile from my house, see Cleveland's Emerald Necklace. But a crew of 7-12 doe have been hanging around getting into staring contests with my dog. Sometimes he'll hop and bow like he wants them to play. Also one day over the winter a hawk nailed a good sized rabbit in the yard. It was fun trying to keep the coon hound away from the kill. I heard hawks will return to their kill, but I left it for awhile and it never came back. Take Dead Aim

Congrats on the W!!!! Take Dead Aim

I also play the Z-Star and when I tried the QST I lost about a club and a half in distance, felt like marshmallow. Not that I noticed any of the quality issues as reported in the ball lab, just too soft of a ball for me. Take Dead Aim

Holy cow!!!! I'm in 1st. Good luck tomorrow with Scottie. The bracket is under my old user name for some reason. Take Dead Aim

Got out for the first full 18 and you'd think I've never swung a club to the 6 hole. Topped drives and lots of thin shots. But then I got straight and birdie on the par 5s 9 & 18, so I guess not the worst start to the year. Plus it was almost 70, so great weather for this time of year. Take Dead Aim

Even though I wasn't around in 1983 for Ping, I do recall still seeing multi colored balls in the late 90s when I started playing. I think it's interesting, but I tried the QST a few years back and they are too soft for me, so I will pass on this ball. I do play the Z-Star so mayyyybe if they released the duo color in that... Take Dead Aim

Yes, I would be in if a league is created. Take Dead Aim

It's so hard to find 1v1 match play in the amateur ranks, outside of club championships. That's tons of four ball. I've always felt like I'd do better in match. If you take an 8, your down 1 instead of 4. Match used to be the core of amateur tournament play, but it feels like everything has moved away from that in favor of stroke because that's what the pros do. Take Dead Aim

Per class per semester. Thogh they weren't textbooks though, just history books, but each was 300-400 pages. Take Dead Aim

From my area there's over 100 public 18 hole courses within an hour, so it's hard to want to stay put. Add another 40 private clubs, and who knows how many 9 hole and par 3 courses. We don't get mentioned nationally but this area has a lot to offer. Take Dead Aim

That's what a lot of courses in my area do, they have a players card. But it's like 10-12 rounds before you get a free one, or 10% off, which is like 4 bucks a round. Not really a deal and then you're tied to that course. Then there's 4 others that grouped together and offer a cheap membership package, but you're required to pay a cart free every time you play. And they're dump courses anyway. Take Dead Aim

Still love The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings. Jack London and Joseph Conrad have lots of good stuff. Right now I'm reading Catch 22 and this is a great book. Like others, The Great Gatsby is also good. I was a history major, so in grad school I read mountains of non-fiction. In a 16 week class we would read at least 12 books plus whatever you also read for your research papers. I'm happy to make recommendations if there are other history buffs out here. Take Dead Aim

I kind of meant that with those distances they could add a set at 6700 and something around 7000 even. I think about Boulder Creek, that ciurse is supposedly 7500 from the tips, but I've never seen them on the back tee box. Or some of the boxes don't exist anymore but the yardages are still on the card Take Dead Aim

I've always preferred to travel around and play a different course every time out, with some of my favorites in the rotation. However in recent years to be able to play the amount of golf I want and have it be affordable, I've purchased a membership to a local public course. So 80% of my rounds end up being there. It's still enough that I can travel around a bit. I've not yet had the pleasure to join a country club. Take Dead Aim

Do you know who the architect was? It seems like it's missing a set of tees between 6400 and 7300 yards. They could even have 2 boxes between! Though if it's like the courses around here they will eventually bulldoze that back tee box for sanity's sake. And while the par-3s on the back look normal, those on the front are asinine distances. Why do these modern architects think it's brilliant design to have amateurs play 3s that are well over 200 yards?? If they want length stretch out those short par 4s more. Golf courses used to be designed simply with the land and played a bit tougher than they looked. Now courses are designed tough and set up impossible for anyone below PGA level. There's a special circle in hell for these people. Take Dead Aim

Mitsubishi Diamana White 70g X. This is the shaft I was fitted into when I bought my driver. Take Dead Aim

Also just read the MGS article on Sub70 going to QPQ. Those irons look slick. I may need to consider an alternative finish in my next set. Take Dead Aim

Got to roll putts on my birdie ball mat before work this morning. I love this thing. And it's great that my basement floor isn't totally level so there's actually breaking putts I can practice. Not that it's necessarily practice, but I got a new chiropractor that's also sports medicine. He's given me a new exercise routine to strengthen my weaker areas and balance out my body. It's only been a few days but alternating that routine in days with yoga I should feel a lot better this season. Take Dead Aim