alii1959

I have had a couple of rounds over the last three days. Would have had three, but I was helping Noah with the Ark, which nearly came in handy. On Wednesday, I went with a friend and his newby daughter to Belle Meade Country Club in Thomson, Ga. The greens were great...my putting was just OK. I have not played that course in nearly 2 decades. My lack of local knowledge was a glaring oversight. I didn't trust the distances of 18Birdies, my rangefinder (although it was the most trusted of the three), nor the golf cart (err, baby buggy). I normally don't ride, but they do....so, I played along. Or, I tried to. There was a point at which I quit counting...it was really, really bad. There are a lot of blind shots into greens that I was unfamiliar with, standing water in the fairways and bunkers, and mud everywhere else. I hate playing in mud. No highlights. No happy. Just a miserable soggy effort. I want to go back when we aren't in a flood watch. It got so bad I really did quit counting...somewhere around an 85 or 86. Just couldn't get a feel for the course. Today, was a vastly different day. I was back on my home course, still soggy, but I know where the trouble is. Parred 1. Missed the green on two and one hopped a chip for birdie. The rest of the front was more pars and three bogeys. 38. Then the back attacked. I didn't manage a birdie, but I did hit a sand shot to 4"....and even made the putt. I hit the next shot, over water on the par 3 17th, to about 4'....missed the putt. Parred 18 for a respectable, at least for me, 77. Felt so much better to be playing a course without blind approach shots. I don't mind blind tee shots, but blind approaches require a good deal of local knowledge to know where to drop the irritating dimpled sphere. All-in-all I was thankful just to get to play. It has been so wet here over the past week, I am surprised that the courses are even playable.

Veteran....very difficult to go untucked...anywhere. Even workout clothes get tucked half the time. My wife is Hawaiian and she is kinda weird about clothes...she hates them, everything has to be loose and easy to wear. Thus, I have loosened up over 40+ years of marriage...sometimes I can go untucked and feel semi-comfortable. However, when I am strapped I am often untucked, but only in very hot weather. I like the trim look. I like looking like I have a waist. However, for those with dunlops' disease the tucked look is a bad one. I have a friend that is a 34" waist (no matter what) and is always tucked...that shirt is strained beyond its elasticity. Not a good look. As far as the course is concerned, my club requires tucking, but I don't care about others and what they wear.

My singular greatest equipment blunder happened about 15 years ago. I wasn't playing much, due to a serious priority mixup....my child is not more important than golf....nothing is....well, maybe eating and s...., well you get the idea. I had a few clubs just sitting around and was asked if I could donate some to a charity that was using golf to reach kids. I decided why not! So, I gave away all of my old clubs, save my Ping Eye2+ irons, my Ping i25 irons, hybrids, and woods. Then I got back to playing regularly....daughter got older and didn't need me as much, my wife is always more than willing to let me play golf or get lost or....hmmm, maybe that isn't a good thing. Anyhow, I gave away my Dunlop Goliath driver and 3 wood. They were purchased at Walmart for $30 each. I really loved those clubs. The 3 wood was a serious fairway finder, and the driver was very long for me. I have struggled with every driver since. I have spent way too much money trying to duplicate that feeling. My new-to-me Cobra F8 driver is the closest I have ever come. With the stiff shaft installed it has become a weapon. Not giving that thing up! I do still miss those old Dunlops, probably wouldn't like them as much now, but nostalgia being what it is, I wish I had never gotten rid of them. Hope the kids enjoyed them.

Over the last 3 days I have shot 79,79,80. That sounds pretty good.....but, the first 79 was working hard to be 75, the second 79 was working hard to be 90, the 80 was on course to be an 86. I don't recall the course installing a sauna, but.... It has been sweltering here in Ga at the moment. For a dedicated walker this is a tough time of year. Anywho, the second round was with my old Ping Eye 2+ irons. Man, do I love the way they feel? Which, of course, messed me up for the third round, especially on the front 9 resulting in a 43. Did shoot 37 on the back to keep it a bit under control. These last three round have raised my handicap back up to a 4.1...was at 3.8 for two whole days. Got scared someone might think I am a good golfer. So, I am back to a more comfortable position. I cannot fathom how the pros do this. They will shoot 62 one day then 75 the next. I would lose my stinking mind. I nearly had to have an ambulance after the 80. I could feel my pride breaking while the veins in my surgically repaired neck throbbed enough to wake the dog when I got home. I do not have the mental capacity to keep going one step forward, two back constantly. Aaaarrrgghhh! A long time ago it took me a year to break 110, another to break 100, then another to break 90, then a couple to break 85. Then the fight was on. Took nearly 4-5 years to break 80 on a regular basis. Then my hatred for par increased exponentially. I am stalking that demon and will kill it off, but it is taking longer than I had hoped. I actually shot a 71 on a par 72 course once, and only once, a few years ago, thought I had turned a corner. I did, only to find par laughing at me maniacally. Couldn't get below 80 regardless of my efforts or course played for many moons after that. I am now knocking on the door again, but the difference between 75 and 71 is greatly simplified by math. In practice, I see a steep mountain....again laughing at me....that will take a great effort to overcome. But, you see, I do not shy away from a challenge! The battle continues!

Sorry it took me so long to respond. 1. A small town you might have heard of: Augusta 2. I was the high school science guy at the Alternative school in Columbia County, I taught all science...sometimes as many as 11 subjects in one room. I helped that I am a bit insane! 3. The times that I have had "professionals" explain what I need to play better I have nearly always been skeptical, however I did fall for the PXG hype. I find that the person that knows my swing best...me. Further, I am the guy who is more than willing to take a hacksaw to anything that doesn't suit me. I practice a lot, I play a lot. I know my game. The fitters have constantly told me that I need a senior shaft, at least lately. Yet, I play better with stiff shafts. I am a feel player and unless a club feels "right" it isn't for me. I took a set of Hogan Edges apart and rebuilt them to suit me years ago. I have had fitters try to put me in "players" clubs because of my handicap. The real issue i have, as a science guy, is the fact that unlike chemical or physics equations, the "science" of fitting seems to yield different results depending upon the fitter. I have tried to be open minded with these people and allow them to advise me. Their advice has cost me a great deal of money, frustration on the course, and left me fighting my swing over and over. Henceforth, I will be my club fitter. I respect the guy who is unwilling to do the job himself, but those of us who have the skills can do it ourselves.

I can't say that I set any goals for 2024. However, I can say that my desire was to get my handicap down a bit and score in the 70s for the most part. So far, that is happening. I have managed to get down to 74 at one point and my handicap is at 4.1 right now. I do have my obligatory blow up round, but otherwise things are trending in the right direction. The big issue for me is putting. I only had 27 putts during my last outing, but most of the 1 putts were for par. If I am going to get better, I have to increase GIRs. Right now, according to GHIN, I am hitting 79% of my fairways and 45% of my greens. Normally, I am around 80% for FIR, but GIRs often elude me. My misses are evenly distributed between long, left, right, and short. So, basically I miss all over the place. So, for the rest of 2024 GIRs are the key.

A friend of mine turned me onto FB and I have had great success with them. I usually buy the near mint and they seem to perform quite well. But, of course, I was using Wilson Zips before and liked those too....so my opinion may be suspect. I prefer Callaway Supersofts right now and the used market makes them affordable for me. I cannot imagine paying $60 a dozen time after time. Personally, I have played well with the Zips, as mentioned, Nasty ole Nitro balls, Titech Beta, Top-flite Bombs, etc. I am quite pleased with the performance of the balls from FB and have compared them to new Supersofts and can find little difference. However, I do not play ProV1s or the like. Tried 'em. Didn't like 'em. For my style of play the balls mentioned above have proven to be quite adequate.

Today, I got to play Heathrow Country Club near Orlando. I struggled a bit on the front. The greens, which were redone recently, had been punched 11 days ago and were quite hard, were not very receptive. I had a number of my approaches wind up well off the green. I was having a hard time adjusting. 5 bogeys later I carded a 40 on the front. Starting the back 9 I was already dreading the island green that loomed ahead. I parred 10 & 11 after getting the ball to stop on the green. Then came the island! From the tees I was playing it was 115 to the pin. The green was much larger than I thought it would be. I hit a sand wedge to the center of the green. However, with my draw and the hardness of the green it rolled off the left side near the cobblestone path. A chip with my 58* and I had a tap in for par. My very lonely birdie occurred on #13. After that it was all pars until 18. One lost ball later and I had my first double of the day. Thus, I shot a 77 on the par 71 course. Stupid me, I didn't even realize it was a par 71 until I was finished. Guess I was just playing one shot at a time, for once, and not paying attention to much else. It was a very humid hazy day making for a sticky walk. I was very thankful that they allowed me to walk. Riding in those wee buggies usually adds 5-10 strokes to my game. All-in-all it was a good day. Played well. Course was in very good shape, with a nod to the green conditions mentioned above. The staff is amazing. I cannot recommend Heathrow Country Club more highly. If you get the chance you should give it a shot.

I guess one of the other things that I like about the private club is the care they take of the course. It is amazing. I feel quite honored to be able to play there. One of my golf partners and I discuss this all the time. We both come from the "wrong side of the tracks" and now can do this. We feel more akin to the maintenance folks than many of the other golfers. I don't have a summer home....well, I suppose I do, but it is merely the cooler side of the winter home. I don't have a big fancy...er, anything. But, I love golf. I am debt free, retired, and working hard to improve. My wife likes the fact that I get my money's worth out of the club. Had she not be such an excellent money manager...I would be a member at one of the public courses (which I was for more than 10 years). I enjoy most any course, if they even attempt to take care of it.

I play on average 4 times per week and some days spend hours on the practice range and putting green. Thus, it was cost effective for me to join a private club. I wasn't sure about doing so, never have been before, and it is expensive. But, the cost of public rounds has gone up enough that a few rounds a month, much less a week, begins to rival the cost of the private fees. Plus, you add in the fact that most public courses around here have memberships available, but you have to join their ranges for a separate fee, the private club becomes even more cost effective. Plus, it is nice to have the pros, cart guys, range guys, and the maintenance people being helpful and knowing you. It has been a great experience!

That is much my point entirely. The PXG guys, and others, wanted me in whippy shafts due to my age. The ones that I bought from those guys and the other clubs like them were the scourge of my game. Especially the hybrids. I recently came across 2,3,4,5 Cobra Aerojet hybrids with 85g stiff shafts, for about $100 each. Suddenly, the hybrids are some of my best clubs. I just don't think the fitters listen very well, and much like many who give lessons, they have preconceived notions that they cannot be pushed off of. I don't want to argue with my fitter. I want them to pay attention to my suggestions. I was even yelled at for taking a 1/2" off of some of my clubs. Hey, these are mine! I will cut them, lengthen them, reshaft them as I please!! But, I have always tinkered with my clubs. Had a 60* wedge once that you could shave with. I ground all the bounce off and moved the weight up on the back of the club. I could flop it off of the driveway.

About 3 years ago I bought into the hype. Being a veteran I got a great discount on fitted PXG irons, woods, and putter. I struggled with them for nearly 3 years. Finally, I came to the realization that they just weren't for me. Hard to get rid of them...the cost to me was still high. So, I went back got fitted again....didn't like their attitude this time. The only PXG club I still have is a 2 wood, which has been good to me in the past. I went with cobra LTDx one-length and have been shooting much lower scores. I feel much like I was duped. Probably not, but I am not convinced that "fitting" is the best thing. Every person that has "fitted" me recommended different things. They make it sound like a science....yet, as a science major I take exception to their use of the word. The person that has fitted me best over the years....me.

I am quickly becoming one of those people I used to hate. You know the one, complaining about a "good" round....well, here goes... First off it was brutal hot today, 105+ heat index at times. Second, had the worst warm up in a while. Was asked to tee off early so very little putting/chipping time, didn't mind but the lack of putting practice was evident a couple of times. Started off OK, I was -1 through 4. I hit 6/7 fairways and 5 greens on the front. However, I managed a smooth double on #5. Couldn't find the green. Saw it and fell short, then a bit long on the chip, etc. Finally, got on the green and 3 putted....arrgh. So, 1 over on the front 37. Got up and down on 10 for a par. Then the wheels flew off the canoe. The par 5 11th has been, on occasion, the bane of my existence. (I actually made an 11 here without ever hitting it in either of the ponds, nope I hit the arrogant thing over and over and over). I hit a good drive, a bit left but not bad. Laid up short of the pond in good order. 115 to the pin. I grabbed my GW and pounded it toward the green. I saw it bounce and was elated! I figured I was within 10ft. I was wrong. I thought I was at least on the green. I was wrong. The ball, when I finally found it, was 25 yards beyond the green. Either I just hit the longest GW of my life or I had grabbed my PW and hit the ball over 130...I fired my caddy right then and there. That bone head has cost me more strokes than a pound of bacon at a fat farm. So, in my confusion, it took three more shots to get on the green. 2 putts later and I carded a blessed 8!!!! I limped my way home with two more bogeys carding a 78. I nearly had a stroke myself. I really thought that this could be a PB round. Nope. Ya'll were speaking of the mental game. Mine broke down completely on 11. Don't know why. Just couldn't wrap my head around what had happened. I should have stepped back taken a few breaths, looked around, and then assessed my predicament. I didn't.

Yesterday I reverted to my traditional behavior….not hitting greens. Only hit 8….and 3 putted two of those! Only managed 3 birdies, resulting in an exhausting 79. Managed to get up and down from jail quite a few times, but I should not have been there to start with. Best one was on 18, managed to peel my approach nearly to the 10th fairway just below the tee box. I was beyond the cart path with over hanging limbs attempting to reach the second tier of a three tiered green. About 20-25 yards to hole. So, over the cart path…under the limb…onto the green, then it nearly rolled up to the third tier. Fortunately, it took the hill down coming to rest a foot from the hole. It was a wild ride!

Well...I was back at it today. Didn't do too bad. Played the mix-member tees at nearly 6200yds. Had a slow start with a bogey on #1 and ho-hummed my way around until #5. Hardest hole on the front nine. Hit a half decent drive, in the fairway no less, leaving me about 160 out to the green. Scalded a 6I up the hill to about 7 ft. Tricky downhill putt, slid down the hill and crashed into the cup. On #9 I had a great drive, then skunked my second shot, on this 533yd par 5, into the left rough. I couldn't hit a full wedge into the green due to overhanging limbs. So, I pulled out a PW and knocked it to 3ft....missed the putt of course. The irony here is the fact that the guy I was playing with and I had discussed half-shots during the first couple of holes and I had stated I didn't really have that shot. After my approach on 9 he said, "I thought you didn't have that shot!!!." He was losing and this was his last hole....poor baby. Finished with a 38 on the front. I started the back with a bogey as well, just to keep the symmetry in tact. Anyhow, I managed to birdie 13...a 9i to about a foot. Also, I birdied 16 with a long putt after a seriously hooking PW onto the green. Finished back 9 at 37. So, overall I managed to tie my second lowest scored here at West Lake. I managed to hit 14 fairways and 10 greens today. No 3 putts...yippee!!!

That was the problem with a course I once was a member of. It is the most popular public course in my county. Didn't even track the time. My current home course is usually not too busy. I can finish 18 in 2.5-3.5 hrs walking. However, the folks in carts are usually what slows things down. How in the world do people get motorized and slow down??? Too much talking, too much playing by committee.... What? Ok, fine, I will go and say 50 Hail Pars and toss 3 new balls in the lake as pittance....(bad, bad rants...no more rants about the silly little carts....bad, bad boy).

I hear you. I think one of the problems that I have had is the fact that I had 5 rotating putters. I am beginning to believe that I need to commit to one putter and spend the time necessary to get better with it. Changing over and over has kept me off balance, yielding a lack of confidence in any of them. For now, and I hope that isn't going to change soon, I have gone back to my old Ping Anser putter. Yesterday, I had a 4 putt and a 3 putt...today, I only had 28 putts, along with 8 1 putts. While I was 6 over for the day, my putting seems to be getting better. Stay tuned.....

Well, Played 18 today, without heatstroke!!! Things may be coming together just a bit. On the front 6 pars, 3 bogies, even though I couldn't find a fairway not did I hit many greens. The back was going along swimmingly with 6 pars, 1 bogie...then the collapse began in earnest. 17 is a par 3 over water with a couple of bunkers and a swoopy green. The pin was back right. I hit the ball with a bit of a fade into the right hand bunker. Then to make the round normal I punched it into the bunker across the green. Next shot barely out of that bunker. Finally, on the green for a nice two putt. Smooth 6 on a par 3....I know you are jealous of my golfing prowess. Fortunately, I pulled my tee shot on 18 into the trees on the left, but I left myself a nice opening for a layup before having to carry the water and mounds before the green. With my G wedge I put it to a foot. Made the putt....yes, yes, it was not a gimmie for those of us with putting woes. First birdie of the day. Carded a 78! Good news: 28 putts!!!! Finally, my putting didn't result in the ball going further than many of my drives. Bad news: the fairways became elusive. I usually hit 11+ per round, not today. I think I got 9. Because of my poor ball striking my putter was under duress...and I came through. It was a wild time.

Well....same tune, different day. I play miserably on the front ( to include a 4 putt) limping my way to a 43. Then the clouds parted and the gods of golf smiled and I slapped it around for a 37 on the back to include a birdie on the, difficult for me, 11th ( once scored an 11 on this hole...didn't hit it into either of the ponds and no penalties....just, well you know...). Again an 80. Hard to be too frustrated, but I did have one 4 putt and one 3 putt. Not sure what to do now.

Played 9 holes in the sweltering state of Ga, today. Walked 9 on my home course....still air temp 95+. Didn't do too bad, but didn't putt too well. 5 pars, 4 bogies for a smooth 40. Only real highlights, par4 6th poor drive on a short hole left me 178 out (over water, up the hill to an elevated swoopy green, guarded by "hell" bunker on the right, with a small bunker on the left, 5H to 20ft, 2 putt par; shortly thereafter: 533 yard par 5 9th, Driver, 2H, SW, to 10 feet....of course I missed the putt. Just one of those days.

One of the things I have judiciously avoided over the years is too much data. I am not sure that it makes the difference for most of us that people think. I have enough trouble thinking about all the variables that go into each shot without out worrying about the fact that for this distance I have a 20% chance of hitting the green. I don't watch my swing...I know when it feels right, I can usually fix it pretty quick (not always). I have tried over the past year, or so, to simplify my approach: one-length clubs, stiff shafted hybrids, one driver (all the others have been sold), down to two putters (no more switching all the time), etc. I am more confident now than I have been in awhile.

Here we go again.....although the 9's were closer together. Managed to shoot 3 over on the front, 2 bogies, 1 double and 1 birdie...was happy with 39. Then, the back attacked back. 5 bogies without a single birdie. However, on #15, which is the hardest hole on the course I was on the green in two. Drive in the fairway, 4H to the green. Sadly, the ball rolled to the top of the green. A very delicate putt down hill and a tap in and par it was. Kinda felt like I stole one there. Such a hard hole for the old guys, like me. 15 is a drive well uphill, then bending to the right with a bunker in the elbow. Cutting the corner is out of my wheel house, so I tend to go left a bit...which makes the hole play a bit longer. But, me and my hybrids are coming to an agreement. So, things are looking up. All-in-all 39 on the front, 41 on the back for an 80. Not bad, but I know I can do better! The putter I mentioned before has found its way back to Edwin Watts. I used their 90 day return policy. Today, I used my ancient Ping G2 Anser with a relative thin grip (kinda mimics the original grip). Putted pretty well having not used it in years (31 putts). The return of "old faithful" may translate into more confidence on the greens...and putting is all about confidence.

Well, Par beat the *&%$%^ out of me today.....I hate this foul game. Used a different putter today...the one I normally used was in time-out for today. Putted like crap. It is probably back in the bag tomorrow. I started off out. Had two bogies and a double on the front...mostly due to horrible second shots. Then I got bogged down behind a tournament. (Apparently, the slowest member of our club was in the group I found myself behind.) I don't play well when I have to play slow. Waited on every single shot. (As an aside; do not take 10 practice swings before every shot when you simply shank it into the woods every time. The practice swings won't help. Further, no need to plumb bob each put that misses anyhow. Hit the ball....move along. In addition, don't complain about the group ahead of you when they run off and leave you behind. When this happens the slow play is your fault.) It took just over 4 hours to play 18 holes. They weren't even walking. I was! Also, walk like you have a purpose in life between the cart and the ball...this isn't a sight-seeing trip! Rant over! The back 9 was awful. I shot 6 over on the back, missed nearly every putt. Wound up with a heroic (not!!!) 81. I lost this battle. I let circumstances cramp my efforts. Tomorrow the war continues!!! Par must die!!!

Returned from my trip to Tennessee and Texas to play my home course. Played 4 rounds in Texas...unremarkable (had never seen the courses before, average 83....hot and blustery). Today, I played my home course (West Lake CC and repeated my usual performance, as of late. I couldn't make a recovery putt to save my life on the front nine. I was close, at times, but no joy. I was spraying my driver quite a bit and slopped it around for a +7 43. On the back, however, I hit all the fairways and most of the greens. The green speeds today weren't as quick as usual, but they were fast enough. I had 3 bogies on the back. Stepping up to 17, a par 3 over water, I attempted to fade a 9i into the pin about 141 yds away. I was able to stick it to 3 feet. Made the putt. Back to 2 over for the back 9. 18 is a longish par five with an uphill tee shot and a large pond in front of an elevated green. As usual, I attempted to lay up to around 100yds to give me a nice wedge shot into the three tiered green. The pin was on the middle tier. My lay up left me with 92yds to the pin. Stuck it to 3 feet. Made the putt. Back to one over for the nine...for a smooth 80. I can't seem to get both nines going at the same time. Either one stinks or the other. But, at least today I was patient and kept "doing what I do" and it kinda worked out. Had I not had a 3 putt on the front I would have been back in the 70s. Tomorrow the battle with par recommences!

Horrible!!! Played a course new to me today. Of course, I did so after a torrential rain storm yesterday. The course was soaked, muddy, unkempt, and steamy. I do not play well in mud...never have. The greens hadn't been cut and the holes hadn't been redone in quite awhile. Add to all that....I sucked. No, really sucked. Couldn't get going. Missed all but 7 greens...had a three put ( on the shaggy greens)....couldn't get the distances right. So, and underwhelming 85....aaaarrrgggh. Unfortunately, it was the warm up for 3 rounds over the next two days...again on courses that until now have been unseen. Didn't help my confidence at all.