Tom the Golf Nut

I’m down in Myrtle Beach now for my daughter’s track and field conference championships. I had a few hours before the start this afternoon so scouted around for a practice facility. Sure enough I found a winner Tupelo Bay about 2 miles from where I’m staying. It has an 28 hole executive course, par 3 course, grass and mat range. Putting green, and practice sand trap. The entire place is lit and open to 10pm. Medium bucket (70 balls, $14.00) Went through the bad starting with wedges up to the driver maybe 4 balls before switching and had enough balls to do it a second time. Then went over for chipping and putting. I’m liking the Golf Pride reverse taper putter grip. I picked up the large round. The grip was easy to get used to. I also used the Bridgestone Mindset balls. So far the ball feels good and performs well in chipping and putting.

I have both but use the laser more often. My course has a lot of dog legs so knowing the exact distance to the tree line is important. You now know how far you can hit to get the best position for your next shot. My laser also has slope. All the greens are elevated. This also helps. If you are interested in a laser look at the Cobalt. Absolutely the best I’ve had and tried. It’s pricey but also has a lifetime warranty. Check out the forum testing thread for these. I golf twice a week 52 weeks a year and still am on the original battery two years later. My other lasers batteries would only last a half season at best. I have a magnetic laser pocket on my bag. Open flap, shoot target, put it back and pull the club needed. I never put it in or on the cart. You will forget it eventually.

Well my day went to crap. $6,200,00 for a new transmission. Then a 26 day lead time to get one delivered.

Good morning everyone. Do you know what day it is. Don’t say Hump Day. No.it’s opening up the pool day. Pull off the cover and power wash it and let dry before storing it. Then starting up the pumps, vacuum and get the chemicals going. Sunny and getting close to 80* today. Perfect weather.

Mine arrived around noon today. I installed it a few minutes ago. I got all technical. Squared the club face in the vice with a machinist square. Then installed the grip and put a digital level across the grips flat. I got that to 0.1 degrees level and square to the club face. So now’s it’s up to the Indian not the arrow. Rolled some putts on my 10’ Odyssey mat. All systems go. I thought it would feel much different but it was easy to get used to. But boy is this a tough grip to get on. It states not to use air. So I did it the conventional way. I lubed the heck out of it with grip solvent and it was still a bugger. Now I know why they were cutting it off during trials. Can’t wait to get out on a course with it.

Thanks, but being in sales and traveling, I’m well over any warranty period due to high mileage. So I’m screwed. Either I fix it, sell it for scrap value or purchase another car. Not wanting another 5 years of payments I’m going to fix it. Too good a car to toss it away.

Morning all, Congrats to all the testers announced. Should be a good follow. Off to drop my car off. 5 years old 1 payment left and the transmission is crying for help. The drain and fill did nothing to help. So it will be more serious now. Hoping it’s a code issue with a computer fix or an easily replaceable part or two. Either way it won’t be an inexpensive fix.

Usually when you have a pretty much square screen you can set your aspect ratio to 4:1 instead of wide screen. Then move the projector until the screen image is full from top to bottom. Don't worry about the sides yet. Once this is good right click on your computer screen to get to the computers display card (typically Nvida) then get to the custom settings. You should only have to adjust the second number to get things to fit. If you're not happy just wait a few seconds, then the screen will clear and go back to where you were and try again. There is a you tube video that explains this really well. Just search for simulator projector set up.

Happy Anniversary Nice photo of the last time you were allowed to drive the cart!

I typically have three sleeves in my bag but when I get home there are about 6 more. Walking the course, I find a lot. They go in my practice bucket.

Last time that happened to me. I stopped the guys after they were heading back to the truck. I said thank you, but you forgot something. There was a return that you were supposed to pick up. SHE is standing over there. Been in the dog house ever since.

I ordered one today. Should arrive on on Monday. I got the reverse taper round large size.

I slept until 9:00. Thought I missed lunch

Today was a day like none I’ve had in quite a while. I played shots from parts of the course I’ve never been in before. First hole drove it left. Then skulled a pitch over the green, through the tree line and into the 4th fairway. Spectacular recovery. I made a 30 yard hole out for birdie. That was the highlight other than another birdie on hole 8. A couple doubles, bogeys and pars. Course was packed for some reason. Positive was I got to meet and play golf with a fellow spy. @ILMgolfnut. I sure wish the fairways would grow in. It’s all still hard pack which means tight lies.

I see @EasyPutter was getting primed for Kingsmill. Under a tree, by the stream and what have you.

Cobra King Tour set PW - used for full swings. 115-yard club Cobra King Tour set GW - used for full swings and partial wedge shots and all chip shots. 100-yard club Cobra Snake Bite 54* - used for full shots, longer bunker shots. Square faced. 85-yard club Cobra Snake Bite 60* - used for short sided pin placements from the bunker, good lie in the grass for 60 yards or less that the ball needs to sit where it lands. Like having to hit over a trap to a tight pin location. Square faced.

About 10 years ago my company sent 4 of us to a charity golf outing. We played pretty decently as a team. Turns out that we were in a three way tie for 1st place. The courses way of settling a tie is a one shot closest to the pin on 18 from 125 yards away. Nobody on my team wanted to take the shot. The players from the entire tournament were gathered around the green or watching from the patio overlooking the green. My team looked at me and said you do it. so I grabbed my PW and headed down the fairway with the club pro and the other two guys selected from the other teams. Graciously I let them hit first. Now knowing what I had to do. I took a practice swing and then stepped in and sent the ball on its way. I have the ball on one of my ball racks. As you can see I was closest and received $400.00 for my team.

Geez that looks like an awfully narrow driving range. But at least it’s good practice for the course.

Alcohol, ego’s or whatever, it is getting worse but typically worse in the more populated areas from what I see. More golfers, less courses, courses reducing the time between tee times just adds to the stress of impatient people. People hitting into others thinking they are going to speed them up. The guy who hits the ball back at them or tosses it in the woods because he is pissed, and there you have it a brawl. I’ve seen it a few times and it never ends well. Seen a guy taken to jail for assault and driving a golf cart drunk. It's sad to see that the few can ruin it for the many. The days of golf being a gentlemen’s game is over. If you want the experience of the old days you have to cough up big bucks for a private course with strict rules. Truthfully I miss being a member at a private club. Yes, there was always BS going on from some crotchety old grumps (The greens are too fast, the rough is too long, my burger is over cooked). But never the crap I see on public courses with over served golfers. The sad part is you can tell how the day is going to be when you look back at the group behind you waiting on the first tee. I typically go over to them before the round and make small talk. They are less likely to be confrontational to someone they have met already. Normally I play early morning. I always get the first tee time and I’m gone and nobody has ever caught up to me. Problem solved. (At least for my morning rounds)

The Big Easy Ernie Els always had me mesmerized. It looks like he is swinging so easy and the ball went forever.

I look for the sock type insert rather than the separate tongue. This eliminates any potential for shifting. You can see that in the photo above.

The recent edition to the family.

If it helps I just purchased another pair of Puma’s with the BOA system. Sometime the want is greater than the need.

Almost afternoon but reading all the morning thoughts takes a while when trying to work at the same time. Hopefully my day is not too eventful. I have an appointment at 1:15 to have my transmission looked at. Hopefully a fluid and screen change will get her fixed. Under somewhat aggressive power it works fine. With less power the shifting stutters a bit. Don't need that to go bad leading into a trip to Kingsmill with the spies!

The cargo shorts can come in all types of fits. From fitting to baggy and it would be too hard to name the conforming brands which could change weekly. And who's going to inspect the tag on your shorts. What the higher end courses don't want is the baggy unkept look. Your wearing working shorts and came straight from work look. Cargo shorts are considered too casual for the traditional and formal atmosphere associated with golf. The dress codes are often in place to maintain a certain level of decorum and respect for the game, the club, and other players. I was a member at a private club for 16 years. They have rules. You have your choice, conform or leave. But they have changed policies over the years. Looking back in history we are pretty lucky. Would you like to be golfing in a starched button-down white shirt and tie? Rules change over time. We can wear shorts; Tiger came out with the mock tee golf shirt and now that is accepted. Now they have the untucked designed shirts being allowed at certain places, hoodies. Times change and dress codes change over time, but golf attire acceptance changes slowly. The main issue is every course has a different set of rules. I just got used to dressing to be able to play anywhere. A lot of the exclusive clubs put ownership on the member if they invite a guest. I played Southern Hills with a member, and he sent me a do's and don'ts list (no hats to be worn in the club house, you can't change your shoes in the parking lot, you will be assigned a locker for the day to change. Collared shirts tucked in, shorts to the knees, no cargo shorts, hats to be worn correctly on the golf course and so on. Which is totally acceptable to me. As long as I know the rules up front. There could be nothing worse than being asked to leave because your attire did not conform after traveling to get there. No different than going to the Masters as a spectator. They have rules and a lot of them (and you're not even playing ). Unfortunately, I have had to do that a few times when inviting people to play at my previous club. It's embarrassing for both parties. I sent the rules, he chose to ignore them. They told me that he had to leave or change. He was embarrassed or pissed and left. Then they got on me and asked if I informed him of the dress code. Their course their rules. My new club is less strict, but I still dress the same as I would for a private course. It's just what I'm comfortable in. Plus, you get the added benefit of moisture wicking and UV protection materials in today's golf apparel.