WaffleHouseTour

Time for another check in - particularly because the putter was on fire. I'm convinced on this AimPoint. I felt things I never would have seen - and either made it or lagged it close enough to be stress free. I had one stinking three putt on the final hole - and its because I got sloppy on the 2nd putt. I was thinking more about score and doing math in my head than on the speed and break. Amana Colonies Golf Club was great place to really put this to the test - slopey greens and a few double breakers. Had a few threes and fours today. What I'm most happy about it getting it close from long distance. Dropping it into the 3 foot basket. Played yesterday at DesMoines Golf and Country Club. A Pete Dye course known for having diabolical greens. Didn't play very well - from tee to approach to the green. Lost -3.4 SG as I struggled with the speed. I mean struggled w speed. The guys I was playing with razzed me about "Keeganing" my putting as they watched me "take aim". But the three times I three putted, blasting the ball way too far past the hole, I went back and tried the initial putt again and either dropped it in the hole or put it in tap in range. So taking encouragement from that.

Date 06/29/2023 Course Name Amana Colonies Golf Club Gross Score 79 Course Handicap 9 Gross Strokes over/under par 7 Net Score to Par -2 Net Score 70 Net Birdies or better 7 Longest Drive 262 Been on a heater this past week - not often I post a score here twice. But the putting stats were too good not to share - the AimPoint lesson is paying big dividends. I clearly lost my mind for a bit. Not accustomed to shooting even par for 10 holes... My brain quickly took care of that. Funny how that works. Oh well, gotta see what I can learn from that experience.

Date 06/28/2023 Course Name Finkbine Golf Course Gross Score 79 Course Handicap 7 Gross Strokes over/under par 7 Net Score to Par 0 Net Score 72 Net Birdies or better 5 Longest Drive 266 Traveling around the state this week for work. Tonight I got to play Finkbine - home of the Hawkeyes. Canadian wildfires made the air thick and hazy.

This won't mean anything to anyone but me - but made a significant improvement to the practice area. Took out the little retaining wall and planters behind the net - that allows me an additional three feet or so to slide the net back and give me that much more ball flight/time for the Mevo+ to read it. And, came up with a new way to store the Sporina net - hopefully this keeps it from being the leaf and debris collector when I just left it laying on the green. This is my second net - my first got all kinds of UV damage - again left it laying on the green until I put it away for the year. This spring I got the larger net, and hopefully keeping it vertical will lessen the UV damage. We'll see. But the easy open/close and a few more feet of ball flight was my primary goal. Just put in a couple heavy duty i-bolts on either side and found a 48 inch bungee at the hardware store to stretch across it. Had a pretty windy weekend and everything stayed up. I'm sure the neighbors wonder what is sticking up above the fence, but they already think I'm a little crazy.

Well, now I’m thinking about a driving iron…Thanks MGS!

Date 06/23/2023 Course Name Whispering Creek Gross Score 79 Course Handicap 9 Gross Strokes over/under par 7 Net Score to Par -2 Net Score 70 Net Birdies or better 7 Longest Drive 256 Today was a good day. The back nine at the Creek is always more challenging for me. It is also a tougher walk with a lot of elevation changes, so I'm pretty tired by the end. But this week I've posted a couple 84s, an 80 and 82; all with a back half collapse - and while the card looks like it was imminent they were all really close to par saves - and I kept it together with a 3 footer at the end knowing what it meant. As much as anything, keeping a double off the card makes all the difference.

Thought today would be a good time for an update - SG putting +0.1 today, -2.7 yesterday, -2.7 Wed, -3.6 Tue, -3.6 Sun, +0.5 Sat. Across says "you're improving!" by +0.8 strokes compared to my previous 10 round average. Really was careful today, used my level on the practice green to try and calibrate my self. Today was a good day all around, but putting really really helped. Once you figure out the slope, speed is everything. Yeah, I know, speed is always everything. But when you weren't sure of the slope there were too many variables. What was really telling - Across breaks downs SG by length of putts - I've never had more then two in the green before...

I think they fit pretty true, but they have some stretch - so no need to unbutton after thanksgiving…. Seriously - I think they look nice and fit, not big or baggy, but they have some give.

I typically wear them for work when I don’t have to wear the suit and tie, or everyday use. Worn more off the course than on.

Bought a pair of Dunning last summer - added three more pair over the winter - really like the elasticity in them. Haven't tried the shorts yet, but the pants are great.

Love the BB&F flair! Wouldn’t want someone else picking up a seven iron at the range by mistake. Looks sharp.

My daughter and I made our way up to The 70 in Sycamore. Had two hours booked, and tried to get us both fit in that time. That caught Keith a bit by surprise but he was very cool about it. Gave my daughter as much a lesson as a fitting, but came up with a good option for her. I got fit into the 699Pro v2. Tried out the 659 CBs, and hit them well, and they really felt great, its where my heart wanted to go. But went with my head, and went with the numbers - I hit the 699's higher (which was a goal) more consistently, better decent angle, faster, and better smash factor consistently. Currently game a 6-GW plus two hybrids, going with a 5-GW and one hybrid. I'm moving out of a set of one length irons, so I'm hoping for more consistency in gapping - and better gapping at the bottom. One thing Keith made me acutely aware of, I'm going to need to stand a little farther from the ball - I keep wanting to get too close, but thats a force of habit. Bought two sets of wedges - he put me in the JB wedges - got a regular set, and then also a low bounce set. I play a lot of my rounds in Nebraska out at the Prairies Club and Landmand - and it's so firm and tight I thought I'd give low bounce a try. And they were on sale... Went back on forth on shafts, trying to keep it light to help create the speed - so went with some stiff (I'm currently in MMT Regular) KBS graphite. Felt like a kid in the candy store. So many clubs around, so many options, two simulator bays, putting area, very cool vibe. Couple people walked in off the street just looking to get some gear. They clearly have something going thats working for them. Told me two weeks - so will share some photos when they arrive. Oh, and if you go, take some pennies for the parking meter...

Had first green jitters today. You know, like first tee jitters, teeing off in front of a crowd at a pro-am or something. But in this case trying to put AimPoint into practice for the first time, on an unfamiliar course, with three guys I met ten minutes and 370 yards ago... Three putted the first green... Wasn't great on the second. Slower than I was expecting and I was nervous. But progressively got more comfortable, better or speed and much better on the putts. AimPoint identified some breaks and picked out some targets I NEVER would have looked at. So while the score was nothing to write home about Arccos said my putting was a +0.5; 7 1 puts, 10 two putts, and that first three putt for a total of 30. I'm anxious for my next round. One thing that made me nervous, uncomfortable, is just moving around the green and not standing on someone else's line. I don't want to hold up play - and didn't. We boogied around in right at four hours. But to keep up the pace I don't want to wait until it's my turn to go get my read with my feet. And if I'm away I don't want to stand in someone else's line. So that is going to take some practice. But all in all, I feel like Day One was a success. Just need to be sure it's not an aberration. I'm glad I practiced last night with a level, but am going to down load that "percent slope" app on the apple store and do a comparison - that'd be handy to take to the practice green. But the level fits in the bag just fine too.

Spent most of my day working and driving to visit my daughter for fathers day weekend - she’s taking me golfing sarurday and Sunday (“awwwww” they collectively sighed…) - so sorry for the slow response. Got my level from Menards and went to the closest course w a practice green to “practice” feeling slope w my feet and assign it a number. I’m sure the boys cleaning the carts nearby thought I was nuts. Stand with legs spread and my eyes closed gently rocking back and forth, then look down at the level, then move and do it again. Making a few mistakes along the way, but learning what a 1 feels like from a two. Biggest challenge is matching the speed - their stated way to do it is roll it one foot past - so what will generate that. 1 depends on the distance and speed. And to your point, they aren’t all going in, but if I can leave them in tap in range and I didn’t end up trying to save par from ten feet, that an improvement. 2 I don’t know yet. The course I learned on had slopes w 0-4 % the instructor had marked out in advance to show me. At this mount today they were largely 0-2; but I did find a couple 3% slopes on the practice green I’m anxious to see what my home course looks like. I didn’t use my iPhone, but a level that shows percentage of slope - not degree of angle. Be glad to test the iph9ne app against my hardware store purchase and report my finding 3 first finger in the center if the hole. As I usually leave the stick in that’s my target. Today I had good results on the practice green. Will see what actusall round results in. Back tomorrow

I have always struggled with green reading. I worked hard this winter on my stroke indoors, but came out struggling to determine where to aim. When I'm confident with my target I have no problems, and feel very confident over four footers (my Skillest coach had me sinking 100 four footers in a row over the winter). But the lack of confidence in target results in all kinds of other speed problems. I've got a couple holes at home where, even though I've played it for twenty years, depending on the pin location I can't tell if its a left to right, or right to left. And I really am confused by up hill, side hill slopes. I've been thinking about AimPoint for the last two years, watching the finger waggling on tv, and listening to chatter about it. After listening to John Sherman's pod cast with AimPoint founder Mark Sweeney, I decided to make the jump. Found a Level 2 AimPoint instructor on their website three hours away (had to drive that way for work anyway) and went for a lesson last night. No clinics anywhere near me. The lesson lasted two hours. The first half really on the theory, learning on how it works and learning what I'm feeling with my feet. Second hour was putting it into practice. Then a little clean up at the end with writing down some notes on how to practice it and find my feels, and calibrate for speed. I gotta say, I was impressed by what I saw and did. When the instructor and I talked through things, what my challenges were, habits and tendencies, I told him I thought I over read the break. That may have been true for 6 footers; but boy, was I wrong on things in that 15 to 20 foot range. When I started dropping some of those (or leaving tap ins) I could have fallen over laughing at where AimPoint had me correctly targeting and where I otherwise might have. But anyone who has read my posts knows I'm a very CDO, Type A, analytical person - so today I'm off to a hardware store to get myself a digital level - I want to, need to, be sure I can feel the difference between a 0%, 1%, 2% slope - so I intend to practice getting that feeling. The instructor and I talked about how to do that, how to make sure I'm getting the right feels and setting up some practice stations with some tees and randomly moving from a 1% to a 2% to a 0 to a 3%... Listening to the podcast w Sweeney, it's clear it takes some time. You have to stick with it. And you also have to calibrate yourself and how you aim - a 2% is not the same on a green running at a 10 stimp as it is on a 12 stimp. But getting the read - thats quick. I'm anxious to see if my pace and time improve. Listening to TV you'd think I'm adding half an hour to my playing time - but last night it sure felt faster - particularly if you get down in two strokes rather than three. So... I'm going to post my putting Arccos putting stats as of today, pre-AimPoint, last ten rounds comparing my shotsgained versus a scratch. And I'll come back later and do it again, see what we learned. I'm posting this under Lessons rather than a Review - as I'd really like to hear what others have experienced with it, suggestions or hints at how to improve that "feel" and calibration. Unlike some piece of equipment, this is all subject to operator error or success. So what do my fellow Spies who've tried it think? Your experience?

Just be patient with it. It won't happen overnight, and there are ups, downs, and plateaus - its not linear- but I had my hip replaced and am on my second program and the trend line continues to point up

Date 06/14/2023 Course Name Whispering Creek Gross Score 81 Course Handicap 8 Gross Strokes over/under par 9 Net Score to Par 1 Net Score 73 Net Birdies or better 4 Longest Drive 258 After this past weekend, an 81 seemed Ho-hum and very anticlimactic without being an edge of your seat grind fest “will he or won’t he break 80”… But a very pleasant walk… Always love a good walk path

Nice

+2 85

Date 06/11/2023 Course Name Prairie Club - Dunes Gross Score 77 Course Handicap 4 Gross Strokes over/under par 4 Net Score to Par 0 Net Score 73 Net Birdies or better 4 Longest Drive 313 Career low round at the Prairie Club.second round of the day - shooting an 80 in the morning. A day when everything was working.

Vast, vast majority of my rounds are played as a single. Part of it is that I like to play early and walk (my exercise) so I’m truly a single. Part of it is my golfing buddy switched to pickle ball years ago. I get matched up if I’m playing a full course or try to play middle of the day and that’s fine. A jerk is a jerk whether they are a single or part of a group. (May keep them single in life…) but for the most part people I get matched up w have always been good folks. Worst experience was a husband and wife headed for divorce court. Most fun - three crazy singles that were like a stereotype of New York Bronx bombers.

100%

Making the trip to Sycamore next week (8 hour drive but I’ll break it up w a round or two over two days so I don’t arrive all stiff). So much I’d like to see/try. I’m torn about what is right for me so have to just let someone fit me to what works best, not what I think might. I’m ready to move off my single length clubs and figure this is the way to do it. Get fit for everything at once. Thinking about two sets of wedges- regular bounce for playing at home, and low bounce for when playing at my home away from home at the Prairie a club and Landmand - the lies are so tight there. But will wait and see what the fitters say…

Might just be the two of us…

Date 06/01/2023 Course Name Landmand Gross Score 82 Course Handicap 6 Gross Strokes over/under par 10 Net Score to Par 4 Net Score 76 Net Birdies or better 4 Longest Drive 262 IMG_2846.mov