First unofficial MGS Hard Rock Challenge

[Kenny B 21,609]

Kenny coming in low!  Well played, I'll get the DDH and the other ball you found added to the "conforming list".  Handicap still an 8? 

Forgot to update my index on June 1.  It's 9.1 now.  Going through some swing changes this past month wasn't too kind to me, but it's working better now.

 

My 41 for the front nine is about what I usually shoot on a decent day.  Been down to par, and up to 46.

[HardcoreLooper 4,909]

Ha Ha, I agree! This thread is pure (Pinnacle) Gold!

 

 

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He'll be here all week folks... don't forget to tip your waitress.

[russtopherb 5,347]

Ok I found this stash in my shag bin that I share with my son. This might be just enough to last me for 9 holes!

 

 

 

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[MattF 9,056]

He'll be here all week folks... don't forget to tip your waitress.

 

And try the veal!

[MaxEntropy 6,422]

Ok I found this stash in my shag bin that I share with my son. This might be just enough to last me for 9 holes!

 

IMG_3560.JPG

 

 

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A TopFlite HOT XL?!?!?!

 

How will you every be able to contain it?

[JohnSmalls 5,566]

 

A TopFlite HOT XL?!?!?!

 

How will you every be able to contain it?

 

Here come the 700 yard drives!

[HardcoreLooper 4,909]

Submitted for your consideration.

 

I played our First Tee's executive course with the Gator today (who made her first par on the "big" course from the forward tees - Big Accomplishment!). I played my rock on the nine hardest holes on the course, which add up to a par of 36 and are just a hair under 3100 yards. Not a beast, but the best that place can muster. It's a good course for the kiddo.

 

My ammunition:

 

With a 10 year old female golfer in the house, we don't just have rocks, we have... pink rocks! Yes folks, it's the Nitro Blaster in a lovely shade of pink. The little one couldn't stop laughing at me.

 

The review:

It doesn't feel like a golf ball. I'm not sure what it does feel like, but it doesn't feel like a golf ball. Coming out of the sweetspot, it felt like, I don't know, maybe balsa wood? And off the toe? It felt like 10,000 year old granite. I caught one out toward the toe and, I kid you not, it hurt the incision in my stomach from my cancer surgery in February. Just when I thought I'd finally recovered.

 

Distance control

 

Yes, ball go far. Especially when you not want ball go far. Case in point... I'm 150 out in light rough. Perfect opportunity for a flyer. I hit a 9, which is normally my 145 club with the new F8s. The green is fairly deep; I had 165 to the back of the green. I hit the damn ball 184 yards according to Arccos. A flight that long should have beverage service.

 

 

But out of the fairway, it actually was not all that bad. My yardages were pretty close to normal, except that I had to consider...

 

Stopping power

 

Lob wedge from 97 yards out. Perfect lie. I hit an absolute moon ball, and it rolls out 10 feet. It didn't hurt me, but the ball just does not want to stop.

 

Short game

 

I knew what I was in for, so I wasn't about to play the chip and check.  I'm not great with that shot anyway.  I did absolutely steal a couple of shots out there.  After that 9 iron I nuked 20 yards over the back of the green, I had a nice fluffy lie, so I decided to go for the hero flop shot.  I landed it in the rough, it trundled through the fringe and limped down the hill, stopping a foot from the hole.  You could give me a large bucket of ProV 1s and I couldn't hit that shot again.  And earlier in the round, I had a bunker shot out of an old footprint that I managed to chunk-and-run to about four feet and made the putt.

 

I blasted one green side chip about 10 feet by but made the comebacker.  By my last hole with the rock, I had the feel for it and chipped one up stone dead.  Taking two clubs less than normal helped a great deal.

 

I had 30 putts on the round (with a 3 putt), but that was mostly due to good chipping.

 

The round:

I guess I picked a good day to play my best round of the year.  I was even par for the 9 holes I played with the Nitro (two over total).  I did my best to avoid short-siding myself, so I played for the fat parts of greens, and most of my misses were in the right place.  So other than those two holes where I turned sure bogeys into pars, I didn't really do anything phenomenal.  But I gave myself easy two putts and easy up-and-down opportunities.  One nice up-and-down birdie on a par 5 rounded things out.  Boring golf as RevKev would say.  I should play that way more often.

 

I had a blast doing this, and I would most certainly do it again. Not only did I have a great time, but this really made me think differently about how the ball would react with the ground, something I haven't really considered in years.

[romeopapazulu 621]

Submitted for your consideration.

 

I played our First Tee's executive course with the Gator today (who made her first par on the "big" course from the forward tees - Big Accomplishment!). I played my rock on the nine hardest holes on the course, which add up to a par of 36 and are just a hair under 3100 yards. Not a beast, but the best that place can muster. It's a good course for the kiddo.

 

My ammunition:

20180607_211149.jpg

20180607_211131(0).jpg

 

With a 10 year old female golfer in the house, we don't just have rocks, we have... pink rocks! Yes folks, it's the Nitro Blaster in a lovely shade of pink. The little one couldn't stop laughing at me.

 

 

Admit it. You stole that from a putt putt course.

 

But nice Luda reference!

[HardcoreLooper 4,909]

Admit it. You stole that from a putt putt course.

 

But nice Luda reference!

Thanks! With a 10 year old daughter that rarely loses golf balls, we have a never ending supply of pink balls. And people always go cheap, so plenty of pink rocks.

 

My older daughter, on the other hand, has developed a taste for Chromesofts.

 

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[MaxEntropy 6,422]

I am loving the write-ups in this thread - Great job @RP58 and @HardcoreLooper!

 

After playing with these balls and reading other's thoughts, it's hard to believe I used to pretty much play whatever I found and was OK with it.

[PING Apologist #9 4,562]

Submitted for your consideration.

 

I played our First Tee's executive course with the Gator today (who made her first par on the "big" course from the forward tees - Big Accomplishment!). I played my rock on the nine hardest holes on the course, which add up to a par of 36 and are just a hair under 3100 yards. Not a beast, but the best that place can muster. It's a good course for the kiddo.

 

My ammunition:

20180607_211149.jpg

20180607_211131(0).jpg

 

With a 10 year old female golfer in the house, we don't just have rocks, we have... pink rocks! Yes folks, it's the Nitro Blaster in a lovely shade of pink. The little one couldn't stop laughing at me.

 

The review:

It doesn't feel like a golf ball. I'm not sure what it does feel like, but it doesn't feel like a golf ball. Coming out of the sweetspot, it felt like, I don't know, maybe balsa wood? And off the toe? It felt like 10,000 year old granite. I caught one out toward the toe and, I kid you not, it hurt the incision in my stomach from my cancer surgery in February. Just when I thought I'd finally recovered.

 

Distance control

 

Yes, ball go far. Especially when you not want ball go far. Case in point... I'm 150 out in light rough. Perfect opportunity for a flyer. I hit a 9, which is normally my 145 club with the new F8s. The green is fairly deep; I had 165 to the back of the green. I hit the damn ball 184 yards according to Arccos. A flight that long should have beverage service.

 

Screenshot_20180607-222221.png

 

But out of the fairway, it actually was not all that bad. My yardages were pretty close to normal, except that I had to consider...

 

Stopping power

 

Lob wedge from 97 yards out. Perfect lie. I hit an absolute moon ball, and it rolls out 10 feet. It didn't hurt me, but the ball just does not want to stop.

 

Short game

 

I knew what I was in for, so I wasn't about to play the chip and check.  I'm not great with that shot anyway.  I did absolutely steal a couple of shots out there.  After that 9 iron I nuked 20 yards over the back of the green, I had a nice fluffy lie, so I decided to go for the hero flop shot.  I landed it in the rough, it trundled through the fringe and limped down the hill, stopping a foot from the hole.  You could give me a large bucket of ProV 1s and I couldn't hit that shot again.  And earlier in the round, I had a bunker shot out of an old footprint that I managed to chunk-and-run to about four feet and made the putt.

 

I blasted one green side chip about 10 feet by but made the comebacker.  By my last hole with the rock, I had the feel for it and chipped one up stone dead.  Taking two clubs less than normal helped a great deal.

 

I had 30 putts on the round (with a 3 putt), but that was mostly due to good chipping.

 

The round:

I guess I picked a good day to play my best round of the year.  I was even par for the 9 holes I played with the Nitro (two over total).  I did my best to avoid short-siding myself, so I played for the fat parts of greens, and most of my misses were in the right place.  So other than those two holes where I turned sure bogeys into pars, I didn't really do anything phenomenal.  But I gave myself easy two putts and easy up-and-down opportunities.  One nice up-and-down birdie on a par 5 rounded things out.  Boring golf as RevKev would say.  I should play that way more often.

 

I had a blast doing this, and I would most certainly do it again. Not only did I have a great time, but this really made me think differently about how the ball would react with the ground, something I haven't really considered in years.

What a great write up-absolutely hilarious!

[PING Apologist #9 4,562]

I am loving the write-ups in this thread - Great job @RP58 and @HardcoreLooper!

 

After playing with these balls and reading other's thoughts, it's hard to believe I used to pretty much play whatever I found and was OK with it.

Our "good" golfer in our scramble group (he's probably a 10-15 hcp if he applies himself) actually plays with whatever he finds and doesn't know the first thing about ball technology which kills me! I've never seen him show up with a new sleeve of orbs...ever! I gotta change that...he'd be soooooo good!

[Berg Ryman 3,346]

Admit it. You stole that from a putt putt course.

 

But nice Luda reference!

 

Funny story coming when I get my round in that ties to this...

[russtopherb 5,347]

Thanks! With a 10 year old daughter that rarely loses golf balls, we have a never ending supply of pink balls. And people always go cheap, so plenty of pink rocks.

 

My older daughter, on the other hand, has developed a taste for Chromesofts.

 

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That's my 12yo son too - loves his Truvis balls. Thankfully he wins them a lot in competitions at his group lessons so I don't have to buy them!

 

 

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[JohnSmalls 5,566]

Okay, took the bait - and thought it the perfect opportunity to try to lose some of the Precept Powerdrive balls I picked up on closeout at homedepot over the winter for $1/dozen.

 

 

One of those found their way into my bag recently and I hit it a few times yesterday.  Those DEFINITELY fit the list.  I want to know where the granite for these golf balls come from, I may need some new countertops.  

[JohnSmalls 5,566]

 

The round:

I guess I picked a good day to play my best round of the year.  I was even par for the 9 holes I played with the Nitro (two over total).  I did my best to avoid short-siding myself, so I played for the fat parts of greens, and most of my misses were in the right place.  So other than those two holes where I turned sure bogeys into pars, I didn't really do anything phenomenal.  But I gave myself easy two putts and easy up-and-down opportunities.  One nice up-and-down birdie on a par 5 rounded things out.  Boring golf as RevKev would say.  I should play that way more often.

 

I had a blast doing this, and I would most certainly do it again. Not only did I have a great time, but this really made me think differently about how the ball would react with the ground, something I haven't really considered in years.

 

Ha this post is a pure hard rock symphony!  If this competition proves to be popular enough, we may just have to see about bringing it back.  Are you still playing to an 8.3 handicap?

[HardcoreLooper 4,909]

Ha this post is a pure hard rock symphony! If this competition proves to be popular enough, we may just have to see about bringing it back. Are you still playing to an 8.3 handicap?

Yes sir, still 8.3. I'm an 8 at that course.

 

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[PING Apologist #9 4,562]

Got thunder-stormed out last night, but played hooky this afternoon and took advantage of the extra time and great weather to pull this challenge off! Wound up hitting a track called Boise Ranch and played their back-9.

 

http://boiseranchgc.com/

 

I've been very excited to do this, but also a little worried about performance and above all safety to my person. So, I had to prepare accordingly and get with the program...

 

 

Started with the Nike Mojo...dunno why... it just happened to be the one that my hand wrapped around when I pulled it from the Ziploc. Anyhow, that ball was just fine. Played the first 3 holes with it to +4 and decided to give the old Top Flite XL 2000 a whirl...

 

Have you all ever have one of those holes where no club, no swing and no amount of cussing ever works...?? Well this be the hole matey!!! Ripped the tee shot straight left (it never left the earth any further than 2-inches) into heavy rough, then proceeded to go windmill and crisscross on 6 more bleeding shots. Oh did I mention this par-5 hole was playing at 530-yards??? I gave up on the hole and with great vengenge, laced that Muth*******r into the weeds. Posted a 10...

 

Reset with the lovely and kind Ultra (and a beer) which was just...meh...OK (the ball, not the beer). Went bogie the par with it, doubled the next hole (a straight uphill par-3), then hit a great tee shot with it from an elevated box to about 140-out on the next par-4. Punched my approach (off the toe) into the hazard (creek) in front of the green on the right. Dropped a new ball (Pinnacle Gold) and immediately toed that one into same GD hazard...!! Pulled Mojo, dropped again and used it all the way to the finish.

 

That'd be a 53 on a par 36. Just about right for my...er…game. Now I don't carry a officially sanctioned handicap, but generally post individual scores between 100 & 112. Plug me accordingly and if you need any details about my scores, slope, whatever, just PM me and I'll try to get that as accurate as I can.

 

Thanks John for seeing this through and thanks Plaid for a fun concept! Maybe we should make this an annual event! I had fun-Cheers all!

[RoverRick 1,545]

How many times have you read on this site, "The key to scoring is to first keep it in play." or something to that effect?  (Okay, put your hands down and continue to read.)

 

First, I went to the doctor today and do not have a torn rotator cuff. So no surgery and given a stronger prescription. I ask if I could play golf provided I did not raise my hands above my shoulders. She expressed doubts that I would play well but said I could do whatever, so after 2 weeks of sitting or lying around, I went out and took the unofficial MGS Hard Rock Challenge.

 

The Ball- Wilson Hi Visibility Yellow in a mesh bag.

 

 

Pros

• Easy to see.
• The mesh bag is its best feature.
• Cheap enough you don't need to look for it.

Cons

• Jumps when you putt it.
• Jumps when you chip it.
• Rolls forever because no spin off the wedges.
• Too numerous to list all of them

The course I played was my home course, par 72, Each side is Par 36 with 2 par 5's and 2 par 3's. HOWEVER, I played the Gold Tees because of my shoulder issues. Not the tees I normally play, and it only was 2719 yards on the front 9. The back 9 is a bit shorter, but I played Pro V1X on the back so that score does not count.. The normally awesome fast greens were as bad as they have been in 10 years at this course. A late freeze has damaged the grass, and they are keeping them long and wet in hopes of restoring them. Putts are slow but as soon as the ball starts to slow down it wobbles like it is drunk.

 

Today's Distances Since I could swing only shoulder height my normal distances were 30-40 yards less with each club. Actually, 30% shorter so for a driver that is closer to 60 yards. For instance, I hit a perfect 6 iron on a par 3 that was hole high 6' right of the pin, This was a 137 yard hole. My drives were 180-200 yards. On another par 3 I hit 9 iron from 105 yards. Hit the green (which is good since it is an island green) but was still 40' short of the flag. 4H went about 150 and PW went 70. I did hit one drive that was 236 but that hurt so I didn't make that mistake again.

 

My handicap. Well, two years ago I was considered a 5 by my group for betting purposes, Four years ago I was about a 1 or 2, but this was my 6th round in 2 years. My best score since I returned to golf, and before my injury was an 89. I have no idea what to use as a handicap.

 

Today's scores. Now, remember I asked about keeping it play in the first paragraph. Well, with this partial swing, I hit 7/7 fairways. I hit 6/9 GIR and had 17 putts. So although I had 6 birdie putts, 4 within 10', I made none. I bogied the first hole, then 4 two putt pars, another bogie, a 1 putt par, and then finished with 2 putt pars. My longest second putt was 2 feet.

 

38 on a par 36.

 

I also scored a 38 on the back 9 with the Pro V1x. I had better putting with this ball, but I also didn't play as well tee to green. I attempted to hit clubs harder when I should have taken more club and swung easy.

 

I was not in the bet, for obvious reasons, however, if I would have been with the guys I played with I would have won both sides and the overall score and would have earned $120. I will be in the bet tomorrow morning. (If I am able to get out of bed.)

[MaxEntropy 6,422]

Well done, guys! I love the catcher's gear picture!

 

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