North Central: ND, SD, NE, IA, CO, KS, MO

[Titleist87 254]

On 5/15/2020 at 8:04 AM, Jeremy Owen said:

Good morning! I'm new here and just wanted to introduce myself to the community. 

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? I have been playing golf for as long as I can remember, 43'ish years would be my guess. I just established my official handicap this year for the first time since college and I'm now an 11. I want to get that down to single digits this season! 

2. What do you love about golf? The challenge. I love the feel of a crisp golf shot and seeing the penetrating flight of the ball. It's art to me. 

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies? I have been following reviews for over a year now and I love the content and the No Putts Given segments. I have a few golfing buddies that know about MyGolfSpy, but I think I'm the first on the forums.

4. Where are you from? What is your home course? I'm from SE Iowa, and live in Grimes, IA, just outside Des Moines. My home course is Woodward Golf Club in Woodward, IA.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? That's easy, both best and worst is the weather! We get perfect days in March, and snow the next day, a few days later, you're playing golf again...

6. What do you do for a living? I am a sales engineer for a small 3D printing company. 

7. How’d you pick your user name? I haven't put much thought into it yet, that will be next!

 

Looking forward to more discussions!

Jeremy

How is Jester Park these days? Worked there summer of '87. You are not far so I assume you play there in addition to Woodward.

[Broddleld 0]

Hey folks, just found the forum after listening the the MGS No Putts Given Podcast. About a 14 handicap because my short game sucks. I’m from Kansas and usually play Reflection Ridge or Rolling Hills in Wichita. Just scored a new set of Srixon Z585/785 Irons and can’t wait to break 80!

[WaffleHouseTour 643]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? - I took up golf in my mid thirties.  Decided I had too many work/business opportunities I needed to take advantage of/or miss out on.  So I convinced my wife I needed to learn how to play, and learn right, so after a summer trying to figure out why I hit this giant banana ball, I signed up for a four day golf school to learn how to really play.  Just the ball flight mechanics was a big help - discovered golf is a game of opposites...  My handicap is 10.1.  I’ve gotten down to single digits, but it’s been tough to stay there.  I can’t seem to get lower than a 9, and don’t float much higher than an 11.  My biggest challenge is distance - getting older (53) has sapped my driver distance.

2. What do you love about golf? - My home game I play alone at dawn.  The grounds crew and I know each other well....  it’s my  time.  Clear my head.  #EnjoyTheWalk  Me, the birds, sunrise, the quiet....  oh, I love playing with friends, the competition, the camaraderie, etc, but my favorite times are at dawn.  I also love that it’s competition against myself.

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies? - i came across the articles and reviews a couple years ago. I liked that it wasn’t advertiser driven.  I got into the forums really as a lurker.  But I’m chasing things down the rabbit hole. 

4. Where are you from? What is your home course? - Live in Sioux City IA where is Whispering Creek is my home track.  I also work in DesMoines (yes, that’s three hours away) so play a lot there.  I also am a member of the Prairie Club in Valentine NE (four hours away) and get out there once a month for a weekend of non-stop play.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? - The fall brings short days... and in the spring it takes too long for the sun to climb over the horizon.  I want to tee off no later than 7, and sometimes that’s just too early.  I can live with the winter break - absence makes the heart grow fonder.  Come the first of November I’m ready to focus on other things, but come April I definitely have the itch...

6. What do you do for a living? I work in government affairs, and public relations - hence I live in Sioux City and work in DesMoines. 

7. How’d you pick your user name? I used to organize an annual trip of 12-20 folks to take an early spring trip down to the RTJ Trail in AL when it was still to early to play in Iowa.  First year our hotel was across the parking lot from a Waffle House and that became our rally point every morning.  Every year after I had to call around to find hotels next to Waffle Houses....  That’s my handle for all golf related things from here to fantasy golf leagues

[WaffleHouseTour 643]

hey there, I’m from Sioux City, (my brother lives in Grimes) and play a lot in DesMoines.  Played Beaver Creek many times over the years but have never been to Woodward.  Just gotta ask, what causes a guy to drive past Beaver to get to Woodward? That good a track, or just where friends play?  I’m always looking to try someplace new...

[WaffleHouseTour 643]

On 5/15/2020 at 9:04 AM, Jeremy Owen said:

Good morning! I'm new here and just wanted to introduce myself to the community. 

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? I have been playing golf for as long as I can remember, 43'ish years would be my guess. I just established my official handicap this year for the first time since college and I'm now an 11. I want to get that down to single digits this season! 

2. What do you love about golf? The challenge. I love the feel of a crisp golf shot and seeing the penetrating flight of the ball. It's art to me. 

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies? I have been following reviews for over a year now and I love the content and the No Putts Given segments. I have a few golfing buddies that know about MyGolfSpy, but I think I'm the first on the forums.

4. Where are you from? What is your home course? I'm from SE Iowa, and live in Grimes, IA, just outside Des Moines. My home course is Woodward Golf Club in Woodward, IA.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? That's easy, both best and worst is the weather! We get perfect days in March, and snow the next day, a few days later, you're playing golf again...

6. What do you do for a living? I am a sales engineer for a small 3D printing company. 

7. How’d you pick your user name? I haven't put much thought into it yet, that will be next!

8.  

 

Looking forward to more discussions!

Jeremy

hey there, I’m from Sioux City, (my brother lives in Grimes) and play a lot in DesMoines.  Played Beaver Creek many times over the years but have never been to Woodward.  Just gotta ask, what causes a guy to drive past Beaver to get to Woodward? That good a track, or just where friends play?  I’m always looking to try someplace new...

[Nikson 0]

Hi everyone, I'm new here, but I hope I can find some friends with that I can have a good time playing golf :)

[Jeremy Owen 2]

On 5/29/2020 at 2:45 PM, Titleist87 said:

How is Jester Park these days? Worked there summer of '87. You are not far so I assume you play there in addition to Woodward.

I haven't played Jester in a few years. It gets so busy out there. The course was sold to a management company and they pumped a bunch of money into the course. I've hear number 11 has been completely reworked and does not need to be a layup par 5 any longer. I usually get to play Beaver Creek about one or twice a year. The south course had a serious issue with some insects and killed most of the pines, but that  is still my favorite of the 3 nines out there.

[Njb3 9]

On 2/11/2019 at 5:11 PM, Ascott320 said:

Hey fellas,

Started playing at age 6. Played competitive through high school. Been 27 years now. 

I love having pursued a career in the industry. I don’t work, I just hang out on a golf course all day long.. at least that’s what I tell people

Saw some opportunities to test equipment, but eager to thumb through some of the other forums and product reviews. 

From Kansas City, still reside here. Grew up playing the OP courses. Have worked at 8 facilities, could call them my temporary homes  

Winter sucks and summers are hot but plenty of golfable days to be found. 

Im a golf course superintendent at a nice club in town. 

Username is my go-to. Nothing creative. 

I’m from KC as well.  What’s your schedule like as a super?  Are you still able to play often?  Other than your club do you have a favorite around town?  I’d say Creekmoor is probably at the top of my list personally.

[jdietrich 4]

On 2/11/2019 at 4:30 PM, GolfSpy MPR said:

Hey Everyone!

 

I have been playing for about 20 years.... maybe 10 seriously. Normally try to shoot around an 85 or so my handicap is about 17/18. I enjoy golf because it has been something my grandpa and I do when we go on family vacation and allowed me to make new friends through school and on the course. Being left handed, I struggle to find clubs but golfspy has made is easier for me to narrow down some clubs. Currently, I live in Omaha and play damn near every public course in the city or near it. Best and worst part is the inconsistent weather and lack of courses where I live for new options (public courses wise). I am sales rep for industrial generators and my name is just my name haha

 

[jp0319 9]

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time poster. I’ve been looking at MGS for a while off and on, mainly checking out equipment reviews, I’m an equipment addict... I decided to join as I kept seeing posts I wanted to comment on, and figured what the heck.

Ive been playing (and I use the term “playing” loosely) golf for 13 years off and on. I’m coming back to the game after a long hiatus. I hadn’t played in about 6 years until recently when some guys I work with kept asking me to play. I finally gave in and now I’m hooked again! Went out and got fitted for new clubs, got some new clothes and now I’m back into it deep... As to my handicap, no idea, I haven’t even kept score yet, since coming back. I plan on taking the rest of this season to tune up and hopefully be more serious. When I was playing quite a while ago high 80s to mid 90s was pretty normal.

I’m retired Army and currently work for the Army as a civilian. I was stationed in IL (lived in IA) when I retired and like the area, so when I saw a job opening I came back. Currently in the Quad Cities.

i don’t have a “home course” Palmer Hills is the closest but the guys I play with like to go different places all the time. I’m hoping to get my game back in shape so I can play TPC Deer Run next year... 

The thing I love most about golf is that one or two shots during a round that makes you feel like Tiger Woods and keeps you coming back, no matter how bad you played the rest of the round. 

[Getoffmylawn 3,749]

1 minute ago, jp0319 said:

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time poster. I’ve been looking at MGS for a while off and on, mainly checking out equipment reviews, I’m an equipment addict... I decided to join as I kept seeing posts I wanted to comment on, and figured what the heck.

Ive been playing (and I use the term “playing” loosely) golf for 13 years off and on. I’m coming back to the game after a long hiatus. I hadn’t played in about 6 years until recently when some guys I work with kept asking me to play. I finally gave in and now I’m hooked again! Went out and got fitted for new clubs, got some new clothes and now I’m back into it deep... As to my handicap, no idea, I haven’t even kept score yet, since coming back. I plan on taking the rest of this season to tune up and hopefully be more serious. When I was playing quite a while ago high 80s to mid 90s was pretty normal.

I’m retired Army and currently work for the Army as a civilian. I was stationed in IL (lived in IA) when I retired and like the area, so when I saw a job opening I came back. Currently in the Quad Cities.

i don’t have a “home course” Palmer Hills is the closest but the guys I play with like to go different places all the time. I’m hoping to get my game back in shape so I can play TPC Deer Run next year... 

The thing I love most about golf is that one or two shots during a round that makes you feel like Tiger Woods and keeps you coming back, no matter how bad you played the rest of the round. 

Welcome, you certainly picked the right place to be for an equipment addict.  Get into the equipment threads and you'll see some extraordinarily knowledgeable people participating in there.

[jp0319 9]

11 hours ago, Getoffmylawn said:

Welcome, you certainly picked the right place to be for an equipment addict.  Get into the equipment threads and you'll see some extraordinarily knowledgeable people participating in there.

Thanks, I've been looking into the equipment threads for a long time, its one reason I joined.

[ryanwrightphoto 4]

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?
Been playing golf since I was a kid, grew up a few blocks from a tiny muni course in southern Colorado. Now I'm 36 and have been rediscovering how much I love playing golf. I'm around a 12-14 handicap after not playing more than two or three times a year in the last decade. Just after high school, I had my handicap down to a 3.8.

2. What do you love about golf?
How hard it is, that feeling when everything in clicking, hitting a great shot after hitting a string of poor shots, reading a line accurately and nailing a long putt, hitting a pure approach shot feet from the pin, etc. I love it all. 

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?
Never heard of MGS until recently, I was looking for a review of the Hogan GS53 driver. Seemed like a fun site to get involved with. 

4. Where are you from? What is your home course?
I'm from Monte Vista, CO but live in Broomfield, CO now. I don't really have a home course, I've played Colorado National the most recently.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?
There aren't a ton of courses on the northern Front Range or really in Colorado in general. That leads to the courses usually being quite busy. But the best thing about here is the views, hard to beat those. 

6. What do you do for a living?
I work in marketing and advertising at an agency in Denver. 

7. How’d you pick your user name?
I've spent the last 15 years as an on/off professional photographer primarily in landscape and nature photography. My Photography Here (I hope it's ok to insert a link). 

I'm always on the lookout for people to play with, I don't have a ton of friends who golf and it's hard to align schedules. Hit me up if you're in the area. 

[GBWarPig 76]

Hey all - Have been a MGS reader for quite some time, and felt like it was about time to join the forums and meet with like minded individuals when it comes to all things golf!

1. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?

   • I've been playing since I was 10, so coming up on 22 years. My handicap is a flat 12 right now, was in the single digits before a wrist injury, and now slowly working my way back. 

2. What do you love about golf?

   • Everything. The ability to be super competitive against yourself, against others in a tourney, or the other side of the spectrum playing a fun round with friends. My nephew is also starting to take up golf, and so getting to see the game through his eyes as he learns is really neat. 

3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?

   • I've avidly followed the review processes MGS does for clubs/balls/etc. for a few years - the data driven approach really aligns with my approach to golf/career/life, so has always been a trusted source of info. I don't know any other Spies, but look forward to meeting.

4. Where are you from? What is your home course?

   • I'm originally from Rhodes, IA, but now reside in West Des Moines, IA. My home course growing up was The Harvester, which held the #1 ranked public course in the state for 10+ years before going private recently. Now, I play all over town since there are 8-10 public courses and 3 country clubs within 20 or so minutes from my house.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?

   • Affordabilty for public courses that are a good challenge - despite the prevailing thought that Iowa is flat, it's actually a bunch of rolling hills and trees, which leads to some pretty good golf. Worst thing is winter, season ends by November at the latest, and an early March start at the best.

6. What do you do for a living?

   • I'm an internal business consultant for a bank, overseeing risk and controls for our mortgage trading and securitization activities.

7. How’d you pick your user name?

   • Big Black Sabbath fan.

[GBWarPig 76]

On 5/29/2020 at 2:45 PM, Titleist87 said:

How is Jester Park these days? Worked there summer of '87. You are not far so I assume you play there in addition to Woodward.

I'm not the OP, but live in West Des Moines and play Jester a fair amount. It's now included as part of the City of DSM season pass along with Waveland and others, so a bunch of money got pumped in to rework the clubhouse and upkeep the grounds. In really nice condition all the time now, but definitely more busy being a part of the season pass, along with the continued growth of DSM.

[Goat 1]

I have been playing since I was 6 years old.  Normally shoot mid low 70,s

 

live about golf... the ability to try and beat myself each week.  Golf is a very humbling sport and you have to learn that everyday will be different and you have to roll with everything. 
 

Follow on Twitter and live the content.  
 

Omaha, Ne.  Home course Indian Creek.  
 
Winter. And Winter. 
 

health care administration 

[Squirrelly 1]

 

Hello everyone! New to the forum, but I am not new to the MGS website and content. Such good information being pumped out by MGS. Thought I would join the forum to get more involved.

1. How long have you been playing golf? I've been playing golf for roughly 10 years. I played on my high school golf team, took a 20 year hiatus from golf, and have gotten back into golfing in the last 3-4 years. What’s your handicap or normal score? I use the Arccos system and my overall handicap is 10.8 and my normal score is in the low 80s. This summer I broke 80 for the first time which was an awesome feeling (78, but should have been a 76 except for that one botched hole)!
2. What do you love about golf? I love being outside. I love the exercise. I love the technology within golf and I love playing with random people.
3. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Knowledge, reading about others journeys, and always being a student of getting better. Do you already know any other Spies? I do not.
4. Where are you from? Live in Carroll, IA but play a ton of golf in Omaha, NE. What is your home course? Probably Shoreline Golf Course in Council Bluffs, IA. 
5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? The best is access to good golf for a reasonable price. The worst is weather. Midwest weather is volatile and there are those months of winter without golf unless you can travel to play.
6. What do you do for a living? Senior art director at Turnpost Design Group in Omaha, NE
7. How’d you pick your user name? I've had a long relationship with the term Squirrel or Squirrelly. Too long to explain in a forum. I would explain the story after a long drive between shots. 

 

[Italia9 1]

Decided to join the forum after reading MGS for a while now and really loving the content and the NPG podcasts. Keep up the great content.

1. I've been playing golf for around 17 years now, more dedicated to actually playing and improving the last 10 years. I've got my handicap down to around 8.6 but it bounces between 7.5 and 9.5.

2. Golf is a wonderful game of endless challenges. I love that I can be as competitive as I want with myself and still be out to have fun with friends and family who may not want to compete. It's also a great way to spend time outside and enjoy some really beautiful landscapes.

3. MGS puts out the best golf content with unbiased reviews and extremely insightful information. I am a golf nerd and really enjoy learning more and more about the game, equipment, industry etc. I don't know any other spies, but looking forward to getting more acquainted through the forums.

4. I'm from Fargo, ND. My home course is Balmoral near our lake place in MN.

5. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? By far the worst thing about golfing up here is that you can only do it for a few months a year. That also leads to one of the great things about it in that you really appreciate the time you get to spend on the course. One other plus about golfing up north is that you don't have to worry about things that can kill you near the ponds & woods should your ball stray from the fairway (looking at you gators in Florida).

6. I work in HR for a manufacturing company.

7. My username comes from my Italian heritage.

[Titleist87 254]

On 9/11/2020 at 9:29 AM, GBWarPig said:

I'm not the OP, but live in West Des Moines and play Jester a fair amount. It's now included as part of the City of DSM season pass along with Waveland and others, so a bunch of money got pumped in to rework the clubhouse and upkeep the grounds. In really nice condition all the time now, but definitely more busy being a part of the season pass, along with the continued growth of DSM.

Well then I have to ask about Willow Creek. That was our high school course. I am contemplating driving out to Iowa (and Minnesota) next year to play golf at my old stomping grounds. Will have to play Jester and Willow Creek.

[GBWarPig 76]

2 hours ago, Titleist87 said:

Well then I have to ask about Willow Creek. That was our high school course. I am contemplating driving out to Iowa (and Minnesota) next year to play golf at my old stomping grounds. Will have to play Jester and Willow Creek.

Willow really struggles on their upkeep anymore, which is a shame. Still a nice shorter course if the conditions are right, but they push for a tee time every 5-7 minutes, so gets beat up pretty quick.