How'd you play?

[Swood1994]

Well I officially accomplished my goal for the year. Breaking 70. This was not the year I thought I would do that considering my handicap was getting higher and not lower. Having a child in January was the highlight of this year but I knew my golf game would suffer. 

Out of the blue today I fired a 68 (-3). I’ll preface that with it’s not the longest course at 5700 yards. But, you still need to put the ball in the hole. This is a PB for me so I’m ecstatic. Here’s some metrics

5/12 FIR

13/18 GIR

28 putts

avg driving distance: ~280

2 eagles, 3 birdies, 4 bogeys, 9 pars. Missed 2 par putts inside 5’ that I’m still dwelling over.

 

[Javs]

We played our Saturday match game today. Today they switched it up to a scramble. Well they regret that move. My partner and I shot 16 under in a two man scramble! Won the cash and are currently drinking on their money! 

Edited September 10 by Javs

[fixyurdivot]

In summary.

40/43 at Granite Falls South this morning .  It was a shotgun start and we started on #15, the par 4, island green.  I was 108 yards from a center of green, white flag from a great lie, and dunked it. Shot #4 rolled off the back of the green and I 3 putted from there.  That got things started and the round pretty much smoldered from there on.  My next purchase is a fire extinguisher to keep in the cart .

 

[Prodigal Duffer]

3 hours ago, jdparker said:

Congrats @Prodigal Duffer on breaking 90!  

 

Thanks!

[Josh Parker]

Played this afternoon and off the tee was horrible as you can see from my scorecard. I scrambled all day but managed to control my short game well and the more that I use the new irons I'm starting to dial them in. 

I have always had a slight fade and after being fitted for my irons have started to hit either dead straight or a slight draw.  It feels like learning the game all over again.  

[edingc]

Finally played the round I wanted to play all season today. After a lot of struggles from June to a few weeks ago, it feels really good to hit the ball well, even if it was only nine holes. 

Walked away with a +2 38 after a near albatross on No. 9. Hit a great drive, and then hit one of the prettiest shots I've ever hit, a beautiful 7 iron from 181 that I had to sling around the dogleg and let roll to the back pin location. Tap-in eagle.

After legitimately considering giving up golf after this season a few weeks ago, of course I'm now hooked again .

[CSiders12]

I got out and played yesterday with the in-laws and had a good time on a small 9-hole course. The course was one of those courses that was so bad, it was hard to even call it golf. The greens were grown out to about fairway length, everything else was one-cut - including the tee boxes, and crabgrass had overgrown the entire course. Weirdly enough, although it was a terrible course, I enjoyed playing because it brought a different approach to the game. You don't typically have to act like you're hitting a 50-foot putt when you're only 15 feet away, but it was kind of fun. If you all ever get to play Hazy Hills in the middle of Illinois, I definitely recommend just going to get a new perspective on golf. Fun, but terrible course!

[cksurfdude]

10 minutes ago, CSiders12 said:

had a good time on a small 9-hole course

I really enjoy scruffy little 9 hole courses! Def a different perspective vs a nicely maintained and groomed course, but you still have to hit the ball towards the hole. Yeah putting is what it is

There's lots of different ways to play - and enjoy the game of - golf

[Josh Parker]

1 hour ago, edingc said:

Finally played the round I wanted to play all season today. After a lot of struggles from June to a few weeks ago, it feels really good to hit the ball well, even if it was only nine holes. 

Walked away with a +2 38 after a near albatross on No. 9. Hit a great drive, and then hit one of the prettiest shots I've ever hit, a beautiful 7 iron from 181 that I had to sling around the dogleg and let roll to the back pin location. Tap-in eagle.

After legitimately considering giving up golf after this season a few weeks ago, of course I'm now hooked again .

Funny how this game does that to us!  Play some terrible rounds or not being able to hit a good approach after a good drive....  That has been my game lately and then I have a couple good holes back to back and a birdie and it draws you right back in.  

[Prodigal Duffer]

4 hours ago, edingc said:

Finally played the round I wanted to play all season today. After a lot of struggles from June to a few weeks ago, it feels really good to hit the ball well, even if it was only nine holes. 

Walked away with a +2 38 after a near albatross on No. 9. Hit a great drive, and then hit one of the prettiest shots I've ever hit, a beautiful 7 iron from 181 that I had to sling around the dogleg and let roll to the back pin location. Tap-in eagle.

After legitimately considering giving up golf after this season a few weeks ago, of course I'm now hooked again .

Way to go! Golf is so stupid and so great at the same time.

[Ben Joest]

38/36 +4 74

Hit some good shots, hit some bad shots. Putter was hot and cold as the 32 putts would indicate. Bombed a couple drives. Overall not a bad day, but after breaking 70 the last time out, it was a good reminder that I am not scratch yet and the work continues. 

[IndyBonzo]

@Ben Joest That is objectively a great round.  I aspire to your GIR, putter troubles or no.  Be proud of it.  Nice work!

[Ben Joest]

2 minutes ago, IndyBonzo said:

@Ben Joest That is objectively a great round.  I aspire to your GIR, putter troubles or no.  Be proud of it.  Nice work!

Thank you! Golf is a funny game that way. In years past and even earlier this year, I would have been over the moon to shoot 74 and to a degree I still am. But honestly, after Monday’s 69, anything short of that was going to feel like a letdown. It’s human nature, but again thank you for the kind words.

[Byrnzee]

Got out this morning to play 18 at Ravisloe Country Club south of Chicago. Ended up shooting an 82 (41-41), which I was pretty happy with. Anytime I can shoot less than 85 I'm very content. Still have that dream of breaking 80 this year, but trying to appreciate all of the progress I've made this year with my swing changes. When that time comes that I can start consistently breaking 80, I'll know that I have taken things to the next level.

I used to love playing this course, but they raised the fees a lot and have made the greens smaller and smaller over the years. This course used to be a private country club, but then was bought out and made public after the 2008 recession. It has a beautiful clubhouse and a Donald Ross design, but it's just no longer worth the price in my opinion. 

That being said, it was a beautiful morning and I was very happy to get out to play with some friends. We also walked today, which was a nice change from riding nearly every other week. I was able to try out my new G425 3-hybrid and had some great shots with it, including a perfect drive on the short par-4 18th. I'm having a bit of a battle between my driving iron and 3-hybrid, but I think I'm going to just switch them out based on the course I'm playing and what the weather conditions are that day.

I hit the ball fairly well today, but I'm still hoping to get more consistent with my ball striking. It's almost as if I don't fully trust my new swing yet and I'm afraid to compress the ball and accidentally double-cross it. I hit a lot of shots thin and left some out weak to the right. Hoping to get to a grass range sometime this week to work on being confident in taking a divot and striking the ball.

Definitely left some shots out there today, but also got up and down for par on a lot of tough holes. Had a couple three-putts as well, which I need to start eliminating from my game. All in all, happy with the score and excited to continue improving at the game. Hoping the weather can stay nice and I can get in some more rounds this year.

Until next time!

[ParFore74x]

Continuing on my 2023 goal of keeping my 18 hole rounds in the 80s with a 43-43, 86 today. Ball striking with irons was not so good but the tee box was improved and my putting was great IMO. 30 putts with seven 1-putts (four consecutive) and one 3-putt. It feels good to be relaxed on the green again and trusting the putter.

 

[Dweed]

Usually I don't play on a Sunday afternoon. But weather was perfect in Mid MI. Sun, 72*, little breeze. Next 3 days are predicted rain, so I figured what the hay. Started out playing very well but ran into a major slow down at the 7th. Caught up to 2 groups of knuckleheads who were playing whack a mole. Behind them 2 groups waiting their turn to tee off. I just hate waiting around. Boogied the last 3 holes( 2 with stupid 3 putts). Just stupid head space and timing issues internal. Ended with a 40. Bright side was 5 of 7 fairways hit, 6 out of 9 greens hit. Hit the best 4 hybrid shot ever and it actually held the green. But the weather for early Sep was just perfect. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

5 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

Thank you! Golf is a funny game that way. In years past and even earlier this year, I would have been over the moon to shoot 74 and to a degree I still am. But honestly, after Monday’s 69, anything short of that was going to feel like a letdown. It’s human nature, but again thank you for the kind words.

You are spot on. You shoot a low round and now that you know you can do it, for some dumb reason we get disappointed when we don’t do it every round even after shooting a good round.

I do it to myself all the time. This season I shot a career low of 67 during the Cobra Challenge. Was it a one shot wonder? Hopefully not. Now that I know I can do it, I expect to do it or even better. But since doing it my rounds have been. 70, 69, 74, 72, 69, 73, 71, and a 70.  Absolutely nothing I should be disappointed with. But at the end of a round you always remember those few mistakes or acts of golf cruelty. 

My courses greens were just Dry Jected a week ago and the greens still suck. Why would I be unhappy with a low 70’s round. Simple reason, you hit a great approach to three feet and make a good stroke on the putt. The holes in the green kick your ball off line. If it happens it happens. But those few instances were the ones that change your score from a 67 to a 70.  
You just got to roll with it. If our rounds were all in the 60’s we would be on TV and have a different day job. 

Take pride in knowing that you have achieved something that most recreational golfers never achieve. Great rounds by the way.
 

 

[Ben Joest]

3 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

You are spot on. You shoot a low round and now that you know you can do it, for some dumb reason we get disappointed when we don’t do it every round even after shooting a good round.

I do it to myself all the time. This season I shot a career low of 67 during the Cobra Challenge. Was it a one shot wonder? Hopefully not. Now that I know I can do it, I expect to do it or even better. But since doing it my rounds have been. 70, 69, 74, 72, 69, 73, 71, and a 70.  Absolutely nothing I should be disappointed with. But at the end of a round you always remember those few mistakes or acts of golf cruelty. 

My courses greens were just Dry Jected a week ago and the greens still suck. Why would I be unhappy with a low 70’s round. Simple reason, you hit a great approach to three feet and make a good stroke on the putt. The holes in the green kick your ball off line. If it happens it happens. But those few instances were the ones that change your score from a 67 to a 70.  
You just got to roll with it. If our rounds were all in the 60’s we would be on TV and have a different day job. 

Take pride in knowing that you have achieved something that most recreational golfers never achieve. Great rounds by the way.
 

 

Thanks Tom. I try to keep it all in perspective. For most of my playing days as an adult my handicap has fluctuated between 8-16. Starting around this time last year, I made a commitment to consistent practice and have maintained that commitment since. The result has been the best run of golf I’ve ever had. I broke 80 for the second time ever on May 13th and I’ve been on a heater ever since, 

I’ve had 13 sub 80 rounds since, 14 counting today’s (hasn’t hit the handicap card yet). 
Am I capable of going lower? Yes. 
Am I capable of shooting a 90? Again yes.

Will I keep coming back regardless of either of those outcomes? Once more, with feeling, YES!

I love this game almost as much as I love my children, and by extension I love that I have found a home here on the interwebs, where I can discuss, dissect, and obsess over this grand game. And rather than getting an eye roll and a “that’s nice dear/dad”, here I find like-minded folks and unconditional acceptance. Long live the forum!

[Javs]

38 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

You are spot on. You shoot a low round and now that you know you can do it, for some dumb reason we get disappointed when we don’t do it every round even after shooting a good round.

I do it to myself all the time. This season I shot a career low of 67 during the Cobra Challenge. Was it a one shot wonder? Hopefully not. Now that I know I can do it, I expect to do it or even better. But since doing it my rounds have been. 70, 69, 74, 72, 69, 73, 71, and a 70.  Absolutely nothing I should be disappointed with. But at the end of a round you always remember those few mistakes or acts of golf cruelty. 

My courses greens were just Dry Jected a week ago and the greens still suck. Why would I be unhappy with a low 70’s round. Simple reason, you hit a great approach to three feet and make a good stroke on the putt. The holes in the green kick your ball off line. If it happens it happens. But those few instances were the ones that change your score from a 67 to a 70.  
You just got to roll with it. If our rounds were all in the 60’s we would be on TV and have a different day job. 

Take pride in knowing that you have achieved something that most recreational golfers never achieve. Great rounds by the way.
 

 

Perfectly stated! After posting several rounds in the 60’s this year on the off day that I struggle and shoot 80 the guys here act like I committed a crime, ha ha. It’s golf and it’s hard. There is a reason we all had day jobs. I just kindly remind the guys here that while I might be Sun City Golf good, I’m not TV good. They don’t seem to understand that jump. Makes me laugh. 

[cjeffs12]

Yesterday, I shot my lowest round to date! The move I was working on Friday easily transitioned to the course, and it really helped my mindset. I started off horribly, but just tried to focus on my move and the shot I had in front of me. Normally I get focus on how to protect my score, and I fall apart. I had 4 birdies which is also a record for me. I just need to get my blowups out of the way and I can really do some good. I have a tournament on Saturday, so I’m in a good headspace going into this week of practice. Gotta get some work on putting and short game/bunkers. 
 

SCORE 76

FIR 9/14

GIR 9/18

PUTTS 29