How'd you play?

[ParFore74x]

3 hours ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

It got up to a beautiful 67* and sunny today. It was great to be able to shed the jacket after a few holes. 
The golf game is still holding up well , but the first few iron shots were hand stingers. Hitting blades at 38 * will wake you up. But I was happy it warmed up quick.  Typical round today. A few birdies a couple of bogies. I needed a birdie on the par 5 eighteenth hole to keep my streak alive.  I hit a good drive followed by a good hybrid leaving me 85 yards to the pin. Here is the lay up shot.

All that was left was 90 yards over the river to the pin. I hit it to within 10 feet and drained the putt. For yet another 70. Sure hate the dormant fairways. Golf should be on green fairways. But I’ll take it. It’s December and I’m playing golf.

Having company tomorrow and my Brother -In-Law asked if we could sneak out and play 9 tomorrow. Hmmmm it’s got me thinking. 

Great round!! Also looks like a great excuse for Christmas Day golf!

[MattF]

21 hours ago, Josh Parker said:

Is that the Austin TX Barton Creek or is there another one somewhere in the country?  

That's the one.

[Josh Parker]

16 minutes ago, MattF said:

That's the one.

They have some great courses!  A friends wife worked there, and we would get to play in a scramble every year.  

[sirchunksalot]

I was able to get out yesterday to play 9 holes before heading to Chattanooga to pick up some food. 

It was a beautiful 65 degrees, I guess @Tom the Golf Nut sent some warm weather my way and I enjoyed it. 

I played pretty good and shot 50, which is my lowest total since July. I really didn't do anything particularly good or anything bad, I was just consistently moving the ball toward the hole. 

My shot of the day was on the par 3 2nd. After fanning my tee shot out to the right into junk, I hit a provisional just short and right of the green. I hit my now 4th shot with my 54 and thought for a moment it was going in. It ended up inches from the hole for an easy tap in double. 

After the debacle that was my short game Saturday that shot made my day. 

It was pretty crowded out there, especially for Christmas Eve. On the 4th hole I hit one out to the right in a spot I was obscured from the tee box and while waiting for the green to clear, I heard a ball hit the fairway to my left. I saw a guy driving down the hole and he came down to apologize and we ended up playing the rest of the round together. Patrick was a cool guy and we had a lot of fun both playing and talking. I love some of the people you meet while playing and I think having him along helped my game.

It was nice to see some progress in my game yesterday. I still need to work on ground contact and/or ball position to fight thin shots. I'm not going to complain, I feel blessed to be out playing and am going to enjoy every moment.

 

[rkj427]

Congrats. to @IndyBonzo, @Tom the Golf Nut, and @sirchunksalot for being able to golf in late December and not only shoot low scores but also enjoy the game outdoors.   

[sirchunksalot]

22 minutes ago, rkj427 said:

Congrats. to @IndyBonzo, @Tom the Golf Nut, and @sirchunksalot for being able to golf in late December and not only shoot low scores but also enjoy the game outdoors.   

Thanks Robert! I'm truly thankful to be able to play this time of year, especially having such a beautiful day as yesterday. There's rain in the forecast the next couple of days, but I've that dries up I'll be out there again. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

1 hour ago, rkj427 said:

Congrats. to @IndyBonzo, @Tom the Golf Nut, and @sirchunksalot for being able to golf in late December and not only shoot low scores but also enjoy the game outdoors.   

Thanks Robert!

The actual highlight for me was on Thursday when I got to caddy for my daughter in the golf course’s employee golf tournament. Dad, caddy, and coach all in one. 
That was a special day for me. Took her 20 years to get into golf and now she is hooked. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

Not sure how I pulled it off but I played golf today with my brother in law. We had a good time and I believe he is hooked on the Aerojet woods. I let him hit my 3 wood and he was hitting it well. He hit the 3 wood further than he hits his driver.

 

 

[Dweed]

On 12/25/2023 at 9:09 AM, rkj427 said:

Congrats. to @IndyBonzo, @Tom the Golf Nut, and @sirchunksalot for being able to golf in late December and not only shoot low scores but also enjoy the game outdoors.   

Aw come on @rkj427. We've had 50+* these past 3 days. Yeah a lot of rain, mist fog wind but eh? What can we expect for Michigan in Dec? We did make a new record high, low for the night. 48*

[rkj427]

4 hours ago, Dweed said:

Aw come on @rkj427. We've had 50+* these past 3 days. Yeah a lot of rain, mist fog wind but eh? What can we expect for Michigan in Dec? We did make a new record high, low for the night. 48*

 Right about the weather here, I did manage to get some range time in on Christmas Eve Day, and Christmas was actually sunny in the afternoon, but family obligation made golf a no go.

Today back again to rain as usual, but I am hoping to get back to the range Thursday and Saturday before the new year sets in.

[ChuckZ]

Four times during the month of December.  One I will remember on the first of the month at the Stadium course at the TPC at Scottsdale with 100 of my dearest friends.  Due to sickness, back pain and all the rain we have been having along the coast of SC golf just has not been in the picture.  Have to ride a cart and when the course goes cart path only, I am out.  So looking forward to 2024.  Normally play over 100 rounds a year and this year most likely under fifty rounds.  My PT is working hard to get me back in shape.  Sure am looking forward to it.  Range time is very limited to all the back pain.  But getting better.  2024 look out.  Lots of golf ahead and travels around the world.  Hakuna matata.    

[Kenny B]

Yesterday I was wishy-washy about playing.  I told my wife that if it got above 40º and there was sun and no wind, then I would play.  She left for a 9:30 tee time, but the frost delay pushed her tee time to 10:25; she played with another couple.  Well, by noon it was 41º with sun peeking out and no wind, so I went to the course and joined them at the turn to walk the back nine.  I hit a few balls on the range just to loosen up and pitched a few balls at the pitching green; no putting practice.  

Well, I should have spent some time putting on the practice green; I had a difficult time seeing the line for my putts.  Speed was good.  I had two bogeys and one birdie, but missed several makable birdie chances including a 6 footer for a sandy birdie.  Drove the ball pretty well...shot 36.

[Kenny B]

On 12/24/2023 at 5:14 PM, Tom the Golf Nut said:

It got up to a beautiful 67* and sunny today. It was great to be able to shed the jacket after a few holes. 
The golf game is still holding up well , but the first few iron shots were hand stingers. Hitting blades at 38 * will wake you up. But I was happy it warmed up quick.  Typical round today. A few birdies a couple of bogies. I needed a birdie on the par 5 eighteenth hole to keep my streak alive.  I hit a good drive followed by a good hybrid leaving me 85 yards to the pin. Here is the lay up shot.

All that was left was 90 yards over the river to the pin. I hit it to within 10 feet and drained the putt. For yet another 70. Sure hate the dormant fairways. Golf should be on green fairways. But I’ll take it. It’s December and I’m playing golf.

Having company tomorrow and my Brother -In-Law asked if we could sneak out and play 9 tomorrow. Hmmmm it’s got me thinking. 

Looks like a great lie!!  When I played on dormant bermuda back east, the lie was always sitting up.  Here, the grass is still somewhat green with all the moisture and warmer than usual temperatures.  It's not growing much because it is around or below freezing at night, but it is noticeably longer since they quit mowing.  Greens are still mowed, but fairway lies are getting worse.  

Does the clubhouse get hit by golf balls?  Looks to be "in play".

[Tom the Golf Nut]

2 hours ago, Kenny B said:

Looks like a great lie!!  When I played on dormant bermuda back east, the lie was always sitting up.  Here, the grass is still somewhat green with all the moisture and warmer than usual temperatures.  It's not growing much because it is around or below freezing at night, but it is noticeably longer since they quit mowing.  Greens are still mowed, but fairway lies are getting worse.  

Does the clubhouse get hit by golf balls?  Looks to be "in play".

The lies in the fairway are tight. The ball does not sit up at all. But our soil is very sandy and soft. You can get down to the ball without fear of hurting yourself. (Frozen ground fears don’t exist)

The club house is further back than it looks and the green is almost an island green. The water is left, right, and front.

[Kenny B]

4 hours ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

The lies in the fairway are tight. The ball does not sit up at all. But our soil is very sandy and soft. You can get down to the ball without fear of hurting yourself. (Frozen ground fears don’t exist)

The club house is further back than it looks and the green is almost an island green. The water is left, right, and front.

Tough looking hole!  

We have one course where the clubhouse sits behind the 18th green, but it's elevated somewhat.  When I used to play there the club house dining area windows were broken about once a year.  The shot isn't that long (about 150y from the layup before the creek or 100-125y if you can carry the creek), but someone will inevitably blade their approach shot.

The angle and distance of your club house from the green is about the same as our parking lot behind our #2 green.  You can't see the parking lot from the fairway because of the huge grass mounds behind the green.  Cars have been hit by similar bladed shots.  I used to park on that side of the lot... not anymore!!

[Sluggo42]

Finally got out again after all my “issues”, and my buddy after cracking his fibula. I’m telling ya, you have to be tough to get old…

anyways, a rough front, but then got thru the back with only 2 slips.

all in all, great to get back out

[Indy_Oz]

Miserable weather here in the US Mid West, so spent some time this afternoon trying to keep drilling in swing changes from this year on an indoor sim and played a round. Sim was set to “computer decides” for putting, which is fine by me as trying to put on the sim is more pot luck than being on a real green (the launch monitor is a few feet behind the ball rather than adjacent to and putting is prone to big inconsistency). I was striping my irons and hitting the driver very well. Driver shaft change (from HZRDUS Black 6.5 to Ventus Velocore Blue 6X) is really feeling nice and seems to suit my swing- if a sim is to be believed.
I managed to shoot a 73 (1-over). Very happy with that.

I’m obviously very aware that the score greatly benefits from auto putting and hitting off a mat (which obviously can flatter to deceive and hide swing/ contact inconsistencies). The auto putting has a ‘streak’ setting and will give more 1-putts if you make GIR successively. 
But I’m happy to embrace the positives and it’s all more ‘greasing the groove’. 

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Indy_Oz

[sirchunksalot]

It was a cool 40° degree day with a slight chance of rain today, so I decided to head to the course and give it a go. 

When I paid, the guy working the counter told me I could go off the back since there was a threesome heading off the front. With no one behind me, I decided to play the reds and see what I could score. It started out good with me making par on my nemesis hole #10. 

The rest of the round wasn't bad, I ended up shooting 48. It could have been better if I hadn't lost a tee shot on 11 and lost an approach on 18. That one was the right distance but I pushed it and it hit the cart path and bounced into junk. 

I had a good day driving the ball, I didn't hit a lot of fairways and with the exception of one pulled 3 wood I can't complain.

Where I need the most work is with approach shots, I just can't make solid contact. It'll get there I just need a little more time to get back to right. Between the foot injury and cold weather I'm also having to relearn yardages because I'm losing a bit of distance. 

Short game overall was decent, I flubbed a couple of chips and had a couple of terrible putts. 

I'm just happy to be out on the course. 

 

[KevB_44]

It was 39F at the start but little wind and warmed up as the sun got to work.  
 

Weird round when I look back it:

• I hit the green on every par3 which I can’t recall doing all summer, but unfortunately 2 putted them all for pars. 
• I birdied the Par 5s but probably because I got free relief from the bunkers which were flooded.   If they weren’t I likely wouldn’t have had such a strong second shot
• Then the Par 4s….   Bogey or Double bogey on each because I hit an awful tee shot, chunked or pulled the approach, or failed on or around the green….. (or some combination).  
   

it was peaceful out nevertheless 

[Josh Parker]

1 hour ago, sirchunksalot said:

It was a cool 40° degree day with a slight chance of rain today, so I decided to head to the course and give it a go. 

When I paid, the guy working the counter told me I could go off the back since there was a threesome heading off the front. With no one behind me, I decided to play the reds and see what I could score. It started out good with me making par on my nemesis hole #10. 

The rest of the round wasn't bad, I ended up shooting 48. It could have been better if I hadn't lost a tee shot on 11 and lost an approach on 18. That one was the right distance but I pushed it and it hit the cart path and bounced into junk. 

I had a good day driving the ball, I didn't hit a lot of fairways and with the exception of one pulled 3 wood I can't complain.

Where I need the most work is with approach shots, I just can't make solid contact. It'll get there I just need a little more time to get back to right. Between the foot injury and cold weather I'm also having to relearn yardages because I'm losing a bit of distance. 

Short game overall was decent, I flubbed a couple of chips and had a couple of terrible putts. 

I'm just happy to be out on the course. 

 

Glad to hear you got out to the course again. 

[sirchunksalot]

2 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Glad to hear you got out to the course again. 

Thanks Josh! I've gotten in three nine hole rounds in the last week since I've been on vacation and have no plans to stop. I missed too much during the peak season and am thankful my wife is encouraging me to go. 

[EnderinAZ]

How did I play today? Well like crap with some really rotten luck. Clipped the top of a palm tree and watched the ball disappear into the ball of growth at the base of the fronds and NOT COME OUT! 

Lost ball, 2 strokes.  Two holes later ball is falling nicely to the edge of the green which is on the edge of a pond. We all here an audible crack as the ball hits the ground and leaped out into the water.  On the back on a slippery slopy green I putted a down hiller. Good putt but snuck past the hole and looked to slow to a stop a few inches below the hole. Except it didn't. A fifteen foot come backer which I missed.  

Then with 5 holes to go and my game coming along nicely, 4 pars in a row, my right calf started to cramp and I am walking.  I limped along for a bit then got a ride from one of my foursome.  

Yeah I was glad to get home and put this day behind me. 

[No3PuttLaLa]

Beautiful weather in the PNW today. It was almost 60° and sunny, so had to get out.

Hole 1 was rough, hit my tee shot into a hill with terrible drainage and it was a mud pit. Not much are for relief either. Ended up duffing two wedge shots and got a Triple.

Turned it on after that and ended the front with 6 pars and a 41.

The back was not so kind to me. Had a snowman after an errant tee shot and terrible approach. Had 4 par putts lip out. That led to a 49 on the back.

Overall, I am very pleased with how I played today. I felt extremely confident in my shots, minus a few bad misses. The driver has been working well for me, it’s very saturated right now so it’s all carry off the tee. 

Edited December 30, 2023 by No3PuttLaLa

[Jim Shaw]

45 minutes ago, EnderinAZ said:

How did I play today? Well like crap with some really rotten luck. Clipped the top of a palm tree and watched the ball disappear into the ball of growth at the base of the fronds and NOT COME OUT! 

Lost ball, 2 strokes.  Two holes later ball is falling nicely to the edge of the green which is on the edge of a pond. We all here an audible crack as the ball hits the ground and leaped out into the water.  On the back on a slippery slopy green I putted a down hiller. Good putt but snuck past the hole and looked to slow to a stop a few inches below the hole. Except it didn't. A fifteen foot come backer which I missed.  

Then with 5 holes to go and my game coming along nicely, 4 pars in a row, my right calf started to cramp and I am walking.  I limped along for a bit then got a ride from one of my foursome.  

Yeah I was glad to get home and put this day behind me. 

tough round for sure, especially getting a cramp

[BallsLeon]

Played a sim round at the Irish links course Lahinch last night with the wind settings turned up . Was a tough round, was at times a 3 club wind with the ball going absolutely no where. Ended up with a 97 (49 front, 48 back).

That being said, Lahinch might have one of the coolest holes I’ve played yet. Hole #5 is a completely blind par 3 where you just have to hit it over this mound and hope you got the number right. Hopefully one day I can play this in person!
 

 

[revkev]

On 12/28/2023 at 6:48 PM, Sluggo42 said:

Finally got out again after all my “issues”, and my buddy after cracking his fibula. I’m telling ya, you have to be tough to get old…

anyways, a rough front, but then got thru the back with only 2 slips.

all in all, great to get back out

I think you and I are close to the same vintage!!! You can say that again on getting older. And let’s pray we continue never get older and yet keeps going laying. 
 

There were moments on the front 9 when I was truly ready to pack it in. I know lots of people have cataract surgery and are playing in a week - I’m not one of them. I hadn’t really been playing since mid summer because I just couldn’t see, it was no fun. I hit balls on the range Thursday just fine and warmed up reasonably well yesterday. 

Bogey on 1 is always acceptable particularly in n the cold (50’s in Florida is cold) and wind. Then the bottom fell out on 2 and again on 7 - but I kept going and it got better on the back 9.  It was 48, blown no and drizzling at the end. 
 

The good news is that I saw every one of my shots. Things look so radically different - it’s going to take a while to adjust. My putting was outstanding and chipping/pitching reasonable 

[Kenny B]

23 hours ago, No3PuttLaLa said:

Beautiful weather in the PNW today. It was almost 60° and sunny, so had to get out.

 

No it wasn't beautiful here in the PNW today!!!!!!  There's more to PNW than Seattle.  It was 37º when we teed off at 10:30 with dense fog all day.  Our #1 hole... the trees on the right are about 100y off the tee...

Played poorly. Shot 41/41 with a string of too many bogey-par-bogey-par-bogey-par holes in a row.  Driver was overall pretty decent, but couldn't hit my FW and had several 3-putts which is rare for me... just couldn't get the speed and line matched up with the flat light from the fog.

No real highlights except I did pull off a flop shot from a tight, wet fairway lie with my 60º from 25y... with the pin on the front of the green on a downslope.  Ball stopped within 3 feet for a par save.

[No3PuttLaLa]

19 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

No it wasn't beautiful here in the PNW today!!!!!!  There's more to PNW than Seattle.  It was 37º when we teed off at 10:30 with dense fog all day.  Our #1 hole... the trees on the right are about 100y off the tee...

Played poorly. Shot 41/41 with a string of too many bogey-par-bogey-par-bogey-par holes in a row.  Driver was overall pretty decent, but couldn't hit my FW and had several 3-putts which is rare for me... just couldn't get the speed and line matched up with the flat light from the fog.

No real highlights except I did pull off a flop shot from a tight, wet fairway lie with my 60º from 25y... with the pin on the front of the green on a downslope.  Ball stopped within 3 feet for a par save.

Haha sorry @Kenny B! It’s been mild so far on this side of the mountains. Not rubbing it in… but I’ll trade the weather for your 41/41!

[EnderinAZ]

10 hours ago, revkev said:

The good news is that I saw every one of my shots. Things look so radically different - it’s going to take a while to adjust. My putting was outstanding and chipping/pitching reasonable 

Chipping and pitching reasonable after a long layoff. I would call that a successful day in and of itself!

[tony@CIC]

Our normal 18 hole couples group was a bit sparce yesterday - mainly because of the holiday season. We ended up with 3 - 3somes playing a shamble which was just fine with me - my wife plus one of the guys I normally golf with. My wife was driving the ball really long but my other partner and I were missing putts left and right. My driver and other long club were working well, but I've been struggling with my mid irons - mostly due to trying to implement swing changes ever since my lesson in early December. That is until I got to #11 - a relatively short par 3 playing about 135 yds. I finally struck my choked down 7i well off the tee. It looked like it hit the front of the green and just kept rolling into the back greenside bunker. My wife and other partner both hit drives to the right missing the green - time to find the ball with the least painful drive. We found both of theirs - but where the heck is my ball? Bunker? Nope not there - heck I even grabbed the rake since we have deep bunkers and balls sometimes get buried. Resigning myself to my first and only lost ball that round - I decided just for giggles to check the hole and guess what! There it was nestled in the hole - darn I didn't even see it go in! 

The group in back was wondering how come it was taking us so long to play this hole? Sorry, guys - it's time for a photo op. Oh and there was no need to bring my LW and putter to the green. 

 

It was coincidental that it was our turn to bring snacks and drinks for the group after the round. HIO #2 is now in the record books. Oh and for @Kenny B benefit, who is wondering why the pullover and long pants- yes it was a chilly day here in FL. Partly sunny and a chilly 65* brrrrrrrrrrrr. 

 

EDIT: I should mention it was neat that my wife was with us - she had never seen one and it was special to her that it was mine. 

Edited December 31, 2023 by tony@CIC