MGS VCT Season 3 - Week 15

[Rico_de_Gallo]

23 hours ago, frazzman80 said:

Date	07/30/2024
Course Name	Max Starcke Park GC - Seguin, TX
Gross Score	78
Course Rating	71.7
Course Slope	121
Gross Strokes over/under par	7
Birdies or better	0
Longest Drive	285

I don’t know what to think about today’s round. I mean, It’s a no birdie 78 with a double (6) on 8. I got on the par train and had some great up and downs but every green I hit I was 25-35 feet for birdie today. 

On one hand, I’m pleased with the +7 on a windy and hot Texas day and breaking 40 on each 9 (39-39) feels good, but I couldn’t get a birdie putt to fall and both my 3-putts were lip-outs. 

 

@Golf2Much, @Josh Parker, and @GolfSpy_BEN ... do we get an extra stroke taken off our score for somebody on our team having what's likely the best club head cover in the whole VTC mid season tournament????

That fish is awesome @frazzman80

[fourwaymiss]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Forest City - Classic
Gross Score	85
Course Rating	71.5
Course Slope	135
Gross Strokes over/under par	13
Birdies or better	8
Longest Drive	238

71.5/135

Driver was completely misbehaving today as we took on the blue tees this week (last week we played whites). Playing almost 500m longer, not having a reliable driver made the course a lot harder. But luckily the irons and wedges saved the day, giving me a chance to scramble and save par.

5 fairways hit and 5 GIRs. 3 doubles. Grateful again that the misses today were reasonably manageable, and the irons and wedges really saved today, for what is my lowest handicap differential recorded ever!

Onwards and downwards!

[Alf. S]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	West Lothian Golf Club
Gross Score	80
Course Rating	69.7
Course Slope	123
Gross Strokes over/under par	9
Birdies or better	5
Longest Drive	255

I really need to work out a different strategy for the back 9 at the my club, another round dropping too many shots coming in specifically holes 12-15, double on 12, bogied 13, scrapped a par 14, bogied 15. This was from not really finding any trouble but playing shots from the semi and the ball sitting down. 

The 13th is a challenge for me

The fairway slopes left to right and the bunker on the right is bang in range of my driver. Doesn't help that my natural shot is left to right, found it 3 times in my last 5 rounds. If I hit it up the left, it can get tangled in the rough and end up with me playing 190yds with trees blocking left,  in to a left to right sloping fairway with my natural shot being a cut.

[Steve F]

Date	07/31/2024
Course Name	The Woodlands
Gross Score	52
Course Rating	34.9
Course Slope	131
Gross Strokes over/under par	16
Birdies or better	1
Longest Drive	238

Rough round: couldn't get out of my own way on the par 3's, and dumped 4 three putts. Ouch. This fickle game our ours: shot a personal best 42 on Sunday, then have this round which felt rather rough. 

Just curious: I'm getting the course ratings from the National Course Rating Database and it does list for 9 holes. I've noticed some 9 hole scores with the 18 hole rating. Should I be using the 18 hole number? I would figure to use the 9 hole for the 9 I played. May be a silly question, but I would like to stay within the parameters of the guidelines. Thanks! 

[tw1ns]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Highland Park Golf Course
Gross Score	71
Course Rating	70.1
Course Slope	119
Gross Strokes over/under par	-1
Birdies or better	2
Longest Drive	220

Do I post this score with 2 birdies or do I stick with the 74 with 3 birdies and hope that my partner @GolfSpy_BEN can par the holes that I bogeyed?   Strategery?  I guess I will post in now that I am in Flight I in the VCT.  Front 9 was a GIR machine and had 2 more honest chances at Birdie for a 32 on the front....visions of 69 were dancing in my head then I got to 9 and Fran Tarkenton showed up and started scrambling.  Missed 1 green on the front and only hit 3 on the back.  Probably 2 honestly.....was on the fringe on 16.  

[jaz29]

Date	07/31/2024
Course Name	Fairmont - The Kittocks
Gross Score	84
Course Rating	73
Course Slope	132
Gross Strokes over/under par	13
Birdies or better	7
Longest Drive	0

[jaz29]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Gleneages Hotel - King's
Gross Score	92
Course Rating	71.1
Course Slope	128
Gross Strokes over/under par	22
Birdies or better	3
Longest Drive	0

[Javs]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Sun City Golf Club Cowan Creek
Gross Score	75
Course Rating	66.6
Course Slope	118
Gross Strokes over/under par	3
Birdies or better	4
Longest Drive	296

When your day starts out like this 

then you know it’s going to be a long day. Snapped my 3 wood shaft. We had a shotgun start and we were on number 3. I was 5 over in my first 6 holes with 2 doubles! One a drive thru the fairway into the crap. The other a hozel rocket into the crap. Then I regrouped. Played the rest of the way 2 under. Green tees slope 118 and 66.6 rating. Had 4 birdies to turn the day around. Hit 8 fairways, 12 greens and had 31 putts. Sorry @Preeway I am struggling so far this week! @GolfSpy_BEN and @Golf2Muchplease disregard this card! Playing again tomorrow and Sunday. 

[Josh Parker]

1 minute ago, Javs said:

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Sun City Golf Club Cowan Creek
Gross Score	75
Course Rating	66.6
Course Slope	118
Gross Strokes over/under par	3
Birdies or better	4
Longest Drive	296

When your day starts out like this 

then you know it’s going to be a long day. Snapped my 3 wood shaft. We had a shotgun start and we were on number 3. I was 5 over in my first 6 holes with 2 doubles! One a drive thru the fairway into the crap. The other a hozel rocket into the crap. Then I regrouped. Played the rest of the way 2 under. Green tees slope 118 and 66.6 rating. Had 4 birdies to turn the day around. Hit 8 fairways, 12 greens and had 31 putts. Sorry @Preeway I am struggling so far this week! @GolfSpy_BEN please use this card unless I can turn things around. Playing again tomorrow and Sunday. 

Ouch!  My PW did that the other day and I'm waiting on the new shaft to arrive.  

[Javs]

29 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Ouch!  My PW did that the other day and I'm waiting on the new shaft to arrive.  

Lucky I have another shaft in an older 3 wood. However, trying to use this as an excuse for a new 3 wood, ha ha

 

 

Edited August 1 by Javs

[Josh Parker]

3 minutes ago, Javs said:

Lucky I have another shaft in an older 3 wood. However, trying to use this as an excuse for a new 3 wood, ha ha

 

 

Hahaha!  I mean why wouldn't you need a new one...... this one is obviously damaged beyond repairs!

[Javs]

2 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Hahaha!  I mean why wouldn't you need a new one...... this one is obviously damaged beyond repairs!

That’s what I’m going with…….

[Golf2Much]

Date	07/31/2024
Course Name	Shell Bay Club
Gross Score	87
Course Rating	73.9
Course Slope	142
Gross Strokes over/under par	17
Birdies or better	2
Longest Drive	175

As part of the Florida State Golf Association course rating team in South Florida, I get to play the course we rate.  Last year, before it was officially open, we measured and rated the new Greg Norman course Shell Bay Club in Hollandale Beach.  It was featured a few weeks ago in a MGS article and is a very exclusive private club.   All I can say...is it's good to be the king (or queen).  

Here is a view of the driving range.  As we walked up, they asked what type of balls I hit?  White?  There scattered across the driving range were bags of Taylor Made, Titleist and Callaway balls.  Nice touch!

Probably the most interesting thing was they had robotic ball retrievers on the range.

On the tenth hole, one of my playing partners hooked one into back of the driving range.  As we rolled up to where he hit his ball, we noticed that the robot had just been there.  We couldn't find his ball and we assumed it got vacuumed up by Darth Vader.  Luckily, they had a local rule that allowed a free drop. 

Cross the driving way path was a huge practice green and a nine-hole par 3 course.  For those who wanted to play the nine holes, they set up several Sunday bags so members could walk the short course without having to lug their normal cart bags.

The course was even more impressive all grown in than it was when we rated it about 10 months earlier.  

I think this picture is looking back from the first hole green.

Speaking for greens, I think there's three double greens on the course.  Here's one of them.

The only thing nicer than the course, was the hospitality of every staff member we met!  They could not have been nicer and treated us like we were members.  Overall, it was likely my most impressive golfing experience I've ever had.

My only real golfing highlight was on the par 3 fifth hole.  It's 195 yard par three with water on the left of the green.  Our tees were playing a bit forward and the pin was in the front of a big green.  Everyone else was hitting irons and hybrids.  I pulled out my driver and crossed my fingers that I would be close.  I hit the longest drive of the day on the green and two putted for par!  

 

[tw1ns]

1 hour ago, Javs said:

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Sun City Golf Club Cowan Creek
Gross Score	75
Course Rating	66.6
Course Slope	118
Gross Strokes over/under par	3
Birdies or better	4
Longest Drive	296

When your day starts out like this 

then you know it’s going to be a long day. Snapped my 3 wood shaft. We had a shotgun start and we were on number 3. I was 5 over in my first 6 holes with 2 doubles! One a drive thru the fairway into the crap. The other a hozel rocket into the crap. Then I regrouped. Played the rest of the way 2 under. Green tees slope 118 and 66.6 rating. Had 4 birdies to turn the day around. Hit 8 fairways, 12 greens and had 31 putts. Sorry @Preeway I am struggling so far this week! @GolfSpy_BEN please use this card unless I can turn things around. Playing again tomorrow and Sunday. 

RIP 3 - wood....way to rally.   

[Javs]

5 minutes ago, tw1ns said:

RIP 3 - wood....way to rally.   

Thank you. It was the second shot of the day…….

[Josh Parker]

21 minutes ago, Golf2Much said:

Date	07/31/2024
Course Name	Shell Bay Club
Gross Score	87
Course Rating	73.9
Course Slope	142
Gross Strokes over/under par	17
Birdies or better	2
Longest Drive	175

As part of the Florida State Golf Association course rating team in South Florida, I get to play the course we rate.  Last year, before it was officially open, we measured and rated the new Greg Norman course Shell Bay Club in Hollandale Beach.  It was featured a few weeks ago in a MGS article and is a very exclusive private club.   All I can say...is it's good to be the king (or queen).  

Here is a view of the driving range.  As we walked up, they asked what type of balls I hit?  White?  There scattered across the driving range were bags of Taylor Made, Titleist and Callaway balls.  Nice touch!

Probably the most interesting thing was they had robotic ball retrievers on the range.

On the tenth hole, one of my playing partners hooked one into back of the driving range.  As we rolled up to where he hit his ball, we noticed that the robot had just been there.  We couldn't find his ball and we assumed it got vacuumed up by Darth Vader.  Luckily, they had a local rule that allowed a free drop. 

Cross the driving way path was a huge practice green and a nine-hole par 3 course.  For those who wanted to play the nine holes, they set up several Sunday bags so members could walk the short course without having to lug their normal cart bags.

The course was even more impressive all grown in than it was when we rated it about 10 months earlier.  

I think this picture is looking back from the first hole green.

Speaking for greens, I think there's three double greens on the course.  Here's one of them.

The only thing nicer than the course, was the hospitality of every staff member we met!  They could not have been nicer and treated us like we were members.  Overall, it was likely my most impressive golfing experience I've ever had.

My only real golfing highlight was on the par 3 fifth hole.  It's 195 yard par three with water on the left of the green.  Our tees were playing a bit forward and the pin was in the front of a big green.  Everyone else was hitting irons and hybrids.  I pulled out my driver and crossed my fingers that I would be close.  I hit the longest drive of the day on the green and two putted for par!  

 

That course looks amazing!

[GolfSpy_APH]

Date	07/31/2024
Course Name	Otelfingen - Gelb
Gross Score	78
Course Rating	71.3
Course Slope	134
Gross Strokes over/under par	6
Birdies or better	1
Longest Drive	313

Had it rolling this week, just not quite good enough to break any PB. 

[dback]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Alpine Country Club
Gross Score	77
Course Rating	70.5
Course Slope	126
Gross Strokes over/under par	5
Birdies or better	4
Longest Drive	310

Played a good round. Ball striking was great but hit some really bad putts. 33 putts on the round is deceiving because I had 3 or 4 1-putts from within 3 feet. Hot, humid day especially for walking a round.

Put an x-stiff shift in the driver this week, feels different to swing but feel more in control off the tee. Combine that with starting to get the feel of the Vice vgI01s and learning my distances, and the game is feeling good - minus the putting. Feeling really confident when I get to hit a 9i or pw into a green. Even find myself reaching for a 5 or 6 iron off the tee a bit more when I know it will give me a 9/pw in

[EMacK1961]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Baja Country Club
Gross Score	84
Course Rating	64.7
Course Slope	117
Gross Strokes over/under par	12
Birdies or better	8
Longest Drive	0

Played a quietly good round today. Got on a roll with, what would be 5 net birdies. I was swinging pretty freely. I have a new back brace that is helping. On the back nine, I scraped together three pars in a row for three net birdies.

[Golf2Much]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Key West Golf Club
Gross Score	84
Course Rating	67.7
Course Slope	124
Gross Strokes over/under par	14
Birdies or better	3
Longest Drive	175

I play over 150 rounds a year on the same golf course every year.  Not necessarily by choice as it's a three hour plus trip to the next 18 hole course.  One of the few downsides of living in Key West!  After yesterday's incredible golf experience at Shell Bay and a long drive back down US1, it was back to reality this morning.  

The round at my home course was very pedestrian!  Everything was at or just below average.  Fairways hit...average.   Greens in regulation...average (for me).  Putts decent at 27, but that's only because I had a good day chipping.  Besides the four up and downs for par I had five up and downs for bogeys which could have been much worse.  My putting has been slightly off lately.  I can't get back to my putting green in my back yard as all my outside furniture is scattered back there as my house is getting painted.  

That's it for rounds this week.  I usually play on Saturdays, but this week I have elections training.  I picked up working elections an inspector (checking ID's and handing out ballots) when I was trying to find something I could do for the country that has given me so much.  I was (way) too old for the military and (way) too smart for politics.   Working the polls proved to be just the thing.  Since working two national and several local elections, I've been "promoted" to a clerk running a precinct here in Key West.   So, everyone, get out and make your vote count in your local, state and national elections! 

[Preeway]

6 hours ago, Javs said:

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Sun City Golf Club Cowan Creek
Gross Score	75
Course Rating	66.6
Course Slope	118
Gross Strokes over/under par	3
Birdies or better	4
Longest Drive	296

When your day starts out like this 

then you know it’s going to be a long day. Snapped my 3 wood shaft. We had a shotgun start and we were on number 3. I was 5 over in my first 6 holes with 2 doubles! One a drive thru the fairway into the crap. The other a hozel rocket into the crap. Then I regrouped. Played the rest of the way 2 under. Green tees slope 118 and 66.6 rating. Had 4 birdies to turn the day around. Hit 8 fairways, 12 greens and had 31 putts. Sorry @Preeway I am struggling so far this week! @GolfSpy_BEN and @Golf2Muchplease disregard this card! Playing again tomorrow and Sunday. 

Sorry to hear about your struggles, and especially your 3-wood. Had a decent round today that I’m about to post. Will play again on Sunday and will decide then which is my counting round for the week. 

Edited August 1 by Preeway

[Josh Parker]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Lago Vista Golf Course
Gross Score	76
Course Rating	70.3
Course Slope	132
Gross Strokes over/under par	3
Birdies or better	4
Longest Drive	290

Had an up and down round. My putting has left me the last few rounds and I just can't get the speed right. I am leaving 3-6 legitimate birdies out there. 

Positives, birdied 13 after back to back bogies on dumb mistakes and then drove the short par 4 14th pin high and just missed the eagle putt.  

Too many boxes I'm afraid to help but have at least 2 more rounds and maybe a 3rd to get some more birds on the card. 

[Preeway]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Arbor Links
Gross Score	74
Course Rating	72.1
Course Slope	135
Gross Strokes over/under par	2
Birdies or better	6
Longest Drive	295

My round yesterday was cut short due to a massive storm that passed through in the late afternoon. Many parts of Omaha are still without power and we don’t get power back until 2:45 this morning. So, I punted and played a round after I was done caddying. I was hot and tired but I still managed to make 4 birdies, one of them on a harder handicap hole, so hopefully this can make for some good ham and eggs. The wind was favorable and the pins were in some good spots allowing for some good scoring chances. Being hot and tired after running 7 miles around the course before I played led to a few unforced errors but I’ll take the 74. Playing again on Sunday so we’ll see if I can improve on this or not. New course for me so the odds aren’t really in my favor but you never know. 

[Josh Parker]

2 minutes ago, Preeway said:

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Arbor Links
Gross Score	74
Course Rating	72.1
Course Slope	135
Gross Strokes over/under par	2
Birdies or better	6
Longest Drive	295

My round yesterday was cut short due to a massive storm that passed through in the late afternoon. Many parts of Omaha are still without power and we don’t get power back until 2:45 this morning. So, I punted and played a round after I was done caddying. I was hot and tired but I still managed to make 4 birdies, one of them on a harder handicap hole, so hopefully this can make for some good ham and eggs. The wind was favorable and the pins were in some good spots allowing for some good scoring chances. Being hot and tired after running 7 miles around the course before I played led to a few unforced errors but I’ll take the 74. Playing again on Sunday so we’ll see if I can improve on this or not. New course for me so the odds aren’t really in my favor but you never know. 

Yall have stacked some birds!

[Preeway]

1 minute ago, Josh Parker said:

Yall have stacked some birds!

Arbor sets really well for my game and I feel like I can really score out there. My third sub 75 round and only one in the low 80s. Played the combo white/green tees which is referred to as the “member tees”. I didn’t feel up to playing the whites all the way through and I have no interest in playing the tips, lol. 

[Josh Parker]

Just now, Preeway said:

Arbor sets really well for my game and I feel like I can really score out there. My third sub 75 round and only one in the low 80s. Played the combo white/green tees which is referred to as the “member tees”. I didn’t feel up to playing the whites all the way through and I have no interest in playing the tips, lol. 

Nice round for sure!  I'm still coming for yall. Weeks not over. Haha. 

[William P]

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Watters Creek - Traditions
Gross Score	84
Course Rating	70
Course Slope	126
Gross Strokes over/under par	12
Birdies or better	2
Longest Drive	0

What a heck of day! Couldn't get off the tee with the woods to save my life. Started the round triple, birdie, triple and then threw in a couple of doubles on top of that... Finally got fed up with forcing the issue and started teeing off with 5i on the back 9. Sacrificed a lot of distance but kept it in play and scored better. 45/39. Putter is still performing well and saved a few today. No three putts. 

[BMWer14]

Date	07/29/2024
Course Name	Sunset Ranch GC
Gross Score	83
Course Rating	70.5
Course Slope	132
Gross Strokes over/under par	11
Birdies or better	1
Longest Drive	0

Played an Interclub match in Kelowna, BC. Greens were stimped at 11…on an unfamiliar course. 33 putts.

[Javs]

2 hours ago, Preeway said:

Sorry to hear about your struggles, and especially your 3-wood. Had a decent round today that I’m about to post. Will play again on Sunday and will decide then which is my counting round for the week. 

Thanks Partner! I play again tomorrow and Sunday. You did great!

[Javs]

2 hours ago, Preeway said:

Date	08/01/2024
Course Name	Arbor Links
Gross Score	74
Course Rating	72.1
Course Slope	135
Gross Strokes over/under par	2
Birdies or better	6
Longest Drive	295

My round yesterday was cut short due to a massive storm that passed through in the late afternoon. Many parts of Omaha are still without power and we don’t get power back until 2:45 this morning. So, I punted and played a round after I was done caddying. I was hot and tired but I still managed to make 4 birdies, one of them on a harder handicap hole, so hopefully this can make for some good ham and eggs. The wind was favorable and the pins were in some good spots allowing for some good scoring chances. Being hot and tired after running 7 miles around the course before I played led to a few unforced errors but I’ll take the 74. Playing again on Sunday so we’ll see if I can improve on this or not. New course for me so the odds aren’t really in my favor but you never know. 

Great playing!