Great round of golf today. (For me)

[Skippy]

I knew it was going to be a good day right from the start as I chipped in from about 70 yards for an eagle.

 

I’m not going to bore you with all the details but I got in the 70’s today. (79) to be exact. For me that is a pretty darn good score. I have been at 82-84 at this track for the past three weekends but today I broke though and had a very good game. Putting was the magic ingredient as I hit more than my share of the putts that I am normally just happy to snug up there and tap in on the next shot.

 

However, I am a little disappointed that I played this particular course today. I mean this course is only rated 69.5 with a slope of 128 from the tips. At least two of the more difficult holes had the tees move up so this was not the most challenging course to brag about a 79 at. Having said that, I am still willing to pound my chest.

 

Oh and I took 13 skins and 2 greenies today as well to make it a profitable 79.

[HowboutthemCowboys]

I knew it was going to be a good day right from the start as I chipped in from about 70 yards for an eagle.

 

I’m not going to bore you with all the details but I got in the 70’s today. (79) to be exact. For me that is a pretty darn good score. I have been at 82-84 at this track for the past three weekends but today I broke though and had a very good game. Putting was the magic ingredient as I hit more than my share of the putts that I am normally just happy to snug up there and tap in on the next shot.

 

However, I am a little disappointed that I played this particular course today. I mean this course is only rated 69.5 with a slope of 128 from the tips. At least two of the more difficult holes had the tees move up so this was not the most challenging course to brag about a 79 at. Having said that, I am still willing to pound my chest.

 

Oh and I took 13 skins and 2 greenies today as well to make it a profitable 79.

Nice round Skip. I had a 91 which, for me, is pretty respectable. I've only broken 90 once, had an 86 two years ago...

Funny that you made some putts to go low today; same here. Nothing real long but ones I don't usually make. The greens here were REALLY fast compared to normal. Only my 2nd round this year, can't wait to get out again.

[Thews40]

still waiting for this euphoria. I've never eagled a hole, but I have had four legit chances at it ...highly coveted goal in life. Congrats .

[Chief Dick]

Playing tomorrow.

 

Played nine holes last week and shot a 39. (4 over). Can't complain.

[Skippy]

Playing tomorrow.

 

Played nine holes last week and shot a 39. (4 over). Can't complain.

 

I get the 39 plenty but then I will often get a 49 to go with it.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I was having a great game until the last three holes-went triple, bogey, quad. WOW!

 

I started to add up my square on 15 and it added up to a great round if I finished well-BIG MISTAKE-never add up your score before the end of the round-prolly why most pros don't look at leaderboards.

 

Congrats on the eagle.

[gilthorp]

Skippy, great round! Way to go man.

[Gopher]

Shot 95 yesterday on a pretty tough course. Had 35 putts (two 3-putts), but took seven penalties for lost balls or driving OB. That's been the story of my game lately.... Usually have a handful of pars, a couple of birdies or at least birdie chances, lots of bogies, and 2-3 "blow-up" holes, where I get a triple or quad due to hitting it into a hazard or OB (combined with another bad shot or two, as just the penalty wouldn't be enough to cause me to shoot 3-4 over for the hole). If I could just eliminate the penalties and 3-putts, I would shoot mid-80's regularly, no problem.

 

I've decided I really need to start being smarter off the tee. No need to hit driver on par-4's that are shorter than 350-375. I would rather have the full wedge or 9-iron into the green than a 60-80 yard shot, anyway, so I might as well hit 3- or 4-iron.

 

One of the frustrations I have is not being able to spend a lot of time practicing with my driver. In other words, I go to the range about once a week minimum, but most ranges in this area use the mats, which are notoriously bad for drivers, especially if you tend to occasionally hit the ground with your driver. Thus, I don't use driver off mats, EVER (I've already ruined two expensive drivers doing this in recent years.... Luckily, one of them was replaced by TaylorMade, even thought it was my fault).

 

Anybody else have trouble finding ranges that let you hit off the grass?

Edited May 28, 2007 by Gopher

[Chargerz]

[SeductiveNun]

Congratulations Skippy!

Unless your on a putt-putt course or a par-3 never be ashamed of a round under 80. My best round was an 80, many years ago when I played on an almost daily basis. My weak point was always chipping back then, I have since added putting to that catagory.

 

I would rather have the full wedge or 9-iron into the green than a 60-80 yard shot, anyway, so I might as well hit 3- or 4-iron.

 

Anybody else have trouble finding ranges that let you hit off the grass?

 

I know the feeling about the 60-80 yard shot. I really don't have that in my bag and never really did. I can dial my sand wedge down occasionally, but that really isn't a consistent shot for me, and I've never gone out and bought another wedge to help with that shot.

 

As for ranges where you can hit of grass, I'm assuming you are in Minnesota. I know for a fact there quite a few courses where you can do so, although later in the year those get pretty beat up. Manitou Ridge and Oak Glen are the 2 courses I play for league where they have grass ranges, and I think Oak Marsh (or as I call it - Power Line Run or Humming Meadows - also has a grass range). Those locations are in White Bear Lake, Stillwater, and Oakdale respectivley. Also the one range I go to a lot during lunch is Shadow Ridge in Lino Lakes. They have a grass range, some astroturf tee boxes, a putting green, and a chipping range. If you're not in the Twin Cities though Gopher, I don't know how much more I can help with this.

 

And once again Skippy, congrats on the 79. Right now the course I play on my Tuesday league has a slope of 131 from the whites, 136 from the blues, and I would be tickled to shoot an 89 right now. Did I mention I've been struggling this year though?

[Thews40]

Shot 95 yesterday on a pretty tough course. Had 35 putts (two 3-putts), but took seven penalties for lost balls or driving OB. That's been the story of my game lately.... Usually have a handful of pars, a couple of birdies or at least birdie chances, lots of bogies, and 2-3 "blow-up" holes, where I get a triple or quad due to hitting it into a hazard or OB (combined with another bad shot or two, as just the penalty wouldn't be enough to cause me to shoot 3-4 over for the hole). If I could just eliminate the penalties and 3-putts, I would shoot mid-80's regularly, no problem.

 

I've decided I really need to start being smarter off the tee. No need to hit driver on par-4's that are shorter than 350-375. I would rather have the full wedge or 9-iron into the green than a 60-80 yard shot, anyway, so I might as well hit 3- or 4-iron.

 

One of the frustrations I have is not being able to spend a lot of time practicing with my driver. In other words, I go to the range about once a week minimum, but most ranges in this area use the mats, which are notoriously bad for drivers, especially if you tend to occasionally hit the ground with your driver. Thus, I don't use driver off mats, EVER (I've already ruined two expensive drivers doing this in recent years.... Luckily, one of them was replaced by TaylorMade, even thought it was my fault).

 

Anybody else have trouble finding ranges that let you hit off the grass?

 

I see this as a short term gain. If you get used to hitting the 3 or 4 iron off the tee, you'll eventually develop less confidence in your driver. Best to keep using the driver and take a little steam off of it. Since you have more confidence in the 9 and wedge, you may want to try a new sand wedge. They don't all hit the same, but that's where the money shot is IMO. When I get paired up with older guys who can't hit the long ball, they more than make up for it in the short game.

 

The course I play is down the street from my house, and it's not considered a hard course. It is unique in that all of the holes are elevated. If you miss the green, you'll be on a hill. One of the hardest clubs to find comfort in was my 60 degree wedge. You have to commit and risk skulling it, but being able to pop it up and over a hill to the green is definitely part of this course.

 

As for putting, three putts are normal for me. Golf is frustrating, and the best advice given to me on a long putt is just try and land it within two feet of the hole. If I'm too aggressive and try to make every long putt, I go past it too far more often that not. A tip that helped me is lining up the putt. Instead of trying to see the line as one line, envision a path from the ball to the hole as the width of the hole.

[Big F'n Dave]

Well done, brother.

[irish]

Playing tomorrow.

 

Played nine holes last week and shot a 39. (4 over). Can't complain.

 

I laugh hysterically when I read these golf posts as I haven't really entered the golf playing part of my life yet but I did go play yesterday with 3 of my buddies. However, it was nothing like what you guys do. It was a pitch 'n putt course with 9 holes. Not one hole was over 100 yards. Par for each hole was 3, therefore making 27 the desired mark. Well I shot the best round of the 4 of us and was +12!! We were terrible! We don't even have our own clubs, they gave us 2-9 irons, 2 pitching wedges and 2 putters. I went from nubbing balls off the tee ten feet in front of me to wacking balls what seemed like 200 feet in the air and 20 feet beyond the pin. I just couldn't get a grip, couldn't hit the f'er straight, on my first hole I putted the ball from one side of the green to the other back and forth 3 times , I even almost got nailed from someone else teeing off on another hole. It was very comical to say the least. The sad part is 8 out of 9 of the holes were basically straight, one hole had a pretty big hill where you couldn't see the green just the flag. The one good thing about my entire day is after teeing off terribly 8 out of the 9 holes my second shots would get me on or very close to on the green always giving me a chance at par but I'd end up 2 putting in most cases. And to think my buddies were actually worse than I was. I finished the 27 Par course shooting 39, two of my friends shot 43 and the last one shot 46.

 

I have to say though I had a great time playing and can definitely understand how this game can be very aggravating yet at the same time you can't stop playing. Oh by the way great outting Skip!! At this point I can only dream.

Edited May 28, 2007 by irish

[Gopher]

I see this as a short term gain. If you get used to hitting the 3 or 4 iron off the tee, you'll eventually develop less confidence in your driver. Best to keep using the driver and take a little steam off of it. Since you have more confidence in the 9 and wedge, you may want to try a new sand wedge. They don't all hit the same, but that's where the money shot is IMO. When I get paired up with older guys who can't hit the long ball, they more than make up for it in the short game.

 

The course I play is down the street from my house, and it's not considered a hard course. It is unique in that all of the holes are elevated. If you miss the green, you'll be on a hill. One of the hardest clubs to find comfort in was my 60 degree wedge. You have to commit and risk skulling it, but being able to pop it up and over a hill to the green is definitely part of this course.

 

As for putting, three putts are normal for me. Golf is frustrating, and the best advice given to me on a long putt is just try and land it within two feet of the hole. If I'm too aggressive and try to make every long putt, I go past it too far more often that not. A tip that helped me is lining up the putt. Instead of trying to see the line as one line, envision a path from the ball to the hole as the width of the hole.

 

All good points. Let me try explain a little bit better what I intended to say.... I don't intend to hit irons off the tee on every hole. I just think I sometimes hit driver without really thinking through the risk versus reward of hitting that club instead of an iron. If, by hitting driver, I put myself in danger of getting into trouble (OB, hazard, "jail", etc.), I should really think twice before hitting it, ESPECIALLY if there isn't that much to be gained by hitting it. I'm talking about holes that are 300-350 yards, where there is a definite risk in hitting driver. I would be better off hitting 3/4 iron 200-220 yards, leaving myself 100-130 yards in.

 

I carry 5 wedges, all of which I can hit different distances, between 70 yards (60 degree wedge) and about 125 with my regular pitching wedge. I also carry a sand wedge (56), a 52-degree club, and another 48-degree pitching/gap wedge. I definitely agree that the short game is where it is at, as far as scoring is concerned. I have been working A LOT on hitting all of these clubs consistently, particularly the pitching wedge and the 60-degree lob wedge. In fact, on Saturday, when I shot 95, I didn't hit a single bad shot with any of these clubs. I was very good around the greens, putting myself in position to get up-and-down pretty much every time I missed the green. I just got into too much trouble off the tee, which resulted in me scrambling for par, bogey, or worse on a lot of holes.

 

I mainly use my lob wedge for situations like you described.... For instance, maybe 20-30 yards from the hole, bunker directly in between my ball and the hole, not a lot of green to work with. I have gotten very good at that type of shot. Can usually open the club face, take a 3/4 swing and land it near the hole, with almost no roll. What I do struggle with, in terms of the lob wedge, is having the confidence to hit it cleanly with a full swing from, say, 60 yards. If there is trouble in front of me or to the right (like hitting over a small hazard, creek, pond, etc.), I will a lot of times defer from the lob wedge (which is the right club distance-wise) and hit a abbreviated pitching wedge or 9-iron (the 9 is the club I am most comfortable hitting for the past few months). The problem with this is that, although I usually put it on the green, hitting a less lofted club sometimes causes it to roll past the hole a ways, which is where the 3-putt comes into play occasionally.

 

Bottom line - I can be smarter off the tee on maybe 3-4 holes per round (the ones where it's smart to play the iron). Just as importantly, though, I am going to keep working on my wedge play, as I agree.... that is where the "money" shot is at.

[muck]

I enjoy playing golf.

 

I'm a wildly inconsistent golfer.

 

I can't find the time to get any better or more consistent.

 

For all intents and purposes, I've given up the game as I've only played twice in the last 18 months.

[Skippy]

Bottom line - I can be smarter off the tee on maybe 3-4 holes per round (the ones where it's smart to play the iron). Just as importantly, though, I am going to keep working on my wedge play, as I agree.... that is where the "money" shot is at.

 

I agree with this 100%.

 

I know I hit a clean crisp 4 iron about 210 off the tee with no problem. Having said that this is the way to go on plenty of shorter par fours. I hit my 4I off the tee three times yesterday and hit bird, par, par on those three holes. Course management is hugh and can pay off a ton if you are scoring well. All three of the holes that I hit the 4I could have been driver holes but all three had major danger if you were not where you wanted to be.

[Thews40]

I agree with this 100%.

 

I know I hit a clean crisp 4 iron about 210 off the tee with no problem. Having said that this is the way to go on plenty of shorter par fours. I hit my 4I off the tee three times yesterday and hit bird, par, par on those three holes. Course management is hugh and can pay off a ton if you are scoring well. All three of the holes that I hit the 4I could have been driver holes but all three had major danger if you were not where you wanted to be.

 

You both make good points. Maybe I should try hitting a down level club when there's a real danger if I miss the fairway. I'll try it out next Monday.

[AtomicCEO]

46 on the front, and a 49 on the back despite a 9 on one hole when I had a lost ball that should not have been lost Then I blew up a little bit.

 

Any day under 100 is good for me. Took 6 skins on the front, 8 on the back. Drinks and lunch were free.

 

The good news is that usually my drive is awesome, and my short game is awful... today my drives were all over the place and my short game was much improved. I can fix a drive easy.

[BillyBalata]

Nice round Skippy!

 

 

 

 

Playing golf, that sounds like fun.

[Gopher]

You both make good points. Maybe I should try hitting a down level club when there's a real danger if I miss the fairway. I'll try it out next Monday.

 

For what it's worth, I wasn't saying you or anyone else should be "smarter" off the tee. All I know is that, for myself, there is something wrong when I shoot mid-90's and 7 of those strokes are penalties. A couple of those were purely bad luck, but about 4-5 could have been avoided, looking back at my round.

[rocknrobn26]

Chit Skip.................as you know I quit golfing years a go, but that round you had was Aces!!!!!

I shot a 62 once, but that was the front nine!

Enjoy, My Friend!

[gilthorp]

41-42 today for an 83 and couldn't drive worth a damn.

 

Every iron was crisp and true and the short game was like I'd love it to be every time. Only one three putt and several one putts.

[Gopher]

41-42 today for an 83 and couldn't drive worth a damn.

 

Every iron was crisp and true and the short game was like I'd love it to be every time. Only one three putt and several one putts.

 

Very nice. If I could shoot in the 80's regularly, I'd be a happy man.

[Thews40]

For what it's worth, I wasn't saying you or anyone else should be "smarter" off the tee. All I know is that, for myself, there is something wrong when I shoot mid-90's and 7 of those strokes are penalties. A couple of those were purely bad luck, but about 4-5 could have been avoided, looking back at my round.

 

I hear ya, but the thrill of cracking off that 300 yard drive as it fades right down the middle... it happens once in a while, but there are holes that I've donated more than a few dozen golf balls to the water. I don't mind being wet as much as I mind OB. In our league, if you go OB and take distance it's -2. To play OB correctly, you have to hit a provisional for not getting penalized for distance (-1). A hazard is different, so at least I get distance. I can see only bringing out the jack when there's room on either side for error... I'm gonna try it. Thanks for the advice.

[Guest ksu70]

Nice round Skippy. Breaking 80 ain't easy like pimpin is.