Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[Huston55]

Sounds like a great trip. I agree w the 18/day, with maybe an early 36.

Yep, we arrive late on Day 1 & depart on Day 5, and we've talked about these combinations for future trips, by Day 1/Day 2/Day 3/Day 4/Day 5:

- 0/2/1/2/0
- 0/1/2/1/1

The way the Kiawah packages work, replays are significantly less expensive so, the first combination is a bit less expensive. But, the second combination is a bit easier physically.

 

[gcgang]

I'd go for the easier physical combo. We are, after all, FI, and do not want to become inFIrm.

 

[Midpack]

I just joined my first league in 15 years, and I notice the courses have 4 sets of tees now (blue, white, red, yellow), vs 2-3 when I was playing regularly. And everyone I played with for 30 years was on the white tees, occasionally we'd play "the tips." The 2017 league uses white, red and yellow based on age, so we may have foursomes playing from three different tees - that's going to be interesting. Unless they pair us by age (I hope)?

It'll also be interesting to see how rules and etiquette have changed in the last 15 years. I already noted they play "ready golf" on the "tee, fairway, around and on the green" which may take some getting used to after always letting further out play first since I was 10 years old.

I'm mystified by how clubs have changed too, all so the other guy can say he hits a 7i where I use my 5i (same loft), but that's another thread.

 

[Dawg52]

I just joined my first league in 15 years, and I notice the courses have 4 sets of tees now (blue, white, red, yellow), vs 2-3 when I was playing regularly. And everyone I played with for 30 years was on the white tees, occasionally we'd play "the tips." The 2017 league uses white, red and yellow based on age, so we may have foursomes playing from three different tees - that's going to be interesting. Unless they pair us by age (I hope)?

It'll also be interesting to see how rules and etiquette have changed in the last 15 years. I already noted they play "ready golf" on the "tee, fairway, around and on the green" which may take some getting used to after always letting further out play first since I was 10 years old.

I'm mystified by how clubs have changed too, all so the other guy can say he hits a 7i where I use my 5i (same loft), but that's another thread.

Just curious....what time do they tee off? We don't have leagues here but there is a group of seniors that tee off at 8:30 a.m. Mon- Fri. You just show up at 8 and teams are made. During the winter it is at 10 a.m. which is fine. I hate the early start. I spent my entire life getting up early going to class or work. Now retired, I love a later start to the day. Get up at 6:30-7 a.m. and drink coffee, watch the morning news and piddle on the computer for an hour. Then take the mutt for a walk. Hard to make 8:30 doing all that. Not many others to play with later in the day as it seems most geezers enjoy dew sweeping golf. I do have one buddy who likes to play later so will play with him until it gets hot enough to force me to start early.

That's my rant for the day. All the crap going on in the world and my rant is on early tee times.

 

[zinger1457]

I just joined my first league in 15 years, and I notice the courses have 4 sets of tees now (blue, white, red, yellow), vs 2-3 when I was playing regularly. And everyone I played with for 30 years was on the white tees, occasionally we'd play "the tips." The 2017 league uses white, red and yellow based on age, so we may have foursomes playing from three different tees - that's going to be interesting. Unless they pair us by age (I hope)?

It'll also be interesting to see how rules and etiquette have changed in the last 15 years. I already noted they play "ready golf" on the "tee, fairway, around and on the green" which may take some getting used to after always letting further out play first since I was 10 years old.

Another thing that is becoming more common at golf courses is using mixed tees to increase the number of tee options. You might see a blue/white tee option on the scorecard (or something similar), the score card tells you which holes use the blue tees or white tees.

Yes, ready golf is common but in most cases the one furthest away still goes first, unless they aren't ready to hit. In my regular groups we usually only give tee honors to someone who birdied the last hole.

 

[Big_Hitter]

It'll also be interesting to see how rules and etiquette have changed in the last 15 years. I already noted they play "ready golf" on the "tee, fairway, around and on the green" which may take some getting used to after always letting further out play first since I was 10 years old.

we always play ready golf, except in match play tournaments

in match play, if your opponent hits out of turn you can ask him/her to hit it again

 

[Big_Hitter]

I just joined my first league in 15 years, and I notice the courses have 4 sets of tees now (blue, white, red, yellow), vs 2-3 when I was playing regularly. And everyone I played with for 30 years was on the white tees, occasionally we'd play "the tips." The 2017 league uses white, red and yellow based on age, so we may have foursomes playing from three different tees - that's going to be interesting. Unless they pair us by age (I hope)?

we have 5 tees (blk, blu, wht, gld green), and 7 tee/combos (blk, blu/blk, blu, blu/wht, wht, gld green)

men's league is off blues regardless of age (kind of unfair to the old farts) but we get to play white tees in the senior championship except for the first flight

 

[Midpack]

Just curious....what time do they tee off? We don't have leagues here but there is a group of seniors that tee off at 8:30 a.m. Mon- Fri. You just show up at 8 and teams are made.

Options at sign up were

• 8:00-8:30
• 8:30-9:00
• 9:00 & later

I don't mind teeing 8:00-9:00a, I'm up anyway and it leaves the afternoon open for other activities. And avoids some of the heat, such as it is here.

I didn't count but there had to be at least 60 people at the sign up meeting, only 3 newbies like me. We play on Wed mornings.

 

[Midpack]

we have 5 tees (blk, blu, wht, gld green), and 7 tee/combos (blk, blu/blk, blu, blu/wht, wht, gld green)

men's league is off blues regardless of age (kind of unfair to the old farts) but we get to play white tees in the senior championship except for the first flight

I have no idea what's normal since I never played senior golf before this, but our tee assignments are:

• Up to age 74 must play White tees
• 75 to 79 may play Red tees
• 80 and up may play Yellow tees

It's a very short course IME

• Blue 5843
• White 5642
• Red 5168
• Yellow 4116

I grew up playing on a course where whites were almost 6700 and blues were over 7000.

But I am looking forward to playing again, and hope competing doesn't become a priority for me, we'll see.

 

[Big_Hitter]

But I am looking forward to playing again, and hope competing doesn't become a priority for me, we'll see.

hopefully you are having fun and getting some exercise - that's what's important

 

[Huston55]

Lessons

Well, I signed up for a short series of lessons @ my local course. I concluded that I just couldn't fix my swing by myself. So, I'm giving up a playing day every other week for this lesson series. But, I actually like to practice so, it's not a big sacrifice.

I've done the first lesson (short 30 mins) and it's helping; at least it's helping on the range. I was taking the club back way too open & my shoulders were open in my setup. Correcting those two things is helping; the ball is going straight or has a baby draw. Now, I just need to ingrain that so it comes naturally.

 

[Midpack]

So two weeks playing after a 15+ year hiatus, and I am all over the place but having a ball playing again. I bought a 1-3-5 wood (still in the stiff shaft clubhead speed range to my surprise) and it'll take a while to get used to the huge heads (to me), but coming along. Irons I'm on the fence.

Everything I've read or heard lately says most players buy new irons every 2-5 years, mine are forged cavity backs in excellent condition about 20 years old (W/S RM Midsize w stiff shafts). So I was planning on new irons too. I expected my old irons would be impossible at my age after such a long layoff and almost bought new irons without trying my old ones, but about half my iron shots so far have felt great with my old forged cavity backs. And I've lost less than a club in distance if that - also totally unexpected. Yes if I catch the ball thin or on the toe it stings a little and comes up short on yardage, but that seems as it should be to me. I never liked the feel of cast cavity backed irons back in my day (Ping was the leader then), they never looked, felt or sounded "right" to me. Maybe they're markedly better now? I learned golf with blade irons, that's all there was when I started. So I'm going to play with my old irons for a few weeks at least.

So other than the stronger lofts (a sad development to me), are new irons really worth it? Are they that much more forgiving - if I want that? Being able to say I hit a modern 8 iron as far as my old 6 iron seems like a dumb reason to me when I know the lofts are about the same despite the number on the club -e.g. I'm not hitting longer at all. Seems to me distance is only valuable with a driver.

Other than getting some consistency back, my biggest problem remains how to play with (or without) glasses now that I can't see well without them. I think it's going to come down to plain single vision glasses or none at all. Progressives throw off my depth perception too much, maybe my progressives aren't well made.

And I do acknowledge some habit/superstitions still guide me. I bought TaylorMade woods because I liked my last set 20 years ago. I still won't buy anything but Titleist balls and FootJoy shoes, even though I don't doubt other brands are as good. And the irons I have looked at are only a couple of brands, others I just won't consider even though I know my bias is probably out of date and unfounded. Golf always has been more mental than physical, that I remember...

 

[gcgang]

Progressives are like playing underwater. I've got a pair of really old regular glasses, but almost always wear non-pro sunglasses.

Need to have cataract surgery soon. Might do away with need for glasses, I think.

 

[Dawg52]

Woke up this morning with my left thumb sore......again. Must have a little arthritis. But popped a couple of ibuprofen and didn't bother me at all during my morning round. Had one of my better days too as I shot a 77. Last week on the coast I forgot to take my pain med's and shot an 85 with the darn thumb hurting on every swing. Hell to get old......

 

[zinger1457]

So other than the stronger lofts (a sad development to me), are new irons really worth it? Are they that much more forgiving - if I want that? Being able to say I hit a modern 8 iron as far as my old 6 iron seems like a dumb reason to me when I know the lofts are about the same despite the number on the club -e.g. I'm not hitting longer at all. Seems to me distance is only valuable with a driver.

In my opinion irons haven't improved as much as some of the other clubs (drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, and even balls). I play regularly with a guy who's a scratch golfer and he still uses Ping i2 irons that are ~30 years old.

 

[Huston55]

Well, I signed up for a short series of lessons @ my local course. I concluded that I just couldn't fix my swing by myself. So, I'm giving up a playing day every other week for this lesson series. But, I actually like to practice so, it's not a big sacrifice.



I've done the first lesson (short 30 mins) and it's helping; at least it's helping on the range. I was taking the club back way too open & my shoulders were open in my setup. Correcting those two things is helping; the ball is going straight or has a baby draw. Now, I just need to ingrain that so it comes naturally.

Second lesson today; worked on club path & face rotation.

It's interesting with lessons; for me, I don't always get it right away. So, the pro explains it several different ways until it resonates, then he reinforces it when I give him what he's looking for.

One step back, two steps forward. [emoji849]

 

[gcgang]

Shot my course record, 70, closing -5 last11 holes with lifetime low 32 on back!

At another course, Into the semifinals after winning three matches in net match play tournament.

Index now 3.3, and if my chipping keeps up, comfortable at it.

 

[zinger1457]

Second lesson today; worked on club path & face rotation.

It's interesting with lessons; for me, I don't always get it right away. So, the pro explains it several different ways until it resonates, then he reinforces it when I give him what he's looking for.

One step back, two steps forward. [emoji849]

Do you take a video of your lessons? Oftentimes what you feel you're doing and what you're actually doing is very different. The video helps to see that.

 

[Dawg52]

Shot my course record, 70, closing -5 last11 holes with lifetime low 32 on back!

At another course, Into the semifinals after winning three matches in net match play tournament.

Index now 3.3, and if my chipping keeps up, comfortable at it.

Excellent!

 

[Jerry1]

Second lesson today; worked on club path & face rotation.

It's interesting with lessons; for me, I don't always get it right away. So, the pro explains it several different ways until it resonates, then he reinforces it when I give him what he's looking for.

One step back, two steps forward. [emoji849]

I took some lessons and the club had an analyzer called Trackman. When you swing, it told you everything about your swing (coming from the inside or outside, face open or closed, angle of attack, club head speed and much more). It worked very well to help me feel the correct swing. Very similar to your coach reinforcing. Ask your coach if he has something like Trackman.

 

[Huston55]

Shot my course record, 70, closing -5 last11 holes with lifetime low 32 on back!

At another course, Into the semifinals after winning three matches in net match play tournament.

Index now 3.3, and if my chipping keeps up, comfortable at it.

Congrats! Very well done.

Which course?

 

[Huston55]

Do you take a video of your lessons? Oftentimes what you feel you're doing and what you're actually doing is very different. The video helps to see that.

My coach takes video & we review it during my lesson.

I took some lessons and the club had an analyzer called Trackman. When you swing, it told you everything about your swing (coming from the inside or outside, face open or closed, angle of attack, club head speed and much more). It worked very well to help me feel the correct swing. Very similar to your coach reinforcing. Ask your coach if he has something like Trackman.

He uses Trackman but, we've not used it yet. He says he plans to use it in future lessons. Although he's not said so, I'm guessing the corrections I need to make are major enough that his eyeball & a bit of video is enough at this stage.

Unfortunately, that would also mean my swing needs such major repair that I have lots of work ahead of me.

 

[gcgang]

Congrats! Very well done.

Which course?

The 70 was at Maui CC.

Matches at King K. First match I'm a 5, opponent a 6. I had 72, he 73, and it went 19 holes w each of us making 3 birdies in last five holes, capped birdies on 14 & 18. Fun. Next match had to give stroke a hole. Guy never made a par, won 4-3.

 

[zinger1457]

Anyone else surprised by the new FedEx Cup 10 year contract extension with the PGA Tour? Apparently a clause was added to the new contract that any PGA Tour player that has an endorsement deal with a competitor of FedEx won't be allowed to participate in the end of year FedEx Cup playoffs. Never heard of anything like that in professional sports. They did mention that a couple players that currently have endorsement deals with UPS will be grandfathered in. FedEx must have paid a good chunk of money for the extension to get the PGA Tour to agree to have that included.

 

[jcretire77]

I think that is pretty crappy. Seems like there it would cause more negative press vs whatever benefit they think it will achieve.