Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[jjquantz]

I'm wrapping up everything at home before I head to the airport. We've scheduled 7 rounds over 4 days - I'll report in when I get back next weekend.

All signs are currently good - the golf game has been solid, the weather forecast is positive and, to top it off, I snagged the $100 first class upgrade that Alaska Air makes available upon online check-in.

Here's hoping I haven't jinxed myself by stating these things publicly.

[Huston55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjquantz I'm wrapping up everything at home before I head to the airport. We've scheduled 7 rounds over 4 days - I'll report in when I get back next weekend. All signs are currently good - the golf game has been solid, the weather forecast is positive and, to top it off, I snagged the $100 first class upgrade that Alaska Air makes available upon online check-in. Here's hoping I haven't jinxed myself by stating these things publicly.

Enjoy!

And, give us a report.

[jjquantz]

Eat your heart out, everyone. First swing of this year's trip. More to come when I have time.IMG_20170904_083252035_HDR.jpg

[Big_Hitter]

^ did you par it?

[jjquantz]

Striped it down the middle, flip wedge to 15 feet, birdie putt peeks but doesn't drop, tap in par.

[frayne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjquantz Striped it down the middle, flip wedge to 15 feet, birdie putt peeks but doesn't drop, tap in par.

Sucks even worse when you're on in two and three putt.

[Huston55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjquantz Eat your heart out, everyone. First swing of this year's trip. More to come when I have time.Attachment 26793

Looks pretty flexible for an Old Guy!

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjquantz Eat your heart out, everyone. First swing of this year's trip. More to come when I have time.Attachment 26793

Where's the golf cart?

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg52 Where's the golf cart?

I wonder if we should have a separate thread to show off our golf carts

[jjquantz]

DW and I got back last night from the week in Oregon featuring 4 days at Bandon Dunes. This was my 3rd trip out there with a golfing husband and wife couple that I play with regularly, I also went in 2013 and 2015 at about this time of year. As usual, the golf was simply fantastic. The links game is so different from the usual American parkland courses that there were occasions where we were actually laughing as we watched shots roll out.

Sorry about the length, but I had such a great time I wanted to share. Let me know if I didn't touch on anything that you want to know about.

A few general statements. 1) Early September is a great time to visit. Like the rest of the summer months, it is dry, but you don't get the epic winds that tend to blow earlier in the summer. That doesn't mean no wind, just not the common 25 mph+++ breezes that regularly show up in June and July 2) The number of women visitors is definitely on the increase, as parts of couples, groups of women taking buddy trips, and women walking the course while their spouses play (DW walked 3 rounds with me). 3) The staff is excellent. They will take care of just about anything that you need but they never fall into that hands-out for the tip, fawning attitude that characterizes so many high-end resorts (not that I've been to many, but I have been to Kohler and Homestead). 4) I think that too many people default into eating all of their meals at the resort. The small town of Bandon is only 10 minutes away and has several interesting and good restaurants that are much cheaper than the resort options. 5) The courses (and links golf in general) lend themselves to match play. Go with someone who will put a couple of dollars on the line and play a match. There are too many big numbers to be made to be out there concentrating on your stroke play score.

One of the great things about links golf is the way the ball just rolls and rolls both in the fairways and on and around the greens. This leads to really unpredictable outcomes on many shots and really requires that you think about many possible outcomes before committing to a line of play. On several drives my buddy and I landed our drives within 5 yards of each other, but ended up 30 yards or more apart. Sometimes you'll land a ball what seems like miles from a bunker and then watch it slowly, inexorably work its way across the fairway and settle into it. Around the greens it is no different, I hit one chip shot on number 10 at Old Macdonald where I didn't miss my spot by more than 2 feet yet I ended up 25 yards from the green at 90 degrees to my original line of play. On the greens, the best putting line is also not obvious. A 6 foot putt might have 3 feet of break. I've played 15 footers at 90 degrees to the hole. On number 5 at Old Mac, from 15 feet I contemplated, then rejected, an idea to putt the ball 20 feet past the hole to a large slope and let it feed back to the hole from the other direction. In short, the effects of the firm ground and the abundance of bumps, mounds and other assorted slopes creates many, many possible shot opportunities. It also serves to magnify seemingly minor mistakes in execution. I made several double bogeys where I was standing over my 3rd shot feeling reasonably confident that I could make a 4 and ended up with a 6.

Unfortunately, the weather on this visit was less than perfect due to the wildfires and and almost total lack of wind. By the third day my throat was feeling the effects of the smoky atmosphere. The lack of wind did not leave the courses totally defenseless, however. Tee to green I played some of my best golf, but still never broke 80. Part of this was that I never really felt comfortable with the speed of the greens. They aren't crazy fast, maybe stimping 10, but putts can definitely get away from you on some of the steep slopes. I had two 3 putts from about 15 feet where I was just a little to aggressive going after the birdie and left myself 8 footers coming back. My best round was on Pacific Dunes where I shot an 80 with 33 putts. I was 4 over through 14 holes and then finished with two doubles and a bogey over the last 4 holes (can you say "choke"?). The day before I had shot a 36 on the back nine at Pacific but had already thrown the round away on the front.

Scoring summary for me (if you've read this far I won't blame you for skipping this). Opening day 84 on Old Mac (with 37 putts!) and an 86 on Bandon Trails. Day 2 - 82 at Bandon Dunes in the morning (35 putts!!) and 81 at Pacific in the afternoon (32 putts). Day 3 - 80 at Pacific in the morning (33 putts) and 84 at Bandon Dunes in the afternoon (36 putts). Our final day getaway round at Old Mac was washed out after 12 holes when a thunderstorm rolled in.

[Midpack]

Just finished reading this book, and thought it was very informative, at least for someone like me trying to resurrect/improve my golf game (from a 15 HI so far). Lots of data and the focus is on how best to practice if you want to improve efficiently. It's different from most golf books I've read, but not anything unconventional. I am trying to make better use of my practice time while using a pro to help identify and prioritize what I need most work on. FWIW

Quote:

Golf is unique: it's the only sport in which the Lowest Score Wins. Golfers have been inundated for years with advice and sayings intended to help them shoot lower scores, like "spend 50% of your time practicing your putting" or "you've got to be in the short grass." What if we told you that most of this popular advice was not true at all? That these myths are holding you back from reaching your potential and shooting the lowest score possible? That putting might be the least important skill in golf, that driving the ball far is much more important than driving it straight, and that Phil Mickelson might just be the best strategist on the PGA Tour? Lowest Score Wins is NOT your classic golf book. We show you the new way to shoot lower scores -- immediately. You'll learn to use something called Separation Value to guide your practice and how you can use Shot Zones to help you determine your GamePlan for every shot you play. You'll discover why typical course management strategy fails (hint: it only covers half of the equation). This book is the first of its kind. It is your own personal roadmap to shooting lower scores tomorrow. What are you waiting for?

[Huston55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Just finished reading this book, and thought it was very informative, at least for someone like me trying to resurrect/improve my golf game (from a 15 HI so far). Lots of data and the focus is on how best to practice if you want to improve efficiently. It's different from most golf books I've read, but not anything unconventional. I am trying to make better use of my practice time while using a pro to help identify and prioritize what I need most work on. FWIW

Pack-

Can you give us a quick summary beyond the excerpt?

[gcgang]

JJ-I went last year over Labor Day. Couldn't agree more with your take on the weather.
Your comments on watching the ball roll, I remember that on the par three. On the regular courses, not so much. Just hit it where your caddy tells you. Did you take caddies?

[gcgang]

Mid pack- I looked up your book on Amazon. ONE HUNDRED THIRTY NINE DOLLARS!?!

[jjquantz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcgang JJ-I went last year over Labor Day. Couldn't agree more with your take on the weather. Your comments on watching the ball roll, I remember that on the par three. On the regular courses, not so much. Just hit it where your caddy tells you. Did you take caddies?

We took caddies the first year we went. We did play one round this year with a retired club pro who had a caddie with him. It was his first time on the course - I think that they are a real help the first time around, there are a lot of unexpected lines and blind or semi-blind shots from the tees that they can help with. I just can't justify another $700-$1000 ($100+ per round) for the week on top of what is already a big splurge for me.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcgang Mid pack- I looked up your book on Amazon. ONE HUNDRED THIRTY NINE DOLLARS!?!

$29.95 w "free" shipping. Buy | Lowest Score Wins .com

Or you might get lucky and find it at your library. No eBook unfortunately.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huston55 Pack- Can you give us a quick summary beyond the excerpt?

The book has three sections. The first section is about improving your mechanics and motions from tee to green to lower your score. It's not a full blown instructional book (self diagnoses can do more harm than good in my case), it explains how important it is to hit the ball solidly with consistency. It will explain how to control the start line and curve. It explains some basic short game and putting techniques, and some driver and wedge techniques.

The authors also introduce Separation Values, using statistics, to arrive at what skills are most important comparing a 70s, 80s and 90s shooter throughout:

• SV4 (Most important) - Driving, Approach shots, Game planning
• SV3 - Green reading, Greenside shots
• SV2 - 3-15 ft putts, 25+ ft putts, Greenside bunker shots, 20-60 yd shots, 220+ yd shots, Trouble shots
• SV1 - Under 3 ft putts, 15-25 foot putts, Long bunker shots, Fairway bunker shots

Separation values is the foundation of the book. Using statistical analysis they explain exactly where golfers should spend their valuable practice time (and why), what pitfalls to avoid, and how to attack any golf course with a process called Decision Mapping. These show you how to take advantage of skills you ALREADY possess.

The latter sections of the book show golfers exactly how to build their own PracticePlan and GamePlan. The second section begins with broad views on how to practice (the 5 S's of great practice) and then breaks down how to practice each shot above in good detail, and what the 70s, 80s, 90s player can gain from each. The reader still may need to tweak based on courses you play regularly and existing skills.

And the third section is all about decision making during a round.

Some of what you read will not be surprising. But some of it is also a little unconventional compared to most instruction (books), e.g. they consider 'drive for show, putt for dough' largely misleading. Statistically a 90s player loses about 7 shots to a 70s shooter from short game and putting and 13 shots from full swings. [Actually 4 shots short game and 3 shots putting, but the skills are intertwined - e.g. a better short game typically leaves shorter putts]. As a result, they suggest spending 65% of practice on full swings, 20% short game, 15% on putting - whereas some instructions leave players spending most of them time practice putting. For me at least, nothing will lower my scores more than consistently hitting a playable (fairwary/first cut) tee shot.

At any rate, it's a useful but different look at how to practice and play golf IMHO.

[nubill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Or you might get lucky and find it at your library. No eBook unfortunately.

Not available in my local library. The books sounds interesting. I purchased 3 books written by Stan Utley which are more dedicated to the short game which I reference frequently. My favorite golf instruction book is The Plane Truth by Jim Hardy. I converted to a one plane swing and now only reference half the book. Golf is now simple and enjoyable, I no longer read swing tips offered in the golf magazines. But I am interested in improving course management skills to lower my handicap from 15.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nubill Not available in my local library. The books sounds interesting. I purchased 3 books written by Stan Utley which are more dedicated to the short game which I reference frequently. My favorite golf instruction book is The Plane Truth by Jim Hardy. I converted to a one plane swing and now only reference half the book. Golf is now simple and enjoyable, I no longer read swing tips offered in the golf magazines. But I am interested in improving course management skills to lower my handicap from 15.

+1. YouTube videos are even more dangerous IMO, I avoid watching almost all of them. When something specific is identified during a lesson by my golf pro, only then will I look for a video or two on that aspect - MAYBE.

[Big_Hitter]

beat my opponent 6 and 5 yesterday to win consolation in the club summer match event

big thanks to jcretire77 for finding my putter on 9