Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[Jerry1]

I’m in the GPS camp not slowing down play. Me and my friend can get through 18 in 2.5 hours and that includes a few minutes at the turn for beverage and a bathroom break. We look at a GPS, pretty much every shot. It sits in the cart and we glance at it as we get out of the cart. Can’t see how that slows us down. We do play ready golf and not much time with practice swings. I take sort of a half swing just as part of my set up routine. Again, not something I see slowing anyone down.

I think the main thing that slows golf down is not playing ready golf and spending too much time looking for a ball. I shoot around 100 and my friend shoots high 80’s. Always have a ball in your pocket and if you can’t find your ball, drop and go. I used to golf closer to 120 and I golfed with much better golfers and I never held the group up. Keep moving towards the pin and everyone is happy.

 

[frayne]

I do use a free iPhone app called "Golf Pad." It gives you the distance to the front, center and back of the green and is pretty accurate comparing it to most rangefinders. It also gives you a fly over view of the hole and tracks your rounds. I have a cart mount for my iPhone so the info is always on the screen. You can also use it to keep your score. Great little free app.

 

[F4mandolin]

A couple months ago 4 of us were playing a different course and their GPS watches wouldn't work. Oops. I only carry a rangefinder.....but that can let me down at times if there is rain/fog, then it just won't pick up the pin although I can usually just aim at the green next to the pin and it will give me a reading. I am thinking about getting a GPS though...once you get used to the assistance it's hard to give it up.

 

[Midpack]

I think the main thing that slows golf down is not playing ready golf and spending too much time looking for a ball. I shoot around 100 and my friend shoots high 80’s. Always have a ball in your pocket and if you can’t find your ball, drop and go. I used to golf closer to 120 and I golfed with much better golfers and I never held the group up. Keep moving towards the pin and everyone is happy.

+1. But I’d add taking way too much time reading putts. You’d think some of the guys I play league with are accumulating FedEx cup points, and we aren’t even playing for any money. Some don’t read while others are putting when they could. Some just have a long drawn out putting sequence they use with every putt unless it’s a tap in.

 

[Jerry1]

we aren’t even playing for any money.

That's a good point. We’re not on a league or playing for money so if you’re having a blowout hole, tell everyone you’re picking up, taking double par, whatever. Just keep moving. No one really cares about your score and if loser is buying the beer, face it, you’re buying.

 

[Midpack]

A couple months ago 4 of us were playing a different course and their GPS watches wouldn't work. Oops. I only carry a rangefinder.....but that can let me down at times if there is rain/fog, then it just won't pick up the pin although I can usually just aim at the green next to the pin and it will give me a reading. I am thinking about getting a GPS though...once you get used to the assistance it's hard to give it up.

I rely on my GPS, but a few weeks ago it wouldn’t work, said “no courses nearby ” So I had to rely on 200/150/100 yard markers and guesstimate (I wasn’t going to hold people up pacing between markers). To my surprise, it worked well enough I may have lost a couple strokes misjudging a few approach shots - but not as bad as I expected.

 

[Music Lover]

I rely on my GPS, but a few weeks ago it wouldn’t work, said “no courses nearby ” So I had to rely on 200/150/100 yard markers and guesstimate (I wasn’t going to hold people up pacing between markers). To my surprise, it worked well enough I may have lost a couple strokes misjudging a few approach shots - but not as bad as I expected.

I forgot to charge my GPS watch last week and it died on the 8th hole. I then shot 1 stroke better on the back 9

To be fair, I've only had a GPS watch for a few years and prior to that somehow managed to do without one for 20 years. I had trained myself to be able to take 1 yard steps by counting paces between yardage markers so I still was able to ballpark distance close enough.

 

[Music Lover]

Hard for us mere mortals to comprehend:

 

[Kelor]

It really is.

A great drive for me is 250. Though I have a few friends that can touch 300, it's rare. 420 It must be the club!!

 

[Midpack]

Hard for us mere mortals to comprehend:

View attachment 29235

Sure is. I watched DJ, Spieth and Thomas tee off from beside the tee on #10 Friday last year at the BMW at Conway Farms last year. All three striped it right down the middle and I could clearly see the balls in flight, but all three were so far out there I couldn’t see the ball land and roll out. The drives look like they were shot out of a cannon. And they don’t look like they are swinging any harder than most people I know.

I don’t have that problem watching my own drives.

 

[Huston55]

Sure is. I watched DJ, Spieth and Thomas tee off from beside the tee on #10 Friday last year at the BMW at Conway Farms last year. All three striped it right down the middle and I could clearly see the balls in flight, but all three were so far out there I couldn’t see the ball land and roll out. The drives look like they were shot out of a cannon. And they don’t look like they are swinging any harder than most people I know.

I don’t have that problem watching my own drives.

My Tuesday golf group has a few players >80. They don’t hit it very far but, they do hit it farther than they can see it.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[LauAnn]

Golf rule question: Ball tee'd up and your drive goes into the pond; there is no drop zone so you hit from the tee area again at which point your are hitting your third stroke. Are you permitted to use a tee on the second attempt to get over the pond or must you play the ball off the ground?

 

[gcgang]

Golf rule question: Ball tee'd up and your drive goes into the pond; there is no drop zone so you hit from the tee area again at which point your are hitting your third stroke. Are you permitted to use a tee on the second attempt to get over the pond or must you play the ball off the ground?

You can always re-tee from the tee box.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Golf rule question: Ball tee'd up and your drive goes into the pond; there is no drop zone so you hit from the tee area again at which point your are hitting your third stroke. Are you permitted to use a tee on the second attempt to get over the pond or must you play the ball off the ground?

you can re tee or drop - if you drop on the tee box then you can't use a tee

 

[Big_Hitter]

so I hit a green in two on a par 5 yesterday and made par with two putts.....

true story

 

[Kelor]

Hehe. Less than stellar first putt?

 

[Big_Hitter]

Hehe. Less than stellar first putt?

well I don't get a lot of eagle putts so I may have been a little aggressive on the first putt - it went off the green!



hole 7 at bushwood (hillcrest) cc

 

[zinger1457]

you can re tee or drop - if you drop on the tee box then you can't use a tee

If the first tee shot went in the water any drop has to be taken on line going back from where the ball crossed the hazard and the flag. The tee box may fall on that line but often doesn't. You can always take the penalty and re-tee it.

 

[Midpack]

so I hit a green in two on a par 5 yesterday and made par with two putts.....

true story

well I don't get a lot of eagle putts so I may have been a little aggressive on the first putt - it went off the green.

Ouch, but we’ve all done similar things, many times. That’s golf...

I played 18 yesterday, lost 2 balls on one hole - and I could clearly see one of them only 6-7 feet in the trees/rough but couldn’t retrieve it (very dense trees, poison ivy, no retriever). Didn’t lose any balls on the other 17 holes.

 

[Big_Hitter]

If the first tee shot went in the water any drop has to be taken on line going back from where the ball crossed the hazard and the flag. The tee box may fall on that line but often doesn't. You can always take the penalty and re-tee it.

usually there are other tees on line with the shot, but not always

one time my league partner chunked one in the water on a par 3, went up to the nearest tee (on line) closest to the water, took a drop and holed it for a par

 

[fireorbust]

D.F.M.

Played in a multi-course tournament this past weekend on my home course. I am a ghin 5.0.... 225 yard avg off the tee.

Played against two guys from another course with 0 and 3 handicaps. Both of these guys were 20 years younger than me and could drive it 250+ with a 2 iron. Drivers were 300 and that is not an exaggeration.

Needless to say, I had the advantage of keeping it in play and knowing the greens. I shot 75 with a double on one hole (never lost a ball). The 0 hcp shot 87 and lost half a dozen. The 3 shot 84.

To play good golf, you need to keep it D.F.M (down the frickin middle).

Oldest guy in the foursome and whipped them all....

 

[frayne]

Played in a multi-course tournament this past weekend on my home course. I am a ghin 5.0.... 225 yard avg off the tee.

Played against two guys from another course with 0 and 3 handicaps. Both of these guys were 20 years younger than me and could drive it 250+ with a 2 iron. Drivers were 300 and that is not an exaggeration.

Needless to say, I had the advantage of keeping it in play and knowing the greens. I shot 75 with a double on one hole (never lost a ball). The 0 hcp shot 87 and lost half a dozen. The 3 shot 84.

To play good golf, you need to keep it D.F.M (down the frickin middle).

Oldest guy in the foursome and whipped them all....

Just love hearing stories like this when age and experience beat youth and strength. It's all about fairways and greens baby, fairways and greens.

 

[pb4uski]

Golf rule question: Ball tee'd up and your drive goes into the pond; there is no drop zone so you hit from the tee area again at which point your are hitting your third stroke. Are you permitted to use a tee on the second attempt to get over the pond or must you play the ball off the ground?

Yes... you have taken a stroke and distance penalty and can re-tee since your shot was from the tee. If you advance and hit from the drop zone you cannot re-tee.

 

[pb4uski]

That's a good point. We’re not on a league or playing for money so if you’re having a blowout hole, tell everyone you’re picking up, taking double par, whatever. Just keep moving. No one really cares about your score and if loser is buying the beer, face it, you’re buying.

We usually pick up when we have reached our ESC max score.... in fun play no sense in scoring more than your max to just have to reduce it before posting.

 

[Kelor]

I almost always pick up when I reach my ESC max unless I’m playing extremely well, and want to see the true card score. I find the ESC makes golf way more enjoyable.