Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[WhenIsItTime]

WhenIsItTime,

I put together a Dura-Pro 10x10x10 golf cage with a 3' x 5' Ultimate Monster Tee Golf Turf mat. I also purchased a SkyTrak launch monitor. I am lucky to have a garage with an extra bay.

All in all I have loved the cage and mat. I have had some issues with network connectivity to the SkyTrak and really only use the practice range and not the golf course simulations. In fact, I rarely use it. I will probably not renew the game improvement package for the coming year. I believe that the 'Basic" unit comes with the driving range software which is all that I use.

I bought the cage and mat thru Amazon.

https://www.dwquailgolf.com/dura-pro-high-velocity-supreme-commercial-golf-cage-10x10x10/

https://www.allturfmats.com/product-p/3x5ttgolf-atm.htm

I love being able to go into the garage rain or shine and hit balls

I bought an GC2 and now working to assemble sim area. Got a bit carried away. Working on garage heater and getter overhead door tracks raised. Gonna be a couple weeks before screen and projector set up.

 

[jcretire77]

What a nice toy for yourself! You will have fun.

 

[jcretire77]

Big_Hitter,

Sorry to hear about the injury. It's been quite the adventure playing in the cold weather. Some great drives on the frozen fairways. But hitting a decent shot on to the green and having it bounce over is frustrating.

19 degrees out as I write this. Yikes!

 

[jcretire77]

Just noticed in the Costco email today that Kirkland sells a putter. The KS1. Decent reviews.

You can also buy a Babe Ruth autographed baseball for $63,999.99 in case you are looking for a unique Christmas present.

 

[madsquopper]

Got my second ever hole-in-one today. Only a short par 3, but at least this time I got to see the ball go in. Need to play more golf in December (not that easy in the Wash DC area); my other hole-in-one was almost exactly a year ago.

 

[pb4uski]

Wow... two in one year! Congratulations! How long a hole and what club did you use? Tell us more!

 

[madsquopper]

Short par 3, only about 120, with an 8 iron. What was really weird was that my partner and I were unknowingly using the same color and brand of ball. Very mild disagreement as to whose hole in one it was, but obviously mine. Partner had hit first. Great shot but we both saw it land and stop about 8 feet from the hole, and he made the putt.

 

[frayne]

2020 has probably been one of the best years of my life as far as getting some golf in. Been playing pretty much twice a week since May, shot a few sub 80 rounds and in July bought a "Walker Trolley" push cart so I could start walking as opposed to cart riding. It's great for social distancing but for the exercise as well. Fortunate to have a good group of guys that have been playing together for the past five years. About the only downside I've noticed this year as compared to last is the golf courses seem a little more crowded. Throw into the mix I had double fusion back surgery (L4,5,S-1) last October, I'm extremely thankful. How was your golf year ?

 

[Midpack]

How was your golf year ?

I had a good year too. Covid limited play for me Mar-May (only 10 round thru May) but I'll have 61 rounds in since Jun 1 for the year - about twice/week. Broke 80 four times (only once in 2019) - my overriding goal every time I play, even par 36 for 9 twice, and had two legit eagles on par 5's, just missed another yesterday on a 6-7 foot putt eagle putt that finished dead on line 2 inches short (dumb). I am regularly walking 18 hole rounds now, cheaper, healthier & just as fast - I don't plan on using a riding cart again except in July-Aug when the heat is a little too much. I play an away course almost every week, and my regular course once or twice a week, the mix is great IMO.

After years telling everyone GPS was just as good any laser rangefinder, I bought a laser this year. I was wrong pure and simple. My scoring has improved using the laser, I no longer get distances wrong on approach shots, my GPS was off 10-20 yards at times (NOT due to pin placement), costing unnecessary strokes.

I started the year with no regular golf buddies having just moved to this state Summer 2019, I now have almost 20 regulars to play with. Monday group of 12, Wed group of 8 and Sr League on Fridays. With all the limitations Covid has placed on most of our favorite activities, golf has been a godsend for me - I'd have had almost no social life otherwise in 2020. I am grateful I took up golf in my youth, thanks Dad.

Congrats madsquopper! I am still waiting for my second hole-in-one, my last one was 53 years ago...

 

[pb4uski]

A good golf year here too. Played pretty regularly despite covid. My game hasn't changed or improved much... but it probably shouldn't because I don't practice at all.

My handicap is currently only 1 point higher than at the beginning of the year, but it was 3 points lower back in May. I think it wiggles around some because of the shift from playing in Vermont vs Florida and Vermont's courses are generally more difficult. My Vermont home course handicap is 4 points lower than my index but my Florida home course is 8 points lower than my index. I had numerous front or back nines in the high 30s but couldn't put two in a row together to break 80 this year... mostly mid-80s to low-90s with occasional low 80s "good-day" or high 90s "bad-day".

The one thing that covid impacted is my summer senior traveling tour in Vermont. We usually play a wide variety of courses in VT, NH and southern Quebec within 2 hours of home. Due to travel restrictions we couldn't play the Canadian courses at all this year, which I really missed. It ended up that we rotated between 5 of the more nearby courses that were all within 1 hour of home.

The travel restrictions also put the kabosh on an overnight trip to Quebec with 3 other couples that we usually do each summer so we replaced it with a day trip to a Vermont course that overlooks the Canadian border.

I did get away for two overnight golf trips to NY, one a couples trip with DW and 7 other couples and another trip for my summer senior traveling tour that was 20 guys in total.

I'm still waiting for my first eagle other than a hole-in-one a couple years ago. I had a 15 footer from the fringe for an eagle on a par-5 a couple years ago but missed the putt... but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a tap-in birdie...unless it is immediately preceeded by a tap-in eagle .

 

[RockyMtn]

Managed to "squeeze in" 165 rounds this year. With the virus around I probably played a bit more than average because travels were limited.

Congrats Madsquapper! I went 20 years of pretty serious playing before I got my first one. Since then I've added a couple more. Seems like for me it is every five years. Did just miss one the other day. Ball was directly behind the pin about two feet and ball mark was directly in front of the pin about four feet. Must've taken a peak and decided it didn't like the dark!!

 

[frayne]

After years telling everyone GPS was just as good any laser rangefinder, I bought a laser this year. I was wrong pure and simple. My scoring has improved using the laser, I no longer get distances wrong on approach shots, my GPS was off 10-20 yards at times (NOT due to pin placement), costing unnecessary strokes.

+1 and my experience as well.

 

[Huston55]

My golf year has been similar to many of the posts above - steady but, not improving. I played 50 rounds Jan-Oct; scored mostly in the mid-low 80s, breaking 80 a handful of times; and remained within a few 10ths of a point of the same HI. I took only one golf trip; went to St George, UT with an old friend, and it was glorious! I highly recommend it, especially to those within a couple hour flight from Vegas (2hr drive to St. George).

The big change for me was late this year when I injured my knee backpacking in early Nov, and I haven't played since then. After six wks of PT and no real improvement, I got imaging and just saw my Ortho two days ago and had fluid removed and a cortisone shot. Man, what a difference! So, my plan is to go on increasingly longer walks, followed by some range time, then back with my golf group in mid January 2021.

I wish you all well on the course in 2021!

 

[jcretire77]

Steady goes the golf game. The handicap did go up, but is now down to about the same as the start of the season.

A factoid I thought was interesting. The club where Big_Hitter and I play had over 50,000 rounds played this season. Double the normal number.

 

[Dawg52]

I had a better year. More rounds in the 70's than last year. No hole in one's but i've been lucky with those over the years. Hopefully I will get one more before I go belly up.

With Winter comes rain and more cart path only days for our area. So ordered a lightweight carry bag to walk some over the next few weeks. And I can let my lab tag along on those days when not many are playing. Those are usually cart path only days anyway so that will work out well. Need to get a little more exercise during the Winter and this will help.

 

[pb4uski]

... The club where Big_Hitter and I play had over 50,000 rounds played this season. Double the normal number.

Sounds like a possible site for the 2021 early-retirement.org Open... sponsored by FIRECalc.

 

[aja8888]

How was your golf year ?

Madsquopper, congrats on the second ace. I just have one from years ago.

After a layoff of 12 years, and about 6 months after my second hip replacement, I went back to the game. A little rusty at first, but after a dozen rounds or so, back to "about" where I was when I quit at age 65.

I had to buy "new" clubs as I gave away my old set years ago, thinking I wouldn't play anymore. So I bought a used set from a local guy that just quit playing (Wilson irons and a nice set of Adams Tight Lie metal woods).

My weekly foursome now is 4 guys over 70 (72, 75, 77 & 85) and we are all playing pretty well. One guy just turned 85 and he is decent with drives right down the middle but not too far, maybe 150 - 175 yards.

I'm still hitting my wedge 110+ so I haven't lost any measurable distance. Off the tee is about 220 + or - 10.

I sold my membership back to the club I belonged to years ago and now we are playing other local courses of which there are plenty of them nearby.

It's great to be back playing.

 

[garyt]

Got my second ever hole-in-one today. Only a short par 3, but at least this time I got to see the ball go in. Need to play more golf in December (not that easy in the Wash DC area); my other hole-in-one was almost exactly a year ago.

Congrats!

 

[zinger1457]

Managed to "squeeze in" 165 rounds this year. With the virus around I probably played a bit more than average because travels were limited.

Probably close to the # of rounds you played this year, usually play 3 times a week. Are you a member of a club in Scottsdale? Just got back from a week in Scottsdale, been going there for ~25 years, and the golf prices are the highest I've ever seen with very few deals to be found. What I would consider to be average golf courses for that area were near the $100 range. In the past could always find decent deals on teeoff or golfnow but not much available this time. There were some decent prices on the west side near Luke AFB but didn't feel like traveling that far. Stayed next to the Kierland golf course and it seemed to be busy the whole time.

 

[Midpack]

I try to be pleasant and courteous always. I compliment good shots as often as possible, but I don't say anything that might get into another players head - to the good or bad. I am not a trash talker on the course, my groups tend to confine trash talking outside actual rounds of golf (a good idea IMO). But are there things one can say or do when someone in the foursome is really having an unusually bad day that are certain to help or at least do no harm? Had such a round last week with a player who’s putting totally abandoned him, I wasn’t counting but he said he had 5-6 3-putts, and he’s usually a decent (or better) putter. He wasn’t angry, but confused and disappointed - and he’s capable of breaking 70! I’ve played with other regulars who’s swing abandoned them as well, versus putting. I’d love to know anything that might help.

 

[Huston55]

I try to be pleasant and courteous always. I compliment good shots as often as possible, but I don't say anything that might get into another players head - to the good or bad. I am not a trash talker on the course, my groups tend to confine trash talking outside actual rounds of golf (a good idea IMO). But are there things one can say or do when someone in the foursome is really having an unusually bad day that are certain to help or at least do no harm? Had such a round last week with a player who’s putting totally abandoned him, I wasn’t counting but he said he had 5-6 3-putts, and he’s usually a decent (or better) putter. He wasn’t angry, but confused and disappointed - and he’s capable of breaking 70! I’ve played with other regulars who’s swing abandoned them as well, versus putting. I’d love to know anything that might help.

I'm not sure how helpful it is but, I usually either compliment their good shots to encourage them or, say what works for me when I'm having similar problems or, both. I think the key thing is to not let your mind beat you; don't become discouraged. So, I try to help my playing partners avoid that state; easier said than done, especially with oneself.

 

[zinger1457]

Had such a round last week with a player who’s putting totally abandoned him, I wasn’t counting but he said he had 5-6 3-putts, and he’s usually a decent (or better) putter. He wasn’t angry, but confused and disappointed - and he’s capable of breaking 70! I’ve played with other regulars who’s swing abandoned them as well, versus putting. I’d love to know anything that might help.

That's the nature of golf, everyone goes through bad day(s), even the pros. It can be hard to work out problems during a round, best to spend some time on the range or putting green. When I'm having an off day the last thing I want to hear is advice from someone I'm playing with.

 

[Midpack]

From another thread.

I’ve seen rakes on a couple courses so far, but that’s all - still foam inserts and no ball washers or trash cans. Most sand traps are a mess, so we all move our balls if we land in foot marks or otherwise disturbed sand.

And my regular course has become more militant about single riders as a result of the pandemic. At first they insisted on one per (riding) cart with no up charge. Then after a few months they allowed two riders, no up charge if carts available. Now it’s a $16 up charge for a single cart, NO exceptions. Last year if we had two riders and two walkers there was no up charge on the (two) carts. There is now!

We play an away course almost every week. Masks are required in pro shops and clubhouses in or near urban areas, no surprise. Away from urban areas, masks are not required in most pro shops/clubhouses, even openly discouraged at some courses At one in Shelby NC one of my partners walked up to pay (wearing a mask) and the guy behind the counter with no mask started a conversation about how stupid masks are and why he won’t wear one - a new dimension in customer service...

 

[rjk514]

Snow here in Wisconsin has taken away all the fun golfing....boo...so I have been practicing my putting in basement and have found that the claw grip seems to work a bit better , at least for the time being...anyone else out here us the claw and if so has it helped...I know its all confidence , but still..

 

[Midpack]

Snow here in Wisconsin has taken away all the fun golfing....boo...so I have been practicing my putting in basement and have found that the claw grip seems to work a bit better , at least for the time being...anyone else out here us the claw and if so has it helped...I know its all confidence , but still..

I've never tried the claw grip, but if it quiets your wrists , I am sure it would help (me at least). The less my wrists are involved, the better I putt.

And putting is all about confidence. I've run through streaks when I didn't believe I could make putts (and didn't), and a golf buddy of mine is going through it right now - from an above average putter to five or six 3-putts in a round. I've watched him turn a 10 foot birdie try into a double bogey several times lately, hard for all of us to watch but nothing any of us can do to help.