Golf Talk Tuesdays - 2021

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollystomper Today I broke 80 for the first time ever - shot a 79! And I was playing with two others, so there are witnesses .

Congrats....just now seeing this. Today I will be playing my first round in October. I had skin cancer surgery on my arm on Oct 5th and the darn thing has been slow to heal. Still on antibiotics but it's healed enough so I can play with it wrapped. I guess healing is slower as a geezer.

[Huston55]

Headed to Palm Springs for a couple months this winter. Looking forward to some warm weather and lots of golf, especially now that DW is taking up the game. This will be our longest stay there by far so, hoping it’s as enjoyable as we expect. I’ve played about a dozen courses down there and plan to try several new ones. Open to any course suggestions from those who’ve played there.

[Midpack]

Eight of us headed to Pine Needles week after next, finally getting a chance to play there, hope the weather is tolerable.

[ivinsfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Eight of us headed to Pine Needles week after next, finally getting a chance to play there, hope the weather is tolerable.

Tolerable is not a lot to ask for, hopefully you get a mite better then tolerable

[Huston55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Eight of us headed to Pine Needles week after next, finally getting a chance to play there, hope the weather is tolerable.

What a treat! Be sure to report back so we can all read about your experience.

[harllee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Eight of us headed to Pine Needles week after next, finally getting a chance to play there, hope the weather is tolerable.

Midpack, I love Pine Needles and the nearby Mid Pines, both very good courses. As a young golfer I took lessons from Peggy Kirk Belle who owned both resorts. What a fine lady and golfer. Looks like temperatures are warming next week, weather should be good for golf. Have fun.

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huston55 Headed to Palm Springs for a couple months this winter. Looking forward to some warm weather and lots of golf, especially now that DW is taking up the game. This will be our longest stay there by far so, hoping it’s as enjoyable as we expect. I’ve played about a dozen courses down there and plan to try several new ones. Open to any course suggestions from those who’ve played there.

Just came back from a week stay in Palm Springs, played a couple rounds at Marriott Shadow Ridge, very nice. One course that I like that is a little off the gird is Shadow Hills in Indio, it's a Troon run course. Be prepared for some sticker shock, golf is as popular as ever and it shows in prices and tee time availability. I made tee times at Shadow Ridge two weeks before arriving and even then the morning tee sheet was mostly filled. Plenty of good choices in that area, one of my favorites is the Nicklaus Tourn. course at PGA West.

[Huston55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinger1457 Just came back from a week stay in Palm Springs, played a couple rounds at Marriott Shadow Ridge, very nice. One course that I like that is a little off the gird is Shadow Hills in Indio, it's a Troon run course. Be prepared for some sticker shock, golf is as popular as ever and it shows in prices and tee time availability. I made tee times at Shadow Ridge two weeks before arriving and even then the morning tee sheet was mostly filled. Plenty of good choices in that area, one of my favorites is the Nicklaus Tourn. course at PGA West.

Good recommendation Zinger. Played Shadow Hills North (executive course) and it was fantastic. This is a real test of one's short game; and longer game on a few holes on the back nine.

We've also been playing Palm Royale (another 18-hole par 3 course) to help my wife's game develop, and improve my short game. Has lots of water and moderate bunkers, is in good shape, is inexpensive and takes about 2hrs to play a round.

Also joined some friends down here who have a men's golf group and have played:

Indian Springs Big Rock (Indio): good track, well maintained, moderately priced for location and the season

Taquitz (Palm Springs city course): nice layout but, a bit scruffy; needs some work

Desert Willow, Mountain View (Palm Desert): always an outstanding course; resort course owned by city of Palm Desert so, pace of play can be a bit slow sometimes

Indian Wells, Players: resort course owned by city of IW; fantastic course that will eat your lunch if you're not careful. Play with a local for course knowledge (some blind shots); super fast greens and course in great shape.

Woodhaven CC (Palm Desert): a private CC open to the public. A fairly wide open course in good shape, and a good place for wife to play 18 on a full size course; often has GolfNow deals.

[zinger1457]

I stayed at the Desert Willow resort during my last visit but didn't get a chance to golf there, 18 holes were closed for overseeding, have played it in the past and it's an excellent course.
I've only played the south course at Shadow Hills but the locals I've played with said the north is a lot of fun, will have to try it out some time.
I played Indian Wells once, that was a while ago (pre-covid) and it was in terrible shape, sounds like they turned things around.
Another course I like is Mountain Vista inside the Sun City development, just north of the I10, seems to be mostly residents playing there but they offer some public tee times.
I find I have to reset my expectations as far as pace of play is concerned when golfing in Palm Springs. I'm used to playing in just over 3 hours at my home course, 4.5 is more the norm in Palm Springs.

[pb4uski]

Played my last round of the year with three good friends. We often play together, but just haven't ended up in the same foursome for quite a while... so it was a joy to get the old gang together to play together again. There was a little trash talk.

On 18 one of my friends hit a great second shot... good contact and all... but it was a yard offline and clipped a tree. With 4 of us with a great view of it, it never came out and never came down. We looked and looked. It was a thick tree with a lot of spanish moss. We think the leaves slowed the ball down and the spanish moss gobbled it up. Anyhow, that's our story and we're sticking to it.

[Midpack]

Just for fun? I played my last round of the year yesterday, played 112 times in 2022. The most I’ve played in a year since I was a teenager, one of the benefits of retirement. How many times did you play this year, or most ever in a year?

[Dawg52]

I didn’t keep up with my number of rounds but probably somewhere in the 90’s. There are some in my group that play everyday weather permitting. I like golf but not that much.

[jollystomper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Just for fun? I played my last round of the year yesterday, played 112 times in 2022. The most I’ve played in a year since I was a teenager, one of the benefits of retirement. How many times did you play this year, or most ever in a year?

I used to track rounds when I first became a course member, to see what type of "discount" I was actually getting. My record was 125. January and February were mild that year, and my mantra is "over 40 degrees Farenheit, sunny, little wind = golf time! " So being to golf a lot of winter rounds helped.

I did not closely track in 2022 but it was over 100. From spring through late fall I aim for 3-5 rounds per week. My last game was Thursday, half a round due to not wanting to finish after sunset due to the pace.

[Music Lover]

I only played 26 times this year, normal is around 40. We have a short season, average early May - mid September although that can vary a month on either side depending on weather and how often you feel like paying in cold weather. The most rounds I played was 56.

[TripleLindy]

I didn’t keep track, but probably around 15-20 rounds. I was recovering from shoulder surgery during the 1st half of the year, so I didn’t start playing until June.

Speaking of my shoulder recovery, I’m looking for some advice and hoping this group can help. Prior to my shoulder injury, I was playing as well as I ever had. Finally broke 80 (shot 76) and had my handicap at 14. Scratch golf isn’t my goal - I just want to enjoy the game and be consistent.

Once I injured my shoulder, I developed a horrible slice with my irons. Driver is fine. After surgery, the slice remains and even when I get it under control, I’ve lost significant distance. My 7 iron was a consistent 140 yard carry and now, I’m lucky to get 120. A friend recommended a fitting. My clubs are around 10 years old and were off the shelf (no fitting) but I went to senior flex shafts a couple of years ago, which is when my game really started improved.

I have a fitting scheduled, but am rethinking it. Wondering if I should get some coaching first to see what’s wrong with my swing.

Any recommendations between coaching and fitting?

[pb4uski]

I posted 50 rounds to GHIN in 2022 and 75 rounds in 2021. I'm guessing that I probably played 70 rounds in 2022.

There is an executive course that one of our two neighborhood leagues plays at that I play some... I used to post those scores but posting those scores destroyed my handicap so I don't post those scores anymore.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripleLindy ... Any recommendations between coaching and fitting?

From what you wrote, it sounds to me like coaching will be more valuable to you. I suspect that there's been some subtle change in your swing as a result of your shoulder injury and rehabilitation. A good coach could tell you whether you need to be refitted or not, but since you were playing well with those clubs before your injury, I suspect it's the indian and not the arrows.

[jkern]

I played 42 rounds in 2022. My normal is about 60 to 70, I had a back problem for several months which slowed me down. The most I ever played was 115 rounds in 2001.

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripleLindy I didn’t keep track, but probably around 15-20 rounds. I was recovering from shoulder surgery during the 1st half of the year, so I didn’t start playing until June. Once I injured my shoulder, I developed a horrible slice with my irons. Driver is fine. After surgery, the slice remains and even when I get it under control, I’ve lost significant distance. My 7 iron was a consistent 140 yard carry and now, I’m lucky to get 120. A friend recommended a fitting. My clubs are around 10 years old and were off the shelf (no fitting) but I went to senior flex shafts a couple of years ago, which is when my game really started improved. I have a fitting scheduled, but am rethinking it. Wondering if I should get some coaching first to see what’s wrong with my swing. Any recommendations between coaching and fitting?

I'm sure you lost some strength, and maybe some flexibility, due to the surgery. I would probably focus on getting both of those back. Lighter shafts might help, if you have steel shafts in your irons maybe look at lighter graphite shafts. Between fitting and coaching I would probably start with the coaching, they can/will recommend fitting changes if they think it will help.

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski There is an executive course that one of our two neighborhood leagues plays at that I play some... I used to post those scores but posting those scores destroyed my handicap so I don't post those scores anymore.

I know some executive courses don't have course or slope ratings so scores can't be posted but some are rated and if rated correctly that should compensate for the low scores. One executive course I've played is a par 61 with a course rating of 59 (slope 88) so a score of 74 would calculate to about a 18 handicap.