Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[F4mandolin]

Got a Mizuno 16* hybrid (demo club on sale) & played 9 holes with it yesterday; adjusted to 14*. Jury’s still out but, I think it’s a keeper.

Thx to all for the advice.

Just a reminder.....of which I keep forgetting because I'm an idiot....those hybrids need to be hit like an iron with a bit of downward attack. I get into trouble when I daydream and play them a little too far forward in my stance like a fairway wood. That 16 hybrid that I moved to 15 (up from 14) I think I like better. I also moved my 19 up to 20 this week. I've started hitting the 19/20 if I have any doubts about the shot.....I just make better/safer contact with it and I can usually live with sacrificing the 10-15 yards or so I might lose on the shot.

Another option I seriously thought about when I ordered the 16 Mizuno was length of shaft. The options from the place I got it from allowed a range of a good 1.5" of lengthening or shortening. I thought about going longer for use on 2 holes I tee off with it and I can always grip lower when used on the fairway. I'm always tinkering.....which causes me issues.....

 

[Big_Hitter]

Tough? How about instead those two are never invited to anything ever again?

yep

 

[Midpack]

I have to express some frustration. I set up a golf junket up to the U.P. for next week. I set up a 15 passenger bus for transportation (6 hours from Minneapolis), prepared prizes and games, and made all room reservations. Today THREE people backed out. One broke his arm (he's forgiven). The other two people I don't even know. One of said he was too busy at work. The other won't go without #2.

I've set up golf junkets almost every year for the last 10, and it happens almost every single time. Why people care less about their confirmed commitments is frustrating as hell.

Yep, you were wronged. The two ought to be proactively explaining themselves and offering to do whatever it takes to make things right.

No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[Dawg52]

I have to express some frustration. I set up a golf junket up to the U.P. for next week. I set up a 15 passenger bus for transportation (6 hours from Minneapolis), prepared prizes and games, and made all room reservations. Today THREE people backed out. One broke his arm (he's forgiven). The other two people I don't even know. One of said he was too busy at work. The other won't go without #2.

I've set up golf junkets almost every year for the last 10, and it happens almost every single time. Why people care less about their confirmed commitments is frustrating as hell.

I've had that with people I've invited to my condo. No biggie as it's no skin off my nose but some people seem to think it's ok to give a half a$$ commitment then back out. They sure as heck don't get invited again.

 

[Midpack]

Played well this week, thank goodness, played horrible last week. Why? No idea...

That’s golf?

 

[pb4uski]

Yep. This is the last year for me setting up this group. We have a Florida / Mexico group and a northern Minnesota group that never has a problem.

When talking to another attendee today, he said "it's going to be tough to invite those two back next year". I damn near choked him through the phone line. Tough? How about instead those two are never invited to anything ever again?

+1 We had a couple guys who did our annual bass fishing trip back out at the last second for dubious reasons and as a result the costs got split by 6 rather than 8... we just never invited them again... fool me once shame on you....

 

[golfnut]

I'm sure we all have frustrations dealing with certain people. Personally, I have this "friend" who I met on the driving range about 12 years ago. Nice guy, very good golfer but one who hardly ever returns phone calls or texts. Never arranges a tee time or calls me to play. But is always willing to play when I call him to play a round. I know his brother and he mentioned that he never returns his calls.



And to top it off, he is the cheapest b^stard I ever met. When the cart lady shows up he will actually not ask anyone else in his 4some if they want something. My brother describes him as a squirrel hoarding his nuts.


Last but not least when golfing, he often will not help look for his partners ball instead he will go directly to his ball. One time, playing in a 4some, my golf cart buddy yanked his drive left. While looking for his ball, this "friend" hit his ball and went directly to the green. My ball was on the fwy and when I was ready to hit it, I noted my "friend" was actually ready to hit out of the bunker in front of the green directly in line of my shot. I was so tempted to hit my shot and yell "fore".



I guess I could understand this behavior from a 12 yr old but this guy is 63.


Needless to say, this is one person I would never ask to go on a golf trip.

 

[zinger1457]

Last but not least when golfing, he often will not help look for his partners ball instead he will go directly to his ball. One time, playing in a 4some, my golf cart buddy yanked his drive left. While looking for his ball, this "friend" hit his ball and went directly to the green. My ball was on the fwy and when I was ready to hit it, I noted my "friend" was actually ready to hit out of the bunker in front of the green directly in line of my shot. I was so tempted to hit my shot and yell "fore".

Can tell a lot about people based on how they act on a golf course. Those types usually get weeded out fairly quickly from our regular groups, fortunately they make up a minority of the golfers out there.

 

[golfnut]

Can tell a lot about people based on how they act on a golf course. Those types usually get weeded out fairly quickly from our regular groups, fortunately they make up a minority of the golfers out there.

Most of us think there is something mentally wrong with him. He has done some really dumb things off the golf course as well which I won't get into.


He is a man who is truly in his own world.

 

[Kelor]

We all have golf quirks. Mine is that I tend to play fast. Very, very, very fast.

When I joined the private course, I played my first league play day one before even getting my orientation. At orientation, the head pro said he was supposed to talk to me about good pace of play, but heard from others on the golf course that I won't be a problem

Years ago, the first time I ever shot in the 30's on 9, I was more excited that I finished the front in 42 minutes. We even have a group of us that used to run the course early in the morning. We all either carried our bag or pushed.

Most people appreciate my quirk, and I really do try to slow down if I know it's going to bother someone. My brother and I do get into the occasional disagreement as he still believes you should never play out of turn. I believe in hitting when ready, and I KNOW he's wrong. Even golf etiquette rules are being changed for 2019 and encouraging hitting when ready unless putting.

On edit: Good pace of play is the biggest thing I miss about not belonging to a private club any longer.

 

[golfnut]

We all have golf quirks. Mine is that I tend to play fast. Very, very, very fast.

When I joined the private course, I played my first league play day one before even getting my orientation. At orientation, the head pro said he was supposed to talk to me about good pace of play, but heard from others on the golf course that I won't be a problem

Years ago, the first time I ever shot in the 30's on 9, I was more excited that I finished the front in 42 minutes. We even have a group of us that used to run the course early in the morning. We all either carried our bag or pushed.

Most people appreciate my quirk, and I really do try to slow down if I know it's going to bother someone. My brother and I do get into the occasional disagreement as he still believes you should never play out of turn. I believe in hitting when ready, and I KNOW he's wrong. Even golf etiquette rules are being changed for 2019 and encouraging hitting when ready unless putting.

On edit: Good pace of play is the biggest thing I miss about not belonging to a private club any longer.

Not near as fast as you but I love playing at a brisk place. Sometimes I have to bite my lip when playing with others who need to take 3 practice swings before every shot and hit it badly. Don't need 3 practice swing to do that.

 

[Midpack]

Wow, when I play alone for practice with no one holding me back it usually takes me about 2-1/2 hours to play 18 whether I walk or ride. In league play, it’s usually 4 to 4-1/2 hours but occasionally 5, even 5-1/2...

There are some quirky guys in both leagues I play in, but only one I have trouble getting along with.

 

[Music Lover]

I played the same course on back to back days and did exactly the same thing on the 6th and 7th holes on both days

6th hole: 1' birdie putt on day 1; 3' birdie putt on day 2, made both putts
7th hole: tee shot in water, took a drop, 3 hybrid to 15 feet on day 1; tee shot in water, took a drop, 3 hybrid to 10' on day 2, sunk putt to save par both days

 

[Dawg52]

Not near as fast as you but I love playing at a brisk place. Sometimes I have to bite my lip when playing with others who need to take 3 practice swings before every shot and hit it badly. Don't need 3 practice swing to do that.

Other than my warmups on the first tee, I never take a practice swing. In fact very few in our 8-12 group take practice swings. Our foursomes finish in just under 3 hours. Ready golf. When I play in tournaments that take 4-4.5 hours I can handle it but feel I have been slightly tortured. I would quit golf if it took 5+ hours to play.

That's the beauty of golf in retirement around here. Play during the week when the course is wide open. I let the working stiffs and slow players have it on the weekends.

 

[Kelor]

3 hours is perfect. To speed up play, I know Tiger was conteplating building golf courses with a 6/6/6 design instead of two 9’s. Many good private course designs already put you back at the clubhouse after 3 holes.

The new rules effective next year should also help:

“2019 Rule: Rule 5.6 will encourage prompt pace of play by recommending that:

Players should recognize that their pace of play affects others and they should play promptly throughout the round (such as by preparing in advance for each stroke and moving promptly between strokes and in going to the next tee),

A player should make a stroke in no more than 40 seconds (and usually in less time) after the player is able to play without interference or distraction, and

Committees should adopt a Pace of Play Policy (rather than only say they may do so).

In addition, new Rule 6.4 will expressly allow playing out of turn in match play by agreement, and for stroke play, will affirmatively allow and encourage players to play out of turn in a safe and responsible way to save time or for convenience (also known as “ready golf”).”

I’m also fascinated with the change to the flagstick rules, and think that will speed up play as well.

 

[Big_Hitter]

On edit: Good pace of play is the biggest thing I miss about not belonging to a private club any longer.

that's why i tend to avoid public courses

 

[Big_Hitter]

Wow, when I play alone for practice with no one holding me back it usually takes me about 2-1/2 hours to play 18 whether I walk or ride. In league play, it’s usually 4 to 4-1/2 hours but occasionally 5, even 5-1/2...

There are some quirky guys in both leagues I play in, but only one I have trouble getting along with.

on league night we are doing good to finish 9 holes in 2.5 hours

 

[garyt]

Could not agree more.


Also, why do most golfers balk at spending relatively big bucks on a putter but lay down big bucks on a driver? When the driver is used maybe 14 times and the putter over 30 times during a round.

Who says they do? Putters are way up there in price now and seem to be selling. There's not much new tech in a putter, no matter what they claim. Drivers from 30 years ago are light years behid today's drivers, putters not so much.

 

[garyt]

I don’t disagree, but I’d argue that argument overstates putting. If you have 36 putts, about half of them should be tap ins, where almost any putter would do. In any event, lots of putts are very short, so you may hit your driver and putter about the same number of challenging strokes. FWIW

Good point

 

[garyt]

so it goes even straighter?

"Our new driver goes straighter than straight!" Great slogan, I love it!

 

[garyt]

I have to express some frustration. I set up a golf junket up to the U.P. for next week. I set up a 15 passenger bus for transportation (6 hours from Minneapolis), prepared prizes and games, and made all room reservations. Today THREE people backed out. One broke his arm (he's forgiven). The other two people I don't even know. One of said he was too busy at work. The other won't go without #2.

I've set up golf junkets almost every year for the last 10, and it happens almost every single time. Why people care less about their confirmed commitments is frustrating as hell.

Where are you playing i the U.P.? Greywalls, Sweetgrass, Timberstone? Greywalls may be the toughest course I've ever played.

 

[Kelor]

Those three and SAge Run too. I’ve heard they might have opened up Sage Run a bit too early, but it wil be nice to play all 4 courses.

 

[Big_Hitter]

"Our new driver goes straighter than straight!" Great slogan, I love it!

i'm taking pb4uski's advice - I hit that thing straight every time I'm not touching the settings lol

 

[zinger1457]

I’m also fascinated with the change to the flagstick rules, and think that will speed up play as well.

I doubt the new rule changes will have much impact. Very few slow golfers admit or think they play slow.

 

[Huston55]

I have to express some frustration. I set up a golf junket up to the U.P. for next week. I set up a 15 passenger bus for transportation (6 hours from Minneapolis), prepared prizes and games, and made all room reservations. Today THREE people backed out. One broke his arm (he's forgiven). The other two people I don't even know. One of said he was too busy at work. The other won't go without #2.

I've set up golf junkets almost every year for the last 10, and it happens almost every single time. Why people care less about their confirmed commitments is frustrating as hell.

I organize a trip for 8 golfers every year. When they sign up, they acknowledge by email that they are “committed”; this means they’re financially responsible for their 1/8th whether they go or not. If something comes up (and it has), I will help them find a replacement (which I’ve always been able to do except for once). This seems to prevent the ‘back out’ problem. I have a list of 20+ golfers who’ve attended over the years, and we all know one another. So, maybe that makes it a bit easier for me.