Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020
 

First, yes I know it's not Tuesday. But, the date is just a state of mind...

Well, now that I'm Semi-FIREd and "reallocating my time" so to speak, I've noticed that there is not a continuous (sticky) thread devoted to what I seem to be devoting much of my time to...The (Real) Beautiful Game - GOLF. Or, "Pasture Pool", as my friend Roy calls it.

So, let's fix that fellow golfers! Let's have a place where we can ad lib, brag, commiserate, debate, exaggerate...I'll stop with "E", you get the point. Besides, if you get to "F" on the golf course, well you're missing the point of being on the course.

I'll start, and I hope to inspire contributions from the other pasture pool enthusiasts out there.

So, when I say "reallocate" my time, I mean that I'm literally spending more time playing or practicing golf than I am any other pursuit...except sleeping. I'm playing or practicing ~15hrs/week. If I add driving to/from time, that's another 5hrs/week and, if I add watching improvement videos & the "Golf Channel", well, golf approaches becoming a j*b. AND, I'm loving it! I look forward to every round, every lesson & every practice session. I decided to take a series of lessons (I chose GolfTec) and am really seeing an improvement in my game. So, I'd definitely advocate investing in lessons to improve your game and the enjoyment you get from it. What's worked for you?

I have decided to not join a single golf club for several reasons: (1) It's more expensive, (2) I like the variety of playing different courses, (3) Most of my golf buddies play different courses every week. We live in CA now and lived in TN previously, and the multiple course approach worked best for me in both locations, each of which has tons of good quality public/semi-private courses from which to choose. But, I've also belonged to one club in another location, when we lived next to a course, and that worked for me then. What benefits do you see for either approach? What works for you?

I try very hard to just enjoy the game; to realize how fortunate I am to have the time, resources and opportunity to get outside, see beautiful scenery, do something physical, and spend time with friends. I'm a Type A personality and somewhat competitive. So, just enjoying the walk is sometimes difficult for me but, I try; it's a work in progress, and I'm enjoying working on that part of myself. DW tells me I could use a little more "chill out" so, golf helps. How about you?

So, now to the part about spousal support (or lack thereof) of this "habit." All jokes aside, DW is VERY supportive. She knows very little about the game but, always asks me "How'd you do?" "What'd you shoot?" And, through osmosis over the years, she's gained enough knowledge to know good from bad. If I report a score in the 70s, I always get kudos from DW, and I think that's very sweet. My DW will never play (just not interesting to her) but, she is almost always supportive. How's your spouse's support of your hobby/habit/addiction? Does your spouse also play?

I go on a buddies golf trip every year, and it is an unmitigated BLAST! We've done it for more than a dozen years, and everyone looks forward to it each and every year. We take 8, which seems to be the magic number (enough but not too many to manage). As hard as it is to believe, more than 8 guys can be a PITA to manage. We play 6 rounds in 4 days, have dinner together, play cards until late at night, and just generally have a great "guys" trip. Do you go on an annual golf trip? If so, what works for your group? Where have you gone that you like?

This last part may sound a bit obsessive to you but, I do have a golf item on my "bucket list." It is to shoot a round below my age. Sounds simple enough but, it's not easy (for me at least, having not taken up the game until after the age of 40). So, when you think about this goal, there's a wonderful silver lining---I have to be active and healthy enough to play well into my late 70s or early 80s to accomplish this goal; not to mention remaining involved in improving my game for the next 20 years. What a wonderful thing: an 80yo who walks 5 hours chasing a little ball through beautiful scenery, honing a physical skill, practicing patience & mental concentration...so he can then get behind the wheel of his big cadillac and run over pedestrians on the way back to the assisted living facility. What golf goals to you have?

I'll leave you with a couple of thoughts & some scenery related to the game, in the hope that you're inspired during your next round, and come here to share your experiences.

"The most important shot in golf is the next one."

"In golf as in life, it is the follow through that makes the difference."

Hit 'em long & straight my friends!

it's probably very expensive where you live to join a golf club

one of my golf buddies in Houston moved to San Ramon and I think he had to plunk down about 100K or so to join one

Be advised, one of the first things someone asks you after they ask if you are an avid golfer is what club you belong to. I think clubs have several advantages:

1) you don't have to share the course with weekend (i.e. slow) golfers
2) you can get out whenever you want
3) you get more opportunities to play competitive golf
4) you get "free" instruction and deals on golf equipment


The first thing I did when we moved to paradise was join a golf club, and I had never played it. :o


We really dig living in a golf course community.

Great idea, I will share more later! You may need to remind me it's Tuesday :)

Looking forward to reading and participating inGolfTuesdays. I'm playing on Monday and watching the Golf Channel right now.


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I joined a golf club this year (no $100K required) but next year I am going to buy a card that enables me to play at several courses. Much more cost effective, and I can maintain my handicap.

Meadbh: What kind of card is it? Does it provide discounted greens fees over direct call-in or GolfNow? How many courses does it include?

Here it is. It includes 5 courses and 3 practice ranges in my area. I already play regularly at two of these courses. I plan to buy the $800 card, which will give me a 33% discount on golf. I can use it to play in the Ladies' Leagues at these courses too.

Play Golf Kelowna : It's okay to play around.

I would prefer to play different golf courses but where I live it means traveling 80 miles to Tucson to play at decent golf courses. I do it occasionally but it's not really an option for regular play. I usually travel to Phoenix/Scottsdale 3-4 weeks a year and maybe once or twice a year to Palm Springs to get some additional golf in. The course I play and am a member of is more of a muni course but it does offer a yearly membership that is cheap. Play 3 times a week, always walk, and it rarely takes more than 3.5 hours to play a round. Belong to the men's club at the course that holds at least one tournament a month. The one big short coming is the practice facility (it sucks) so I never practice on the range except for maybe hitting 8-10 balls before a round to warm up.

Sounds like a good deal; and, you can use it for a playing partner. Nice!

I have a buddy who goes on a golf trip to the Jasper Park Golf Resort every summer. It's inside a national park & sounds like a great time.

Sounds like you might live in Sierra Vista. I've read there are several nice golf courses there, inside planned communities. I used to see lots of ads for Sierra Vista in "Where to Retire" magazine.

BH-

I think you're in Boise right? I've only been there once ~20 yrs ago. I expect it's much more developed now but, I liked it when we visited. Too cold in the winter and not enough water for me but, a nice place if you like the outdoors. Looks like there are several nice golf course communities in/around Boise. How long can you play during the year?

When I joined a club (10yrs & 2 moves ago), what I most enjoyed was being so close. I could be on the driving range, course or Par-3 Exec course in under 2 minutes. So, if I had just an hour, it was no problem to whiz over and hit a bucket or chip/putt around. I miss that proximity. The demo days were also nice. The other things were less important to me.

March through November usually. My club is at about 3000 ft so when it gets snow it usually sticks for a while. As long as there is no snow on the course they keep it open. What's tough is when the ground freezes - you hit a nice shot and it bounces really hard on the green lol

One thing I miss about Houston was the ability to play golf year round even though it was really challenging playing in the heat from May-September.


IMO the best thing about living on a course is being able to play 9 holes after work in under an hour (with cart).

I was an occasional player prior to retiring. I had belonged to a club near where we lived when I was working for a couple years when the kids were young and found that golf just took too much time so I to justify the cost of a membership. I played occasionally and in our company golf league (9 holes each week of the summer).

When I retired I joined the local club where we now live. It is quite affordable... about $750 a year (carts are extra) and actually quite a nice course. The club is facing financial difficulty and our dues are likely to go up to $1,000 next year. Since I only play at my home course 1-2 times a week I would probably be better off just paying greens fees, but I'll join anyway to support the club, which is an asset to the area.

I also play each week with a traveling group. We play different courses within 1 1/2 hours of home and usually pay $25-$45 for 18 holes with a cart. My traveling group is doing our fall two-day golf trip next week and I can't believe the screaming deal we are getting... two rounds with a cart and a cabin for overnight (4 guys per cabin) for $70 a head and it is actually a decent course.

That IS a wonderful benefit of living on a course.


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PB-Sounds like a great deal! Where is it?


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Was this year's trip to Bandon Dunes? Nice photo of 16. 3/4 of my group jsut got back from Bandon - I played 9 rounds in 5 days and the others played 7 rounds. For me, Bandon is just about golfing heaven.

You asked about goals - I guess mine is to set a new personal best on my handicap index. I briefly touched 4.4 in 2005 and have been sitting between 6 and 10 for the last 20 years or so.

In this, my first full year of retirement, I should post about 150 rounds - all walking. That's seems to be just about the right number - 4 rounds per week when the weather is nice and get a few in every month during the cold months when I can.

That's it, but there are only two golf courses in town. Pueblo Del Sol is private and a little over priced (IMO). I was a member for awhile but got tired of the rate increases and didn't care for the layout. The military base (Ft. Huachuca) golf course is where I play most of the time now, 1/3 the price of PDS and a nicer layout but the greens not as nice as PDS. The practice facilities at both places are weak. If I want to practice I usually go out by myself during the afternoon when it's slow and practice on the course.

Yes, Bandon Dunes...good eye.

It really is golf heaven; the place is all golf all the time. Beyond having 5 world class courses (5 if you count Bandon Preserve), they have the best practice facilities I've ever seen.

Our group normally goes to Kiawah so, BD was a different experience for us. Kiawah is also world class but, a very different environment. The Ocean Course is links and has similarities to BD but, the remainder of the courses are low country resort courses, which are beautiful as well.

An index <10 is fantastic. Getting back down to 4+/- would be quite an accomplishment; best of luck to you!

My golf goals are simply to keep playing and having fun in the process.

Frayne-Lots of good golf in/near Chattanooga. I'm sure you'll be able to achieve that goal.

A Couple of Excellent Golf Resources
 

Below are links to two websites that I use often; more than a few times per week.

First, "Swing by Swing", which is an excellent (and FREE) phone app. It is a golf GPS app which has ~30k courses preloaded, shows all hazards, and enables you to keep score during the round. It also stores your rounds, calculates and tracks your handicap index, and keeps your stats. I'm still using the free app but, you can upgrade to their premium service ("Looper") to keep more detailed stats and data. I've used this app for more than a year and I think it's outstanding!

Free Golf GPS Rangefinder and Scorecard | Swing By Swing

Second, "Revolution Golf", which is a website with lots of free instructional videos. It includes instructional videos on every aspect of the game, including every swing, fitness, products, and funny stuff. You can get on their email list, which include product promotions but, the signal (useful info) to noise (selling) ratio is high, and I've received lots of useful stuff by being on their list.

Golf Instruction Videos | Golf Swing Drills By Tour Level Golf Coaches

I hope you find these links useful.
https://smileys.smilchat.net/smiley/l...golfminiat.gif

Also been to Kiawah - the Ocean Course is the one Pete Dye course that I like. The other courses were fun, but my memories are fuzzy due to the 40 degree temps and 25 mph winds when we visited at Thanksgiving a few years ago.

The thing that I really like about BD is just what you say, it's all golf. There's no attempt to impress you with "amenities" (although everything there is very good). Plus, it is so nice to go somewhere and have the default assumption be walking instead of having to talk my way out of a cart.

Golf is my main activity in retirement.

Usually play 2/week, practice and workout 2/week. 4.5 index.

I've been on our state golf association for about 10 years. Really enjoy it. Took the USGA Rules test and scored pretty well. Am now in charge of the U.S. Amatuer qualifier in our area, as well as helping with other tournaments.

Amazing story at this years US Am Qualifier. One player, who played in the U.S. Open and Am last year and is a senior on scholarship at U of Oregon, shot 70-67. This years state am champ, scholarship U of Michigan golf, shoots 72-64(course record). Shooting 68-65 to win by 3, is a kid who isn't on scholarship anywhere, he wasn't even in high school yet, just finished 8th grade! (But there were three other qualifiers younger than him in this years Am.)

We go in the Spring (late April - early May), when it's nice weather but not yet muggy & buggy; also not yet high season.

I hear you on walking. I walk whenever possible when I play here at home; away from home, walking with a caddie pretty much spoils you for anything else once you've done it a time or two; not cheap though.

Well, Maui is one fine place to live then! I love vacationing there; always hard to choose where to play among all the great courses on Maui. I have to admit though that one of my favorite golf days was on Lanai (while on vacation to Maui). I played both courses on Lanai (the Greg Norman & Jack Nicklaus courses); they couldn't be more different & both were awesome. A wonderful way to spend a long day.

What are your favorite Maui courses?

Since you are in the bay area, you have too many good choices on where to play.
For public play you have Harding Park along with many great choices in the bay area. To your south in Santa Cruz, you have Pasatiempo, which was the inspiration for Augusta National. And in the Monterrey area you obviously have Pebble Beach, Spyglass & Poppy Hills, but a couple of real gems include the old Fort Ord courses, Bayonet & Blackhorse. Also San Juan Oaks is near by. Finally with the NCGA, you can get on private courses like Olympic club for special play days on occasion.


You can tell I miss the golf in that area.

Summers I return to Montana, where I help with the golf assn and Am.


On Maui I belong to King Kamehameha. Great course and magnificent Frank Lloyd Wright designed clubhouse.


Most people think Plantstion course is best. I've never played Plantation in Kapalua, although I've walked it several times at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions as a shot link scorer.

Other courses I occasionally play are the resort courses at Wailea, and the nine hole Maui CC. MCC used to be a treat, but it's condition as deteriorated significantly in the last few years.

Do you guys have a limit to how much you'll spend for a round of golf? I think the most I've ever spent is $75 and I've played at most of the top golf courses in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Palm Springs. I usually stay away from those areas during the peak season (Jan-Apr) when prices are crazy (IMO).

Was on vacation at Carmel/Monterey CA last month and the closest I came to Pebble Beach was walking along Carmel beach next to holes 8-10. The only way to get advanced reservations there is to stay at the resort (~$700/night), then another $495 for golf. If you don't stay at the resort you can only reserve 24 hours in advance and the cost is $495 plus cost of caddie. I have a hard time justifying 6 'Benjamins' for a round of golf.

I struggle with this. If I'm on my own, I will rarely spend more than $50 on a round of golf. I find that I have a lot of fun traveling across the country and playing various munis along the way. You meet a lot of interesting people that way.

When it comes to a "golf trip," then I really don't think about the cost of an individual round, I think more about the entire trip and whether the experience is worth the total outlay. For instance, I went to Bandon Dunes the first week of September (high season). It would be next to impossible to do this for less than about $4000 with airfare from the East Coast. I played 9 rounds of golf. So this works out to about $450 per round. I would never drop $450 on the counter for greens fees, but for lodging/air/golf in this location I feel that I got my money's worth. Rack rate for Bandon Dunes resort guests is $265 for the first round and $135 for the second. If you have the time, energy and buddies who will tee off with the rising sun, the third round of the day is free.

I agree with you about Pebble Beach, as much as I would like to play it, the costs are over my threshold of comfort.

Pebble is on my bucket list. I figure I better spend the $ before I lose it all in the market��.That's great to know they have caddies.

I played a course in Santa Fe, NM a week ago for just $23 including cart. It was an excellent course with pretty scenery. Wasn't busy either. Wish I could find deals like that in my area.

I've belonged to a club for 25+ years. But now that I spend 1/2 my time on the coast, just doesn't make sense to keep my membership. Plus the club is semi-private now and we don't have all the club things to do as we used to. Main club house only open on weekends. Will probably get out at the end of the year and pay as I go. They do have $30 deals on Monday and I can play a lesser public course for $20 when I'm in town. Will suit my needs. The only problem is not being able to play with my old golf buddies. But I'm not playing with them as much anyway since I'm out of town a lot. Oh well.......

+1

I usually play locally twice/week, plus a practice session. Most of the public courses I play here in the SF Bay Area are <$50/ round with a cart (less if you walk, which I normally do). At this price point, even in an area as expesive as the SF Bay Area, there's an abundance of good quality golf courses within a reasonable drive.

When I'm on vacation, my 'math' is different. For a "golf trip", I approach it the same way JJQ does. My golf trips are usually with 4-16 guys, for ~4 days +travel, and include 6+/- rounds. I evaluate those trips by total cost, and compare that total to other vacation travel that I or I/DW would do throughout the year. If it fits into our annual travel/vacation budget, it's all good. ;D

For example, our annual guys golf trip to Kiawah Island, SC is 6 rounds in 4 days +travel, with 8 guys, and is usually ~$2k/person all in. I consider that a decent deal. This Spring, we went to Bandon Dunes instead (a bit of a splurge/bucket list thing for most of us), and the all in cost was ~$3k/person. I'm taking a smaller group (four) to St. George, Utah later this Fall, where 6 rounds in 4 days will cost ~$1k/person +travel; for me, this would be a great deal if the golf is as good as everyone says. (I'll let you know after I return. :greetings10:)

When DW and I go on vacation together to a place that has good golfing opportunities, I will play 2-3 rounds during a 7-10 day period. This usually means resort golf prices ($100-$200+/round) but, I can occassionally find deals (like the discounted greens fee websites in Hawaii). Again, I use 'vacation math*' for this golf, and my guiding principal is whether it fits in to our overall budget for that trip.

* "Vacation Math"=Whatever I spend on golf, DW gets to spend on her vacation pursuits. So, there's a doubling effect. :facepalm:

Scratched off Bandon Dunes in my bucket list this March. DW and I planned to go every year though. It's only 8 hour drive from where I live.

I am not retired but DW and I play about 120 rounds per year, most of them at my home course with a few golf trips planned throughout the year.

I practice about 5 hours a week, and play on weekends. Like the OP, I plan to increase my golf practice time when I retire.

Life is good when golf game is good.

Consider yourself lucky that you share a passion for golf with your DW. Seems it'd make it much easier to fit more golf into your life.

You both probably started with lower handicaps than me but, I've seen a marked improvement in my play since retiring. I'm convinced it's directly related to: (1) practice and, (2) lessons, especially lessons.

DW's birthday present to me this year was a series of lessons which I got to select. I chose GolfTec and have been very pleased. It's a methodical, data based system with lots of video bay practice time for instant feedback. My HI has gone down 2 strokes in less than 2 mos, and I can tell I have lots of improvement left. I'd highly recommend a series of lessons.

I'd link this to the "Golf Talk Tuesdays" thread but, I don't know how to do that.

CAN WE GET SOME MODERATOR HELP?

+1

Two of my golf partners are a husband/wife pair and they don't have any of the issues that I have with DW saying, "I really don't want to do another golf vacation." :laugh:

Actually, DW is very supportive and walks the course with us on the weekends when the temperature is over 70. But, she has a valid point that golf vacations don't benefit her like they do me.

Yes, and no.


It a course is in my bucket list, no. One year, I did Pebble Beach courses. Last year, the Bandon Dunes. The PB courses were pricey.

For casual rounds, yes. My LBYM limit for green fee is $100. Since DW plays, multiply that by 2 = $200.

9 rounds in 5 days? I can't imagine that. DW and I played 4 rounds in 4 days and that was enough for us. Our caddy told me that most who play two rounds per day barely finishes the 2nd round.

Our group of 8 played 6 rounds in 4 days (1/2/2/1) and had plenty of light left. Even had time for an hour or so drinking beer putting on the "18 hole" Punch Bowl course. That was fun. :dance:

I actually felt pretty good physically at the end of the week. It helped that I was able to play round 1 and round 9 by myself and the courses were pretty empty so it only took about 3 hours for those two rounds. I was mentally shot, however, just no concentration left, at all. I can believe that most people are dragging, my buddy's cousin who joined us this year was one of those. There are a LOT of people walking very slowly around BD.

I'm just getting back into golf since retiring last year. Last I played was in a casual league through work back in the 90's. I was never very good. I played in a women's league this spring/summer and had fun. I realize I need to invest in lessons and get a driver. I'd like to get better.
DH likes to golf and takes 2 golf vacations ( desert areas) in the Spring and Fall with the guys. I hope he will join a league when he retires next May. I look forward to some golf vacations in the future.


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As I said in an earlier post, I'm a fan of lessons, and the current series I'm now taking was a gift from DW. I hope you do get to a point where you and DH can take golf trips together; sounds like a great time.

I don't know much about the courses in your area, especially on Whidbey Island itself. The only course I've played in the region is the one at Port Ludlow. DW and I took a vacation to Seattle/Olympic Penninsula/Victoria/Whidbey Island ~15 yrs ago, and I played then; she rode in the golf cart and read a book, occassionally helping me look for a lost ball. :rolleyes:

This Week's Lesson
 

So, as I noted in the OP, I'm taking lessons and they are helping me improve my game; so far, by lowering my Handicap index by ~2 strokes. Since I've been taking these lessons for only 2 mos, I'm pretty pleased with that.

The first 6 weeks of lessons were all on the full swing. The past two weeks have been on the short game. This week's lesson (taken yesterday, Monday) was a putting lesson. It's probably the most important part of the game so, it's an important area to be proficient in. But, based on the stats from "Swing-by-Swing", putting is not a weakness in my game. I average 1.7 strokes/hole & 1.9 strokes/GIR; both figures are pretty respectable. Frankly, I'm surprised they're that good. But, I typically play on courses with moderate difficulty (not super-undulating) and moderate speeds (9-10 stimp).

Anyway, the way my lessons always progress are, me swinging (putting in this case) the way I normally do, observed by my instructor and recorded on video (as the "before" swing). My instructor then gives me feedback on what's good and what to change. I then practice this several times, going through several iterations with continuing instructor feedback, all on video. Then, when I produce what he's looking for, he asks me how that feels to me; we record that plus any other key points from him in the notes for the session, along with video of the properly produced swing (putt). Those notes and video go into my online file, along with some standard GolfTec "drills" for whatever it is one is trying to do. All of this is then immediately accessible by me from any device on which I've downloaded the GolfTec App; I chose my phone. I thought the golfers on this thread might be interested in the structure of the lessons, which I find very 'data based' and effective. And, the immediate accessibility anywhere is great!

Now for this week's lesson...putting. I use an Odyssey White Hot blade putter modified with the fattest Super Stroke grip made. We went through the process described above, and my instructor told me to make the following changes:

1. Locate the ball 'one ball' forward of the middle of my stance.
2. Make my putter shaft a bit more vertical, aligning with my forward arm.
3. Use a bit more forward press than I'd been using.

Everything else: position, stance, routine was good.

All of the recommended changes are to get the ball rolling forward as quickly as possible. The video (a worm-cam) showed that my putts actually skidded forward almost a foot before rolling, which is not good. After making the recommended adjustments, the putts were rolling after 2-4 inches, which was clearly visible on the video.

After that, we went to the practice putting green to test how well I'd taken the lesson on board. My instructor also recommended the "Ladder Drill", where you line up putts that are progressively one foot longer each time (typically from 3-8 ft).

OK, there you have it---this week's lesson. :greetings10:

I use putting drills from Pelz.

3 balls
20 footers, different angles. Get 10 (in a row) to the hole and no more than a putter length beyond.


Make 10 putter length putts (with your eyes closed).


40-60-50 foot lags.


Takes 10-15 minutes on a good day.


Really teaches distance control in line with his " optimum speed of 18" beyond hole" theory.

Great drills! Especially for speed control & lag putting.

I'm going to have to try the 3-footers with my eyes closed. Seems it would give one confidence on short putts.

I played Rancho Solano in Fairfield, CA for the first time yesterday. What an awesome course! It's as good as described in the great Golf Advisor reviews it's received. It is also a great deal @ $32 to walk 18.

The course is very well watered & lush considering the drought. And, the greens are as large, undulating & difficult as described in reviews.

I highly recommend this course if you live nearby or are in the area.


Attachment 22406


You may be whatever you resolve to be.

I don't know why more courses in join force to offer cards like this. That'd be much preferable than playing the same course over and over (the situation I am in).

Took another golf lesson yesterday and found that my bad swing habit (lack of shoulder tilt at address, head behind the ball) keeps coming back. No matter. It's two steps forward and one step back, 2 forward, 1 step back, 2 ....

I know what you mean. If I'm not very thoughtful while practicing or playing, my bad habits also return. Although my lessons have helped tremendously, it is still not yet second nature for me; I have to think about the lessons & concentrate.

A good example is last week @ Rancho Solano. I'd just taken a putting lesson & did very well on the indoor artificial green. Then, I had five 3-putts in my next round. 😱

Large, undulating tough greens but, come on! Five 3-putts? Lots of work to do. ⛳️


You may be whatever you resolve to be.

Golf and tourism are big in my area. The course at which I have a membership is on Aboriginal land, has a delightful junior golf academy, and hosted the provincial bantam championships this summer. Collaboration is to everyone's advantage in making this a family friendly golf destination.

This morning I played a foursome in bright sunshine. One player was an 80 year old lady whose drives were further than anyone else's and consistently down the fairway. She was amazing.

Over the summer I have golfed two different times with women who had beautiful smooth swings, no huge swing speed, but who consistently made solid contact and the ball just jumped off their club. Fun to watch. One was in her mid sixties and the other was in her 70s.

I have a speed stick so I can measure my buddies' swing speeds. Mine is around 100. I usually tag it 230-250 off the tee, sometimes more.

I have one buddy that hits 130 mph on it and can blast it over 300, but not consistently.

I have another buddy who hits 100 mph, but can hit it 330. He has outstanding tempo and impact. I guess that's what happens when you've been playing golf since you were 4.

Sounds like you can tag more than 230-250 with your swing speed of 100. Swing speed of 90 should be good enough to hit the ball about 230-250 (including roll) if you launch at right angle, etc.. My 2 cents.

I have a horrible launch angle - working on that and a few other things - I tend to hit it high, which is nice on approach shots, but crappy off the tee - I need more hip fire from the top

I'm usually 220-230 yds off the tee but, hit a lot of fairways. I'd love to consistently have another 20-30 yds so I'm hitting shorter irons onto long Par-4 greens. I'd rather be 260 off the tee & hit 70% fairways than 300 & hit 40% fairways. Gotta keep working on that part of the game.


You may be whatever you resolve to be.

I see so many of my fellow golfers going out and putting down $350 or more every year on the latest driver to try and gain extra distance, and it never works. Better technique, increase strength and flexibility may help but it all comes down to swing speed, some people just have the natural ability to swing fast, some don't. Many of those old guys who have lost distance because of age can still shoot good scores. They just know how to get the ball in the hole with very good short games. I know from experience, they have lighten the load on my wallet many times.

What tees are you playing? The group I play with (mostly mid handicappers in our 60s and 70s) shifted to the forward/senior tees this summer and are enjoying the game much more, particularly on our home course. On many holes the difference is slight (perhaps 10 yards) but on the long holes the difference is more substantial and it makes our home course much more friendly. Interestingly the rating and slope are not very different (68.9/130 vs 66.4/124).

According to the PGA Tee-It-forward chart, if you hit drives 220-230 yards off the tee you should be playing the tees that equate to 5,800 to 6,000 yards.

https://l.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/Im2...rwardchart.jpg

I won my flight in the sr club championship last month and we played the forward (white) tees, two rounds medal play. A lot easier than the blue tees. I don't like to play the black tees at my club as there are a few holes that are just unfair from back there. :o

My regular group always plays the blue tees.

I started playing golf right before I turned 50. I married my wife a couple of years later in 2012. We both still w*rk. Sorry for the foul language. Golf has been a great past time that we both enjoy together and typically play one nine hole during the week and twice on the weekends. We found that we were basically paying more each month then the monthly fees at a very nice country club and decided to join.

I typically play our forward/white tees. I took off Friday to play with a friend at a different club and joined him on the blue tees. I added about seven strokes due to the distance and unfamiliarity with the course. I did the same thing on Sunday, another course, blue tees, seven additional strokes. I know where I belong!

I am working with the club pro on increasing my swing speed. My irons are definitely improving. I believe that my driver does not have enough loft so will be working with that too.

All that being said golf has been a blast and I see my wife and I playing together for many years to come.

One question to all would be recommendations for a mat and net in the garage to hit through the winter?

DW and I play 2 - 3 rounds per week. Both of us have started golf at the same time at age 48 and have been enjoying the journey ever since. I still work and she doesn't. I can't wait until I retire and work on my game more.

Agreed - I try and play/practice 3-4 days a week. Only been playing for about 15 years and I quit for a few of those and picked it back up again 4 years ago. My wife just chips and putts.

Great chart!

I normally play White tees (typically ~6,300 yds) and hit 8-10 greens/round (normally ~half of the par-4 greens). Today's round was typical: White tees, 6,372 yds, 71.0/126; I hit 11 FIRs, 8 GIRs, and shot 80.

So, even though the chart would have me on the Gold (Senior) tees (5,699yds @ today's course), I think I'm better suited to the White tees, at least for now. Plus, that's where most of my playing partners play.

skanked around for a 41 last night with a triple - 4 pars and a bird, 3 bogeys

Just a word to the wise. When I was working I tried to get out at least twice a week and would shoot in the low 80s. I would hit the range a few times a week and practice my short game in the backyard. I love the game and thought once I retired I would hit the course and really improve.

I belonged to a nice Fazio designed course and during my first year of retirement pretty much played five days a week, many days would play 36 or more. It got to the point that I wasn't improving as much as I thought I should and it became a grind, almost like going to work. After that first year of hitting it hard I dropped back to a few times a week and actually enjoyed myself more. Being 64 now and not having the length that I use to have it can be frustrating at times. All in all golf, like many other things in life is best enjoyed in moderation, well at least it is for me. Still love the game both playing and watching but realize I'll never be a scratch golfer and I'm good with that.

Oh and on wayward drives anymore I don't yell fore, because of my length I can yell two !

I understand what you are saying. I don't think I can play more than 3 - 4 times a week even when I retire. I don't want playing golf to become like a job ("grind"). Mixing practice and playing rounds, and doing other things will be a more balanced way to go. However, I think I can get my practice more structured, and do more of it to improve.

Agreed - I think to get a little bit better you have to practice much harder as you keep playing. I don't want it to turn into a grind either and sometimes it already does.


It's tough, I have to concentrate on every single shot or I'll hit a crappy one.

I can remember someone telling me many, many moons ago when I started playing and really taking the game seriously; breaking 100 is easy, breaking 90 isn't really all that hard, breaking 80 is tough, breaking par is a bitch.

At this point in my life I just enjoy getting out and playing with friends and if I stay in the 80s, great, if not, that's OK too.

Breaking 80 is my current goal. Shot 82 once this year, but typically 88-92. I have improved with lessons the past month and not trying to help the ball so dang much.

I did walk 18 holes in a row for three days last weekend. I was beat by the last day and ready to not play golf on Monday. Heading to the driving range tonight and a tee time on Sunday. The valley is socked in with smoke, yuch. Hopefully it won't be too nasty out.

what course?

Crane Creek. The three I played last weekend were Hillcrest, CC and Eagle Hills. If I can't be retired the short weeks do help.

One word for you "short game" !

+1

When I was finishing up my teaching certification I took two classes one summer - one met from 9 - 11 AM, the other from 2 - 4 PM. The classroom was right next to the golf practice center at the U. Everyday that summer I showed up to class with my lunch, 3 wedges, a 6 iron and a shag bag of golf balls. During the break between classes I practiced every conceivable short shot. I started the summer with an index about 15 and ended it about a 7. All due to the short game.

I can't remember anything from the classes I took that summer 24 years ago, but my short game has stayed with me ever since.

+1 on the practice.
+2 on making most of it short game

I actually LIKE to practice. I'd just as soon practice for 2hrs as play a round. Just as we've all experienced the "tuning fork in our loins" feeling of a great shot or two/few during a round, I love the sense memories I get from a good practice session. :smitten:

I have been playing a couple times of week. I am trying not to play too much to avoid and chronic injuries or burnout. A relative of mine experienced both of those problems playing every day. In general, I believe in “everything in moderation”.

I avoid tee times to a large extent. Too restricting. I did join a league up north several weeks ago, and I have enjoyed that. But now that is over, so I have headed to Florida to enjoy my golfing and other experiences here. In Florida, I have a membership to a 9 hole walking course, so I like that a lot. Nice to walk, enjoy the outdoors, etc. It does not stop me from playing other courses, though, since the 9 hole course membership only costs $100 per year.

I am not Type A, but I have OCD and I am hyper, so it can be a challenge to golf at times.

My wife is very supportive of my golfing! So much so, I occasionally wondered if it was her opportunity to hook up with her boyfriend. J She knows very little about the game, and with a chronic injury she can’t play. I doubt if she would like it, though, since she never did when she was young and healthy. The lack of a golf hobby, though, partly inspired her to become passionate about fishing, and we do that a lot together now. She is basically a charter captain for me J

I have never done a pure golf trip. Although I am sure it may be a lot of fun, it might where me out in many ways. My golf trips tend to be more integrated in some family vacations. For example, the guys will golf 3 or 4 days during a one week vacation. Seems enough for me, and allows the girls to do some things alone, too.

Seems like a super long-range goal to shoot a round that is lower than my age. I am 55 now, and my best round recently is 82, so that would be 27 years from now!! I did, however, give this some consideration, and a similar goal is to be able to hit the ball farther than I can see. I have noticed that my eyesight is decreasing faster than my distance off the tee. Occasionally I can’t see my drives as they disappear over the last 20 or 30 yards. I have to hit it around 250 yards or so for this to happen.

But a goal to remain active and healthy to be playing at 80 is a good one. I recently was beat by an 87 year old!! Adds to my list of people that have beaten me, including a 10 year old girl L

I have not played in years.... but I would be happy to shoot my age at a 9 hole course....


Also, I have never really been able to see my drives that much.... heck, I would hit the ball, look up and not see it.... funny but true story.... I was on a long par 3... hit what felt like a great shot, but did not see it... walked down the fairway and did not see my ball... since nobody else was around, walked back and hacked a ball, hit second to near the green... and a third on the green... then I see my ball about a foot from the hole!! My one and only birdie in my life (I took the first shot.... I think that is legal, but who cares.... I counted what I wanted to count ;D)


I did see the ball better when I had orange balls, but I do not see them anymore.... thinking about getting out and playing, so will start to look for some soon....

Seems to be a common problem as we age. Currently I'm the designated ball watcher for some in the group I play with but I'm sure my time will come.

I have trouble following the ball too. I see them on the way out but commonly lose them as they are falling back to the ground and then see them bounce if they land in sunlight rather than shadow.

[QUOTE=Texas Proud;1647025]Also, I have never really been able to see my drives that much.... heck, I would hit the ball, look up and not see it.... funny but true story.... I was on a long par 3... hit what felt like a great shot, but did not see it... walked down the fairway and did not see my ball... since nobody else was around, walked back and hacked a ball, hit second to near the green... and a third on the green... then I see my ball about a foot from the hole!! My one and only birdie in my life (I took the first shot.... I think that is legal, but who cares.... I counted what I wanted to count ;D)
QUOTE]

Yep, completely legal! It's called hitting a "provisional ball". Thought you were going to say it was in the hole, but close!!

If you are retired and an avid golfer, can you share your golf practice/round routine? How often do you practice, and play? I plan to play 3 - 4 rounds per week, and practice 5 - 6 times per week. Too much?

Except that I have not been golfing for decades!!!

It was a problem when I was young..... my eyesight is not anywhere near good.... but I am supposed to see well with the glasses... just cannot follow a small white object in the sky... especially when I do not know where it is going..... if I were a better golfer, at least I would kinda know where it was going when I hit it and could find it....

BTW, I am not as bad as I make out.... I did see over 90% of my balls... maybe 95%....

I wish.... it was within a foot of the pin..... never had one that close before so I never thought to look :facepalm:

I played double bogey golf.... so a bogey was good for me and a par was rare.... I have ONE birdie.... I know that is not great with good golf players, but for me... good...

Now, I will put up my bowling scores as I was good at that.... not great, but good....

Typically play 18 on Tuesdays with some other retired guys at our club, 18 with a traveling group of retired guys on Thursdays and 9 with DW and other couples on Sunday afternoons. Also sneak in 18 with BIL every once in a while.

Practice.... what's that?

I just hit a few balls, putts, chips before playing to warm up, play 3X a week. The practice facility where I play sucks plus it's a little bit of a drive to get there so I have little motivation to practice. If I lived in a golf community with nice practice facilities I'm sure I could find a reason to practice more but not 5-6X per week.

I play about 4 days per week (OK sometimes 5) and will practice pretty regularly (2-3 times per week) early in the season (April, May). Typical practice session will be about an hour and include 2 of the following 3: full swing practice, short game practice, putting.

During full swing practice I focus on the fundamentals: grip, alignment, and getting into certain key positions during the course of the swing.

Putting practice includes many reps of a ladder drill for speed control and lots of putts from 3-4 feet because you have to make those. On the short putts I work on keeping my head down until the ball is in the hole - I have a tendency to peek and miss right.

Short game practice - our short game green has 3 pin locations. First I practice chipping - one ball to each hole with the GW, one to each hole with the SW. Move to a new position and repeat. After a few minutes of that (20 or so balls) I move to open face chips - same routine. After that, flop shots, same routine. To finish I start from about 30 yards out and hit 4 balls to one target (2 with the GW and 2 with the SW). Then move back in 5 yard increments and repeat until I run out of range (about 65 yards).

When I am playing a lot my warm-up sessions include 10-15 minutes on the full swing (Basically start with wedge and move up every other club through the bag). For putting I take 3 balls and putt each to a different target, holing out the 2nd putt (5-8 minutes). Chipping OR pitching - I do a shortened version of the short game practice routine, either chipping or pitching (5-8 minutes). So total warmup time is about 20-30 minutes and I've hit just about every shot that I will need on the course.

This week illustrates my basic problem, however. I really struggle taking my swing to the course. I went out Monday and worked on the full swing. Discovered I had fallen into my usual bad habit of aligning left of the target. Got everything straightened up and was hitting the most beautiful little draw with every club in the bag. Went to the course on Tuesday and the draw was still there on the range but, on the course, I was hitting a weak little fade. And today I had the draw for 9 holes and then it just vanished???.

Sorry this is so long - my buddies are not practicers and don't want to here about this.

Golf
 

I play twice a week and hitting balls and chip twice a week. I live less than two miles from two courses and a driving range. Love the game by the way I had my 2nd hole in one 10/11/2015 in the great state of Michigan. First one in Florida 19 years ago!!:dance::dance:

I've kept track of the number of holes this year and last. At this time of year in 2014 I had played 1161 holes. This year 684. That's what you get with a frozen shoulder and a thrown out back while moving cr*p. The weather looks decent for the next couple of weeks so I will try to make up a little ground.

And congrats to golfersailor for your hole in one! Very cool. I have never had one. 5" was probably the closest on a par 3, 130 yards. My wife after playing for 14 months had one. It was either a mishit or the best struck ball ever :) as it was a line drive that rolled 50% of the 90'ish yards and into the hole.

I hit a bucket of balls this morning just to keep rust off the clubs. But I don't play as much as when I first retired. I was playing 4 times a week. Now average not quite 2 full rounds a week. Will probably get out of my club first of the year and pay green fees. Will come out way ahead.

Congrats on the HIOs, I've had two myself both witnessed and both really shitty shots that just happened to find the hole. :dance::facepalm:

I witnessed my first one this year. Quite lucky actually... my neighbor landed on the left side of a left to right sloping green... rolled towards the cup at a "brisk" pace... ball hit the pin and dropped. Funny thing was that we had just been talking about how none of us had had a HIO or even witnessed one a couple holes earlier.

I've had two close calls. One earlier this summer on that very same hole my neighbor had the HIO. My tee shot had a lower than planned trajectory (ok... I skulled it a bit)... hit the right side of the hole and wrapped around the cup an exited the cup the way it came in. The other was many ears ago on a long par 3 where my hybrid shot ended up 6" from the cup.

Speaking of keeping track of holes...one of the guys I play with set the Guiness World Book record in 2012 with 812 1/2 18 hole rounds in one calendar year.

After I found out who he was, while he was going for the record in 2012, I saw him at our noon game and asked if he'd already played a round. He said no, two.

Wow, it's hard to imagine the fun in that, that would make golf seem more like a job (and you don't get paid). I know a few players at my club that judge a successful round of golf by not what their score was but by how long it took them to play. I'm guessing he would be in that group.

I've had two also. Both were decent shots that went in. I'm due for another one - last one was in 2009 :o


Hole 7 at Memorial park GC in Houston.

I guess my first one really wasn't all that bad, I knew I had hit the green and was picking up my tee when my partner yelled it was going in the hole. I looked up just in time to see it disappear in the hole. My second HOI was a skulled 7 wood, worm burner that struck the flag stick and dropped straight down. A foursome on the next hole tee box went kind of crazy jumping up and down and motioning to me that it dropped the hole. Best thing about it I was playing with my former boss and he had paid for the green fees.

My HIO was on tax day a few years ago. A 7 iron that took three bounces and dropped right in. The best part was that one of the witnesses is a guy who is loaded with $ and plays a lot of golf and buys expensive equipment, but has never had a HIO! That made mine so much sweeter.


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With all this talk about HIO.... does anybody remember the people who got over on the sports betting places in the UK???


Someone had looked and found out that there is someone in the field that shoots a HIO in half of the tournaments.... so they went and got odds on that bet... BIG odds... and bet a lot of small dollars all over so nobody would see what was happening.... when it hit, they won big time....

Some of the books paid.... some sued so they did not have to pay... do not know what happened in the end....


Looked some of it up.... at least one article....

Hole in One Betting - Factors Involved in Profitable Betting on a Hole in One at a Major Golf Tournament


Found another.... seems they did not get paid on all the bets....

https://www.bookmakers1.com/holeinonegang.html

My practice is very similar to JJ's, as described below:

Play 2/wk and practice 2/wk (including a formal lesson which I'm currently taking). Occassionally play more than 2/wk.

Practice is either full swing or short game, or both, and usually 1-2 hrs.

Full swing: I focus on staying vertical (don't sway back), making a good turn on back swing, and staying inside on down swing.

Wedges: Other than lob shots, which, along with sand shots, I don't practice enough, I practice wedges along with my full swing sessions; partly because of the setup of the practice area and partly because I'm taking full swings with them. I focus on distant & direction control.

Chipping & Pitching: I focus on keeping hands forward; typically practice with SW-8I @ various distances up to 35 yds, up hill & down hill, to the 3 pins on our chipping green. For shots >35 yds, I need to be on the main range.

Putting: Lots of ladder drill out to ~8 ft, plus lag putts @10-20 ft for speed control. I focus on ball placement & shaft verticality.

I think I mentioned earlier that my lessons are from GolfTec, and I use the drills my instructor recommends, for which they have online videos I can watch on my phone.

The only one I ever saw was a ricochet off another ball - perfectly legal.

I keep working on recovering (?) from the last swing lesson. Making a swing tweak usually sets me back for a while before it improves.

Looking at closely at my ER golf budget. Recently paid the next year's membership so I don't have to worry about green fee until next October. If ER goes well (no market collapse), I will continue with the membership. If market crashes, I will have to think about downgrading.

Sunday I had two tweeters in a row ended up with an 87 with 6 penalty strokes - got a little wild with my driver towards the end....