Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[pb4uski]

+1 Most of the guys I play with play from the senior tees so I do as well. Our course is much friendlier from the senior tees than from the whites on probably half of the holes... the remainder are only a little different (10 yds of so). I usually just tee off with a 3 or 5-wood rather than a driver.

 

[jjquantz]

I moved up 3-4 years ago. Most everyone I play with are older so I play from the same tees they like. It does make scoring better and I generally have more fun from the short tees. If I'm just playing 9 by myself, I generally play from the longer regular tees just to mix it up.

I spend too much time puzzling over this. In general, I've always liked playing tees where I have to play "well" to break 80. Right now, I still feel like the best match for that is still the tips on this course (only 6375 yards). If I really felt like the next tees up (ca. 5900 yards) gave me a chance to shoot around par regularly, I would definitely move up. However, I really think (sadly) that today was a fluke. So I will probably continue to do what I've been doing: play the tips until I have 3 or 4 rounds where I don't break 80, then move up for a couple of rounds to build some confidence (I find it relatively easy to break 80 from that set), then move back. Most of the people I've been running into on weekday mornings are playing the gold tees - those are only about 4900 yards - I'm not going up there for quite a while.

The best thing is that today felt like a good omen for my upcoming trip to Bandon Dunes!

 

[Music Lover]

I spend too much time puzzling over this. In general, I've always liked playing tees where I have to play "well" to break 80. Right now, I still feel like the best match for that is still the tips on this course (only 6375 yards). If I really felt like the next tees up (ca. 5900 yards) gave me a chance to shoot around par regularly, I would definitely move up. However, I really think (sadly) that today was a fluke. So I will probably continue to do what I've been doing: play the tips until I have 3 or 4 rounds where I don't break 80, then move up for a couple of rounds to build some confidence (I find it relatively easy to break 80 from that set), then move back. Most of the people I've been running into on weekday mornings are playing the gold tees - those are only about 4900 yards - I'm not going up there for quite a while.

The best thing is that today felt like a good omen for my upcoming trip to Bandon Dunes!

We tend to pick the tees that end up between 6,100 - 6,500...long enough to be a challenge to us hackers, but not so long that you have to hit a 3-wood to every other par 4.

 

[pb4uski]

 

[Music Lover]

^^

Well, it looks like I'm playing too far back...

 

[jjquantz]

I find this table interesting, but not terribly useful. I am a short hitter, always have been, always will be. My typical carry distance on my drives is 200-205 yards. But, for the past 25 years, I've maintained a single digit handicap based on a strong short game and good putting. If I played the tees recommended, there is NO WAY that I would find other single digit handicappers to play with. On the other hand, I've played with a lot of guys who can hit the ball 275 yards who can't break 100 (DSIL comes to mind). I really appreciate the intent of the table and the tee it forward initiative, but the reality is much more complicated than this table shows.

Like MusicLover, I like to play tees that are between 6100 and 6500 yards. This, usually, provides the right balance of challenge and satisfaction for me. Or, by other measures, a course rating of 70.0 +/- 1.0 and a slope of 130 +/- 5 usually hits me about right.

 

[Music Lover]

jj:

We have a local "feel good" course where most of the par 4's are 320 - 340 yards, a few are under 300. Sure, it's nice having a wedge to almost every green and going low, but in the long run it's not as much fun as hitting a 3-wood onto a green on a 430 yard hole and having a birdie putt.

I played the short course last week and shot 36 on the front 9, but I remember more the 42 on a different course that had par 4's of 400, 380, 430, 405, 390.

 

[jjquantz]

MusicLover,

One thing that I like about my current home course is the variety in par 4's. From the back tees my approaches will include anything from 3 wood to pitching wedge and a wide variety in between. A couple play severely downhill and many play slightly uphill. It does lack a really long par 4, say 440 yards or longer, and 3 of the par 5's are really too short (under 500 yards), even though they play uphill (one severely). The par 3's are not sufficiently varied in distance (somedays I'm hitting the same hybrid into all of them) and I miss having one short par 3.

A course that makes you hit a variety of shots is what makes golf fun.

 

[Music Lover]

A course that makes you hit a variety of shots is what makes golf fun.

Agreed. The course 5 minutes from my house is very well laid out...the par 3s are 165, 225, 115 (over water), 145 (over water), and 175. Both over water par 3's have bunkers on the "safe" side.

Par 4's from 320 to 430...one of the par 4's curves right with water along the entire right side plus in front of the green, another curves left with water along the entire left side plus in front of the green. It has a drivable par 4 at 320 and a 430 par 4, and every distance in between. 80% of the course has no trees, but 20 feet outside of the rough in favoured landing areas they often let the grass grow a foot high.

 

[zinger1457]

Has anyone been to a "Top Golf" venue and if so, did you like it, thoughts and comments welcome.

It wasn't a Top Golf venue but have visited an indoor 'golf' sports bar. Not a replacement for the real thing but it was a lot of fun. Your group plays a round of golf on a golf simulator, you have a selection of quite a few different courses to choose from, and you will use all your clubs. With drinks flowing it was a fun night. Apparently these types of venues are very popular in Asia where golf isn't as affordable as it is over here.

 

[Dawg52]

I spend too much time puzzling over this. In general, I've always liked playing tees where I have to play "well" to break 80. Right now, I still feel like the best match for that is still the tips on this course (only 6375 yards). If I really felt like the next tees up (ca. 5900 yards) gave me a chance to shoot around par regularly, I would definitely move up. However, I really think (sadly) that today was a fluke. So I will probably continue to do what I've been doing: play the tips until I have 3 or 4 rounds where I don't break 80, then move up for a couple of rounds to build some confidence (I find it relatively easy to break 80 from that set), then move back. Most of the people I've been running into on weekday mornings are playing the gold tees - those are only about 4900 yards - I'm not going up there for quite a while.

The best thing is that today felt like a good omen for my upcoming trip to Bandon Dunes!

I'm not into 4900 yard golf. Our 65-70 y/o tees are in the 5700 range. Still a little short, but good variety of holes. I prefer the next set of tees at 6100 yds but I would be the only one playing those in my group and that's a pain as all the guys forget and drive up to the next tee before I have hit. So I just play with them. I sometimes play from the tips(6900) when with other players and to be honest, my scores do not rise that much. Kind of fun for a change.

 

[zinger1457]

This rattlesnake was waiting for us on the 12th tee this morning and showed poor etiquette in not letting us play thru.

 

[golfnut]

I'm a 14 capper and hit my drives on average about 235 yds (many times not straight). That being said, I do not see any real variance in my scores from courses ranging from 6000 to 6700 yds. If I scramble and putt well, I'll shoot low to mid 80s. If not, then my score are in mid to hi 90s.

 

[jjquantz]

I'm a 14 capper and hit my drives on average about 235 yds (many times not straight). That being said, I do not see any real variance in my scores from courses ranging from 6000 to 6700 yds. If I scramble and putt well, I'll shoot low to mid 80s. If not, then my score are in mid to hi 90s.

What I notice with scores and course distances is not how my "typical" score might change, but what my good scores are likely to be. On a 6700 yard course, even if I'm playing well, I'm really not at all likely to break 80, even if I play well. On a 6000 yard course of comparable difficulty, however, I am quite likely to break 80, even if I just play sorta well. One difference is, perhaps, that I am a very consistent 8 handicap. Once we get into the season, my scores really don't move outside a 5-6 stroke range on any given course (current course, back tees, my last 10 scores range from 78 to 83). I know other 8 handicaps whose scores can easily range over a 10-12 stroke range on the same course. Just depends on each player's game.

Oh, and today I'm back to the back tees and shot an 82. Up and down for saves on the last 7 holes. Not a good day tee to green.

 

[Huston55]

We tend to pick the tees that end up between 6,100 - 6,500...long enough to be a challenge to us hackers, but not so long that you have to hit a 3-wood to every other par 4.

+1

Plus, most of my playing group is older, and some of them play further up @ the Sr tees.

 

[Huston55]

I spend too much time puzzling over this. In general, I've always liked playing tees where I have to play "well" to break 80. Right now, I still feel like the best match for that is still the tips on this course (only 6375 yards). If I really felt like the next tees up (ca. 5900 yards) gave me a chance to shoot around par regularly, I would definitely move up. However, I really think (sadly) that today was a fluke. So I will probably continue to do what I've been doing: play the tips until I have 3 or 4 rounds where I don't break 80, then move up for a couple of rounds to build some confidence (I find it relatively easy to break 80 from that set), then move back. Most of the people I've been running into on weekday mornings are playing the gold tees - those are only about 4900 yards - I'm not going up there for quite a while.



The best thing is that today felt like a good omen for my upcoming trip to Bandon Dunes!

Congrats on the 71...no matter where the tees are!

Enjoy BD. Have to admit I'm a bit jealous. Pls report here after your trip so we can enjoy it vicariously.

 

[jjquantz]

Congrats on the 71...no matter where the tees are!

Enjoy BD. Have to admit I'm a bit jealous. Pls report here after your trip so we can enjoy it vicariously.

Will do, it will be my 3rd trip - I've been going every other year with a buddy and his wife who have gone 5 consecutive years. A wonderful, low-key golf location without the frills of most "golf resorts".

 

[Huston55]

Will do, it will be my 3rd trip - I've been going every other year with a buddy and his wife who have gone 5 consecutive years. A wonderful, low-key golf location without the frills of most "golf resorts".

I've been to BD only once & it was an "all golf all the time" experience. We took 8 golfers & had tremendous fun.

 

[nubill]

I prefer the next set of tees at 6100 yds but I would be the only one playing those in my group and that's a pain as all the guys forget and drive up to the next tee before I have hit. So I just play with them.

Since I live in a 55+ community, I play the white tees (5200-5400) mostly. When my son comes down to visit I'll play the blue tee's (5800-6000).

 

[Music Lover]

Well, after a half dozen rounds shooting between 80 and 88, the wheels fell off today. On a relatively easy course where I should have shot low to mid-80's, I made 3 triples, a quad, a 10 on a par 5, and 3-putted from inside 20 feet 4 times and ended up with a 103.

To add insult to injury, I grabbed a hot dog and a beer on the way to the 10th hole and when I put them down to hit my tee shot, I knocked over the beer and it soaked the hot dog

But, as the saying goes...a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at work

 

[gcgang]

I just got on the Board of CC and, of course, took on Golf Committee. Our Member Guest was scheduled shortly after. Great guy promoting, field filled. 1st day Scramble, 2nd day best ball. I ask about handicapping. Pro says we just do 100% for best ball, take 50% of total handicap for scramble. I say wait, USGA has guidelines for Scramble, 35% low, 15% high. (I took some crap from players for that one). They also have recommendation for best ball, 90% for men, 95% women, with handicaps reduced a further 10% if difference in team members handicap is more than 8 strokes. We changed to do per USGA, except for the additional 10%. Worked out good, except that top three teams all would have been subject to the 8 stroke rule, further bringing the field together. USGA knows.

 

[Midpack]

Well, after a half dozen rounds shooting between 80 and 88, the wheels fell off today. On a relatively easy course where I should have shot low to mid-80's, I made 3 triples, a quad, a 10 on a par 5, and 3-putted from inside 20 feet 4 times and ended up with a 103.

To add insult to injury, I grabbed a hot dog and a beer on the way to the 10th hole and when I put them down to hit my tee shot, I knocked over the beer and it soaked the hot dog

But, as the saying goes...a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at work

It wouldn't be golf without the periodic humblings. I've been humbled hundreds of times for most of 50 years now. Thank goodness for the great shots we all enjoy at some frequency. Sorry about the spilled beer and soggy dog, that is 'insult to injury.'

 

[garyt]

I find this table interesting, but not terribly useful. I am a short hitter, always have been, always will be. My typical carry distance on my drives is 200-205 yards. But, for the past 25 years, I've maintained a single digit handicap based on a strong short game and good putting. If I played the tees recommended, there is NO WAY that I would find other single digit handicappers to play with. On the other hand, I've played with a lot of guys who can hit the ball 275 yards who can't break 100 (DSIL comes to mind). I really appreciate the intent of the table and the tee it forward initiative, but the reality is much more complicated than this table shows.

Like MusicLover, I like to play tees that are between 6100 and 6500 yards. This, usually, provides the right balance of challenge and satisfaction for me. Or, by other measures, a course rating of 70.0 +/- 1.0 and a slope of 130 +/- 5 usually hits me about right.

There's always an outlier to everything. You just may be it in this situation. I find the chart to be pretty accurate. People would have more fun moving up, in general.

 

[garyt]

Has anyone been to a "Top Golf" venue and if so, did you like it, thoughts and comments welcome.

I've been to the one in Vegas. We didn't hit balls just checked it out. It looks like fun but it's not really golf it's more like a party with a few golf shots thrown in. They even had a pool and some people were hitting in bathing suits. A few young ladies made the trip worthwhile.

 

[pb4uski]

Well, after a half dozen rounds shooting between 80 and 88, the wheels fell off today. On a relatively easy course where I should have shot low to mid-80's, I made 3 triples, a quad, a 10 on a par 5, and 3-putted from inside 20 feet 4 times and ended up with a 103.

To add insult to injury, I grabbed a hot dog and a beer on the way to the 10th hole and when I put them down to hit my tee shot, I knocked over the beer and it soaked the hot dog

But, as the saying goes...a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at work

Heck, that's nothing. Here's my score today: par, par, par... then the wheels come off... bogey, double, double, triple, double....then I right the ship... par, par, par and so on for -3 net.