PassTheAmmunition Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I don't know how many of the TRF faithful are avid golfers, beginners or maybe people who are looking to pick up the game - but I thought it might be cool to have a place to chat golf. We're not professionals, but we certainly all have stories to share about the mental torture the game subjects us to! My own golf game has become wildly inconsistent and I chalk that up to a lack of personal time to devote to playing and practicing. I used to golf 30+ times in a season (east coast here, so yes there truly is a "season" and its generally April - October for courses to be open). Now I probably am lucky if I make it out half that much. But the weekends are next to impossible around here in terms of getting a tee time, and the rounds can take 6 painful hours. I have two kids and an entire day spent golfing on the weekend doesnt fly to well. Yet I am addicted to the game and want to play it every chance I get. Some info about me: Been Playing Since: 1983 Famous Courses I've Played: none truly famous I suppose; I did get a chance to play Westchester CC, and BethPage Black. Those were the only ones Ive played that majors have been played on. I'd love to play Pebble Beach or Torrey Pines just once... Handicap: 9 (currently) Hole in One?: Nope :-( Best Moment: Hole-ing out a 5-iron from 203 yards on a par 5 for a double eagle Funniest Moment: Playing an entire round with just a putter in Cape Cod (a beer a hole) :-) Clubs: Callaway X Series Balls: Titelist Pro-V1, Callaway 2-piece What's your story? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subdivider79 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Basic stuff for me. I wouldn't sniff the word golf until Tiger Woods came on the scene. Tiger has allowed me to appreciate not only him, but the other greats as well. I now have an understanding of the difficulty of golf, and it's so much easier to appreciate the game. I'm a Woods fanatic. I follow everything he does, but I also pay close attention to every PGA event--whether Tiger plays or not. I've only played a handful of times myself. Not only do I not have the time nor the money for golf, I also don't like to play it. It's too hard, and I frustrate easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-0-0-1-0-0-1 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Been Playing Since: 1991 Famous Courses I've Played: none yet... Handicap: low 20s Hole in One?: Nope Best Moment: winning a closest to the pin and a longdrive in the same tournament Funniest Moment: can't think of one right now Clubs: King Cobra knock-offs Balls: Nike When I first started I played every weekend. Now I work many weekends so I'm lucky if I get three rounds a YEAR in. Played only once this year, on Easter Sunday morning (cold!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anagramking Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Great thread idea. I'll use the basic info from your format here: Been Playing Since: 1983 on and off Famous Courses I've Played: Bethpage Black, Poppy Hills (one of the rota at the AT&T [formerly known as the Crosby]), Brown Deer (site of the Greater Milwaukee Open), Cog Hill #4 (longtime site of the Western Open), Kemper Lakes (hosted the PGA once), and the course where they play that Grand Slam silly season event on Kauai (but I try to forget that round, I got destroyed by the trade winds. And how famous is it if I can't remember the name of it?) Handicap: I play bogey golf when I play regularly. My best score on a legitimate track was 86. Hole in One?: I wish Best Moment: So many of those little moments that keep me coming back for more punishment. Funniest Moment: Got a par on a long par 4 like this...Weak drive, had long approach and pulled it badly into the trees, took a penalty drop for unplayable lie, and holed a 50 yard wedge for the par. Clubs: Lynx irons and hybrids, Cleveland driver, Adams 3-Wood,Ping Anser putter, Triumph lob wedge Balls: Whatever is on sale. I lose them too fast sometimes. I gotta get out more this summer. Chicago is a hard place to get out and play, I must say. It was easier when I lived in Phoenix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theredtamasrule Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I'll chime in even though I don't play much anymore I used to be a fanatic and would play as often as possible. Maybe I realized I'd reached a peak and wouldn't/couldn't get better or what but the desire to play just disappeared over night. I managed to break 80 a few times on some really tough courses and once my boss in Minnesota flew us to Wisconsin to play Black Wolf Run & Whistling Straights on a dare that I couldn't break 90 from the blue tees. He paid so I agreed (thank god because it's unbelievably expensive!) and I managed to shoot 85 at Black Wolf Run River Course from the blues even though I threw up all over my self with a couple of doubles on the back side...could have been close to 80 but there it is. Whistling Straights flat out kicked my ass up and down Lake Michigan. Been Playing Since: 1988 Famous Courses I've Played: Valhalla a couple of times Black Wolf Run River Course Whistling Straights "The Straights" Course The Pete Dye Club in W. Va. The TPC of Scottsdale Troon North Black Diamond Quarry & Ranch Courses The TPC at Sawgrass - kicked my ass!! Kearney Hill Links in Lexington, KY. A Pete Dye course where the Senior PGA played on a regular basis. Was practically my home course for a decade. Cheap, public and always in great shape. Handicap: I dunno, never figured it up. Hole in One?: Yes but it was a blind par 3 so no one in my group saw it!!!! Best Moment: Hmmm....I'll have to think about that one. Funniest Moment: My pants inseam ripped from my crotch down to my right leg calf...on the 7th hole so I had to play about all day showing my boxers! Not a pretty sight when hunkering down to study a putt... Clubs: My favorites were my old Taylor Mades but I also like the old Ping Eye 2's. Balls: X-out Titleists....hey, they're cheap. Great idea for a thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theredtamasrule Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 QUOTE (anagramking @ Jun 19 2008, 03:30 PM) ..holed a 50 yard wedge for the par. Awesome! What a game. Don't you just love it when shit like that happens. I remember playing Kearny Hill once, teeing off on the par 5 3rd that's well over 500 yards from the blues with a pond to the right of the green. After a smashed drive that was helped by a tailing wind and firm fairways I have a 9 iron for my 2nd shot... needless to say I walked off the green with a bogey... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theredtamasrule Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 So just how brutal is Bethpage Black? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassTheAmmunition Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 (edited) The thing that makes me always want to come back is that I truly play a scrambler's game. I can hit it a good way, but not always the "right" way but every now and again on one of those second shots (where the yardage marker on the sprinkler head says "don't even think about it") something inspiring happens and I'm back in the hole. Which of course leads me to believe that I can play this game, which of course I can't, but I'm too pumped up over what just happened to beleive that.... and so it goes..... When I was very young, my Dad would take me out. We played this nice public course close to my house where I grew up. One afternoon on a par three, my Dad motioned to me that the foursome on the green was waving us up (to hit our tee shots) while they waited. I was nervous, and I was still learning the game, but I swung my dad's persimmon-wood 5 wood and hit my tee shot to within a foot of the flag. Sure, it rolled onto the green and there was some luck involved, but I was ecstatic. And to this day I still remember the look on the faces of the four people when we drove up to the green and I went to claim MY ball. I didnt even understand what a "gimmie" was and my dad just told me that when u hit em like that, you dont need to putt. That was the moment that golf hooked me. Edited June 19, 2008 by PassTheAmmunition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theredtamasrule Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Persimmon...man, there was nothing that felt or sounded better than a well hit drive with a persimmon wood. I guess that officially makes me old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassTheAmmunition Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 19 2008, 03:50 PM) So just how brutal is Bethpage Black? Brutal. Ive never played so many par 4s that should be par 5s INTO the wind on every single hole, uphill. I played the year that the Open was held there (2002, if I recall) and I had never putted on concrete before. It was very entertaining. I putted off of greens as well as onto them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theanalogkid Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Jun 19 2008, 01:17 PM) Been Playing Since: 2005 (but I played once in 1993) Famous Courses I've Played: none yet... usually cheaper courses in Denver or Fort Collins, CO Handicap: How is that calculated? I usually shoot 19-24 over on 9 holes... Hole in One?: Nope Best Moment: Getting addicted to the game a couple weeks ago by having a blast with my friend at JFK in Denver. Funniest Moment: 100 yards from the green and my prediction that my shot would go 6 feet into the neighboring water came true. Clubs: Hmmm... nothing famous. I bought them for $40 (including Michelob golf bag) from a friend in High School) Balls: Anything painted Yellow, so I can find it outside of the fairway. Basically, I love the game, all aspects. I don't take it or myself too seriously and I have fun while I am out there. Colorado allows for some year round golfing and it is just a fun sport. I don't find it frustrating and in fact golf helps clear my mind of anything troubling me as I have to force myself NOT to think in order to hit the ball right. Renting a cart, taking some beers, sneaking a chew (while away from the wife) from my friend's can, and enjoying the sun. It is great. I am going tomorrow night, twilight special, 6:30pm, 9 holes, $10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReflectedLight Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 (edited) Been Playing Since: 2002 Famous Courses I've Played: Desert Canyon, AZ Bethpage Red, NY Montauk Down GC, NY Handicap: ? Hole in One?: Not yet Best Moment: I'm lucky if I play 4-5 times during the summer, but I played like a man possessed at Desert Canyon not too long ago. Funniest Moment: I got set up for the old exploding ball on the first hole trick. When I hit it, I actually thought I crushed the ball. Clubs: Calloway knock offs Balls: Top Flite or whatever's on sale Edited June 19, 2008 by hope70 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Mojo Risin' Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Been Playing Since: 2006 (My grandpa did take me out as a kid, but I was too young) Famous Courses I've Played: None Handicap: Mental Hole in One?: Only on the practice range Best Moment: During the winter, skipping a ball off of a frozen lake on a Par 5 to about 3 feet from the hole. Funniest Moment: Probably the one above. Clubs: Crappy driver I should be replacing this summer, Tommy Armour Woods and Irons, Vokey 60 Deg Wedge, Golden Bear blade putter Balls: An assortment of Titelists I got from when I worked valet at a golf course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassTheAmmunition Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 Great replies so far, I'm enjoying the 'funniest moments' the most, perhaps I should have made the threadd all about the funny things that happen (the exploding golf ball is a great one, btw. As is "calling your shot" into the water...) :-) Re: handicap You can read a much more scientific explanation of it if you Google 'golf handicap index' - but a brief explanation as I understand it: A handicap is number equivalent to the average number of strokes you play above par; however, a true handicap calculation takes into account several factors about the course(s) you play your rounds on, namely the 'Slope' and 'Rating' assigned to the course by the USGA - which essentially is an indicator of the course's difficulty and challenge, as well as the tees you play from. Its also a weighted average and in order to attain a 'true' handicap, one essentially needs to register with GHIN, and must input scores at golf courses that participate in GHIN (most if not all, do) and I believe you need a minimum of 10 rounds in order to establish your handicap. A '10' handicap would roughly equate to an average score of 82 on a par-72 course. A handicap of 20 would mean an average score of 92, and so on. Unfortunately, the handicap system is more complicated than just average scores, but the overall aim is to have a system that rates you as a golfer based on your ability on the courses you play (shooting a 75 from the white tees on a county course and shooting 75 from the black tees at Pebble Beach are not equivalent....) And the whole goal is to have a system that helps pair golfers of "like abilities" on a course in a way that they can be compared relative to each other. Hope that helps a little bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerxster Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Where's Gleaming?? I was golfing last Sun at the local local par 3-4 course. 2nd hole is a par 3, like a 100 foot drop down. I hit my #7 i believe it was and it fell pin high but in the rough to the left. Chipped it out onto the green then into the rough on the right side, about 20' away from the hole. I don't know but just had this good feeling like i could do it, and chipped it and it hit the green and after a little roll into the hole to save par. is how i felt. But most other holes i felt First time out this year. Golf is all in the mind. All in the mind. Been Playing Since: Late 80's? Famous Courses I've Played: I never played any famous courses, but did have breakfast at the restaurant overlooking the 18th green at Pebble Beach. Man they make good breakfast burrito wraps, lemmy tell ya. Handicap: don't golf enough to have one Hole in One?: Only on Tiger Woods 04 for PS2 (still play that game.. got legs baby) Best Moment: Probably the story above- that ruled. One dude behind us said he saw that chip in from the tee box above. Funniest Moment: Getting hit in the chest with an errant drive. No wait, that's the scariest moment. Clubs: Mizuno Zoid driver, Dunlap Theory 442 3 and 5 woods, Ram AccuBar irons and my trusty (or is that shifty) Tom Weiskopf 313 signature series Northwestern putter. Quite a Brady Bunch, eh? Balls: Titelist DT So/Lo #3 (currently) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anagramking Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 19 2008, 03:50 PM) So just how brutal is Bethpage Black? I played it back in 1993, before they spruced it up for the Open. The greens fee was only $18 at the time. I'm sure it's a lot higher now. I had only one par that day, and I had to make a 25 footer from the fringe (on 16, I believe) to do it. I shot 99, I think. The wind was not so bad that day, or I'm sure the score would have been a lot higher. The course played very tough as it was. I had a lot of tough lies if I missed a green or a fairway. And I must say that that course absolutely demanded precise approach shots. It was very easy to miss a green and be in a tough spot. There were a lot of fairway bunkers as well, and they didn't rake there. I was laughed at by others in my group for trying to rake a bunker. It was like hitting off a beach. I did take the liberty of placing a ball or two in a more reasonable lie in the fairway bunkers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anagramking Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 19 2008, 03:43 PM) QUOTE (anagramking @ Jun 19 2008, 03:30 PM) ..holed a 50 yard wedge for the par. Awesome! What a game. Don't you just love it when shit like that happens. I remember playing Kearny Hill once, teeing off on the par 5 3rd that's well over 500 yards from the blues with a pond to the right of the green. After a smashed drive that was helped by a tailing wind and firm fairways I have a 9 iron for my 2nd shot... needless to say I walked off the green with a bogey... Yeah, it looks the same on the scorecard, as they say. I mean, one would be more likely to believe that 4 was because I hit a nice straight drive and followed it with a crisp 7-iron to 12 feet, then tapped in for the par. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theredtamasrule Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 QUOTE (anagramking @ Jun 19 2008, 06:27 PM)QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 19 2008, 03:43 PM) QUOTE (anagramking @ Jun 19 2008, 03:30 PM) ..holed a 50 yard wedge for the par. Awesome! What a game. Don't you just love it when shit like that happens. I remember playing Kearny Hill once, teeing off on the par 5 3rd that's well over 500 yards from the blues with a pond to the right of the green. After a smashed drive that was helped by a tailing wind and firm fairways I have a 9 iron for my 2nd shot... needless to say I walked off the green with a bogey... Yeah, it looks the same on the scorecard, as they say. I mean, one would be more likely to believe that 4 was because I hit a nice straight drive and followed it with a crisp 7-iron to 12 feet, then tapped in for the par. What is this straight drive of which you speak? I had a terrible time swinging a driver but a 3 wood was a piece of cake and I never did figure out what exactly what it was about the driver that threw me off so bad. Topping the ball off the tee was my major downfall and it had an insidious way of ruining good rounds. I had the fortune of learning the game playing really good golfers (who for a while beat my ass & took several dollars). One was a club pro in North Carolina and for a time was on the Hooter's Tour (today's Nationwide Tour I think...). He could kill it off the tee but couldn't putt to save his life. I remember being humbled with extreme prejudice on one par 5 where we both hit from the back tees but he had an 8 iron into the green while I sheepishly wielded a 3 wood! That will keep your head from swelling I'll tell ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReflectedLight Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 QUOTE (anagramking @ Jun 19 2008, 06:24 PM) QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 19 2008, 03:50 PM) So just how brutal is Bethpage Black? I played it back in 1993, before they spruced it up for the Open. The greens fee was only $18 at the time. I'm sure it's a lot higher now. I had only one par that day, and I had to make a 25 footer from the fringe (on 16, I believe) to do it. I shot 99, I think. The wind was not so bad that day, or I'm sure the score would have been a lot higher. The course played very tough as it was. I had a lot of tough lies if I missed a green or a fairway. And I must say that that course absolutely demanded precise approach shots. It was very easy to miss a green and be in a tough spot. There were a lot of fairway bunkers as well, and they didn't rake there. I was laughed at by others in my group for trying to rake a bunker. It was like hitting off a beach. I did take the liberty of placing a ball or two in a more reasonable lie in the fairway bunkers. I've never played Bethpage black, but I wouldn't just because you have to walk the course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anagramking Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 QUOTE (hope70 @ Jun 19 2008, 07:48 PM) QUOTE (anagramking @ Jun 19 2008, 06:24 PM) QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 19 2008, 03:50 PM) So just how brutal is Bethpage Black? I played it back in 1993, before they spruced it up for the Open. The greens fee was only $18 at the time. I'm sure it's a lot higher now. I had only one par that day, and I had to make a 25 footer from the fringe (on 16, I believe) to do it. I shot 99, I think. The wind was not so bad that day, or I'm sure the score would have been a lot higher. The course played very tough as it was. I had a lot of tough lies if I missed a green or a fairway. And I must say that that course absolutely demanded precise approach shots. It was very easy to miss a green and be in a tough spot. There were a lot of fairway bunkers as well, and they didn't rake there. I was laughed at by others in my group for trying to rake a bunker. It was like hitting off a beach. I did take the liberty of placing a ball or two in a more reasonable lie in the fairway bunkers. I've never played Bethpage black, but I wouldn't just because you have to walk the course. To me, that is exactly why it should be played. The only course I've ever played that was not walkable was Gold Canyon, located in Apache Junction, AZ (just east of Mesa). Otherwise, I always want to walk. Nothing better than to walk a course on a nice day. Great exercise, and I get a better feel for the course that way, also. One of my pet peeves in golf is places that require me to rent a cart. That's so obnoxious. Even worse is when they require that the cart stay on the path at all times. Back in AZ, it seems like so many courses have these bullshit rules, especially in winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anagramking Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 19 2008, 07:34 PM) QUOTE (anagramking @ Jun 19 2008, 06:27 PM)QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 19 2008, 03:43 PM) QUOTE (anagramking @ Jun 19 2008, 03:30 PM) ..holed a 50 yard wedge for the par. Awesome! What a game. Don't you just love it when shit like that happens. I remember playing Kearny Hill once, teeing off on the par 5 3rd that's well over 500 yards from the blues with a pond to the right of the green. After a smashed drive that was helped by a tailing wind and firm fairways I have a 9 iron for my 2nd shot... needless to say I walked off the green with a bogey... Yeah, it looks the same on the scorecard, as they say. I mean, one would be more likely to believe that 4 was because I hit a nice straight drive and followed it with a crisp 7-iron to 12 feet, then tapped in for the par. What is this straight drive of which you speak? I had a terrible time swinging a driver but a 3 wood was a piece of cake and I never did figure out what exactly what it was about the driver that threw me off so bad. Topping the ball off the tee was my major downfall and it had an insidious way of ruining good rounds. I had the fortune of learning the game playing really good golfers (who for a while beat my ass & took several dollars). One was a club pro in North Carolina and for a time was on the Hooter's Tour (today's Nationwide Tour I think...). He could kill it off the tee but couldn't putt to save his life. I remember being humbled with extreme prejudice on one par 5 where we both hit from the back tees but he had an 8 iron into the green while I sheepishly wielded a 3 wood! That will keep your head from swelling I'll tell ya. I don't have a straight drive, for the most part. I fight the fade. I'm just saying it's more believable to say that than to say I holed a 50 yard wedge shot to save par. And that was not an easy lie, either, being downhill with some decent rough. I know what you mean about playing with scratch golfers. One time on my old home course, I was paired up with three scratch golfers. I struggled to keep up with them the whole round. That happens when you have to play more shots than they do. But on this 410 yard par 4 dogleg left, one guy played a beautiful draw around the dogleg and set himself up for an easy sand wedge to the green. Meanwhile I think the shortest club I ever hit into that green was a 6 iron. If I miss my drive right, it's a lot longer. Later on a shortish par 5 he got home in two with two iron shots. Edited June 20, 2008 by anagramking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gleamingalloyaircar81 Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 Been Playing Since: 1996 Famous Courses I've Played: none but I am going to a golf school at TPC at Sawgrass June 29-July3 Handicap: 7 Hole in One?: 2 Funniest Moment: Me slicing the ball onto the 13th green while I was on the 12th fairway and it went in the hole! Best Moment: Making a hole in one and shooting a 68 on the same day Clubs: Irons: Rac OS2. Driver: TaylorMade Burner (the new one) 3 wood: TaylorMade R580. 5 wood: TaylorMade Burner (the new one). Sand Wedge: Cleveland CG10. Lob Wedge: Cleveland CG10. Gap Wedge: Cleveland CG11. Putter: Walter Hagen WH003 Balls: For school matches Titleist Pro-V1X. For practice Top Flite D2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gleamingalloyaircar81 Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 QUOTE (Lerxster @ Jun 19 2008, 05:24 PM) Where's Gleaming?? Im here im here!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gleamingalloyaircar81 Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 How often does eveyone here play? I play a little over 250 rounds a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choose/the/light Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 Hey guys! I just got back from golfing!!! of the "Mini" variety that is i tied my bro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now