2020 Golf Thread of Disappoint Yourself

[capnamerca 571]

On 4/28/2020 at 10:46 AM, Steel Shank said:

Anybody know how the course is at Falconhead? I understand they're open, just don't know if it's worth the drive.

quoting an older post, but played there Saturday AM. It's worth the drive. Greens might be as good as I've ever seen them - turns out, getting a 3-4 week break from a packed tee-sheet, along with a warm spring and a few heavy storms means the grass will grow. They're a little light on the social distancing stuff, but I wore a mask for all the checkin/pro shop time, and took my own hand sanitizer, and felt safe. Range is open, one-rider-to-a-cart. Beware that if they run out of carts, you have to walk ... so book an early tee time, or shoot for the 11-12 timeframe (for when the early tee times start to finish up).

[Steel Shank 9429]

Excellent. Thank you kindly.

[DDD Dad 14346]

quoting an older post, but played there Saturday AM. It's worth the drive. Greens might be as good as I've ever seen them - turns out, getting a 3-4 week break from a packed tee-sheet, along with a warm spring and a few heavy storms means the grass will grow. They're a little light on the social distancing stuff, but I wore a mask for all the checkin/pro shop time, and took my own hand sanitizer, and felt safe. Range is open, one-rider-to-a-cart. Beware that if they run out of carts, you have to walk ... so book an early tee time, or shoot for the 11-12 timeframe (for when the early tee times start to finish up).

What did you hit on 1?

[capnamerca 571]

2 minutes ago, DDD Dad said:

What did you hit on 1?

There's only one answer to this question.

[DDD Dad 14346]

There's only one answer to this question.

And what was the result?

[capnamerca 571]

Just now, DDD Dad said:

And what was the result?

Easy double.

[capnamerca 571]

20 minutes ago, DDD Dad said:

What did you hit on 1?

Probably going back this Friday AM. Gonna hit the same club then, too.

[DDD Dad 14346]

Probably going back this Friday AM. Gonna hit the same club then, too.

So you won’t be getting off the Regan until at least 2.

[capnamerca 571]

3 minutes ago, DDD Dad said:

So you won’t be getting off the Regan until at least 2.

Lol. I'm just not good enough to rope hook a 3w far enough ... have to try the driver otherwise I'm hitting 6i into that green and that's no recipe for success.

[pops 7005]

On 5/3/2020 at 9:35 AM, Jhawk said:

Made an emergency trip to Phoenix. 
raven - 88

boulders south - 93

boulders north - 89

TPC stadium - 88

of all things to lose this week I lost my putting. I was 3 putting 3-5 times a round. Didn’t have 1 round under 34 putts.  If I’m even close to my average there I’m probably low 80s most of the week. 
 

I think the south course might be the hardest golf course I’ve ever played. 

What were the crowds like?  A desert trip doesn't sound bad right now

[DDD Dad 14346]

Lol. I'm just not good enough to rope hook a 3w far enough ... have to try the driver otherwise I'm hitting 6i into that green and that's no recipe for success.

In other news I’m finding that the flipping of nines at my home course has changed my course management. Now that first tee is wide open 10 by the time I get to 1 I am loose enough to hit driver on 1. And I don’t smother it into the hedge like [mention]longhorn10 [/mention]

[capnamerca 571]

1 minute ago, DDD Dad said:

In other news I’m finding that the flipping of nines at my home course has changed my course management. Now that first tee is wide open 10 by the time I get to 1 I am loose enough to hit driver on 1. And I don’t smother it into the hedge like [mention]longhorn10 [/mention]

This is encouraging news  ...

[Jhawk 1075]

10 hours ago, pops said:

What were the crowds like?  A desert trip doesn't sound bad right now

It wasn’t bad at all. They just ended the high season a week before the end of April so no courses were over $150. I booked a flight Sunday and left Wednesday for $400 round trip out of Tulsa so last minute rates are real good. I’d make it out ASAP if you want to beat the heat. 

[Incredulity 11679]

Its over 100 in PHX.  

[HouTex 1887]

Its over 100 in PHX.  

But 0% humidity.

[conVINCEd 21469]

27 minutes ago, HouTex said:

But 0% humidity.

I believe they call it a dry heat.

[pops 7005]

1 hour ago, Incredulity said:

Its over 100 in PHX.  

That isn't hot in Phoenix. 

[Jhawk 1075]

With the 5-10mph breeze it actually was pretty nice. Sunscreen helped. 
 

played 18 then 9 today. 90 and 47. Just couldn’t put it together. 38 rounds for the year. 

[hacker 184]

Been playing Plum Creek so much I think I'm going to change things up.  All my friends play the blue tees (6000 yards).  That makes every par 4  a driver, sw.   Next time out, moving back one set of tees and not hitting any drivers.  3 wood and irons off the tee.  

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

Shot a 83 today which is the best round of my life by 4 strokes or so.  Even more importantly I did not lose a ball.  For whatever reason I actually sank 4-5 putts of 7-10 feet in length which I never do.  Days like this make me think I could become a respectable golfer but I know next time out I will shoot low 90s as usual and go back to being bitter.

[Lurch 5931]

Shot a 83 today which is the best round of my life by 4 strokes or so.  Even more importantly I did not lose a ball.  For whatever reason I actually sank 4-5 putts of 7-10 feet in length which I never do.  Days like this make me think I could become a respectable golfer but I know next time out I will shoot low 90s as usual and go back to being bitter.

Nice score! I danced in the low 80s for 2 years solid, trying and failing to break 80. The first time I finally did, I shot a 76. Amazing how it just suddenly all clicks in such a significant way

[Steel Shank 9429]

7 hours ago, hacker said:

Been playing Plum Creek so much I think I'm going to change things up.  All my friends play the blue tees (6000 yards).  That makes every par 4  a driver, sw.   Next time out, moving back one set of tees and not hitting any drivers.  3 wood and irons off the tee.  

A buddy and I were just talking how changing the tees changes the game. It's a mind thing, I think. Often times good.

Edited May 10, 2020 by Steel Shank

[HookEm 2467]

Played Avery Ranch yesterday and they are now mandatory 2 to a cart... but also encouraging social distancing. Last I checked the golf carts don't allow 6 ft spacing between riders. Moronic.

I don't see how this is allowed by Texas and Williamson County ordinances.

[Jhawk 1075]

Got up to kc to play with mom and dad this weekend. syarted Saturday at shadow glen with 4 pars. 3 of which had 7-15 foot birdie putts that I missed. Had 7 total pars and shot 90. Was bummed but I’m almost there. 
 

Sunday night we played another nine. Par (missed 12 foot birdie putt), birdie, birdie, Bogey (3 putt), par, bogey, double (tried a hero shot), bogey, bogey. Finishing with a 40. Short game is about 5 hours of work from being really dialed in. I’ve got a match this week in OK, and a round scheduled for Wednesday. Then next Thursday I’m off to pinehurst for 4 rounds and the cradle. 

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

Followed up my 83 on Saturday with a 83 today.  I think I may get hit by lightning Caddyshack style the way I am playing.  

[HouTex 1887]

Played 9 on Saturday—only nine were open where i played. Shot a 35 (even par). Beat my best 9 hole score by three shots. I missed read a par putt (a three putt) on 9 for my only bogey. Not bad for a 10 index.

[Auto Driller 2506]

Shot 42 - 45 / 87 on Gus Wortham this morning. Made a swing change that seriously improved my game a step change better in a short period of time. GW is a great course for anyone in Houston who has never tried it.
 

Sometimes the divot is more enjoyable than watching the ball fly (I birdied the hole too).

https://imgur.com/Zf6TOtq

Edited May 13, 2020 by Auto Driller

[hacker 184]

On 5/11/2020 at 6:51 PM, HouTex said:

Played 9 on Saturday—only nine were open where i played. Shot a 35 (even par). Beat my best 9 hole score by three shots. I missed read a par putt (a three putt) on 9 for my only bogey. Not bad for a 10 index.

Sandbagger

[HouTex 1887]

Sandbagger

If I could have played 18 I most certainly would have blown up on the next nine. That’s why I’m a 10.1 index.

[Lurch 5931]

Hearing GCAmTour is permanently closed.

[tx 3 putt 77231]

8 hours ago, Auto Driller said:

Shot 42 - 45 / 87 on Gus Wortham this morning. Made a swing change that seriously improved my game a step change better in a short period of time. GW is a great course for anyone in Houston who has never tried it.
 

Sometimes the divot is more enjoyable than watching the ball fly (I birdied the hole too).

https://imgur.com/Zf6TOtq

i need to play that couse, live about 10 mins away 

Edited May 14, 2020 by tx 3 putt

[DDD Dad 14346]

Hearing GCAmTour is permanently closed.

[mention]capnamerca [/mention]

[chitwood 155]

Shot 44/38 last week at Boot Ranch. Greens had just been punched and sanded so couldn’t putt at all. Haven’t driven the ball like that in years. Makes the game simpler. Shocking, I know. 

[Jhawk 1075]

I’m getting very consistent in my overall scores. But not consistent hole to hole. I need to figure something out to get to the next step. I feel like I’m 3-4 holes away from low 80s but consistently land 88-91.  
 

any real secrets to breaking the barrier down?

[drewlaws 126]

The pandemic has been pretty good for my golf game. Playing once a week on average, I've knocked a few strokes off my handicap and am playing consistently in the 80s lately.

I struggle with GIR and I think alignment may be a contributor. Sometimes I think I block it out to the right but my playing partners say I just aimed out there. I feel dumb typing this question, but does anyone have advice on proper aim? Spend time on the range with alignment sticks and get used to the look of the flag? I try picking a spot on my line in front of the ball with mixed results.

Edited May 15, 2020 by drewlaws

[Pam Cummings 9647]

Apparently i need more time off. 72-75 the 2 days i played this week. Had been struggling to break 80 when i left off. Funny how that shit works.

[Pam Cummings 9647]

24 minutes ago, drewlaws said:

The pandemic has been pretty good for my golf game. Playing once a week on average, I've knocked a few strokes off my handicap and am playing consistently in the 80s lately.

I struggle with GIR and I think alignment may be a contributor. Sometimes I think I block it out to the right but my playing partners say I just aimed out there. I feel dumb typing this question, but does anyone have advice on proper aim? Spend time on the range with alignment sticks and get used to the look of the flag? I try picking a spot on my line in front of the ball with mixed results.

Might be good to do some drills to make sure your upper body is on the same line/plane as your feet.

[Jhawk 1075]

36 minutes ago, drewlaws said:

The pandemic has been pretty good for my golf game. Playing once a week on average, I've knocked a few strokes off my handicap and am playing consistently in the 80s lately.

I struggle with GIR and I think alignment may be a contributor. Sometimes I think I block it out to the right but my playing partners say I just aimed out there. I feel dumb typing this question, but does anyone have advice on proper aim? Spend time on the range with alignment sticks and get used to the look of the flag? I try picking a spot on my line in front of the ball with mixed results.

@Lurch told me that you are aiming right because your body is physically left of the ball. Basically, when you go to look at your target one last time you are lining your body up on the target and not the ball. To fix this, stand bending the ball and draw a line from the target to your ball. Then look at a spot on that line 18” ahead of the ball. Your feet positioning should be parallel to the line from that spot to the ball. Bam. Ball is lined up on the target. Then adjust for your ball flight. While I don’t hit a ton of greens that probably cut 2-3 strokes off my game alone. 

[Lurch 5931]

I’m getting very consistent in my overall scores. But not consistent hole to hole. I need to figure something out to get to the next step. I feel like I’m 3-4 holes away from low 80s but consistently land 88-91.  
 
any real secrets to breaking the barrier down?

You good on your preshot routine? Maintaining tempo regardless of how fresh you are or tired you’ve become. Giving every hole/shot the same preparation and focus? Keeping hydrated?

Playing tourneys forced me to keep all of this in mind if I wanted to win. Swing thoughts alone won’t cut it.

[Lurch 5931]

Might be good to do some drills to make sure your upper body is on the same line/plane as your feet.

[mention=241]Lurch[/mention] told me that you are aiming right because your body is physically left of the ball. Basically, when you go to look at your target one last time you are lining your body up on the target and not the ball. To fix this, stand bending the ball and draw a line from the target to your ball. Then look at a spot on that line 18” ahead of the ball. Your feet positioning should be parallel to the line from that spot to the ball. Bam. Ball is lined up on the target. Then adjust for your ball flight. While I don’t hit a ton of greens that probably cut 2-3 strokes off my game alone. 

One correction: feet are an inconsistent alignment guide, particularly as we often open our feet to allow better turn. Rather the three elements of alignment are shoulders, hips and knees.

[Jhawk 1075]

20 hours ago, Lurch said:

 

You good on your preshot routine? Maintaining tempo regardless of how fresh you are or tired you’ve become. Giving every hole/shot the same preparation and focus? Keeping hydrated?

Playing tourneys forced me to keep all of this in mind if I wanted to win. Swing thoughts alone won’t cut it.

 

Routine is short and sweet. I did notice when I shot 40 the other day that I was standing behind my ball and verbally saying what I was going to do. Then I was executing. I’m really trying to get my swing speed down and relaxed but I’m really inconsistent there. For instance, I know I hit a more controlled shot with my irons at a slower speed. But I can touch 300+ with my driver if I swing hard. You get rewarded for that on my course and you don’t get penalized too bad if you are off (as long as you punch out). So I have swings I need to swing hard on and then I need to come back down to earth from the fairway. It’s tough to train your brain/body to do that. 

[Lurch 5931]

Try not to equate swing speed w tempo. You can have a super fast speed swing with a comfortable tempo, and a slow swing speed with a rushed tempo.

Tempo is the rhythm and syncopation of your backswing, turn and weight shifts.

I agree you should be swinging full speed (controlled) w driver, but strongly suggest a few slower practice swings first to let you feel good rhythm, then recreate that feel at full power.

[DDD Dad 14346]

Shot 44/38 last week at Boot Ranch. Greens had just been punched and sanded so couldn’t putt at all. Haven’t driven the ball like that in years. Makes the game simpler. Shocking, I know. 

That’s not why you couldn’t putt.



Wait that’s me, not you.



Leave any wedges stuck in the fairway?

[chitwood 155]

16 hours ago, DDD Dad said:

That’s not why you couldn’t putt.



Wait that’s me, not you.



Leave any wedges stuck in the fairway?

Nope.  Strangely it is apparently playing with you that puts me in a bad mood.

[DDD Dad 14346]

Nope.  Strangely it is apparently playing with you that puts me in a bad mood.

Wait what?

[gurt 749]

Been lurking this thread, thought I'd actually enter the conversation.

I've made a ton of progress over the last year and a half after actually getting some lessons and playing/practicing consistently. I had been an on again off again golfer since I first started playing in college 10 years ago.  Have been shooting in the +-90 range now for the last few months, with a low round of 88.

I've become much better off the tee, able to hit drives mostly straight to about 250.  This alone has made the largest difference, as I'm not losing balls or having 300 in after a skulled tee shot.  

Where I need to get better to really lower my scores is on my longer iron shots.  Anything above a 7 iron I really struggle to get enough air under it to land soft.  Even with shorter irons my ball flight is too low, and I struggle to hold greens, which leads to lots of tough chips after initially hitting the green but rolling off.  I really struggle to take a divot, I just can't seem to get a steep enough angle of attack I guess.  Not really sure what the issue is, I have begun hitting ball then turf consistently, just not steep enough I guess...

[Lurch 5931]

Been lurking this thread, thought I'd actually enter the conversation.
I've made a ton of progress over the last year and a half after actually getting some lessons and playing/practicing consistently. I had been an on again off again golfer since I first started playing in college 10 years ago.  Have been shooting in the +-90 range now for the last few months, with a low round of 88.
I've become much better off the tee, able to hit drives mostly straight to about 250.  This alone has made the largest difference, as I'm not losing balls or having 300 in after a skulled tee shot.  
Where I need to get better to really lower my scores is on my longer iron shots.  Anything above a 7 iron I really struggle to get enough air under it to land soft.  Even with shorter irons my ball flight is too low, and I struggle to hold greens, which leads to lots of tough chips after initially hitting the green but rolling off.  I really struggle to take a divot, I just can't seem to get a steep enough angle of attack I guess.  Not really sure what the issue is, I have begun hitting ball then turf consistently, just not steep enough I guess...

Where is your ball position relative to stance for wedges, 7i and longest iron?

[gurt 749]

Where is your ball position relative to stance for wedges, 7i and longest iron?

Wedge is about an inch towards back foot from center, 7 is right about center, 4 is about 1-2 forward from center

[Lurch 5931]

Probably wouldn’t hurt to move those forward a bit. I have 60*, SW, GW at center, PW-8i 1” fwd, 7+ 2”

Do you have a pretty strong draw? Perhaps your club face is closed at impact reducing loft as well.

Final thing to consider is more difficult to correct, but how confident are you that you have the right shafts?

[gurt 749]

Probably wouldn’t hurt to move those forward a bit. I have 60*, SW, GW at center, PW-8i 1” fwd, 7+ 2”

Do you have a pretty strong draw? Perhaps your club face is closed at impact reducing loft as well.

Final thing to consider is more difficult to correct, but how confident are you that you have the right shafts?

I definitely draw the ball at times. Especially long irons, sometimes more a hook than a draw.

I’ll give it a shot with moving the ball forward and being open. The frustrating thing is if I’m not drawing it I sometimes it a straight push...so I get scared of opening the club face...