Darn That Second Guy!

[1ironcharlie]

Among my buddies, if you make a good score on your second ball, we call it a "Barry Bonds", cause it has an asterisk next to it. I can just see him doing an infomercial. ...

 

"Do you want to play like a tour pro, but dont have the time to practice, the skill to hone, or the attention span to actually improve? Well, welcome to the Barry Bonds school of golf, where we will teach you proven concepts like, Hand Wedge, Foot Club, and "I'll just hit from here". Now let's hear from Lance Armstrong...."

[2bGood]

My second guy did actually get a hole in one. On the tee box arguing with my brother weather the shot is a PW or a 9, he talks me into the PW. Hit the shot short, imagine that. Go back to the cart, grab a 9 iron, throw the ball down and knock it into the hole. 1ST guy gets par, second guy gets a 1

 

I have a legit situation like that. 1st ball in the water/second in the hole for a 3

[kozubs]

We've all done it. Hit a terrible shot and then, afterwards, dropped another ball to give it another try. After all surely you cannot hit it THAT bad twice in a row, right?

 

The second guy.

 

He always hits the perfect drive.

 

The pured iron.

 

The chip shot.

 

And putt of course.

 

So today there was hope. (See other thread on what you think of your own swing for explanation) For the first time I played pain free and was on cruise control. On the 14th I hit an awesome drive that rolled underneath some trees - required a lucky iron shot that would stay low and roll up. I did it! To under 2 feet from the hole.

 

And then.

 

I lipped out the birdie putt.

 

Still had a blast playing pain free. And still shot a great round. But of course the second guy nailed that birdie putt. And on the very next hole he managed a pure long iron to the front of the green when my first shot landed way short and in trouble.

 

Yup, that second guy. If only I could figure out how to pretend I already hit a bad shot and could channel that second guy into my first shot, right?

 

So...

 

What's your second guy story? Maybe it's an ace. Or a nice eagle putt. Not a chance that I'm the only one whose second guy is always better than I am!

 

Second guy almost got an albatross 2 days ago. I was 238 out. First 3 iron was a bit off the toe and came up about 10 yards short left. As no one was around I decided to hit a second. Well struck and landed right inline with the pin. It rolled, hit the cup and rolled around the cup finishing 1.5 ft away.

 

First guy thinned the chip over the green to make par.

[Break81]

My wife likes the second guy better too!

You have won the best comment of the month even though its only May 2nd, you've earned it now!

[lchang]

My second guy did actually get a hole in one. On the tee box arguing with my brother weather the shot is a PW or a 9, he talks me into the PW. Hit the shot short, imagine that. Go back to the cart, grab a 9 iron, throw the ball down and knock it into the hole. 1ST guy gets par, second guy gets a 1

 

I have a legit situation like that. 1st ball in the water/second in the hole for a 3

 

Friend: “If this second attempt goes in, does that count as a hole in one?”

 

Me: “I might let you count it as a par.”

[Under2hours]

And all your rounds are now considered practice by rules of the USGA as you hit additional shots on the course. Funny how this is considered a usual occurrence by at least everyone I know, but go to my thread in Rules & Etiquette and read the scorn, condemnation and disgust when I cop to hitting extra shots throughout the round (and please don't tell me it is different unless your first shot was OB).

 

BTW I was playing solo last week (and keeping score) and on the final par 3 (third time out this year) on my second shot did stiff it to 1'...... I was actually happy it did not go in. Now if it was my first shot again we'd have the argument that since solo & playing multiple balls during the round it would not count. :taunt:

[NEhomer]

There is a tournament at my club every year with the format of a "one man scramble". You get to hit two balls each time and take your best option. You'd be surprised at how good that second guy can be at times, especially when his partner gives him a good read from a putt.

 

Never heard of a one man scramble but it seems like a cool idea.

[r0scoe]

There is a tournament at my club every year with the format of a "one man scramble". You get to hit two balls each time and take your best option. You'd be surprised at how good that second guy can be at times, especially when his partner gives him a good read from a putt.

 

That sounds like a ton of fun (it's sort of how I play when by myself)

[Johnny_Fairway]

If my first shot wasn't good, my second attempt is never any better. Perhaps because I know it doesn't count I don't really reset.

[jli2636]

There is a tournament at my club every year with the format of a "one man scramble". You get to hit two balls each time and take your best option. You'd be surprised at how good that second guy can be at times, especially when his partner gives him a good read from a putt.

 

Never heard of a one man scramble but it seems like a cool idea.

 

The course I worked at in college did one of these. The catch was if you hit a 2nd ball you had to play the 2nd ball no matter where it ended up.

[Hehateme]

My second guy did actually get a hole in one. On the tee box arguing with my brother weather the shot is a PW or a 9, he talks me into the PW. Hit the shot short, imagine that. Go back to the cart, grab a 9 iron, throw the ball down and knock it into the hole. 1ST guy gets par, second guy gets a 1

 

 

 

Very 1997 Fred Couples like at the 17th TPC

 

Funny you mention that, me and my friends were sitting behind 17 green when that happened!

[FlyingLaw1]

There is a tournament at my club every year with the format of a "one man scramble". You get to hit two balls each time and take your best option. You'd be surprised at how good that second guy can be at times, especially when his partner gives him a good read from a putt.

 

Never heard of a one man scramble but it seems like a cool idea.

 

I played in my first one man scramble last fall. It was a blast!

[Tight-right]

I don't hit second shots. There's no do overs in golf.

 

I would of had 5 majors with my "second shots" . Golf is easy when it doesn't matter, like a second shot. That's not golf

[Carl Spackler3]

1st real round with my Dad at 12 yrs old, 2nd birdie a 5 yrs later

[MilkyButterCuts]

My dad always said “Any poor dumb bastxxx can do it the second time”

[hybrid25]

There's no pressure like the pressure of the first shot.

[rawdog]

There is a tournament at my club every year with the format of a "one man scramble". You get to hit two balls each time and take your best option. You'd be surprised at how good that second guy can be at times, especially when his partner gives him a good read from a putt.

 

It's a very fun thing to do. I have done it for fun playing after work as a single, when i know the course is a little jammed.

 

It's pretty easy to shoot a really good score. Only done it a few times but always under par

 

This is a primary way my friend and I compete when playing as a twosome. Match play, keeps it close as we are only a few shots apart in HDCP.

 

It's a good way to get extra reps and it's always good to make more birdies. Teaches us how it feels to score, and what our potential is.

 

No real downside unless it's crowded or you lose a ball on the second shot.

[ahdong]

I think everyone's second guy is amazing just flat out beats the first guy.

[Gautama]

This is a great post Medic, gave me a chuckle. What puzzles me most about mine is after all these years I know exactly how to replicate the relaxed, confident feeling he brings to shot but if I try it on the first...disaster city.

 

Congrats on the pain...I'm not on golfwrx enough to know what you've been dealing with, but can say in the last five years I've had shoulder, hip, and knee surgery fixing old ski and football injuries and for the past month or so have been realizing I am swinging completely pain free for the first time really ever. Amazing feeling isn't it? Funny thing is I honestly think I'm more aware of being pain free than I was of the actual pain all those years...I catch myself bracing for a zinger that never comes, never realized how much I did that in the course of a day!

[Brock Landers]

After I lost a tee shot on a par three then hit the green on my second try someone said to me that some old golfer once said "any a****** can get it on the second try", I turned to him and said "well that's the level I'm at in golf, the any a****** level".

[EKELLY]

My 2nd guy can play on Tour!.....

[bangabain]

My second guy did actually get a hole in one. On the tee box arguing with my brother weather the shot is a PW or a 9, he talks me into the PW. Hit the shot short, imagine that. Go back to the cart, grab a 9 iron, throw the ball down and knock it into the hole. 1ST guy gets par, second guy gets a 1

 

You have described my nightmare scenario. Still looking for my first ace... I just know its going to happen like this. I'll probably be playing alone too.

 

Nearly had it happen in my last round, super short 93 yard par 3 (mens tee box was closed so they had all the markers over on the ladies tee), chunked my first wedge 30 yards in to the rough, threw another ball down just to prove I could actually hit the shot and wasn't a complete moron, hit it perfectly 10 feet behind and left of the flag and watched in horror as it sucked back towards the hole...luckily it stopped 3 inches short (I think all the yelling of "don't you f#@$ing dare!" must have scared it) and I was saved from having to tell the story of the hole in three...also managed to get up and down for par from my crappy first attempt as well, so that was nice too :P :P

[Birdie Mac]

Not a huge fan. Bubba has a time management problem. He has a standing offer to hit all my shots, but he tends to show up late, after I've hit my first shot off the planet, then he rushes up, grabs my club, shoves me out of the way to 'show me how it's done', and hits a career shot in front of my golf buddies. Not a fan.

[DevilDog]

Second guy shows how much of golf is mental. First guy cares about the shot and is trying to hit it perfectly. Second guy doesn't care. He's just simply trying to hit the ball period without worrying about where it goes so the swing is more relaxed and ball ends up going where you want. I call it the 'give-a-sh*tter'. Learn how to turn it off and get better results.

[Break81]

Second guy shows how much of golf is mental. First guy cares about the shot and is trying to hit it perfectly. Second guy doesn't care. He's just simply trying to hit the ball period without worrying about where it goes so the swing is more relaxed and ball ends up going where you want. I call it the 'give-a-sh*tter'. Learn how to turn it off and get better results.

I agree, and probably a direct relation to "be wary of the sick golfer" syndrome. I had a great round once when coming on with the flu. I really only wanted to go home and get some rest. Didn't ever realize at the time I was shooting a then personal best.

[RobE]

There is a tournament at my club every year with the format of a "one man scramble". You get to hit two balls each time and take your best option. You'd be surprised at how good that second guy can be at times, especially when his partner gives him a good read from a putt.

 

WOW, must take all day to play.

 

My old club has a similar tournament each year called "The Mulli."

And instead of getting do-overs on every shot, you're allowed ONE mulligan a hole.

It could be a tee shot, or a shot from the fairway, or even a putt - your choice.

You really had to be strategic with your choices of when to use your "shot" (mulligan).

But I always found it kind of fun, and usually posted a really good score.

[Break81]

There is a tournament at my club every year with the format of a "one man scramble". You get to hit two balls each time and take your best option. You'd be surprised at how good that second guy can be at times, especially when his partner gives him a good read from a putt.

 

WOW, must take all day to play.

 

My old club has a similar tournament each year called "The Mulli."

And instead of getting do-overs on every shot, you're allowed ONE mulligan a hole.

It could be a tee shot, or a shot from the fairway, or even a putt - your choice.

You really had to be strategic with your choices of when to use your "shot" (mulligan).

But I always found it kind of fun, and usually posted a really good score.

I like it !

 

 

[lchang]

Thought of this thread after yesterday's round.

 

Three swings cost me 7 shots. Hit just perfect provisional shots after each of them. One tee shot OB, another tee shot in the nasty stuff (would have been better not finding it--took me three swings to get out of there), and a ridiculous hook out of a fairway bunker.

 

:russian_roulette:

[Break81]

@nd guy almost got the dreaded "hole-in-3!" Par 3 - 151 yards.