MD/VA/DC Golfers - Ten Seconds or Less

[Kent01putt]

Actually other than the 1st and 2nd hole OB does not really come into play. The course is about the greens. If you learn them it is not a hard track. But just walking on the first couple of times it will bite you in the arse. Car noise has never been a problem that I ever noticed. I know a fair number of people there and the no tee times they say has never been a problem. I don't know how early you could start play there however, so early morning rounds I would ask about.

[TheCityGame]

I've never played any course that I would consider "cramped" like Merion or like RR looks. About the closest thing is BIL's course up near Philly, but that's only as small as like Argyle or Norbeck. There's a "hole crossing" on his course where you walk in line with another tee shot. He said that when they built it, there was one section they didn't buy that they should have. Consequently, there's this one odd transfer on the front.

 

Mid Pines felt like it was all on top of itself, but cramped or crowded wouldn't describe it.

[Kent01putt]

I dont understand the appeal of the "no tee times" bit. If its an ultra exclusive club with very few members, thats one thing. But with hundreds of members to deal with, what do you do if you want to play on a weekend, show up 3 hours early? Show up and hope there isnt a group of 20 in front of you? Screw that. It really seems like a very bad idea.

 

MV has an online tee sheet where you can see/signup for tee times and see how busy or not the course is going to be. IMO its a pretty good system. You can still show up without a tee time if you know the course is empty but you're not rolling the dice during busy times.

 

Just like SPCC, RR has no tee times during the week. SPCC also has 27 hole and RR does not. Like SPCC, RR does have tee times on weekends and Holidays so your concern is void. Both courses rarely have more than a 10 minute wait on the 1st tee during the week as I have been there many times during the weekdays.

SPCC also has the call in for times on weekends and Holidays. You must call by Thursday for the weekend. After Thursday at 5pm you can fill in any time slot available or you are getting a later time.

[therealsneek]

My only Adele question is that album was released at the end of 2015 - how is it winning Grammys this time around?

That's what I was wondering. I knew that album came out in an October/November time frame.

 

I said to wife, "was 'Hello' and all that 3 months ago or 15 months ago?"

 

I remember hearing about this last year when some people were up in arms that she wasn't nominated for anything. Apparently, music released between October '14 through September '15 was eligible for the '16 Grammy's, music released between October '15 through September '16 was eligible for the '17 Grammy's, and so on.

[Kent01putt]

I've never played any course that I would consider "cramped" like Merion or like RR looks. About the closest thing is BIL's course up near Philly, but that's only as small as like Argyle or Norbeck. There's a "hole crossing" on his course where you walk in line with another tee shot. He said that when they built it, there was one section they didn't buy that they should have. Consequently, there's this one odd transfer on the front.

 

Mid Pines felt like it was all on top of itself, but cramped or crowded wouldn't describe it.

 

Rolling Road makes Merion look wide open. It is the major reason I would never join there. You have two crossovers that you can clearly get you beaned on. There are a bunch of slopes there that make you aim right or left to hit a fairway and a miss in the direction you are aiming puts you in the next fairway. It is not a flat course. Many blind approach's and tee shots.

[FAbb]

No tee times is an issue if you've got a bunch of citygames running around, playing a million rounds a year. Get a place with a couple hundred members that don't play like crazy, and it's not a big deal. My FIL's place in CT doesn't do tee times. It's not an issue there at all.

 

I played RR once in a junior tournament. All I remember is how crammed it was.

[vtnerf]

City, just an fyi, Rolling Road won the MD State Team Championship in 2014, 2012, 2005, 2004.

Might be tight, and loosy goosy with the tee times, but they have some players...

[thechief16]

GTM

 

In honor of City's post- what is the most crammed in course you've played?

 

Could be from natural land geography or could because of development around it

 

My vote is Westwood country club in vienna

 

Haven't played Westwood, but Washington Golf and Country Club in Arlington is really packed in tight.

[baddomes]

Army navy in Fairfax was very crowded in spots, although they have 27 holes instead of 18.

[JJCOOP7]

Army navy in Fairfax was very crowded in spots, although they have 27 holes instead of 18.

 

I was considering ANCC in FFX

 

Does have that feel a lil bit, I find myself there looking around and being like... man how many holes are in this place

[TheCityGame]

City, just an fyi, Rolling Road won the MD State Team Championship in 2014, 2012, 2005, 2004.

Might be tight, and loosy goosy with the tee times, but they have some players...

That's interesting.

 

I mostly joke about distance here, but I still kind of thought if you were a real gamer, you might not want something so short.

 

But, when I look at the numbers, it's kind of interesting. A couple of the 5's and a couple of the 4's are legit. So, it's not like the members there aren't used to a 460 yard par 4 or a 55 yard par 5, or a 190 yard par 3.

 

They give up some yardage by being a par 70, and they have 4 VERY SHORT holes. It's not like every par 4 is a measly 380. It's like they mixed in all of these 290's with 450's (and a 100 yard par 3). I actually like courses like that. Woodlands is a little like that. . .either monster 4's or driveable 4's.

 

The scorecard (from The Grint).

 

 

[misplacedtexan83]

I'll let y'all know how the clubhouse is because that's where I'll be..

 

They are setting up a hitting bay inside for the demo. Be interesting to see. -- pretty cool idea.

[siegel159]

Mini recap

 

Got out with MTN and City on Saturday at UMD. City took home the W, which was well deserved. The dude played solid while MTN played iffy on the front and I played pretty poorly on the back.

 

MTN has an incredibly solid tee game. I even tried to jinx him at the range while we were warming up, telling him I've never seen him have a bad day off of the tee. But it didn't matter, because he crushed it anyway. City and I still blew it past him on #1 though. #bigdogs

 

City had the putt of the day. Par 3 #11, he's just off the green to the right with a severe slope between him and the pin. Not a far putt, but definitely not easy. He basically putts it 90 degrees in the wrong direction barely even getting it onto the green, then watches as it slowly trundles down the hill and falls into the cup. Really well played.

 

Shot of the day might have been my 8i out of the bunker from 145 on #12. It was a good way to follow up a bad heely cut drive.

 

Wound up shooting 41-46, which isn't that bad I suppose, but I just couldn't do anything right on the back. Except for that one shot. Good day overall, and conditions were awesome considering it's mid February.

[TheCityGame]

Siegel pay-pal'ed me $2.01.

 

I told him the story of Jimmy Walker getting blocked from Phil Mickelson's Tuesday games because of non-payment and then said, "do you know what I'm getting at Siegel?"

 

#ImSuchAD1ck

 

Siegel can pound the rock. Doesn't look like he's going at it hard, either. Absolutely one of those guys who will easily get into mid singles when he learns to golf a little better.

 

I STILL don't like his set-up. Love to see him just try hitting from a neutral position, instead of leaned over and pressed forward with the hands. A couple lessons will do him good. O'Barsky at Blue Mash might be a good go-to for this. He addressed the same issue with me.

 

Needs to focus on good contact with the irons and wedges. A few too many thinned irons. Find a grass range and focus it on for half a season.

 

Some of the drives that were off line seem to be alignment issues more than really bad swings. E.g. on 16, he was trying to drive the bunkers and pushed it a little right and caught the trees. That's a fine play, but if he aligned 10 yards more left, a tug is OK, a straight ball is fine, and a push should carry the bunkers. Gotta find a good line every shot.

 

He hits some fine putts and decent chips. Just needs to make the good ones happen more often. Get rid of those loosies.

 

Honestly, I'd like to see driver more off the tee, especially during a February round. 15 was a perfect example. Siegel makes the "smart" play to take the fairway cross-bunkers out of play with a hybrid and he's left with like 150 in from the fairway, and misses it a little and winds up in the greenside bunker. Meanwhile, MTN just rips driver, squeaks it past the bunker and tosses a wedge in to 8 feet. Perfectly illustrative example of why the driver is such a weapon. The bogey you were trying to avoid off the tee came into play anyway AND you're really taking birdie out of play by laying up to 150 yards. (same on hole 2. I know you're taking the water out of play, but leaving yourself 175 from a down hill lie isn't a good alternative).

 

In contrast, on hole 3, I hit a 3 iron and had a wedge in from the fairway. Siegel hit driver and had 60 yards in. The difference here is that I don't see 60 vs 110 (partial wedge vs full wedge) as much as a gain as 100 vs 150 (full wedge vs 8 iron). Especially on an awkward shot where a full wedge is coming in with a good traj for holding the green. That said, I might have hit driver here, but there was a tree blocking my fade route. I also think 3 is a little narrower hole than 15.

[thechief16]

City, just an fyi, Rolling Road won the MD State Team Championship in 2014, 2012, 2005, 2004.

Might be tight, and loosy goosy with the tee times, but they have some players...

That's interesting.

 

I mostly joke about distance here, but I still kind of thought if you were a real gamer, you might not want something so short.

 

But, when I look at the numbers, it's kind of interesting. A couple of the 5's and a couple of the 4's are legit. So, it's not like the members there aren't used to a 460 yard par 4 or a 55 yard par 5, or a 190 yard par 3.

 

They give up some yardage by being a par 70, and they have 4 VERY SHORT holes. It's not like every par 4 is a measly 380. It's like they mixed in all of these 290's with 450's (and a 100 yard par 3). I actually like courses like that. Woodlands is a little like that. . .either monster 4's or driveable 4's.

 

The scorecard (from The Grint).

 

 

 

 

That's a great point, City. My Dad's club is very much the same way. It's brilliantly designed (Ross, with a renovation by Hanse) where small greens, elevation, undulation and bunkering protect the short holes (and even some of the long ones).

 

 

 

Among the "shorter" holes:

 

1 isn't really driveable as there is a huge gully short of the green so you would have to fly it all the way to the green. Your best play is 4i, PW to a long skinny green, and you'll never have a flat lie for your 2nd.

4 is an uphill, blind drive and you can't land your ball short of the green and have it roll up.

7 is a 90* dogleg to a green that is more than 100ft above the fairway

11 is a very small green protected on all sides by narrow bunkers

12 is a very narrow driving hole that most good players don't hit driver on.

13 is definitely driveable, but it has to be a cut and the entrance to the green is probably only 20 feet wide and well protected with bunkers.

17 is, again, very well protected green with a hazard right and knee high heather left.

[siegel159]

Siegel can pound the rock. Doesn't look like he's going at it hard, either. Absolutely one of those guys who will easily get into mid singles when he learns to golf a little better.

 

I STILL don't like his set-up. Love to see him just try hitting from a neutral position, instead of leaned over and pressed forward with the hands. A couple lessons will do him good. O'Barsky at Blue Mash might be a good go-to for this. He addressed the same issue with me.

 

But at least I have the 7th sweetest swing in the thread

[Puppetmaster]

Siegel can pound the rock. Doesn't look like he's going at it hard, either. Absolutely one of those guys who will easily get into mid singles when he learns to golf a little better.

 

I STILL don't like his set-up. Love to see him just try hitting from a neutral position, instead of leaned over and pressed forward with the hands. A couple lessons will do him good. O'Barsky at Blue Mash might be a good go-to for this. He addressed the same issue with me.

 

But at least I have the 7th sweetest swing in the thread

 

We've just been hit by...

 

[FAbb]

Driver all day.

 

If you want to be a baller, and don't swing a million MPH, you've gotta learn to love the driver.

[Golfer827]

 

OB on a road on about 6 of the holes. Cars driving by. Dreadful.

 

Still, it's a golf course. Better than a sharp stick in the eye.

 

I've seen that course... been beside it on a few 4th of July's. I used to be in the Ravens' Marching Band and we would take lunch at that parking lot across Valley Road. Always thought it looked cool, but nothing to really write home about.

 

No, MTN, I did not get to know any cheerleaders even when I did Purple Friday Roving Caravans. I was able to meet Ozzie Newsome, LarDarius Webb, Shayne Graham and a few other players in passing, however.

 

Just looked further on Google Maps, I did not know how close Turf Valley, Willow Springs, and Waverly were. I'll have to check them out, aside from the Exquinoxious at Waverly, of course.

[SullGolf]

Are we rating swings in performance or how they look? I'm trying to figure out whether I rate Citygame 3rd or last.

[misplacedtexan83]

We all know The Juicer is 1st so pretty

[baddomes]

OB on a road on about 6 of the holes. Cars driving by. Dreadful.

 

Still, it's a golf course. Better than a sharp stick in the eye.

I used to be in the Ravens' Marching Band.

 

Normally I'd be annoyed at having to ask for details, but with you I'm not.

 

Everyone is 6 inches from their computer monitors waiting for follow up, 827.

[Puppetmaster]

Btw, on cramped courses, I'd say much of Penderbrook is cramped.

[TheCityGame]

Are we rating swings in performance or how they look? I'm trying to figure out whether I rate Citygame 3rd or last.

You know how they* say that physics can't explain how a bumblebee can fly.

 

My swing is the same way.

 

*stupid people.

[FAbb]

City's got a lot of good stuff happening in his swing. Its not some because of some fluke, or just because he practices that he hits the ball well.

[eagle1997]

teed it up with Boogs and blast from the past DCVince!!!! this past saturday at hampshire greens. they had no tee markers out, so we did the most sensible thing and just tipped it out. 6815/73.0/131/par 72. good times, lots of laughs and some decent golf from everyone as well.

 

boogs keeps getting some side action with different drivers, but the ltd pro has just proven herself time and time again. the low spin head plus the low spin ball (e6) has kept more of his drives in play. and the good ones are very good. irons were better for him this round, lots of great contact. i think he kept playing for a fade that never materialized. putter was hot fire. made so many in the 5-15 foot range. biggest improvement for boogs recently has been his approach to chipping/pitching. really turning that weakness around.

 

so good to tee it up with dcvince!!!! again. dude is just like a big warm teddybear, radiating positive vibes. i don't know what it is about him, but he just gets me all giggly. game was in rough shape as he hasn't been playing much, but he kept such a good attitude the whole day. a good lesson for me in proper comportment.

 

i played pretty well. still pretty rusty with the putter, and had 8 putts DFCS. "six inches short" was the unfortunate mantra on my birdie putts. i kept trying to hit them harder too. frustrating. the good: drove the ball excellently, just wish i had more distance. averaged around 230 or so, which left a lot of longer approaches on some of the par 4s. thankfully, the 4h was on point, as i hit the green from 190-205 more often than not, and stiffed one on a 205 par 3 (see below). irons were just ok. overall, the game is a work in progress, and it's progressing nicely after that 6 week layoff. hopefully i can 'peak' in, oh, 12 days or so. :)

 

 

neither i nor boogs nor dcvince!!!! had played from the tips at HG before. really changed the view on more than a few holes. i also felt like it widened the landing areas for me. approaches were tougher, obvi, and the par 3s were totally different beasts. that said, i was even on the 3s, even eeked out a birdie. really enjoyed the diffence. would bang again.

 

some pics:

 

 

 

 

[baddomes]

City's got a lot of good stuff happening in his swing.

 

Yeah. Best part about his swing is when it's over and we don't feel like throwing up anymore.

[Puppetmaster]

Nice recap Eagle. I don't have the facial hair to hang with that grouping...

[FAbb]

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[siegel159]

.

 

So is swing sweetness based off of looks or results? Because that changes where I put Sully on the list