MD/VA/DC Golfers - Ten Seconds or Less

[TheCityGame]

I came down 95 at about 6 this morning. As I'm driving down, I see a firetruck getting on at an exit. A couple miles down the road, there's a semi pulled over with a big fire underneath the cab.

 

They now have traffic on 95 south STOPPED because of it.

 

Timing is everything. 35 minutes would have turned into 80 minutes.

[FAbb]

Nice. I'm going 8-PW MBs for the Mizuno experiment. The biggest question is going to be whether or not steel shafts wreck me, and if I'm willing to dump more into the experiment to go graphite if steel is a failure.

[Gmen1204]

So I've never played Blue Mash any tips for a first time player?

[top.h]

Man, I'm glad I like ugly golf shoes.

 

Picked up two pair of True Linkswear for about $45 each. Low top chukkas, and full chukkas (which were originally like $210). One new-in-box, one "salesman samples". He had a buy-it-now for $54 (total), but I did "make an offer" for $45 and it was immediately accepted.

 

They have the Originals on sale now for like $150. You're limited to ordering 6 pairs because of demand. What? Are people ordering $1100 worth of golf shoes that just came out, and whose life will exceed about 4 "fashion cycles"? I don't get it.

 

Since joining a club these last two years (at Hobbits and now Turf), I've been going through golf shoes like 827 goes through a pack of smokes a New York Bagel goes through PQ Kent goes through his roommates' chastity.

 

Maybe it's overplayed, but every year when Ross/Burlington Coat Factory/Marshalls gets their stack of last year's Nike models i buy 2-3. This year i set a record and bought 4. The Lunar Control 4 and the FI Premier have both been in rotation. Rio Olympics Flyknit Elites also have made exactly one appearance.

[siegel159]

Had that lesson with Marty Johnson yesterday. I think the biggest takeaway was probably completely changing what I do at the range. I told him everything I've been thinking about on the range, or been working on, and he gave me the same "you're an idiot" look that I imagine Fabb gets whenever he reads one of my posts about P3. He spent a ton of time talking about impact, and asking me to hit high/low cuts/draws with the ball forward/back in the stance, and then spent some time trying to explain to me how my hands are supposed to work.

 

I'm not sure if everything he said got through, but I'm definitely going to start trying to shape more shots with wedges when I'm at the range as a way to figure out how my body is supposed to move to produce certain results.

 

Also, during one of the slow-mo vids he took, he paused it at P3 and said that's something we should work on in another lesson. He didn't actually say P3, but I still thought it was pretty funny.

[top.h]

So I've never played Blue Mash any tips for a first time player?

 

If you hit the ball straight you can do pretttttty good there. Front 9 playing a fade is great. Back 9 playing a draw is great.

[TheCityGame]

Had that lesson with Marty Johnson yesterday. I think the biggest takeaway was probably completely changing what I do at the range. I told him everything I've been thinking about on the range, or been working on, and he gave me the same "you're an idiot" look that I imagine Fabb gets whenever he reads one of my posts about P3. He spent a ton of time talking about impact, and asking me to hit high/low cuts/draws with the ball forward/back in the stance, and then spent some time trying to explain to me how my hands are supposed to work.

Nice. A move in the right direction, IMO.

[dcmidnight]

Last chance - any takers on 2:30 at Northwest with me and DC before I call to open it up to randos?

 

Finally will get the chance to compare the TP5X and the ChromeSoftX today, running low on the TMs and finally breaking into the stash from Tex. I am sure they will be exactly the same and I will have absolutely nothing constructive to say about the differences between the two of them. But I'm looking forward to it.

[TheCityGame]

I've been trying to do on-course ball comparisons. It's basically an exercise in futility. You just can't produce the same swing enough for reliable data. Maybe Fabb can.

[dcmidnight]

I've been trying to do on-course ball comparisons. It's basically an exercise in futility. You just can't produce the same swing enough for reliable data. Maybe Fabb can.

 

Agreed, chipping/putting are @ the only place I think you can tell/see any sort of differences - other than something subjective like feel.

[FAbb]

I tried the Chrome Soft X last fall sometime, and it was pretty good. Definitely better than the regular Chrome Soft, for me at least. I'm starting to run towards the end of the B330 stash I bought earlier this year. Gonna have to figure out what to stock up on with my next batch. I really like the Srixon XV, but the durability is pretty crappy. I've never played a ball as durable as the B330, so that or the new version coming out have the lead in the clubhouse.

 

I think once you find which sub-category of ball you like best, you can pretty much pick anything in that range and play it. There just aren't massive differences for the most part. I like the higher traj premium balls, so I could easily play the B330, V1X, ZStar XV, TPX, etc.

[misplacedtexan83]

Last chance - any takers on 2:30 at Northwest with me and DC before I call to open it up to randos?

 

Finally will get the chance to compare the TP5X and the ChromeSoftX today, running low on the TMs and finally breaking into the stash from Tex. I am sure they will be exactly the same and I will have absolutely nothing constructive to say about the differences between the two of them. But I'm looking forward to it.

 

Can't wait to hear.

 

The TP5x/TP5 are phenomenal balls (not joking)

 

But I get free balls so ... I'll go free route.

 

I'm excited about our future offerings and what (whatever his name is--design the Nike platinum /black) influence on our balls.

[top.h]

I was gifted a set earlier in the year of Pro V1s which I really liked after my Kirkland experience, but found that I was getting a touch too spinny. I picked up a set of V1Xs and TP5Xs, cant decide which I like more right now.

 

Still looking to try the Chrome Soft X... Love the truvis, especially around the green and putting some spin on em. May consider giving Vice another chance if i ever work through the balls i currently have.

[gregh729]

Playing Rattlewood today with my softball buddies for one of the guy's 60th birthday and then heading to his house for a cookout. Going to be a blast, lots of hoopin' and hollerin'

[gregh729]

Pro V1x and Chrome Soft X are very similar to me. I'd be happy with either. I'm also a fan on the B330 RX. Haven't tried the current TMs

[siegel159]

+1 for the Srixon XV's. Probably my favorite golf ball. Currently on Bridgestone B330's, but thinking of stocking up on XV's again for next season

[SullGolf]

Last chance - any takers on 2:30 at Northwest with me and DC before I call to open it up to randos?

 

Im eyeing it now, but would sign up as the rando. Thing I've been working on for weekends and late nights just got cancelled last minute. Still not sure if I can swing it just yet.

[FAbb]

I better keep those two slots booked, then. If I'm getting a rando, I want the full Northwest rando experience, not just disappointment when the rando turns out to be Sully.

[top.h]

For those playing Northwest, do you walk or ride? I walked for the first time the other day and i was exhausted by the end. Really gotta get back into shape...

[Ocgolfrick]

Working sales counter today. Waiting on carpenter when a tile guy shows up.

Carpenter: "Hey Tile Guy, how are you?

Tile Guy: "Great! Hoping to get out on the water this weekend!"

Carpenter: "Are you still mating?"

Tile Guy: "As often as I can!"

(wry smile from OCGolfRick)

Carpenter: "How much money do you get when you mate?"

Tile Guy: "Generally $500 every time, and then some times you get some big tippers, and it can go higher!"

(OCGolfRick snickers, catches eye of carpenter, who is now understanding my juvenile humor and starts egging the tile guy on.)

Carpenter: "Is it hard to mate when there are big swells from these storms?"

Tile Guy: "Well its all about balance, if I can stay in balance I can move around and be ok. Its all about getting your legs under you. When those big swells come, and you're down in the trough, you wonder if you should've mated that day!"

(OCGolfRick snickers again, Carpenter now grinning)

Carpenter: "Are you mating with a lot of people right now?"

Tile Guy: "Well, I've got one captain on the regular, but I'll do whoever calls, the money is just so good!"

(OCGolfRick bursts out laughing, Carpenter giggling. Tile Guy catches on finally. )

" You F*ckers!"

[TheCityGame]

When MeatMike came to play, we got rained out at Turf and went to Waverly instead.

 

I was paying and this old woman was at the counter and she was like, "I hope you brought your rubbers."

 

So, right then, MeatMike walks over and I go, "Hey Mike, did you bring the rubbers?"

[FAbb]

[TheCityGame]

For those playing Northwest, do you walk or ride? I walked for the first time the other day and i was exhausted by the end. Really gotta get back into shape...

Walk.

 

Lot of walkers in this crew.

 

Northwest is not a difficult walk relative to some of the other places around here. Bayrat told me he was worn out a little on 16 the other day and that was on the "easy" walking course.

[bayrat88]

Dual recap:

 

Turf O course on Wednesday afternoon with City and Sneek. Thanks to City for getting us out, that place is always EMPTY, there was maybe 15-20 cars in the parking lot. We played the front in 1:40 made the turn, got stuck behind a foursome and still finished in 3:40. You can't beat that, worth the price of admission simply for the pace of play alone. I told City if its this empty on a gorgeous day in September just wait until November, he may be literally the only one on both courses. I played OK, first "real" round since UMD if you exclude my Willow Springs early AM cut sessions. Few misses with the driver, few poor chips, few missed putts led to a 7 over round. Nothing good, nothing bad, just not getting enough reps.

 

City played great after his second triple. We hadn't even left the green, he turns to me and goes 1 shot to play with the rest of the round to break 80 lets get after it. He channeled his focus and played GREAT golf the rest of the way. The titleist drive is working well for him, didn't hit one poor drive all day. He is definitely the favorite for Blue Mash this weekend.

 

Sneek was Sneek, extremely wild off the tee but played his iron play was solid. If he can get just 50% of his drives in the fairway he is going to score. Needs to figure out how to get in the fairway off the tee. Hard to score when you are taking yourself out of play on the hole before leaving the box.

 

Bethpage yesterday with my buddy from high school:

 

Drove up from MD and had my wife drop me off right at the course. She was not too pleased with that one. Playing two days in a row I definitely burned up any golf goodwill I had left. I am now in the negative. Place was a mob scene, jewish holiday apparently with people off work and school closed. Walk into the clubhouse and the next available time on Black was 2:02. We didn't feel like we would be able to finish before dark so chose to play Blue instead at 12:52. Get our slips, head to the range, split a large bucket and get our cuts in. Finish up and we still have an hour before tee off. We both look at each other and go since we aren't playing Blue we are definitely starting to drink now. See beer is $7 a pop on course so we make a quick run to 7 eleven for a 12pack and a bag of ice. $12 total, score. Smart decision right there. We take 6 beers, leave the other 6 in the car on ice to grab at the turn. Tee off at 12:30 and proceed to wait on every single tee box. Every par three had 3-4 groups on the hole. Insane. On the par 3s the blue and white tees placed together at 185-211, yellow tees were MAYBE 10 years in front of those. When you have 60 year old women playing a course that can't hit driver more than 100 years you cannot have par 3s over 150 years. Nuts. Definitely leads to the pace of play problems on that course but we knew it would be 6 hours going in, not surprising at all, but still brutal to play a round that slow and near impossible to keep your focus up the entire round. I hit driver, 6 iron to 10 feet on the first hole, roll the putt in and never looked back scoring wise. Made a great up from 80 yards short of the 9th green to make the turn in -1. Get to 16 tee -2 on the day but just had no focus, energy or beer left after 5+ hours. Proceed to drive one left which gets stuck in the face of the fairway bunker, have to chip out sideways and couldn't make par from 259. Par 17, then stripe a drive on 18, hit P wedge to 20 feet and proceed to 3 putt. Crap. There goes an under par round but was still pretty darn happy with how I played and the score especially given the amount of beer consumed and pace of play. Buddy shot +1 so we were going back and forth all day, really good match.

 

Wedding tomorrow in NYC so am missing the stroke play event but good luck to everyone. Should be a blast as always.

[baddomes]

I've been trying to do on-course ball comparisons. It's basically an exercise in futility. You just can't produce the same swing enough for reliable data. Maybe Fabb can.

 

Agreed, chipping/putting are @ the only place I think you can tell/see any sort of differences - other than something subjective like feel.

 

I think you can tell spin off a driver. If I'm hitting a 2015 prov1 and come over the top on it, it's going right forever. A ball with super low spin (volvik) slices noticeably less.

[davechen]

Yeah, I walk Northwest Park. I think it's pretty walkable, except maybe the big hill going up #17 (what used to be #8).

 

Speaking of walking, who all is walking Blue Mash? Also very walkable, except getting to #1 tee box is a bit tedious.

[eagle1997]

[baddomes]

NW is a pretty easy walk I thought. Blue Mash isn't bad either, a couple of annoying transfers though.

 

I'm riding on Sunday though.

[dcmidnight]

NW is a pretty easy walk I thought. Blue Mash isn't bad either, a couple of annoying transfers though.

 

I'm riding on Sunday though.

 

Just walked Blue Mash for the first time last week and thought it was a lot easier than people had let on. The 9>10 transfer is long but not really that bad. Honestly I thought it was a really decent walk.

 

NW is very easy, although I'm pretty out of shape so we'll see how today goes.

[eagle1997]