Clubhouse Grille (*** NO LIV DISCUSSIONS ***) (*** NO POLITICS/RELIGION ***)

[Conrad1953]

Thanks PD, I bought the Rocket Tour covers several years back and they last and last. The S58s last and last as well. I still have the G25s

too.............you can see them in the background right in one of the pics I posted.

[Conrad1953]

We're getting day after day of rain down here; I think 5 days in a row now and the forecast is for several more. No golf lately.......boo.

[tolmij]

Cool

[tolmij]

The most difficult part of any art is the initial sketch, get that wrong and its a give up and start again. Ethan to my mind has nailed it, no matter how he decides to satisfy his art journey he has what it takes, happy to see he is still interested as I have always thought he has the talent.

As for his writing career, with a vocabulary as grown up as he has, tell me when the book is published, it will be worth having.

[tolmij]

Good to hear your Aches and pains are receding at last. DW has had problems recently and it has been tracked down to lack of magnesium. Hopefully this will fix it.

sounds as if you enjoyed your round, now lets see the score improve.?

[tolmij]

After being so fit and healthy I know from recent experiance it really sucks when it all goes wrong. Good to hear you are the way back, and just as important posting in the Grille.

[tolmij]

OK so I have caught up on all the gossip?, really good to see so many old faces back in the Grille. Only been busy for one day and there was almost a full page to catch up so I can commiserate with Stu.

Already said this to Sixty, his sons art work shows real talent, With the equipment he used that result is outstanding, the new beginning. ? he is in my prayers.

[BIG STU]

Well Sixty wish I was there with you I could try to sing a note or two. Not much of a singer even though a few of the lovely old ladies at church think so. If I am by myself running the sound check I have a little funny song I made up about the music director in fact she likes it. But I could hit a note or two on the harmonica. I ain't by any stretch any Delbert McClinton but do ok I guess.

[BIG STU]

Mike there used to be a guy over in the classic forum named guitarzan or something like that who collected guitars along with persimmon drivers. I can not read a note or music or chords but can play what someone has show me which ain't much. But I love to look at old guitars both acoustical and electric and admire the workmanship and in some cases the wood grain. LOL I also like what I call rat guitars. One guy at a church I fill in some has a old Western Auto acoustical guitar. It is beat up and has battle damage and has a hole in it Willie Nelson style. He told me he bought that thing new in the late 70s at Western Auto in Savannah GA. First time I saw it I knew what it was because I had one and tried to learn on when I was a kid.

[BIG STU]

I tee up the persimmon low and basically to the front of my stance and have no problem elevating. Now for some modern Balls like a Pro V are hard to elevate because they spin less. Good Balls for persimmon are the Call Away Super Soft or Srixon Soft Feel. Some guys like the Wilson Zip or Wilson 50. Another good ball for persimmon is the Lady Bridgestone. You have to compress the ball on the persimmon and get it to compress on the face a little longer. And just like modern stuff some drivers hit different. I have a Power Bilt I hit as high as my modern driver. I also have a 57 Mac Velocitized ( called a rocket by collectors because it has a rocket on the sole plate) that thing has a beautiful flight when struck properly. It takes off like a jet and gains altitude life the I get it about 10ft high or so at apex. I think on that driver it has something to do with the insert. Sometime in it's life it has had the insert replaced. I have the 2 3 and 4 woods with that set and the inserts are stock and they do not feel or hit like it does. And yes you nailed it the tempo and rhythm are a little slower.

[SixtySomePing]

You're in my prayers too Stu. Nothing like dealing with pain and trying to recover like that. It just takes time, but at least you are on the upside now which sounds good. I figured nothing could keep you down very long

 

[SixtySomePing]

So I had 3 seizures yesterday, that's a new record for me. These aren't the grand mal, they are the complex partial where you are doing something and then basically you just aren't there for a minute or two. Then you slowly phase back in. It's a weird experience but normally you just continue on. So that's 6 this month which is also a huge number for me. We try to keep it comical so as not to worry. DW thinks it's from stress, but I told her I think I haven't been drinking enough water, which oddly will also bring them on, and I keep forgetting to do. The third one yesterday though kinda made me happy to hear about, she said I was sitting in the chair in the living room, and she was on the floor with the pup (Roby). So she said he looked up at me, let out a loud 'buff', and she realized I was going into a seizure. I didn't move so he didn't see anything, just phased out. This could be good and very helpful if he is able to pick up on this more.

In other news, Here's the kind of stuff I guess that's exciting when you get older and still in corona virus mode. Tomorrow we have a company coming out that we've had scheduled for months to pull out the surrounding hedges in our back yard with a skid steer, and install an aluminum fence for the dog. 280 ft. of hedges gone and new fence installed. It's like the coolest thing to happen for us here other than painting the front porch which doesn't come close of course...

[Sean2]

You all impress me with the variety of talents you have. I can't sing...well, I can, you just don't want to hear it...or paint, or play an instrument, and I am not handy around the house. I lived in apartments growing up and never learned. Plus, my father was someone I tried to stay away from as much as I could.

Anyway, it's good to see you all have outside interests. I read a lot, that is about it, lol. For example, during the no golf lockdown I read 40 books. Nothing highbrow as my memory and ability to focus isn't what it once was, but reading kept me busy. I also hike/walk a lot, averaging a bit over 8 miles a day in total. On really hot/humid days the cardiologist insists I take a cart as my BP drops.

As too golf, while I continue to work hard on my game, I realize there are facets of my game I simply have to accept and make the appropriate adjustments...like playing the senior tees. As to the short game, the beauty of it is a person doesn't need to be young or athletic to develop one...so I work hard on that. I keep my ego at home too. I am too old for all that ego crap, lol.

The point of all this, if there is one, is despite our physical maladies, we keep plugging away, moving forward...and don't take ourselves too seriously. And, unlike other threads, as well as other forums, this one is filled with kindness and respect, and there is a lot to be said for that.

[tolmij]

Good post Sean, since reasy started this thread we have always worked at keeping it Polite. We can have differences of opinion but its important to remember we all have the right to express our own without being vilified for not being in total agreement with the others. I have been on several other golf sites and never found the same acceptance of others thoughts and ideas as in the Grille.

For myself the time I spend on here is not only pleasant but educational, so many different subjects have been discussed, it gives me great pleasure being able to join in without the fear of bring shouted down,

The other item that gives me satisfaction. Is how we can share the down sides of our lives, Sixty sharing his recent problem is a typical example, to do that you have to be secure in the knowledge that no one would miss use the information.

Its good that you recognise the difference with how we work together and enjoy each others company. I consider myself truly blessed knowing each and every one of you.

[PeanutsDaddy]

Thank you for the insights Stu. I have figured out that I need to tee the ball lower than I thought to get any height. Might be a function of my shallow swing. Have hit a lot of low ropes that seem to roll forever if the conditions are right. Is it advisable to hit ‘down’ on the ball, almost like a modern hybrid or do you try to catch the ball on the upswing?

[PeanutsDaddy]

Sean,

is there a specific genre of books you enjoy reading?

I have an extensive collection of books, that cover a wide range of topics and genres, but have been drawn to mountain climbing books recently. Reading “Annapurna” at the moment. Some regard this as a necessary read.

[PeanutsDaddy]

Rad,

I spied the G25s in the background. Lurking . . .

 

[Conrad1953]

Wow, I read Annapurna a lifetime ago. It was the highest mountain attempted at that time. It was very educational about the "how"

in scaling mountain peaks of that elevation and of the gruesome risks that come with it.

[scomac2002]

I hope that my books don't get me banned. It's a bit eclectic ?

[BIG STU]

I hit up on it but remember everyone's swing is different and that includes AOA and what I call the power point of the Apex in other words where you have your maximum speed in the hitting zone. I have to really concentrate with any driver to hit up on it because I have a tendency with my irons and even fairway woods to hit down and through. Basically with my irons I hit a trap cut, Now another thing that throws some off with persimmon is head size and weight. with a modern large head driver with graphite it is much lighter and pushes more air because of the size or mass of the face. A persimmon driver is smaller but more dense as in having more weight in a denser face. IMHO in your case with the rope hooks I think the combination of things is throwing your timing off as in weight and air displacement. Remember a lot of us older guys were taught the game with persimmon and are also feel and instinct players. With me I practice the persimmon and after a couple of balls the old feel and timing come back again. If I am really practicing part of my routine is hitting a persimmon driver I figure if I can hit that thing reasonably in the screws then my Toyota on a stick is a no brainer. Now I did notice this-- Before I got hurt I was playing quite a bit of vintage at my new course and have noticed when I play the shoot outs I am accurate as heck with my metal driver. In fact I have a reputation at my new course of being a straight driver. In fact playing my minimalist walking holes I have gotten good again at the bump and run with a 5 or 8 iron. I will add this course the design lends itself to bump and run play.

I really was coming along when at the end of March I was only working 2 or 3 days a week. I was leaving early enough I was in by 10:00 every day. By 11:00 I was at the course. If none of my bunch was around I walked 5 holes or so with my minimalist set. If the guys were there I pulled out the money set. On the days I did not work I would be there at sun up and walk 5 holes or so and end up playing. I had gotten to the point where I could walk my 5 holes and then play 36 riding. I had lost 10 lbs with no effort or change in diet and was really swinging and playing good and wham!!!! my accident happened. And BTW there is a certain 2 iron in the minimalist set. In the money set I have either been carrying my VIP 2 iron or a Ping Karsten 1 iron. Well since the accident I had lost 5 more pounds due to the fact certain meds made me not eat but then I guess I got used to it and went back to eating and gained back 10 lbs. But I am doing exactly what my docs say do because I realize that at this stage of life if I mess this up I may never play golf again

[Conrad1953]

Some pretty colorful book titles Sco. Can't imagine what's between the covers.

 

BTW, there's a little town north of us called Eclectic and it is far from it.

[BIG STU]

The main thing I have had to deal with is the fact I really screwed up and hurt myself this time and I ain't a spring chicken any more. I have had to really take it easy and that is just not in my DNA makeup. But what really keeps me calm is the nagging fact in the back of my head if I mess up during my recovery I may never be able to play golf pain free again if at all. In all likely hood at minimum I have 4 to 6 weeks more of recovery and PT. I have to do another MRI on my back tomorrow and then see the neurosurgeon next Wednesday. Then I have to do a MRI on my left shoulder and see the shoulder doc after that. Shoulder doc has already said I will have to have PT on it he is 99% sure.

[scomac2002]

Those two books I read this winter while we were on our cruise. Mark Manson is a blogger from NYC who speaks to life for the Millenials. I thought it might give me some insight into how they see the world.

The original book is a sort of self help book for young people that are struggling with the world today. It's not bad if you know a young person with anxiety issues.

The follow up edition is more of a critique of society that plods along with a sort of pretentious analysis, but then takes a more positive spin in the epilogue. That about covers it. ?

[Sean2]

I read Annapurna. Great book!

I read mainly thrillers, and some fantasy novels.

[Michael C.]

I read a book on how to be a better golfer......it was kind of a fantasy book

[tolmij]

I can relate to that Stu, I have many discussions with DW when I want to go out with the chain saw etc. it's difficult to let go especially when you feel capable of doing it. Yesterday I spent the full day with house repairs, decorating and then splitting almost half a ton of wood for the winter fires. Quiet day today catching up with my art work, about to start a new painting with a new technique we found from an artist online, if it works it will save days of preparatory work on every painting. Take care and dont try to push yourself too much, an extra day healing is better than another week in the sick bed,

[tolmij]

We read many books that DW purchases from several sites on line, some of them are a series spread over several years That require the last book to be re read to remind ourselves Where the story line finished. The other positive about on line books is you can download a sample of the book to get the feel of it this is usually up to 30 pages long.

This is our bookshelf in the new lounge area, one of several we have in the house.

As you can see DW likes to decorate.

[PeanutsDaddy]

Stu,

It may simply be that I need to play with persimmons with increased frequency to become comfortable. Early in rounds I seem to struggle to elevate the driver, but as the round progresses the shots are acceptable (with the odd really good shot thrown in). I have noticed that when I move back to my modern driver I am closer to the center of the face. The head looks massive and feels so much easier to swing. Certainly easier to move the ball with a smaller persimmon head.

What I have really enjoyed about the move to a minimalist set-up, persimmons and blades is that I'm experiencing the game in new ways. It's also something else to search for and collect. Many of you gents grew up with this technology, but it is all new to this guy.

[PeanutsDaddy]

So cool that others have read Annapurna. I know the story of the climb (and Maurice Herzog's struggle for survival) well, but had never read his book. The work seems to be referenced in every other climbing book I've read so it was a no brainer.

Sco,

I love looking at the book shelves of others. You can learn a lot about a person, by the 'company' they keep. Find Rex Murphy fascinating.

[Reasonability]

Tol by pure coincidence (if there is any such thing) I was just offline chatting about the Grille.

Sounds like you like so many of us, share a mutual "thirst" for something not so easy to find. Seems pretty evident to me at least, there's normally an "ante" when it comes to the internment. Going in, you'd expect there to be a certain amount of ego, sarcasm, routine honks delivered by the smartest man in the room, etc. Open forums can attract folks who live to spice things up with their brand of spray paint the same way public restrooms attract graffiti.

Be it born of annonimity or narcissism or whatever, the internet is a "web" in every sense of the word. Very easy to be drawn into something that ensnares you and consumes you alive. (Over dramatic - sorry). Lord knows my own internet experiences were fraught with wounds. Many were self inflicted.

This left me, evidently you, and many of us pretty thirsty. Going on 29,000 posts ago and over what is days away from 4 years ago, the idea of and participation in the Grille emerged. Shouldn't be sustainable given the realities of open forums. In fact, it opens in post #1 with a question about exactly that. Luckily, we have an answer!

Our ante is just a little different. Glad you're onboard. Wouldn't want to sail without you.