Colorado WRX 2017

[masamitsu]

I used to using GetRealGolfStats. I know my normal step is ~2.5feet. I just pace off the putt from the hole or vice versa. Pretty quick and it's part of my pre-putt routine (normally done before it's my turn to putt).

[Dancin]

What's everyone's opinion on Indian Peaks GC up in Lafayette? I'm joining a 4-some with a buddy of mine on Saturday morning. I don't make it to the North side courses very often, so it's the first time at the course for me. Looks nice based on the website photos. I noticed it's another Hale Irwin course... does it play anything like Highlands Ranch? Checking the scorecard, I'm guessing we'll be playing the blue tees (

68.7/124), so I'm not expecting anything too brutal. But I always like to have some idea of what I'm getting myself into.

 

It has some interesting holes and usually has good conditions; although, I haven't been out there this year. It's an ego booster course. I always shoot well there and have long believed the rating and slope are higher than they should be. If I played there all the time I'd get killed if I went anywhere else as my handicap would be 2 strokes better.

[Dancin]

Good luck to everyone playing competitively today/this weekend! I'm going back to do another GolfWeek Tour event tomorrow, after skipping the last one. First time playing in a tournament setting with my new clubs, so we'll see!

 

On a side note: does anyone here keep track of feet of putts made? I currently just do fairways, greens, putts, bunker shots...but I think I might start doing some loose guesses about how many feet of putts I make. I wouldn't be surprised if it's only around 30 feet or so in a round. I leave a bunch of longer putts to tap-in range. Maybe one good sized putt a round, but most of them are inside a couple feet.

 

Yes. I usually walk off my long putts and estimate feet and write it down for each hole and putt.

[Andrew M]

Very frustrated today! Probably haven't hit the ball better contact wise during a round in a long time and I end with one of my worst scores. It seems ultra petty but my biggest issue is how far I am hitting everything! I really don't care how far something I hit goes, so long as it goes the same distance every time!

 

For reference, a usual 6i for me is about 165. I had a great 6i yardage today and hit a fantastic shot - a slight draw where I prefer a fade, but whatever. It was in no way an "oh geez, uh oh" shot. Lands over the green, inches from OB. Game golf tells me final yardage 176 - that's a whole club long! Never in my life would I pull a 7i for 165. That was on the first hole, so that made me scared of how far I'm hitting it because on this particular course long is dead.

 

Then, a par 3 where the green is basically a must hit. Slopes back to front, severely, and little to no chance of up and down from left or right. Yardage to center is 175, and it's a front pin. I think in my head I'll just pull 6i again, and if I happen to nuke one that's fine and I'll be on the middle and if it was a fluke I'll have an easy shot from the front of the green. I hit it and I know it's a little left because there's that pesky little draw that I'm still hitting when I expect a fade, and I know it's going to miss the green. Pain in the butt but I'll try. Didn't miss the green sideways -- missed it left and airmailed. Maybe it was a pull too but it felt like fantastic contact. Final game golf yardage 194 for a 6i. Ha! You could give me a 194 yardage and never in my life would I pull a 6. That's a 4 for me. Now I have no clue if these longer distances are my swing improving or if I'm just yanking everything.

 

Never had a better striking vs bad scoring round ever. Lol.

[danzur]

Looks to me that Joel birdied the last to make the cut @ the CO Amateur-super! Congratulations....36 more holes to play!

 

My son hit (4) OB in the first 2 days to miss the cut by 4...chalk it up to a learning experience...

 

Very good field, great event....best of luck this weekend Joel....

[irvtrain]

Looks to me that Joel birdied the last to make the cut @ the CO Amateur-super! Congratulations....36 more holes to play!

 

My son hit (4) OB in the first 2 days to miss the cut by 4...chalk it up to a learning experience...

 

Very good field, great event....best of luck this weekend Joel....

 

That course is all about position. I played with a member for both days and he didn't hit drive once and he made the cut. Unfortunately, I gave away a lot of strokes on the greens day one by missing six putts within 5ft and shot 74. Those greens were just tough....Day two was just a lot of poor shots on the way to an awful 81. Missed cut by 5.

 

Play better tomorrow Joel and anyone else still in it!

[Joelness]

Good luck to your son! And good luck Joel!

Good luck fellas.

Good luck to everyone playing competitively today/this weekend! I'm going back to do another GolfWeek Tour event tomorrow, after skipping the last one. First time playing in a tournament setting with my new clubs, so we'll see!

 

On a side note: does anyone here keep track of feet of putts made? I currently just do fairways, greens, putts, bunker shots...but I think I might start doing some loose guesses about how many feet of putts I make. I wouldn't be surprised if it's only around 30 feet or so in a round. I leave a bunch of longer putts to tap-in range. Maybe one good sized putt a round, but most of them are inside a couple feet.

Looks to me that Joel birdied the last to make the cut @ the CO Amateur-super! Congratulations....36 more holes to play!

 

My son hit (4) OB in the first 2 days to miss the cut by 4...chalk it up to a learning experience...

 

Very good field, great event....best of luck this weekend Joel....

 

Thanks guys. I actually started on 10 yesterday and after a double on my 12th hole I needed to go even after that to get in. Made a couple terrible bogies but also made a huge bender on #8 (my 17th hole) to make it in.

 

Dan, I actually saw Zach on the putting green early in the AM Friday but since I've never even met you it seemed like it would awkward.

 

Unfortunately today was terrrrrrrible so I'll likely be going off first again tomorrow. At least I'll be done early to avoid the ugly sunday afternoon traffic back home!

[Joelness]

What's everyone's opinion on Indian Peaks GC up in Lafayette? I'm joining a 4-some with a buddy of mine on Saturday morning. I don't make it to the North side courses very often, so it's the first time at the course for me. Looks nice based on the website photos. I noticed it's another Hale Irwin course... does it play anything like Highlands Ranch? Checking the scorecard, I'm guessing we'll be playing the blue tees (

68.7/124), so I'm not expecting anything too brutal. But I always like to have some idea of what I'm getting myself into.

 

It has some interesting holes and usually has good conditions; although, I haven't been out there this year. It's an ego booster course. I always shoot well there and have long believed the rating and slope are higher than they should be. If I played there all the time I'd get killed if I went anywhere else as my handicap would be 2 strokes better.

 

For the record, I grew up in Lafayette so I might be a little biased. I love that golf course for obvious reasons.

 

Having said that, I can't really say I've found any course that has an under-par rating that I've felt was rated too high. Expecting to shoot under par to just keep your scratch cap is pretty tough. If you have a bad day out there it's going to go up very quickly.

 

However, play at MY COURSE with a rating of 74.5 and 75.5 from the blacks and tips and your cap will drop very fast. Especially considering how big some of the fairways are. It's tough though as I think the rating is too high, but isn't at the same time. All the par 3's are hard and only two of the 5's are getable and you need to be long to do it. Even saying all that, the two hardest capped holes are both par 4's. It's the only way I got to +2.5 at the end of last year....

 

Want to drive yourself insane but also become a really good golfer? Play at a tight Country Club as much as possible. I see a lot of really good golfers that come from Fox Hill, Ft. Collins CC, Boulder CC, Greeley CC, Denver CC (among others). You just have to strike it so good to play well at those courses.

[Joelness]

Very frustrated today! Probably haven't hit the ball better contact wise during a round in a long time and I end with one of my worst scores. It seems ultra petty but my biggest issue is how far I am hitting everything! I really don't care how far something I hit goes, so long as it goes the same distance every time!

 

For reference, a usual 6i for me is about 165. I had a great 6i yardage today and hit a fantastic shot - a slight draw where I prefer a fade, but whatever. It was in no way an "oh geez, uh oh" shot. Lands over the green, inches from OB. Game golf tells me final yardage 176 - that's a whole club long! Never in my life would I pull a 7i for 165. That was on the first hole, so that made me scared of how far I'm hitting it because on this particular course long is dead.

 

Then, a par 3 where the green is basically a must hit. Slopes back to front, severely, and little to no chance of up and down from left or right. Yardage to center is 175, and it's a front pin. I think in my head I'll just pull 6i again, and if I happen to nuke one that's fine and I'll be on the middle and if it was a fluke I'll have an easy shot from the front of the green. I hit it and I know it's a little left because there's that pesky little draw that I'm still hitting when I expect a fade, and I know it's going to miss the green. Pain in the butt but I'll try. Didn't miss the green sideways -- missed it left and airmailed. Maybe it was a pull too but it felt like fantastic contact. Final game golf yardage 194 for a 6i. Ha! You could give me a 194 yardage and never in my life would I pull a 6. That's a 4 for me. Now I have no clue if these longer distances are my swing improving or if I'm just yanking everything.

 

Never had a better striking vs bad scoring round ever. Lol.

 

This sounds exactly like what my superintendent has been talking about all year. He's finally hitting it flush and can't believe the yardages he's hitting his irons.

 

Based on all the guys that saw you at Monte's clinic saying how hard you hit the ball I think it's exactly as you think it is. You're hitting it so much better than you usually do that they're flying how they should with your swing speed. I bet your smash factor is 0.1-0.2 higher than it used to be.

[Gmcourtney]

Fantastic day today. Best I've hit the ball all year. 13 fairways, 10 greens, 35 putts. 2 birdies, 8 pars, 6 bogeys, 1 double... shot 82.

 

How the flip do I have that stat line and still not break 80?

 

Had a quad-bogie on #5. 130-140 yard par 3, I put it in the bunker right of the green. Had a funny stance and somehow caught all ball, completely flush. Flew 30-40 yards, completely across the green, and caught the cart path by #6 tee box, and bounced over the fence OB. Ouch. Now replaying bunker shot again, and of course I'm scared to death of the shot now... took 10lbs of sand and barely got over the lip. After all is said and done, I'm in for 7 on the easiest hole on the front side. Just bogey that instead of a quad, and I break 80. Also I 3-jacked three times, two of which were GIR inside 30 feet. So there's a couple more wasted strokes.

 

But all in all, I'm really happy. Old me would have totally lost it after that fiasco on 5, and fallen apart into a disaster round. I got off the tee GREAT today. Aside from the three 3-putts, putting felt great. 1 putted 4 greens, two for birdie, two to save par. Had 2-3 other good looks at birdie that didn't fall, but I made good strokes on them. Aside from the one dumbass bunker, my short game held up well. Not quite as sharp as last weekend, but still solid.

 

I'm feeling really good right now.. I hope I can keep this up the rest of the season. The quest for 79 continues...

[danzur]

Good luck to your son! And good luck Joel!

Good luck fellas.

Good luck to everyone playing competitively today/this weekend! I'm going back to do another GolfWeek Tour event tomorrow, after skipping the last one. First time playing in a tournament setting with my new clubs, so we'll see!

 

On a side note: does anyone here keep track of feet of putts made? I currently just do fairways, greens, putts, bunker shots...but I think I might start doing some loose guesses about how many feet of putts I make. I wouldn't be surprised if it's only around 30 feet or so in a round. I leave a bunch of longer putts to tap-in range. Maybe one good sized putt a round, but most of them are inside a couple feet.

Looks to me that Joel birdied the last to make the cut @ the CO Amateur-super! Congratulations....36 more holes to play!

 

My son hit (4) OB in the first 2 days to miss the cut by 4...chalk it up to a learning experience...

 

Very good field, great event....best of luck this weekend Joel....

 

Thanks guys. I actually started on 10 yesterday and after a double on my 12th hole I needed to go even after that to get in. Made a couple terrible bogies but also made a huge bender on #8 (my 17th hole) to make it in.

 

Dan, I actually saw Zach on the putting green early in the AM Friday but since I've never even met you it seemed like it would awkward.

 

Unfortunately today was terrrrrrrible so I'll likely be going off first again tomorrow. At least I'll be done early to avoid the ugly sunday afternoon traffic back home!

 

Great playing to hang on...impressive result.

 

Yeah-likely a bit awkward, I'd feel the same. Just glad he got there in time to putt before his tee time :).

 

Yes-the silver lining-I like it. Looked like the Colin Prater played in 3 hours or less this morning...beating that traffic is a great idea. Best of luck on a great finish tomorrow....

[seven dewey]

I think I'm done with CO National. Too much golf course for me. Either that or I need new friends who will let me move up a tee box...or two.

[007iron]

Played Battlement Mesa yesterday - would put it in the top tier of courses in the state with regard to green quality; very smooth, true and quick but also receptive. It was a great round - and only $50 with cart on a Saturday morning. What a treat.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Played Battlement Mesa yesterday - would put it in the top tier of courses in the state with regard to green quality; very smooth, true and quick but also receptive. It was a great round - and only $50 with cart on a Saturday morning. What a treat.

 

We really enjoy the back 9, front has some weird holes. Good course.

[thaar]

Very frustrated today! Probably haven't hit the ball better contact wise during a round in a long time and I end with one of my worst scores. It seems ultra petty but my biggest issue is how far I am hitting everything! I really don't care how far something I hit goes, so long as it goes the same distance every time!

 

For reference, a usual 6i for me is about 165. I had a great 6i yardage today and hit a fantastic shot - a slight draw where I prefer a fade, but whatever. It was in no way an "oh geez, uh oh" shot. Lands over the green, inches from OB. Game golf tells me final yardage 176 - that's a whole club long! Never in my life would I pull a 7i for 165. That was on the first hole, so that made me scared of how far I'm hitting it because on this particular course long is dead.

 

Then, a par 3 where the green is basically a must hit. Slopes back to front, severely, and little to no chance of up and down from left or right. Yardage to center is 175, and it's a front pin. I think in my head I'll just pull 6i again, and if I happen to nuke one that's fine and I'll be on the middle and if it was a fluke I'll have an easy shot from the front of the green. I hit it and I know it's a little left because there's that pesky little draw that I'm still hitting when I expect a fade, and I know it's going to miss the green. Pain in the butt but I'll try. Didn't miss the green sideways -- missed it left and airmailed. Maybe it was a pull too but it felt like fantastic contact. Final game golf yardage 194 for a 6i. Ha! You could give me a 194 yardage and never in my life would I pull a 6. That's a 4 for me. Now I have no clue if these longer distances are my swing improving or if I'm just yanking everything.

 

Never had a better striking vs bad scoring round ever. Lol.

 

This sounds exactly like what my superintendent has been talking about all year. He's finally hitting it flush and can't believe the yardages he's hitting his irons.

 

Based on all the guys that saw you at Monte's clinic saying how hard you hit the ball I think it's exactly as you think it is. You're hitting it so much better than you usually do that they're flying how they should with your swing speed. I bet your smash factor is 0.1-0.2 higher than it used to be.

 

This. I've seen your swing. It's not unreasonable to see a 6i go 190+ for you. I was completely shocked when I was reading your typical yardage after seeing you hit at Montes clinic. It simply doesn't compute. I'm guessing that next year is going to be an adjustment for you as you start to hit the ball significantly further than you're used to. Keep it up. Good things are on the horizon.

[thaar]

I completely choked this weekend for club championship at GVR. I think I over prepared and psyched myself out. Day 1, I couldn't calm down for 4-5 holes and at that point my day was shot. I simply couldn't recover and played awful. Day 2, I played significantly better aside from the 1st 3 holes on each side lol. If I simply bogey those holes, I have an absolutely fantastic round, but so be it. I actually took quite a few positives from day 2 though, so it wasn't terrible. I parred 15 which I've never done before and actually burned the lip for birdie, and struck my irons exceptionally well on the last 5 holes. I putted well too despite having a few 3-putts. Nonetheless, I feel like I'm so close to shooting good scores again. I feel like my mental game was better today too. Very few stupid mental mistakes as opposed to yesterday.

 

[jacobEDGE]

Played my worst round of the year on Saturday. It was so disheartening, that I don't know when I want to get back out and try again. 2 doubles and 2 triples on the front 9 alone. A +13, 48 on the front.

 

The weird thing is, I have no idea what was causing it. I was crushing my drives farther than usual, and hit most fairways. I had no 3 putts. I guess it was my approach and wedge game, even though it didn't feel that bad. The second triple was me picking up and refusing to finish the hole. Triple bogey is the highest score allowed in the tournament league I play with. After losing my tee shot (tried to carry a trench and couldn't find my ball), I shanked my dropped ball and lost that too. Didn't even want to continue at that point.

 

Ended up with an 89. That was after missing a couple tap in's from 6". I just back handed them with my putter and missed. I truly gave up after the turn on 9. The only thing that prevented me from walking back to the clubhouse and WD'ing...was the hope that my high score might bump me back down to the B Flight...so I can actually have a shot at competing again.

[brianhorne8]

Played my worst round of the year on Saturday. It was so disheartening, that I don't know when I want to get back out and try again. 2 doubles and 2 triples on the front 9 alone. A +13, 48 on the front.

 

The weird thing is, I have no idea what was causing it. I was crushing my drives farther than usual, and hit most fairways. I had no 3 putts. I guess it was my approach and wedge game, even though it didn't feel that bad. The second triple was me picking up and refusing to finish the hole. Triple bogey is the highest score allowed in the tournament league I play with. After losing my tee shot (tried to carry a trench and couldn't find my ball), I shanked my dropped ball and lost that too. Didn't even want to continue at that point.

 

Ended up with an 89. That was after missing a couple tap in's from 6". I just back handed them with my putter and missed. I truly gave up after the turn on 9. The only thing that prevented me from walking back to the clubhouse and WD'ing...was the hope that my high score might bump me back down to the B Flight...so I can actually have a shot at competing again.

 

Sorry to hear about the day. Golf's hard, and wedge play can be a real deal breaker. Ask just about anyone who's seen me play from 100 in...

 

I don't have much sage advice to offer here, other than to remember how fun the game can be. It's still wholly frustrating a lot of times, but the real turning point in how I enjoyed a round was watching enough of Mark Crossfield, Coach Lockey, and Rory play match play/Stableford and seeing them laugh and enjoy themselves even when playing poorly. I know league and tournament play's a bit different, but I suspect we'd all be a little better off enjoying our rounds as much as possible instead of getting overly analytical.

 

As someone who's prone to a pretty regular blow-up on a hole and not finishing, I can relate. But you gotta hit the next ball and move on. Focus on the positives, play the shots you brought to the course that day, and work on the things you didn't do so well after the round or another time. The more I play, the more I realize this game's too hard and too expensive to dwell on stuff long enough to make you not want to come back out.

 

That said, I do, honestly feel your pain. Joel, Tim, and Rob watched me unequivocally shank 2-3 wedges last week after putting myself in prime position with my tee shot. Woof.

 

Let's get out and play for fun sometime soon!

[Gmcourtney]

Man... there seems to be a lot of frustration in this thread today.

 

Andrew... It's been mentioned earlier by others, but I have to chime in to agree. I've seen you hit the ball, and 190 6i doesn't surprise me one bit. I'm actually more surprised that you were hitting 165yd 6i. 165 is the my skinny little 12 y/o self's yardage for 6i. You've definitely got 1+ or 2+ clubs distance on me. You'll get it figured out.

 

Tim... I feel your pain. I know I've got swing faults that I can continue to work on, and always will. We've got two very different swings, but seemed like at the clinic we both had the same main problem... a** sticking too far out, setting up too far away from the ball. You've definitely got the ability to par any given hole you play, or salvage bogey given a bad shot. But you and I both seem to have the

same major problem, which isn't a swing problem. It's the getting our stupid brains to be able to let go of a bad swing or lost shot, accept the double bogey and move on rather that get pissed and fall apart for an entire stretch of holes, or the rest of the round.

 

I had a major turning point on the "on course" day with Monte. He drove up right behind me right as I laid sod over an 8-iron on 16 and hit it in the junk left of the green. I was getting ready to berate myself for being an idiot with a crappy swing... Monte corrected me and told me I made a fine swing. I had just setup to close to the ball and didn't account for the lie being above my feet. I dropped a ball, shifted about 2 inches, and hit a towering high draw and stuck the green.

 

Since then, I've really been focusing since then on pausing, seeing if I could identify what I did, and then move on and try to get back in position rather than playing a hero shot trying to get the stroke back. Bogey's are fine. I'm a 12 hcp. They happen. Doubles, triples, and worse are what kills me.

 

Jacob... Don't know you or your game, but I feel like I do since I've seen so many videos here. Forget about Saturday. They happen.... some days you just don't have it. You've got a better game than 48 on the front 9. I think I posted about it earlier, but a couple weeks ago I hacked around Murphy Creek like a 20+ hcp. Just wasn't there. 2 days later, I made a tee time at the easiest course I could find and went out and shot my best score of the season. I just needed a track without any OB or forced carries, or anything to screw up my confidence any more and work through the hooks... around the turn I figured something out and then had one of my best sides ever. Sit and fume for a day or two and get it our of your system... you'll be back... you can't escape this silly game.

[seven dewey]

Man... there seems to be a lot of frustration in this thread today.

 

 

I'll go ahead and add to it. Shot my worst round of the season (95) on Saturday. As I mentioned earlier, we played CO National from the black tees which led to hitting a lot of woods and hybrids into greens. Which I would normally be fine with but, not that day. I had some duffs, a toe-shank, and to top it off I couldn't chip or putt. It was not a fun day on the golf course.

 

Yesterday I had a bounce back round at Common Ground playing the combo gold/white tees. So about 800 yards shorter than the day before. Shot a 76 with two 3-putts. Hit a lot of greens, and also got up and down several times. It didn't even feel like I was the same person from the day before. Only made one really bad swing the whole day and it didn't even cost me a stroke after a really good up and down from 40 yards short of the green.

 

I've also learned that I simply can't putt without a heavy putter. Even if my lag putting suffers at times, my make % from inside 10 feet is dramatically better. I also think confidence has a huge impact on putting. When I don't like my putter I think it really gets in my head. Despite the 3-putts (which is really not bad for Common Ground) I felt like I was never going to miss inside 6-8 feet and yesterday I didn't. The day before I 4-putted from about 7 feet with a normal weighted putter.

[seven dewey]

Sit and fume for a day or two and get it our of your system... you'll be back... you can't escape this silly game.

 

This is better advice than what I did. I ended my putter dilemma "Bo Jackson style" Now I have to re-shaft it so I can get rid of that stupid thing on eBay.

 

On the plus side, I'm not a terrible putter with a wedge, but was glad it was only for 3 holes. :fool:

[TheKrushh]

Coming in to my big stretch. Have been taking time off and hanging with the family but now it's all golf. Two day mens club championship this weekend and then two day member member next weekend. Need to drop some bombs on the greens!

 

Good luck to everybody working through things on the course. I have two things I go back to. 1. How lucky am I that I have the opportunity to play golf. 2. I'm not doing this for a living so relax and have some fun because good, bad, or indifferent, it doesn't really matter.

[Joelness]

Man... there seems to be a lot of frustration in this thread today.

 

 

I'll go ahead and add to it. Shot my worst round of the season (95) on Saturday. As I mentioned earlier, we played CO National from the black tees which led to hitting a lot of woods and hybrids into greens. Which I would normally be fine with but, not that day. I had some duffs, a toe-shank, and to top it off I couldn't chip or putt. It was not a fun day on the golf course.

 

Yesterday I had a bounce back round at Common Ground playing the combo gold/white tees. So about 800 yards shorter than the day before. Shot a 76 with two 3-putts. Hit a lot of greens, and also got up and down several times. It didn't even feel like I was the same person from the day before. Only made one really bad swing the whole day and it didn't even cost me a stroke after a really good up and down from 40 yards short of the green.

 

I've also learned that I simply can't putt without a heavy putter. Even if my lag putting suffers at times, my make % from inside 10 feet is dramatically better. I also think confidence has a huge impact on putting. When I don't like my putter I think it really gets in my head. Despite the 3-putts (which is really not bad for Common Ground) I felt like I was never going to miss inside 6-8 feet and yesterday I didn't. The day before I 4-putted from about 7 feet with a normal weighted putter.

Yeah, "Nash" is a tough course when you're hitting those clubs into greens all day long. We have at least 5 guys in our men's league that keep their caps over 5 so they don't have to play the blacks. The irony is for a guy with my length I find the golds only about 1/2 stroke easier. It's clear that golf course is setup to hit tee shots to specific spots in each hole and the only difference between tees for me is which club I hit to those spots.

 

Speaking of, I'm curious to get opinions from everyone on how to setup our Club Championship. I personally think it should be setup as hard as possible (not pins, but tees) to prove who the best golfer is. I can see the argument that it should be played from the blacks (7400) instead of the tips (7700) but we're talking about the best flight to decide the best golfer. There's a reason the PGA tour doesn't play the white tees..... Thoughts?

 

I use a heavy putter myself. When I did the SC Custom Shop work I had them put 30's into my Newport 2. I LOVE a heavier head, keeps the plane and stoke much smoother for me.

 

Coming in to my big stretch. Have been taking time off and hanging with the family but now it's all golf. Two day mens club championship this weekend and then two day member member next weekend. Need to drop some bombs on the greens!

 

Good luck to everybody working through things on the course. I have two things I go back to. 1. How lucky am I that I have the opportunity to play golf. 2. I'm not doing this for a living so relax and have some fun because good, bad, or indifferent, it doesn't really matter.

 

I have to add a third.... We are paying to do this. Sure there will be ugly, frustrating days but without those we wouldn't love the game the way we do.

[pseudoswede]

I'll continue to add to the misery.

 

There was no joy in Swedeville. My 11-game match play winning streak is officially over. No three-peat in the golf league for me.

 

I was giving five pops to my opponent at GVR playing the blue/gold combo tees (6200-ish yards). He was an older gentleman who was absolutely deadly on his approaches and around the green. Just like me, he bookends a string of pars with a double/triple bogey. It was a hard-fought match. I shot a 38 on the front nine (including a three-putt par on #9 from 30ft), but I was still 1-down.

 

I got it back to all-square on 10, then back to 1-down on 11 since we both parred. What happens next is what is going to haunt me for many months to come: on 12, I have honors, and I absolutely stripe my drive over the lake and into the fairway (about 280yds into a breeze). My opponent puts two into the lake, then finally hits one onto dry land with his third attempt. I'm standing about 190yds to the front of the green, pin is in the back, and I'm feeling confident. Obviously, what I should've done was taken two consecutive 8-irons into the green. Instead, I take my 4-iron--and hook it into the junk on the left. Luckily, I found my ball, but it was in a poor lie with an awkward stance. I skull my chip over the green into the junk behind it. My next chip goes over the green onto the fringe--almost into the bunker. My opponent, lying five from 350 out, hits a long layup, then hits his approach shot to 5 feet from the pin. What do I do? I {bleepin'} four-putt from 30 feet away for a triple. My opponent drains his putt for a triple, too.

 

Somehow I regroup and par #13 while my opponent three-putts. Back to all-square (but I should've been 1-up). I then three-putt #14 while my opponent pars; back to 1-down. I win #16 with a par, and we both par #17. All-square going into #18.

 

Because of the combo tees, we were playing the gold tee on 18. It actually made my decision easier--3-iron off the tee. I had been absolutely striping my 3-iron all day. I was pumped. Not only did I want to close out the match on 18, but I wanted my free beer! I had honors on the tee--and I proceed to shank my drive into junk. My opponent stripes it 240yds down the middle. What I should've done next was re-tee with my 3-iron. Instead, thinking I need to try to get home in two, was take a huge risk and try to thread my drive down into the narrows. Duck hook into the junk. I drop at the point of entry in an awkward lie--and then I shank it dead right into the junk on the other side. My opponent teases me by skulling his fourth shot over the green, but he proceeds to chip and two-putt for a 7; while I'm lying 10 a few feet from the hole.

 

Had I bogeyed both 12 and 18, I would've won my match and shot a 78. Eff. Emm. Ell.

 

Yesterday morning was the first time I had swung a golf club in over three weeks. I got to the golf course later than planned, so I hit about 25 8-iron shots on the range, then went to the putting green (which didn't help at all since I had 40 putts) until our time was called. I wish I had time for mid-week range sessions, but I just can't find the time. I spend my evenings shuttling my kids around to all of their activities.

 

I'm so dejected that I'm thinking about hanging up my clubs for the rest of the season. I can't play the other two league tournaments this month due to family commitments; and I won't qualify for the season-ending tournament since I've played so few tournaments (and placed poorly). My kids have been begging me to take them to a par 3 course; so maybe I'll do that instead of my golf league.

[Joelness]

4. You can't change the past. The only thing focusing on that will do is ruin your future.

[pseudoswede]

I was going to post this in here, but I've decided, against my better judgement, to post in the General Golf Talk forum. I'd love to see your opinions there.

 

http://www.golfwrx.c...your-golf-game/

[pseudoswede]

4. You can't change the past. The only thing focusing on that will do is ruin your future.

 

If we want to get all existential, one of my favorite quotes is: "In the end, everything is fine; if it is not fine, it is not the end."

[brianhorne8]

I have to add a third.... We are paying to do this. Sure there will be ugly, frustrating days but without those we wouldn't love the game the way we do.

 

That's it. Every golfer, when they're learning to play the game especially, has that one shot they hit that implores them to come back the next time. That feeling, to me, is why I play the game. I hit more of those shots now, but still have quite a few shockers sprinkled in. Hold on to the good ones, get upset at the bad ones and do what you can to correct them later.

 

It's funny how this game works. I feel like a lot of weeks there's just a ton of positivity happening here. Everyone's got a bad round, and it looks like we all picked the same weekend.

[seven dewey]

I don't condone my behavior when I get childish. It's been a lifelong struggle. What I really need to do is have realistic expectations. Like I expected to struggle a bit from 7400 yards. But what I can't ever get over is putting. I used to excel at it and it would be a great equalizer for me to make up for lack of length. I'm not that short but not long enough to score well beyond 7000 yards.

 

Anyone can in theory at least be a good putter. It just takes time and practice.

 

With all that being said, Joel you should definitely make the Nash stretched out. It's kinda what that course was built for. It's not meant for crafty pins, it's a bombers paradise. I do think you should setup either #4 or #17 as reachable for most though. Great risk reward holes

[brianhorne8]

I don't condone my behavior when I get childish. It's been a lifelong struggle. What I really need to do is have realistic expectations. Like I expected to struggle a bit from 7400 yards. But what I can't ever get over is putting. I used to excel at it and it would be a great equalizer for me to make up for lack of length. I'm not that short but not long enough to score well beyond 7000 yards.

 

Anyone can in theory at least be a good putter. It just takes time and practice.

 

With all that being said, Joel you should definitely make the Nash stretched out. It's kinda what that course was built for. It's not meant for crafty pins, it's a bombers paradise. I do think you should setup either #4 or #17 as reachable for most though. Great risk reward holes

 

Putting was the crutch I used to lean on as well. I can 100% relate to you here.