MD/DC/VA Golfers - Twelve Monkeys Mental Divergence

[dcmidnight]

I've played Dormie once - I never ever have to give that place another dollar.

F that place.

Too many other great courses in PH, I never have to go there again.

4/2/3 is my current playlist I think. I keep hearing these stories about the Cradle so its not a must play for me. Every group I've heard from going back to my brother has some sort of issue there. I love short courses but to pay $50 and just have to hope you can get back out after twisting a few arms? Nah, no thanks, I'll go grab a scotch on the porch and watch people hit up 18.

[ALTSean]

Is the Dormie hate due to poor service or the course or both?

[Gmen1204]

[FAbb]

I liked what I saw the time I played dormie. I was completely toast from golfing and long nights when we played it, and the golf went accordingly. It was kind of a crappy walk, which was a bummer. But the course definitely intrigued me. I'm playing it next month, and really looking forward to having another crack at it.

[dcmidnight]

75% bad service, 25% course

But - to me - customer service goes hand in hand with your experience. If you're plunking down the cash to play a nice course its hard to ignore it if they are just crapping all over you from minute one.

Or in our case if they just take off and there are no employees there and the place is locked up tight when you finish. Same thing.

[FAbb]

I'd say there's about a 1% chance I watch any of this. I'm getting zero tingles.

[FAbb]

Dormie is a very photogenic golf course.

 

Example.

 

[dcmidnight]

I really enjoyed the Tourist Sauce/#3 episode. I definitely started remembering the course with all the houses around it. Not sure I remember loving the course but it was a pretty good episode. IMO they could be 5 minutes shorter but the production value is still pretty high.

Maybe its just the editing or...whatever. But I feel like there has been some bad golf all around. I cant watch Neil putt anymore.

[TheCityGame]

Yesterday got out to Waverly with Fabb and Q.

We wandered up to the tee box about 20 minutes before our time and a single drove up.

Fabb to me, "looks like we got Rando Bob with us today."

Me, "cool".

Guy drives up. "Hey, I'm City, this is Fabb, this is Q."

Him, "I'm Bob."

Me and Fabb. . .

https://media.giphy.com/media/PFsjoxkF62xjO/giphy.gif

 

[FAbb]

I hit Waverly yesterday with City, PQ, and Turf/Hive-J. D@mn it felt great to be out there again. Taking a break over the winter is good for me in a lot of ways, but I'm very ready to get back to smashing.

Some very solid golf, all-around. PQ looked like he was on track to shoot about a 68 for a hot minute. An errant tee ball, and up and down putting ultimately derailed him. City was super solid all day. He had this nice draw working with his driver, that had a more penetrating traj than what I'm used to seeing from him. Solid irons, some sweet saves per usual, and rolling in the 4-8 footers all day. Turf-J was only able to join us for the back 9. He's a great guy to play with, and can golf his ball. Great addition to the Hive. I was pretty darn happy for a maiden voyage. Ball striking isn't terribly rusty. Putting was tough, coming out of a long hiatus straight to fast greens, so I'm satisfied with how I fared.

We actually had a rando named Bob pull up to the first tee when we were going off, and welcomed him to join. A bit clueless at times, which I guess fits the bill of Rando Bob to a t. We didn't realize he was only playing 9, which ended up working out perfectly, as we ran into Turf J in the parking lot as we made the turn.

Waverly is looking good for the first week of March. It was a bit wet in spots, from the recent rains, but the greens were very nice. They've clearly been top dressing them, and those suckers were quick! They were holding on approaches, but only if you had decent traj and spin on it.

[ceejay81]

I wish 2 was my home course. It’s so challenging, but in such a playable way. I know I can always do better next time out. At the price point, I don’t have to play it each time I’m able to go to the resort. But I’ll never turn it down if others want to play.

I think I have to play 4 every time I’m down there now. It is that good. The par 5 2nd hole has my favorite green complex on the property. A family of woolly mammoths are buried there.

[Sterling_247]

CJ I absolutely agree with you there. I've heard alot of guys saying they don't remember many of the holes on #2, but I don't see how I'm going to forget them. I'm sure the course is a bit more of a test when the greens speed up, but there was only one hole out there that I thought didn't fit in. It was #8 the short par 5 straight away. I hate the trees and houses down the left side of the hole, just didn't fit my eye

*not saying that #2 wasn't a test. It's a tough course, but I definitely thought it was playable

[FAbb]

I look forward to having another go at #2 some day, but I would have no interest in making that my home course. The greens were very firm, and fast when I played it. I hit so many marginal approach shots that landed on greens and kicked/ran off. I hit a green side bunker shot that literally landed in the fringe, but still rolled across the entire green, off the other side, and into a different bunker. I had a putt that I barely breathed on roll past the hole, off the front of the green, about 50 yards down the fairway. It's just a little too unforgiving to want to subject myself to it on a regular basis. On the other hand, I could play Mid Pines and Pine Needles every day for the rest of my life, and be very happy. They've got all the same elements, in a more playable package, in my opinion.

[Sterling_247]

Fabb we definitely played it under different conditions. I think I only hit 3 greens all day but the ball was skipping and grabbing on all of the 30-50 yd pitch shots I was hitting. Also didn't putt one off a green so I'm curious just how much softer we played the course

[TheCityGame]

Waverly was good yesterday. All 3 of us had a birdie putt (or frutt) on 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13. 15. We were striking it.

Q was -2 going into 9 and snapped one OB right. He gets ticked, but fact of the matter is his power is such a weapon for him but there's a flip-side to that power. . .I hit a similar snap on 6, but my ball stayed in the rough because I don't launch it at 176 mph. But, I'm not hitting 6 irons into par 5's either.

He beat himself up for missing a couple 5/6 footers, but he also made a few good ones in the 5-10 foot range. Sometimes he has a poor take on his own game. he's talking about "yipping" 5 or 6 footers after 14 and 15, but the fact of the matter is. . .

1) those aren't yips

2) He made plenty other 5-10 footers and you're only going to make 50% of those anyway

3) Don't hit your first putt 6 feet past the hole.

This is a "lesson" for everyone, but after those putts, he gets all, "I f'n suck. I can't putt. I guess I'll just leave.."

If I miss those putts, I'm walking off 18 going, "ok, I make a few of those 5/6 footers and I shoot 68. Next time." (that's not to say I never beat myself up, but I NEVER tell myself I suck at anything. I just have things I haven't practiced enough).

Some golfers just kill themselves, and they do it over things that aren't even true. There's another guy at turf who thinks he's a horrible putter (he's like a .5 handicap, legit) if he misses a few 12 footers.

 

[dcmidnight]

The more I look at Pinehurst as a possible retirement spot the more I realize how many amazing golf options there are down there. From #2 down to some of the "cheaper" options - just everything in between.

I'm with CJ, I would love to go play it again someday. Mostly because I just feel like I'm playing much better than I was 4 years ago and I want another crack at it.

[FAbb]

I don't even know what to say to PQ in that scenario. There's essentially no talking him off a ledge when he's in that state. His self-talk was horrendous.

Last year was just so transformative for my putting. I did improve my ability to putt, but more importantly, I transformed my mindset and outlook on putting. The latter translates to results as much, if not more than the just becoming a more skilled putting machine piece.

[therealsneek]

Joe said that the greens on #2 definitely didn't have the same fire that they usually do. He said he had never seen balls stop in some of the places on the greens that ours did, because they would typically continue rolling off into a collection area.

 

This was my first time playing #2 and #4. Gun to my head I think that I would choose #4 over #2, but I REALLY want another crack at both of them. Both were so much fun to play.

 

I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed #8. I didn't have high expectations going into the round, but I thought there were a lot of fun holes. I would include it on future trips.

[misplacedtexan83]

This is my plan in a few years that or Texas.

Hoping the wife and kid follow

[TheCityGame]

I don't even know what to say to PQ in that scenario. There's essentially no talking him off a ledge when he's in that state. His self-talk was horrendous

After 15, he was like, "I just feel like leaving."

I pointed back through the neighborhood, "right there. . .there's a short cut back to the club house. jay and I will play fabb solo." That's how to talk to him.

 

[ALTSean]

You and @dcmidnight can buy The Hive house and we'll all come visit. You'll never have buy drinks again.

[TheCityGame]

Not sure if this is a repeat. . .TopGolf starting construction in South Baltimore.

Right down between the Horseshoe and the football stadium.

[dcmidnight]

I posted about it before but I was extremely impressed with the TopGolf facility in National Harbor. I spent so long going to the one in Alexandria - and only bc I live less than a mile away - but their facility was an old "regular" driving grange so they didnt have near the space and the lack of parking sucked. The NH one is really nice, plenty of room to move around, great food/drink options.

I remember seeing that OnCore was building a similar facility in Buffalo.

[TheCityGame]

This one says "good food" and drink and they're touting their sports bar.

That part of town, I always think of as "industrial". I got gas near there this morning, but with the casino there now and top golf, you could make it into a decent little Corridor of Bro-ness. It's not a dangerous part of town, but, it's not like it's filled with things to do. The top golf is taking over the space that an animal rescue had and there's a greyhound station down there. It's just kind of nothing.

It's very accessible from 95 or the BW parkway. It could do well.

[FAbb]

I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed #8. I didn't have high expectations going into the round, but I thought there were a lot of fun holes. I would include it on future trips.

 

If it was geographically located somewhere else, I might feel different about #8. But given the astounding quality of golf in the Pinehurst region, I found #8 totally underwhelming. I wouldn't pay the non-resort guest rate to play it, ever. And I wouldn't plan a trip to the resort versus off-resort, based on #8 being part of the equation.

[ceejay81]

Has anybody here messed with an arm lock putter/putting technique like Kooooch/Webb/BDC?

[baddomes]

Anyone buying those new adidas golf shoes that look like adidas indoor soccer shoes?

[baddomes]

 

[moose557]

Hey Everyone I posted in the travel and pairings section and got recommendations to post here. My wife and I recently moved to DC for work and to be closer to family after living in Orlando for 10 years. Would love to get out and play/meet fellow DC golfers as I really dont know anyone here. If anyone is interested in playing or if anyone ever needs an extra person please let me know.

We are currently renting in Bethesda, but willing to travel for a round. I shoot low to mid 80s and really excited to play again and play some of the local courses.

Thanks in advance,

Nick

[TheCityGame]

The first thing I'd recommend is the "Vernal Equinoxious".

Our golf club's (The Hive) opening tournament is March 21st at Northwest golf club and I believe that guy right above you, baddomes, is Tournament Director for it.

Guests can play two tournaments in the Hive before needing to become a member (membership is also at our discretion). Qualifications for membership are basically, "play by the rules" and "don't be an a hole." And, we have all skill levels, from TheCityGame up to "Golfer827".