Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round 3)

[MountainKing]

54 minutes ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

I'll chime in on this before BMan states the obvious.  Tanna Farms is def the track to host a PGA Tour event.

 I wanted to say it,  but I thought it might be too obvious. 

[Symphonize]

Curious if Kemper is going to try to get a PGA event again in the future. They are adding bunkers and adding tee boxes to lengthen the course. Not sure if it’ll be enough for PGA but maybe Korn Ferry? I know LPGA major was there a few years ago. 
 

other notes, today was a sloppy mess. 2 day member guest, got our morning 9 in, though it rained the entire time. They delayed the 2nd match by  90 minutes. It was dry to start, we got our first hole in, and then on our second hole the rain started and picked up harder than any of the morning rain. Our green already had pooling water on in and couldn’t finish the hole. Gave it an hour or so at the clubhouse before they called it for the day. Looks like it should be dry tomorrow though to finish up our now abbreviated 6 hole matches. 

[psygolf]

2 hours ago, Symphonize said:

Curious if Kemper is going to try to get a PGA event again in the future. They are adding bunkers and adding tee boxes to lengthen the course. Not sure if it’ll be enough for PGA but maybe Korn Ferry? I know LPGA major was there a few years ago. 
 

other notes, today was a sloppy mess. 2 day member guest, got our morning 9 in, though it rained the entire time. They delayed the 2nd match by  90 minutes. It was dry to start, we got our first hole in, and then on our second hole the rain started and picked up harder than any of the morning rain. Our green already had pooling water on in and couldn’t finish the hole. Gave it an hour or so at the clubhouse before they called it for the day. Looks like it should be dry tomorrow though to finish up our now abbreviated 6 hole matches. 

Weak...sent the boys out 3 times to finally get that 2nd nine in at 7p (2day, 5 match tourney)

 

”Don’t give up, don’t ever give up!” Jimmy V

[taylorx300]

Sym- I hear you loud and clear.

playing at Evanston for member guest and we all tee off at 8am. We hit out tee shots and they blow the horn. It rains hard and they send us out at 10:15. We finish the started hole, hit tee balls on the next hole and they blow the horn. Come in soaking wet and are delayed till 1:15. Start again and finish match 1. Start match 2 and of course starts raining again on and off thru the end at 7:30.

so we have three matches tomorrow starting at 7am and of course rain is predicted for around 11.

rain rain go away, I want to play golf in dry clothes.

[MountainKing]

Back out to Stonehenge for the next round of their match play event. Course was damp and receptive today and as usually in pretty decent shape.  No complaints about pace at 3:30.  

 

I unfortunately lost my match 3&2, but I felt really good about it.  The guy I was up against was a +2 handicap, I sit on the other side as a 2, and it was pretty amazing how different our games got the closer we got to the pin.  I think on the stroke side he shot 68 or 69 to my 75, but I was glad to be able to hold my own against a really good player.   What I really felt good about was that I left a couple shots out there, if I get the two birdie putts I had on the front go in, it would be a different match.  I more or less gave it away to him on 16, he was in a lot of trouble and I missed the green from 100 yards where a par would have kept me alive.  All in all a great day and really fun to put my game to the test.

[jcook10]

2 hours ago, MountainKing said:

Back out to Stonehenge for the next round of their match play event. Course was damp and receptive today and as usually in pretty decent shape.  No complaints about pace at 3:30.  

 

I unfortunately lost my match 3&2, but I felt really good about it.  The guy I was up against was a +2 handicap, I sit on the other side as a 2, and it was pretty amazing how different our games got the closer we got to the pin.  I think on the stroke side he shot 68 or 69 to my 75, but I was glad to be able to hold my own against a really good player.   What I really felt good about was that I left a couple shots out there, if I get the two birdie putts I had on the front go in, it would be a different match.  I more or less gave it away to him on 16, he was in a lot of trouble and I missed the green from 100 yards where a par would have kept me alive.  All in all a great day and really fun to put my game to the test.

It’s so wild how those + handicap guys just don’t make the same mistakes us - guys make. I’m playing at like a 1 right now and our club champion is a +3. I hang with him all day until we get inside 50 yards and on the greens. It’s such a small margin when you start to get ok at this dumb game 

[MountainKing]

5 hours ago, jcook10 said:

It’s so wild how those + handicap guys just don’t make the same mistakes us - guys make. I’m playing at like a 1 right now and our club champion is a +3. I hang with him all day until we get inside 50 yards and on the greens. It’s such a small margin when you start to get ok at this dumb game 

 

I was a plus many moons ago,  you quickly forget,  it was nice to geta reminder.  I'm not a long hitter being 260 to 270, at best he was 10 yards past me.  I hit as many greens as he did,  our games came down to the short shots. A 4 stroke handicap difference doesn't sound like much,  but by God our games were insanely different.  My normal day is a bad round for him.

 

[chisag]

2 minutes ago, MountainKing said:

 

I was a plus many moons ago,  you quickly forget,  it was nice to geta reminder.  I'm not a long hitter being 260 to 270, at best he was 10 yards past me.  I hit as many greens as he did,  our games came down to the short shots. A 4 stroke handicap difference doesn't sound like much,  but by God our games were insanely different.  My normal day is a bad round for him.

 

 

... I hear that. I played with a guy from the mini tours in town for the Phoenix Open qualifier last winter. Averaged around 350 off the tee and shot 7 under on the front 9 from the tips at 7100. Normal looking swing just silly flash speed through impact. But what impressed me the most was his wedges and because of his length he hit plenty of them, including one where he flew the green on a par 4 from the tee and we couldn't even see him over a hill but he stuck it to about 6 feet. Same thing every wedge, inside 6 feet with a hop, little skid and back up about a 1-2'. Never excessive spin just laser like mid trajectory shots right at the flag. I shot 2 under on the front from the next tees up at 6600 and honestly felt like a complete hack. 

[Symphonize]

Yesterday was much better day weather wise. Course was dried out and ready for play. We even got some Sun later in the afternoon. After getting washed in our first two 9-hole matches (both literally and physically) the last 3 6-hole matches we won 2 and halved one. And beat the overall winners of our flight. Maybe next year we won’t be so slow out the gate, or hampered by rain, and can contend for the shootout

[MountainKing]

9 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... I hear that. I played with a guy from the mini tours in town for the Phoenix Open qualifier last winter. Averaged around 350 off the tee and shot 7 under on the front 9 from the tips at 7100. Normal looking swing just silly flash speed through impact. But what impressed me the most was his wedges and because of his length he hit plenty of them, including one where he flew the green on a par 4 from the tee and we couldn't even see him over a hill but he stuck it to about 6 feet. Same thing every wedge, inside 6 feet with a hop, little skid and back up about a 1-2'. Never excessive spin just laser like mid trajectory shots right at the flag. I shot 2 under on the front from the next tees up at 6600 and honestly felt like a complete hack. 

 

It almost motivates me to start practicing again.  I probably could get back to that level if I decided to spent more time practicing.  The zero minutes I've put into the game on the range, short game, putting ect isn't working in my favor to be good again.

[DavePelz4]

Our comp played Prairie Bluff on Saturday.  Instead of a quick course review, I'll brag on our guy VNutz. He played lights out with SEVEN birdies and shot 69.  He was literally 2 swings away from shooting 66.  V is always long, but on Saturday, he putted like Cameron Smith.  Confident, firm into the hole and I'm not sure he missed a birdie putt inside of 15 feet.  With as long as he is, V had quite a few wedges into greens, including the par 5 8th and flighted the ball so it was basically 1 hop and stop.  On 10, he bombed a drive in the 330 range and nipped a little wedge to about 2 inches.  That was in the middle of a run of 3 straight.  

 

Fun to watch someone playing to their potential!

 

Next round is at Rich Harvest and we'll see if VNutz brings that same level of play to RHF.

[DavePelz4]

Anyone from the Chi group have experience with courses on Oahu in Hawaii?  Heading there next week and will have time for 2-3 rounds, hopefully.  Haven't been to Hawaii before and would appreciate any tips/knowledge on must play courses.  Thanks!

[VNutz]

Welp, had a day Saturday at Prairie Bluff, and I'll preface this by saying I had zero idea this was coming. The last 2 years my game has been in steady decline with less play and life distractions; I'm not certain I've broken 80 in that time. 2 weeks ago I shot 87 or something at Foxford Hills and hadn't touched a club since. But everything was clicking Saturday. It felt a bit like Will Ferrell debating James Carville in Old School, like I just blacked out for a while and had no idea what just happened.

 

Friday's rains definitely softened up the course as some fairways were wet and some drives plugged, approaches held and even came back, so the course was definitely getable. Got off to an unspectacular but decent start before 3 straight birdies and 4 in 5 holes. Got in my own head and had 2 poor tee shots on 11 and 12 to lose 2 shots, before 3 birds in 4 holes to close out the round. Approaches were on and the putts were falling, 27 on the day. It's amazing how differently this game can play between when you're on and when you're off.

 

We'll see where the pendulum swings at RHF. 🙂

[DavePelz4]

1 hour ago, VNutz said:

Welp, had a day Saturday at Prairie Bluff, and I'll preface this by saying I had zero idea this was coming. The last 2 years my game has been in steady decline with less play and life distractions; I'm not certain I've broken 80 in that time. 2 weeks ago I shot 87 or something at Foxford Hills and hadn't touched a club since. But everything was clicking Saturday. It felt a bit like Will Ferrell debating James Carville in Old School, like I just blacked out for a while and had no idea what just happened.

 

Friday's rains definitely softened up the course as some fairways were wet and some drives plugged, approaches held and even came back, so the course was definitely getable. Got off to an unspectacular but decent start before 3 straight birdies and 4 in 5 holes. Got in my own head and had 2 poor tee shots on 11 and 12 to lose 2 shots, before 3 birds in 4 holes to close out the round. Approaches were on and the putts were falling, 27 on the day. It's amazing how differently this game can play between when you're on and when you're off.

 

We'll see where the pendulum swings at RHF. 🙂

 

Went and looked at your scoring record and there was a 78 at Bowes and a 79 at HoE within the last year.  Apparently you play well in cities with penal or mental institutions.  

[chisag]

5 hours ago, DavePelz4 said:

With as long as he is, V had quite a few wedges into greens, including the par 5 8th

 

1 hour ago, VNutz said:

Friday's rains definitely softened up the course as some fairways were wet and some drives plugged,

 

 

... Having played PB probably a thousand times I am still trying to wrap my head around this. Lowest iron I have hit into that green is an 8 iron with firm fairways and a big helping quartering wind and a blistered drive. Driver - wedge with soft conditions is just crazy impressive. 🤗

[VNutz]

2 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

 

 

... Having played PB probably a thousand times I am still trying to wrap my head around this. Lowest iron I have hit into that green is an 8 iron with firm fairways and a big helping quartering wind and a blistered drive. Driver - wedge with soft conditions is just crazy impressive. 🤗

That one was a bit of luck and conditions. Winds were out of the northeast mainly on the day, so the opposite of normal, and that hole normally plays back into the wind. Missed the fairway to the right, just skirting the hazard and in doing so cut the corner off pretty well and caught the rough, which was both more firm, thin and dried out than all the fairways, so I got some bounce and roll out of it. Felt pretty good about it until I checked my GPS watch, revealing a "whopping" 298 from where I had just hit. I'll never complain about that, but for getting into one, downwind, it was a touch sobering. This is 40.

[DavePelz4]

6 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

 

 

... Having played PB probably a thousand times I am still trying to wrap my head around this. Lowest iron I have hit into that green is an 8 iron with firm fairways and a big helping quartering wind and a blistered drive. Driver - wedge with soft conditions is just crazy impressive. 🤗

 

There was a bit of a helping wind, which is unusual for PB.  It's almost always directly the opposite.  V and I disagreed on how far he hit that drive.  He said 297 if I recall, however I measured it at nearly 325.

[chisag]

2 minutes ago, DavePelz4 said:

There was a bit of a helping wind, which is unusual for PB.  It's almost always directly the opposite. 

 

 

... I never quite understood why they designed #7 to not only be the longest par 4 but of course all uphill and into the prevailing wind. I always felt #7 is more like a par 4.5. The days that 7, 8 and 16 play downwind are real treats. 

[DavePelz4]

4 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

 

... I never quite understood why they designed #7 to not only be the longest par 4 but of course all uphill and into the prevailing wind. I always felt #7 is more like a par 4.5. The days that 7, 8 and 16 play downwind are real treats. 

 

At my advanced age with rapidly declining length, it's not reachable in 2 right now.  I hit a decent drive and a 4 wood and was still 20 yards short.  Just wait til V is in his 60s, he'll be pleased with 240 yard drives.

[chisag]

21 minutes ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

At my advanced age with rapidly declining length, it's not reachable in 2 right now.  I hit a decent drive and a 4 wood and was still 20 yards short.  Just wait til V is in his 60s, he'll be pleased with 240 yard drives.

 

 

... LOL so true. When the fairways are a little soft because a little downhill off the tee then uphill to the hole that landing area holds a lot of water, and when the wind is blowing the normal 15-25 mph reaching that green is difficult at best and like you, with well struck shots I came up short too many times to count. 

Edited July 18, 2022 by chisag

[ldchristopher]

Two rounds in Wisconsin today. Old Hickory and Fire Ridge. Not really near Chicago at all. Had a LOT of very makable birdie looks. Only actually made two. Still, 76 and 73. I’ll keep it short since a Bear is sitting across from me criticizing my lack of brevity in round recaps. Anyway, if you’re in the area, Old Hickory is pretty good. Excellent greens and general overall conditioning. Fire Ridge…not so much. Oak Grovian bunkers and they aren’t moving the cups very often. 

[Symphonize]

Played Whisper Creek in Huntley for the first time today. Had an amazing first nine (started on 10) with a 43. Shoulda been a 42 or 41, had a 3 putt from 4 feet that I burned the edge, didn’t take the time on the 2 foot comebacker and missed it. 
 

2nd (front) nine was another story. Shot a 52 for 95 all day, including 3 7’s on the last 4 holes. 
 

The unfortunate part was we were behind a 6 some of teenagers/young college kids for the last 12 holes. A few of them couldn’t even hit off the tee. But they somehow were keeping pace with the 4 some in front of them, so they weren’t really the issue. 

[MountainKing]

20 hours ago, DavePelz4 said:

Anyone from the Chi group have experience with courses on Oahu in Hawaii?  Heading there next week and will have time for 2-3 rounds, hopefully.  Haven't been to Hawaii before and would appreciate any tips/knowledge on must play courses.  Thanks!

 

I've never played out there but driven by numerous courses.   Royal Hawaiin GC looked to be one of the coolest courses out there, it's kind of nestled into the mountains on the northeast side of the island.  Then you can hit up Haleiwa Joe's in Kaneohe for some amazing dinner and views.  The island side north of the mountains IMO is more scenic than the south area around Honolulu. 

[VNutz]

1 hour ago, MountainKing said:

 

I've never played out there but driven by numerous courses.   Royal Hawaiin GC looked to be one of the coolest courses out there, it's kind of nestled into the mountains on the northeast side of the island.  Then you can hit up Haleiwa Joe's in Kaneohe for some amazing dinner and views.  The island side north of the mountains IMO is more scenic than the south area around Honolulu. 

I also didn't golf when I was there, but I'd second the suggestion of the north shore of the island. Even without golf I'd think that drive/trip would be well worth it. Far different than the Honolulu feel.

[Argonne69]

3 hours ago, VNutz said:

I also didn't golf when I was there, but I'd second the suggestion of the north shore of the island. Even without golf I'd think that drive/trip would be well worth it. Far different than the Honolulu feel.

 

Definitely. It's a small island, so a drive around it is worth it. Stop at Kuilima Cove (Turtle Bay Resort), and continue on to Waimea Bay Beach and Waimea Falls. Great spot for a swim. Turtle Bay GC looks interesting. 

 

Edited July 19, 2022 by Argonne69

[MountainKing]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Definitely. It's a small island, so a drive around it is worth it. Stop at Kuilima Cove (Turtle Bay Resort), and continue on to Waimea Bay Beach and Waimea Falls. Great spot for a swim. Turtle Bay GC looks interesting. 

 

 

It's a small island that can take you forever to get anywhere on, like Turtle Bay is somethin glike 30 miles from Honolulu but could take upwards of 90 minutes to drive to depending on the time.

[ME27]

On 7/18/2022 at 10:08 AM, DavePelz4 said:

Anyone from the Chi group have experience with courses on Oahu in Hawaii?  Heading there next week and will have time for 2-3 rounds, hopefully.  Haven't been to Hawaii before and would appreciate any tips/knowledge on must play courses.  Thanks!

I've only played the Palmer course at Turtle Bay but that was 6-7 years ago. Course was enjoyable and in great shape back then. Front 9 feels links like and back 9 more tropical. Oh, and lots of water. 

[ldchristopher]

I can't give any advice on courses in Hawaii, but I can tell you about a facility that all courses in the 50th state strive to replicate in quality: DEER M------------ CREEK! TPC Deer Creek was very lush tee to green and the greens had almost no marks on them. The fairway bunkers were like concrete and the greenside bunkers looked nearly as bad while the greens themselves, despite being mark-free, were stimping at maybe an 8. Ball striking was outstanding with a season-high 16/18 greens in reg. I again felt like I putted well but again only made two birdie putts (2 and 14). Nice breeze throughout the round didn't make it feel quite as hot as it actually was. Shot an even par 72. 4 hour pace that felt much longer because almost all of my other rounds this year have been 3 hours or less. Tee off at 10:40 AM and that's the price one pays. 

Edited July 20, 2022 by ldchristopher

[taylorx300]

Ok gents, talk me off the ledge. Played at the Evanston member guest last week. Did ok with an avg score of 42 for 9. Player with the Callaway reps yesterday at the Grove. First time on that course and in windy conditions, shot a 89 with four 7’s on the card. The last four tee shots with the driver were dead pull lefts with 2 ob’s.

Tomorrow is day 1 of the McHenry Co Am and I’m not sure why I’m even playing? Any thoughts, wisdom or advice? My playing partner/ coworker told me to start drinking NOW and keep going till I tee off at 11:48. Haha

[MountainKing]

1 hour ago, taylorx300 said:

Ok gents, talk me off the ledge. Played at the Evanston member guest last week. Did ok with an avg score of 42 for 9. Player with the Callaway reps yesterday at the Grove. First time on that course and in windy conditions, shot a 89 with four 7’s on the card. The last four tee shots with the driver were dead pull lefts with 2 ob’s.

Tomorrow is day 1 of the McHenry Co Am and I’m not sure why I’m even playing? Any thoughts, wisdom or advice? My playing partner/ coworker told me to start drinking NOW and keep going till I tee off at 11:48. Haha

You're thinking too much about what you've done rather than focusing on what you're going to do.   Who cares about rounds you've already played.