Golf. Spring. Heaven.

[bobfoster]

Easter weekend. Last weekend in March. Golf weather has been miserable in the NE for a couple months. But this weekend?

 

I consider it the start of (my) 2024 season. 58* Saturday, 60* Sunday. A bit of wind, but no rain predicted. All of my local courses are now open. A warm-up weekend (in NJ, can't post Ghin scores until April 1st - decided I would start keeping a formal cap again this year). 

 

Coming out of the gate with new Puma shoes, new compression socks (really, it's the little things 😎). But also new Mizzy 245 scoring irons, and late fall/winter changed to SteelFiber shafts in my long irons, but barely even got to try them last year. (Not a little thing - can't wait to really put these puppies to the test).

 

Ahhh ... the annual rhythms of golf.  

 

So my friends (especially those above the Mason Dixon line, and all of you Canuks that haven't played for a few months) - whatcha doing to get ready to blast into the new season?

 

Personally, I'm optimistic that I am going to have a positively superlative 2024. 

Edited March 29 by bobfoster

[dropkicked]

New SM10's, waiting and ready to score.... Should be many openings next week.

 

[bobfoster]

56 minutes ago, dropkicked said:

New SM10's, waiting and ready to score.... Should be many openings next week.

 

New year. New season. New clubs. Doesn't get much better than this. 

[Langlands]

It's been a long, cold and wet winter here in Scotland. Glad to be finally free of playing in 4 layers of clothing (not quite yet), winter gloves (not yet either), woolly hat (very nearly) and the dreaded mat we have to play from (as of last week).

 

Made a few small changes to the club set-up late last year so nothing planned on that front (thinking about another pair of shoes but will see), and really looking forward to a week of golf in Portugal late April. 

 

Oh, and the Masters in a couple of weeks. Let's go!  

[mizuno player]

Ahhhhhhh choooooo.  Spring is sprung... 

 

60's here today. May not the range. 

[Sir-Shanks-A-Lot]

For the last two weeks I've been checking the websites of the courses I regularly play for the "Welcome! We are open!" announcements. Sadly, gonna have to head over to the indoor range down the street once again ... 

[elwhippy]

Spring is missing in action. Still need thermals, rain pants and old shoes as course is saturated. Mats are off on Monday but improved lies on until end of May (England Golf approved). Carry only today as too wet for trollies and buggies. Looking forward to some seaside gold in coming weeks to restore my passion for the game. 

[bcjim]

5 hours ago, elwhippy said:

Spring is missing in action. Still need thermals, rain pants and old shoes as course is saturated. Mats are off on Monday but improved lies on until end of May (England Golf approved). Carry only today as too wet for trollies and buggies. Looking forward to some seaside gold in coming weeks to restore my passion for the game. 

yikes.

[9ClubberLang]

I love this time of year. The clocks are about to change in the UK, Spring is springing and the Masters is around the corner.

[elwhippy]

Clock changes mean golf after work. Hit a balmy 12 degrees yesterday but course is weeks away from being decent. 

[bobfoster]

6 hours ago, elwhippy said:

Clock changes mean golf after work. Hit a balmy 12 degrees yesterday but course is weeks away from being decent. 

Celsius? 

[Murphy76]

 

Today I woke up at no particular time.

Went to my Dad's house.  Ate brunch.  Played 18 with him, mowed the lawn, got groceries, took a nap, ate dinner, played GTA online,  watched masters of the air, now ready for bed.

Scout the dog was there for some of it.

The Best

Easter

Ever.

 

 

[jholz]

Right up until they punch the greens...

[RoverTiger]

Thankfully the winters here are still hospitable enough for regular golf, but yeah, this weekend's round with a lot more greenery on display just hit way different.

 

'Bout that time. 😍

[NCLancer]

On 3/29/2024 at 9:45 AM, Sir-Shanks-A-Lot said:

For the last two weeks I've been checking the websites of the courses I regularly play for the "Welcome! We are open!" announcements. Sadly, gonna have to head over to the indoor range down the street once again ... 

@Sir-Shanks-A-LotTake a quick trip south to Plattsburgh as Bluff Point is open!!

Edited April 3 by NCLancer

[elwhippy]

Spring? What is this strange thing you talk of? Played after work. Thermal. Fleece. Windbreaker. Hat. Neck buff. Rain pants. Course still resembles a peat bog with drives plugging on the fairways. Now raining heavily. Time to book a holiday. 

[Sir-Shanks-A-Lot]

On 4/3/2024 at 3:11 PM, NCLancer said:

@Sir-Shanks-A-LotTake a quick trip south to Plattsburgh as Bluff Point is open!!

@NCLancer: l'll have to check that out. Thanks for the tip!

 

 

[NCLancer]

39 minutes ago, Sir-Shanks-A-Lot said:

@NCLancer: l'll have to check that out. Thanks for the tip!

 

 

Well I imagine the snow received the past few days has put a damper on the early April golf but they'll be up and at it again soon! 

[elwhippy]

Closed Friday and hammering it down as I type. Range session later today. Spring, where are thou?

[elwhippy]

A couple of our local links are closed and the normally dry heathland venue has cancelled an open comp. Any WRX members living in the desert able to offer a game on their dry course?

[Sir-Shanks-A-Lot]

23 hours ago, NCLancer said:

Well I imagine the snow received the past few days has put a damper on the early April golf but they'll be up and at it again soon! 

 

Yup, Mother Nature's April Fools gag ... we are not amused ...

 

[SnowbirdTom]

Back home in the Midwest from east Texas and headed out for the first round this afternoon.  Not the bone soaking warmth of down south, but tolerable at around 50* for tee off.  Hope to see the sun and little wind.  

[chinaski]

On 3/30/2024 at 10:38 AM, bcjim said:

yikes.

 

Nothing wrong with lift, clean and place when everything is plugging. We do it in club events in spring.

[dropkicked]

10*C here and tracks are open... Unfortunately I won't be out until mid week... but I'll be playing.. 🙂

[Kacy]

Summer/fall was always my favorite until I started walking most of my rounds. Now it’s spring solely because temps in the 50’s with any wind will scare off a lot golfers in Oklahoma, leaves a wide open course and by hole 3 or 4 I’ve warmed up enough to not even care. Walked 18 in 3 hours last week and didn’t even try to play fast.

[SnowbirdTom]

Gorgeous day after all.  Course was in decent shape and wind stayed down.  Two birdies in nine holes ruined with a double on the ninth.

 

 

[bcjim]

9 hours ago, chinaski said:

 

Nothing wrong with lift, clean and place when everything is plugging. We do it in club events in spring.

Sure, but the poster indicated a blanket policy extending for 6 weeks or more. Can I get that deal?

[chinaski]

3 hours ago, bcjim said:

Sure, but the poster indicated a blanket policy extending for 6 weeks or more. Can I get that deal?

Haha, yeah that's a bit much. Should be day by day. We also usually allow lift, clean and place through the green. 

[bobfoster]

Will be coolish - low 50s - tomorrow (well, it's after midnight so I guess today), but mostly sunny. I have a tee time. 

 

But 2024 golf officially starts. NJ went active April 1st on GHIN, so scores now get recorded for cap purposes.

 

Not thinking my first recorded score this year will be astounding. Has been a long, cold, damp winter and I've barely been able to get out.

 

Hoping the weather at least gets to the lower level of my comfort zone in April. I'll play at anywhere between about 45*F and 105*F (any colder or hotter and I can play, but I just don't find it that fun to play), but way prefer the 60* - 85* range.