Random conversation thread

[scomac2002]

 

Almost forgot, I may never have to buy a golf ball again. I am averaging half a dozen (one hit wonders) golf balls found a day. ProV's and NXT tourS.

 

On of my co-workers picks balls during his shift out on the course marshalling. The clubhouse manager will buy them back from us at $.25 each if they are clean and undamaged. Bob has picked and sold over 600 balls this season working once a week!

 

Bob said to me yesterday that it was like taking candy from a baby. You pick them up one week and then the next week the same damned balls are back out there in more or less the same location! :lol:

[Wriggles]

A couple weeks ago, my nephew and niece decided to visit his aunt and me. I gave my nephew a set of Callaway x-14 pro series irons I had lying around. I also gave him a nice new divot tool and markers set, a Bobby Jones on Golf book, and an instructional video I had also lying around.

 

He was really elated. It did my heart good to see him place those irons in the Callaway bag, with the woods I sent him. The stuff is in his trunk. so maybe he'll use them. Hopefully.

 

Going to the chiropractor this morning. Maybe golf afterward.

 

Play well!

[ScooterMcTavish]

its hard to take a picture when you are holding a chainsaw I bet?

 

And also not highly recommended.

 

Hello my Wrx friends, apologies as I haven't been around much this year. Between work demands, life, etc. I have not had as much time as typical for the purveyance of golf, nor the intricacies of the the world of equipment. Been a pretty lean year overall, and I've used the "modern" bag pretty much constantly since I've put it together, as I am getting older. That being said, I was using my Zings previously, so really haven't swung the vintage blades much this year.

 

On the other hand, I did get invited to a round at one of the nicest private clubs in Winnipeg this last week, the club that hosted this year's CPGA event. Ironically, it is just a stone's throw across the river from an apartment building where young Scooter spent some time growing up. It is of value noting that young Scooter would have had stones thrown at him had he attempted to go on to this course in his leaner days. My how times change. In fact, I wished I had known how much successful people feel guilty for their success back when I was young, as I'm sure one of them would have liked to sponsor a Young Scooter in membership, and kept him supplied with other largesse such as clubs, balls, and french fries.

 

Heck, if I knew a kid who was golf crazy locally but who could not afford golf, I'd set them up with clubs, balls, a local membership, and some life mentoring. In many ways, it is sad how many intelligent, good kids fall by the wayside, simply due to poverty, neglect, and a lack of role models.

 

As a vintage golfer, I do notice the travails of aging seem to set in a little more each year. Despite going as lightweight as I can with my clubs, an 18 hole walk yesterday (on a somewhat hilly course) combined with swinging the club (including putter) 96 times took the starch out of me, and I feel a bit beat up. Mind you, with life's other distractions, the golf muscles have been sorely underused this year. The floor laying, dry walling, cupboard building, cupboard hanging, moving boxes muscles are the ones getting the workout.

 

I did have a philosophically horrifying thought as well yesterday as we finished up our round. I do very much enjoy golfing, with the reasons for which recorded in many parts of this forum. One of the great anticipations of my retirement in the next 10-12 years is that I can golf as much as I want. But what if one of my primary enjoyments of golf is exactly the fact that I cannot do it all the time? What if once I can golf as often as I want that I really don't find golfing as special as I once dd?

 

Enough rambling for the day. Good to have a few minutes to catch up on posts, and am glad to see everyone is doing well.

[scomac2002]

 

I did have a philosophically horrifying thought as well yesterday as we finished up our round. I do very much enjoy golfing, with the reasons for which recorded in many parts of this forum. One of the great anticipations of my retirement in the next 10-12 years is that I can golf as much as I want. But what if one of my primary enjoyments of golf is exactly the fact that I cannot do it all the time? What if once I can golf as often as I want that I really don't find golfing as special as I once dd?

 

 

That is a conundrum, isn't it? I know folks that play 90-100 rounds a year, Monday to Friday, on the same course during our shortened golf season. It's not for me. That would strike me as a dull routine that would rob me of the very pleasure that I get from golf not unlike a mundane chore.

 

I like variety. Not just in the course I play, but also in how I spend my time and yes, that includes doing things for others which is in essence what work is. I think that this is one of the reasons why I never regretted the seasons and having to find something else to do in winter rather than golfing year round.

 

I think it comes down to finding the right group to play with. It then becomes as much about the social interaction and relationships as it does about the love of the game and the spirit of competition.

 

It's all about balance and you will find yours.

[Fellaheen51]

"I did have a philosophically horrifying thought as well yesterday as we finished up our round. I do very much enjoy golfing, with the reasons for which recorded in many parts of this forum. One of the great anticipations of my retirement in the next 10-12 years is that I can golf as much as I want. But what if one of my primary enjoyments of golf is exactly the fact that I cannot do it all the time? What if once I can golf as often as I want that I really don't find golfing as special as I once did?"

 

Sco above succinctly hit upon the essence of your pondering's. "It's all about balance and you will find yours". We who frequent this part of this website seem to have a handle on the intrinsic values that playing at golf offers. We find pleasure in shared company, or playing alone. Not having score being the determinant of whether we had a good day or bad out on the course. Enjoy the surroundings in which we play. With new clubs or old. In short, we play to the point that it brings us pleasure. Without being a compulsion. Seemingly, most of us have adequate self recognition to recognize that its a leisure time activity, and step back for awhile if life's requirements so demand.

 

Scooter, you seem to be a self aware fellow. At least based on my digital impression. When the time comes, you'll know what is the proper amount of time to allocate to playing. Without it interfering with the greater responsibilities of life. You'll discover your "balance".

 

Speaking for myself, 2x - 3x a week seems to be just about right. A full round with the buds mid-week. The league when in season. A nine with the Mrs. or by myself at other times. I'm a big fan of the quick nine holes when I want to hit it around a bit without significant time allocations. A different course than the usual, as often as possible. The ever changing mashup of clubs in the bag. Seemingly always something new (old) to try, at least once. All contribute to keeping it fresh. Score is ultimately so far down the list as to be inconsequential.

[Wriggles]

When I joined my club, a modest tract twenty years ago, I thought I might become bored with playing the same course over and over again. I've played that course, for the most part, exclusively since joining. I played in leagues there, alone or with a pal or two, never regretting playing the same course over and over again.

 

I have a tendency to play different minimalist kits a lot, really mixing it up, from hickory to relatively modern. Sometimes, I just play with an adjustable iron, with or without a fairway wood. I mix up the tees, play the tips and the seniors or ladies in no logical order.

 

Maybe, that's why I don't find the same course boring.

 

Play well!

[oldschoolrocker]

Some very astute pondering lads. I think the above posts speak volumes about our collective views on what golf brings to the table for us.

Having gotten bored with full retirement after the flood renovation I opted to go back to work. Not in the industry that I had made my bones, but in the tranquil setting of golf course maintenance. For me, it's not work, nor even a "labor" of love, but, another passionate hobby that I am getting paid to perform.

I am actually "playing" less, enjoying it more, and playing a better brand of golf. I have my weekly after work group at the course I work for, a semi- weekly seniors state association tourament, and an occasional practice round on the next course in our rotation.

As others have stated, I mix it up, with respect to the clubs in the bag, the tee box selection, and other aspects of the game. This helps keep every round unique, and adds to the joy and schoolboy excitement felt when pegging the tee.

Scott, you are so spot on with your reflection. Thank God times have changed.

[BIG STU]

The recreational golfers that play by "USGA rules" are very few to virtually non-exsistent. So a moot point. The two points that I was struck with were:

 

Course conditioning (i.e less watering to make the course firmer, thus enhancing rollout). Personally, I do not like playing hard fairways. If one does not like consistently hitting 4 irons on second shots, perhaps one is playing the wrong set of tees.

 

 

IMHO this is somewhat similar to the phenomenon that gave us senior flex shafts labeled as "Firm Flex" and 10° drivers with "7°" stamped on the sole. It's ego. It seems to be especially prominent in the average American male golfer, for some reason. They think they hit the ball farther than they do, swing faster than they actually swing, etc.

 

Too many players won't play the tees they should be playing. :)

We ran into that today. Seems like the fall tourist season has started early this year. We had a group in front of us trying to play the back tees that needed to be on the senior (Gold) tees not because of age but because of ability or lack of. The ranger made them move up a set and it sped up things some but it was still a 5+ hour round. Usually this time of the year and the early spring I stay away from my home course and play a lower tier course but the one I did play at just closed. Not to mislead they were not the only slow group on the course because the course was crowded. I know one guy said "you guys play fast" My buddy Bear told him well it seems fast when all the members in your group shoot in the 70s. That guy did not know what to say.

 

This group is one of the bunch I play with. I know the "Mafia' group has started playing down South some because the courses have less tourist traffic. This is what I call the New York group (they are from Upstate NY) I think we are going to start playing on the Northwest end of the beach less tourist traffic there too

[BIG STU]

Some very astute pondering lads. I think the above posts speak volumes about our collective views on what golf brings to the table for us.

Having gotten bored with full retirement after the flood renovation I opted to go back to work. Not in the industry that I had made my bones, but in the tranquil setting of golf course maintenance. For me, it's not work, nor even a "labor" of love, but, another passionate hobby that I am getting paid to perform.

I am actually "playing" less, enjoying it more, and playing a better brand of golf. I have my weekly after work group at the course I work for, a semi- weekly seniors state association tourament, and an occasional practice round on the next course in our rotation.

As others have stated, I mix it up, with respect to the clubs in the bag, the tee box selection, and other aspects of the game. This helps keep every round unique, and adds to the joy and schoolboy excitement felt when pegging the tee.

Scott, you are so spot on with your reflection. Thank God times have changed.

Randy my running partner Bo Bear is back from NY and I told him about the vintage golf and he is ready to jump dead on it.

 

You will find out you will love working at the golf course-- My ex boss who retired last year at 72 years old took him a job at a course here. He does the set up cutting the cups and moving the tee markers early in the morning. That is his cup of tea because like me he is an early riser. Heck he called me the other morning at 4 AM because he knew I was on the yard fixing to go out on my morning run. He loves the solitude and the open air out there early in the morning

[tlhorsh]

So I'm going to rant a little bit, because i knew you guys could get where i'm coming from. Some of you may remember i'm the golf coach for a little district in south centra PA. About 45 minutes from me is a little country club called Sunnehanna...you know home of the Sunnehanna Amateur only one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur tourneys in the US. Well they have a one day high school tourney for the regions best high school golfers, which i have one. He has the capability of shooting a low number but has no drive to be the best he can be. Well i secured him an invitation to the Wheeling Interscholastic tournament at Sunnehanna today...i couldn't get off of school so he was going up with another local coach who is a great guy. So i get a text from the other coach today about 7:30 saying P@@ didn't come today. I couldn't believe it so i text the kid to see what was up, and his reply, "I didn't feel like it"...

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME....you're passing on playing one of the most historic courses on the East coast where most of the greats have played. Now i have to write a letter to the committee apologizing for my idiot golfer because if i told him he should do it, it would never get done....

[gsea33]

So I'm going to rant a little bit, because i knew you guys could get where i'm coming from. Some of you may remember i'm the golf coach for a little district in south centra PA. About 45 minutes from me is a little country club called Sunnehanna...you know home of the Sunnehanna Amateur only one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur tourneys in the US. Well they have a one day high school tourney for the regions best high school golfers, which i have one. He has the capability of shooting a low number but has no drive to be the best he can be. Well i secured him an invitation to the Wheeling Interscholastic tournament at Sunnehanna today...i couldn't get off of school so he was going up with another local coach who is a great guy. So i get a text from the other coach today about 7:30 saying P@@ didn't come today. I couldn't believe it so i text the kid to see what was up, and his reply, "I didn't feel like it"...

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME....you're passing on playing one of the most historic courses on the East coast where most of the greats have played. Now i have to write a letter to the committee apologizing for my idiot golfer because if i told him he should do it, it would never get done....

 

Dumbfounded. I could go on about the kids character etc but you all know this. It is a shame that some kids are this way. I'll stop now.

[Nomad Golfer]

So I'm going to rant a little bit, because i knew you guys could get where i'm coming from. Some of you may remember i'm the golf coach for a little district in south centra PA. About 45 minutes from me is a little country club called Sunnehanna...you know home of the Sunnehanna Amateur only one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur tourneys in the US. Well they have a one day high school tourney for the regions best high school golfers, which i have one. He has the capability of shooting a low number but has no drive to be the best he can be. Well i secured him an invitation to the Wheeling Interscholastic tournament at Sunnehanna today...i couldn't get off of school so he was going up with another local coach who is a great guy. So i get a text from the other coach today about 7:30 saying P@@ didn't come today. I couldn't believe it so i text the kid to see what was up, and his reply, "I didn't feel like it"...

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME....you're passing on playing one of the most historic courses on the East coast where most of the greats have played. Now i have to write a letter to the committee apologizing for my idiot golfer because if i told him he should do it, it would never get done....

 

Dumbfounded. I could go on about the kids character etc but you all know this. It is a shame that some kids are this way. I'll stop now.

Don't waste any more time with this one, there are far more deserving kids around.

[TimV]

So I'm going to rant a little bit, because i knew you guys could get where i'm coming from. Some of you may remember i'm the golf coach for a little district in south centra PA. About 45 minutes from me is a little country club called Sunnehanna...you know home of the Sunnehanna Amateur only one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur tourneys in the US. Well they have a one day high school tourney for the regions best high school golfers, which i have one. He has the capability of shooting a low number but has no drive to be the best he can be. Well i secured him an invitation to the Wheeling Interscholastic tournament at Sunnehanna today...i couldn't get off of school so he was going up with another local coach who is a great guy. So i get a text from the other coach today about 7:30 saying P@@ didn't come today. I couldn't believe it so i text the kid to see what was up, and his reply, "I didn't feel like it"...

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME....you're passing on playing one of the most historic courses on the East coast where most of the greats have played. Now i have to write a letter to the committee apologizing for my idiot golfer because if i told him he should do it, it would never get done....

 

If I was the coach he'd never play on my team again.

[jbucher]

He turned you down and blew off what sounds like you made the effort to get him a spot. If it's school related he should be disciplined. You should have a nice long chat with him.

 

The year I got into HS they dropped the golf team. The year before my brother was the captain of it. All sorts of excuses from the school. I never got my chance.........................

 

Jimmy B

[oldschoolrocker]

Let me take another POV on this one. A long time ago I remember a HS kid who showed some promise in another sport. His problem was he knew more than his coaches. The kid could be a real Horse's ***at times. He wasn't dealing well with everything from raging hormones to the Vietnam war.

His coaches, although tough on him, taught him some valuable life lessons that have served him well.

Child and adolescent cognitive thought process can be really mixed up at times.

Sometimes there's a back story that needs to be fleshed out.

[gsea33]

"Child and adolescent cognitive thought process can be really mixed up at times. " As a retired teacher I can say no truer words have been spoken.

[oldschoolrocker]

Beautiful day at YHC. Mowed fairways all morning. Under a shade tree on 10 watching NCAA Lady Cougar Classic. 20 something teams. I know where I land my tee ball on this hole and after watching about 5 groups tee off I am thinking of giving up the game for something more my speed, like checkers!!!

[8bitpowerfade]

Golf Facts Presents... Wild Duff Shots: You might be good, but there's at least one in every bucket of balls. At least two if it's a large bucket. Once you find a duff, don't be alarmed or give them reason to chase after you when you play on the course. Also, don't leave half-eaten sandwiches or Skor bars on the ground as this will most certainly attract a duff. When encountering a duff, calmly and slowly walk away from the duff. Climbing a tree may help but pepper spray does not. Just leave the duff on the range--that is their home--and never provoke them with foul language or obscene gestures. They won't bother you if you don't bother them. We all need to learn more about duffs so we can respect them and live in peace with them.

[smellysell]

You'd think with the amount of stuff I've bought from eBay I would be more thorough in reading listings. Managed to buy a set of parallel tip Nippon 1150 for my mp32s...

[oldschoolrocker]

Thoughts and prayers to anyone in the path of Hurricane Matthew. Already small amount of panic in Charleston area. Stu, how's it look up your way?

[NRJyzr]

Thoughts and prayers to anyone in the path of Hurricane Matthew. Already small amount of panic in Charleston area. Stu, how's it look up your way?

 

 

Echoing this....

 

You'd think with the amount of stuff I've bought from eBay I would be more thorough in reading listings. Managed to buy a set of parallel tip Nippon 1150 for my mp32s...

 

 

That might be a problem. MP-32s are taper bore (.355), or were yours bored out to .370?

[smellysell]

You'd think with the amount of stuff I've bought from eBay I would be more thorough in reading listings. Managed to buy a set of parallel tip Nippon 1150 for my mp32s...

 

 

That might be a problem. MP-32s are taper bore (.355), or were yours bored out to .370?

 

Yeah, that was the point, definitely a problem. I knew the MP32s are taper, but it didn't say what size the shafts were, and I didn't even notice it didn't say. If it had said .370 I probably would have noticed, it did say they were pulled from Callaways though so I would have known if I was paying more attention.

[thug the bunny]

Thought experiment: what would happen if the phenomenon of friction ceased to exist?

[Nomad Golfer]

Thought experiment: what would happen if the phenomenon of friction ceased to exist?

We would have colonized Mars already and Opec wouldn't exist.

[8bitpowerfade]

Thought experiment: what would happen if the phenomenon of friction ceased to exist?

 

That kind of question leads to a slippery slope.

 

Ergo...

 

I predict metal spikes making a huge comeback.

[smellysell]

Thought experiment: what would happen if the phenomenon of friction ceased to exist?

 

Vaseline and Astroglide stock would plummet.

[BIG STU]

Thoughts and prayers to anyone in the path of Hurricane Matthew. Already small amount of panic in Charleston area. Stu, how's it look up your way?

Looks like it will not be too bad other than the rain. they are evacuating only for storm surge in zone A which is 17 business east to the ocean. I live on the west side of 17 business. We had prepared to bug out and had made araingments to stay at a friend's in Charlotte NC We are packed up and gassed up. But as of now I think we are sticking. I had been keeping the mini van topped off during this hurricane season and had prepared for the worse. It sorta got crazy Tuesday night I was told at the Kroger fuel island they had a fist fight over someone trying to cut into the gas line. I missed all of that because I filled the van and pick up Sunday afternoon as is my SOP. I did top off the mini van yesterday early at the Scotchman here by the house and avoided all the crap. I also keep a Jerry can with 5 gallons behind the shop and keep it treated with Stabilize. Between my Navy training and fire department training I have learned long ago to be proactive not reactive

[oldschoolrocker]

 

 

This is about a random post as I can think of. Oldest son was driving my old pickup to work yesterday while half the city was evacuating and it overheated on I26. When I was able to get to him I found the radiator inlet snapped off and MIA. Did a Macgyver with some masking tape, gum, and a 5 hour energy bottle. Filled up radiator with water and was able to get it the 20 miles back home.

[BIG STU]

 

 

This is about a random post as I can think of. Oldest son was driving my old pickup to work yesterday while half the city was evacuating and it overheated on I26. When I was able to get to him I found the radiator inlet snapped off and MIA. Did a Macgyver with some masking tape, gum, and a 5 hour energy bottle. Filled up radiator with water and was able to get it the 20 miles back home.

ROTFLMAO!! Redneck engineering at it's finest! exactly how I would have done it! Us old Navy guys can usually get one in with baling wire duct tape tie wraps or bungee cords. I always carry that sort of stuff in my pick up and my big truck too add to that a tube of two part JB Weld mix

[DavePelz4]

The dot at the top of an i is called a tittle.