Love Golf?

[Kee]

Jason Day asked him. I tried to get something out of those comments and just wasn't sure what Tiger was talking about. I do have a new wedge I've been hitting lately.

Thanks for the correction. Yea, when Tiger talks about the golf swing I often need a translator. It's cool to hear Jason echo what I'm thinking. Tiger is no doubt capable of clearly explaining what he means, but I don't think that golf instruction will ever be his thing.

 

[Novacor]

Took advantage of another warm Saturday to get out on the course. Had a nice round right up to the last hole when the group of asshats behind us started hitting into our group. All four of them hit within 20 yards of us as we hit our approach shots, then they were kind enough to wait for me to hole out and start walking off the green before the first ball came flying in.

 

[passedpawn]

Took advantage of another warm Saturday to get out on the course. Had a nice round right up to the last hole when the group of asshats behind us started hitting into our group. All four of them hit within 20 yards of us as we hit our approach shots, then they were kind enough to wait for me to hole out and start walking off the green before the first ball came flying in.

I've only had that happen a few times. Sadly, I did it myself this evening. Drove into a par 4 but had an usually good tee shot, to the fringe around the green. Party ahead was up there on the green, must have seen my ball roll up there. I was a bit ashamed and avoided eye contact Purely an accident, normally I don't drive that far. (still bogied the hole)

 

[Novacor]

I've only had that happen a few times. Sadly, I did it myself this evening. Drove into a par 4 but had an usually good tee shot, to the fringe around the green. Party ahead was up there on the green, must have seen my ball roll up there. I was a bit ashamed and avoided eye contact Purely an accident, normally I don't drive that far. (still bogied the hole)

I could have forgiven the shots that came close while we were still on the fairway, but hitting the green while I'm still standing on it had me very tempted to pick up that ball and take it with me.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

Still pushing it in the Northeast. Courses are still packed with n00bs. Got close to 60 yesterday. Late fall sun makes it tough to track the ball.

I usually like hitting the range. This year I think I've spent a total of 45 minutes practicing including putting. Best year of driving the ball. Irons? So so. Putting not bad.

 

[passedpawn]

Still pushing it in the Northeast. Courses are still packed with n00bs. Got close to 60 yesterday. Late fall sun makes it tough to track the ball.

I usually like hitting the range. This year I think I've spent a total of 45 minutes practicing including putting. Best year of driving the ball. Irons? So so. Putting not bad.View attachment 707455View attachment 707456View attachment 707457View attachment 707458View attachment 707459View attachment 707460View attachment 707462

that par 3 over the quarry (?) looks dangerous. Looks like a fun course! Just got off the course at sundown, and I've got a 9:06am tee time for tomorrow haha. My youngest boy beat me my 4 strokes tonight, but tomorrow we'll see.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Just had a storm go through (my weather station says we got > 6" yesterday). Course was cart path only, which means totally empty course. RIPPED through it.

Was a bit damp, and you want to avoid the bunkers.

View attachment 706341

Love the cart, Clic is the Cadillac of carts. I love mine!

 

[Dog House Brew]

I could have forgiven the shots that came close while we were still on the fairway, but hitting the green while I'm still standing on it had me very tempted to pick up that ball and take it with me.

Anyone ever hits into my green on the fly, gets personal attention from me with a drive back to where they are. I don’t tolerate that on the course. I’ve left the course more than once in my career with grass stains.

 

[passedpawn]

Well, I hit the range on Thanksgiving, played Friday and Saturday, and now my left forearm hurts like a motha. It's mostly swinging the driver that cause it to hurt.

Son tells me it's tennis elbow. Gotta take a break for a while - week or two away from the course, ugh. Not sure I'll make it. Maybe find a putt-putt somewhere haha.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Well, I hit the range on Thanksgiving, played Friday and Saturday, and now my left forearm hurts like a motha. It's mostly swinging the driver that cause it to hurt.

Son tells me it's tennis elbow. Gotta take a break for a while - week or two away from the course, ugh. Not sure I'll make it. Maybe find a putt-putt somewhere haha.

Get yourself some Voltaren gel. It used to be prescription but it's now OTC. It's a topical NSAID, and it does really well. I found it at Costco at a reasonable price for more than I'll probably use in a while.

I developed tennis elbow playing tug-of-war with the puppy after we got him, and one of the guys on this forum suggested it. I'd been dealing with tennis elbow for almost a month, and it went away in about 3-4 days with the gel.

 

[passedpawn]

Get yourself some Voltaren gel. It used to be prescription but it's now OTC. It's a topical NSAID, and it does really well. I found it at Costco at a reasonable price for more than I'll probably use in a while.

I developed tennis elbow playing tug-of-war with the puppy after we got him, and one of the guys on this forum suggested it. I'd been dealing with tennis elbow for almost a month, and it went away in about 3-4 days with the gel.

Just put some on. Hoping for the best. Had wife take a pic - see bruising.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Umm, that may not be normal OR tennis elbow.

Tennis elbow as I understand it is on the top/outside of the forearm, not the underside. And for me at least there was no bruising.

You might want to get that looked at...

 

[passedpawn]

Umm, that may not be normal OR tennis elbow.

Tennis elbow as I understand it is on the top/outside of the forearm, not the underside. And for me at least there was no bruising.

You might want to get that looked at...

I killed the drives Saturday. Might have been my best day driving ever. Hurt like hell though, but we suffer for our art.

I've had tennis elbow from tennis before (used to play a lot). It does feel different - more of a pain around the elbow (imagine that). All 3 of my kids are in medicine of one sort or another, so I'm getting great personalized care. ATM they are texting me the medical names of the muscles I wrecked. I'm not concerned at all - I'm always nursing an injury. I suspect this will become more gruesome before it gets better. I'll post another one if it gets really impressive.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

50's today and a foot of heavy wet snow tomorrow. Treehouse down the road

 

[passedpawn]

Man the rolloff from the green looks treacherous. And the bounce off the rocks. I see they put some nice bumpers behind the green if your wedge doesn't grab on those dry days.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

The course is at the top of a valley so there's usually wind. That's a par three. Tee shot feels like you're shooting the gauntlet. I've played it from the back tees where they push you back 240yds shooting off a cliff and yes a safe miss is bouncing off the rocks.

 

[passedpawn]

The course is at the top of a valley so there's usually wind. That's a par three. Tee shot feels like you're shooting the gauntlet. I've played it from the back tees where they push you back 240yds shooting off a cliff and yes a safe miss is bouncing off the rocks.

Haha I might layup on that par 3.

 

[applescrap]

Been enjoying the pku. Long update from me coming. I see you are getting better passedpawn, woot! Yep, the hips lead, and a coordinated body move is way more powerful. Love the pics dude. Wow, so beautiful and looks like somewhere you would have to be real comfortable playing to score. I like all the trees and elevation.

Oddly enough my left wrist is hurt to. But I'm getting better. Hurt for like a month now, have no idea what I hurt in there. Yours looks bad but sounds like you know yourself. If my wrist looked like that and was swollen I would almost suspect I broke it.

Did I tell you guys the story of when I broke my hand diving for a ball in softball and wouldnt let them cast it because the golf season was coming up. He said , it'll probably bother you your whole life, but what would I know I am just a doctor. I said can I play with the cast and he said no. In hogans book he drew a picture of the right hand as a drill with thumb and finger off. I played like that. Without the ability to grip or control it was freewheelin'.

I see some new golfers woot. I can agree with a lot of what dog house is saying. I agree that I only shot a few strokes better breaking my back and caring to much. Honestly I feel I hit some better shots now caring less than a tight awful swing. I am certain that at some level the head plays a role. Most of my bad shots have a fear or doubt attached.

Got the heater and cart cover out once already. Back to playing ok. I moved the weights on that epic flash btw and I hit it dead straight maybe a slight draw. Looks and sounds like I whacked the heck out of it, but not seeing distance gains. They offered me a new shaft. My old adila says stiff 3.4. The tnsi blue stiff is 3.9. So I suspect I want the xs which is 3.9. Which seems weird, but I assume it's not pro stiff. Another thought is that I was taking speed off my swing with my hurt wrist and that is why I was hitting it straight. Not enough speed to go haywire.

Next up I am looking at setting up a launch monitor. Like the cheap little ones, yeah you dont get pebble beach simulation, but you get numbers. More to come, hit them well this wekend!

 

[Kee]

I finally played my first round in about 20 years. The group played from the senior's tees, something I have mixed feelings about. The 95 wasn't quite as well as I expected, but hey, it's a start. Could have been worse. I kept guarding against a hook and hitting the ball right, and hitting my irons thin (and short).

With any luck the course will be less intimidating next time, whenever that is.

 

[doug293cz]

I finally played my first round in about 20 years. The group played from the senior's tees, something I have mixed feelings about. The 95 wasn't quite as well as I expected, but hey, it's a start. Could have been worse. I kept guarding against a hook and hitting the ball right, and hitting my irons thin (and short).

With any luck the course will be less intimidating next time, whenever that is.

Unhappy with a 95 after 20 yrs off? - talk about unrealistic expectations. I'd be ecstatic with a 95, as I'm usually in triple digits.

Brew on

 

[passedpawn]

I finally played my first round in about 20 years. The group played from the senior's tees, something I have mixed feelings about. The 95 wasn't quite as well as I expected, but hey, it's a start. Could have been worse. I kept guarding against a hook and hitting the ball right, and hitting my irons thin (and short).

With any luck the course will be less intimidating next time, whenever that is.

I'm partying after a 95 haha. I play from the whites, but still. In my book, you're awesome.

When you're nervous and tight, it's common to hit them thin. I do it all the time. Nervous I won't hit my target -> overswing -> pull my head up during swing -> blade. It's all mental - I can have two great practice swings, then when I engage the ball, duff.

My suggestion (and believe me, I shouldn't be giving advice) is force yourself to swing at 75% on every shot. You'll do much better. I know, I can't do it either haha.

 

[Kee]

Unhappy with a 95 after 20 yrs off? - talk about unrealistic expectations. I'd be ecstatic with a 95, as I'm usually in triple digits.

Brew on

I'm fine with the score, not bragging or complaining, although it may have come across that way. I used to live or die by what was on the scorecard, but nowadays, not so much. It will be a point of reference, and the next time I play I'll take aim at it, but I won't obsess about it.

True confession though, I am slightly obsessed (in a good way, I hope) with the golf swing. But (now, anyway) that translates mainly as hitting foam balls in my backyard a couple of times a day. It's relaxing and fun, although I'm sure my nearest neighbor thinks it's a bit strange.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Hit the range today. Man... If I could hit them on the course like I was hitting them on the range today? I'd be a single-digit handicap lol!

More seriously, ever since my little "swing evaluation" things have been going downhill, especially on the course. And I realized during my last round that I might have just been getting in my own way by being WAY too tense. From my grip all the way up through to my shoulders, I was just trying to muscle everything. And that last round, I quite honestly couldn't even freakin' hit the ball.

So my focus today was simple... RELAX. Tried to remember the old Sam Snead saying, to grip the club like you would a baby bird. Firm enough that it won't fly away, but not so hard that you harm it. To just relax through the swing and let my natural strength flow, instead of TRYING to hit it.

Contact was SO much better. Direction was SO much better. Distance may have dropped 10%, but distance isn't my problem on the course. And once I relax, everything that I took away from that swing evaluation came right back too--better contact, good swing path, slight draw to the ball.

Now I just need to apply it on the course lol.

I do think I need an equipment change. I like my clubs because they were custom fit for me, but they were custom fit with 20 year old technology for a 23-year-old me. Golf technology has improved a lot. My own physical technology has degraded over those 20 years. These clubs swing very heavy, which was good to try to get me to slow down my swing tempo relative to being a 23-year-old gorilla. Not sure I'm strong enough to hit these things any more, which might be why I was trying to muscle everything through. And it's hurting me... I'm having more and more tennis elbow issues and I think part of it is swing clubs that are too heavy.

Getting old sucks.

 

[passedpawn]

Hit the range today. Man... If I could hit them on the course like I was hitting them on the range today? I'd be a single-digit handicap lol!

More seriously, ever since my little "swing evaluation" things have been going downhill, especially on the course. And I realized during my last round that I might have just been getting in my own way by being WAY too tense. From my grip all the way up through to my shoulders, I was just trying to muscle everything. And that last round, I quite honestly couldn't even freakin' hit the ball.

So my focus today was simple... RELAX. Tried to remember the old Sam Snead saying, to grip the club like you would a baby bird. Firm enough that it won't fly away, but not so hard that you harm it. To just relax through the swing and let my natural strength flow, instead of TRYING to hit it.

Contact was SO much better. Direction was SO much better. Distance may have dropped 10%, but distance isn't my problem on the course. And once I relax, everything that I took away from that swing evaluation came right back too--better contact, good swing path, slight draw to the ball.

Now I just need to apply it on the course lol.

I do think I need an equipment change. I like my clubs because they were custom fit for me, but they were custom fit with 20 year old technology for a 23-year-old me. Golf technology has improved a lot. My own physical technology has degraded over those 20 years. These clubs swing very heavy, which was good to try to get me to slow down my swing tempo relative to being a 23-year-old gorilla. Not sure I'm strong enough to hit these things any more, which might be why I was trying to muscle everything through. And it's hurting me... I'm having more and more tennis elbow issues and I think part of it is swing clubs that are too heavy.

Getting old sucks.

I suggest getting out there and really concentrating on the 75% swing. Not only will it help your body, but you might just hit straighter.

BTW, I'm really good at giving out advice that I can't follow myself. But my arm is almost better and I swear I'm gonna take it easy next day out, which will be next week sometime.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

BTW, I'm really good at giving out advice that I can't follow myself.

Same same.

 

[SouthBounds]

Why not do both?

 

[Kee]

I do think I need an equipment change. I like my clubs because they were custom fit for me, but they were custom fit with 20 year old technology . . .

When you get fitted, what kind of advice is given about what clubs to buy? From what I've read, it's getting complicated. There's not just players' clubs and game improvement clubs but various degrees of perimeter weighting, etc. Some irons claim to be much longer, some more forgiving, some both.

 

[SouthBounds]

When you get fitted, what kind of advice is given about what clubs to buy? From what I've read, it's getting complicated. There's not just players' clubs and game improvement clubs but various degrees of perimeter weighting, etc. Some irons claim to be much longer, some more forgiving, some both.

I got fitted again a few years ago. They looked at my swing speed, club angle at address, a few height measurements etc. They were also interested in how the club "looked" to me at address. They then handed me a few different "demos" to see how they performed on the simulator. Taped the heel and face to look at my shot profile. Finally followed up by taking a club to an outdoor range. The only option that appeared "selective" was that I preferred more of a blade type design as opposed to a full cavity back.

My hcap has already improved by 3 strokes and I couldn't be happier. They "seamed" longer than my old set but really most manufacturers are just de-lofting by a club to "look" longer. Good luck if you decide to go for it!

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

When you get fitted, what kind of advice is given about what clubs to buy? From what I've read, it's getting complicated. There's not just players' clubs and game improvement clubs but various degrees of perimeter weighting, etc. Some irons claim to be much longer, some more forgiving, some both.

Granted, I was fitted 20 years ago. In that fitting, the clubhead wasn't even really an important part. It was a perimeter-weighted cavity back iron, designed for forgiveness. The much more critical point of the fitting related to the shaft. Getting the right weight of shaft for your strength and swing speed. Getting the right flex of shaft for your transition and how you load/unload the club. Getting the shaft kick point that felt "right". Making sure the length and lie angle were right for your stance and swing so the sole contacts the ground at the right angle, etc. The difference is I didn't have a trackman. I was hitting into a net without hard data.

I'll have to see how my next fittings go. I think my wife is getting me a driver fitting for Christmas, which is more important to me up front because driver technology has progressed SO much in those past 20 years, and it's where I think I could improve my bag most directly. I hit my irons well.

Eventually I then want to get fit for the irons, though. I can already say I'll end up in the game improvement or even super game improvement category (my new app says I'm a 24 hcap), and which clubhead I end up will probably be whichever looks/sounds/feels the best within my price range. I expect the most important part of the fitting will again be the shaft and how it works with my swing.

My hcap has already improved by 3 strokes and I couldn't be happier. They "seamed" longer than my old set but really most manufacturers are just de-lofting by a club to "look" longer. Good luck if you decide to go for it!

I think the de-lofting is also partly due to them getting more and more weight into the sole and so even with a stronger loft, the launch angle is still high. Not sure if that's as true with modern blades though.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Just put some on. Hoping for the best. Had wife take a pic - see bruising.

View attachment 708719

I've been researching tennis elbow quite a bit now... From what I understand, what you're looking at is golfer's elbow. Tennis elbow is on the upper/outside of the forearm, golfer's elbow is on the under/inside of the forearm.

This is really bothering me. From reading some golf forums talking about it, it sounds like a lot of people have it much worse than me. But I need to get a handle on it.

I found (through the forums) the Super 7 Exercises for Tennis Elbow. Basically some simple stretching and light weight forearm strengthening exercises. So I'm going to try to go through those a couple times a day. Also thinking about adding turmeric supplements to my daily regimen as a natural anti-inflammatory.

But the stuff I read on the golf forums it scared the hell out of me to the point where I realized I need to take this seriously. It's not going to just "go away" like other various aches and pains.

Getting old sucks.