Love Golf?

[Kee]

Anyway, the interview with the golfers afterwards was dynamite.

Yea, they gave a master class in how to handle the situation, especially since the tee should have been better marked. If two pro golfers (and their caddies!) go to the wrong tee box (which was the right tee box the first 3 rounds), they are the only ones that goofed.

I can only imagine how some of the guys would have reacted.

 

[passedpawn]

Yea, they gave a master class in how to handle the situation, especially since the tee should have been better marked. If two pro golfers (and their caddies!) go to the wrong tee box (which was the right tee box the first 3 rounds), they are the only ones that goofed.

I can only imagine how some of the guys would have reacted.

In my mind, this is 100% on the caddies. Perhaps the caddies were stand-ins because it was a charity event.

 

[Kee]

In my mind, this is 100% on the caddies. Perhaps the caddies were stand-ins because it was a charity event.

That's a fair speculation. A friend of mine, with no caddy experience, carried the bag for Fuzzy Zoeller at a similar event when Fuzzy was a top player. But I found a couple of articles that mentioned Jordan's caddy, Michael Greller, by name. I don't know about Stenson.

Sure, a tour caddy should have been on top of that. But switching tees on the last day and just putting a line item on a flyer is asking for an incident.

 

[passedpawn]

Short days now! That means getting stuck on the 18th hole in the dark. I picked up some of these LED balls and they work great! You'll need to add an iron to your shots with them, but you'll make it up by not losing your ball. I've played with them in the dark and it's pretty amazing. Of course, you need some moonlight to see the flag. Played with my boy tonight and they came in handy. I highly recommend, but they are not ProV1's haha.

They glow right when they are hit, or if you bounce them on the cart path. They turn off after 8 minutes. Box says they get 40-50 hrs total.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KT6DRCZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

 

[gromitdj]

That's a great shot! I played a night tournament for charity with those a few years ago. (play started at 9pm) They put flashlight on the flag stick to locate it. It was a lot of fun.

But you are right, they don't hit like a regular ball.

 

[passedpawn]

Played tonight. Fun finishing in the dark.

Gotta relay this story, what happened tonight. Pretty nutty. On the way to the course, I passed an old dude (60+) on a rickety bike, carrying what looked like a bunch of fishing equipment.

Parked and, on the way through the lot, here comes old dude. Fishing equipment is actually a bunch of golf clubs randomly sticking out of a blanket (turns out it was a sleeping bag, he would tell me). Anyway, Jeff and I ended up playing together. Old dude was a homeless window cleaner with nothing but a bicycle and his clubs.

The stories that he told me would knock your socks off. 9 yrs in jail, watched the prisoner advocate (?) get stuck with a shiv through the heart, when the put him on a gurny it collapsed (old dude laughed and said that must have hurt more than the shiv). He said he got four hard taps on the shoulder during that episode, it was Jesus telling him to straighten his ***** up, which he did. Much more on that, but I'll move on.

The AMAZING thing turned out that this dude, with 5 clubs, was a FREAKING GOLF PHENOM!!! I've never seen anything like it, and I've golfed a lot. Played from the blues, he drove a country mile, irons always on the green, and they STUCK, and he putted with his chipper. I asked him if he needed to borrow my putter, and he said no he had one, but it's a little rusty so he's just doing belly shots with his chipper. He said a belly shot is when you hit the belly of the ball with the thin part of your chipper. He was hitting them IN from 10' plus like this! Crazy. He rolled up a spliff and smoked it on the 14.

On the 17 over the water, he hit the trap. He had a nice shot out of it, but slipped walking out. Showed me the bottom of his shoes - bald. His bike has no breaks, he has to use his feet haha.

He totally corrected my drive. I'm not kidding you, gave me a lesson I'll never forget - using two tees, etc, but I swear after his little lesson I'm banging!

I'm shaken I'll tell you. He was not some nutbag, it was like getting an unexpected visit from a homeless Bobby Jones.

 

[Kee]

Played tonight. Fun finishing in the dark.

Gotta relay this story, what happened tonight. Pretty nutty. On the way to the course, I passed an old dude (60+) on a rickety bike, carrying what looked like a bunch of fishing equipment.

Parked and, on the way through the lot, here comes old dude. Fishing equipment is actually a bunch of golf clubs randomly sticking out of a blanket (turns out it was a sleeping bag, he would tell me). Anyway, Jeff and I ended up playing together. Old dude was a homeless window cleaner with nothing but a bicycle and his clubs.

The stories that he told me would knock your socks off. 9 yrs in jail, watched the prisoner advocate (?) get stuck with a shiv through the heart, when the put him on a gurny it collapsed (old dude laughed and said that must have hurt more than the shiv). He said he got four hard taps on the shoulder during that episode, it was Jesus telling him to straighten his ***** up, which he did. Much more on that, but I'll move on.

The AMAZING thing turned out that this dude, with 5 clubs, was a FREAKING GOLF PHENOM!!! I've never seen anything like it, and I've golfed a lot. Played from the blues, he drove a country mile, irons always on the green, and they STUCK, and he putted with his chipper. I asked him if he needed to borrow my putter, and he said no he had one, but it's a little rusty so he's just doing belly shots with his chipper. He said a belly shot is when you hit the belly of the ball with the thin part of your chipper. He was hitting them IN from 10' plus like this! Crazy. He rolled up a spliff and smoked it on the 14.

On the 17 over the water, he hit the trap. He had a nice shot out of it, but slipped walking out. Showed me the bottom of his shoes - bald. His bike has no breaks, he has to use his feet haha.

He totally corrected my drive. I'm not kidding you, gave me a lesson I'll never forget - using two tees, etc, but I swear after his little lesson I'm banging!

I'm shaken I'll tell you. He was not some nutbag, it was like getting an unexpected visit from a homeless Bobby Jones.
View attachment 755211

That's got the makings of a movie script.

 

[passedpawn]

That's got the makings of a movie script.

He had no front teeth, and what he had... well it wasn't perty.

In the end, after we wrapped around from the 18 and started again on the 1, the rangers came and made him leave me - it was dark and they wanted their cart back. I kept playing, cause I walk and lighted balls yo. But I wish I had some way to reach this guy. Srsly, he helped my game immensely. He had SUCH great insight on everything, putting, irons, driver. He told me he's banned from all the courses in Orlando because he enters tournaments and wins and they don't like a homeless dude on a bike winning. Normally, I'm say yea ok right and some eyeroll. But take it from me, this guy was legit.

I hit one in the water and he said watch this... and stepped in to the water and I SWEAR hit it another 100 yards, and didn't get wet. I was a little peeved that this odd dude hit MY ball, but I was just gonna pull it out anyway. I asked him how he hit it out and didn't get wet, and he explained how he turned the club face to direct the water away from him, etc, but anyway he put me in the perfect place to pitch it onto the green next shot. It was all kinda surreal.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

He didn't get wet because he parted the pond, or walked on water, right?

 

[ale62]

Good story! But is it a dream?

 

[passedpawn]

Good story! But is it a dream?

Seems like it now.

 

[Kee]

So, after a lot of agonizing, I took my 2-iron and 3-wood out of my bag and replaced them with a couple of hybrids (17 degrees and 19 degrees). Most likely, it saved me a couple of strokes today, the first day I've taken them to the course. I should have bought them a year ago.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

So, after a lot of agonizing, I took my 2-iron and 3-wood out of my bag and replaced them with a couple of hybrids (17 degrees and 19 degrees). Most likely, it saved me a couple of strokes today, the first day I've taken them to the course. I should have bought then a year ago.

Wow, a 2 iron?

My old set (originally purchased 2001, retired 2021) had a 3i, and when I was playing it in 2020 and 2021 people thought it was practically a unicorn to have 3i in the bag.

Of course I replaced it with a single length set where the lowest-lofted club is a 4 hybrid, probably lower loft than that 3i, and I can't hit it for @&$#.

 

[jcav]

Seems like it now.

Or you got visited by a golf angel! Great story, I believe you Andrew.

John

 

[Kee]

Wow, a 2 iron?

In my defense, since I quit playing for a couple of decades, it's like I jumped into the future as far as my knowledge of golf equipment, plus my long irons were always my favorite clubs. My one iron even got used a lot. They are great for hitting under tree limbs or hitting into the wind.

But those hybrids are so much easier to hit, especially since I don't have the swing speed I used to. They are staying in my bag.

 

[passedpawn]

Played this AM. Again, made a friend out there on the course - he had all his teeth.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

I'd be out the first round using my putter

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I'd be out the first round using my putter

I want to know how many balls they hit...

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I played on Saturday, and actually got out to a longer course for once. If anyone was watching The American Express on Saturday, it was played here in Southern California--well inland. It was a massively windy day.

Where I was playing, the forecast called for 25-35 mph winds all day with gusts in the 75+ range.

That made for interesting golf.

It also made for some MASSIVE drives. My driving distance is typically in the 265-270 range. Which I think is pretty respectable lol.

I had a drive on a par 5 playing about 455 that left me 100 to the pin. Another drive on a 465 yard par 5 that left me about 120 out. I birdied both holes.

I had a provisional drive that I didn't use because I found the original ball that finished green high on a 340 yard hole, and then a par 5 where I didn't measure but it was >50 yards farther than I've ever hit my best ball on that hole.

Downwind + dry conditions... I like it!

I finished the round 37 over par, so it wasn't exactly good golf. And that wasn't even due to the wind--I just sucked.

But man playing driver/wedge on a par 5 is a fun experience ;-)

 

[passedpawn]

I played on Saturday, and actually got out to a longer course for once. If anyone was watching The American Express on Saturday, it was played here in Southern California--well inland. It was a massively windy day.

Where I was playing, the forecast called for 25-35 mph winds all day with gusts in the 75+ range.

That made for interesting golf.

It also made for some MASSIVE drives. My driving distance is typically in the 265-270 range. Which I think is pretty respectable lol.

I had a drive on a par 5 playing about 455 that left me 100 to the pin. Another drive on a 465 yard par 5 that left me about 120 out. I birdied both holes.

I had a provisional drive that I didn't use because I found the original ball that finished green high on a 340 yard hole, and then a par 5 where I didn't measure but it was >50 yards farther than I've ever hit my best ball on that hole.

Downwind + dry conditions... I like it!

I finished the round 37 over par, so it wasn't exactly good golf. And that wasn't even due to the wind--I just sucked.

But man playing driver/wedge on a par 5 is a fun experience ;-)

If you birdied a couple of them, and hit 300+ on long holes, how'd you end up with a high score? Must have had some meltdown holes in there.

Note I'm not making fun, I often score > 100.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

If you birdied a couple of them, and hit 300+ on long holes, how'd you end up with a high score? Must have had some meltdown holes in there.

Note I'm not making fun, I often score > 100.

2 birdies, ZERO pars, and 7 holes of triple or worse.

The one where I hit that really long provisional was a 400+ par 4. I found my original ball, but it took me 4 total strokes to get on the green and I three-putted for a triple. The other one where I hit that really long drive was a par 5, and I had a 130 yard shot to a severely elevated green from the fairway where my drive ended up. I made double from there.

My putting has been bad lately overall. It's one area I really need to focus practice. On the first birdie, I had a very makeable 9-footer for eagle and couldn't convert. My short game in general is an area I've been devoting practice, but not enough yet. And this is a course that will punish you if you're out of place. It's sneaky difficult and I wasn't up to the challenge.

So yeah... Not a good day overall.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

I want to know how many balls they hit...

I normally have breakfast Sunday morning watching the European tour. They played the second half of that video where they all were close to the strip. The first drive was Mcallroy hitting it pretty much straight down the strip. It p*ssed me off First half of that video there were a couple of snap hooks. Made me feel better

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Example hole from the course. I'll post a second message so I don't have to do this from my phone...

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Much of the course straddles the Santa Ana "River". The riverbed is a mess of absolutely nasty sand. Put a ball in there and it's pretty much "hit it as hard as you can back towards the fairway" and hope it makes it, unless you have a perfect lie and can pick it cleanly.

In the top picture the green is directly behind the stand of two trees that have shed their leaves to the left of the fence protecting hole 16.

Like many holes on this course, you're hitting from an elevated tee down to a low fairway that's along the riverbed. And then you have to hit to a sharply elevated green, typically at least 30 feet and probably often 40+ feet elevation gain. The green is protected up that left side by large mature trees, and anything that lands off the green to the right will roll WELL down the hill.

It's a clear risk/reward hole, where your ability to pick a club and a line where your distance reaches the fairway can dramatically shorten the hole. Go right/short into the riverbed, and you're not making par. Go too long/left such that the trees impede your ability to take a second shot directly at the green, and you're probably not making par. Go short/left (top screenshot) and you're left with a long iron up a 40ft steep slope to the green, and if you hit a fade rather than a draw or a dead straight shot, the trees down the left side will impede your ability to go at the green. And if you're hitting left because you simply don't have the DISTANCE to go right and clear the riverbed, then you don't have the distance to put an iron up that hill and reach in two anyway--you're playing it as a par 5.

One of my regular playing partners who is distance-challenged, so this is a par 5 for him. He can't clear that 200+ unless he strikes it well with driver, so he's not getting up that hill.

My natural shot shape is a draw, and if I aim too far left and hit it well, I run it into the area where the trees keep me from being able to get anywhere near the green. One of my best drives on this hole did just that--I didn't have a clear shot at the green because it went directly at my aim point but I hit it just barely too long for being left.

So my aim point is directly at the green from the tee, right over those trees. Which means a straight shot from an elevated tee won't be safe unless it carries 245-250. But my goal is that if I hit a slight draw, I'll at least stay out of the nasty stuff. The danger for me is that if I double-cross and hit a straight push (which occasionally happens, and has happened on this hole), I push it right into that crap.

Saturday the strong winds were blowing basically straight across the hole right->left. So I took my normal aim point and figured I was safe from going right. And then I proceeded to hit a hook that went WAY left (left even of the line in the first screenshot) and finished up the hill along the fence protecting that walking path, now ~200 from the green with no line at it, but at least a line where I could advance that direction. I was able to take free relief from the fence by about a club length, and proceeded to try to punch it out, but pulled it and the ball caromed OB left from the fence post. So I took stroke and distance penalty, and hitting 4 properly executed a punch out down the left which rolled down into the center of the fairway. Left with a wedge shot up the hill (hitting 5), I left it short. I pitched (hitting 5) at a back pin on the upper tier of the green, and thought I had enough to get it to that back tier (landing area was blind to me), and got up there and was left with 20 feet for triple bogey, putting up a big tier in the green. Luckily I only two-putted it, for a quadruple-bogey 8.

It was that sort of day lol...

 

[passedpawn]

You took a snowman. I've had a few of those in the past

Holes like that are fun. No beer, you play it safe and take 5 on the hole. Beer, you go for it and possibly eat the arroyo or fence. But you have a choice based on your risk aversion at the moment.

 

[gromitdj]

@betarhoalphadelta : I recognized that as Riverview from your first picture. Am I right?

If so, I've played there a few times. It's a pretty decent track.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

@betarhoalphadelta : I recognized that as Riverview from your first picture. Am I right?

If so, I've played there a few times. It's a pretty decent track.

That's the one! Should I put you as an alternate when we need to fill a foursome? More often than not, we play at Oso Creek (fka Casta Del Sol), but we try to hit other courses every once in a while.

 

[gromitdj]

You can always let me know, but I'm not able to get out as much as I'd like to.

Well, that and I'm a horrible player.

 

[passedpawn]

Played a late round tonight. Got off right at dusk.

Birds are having a field day here. It just rained and I suppose that somehow makes them happy.

1. Wood Stork
2. Ibis
3. Mated pair of Sandhill Cranes
4. Mated pair of Mallard Ducks
5. Cormorants (diving birds)

Unpictured: an osprey left the scene just before I snapped this.

 

[Kee]

Played a late round tonight. Got off right at dusk.

Birds are having a field day here. It just rained and I suppose that somehow makes them happy.

1. Wood Stork
2. Ibis
3. Mated pair of Sandhill Cranes
4. Mated pair of Mallard Ducks
5. Cormorants (diving birds)

Unpictured: an osprey left the scene just before I snapped this.

View attachment 757033

No birds during my round today. My short game scared them away.