2017 Golf Thread

Conigliaro's Potential

Conigliaro's Potential

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Nov 24, 2010
11,003
Dunbar, Scotland (via Atlanta and Boston)
Doug Beerabelli said:
CP - tell us more! There's a good chance I'm attending the Open in 2018 with the wife, and we will try to work in a round or two as part of a week long trip.
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You should absolutely look me up if you do make it over - I'd certainly enjoy hosting you (or any other SoSHers) at my home course of Dunbar, just further along the East Lothian coast from Muirfield/North Berwick/Gullane, if you're in the neighborhood. It's a fine second-tier links course with several great holes and quite possibly more holes in which the sea actually comes into play than any other true links course of equal or better quality. Not exactly just around the corner from Carnoustie...but then, the week of a Carnoustie Open, it'll be a lot easier finding tee times in East Lothian than in Angus or Fife.
 
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T&A
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Feb 9, 2010
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FL4WL3SS said:
What was the guest rate? When I tried to get on there, they were trying to charge me $325. That course is not worth $325 to me.
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It was $150 with the member playing. I'm told they have a different rate if the member doesn't play, I'm guessing that was the $325. Nice course, fun experience but I'd agree it's not worth much more then $150.
 
T

TFP

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This game is really frustrating me right now. I was out in Jackson Hole this weekend for a wedding, played at Jackson Golf and Tennis Club, which was really nice. My tee game was so-so, my short game was actually awesome, but my irons were absolute shit. I didn't hit a clean one for an entire round. I hit them mostly thin, and then had the shanks show up midway through the round.

My iron swing has been awful all season, and I couldn't feel less comfortable over the ball. When I go to the range I hit them fine, but when I get on the course they fall apart. They've alternated between thin, fat, and shanks...so all over the map. Anyway, I know the answer is likely a lesson and then practice, but I just wanted to vent here.

On the good side, 3 weeks ago something in my chipping game just clicked. I've had the chipping yips for years, I usually chunk one, then over-commit to the next one and skull it. But I was practicing and I finally just felt it all come together. It's been really nice to have a chance to get up and done, or at least get on and two putt. Hell yesterday I chipped in for the first time in like 2 years. So I guess it's not all bad, but just once I'd like all aspects of my game to come together at the same time.
 
Doug Beerabelli

Doug Beerabelli

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ConigliarosPotential said:
You should absolutely look me up if you do make it over - I'd certainly enjoy hosting you (or any other SoSHers) at my home course of Dunbar, just further along the East Lothian coast from Muirfield/North Berwick/Gullane, if you're in the neighborhood. It's a fine second-tier links course with several great holes and quite possibly more holes in which the sea actually comes into play than any other true links course of equal or better quality. Not exactly just around the corner from Carnoustie...but then, the week of a Carnoustie Open, it'll be a lot easier finding tee times in East Lothian than in Angus or Fife.
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Thanks, CP! EDIT: did some interweb snooping - your course looks lovely! What a location, too.
 
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ezemerson

ezemerson

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Traveling down to Mass. in a couple days to play Highfields just outside of Worcester...any tips or reviews?
 
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TFP

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ezemerson said:
Traveling down to Mass. in a couple days to play Highfields just outside of Worcester...any tips or reviews?
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Love it, one of my favorite courses in the state, especially for the money. It's a ton of fun, but a lot of variety and it's not just a "take driver off every hole" type course. Greens are a little quick but not too bad. I could literally go hole by hole for you by memory, if you want. We also do our RMPS outings there every year, so it's SoSH approved.

Make sure you save time to get food before or after in the clubhouse. The food is really really good there.
 
ezemerson

ezemerson

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TFP said:
Love it, one of my favorite courses in the state, especially for the money. It's a ton of fun, but a lot of variety and it's not just a "take driver off every hole" type course. Greens are a little quick but not too bad. I could literally go hole by hole for you by memory, if you want. We also do our RMPS outings there every year, so it's SoSH approved.

Make sure you save time to get food before or after in the clubhouse. The food is really really good there.
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Nice good to know... playing in a tourney and I'm usually the longest hitter forcing me to just rip driver (which messes up my non-scramble game) but it would be nice not to hit it all day
 
Comfortably Lomb

Comfortably Lomb

Koko the Monkey
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The Paris of the 80s
ezemerson said:
Traveling down to Mass. in a couple days to play Highfields just outside of Worcester...any tips or reviews?
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Solid course. Holes are diverse and force/allow you to play different shots. There are tee shots you can try to bomb, tee shots you need to lay back, tee shots where bending the ball will help a ton... elevation changes, doglegs, some water, some wide open holes but some tight ones too... green complexes were in good shape last year and were far from boring (average speed when I played so nothing to worry about). A great course for a charity scramble. Two thumbs up.
 
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TFP

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ezemerson said:
Nice good to know... playing in a tourney and I'm usually the longest hitter forcing me to just rip driver (which messes up my non-scramble game) but it would be nice not to hit it all day
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Yeah, in a scramble format you could probably hit driver every hole, but it's far from necessary. Depending on where the tees are, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, and 14 are all par 4s that don't need driver. (2, 5, 11, and 17 are the par 3s). That said, you CAN hit driver if someone else lays up safely. But I wouldn't do that if I was hitting my own ball.
 
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I love playing scrambles, but usually only do it two or three times a summer. It's a great change of pace and a much lower pressure way to play 18 holes. Plus it lets me try shots I sometimes wouldn't dream of trying.
 
steveluck7

steveluck7

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I beg to differ. If there's golf in hell, it's best ball format. The catch is, you're playing with idiots who call a scramble "best ball" and you're tasked with explaining the difference.
 
Byrdbrain

Byrdbrain

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ConigliarosPotential said:
You must have a much, much higher tolerance for slow play than I do.
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I'm playing in one in a couple of weeks that has 41 foursomes in a shotgun start. I figure it's going to be a 6 hour round at minimum.
A friend of mine is putting it on and the proceeds go to the Jimmy Fund so I'll manage.
 
Papelbon's Poutine

Papelbon's Poutine

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Byrdbrain said:
I'm playing in one in a couple of weeks that has 41 foursomes in a shotgun start. I figure it's going to be a 6 hour round at minimum.
A friend of mine is putting it on and the proceeds go to the Jimmy Fund so I'll manage.
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Yeah, scrambles are about either charity or as a customer appreciation type thing. Either way the goal is to drink and have fun, but yes plan on an all day event. Getting upset about slow play in that setting seems silly to me, but everyone has their own pet peeves.
 
Papelbon's Poutine

Papelbon's Poutine

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FL4WL3SS said:
The only problem I have with scrambles are the cheaters. I don't like playing in them because it's impossible to win if you play on the up and up.
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Agreed. I've played in many a liquor or beer sponsored tournament where the 'winning' team can barely walk yet they submit a card at 17 under. Sure guys.
 
HoyaSoxa

HoyaSoxa

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steveluck7 said:
I beg to differ. If there's golf in hell, it's best ball format. The catch is, you're playing with idiots who call a scramble "best ball" and you're tasked with explaining the difference.
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So true.

Scrambles definitely frustrate me these days because I play so infrequently that it feels wasteful to spend one of those opportunities on a round that isn't even real golf. That said, I do play in one charity tournament almost every year that gets a nice turn out with lots of my friends, but typically only has 18-20 foursomes, making it a reasonably paced round. I play with the same 3 guys every year, all of us are double digit handicaps who are capable of hitting every shot but inconsistent, and we usually get to have fun competing for 4th place. The same guys win every year, and they seem to be legit single digit players, so I don't even worry about cheating.
 
Conigliaro's Potential

Conigliaro's Potential

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Nov 24, 2010
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Just back from my round at North Berwick in the Esmond Trophy. North Berwick is a classic out-and-back links course, and the prevailing wind was in effect today, which meant that the front nine was entirely into a 15-20 mph wind and the back nine was downwind. I struggled into the wind as you might expect, shooting 41 despite birdieing the 5th (knockdown 4-iron from 150 yards to 5 feet) and the 9th (fluky 50-foot putt). But I struggled on the back as well, starting bogey-bogey-par-bogey-double, the latter on the blind 14th absolutely infuriating - I completely misjudged the wind on my approach, got bad bounces on my pitch and then chip, and didn't take my time in missing a six-footer for bogey. But then at the 15th - the original Redan par-3 - I hit a 4-iron to six feet and made birdie. At 16 I missed the green to the right, absolutely the wrong place to miss given the six-foot slope shown below (and the with pin almost exactly where it is pictured here)...

upload_2017-7-1_15-12-48.jpeg

...but I hit a miracle putt, judging the pace perfectly and trickling it just over the brow of the hill and down into the hole for another birdie. Played safe at 17 but only just missed another 50-footer for birdie. And then I drove the green at the par-4 18th and two-putted from about 60 feet for another birdie. It's been a long time since I made five birdies in a competition - and it was still only good enough for 78. That's Scottish golf in a nutshell.
 
dhappy42

dhappy42

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Oct 27, 2013
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There's been some discussion here of single-length irons. Now that we're into summer, anyone else playing them have good-bad-indifferent reports?

I'm playing a 4-GW DIY set (made from old Titleist 804 OS forged heads) and so far love them. A lot more accurate. The 4-5-6 are a little shorter in distance. Good trade-off for me.
 
Comfortably Lomb

Comfortably Lomb

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The Paris of the 80s
Played probably my best overall round in years in very windy conditions on Saturday. 80, went out in 37 and came in 43 (stumbled a bit to close out the round but the back nine is on top of the hill so I'm blaming that instead of my 3-putt from 20' on 17). Hit more fairways than usual and my irons were so reliable lately, especially when I needed a shot. Solid 9-hole rounds on Friday and Sunday and I'm feeling optimistic for the rest of the season... and it's only the start of July!
 
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ezemerson said:
Traveling down to Mass. in a couple days to play Highfields just outside of Worcester...any tips or reviews?
Click to expand...
What'd you think?

Comfortably Lomb said:
Played probably my best overall round in years in very windy conditions on Saturday. 80, went out in 37 and came in 43 (stumbled a bit to close out the round but the back nine is on top of the hill so I'm blaming that instead of my 3-putt from 20' on 17). Hit more fairways than usual and my irons were so reliable lately, especially when I needed a shot. Solid 9-hole rounds on Friday and Sunday and I'm feeling optimistic for the rest of the season... and it's only the start of July!
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Nice! Where'd you play?

Playing the Nicklaus course at Pinehills this afternoon. Looking forward to it.
 
ezemerson

ezemerson

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Not bad, course was in great shape. Pretty short and definitely would have played differently if I was playing alone. However, on 18 I got a legit eagle playing my own drive then I stuck a 6 iron to about 5 feet and made the putt so I was pleased with that. I would play there again
 
4 6 3 DP

4 6 3 DP

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Twice in the last 3 weeks I have come to 18 needing par for 79 (never broken 80). Both times striped the driver. Both times absolutely botched a gap wedge approach from 100-105 yards to an unprotected pin and doubled. It will happen eventually but man does it blow to be holding a pretty basic shot in your hand and completely choke.
 
southshoresoxfan

southshoresoxfan

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4 6 3 DP said:
Twice in the last 3 weeks I have come to 18 needing par for 79 (never broken 80). Both times striped the driver. Both times absolutely botched a gap wedge approach from 100-105 yards to an unprotected pin and doubled. It will happen eventually but man does it blow to be holding a pretty basic shot in your hand and completely choke.
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Same boat man. Was 6 over through 16 at Brookmeadow a couple weeks ago and somehow went double double on two relatively easy holes to finish at 82. Bogey par would have been 79.
 
bostonbeerbelly

bostonbeerbelly

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I had been there many times and to finally get under the 80 hump I needed to be able to leave myself a bogey on 18 to break 80. Since I broke it for the first time a month ago. I have clocked another 79 and a 78 (on a relative easy track). Best of luck to the both of you. It is fun to finally play consistently in the low 80's.
 
jercra

jercra

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Similar story. 3 weeks ago I was 2 under coming into the easiest 2 holes on the course and went double/Bogey for the 73. After piping driver and having 5 iron into a par 5 on 18 I blocked it ob. Shitty feeling. Today I just wrapped up men's club with a 32/36 for a 68. Much better feeling to close out with the birdie on 18. I know maybe that sounds like humblebrag bullshit but it's the same feeling when you're trying to break 90 as break 80 as break 70. It's all relative to your own game.
 
southshoresoxfan

southshoresoxfan

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jercra said:
Similar story. 3 weeks ago I was 2 under coming into the easiest 2 holes on the course and went double/Bogey for the 73. After piping driver and having 5 iron into a par 5 on 18 I blocked it ob. Shitty feeling. Today I just wrapped up men's club with a 32/36 for a 68. Much better feeling to close out with the birdie on 18. I know maybe that sounds like humblebrag bullshit but it's the same feeling when you're trying to break 90 as break 80 as break 70. It's all relative to your own game.
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The minute details it takes to go from 80 to 70 must be insane. I still have a round creep into low 90s esp on 72 and up rated tracks but for the most part I'm indexing around a 12.

How hard it was to get from low to mid 90s to low to mid 80s makes me wonder if I'll ever take that next leap. This is year 5 for me consistently playing. And while I'm very long I just don't know if I'll ever play enough to have the short game fee to be a consistent 70s golfer
 
jercra

jercra

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southshoresoxfan said:
The minute details it takes to go from 80 to 70 must be insane. I still have a round creep into low 90s esp on 72 and up rated tracks but for the most part I'm indexing around a 12.

How hard it was to get from low to mid 90s to low to mid 80s makes me wonder if I'll ever take that next leap. This is year 5 for me consistently playing. And while I'm very long I just don't know if I'll ever play enough to have the short game fee to be a consistent 70s golfer
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Some days shit just works. I'm normally a 73-78 kind of player (2-4 cap throughout the year). Some days it goes off the rails and I shoot 84 and some days every putt goes in and I shoot a 68. Today I hit 9 of 9 greens on the front with one three putt, 3 two putts and 5 one putts. Two of the one putts were over 30 feet. Sometimes they just go in. It also helps to have no kids and a job that lets me play twice a week and to live in a place where you can play all year.
 
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I play in a Friday night golf league and I swear it has rained in Rhode Island almost every single Friday this spring/summer.

Our league is broken into two halves. Four teams make the end of year playoffs. The first half winner locks down a playoff spot. Each half has one scheduled rain date. But due to the immense amount of Friday rain we had two first half rounds canceled due to rain. Last week we used our rain date to make up the first rainout and the league decided to delay the start of the half to make up our other missed round.

Me and my partner are in 2nd. Only 5 points behind. The second rainout, the one we are making up tonight, is our first half Match against the leading team. We have to win tonight's match by 6 points to win the half and lock down a playoff spot. A very doable proposition.

ITS GOING TO FUCKING MONSOON ALL DAY TODAY IN RHODE ISLAND
(I've seen some forecasts saying it may stop between 3-6 pm, but I have little faith)
 
Phragle

Phragle

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Jan 1, 2009
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bostonbeerbelly said:
In the same boat - my PW is a 43 degree, and I went 48/52/56.

I have had them for a season and know my 90% max distances pretty well but I am still not sure if it was the right set up.

(for reference the PW at 43 degree's is the AP1's)
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After having this bug me for a while I decided to sell my 56, return my 60, buy a 58 to replace both, and bend my 52 back to 53. So now I have 44, 48, 53, 58, and I feel great about it. Plus my new irons aren't as bouncy as my old ones so a 4 iron or hybrid is my next acquisition. Or maybe Pings 4 crossover. Any try that thing?
 
FL4WL3SS

FL4WL3SS

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Andy Brickley's potty mouth
No I was serious, I didn't know what bounce was. Been playing golf for 20 years, have never heard that term. Not sure how I've gotten down to a low single digit without knowing what bounce is.
 
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