I really like Bethel. It's a nice course. Have you played Sunday River there or the Poland Springs course, both are very nice as well.
I wanted to play at Sunday River, but didn't, and never have. I've played a fair amount at Poland Springs; I grew up about 15 minutes from there. When I was in college, one time I played at Poland and had FOUR chances for eagle. Left them ALL short.I really like Bethel. It's a nice course. Have you played Sunday River there or the Poland Springs course, both are very nice as well.
My buddy was in her flight, him and his partner were 1.5 points down in the flight going into their match as the final match of the weekend. He was 2 up on her with 2 to play - and she closed birdie birdie (on 6 and 7 no less) to halve the match and win the flight. Pretty crazy.Really cool weekend at my club this past weekend. We had our annual 3 day member guest (my teammate and I came in 2nd in our flight, nothing really great to report there, but we won some money). The cool part was that for the first time ever, a female was part of the winning team. The entire tournament was won by a father/daughter team. Father is a long time member. Daughter is in her mid-20's and lives in Texas now, but grew up here. She's a 5 handicap from the men's tips, scored 2,200 points in basketball in high school (two time Massachusetts Gatorade player of the year) and then played Bball at Boston College. So yeah, she's a great athlete.
Watching them hug after winning it all on the 1st playoff hole of the flight championship shootout (10 flights) after she went -3 on her own ball in the first 5 playoff holes was worth everything. Just such a cool moment, and why golf is such a great sport because it's one of the few that parents and kids can play together for many, many years....
Yep, I had a few cocktails with your buddy, and he filled me in after the round. She's unbelievable to watch when she gets it going. To give people an idea of how hard it is to birdie 6, it's the #1 stroke hole, and I play in a group with 28 guys (25 of which are single digits) every Saturday and Sunday morning. We have a birdie pool, where you pay $100/man before the season, and the first person to birdie all 18 holes wins the money. Last year, nobody in our group birdied 6 the entire season so it carried over. So far this year, 3 guys have birdied it.My buddy was in her flight, him and his partner were 1.5 points down in the flight going into their match as the final match of the weekend. He was 2 up on her with 2 to play - and she closed birdie birdie (on 6 and 7 no less) to halve the match and win the flight. Pretty crazy.
That's the one.That's a tree-lined 450-485 yard par 4 with a pond right off the tee and wetlands left? With traps guarding both side of the front of the green and only a narrow piece of a fairway between? Yea, I wouldn't expect too many 3's there.
Yep, that's it, but it also has severe elevation changes and a brutal green. The fairway is about 80 feet below where the tees are so it doesn't play quite as long as the yardage, but it is blind from the tee box. The green is slightly elevated with a false front that if you're short will roll back about 15 yards. The green itself has a huge slope running almost directly down the middle from front to back, with about 5 feet of elevation change from right to left, so most approach shots play from 175-200 for players, and if you're short, you're chipping, but most second shots won't hold the green, or roll to the back and the back is also sloped toward the front as well. It's a true Donald "I'm going to make this reasonable until you reach the green, and then completely fuck you when you get there" Ross design.That's a tree-lined 450-485 yard par 4 with a pond right off the tee and wetlands left? With traps guarding both side of the front of the green and only a narrow piece of a fairway between? Yea, I wouldn't expect too many 3's there.
Saratoga is a great course. Have played there a number of times (I used to own a piece of a few horses that ran at Saratoga every year) and it's worth the price of admission. Definitely difficult, but just a good track.That's a great story, and it's cool the big member-guest tournament was co-ed. Not sure that's the case at all private clubs.
Had a fun 51st birthday weekend (aka cancelled 50th birthday weekend) with a bunch of friends up in Saratogs Springs last weekend. Really enjoyed the day at the horse track, but also spent time at another track that will lighten your wallet - Saratoga National. Clears Cleaver, who's a good golfer, also played. Knowing this was a tough course, and that my group consisted of 4 very average to bad/infrequent golfers (only person with index was me--a 19.5), we played it as a scramble. There was one other foursome, and they had good golfers (one single digit, two low double digits), so we played them our scramble vs. their best ball, gross. Conditions were wet, so it was cartpath only, which slowed things down a bit and made the course play longer.
We paid race reason rates, which was not ideal, but it was an enjoyable experience. Greens complexes were tough, and there's a couple par 5s where the greens are on edge of a pond built up with a rockwall, so it's hit the green or get Luca Brasi'd. The pins seem tucked on most holes, adding to our adventure. It's a lovely visual course. I'm glad we did the scramble format, which made for a more enjoyable round for all. We ended up losing, shoot +2 to their E, despite us being -2 after four holes. I'd play it again, but would prefer the slightly more reasonable off season rates.
That's a great story, and it's cool the big member-guest tournament was co-ed. Not sure that's the case at all private clubs.
Had a fun 51st birthday weekend (aka cancelled 50th birthday weekend) with a bunch of friends up in Saratogs Springs last weekend. Really enjoyed the day at the horse track, but also spent time at another track that will lighten your wallet - Saratoga National. Clears Cleaver, who's a good golfer, also played. Knowing this was a tough course, and that my group consisted of 4 very average to bad/infrequent golfers (only person with index was me--a 19.5), we played it as a scramble. There was one other foursome, and they had good golfers (one single digit, two low double digits), so we played them our scramble vs. their best ball, gross. Conditions were wet, so it was cartpath only, which slowed things down a bit and made the course play longer.
We paid race reason rates, which was not ideal, but it was an enjoyable experience. Greens complexes were tough, and there's a couple par 5s where the greens are on edge of a pond built up with a rockwall, so it's hit the green or get Luca Brasi'd. The pins seem tucked on most holes, adding to our adventure. It's a lovely visual course. I'm glad we did the scramble format, which made for a more enjoyable round for all. We ended up losing, shoot +2 to their E, despite us being -2 after four holes. I'd play it again, but would prefer the slightly more reasonable off season rates.
My old man splits a corporate membership so I usually get out at National about 5 times a year. While it never gets easy, the course plays much friendlier after a couple rounds. You really need to know the spots.Saratoga is a great course. Have played there a number of times (I used to own a piece of a few horses that ran at Saratoga every year) and it's worth the price of admission. Definitely difficult, but just a good track.
And Saratoga itself during race season is just spectacular in every way. I'm going to try to get down there this year before the meet ends.
Here's a summary of my year to date - I had a tough offseason because I was diagnosed with arthritis in my ankle that was so severe that the doctor recommended ankle replacement. (I declined.) The first two months was all about learning to hit with a heavy brace on my left ankle. And once I finally reached some sort of equilibrium, I developed the worst case of yips that I've ever had. (Like, so bad that "I could not stand over a four foot putt because I knew I wasn't going to scare the hole" bad.) All of this explains why my index went from 5.4 last year to 9.0 this year, which meant that I was subject to a "soft cap." My average score was in the high 80s, with a healthy sprinkling of rounds in the 90s as well.It's been a weird week of golf while on vacation in Maine. Three rounds played. 97 the first day in rainy, soggy conditions (not an excuse, just a reality, but I didn't hit the ball well at all). 84 the second day. And then just yesterday, a 77 where I striped the ball off the tee on every hole.
Golf is so weird. How do you go from 97 down to 77 in the span of four days? Crazy.
I've been playing the best golf of my life lately, feel extremely confident, swing getting better, handicap lowest it's ever been, etc.I am baffled as to how I could go from being so lost I wanted to quit the game to suddenly feeling in complete control, but that's golf.
“I didn’t know that was a thing” was precisely what I said to my doctor last December.BTW.... AR, an *ANKLE REPLACEMENT*? What in the world? That's actually a thing? How does that even work?
Someone cue @SumnerH, who seems to know everything there is to know.
The putter is way more important for scratch golfers than for bogey golfers. The driver is the most important club in the bag for 99.9% of golfers.The old "drive for show, putt for dough" line is true in some sense, but what I've found is that when I am really good off the tee, I tend to score well, and when I don't, I put up ghastly numbers. Mainly because when I miss with the driver, it leads to a lot of penalty strokes. So driving well is absolutely critical for me to score.
This is a much more succinct way of putting what I was trying to type out. You can't make large improvements to your handicap by improving your putting - there aren't THAT many putts that are more makeable in a round. Maybe you eliminate a few 3 putts and make a couple mid rangers some of the time? That's a couple of strokes a round at best and will be offset by those rounds where the putts fall.The putter is way more important for scratch golfers than for bogey golfers. The driver is the most important club in the bag for 99.9% of golfers.
While all of this is true, the one big difference is that you can choose not to hit driver off the tee if it's likely to lead to penalty strokes. I suppose you could choose not to use your putter on the greens (I've done so in tournaments before), but for the most part, you are stuck putting. A 100s shooter would probably take a lot off their handicap just by hitting their best club off the tee and trying to make bogies. I think it's mostly that people have more fun hitting the driver and think they are better with it than they are that keeps them from doing so.This is a much more succinct way of putting what I was trying to type out. You can't make large improvements to your handicap by improving your putting - there aren't THAT many putts that are more makeable in a round. Maybe you eliminate a few 3 putts and make a couple mid rangers some of the time? That's a couple of strokes a round at best and will be offset by those rounds where the putts fall.
Improve your tee game and your iron play and you'll need to rely on your short game even less and your handicap will drop dramatically. In order of importance off the tee: keep it in play/avoid hazards first, keep it within the corridor of your hole second, hit as far as possible third, keep it in the fairway 4th.
Of course, which is why number 1 on my list (ahead of hitting it far) is “keep it in play/avoid hazards”. If you can’t keep it in play with driver, hit the longest club you can keep in play and in the corridor of your hole. But prioritize distance over the fairway unless it’s US Open rough or something.While all of this is true, the one big difference is that you can choose not to hit driver off the tee if it's likely to lead to penalty strokes.
It's such a good club. I have the same head, but in 9* and with the Evenflow Riptide 70 shaft. I've played a few rounds with the Sim 2 and it's close in distance, but not as forgiving and I am just not a fan of the look over the ball or the sound off the clubface.While we are on the topic of drivers I got fitted for a new TSi3 with 8 degrees loft and a 60g low spin HZRDUS Smoke RDX shaft. Im hitting the shit out of the ball now off the tee and the misses look good too.
My company reimburses me $1200 a year for sports/fitness equipment or fees so…up to that much.How much do you guys spend on equipment? I just can't afford expensive stuff, and I know it's costing me on the course, but there's just not a lot I can do about it. Maybe just not feed one of the kids.
I've traditionally gotten most of my clubs on eBay, but lately have moved away from that to buying custom fit for driver and putter. I've accumulated a pretty good collection over the years so I generally just sell a bunch of older stuff to finance my newer stuff. I now work in the golf business so I get pretty good discounts on stuff that will change the way I purchase, but I'm still a huge fan of buying used clubs. Last year's drivers still have incredible tech and you can buy them for 1/2 the price of a new one.How much do you guys spend on equipment? I just can't afford expensive stuff, and I know it's costing me on the course, but there's just not a lot I can do about it. Maybe just not feed one of the kids.
Wow. Any positions open?My company reimburses me $1200 a year for sports/fitness equipment or fees so…up to that much.
I originally went in wanting a SIM2 (because marketing) and I just couldn’t hit it. Now to be fair it was the first club I swung on the trackman and my swing was a mess for about 20 min (always fun when you tell the fitter your usual miss is a pull/pull hook and proceed to hit banana slices).It's such a good club. I have the same head, but in 9* and with the Evenflow Riptide 70 shaft. I've played a few rounds with the Sim 2 and it's close in distance, but not as forgiving and I am just not a fan of the look over the ball or the sound off the clubface.
I'm curious why you got fit into an 8 degree club. If you want the ball lower, you're better off going with a low launching shaft and higher loft. Obviously they did a good job if you're hitting it well and keeping it in play, but I wouldn't normally recommend an 8 degree head for an amateur golfer.While we are on the topic of drivers I got fitted for a new TSi3 with 8 degrees loft and a 60g low spin HZRDUS Smoke RDX shaft. Im hitting the shit out of the ball now off the tee and the misses look good too.
I generate a lot of spin. This was the combo that got the right spin and trajectory. I don’t really have trouble keeping my driver in play anyways, mostly distance issues have bothered me.I'm curious why you got fit into an 8 degree club. If you want the ball lower, you're better off going with a low launching shaft and higher loft. Obviously they did a good job if you're hitting it well and keeping it in play, but I wouldn't normally recommend an 8 degree head for an amateur golfer.
Interesting, thanks.I generate a lot of spin. This was the combo that got the right spin and trajectory. I don’t really have trouble keeping my driver in play anyways, mostly distance issues have bothered me.
It’s basically like any other joint replacement surgery. I’m not a doctor so take this fwiw, but the damaged parts of the ankle joint are removed and a prosthetic device is inserted in it’s place.BTW.... AR, an *ANKLE REPLACEMENT*? What in the world? That's actually a thing? How does that even work?
Someone cue @SumnerH, who seems to know everything there is to know.
Gross means no handicaps - just the best score period. Net means they'll calculate strokes at 75% of your handicaps and mark up the scorecards they give you to show which holes you get a stroke on, so if you get a stroke and make a 5, it's 5 (gross) net 4. So if 4 beats the other team, you win the hole.So I'm playing in my first Member-Guest ever this weekend and I'm completely clueless on how the scoring works. The email I received today says "This year's event is a One Better Ball of Two, Gross and Net (75%)".
I think the one better ball of two means we use the best score between my partner and I on a hole, yes? But how does the Gross and Net work then?
No, it's just a 2 man best ball. The flights will be something like championship, 2nd and 3rs flight and will be dependent on team handicap. So, just play a round of golf and write down your scores. If you make a 5 and your partner makes a 4, you get a gross 5. Now, if your partner and you are both 18 handicaps, you make a net 3. So, gross 4, net 3.Thank you! So when they say "the field is broken into 3 flights" they mean there's going to be a Gross winner, a Net winner and a Best Ball of Two winner?
Edit - sorry one more question - on the Best Ball of Two, do they incorporate handicaps into that one usually?