2021 Golf Thread

Over Guapo Grande

panty merchant
SoSH Member
Nov 29, 2005
4,461
Worcester
I hear you @The Napkin - I think you've played with OGG SR before-- he just got convinced to play the senior tees. He hasn't embraced old man golf yet- He thinks that he is a 75 year old DeChambeau, and can bomb it. I have to try to gently convince him that maybe the yardages aren't wrong, but at his age, he can't hit a 9i 170y anymore.
 

jcaz

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 8, 2009
383
Sorry if this was covered elsewhere in this thread - I admit to scanning the first few pages and not seeing anything about range finders.

I just joined a club with lots of elevation changes, and really big greens. I'm in the market for a range finder that has the slope functionality. A quick review on the golf sites and amazon suggests there's a lot of variation in price. Not sure what creates such a range of costs. I welcome any suggestions on a good balance of price and performance.

TIA.
 

Zomp

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Aug 28, 2006
13,942
The Slums of Shaolin
@Gunca has a bushnell. Expensive model.

I have a precision pro nx7 which is a budget model.

We get basically the same readings. Within a yard. The only difference that I can see is his is a bit faster than mine. Sometimes up to 10 seconds, and he has a red font in his which makes it easier to see
 

jercra

No longer respects DeChambeau
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
3,147
Arvada, Co
There's a $25 off discount on the Precision Pro nx9 if you listen to the first minute or so of the No Laying Up podcast.
 

jercra

No longer respects DeChambeau
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
3,147
Arvada, Co

jcaz

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 8, 2009
383
Thanks, all. I think I’m in on the nx9, given the slope adjustments and recommendations here.
 

Gunca

New Member
Mar 5, 2020
44
I’m indifferent about Father’s Day rounds. My dad doesn’t play golf, but I view the man I learned to play the game with as a father figure. Rounds on Father’s Day make me miss teeing it up with him. He hasn’t passed away or anything, just gave up the game due to life getting in the way.

On the other hand, Father’s Day is probably the worst day of the year to play a round; today was no different. My dear friend @Zomp and I took to the links, and it was HOT and SLOW. I came out swangin’ at 4 over through 3... but somehow managed to card a +3 75. It was possibly the best I’ve ever driven the ball, but from 70 yards and in I was atrocious.

After the 3rd hole I figured there was no chance to take control of the reins, I was pleasantly surprised; golf is stupid.
 

Doug Beerabelli

Killer Threads
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I’ve been able to pull off an annual round of golf with the family Fathers - two of my brothers and dad - the Saturday before Father’s Day the past few years. One bro and my dad are brand new grandparents and great parents. This avoids messing up any family plans on Sunday, and works out to be my Father’s Day present to them. We decided to do a two man scramble, with my near 80 year old dad playing up one set of tees. We are all similar skilled golfers (18-22 handicaps) so no strokes.

Epic match, with me and older brother beating dad and younger bro on 18th two up with a birdie on the par 5 last hole. No one was up my more than one until last hole. Adding to fun was my 15 year old son joining us to be a DP - designated putter - for each team on alternate holes. He’s a pretty good golfer (4.3) but is resting a thumb tendon issue, and can only putt for now. He got one putt per hole, which had to be used strategically. We did dinner with our group, my non-parent brother and mom after the round. We are all grateful my folks are still around, and that my dad able to still play 18 pretty easily.
 

FL4WL3SS

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Jul 31, 2006
14,913
Andy Brickley's potty mouth
That sounds amazing. My dad tried golf for a while, but never really took to it and we've grown apart as I've gotten older. Sounds like you already do, but appreciate what you have, seems very special.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,947
I got to play in a father/son tournament with my son (he's 13) this year for the first time. He doesn't have a handicap, so he got to play from the green/red tees because he's 14U. He's really started playing a lot since the pandemic (being walking distance to the course and range helps). We played with one of my best friends and his 2 boys (so a 5 some, but it's a 2 man modified scramble for only 9 holes). My son managed to win the long drive, the longest putt and closest to the pin competition for all players who played the green tees. The longest drive was a no-brainer, he just had to hit the fairway, and he had that won by 100 yards.

He had such a great time, and it was one of my favorite days ever. Can't wait to do it again next year, but it'll be depressing when he's already outdriving me by then.
 

LastTripleCrown

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 22, 2006
279
Playing in a member-guest at Plymouth Country Club on Thursday. It is best ball gross and net which cannot be the same ball. I am beyond excited for it.

Plymouth is a Donald Ross design so I am expecting difficult greens. Here's to hoping I do not 3 putt every hole.
 

TFP

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Dec 10, 2007
20,380
Playing in a member-guest at Plymouth Country Club on Thursday. It is best ball gross and net which cannot be the same ball. I am beyond excited for it.

Plymouth is a Donald Ross design so I am expecting difficult greens. Here's to hoping I do not 3 putt every hole.
I've heard nothing but great things about Plymouth CC, I know one of the holes is a wild punch bowl. Good luck!
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,375
Friday I will play 72 holes of golf in one day. First tee time: 5:45am.

Estimated time of death: 8:32pm.
 

Bongorific

Thinks he’s clever
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
8,433
Balboa Towers
Any good sites other than Rock Bottom Golf for discount/prior year clubs? Need a new 3 and 5 wood and haven’t been playing enough recently to justify dropping 200+ on each.
 

TFP

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Dec 10, 2007
20,380
Any good sites other than Rock Bottom Golf for discount/prior year clubs? Need a new 3 and 5 wood and haven’t been playing enough recently to justify dropping 200+ on each.
Callaway Pre-Owned and 2nd Swing have both done well by me. Callaway Pre-owned especially, but obviously that kind of locks you into a specific brand.
 

steveluck7

Member
SoSH Member
May 10, 2007
3,994
Burrillville, RI
Looks like i missed the posts about Father's Day golf and tourneys. Like @Doug Beerabelli, we play in a dads tournament on Saturday before Father's Day.
It's a bunch of our neighborhood dads. We play a Ryder Cup style match. Split into 2 teams, and play 9 hole matches, each worth 1 point. This year we had 10 dads so we had 2 teams of 5 and played Best Ball twosomes and a best ball singles match on each side. We even change up the groupings from front to back.
My team was the heavy underdog - we had the bottom 3 golfers in the group but we gave it a run and ultimately lost on a long birdie put on 18 that halved the match and won the tournament for the other guys.
 

Bongorific

Thinks he’s clever
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
8,433
Balboa Towers

yeahlunchbox

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Jan 21, 2008
764
Callaway Pre-Owned and 2nd Swing have both done well by me. Callaway Pre-owned especially, but obviously that kind of locks you into a specific brand.
Callaway Pre-Owned has a header at the top for other brands. Not sure how good the selection is though.
 

Comfortably Lomb

Koko the Monkey
SoSH Member
Feb 22, 2004
12,959
The Paris of the 80s
Any good sites other than Rock Bottom Golf for discount/prior year clubs? Need a new 3 and 5 wood and haven’t been playing enough recently to justify dropping 200+ on each.
No experience buying from them but Callaway Pre-Owned seems well regarded on the internet. Lots of model and shaft options if you generally know what you want. Fairway woods from anytime over the past decade are going to be just about as good as current year models.
 

Zomp

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Aug 28, 2006
13,942
The Slums of Shaolin
Welp. @Gunca and I made the jump and joined a club.

Last year we played this course that was going through tough times financially and decided to offer a few tee times every day to the public. It was in horrendous shape.

After hearing some positive reviews about the conditions this year we decided to give it a go again and the conditions were night and day compared to last year. We went in and inquired about membership, and they made us an offer we couldn't turn down.

There are some quirks, but again its so cheap for the course quality that we'll make it work.

Biggest thing, wife signed off on it. Vacation is next week. Hello playing every day.
 

Doug Beerabelli

Killer Threads
Lifetime Member
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Welp. @Gunca and I made the jump and joined a club.

Last year we played this course that was going through tough times financially and decided to offer a few tee times every day to the public. It was in horrendous shape.

After hearing some positive reviews about the conditions this year we decided to give it a go again and the conditions were night and day compared to last year. We went in and inquired about membership, and they made us an offer we couldn't turn down.

There are some quirks, but again its so cheap for the course quality that we'll make it work.

Biggest thing, wife signed off on it. Vacation is next week. Hello playing every day.
And that course is called...Frankie Rodriguez Country Club?
 

Dan Murfman

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Aug 21, 2001
4,186
Pawcatuck
I had never heard of Valley until playing in a tournament there last week. I really liked it. But I was also heard it was sold this year and it’s being shut down at the end of the year.
 

FL4WL3SS

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
14,913
Andy Brickley's potty mouth
Yep. I heard the same rumors. Even if I get 5 months out of it, I'll enjoy it.
What will most likely happen is you'll get 3-4 months before they shut down for winter, you'll get charged through March at which point they'll announce the closure.

If they are going to close, I'd recommend cancelling after your last round of the year.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,375
Four rounds today.

84, 83, 80, 87 (after being stuck behind a horrifically slow group for the front nine and yes that’s my excuse). I shot 47 on the slow front and 39 on the back so clearly it was their fault. :)
 

Doug Beerabelli

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Yep. I heard the same rumors. Even if I get 5 months out of it, I'll enjoy it.
That course looks nice. Hope y’all’s get to enjoy it much as possible this summer and fall.

A better day - shot 89 despite going double-triple/double the last three holes of front 9. I played this round with no immediate family members (wife and/or son). I’m pretty sure every time I’ve broken 90, they were also both absent from those rounds.
I strongly believe this is not a coincidence.
 
I played the stroke play qualifying round of the Esmond Trophy at North Berwick this morning, always a highlight of my annual golfing calendar - and last year's event was cancelled because of COVID, so doubly nice for that. Good weather, with the wind coming out of the east - prevailing wind is out of the west, so the front nine played easy and the back nine hard instead of the other way around. I hadn't played for several weeks, and I wasn't hitting the ball far, but I was hitting it straight, and there's a lot to be said for that: I had two birdies and four bogeys on the way out, and I started home into the wind with a bogey (missing a two-and-a-half-foot putt) and two pars. In fact, the worst mistake I made through 12 holes was not trusting myself to hit a driver off the deck on the par-5 8th - I could have been on the front of the green in two if I'd thought I'd hit it straight, but instead I went into a bunker 40 yards short of the green and made a six.

The 13th hole at North Berwick is one of the most famous holes on the course - the green being guarded on the right by a stone wall:

42393

I hit possibly my best drive of the day and was left with 175 or so to the middle of the green, into at least a two-club wind. I thought about hitting an iron - and almost certainly should have, and certainly would have if I'd realized the pin was at the front of the green - but again didn't trust myself and tried to hit a smooth 3-wood. I came over the top of it, pulling the ball toward the thick grass long and left of the green and very close to the red-staked penalty area. I played a provisional, as a) I hadn't realized there were red stakes there, and b) I wasn't sure the ball was across the line anyway, and weakly pushed it out to the right. We didn't find my first ball, and although if I had to bet my life on it I think I was probably in the penalty area, we couldn't be sure, so I had to go back to the provisional, now playing five. I then made the cardinal sin of coming up short with my pitch, the ball plunking into the base of the wall and sticking within six inches of it; I stupidly chipped out to the right (left-handed), skulled my next chip into the bank beyond the wall and the green, and failed to get up and down from there to record a 10. And then I came off of my drive at the 14th, found a deep fairway bunker and made a double. And then (after parring the Redan 15th) I drove into a burn at the 16th and made a triple.

I managed to finish par-birdie, so for my best 15 holes today I was +2, and for my worst three holes I was +11. Ouch. So there's very little chance that I've qualified for the match play on Monday/Tuesday. At least this is a year where I couldn't win the tournament anyway - because all being well, I'll fly to Tokyo on the day of the quarterfinal matches - so it's not a massive opportunity lost. And I am happy with how I played apart from that one hiccup which compounded itself.

(By the way, this was the first round I've played since before the pandemic started where the bunkers had rakes next to them. It was really satisfying to rake a few bunkers again!)
 
Sounds like you were virtually certain it was in the penalty area. You should have taken the drop.
Nah...I'd say it was 60% or 70% likely in the penalty area. Not close enough to the threshold to take the drop. And I asked my playing partner who thought he had a line on it what he thought, and he sounded dubious; I don't think he realized how far I hit the ball (I had used *way* too much club), but in stroke play tournaments I reckon we should all try to give the field the benefit of the doubt rather than taking it ourselves. So it's fine. I shouldn't have put myself in that position anyway!
 

Scott Cooper

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Dec 2, 2002
1,493
so I bought a used Driver off facebook....one of those local pickup things. it was a TaylorMade SLDR 460 S Driver. $90 . I bought it as I'm just starting to play again and trying different things.....I had been playing with a stiff shaft 9.5 loft and was slicing everything, and this new club was regular and 12 degree. Anyway, I picked it up from his home today and went directly to the driving range as I didn't want to hit my first shot with this thing on the first tee. I was actually hitting the ball amazingly well....about 15-20 shots....no slice and I could almost pick my spots. Cut to shot # 21 where it sounded like a gun went off and everyone on the range is looking at me. the club face ripped off of the shaft. The guy who sold it to me was shocked and I don't think he was trying to get one over on me and gave me my money back....but why would something like this happen? I'm not a big swinger and the club looked fine to me.42435
I actually loved the club.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,375
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.
 

CPT Neuron

Got Pitching?
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2001
3,515
Biddeford, ME
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.
Where did you play?
 

cshea

Member
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Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
Four rounds today.

84, 83, 80, 87 (after being stuck behind a horrifically slow group for the front nine and yes that’s my excuse). I shot 47 on the slow front and 39 on the back so clearly it was their fault. :)
I played 27 holes between Friday and Saturday and felt like I got run over by a bus. Kudos here.

Have dealt with some health issues the past 6 months that has impacted my ability to play much golf. Hopefully coming out of it. Shot a 95 and then a 41 which, considering I hadn't swung a club in so long, I'm happy with.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,375
I played 27 holes between Friday and Saturday and felt like I got run over by a bus. Kudos here.

Have dealt with some health issues the past 6 months that has impacted my ability to play much golf. Hopefully coming out of it. Shot a 95 and then a 41 which, considering I hadn't swung a club in so long, I'm happy with.
Yeah for sure. Golf is absolutely mystifying. Sometimes it feels like I’m good and other times it feels like I’ll never hit a good shot again. Way to stay with it and post a 41!