2019 Golf Thread

Light-Tower-Power

ask me about My Pillow
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Jun 14, 2013
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Well after three lessons, instructional videos, countless swings and drills, and thinking I was “getting it” my swing is actually worse. My slice has turned into a shank and now I’ve developed a hook with my driver. My “good” 7 irons still don’t go more than 125 yards and those are few and far between. Maybe time to hang ‘em up and find a new hobby.
 

FL4WL3SS

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Jul 31, 2006
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Well after three lessons, instructional videos, countless swings and drills, and thinking I was “getting it” my swing is actually worse. My slice has turned into a shank and now I’ve developed a hook with my driver. My “good” 7 irons still don’t go more than 125 yards and those are few and far between. Maybe time to hang ‘em up and find a new hobby.
Don't give up - unfortunately getting worse is part of the process. A few things come into play: 1) you're probably learning completely new movements, 2) you're thinking of these new movements constantly while you try and learn them, and 3) you probably aren't doing the moves and drills 100% perfectly (constant feedback is important).

I've come to realize that the number of balls you hit doesn't really matter until you are completely sure you're doing the thing you're working on 100% correct. Otherwise you'll ingrain other bad habits that replace the original one you were trying to fix.

Use slow motion swings, get constant feedback through video, instructor watching, feeling your body and where the pressure is in your feet and balance. Then hit five balls and start over with the drills and feels.

It'll take time, don't get frustrated. Two steps forward, one step back. That's how this shit works unfortunately.
 

Light-Tower-Power

ask me about My Pillow
SoSH Member
Jun 14, 2013
15,947
Nashua, NH
Don't give up - unfortunately getting worse is part of the process. A few things come into play: 1) you're probably learning completely new movements, 2) you're thinking of these new movements constantly while you try and learn them, and 3) you probably aren't doing the moves and drills 100% perfectly (constant feedback is important).

I've come to realize that the number of balls you hit doesn't really matter until you are completely sure you're doing the thing you're working on 100% correct. Otherwise you'll ingrain other bad habits that replace the original one you were trying to fix.

Use slow motion swings, get constant feedback through video, instructor watching, feeling your body and where the pressure is in your feet and balance. Then hit five balls and start over with the drills and feels.

It'll take time, don't get frustrated. Two steps forward, one step back. That's how this shit works unfortunately.
Thank you. You're right that my swing thoughts are a mess right now trying to incorporate everything I've learned into the swing. It only seems to "click" when I hit my three wood. I went from high weak fades to hitting absolute missiles right down the pipe but for whatever reason it won't translate to my driver or my irons at all. I was/am badly over the top and so far trying to drop the club into the slot and hitting it to right field sure has the ball going to right field. I naively thought that the lessons would bring instant relief and realizing that's not the case is really frustrating.
 

TFP

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I took FL4WL3SS’s suggestion and filmed my swing. I’m not actually doing what my instructor said so there’s that. Hard game.
I am right there with you. I went through this last summer. It set me back but I’m slowly seeing the benefits. I know what was wrong with my swing now and I just have to commit to working on getting it better and it will take a long time to sink in.

The interim sucks though. I had stretches last year where I wondered if I’d ever hit the ball again. Thankfully now I know I can hit the ball it’s just not consistent yet. But the other benefit is that it made me a better golfer because I had to grind when I didn’t have my swing and learned how to score.

My other thing I realized is that the more I think about my swing on the course the worse I play. I’m slowly embracing just swinging during my rounds and only thinking about my swing during practice. Otherwise I get all fucked up and forget to just hit the ball.


I’m here for you.
 

Leon Trotsky

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Jul 18, 2005
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I played solo at George Wright late on Saturday. Perfect day for it. I played like 3 balls a hole so got lots of swings in for practice, but I have a question. So the new rule is you can elect to leave the pin in while putting, right? So I hit a putt, it was right in the center of the cup, hit the pin, and...it just stayed there, perched between the apparently slightly misaligned pin and lip of the cup. What is the ruling in that situation now?
 

TFP

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The old rule (for chips and putts from off the green) is that you're supposed to adjust the pin to be straight up and down and if the ball falls to the bottom of the cup (which it should do 99% of the time) it is holed. If the pin was holding it outside the cup then it's still in play.

Not sure if that's the same now. If I was playing I'd consider it holed.
 

Leon Trotsky

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That is what I figured. It seems like something that would be addressed in the new rule, since it is now such a part of actual play.
 

TFP

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That is what I figured. It seems like something that would be addressed in the new rule, since it is now such a part of actual play.
Just looked it up. Rule 13.2 (c) says

c. Ball Resting Against Flagstick in Hole
If your ball comes to rest against the flagstick left in the hole, and any part of your ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green, your ball is treated as holed.

If no part of your ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green:

  • Your ball is not holed and must be played as it lies.

  • If the flagstick is removed and your ball moves (whether it falls into the hole or moves away from the hole), there is no penalty and it must be replaced on the lip of the hole
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
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Dec 12, 2004
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Decided on Vegas over the RTJ trail for the week off (no table games in Alabama, for shame).

I've played Vegas National and Bali Hai previously. I didn't love the latter, so was looking at the following for the ~4 golf days:
  • TPC Vegas
  • Paiute x 2 (Snow, Wolf)
I'm staying at Excalibur, which is MGM-owned, so gonna give Shadow Creek a shot... if that doesn't work out, deciding between Cascata and Boulder Creek, and probably Vegas National to round it out. Everything I've read leads me to believe Shadow Creek is worth it as a bucket list item but wondering if anyone here's played it
 

TFP

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Wolf Creek is a bucket list item for me, that's worth checking out even though it's a bit of a drive.
 

PedroSpecialK

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I'd never heard of Wolf Creek, that looks amazing - it's a bit far out for me just because I'm not renting a car, just Lyft/Ubering (anticipating I'll have to call a cab to get back from Paiute though)
 

TFP

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It's in the Tiger Woods video games - most people are shocked to find out it's actually real.
 

thestardawg

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Jul 30, 2005
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Decided on Vegas over the RTJ trail for the week off (no table games in Alabama, for shame).

I've played Vegas National and Bali Hai previously. I didn't love the latter, so was looking at the following for the ~4 golf days:
  • TPC Vegas
  • Paiute x 2 (Snow, Wolf)
I'm staying at Excalibur, which is MGM-owned, so gonna give Shadow Creek a shot... if that doesn't work out, deciding between Cascata and Boulder Creek, and probably Vegas National to round it out. Everything I've read leads me to believe Shadow Creek is worth it as a bucket list item but wondering if anyone here's played it

Unless you're a high roller you won't get on SHadow Creek.

Vegas National is an ok muni course and Bali Hai I share your opinion on. I've played Royal Links out there and TPC Vegas. TPC Vegas is a very good course with fast greens. Royal Links is a British Open Knock off Course which is reasonably interesting.

I'd go Cascata for the other round. Excellent views and tough golf course.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
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Dec 12, 2004
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I lucked out - I called and got a time for a Monday morning, though from reading up it looks possible to just get bumped if you are a peasant like me.

Now going SC, TPC Vegas, Paiute x 2, Wolf Creek for Monday - Thursday. Royal Links looks kitschy (in a good way), might try and hop on Sunday for warmup round - Cascata doesn't allow tee times for singles alas
 

TFP

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The International opens for the season today. Tee time at 9:10 followed by watching the Masters after. Let’s go!
 

TFP

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83 today with 4 missed birdie putts inside 10 feet. Slowly feel like my game is coming around, and I’m at least able to manage it when it my swing goes sideways. I’ve been fairly decent at getting off the tee which is helping as well.

Course was in great shape for April. Greens a little slow but rolling very true. Excited for the summer ahead.
 

jercra

No longer respects DeChambeau
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I lucked out - I called and got a time for a Monday morning, though from reading up it looks possible to just get bumped if you are a peasant like me.

Now going SC, TPC Vegas, Paiute x 2, Wolf Creek for Monday - Thursday. Royal Links looks kitschy (in a good way), might try and hop on Sunday for warmup round - Cascata doesn't allow tee times for singles alas
Just going to reinforce that you've chosen your courses wisely. Paiute Wolf is great golf course with nothing but desert as your views. Snow is nice too, but not as nice. I love TPC Las Vegas too. Hated Bali Hai and have played it lots of times. The damn airplanes are so annoying. Desert Pines is a fun course that's basically right off the strip that you may look into for your Sunday warmup since you'll be in the car a long time commuting the to the rest of your places. With free parking in Vegas, you'll probably save a boatload of money just renting a cheap car for your whole trip. Last time I looked Paiute was like a $60 Uber ride and TPC isn't all the close to the strip either. One other tip if it's your thing, neither Desert Pines or Paiute will say anything about you bringing a cooler full of your favorite beverages. Beers are cheap at Paiute but not the others.
 

Comfortably Lomb

Koko the Monkey
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Feb 22, 2004
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83 today with 4 missed birdie putts inside 10 feet. Slowly feel like my game is coming around, and I’m at least able to manage it when it my swing goes sideways. I’ve been fairly decent at getting off the tee which is helping as well.

Course was in great shape for April. Greens a little slow but rolling very true. Excited for the summer ahead.
Did you say you're at the International now? How's their membership volume looking these days? I heard they were struggling a year or two but went on a big initiation push. A few of the private courses in Central Mass. are struggling but they're jockeying for survival a bit.
 
I played in another competition this morning at Dunbar, and as usual I got out to the pro shop around 10 minutes before my tee time - plenty of time to check in, hit a dozen practice putts or so, take half-a-dozen practice swings with the driver and then get going. (That's all I really want or need these days in terms of pregame preparation.) But when I looked in my bag for my putter, it wasn't there. You may remember that I mentioned I now have artificial turf and a few holes cut into my backyard...well, on Tuesday my 11-year-old son and father-in-law were messing around with a few putters back there, and when they came inside they put my putter into the wrong bag. So I had to borrow a putter from one of the rental sets in the pro shop - a TaylorMade Ardmore 2, one of those ugly-ass red things with a massive grip - and it couldn't have been much different to what I normally use. I had time to hit three practice putts and that's it, and while I did make a couple of six-to-eight-footers in the round, I also missed two three-footers and hit several dodgy lag putts that also cost me strokes. Which sucks, because on a very difficult day (with a fierce, cold wind from the east) I shot a 79, which as things stand is one off the lead (gross). The CSS for today looks like it's going to be 75, three shots harder than normal, so my handicap should drop by 0.1, but I can't help but wondering if I might have won the whole thing with a putter I trusted.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
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Dec 12, 2004
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Just going to reinforce that you've chosen your courses wisely. Paiute Wolf is great golf course with nothing but desert as your views. Snow is nice too, but not as nice. I love TPC Las Vegas too. Hated Bali Hai and have played it lots of times. The damn airplanes are so annoying. Desert Pines is a fun course that's basically right off the strip that you may look into for your Sunday warmup since you'll be in the car a long time commuting the to the rest of your places. With free parking in Vegas, you'll probably save a boatload of money just renting a cheap car for your whole trip. Last time I looked Paiute was like a $60 Uber ride and TPC isn't all the close to the strip either. One other tip if it's your thing, neither Desert Pines or Paiute will say anything about you bringing a cooler full of your favorite beverages. Beers are cheap at Paiute but not the others.
Thanks for the tips! Yeah I'm looking at $250 in Uber/Lyfts to get to / from courses, and ~$60 inc gas to rent the car for a day for Wolf Creek. I'm pretty central at Park MGM so I don't envision having to get too many rides outside of golf and Korean food off-strip, so the marginal extra cost may be worth it to not have to worry about being up to snuff before driving. I think Park MGM actually charges - $15 per day for parking per this link - but definitely worth doing the math

Played Shining Rock today. Course was a mess with the rain but not entirely unreasonable. Steve Burton got paired with us which was neat, nice dude.
 
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steveluck7

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May 10, 2007
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Got out for the first time this morning. Came 3 feet from a hole in one on #2 . Fell apart for the rest of the front to the tune of 53.

Somehow knocked the rust off by #10 and came back in in 44.
 

Doug Beerabelli

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Played 9 with wife and son today - played from gold/sr tees (5800 USA ornso) with my 13 year old, and had good round for me - 42. Actually beat the boy by one stroke. Course was wet but held up - just no carts.

I'm getting a scope/cleanup on my left knee in two weeks, so will be out of golf until about June after that.
 

TFP

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Did you say you're at the International now? How's their membership volume looking these days? I heard they were struggling a year or two but went on a big initiation push. A few of the private courses in Central Mass. are struggling but they're jockeying for survival a bit.
Yep I’m there. We brought in a group of 10-15 guys around 30 years old which is gonna help with that, likely because they need new blood. Hasn’t been super busy yet but we’ll see.

Course was in fantastic shape. My game, not so much.
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
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Dec 2, 2006
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Had the first lesson today. Still have an R5 in my bag because I don’t play enough to put money into my game but hit the new Mizuno and got an extra 20-30 yards with a 320 yard one to finish off my lesson. I need to make the excuse to play more. Wallet be damned.

Playing in Miami next week for Easter. Think it first round last year was in July so happy to hear that.
 

jercra

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Had the first lesson today. Still have an R5 in my bag because I don’t play enough to put money into my game but hit the new Mizuno and got an extra 20-30 yards with a 320 yard one to finish off my lesson. I need to make the excuse to play more. Wallet be damned.

Playing in Miami next week for Easter. Think it first round last year was in July so happy to hear that.
You don't need to spend a lot to upgrade from an r5. Last year's top drivers will be like $200 on Ebay. 2017 models will be $100. Hell, I have enough clubs kicking around in my garage that I could upgrade you for the cost of shipping and I'm sure most of the guys on here have a similar looking garage. Golf is hard enough without 15 year old clubs.
 

Light-Tower-Power

ask me about My Pillow
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Jun 14, 2013
15,947
Nashua, NH
Played Friday and at least got rid of the shanks. I was solid off the tee with my 3-wood and my chipping and putting was decent. Still can’t hit an iron more than like 100 yards in their air so I guess it’s back to the instructor for me.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Dec 4, 2005
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You don't need to spend a lot to upgrade from an r5. Last year's top drivers will be like $200 on Ebay. 2017 models will be $100. Hell, I have enough clubs kicking around in my garage that I could upgrade you for the cost of shipping and I'm sure most of the guys on here have a similar looking garage. Golf is hard enough without 15 year old clubs.
Yeah, seriously. I know I beat this drum here but go to 3balls.com and pick something out ‘used’ that’s a year or two model old. Dirt cheap and pick the best grade they have. ive bought a dozen clubs that have come with shrink wrap still on them, floor models never been hit.
 

TFP

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Played Friday and at least got rid of the shanks. I was solid off the tee with my 3-wood and my chipping and putting was decent. Still can’t hit an iron more than like 100 yards in their air so I guess it’s back to the instructor for me.
Meanwhile my shanks came back yesterday and I couldn’t find the clubface to save my life. Golf is fun.
 

Comfortably Lomb

Koko the Monkey
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Feb 22, 2004
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The Paris of the 80s
Played yesterday. Surprisingly solid front nine, wheels off 10-13, but righted the ship coming in. I carried and after not playing for four months and only starting up running for the year a week ago... might not be in mid-season shape. Legs were toast coming up 18.

Putting the shaft from my 4-hybrid into my 3-hybrid was my best idea ever (I have a 4-iron that's in the bag too). Lost negligible distance, it feels the right length in my hands (it's about .75 inches shorter), and I've been squaring it up waaay more often ever since doing that. I'm 6'2" and just think manufacturers make stock clubs too long in general. YMMV.

Re: r5, that driver is ancient. Totally agree with the advice to grab a 2017 model if you don't want to break the bank. It will still be a massive upgrade.
 

TFP

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Started up my lessons at my club today. Gonna be a lot of work to get where I need to be. Back to working on my takeaway again!
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
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Dec 2, 2006
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Well you assholes bullied me into buying a driver on 3balls. Honestly I probably needed the mockery so thanks. Got last year’s Mizuno ST180 with 20% off, so I’m happy with the price.
 

Zomp

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Just a friendly reminder that the best place to buy golf shoes are your local Burlington, Marshal's, Ross, etc...

Occasionally you'll find insane deals. I bought a pair of Nike's that retailed last year for $180. Got them for $25. I'm a 10.5 as well so its not like there is just weird sizes. Another buddy of mine found some Nike TW shoes for $30. 2017's that retailed for $200.
 

TFP

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Almost pulled the trigger on $150 pair of Pumas yesterday, thanks for the heads up. Gonna do some shopping this weekend methinks.
 

jercra

No longer respects DeChambeau
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On the topic of shoes, I got some Sketchers golf shoes this year and they are by far the most comfortable pair of golf shoes I've ever owned (I walk every round). I wore them for the first time for 4+ rounds at Bandon with no blisters or foot pain at all. If you're a spikeless kind of golfer, I can't recommend them highly enough.
 

TFP

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This is true. I have a pair and they are comfortable as all hell.
 

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
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right here
You don't need to spend a lot to upgrade from an r5. Last year's top drivers will be like $200 on Ebay. 2017 models will be $100. Hell, I have enough clubs kicking around in my garage that I could upgrade you for the cost of shipping and I'm sure most of the guys on here have a similar looking garage. Golf is hard enough without 15 year old clubs.
My irons are pushing 30 and my woods are at least 15. :/
Don't know that I get out enough to justify new ones though. So at least I have something to blame when I suck. So I got that going for me.
 

southshoresoxfan

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Jul 15, 2005
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Buy a bomb tech 3 wood / hybrid combo and hit 3balls.com for the rest.

I’d be up for Barstool Classic if anyone’s looking. Sitting at a 6.6 HCP right now.

Player 36 yesterday. 79 at Butter Brook and 81 at my home course. Swing feels so dialed in it’s scary