You named it.The old adage has it that"you drive for show but you chip and putt for dough".I played to a 12 but hindsight tells me that I could have cut at least 4 strokes off that if I had worked on that short game.
OT: Golf Thread
- Thread starter RUScrew85
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Take off the wedding band.That will free up you and your hand for a lot of interesting things.(for your health and safety REMEMBER to put it back on when you go home)
Very impressive.Did he swing as a right or left hander? I saw a pro with a similar handicap,many years ago at a driving range at Newark Airport,doing an exhibition.He PULLED into the ball rather than HITTING into it.I don't recall which arm was missing but this gentleman was long and accurate.Had the great pleasure of seeing Sam Snead there at another time.Back in those days(the 40's) even the Best Players did what they had to do to make a living.
Your mention of the RUTGERS Course reminds me that after 50 years of playing at the game,the ONLY Hole in One that I ever made was on the 11th at RUTGERS.Sliced my drive on the next tee.
Yoga worked for me.g. It added 10 to 20 yards to my drives. I'm still not fully back to my full distance of 240 to 260 off the tee but it is coming. Yoga = Flexibility
Nice Beaced! 11 at Rutgers is the closest i've ever come to a hole in one. I remember it being a tap in birdie. In 30 years of playing golf I still have never gotten a hole in one after playing about a thousand rounds. And yet I know a couple people that have had 2 and 3 hole in ones.... crazy. I guess some skill but a lot of luck is involved too.
Same here - closest ever was 6" on #3 at Rutgers - when I walked up to see how close it was, I tossed by 6-iron over at my bag and borrowed my friend's putter to tap in, but then I left the 6-iron on the ground and some d-bag must've picked it up and kept it (I even asked the range to go back and ask the groups behind me if anyone saw it). However, I have holed out from the fairway from 120+ yards (longest was 190 for an eagle) three times, which, to me, is almost the same as an ace - it's skill to get it close, but luck for it to go in.
It's almost all luck once you can hit the green. Less for some but luck all the same. I hit the pin once in Myrtle Beach and had a 3 inch tap in.
I also 4 putted an 11 foot Eagle putt on Mercer East 14 - a short par four where I drove the green. Sigh.
I think sometimes the Eagle is a better achievement than the Ace. Usually takes more than one great shot. Of course I am biased - see above.
ETA: I never holed out for an Eagle on a par four. I have three par five Eagles. That's it for 30 odd years playing golf. Sigh.
Only 4 putts?I played at Weequahic Park Golf Course,Essex County System, when the greens were still frozen, Hit the 8th green,118 yds from on top of a hill.The green is tilted,top to bottom facing the tee.On in one .Took an 8.That ball just kept sliding past, over and around the freaking cup.It was a very nice 9 hole course. Caddied there as a kid and played it a lot as it was very homey for me and only a buck to play.
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Oh I've done more that 4 putts many times but for this one I had driven that par four and was putting for Eagle. Carded a Bogey. [sick] [roll]
Heck I was in Myrtle one Spring and just after the frost warning was lifted I hit the 1st green in regulation - the greens were still frozen, the ball bounced 30 feet in the air and I lost it. Only lost ball GIR in the history of the sport I'll bet.
Oh boy... tread carefully there Screw. I've played golf muliple times with my wife and for some reason I can't stop giving her golf tips. I never do that with my friends or other people I play with. It got to the point where she called me a control freak so needless to say we don't play golf together but maybe 1 or 2x per year only with another couple. Even then I ride with my buddy and the ladies ride together and play from different tees. So almost no interaction while we play. It's better off for our marriage. LOL.
typically play rutgers golf course, handicap has come down about so far this year, keeping the driver in play helps a ton. played architects a few times already this season to as well as mattawang, hopefully get up on ballyowen or wild turkey sometime this summer.
no, you misunderstood MrScrew. he did not play golf with me. merely took me to the driving range specifically to give me tips and helpful hints. When I put them into play last night I was a way better golfer than I was the time before.
Mr.Screw has steadfastly refused to actually play a round of golf with me. yet.
She has her own golf friends. She asked me for some pointers and to look at her swing (she's only been playing a year) so we went to the range. I have never played golf with her - and never will (eh I'll probably do it eventually).
She's stolen Rutgers Football from me - she can't have golf.
August 2 years ago. 8 iron into the wind. #16 Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. ~130 yards. I snapped the pic of the ball in the hole. Below is a pic of the hole that I found online. Pin was in the same place. Tee is across the water to the right around 3 o'clock and not in the picture.
We were playing in a tournament. My buddy hit one in the water on the par 3 number 9 and then holed his next shot from the same tee. We told him he was buying even though it was a 3. I learned my lesson shortly after. Bar bill was over $500 bucks since there were 40 guys in the tournament plus the guys in the bar.
We were playing in a tournament. My buddy hit one in the water on the par 3 number 9 and then holed his next shot from the same tee. We told him he was buying even though it was a 3. I learned my lesson shortly after. Bar bill was over $500 bucks since there were 40 guys in the tournament plus the guys in the bar.
August 2 years ago. 8 iron into the wind. #16 Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. ~130 yards. I snapped the pic of the ball in the hole. Below is a pic of the hole that I found online. Pin was in the same place. Tee is across the water to the right around 3 o'clock and not in the picture.
We were playing in a tournament. My buddy hit one in the water on the par 3 number 9 and then holed his next shot from the same tee. We told him he was buying even though it was a 3. I learned my lesson shortly after. Bar bill was over $500 bucks since there were 40 guys in the tournament plus the guys in the bar.
Worth every penny (almost).
Before we headed to the first tee, one of the other guys in our group asked him, "So do you play right handed or left handed?" Without batting an eye, he looked at the guy and said, "I have one F****ING arm... which way do you THINK I play?" Then after about 2 seconds (seemed like it was 10 minutes), he cracked a smile, and said he swings right handed since that is how he played before being wounded.
One of the other vets, this one was missing his left arm, also played right handed. He had a prosthetic, but he tucked it up against his body and swung the club one handed.
Very well said. The only thing I absolutely hate about golf is slow play. There's really no excuse for non-pro golfers to not play "ready golf." People should all walk to their shots (i.e., not all go to the first guy's ball and act like a little gallery waiting for the shot), at most, maybe pausing while the furthest guy away plays his shot, if one is nearby and could be a distraction. And on the greens, please for the love of all that's holy, look your putt over while others are putting (or be quick about it if you're first to putt), so you're ready when the time comes. You're not on TV...
No excuse for a foursome to take more than 3.5 hours, maybe 4 hours, tops - when I was in Ireland for close to a year, I played dozens of rounds at many courses and 98% were <3.5 hours and all were less than 4 hours. Those folks know how to play golf. I don't miss the 5+ hour weekend rounds I got stuck in at times in NJ.
I'd recommend finding an easy, forgiving municipal course and play it every week. When you practice, imagine the shots count and focus on developing a quick, pre shot routine. Step behind the ball quickly, see the shot, step into the stance, check your body and ball alignment, one look at the target and hit it.
I've played with 20 handicaps who are a joy to play with because they step up and hit the ball quickly and played with low single digit handicaps and wanted to pull my hair out because they take so much time in their routines and in looking over putts. So, it's all about having a quick routine, paying attention to what other people are doing, then being ready and relatively quick when it's your turn.
As far as not being a very good player, the game makes fools of even the best players and no one really cares about your game or score but you. Go out and enjoy it, laugh at the bad shots and just worry about keeping the pace.
This!
Do your pre shot routine while one the other players is hitting.....so within 10 seconds of them hitting, you should be able to step in, take one practice swing, line up, see the target, take one or two waggles of the club and swing.
putting, PLEASE read the greens while the others are going, so again, when it's your turn, you can just step in, one or two practice strokes and go.
lastly...just enjoy it and don't stress, it's better there than at work every single time!
My FAMILY,Weight training,Golf and RUTGERS FB kept me going for most of my life. Now it's down to FAMILY and RUTGERS FB. NO complaints,because that's a GREAT COMBO.
August 2 years ago. 8 iron into the wind. #16 Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. ~130 yards. I snapped the pic of the ball in the hole. Below is a pic of the hole that I found online. Pin was in the same place. Tee is across the water to the right around 3 o'clock and not in the picture.
We were playing in a tournament. My buddy hit one in the water on the par 3 number 9 and then holed his next shot from the same tee. We told him he was buying even though it was a 3. I learned my lesson shortly after. Bar bill was over $500 bucks since there were 40 guys in the tournament plus the guys in the bar.
Don't try to pull that ACE stuff here. You know ,as well as I, that for a hole in one to be legal the ball in play has to be White.August 2 years ago. 8 iron into the wind. #16 Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. ~130 yards. I snapped the pic of the ball in the hole. Below is a pic of the hole that I found online. Pin was in the same place. Tee is across the water to the right around 3 o'clock and not in the picture.
We were playing in a tournament. My buddy hit one in the water on the par 3 number 9 and then holed his next shot from the same tee. We told him he was buying even though it was a 3. I learned my lesson shortly after. Bar bill was over $500 bucks since there were 40 guys in the tournament plus the guys in the bar.
@MozRU - remember these other thoughts as a beginner:
- Always have a second ball in your pocket. If you have to re-drop you can do so immediately and not delay looking thru your bag for a ball. Keep 1-2 in the cart if you are taking one.
- Know the out out of bounds rules. To keep it simple, if it is white, you are dropping from where you hit it. If it is red or yellow you drop from where you crossed the hazard (not always but most of the time - learn the idiosyncrasies later).
Just started a great two week stretch. Played the Ridge at Back Brook today, will play Trump National Philly on Friday (the old Pine Hill), the Ridge next Wednesday and Friday, then Mid-Ocean in Bermuda the following Wednesday. The best stretch I've even had the opportunity for. After commuting to NYC for three decades with leaving the house at 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning, returning usually 7 pm (except baseball season) many times getting home at 11 or midnight, I'm enjoying the other end of the trade off. I don't know if I could do it again but now seems worth it. Only wish my game was better...
Wow, great stretch of fantastic courses you are playing ! I was fortunate to play each of them in the past. Love Ridge at Back Brook and Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda. My caddie at Mid Ocean was so great that he directed me to 3 birdies on the front nine, all from outside 25 feet. He got an excellent tip that day after the round even though I faded on the back nine for an 85. But a great golfing experience in Bermuda that I will always remember.
Mid Ocean is an awesome CB MacDonald masterpiece. I will go back and play it again, it's got so much quirk and strategy built into every hole. That guy was just a genius architect. Last month (finally!!) I got the the call to go play National Golf Links of America, a course he worked on for over 30 years and was just blown away. I love those old classic courses.
Thanks Knightmoves. Yea, I'm excited about it. The Ridge is my club but every round seems special. MId-Ocean, well I spend half the time looking at the absolutely beautiful homes and vistas. Just a gorgeous place.
At Mid Ocean in Bermuda you will play the par 4 5th hole from an elevated tee with water on the left that was made famous when Babe Ruth made an 11 on the hole. Check out the attached video of the story. I was very pleased when I made par on the hole after hearing about Babe's troubles that day.
You will love the golf experience at Mid Ocean. Take photos for sure, have a great time and please report back to us about your experience !
http://www.golf.com/video/tales-bermuda-curse-babe-mid-ocean-club
Congrats on doing it once and it doesn't matter if you never hit another one straight. It's like the lottery, just once and it doesn't really matter how it happened. I've seen 3 hole in one's in my groups and none were classic the way you would expect. No aces for me, but had a few eagles and a lot of over pars.
Nice going.
Use to belong to Otterkill CC in Orange County NY about 45 mins from W. Milford, NJ. Beautiful course, slope around 127. Was semi-private, but open to outings. That was 20 years ago, but still probably there.
Still regret that hole, made a double. Blew it way right and got caught behind trees...always sucks to screw up a signature hole on a course you'll only get one chance at.
But the view from that teee box...Bermuda is an enchanting little island.
I'm fortunate enough to have played Mid-Ocean 5 or 6 times but unfortunate enough to have hooked a drive or maybe two into the water too. I also hit the house on the right once on a terrible second shot after an overly conservative tee shot where I didn't take much of the water on. Beautiful hole and course.
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