[snackdaddy]

So I thought I would start a golf thread for people who like to golf. I'll be the first to admit I ain't too good at it. My goal is to average bogey golf for a round. I've only done it twice in my life. And both times were just one of those days where my second shot was working well. Always had trouble off the tee with the driver.

I played in men's fast pitch softball for 30 years. I can tell you hitting a fastball coming from 46 feet at 70-75 mph is a lot easier than hitting that little ball on a tee. And that 75 mph in softball is equivalent to 95 in baseball.

Golf is the most challenging and frustrating sport I've ever tried. You go out one day to the practice range and start hitting really well. Then go out a few days later and its not working. Even though you try to do what you did the last time. Whats up with that?

Yet, with all the challenges and frustration, I find myself determined to get better at it. I'l probably never get down to a ten handicap or something like that. But I'm one of those guys who's extremely competitive and will go out and work at it every chance I get.

My softball days are done. Fast pitch for men's is turning into a dinosaur. People don't have the patience to learn how to hit it so they go to slow pitch where a .500 batting average is considered below average. That and there aren't enough pitchers. So as I transcend into the twilight of my life it'll be golf that keeps me going until I can no longer go.

[snackdaddy]

So now I'm retired. I have plenty of time to get better at this game. Right? Wrong!

I've been spending almost every weekend at the range the past couple months. Did not golf a real round on the course for several months. I figured my irons were much improved with all the practice. And they are.

Its that dang driver! It puts me in a bad spot right from the start. If fact, I only hit two good balls yesterday. That was when I stepped on a rake.

[Hacksaw]

Yeah, there's no better way to ruin a great walk in the park than playing golf in it. lol

Tough sport. The key is to spend tons of dough and practice until you can't practice anymore, then practice again. And with all that effort you might shave a few strokes of your score.

Bottom line, have fun, don't try to crush your drives. Follow through is most of the swing and KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN.

Either way, the 19th hole is always a good place to score.

[PARAM]

I love golf. Unfortunately, after back surgery I was instructed to refrain from playing again. Since then I've done it twice in the last 15 years. And both times paid for it for a week or two.

I used to play once a week and I never broke into the 80's. So I came to the conclusion, instead of throwing golf clubs (like my brother) or getting pissed about "wasting" 4 and half hours of my day, I would enjoy only the good shots and forget all the bad ones.

For some guys the hardest part is from the tee. A wise man once told me, "leave your driver home". Instead I packed a 1 iron and though I couldn't hit it for shit off the tee, it helped coming out of the trees. Low and with a natural slice, getting back onto the fairway (from the trees on the right) was easy and usually I ended up another 100 yards closer to the green. But off the tee I would either use a 3-wood or a 3-iron. Since my fairway woods were fairly accurate, the loss of distance off the tee was compensated for by strong 2nd shots.

Around the green was always a strong part of my game. Out of sand traps or chipping close to the hole. Even long putts. It was those GD short putts that killed me. You gotta figure, the majority of a weekend golfers shots are 1) bad tee shots, 2) coming out of the trees/woods/or thick rough (or other trouble) and 3) 3 putting.

You automatically have 18 shots teeing off. If you 3 putt half the holes and 2 putt the other 9, that's 45 additonal strokes (63 total). Get into trouble on half your adds another 9 "getting out of trouble" stokes (72 total). You get the idea how the math works!!

Enjoy the good shots and forget the bad ones. Leave your driver home, bogey the par 3's (and par 5's) and that leaves you 10 par 4's to screw up your score!! Have fun, enjoy the beautiful scenery and relaxation. Unless you're trying to get your Senior PGA card.

[dieterbrock]

Golf was a major part of my life growing up. Its all I wanted to do.
Then I put the clubs down and didn't play for about 10 years until 2 summers ago on a family trip my nephew insisted I play 18 with him so I obliged.
1st tee I absolutely striped my tee shot. Ripped it right down the middle, maybe 250-260 yards. Thought to myself, "man, maybe I can still play this game"
Now standing in the center of the fairway, about 130-140 left, I pull out a 9 iron, take a nice smooth swing and.....
Flat out topped it
Laughed it off
About 100 yards in, pull out the wedge and hit a smooth 3/4 swing and....
Flat out topped it
Laughed it off and immediately remembered why it was so easy to not play the game any more.
Had a great day, hit some good, some bad. Made a birdie on a par 5, hit my next shot in to a lake
At the end of the round I was relieved I wouldn't have to do this again for quite a long time (if ever)
I suppose when my kids are grown and gone and I have some free time I might consider playing again, but doubt it.
The thing I miss the most is the group of guys I'd hang out with every Saturday.
Still love watching it on TV. The Masters is my favorite sporting event of the year.

[PARAM]

The Masters is my favorite sporting event of the year.

There's just something about that tourney. It signifies Spring has fully arrived. It makes for terrific drama. You can always bank of somebody collapsing under the pressure, somebody be inspired by the gravity of the situation and somebody getting an ace on #16 on Sunday.

[snackdaddy]

Yeah, there's no better way to ruin a great walk in the park than playing golf in it. lol

Tough sport. The key is to spend tons of dough and practice until you can't practice anymore, then practice again. And with all that effort you might shave a few strokes of your score.

Bottom line, have fun, don't try to crush your drives. Follow through is most of the swing and KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN.

Either way, the 19th hole is always a good place to score.

I did come across a wood thats guaranteed to lower my scores. Its called a pencil.

[Neil039]

@snackdaddy
Funny story for you. I love golf. Don't get to play much since I had a major surgery. Stomach never healed. Only play 2-3 times a year now.
I digress. I met a guy through work whose son is an engineer for Titleist. He gave me a box of balls and 2017 tester ball. Stamped with "Test" on it. These are the balls you see on the testing swing pivot. Lastly, he gave me a ball that has the Republican logo on the right, Democrat logo on the left. If you hook or slice you hit the opposite side of the ball and it'll center itself. I am too chicken to try it out. I gave it to my brother, he collects stuff like that. So you bet your A$$ I'll be at his house next time he needs help.

[snackdaddy]

@snackdaddy
Funny story for you. I love golf. Don't get to play much since I had a major surgery. Stomach never healed. Only play 2-3 times a year now.
I digress. I met a guy through work whose son is an engineer for Titleist. He gave me a box of balls and 2017 tester ball. Stamped with "Test" on it. These are the balls you see on the testing swing pivot. Lastly, he gave me a ball that has the Republican logo on the right, Democrat logo on the left. If you hook or slice you hit the opposite side of the ball and it'll center itself. I am too chicken to try it out. I gave it to my brother, he collects stuff like that. So you bet your A$$ I'll be at his house next time he needs help.

I love the game too. Its just so dang hard to learn. Now that I'm retired I can go out on weekdays where its less crowded and cheaper to play. I hit the range once a week and course once a week. I still have trouble breaking 100. I've done it a few times but not near as often as I'd like. But no matter how bad I'm doing its that one shot that brings me back for more. Last week it was a short par 4. It played only 320 yards and I just said heck with it and cranked it up, hit a nice drive right down the middle of the fairway about 20-30 yards from the hole. Almost 300 yards. That shows I can still hit long on occasion. I can't practice like that. It would wear me out hitting that hard every time. Oh, by the way, I chipped on the green and 3 putted for a bogey. Go figure.

[Neil039]

@snackdaddy
The one shot is the drug that keeps us hooked. My best round is a 78. I got to golf with a Pro. He helped me the majority of my shots. Then reality hit next time I played 97, then a 103 on the same course.