Jump to content
IGNORED

My First Nine


Travtex
Note: This thread is 5336 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

A tale of brutally embarrassing inefficiency. Or, at least, it would be were I still in possession of any sense of shame whatsoever.

After a month or so hacking at balls on the range, I'd been wanting to finally get on a course. Scheduling conflicts made it difficult for a while, but I finally managed to get out on what is apparently one of the least-maintained courses in San Antonio. First time I've ever seen a fairway composed primarily of hard pan dirt and gravel. It's somewhat understandable, as we're in the middle of a pretty hideous drought, but... whoah. On one downhill shot I got about 200 yards of roll with a short iron. S'like playing on pavement, hah!

I shot a 66. No mulligans, no cheats, no rehits (Unless I skivved it off out of bounds and had to eat a stroke+distance), just straight up letting the suck all hang out to see what I'm starting with. 31 over par for 9 holes. *laugh*

Had a huge improvement once I gave up on my woods and hybrids. I can't hit them consistently. I was +16 for the first three holes, then started taking the 5 iron off the tee and went +15 for the next six holes.

I hate my putter. Obviously, that level of ineptitude can't be blamed on a club, but I quickly learned that I have zero feel for the thing. The balance feels wrong, the angle feels wrong for my putting stroke, and it's at least two inches too long. That's the first club that's going to be flung into the woods, I can feel it now.

Couple promising shots to fuel the addiction: Stuck my first GIR from about 120 yards with a 9 iron, 10 feet from the hole. Actually landed on the green, rather than my usual skittering roll-up thin shots. Elated and inspired, I proceeded to 4-putt.

Chipping was less horrible than I expected it would be. Spending hours on only chips paid off somewhat. Now it's time to get a putter that fits and stick myself on the practice green and putt 'til my fingers bleed.

Currently in my bag:  Under Revision

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Nothing to be ashamed of with that round. The first round is always the hardest, and especially if you're playing on such a poorly maintained course.

But now that you've gone to the course, you should try to find the time to go on a regular basis. For a beginning golfer, there are so many things you can't learn at the range.

Kudos on going out there and playing a decent round. I know many people who did much, much worse their first time out.

In my bag:
'07 Burner (10.5*) Driver
Unknown model 3 & 5 Woods (next to get replaced)
Rescue (21*) Hybrid
Di7 4i-GW 56/08 Oil Can Wedge Rossa Blade Putter NXT Tour Balls

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Don't feel so bad. Last time I was out my neighbor and I went to an exec course for the first time, I was 39 over par. I think I shot a 93 on a par 54... it was sucktastic. Our excuse, besides that we suck, is we were rushed. We walked up to the pro shop, they starter yelled asking our names, then told us to go pay as we were up and he was waiting. We weren't even late. We were all alone for the first 9, then as we made the turn, we had like 4 twosomes stack up behind us, and they were getting pretty antsy.

A Work in Progress:

Bag: Physics Stand Bag (ebay dirt cheap special)
Driver: Knight GTi Tour 285 10*
3 Wood: r7 ST 15*5 Wood: "The Perfect Club" 21* rescueHybrids: None... yetIrons: Burner Super Steel 3-9Wedges: Burner Super Steel PW, AW, SWPutter: BlackJack 206Ball: NXT or ProV-1 (used)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Oh, I don't feel bad about it... Was somewhere around what I expected, except for the craptastic putting. The twosome behind me was rather encouraging... inasmuch as they were damn near hitting me two fairways over. *laugh*

If my putting was halfway decent, I could've had a couple pars and many bogeys.

The lousy course maintenance probably HELPED my distance overall, but was horrible for control. Ball was nowhere near where I expected it to end up on iron shots.

Currently in my bag:  Under Revision

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Well done, and better than my first regulation 9 (68) a few weeks ago. You'll make quick progress... I'm down to a 54 my last time out. Getting rid of the total blow-up holes (I once made a 15, without any penalties!) helps get your score down quite a bit.

It just gets harder and harder to shave off strokes as you go lower.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Was it the Alamo golf club? I played there once this summer and man was it in bad shape. It's also the shortest par 70 course I have ever seen. San Antonio has some good courses (that are in good shape even in this drought) for relatively cheap. I'd recommend trying someplace else out that has some grass for you to hit off of! Keep playing and you'll be hooked.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


the first time I played 9 holes it was a struggle to break 100. at the same course I shot a 43 last week. Keep practicing, and take a few lessons and read Hogans book. I truely believe with practice, dedication, and any athletic ability, the average golfer can break 90 in a relatively short amount of time.

In my bag:

some golf clubs

a few golf balls

a bag of tee's some already broken the rest soon to be

a snickers wrapper (if you have seen me play, you would know you are not going anywhere for a while)

and an empty bottle of water

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Haha, everybody's horrible when they start, thats just the way it is. It's funny the way those shots like your GIR can mess with you. One shot can make all the previous frustration go away, if only for a moment, and all of a sudden your hooked. Your on the right track to work on the putting, nobody scores without that club working (look at tiger for example). Keep playing as much as you can as well. You'll learn more playing real golf even on a garbage course than you will on the range. When you don't have time to play, work on your woods and hybrids on the range, they'll help you a lot once you learn how to hit em.

Playing regularly again after a few years off. Started playing in 1999.
Whats in the bag?
Driver: R7 425 9.5*, Reax 65 shaft
3 Wood: V Steel 13* tour-spoon, M.A.S.^2 shaft
Hybrid: Rescue TP 19*, Dynamic Gold shaft Irons: DCI 762 (4-PW), Dynamic Gold shaftsWedges: Watson VI, 52.08, 56.14,...

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I have logged many rounds in the last three years, including a 63 on nine as recently as late Mayof this year. IMO, you are ahead, based on your score, but more based on how you are already analyzing your game and playing by the rules.

BTW, I really liked this line:
just straight up letting the suck all hang out to see what I'm starting with.

You will only get better by playing. Good luck and have fun.

Launcher 2009 10.5º, S
Rescue Dual 16º
Rescue Dual 19º
Maltby MTF 4-pw, Rifle 5.5
Maltby M-Series 52.6, 58.8 2008 AnserOut of the bag: Big Bertha Fusion 15º, YS6+ R (for sale or trade)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Was it the Alamo golf club? I played there once this summer and man was it in bad shape. It's also the shortest par 70 course I have ever seen. San Antonio has some good courses (that are in good shape even in this drought) for relatively cheap. I'd recommend trying someplace else out that has some grass for you to hit off of! Keep playing and you'll be hooked.

Yeah, it was over at Alamo. Looked like it hadn't seen grass in many seasons, heh. Looks like I'm going to start playing Silverhorn. Felt like the rock and dirt fairway was going to destroy my clubs in short order.

Currently in my bag:  Under Revision

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Note: This thread is 5336 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Posts

    • I kind of like this interpretation especially if you think about it the unplayable rule would probably put you in a better spot.  using back on the line releief.  
    • I did not realize that, I was thinking a more traditional golf club.  
    • Thanks for the feedback. @StuM, we are a "club without real estate" so no facilities or pro. We have a membership of around 185 players and we only play together as a group at our tournaments, which are held at public access courses. A group of us setup the tournaments, collect the money and dole out the prizes.
    • In general, granting free relief anywhere on the course isn't recommended.  Similarly, when marking GUR, the VSGA and MAPGA generally don't mark areas that are well away from the intended playing lines, no matter how poor the conditions.  If you hit it far enough offline, you don't necessarily deserve free relief.  And you don't have to damage clubs, take unplayable relief, take the stroke, and drop the ball in a better spot.
    • If it's not broken don't fix it. If you want to add grooves to it just because of looks that's your choice of course. Grooves are cut into putter faces to reduce skid, the roll faced putter is designed to do the same thing. I'm no expert but it seems counter productive to add grooves to the roll face. Maybe you can have it sand-blasted or something to clean up the face. Take a look at Tigers putter, its beat to hell but he still uses it.     
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...