Report

Day 75 - 2024-12-14 Hit balls after Junior Elite. Checked out a few of the holes on an old version of Tobacco Road.

I’ve had a particularly wild golf journey, and I’m not sure anyone else has ever accomplished the feat I have. I don’t say that lightly. I just don’t know anyone who has gotten as good as I am in a shorter time frame.   I started playing golf a little over two and a half years ago (21 at the time). Never picked up a club before I got a job at course near my college. They were hiring, and I was broke. I had no intention to actually take up the sport, not until I met my coworker. He played d3 golf for another college near by, and he taught me everything I know. When we first started playing together, he would give me 20 strokes and play for lunch the next day. It took me almost a year to beat him. Two years later, he was only give me 4 strokes. And now, we are dead even. This week I am 24, and I am now a scratch golfer. By that, I mean my handicap index is 0.1. At my home course, I am a +2. I’ve shot 67 twice two weeks (-15 in 4 rounds, 67 70 69 & 67). Many of the guys I play with agree that I am the most improved golfer at the club, now and ever. Last week, I had the pleasure of playing with 4 golf professionals, all been golfing their entire lives, and I beat three and tied the fourth.    Have any of y’all made that kind of improvement in such a small time span? Seriously, I want to know if it’s more common than I think. If I continue on this trajectory, I may try Q school.    Any tips for how I might try to get to the next level? Never played high school and never played college. 

Yes, it was a few months ago.

Day 225 (14 Dec 24) - Son called and invited me to play nine with and grandson.  We head to the local course - temps in the mid-50’s, N-NE wind 10-15 mph (hurting going out, helping coming in) as the course pretty much runs N-S on both nines.  Highlight of the round - grandson chips in for par on the 1st hole.  My play was much better to today-five pars, four bogies for a solid 40. Course management as it relates to the wind was key. 4 of the 5 pars were up and down saves as the green side pitches/chips were the ticket.   Have to say it was neat playing with my son and grandson and seeing the love of the game continue….

I've been playing golf around California for several decades. Shortly after COVID I think we all noticed an large increase in the amount of play on all the courses. Around that time I noticed the pin placements were being placed in the most difficult positions on the greens. Mostly they were placed as close to the edges of the green as possible. Often within as little as 6 or 7 feet. I ask PGA pro at one of the courses why are they doing this because it make the course play considerably more difficult. He responded by saying a study was done and they found that these difficult pin placements created fewer ball marks on the greens. I recently played a course I've played numerous times over the years and the were in nearly impossible locations to get an approach close. Has anyone else noticed this and if so do you feel it is still necessary? Here is a photo of an example;