tuffluck's Tough Love Ball Striking Thread

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by tuffluck

just wanted to update a mildly old thread...

played today on a course that was 7,002y rated 73.2/128.  checked the weather 3 times while i played every now and then just to see how windy it was, because it felt to me like the windiest of conditions i had ever played with in my life.  in fact on the opening 3 holes my hat flew off so many times i eventually took it off for good for the rest of the round.  anyway, the times i looked the gusts read 33mph, 36mph, and then 36mph again as i was finishing.  i laughed on hole 1 and thought wow what a stupid day to try and play, and really was just shooting to break 100.

shot a 48 on the front nine and a 40 on the back 9 to card my best score ever, 88

ball striking is getting better.  besides missing 3 short (less than 5') putts, i felt like i didn't throw many strokes away.  there were several holes where i landed short of the green and it would roll off the other end due to the wind, so i really think it could have been very possible to hit even low 80s for me in more ideal conditions.  usually per round i feel like i throw away about 8-10 shots.

also finally got my handicap calc worked out, and it is 15.3 at the moment with 16 rounds in (that's the best 10 scores of my most recent 16, so it can only improve from here).  so yes, it is completely and totally possible to have a handicap well under 20 by not breaking 90 too often.

BTW....looks like you get 9 strokes from me.  Come on by and we'll have a match.  I'll bring my checkbook.....

.....you bring yours.

[tuffluck]

I'm down. I play $2,650 a round though. Where should I book my flight to?

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

I'm down. I play $2,650 a round though. Where should I book my flight to?

My guess is FL ;)

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by MyrtleBeachGolf

My guess is FL ;)

Specifically Orlando!

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Specifically Orlando!

I hear they have a course or two that's decent...

[14ledo81]

Congrats on the round.

I do have to comment on the distance of the course you are playing though.  Why don't you try a round from tees closer to 6,250 to see what you would score?  I think it would be an interesting experiment for you.

I understand if you would rather play from longer tees, just thought maybe you should try it at least once.  I could be wrong, but I would guess more people on this forum play from tees closer to 6250 than 7000.

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by 14ledo81

Congrats on the round.

I do have to comment on the distance of the course you are playing though.  Why don't you try a round from tees closer to 6,250 to see what you would score?  I think it would be an interesting experiment for you.

I understand if you would rather play from longer tees, just thought maybe you should try it at least once.  I could be wrong, but I would guess more people on this forum play from tees closer to 6250 than 7000.

yeah i think you're right that more people play distances closer to that number than 7k.  i guess the reason i play from longer tees is because i get to use the driver more (which i hit fantastically the other day), and at 6,250 i would probably be hitting 3w a lot.

besides the last 2 holes (which i parred), i was hitting 8i-pw into most of the greens on the par 4s.  the last 2 holes i hit 5i, 6i respectively, but both of those holes were also into the wind.  the drives were 248/298 respectively on those holes.  i think if i played from a closer tee i would be hitting the same iron into the green, but instead teeing off with a 3w.

though i don't want to appear stubborn about the issue, i just feel like many of the courses i play would end up playing nearly the same at a shorter distance, sans driver.  in fact on the course i played the other day, the longest par 4 at 6,200y tees is only 398y, which i probably would hit driver on.  the next one up is 355y, which i probably would not hit driver on.

[14ledo81]

Why not hit driver? For me, I have a better chance to stick a lob wedge close than a 9 iron.

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by 14ledo81

Why not hit driver? For me, I have a better chance to stick a lob wedge close than a 9 iron.

yeah i guess my ideal approach distance is usually about 120y, but that's mostly because i have a big club gap going down from there.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by tuffluck

I hear they have a course or two that's decent...

True dat!

If you'll come down and stay for a week, playing every day for $2650 a round, I'll pay for your airfare!  Can't get a better deal than that!

[tuffluck]

sounds to me like you're implying i am not calculating my handicap correctly

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by tuffluck

so you agree the differential is 15.7?

let's say i played that course 20 times and my best 10 scores were all 92, then wouldn't that mean my handicap index is 15.7 x 96%, or 15.1? that all assuming no consideration for ESC.

Originally Posted by David in FL

Correct.

pretty much all the courses i play are about that same rating/slope from above, so here are my best 10 scores (unadjusted) for the last 16 rounds in range of best to worst:

88, 91, 91, 92, 92, 93, 95, 96, 96, 97

i was doing my own excel calc, but i plugged them into an online calculator as well just to check (and i put the other 6 scores in too) and they came out with the same index number.

[David in FL]

sounds to me like you're implying i am not calculating my handicap correctly :-\

Not at all. I'm just confident that I can beat someone who seldom breaks 90, regardless of their handicap. :-)

[tuffluck]

wouldn't that kind of debunk the whole point of the handicap index?

[David in FL]

wouldn't that kind of debunk the whole point of the handicap index?

Nope. I just believe that I'm more consistent than you. Come on down, take the 9 strokes and who knows, maybe you walk away with $10,000 of mine! How cool would that be?!