Bogey Golfers Only (Index 16-22) / Breaking 90 Topic

[RFKFREAK]

I well and truly smashed the 90 barrier yesterday with an 81 on my local course (par71, 6300 yards) AND that included a 7 on the last hole!!!!!

My course has probably one of the hardest starting holes in the country, along with Englands hardest par 3 for its 4th hole BUT I found myself in uncharted territory after walking off the 4th hole at gross even par! This included hitting all four GIR's and 2 of three FIR's along the way. This is something Ive never done in my entire life (four pars to start off with!)!!!

Finished the front 9 at 3 over par gross (39) which included 6 pars and three bogeys. On the 9th I I bunkered my approach shot after hitting the FIR leaving me with a tricky 20 yard shot to the green, which I promptly put the ball right next to for a tap in par!

Back nine was a bit more of a struggle but still ended up with a 42 which included 4 pars, 4 bogeys and a triple on the last hole!

I dont know if Ill ever get the chance to scare the 70's again in my life as yesterday was just one of those days where everything clicked! I was driving like a god, iron shots where as solid as they have ever been and I didnt have any three putts all day long! Even with the 7 on the last hole I was still happy because that 7 could have been an eight if it wasn't for sinking a 10 foot putt to at least end the hole on a high! :)

Then again, Ive put in some real effort this last 6 months to try and deliberately improve my golf. Ive been running for general fitness, attending golf fit classes at my golf course (gym sessions specifically tailored towards golf), doing kettle bells for general strength and toning and probably most importantly of all I joined a Golf Academy close by home which gives me access to coaching, a ton of technology and also on course assessments (at no extra cost). Added up altogether this has helped not only with golf but also with life in general.

Just to keep things in context, with my current 22 handicap that would have been 47 stableford points or a net 59 :) Sadly as this was an on course assessment with my coach, who isn't a member of my club, I couldn't submit the card for handicapping purposes.

All in all life is good at the moment!

Regards

Mailman

Nicely done, sir!

[rkim291968]

Then again, Ive put in some real effort this last 6 months to try and deliberately improve my golf. Ive been running for general fitness, attending golf fit classes at my golf course (gym sessions specifically tailored towards golf), doing kettle bells for general strength and toning and probably most importantly of all I joined a Golf Academy close by home which gives me access to coaching, a ton of technology and also on course assessments (at no extra cost). Added up altogether this has helped not only with golf but also with life in general.

Good job on your 81!

I went through a similar "deliberate" improvement program of my own, starting this year.   Shaved about 5 points off my 2014 year ending handicap index.   Like you, my workout helped me live a better, healthier life.   My cholesterol is lower.  I have less stress.   Learned to appreciate my workplace (b/c it has a gym ).

[SteveH]

Awesome round Mailman. That should keep you coming back :)  Don't you just love it when the game dangles you a carrot, lol. I have a tough time breaking 90 and seems I get a good 9 in the low 40's, then go and shoot 50 on the remaining 9. My biggest carrot was a year or so ago when I played in an evening 9 hole cash game with a group at our club. No gimmies, played as it lies and I shot a blistering 38 (2 over)  That really fired me up but I haven't been able to repeat it yet.....maybe today? :)

[Crim]

I make a battle plan that usually only survives first contact with the enemy.

I leave the driver at home and only play with 13 clubs.

That's just silly, I used to be a horrible horrible driver of the golf ball, so I used it on every single hole I possibly could. I got better and it's now become the easiest most stress-free club in the bag. Granted I still hit it under 230 yards, but I have full confidence I'll have a decent 2nd shot that is 50 yards longer than any iron in my bag.

Take the band-aid off and put your driver back in your bag, IMO. The driver is a incredibly forgiving club.

[Crim]

I believe it if the fundamentals learned at early age is still there.  Going back to where he once was ... not possible.  But it seems he's already good enough to kick your behind.   You'd better get going, Crim.   I see old father and you son twosome sometimes and it isn't pretty to watch ah old man beat the crap out of his son..   Nah ... enjoy playing with your dad.  Seems like you will  have some serious fun together.

UPDATE: My pops and I played 18 holes for the first time together, match play format. Despite him shooting an 83 last month and me thinking I was going to get smoked, I kicked his arse ;)

We both blew up a few holes though...didn't keep score (other than the match play) but I bet we didn't even break 100. (new course to us, it was tough)

...but fun.

[mailman]

Good job on your 81! I went through a similar "deliberate" improvement program of my own, starting this year.   Shaved about 5 points off my 2014 year ending handicap index.   Like you, my workout helped me live a better, healthier life.   My cholesterol is lower.  I have less stress.   Learned to appreciate my workplace (b/c it has a gym :-) ).

Cheers lads :) You lucky bugger! I wish my work had a gym! Mind you, having said that I haven't been in to my office since the start of March as I've been working from my home office :) Of all the things I've done I think it's the golf fit classes that have helped out the most. I feel more flexible, stronger and just more healthy all over. In fact I can see the physical changes in myself as Muscle has started to develop. I also could speak about nutrition for hours! I love food! I used to REALLY love all the wrong kinds of quick fix gratification food that had absolutely no nutritional value but over the course of the last 18 months I've retrained my mind to love healthy options (by healthy I mean things like full fat milk, cream, butter, cheese, meat with FAT on it...you know, PROPER healthy food) and also avoid low fat sh1t, sugars, processed foods like the plague! So yeah, every little helps with where my golfing game is heading and while I may never break in to the 70's I guess I am at least giving myself the opportunity to do that. Regards Mailman

[rkim291968]

Of all the things I've done I think it's the golf fit classes that have helped out the most. I feel more flexible, stronger and just more healthy all over. In fact I can see the physical changes in myself as Muscle has started to develop.

Every bogey golfer who are out of shape can get golf fit and improve their HI by a point or two for sure.   Added muscle ---> more distance ---> better score.

I had one of the worst range session today in my recent memory.  I could not hit anything between LW and 3W.   Did ok with pitching (50 - 80 yards) and drives.   But nothing in between. Everything was short, went left, pushed right, or topped.   I am playing hooky tomorrow from work to play a late afternoon round.   If my range practice is any indication, I should stick with driver, pitch, pitch into green for GIR+1 and hope for 1 or 2 putts.  Sigh.

[Mac62]

I've broken 90 a few times on my home course (68.1/118, 6034 yds), with my best being an 85.  Played in an annual invitational tournament this past weekend and shot a 93 in the practice round, 91 in the first tournament round (68.8/124, 6085 yds).  For the first time in 16 years of playing this tournament, I was in the final four after the first day (the three ahead of me shot 77, 82 and 86).  On the second day of the tournament, I had a meltdown of epic proportions on a course which wasn't much more difficult than the prior two days (69.0/125, 6008 yds) - shot a 107!

I can't blame it on the weather (it was cold, windy and raining the first day, sunny, calm and 80 degrees the second day), wasn't hung over, can't point to anything specific - but my game just flat left me.  One would guess that I simply choked under the pressure of being in the final four, but realistically I had no expectation of winning - the three guys above me were all single digit handicaps and I knew they were going to shoot low the second day, so my goal was just to stay as close to 90 as I could and come in with a respectable finish.  Instead, the golf gods humbled me good!  I ended up finishing 10th out of 14 in my flight and posted my first triple-digit score in the past 7-8 months.  This one really stung, especially after carding two decent (for me) rounds in the previous two days.

[Mac62]

So after stinking the course up on the second day of the tournament, I played 18 at my home course today and shot an 88 (2 birdies, 4 pars, 7 bogeys, 4 doubles, 1 triple).  Hit 9/12 FIR and got around in 29 putts (only 5 GIR, but a few more nGIR).  Unbelievable, 19 stroke swing within the span of two days.  I was relieved to find out that I hadn't suddenly and inexplicably regressed that far in my game, but at the same time I was thinking "Why couldn't you shoot like this the other damn day???".  Granted, my home course is a bit easier than the tournament course - but not almost 20 strokes easier!

[rkim291968]

So after stinking the course up on the second day of the tournament, I played 18 at my home course today and shot an 88 (2 birdies, 4 pars, 7 bogeys, 4 doubles, 1 triple).  Hit 9/12 FIR and got around in 29 putts (only 5 GIR, but a few more nGIR).  Unbelievable, 19 stroke swing within the span of two days.  I was relieved to find out that I hadn't suddenly and inexplicably regressed that far in my game, but at the same time I was thinking "Why couldn't you shoot like this the other damn day???".  Granted, my home course is a bit easier than the tournament course - but not almost 20 strokes easier!

I've done that in my last two tourneys.   Over 100 in tourney, and about 20 strokes better the next day in casual round on a same course no less.  That's what make us bogey golfers.

Played bogey golf on my home course today.   Basically, I played GIR+1 for most holes.   With my ball striking gone missing, on some holes, I played driver, pitch, pitch, and two putts  on purpose.  Good thing I still have my driver & short game.

[Mac62]

Played bogey golf on my home course today.   Basically, I played GIR+1 for most holes.   With my ball striking gone missing, on some holes, I played driver, pitch, pitch, and two putts  on purpose.  Good thing I still have my driver & short game.

I'm not a long driver, so GIR+1 is my usual strategy on most par 4s and 5s.  It helps to keep me from trying the 'hero shots' which can really blow up the score in a hurry.  I figure if I can avoid the big numbers, play bogey golf and pick off a couple/few pars along the way, I'm shooting in the 80's, which I'd be happy with (at least for now, lol!).

On the second day of the tournament, pretty much every aspect of my game went missing - and what a frustrating feeling it was.  The first two days it felt like I was scrambling for pars and settling for bogeys; on the third day I was struggling for bogeys and most often getting doubles and triples.  It was one of those days where a miss was always in the worst direction possible and if the ball had a chance to bounce/kick, it would always kick in a direction which left me with an unplayable lie or behind an obstruction which was going to cost me at least one stroke just to get back in play.  I tried all my usual mind tricks to get my head back in the game, but after a while my confidence was so destroyed that I pretty much gave up and just let the train wreck happen.

I know I have several pieces/Keys in my setup and swing that need work, but I haven't been working on changing them because I had this tournament coming up (it's a big annual thing amongst a bunch of longtime friends) and I didn't want to screw with things that were at least somewhat consistent for the time being.  Now that the tourney is over, I'm going to work on getting a "My Swing" thread up, setting some priorities and going into "Stupid Monkey" mode.

[SteveH]

I've done that in my last two tourneys.   Over 100 in tourney, and about 20 strokes better the next day in casual round on a same course no less.  That's what make us bogey golfers.

Played bogey golf on my home course today.   Basically, I played GIR+1 for most holes.   With my ball striking gone missing, on some holes, I played driver, pitch, pitch, and two putts  on purpose.  Good thing I still have my driver & short game.

Ditto here as well.  I played in a tournament on my home course last year and had a really bad first day and shot 120, followed it up the next day with under 100.  All between the ears, I'm going to stop thinking about my swing so much and just think where I want the ball to go.

[FaldosEgo]

Played 9 and shot a pretty rough 48. Ball striking was terrible. But on a good note, I only had 15 putts total and only 1 three putt. I didn't hit a single gir, but did 1-putt on four holes. Pretty ugly altogether but could have been worse.

[SteveH]

Had a nice 44 on front nine yesterday, then went on and ended up playing with another group on the back and it went downhill fast, lol.  Went out this morning with the wife and another couple and shot a 43 with 14 putts, my best so far this year, even though trading out a club cost me a couple of strokes. 2 doubles, 2 pars, 4 bogeys and birdied the last with a putt from the apron. Maybe the large amount of practice is finally starting to help ?

[No Mulligans]

Shot an 88 (44+44) today at The Vineyard at Escondido.  Rating 69.4, slope 122.  My best score ever.  After slicing my first drive into a lateral hazard, taking the penalty and triple bogeying number one... after that all my drives where in or nearly in the fairway.  Driving like that, weird!  But I like it.

Lesson learned, don't get down just because you triple the first hole.

[Jeremie Boop]

I'm hoping to finally break into the 80's this year. Last year I had several 9 hole rounds in the mid to low 40's while in league but couldn't get 2 weeks in a row low enough to do it. While playing full 18 hole rounds I almost always ended up with a hole or two that ruined it for me.

[Lihu]

Shot an 88 (44+44) today at The Vineyard at Escondido.  Rating 69.4, slope 122.  My best score ever.  After slicing my first drive into a lateral hazard, taking the penalty and triple bogeying number one... after that all my drives where in or nearly in the fairway.  Driving like that, weird!  But I like it.

Lesson learned, don't get down just because you triple the first hole.

Nice Job! Congrats.

[Mac62]

Shot an 88 (44+44) today at The Vineyard at Escondido.  Rating 69.4, slope 122.  My best score ever.  After slicing my first drive into a lateral hazard, taking the penalty and triple bogeying number one... after that all my drives where in or nearly in the fairway.  Driving like that, weird!  But I like it.

Lesson learned, don't get down just because you triple the first hole.

Congrats!  I used to play that course when I lived down there - saw the ugliest animal I've ever seen on that course near one of the ponds.  It looked like it was part coyote and part dingo or something, leathery-looking black skin with little tufts of orange-brown fur all over it.  Weird.  It followed us at a distance for two holes, we never did figure out exactly what it was.

I don't know if it's still the same, but the course used to be partially in the city of Escondido and partially in the county.  They had a liquor license for one but not the other (don't remember which was which), so the cart girl could only sell you beer on certain parts of the course.