johnny2balls

Even the guy in the video is using a tee and it seems anything but "barely adequate"

I'll argue all day long that a tee is hardly adequate. I've been fixing ball marks with a tee for decades and they are as adequate as it gets. In fact I'll argue that it's the best tool to use. The tool companies will disagree because it's basically a free divot repair tool and they are in business to sell their own tools. I've tested most tools. Now they are even making tool that resemble tee's. Callaway has one out. They only have one prong instead of the old standart two. The one prong looks like a skinny tee but the problem with those is that they are too skinny. The two prong tool is good to fix marks the wrong way by sticking and pulling up but I don't find them as effective to fix the correct way. In fact I have found they actually do more damage to the green especially compared to a tee.

I was taught the same way your video shows when I started caddying at Bob-O-Link in Chicago while in highschool. That's how they taught us to do it. I still fix all marks this way and know it is the best way toi fix a mark. But, no one else fixes that way :) 99% of people I play with fix them the way you first describe, they push in and pull up breaking the roots. Even the pros fix them that way. Watch on t.v or in person if you can. Almost every single pro will stick in their tool and pull up. I've been watching that specific act for decades. I think people feel this is the best way to get a flat surface. If that's not it, I don't know why so many fix it like that especially the pros. I also use a tee as I feel it's the best tool to use to fix ball marks.

Interesting, what exactly is a "formal club" I've never heard that before. Do they play by their own rules? I'm asking in all sincerity. I played Scioto in Columbus, OH last week and there is certainly no one ball on green rule, so if Scioto is not a formal club then what is? Because everything seems pretty formal at that great place. No hats in mens grill, no cell phones on course etc.. I've played hundreds of courses all over, many top notch just like Scioto, I've never heard of, seen or been told of a one ball at a time on the green etiquette rule. If it's true and some courses have that rule, then I must say what an insane stupid rule. It serves no purpose except to slow down play.

First of all great question. I've thought about it many times as I like to keep things going and often time will put my ball down at the same time someone else is replacing theirs b/c it's their turn to putt. I don't do it when my ball is anywhere near their line. Nor do I do it when they have started their pre-shot routine. I'm pro-active and do it at the same time they are replacing their own ball. Here's the way I've always seen this issue--#2 should sum it all up: 1) who says you even need to mark your ball and clean it if it's not on someones line? If your ball is clean (or you simply don't care about cleaning your ball as many don't care) who says you can't just leave it be after your shot onto the green and step up and hit it when it's your turn. 2) If it's not on anybody's line you're fine to leave it after your approach shot. So if you're fine to leave your ball and never mark it to begin with then what's the big deal about replacing it before it's your turn. Answer is, it's not a big deal. Some people may have an issue with it but that's their problem not yours. Because I would assume (or hope) they have no issue with you not even marking your ball as long as it's not on or close to their line. This whole idea of marking every single putt is from watching the pros do it on tv. If I leave a long putt 4' short and someone else is still out and my ball is not on their line, I leave it most of the time. I don't go then mark it for a second time. I leave it and then putt it when it's my turn and nobody has a problem with that.

From you post, to me it sounds like you are slow. What jumped out at me is the extra 45 seconds you say take right before you hit your putt. That is a heck of a long time. This is after you have looked at all angles and paced it off. Then an extra 45 more seconds. Wow! It's way too long my friend. You are gaining nothing by all of that extra stuff. You don't do it on the preactice green and you probably putt fairly well there. No need for it on the course. Final score does not matter in slow play, just like it does not matter on tour. Slow play is slow play regardless of score.

I'm a Holly fan. Although she has good angles and not so good ones. She does love to stick that chest out I was a big Wynn fan but then one day her fake announcers voice and phrasing hit me like a ton of bricks and now I can't watch her. Well I should say listen to her. It is so over the top and put on that it drives me nuts. She's like the female version of Ryan Seacrest. Yucking it up with her announcers voice. It's only getting worse. Here she is in 2009. It's there, I can hear it but it's not too bad: Now listen to her in 2012. All it takes (for me) is her first few words. It's such a calculated fake announcers voice. Yuckity Yuck: http://www.golfchannel.com/media/dot-com-extra-2012-season-preview-010312/ I hope I don't ruin Wynn for any of you fans, but for me I can't listen anymore.

Do you know the story of why "they" banned Sam's style? If Tiger gets what he wants, it could be history repeating itself. Since Sam's style does not have to involve a long putter and it's not anchored to the body would people opposed to long or belly be fine with it? Can anybody name the one person who used a non-conventional putter that finally seemed to make it OK for all to use and seemed to make some feel OK about using it i.e. Phil? HInt: think back no longer than the start of last year.

why don't you post a picture of the golf shoes you wear. Take a pic on your phones and let us all see. I say Etonics.

Well 1:50 is not considered slow. in fact a 3 hour and 40 min round is a great time. I'm not sure why you thought you would be waiting on the ladies. More times than not I have found that ladies are plenty fast. Old men (in general) on the other hand are the slowest golfers on a course 99.9% of the time. As you note, they move slow, they do stupid things and most of all could care less about someone (never mind a single) waiting behind them. glad you enjoyed some time on the course. good to hear

Time with my family. I have 3 small kids. 6 years ago I played approx. 60 rounds a year. Last year I played 11. The only reason I know that is because I started the year with 9 2009 scores on my GHIN. But I don't miss not being out with my buddies on Sat morning when I'm playing my my kids. I still find time to play. I play in the major tournaments at our course. I do nights during the week. And now 2 of my kids are getting old enough to play so we are starting to play at night as well. Most of the time we just hit the range, which is good for my game. I've met numerous guys that have told me that once their kids were old enough to want to do things on the weekend they hung up the clubs. They are all playing again but took time off. I know I'll never do that since my kids enjoy playing and I enjoy it way too much to ever quit or even take a sabbatical

This is actually a good way to approach it. Use a little humor but make sure your point is not lost in the humor. I just had a situation in match this past weekend. My partner and I spent over 5 minutes searching for our competitors balls on the first 4 out 6 holes. I did not saying anything directly but did say well I think 5 minutes is up etc... On about the 9th hole we now were looking for my drive. I looked at my watch when we started looking and at 5 minutes I called off the search. Our 2 competitors (who are very nice guys) said "no worries we can keep looking for a little while longer" I said "no we can't. The rules allow for 5 minutes. 5 minutes is up and the search is over." We searched for their balls about 5 more times that round and never spent over 5 minutes. From what I observed they took what I said to heart and possibly changed their ways for good.

Best golfer ever and my favorite. Any man that can say to hi wife, how about if I go win all 4 majors this year and then I can retire to our life. And then DOES IT, is the best in my book. And they by no means were cake walk wins. as a side note I play the Bobby Jones hybrids 21* and 19* anybody else? great hybrids in my opinion. very iron like ball flight.

2 guys, 4 and a half hours minimum! Wow. Ultra slow. That's very slow for 4 guys or 4 women or any combo. 4 guys all under 15 caps should never take more than 3:50-4:00. Assuming the course is open, it should never take that long. 18 holes of golf simply does not take that long to play unless you are slow. And slow for all of the wrong reasons. I think it was Davis Love III who a few year ago played solo all 4 rounds at the Mercedez in Hawaii. He went from 2:25 min rounds to 1:45 by the last round. The only thing that would bother me with your mate is his slow play. You either have to nicely drop him out of your rotation. Simply by getting in other groups. Or you must talk to him about pace of play. He can't play that slow and expect anything else. If he does he needs a reality check. I know it's not easy. But in reality it seems that golf groups come and go. I used to play with the same group always, then kids came along and certain guys could no longer play at this time or that time and new groups and times were formed. I still play with everybody from all of the groups maybe just at odd times.