AndrewM

I'll be there, booth 593... Friday/Saturday

Well I brought the clubs back out in mid-march, so it took me about wat, 2 months? so, less impressive I guess. I literally didnt swing a club for 18 months... buddy of mine called me to hit some balls and the day I walked on the range I was striping it. I played mini tour stuff here in FL in 03/04 but never scored well... in fact the two scores in the 60's were only the second and third I've shot in the 60's ever. Just completely changed my attitude towards the game and have been able to keep good rounds going and bring "bad" rounds back.

Picked up my sticks after an 18 month lay off starting the end of March... put up a round of 69 and 67 (sandwiching a 73,74) and shot a horrible 72 yesterday... Finally scoring the way I should be, we'll see how it goes!

I know Caroline personally... she has been giving us updates on our radio show weekly... We had a lot of fun razzing her about the super slow mo leg shot on the first episode lol

Lefty, I tried to email you back but the emial was kicked back, said your address doesnt exist ?

In that instance a rule is a rule.... remember woosnam not that many years ago with an extra club in the bag? The club AND his caddy were punished by an irate woosie. In a match that you intend to play by the rules ALL rules apply, if it was that important the guy should have been paying more attention anyway. Let alone watever other "advantages" they were trying to gain.

I guess just the Golden Bear tour is defunct... not sure what I was thinking about the Hooters Tour.

I dont think the Hooters tour exists anymore does it? I was under the belief it had morphed into the Golden Bear tour, which also seems defunct. The Gateway tour is a good one with a similar design, you pay upfront for the year (circa $20K) and that gets you into all the multiday events. You can also then sell your spots and if you arent a full time member you can buy spots from other people. I have done some dabbling here in FL, on a circuit called Moonlight Golf Tour. Planning on starting here again shortly if time allows. The only problem with that is they are one day events, and only hold multi day events a few times a year. To really test yourself I believe you have to play more than one day. So many guys can go out and post 65/66 on any given day, but much fewer can post 69 two or three days in a row.

Very easy to explain that. Think of it this way. If I am not swinging "on plane", that can either be over the top or underneath plane... as I approach the ball, I have to not only time the face of the club but Also the path of the club. If I am approaching the ball from underneath plane (from the inside) and my club face is square to plane, it is WIDE open at the golf ball, so at the instant it reaches the ball I have to snap the face shut to get it square to target, which would be closed to plane. If I approach the ball directly down the target line and "on plane" I now ONLY have to worry about that club face. As far as "one plane" "two plane"... One plane doesnt even really exist, there are "flatter" and "more upright" but a TRUE one plane swing would have you swinging the club around your waist, ie- ON shaft plane. But because of the design of a golf club (the fact the shaft comes out on an angle) we are required to make plane shifts throughout the swing. But that goes back to my original note... if we agree that there is a plane that is too flat, and one that is too upright, then somewhere between those two has to be optimum, for you.

Did they misbehave and need to be punished?

There are only 5 guys that have a chance right? If that is the case then when they step on the first tee, the beauty of golf is, everyone has a chance. So I dont necessarily have a problem with what she said... If my wife was on blast saying "well there are 5 guys that could win, but geez tiger is playing so well, the chances of my husband winning arent very good." I would be pretty damn pissed.

Today was the first day Ive ever been able to hit balls on a REAL launch monitor. Most of the units on the market take a picture of the ball and interpret the data using a set of algorithms. Unfortunately based on a LOT of factors, the resulting information can be pretty inaccurate, especially the faster the ball/club head are moving. ( http://www.pga.com/news/show/product...cope012905.cfm ) The system I used today was very similar to the Trackman unit used on tour. It bases the data on doppler radar that monitors the flight of the ball on its entire course. It was FREAKING COOL! that is the biggest thing I took away from it lol. It was just really awesome to get the data and KNOW its accurate. The other thing I was very surprised about was just how fast I seem to be swinging the golf club. I really didnt think I moved the club very quickly, but apparently I do ok. My 4 iron swing speed was right around 100mph, usually just a shade under. I did get a few in the 102 range though, but they were pulls with some flipping at the bottom. I just picked up a new Callaway X-hot 3-wood and I was carrying that right around 250, so I was VERY happy with that (and very surprised!) Another REALLY awesome part of the software was that it has a "driver optimizer" which essentially gives you the ideal numbers (launch, spin etc) to calculate the farthest you could hit a ball. It was cool to see all the numbers and see how I could change them and know exactly how far I was hitting it. It works all the way down to your lob wedge if you want. VERY cool technology. My instructor also has a SAM putting lab, which I will be using on Wednesday.

I assume when you asked if it was lift clean and place, they werent amused because it wasnt? Of course the PGA tour is playing down the road, and on a day with no rain, they still played lift clean and place... I dont see why a bunch of amateurs wouldnt be afforded the same opportunity.

I would have to say, as Im sure you would agree, that even if you shot 83 and had a "course record" that is completely meaningless. Right? I mean its not like you would run around the clubhouse, with the scorecard in the air, yelling "I shot the course record from the Gold tees!!" Well at least I hope not lol. Secondly, the course record is the lowest score ever shot on the course, tees are irrelevant. Of course that can be broken down to men's and women's and tournament/non-tournament records. 84, while Im sure some sort of bragging rights for that one guy at his card games, doesnt mean anything.

I shot 73 a couple nights ago (on the course that hosts the final stage of q-school, from the "q-school tees") hitting 16 greens.... So, I had more putts than the original poster, and yes my putting was TERRIBLE! total number of putts doesnt address everything as others have said... its best to evaluate weaknesses: lag putting short putts 6'-10' any 3 putts etc