cireyamel

That's my best round, scoring-wise, too. 31-39 at a club in Seattle -- two under. My handicap was about a 10 on that course at that time. I still have the ball on a shelf with the score and the date. It's the only regular round that I finished under par. But my best round ever was in a charity scramble. I just pounded the driver off the tee and pounded the driver off the fairway (It was one of the PGA courses). And we had a blast doing it. Four friends just saying what the heck, fire away. It's my best round because I got two trophies (longest drive and low team net score) and I out-drove Tom Lehman on "his" hole and we took my drive over his. No idea how I would have actually scored, but I loved that day of golf and I have a nice note on my picture they took with us and Lehman saying I out-drove him, and signing it with my name. Best round ever -- that was it.

I actually carry two drivers, sometimes. One is about a 30-year-old TaylorMade metal and the other is the big Callaway. That little metal driver is, basically, like a lot of the fat, utility irons today. I keep kind of changing back and fourth between it and a gap wedge.

247-yard three wood to within 10-feet of the cup on a 504-yard par five. But I chunked two shots before that, so I ended up missing a birdie putt from 10 feet. Par in the end.

Two days a year my club reverts to as close as they can come to the original 1894 layout (actually, it's accurate to the 1906 layout because of houses). But two things struck me again: 1) These people back then played a seriously long course. 2) How'd they do it? I mean, we're only talking 194 yards for both nines, but it's where you put those yards, I guess, is my point; along with how different our equipment is 100 years later. Do other clubs do this? cy

How old would George Burns be this year? That's my answer. Just kept gettin in trouble. Even my playing partners were having a giggle about it because they were solid shots I hit, just not where you want to be. And then I didn't putt well. Say goodnight, Gracie.

Trans-Canadian highway in a 1979 Honda Prelude. Oh, you mean with a golf club... No real clue. It's cool when you win something for it, but I just never have kept track. It's not like they engrave the trophy or crystal at a tourney with how far you hit it. But I haven't even kept track just from normal round to normal round. But I'm almost sure it was off a cliff at Fury Creek. cy

I've played with a couple of touring pros. Worth the cost to a charity. Just to watch 18 holes of "not trying too hard" and one "check your alignment." If you're 30+, though, don't waste your time. Buy some lessons. cy

Around the first of the year, I joined a private club and it ROCKS! At the time, the initiation was $10,750, but I get to pay that over ten years, interest free, until I'm 45 yo. I did have to pay 1/3 up front, though. It's $225 a month and a $250 quarterly food/drink minimum -- but there are several food venues to choose from. There are only about 400 golfing members, so there are no tee times. Kiddo loves the pool and it's on a lake, which is also fun to splash around in. It was kind of weird at first, all the staff knowing your name and no membership card, per se, but I've gotten very use to the fact that I can jump on the course anytime and play any number of holes. It's also very women and juniors friendly. I can easily play 18 holes in less than four hours -- which you just can't do on public courses around here.

Do the thing that shows what's in your bag? cy

I bit the bullet...well, our whole family did, actually. It is kind of shocking when the bill comes every month, but playing that much, if you really love the game and that's your hobby, it is totally worth it. Our club doesn't even take tee times, you basically walk on when you can. Plus, with my young family, all the other amenities are a super bonus -- the pool, the lake, the dock, the restaurants, etc. I'm 35 and I honestly hope I'm investing in a "third place" for when I'm 75. The other cool thing is my five-year-old daughter gets full privs until she is 21. I had free golf at a "ranked" course across the street, and I couldn't take one more five-hour or so round. Yeah, the finances haven't been easy to do it, but the whole family wouldn't trade it for a thing. Besides, my certificate has gone up in value faster than my house!

I grew up loving golf and playing every chance I could get. One of my playing partners when I was young just turned pro. My grandfather funded building two courses that make "the lists," but he never picked a club up in his life. I lettered in college and had my handicap down to 6.3. Then I just quit, other than scrambles and charity this and that, for several years. I pretty much walked away from the game. In fact, I didn't even touch my clubs for almost three years. My daughter turned five this spring, and I decided to accept an invitation to join a private club. It has a swimming pool during the summer and a great juniors program. So, I'm just starting to play again. I've been trying to play three times a week, but various USGA events have foiled that a few weeks lately. I'm embarrassed by my GHIN. It's a little over 22. But it's a completely honest 22 by the rules of golf...another nice thing about playing every round with people completely committed to the spirit of the game...you just don't fudge it, ever. My typical round was yesterday. I had two net double eagles and still shot 101/net 75. I look forward to reading the forum to see what others are doing.

That's exactly why I joined a club with a long practice hole, a green just for bunker shots, a green for chipping and a putting green. I can bebob in for an hour after work and just play around with stuff.

Ditto for me on that. I use my lob wedge from the sand, and anything 100 yards in. But the times it comes in most useful was on a shot like I had yesterday. Sixty yards out left of the green with several VERY tall oak trees between the green and my ball. The guys near the next tee box were taking bets that I couldn't hit it straight up enough to fly the trees. Well, I opened everything up and swung as hard as I could...I not only flew the trees right in front of me, I ended up with a 10-foot birdie putt (which I missed). I'll also echo an earlier sentiment...if you take a full swing with the lob and you scold it...the results can be very, very ugly.