LarryK

88 today. Nothing special about that, but I had two all-time firsts. Historic moment #1: Par 3 8th, 130 yards fronted by a huge pond. Two balls into the water and I'm laying four and well onto my way to my first ever snowman on a par 3. Don't think I have ever done that since I was shooting 100-stroke rounds and was proud of it. I might have, but I don't think so. Sheer agony. Historic moment #2: So, thoroughly cheered by my invective-laced putrid front nine 49, I naturally go out and shoot a three-over back nine of 39. Five of seven fairways, five GIRs and 16 putts. I've never carded a 39 for nine holes in my life. As someone once said, "It was the best times and it was the worst of times."

What is it and where would I likely find it? Automotive? Hardware? Pharmacy? I've never found anything that adequately shines up my clubs. Hope it is as good as you say.

Ah, yes, the old "aggressive vs. conservative" argument. So, if he had been on the green with two putts to win from 40 feet, would you have suggested he try to ram the ball into the back of the cup for a birdie he wouldn't need? That would be aggressive. Aggressive may work great on the first tee on Thursday. After all, everyone starts with the same blank scorecard. For that matter you can amass a fortune in Vegas or on Wall Street by being "aggressive." But the only way you win is to cash in your chips. Personally, once I've made that decision I prefer the more conservative method of keeping them in my pocket as I walk to the cashier's window, but I suppose you could juggle them in the air if it suits your fancy. But I do agree with you that being aggressive has gotten Phil to where he is today -- second place finisher in a major championship that he gave away. Here's to the aggressor

About the only silver lining in this horribly dark cloud is that in calling himself an idiot maybe he is ready to take enough personal responsibility for this debacle to actually learn something from it. Although as Erik points out, the "explanation" as to why he didn't hit four-wood sounds an awfully lot like some past rationalizations. Even worse, I didn't hear anything about what HE thought he SHOULD HAVE DONE differently. Sorry, Phil, but if you, Bones, Rick and Dave can't come up with an after-the-fact dead solid perfect strategy that would have ensured you a par and a win on the 72nd hole of a major championship and if you have any doubt in your mind that the next time you have the opportunity you would actually lack the discipline to implement it..........then you truly ARE an idiot.

Shot 86 today. Five off my personal best of 81 last week, but today's round included a snowman on the par 4 third hole. I could hear the door slamming on any kind of great round, but damn if I didn't immediately rally and shoot even par for the rest of the front nine including back-to-back birdies on four and five. I've never had back-to-back birdies in my life. A more predictable back nine of 45 included four double boagies. I actually consider this a positive. If I can shoot in the mid-eighties posting snowmen and four DBs, I'm going to be fine once I eliminate the sheer stupidity from my game. But the latest handicap revision dropped mine from 19 to 16.4, so things are getting better.

Did I read your post right? You just took up the game of golf earlier this year? If so, not only are you "not normal", I would say you are an alien -- probably from the planet Krypton, because no one I ever knew other than Superman has ever had a chance of shooting in the 80s after only six months playing the game, much less had 10 birdie opportunities. If I get 10 legitimate birdie opportunities this month, it will be a great June! But, hey, congratulations and more power to you. As for correcting the problem, I would simply advise analyzing your misses. Is it your read or your speed? Are you consistently long or short or typically need to play more or less break. I am ususally short. My putting was much better this weekend just by being a tad more agressive. If you cannot identify a tendancy, I'm not sure what to tell you. In fact, if you can't identify a specific tendancy it probably means you are doing a lot of things right . On the other hand, if the first of those three putts are more often than not from 30 feet or more, cut yourself some slack. The effects of break and green speed are significantly magnified at those distances. Really good lag putting isn't any easier than sinking that three-footer to win the press.

81!!! It finally came together today! Beat my previous personal best by two strokes. Just established my first handicap this year, and it was killing me to play to an 18 or 19 when I knew I was much better. A couple of 100-plus rounds earlier in the year made me look like a bigger chop than I really am. And then I've been mired in the low 90s and upper 80s since. Funny thing today. Some of my stats weren't all that different than usual. Four out of 14 fairways. Thirty-five putts. Seven greens in regulation was a little bit of an improvement. The biggest difference was my "other" category. I have always kept this stat. "Other" are any strokes that aren't tee shots or putts. A "boring", plain vanilla, even par round would consist of 18 tee shots, 18 shots from the fairway or rough (two shots on the par fives cancel out the zero shots that should occur on the par threes), 18 GIR and a two-putt for par. So, my "other" category is a comparison to how close I am to the ideal goal of 18 strokes between tee and green. GIR alone doesn't give you the total strokes you waste between tee and green. And I waste a lot. Normally, that figure is in the upper 30s or lower 40s. Today it was 28! And that's what I worked on earlier this week at the range. Approach shots that, if not on in regulation, would at least be good enough to keep me out of jail and away from big numbers. The result: 1 birdie, 8 pars and only 2 double boagies. I'm psyched.

Explain #8 to me if you can. If you are head of player development at Calloway, why would you sponsor me if I prefer Ping? For that matter, if I'm good enough to command the attention of Calloway, why aren't the Ping people throwing some chips my way? It would appear people are ending up at the prom with the wrong dates. As for #7, who? who? who? And how come the PGA doesn't squelch side betting like this? They're so picky about their image, I would think they would be all over this.

Actually, I think your feelings are a pretty good clue, but definitely go with the other advice you've received so far.

Oh, yeah, I know. Of course it was the right call. But half (sometimes almost all) the fun of golf is griping about your bad breaks. What I'm really sore about is my uncanny inability to hit the middle of greens from 100 yards and out. This is really beginning to suck.

Had to invoke the damn rule today and I'm still pissed. 349-yard, uphill par four. So-so drive into the right rough leaves me about 125 yards out with a decent lie. Green is partially obstructed on the right by a large blue spruce, which is also where you want to hit due to the severe right to left slope of the green. So I hit a 9-iron over the spruce, but never really see it land. It could be in or just beyond the bunker on the other side of the spruce, or it could have hit one of the other two or three trees in that area and gone........anywhere. But it was a 9-iron fer crissakes! It's not like I smoked it! And despite the trees, the ground here is fairly open. If I find it, I'll probably have a reasonable chip at the pin. But no dice. Moderately deep rough is hiding this sucker somewhere. So I drop, but instead of lying 3, I am (thanks entirely to Dave Koster) lying FOUR !! So a coulda/shoulda par or at worst bogey turns into a triple 7. Thanks, Dave I think I liked ignorance better.

You mean I have to wait 'til I'm calm ?? I think my four hour forty-five minute round just went to 5:25.

Sounds like you putted fairly well.

But in Maverick's defense (and not-so-conicidentally my own as well) in many cases there is NOT an obvious "question" as to whether the ball is lost. In fact, as you watch it roll through the fairway into the rough, the assumption is that you will find it. But, as it turns out, you don't. In these cases, as contrasted with-the-did-it-or-didn't-it question for balls landing near boundary markers (which would clearly suggest the wisdom of hitting a provisional), a drop in the immediate area seems thoroughly reasonable. But as Dave's whack upside the head also makes clear, it is also reasonable (if you want to at least adhere to the spirit of the rule) to pretend that your drop was hit to that position from the tee as required by rule. And that's an additional stroke.

Well, now. Don't I feel like the village idiot. It isn't enough that I've been invoking the rule incorrectly. What's worse is that I only do it wrong about every other time! Like Maverick, if I lose the ball in the rough, I drop and count a stroke. That's two. I haven't been counting the distance not because the penalty is too harsh (although it really is) but because.....I just.....haven't....uh.....thought of it. On the other hand, if I hit one from the tee OB or in weeds where I know it is lost then I re-tee (that's two) and hit again (that's three). I can't believe I've been screwing this up from sheer ignorance and overlooking the obvious. Of course , there's an additional stroke for the distance. DUUUUHHHHH. In case you haven't guessed, I don't play much tournament golf.

I would bet anything that you are bringing the clubface into the ball too flat; trying to hit the back of the ball and propel it forward. If you misjudge it even a little bit you'll either hit the ground a full 1/2 inch or so behind the ball ("fat") or contact the mid-section of the ball with the leading edge of the club ("thin"). Instead, form an image in your mind where you are hitting down on the ball so that the leading edge of the club takes a divot in the ground just barely in front of the ball. Hitting down on the ball is crucial to getting it up in the air, as contradictory as that may sound. One more tip: Pick out a dimple on the ball that you want the middle of the clubface to contact at impact. Be that demanding and precise with yourself and actually attempt to see that contact at the moment it occurs. Quality of contact is a huge part of golf. Pay close attention to it.

Uh.....objection your honor. Can we concede this at least somewhat relative? I hit one 250 today, and it felt like I nuked it. And I live at altitude.

As Erik's dictionary entry indicates, I used the term incorrectly (attempting to apply it to the hopelessly trailing competitor rather than the player in the dominant position). My intent was to imply that our friend "Deep Stuff" was already in some very deep stuff, and his wedding is over a year away. So, the accurate reference is to refer to Ms. Fiance as "dormie." The fact remains, Deep Stuff is going to have to pull off some miracle shots in a short period of time to save this "match."

Way Too Quick. Rushing both the backswing and downswing and destroying any semblance of tempo. Swinging the hands and arms rather than rotating the shoulders. No width and chokes off the follow through. Vicious pull hooks result. Timid putting. "Never up, never in" If I hear that one more time....

Let's see......what's wrong with this picture? Your signature line talks about this wonderful woman who bought you these clubs and tells you to go play with the boys and then quite pointedly denies you a tee time over a year away. Hmmmm. You, my friend, are dormie with no more than four years to play. A couple of things should be obvious. Neither you (nor your fiance) get to go to Aruba everyday. There should be many fun things you can do together (post back if you need suggestions here). There may be other fun things that you each may prefer to do separately. Golf might be one. Mud packs, manicures, antique shopping, shoe shopping, dress shopping, handbag shopping and shopping might be others. It would be unspeakably selfish of you (and suicidal in the extreme) if you were to take your clubs and play golf everyday of your honeymoon. It is unspeakably selfish of your fiance to expect you not to play at all. You are dormie.

I think you guys handled it just right. First off, don't assume that just because you didn't hear the wife giving hubby etiquette lessons that it wasn't happening either on the course out of ear shot or later at home. I've always figured that some one who really wants to learn the game is going to eventually pick up all the subtleties along the way. Not much point in me getting bent out of shape because it isn't happening according to my timetable. Only there was this one time that I couldn't help myself.....Me and my former girlfriend (an excellent golfer in her own right) are teeing off on #13. Girlfriend hits a nice drive down the middle. Unfortunately before the rest of us can hit, some teenager comes walking up our fairway from #8 in search of his slice. Since 13 is clearly marked under local rules as OB for players on 8, we expect him to pick up his ball and move on. Oh no. He takes out a club and (eventually) plays his ball back to number 8. Grumble, grumble, curse. We hit. Minutes later we can't find girlfriend's ball in the middle of the fairway (it had settled in a valley out of view). When I finally catch up with young Beavis, he not only has my girlfriend's ball, but an armload of others from God knows where. He looked like a squirrel collecting nuts for the winter. But clearly one of these nuggets, at least, had been collected from a fairway that he had no business in. That people (us) were obviously teeing off into. Like many young people with single digit IQs, he actually looked shocked that I would be angry about his stealing someone else's property that he had taken a fancy to. I still get homicidal just thinking about it.

Well, given your more specific definition of what constitutes a "charge" (# of strokes per # of holes to play and the fact that it should be more democratically accessible to the entire field [sounds more like a stampede to me]) certainly makes it more difficult to take issue with your point. But that just seems to bring us back to the more general issue of lengthening courses throughout the tour. This didn't just start with the Masters and the Masters didn't just come upon the idea this year. While certainly not being a fan of all the course changes that have occurred, I still find it interesting as to who is able to contend at these events. Tim Clark in solo 2nd? A top five finish for Fred Couples? While conceding the point that there may indeed be fewer cavalry charging over the hill in any given battle, I'm not ready to concede that that necessarily equates to less exciting golf. Sometimes the hand-to-hand combat can be pretty good too.

Don't believe it for a second, Rafci. Freddie would have done you proud. I was really pulling for him as well. A few putts here and there and this could have been a very different story. It was really entertaining for me watching him hang in as long as he did. I don't buy Eric and Jeff's "charge-proof" contention either. Are you guys telling me that if Tiger is 3 or 4 strokes down going into next year's final that you would bet against him no matter who the leader was? I'm not so sure I would do that if he and Phil were to replay the final round right now. I seem to remember at least one makeable eagle and several birdie putts Tiger had on the back nine. How is the fact that he didn't convert these an automatic condemnation of all the course changes at Augusta? Had the course been charge-proofed, he wouldn't have had those chances would he?

Well, according to the Golf Channel interview with the guy, you have to actually be a member of Augusta National Golf Club and, apparently, one of the better golfers within the membership. This guy once fired a 63 from the member tees. Given those criteria you may just want to go ahead and qualify normally by winning the US Open or US Amatuer. But tomorrow is going to be unbelieveable. Glad I had the foresight to take a day off work.

But it won't mean a thing if she doesn't win the playback competition and the only surprising thing about BBV so far is that she wasn't the first one eliminated. One more show. That's all we have to endure.