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dave67az

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Everything posted by dave67az

  1. I'm so tired of this. If this keeps up (and I'm sure you'll celebrate) I'm gone from this website. Maybe you don't care because you aren't making any money on the message board anyway, but this is no way to professionally manage a site. Read the quotes above. Jerry times was considering buying a putter and ANCHORING IT. Not buying a long putter and using it otherwise. You can act like that's not illegal all you want, but it doesn't make it true. Golfingdad replied by saying that instead of worrying about the putter he should just practice more. If you don't understand what he said, I can't help you any more. Then meenman jumps his case for using the term "illegal putter" knowing full well what he meant. Then YOU defend him. You want to defend trolls on your website, fine. It's your website. But if that's the kind of forum you want to run, I'm out of here.
  2. I expect better from YOU. "no equipment is illegal"???? So we can use whatever we want? If you bothered to read the post to which Golfingdad was referring, you'd see that JerryTimes said SPECIFICALLY he was thinking about buying an "anchored putter". Not a long putter. Stop being a troll already.
  3. So if something helps your game, it should be legal unless you're a pro? Like a ball that goes farther than the USGA rules allow? Like a device on your arm to make sure you maintain a certain position at impact? Now, to be fair, you can use anything you want for your own recreational golf. You just have to understand that using anything deemed "illegal" during your round means you can't use the score in that round when figuring an official handicap. If you don't care about an official handicap, then have at it. Use whatever you want. Just don't confuse your game with the game that others are playing who are following all the rules. They're two different things. Part of golf is the challenge against our own habits, our own faults, and our own emotions. Most of us have fought a habit here or there that has impeded our game. Some of you have overcome those habits resulting in great improvements in your game (notice I said you and not me!). I imagine you felt a great personal reward when you did so. You accomplished something and you should be proud of it. As far as I can see, to take shortcuts to achieving a goal often takes away from that satisfaction of accomplishment. If you cure your yips by using a device, what have YOU really done to deserve any satisfaction? Pulled out your wallet? Oh, well, congratulations there mate. That must make you really proud. If scoring better is what you want, then DO THE WORK to score better. But don't just use a piece of equipment or unapproved method that will do the work FOR you. Otherwise it's not YOUR score you're writing down...it belongs to the guy who sold you the equipment or invented the method.
  4. How many putters do you carry? How many wedges do you carry?
  5. I'm half-tempted to just email them a link to this thread. I mean, assuming they haven't stumbled upon it in their "research".
  6. Go ahead and give him all of his reputation points. Just take back half of them to build a park.
  7. Not sure if you guys were ever tortured into watching American Idol, but the audition shows were always the same. You had a lot of kids who were lied to for years by friends and relatives about their singing ability. I'm sure their friends and family were all well-intentioned, and didn't want to hurt their feelings or crush their dreams, but the result ended up being kids getting in front of a national camera making total fools out of themselves because everyone around them led them to believe that they had a chance at becoming a professional singer. Some would break down crying, confused because everyone told them how great they were. Pretty sad. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with dreaming. And there's nothing wrong with chasing a dream, so long as it doesn't keep you from realizing your true potential in something that you actually have a chance at succeeding in. Not to be cruel, but if you're going online to ask everyone else if you have a chance at becoming a pro golfer, I'm betting it's not going to happen. I have a lot of admiration for pro athletes who go to college (and actually attend the classes) and get a useful degree before going into the NFL, knowing that they will always need something to fall back on if their long-shot of a career fails (and the vast majority of the time, it does).
  8. Glad to know nobody else is using my mark. And here I thought I was being completely un-creative by simply circling the number on the ball.
  9. Judging from the recent replies, I'm guessing GolfingDad and WhySoSerious might agree with me. In answer to the OP's question, the handicapped guy is the one who lets himself be annoyed by the actions of others on the course. I'm guilty, and I'm guessing I'm not alone. I've been known to rant about people who don't rake their bunkers, drive the cart the length of the fairway on 90-degree days, or take 20 minutes looking for a lost ball. Sadly, I've sometimes let it turn a relaxing round into a stressful day. It's posts like this that help remind me to let my handicap go. No telling how many strokes that stress has cost me over the years. :-)
  10. I have no problem being a prick. I'd answer him: "I don't know dude, I haven't seen you make anything within 5 feet all day."
  11. Without knowing the full story, it's probably best not to assume anything. We have enough of that going on already these days. For instance... Dad and I went golfing every now and then after his heart attack and hip replacement. I knew how hard it was on him because I'd see him AFTER the round and notice how difficult it was for him to get out of bed for the next couple of days. I learned my lesson, and decided since he had too much pride to ask for the handicap flag, I'd ask for it and I would be his driver for the day, trying to do my part in making sure his round was as non-strenuous as possible. If he hit it on the front part of the green, that's where I'd drop him off. He may have to walk to the back of the green after his putt, but I'd just pull the cart around to the back and pick him up there. It seemed to work just fine, until I started getting ugly looks because obviously I wasn't handicapped, and sometimes I'd be spotted alone in the cart as I went to pick him up wherever he was. The story isn't mine, personally. It's from one of my golf buddies a while back. The point is, if there is ONE story out there, then there's more. You may witness PART of the story, for 10 minutes in this case, but that doesn't tell you the WHOLE story. Without knowing the person, and without knowing his particular medical history, no fair judgements can be made. Could they be jerks just taking advantage of a handicap flag? Oh yeah. Definitely. Just like the people who park in the spots when they have no business doing so. There are plenty of people out there who apparently don't feel any guilt when they take a handicapped spot away from someone who needs it. But it's probably best to do what you did in this case and NOT say anything or else you may find yourself listening to one of these stories and feeling like a jerk afterward. Just my opinion.
  12. I never claimed there was a danger that knowledgeable golfers would buy the product. My concern was that golfers who are just learning the game, who watch the golf channel to learn about the game (much as I watched every golf show I could find when I was learning the game), who trust that the fine folks at The Golf Channel wouldn't advertise products that aren't USGA compliant, and subsequently purchase the products thinking that they're allowed to use them on a regular basis. The problem isn't golfers who know what they're doing. It's golfers who are just learning the game who are being confused by the mixed messages concerning the Rules of Golf. I'll say again...if you're going to have the balls to call yourself The Golf Channel, and focus so many shows on how to play the game legally (look at the programming time spent discussing rules violations in PGA Tour events, or changes to the anchored stroke) then you owe it to your viewers, many who have a limited knowledge of what's allowed and what's forbidden in the game, to not add to any confusion about the Rules of Golf. Which is exactly why I think a disclaimer should be shown during the commercials, just so folks who aren't as educated about the rules aren't confused. I don't think it's unfair to expect a channel that claims to be the authority on the game of golf (hell, simply naming it "The Golf Channel" does that) to pay a little more attention to their brand, and to realize that MANY people who aren't experts on the rules are more than likely to trust what they see and hear on TGC as gospel. When it comes to stories about sports in general, I tend to trust the reports I see on ESPN. If they say that there is hard evidence that A-Rod was on 'roids, I believe them. If they say there was hard evidence there was a bounty system going on within the Saints organization, I believe them. When it comes to stories about golf, I tend to trust the reports I see on TGC. If they say that Vijay Singh is suing the PGA Tour for ruining his good name, I believe them. If they say some viewer called an official's cell phone at the Masters and that's what started the whole Tiger Woods thing this year, I believe them. When they spend days on Morning Drive discussing USGA rules just about every time there's a violation in a PGA Tour event, I listen closely because I'm pretty sure I'm going to learn something. And I trust what I'll learn will help me understand the Rules of Golf better for my own game. And when TGC accepts money for a product to be advertised, I expect it to be USGA-conforming or to have a disclaimer stating otherwise. If TGC doesn't give a crap about the rules, then they need to stop discussing them as though there's something wrong with Tiger dropping in the wrong spot in a Major tournament.
  13. Well, you're right about that. I hadn't considered (and have a little trouble accepting) that we're such a small minority. If you're right, and we are, then all of those complaints about rules changes (whether it's grooves or anchored strokes) have absolutely no more weight than my complaint about advertising. If you're right, then the PGA of America's argument that rules changes would somehow affect people's interest in the game is entirely unfounded. If you're right, then the statements we heard from pros are illogical about how banning an anchored stroke even for recreational golfers would have a significantly negative impact on the future of golf for many people. If nobody is really following the rules anyway, then changes to the rules don't affect the vast majority of people playing golf, if what you say is true. If the rules only matter to a small minority of golfers, I'd be very surprised. I know a lot of golfers. Nearly every one of them tries to educate themselves and follow the rules, as far as I know. They do when I play with them, at least. But then again, it's not cheap to play in Phoenix compared to how cheap it was back "home" in the Ozarks. Maybe the cheaters are also cheapskates.
  14. Rusty, I'm with you. I realize there are those who are so cynical that they would disagree. But brand confidence is what makes money. Yes, people are "just" protecting their brand because it leads to increased profits in the long run, but WHY they do it isn't as important to me. The fact that the Golf Channel is neglecting their brand is sad. I stopped my Golf Digest subscription a long time ago because the number of advertisements (and those stupid ad cards that make flipping pages impossible) began to overtake the number of articles and useful material. At least when I watch TV I only have to put up with about 20 minutes of commercials every hour. When half the material is advertising, it's time to rethink my subscription. I really enjoy a LOT of the programming on the Golf Channel. But honestly, if this continues and if we start seeing loads of advertising for things that no self-respecting golfer would (or legally could) use, then it's time to switch the channel. When I watch Morning Drive, I expect real golf stories reported pretty much objectively (I realize nothing is entirely objective). When I watch the game improvement/instructional shows, I expect tips that I can actually use without breaking USGA rules. I don't think it's too much to ask that the products they accept advertising dollars from be conforming equipment. I listen to Dave Ramsey on the radio a lot and if you do too you'll notice that he's pretty picky about who he lets advertise during his show. Again, it's about protecting his name and the Ramsey brand. It'd be nice if the Golf Channel gave a crap about theirs. Otherwise I'd be just as happy if they took the word "Golf" out of their name since apparently it means something different to them than it does to me. To me, it's not golf if you're not going to follow the Rules of Golf.
  15. Okay, so I'm watching Golf Channel and maybe it's been going on for a while and I just didn't notice, but I saw an ad for a blatantly illegal product and it kind of surprised me. The product is called SliceAway and it's a substance you put on the face of your clubs to minimize spin. Has the Golf Channel been doing this for a while and I just didn't notice before now? I mean there's not even a disclaimer anywhere in the ad stating it doesn't conform to USGA guidelines. If it were MY channel, I'd at least require THAT much before putting their ad in the middle of my President's Cup programming. Seems to me it sets a pretty dangerous precedent if they allow non-conforming products to be advertised like that. We already have confusion about the Rules of Golf in many cases, particularly among people who don't play often or simply don't educate themselves. Do we really need the Golf Channel adding to the confusion? Just curious what you guys thought. Maybe it's just me. I tend to get ticked off at stupid things (like you didn't already know that). - Dave
  16. Sounds fair to me. No more pros in the USGA events. :-) I think the confusion is when we try to compare golf to other professional sports (MLB, NFL, NBA, etc). You see, those sports don't have a central organization that sets the rules for all amateurs. Why does golf? Because golf is an individual sport in which the players enforce the rules on themselves. In order for ALL players to enforce the rules, there has to be a central organization that sets those rules. The USGA and R&A; aren't simply "amateur" organizations creating rules for only amateurs. They're sports organizations creating rules for everyone playing golf. Sure, the PGA Tour has every right to create their own set of rules. But the result would be golfers who play under one set of rules in PGA Tour-sanctioned events, and another set of rules in USGA-sanctioned events. It would be chaotic, at best. You'd be setting the players up for situations (and I have a feeling we'd see them every broadcast) where players would mistakenly apply the wrong rule because they forgot which organization has which rules. Hell, it's already hard enough to remember all the rules without referring to the rule book while you're playing. Nobody would want the nightmare that would inevitably ensue, would they?
  17. If we shut down every thread/board/website in which nothing original has been said for weeks (for that matter, MONTHS) we may as well shut down the internet. I can't remember the last time I saw something truly original on Facebook. Hell, it's so bad that people don't even bother saying what's on their mind anymore because it's far easier to find an over-used meme with an amusing photo to illustrate their opinion. You are right that there are a LOT of irrational, recurring arguments in this thread. But at least there are still guys like Boil3rmak3r who are capable of original thoughts (and honestly I found it a little odd that someone chose to ask the thread be closed after his post, considering it was one of the rare posts that didn't re-hash any of those irrational, recurring arguments). His post was clearly well-conceived, well-worded, and contributed nicely to the thread, in my opinion. But then again, if you don't give a crap about his opinion, you probably don't give a crap about mine either. I say keep it alive as long as people are posting. If we get tired of seeing email notifications about posts, we can always unsubscribe to the thread. Know what I mean?
  18. I read this whole thing and I wasn't shocked so much by the golf delays as much as I am impressed with your ability to eat a whole chicken burrito from Chipotle and then play 18 holes of golf. I think I would have needed a nap.
  19. Need some clarification please. For TIRs, what, exactly, is regulation? Does that mean on a par-5, only trees hit on the first 3 shots count? Also, if you get a solid hit on one tree trunk and it caroms of a second tree trunk, does that count as one or two? And for OSPRs, is "FORE" considered an obscenity? Because when I have to yell "FORE" I sure as hell yell it like it's an obscenity. Nice thing is, when I'm in one of those conservative groups that doesn't swear a lot (not sure what they're doing on a golf course, but that's another topic) yelling "FORE" is about the only time I get to swear at a volume I'm comfortable with.
  20. - Highest ratio of hang-time (in seconds) to distance (in yards). My personal best has to be a sky-shot off the tee that probably had a 6 or 7-second hang time and only went maybe 50 yards (about a 1:7 ratio). - Number of consecutive shots in sand traps. I broke my record last time I played. I was in a trap on the left side of a green. Hit it fat for one shot...ball went a couple of feet (wet sand). Hit it thin the next shot...ball scooted forward, hit the lip, and bounced back. Hit it perfect the next shot...well...assuming I wanted to land in the center of the green and roll across the other side to another sand trap. Finally hit it on the green from that bunker. Four consecutive shots from bunkers (and two different bunkers at that). - Number of multiple hazards hit into on the same shot. I only got a 2 on this one. Par 3, elevated tee over small pond, slightly elevated green on the other side with a shallow sand trap in front. Somehow I managed to blade my ball, it buzzed the water, skipped a couple of times (first time I'd seen a golf ball skip on the water), hit the hard ground on the far bank, bounced, rolled through the bunker (lucky there was no significant lip) and popped out barely on the fringe of the green. - Number of fairways hit, not including the ones you were playing at the time. I don't keep track, but I'm betting I hit at least 2 or 3 every time I play. - Number of times a given shot distance is equal to or greater than the distance to the pin times 2. For instance, you're hitting a pitch 30 yards from the pin and you hit it so thin that it flies/rolls 60+ yards, goes past the pin (and green in most cases) leaving you at least another 30 yard shot. I do this a lot from bunkers, and sometimes do it on approach shots with the help of cart paths and rocks. - Number of times you've had to go backward on the course at least 1/2 a hole to get the club you left on the last tee/fairway/green. - Number of times you've made it through a round without having to use a single ball cleaner because any ball that had a chance to get dirty ended up getting lost before you made it to the next tee. - Number of times you've been less than 150 yards out, waited for a group ahead to finish putting (you know...so you wouldn't hit them when you miraculously hit your first GIR of the season) and end up embarrassing yourself when you can't cover at least 1/2 that distance on your shot. I could go on--oh man, can I go on.
  21. I think a laser would be plenty accurate to measure a tee shot. Just stand at your ball, wait until the next group is on the tee box waiting patiently for you to hit, and take some time to bounce your laser off of them to measure the distance. They probably won't mind waiting. As for banning anchored putters, I don't think they'll ever do it. There's no proof that there's any advantage. Oh...and the equipment manufacturers would sue if they did. Oh...and everyone would quit golf and all the golf courses would go broke. That's all the idiotic comments I can think of off the top of my head.
  22. He may have missed the cut, but according to him it wasn't because of putting. Again, evidence that the ban will end up a non-issue very soon I believe. “Since this rumor of the ban came out last year, I grabbed a couple of regular putters — regular length — and put my hand on it and gripped down on the shaft,” he said. “And it felt pretty good. It was not serious practice, but I hit a few. It’s essentially the same grip with the right hand, so I just had to change the left hand. It’s the same motion I’ve been doing with a long putter. It’s just not anchored.” A week after the U.S. Open, Pettersson was at the Travelers Championship when he saw a bunch of putters and thought about changing. “We always have a Tuesday game, a gambling game, and I used it in that and made nine birdies,” Pettersson said. “I was going to put it in at Hartford but I didn’t have the [guts] to do it.” Pettersson first used the conventional putter in the final round of the John Deere Classic, where he was at the bottom of the pack. He shot 70 and tied for 54th. “It was nerve-racking at the John Deere,” he said. “If it hadn’t gone well, I would be back to square one. But I did nice. I holed all the putts you’re supposed to hole. I didn’t run the tables, but it was nice.” (http://jacksonville.com/sports/golf/2013-07-18/story/carl-pettersson-puts-anchored-putter-away-first-time-british-open)
  23. I hear ya. Still sounded funny. I don't seem to have a problem remembering where I hit the ball to or from, so I do the same as you...use Google Earth's measuring tools after a round. I've used Google Earth to map out my usual course, too, because the pro shop doesn't have yardage maps and yardage markers on sprinkler heads are few and far between for some reason. Here's an example (this is the front nine at Palm Valley Lakes Course (Goodyear, AZ). Yardages are from the center of the green.
  24. As off-topic as this discussion has been, it's certainly entertaining with comments like "Unless you are using a GPS to measure your drives, your distances are over fabricated." So, how much fabrication is allowed before we cross that boundary? Are we allowed to lie about our scores, make up stories about amazing shots we hit, or just how well we hit certain clubs?
  25. Don't take this the wrong way, but how can your "average" vary by 40 yards? Are you saying that your shortest drive is 250 yards, and your longest 290?
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