LeftyGomez

Biggest advantage of the push cart, for me, is that you can attach an umbrella and walk in the shade on a hot summer day. I realize that relatively few of us do that, but it's well worth it.

Anyone know what happened to Ryu to get DQ'd after the first round?

I'm a natural lefty and have been playing golf lefty for 50 years. There are many more lefty golfers now than when I started, and there is a lot of lefty equipment out there now compared to back then as well. Plenty of clubs on-line, that's where I get mine.

Here's what I wrote last December: At my home course, where i have been playing 20-30 rounds each year for ten years: 1. Birdie #12 and #17, neither of which I have ever birdied. 2. Keep my handicap index under 10 for the whole year. 3. Play nine holes in even par. 4. Hit my irons more consistently, taking a few lessons if necessary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Results for 2013: 1. Still haven't birdied #12 nor #17, have birdied ever other hole at least four times over the years. 2. Had a bad start this year, H.I. was around 11 for a long while. Played well in August and October, ended year with HI = 9.2 3. Had two nines where I was one over, still have never played nine holes in even par. 4. Irons were still inconsistent, got a little better near the end of the year, never got around to taking lessons. So, I didn't reach my goals, not even one of them. But I got better as the year went on, and I came out slightly ahead in our $2 nassau's, so I'm calling it a good year. And now that it is winter, i miss it, big time.

My understanding is that, in theory, the difficulty of a course for a scratch player is reflected mostly in the rating, not the slope, the rating being the average score of the best 50% of rounds that a scratch player would achieve. The slope measures how much the course exaggerates (or shrinks) the difference in scores between players of different handicaps, with 113 being the baseline value, that is, the value to which the "handicap index" itself refers. For example, a course with slope 135 increases the expected score difference between two players to (135/113)x(handicap index difference)-- in theory. In practice, each player computes his/her "course handicap" using 135/113x(handicap index) and then the difference between the course handicaps is used, but that's the same thing (by the distributive law we all learned in high school math). We're ignoring the various round-off rules here for simplicity. Courses with high slopes make the score differences between players of different abilities even bigger.

I enjoy our $2/2/2 best ball nassau with a foursome and $5 pairwise Chicago when we have three, but then the most you can win or lose is about $10 and usually $5 or less exchanges hands at the end. It's just for bragging rights and I certainly want the stake small enough that I can root for all my friends to make great shots whether they are my opponents or my partner. It just adds a little spice and in my worst year I was down around $50 for the entire year. And in the nassau there's the strategy of when to press vis-a-vis who is getting strokes on which holes, so that adds an enjoyable element to the game as well.

It's nice to play fast, that's for sure, but it is unsettling to see a mostly empty parking lot on a sunny day in the low 70's and that's what I have seen at three different courses over the last two weeks (Boston area). Quite noticeable compared to previous years. Is there something more widespread going on?

I have Clicgear 2.0 and the one accessory I love is the adjustable umbrella holder. The cart comes with a basic umbrella holder but the adjustable one sits an inch or two higher and the angle is, well, adjustable. I'm a big fan using an oversized golf umbrella on sunny days. The only other add-on I got was an hanging insulated drink holder which I use for a water bottle but if I didn't have it there is a place for the bottle on the handle so it would get warm faster.

Yes, IK looked very sullen throughout the playoff, deja vu indeed. I hope she wins soon and gets back to (looking like she's) having fun out there, which is why I like her in the first place.

Concerning push vs. pull carts, for me the only advantage of a two wheel pull cart is that you can fold it up with the bag still on it, so that makes for a faster set-up and take-down. The push cart is easier for walking the course IMO except on very steep up-hills, and although no one seems to mention it, being able to walk under an open umbrella on hot sunny days is enough reason for me to prefer the push cart. It is also more convenient for balls, range-finder, water than most pull carts I have seen.

Should they allow it? In tournaments? http://screen.yahoo.com/backwards-bowling-phenom-084000774.html

At my home course, where i have been playing 20-30 rounds each year for ten years: 1. Birdie #12 and #17, neither of which I have ever birdied. 2. Keep my handicap index under 10 for the whole year. 3. Play nine holes in even par. 4. Hit my irons more consistently, taking a few lessons if necessary.

Golf shoes always, range and course, which includes Byte golf sandals when its hot and I'm riding. I like not wearing socks when its hot but the Bytes don't have enough support for me to walk 18 in them.

37+37=74, 3 over, my all time personal best by two strokes over previous best. The funny thing is, although I drove well, I didn't hit my irons any better than I did in many good rounds (80-82) this year, the difference was totally short game: 28 putts from good putting, chipping, and pitching. With my average short game, it would have been around 80.

Clicgear 2.0 push cart when I walk. I'm 62 with a chronic bad back and haven't carried in 25 years. And when it's sunny and hot, I open up the umbrella and it makes a big difference being out of the sun for most of the round. I ride on weekends (required at the course), vacations, or on very hilly courses.

Great day for the lefties!

Well, I've never had a problem with the Zion shorts at the courses I play, even at charity events at private clubs, and they don't look like "baggy cargo shorts with clown pockets" in any way; they look like tailored knee length shorts with a subtle cargo pocket that most people don't even notice. I suspect that a course that allows shorts at all (which includes every course I ever play) would not bat an eye at the looks of these, unless they have a cargo-Nazi attitude, which may well exist at some, but certainly not at most, courses these days.

If you don't mind a cargo pocket (and I prefer one or two for golfing), the Prana Zion shorts are great for golf. Lightweight stretch nylon is nicely tailored but also very comfortable due to the 2% spandex. The inseam on size M is 12-13 inches and I think they look great. By far my favorite shorts for almost every activity, and you can even swim in them as the nylon fabric dries fast as well. http://www.amazon.com/prAna-Stretch-Short-Brown-Medium/dp/B005W4KYM8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid;=1348848106&sr;=8-1&keywords;=prana+zion+shorts

I've had a Clicgear 2.0 for 4 years, the only damage has been a small plastic piece which broke off this year (part of the attaching mechanism for the elastic straps) -- no problem as the straps still attach perfectly well without it. I love the cart and I'm sure the 3.0 has some improvements. Best part of a push cart over a pull cart, IMHO, is the umbrella attachment on very sunny days. You stay out of direct sun for most of the round and for geezers like me, it makes a big difference after three or four hours.