Skeeter20

Terrible story and a sad, sad reminder to all of us that we are all just a blink away from meeting our maker. Y'all be careful out there and remind your loved ones to do the same. Tee it up and rip'er hard.

Wow! I played a scramble at Chambers Bay in Tacoma earlier this week. The layout and location is a dream. A perfect NW spring day did not hurt, either. The course is not yet in US Amatur or US Open shape, but for us it was perfect. The course can surely play longer, but we found it to be challenging with the breeze. Some serious grade and elevation changes require significant thought, especially on your approaches, and the greens are tough but equitable. I highly recommend anyone who may have a chance to play the course to do so. Staff was friendly and helpful, and the setting is as good as it can get.

Unfortunately, family concerns forced a change in our plans. Upside to not staying/playing Boulders, left me with the resources to play a lot more courses. Painted Mountain was a great warm-up to the week, wide-open and user friendly if you know what I mean! UTTEX - I recall hitting a low angle six iron. If I recall, I may have gotten a bit lucky on the shot, which is not a bad thing. Fortunately, the ball landed hard against a ridge on the green acting as a backstop, if it hadn't, I would have had an impossible (for me) up and down. As it was, I have to negotiate a double breaker putt that to tell you the truth, was probably not as difficult as I made it to be. Rolled with too much speed, but came back and drilled a ten footer for par. I was paired with a guy and his wife that could really play and had been on the course a couple of times, so that help me a lot.

Wow, what a topic. I am a golfer, fisherman and hunter. My wife rides horses competitvely and coaches basketball. Tried to get her to play more golf, and she says she will take it up after she retires from the horses. She loves that so much, I doubt I will see her anytime soon on the course with me! My two cents is talk it out and having seperate hobbies is certainly not a bad thing, it can be the best of things. Maybe I am just lucky, but I have NEVER had anything but encouragement from her to do what I love.

I recently went through some of the same experiments and found the calloway diablo to be a nice match for my game. Low-spin and low compression works well for me in the chill of early golf in my area. Generally a pro-v1x user.

Well, I returned last Sunday from a week of sun and fun, and a little bit of wind. Had hoped to make it to Boulders, but that did not work out for us this year. Started off on Monday the 23rd at Painted Mountain. Went as a single and was paired with three ladies. I am a 10 handicapper and got schooled. That's another story. Tuesday, played 36, first at Kokopelli and then an afternoon 18 at Longbow. Enjoyed both courses, but I would play Longbow over and over. Wednesday, did 36 again. The morning found me at Superstition Springs and the afternoon I hit'em at Las Sendas. Again, enjoyed both courses, but was a tad disappointed with the overall condition of Superstition Springs and impressed with the greens at Las Sendas. Thought I could do 36 on Thursday, but the wind picked up hard in the afternoon. I resigned myself to an early 18 with a family friend at Fountain of the Sun. This is an executive course, which I enjoyed more for the social aspects. My buddy and I were paired with a retired Navy Admiral and his brother. The Admiral was 82 years old, could still poke it out there 200 yards and knew his home course well. Had stories to boot that I will not soon forget. Friday, I played 18 in the morning at Longbow as I found a great time and rate on the web. At the same time, I booked a Saturday morning time at Gold Canyon, Dinosaur. Playing that course was an incredible treat and is by far the most beautiful nature ride and walk I have had the pleasure of making. Tough, but fair, shot a 79 which I was VERY proud of, as fatigue from the week was beginning to show. My putting the whole week was manageable and not as disappointing as I had thought it would be. Back to home and work in Washington and watching it snow out my window this morning. Overall, never paid more than $65 for a round. It was a great trip.

Set up at Boulders. Should be fun. Also hitting at The Legend Trail and Golf Club at Estrella. Looking forward to it and thanks to all who posted.

The Estrella deal looks smokin to me! I will be playing Boulders, 500 club, We-ko-pa, and TPC Scottsdale, just so I can say that I did.

Thanks, tj, that is exactly the response and reassurance I was looking for.

Boiling down to Boulders or Gold Canyon for the 2-night side trip with the wife.

Heading down in March from Seattle to visit family and of course, play golf for a week. Before we head to the relatives in the Mesa area, I would like to find a place to stay for two nights for my wife and I. Golf and relaxing is in the forecast, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Go to the USGA website. Live feed. Tiger up 2 strokes.

How can anybody be tired of watching this guy continually do the things he does? I am rooting for both Tiger and Rocco. What a great day for golf.

Ok - Chambers Bay - Worked on the treatmetn facitlity at Chambers Creek some time ago and it must have stuck. OK Ray, when are you sponsoring a non Pierce County group?

Check out The 500 Club. For the money, it is probably to most pleasantly surprised I have ever been. I did not expect the service and conditions at all. Not too far from you, though others mentioned are much closer.

Cool post. Sixteen years ago, made a trip to Florida to see my mom who had moved out there to care for my Grandmother, over Thanksgiving. My Uncle and Cousin invited me to play with there regular group which was quite an honor. The three of us waiting to tee off on the first hole and a single pulled up in a cart and said his hello's to my uncle and cousin who seemed to know him. They introduced him and it was Paul Azinger and he asked to play a few holes. My Uncle has sponsored many young players and he and Paul visited around the entire course about this person and that person. What a treat for me and to see a player of that caliber play so effortlessly, that is what I remember most.

In the town/state I work in, TPC Snoqualmie Ridge and Mt Si GC are the choices and would qualify as the "best" in my area. TPC SR is private and tough to get on. Mt Si is a decent public course that provides for an easy round. It rains about 80" per year out here so that makes it kind of challenging! Where I live, Apple Tree and Desert Canyon are tops, IMHO.

Anybody been out on this course yet? Heard various comments from folks, both good and bad.

Last Thursday, golfing with my Dr. of all people, slammed a 97 yard pitching wedge into the cup for an eagle, no bounce or anything! Best shot I ever hit in my life. Back to reality, bogey the next hole!!

I concurr with some of the responses. I have a nice grass range at my home course that allows me to work on ball striking. It has helped me to improve immensely and I would suggest others to do the same. I spend my lunch hour, twenty minutes on the range and twenty on chipping and putting. The muscle memory result is great and the confidence on the putting surface has done wonders for the score. Like the others, it is how you approach your practice time on each and every shot. Good luck!

Well, folks, it did not work out the way I had hoped. My sis has been battling the big C for about a year and took a bad turn the Monday before I was too leave. Had to stay in Seattle and cancel the trip. Thanks for the great tips, and I am sorry that I will not be able to report anything! I look forward to my trip in November.

The most drama on the week was Trevors ball "almost" rolling off the edge. It was not the most exciting Masters, but it was still the Masters.

#1 - Slow down my approach to putting. I walk most courses I play and am generally hoofing it pretty good to get to the green. I want to SEE everything that will effect my roll clearly before I stroke it. #2 - Fully eliminate the 3-putt. So far in March and April, so good. #3 - Win some money from my croonies!!

Great post. My new job involves using reclaimed water for irrigating a large golf course and other municipal areas. The use of reclaimed water has a lot of history in the US and is really starting to catch on in the Pacific NW. Kudos to those agencies and utilities seeing the treatment and reuse of reclaimed water as a benefit to all. This same course utilizes large sand filters to capture nutrient laden stormwater before allowing it to discharge off the course. The filters are inspected and maintained twice a year. I think that there are some courses, private and public, already using sustainable practies and have been for years. Not sure about other areas, but I know most state environmental agencies require the development of course management plans detailing the rate of herbicide, pesticide and fertilizer applications. I always take the time to ask about a new courses practices before I play. Just something I always do.

Thanks, Ray and all. Either way, getting into some nice weather is going to be a bonus escape from here!!