Aguirre

100 yards for me is a strong 56 for me. I have trouble dialing back my PW to that distance. I carry four wedges, but one is a 64, not a 52. If it's going to be tough for me to hit it a 100 yards I just do the low finish and pull/hook it a bit.

Normans is good. Very good for a chain.

I don't know. It won't be cheap, but if it's split four ways, you could probably getting away with $10 per person or less with tip. Your biggest problem up that direction might be getting a cab to pick you up. Worst case, you can make an interesting bet during the round that day. Loser is designated driver.

I think I've played three, Harbour Town, Avalon Lakes, and Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, West Virginia. I really enjoyed both, so I can't say too many bad things about his designs other than he could lay off the visual intimidation. And I do agree that he often punishes "good" shots, but not necessarily great shots. And that's fairly annoying. Particularly on Par 5 lay-up areas. That's supposed to be one of the easier shots in golf. It's like he's sitting there grinning as he lays out the course thinking "Not so fast, hacker." Didn't Nicklaus do a redesign on Harbour Town? I'm not sure about that. I wonder what changes he made. Of those three, Pete Dye is definitely the most difficult, unless you're struggling off the tee. God help you if you're driving it crooked at Harbour Town.

I don't think you can pigeonhole a club member that easily. Many of the private club members I know do it strictly for business. Others have families and they make use of the pool and other amenities regularly. Lots of avid golfers love that you can get a match anytime you want, and to play in club events. That to me is the most appealing. Some others do it for some kind of lame prestige, like overextending themselves on a house and wasting money on new cars. I haven't joined because I like to play with my buddies, who don't seem to have any intention of joining a club anywhere. Living in a city, the closest good courses are all private clubs, so this ensures that I have 20-60 minute drive times to get to the munis, which kind of stinks. But I prefer to do that and be able to play with friends (who are not going to pay the $100 guest fees regularly, despite their success) and my parents (who belong to multiple clubs in Myrtle, but don't bother with one up north in the summer).

Actually, that's a good night. Grab dinner at Chuck's, head across the street to Bimini's afterward for a casual couple of beers and maybe some live music in a relaxed setting.

Depends on what you mean by extravagant. There's a New York Prime which is a steakhouse in the typical Capital Grill/Hyde Park/Mortons vein and priced similarly. But if you're going to spend that money, I'd suggest Thoroughbreds, which is right near the 2001 night club. There's an Outback, which is as good a chain restaurant that exists, IMO. But for a solid steak for a reasonable price, I'd recommend Chuck's Steakhouse, also near the near 2001 night club. It has been around for at least thirty years. If you want something casual that's also right near 2001, try the Bimini Grill. Often they have live music. Cheap peel and eat shrimp, oyster shooters, good beach bar food like hush puppies. Lively place.

Fantastic deal for this time of year. I'm sorry I can't help with restaurants up in that direction. I spend most of my non-golfing time in Myrtle Beach itself. I rarely eat up there. My parents, who live there half the year, seem to love Chianti South, an Italian place, just south of the North/South Carolina border. If you want bar/restaurant suggestions in Myrtle itself, I've got a ton. EDIT--Ha, somebody gave me the Aguirre avatar. I suppose it was a mod? Sweet.

I don't think that it did. It was more of an effort to restore the course to it's original conditions. And it's being used a sustainable golf course model by the USGA. I think it will be fascinating. But I'm really looking forward to the open at Chambers Bay next year. That course looks like a moonscape from above.

For me, it was one simple thing: I shortened my backswing. I went from a 14 handicap to an 8 in six weeks. Since then, I've hovered between 7-9, with the occasional backslide to 10-12. Haven't improved in a decade though. Golf is frustrating. One thing that I definitely improved was my course management. I always ask myself, "Where do I NOT want to end up?" Is going for that left pin worth it (even from 100 yards), if there is a nasty bunker nearby? Etc. I always try to miss in the safe spot. I think I will keep this approach until (and if) I ever got to near scratch. Also, remember that as you improve, you'll notice some changes in your game. When I started hitting a bunch more greens, my three putts went up. This was because I was putting from further away from the hole more often, as opposed to missing the green and chipping to eight feet or what have you. So I had to work on my lag putting.

BTW, I should add that too fast of green speeds is rarely a problem at munis, or higher end resort courses. It's not something I face often. And being a golfer with a 15 tee to green handicap and 2 around the green handicap (estimates), it doesn't affect me near as much as others. It's just my two cents, but hey, please, do whatever you want at your club. Go for it. It's your club. Bury bodies, have dog roasts, it's your place.

“The quest for speed is not something new,” says Fearis (David Fearis CGSG). “However is would say there are three factors that have contributed to or accelerated the issue: 1) Stimpmeter 2) television and 3) the increased number of golf courses.” Fearis says low handicap golfers, who usually comprise less than five percent of the membership are “ constantly asking…what the greens are Stimping at . Clubs are now posting daily Stimpmeter readings and it has almost gotten to be a contest between clubs on who has the fastest greens. I’ve even heard of a green chairman carrying at Stimpmeter around in his golf bag to compare readings from different course he plays . “Faster greens will actually slow play down,” Fearis stated bluntly. “It has been estimated that it will slow play down by 15-20 minutes per round. Also, most golfers shoot in the mid-90’s to low 100’s. This might not be as true at country clubs, but the point is that only a small percentage of golfers have low handicaps. Higher handicap golfers are not good putters. So they will have more 3-4 putt greens than the better golfer. This not only relates to slower play but less enjoyment of the game. Golf is supposed to be a fun game. A golfer wants to walk off the 18 th green and remember his/her round as a fun, enjoyable experience.” At the same time some players feel faster greens give them “an advantage over others who are not as skilled,” asserted Ken Mangum, CGCS, director of golf courses and grounds, Atlanta Athletic Club. “Most of the time I think it is purely bragging rights over who has the fastest greens. Members like to impress their guest with fast greens . Obviously, TV golf has a huge impact on everyone. They see long drives and fast greens so they go buy new drivers and come to the club expecting to have fast greens like the ‘pros’ play each week. I know that during our member-guest tournaments the number one comment is always ‘the greens are really fast’. The number one question is always ‘are you going to cut the greens down and really make them fast?’” “I am convinced that 85 percent of the membership cares very little about or barely notices green speed. Ten percent cares some of the time, but are generally understanding of weather conditions, etc. I have found a very small vocal minority clamoring for increased green speed, and seem to desire such speed regardless of the consequences . If the superintendent doesn’t seem to be providing those desired conditions, they usually lobby for a superintendent who will (or says he will),” George opined. (P. Stan George, CGSG Praire Dunes Country Club I like these quotes. Bold emphasis added by me.

How are you guys defining fast? I put better on fast greens too, but not extremely fast. Not 65% of private club levels fast. Also, firmer greens absolutely contribute to speed. And a player who doesn't get much spin is going to have their ball roll through the green more often on the fastest of greens, regardless of firmness. I don't understand this attitude of "It's their club." I mean, I know. I already stated that. I actually don't care how they set up their precious Holy ground. If they want to be masochists and put up awful scores so they can brag about how tough their club is, it's their priority. But this suggestion that one can't question that attitude is a logical fallacy.

I'm a guy with an opinion. Maybe you're new to the internet and message boards. I've played at scores of private and semi-private clubs. Lots of them have the members handicaps right there on the locker room wall. So over time, you develop a sense of how good the average member is. Not to mention that the USGA and other organizations have published statistics on such things. Since I've played a lot, I know what 18 handicappers can do, and what they can't. And they can't, in general, handle the fast firm greens on their very own course that they hold in oh such high regard. And extremely fast greens absolutely contribute to slow play. Suggesting otherwise is asinine.

Ha! I think I meant to say PGA of America or USGA and forgot to add the second.

Actually, I forgot to mention my absolute biggest pet peeve. Players who don't wait for you to clear the green before hitting approach shots. Just because the flag is in the hole doesn't mean it's time for you to start swinging. A dozen times a year, I have to give a wave to a group behind us who hits too early in this situation. If I have to do it twice, I wait until they are in earshot (say, when a tee and green are close by) and say, "Excuse me, could you please wait until we completely clear the green to hit your approach shots? Thank you." If I have to do it a third time (which is rare), I get mad. On Memorial day around 2010 I had already gotten through phase I and II on the tenth hole. The group I had spoken to caught us on the tee. So remember, they are right there watching us tee off. It's a short par 4 and I laid up with a 5 iron off the tee, so I'm not down the fairway much. It's cart path only, so I grab a few clubs and start walking across the fairway to my ball and crack! Some guy teed off! I mean, they just watched us finish teeing off and drive away. I'm in the middle of the fairway like 180 yards from the tee. I couldn't believe it. The guys ball was headed right at me. It bounced twice, I caught it, and proceeded to throw it directly into the woods. I also had some not so pleasant words to say. One guy in the group caught up to us on the next tee and apologized for his friend. My partner talked to him but I just ignored them. I was too fired up. That stuff is dangerous and foolish.

I picked up somebody's ball last Friday. Let me explain. First, I only do this if it's impossible that somebody won't claim the ball. And I was in that situation. But I made a mistake. There was a twosome ahead of us. One guy had a distinctive orange shirt. We had fallen behind a bit, and I found a nice ProV in the rough. I had already passed up several balls that day in situations where I thought somebody might claim the ball. But then I saw the twosome driving up the next fairway to the green. I figured, hey, nobody else could have possibly hit it here (a literal impossibility given it's location) so I picked it up. I, did, however, take note of where I found it. Just in case, for some odd reason... that happened. Turns out that two groups in front of us was also a twosome with a guy wearing an orange shirt (what are the odds?). So about ten seconds later I see the correct twosome driving off the tee on the adjacent hole. Ooops. When they came towards me I drove back to the spot and waived him over. I asked what he was hitting, explained what happened, and told him I had marked the spot. The guy thanked me profusely and said, "Nobody has ever done that!" I still felt like a dumbass. To top it off, I was wearing an orange shirt. I just bought it. Must have been orange shirt day. But yeah, ball hawking is bad.

I'm not saying that the members shouldn't have the course set up the way they want. Hey, it's their club. I am questioning their value system about what makes a course or club nice. Belonging to a club, for a large portion of members, is a prestige thing. And because of that, somehow the difficulty of your course has been tied to exclusivity. Particularly the speed of greens. I had a golf course superintendent tell me that western PA has the most ideal grass growing conditions in the country to set up fast greens. Whether or not that's true, it has to be near the top. So the clubs just love to make everything insanely fast and super firm. Well, the average member can't handle those greens. As a single digit handicap, I can barely handle them. Let alone a 22 handicapper 65 year old hitting a 7 wood from 155 yards to a green he can't hold, let alone putt well. These conditions just prolong play. I like this approach right here.

Ok, after reading the replies I see that I didn't word the initial post correctly. I'm with everybody that it's still an issue. My issue is with out-of-touch suits from the PGA of America (ie, David Fay), who belong to exclusive clubs, getting on television and explaining why play is so slow on muni's they would never step foot on. I've had some awfully slow rounds at private clubs, too, for that matter. And I meant the PGA of America, not the PGA Tour, if there was any confusion there. I'll edit this into the first post, not that it matters much now. EDIT--Too late to edit it into the first post. But not to edit this post about editing the first post.

I like how this man thinks. My brother-in-law is an executive chef at a high end place. I'd have him put the menu together. I'll just pick off his current one for my dinner: Appetizer: Sea Scallops , Smoked, Lobster, Leeks, Burnt Orange Fish course: Laurel Hills Farm Trout , Asparagus, Soba Noodles, “Foo” Style Fermented Black Bean Sauce, Chili Oil Main course: Duck Breast , Rhubarb, Shallot, Foie Gras, Anise Hyssop Salad: Endive , Figs, Goat Cheese, Pecans, Honey-Quince Vinaigrette Desert: Blueberry & White Chocolate , Blueberry Mousse, White Chocolate Mousse, Granola, Honey Comb

I can think of a few. 1) Poor golf cart management. They don't drop the other player off at the right spot, and park at the wrong place around the green. 2) Elephants putting spike marks around the hole. Hey, fatbody. Fix your spike marks if you can't lay off the bacon cheeseburgers. 3) When the group in front of you somehow manages to not put the pin in correctly for half the holes in a round. 4) Don't yell fore. YELL FORE. And yell immediately. Not when the ball is on it's way down and within a second and half of drilling some poor bastard. 5) Hey, sometimes you fall behind. Three guys in your group had an awful hole. I get it. Now catch up.

I think it is a bit. I live in Pittsburgh and have played all the top courses in this region. I can handle Oakmont being itself but way too many private clubs around here tend to be on the very fast side of fast greens. And it's prevalent when you talk to members. "Oh, you have to try the greens at my club. They are fast!" They take pride in such things, as if the worth of yourself or club is measured by how many three putts your 18-handicap game can get in a single round. Save for events (USGA qualifiers, local pro events, etc) the greens should only be as fast as it's (a) reasonable to maintain due to cost and (b) for them roll generally true. After that, you're just slowing down play catering to the member's weirdo obsession with bragging about how fast their greens are when they come with you to a public course.

Ooops. Seems a bit long. Particularly for the first post.

Hi, first post, first thread. I talk a lot of sports on another forum but golf is a rare subject and actual golfers seem to be nonexistent. So I came here. Thanks, google! Anyway, for years now I've been seeing reps from the PGA and USGA come onto their respective tournaments broadcasts and talk about various subjects facing the game. One of them, declining participation rates drove this NY Times article I'm sure many of you have seen/heard about by now: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/19/sports/golf/in-a-hole-golf-considers-digging-a-wider-one.html Pardon the Interruption devoted a segment to the larger hole today. I'm actually fine with doing this for certain golf events, particularly charity outings where a bunch of hacks are playing their own ball. But if this became standard practice (I know, it won't) it would drive me away from the game. All of this stems from the two "main" problems golf faces. One is it's difficulty and the other is pace of play. However, every USGA and PGA rep seems completely out of touch. First, the pace of play problem largely grows out of economic necessity for golf clubs. If you want to speed up play, how about scheduling foursomes ten or even twelve minutes apart? Instead, most of the public courses I play following the standard 1:00, 1:07, 1:15, etc. Well, none of those in power ever suggest this on the telecast. Instead, the blame is put on the participants, and how they can improve their own personal pace of play. Of course, that's true, but in no way can you fight that tight tee time schedule. It would also be nice for rangers to actually force players to keep up with the group in front of them. But again, that's money. You have to pay somebody to drive around and likely do nothing all day. But another problem is that new courses and country clubs are in a constant **** waving contest to see who can construct/maintain the most difficult course and green conditions. While I generally like speedy greens (as they roll truer) this does not mean everybody has to be Oakmont (and I've played Oakmont--it's brutal). But again, this does not seem to be a priority. Instead. THEY WANT 15 INCH HOLES?????? ARGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Have multiple tees. Recommend a handicap (ie,