JohnTwing

There are reasonable rules for crowded courses, and there unreasonable ones. Some rules which will occasionally get bent in non-tournament play: Asking a friend of mine what club he hit Moving off of rocks/roots/incredibly bare patches which could damage my club Not pulling the pin when making obvious tap-ins if others are still not on the green Dropping next to OOB if it rolled out there and didn't take a provisional (I usually do, though) Yesterday I had some clown steal my ball, a drive that I hit about 240 yards into the center of the fairway. My partner was OOB right, and when I came back the ball was gone. I dropped around where it was, no penalty. Why? Because if everyone was playing serious golf those idiots wouldn't have taken my ball in the first place. I did something similar when I rolled right (ball landed in the fairway, took a bad kick). I'm not going 220 yards back to the tee to re-tee. It'll just slow everything down. It's not dishonest, just trying to keep the pace of play up, which is a terrible issue on municipal courses.

3, PW and SW from Nike Ignite, and a 60 Degree Nike Lob Wedge.

I've learned how to play, mostly at Dyker and Pelham and Clearview and Marine Park, never played Van Cortlandt, but I have to say the riffraff is big this summer for some reason. I recently was behind a group that had 2 players take at least 23 and 21 strokes, respectively, at #1 at Dyker, which is basically one of the easiest holes on the course. Learning how to play is one thing, but if you're incapable of making contact with a golf ball, you shouldn't be on the course. Go to Cheslea Piers or Randall's Island, learn how to hit a golf ball a reasonable distance, then you can go out. If you can't hit anything more than 30 yards, golf is going to be impossible and frustrating for you.

Hit my drive on 18 at Douglaston about 220 yards to the right, into some bushes. Hole is a par 5, 500 yards on the scorecard but playing 474 today. Take my one unplayable drop, which puts me right in this very little window, 254 yards to the green. Pull out my 2 Iron (Sumo Square Hybrid), which is usually a 195-210 club, depending on lie, and my lie is horrible. I make sure to play it back in my stance for tree problems, and I smoke it 235 yards right in front of the green. Chip is within 2 feet, and the putt was conceded due to a dead bird in the hole (posted elsewhere). Great way to save par and an 81.

I started playing last July, and I forced myself to score totally honestly at all times. I started off with a happy 141, and as I improved, now a year later, having 9 rounds in the 80's, with an 81 and 2 82's, the score matters a looot more. Scoring myself honestly from the get go allowed me to see rapid improvement on day 1. Sure, I was trying to make sure my 10's were 8's, and now I'm making sure my 7's and 6's are 4's and 5's, but it's the same type of battle.

For me, it's pretty easy - a light blue line through the line on the side. The light blue is easy to see, plus having a bit of a longer line helps on alignment.

Sergio's wasn't a dangerous situation, unless the gopher was really angry, though.

On the 18th hole at Douglaston, I hit my chip to within 2 feet. As all 4 balls are on the green, I go up, mark my ball, and pull out the flag. Out pops a headless bird. Seriously. Little baby bird. The only thing that makes sense is that the bird wandered in there during the previous group's play, and got smashed by the flagstick when they put it in. Grossest thing I've ever seen on a golf course. We just conceded the 2 short puts (

An 81 at Douglaston Golf Club . +14 in relation to par. 38 (+5) on the back 9! 8 Pars, 7 Bogeys. 6 GIRs, 1/1 Sand Saves, 5/11 Fairways. Long Drive 247, Average 236.