todgot

Our local First Tee organization is having a fundraiser where they will be dropping golf balls from Helicopter to a target on a golf course. I can't get the thanksgiving WKRP in Cincinnati episode out of my head. The one where they dropped turkeys from a helicopter to a supermarket parking lot. "Oh the Humanity!" -- Les Nessman I hope the First Tee event goes better.

Played in the Hangman Valley Amateur over the weekend. Hot (for here) on Saturday and cool with intermittent rain on Sunday. Shot 87-85 to finish T-7 gross and T-9 Net in the Second Flight. I feel like I'm hitting the ball great but continue to have problems around the green. Stats for the weekend: FIR: 17/28 (60%), GIR 14/36 (39%). Putts 65 (1.8 per hole). My Achilles continues to be shots around the green... I had a total of 14 chips and pitches around the green on Sunday with a 3 chip that led to a triple bogey. On Saturday, I had bunkeritis and had 7 bunker shots. Highlights: Birdied the first hole on both days, Saturday birdied the first and third holes to start -2 after 3 holes... on the way to an 87. But I did win 3 skins and made some money!

He's a phony because he's doing it to make everyone think he's a great father and put's his family first... and he's so good at being a phony he's actually being a great father and putting his family first. You can't tell can you... the real Phil versus the phony Phil... Damn he's good.

My understanding regarding the rule changing the stroke versus the equipment is if they tried to ban the equipment they would be open to a law suit which would be tied up in court for a long time... similar to the Ping grooves issue. Equipment changes are much harder to get through than changes regarding what constitutes a swing or other rules. side note: I read in "The Greatest Game Ever Played" an American won the British Open using an unconventional putter so they banned the putter... and it remains banned to this day. I can't remember the year or the golfer. end side note.

Thursday night league and I shot a 44... Frustrating night. I felt great when I started and pared the first two holes. I've been having problems with my approach distances and on the first hole stuck a sand wedge to 5 feet but was above the hole with a severe right to left break and missed it on the low side. From the third hole on it was a struggle and seemed like I was having to play out of trouble on every hole. After starting this I reviewed my stats which gave a different story... GIR: 5/9, FIR: 2/7, Putts: 20 (!).. including three 3-putts, and 1 penalty stroke (lateral water hazard). So for Hank Haney's big 3 I had 2 doubles, 3 three putts and 1 penalty stroke. So, I was scrambling okay but my putting was atrocious. Part of the reason was the course was set up with some very difficult pins and I was in the wrong place almost every time. I did get to use the "opposite margin" option on a lateral hazard which was very nice and made my partner's wonder what the heck I was doing.

Here's a question... Do you think a player's behavior is affected by their dress? If someone is dressed a little better do you think they're more likely to act in a more respectful manner? I just feel more like a golfer when I'm wearing a golf shirt and shorts or pants. Fake it until you can make it...

From what I understand the videos are public records and can be requested by the press.

They did stop selling golf equipment.... just sayin.

It's all part of the new mob mentality of the internet. I'm not a Tiger Fan and boycotted Nike for almost 2 years because of his actions... but I think there needs to be more information before anyone can judge anything. I'm waiting for the toxicology screen to see what was actually in his system. Then I will get out the torches and pitch forks... but not until then. I have principles.

All will be known in the fullness of time. Here's a question I was thinking about yesterday... America loves a comeback story. Some people root for the favorite (i.e. Yankees fans)... a lot of people root for the underdog. There have been countless times Celebrities have crashed and burned and then risen from the ashes to be celebrated again. Robert Downey Jr. comes to mind. Will Tiger ever get to the place where he will be the underdog and people will root for him? Is he there now? To me, Tiger has always been the NY Yankees and Phil was the Chicago Cubs... or maybe the LA Dodgers so I haven't rooted for him... except in the Ryder Cup. Don't get me wrong... I was amazed and in awe of his dominance and talent but found it very hard to root for the guy.

Finally was able to play 18 holes yesterday at Kalispel Golf and Country Club, Spokane, WA.... paying for it today and I think my sacroiliac joint is out of whack. I played decent on the front 9 with a 42 which included a triple bogey 7 and 3 bogeys. The triple included a double hit chip and 2 puts... I was just off the green in two and took 5 strokes to go 15 feet. I was able to Par the next 2 holes and bogeyed the last with a greenside bunker missed sandy. It was a hot day and I had spent 16 hours in the car driving over the weekend so I ran out of gas on the back nine. I pared the first hole and then had 7 straight bogeys... finished with double bogey for a round 87... posted 86 due to the handicap. I had another double hit chip on the back nine. That shot is my nemesis right now and the one thing I've tried to eliminate from my game without success so far. Fairways: 5/14, GIR: 7/18, Penalties: 2, Putts, 35 (two 3 putts, three 1 putts).

I can't recall ever losing a ball in the fairway... If it was lost I obviously didn't find it ... so it wasn't in the fairway... it was someplace else. It could be that I so rarely hit the fairway my chances of this occurring are low. I was playing once at Torrey Pines after the Buick Tournament... my friend topped his drive about 20 yards in front of the tee box and we couldn't find it in the rough.

Just realized I played it wrong. The caddie I had working for me said to play it as it lies. With ball moved by outside agency it should have been replaced without penalty. oops.

I was playing The Links at Spanish Bay in Monterey last year when a seagull swooped down and took my ball... dropped it 50 yards further down the fairway !

Hi I bought The Lowest Score Wins last year and it's among my favorite golf books. Can I have the badge? I also broke 80 3 or 4 times last year and have 1 hole in one... but it was in 1994.. not sure if that counts. Thanks.

I did find a very small hole on the bottom of one of the pockets... I doubt its down there but now I will have to look.

First, I would say the value of something has little to do with how much it costs to manufacture and everything to do with how much someone is willing to pay for it. Otherwise a six pack of Coors light would not cost $20 on a golf course. If the rangefinder had malfunctioned or it was some design problem which resulted in me losing the battery cover I would not be as happy with paying for a replacement. But I lost the cover due to my own carelessness and was happy they had a replacement available for a product I purchased 7 years ago. I emailed them and that would have been the end of it but they can't take credit card information over email... so I had to speak to an actual person. The bottom line for customer service is to end up with a happy customer... and I was completely satisfied and happy with the outcome. They #1 answered my email in less than 24 hours... actually emailed them at 11 PM and the next morning I had a reply when I woke up, and #2 solved my problem, and #3 did exactly what they said they would do at a fair price. I was so happy with the outcome I thought I would share my experience on a golf site I visit often but rarely comment on because I thought it might help someone else out there with a similar problem. When I'm in the market for another range finger I will likely buy another Bushnell due to my positive experience with their company. Also, to understand my satisfaction you also have to understand my personality. It was driving me nuts not knowing where that cover was. I searched my car multiple times (I'm sure it's in there somewhere and when I eventually find it will have a spare). I searched my golf bag multiple times. I searched my office multiple times. I opened and closed the same drawers and cabinets multiple times. rinse, repeat, rinse repeat. So to have a solution and not have to search anymore is a relief in itself.... Although I still wonder where it went. (maybe if I remove the seats of my car?).

Just wanted to pass along my recent experience with Bushnell customer service. I have a Tour V2 which is about 5 to 7 years old over the winter I lost the battery cover which turns it into an expensive paper weight. I was mopping and looking at dropping 4 to $500 on a new rangefinder when I decided to email the company to see if I could get a replacement. Within the day I had a reply and a number to call to order the part. $11 and 8 days later I had a new battery cover and a functional range finder again. I thought that was great customer service for a product I purchased 7 years ago and wanted to pass the experience along. I also found out I could trade in my old range finder for a new one and they'd give me $60... but I decided to keep it.

I walk most of the time because I'm a cheap bastard. This winter I invested in a powered push cart with a remote and it's amazing. Now not only can I walk upright and not hunched over a push cart... I can send my bag to the next tee or to the side of the green I will be leaving. Downside... when I play with my 7 year old he's more interested in chasing the cart then playing golf. I do notice when I walk I get more tired on the back nine and my hip flexors and hamstrings will get tight which makes my swing get a little wild. My son before and after walking 3 holes carrying his clubs. He said, "I will wait here... you can come back and get me on the way back".

On the bright side... in going through the bag they left a couple things... a golf ball my daughter painted for me for Father's Day and a bag tag I just got from The Links at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach. Gone is my divot tool collection, numerous ball markers I had accumulated over the years, all my rain and cold weather gear... my 3bays golf analyzer... the list goes on. One thing I don't understand. I have a part time gig working at a drug treatment center and we always say drug addicts are either dealing, stealing to get money for their drugs. But how does someone turn a set of golf clubs into money? I've checked pawn shops and Craig's list.... does a thief really want to go through the hassle of Craig's list or Ebay? they want money now to get high. BTW... if you want power tools and you don't mind knowing most of them are stolen... the Pawn Shop is the place to go.

Very tempting... I lived in the Cleveland area for 10 years. Throw in an OSU game ticket and I'm there! That would make me feel MUCH better.

Well, my car insurance will give me $250 and my home owners insurance will pay replacement cost with a $1000 deductible. Also with the home owner's insurance I have to try to supply receipts for everything or have some proof of what I had. Luckily, I bought a new 3 wood and hybrid this year and had those receipts...

OK, It's been two weeks and I'm getting over the depression to the point I can talk about it. I was attending a nice "going away" lunch for my assistant when someone comes in and says, "Hey, some people from next door came over and said someone had the hatch open on your Jeep and was taking stuff out... they weren't sure if you knew them but wanted you to know". WHAT!! Heart sinking dread overcomes me as I make my way out to my car and find my entire Golf Kit is gone including my brand new shoes I had just purchased a week prior. At least 6 people saw these two knuckleheads in our parking lot hanging out... everyone I talked to thought they looked suspicious. One person in the office we share a parking lot with even went so far as to have a male worker walk her to her car because they looked "shady"... that's when she says she saw them with my Driver. They were concerned enough to take pictures of the vehicle they were in but not to get a good enough picture to see the license plate... or god forbid to call me or the police. After moping around for 1 day my wife says I need to "get over it... you'll just get new clubs". But of course she doesn't understand each club was specifically chosen and we had a... well, relationship. Anyway, looking for new sticks and might buy some irons this weekend.

First, I've played at a TPC course in Vegas that had a hybrid blue/white option which was nice. Second, I play in a 9 hole league during the week and we play from the whites but the local tournaments I play in are played from the back tees. So if I'm going to play in those tournaments I need to practice from those tees.

A couple of thoughts. Personally, sometimes I get in the mode of trying not to fail instead of trying to succeed. Occasionally I will tell myself to "focus... let's make a birdie here" and my concentration and focus will increase. It's difficult to keep that up for an entire round and I think the best golfer's can turn that focus on and off. Still, I play my best when I don't talk very much to my competitors and can be pretty much in my own world. Second, I find when I'm in a situation where I want to hit a good shot I slow down too much. Everything becomes mechanical and doesn't feel natural. I guess it's a matter of "trying too hard" where the best players try to put the same emphasis on every shot I put more emphasis on certain shots. Grip tension gets tight, muscles get tight and a bad shot follows. Did you watch the Web.com tournament on TV this weekend? In the playoff the caddie for the Asian player said, "enjoy it" as his last words right before his shot into 18. He didn't win but I wonder if he read your post.