MSB256

I'm getting married in June but were going to delay a real honeymoon until September and actually save money by going on a cruise with family. So for our own little 3 day getaway, can anyone recommend a good Golf Resort and Spa? Golf for me, Spa for her. Sounds like a compromise to me! haha Looking for nice ones in the Southeast, hopefully within 6 hours of Huntsville. I know Birmingham has one as well as Savannah, GA. Looking for advice or experiences.

Wow, that is pretty cheap... sweet deal, I'd walk if I could get a deal like that. See, that's what I'm talkin about. That seems like how you do it if you're budgeting for it... a golf fund. Say I take 100 out of every paycheck... I can play twice for 90 dollars at a nice course and one bucket for ten bucks or I can play a decent course twice for 66 dollars and be able to hit the range about 4 times... good plan

With the way the economy is I am blessed just to have a job. But I do not make that much and I'm getting married in June. Don't worry, she lets me play golf... haha. I'm trying to get better about money and the way I spend so I want to start tracking the way I spend. I know there has been a similar post but this is specific. Do you have a monthly budget for golf? If you budget for things like eating out... gas, whatever.. do you include golf? Trying to get better at golf and trying to save money at the same time is kind of contradicting ay? haha

This seems like a popular method. Phil mickelson covers the "hinge and hold" in the last Golf Digest. I'm going to try that out too. I'm noticing that some of these videos don't really call for getting under the ball. And the advice from you guys. The chips are similar to putts and the hing and hold is lie a half one quarter swing. I'd like to go the range and practice only my short game... or hit a bucket with everything and one bucket devoted to chipping. I can see and witnessed first hand why they are called "scoring clubs." If you can chip it close or pitch it close and leave yourself with a make-able putt instead of a two putt it can shave the score down. Especially when your like me and chip four times and make a 10 on a par 5 when you should have bogeyed.

I understand... I guess the more I play serious golf the more I'll figure out when to play what shot. For now I'll chip if I've got plenty of land and/or green for the ball to run on, and wedge if it needs to drop and stop. Well, I mean, if I had that shot... haha, but I'll get it!

I will definitely work on chipping with the irons... but when DO you guys use your wedge? Up hill lie? got a carry a bunker?

great point!

Thanks for the help guys. I think I will indeed try some chipping with a PW to 7i. I often use the 7i to poke it out of the woods and stuff... I'll try that. I guess it seems like getting from a 108 to an 89 seems like a pretty big jump, I just think I can do it if I can get the short game going. Because that's where I blow it. Thanks for the help everyone. We do have lots of nice courses... and I'm blessed to have one of the acclaimed Robert Trent Jones courses here in Huntsville. And I will indeed work to get better... Looking back, I bet I could have gotten that 15 yard chip up there with a 7i or PW instead of duffing it 4 times with a SW and ending up with a 10. Why didn't you tell me that before I went out there!

never heard of video jug till now... nice!

Thanks Zappa! haha, I thought the guilt trip might work! I want to be able to chip with the 56 because there are times when it doesn't need to go high. It just needs to clear about 8 to 10 feet and run up there, ya know? I guess I could hit the 64 and flop it up there but I'd rather learn to use the 56 than alway rely on a lob shot which might not always be the right shot. Thanks for your help! I will check out the videos!

oops, that got long, but if you can read 30 pages of the guy who wants to tour you can read my 1 page book! Thanks in advance!

Just being honest... A little about my game... I am, as most people claim, an athlete. HS baseball player, good at most sports, except hockey because I can't skate, and golf because... well... I'm about to tell you. I really can't swing at 90% and expect it to go straight. So my drive average is probably more like 260-270. I don't hit fairways that often, but can usually manage to bogey or double bogey even though it's not in the fairway because it's usually playable. My irons are "ok" although I hit it fat a lot. My wedge play absolutely sucks. My putting is actually pretty good. My handicap over there

This thread is really kinda ridiculous... I say if he wants to go for it, go for it. But be reasonable as you might need to fall back on that degree if things don't work out. But by all means, give it a shot. Eliminate any chance of "What if." You know what irritates me? This guy isn't the only one that could use some help/advice!!!! haha. So, I'm about post and ask for help with my golf game and I expect some good advice people!

I'm pretty serious about golf now... notice I didn't say pretty good, haha, but I really enjoy the game so I want to get better at it. I don't think the $30 is really that bad for a program that I might get a lot of use out of. And I'm very competitive so I'll keep close score. No mulligans or gimmees. Which brings me to this... I get that the "handicap" is suppose to enable people of all levels to play together right? So say you shoot in the 70's and I shoot in the 90's and we play together. My handicap kind of "spots" me a few strokes here and there? Is that how it works? So if I win by 4 strokes, I probably really lost? haha, seems like spotting you points in basketball. Why not just play even and work on your game?

will do... thanks guys

I'm trying to get better but have never really kept tight scores and figured out my handicap. I'm to the point where I need a measuring stick. Do I simply buy a program like scorecard and enter all the data from the actual course scorecard? And after what... 5 rounds I'll have a handicap?

Wow, this thread has gone nuts... 1) If it's your dream to play professional golf then go for it. Work hard at it. 2) You might need to check your attitude. You've got to be able to take criticism. 3) My HS baseball coach played with Andre Dawson. He was an old school coach who instilled hard work in us. I'm an athlete too. I can play anything (except hockey). I can probably be quoted saying "Man, if I had all day, every day to just practice I could make the tour." Thing is, I can't. I'm not very good. I just picked a handicap because I don't even know mine, or how to calculate it. I can hit 300 yard drives but to get good at every facet of the game you gotta have the time to practice. I putt in my living room all the time. I'd suggest playing golf everyday, most of the time you aren't studying. 4) Back to your attitude. Here's a test of your attitude. If you do make it pro... and someone brought up the sandtrap, would you say "yeah, look at me now jerks," or thank them for motivating you? Don't let anyone tell you "you can't do something." Take advice for what it is, but don't be a jerk when people say something you don't like. They're entitled to their opinion.

haha, I'll let someone else do the honors!

haha, thanks for the responses guys. Seems like most of you would appreciate the "rent to own" program at the mom and pop golf shop here. Also, thanks for fixing my poll !!!

That's cool. I figured the poll has been done before but I also wanted people's opinion on the demo program. I'm curious if anyone else has seen something like that or if I'm blessed to have a demo program like that around. If you ask me, taking an entire set of irons out on the course to demo for four days isnt bad at 15 bucks. Especially when the set I want is still in the wrapper.

I should have added pro shops and "other." If anyone knows how to edit a poll let me know. Or just use those options in your post.

Do you typically buy your golf equipment from a large sports store like Dick's Sporting Goods? A chain golf shop like Edwin Watts? Or a mom and pop golf shop? Today I stopped in at a mom and pop shop that I had not been to in a while. Last time I went they didn't have much, however, I went today and praise the Lord I did. They are back in business and have most everything you could want, just in limited quantity. The owner was working by himself at the time. He's on older gentleman who sells equipment for cheaper than the chain stores and demos clubs. You can pay $10 for a driver or $15 for a set of irons and use them for four days. Every time you pay the 15 bucks to demo, it builds up your credit towards purchase. He had a brand new, still in the wrapper set of taylormade irons that I want to demo, I'm just afraid I wont want to give them back and I'll be scrounging for 15 bucks every four days till they are paid off! Anyone else have experiences with a demo program like that where the cost of each demo goes toward your purchase? Experience with mom and pop golf shops? I'm gonna support this guy from now on.

Yep, but I'm in marketing and social media is an element of marketing. You might want to check out @titleist @vokeywedges and @taylormadePO plus there are other golf pro's, trainers, etc...

Appreciate the tips!

I'm not really a 30 handicap, I just didn't mess with that when I registered because I don't know my real handicap, therefore I just left it as is. I am decent around the greens but I haven't hit very many different wedges. That's why I'm asking. I've read the forged vs cast debates and so on. People seem to like forged the best, yet Vokeys are cast and the most popular wedge out there. As far as the lofts and bounces part... I have a good feel for what club I need to reach a certain distance but I was curious about different people's wedge set-ups because I wanted to see if people prefer a 56 or a 58 with an open face if you need that extra loft. Or perhaps a 58 with an open face as opposed to a 60... and so on.