CCC

I'm starting to hit the ball longer and scoring better - from the White Tees. When should I make the decision to move back to the longer Blue Tees?

That would be very weird, Hacker James. :) This is a golf community. If you live next to a golf course (fairway) you understand. They are longtime golfers, and support the club and the members. There were no 'No Trespassing' or "Private Property" signs. Very forgiving golf environment. In fact, there are no such signs anywhere on the course. We're all in this together. If the home owner has a sign that says 'DO NOT ENTER' (and maybe some razor wire), I'll write off that ball, and move on and hope they don't blame me for my errant drive violating their safe space. A few years ago.... we looked at buying a very nice home next to the same 18th tee. The wife said she did not want to hear golfers teeing off all day long. So, that house was taken out of consideration. We did not buy the property - and later complain about the sound of so many balls being hit from the tee. BTW - My pumpkin head is fine. It was only a flesh wound. :) Getting way off the original topic. Sorry for that.

As I just said in the Weird thread, playing golf is the most embarrassing situation you could ever get yourself into. Either you quit, or you keep charging on. I don't want to quit. I'll issue more time to practice and play. And then there is the spiritual side of the game - that I can attest to having experienced. It's the mental 'deep end of the pool'. The Shivas side of the game.

Last Saturday.... I was playing the 18th at my club. I pulled my drive into the backyard of a house that borders the fairway. I saw the ball hit a big tree and drop straight down. I knew where the ball might be. It was Out Of Bounds by about 5 yards. I drive my cart up to the backyard and see three ladies there having fun with their dog. And they see me. As I get out of the cart, I hear one of them asking, what is he doing? I tell them I'm looking for Easter eggs. I find my ball, pick it up and show it to them and laugh about it. It's really a good thing I my errant drive did not hit one of them.... I take a few steps back to the cart and (out of no where) BANG!!!! - I hit my head on the bird feeder hanging from a branch on the tree. "Are you OK?, are you alright?" I heard them say. The bird feeder was swinging back and forth. I was seeing birds flying around my head, like in cartoons. Oh yeah, I fine. Good thing I was wearing a ball cap. The hit broke the skin on my left forehead under the cap. A little blood. No concussion. At least, far as I can tell. :) And now I try to get back into the game and plan my next shot into the green from 115 yards.... Very embarrassing incident. But, I've found playing golf to be THE most embarrassing thing I've ever done. Don't know if my experience qualifies as being "weird", but it certainly was to me.

What I like about TST, is that the administrator has a good nose - when he smells any BS. This site is not about BS. Welcome aboard.

Great question. Not much talk about it, that I've seen. I wear XL gloves and I'm using Golf Pride mid size grips. Is it true that if your grip is too small, you will tend to pull your shots? And if your grip is too large you might tend to slice? I should have my 7 iron re-gripped with a normal size grip and try to figure out what fit I need.

Don't even get me started on this topic. I've posted before that this should never happen. Otherwise, let's go back to playing stymies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stymie I was not amused at all. It's not funny. Mark and move your damn ball when it is this close to the hole. In this case the ball bounced into the hole, but it could have also bounced away from the hole - instead of going in. Play like a Pro. Protect the field.

Even or Odd, I'm looking forward to the new irons. Can't wait.....

Well, obviously, math has never been one of my strong points. :)

I know. My Vokey SM6 wedges are 50, 54, and 58. There is a big gap from the AP1 P wedge to my 50/sand wedge.

Thanks Valleygolfer. Yes, I know that. I should have done a better job of proof reading my post. Lovin' my 915 Driver and the fairway woods. I knew the 917 was coming out when I bought it at the beginning of last year. But I just could not wait to upgrade from my very old Taylor Made driver and fairway woods. Will probably get the 919 driver when it comes out next year. I'll get a set of the new 718 irons when they come out this fall. I'm really looking forward to it.

Isn't is about time? I'm definitely in the market for a Titleist irons upgrade. I'm still playing my very old set of 762 (2001 era) irons. I don't like buying a set of irons or drivers in the same year that the new version are released a few months later. If, the release of new irons is going to be in 2018, I will go ahead and buy a set of the current '16 AP1 irons. Early last year, I bought a new Titleist 716 driver and set of fairway woods. I'm very happy with them and they just happen to be the best clubs in my bag. I can hit them more consistently than my older irons. But, a few months later, the 717 driver was released. :( I know the release of new clubs is always a corporate secret. I'm just looking for some insight from anyone. Is Titleist going to release a new version of the 716 irons this year?

This is why I NEVER/EVER play golf on Sunday. Because, everyone, and their brother is out on the course. I do like playing on Saturday afternoon/evening. Seems, most other players have better things to do - on Saturday.

If I could hit my 7 iron 150 yards (carry). I would consider myself way above "average" - for a weekend golfer.

The "Bad guys"

Not good, improving.

Do golf's "bad boys" hurt the sport? Please provide a definition of "bad boys".

I've never noticed cig butts in the cup. I have seen plenty of cigar butts strewn around the greens. It's pretty disgusting. Why????? It's like a dog pissing on his territory?

Walk - walking. Golf - golfing. Mic drop.

Me too, Hardspoon. Me too.

Last year, my Club Pro asked me how old I was when I started playing golf. This was after he watched me hit a few shots on my first lesson with him. Well, I was in my 30's when I started playing golf. I've had a more than a few lessons, before this one. This was the first time my instructor ever asked me - how old I was, when I first began to hit the golf ball. So, to my TST friends, how old/young were you - when you started playing golf?

I'm really surprised how so many of us are saying that the score is 'The Most Important' part of playing golf for them. I know of good players that quit playing golf, because they could not break 70, or 80, or 90 or 100. The score was so important to them. Otherwise, the game was not worth playing. What is going to happen when you can't break 90? From the forward tees? Like most things in life, you get what you give. Unless, it's about your body's metabolism. No matter what you do, you will not lose 25 pounds. At least not for very long. This week, I played 9 holes. I managed to break 50. Hey, the year is early. Yes, I would liked to have scored better. I hit a couple of great drives. My only pure iron shot was a 9 iron to 14" of the hole and I sank the putt. That one perfectly hit, great sounding, pure sweet spot 9 iron shot is what brings me back to this game. Not the score. It's known as the golf curse. I have it.

After I shot my only 'Hole In One', I did not celebrate, I did not buy drinks for anyone, I never even made this singular accomplishment public. I think I have misplaced the ball. Yes, my foursome was quite impressed. I was surprised that it happened, because it was an uphill, 150ish Par 3 and we could not see the ball go into the hole. I knew I hit it close to the hole, but could not find it anywhere on the green, and there it was - in the hole. The last place we expected to find my ball. :) And I'm looking forward to my next one. I'm not buying drinks for everyone.

The ball rolls, but at what speed and direction? All because of the club you decided to hit the shot. I would rather miss the shot (from off of the green) using my putter than missing the same shot with a wedge.

Different strokes for different for different folks.