Kalnoky

Never thought of this before, but I voted Yes. I usually leave my approach shots short, that's why I switched back to a 2-pcs ball, because it will release forward a few feet after landing, and sometimes I can trundle on up to the green. Last summer I narrowly missed a hole in one on a 156 yard Par 3. The ball landed a few feet short of the pin and rolled straight to pin before lipping around and out and giving me a one foot birdie. I know that it lipped out because I watched it change direction 90 degrees. Point being, the ball released forward. If I think about how many times I've holed out my chip shot with a 9-iron, just keeping the ball low, it makes perfect sense. Get the ball down on the green, rolling like a putt, and good things can happen. Going forward is easier than rolling back.

My wife and I are building a house, and I just don't having enough time to play or practice. It is incredibly frustrating. I'm still making birdies and hitting greens, but I'm shooting mid to high 90's because I'm also making so many doubles and triples, hitting OOB and getting lost ball penalties. The absolute worst part is I'm now shanking my chip shots.. and THAT is probably the most frustrating thing I have ever experienced in golf.

^^^ is a good one. There is a considerable subset of this game that is preoccupied/fascinated with hitting as far as possible. They don't care if they shoot a 96 as long as they will hit a few monster shots. They want you to watch them do it and they love to brag about it.

I've also bought and sold many clubs on eBay with no problems. As a Power Seller, the best advice I can offer is to take very good pictures, because because we now live in a world of pictures.. people don't read. Make sure to edit your pictures too, it takes 5 minutes and guarantees your item will sell for more. Always under-promise in your description(s) and you'll have happy customers. I'm still at 100% feedback after 15 years of trading on eBay.

Watching people in front of you hit mulligans on a busy day.

Sometimes during casual rounds we play one (1) mulligan per 9 holes, but only from the tee. You have to declare when your are going to use your mulligan, and be smart about where to use it. It is amazing how much having that do-over in your back pocket takes the pressure off. I think everyone has way more fun.

Any speed other than slow is too fast for a beginner. The best thing for beginners is a Par 3 Course mid-afternoon on a weekday. Once they can get off the tee reliably, then try a Par 72 Course. If I was taking a beginner to my home course today, we would play a 2-man scramble. I wouldn't dare go out on a weekend or during league days either. There is a healthy number of a**holes on the golf course, no question. IME golf courses are where middle aged athletes go to retire. Anyone who remembers PE class in school also remembers that jocks are not known for having patience with people. The hairlines are receding and the bellies have expanded but the same hyper-competitive tribal behavior is there. The flip side is, a lot of guys have no business being on a Par 72 Course, and especially not going from the 6200 or even 5800 tees. A few really bad foursomes in the procession can really foul up your rhythm. Golf is a rhythm game. Standing around letting your muscles get cold is not fun. I don't even bother playing on weekends anymore for this reason. My controversial inexpert opinion on golf and beginners is that instructors should teach people how to hit the driver first. You cannot fake the driver like you can the short irons, you have to lag it to hit it right. The sooner you can learn to hit the driver the sooner you can play decent golf. That's where I see the most time being wasted, is on bad tee shots, lost balls and mulligans.

Don't ever let people mess with your putting stroke if it's working.

I usually hit a medium (50-60 balls). Before a round I will hit maybe 20 balls, just to try and get my muscles loosened up. For a while I was grading my range practices and comparing to my scores. I found there was very little correlation. I could practice poorly and play very well, or vice versa. IME range time does not translate to the course. My swing does get better very slowly over time. However, on any given day playing golf, that week's practices have very little impact on how I play. Things like muscle stiffness, high wind, or playing partners have a much bigger impact.

90. 3 x 3 putts, one OOB penalty, and one triple bogie. Should have been an 85.

I use a 2-pc ball, so I don't notice any difference, other than my gamers go further than range balls. I also hit draws at the range but almost never during a round. I attribute this to just being more loose at the range. It's also easier to stay in rhythm at the range. A lot less standing around waiting when muscles can cool off.

I’ll throw in my .02, because I am “that guy” in our league: by no means the worst golfer out there, but definitely in the bottom 25%. Our league is very big - they have several tee times (shotgun starts) on league days. There are a couple of little beer-bellied Napoleons out there, but most of the guys have been very encouraging, and patient. It is a little bit cliquish as most of them have been playing together for years, so I can't say I've made any fast friends, but friendly acquaintances, yes. I know what you mean though, playing bogie golf alongside guys who are breaking Par and competing in Pro-Ams can be really humbling. Here I was, thrilled to shoot an 87, and now I’m watching guys putt for Eagle. If I bogie a hole, they par it, if I par a hole, they birdie it. If I birdie a hole, they birdie it too. I might win 2 holes from those guys all afternoon. When I told my instructor I was joining a league, he told me 2 things: 1. I am really happy you’re doing this, and 2. competitive golf is much different – and this last one he re-emphasized several times. For me this is all been true. My first round in league play I shot a 118. The next time out, I settled down and shot a 92. The pressure exposes every weakness in your game. For me, the value of playing league is the improvement I see in my own practice rounds after work. The other day I went out by myself and shot a 40. Last week I felt like I was playing “horrible” and when I tallied my scorecard I realized I’d shot a 44. I am not a competitive person, but the pressure I experience in league play has helped my game to develop. And that was the whole point, was to get out of my comfort zone, and to grow in the game. Have heart, you are not alone!

Just my .02 but you're better off buying quality used irons and having them fitted to you. I think any irons from a reputable brand made in the last 5-6 years from would be fine. I would avoid new generic clubs. It feels like you're getting a good deal but you're actually overpaying for something that will not have any resale value when you outgrow them. With that being said Phil Mickelson could use a set of clubs from the Goodwill and still whip everyone at my home course. A good swing with old clubs still beats a bad swing with new clubs, 100% of the time IME. Club technology is a little bit overrated.

Agreed on all accounts. Born and raised in Los Angeles, back when Los Angeles more closely resembled San Diego, I couldn't care less about Hockey. Another +1 for College Football. I've been watching since I was 12. I've lived in NFL cities and gone to lots of NFL games, but the pageantry and the atmosphere of the college game is unmatched. 124 teams, rivalries that go back 100 years, beautiful coeds, plus, no work on Sunday. Also looking forward to the World Cup, which is the best international sporting event, bar none. The games are only two hours long and there are no commercial breaks/TV timeouts. This is a perfect sport for busy people.

Oh man, you too huh? Last Fall somebody screwed me up real bad. I've spent this year rebuilding my swing. I've had to beg off most league events. This unwanted "advice" set me back two seasons and I admit I've contemplated quitting at times. After a lot of work with the mirror and the alignment rods I'm slowly getting back to where I was. I was playing a brand of golf I really enjoyed, shooting in the high 80's low 90's every time. I was improving every month, little by little. One day I was struggling as all of us do sometimes. Somebody got in my head and here I am almost starting over. All this to say, don't ever give anyone unwanted swing advice. Please.

I'm also a pretty good at bump and run. I like to use 7, 8, and 9. Of course it all depends on the lie. If I have a good lie I prefer to chip/pitch. A little half swing with a pitching wedge will go 50-60 yards and stop, if I can pull it off. As I've grown in the game and all my clubs go further, the shorter shots become much more difficult.

Hornets and Yellow Jackets while trying to putt.

IME nothing on the range can simulate the pressure of playing a live round (and esp. in competition). And no club will pimp-slap you for mishandling it like the driver will. Two things tend to settle me down: 1. getting that first really good drive, and 2. making that first par. If I get those two early on, I tend to drive well the rest of the round.

I also have Zepp 2. I wondered about this ^^^ too, because the Swing Plane shows me consistently "over plane" from 4-10%, but like you, I haven't sliced in over two years (my miss is a hook or pull; rarely a push). I was reading somewhere the swing plane function does not actually detect an over the top move (OTT). It only compares backswing plane to downswing plane and takes the difference. Curious what others may have found out. Zepp does appear to be accurate in terms of tempo, backswing, and club head speed.

Well said. I've played with several guys now who admitted to me they didn't get good at golf until they retired and were able to play every day. Some of these guys also quit for long stretches at a time, due to life's circumstances. I do enjoy playing golf. But IMO no sport has a smaller ROI. If I invested this much time and money into any other sport, I'd be very, very, good right now.

I agree with this ^^^ because being a "golfer" is also a lifestyle, even if you're not very good at the game.

Shot 92 in league play. Still really struggling off the tee. My partner told me swing was too flat. He shot a 71 (!) good thing he is the most friendly and patient gentleman I've ever played with.

In ideal conditions, 9-iron is my 125

I'm not a "good" golfer compared to you guys but I don't even bother with weekends anymore. Impossible to stay in rhythm. I play league on Tuesdays and twilight golf after work.