cirem22

played Camarillo springs for the first time today. Very well kept course. Greens and fairways were in very good shape. they did have a bunch of marked off area for repairs though. Course plays pretty long and it was windy today making it a challenge. If it were not for the wind the distance is the only big challenge here. All in All i say great bang for your buck course. I would play more often if it were not so far from me.

Knollwood has great potential but i think the management there must be horrible. Slowest course i have ever played and course is typically in bad shape. Alta dena is a great 9 hole course for the money. I miss playing that course.

about time to get this thread going again. I played Rustic Canyon over the weekend. I was very pleased with the experience. Pace of play was great for a Saturday, only found myself waiting once. Course was in great condition. This is the type of course that you will enjoy more after playing it a few times. Those greens are wicked! very fast and tons of breaks. Going to give knollwood another shot this weekend. It often lets me down but it is so local that I really want to like it.

I continue to question the proper position of my lead hand thumb (Im a lefty so its my right hand) Should the thumb be bent or strait? should the V formed by my thumb and index finger be wide or narrow? I understand a strong and weak grip but you can do either of those with muliple thumb positions. Any thoughts?

im with most people here that has a love hate relationship with my 60. its high risk high reward. but i still don't stop using it around the green and in bunkers, i think its a must have for me. Once i master it I will be glad i put up with the skull shots i produce with it time to time.

If i played full rounds of golf more often i would try that experiement but my range time has to supplement my lack of course time right now. I know some of the guys i golf with would benefit. I play with some guys that have had the exact same long game since i have played with them and continue to practice it but not the short game, I would mention something to them but hey, then they would probably beat me lol.

have not watched all of the DVD yet but so far so good. Its much more simple than i expected but I do feel he lacks small details that many want to hear. I do think the method works but you have to make little adjustments to fit your own style.

I play with a couple guys who use one. i think for someone with poor short game they are useful, usually the weight and shape helps get under the ball. I have noticed both guys hit less skulled flingers around the green. however I don't think they are the ideal way to play around the green if you intend to become a low handicapper.

So i played a course that i frequent this weekend and I beat my best score there by 9 strokes. I wasn't hitting fairways and greens as much as usual but my short game was on fire. That round made me realize how important the short game is, the ability to get up and down is HUGE. I know that having a good short game is always stressed but 9 strokes off a personal best when my irons/and drivers were less than average was a huge eye opener. I will be spending more time dedicated to short game now that i have had that experience.

Would you guys suggest joining a mens club at my local course as the best way to start playing in tournaments?

okay, sounds like for the most part i need an established handicap prior to playing a tourny with either local association or the USGA. Thanks guys out of curiosity, what was your handicap when you first entered tournaments?

I have never played in a tournament but would like to in the future. I know that your scores are adjusted with your handicap. My question is, how do they figure your handicap on the first tournament? or even first few tournaments if you do not have an official hanicap.

So watching the pros i noticed something i dont understand. Some of the pros will take very fast/hard putting practice strokes before the actual putt. Now i know the have no intention on using that fast high speed stroke so why use it in the practice stroke? does this help them with keeping the stroke on line once they slow it down? am i missing something?

thanks guys, i wasn't aware it was such a bad idea to try a long iron from the thick rough, it makes perfect sense though. I don't own a 5 wood or a rescue, i guess i now know m x-mas gift idea lol, for now ill work with my 3 hybrid and practice starting my takeaway inches behind the ball.

Since im still working on getting a halfway decent swing i spend more time on the range and less on the course. One issue I run into is my initial takeaway when i get into some thick rough. Obviously on the range or fairway i have no restrictions and the takeaway can be nice and smooth. Once i get into the rough I get uncomfortable with my takeaway with longer irons due to the thick grass restricting the club head. I have tried to lift the club head up quicker but it takes me out of plane. Any advice on this situation? bring it back faster causing more force out of the grass?

so I ended up playing BOTH courses at Lost canyons this past weekend here is a quick review: Shadow course: This is a VERY VERY hard course, well above my ability right now. this is the type of course where you leave the driver in the bag, shot planning and accuracy is key. Way too many blind shots IMO. This course needs to be played a few times before you learn it. The par 3's are wicked. Greens were awesome. Sky course: This course is a much better course than shadow. The course design is well above that of shadow course. Very difficult still but so much fun. Some long par 4's here but they give you room to work with on the fairway unlike shadow course. The par 3 17th hole is wild. I LOVE this course and will be playing it as often as i can. I think I can call this my new fave course. All in all both of these courses are like nothing i have played before. if your going to play I say SKY course is the one you want. I can't stop thinking about that course.

Going to play Lost Canyons this weekend for the first time. I will be playing the Shadow course. I don't quite think im ready for a course that hard but I didn't book it, im along for the ride with friends. Any words of advice on this course? Since i won't be playing for the back tees it doesn't look like distance will be an issue at all, seems like this course is all about accuracy (not my specialty)

good luck. any open land any where near a major city in so cal has been turned into condos and tract homes.

I played around june some time and more recently talked to a buddy who played it. being long off the tee actually hurt me on that course. went strait on a dog leg and eneded up being too long on a couple holes.

can only speak for greenfinder and i love it. its cheap and works great.

I have played Rustic once and would love to get out there again soon. currently im not sure of a free weekend but im sure we can work something out soon, those greens destroyed my putting and i want revenge! That VA course is open as far as i know. I played there once since i live very close. Cheap and nice to tee off grass. kind of a calming place too. Simi hills blue tees are not bad at all. I played blue tees there the other day and most my drives were 250-260 leaving alot of fairly easy approach shots (had my irons been working i would of scored well) Just a lot of dog legs so if you have control off the tee you will be fine.

wow, sounds just like me. Had the horrible slice with all clubs then got everything down well until it get to the 4 iron. The nast nasty hook come in with the 4 iron and both hybrids. 3wood and driver are fine, just the long irons. I too would like to hear some advice on this. I do think the feet and shoulder alignment have an effect, i am able to adjust them and correct the issue but it only seems to work here and there, i can't get it down consitantly so i think there is another issue. not sure if you were like me but when i did have my slice the three clubs i can not hit now were the only clubs i DID his strait, now its reversed lol.

It sounds likes its not too uncommon to have a higher putting average on GIR's. That would mean it is more likely because of the landing location on the green. I guess when missing the green the chip/pitch shot is more accurate than the GIR's approach shot. I think after landing a GIR then not taking the risky birdie putt attempt could help my overall score.

So in reviewing my stats I found that my putting average on GIR's is worse than when I don't get a GIR. I think it is one of two reasons 1. When I DO get a GIR it usually lands in a bad green location or far from the pin or 2. I feel pressure when I should par the whole since im on in regulation. and i choke under pressure. some other reasons could be: - Non GIR's result in a quality chip/pitch since im not far off the green - after a GIR I go for a birdie instead of the safer two putt approach and put myself in a 3 putt situation. Do you guys tend to have these issues or are your putts on GIR in line with the rest of your average putts?

i think the mental thought of a rotation around the right butt cheek (left cheek for us lefties) is a great thought. My ball contact has imroved alot with that concept.