running-8-iron

The albatross (double eagle) is more rare than the hole-in-one, however, I would much rather have a hole-in-one. As good as a '2' would look on a par-5, a '1' on the card would look even better.

1. The Masters 2. Open Championship 3. PGA Championship 4. U.S. Open

Not sure if it's my greatest pet-peeve but just something very annoying... Was at the driving range today, I'm rightie, the guy in the stall in front of me at address, is a leftie. He managed to hit two and a half buckets in the same time I hit one bucket and each shot he would provide commentary about his shots...I'd hear "thin" or "nope" or "that's the one" or "pushed it" or "be right" .....the list goes on and on.

I've only ever know the term to be "tee" until recently when "tee box" has been used by (what seemed to me) all. As I did in a recent post, I reluctantly used the word "tee box" to conform and asked myself the same question of when "tee" became "tee box."

I've never hit one back but like others have said here, it would feel great to smack one back to the tee box!! If I'm a long way out and someone just happens to catch it perfect and the wind is in their favour, as long as I get the "FORE" and a raising of the arm in appology, I'm ok with a one-time occurence. However, if it happened a second time I would take the opportunity by the next hole to ask them to wait a couple minutes before tee-ing off. If the ball is barely rolling up to me, as long as its not distracting I'm ok with it...but if its first bouncing anywhere near me, I'd probably have a word with the hitter. Playing with a short-fused, short-hitting friend of mine, the group behind us (who were drinking and being idiotic) hit two balls over my playing partners head as he was playing his second shot. The second one was hit despite us questioning (through polite gestures) why they even hit the first one. The second of these two balls happened to land during my friends downswing so he throws his wood down the fairway towards the trees he sliced his ball towards. He drops a few f-bombs and then smacks both fairway-centred balls out-of-bounds....and we kept walking. The boys behind us made sure they kept some distance between us.

congrats!! I'm still waiting for my first.

I can sympathize with that one... I shot a 78 with 41 putts a number of years ago. Definitely my most embarassing putting display.

I typically play the course from the tips, however depending on the group I'm playing with, we might move to the blues. When playing practice rounds at my home course, just to change it up, we might play play from the blues with the rule you must tee off with a 5-iron (except par-3's of course) or from the whites and tee off with a 7-iron. The odd time when the course is quiet we play from the reds

The week prior I had played in a tournament at a par-3 course and fared well finishing in 5th. The golf captain of my home course also happened to be playing in that tournament, in fact he was playing in the group ahead of me and later commented to me on how impressed he was with my game. The next week was the monthly golf tournament at our home course. For this event, the golf captain decides on his playing partners. He included me to his group, which consisted of himself (3 handicap) and two players who were around the same calibre. I had recently gone from a 8 handicap to a 6 handicap. I start off dbl bogey, dbl bogey, bogey, dbl bogey, dbl bogey, that's +9 in the first five holes...it was an ugly +9, shanking every approach shot (I mean off of the hosel!!), including the tee shots on two par-3's. I finished off shooting a 90...I hadn't shot over 85 in the 4 years prior. These guys are shooting in the mid 70's and must have been really shocked/annoyed watching me shank a ball 90 degrees into the bush from the middle of the fairway at the frequency I did. The round couldn't end soon enough. At least the weather was good.

My week, whether I'm golfing or not, consists of weight training (both strength specific and power), core stability work, SAQ's (speed-agility-quickness), cardiovascular intervals and flexibility training. The day I'm playing I... -carry out a dynanic warm-up for about 15-20mins at the course. -I finish warming up the body by taking two sets of 10 consecutive air swings. -I hit 10 shots with my 6-iron or 7-iron -I hit 5 shots with my 3-iron or 4-iron -I hit 5 shots with my 3-wood -I hit 5 shots with my driver -I hit 5-8 shots to 100yards -I hit 5-8 shots to 60yards -I hit 5-8 shots to 30yards -I then go to the chipping/putting green and hit a few flop shots, pitches and chips from around the green to various hole positions -I then finish off on the putting green; I take 3 balls and make putts to various length holes, in the 10-20ft range (about 5mins). I then make putts to a hole 6-10ft (about 3-5mins), then hit some longer putts in the 30-40ft range and then finish off by putting a single ball repeatedly to tee from 2-4ft away. I then refuel, banana and nuts, get some water in and then prepare to tee off in about 5-10mins.

I refrain from giving people golf advice on the course unless they specifically ask for it. They might ask me why they are slicing it or why most of their short putts end up to the right of the hole so I suggest I'll watch them over the next few holes hitting those shots and then give them my answer. I might even suggest how they could correct it but again only if they ask for it. As for myself, I have no problem when a better player gives me advice on any aspect of my game. I have a problem though when someone gives me advice about a shot I've hit (mechanical) if I don't ask for it or they question the shot type I've hit when they don't understand why I've tried to work the ball a particular way. For example, on most par 5's I can afford to be aggressive with my driver coz I know I can hit laterally out of the rough (if needed) and still have a chance to get on in regulation. The upside for me of a 2-putt birdie and possibly eagle outweighs the easy par benefit, unless the circumstances only need a par.

haha I guess...but I'm not gonna do that.

Hey guys, thnx again for all the replies. cmvash- there was no innuendo meant by me in the title. I was just trying to establish the subject of the thread, while pointing out my dilemma. As I had said, the girl wanted to go out, I was looking to go out, she was in town for a few weeks, I was single, I didn't know her status but I had suggested to the friend that he bring his sister out before I saw pics of her. It didn't harm she was ridiculously attractive. Either way I just figured we would all go out and have a good time...I just wanted to put my best foot forward. I didn't know what she was like but everyone was in the summertime mindset. I merely used the descriptive adjectives I did to create a more accurate picture of my situation. Regarding the golf, I figured that shooting under par for me would just be a matter of time....I guess that was arrogance and ignorance on my part. But like I said it was a great summer in many ways. Not that I was thinking of this at that time or not to sound like a non-gentleman, but my stock was elevated with the ladies there after, which paid dividends thereafter. The only reason I brought this story to the forum was coz the friend I was golfing with that day brought it up recently so I thought I would see how others would have responded in that situation.

Like I said, if I were fortunate enough to get an opportunity to break par today I would take it. However, at that time the appeal of this girl exceeded my desire to break par and it seemed like an opportunity I shouldn't pass on. It paved the way to many great years.

Hey guys, thnx for the replies....I figured that I would get some grief about "stylist" but what would I call her?? hairdresser I guess... So the two majority replies that I've gotten are 1. abandon the round to get the girl 2. finish the round by walking and keeping my focus So no one (other than one reply) would have tried to run the rest of the course?? Then again, if I did run it and shoot +2 over the final four holes coz I was rushing I wouldn't have been impressed either.

I should clarify, by "for the card" I meant just the score I got on the hole not a number for handicap/official purposes. The extra shot more than likely affects my overall score and probably my mindset but that's what practice is for. I'm looking to try things out I'm playing a practice round. When I play tournament or non-tournament but for handicap purpose round, I don't take practice shots.

haha quad bogey eh? It probably would have happened.

I should clarify, when I say "friends" sister, I mean a guy I met about 3 weeks prior for the first time.

About 12 years ago I was faced with this dilemma. Long story short, I was in my early 20's, it was a Saturday night. I was going to a crazy houseparty. A friend was also invited to the party and had a sister in town who really wanted to come to the party but she was reluctant as she didn't know anyone, as she was an out-of-towner. She was a couple years older than him and was my age. I had never met her before but had seen pictures of her; to summarize she is of Asian and European heritage and worked at Hooters while in College. So I suggested to her brother that she come out and I would take care of her The scenario: I was -2 coming to the 15th hole at my home course. I had never shot under par before. The 15th is a par 5 that is more like a par 4 for me, while the 16th & 17th are "easy" par 4's and the 18th is a par 4 that I'm happy with a par. The course was slow and we were running late. I needed a haircut really bad, I mean REALLY bad, especially coz I was gonna meet my friends sister (a haircut was a big deal at that age!!). I had 50mins to finish the remaining four holes, load the bags in the car and get to my stylist, the drive being 25mins-30mins. I was playing with my best friend who couldn't believe I was even contemplating abandoning the round. With only 25 mins, we couldn't have finished the final four holes, possibly if we ran. After debating what to do on the 15th the lure of the ridiculously gorgeous hooters girl made me conclude that I would skip the 15th and 16th, play the 17th and 18th and if I went (+1) or better on those two holes, we would go back and finish the side by playing the 15th and 16th. I went par-par but there was no way I couldn't get a haircut...so we left. I had the haircut, got to the party and had a pretty sweet night. Needless to say, the accomplishment of the night and the couple weeks there after was worthy of putting on the resume And at that time it was worth it. But 12 years later, I haven't shot a round under par yet. If I was faced with the same situation today, there wouldn't be a question, I'd play the round...however, think back to your testosterone-flowing days, what would you have done?

In tournament play I don't break the rules, if I do, it's unintentional or ignorance on my part. In casual play I may hit a practice shot after I play my original shot (typically if the original shot left a bad taste in my mouth or if I want to try shaping a shot to a hole placement differently) but I play my original shot for the card. Sometimes I dont putt out the 0"-10" putts.

I usually make 1-4 birdies per round...unfortunately though there seems to be a positive correlation between the numbers of birdies I make and the number of bogeys I make. But if I make only 1 birdie in a round I usually make only a few bogeys and lots of pars. A great (but not really) example of this was when my front 9 went- birdie, birdie, birdie, dbl bogey, par, birdie, bogey, dbl bogey, birdie; 5 birdies, 1 par, 1 bogey and 2 dbl bogeys for a level par front 9. I felt pretty sick after....

For me it depends on the situation. If it is an non-tournament round I'd rather have better quality of play, "giving myself a chance" so to speak. Because you have to create an opportunity first before you can capitalize on it. I think this in the long term will improve ones game. However, in tournament play one would generally prefer a lower score as it is all that shows in the end. I played a round last week and shot a 77 (40,37). The 40 felt great, hit the ball well, played a smart front nine. The back nine 37, although better, left a sour taste in my mouth because I wasn't hitting the ball as well but just managed to get out of trouble and was a little lucky, the eagle helped out too.

My worst putting display was a number of years ago. I shot a 78 with 41putts. I was hitting the ball pretty good, lots of GnR, but I couldn't hit any putt longer than 20 ft to within 3 feet. Didn't make any putts in the 8-20 ft range and the hole looked the size of a thimble on putts 2-6 feet. I was hitting all my other clubs so good, I should have probably tried to putt with one of those instead of my putter....

I think dress code is good for the game. I guess private courses can decide what rules they want to lay out for their members. Though I don't think it should be too extreme at the public courses. Definately no jeans, tank tops, swimming/sports shorts or t-shirts though. I don't think asking someone to wear a shirt with a collar, slacks or the approriate shorts is too much. I have played places where if you wear shorts you must wear knee-high socks. Also, at no point can your shirt be untucked. I think these last two rules are a bit harsh. At "pitch and putt" type courses I think anything should be allowed.

Thanks for the tips, maybe I will try the black widows again. When I have used them in the past, they tear less but just tend to partially come out of the socket..which then feels awkward and then rips there after so I tried a softer spike just as a test, hoping it would be more flexible and give rather than tear but no such luck.