DocWu1948

In another time before this, I kind of think the people who ran the Masters prior might not issue an invite. It technically requires an invitation, doesn't it. I really hope that doesn't happen. Hey, they were cheering for Michael Vick again in Atlanta over the weekend. He paid his dues. Tony Dungy vetted him. And nothing like running for a touchdown and tossing another to get back on top of the football world. Woods can win some matches, dedicate the years winnings to St Jude's Hospital, and he will be OK again.

I think it's crazy to only play two rounds for the $600 in travel. Add another day for a third round. Also play 9 on the morning before you leave.

This is mainly for camera geeks. It's called EXIF, exchangeable image file format, and stored along with the image data. Most newer cameras use it. You can Google to find EXIF viewers that read it from images that you already have or downloaded, and tools that will read it in a web browser. Camera make, shutter speed, focal length, aperture, and date/time of photo are typically in EXIF when the image comes out of the camera. Subsequent photo-editing may strip it away.

Marketing, I understand as a no no. But they do allow cameras on the practice days, no? I guess someone doesn't want a shank followed by "#$%#^!" posted on youtube. I can unnerstand that, but for those payouts/perks, I'd consider it a small price to pay.

Enjoyed the sneak shots. Photo info says it was a Casio EXZ77. Did you have the shutter/focus sounds turned off? The PGA could make some pocket money for their charities if they sold camera permits where you had to demonstrate at the gate that the sucker was inaudible. T

Didn't Steve Stricker get his swing back the winter after he flunked Q-school hitting thousand of balls off mats from a shed onto the frozen Wisconsin prairie? I guess he can afford a winter place down South now. I agree that grass is better than mats, but think mats are better than no practice at all. The mats I usually see are all rubber and don't use artificial grass inserts. You don't go very fat on those.

Shot a 93. It's a joy to be golfing in brisk 52 F weather with sun in December when you live in northern Illinois. Winter arrives tomorrow, so this may be my last golf til next March, unless we can get down to Florida after New Years.

There is the Ditka Dome on route 53 south of 75th street in Woodridge, but it is only 80 yards to the back. Maybe 15 minutes west of Westmont. http://www.ditkasportsdome.com/ Also near Westmont is Ziegfield Troy's driving range on 75th street west of Lemont road. They enclose a small area (3-4 stations) in front of the shop during the winter so you can hit onto the range but stay out of the weather with a 10-15 foot roof over your head and three walls to block wind. I believe there are electric heaters too. http://www.zigfieldtroygolf.com/ .

I can't remember the name, but it was one of the newer and better tour players and also an ole boy from the South, who told a story about once catching flak for talking (nice) to an opponents ball on one of the lesser tours. He wanted to say something and do worse, but settled for beating him by 10 strokes, and never saw the guy again.

Thank goodness, I have never hit anyone as far as I know, although I got whacked on the thigh with a ball while my stupid partner was driving a cart straight at the party behind us. Our fault. We were clear when he hit and then we drove right into the path of the shot. Good thing it was a soft shot, but it still hit me from the air. Ouch. My playing partner bladed a pitch last year and hit a guy on the elbow on the next green. That particular course was just way too tight. Aside from my own hit, that was the only other one I've seen.

Under 100: 41 years Under 90: 44 years LOL. I'm counting from 1963. Round 1 was when I rode my bike to the local 9 holer with four clubs over the handlebars. Quickly lost all my balls to water and a gang of little thieves that would steal them off the fairway. The water, by the way, was a sewage canal. Even us kids knew better than to put our hands in it. Round #2 was in modern times in 2001 when my office went to the local pitch and putt. First first tee shot landed on green! I proceeded to three putt, not knowing that would become my curse. So if we take out that wasted 38 year hiatus, it took this 61 year old duffer 3 years to shoot a 99 and 6 years to shoot 89. Sigh, best was an 88 this year and just shot a 108 and lost 8 balls two days ago. Ugggh.

Top Gun? Been there. Yes, they have like garage doors upstairs and you hit thru them. Downstairs, you are outside, under heaters. Not a member, so peons like me only get upstairs when it's open. For those unfamiliar with Top Gun, you hit balls into landing zones with ball chutes, kind of like a big Skee Ball machine. Your balls contain microchips so Skynet knows where your ball landed, even if it sails across the fence and goes thru a car window. I suppose it's still like that? It can be quite fun, and more like real playing than just practice. .

Got a dome that's 80 yards long about 5 miles away. Will go there twice a week Feb - March and wonder if my drives would have sliced. Actually, my best scores are usually in April, after the discipline of hitting many balls in a dome. This year, I hope to start a tradition of an annual trip south in January. I'm retired and got the time. From Nov-Dec, I jump out onto a course if the weather permits in Chicagoland. A year ago, it was 70F on 11/1 and we played that Monday. A few days later it snowed and that was the end of it. This year, I have already played twice in November and am scheduled for tomorrow. That's almost as much as we played in October.

I got one a year ago in April. The hole was an elevated tee box with the green on another hill 180+ yards away. While my four some was looking at a Sky Caddie and discussing the elevation, the wind, and how it would play, I grabbed my Taylormade 5 wood, which is the only club I can hit over 180 yards. I mean, I had no other options, besides driver. The swing felt good. I saw my ball fly straight. I walked back. Suddenly one of the guys said "I think it went in!". I never saw it, and the hole was behind a dip anyway from our sight line. So we didn't know til we got up there. I was walking and the guys in carts were kind enough to wait for me to get there first and look in the hole. Sixteen guys in my playing group, the clubhouse had a nice bar, and half of them only wanted soda pop afterwards. Ahh, we're getting old. By the way, I shot 100 that day. Started playing in 2002, after I retired.

I saw one last month. Does that count? I would have asked to try it, but my friend who brought it out is a lefty.

I took lessons 2 years ago and asked for one session specifically for sand. Pro wanted an aggressive swing with lots of sand. Seemed to work, but since then, I have gone every which way to avoid that swing because I'm still scared of flying the green. I'll putt it out if there is no crown. Pitch it if the sand is hard. Yesterday I tried and got a great bump and run because I saw the "sand" had moss growing on it. LOL. Maybe if I played on more courses with real sand, I could develop a consistent sand swing.