Golf Thread

I'm unsure which pros have £1000 shafts but ok. But yes I could have those shafts if I could afford them. Would they be suitable for me. no. It's all custom.

I would hate to see the pros penalised by having to use a different ball to stop it going further etc. Just pointless IMO. Why should that impact us amateurs?

We're able to play everything the pros do. Difference is we're not pros. Personally I don't get the argument or the need to hinder them by using something substandard.
 
MikeTimbers said:
Or we do nothing, the pros continue to play darts with the approach shots, spray the drives wherever because there's no real harm. Isn't that boring to watch? For me, I really dislike watching the PGA Tour because there's rarely any real challenge for them. It becomes a putting contest only. Look at the TV coverage and it's all putting, putting, putting. Dull, dull, dull.
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Victor Holland would disagree it's all just putting

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I don't think Wimbledon is a good example to use. The changes there, slower higher bouncing courts too, have reduced variety in the game. Which is arguably what golf is lacking!

Look at the decline in serve/volleyers since Sampress, Henman et all were playing. Grass courts used to be a surface where they could showcase their skills, clay was for the baseliners and hard courts somewhere where they met in the middle. No one at the top level serve/volleys these days apart from maybe Berratini.
 
Why hinder the pros or alter the tools they use? As every sport evolves each youngster coming through the game strives to emulate their hero. By using the same tools as they do. Whether it be the same racket, clubs, ball, shirt etc. To have a clear differential between the us and them gives us the unfair advantage. Allow the game to progress without slowing it down or shortening the game.
 
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magicroundabout said:
I would hate to see the pros penalised by having to use a different ball to stop it going further etc. Just pointless IMO. Why should that impact us amateurs?
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Indeed. There is no impact to amateurs. This is no different to not allowing pros to use range finders. You can, they can't.

Baseball is a perfect analogy. As the pros got larger and stronger, the advent of metal bats allowed too many home runs. They could either accept the dominance of batting and have high-scoring games, enlarge the stadiums or somehow limit the batters. They chose the latter by making them use wooden bats.
 
But that's where you're wrong. It does.
New players coming through like to use the same tools as the pros. Same clubs, same balls etc. It's an even playing field.

You'll work so hard through development to turn Pro and bang, you're hindered with a ball which won't fly as far. To me that's unfair
 
Went to an open day this morning at one of my local clubs (chichestergolf.com) as had been thinking of joining for a while and they were advertising some big on the day discounts. The discounts on offer were a little dissapointing in my view. Half off the joining fee for full 7 day membership, worth around £115, not something I was looking at anyway due to cost and how much I expect to play. A 20 credit bonus for those joining on flexi memberships, harder to quantify as the bigger the credit bundle you buy the less you are paying per credit.

As it was better than nothing and I'd kind of already made my mind up to join, play regularly for a year and see if I could develop any sort of competency I went for it. Flexi membership with the max credit bundle, which gives me 420 to start off with. Not sure I'll get through all these in a year but any left over can be carried over if you join up for another year. If I did use them all then I'd be looking at around 36 rounds of golf split across both courses, weekdays and weekends (weighted to playing more on the weekend). Plus unlimited use of the par 3 course which is great for the short game. Also get a discount on the driving range although it's not amazing. As an aside green fees for non members/pay and play are going up just over 10% - which means you'd be looking at £50 for weekend round on the Cathedral Course which is the posher of the two. Flexi membership worked out around a 60% saving for me based on how much I expect to play.

Should get all my joining info by the start of next week at the latest. Hopefully I can avoid disgracing myself, get a handicap and show some definitive improvement. Got a two hour on course lesson booked in at the end of this month!
 
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Managed to get out this morning for a round before the rain came.

As expected for first proper round of the year - hit the ball ok, short game was poor, 3 putted a few holes as the greens have been hollow tined as they are pretty wet at the moment.

Inside 100 yards 7 times today with 2nd shot and walked off 6 of them with bogies... Not great but very soft fairways so very hard to judge wedges and how much it will "dig" into the ground.

41/41 for 82, 13 over.

It's a starting point for the season!
 
magicroundabout said:
But that's where you're wrong. It does.
New players coming through like to use the same tools as the pros. Same clubs, same balls etc. It's an even playing field.

You'll work so hard through development to turn Pro and bang, you're hindered with a ball which won't fly as far. To me that's unfair
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You can choose to use a lesser distance golf ball today. You can choose to use pro level golf clubs today (and watch your handicap go up!). You can choose to play off the tips. Most don't and won't. For most golfers pro level golf is not an aspiration and they don't want to use the same gear because they know they're not good enough and can't afford it.

And you won't have to use this ball when you "turn Pro and bang". It's a local model rule that can be used at individual tournaments if the organisers choose to do so. SO, on some huge modern 7800 yd course they won't need to, and on somewhere old and space-restricted, they may choose to do so. And the players will amend their yardage books and go play.

What is the big deal here?
 
What's everyone's opinion on this?

Had a 2-ball in front who were a bit slower than us but we were maybe only waiting for a minute or so on the tee box for them to get far enough ahead/clear the green. Got to the 18th which is a drivable par 4 when they were chipping on so held back for a couple of minutes. We were conscious that a 4-ball was coming up behind the pair of us so wants to try and get off the tee as quickly as we could. The 2-ball in front finished putting but never got off the green for a good few minutes (they knew we were behind on the tee) so we decided to just go for it because the next group were coming up to the 18th tee as well and the 2-ball were gittering about ahead of us.

Mate absolutely smoked it and hit the green which landed about 10 yards away from them. They flung their hands up in a huff, bearing in mind that they'd been standing on the green after having finished up for a good few minutes knowing that we were waiting to go. They also got arsey in the car park at us, even after we pointed out how long they took to clear the green and could have just moved off to the side.

Were we in the wrong or...?
 
Superpatsy said:
What's everyone's opinion on this?

Had a 2-ball in front who were a bit slower than us but we were maybe only waiting for a minute or so on the tee box for them to get far enough ahead/clear the green. Got to the 18th which is a drivable par 4 when they were chipping on so held back for a couple of minutes. We were conscious that a 4-ball was coming up behind the pair of us so wants to try and get off the tee as quickly as we could. The 2-ball in front finished putting but never got off the green for a good few minutes (they knew we were behind on the tee) so we decided to just go for it because the next group were coming up to the 18th tee as well and the 2-ball were gittering about ahead of us.

Mate absolutely smoked it and hit the green which landed about 10 yards away from them. They flung their hands up in a huff, bearing in mind that they'd been standing on the green after having finished up for a good few minutes knowing that we were waiting to go. They also got arsey in the car park at us, even after we pointed out how long they took to clear the green and could have just moved off to the side.

Were we in the wrong or...?
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Standard golf course behaviour - People turn into self righteous muppets on the golf course.....You've done nothing wrong - if they have clearly finished the hole, then your entitled to play.

See so many people, who in day to day life are professional individuals, family guys etc turn into a seething lunatic on the golf course over silly silly things....
 
Superpatsy said:
What's everyone's opinion on this?

Were we in the wrong or...?
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Absolutely not, there's usually signs up to discourage slow-play. They should have done their congratulations and chit-chat in the clubhouse, away from the course.
A quick handshake is quick enough, move on. They should know others are waiting behind. Ignore them and forget about it. :)
 
Agreed with the others, they were in the wrong... I've had my group start doing that though, clearly the group behind ready to hit into the green and they start a chat about scores/the round or whatever and I end up telling them to get a bloomin move on, people just turn into idiots :p

Just got back from the Celtic Manor trip, bit underwhelming to be honest...

The course was ok, but the conditions/state was a bit silly, it was so wet and boggy balls were getting plugged and even lost in the middle of the fairways, I get there's been some rain recently but not that much. I'd imagine the course is better in the summer but at £36 winter rates and <lots more> in the summer I struggle to see how it'd be worth it frankly.

Played ok, scored 116 and said beforehand under 120 I'd be happy with, 1 par, few bogeys. Bit poor on the putting side though, loooooots of 3 putts :/

Buggy was a good call though, probably could've done it without playing on Thur/Fri but it would've destroyed me by the end so yeah, even with the buggy I think I'm at like 13k steps.
 
MikeTimbers said:
You can choose to use a lesser distance golf ball today. You can choose to use pro level golf clubs today (and watch your handicap go up!). You can choose to play off the tips. Most don't and won't. For most golfers pro level golf is not an aspiration and they don't want to use the same gear because they know they're not good enough and can't afford it.

And you won't have to use this ball when you "turn Pro and bang". It's a local model rule that can be used at individual tournaments if the organisers choose to do so. SO, on some huge modern 7800 yd course they won't need to, and on somewhere old and space-restricted, they may choose to do so. And the players will amend their yardage books and go play.

What is the big deal here?
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but is't it the aspiration to be as best you can at the sport and to use the best equipment available without being hindered?
Answer is yes. So why would you choose a lesser ball or not use the best affordable equipment.

At my age I've no chance to become pro but still want to beat the next guy and to use the best equipment to do so, so I will. Any golfer can use any equipment. You get custom fit.

Why choose a different ball to play in different tournaments. You change your game! Lewis Hamilton doesn't change his car for different races. He just tweaks it but it's still the same car and engine.
 
Cheers for the input! Didn't think we'd done anything wrong :D

In contrast though, had the group behind us teeing off (which they had space to do) on the 16th when we were waiting for dumb and dumber to casually stroll to the next tee and the guy must have leathered this ball at least 300 yards that landed just past me, and he was incredibly apologetic. Pointed out several times that he's never hit a ball that far - I was a bit miffed when the ball went by me initially but was more impressed when I turned around to see that he had managed that from the tee box!
 
Well..just back from Aberdeen, I PROMISE THIS IS COINCIDENCE!! with a "new" bag for my clubs..

Basically..I was looking for a single strap bag as I dont get on with the dual ones..and 95% of the bags out there are dual-strap, so I came across the Cobra Tour Stand bag (didnt want a cart bag), and in store it was kicking around £250~ :eek:

So I went on ebay, and the same one brand new was around the £150 mark, so I thought great! I will get an order in..

But before I done this I came across the same bag, (different colour scheme) used but in good condition, based in Aberdeen, for half what it was new! So I went with the intention to say I would like to view first without committing, but got there and yep, was happy..

I mean I liked my TM Pro 8.0, but I couldnt believe the quality difference, the straps, the thick rain hood and zips etc..

So, now, its near time to pay this year coming fees, and need to get out to the range very soon!

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