Golf Thread

Have finally managed to get out on the course the last two weekends, this after a layoff of a couple of months or so, rusty would be an apt word to describe my golf game at the moment ;)

I've been persevering at the range most weeks, but there's nothing like getting out on the course again. Unfortunately the weather this weekend looks like another disaster golf wise, I fear I have turned into a bit of a fair weather golfer :(
 
I don't have any doubt about it! I am a fair weather golfer. I hate playing in rain even on a warm day, I hate playing in bad light or strong winds. I really hate playing when it's cold and wet. Cold and dry and sunny I can just about tolerate.
 
Anyone playing yet? I've had to turn down two weekday freebies due to work and really missing playing. Also starting to really warm to the idea of a new set of irons. Got my eye on some Mizuno MP68s
 
Managed a game about 2 weeks ago but family/work/weather etc have pretty much halted my golf for last 6 months. Still on the hunt for a new driver!
 
MikeTimbers said:
Anyone playing yet? I've had to turn down two weekday freebies due to work and really missing playing. Also starting to really warm to the idea of a new set of irons. Got my eye on some Mizuno MP68s
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What are you playing off? MP68's are amazing clubs but make sure you have the game and confidence to find the middle of the clubface 95/100 times else you will suffer. Also try out the VR blades, i have them and they are brilliant clubs. I've been playing a fair bit recently, course is really boggy and has a couple of temp's on but at least its playable.

Cows got onto the 4th green on my course after breaking through a fence so that will be off for at least 2 months while it gets repaired! There were about 4 cow pats in the greenside bunker and 50 odd hoof marks in the green that are about 2 inches deep! What are the chances!
 
Probably played about 10 times since the snows went away. Bit hit and miss at the moment, one round i'll hit an 80-82 next will be a 95! Condition of the courses isnt great though having to play off waterlogged fairways some days (not even worth trying to find a spot to avoid the casusal water). Had a nice 7 pars on the trot already this year and a few birdies in other rounds which bodes well.

Also joined my first club, just need to find someone to play with to mark my card so i can get my official '28' rabbitts handicap............ ;)
 
roid said:
What are you playing off? MP68's are amazing clubs but make sure you have the game and confidence to find the middle of the clubface 95/100 times else you will suffer.
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Game is pretty good and I hit irons well having once been a six and heading lower. Marriage and kids gets in the way of my golf. I've hit some practice shots at the range with the MP68s and even the 3-iron went well.

You judge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEwm9xX9hZ8
 
You seem to have a pretty solid swing, from what i can see the only problem that jumps out is a little reverse pivot. Little bit of overswing but it doesn't hamper you that much. Downswing is nice, hips clear well and everything comes through together.

Definitely think you can get away with 68's. Its just how much practise time you can squeeze in now :D

Managed to injure my wrist recently, discomfort when taking bigger divots with lower irons and hitting driver :( Going to the doctors on Monday morning to see what they suggest. I'm dreading them saying, 2-3 weeks rest.
 
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roid said:
Managed to injure my wrist recently, discomfort when taking bigger divots with lower irons and hitting driver :( Going to the doctors on Monday morning to see what they suggest. I'm dreading them saying, 2-3 weeks rest.
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I done my wrist in about 18 months ago when hitting out of some deep rough. really tweaked it badly, ended up having 8 weeks of no golf!!

Anyway - Got a cracking deal last week on my new driver. I had £94 of vouchers etc from the previous year on my account at the local pro, asked him for a trade in price on my R7 Superquad and expected to get about £70 or so for it (good nick etc), he offer £100:D:D

So a nice new shiney Ping G15 driver was purchased for the princely sum of £6!! (£200-£94-£100!)

I had hit a few drivers the day before testing them and really got on well with the G15. Anyway onto the first test, take the cellophane off and boom - straight down the middle! It's a new love affair for me!:D:D

That was my first round of the year and we have 5 par 3's on the course and I had a 3,2,3,3,3 at them - but also had a 9 & 8 on my card for 73 net!! played well and hit the driver VERY well - looking forward to the weekend now!!
 
So i decided to take the wrapping off my Nike Golf - Victory Red VR STR8-Fit Tour Driver yesterday. I had a custom fit prior the purchase. Yesterday i did see around a 20 - 30yard carry in my drive. This could be down the fact that i have spent all winter strength training in the gym. Overall very impressed hitting around 280 - 300yrd drive.
 
booyaka said:
I done my wrist in about 18 months ago when hitting out of some deep rough. really tweaked it badly, ended up having 8 weeks of no golf!!
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Not really an option for me having 8 weeks rest, this is a big year for me as i'm hoping to turn pro next season.

Anyway - Got a cracking deal last week on my new driver. I had £94 of vouchers etc from the previous year on my account at the local pro, asked him for a trade in price on my R7 Superquad and expected to get about £70 or so for it (good nick etc), he offer £100:D:D

So a nice new shiney Ping G15 driver was purchased for the princely sum of £6!! (£200-£94-£100!)
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Thats a great deal! G15 is a nice forgiving driver that is still surprisingly long.

kai said:
So i decided to take the wrapping off my Nike Golf - Victory Red VR STR8-Fit Tour Driver yesterday. I had a custom fit prior the purchase. Yesterday i did see around a 20 - 30yard carry in my drive. This could be down the fact that i have spent all winter strength training in the gym. Overall very impressed hitting around 280 - 300yrd drive.
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Good numbers, i really want a Nike VR Tour (not str8-fit) with the Project X 7.0 in it. That combo will give me a low launch and low spin so I can play into wind :D At the moment normal drives at 285-295, with wind I can get 330+ due to my high ball flight but into wind I can drop to around 250's its crazy!
 
Agreed taking 8 weeks off was brutal but I tried playing with it for about 5 weeks and it was not getting any better so had to rest it up.

Best of luck with the golf season then, I know a guy who was at tour school trying to get his card this year but didn't make it again (about 4th or 5th time he's been)
 
Cheers. The plan is to turn pro end of the season, get an assistant pro's job for 3 years whilst taking my PGA course to get fully qualified. Then after 3 years try and progress and make it onto some sort or tour, be it via Q School or playing a few EuroPro Tour events. If it all goes knackers up then i have my PGA to fall back on and can become a head pro.

Q School is meant to be the worst thing known to the golfing professional. So gruelling and not much margin for error. Lots of guys on tour can win one week and miss a cut the next week and they still walk away with 500k prize money. Miss the cut at Q school your on the un-employed list for a year or so to speak.
 
I used to play a lot of golf with an ex-touring pro and one who just missed at Q-school. The first was well past his best but had incredible touch while the latter had an unbelievable long game but lacked touch. Each claimed the difference between them and a PGA player was like the gap between us and them equating to roughly six shots difference.

So good luck with the attempt to go pro. You will have to not only be exceptionally good at golf but also have balls of steel and a great strength of character.
 
Oh i'm under no illusions that it will be a walk in the park. So many talented guys out there trying to do the exact same thing. I've heard countless horror stories of the gaps between guys that make it and guys that don't. Thats why i want to go the PGA route so even if i can't make it on tour i can still be a head pro and make ok money.

Actually turning pro doesn't instantly mean your on tour, far from it, just basically means you play off 0 instantly, can't play any amateur tournaments and can receive something like more than £100 in prize money (top prize for amateurs).
 
SO how does that work? Let's suppose you're a really good amateur playing off a + handicap; by going pro and therefore playing off scratch, doesn't that give you an advantage, allowing for the fact you can't win amateur competitions, you can still "win".
 
No it doesn't give you an advantage, because most pro's that are trying to make it (other than running the club shops and teaching) are usually off around +2 to +4. All of the top touring pros like Sergio Garcia were off +4 when they turned pro and if they had amateur status back now they would be around +3 to +5.

It kind of comes full circle, handicaps don't matter when your pro, the best of the best win. Its not like playing somebody off 25 who you give two shots a whole too and wouldn't ever beat you if the handicap system were in play. Its also easier for TV coverage and scoring purposes in pro events of not messing around with handicaps as its a level playing field. Skill is everything.

Think i've answered the question, wasn't 100% sure what you were after :D
 
first round of golf in the year this afternoon, then 18 at 7am tomorrow morning! back on the wagon with a bang!

not read the thread for a while, but saw something at the top talking about square drivers being rubbish? i disagree! i bought a Nike Dynamo 2 square driver at the end of last year, one of the best I've ever had - it improved my driving no end, much straighter and longer.

anyway, what's everyone's goals for this year? handicap down, improved short game etc?

mine is two fold:
1 - get down to low teens or 12 (currently 19)
2 - improve putting and short game (will tie in 1)

i'm confident i can do it!

what about you?
 
I've got a few goals, though they are pretty simillar to yours mate.

1 - Get an official handicap somewhere like the one i play off now. (just joined my first club, though have been playing as a guest there for about a year now).

2 - Get down to 10, currently 16.6 (unofficial handicap using online hcp software, but we play off the medal tee's every week after the comps have gone out).

3 - Hit at least 10 rounds in the 70's (best last year was 78).

My mate who teaches me (PGA Teaching Pro) reckons i can get down to single figures, but i just dont think i have the time to put in the practice required. At the moment i struggle with lapses in concentration so whilst always scoring around 36+ points i will always have a couple of 8/9's on the card.

Managed last years goals, get under 20hcp, score an eagle (managed to do that one in style, getting an eagle on the 300yd par 4 4th - drove the green, then eagled the par 5 5th!) and win a society day event.
 
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