My game has had a pretty interesting trajectory this year. I played really well after I got back from Scotland despite hitting the ball relatively poorly. Lately I've been striking the ball better, but my short game has been absolutely atrocious.

I went out tonight and just butchered the first two holes, doubling both without any penalty strokes or three putts. Hit a drive right next to a tree on 1 and bladed a bunker shot on 2. I played the next 7 holes two over, ****ing up excellent birdie opportunities on 4,5, and 7.

What kills me right now are shots inside of 50 yards.

I usually hit about half of the greens, but I'm still shooting right at 80-82, mainly because I can't get up and down from anywhere, and my lag and short putting is absolutely atrocious.

Last week I shot a couple of 81s with 40 ****ing putts both times.

What do you all do on slow, chewed up greens?

IMO just try to hit them firmer and hope the bounce is friendly..... You are never going to get a true roll out of them so you have to cheat a little and play less to almost no break and firm it in minding you don't get kicked way off line due to the conditions of the green.

Lefty making a move this morning.

Tied for the lead after 7 and 5 under on the day.

Mickelson off to a hot start. See if he can finish.

Not a whole lot you can do. Hit a bit firmer and take some break out.(Already mentioned I see). Most crews are doing all they can do just to keep them alive, playability a distant second.

Clarke comes right back with an eagle of his own as the rain comes in.

What do you use around the greens (wedge wise)?

Slow greens, I go after the pin. Then try to ram it home, I don't play much break, as you know you hit through most of it on slow greens.

Easy cop out for laziness

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I can assure you, the vast majority of Superintendents are neither lazy nor trying to make the greens slow and chewed up.

Hell of a break for Clarke there.

Yip

As an ex-Assistant Superintendent, I think I can speak on this.

It really depends on the resources you have at your disposal, mainly in terms of manpower.

I worked at one of the better semi-private clubs in the area, and we mowed greens every day, regardless of how hot it was going to get. But we also had a 17-man crew which allowed us to syringe the greens all day. From 11:00 on, we had 3 guys who were responsible for 6 greens each.

Most courses don't have that kind of manpower, so their next best option is to keep the greens longer.

I think a lot of public courses in my area are understaffed, because even the really good public courses are using this tactic to help "save" their greens - and they've never done so in the past.

Revenues are way down in golf. Budget here has been cut going on 4 years in a row now.

Can't speak to your course, but part of the problem here in STL is that greens fees are completely out of control.

The club I worked at was smart enough to realize that it's better to have every tee-time filled, even at a discount than to leave it empty because you refused to get the full fee for it.

There are quite a few course here where the twilight rate is still over $40. That's ****ing ridiculous. It's also why my rounds are way down this year. I usually play 30+ rounds a year, I've played 11 times.

Golf is a gentleman's sport, but some of thes guys dress like clowns.

We've opened up to the public, membership drives with massive discounts. Hard to compete when the club down the road has dues that are half of ours(never mind that the owner of that course subsidizes it with 300k/year).

Lefty fading.

No I was stating that having slow greens means ALOT less work for the crew, hell if they can get away with it and keep the job, then why not. This is what I do, and rest assured I will have a hose in my hand every morning for the the next week hand watering, but we will still have the fastest greens around, stinting at 11 to 12 in these conditions, in the morning with moisture on. Cutting at .09 of an inch, and verticutting several times throughout the year.

Most courses are really struggling. IMO people are just so busy anymore, and the economy. The course that I am at now is the only one I know of that is booming, and unfortunately I think the board takes it for granted in these tough times.

If you're able to keep them at .09 this time of year, awesome. I just come up again last week because of the heat.

Scalping just a touch due to the heat and humidity. Fertilized about a week and a half ago, that seems to be helping a ton right now.


COME ON PHIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mickelson seems to be giving away another great opportunity at a major.

Clarke has ol' lady luck on his side today

Dustin Johnson with another choke.

Dustin Johnson chokes in another major.

This wind is absurd.

Game over. Mr Clarke looks like the winner.

What was he even attempting to do with that shot?

Clarke has played some steady golf this weekend. I never thought he'd pull something like this off in his career, especially now at his age.

LMAO at Lefty

Did he hit that off the outside of the hosel?

Epic choke job. It was his and then he blows another short one on 11 and it was all done.

Clarke got a couple of tremendous breaks today. His balls skirting the bunkers saved him probably 3+ shots.

I think Phil missed 6 putts inside of three feet this week. It's all on him, but he's an idiot for going with Dave Stockton and that forward press. It throws the line and speed way too much on short putts.

I wonder if Graem McDowell will call Clarke the best he's ever seen?

Phil's swing also got really loose on the last several holes.

As far as greens go, the problems with the greens that I play is that they are bumpy in spots due to jackasses not repairing pitch marks.

Most courses are going to a more economical approach in regards to maintenance, but that doesn't match up with bent grass greens. They can't survive in Midwestern summers without a ton of water.

Any chance Clarke gets the shanks and puts up a 9 on the last hole?

You think of Clarke as a good golfer, and he is... amazing thing is Clarke hasn't finished top 10 in a major in ten years. Hasn't finished in the top 40 in five. And here he is.

Also, how about Tom Watson... right now he'd finish in a tie for 22nd. Not bad for 60+ years old. He just won't give it up. Actually finished ahead of Rory McIlroy.

Clarke's not good. He was really good this week, got the breaks he needed, and took advantage of those breaks.

Phil is the only golfer I know that can shoot the round of the day and melt down simultaneously.

Ultimately, that's the difference between he and Tiger. It's not physical talent or shotmaking ability, it's that drive to not wilt.

Phil just let himself die after that putt on 11.

Yeah, today was a perfect microcosm of Mickelson's career in majors. He'll never change, I guess. I'm happy for Clarke, though. It's a great story.

McIlroy apparently started complaining about the weather's impact on the tournament after his round. Maybe he should ask Watson for tips on how to plays links golf.

I've played over there in winds 30 mph stronger than what they faced today, with temperatures 15 degrees cooler, and in a persistent downpour.

He has no right to bitch about that weather. None. That is an average day there.

I palyed 9 holes today. Shot a 38(+2). It felt like a 50!

The hardest thing from this Open was to watch was Mick just gassing it on the back side. He should of shot a 29 on the front......And ee knewit.... Then he just went fool reerun. I won't say that much about golfers but I will here. I feel sorry for the guy but ..what?

I just shot a 39 with two iron shots hit OB. I want to freaking flay myself.

I'm killing myself for saying this, but I think I'm about done with golf. Just don't have the time to get out and play and I really don't want to be a 3-4 time a year golfer. Going out that few times makes them miserable for me. Not that I was very good, but after the last 2 times I played, I just can't handle hitting the ball that horribly.

Tiger fires Steve Williams.

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/de...rn=golf-wp3915

HOLY SHIT!!!!

Awesome. The dude was the Ty Cobb of caddies. Just a completely loathsome one who sucks the penis in every way, shape, and form. Here's hoping he snaps both his ankles in his next rally race.

Hi folks!

Looking for some advice. In e last six weeks I have reluctantly moved from the "baseball" grip to the conventional interlocked finger grip. During this time I've struggled with leaving the club face open. When I do make good contact, I'm striking the ball well and hitting it further than ever. I use a 3 wood off the tee, as I've always had trouble hitting a driver. I usually hit the ball 215 - 220. Playing with this grip I get may hands working together and have been hitting the ball in the 240-250 range, with a long drive of 275 on a 470 yard par 4.
I'm really struggling maintaining my swing throughout the round. I think I begin to go over the top and hitting huge slices off the tee or even with an iron.
Example: I played Saturday and started off hitting great shots going par, bogey, par, par, par, par.
I'm on the 7th hole at +1 (and thinking great thoughts) When it all comes apart. Slice off the tee on a 380 yard par 4, hit approach fat and drop it in the water. Follow that with a drop and blade my wedge into the high rough for another lost ball penalty, and three putt for a +4.
Hole 8 175 yd par 3. Pull my tee shot 15 yards wide of the green, because I'm afraid of leaving th club face open and slicing the ball into the woods, but make a nice pitch over sand and drop the ball within 3 feet. Miss the ****ing putt for a +2.

Hole 9 : yank tee shot again overcompensating for fear of the slice hit a tree and it kicks around in there like pinball until it kicks out in the fairway about 85yards in front of the tee. Hit approach, club face open and it goes nearly into the woods 30 yards left of the fairway. Hit wedge onto green and 3 putt on a steeply graded green.

So in the end I was + 9 or 10 after being +1 after 6.

I need advice on what I can do to help work through this problem of open club face.

My biggest problem is alignment with my top hand. Have to consciously make sure it's over far enough.

On the range just try going after it at the bottom, making sure you finish. Make sure your elbow isn't flying either.

Coming over the top is most often a fault of trying to hit the ball with your right shoulder. Don't hit at the ball with your right shoulder, feel like you are trying to hit the ball to right field (if you are a righty) while allowing your bottom hand (your right if you're a righty) to turn over the weak hand (your left if a righty) in the follow through.

WTI,

If it makes you feel any better, I was +1 sitting in the middle of the sixth fairway last night. I'd hit a great drive and had about 155 in off a downslope. I yank the shot into the front lip of the bunker on a severe upslope.

I procede to blade the shot onto another hole, where it takes me three shots to get down for double. I hit into some jackasses' foot crater on 7, digging a bunker shot out to 30 feet for another bogey. On 9 I'm four over and steaming, but 60 yards out on the par 5 after two shots. I procede to blade a lob wedge into the water over the green and take an 8.

Maybe with the new grip you are letting the clubhead drop a the top of your swing and you just can't catch up and square the club from there.

Usually coming over the top is a result of taking the club back inside and then re-routing it in an attempt to not shove it right.

90% of missed shots are missed on the back swing.

Rather than overburden him with mechanical thoughts about sequencing, trying feel thoughts first often lead to the same fixes without mental paralysis.

You are talking about two separate errors here. One is cause by a lack of proper release and the other is a swing path error.

Yes I replied to two different posters.

As far as which is more cumbersome between taking the club back properly or not hitting or hitting with you right shoulder I don't know. I guess it depends on wether one is a swinger of the club or a hitter. I'll tend to instruct from the swingers point of view.

:facepalm: We were all responding to WTI.

Excuse me for losing track. You are correct. Could we at least agree that most golf shots are missed on the backswing?

As these guys are all saying, most golf swings are either made or doomed from the backswing. A thought/exercise you may want to have is that you are standing at the plate playing baseball and the catcher is squatting behind you with his glove up. Your thought should be to bring the club directly back into his mitt, not bringing the club inside. From there go waist-high with the toe of the club straight up.

If you can start out with these two checkpoints it creates room for your arms to move throughout the rest of the swing. Often times slices are a result of improper swing path building into a number of improper compensation movements. This thought can lay the groundwork for a good swing.

This thread needs a post.

I've ben out a few times playing 9 holes. Today the weather chilled and I took a notion to walk 9 holes carrying my bag. It felt good! I shot a 38 with a double on #2. Missed a 4 ft birdie on the last hole.....Beautiful 7 iron and a missed putt.

Golf is good.

Where did you play?

Deer Lake

Went out yesterday for the first time in two weeks and shot a 41 that included a quad on a par 4 that is normally hybrid-gap wedge for me. Also missed two birdie putts inside of 8 feet and bogeyed another par 4 from 30 yards off the green.

Frustrating.

Thanks for the laughs, Tiger. This round has earned "Keep until I delete" status along with the 3rd and 4th rounds of the 2010 Masters.

Do you think Tiger will wear red while sitting at home on Sunday?

OK, I stole that, but thought it was funny.

Who hasn't played in 6 weeks?
Who was just standing on 16 tee 4 over?
Who just had a chance at a career best?
Who just tripled two of the last 3 to shoot 81?

That's right this guy.

**** me

Historic choke happening right now.

Pretty fun to watch.

I'm going to laugh my balls off if he 3 putts.

The Pingification of my bag continues.

I'd had a Sonartec NP-99 3 wood in the bag for about three years, but I really struggled hitting it off the deck, especially on the uneven lies I often get in the fairways I play on.

I just won an eBay auction for a Ping i15 3 wood with a UST Axivcore stiff shaft for 101 bucks after shipping.

Yesterday, I completed a transaction with a guy on GolfWRX for two Ping W wedges, 54 and 60 degrees, for 70 bucks.

I'm gonna get the 54 bent to 56 to better deal with this firm, clay turf, and I think I'm going to send the 60 off to Ping to have them do a custom grind. I'm probably gonna go with the TS.

I almost pulled the trigger on a couple of new Callaway Jaws wedges with the Mack Daddy grooves, but I've heard they absolutely shred balls, and I don't want to ruin a tour-caliber ball every time I hit a wedge shot.

Here's a link to the 3 wood.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EOIBSA:US:1123

I never was a club/tech guy but my dad has more clubs sittin' around then Cotter's has pills.

I played 9 holes today and I somehow shot a 37. I developed this thing about 10 years ago that when I start my takeaway I start to lose the club before it even starts up. It's like a shocker to then brain and once that happens you have no chance of control over your swing. I clutch to stop it from happening but that just speeds up and shortens my backswing. It's awful! A true golf swing abortion. Some how I didn't wiff a shot.

My Ol Man is pretty smooth for 82 years old. Told me he shot 79 the other day. Of course he put the caveat on it that it was from the yellow(sr) tees.

He has a very nicely balanced finish with his weight ending up nicely on his left side/foot.


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Tiger and K.J. putting on a show. Hopefully they can do it all weekend. Only 7 guys under par, yet those two are 19 under combined.

Heh, they both put it in the drink after I post this.(And then K.J. puts his 3rd in the drink again.)

RockBottomGolf has an amazing deal for the next eight hours if you are looking for new wedges.

Scratch 8620 milled chrome wedges are 50 bucks with free shipping. These babies were originally 120+ almost everywhere. They have a variety of different grinds and bounce profiles, like Vokeys.

I just picked up a 56 and a 60 in a low bounce configuration (Missouri clay) and after a coupon code it was 95 bucks.

My new gamers for next year: fully restored, Eye 2 + no +'s. I'm going to re-shaft them with True Temper Black Golds with Lamkin N-Dur grips (all white):

Total cost for the project:

Eye 2's: 197
Restoration: 104
Shafts: 59
Grips: 24

Total: $384

http://f1616.mail.yahoo.com/ya/downl...Inbox&inline=1

Didn't play as much this past year as I had hoped. Still hoping I can shave a few points of the handicap this next year. Getting out with my kids will help. Oldest daughter should be varsity as a sophomore on the Lawrence High team. My son is being expected to be a frequent contributor on the LCC Junior Team.

Nice.

I got out yesterday for the first time in over 6 months. Figured I'd test my back, and it held up walking 18. A little tight today, but no major lingering effects.

It was windy as ****, gusting 35, I 3 putted 6 times and still shot my 2nd lowest score in the past 3 years. I forgot how much I loved my Mizuno's - now I just need to decide if I'm sticking with my current driver or making a change.

Going to Alabama for Spring Break to play 5 rounds in 3 days. Can't wait.