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A Good Walk Spoiled


Dolfan in NYC

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Going to the par 3 course is a great idea too. You get to learn how to use your irons there, and you never have to hit a driver. Hitting the ball straight is way more important than hitting it far.

 

Red is right about buying clubs too. I've been golfing for 18 years, and the only "brand new" club I ever got was a putter they gave us at a golf tournament one year. There's people who pay way too much for golf clubs, and do it every year or two. Wait until they buy a new set, and then buy their old ones. :)

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Thanks for the tips.

I am only going to buy a pair of used clubs on the cheap. I have no idea how much I'll actually play so the last thing I want is to spend a few hundred or whatever for something that acts ornamental in my basement.

And my goal is to just hit straight. I'm not a big guy by any means so trying to bomb drivers and the like isn't anything I'm interested in. It seems to me that a 175-yard drive that's on the fairway is a hell of a lot better than a 250-yard drive that's in the woods. I think distance will (slowly) come once I get a swing that's not likely to hurt a playing partner. I'm also working on trying to get more flexible and stronger in the golf-muscle zone, and I think that will add to it more.

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I've played since I was about 12, I'm 35. The lowest I got down to was a 3 handicap when I devoted more time to it a couple years ago right before I had kids but I hold pretty steady between a 5 and 6 now, I just don't get to play as much anymore.

Most new players that I see make the mistake of swinging too much with their arms and not using their body. This usually will cause a slice and will always cause them to not hit it as far as they are able to. One thing that's always beneficial and is a simple swing thought is to start your downswing with your body and really fire your hips through, finishing with your belt buckle facing the target. It's really been the centerpiece of my swing thoughts throughout.

The basics are the most important though. Grip and stance. Starting off with an iron is good. It's good to work with basically a half swing with something like a 7 or 8 iron for a while. Helps to teach solid contact and get an idea of how to repeat it.

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I played my first round today. Or not quite. It was at a Par 3 in upstate NY at a 14-hole course. I have no idea either. I bought a set of clubs from Craig's List from some kid for $50. I went out with my cousin who is a 5 handicap. A guy who was playing behind us ended up joining us for the final three holes.

It was so much fun! I did okay. I lost a total of four balls -- two into the woods and two into water hazards. We largely didn't keep score -- I know I had two bogies but a bunch of double digit holes, too. I mostly just tried to hit the ball straight. I got pretty consistent (by very loose standards) with the 7-8-9 clubs but anything else was just all over the map. 

I did have a "Ryder Cup" moment on the final hole when I landed a shot from 95-yards out or so five feet from the pin. (Of course, it took me six shots to get to that one.)

 

I'm going back out to a different Par 3 tomorrow. I'm completely hooked.

 

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I hate my 56 degree wedge with a passion. HATE HATE HATE that club. I can't figure the damned thing out, but there's the one or two moments of brilliance it produces every year that forces me to use it.

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Chambers Bay looks like a moonscape. It looks completely insane for these to play on. I love that one green where everyone has to bank it up the hill behind the hole like its on a mini-golf course and if you ace it you win a stuffed animal.

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I would love to see the person who normally plays that public course and not on the PGA tour who shoot under 90 on it.  When Gary Player tells you that 10 handicap guys would be in the 100 range than it must be hell for the weekend warriors

 

Apparently it is even bad to walk this golf course because there are so many hills and mountains and weeds.   One of the big reasons why they won't go back because it is hard to get a large fan turn out 

 

Also a huge turn out of douchebag golf fans from the sound of it.  I mean who screams BABA BOOEY in 2015  

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I love the course/design and especially the fact that it's not the cookie cutter typical US Open course. Is good to have something different once in a while.

Also heard someone yell Leroy Jenkins

Not a fan of Fox golf coverage.

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Golf is the best. It's such a mindf-ck.

 

I played 9 holes today at the local "not quite a Par 3 but still..." city course by my house. There were these kids in front of me horsing around so I knew I'd have to wait. There was another guy going solo behind me so I asked if he wanted to join me. This was the first time I kept score and I came in at 62 -- par was 31. But, more importantly, I also kept track of shots that were "good" -- well struck, chips that weren't embarrassing, good putt attempts, etc. Roughly 20 percent of my shots were good shots. The guy I was playing with has been playing for 15 years or so and was really good.

I played better on Monday, but didn't keep track. I was with a good friend of mine who hasn't been playing that long, so I think I was more comfortable.

Also: I tried to use my woods today. I've largely just used irons and my hybrid. I'm fairly comfortable-ish with them. But any sort of driver I haven't used too much yet and/or have been garbage with them at the driving range. I think I need to work on my address/stance more.

But I am so friggin' hooked.

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I was at the driving range tonight. I was super excited because I was really doing better air off the driver and not topping it constantly. Naturally, I was slicing the hell out of the ball. This seems like a natural progression: 1) Just learn to hit the ball. 2) Then correct what you're doing wrong.

I know I was going all over the top along with not squaring my club face. I watched a bunch of videos about both topics and was really looking forward to trying a few things out.

I hooked or completely popped up the first three balls something fierce. Then I hit the fourth ball pretty square. Only my club felt really weird afterwards.

That's because the head of the driver flew off the shaft and was about 30-40 yards now in front of me.

RIP to the first driver I ever owned. Thank you for showing me the ropes.

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