With all the lawyers around there must be a few golfers

[Madman]

So just wondering how many of you play golf.

I have golfed more this summer than I have over the past 5 years combined and I have been enjoying it even though I am still a relative beginner. It makes me wish I had started playing more 5 years ago, but I never really had that much interest in it until recently.

Of course it doesn't hurt that I got a set of Tommy Armour 845s clubs for free from my dad a couple of years ago, so it is nice to finally get good use out of these nice clubs. Because I am a relative beginner, it is nice to see my game improve with each round. I hit one or two more good shots with each new round (even though it doesn't lower my score just yet) and I can see that my slice (I call it a fade!  :-D ) is getting better with each round as well.

I think my best accomplisment so far has to be the fact that I played 2 consecutive rounds with just one ball. The first one was a full 18 and I didn't lose a single ball even though there were a bunch of places where I could have lost one. I did use a water ball on one of the holes, but I didn't lose it so it counts. The next round I played was just a short nine, but I still didn't lose a single ball. I am quite impressed by these rounds given my skill level. Sometimes I say that I don't keep score by the number of strokes I take but by the number of balls I lose, so in my mind I shot par those two rounds. 

[Yegolev]

I totally kicked Peach's ass in Toadstool Tour.

[schild]

I hope Madman is trying to court us for some Links action on XBL.

[Paelos]

I play golf a good bit. While I'm in the mountains it's what I do for fun when I'm not writing. I'm about a 14 handicap and I shoot in the high 80s. I probably play about three to four times a week and practice about 1-2 times. It's a great sport for making contacts to people with money, a few nice people, and sometimes the hilarious old guy who hits on all the cart girls.

[WayAbvPar]

I have to be in the top 10% of the world's worst golfers when you factor in the number of rounds of I have played. Only been out once this year (been playing in a poker tournament on Sundays instead of golfing- much less expensive  ), but am looking forward to getting out some more soon.

My last time out I played the whole 9 with one ball, which was quite the accomplishment, so I am with ya there, Mad  :-D

[Bunk]

I'm what you call an avid hack golfer. I've been doing it since early highschool and I'm still pretty bad. Love the game though. It's the only sport where you can play like absolute shit for 17 holes, and then make that 10 foot birdie put on the 18th. That birdie is the only thing you'll remember.

I don't keep track of how many rounds I go through without losing balls. My personal record for lost balls though is 7 in 6 holes. I walked of the course without finishing the nine. I was out of balls.

[Abagadro]

18 Handicap.

Need to fix my slice which will mean changing my grip which will commensurately destroy every other aspect of my game.

[HaemishM]

I haven't golfed in years. I had a wicked bad slice when I did. I bought my own set of clubs, and haven't seen them in years, as I loaned them out to my brother-in-law right before I spent 4 years not talking to any of my family. I haven't been interested enough to bother with asking about them since I've been talking to them again.

But I am up for some Links action on XBL.

[ClydeJr]

I play maybe once or twice a year for the past few years. I actually played in a tournament a few weeks ago. It was a 2 man best ball scramble to benefit my dad's old Catholic high school. My dad and I were partners and the other 2 in our foursome were my 2 uncles. We got there late and didn't get a chance to warm up on the driving range. I was going to hit first on our first hole. I just wanted to hit a semi-decent shot off the first tee. I end up completely screwing up, dropped my front shoulder trying to to kill the ball, dug a trench starting about 8 inches behind the ball, and the ball made it about 15 yards in front of the next set of tees (which I thought were the women's tees).

Me: Well, at least I made it past the women's tees...

Uncle (pointing at the real women's tees farther up and to one side, just a little ahead from where my ball was): You sure about that?

Me: Shit...

I think we used about 20% of my shots versus 80% of my dad's (he shoots in the 80s, low 80s if it's a course he's familar with). We ended up with a 77 which was good enough for a 2nd place in the D (suck ass) divsion. We each won a $100 gift certificate to the incredibly overpriced pro shop there at the course.

[WayAbvPar]

But I am up for some Links action on XBL.

I forgot to add this to my post. Haven't played much recently, but it is fun as hell. I am down for an ass kicking as well.

[Rasix]

I'm like a bad Catholic when it comes to golf.  I go maybe once or twice a year and it's always near a holiday when I'm visiting family.  I used to be OK for my standards which would be a 20something handicap, but that's a distant memory.  Mainly that was from spending all day at Cave Creek golf course in Phoenix where my aunt was a head pro there during summers before I started working. Still, having free golf whenever you want it is a great boon for your game.  My wife doesn't golf and my family is in Phoenix, and I don't feel like inflicting my unique brand of hack-fu as a single on someone.

We got there late and didn't get a chance to warm up on the driving range. I was going to hit first on our first hole. I just wanted to hit a semi-decent shot off the first tee. I end up completely screwing up, dropped my front shoulder trying to to kill the ball, dug a trench starting about 8 inches behind the ball, and the ball made it about 15 yards in front of the next set of tees (which I thought were the women's tees).

Yep, I did that last time I played.  50% of my drives never left the ground, and I used to average about 260 off the tee which isn't bad for someone that was as slight as I was during my most active golf playing days. Embarrassing playing with my cousin and brother and law, who absolutely cream the ball.  Luckily hitting a seven iron and below is something you really never forget how to do, so I didn't look like a boob the entire time.

[Nebu]

Well, I'm not a lawyer but I do play golf about 3 times a week and practice at least one other day.  I think Mark Twain said it best when he said that "golf is a good walk spoiled" (or something like that).  Golf puts together so many of life's important tools together that it really challenges the total package.  The mental game, strength, the delicate shots, and to some degree, endurance.  I also love the fact that a great player and a beginner can experience the game together and both have a great time. 

I'm glad that you found the game again and are enjoying yourself.  I just have one piece of advice for you: Spend 90% of your time on your short game.  You'll never regret it.

[Joe]

I love playing, but I'm really not very good. I have a pretty good drive and decent putt, but my short game is just atrocious. I'd love to blame in on bad club selection, but I think it's more due to baseball habit.

[Murgos]

About 10 years ago I played frequently and got my avg down to the low 90's.  I haven't even made it to the driving range yet this year :(  Just too damned busy.

[Toast]

I don't golf regularly.

I do play disc golf quite often. It's a lot more fun than stuffy old golf and it's free.

[shiznitz]

16.2 handicap index which = 18+ on most decent courses. My best score is 87. I played more golf in the year before I got married than I have in the 4 years since combined.

[Furiously]

But I am up for some Links action on XBL.

I forgot to add this to my post. Haven't played much recently, but it is fun as hell. I am down for an ass kicking as well.

I golf once a year. Just to laugh at Wayabvpar's slice, or hook, or whatever it's called. Plus those carts are kinda fun to drive, until you throw grandpa's punch off the cart when you take a corner too hard losing like 2 gallons of alcohol.

[WayAbvPar]

I slice like a samurai with a spanking new katana.

[Bunk]

I need to rework all my fundimentals. For years I had a nasty slice on any club longer than a 5 iron. Now, all of a sudden this year the slice is gone and I'm hooking every third tee shot in the next fairway over.

[Nebu]

It's much better to hit straight than it is to hit long.  When I had hook/slice issues, I started to leave my woods at home.  I now will start the first month of the season with only irons in my bag.  I'll tee off with a 2-3 iron and be in the fairway 95% of the time.  Yes, the guys I golf with are usually a good 50 yards ahead of me, but I typically end with the same or better scores as I have to scramble less on tight holes.  I've also found that teeing off with irons has improved my mid-iron game, making approach shots from medium distance (160 - 220 yards) a lot more consistent.

Grip and overswinging can also be major causes of hook slice issues. If you relax your swing to worry more about balance and tempo, you'll be a lot straighter without sacrificing much length.

I'll shut up now.

[Yegolev]

Just start off with Yoshi, he is really accurate.

[HaemishM]

For a while, I actually started teeing off with a good Ping-Eye 1-iron that a buddy of mine had, and hit it a helluva lot better on Par 4 and 5 drives than I did with a driver. But it was a really really good club. Once I started to learn to use a driver better, my slice was only occasional.

[Madman]

For a while, I actually started teeing off with a good Ping-Eye 1-iron that a buddy of mine had, and hit it a helluva lot better on Par 4 and 5 drives than I did with a driver. But it was a really really good club. Once I started to learn to use a driver better, my slice was only occasional.

I find this hard to believe. Remember the saying goes: Not even God can hit a 1 iron.

[pants]

I find my tee shots are ok, my fairway irons are pretty good, but my chipping and putting sucks ass - one up one down my butt.  I gotta spend more time around sunset at my local course, chipping onto an empty green...

[MrHat]

I suck at golf.

But I do like to play.  Started playing last year when I did this contract sales job and everyone I worked with played.  Then the contract ended and I stopped.

I was so bad.

Except I'd randomly do like completely awesome.

Just need a few lessons to become passable.  Or a caddy I could beat up on.

[Paelos]

I played today and shot 92. Not terrible for me, but I'd like to be in the 80s consistantly. I think I won some money off the old guys, but I'll have to check the postings in the clubhouse tomorrow. 

[shiznitz]

I find my tee shots are ok, my fairway irons are pretty good, but my chipping and putting sucks ass - one up one down my butt.  I gotta spend more time around sunset at my local course, chipping onto an empty green...

This is the fastest way to improve your score. Keep your drives in the fairway and don't 3 putt and the mid-80s aren't far behind.

[Murgos]

This is the fastest way to improve your score. Keep your drives in the fairway and don't 3 putt and the mid-80s aren't far behind.

I think that statement just qualified you as an asshole. :-D