T1B

My friend and I went out for an evening round, on a really freaking easy course we always enjoy.

He's usually a few strokes better than me. But, this time, I beat him......in a thrilling match that ended.......94-95. Sweet. Did I mention that it's a really freaking easy course? But wait...it gets better! Did I mention that it's a par 70?(Kinda BS, since #18 would be a tough par 4 for the pros, so us duffers will have our pars there mentioned in our eulogies. Never even seen a bird there.)

RACK us! Or, not. In our defense, there was some serious alcohol consumption involved.

Not sure I've ever hit the "driving wedge" (aka a "cooned" wedge) so many times in a round, ever. Nothing like hitting a SW 200+ yards when there's a creek behind the green. Several times. I do believe I broke my personal record for clubs-thrown-in-anger during a round. There was at least 3 or 4. None went in the water, though....so I have that going for me(the clubs, that is -- a few balls did, however, land in the drink).

Why do I bother taking that beautiful practice swing, with perfect speed and club angle, when the hack I take at the ball doesn't even vaguely resemble that sweet practice swing?

I'm either going to have to cut down on the booze, or start practicing at the range really drunk -- I haven't decided yet. Maybe since I'm apparently only good for one decent swing per shot, maybe I should dispense with the practice swing?

Oh, and there was a hardbodied hottie in the next group ahead.....I have a hunch that didn't help the concentration level.

I guess my point is, there was some bruised egos that day.

So, how's it going with your games?

I played Saturday at our country club which is a relatively easy course as long as you stay in the middle of the fairway (aren’t they all?). My best friend from Dallas made the trip up to Indiana to hang out for the long weekend and he joined me along with my cousin-in-law-to-be. Unlike Dins, my game gets tremendously better when I’ve had some drinks in me. I don’t get the yips when I chip. I have three holes to putt at which seems to have decreased my putting average over the course of a drunken round (also, your buds tend to let gimmies get longer and longer).

All that said, I shot an 89.

Sunday, we play a really tough local course, named the best course in Southern Indiana by some magazines. It is a BITCH. We play extremely hung over teeing off at 7:18 AM. Needless to say, the front nine was atrocious. I shot a 47 with one birdie and no pars. On to the back. I start it off with a double on a par 5. Then, I par 3 in a row so my game is on. Screeeeeeeeeeech! Was the sound of the brakes while stopping on a downhill slope along with my game. I triple the next two holes so I am 8 over after 6 now. I go on to par the next two and three-putt bogey on the last to finish with a 45. 92 on the day. My best round ever there is an 88 so I was pretty happy with 92 even though I aborted a few swings on the back.

Then, Sunday night I dive for a ball in beach volleyball and bent my thumb back damn near to my wrist on the wood border of the court. The next morning, my thumb near double its size, I lay on the couch hung over yet again knowing I can’t play golf today while my pregnant wife is screaming at me at noon to get off my ass and put the baby furniture together. So, I had that going for me.

I ended up putting a shelf, changing table and crib together the next 4 hours with a bruised and battered right thumb, which I really had to use on the shitty allen wrench that came with the hardware.

Now, here I sit pissed because the holiday pushed my Wednesday night softball game to Thursday, making me miss Thursday night’s men’s golf league at the club. The thumb is still fucked but at least a few jack and cokes would have numbed it, and my game, to a point where I can still go kick a little ass.

Woe is me...woe is me...

Dinsdale wrote:
So, how's it going with your games?

I played in a Match Play tournament over the Memorial Day Weekend.
First day, I play like shit but am fortunate to be playing a guy that's having an even worse day than me. I took him out at 5-4 (down 5 holes with 4 to play).

Second day, I'm playing a guy that I know I'll have to be playing well to beat. Turns out, my worst game of the year shows up and I essentially gave it to him. Couldn't drive, couldn't hit approach shots, couldn't chip, couldn't putt--I was excused at 5-3 (down 5 with 3 to play).

All I can say is I feel sorry for the dumbass that spent $350 on me in the Calcutta.

He asked me if I wanted to buy half of myself.......I declined.

IndyFrisco wrote:Unlike Dins, my game gets tremendously better when I’ve had some drinks in me.

Oh, don't get me wrong, brother -- I'm pretty much a drunk. It just got past the point of "relaxation," to the point of "coordination problems."

Speaking of, the guy I played with is a local legend in that regard. The more the dude staggers and sways, the more greens he hits. It's actually pretty remarkable to watch.

also, your buds tend to let gimmies get longer and longer

I think our "gimmes" were from about 5 feet and in by the end of the day. At that point, it was "thapstst a grimmmmeeeer".


And ya'know, a 92 from the blues/blacks on a really hard, challenging course isn't the end of the world, although it doesn't make your day(unless you're Joe Low Handicap). Tossing up 94 on a really freaking easy par 70 leaves a mark on the pride.

The state of my game is an absolute shambles. This weekend I visited my brother in Lake Placid and played the Craig Wood course in Placid. It is one bad assed muni,*** but that still doesn't excuse the 105 I dropped on it. What is really sad is that after posting a 55 on the front 9, I played the next 3 holes in 1 under. And then, realizing I shouldn't be outdone by Dana Quigley, I played the next 6 holes even worse than my front nine and finished the 9 with a 50. Yea, that's right, I played 6 holes to a total of 16 over par.

The next day at a dump of a course in Elizabethtown wsn't much better, And the 9 I played with my wife yesterday was the worst round of golf I have played since I played 9 holes with my brother after a 2 day bender.

So....

I went out this AM with my brand new Medicus dual hinged 5 iron and a copy of Ben Hogan's "The Fundementals of Modern Golf" in my bag. I played 6 holes and didn't even keep a score. I have come to the conclusion that my grip is wack and my swing is completely disfunctional because of it. So, I'm going to swing the Medicus to keep my plane and tempo right and I'm going to practice Hogan's grip until it becomes second nature.

I'll let you all know how it works out.

*** I checked my scorecard and the rating/slope for the whites is 70.3/126. Most of the courses I play in this neck of the woods are anywhere between 105 and 115 for a slope. My brother doesn't know it yet, but we WILL be going back to that course. I will have my revenge.

Muwahahahaha!!!

Speaking of.....

I've got it alllllll figured out.

I just need to swing my Medicus under my Inside Edge, while wearing that Swing Medic chest thingy, while watching that fat old fart's videos.

I figure that should net me a Nationwide championship by the end of the year, since it should knock about 45 strokes off my game between them in 2 weeks.

Tiger Woods.....watch out!

Dinsdale wrote:Speaking of.....

I've got it alllllll figured out.

I just need to swing my Medicus under my Inside Edge, while wearing that Swing Medic chest thingy, while watching that fat old fart's videos.

I figure that should net me a Nationwide championship by the end of the year, since it should knock about 45 strokes off my game between them in 2 weeks.

Tiger Woods.....watch out!

Now come on, that Swing Medic is just straight wack. That's almost as bad as the "Perfect Club" or that bondage thingy that John Daly markets.

Damnit, I have SOME standards.

Played 45 holes from Friday to Monday.

9 at a shithole executive course with the wife (yeah dins, you know the one)

2 niners at Seaside beach club (the only place that I've lost 12 balls in one nine due to the blackberries and fucked up rough)

and 18 at Gearhart Golf Links ( the oldest course in Oregon.)

Considering everything is out of bounds along the fairways as Seaside, I'll take the 52 I shot without pulling out a club longer than a five iron.(an experiment) I parred a 495 yrd par 5 and was just off the green pin high hitting 2 fivers and a six iron.

Shot a 110 at Gearhart because I couldn't get off the tee all day. Only had two good drives. (cause for experiment mentioned above) On the plus side, I did only have 30 putts which gives me an average of 1.666 per. I played the whole round with one ball which is a first, also.

Maybe someday, I'll be able to put the two together and break 100.

Hey dins, you put balls in the water and STILL shot that low? How long was that fish that got away? Which course was that, cause maybe that will be the lucky one for me too.

longtimelistener2 wrote:9 at a shithole executive course with the wife (yeah dins, you know the one)

No, but if I were to guess, I'd go with Meriwether. That place gets a lot of publicity, which I find odd, since it sucks so much ass.

If it's just trying to get the OL out, and not a locational thing, make the trek out to Troutdale to the Edgefield. OL will blow you for it.

2 niners at Seaside beach club (the only place that I've lost 12 balls in one nine due to the blackberries and fucked up rough)

Never been, heard it's cool. And I can show you how to lose more than 12 balls with nothing but a sandwedge.

and 18 at Gearhart Golf Links ( the oldest course in Oregon.)

I WILL check out Gearhart one of these days. I think the statutes on my coastal legal difficulties have expired, so I should be cool. But, summer is coming, and sometimes all the canadians at the coast are too much to deal with. I'd probably end up grouped up with some, with my luck.

Any place that looks like this, must be cool --

Hey dins, you put balls in the water and STILL shot that low?

94 is low on a par 70? I mean, I suck and all, but I generally try to set my sites a little higher, and my hope-to-score a little lower.

Which course was that, cause maybe that will be the lucky one for me too.

The Party Course. Sandelie(East). If you've never been, the beauty of it is they don't sell beer. That being the case, they're not governed by the OLCC. It's bring-your-own time. Me and mine have got pretty out of control at that place. Good place to go with your buddies when you all get a weekday off. Bring WAY more brew then you think you'll ever drink. Once you walk down 1 or 10, you're pretty much isolated, and hardly even see other golfers, the way it's laid out. It's like $23 on weekdays, too. Bonus.

Don't get me wrong, place doesn't have one ounce of class, but neither do I, so it all works out. We always kinda pretty much play winter rules out there, since the fairways are super-hard clay, and the grass can be sparse. Playing off hardpan on other courses becomes child's play after hanging at Sandelie. The greens are pretty much crap, but they have their charm.

All in all, it's a pretty easy track. It's easy for me to get to from where I am(since you know the area where I live, you realize what a traffic nightmare I'm dealing with trying to sneak out for an evening round, and King City ain't gonna cut it). I just kinda like the low-key atmoshere out there. And if you're desperately trying to break 100, that would be a good place to do it, especially being a par 70. If you can't keep it in the 80's there, you suck(bear in mind I went 94) Go check it out sometime, if you're not familiar with it. Fun place.

RACK your getting out and hacking all weekend.

Dinsdale wrote:

I just need to swing my Medicus under my Inside Edge, while wearing that Swing Medic chest thingy, while watching that fat old fart's videos.

Dins prepares for a practice session

Nah, it WAS King Shitty.

Dude. that must be an old picture 'cause they have a nice big clubhouse now (since the fire) and the course has undergone major renovations since one of the local big wigs bought it. Also, I don't think you'll have to worry about too many Canadians with the exchange rate (ha). Gearhart is where the North Coast rich and famous like to hang out. Well worth the drive to play.

I played nine at Sandelie about 15 years ago. (did they even have 18 then?) They only had a little shack and a gravel parking lot and not much else. Thats my kinda track as well.

BTW, I DO suck. I have a pretty good game from 50 yards in, but can't keep from taking an extra shot to get down from the tee and an occasional extra chip shot or penalty from going out of bounds. Damn, those add up fast no matter how well you putt.

longtimelistener2 wrote: and 18 at Gearhart Golf Links ( the oldest course in Oregon.)

I love Gearhart-a really good course. Since they started watering the fairways and toughening the traps, that course has become proportionately more difficult.

Next time you're over there, plan to play 9 holes at the Highland Golf Course. It's just down the road a little ways from Gearhart on the road to Astoria. It's a nine hole executive course that is really in immaculate condition and fun to play.

Also--if you need any equipment, the pro shop at Highland is one of the best I've ever been in and without a doubt, some of the best prices I've seen anywhere.

longtimelistener2 wrote:Nah, it WAS King Shitty.

I see we have a difference in terminology. You call it an "executive course," I call it "a place to send people over the age of 80 to keep them off the road."

I've played there once. Sucks huge ass. And it just pains me way too much to say it, since as we've discussed before, it's literally a 2 minute drive.....in traffic. And that hole where you tee off from someone's porch -- wtf? Screw that. I'll make the extra jaunt to Sandelie. Unless I'm anywhere even vaguely aimed at Hillsboro, then it's all about Killarney. $8 on a weekday, and I fit right in with all of the white trash running around.

If you're looking for a course where you can throw up decent numbers, play the west side of Glendoveer. The front 9 there is about as easy as it gets. OK, King City is pretty easy, but all the geezers on their death bed/golf cart create a repressive, distracting atmoshere.

Might sneak out onto Rock Creek tonight. We always figure he pays them enough every month, that the rest of us shouldn't have to pay guest fees. I guess the course managers don't see it that way. We'll see how that goes.

I played Kilarney with my 10 year old daughter and got so frustrated with the trees that I ended up just carrying her bag and lining up her shots on the last three holes. I'll have to give it another shot.

I've seen the Rock Creek trial card for sale and have been debating whether to giver a run. Never played there before. The ole man in law loves the cheap and short courses of Tigard (if ya know what I mean)

Hey felix, every time I stand on the tee at the fifth I look over at Highlands and say "hey, theres highlands, we should go give it a try". Then we go play seaside since its one block from the house.

longtimelistener2 wrote:I played Kilarney with my 10 year old daughter and got so frustrated with the trees that I ended up just carrying her bag and lining up her shots on the last three holes. I'll have to give it another shot.

Those trees have cost me a club or two over the years. As a matter of fact, my 5W has some damage to the shaft(still holding together, though), thanks to a recent round at "Killarnage."

That course is kinda funny. There's a lot of people who avoid it, saying it's "too hard." I dunno about "too hard," since it's extrememly short. Extremely short. Some of the old timers there say "if you can play here, your game will travel well." True dat. What Killarney does, is teach you about "course management." Take the first hole -- it's only 257 yards, but it doglegs left. I've hit that sucker in one(and each and every time has resulted in a three-putt....RACK ME!), by flying the trees with a 5W. But, if you don't hit that sucker(your first shot of the day at a course with no range, or any other practice area), you're fucked, and blading something out of the trees, or if you fade it, you just started your day with an OB. Is it worth it, when a 8 or 9I puts you a wedge away from the green? Second hole -- a 6 with a big fade puts you right on the apron. If that 6 takes off a little low or a little short, it's swimming, and you're hitting your 3rd shot from a place you have no chance at the green. Is it worth it? I've rung up some huge tabs getting agressive on 2....BIG scores.

And Frisco mentioned that he rarely has to drive a fairway narrower than 60 yards.....BWAHAHAHA!!!!! Isn't a fairway out there that's 60 yards wide. But, at least the SCOREKILLAH, aka "driver" only comes out 4 times in 9 holes. Free-swingers(sup Dins) need to check themselves out there. I always swear if I left everything longer than a 7 at home, I'd score better there. A couple of my madgamed buds have thrown up 32 out there. They make hey on those short par 5's. And occasionally drive #4.

Fun, fun course. And way cheap. And beers are only $1.50. And with the Oregon-style massive trees, there's trouble everywhere you look. Everywhere. Good short-iron play is well rewarded on that sucker, which teaches you that the short irons pay off on every course. Just more so out there.

Rock Creek is a nice track. Only thing I don't like is all the houses, but pretty much any private club is hemmed in by houses. My close friend bought a house(not a Rock Creek style house, but a little box on one of the waste lots on the edge of the neighborhood) close to the clubhouse, and his parents were always members while he was growing up, so he's always played there. A lot nicer under the new ownership, I'm told, but I never played there in the 'old days." It's cheap for a private -- I think he pays about $170 a month, or thereabouts. He wasn't in a hurry to sign his life away at that point, but an old family friend moved away, and gave him their membership. Pretty tough course, actually. Plenty of trouble to be had out there. The beer lady will pour you a stiff cocktail, which increases the trouble factor. Plus, since he's a member, we figure we can carry whatever the hell we want on the cart(sup bong). If you're struggling, that place will flat out hurt your feelings. More than other places I play, for some reason, when things start going bad out there, that course has a way of piling-on, and sending you home crying. Once you throw up your first double/triple bogey, it is over. You're done. The course gods smell that blood in the water, for some reason.

I've still never played Clairemont out there. I've heard I'm not missing much. A friend's dad even works there, and I've yet to check it out. That's a nine-holer, right?

longtimelistener2 wrote: Hey felix, every time I stand on the tee at the fifth I look over at Highlands and say "hey, theres highlands, we should go give it a try". Then we go play seaside since its one block from the house.

My oldest brothers wifes sister owns a house that is just west of the Highlands course, so for us it's easy to get there. Really ltl, it's in immaculate condition. Dan, the guy that owns it does all of the maintenence himself and the course really is meticulous. It's a non-smoking course (if you can believe that). Dan says it's because golfers have a tendency to throw the cigarette butts anywhere and everywhere. Also, if you want to drink any beers, you have to bring them yourself--he doesn't sell it at the course.

Again, if you're ever in need of equipment, his proshop has the best prices around.

You can play 9 holes in about an hour and a half, so next time your in Seaside, make it a point to schedule 9 holes over there--you won't be sorry.

Felix wrote:Dan says it's because golfers have a tendency to throw the cigarette butts anywhere and everywhere. Also, if you want to drink any beers, you have to bring them yourself--he doesn't sell it at the course.

I hate that. I smoke like a chimney when I play, but if it's wet, the butt gets buried in the mud, of if it's dry, they go in my pocket until I get to the trashcan at the next tee. It's not that difficult. I just shake my haed when I see a cigar or cigarette butt on the freaking green. Not cool. I've never heard of a non-smoking course before, though.

And as I mentioned about Sandelie -- it's one of the few that doesn't sell beer. May not sound like a big deal to some here, but Oregon is a nazi-liquor-controlled state, and anyone who sells alcohol in any form is bound by the liquor nazi's rules. One of those rules is you can't consume any alcohol that isn't purchased at the course, and with most places charging you $2.50-$3 a whack, they often enforce it. If they don't sell beer, they're not bound by those rules, and it becomes a free-for-all. You see some drunk motherfuckers out at Sandelie. Then again, it's Sandelie -- I've actually witnessed some of the younger crowd puking in the fairways, and open pot-smoking is pretty much the norm out there. Sandelie is quite the party. One time, me and a friend got WAY liquored up out there. We were drunk when we got there, and put away another 18 pack of brew during the front 9. I mean, straight-up staggering wasted. Yet somehow, my freak-of-nature friend(who I mentioned recently) was under par going up to 18.....which he doubled......hehehe.

I need to check out some of those fine beach courses of Clatsop County that I keep hearing about. Funny thing, right after you guys were talking about Gearhart on here, I happened to walk into a conversation my buds were having about that very course, and how cool it has become. Small world, eh?

And I WILL do Bandon one of these years. I was working in Coos Bay a couple of years back, and met a guy who works there. He said the first week of November is the time to go -- says the weather is usually good on the south coast still, and he says fall is your best chance to avoid the extremely windy conditions that help make it so tough. Also, starting in November, they drop the caddie requirement, and the price goes to $50, instead of $230+caddie, or whatever it is. I don't need a caddie to watch me clown out there. And everything I ever hear still says it's the nicest public course in the country, bar none. Long drive from here, but unlike the rest of the country, at least I can drive there, and not fly in some crop-duster to get there(I guess they're upgrading the local airport to accomodate all the rich folk coming from everywhere to play Bandon. What a strage place to build such a nice course, being hundreds of miles from any sort of major population center. Absolutely beautiful corner of the world, though.) One of these days......

Dinsdale wrote:

Felix wrote:Dan says it's because golfers have a tendency to throw the cigarette butts anywhere and everywhere. Also, if you want to drink any beers, you have to bring them yourself--he doesn't sell it at the course.

I hate that. I smoke like a chimney when I play, but if it's wet, the butt gets buried in the mud, of if it's dry, they go in my pocket until I get to the trashcan at the next tee. It's not that difficult.

Couldn't agree more.

Funny thing, right after you guys were talking about Gearhart on here, I happened to walk into a conversation my buds were having about that very course, and how cool it has become. Small world, eh?

Yep, it is. But the changes they've made to Gearhart make the course play at least 6 shots harder than it did before.....and it wasn't that easy to begin with.

And I WILL do Bandon one of these years.

Me and my buds are still planning the July trip to Bandon......I'm even more enthused with the opening of the third course, which most people say is every bit as good as the first two.

Felix wrote:
Me and my buds are still planning the July trip to Bandon......I'm even more enthused with the opening of the third course, which most people say is every bit as good as the first two.

My bud got some offer to check out some time share thingy there, which would have got him a pass for 4 to play the front of the new course(the back isn't/wasn't done). He was supposed to be "taking one for the team," and going and sitting through their schpiel. Don't know what happened to that deal. He's now working about 400 miles away from there in Bellvue now, so I suppose that's out the window now.

I've never played on the South Coast. Unrack me. Still don't understand why they build all those sweet courses where nobody lives, but the sandy soil, the nice weather, and the spectacular scenery makes it all worthwhile, I suppose. Why should the North Coast have a monopoly on tourist traps, anyway(sup that putrid town of Seaside that you guys seem to frequent).

You described Kilarney PERFECTLT!
Unfortunately, that was my first time and I pulled out the big guns when I should have been chipping my way down the fairway. Thats why my daughter did so well. Consistent 70 yard pokes down the middle.

One of these days I'll get to highlands!

I'm walking distance from Claremont and for the price, I think its decent. I played 9 this past Novemeber (granted you remember that it was shorts season in February) and was getting roll in the fairway at a price of $12. I had to play the "Shitty" it King City and was plugging balls 6" deep. Theres water on the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th and they actually have some bunkers so not to be a total walk in the park. Its not Gearhart or Bandon, but its definately better than some afore mentioned Tigard courses.

Dins, you're probably just intimidated by all the rich people that aren't drunk on the fairways and stoned on the greens.

Update on Killarney --

Went yesterday afternoon. Didn't do particularly well, but it didn't matter.

Killarney has hired THE HOTTEST CHICK IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!!!! at the clubhouse. That's all that really matters. She was so hot, that even the Beavers t-shirt wasn't a turn-off.

Now I've GOT to go!!!

I've got to check out the beaver....................uh............never mind.