Not to say that we EVER get off topic...
I thought I'd start a thread where we can revel or whine about our rounds. It's always fun to hear how people are doing out on the links, so here goes!

Had two fabulous days this weekend. Played Saturday and Sunday at my home course. (Bought a punch card for 10 rounds so I get $7 off 18!)
I've been starting out the front 9 pretty poorly. Shot 43 both days on the front. Back 9 was a different story both days. 39 Saturday and 36 Sunday. So 82 and 79. Not bad.
Putting is absolutely killing me right now. I had 39 putts on Saturday and 36 on Sunday. Oh well. I'm excited, as I seem to be picking up closer to my mid-season form sooner than I did last year. I think all this club testing is probably messing with my game right now! Oh well, it's fun none the less.
I played last Sunday through the 11th hole today with the same Nike One Platinum. It took a lickin' and kept tickin'!

I played Querencia and Cabo Real and shot 82 and 77. Not bad, not great. I was messing with the weights in my driver before the Querencia round and pull hooked most of my tee shots. Lost 6 balls. So I lightened the swing wt., set the weights to neutral and hit it great off the tee. Then I couldn't putt. As I was playing "God ain't it awful" about not making any putts, I started thinking, what if I couldn't play at all. So I changed my thinking to; Putting like this is really the @#*&@, but it's just the way I like it!
Bill

Ain't it the truth. A bad day on the links isn't such a bad day after all, if you stop and think about it. You do have to count your blessings. I have a video of a guy who is disabled from the waist down, but damn it, he straps himself to the cart, and hits a hell of a shot for his circumstances. Sure, he could sit around and watch golf on TV, maybe play the Tiger Woods video game, but no... he's out there, enjoying one of the greatest games ever created. Puts things in perspective.

However, I'm off tomorrow, and will play a round. It's probable I could be back here tomorrow evening retracting everything I just said...

Phooey, I'm not playing as well as I wanted to. Aren't new clubs supposed to instantly make you better?
I did putt very well last time out with the new (used) putter (Odyssey DFX 5500), despite the fact that the course had aerated the greens (and were top dressed w/sand).
Bunkers killed me the last couple of rounds, I need a lesson ASAP. Lowest score so far is a pathetic 99.
But I agree with Wade, it's good to be able to play.

Got off to a real good start last Thursday. HIt my driver as well as I ever have, 6 of 7 fairways on the front nine. After practicing my putting at home for 3 days, the putter was in control as well. Only had 5 putts for the first 5 holes, not tooooo bad. 3 over on the front. Back 9, I was trying too hard and not making nice easy relaxed swings. Started hooking the ball and missing the short grass. Good thing the short game was working. Ended up with a 81, not what I was looking for after the front nine, but better than being at work.

Great Sunday for me. 2 over 73. Hit 9/14 FWS 9/18 greens. 24 putts. Average Driving Distance was 262.8. Farthest drive was 303 since it took a members bounce off a tree and into the cartpath =D. What a great day of golf. My putter came to life in the back 9 and wow I shot even on the back and 2 over on the front. 3 birdies 5 bogies. 10 pars.

last thursday was a train wreck.

they had a frost delay so we had too much time before the round.
i messed around with a few different clubs (don and i were comparing clubs) on the range, hit WAY too many balls, got myself out of sync and sore, and then they called us to the tee box half hour before we expected them too.

i hit my first drive flush (despite having my right leg literally shaking) but pulled it and WHACK....right off a tree branch and lateral just in front of the ladies tees.
then i top a 4 iron knowing i was basically incapable of making a full turn.
i forgot a scorecard so i rushed back to get one.
hit a halfway decent approach and sunk the 20 footer, but im now WAY off kilter.
i started crouching the ball, hit a hosel rocket on #2, hit a lousy chip, hit a line drive off the tee on #3......it just goes on.

bad day.
lesson learned.

no more overpracticing for me, since all that happens is i get myself to a point where i cant make a good swing on the course.
i spent some time working on my stance, so hopefully ill be back to normal tomorrow.

I keep my range outting for the day before and well one large bucket (50-70 balls) before the round.

Played 18 yesterday, for the first time in 5 days. Don't have quite the game some of you have (yet...) But it was one of my best rounds in recent memory (gotta love short-term memory loss,) and I was pleased with my course management. My mandate for the day: "To consistantly advance the ball, leaving myself a respectable next shot, and that meant often taking an extra club and swinging easier. No heroics, just good solid shot-making." And it payed dividends. Granted I still made mistakes, but it's so nice to be making "smarter" mistakes for a change.

Stepped up to the first tee, played for a fade (or slice) since that's been my tendency, and predictably played the *slice* all day. What do you know? Landed most fairways! I was trying to close my face a little more, take a more medium stance (it's been rather wide) and watch my swing plane. Well, this natural-born slicer stayed true to his birthright. Still, I kept it in play all except for one super-slice, leaving me 100 yds to the flag, and needing to hit under trees... My trusty 3w punch shot ran onto the green, and though I missed my birdie putt, it was a tap in par. My putts were solid, due to much intensive practice, and I finished with an 84. Very pleased, as I average in the mid-upper 80's. My chipping was really solid (except for that *one* darned hole...) and I left myself a series of easy putts, even chipping one in for birdie!

Back working in the studio today, off tomorrow... but it's supposed to rain. Time to dig out the wet-suit!

It didn't rain! And was beautiful out today (but I just heard thunder... it will rain tonight.) Doesn't matter, I have to work the next 7 days straight, anyway, so I got my licks in while I could! And it was good.

As for driving, I might as well swing with a kitchen mandolin, for the variety of slices I produce. Far too many rescue shots today, but I was feeling lucky. Most were successful, and my putting was excellent, so I saved quite a few holes. Played with 3 others, and one of them had Game. After a few holes, I thought "he and I are pretty good." Somewhere around the turn, I thought, "he's really good." By the end of the round I thought, "he's damn good, and I still kinda stink." Just kidding, I'm one of those eternal optimist.

He and I drove our own carts, and tended to drive around together. (I kept wanting to play bumper carts.) He's been playing 23 yrs, and it showed, as he shot 3 under. On one of the par 5's, I drove the ball into the trees "left" of the fairway, of all places... We drove our carts up to my ball; I had no clean shot. He said, "You can still get your par." And I agreed. Hit my magic 3w (I love that club) and left myself about 140 yds. Got my par.

Finished the round with 10 pars and 1 double, for my best of the season 81! I think his good play helped elevate my game. It's great to see someone have a round like that. He said his best there is 6 under. I believe it.

Wade, no question you bring the level of your game up (or down ) to the level of your playing partners.
I like playing with people who are slightly better than me (which is not all that hard) but if I'm playing with a guy who hits from the tips and really has "game" I start to feel too intimidated to play well (you get the feeling that they are bummed playing with you). Paranoid, no doubt.
I plan on going out one time this summer solo, I have a feeling that I'll play better without my husband giving me "tips"

Yes, it's nice to play golf with someone that's better than yourself, but both of you can't do that, the other guy is stuck with you. Me, I don't think it matters too much, as long as everyone keeps up the pace. Can't stand having to wait on some fool that can't play worth a damn, and isn't willing to at least play fast enough to keep up with the rest of the foursome. I don't mind being paired with someone that can't break 100, but if he's really slow too, that's too much. Yesterday one of the guys Jake and I played with shot a 101, and it was not a problem at all, because he didn't sit around wasting time all day, he played fast enough to keep up. If I had my choice, I'd prefer to play with people of equal or somewhat better games than me. That way I might be able to learn something from them. One of the worst thing is having to put up with a golfer that is having a bad day, and loses his or her temper and starts yelling and throwing clubs. That ruins it for everyone. I've know I've been guilty of losing my temper a few times, but I've seen and heard a lot worse.

Ooooh.....them's fight'in words! Two old guys dukin' it out. This should be good. Don't break a hip guys!

Thanks Bill; I'll have you know Jake and I played from the back tees yesterday, (6735 yards), hit 6 of 7 fairways and 7 of 9 greens on the front nine. Shot 38, 2 over par. Back 9 wasn't as good but shot a 41, including a triple bogey on #10, 2 over for the other 8 holes. Shot par on all 5 of the par 3's and hit all the greens too. Shot a 79 with not one birdie. Came close but with the greens having been aerated a few days ago, it wasn't easy to even come close to the cup. Can't wait for you to come visit so you can show me how it's done right. Later my friend.

Bill.. Don dont make go to your respective courses and beat you both =D. 8.4 HCP already =D and its dropping everyweekend lol

Omar,
Your hdcp. is down to 8.4 already?
Are you still using multi-mulligans?
Bill

hell no. I play the game strictly by the rules. No more funny buisness. I know in the 3 tournaments coming up in the next month I cannot use mulligans so I said "forget it, Time to practice hard" and my game has elevated to a nice level. One tee per hole unless its a practice round where I want to try something different. No more slice =D Straight drivers 265-280 now =D. Its great to finally be able to put spin and get the ball to dance lol. Still gotta work on that damn greenside bunker though its not consistent enough.

Omar dont be so fast to say that you got rid of your slice. Once a slicer always a slicer and you never know when it will rear its ugly head again. but sounds like your game is coming around.

Yesterday was the first time I played in a week(finals are next week so i am pretty busy). I only got nine holes in since it was mens day at my home course. Two birdies and two bogies. i really hit the ball well but putted rather poorly. i think i had low gross in the league but if my putter would of been on i could of went pretty low.

Well, another mixed bag. Shot 102 (yes, you can tell I'm honest about my scores)- but the putter is really feeling good, it took about 3 rounds to get used to it. I put my old 3-iron in the bag, since I haven't found one to match my new set (and now that I look at it alongside the new clubs, there's not a heck of a lot different). Ahh, old dependable. Had some good sand saves. Not a single par in the round (hence that pathetic score).
Playing on Sunday, then have a business outing on Thurs. at a "fancy" club, so I'm psyched for that.

Aimee, sure it wasn't your best round, but at least you found things to like about it, as in your putting and sand saves. You always need at least one (hopefully more) good shot per hole to keep some kind of momentum. Often they come when you're not trying so hard. I was really trying hard to not try hard today.

Only had time for the executive 9. It's 2478 yds and a challenging and fun course called Roosevelt. I play there frequently, but today played with, well I guess the best player I've played there with. He in fact holds the course record of 6 under for 9. I didn't know this until the 4th hole...and today he was 3 under. My round was, less than spectacular, but I again enjoyed seeing such nice play. After the round I asked him what was the secret of golf? He said, "A lot of patience, and plenty of practice." Well, I guess it's no real secret... But if I took anything away from his round, besides seeing it done, it's that he left himself birdie looks and easy pars. There's my template.

The best part about golf is that aslong as your within 5 yards from the green you can make a par. I mean of course if you got there in two though lol

Wade, the philosophy my husband and I take to the golf course is:
1) no matter how bad, it's better to play than to work
2) you are enjoying the great outdoors, don't take it for granted
3) even if you don't score well, you can take enjoyment from striking the ball well
PS- we saw a HUGE wild turkey at the golf course! I heard him before I saw him and they are so stupid, if you call out "gobble gobble gobble" it will keep answering back.

Sounds like good philosophy to me!

PS - Coincidentally, I happen to see a turkey just about everytime I play, usually somewhere around the turn, as I duck into the men's room, and catch my own reflection in the mirror...