Golf!!!

[scotts]

My wife and I took some lesson recently and we are hooked. But of course we are beginners so I could use some help and thought we could share out golf stories. First of all, what is a handicap? (I know besides my swing) I could look it up but I think it would just confuse me.
Last week my wife was off work and we played golf everyday. Friday we are going to rent a cart and play 18 holes for the first time. I am feeling pretty good because we have played all week and it is going to be fun. I step up to the first tee and blast the driver, the ball goes up and my slice takes over and the ball goes OVER the fence for the driving range and INTO the driving range.

 

[abrand]

I play golf quite a bit and can somewhat answer your handicap question. Basically it is a calculation that shows how good an amateur is. Handicap is expressed numerically with the lower the number the better the player. A scratch golfer has a handicap of zero. So a player that has a handicap of 10 would average 10 over par on 18 holes of golf. BUT, it gets more complicated. The difficulty of all courses are not equal so there are two values that get put into the equation, course rating and slope rating. I can't quite remember what the two values are but I know the course rating is the average score a scratch golfer on that course. This value is usually between 65-75 ish, so a course with a higher course rating is a harder course. The same applies with slope rating, but it is for a not so good golfer, i think?.. Anyway the exact calculation is complicated but you can google and find equations.
I recommend a website that has many courses slopes and ratings in the system, google "oobgolf" and join to keep track of your handicap.
Anyway, I hope this helps. Welcome to the most frustrating thing I have ever done in my life. Golf seems so easy, but trust me, to get good be prepared to break clubs, throw clubs in lakes, walk off the course and say you will never play again. I have done all of those plenty of times.
Cheers

 

[dogfaceman]

Originally Posted by Scotts
http:///forum/post/2914859
My wife and I took some lesson recently and we are hooked. But of course we are beginners so I could use some help and thought we could share out golf stories. First of all, what is a handicap? (I know besides my swing) I could look it up but I think it would just confuse me.
Last week my wife was off work and we played golf everyday. Friday we are going to rent a cart and play 18 holes for the first time. I am feeling pretty good because we have played all week and it is going to be fun. I step up to the first tee and blast the driver, the ball goes up and my slice takes over and the ball goes OVER the fence for the driving range and INTO the driving range.

what course are you playing at? Tierra Rejada, Moorpark country club? camarillo springs?

 

[sickboy]

Yeah, the slope rating is how a bogey golfer would play the course vs. the course rating which is how a scratch golfer would play.
By the way, I might hate you....I haven't been able to play golf for months!!!!!! Way to cold, and even if I wanted to play, the courses are covered in snow!!
No seriously, welcome to the game! I still haven't figured out which is more annoying...Hair Algae or Golf!

 

[deejeff442]

the better you get at golf the more aggrevating it is.
remember only 10-15% of golfers shoot under 100
i can get into the high 80"s once in a while
but like most tough to get out more than once a month
if you want to get rid of that slice just remember on your down swing just as you are about to strike the ball turn your right wrist over the ball closing the club head .that will eliminate the slice.
remember let the club do the work its not baseball.
most club houses will let you borrow a new club to try out
barrow one of the new monster drivers ,get extra tall tees and have some fun.

 

[kjr_trig]

It's a silly game....Quit while you can.

 

[scotts]

Abrand, Thanks!! When I posted I was more lookaing at how do you figure a handicap, but after seeing your post I realize it is too complicated for me. I also wondered about the course and slope rating.
Dogface, you know what is funny. I can literally walk to Los Robles golf course in 4 mintues. But it is way over our heads. We play at Sinaloa, a par 3 in Moorpark/Simi or at Saticoy right near Ventura. Saticoy is nice becaue it is wide open and mainly old fogies that play it. Also we can play as a pair, don't really want to be teamed up in a foursome.
Sick, yeah it was really nice to be able to go out during the week and play. Of course it was nice when it warmed up later in the week and I was able to take off my sweatshirt.

Deej, I know I need to go to the drivign range and hit a couple of buckets of balls to work on my swing. We played one say and I watched the golf channel that night. The next day I tried to do what the guy on the GC said to do and it copletely messed me up. BTW my wife's best friend's husband works for Titleist or Cobra in the custom club dept. He was able to hook her up with a new set of clubs. She has one of those oversized Mongo drivers. I can hit that thing a ton and straight. I need to get rid of my thrift store clubs, but all in due time.
Kjr, Mark Twain said that Golf is a good walk ruined.

 

[stdreb27]

ooo my wife said she wouldn't mind hitting a few golf

balls. I'd love to get her addicted to golfing.

 

[deejeff442]

it aint the clubs,my friend plays with old wood drivers for fun and can hit then 250 yds.
my clubs are 15 yrs old
i figure if i get a new more advanced set it would

[hr]
me up.
just remember it only takes one great shot to keep you coming back

 

[kjr_trig]

Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/2915358
it aint the clubs,my friend plays with old wood drivers for fun and can hit then 250 yds.
my clubs are 15 yrs old
i figure if i get a new more advanced set it would

[hr]
me up.
just remember it only takes one great shot to keep you coming back

A 250 yard drive with a Persimmon (wood) head driver is a 300 yard drive with a newer Titanium head driver....Irons and Putters have not changed near as much technology wise compared to Drivers and golf balls which have both changed the game in the last 10 years.

 

[deejeff442]

i love my irons though i cant hit as far as friends with new ones but they go straight and i know thier distance.
i have an adams driver i like but can only hit a little over 200 yds.
my short game 125yds and in is great
personally i would stay away from par 3 coarses when starting out
find a cheap par 72 then all the better players arent there
you can learn alot faster and be able to make up a bad shot
most beginners go to the range and mostly use the fun driver
my tiss well use it on the coarse.
just remember everyone was bad at first dont worry about other golfers if they are better let them play through and you paid to be there also.
if you are just learning also use the foot wedge they dont count as a stroke

 

[scotts]

My woods are about 10 years old and I can't hit them to save my life. But the Mongo driver is completely different. You have to hold it with your hands in front of the ball. Maybe that eleminates my slice.

Gotta love the sound it makes also.
The thing I don't like about the driving range is that you hit off the mat. I like hitting off the grass better. I think the next thing I want to do is get new grips for my clubs. The clubs are OK but the grips suck. Oh well I guess there is always something to spend your money on.

 

[dogfaceman]

Originally Posted by Scotts
http:///forum/post/2915286
Abrand, Thanks!! When I posted I was more lookaing at how do you figure a handicap, but after seeing your post I realize it is too complicated for me. I also wondered about the course and slope rating.
Dogface, you know what is funny. I can literally walk to Los Robles golf course in 4 mintues. But it is way over our heads. We play at Sinaloa, a par 3 in Moorpark/Simi or at Saticoy right near Ventura. Saticoy is nice becaue it is wide open and mainly old fogies that play it. Also we can play as a pair, don't really want to be teamed up in a foursome.
Sick, yeah it was really nice to be able to go out during the week and play. Of course it was nice when it warmed up later in the week and I was able to take off my sweatshirt.

Deej, I know I need to go to the drivign range and hit a couple of buckets of balls to work on my swing. We played one say and I watched the golf channel that night. The next day I tried to do what the guy on the GC said to do and it copletely messed me up. BTW my wife's best friend's husband works for Titleist or Cobra in the custom club dept. He was able to hook her up with a new set of clubs. She has one of those oversized Mongo drivers. I can hit that thing a ton and straight. I need to get rid of my thrift store clubs, but all in due time.
Kjr, Mark Twain said that Golf is a good walk ruined.
haha.... Los Robles is nowhere worth the money that they charge, the best course in our area is Moorpark Country Club.
if you want some good courses that are cheap, try getting twilight times at most courses for under $30. some of the best cheap courses in our area is Elkins ranch (Fillmore) and a really good course for beginers is Victoria lakes, Its a Linx course so almost no trees and its really easy. also is that par 3 you play on, near the Simi Costco?

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by Scotts
http:///forum/post/2916083
My woods are about 10 years old and I can't hit them to save my life. But the Mongo driver is completely different. You have to hold it with your hands in front of the ball. Maybe that eleminates my slice.

Gotta love the sound it makes also.
The thing I don't like about the driving range is that you hit off the mat. I like hitting off the grass better. I think the next thing I want to do is get new grips for my clubs. The clubs are OK but the grips suck. Oh well I guess there is always something to spend your money on.

Scott, quit listening to the guys on the golf channel right now. If you have a slice, keep it and use it to your advantage. As long as it is consistent every time, then just point your body accordingly and you should know exactly where that ball is going to go. I did this for the first 3 yrs I played, and it amazed people how I could whip it around a dogleg or something. But one day, and Iv'e heard others say this too, it just disappeared for no reason. I couldn't do anymore to save my life. Messed up the game temporarily, but then started playing with the new swing at that time.

 

[kjr_trig]

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2916550
Scott, quit listening to the guys on the golf channel right now. If you have a slice, keep it and use it to your advantage. As long as it is consistent every time, then just point your body accordingly and you should know exactly where that ball is going to go. I did this for the first 3 yrs I played, and it amazed people how I could whip it around a dogleg or something. But one day, and Iv'e heard others say this too, it just disappeared for no reason. I couldn't do anymore to save my life. Messed up the game temporarily, but then started playing with the new swing at that time.
I agree about not listening too much to the Golf Channel, or your buddy thats a little better than you....But "keep your slice, and play it to your advantage"

See your local PGA Professional for a couple of lessons and get off on the right foot. It will make the game more enjoyable.....Golf is all muscle memory, practice doesn't make perfect, practice make permanant...Practice the wrong thing and it gets harder and harder to fix.
Sincerely....Your "not so local" PGA Professional

 

[t316]

Yes, that is what I was saying. Obviously not if you are a pro and plan to be playing 5 times a week, but most of us are hackers. Like many, I beat myself up trying to do what everyone said, but once I quit, and started working with what I knew was going to happen.....score started coming down in a hurry

 

[scotts]

Dog, the par 3 is near the Simi in Costco, right at the bend of Olson road. Pretty small little dinky course, but it is $12 and kind of fun to go hit the ball around on. We heard about Elkins and almost went there, maybe someday. I will look into the Victoria Lakes couse. Do NOT go to Lindero Country Club....

KJ, I hear you and I know what you are saying. That is exactly what they guy said that we took the lessons from. I did not know you were a pro until now. Pretty cool.
I am more like T316, I know I am not going to go out there and play all that often. I just want to be good enough to kind of hit it straight towards the hole. The problem is I learned a swing 30 years ago. Played a little bit 10 years ago and am picking it back up, kind of. If I do the new compact swing I just recently learned then I can hit is straight, for about 20 yards on the ground.

T3 don't worry I won't fix my slice before we play, I know you have to have some fun on that day.

 

[ruaround]

my biggest piece of advice would be TO GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!!!