The Golf Thread

[social]

McIlrory wrapping up the European order of merit before the final just shows what a farce that tour’s structure has become

 

[Molehill]

McIlrory wrapping up the European order of merit before the final just shows what a farce that tour’s structure has become

Yeah, and he played like a man who has nothing to play for too. Having said that, in Europe we're used to seeing titles decided by League form, the US like their end of season finales. You could win every tournament going in the US and you'd still start the Championship with just a 2 shot advantage, is that fair?

Good to see 2 wins for Donald's wild card picks in Hojgaard and Aberg. The Swede looks a surefire future World Number 1, love watching him play.

 

[Anil]

Apparently Rahm considering a $600 million offer to join LIV…will obviously be a big blow to the PGA tour if that happens…

 

[Son Of Coco]

Went and hit balls yesterday for the first time in a while. I've been going with my son very occasionally, which is great fun, but it's hard to concentrate on your swing when you are also trying to make sure he doesn't get decapitated. He also rifles through them at a rapid rate.

Hit about 120 balls on my own, with rain occasionally blowing in sideways, and it was a treat.

 

[Line and Length]

I stay away from driving ranges. Why practise bad habits?

 

[Molehill]

Went and hit balls yesterday for the first time in a while. I've been going with my son very occasionally, which is great fun, but it's hard to concentrate on your swing when you are also trying to make sure he doesn't get decapitated. He also rifles through them at a rapid rate.

Hit about 120 balls on my own, with rain occasionally blowing in sideways, and it was a treat.

Yeah, kids and driving ranges are funny. They don't do practice swings, more like a semi automatic weapon!!

I'm playing with a mate on Sunday who has an Aussie staying with him (arriving today). Has asked if he can join us too (approved on the basis he cannot mention cricket). He's going to get a shock playing golf in Zero degrees!!

 

[social]

Interesting

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1727948060641091801

 

[Molehill]

Apparently Rahm considering a $600 million offer to join LIV…will obviously be a big blow to the PGA tour if that happens…

If he looked at how Cam Smith performed in Australia this week it might impact his thinking. The lack of real competitive golf in LIV is clearly not helping those players when they come up against the more hardened from other tours. Smith might be at a loss to explain his woeful efforts, but I others might not be.

As for Rahm, seems like it's Phil blowing smoke around as usual. £600m would be about 4 times more than the next biggest figure paid out so far. Also, interesting to see the likes of Wiesberger and Canter returning to the DP World Tour next year. I guess they got their money and are now free to return.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I stay away from driving ranges. Why practise bad habits?

The one I went to has TopTracer, so it adds to the fun. I played 18 holes off the ladies tees (I only had 3 clubs) of some Swedish golf course and shot 1 under par off the stick...so it's obviously a completely accurate representation of the state of my game. I have mates who have played at a pretty high level who don't play for 6 months and then go out and shoot under par, so I am glad the screen version at the range allows me to occasionally be that guy.

Mind you I also did some analysis type thing that gets you to hit shots from different distances, including off the tee, to give you some idea of how you are measuring up to your handicap, and it told me I performed like someone who was off 20 (my handicap is 8). It was ****ing hard hitting a 4 hybrid and being judged on your driving distance though. It was equally difficult hitting a 1/2 to 3/4 strength hybrid/6 iron because I didn't have any other clubs for any distances in between. It was still fun though as you have to think more about what you are going to do. For one of the few times in my life, I was hitting draws/fades basically where I wanted them to go. I'll go back next week with high expectations and hit them along the ground.

 

[social]

If he looked at how Cam Smith performed in Australia this week it might impact his thinking. The lack of real competitive golf in LIV is clearly not helping those players when they come up against the more hardened from other tours. Smith might be at a loss to explain his woeful efforts, but I others might not be.

As for Rahm, seems like it's Phil blowing smoke around as usual. £600m would be about 4 times more than the next biggest figure paid out so far. Also, interesting to see the likes of Wiesberger and Canter returning to the DP World Tour next year. I guess they got their money and are now free to return.

Smith finished 2nd in his previous start, Leishman came 3rd here, Niemann 5th and another LIV golfer won in South Africa so not much correlation

Also

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1727452755781186017

 

[Anil]

Yeah I believe Shipnuck more than Mickelson...he is a dickhead of the 1st order and exactly what Shipnuck described, a bull**** artist.

Edit: To clarify, I am not stating I know anything about Rahm's intentions, just referring to Mickelson, the troll.

 

[Molehill]

The one I went to has TopTracer, so it adds to the fun. I played 18 holes off the ladies tees (I only had 3 clubs) of some Swedish golf course and shot 1 under par off the stick...so it's obviously a completely accurate representation of the state of my game. I have mates who have played at a pretty high level who don't play for 6 months and then go out and shoot under par, so I am glad the screen version at the range allows me to occasionally be that guy.

Mind you I also did some analysis type thing that gets you to hit shots from different distances, including off the tee, to give you some idea of how you are measuring up to your handicap, and it told me I performed like someone who was off 20 (my handicap is 8). It was ****ing hard hitting a 4 hybrid and being judged on your driving distance though. It was equally difficult hitting a 1/2 to 3/4 strength hybrid/6 iron because I didn't have any other clubs for any distances in between. It was still fun though as you have to think more about what you are going to do. For one of the few times in my life, I was hitting draws/fades basically where I wanted them to go. I'll go back next week with high expectations and hit them along the ground.

You sound like a really decent golfer. I wish I'd taken it up when I was a kid as opposed to 38!! I got my handicap down to 12 a year ago but has slipped up 4 shots in the last 12 months. I've had a couple of lessons recently to halt the slide and will have some more when the weather turns. Also, joining a gym seems to have helped hip rotation too. On the upside, I'm now rather well handicapped when I do string things together and got a 3rd in the Stableford on Saturday (to be honest, I should've won it).

I'm still a horrendous chipper though, I need to just spend some hours getting some confidence into that part of my game.

 

[Molehill]

Smith finished 2nd in his previous start, Leishman came 3rd here, Niemann 5th and another LIV golfer won in South Africa so not much correlation

Also

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1727452755781186017

Not the strongest of fields though. Min Woo hacked up (I reckon he could be in with a shout in the Majors in 2024) whilst Lawrence performed a SA Cricket team style choke in Joburg (not the first time he's done that either).

Leishman and Niemann have won 2 of the biggest Californian PGA events in the last few years, they flippin' well ought to be Top 10 in Brisbane. But not sure what happened to Smith, that he was virtually in tears suggests there maybe something more going on.

Tiger Woods back in action this week, will be interesting (and I fear painful) viewing.

 

[Son Of Coco]

You sound like a really decent golfer. I wish I'd taken it up when I was a kid as opposed to 38!! I got my handicap down to 12 a year ago but has slipped up 4 shots in the last 12 months. I've had a couple of lessons recently to halt the slide and will have some more when the weather turns. Also, joining a gym seems to have helped hip rotation too. On the upside, I'm now rather well handicapped when I do string things together and got a 3rd in the Stableford on Saturday (to be honest, I should've won it).

I'm still a horrendous chipper though, I need to just spend some hours getting some confidence into that part of my game.

I started when I was 16 and got down to 3 before I got a bit busy (and cracked the ****s because I couldn't get enough time to practice during uni) and stopped playing so much. I haven't played a lot the past few years (or decades), but its definitely one of those games where you benefit from locking in the basics early on in life. It makes it a lot easier to practice a little bit and start hitting the ball half decently. Mind you, now that expectations are up after hitting it ok last week, I'll probably be atrocious this week.

I wish I had my current head on my 20 year old shoulders though. I think a lot better about the game now, and that translates into a more consistent swing, even if I don't play that often. When you're 20, you're thinking about so many things, with only half of those things involving what you're actually doing at the time. Now I think about 2 things - is my weight where I want it to be (on the balls of my feet), and am I getting to the right position at the top. Then I just swing it. Funnily enough, my best round ever many years ago was a day when I turned up with a mate after half a day's work, had no warm up, and things got a bit ridiculous for the next 10+ holes with me hanging on for a decent score. I'd had a golf lesson the previous week and my coach looked at me and said "Do you concentrate when you're playing?" haha

My chipping and putting has suffered a lot from a lack of practice over the years too. I used to be a pretty good bunker player and a very decent putter, but now it's a lottery. I think access to technology like GPS stuff to tell you distances has helped my long game and approaches though. Back when I was playing a lot, you looked at the yardage markers and guessed, and depending on things like the size of the greens etc, you either believed it or second guessed it and went with what you thought it was. Now, you can see the distance to the front, middle and back of the greens, which allows you to work out what to hit to land short of the pin and/or avoid going over the back. It makes a huge difference when you can not only see how far it is to the pin itself but also how far it is to where you want to land it, which could be a club less.

 

[Molehill]

I started when I was 16 and got down to 3 before I got a bit busy (and cracked the ****s because I couldn't get enough time to practice during uni) and stopped playing so much. I haven't played a lot the past few years (or decades), but its definitely one of those games where you benefit from locking in the basics early on in life. It makes it a lot easier to practice a little bit and start hitting the ball half decently. Mind you, now that expectations are up after hitting it ok last week, I'll probably be atrocious this week.

I wish I had my current head on my 20 year old shoulders though. I think a lot better about the game now, and that translates into a more consistent swing, even if I don't play that often. When you're 20, you're thinking about so many things, with only half of those things involving what you're actually doing at the time. Now I think about 2 things - is my weight where I want it to be (on the balls of my feet), and am I getting to the right position at the top. Then I just swing it. Funnily enough, my best round ever many years ago was a day when I turned up with a mate after half a day's work, had no warm up, and things got a bit ridiculous for the next 10+ holes with me hanging on for a decent score. I'd had a golf lesson the previous week and my coach looked at me and said "Do you concentrate when you're playing?" haha

My chipping and putting has suffered a lot from a lack of practice over the years too. I used to be a pretty good bunker player and a very decent putter, but now it's a lottery. I think access to technology like GPS stuff to tell you distances has helped my long game and approaches though. Back when I was playing a lot, you looked at the yardage markers and guessed, and depending on things like the size of the greens etc, you either believed it or second guessed it and went with what you thought it was. Now, you can see the distance to the front, middle and back of the greens, which allows you to work out what to hit to land short of the pin and/or avoid going over the back. It makes a huge difference when you can not only see how far it is to the pin itself but also how far it is to where you want to land it, which could be a club less.

Golf is so much in the head, my best rounds are normally ones which start averagely and then improve. If I start too well it goes to me head and I collapse!! I'm probably the opposite to you, I concentrate almost too much and am fully aware of my score at all times (being good with numbers is not always a positive!).

Putting has always been a strength, it was the one thing I did a lot of as a kid and I can still tell now. You obviously have good days and bad days, but most of that will be down to green reading, not hitting it off line. I actually got a new GPS watch last week (old one died). I now have all the distances to various hazards plus the shape of the green too. Makes little difference round my own course, but will be great when I go elsewhere.

My swing thought is more rotate shoulders and hit ground 2 inches after ball!! I like the balls of feet tip though, that's definitely something I should consider more.

*stands up and practices swing!!

 

[Tom Flint]

I love golf and watch a lot of it and follow each of the tournaments each week. I just can't get into playing it, I can't get my head around handicaps and it just doesn't interest me.
I prefer going to my uncles club and chatting to then all after their round.

 

[Son Of Coco]

My swing thought is more rotate shoulders and hit ground 2 inches after ball!! I like the balls of feet tip though, that's definitely something I should consider more.

*stands up and practices swing!!

I find feeling like my weight is just on the balls of my feet gets me in position for other things in my swing to fall into place. When I'm back on my heels a bit, it gets pretty ugly. Mind you, I have spent whole (terrible) rounds without this entering into my head only to realise after the game that it might have been something I considered, so maybe my head isn't that much improved from when I was 16!

Now it's one of the first things I go to though as I know it seems to make a difference for me.

 

[social]

My old man played off low single figures for most of his life without ever having a lesson and rarely practicing

While he was blessed with a beautiful natural swing and could putt, his biggest strength was mental

Basic aim was to swing easy and avoid trouble

He beat me off the stick when I was playing off 9, he was about 70 and only used a 5 iron, a pitching wedge and a putter

Can't say that I have ever heeded the lesson

 

[Burgey]

Had the pleasure of playing at the Aus today. Haven’t had a hit there for a few years and the course is as good as I’ve ever seen it. Had the pins still set up from the final round yesterday so it was a challenge tstl.

 

[Molehill]

Had the pleasure of playing at the Aus today. Haven’t had a hit there for a few years and the course is as good as I’ve ever seen it. Had the pins still set up from the final round yesterday so it was a challenge tstl.

Wow, amazing. I saw Eddie Pepperell saying that the course was in as good a condition as any he'd come across.

I once played a course in France on the day of a practice round for a European Tour Event - Every pin tucked behind bunkers or hanging off the corners of greens!!