Golf Thread 2015

[JohnBriggs12]

Well the US Open was entertaining.....but I still don't know what to think of the crazy greens. I think it's a beautiful course but maybe was needed a few more years to mature. What a great finish and had 4 watching all four days. I guess that's all I ever ask for.

 

They need to fix the greens but the problems with the course run deeper than that. It's not maturity either. The USGA wanted it that way. I'm not fan of watching a ball roll sideways and backwards and around like a pin ball. The finish was entertaining and dramatic but anytime a major comes down to the last few holes there is drama.

 

By the way the Fox coverage, particularly with Joe Buck as lead host was horrible. Brian Anderson would have been a much better choice.

[FVBrewerFan]

U.S Open has always been about penalizing bad shots and rewarding good ones. That tricked up course didn't play that way. When you hit your approach shot right where you need to, and it rolls off the green 50 yards... that's ridiculous. I'm going to guess Nike wanted it there.

[Patrick425]

I actually did not think Joe Buck was that horrible. Also, I did like that there were times that the announcers just went silent and let the action speak for itself. It seemed like there were a lot more times where you could here golfers and caddies conversing with each other about how they want to approach a shot or a putt than you would normally hear on a CBS golf broadcast. I enjoyed that and wish there were more of that in golf broadcasts.

[Funketown]

I think Chambers Bay is sort of a love-it and hate-it venue.

 

I love that it brings a lot of strategy back into the game even for PGA players. You can't simply point and shoot at a target, and more often than not (I'd say with the exception of the 7th, which is really quite a severe green complex for a hole of that difficulty) players who end up 50 yards from the green did not hit a good shot. Just look at Phil Mickelson's face after his first approach shot of the tournament; he knew he needed to use the ground to bring the ball near the pin, and he immediately saw that his approach was landed too close to the pin. Similarly, seeing players rewarded for understanding how to work the ball to stay on the fairways and avoid hazards, rather than seeing players rewarded for a straight ball all the time, was refreshing. Also, I really liked the tracker on the golf balls because it helped you see what shot-shapes were being rewarded, punished, etc. It is far less random than it would seem.

 

The greens were terrible though, and from my understanding it was an absolutely horrible venue for spectators. I think I've played recently punched greens that rolled truer than those at Chambers Bay this past weekend. I do think the 7th is close to being a really cool Cape-style hole, but a long-iron approach to a 50+ foot uphill, severe green that punishes a 1 foot mishit with a 60 yard (difficult) pitch is just too much, because there really isn't a safe option due to the downhill chip/putt one receives if they should go past the hold (as opposed to the first hole). Also, I generally like half-par holes, but the way 16 was playing really gave no incentive to play conservatively; a clean shot out of that bunker is easier than a 100 yard wedge.

 

I'm excited to watch St. Andrews in a few weeks. I never 'got' St. Andrews until I recently started playing golf more often and started to take an interest in golf course architecture, but now it's probably my #1 bucket-list course.

[NeedMoreFans]

The players complaining about Chambers Bay was like them complaining about Whistling Straights after the 2010 PGA. The course is tough, it's designed to be tough, and you can't play it like a "normal" course like they are used to. These guys are the best golfers in the world, and seeing winning scores of -15, -17, ect... really doesn't show how challenging some courses are.

 

I laughed at one guy who had a putt that jumped up as it was rolling towards the cup. Do you know how often that happens to me when I'm out there golfing? Yeah, it may cause you to lose a stroke, it's annoying, and I hate it, but it's also on me to make sure the path I want to take to the cup is clear of things that can cause my ball to do something I don't want it to do. I had some sympathy for guys who had a ball miss by an inch, nearly stop, then start to roll until it was 20 feet away. It reminded me of a shot Payne Stewart had in the US Open about 20 years ago.

 

I'm really interested to see how Erin Hills will play in two years.

[Patrick425]

First round leaderboard at the British Open (I refuse to call it "The Open") currently has 2 amateurs within 2 strokes of the lead. One of them is Jordan Niebrugge from Mequon at -5 (2 off the lead). There are lot of players shooting low scores today.

[Funketown]

St. Andrews is just such a fantastic venue.

 

11-12-13-14 might be one of the most strategic, thought-provoking stretches you ever see. I'm looking forward to logging a half-dozen hours in front of the iPad tomorrow with the BBC feed!

[Patrick425]

Have been keeping track of the leader board on the The British Open official web site. It's 3:49 Central time and it shows that players are still on the course and their scores continue to update? I thought they were 6 hours ahead of us. How could they still be playing at 9:50pm?

[LouisEly]

Wondering if some folks here can recommend some golf shoes that are good/comfortable for people who like to walk the course. I like to get exercise - walking the course and carrying my clubs - even at the expense of a few strokes down the stretch; it helps me rationalize the expense of the greens fees. Keep in mind, I'm 6'3", 220, so the shoes need to be good for bigger guys that like to walk.

 

Not a fan of Nike for many reasons, and they would likely make some of the most comfortable given their athletic shoe technology, but if they are really amazing I might put aside my issues with Nike.

[Funketown]

Have been keeping track of the leader board on the The British Open official web site. It's 3:49 Central time and it shows that players are still on the course and their scores continue to update? I thought they were 6 hours ahead of us. How could they still be playing at 9:50pm?

 

From what I understand the players were trying to get as many holes as possible in before tomorrow morning, which may see even worse weather. Groups were allowed to either play or stop at their discretion; Tom Watson clearly wanted to end his Open career this evening rather than at 7AM so it was a nice move of his playing partners to continue through #18.

[WV Brew]

Jordan Niebrugge, from Mequon, finishes tied for 6th with top amateur score at the British Open. Congratulations!

[FVBrewerFan]

How could they still be playing at 9:50pm?

 

It's much further north than Wisc, much longer daylight this time of year (Like Alaska)

[zurch1818]

Wondering if some folks here can recommend some golf shoes that are good/comfortable for people who like to walk the course. I like to get exercise - walking the course and carrying my clubs - even at the expense of a few strokes down the stretch; it helps me rationalize the expense of the greens fees. Keep in mind, I'm 6'3", 220, so the shoes need to be good for bigger guys that like to walk.

 

Not a fan of Nike for many reasons, and they would likely make some of the most comfortable given their athletic shoe technology, but if they are really amazing I might put aside my issues with Nike.

 

I'm 6'1, 195 lbs and share your desire to walk the course and carry my clubs. My whole family is actually that way. There are some courses that the cart is included with the green fee and I will still walk it, especially when it is 90 degree or carts on path. I've also noticed I find a lot more balls when I walk the course.

 

I've always preferred FootJoy shoes. I usually spend $75 - $115 on shoes and they last for 3-5 years before they start falling apart and no longer are waterproof enough for morning dew or if it does happen to rain a little bit. During the summer, I probably go golfing at least once a week, so you can figure out the number of uses from there. My next pair will be a FootJoy.

 

My brother is 6'1" and 215 and he just switched over to Puma. I'm pretty sure he is happy with his selection. If you really want an off the wall recommendation, my dad (6'2" 220 lbs) just switched from FootJoy to Allen Edmonds. He is in love with their work shoes in terms of comfort and their durability. When he saw they made golf shoes, he immediately bought a pair last year. Those I want to say were more like $275 but you can get them re-crafted rather than buying a new pair when they start to wear.

[NeedMoreFans]

Wondering if some folks here can recommend some golf shoes that are good/comfortable for people who like to walk the course. I like to get exercise - walking the course and carrying my clubs - even at the expense of a few strokes down the stretch; it helps me rationalize the expense of the greens fees. Keep in mind, I'm 6'3", 220, so the shoes need to be good for bigger guys that like to walk.

 

Not a fan of Nike for many reasons, and they would likely make some of the most comfortable given their athletic shoe technology, but if they are really amazing I might put aside my issues with Nike.

 

The best pair of golf shoes I ever had were Adidas, but they no longer make the shoe I had. I used them until the soles split from the shoe, even tried to have them repaired because they were so comfortable. I am roughly your size...a bit heavier but not much. I have Foot Joys right now and I get severe blisters on my heels, so I'm in the market for new shoes.

[LouisEly]

St. Andrews is just such a fantastic venue.

Does anyone else think that a hotel conference room sticking out onto the course that you have to hit over and having grandstands in the middle of the course soils such a majestic and historic venue?

[Baldkin]

Wondering if some folks here can recommend some golf shoes that are good/comfortable for people who like to walk the course. I like to get exercise - walking the course and carrying my clubs - even at the expense of a few strokes down the stretch; it helps me rationalize the expense of the greens fees. Keep in mind, I'm 6'3", 220, so the shoes need to be good for bigger guys that like to walk.

 

Not a fan of Nike for many reasons, and they would likely make some of the most comfortable given their athletic shoe technology, but if they are really amazing I might put aside my issues with Nike.

 

I'm 6'1, 195 lbs and share your desire to walk the course and carry my clubs. My whole family is actually that way. There are some courses that the cart is included with the green fee and I will still walk it, especially when it is 90 degree or carts on path. I've also noticed I find a lot more balls when I walk the course.

 

I've always preferred FootJoy shoes. I usually spend $75 - $115 on shoes and they last for 3-5 years before they start falling apart and no longer are waterproof enough for morning dew or if it does happen to rain a little bit. During the summer, I probably go golfing at least once a week, so you can figure out the number of uses from there. My next pair will be a FootJoy.

 

My brother is 6'1" and 215 and he just switched over to Puma. I'm pretty sure he is happy with his selection. If you really want an off the wall recommendation, my dad (6'2" 220 lbs) just switched from FootJoy to Allen Edmonds. He is in love with their work shoes in terms of comfort and their durability. When he saw they made golf shoes, he immediately bought a pair last year. Those I want to say were more like $275 but you can get them re-crafted rather than buying a new pair when they start to wear.

 

The best advice I can give anyone is if you plan to buy good shoes, don't skimp on the insoles. Go get fitted for some superfeet or something similar. They are amazing.

[WV Brew]

I don't like the hotel in the middle of the driving area. It really has taken out the possibility of going for birdie on the road hole. I wish they would simply go to a dead ball rather than constantly lengthening courses. Seems like that would be easier and then courses would be comparable to the way they played in the past.

[DHonks]

For comfortable shoes, I've never had an uncomfortable pair of Footjoys. I've had Nike's and Adidas that have given me blisters. For moderately priced shoes, the FJ Contours are like walking with pillows protecting your feet. I have a great pair of FJ Icons that are the nicest I've ever had. I don't wear them often, but I like them. The FJ DNA are nice, but they run about .5-1 sizes big. I also hear lots of great things about Ecco, but I've never owned a pair

 

Also on a side note, I got my first ever hole-in-one last week at Tripoli! 30 years of golfing, probably 70 or 80 eagles, and at least a dozen teeshots on the lip, but finally got one!!!

[Funketown]

Anybody have an idea of the typical ratio of eagles per hole-in-one for a scratch-ish golfer? Just a curiousity, certainly PGA data would not be too difficult to use but I'm more curious about non-insanely good golfers.

 

I've never had an eagle, though I just started playing again a year ago, got my handicap down from about 12 when starting to about 7, and hoping to get into low single-digits by next year by actually getting in shape. In the last five or so rounds I've played, I've had 3 or 4 putts in the 15-30 foot range for eagle, but missed them all by a grand total of about 12 inches. Oh well.

[DHonks]

Funketown, no clue. good golfers hit them close, but luck gets them in. I'm 34 and currently about a 2-3 handicap. At my best around age 24 I reached a +1.8 handicap. Eagles were a fairly regular occurrence. I once had a back nine where I eagled two holes. Birdies were pretty common, as I've had several 7-birdie rounds. Still, for all the eagles, just one ace. However, all eagles aren't created equally. In Arizona (where I've lived since I was 22), it's rare when I find a par-5 that isn't reachable in 2 shots from the tips. In Wisconsin, the terrain, water, trees, and general conditions make it much harder to be in position for an eagle.

 

When I was 22 I played with a teenager that was then ranked the number one junior in the world (I think Rickie Fowler was #2). In playing 9 holes, he missed two greens and both wound up in green-side bunkers. In both cases, his sand shots nearly went in. Mind you that I was roughly scratch, and I looked at him in shock and asked "when you're in the bunker, it's almost like you're trying to make the shots." He said he always tries to make bunker shots. He also happened to have his tee-shots on both par-3s hit the pin. I couldn't believe it, and asked, "have you ever had a hole-in-one?" "Seven," he replied (when I last saw him probably 6-7 years later, he was still stuck on 7 aces). Heck, my mom was never better than probably a 14-16 handicap, yet she had 3 aces!

[Funketown]

That basically makes sense -- per round, typically 4 par 3 chances at holing a shot from 125 - 225 yards, whereas per round there are probably at least 4-5 wedges/pitches into par 4's, and 2-4 pitches/chips/putts for eagle on par 5's.

 

I've always wondered about the extent to which ball flight dictates hole-in-ones, as I feel like I hear about 10-20 cappers who have played for 20-30 years and have a few hole-in-ones. It seems like older golfers in particular, who are more likely to roll the ball past the hole as opposed to sticking it, may have a deceptively high chance at holing out mid-irons.

 

I found that I probably lost 15-20 yards of driver distance in Wisconsin on a recent trip, as opposed to my typical days in the NC piedmont, basically due roll difference between the softer/greener Madison area courses I played and the firmer/browner NC courses I typically play. It's funny, growing up I always thought of lush green as optimal condition, but I've found that my favorite time to play down here is during dry times in the late fall when the Bermuda has just gone dormant, or in the summer when it's a bit baked out, and really requires creativity around the greens.

[DHonks]

funketown, where in NC? I visit a Wisco friend there occasionally. I know when I've been to Myrtle with him, I find I lose a ton of distance over Arizona. I was hitting 5-iron 175, and in AZ that's just a solid 7-iron.

 

I guess what you're saying makes sense. The wily veterans that "feather" their shots up to the pin seem to make shots more, where those of us hitting it higher struggle to make them. maybe only half a dozen of my eagles were holed out. Nearly all have been putting.

[Funketown]

I'm in the Durham/Chapel Hill area. It's a nice spot for golf with the three University courses nearby (though the red clay is really bad for drainage during the winter), and the Southern Pines area about an hour south. You can find great golf in that area outside of the tourist seasons; Mid Pines is supposed to be a fantastic old Ross design that was recently restored and will run you about $150 during tourist season but can be had for $50 at times, same goes for Dormie Club, a Coore & Crenshaw design that tried to go the ultra-exclusive private route but opened to the public due to the housing bubble. I've never played in the Myrtle area, because usually when I go to the coast I go to the NC coast mostly to fish.

 

If you really want to lose distance on your drives, there are times after a few rainy days in early February where drives will plug in the fairway.

[DHonks]

yep...I have only been there in January and Feb. My friend works at Wake Forest, so that's your area

[Funketown]

Old Town Club is where Wake Forest's golf team plays and that's supposed to be a fantastic track if you can get on.