***Official 2025 Golf Thread,, belljr quits Again!?!*** (5 Viewers)

[Andy Dufresne]

Playing Superior National, north of Duluth on the shore of Lake Superior, for the first time on Friday. Really looking forward to that!

You're going to love the scenery and views, they're spectacular. If you finish 18 and they're not busy, roll around and play the other 9. My MIL, BIL, and I did that last time we were there without issue. The bunker sand used to be like a softball field but it's been updated to new sand. And hit up the golf shop at some point, they had some sweet 1/4 zips on sale.

Is this a day trip or are you sticking around? We stayed at Bluefin Bay the last time and it was fine, though there's nothing around it. Grand Marais was worth the drive, though.

Day trip. My buddy and I had yesterday and today off so we got a wild hair to go up and back again in a day. We won't have time for the 9 hole but that just gives us a reason to go back!

Verdict: A very good course to play if you're staying at a North Shore resort but not good enough to make a special trip to play the course alone.

We played the 9 hole course to and it's totally skippable.

18 holes is enough to play in one day.

 

[BeTheMatch]

Playing Superior National, north of Duluth on the shore of Lake Superior, for the first time on Friday. Really looking forward to that!

You're going to love the scenery and views, they're spectacular. If you finish 18 and they're not busy, roll around and play the other 9. My MIL, BIL, and I did that last time we were there without issue. The bunker sand used to be like a softball field but it's been updated to new sand. And hit up the golf shop at some point, they had some sweet 1/4 zips on sale.

Is this a day trip or are you sticking around? We stayed at Bluefin Bay the last time and it was fine, though there's nothing around it. Grand Marais was worth the drive, though.

Day trip. My buddy and I had yesterday and today off so we got a wild hair to go up and back again in a day. We won't have time for the 9 hole but that just gives us a reason to go back!

Verdict: A very good course to play if you're staying at a North Shore resort but not good enough to make a special trip to play the course alone.

We played the 9 hole course to and it's totally skippable.

18 holes is enough to play in one day.

Interesting

 

[jps]

Over in Ireland right now. I have two rounds in at Adare Manor. Incredible hotel and very nice course. But Ryder Cup players will tear it up. Played Lahinch a couple of days ago. Very fun course but it can be extremely tough with the wind blowing. I think it played fair if you hit your shots. Then played the Trump Doonbeg course. By far the best views and topography. A nice mix between the difficulty of Lahinch and the playability of Adare Manor. So far no rain while playing. Heading further south today and will be playing Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Old head. I have 5 unscheduled days that might try and add tee times . But should be good regardless. Most of my play has been good with a few blow up holes. Mainly low 80's to mid 80's but happy since it is always hard playing anywhere the first time. Though the caddies have been helpful. Be back around July 1st and then all the member/guests and member/member tourneys for July and August. It's been a good year. Cheers

 

[MAC_32]

Over in Ireland right now. I have two rounds in at Adare Manor. Incredible hotel and very nice course. But Ryder Cup players will tear it up. Played Lahinch a couple of days ago. Very fun course but it can be extremely tough with the wind blowing. I think it played fair if you hit your shots. Then played the Trump Doonbeg course. By far the best views and topography. A nice mix between the difficulty of Lahinch and the playability of Adare Manor. So far no rain while playing. Heading further south today and will be playing Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Old head. I have 5 unscheduled days that might try and add tee times . But should be good regardless. Most of my play has been good with a few blow up holes. Mainly low 80's to mid 80's but happy since it is always hard playing anywhere the first time. Though the caddies have been helpful. Be back around July 1st and then all the member/guests and member/member tourneys for July and August. It's been a good year. Cheers

Any additional comments beyond this briefing on Lahinch? We're going late July / early Aug and have this lined up while we're there.

 

[jps]

Traveling right now but will try and give a better write up later

 

[Instinctive]

Played a tougher course (slope 134) and did quite well. Differentials of 12 and 14.5. Couples doubles today killed it, but I've started playing "against" a 10 handicap. So I just add one to the 10 hardest holes, and try to play to par overall with those extra 10.

Overall good. Great even for me. One three putt, three double chips - all 3 out of these horrendous lies that I have no idea what to do with.

I had one that was 6 feet off the green, at the top lip of the end of a green side bunker, flag down across the green, and the slope had the ball about 1.5 feet below my feet. In THICK grass. I had zero way to even stand square to it to put it towards the pin. Anything soft hands felt like it would end up in the bunker. So I kind of chopped hard down at it like you do for a fried egg bunker shot to pop it out...over the green. GREAT chip on to go up and down for bogey but it was just like...I am so incredibly unequipped to take that shot that it's a lost stroke no matter what.

With driver working generally better, every single green was reachable in regulation with normal club selection.

Par 5s:
Driver-8i-PW (GIR par)
Driver-7i-8i (fringe, putted to one foot and tapped in par)
3h-3h-6i (GIR par)

Par 3s though...all but one is a 5i for me. Hit 2 GIRs, 2 close, and one horribly bad but had like a 79 yard chip and put it on nicely.

Overall feeling really good about the game. Chipping practice every Friday for an hour or two is giving me the good feel back, although I need to work on the thicker and slopier lies.

I still have a few drives and irons just yank left each round...but all of June I think I have hit zero horrific fat chunks or just like bad shots that don't advance me. It feels amazing not dealing with those anymore.

Getting used to new putting stroke. Pushing quite a few.

 

[Judge Smails]

Over in Ireland right now. I have two rounds in at Adare Manor. Incredible hotel and very nice course. But Ryder Cup players will tear it up. Played Lahinch a couple of days ago. Very fun course but it can be extremely tough with the wind blowing. I think it played fair if you hit your shots. Then played the Trump Doonbeg course. By far the best views and topography. A nice mix between the difficulty of Lahinch and the playability of Adare Manor. So far no rain while playing. Heading further south today and will be playing Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Old head. I have 5 unscheduled days that might try and add tee times . But should be good regardless. Most of my play has been good with a few blow up holes. Mainly low 80's to mid 80's but happy since it is always hard playing anywhere the first time. Though the caddies have been helpful. Be back around July 1st and then all the member/guests and member/member tourneys for July and August. It's been a good year. Cheers

The County Sligo course was awesome if you can get there. Sounds like an amazing trip

 

[jps]

Lahinch clubhouse is under construction right now, but everything is accessible. The practice range leaves a bit to desired as everything is across the street. You can only hit wedges on mats at the range. Then you can hit drivers and irons into 3 bay nets. They have a chipping green and a putting green. Take some time in the sand traps as it is a very fine powdery type sand. It was hard to find consistency hitting out of it and I consider myself a decent sand player. The greens were the slowest I've been in Ireland this trip, maybe an 8 or so. The caddies were decent but mine couldn't read putts all that well. I finally told him I would deal with any green reading. The greens did not hold or grab like Adare Manor or Doonbeg. So think more run outs or bump and run. Strange considering how slow the greens were. But biggest item is the winds. Sometimes it would make a 150 shot play like 190. The side winds could be brutal and put you in the tall grass. Lost 2 balls that day and felt good about it. Almost impossible to find balls in the heavy grass. Mainly relax and enjoy the walk. I'm an older guy and was tired at the end, but it wasn't too bad. It is a bit hilly and the side hills where bad shots end up is brutal to climb.Played from the white tees at 6500 yds and that seemed plenty long with the wind. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Off to Ballybunion in the morning. Cheers

 

[jps]

Over in Ireland right now. I have two rounds in at Adare Manor. Incredible hotel and very nice course. But Ryder Cup players will tear it up. Played Lahinch a couple of days ago. Very fun course but it can be extremely tough with the wind blowing. I think it played fair if you hit your shots. Then played the Trump Doonbeg course. By far the best views and topography. A nice mix between the difficulty of Lahinch and the playability of Adare Manor. So far no rain while playing. Heading further south today and will be playing Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Old head. I have 5 unscheduled days that might try and add tee times . But should be good regardless. Most of my play has been good with a few blow up holes. Mainly low 80's to mid 80's but happy since it is always hard playing anywhere the first time. Though the caddies have been helpful. Be back around July 1st and then all the member/guests and member/member tourneys for July and August. It's been a good year. Cheers

The County Sligo course was awesome if you can get there. Sounds like an amazing trip

We will hit Sligo on about the 28th or 29th. The wives are scheduled for some seaweed wrap and massages. So might get an emergency 9 or 18 if we forego the whiskey bars. I appreciate the potential golf option

 

[Zow]

Had my member guest the last four days.

The good: Played over 105 holes, lost like one golf ball, won a bunch of cash bets, and won four of our five matches.
The bad: the one match we lost, we lost 8-1 taking us of out the chance to win the flight and get to the championship horse race. The scratch opponent made three birdies and his ten handicap teammate shot 37. Pretty tough to compete with that.
The ugly: my liver processed about two bottles of bourbon and isn’t happy with me right now.

 

[belljr]

Another bladed wedge on a flop shot and decided to hit 3 blocks the last 3 holes ..

A 76......

Still quitting

 

[TLEF316]

Played my best round of the year today. 84 despite an ugly triple and 3 doubles. Caught a couple of really bad breaks on well hit tee shots but also got VERY lucky on 18 (should have been in the water but it skipped out and I ended up making par)

Maybe finding a little something on the road back to respectability. Made 2 birdies and had 4 or 5 other good looks inside 10 feet.

 

[jps]

If you have any specific type questions I'm happy to try and answer them. This trip is just over 3 weeks and we are covering some ground. I also have several trips for golf in Northern Ireland so could help some there as well. Bally bunion was a beast today with steady 30 mph winds and some occasional big gust. Played from the whites again about 6450 yds. But felt like 7400 yds. A similar 84 final score but my putting wasn't good and conditions were very tough. So I felt pretty good about the number. Lowest number of our group was a 78. But he is a young, Late 30ish and strong like bull. Not that I'm jealous or anything. I had my days back when. Any send pm or drop another message and I will help if possible. Cheers

 

[The Gator]

Still quitting

See you on the course this weekend!

 

[belljr]

Still quitting

See you on the course this weekend!

Updated

 

[Mookie]

Over in Ireland right now. I have two rounds in at Adare Manor. Incredible hotel and very nice course. But Ryder Cup players will tear it up. Played Lahinch a couple of days ago. Very fun course but it can be extremely tough with the wind blowing. I think it played fair if you hit your shots. Then played the Trump Doonbeg course. By far the best views and topography. A nice mix between the difficulty of Lahinch and the playability of Adare Manor. So far no rain while playing. Heading further south today and will be playing Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Old head. I have 5 unscheduled days that might try and add tee times . But should be good regardless. Most of my play has been good with a few blow up holes. Mainly low 80's to mid 80's but happy since it is always hard playing anywhere the first time. Though the caddies have been helpful. Be back around July 1st and then all the member/guests and member/member tourneys for July and August. It's been a good year. Cheers

Played 5 rounds in the Killarney area about 7 years ago with my two sons. We had so much fun, but they're lousy golfers and I didn't feel like spending the big $ for the three of us to play the famous tracks. So we booked through Swing golf and played Dromoland Castle, both Killarney courses, Dooks, and Dingle. Dooks was far and away my favorite. I also chose to rent a car and drive, which in hindsight was a mistake as I found the driving over there to be terrifying. It also meant foregoing the 19th hole. I now want to go back with my golfing buddies. Have a great time!

 

[The Gator]

90 today

Driver came back around a little and made 100 feet of putts. Two 20 feet plus and three 10 footers in there.

 

[Instinctive]

On course lesson in the morning. Hope I bring the A/B game I've had the last week or two and keep it up.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

started shaky yesterday for my twilight round, 6 over after 5 and then rattled off 6 straight pars from a mixture of gir's and scrambling. Came back down to earth a bit with 5 straight bogeys before finishing par/par for a respectable 83 in very windy conditions through the hills of Novato.

 

[Instinctive]

Awesome on course lesson today. Was a really good view of exactly where my problems are, which was a good thing.

Started with a good bogey - good drive, approach long and a little pulled, good chip, good two putt.
Then a lucky par, little long but pin high, thinned the chip, but drained a long putt for par. That thin chip is an issue.
Then a birdie from playing a hole perfectly, draining a 7 footer.
Then a quad from all my most common errors - drive yanked left into water, then long second shot a little too aggressive lost OB right. Tons of penalty strokes = bad
Double from a missed green but then double chipping because I had a lie I don't know how to hit from, left it on a steep slope (another thing I struggle with)...so bad chip and still 2-putt
Double from a penalty
ok bogey - missed green almost pin high, but hit the chip too hard, didn't leave it close enough to get up and down
ok bogey - drive in rough, tough lie approach left in rough, solid chip from 60 yards, two putt
Good par - drive in normal range where I have a 3-shot par 5, layup good on second, just off the green on approach, two putt from fringe for par.


Some good insights. Mainly:

1. I now hit the ball well with a stock shot. That's awesome. Time to trust it. Pushing my club choices to, yes, take into account the miss, but not so much be afraid of them. For example, the par 5 I took a quad on there's water all up the right, and for years my miss has been a slice. Well, this year, with a great swing and consistency, I maybe slice 1/50 drives. It's mostly a slight draw and the miss is yanking it by slamming the face shut. Which is exactly what I did, which put me in different water than what I feared. LOL. His point is "you know the shape now, the only reason you slammed it shut is because you didn't trust the swing and swing free. It was tentative."

2. MUCH more aggressive shots to still conservative targets. For example, the last hole my second shot if I'm not sub 200 out, I basically always lay up to right around 100 for a full gap wedge. Which I did today. After, when we debriefed, he used it as an example of a spot where I could probably hit a 3h like 200 instead of just pulling out a 9 and putting it to 90-100 because the green is protected by a bunker. Due to this bunker, I try not to leave a partial wedge where there's a chance I leave it short and in the bunker, so I layup short enough to keep a full club. His suggested strategy is blast it past the bunker and give myself an entirely different angle into the green, and even if it runs out of the fairway into the rough, who cares - a 40 yard pitch with nothing in between me and the pin is totally fine.

3. I now need to learn chips that are different from "hit a 54 degree and fly it to the right spot and let it roll." I need to "see a lot more chip and run chances, even with the same club, or using WP or 9i." Basically the thought is if the landing area is closer to me, I'm more likely to hit it. Just like it's easier to make an 8 foot jumper than it is to make a 20 foot jumper.

4. He mentioned he'll follow up with some green reading changes, but agreed putting is not the place I'm going to be shaving strokes for now.

EXCITED! Goal is still to get under 10 this year. I think I have the swing, now it's more about the strategy and about chipping. More up and downs.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

FYI but double hitting a ball is no longer a penalty unless you did it on purpose.

Double from a missed green but then double chipping because I had a lie I don't know how to hit from, left it on a steep slope (another thing I struggle with)...so bad chip and still 2-putt
Double from a penalty

 

[Instinctive]

FYI but double hitting a ball is no longer a penalty unless you did it on purpose.

Double from a missed green but then double chipping because I had a lie I don't know how to hit from, left it on a steep slope (another thing I struggle with)...so bad chip and still 2-putt
Double from a penalty

Sorry - that's the golf sidekick term for chipped it and then had to chip it again because I didn't make it on/close to the green the first time and still couldn't putt.

In this case:

1 8i to raised green, hit the fringe right and bounced all the way down hill

2 Had a crappy thick bird's nest like, tried to hit it into the hillside and bounce onto green, didn't hit it hard enough so I basically chipped it onto the hillside.

3 Then chipped from hillside just over the green because I thinned it

4 and 5 Then two putting from the fringe.

 

[Zow]

FYI but double hitting a ball is no longer a penalty unless you did it on purpose.

Double from a missed green but then double chipping because I had a lie I don't know how to hit from, left it on a steep slope (another thing I struggle with)...so bad chip and still 2-putt
Double from a penalty

Sorry - that's the golf sidekick term for chipped it and then had to chip it again because I didn't make it on/close to the green the first time and still couldn't putt.

In this case:

1 8i to raised green, hit the fringe right and bounced all the way down hill

2 Had a crappy thick bird's nest like, tried to hit it into the hillside and bounce onto green, didn't hit it hard enough so I basically chipped it onto the hillside.

3 Then chipped from hillside just over the green because I thinned it

4 and 5 Then two putting from the fringe.

So a one putt

 

[Judge Smails]

Awesome on course lesson today. Was a really good view of exactly where my problems are, which was a good thing.

Started with a good bogey - good drive, approach long and a little pulled, good chip, good two putt.
Then a lucky par, little long but pin high, thinned the chip, but drained a long putt for par. That thin chip is an issue.
Then a birdie from playing a hole perfectly, draining a 7 footer.
Then a quad from all my most common errors - drive yanked left into water, then long second shot a little too aggressive lost OB right. Tons of penalty strokes = bad
Double from a missed green but then double chipping because I had a lie I don't know how to hit from, left it on a steep slope (another thing I struggle with)...so bad chip and still 2-putt
Double from a penalty
ok bogey - missed green almost pin high, but hit the chip too hard, didn't leave it close enough to get up and down
ok bogey - drive in rough, tough lie approach left in rough, solid chip from 60 yards, two putt
Good par - drive in normal range where I have a 3-shot par 5, layup good on second, just off the green on approach, two putt from fringe for par.


Some good insights. Mainly:

1. I now hit the ball well with a stock shot. That's awesome. Time to trust it. Pushing my club choices to, yes, take into account the miss, but not so much be afraid of them. For example, the par 5 I took a quad on there's water all up the right, and for years my miss has been a slice. Well, this year, with a great swing and consistency, I maybe slice 1/50 drives. It's mostly a slight draw and the miss is yanking it by slamming the face shut. Which is exactly what I did, which put me in different water than what I feared. LOL. His point is "you know the shape now, the only reason you slammed it shut is because you didn't trust the swing and swing free. It was tentative."

2. MUCH more aggressive shots to still conservative targets. For example, the last hole my second shot if I'm not sub 200 out, I basically always lay up to right around 100 for a full gap wedge. Which I did today. After, when we debriefed, he used it as an example of a spot where I could probably hit a 3h like 200 instead of just pulling out a 9 and putting it to 90-100 because the green is protected by a bunker. Due to this bunker, I try not to leave a partial wedge where there's a chance I leave it short and in the bunker, so I layup short enough to keep a full club. His suggested strategy is blast it past the bunker and give myself an entirely different angle into the green, and even if it runs out of the fairway into the rough, who cares - a 40 yard pitch with nothing in between me and the pin is totally fine.

3. I now need to learn chips that are different from "hit a 54 degree and fly it to the right spot and let it roll." I need to "see a lot more chip and run chances, even with the same club, or using WP or 9i." Basically the thought is if the landing area is closer to me, I'm more likely to hit it. Just like it's easier to make an 8 foot jumper than it is to make a 20 foot jumper.

4. He mentioned he'll follow up with some green reading changes, but agreed putting is not the place I'm going to be shaving strokes for now.

EXCITED! Goal is still to get under 10 this year. I think I have the swing, now it's more about the strategy and about chipping. More up and downs.

Sounds like short game mastering all sorts of pitches/chips is your fastest way to drop strokes. If you’re thinning chips more than once in a blue moon it’s a problem. I love the aggressive shots to conservative targets mentality.

 

[Instinctive]

Awesome on course lesson today. Was a really good view of exactly where my problems are, which was a good thing.

Started with a good bogey - good drive, approach long and a little pulled, good chip, good two putt.
Then a lucky par, little long but pin high, thinned the chip, but drained a long putt for par. That thin chip is an issue.
Then a birdie from playing a hole perfectly, draining a 7 footer.
Then a quad from all my most common errors - drive yanked left into water, then long second shot a little too aggressive lost OB right. Tons of penalty strokes = bad
Double from a missed green but then double chipping because I had a lie I don't know how to hit from, left it on a steep slope (another thing I struggle with)...so bad chip and still 2-putt
Double from a penalty
ok bogey - missed green almost pin high, but hit the chip too hard, didn't leave it close enough to get up and down
ok bogey - drive in rough, tough lie approach left in rough, solid chip from 60 yards, two putt
Good par - drive in normal range where I have a 3-shot par 5, layup good on second, just off the green on approach, two putt from fringe for par.


Some good insights. Mainly:

1. I now hit the ball well with a stock shot. That's awesome. Time to trust it. Pushing my club choices to, yes, take into account the miss, but not so much be afraid of them. For example, the par 5 I took a quad on there's water all up the right, and for years my miss has been a slice. Well, this year, with a great swing and consistency, I maybe slice 1/50 drives. It's mostly a slight draw and the miss is yanking it by slamming the face shut. Which is exactly what I did, which put me in different water than what I feared. LOL. His point is "you know the shape now, the only reason you slammed it shut is because you didn't trust the swing and swing free. It was tentative."

2. MUCH more aggressive shots to still conservative targets. For example, the last hole my second shot if I'm not sub 200 out, I basically always lay up to right around 100 for a full gap wedge. Which I did today. After, when we debriefed, he used it as an example of a spot where I could probably hit a 3h like 200 instead of just pulling out a 9 and putting it to 90-100 because the green is protected by a bunker. Due to this bunker, I try not to leave a partial wedge where there's a chance I leave it short and in the bunker, so I layup short enough to keep a full club. His suggested strategy is blast it past the bunker and give myself an entirely different angle into the green, and even if it runs out of the fairway into the rough, who cares - a 40 yard pitch with nothing in between me and the pin is totally fine.

3. I now need to learn chips that are different from "hit a 54 degree and fly it to the right spot and let it roll." I need to "see a lot more chip and run chances, even with the same club, or using WP or 9i." Basically the thought is if the landing area is closer to me, I'm more likely to hit it. Just like it's easier to make an 8 foot jumper than it is to make a 20 foot jumper.

4. He mentioned he'll follow up with some green reading changes, but agreed putting is not the place I'm going to be shaving strokes for now.

EXCITED! Goal is still to get under 10 this year. I think I have the swing, now it's more about the strategy and about chipping. More up and downs.

Sounds like short game mastering all sorts of pitches/chips is your fastest way to drop strokes. If you’re thinning chips more than once in a blue moon it’s a problem. I love the aggressive shots to conservative targets mentality.

For sure. I think if we are talking my 14 vs scratch:

4-5 short game
1-3 putting
2-4 penalty avoidance from confidence/course mgmt
2-4 more accuracy to hit greens
1-2 more distance

But then...at the root of the short game, the penalties, and hitting greens is learning how to hit from not a flat lie, ESPECIALLY ball below my feet and on the side of an upslope. I'm mostly fine on a downslope and ball above my feet I can usually still get the whole club on it. I know the tendency to draw/fade based on lie, the loft adjustments...but ball below my feet and stance on an upslope are two lies where I just physically have a really hard time putting the club on the ball properly. And they tend to occur around greens more often than around fairways.