***Official 2025 Golf Thread,, belljr quits Again!?!*** (2 Viewers)

[Zow]

had my best front 9 of the year......Swing felt GREAT. Was smoking drives right down the fairway and tempo felt awesome.

Wind kicked up on the back and we had to wait a little behind some slow groups, I collapsed. Couldn't get up and down from fairly easy spots and topped 2 drives into hazards for triples. 39-49.

I am just SO soft.

This is kind of where I'm at with my game. I'm playing some of my best golf ever on the front and worst on the back.

I don't know if it's because I start trying to do too much, need to eat something different and keep the energy up, or if I'm just letting my mind wander.

Do you guys gamble or just play some sort of game during your rounds? For me, I notice that my focus stays much stronger even if there is some nominal amount in play on the back - especially if I had a mediocre front where the chance for a notable round is very unlikely even with a good back.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

had my best front 9 of the year......Swing felt GREAT. Was smoking drives right down the fairway and tempo felt awesome.

Wind kicked up on the back and we had to wait a little behind some slow groups, I collapsed. Couldn't get up and down from fairly easy spots and topped 2 drives into hazards for triples. 39-49.

I am just SO soft.

This is kind of where I'm at with my game. I'm playing some of my best golf ever on the front and worst on the back.

I don't know if it's because I start trying to do too much, need to eat something different and keep the energy up, or if I'm just letting my mind wander.

Do you guys gamble or just play some sort of game during your rounds? For me, I notice that my focus stays much stronger even if there is some nominal amount in play on the back - especially if I had a mediocre front where the chance for a notable round is very unlikely even with a good back.

That might be worth trying.


The round this past weekend was sabotaged in part by being paired up with a random guy that had the personality of a no dressing added salad. Tromping around a course for 4.5 hours trying to keep up a one sided conversation is actually really distracting to me.

 

[Instinctive]

had my best front 9 of the year......Swing felt GREAT. Was smoking drives right down the fairway and tempo felt awesome.

Wind kicked up on the back and we had to wait a little behind some slow groups, I collapsed. Couldn't get up and down from fairly easy spots and topped 2 drives into hazards for triples. 39-49.

I am just SO soft.

This is kind of where I'm at with my game. I'm playing some of my best golf ever on the front and worst on the back.

I don't know if it's because I start trying to do too much, need to eat something different and keep the energy up, or if I'm just letting my mind wander.

Do you guys gamble or just play some sort of game during your rounds? For me, I notice that my focus stays much stronger even if there is some nominal amount in play on the back - especially if I had a mediocre front where the chance for a notable round is very unlikely even with a good back.

That might be worth trying.


The round this past weekend was sabotaged in part by being paired up with a random guy that had the personality of a no dressing added salad. Tromping around a course for 4.5 hours trying to keep up a one sided conversation is actually really distracting to me.

Bold. I would just ignore the guy lol. I would happily be paired with a mute if he played at a good pace.

 

[TLEF316]

I just don't enjoy gambling on my golf game (or really anything else...just not my thing).

It's certainly not a lack of caring or focus on my end. Considering how badly I've been struggling I had plenty of motivation to play well on the back (even bogey golf would have brought me in with an 84....tied for my best round of the year).

Could be some fatigue involved. I tend to walk and carry most of my rounds and usually don't eat anything. Maybe I need to incorporate some sort of snack.

I honestly just think it was the waiting and the wind....and my terrible mindset just expecting something bad to happen once those 2 things started

 

[Andy Dufresne]

had my best front 9 of the year......Swing felt GREAT. Was smoking drives right down the fairway and tempo felt awesome.

Wind kicked up on the back and we had to wait a little behind some slow groups, I collapsed. Couldn't get up and down from fairly easy spots and topped 2 drives into hazards for triples. 39-49.

I am just SO soft.

This is kind of where I'm at with my game. I'm playing some of my best golf ever on the front and worst on the back.

I don't know if it's because I start trying to do too much, need to eat something different and keep the energy up, or if I'm just letting my mind wander.

Do you guys gamble or just play some sort of game during your rounds? For me, I notice that my focus stays much stronger even if there is some nominal amount in play on the back - especially if I had a mediocre front where the chance for a notable round is very unlikely even with a good back.

That might be worth trying.


The round this past weekend was sabotaged in part by being paired up with a random guy that had the personality of a no dressing added salad. Tromping around a course for 4.5 hours trying to keep up a one sided conversation is actually really distracting to me.

Bold. I would just ignore the guy lol. I would happily be paired with a mute if he played at a good pace.

That was the other part. The two groups of jabronis ahead of us didn't help matters.

I have learned a truism about golf the last few years - cheap fees lead to a low rent experience. I think I'm going to start playing less but at nicer places

 

[Mookie]

had my best front 9 of the year......Swing felt GREAT. Was smoking drives right down the fairway and tempo felt awesome.

Wind kicked up on the back and we had to wait a little behind some slow groups, I collapsed. Couldn't get up and down from fairly easy spots and topped 2 drives into hazards for triples. 39-49.

I am just SO soft.

This is kind of where I'm at with my game. I'm playing some of my best golf ever on the front and worst on the back.

I don't know if it's because I start trying to do too much, need to eat something different and keep the energy up, or if I'm just letting my mind wander.

Eating something at the turn is so, so important. That said, I avoid a big gut bomb and usually bring a PB&J or something light with protein. The need for food is especially essential if you are walking (I'm usually in a cart). The other consideration is alcohol management as that can really affect performance - I start off with water for the first 8 holes, and then will open my first beer after my tee shot on #9 as it is especially scary with OB left and right. I have 2 beers total if I'm playing well and 3 beers maximum as the alcohol will start to affect my ability to focus.

Food and alcohol intake are pretty easy things to control, but you also have to control your breathing, the speed that you walk and play, and your focus to get a good round to the house. My primary focus is on gratitude (for the game, my friends, my health etc.) as it's just golf and nobody really cares what you shoot. Have a good time and be kind to yourself and your playing partners. Nothing worse than a hothead who lives and dies with every shot - you don't want to be that guy. I find that this mindset really relaxes me and lets me slow things down.

As for mechanics, I focus on making solid contact and a controlled swing on every shot, and especially putting. Good decision-making and playing conservatively also help me finish off a round. Don't go for that par five in two if it brings a 7 into play. Play for the middle of the green if there is a tucked pin behind a bunker or hazard. You're playing well - no need to erase it all by making bad decisions. Making a bogey or two on your way in isn't going to kill your round.

 

[Mookie]

And I'm a big believer in low stakes gambling (I won $6 for one buddy yesterday and had to pay $3 to another and was even with a third) as helping to maintain focus. We usually play COD, which consists of 3 6-hole matches with Carts as teammates, then Opposites, then Drivers. I really like it you get to partner with each player, which keeps you from getting overly snarky/competitive.

I do have that one friend who is a degenerate and always wants to up the stakes to unhealthy levels. On those days, we usually get him to back off or I just tell myself that the worst that can happen is I'll lose $50. I usually do fine, but I would prefer to be more relaxed.

 

[belljr]

I bogied the 2 easiest par 5 even when I was trying to play "smart" to still shoot 75.

4 bogies 1 birdie....... I hit 2 bad shots..... Could have been an all timer if I made a couple putts

 

[Mookie]

I bogied the 2 easiest par 5 even when I was trying to play "smart" to still shoot 75.

4 bogies 1 birdie....... I hit 2 bad shots..... Could have been an all timer if I made a couple putts

Still have to execute, but bogeys are still better than "others", which are round destroyers.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

1 over through 11 yesterday and then the wheels came off to shoot a 10 over 82. 2 things caused this, first we tee'd off at 622 and had the whole course to ourselves however at the 6th hole the marshal came out and let us know that we were 2 holes away from running into a tourney that was kicking off in a half hour. ****, well we cruised back to 1 and played some bonus golf so that we wouldn't hit the breaks until the end of our round (which was the case as we didn't run into the tourney until 18)

Second was that we do this stupid thing where we take a shot of fireball after a birdie, well one guy chips in for birdie on 3 another drains one on 6 the first time through and then someone birdies 4 the second time through and me and another birdie 9. 4 fire balls in an hour and half and then my dumbass has back to back birdies when I drain one on 10. They catch up to me on 12 and my great round falls apart but on the plus side the vibes with our foursome were high and the round itself was a blast.

time to implement a new birdie rule

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Upside is I got a new putter and grip that seems like an improvement.

Scotty Cameron Phantom 7.5 with a Golf Pride reverse taper medium pistol

 

[Mookie]

Upside is I got a new putter and grip that seems like an improvement.

Scotty Cameron Phantom 7.5 with a Golf Pride reverse taper medium pistol

Nice! I just got the 5.5, It is so much easier to keep the face square at impact than my old blade style Odyssey.

 

[belljr]

Upside is I got a new putter and grip that seems like an improvement.

Scotty Cameron Phantom 7.5 with a Golf Pride reverse taper medium pistol

God I hated this putter I just am not made to hit mallet putters. I had to trade it in for my current Scotty Cameron

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Upside is I got a new putter and grip that seems like an improvement.

Scotty Cameron Phantom 7.5 with a Golf Pride reverse taper medium pistol

God I hated this putter I just am not made to hit mallet putters. I had to trade it in for my current Scotty Cameron

Different strokes... literally

 

[BeTheMatch]

Playing some of the worst golf of my life since I got my new irons. Hard to even call it golf at this point. Just all around bad. Everything.

Not fun right now.

And our local Ryder Cup bonanza is less than three weeks away.

Hold me.

 

[Zow]

I just don't enjoy gambling on my golf game (or really anything else...just not my thing).

You could have said so...

 

[Zow]

1 over through 11 yesterday and then the wheels came off to shoot a 10 over 82. 2 things caused this, first we tee'd off at 622 and had the whole course to ourselves however at the 6th hole the marshal came out and let us know that we were 2 holes away from running into a tourney that was kicking off in a half hour. ****, well we cruised back to 1 and played some bonus golf so that we wouldn't hit the breaks until the end of our round (which was the case as we didn't run into the tourney until 18)

Second was that we do this stupid thing where we take a shot of fireball after a birdie, well one guy chips in for birdie on 3 another drains one on 6 the first time through and then someone birdies 4 the second time through and me and another birdie 9. 4 fire balls in an hour and half and then my dumbass has back to back birdies when I drain one on 10. They catch up to me on 12 and my great round falls apart but on the plus side the vibes with our foursome were high and the round itself was a blast.

time to implement a new birdie rule

Sigh

 

[MAC_32]

had my best front 9 of the year......Swing felt GREAT. Was smoking drives right down the fairway and tempo felt awesome.

Wind kicked up on the back and we had to wait a little behind some slow groups, I collapsed. Couldn't get up and down from fairly easy spots and topped 2 drives into hazards for triples. 39-49.

I am just SO soft.

This is kind of where I'm at with my game. I'm playing some of my best golf ever on the front and worst on the back.

I don't know if it's because I start trying to do too much, need to eat something different and keep the energy up, or if I'm just letting my mind wander.

Do you guys gamble or just play some sort of game during your rounds? For me, I notice that my focus stays much stronger even if there is some nominal amount in play on the back - especially if I had a mediocre front where the chance for a notable round is very unlikely even with a good back.

The next time I play golf without gambling will be the first time. Is it wrong that I also do things like bet post round ice cream or chores with the kids?

 

[The Gator]

Playing some of the worst golf of my life since I got my new irons

Not what I wanted to here, guy

 

[Zow]

had my best front 9 of the year......Swing felt GREAT. Was smoking drives right down the fairway and tempo felt awesome.

Wind kicked up on the back and we had to wait a little behind some slow groups, I collapsed. Couldn't get up and down from fairly easy spots and topped 2 drives into hazards for triples. 39-49.

I am just SO soft.

This is kind of where I'm at with my game. I'm playing some of my best golf ever on the front and worst on the back.

I don't know if it's because I start trying to do too much, need to eat something different and keep the energy up, or if I'm just letting my mind wander.

Do you guys gamble or just play some sort of game during your rounds? For me, I notice that my focus stays much stronger even if there is some nominal amount in play on the back - especially if I had a mediocre front where the chance for a notable round is very unlikely even with a good back.

The next time I play golf without gambling will be the first time. Is it wrong that I also do things like bet post round ice cream or chores with the kids?

Not at all.

 

[TLEF316]

I just don't enjoy gambling on my golf game (or really anything else...just not my thing).

You could have said so...

Haha, all good dude. A $20 6's game (I think that's what we played that day) or a $10 Nassau or something like that doesn't bother me. I generally just ignore the stakes and play my ball and if it gets to the last few holes with the match still on the line I'll start taking it seriously from a strategy perspective. And I think I made an eagle and 3 birdies that day (unfortunately too many big numbers as well)......So whether I won or lost money was irrelevant.

But when it gets to bigger money or some crazy format that you need to keep track of, that's where ya lose me. I get invited to play in the saturday morning money game at my club every once in a while and I just have no interest. Its friendly and they're mostly nice guys, but its just too distracting. They're calculating junk, giving out skins, playing a rotating set of games that I don't even know the rules to. No thanks.

Funny story.....I played Baltusrol for my first (and so far only....) time 2 years ago next week. My dad's former boss/partner has been there over FIFTY years (he's in his 80's) and doesn't even pay dues anymore. Only guest fees, food and caddies. I believe his official title is Senior Member Emeritus (he's also a member at an exclusive club down in GA and I believe the top private course in New Hampshire). I believe the guy has low 9 figures in the bank. His name is Jack.

The 4some is Jack, Me, my dad and my brother. Brother and I are super pumped (first time either of us had played at a course that nice) and I'm also coming off a ROUGH 10 day fight with COVID. I was down about 16 lbs and I had only played once since officially recovering. So I'm rusty, weak and just trying to enjoy the round. I had 2 goals....dont do anything stupid and try to break 90.

So we're working through the front 9. I have a couple of blow up holes (and putted one into the water on the signature par 3. Thanks for the read buddy) but I'm enjoying myself. We play the 9th and get to the halfway house. and Jack says something along the lines of...."well, looks like the boys(brother and I) are up 2 at the turn".

We had no idea we were even playing a match. They're playing up a couple sets of tees.....we didn't even tell him what our indexes were. Jack obviously knows the course like the back of his hand and we're totally reliant on the caddy. And even though we were PRETTY sure our dad wouldn't let us get into any trouble, we have NO idea what the stakes are. We're playing a guy who spends my annual salary on a new car for his wife on a yearly basis.

Thankfully, I have a better back 9 and my brother makes a couple of birdies and we win the match pretty handily. We shake hands on the 18th green and Jack reaches into his bag for his wallet and hands us each 60 bucks for the win.

So I won 60 bucks, made a nice par on the 18th hole from right next to the famous Nicklaus plaque, and got a gteat picture of the 3 of us on the stone bridge (unfortunately, I look like a cancer patient due to the recent illness and weight loss). It was a pretty good day.