The NEVERENDING Cyburbian Golf Thread.

[zman]

Have at it Folks.

The Cyburbian Golf thread is open for business.

Share your stories, frustrations and fascinations with this Scottish game that has been popular worldwide for centuries (okay, maybe decades).

Golf is all around us, many here play the game, some may even watch it on TV (those guys/gals are good) some of us may aspire to design a course (me) sometime in their lives.

I'll start. I took up the game in the last couple years after hinting at starting in High School. Growing up, I lived near the famous Cherry Hills Country Club (hosted a couple US Opens, most notably in 1960) and I had a couple firend in school who caddied there and cleaned up on tips. So mom put me into lessons, but like I lost track after a while.

Right now, I have played 9 holes and had a couple good outings (for me), but still am nowhere near stellar on the course. The best single hole I have had was a bogey. I aim for at least par this year (maybe a birdie).

So what about you? Check in and post here often.

[Planit]

Glad you started this zman. I thought about doing it but seemed like only a very few of us played.

I played a few times in jr. high school but walked away from it. About 8 years ago my knees told me I wasn't allowed to play soccer anymore so I went back to golf. My boss and several others I knew played so I joined their Saturday morning group and have been playing since. They tolerated my bad play at the beginning but I can hold my own with them now.

We play a course which hosts a Champions Tour event so its a nice track.

Golf has also brought one of my brothers and I much closer together. Even though he lives in Kansas, we get together at least three to five time a year and play. Two weeks ago I played in his member/guest tournament and last week he came and played in ours. We also go out of town to meet and play around (and ususally catch a baseball game) or play together at a family reunion. Iwish my other brother would pick it up, but he has no interest whatsoever.

[The One]

I've taken up golf again over the last 6 months and really enjoying the game. I've played off and on for about 20 years now and my first game was in Iowa....oddly enough....and great fun playing with farmers Just about two months ago I hit my first eagle on a par four !

My clubs are of the finest pawn shop quality and the divets I leave are not unlike the grand canyon Our local golf course has a vertical element (+-70') and several species of rattle snake demand a certain amount of respect while on the course...kinda like our version of the gator for you florida types I'm not playing now considering the +115 degree heat

Anyone else ever clear a three story apartement complex from 200 yards +?

[imaplanner]

I played alot when I was younger. My parents started me golfing at about age 5 or so and I still nhave a trophy from winning the local 10 and under golf tournament. At one point in my younger life i was playing a few times a week and shot a few scores in the mid 70's. The last time I played now was about a year ago and I barely broke 100 on an easy course. Golf is just a little too expensive now. Plus- my game seemed to really start going downhill around the same time I turned 21 and started drinking on the course. Coincidence?

I've hit a three story apartment complex from 200 yards does that count?

My clubs are really old also- I would like to get a new set becausas everyone I know says it makes a huge difference in your game to have a newer fitted set of clubs. But it just gets to the expense factor.

[Brocktoon]

I golf a few times a year. I am a fan of the sport and went to the US Open in Torrey Pines a few weeks back. I only play in the summers because I cannot afford the green fees in the winter...damn snow birds.

I started golfing as a kid, it was my fathers retirement plan,....I make the tour and he could be my caddie.

I lettered in golf my junior year but it was a low prioirty sport in North Carolina and the school was begging people to join so I figured, it was a free bucket of balls.

Every year I say I am going to go to the driving range more and "fix" my swing but that just does not happen...in fact I don't know where the nearest range is to my house.

[zman]

I golf a few times a year. I am a fan of the sport and went to the US Open in Torrey Pines a few weeks back. I only play in the summers because I cannot afford the green fees in the winter...damn snow birds.

Our courses, on the "plains" side of Colorado, are open all year weather permitting. In fact, people have been known to golf with orange balls when there is a little snows on the ground.

Me? I haven't done this yet, but I bought "tennis ball" colored golf balls so that I can find them off the fairway (which is often).

[Brocktoon]

Our courses, on the "plains" side of Colorado, are open all year weather permitting. In fact, people have been known to golf with orange balls when there is a little snows on the ground.

AZ course are open all year, but in the winter you have to pay three times as much to play them because of all the winter visitors.

Me? I haven't done this yet, but I bought "tennis ball" colored golf balls so that I can find them off the fairway (which is often).

They also come in pink...

[TOFB]

I've taken up golf again over the last 6 months and really enjoying the game. I've played off and on for about 20 years now and my first game was in Iowa....oddly enough....

Why is it odd? We have lots of great courses and its quite cheap to play.

Problem with me is no time (job) no money (two in college) and when I do play, I am good enough to take it seriously (mid-high 80's) so I get pissed at myself when I hit a bad shot, which is a waste of emotion.

[Bubba]

I've been playing for about 12 years - got down to a 15 handicap at one point, but these days I'm happy if I break 100 (my previous job didn't allow much time to play - hitting the links once every three months is no way to keep up your game). Looks like the new job will allow much more flexibility with my time (they actually encourage us to use our time off), and the last time I went out was the best I'd struck the ball in about four years.

Golf is a stupid, frustrating game, but there's always one great shot in each round that gets me to keep going.

[Richmond Jake]

..... Just about two months ago I hit my first eagle on a par four ! .....

I've putted for eagle three times in my illustrious golfing career....finished with a par each time. That's why I recently bought a new putter. That should do the trick.

I have a 17+ GHIN. Golfing at least once a week now. That number should go down. But I could be wrong.

[Planit]

I've putted for eagle three times in my illustrious golfing career....finished with a par each time. That's why I recently bought a new putter. That should do the trick.

I have a 17+ GHIN. Golfing at least once a week now. That number should go down. But I could be wrong.

That's right RJ, remember its always the arrows and never the indian! Just get comfortable with the new putter.

[ofos]

Started in playing golf in jr. high because of a friend with country club parents. Ended up playing on my high school golf team in my sr. year. Played a lot through college and first job but made a career switch to info systems and started distance running. It's hard to find time to work a more than full time job and train for marathons so golf eventually receded into the background. I don't run any more but now I just don't like to spend the amount of time and money that golf consumes.

I still have my technology challenged clubs (you can buy single clubs now that cost more than my entire set and bag combined) and am thinking about building a little par 3 type course at my country place just for yucks. Best game ever - 1 under par. Best shot ever - holed out my second shot with a 9 iron on a par 4 hole for an eagle.

[zman]

Golf last Thursday night, same place (Mountain Vista, in the shadow of the Fort Collins Budweiser plant), same price ($10 twilight special for 9 holes).
Walked with my neighbor and his son, people in front of us were SLOW (and driving carts), almost got hit because the rednecks behind us couldn't wait for us to leave the green and then only got 8 holes in before dark and those 8 played 30 minutes longer than the last time out (where I played 9). That's how slow these people were.

But I still loved it! And the beer cart girl was VERY nice looking... and kept coming back...

[Gedunker]

When i was a kid there was a municipal course that had a par-3 course - we called it 'Pitch & Putt', that was lighted. We played there frequently even though the ninth hole was on a fiendishly difficult hill. The green was sloped at something like 15 or 18 degrees. It was not at all uncommon to putt past the hole and right off the green. I still think back fondly at our catcalls when someone would play the course with a three-wood. C'mon, it's frikkin 70 yards from the tee to the pin and you're gonna hit a 3 wood?

Everybody told me I had a beautiful swing but no one told me how to fix my cursed slice. Unable to overcome it -- I tried everything from changing my grip to changing my stance -- the sport was no longer fun. I console myself by thinking how much money I'm saving by not playing.

The Ryder Cup will be at Valhalla C.C. -- just a little ways across the Ohio River from here -- this fall, but it sold out long ago. Louisville is getting pretty excited for it, though and a bunch of Ryder-themed events will help set the mood.

[Brocktoon]

I have a 17+ GHIN. Golfing at least once a week now. That number should go down. But I could be wrong.

Golf seems like the only sport that you can get worse if you practice.

[Richmond Jake]

Golf seems like the only sport that you can get worse if you practice.

No truer words have ever been writtern.

I honestly can't remember the last time I set foot on a driving range. I simply get out of the truck, lace the shoes, hop in the cart, go to the first tee, a couple of warm up swings of the club, and then start hacking. The first hole is a par 5 and I'm happy if I walk off the green with a 7.

[The One]

Golf last Thursday night, same place (Mountain Vista, in the shadow of the Fort Collins Budweiser plant), same price ($10 twilight special for 9 holes).
Walked with my neighbor and his son, people in front of us were SLOW (and driving carts), almost got hit because the rednecks behind us couldn't wait for us to leave the green and then only got 8 holes in before dark and those 8 played 30 minutes longer than the last time out (where I played 9). That's how slow these people were.

But I still loved it! And the beer cart girl was VERY nice looking... and kept coming back...

TOFB it was odd to me that I played my first game of golf in Iowa on my first trip to Iowa and not in Colorado or Virginia where I had spent most of my time I really like Iowa and the family farm and the people

Come on Zman tell us about playing the "MAD RUSSIAN" course and the 40 mph sustained driving wind out of the west

[zman]

Come on Zman tell us about playing the "MAD RUSSIAN" course and the 40 mph sustained driving wind out of the west

I have yet to play the Mad Russian, GolfColorado.com has some good deals there, but it is a hard course... with houses along the fairways. I did get really hammered in the clubhouse at a formal affair in 2002.

I'd be afraid of hitting some rich jerk's window if I played at a course with houses along it.

[Planit]

I'd be afraid of hitting some rich jerk's window if I played at a course with houses along it.

A "true" Golf Story

I was playing my usual course and on the fifth hole sliced my drive. It hit - and broke - a window in the house. It ended up that I knew the guy who lived there and since no one was home I left him a note telling him I broke his window and to let me know how much it cost to replace the glass. We finished playing our round.

When I got to the clubhouse my friend was in the proshop actually waiting for me. I saw him and asked if he found my note. He said he had and wanted to let me know not to worry about the window, it wasn't a big deal. However he was going to make me pay for the $50,000 Ming Dynasty vase that was knocked over.

[Richmond Jake]

Six pars yesterday, two missed birdies puts, ended up with a 90. Tomorrow, we play a slightly easier course (the par 3s are shorter), so I'm looking forward to good numbers.

[The One]

I...in fact I don't know where the nearest range is to my house.

This will be corrected in the near future......I'm sure



There has to be one Bushwood Country Club near you that gives out free hats with the bowl of soup? We'll find the deals my friend....trust me on this one

[Richmond Jake]

....Tomorrow, we play a slightly easier course (the par 3s are shorter), so I'm looking forward to good numbers.

OK, so it wasn't as easy as I remembered. In fact, a very difficult course; the longest course from the tips in Florida (no, we didn't play from the tips), with huge undulating greens. I ended up with only 4 pars and shot a 99. We'll play it again and I will beat that course.

[Planit]

Saturday golf - 39 on the front 9 and 45 on the back 9 - I hate it when I wake up in the middle of a round (and it goes to hell after that).

[zman]

First time out for 2009 last week. Shot in the 50s for 9 holes. Putted from 2 snowbanks. Did "okay" for the first time out. Had fun. Golf is cheap in the winter hre and the beer is cheaper. No one else on the course. Cold and windy though. Broke the head of my 4 iron on the 7th.

Afraid of my drivers:
So I went to the range this afternoon to work on my drivers. Got a handle on them (think looonng tees). Knocking them 200+ yards on a couple occasions--straight too. Just need to get more consistent.

65 degrees tomorrow and sunny. Should I go out? Anyone golf alone?

[JNA]

I know how but dont practice let alone play.

Now if you are talking about my brother, well where to begin ....
local club, HS, state, regional, NCAA, US AM, yes he was and is that good.