A few questions for the golfers of ATOT:
1) How often do you play?
I golfed about every other day when I started last August, about 2-3 times a week in September, only about 6 times from October to April, a couple of times a week until June, then about every other day from mid-June to now. Cost isn't really an issue because last August I played for free most of the time as a guest or I played at Twilight. This summer I got a part-time job at the golf course for free golf.
2) What's the best tip anyone ever gave you that helped your swing or ability to make a shot?
For me, it was to think of a race to the ball when I was swinging an iron. Make sure the grip came in first, my left hand second, my right hand third, and the club head last. I just could not hit with my irons until someone described it like that, and then I could hit them just fine whenever I thought of it.
3) Do you tend to use the same club when you're chipping near the green or do you vary it?
I know you're supposed to use different ones in different situations, but most people I golf with seem to have a favorite club for chipping. I try to use the right one for the lie and the distance, but I find that I use my sand wedge most often.
4) What's your routine or what kind of checklist do you go through in your head before you tee off?
I get my grip, get behind the ball and check my target line, take a couple of practice swings, address the ball, make sure I have it positioned correctly, make sure I'm balanced and comfortable. When I take my practice swings and before I start my backswing, the things that go through my head are to keep my shoulders level, take the club away in front of me on the target line, not too much, get a good wrist hinge, keep my right knee flexed, don't sway, start my downswing with my right knee and then hips, keep the club head on the inside, eye on the ball, release my wrists, swing through the ball, extend my arms toward the target, good follow-through and hold.
5) What's in your golf bag?
I have the 7-9 irons and the sand and pitching wedges from the cheap set I bought last year plus 5 & 6 irons given to me by friends. The new clubs I've bought so far are:
Lob Wedge - Wilson
Driver - King Cobra Speed LD Offset 12 degree loft Lite flex
3-Wood - Cobra Speed LD Offset Lite flex
5-Wood - Cobra Speed LD Offset Lite flex
7-Wood - Taylor Made r5 dual Senior flex
4-Hybrid - Cobra Baffler DWS Lite flex
Putter - Ping G5i Anser
6) What's your average and what was your best round of 18?
I don't really know what my average would be, probably about 110 right now, but my best so far was a 92. I've worked all summer to break 100.
7) Have you noticed how many people fudge their score? Would you say it's a large percentage of recreational golfers?
Every person I've played with, but one, has taken some strokes off their score. It's usually in the form of do-overs. They didn't like that drive so they'll hit another one. They miss-hit a shot and take another one. I have no problem with someone practice/playing when it's just for fun, but don't do it and keep score. They'll say they shot an 80-something when I know good and well that they wouldn't have broken 100 if they'd been keeping score properly. The one guy I play with who counts every stroke says that he sees it all the time too. He works at a golf course and says that probably 60 percent of the people who say they shoot under 100 probably do not. What do you think?
8) How would you describe your game?
I average 160 yards off the tee with my driver and I rarely miss the fairway. I can get 190 yards, but I slice it when I do. I'm most accurate with my 3-wood from the fairway and it averages 135 yards. I'm getting better with my irons, but I tend to hook them. My pitching is okay, but my chipping is terrible. I'm a pretty good putter and I believe I can become a really good one now that I've found a grip I like and can be consistent with.
If I'm playing a par 5, it usually goes like this - good drive middle of the fairway, very nice 3-wood shot, a pitch with good distance but to the left into the rough next to the green, lousy stinking chip that didn't make it out of the rough, lousy stinking chip that that went rolling all the way across the green, two putts with the first being on line but short, then tapped in for a double-bogey.
9) Do you drink when you golf?
I see a lot of guys drinking while they're golfing and I just don't see why you would. I mean, I have a hard enough time playing sober, it would have to hurt your game if you were trying to play with a buzz on.
10) What's the atmosphere like at your favorite local course? (Dress code, tee times, prices, rangers, starters, pro, policies, etc.)
Mine is pretty easy going, though they are particular about dress and behavior. Most of the time you don't have to call ahead for a tee time. They don't use starters. The pro and cart-boys do occasional rangering but it's not usually needed. The dress code is collared tops with slacks or nice shorts. Small cafe with sandwiches, etc. Alcoholic beverages are not sold at the course, but a lot of people bring their own in coolers. Every day except Tuesday it's $45 including cart for 18 holes, Tuesdays are $28 all-day golf for Seniors, Twilight every weekday for $24, no Twilight on weekends. It's usually only crowded on Tuesdays and weekends. It's open dawn til dusk.
11) Got any pictures of the course you play most often?
I do, but I'll have to post them later.
12) What's one of your best golf moments so far?
My first was the first time I birdied this hole. I was intimidated by it and couldn't get the ball on the green; it was either lost in the high grass or rocks, or I had to pitch up onto it. One day I teed off and the ball landed about 14 inches from the cup. I yelled, "Yay!", and looked around for a witness, but there weren't any. I tapped it in for the birdie. All was right with the world, until the next hole of course.
1) How often do you play?
I golfed about every other day when I started last August, about 2-3 times a week in September, only about 6 times from October to April, a couple of times a week until June, then about every other day from mid-June to now. Cost isn't really an issue because last August I played for free most of the time as a guest or I played at Twilight. This summer I got a part-time job at the golf course for free golf.
2) What's the best tip anyone ever gave you that helped your swing or ability to make a shot?
For me, it was to think of a race to the ball when I was swinging an iron. Make sure the grip came in first, my left hand second, my right hand third, and the club head last. I just could not hit with my irons until someone described it like that, and then I could hit them just fine whenever I thought of it.
3) Do you tend to use the same club when you're chipping near the green or do you vary it?
I know you're supposed to use different ones in different situations, but most people I golf with seem to have a favorite club for chipping. I try to use the right one for the lie and the distance, but I find that I use my sand wedge most often.
4) What's your routine or what kind of checklist do you go through in your head before you tee off?
I get my grip, get behind the ball and check my target line, take a couple of practice swings, address the ball, make sure I have it positioned correctly, make sure I'm balanced and comfortable. When I take my practice swings and before I start my backswing, the things that go through my head are to keep my shoulders level, take the club away in front of me on the target line, not too much, get a good wrist hinge, keep my right knee flexed, don't sway, start my downswing with my right knee and then hips, keep the club head on the inside, eye on the ball, release my wrists, swing through the ball, extend my arms toward the target, good follow-through and hold.
5) What's in your golf bag?
I have the 7-9 irons and the sand and pitching wedges from the cheap set I bought last year plus 5 & 6 irons given to me by friends. The new clubs I've bought so far are:
Lob Wedge - Wilson
Driver - King Cobra Speed LD Offset 12 degree loft Lite flex
3-Wood - Cobra Speed LD Offset Lite flex
5-Wood - Cobra Speed LD Offset Lite flex
7-Wood - Taylor Made r5 dual Senior flex
4-Hybrid - Cobra Baffler DWS Lite flex
Putter - Ping G5i Anser
6) What's your average and what was your best round of 18?
I don't really know what my average would be, probably about 110 right now, but my best so far was a 92. I've worked all summer to break 100.
7) Have you noticed how many people fudge their score? Would you say it's a large percentage of recreational golfers?
Every person I've played with, but one, has taken some strokes off their score. It's usually in the form of do-overs. They didn't like that drive so they'll hit another one. They miss-hit a shot and take another one. I have no problem with someone practice/playing when it's just for fun, but don't do it and keep score. They'll say they shot an 80-something when I know good and well that they wouldn't have broken 100 if they'd been keeping score properly. The one guy I play with who counts every stroke says that he sees it all the time too. He works at a golf course and says that probably 60 percent of the people who say they shoot under 100 probably do not. What do you think?
8) How would you describe your game?
I average 160 yards off the tee with my driver and I rarely miss the fairway. I can get 190 yards, but I slice it when I do. I'm most accurate with my 3-wood from the fairway and it averages 135 yards. I'm getting better with my irons, but I tend to hook them. My pitching is okay, but my chipping is terrible. I'm a pretty good putter and I believe I can become a really good one now that I've found a grip I like and can be consistent with.
If I'm playing a par 5, it usually goes like this - good drive middle of the fairway, very nice 3-wood shot, a pitch with good distance but to the left into the rough next to the green, lousy stinking chip that didn't make it out of the rough, lousy stinking chip that that went rolling all the way across the green, two putts with the first being on line but short, then tapped in for a double-bogey.
9) Do you drink when you golf?
I see a lot of guys drinking while they're golfing and I just don't see why you would. I mean, I have a hard enough time playing sober, it would have to hurt your game if you were trying to play with a buzz on.
10) What's the atmosphere like at your favorite local course? (Dress code, tee times, prices, rangers, starters, pro, policies, etc.)
Mine is pretty easy going, though they are particular about dress and behavior. Most of the time you don't have to call ahead for a tee time. They don't use starters. The pro and cart-boys do occasional rangering but it's not usually needed. The dress code is collared tops with slacks or nice shorts. Small cafe with sandwiches, etc. Alcoholic beverages are not sold at the course, but a lot of people bring their own in coolers. Every day except Tuesday it's $45 including cart for 18 holes, Tuesdays are $28 all-day golf for Seniors, Twilight every weekday for $24, no Twilight on weekends. It's usually only crowded on Tuesdays and weekends. It's open dawn til dusk.
11) Got any pictures of the course you play most often?
I do, but I'll have to post them later.
12) What's one of your best golf moments so far?
My first was the first time I birdied this hole. I was intimidated by it and couldn't get the ball on the green; it was either lost in the high grass or rocks, or I had to pitch up onto it. One day I teed off and the ball landed about 14 inches from the cup. I yelled, "Yay!", and looked around for a witness, but there weren't any. I tapped it in for the birdie. All was right with the world, until the next hole of course.