Round Tracker 2020

[gohusk]

Knocking the rust off.

Our courses have not closed, but last weekend was my first venture out since mid March...double dipped at that.

Sat...played a course up north...Hampton Golf Village...very hilly front, just looking to make solid contact...46-46...I was pleased even not breaking 90...total mixed bag...had a birdie and 4 pars in a row, but also had two blowup holes on both sides...10 on the front and 8 on the back.

Sun...home course with my regular crew. 42-48...got off to a terrible start...+2 on the first hole, but got on a roll, stayed at +2 all the way the #7, then bogey, dbl, bogey to close +6 for the side....Triple (8) on #14 killed my chance to break 90.

Got a time for Sat. so we shall see this week.

They just opened the courses here. We've been getting a decent amount of rain and nobody's been on them for over a month so the course I play is probably in the best shape it's ever been in. It's rust and being totally out of shape on top of it. I haven't lifted a weight in close to a year know and with this lock-down I've literally been on the couch for 2 months straight. It's been work from the couch and around 6:00 or so shift to something else that involves sitting on a couch. Really paying the price for that right now.

It was really good to get out. All the driving ranges are still closed so I was playing a couple of balls to get a bunch of swings in. It's short with all the clubs but I was making good contact at least as far as point of contact goes with the club face. Everything was just WAY short, like pulling out a 6 iron from 140 out short and being happy if it gets there. But I was smart with it in the sense that I said fuck it, it is what it is, just go with it. Just getting in shape should get me 10 yards back easy.

 

[ill]

Played 18 yesterday for I think maybe the second time this year.

I was absolutely shit for the first 7 holes. Could not get off the teebox and everything felt rushed. Once I hit the par 3 hole 8, things started to click. Finished the front with a bar and a bogey. Got too dark to finish the back but I was looking at a 43ish had I been able to see my shots better on the 18th.

Going out again today but the course is much more strategic. Not many long holes so the driver stays in the bag most of the round. Just need to hit fairways and greens and set myself up for a good second shot.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Since the pandemic started I played 4 rounds...decent scores (<90) for me considering not much practice...I mix of great holes (made eagle on #1 at Chicopee last week) and some that look like I haven't played in 20 yrs...(shanked 9i from 140...off the tee no less) so...

Happy Memorial Day Gents...going out today @ 11 at the home course...might not get it all in due weather so we shall see.

 

[ill]

Played much better yesterday. Only 2 blow up holes that I can think of and one is because I clipped the very top of a tree trying to cut a corner with my 9 iron on a part 5 that gave me a snowman.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Got all 18 in...actually played well on the front and got smoked by both of my regular guys...my 42, other scores...41, 38, 46.

Nobody really played well on the back...44 was the low # on the back. I played the hardest holes okay #10, is brute. 415 yds but a creek crosses fairway just past the 150 yd marker so most players have to layup short of the 150 and accept a 180-200 yd approach. Made par, #13 200 yd par 3 uphill, made par, #18 420 uphill water to carry, OB right, hazard left....bogey is not a bad

But the easiest holes...I jacked up most of them...#17 in particular...par 5, 505 yds and a fairly wide landing area...played from an elevated tee but OB left and right tee to green. From the FW I've made an eagle, and multiple birdies, but this hole is kicking my butt lately including Monday...dbl bogey.

It all added up to 46 on the back, and 88 overall...lost the front, the back and the overall.

 

[ill]

played 27 holes yesterday. Didn't play terrible, didn't play great, but it was a damn good day to be on the course. Played at a very good pace too, finished 27 holes in about 5 1/4 hours

 

[ill]

so back in the 90's my dad came up with this idea for a golf ball cleaner. The last few times I have gone out, the ball wash stations have been taken down for COVID and I was getting tired of my balls being so very very dirty.

So I dug through his old golf bag (he passed away in 2016) and found one of his old inventions and threw it in my bag.

Dammit if I didn't love using it.

 

[NEhomer]

Played yesterday and shot a ho hum 82 but Phil was on fire and had two putts for a 72!

...looked down at his ball on #18 to mark it and discovered that he had hit a wrong ball from the thick rough!

It was still a 72 to me but he was pretty bummed.

 

[ill]

new 60° won't get here for a few weeks...maybe I should have gotten it from somewhere other than Rock Bottom Golf, but oh well.

ordered a thinner putter grip too. What I have on there is just way too fat.

 

[packerzrule]

Have 5 rounds in the books so far only to find out that I still have a shitty short game

 

[ill]

tried out my new 60° yesterday on a couple holes, but wasn't getting to do what I wanted to do. I need some time at the range with it hitting out of the rough.

I was getting a little more control of my drives, but still no draw. To be continued...

sunk a 30 ft putt for bird on 10. That felt good.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

tried out my new 60° yesterday on a couple holes, but wasn't getting to do what I wanted to do. I need some time at the range with it hitting out of the rough.

I was getting a little more control of my drives, but still no draw. To be continued...

sunk a 30 ft putt for bird on 10. That felt good.

Birdies are always nice...30' birdie putts are even sweeter!

Last two weekends we played away from the home course...tough tracks...Heritage Golf Links has about 6800 yds of golf course...we played it around 6400 yds and this course can't have any more than an acre of somewhat flat terrain...sort of a links style course (with a few trees) but you rarely get a flat FW lie and hitting to elevated, sloppy greens....46-42...and I was happy.

Chestatee, Chestatee Golf Club up on the lake. The is up near Dahlonega...mountainous. You would think this one would have a lot of elevation change, and it does, but far easier to play....45-42...not much better there, not as happy with this one...I swung the club much better...two big numbers (+3 and +4) on the front took me out of the low 80s.

Back to the home course this weekend.

 

[ill]

I went from a super fatboy grip on my putter to something a little more reasonable. I feel like I was losing a lot of feel with the fat grip. I am the same way with tennis where I don't like vibration dampeners because they take away from my feel of the ball. I am adjusting to the smaller grip, but it doesn't take much.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I went from a super fatboy grip on my putter to something a little more reasonable. I feel like I was losing a lot of feel with the fat grip. I am the same way with tennis where I don't like vibration dampeners because they take away from my feel of the ball. I am adjusting to the smaller grip, but it doesn't take much.

I bought a new putter with the fat grip on it about a year ago...just liked it in the store, and it carried over to the course.

But...it does sort of force me to grip it lighter. Not sure if it's by design or what...My normal club grips are midsize...I found I was gripping the standard size too tightly...I can't say that was the case with my standard grip putter, but this was one of those quirks that seem to work for me.

 

[NEhomer]

I putted INSANE yesterday. I made fucking everything and I knew they were going to go in. My buddies were amazed. I had two dead straight 5 footers which are the scariest when you're not putting well and the guys may have well just given them to me.

My two simple keys are turn the shoulders and keep it short.

Every time I miss a make-able putt, it's because I failed to do one of those things. Yesterday was nuts. Only about an 81 'cause I had a couple of blow up holes and we were installing my ball return devices while playing so that's a big distraction...just hard to keep pace and rhythm.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I putted INSANE yesterday. I made fucking everything and I knew they were going to go in. My buddies were amazed. I had two dead straight 5 footers which are the scariest when you're not putting well and the guys may have well just given them to me.

My two simple keys are turn the shoulders and keep it short.

Every time I miss a make-able putt, it's because I failed to do one of those things. Yesterday was nuts. Only about an 81 'cause I had a couple of blow up holes and we were installing my ball return devices while playing so that's a big distraction...just hard to keep pace and rhythm.

44-45 last Saturday...and that got smoked by a 41-37...Short game killed me. I think I got up and down maybe 4 times all day. Whether I was trying to saving par, bogey, or dbl...I added one more almost every time. It wasn't just one thing...so Sunday I spent half a day in the short game area and I hope to get in some holes after work today in preparation for this Saturday.

 

[ill]

shot a 90 last night, 44-46. I was hitting fairways and greens all evening and it felt fucking good.

My putts were coming up short though. That was disappointing. Had a couple holes where my play around the green wasn't spectacular. I'd like those holes back.

 

[night]

Have 5 rounds in the books so far only to find out that I still have a shitty short game

I think my pitching wedge is on unemployment insurance because it doesn’t want to work.

 

[ill]

I have a tee time Friday at a nearby course I have only played once in a scramble, so I am excited for that. A buddy of mine wants to play the same course Thursday afternoon and I might have to do that too...would love to mix it up a little though and play somewhere else.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I have a tee time Friday at a nearby course I have only played once in a scramble, so I am excited for that. A buddy of mine wants to play the same course Thursday afternoon and I might have to do that too...would love to mix it up a little though and play somewhere else.

Last week I double dipped...the home course on Sat...45-39...front 9 just butchered #5...a tough hole, but I made it a lot harder than it is...triple there and #6 hole...short par 5 that I managed to make double...+5 on those two did some damage to the card, but I did have 2 birdies on the back.

Sunday was a treat...played the former home of GA Tech Yellowjackets...Echelon Golf Club...a top shelf semi-private (they are trying to get the membership headcount up to go 100% private) about 45 mins from the house. $90 bucks is pretty tall cotton for me per norm for golf, but it was so good (conditioning) that we're going back on Monday. Brut of a track (nearly 7600 from the tips) we played the whites (6100...70.0/129) 44-46...I gave it away on the par 5 holes....anxious to get back Monday.

If you are ever in the the metro ATL area and want to play a top shelf golf course...this one should be on a relatively short list of public access courses.

Home - Echelon Golf Club