last round of the year today...i played so bad i am not going to play again until next year! okay that was lame. wil mar is tucked away in north raleigh...i had heard the name but never played the course, so when the marine made the invite i jumped. of course i did not know that it was going to rain the entire night before our tee time and that it was going to be in the high 30's...well more like 40.
nice little course, not able to comment on condition because it was basically flooded today. i like the layout, you have to think your way around the course, some demanding tee shots, long par 3's and 2 par 5's that are over 500 yards. greens were in very good condition and quite fast for this time of the year and being saturated.
i am looking forward to going back to wil mar when the conditions are a bit better, but even with these conditions it was a good time.
i hope everyone had a great christmas and i wish you a happy new year. 2012 was a great year, but 2013 will be better. would like to get 2013 kicked off the end of the january with a group going to lonnie poole, a couple of foursomes would be great, so watch your inbox for details...until then don't forget to golf your balls.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
remedial math needed
once again the stage was tobacco road, and for a good reason - it is awesome. the kind of course that just makes you think all day and gives you lots of great scenery. the weather forecast was for partly cloudy skies and a temp of around 70 degrees...on my way to the course i drove through some rain...ugh! did not even want to play yet another round in the rain, but it was just mother nature saying, "psych". it was foggy most of the way there so i just hoped the sun would come out and burn off the fog...which it did on about the 4th hole. we were drenched in sun the rest of the day.
i finally got my shafts replaced and have not had a lot of time to get used to them, so I did have some off the tee fears, which really diminished after the first drive. but as usual on the tobacco road course, it is all about placement, not distance. if you don't stay in the fairway or land shots in the appropriate places, you are in for a long day and a high score.
since this group had handicaps as low as 3 and as high as 23, decided to play a couple of different games to help level the playing field. front nine was a team event, them against us, counting your two lowest scores.
i finally got my shafts replaced and have not had a lot of time to get used to them, so I did have some off the tee fears, which really diminished after the first drive. but as usual on the tobacco road course, it is all about placement, not distance. if you don't stay in the fairway or land shots in the appropriate places, you are in for a long day and a high score.
since this group had handicaps as low as 3 and as high as 23, decided to play a couple of different games to help level the playing field. front nine was a team event, them against us, counting your two lowest scores.
team 1
lawn mower guy
marine
pirate
air force guy
team 2
concrete guy
insurance guy
me
now i have to give props to the concrete guy, he played from the tips, now that is what i call a stand up move, so it is obvious that he is a regular guy...lowest handicap and plays from the tips. as the air force guy would say in his best john houseman impression..."well played concrete guy, well played" and the best impression is adequate at best.
the foursome teed off first, so we followed and kept them in sight most of the day, but could really not tell how well they were playing. i was keeping score and driving the cart...two things that i am never allowed to do, but on this day i only missed one hole on the card and kept all 4 wheels on the ground...however, there was on instance on #13 when the insurance guy reached over and grabbed my forearm and said too fast, too fast... i assured him that since the cart paths were dry, he was safe.
so as the round progressed through the front nine, i thought we may have a chance, at one time we were 3 under, mostly due to back to back birdies by the insurance guy! when we arrived at the #9 tee ( i hope you are starting to see a pattern on the ninth hole, i am) we were even and thought for sure we would need a birdie to possibly win. the concrete guy crushed a drive into the forest on the right, the insurance guy hit the fairway...as usual and i drilled one down the left side into the grass bunker, leaving myself about 115 in to the pin. i will not go into the details of what happened after the tee shots as it would certainly lessen your opinion of all three of us, but we did finish 14 over.
the front nine is done and its a new 9! we lost $10 on the front and would have won if we would have bogeyed the hole...go figure...but we are not thinking about that...now it is individual play and we are playing for skins and the closest to the hole on the two par 3's. our back nine is not too bad, but we could just not score, it seemed like all 3 us were on the bogey train...which in this format was a train to "pay me some money".
i will say that the negative side of formats with more than 4 is that you miss out on all the stuff going on in the other group, and from what we heard after the round, we missed quite a bit. the first par 3 that was eligible for a closest was number 14, with a front right pin and now card to be seen on the green, we decided we only needed to hit the green to get some $$. concrete guy went left, insurance guy went wet and i went left in the sand. first thing i thought was...carryover! next par 3 will be worth double...until we arrived at the green to find a card placed ever so neatly pin high, tucked up against the fringe, with the marines name boldly printed on the card...
carding only a few pars on the back we all just figured this round was toast. the last par 3 was once again a dismal failure for us, we could see the card this time, which was neatly placed about 10 feet left of the stick, by the lawn mower guy.
after the round we all gathered in the clubhouse and had a cold one to figure up the scores...this is where the remedial math part comes into play. i think that in my spare time (like i have any of that) i will go back to school and take a high school math class...i think it took us an hour to just figure out who got what. and with the team score pretty easy to figure, it only left paying 2 closest and 4 skins.
now i was not going to mention this, but after rolling this over in my head again and again, i know why we had such a difficult time...there was one guy sitting at the table who would quietly give math answers...that were incorrect and they went unchallenged until the lawn mower guy got out a calculator. i think it ended up correct, the marine possibly is short $3, but i will get back to you on that after the math class.
going to be an event at lonnie poole in raleigh, the n c state course in late january, if you want to play let me know. i should have the math class done by then, so no worries there. i will send out an email with dates and tee times to those who express interest, and until then don't forget to golf your balls.
Monday, December 3, 2012
# 9 @ #5
okay, a little confusing title but it will make sense as you read on.
as you know there are a few of us who play cga events and as you also may know a few of us won tournaments this year.
i won a 4ball event with the cow farmer at prestonwood
i won a 4ball event with the marine at 12 oaks
the marine won a singles event at greensboro national
so as a "treat" we were all invited to play in the year end cga champions event at pinehurst #5; which quite frankly put me in a rather tedious position. i won with two different partners and they would not let a single play in the 4ball event. decisions, decisions. i made my decision the only fair way i could think of...play with the first person i won with - the cow farmer. i was extremely glad when the marine won at gbo national, so he would be able to play in the big event as well!
it worked out well, the marine played in the singles event on saturday and the cow farmer and i played on sunday. i also feel like it was an honor and a priveledge to just be able to play in this event, so up at 0500 to drive to the cow farmers ranch and then off to the meca of golf, the holy grail if you will, the pinnacle of...well you know what i mean. team golf is fun and at the same time a royal pita if you don't play well, and i had not been doing so. i was a bit nervous because you certainly don't want your partner to carry you around the course. the cow farmer and i get along great and i always enjoy playing golf with him, a good friend and a person that just gets along with everyone...so that all sounds great but in reality it adds pressure to the game, because i did not want to let him down. and if you have not figured it out yet, i know how to pick a partner!
we obviously had the inside scoop since the marine had played the day before, so i felt a little more prepared...the whole pinehurst thing can be a bit on the intimidating side. the weather was great, the other team that we were paired with was awesome, a couple of old geezers that had high handicaps, but super regular guys. i would say the course was very nice, not a big "wow" factor, but a challenging course that was in pretty good condition. we played from the white tees, which brought a lot of trouble into play, so if we ever go back, would probably move back to the blue tees. as the round progressed we both seemed to be playing about average, with moments of brilliance. the cow farmer hit a 3 hybrid from around 215 to about 2 feet, out of the rough, which carded him a birdie net eagle. i had 2 birdies that netted eagles...and as far as the rest of the round went, i will not bore you...except for #9; our next to last hole. we both kind of thought that we may be in the hunt and possibly could scare place. only two holes left, just need to stay even or take net birdie...no pressure, none whatsoever. i stand up on the tee box and proceed to pull a driver out of bounds, the cow farmer pipes one right down the middle! i play my provisional ball and put it about 20 feet from the first one...now i don't like to brag about my superior driving abilities, but i very seriously doubt anyone reading this could put two balls within 20 feet of each other...not just out of bounds, but across the road and in some dudes driveway! so knowing that was covered with such a great drive from my partner, i just shook my head in frustration and moved on. we get to the cow farmers ball and determine that he is 147 from the pin and about 130 to the front edge. he decides to play it safe and go to the middle of the green versus shooting at the pin that was neatly tucked behind a bunker that was previously a rock quarry i think...deep! i agree that is the smart play...go get it! so the cow farmer proceeds to fan it out to the right and short...into the cavernous bunker. from the bunker he skanks it across the green and down the hill, he then pitches it up to the top of the hill, he then pitches it on the green and two putts and ends up with a 7 net 6. we have determined that our stellar play on this hole was our demise. but one could argue that it may have been the par 3, the one that i landed my tee shot on the front edge with a back pin, leaving myself a 45 foot uphill putt, that i hit so hard it ran off the back of the green and up a hill, but i did manage to two putt from there.
so although there were as mentioned before moments of brilliance there were also moments of wtf? we ended the round 78 net 65...thinking we should slam the trunk and make the pilgrimage back to reality. but we opted to stick around and see the cards come in...and in they came oh so slowly...i wanted a cheeseburger so bad, i almost bought one there for $17.50. i did notice one thing as the cards came in...we were the lowest net? could it be? could we have pulled off a miracle? could we have actually earned the coveted silver plate? the cow farmer was not optimistic, i secretly was hoping everyone else had the worst round of the year...oh to bring home the hardware would have been such a grand thing to do! my wife would be proud, my kids would jump for joy, the small town i live in would have a parade, i would be on the front page of the local newspaper, on tv...there could even be a possible endorsement from one of the major club manufacturers...okay, that's not happening, but at least i would be happy.
and of course to bring me down to reality once more, the last score card the last two cards that come in are 64 and 65...damn! i am not going to disneyland! but we did t2 and get to have a ton of fun...but we were beat by one freakin stroke...so yes #9 would have been the hole to have played well on, we would have won.
it was a great weekend! not only did we place, but the marine came in second as well! so over the winter there will certainly be golf played, but secretly we will all be preparing for next year, we all want the silver plate.
here are a few quick snapshots of the resort, course and the tournament:
as you know there are a few of us who play cga events and as you also may know a few of us won tournaments this year.
i won a 4ball event with the cow farmer at prestonwood
i won a 4ball event with the marine at 12 oaks
the marine won a singles event at greensboro national
so as a "treat" we were all invited to play in the year end cga champions event at pinehurst #5; which quite frankly put me in a rather tedious position. i won with two different partners and they would not let a single play in the 4ball event. decisions, decisions. i made my decision the only fair way i could think of...play with the first person i won with - the cow farmer. i was extremely glad when the marine won at gbo national, so he would be able to play in the big event as well!
it worked out well, the marine played in the singles event on saturday and the cow farmer and i played on sunday. i also feel like it was an honor and a priveledge to just be able to play in this event, so up at 0500 to drive to the cow farmers ranch and then off to the meca of golf, the holy grail if you will, the pinnacle of...well you know what i mean. team golf is fun and at the same time a royal pita if you don't play well, and i had not been doing so. i was a bit nervous because you certainly don't want your partner to carry you around the course. the cow farmer and i get along great and i always enjoy playing golf with him, a good friend and a person that just gets along with everyone...so that all sounds great but in reality it adds pressure to the game, because i did not want to let him down. and if you have not figured it out yet, i know how to pick a partner!
we obviously had the inside scoop since the marine had played the day before, so i felt a little more prepared...the whole pinehurst thing can be a bit on the intimidating side. the weather was great, the other team that we were paired with was awesome, a couple of old geezers that had high handicaps, but super regular guys. i would say the course was very nice, not a big "wow" factor, but a challenging course that was in pretty good condition. we played from the white tees, which brought a lot of trouble into play, so if we ever go back, would probably move back to the blue tees. as the round progressed we both seemed to be playing about average, with moments of brilliance. the cow farmer hit a 3 hybrid from around 215 to about 2 feet, out of the rough, which carded him a birdie net eagle. i had 2 birdies that netted eagles...and as far as the rest of the round went, i will not bore you...except for #9; our next to last hole. we both kind of thought that we may be in the hunt and possibly could scare place. only two holes left, just need to stay even or take net birdie...no pressure, none whatsoever. i stand up on the tee box and proceed to pull a driver out of bounds, the cow farmer pipes one right down the middle! i play my provisional ball and put it about 20 feet from the first one...now i don't like to brag about my superior driving abilities, but i very seriously doubt anyone reading this could put two balls within 20 feet of each other...not just out of bounds, but across the road and in some dudes driveway! so knowing that was covered with such a great drive from my partner, i just shook my head in frustration and moved on. we get to the cow farmers ball and determine that he is 147 from the pin and about 130 to the front edge. he decides to play it safe and go to the middle of the green versus shooting at the pin that was neatly tucked behind a bunker that was previously a rock quarry i think...deep! i agree that is the smart play...go get it! so the cow farmer proceeds to fan it out to the right and short...into the cavernous bunker. from the bunker he skanks it across the green and down the hill, he then pitches it up to the top of the hill, he then pitches it on the green and two putts and ends up with a 7 net 6. we have determined that our stellar play on this hole was our demise. but one could argue that it may have been the par 3, the one that i landed my tee shot on the front edge with a back pin, leaving myself a 45 foot uphill putt, that i hit so hard it ran off the back of the green and up a hill, but i did manage to two putt from there.
so although there were as mentioned before moments of brilliance there were also moments of wtf? we ended the round 78 net 65...thinking we should slam the trunk and make the pilgrimage back to reality. but we opted to stick around and see the cards come in...and in they came oh so slowly...i wanted a cheeseburger so bad, i almost bought one there for $17.50. i did notice one thing as the cards came in...we were the lowest net? could it be? could we have pulled off a miracle? could we have actually earned the coveted silver plate? the cow farmer was not optimistic, i secretly was hoping everyone else had the worst round of the year...oh to bring home the hardware would have been such a grand thing to do! my wife would be proud, my kids would jump for joy, the small town i live in would have a parade, i would be on the front page of the local newspaper, on tv...there could even be a possible endorsement from one of the major club manufacturers...okay, that's not happening, but at least i would be happy.
and of course to bring me down to reality once more, the last score card the last two cards that come in are 64 and 65...damn! i am not going to disneyland! but we did t2 and get to have a ton of fun...but we were beat by one freakin stroke...so yes #9 would have been the hole to have played well on, we would have won.
it was a great weekend! not only did we place, but the marine came in second as well! so over the winter there will certainly be golf played, but secretly we will all be preparing for next year, we all want the silver plate.
here are a few quick snapshots of the resort, course and the tournament:
clubhouse and putting green
learning center
clubhouse up close
payne stewart
plaque for payne stewart
donald ross (l) and other dude (r)
#2 18th fairway
#2 18th green
croquet (wtf)
seriously, this is a sport?
main pro shop
2014 us open shop (where i spent my gift card)
maniac hill
we won! (not so fast young man)
Have fun, life is short, play golf with good friends and don't forget to golf your balls!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
tobacco road - cga
after today i am moving tobacco road to my number one most favorite course i have played. you should run there tomorrow, don't walk, don't put it off, don't wait...it is in amazing condition! fairways are green and lush and look like a carpet. the greens are fantastic...just fast enough to make all the undulations a bit tricky. this place is freakin' awesome. i can't wait to go back and play a non tournament round.
the entire staff is just as regular as they can be, the ladies behind the grill counter were super nice, the guys in the shop were super helpful, all the guys helping us with carts and bags... all great! i would have to say that if you are in pinehurst and don't drive up to tobacco road...well, you have missed out on one of the best courses in the country. i am not going to list all the awards they have won, you can just go to their site and see for yourself, just click here.
the tournament was a 4 ball and the team was myself and the marine. the other team in our foursome was a couple of great older gals! the marine and i were a bit concerned how this would end up if the ladies beat us. we started on #14, which is the par 3 you see as you drive in...playing about 170 into the wind over the lake. this is the hole that marked the end of my driving golf carts. I am not allowed to drive the cart any longer due to a very small incident the last time we played tobacco road...it was a bit damp from some rain and the marine was the passenger, as we approached the tee box for number 14, i slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel...a perfect 360! except i threw the marine out...it was hilarious.
back to current...both of us had a slow start, the marine first tee shot in the water, then his second on the cart path, me on the cart path...it was ugly. our fears of being beat by the older ladies was starting to look possible! We both managed to pull it together and play some pretty decent golf. hard to play bad with such a beautiful golf course, you just walk around with a grin on your face the entire time. We saw an eagle flying around screeching while we were warming up...then on my approach shot into a green, i look up and coming over the tree line is a c5 military cargo plane...wow, it did a pretty steep banked turn and off it went...almost like they did it just for our foursome to watch.
i know you are thinking as you read this that we won, since i am so excited about the course, but we did not, the marine shot an 83 and i an 84. please note that the marine shot yet another 83...it appears that his quest to beat my best tournament score of 79 (of which i have 3) has gone yet another year with no results. however, i do have confidence in his ability to break 83...just not this year.
out next outing was supposed to be the mike strantz tournament at tot hill farm this weekend, but the air force guy pulled out of our three man team...thanks air force guy! until next time, don't forget to golf your balls.
the entire staff is just as regular as they can be, the ladies behind the grill counter were super nice, the guys in the shop were super helpful, all the guys helping us with carts and bags... all great! i would have to say that if you are in pinehurst and don't drive up to tobacco road...well, you have missed out on one of the best courses in the country. i am not going to list all the awards they have won, you can just go to their site and see for yourself, just click here.
the tournament was a 4 ball and the team was myself and the marine. the other team in our foursome was a couple of great older gals! the marine and i were a bit concerned how this would end up if the ladies beat us. we started on #14, which is the par 3 you see as you drive in...playing about 170 into the wind over the lake. this is the hole that marked the end of my driving golf carts. I am not allowed to drive the cart any longer due to a very small incident the last time we played tobacco road...it was a bit damp from some rain and the marine was the passenger, as we approached the tee box for number 14, i slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel...a perfect 360! except i threw the marine out...it was hilarious.
back to current...both of us had a slow start, the marine first tee shot in the water, then his second on the cart path, me on the cart path...it was ugly. our fears of being beat by the older ladies was starting to look possible! We both managed to pull it together and play some pretty decent golf. hard to play bad with such a beautiful golf course, you just walk around with a grin on your face the entire time. We saw an eagle flying around screeching while we were warming up...then on my approach shot into a green, i look up and coming over the tree line is a c5 military cargo plane...wow, it did a pretty steep banked turn and off it went...almost like they did it just for our foursome to watch.
i know you are thinking as you read this that we won, since i am so excited about the course, but we did not, the marine shot an 83 and i an 84. please note that the marine shot yet another 83...it appears that his quest to beat my best tournament score of 79 (of which i have 3) has gone yet another year with no results. however, i do have confidence in his ability to break 83...just not this year.
out next outing was supposed to be the mike strantz tournament at tot hill farm this weekend, but the air force guy pulled out of our three man team...thanks air force guy! until next time, don't forget to golf your balls.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
riverwood golf course
if you have not heard me say it before, please listen this time...i do not like riverwood. don't let my disgust for their incompetent "rebuild" make your decision though. they changed the greens out a while back to a faster grass, but did not remove or flatten out their numerous undulations; which for a slow grass were challenging. now they are just absurd. you can barely get a ball to stay on the green and here is to you if you are above the hole.
but even with all that the cow farmer got me to play there again with puddin, the bean counter and a new player who will be known as the bug squasher. we played a skins/closest to between six of us...i know you are only counting five, but for the life of me i cant remember who the sixth was? whatever.
even though the greens are as bad as they are, it was still a fun round. there were a couple of things that happened during the round that are worth mentioning. one of the guys in the group behind us hit into us while the cow farmer was in his back swing, not very friendly or smart. thought that might cause some issues, since the person doing the hitting is always in such a freaking hurry...it could have happened a second time. then there was the "new" ruling about plugged balls in a hazard. according to puddin you are allowed to just drop another ball and play it instead of identifying the plugged one and not taking a penalty. i believe this is due to the fact that the mud was so soft and the ball sank so far?
the round ended and the money was distributed, we sat on the porch and enjoyed a cold frothy one or three and as i sat there thinking...wow this is awesome! playing golf on a friday afternoon and watching the sun slowly sink in november when it was 72 degrees...i realized that some of the guys we play with are so far behind in the technology department...i mean seriously look at the phones:
this is the cow farmer's phone...if he ever texts you and every word is extremely abbreviated, you now know why.
but even with all that the cow farmer got me to play there again with puddin, the bean counter and a new player who will be known as the bug squasher. we played a skins/closest to between six of us...i know you are only counting five, but for the life of me i cant remember who the sixth was? whatever.
even though the greens are as bad as they are, it was still a fun round. there were a couple of things that happened during the round that are worth mentioning. one of the guys in the group behind us hit into us while the cow farmer was in his back swing, not very friendly or smart. thought that might cause some issues, since the person doing the hitting is always in such a freaking hurry...it could have happened a second time. then there was the "new" ruling about plugged balls in a hazard. according to puddin you are allowed to just drop another ball and play it instead of identifying the plugged one and not taking a penalty. i believe this is due to the fact that the mud was so soft and the ball sank so far?
the round ended and the money was distributed, we sat on the porch and enjoyed a cold frothy one or three and as i sat there thinking...wow this is awesome! playing golf on a friday afternoon and watching the sun slowly sink in november when it was 72 degrees...i realized that some of the guys we play with are so far behind in the technology department...i mean seriously look at the phones:
this is the cow farmer's phone...if he ever texts you and every word is extremely abbreviated, you now know why.
this is puddin's phone...don't look at the cleanly shaved legs that are crossed, look at the phone, yes it is a phone.
and for you guys who have heard me talk about my dog...the high dollar watch dog that is guaranteed to pee on your carpet if someone rings the doorbell...well here she is in all her glory:
i think the cat can kick her ass.
tobacco road has a cga event next week that i am playing in with the marine, so that will be the next post...until then golf your balls.
northgreen country club
i am running a little behind on this post, you know i talked about northgreen earlier this year and how they are making great efforts to get the course back into good condition. i can now let you know that although they are not done, they have come a long way. greens were in great shape and rolled nicely. fairways have grass and bunkers have sand!
as most of you know the layout is phenomenal and the acc played their tournament at that course for many years, so for just $20 any day of the week you can come to rocky mount, nc and play a hidden gem of a course.
if you decide to play northgreen, which i would urge you to do, contact me and if i am not busy, would love to join you!
until then, don't forget to golf your balls.
as most of you know the layout is phenomenal and the acc played their tournament at that course for many years, so for just $20 any day of the week you can come to rocky mount, nc and play a hidden gem of a course.
if you decide to play northgreen, which i would urge you to do, contact me and if i am not busy, would love to join you!
until then, don't forget to golf your balls.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
greensboro national golf club
its hard to believe that sandy just wiped out a major chunk of the east coast and just a short week ago we played at myrtle beach while she cruised up the coast...because today was beautiful! i think all of us who have lived through the devastation of a hurricane feel for the folks up north.
but as i mentioned today was a great day for golf, and a cga event took place at greensboro national golf club. once again a fantastic cga event at a fantastic course. as usual i do a little research on the course before arriving and i must say i was concerned. i was concerned because their website mentions that they are going to replace all the greens next year...that usually means that the current greens are not very good. i was pleasantly pleased to see that although there was some damage they were manicured and rolling nicely. they were quick and true...the way most of us regular guys like them.
the folks running the greensboro national golf club were also regular folks. the guys in the pro shop were helpful and friendly, the cart guy was friendly, there was a nice fellow at the first tee handing out divot repair tools who was fun to talk too. but, the most regular guy in the place was in the grill...not sure of his name, but he is not from around here. his hospitality skills were noticed right off the bat, his attention to detail and courtesy make him a very regular guy in my book!
i have to brag for just a minute...it was #3, par 5, 515 yards with a slight breeze in our faces, dogleg right with a lake at the dogleg and running up the right side after the turn. I nailed a drive to about 230, a fairway wood to about 6 feet and a smooth roll for an eagle! have not had one of those in quite some time....golf clap.
i played with the marine and two other humans...one was regular the other...well he was there. the marine brought his a game today and smoked the front nine with a 38, it was fun to watch...the pressure got to him a bit on the back nine, but an overall 83 (the marine can't break 83 in a tournament, he has done it many times...only one of us has shot a 79 in three separate tournaments) was enough to put him on top of the heap!
overall a great course with fabulous people running it, if you live in the triad area and your not playing this course, you are not regular!
next tournament is tobacco road...one of my favorite courses and also we will be attending the 2nd annual mike strantz tournament at tot hill farm. until then don't forget to golf your balls.
but as i mentioned today was a great day for golf, and a cga event took place at greensboro national golf club. once again a fantastic cga event at a fantastic course. as usual i do a little research on the course before arriving and i must say i was concerned. i was concerned because their website mentions that they are going to replace all the greens next year...that usually means that the current greens are not very good. i was pleasantly pleased to see that although there was some damage they were manicured and rolling nicely. they were quick and true...the way most of us regular guys like them.
the folks running the greensboro national golf club were also regular folks. the guys in the pro shop were helpful and friendly, the cart guy was friendly, there was a nice fellow at the first tee handing out divot repair tools who was fun to talk too. but, the most regular guy in the place was in the grill...not sure of his name, but he is not from around here. his hospitality skills were noticed right off the bat, his attention to detail and courtesy make him a very regular guy in my book!
i have to brag for just a minute...it was #3, par 5, 515 yards with a slight breeze in our faces, dogleg right with a lake at the dogleg and running up the right side after the turn. I nailed a drive to about 230, a fairway wood to about 6 feet and a smooth roll for an eagle! have not had one of those in quite some time....golf clap.
i played with the marine and two other humans...one was regular the other...well he was there. the marine brought his a game today and smoked the front nine with a 38, it was fun to watch...the pressure got to him a bit on the back nine, but an overall 83 (the marine can't break 83 in a tournament, he has done it many times...only one of us has shot a 79 in three separate tournaments) was enough to put him on top of the heap!
overall a great course with fabulous people running it, if you live in the triad area and your not playing this course, you are not regular!
next tournament is tobacco road...one of my favorite courses and also we will be attending the 2nd annual mike strantz tournament at tot hill farm. until then don't forget to golf your balls.
Monday, October 29, 2012
hurricane golf day 2
i feel the need to let you inside the ropes of this; 1st annual not going to hilton head tournament. this event was spawned on golf carts playing in tournaments by several of the regular guys. we got fed up with sand baggers and corrupt tour directors that would cheat to get their "guys" in better positions to win. i wont get into this topic because i don't like to capitalize letters...and if i talk about this subject i capitalize. anyhow...we all said that we would like to play nice courses away from home for a long weekend and have some competitive fun with no worries of cheaters or sandbaggers...thus the name of the tourney.
so our humble beginnings are 4 extremely regular guys:
the marine - a guy that you want on your side. a stand up dude who served this country for 30 years! he did the stuff that we don't want to do, so we can do the stuff we do. they come no better.
air force guy - this guy has never met an enemy and if you have ever met him you will know why, another stand up guy who i want on my team. impossible to be around him without laughing until you hurt.
insurance guy - a guy who stands in the face of adversity and grins and keeps on keeping on. he eats slow and drives slow...but he will take your money on the golf course in a big hurry.
if you are regular, like to drink a few at night, watch sports on tv, eat good food, talk about everything under the sun, eat beef jerky, act a fool and don't mind a little snoring at night...you can join us next year. until next time don't forget to golf your balls.
so our humble beginnings are 4 extremely regular guys:
the marine - a guy that you want on your side. a stand up dude who served this country for 30 years! he did the stuff that we don't want to do, so we can do the stuff we do. they come no better.
air force guy - this guy has never met an enemy and if you have ever met him you will know why, another stand up guy who i want on my team. impossible to be around him without laughing until you hurt.
insurance guy - a guy who stands in the face of adversity and grins and keeps on keeping on. he eats slow and drives slow...but he will take your money on the golf course in a big hurry.
the marine | regular randy | the air force guy | the insurance guy
four days and five rounds of golf with these guys you may start drinking, just look at the size of beers on the table.
you also may meet a famous big time wrestler from the 80's:
good times had by all, memories made and already looking forward to next year. so now for the grand finale, the last day and the big time money game. this was a straight up handicap round on tigers eye (the best course of the four). the remnents of sandy remained or at least the wind, she stuck around to reak havoc on our fun. the constant 25 mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph started to subside on the back 9. i hit a few eye opening shots on the driving range...i crushed a driver right into the teeth of the wind, a ball struck very well that landed just beyond the 150 flag. after a few of those you start wondering if you will be able to break 100. the course was in great condition and the greens were quite a bit faster than the previous 4 rounds on the other big cat courses. saw a few putts run by 6 - 8 feet, and if i am not mistaken most of them were mine? it was a hard battle on the back nine, but we were not going to leave with an all square...and the air force guy and the insurance guy were tied for the lead on the 18th tee...the pressure was intense and only one would come out on top. congratulations to the insurance guy the first champion of the not going to hilton head tournament.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
hurricane golf
hurricane sandy loomed off the coast of south carolina when we woke this morning at 0500. after calling the good folks at lions paw, we determined that the course was open and we were playing! with winds gusting up to about 40 mph and rain pelting down...we were off! the game today was a modified stableford format. the insurance guy starting at 10, air force guy at 14, myself 19 and the marine at 25. which means the insurance guy had a target on his back, all against him. conditions were probably as bad as it could get at times...and with 200 yard par 3's into the wind several of those tee shots were with drivers...for the short knockers.
as the round progressed the numbers started getting closer to even and the weather got worse. the temps dropped and the rain continued. everyone was soaked to the bone and since we were the only 4 golfers on the course...we were not rushed, but at the same time we were in kind of a hurry. not sure about you, but playing golf in wet underwear is a bit difficult. although the air force guy seemed to be having some sort of weird fun.
just to give you an idea of how bad the wind was...on an approach shot to a par 5, my third shot was about 129 yard to front of the green, which normally would be a smooth pw for me. i hit a perfect 6i and came up short!
it came down to 18 a long par 5 with trouble left and ob right. after hitting my 3rd into the greenside pond, i thought for sure i was toast...but as usual all square. the insurance guy and myself tied with a 27, the marine came in 3rd and the air force guy brought up the rear.
the air force guy, the marine and i can now cross off the played in a hurricane from our bucket list. we already played in snow storm, what will be next?
tomorrow is last round, straight up handicapped singles at the tigers eye. check back on monday for the results...until then golf your balls.
as the round progressed the numbers started getting closer to even and the weather got worse. the temps dropped and the rain continued. everyone was soaked to the bone and since we were the only 4 golfers on the course...we were not rushed, but at the same time we were in kind of a hurry. not sure about you, but playing golf in wet underwear is a bit difficult. although the air force guy seemed to be having some sort of weird fun.
just to give you an idea of how bad the wind was...on an approach shot to a par 5, my third shot was about 129 yard to front of the green, which normally would be a smooth pw for me. i hit a perfect 6i and came up short!
it came down to 18 a long par 5 with trouble left and ob right. after hitting my 3rd into the greenside pond, i thought for sure i was toast...but as usual all square. the insurance guy and myself tied with a 27, the marine came in 3rd and the air force guy brought up the rear.
the air force guy, the marine and i can now cross off the played in a hurricane from our bucket list. we already played in snow storm, what will be next?
tomorrow is last round, straight up handicapped singles at the tigers eye. check back on monday for the results...until then golf your balls.
Friday, October 26, 2012
panthers run | lions paw
we have hurricane sandy breathing down our back...so we played 36 today just in case we spend the day at the bar tomorrow.
got the day started off at big stacks...steak and eggs! great service and a little known hang out for vanna white, she is from mb.
panthers run was dots game and th marine kicked ass...30 dots! He knows how to play the game...here is the tally:
marine - 30
the air force guy - 16
insurance guy - 18
me - 15
so after it all said and done the marine had enough quarters to buy dinner!
course was in good shape, greens were better today than yesterday.
lunch at the course was awesome, cheeseburger was off the hook and the cole slaw was bangin'
the guys at the course were all regular as they could be, and we really appreciated the assistance.
2nd round...lions paw...ryder cup format, teams the marine and the insurance guy vs. the air force guy and me. course was in good shape, greens were also rolling great. first 6 was best ball, marine team wins. second 6 was alternate shot, marine team wins. last six was singles...
the air force guy vs the insurance guy - insurance guy wins
marine vs me - all square
great day, great weather, much fun!
dinner at outback and much drinks, tomorrow we play lions paw if it is not pouring down the rain.
golf your balls
got the day started off at big stacks...steak and eggs! great service and a little known hang out for vanna white, she is from mb.
panthers run was dots game and th marine kicked ass...30 dots! He knows how to play the game...here is the tally:
marine - 30
the air force guy - 16
insurance guy - 18
me - 15
so after it all said and done the marine had enough quarters to buy dinner!
course was in good shape, greens were better today than yesterday.
lunch at the course was awesome, cheeseburger was off the hook and the cole slaw was bangin'
the guys at the course were all regular as they could be, and we really appreciated the assistance.
2nd round...lions paw...ryder cup format, teams the marine and the insurance guy vs. the air force guy and me. course was in good shape, greens were also rolling great. first 6 was best ball, marine team wins. second 6 was alternate shot, marine team wins. last six was singles...
the air force guy vs the insurance guy - insurance guy wins
marine vs me - all square
great day, great weather, much fun!
dinner at outback and much drinks, tomorrow we play lions paw if it is not pouring down the rain.
golf your balls
leopards chase
what a beautiful day for golf...shame i had to waste it.
everyone drove down this morning for a 12:30 tee time, sun and puffy white
clouds. golf course was in very good condition...a couple of greens had some
issues but they all rolled great.
the obvious singles match would have been the marine against
me and the insurance guy against the air force guy...but when we pulled up to
the 13th tee i asked the insurance guy who he wanted...i want the marine...i
think i can take him. a battle began...and at the end and after the dust
cleared...it was all square.
Tomorrow is panthers run and it is a dot game
Friday, October 12, 2012
bull creek
you ever play a round of golf with people that just make you laugh? i played with the cow farmer, puddin and the bean counter today at bull creek. first i will say that for the small amount of money you pay to play at bc....it is worth it. the guy who runs the place is real regular. the course is in great shape and the greens were rolling good...a bit slow but good.
i introduced you to the bean counter a few months ago at a riverwood blog. the bean counter is a big guy, 6' 4" probably 240ish, with this deep, loud resonating voice..and a very regular guy...very fun to play golf with...just don't want to watch his swing. so on number one tee the teams are determined, puddin and the bean counter against us... also on the number one tee the onslaught of verbal abuse began, i'm gonna kick your ass, you cant spell golf, your mother is ugly...you name it...funny thing about the abuse, it was from the bean counter...directed at puddin...his partner. i would have spit milk out my nose have the round. i really enjoy playing golf with a bunch of guys who just want to have fun. now don't misunderstand that; i like to get serious and compete...but i have not really played enough this summer to get serious.
so if you want someone on your team that can talk major junk, you want the bean counter. and if you want someone on your team that can take major junk, you want puddin.
we have a foursome going to myrtle beach in a few weeks that will be fun, i will try and blog after each round if i am sober enough, so keep tuned for more on that...also if you are wanting to get some club work done, don't go to the guy who has a shop in the popular driving range on capital boulevard in raleigh...word is he will make you some crappy clubs and then laugh at you after he takes your money. of course i am referring to the last post, but keep tuned for more on that as well...don't mess with my wife, kids, car or clubs, unless of course you want me to go irregular on your ass.
until next time... golf your balls.
i introduced you to the bean counter a few months ago at a riverwood blog. the bean counter is a big guy, 6' 4" probably 240ish, with this deep, loud resonating voice..and a very regular guy...very fun to play golf with...just don't want to watch his swing. so on number one tee the teams are determined, puddin and the bean counter against us... also on the number one tee the onslaught of verbal abuse began, i'm gonna kick your ass, you cant spell golf, your mother is ugly...you name it...funny thing about the abuse, it was from the bean counter...directed at puddin...his partner. i would have spit milk out my nose have the round. i really enjoy playing golf with a bunch of guys who just want to have fun. now don't misunderstand that; i like to get serious and compete...but i have not really played enough this summer to get serious.
so if you want someone on your team that can talk major junk, you want the bean counter. and if you want someone on your team that can take major junk, you want puddin.
we have a foursome going to myrtle beach in a few weeks that will be fun, i will try and blog after each round if i am sober enough, so keep tuned for more on that...also if you are wanting to get some club work done, don't go to the guy who has a shop in the popular driving range on capital boulevard in raleigh...word is he will make you some crappy clubs and then laugh at you after he takes your money. of course i am referring to the last post, but keep tuned for more on that as well...don't mess with my wife, kids, car or clubs, unless of course you want me to go irregular on your ass.
until next time... golf your balls.
Monday, September 24, 2012
club fitting
if you go back in the history of my blog you will find a post "club review" that I told you about my irons...and how i was fitted for them. I continue to be impressed with the performance of these irons. i mentioned in that post that i thought there were bad clubs and good clubs; with most of the major brands being good.
a lot of you are aware of the club fitter that was playing on gwat in d flight...who offered a free spining as a raffle that i won. i had my irons and woods spined, noticeable difference. a lot of you are also aware that this particular club fitter had some issues, a head came off of one of the marines clubs as well as one of mine. due to this, i would not recommend this club fitter.
i am a self admitted tweaker...i like to tweak my car, swing and clubs. i have been through a few drivers in the 6 years of me playing golf...and finally i found a driver that i was actually hitting well...the titleist with the rip shaft. well on my trip to mb to tweak my swing, it snapped the shaft...omg, i did not just do that!
most of you know that i have also had several different pga teaching pro's... one who stole $300 from me, one who changed my swing about 12 times, another who stole $100 and one who wanted to change everything about my swing...and then finally joe bernat, who was gold...
all of the above is to preface this...
cow farmer suggests i go to his "guy" to get my titleist re shafted. so that is what i did. i go to see the shaft guy who's shop is located at a popular driving range on capital boulevard in wake forest, nc. he tells me that he is not just going to slap any old shaft into my club, he is going to have to "fit" the shaft to me. he interviewed me for about 30 minutes and then had me hit one of his demo clubs. i hit the demo club like a pro! he used a gizmo on the shaft to determine my swing speed...204, 206, 209, 211 and 214. we then went back to discuss the results and he told me that the shaft for me was a certain model...not the one that i just hit very well, but one that was similar in flex and weight. he is the club fitter...so ok. i decided to have him do my fairway woods and my hybrid as well...as this type of shaft is matched so all of them would "feel" the same. i went home that night and decided to not have the titleist re shafted but rather have him build me a club with the same head as the demo club...all in all an order of over $800. he told me it would take a few days to get the shafts and then a few days to build...i could not wait! i hit that demo club about 280 at the range with a nice little draw.
i got the clubs to the driving range as soon as i could...to find out that there was something bad wrong...short left, short right, low, high, a good one. I hit about 40 balls and would say 3 were good. omg, this has to be me...bad day. come back next day, same result. very frustrated, these shafts are not "fitted" to me...possibly a mistake in the fitting process? not sure...one more trip to the range...same result. I could pull my back up driver out in the middle of this mess and hit one right down the middle.
i call the club fitter and schedule a meeting...telling him the results of my 3 trips to the range. i get there today and he has a guy hit the club to prove to me that there is nothing wrong with the club...it is a good club. well the guy is a pga teaching pro that could probably hit any club in the entire place...i am thinking to myself, what the hell does this prove. i never said the club was bad, i just said i cant hit it... so i hit it...not bad but still not good. the pro then tells me that i have adapted my swing to fit my crappy back up driver an now that i have a good club all the defects in my swing are evident...he would be more than happy to help me with my swing. really did he just say that to me? so the club fitter takes me back to show me how crappy my back up drive was by putting it on the bench and flexing it..a bit of wobble...and i am sure he thought it was going to be more than it was. then he put on the new club and showed me how straight it was. i explained to him that i was a bit disappointed that i was being told that the problem was my swing not the club. he told me i should take up the pro on his offer to give me lessons...i told him i was not driving an hour to get some guy who i don't know and at this point don't like to show me how to swing to hit these clubs...he said it would be beneficial and worth the time. i told him i was not going to do that...he then looked me in the eye and told me that i would need to get my swing fixed if i wanted to be able to hit his clubs.
i guess i will need two swings one for my irons and one for these super duper special clubs that can only be hit by people with super duper special swings...what a load of bs.
not once did the club fitter think that maybe he made a mistake or that we should check to see if the fitting process was correct, it is a shame that people cant admit mistakes, but instead go on the defensive and point fingers at other people. i don't have a perfect swing, not even close...i want to get better and will, but really a club that cant be hit unless you have a good swing...but my cheap tm driver i can? i don't think i missed a fairway at prestonwood with my cheap tm.
you can go to this place if you want, but my suggestion would be to run in the opposite direction as fast as possible. typical poor customer service, smile and be nice as long as everyone is happy, a little issue arises and treat you like poo poo.
until next time don't for get to golf your balls.
a lot of you are aware of the club fitter that was playing on gwat in d flight...who offered a free spining as a raffle that i won. i had my irons and woods spined, noticeable difference. a lot of you are also aware that this particular club fitter had some issues, a head came off of one of the marines clubs as well as one of mine. due to this, i would not recommend this club fitter.
i am a self admitted tweaker...i like to tweak my car, swing and clubs. i have been through a few drivers in the 6 years of me playing golf...and finally i found a driver that i was actually hitting well...the titleist with the rip shaft. well on my trip to mb to tweak my swing, it snapped the shaft...omg, i did not just do that!
most of you know that i have also had several different pga teaching pro's... one who stole $300 from me, one who changed my swing about 12 times, another who stole $100 and one who wanted to change everything about my swing...and then finally joe bernat, who was gold...
all of the above is to preface this...
cow farmer suggests i go to his "guy" to get my titleist re shafted. so that is what i did. i go to see the shaft guy who's shop is located at a popular driving range on capital boulevard in wake forest, nc. he tells me that he is not just going to slap any old shaft into my club, he is going to have to "fit" the shaft to me. he interviewed me for about 30 minutes and then had me hit one of his demo clubs. i hit the demo club like a pro! he used a gizmo on the shaft to determine my swing speed...204, 206, 209, 211 and 214. we then went back to discuss the results and he told me that the shaft for me was a certain model...not the one that i just hit very well, but one that was similar in flex and weight. he is the club fitter...so ok. i decided to have him do my fairway woods and my hybrid as well...as this type of shaft is matched so all of them would "feel" the same. i went home that night and decided to not have the titleist re shafted but rather have him build me a club with the same head as the demo club...all in all an order of over $800. he told me it would take a few days to get the shafts and then a few days to build...i could not wait! i hit that demo club about 280 at the range with a nice little draw.
i got the clubs to the driving range as soon as i could...to find out that there was something bad wrong...short left, short right, low, high, a good one. I hit about 40 balls and would say 3 were good. omg, this has to be me...bad day. come back next day, same result. very frustrated, these shafts are not "fitted" to me...possibly a mistake in the fitting process? not sure...one more trip to the range...same result. I could pull my back up driver out in the middle of this mess and hit one right down the middle.
i call the club fitter and schedule a meeting...telling him the results of my 3 trips to the range. i get there today and he has a guy hit the club to prove to me that there is nothing wrong with the club...it is a good club. well the guy is a pga teaching pro that could probably hit any club in the entire place...i am thinking to myself, what the hell does this prove. i never said the club was bad, i just said i cant hit it... so i hit it...not bad but still not good. the pro then tells me that i have adapted my swing to fit my crappy back up driver an now that i have a good club all the defects in my swing are evident...he would be more than happy to help me with my swing. really did he just say that to me? so the club fitter takes me back to show me how crappy my back up drive was by putting it on the bench and flexing it..a bit of wobble...and i am sure he thought it was going to be more than it was. then he put on the new club and showed me how straight it was. i explained to him that i was a bit disappointed that i was being told that the problem was my swing not the club. he told me i should take up the pro on his offer to give me lessons...i told him i was not driving an hour to get some guy who i don't know and at this point don't like to show me how to swing to hit these clubs...he said it would be beneficial and worth the time. i told him i was not going to do that...he then looked me in the eye and told me that i would need to get my swing fixed if i wanted to be able to hit his clubs.
i guess i will need two swings one for my irons and one for these super duper special clubs that can only be hit by people with super duper special swings...what a load of bs.
not once did the club fitter think that maybe he made a mistake or that we should check to see if the fitting process was correct, it is a shame that people cant admit mistakes, but instead go on the defensive and point fingers at other people. i don't have a perfect swing, not even close...i want to get better and will, but really a club that cant be hit unless you have a good swing...but my cheap tm driver i can? i don't think i missed a fairway at prestonwood with my cheap tm.
you can go to this place if you want, but my suggestion would be to run in the opposite direction as fast as possible. typical poor customer service, smile and be nice as long as everyone is happy, a little issue arises and treat you like poo poo.
until next time don't for get to golf your balls.
cga | 12 oaks | 4-ball
what a wonderful day to play golf! the marine and i played as a team today at 12 oaks in holly springs. those of you who have not played the course would like to know that it s a nicholas design...which translates into really hard. i am just thankful that nicholas and donald ross didn't team up to design a course...then you would not be able to hit a fairway and all your putts would be downhill...
so after a warm up on the best practice facility in nc, we were off for our round! i have played 12 oaks a few times in the past and have come to the conclusion that there are at least $50K in out of bounds, red hazard and yellow hazard stakes on the property. also i am still playing with my back up driver and woods..woot!
the marine and i ham and egged our way around this incredibly difficult course like pro's. i even went birdie/birdie...and that is a first! we had the pleasure of playing along side some other guys who were almost regular...one was a real talker and thank goodness was not in my cart.
the marine had just purchased a bran new hybrid, which he wielded successfully on all attempts...and at the end of the round we finished with a net 63. enough to put a flag in both of our hands (cga version of 1st place trophy) and two gift certificates for $80 each. the marine has a new shirt and i a new vest!
i now have a delima... you see on december 2nd this year the cga is holding its annual, tournament of winners, a large event held in pinehurst. to enter this tournament you must have won during the season...and now i have won twice...with different partners. first win at prestonwood with the cow farmer and now a win with the marine at 12 oaks. so i asked the td (joe), what do we do? he confirmed that the 3rd gets to play by himself or find another single winner of 4-ball from this year.
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next time i am going to tell you about my driver and woods...so until then, don't forget to golf your balls.
so after a warm up on the best practice facility in nc, we were off for our round! i have played 12 oaks a few times in the past and have come to the conclusion that there are at least $50K in out of bounds, red hazard and yellow hazard stakes on the property. also i am still playing with my back up driver and woods..woot!
the marine and i ham and egged our way around this incredibly difficult course like pro's. i even went birdie/birdie...and that is a first! we had the pleasure of playing along side some other guys who were almost regular...one was a real talker and thank goodness was not in my cart.
the marine had just purchased a bran new hybrid, which he wielded successfully on all attempts...and at the end of the round we finished with a net 63. enough to put a flag in both of our hands (cga version of 1st place trophy) and two gift certificates for $80 each. the marine has a new shirt and i a new vest!
i now have a delima... you see on december 2nd this year the cga is holding its annual, tournament of winners, a large event held in pinehurst. to enter this tournament you must have won during the season...and now i have won twice...with different partners. first win at prestonwood with the cow farmer and now a win with the marine at 12 oaks. so i asked the td (joe), what do we do? he confirmed that the 3rd gets to play by himself or find another single winner of 4-ball from this year.
next time i am going to tell you about my driver and woods...so until then, don't forget to golf your balls.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
the river
another great day on the golf course, today was the river golf club, and in pretty good shape. today it was the cow farmer, puddin, the counter and myself...with a special guest...the cow farmers wife...more about that near the tail end of the story.
so puddin and i were a team and puddin was playing well today...as usual. the cow farmer struggled all day, but the counter and i believe that there was some self imposed pressure that was not normal...the toe is a little better but performance anxiety got the better of him today.
so puddin and i make the turn one up, not feeling like we are winning but rather we are being given chances. there were two highlights of the day..puddin chipped 3 times for birdie...three times! the highlight came at the tail end of the round, you should have been there.
after our drives on seventeen, puddin realizes he is supposed to pick up his kid...like in 5 minutes...so he is rushed to the parking lot, leaving me to play the last two holes by myself. thanks a bunch puddin...leave the c player against two a players! needless to say i lost the lead and ended up losing the back and the overall. the 18th was the best hole of all, the cow farmer finally came through with a birdie...we had been hoping he would do so the entire round...truth be told we were hoping he was going to have the round of his life and shoot a 59...but the birdie alone was worth the trip to the river.
so for those of you wanting to play a good course with some relative good greens for under $20...check out the river golf club. until next time don't forget to golf your balls.
ps tails we win
so puddin and i were a team and puddin was playing well today...as usual. the cow farmer struggled all day, but the counter and i believe that there was some self imposed pressure that was not normal...the toe is a little better but performance anxiety got the better of him today.
so puddin and i make the turn one up, not feeling like we are winning but rather we are being given chances. there were two highlights of the day..puddin chipped 3 times for birdie...three times! the highlight came at the tail end of the round, you should have been there.
after our drives on seventeen, puddin realizes he is supposed to pick up his kid...like in 5 minutes...so he is rushed to the parking lot, leaving me to play the last two holes by myself. thanks a bunch puddin...leave the c player against two a players! needless to say i lost the lead and ended up losing the back and the overall. the 18th was the best hole of all, the cow farmer finally came through with a birdie...we had been hoping he would do so the entire round...truth be told we were hoping he was going to have the round of his life and shoot a 59...but the birdie alone was worth the trip to the river.
so for those of you wanting to play a good course with some relative good greens for under $20...check out the river golf club. until next time don't forget to golf your balls.
ps tails we win
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
prestonwood | cga | 4 ball tournament
prestonwood is the location of the sas championship a champions tour; so of course you have high expectations of the conditions...and we were not disappointed. We were not allowed to hit from the grass on the practice tee, just mats...guess they were saving the grass for the pros. i must admit that a regular guy who has not been there would be a bit thrown off by the enormity of the place. there are three 18 hole courses that all start from one huge clubhouse, not sure about the square footage, but a small walmart could move in. absolutely beautiful building and surroundings...cant comment on the food, although there were two separate tournaments going on...the restaurant was closed?
the cow farmer and i were a team and the marine and the concrete guy were a team; and by the luck of the draw we were paired together...what are the odds? we also got to start on hole #9, so we toured the front nine on our way to the starting hole. so before we get started i need to let you know that the cow farmer broke the pinkie toe on his left foot the day before the tournament and I am still trying to get the swing changes from joe down pat, not to mention i am still with my back up driver. so my anticipation was a fun day in the sun with some buds. the marine let me know that he had packed a few pbr's for refreshments during the round...really pbr?
after both the cow farmer and myself had managed to hit some less than desirable shots on our first hole, the marine says, "hey, you guys want to play for our usual bet"? really? isn't that like kicking you while you are down?? but we still accepted. cow farmer struggled most of the day with the toe hurting and for some reason i brought my a game...thank goodness. seems cow farmer and i had each others back all day, i screw up....he would par or birdie and vice-versa. we ended up winning the thing...and that gives us an invitation to the year end tournament of champions, where we will wear our matching shirts we won at prestonwood!
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winning is always good, but either way having fun is what it is all about. the next cga event i play in is at 12 oaks with the marine...we both have a special appreciation for that course, so it will be fun, with lots of refreshments! until then don't forget to golf your balls.
the cow farmer and i were a team and the marine and the concrete guy were a team; and by the luck of the draw we were paired together...what are the odds? we also got to start on hole #9, so we toured the front nine on our way to the starting hole. so before we get started i need to let you know that the cow farmer broke the pinkie toe on his left foot the day before the tournament and I am still trying to get the swing changes from joe down pat, not to mention i am still with my back up driver. so my anticipation was a fun day in the sun with some buds. the marine let me know that he had packed a few pbr's for refreshments during the round...really pbr?
after both the cow farmer and myself had managed to hit some less than desirable shots on our first hole, the marine says, "hey, you guys want to play for our usual bet"? really? isn't that like kicking you while you are down?? but we still accepted. cow farmer struggled most of the day with the toe hurting and for some reason i brought my a game...thank goodness. seems cow farmer and i had each others back all day, i screw up....he would par or birdie and vice-versa. we ended up winning the thing...and that gives us an invitation to the year end tournament of champions, where we will wear our matching shirts we won at prestonwood!
winning is always good, but either way having fun is what it is all about. the next cga event i play in is at 12 oaks with the marine...we both have a special appreciation for that course, so it will be fun, with lots of refreshments! until then don't forget to golf your balls.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
all square
well the last thing you want in a golf match is all square, especially if you have a substantial amount of $ to win or lose. but in this case, the way the all square came about was something that made everybody smile! so here is the rest of the story:
it was a warm but overcast morning yesterday, i did drive from rocky mount to siler city with the top down the entire way...but was very concerned about our round of golf that was about to begin at the siler city country club. most of us met up for breakfast at a local breakfast dive called brownie - lu, don't ask me how they named it? but the food was good, pretty hard to mess up eggs. of course with a bunch of anxious golfers and a fine mist coming down outside we got a bit loud and did not notice the "usual"patrons looking at us like we were being loud and probably thinking where did these guys come from? but as usual we were oblivious to our surroundings...just having a good time and loving every minute.
after a good breakfast we headed off to the course, to get warmed up and prepared for the grueling match about to happen. we had discussed teams at breakfast and knowing each golfer pretty well from past tournaments, i knew how to keep it as even as possible. our two "a" players or team captains would be the cow farmer and puddin. knowing they would be team captains they drove in from raleigh together, to discuss their picks. after a long debate it was decided that the cow farmer would get first pick...and first pick he did get! after arriving fashionably late in puddin's stylish kia they announced on the putting green the first pick...as everyone waited to see if they were worthy, the cow farmer announced..."for my first pick, i choose the air force guy...to be on the other team! i am glad i was not drinking, i would have spit it out my nose i laughed so hard. you see the air force guy is the one in the crowd who takes abuse from everyone...but only because he is such a great guy and always has a pretty good comeback. the air force guy is also our d player...although there are some of us who claim bs and he bags a bit of sand. i should also mention that our 8 turned into a 7 when the grass mower had to pull out at the last minute...something about needing to sharpen blades or something...so teams ended up as such:
puddin's team:
the marine
the air force guy
the pirate
cow farmer's team:
the sheriff
me
excuse my manners, i should introduce the pirate. the pirate is a guy i met playing the gwat tournaments, a super regular guy who will drive you crazy with his tee shots, not sure if i have ever seen one out of the fairway. well anyway, i had not seen him in quite a while and he shows up with this horrible sun burn on his face...so of course i say, what the hell happened to your face? appears he was at a pirate game and had a few cold frothy ones and forgot about the sun...now the funny part is (for everyone but him), he had on his sunglasses...so he looks like he is red with a white mask! have no fear pirate, this too shall pass.
on to the match, i was in the foursome group...cow farmer's team and puddin. so we had a good idea throughout the match where we would end up. puddin was coming off a big win at riverwood, where he decimated the field, we were hoping for an off day. it was close through the entire round and at the turn we got a glance at the rest of puddin's team score....close. both teams sat at the number 10 tee and watched the huge carp as they swam around, one was so big his dorsal fin would expose above water at times resembling a shark fin. nature is always cool on the golf course. the cow farmer's team finishes horribly and the lowest score on 18 is a 6, so as we wait at the green for puddin's team we determine that all they need is a 6 to tie the match and no money will change hands. from where i was sitting it did not look like puddin's team was finishing strong as well...he goes to meet them at the green letting them know all that is needed is a 6! which puts the weight of the match on...yes you guessed it, the air force guy. at this point i should let everyone know that the air force guy is sometimes referred to as "silky smooth" because of his putting prowess. with a tricky 4 footer left for his six, he sized up the putt and rolled it in! all square.
this day reflects what golf is all about for me. it does not matter if breakfast was good. it does not matter who is on your team. it does not matter what the course conditions are like. it does not matter what the weather is doing. a round of golf with friends is fun!
if you think this was fun, wait until our next big outing...myrtle beach - 3 nights and 4 rounds at the big cat courses. october 25 - october 28, if you want to go let me know...pretty much a guarantee that you will have a blast.
until then, don't forget to golf your balls.
it was a warm but overcast morning yesterday, i did drive from rocky mount to siler city with the top down the entire way...but was very concerned about our round of golf that was about to begin at the siler city country club. most of us met up for breakfast at a local breakfast dive called brownie - lu, don't ask me how they named it? but the food was good, pretty hard to mess up eggs. of course with a bunch of anxious golfers and a fine mist coming down outside we got a bit loud and did not notice the "usual"patrons looking at us like we were being loud and probably thinking where did these guys come from? but as usual we were oblivious to our surroundings...just having a good time and loving every minute.
after a good breakfast we headed off to the course, to get warmed up and prepared for the grueling match about to happen. we had discussed teams at breakfast and knowing each golfer pretty well from past tournaments, i knew how to keep it as even as possible. our two "a" players or team captains would be the cow farmer and puddin. knowing they would be team captains they drove in from raleigh together, to discuss their picks. after a long debate it was decided that the cow farmer would get first pick...and first pick he did get! after arriving fashionably late in puddin's stylish kia they announced on the putting green the first pick...as everyone waited to see if they were worthy, the cow farmer announced..."for my first pick, i choose the air force guy...to be on the other team! i am glad i was not drinking, i would have spit it out my nose i laughed so hard. you see the air force guy is the one in the crowd who takes abuse from everyone...but only because he is such a great guy and always has a pretty good comeback. the air force guy is also our d player...although there are some of us who claim bs and he bags a bit of sand. i should also mention that our 8 turned into a 7 when the grass mower had to pull out at the last minute...something about needing to sharpen blades or something...so teams ended up as such:
puddin's team:
the marine
the air force guy
the pirate
cow farmer's team:
the sheriff
me
excuse my manners, i should introduce the pirate. the pirate is a guy i met playing the gwat tournaments, a super regular guy who will drive you crazy with his tee shots, not sure if i have ever seen one out of the fairway. well anyway, i had not seen him in quite a while and he shows up with this horrible sun burn on his face...so of course i say, what the hell happened to your face? appears he was at a pirate game and had a few cold frothy ones and forgot about the sun...now the funny part is (for everyone but him), he had on his sunglasses...so he looks like he is red with a white mask! have no fear pirate, this too shall pass.
on to the match, i was in the foursome group...cow farmer's team and puddin. so we had a good idea throughout the match where we would end up. puddin was coming off a big win at riverwood, where he decimated the field, we were hoping for an off day. it was close through the entire round and at the turn we got a glance at the rest of puddin's team score....close. both teams sat at the number 10 tee and watched the huge carp as they swam around, one was so big his dorsal fin would expose above water at times resembling a shark fin. nature is always cool on the golf course. the cow farmer's team finishes horribly and the lowest score on 18 is a 6, so as we wait at the green for puddin's team we determine that all they need is a 6 to tie the match and no money will change hands. from where i was sitting it did not look like puddin's team was finishing strong as well...he goes to meet them at the green letting them know all that is needed is a 6! which puts the weight of the match on...yes you guessed it, the air force guy. at this point i should let everyone know that the air force guy is sometimes referred to as "silky smooth" because of his putting prowess. with a tricky 4 footer left for his six, he sized up the putt and rolled it in! all square.
this day reflects what golf is all about for me. it does not matter if breakfast was good. it does not matter who is on your team. it does not matter what the course conditions are like. it does not matter what the weather is doing. a round of golf with friends is fun!
if you think this was fun, wait until our next big outing...myrtle beach - 3 nights and 4 rounds at the big cat courses. october 25 - october 28, if you want to go let me know...pretty much a guarantee that you will have a blast.
until then, don't forget to golf your balls.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
northgreen country club
i moved to rocky mount in 1990 and one of the places to be was northgreen country club. i mean that place was always busy with golf, pool, tennis and restaurant. since i was a local business guy i attended several functions there and was always impressed with the quality. well not unlike a lot of smaller towns around our great country things started changing. the fist change that took place and hit northgreen hard was the hardee's buy out...a west coast company bought them (carl jr's.). this impacted the community quite a bit and mostly northgreen. the course slowly started slipping at that point; now remember i did not even play golf then, but being in the hotel business...heard quite a bit. i know it changed hands several times and basically got worse with each change. so you get the right picture the acc golf tournament was held there starting in 1980 and almost every year until i think 1994. so an extremely nice course and a very technical layout.
about 6 years ago? i think a couple of guys bought northgreen and started making these ridiculous claims that they were going to return northgreen to her former greatness...we just figures hype and watched. well the first thing they did was change all 18 greens...pretty good start, but that was about it. i know the guys were trying but we just did not see the fruits of their labor. they started losing all the greens...had the cow farmer down to play it with me...he said, "i ain't never coming back here". they lost all the grass in many fairways and i just watched, shaking my head. i knew that it was going to take a bunch of money to get this thing back to average let alone good. in fact it got so bad that i gave up...just went there to hit balls...and there was no grass on the practice tees half the time.
sometime around the first of june the guys made what i am going to call the best decision of their ownership...they hired a new super. now it just so happens that i know this guy and he is one of the most regular guys you could ever meet. since i was not playing there i had no idea...so one day i stopped over to hit a bucket and there he was...wth? long story as short as i can make it...he immediately attacked the greens with sand. those suckers were like walking on carpet with 4 inches of soft foam under it. they have already started firming up. he also has grass back in the fairways!
the marine and i went there yesterday for our second round of the day and when we pulled in around noon...there was only 4 parking spots left. i have never seen this many cars in that lot...EVER! i mean there were regular guys, regular girls, regular kids...it was crazy. they were all there to play the new and improved northgreen! i obviously don't know the business information about northgreen, but i would have to guess this was the best day they have ever had. i was so happy for them and their patrons. now these guys are father and son and both of them always have a smile on their face and take time to speak and have a conversation. yesterday, dad was on the grill cooking dogs and burgers for anyone who wanted one and son was at the desk...it was a sight to behold.
the course is not the best course on the east coast, but it has improved more than any course in nc in the last few months. i cant wait to see how it progresses...keep up the good work guys!
about 6 years ago? i think a couple of guys bought northgreen and started making these ridiculous claims that they were going to return northgreen to her former greatness...we just figures hype and watched. well the first thing they did was change all 18 greens...pretty good start, but that was about it. i know the guys were trying but we just did not see the fruits of their labor. they started losing all the greens...had the cow farmer down to play it with me...he said, "i ain't never coming back here". they lost all the grass in many fairways and i just watched, shaking my head. i knew that it was going to take a bunch of money to get this thing back to average let alone good. in fact it got so bad that i gave up...just went there to hit balls...and there was no grass on the practice tees half the time.
sometime around the first of june the guys made what i am going to call the best decision of their ownership...they hired a new super. now it just so happens that i know this guy and he is one of the most regular guys you could ever meet. since i was not playing there i had no idea...so one day i stopped over to hit a bucket and there he was...wth? long story as short as i can make it...he immediately attacked the greens with sand. those suckers were like walking on carpet with 4 inches of soft foam under it. they have already started firming up. he also has grass back in the fairways!
the marine and i went there yesterday for our second round of the day and when we pulled in around noon...there was only 4 parking spots left. i have never seen this many cars in that lot...EVER! i mean there were regular guys, regular girls, regular kids...it was crazy. they were all there to play the new and improved northgreen! i obviously don't know the business information about northgreen, but i would have to guess this was the best day they have ever had. i was so happy for them and their patrons. now these guys are father and son and both of them always have a smile on their face and take time to speak and have a conversation. yesterday, dad was on the grill cooking dogs and burgers for anyone who wanted one and son was at the desk...it was a sight to behold.
the course is not the best course on the east coast, but it has improved more than any course in nc in the last few months. i cant wait to see how it progresses...keep up the good work guys!
Monday, September 3, 2012
birchwood country club
played a round this morning at birchwood country club with the marine. i have played birchwood in the past, but they just replaced all 18 greens with some fancy new grass and had to go give them a roll. before i tell you how great the course was i need to mention the folks that run the place - randy davis (pro) and ashley leonard (asst pro) who not only do a fantastic job but take the time to give everyone who shows up a little time to make them feel welcome...i know right, when was the last time that happened at a golf course. the marine and i got there a little early and the clubhouse was closed...so we just grabbed a cart and took off, thinking that we would stop at the turn and and pay up. we made the turn and randy was standing out by the number 10 tee talking to all the members and guests, not sitting behind the counter waiting on someone to come in... last year i took a few lessons from ashley and she certainly knows the golf swing and how to convey that to her students. these folks are certainly regular!
the course was in fantastic condition and the new greens are awesome...probably the best I have played all year. the ball rolled like it was 100 lbs. no bumps at all! the course has many challenging holes with a finishing hole that you wont forget. get out and play this course it is certainly a well kept secret.
the course was in fantastic condition and the new greens are awesome...probably the best I have played all year. the ball rolled like it was 100 lbs. no bumps at all! the course has many challenging holes with a finishing hole that you wont forget. get out and play this course it is certainly a well kept secret.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
the preserve at jordan lake
just got back from a triangle seniors golf tournament at the preserve at jordan lake and had a blast. played with the cow farmer, puddin and another guy who i will just call the country western singer...if he ever reads this he will know why.
let me start by telling you about the tournament and the regular folks at triangle seniors golf and what a great job they did for all that turned out.
quite a few old dudes at this event and all were treated with some great hospitality. the tour director bill stone knows how to make you feel right at home and welcome. we even saw him on the course as he was driving around to all the golfers offering water and snacks...i was impressed.
i managed to leave my golf game at home for this event but was treated to some spectacular golf by the cow farmer, who shot a 75 to tie for first, only to be beaten by a score card playoff...pretty sure the cow farmer would have rather gone head to head with the other dude. puddin played but i think he was more concerned with his phone and text messages today...oh wait, that would be any day...if you ever get puddin as a partner you should take his phone and make him play golf...cause the littler dude can play. but today was not his day as the cow farmer played 16 holes very well...the last two are the reason he did not win outright...which he certainly should have.
all this on a course that was probably not in its best shape. i know if they knew i was playing and relaying this information on to all my readers they would have tidied up a bit. in their defense they have received quite a bit of water over the last few days; so the fairways were soft and you got carry only, with lots of casual water...casual versus formal? i never did understand that term. how about water in a place where it is not supposed to be...guess casual is shorter...moving on! the greens had been punched recently so they are not rolling...more like dribbling, they also have quite a bit of common bermuda encroaching on the bent grass. to make a birdie today you had to be real good. Oh wait, I got a birdie...cow farmer got 3 and puddin got 1...birdie count out of the way.
cow farmer in purple.
lots of "junk" on this course
let me start by telling you about the tournament and the regular folks at triangle seniors golf and what a great job they did for all that turned out.
all this on a course that was probably not in its best shape. i know if they knew i was playing and relaying this information on to all my readers they would have tidied up a bit. in their defense they have received quite a bit of water over the last few days; so the fairways were soft and you got carry only, with lots of casual water...casual versus formal? i never did understand that term. how about water in a place where it is not supposed to be...guess casual is shorter...moving on! the greens had been punched recently so they are not rolling...more like dribbling, they also have quite a bit of common bermuda encroaching on the bent grass. to make a birdie today you had to be real good. Oh wait, I got a birdie...cow farmer got 3 and puddin got 1...birdie count out of the way.
with all the issues, still pretty course
the course has lots of elevation changes and lots of uneven lies, it will certainly test your ability to hit shots. i think most of the par 4's were normal but two of them stretched out over 400 yds...and that is from the white tees. i think if the greens had more time to grow back in and the course had some time to dry out...it would be better.
i like the fact that the triangle seniors golf plays on monday's and tuesday's...i like to spend my weekends with the family, besides there are too many non regular guys on the course on weekends.
one last thing, we say this guy almost eat one of the cow farmers golf balls, then he just sat in the tree looking at us. if you look close it looks like he is wearing a checkered thong?
until next time! don't forget to golf your balls.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
bull creek
i don't think i have reviewed bull creek, but it certainly time... i play bull creek frequently because it is a pretty good layout and usually have good greens. it is a reasonable price and the folks that work there are just as regular as they get. brian and david are the two guys that you will probably meet the most...seems like they are always working. never hard to find a pick up game, usually quite a few guys just waiting for the opportunity.
i played there this past week and broke 90 for the first time in a while, i'm telling you that joe bernat knows what he is doing. if i could have putted i would have broke 80...but at least it is all coming together now.
here are some of the interesting things about bull creek...i don't think they have cleaned a cart in...well...maybe never and the range balls are about the same. does not bother me or any of the guys i play with, but if you have some sort of dirt phobia, be prepared.
i don't remember what the price was...but it was around $20 during the week...and you know that is the best time to play, less golfers and less money!
have fun at bull creek and get a dog...not bad. until next time, golf your balls.
i played there this past week and broke 90 for the first time in a while, i'm telling you that joe bernat knows what he is doing. if i could have putted i would have broke 80...but at least it is all coming together now.
here are some of the interesting things about bull creek...i don't think they have cleaned a cart in...well...maybe never and the range balls are about the same. does not bother me or any of the guys i play with, but if you have some sort of dirt phobia, be prepared.
i don't remember what the price was...but it was around $20 during the week...and you know that is the best time to play, less golfers and less money!
have fun at bull creek and get a dog...not bad. until next time, golf your balls.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
2 day golf school
most of the time i would think that a school or clinic that is conducted by someone or a club that you will probably never go to again would be a waste of time and money; so i was very hesitant to sign up for one. first i thought i would do one at pinehurst, but then i thought it would be good to combine a golf school for me and a vacation for the rest of the family...so i started looking in myrtle beach.
i did find many and since i am about 3.5 hours away...it was a little hard to do some research. i went through a national company that "hosts" schools in different locations all over the us, they hooked me up with the joe bernat golf academy which is located at tpc myrtle beach. since the national company did not tell me who the instructor was or anything about the process i did not have the opportunity to do any research...they just told me to show up and the instructor would be expecting me...so i did.
i showed up a little early (as usual) and after a while got hooked up with joe, who was a fabulous host as well as instructor. joe has the personality and patience that makes it hard to not really like him. he is a real regular guy who really wants you to improve. most of you know that i am a little on the hard headed side and changes in the golf swing come a bit slow, so joe's patience was tested. i spent two days from 8am to 3 pm with joe and another student. i cant begin to tell you all the different things that i learned that will certainly help me lower my handicap. joe helped me make some slight changes to my swing that will help with accuracy, distance and consistency. nothing major, no swing rebuild, or something crazy that would be hard to remember or groove. joe's classes are limited to 2 or 3 students, so the amount of time you get with the instructor is great, you can ask all the questions you like and get more than enough attention. after the morning session, working on the range or putting green its out to the course, to work on bringing it to the course.
i cant wait to get to the driving range to work on the things i learned, want to get them grooved in so they start to become natural. i can't relate to you how beneficial these 2 days were, so much that i will be visiting joe again this winter and if you think about it, anyone who could put up with me for 2 days has got to be a regular guy!
you can check out joe at his web site, just clck HERE
Don't forget to golf your balls.
i did find many and since i am about 3.5 hours away...it was a little hard to do some research. i went through a national company that "hosts" schools in different locations all over the us, they hooked me up with the joe bernat golf academy which is located at tpc myrtle beach. since the national company did not tell me who the instructor was or anything about the process i did not have the opportunity to do any research...they just told me to show up and the instructor would be expecting me...so i did.
i showed up a little early (as usual) and after a while got hooked up with joe, who was a fabulous host as well as instructor. joe has the personality and patience that makes it hard to not really like him. he is a real regular guy who really wants you to improve. most of you know that i am a little on the hard headed side and changes in the golf swing come a bit slow, so joe's patience was tested. i spent two days from 8am to 3 pm with joe and another student. i cant begin to tell you all the different things that i learned that will certainly help me lower my handicap. joe helped me make some slight changes to my swing that will help with accuracy, distance and consistency. nothing major, no swing rebuild, or something crazy that would be hard to remember or groove. joe's classes are limited to 2 or 3 students, so the amount of time you get with the instructor is great, you can ask all the questions you like and get more than enough attention. after the morning session, working on the range or putting green its out to the course, to work on bringing it to the course.
i cant wait to get to the driving range to work on the things i learned, want to get them grooved in so they start to become natural. i can't relate to you how beneficial these 2 days were, so much that i will be visiting joe again this winter and if you think about it, anyone who could put up with me for 2 days has got to be a regular guy!
you can check out joe at his web site, just clck HERE
Don't forget to golf your balls.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
finally
well after the hottest summer i can remember and the most work i have ever had to do...i got to go hit balls today! it has been like 2 weeks and have not even put a club in my hand.
it is just fantastic to get back to swinging a club, kind of like when you see an old friend you have not seen in years!
i have a trip planned to the east coast mecca of golf (myrtle beach), for a quick vaca and i am attending one of jeff symmonds golf schools for two days...should be fun, will report back on how they do. i do know the school takes place at tpc myrtle beach, so at least i get a good course, right?
going to be putting together a couple of outings in the late summer and early fall. hoping to make one a 3 day tournament in the southern pines area and the other will be a one day either cutter creek or scotch hall preserve. also want to get a foursome to hit siler city cc; that was a fun track and the folks were real regular. so if you any interest in these events just shoot me an email and i will put your name on the list.
don't forget to golf your balls.
it is just fantastic to get back to swinging a club, kind of like when you see an old friend you have not seen in years!
i have a trip planned to the east coast mecca of golf (myrtle beach), for a quick vaca and i am attending one of jeff symmonds golf schools for two days...should be fun, will report back on how they do. i do know the school takes place at tpc myrtle beach, so at least i get a good course, right?
going to be putting together a couple of outings in the late summer and early fall. hoping to make one a 3 day tournament in the southern pines area and the other will be a one day either cutter creek or scotch hall preserve. also want to get a foursome to hit siler city cc; that was a fun track and the folks were real regular. so if you any interest in these events just shoot me an email and i will put your name on the list.
don't forget to golf your balls.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
lonnie poole
well i have certainly been busy, sorry to post this so late, but life has once again got in the way of this regular guy! played in a cga event last sunday at lonnie poole, which is the nc state university golf course. this course has got to be one of the coolest courses in raleigh, you are on the campus of the university and really in the middle of town but you would never know it...except for the views
the course was in good shape and once again another really well run tournament. the greens were faster than they looked but rolled out nicely. had a really fun foursome this tournament, regular guys, you know ones that are not all uptight and "professional". the picture above is from a par five that i personally have never played well, it is a tricky hole, not too long but bunkers and slope all over the place.
not sure what they charge during the week but they do put some deals out there on golfnow. here are a few more pics i snapped while playing:
if you get the opportunity, it is a fun course and best of all you dont have to be a wolfpack fan! yeah i had to go there.
temps have dropped a bit and hopefully the rain wont interfere, so go out there and golf your balls.
not sure what they charge during the week but they do put some deals out there on golfnow. here are a few more pics i snapped while playing:
if you get the opportunity, it is a fun course and best of all you dont have to be a wolfpack fan! yeah i had to go there.
temps have dropped a bit and hopefully the rain wont interfere, so go out there and golf your balls.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
riverwood
played riverwood yesterday with the cow farmer, puddin and wolf (he is new, will fill you in later). those of you who have not had the opportunity to play riverwood, it is located in clayton, nc and is a 27 hole facility. yesterday the course was in good condition...fairways were green and plenty of grass and the greens were rolling true...with emphasis on rolling. a while back the folks at riverwood replaced their greens with some sort of new super grass...not sure if it a champion bermuda or if it is the new hybrid strain of rollyourballofthegreen bermuda. whatever it is...it is challenging and for most regular guys, it sucks. yesterday the cow farmer hit the first 5 greens in regulation and was 5 over and he is a good putter. i don't want to bash the course, but you just have to be prepared for a grind to say the least.
now me tell you about the new guy...wolf. I am not sure why they call him that...gray beard and hair? similar attitude? or possibly its his real name? have you ever played with someone who is in this big freaking hurry? like they have to hurry up and get off the course so they can take a dump...that is wolf. it to be the most annoying trait of a golfer. golf is supposed to be a relaxing sport. he was constantly complaining and wanted everyone to play at his pace...at one point this regular guy lost his cool. i was standing over a 3 foot putt while wolf stood 3 feet away, flag in hand waiting eagerly for me to finish...well of course i missed the putt and he says, "you pulled it, off the heel the whole way". that was the proverbial straw... so i told him it might have been due to the fact that he was standing over me waving the flag. he says, i told you it was good. well, i paid my $35 dollars to play golf, not pick up on every hole and wonder what my "real" score would have been...guess i am funny like that...you know getting what you paid for and all.
so with the crazy greens and the excellent attitude of one member of the group it made for one of those days...although puddin and i did end up on top of the match. so in conclusion, go play riverwood prepared. until next time don't forget to golf your balls.
now me tell you about the new guy...wolf. I am not sure why they call him that...gray beard and hair? similar attitude? or possibly its his real name? have you ever played with someone who is in this big freaking hurry? like they have to hurry up and get off the course so they can take a dump...that is wolf. it to be the most annoying trait of a golfer. golf is supposed to be a relaxing sport. he was constantly complaining and wanted everyone to play at his pace...at one point this regular guy lost his cool. i was standing over a 3 foot putt while wolf stood 3 feet away, flag in hand waiting eagerly for me to finish...well of course i missed the putt and he says, "you pulled it, off the heel the whole way". that was the proverbial straw... so i told him it might have been due to the fact that he was standing over me waving the flag. he says, i told you it was good. well, i paid my $35 dollars to play golf, not pick up on every hole and wonder what my "real" score would have been...guess i am funny like that...you know getting what you paid for and all.
so with the crazy greens and the excellent attitude of one member of the group it made for one of those days...although puddin and i did end up on top of the match. so in conclusion, go play riverwood prepared. until next time don't forget to golf your balls.
Monday, July 2, 2012
siler city country club
if i remember correctly andy and barney used to go to siler city to a dance club? siler city was certainly mentioned on many occasions during the span of that awesome tv show.
i drove to siler city, but not to dance, but to play in a cga tournament. with this being another day with the heat index close to 115 i was very concerned about the conditions of the course and my hydration. you know how some courses seem to not care about us regular golfers and forget about the water?
well i am pleased to announce that siler city country club has a group of regular people running the place...and they know what they are doing! the course was fantastic, the fairways were in good shape and the greens were great. i think a sign at the clubhouse said they were rolling at a 9.5; and for 100+ days that is pretty darn fast. i got there a little early, as usual to find the folks had set up a hot dog buffet, do i need to say anything else? i mean these dogs were not your usual skinny little red dogs, they were big beefy dogs along with all the fixings. they had ice cold water on holes 1 and 10, not to mention all the other water that is usaully on the course...and they even gave us a sheet that told us where the water was located...and on 1 and 10 they had a cooler of frozen towels...i know right? frozen freakin towels, yes i did say siler city, not one of those fancy high dollar country clubs that we sometimes play and get the looks down the nose from the members... who obviously don't know they need our money for whatever reason. none of that in siler city, all regular people. i spoke with several of the folks who work there as well as some members who were there for the pool or whatever...all of them were 100% regular. hospitality is obviously a very important key to the success of the siler city country club.
not sure who the tour director was for this event, but he was a hoot! i have never been announced before i teed off on the first hole...until this event. he certainly knows what he is doing and made for a very fun tournament.
i would make the 2 hour drive again to play this course or just hang out in the clubhouse and eat a hot dog and drink a cold one.
goign to riverwood in clayton tomorrow, will report in on their conditon, until then dont forget to golf your balls.
i drove to siler city, but not to dance, but to play in a cga tournament. with this being another day with the heat index close to 115 i was very concerned about the conditions of the course and my hydration. you know how some courses seem to not care about us regular golfers and forget about the water?
well i am pleased to announce that siler city country club has a group of regular people running the place...and they know what they are doing! the course was fantastic, the fairways were in good shape and the greens were great. i think a sign at the clubhouse said they were rolling at a 9.5; and for 100+ days that is pretty darn fast. i got there a little early, as usual to find the folks had set up a hot dog buffet, do i need to say anything else? i mean these dogs were not your usual skinny little red dogs, they were big beefy dogs along with all the fixings. they had ice cold water on holes 1 and 10, not to mention all the other water that is usaully on the course...and they even gave us a sheet that told us where the water was located...and on 1 and 10 they had a cooler of frozen towels...i know right? frozen freakin towels, yes i did say siler city, not one of those fancy high dollar country clubs that we sometimes play and get the looks down the nose from the members... who obviously don't know they need our money for whatever reason. none of that in siler city, all regular people. i spoke with several of the folks who work there as well as some members who were there for the pool or whatever...all of them were 100% regular. hospitality is obviously a very important key to the success of the siler city country club.
not sure who the tour director was for this event, but he was a hoot! i have never been announced before i teed off on the first hole...until this event. he certainly knows what he is doing and made for a very fun tournament.
i would make the 2 hour drive again to play this course or just hang out in the clubhouse and eat a hot dog and drink a cold one.
goign to riverwood in clayton tomorrow, will report in on their conditon, until then dont forget to golf your balls.
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