PGA / LPGA / personal golf

[Omnis]

Rose really has nothing much to prove... it's just that it would be lovely to see him every year in Augusta. He's the kind of golfer you'd want to take your grandkids to see, you know? Used to be that everyone was that way, but unfortunately there are a lot of really good jerks playing golf these days, too.

 

[Omnis]

In case y'all want a Mugen wedge to go with your exhaust...

 

[Omnis]

Grant and the Bryan Bros. The Major Cut series is probably the best thing to happen in the YouTube golf space for a long time.



Such a unique preview of each venue they do. Quail Hollow looks absolutely immaculate-- should be a good tournament.

 

[Omnis]

Taylormade's Portrush bag for The Open is just incredible:

 

[Stavingo]

Grace Kim was super clutch this week winning the Evian championship, considering how she played down the stretch and through the playoff was amazing to watch 👍🏼

 

[MagpieRacer]

Grace Kim was super clutch this week winning the Evian championship, considering how she played down the stretch and through the playoff was amazing to watch 👍🏼

Yeah was absolutely brilliant. Massive shout out to amateur Lottie Woad who really lit up on Sunday as well.

 

[Shaun]

So, I haven't swung a golf club in what I would guess to be around 12 years.

A week or so ago I met up with a very good old friend for lunch and chat got to golf, we played pennant together as kids and he mentioned over the last year he was right back into it.

Of course a round was organised, tomorrow its that day (just for 9 as we are both busy) and I literally feel like a kid on Xmas eve. Cannot wait.

A quick check of my existing gear a couple of days ago and I realised I needed some shoes, a glove and balls. Headed into my local pro shop today for supplies and a hour or so cleaning up the old clubs I'm ready to go and totally pumped for it.

I know what I'm like and I assume I'll be back in about two or three months being fitted out for some new clubs. I've always loved golf but a change of lifestyle and sport (road cycling) kind of restricted my time available for golf.

Honestly not expecting anything game wise for tomorrow but if I hit just one good shot I reckon I'll be back 😂.

 

[MagpieRacer]

So, I haven't swung a golf club in what I would guess to be around 12 years.

A week or so ago I met up with a very good old friend for lunch and chat got to golf, we played pennant together as kids and he mentioned over the last year he was right back into it.

Of course a round was organised, tomorrow its that day (just for 9 as we are both busy) and I literally feel like a kid on Xmas eve. Cannot wait.

A quick check of my existing gear a couple of days ago and I realised I needed some shoes, a glove and balls. Headed into my local pro shop today for supplies and a hour or so cleaning up the old clubs I'm ready to go and totally pumped for it.

View attachment 1465249

I know what I'm like and I assume I'll be back in about two or three months being fitted out for some new clubs. I've always loved golf but a change of lifestyle and sport (road cycling) kind of restricted my time available for golf.

Honestly not expecting anything game wise for tomorrow but if I hit just one good shot I reckon I'll be back 😂.

All it takes is one shot 😁. Have fun and enjoy it though! Always great to get back into it.

I played in my first organised competition last week, there's an amateur golf tour in the UK sponsored by Mizuno called golf pairs. They do a tonne of events through the year from spring to autumn, almost every day except weekends, across the whole UK. It's attractive because the fee to enter is usually a lot less than the green fees for the courses they go to, so me and my brother entered a few, we played a link course called Great Yarmouth & Caister last Thursday, almost all the events are better ball stableford format. Had an absolute blast, so well organised, well hosted, lots of prizes available and charity competitions on the way round as well such as nearest the pin, long drive, charity HIO par 3 hole, 4 hole comps and more.

We scored 36 points and finished 35th out of 56 pairs.

Got another one next Tuesday at The Oxfordshire golf and country club, 196 players entered so should be a brilliant day of golf.

 

[Shaun]

I played in my first organised competition last week, there's an amateur golf tour in the UK sponsored by Mizuno called golf pairs. They do a tonne of events through the year from spring to autumn, almost every day except weekends, across the whole UK. It's attractive because the fee to enter is usually a lot less than the green fees for the courses they go to, so me and my brother entered a few, we played a link course called Great Yarmouth & Caister last Thursday, almost all the events are better ball stableford format. Had an absolute blast, so well organised, well hosted, lots of prizes available and charity competitions on the way round as well such as nearest the pin, long drive, charity HIO par 3 hole, 4 hole comps and more.

That's a great way to play some courses you wouldn't normally be able to, I participated in something very similar a long time ago it gave access to courses you normally couldn't get on.

So today went well, better than I was expecting.
Had a few bad holes which was to be expected managed two pars and walked off with a 45 for the nine.

The driver stayed in the bag until the third hole but when I hit it I would have been happy with the shot when I was playing off 8. Wedge into the green and that was my first par. Also got a par on a par 3, also a couple of double bogies but all in all was surprised with my swing.

Most importantly I absolutely loved being out on the course again and already thinking of the upgrade path for clubs 😂. I'm thinking putter first as mine was a relic even when playing all those years ago.

 

[MagpieRacer]

That's a great way to play some courses you wouldn't normally be able to, I participated in something very similar a long time ago it gave access to courses you normally couldn't get on.

So today went well, better than I was expecting.
Had a few bad holes which was to be expected managed two pars and walked off with a 45 for the nine.

The driver stayed in the bag until the third hole but when I hit it I would have been happy with the shot when I was playing off 8. Wedge into the green and that was my first par. Also got a par on a par 3, also a couple of double bogies but all in all was surprised with my swing.

Most importantly I absolutely loved being out on the course again and already thinking of the upgrade path for clubs 😂. I'm thinking putter first as mine was a relic even when playing all those years ago.

That's a superb score for getting back into it after a while! Well done 👍 .

The equipment bug is hard to ignore, I keep tweaking and changing things. So easily distracted by shiny things.

 

[Shaun]

That's a superb score for getting back into it after a while! Well done 👍 .

The equipment bug is hard to ignore, I keep tweaking and changing things. So easily distracted by shiny things.

Thanks mate, very much surprised myself to be honest. I know and accept there will also be quite a few terrible rounds on the road back.

I reckon if I could get back to playing around 12 I would be very happy.

My wife asked when I got home how it went and I just said this could get expensive. She smiled and said get what you want you deserve it.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Thanks mate, very much surprised myself to be honest. I know and accept there will also be quite a few terrible rounds on the road back.

I reckon if I could get back to playing around 12 I would be very happy.

My wife asked when I got home how it went and I just said this could get expensive. She smiled and said get what you want you deserve it.

For all the terrible rounds that may happen, it only takes 1 flushed shot to keep you going back. My target this year was to reach 12 but a bad equipment decision has seen me go from 17 and slide up to almost 21. Which is annoying as I got from 23 to 17 pretty easily from October to February.

Having the wife on side is always a nice thing to have. My wife has also been very understanding and supportive of my golf. She recently bought me a TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver for my birthday and puts up with my constant stat chatter. Definitely sounds like you just got the green light for a putter fitting though 😜.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Played some fantastic golf courses in recent weeks, played at The Oxfordshire Golf club last week in a competition, absolutely brilliant courses, challenging, great condition and a fun layout, some brilliant holes, particularly the 17th which is a long par 5 round a lake, very reminiscent of the 6th at Bay Hill, but if it had an extra bit of fairway to the left of the green as well to encourage a risk vs reward shot over the lake (the last 2 photos on the Insta post show the view from the main fairway to the green. It used to host European Tour events in the late 90s (Benson and Hedges International Open), the likes of Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomery and Bernhard Langer, have all won there, playing alongside Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington and Seve Ballesteros to name a few. Designed by renowned American designer Rees Jones, who also has Bethpage Black to his credit. Was an amazing day.


Then yesterday, somehow The Oxfordshire was topped. My brother-in-law offered me a round of golf at my choice of venue, so I took the opportunity to tick off a bucket list course and we headed to Royal Cromer Golf Club, 2nd oldest course in Norfolk, UK, a clifftop course with parkland, links and heathland elements. Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris, various other legendary architects have had their hand in shaping the course as it had to gradually move inland due to coastal erosion, the likes of Harry Colt and James Braid at times getting their hands on it. I have never played anywhere as spectacular as this course, views for miles, memorable holes a plenty, weather was perfect and the course condition was absolutely immaculate. A real joy to play and a big tick off the list. The iconic 14th hole teeing off from the cliff edge up towards the lighthouse was wonderful. I implore anyone visiting England to come and play this course.

 

[Shaun]

Looks like you have played some beautiful courses over the last couple of weeks @MagpieRacer, very nice indeed. 👍

Been a bit happening for me since my last post.
Had three more rounds and picked up my new putter yesterday and just got back from a quick nine holes at the course I was a member at for many years. I wanted some familiarity to try the new putter. Dropped two tricky puts I would have struggled with my old putter and walked off happy with a 43.

The putter itself is one of these, exactly the style of putter I didn't expect to get. I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to golf and expected to walk out with more traditional style bladed putter. After a few questions from the guy fitting it he said a mallet is what you need, we started on a Ping, then a Taylor Made spider (which was hideous to my eye), following that a Scotty Cameron then a couple of Odysseys before I finally decided on what I got. They were all good, but I gelled the best with this one and today it felt like I made the correct decision.

On Tuesday a mate and I went here for a round, stunning course even with it being windy and the rain coming in sideways at times I enjoyed it so much I'm considering becoming a member there. Snuck in just below 100 with a 98 but considering the weather and the course difficulty I was happy with that.

Planning on a round early next week as I'm working over the weekend and looking to get a driver fit in the coming weeks.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Looks like you have played some beautiful courses over the last couple of weeks @MagpieRacer, very nice indeed. 👍

Been a bit happening for me since my last post.
Had three more rounds and picked up my new putter yesterday and just got back from a quick nine holes at the course I was a member at for many years. I wanted some familiarity to try the new putter. Dropped two tricky puts I would have struggled with my old putter and walked off happy with a 43.

The putter itself is one of these, exactly the style of putter I didn't expect to get. I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to golf and expected to walk out with more traditional style bladed putter. After a few questions from the guy fitting it he said a mallet is what you need, we started on a Ping, then a Taylor Made spider (which was hideous to my eye), following that a Scotty Cameron then a couple of Odysseys before I finally decided on what I got. They were all good, but I gelled the best with this one and today it felt like I made the correct decision.

On Tuesday a mate and I went here for a round, stunning course even with it being windy and the rain coming in sideways at times I enjoyed it so much I'm considering becoming a member there. Snuck in just below 100 with a 98 but considering the weather and the course difficulty I was happy with that.

Planning on a round early next week as I'm working over the weekend and looking to get a driver fit in the coming weeks.

I really like those AI-One putters, beautiful feel off the face. When they work for you it's even better! Really interesting style that one, haven't seen many of those around, even on shelves, really nice.

That course looks absolutely stunning, what an amazing course to be able to be a member of! Lots of reciprocal courses as well which is a hugely underrated perk of membership at a lot of places, though I imagine with the vast size of Australia some of those courses are massively far away. Funnily enough of of the reciprocal courses there is also a reciprocal course of where I played on Tuesday, Royal Perth. Anything under 100 in sideways rain and wind is a very solid score indeed, especially on a course you don't know. I shot 103 on a beautifully still day around Royal Cromer, who knows what it would have been in wind and rain 🤣.

Speaking of reciprocal golf, I know we are a very global community, but if anyone here ventures to or are in the UK, I am more than happy to host guests at my home course, it's a point based membership so would be at no cost to my guest to play, would only cost you a post round beer!

 

[Shaun]

I really like those AI-One putters, beautiful feel off the face. When they work for you it's even better! Really interesting style that one, haven't seen many of those around, even on shelves, really nice.

One of the things that drew me to it is that it's not huge. I can't get my head around looking down at a massive putter.
It's beautifully weighted and after a couple of puts to get used to how hard to hit it I just felt like I was in the zone and wasn't going to three put anything which I didn't. Three puts was a common occurrence for me previously.

That course looks absolutely stunning, what an amazing course to be able to be a member of! Lots of reciprocal courses as well which is a hugely underrated perk of membership at a lot of places, though I imagine with the vast size of Australia some of those courses are massively far away. Funnily enough of of the reciprocal courses there is also a reciprocal course of where I played on Tuesday, Royal Perth. Anything under 100 in sideways rain and wind is a very solid score indeed, especially on a course you don't know. I shot 103 on a beautifully still day around Royal Cromer, who knows what it would have been in wind and rain 🤣.

Thanks mate, I honestly thought it would be a higher score but managed to keep them on or close enough to the fairway.
I get it there will be some bad rounds coming but I can accept that.

Yep it really is a stunning course, I'm pretty lucky with being spoilt for choice near me. Some of the others on offer.
This one is also on the radar as a possible membership choice, more inland and possible to stop on the way home from work for a quick 9 so it may be a leading contender. I've played it a few times years ago and was always blown away by the condition it was kept in.

Speaking of reciprocal golf, I know we are a very global community, but if anyone here ventures to or are in the UK, I am more than happy to host guests at my home course, it's a point based membership so would be at no cost to my guest to play, would only cost you a post round beer!

If I'm ever back over there I'll hold you to that offer and a beer is without question. I'm originally from Scotland though haven't been back there since the 90's and my claim to fame from that last visit was playing St Andrews so never say never.

Same goes to you if you are ever down here, I'd more than happy to take you to some of the nicer courses available.


On a side note, I called and booked a driver fitting for Tuesday.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Yep it really is a stunning course, I'm pretty lucky with being spoilt for choice near me. Some of the others on offer.
This one is also on the radar as a possible membership choice, more inland and possible to stop on the way home from work for a quick 9 so it may be a leading contender. I've played it a few times years ago and was always blown away by the condition it was kept in.

If I'm ever back over there I'll hold you to that offer and a beer is without question. I'm originally from Scotland though haven't been back there since the 90's and my claim to fame from that last visit was playing St Andrews so never say never.

Same goes to you if you are ever down here, I'd more than happy to take you to some of the nicer courses available.


On a side note, I called and booked a driver fitting for Tuesday.

Wow yeah there's some difficult decisions to be made there, having one close by is the optimum for sure, sneaky 9 after work is always a sure fire way to unwind. I need to start thinking about what I want to do long term with memberships, currently just doing a points based one at a local course, decent value but no bells and whistles, comps, pro shop or anything like that. Ideal world I'd have a home course membership and an away one for a bit of choice. Quite a few clubs around here offer a discounted away membership if you're a member at a nearby course.

Deal, I'd love for that to happen one day.

Big stick time, fun time. Have you got any idea of direction brand wise? Anything stood out or are you just going in with the mindset of trying as many as possible and seeing what comes out on top? I recently had a fitting and ended up with a Wilson Dynapower Carbon, 9 degree head set to 10 degrees, Ventus TR blue 6R shaft.

 

[Shaun]

Big stick time, fun time. Have you got any idea of direction brand wise? Anything stood out or are you just going in with the mindset of trying as many as possible and seeing what comes out on top? I recently had a fitting and ended up with a Wilson Dynapower Carbon, 9 degree head set to 10 degrees, Ventus TR blue 6R shaft.

I'm going in open minded brand wise, but I also don't want to hit 10 different drivers on the day as I assume that will become physically taxing.

I will try the Callaway Elyte, Ping 430/440, and probably have a look at what Titleist have to offer.
Also, more than happy to try a few the fitter can suggest.
While forgiveness is important to me it doesn't necessarily have to be the most forgiving driver each brand has to offer as long as I feel comfortable with it. I imagine the shaft selection is going to be super important.

 

[Stavingo]

Damn @MagpieRacer you’re making me wish it was summer down here already, almost done with winter and the rain 😂👍🏼

Anyone here recommend a brand in particular for a launch monitor? Looking to get one for when I go to the range once or twice a week