Frank playing some good golf early this season.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

People need to fix ball marks on greens. Seriously. I don't hit all that many GIR, but I always have two divot tools in my pocket. Its not a hard thing to do. End rant.


Shot 46-46-39 at Ravisloe yesterday (played 2 balls on the back 9, shot 39 wtih the second ball). $22 on golfnow, an absolute steal. If you have never played this course, I highly suggest you do. Its a Donald Ross designed gem (he designed Pinehurst No. 2 as well) that is old school and uses bunkers, raised mounds in fairways, and deception to challenge golfers rather than length. Ravisloe was a private Jewish country club back in the day, so most of the holes still have that secluded feel to them. Its also nice to play a course that is not surrounded by cookie cutter homes that are less than 5 years old.

Today my issue was lifting my head when I putted and chipped, thus leading to several duffed chips. Continued to really hit my driver and irons very well. Just need to hit them consistently is all. I am noticing with my irons, I am flighting the ball higher than I ever have in the past. I am also taking up some big divots that are flying 15-20' in the air, so while the results may not always be the best, at least I look cool . Not getting too much more distance out of the mid-long irons, but I am with the shorter ones. I was about 110 yards to the pin, into the wind, so I choked up and hit a PW (which is my 115-120 club) and it cleared the green. Easily 130+ yards. And it was not a thin hit or a line drive either. Everything just must have lined up and I hit it pure. So, that will take some getting used to.

Anyway, the tees and fairways there were nearly immaculate. The greens...not so much. Some of them were beat up from the winter, but ball marks galore. A couple of them were so beat up, I took two putt and that was that. It was nearly impossible to putt on #8 and #17. Bunkers there, well its best just to stay out of them. Most of them are so steep that, for a guy like me anyway, they are nearly impossible to get out of. All that said, it was a very enjoyable time to be out by myself at a course like this. It was perhaps the best $22 I have ever spent on something golf related.

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Surprised courses down there are beat down. Mine up here are surprisingly good.
Greens are slow but in great shape. Good deals if anyone wants to play in Kenosha area.

Frank lets play this year

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I fix two ball marks on every green, whether I made one, or not. What's worse, is the lazy bastards who spit sunflower shells, or drop cigar ashes on the greens.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Love Ravisloe, great course. Surprised the greens were in bad shape considering how nice they are up north. Maybe down south had a worse winter?

Its not technically a Donald Ross course, but he did do the re-design. Still, its the only public course in Illinois with his fingerprints on it. It was originally designed by Theodore Moreau who was also one of the designers of my favorite course, Lawsonia Links up in Green Lake Wisconsin.

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The greens in bad shape was because of ball marks that went unfixed. They can't all be from this season. You know that short par 4, (#6 i think?) that sort of dog legs to the right with the green right near the street? That green seriously looked like it had chicken pox. There had to be at least 75, maybe 100 ball marks that were filled with sand. Unputtable. Tried to make my par putt (drove it into trees, punched out, pitched up to green), and just picked up and wrote down a bogey on the card. No way would that have been a legit 3 putt had I not made my second.

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It's enough to make you want to stab someone with your divot tool.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

Played 18 this morning on the short course in my rotation. Didn't hit the ball as crisply as I'd have liked but I was putting and chipping like a maniac. Only hit 2 fairways and 8 greens all day. Got up and down 5/7 times from around the green. Made two ugly double bogeys after tree trouble off the tee on 8 and 17. Putting was the story today, only 27 all day. Scored a 74 (par 70) with three birdies

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Got back from Tennessee on Saturday and got in 2 full rounds and a partial before the rain got us. Shot 84 for my first round in almost 7 months so wasn't totally disappointed with that. Got in 7 holes last Monday before the rains got us, and was at 2 over. Came back last Thursday and shot 79 with a double on the last hole after hitting it out of bounds off of the tee. Played really well and never made a putt, I think I lipped out 7 of them. Hit the ball very good as it was blowing about 25 and the slope on the course was 131. Hopefully will get out again soon up here.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

Got out twice this weekend. Played Indian Lakes by myself Saturday afternoon. Was a single sandwiched between all 4 somes so I had plenty of time to kill. Played 2-3 balls on every hole. Carded a 81, but there were so many balls in play and mulligans that I'm not reporting the score. Played very well though, starting to get the hang of the new swing with the driver. Hit 10 fairways, started missing to the left on the back nine as opposed to my usual miss to the right. Different story with the new iron swing. Still getting the hang of it. Struggling with the short game, had 3 fat chips. Course was in good shape for this time of year. Greens were punched, but other than it was all good. $40 on Golfnow, not a bad deal.

Then yesterday I took the wife to Fresh Meadows. 45-43-88. Another solid outing. Only hit 6 fairways cause I refused to accept/trust that I was drawing the ball. Missed 5 fairways to the left. Struggled with the irons and short game again. Had 6 fat/thin chips. My timing is all off on those, pretty sure I'm way too quick. Saved myself by sinking over 50 feet in bogey/par putts.


All in all I'm very happy with the start to the season. Gonna take a month of two to get the hang of my swing changes, but I think I'm gonna be better than ever once I do.

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T-bone, you playing in the SPring Scramble at Shephard's Crook? I just signed up a 4 some. We're gunning for you!! Actually that's not true considering our group consists of me, another couple guys similar to me and then one guy who shoots over 100.

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Anybody available to play a round tomorrow? I start a new job on Monday, so I would like to get out maybe twice this week if I can.

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Saw on Facebook about your job, congrats.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

I'll be at Shepherds. Definitely see you there. No idea about our team as we haven't played together for a few years and one of the guys doesn't play much anymore after having a kid.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Look at you, team full of ringers and you're sandbagging already


Hopefully the weather is nice, don't need a repeat of the Chili Open. Either way, it will be fun. I'll buy you a beer at the lunch afterwards!

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We haven't won 1st place out there in 4-5 years. It's a tough tournament. I hope the weather works as well. They cancelled the St Patty's Day tournament. I'd take just about
anything as long as it is dry. Probably 60 degrees and windy would be my guess.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Harbour Town this week. Always a good tournament on a course that demands accuracy. I don't expect much out of Spieth this week but I am
sure a lot of people will take him in their fantasy leagues. Augusta has wide, generous fairways. Not this week.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I stayed far away from him this week. Like in Nascar league there is not a lot of back to backs. Harvick making me look dumb this year on that though.

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Elections have consequences.

30% off putters, today at RBG.

http://www.rockbottomgolf.com/wednesdaydeal.html

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Trying to decide between the Titleist 915D2 driver and the Ping G30. From what I read, the Ping is more forgiving and the Titleist gets you a little more distance.

Based on that I would lean towards the Ping. Better to be in the fairway than 10 yards longer and in the woods.

Hoping to find some time to try them both out in simulator this week.

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From what I have read, both are very good clubs. I have had both Ping and Titleist drivers in the past and I found your above assessment to be pretty accurate. The
Titleist is designed as more of a "players" club and the Pings are more of a straight forward, take it off the shelf and blast away version. I can't get past the look of the
D2 head shape and prefer the more traditional D3 head but that is just me. I seriously looked at the new Pings but in the end I couldn't get past the "Turbulators" on
the top of the club. If you haven't seen them yet, you'll notice right away. I don't think you can go wrong either way. No interest in the Taylor Made versions?

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

First scramble of the year tomorrow. Weather looks pretty nice. I wish to god I could take a half day of work today but no way I can escape
my desk. Going to hit at least one bucket of balls after work.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I am thinking of going to play 9 with Jr. later today.

_________________
2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

44-44 = 88 yesterday morning at Sanctuary. You cannot spray a whole lot on that course, and unfortunately I was pushing a lot of shots to the right yesterday. Was in trouble off the tee a few times, pushed a few iron shots, and did not make a single putt longer than about 4-5'. That said, to be able to muster up an 88, which is my worst round of the year thus far, is actually pretty good. I had gotten the chipping yips the last couple of rounds, and chipped in fine fashion yesterday, getting up and down for bogey three times, and once for par. Went out with my Dad, and his short game was just on fire yesterday. He cannot hit the ball very far at all anymore, but he can still be deadly when he gets near the green. He chipped up to within virtual tap-in range 5 different times, and rolled in about a 60' putt for par on #17. I believe he carded 83 or 84.

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Teed off at 4:45, it was a beautiful evening to play. Started out Double Bogey, bogey and played the rest of the way in at +1. Had several good birdie chances, but never made one and bogied a stupid Par 5.

_________________
2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

Played two hockey games last night, got home at 1 and asleep at 3. Got up sore as hell, but decided to go play anyway. Went to Hickory Hills for the first time. Total dump, but had a surprisingly fun layout with lots of elevation change. Fairways weren't cut, all the seats on the golf carts were patched together with duct tape, had to put my bag on the passenger side cause there was no strap on the driver's side. But, it was cheap and not that far of a drive.

Course is only 6000 yards and there might be 1 bunker on the entire property and I took advantage of those conditions to score the best round of my life. 38-38-76. Beat my previous best of 77 (also at a very easy course). can't believe I broke 80 this early in the year. last year only did it once and it happened in September. The new swing with the driver is money. Hit every fairway except one, all either dead straight or with a slight draw. Only one I missed was cause there was a tree in my way to the right so I overcooked it and sent it left into the trees, led to my only double bogey. Was -1 after 7. Stated out the day with a 15 foot eagle putt that led to a tap in birdie. Later just missed holing a chip for eagle. New swing with the irons making progress as well, had some very nice slight draw irons shots and only a couple ones that went too far left. Hit 11 GIR. Even kinda maybe faded a 6 iron on purpose one time. Timing on chipping getting much better, made good contact on every chip shot. Killed it with the hybrids. landed the green with the 3 hybrid from 225 out on #1 for the eagle chance. Later was on hte left side of fairway and had tree branches preventing me from going at the flag so I tried for the draw with the 4 hybrid and started it 25 feet right of the pin and it drew back perfect on line with the pin and in teh back of the green.

Course was pretty empty, but managed to play through several groups and finish 18 in 2:30. I think I was the oldest person out there and the only one with a collared shirt.

Golf is an easy game when pretty much every shot goes straight.

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Played first scramble of the year yesterday with my old group who used to win a lot of these things.
Fox Lake CC is a nice little layout with severe elevation changes throughout. Also pretty tight on many portions of the course. I hit the ball about as badly as I have all year especially off the tee. Still made some putts and contributions. Need to tighten things up at the range.

As a team we ended up shooting -17 highlighted by 3 eagles on 4 of the par 5s. We shot a 26 on the back nine with a par on a tough par three. It was a pretty good performance that early in the season. Needless to say when our score was announced the rest of the players were pissed. We get accused of cheating at almost every event we win. Picked up two boxes of Titleist Velocity balls. I'll have to probably give those away. The kicker was that we got in the skins game and it turned out one of our guys 50 ft downhill snake for eagle bagged us all 18 skins for the $360 pot.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Nice work shakes. Sounds like the Mizunos are starting to pay dividends ( assuming that is what you were playing with ). Did you make a driver choice?

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

This sounds promising. It can be hard to claw back after a difficult start as you well know.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami