44 through 9 this afternoon. A snap-hook on the first par 5 resulted in a 7, then a chunked chip resulted in a nifty par save the next he, followed by a bad 3-putt on the subsequent par 3 just killed my round. Hoped to go par-par-par to end the round, but couldn't carry my 7 iron all of the 170 needed to clear the bunker on the final par 3.

Shot of the round was knocking a 5-iron stiff from 200 out to give myself a 12 foot birdie putt, which I missed.

Walked 18 at Mt. Prospect yesterday and shot an 82.

Dropped the extra fairway wood and the lob wedge, so I could comfortably carry my bag. Didn't miss the LW like I thought I might. Really enjoyed walking the course.

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

-Hank Kingsley

Had a good practice session on Saturday and met up with my guys to play Sunday. 82 with two doubles and a triple. Missed 6 putts
within 6 ft and the skies opened up and poured the last 5 holes. Still very unsure of shots from 150 in. I dead shanked one out of
bounds and was very tentative with a number of chips and pitches. More work to do this week on that front. Overall I thought it was
a positive step in the right direction but not where it needs to be.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

45 + 48 = 93 at Silver Lake North on Saturday afternoon. A bit muggy, but a terrific twilight round. The course was in tremendous shape, and just as a twosome my Dad and I got around in 3 hours. Two lost balls on the front 9, but I also had 3 pars and a birdie. Back to back doubles on 10 & 11, but then single bogey the rest of the way out. Had a few wayward drives and a couple wasted shots, but hit the ball well enough to put up a decent score. Only one 3 putt on the day. Highlite of the day was after a terrible swing and a lost ball off the tee on the par 5 #7, I nearly holed out an 80 pitch for my par (hitting 3 with driver, 4 iron, SW). Half a roll more and the ball would have dropped.

Twilight golf with the long shadows and peacefulness is an amazing thing.

_________________

thinking about sneaking out later this afternoon and squeezing in a quick 18 if possible. Probably hit up Glencoe, maybe Sportsman.

_________________

Playing hooky tomorrow and golfing Water's Edge. Not a big fan of the course, but I haven't played it in a few years and being that it's a Friday with a 7:42 tee time, pace of play should not be an issue. Hoping the recent rains have the course in nice shape.

_________________

From my experience at Waters Edge the amount of rain we got is more likely to leave that place flooded for a long period of time. Last time I saw WE in good shape was back in 2005 when they still had GPS in the carts and kids on #18 who would come out and clean your clubs while you putted. Those days are long gone at WE.

_________________

Had a good time golfing at Sportsman yesterday in perfect weather. 47-39-86 pretty much says it all, but here, let me say more. Playing with a buddy who's really bad but fun to play with. Got paired up with a couple nice guys who were also pretty bad. Playing in a group of bad golfers is never good for your game and I lacked focus the front nine. wasn't even really thinking on some shots and putts. Some thin shots, a couple poor club selections. My one triple though was just shit luck. 190 yard par 3 and hit a great shot with my longest non driver (3 hybrid) and it got plugged in the very top of the bunker in front of the green.

Back nine I settled down and parred 5/6 final holes with a lone bogey in there on #17, quite possibly the dumbest hole in Chicagoland area. Par 5 with a pond that sits in a spot where you are forced to have 2 perfect shots or else you have to lay up in front of the pond and be faced with a 190 yard shot into the green.

As usual with a late afternoon round at Sportsman, the back nine saw several coyotes roaming around the course without a care in the world.

_________________

If anyone is interested Shepard's Crook has a gimmick this weekend where they are letting hole #11 play at US Open conditions. It's a really tough long par 3 with a peanut shaped convex green. The green will be running 12+ on the stimp and the rough and high stuff will be grown out to US Open length.


Hopefully they put a double bogey max rule in play or else you could be looking at quite a backup on the tee box.

_________________

Yeah I got an e-mail from them about that deal. Sounds kind of fun but depending on where they put that pin you can look at some
groups taking 15-20 minutes to finish that hole. You are totally right about causing a back up on what is essentially a holiday weekend
for them.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Going to try to head over to my local course where they have a little practice area of about 100 yards where you can hit your own balls
and shag them tonight. I need to iron out these wedge issues and get rid of my shank problem. It sucks playing when you have zero confidence
from 140 yards and in. First off on Saturday and Sunday so it should be a vigorous and sweaty walk both days. I'd like to break back
into the 70s again but need to iron out the short game and tighten up the putting some. My handicap is up two strokes from the beginning
of the season, which isn't unexpected but I have just not been able to put complete rounds together this season and I need to start striving
for that. Thought I would be a bit sharper after 20 rounds this season.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Head pro handed me a brand new pair of FootJoy DNA Helix golf shoes his morning. White shoes with grey accents. Nice to get a $200 pair of shoes for free. I was skeptical it was gonna work out.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Pretty brutal weekend for walking. Saturday wasn't as humid and a bit overcast and we finished by 9am so it wasn't too bad. Shot 81
but took a 10 on a par 4 after shanking two straight OB and another double on the back after 3 putting from 20 ft. Other than those two
brain farts I hit the ball pretty well. Yesterday was brutal. I have no idea how I finished the last 5 holes it was so hot and humid. Shot
another 81 with three doubles. I lipped out two 4 footers on 15 and 16 so that hurt. I didn't really care as I just wanted to make it to the
club house. First round with no shanks in a few weeks so I think I am making progress. Out of town this weekend so maybe it will be good
to take a break and then hit the rest of the summer hard. I may seriously consider taking a cart whenever it is going to be like Sunday again.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Its dangerous to walk 18 in the conditions we had this weekend, TBone. And, no offense, but you aren't a spring chicken anymore so there is nothing wrong with a cart when the heat index is 95+

48-50 at Waters Edge on Friday. The pace of play was surprisingly quick, the course was in so-so condition. Lot of cottonwoods so there were a few holes and greens where it was like playing in the snow. I had two 7's, an 8, and a 9 on the par 5's....lost a ball on three of the four. Brutal. Still swinging too fast/hard from time to time and topping some shots, but did manage 5 pars on the day, and didn't slice a single iron shot so all was not lost. Took my Dad as an early Fathers Day gift. He shot an 82, which I believe is his low round of the season on a par 70+ course so he was quite happy.

Hoping to get to the range and/or out for 9 holes before the Jorr Invitation on Friday.

_________________

Yeah, I guess I don't want to admit that I am getting older but it isn't very easy for a 250lb guy to walk 5 miles and push a cart in that kind of
weather. I'll be more cognizant of those kind of conditions in the future and just cart it. If I'm going to die I would love for it to be on a golf
course but just not for another 30 years.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Great time golfing with Furious yesterday at the spectacular Highlands of Elgin. Knew we were in for a good day when one of the guys we were paired with started bitching on the first hole about how he couldn't find any weed the night before. At one point we got told to pick up our pace of play, but it wasn't because of slow play so much as too many funny stories being told on the tee boxes.


Course was in great shape, a little toasty but not too bad with an 8:40 tee time. I made my move to the senior tees official and played really well with some good ball striking for the most part. Hit 10/14 fairways and drew or hit straight every drive except one that went right. Don't know where this draw came from, but it's been around all year and I'm not complaining. Still only poking it about 200 give or take off the tee, but 200 and straight from the senior tees usually puts you in a good position to have a chance to score. Putted well also, only 2 3-putts on the day were on long birdie attempts. ended up with an 84, first time ever breaking 90 at HOE, but full disclosure I did take a mid-hole mulligan on 16 after a nasty shank from 100 yards that I just couldn't accept as being part of my day. still too much PTSD from my 2.5 months spent with the shanks last summer.


Making my firs trip of the year up to Green Lake this weekend, feeling good enough that I'm gonna call today and re-up my membership at Lawsonia.

_________________

49-42 on Saturday at soggy Lincoln Oaks golf course in Crete. First time playing there and will be back for sure. Its kind of a goofy layout as you start with two Par 4s, but then its alternating Par 5, Par 3 until the 10th hole. Only about 6200 yards from the tips as there are six par 3s total. You will be hitting mid to long irons for at least 4 of the 6 though. Cart path only and the course was soggy, but definitely playable and it pretty nice shape. Fairly open so you can spray a bit, but the fairways are very narrow and hitting out of the rough was definitely a punishment. I parred the 9th hole, but the other three Par 5s on the front were disasters which is what drove the score up. Hit the ball much better overall on the back 9 for a nice 42. Only one penalty shot which was an unplayable so it was the first round in MANY that I didn't lose a ball. Also the this was the first time I have ever played a full 18 hole with zero 3-putts. Now the greens are small (some of them VERY small) so you don't have many long putts, but I one-putted six greens on the day.

Free warmup bucket with a greens fee ($35 w/cart at 8am on Saturday, $25 weekdays), very reasonable beer prices, a solid 8 of a cart girl that looked like she would suck a golfball thru a garden hose, and a nice course with even some elevation changes. Definitely worth checking out if you find yourself out south.

_________________

84 yesterday walking at Mt. Prospect

Out: 51/56/60 wedges
In: 52/58 wedges

6 degree gaps after the PW and room to add an additional fairway wood or play 12 clubs without giving up the lob wedge.

Heavier shafts in the 52/58 are definitely easier to control for touch shots around the green.

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

-Hank Kingsley

Great time golfing at Lawsonia over the weekend. Great course, great weather, great pace of play. Can't think of too many courses ranked in the USA top 100 where you can get out as a single on a weekend morning and be done in 2:15. Played the day before in 3:15 with the wife taking our time.



Course in it's usual pristine condition. Greens phenomenal and tricky. Always struggle first weekend on those greens. The speed and also the subtle breaks around the hole are really tough to gage at first. Thankfully, played great in every other area. Continuing to drive the ball better than I ever have, no explanation, just going with it. Hit 20/26 fairways on the weekend. Hit 18 GIR. 0 birides. even had a rare eagle putt that I turned into a par. But shot 83 day 1 thanks to 2 triple bogeys. Had a stretch of 7 pars and a bogey over one 8 hole gauntlet.


PLayed the next day by myself and avoided the triples and shot a 79! First time under 80 in 2 years. Bad putting, but very consistent ball striking. Aside from those 2 triple bogeys, the other 34 holes were all pars or bogeys.


Looking forward to getting up there for 5 rounds this weekend.

_________________

I did the same thing the last two seasons. Last year I had a 50 and 56 but switched to 52 and 58 this year and it has worked well.
Still need to dial in distances, but I prefer to have that extra long iron in the bag.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I was playing the 51/56 wedges that matched my irons the last 2 seasons. Super-forgiving and decent playability around the greens, but they have the same lightweight steel shafts as my irons and the touch was a bit lacking for tight lines and fast greens. Plus, they didn't perform as well out of the sand as I expected.

The 52 is mid-bounce and the 58 is low bounce. Same model/lofts/bounce as the ones I sold to donspiracy (Cleveland CG10).

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

-Hank Kingsley

I did the same to start this year. I don't really use the 58 for anything other than around the green. Didn't with the 56 either which I why I made the switch.

_________________

I go 60, 56, 52 in the wedge dept.

60 for everything around the green and inside 50-60 yards. 56 for everything 60-75 yards, 52, 75-90 yards.

Love my 60, favorite club in the bag. Like to hood it a bit so don't really use it like a true 60. love using it anywhere around the green.

_________________

Same. Use the 60 around the green if I have to go up and over a bunker/hill, or need the ball to stop quick. 52 for a chip I need to run out a bit.

_________________

pretty cool, this morning on Morning Drive the head writer for Golf Adviser, Bradley Klein, called Lawsonia Links his favorite course in Wisconsin. I tend to agree.

_________________

Back at it after not playing last weekend. Hoping to get the golf in on Sunday morning but might have some rain. I don't see any
way around not renting a cart tomorrow. The two times I have walked in 90 degree plus heat it has been just miserable. I'd like
to get back to breaking 80, it has been a month.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Probably going to try to get a round in Sunday morning as it will be hot. Already have a foursome set for July 4th morning as well.

One thought I had is I want to change things up and be the different guy. I am going to go to orange balls. Be bold!

_________________
Elections have consequences.

Too damn hot this weekend. Might get out to hit balls in the morning, but I don't feel like passing out.

If you want a legit shot at breaking 85 TBone, rent a cart.

9 holes early tomorrow morning, and then Silver Lake South on Tuesday afternoon.

_________________

Holy fuck was that a steamy round. 43-39, nine holes played two balls. Putted like a madman, drove like an idiot. My shirt was drenched by hole 5.

_________________