Not a fan of the original Spider, but I like the Mini.

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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

I liked the look better than the original. Fits my stroke but still not a huge fan of the design. We will see when it arrives.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

It appears the lesson stuck. Played 9 last night (in an hour!) at Sportsman. No shanks and shot a 40. Still having some issues getting new swing down with hybrids, but did manage to hit 1 or 2 square by the end.


Going to hit it hard these next couple weeks in prep for my annual golf trip.

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Did you guys know that at Bandon Dunes the policy for replay rates is second time around is reduced rate, 3rd time around it's free and 4th time around they actually pay you $100. And that covers all the courses there so you can skip between them.


I heard they are doing the same thing at Sand Valley.

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Pretty sure those are walk only courses so that would be a hell of a feat to get around 3 times in a day. Sand Valley would be an epic trek
doing the two courses up there. I played the original last year and it's quite a hike. Had a couple buddies play both courses and the new par 3
up there two weeks ago and stayed at the lodge up there. They were very impressed.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

yeah they must be pretty sure no one is getting around a 4th time

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

guy was saying he did it at Sand Valley on the summer solstice and after the 4th round they handed him $100 bill. and yes, its walking only.

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77 this morning with two double bogeys. Shanked one OB and topped a drive to create them. Really going to consider getting the
upgraded pass next year that includes a cart even though I usually like to walk. If I can get out once or twice before work during the
week it would totally be worth it and could add as many as 50 more rounds a year and maybe some after work. Can play 18 and still
get in the office by 8:45 at the latest.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I have come to the realization that there is not much good to have a driver in my bag at all. I am just as good and far with the 3W which puzzles me.

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Elections have consequences.

Played with the wife last night at Edgebrook. Probably the worst rated golf course in Illinois, but we love it. Usually costs like $25 for 18 with a cart and no one is ever out there. Sure, your choices for tee boxes are mats or dirt and the greens are so spongey you bounce when you walk on them. Last night we got the bonus of the apathetic employee who couldn't get the computer to work. So I said, "sounds like free golf to me" and he didn't even hesitate and was like sure, you want a cart as well?


I basically look at the place as a more fun driving range in that you get to practice real shots at targets. The key is to leave the putter in the car. I just bring a wedge to the green and pull my ball off and try and chip it close from different spots.

Billy Caldwell is down the street and a little nicer, but its the same price and only 9 holes.

Best part is afterwards you are only a mile from Superdawg!

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Burnham Woods out south is like that. Its basically the same hole over and over again with no water and very few bunkers. But its also only like $20 w/cart. Joe Louis is a bit more fun and challenging, but that course gets beat up a ton too. Yes, a fun driving range is the best way to look at those.

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38/43/81 at par 71 Bartlett Hills yesterday. First time playing. Love the course - conditions were first rate and only paid $35 w/cart on Golf Now. Course will be a nice addition to the Furious rota.

Nice little setup with range, practice green, putting green, halfway house.

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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

5 hour round at Deerfield yesterday teeing off at noon. expected that going in so it didn't bother me. Bought a used iron set on eBay and gave them a go. Same irons as I already have (JPX 850 forged), but replaced my stiff shafts with regular steel shafts. Only 10 grams lighter and still on the heavy side, but should give me a bit of a boost till I get new clubs in the offseason.

Also replaced by hybrids with the new calloway rogue. Just got the 3 for now, gonna pick up the 4 this week. They go much further when I connect, but still struggling a bit with them and I think I only really connected on one since I got the club.

Started with a couple shanks in the first 2 holes, but then settled down and didn't have another shank until last approach on 18 (horrible way to end a good round) 42-42-84, very happy with that and starting to get the hang of the new swing. Got another lesson set for Saturday to make sure I'm locked in. Dago golf outing Sunday and then my big wisconsin golf trip the following weekend.

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Burnham Woods hasn't changed in years, that's where I go after work to get in some practice. Used to walk to Joe Louis as a kid back when it was called Pipe o Peace. Loved that place after the remodel. Havent been there since the late 80's.
Shot 92 at Saint Charles Country Club last week. Lesson was a big help, swing was much better, shots were straighter overall. Still have to work on the irons, dubbed about 6-8 of them. Golf trip next week and Ruffled Feathers golf outing the week after.

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Nothing to fear but fear itself, and me.

Was planning to play today, but after playing hockey the last two nights capped off with getting taken down on a breakaway and going headfirst into the boards I think I'm gonna spend the whole afternoon/night on the couch watching movies.

Got anotehr lesson tomorrow with Todd Sones. Feeling good about my new swing, but want to get a tune up and have him see if I'm missing any details. Also could use some help hitting the hybrids. Will probably get out and play after the lesson.


Sunday the big golf outing. Skipping 7am hockey so I'm rested and ready to go for the outing.

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Heading out early today. Last few rounds haven't been as crisp as I'd like. Hit balls on Tuesday
Mostly working on irons. Need to hit more greens and that will be big moving forward.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Shot 91 at River Oaks this morning. Not great, but not too bad either.

The back 9 sort of winds around an apartment complex. I'm at the clubhouse digging through my bag putting stuff away, and I hear a loud crash. I look up and there was a golf cart on its side in the driveway to the 10th hole. Some old lady have been flying through the parking lot and plowed into this golf cart and knocked it over. Fortunately the guys in it were okay, but it was loud as hell and I thought they were dead. That car really must have been moving.

I am sad to report however, that their 6 Bud Lights did not survive.

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Played 18 today with a group of guys at a really nice course. Had a great time. Even got a few pars along the way. Three of the holes things went about as good as they could for me. Hit a nice drive. Got onto the green and even made the put. Some other holes things went completely the other direction, but no need to talk about those. Had 6 guys so we played two groups of 3 and took the low score from each hole for the group and had a bet that the losing team had to buy dinner for the group. We ended up tied, so we all bought our own dinner.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

What a fucking shitshow. Almost 5 1/2 hour round. Are you fuckin kidding me. If you can’t make your dumb ass around a course in 4 hours you have no fucking business playing on a Sunday morning. Go play on a Tuesday afternoon when you won’t fuck up an entire course. That was a joke.

Which is why I love living in the more rural areas, and also why I never play early on Saturday or Sunday.

In my new home NE of Columbus, even though I am in farm country, we still have at least 6 courses within a 10-mile radius that I can get to within 20 minutes (including one just off my patio). They are all inexpensive, and if you go after 3 on the weekend, as long as there isn't an outing or tournament going on, it flows really nicely. The courses vary in difficulty and upkeep, but for the low cost, they are all worthy to play.

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Not a mult.

Yeah, most of the courses around here are begging for customers for most part. I generally avoid weekends but if I find myself driving by one of the courses they tend to be dead in the afternoon on Saturday’s and Sundays.

Old guy question. The past few years when I play I often get a pain/stiffness in my right elbow about midway or later in the round. Inside part of the elbow like when I was a kid pitching and threw too many pitches.

It's getting a bit worse in recent years. Is this something typical that can be helped with a brace of some kind or just a swing flaw that I need to make some adjustments. I feel like my swing hasn't changed much from earlier years when I never had this problem.

I'm assuming it's arthritis.

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You know me like that.

I don't know about Doc's problems but usually where I play it is like a ghost town after noon on weekends compared to 8-9am.

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Elections have consequences.

Doc, I get epicondylitis in my right elbow that acts up every once in a while. I wear a compression sleeve over my right arm when I play golf. Haven't gotten any elbow pain from playing golf since.


Not sure if that would fix your issues, but it's worth the try. Bookmark this and then read again in 2019 when you next play golf.

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Yes, I have time to find one.

I saw your sleeve which made me think of it. It's been happening most of the time when I golf the past few years. The fingers on my right hand get a little numb but that passes after 15-20 seconds but the pain is there.

I'll try it out next time I'm out. Start the new decade out right.

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You know me like that.

Every Mond night at the local 9 hole course there is a group that gets together. Couple guys head it up. They try to divide the teams up evenly and then we scramble. Everyone pitches in a few bucks and the winning team gets it. Then they have a couple individual prizes for closest to the pin...longest putt, etc. Last night I played as well as I have since I have started playing again. My team used several of my shots. Just missed a really long putt that would have given us an eagle...bounced off the pin rolled around edge of hole and spun off. When we finished up there was three teams tied for the lead. So we had a putt off on the last hole to determine the winner. They picked a spot right on the edge of the green farthest from the hole and the person/team closest to the hole won the money. Towards the end of the deal one guy was about 4 inches from the hole and looked to be the winner. The last person from my team to go was an older lady maybe 65 yrs old. She stepped up and drained the putt to give our team the win. It maybe the longest putt made I have ever seen in person. Crazy deal, but thankful to come away with some cash.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Golf trip tomorrow. Still not sure where are playing tomorrow. Trying to get on Milwaukee CC, but won't know till today. If not, probably play the Bull.

Friday playing the Irish course at Kohler, never played that one.

Saturday sun up to sun down at Lawsonia.

Sunday Washington County.

Same 2 v 2 teams we've had the last 4 years.

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Had an amazing time this weekend on my 9th annual golf trip.

Played the Bull Thursday afternoon, 9 hole scramble, 9 hole alternate shot and 9 hole shamble. We were down 15 pts after day 1. Hell, we were down something like 12 points after the front 9 scramble. Other team chipped in 2 for eagle and had 3-4 birdies as well. Tough to come back from that and we didn't. Course was great. got on at 2:20 for 50% off, $50. Threw in another $25 for the replay rate to play the last 9. Played pretty good that day, just got smoked by amazing shots. Did have some shanks towards the end.

Friday drove back to the Sheboygan area and played the Irish course at Whistling Straits. The sister course of the more famous Straits course, it costs half the price, you can take a cart and the course itself is more interesting. Only thing it doesnt' have is the view of Lake Michigan. Personally I don't think the view is worth an extra $250. Loved the Irish course, brought a forecaddie which is key. Was playing good and shot a 43 on the front, fell apart on hole 13 with the shanks coming back the rest of the round. ended up with a 90 and my team down a few more points. drove back to green lake and hit Wendt's on Lake Winnebago for their amazing outdoor fish fry.

Saturday teed off at 7:30 at Lawsonia, had to call it quits 50 holes later at 8:30 pm because it all of the sudden started monsooning. Me and my partner ruled the day as we won the morning 18 for lunch and then won the afternoon 18 for dinner. Lost the 12 hole scramble for desert that followed, but my back was so shot by then I was only chipping and putting the final 10 holes or so. Went 85 in the morning and then 91 in the afternoon after the shanks came back hard and shot a 49 on the back. Great deal out there for my buddies. Since I'm a member they got a guest rate of $85 to play all day (usual rate is $135).



Next day I realized the key reason I was shanking (was standing up too straight and then pulling club behind me) and did a 180. Played at Washington County on the way to the airport. Chunked every shot the first 6 holes while recovering from the shanks, but then figured it out and was on fire. 44 on the front and the lunch bet was tied going into back 9. I go -1 the next 5 holes with 2 birdies to build us a 3pt lead and we hung on for the win. Shot a 40 on the back for a 44.

Great weekend, favorite weekend of the year every year. And really happy I was able to rebound each day and play some good golf wheras in the past the shanks would come in and I would be done for the rest of the weekend.

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From what I saw on FB, I figured you would come back in a wheelchair with all the golf you were played. Glad you had fun.

As for me, my game as completely left and I feel that nothing short of a few lessons will fix it. I tried to enjoy the round as best I could yesterday, but I was flat out embarrassed with about 90% of the shots I took. At least it looked like I had some knowledge of how to play this game with my wedges and putter. Had a few 3-putts yesterday, but also some nice lags and burned several edges where 1/4" one way or another would have caused the ball to drop. I figure on maybe a lesson or three with the sticks staying in the garage for a few weeks until after the little one arrives and settles in.

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Was in the Smokey Mountains this past week and got to play a round at http://www.seviervillegolfclub.com/

Shot a 88 on the Highlands, hit a few bombs off the tee and played my irons probably the best I have to date. My putting has come around but I still find myself 3 putting which costs me.

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You never miss your wealth, till your well went dry
Seem like only yesterday, you were here smiling
Now you gone away, but I know you in a better place
No traces of you, what can I do?
Alone and confused