First Round of the Year!

[hummermania]

Went out and played 18 today, course is still pretty wet and greens are somewhat ragged.
However the season has begun.
Hit one of my best ever shots today, tee ball on a 343 D/L right, about 70 deg turn.
Used a hybrid 18 and the ball went straight down the right side quail high, and ended up through the D/L almost on the 100 yd marker. What makes it good is this was exactly the shot and outcome that I envisioned in pre-shot.
I need more of these outcomes this year, focus focus focus!

 

[KRCummings]

I know that always looks and sounds good but it's an amateur move. Staying with the fairway even when you can cut across in relative safety is always the best shot. Learn to fade and you'll be better off.

 

[KRCummings]

Went out and played 18 today, course is still pretty wet and greens are somewhat ragged.
However the season has begun.
Hit one of my best ever shots today, tee ball on a 343 D/L right, about 70 deg turn.
Used a hybrid 18 and the ball went straight down the right side quail high, and ended up through the D/L almost on the 100 yd marker. What makes it good is this was exactly the shot and outcome that I envisioned in pre-shot.
I need more of these outcomes this year, focus focus focus!

And are you talking about a hybrid 18 degree club?
If that's the case I disagree with your club choice. Hell, I disagree with even owning the club. I don't have anything against hybrids in general but the 2 is just not a reliable club for an amateur.

 

[KRCummings]

Driver, fade into the dogleg, 9 or p to the green. 8 if you're coming up shorter.

Try it next time. Seriously. Give yourself a mulligan if it doesn't work but I think you'll find it the better shot.

 

[hummermania]

Now why would I want to hit Driver - 9 when I just hit hybrid - SW?
A hybrid in the right hands is a deadly club.
Take the hole prior - 182 into 20kpm wind, 23 deg hybrid lands at the hole and trickles off onto the back fringe about 15 feet from the hole. Result - almost bird, nevertheless par. Hybrids are great.
Part of the gane is knowing what you can hit.
I can hit a fade or a draw, and mostly when I want to.
Hitting it straight however is difficult, and is not for the amateurish.

 

[KRCummings]

Now why would I want to hit Driver - 9 when I just hit hybrid - SW?
A hybrid in the right hands is a deadly club.
Take the hole prior - 182 into 20kpm wind, 23 deg hybrid lands at the hole and trickles off onto the back fringe about 15 feet from the hole. Result - almost bird, nevertheless par. Hybrids are great.
Part of the gane is knowing what you can hit.
I can hit a fade or a draw, and mostly when I want to.
Hitting it straight however is difficult, and is not for the amateurish.

It's not about hitting it straight, it's about staying on the fairway as much as possible. You cut off the dogleg this time and maybe next time but then the next time you land in shit or bounce off a tree out of bounds. If you stay on the fairway that is much less likely to happen and you'll always have a good lie.
It sounds to me like you're playing for birdie which is a huge mistake.

 

[hummermania]

I think you misunderstood the ball position.
The 100 yd marker is in the middle of the fairway.

 

[KRCummings]

I think you misunderstood the ball position.
The 100 yd marker is in the middle of the fairway.

Leaving the fairway even for a quick trip over the corner of the dogleg is a risk that doesn't need to be taken if you play the hole properly. I get what you did, I'm saying it's a mistake to play that way unless you have to.

 

[hummermania]

I disagree. I did not leave the fairway, went straight down the right side.

 

[KRCummings]

I disagree. I did not leave the fairway, went straight down the right side.

I thought you were saying you cut off the corner of the dogleg. I think I see what you're saying now.

 

[Redatlit]

Went out and played 18 today, course is still pretty wet and greens are somewhat ragged.
However the season has begun.
Hit one of my best ever shots today, tee ball on a 343 D/L right, about 70 deg turn.
Used a hybrid 18 and the ball went straight down the right side quail high, and ended up through the D/L almost on the 100 yd marker. What makes it good is this was exactly the shot and outcome that I envisioned in pre-shot.
I need more of these outcomes this year, focus focus focus!

Nice shot. Always disappointing when you don't quite clear that dogleg.

I played my first round of the year, too. We've had an early spring in this area so most courses are in fairly good shape for the time of year. Regardless, I had one of those rounds where I felt I played ok, but scored horribly. My putting STUNK and my three wood ........ well, it must have developed a defect over the winter. I will get one or two more rounds in before I start league. It won't be enough.

 

[hummermania]

It is true, there is always one club that pouts for a while in the spring. Give it a week or 2 to straighten up and if not go buy a new one. That will teach it who the boss is.
Putting on spring greens is always scetchy, needles, worm carcasses, rotted leaves, sand. I don't put much emphasis on putting resuults until the mowers get lowered for the first time.

 

[Redatlit]

It is true, there is always one club that pouts for a while in the spring. Give it a week or 2 to straighten up and if not go buy a new one. That will teach it who the boss is.
Putting on spring greens is always scetchy, needles, worm carcasses, rotted leaves, sand. I don't put much emphasis on putting resuults until the mowers get lowered for the first time.

The greens are in great shape. The mower blades are already lowered and the greens are being mowed routinely. I have only my own rusty putting touch to blame.

 

[hummermania]

Well good for you people.
Obviously your latitude is further south than mine.
This is a really slow start, could be 3 weeks before the greens are half decent.
The walk is always great though.

 

[Redatlit]

Well good for you people.
Obviously your latitude is further south than mine.
This is a really slow start, could be 3 weeks before the greens are half decent.
The walk is always great though.

Michigan...... not so far south.

 

[TonyClifton]

“I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. First I see the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I see the ball going there: its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behavior on landing. Then there is a sort of fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality.”

- Jack Nicklaus

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/JackNicklaus.cropped.jpg/220px-JackNicklaus.cropped.jpg