To many times I see the average golfer feel like if the ball is a few feet off the green they must chip it. Tip: If your ball is just off the green (in mowed grass) use you putter instead of chipping. Eliminate the risk of "chunking" or "blading" it. You'll save strokes and lower your score.
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1. Unsolicited Swing Advice Guy
Defining characteristics: Knows exactly how to fix your swing even though you didn't ask. Employs a vast array of swing jargon that only confuses you further. Favorite expression: "Wait, try this!"
2. The Human Rain Delay
Defining characteristics: Thinks he is honoring spirit of the game by never picking up. Not in the spirit of the game: dragging his foursome through a three-and-a-half hour front nine. Favorite expression: "Put me down for a 10."
3. Cell Phone Guy
Defining characteristics: Considers golf course an extension of his office, home, therapist's couch, etc. Has perfected the balancing-phone-on-the-shoulder wedge shot. Favorite expression: "You guys hit. I gotta take this."
4. The Cart Girl Schmoozer
Defining characteristics: Convinced he's got a shot with the cart girl. Would be crushed to learn she offered the same flirty laugh and bag of nuts to foursome of geeks up ahead. Favorite expression: "We'll take four beers and one more smile, darlin'."
5. The Parking Lot Pro
Defining characteristics: Color-coordinated outfit, matching logos and oversized tour bag suggest he's played professionally. Topped drive off the first tee suggests otherwise. Favorite expression: "These are the same shoes Tiger wears. "
6. The Air Counter
Defining characteristics: Can't remember his score without reliving every shot in detail. Favorite expression: "One in the pond, two drop, three back in the pond. Four I had that funky lie in the bunker and left it in the bunker ... "
7. The Frat Boy
Defining characteristics: Unable to fathom a round of golf without a steady stream of adult beverages. Idea of restraint is to hold off drinking ... until the second hole. Favorite expression: "A few beers will loosen up that swing!"
8. Cigar Guy
Defining characteristics: The easiest golfer to locate on the course thanks to waft of smoke trailing behind him. Oblivious to playing partners struggling for air -- and the ash droppings on his belly. Favorite expression: "Straight from Havana, baby!"
9. The Sandbagger
Defining characteristics: The 15 handicap who is somehow playing "much better" than he has in years. Feigns apology when he drops bunker shot within inches of cup, then kicks sand off his shoes like a tour pro. Favorite expression: "I guess it's just one of those days..."
10. Oblivious Guy
Defining characteristics: So preoccupied with his own game never looks for anyone else's ball. When driving a cart, always blows past your ball and heads directly to his. Favorite expression: "But enough about me. What do YOU think of my swing?"
11. Ball Retriever Guy
Defining characteristics: Never passes a water hazard without his trusty scoop at the ready. Last bought a new sleeve of balls in the late 80s. Favorite expression: "Whoa! A ProV1!"
12. The Volcano
Defining characteristics: Has unique ability to allow even the most pleasant days to be soured by any bad swing, bounce, or lie. Relies on Ball Retriever Guy to occasionally fetch clubs out of lake. Favorite expression: "[Not printable]"
13. Delusional Guy
Defining characteristics: Forces group to wait on every par 5 because he's convinced he can get home in two. Usually get there in four. Favorite expression: "If I really catch it, I can get there."
14. Mulligan Guy
Defining characteristics: Liberally allows himself another whack even when first shot is findable.
Favorite expression: "Wait, wait, wait. I gotta try another."
15. The Plumb Bobber
Defining characteristics: The only guy in the group not to notice the foursome behind yelling from the fairway as he lines up his putt for double from every angle imaginable. Favorite expression: "Son of a gun, I actually think it goes both ways!"
16. Yardage Book Guy
Defining characteristics: Has to walk off every blade of grass before hitting. After contemplating whether a shot is 176 yards or 178, ends up hitting it 150. Favorite expression: "I can't decide if it's a hard 7 or a soft 6."
17. The Cheat
Defining characteristics: A sympathetic figure when he pushes his tee shot deep into the woods. Not as sympathetic: When he announces his ball somehow stayed in bounds -- with a clear shot to the green! Favorite expression: "Better to be lucky than good!
18. The Overcelebrater
Defining characteristics: Treats every holed three footer as if just won the Masters. Has sent multiple playing partners home early thanks to overzealous chest bumping. Favorite expression: "Yes SIR!"
Read More at http://www.golfdigest.com/golf/humor/18-most-annoying-golf-partners#ixzz1uOO7VBzW
Fixing the "Slice". Not many things can kill your distance off the tee or get you in trouble like a "slice". Try this, "close your stance" in the picture you can see my LEFT foot is in front of the line (closer to the ball). This simple thing can help to cure the "slice" gain more yardage and keep you in the fairway. Get to the range, work on it, you will lower your score.
There is a reason pros take time to line up putts...IT MATTERS! If you want to shave strokes off your game take a little more time reading the breaks from all sides of the hole, ESPECIALLY the LOW SIDE of the hole. Don't just look from the ball to the hole, go to the other side of the hole and look back at the ball. Get low, you will notice the contours better, even subtle breaks near the hole that will make the difference. Then set the line on the ball to match the line of your putt, trust it and let it roll. Do these simple things and you'll make more putts and lower your score. Remember, doing it in a timely fashion is important.
Before I started playing - I thought golf should be removed from TV - it has been compared to watching paint dry. However, it can be fun. You can learn a lot watching too. I scream and yell during a tourney so much - you would think I'm watching football or a boxing match. Here are some tips to help you enjoy watching the game.
1. Get to Know The Players
If you are new to the game - you will need to get to know the players. There are some real characters. If you had a friend playing - you probably wouldn't mind watching them. So get to know the players by watching one of the bigger tournaments - where they all show up - on a Sunday afternoon. Find some players you LOVE and some you HATE - makes it fun. You can yell "Shank! right before the ones you hate Tee off - from the comfort of your own home and the marshal's wont say a thing. If you you make some bets you'll do that a lot - when anyone you don't have money on is about to hit the ball.
2. Bet a Couple Bucks
I don't want to encourage gambling - but - for a few bucks - the game gets way more interesting. Go down to the Hilton sports-book - (now called LVH) The sports-book in is the back - Swenson north - turns into Joe Brown right after Flamingo - next to Las Vegas Country club. They are the only book I know of other than maybe MGM that always has a betting sheet on golf. Put $5 on 5 or 10 players. The odds are great - you can get anywhere from 6-1 to 1000-1. Yes that' not a typo - 1000-1. Watching someone make a 4' put takes on a whole new meaning when you have $400 riding on a $5 bet.
If you want a little advantage - You can get the latest player stats here:
http://scores.nbcsports.msnbc.com/golf/averages.asp?tour=PGA&rank=41
Just remember - never bet anything you can't afford to burn.
3. Coverage - Luck of the Draw
Whether or not your players are shown on TV is determined by start times. On Thursdays and Fridays each player will play late one day and early the next or vice versa. Coverage the first two days is usually limited to Golf Channel starting at either 10 or 12 in the morning until about 3pm. So, if it's an East Coast tourney - 9am Tee times are 6am here and those players will be finished before coverage starts. But they will play late one of those days and you'll get to see them. Saturdays and Sunday's are broadcast on Golf Channel around 10am and then the coverage switches to NBC or CBS around noon. You may throw something at your TV as the Golf Channel coverage ends at 1130 and there is a half hour gap you will miss. The last two days of start times are determined by the leader-board. Leaders play last. So unless a player is near the bottom of the leader-board you'll get to see most or all of their round. However, there are a lot of golfers - they can't show them all. If your guy is near the top or bagging birdies and moving up the board - they'll put a camera on them. With something called the Golf Channel - you would think we could just watch the whole tourney - no such luck - email them and complain: askus@golfchannel.com
4. DVR the tourney
It takes a lot less time to watch a tourney if you can fast forward through players you don't care about. Plus you can enjoy the summer outdoors and watch when you get home. Watch the broadcast until they show the guys you wanna follow - and remember what colors they are wearing. That way you know when to stop the FF and hit play. One other cool thing - with our new smart phones. If you see a great shot - rewind and film in on your cell cam - works pretty good.
The tournaments start on Thursdays and end on Sundays. Remember - they cant win a tourney on Thursday or Friday - but they can lose. You're just hoping they are not way over par on Thursday and make the cut on Friday. Then cheer them on Saturday - hoping they are near the top on Sunday. If they are - you will suddenly find yourself transfixed as your guy makes the winning put. The ladies are fun to watch too. Don't miss out on a great finish by failing to tune in to them as they finish on a Sunday - or setting your DRV for the last hour on Sunday. Tourneys can run over - so adding an hour extension is not a bad idea. Don't forget to tell your golf buds that you are taping it - so they don't text you with a Tiger update and spoil it.
5. Check the Leader-board.
See who's leading and where your players are. Once you know who's leading, you know who to root against and how many shots ahead or behind your players are. If they are not in the top 20 you might have to check online - http://www.pgatour.com I like to go there on my phone. The sites sucks up a lot of RAM online but works great on a mobile. There's a "color" tab to the right of each player. You can color the players you are rooting for and easily scroll to keep track of where they are on the leader-board. There is also a Play by Play button you can turn On - to get shot by shot updates on each player in between TV coverage.
6.. Look at the Par and shot Overlay
Looking at what hole they are on will help you know how far along they are in the round. When they pan to your guy - look at the overlay - what the par of the whole he is on and what shot he is on. Simple but important. You want them to score. If they are on the second shot of a par 4 - you know they need to stick it close to the pin in order to have a make-able birdie put. Par 4 = needs it in the hole in 3 shots to score 1 under par for that hole. Lowest score wins! Checking for that and doing the quick math in your head will tell you if your player is about to birdie, par or bogey - then root for the outcome you want. Works on players that you are trying to beat too.
Enjoy!
-Rick Jansen-
Tuscany has a deal. You buy a "membership" for $30/month, but get two months free if you pay for it all at once. You can hit unlimited range balls, get group lessons monthly, and your course fee is only $15 for the cart at the super twilight hours throughout the year. The nice thing is you also get two free drinks (beer or soda) with every round. The course is in wonderful shape most of the year. I think it is a good enough deal I just signed up for my second year. Check it out and let me know what you think.
I would like to hear other members comment on the better values on courses they have played recently. I have played many in the last month and can highly recommend LAS VEGAS NATIONAL $45 and in great shape. PALM VALLEY with perfect poana grass greens also around $50 and HIGHLAND FALLS. SPANISH TRAILS by far one of the best courses in town can be played for about $70 right now due to financial issues but the course is perfect! I played TPC LV last week as they were running a special for $59 and well worth it! Be careful right now as many courses are punching there greens. Please share any others you can recommend. I'm always looking for great places to play without getting burned by huge green fees. Thanks.
Everyone welcome Jon! He is now in charge of our New York Chapter.
No East Coast / West Coast Rapper fued's please. LOL
Peter Alliss compares Tiger Woods to Pavarotti
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- British player-turned-broadcaster Peter Alliss is among those who believe Tiger Woods is getting too much instruction.
At a news conference before his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame, Alliss said Woods' "golfing brain for some reason or another is completely addled." What astonished him was a scene from the practice range at the Masters last year. Alliss said he was sitting with Arnold Palmer at the end of the range.
"And there 50 yards away is Tiger Woods at the green nearest the television facility being shown how to chip," Alliss said. "`You must do it this way, this way.' And I said to Arnold, `Are we seeing ...?' He was the greatest chipper in the world for a period, and this guy is teaching, `No, don't do it that way.'
"It's like Pavarotti saying, `I'm fed up with being a tenor. I think I'm going to sing as a baritone.' Land sake," he said. "That's as stupid as that, in my opinion. That's not a criticism, that's an opinion. But that's why he's fuddled and befuddled. ... But he's gone. He's gone at the moment."
-Golf.com-
Thanks to Brent in the Sky 9 Golf Copter. Keeping us in the know about all the golf that's fit to play 24/7.
More on Reading Greens Please. Most of us know little on the subject of reading greens. On short putting under 20' - I saw a tip of looking at a spot on the cup - tried it and it seemed to help my mind zero in and make more puts.
Decided to check out the pool party at the new Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas. Elia Beach Club, 11am to 6pm Fri, Sat & Sundays, Tickets $20 and they have a DJ. Virgin is where Hard Rock used to be. Man I miss that place!
Cocktails are $20, day beds are $2000 a day, even a 2 chairs and umbrella is $500. But! I have some tips if you're on a budget. Dont be early, wait til after 1pm, once the pool area fills up, people are socializing and sitting everywhere. Slam a few drinks before you hit the pool to save money. Make sure you hydrate! Heat plus alcohol will dehydrate you.
It was a really friendly crowd. After a few drinks I decided to go on the stage below the DJ and dance. Next thing I know I had 50 people up there with me. A few hours later, after it thined out, I finally got my camera out and took a short video.
I plan on going once a week or so this summer, we should get a group together, message me if you are interested in coming along.
-Rick Jansen
Give us some more Brent! Most of us know little on the subject of reading greens.
Too True. Was gonna refer to Foley and the rest as Remoras (little fish that swim on sharks) . But they serve a purpose, He is really just a Mosquito. Blood sucking insects that infect and weaken or kill the host for their own benefit. The scary part is that is he so talented - it could take a long time for him to hit bottom and realize he doesn't need Foley. Then a year or more to get his advice out of his head and another to relearn his old techniques. He may find it harder to say " I was wrong " than The Fonz in that episode of Happy Days.
Teeing it up today at 10:02 at Painted Desert, Saturday at 6:48 with Chris and the boys at the Horse, then again Sunday with Kelly at 10:36. I love this game!
They say necessity is the mother of invention. I love meeting new people on the golf course. But, getting paired together by the starter is a gamble. You don’t always hit it off. I wanted a way to meet golfers in my area. Get to know each other a little, then schedule a round. Hopefully this site will help me to do that and you too.
Rick Jansen
How nice - to shoot that low when playing with the big boys. 67 is no joke. Time to join the tour?
Sorry to hear that - Tell him were rooting for him - he'll be back. They were talking about him on Morning Drive a week or so ago. Thanks for the inside Tour info.
