Oops!

Golf isn't cheap. The equipment and greens fees start to add up when you play as much as I do. I made the mistake of talking about the costs with my girlfriend Stephanie. Here is how the short conversation went.

Me: "Man, I spent too much on golf this week!"

Steph: "Don't tell me. I don't want to know."

Me: "No, seriously for what I've spent on golf in the last six months, I could've bought a car!"

Steph: "Or you could have bought me a (engagement) ring!"

Awkward Silence

Me: "So what are we doing for dinner?

Ouch! Me and my big mouth! Considering I need a car and an engagement ring.....double ouch! Oh, but the wonderful experiences I've had hacking away at a ball that doesn't move, but I still can't hit. At least my priorities are in order!

Emerald Lakes

10/18/10

Joey and I headed out to Emerald Lakes for our weekly golf outing. Emerald Lakes is located off Lawyers road in Mint Hill. I had heard good things about the course and for the most part it didn't disappoint. The tee boxes could have been in better shape, but the fairways and greens sere in good condition. I went to the range yesterday and tried to work out the kinks in my driver. Definitely not a one day fix. I hit a few decent drives with the Burner, but nothing special, and I still feel more comfortable with my 3wood. Some of the fairways were tight and required really accurate shots. Others were wide open and didn't penalize you too much for errant tee shots. Joey had mentioned a par 5 that required two shots over water. The par 5 fifth hole is the signature hole at Emerald Lakes. While only 442 yards from the white tees, it requires a tee shot and approach shot over a lake, giving you something to think about. My tee shot wasn't great, but it was dry. I didn't have a good angle to play my second shot because there were trees in the way and I was about 200 yards out. My 200 yard clubs are my 3hybrid and in some cases my 4 iron. Since I needed to carry the entire distance I wanted to use my hybrid, but I din't think I had the loft to get over the pine trees that were staring at me. So, I made the safe play and laid up to about 75 yards. The only problem was that my lay up ended up in the rough. I've been playing my wedges better as my overall iron play has improved, but today I just wasn't feeling my irons. My contact wasn't crisp. I wasn't concerned with the water. I just wanted to make good contact and leave myself a shot at birdie. Not so much. Not only did the rough catch the club, but I hit a fat shot that I din't even have to look up to tell was going in the water. No problem. Joey and I always play one mulligan per 9 holes, so I just used my mulligan. From the rough again, I just wanted to make contact. A good swing and I'm looking at par at the worst. Not so fast. Another chili dip that went swimming. I dropped on the other side, took a double bogey, and went about my business. Joey made par. That was pretty much my day. I hit a few good shots, but mostly I realized that I'm still a very bad golfer, and no matter how good or bad I think I play, my score remains relatively the same. I ended up right at 100 which is frustratingly consistent. I've played much better and worse and had the same score. I'm starting to track my handicap, and I think next round I'll track my putts. I know I lose about 9 strokes to putts. Nevertheless, any day golfing is a good day. I'd play Emerald Lakes again. Especially because we only paid $28 through EZ Links. Can't beat a nice round under $30. Until next time, hit 'em good

Welcome Back

10/13/10

It's been a while but, I'm back. I know all twelve of my followers have missed me! This has been my first full season of golf. I've learned a lot about the game of golf and my game as well. I've played nearly 50 rounds this year. I could have bought a car with the money I've spent on golf. I've changed my swing a few times with varying degrees of success. As of this post, I'm not using my driver. Somewhere during the improvement of my iron play, I forgot how to hit the driver. So instead I use my 3 wood. I lose 30-40 yards on average but I'm usually in the fairway. I don't got to the range as much, but I play enough to recognize my faults. Hopefully I'll make it to the range soon, so that I can get my driver back on the road. I stillplay with the same guys. Usually Joey or Kevin. Sometimes Jimmy. Different people come out with us when they can.

My game is better. My score doesn't always agree, but I can tell big differences. When I started playing I had no concept of how the club face should contact the ball. Now I have a feel for the interaction of the club face and ball. Golf is a feel game. Everyonehas a different swing, but the point is the same. Square the club face at impact. So I make consistent contact and my iron distances are true. Not long but true. I basically hit my 7 iron 150-155 yards. I take off or add 10 yards for each club shorter or longer. I use my hybrid for 20o yard shots. I'm still learning how to play from the rough and fairway bunkers, but I can think my way around the course better to avoid big numbers. I've learned to close the club face , so I hit a draw more times than a fade. I can feel which shot I've hit immediately upon impact. I constantly think about my posture and backswing. I've always liked practicing sports, and golf is no different. Every round is practice unless a friendly wager has been made. So, sometimes I try things that I might not if I were in a real competition. I have more respect for the courses I play and the rules of the game. I spend less time looking for balls in the woods because I hit less balls in the woods. I still manage to lose quite a few though. Golf has been good. I appreciate each day and each round. Whether it's raining or 100 degrees, I love to be out on the course taking it all in. The last month and a half have been great for golf in North Carolina. Temperatures in the 70's and 80's and not much rain.

I hope to keep playing frequently, and to improve more rapidly now that I have a basic concept of the game. My goal is to travel and play all around the country(maybe the world), following the weather! We'll see how that goes.I hope to share my golf experiences with anyone interested, and I have ideas to allow others to share as well. Until next time, hit em good!

Always Bet On Black

Westport

8/26/10

After the debacle at Rocky River, I needed to get back on the course and play away the demons that were haunting me. I had been trying to erase the thoughts that were swirling around inside my head from Tuesday. Each time I play I feel like I've learned something. The difficulty comes when I try to reproduce my swing and can't. I learn the most from watching the pros and from the feedback my friends give me when we're playing. I used to go to the range more frequently, but as of late, I play way more than I practice. Kevin keeps telling me that my swing is too flat. Instead of taking the club up and around, I take the club more to the side and the arc is low so lose distance. I still think something is wrong with my hands and wrist because I can't make consistent contact. Everyone has a different swing but as long as the impact position is correct, a decent shot should be produced. Once I hit a few bad shots in a row, I lose confidence and focus, and it's all downhill from there.

Anyhow, Kevin called and was ready to follow up his good round. We decide to go out to Westport in Denver, North Carolina. I played there a few weeks ago and was really impressed with the course and the price. After 1pm it is only $25 to play. Denver is North of Charlotte and on the West side of Lake Norman. Right away you get a feel for the elevation changes. The first hole is a short, par 5 that drives downhill, approaches uphill, and measures about 450 yards from the white tees. Kevin hadn't lost any distance in the 48 hours since we last played. The challenge today was for him to hit it straight. The fairways were in great condition but I wouldn't know because once again I couldn't hit one. I keep switching my grip, but the slice continues. Not hitting the fairways creates tension which is like kryptonite in golf. The greens were a bit fluffy so it was hard to judge the roll of a putt. The other greens around town have all been burned up by the summer heat so I can't complain too much about the greens at Westport being like carpet. We figured they were letting them grow out so that as the weather cools they can cut them down instead of trying to grow them out like all the other courses will have to do.

The highlight of the round is when Kevin decided to wager a beverage on the last four holes. He gave me 4 strokes which I thought that was more than fair. We were on a 273 yard par 4 and he drove the ball about 275 yards, but just left of the green. I on the other hand, tried to hit the ball too hard and almost completely missed my tee shot. I watched it dribble about 30 yards down a hill to my left. Not a good start. Advantage Kevin. I hit my second shot over the small lake that separates the tee from the fairway and green. I was still short of the green but at least I was on the proper side. Still away, I pitched on to the green. Kevin was in the rough to the right of the green. He chunked his first chip and then chipped on tho the green. He two putted and I three putted. I had given one stroke back. Kevin was pissed that he drove the green but still bogeyed the hole.

The 16th hole was a 362 yard par 4 that drove slightly down hill and again approached uphill. Kevin hit an iron long and had a bad angle for his approach. I tried to play it safe and hit a 4 iron, but it ended up in the rough. The approach was across water again so I pitched in to the fairway to set up my approach. Kevin tried for the green but sliced into the woods. He tried again and ended up in the woods again, but it was playable. Advantage me. I hit a 5 iron on to the green and Kevin chipped out of he woods. I went on to make bogey and Kevin made double par. I got my stroke back and some. I was now up six strokes.

Next was a 190 yard par 3. I wanted to hit my hybrid, but thought better of it because we weren't getting along. I hit a 4 iron that cam up about twenty yards short. Kevin hit a towering 6 iron that faded into the woods. Advantage me. He dropped and chipped on. I chipped over the green. Oops! Then I chipped on and one putted for bogey. He took double. Another stroke.

On the final hole Kevin pretty much conceded that I had won, but we played out. I wanted to win in stroke play and match play. I double bogeyed and he bogeyed, so we would have halved in match play. We each won two holes. We both realized that I play better when it matters. Kevin settled up with a cold beverage and I could at least take some consolation from my two, not so good rounds this week.

My Rocky Road at Rocky River

Rocky River

8/24/10

My friend Kevin just had a baby girl named Olivia. Actually she's about six weeks now. Congratulations! To celebrate her arrival, we played golf. I bought this card online at Myunclevinny.comthat gives complimentary of discounted greens fees at Rocky River Golf Club in Concord. So Kevin and I went to check it out. We paid $18 a piece and were on our way. You know I have to play on the cheap because I'm a baller on a (tight)budget. Kevin used to live in Concord so he was familiar with the course. Iwas feeling good about my game coming off my beach trip that I considered golf camp. I thought I had made some good adjustments to my swing. Wrong. My troubles off the tee caught up to me again on the first tee. I pulled one left and the shanked one right. Already? Yes already dropping two and hitting three from the fairway on a par 4. So I'm pissed off already, but trying to keep it together. Now, playing with Kevin presents a challenge in itself. He has pro length off the tee and with the irons. So if I spend my day trying to keep up with him, it will be a long one. Especially if he is hitting the ball straight. Kevin just got a set of brand new Pings that he had gripped and lengthened to fit him perfectly, and he hadn't played in a while because he's been on baby duty so he was feeling good. To put it in perspective, we played from the green tees so the total length was 6450yards4 holes average about 350 yards. On almost every hole, Kevin would hit driver thenwedge. He drove the green on the 305 yard Par 4 14th hole and two putted for birdie. In comparison, I would hit driver then hybrid on 350-400 yard holes. That isn't good. That is if I was even in the fairway and not dropping because my ball was unplayable. It was the joke of the day. After three holes my score was 24. Ouch! Not good. I was trying to tell myself that it was ok, but I couldn't get off the tee so it wasn't. I did enjoy the course. I heard a lot about it before playing, and aside from some of the greens being spotty, it was in good shape. It presents numerous challenges with well positioned traps and uneven lies. There wasn't much water, but I still lost balls in the tall grass and wooded areas. When you're playing so poorly it is hard to take a moment to enjoy the natural beauty of the course . I did manage to take a few pictures. The 18th hole was probably the most memorable. It is a Par 5 with a downhill approach to the green that leads back to the club house and offers a view of the ZMax dragway in the background. After shooting a 63 on the front nine, I basically stopped keeping score. I was just keeping score for Kevin who shot a 91 with a 41 on the back nine. I probably should keep score each round for my handicap, but I get too frustrated usually. By the end of the round I couldn't even remember how to hit a wedge. I have never been so thoroughly demoralized by a round of golf in all of my one year of playing. It was fun to hang out with Kevin and play a nice course but in this episode of Man vs. Course, the course won and it wasn't even close

Beach Trip

8/23/10

I haven't written in a few weeks. I've still been working on my golf game though. I was on vacation in Myrtle Beach for the week of August 14-22. In case you didn't know, MyrtleBeach is like the golf capital of the world. There are literally hundreds of courses to choose from. I actually stayed in the Garden City area, so I played four coursed in the area.

Indian Wells, Indigo Creek, IslandGreen, and WickedStick were the courses I played. I played Indian Wells twice and it was probably the nicest course of the four. The fairways and greens were in great condition. The course layout and landscaping were superb as well. Wicked Stick is a John Daly signature course. It was a links style track in very good condition and wide open. Something my fellow hacks would appreciate. The most I spent on a round was $35. The afternoon rates are cheaper, but you have to tee off before 3:30 pm or they will only let you lay nine holes. Overall, each course was well kempt and offered a different experience.

I played ok. I generally shot in the 100's. I had stretches of brilliance. Ok, maybe not brilliance, but better than normal for me. I would recommend any of the four courses I played if you happen to be in the southern Myrtle Beach area that includes Surfside Beach, Garden City Beach, and Murrells Inlet.

I'm slowly going crazy!

7/28/10

I'm frustrated. It's raining and I can't go golfing. Luckily, it's raining and I can't cut the grass either. I was going to take a break from golf because instead of being an enjoyable, relaxing, activity, golf has recently given me frequent head and chest pains. I played Renaissance last Monday. After controlling my excitement about my club face discovery, I wanted to test my theory. I was right. I hit the ball with greater loft and more accurately. What I also realized is that for everything that I learn, I forget twice as much. I think I get too excited. I'm in such hurry to put the club face on the ball properly that I don't set up properly, or I lose my rhythm in my backswing, or I aim wrong, or I change my swing plane. You get the picture. I tried writing down swing thoughts, but after a bad shot, they pretty much go to hell. Lately I've been driving worse that Lindsay Lohan with a gram of coke on her nose as she tries to elude L.A.'s finest. Seriously I slice so much that I should open a pizza parlor. It is maddening. Especially when I know I can hit better drives. Not being able to get off the tee sabotages my entire round. I hate taking a drop every effing hole and I hate having surveying my way through poison ivy to search for my latest casualty. So Renaissance was alright. I had a rain delay, and then started the back nine where I linked up with a guy named Anthony. He was a decent player although we both were a bit jittery when we first started playing together. It's like sex(no homo). At least for guys anyway.. When you're by yourself, you remain calm and perform normally. You know what to expect. It's the same thing you've done a million times. As soon as you throw another person in the mix, you get nervous and start fumbling around like you've never done it before. You start trying shit that you don't normally try, and the situation quickly turns into a mess. Literally. Back to golf. Anthony and I both calmed after a hole or two. By the way, I'm not sure if I like that sex metaphor I just used seeing as how I'm talking about playing with another guy and putting balls in holes and so forth. It's just hard to separate the two. The lines feel blurred. It sounds like I'm writing a bad, gay, romance novel. Back to golf again. We both had the same practice mentality. So, we took our time and since no one was behind us, we took liberties with the course without being disrespectful to the game. In other words, we hit s a lot of bad shots until we hit a good one. Me more so than Anthony. I always thought that I was level headed and had a tranquil demeanor, but I guess I was wrong because after a few bad shots, my game really degenerates in to something that has very little resemblance to golf. Getting off the tee is where it starts. The 100 degree weather doesn't help. I might have adult ADD. I lose my focus like Mel Gibson loses his temper. I however, don't start using racist epithets or threaten to kill anyone. In a nut shell, the game is driving me crazy. It's even affecting my writing. I just rambled my way through this entire post, and have no idea what I said. Does anyone have ay Ritalin?

My thoughts on LeBron and the Heat

Not a bad “Decision”

7/20/10

So I know this is supposed to be a golf blog, but first and foremost it's my blog. I love golf, but basketball is my first love so I wanted to talk about LeBron James joining the Miami Heat along with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, who resigned with the team. Personally, I think he should have joined the Chicago Bulls. He along with Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer, and Joakim Noah would have formed a nice nucleus. LeBron, Wade, and Bosh are a nice nucleus too, but with so much star power it will diminish LeBron's legacy from a competitive standpoint. Not so much Wade because he's already won a ring as the focal point of the offense and overall leader of the team. Bosh was destined to be a complimentary player regardless, so he has nothing to lose.

I thought James wanted to be considered the greatest individual player ever. He may eventually enter that conversation from a statistical point of view, but not from a championship perspective. Jordan, Magic, and Bird have all stated that they would have never joined forces for various reasons. Mainly because they were too competitive and wanted to prove that individually, they were superior to one another. It must be taken in to consideration that they all won titles with other future hall of famers as compliments. Especially the Showtime Lakers who had James Worthy and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. They were both perennial All- Stars and dominant players at their respective positions. The Celtics had a formidable front line with Mchale and Parrish along side Bird. Mike had Scottie. It has always taken multiple stars to win a championship.

Most recently the Celtics had the other Big Three. Kobe had Shaq, Wade had an aging Shaq. To me, Wade did the most with the least( and the most help from the referees). The 2004 Pistons may go down as the only team in history to win a ring without a future Hall of Fame player among their starting five but they had great chemistry and a better starting five than I can remember since the Lakers in the 80's. The Spurs had David Robinson and Tim Duncan on their first championship team. Then Tony Parker and Manu joined Duncan. You need stars to win, but I guess I'm from the old school and want to see the elite players compete against each other and not with, unless it's for the National team. The young guys call it “Hating”.

I will say that I do recognize the new generation. More good players are available than in generations past. The young guys don't all have the same “me against the world mentality” that many of the previous era players did so they don't mind teaming up. I guess they didn't grow up on 2Pac like I did. I wish 2Pac and Biggie would have formed a super group with Jay Z. Most of these ball players(even the bench players)have been coddled and praised since they could walk, or at least since someone realized their athletic potential. If an iota of talent was evident, they were crowned Kings(pun intended) and given anything they wanted. They are in the business for the love of life more so than the love of the game. It is a different mentality, but not necessarily bad unless you're a basketball purist. At the very least, the Heat will be entertaining to watch, and I will have a good view of every game they play here in Charlotte because I've got season tickets!

That brings me to my final point. No pun intended ahead of time. The comparisons to Jordan are way off aside from his freakish athletic ability. I always thought that LeBron was more Magic than Mike due to his size, ball handling ability, and court vision. Not to mention his jump shooting woes. My contention is that the Heat will do best by having LeBron play point guard. Good coaches build around personnel, and if Erik Spolestra wants to keep Pat Riley in the stands, he'll put LeBron at the lead guard position and let him run the show. Remember, Pat Riley coached Magic so I'm sure he's aware of LeBron's skill set.

What would LeBron be doing otherwise? Coming off picks and shooting jumpers. Probably not the best option. Will they isolate LeBron and let him go to work. Maybe sometimes, but again not the best use of resources with so many other good offensive weapons on the floor. LeBron should feel like Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ . “Big Z, I've a feeling we're not in Cleveland anymore.” Dwayne Wade was physically tired of having to do so much last season. He had to score, distribute, rebound, defend,lead, and more. Now, his load is lightened tremendously. He can still, and will, take games over at times, but he doesn't have to set foot in the paint if he doesn't want to. LeBron and Bosh are good for twenty rebounds collectively. Also, LeBron can use his superior size in respect to other guards, along with his vision to distribute the ball in the half court pick and roll sets, with Wade coming off screens and Bosh either rolling to the basket or popping out for mid range jumpers.

With another small forward in the line up (like Mike Miller who can spread the court with his shooting ability) they will be an even tougher match up. Opposing teams will have to pick their poison. LeBron will still score plenty, especially in transition off of the turnovers the Heat will create. They will be amazing in fast break situations as well, and we'll get to see LeBron use his talents more freely and effortlessly than in Cleveland I'll go on record as saying he'll average a triple double for an entire season at some point during his tenure with the Heat!

So, I'm not mad at “The Decision”, although I prefer Kevin Durant's low key approach to reporting his contract by tweeting. I just want to see good basketball and I think the Heat will provide great entertainment. They still have to go through Orland, Boston, and the Lakers to win a championship, so they can't get sized for rings quite yet! I'm excited about next season in the NBA! I guess summer league hoops will do for now.

The Tradition 7/14/10

I went to the range yesterday and hit like a tour pro. Ok maybe not, but I did strike the ball better. I was excited, so I came home and signed up for around at The Tradition through EZ links. Once again I played for $20 at a Carolina Trail course that I've heard good things about. I was supposed to go off with a random threesome, but they teed early, so I was by myself. Yes! I started with another sliced tee shot. Then, I hit a chunky second, but it was straight. I wrote my self some notes to help think through my shots. I'm focusing on keeping my weight down. I don' care if I hit them all fat. Focusing on keeping my weight down and swinging through the ball helps my rhythm. I still think I need to work on my wrist release. Something feels a little off. When I play alone, I usually consider it practice. Maybe because I hit so many bad shots to start that I can't consider taking the round seriously. Maybe because no one else is around to remind me that I had a snowman on the previous hole. Today, I just wanted to enjoy The Tradition, which I thought was a really nice course. Highland Creek may be prettier, but I think it's a matter of preference. I'm learning how to hit different shots, and how slight changes in club face position completely changes shots. Still, my goal is to put solid shots together consecutively. Getting off the tee is usually the key, but solid ball striking with my irons is what is keeping me from better scores. I practice my short game a lot, so I'm comfortable around the greens. Nothing exciting happened today, but I enjoyed the round. My unofficial score was 102. Writing down my swing thoughts helps. I'll keep working. Hit 'em good!

What's up Wood?!

Charles T. Myers 7/12/10

My boy Joey and I went out for our weekly round. Charles T. Myers is a decent course in east Charlotte off of Harrisburg road. It was built on a landfill like the Renaissance Park course. We bought our rounds on EZ links for $20 a piece. Good deal. We headed to the back nine, and this random guy pulled up behind us. He started talking about which tees to play from, and then shook our hands and introduced himself. “Well, I guess he's playing with us,” I thought to myself. Not that I minded. I just didn't know. He introduced himself as Wood. He was a about my height and lanky. He wore a brown tee shirt, jean shorts, and sandals with a blue tooth ear piece. Joey has his days from the tee, but usually he plays his irons well. Wood had a decent swing that produced a low ball flight. I crushed my first tee shot down the middle about 260 yards. I had about 80 yards to the green, but no worries, I shanked it well right. I never start well. It has become a mental hang up that I have to overcome as I improve. Joey was consistent as usual. He shoots around 90 regularly and with better drives, he might be in the 80's regularly. Wood wasn't hitting his drives far or high, but they where straight. He got a phone call on the 12^th or 13^th hole and played while talking on his blue tooth. We didn't mind, but it was funny to watch this lanky fellow in jean shorts and sandals hitting low line drives while talking about insurance on an earpiece. I think he got par on the par 5 13^th while talking. I got a bogey. Wood told us that he was in town on business from California. He rented some clubs and they sent him out with us. On the par 3 14^th he put two balls in the water before finally getting across, but well short of the green. He realized he was using a lob wedge. He had read the club upside down, and apparently the pro shop had too because there was no 7 iron in his bag. He was pissed. Wood only played nine holes with us because he had a meeting to attend, but he was a cool dude, and probably shot lower than either of us. The rest of the day I shot progressively worse as usual, and Joey beat me as usual. I've got to make some changes, but golf is a hard sport in which to instruct yourself. We finished just before a storm let loose on the east side of town. We drove to lunch in a torrential downpour. Storms seem to keep chasing me off the course. Oh well, it was fun. I'm off to the range. Hit em good!

Thanks Unc!

I wanted to give a quick shout out to my Uncle Nigel who, upon reading of my consistent loss of golf balls caused by faulty mechanics in my golf swing, donated a generous bag of balls to further my experimentation. Seriously, he gave me like three dozen balls and kept me from falling further in to debt in order to finance my golf habit. So, thanks Unc, I look forward to losing all the balls you've bestowed upon me.

Shrek, Phil, and Tiger

The guy who looks like Shrek won the Open Championship. ESPN's coverage was ok at best. Tiger didn't contend and neither did Phil. I watched as much of the British Open as I could. I like courses with trees better. I don't mean any disrespect to the "Home of Golf" , but watching great golfers look clueless and uninspired was uninspiring. I understand that every course requires a different strategy but it just wasn't as fun to watch as The Masters or even the US Open. Probably just my American bias. Louis Oosthuizen played well. He was the only player that made birdies and didn't give them back to the course. The weather frustrated everyone else, but he was fortunate with his tee times the first two rounds, and he plodded along over the weekend. I like to see lesser known golfers win. It gives me hope that someday I can beat my friends who are currently better golfers than I am. I now know the two most important aspects of Golf. Ball striking and Temperament. The difference between good and great in golf is minute. You have to be able to avoid trouble , and you can't lose poise when you do. That's how Oosthuizen won. Great ball striking and a great attitude. Congratulations is in order to Shrek! ESPN had too many analysts. They talked a lot. I would have rather heard Jim Nance all week. I like Mike Tirico. I really like Scott Van Pelt, but they switched it up more than Roy Halladay on the mound. I din't see enough shots to get a greater appreciation for the perils of the course. I get that St. Andrews is hallowed ground, but even Old Tom Morris would like Augusta or Quail Hollow for that matter. As for Tiger and Phil, they didn't come close to winning. All that tells me is that the conditions were tough, and that there are tons of other great golfers. It makes what Tiger was able to dod for so many years all the more impressive. Phil is a great player, but he seems a bit aloof. He has an 'aww shucks' attitude. Like golf has never been the most important thing in his life. His wife is recovering from breast cancer. So is my mom. Golf shouldn't be the most important thing in his life. I still get the impression that he is just happy to be wealthy, and to have won a few majors. I'd be happy with that too. Maybe he just has good perspective. Can't fault him for that. Tiger's desire and putting ability always separated him from the field, but now he just looks old. Whenever I see images of him earlier in his career, I realize how worn and beat down he looks. Too much sex and debauchery with random women who aren't your wife will do that to you. Even if she never finds out. So he may never be the same. Maybe his will be a story of redemption and resurrection, but maybe when you sell your soul to the devil, there is a price. There's a good a blog by Joe Posnanski on CNNSI.com discussing whether Tiger will ever be the same. He makes some good points backed by facts. Check it out. p1-tiger-woods-ap.jpg

Highland Creek 7/9/10

I wanted to play a nice course today. I decided to use the rain checks that Kevin and I had already used once. It worked like a charm. I probably owe Kevin a round of golf though. Highland Creek is a Carolina Trail course. Some people think it is the best public course in Charlotte. It is one of the nicer courses I've played.

It was nearly 5pm when I started my round on the back nine. The skies were overcast and a slight drizzle began falling. You could tell a storm was coming. I didn't have time to practice at the range, so I took a few extra shots from the tee. They were pretty erratic. The first was a hook. The next was a slice. The third finally hit the fairway. I still get anxious at the beginning of a round. Even when I'm alone. My ball striking just is not good right now. I usually hit the ball thin these days. I'm feeling my way through shots, but I probably need more instruction.

On the 18^th I put six balls in the water from two different locations. The tee shot is risk reward. The further you aim down the fairway, the more water you have to carry. The green borders the lake as well, and if you aim for it and miss from the fairway, you're in trouble. I never want to put a number in the teens on my score card. Once I get frustrated, course management is out the window. The guy behind me watched me play the hole. After I finished, I waited so he could play through but he said another group was playing quickly behind him as well. I suggested we play together as a courtesy, and he suggested I go ahead. Whatever. I shot in the 100's again. I really was just practicing, but I still would have liked to hit better. I'm having a hard time hitting good shots consecutively. It was still enjoyable until the storm caught me on my 16^th whole. Ironic that I got rained out using rain checks. Can't beat a free round on a nice course. Until next time. Hit em good!

A quick recap of The Wild Wing/Make A Wish tournament

I'm writing nearly two months after the fact, but I thought I'd recap the tourney since I had pictures to put up. Wild Wing has an annual tournament to support Make A Wish every fall, and this year was the first annual spring tournament. It was held on May 10, 2010 at The Divide Golf Club. The Divide is a nice Carolina Trail course. The accommodations were first class. A charter bus took us from the Wing to The Divide. We had nice little gift bags and a box lunch. Wild Wing and Make A Wish do a really good job and the proceeds are donated to help grant a wish for a sick child. Cecil and Diane Crowley are the founders and owners of Wild Wing. Dave Schearer is the GM of the Southwest Charlotte store. I'm not sure who is involved from the Make A Wish organization, but maybe I can find out and give them credit as well. The turnout was great and the weather was nice for early May. I was excited because this was my first golf tourney. Captains choice, best ball, shotgun start. I played with my boy Kevin and my boy Charles from Wild Wing. We didn't plan on winning. We just wanted to have fun. Our team started on hole 3 I think. I had just gone to Golf-Tec and straightened out my drive so I hit some good shots off the tee. We were focused, and once we settled down, we hit some nice shots. We just couldn't putt well enough to make birdies. I really have been on a mission to improve my game so initially I wasn't drinking. About half way through I realized that I was taking myself way too seriously. I also wanted to lay off the booze for a spell, but there was a beer girl(or girls) at every turn. I'm not an alcoholic(that's what they all say), but I have been known to indulge myself by having an adult beverage or twelve. Long story short, I fell off the wagon, had a few drinks and the tournament became much more exciting. Or maybe that was just my heart rate and blood pressure rising from the Red Bull and vodkas. The slight, to slightly more than slight, buzz caused me to hit some great shots and not care about the bad ones. Driving a golf cart drunk is no safer than a driving a car drunk. Especially when the drivers are me or a Cagle. I think we played a few extra balls on a couple of holes and still shot even par. Unfortunately we didn't win. I was too far gone to care if we came in last. As we were finishing, we ran in to our buddy Ratliff and his team. Ratliff is a gambling man and a world class shit talker. I don't remember the conversation at all, but we were all three sheets to the wind and feeling jumpy. So Ratliff challenged me to a long drive contest......against his boy. His boy was modest, but obviously he could hit it a poke or the Mouth of the South wouldn't have wagered. We turned around five golf carts deep and zoomed to the 2nd tee talking trash the whole way. I was feeling good about my chances. I think I talked Ratliff in to hitting

with us since he was doing so much talking. We teed off simultaneously and drove to find the balls. I hit it ok but not as clean as I wanted. Damn. I lost to his boy by about 20 yards but beat Ratliff. Good enough for me! Ratliff kept talking and I think I still owe them both drinks. We headed back to the club house for dinner and awards. Things are really fuzzy from there on out. I know I ate well and listened to the Make A Wish Story. I think Kevin and I headed back to Wild Wing and somehow I made it home....eventually. It was a good time for a good cause and broke me in to tournament play. I've had a headache ever since, but that may be from the guys trip to Atlanta the next weekend. Sorry, no pics of that!Hit em Good!

Green Meadows

July 1, 2010

So today I wanted to play an inexpensive round as usual but I hadn't booked an EZ Links time and I didn't want to venture far from home. A guy I know from a bar in Charlotte had mentioned that Green Meadows golf course was cheap and close to my house. Sold! Just what I needed. I found directions through Clickit and headed out. I live right near the Charlotte/ Mt. Holly border and the course was about 5-10 minutes down the road in Mt. Holly. It was basically in my back yard and the lady said that after 3pm it was $20. Sold! It was 4:30pm. She started me off on the back nine because she said they had the "Dog Fight" tonight and I needed to be out of the way by 6:00pm I was waiting for Mike Vick to appear in a Jake Delhomme Panthers jersey with about 3 dogs, 10 goons, and $20,000 cash. Seriously, I thought it was a multi use facility. The "Dog Fight" actually referred to a some sort of golf blitz where a bunch of golfers keep their scores and handicaps for points and prizes. I was informed of this by a little guy who couldn't have been older than 11. He was practicing on one of the par 3 holes and sticking shots within 5 feet of the hole. I asked him if he was going to show me how to play the hole and he excitedly responded, "I'm practicing, this is the $100 hole!". To quote Allen Iverson, "We talking about practice......Not a game....Practice!". " I supposed to be the franchise player and we talking about practice!". That kid could already be a ringer in my circles. I wonder if he got the cash? Anyhow I think the course is under new management, and it was in decent condition. It took about three and a half hours to play. The fairways were backyard grass and most of the greens were in good condition. The course was only about 5400 yards from the "tips" as they say, but it played trickier than you'd expect. Or maybe I'm just not very good. That could be it. If a par 3 course is considered a pitch and putt, then this was a drive, pitch, and putt. If the course were a basketball player it would be Doug Gotlieb. Not flashy or super athletic but efficient and crafty. Most of the fairways fed into one another some how and there were tee boxes everywhere. I looked the like a black guy riding around lost in the country. Which is exactly what I was. My first tee shot from the par four 10th went (what I thought was) way left. Another guy had hit his tee shot from the 18th right near mine. He said that he'd been hitting them straight up until that point. I said that I had shanked the shit out of my first drive of the day. He then told me that I was still in the fairway. I looked around and low and behold after hitting the ball 100 yards to the left I was still technically in the 10th fairway. I went on to chunk my next shot and bogey the hole. That's the Wali I know. After about 12 holes I realized that there weren't any bunkers. The courses primary protectors are the big well positioned oak trees everywhere. I mean it's a really open course and there isn't any tall grass or much water, but those damn trees seemed to step in front of every shot I hit. I think I had 5 shots knocked down by trees. I lost 3 balls and that was 3 too many. I don''t want to make a lame blind joke, but people with bad eye sight could hit those fairways blindfolded. Somehow, I kept missing them. There were a lot of uneven fairways and changes in elevations around the greens. I continuously tried to use the flop shot I've been working on to chip around the greens, and I kept hitting it 20 feet up and 2 feet forward. I'm pretty sure I made the course much harder than it is. I mean I've broken 100 once and that was at Sunset Hills which is like beating a three year old at checkers, so I know how to complicate things. I did like the design of the course and for $20 I was satisfied. I started to lose focus after about 12 holes. By the end of the round I was playing best ball by myself. I figured I might as well practice like that little kid. I shot a 9?-10?. It was nice to find a course really close to home that didn't hurt my wallet. I'd probably get more out of it by not using my driver. It's kind of like an ugly friend with benefits. I'll go back when I'm hard up and just want to swing my clubs. If you're ever out near Mt. Holly then it's worth a few hours and a few dollars. Hit em good!

Catching Up

I met a girl. Her name is Golf. "Me tink me in love!" At first Golf was like the girl you think is out of your league. I was afraid to ask Golf out on a date. The clubs that my girlfriend Stephanie's dad passed along to me just sat in a corner in our garage for a couple of years. I would look at them. They would look at me. I think we both knew that there was something there. Call it an animal attraction. I was working at Wild Wing Cafe and my buddy Jon Black kept asking me to go play a round with him. Basketball at the gym had lost its luster because the guys bickered like school girls with a crush on the same boy. I needed a new sport. I needed something to occupy my mind and body, but just like a woman I got something to occupy my wallet while simultaneously making me love her and loathe myself.
I finally played with Black and I sucked as expected. There was no "you're a natural" moment. I hit the ball every direction except for straight. Occasionally I'd make decent contact and narrowly miss hitting someone on another fairway, but I could see why people loved the game. I would play sporadically and then Winter came and my mom got sick and I didn't get to play much at all.
It was like a relationship where the timing isn't quite right for one reason or another , but you never stop thinking about being together. For Christmas in 2009 Steph's family, who caught wind of my love affair, bought me a gift card that was good for three lessons at Golf-Tec. My mom was still sick and the weather still crappy, but there was hope that Golf and I would reunite someday soon.
Well, my mom started to recover, which was a relief, and the weather slowly improved enough for me to see my mistress again. I went to see Brad at Golf-Tec, had a swing evaluation and began to work on the fundamentals. Grip, stance, ball position, and so on. I started going to Sunset Hills golf course and practicing as much as I could. I couldn't afford to play every day or even hit range balls but I could chip and putt for free. Long story short, Golf and I were finally able to be together and it has been everything I imagined and more. We're in love!
Since the end of April, I've played at least twenty rounds of golf. I try to play at least once a week but more if I can. I use EZ Links to find cheap tee times so that my other girlfriend doesn't get too upset. She actually has been really supportive. Compared to some of the other ways I've used my time and money, I guess golf is pretty tame and it's a day time activity. I like to think of it as an open relationship. I've even tried to get her to play , but then I thought a threesome might be weird. I might not be able to look at either of the two the same. Or even worse, they may like each other more than me.
I've played in two tournaments. The Wild Wing/ Make A Wish Charity Tournament and The Jonathan Skinner Memorial Tournament. Both were fun and for good causes. I went to Quail Hollow everyday except for Tuesday when it rained. Watching professionals closely really helped me improve my own game. Their swings are so efficient. Everyone says"they're playing a different game." I agree. Maybe it's the equipment or maybe they're just that much better than the average golfer. Either way it is amazing to see in person. I was sitting at the fifteenth green with Steph and my son Elijah when Rory Mcilroy made an eagle on Sunday, before he went on to win the Quail Hollow Championship, and that was a great experience.
All in all, I've had a wonderful time with Golf. I plan to play and watch as much as possible for the rest of my life. I've decided to document my experiences and share them with other Golf lovers. So this is the beginning of my Bad Golf Diary. I hope people will be inspired to play golf or do whatever it is that brings them joy. Invite your friends, leave comments and send pictures to multiplicityservices@gmail.com so that others can share in your experiences as well. Until I write again....So long and hit em good!

Rainchecks

May 5, 2010

Today, my boy Kevin and I went to cash in a couple of rain checks at Highland Creek. Last week we tried to play a round on Tuesday, but the rain was too much. We really only played like six good holes and hurried through the rest and took rain checks fort $19.50 a piece. Well, the guy at the desk was being difficult and trying to charge us an additional $30 for 9 holes today. We had $39 worth of rain checks and he wanted us to pay $30 more dollars for half a round of golf. The twilight rate for 9 holes is like $28 a person which is pricey anyway. So we decided that he was crazy and we'd play somewhere else because the numbers weren't adding up. While we were discussing the situation, the Mr. Potato head looking desk guy stepped outside to smoke a cigarette. So, I guess he heard us calling him out of his name and not using proper golf etiquette because he changed his tune and said his math was wrong and we only needed to pay $8.50 a person. Considering we paid for a full round a week ago it still felt like we got a raw deal, but we agreed to the scam and got our bags. He tried to be nice and gave us a basket of range balls to warm up with. The best part is that we kept the rain checks so we'll be using them another day when he's not working.

As far as actually playing, I hit better than I ever have. My goal is to break 100. My scorecard didn't reflect how well I struck the ball. Especially my driver. My Golf Tec session with Brad was really helpful. Most of my drives were long and if not in the fairway then, at least playable. I decided that I wouldn't play with good balls until I could keep up with them. I can't afford to lose three sleeves a round. So, I played with used balls that I've accumulated while looking for my lost balls since I started playing. I think I only lost one ball and I found two. So I'm up one. I'm still not going to use good balls for a while. I lost strokes chipping and putting like most bad golfers. I need a while to get used to Dinky's putting suggestions. The greens were faster today. Probably due to the rain that was pounding us last week. I shot a 51 through 9 holes with one 'mulligan', and I shot par on three holes. That was progress for me. I'm still looking for birdies, but with some of my drives, I think I'll get there sooner than later. I still need that 200+ yard fairway shot so that I can reach the longer holes in two shots. Obviously it will increase my chances of birdies if I'm on the green in two shots. Overall I just feel more comfortable over a golf ball each day.

Hopefully I'll get to play this weekend if not tomorrow. Wild Wing Cafe is having a golf tournament for the Make A Wish Foundation next Monday, May 10, so I need to step up my game up for that. Until then, hit em good!

Going to Golf Tec

May 4, 2010

I went to Golf-Tec at Harris Corners today to see Brad for the last of my three lessons. The lessons were a Christmas gift and I'm thinking about buying a package to get more instruction. I think Brad knows his golf and explains things well. I don't like that it's indoors, but it's fairly easy to transfer what you learn at Golf-Tec to the range or course. Plus the video analysis is helpful. You can access the videos from home and study what you need to improve upon. Brad gave me a few pointers on my driver today. I got strapped in to the harness that he uses to capture swing data about your shoulder turn, hip turn, and other statistical measurements. First he told me to set up as I normally would and hit a few off the tee so he could record my current set up and swing. I was tense because I hadn't swung in a while. I figured what the hell and stepped up to the plate. I started my back swing and let loose with a wild downswing. The ball popped straight up in the air and got stuck in the ceiling tile over head. “Wow!” Brad said. “I've never had that happen before, it was actually pretty amazing!” I wasn't proud.

Basically he told me to soften my right arm at address. The analogy was, “your left arm is like concrete and your right arm is like a wet noodle.” I had a stiff right arm which made me hold my hands too high and curl my right shoulder in. Also, I have to work on swinging through the ball and turning my hips and shoulders in unison as much as possible. There were a few other pointers, but you can go see Brad to get his opinion on your swing.

After the thirty minute session was over, I wanted to apply what I had learned at the range. I spend my practice time at Sunset-Hills Golf Course in Charlotte. I consider it my home course. Some people say it's a crappy course, but I think it serves me well as a beginner. Especially because I practice chipping and putting more than anything and those areas don't cost. Today I wanted to work with my driver though. I bought a large basket of balls and proceeded to the range. Usually I chip first to get a feel for my club and loosen my muscles. It's just like shooting layups in basketball practice before you start shooting free throws or three pointers. Today I thought I'd bypass the chipping because I wanted to work on what I had learned immediately. Bad idea. I started out with my pitching wedge, but last week was Quail Hollow so I didn't swing much. I guess I forgot how to strike the ball in a week. I felt awkward and it took the majority of the bucket for me to feel comfortable hitting anything. So I ended up hitting about fifteen balls with my driver, slicing them all to varying degrees, and then going to get another basket of balls. This time I only got a medium basket.

I pulled out this hybrid that I leased with the option to buy from Dave, my boss at Wild Wing. I needed a 200 yard or more club since I suck with my long irons. I just wanted to see if I could make decent contact. I did and I didn't, but I was satisfied that with more practice it would be a useful club and easier to hit than the good ol' 3 iron. I pulled the big stick back out. I drive with a Taylor Made Burner 07. Just so you know, it has a Tarheel head cover. Not the letters but the actual Ram. I like the driver and the head cover. This time I focused on what Brad told me and not how bad I hit with my irons and started to see less slice. I made a few more adjustment and started to hit straight shots. By the end of the basket I wanted to play nine holes just to see if I could hit the fairways. However it was getting late so I patted myself on the back and headed down to the chipping/putting area.

Some of the older guys who always practice at Sunset Hills were chatting it up. They were talking about a minister who had been convicted of tax evasion the day before. Ironically enough, my girlfriend had been a juror for that trial. I didn't say anything. I just chipped for a while and listened. My girlfriend didn't want to be associated with the trial. She felt bad about the outcome, but the facts were the facts. Most of the older guys left and I started putting. One of the remaining guys saw me and began giving me some pointers. I think his name is Dinky. He said, “When you're trying to get your woman warm, you don't hold her rough. So don't hold your putter like that!” He told me that tension will make you push putts left and right. He adjusted my grip so that the shaft ran down the middle of my left hand and my finger tips were barely touching the club as they curled around it . Then he placed my right hand similarly on the other side just below my left hand with a slight overlap of my left fingers. It felt awkward, but it worked. I had a better feel for the putts and could strike the ball more consistently in he same spot he called the “apex”. Thanks Dinky!

It was a good day of golf and laughs. I got two lessons for the price of none. I had been practicing for at least four hours and now it was late. I was hungry and wanted to see what was on the Golf Channel since this week is The Players Championship. I don't think it can be much better than Quail Hollow, but maybe I'm biased. I think I've got a golf problem. It beats some off the other problems I've had, but is just as expensive. What can you do? Tomorrow I'll actually play. Maybe I can break 100!