Should I learn to hit a driver in 2023? This is the question.
Modern drivers are the easiest club in the bag to hit Yella. If my iron play, which I work on a lot, came close to my driving, which I never work on except during rounds, I'd be a scratch golfer.
Get one and figure it out. I'd look for one of the previous year's Taylor Mades, M series or Sim, to avoid spending $400+ on a club that you don't think you can hit
So true. Unless there's a crazy dogleg or a hazard that cuts through the fairway or something, I hit driver. Not because I've got a big dick or anything, but mostly because the sweet spot is so big now compared to a 3w or long iron. Better chance of hitting it straight and on the face than those other options.
I have a friend who can routinely crush it 300 yards but isn't consistently accurate. He's still usually in play and in wedge range though. What cracks me up is how he'll pick some odd hole to "play it safe" with his three iron. 81% of his iron tee shots are 100 yards shorter than his driver and in the rough, if he's lucky. It's comical.
I don't disagree with the logic here. I need to buy a modern, forgiving driver and learn to hit it.
But my 5 iron goes about 170 yds with an easy tall guy swing and generally hits the fairway. I'll take 170 in the fairway vs 240 in the rough every time.
Also, the rough at my course is fucking brutal. Here's the 1st tee. @Tequilla can confirm.
Is that Tetherow?
Yup. My 2023 life goal is to break 100 at Tetherow.
Yeah that's a beast of a course. Played there a few years ago and hit a few that I thought were perfect and just gone. Definitely not a bomb and gouge place.
Don't get me started on Tetherow ...
I've played over 60 courses located on Golf Digest's Top 100 Public Course listing dating back to the 2005 list or whatnot (there's less than 200 courses total on that list that are still operating and/or still public and/or if private I played them when they were still public).
Tetherow is BY FAR at the bottom 3 or 5 of the courses that I've played on the list. The design of the course is largely fine but the course is way too rough around the edges for someone playing the course here and there. I've hit good shots there that just ended up terribly . A buddy of mine had about a 25 foot birdie putt, proceeded to putt it off the green (nobody thought he hit a bad putt) and it went down the false front about 40 yards ... he ended up picking up his ball after about 3 chips came back to his feet.
If I'm in Bend I'll play Tetherow out of respect to Yellow Pisser provided I'm playing with him. That said, there are plenty of other courses in the area that I like far better at equal or more favorable prices.
On another note Pisser, I need you to find someone who is a member at Brasada Ranch (Canyons) as that's pretty much the only course that I haven't played in Bend (excluding Silvies Ranch) that is public or semi-private. If I'm going to play Tetherow with you we've got to find somewhere else that I'll be in a happier mood in after 18.
None of this really matters to me personally speaking. I'll never be a serious enough golfer to worry about Tetherow fucking with my handicap.
I play there a bit because that's where we decided to get a social membership for the pool, and then I get a gym and driving range to go with. Plus like 8 deeply discounted rounds per year if I want.
Like I said, if I could break 100 at Tetherow then I'm happy.
You never really think of Bay Hill as being one of the toughest tests on tour but it had everybody playing defensive today.
Bay Hill has been tough now for a fewe years. -9 on a par 72 is no joke and it's been even tougher in recent years I believe.
Bay Hill kind of blows from an architecture standpoint, and is a course that I have no interest in playing. But I'd easily rather watch these guys struggle than watch them stop 5i's on a dime.
I need to go play it at some point as part of my list of Top 100 Public courses to be able to play
It's always an interesting thing when you play these high end courses (particularly ones that are played on Tour) to get a good perspective of the shots that are played and required. I played TPC San Antonio where the Texas Open is about a month or so ago ... can definitely see/understand some of the shots that the players play but as a whole the course wasn't what I'd call overly memorable.
As a general rule I like courses designed by The King as he tends to reward you for hitting good shots ... that's kind of how I view Bay Hill.
Should I learn to hit a driver in 2023? This is the question.
Modern drivers are the easiest club in the bag to hit Yella. If my iron play, which I work on a lot, came close to my driving, which I never work on except during rounds, I'd be a scratch golfer.
Get one and figure it out. I'd look for one of the previous year's Taylor Mades, M series or Sim, to avoid spending $400+ on a club that you don't think you can hit
So true. Unless there's a crazy dogleg or a hazard that cuts through the fairway or something, I hit driver. Not because I've got a big dick or anything, but mostly because the sweet spot is so big now compared to a 3w or long iron. Better chance of hitting it straight and on the face than those other options.
I have a friend who can routinely crush it 300 yards but isn't consistently accurate. He's still usually in play and in wedge range though. What cracks me up is how he'll pick some odd hole to "play it safe" with his three iron. 81% of his iron tee shots are 100 yards shorter than his driver and in the rough, if he's lucky. It's comical.
I don't disagree with the logic here. I need to buy a modern, forgiving driver and learn to hit it.
But my 5 iron goes about 170 yds with an easy tall guy swing and generally hits the fairway. I'll take 170 in the fairway vs 240 in the rough every time.
Also, the rough at my course is fucking brutal. Here's the 1st tee. @Tequilla can confirm.
Is that Tetherow?
Yup. My 2023 life goal is to break 100 at Tetherow.
Yeah that's a beast of a course. Played there a few years ago and hit a few that I thought were perfect and just gone. Definitely not a bomb and gouge place.
Don't get me started on Tetherow ...
I've played over 60 courses located on Golf Digest's Top 100 Public Course listing dating back to the 2005 list or whatnot (there's less than 200 courses total on that list that are still operating and/or still public and/or if private I played them when they were still public).
Tetherow is BY FAR at the bottom 3 or 5 of the courses that I've played on the list. The design of the course is largely fine but the course is way too rough around the edges for someone playing the course here and there. I've hit good shots there that just ended up terribly . A buddy of mine had about a 25 foot birdie putt, proceeded to putt it off the green (nobody thought he hit a bad putt) and it went down the false front about 40 yards ... he ended up picking up his ball after about 3 chips came back to his feet.
If I'm in Bend I'll play Tetherow out of respect to Yellow Pisser provided I'm playing with him. That said, there are plenty of other courses in the area that I like far better at equal or more favorable prices.
On another note Pisser, I need you to find someone who is a member at Brasada Ranch (Canyons) as that's pretty much the only course that I haven't played in Bend (excluding Silvies Ranch) that is public or semi-private. If I'm going to play Tetherow with you we've got to find somewhere else that I'll be in a happier mood in after 18.
None of this really matters to me personally speaking. I'll never be a serious enough golfer to worry about Tetherow fucking with my handicap.
I play there a bit because that's where we decided to get a social membership for the pool, and then I get a gym and driving range to go with. Plus like 8 deeply discounted rounds per year if I want.
Like I said, if I could break 100 at Tetherow then I'm happy.
I can't wait until you grow up and start hitting drivers like a big boy and your attitude changes a bit.
That said, I'm proud of the progress that you've made. I remember all of the talks about you getting into the game, etc. ... definitely not the easiest sport to pick up later in life and maintain the patience to get better at it.
You never really think of Bay Hill as being one of the toughest tests on tour but it had everybody playing defensive today.
Bay Hill has been tough now for a fewe years. -9 on a par 72 is no joke and it's been even tougher in recent years I believe.
Bay Hill kind of blows from an architecture standpoint, and is a course that I have no interest in playing. But I'd easily rather watch these guys struggle than watch them stop 5i's on a dime.
I need to go play it at some point as part of my list of Top 100 Public courses to be able to play
It's always an interesting thing when you play these high end courses (particularly ones that are played on Tour) to get a good perspective of the shots that are played and required. I played TPC San Antonio where the Texas Open is about a month or so ago ... can definitely see/understand some of the shots that the players play but as a whole the course wasn't what I'd call overly memorable.
As a general rule I like courses designed by The King as he tends to reward you for hitting good shots ... that's kind of how I view Bay Hill.
My home course is an Arnie design. There is serious reward for hitting good shots and you get big time penalties if you screw up. But it's not a PGA tour level course and relies on the greens running fast to play super tough.
I had the round of my life on an Arnie course up by the Canadian border
Mine was at Sunland in 1993. Shot an 83, which is my best ever.
Also, as a teenager I was even par after 7 holes at a course in Reno, and my dad and uncle pulled us off the course due to a lightening storm. I pitched a little tantrum
I had the round of my life on an Arnie course up by the Canadian border
Mine was at Sunland in 1993. Shot an 83, which is my best ever.
Also, as a teenager I was even par after 7 holes at a course in Reno, and my dad and uncle pulled us off the course due to a lightening storm. I pitched a little tantrum
About 15 years ago, I was playing Bellevue Muni with some friends from out of town. It was sloppy (rain), and as we teed off it got worse. I was 2 under at the turn, and we had debated quitting several tims, only to have it lighten up in the moment. We went off the back, and it became a downpour after 3-4 holes. We decided to play one more hole, a par 3. I stuffed it to about 3 feet, and after draining the birdie, looked to the heavens and screamed "RATFART"...
Yeah, it was a wet, easy track and I had good wedge game, but still...As close as I ever got to shooting par.
I had the round of my life on an Arnie course up by the Canadian border
Mine was at Sunland in 1993. Shot an 83, which is my best ever.
Also, as a teenager I was even par after 7 holes at a course in Reno, and my dad and uncle pulled us off the course due to a lightening storm. I pitched a little tantrum
About 15 years ago, I was playing Bellevue Muni with some friends from out of town. It was sloppy (rain), and as we teed off it got worse. I was 2 under at the turn, and we had debated quitting several tims, only to have it lighten up in the moment. We went off the back, and it became a downpour after 3-4 holes. We decided to play one more hole, a par 3. I stuffed it to about 3 feet, and after draining the birdie, looked to the heavens and screamed "RATFART"...
Yeah, it was a wet, easy track and I had good wedge game, but still...As close as I ever got to shooting par.
I had the round of my life on an Arnie course up by the Canadian border
Mine was at Sunland in 1993. Shot an 83, which is my best ever.
Also, as a teenager I was even par after 7 holes at a course in Reno, and my dad and uncle pulled us off the course due to a lightening storm. I pitched a little tantrum
About 15 years ago, I was playing Bellevue Muni with some friends from out of town. It was sloppy (rain), and as we teed off it got worse. I was 2 under at the turn, and we had debated quitting several tims, only to have it lighten up in the moment. We went off the back, and it became a downpour after 3-4 holes. We decided to play one more hole, a par 3. I stuffed it to about 3 feet, and after draining the birdie, looked to the heavens and screamed "RATFART"...
Yeah, it was a wet, easy track and I had good wedge game, but still...As close as I ever got to shooting par.
I don’t want to give the impression that I’m a great golfer, that round was my shot at “immorality”…those guysm still occasionally refer to me as “the Bishop”…
Golf Channel did a segment on will there ever be another Tiger. Couple guys said no
I remember the 80s and 90s when there would never be another Jack. And then came Tiger
The 80s and 90s had a lot of good players like Faldo and Freddy but the guy who should have been the next Jack was a choke artist
Rory has a little of that. But 20 wins and 4 majors is top 1% all time
It's not an easy game
There won’t be another Tiger. Part of the reason is that the equipment and ball advances, he would have won even more had the USGA frozen the tech and the ball as of like 1995 technology. Tiger maxed out his game with feel and talent, now there's Trackman that allows everyone to have the formula for optimization, which brings in more guys that could have a hot putting week.
Golf Channel did a segment on will there ever be another Tiger. Couple guys said no
I remember the 80s and 90s when there would never be another Jack. And then came Tiger
The 80s and 90s had a lot of good players like Faldo and Freddy but the guy who should have been the next Jack was a choke artist
Rory has a little of that. But 20 wins and 4 majors is top 1% all time
It's not an easy game
There won’t be another Tiger. Part of the reason is that the equipment and ball advances, he would have won even more had the USGA frozen the tech and the ball as of like 1995 technology. Tiger maxed out his game with feel and talent, now there's Trackman that allows everyone to have the formula for optimization, which brings in more guys that could have a hot putting week.
Comments
10 development tours. 3 second place finishes on tour.
One win. Priceless. Or 3.6 million. Exempt for everything
That's what the tour does
I play there a bit because that's where we decided to get a social membership for the pool, and then I get a gym and driving range to go with. Plus like 8 deeply discounted rounds per year if I want.
Like I said, if I could break 100 at Tetherow then I'm happy.
It's always an interesting thing when you play these high end courses (particularly ones that are played on Tour) to get a good perspective of the shots that are played and required. I played TPC San Antonio where the Texas Open is about a month or so ago ... can definitely see/understand some of the shots that the players play but as a whole the course wasn't what I'd call overly memorable.
As a general rule I like courses designed by The King as he tends to reward you for hitting good shots ... that's kind of how I view Bay Hill.
That said, I'm proud of the progress that you've made. I remember all of the talks about you getting into the game, etc. ... definitely not the easiest sport to pick up later in life and maintain the patience to get better at it.
Also, as a teenager I was even par after 7 holes at a course in Reno, and my dad and uncle pulled us off the course due to a lightening storm. I pitched a little tantrum
Yeah, it was a wet, easy track and I had good wedge game, but still...As close as I ever got to shooting par.
Post-game...
I don’t want to give the impression that I’m a great golfer, that round was my shot at “immorality”…those guysm still occasionally refer to me as “the Bishop”…
I remember the 80s and 90s when there would never be another Jack. And then came Tiger
The 80s and 90s had a lot of good players like Faldo and Freddy but the guy who should have been the next Jack was a choke artist
Rory has a little of that. But 20 wins and 4 majors is top 1% all time
It's not an easy game
Everyone is the same
Until someone has the GUTS to finish
That was Brandle's take. That's how to separate
I said the 12th hole at Augusta when he folded over a wedge on his penalty shot ended him. He was the next Tiger
He won that fluke Open against a soft loser but I was right
Seve was ended on 15 in 1986