I'm Back!

So the Winter is basically over...I didn't play as much as I had hoped. Plus I bought a 66 mustang that I'm restoring..plus I installed hardwood flooring in the house...plus I did everything I could to NOT play golf I guess :) Anyhoo, from the looks of my las post, It's been October or so since I have played consistently. With the PGA Tour getting into full swing now and the Masters coming up. I figure I'll have more to post on besides my poor golfing. Well, I'm still hitting in the 80's but I want a handicap of 9 by the end of this year. I have started playing table tennis (ping pong) with a local club here...and that's fun. Anyone interested in it should get a nice racquet. NOT one of the ones from the large sporting goods stores. Go to Zeropong for great prices. I splurged and got my Petr Korbel from ButterflyOnline but I'm an equipment geek :P Well that's all for now.

Hit 'em straight,
Dale

New Low Round

I bagged my session with Robert last night to go play 9 holes with Scott. He doubled the par 5 first hole, but I missed a short par putt and bogeyed. He got a stroke back on number 3 then gained another one on number 5. We were even the rest of the round, until a miraculous par save by me on number 9. I yanked my tee shot about 20yds left (again) and ended up with a pretty good lie going up the hill onto an elevated green. Opened the face of my pitching wedge and stuck it within a foot.... :) Tap in par. He short sided himself in the front right trap and bogeyed. I hadn't been keeping score, but it turned out that we both shot 40 for the round. I was very happy with that. Maybe I'll get with Robert next week.


Hit 'em straight,
Dale

A Little Fun with the Family

I know that the few of you that read this have wondered where I've been.....you have wondered right? I took a few days off and took the family up to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. What a blast. They have all the Halloween trimmings and call it Howl-O-Scream. The decorations and effects were top notch. We rode all the roller coasters there, including the newest and world's tallest dive coaster, named Griffon. I must admit that I chickened out and didn't ride Griffon until Saturday. It has a 205ft vertical drop followed by a giant immelman loop, another 130ft vertical drop and a second immelman loop. It was an awe inspiring ride. I'm back at work today and ready to hit course sometime this week.

I do have another session with Robert this week. I feel like my swing is really hitting a decent groove lately. We'll see if Robert agrees :)

Hit 'em straight,
Dale

Golf Guide for Hackers

I don't have a lot going on today. I'm hoping to get out to the course after work, but it's supposed to be 94 freakin degrees today. Man I thought we were done with the heat. I know this is old, but it still makes me laugh.

A Hackers Guide to Golf
Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - How to Properly Line Up Your Fourth Putt

Chapter 2 - How to Hit a Dunlop from the Rough When You Hit a Titleist from the Tee

Chapter 3 - How to Avoid the Water When You Lie 8 in a Bunker

Chapter 4 - How to Get More Distance off the Shank

Chapter 5 - When to Give the Ranger the Finger

Chapter 6 - Using Your Shadow on the Greens to Maximize Earnings

Chapter 7 - When to Implement Handicap Management

Chapter 8 - Proper Excuses for Drinking Beer Before 9:00 a.m.

Chapter 9 - How to Rationalize a 6 Hour Round

Chapter 10 - How to Find That Ball That Everyone Else Saw Go in the Water

Chapter 11 - Why Your Spouse Doesn't Care That You Birdied the 5th

Chapter 12 - How to Let a Foursome Play Through Your Twosome

Chapter 13 - How to Relax When You Are Hitting Three off the Tee

Chapter 14 - When to Suggest Major Swing Corrections to Your Opponent

Chapter 15 - God and the Meaning of the Birdie-to-Bogey Three Putt

Chapter 16 - How to Properly Grip a Golf Club

Chapter 17 - The Correct Time to Fart When Your Partner is Going to Putt

Chapter 18 - Rules Interpretation: "Loss of Ball is Penalty Enough…"

Chapter 19 - When to Re-grip Your Ball Retriever Due to Wear

Chapter 20 - Explaining Lighted Golf Balls to Your Spouse When You Get Home After Midnight

Chapter 21 - Why Male Golfers Will Pay $5.00 a Beer from the Cart Girl and Give Her a $3 Tip, But Will Balk at $3.50 at the 19th Hole and Stiff the Bartender

I found this on a blog and forget which one it was, so I'm sorry for that.

Hit 'em straight,
Dale

Congrats Justin!

I like Justin Leonard. I always have for some reason. He's not the most colorful person on tour (Sabo might hold that title for now), he's not the longest hitter (Bubba Watson last I checked). Nothing in his game is what you would talk about with your buddies, but he is solid.

Justin overtook Jesper Parnevik on the 3rd playoff hole on Sunday, with a 10ft birdie putt, to give him his first PGA Tour win since 2005. This is his 3rd Valero Texas Open win, the first three-peater since Arnold Palmer in 1960-62. Justin was quoted as saying "...It's great company to be in..."

I hope to see Justin at the top of more leader boards in the near future. We all know he can putt...remember that bomb he drained in the Ryder Cup? :)


Hit 'em straight,
Dale

These Guys Really are Good

I saw that Jesper shot a career low round 61 on Thursday at the Valero Texas Open. Keep in mind that 2 of the par 4s are converted par 5s. Meaning that if you and I played, the course would be a par 72. So effectively, he shot 11 under. But that's not the reason I say that. Well its part of the reason.

I was watching coverage this afternoon and noticed that Jesper hit his L wedge from 110 yards out. Now his sand wedge is 56 degrees, so one would assume that his L is at least 60. I can only hit my 60 about 60 or 70 yards (unless I blade it but that's a different story) It just got me thinking. I mean we all know they are good, but where I hit a 6 or 5 iron, the pros are hitting 8 or 9. How cool would that be? I can picture it now. "Dale has about 170 yards to the flag. Looks like he's pulling out the 9 iron." I guess I'm just jealous...but they Really are Good :)

Hit 'em Straight,
Dale

I'm Back!

Well, sort of. After my horrible round on Tuesday, I went out and shot 42 with my neighbor yesterday. I only had 2 pars but nothing worse than a bogey. After the end of "regulation play", Scott (my neighbor) and I were tied. Since 8 and 9 are par 3s I suggested a 2 hole playoff.

Since I won number 9 to tie it up, I teed off first. 167 yards...6 iron. I pushed it a little right but it was on the green about 25ft from the pin....downhill fast putt. Scott came up a tick short but was putting as well. He left his first put fairly short leaving about 10ft for par. I put mine close and finished out my par to put a little pressure on him. He missed by a couple inches and tapped in for bogey.

My tee shot on number 9 was...well....bad. I pulled my 5 iron about 20yds left leaving a tricky chip over a bunker. Scott missed the green to the right leaving a slippery downhill chip. My chip was pretty good but I still had some work to do to save par. Scott's chip was nice, bounced it off the fringe to kill it and let it trickle down toward the hole. It came up about 3 ft short. I hit my putt to within 6 inches and tapped in for bogey. Scott had a short downhill putt to tie it up....didn't happen :) So, he owes me a beer....


Hit 'em straight
Dale