Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Doobs]

Which just leaves my personal Glasto '25 highlight, a cameo appearance by Robert Smith. For oldies like Tom, he's The Cure frontman.

Rather oddly, he did two duets with some unknown bimbo - Oliver Rodrigo or somesuch? He has that lovely familiar voice, & she had a squeaky pre-pubescent girl's voice, never heard a worse harmonic blending & her screechings ruined it. I have no idea what she is famous for, but with the sole exception of her tits she hid her talents well.

Love Olivia Rodrigo.  She has had all sorts of obscure indie bands supporting her, so knows her onions, and just comes across so well.  Her hand were surprisingly good too.

I am now obsessed with Princess Nokia and Drop Dead Gorgeous.  Has a bit of a potty mouth, and don't think she likes men much.  Think all young girl pop stars need to have a potty mouth now though (see Charlie XCX).

Not sure why but the line "I'm the big bad wolf, little red motherfucker" amuses me a great deal.  It is a banging tune though, but the rest of her songs/raps are all over the place.  Can't really imagine Taylor Swift singing that line, though maybe in a couple of years.

Now, just need to go defend Will Kassouf, suspect 99% of people are on his side, so there may be no need...

[tikay]

Thank you for all the replies, will respond soon as I can, it's been a busy few days & I'm golfing again at 11.10 this morning so can't really do much this morning.

However, being as there did seem to be quite a bit of golf interest, I did want to report that Tom (Red), who is in his mid sixties & only took up golf 18 months ago, had an astonishing round yesterday.

His handicap had been cut over the weekend by 1 to, I think, 20, and yesterday at Breadsall Moorlands he scored 43 (FORTY THREE) Stabbo points, having shot 82, (Par is 70) which included 4 Pars & 2 Birdies.

And that score included two holes where he 3-putted from inside 10 foot.

Unbelievable stuff. He hits the ball a mile & his short game has improved out of all recognition too.

6 months ago he & I had identical handicaps. He's now rated 9 shots better.

Meanwhile, please don't ask how I played yesterday. Today will be better though. It will.

[Kev B]

Great golf Tom, 82 darn impressive. I'm just off to join Onneley Golf club. 🏌‍♂️

[RED-DOG]

I'm an obsessive type of person.
For 30 years I was obsessed with snooker. I was never a great player but I loved everything about it.
Then, for the next 20 years or so it was poker. These two games/pastimes, call them what you will, enriched my life tremendously.

My last great passion will be golf.

I love everything about it, and I will continue to play until health or circumstance dictate otherwise.  
It's an absolutely infuriating game and I don't know why anyone would love that, but I do.
I love how one excellent shot can make you feel good about an otherwise terrible round.
I love the way the handicapping system makes the game competitive for all abilities, so that your toughest opponent is always yourself. (Does that even make sense?)
I love the surroundings, and I don't just mean strolling around in the sunshine. Tony (tikay) and I spent last winter sliding around in the mud. Sometimes it was so cold that we had to wear six layers of clothing. We played in fog, frost, wind and rain. I loved it all. (I think Tony did too, but he's almost as daft as me)

I'm grateful to Tony for facilitating my golf. His good auspices have allowed me to play more often and on better courses than would otherwise be the case. He has been my bestie for 25 years, (which is surprising really because he is very grumpy and obtuse.) We've shared a lot of good (and bad) stuff, but in all that time we have never had an argument. We have daily "disagreements" but deep down he knows I'm always right so they don't count.  

[Pokerpops]

I love how one excellent shot can make you feel good about an otherwise terrible round.

So true.

[doubleup]

The major problem with golf is that irons are designed badly from the perspective of a poor player.

Just put a golf ball on the carpet and with 7 iron very, very gently chip it one handed a) with the clubface ahead of the hands (lofted) and b) with the clubface behind the hands (delofted). You'll notice that the contact of b) is much softer than the tinny contact of a). The full swing of a good golfer is also like b) and the poor golfer like a), because it is much more difficult to reach the delofted impact position, at speed and on line.

They should really design clubs that are more efficient when the strike is lofted and that along with stronger lofted clubs to compensate for the strike angle would be better for high handicappers imo (although hybrids are a bit more efficient).

[RED-DOG]

I tend to use the same swing I had when I was chopping down trees. Onlookers seem to find it amusing.

[RED-DOG]

The major problem with golf is that irons are designed badly from the perspective of a poor player.

Just put a golf ball on the carpet and with 7 iron very, very gently chip it one handed a) with the clubface ahead of the hands (lofted) and b) with the clubface behind the hands (delofted). You'll notice that the contact of b) is much softer than the tinny contact of a). The full swing of a good golfer is also like b) and the poor golfer like a), because it is much more difficult to reach the delofted impact position, at speed and on line.

They should really design clubs that are more efficient when the strike is lofted and that along with stronger lofted clubs to compensate for the strike angle would be better for high handicappers imo (although hybrids are a bit more efficient).

Joking aside Dave, are you saying that it's easier for us high handicappers to hit the ball with the club face delofted? i.e ball more to the right of your stance for a right-hander?

And what do you mean by "Stronger lofted club"? (Sorry if I'm being a bit dense)

 

[Doobs]

Quick question.  Have some old clubs that I took from my Dad (guess he was in his 20s when he gave up, and would be nearly 90 now.  So think it is safe to say they are rubbish and need replacing.

If I ever took up the game again, how much should I be looking at spending. Maybe some nearly new second hands, or just get mugged at a golf shop and someone helping me pick?  Am thinking about playing when I jack in work in 3 or 4 years.  Might start going to the local range before that.  I don't want to take it very seriously, just want to be less rubbish.

[Ironside]

I'm so jealous of all this golf talk, i played from the age of 11. During the summer holidays up to 4 rounds a day with the course being so empty. think back then there was 18 courses within 10 miles of my house. A few more now.

[doubleup]

Joking aside Dave, are you saying that it's easier for us high handicappers to hit the ball with the club face delofted? i.e ball more to the right of your stance for a right-hander?

And what do you mean by "Stronger lofted club"? (Sorry if I'm being a bit dense)

 

High handicappers mostly "early release" which is a scoopy contact with the clubface ahead of the left hand, or if it's level the left wrist is cupped. It isn't a set up issue as the difficult thing is to swing in such a way that the left wrist flattens on the way back/start down and this is maintained until impact but without trying to do it!  

The hands forward at address is a logical way to address the problem, but doesn't control the actual issue which is to swing in such a way that a flattening of the wrist is created and maintained till impact which gives the lovely strike no doubt demonstrated by Ralph,

stronger loft means eg a six iron with the loft of a 5 iron.

doobs you will be able to get a really cheap starter set on ebay and have a go. If you like it then get something more expensive.


  

[RED-DOG]

When I started about 18 months ago, I didn't know a good club from a bad one and was sure that they wouldn't make a difference to a total novice like me anyway. So I went down to the car boot sale and bought the first cheap set of clubs I came across, I think I paid about £25. Although old, they were actually OK for a beginner except for one thing, the rubber grips were as hard as iron, which meant that I was having to hold them way too tightly to prevent them from slipping out of my hand.

Moving forward a few months I realised that everyone these days uses a big head driver so I looked of Facebook Marketplace and found a driver, a 5 wood and a 3 wood for, around £30.

I was happy with the irons from the first set but I saw a set of Ping i3 advertised for £80 so I went to see them and managed, with the help of the bloke's wife, to negotiate down to £60.

Ralph (Karabiner) gave me a couple of great rescue clubs the other day.

Conclusion: You definitely don't need to spend a load of cash to get started.

[RED-DOG]

Joking aside Dave, are you saying that it's easier for us high handicappers to hit the ball with the club face delofted? i.e ball more to the right of your stance for a right-hander?

And what do you mean by "Stronger lofted club"? (Sorry if I'm being a bit dense)

 

High handicappers mostly "early release" which is a scoopy contact with the clubface ahead of the left hand, or if it's level the left wrist is cupped. It isn't a set up issue as the difficult thing is to swing in such a way that the left wrist flattens on the way back/start down and this is maintained until impact but without trying to do it!  

The hands forward at address is a logical way to address the problem, but doesn't control the actual issue which is to swing in such a way that a flattening of the wrist is created and maintained till impact which gives the lovely strike no doubt demonstrated by Ralph,

stronger loft means eg a six iron with the loft of a 5 iron.

doobs you will be able to get a really cheap starter set on ebay and have a go. If you like it then get something more expensive.


  

Ah, I understand now, although I have to admit to being terrified of the technical aspect of the game. If I watch an instructional video I imediately turn into Alf Ippititymus. (Younger members will need to google)

[tikay]

I'm so jealous of all this golf talk, i played from the age of 11. During the summer holidays up to 4 rounds a day with the course being so empty. think back then there was 18 courses within 10 miles of my house. A few more now.

I bet you are jealous Iron, & I often think about how things panned out for you.

Non-cheesy note as we have a few newbies from Next Door & a few resurrected long-term accounts.

 Ironside takes his alias from a fictional 1960's TV Show where the main character - a Detective - was in a wheelchair. Our Ironside lived (still lives I think?) in deepest Scotland, not far from Inverness, Elgin or thereabouts. As he explained without further comment, he used to play as many as 4 rounds of golf every day.

And then in an accident whilst serving in the Royal Navy, he broke his back. And then, for good measure in an unfortunate incident a few years later, he somehow fell down a flight of stairs & broke his neck. Just to make sure, like. Since then, he's been in his wheelchair. 




 

[Eck]

I'm an obsessive type of person.
For 30 years I was obsessed with snooker. I was never a great player but I loved everything about it.
Then, for the next 20 years or so it was poker. These two games/pastimes, call them what you will, enriched my life tremendously.

My last great passion will be golf.

I love everything about it, and I will continue to play until health or circumstance dictate otherwise.  
It's an absolutely infuriating game and I don't know why anyone would love that, but I do.
I love how one excellent shot can make you feel good about an otherwise terrible round.
I love the way the handicapping system makes the game competitive for all abilities, so that your toughest opponent is always yourself. (Does that even make sense?)
I love the surroundings, and I don't just mean strolling around in the sunshine. Tony (tikay) and I spent last winter sliding around in the mud. Sometimes it was so cold that we had to wear six layers of clothing. We played in fog, frost, wind and rain. I loved it all. (I think Tony did too, but he's almost as daft as me)

I'm grateful to Tony for facilitating my golf. His good auspices have allowed me to play more often and on better courses than would otherwise be the case. He has been my bestie for 25 years, (which is surprising really because he is very grumpy and obtuse.) We've shared a lot of good (and bad) stuff, but in all that time we have never had an argument. We have daily "disagreements" but deep down he knows I'm always right so they don't count.  

Still loving all this golf chat. This post strikes a chord with me Tom when i was younger and fitter it was all about playing sport when that finished it was poker and it consumed a large part of my life. Now its back to golf ( have played since young but for many years it was only a few games a year). Then Covid happened we all started working from home, I stay overlooking a golf course and there was a good offer to join so myself and a mate started playing again. This was a bit of filling time and we were also allowed to meet people which was obviously a big thing. Safe to say i'm now fairly obsessed with golf got myself down to 12 but like all golfers think i'm better than that

Now I just love it all not just the challenge of trying to shoot better I really enjoy playing new places and just walking and chewing the fat. Lot of my friends have played a lot of courses in Scotland and elsewhere and I have a drive to play as many as i can, not just the big name places there are so many great fun course all over the place. We had a long weekend up in Moray staying in Ironside's patch in Fochabers played a wee course called Cullen and it was as much fun as you could have for about £30 if you are near it don't pass it by. We're just back from a week in Spain with my sister and brother in law, played 5 games on 4 very different courses absolutely loved it, Golf in the morning few beers and out for a dinner or a bbq can't beat it. Soon as I was back I was on a few websites checking what opens are on this week so we are off on Thursday to play a 4 man scramble (surely the most fun you can have on a golf course) at Lenzie near Glasgow never played it before and its not a fancy course but can't wait to get there.

Gonna stop rambling now but as i've said before any blondes up this way give me a shout please.

Doobs if I was you just make it known to your mates you fancy getting into golf there will likely be some golf obsessives with old sets lying about in a garage that are probably only a few years old and then just build up once you become addicted, bound to happen, once you flush one then thats it! |