ROCKIN PLAID!

So went golfing with Mikey, Jim, Joe, John, and Mike. I decided to shake things up in the wardrobe department by rocking the plaid. Now, I can say that a couple of them (ok, all) made fun of my attire, but deep down inside you could see that they were very jealous that I was able to find these. They are actually imported from India (I know! Who would have though that India had such great style) and are rather comfortable. My nice Devyn has told me that she wants to get a pair or two for next years golf team!

Darci is not that big of fan…nope…not at all. I think she is just shocked that I look so good in them. The really cool thing about the pants is that they have yellow, blue, pink, brown, red, purple, orange, and or course white. That means that I can wear about any color of shirt and it will match! I KNOW!

Mikey and I are roommates for Mesquite, and he was thinking of borrowing them. But with the temperature hovering around 103, I think I will leave them home (Just incase they internal combust…yes, they are that hot!).


FORE!!!

Devyn and her father during a practice round

I have not been able to post much the last month or so, but I have some great news (no, I have not gotten better); my niece Devyn lettered in Golf at Elmira High School! I was able to break free and walk the last 10 holes at her district qualifier. Though she did not qualify for state, she had a very good round. What makes this so great is that this is her first year of competitive golf. During golf season, I was lucky enough to see her every Tuesday out at Diamond Woods Golf course while she was at practice. She is going to be a pretty good player, and I will be losing to her soon! I am very proud of her and can’t wait for next year.

GREAT JOB DEVYN!

That little white ball is always staring at you, daring you to make a mistake - Sam Snead

You can tell a good putt by the noise it makes – Bobby Locke

A long drive is good for the ego – Arnold Palmer

That was the worst swing I ever heard – Charley Boswell, Championship blind golfer

Sometimes thinking to much can destroy your momentum – Tom Watson

You can always find distraction when you’re looking for one – Tome Kite

It’s good sportsmanship not to pick up lost balls while they are still rolling – Mark Twain

Thinking instead of acting is the number one disease in golf – Sam Snead

Don’t look for excuses to lose, look for excuses to win – Chi Chi Rodriguez

Golf is the most human game of all. You have the same highs and lows, sometimes in the same round – Lee Trevino

My Putting Green in done! It only has one cup right now; I will add one or two more once the weather decides to stay nice for more then 1 day. I am extremely happy with how it turned out. I have been practicing and have noticed that I have a nice slow right to left break from one side, straight slow roller from another, and each is different depending on speed so I can work on touch!

Darci, YOU ROCK!

Good news, I have upgraded my clubs! I am now playing with TaylorMade Tour Burners (4 through 9 with pitching and sand wedge)! They are a standard length and lie, so I am going to need to have them extended by an inch. Mike and Jim have been helping me with my swing; they both can see what issues I have and are trying to straighten me out. My #1 issue is swinging in tempo, getting my swing timing down so that I am striking the ball with the most controlled impact force.

On the lighter side, I need to call a truce with Big Joe! He is killing me with his quick “jabs”. On Sunday I complained about my drive being 30 yards short of what I expect. Joe quickly shot back with “don’t worry, you should get that on you next shot”…BAM! That being said, the “Joe Kintz Callaway Ball Wash Station” is rather catchy…

Golf thoughts from the greats-

Golf is a thinking man's game. You can have all the shots in the bag, but if you don't know what to do with them, you've got troubles. – Chi Chi Rodriguez

The older I get the better I used to be! – Lee Trevino

Golf is the only game I know of that actually becomes harder the longer you play it. - Bobby Jones

Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing. - Ben Hogan

These greens are so fast I have to hold my putter over the ball and hit it with the shadow. - Sam Snead

I know what you are doing wrong – Jim Kelley

Pictures coming soon of my putting green!

Time to hit the range!

FORE!!!

Ok,
I have been giving Joe a bad time lately. Joe is one of the “nicer” golfers in our group (That is not saying a lot), and I apologize. It was mean of me to tell Joe that there is a petition in the club house to re-name the pond that borders the 2nd and 16th greens, and the 3rd fairway. The name you ask? Well it was the “Joe Kintz Memorial Pond”. I know, I know, Joe reminded me that usually “memorial” infers that the person has passed away. Now Joe may look a little frazzled (especially during a round of golf), and he remembers when he used to drink beer from a steel can wile listening to a new country star by the name of Hank Williams…Sr. But I am here to tell you that he is still alive and well. Joe, my deepest apologies for my cold and heartless comments. To show you my sincerity, I am going to push to rename the body water the “Joe Kintz Callaway Ball Wash Station” (See DW course layout at bottom of page). That petition will be in the club house, right next to the petition to rename all the trees that line the course to “The Mike Spangler Throw Back Forest”!

And I would like to welcome Mr. Lehman (and his money) back to the group. He golfed for the 1st time this year. I have to say, he picked right up where he left off last year with his putting. I do believe that he gave up a “Luigi” 7 of 9 holes…WELCOME BACK MATT….CHA CHING!


Fore!

Big thanks to Jim, Mike, and Big Joe for helping with my swing issues. I believe that I have improved my swing. I look forward to actually playing a round Tuesday instead of hitting the range.

I am also going to start heading to the range for 15 to 20 minutes right after finishing our round on Tuesday’s to work out any issues that I might have had while playing. I want to work on it while it is still fresh, not letting me stew on it.

I have started looking to upgrade my clubs. Mike is now playing with TaylorMade 2009 Burner irons. I got to hit with them, and I have to say they are great. They have a great weight transfer when swinging. I have been thinking about getting some quality name brand clubs for a while, but have been making excuses. Mike letting me hit those Burners has made my excuses useless. If I am going to take this seriously, I am going to need to put up or shut up. I am interested in the same models that Mike is playing, or the Tour Burner, or maybe the 2008 R7 CGB. We will see.

Fore!

Some thoughts after reading multiple books on golf, playing many rounds with good friends (and not so good friends), and just general thoughts off the top of my head-

Grip-
Someone once told me that you should grip the club as lightly as you were holding a baby bird in your palm and you were trying to keep it from flying away without crushing it to death; this person is a lunatic. You should hold every club, except the putter, as it were a poisonous rattle snake looking to sink those deadly fangs into you if you relaxed your grip for a second. To practice this grip, get a large carrot and boil it for about 2 minutes. Now grip the carrot just as you would the club, Squeeze as tightly as you can until the carrot oozes through your fingers…that’s the grip.

Swing Speed-
Good golfers may be able to hit the ball far with what looks like a smooth effortless swing, but for a Hack Fest Hacker the secret to getting good distance, especially off the tee, is time warp clubhead speed between set up and impact. Basically, you're not swinging fast enough unless there is a sonic boom, the ball explodes, or your back cracks.

Golfers giving tips-
No offense, but if I gave a penny for your swing thoughts, I would be over paying. “Keep you elbow in”, “keep your elbow out”, “don’t look up”, “swing smooth” (WOW, I never thought of that!). The only tip I listen to is “you need a beer”.

Talking to your ball-
Some people do and some don’t. I do. That being said, I talk to a ball differently depending on its quality, such as-

• Titlesiest PRoV1 heading for a hazard – I might say forcefully (but not yelling) “be nice and turn, turn, be a good ball”
• Pinnacle heading for a hazard – I might say sharply (may be yelling) “Get down, baby get down!”
• An X-Out or range ball heading for a hazard – I will Yell “SEE YA SUCKER!”

Playing badly and speed-
Hack Fest Hacker may play badly, but that is not an excuse to play slow. After all if I have a 9 and you and 8, spending time worrying about who has the “honor” on the next tee is a farce, it is first come first serve. And does it really matter if we are both in the trees, who should drop (throw) their ball out first. I am the first to say, if you are more likely to shoot your weight instead of your age, you don’t want to take all day doing it.

Being polite to the group pushing you-
Yeah….umm…I am really not the guy to give advice on this subject. I have a tendency to say what is on my mind (especially if the course is backed up ahead of our group). I do believe I threatened one or two (okay, maybe more), and used “colorful” language to get my point across. I would have to defer to Jim and John on this subject… they are the nice guys.

Praising a shot-
Wait for a ball to land before saying “nice shot”. There is nothing worse then saying “nice shot” right after someone hit the ball, only to have it go into trees, a trap, water, or just plain out of bounds. If you say nice shot to me, and my ball lands in one of the mentions hazards, you will hear me say “No, no it was not a nice shot”. The only thing worse then saying "nice shot" and having the ball land in a hazard, is following it up with “it’s ok, your safe, you can hit it from there”….I will kill you with the club I just hit with so that I can say it did me some good on that hole.


FORE!

So I have asked Jim for some help with my swing and he gave me some good advice and let me know what he went through when he worked on his swing. He gave me some really good drills to practice such as a half swing, left hand push, and body turn. I worked on them in the yard and went to the range to continue the drills. I got a large range bucket (about 100) and started hitting. I hit the first 10 pretty good...then the wheels fell off, WAY off, they rolled into the next county, state, country. I proceeded to shank, blade, and cut the next 45 straight golf balls. I tried slowing down…shank…I concentrated on staying down…blade…I made sure to transfer my weight…cut…damn. I was so frustrated that I walked off the range leaving the remaining balls to anyone who wanted to “improve” their game. I just left mumbling to myself, sat in the truck and called Jim (had to leave a message!), and Mike, who laughed because he has gone through the same thing.

I am going to meet with Jim, John, and Mike soon at the range and get this straighten out. Or Jim shall pay!!!!! Ok, so maybe he won’t, he is only trying to help…OR is he?

Until I fix this, if you see me on the range, give me room.

FORE!!!!

Frank’s top ten reasons he plays golf
1. Playing with good friends.
2. Hitting that “one” GREAT shot.
3. That nice cold frosty beverage (before, during, and after).
4. The unlimited sarcasm (and support?) between brothers and friends.
5. Luigi’s!
6. The post round review (especially TACO Tuesday!).
7. Tips from John & Jim just before they change their swings and implode.
8. Mikey shots!
9. Joe’s love of trees.
10. Clearing the canyon on the par 3 hole # 3, Diamond Woods.

Ten things to say when you hit a bad shot
1. I wasn’t loose.
2. I looked up, again.
3. I just had a lesson, and Jim/John screwed me up.
4. My clubs hate me and quit.
5. I had a bad lie, I was in the fairway.
6. I thought it broke the other way.
7. I can’t play well when the dew point is this low.
8. HANG ON, TURN, TURN!
9. GET DOWN, GET DOWN, GET DOWN!
10. Suck…

Ten things to say when your partner/opponent hits a bad shot
1. At least you are dressing better.
2. Wait for it, wait for it (followed by a splash or hit tree).
3. You’ll get better on the back 9…too bad we are just playing 9.
4. That’s one technique.
5. Cha Ching!
6. I never play well on weekends either.
7. Smooth…..
8. You should have warmed up more.
9. That’s a hard shot with the dew point this low.
10. At least you’re looking up fast enough to track your shank.


FORE!

Ok Breaking 80 fans,

Just finished Gary McCord’s book Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists – On and Off the Tour with Gary McCord. It was a great book that gave some insight on his humor (which got him black listed from the Master’s as a commentator), life on the tour as a player just trying to qualify on Mondays to play in PGA tournaments, his friendships with not only other PGA players, but his home course players with nick names such as “Mad Max”, “Fairway Louie”, “Unemployed Lloyd”, “the Kitchen” (he was a rather large man), “Brain Damage”, and “Grave Digger” (he took deep divots).

It was a pretty quick read at 206 pages, and I laughed a lot. I see a lot a my friends when I read the book, especially the silly bets, the partaking of a fine frosty beverage at the end of a round, changing rules on the fly, and basically having a blast when golfing with friends. If you get a chance, take the time to read it, you will enjoy.

Gary McCord-isms

• The Cellophane Bridge – A putt that crawls over the lip
• Full Flaps – A ball that is rolling or flying to far
• Pull a hamstring – A putt that need to slow down
• A Roseanne – A shot that is hit fat
• Skid Row – A low unfortunate shot
• Bat Turn – A putt that lips out
• He Needs a Putter Enema – Your putter needs a bowel movement
• Golf – An itch you can’t scratch
• Darth Fader – A slice
• Hormel – A chili dip, a shot with more turf then ball
• Grass Sloth – A slow player
• Bilingual Illiterate – Can’t read the putt from either direction

I am now reading Cinderella Story, My Life in Golf by Bill Murray I will let you know how it reads.


FORE!!!

We are visiting the Redwoods this week and we are camping at the the "Emerald Forest" in Trinidad Bay. Yesterday we drove the "Avenue of the Giants", 32 miles of great views. We could not really get out because the poison oak is everywhere and Darci is very allergic. Going to see the "Trees of Mystery" today! It has finally stopped pouring, it is now just showers. The Redwoods are really BIG! Though I make them look medium when I stand next to one. We are heading home Friday.

Swung the club yesterday....Did not feel good. I have started to read Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons the Modern Fundamentals of Golf" (Damn you Jim!). I don't think it is still modern since the first print was in 1967, (Joe was just turning 20 and thinking of having a nice Oly). Needless to say, I put it down again after trying to to follow and mimic Hogan's instructions...I think I hurt my back.


FORE!

Hack Fest Rules

2.1.0 – The Law of Gravity Putt
• If you’re down hill putt happens to pass right over the top of the cup and inexplicably does not fall in. Simply pick your ball up and count the putt as being in the hole. The law of gravity always supersedes the laws of golf, and under such laws, your ball should have gone in the hole. Why it didn’t is not your fault and you should not be penalized.


From the “A dictionary For Hackers, Duffers, and Perpetual Putters”

“Lip” - 1. Perimeter of grass surrounding the hole.
2. Remarks made by fellow golfer when your putt stops there.

I have not made a post in a while. I have been golfing, but have been frustrated with my short game. My friend Jim has been trying to help me understand what I am doing right and what needs tweaking…but he is having an on going argument with Ben Hogan at this time. I can’t wait for the valley courses to dry out; I am so tired of muddy fairways, mushy fringes, and slowww greens.

I did play last Sunday at Sand Pines on the coast, that course is in good shape. I shot 101…not good, but it would have been 92 had I not had 2 blow-up holes. I started out pretty good on the front nine, but I took my lumps on the back; I made some poor mental mistakes. I played 9 at Diamond Woods on Tuesday and was 8 over with 2 doubles, 4 bogeys, and 3 pars. I should have been 4 over; I missed some really easy putts. My brother Mike is working on a case of the shanks, God forbid I get them, it would crush me! He figures he knows what is wrong, he just seems to forget how to fix it every other stroke. My friend Mike was complaining about the cold and wind…wimp…so what if your hands were frozen white…suck it up butter cup! He actually is having some of the same issues as me…chipping and JIM!

I am going camping next week to get away with Darci, but I plan on taking a club so that I can work on my swing mechanics.

FORE!

Ok Hack Fest Members, this is what I have for our trips:

Hack Fest Location by Year:
2009 – Bandon, Oregon
2008 – Redmond, Oregon
2007 – Mesquite, Nevada
2006 – Eagle Crest, Oregon
2005 – Bend, Oregon
2004 – Lincoln City, Oregon
2003 – Bend/Redmond, Oregon
2002 – Grants Pass, Oregon

I know we have gone over this many times while partaking in a cold frosty beverage (or 5), and have changed both when we started and order of the cities we visited. The only thing we agree on is Bandon Last year, Redmond in 2008, and Mesquite in 2007; after that we seem to be a little foggy. Sooo…I am going to make this list as part of our official history (Jim, I don’t care how many hats you have!).

FORE!

So I was able to golf Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday (9 holes each day).

Saturday- River Ridge
Score- 47
My drives were going left for the first part of the round, but had some decent distance. I was able to straighten it out towards the end, but lost some distance. My chipping was better, but I need to be more confident in my swing. Putting is still an issue, I am not getting it to the hole and I am still 3 putting when at worse I should be walking off in 2. Over all it was a fun 9 holes, my group was John Lee, Mike, and Big Joe. Mike was trying his new R-7 so he was going through his own issues. Joe was a bit like me, his chipping and putting where getting the best of him. John Lee got his moneys worth for the round.

Sunday- Diamond Woods
Score- 47
My drives were much better; I ended up paring 3 holes. I was having much better control of my chipping. My issues Sunday were mental mistakes. I would make great practice swings, but pull my head when hitting, or dropping my shoulder. What killed me were the 2 par 3’s, I took a combined 6 over par on the holes. Joe is letting me try a Nike putter which has helped with my getting the ball to the hole, now I need to work on the reads.

Tuesday- Diamond Woods
Score- 57
CRAP! I did not have fun at all Tuesday! I started with a double bogey and it went down hill from there. I did not have a bogey until the 9th hole….I only had 1 par…. the score speaks for the rest of the round. I truly shut down after the 6th hole and basically imploded. Golf is supposed to be a fun way to relieve the day to day stress with friends, there is not a big cardboard check waiting the winner at the end of our rounds. It is ok to be mad at myself if I miss hit, or make mental mistakes, I just need to do my best to make the next stroke count. All I did Tuesday was put more on myself after each stroke for no reason. Putting is getting better…Better then Joe!

Mike was able to get his drives under control; once it dries out he is going to get outstanding distance. Joe is pretty down the middle with his drives and he is going in the same boat as Mike. I am not consistent on my drive distance or accuracy, so I am going to have to make it up with my middle distance woods and hybrids.

Ben Hogan is playing mind games with Jim. He has read Ben Hogan’s book and has been trying adjust his swing per Ben’s instructions. I do believe that I heard Jim several times saying “Hogan is wrong”! I had just started to read Hogan’s book, but after seeing what it is doing to Jim, I put it back on the shelf for now; I am having enough issues already.

Golfing Sunday, Birthday bash for my brothers Mike and John (even though neither is my favorite brother)! Not sure where yet, maybe Sandpines or Jim’s favorite coastal course Ocean Dunes!!!!!


FORE!!!

From the “A dictionary For Hackers, Duffers, and Perpetual Putters”

“Back Nine” – The Final 27 holes of an 18-hole golf course

“Etiquette” – The rules of Behavior in golf. There isn’t room here for a complete list, but a few of the more important ones are:
• Never put tees in your nose
• Never sneeze into your glove
• Never concede a chip shot
• Never hold a ball for another payer to hit
• Never practice drives against a backboard
• Never wear golf shoes to a dance

“First Tee” – See Fluff, Hook, Sclaff, Shank, Slice, Top, and Whiff.

“Honor” – The privilege of being laughed at first on the tee.

“Lag” – A long putt played conservatively to make sure that the ball ends up near enough to the hole to be sunk on the next stroke. If this putt is missed, it is referred to as an “aaag”.

“Lost Ball” – An opponent’s missing ball after 90 seconds of searching, or one of your own after 20 minutes.

“19th Hole” – The only hole on which golfers do not complain about the number of shots they took.

From the “Golf Dirty Tricks”
*Dirty Trick #8 – “The Ball Brand Ploy”
Always give your opponent a very expensive ball to tee off with. After all, it’s a well-known rule of the game that the more expensive the golf ball, the more likely your opponent is to shank it, slice it, or hook it deep into the woods.

Saturday (4/10)
River Ridge was fun but had issues putting…chipping…and driving. I did Par a hole on the front nine and Birdied the 12th hole. I spent way to much time looking for my golf ball (I wouldn’t if I could hit it towards the middle). I could not validate my par or birdie (I took a triple bogey on the par three 13th). Mike has a new TaylorMade R-7 driver that is going to cause me issues when stops over thinking his swing and just turns it loose. Both Mike and Joe have good distance with their long irons, 7, and 3 woods from the tee and fairway (show offs!), but I have the ability to bring their game down just by playing with them.

Did not finish the round, I was very frustrated when I look at Mike on the 14th green and asked “you won’t hate me if I said I am done”…Both Mike and Joe did not (it is good to have friends like them).

When I got home I popped another 4 Advil’s….


Sunday (4/11)
Diamond Woods with Jim and John this afternoon fro 9 holes. I had fun and both Jim and John are helpful with my game, giving me advice here and there. I pared the last 2 holes (pared 3 holes total on the front nine) and was still 11 over on the front. What killed me was the par 3’s, I was 6 over par on the two par 3’s. I am trying a Nike putter that Joe is letting me use. I had some pretty good success with it as I was actually striking the putt pretty solid and I was hitting my aim points (to bad I can’t read a break).

I am hoping that I can carry some of my successes from this weekend to Tuesday round, and be able to cut down on the mental mistakes….


FORE!!!!

Up late watching the Masters that I DVR'd today...Tiger will make his run tomorrow along with Phil. It would be great is Watson and Couples could put together another Run. Anthony Kim is fun to watch, he chokes up on all his clubs, yet is still able to get a lot of distance. This weekend there is going to be some great golf...Time to free more space on the DVR!

FORE!

This is my chipping world....sigh...

From the “A dictionary For Hackers, Duffers, and Perpetual Putters”

“Bogey” – The number of strokes needed to finish a hole by a golfer of average skill and above average honesty. See Double Bogey

“Chip Shot” – A short, low approach shot that gets a player into position for one or more missed putts.

“Driving Range” – A place where golfers go to get all the good shots out of their systems.

“Fairway Wood” – A club with a medium loft that is used to get a ball out of a good lie on the fairway and into a position for a shot from a slope, a bunker, a water hazard, or in back of a tree.

“Four-Putt” – To Take four strokes of the putter to putt the ball into the hole after driving it onto the green. See "John Lee"

“Par” – Score achieved by a golfer who only had a few good shots on an entire round, but somehow managed to hit them all on the same hole. See “Jim”, “John”, or “Mikey”

“Practice Tee” – The Place where golfers go to convert a nasty hook into a wicked slice. See “Mike” or “Joe”.

“Woods”- 1. Type of golf club used to drive the ball a long distance. See "Jim" or "Mikey"
2. Where the ball lands after being driven a long distance. See “Frank”

Quotes-
“A good round of golf is if you can hit about three shots that turn out exactly as you planned them” – Ben Hogan

“Missing a short putt does not mean you have to ht your next drive out of bounds”. – Henry Cotton

“There is no surer nor (more) painful way to learn a rule then to be penalized for breaking it”. – Tom Watson

“If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron”. – Lee Trevino

We are playing River Ridge Saturday in Eugene. It is a pretty good course that will make you use most of your clubs. You have to have some decent control on the front nine, especially the first 3 holes; you cannot afford to drive it off to the right. It is open on some parts of the middle holes and the closing holes. Hopefully the course is in better shape then Diamond Woods when it comes to drainage. This is a good course to work on my drives and chipping. As always, I need to cut down on my putting errors and get off the green.

FORE!

THE MASTERS START TOMORROW! I know Darci is very excited! Especially all the slow motion replays of the players swings. Might need to DVR and watch later in the evening. Though I am disappointed in him, I am hoping that Tiger has a good tournament. He has issues, but they are personal family issues, none of my business. But he is one of the greatest golfers ever, and it is fun watching some of the shots he pulls off. I also want Anthony Kim, Phil Mickelson and David Duval to have a good tourney. Kim is an exciting player, Phil is Phil, and I have always liked Duval and hope he can get that magic back.

I can airmail the golf ball, but sometimes I don’t put the right address on it. - Jim Dent

The woods are full of long drivers. - Harvey Penick

I'm very lucky. If it wasn't for golf I don't know what I'd be doing. If my IQ had been two points lower, I'd have been a plant somewhere. - Lee Trevino

I don’t fear death, but I sure don’t like those three-footers for par. - Chi Chi Rodriguez

Rule 14-4: "Striking the ball more then once"

• If a player’s club strikes the ball more then once in the course of the stroke, the player shall count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all.

YEE HAW, my eight on #2 stands….sigh….very sad….

Had a pretty bad round today. I had a distraction in our group that I let get to me. I have to work on my concentration so that I can stay in control of my game. The fairways were still pretty wet, so we continued to play winter rules. Landing on the fairways did not help me because of standing water, so I would end up taking a lateral drop in the first cut just so I wouldn’t spray myself with water.

I almost decapitated my friend on hole #7. My tee shot landing in the right bunker, and the traps were like wet cement. I picked it clean, but shot it across the green into the left side bunker stopping with a down hill lie. Mike was across the green with his back turned to me when I attempted my shot. I tried to play it like a regular sand shot, so I gave it a little extra effort to get under it. Instead, my club skipped of the “concrete” and I sculled it just past the right side of Mike’s head. I yelled “Mike” while the ball was in flight, which caused him to almost turn right into the shot. It would have hit him right in the forehead, leaving “ProV1” dimples. Needles to say, I was a little flustered after that and took a 6…on a par 3… Looking back on it know, if it would have hit him, it might have bounced off his forehead closer to the hole and I would have gotten off with a 4…Future knowledge I guess.

Score wise, it was a pretty bad round, but as I said, I was distracted and the course was really wet. On hole #2 I had a double hit when I putted from the fringe and the ball hit something righty after impact and bounced up in the air just as the putter face was following through…yep, I made contact…2 stroke penalty. I shot a 55, but, I was ready to leave after almost turning my best friend into a drooling monkey in need of a helmet and harness with a head shot.

Oh well…Golf is a game of fun…if it doesn’t kill you first (right Mike?)…Must lighten up!


Fore!

My niece Devyn is playing on the high school golf team this year and has just started playing. She played Tokatee Golf Club this week and shot a 50 on the front 9! I am very proud of her. Her younger brother Dillon and cousin Jake are starting to play, so I can now expect both of them to give me a hard time about my game. I know have 2 nephews and 1 niece learning to play. I know that their dads are very proud of them, as am I.

Keep up the hard work Devyn, Dillon, and Jake!

FORE!

The weather is making a turn for the better; we should be able to play Tuesday. I am going to start paring down the number of clubs in my bag. If you know me, you know that I have mulitple four drivers, 3 woods, five woods, fairway woods, and about 20 irons of different lofts. I also have about 6 or 7 what I call “original” woods.


Lately I have been taking 16 to 18 clubs out to practice trying to find the right combination. Starting tomorrow, I am going to be taking 14, with a goal of getting down to 12 by summer. The first clubs that will come out will be my long irons (4, 3, & 2) since I use my Snake Eye Quick Strike hybrids instead of irons for longer fairway shots. All my irons are Tour Unique Instrument Oversize (TaylorMade knock offs) with + 1 inch extend shafts and oversize Swing Rite grips that feel pretty well balanced to me (regular grips cause my hands to cramp).

For woods I will keep my TaylorMade Burner driver (Duh) and my Adams three wood hybrid; I will also keep my Orlimar fairway woods.

Clubs for 4/6-
1. 10.5 Driver- TaylorMade Burner
2. 9 degree FW - Orlimar
3. 13 degree 3 W – Adams Tight Lies
4. 17 degree FW - Orlimar
5. 18 degree Hybrid –Snake Eyes Quick Strike
6. 23 degree Hybrid – Snake Eyes Quick Strike
7. Driving Iron - Dunlop (My “Oh SH*T” club)
8. 6 Iron
9. 7 Iron
10. 8 Iron
11. 9 Iron
12. Pitching Wedge
13. Putter - Ram Zebra

We will see how it goes….

FORE!

Two things that ain't long for this world. Dogs that chase cars and professional golfers who chip for pars. - Lee Tevino

The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight. - Ben Hogan

I have a tip that can take 5 strokes off anyone's golf game. It is called an eraser. - Arnold Palmer

Golf tips are like aspirin. One may do you good, but if you swallow the whole bottle, you will be lucky to survive. - Harvey Penick

A lot of guys who have never choked have never been in a position to do so. - Tom Watson

Mike lost his Speedo!

Nuff said....

John has come up with a “Top five reasons Frank thinks his clubs are broken”

5.) Buying clubs at a second hand store. Kind of makes you wonder why they are there in the first place?

4.) Everyone please take a moment to thank Frank because I really couldn’t picture the term “Swinging from your ass” until I saw him hitting golf balls at the range. Really Frank, thank you!

3.) The year was 1949 when a company called Golf Pride came out with a revolutionary product called the “slip on golf grip.” With that said I figure that at least half of the clubs in Frank’s bag are from 1948 or earlier. Anybody looking for the a “Mashie-Niblick”, I know who’s bag you should start with.

2.) Frank’s ability to work the ball: The fade, slight fade, power fade, mega fade and the ever dangerous boomerang fade. I know the last one seems funny but just sneak up behind any one that has golfed with Frank and make a slight whistle sound. Enough said. Please notice how the word “slice” is never used.


1.) Giving Frank helpful tips to help with his numerous fades such as “releasing the club head” should be broken down into detail. Letting go of the club during a full swing is completely different from releasing the club head. Once again please refer to #2 and the slight whistle sound.

Now, John is funny guy…But that does not take away his responsibility for breaking my clubs…and no, I will not take down the picture…HA!

So we hit the driving range Tuesday due to the course plugging the front nine and too much rain to play the back nine. Tried working on my fairway woods, but had issues with my swing. I could not get consistent on my takeaway, so my club would smack the mat before the ball…VERY FRUSTRATING, especially when you know what you are doing wrong and cannot adjust.

One of my main problems is John (pictured above in his more comfortable golf attire), he showed up and hit with some of my clubs and broke them…They worked just fine before he hit with them, then BAM they stopped working for me!!!

I plan on going to the range maybe Thursday or Friday to try and correct takeaway…again…

FORE!

Way too much rain for the last couple of days. I am hoping it clears up for Tuesday golf. If not, we are still hitting the range (it’s covered). If we are able to play, I am going to concentrate on my short game, if we are at the range, fairway woods.

FORE!

My brother Mike has finally found a driver he likes...

I was three over. One over a house, one over a patio, and one over a swimming pool. - George Brett

I’m not saying my golf game went bad, but if I grew tomatoes, they’d come up sliced.
- Lee Trevino

Every golfer can expect to have four bad shots in a round and
when you do, just put them out of your mind. This, of course is hard to do when you've had them and you’re not even off the first tee. - Walter Hagen

The older you get the stronger the wind gets... and it's always in your face. - Jack Nicklaus

Wolf Creek Golf Club, Mesquite Nevada

This is an OUTSTANDING course to play if you head to Mesquite, Nevada. Great course, great staff, an all around great round! They take a picture of your group on the first tee with the 1st hole fairway in the background and it is ready for you at the turn. $20 or $25 for the picture mounted with the course name and date at the bottom (cheesey? YES, but it looks great on the wall!). The course is very hilly, but great fairways and greens. Lots of water, but it doesn't over challenge you by giving you multiple landing areas. Over half of the course could be used as their "signature" hole. One warning...August...HOT...Golf in the morning, or drink lots of water and Gatorade in the afternoon.

Hole #1 fairway from the tee

Hole #9 fairway from the green

FORE!

Golf is a puzzle without an answer. I have played the game for forty years and I still haven’t the slightest idea how to play. – Gary Player

Golf is the sport a professional can enjoy playing with his friends. Can Larry Holmes enjoy fighting one of his friends? – Chi Chi Rodriguez

If the following foursome is pressing you, wave them through and then speed up. – Deane Beman

I never really dreamed of making many putts. Maybe that’s why I haven’t made many. – Calvin Peete

My swing is so bad I look like a caveman killing his lunch. – Lee Trevino

To much RAIN! I need to go to the range!

OUCH! – Mike White and Joe Kintz (after watching me 3 putt)

Dammit! – Frank Spangler (after 3 putting)

I want to say “Great Job” to Tyler Fisher who won $800 in the Pro/Assistant PGA Championship. Though he feels that he could have done better, he still brought home money!

Had a great time golfing today! It was Mike, Big Joe, and I with Jim and my brother john following…way back…If you know Jim, you know why.

I had a decent round compared to what I have been doing. I am still having issues with my chipping, though there was some improvement. My putting is killing me! On long putts, I am stabbing at the ball instead of following through. This is causing the ball to come up short, or way long (I think I have long range yips, lets call the YIKES!). I am doing better on my mid range putts, I am just concentrating on getting the ball to the hole which is about speed and touch.

My drives started out rough (the 1st tee I just didn’t hit a tree, I tried to bring it down!), but I relaxed more as the round went on and ended up hitting some pretty good ones. I am doing well with my fairway woods, and I still need a lot of work mid range irons. Both Mike and Joe are pretty consistent from the fairway, and both have killer shots with their 3 woods.

Here are my totals from this round-

46 on the front nine (down 5 shots from last round)
Tied Mike for low score
$1.00 paid to ME by Joe

I had two bad holes, the one that hurt the most was a par 3 that I walked off with a triple (once again, a long putt killed me).

Mike and Joe say that I cannot count this as a win because Mike and I tied…I did not pay money so I AM COUNTING IT AS A WIN!

It was a great round; we played pretty fast, Joe though it was because we were mostly in the fairway (our scores were down, so he made a pretty good point). There were a couple of lost balls, but they were way out and we didn’t need to spend time looking. Joe and Mike both made long birdies back to back (Joe on 6, and Mike on 7). They were solid putts from about 20 feet. Mike, Big Joe, and I are committed to doing better. It is good to golf with them, they give good feedback, and better “jabs” when you screw up. (Yes Joe, I will remember that I did not make a long birdie while you and Mike did).

It was a great time and I look forward to my next round.

FORE!

The older you get, the easier it is to shoot your age. – Jerry Barber

Swing Hard in case you hit it. – Dan Marino

If you drive, don’t drink. Don’t even putt. – Dean Martin

You can talk to a fade, but a hook won’t listen. – Lee Trevino

Getting into the right mindset for golf tomorrow night. My goal for the 9 holes is working on cutting down the number of chip shots. I need to get it on the green and get it down in 2 at worst when putting. I want to work on my speed and touch for putts. I need to stop stressing and have fun!

Oh Yeah! I also need to get some of my money back from Mike and Big Joe!

Today was a good day.

Went garage selling with the wife but really didn’t find much so we stopped by “old faithful”…Goodwill! It is amazing what you will find there; I have found a couple of great clubs, an Adam’s fairway 3 wood ($2.00), an Orlimar 9 degree fairway wood ($1.99), a 17 degree Orlimar fairway wood ($1.99). I have also found numerous head covers, including a “Fighting Irish” driver cover for Big Joe…It looks more like a drunken Irishman…

But today I have found something that I just had to have…. A Par Aid Deluxe Ball Washer! It was sitting on the bottom shelf calling my name. I am not sure how or why someone would donate it to Goodwill…But “Thank You!” It is great shape, new brush’s, a new towel, no scratches or body damage. I picked it up for $14.99; used models like the one I bought are going between $150 & $200 on EBay. I am going to add it to my collection that I plan on using in a “golf” area I am setting up in the garage (my choice of location, not Darci).

Fore!

We must always be humble in victory and cocky in defeat. - Chi Chi Rodriguez

The more I practice, the luckier I get. - Gary Player

Caddies are a breed of thier own. If you shoot a sixty six, they say "Man we shot a sixty six!" But go out a shoot a seventy seven, and they say, "Hell, he shot a seventy seven!" - Lee Trevino

A prefect straight shot with a big club is a fluke. - Jack Nicklaus

"I suck!" - John Spangler (after a double bogy on hole 16 at Diamond woods)

Sometimes golf and beer do not mix…

Some Wednesday night thoughts and observations-

According to the “Golf Fix”, my hands are wrong, my take away is wrong, my swing is off plane due my shoulders, and my release is non-existent. On the bright side, I am using my shoulders correctly when I putt…I just miss…a lot… I have got to stop watching the golf channel.

Did you know that when you hit your 2nd shot in the water, drop to chip 4, then follow that with a 3 putt, the score is not a 6 but a 7…Mike did…

It is known science that beer taste good on the golf course…but it taste AWESOME when you are sitting after the round collecting your winnings…or at least so I have heard.

It is not always good to have a shot named after you…Right Mikey?

ProV1’s are better left in the bag when crossing a large body of water.

If the group in front of you waves you on, you shank it…twice…

I am frustrated when I am not golfing…and frustrated when I am.

Just when I feel cocky hitting a long drive, my friends clear me by 20 yards.

KP to me means “Keep Putting”...

The next time someone tells you “you need to let the club do all the work”, tell them yours are on vacation…

When your buddy is having a bad round, don’t give advice, give him a beer.

Best golf movie…Caddy Shack

Worst golf movie…Tin Cup (actually anything that Costner is in)

I learned that you can’t drink whiskey and play golf. – John Daly

2002 Moo Moo Tournament held at Fiddlers Green in Eugene Oregon- This is a 1 club event where you can only use an iron, no woods or putter. You have to putt with your iron. You have to wear the Moo Moo for shortest drive, lost ball, or whining.

This is the 1st Tee, Jim Kelly (red), Roy Scribner (pink), and John Spangler (blue)...the (un) lucky ones!

If you watch a game, it’s fun. If you play it, it’s recreation.
If you work at it, it’s golf. – Bob Hope

What a great day to golf, but then again, any day you can golf is a great day. Our 1st Tuesday Hack Fest gathering for 2010 with Mike, Big Joe, Byron, and Matt.

Since we had 5 we played “wolf pig”. Wolf Pig is where you select your order for teeing off, the first person to tee off is the wolf, the wolf then can choose his partner after each person tees off. If they want to partner with a person who hits a goof tee shot, that person is the “pig”. If they like a person’s tee shot, they must select them before the next person hits, or that drive is lost. What you have then is 2 against 3 playing a best ball format with Pushes rolling to the next hole.

Unfortunately I shot a 51 on the front. I am having issues with my chipping and putting that is driving me crazy. I felt good with my swing, but I got way to loose with my wrist on a couple of shots. On hole #6, I blasted a drive up the left side about 40 yards and smacked a pretty solid tree. It ricochet off the tree backward and landed on the ladies tee. To be exact, it landed 15 feet behind the red blocks…yeah we all had a good laugh!

Here are my totals from this round,

51 on the front nine
$4.00 Paid to Mike
Big Joe and I pushed (I will count that as a win!)

Might hit the range again this week….

1st Green, Diamond Woods, Monroe Oregon

“I’m about five inches away from being an outstanding golfer. That’s the distance between my left ear and my right” – Ben Crenshaw

"3 bad shots and 1 good shot still equals par" - Walter Hagen

3/14, Diamond Woods!

Today, Diamond Woods in Monroe, all I can say is not my finest outing. I golfed with my brothers John and Mike, and we had Big Joe and my best friend Mike in the group in front.

Here are the totals for my round,

52 on the front
51 on the back
$2.00 paid to Mike
$2.00 paid to Big Joe
$5.25 to Brother Mike
$4.75 to John

Yeah, I sucked…but I did have some good drives and fairway woods. Where I paid the price was with my short game. I could not chip if my life depended on it, and my putting killed me! One time I was on for birdie and walked off with bogey, two times I was putting for par and walked off with a doubles…Yeah, I was that bad around the greens.

On the plus side, because daylight savings is now in effect, we are starting our Hack Fest Tuesday night ritual of 9 holes starting at 5 pm at Diamond Woods. Good times with my good friends!

For you book readers out there, I have started, and highly recommend “Embedded Balls” by Peter Jacobsen (with Jack Sheehan). It is an outstanding read with stories of both on and off the course. There is an outstanding chapter on Payne Stewart, and insight on his parting with Fluff as his caddie.

I will update this Tuesday (3/16); hopefully I can make some of my money back!

Fore!