How do you play the game?

[Jason Walker]

Gib-
As someone who has fought the short-game yips (40 yards to greenside), I almost pissed myself laughing at your frst two paragraphs.   Never thought of them as herpes.
I would give any amount of money to figure out where mine came from--it was literally overnight.  I was on my annual March Madness golf trip to Vegas in 2005 with college friends.  I came into the weekend with a 4 index.  On the second hole I was greenside with a pretty easy chip.  I skulled the chip across the green and into a creek.  I then dropped and proceded to chunk the next one six feet.  Isolated, I could laugh both these shots off to Vegas, hangover, etc.  Except I was a 4 index with an awesome short game (wild as hell off the tee), and the feeling I had over those two chips was nearly indescribable--a literal twitch of my right tricep all the way down to the right side of my hand.  Long story short--I failed to break 90 over four rounds that trip, lost a crapload of money, and have fought them since.  I went to a 14 index that year, nearly quit the game, and have slowly fought back.  Over that time I've chipped with one hand (either one), i've chipped cross-handed, I bought about a dozen new wedges.  Still today, where I can at least make solid contact most of the time, if there is nothing in front of me I will texas-wedge the ball nearly every time.  I will go maybe a month or two without that feeling in my arm but it still rears its head eventually.
I was so happy (in a sympathetic way) to hear Kenny Perry after the Masters admit to that 'happy' right hand.  I immediately knew he had it after last year's John Deere where he nearly gave the tourney away with the chip-yips.

[Kalen Braley]

Is it possible to get the reverse yips?

Because every other part of my game is usually anywhere from miserable to serviceable at best....but my putting is almost always spot on!!   

[Jim Carrigan]

Jim,

Welcome to the board (insert standard Sr. GCA members welcome of your choice here). I look forward to another game soon, and will let you now when I'm in town next.

Cheers

Thanks Wyatt.  Me too.  Keep in touch. 

Jim - you are the MAN!  Best answer yet to #3.  And I want to party with you cowboy.  You and me?  Forget it....

 

Tom,

You are gullible, its his 1st post for Christ's sake.  I'm calling BS until he proves otherwise that he's a trustworthy guy!!   

Kalen - you disappoint me young Paduan.

What part of my post indicated that I believe him?  What part of his post indicates he wants that to be taken seriously?
THAT is what makes his post so freakin' great!

 

Exactly!   

[Kalen Braley]

Jim,

Welcome to the board (insert standard Sr. GCA members welcome of your choice here). I look forward to another game soon, and will let you now when I'm in town next.

Cheers

Thanks Wyatt.  Me too.  Keep in touch. 

Jim - you are the MAN!  Best answer yet to #3.  And I want to party with you cowboy.  You and me?  Forget it....

 

Tom,

You are gullible, its his 1st post for Christ's sake.  I'm calling BS until he proves otherwise that he's a trustworthy guy!!   

Kalen - you disappoint me young Paduan.

What part of my post indicated that I believe him?  What part of his post indicates he wants that to be taken seriously?
THAT is what makes his post so freakin' great!

 

Exactly!   

Jim,

Tommy obviosuly missed the humor in response to his humor in response to yours....lol!!

But we still love Tom H...this site would be nada without him.   

[Tom Huckaby]

Kalen, I guess Jim missed it also.

Second law of comedy:  if it must be explained, it's not comedy.
 

Oh you want to know the first law?

If they didn't laugh, say it again LOUDER.

Welcome, Jim - that was a hell of a good first post.

TH

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen, I guess Jim missed it also.

Second law of comedy:  if it must be explained, it's not comedy.
 

Oh you want to know the first law?

If they didn't laugh, say it again LOUDER.

Welcome, Jim - that was a hell of a good first post.

TH

Lol...well don't quite your day job Tom, and I won't be quitting mine either!!!   

And yes Jim welcome to the site indeed...always great to have another nut case to join us!!

[Jim Carrigan]

Kalen, I guess Jim missed it also.

Second law of comedy:  if it must be explained, it's not comedy.
 

Oh you want to know the first law?

If they didn't laugh, say it again LOUDER.

Welcome, Jim - that was a hell of a good first post.

TH

Lol...well don't quite your day job Tom, and I won't be quitting mine either!!!   

And yes Jim welcome to the site indeed...always great to have another nut case to join us!!

Good stuff fellas, thanks for the warm welcome.

[RSLivingston_III]

GCA brethren,

In light of some recent discussions on how one plays the game, I thought it would be interesting to conduct a brief survey of GCA member's playing preferences.  

1) Do you prefer walking or riding?   Walking
2) Do you use a rangefinder/GPS device to judge distance?   No
3) Do you always play the ball as it lies?  Yes....except when an events rules allow otherwise.
4) At one point is a putt "good?"   Only when given in Match play.
5) Do you keep a handicap?    Yes
6) Do you generally wager?   No
7) Under what weather circumstances will you not play?    Lightening, or when the course is closed
Do you take lessons?
9) Do you generally hit practice balls on the driving range before a round?   Yes
10) Do you use a line on a golf ball to align your putt?   No

[Tom Huckaby]

Ralph:  my experience from this forum and otherwise leads me to believe there is no one more in touch with the "spirit of the game" than you.

Thus it greatly warms my heart to read:

) Do you always play the ball as it lies?  Yes....except when an events rules allow otherwise.

That is a very fine answer.  Again, I just don't get a simple "yes" to this (outsiide of George Pazin, of course, who plays no events and has played less than 50 rounds in his life).

 

[George Pazin]

Ralph:  my experience from this forum and otherwise leads me to believe there is no one more in touch with the "spirit of the game" than you.

Thus it greatly warms my heart to read:

) Do you always play the ball as it lies?  Yes....except when an events rules allow otherwise.

That is a very fine answer.  Again, I just don't get a simple "yes" to this (outsiide of George Pazin, of course, who plays no events and has played less than 50 rounds in his life).

 

Huck, I think you've been sipping too much from Shivas's "Anywhere" chalice.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Tommy N sent me a yip cure once and I think it is time to give it a try. He rolls the ball like Crenshaw, so maybe there is hope yet.
 

Is that the one where you stroke (push) the ball into the hole without a backswing?  Ingrains a flat left wrist?

[Harvey Dickens]

1) Do you prefer walking or riding? Need to walk, but ride.
2) Do you use a rangefinder/GPS device to judge distance? Yes.
3) Do you always play the ball as it lies? In competiton, always.
4) At one point is a putt "good?" When its in the hole, or conceded.
5) Do you keep a handicap? Always.
6) Do you generally wager? Small change.
7) Under what weather circumstances will you not play? Lightning, extreme cold.
 Do you take lessons? Rarely. My lesson money goes to my kids lessons.lol
9) Do you generally hit practice balls on the driving range before a round? I hit before a round and multiple times a week. They will name the range after me one day.
10) Do you use a line on a golf ball to align your putt? Never.

[Kenny Baer]

1) Do you prefer walking or riding? 
Walking; I enjoy golf much less when I have to ride.  When I am playing poorly and riding I feel like I get very little out of my day except the satisfaction of breaking my clubs; when I walk at least I get some good excercise.

2) Do you use a rangefinder/GPS device to judge distance?
I use the ol' hairy eyeball 

3) Do you always play the ball as it lies? 
Only when someone is looking; I typically tee it up every chance I get; people are always astounded by my ability to hit 3 wood out from underneath the lip of a bunker

4) At one point is a putt "good?"   
Inside body length for par; inside the shadow of the flag for bogey; for double......I don't make doubles....I am a single digit handicap

5) Do you keep a handicap? 
Yes

6) Do you generally wager?
Only with people I don't know; I keep checks in my bag from my old bank account
 
7) Under what weather circumstances will you not play? 
When my cutoff jeans no longer keep me warm

8  ) Do you take lessons?
No need; I already know everything 

9) Do you generally hit practice balls on the driving range before a round? 
Only with my Left handed Medicus

10) Do you use a line on a golf ball to align your putt? 
Use a GPS

[Kenny Baer]

Now my Serious answers
1) Do you prefer walking or riding? 
Walking; I will ride but only if I have to.

2) Do you use a rangefinder/GPS device to judge distance?
I have had a Garmin but I didn't trust it; 5-10 yds off can be a big deal on a golf course

3) Do you always play the ball as it lies? 
Depends; I try not to cheat.

4) At one point is a putt "good?"   
In the leather but depends on the situation

5) Do you keep a handicap? 
Yes and I post every score

6) Do you generally wager?
I like to but don't need to.  I play match play 95% of the time and as long as my opponent takes it seriously then I love the competition.
 
7) Under what weather circumstances will you not play? 
Below 45 if it is windy; with no wind anything above freezing I will give it a go.

8  ) Do you take lessons?
I have but don't regularly; I am constantly reading about the golf swing though. 

9) Do you generally hit practice balls on the driving range before a round? 
Yes; I prefer to; especially with the way I have been playing lately.

10) Do you use a line on a golf ball to align your putt? 
Yes, it is how I mark my ball; (A red line....GO DAWGS)

[Richard Choi]

I must say, I am quite disappointed to see all the lying that is going on this tread.

Practically everyone who answered "yes" to "Do you always play the ball as it lies?" is lying. I know that is going to ruffle some feathers, but you are and I am just going to call you on it.

I tried to hint at this by saying that I freely lift my ball if I am about to damage my club or my hands/arms, but it looks like most just ignored it.

The question is NOT "Do you always play the ball as it lies, but lift when the rules allow it?" The question is "Do you ALWAYS play the ball as it lies?" as in ALWAYS, as in NEVER DEVIATES!!!

So you think you always plays as it lies, huh? Well, do you always hit your shots off the cart path when the ball lies on it? No? Well, you just lied. Based on the question and how it is phrased, the ONLY reason your hand should ever touch a ball between tee to to green is if it is lost. If you touched it for ANY REASON WHATSOEVER, even if allowed by rules you are not playing it as it lies.

Did your ball roll into a bush or gorse and did you declare an "unplayable" and took a drop? Well, you didn't play it as it lies. If that is "playing it as it lies" I might as well improve my lie on everyshot and just take a penalty stroke everytime. Is that playing as it lies? I don't think so.

I think many of you really need to adjust your answers.

[Tom Huckaby]

Richard - read back through all of my stuff on this thread and you will see I am with you.  Not that I accused them all of "lying" -I'd prefer to say they misread the question - but yes, you and I are on the same wavelength here.  The "always" in that one rather threw me for a loop as well.

TH

[Kalen Braley]

What baffles me is how so many folks overlooked answering something like:

"Almost Always"
"Most of the time"
"Nearly Always"
Etc, etc....

I guess its one of those GCA.com urban myths like the one where everyone "always" walks when they play. 

[Tom Huckaby]

Kalen:  exactly.  Answer it in any of those ways, or like a few others did referring to rules of events, whatever, and Richard and I keep our knickers from twisting.

But a simple "yes" to that?

Wow that's a perfection I just can't get my head around.

 

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen:  exactly.  Answer it in any of those ways, or like a few others did referring to rules of events, whatever, and Richard and I keep our knickers from twisting.

But a simple "yes" to that?

Wow that's a perfection I just can't get my head around.

 

Tom,

Just look at it this way.  Now you, Richard, and I have something to aspire to.  To "Always" play the ball as it lies...regardless if its...

 - On a cart path
 - In ground under repair
 - Under a gorse bush
 - Lying in casual water on the fairway
 - On the railroad tracks
 - In an old crusty divot
 - 2 feet to the outside of an OB stake.

 

[Tom Huckaby]

The funny thing is, DAN GOLF does exactly that.  Read back.

 

[Carl Nichols]

"I couldn't roll in a putt if there was a trench cut all the way to the hole."

That exact trick worked very well for Bugs Bunny in one of his best movies, My Bunny Lies Over the Sea -- in fact, I think it led to a hole in one, and made his furious opponent McCrory challenge him to a duel on the bagpipes instead. Funniest bit is when Bugs first pops out of the ground and learns that he's in Scotland instead of at the LaBrea Tar Pits: "Scotland?! I knew I should've taken that left turn at Albuquerque!"

They're remaking the movie now as a live action, with Justin Timberlake as Bugs and, well, you know who as McCrory....

Peter

Peter--
I think that's a line used in several Bugs Bunny episodes, often to great comedic effect. 

[Melvyn Morrow]

So East Rider and Big Bull Sitting on Fence Man still having pow-wow.   All talk as usual but little action. 
One still looking for the Big Easy, the other for the Burning Bush with all the answers on how he should play Golf.

I would not be surprised if these two were bankers.

Melvyn 

[Tom Huckaby]

So East Rider and Big Bull Sitting on Fence Man still having pow-wow.   All talk as usual but little action. 
One still looking for the Big Easy, the other for the Burning Bush with all the answers on how he should play Golf.

I would not be surprised if these two were bankers.

Melvyn 

Melvyn, this is really simple - it's just all about the word "always."

I take it you have never picked up your ball after finding it is out of bounds?

 

[JC Jones]

Only after he hit it OB left off #1 tee at TOC.

[Melvyn Morrow]

My dear friend Tom,

Out of Bounds are there for mere mortals and the Professionals. The Elite and morally superior never venture off the course as they know how the game is played.

The air up here is so refined and pure, yet concern is gathering as to how many of the Elite believe themselves to be Napoleon Bonaparte. The count so far is 1499, but for God sake do not mention ‘Waterloo’, it causes havoc and they can’t get out through the windows due to the bars. The French are none to amused either.

Please tell me you don’t drive a MX-5 open top black sports car(t) when you go a golfing.   

Melvyn