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Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Why I Love Links Golf
« on: June 26, 2016, 06:08:39 PM »
I just finished two days of golf at the Erie Country (NY) Amateur. Thanks to @MichaelClayto15 for a hilarious (to me) back and forth on the Tweet just prior to my teeing off. He convinced me to abandon my "going out to have fun and see what happens" attitude with "grind my backside off and hope I don't choke." The proof was in the scorecard, as I improved 6 strokes from RD1 to RD2.


That's not the purpose of this thread. Here are the highlights. 40 yards out on the par 4 second in two, I tossed a wedge 25 yards and watched it bound toward the green, onto the green, along a ridge and into the hole for 3. I repeated that shot at least seven times on the day. None of them holed out, but every one of them got to within one-putt distance, and I made all the putts.


Where was this gem of a course? Grover Cleveland g.c., in Buffalo, NY, all 5600 yards of it. The greens were close to baked, the fairways ran fast and hard, and the uncertainty was the brilliance of the day. My score was one stroke off the low of the day, but I'm fairly certain that I was the only guy who teed off with 4 iron on seven of the driving holes, to position myself to properly approach the greens.


Oh, and the wind was blowing with strength, and golfers with high ball flights were struggling. I had a blast knocking the ball down and watching it release. There's nothing like it. I write this because you can usually find this type of golf at our local municipal courses, unless they're under budget and decide to water the fark out of the fairways.


In the end, the sun will probably melt us all, or it will die off and we will ice-cube to death. In the interim, however, these days of bound and run are delicious and I hope that you have your share of them.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2016, 06:45:03 AM by Ronald Montesano »
Coming in 2024
~Elmira Country Club
~Soaring Eagles
~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!

Peter Pallotta

Re: Why I Love Links Golf
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2016, 06:38:18 PM »
Thanks, Ron. Good post, and congratulations on a fine round.

Yes, I do hope that I have my share of those types of days; but even more, I hope to borrow your golf game for a while so that I can actually enjoy them!

But as I was going to post on the "your best 36 hole day" thread, both in terms of golf courses to be played and my own (still mediocre) golf game, I remain hopeful that, to paraphrase the Chairman of the Board: "The best is yet to come and won't it be fine; the best is yet to come the day a sub-par round is mine...."
« Last Edit: June 26, 2016, 06:49:06 PM by Peter Pallotta »

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Why I Love Links Golf
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2016, 08:02:00 PM »
Pietro/Pedro,


Thanks for the good wishes. The engine was firing today, inspired by some of the kids that I coach. I'm no Brad Tufts, but I hope to be one day :)


This round, these conditions, remind me that great, traditional golf can be had in a variety of locales. Is it the same as being by the sea, on the sand? Not 100%, but it's pretty awesome. Is it for everyone? Not yet, but I'll keep trying to convince people.


Our County Executive is a staunch supporter of golf and inaugurated the county championship five years ago (commemorating the 100th anniversary of the US Open held at Grover, at the time the CC of Buffalo.) It alternates between Grover and Elma Meadows, a 6500-yard, parkland track. It is a terrific event, not our district championship, but a great event.
Coming in 2024
~Elmira Country Club
~Soaring Eagles
~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Why I Love Links Golf
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2016, 04:19:13 AM »
"Bound and run", a lovely description of my favourite type of golf. A great equaliser is b&r, brings the brain into play more than other forms of the game imo. Best b&r golfer of all time, debatable, but I'd take Peter Thomson every time.


If you fancy a short, cunning, tight, firm, bouncy, humpy/bumpy, small bunkers, heather and gorse, small green links course this is pretty tasty example and shouldn't be ignored if you're in town to play Big Brother next door - http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,53841.0.html


"Grind my backside off and don't choke", great advice for multi-round events from Mike C, someone who should know coz when your playing for money and the mortgage things ought to be a bit different to a one round all guns blazing bash and thrash with your mates.


Atb

Carl Johnson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Why I Love Links Golf
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2016, 09:25:05 PM »
(1) Straight misses are really good shots, and I hit lots of them; and (2) playing the bump and runs on long or short approaches, off mounds, side hills, etc., are fun.

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Why I Love Links Golf
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2016, 10:29:07 PM »
(1) Concur
(2) Agree
Coming in 2024
~Elmira Country Club
~Soaring Eagles
~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!