The VP and Speaker discuss Sand Hills and Dismal

[Dave Herrick]

If, as Jim Colton states, the Speaker is indeed a 7-8 handicap, what are the chances that he shoots a 71 at Dismal River or Sand Hills, (even from the Palin-Bachmann teeing areas)? According to the Pope of Slope website the odds of a 6-12 handicap shooting 7 under his handicap are 1200 to 1. Based on how much he plays (judging purely by his tan), I’m guessing he has this kind of round only once every 4 or 5 years.

[John Kavanaugh]

If, as Jim Colton states, the Speaker is indeed a 7-8 handicap, what are the chances that he shoots a 71 at Dismal River or Sand Hills, (even from the Palin-Bachmann teeing areas)? According to the Pope of Slope website the odds of a 6-12 handicap shooting 7 under his handicap are 1200 to 1. Based on how much he plays (judging purely by his tan), I’m guessing he has this kind of round only once every 4 or 5 years.

If the wind is not blowing both Dismal and Sand Hills are very tame courses.  My (age plus fitness quotient)/handicap is similar to the Speaker's and have shot one under at Dismal.

It is all about the wind.  On our trip to Valentine where I had a similar experience to the Speakers.  I shot 16 over on the Pines the first day and 1 over on the Dunes the second.  Three club winds make a difference that the pope of slope can't get his hat around.

[Howard Riefs]

If, as Jim Colton states, the Speaker is indeed a 7-8 handicap, what are the chances that he shoots a 71 at Dismal River or Sand Hills, (even from the Palin-Bachmann teeing areas)? According to the Pope of Slope website the odds of a 6-12 handicap shooting 7 under his handicap are 1200 to 1. Based on how much he plays (judging purely by his tan), I’m guessing he has this kind of round only once every 4 or 5 years.

Colton's correct. The Speaker had/has a 7.9 index according to Golf Digest. More on his game from the NYT (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/us/politics/18obama.html) this summer:

Mr. Boehner typically shoots in the low to mid-80s (Mr. Obama is in the low to mid-90s), but recently posted a round of 75, one source familiar with his game said. He swings right-handed, but putts left-handed.

More impressively, the VP holds a 6.3 index and only picked up the game when he was 49.

Mr. Biden, 68, did not take up golf until he was 49, recovering from two operations for an aneurism, and his doctor told him that one of the few things he could do for exercise would be to hit golf balls. A friend of his would drive him to a restaurant in Oxford, Pa., that sat on a golf course. It was there that Mr. Biden began developing his game.

Mr. Biden now has such a low handicap — his idea of stress release is to hit buckets of golf balls at a driving range — that he and his aides have been a little worried that it could put him at a disadvantage on Saturday.

[Sam Morrow]

Made The Drudge Report, good job Chris and crew!

[Jim_Coleman]

   If golf is the window to a man's soul, John Boehner is doomed.  According to GHIN, he carries an 8.6 handicap, with a few mid 80's postings over the summer.  What are the odds of an 11 handicap shooting a 69?  About the same as Boehner backing a tax increase for the super rich, I'd say.

[Tim Martin]

If, as Jim Colton states, the Speaker is indeed a 7-8 handicap, what are the chances that he shoots a 71 at Dismal River or Sand Hills, (even from the Palin-Bachmann teeing areas)? According to the Pope of Slope website the odds of a 6-12 handicap shooting 7 under his handicap are 1200 to 1. Based on how much he plays (judging purely by his tan), I’m guessing he has this kind of round only once every 4 or 5 years.

Colton's correct. The Speaker had/has a 7.9 index according to Golf Digest. More on his game from the NYT (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/us/politics/18obama.html) this summer:

Mr. Boehner typically shoots in the low to mid-80s (Mr. Obama is in the low to mid-90s), but recently posted a round of 75, one source familiar with his game said. He swings right-handed, but putts left-handed.

More impressively, the VP holds a 6.3 index and only picked up the game when he was 49.

Mr. Biden, 68, did not take up golf until he was 49, recovering from two operations for an aneurism, and his doctor told him that one of the few things he could do for exercise would be to hit golf balls. A friend of his would drive him to a restaurant in Oxford, Pa., that sat on a golf course. It was there that Mr. Biden began developing his game.

Mr. Biden now has such a low handicap — his idea of stress release is to hit buckets of golf balls at a driving range — that he and his aides have been a little worried that it could put him at a disadvantage on Saturday.

Based on the VP`s love affair with the Hair Club for Men and listening to himself pontificate over mundane matters I`m sure that 6.3 is pure vanity. Yeah it`s great at state dinners and fundraising cocktail parties but I`m sure he gets ironed out if he`s giving anybody two a side. As far as the speaker goes how can you trust anybody that cries that much.

[Will Lozier]

They will still get nothing but won't know it until they are half way home.

John,

You sound like a great boss...so empathic. 

[Andy Stamm]

If, as Jim Colton states, the Speaker is indeed a 7-8 handicap, what are the chances that he shoots a 71 at Dismal River or Sand Hills, (even from the Palin-Bachmann teeing areas)? According to the Pope of Slope website the odds of a 6-12 handicap shooting 7 under his handicap are 1200 to 1. Based on how much he plays (judging purely by his tan), I’m guessing he has this kind of round only once every 4 or 5 years.

If the wind is not blowing both Dismal and Sand Hills are very tame courses.  My (age plus fitness quotient)/handicap is similar to the Speaker's and have shot one under at Dismal.

It is all about the wind.  On our trip to Valentine where I had a similar experience to the Speakers.  I shot 16 over on the Pines the first day and 1 over on the Dunes the second.  Three club winds make a difference that the pope of slope can't get his hat around.

I won't get into questioning a man's handicap/score/integrity, but for a man of his handicap shooting that kind of round at that kind of course; that's definitely a 1200 to 1 (or thereabouts) event. I wish I had some action down!

[Chris Johnston]

Lads

They may not agree on much, but they both enjoy golf.  Thats a good thing.

Speaker Boehner said it was his best score in a decade and one of his best ever.  The following day, he was well above his handicap.

[Jim_Coleman]

    If his handicap is 10 (which is what an 8.4 probably is at Dismal), and he shot two under (which is what he claims), his odds of doing that (12 under his handicap) are around 200,000 to one or more (as the USGA says beating one's handicap by 10 as a 10 is 84,000 to one).  In other words, HE CHEATS!  Oh well, so did Clinton.

[Eric Smith]

Who are you who are so wise in the ways of science?

[Chris Johnston]

    If his handicap is 10 (which is what an 8.4 probably is at Dismal), and he shot two under (which is what he claims), his odds of doing that (12 under his handicap) are around 200,000 to one or more (as the USGA says beating one's handicap by 10 as a 10 is 84,000 to one).  In other words, HE CHEATS!  Oh well, so did Clinton.

I can't vouch for John's handicap but can vouch for the score!  A one in a lifetime round - no mulligans - he made every putt!

[Tim Bert]

Jim - there are more than 200,000 rounds of golf played every year. Which means that every year some people are going to legitimately destroy their handicap in one round. It doesn't mean they are cheating.  Particularly when he did it in a likely meaningless round at Dismal River. Long odds means highly unlikely. It doesn't mean it doesn't happen. There are longer odds to win the Powerball but people win it. Did they cheat?

This one rubs me in a personal way because I took some grief for shooting a 76 as a 15 handicap (13 index) in the C flight of my club championship about 10 years ago. Everyone was questioning the score. First off, why the heck would anyone sandbag to get into the C flight of a club championship when there is a $75 prize on the line?  Second off I had a career round and it sucks to have listen to other people bitch when you are enjoying one of the great moments of your crappy golfing career. For the record I shot 87 the next day and haven't come within 2 strokes of that personal best since even though My index was as low as 8.9 five years later.

Some people have an occasional exceptional round of golf. When 20 guys in your member guest a shoot 5 strokes below their handicap there is probably some sandbagging and cheating going on. When one guys goes "low" in one round and hasnt done so for years and likely won't do it for several more then it just might be possible the guy had a once in a lifetime day.

[Terry Lavin]

I won't accuse the Speaker of anything here except having good judgment!  He picked a great region to try out for the first time and like most who have ventured to those golf hustings, he had a great time. I wish he could rein in the no-aholics in the tea party but I won't begrudge him a great round. Cheers!

[Jim_Coleman]

     All I know is, if I were his handicap chairman, I'd have a problem.  The guy has a reputation for playing a lot of golf.  He's posted 6 scores this year.  I suspect he probably shot what he says he shot.  I also suspect he's better than a 10.  Let's see if the 69 shows up in his postings.

[John Kavanaugh]

     All I know is, if I were his handicap chairman, I'd have a problem.  The guy has a reputation for playing a lot of golf.  He's posted 6 scores this year.  I suspect he probably shot what he says he shot.  I also suspect he's better than a 10.  Let's see if the 69 shows up in his postings.

Neither Sand Hills or Dismal have a rating or slope. He can not post his scores even if he wanted to.

[Chris Johnston]

     All I know is, if I were his handicap chairman, I'd have a problem.  The guy has a reputation for playing a lot of golf.  He's posted 6 scores this year.  I suspect he probably shot what he says he shot.  I also suspect he's better than a 10.  Let's see if the 69 shows up in his postings.

Neither Sand Hills or Dismal have a rating or slope. He can not post his scores even if he wanted to.

I just finished playing the Jack course with the Doak guys, Ben Sims, and Dirt's sidekick, Robert.  Made five birdies and missed 3-4 others.  I'm not that good, it certainly can be done. 

[John Kavanaugh]

Chris,

You went too far this time and the course is to easy.  Kill some grass and grow some weeds, we can't be letting people have that much fun!

[Peter Pallotta]

Boy, those changes JN's team came back to make must've been massive - they apparently turned a penal slog into a strategic fun fest. Glad the Speaker didn't play the course before the changes - he'd have shot 110 and been in a terrible mood back in Washington.

Peter

[Chris DeNigris]

Jim Coleman- I hope you're being at least somewhat tougue in cheek 

Two years ago a buddy who's a legit 16 shot a career round 76 at Southern Dunes (AZ)...I played with him so I know he didn't cheat...

I bet everyone's got similar stories about either their best rounds or someone they know.  Cool stuff happens once in awhile.

[Jason Walker]

Chris-
just saw it happen two weeks ago.  I was playing a club match and a twosome joined us.  Both long time members, one a 10 CH and another a 7 CH.  The 7 proceeds to shoot 32 on the front nine with a missed four-footer on eight, and 36 on the back, for a smooth 4 under par 68.   When he was four under through six it was like watching a no-hitter.  He finally cracked at the turn and drove up to the clubhouse to brag!  We thought he'd be lucky to break 80 after that but he held it together.  He must have made 130 feet of putts and got 3-4 unbelievable bounces so there was plenty of luck.  Our group had a blast the whole round and more fun in the bar.

[Sam Morrow]

My Father fluctuated between a 32 and 36 handicap. He sucked but liked to play and play quickly. One day (about 13 or 14 years ago) we were playing the then Links at Tenwood, outside Houston. He went out in 34. So he turns in 2 under, pars 10, birdies 11, 3 under through 11. Still shoots 51 on the back.

Flukes happen.

[Jim_Coleman]

   Yes, I'm being a little tongue in cheek.  It's pretty easy to push a few buttons here some times.  Figured I could piss off some budget balancers.  Oh well, they all can't be winners.

[Tim Martin]

I played in a club tournament last year with a match play format. 6 teams in each flight with 5 nine hole matches. A 16 handicap shot even par 36 gross and 31 net. It was actually fun to watch even as an opponent. Shit happens.

[John Kavanaugh]

I can't imagine what my handicap would be if I had to play the majority of my golf with lobbyist and politicians.