130 replies to this topic

[BallPincher]

Tell the story of the best/most impressive you've ever played a round with.

For me, it was 2 years ago when I was still pretty new to golf. I thought I hit it a long way, until this single that caught up joined my group on 16 tee.
He blasted a 5 wood on the first swing I saw into the stratosphere, it came down about a minute later just past my flushed driver (had to be 270-275).

Guy had a decent swing, but the impact sound and the whiz of the ball at that swing speed made a big impression on me. He was all over the flagstick with a wedge and same on the following two par 3's, hitting about 2 clubs less than me. Walked off 18 and I had some inspiration at the driving range the next couple days!

[clewallen]

I play as a single so usually about hole 13 I'll pair up with someone, the other day I paired up with 2 older guys probably 50yrs old...

I out drove him from the tips and he was on whites, so I was like ok no competition he proceded to hit every GIR and no more then a 6ft putt for the remaining holes I was aw-struck, he 1 pitted every hole from 13 out,.. After 18 I asked way he shot and he should be the scorecard...even par 72

[cardoustie]

I've played with some great golfers

Ian Doig (just missed his senior tour card last year)

Gary Koch (talk about a ball striking exhibition)  Shot a 70 in his sleep not even trying while in town for the Cdn Open

Arden Knoll (if he could putt !)  He missed a Nike tour promotion to the PGA when he finished 16th one year.  Hit 18 greens and made nothing, ho hum 68

Brendan Steele (2 rounds at the Gretzky Nationwide event).  What a short game and the putting was unreal

Couple of Cdn Mid Am players .. Dave Bunker and Rob Cowan.  Rob is the son of Gary Cowan.  Dave has been to the final 16 in the US MidAm and has won the Cdn Mid Am 3 times.  Both caps in the +2 to +4 range and I have seen lots of 61 to 64's from them

Got a lesson from Johnny Miller 10 yrs ago and man he hit it PURE.  Super nice guy.  Played the first 3 holes at Pebble against him in a simulator

Spent time on the range next to Moe Norman at Foxwood... WOW

I spent 60 minutes before playing Muirfield Village chatting it up and hitting shots with Chris Perry back in 2001 (what happened to him?).   That was some unconscious ballstriking and a killer driving display

[Titleist 670]

Funny thing is, the best scorers I've played with haven't hit the ball all that impressively - just ridiculously consistent.  Fairways and greens and before you know it they've shot a 36 or 37 on one side without doing anything spectacular.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

I've played with several guys/ladies who have been impressive in their own ways.

I have played with several friends who are + caps, the lowest score I've actually been witness too with any of them was a 68.  Too me it seemed like one of the most amazing rounds of golf I have ever seen, to him it was just a good round.  He may have missed one or two fairways, missed one green and never seemed to stress over a putt.  He never had more than a foot or two for par.

Another friend who isn't as good of player as them, but stil a low single digit..routinely hit's it over 300 yards and in play.  Has a very good and powerful move through ball.   Hits a draw that starts out low and just seems to take off once it gets out to about 75 yards.  Not unlike Dustin Johnson's ball flight.

[scratchswinger]

A few years ago I was playing as a single mid week at a local So Cal course. On the 14th hole I caught up to these two kids with Servite High School team bags. They asked if I would like to join them, I knew that they must be pretty good as Servite is one of the better golf programs in California. One of the kids was heads and shoulders above the other, bombing drives and striping his irons. I think he birdied 3 of the final 5 holes from the tips. We were chatting the entire time and I honestly had no clue who either were, except that one was really good. After the round I went in the Pro shop to post and I was talking to the gentleman working there. He told me that it was Patrick Cantlay and that he was one of the best AM's in the country. I Googled him that evening and the rest is history.

As good as a player Patrick is, I can say that he is truly a nicer person. He was well mannered, polite and very humble for the short time that I spent with him. He has been a player that I root for ever since.

[natural_one]

^awesome story.

As a previous collegiate player, I've seen some real talent playing with SPencer Levin and Charlie Beljan, among other now mini tour pros. It's hard to be impressed the more I play with great players, but it still happens.   They seemed to blend in with the AJGA talent back in 99-02 though.
It wasn't until joining a local country club that I have found myself in awe sometimes...not with low numbers or ball striking, but how these older gentlemen manage to beat the ball around the course and turn in 68-71. It is so delightful (that word makes me want tea and crumpets) to see what I can be doing for the next 2-3 decades.  They'll be 240 off the tee, hit a hybrid that rolls on the green, and either make bird or have a simple two putt par.  Its one of the biggest reasons I love this game so much.

[BuckeyePaul01]

I can't say that I've ever been "wowed" by playing with good players.  Maybe I've never played with anyone THAT good before?...Hahaha



The only time I've been "WOWED" was playing with a competitive long drive guy once during a random pairing.  It was a late afternoon random round and we paired up on the first hile. His scoring wasn't impressive, but he sure hit the hell out of the ball!!  He carried 2 drivers:  1 normal...1 with an extra long shaft.  He admittedly said that he wasn't playing for score, or he wouldn't hit as many drivers.  He said an event was coming up and that he was sick of beating balls on the range and wanted to get out on the course. Overall...hit hit it fairly straight. (except for a few really wild shots)

he said his clubhead speed was 140 and I believe him.
IE......straightaway 460yd par4:  he bombed one inside the 100marker for a flip-wedge 2nd shot...LOL....he hit more than a few 360yds+. My average driver is 280yds and he hit 3-iron as far as my driver.



My favorite/most memorable part of that day:
We'd already played several holes and were thoroughly enjoying each others company and were deep in coversation and sharing golf stories as we waited for a green to clear.  We were playing a short 380yd par4 and our balls were 10' from each other.  I hit driver and he hit 3-iron off the tee...LOL   I was impressed with his length and I was drilling him for stories and I was sharing some of my own.   I mentioned that I had 10 career par4 deuces at the time.   And wouldn't you know it.......I jarred a 100yd 56deg sand wedge right there on that spot, right after we were talking about par4 deuces!!!!!  hahahaha.....it was surreal.  The ball landed a few feet short......took 1 big hop beyond the cup....and zipped in the backdoor.   #11 was in the books.   (12 is my current count)   That was a fun day.....

[highergr0und]

I've played a bit with a solid, traveling + guy..... maybe +2 or so.  His game is complete.  He has a Daly type super long driver swing but crushes it, pretty much 300+.  Probably his weakest area was approach shots, but he was still light years ahead of most people.  Around the green, he could make the ball dance on chips like nobody I've ever seen.  Putting was definitely above average.  Burned the hole on any miss and nothing over 2 feet to clean up.

His main deal with golf is playing high end scrambles....  the types where teams of 4 + guys shoot legit low to mid 50s.

[the_matt5]

Carl Kalinka is probably the best I've ever played with. He's in his mid 50's or so and plays to about a +1. He hits it 240-260 down the middle hits his iron/hybrid on the green and makes the putt or lags it up. Most boring golfer to play with.

I caddy out at The Dunes Club in Michigan and Carl works in the clubhouse. The Dunes Club is only 9 holes, but it's been the best 9 hole course in the country for a while. It's in Golf Digest about once a year. It's owned by the same guy who owns Bandon Dunes. Basically what I'm saying is that it's a very tough course lol

One day Carl went out and played with our pro and shot, I believe it was, a 31. He hit all 9 greens in regulation and the 4 holes he didn't birdie he apparently had putts inside of 15 feet for birdie. He didn't go out and play the back nine because the amateur record is 68 and it's held by a member and since Carl only works in the clubhouse he didn't want to break it.

He's a standup, humble guy. You'll never hear him bragging about his golf game unless someone brings up something he has done.

[BallPincher]

scratchswinger, on 30 August 2012 - 11:33 AM, said:

A few years ago I was playing as a single mid week at a local So Cal course. On the 14th hole I caught up to these two kids with Servite High School team bags. They asked if I would like to join them, I knew that they must be pretty good as Servite is one of the better golf programs in California. One of the kids was heads and shoulders above the other, bombing drives and striping his irons. I think he birdied 3 of the final 5 holes from the tips. We were chatting the entire time and I honestly had no clue who either were, except that one was really good. After the round I went in the Pro shop to post and I was talking to the gentleman working there. He told me that it was Patrick Cantlay and that he was one of the best AM's in the country. I Googled him that evening and the rest is history.

As good as a player Patrick is, I can say that he is truly a nicer person. He was well mannered, polite and very humble for the short time that I spent with him. He has been a player that I root for ever since.

I'm a huge Cantlay fan. Very impressed with his interviews after his course record in 2011, been following him since. Seems like he's got the makeup for a long, successful career.

BuckeyePaul01, on 30 August 2012 - 08:25 PM, said:

I can't say that I've ever been "wowed" by playing with good players.  Maybe I've never played with anyone THAT good before?...Hahaha



The only time I've been "WOWED" was playing with a competitive long drive guy once during a random pairing.  It was a late afternoon random round and we paired up on the first hile. His scoring wasn't impressive, but he sure hit the hell out of the ball!!  He carried 2 drivers:  1 normal...1 with an extra long shaft.  He admittedly said that he wasn't playing for score, or he wouldn't hit as many drivers.  He said an event was coming up and that he was sick of beating balls on the range and wanted to get out on the course. Overall...hit hit it fairly straight. (except for a few really wild shots)

he said his clubhead speed was 140 and I believe him.
IE......straightaway 460yd par4:  he bombed one inside the 100marker for a flip-wedge 2nd shot...LOL....he hit more than a few 360yds+. My average driver is 280yds and he hit 3-iron as far as my driver.



My favorite/most memorable part of that day:
We'd already played several holes and were thoroughly enjoying each others company and were deep in coversation and sharing golf stories as we waited for a green to clear.  We were playing a short 380yd par4 and our balls were 10' from each other.  I hit driver and he hit 3-iron off the tee...LOL   I was impressed with his length and I was drilling him for stories and I was sharing some of my own.   I mentioned that I had 10 career par4 deuces at the time.   And wouldn't you know it.......I jarred a 100yd 56deg sand wedge right there on that spot, right after we were talking about par4 deuces!!!!!  hahahaha.....it was surreal.  The ball landed a few feet short......took 1 big hop beyond the cup....and zipped in the backdoor.   #11 was in the books.   (12 is my current count)   That was a fun day.....

Sounds very similar to my experience. Funny how I considered myself long until this guy came around. Congrats on the eagle, only have one wedge holeout myself on a 5, but I'm still shooting low 80s in my 4th year.

the_matt5, on 30 August 2012 - 09:54 PM, said:

Carl Kalinka is probably the best I've ever played with. He's in his mid 50's or so and plays to about a +1. He hits it 240-260 down the middle hits his iron/hybrid on the green and makes the putt or lags it up. Most boring golfer to play with.

I caddy out at The Dunes Club in Michigan and Carl works in the clubhouse. The Dunes Club is only 9 holes, but it's been the best 9 hole course in the country for a while. It's in Golf Digest about once a year. It's owned by the same guy who owns Bandon Dunes. Basically what I'm saying is that it's a very tough course lol

One day Carl went out and played with our pro and shot, I believe it was, a 31. He hit all 9 greens in regulation and the 4 holes he didn't birdie he apparently had putts inside of 15 feet for birdie. He didn't go out and play the back nine because the amateur record is 68 and it's held by a member and since Carl only works in the clubhouse he didn't want to break it.

He's a standup, humble guy. You'll never hear him bragging about his golf game unless someone brings up something he has done.

Awesome story. I've heard of the Dunes club, probably in an issue of GD. Would have been awesome to witness that round.

[Rock Chalk Jayhawk]

I played with a guy that shot a 43 on TW golf on xbox. It was pretty insane.

[MadGolfer76]

I played a round with a (then) New Brunswick mid-am champion, and a guy who had played some mini-tour events. Mid-am shoots 68, mini-tour shoots 64. I shot 74 and felt like a burden. lol

What I recall is that they really had control of their ball. Could work it either way at will, and made consistently solid contact - impact sounded different. I hit it longer off the tee, but not as long on irons - that was weird at the time, but I know why now. Mid-am seemed to hit irons about twenty feet high at most, but stopped on a dime no further than 15 feet from the hole all the time. He hit some shots that I never thought would stop where they did.

I remember mini-tour kind of bit down on the ball, even with driver. Teed it low and really appeared to have a negative angle, but rarely missed a fairway on a VERY tight course. He wasn't short by any means, but kind of hit worm-squirters that would start straight and fade or draw on the way down. Either shape started out at the same height, so you couldn't really tell what shot he had hit until it started coming down. Both of them hit their irons about 5-10 yards further than me, despite me being able to clear even their best drives by about 10 yards. Lesson learned there.

Both of them appeared to have fairly unorthodox short games. They didn't miss much in regulation, but mini-tour did miss 1 green in the sand. Getting out, he kind of stuck the club in the sand even though he had a good lie and "stunned" the ball out to a foot. lol It was pretty much the opposite of what you actually would want to do, be he made it work.

Putting was really interesting. They didn't miss very much. The ball always looked like it was going to go in - even when it didn't. The only really long putts they had were on par 5's where they hit on in two, and always lagged it close. Didn't take a lot of time over things either, just saw the line and pulled the trigger. The whole round didn't take very long - seemed to move fast.

[heavybladed]

Last February (IIRC) I played with a few random guys including a tall quiet young guy and his dad. This kid was the best overall player I've ever seen. I should have been clued off by the Mizuno butter knives and the 905 driver, no hybrid. It was about 42* and pretty calm and this kid carried driver 300+ yards several times, including a downhill hole that wound up an easy 350. And yes, he could putt too. he eagled 2 of the par 5's including a 550 yarder with 3 wood, long iron. It was silly. I found out later in the round he has a scholarship waiting at a major  college. When he hit the ball it made that "hiss" off the club face and did that slow climb, really impressive stuff to watch. I figured at the time he must have shot 67 or 68. And there was still ice on some of the greens. I think his name was Kyle something.

[oldpalchamp]

About 40 years ago, I was working in a Washington, DC nightclub and got friendly with a couple of club pros.  One of them had a friend who had been on tour and was coming home for a while.  I got to be friendly with him and played more than a few rounds of golf with him.  He was head and shoulders better than the club pros I knew and could hit any shot he needed.  His name was Randy Morris and he was really good!

[wcm115]

I grew up playing baseball and a little golf in the off season. Not much competitive golf. By the time I graduated High School, I was around scratch at my home course and burnt out on baseball. I decided that instead of playing college baseball, I would try to walk on to the college golf team. The University that I went to is D1 and in the SEC. Going in, I thought that these guys were all around scratch golfers and thus would shoot around par most days. My first week there I was at the School's course and they paired me with an upcoming freshman who got a full scholarship. We played the back tees at the 7,000 yard course. I played really well and shot a 71. The guy I played with shot the easiest 64 I have ever seen. It was Driver-Wedge to 5 feet on every hole. Par 5's were Driver-3 wood and 2 putt for birdie. I realized really quick that there is a huge difference between a "home course scratch golfer" and an SEC Golfer. The guy is on the NGA tour right now. Making cuts but not tearing it up by any means.

[Another Steelers Fan]

Nothing very impressive. Mike Terry who used to play RB at Va. Tech and ends up being a pretty good golfer. Plays in W.V. Amatuer level events.

First time I played 9 holes with him he shot a 32.

Second time we played I was only 1 stroke back of him after 4 holes. He then drove the green on a par 4 hole # 5 and made the eagle putt to get back to even par. He then birdied the last 4 holes to finish at 32 again.

I did not.

[Sliceapotomus]

I was invited with to go as a guest with a good friend of mine that was a member at Meadowbrook Country Club in Richmond, VA.

We get to the pro shop and I am fairly new to golf and wasnt quite a hack, but I wasnt gonna be confused for Tiger Woods. The pro shop tells us we will be paired with two members.

So of course, me being new, I was nervous and not liking that idea. We get to the tee box and a guy comes out decked to the 9's and has a nice bag and shakes my hand like a grown man and introduces himself as John.

We go on to tee off, I actually hit a great ball... but he absolutely MASHES the ball and it just seemed like a different sound and look than anything I had ever seen. Long story short, he goes on to shoot 7 under that day. I had never witnessed an under par round in person, let alone 7 under.

We hop in the car and my buddy is grinning from ear to ear and we start chatting about that John guy and how good he was. My buddy chuckles and says, that was John Rollins. PGA Tour player John Rollins. I was shocked and stunned and mad I didnt get him to sign my hat.

[tembolo1284]

I played with lee janzen at bay hill 3 years ago. I pretended I didn't know who he was.  He was playing with 2 buddies of his.
He shot 67 from the tips. I played from the tips and shot 73. I was thrilled.  He looked generally sleepy and sluggish out there and he still posted up
such a good score. Just bananas.

[Willie Malay]

Local college kid. Number one on the team. I played a good bit with him when he was in high school. I could play with him then. Now, not so much

[BrianL99]

I've played with a couple of pretty good plays.

1996 U.S. Open winner, Steve Jones.  He was on his way to a mini-tour event in NH, back before he made the PGA Tour.  Played a quick 9 on a public course he had never seen.  Shot a 31.

Played with Grant Waite last year, in a practice round for the Transitions Qualifier.  Not a great day for him, playing wise.  One of the nicest, funniest guys ever.

Friend of mine, played #1 at Notre Dame & a few years on the Asian Tour & the Canadian Tour.  Took him to my home club, first time on the course (73.4/139), shot 67, which is the course record (& our head pro was an exempt Champions Tour Player).

A friend of mine, 2 time Honorable Mention All-American, 1st round leader at the 1975 NCAA Championship (ahead of Jerry Pate, Craig Stadler, Jay Haas, Curtis Strange, Phil Hancock, Lindy Miller, Bob Byrum, Vance Heafner) ... it was a good year)  Played with him most every day, one summer.  Only guy I've ever played with, that people would turn around to see who hit the ball that sounded so loud, with his Low-Trac Titleist Balatas & MacGregor Persimmon Driver.  His ball striking made an amazing sound, he was an awesome player.  Took him to a local private course for a quick 9 holes, at a club that was the host for a Senior Tour event for many years.  Shot a smooth 30, the first time he saw the course.

[pencilwhipper]

One of my best golf buds has a smash factor of 1.8.... need i say more?

[WildDog06]

Man, all these stories and the best I remember is a middle aged guy playing pretty boring golf. After a several pars in a row I asked what he usually shot, and the response was "mid 70s or so". I don't remember what he finished with, but it was kind of eye opening.

[ScottyMCN]

Several years ago I was playing Murphy Creek just a few weeks before the US Pub links was to be held there and I was paired up with with this tall, skinny, pasty white Canadian who had clubs that looked like clubs you would get in a box set at Walmart.  They had maple leafs on them and have never seen or heard of these clubs since.  Anyways the guy was playing from the 7,548 yard tips.  He hit irons of the first 2 tees so I couldn't really tell how well he could hit it, but the 3rd hole is a par 5 measuring 640 yards with a right to left wind.  The guy, who said he rarely played since he just had a baby with his wife, hits driver then backspins a 7 iron 240 yards to 6 feet.  He 2 putted for a bird.  I do not know what he shot, but he was probably around par on the day.  His putting was definitely a little rusty, but I will never forgot the bombs he hit.  He told me the secret to his distance was that he grew up playing a lot of racquetball.

[Neurotica]

http://suncountry.pg...icoopen/page_2/

John Kienle was my golf coach when I lived in Albuquerque several years ago and he went and played with me and another of his students for fun one day.  He shot an easy 67 with an eagle and 3 birdies that day on a par 72 course.  He was a former New Mexico Open winner.

Great putter and short game.

I eagled the first hole and ended up shooting a 81 which was pretty good for me then.

[Locked]

Titleist 670, on 30 August 2012 - 11:13 AM, said:

Funny thing is, the best scorers I've played with haven't hit the ball all that impressively - just ridiculously consistent.  Fairways and greens and before you know it they've shot a 36 or 37 on one side without doing anything spectacular.

This... I play with a +2 a couple of times a year.  He's shot under par on his home course (rating 72, slope 130)  the last 3 times we played.  Never once did I feel like he did anything spectacular.  It almost feels like hes barely better than I am and then at the end of the day I shot a 90 and he shot a 71... its incredible how well you can score when you just NEVER screw up.

[Bonesaw]

played with a guy from a college golf team.  THrough the first 6 I think I was tied with him at one or two over and I was thinking I could play with this guy.  Then on 7 he said "I'm gonna knock this stiff" on a 205 yard par 3.  which he did.  He birdied that one and the next 5 holes after that.

[Shipwreck]

A couple of really good friends of mine, Eric Rustand and his brother Clark Rustand. Eric was a former PGA player back in the mid 90's and would consistently out drive John Daly. A hand injury ended his US PGA career but he played a little on the Euro and Asian tour. Clark was the 2004 Utah State Am winner and an NJCAA All American golfer as well as an Arizona All State and All Region player in High School. Ridiculously consistent and solid. If he shoots 70 he is upset....

[squarre]

^{I grew up playing with Larry Nelson's son and have played with Larry a pretty fair number of times.  It is unbelievable how good he hits the golf ball.  When he hits range balls, every single shot has the same ball flight and lands in the area covered by a towel.  He was never a great putter.  I always wonder how many times he would have won if he had been even an average putter on tour.}  

[Yuck]

Keep in mind based on my age, My golf was with an older crew.  I grew up in Florida, so we got to play with lots of folks "before they were famous".

Believe it or not, Andy Bean was the most impressive I played with.  He was very long in the late 70's, great ball striker, great talent.  I have played other tour players prior to their PGA Tour Careers, including Paul Azinger, Lee Janzen, Rocco Mediate,, Marco Dawson,   (Florida Southern had the team to beat in Div 2 NCAA back then).  Also Nolen Henke, Calc & Rick Smith.   Janzen was one I played with many times but he was several years younger than me.  At that stage of his development, he was a great putter, but the rest of the game was not "amazing".    I would not have guessed that Azinger and Janzen would be the Major winners of the folks I had played with.  Some people you have never heard of were more impressive when they were young.  (Nobody remembers Eddie Pearce, but he was quite a player in the mid 70's)