145 replies to this topic

[idrive]

Sean2, on 01 November 2012 - 08:58 PM, said:

Imagine if this gentleman, i.e., starter, worked in a golf shop. He'd ask to see your GHIN card before you purchased a set of irons to insure you were purchasing a set suitable to your HI.

Even worse,  In His opinion....

[Veng]

Fourmyle of Ceres, on 31 October 2012 - 01:01 PM, said:

There's a guy used to be a member of my club. Older fellow, very opinionated and very "sharing" of his opinions. One day he lectured me all the way from the tee to the green on a Par 3 about how I was making the typical high-handicapper's mistake of never taking enough club and coming up 40 feet short of the hole. He barely paused for breath for me to stroke my 40-foot putt into the hole for birdie.

I was still walking up to retrieve my ball when he picked up right where he left off with explaining it didn't matter whether I made the putt, I was still going to have to learn my lesson and take an extra club, yada, yada, yada. When he was done I said "Thanks!" just as though he had said "Nice bird" which he did not.

I'm confused, so your intent was to land the ball 40 feet short of the hole and make a 40 foot put instead of being closer to the hole?

[eric42434224]

Veng, on 02 November 2012 - 09:32 AM, said:

Fourmyle of Ceres, on 31 October 2012 - 01:01 PM, said:

There's a guy used to be a member of my club. Older fellow, very opinionated and very "sharing" of his opinions. One day he lectured me all the way from the tee to the green on a Par 3 about how I was making the typical high-handicapper's mistake of never taking enough club and coming up 40 feet short of the hole. He barely paused for breath for me to stroke my 40-foot putt into the hole for birdie. I was still walking up to retrieve my ball when he picked up right where he left off with explaining it didn't matter whether I made the putt, I was still going to have to learn my lesson and take an extra club, yada, yada, yada. When he was done I said "Thanks!" just as though he had said "Nice bird" which he did not.

I'm confused, so your intent was to land the ball 40 feet short of the hole and make a 40 foot put instead of being closer to the hole?

I doubt it is anyones intent to hit it other than as close to the pin as possible/reasonable on every hole.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

No, my intent was to hit the ball into the middle of the green which is pretty close to what I did. I actually came up about five yards short of the middle which is why I had a 40-footer instead of a 25-footer. It's a Par 3 with a pond between the tee and green and then the pond wraps all the way around the left side of the green. Then a huge bunker along almost the entire right side of the hole and a severe falloff if you go over the green (into the same hazard).

Now admittedly it's only a 7-iron (or 6-iron if I want to reach the back half of the green) but experience has taught me that as a 19-handicapper the best "strategy" (if you can call it that) is to pull out that 7-iron and aim for the dead center of the green no matter where they put the hole. Lots of two-putt pars, if I miss the green I usually come up in the front fringe and make par or bogey. And about three or four times a year a decent length putt goes in the hole.

So my intent was to use my putter for my second stroke no matter what. No penalty drop, no bunker shot, no recovery shot. If it could be four feet instead of forty that would be great. But if I can mishit an iron and still be putting that's fine by me.

Out of 27 holes at our course I'd say there are at least a dozen where the old adage about high handicappers always "take one more club" or "club for the back of the green" is awful advice. Not many of them have water hazards around the green (just two Par 3's and two Par 5's with greenside water hazards) but a lot of them you can use your putter from 20 yards short of the green if you're so inclined and if you land a ball in the back fringe it's one bad hop from being absolutely dead and resulting in a double-bogey. This old guy was going to trot out that generic advice any time he saw someone come up 10-15 yards short of the hole, no matter what the actual situation. He "reminded" of the exact same word for word thing on quite a few other occasions as well.

[eric42434224]

I agree completely.  As an 18 HI, I have been told, and agree with, the strategy that I should be aiming to the center of the green on longer approach shots.....especially with tough pin placements and hazards surrounding the green.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

eric,

I play like half my rounds in scorekeeping circumstances (like in the morning dogfight games or whatever) and I pretty religiously apply the hacker-safe strategy in those rounds. Then when I'm out by myself with nothing on the line I indulge in the more fun shots where I try to pick exactly the shot to get close to the hole and don't worry so much about the occasional ball in the water or triple-bogey after shortsiding myself badly.

My bunker game is so bad that I usually have to add one more part of the "middle of green". If reaching the middle of the green means hitting a 150-yard shot over a bunker I'll usually just play short of the green on the side away from the bunker. I'll have a sand save for par occasionally but unfortunately I'll also blade one into oblivion or take two to get out of the bunker once in a while as well.

I used to try "back of the green" as my aiming point but eventually learned that nothing's more frustrating than a round where you actually hit it solidly all day and keep leaving long putts from above the hole. So middle of the green is best all around, I think.

Edited by Fourmyle of Ceres, 02 November 2012 - 10:14 AM.

[cb24]

buzlin, on 31 October 2012 - 12:18 PM, said:

Wanted to get your opinion on a Marshall’s comments throughout my round yesterday.  At the time I wasn’t that concerned, but along the same lines as not offering unsolicited advice, or other golf etiquette faux pas , I wondered if what he said was inappropriate.

He called me out on my irons multiple times during the round (7.7 index playing MP-69s).  After he looked at my bag and asking my index, he went on a long ramble about how I shouldn’t be playing blades and gave the familiar reasons before we tee’d off.  Then midway through the round, he again stated that I was playing the wrong clubs and that “even the pros don’t play blades”, “golf is hard enough”, “you should be playing cavity backs”, etc, etc, etc….

I’ve been playing golf for 15+ years, and have a lot of reasons that I play blades (for now), and didn’t really feel like going into detail with him other than to defend myself by saying, “yeah, I know, you’re right”.   In retrospect, it really feels like he was talking trash in a friendly manner, if that makes sense.

What do you guys think? Cool or not cool? No big deal? How would you have responded?

not cool at all.  I wouldnt ever offer that opinion to anyone.  If someone asked and i felt that way I would at least find a better way to communicate.  Sounds like he needs to focus on his own game more than the equipment.

He deserved a "Cool Story Bro "

[roll - gybe]

stage1350, on 31 October 2012 - 01:53 PM, said:

General response to off the wall crap like this:

"Well, my grandfather lived to be over 100."

by playing blades?

"No.  By minding his own f-ing business."

Haha.  I will have to apply that one at some point.

I would have asked the guy, "How's pace of play today?  Crappy like usual?"

[dlygrisse]

jamie79766, on 31 October 2012 - 04:57 PM, said:

I know this isn't the popular opinion but the starter is absolutely correct.  I am a 3.2 index and I play Ping Eye 2+ irons and have tried just about every other iron that's ever been introduced, including all the Mizuno MP lines.  For kicks, the other day I threw my Mizuno MP-32 irons in the bag.  Immediately I noticed the difference in how unforgiving the MP-32s are compared to the Ping Eye 2s.

The biggest difference is in the toe hit.  A toe hit with a blade loses a tremendous amount of distance, much more than a cavity back.

One of my regular playing partners is a 12 handicap and he plays the Mizuno MP-69 irons.  It's ridiculous, really.  I would guess that he loses a minimum of 4 strokes per round simply from the use of said irons.

Blades are about ego, posturing and pretty much nothing else.  Sure, they feel good when hit directly on the center of the clubface but they feel equally as terrible when hit slightly off center, which is what occurs most of the time for the non-scratch golfer.

Now, I know that I'll get a lot of flack for the above statement but I would challenge you to be honest with yourselves.   Are you REALLY playing blades because of their feel and workability?  I think a much more plausible explanation would be that it is ego-driven.  You want to be seen as a player.  For whatever reason, your "player" image to others on the course has become more important than what most people consider to be the whole point of the game--scoring.

Cheers.

Yes but a heel hit with a blade is generally more forgiving than with an Eye 2.  I have played both Mizuno blades and Eye 2's, the Pings are great on toe hits...you are correct, but hit one on the heel and you might has well shanked it, no forgivness on the shaft side of the sweet spot.  So it really depends on your game and what you like, what your misses are and what you enjoy.  How would you feel if the same started chastised you for saying you needed to get those antiquated relics out of your bag because the RBZ irons are sooooo much better and you are killing your game by using 1980's tech?

[Dire Wolf]

Employees bugging golfers on the course about their equipment?  Unacceptable.  If this guy worked for me he'd have been disciplined.  You have to be a fool or a jerk to give a customer the needle about their clubs during a round.  Idiot.

[BuckeyePaul01]

The premise for the entire thread is a fraud!    I'm not buying it..........sorry.    There is no way this happens in real life.  LOL  yea....so the marshall noticed your blades, asked you for your HC index.....and berated you for choosing blades.....Hahahaha......nice job!  You got what you wanted....a 5 page/and growing thread.

niiice...

[duffer987]

^I think your tin foil hat fell off. Better get a new elastic band for it.

[Golfjunki71]

Please tell us the course do we can have a golfwrx outing there. Blades only.

[nuthin but a hacker]

tatertot, on 31 October 2012 - 02:19 PM, said:

Thrillhouse, on 31 October 2012 - 02:11 PM, said:

tatertot, on 31 October 2012 - 02:06 PM, said:

How dare he try to carry on a conversation with you!

By insulting him?

Yeah, you're right, insulting the patrons of the facility that was good enough to employ him and who pay his salary is totally cool.

He said he should use GI irons. The OP could have just said "i like the feedback on these" and ended it. Sometimes, guys on here are a little too sensitive.

The OP did try to end it but the marshall kept coming back for more...

[plus8]

My experience is that most marshalls are grateful just to have somebody listen for a change and not treat them like hood ornaments.  It is a tough job anyway, and wrought with near-confrontation, so somehow, he figured you seemed an amiable gent and proceeded to let you in on some of his knowledge - but mostly just having a conversation with you..... I commend you for NOT jumping into his face, because you probably made his day totally by being level and accommodating. Don't let 'em get you in a work - they're just trying to make it through an otherwise boring day just like the rest.  You are a good man.

I have done even worse than blades, though.... I have iron covers on my Mizunos.  Since these are the first new, custom-fitted, forged irons I've owned (in fact only the second new set ever for me), I resolved to make 'em last forever and got some neoprene covers.  Boy, you wouldn't believe all the commentary fro my playing buds as well as marshalls at times - everything from 'gay', to 'poser', to 'condoms', to all sorts of junk. I just laugh it off, agree with 'em, and move on.  I am a 9.8 hci (this week, that is ... ), and took home some pretty good money last time from my group. One older guy guy was miffed at my two sudden birds to take a bunch of skins, and couldn't help but beat me up over my iron covers, not playing tees far enough back, hitting too hard for my own good, bad putting style, etc, etc.......  I just laughed - all in fun.   The covers may not last forever and that's cool, but I'm not gonna let anybody ruin my day because of 'em, and I'm not gonna ruin anybody else's day, either...

[plus8]

BuckeyePaul01, on 02 November 2012 - 04:35 PM, said:

The premise for the entire thread is a fraud! I'm not buying it..........sorry. There is no way this happens in real life.  LOL  yea....so the marshall noticed your blades, asked you for your HC index.....and berated you for choosing blades.....Hahahaha......nice job!  You got what you wanted....a 5 page/and growing thread.

Hmmmm. Pretty smart for a Buckeye fan....

[KDMullins]

Fourmyle of Ceres, on 01 November 2012 - 09:25 AM, said:

Most people as they get older get more and more like themselves. If they start out a little weird by age 70 or 80 they're weirder than heck. If they start out mean they get meaner, if they start out happy and laid-back they get more happy and laid-back.

Most of us if we live long enough become a purely distilled essence of what we've been all along. A lot of the camouflage we picked up early in life withers away and our true natures are exposed for better or worse.

This is exactly right.  I've had this discussion with a friend of mine, and his theory was that when you're young you have more energy to put up a front that hides your true self.

[rogolf]

Just another topic that should not be in the "Rules and Etiquette" forum - a note for the moderators, otherwise no need to comment!  

[Sean2]

Golfjunki71, on 03 November 2012 - 10:51 AM, said:

Please tell us the course do we can have a golfwrx outing there. Blades only.

Epic. :-)

[Thrillhouse]

rogolf, on 03 November 2012 - 07:00 PM, said:

Just another topic that should not be in the "Rules and Etiquette" forum - a note for the moderators, otherwise no need to comment!  

You're the only one who seems to have an issue for what is and isn't posted in the rules and etiquette section. you're the only one running around creating conflict over it like you tried to with me in the other thread for NO GOOD REASON AT ALL!

How's this? if you have such a problem with how the mods of this site choose to run it how bout you go start your own forum. Then you can decide what constitutes rules and etiquette and what doesn't, you and the other three people who sign up will be thrilled.

Seriously, I'm sick of it, and don't bother responding, I'm blocking you.

[rogolf]

It's OK, I'm not offended.  My message wasn't meant for you, but for the mods.  It's too bad when posters (and mods) can't get the posts in the right forums.  It makes the site much less inviting, like posting "personals" in "used cars".
Maybe it's my personal crusade for this site, and I'll continue the crusade.

Edited by rogolf, 03 November 2012 - 07:19 PM.

[Sean2]

We shouldn't be thread jacking here Rogolf, but I think this is the appropriate forum for this thread. It IS a question of etiquette, in this case on the part of the starter.

[Titleist 670]

jamie79766, on 31 October 2012 - 04:57 PM, said:

I know this isn't the popular opinion but the starter is absolutely correct.  I am a 3.2 index and I play Ping Eye 2+ irons and have tried just about every other iron that's ever been introduced, including all the Mizuno MP lines.  For kicks, the other day I threw my Mizuno MP-32 irons in the bag.  Immediately I noticed the difference in how unforgiving the MP-32s are compared to the Ping Eye 2s.

The biggest difference is in the toe hit.  A toe hit with a blade loses a tremendous amount of distance, much more than a cavity back.

One of my regular playing partners is a 12 handicap and he plays the Mizuno MP-69 irons.  It's ridiculous, really.  I would guess that he loses a minimum of 4 strokes per round simply from the use of said irons.

Blades are about ego, posturing and pretty much nothing else.  Sure, they feel good when hit directly on the center of the clubface but they feel equally as terrible when hit slightly off center, which is what occurs most of the time for the non-scratch golfer.

Now, I know that I'll get a lot of flack for the above statement but I would challenge you to be honest with yourselves.   Are you REALLY playing blades because of their feel and workability?  I think a much more plausible explanation would be that it is ego-driven.  You want to be seen as a player.  For whatever reason, your "player" image to others on the course has become more important than what most people consider to be the whole point of the game--scoring.

Cheers.

I play blades because I like the looks of them, not because I have a big ego.  Everything about them fits my eye well.

I doubt your buddy is losing 4+ strokes per round simply because of equipment.  The difficulty of hitting blades is grossly overrated.  I have never once hit a bad shot with my irons and thought, "if these weren't blades, I'd have been better off."

[rogolf]

Sean2, on 03 November 2012 - 07:25 PM, said:

We shouldn't be thread jacking here Rogolf, but I think this is the appropriate forum for this thread. It IS a question of etiquette, in this case on the part of the starter.

As I have stated, my message is for the mods, not the posters.  I don't consider it thread-jacking as this is the forum for Rules and Etiquette, ie, the Rule book, not for guidance on social etiquette - my opinion, which I feel free to express.

[Sean2]

rogolf, on 03 November 2012 - 08:38 PM, said:

Sean2, on 03 November 2012 - 07:25 PM, said:

We shouldn't be thread jacking here Rogolf, but I think this is the appropriate forum for this thread. It IS a question of etiquette, in this case on the part of the starter.

As I have stated, my message is for the mods, not the posters.  I don't consider it thread-jacking as this is the forum for Rules and Etiquette, ie, the Rule book, not for guidance on social etiquette - my opinion, which I feel free to express.

Fair enough.

[MrParr1Noid]

I have no idea who moved this topic or where this topic originated from.  Etiquette is the subject, and the marshal's character's in question to boot..  Etiquette, as to why the marshal had the lack of it  to  make that  comment, and was the marshal lacking etiquette while suggesting the OP use GI irons...or some such explanation...  Did the marshal do it or not?   Who knows?  Should we have a "drama" forum too?

I don't know how many ways there are to criticize someone for supposedly saying something or whether  they said it to begin with...but? I think this topic has run it's course.  

Good Night.

p.s.  Should anyone have anything pertinent to add, please let me know, and I will open this thread for your informational update.

thank you