I can't believe I actually got a letter from the USGA telling me to **** off until I can prove I can score in other events.

"At this time, the Committee requests you submit in writing, information that would counter this performance in other events you have participated in within the last 2 years. Please give the title of the competition, date, score or scores, and your position of finish. Please do not submit information regarding play in club or team competition, as it is not acceptable. It must be play in individual competition on a local, state, or national level. Without such information, no further consideration may be given."


****.

Reid, let's set up a grudge match. Me v you. I'll represent the state of NY. You represent your state. You'll kill me and can submit the result to the USGA. EZ game.

I don't know who put a pin in your cushion, but I have no grudge against you.

It was a joke. You know..."state competition."

Appears as though it was a lame joke. Oh well.

I was playing with Evan, the former mod of this forum, and I sliced my first 3 drives. As I tee'd up at 4 he said "Just try to hit the outside of the ball". Don't think I missed a fairway the rest of the day.

As long as you don't overdo it, advice can be really helpful as you can see things that person can't.

I countered your obvious joke with a Mr. Giblet joke. Sorry If you don't know who Mr. Giblet is, well, you're probably better off than a lot of us.

It was just jokes

Yeah, no clue who Mr. Giblet is. Anyway, it's all good.

Golfing my local course today. Yay.

Playing probably my last round of the year tomorrow, at Turnberry, an executive course. Normally I would consider an executive course as appealing as a handjob instead of sex, however, this place is pretty special.

http://www.turnberrygolf.ca/hole13.htm

Sunday's going to be too cold and windy here and then next weekend we're 'celebrating' the one-year anniversary of my father's passing, so that's a write-off.

Thankfully, I got to play more golf than I imagined this year and finally got a taste of some of the best golf courses my city has to offer. I also managed to reach my goal of getting myself to a single-digit handicap, which I did by the middle of the season.

All in all, it was a pretty productive albeit expensive season.

That course looks pretty sweet Spottswoode.

So much for me golfing today. Just too cold/windy/rainy. Maybe tomorrow.

What'd you do, shoot 92 in an Open qualifier or something?

(that letter could also be considered a thinly veiled brag btw)

loooooooooooool

Played in my member-guest tourny at my country club with a guy i work with who's a 20 handicap (a generous 20). He's tending the flag on a 45 foot par putt of mine...putt is tracking right in the hole, and HE LEAVES THE FLAG STICK IN!!!!!!!!!!! Ball hits the flagstick, and ends up 4 feet away. Hello 2 stroke penalty, and hello triple bogey playing a 2 man best ball tourny. FML!

^^^ ha, reminds me of a scramble I was playing in once. We were either on the fringe or just off it but still putt-able. One guy in our group thought it would be best if we left the pin in. I said it was a bad idea. I got overruled. Of course one of us hits it off the stick and the ball just bounces away.

In one of Dave Pelz's books he says that leaving the pin in helps more often than it hurts when putting from off the green or chipping. My guess is that anything hard enough to bounce off the pin and roll a few feet away wasn't going to drop anyway.

Pelican, my guess is that it would have gone in. But of course, who knows.

edit: I'll admit that there have been way more times where I've hit a shot and said "thank god that hit the pin" than "damn, stupid pin."

Always been my opinion that the pin can only hurt a good shot, but it will help a bad one.

Davis Love said it as well...

THe pin only gets in the way

I'll admit the only reason I'll ever say "take the pin out" on a chip shot is because that's what the pros do. It has never made an ounce of difference though. I don't chip in a lot but when I do, the pin is in. (some say i'm very interesting).

If it was a scramble it shouldn't matter if it would have helped a bad shot, surely you would save par regardless....right? Take it out!

I take the pin out in many situations where people would say the numbers play is to leave the pin in. I think it mentally helps me focus on holing out chip shots, and any positive mental bonus i can get, even if it's tricking myself into being confident, I'll take.

Here is an article where Pelz discusses his test and his conclusion is that you should leave the pin in anytime you legally can unless it is leaning so far forward that the ball cannot fit or if it is so windy the pin is shaking.

http://www.golf.com/golf/instruction...565294,00.html

Speaking of scrambles -- what % of teams do you think cheat (in any form: rough --> fairway, gimme putts, etc)

A video a teaching pro friend of mine made about keeping the pin in. Not very scientific, and not even an on course pin but still cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK412E6TZ70

if it's just a one team per hole scramble, then probably 90%

at least 80%