Id expect that kind of chatter on. The wrestling forum, but golf? That's a pretty warm take iyam

This were exactly the thoughts that led to my post. Everything is pointless.

Especially being a Steelers fan these days. OOOOHHHHHH

115th U.S. Open
a USGA Championship
Chambers Bay
University Place, WA
June 18 - June 21, 2015
Championship Regulations
Your entry has been received.

Just signed up...about 8 weeks til the qualifier...20 inches of snow on the ground currently...so looking to be in mid-season form :-D

All I'm hoping is to put up a decent round in the qualifier...really using this as just some tournament round experience for my two other tournaments later in the year.

Where's the qualifier held?

This is neither here nor there nor anywhere, but I had a revelation tonight.

I've always been a natural fader of the ball and not particularly liked it. I guess because I've had a lot of instruction and they always want you to draw it. I've spent years and years trying to learn to consistently hit draws with my longer clubs. This has resulted in kind of a bifurcated swing where I hit beautiful high fades with my short irons, and have a two-sided miss with my longer clubs.

It's the damnedest thing too, because I hit it plenty far! It's not like I only poke it out there 250 and am trying to get some more distance with a draw. For years now, whenever I fade the ball 280 center-cut, I kinda frown at it! How messed up is that?!

Well, today I was doing some reading about some biomechanical stuff and then stumbled upon a video of Bruce Lietzke's swing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLS4...6c4eflaSx4zrkq

I've always hated the look of my swing on video. Doesn't look remotely like most Tour players today. Then I see this video of Bruce Lietzke and...that's my swing! He was a little before my time, which is probably why I haven't seen it before, but man. That IS my swing. And apparently, he was a pretty good ball striker!

So, from now on, for the rest of my golfing life, I'm gonna fade the **** out of it and probably still hit it 280 down the middle. Here's to never hitting a draw again!

Ok. We are all Sisyphus. Why would this lead you attack golf of all things?

There are a ton of local qualifiers all over the country...then a lesser number for round 2 which is regional qualifying.

My local is at Elmwood Country Club in White Plains, NY.

It's a real angle shoot cause obviously it puts the pro in a position of having to stand up for someone who isn't even a member... Gross. Blame the scumbags more than the pro, in that situation.

Second stage is sectional qualifying, the USGA are a group of the biggest nits in history.

BO

I stand corrected

In recent years, the cut to get to sectional at the locals around here looks to have been anywhere from -1 to +2 (several were +2).

I'd like to think I stand a decent shot to make it to sectional (based on how I was playing at the end of last year, but who knows, I haven't played since November )

Would be really cool to play in the sectional round...getting past that just isn't realistic for me...but would be a great experience just to play in it.

What's your grip like? Is it fairly strong like Bruce's?

This winter I've got to the indoor dome to get a bit of rhythm prior to the season and I've made a conscious effort to take my normally very strong grip and get it more towards neutral. Has taken me a half dozen sessions but it is now starting to feel more natural, started with just quarter swing pitches and worked my way up. Have only hit with shorter irons and wedges so it will take some more work and I doubt I could take it on the course right now.

Anyways reason I bring that up is I've always had a fairly strong grip similar to Bruce's and I've always had a natural fade. I've always been used to that even though I've felt it is wrong. But whatever you make work is fine I'd say.

I do have a very strong grip - it's always felt natural to me.

It was funny reading about Lietzke's penchant for not practicing much or hitting range balls - that's exactly how I was as a junior when I swung like that. I was incapable of hitting anything but perfectly consistent fades on the driving range - didn't seem like much point in hitting hundreds of balls. It just felt very natural. Looking forward to hopefully getting back to that.

I should add that this style of swing seems even more practical now since the addition of the low-spin balls like the ProV1x. You don't lose as much distance or lose as many to the right as you would have in the past.

Because golf is one of the only activities I still enjoy, even though I know that it makes zero sense to waste time doing it. Especially because I'm a huge fish. I do hope to shoot decent scores one day though.

This is precisely why it makes sense to do it. Doing something that you personally enjoy can never be a "waste". This should be even more apparent to you given your worldview.

You seem to be actively trying to sour something that you readily admit is one of the few remaining pleasures in your life. Perhaps this provides some insight into why you find so little joy in other aspects of your life.

Bob Rotella up in this bitch, get 'em Brocktoon

If you enjoy it why could be a waste of time?

Some people want to spend 25 hours a week on photography, stamp collecting, running, bird-watching, hiking, playing chess, etc. None of these things are a waste of time if you enjoy them.

Assume that you have never quite broken 100 but that you are playing with off the rack clubs that are rather beaten up; for example, the driver has a dent on the head (but not on the club face), the woods, hybrids, and mid irons are too long (in length for your physical proportions), but your short irons, wedges, and putting are the better part of your game, i.e. you wouldn't expect a random 100 shooter to have a somewhat soft touch around the green and in the bunkers.

Estimate the number of shots you would instantly shave by henceforth using properly fitted clubs.

Maybe 1 per round. But I suspect I subscribe more to the "it's the carpenter, not the tools" philosophy than most.

Do you think that every golfer, regardless of the clubs he uses, would shoot within 1 shot of his skill level?

I think provided there is nothing structurally wrong with the clubs, they are standard off the rack length, and they were made during this millennium, most players should be able to put up scores commensurate to their skill level with them.

If you think getting custom clubs would give you extra confidence, then I think you may wind up playing a lot better simply because you would be in better shape mentally during the round. And I would absolutely encourage you to do that.

If we're just talking about tangible effects like spin rate, launch angle, lie angle, etc. I don't think those will account for much more than a stroke per round absent psychological benefits.

I'm definitely in the "clubfitting vastly overrated" camp. But if they're too long and you have a dent in your driver head, you might want to get those things fixed.

Anyone ever stayed or played at treetop resorts in northern Michigan? it's currently the frontrunner for our yearly guys week tourney in late June. . Looking for feedback before we book. We did Florida in 2012, Scottsdale 2013 and myrtle 2014 Fwiw.

Yes it was great. Highly recommend. (Played there, didn't stay there).

EA has revealed who will be taking Tigers place for the next PGA TOUR game: