i agree with you... i think encouraging family/friends to hang out near players most of the time would be a good think.

as per my original question, i know there are people i know and i think even foreign cultures that would roll their eyes and say "why would i help my kid's competitor?" although i may be being extremely harsh identifying an entire culture as such... i can think of some white people i know like that, for sure.

You most certainly point out where any and all balls are if necessary. As Tom said, that's what separates golf from other sports.

I also might rethink "forecaddying" for the reasons others listed above. I put that word in quotes because in reality you have no official capacity out there.

good point... i was just describing ball watching as opposed to thinking you have status.....

i have definitely helped players find balls at the provincial amateur that they would have had no hope of finding... and i stay outside the ropes.

My good friend former lpga player who teaches mostly very rich Asian kids golf and helps coach them in to top US schools has had to basically ban the parents from the courses as some have tried to interfere on course...

Those tiger moms can be vicious.

i just started using a low lofted hybrid again. 18 degrees. can't remember what # it's labelled.

what is the reason that low lofted hybrids seem to be susceptible to giant pull hook?.... i've noticed this before and seen other people make reference to it... never had same issues with lower lofted club like driver, 3w or 3iron.

is it because 1) you don't need to worry about shanking so you feel ok going crazy on downswing??, 2) it's relatively short and easy to release hard whereas D/3W and perhaps 3i are longer and much harder to release really hard.

i just hit off rubber mats so i'll have to give it a go on the course this week.... so many issues hitting off rubber.......... am i right to think that on the rubber mats the face will keep rotation hard at impact whereas the ground/dirt of a real course will slow it down.

thx advance ... winter around here is a particularly bad time for overthinking golf as it's not that easy to go out and test your ideas in real conditions.

Obviously not the point of the post, but he might be better off going to the less prestigious team.. I'd rather be a big fish in a small pond and getting playing time, than vice versa.

which 18* are you using? my 18* Apex is labeled as a 2. i believe it's 40.5" standard length.

If there are ropes and you're outside of them then there should be zero issue.

Brag: next Tuesday leaving for two weeks in Florida. Lots of great golf, except...

Beat: slight mcl problem after gettig bumped by a car, FML. Should be okay to manage with a knee-brace, but yea just whack it with hands I guess (well thats my normal technique anyway). ****.

Variance: Trump shutting down the country

What part of FL?

Never would occur to me not to point out his ball if I know where it is. If you don't see it and don't feel like walking around in waste high grass that might rip your clothes fine but how can you even consider not showing him where the ball is.

Also a single state am should make or break a college resume. He should be playing national AJGA if he wan't a full ride.

This discussion makes me think of Goldfinger where Bond stepped on his ball.

First 8 days Fort Lauderdale and checking out the Keys, last 6 a bit open. Maybe if JAX makes it to super bowl then go there to sweat it. Looks a bit of a distance but not too many hours with a car. Not a firm plan on golf courses, Golfnow looks to have offers so maybe use that. Some Trump course prolly need to fit in to show respect for the POTUS. Weather at least looks good, unlike two weeks ago lol.

Play Crandon Park in Key Biscayne if you can. I never have but the views should be good.

If my son's scholarship depended on him winning a golf tournament, this is exactly what I'd do with the ball.

And that Slazenger sweater is sharp as hell.

I'd rather my kid gut it out at community college for two years than learn a lesson like that. But his course (heh heh) in life would probably have already been misdirected by that time.

Thanks Scott, looks great and will try!

I was lolling at the Slazenger ball. Never noticed before that he also had the sweater.

Well? Did you do anything? Please tell me your didnt waste your money on the glorified optishot...err...trugolf.

Haven't made any decisions yet. Just budgeting right now, so trying to get an idea of what it should cost.

Something I've wondered about for many years (and I'm asking this out of genuine curiosity and not to make a point or claiming the contrary), - why would anyone, pro or otherwise, take the flag out when they have the option of leaving it in?

I suck at golf, but I'm reasonably good with probabilities and I while I certainly can see scenarios where having the flag out is good, I don't see them outweighing the scenarios where it should be left in.

Is there any evidence that taking the flag out is better for good players? Or in general?

here's the Pelz point of view
http://www.golf.com/instruction/flag-or-out

Thanks, that is really interesting. The overall conclusion is what I figured but flag-lean isn't something I've considered.

Never gave the issue much thought until a few years ago when Phil had a shot from 100y+ out in some big tournament (can't remember which) to reach a playoff and he sent Bones up to remove the flag. While I'd seen most, if not all, tour players opt for the flag out when playing from just outside the green I'd never really thought about it until then, but for Phil to even consider it from that distance made me wonder wtf it was really all about.

It was #18 at Torrey, plan was to fly it past the hole and juice it back. One reason pin was pulled was so the ball wouldn't fly into it ala Tiger on #15 at Augusta.