We had about 15 feet or so. Not sure exactly, definitely in the easy two putt range but not in the "if we don't make this we are morons" range either.

If it matters, the four players are a 10, 12, 13 and 18.

Pretty sure every putt is easy 2 putt range in a four man scramble.

So 2 people bailed on my foursome for Saturday at Bethpage Black. Anyone interested in playing? Pm me.

Gambler rules.

Ended up cancelling this. They are aerating the greens now - Friday, so not really thrilled about playing the day after.

but also in the spirit of "it's a flat green, and if we are putting in the correct order (weak to strong), working together as a team to select a line, paying attention to each putt, and adjusting that line based on the previous results" it's a reasonable putt to make.

but the real reason i asked is "what's your groups realistic expectation of being 15 feet out after a 160 yard approach"

Think you're the only golf geek that understood I wasn't talking about golf.

BO

Wasted last 2 years hacking around courses, really ****ing annoyed by this as I thought I was getting the hang of it but apparently I wasn't even holding the club properly.

Have had 2 lessons in last fortnight and it's the best money I've spent in quite a while. I'm sure the instructor had to suppress his laugh when I first stepped up.

Any worthwhile reading material or other resources for a complete beginner?

Reading material:
Ben Hogan's Five Lessons
Stan Utley's Putting and Short-game books

Videos
Phil Mickelson's Short-game dvd (changed my life)
Tom Watson's Lessons of a lifetime
Youtube - Shawn Clement (some may disagree with this)

Thanks very much.

Van Courtlandt Match Play Club Championship Quarterfinals:

I was playing a guy named H. Lopez, he was a fit, mid-thirties guy who had bag tags from: Liberty National, Pine Valley, Baltusrol, etc; pretty much all the best clubs on the east coast. He also told me that he had just won his Club Championship, oh ****, I'm ****ed.

FWIW, I've been drinking all day (I'll mention it in the recap) and am continuing to imbibe, so there may be blank spots in my recollection. On to the course:

Hole 1: 370 yards, Par 4. My honor.
Me: 3-wood to left rough.
Him: Driver hooked to fairway of adjacent hole to the left.
Me: PW from 131 to left front of green, 35 ft. out.
Him: Wedge to short of green.
Him: Chip to 8 feet.
Me: Lag to 2 feet, conceded par.
Him: Miss.
Standing after 1 hole: +1

Hole 2: 619 yards, Par 5.
Me: Driver to left rough, behind trees.
Him: Driver to left rough, behind trees, short of me.
Him: long iron up adjacent fairway.
Me: Hybrid struck solid down adjacent fairway (it's the best play when you miss left off tee).
Him: Mid-iron to short of green.
Me: 141 into wind, choked down 8-iron sails over the green. Short sided. DEAD.
Me: Punched 6-iron from horrible lie into face of steep hill just short of pin. Shot bounces hard onto green and runs through green into rough.
Me: Chip to 10 feet.
Him: Chip to 8 feet.
Me: Bogey putt misses, concede hole.
Standing after 2 holes: All Square.

**I buy 2 16oz Budweisers, cause **** it, that's why**

Hole 3: 159 to pin, Par 3.
Him: Iron to 15 yards short right of green.
Me: 7-iron to 7 feet short of green, front pin.
Him: Chip to 20 feet past hole.
Me: Putter to 3.5 feet. Not conceded.
Him: DRAINO! WTF?
Me: Nervous over putt but knocked it in the back, solid.
Standing after 3 holes: All Square.

Hole 4: 363 yards, Par 4.
Him: Push into right treeline.
Me: Deliberate slice into 5th fairway, clear shot to green.
Me: 124 to back pin, GW to front left of green. 40 footer left.
Him: Weak slice into front right bunker.
Him: Blast out to 20 feet.
Me: Nice lag to gimmie range, conceded.
Him: Rolled it right over the hole but too strong. Hit back lip and popped over.
Standing after 4: +1

Hole 5: 345 yards, Par 4.
Me: Weak 3-wood to right rough.
Him: Driver to left rough, good shot.
Me: PW from 135 to right pin. Middle of green.
Him: Pitch shot to back right fringe.
Me: 25 foot putt to 3 feet, not conceded.
Him: Fringe putt to 2 feet, conceded.
Me: In.
Standing after 5: +1

Hole 6: 290 yards, Par 4.
Me: Driver to right greenside bunker.
Him: Driver up the middle, 20 yards short of green.
Me: Chubby bunker shot to right greenside rough.
Him: Pitch to 6 feet.
Me: Chip to 4 feet.
Him: Birdie.
Standing after 6: All Square

Hole 7: 220 to pin, Par 3.
Him: Wood to left side of green, pin is on right side of green and down a tier.
Me: Hybrid to right rough, pretty close to hole.
Me: Chip to 8 feet.
Him: Nice lag to 2 feet, conceded.
Me: Sacked up and made it. BIG 8 footer.
Standing after 7: All Square.

**Purchased 2 more 16oz Budweisers.

Hole 8: 318 yards, Par 4.
Him: Driver to left rough, near deep shrubs.
Me: 5-iron to middle of fairway.
Me: PW or 9I from not sure how far, middle of the green 20 feet short of hole.
Him: Found the ball after 4 minute search, horrible lie. Nice punch to just in front of green.
Him: Chip to 7 feet.
Me: Weak putt to 3 feet, not conceded.
Him: Made it.
Me: Right in the heart.

Standing after 8: All Square

Hole 9: 391 yards, Par 4.
Him: Driver to right rough.
Me: Blasted Driver off of right tree, bounced across fairway to left rough.
Him: Good shot to middle of green.
Me: GW from 124 chunked 10 yards short of green. F@&K.
Me: Nice pitch to 6 feet.
Him: Lag to gimmie range, conceded.
Me: Made it. Big putt to stay even.
Standing after 9: All Square

**Had 2 Magic Hat #9s while typing this**

Will continue the back 9 later...

Back 9.

**One additional Magic Hat #9 since last update, not the last.**

Hole 10: 475 yards, Par 5.
Him: Driver to left rough.
Me: Try to kill a Driver to "take advantage of my length" and snap it OB. Penalty.
Me (3): Driver to left fairway.
Him: Wood to right trees, looking dicey.
Me: Chunky 3-wood from 230 into wind to 5 yards short of green, middle pin.
Him: Found ball after a quick search, chip to just short of green.
Me: Hybrid chip to 10 feet past hole.
Him: Chip to 8 feet.
Me: Miss, should have probably conceded but made him putt.
Him: Putt to 1 foot. Conceded.
Standing after 10: -1

Hole 11: 157 yards to back-right pin, Par 3.
Him: Good shot to back right fringe.
Me: Weak push/fade to border of right-front bunker.
Me: Hard-pan sandy lie with a tuft of grass right behind the ball, short/right of green. Said, "**** it, this needs to be tight or I lose anyway" and hit an absolutely fantastic pitch with check to 4 feet short.
Him: Fringe putt to 2 feet, conceded.
Me: Poured a solid 4 footer into the back of the cup. Dagger.
Standing after 11: -1

***I purchase 3 more 16oz Budweisers*** (the golf spinach is turning to kryptonite about now)

Hole 12: 572 yards, Par 5.
Him: Fade to right rough.
Me: Power fade to right rough.
Him: Lay-up to 150 in rough.
Me: Hybrid from 260 to 30 yards short of green.
Him: Wedge to 20 feet.
Me: Pitch to 12 feet.
Him: Putt to 2 feet, conceded.
Me: DRAINO! 12 foot birdie.
Standing after 12: All Square

Hole 13: 167 to back pin, Par 3.
Me: 7-iron into wind to front of green, 30 feet short.
Him: Iron to short of green, 30 feet short, but on a much better putting line straight up the hill.
Me: Decent lag to 3 feet, but breaking severely, not conceded.
Him: Missed up the hill 1 foot past the hole. Conceded.
Me: Tough 3 foot breaker, made it.
Standing after 13: All Square

Hole 14: 391 yards, Par 4. Very tight driving hole.
Me: Decent cut drive to left rough.
Him: 3-wood into left trees.
Him: Skanky 5-iron punch to 30 yards short of green.
Me: 111 with overhanging limbs between me and the hole. Hit a 7-iron punch entirely too pure through the green, past the back pin into the rough.
Him: Pitch to 15 feet.
Me: Toe-putter (Vijay Singh at The Players style) from rough to 3.5 feet.
Him: DRAINO, WTF!
Me: Longest 3.5 footer ever...in the heart.
Standing after 14: All Square

Hole 15: 302 yards, Par 4.
Me: Punch hybrid to middle of fairway.
Him: 6-iron to middle of fairway.
Him: Wedge mis-hit to short of green.
Me: 108 uphill, between clubs (SW/GW) and opt for a smooth, cut GW. Wipe a lazy swing to the front of the green. 35 feet short.
Him: Chip to 10 feet.
Me: Lag to 2 feet, conceded.
Him: Miss.
Standing after 15: +1

Hole 16: 292 yards, Par 4:
Me: 5-iron to middle of fairway (I relieve myself in the woods. Much needed, first opportunity all round.)
Him: Poor contact/sliced iron to right side of fairway, short.
Him: Lofted club from 135 to just right of green in fringe.
Me: 101 from middle of the fairway, right pin. I make a mental error and aim an SW straight at the pin (Ship-This knows I'm wrong). Ball lands in the right rough, pin high.
Me: Toe-putter (Vijay Singh style) that doesn't come out like I expect it to. 12 feet short of hole.
Him: 30-foot fringe putt to 3 feet past the hole. I debate conceding, but am drunk and remember a couple of kick-ins that I've had to putt. **** him, let him make it.
Me: BOOM! 12 footer smoothed right in the middle. I am 7450% better at putting during match-play. Such a tough guy.
Him: MISSES A 2.75 FOOTER. Whoa, I actually felt bad. We were sharing a cart...
Standing after 16: +2 (dormie)

Hole 17: 190 uphill to back pin, Par 3.
Me: Push fade hybrid to woods, possibly lost.
Me: (provisional) Horribly sliced hybrid into woods. I say, "if I can't find either of those, the hole is yours."
Him: Hybrid popped up to 30 yards short and right of green.
Me: Found first ball! Straightforward 30+ yards chip to green. Hit it to center of green. 20 feet out.
Him: Pitch to 25 feet.
Him: Gave the putt a ride, 5 feet past.
Me: Lag to 2 feet.
Him: Concedes match.

It was really hard fought, I did not expect to win. I'm way too drunk to continue writing. I've heard my next opponent is a + handicap who shot a 66 to beat his guy last round by 1. So, I'm done. It's been a fun ride anyway.

Thanks for reading.

Nice work, fun writeup. Enjoy the beer

Good read and good job

GL! Crush the next guy, **** him

Is it me, or did Mr. Lopez give up way too early? Two footers ftw are no gimme.

Anyway congrats

Slow pony, (not sure how I missed this - would have helped if it was multi-colored like Brocks post, but w/e); the only one I can comment on is the YouTube part:

I don't think anyone can disagree with Shawn Clement as a great youtube instructor, at all. Personally, I've just found Mark Crossfield the most informative. I think I've mentioned him wayyyyy too many times in this forum (and I swear he's not paying me to say this), but I really think he's great.

He's got 3 channels, and his newest one and oldest one (avoid the ones where he's playing 18 - kinda annoying), are really really good. I don't have much experience (if any, actually) with Golf Instructors, but he seems to explain things the proper way (backed by explaining the proper art/science) as opposed to just saying, "if you're doing this wrong, then do this".

It's really helped expedite the growth in my game in a very short period of time. At this pace, by early next year, Spotts and I should be betting without giving any strokes.

4 years...finally getting the itch :/

Vanny Club Championship Semi-Finals:

This will probably be pretty long, gonna write up as much of it as I can now, and then finish it off when I get home tonight.

As I mentioned last time, the guy I was playing is supposed to be + handicap, he shot a 66 in his last match (whatever that means since it's matchplay, probably included a few gimmies), and the guy he beat in the last round is a really solid former college golfer who just recently shot a 73 from the back tees at Bethpage Black, I know this is true because I was playing with him when he did it. As a 4 handicap, I'm basically toast, but I wanted to play well, not embarrass myself, and maybe pull off the improbable.

Walked into the clubhouse at about 7:20 and met my opponent. He was an athletic looking guy probably in his late 20s. He turned out to be very quiet, made no conversation and barely made or responded to any comments on the course. I'm not into small talk at all myself, but on the course with someone I just met, I do tend to make a little conversation. He obviously wanted no part of that, which is fine, to each his own. They paired us up with two random weekend warriors who were not in the tournament since the course is packed on the weekends, one of them was really bad (+110 shooter) and this would wind up being relevant later. On to the golf:

Hole 1: Par 4, 370 yards (on card, playing shorter from today's tee boxes)
Him: He took honor with no tee flip or even conversation about it, a little weird but fine by me as I'd rather go second anyway. Hooked Driver to left rough. Clear shot to the green though from about 60 yards out.
Me: Hybrid to middle of fairway. 124 to front pin.
Me: GW to just short of green. First iron swing of the day and caught it a tad chunky.
Him: Pitch to short of green in rough.
Him: Chip to 9 feet past hole. The greenside rough is very thick on this course.
Me: Putter from 10 feet off green with all fairway between me and the hole, probably 35 foot putt total. There was a lot of dew on the ground and I failed to take that into account. Came up woefully short and still had about 15 feet.
Me: Jammed it in the back of the cup, sweet. Par.
Him: Miss.
Standings after 1 hole: 1UP.

Hole 2: 619 yards, Par 5.
Me: Driver to right side of fairway.
Him: Hooked driver left of trees that line the left of the fairway.
Him: Hybrid up adjacent 12th fairway (this is the common and correct play when the tee shot goes left).
Me: Solid hybrid down the middle. 165 out.
Him: Approach to rough short of the green.
Me: 7-iron from 165 to right side of the green, long putt left.
Him: Nice chip to 7 feet.
Me: Bad putt from about 60 feet out that rolled out about 10 feet past the hole. I still had no feel for these greens.
Me: Just missed on the low side. 3-putt Bogey.
Him: Made a nice downhiller from 7 feet to steal the hole with a par.
Standing after 2 holes: All Square.

Damn, have to run sooner than I expected. Will definitely post the rest tonight. Wouldn't even submit this but don't want to lose it. Sorry.

Vanny Semis: (con't)

Hole 3: Par 3, 170 to back right pin.
Him: Push/slice into right front bunker.
Me: 7-iron to 10 feet short of hole.
Him: Sick bunker shot to a foot. I throw it back to him, "nice par".
Me: Crappy putt pulled 6 inches left. Conceded.
Standings after 3 holes: All Square.

Hole 4: Par 4, 364 yards.
Him: Driver pounded down the middle, through the fairway.
Me: Driver pounded down the middle, through the fairway. Just a bit longer.
Him: Wedge to green, 10 feet out.
Me: LW to green, 8 feet out.
Him: Miss, conceded.
Me: Miss conceded.
Standings after 4 holes: All Square.

Hole 5: Par 4, 345 yards.
Him: Driver ripped up the right side, into rough but just a pitch left.
Me: Sliced 3-wood that hit off cart path and took a nasty bounce into the right treeline. I hate ****ing cart paths.
Me: Punched 6-iron under a tree to rough just left and short of green. A good recovery.
Him: Pitch to 10 feet.
Me: Hack out of thick rough nicely played but ran about 7 feet past the hole.
Him: Miss to tap-in range. Par.
Me: The really bad player who was playing with us hit a shot that wound up just outside my ball here on a similar line. I was going to let him putt first, and take a read of course, but my opponent stepped in and said that I had to hit first because I can't get a read from a guy not involved in the match. Never heard of this rule before, but OK, sure. I miss my putt by less than an inch. This guy is serious. Bogey.
Standing after 5 holes: 1 DN.

Hole 6: Par 4, 295 yards.
Him: Driver to right greenside bunker.
Me: Driver to left rough, 10 yards short of green.
Him: Bunker shot to green, 20 feet left.
Me: Chip to 8 feet.
Him: Miss, conceded. Par.
Me: Made it. Birdie.
Standings after 6 holes: All Square.

Hole 7: Par 3, 218 to front right pin.
Me: Hybrid not quite in the sweet spot about 15 yards short of green, easy pitch.
Him: Hooked hybrid or wood right into the base of a tree, 10 yards left of green. I actually thought he would have to hit his next shot left handed, but he managed some sort of shot with a severely limited backswing.
Him: Somehow got enough club on the ball to hit a great shot that trickled up onto the left part of the green. 40 footer left down a tier to the front right pin.
Me: Decent pitch out of the rough to 7 feet.
Him: Long putt down the tier that rolled out about 6 feet.
Me: Hit a good putt, but it curled just around the hole missing about an inch out on the high side and coming to rest 6 inches directly behind the hole. Bogey.
Him: Lipped it out. Double.
Standings after 7 holes: 1UP.

Hole 8: Par 4, 318 yards.
Me: 5-iron to middle of fairway.
Him: Driver, this is where I started to realize that he uses driver every hole. Driver is without a doubt the wrong club on this hole. It tightens up on both sides in front of the green, with trees, underbrush, and OB pinching tight on either side short of the green. He hooked his driver into the left woods, left of the OB fence unless he got very lucky.
Him: (provisional): Pushed into right trees. Decent shot though and if he could find it, would probably be chipping to the green.
Me: GW from 120 to middle of the green. 15 feet left of right/middle pin.
Him: Lost first ball. Chips provisional to 12 feet short.
Me: Lag to 3 feet.
Him: Just missed on high side, concedes hole.
Standing after 8 holes: 2UP.

Hole 9: Par 4, 391 yards.
Me: 3-wood pumped deep down the right side of fairway.
Him: Driver sliced OB. He seems visibly frustrated with everything going on around him at this point, and seems to be indicating that his back hurts.
Him: (provisional/3rd shot) Driver to left rough.
Me: PW from 133 to back of green just up against the collar of the rough.
Him: Wedge over the green, long and right.
Him: Almost holes out an incredible chip for an All-World 5. Hit the hole and bounces 4 feet past.
Me: Toe putter (putter rotated 90* and hit off toe) to 3 feet. Hole conceded.
Standings after 9 holes: 3UP.

Hole 10: Par 5, 475 yards.
Gamesmanship sidebar: He has been hitting his driver every hole, mostly wildly. The last 2 holes he has hit hit driver OB. This is a tight driving hole with trouble on both sides, the only defense on the otherwise short and easy par 5. I have literally never in my life hit anything less than driver on this easily reachable par 5. Today, I decide I want to entice him to not only hit driver, but maybe even go for a little something extra out of it and bang another one OB.
Me: I hit hybrid and I was glad I did. Fade/slice to just inside of right tree-line, well short but clear shot to green. Same swing with a driver puts me deep in the trees, possibly lost.
Him: Driver hit low with hook that stayed just in bounds because it was hit low enough that it didn't have enough time to curve into the trouble.
Me: Solid hybrid to 50 yards short of green.
Him: Hybrid or wood, to right tree-line, just short of green.
Me: Half-wedge from 55 yards to 15 feet.
Him: Chip from under a tree to 12 feet.
Me: Miss, conceded. Par.
Him: Miss, conceded. Par.
Standings after 10 holes: 3UP.

Hole 11: Par 3, 150 yards to left pin.
Me: 8-iron to right side of green, 40 footer.
Him: Beautiful shot to 7 feet.
Me: Putt to 3 feet.
Him: Birdie.
Standings after 11 holes: 2 UP.

Hole 12: Par 5, 572 yards.
Him: Driver ripped up left side, into rough.
Me: Driver blasted up left side, turns out it hit the cartpath. Rough.
Him: Utility club pulled into left trees, 115 yards short of green. He is now starting to vocally complain about being paired up with 2 players not in the tournament, and other people on the course (not even on our hole) moving and driving carts while he is swinging. He even asked me to stand still before he hit this shot. He is clearly frustrated.
Me: Drive literally went 350+, cart path aided. Horrible lie in very thick rough. This hole is never reachable, but I only have ~220 and decide that I just have to go for it. Aggressive swing with a hybrid that comes out funky due to all the grass between the club and ball before impact. There is a dead thud sound off the club but it scoots up to just short and right of the green. All in all a good result.
Him: Tries to thread one though the limbs but catches a branch. Still 40 yards short.
Him: Pitch on to middle of green. 20 feet out.
Me: Great pitch to 3 feet.
Him: Miss. Concedes hole.
Standings after 12 holes: 3 UP.

Hole 13: Par 3, 163 to right front pin.
Me: 8-iron to right front fringe. 25 feet out.
Him: Decent shot to left front or green. 30 feet out.
Him: I made sure he knew it was him even though I was off the green, he had told me it was my shot many times in the past when it was close. As he was lining up his putt a cart on another hole accelerated on by, he seemed upset. He hit the putt 15 feet past the hole and started talking about how they shouldn't have sent our match out with other players. He then picked up his ball, shook my hand, and told me he was done. He was obviously upset and said he couldn't take it anymore. He proceeded to walk off the course on the 13th hole.
Standings during 13: I WIN.

So, he quit me down a maximum of 4 (I hadn't even putt yet) with 5 and a half holes to play. The guys we were paired with said that he made it clear that he didn't want them there (as if they had a choice, it's a busy muni on a weekend) and that he was complaining about various distractions and his back the whole round.

Everyone I've beaten so far this tournament has seemed to have a reason why they lost, never the fact that I actually played well. They've all been better players than me too, with the possible exception of the older man I played in round 2. Lots of excuses when things don't go their way. The guy today seemed particularly mentally fragile.

On to the finals. I shouldn't be here but it's starting to feel like destiny.

It's been very satisfying thus far, STFU and play!

Good job. !!!! If better players can't handle the pressure and you are beating them then by all means you deserve to be where you are...

With respect to the bold, this really is not all that surprising.

I think....forget that....I know way too many golfers tie their self-worth/self-esteem to their golf game. Also, I have seen over the years in golf that match play reveals some really weird behaviour in people. The fact is most people just don't have the nerves for competitive golf. It is not a team sport and there is no place to hide when things go bad. When people get nervous or anxious then a whole bunch of coping/non coping stuff comes into play, and for many people the default is they have to blame something other than themselves, because to blame themselves we are back at the whole self-esteem/self-worth thing.

I played about 10 rounds of golf with randoms this year. I swear 8 of them were nervous as hell just because they were playing with a stranger. They were all worse golfers than me but I didn't care. I try to put people at ease but people have this strange feeling that you actually are judging them based on their game. All I want is good company and an easy going temperment. I don't care if you shoot 70 or 110, just have a great time. Almost all of them kept telling me that they never usually play this bad. You know....playing with the guy that is "having the worst round of the year."

I am not sure what studies have been done on golf and self-esteem and self-worth, but I bet there would be some interesting findings that you don't see in most team sports.

Great work Broktoon take it home!

awesome, awesome. gogogo!