yuck rounds like this are the only ones that make me consider quitting golf, so depressing when nothing drops

Also BSF, I'm definitely not playing to a 2 right now, but with the way things are coming along it won't be long until I'm back that low or even lower....as long as I continue to play consistently! I'm not naturally talented at this game like Phil Mickelson or someone who can take a break, then come back and start hitting it just like they were within a bucket or two.
The thing that sucks about living in Seattle is that when it's actually nice enough to golf outside, EVERYBODY flocks to the courses and you're looking at 5 1/2 rounds. I would rather stab my eyes out. So it's tough to get myself out there playing consistently when I'm up there. That's why a big part of me really wants to move back down here to Phoenix. (I realize courses are packed down here in the winter but with all the good weather/golfing atmosphere I get out to the range/practice areas wayyyyy more than I would in Seattle.)

I realize I may sound a bit defensive but I just don't want you/whoever to think I'm the type to lie about my scores/ability. If I'm playing ****ty, I'll be the first to admit it. And if I'm just rusty from not playing much I'll go ahead and admit that too.

I've played here a handful of times. beautiful location, course is fun and sort of tricky, not very long. ball goes forever with the altitude and weather conditions. I hit 3-iron off almost every tee. If I were in charge I'd get rid of some of the unplayable stuff that runs between holes. too much ball-hunting. Is the clubhouse finished?

Not a full round score but I finally completed one of my putting drills.

Make 12 three footers in a row
Then make 8 four footers in a row
Then make 4 five footers in a row.

About 30 minutes before I had gotten all the way through the four footers for the first time only to flub the last five footer. My back was hurting so I almost quit.

As a bonus, I then completed a new putting drill where I two putt with six total balls with: 2 from 15 ft, 2 from 30 ft, and 2 from 45 ft.

80. While I'm happy b/c this is my best official score of the season (I'm up to an 11), oh what could have been.

Hit the first five greens and didn't have a birdie putt longer than 12 feet. Only 1 under after five. $%^&*(!. Lipped out a six foot birdie putt on seven. Didn't take advantage of either of the short par 5s (+1).

Three shots lost (one lost ball and one unplayable lie) on wayward tee shots, otherwise had a GREAT ball striking day.

Other thing I learned this weekend: I won't be purchasing any more Odyssey White Hot XG putters. I just can't control distance with that soft insert.

There are at least three good ones that I know of, and at least one other that I believe is a short nine hole course. The other two are adjacent to each other in Oak Creek Canyon, which is basically on the opposite side of the town.

No, the word on the clubhouse is that it's "100 days" from being started, although it is currently being graded. The driving range is done. I hadn't been there in a couple/few years so that was new to me as was some other stuff: making the old 7th hole #1, which made #8 the new #2, and so on around, so the original #1 is now #8. HUGE improvement because the original #1 was an incredible ball-buster to start with, now you have time to prepare for it. Also, none of the timeshares, or whatever they're called in the triangle between current 1, 2 and 18 ("shared ownership"? I was told they are $3M but for $300K you could own 1/10th) were under construction, now they're totally done. And they are out of bounds.

Yeah, there is way too much natural undergrowth for how narrow the course is. It can be a bit of a skull**** if you're hitting it offline. Also, the host, who is not long himself, insists on playing the par-3 17th from the tips, which are never used because it's a shared tee with the ninth. 246 yards, argh. Luckily because of the elevation I can get a 3-iron there.

There were eight of us and each round had a different pro from the course. They were doing cart path only which got MIGHTY old after I had played so poorly the first time around. So I said to one of the pros before the second round, "can I have one of these (handicap) flags?" He said sure, just limp away from the staging area and I'll be fine. He was in the group in front of us and didn't seem to mind us driving everywhere. The host was in our group too and he took full liberties as well. Not having to hike to my crappy shots made the second round tolerable.

Also, the first pro was a young guy who wasn't very bright and hit me with the biggest cooler ever despite being my teammate: on the 8th I had stuck an iron really close, maybe three feet, and had a pretty slick putt for birdie. One of our opponents ran in a very similar putt from just outside mine. I congratulated him but not until I was addressing the ball did dumb young pro - who again was my teammate, and we were AS through seven at the time, my putt was to win the hole but we'd lose on the tiebreaker if I missed - turn to the guy and say "MAN NICE PUTT, WAS THAT A FOUR NET THREE?" I mean completely oblivious to how ******ed he was. I should have backed off the ball but it was not a real yip putt - really fast, just get it started on the right line and it should go in. But I didn't borrow quite enough and it lipped out. Incredulous, I said to him "did you REALLY ask him if he birdied as I was about to putt?" Both of our opponents busted out laughing because they knew how ******ed it was. We lost the hole and the match.

Here is a satellite view of the course. I have put a box around the 11th, where I took the pic posted upthread. It actually looked back across the course but because it sits a bit higher it couldn't be seen. I also put a box in the lower-right where the clubhouse will be, but the current temporary clubhouse - situated on the pond between the 6th and 7th holes - is a more fun piece of land.

41+41=82

played a harder/longer than usual course today and hit the ball absolutely fantastic off the tee. had a chance to break 80 but from 90 out on 18 in the absolute perfect layup position (a par 5) i managed to chunk a wedge into a ravine and took double instead of the birdie i needed. managed to do a couple of silly things like three putt two GIRs from 30 feet, miss the green on two short par 3s by 30 yards (lol), and chunk/thin a few straightforward pitches, but can't really complain.

i'm really really optimistic about my game for the rest of the summer and feel like i can be shooting low 80s high 70s consistently (which probably means that my game will fall apart again) if i can just be a little sharper and keep up my recent improved ball striking and course management.

i love my XG, i've taken my nike unitized leo out of the bag for the forseeable future and brought the XG back.

my personal best went from shooting 81 to shooting 76. the first time that i shot 81 i took a triple bogey on 18 and it took me another two months to break 80. golf is cruel.

conversely my dad has broken 80 once in his life and curled in some ridiculous 35 footer on 18 to shoot 79. i guess some people have better nerves than others!

I want to love the XGs. I love the look of the #9 and gamed that most of last season. Had to dump it though after "lagging" a few too many to 6, 8, 10 feet. Playing around this weekend with the #7 and the Sabertooth, I liked the setup and they inspire a lot of confidence on 3-4 footers, but same problem - I can't judge distance on the long ones. I just lag a lot better with an old Ping.

Going to try out a Spider next and if that doesn't work I'll just stick with one of the many putters I already have ... until the next hot model comes along.

Ok, I won't give you anymore **** since I almost shot the same score yesterday. I played Fuzzy Zoeller's new course (Champions Point in Southern Indiana) with the wind blowing about 30 mph most of the day. The course was nice, except for the bunkers which were rain-hardened from the previous week and even muddy in some places. I'm not sure why they didn't have anyone raking those things up, but it made the six traps I played out of very difficult. Along with the fact that my usual fade turned into a pull-hook several times, I'm just happy I didn't get close to 90!

Edgewood Tahoe
37-41 - 78

doubled 9, 15, 17....yuck

college coach used to make everyone on team make 50 - 3-footers in a row, or they couldnt leave practice... i remember missing on 46 once and wanting to shoot myself.

Nine is annoying. Are they ever gonna reroute it along the water?

Also, do they still use two greens on #8?

Fifteen I remember being fairly short and easy. You must have lost your drive into the pines.

Seventeen, I hit to about three feet and then struck a gay little yip putt which missed. Argh.

Shot +5 77 today with three birdies. Beat: was +6 on the five par 3s.

Guys I was playing with shot 103, 104 and 106 - though I can't be sure everything was counted.

Getting 9 along the water is not going to happen anytime soon. At least not in the next 5 years...

On 8, they only use the 'right' green. The superintendent only used the left one for its sawd to repair other greens on the course.

15 - you got it

17 - hit my shot on the REAL beach

Bummer about #9. Instead of having another hole on the water you're stuck with a wicked dogleg right that reminds me of something seen on Golden Tee.

The time I played #8 they were playing to the left green. Maybe it had something to do with aerating the right one or maybe for a time they used to alternate. I remember the right one having more bunkering and shaping to it though.

bah, bit of a step back today with a 76 (+5) today at easy ass Silverado. Hit the ball ok but putted like crap.

Jeez, what a stupid ****ing game! Monday night scramble at Stewart Peninsula, a sweet 9 hole course with two greens/tees for every hole. My buddy and I play 9 before the tourney. I proceed to hit the ball terrific, having birdie putts inside 20 feet on the first five holes and of course par all of them. Then on six I airmail the green and, what a ****ing shocker, CHIP IT IN! WTF? Birdie 9 for -2.

We shot -3 in the scramble and won because they have a weird floating handicap and since we hadn't placed the last few times we played we got an extra stroke.

I was surprised to total my score of 102 (best of the year). My drives were all very short fades, my second shots were often topped, advancing less than 100 yards, and my putting was pretty bad too (though they were punching the greens so I give myself a little slack there.) But my 3i (wtf?) was a goto club and my pitching and chipping was decent (for me). I was off the course at 9:15AM (about 2:20 round). A couple of pars on the back nine saved the round I guess.

Sandtraps were mudtraps today; some had small ponds; I was in one on a par 3 and took me 3 shots to figure out how to get out hitting off the very soft mud. Bleah.

Shot 85 (41-44) today at Roddy Ranch (first time playing there).

Brag: hooked drive on #10, ball wound up in a 3 yard deep stretch of dirt between 2 water hazards, no clue how ball stayed in it. made birdie on the hole too.
Brag: next hole almost holed out from a little over 100 yards for eagle, made the birdie.
Beat: 4 3 putts
Beat: was 4 over through 13, shot 85.

Played my first two rounds of the year, and both courses were 7500+ yards and Nicklaus Signature Designs...lol.

First course, Las Campanas (#1 rated course in New Mexico), played really well, shot 78 with a double on 18. Oh yea, rental set of G10's with a 10.5 degree Regular shafted driver and a HUGE hangover.

Second course, Ruby Hill Golf Club near SF, CA. Course was like 7600 yards at sea level. I start bogey, double-bogey but I'm only +3 after 14. I proceed to make like 29 on 18 and shoot 80. Oh yea, rental clubs and another HUGE hangover.

I'm not sure which is worse, the rental clubs or the hangover?

it's definitely a close call, but seeing how I have a lot more experience playing hungover the rental clubs were the hardest part.

Just when I start to think "hey, with just a little practice I could get down to a very respectable single digit" I go out an completely s*** the bed.

47 for 9. Nothing was good. Sprayed shots all over the place. Putted with hands of stone. Ugh. It was like I'd never played before

i played while sick yesterday and shot 45-34 with 1 bogey....standard.

36 holes yesteday at Cool Creek (near York, PA).

Par 70, slope 126.

83 first time around. Just needed to finish bogey, bogey, par for 80, but had a disaster triple bogey on the 17th. The course was pretty nerve wracking and it took a lot out of me since I had a chance at my previous best score and there are 4-5 holes where you need to draw your tee shot, which I only did successfully once.

2 beers for lunch with a burger.

Another 2-3 beers during the round, never really was hammered, but didn't pay attention to my score. Added it up and it was another 83. I didn't feel like I played as well the 2nd time, but didn't have triple and sunk 2 putts more than 10 feet and holed a downhill chip.

Best previous score was 83 two years ago, and my hdcp at start of year was 17.8 (haven't updated it). I've been working on all aspects of my game and finally seeing some rewards.