Be Excellent To Each Other

Does anyone else here play golf? I've been playing a fair bit lately as my knee still doesn't feel up to doing anything which might place great strain on it.

I have to say that I'm really enjoying it this time around. I played it a bit years ago and seemed to reach a plateau of inability but this time I seem to be making actual progress. I'm playing with someone loads better than me so it raises your game I think.

Anyway I'd highly recommend it. It's a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon or even an hour of an evening just practicing short irons on a field or firing a load off down the range with a driver. Hitting a good shot is immensely satisfying. You don't need to bother with all the dreadful golf club sort of bollocks, just turn up at a municipal course and have a game.

My dad took up golf for a bit and took some lessons and that.
I have to say, it made buying birthday and Christmas presents very easy for a few years as there was all sorts of pitching nets and putter practising things and novelty golf based items that he enjoyed receiving.

Then he seemed to let it trail off and went back to lawn bowls instead.

People at work seem to enjoy it, and a friend of mine plays off single figures. I don't think I'm patient enough for it, though.

Never understood why golf courses are all on islands in a lake with no interconnecting bridges.

I don't play golf but I'm going on some free group lessons starting this weekend. I noticed it on a local golf club website and thought why not. The father inlaw-to-be is into his golf so it is something I can do with him.
Further investigation shows it to be some national thing to get beginners into golf. http://www.getintogolf.org So there might be something local if anyone else wants to get started. The one I'm going on provides the sticks and balls and comes across as being quite casual.

Any other people who want to get into crazy golf would be wise to bring a pirate costume to the BBQ, as the day after Mimi and I are leading an expedition.

I love golf, but never really get the chance to play it.

Also, I appear to have somewhat mislaid my clubs.

Secondhand clubs are very cheap.

This book is brilliant:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ben-Hogans-Five ... 0743295285

So nicely written and basically teaches you all you need to know to get a decent swing going.

I have a golf course virtually next door. I really should play.

I have two, including a municipal course. I used to play a bit years ago, haven't played in about ten years.

Beex golf holiday?

Funnily enough we're surrounded by courses here, but I personally get more pleasure out of fishing. It's just as boring, but you occasionally get free food

Thank you, will keep it in mind. Although I'm not spending a penny until I know I won't be regularly knocking myself out.

My mum's house had an under-stairs toilet that give me similar concerns.

As you know I've been playing since I gave up skating. I'm still fairly rubbish though. I've never felt the need to join a club. http://www.teetimes.co.uk/ is your friend as the prices are almost always far lower then the standard club rates. Give me a shout Mark if you fancy a game sometime, it will be good to meet up again.

Looking forward to the forthcoming game Mr Burrrt.

I went down the driving range again yesterday, I'd been having a really horrible time with any iron longer than a six. However after realising that I had gradually come to be gripping the club far too tightly I remembered a tip I'd once heard about imagining that the club is a tube of toothpaste that you are trying not to squeeze. This immediately made things much, much better. Striking the ball no longer sent horrible shockwaves through my hands and arms whilst the ball went nowhere. Instead the contact felt more like pressing the shutter on a camera and the ball went some respectable distance. Not in a very straight line, it has to be said, but that's a job for another day.

There's so much to try and remember and figure out and all of it matters. It's a good puzzle.

Only on the Wii.

Long irons are a bit tricky. I don't have a normal iron longer than a six. My 4 & 5 irons are hybrid things like this



A lot easier to hit than normal irons. Most other hybrids are more like a wood with a shorter shaft though. I also have a 7 wood instead of a 3 iron and don't have a 3 wood as they're a bugger to hit well too.

Yes but what ABEC are they?

The illegal ABEC 11s.

Fun golf fact - Alice Cooper has a handicap of 5.3, so he wouldn't have to improve much to compete with the pros.

Heh:

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-ne ... ngs_gd2007

Reckon I could take Raekwon, on a good day.

Me and Mark had a jolly game last night at Garstang golf club. I was still trying to get my head round my modified swing after a lesson on Wednesday. Mark played the game of his life and beat me 100 to 104.

Yeah, really enjoyed it last night man. It was probably the first time playing a round of golf where I actually felt as though I knew what I was doing a bit, hit a few good tee shots and then had loftier ambitions than simply not losing the ball. Managed to get par on a par 4 hole which was another first for me.

*polishes chufty badge*

Green fees next door are a whopping £12/£15. Driving range is £4/50 balls. I'm totally doing this.

Given that I have 'found' my clubs, in.

Yay. I don't need to buy clubs.

Now, buy a car.

Get on it, we can arrange a BEEX golf tournament.

Another game with Mr Burrrrt tonight. I'm feeling quietly hopeful that I may have another relatively good round which probably means that the only fairways I'll be seeing will be the ones two holes to the right.

I have two sets of clubs. You can borrow one if you want.

Also, IN!

If you have two sets of clubs, does that mean you're good at golf? Because that could be a problem.

Not in the slightest. It means that my Dad and my brother both bought new sets and gave me their old ones.

Marvellous.

I'd forgotten what a gnarly fucker Ashton & Lea golf club is. I've only played it once a couple of years ago. This course may well murder us, so bring plenty of balls. On the bright side, my new driver came today. It's just like the driver I started out with but 10.5º instead of 14º loft. I've never really got on well with the replacement. First time I hit it will be on the first tee.

Oh great. This is going to be a horror show.

It'll be a larf though.

Aye.

Well that was ace fun again but I played really badly. 126 to Mr Burrrt's 118. I blame a sore back and also some stupid old golf clubby cunt at the start telling us to tuck our shirts in and questioning whether my golf shoes are golf shoes. Cunt. How anyone so old and near to death can concern themselves with the tuckedinedness of someone else's shirt is utterly beyond me.

A tough course indeed that punishes any wayward shots. Mr Burrrt played much better than the score, though. A textbook birdie on the par 5 and some tidy pars on other holes amongst the highlights. Good game.

I got told to tuck my shirt in twice. Once by a woman I was told later was the Lady Captain who had been playing wearing a t shirt with no collar which is against the dress code. This was before we actually got onto the course.

Dress codes don't apply to ladies, fool.

Tell her that if she's so into tradition she should get off the golf course or get a sex change.

And while she's in the kitchen, make you some pies!

Next game is scheduled for this evening. Mr Burrrrt, Baz (known to tinkers attendees) and me are going to attempt to get around Stanley Park before we run out of either daylight of golf balls. Still at least this one is a municipal course with a relaxed dress code. Nonetheless I have bought some special golfing clothes, I think I'll probably look a bit preppy, like a Tory MP going on his holidays, or MaliA.

Baz is ace.

Not at golf he isn't.

He does play a mean ukulele, though.

Does he lay whilst smoking rose tobacco in his pipe and playing a ukulele? He's quirky cool but down to earth. I like him.

I like that he's rubbish at golf, even. Adds to the cool.

Have fun!!

He's a fucking beatnik.

Have you been to Sports Direct again? I shall be wearing my Argyll patterned trousers like that bloke off the advert that looks like a clown. With my shirt not tucked in.

I have some Dunlop trousers, they had a photograph of top golfer Lee Westwood on the label.