A Golf Blog

Bunker Rakes

In the bunker, out of the bunker, handles toward the tee ground, handles away from the tee ground? There are even bunker rakes that get buried in their own little coffins so they aren’t in the way. There are as many options about what to do with bunker rakes as there are places to play.

You know what? How about knowing a bit about the rules and applying some common sense?

This from Matt Nelson; an agronomist in the USGA Green Section’s Northwest Region

Decision Misc./2 recommends that bunker rakes be placed outside of the bunker in areas where they are least likely to affect play. The reason for this Decision has to do with Rule 24-1 and Rule 20-3d. If a ball comes to rest against the bunker rake, the rake may be treated as a moveable obstruction. This situation could occur where a rake is positioned on a steep slope, and when the rake is moved the ball rolls to the bottom of the bunker. If the slope is too steep or the sand it too firm, it may not be possible to replace the ball on the original spot without it rolling away. It is also possible that all points of the bunker would be closer to the hole than the original position of the ball when it came to rest against the bunker rake, and there would be no other spot in the bunker to place the ball without being closer to the hole (Decision 20-3d/2).

Nothing in the rules allows you to press the ball into place so you’d get spanked with the stroke and distance option of the unplayable ball Rule (Rule 28a).

Now, if the rake is outside the bunker, it’s a lot more straight forward – you take the drop, no penalty, and forge ahead.

Not the most maintenance friendly solution, but workable.

What do you think?

Pace of Play in Golf

A lot is said about slow play in golf. Some golfers are more deliberate than others and some just don’t know they are backing up the golf course and often times it’s not the beginner foursome that’s stacking thing up. Course rangers do their best at keeping things moving but ultimately it’s up to you and your group to maintain a steady, acceptable pace of play.

I came across an article about picking up the pace of play and I thought I’d share it. It’s kind of long but definitely worth the read and it’s reprinted with permission. It was written by D. Frank Dobie from The Sharon Golf Club in Sharon Center, Ohio.

1. Tell your foursome at the first tee to hit when ready. The first player that is ready should be the first to tee off and so on. If your fairway and approach shots are approximately the same distance from the green, the player who is ready goes first. If you insist on playing honors, then make sure you are the first person to be ready.
2. Put a ball mark repair tool and two ball markers in your pocket at the first tee.
3. Carry a spare ball in your pocket so that if you need to hit a “provisional” or second ball you do not have to go back to the cart.
4. Do not start a conversation with another player if either one of you is “up”.
5. Have an idea of what club you will need even before you go to your ball.
6. If you are the golf cart driver, drop off the passenger at her/his ball and immediately go to your ball. Do not wait for him to hit his shot before going to your ball.
7. If you are the passenger and the driver is “away”, then take your club selection and walk to your ball. After your shot, walk to the golf cart or down the fairway. Do not wait for the driver to pick you up.
8. When you finish a shot and return to the golf car, do not put your club in the bag. Get in the car with club in hand and wait until your next shot to put it away.
9. If the course supplies a sand mixture to repair divot holes, take the divot to the golf car. The same holds true when you are hitting a short iron that normally causes a divot.
10. Simplify your pre-shot routine. Your pre-shot routine is important, but it doesn’t need to be so elaborate that is time consuming
11. Take only one practice swing. If you take multiple practice swings, do it before it’s your turn so that you are ready to hit.
12. If you are the passenger and are unsure of which club you want to hit, take several clubs and send the golf car driver on to his ball.
13. Locate your yardage to the hole before it is your turn.
14. If you are away and your next shot is a wedge or pitch shot, also take your putter and ask your golf car partner to take the car without you.
15. If you are ready to putt and the person “away” is not, then you putt first.
16. Line up your putt before it’s your turn, so that when it is your turn, you are ready to putt.
17. Use the continuous putting rule whenever possible.
18. Fix ball marks on the green before or after it’s your turn to putt.
19. If you are the first one in the hole, pick up the flagstick so that you can replace it when the last person has putted.
20. Never record scores at the green. Do it at the next tee.
21. If you have a bunker shot, take the rake into the bunker with you before you shoot.
22. Never place a rake near another rake in the bunker.
23. If players in your group are playing from different markers, then the forward tee players should move the golf car to their tee as soon as the others have hit. Don’t wait for them to return to the golf car; they can walk to the golf car as the forward tee players hit.
24. Park your golf car on the path between the green and the closest distance to the next tee.
25. Always be aware of the gap between you and the group ahead. There shouldn’t be more than half a hole open between you. If you fall behind, advise your group to pick up the pace. Do not be concerned about the group behind you, as long as you are keeping pace with the group ahead.
26. After your round is completed, do not add up scores until after you have left the green area with your golf car.
27. You can convey some of the tips to your guests before and during a round or give them a copy of this before they play.

Four hours is plenty of time for a foursome to play 18 holes. At The Sharon Golf Club they have fivesomes and sixsomes that use these techniques and routinely play in less than 3 ½ hours.

Hit ‘em straight but not often.

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Better Golf Through Hypnosis

Several years ago, an article about hypnosis appeared in our local paper. In it was a mention how it’s helped some with their golf game. It’s a well know and not often talked about fact that golfers will do just about anything to lower their handicap.

And I was no exception. I bought the CD and gave it many tries. Did it lower my handicap? I don’t know but I do know that when I listen to the CD, I can only remember the first 5 to 8 minutes of it. After that, I’m in la la land. The CD runs about 40 minutes and when I’m awakened, I’m rested.

Get your’s here.

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State of the Union

First of all, this is not a political blog but I couldn’t let this go without a comment.

I think the news coverage missed a great opportunity – Hello FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC, how about identifying congress members as to how they applaud the President’s points. Map everyone in the House Chamber and when the President makes a point some applaud and some don’t. Tell us who was who and put the replay on YouTube.com. Come on, Fox and CBS have those virtual first down graphics on their NFL broadcasts that work pretty well…Right?

From that, I promise, we can decide.

An aside – seemed like the new Speaker of the House had a problem with her teeth. Hey, maybe I missed it but it sure seemed like there were food particle adjustments going on through the entire address to the American people..

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Golf Lessons – A Methodology

I wish I could remember where I first saw it but shortly after taking up the game I read about (or maybe even dreamed it up) a golf lesson methodology. Come to think of it, it was probably part of Bob Rotella’s mantra. I was and still am a big fan. Used to listen to his tapes all the time.

Lessons should start at the hole with putting. Then graduate to the short game; chips and pitches. From there wedges and short irons, then mid-irons and finally fairway woods and driver. I’m amazed at the obsession most have with distance. Regardless of conditions, some of my playing buddies hit driver 14 times in a round. But that’s a topic for another post.

The idea is to have a cycle of lessons, practice, and play. One lesson a week for six weeks with the final lesson on the course. Practice twice a week and play twice a week. Each lesson gets reinforced 4 times and after six weeks, you should see improvement.

So, what are you waiting for?

Hit ‘em straight but not often.

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Who Is Gary?

Fair question – as readership grows it’s only fair you know a bit about me so you can make value judgments about what I write.

I was retired a year ago after 29 years in the travel industry. My last stint was as a project lead in the R&D space.

I started playing golf 10 years ago at a private club in Fort Worth. Had a regular group and played every Saturday and Sunday at 8:52am, rain or shine, cold or hot. You do that when you don’t/can’t play every day. Now, my wife and I live in an active adult community and I can play every day but don’t – sometimes it’s because I’m lazy and sometimes it’s because the weather’s crappy.

I’m active in our Men’s Golf Association – Grounds Chair and also active on the communities Greens Committee – Turf Committee Chair.

I’m not a scratch golfer but I do have opinions – some will be helpful and some won’t.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you continue reading.

Hit ‘em straight but not often

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Acemakr.com

Back in the middle of ’04, this blog launched as a work in progress to get the company where I worked interested in corporate blogging. It didn’t work.

Back then, I didn’t really think about a golf blog so I never chased Acemaker.com – just as well. I’ve still not had a hole-in-one and I’m still not chasing the Acemaker.com domain.

Some geekey little twerp has squatted on it and is holding it ransom for 3900 euros. Come on, 3900 euros for Acemaker.com? I was willing to pay $5 or $10 US but never heard back from them. Go figure.

May Old Tom Morris strike them with hemorrhoids.

Hit ‘em long and straight, but not often.

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A Golf Blog

My name’s Gary and I play golf. I feel better now that I’ve gotten that off my chest. I’ve been at it for the better part of 10 years. My bride got me a club membership for our 20th wedding anniversary – kids were out of the house and weekends must have been tedious for her. But I sure appreciated it.

The games great and here you’ll read about where I play/played, how I stay involved (men’s golf association, etc.), and lots about the characters I play with. I’ll talk about my background – you know, the blather about where I worked, how rounds went and day to day commentary from a ‘active adult retirement community’. So, it won’t be “just about golf”.

I’ll chat about the weeks tour stop (all of them that I have an opinion about), the latest in the monthly rags (Golf Digest, Golf Magazine) and for sure, the buzz on the Golf Channel web site.

Future post will be about where I play, our MGA, the Greens Committee, GHIN, local rules (the first one will be hoot), the advent of Spring (yeah), Pilates for Golf, and the Golf Digest ‘Hotlist’. You don’t even want to know what’s on my ’07 equipment wish list.

Hang in there – next post (short though it will be) will be about the blog’s URL.

Hit ‘em long and straight, but not often.

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The Night the Lights Went Out on Sabre

My lights, that is – I’ve been writing about Sabre since the middle of ’04 and for those of you that used to read here, things have tapered off significantly since I was ‘retired’. I just don’t have the fire anymore. How bad is it that a Google search for Sabre Blog put me at the top. Geez, I haven’t written anything substantial in more than a year.

A recent commenter also spoke of problems – looks like they’ll return to Amadeus – as he put it “the lesser of two evils”. Yikes

With Sabre exiting the oversight of publicly traded companies, it will be that much harder to keep tabs on what’s going on. And, tempting as it might be, I won’t betray confidence of former colleagues.

Stay tuned – I may change the curtains, spruce things up a bit then, I may not. I will keep writing – now about something I enjoy.

Golf