Random Golf Thoughts

blue note · 14-10-2022 8:29am

Lucky duck. Great day for it too.

RoadRunner · 14-10-2022 10:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119730756#Comment_119730756

I played 1 length for a while a couple of years ago. Here's one of the things I noticed and I can see the same in Bryson's distances.

Smaller gaps in the 'longer' irons and bigger gaps in the 'shorter' irons.

For example for someone who hits it as hard as bryson to have a 20 yard gap between 3 clubs (5i - 7i) but then also have 22 yard gap alone just between different wedges is a bit mad. Particularly as his game is often about tearing apart courses with the driver and wedge.

redzerdrog · 14-10-2022 10:01pm

hcap index has been steadily coming down since whs been introduced. 14.8 (I think) to 10.1 now. However tomorrows round is actually the first time I would have a counting round dropping out.

So if I break 85 I will have a chance at single figures but if I don't I will go to out a shot on playing hcap.

I like that the WHS really feels like I am playing for something

token56 · 15-10-2022 5:19pm

A question for people here that might know, is there a general rule for what you do in putting through standing water on a green or is this down to local rules. I was playing today and after a prolonged heavy shower the greens for a while had a lot of water and most of the time there was standing water on the lines of putts. The guys I was playing with, not from my club, said you can move the ball to another part of the green no closer to the hole where there is no standing water in your way. I really wasn't sure or comfortable with this so just played through it as best I could. Definitely lost a couple of shots because of it but I'm curious what is the rule here?

paulos53 · 15-10-2022 5:50pm

Yes, you can move the ball to the nearest point of relief. This does not have to be on the green.

The rule is 16.1 (d) an includes this diagram

DIAGRAM 16.1d: FREE RELIEF FROM ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITION ON PUTTING GREEN

The diagram assumes the player is left-handed. When a ball is on the putting green and there is interference by an abnormal course condition, free relief may be taken by placing a ball on the spot of the nearest point of complete relief. The nearest point of complete relief must be either on the putting green or in the general area. If there is no such nearest point of complete relief, the player may still take this free relief by using the point of maximum available relief as the reference point, which must be either on the putting green or in the general area.

token56 · 15-10-2022 6:01pm

Thanks very much for that. So in theory if there was enough water that the nearest point of complete relief was off the green then you can drop there?

paulos53 · 15-10-2022 6:37pm

Yes, you can go off the green if that is the nearest point of relief. In this case, you can place the ball instead of dropping it

Lefty2Guns · 17-10-2022 11:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119742298#Comment_119742298

Really enjoyed the course. The back 9 was excellent, unfortunately my golf wasn't.

Would love to get back and play it again.

PARlance · 17-10-2022 1:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119748810#Comment_119748810

It's probably assumed/known by most, but your ball doesn't have to be in the water as it is in that diagram... If your ball was on the green and that puddle was in your line, you can also move without penalty to the nearest point of relief.

However, if you were on the fringe or just off the green, you cannot take such free relief, even if the puddle was on your line... And even if you were going to putt it from just off the green.

I think that instance is probably one that people might fall foul off a bit on occasions.

token56 · 17-10-2022 5:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755930#Comment_119755930

That is very good to know alright, thanks. Does animal burrowings count as an abnormal course condition? This is something also happening on our course at the moment on our greens.

PARlance · 17-10-2022 6:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119756996#Comment_119756996

Yip, burrows made by an animal are included as an abnormal course condition.

dan_ep82 · 04-01-2023 4:52pm

Not sure where to stick this, not as much changed as i expected

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtcElGt6t4A

CSWS101 · 05-01-2023 1:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120065195#Comment_120065195

Looks very nice though. Saw the green fee has gone up to 200, mad. Hopefully they will have a GUI rate as no Irish golfers are paying that.

dan_ep82 · 05-01-2023 1:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120068616#Comment_120068616

I've played it twice and it would need a lot more work to be worthy of €200 but maybe more was done than in the video.

boccy23 · 05-01-2023 4:50pm

Seeing all these videos on YouTube about the new Callaway Paradigm. But, wow, what a price. Its 600 sterling and 600 dollars. So here it will be probably 700 Euro. Really, have drivers become that much more to produce. Puts 90% of golfers out of the market.

When I came back to the game in 2020, I was surprised on the price of everything then, especially putters. But with this price now, I think all this new tech will become far too expensive for the vast majority.

Mantis Toboggan · 05-01-2023 6:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120069651#Comment_120069651

Yeah but there's loads of choice, more expensive doesn't mean better.

callaway92 · 05-01-2023 8:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120069651#Comment_120069651

It's like anything, brand new off-the-shelf are for the early adopters and suckers. Look at the 2020/2021 versions and they'll be nicely discounted and almost identical in performance

coillcam · 06-01-2023 10:54am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120070668#Comment_120070668

This ^^^ x1000. You can pick up a TM Sim from 3 years ago on the cheap now, likewise, the TSi3 will drop and G425 should be on the way down. I think the current Cobra drivers (released 2022) are already €350 brand new. The only thing is that most fitters won't necessarily carry the older models if you want to do some testing, it'll be the current release plus some of last year's model. A properly fit 3 year old driver will outperform an off the shelf Paradym.

Watch Peter Finch's channel over the coming months as the drivers are all released. He's got multiple of the same ventus shaft with all of the OEM adapters. They'll be in direct challenges BUT also comparisons on the preceding models. TXG does this already tbf but there often isn't much difference year on year.

I think that golf will struggle over the next year or two compared to the pandemic bump and growth. If there is an economic dip the prices will have to tumble back to reality.

boccy23 · 06-01-2023 11:33am

I don't disagree at all that bargains can be had on the previous generations and that will remain. I suppose what was surprising on this particular launch was the price point. Is this now the new norm? €700 as opposed to €550-€600 last year. The cost of living crisis will be interesting in how it affects golf this year, re these new clubs, membership, etc.

coillcam · 06-01-2023 12:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120072851#Comment_120072851

When TM released the Stealth last year the driver RRP was €650 and the Stealth+ wood was €450. They were definitely at the high end of the market. I'm not sure at what point inflation influences the cost of materials, R&D, and logistics vs TM deciding on a high margin. For me playing numbers and product sales will have to dip given the uncertain global economic conditions.

blue note · 06-01-2023 12:25pm

I think you're right that golf will wane in popularity over the next couple of years. The problems that existed before covid (mainly ruined required to play the game) are still there and now that people can do other things I think they will again.

I'm not sure the price of clubs will come down though. Certainly not the top clubs. Maybe we'll see the leading brands start to bring out a mid range of clubs or something, but I think clubs are just really expensive now. The fitting thing is perhaps the biggest driver of this. Before when someone was looking at a new club they could look at last year's model, second hand etc. Now there's a perception that getting fitted is the most important thing which basically restricts you to new clubs. Which means they can bump the price up and people will still go for them.

spacecoyote · 06-01-2023 3:43pm

Read an interesting piece about how PXG are actually a massive driver behind a lot of this.

In essence, even if they didn't break into the market massively, they showed what golf consumers are willing to pay for premium clubs and to an extent normalised high price clubs (outside of people paying premium for some of the high end Japanese manufacturers which are more niche).

Bahanaman · 06-01-2023 4:07pm

Has anyone here played any of the three day competition packages that are being advertised at the moment? Some of the ones I've seen are the Donegal Links Classic or one over in Kerry with two of the rounds in Waterville. Are there other similar packages that people would recommend. They don't have to be competition, just maybe a three days of golf.

benny79 · 06-01-2023 4:09pm

A fool and his money is easily departed! Golf in general is gone up The European is charging a €100 gui rate during winter! before covid hit it was €60/50. As I would play it regularly although its my favourite course in Ireland I cant justify that!

There is a interesting video I came across on you tube of some ozzy young lad who bought clubs at flie markets for like $30/40 and but a up market shaft in them and the different was night & day and preformed much better than the new models!

I to have recently got new clubs my driver is 5 years old Cobra F9 when it first came out instead of getting a new driver I got an upgraded shaft cost €260, dear but still cheaper than a new driver and so far its way more consistent and am loving it. Remember all the Pros would be using upgraded shafts which probably be worth more than the driver heads!

Frisbee · 06-01-2023 5:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120068616#Comment_120068616

200 is insane. I played a few Opens there in 2021 for 50 a pop and that was about right. With the upgrade works I thought they might jump to 90 or so but as yousay I can't see many Irish players opting to play there for 200 quid when there so many other options around. And it's not close enough to anything else really to draw a big America crowd.

Bahanaman · 16-01-2023 3:44pm

Some good deals on golf shoes on the puma website. Never worn Puma shoes but that's about to change. Serious reductions plus an extra 20% off on some shoes with an extra discount code. Free delivery over 50 euro with free returns within 60 days. Dunno if this is the place to post good value golf stuff?