New Putter and Driver for Me!

Lots of news! Got a new putter, new driver, and overall feeling very comfortable with my game. Unfortunately a few injuries sidelined me for a while and caused me to lose a bit of my edge, but I'm almost 100% and can't wait to play in this Texas heat!

First off, the putter.  My dad surprised me for my birthday with a 2012 Scotty Cameron Newport 2.  It's an absolute dream.  The putter is so perfectly balanced that it feels like it's on rails.  The impact with the face is firm, but soft enough to where distance control is easier than with any putter I've ever played with.  My dad got me the 34 inch model and I'm loving it.  It gives me confidence and an added bonus is that I think the putter is so damn beautiful that I don't really mind missing putts because it means I get to use it for another stroke.  Total surprise, thanks dad!

Next, I found an amazing deal on a Taylormade Burner 2.0 on GlobalGolf.com.  Less than fifty bucks for a used driver and a box of Taylormade Burner balls.  I really love Taylormade balls, but I was kinda on the fence with their clubs.  The reason why I was browsing through drivers in the first place though is because I felt the XCalibur shaft on my Ping G15 was just too stiff for how my swing is now.  About six months ago I was really trying to bomb it with the driver and I felt like the extra stiff was a good fit for me because it gave me a ton of control on the club face throughout the downswing.  However, recently I've toned my swing down quite a bit and I'm playing more for finesse than power.  My angles into the ball with my irons is less aggressive and I'm throwing the club head through the ball way softer than before.  After the changes to my swing I could tell that I was fighting to shut the club face and I ended up developing a nasty pull hook that I'm still trying to get rid of.
Long story short, I bought the driver and I really enjoy it.  It takes way less effort to swing through the ball and I've gained about 30 to 40 yards in distance averaging between 280-290 yards which is great considering I'm also hitting it straighter than before.

Overall, the last few months have had their ups and downs, but I'm definitely looking forward to playing more golf and taking my game to the next level.  I was hitting the low 80s pretty consistently, and I feel like I'm just a few good putts away from finally breaking 80 for the first time.  

Putting Woes

I played a private golf course in Cleburn last weekend and as usual, my putting remains by far the weakest part of my game. The golf course was SPECTACULAR. The property is called The Retreat, and the golf course is an exclusive course reserved for owners of property within the community. My dad said the course was "so beautiful that your score at the end of the day doesn't even matter."  It was a perfect day for golf, with some really great people, a country singer, and horrendous putting by me. 

I'm really struggling on the greens.  Probably because I never do drills and I change my grip, posture, stance, speed, rhythm, etc. on an almost-weekly basis.  To shave strokes I really need to spend more time chipping and putting and less time hitting shots that I already know I have in my bag.  It's not that I dislike practicing short game, I just enjoy the stress relief when blasting balls down the range more.

Odyssey Metal-X #9

I thought about it the day after and it all boils down to me not feeling comfortable with my putter.  I feel like a good stroke will only get me close and not in the hole.  The putter feels out of control and I have no feel for the club head the way I do with every other club in my bag.  Dad suggested I look into getting a new putter so I'm standing over a club that inspires confidence.  New club? Why not?  I absolutely love the Odyssey Metal-X #9.  I think it's a beautiful putter, the metal insert is a bit firm, but it feels like I'm placing the ball on a path instead of hitting it towards a general area.  I thought about taking the plunge and purchasing the new Odyssey Versa #9, but I just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger for $169.  Luckily, I found an Odyssey White Hot Tour #9 for a really great deal and it should be arriving in the mail within a week!  I can't wait to work on my putting with the new club.

Odyssey Versa #9

It's really difficult to feel okay with my score on Sunday. I don't feel like it accurately reflected my play for that day.  I felt great about my long range game, my irons were solid, and my shots from 100 yards and closer felt really good.  What totally killed my score were all the 3- and 4-putts!!!  I had so many birdie opportunities and every single one ended with at least a bogie.  

Odyssey White Hot Tour #9

From now on, I'm going to make sure that for every one hour I spend on the driving range, I spend at least three hours on the putting green or putting at home. 

Getting Matched with Randoms

Annoying Golf Partners (Courtesy of Golf Digest)

This weekend I played Chester Ditto in Arlington with Salman & my dad. I played the course last week too - the back nine absolutely destroyed my face.

Our group of six was too big for one flight so Salman and I were paired up with two randoms. Random #1 was nice but random #2 was super unpleasant. He threw his clubs on the ground after bad shots, didn't crack a smile, just constant brooding.  #2 ended up leaving after a bad tee shot on the tenth hole and that made the rest of the round more enjoyable.  The fact that I shot two over par on the back nine didn't hurt either (^-^).  #2 reminded me of how rare it was that I enjoyed the company of randoms (maybe it's me...). Playing golf with others means I'll be spending the next four to five hours with them and I always try my best not to ruin their time away from the real world.  Maybe it's naive of me to assume others feel the same way because bad tempers and foul attitudes happen more often than not.  But if there's anything I learned from watching Les Miserables, it's to never give up hope.  Especially if Wolverine is on your team, or if Catwoman is your mom.  But I digress...

Guaranteed slice with that backswing

Picture this:  Fred works 40+ hour weeks and devotes whatever spare time he has to his family. Fred's wife suggests that he take an afternoon off to play golf with his best friend, Barney.  Fred's twosome gets paired up with Tiger and Phil. Tiger and Phil claim to be 11 handicappers but in actuality they rarely shoot under 95. Fred and Barney are enjoying their round for the first few holes but Tiger's constant complaining and Phil's moping is beginning to affect them. Fred's finding himself walking on eggshells because of Tiger's short fuse, and Barney feels uncomfortable joking with Fred because of the cloud hanging over Phil's head. Before they know it they're on the 18th tee box; Tiger is blaming poor course conditions for his weak play, Phil is still dragging his feet, and poor Fred and Barney are both silently hoping that their next round (whenever it may be) will be more enjoyable than this one.  Fred returns home feeling like he should've just gone to work instead, lists his golf clubs on craigslist, and cries himself to sleep.

I know golf is a 1-player sport.  It's just you, your level of sobriety, your equipment, and the course.  But consider this - you would be hard-pressed to find a golfer who considers their time on a course as anything less than sacred.  Therefore, it should follow that golfers appreciate that other golfers see their time chasing par as a sanctuary away from the stresses of life as well.  It does not.  Temper tantrums and whining are too common; and although potentially hilarious once or twice, one to four hours of constant negativity can absolutely ruin a beautiful day outdoors.
Do yourself and everyone around you on the first tee box a favor:

• Keep it playful
• It's just a game
• Realize that your foul mood will ALWAYS affect your playing partners.  ALWAYS.

TL;DR:  A round of golf is sacred. Don't screw it up for others.

New Years Resolutions!

It's 2013! This year I have one goal!
I want my full swing to look super nice by finishing with perfect balance every time.

Last year I was too focused on shooting low and I'm realizing that that's not gonna happen consistently if the golf swing is a complete mess.  I also realized a big flaw in my game and something I never really considered before this year:  With every good shot my first thought was always "I got lucky that the ball went where I aimed."  It needs to be the opposite.  I need to expect that my shots will go where I intend for them to go, and I need to be surprised at my faults.  I won't ever be perfect, but I need to stop feeling like I got lucky for sending the ball where I meant for it to go.

In 2013, I will get my swing under control.  Scores don't matter this year. 

• In-to-Out club path
• Relaxed grip
• Club face control through impact
• Maintain the spine angle until the club pulls me out of it
• 80% power at most
• Hold the finish
• Hold the finish
• Hold the finish

Three Rounds in Six Days!

I want to start this off by thanking my wonderful wife, for letting me play so much golf in such a short amount of time.  What a gift!  Feels like Christmas came early for me this year!

Last Thursday I played the Creeks course at Indian Creek with Phong.  Saturday I played the Red and White at Prairie Lakes with Salman and Soks.  Tuesday morning I played Tierra Verde in Arlington with Salman.  What a week!

How I felt after 54 holes

Tierra Verde was phenomenal.  It isn't quite as nice as Twin Lakes in Canton, but the two courses are so different that comparing them isn't really fair.  Tierra Verde has an amazing layout.  You NEVER see any other holes than the one you're playing on.  They're all divided by very dense tree lines so you never see any other golfers other than the group directly ahead of you and the group behind you.  The landscaping was absolutely beautiful.  Fairways were extremely well taken care of, rough was cut perfectly, greens were near flawless.  That being said, I think Tierra Verde is probably the most difficult course I've ever played.  I've never seen such drastic elevation changes and there were so many blind shots into the fairways.  If there was one thing I had to criticize about TV it would be that.  I think this course really needs GPS on the carts.  Luckily, Salman and I were paired up with two really nice guys who knew the layout well.  It was a very enjoyable round and a perfect ending to such a great week.

Saucer Pass Is Legit!

Tried out the saucer pass this weekend. Everyone knows by now that my putting stroke is pretty unorthodox; James Lepp's saucer pass was actually the inspiration behind it.  The saucer pass is a hockey style shot that is 100% legal according to USGA rules. After my successes with it on Sunday I am for sure sticking with it for pretty much every shot onto the green from 30 yards and in. The level of accuracy is fantastic and the best part is that it COMPLETELY removes any chance of hitting a chip fat or thin. Guaranteed.

Kikkor creator James Lepp will be competing in this year's Big Break competition on golf channel! Complete purchases on Kikkor.com using promotional code LOTL to get a discount on the sexiest golf shoes on the market.

Set Some Goals! Then Shatter Them!

I'm sure if you spent some time looking up golf tips, you would find several people talking about Practicing with Purpose. I think "practice with purpose" is probably the single most important thing to remember when trying to learn anything new.  I apply this to everything in my life; from being a father, student, golfer, to less important things like cooking or video games. If you aren't doing something for the sake of improving yourself then you're just waiting for the activity to finish without it serving a purpose. In other words, you're allowing a unique opportunity to disappear forever.

 

Saying "I'll work on ____ next time" means you aren't do it this time and this time will no longer exist after it finishes. Every time I step foot on the driving range or golf course I clearly define my goals specifically for that session. E.g. "Ten balls with a controlled fade," "Fifty balls without hitting it fat," or "No three putts on the back nine." The more specific your goals, the easier your successes can be measured.  Remember, there isn't a mathematical formula to improving your golf swing. Despite what many believe, X (number of balls hit) has absolutely no relationship to Y (level of skill obtained). You can only increase your skill if you use every ball your club makes contact with for a purpose. Be specific with your goals so you can measure your progress and celebrate your victories! Enjoy the feeling that you get when you accomplish something new because you deserve to feel good about yourself! Now go and set your next goal so you can focus on blasting past it! Before you know it, you can look back at everything you've accomplished and can actually measure just how much you've improved.

My current goals:

• Shoot under a forty on a front or back nine.
• Eighteen holes without a three putt. 

 Keep Putting (with Purpose),

-Juno

85 Konquered, and Timberview Review

Salman, Jason, and I played Timberview in Ft. Worth yesterday. Shot my lowest score to date despite the course sucking.  

The staff was worse than Lake Arlington. My biggest gripe about the staff at Lake Arlington was that they weren't engaging or friendly; Timberview employees couldn't be distinguished from patrons because they were standing around talking about personal affairs and swearing without acknowledging nearby customers. An older, heavyset guy was the first person I dealt with. He was extremely polite to the eight white golfers ahead of me but as soon as I said hello to him his demeanor changed. He barely looked at me and was irritatingly curt. Also, for the first time since I started using GolfNow.com my IdealGolfer.com voucher wasn't accepted and he explained my "commitment to pay the agreed price" about four times; making sure to say it slow enough for the foreigner to understand. Funny that he mentioned commitment because I booked for 4, but we paid for 3 and I wasn't charged for the 4th person.  If those are the rules then those are the rules. What really irked me was the condescending tone and being treated like I was stupid.  One of the clubhouse staff was actually pretty friendly, but one of the girls working that day acted like Salman and I weren't there and only spoke to the two guys standing about fifty feet behind us on the practice green.  The website claims that Timberview is the "friendliest golf course in the metroplex."  I think they need to add a disclaimer because that statement clearly doesn't apply to non-white folk.

 

The course itself was pretty dumb too. The Greens were tiny and were just about fairway grass length. Super slow and grainy. Didn't matter what kinda slope you were looking at because the ball would roll straight and slow, often stopping in the middle of a steep down slope. The layout was similar to Meadowbrook in Arlington. Wide open with trees spread far apart, no bunkers, and only a hand-full of water hazards. The fairways were wide and landing in the rough hardly affected your chances of getting on the green. The holes were very short but there were some par 4s that I feel should've been par 5s which is funny because there wasn't a single par 5 that couldn't be reached in two.

Salman played solid as usual. He had a rough start on the first three holes and decided to not keep score for the rest of the round. Not sure if tearing up the scorecard affected his mindset but he played holes 4-18 like a beast, driving straight as an arrow and hitting some solid approaches. No eagles from 100 yards this time, but had two close calls. Jason struggled early on because he didn't get a chance to warm up, but after a few holes he was striking it well and putting solid (as usual). And despite my complaints about the course and the staff, I still somehow managed to break 85 for the first time. Shot a 43 on the front nine after an ugly triple bogey on the fourth or fifth hole, and a 40 on the back nine. Practiced with mostly driver at TopGolf on Friday. Worked out pretty well and the shortness of the course definitely helped me with getting my approaches close to the pin.

All in all it was still a fun round with lots of laughs, but I am never playing Timberview again. I still have a voucher so if anyone wants to play there just let me know and you can have it.  It expires on the 31st and after that you can use it as credit at the golf course (if they let you).

Don't forget to putt,
-Juno

Year One: Complete

It's late August 2012 and that means I've reached the one year mark since I first took up this game.  I'm looking forward to playing this weekend.  Looks like Salman, Soks, Naumann, and I will be playing Saturday morning (and hopefully we don't get rained out again).  Been an awesome year with way more highs than lows.  There were several walls that I hit where I thought about putting the clubs away but I kept at it and worked my way here.  My goal for next year is single digit handicap.  Let's get it!  But first!  Gotta fix the driver.

I've been struggling off the tee my last three rounds and I couldn't figure out why until my conversation with Salman about what's been going through my head lately with driving.  Ignoring my last three, the last 10 rounds have actually been really good.  After breaking 90 I shot mid to high 80s every time I stepped foot on a course and felt like I was getting closer and closer to shooting in the low-80s/high-70s, but three rounds ago my driver just fell apart and hasn't recovered.  Out of 64 holes played, I remember only one good drive.  

At first I thought it was just a mental thing; maybe I was trying too hard.  I realize now that the problem was after shooting in the 80s consistently I somehow convinced myself that I needed 300+ yard draws to bring my game to the next level.  I started working out more, started trying to swing in-to-out more, moved my ball position farther back in my stance, stood a little farther away from the ball, started swinging at 90-100% off the tee, and kept thinking draw, draw, draw, when everyone knows my natural shot with the driver has always been a fade.  

Less Like This Guy

Being seduced by the feeling of blasting a drive into outer space has been my Achilles heel this whole year.  I wanted the long ball so badly because I felt like it would earn me more street cred than a beastly short game.  My practice sessions turned into mostly driving exhibitions and sure enough my scores would stall out and ultimately start climbing.  Thinking back to the walls I hit this past year, I made the biggest progress when I toned the driver down and focused on putting, pitching, and chipping.  Improving my short game boosted my confidence and I started driving the ball better and better which then shifted my attention from the short game to those sick drives that split the fairway in half.  Then thoughts like "What if I hit it even farther?" started clouding my judgment.  Before you know it, my drives are ending up 60+ yards shorter than usual and pulled far right into the trees or duck-hooked over onto adjacent fairway and I'm calling friends complaining about the newest wall I've run into.  On the upside, my saves out of the jungle have improved but going low under branches on my way to the green isn't how I want to play the game.  

More Like This Guy

I really want to start shooting in the low 80s consistently.  Long ball isn't gonna get me there.  This weekend I'm going to go back to worrying about my accuracy from 150 yards & in, and hit my driver the way I feel most comfortable hitting it with my ball position back to where it was when I was shooting my lowest scores. 

70% Power, Middle of the Fairway.  

Grip It, and Rip It, Relax the Grip, Relax the Mind, and Swing Smoothly Through the Ball

Practice Your Putting,
-Juno

The Eagle Has Landed!

Salman, Soks, Mr. Browne, & I played Prairie Lakes yesterday.  The rain really picked up around the 7th hole.  We had to stop after playing the 10th because the rain was coming down sideways and we were freezing (in the middle of summer!).

It was truly unfortunate that we couldn't finish the round.  Salman was on pace to shoot a great score.  He shot a six over forty-two on the front nine after a birdie and his first eagle!  The shot was right out of a PGA highlight reel.  It was roughly a one hundred yard approach shot, his ball hits a hill off the green and trickles down towards the flag and finds the bottom of the cup.  Great shot Salman!
Soks was playing playing like a beast.  He was on pace to shaving over 15 strokes from his first round score.  His ball striking never looked better and his play only suffered after the rain started picking up. 

I lucked out, because I couldn't hit a single drive onto the fairway.  I've been struggling with my driver far right the last three rounds.  It's gotten to the point where I'm very confident hitting the ball around, above, and under trees on my second shots.  But having to maneuver my way out of the woods on every hole is not how I want to spend my weekends.  Need take the driver back to the driving range and figure out what changed in the last month.  Pretty sure I'm releasing the club head way too early and focusing too much on hitting the ball instead of swinging through it.  Glad I didn't have to finish that around after being nine over after the front nine.

Congrats again Salman!  Be sure to give him props when you see him. 

Salman is now the second player in the gang to hole an approach shot at 100 yards.  Phong did the same a few months ago at the Winstar course in Oklahoma.

Practice your putting,
-juno

Props to Soks!

D. Flowered

Soks played his first 18 hole course yesterday!  Congratulations buddy!  We played Prairie Lakes in Grand Prairie.  Salman and I were there to watch him deal with the frustrations we've all fallen madly in love with.  It was a fun, albeit extremely hot, round of golf.  The sun was draining us of energy and the heat was by far the most significant force we had to contend with.  The forecast predicted 106 degrees, but I'm pretty sure we reached temperatures above that.  With a 3pm tee time, the temperatures didn't let off till the last two or three holes.  I consumed roughly 3 gallons of water throughout the day and still ended up dehydrated with a pounding headache.

It's time to go home, ball

I always tell myself that courses are for playing and sessions at the range, putting at home, chipping in the yard, etc. are for practice. That way I try not to think too much about the shots I struggled with or where I could've shaved a stroke or two until after I've left the course.  During yesterday's round the biggest gripe for me were my second shots.  My driving was fairly consistent except for the first few holes, and my short game was pretty sharp (Thirteen putts on the back nine!), but my approaches and first shots on par3s were consistently bad yesterday.

I also had the pleasure of witnessing some pretty amazing plays from the guys.  Soks found the fairway on some pretty solid drives and drained some MONSTROUS putts.  I've seen him sink some insanely far putts at Meadowbrook and yesterday was more of the same.  No matter where his ball ends up on the green there always seems to be a chance for him to hole it, which is definitely not the case with me!  Salman's ball striking continues to improve from round to round.  He's still trying to dial in his driver but definitely isn't suffering from a lack of distance.  The guy's still a surgeon with the sand wedge from anywhere inside 80 yards; hits the flag stick at least once per round with his 56.  Super jealous.

Can't wait to play again, I'm thinkin' a trip to Country View in Lancaster is in order!  Twilight this time.  I had a lot of fun yesterday and was glad to be a part of Soks' first round on a full course but that was the absolute last time we will ever book a tee time before 4pm during a Texas summer.

-juno

Prairie Lakes Golf Course, Grand Praire

Salman and I played Prairie Lakes Golf Course in Grand Prairie.  That course is lots of fun!  We had a 5pm tee time reserved and we cleared 18 holes in just over 3 hours.  The layout is interesting.  Prairie Lakes is actually three different 9 hole courses with par ratings of 35 or 36.  The Red course is on the North side of the property, White in the middle, and Blue on the South side.  Today we played the Red course and the White course.  The White course featured 3 holes called the Grand Prairie Bermuda Triangle which are supposed to be the hardest three holes at Prairie Lakes.  The course architects weren't playing around.  The holes feature difficult shots over water and since it's right on the lake you have to contend with a tremendous amount of wind that just does not let off.  Overall the course was awesome and the staff very friendly.  Also, Prairie Lakes is very close to my house which is a definite plus for me.

The Course Layout:  I really enjoyed our round today.  The layouts of the holes for the Red and White courses were fairly challenging without being too crazy except for the Bermuda Triangle.  There aren't any bunkers to worry about but several fairways were too narrow for driver so I had to use my three wood off the tee to keep it under control and in the fairway.  The par 3s on this course are definitely the signature holes.  Yes, all the par 3s.  To be honest the par 5s and 4s were nice, but also pretty generic.  The par 3s all required clearing water.  Not only that, the par 3s were deceivingly windy around the pin today.  On one par 3 Salman and I didn't feel a breeze in the tee box but the flag was almost sideways.  The pin was about 145 yards away and the edge of the water right around 130 from the tee.  My eight iron is my 140 club.  The winds were so strong that I splashed into the water even after clubbing up to a six iron!  It was a really cool challenge to try and hit it low while still making sure to stay on the green.  Needless to say, the par 3s were by far the worst holes for me scoring-wise. 
The landscaping was excellent.  Grass was beautiful, trees were perfectly spaced, everything looked great and the lake surrounding the course was extra eye candy for most of the holes on Red and White.  There were tons of dogleg lefts and rights where the flag wasn't visible from the tee box.  But those shots weren't nearly as challenging as the par 3s.  All you had to do was stay in the fairway and you would always have a decent shot to the green on par 4s.  The par 5s were very short, and reachable in 2 after a good drive. 

My shot of the day:  On a 328 yard par 4, I had a ridiculous amount of tailwind and a narrow fairway so I went for a power draw with my three wood and crushed the hell out of the ball.  Shot went right at the green after turning right and the ball came to rest pin high just a little to the right of the green!  My longest drive to date was about 320 yards using my driver!  Then I ended up hitting the flag stick and almost drained it for eagle!  What happened after that isn't important.

For the price, six different options for 18 holes, and location, Salman and I feel that Prairie Lakes is the best value for a round of golf in DFW we've seen so far.  If you ever decide to play there, be sure to try the barbeque.  It. Was. Epic.

Till next time.  Stay outta the trees,
-Juno

HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?!

Twin Lakes Golf Course in Canton, TX

WOW! This is the greatest golf course I have ever seen!
Salman and I played in Canton last Sunday. From the drive into the golf course you can tell the course is special. It's surrounded by a tree farm and just driving up to the club house will get you excited for your round. The course is GORGEOUS and there wasn't a single spot that wasn't well taken care of. The groundskeepers deserve a medal for how amazing it was to play on such perfect fairways and greens.
This is the best course I have played on so far, and no positive review could do this course justice. The first hole is an amazing par 4 with a tee shot that has to clear 150 yards of water to reach the fairway. The last hole ends with an approach to the green over the same body of water. It really sets the pace in the beginning and finishes with a fun and challenging hole. The course isn't too challenging, but there are a few spots where laying up is a must despite a 280 yard drive. 
The drive to Canton is a bit far. Just under two hours from Grand Prairie. But it is absolutely worth the drive. I wouldn't mind making a monthly trip to play this course. Twin Lakes GC in Canton is a MUST PLAY Texas golf course.

The Golf Club at Twin Creeks

Played a round yesterday morning with Phong and two schoolmates.  We played at Twin Creeks in Allen, TX.  That course was TERRIBLE.  I thought the customer service at Lake Arlington was bad, but the woman selling the food at Twin Creeks takes the cake.  The course is within a community of fancy 1 to 3 million dollar homes.  You'd think the course would be in pristine condition but it was by far the ugliest golf course I have seen so far.  

The thing I was most worried about before our round was the forecasted 104 degree heat, but lucky for us it wasn't too bad at all.  The first nine holes were actually perfect weather, but that's about the only thing that held up for me that morning.  I ate some super spicy Thai food the night before and I felt super uncomfortable the next morning.  Slept about two hours, woke up about an hour before the round expecting a 40 minute drive with about 20 minutes to warm up.  Unfortunately, the drive took 56 minutes!  So I arrived late, had no warmup, stomach wasn't feelin right, and all of that combined with an ugly view for 18 consecutive holes made for a super crappy golfing experience.  At about the 11th hole I was ready to go home.  My head wasn't in the game and I was just hitting the ball to send it forward without any purpose or enjoyment.  During the last half of the round my only thought was "I can't believe I drove an hour and spent money to play here."  I lost every single ball in my bag, left two brush tees in the two different tee boxes, and ate the most garbage ham sandwich.  Still managed to scrounge together a 95, but that score doesn't reflect just how bad I played.  My fairway wood was a consistent 20 yard chunk, followed by a 200 yard pull about 50 yards to the right of the green.  It's difficult to enjoy yourself when you keep losing balls in weeds around the fairways and have to putt around crab grass on the greens.  The bunkers were solid dirt that barely passes for sand.

One star to The Golf Club at Twin Creeks.  Whoever the groundskeeper is for that course should be ashamed of himself.  Golf season started months ago, no excuse for such poor landscaping this far into the year. 

Lake Arlington

Salman and I played Lake Arlington Golf Course yesterday.  Pretty nice course.  We give it 3 stars.  The course itself was great but the staff was horrendous.  By far the worst we have ever encountered.  The check-in guy was apathetic.  The cart girl was not friendly, and the girl tending to the bar was the rudest person I have ever encountered in a club house.  Pardon me for interrupting your facebook conversation.  The greens were inconsistent.  Some were fast and some were in desperate need of cleaning up.  But the course itself was very nice; probably some of the best fairways in DFW.  The layout was tight but not too difficult.  Some of the holes felt like they were on top of each other.  E.g. The first and tenth tee boxes were practically side by side, facing the same direction.  No bunkers, but several holes had water in play.  Also, the map on the score card was inaccurate.  E.g. The map would have water separating the fairway from he green so Salman and I would cut back on the power instead of going for the green only to find that we were avoiding an imaginary hazard.

We played at a super consistent pace since the course was deserted and we didn't have to wait for anyone.  There was overcast and a slight drizzle so I'm sure a lot of players stayed home to avoid the weather.  Lucky for us.  We managed to play nineteen holes in three and a half hours.  That includes accidentally playing the 3rd hole twice and taking a break at the turn to eat a quick meal.

-Juno

The Swing Blind!

The Swingpack

Proper Encouragement

Here's a story written by a golf blogger about his experience with positive reinforcement on the golf course. I'll add my two cents after the jump.

Sports Psychologists Are Wrong About This

I had a side-hill three-footer in a team match, in which a partner and I were playing two guys from our enemy club. I studied my little slider while one of the other guys failed to chip in. My putt was slick, but I felt confident. I could see the line as clearly as if it were painted on the grass.
When it was my turn, my partner—who had been in his pocket since hitting both his drive and his provisional drive out of bounds—suddenly spoke. “Take your time,” he said.
Now, there’s a golf injunction I hate. I had been doing little for the past fifteen minutes except waiting for other people to play themselves out of the hole. How much more time was I supposed to take? I ignored my partner and got comfortable over my ball. One long, last look at my target, and—he spoke again.
“Back of the cup,” he said. “Smooth stroke.”
He had me now. Was I missing something? I backed away and reexamined my line. Maybe the putt did break less than I’d been thinking. I picked a different blade of grass to aim for, and stroked the ball a little harder.
It dipped below the rim but didn’t fall.
The conventional wisdom among sports psychologists is that chat between partners should always be positive. The human brain can’t process negative instructions, they say. Tell a golfer to avoid that bunker over there and he’ll think of nothing but sand. Therefore, you say “Back of the cup,” not “Don’t jab it, you loser.”
I disagree. When a partner turns gravely supportive, I can’t help wondering what he’s worried about. Invariably, I come up with a list.
A better strategy, I think, is to confront golf anxieties squarely. Recently, some buddies and I tested this hypothesis. Our foursome was playing three other foursomes, and our pro, Fran, had a crucial putt.
“Hey, Fran,” I said. “Don’t screw up.”
He laughed. Then he drained it.
On the next hole, as I was teeing up my ball, Tony said, “Keep it out of the woods, for a change, O. K.?” Boom—straight up the middle. And long.
When your partner tells you to make a good swing, he is indirectly expressing his uneasiness about your ability to play golf; when your partner tells you not to screw up, he is using a joke to acknowledge the pressure you’re feeling and, in effect, forgiving you in advance for letting down the side, if that’s how things turn out.
On the final green, I was able to return the favor to Tony. “We need this one,” I said, “How about not blowing it?”
He took his time, made a smooth stroke, and nailed the back of the cup.

How to Mark a Golf Ball on the Green

This comes directly from Golf.About.Com; And was written by Brent Kelley

The phrase "marking your ball" can refer to writing or drawing something on the golf ball for identification purposes, or it can refer to placing a ball marker on the ground to mark the ball's position while you lift the golf ball. It's meaning No. 2 that we are concerned with here - specifically, marking the golf ball on the putting green.
Unlike other areas of the golf course, on the putting green you can lift your ball for any reason. But you must always mark the ball's position when doing so. Some reasons to lift a ball when on the putting green:

• a) When you want to clean the ball;
• b) When you want to align the ball's graphics with your putting line;
• c) When you believe your golf ball might be in the way of another player, or a distraction to another player;
• d) When another player asks you to do so.

Marking the golf ball on the putting green is a common occurrence. So you better know the correct procedure.
Step 1
Place a small coin (or similar ball marker) directly behind your golf ball on the putting green.
Step 2
Pick up your golf ball. Important: Make sure your ball marker is on the ground before lifting the ball. Never lift the ball and then place a marker where the ball was. Place marker first, lift ball second!
Step 3
When ready to replace your golf ball on the ground, put it back on the green directly in front of your ball marker.
Step 4
Pick up your ball marker. As with Step 2, make sure you do Step 4 in the proper order. Which is: Place ball back on ground, then lift your ball marker.
And that's it. Pretty simple, eh?

Do I have to put my ball marker behind the golf ball on the putting green?
No, you are not required to place the ball marker behind the golf ball before lifting your ball on the putting green. You can place your ball marker in front of the ball or beside it, so long as you replace the ball in the correct position later. However, we recommend always placing the marker behind the ball. This is tradition, it's the way almost all golfers do it, and you'll avoid confusion by following the same convention.
Considerations and reminders
As with all activities on the putting green, be aware of other players' putting lines and be careful not to walk across another player's line.
Marking the ball on the green is addressed in the rules in Rule 16 and Rule 20. Failure to mark the ball before lifting it results in a 1-stroke penalty. If the ball is replaced in the wrong location (e.g., you place the ball down beside your ballmarker rather than in front of it) and you putt from that wrong location, it's a 2-stroke penalty. Different scenarios are addressed in the rules cited and linked above, so give them a read. But the easiest thing to do is to always remember to mark the ball before lifting, and always put the ball back in its correct location.

Related Article:
Are there any rules about what can - or can't - be used as a ballmarker?