Golf - classic or dud

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ahem:
http://sports.yahoo.golfserv.com/apps/courses/profile.asp?Crs=14815

gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 27 June 2005 22:10 (eighteen years ago) link

I broke 80, once, a couple of years ago. Now I'm down to playing once a year.

9-hole courses: dud.
18-hole courses where one of the hole designs is repeated a half-dozen times: dud.
Lots of changes in elevation: classic.

Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Monday, 27 June 2005 22:43 (eighteen years ago) link

can someone here, once and for all, explain what a "links" course is and how it differs from other courses, without resorting to mysticism?

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 27 June 2005 22:55 (eighteen years ago) link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Links_course

Golf is classic so long as you're playing well...

gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 27 June 2005 22:58 (eighteen years ago) link

haha. ok uh as I understand it tracer - it's traditionally courses by the sea but that's not the definition. I think the definition lies in the type of soil that the grass lies in: it's a mix of sand and earth, which gives it a very hard, dry consistency (hard to divot, balls 'fly' off the face more) (y'know cs if you take a bigger divot you get more spin and more scoop and balls fly softer and higher and with more backspin.) they are monumentally hard to play because you have less control over the ball (less backspin, see above) and they are all moundy and bumpy, the ones I've played. I come from 'links country', just off troon, in scotland.

c/n (Cozen), Monday, 27 June 2005 23:00 (eighteen years ago) link

gygax otm

c/n (Cozen), Monday, 27 June 2005 23:01 (eighteen years ago) link

yay! gygax thank you for the link but i very specifically asked for "someone here"

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 27 June 2005 23:01 (eighteen years ago) link

links courses are classic obv cause they make the best of the bad bunch: the soil by the sea is preternaturally so bad and so unwieldy for golfer but it's such a nice area to play golf in, golfers just make do. they are really windy too.

I think "links" golf has something to do with those weird golf course where the 18th green is also the 1st green, the 2nd also the 17th &c. (like uh st andrew's?) hence the name "links", but I'm not entirely sure.

where does the name "links" come from?

c/n (Cozen), Monday, 27 June 2005 23:05 (eighteen years ago) link

I played Lake Shastina a few years ago and the nines were sort of separated half-woodland and half-links. It's right next to Mt. Shasta so there was a steady 25-mph wind coming down off the mountain that made the back nine some of the funnest, toughest golf I've ever played.

Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Monday, 27 June 2005 23:15 (eighteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...
I wish I was golfing today.

Felix Leiter (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 17:28 (eighteen years ago) link

i play occasionally. of course, i don't belong or fit in, but it's fun. i've gotten pretty good.

ai lien (kold_krush), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 17:31 (eighteen years ago) link

yeah ILX golf would be good, plus a round at what golfer's affectionately call "the 19th hole", (a public refreshment facility)

Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 14 July 2005 09:01 (eighteen years ago) link

They have crazy golf in Maidenhead.

Peter Stringbender (PJ Miller), Thursday, 14 July 2005 09:05 (eighteen years ago) link

crazy golf is where it's at.

g-kit (g-kit), Thursday, 14 July 2005 11:54 (eighteen years ago) link

I've been reading The Wicked Game by Howard Sounes. It's a really good book. Sounes traces the careers of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods, and it's neat to see how the lines intersect. (I just reached the part where Nicklaus wins the 1986 Masters, and a ten-year old Tiger Woods pins the Golden Bear's records clippings to his bedroom wall.)

No punches are spared for the PGA's awful racist history, and yet, I still want to play at Augusta. And I don't even golf!

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 14 July 2005 13:17 (eighteen years ago) link

eleven months pass...
I don't really have a problem w/ golf

the "culture" surrounding it can seem quite exclusive and overdefined in a boring and elitist way but I don't assume all golfers/people who play golf fall into that trap but, since it is the way, they probably always have to compromise to it, a little, which is offputting

I don't mind watching it on the telly but wouldn't choose to, really. I have been to a tournament or so and the day was OK but not for the golf, so much. like any sport I don't really like to watch (a lot of which I (would probably) quite enjoy playing, for fun), I might watch the final day or so, if there's nothing else to do/friends are watching it

my problem is talking about golf

I cannot stand people talking about golf

not talking about a tournament, if it's on, but, I'm sure, I wouldn't be interested in that either

people talking about their own games, especially to people who haven't invited it or expressed any interest

and loudly

one of the most boring things

(he (the person that prompted this) also talks about money and, probably, cars (another two of the most boring things))

(I used to play golf, btw, and was a member at my local club (years ago))

(crazy golf and pitch & putt are, of course, classic)

RJG (RJG), Monday, 10 July 2006 07:37 (seventeen years ago) link

(he is also sexist (jokingly, he probably thinks) and pretty stupid)

RJG (RJG), Monday, 10 July 2006 07:44 (seventeen years ago) link

Gracia-Woods might be a great match later today..

xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Sunday, 23 July 2006 09:57 (seventeen years ago) link

Garcia, I meant.

xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Sunday, 23 July 2006 10:02 (seventeen years ago) link

Garcia hasn't got his game round the greens up to shape and Woods is remote controlling the ball. The nearest challeneger is Els but he has just dropped a shot.

oh the inevitability of it all!

xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Sunday, 23 July 2006 14:12 (seventeen years ago) link

The ABC guys are bringing up a good point about accuracy being more important than distance, at least in this tournament, and that Tiger should consider keeping the 1-iron in his bag. I kind of don't like the Vijay Singh school of thought that driving accuracy is not so important, and that the deep rough is not so much a hazard if you only have a wedge to the green. That didn't even get him to the weekend this time.

Whitman Mayonnaise (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 23 July 2006 16:20 (seventeen years ago) link

Yeah the diff between the open and the US majors is distance, the wind can play more of a role (not enough this w/end tho') and maybe more bunkers over here so accuracy is even more important.

Woods' playing ws brually clinical and as much as I wanted to see a close finish it didn't matter in the end. DiMarco played v well, great put for par (on the 15th, i think) to stay in touch. Only one winner tho'.

xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Sunday, 23 July 2006 18:12 (seventeen years ago) link

There was a lot of people giving it the 'get in the hole' nonsense. I don't care enough about golf to care that much, but it really is annoying, boorish and bollocks, really.

Dave B (daveb), Sunday, 23 July 2006 21:02 (seventeen years ago) link

eight months pass...
Woods has never won a major from behind...first time for everything?

xyzzzz__, Sunday, 8 April 2007 21:18 (seventeen years ago) link

Just revived as he ws about to go onto the 13th (par 5) - he's got an eagle - joint 2nd.

xyzzzz__, Sunday, 8 April 2007 21:30 (seventeen years ago) link

Some great stuff - Woods just pars after getting into trouble in the 15th, then Rose (who looked a bit out of it) suddenly finds himself one behind. The leader (Zach Johnson) is getting nervous.

xyzzzz__, Sunday, 8 April 2007 22:06 (seventeen years ago) link

three months pass...

What a finish this year - poor Harrington :-(

And Lineker interviewing Romero in Spanish...

xyzzzz__, Sunday, 22 July 2007 17:06 (sixteen years ago) link

poor Harrington? Poor Sergio more like (ahem choke ahem)

Porkpie, Sunday, 22 July 2007 17:52 (sixteen years ago) link

Golf is classic for golf shorts, mini-golf, and a slight high school reputation for badassery earned for accidentally knocking someone's teeth out with a golf club, but everyone assuming you did it on purpose because the victim was a douche.

Golf is not classic for golf courses and the haughty, smug culture.

The Reverend, Sunday, 22 July 2007 18:32 (sixteen years ago) link

that was exciting.

Gukbe, Sunday, 22 July 2007 18:39 (sixteen years ago) link

Oh Sergio :((((

lex pretend, Sunday, 22 July 2007 18:40 (sixteen years ago) link

Apparently there is a big doping problem in Golf these days. madness.

The Real Dirty Vicar, Sunday, 22 July 2007 18:43 (sixteen years ago) link

it was great on thursday when they were asking one of the players (can't remember who) about the doping allegations. his response was exactly what I was thinking, which was "I'm note entirely sure how doping would really improve anyone's game"

Gukbe, Sunday, 22 July 2007 18:45 (sixteen years ago) link

classic if for no other reason than inspiring goofy golf.

will, Sunday, 22 July 2007 18:47 (sixteen years ago) link

despite myself i rather enjoyed the end of the open. no problem with segio garcia but i was glad the paddy won, especially after falling into the drink twice ont he last hole.

Uptoeleven, Sunday, 22 July 2007 19:22 (sixteen years ago) link

"poor Harrington? Poor Sergio more like (ahem choke ahem)"

Ha! I posted that just after Harrington's ball hit the water for a 2nd time at the 18th.

Poor Sergio :-(

But what a fantastic finish. No probs w/Harrington's win. He played great.

BUT POOR SERGIO :-(

xyzzzz__, Sunday, 22 July 2007 19:41 (sixteen years ago) link

really delighted that harrington won!

Ronan, Sunday, 22 July 2007 19:55 (sixteen years ago) link

one year passes...

PAIDI

Ronan, Sunday, 10 August 2008 23:33 (fifteen years ago) link

hurrah

Herman G. Neuname, Sunday, 10 August 2008 23:35 (fifteen years ago) link

i like golf, in theory at least. and golf video games are so relaxing!

s1ocki, Sunday, 10 August 2008 23:38 (fifteen years ago) link

so happy for him...what a worker he is. must be close to greatest Irish sportsman of all time.

Ronan, Sunday, 10 August 2008 23:39 (fifteen years ago) link

lol yr goin down america

Just got offed, Sunday, 10 August 2008 23:39 (fifteen years ago) link

I have loved the game, but I'm looking to sell the clubs now. Too damn hot to play here.

Rock Hardy, Monday, 11 August 2008 00:01 (fifteen years ago) link

two months pass...

Seve :( hopefully will be okay.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/7673984.stm

nice video there. something about seeing golf brings me back to being 5 and 6 years old, watching with my parents.

Local Garda, Friday, 17 October 2008 19:12 (fifteen years ago) link

i like golf, in theory at least. and golf video games are so relaxing!

the sounds effects in nintendo golf!!! i also like golf in theory and practice

******* (Lamp), Friday, 17 October 2008 19:15 (fifteen years ago) link

golf is classic, i'll be sad when it snows. also, golf courses aren't so bad - they're good habitats/refuge for all kinds of wildlife - waterfowl, deer, elk, etc etc. not that big of a deal on a course like greywolf in canada, which sits in the middle of forest and mountains, but pretty cool for courses planted in the middle of the city. good course design is about trying to use the land as it is - planting native plants, ensuring proper water drainage, and naturally merging the course into the existing terrain as much as possible.

i also like golf video games, but i might be biased since part of my job is designing and building courses for golf video games and golf sims

6335, Friday, 17 October 2008 20:40 (fifteen years ago) link

Golf is fun. It's a "sport" that one doesn't have to be good at to go out there and try to play. It's a good exercise in concentration and patience. I put "sport" in quotes because people sometimes want to argue if it's a sport or not.

I even love to watch televised golf. The announcers cliched commentary is really amusing as hell, and then they go and say something really stupidly funny that becomes a classic "repeat it" line. I don't fit on on the golf course at all, and can't play for s**** but it's still the only "sport" in which I can even slightly participate in real life and get away with it. Geekiness on the golf course seems to be accepted for some odd reason. I have fun being the "caddy" just walking the course with someone who actually can PLAY the game, and it gives one an excuse to dress up in ridiculously flashy clothes that anywhere else are a clashing eyesore. A golf course is lovely too, all that expanse of green grass manicured and sand traps raked in zen like designs. I think if I have to define it, I like it because it is refined, unlike other sports like football or basketball. (Yep, I am a definite chick).

Wiggy Woo, Saturday, 18 October 2008 02:59 (fifteen years ago) link

five months pass...

am i the only dude watching this

a steak of romanticism (country matters), Friday, 10 April 2009 16:58 (fifteen years ago) link

With some justice, golf has been called "a good walk spoiled". I can't say I ever loved it and for most people like me it is pretty dud. But my dad loved it and taught me to appreciate its finer points, just as he taught me to love boxing and appreciate it, too.

Golf is all about achieving fine control over how the club face meets the ball. Ridiculously fine control. Tiny deviations from perfection can result in the ball flying off in all directions and doing nasty things to your score. It appeals to people with a lot of patience, because that is what it takes to swing a golf club in an idiotically nuanced manner, time after time.

My dad liked the gentle camraderie of the golf course, the bad, old jokes and jibes, the strange jargon, the slow pace and the greenery. He wasn't a fierce competitor and he never bet more than a pittance, and only when his partner insisted. But he could whup about 95% of the other players and do it graciously, almost apologetically.

So, in honor of my father, whom I dearly loved, I will say classic.

Aimless, Friday, 10 April 2009 17:46 (fifteen years ago) link

yeah but is l0u1s jagg3r the only dude watching this

WmC, Friday, 10 April 2009 17:48 (fifteen years ago) link


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