| Tom,
I don't know too much about the Maynard area but the is an
excellent teaching pro in Fitchburg. Jim O'Leary at Oak Hill Country
Club. He taught me how to play. I don't know if he still takes
non members or how much he charges, but I do know he's a great teacher.
If you see him tell him that Kevin R. says hi and that the swing
is the best it's been since I left.
As for the Nassua.... It's really 3 bets. One match on the
front nine, one match for the back nine and the sum of those 2 for
the match. For example.... We have a $2 nassau you win the front
by 2 (your 2 up after nine). Then we play the back and I win by
1 (for that 9 holes I'm 1 up). Then the money goes this way. You
win $2 for the front, I win $2 for the back (so that's a wash no
money) but you win $2 for the match 2 up on the front 1 down on
the back you win the match by +1. That's not too complicated until
you consider a press. The person whose loosing can press for the
nine. (dependng upon the agreements that the combatants have)
If, for example in our match above, I'm 3 down after the third hole.
Instead of slashing my wrists, I press on the fourth tee. That
means that we will play a match from 4 through 9 for an additional
$2. The result of that would be that you win the front +2, but
since you were 3 up at the time of the press I won the press +1
then there is no money because we each won a bet on that 9. Depending
upon how often there is a press it can get real confusing. I've
been in several matches where we had it going 16 ways on 18 only
to have someone pull a Larry Mize for 8 of those bets and I needed
to make a 5 footer to no loose the other 8.
Good luck enjoy the game!
KO
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| Hi Tom. Your story could be my story. I took up the game 2 years
ago after a 15 year hiatus. Actually, when I was a teenager I played
only a short par 3 course, so I'm fairly new to the "real" game.
The only way to get good (which I'm not, yet. I shoot about 88-95)
is to play often. Last year I played over 100 times, and took about
15 strokes off my game. Books help only marginally.
Second, take some lessons from Dick Hanscom at Leo J Martin Memorial
course (MDC-run) in Weston right next to the Pike. It's about 15
minutes from Brookline. I think Dick charges $20 for a half-hour.
Or you can sign up for a complete series of lessons from him at
a reduced rate. I took three to get back into it. My friend who
played for the first time last year took the whole series for $120
or something, and he's down in the mid-90s now. Dick is an excellent
teacher. Tell him I sent you.
I'm in Brookline. I play at Newton Commonwealth ($11 for nonresidents)
on Kendrick St. behind BC. It's short, very steep, and tricky. Also,
Putterham Meadows, next to The Country Club, is Brookline's public
course. It's a nice layout, but not well-maintained. George Wright
in Hyde Park is just plain wonderful.
Now that the season is underway I'll play some mornings at 5:30
at Putterham before work. I put in a fast nine holes. Call me sometime
and we'll hit around.
DC
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| Did you find a teacher yet? If not, and you are restricted to books
as your primary source of advice, I'll recommend "How To Play Your
Best Golf All The Time," by Tommy Armour. It was first published
back in the early 50's, but (needless to say) fundamentals don't
change too much from decade to decade. After wading through damned
near everything ever printed on golf, and getting myself hopelessly
befuddled (I couldn't afford a teacher at the time), I finally stumbled
onto Armour's book back in the 60's and it has been my golf bible
ever since. I gave it to my wife when she started playing this year,
and to a friend who recently took up the game, and they both love
it. Using Armour (and some tips from yours truly), my wife is now
shooting in the low 50's for 9 (had a 49 a couple of weeks back),
and her swing is a thing of beauty. My friend has not progressed
quite so rapidly, mostly because of limited practice and playing
opportunities, but I'm sure as he applies Armour's principles his
scoring and strokemaking will show results.
By the way, one of the reasons he's had limited opportunities is
because I'm his sole source of golfing partners; I'm sure he'd
welcome the chance to meet others of more or less the same level
(near beginner) to play with. At this point, he doesn't have the
confidence to go to the course solo and hook up with a group of
strangers; and I'm just not available enough for him to get out
and get the playing time he needs. If you want more info (or if
anyone reading this note wants more), RSVP. Thanks.
Frank
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| Hi Gang!
I kept putting of the lessons, and basically getting nowhere for a few
weeks. A few weekends ago, a friend and I went out and, by the 16th hole,
I had managed to get my slice down to a fade (side note: The 16 hole at
Newton-Commonwealth is a slight dogleg right, with the fairway ending rather
abruptly and an elevated green. My beautiful drive faded perfectly down the
middle of the fairway, giving me a nice 8-iron to the green, but while I was in
the woods helping my friend find his drive, someone stole my ball! Why do
people do that?), but I still knew that somthing wasn't right. I finally
relented and went for a lesson at the Wayland CC, with an assistant pro, Dick
Naas. I had another commitment that evening, so I only took a half-hour lesson.
It was easily the most productive 30 minutes of my golfing life.
I had originally intended just to see what a lesson was like, to decide
if I wanted to take a series of several. As it turned out, Dick was able to
show me exactly why I was slicing the ball, and what to do to correct it.
It'll still take some getting used to the new swing, and I can't hit it quite as
far as I used to, but I'm sure that'll come with practice.
It seems that all I have to do now is just relax and swing the way Dick
showed me, and I'll be down in the 80's in no time (8-). Seriously. I played
the weekend after my lesson, and started out with 3 bogeys. The highlight of
the day, though, was the 18th hole. My friend and I ran into 2 women (one was
quite cute (8-) ) who had just played a round and wanted to play the 18th again.
I thought we were in trouble when these women suggested that we play for a beer,
but we agreed. I teed off first, being sure to do what Dick had told me to.
The drive went quite a ways straight down the middle of the fairway. I
used the same methodical aproach on the next two shots and was on the green in 3
(par 5). My 20-foot birdie putt missed by inches, but I made the par. It's
holes like that that make you keep playing. The cuter of our opponents was on
in 4 and sunk a 25-30 foot putt for her par, but my partner came through and we
won the beers. That can also help you keep playing (8-). Notice I didn't tell
any of you how I did from the 4th to the 17th holes.
I guess consistency is the magic word, huh?
Thanks for the help gang,
- Tom
PS. I'll be out of action for a few weeks with a sprained ankle (softball
mishap), so think of me while you're out on the links.
|
|
I thought this would be a good place to put this:
My daughter is 13, and just hit 5ft this year. The last few years
she has gone out with me 3-4 times a year and played from the 150 yd
markers, hitting with the Jr. set I bought her 3 years back.
Is someone her age and size ready for a set of womens clubs? I hope
to get her more playing time this year, so the investment makes sense
if she can handle the larger clubs.
I'm asking because Austads has a great sale on a beginners set. They
list the 3 iron as measuring 37-1/2". What do you club fitters think?
Shane
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