Colorado WRX 2025

[ztull]

On 4/19/2025 at 5:46 PM, bobbyclampett!! said:

Well, tight, spongy, dormant linksy turf season is over at Mountain Vista. Grass has started to grow, but it’s already been heavily sanded and the long, sparse grass blades lay limply upon the ground, providing more of a nest for the ball to settle down in rather than a tight support above the sandy soil. It’s like hitting balls out of a fairway bunker but the ball is settled down is some grass in the bunker. Yuck. I’m sad. Collindale is usually the same way. 
 

Is there a place in CO that keeps that dry linksy spongy turf in the watering season? Other than Bally? Maybe Highland Meadows does a better job, or Riverdale Dunes? The joy of hitting off tight, spongy linksy turf where the grass supports, rather than interferes with the ball, and the blade bounces off the turf, rather than gets stuck in the sandy soil… man, that’s a big part of the joy of the game for me!

Kissing Camels 

Edited April 25 by ztull

[Dancin]

Ballyneal finally got the Golf Digest treatment
https://www.golfdigest.com/video/every-hole-at/every-hole-at-ballyneal-golf-club

[Joelness]

47 minutes ago, Dancin said:

Ballyneal finally got the Golf Digest treatment
https://www.golfdigest.com/video/every-hole-at/every-hole-at-ballyneal-golf-club

 

They did it right! It's impossible to show just how crazy some of those hills are from the drone cam but I thought they did a great job.

 

I will join there someday...

[Dancin]

The drone always flattens a course. It looks more majestic from higher up, but it needs to be no more than 20 feet off the ground to really get the feel for it and they never do that.

[Dancin]

On 4/19/2025 at 5:46 PM, bobbyclampett!! said:

Well, tight, spongy, dormant linksy turf season is over at Mountain Vista. Grass has started to grow, but it’s already been heavily sanded and the long, sparse grass blades lay limply upon the ground, providing more of a nest for the ball to settle down in rather than a tight support above the sandy soil. It’s like hitting balls out of a fairway bunker but the ball is settled down is some grass in the bunker. Yuck. I’m sad. Collindale is usually the same way. 
 

Is there a place in CO that keeps that dry linksy spongy turf in the watering season? Other than Bally? Maybe Highland Meadows does a better job, or Riverdale Dunes? The joy of hitting off tight, spongy linksy turf where the grass supports, rather than interferes with the ball, and the blade bounces off the turf, rather than gets stuck in the sandy soil… man, that’s a big part of the joy of the game for me!

Definitely not Riverdale Dunes. They water the hell out of that place in summer; although, they are putting in a new irrigation system this year so there is hope they won't have to continue that. Highland meadows has been pretty good over the years with judicious water use, but I think that was more a result of it not getting as much play and now that it's been discovered and the tee sheet is full with more cart traffic they're having to put down more water in summer.

 

I don't know if it will continue this year, but surprisingly Legacy Ridge has been firm and fast for 2 years now. They let it get really firm leading up to the irrigation replacement 2 years ago knowing they were going to tear it up anyway and ever since they've done a great job of giving it just enough to keep it alive and green. I hope the new irrigation system is the reason and it just happens to be better targeted so they don't have to soak it. Everything has pretty much grown back in and settled now, so this is the year we'll see if that continues or not. It was amazing playing Legacy this winter with all kinds of roll.

[CDM]

9 hours ago, Dancin said:

The drone always flattens a course. It looks more majestic from higher up, but it needs to be no more than 20 feet off the ground to really get the feel for it and they never do that.

 

WOW the drone footage really does kill it. The slope on the left side of green 7 looks so "minor" and we know its not....!  

[Joelness]

Arg, I just couldn't get it done today. I had the opportunity and my chipping cost me this weekend. I also missed two key putts on 13 and 14. 69-74 at the Ute Creek invite.

 

The story of the day was firstly wind. Secondly, after Anthony Syrko shoots 65 yesterday he loses it on the back 9 on Sunday. Bogey, bogey, double, bogey from 11-14. The killer swing was a re-tee on 13 which is easy to do. For long hitters it's one of the tougher tee shots on the course. It's either a mid/long iron for an eagle putt or it's gone with 20% of the time a forced layup from the fairway bunker. The winner, Michael Milton, made some bogeys in the middle but some decent comebacks and hung in there. 

 

I ended up T3 at least and Michael is a great dude so it's not too bad.

 

Cheers to more opportunities for dubs. 

Edited April 28 by Joelness

[CDM]

17 hours ago, Joelness said:

Arg, I just couldn't get it done today. I had the opportunity and my chipping cost me this weekend. I also missed two key putts on 13 and 14. 69-74 at the Ute Creek invite.

 

The story of the day was firstly wind. Secondly, after Anthony Syrko shoots 65 yesterday he loses it on the back 9 on Sunday. Bogey, bogey, double, bogey from 11-14. The killer swing was a re-tee on 13 which is easy to do. For long hitters it's one of the tougher tee shots on the course. It's either a mid/long iron for an eagle putt or it's gone with 20% of the time a forced layup from the fairway bunker. The winner, Michael Milton, made some bogeys in the middle but some decent comebacks and hung in there. 

 

I ended up T3 at least and Michael is a great dude so it's not too bad.

 

Cheers to more opportunities for dubs. 

 

 

T-3 is still solid.

 

Wind was horrid on Saturday, at least down south region.  One of the players in our group (single walk on) quit after the front 9.  Pretty sure he was ready to quit after 5 LOL.    We had the "talk" walking up 9 but decided to keep playing as it was not going to matter.  

 

EDIT:  Not going to lie, I was really thinking of posting this score...!   20-30mph winds, bummy greens.... then I thought @Dancin might have a heart attack, for his health and well being I hought better of it....again only for @Dancin health  🤪

Edited April 28 by CDM

[Joelness]

On 4/28/2025 at 7:52 AM, CDM said:

 

 

T-3 is still solid.

 

Wind was horrid on Saturday, at least down south region.  One of the players in our group (single walk on) quit after the front 9.  Pretty sure he was ready to quit after 5 LOL.    We had the "talk" walking up 9 but decided to keep playing as it was not going to matter.  

 

EDIT:  Not going to lie, I was really thinking of posting this score...!   20-30mph winds, bummy greens.... then I thought @Dancin might have a heart attack, for his health and well being I hought better of it....again only for @Dancin health  🤪

 

Daaaang. I'm glad we didn't get that wind on Saturday. Our last three holes from the final group on Sunday was about 40mph downwind. All of us hit 9i over the green from 202 on 16. Then went Driver-9i/wedge from 600 into 17. That's wind!

[jacobEDGE]

Hey everyone!

I moved to Connecticut last summer, and let me just say, it's downright depressing seeing my distances after living in Denver for 10 years. I miss everyone that I met through here and played with. 

 

Also...glad to see this thread is still poppin off. 10 pages in 4 months! I just logged onto check the New England section of the forum...not a single post in over 2 years. 😭

 

But it's wild out here. Today I had a day off work, decided to golf on a whim, drove to a course I'd never played before...and walked on as a single with no tee time. Nobody in front or behind. Walked it in 3 hours playing multiple balls. Paid $33. 

 

Hope everyone is healthy and playing great golf. If I ever come back to visit I'll hit you all up to play a round.

[ASak10]

Anyone want to play CG tomorrow? We have an open spot at 11:50.  I'm going to call and cancel the 4th spot soon so if you want it let me know or you can try to grab it if I've already let it go.  Should be a beautiful day!

[pseudoswede]

I'm going to be in Louisville for work next week. The after-work social event planned? Top Golf. Womp womp.

 

In other news, physical therapy has been great. Definitely regaining additional movement in my shoulder. That said, trying to mimic a full swing is still pretty painful.

Edited May 1 by pseudoswede

[Dancin]

lol. poetic justice: @CDM who has refused to post any of his scores for a year, has to play against an obvious sandbagger in his first Commonground team match play match. His opponents are a 1.2 and a 12.5 hdcp. The 12.5 posts scores multiple times a week around his handicap or higher, but shoots 75-77 in every tournament score the course posted for him over the last year.  🤣

[Joelness]

2 hours ago, Dancin said:

lol. poetic justice: @CDM who has refused to post any of his scores for a year, has to play against an obvious sandbagger in his first Commonground team match play match. His opponents are a 1.2 and a 12.5 hdcp. The 12.5 posts scores multiple times a week around his handicap or higher, but shoots 75-77 in every tournament score the course posted for him over the last year.  🤣

 

How do people do this and not get banned? I played a new-ish member last night in men's league that got 7 shots and made 7 pars (in nine holes.) I shot even and I think we lost 4-down.

 

I get playing well now and then but obvious baggers like that should be ostracized. 

[CDM]

2 hours ago, Dancin said:

lol. poetic justice: @CDM who has refused to post any of his scores for a year, has to play against an obvious sandbagger in his first Commonground team match play match. His opponents are a 1.2 and a 12.5 hdcp. The 12.5 posts scores multiple times a week around his handicap or higher, but shoots 75-77 in every tournament score the course posted for him over the last year.  🤣

 

Hey hey hey....I shoot 81-82 all the time....."Sure".... I might be "able" to shoot mid 70's when focused, not messing around like I like to do, etc. but it also truely depends on the day and more so how my nerve damage is that day.....some days fine some days hard to even swing solid. 

 

Oddly it appears true. Straight up, do not know the two we are playing for note.

 

I think it was two weeks ago they set the bracket and the person I am playing with was sent me a text as he was sent texted the first round and if we move on the the second round the teams we are playing against are know to be "extermely sketchy Hdcps"....it was even pointed out it made mine look legit  😎

 

So my playing partner and I drilled down and its pretty interesting, the high hdcp is either retired and plays 3-4 times a week between events he signs up for and seems to always score mid/upper 80's, even the day before an event on the same course....and the day of the event he shoots 4-6 over like clockwork.  🤣    Rinse / repeat .....  

 

Have to give him props though, if it works and no one does anything to adjust it, keep rolling I guess.  Rack up enough events and by year end you can get yourself a new set of clubs from the winnings.  

 

Quick note, the high hdcp we are playing one shot a 6 under in his flight with Hdcp, so you can do the math.  

[CDM]

23 minutes ago, Joelness said:

 

How do people do this and not get banned? I played a new-ish member last night in men's league that got 7 shots and made 7 pars (in nine holes.) I shot even and I think we lost 4-down.

 

I get playing well now and then but obvious baggers like that should be ostracized. 

 

100% agree.   CG since it is part of CG, the truth is as I was told CG is not part of the mens club or have any involvement in running it. Just an agreement on tee times.  So the person running the mens club would have to vet every player in the mens club and its just one person as I know running the mens club..... is just a player like all of us.

[jda]

I am going to be there with @CDM.  I don't think that I am going to carry a handicap anymore.  I never use it, so why bother?  CGA can still have my money since they seem to do good things with it.

 

You can tell who has a higher handicap and can go low.  There are folks who have all of the game and just don't care.  You know, the ones who scare you when they read a putt from both sides or kneel down to get a read... or actually get an accurate distance or look at the green to find the short side?  ...or tie their shoes.  These people don't shock you when they go low... they shock you when they shoot 80 and it could have been 74 if they cared.

 

IMO, dudes who used to be able to go low in the past are dangerous since they usually have it in them still.  Some day, Joel is going to be a -5, drop a 68 and the new people are going to wonder where it came from.

 

Sandbagging gets tougher at a club when folks know the course and the greens even if they don't care.

 

My Brothers club in KC can vote out sandbaggers from leagues and tournaments... and they do.  One guy just started to beat the hell out of a sandbagger a while back, no other members cared (encouraged it actually) and this scared the club, so they put in the rule that you can be banned for a year if enough folks vote you out.  He said that it helped a lot.

[Double Mocha Man]

Am I missing something? Why would you sandbag to win a few hundred dollars straight out or of equipment? Why would you sandbag to win a tournament? How could you and your conscience feel good about the win? You probably already have a job to afford the golf, use your paycheck to buy equipment. And I think there are shops where you can buy trophies and have your name engraved on it.  If you need to brag about winning s***. Put those suckers on your mantle.

[Dancin]

3 hours ago, Joelness said:

 

How do people do this and not get banned? I played a new-ish member last night in men's league that got 7 shots and made 7 pars (in nine holes.) I shot even and I think we lost 4-down.

 

I get playing well now and then but obvious baggers like that should be ostracized. 

Interesting story about 20 years ago when Lindstrom used to play in the match play and tournaments at Walnut Creek before joining Lakewood. He went up against someone who didn't post all their scores and would always come out and shoot low 70s as about a 7 handicap. Lindstrom won but he was pissed since he was giving the guy something like 8 strokes and had to shoot a lights out 64 or so to win. So afterwards he contacts the people he knows at the CGA and gets them to revise the other guys handicap and put the exceptional score asterisk on him.

[Dancin]

I will say if a tournament moves up a tee vs what you normally play I can see someone doing a lot better than their handicap almost every time on certain courses.

 

My Friday night league plays the front 9 at Legacy and If you put me on the blue tees instead of the black, I will shoot under 40 every time regardless of conditions or how I am playing. If I'm playing well I'll have a shot at breaking par. Same thing at TPC Colorado. If the member I know there wants to play the Rookery combo instead of the Gold tees, I'm shooting 70s every time and often very close to par despite the rating and slope only having it about 2 strokes different. That shorter distance that puts a wedge in my hand on the majority of approach shots makes a ton of difference for my game.

Edited May 9 by Dancin

[jda]

13 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Am I missing something? Why would you sandbag to win a few hundred dollars straight out or of equipment? Why would you sandbag to win a tournament? How could you and your conscience feel good about the win? You probably already have a job to afford the golf, use your paycheck to buy equipment. And I think there are shops where you can buy trophies and have your name engraved on it.  If you need to brag about winning s***. Put those suckers on your mantle.

 

For me, this goes with the territory... those who want/need the number above anything else don't have the integrity that you speak of.  I don't get the golf welfare system at all.  If somebody is better than me, then they just deserve to win... no strokes and we can just play straight up and I will take my loss.  I always thought that instead of strokes, just play different tees and let things fall where they may if you must compete.

 

I have probably posted about this before, but almost two decades ago when podcasts started to become a thing, somebody like Freakanomics did a 2 year study of golfers.  Two groups all with access to teachers, facilities and training.  Group one played with no welfare and group two kept a number.  The first group cut their handicap in half, or less, and the second group stayed the same.  Handicap can sure be a handicap in many different ways.

 

I know that this opinion is unpopular so /tldr.

 

Y'all enjoy your weekend.

[pseudoswede]

15 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Am I missing something? Why would you sandbag to win a few hundred dollars straight out or of equipment? Why would you sandbag to win a tournament? How could you and your conscience feel good about the win? You probably already have a job to afford the golf, use your paycheck to buy equipment. And I think there are shops where you can buy trophies and have your name engraved on it.  If you need to brag about winning s***. Put those suckers on your mantle.

 

Some people like the thrill of the hustle. Does this high capper play only at CG? No one in the men's club has casually joined him mid-week for one of his 80's rounds? Or is it always him and three others, and do those three have questionable handicaps? For all we know, they could be shooting mid-70s, and simply posting mid-80s.

 

I spent the week at work testing out my shoulder when I could (mainly lifting Old Fashioneds 🤣), and I took a few practice swings at Topgolf. So long as I just went back about halfway, my shoulder felt great, so I literally just spent the evening punching out half-swing 7/9/SW to the close-up targets (bouncing into the blue with the 7-iron occasionally). I still had the top score. 🤣

Edited May 9 by pseudoswede

[bobbyclampett!!]

I think I’m going to abandon my ego and my hipster aesthetics and stop playing blades and get some new irons. Iron play has always been my weakness. Can you guys recommend an expert outdoor fitter where I can hit off grass and has a wide selection (thinking of Srixon, Mizuno, and Cobra in addition to the Big Four)? Combo-ing the Srixon ZX7 in 7-PW and ZX5 in 4-6 is for some reason appealing, even though I haven’t seen or hit them. I like the idea of the T or V sole to help with my crappy fat shots. Any recommendations (for fitters or irons) would be appreciated.  Thank you! 

Edited May 11 by bobbyclampett!!

[HelloPhrends]

On 5/10/2025 at 12:59 PM, bobbyclampett!! said:

I think I’m going to abandon my ego and my hipster aesthetics and stop playing blades and get some new irons. Iron play has always been my weakness. Can you guys recommend an expert outdoor fitter where I can hit off grass and has a wide selection (thinking of Srixon, Mizuno, and Cobra in addition to the Big Four)? Combo-ing the Srixon ZX7 in 7-PW and ZX5 in 4-6 is for some reason appealing, even though I haven’t seen or hit them. I like the idea of the T or V sole to help with my crappy fat shots. Any recommendations (for fitters or irons) would be appreciated.  Thank you! 

 

I got fit by Greg Pattinson at Gott Golf. He's at Green Valley Ranch GC, but I think he also has a Lakewood location. The GVR location has hitting bays, but we moved outside with a Trackman to hit irons off the grass. He carries all the brands, and he doesn't push one brand over another.

[TheKrushh]

On 5/8/2025 at 1:51 PM, Dancin said:

lol. poetic justice: @CDM who has refused to post any of his scores for a year, has to play against an obvious sandbagger in his first Commonground team match play match. His opponents are a 1.2 and a 12.5 hdcp. The 12.5 posts scores multiple times a week around his handicap or higher, but shoots 75-77 in every tournament score the course posted for him over the last year.  🤣

He's prolly excited to finally have a fair fight 🤣

[TheKrushh]

Highlands Ranch will blacklist you if you're shooting too many exceptional scores with too many poor scores on non-competitive rounds. I've seen it happen 3-4 times over the last 10 year or so.

Also, the first time I played their member guest, the guest in our group was a 15, started par, par, birdie, and then flew hole 4 in to the back bunker, hit a spinny flop shot on a downslope, and bitched because it didn't go in. After he shot a 75, they adjusted him to a 3 day 2. 

[MickeyTankBank]

This is a new one for me. Little guy hid out in my bag over the weekend and decided to make himself at home today. 

 

[pseudoswede]

19 minutes ago, MickeyTankBank said:

This is a new one for me. Little guy hid out in my bag over the weekend and decided to make himself at home today. 

 

What course did you pick him up from? It's going straight to my nope list.

[MickeyTankBank]

29 minutes ago, pseudoswede said:

 

What course did you pick him up from? It's going straight to my nope list.

 

Picked him up at Indian Peaks

[pseudoswede]

43 minutes ago, MickeyTankBank said:

 

Picked him up at Indian Peaks

 

Sweet. FRGC was there last weekend. I won't have to deal with that until 2026.