Walking the Course

[HoldenCornfield]

[quote name='Kirasdad' timestamp='1434088654' post='11736838']

The last time was at Mid Pines, oddly enough, you wouldn't think so with the big tournament and all. It was Friday, practice round day, and even though we were supposed to play only 18, after I finished my practice round, I had a bite and asked the pro shop guy if I could go back out. "Sure". I had purchased a new (well, old) driver and wanted to work with it some more. My hickory bag is just a sunday bag, really light, especially with just 9 clubs. I go out and just start hitting shots and strolling along. It's a beautiful place, crisp Nov. weather, hickory clubs, walking, OMG it was something. It's a rolling sort of ground, and I looked out over the landscape I could see almost no one, but myself still out there. The lights of the lovely hotel and clubhouse flickered on as twilight moved to darkness, and I walked in.

Just great.
[/quote]

Yes, that does sound great, K. I found this great link the other day with pictures and descriptions of many of the holes at [url="http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/mid-pines/"]Mid Pines[/url]. Maybe some others will enjoying reading it as much as I did. I hope to make it to MP for the hickory tournament this fall. If I do, we'll have to sneak out for an evening nine.

[HoldenCornfield]

[quote name='Woodridge' timestamp='1434041604' post='11732612']
Great post Kevin! How did your new bag handle the weather?
[/quote]

Woody, it did just fine. I'm really enjoying its light, simplistic design. I think its perfect for hickory. I thought about getting (or making) a set of those bracing sticks so I don't have to lay it down everytime but I've actually found it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would to continually bend over with it. It reminds me of my teenager golfing years or something. I guess nostalgia beats convenience sometimes.

[HoldenCornfield]

[quote name='birly-shirly' timestamp='1433953491' post='11726114']
[b]I don't always, or even frequently, score as well as you did [/b]- but I can certainly relate to much of the rest of it.

Even under darkness, I find it difficult to walk in the direction of the clubhouse without also hitting balls. And the curiosity of walking up to a green after a decent-feeling shot, wondering where on earth your ball has gone.

I'm almost always the last car in the car park on my midweek outings. Sunsets on the course are awesome.
[/quote]

I don't either, B-S! Scoring well clearly adds to the experience but its not a prerequisite. I went back out two nights ago and birdied the first hole again, but then made 3 doubles in the next 7 holes. Ugh. Still had a good time and ended with another of those "Where did it go" shots at dusk. A 3 iron from about 180 that I thinned. Never heard a splash so I knew it cleared the lake. When I got to the green I found it had rolled out pin high. Of course, I missed the putt.

[stevemcgee99]

I'm usually last. San Francisco fog actually distributes moonlight and city light well to make the course pretty playable even in the dark. Need fluorescent yellow balls, though. I really enjoy listening for the ball sounds to figure out generally where it landed.

My best round ever was being first on the course, though.

I play MUCH better when nobody else is around...

[Nomad Golfer]

Smith5606 - Golfers from southern latitudes(from us) are fortunate to play the game "all year round". I think I would like that option but having grown up in a 4 seasons part of the world, I think I would miss that aspect as well. Sometimes, a break from golf is good. It provides reflection, analysis and a "child like anticipation" for the opportunity to get out on the course.

Max

 

I like Atlanta as a great compromise (I have lived here since 1981 but am originally from Michigan). We get a very pronounced 4 seasons (leaves turning are beautiful right now) but the winter still averages a high temperature of about the low 50's. We still get depressed when we have lots of days of cold and rain in a row, or when we can't play after work during the week due to darkness. So when we do play on weekends, even with some frost delays, it is a big thrill.

 

I call it the "off season" because we can play less often and the conditions are not as nice, but we can still play.

I feel guilty about being able to play all year round - I sometimes wonder if this is a good thing - but somewhere on this big island at any time, someone is playing golf in shorts.