The reason I haven't posted anything in three weeks is two-fold: I was up in the Toronto area, undergoing a candidate assessment for an international disaster response team, followed by a family reunion in Sacramento, Californinia...AND I returned home to undergo surgery to remove a badly-infected gall bladder.
Both events combined to keep me from taking part in this summer's premier Pacific Northwest hickory golf tourneys; The AP National Chambers Bay Invitational, Gamble Sands Invitational, and the Gearhart Links gathering. All were held in excellent weather and course conditions, and I'm quite envious of the participants!
On the other hand, I was able to vicariously stay involved with the world of hickory golf, thanks to Inside Golf publishing an article I wrote about the attractions of our sport.
My article appears on page 11.
So now that I'm recovering slowly but surely from last week's surgery (shout out to Dr. Gatta and the amazing staff at Allenmore Hospital, by the way!), my hickory clubs are sitting forlornly in the corner, silently begging me to get them outside for some work. While I took a couple of my wedges and a modern putter down to the course for some gentle efforts this morning, I'm thinking that doing the same thing tomorrow with my old clubs might be in order. "Slow and Smooth" pays off when swinging the hickory sticks, and it's definitely how I should be taking my rehab work.
Okay, then, I've convinced myself...some easy hickory work is in order, either tomorrow or Monday! (It's another advantage to working at Chambers Bay; free range time!) By the way, while working myself back into playing condition, I've volunteered to guide a Canadian golfer around the course for his first time playing Chambers, next Tuesday. I won't be carrying his bag or raking bunkers for him, but I will give him course advice, and read greens...I hope to make his first round at Chambers Bay a memorable one!
Far and Sure!
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Friday, June 2, 2017
No Longer Lost in the Woods!
I'm not a good enough golfer to successfully use a 2-degree loft brassie. After several frustrating experiences with an otherwise beautifully-restored wood, I came to the realization that I needed to find some clubs with more loft.
As usual, my awesome go to guy for hickory acquisition, Glenn Thatcher came to my rescue. He alerted me to a nice selection of hickory woods up for auction on Ebay, for which I promptly submitted bids. The seller, Jerry Pederson, had listed these various beauties at a very reasonable starting bid. I was able to come away with three very nice clubs for just over $100. Better still, I've played two of the three, and they performed exactly in the manner I hoped.
I ended up with a Spalding brassie, a Kroydon cleek (which looks like a cross between a 5-wood and hybrid), and another brassie with "Wicklow Sports City" engraved on its head. The last club was as much a sentimental purchase as anything else, as my father's family emigrated from Wicklow (Republic of Ireland). Both the Spalding and Kroydon have a minimum of 18 degrees loft (probably more), and produce a ball flight that's high and long...and straight, if I swing correctly!
The point of this post is two-fold: First, to reassure my fellow rookies that you can procure very useable hickory clubs from Ebay, especially with guidance from whoever your mentor might be. (Corollary: Reach out to someone like Glenn Thatcher...hickory golf has quite a few gracious and knowledgeable folks like him...for assistance!)
Second, you don't have to spend a fortune to build a decent playing set; just remember to seek clubs that fit your game! If you are a single-digit handicapper, you'll be able to get lower-lofted clubs to perform very well. For hackers like me (I confess to a 19 GHIN index), I respectfully suggest looking for clubs that replicate game improvement characteristics, such as my higher-lofted, low center of gravity cleek. You'll play better, sooner, and have even more fun!
As usual, my awesome go to guy for hickory acquisition, Glenn Thatcher came to my rescue. He alerted me to a nice selection of hickory woods up for auction on Ebay, for which I promptly submitted bids. The seller, Jerry Pederson, had listed these various beauties at a very reasonable starting bid. I was able to come away with three very nice clubs for just over $100. Better still, I've played two of the three, and they performed exactly in the manner I hoped.
I ended up with a Spalding brassie, a Kroydon cleek (which looks like a cross between a 5-wood and hybrid), and another brassie with "Wicklow Sports City" engraved on its head. The last club was as much a sentimental purchase as anything else, as my father's family emigrated from Wicklow (Republic of Ireland). Both the Spalding and Kroydon have a minimum of 18 degrees loft (probably more), and produce a ball flight that's high and long...and straight, if I swing correctly!
The point of this post is two-fold: First, to reassure my fellow rookies that you can procure very useable hickory clubs from Ebay, especially with guidance from whoever your mentor might be. (Corollary: Reach out to someone like Glenn Thatcher...hickory golf has quite a few gracious and knowledgeable folks like him...for assistance!)
Second, you don't have to spend a fortune to build a decent playing set; just remember to seek clubs that fit your game! If you are a single-digit handicapper, you'll be able to get lower-lofted clubs to perform very well. For hackers like me (I confess to a 19 GHIN index), I respectfully suggest looking for clubs that replicate game improvement characteristics, such as my higher-lofted, low center of gravity cleek. You'll play better, sooner, and have even more fun!
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