r/weekendgolfers

I love to play golf, and play almost every weekend but I struggle to find good/fun people to play with. Most of my friends don't play golf or don't like to play regularly, and playing with randos kind of sucks. Is there a good way to find people in your area that you guys know of? Im thinking of building an app where you can find cool people to play with in your area but want to know if there is a better way that already exists.

I’m an ex-baseball guy who has been at it for nearly 3 years. I started with the PGA Hope program. For some reason I just cannot wrap my head around the golf swing.

I’ve found as time goes on I just stay frustrated on the golf course. Im hitting balls out of bounds, chunking them, etc. Im essentially at a crossroads thinking why do I keep paying to torture myself.

Has anyone hit this point and maybe reframed their way of thinking to enjoy getting back out there?

I have become...a wagler. I never understood why people do it, I decided just to try it on the range before my round and sure enough, I was striking my irons pure more consistently. Waggled all day on the course and tied my 2nd best score (88). I am now a wagler and there's no going back.

I'm a terrible golfer. Garmin says my handicap (before I stopped keeping score) is +32.3. I've taken two lessons (which made me worse for 6 months) and could not resist the temptation to murder the golf ball every swing. Tops. Chunks. 35 yard drives. It has been terrible and my lousy game made me legit angry on the course.

Then about three months ago I took a short break and I began to accept that I'm just a shitty golfer. I stopped keeping score, focused on mindfulness on the course, and tried to play old man golf (cause my shoulders just can't take another chunk). Easy swings, live with whatever happens and reassess once I'm up by where it landed.

My god this is way more fun. And I'm playing better too. I might even take another lesson and see if I'm ready to start worsening my golf game again.

I’m a 21 handicap and I’ve broken 90 once in my life on a par 71 wide open course. Usually I’ll shoot in the 90s and sometimes fall apart into the 100s. With that for background…

There I was, a morning to myself in the middle of a family vacation to Sea Ranch, CA on the wind swept coast above San Francisco. I’m a single because it’s in the middle of nowhere and only a handful of groups were out there anyway. I start on the first hole, slice, business as usual. So I aim a little more left, then I start drawing the ball, right into the crap.

The course is in great shape, greens nice and firm if a bit slow, the rough is deep and you almost have to step on your ball to find it. And if you miss that, with the tall grass - like 2 feet tall minimum with scrub just beyond- please take my word for it - there’s no point looking for your ball. And you won’t find anyone else’s either unless you step on one in the rough. At least I found 2 balls.

So I’m drawing the ball, so I aim a little to the center of the fairway, and guess what happens? The slice returns, plenty of OBs, topped balls, I’m counting every stroke, and my supply dwindles. I’m 101 through 17 and the couple ahead wave me up to the green, and I have delusions of grandeur of being that guy, asked to play through and then sticking the shot.

Well I was the guy who topped 2 off the tee into the crap, lying 4 because the crap is less than 20 yards away and I have a club and yardage that I like. I go to my bag to get another ball, and can’t find another one in my bag, I’m out. So I get in my cart, drive up to the green and thank them for waving me up and that I’m out of balls and calling it a day. They asked me if I wanted a ball or two but I declined saying that I would just lose them also.

I drive back to the pro shop, drop off the cart and go back to join my family. They asked how my round was. Honestly, it was a terrible round but still a great day. Even with all that, I figure I’m still luckier than most. But still I wonder- should I have taken those extra balls and keep going and played the last 2 holes? What would you do?

This is one thing that kills me every time. How do you adjust for slopes in all 4 directions?

Basically the title. I’m having a hard time justifying the price of Pro V1 but it’s all I’ve used in about 10 years. I have a very fast swing speed, hardly ever lose a ball, good putter, ok iron player, shitty chipper. Will I really notice any difference? I feel like my money might be better spent on a short game lesson. Thanks for the input.

What are the best public courses in Wisconsin that won't break the bank? I'm thinking rounds that'll cost $100 or less, but the course is better in general than the local muni.

Visiting Houston next weekend, got tee times for Friday and Sunday at Tour 18. Coworker mentioned Black Horse, Wilderness?, GC of Houston, Memorial to name a few. Any other public courses playing excellent rn or any insight into what’s been suggested so far? I’ve played all the public courses in the RGV, all the Alamo City Trail plus Silverhorn and Canyon Springs in SA, all the Austin munis plus Forest Creek, Shadow Glen and Star Ranch. I want to start exploring Houston now, thanks yall 🫡

Building a backyard golf setup so I can hit piss missiles into a net instead of the woods. Planning a net + turf mat… nothing fancy.

What’s the best (but still somewhat accurate) swing tracker / simulator I can get for under $1k?

I’m fairly bad - 25ish handicap. I had a Costco driver that I was not hitting well, and someone gave me birthday $ for a new club, so I figured driver would be a good club to upgrade. Right before I bought the driver, I finally started hitting my ole Kirkland decently well for a couple rounds. I almost didn’t buy the new one, but then the exact one I was looking at (Ai Smoke Max) went on a BIG sale, and I couldn’t resist.

Fast forward to Sunday, my first round with it, and I was not hitting it well. I played 9 today, and was trash again with it. I was ready to try to return it, but then… I hit a 250 yard dead center fairway drive on 7, and a 270+ nuke on 9 that would have kept going if I didn’t find a bunker. Possibly the best drive of my life.

Now I’m trying to figure out what to do. Do I stick with it? Do I return it and stick with my Kirkland? I could put the $400 toward a new 3W and a wedge with wood upgrade my bag.

Has anyone dealt with this before? Or anyone play the Ai Smoke Max and love or hate it?

Ok. Like many people I have struggled with my driver. Lots of slicing power fades, and even straight hits I would get maybe 200yds.

A few months ago I had lessons, and was custom fit for a Qi35, 1” shortened. I was much better, averaging 218yds, and about 50% success rate for straight shots.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a 3h. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke. I wanted to fill the gap between driver and 4h which was travelling about 170.

I decided to try my new club off the tee, and I’m absolutely smashing it. Every shot is straight, and the direction I’m aiming, and I am averaging 230yds on tee shots, which is further AND more consistent than my driver even after lessons.

Considering on most normal courses 230yds would get you to within long iron or at least hybrid distance to green, why bother with drivers?

If you don't play good play fast, learned that young. Just started playing a lot this year, and I am getting better with tracking and I am good at picking a landmark. The last few rounds I played I cannot see the ball to save my life. Sunglasses, no sunglasses, doesn't matter. The ball can be 10 feet to my right and I have been looking that direction and I won't see it. I take at least 3 strokes per round just because I can't find a ball I should be able to find. I am not good enough for those strokes to matter yet, but is this just an eye training issue? I cut myself some slack for an early tee time when the morning dew is still out and the sun is rising, but it is a consistent problem for me