Yes. I did it on a par 3 hole of about 150 yards, and with a small lake just before the green. I hit from the tee using a 6 iron what was certainly the best shot I've ever taken. It ascended up, up, and straight directly passing over the small lake and falling on the green. I really wanted to hole it in using one put to get a birdie, but the ball was at one end of the green and the hole was at the other end so I had to putt twice.
This is the first time my ball reaches the green from the tee box. On this hole, I have managed to hit the ball good several times before but the best I achieved was the ball falling just before the lake or right into the lake. So today was certainly exceptional.
Since I have broken my woods and started using irons for all my strokes, my swing has become much more consistent and my shots are ascending higher and going more straight. I have also started concentrating more on hitting the ground (pivot) before hitting the ball.
I a still far from good though, much more work is needed and I am willing to take the challenge. Not every single swing I do hits the ball straight and right, but it has become much better. I have spent about 5 hours every day on the course for the last two weeks, and I intend to continue this trend for sometime.
This is an amazing game, and I am surprised by it's unpopularity. I'm glad more courses are being built in Egypt these days, a new course 40 Kms outside Alex will be opening in a few months time and I am willing to try it, and I am also intending to go kick some balls in Cairo as well. I just need to practice more now.
Sorry for the big rant but I thought I should inform those of you interested of my progression so far.
______________________________ H.O.Roshdy.
"Stick to your blue collar RASS, I will smoke Cohibas"- ccsigloIII.
[[The Cabron of Cairo]]
Posts: 1607 | Location: Egypt | Registered: June 14, 2007
Good stuff Lucky! Congrats! It sounds like you had a good two putt for par. Two points of reference for the future...
#1 When you take a piece of turf up from the blade of your club, it's called taking a divot...not pivot.
#2 When you take a divot, the idea is to hit the ball first and the divot should be in front of where the ball was originally placed. This is not the easiest thing to do as it requires precision and perfect contact. Taking a divot behind the ball will result in poor contact...also referred to as "hitting it fat".
It sounds like you're enjoying the game and the challenge it presents. That is the most important thing. Stick with it, get a couple lessons to acquire the proper grip, swing plane, etc. and practice every chance you get.
Congrats! I'm sure there are many more where that came from. At 35 hours a week, it wont be long before you are telling us about your first birdie.
**********************************************
"Let's stop the hysterics about the freedom of Cubans – which is not our government's responsibility – and consider freedom of the American people, which is. The point being: it is Americans who live in a free country, and as free people we should choose whom to buy from or where to travel – not our government."
-Ron Paul
Posts: 451 | Location: NJ | Registered: December 21, 2003
I hate to rain on the parade, but the fact that you used a cigar as an alignment guide cost you a 2-stroke penalty, for a double-bogey! LOL!
Yes...hit the little ball first, then take the divot (big ball).
___________________ Santa Cabilla...patron saint of Quericæstan. VIVE COULTER (not Ann)! VIVE CPD! Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go...(Oscar Wilde)
Posts: 9090 | Location: Avenida de las Nalgas, Quericæstan | Registered: May 02, 2002
Thanks for correcting me about the divot cj, I was feeling something was wrong about the name pivot, because pivot means something else but I didn't know.
In case you're interested, here is a view of the 7th hole green taken from the tee box. I am not sure about the yardage, I will look it up next time and tell you exactly.
Your on you way to some great scores Lucky. Look at your divot after the swing. It will tell you alot about how you hit the ball. There are also some terms you will need to know about this game. So, here is my list. Enjoy the game.
Practice up on your vocabulary for the new season....
Golf has given us some unusual and colorful terms to describe shots such as: Shank, chili-dip, skull, duck-hook, worm-burner, etc.
Here are some new ones to add to your vocabulary:
A *Paris Hilton* - a very expensive hole.
A *James Joyce* - putt that's impossible read.
A *Rock Hudson * - it looked straight, but wasn't.
A *Saddam Hussein* - from one bunker into another.
A *Yasser Arafat* - butt ugly and in the sand.
A *John Kennedy Jr.* - didn't make it over the water.
An *Elephant's Ass* - it's high and it stinks.
A *Rodney King* - over-clubbed.
An *O.J. Simpson* - got away with one.
A *Princess Grace* - should have used a driver.
A *Princess Di* - shouldn't have used a driver! .
A *Condom* - safe, but didn't feel very good.
A *Brazilian* - shaved the hole.
A *Rush Limbaugh* - a bit too far to the right.
A *Nancy Pelosi* - way too far to the left.
A "Barbara Streisand" - ugly, but still working.
A "Teddy Kennedy" - goes in the water, but jumps out.
A *Peewee Herman* - too much wrist
A *Sonny Bono* - straight into a tree. _________________
Originally posted by ryj7x47: I hate to rain on the parade, but the fact that you used a cigar as an alignment guide cost you a 2-stroke penalty, for a double-bogey! LOL!
Yes...hit the little ball first, then take the divot (big ball).
LOL! Wait what's that?? I did not use any cigars for alignments, what are you talking about??
______________________________ H.O.Roshdy.
"Stick to your blue collar RASS, I will smoke Cohibas"- ccsigloIII.
[[The Cabron of Cairo]]
Posts: 1607 | Location: Egypt | Registered: June 14, 2007
Looks like a nice goat ranch!! I was just kidding about the cigar as an alignment aid. I usually set my cigar down when I'm on the tee and someone once suggested that, by setting it down pointing to the flag, I was using it as an alignment aid!
In the picture of Ragy on the 10th tee...the ball is tee'd up beyond the markers. That is a 2-stroke penalty. It doesn't matter where you stand, but there is an area that is defined by the markers that the ball must be within when struck. He's over the line. Plus, he should get another FIVE stroke penalty for wearing jeans and a tee shirt! If either of you guys has a cell phone...I will have to call the proper authorities! Masters week is here...for goodness sake!
Last photo...notice the 'reverse pivot' where your shoulders and weight are going backwards while your knees slid forward. You are also picking your head up looking for the ball...keep your head down...!
If that's your putting stance (photo on 9th green), you really need to relax your shoulders and let your arms swing. Otherwise, you'll never be able to control pace or direction. GET SOME LESSONS!! These are a few fundamental things. Even before you get on the course, you should be able to hit your driver, 4 iron, 6 iron, 8 iron and wedge with proficiency. (That would mean that I'm not ready to play a course yet, but that's a different story!) You should spend AT LEAST an hour a day on the putting green just to get a feel for how the ball rolls. Getting out there on a course and hacking your way around only reinforces VERY bad habits that get harder and harder to break once they're established. For now...just putt. If your round takes 4 hours, then putt for 3 hours instead, and hit balls on the range WITH A PRO for an hour. Don't just get out there and hack, though...
Regarding putting...it's the most important part of the game, really, and it deserves a lot of attention. First, understand that the clubhead must accelerate through the ball. If you take a large backswing and then de-celerate and try to tap the ball, you will not have any control. I would suggest the SMALLEST backswing possible, and a LONG follow-through. I mean, like 3 inches and no more. Try this:
Go to the putting green and have about a dozen balls laid out about 10 -15 feet (3 - 4 meters) from the hole. Put a tee into the ground, and then place a ball about 6 inches in front of the tee towards the hole. Try not to hit the tee on the backswing, and don't try to hit the ball too hard. You're just working on the STROKE and getting the ball to ROLL off the clubface. Don't worry about sinking any putts...just get the ball rolling consistently.
Be sure to relax your shoulders.
___________________ Santa Cabilla...patron saint of Quericæstan. VIVE COULTER (not Ann)! VIVE CPD! Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go...(Oscar Wilde)
Posts: 9090 | Location: Avenida de las Nalgas, Quericæstan | Registered: May 02, 2002
BTW...Irish golfer Darren Clarke is a cigar-guy, and when I've seen him play, he always seems to have a Monte 2 in hand. I wonder how he managed to get a stock of contraband like that into Augusta? Hmmmm...those big pro golf bags hold a LOT of stuff!
___________________ Santa Cabilla...patron saint of Quericæstan. VIVE COULTER (not Ann)! VIVE CPD! Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go...(Oscar Wilde)
Posts: 9090 | Location: Avenida de las Nalgas, Quericæstan | Registered: May 02, 2002
I checked the hole's yardage today, 175 yards. Pretty amazing, it's probably the longest shot I've ever taken.
I tried the same hole twice today, but no green. One time in the lake, one time a couple of feet before the lake. But today's golf was very good nevertheless.
______________________________ H.O.Roshdy.
"Stick to your blue collar RASS, I will smoke Cohibas"- ccsigloIII.
[[The Cabron of Cairo]]
Posts: 1607 | Location: Egypt | Registered: June 14, 2007
Lucky, cheer up man. What you feel now will always be a part of the game. Even scratch golfers come home feeling like you do right now. It's a game that can't be won. That's the draw.
Posts: 103 | Location: Charlotte, NC, USA | Registered: February 16, 2004
Any comments on my posture, setup or swing are welcomed and highly encouraged.
You might try playing at a better course that is the most sorrowful looking green i have ever seen.Who takes care of that place the gofer from Caddy Shack.Start acting like a pro before you know it you will start playing like one IMHO.
"Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God" -Thomas Jefferson
"The tree of freedom must be nurtured from time to time with the blood of its patriots" -Thomas Jefferson
"When the Government Fears the People, There is Liberty; When the People Fear the Government, There is Tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson
Posts: 3543 | Location: Reggio di Calabria, Italy / New York United States | Registered: July 12, 2007
Well Sheep, I am sorry the course doesn't appeal to your majesty . It's the only one in Alexandria, and one of the oldest in Egypt, it has been opened in 1898. It's not very well taken care of, I know, but do we have another option?
Plus, at the rates of $5 for an hour practice with an instructor, $1 for a trolley rent and zero green fees, it's a very good deal.
If you ever come here I'll take you for an 18 there, you'll have to pay but still it'd be a lot cheaper than anywhere else. $10 club rental, $10 for the caddy (or just $1 if you prefer to rent a trolley without a caddy) and about $35 green fees.
And what do you mean by "acting like a pro"??
______________________________ H.O.Roshdy.
"Stick to your blue collar RASS, I will smoke Cohibas"- ccsigloIII.
[[The Cabron of Cairo]]
Posts: 1607 | Location: Egypt | Registered: June 14, 2007
Originally posted by Verpackung: Your on you way to some great scores Lucky. Look at your divot after the swing. It will tell you alot about how you hit the ball. There are also some terms you will need to know about this game. So, here is my list. Enjoy the game.
Practice up on your vocabulary for the new season....
Golf has given us some unusual and colorful terms to describe shots such as: Shank, chili-dip, skull, duck-hook, worm-burner, etc.
Here are some new ones to add to your vocabulary:
A *Paris Hilton* - a very expensive hole.
A *James Joyce* - putt that's impossible read.
A *Rock Hudson * - it looked straight, but wasn't.
A *Saddam Hussein* - from one bunker into another.
A *Yasser Arafat* - butt ugly and in the sand.
A *John Kennedy Jr.* - didn't make it over the water.
An *Elephant's Ass* - it's high and it stinks.
A *Rodney King* - over-clubbed.
An *O.J. Simpson* - got away with one.
A *Princess Grace* - should have used a driver.
A *Princess Di* - shouldn't have used a driver! .
A *Condom* - safe, but didn't feel very good.
A *Brazilian* - shaved the hole.
A *Rush Limbaugh* - a bit too far to the right.
A *Nancy Pelosi* - way too far to the left.
A "Barbara Streisand" - ugly, but still working.
A "Teddy Kennedy" - goes in the water, but jumps out.
A *Peewee Herman* - too much wrist
A *Sonny Bono* - straight into a tree. _________________
I'm laughing so hard, I cna't breathe....
That's good stuff right there.
Reg
“The end of a good smoke is a little saddening. In some regard, it’s a bit like losing a best friend who had time to sit and listen.”
. It's the only one in Alexandria, and one of the oldest in Egypt, it has been opened in 1898. It's not very well taken care of, I know, but do we have another option?