Play the Trash

A fun way to always mix up a golf game with friends is to "play the trash".  What we do is play skins + trash.  What is the trash?  Well trash is anything you encounter in the hole, you add it to your teams winnings (details on trash items below).

So for example, we are playing $2 skins and pick up one piece of trash, our team wins $3.  Of course you can value trash how you want, but we make it a dollar extra.  If both players have trash, they both count.  Oh...and your trash only counts if your team wins the hole....sorry.

Trash:

Barky - Your ball hits any part of a tree at anytime during the hole (double and triple barky's count)
Carty - Your ball hits a cart path during the hole
Pole-y - You make a putt longer than the length of the flag stick (You can use strategy here when chipping, sometimes too close may cost you a pole-y if you know your partner already has the hole won)
Sandy - Your ball touches a bunker at any point in the hole (yes, rolling thru a bunker and out counts)
Hogan - Only eligible for Par 4's: You land on the fairway off the tee, hit the green in regulation and two putt (fringe on the green DOES NOT count)
Greeny - Only eligible for Par 3's: You land on the green off the tee and two putt for par (fringe does not count)
Birdie Pop - On any hole if your team has a birdie and wins the hole, the skin doubles

Now go out at there and collect on your barky-poley-Hogan-birdie pop.

Houstonian (Black Horse) Golf Club

I've played Houstonian a bunch of times, and is one of my favorite courses in town.  The course is actually going to be changing its name to "Black Horse" in the near future now that it is under new management.  It is affiliated with Redstone (Now Golf Club of Houston), Shadowhawk and Blackhawk.  So membership to one is membership to all.

The Houstonian can be quite challenging due to its water hazards and wind.  A fairly open course, if the wind gets blowing it can definitely change the course up.  And at least 11 holes have one type of hazard on it, so tee-shots can make or break a hole (take a look at the card below and the hole maps).

This past weekend it was extremely windy, but the greens were rolling pure.  The course in general is in great shape from tee to green.  The rough is cut down, so not much penalty for missing a fairway.

The hardest hole on the course in my opinion is the par 3 #17.  Its long, uphill, protected by water and sand.  It comes late in the round when you are either tired, or trying not to blow a good round.

I was 1 over on the back nine going into #16 and then finished double, double, bogey.  Was a rough last three holes, but with the par 5 #16 and par 3 #17, its not an easy finish at all.

Clubhouse/Locker room are well done....biggest con on the place is its way out of town, and can be difficult to find for the first timer heading out there.  I mean, this place is in the boonies.  However, i rarely turn down an invitation to play....

An American Caddie in Scotland

An American Caddie in Scotland is an entertaining book for any golf lover.  The true story is based on a high school graduate who has a year to kill before his admission to Harvard, so he decides to head to St. Andrews and caddie the old course.  Its entertaining to see how he is "welcomed" by the locals and also the inner working of how the caddie pyramid works.  It definitely has some funny moments and he gives some behind the scenes insight on what caddies really think about their golfers and how they behave and of course, tip.

Its an easy read and for every golfer who one days wants to play St. Andrews....its a great book to read before you head over so you arent just considered another Hawaii Five-O.

Club Review: Cleveland 588 Gliderail Hybrid

I recently played a round witht he Cleveland 588 Gliderail Hybrid.  I played a 20.5 Degree as im trying to find a club to fill the gap between my 3iron and 3wood.

I play with a stiff shaft, but for some reason even with a stiff on this club I continuously had them drawing hard.  I hear hybrids naturally work right to left (for right handers), but this one felt a bit overdone.  

In terms of look, it is quite simple and not too bulky when laid against the ball.  This is a look I prefer as I dont want to feel I am hitting a wood, but also want the confidence I have more behind this than a long iron.

It was priced in the $100-130 range, but I wasnt too impressed and will continue my search for a good hybrid.

Cypreswood Golf Course - The Tradition Course, Spring, TX

The Tradition Course part of the Cypreswood Golf Course facility is a a very good value.  For $79 you get 18 holes and a cart, and the quality of the Tradition course is always in good shape.  What I like about this course are the greens are always in good shape.  The layout of the course gives you enough challenges.  Par 5s which can be reachable in two with a great drive and the guts to go for it, and Par 3s that test you from 9irons to hybrids.

For some reason this is also the less played course at Cypresswood which means the wait time on tee-boxes are usually kept at a minimum, which is nice for a public course.  There isnt much to brag about in the clubhouse, but it does serve breakfast burritos in the morning and burger for a lunch.  The driving range is all grass which is also nice and the putting green is average.

Beers arent outrageous on the drink cart either.  This course is definitely kept in regular rotation within my golfing circle.  Its only drawback (for someone closer to downtown Houston) is the location is out by Bush Intercontinental, so a good 30min drive.  For those on the north side of town, I highly recommend it.

Pre-Round Practice Routine

I've been taking lessons at Golftec the past few months, though the verdict is still out on my results, the tips/drills they send via email are worth a read.  Recently, they sent out the below article How to Make the Most of Your Pre-Round Practice Routine by Chris Neylan.

What I liked about the article was it worked from the hole backwards.  I (like many) start right on the driving range and maybe have 2min to bang a few putts before tee-ing off.  This routine gives you a more "game like" mentallity with only using one ball on the putting green and getting you more used to pressure situations as you will face on the course.

Give it a try and see if it works for you:


Routines in sports are as common as the rising and setting of the sun.  Some routines are normal and simple while others border on the obessive.  From football and baseball players to cyclists and race car drivers, these athletes have developed very specific routines that must be completed prior to any athletic endeavor.  Golfers should be no different.  A specific routines helps get the golfer in the right mindset in preparation for the day's play.  Here are a few bits of wisdom from a coach that has seen a fair amount of poor pre-round practice routines:

1)    Start your pre-round “warm-up” on the putting green.  Use one ball (instead of multiple balls), and putt until the one ball is holed out (no “gimmes”). This makes you focus on the practice green like you need to focus on the golf course. Start with a very short putt (to gain confidence), and end with long putts where the primary focus is distance control.  Again, putt until your ball is holed out before hitting the next long-distance putt. If you want bonus points, try to finish your practice with some 3, 6, and 10 foot “I-need-this-for-my-best-round” putts.  Do your best Keegan Bradley (or Christina Kim) impression when you hole them, if you wish.

2)   After you have gained confidence in your putting, head over to the chipping and pitching area of the practice range.  Hit a handful of “bump and run” chip shots with a lower-lofted club (7 iron), then hit a few pitches with a high-lofted club (like a sand wedge). Once you have a “feel” for each shot, alternate shots - hitting one chip, then one pitch, etc.  Focus on the different landing points needed for each shot, and make it your goal to have a putt after every chip or pitch.  Simply put, just get the chip or pitch anywhere on the putting surface, and you will be pretty well prepared for the course.

3)   Now it’s time to hit the range.  Start hitting balls with your highest-lofted club, and work your way through your set (skipping clubs if necessary) until you get to the “big dog” (the 1 wood, the driver, etc…).  Three or four balls with each club should be sufficient.  Try not to wear yourself out on the range, as there should be plenty of time after the round to practice your “deficiencies”. Always finish your range session with the club you will tee off with on the 1st hole, and hit a few extra shots (5 to 10) with that particular club.  Try to use the same pre-shot routine on the range that you will use on the 1st tee!!!  If your first hole requires a hybrid or long iron, make that the club you end your range session with. 

The above “warm up session” should take 30 to 40 minutes (maximum).  Be sure to hydrate while you are journeying around the practice facility (and on the course as well).

When you head to the first tee, be sure to have the following things in your pocket:  A few tees, a divot tool, and a ball marker are must-have golfing utensils. Please don’t be the golfer that has to beg for a tee on the first tee box, or asks for a penny on the first green.  A wet towel will allow you to keep the grooves on your clubs clean during the round, and will help you keep the ball shiny, white and rolling true on the putting surfaces. To really show the group that you are ready to play, mark your ball (keep it simple) with a sharpie marker and be sure to indentify your ball on the first tee.  This will help give everyone a better chance of playing their own golf ball during the round, and avoid unnecessary penalty strokes (or derision from the group, which is even worse in my opinion).  Also, if having your ball nicely marked doesn’t impress your golfing crew, then I’m pretty sure nothing will…

 Have a great rest of your golf season, and play well.

The other Masters debut

The 2014 Masters wasnt just about Jordan Spieth making his debut onto the world stage of his PGA tour career.  Only 18months ago he was an amature, and Under Armour was nowhere to be seen on a golf course on national television.

Under Armour was well displayed this weekend with Spieth's final round going toe to toe with Bubba Watson.  Even though Spieth didnt bring home the green jacket, Under Armour should be very happy with their endorsement and visibility it received.

People have heard of Under Armour, but they continue to break into new sports.  Recently, they have made a huge push into the hunting industry which is huge, and now they are working their way into the golfing world.  Not a bad move, both sports are mainly made up of well to do participants who have extra money to spend or willing to buy that new item which could help its performance.  If Under Armour delivers quality products, it has the ability to really take off and take market share from Nike, Addidas, etc.  My guess is we start to see Under Armour a lot more on the golf course...Spieth is just the beginning.