Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round 3)

[TheBear95]

LD and I played Oak Grove on Sunday afternoon.

 

One of the my favorite things about Oak Grove is the question, how much I'm going to pay? Sometimes there's a walking rate, other times nope. Depends who's working. 

 

On Sunday, the answer was no. What's comical is that the last time we played Oak Grove was on July 4 with the exact same tee time and a walking rate existed! Usually, I would be upset at such shenanigans, but I know what to expect at Oak Grove. This news was simply greeted by a small sigh.

 

The other unpleasant change between Sunday's round and our July 4th round was the pace of play. On the 4th, we cruised and played in 3:30. Sunday, it was 4:40.

 

This included a ludicrous 35 minutes to play the Anaconda (#11). We had no wait on #10, so it was QUITE a surprise to see 3 groups just waiting to tee off on #11. This was caused by the winds (20 mph+ straight into) and guys playing from the wrong tees. #13 was nearly as bad.

 

In total, it took over 90 minutes just to play #11-#14. Soul crushing. Thankfully, I think some groups went in, because the pace began really moving on #15. I truly thought the back 9 was going to take us over 3 hours to play.

 

 

[B-Man]

Oak Brook yesterday. Greens are vicious and the pin positions too. Still a Mickey Mouse course no matter what tee boxes. 17 greens hit, lucky to shoot 1-under.

[VNutz]

2 hours ago, B-Man said:

Oak Brook yesterday. Greens are vicious and the pin positions too. Still a Mickey Mouse course no matter what tee boxes. 17 greens hit, lucky to shoot 1-under.

OBGC used to always have some of the quickest greens around back in the day. Glad they're getting back to it a bit, the only bite that course has.

[ldchristopher]

I got in 54 holes over the holiday weekend. Atwood Homestead and Oak Grove on Sunday and Old Hickory on Monday. I'm really enjoying Atwood Homestead. It's not an ultra challenging course from the regular blue tees. It reminds me a lot of a well-maintained Highland Woods with slightly hillier topography. I was going to play a homemade combo that incorporated enough of the back tees to play at about 7000 but I've been struggling in the transition back to playing once a week. I had a disastrous round at Bonnie Brook on 8/26 that got in my head a little bit. Anyway, I felt much better about my game on Sunday. Two holes with slight bogie hiccups and no birdies for a 74. 

 

Bear touched on Oak Grove already. I'm done with that place. I was done with it already but Bear booked it so I blame the horrid pace and 4 GROUPS ON THE TEE BOX ON THE ANACONDA on him. Okay, that's not fair. Lost in the bad pace was the fact that I played pretty well and really drove it excellently. I was just off the 9th and 18th greens in two and was able to make tap in birdies and I finished with a 75. I didn't lose any balls, but the group in front of us must have lost three boxes. Time for a new hobby. The basketball shorts were a dead giveaway that golf isn't their sport. 

 

Old Hickory is becoming my favorite course in Wisconsin. Definitely worth the drive to Beaver Dam, though the fact that it's only an hour from our place in Elkhorn makes it more accessible. I kept the good play going with an even par 72 with two birdies (6 and 10) and two bogies. It's not a monstrously long place by any means at a little over 6700 yards, but the collection of par 4's there are outstanding and the greens are ultra smooth, pretty quick, and have almost no marks. My only critique is that three of the four par 3's played 188 yards. Generally there's more variety there given the size of the greens. 

[MountainKing]

It's a yearly tradition for us to take the day after labor day off for a round of golf.  Normally we do 36 somewhere random and special, but today we just ended up doing 18 at Blackstone which isn't exactly a terrible consultation prize.  Not much to really say, it's Blackstone, tee to green was great.  Greens were shockingly a let down today, slowest I've ever seen them, and a few were rather bumpy.  I have a feeling they might be punching them soon so they just sort of let them go a bit.  Pace was brutal for a Tuesday morning at 4:20, of course we ended up behind the clown show, playing the wrong tees and all members of the group having to travel to each others balls and a ton of hunting for balls in and around hazards.  Any weekday morning round should be well under 4 hours.

 

Today had to be one of the windiest days of the years and made for a tough day.  3 club wind when you were into it, when you were down it was hard to judge because some shots the wind would just knuckle it out the sky. Hole 8 was brutal with the cross wind, the back tees were on the right side and the pin was in the back right, no chance of hitting that green today with the starting line you had to take.  I managed to scramble around for a 77, wasn't having a great ball striking day and the wind didn't help, and I really struggled adjusting to the green speeds today.   I probably need to get some practice in, but knowing I'll probably hang it up in just over a month it's hard to find that motivation.  Oh well, still a great day and better than work!

[TBone0576]

Got in 4 days of golf in a row at Brighton Dale just over the border in WI.    I have almost 50 rounds in there this year over both courses so I'd say there is a bit of a home course advantage there.  Anyway I wasn't able to sell my T100 irons so I just thought,  screw it and just decided to keep them and learn to play them.  Might end up being a good choice.   Had rounds on the Blue of 73-71 and on the White course 75-69.   Best I've played for a stretch like that probably since college.  

[TheBear95]

49 minutes ago, TBone0576 said:

Got in 4 days of golf in a row at Brighton Dale just over the border in WI.    I have almost 50 rounds in there this year over both courses so I'd say there is a bit of a home course advantage there.  Anyway I wasn't able to sell my T100 irons so I just thought,  screw it and just decided to keep them and learn to play them.  Might end up being a good choice.   Had rounds on the Blue of 73-71 and on the White course 75-69.   Best I've played for a stretch like that probably since college.  

 

3 under on White Birch is a great round. 

Edited September 6, 2023 by TheBear95

[TBone0576]

2 hours ago, TheBear95 said:

 

3 under on White Birch is a great round. 

Thanks.  My lowest ever on White and I have been playing those two tracks pretty regularly the past dozen years.  First time breaking 70 in about 5 seasons.   Somehow I carded a 32 on the back and birdied the last hole with a tap in. 

[MountainKing]

Awesome shooting!

[B-Man]

Momentous effort yesterday in a 4-man scramble at Harborside Starboard. Steady drizzle through the first 3 holes wasn't fun but beating the past champions by 1 shot was gratifying. Course was a little soaked but greens though not fast, ran very well. Highlight of the day was on the last with my 80yrd shot pitching 6" from and into the flag and popping out to a foot.

[orange14]

Broke 80 for the first time ever this morning at Schaumburg with a 79. The course was in great shape. Now what? Haha. This has been my goal for so long. Would love to do it again. Guess I should just aim for knocking my handicap down to single digits one digit at a time, eh?

[mci711]

1 hour ago, orange14 said:

Broke 80 for the first time ever this morning at Schaumburg with a 79. The course was in great shape. Now what? Haha. This has been my goal for so long. Would love to do it again. Guess I should just aim for knocking my handicap down to single digits one digit at a time, eh?

Breaking 80 as a double digit handicap is a hell of a round. 

[@_the_crook]

it was a 50/50 morning at Sunset yesterday. 1st half was gray and cool, 2nd half brought the sun and warmed us up.

struggled some at first with mishits, couldnt get a grip on the problem.

my partner shot a quick vid of my swing and we saw I was getting all Furyk'ey at the top of my backswing and was coming down really off plane.

kept my backswing a little shorter after that and balls went straight again.

 

best shot of the day, coming up to 18 green, needed a 70 yd pitch over the right trap to reach the pin.

morning ranger drives over to say Hello - a long time acquaintance.

as he watches, my shot stops 6' from the flag .

felt good to have a witness.

 

Plus, free sammies for all the PTT players.

 

in the words of all players, "can we do this again tomorrow?"

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by @_the_crook
cuz I need spell-check.

[@_the_crook]

New in the Clubhouse -

 

[ssp]

Played Cog #2 Friday in an outing - was very pleased with conditions.  Played Bowes on Sat.  Also pretty good.

[MountainKing]

Beautiful mid-morning round at Steeple Chase.  As usual, hard to complain about any of the conditions out there, greens were their typical crazy fast rolling probably about an 11 the two bunkers I was in were great and overall tee's and fairways were pristine.  Always nice to see courses that can keep things up this late into the season.   Only real complaint was pace, took us 4:40 to get around the place at 9am, not a ranger to be seen.  Not acceptable at all for a round that is still in the morning hours.  Sucks to think afternoon rounds there were probably hitting 5+ hours.

 

My game today did not match the course conditions or perfect weather.  I don't think I found the center of a club face until hole 16, and that was probably the only shot all day that found the center.  I still managed to keep under 40 on the front with a 39, put up a 41 on the back which included 3 penalty strokes (2 of them on hole 13).  I hate that I shot an 80, but it could have been worse.  Regardless, still a great day out there.

Edited September 11, 2023 by MountainKing

[TBone0576]

14 hours ago, MountainKing said:

Beautiful mid-morning round at Steeple Chase.  As usual, hard to complain about any of the conditions out there, greens were their typical crazy fast rolling probably about an 11 the two bunkers I was in were great and overall tee's and fairways were pristine.  Always nice to see courses that can keep things up this late into the season.   Only real complaint was pace, took us 4:40 to get around the place at 9am, not a ranger to be seen.  Not acceptable at all for a round that is still in the morning hours.  Sucks to I think afternoon rounds there were probably hitting 5+ hours.

 

My game today did not match the course conditions or perfect weather.  I don't think I found the center of a club face until hole 16, and that was probably the only shot all day that found the center.  I still managed to keep under 40 on the front with a 39, put up a 41 on the back which included 3 penalty strokes (2 of them on hole 13).  I hate that I shot an 80, but it could have been worse.  Regardless, still a great day out there.

I need to get down there to play Steeple Chase sometime, it's been quite a while for me.   I used to play the course every day for practice in college back in the mid-90s.  

[MountainKing]

1 hour ago, TBone0576 said:

I need to get down there to play Steeple Chase sometime, it's been quite a while for me.   I used to play the course every day for practice in college back in the mid-90s.  

 

I love it and it seems like every year the conditions improve.   The one thing I would really like to see, that I think would just take it to another level, is removing all the tree's on 18 up the right side.  Three guys in our group was in that 240-250 range (I didn't join them since I decided it was much cooler to snap hook it into the left hand hazard), but being on the right side of the fairway the tree's block out any view of the green and forces a layup.   What an incredible risk/reward hole that could be.

[DavePelz4]

Our comp group played the penultimate round at Redtail on Saturday.  Haven't been there in a couple of years, didn't know they're tearing the clubhouse down and building a new facility.  It's being run out of a trailer now which reminds me of Blackstone when it first opened.  

 

Nothing but good things to say starting with new, and washed, range balls.  Nice.  The greens were in wonderful condition, sand in most of the bunkers, pace was fine at 4 hours.  Other than the distance, not sure why we don't play there more often as it's always in good shape.

 

Our final round is in 2 weeks at Blackstone.  The competition got even tighter at Redtail and 5 guys have legitimate chances of winning the ugly trophy yet alone the $$$.  Our total prize pool is just over $3,000 which is a record for the group.

[chisag]

... Just wanted to jump on here and say you guys sure got your payback this summer. Playing allllll winter long in beautiful temperate conditions while you sit inside with the Chicago winter gloom ever present, the record heat this summer here was brutal. More days over 110* than anytime in history and I played maybe 5 times in the last 6 weeks. I normally play 4-5 times a week. 🙄

... So back to your normally scheduled program and enjoy your Chicago fall golf, because as you all know it can be spectacular and I really miss it.  

[TheBear95]

4 hours ago, MountainKing said:

 

I love it and it seems like every year the conditions improve.   The one thing I would really like to see, that I think would just take it to another level, is removing all the tree's on 18 up the right side.  Three guys in our group was in that 240-250 range (I didn't join them since I decided it was much cooler to snap hook it into the left hand hazard), but being on the right side of the fairway the tree's block out any view of the green and forces a layup.   What an incredible risk/reward hole that could be.

 

 

I wonder if the trees are there to "protect" the pump house that is over there.

[MountainKing]

17 minutes ago, TheBear95 said:

 

 

I wonder if the trees are there to "protect" the pump house that is over there.

 

 

The bigger tree's I'm thinking about don't really do much to protect that, I think only 3 tree's really need to come out to open things up a bit.  In fact even if the big one by the fairway comes out, that would make a huge difference.  I know it's not a simple task, just think it would add some improved play-ability to the hole.   Yesterday is a good example for our group, we had 8 skins carryover to that hole and everybody was forced to layout turning into a wedge/putting contest.  I know the guy who was hitting first would have gone for it making things a little more interesting. 

[TheBear95]

11 minutes ago, MountainKing said:

 

 

The bigger tree's I'm thinking about don't really do much to protect that, I think only 3 tree's really need to come out to open things up a bit.  In fact even if the big one by the fairway comes out, that would make a huge difference.  I know it's not a simple task, just think it would add some improved play-ability to the hole.   Yesterday is a good example for our group, we had 8 skins carryover to that hole and everybody was forced to layout turning into a wedge/putting contest.  I know the guy who was hitting first would have gone for it making things a little more interesting. 

 

Oh, I completely agree with you. I read your post and was thinking that's a hell of an idea. I'm all for tree removal. 

 

I think the trees are there mainly as an aesthetic piece. To sort of hide that ugly pump house.

[TBone0576]

20 hours ago, MountainKing said:

 

I love it and it seems like every year the conditions improve.   The one thing I would really like to see, that I think would just take it to another level, is removing all the tree's on 18 up the right side.  Three guys in our group was in that 240-250 range (I didn't join them since I decided it was much cooler to snap hook it into the left hand hazard), but being on the right side of the fairway the tree's block out any view of the green and forces a layup.   What an incredible risk/reward hole that could be.

Yeah it would be much more fun.   I remember getting it to the green a few times in the old days but it would take two pretty incredible shots to do it. 

[MountainKing]

3 hours ago, TBone0576 said:

Yeah it would be much more fun.   I remember getting it to the green a few times in the old days but it would take two pretty incredible shots to do it. 

 

Last time I hit it in two I was in a really crappy spot on the left on the trees (I seem to like that side of the hole)  but had a great line.  Probably one of the best shots I ever hit in my golf career.

[Springsteennut]

On 9/11/2023 at 11:32 AM, DavePelz4 said:

Our comp group played the penultimate round at Redtail on Saturday.  Haven't been there in a couple of years, didn't know they're tearing the clubhouse down and building a new facility.  It's being run out of a trailer now which reminds me of Blackstone when it first opened.  

 

Nothing but good things to say starting with new, and washed, range balls.  Nice.  The greens were in wonderful condition, sand in most of the bunkers, pace was fine at 4 hours.  Other than the distance, not sure why we don't play there more often as it's always in good shape.

 

Our final round is in 2 weeks at Blackstone.  The competition got even tighter at Redtail and 5 guys have legitimate chances of winning the ugly trophy yet alone the $$$.  Our total prize pool is just over $3,000 which is a record for the group.

Played my usual Tuesday at Redtail and the greens were still great! 

[MountainKing]

Hopefully the weather will hold out this weekend, have a good stretch coming up with Preserve on Sat, Arrowhead on Sun and 36 at Bowes next Sat. 

[Shriner]

Seven days ago, seems so long ago.  Our annual Day in Heaven trip where we get up at 4am to make it to Oak Grove for our early round...then we play a second 18 at a course half way back to civilization.  I look forward to it all year, as does the group.  For the first time in 6 years, we invited a 4th to make the day and I think he was having a blast.  Weather was perfect and the day seemed so special as usual, except even moreso.  There was no one on hole 1 when we got to the tee box and no one on the tee box when we finished.  You could not ask for anything better.  Cherry on the top?  I par'd hole 1, which I have not done in the last five years.  As anyone who plays it knows, the first three holes are downright brutal...especially when it is 50 degrees out and you are trying to clear the junk on hole #2.  

 

Hole #4, feels like the whole world changed.  I am playing the backs and the other three are playing the whites...I remember everything in slow motion.  I hit driver left but still in the fairway.  One buddy says "Left rough"...lol.  We gave him crap.  My cell goes off while another is on the tee box, which I quickly silence.  I am walking so I start walking up the left side while two others are on the right side in a cart.  Phone rings again, it is now 7:45ish am and I figure I should pick it up.  It is my wife and she is hysterical..."House is on fire".  I can't understand anything else before a neighbor grabs the phone, tells me it is real bad but the kids got out.  Told my friends to keep playing since I couldn't think straight and I started walking back to the clubhouse.  We are now at the furthest point out on the course unfortunately.  Great friends (thankful for amazing friends and amazing neighbors), they put me on one of the carts and we headed in...drove the 1:20 minutes back.  Despite having no fire hydrants and no fire department in Medinah, six different municipalities showed up with tanker trucks and managed to "save" the house.  Surreal, but all you can do is move forward.

 

Right about now, seven days ago, would be making the turn to hole #10...crazy.

[MountainKing]

1 hour ago, Shriner said:

Seven days ago, seems so long ago.  Our annual Day in Heaven trip where we get up at 4am to make it to Oak Grove for our early round...then we play a second 18 at a course half way back to civilization.  I look forward to it all year, as does the group.  For the first time in 6 years, we invited a 4th to make the day and I think he was having a blast.  Weather was perfect and the day seemed so special as usual, except even moreso.  There was no one on hole 1 when we got to the tee box and no one on the tee box when we finished.  You could not ask for anything better.  Cherry on the top?  I par'd hole 1, which I have not done in the last five years.  As anyone who plays it knows, the first three holes are downright brutal...especially when it is 50 degrees out and you are trying to clear the junk on hole #2.  

 

Hole #4, feels like the whole world changed.  I am playing the backs and the other three are playing the whites...I remember everything in slow motion.  I hit driver left but still in the fairway.  One buddy says "Left rough"...lol.  We gave him crap.  My cell goes off while another is on the tee box, which I quickly silence.  I am walking so I start walking up the left side while two others are on the right side in a cart.  Phone rings again, it is now 7:45ish am and I figure I should pick it up.  It is my wife and she is hysterical..."House is on fire".  I can't understand anything else before a neighbor grabs the phone, tells me it is real bad but the kids got out.  Told my friends to keep playing since I couldn't think straight and I started walking back to the clubhouse.  We are now at the furthest point out on the course unfortunately.  Great friends (thankful for amazing friends and amazing neighbors), they put me on one of the carts and we headed in...drove the 1:20 minutes back.  Despite having no fire hydrants and no fire department in Medinah, six different municipalities showed up with tanker trucks and managed to "save" the house.  Surreal, but all you can do is move forward.

 

Right about now, seven days ago, would be making the turn to hole #10...crazy.

 

Sorry to hear about all of this.  Don't even know what to say but glad to hear everybody is okay.   Life really has a way of putting things in perspective.

[MountainKing]

Round at the Preserve today was the sort of round that makes me happy the golf season is coming to a close.  Not sure what happened since I was last out there but the tee boxes were long\shaggy and the greens were brutal.  Slow, shaggy and bumpy to the point where you had no clue what line your ball would take or if your ball would get to the hole.  Almost every putt got airborne at some point, impossible to make anything.  Pace was brutal at 5 hours.  I love after the round when the ranger comments "slow day out there huh".  Asked him why he was by the clubhouse remarking on it instead of doing his job, silence on that one.  Luckily I did not pay the rack rate, but if I did pay the $110 that our time was asking for, I would have been right inside demanding a refund for the conditions.  I know conditions can vary in our area day to day, but this was like they stopped taking care of it.  Probably my last round there for year unless I hear something different.

 

My ballstriking and game more or less followed the course.  The snap hooks are back, and putting was just a joke with 37 putts.  I did manage two birdies  thanks to driving #4 and hitting 15 in two, but otherwise I was just holding my breath of every shot.  I had several three putts and a four putt, and the rest of our group didn't fair much better.  I scrapped together an 81, the only real positive to the day was the company of my group was great. 

 

Supposed to play Arrowhead in the morning but looking at the temps, weather and my round today,, I've pretty much committed to bailing. Golf in bad weather is just not fun for me.