I Played With My New F2's

I received my F2 wedges on Friday and was able to get out on to the Verdugo Hills Golf Course today to give them a go. My score today was my average, but this was mainly due to some putting issues. I have to say these new clubs gave me a more controlled chip then normal. I even had one chip that was my best yet. From a uphill slope at about 10 yards off the green. I was able to chip with my 58 degree loft wedge within 12 inches of the pin. Needless to say I was pleased.

These F2 wedges create something I was unable to do before. Backspin! The backspin took a shot that normally would float and roll over the green, into a shot that stuck on the green. Overall I chipped more shots within the scoring zone then in the past. I will say that these clubs aren't the answer to the game of golf, but they do help. I am confident that over time as I learn how to get the most from these clubs, my game will see a few less strokes. My current favorite of the 2 F2 wedges is the 58 degree loft. But I know that over time with more use, the 52 degree wedge will become very useful.

With one game under my belt I can say yes, these wedges are a good club to have for those in between situations you run into with a pitching and/or sand wedge. I will continue to update on how these clubs improve (or not) my overall game. In all fairness I know that I need to learn how to use the clubs to get the most from them. I will continue to give them a go and after a few games if I see less strokes you better believe I will blog about it.

3 Days In A Row Of Golf

This is great. I got to play 3 days in a row of golf, yes at Verdugo Hills Golf Course, but still... 3 days. Today I played with 2 co-workers and while it was not my best game, I still was able to hold my own. I am waiting on my F2 Wedges to put them through the test and see if they really will shave off some strokes from my game. They guarantee less shanks, so we will see what happens. Yes, I will be reporting on these clubs once I get them. I have also signed up my golf partners to try these clubs out to to see what they think. This will help to get through the psychological placebo effect that will come with the money I paid and most importantly how I was sold on these clubs in the ad and website. I am looking forward to getting these 2 wedges.

Tonight's game went well and we added a new co-worker who has been playing the game of golf for about 15 years. It was nice to know that on this 3 par course he still struggled. He came out overall with the best number of strokes, but I was only over him by 3. Yes it was his first time playing the course, but still I am going to take the glory in playing under strokes against all who attended on the front nine. That being said I still gained some additional "tips" on how to improve my game, even with my questionable swing.

Yes, I was ab le to play 3 nights this week, this will make up for the fact I have to fly out for a business trip over the weekend and will be unable to play for the next few days. My one year of playing is coming up in August and I hope to reach 50 games by that time. I know more time to play then most get to play. But hey, like I have said in the past that is the beauty with this 3 par course. At Verdugo Hills Golf Course you can play 18 in a short amount of time on my way home from work. The best part is when I am able to go to the "Big Boy" courses, I am able to keep up with the amatuers and do not hold up the line... too much.

Best Game I Have Played Yet!

I played the best game ever tonight at Verdugo Hills Golf Course. Like I have said in previous post, Verdugo Hills Golf Course is a 3 putt course with some very technical holes. With the fairways being slim it is very easy to tee off into the adjacent fairway and since they are short its easy to tee off onto the other green. I did neither. I came off with a birdie, 8 pars and the rest of the holes were bogey. So I played a little better then bogey golf overall. This is great for me and I am very happy with this outcome. I may have not mentioned this before but come August I will have 1 year of golf under my belt. Being that I am in my early 30's and have no real training beyond advice from friends, I think I did pretty damn good.

Verdugo Hills Golf Course is the course I play the most. You get great practice with your irons, which I have said are used more in golf then your drivers. And it is still technical enough to improve your game on the full courses. They are open until 9:30pm during the week. (Summertime) so it is a perfect place to get in a few holes after work and still have time to get things done at home.

The F2 Wedge

I bought into the hype of the infomercial, actually into the article in "Southland Golf" magazine. I did do my research online about this club, but what is the hype you ask? This club face guarantees to improve the number of strokes due to its design. Most importantly they say no "shanks", or to be fair less "shanks" then usual.

Here is a description of what I purchased (directly from their web site).

52 degree F2 Series Gap Wedge

The 52 degree F2 Series Gap Wedge features a slightly less loft for that in-between distance from the fairway to the Scoring Zone. It's perfect for the pitch and run shots too!

Conforms to USGA Standards. 304 S.S. Head with Satin Finish

and...

58 degree F2 Series Plus Wedge

Introducing the new 58 Degree F2 Plus Wedge! The 58 Plus has been designed with 14 degrees of bounce and a 20% larger clubface to be forgiving from fluffy lies in the sand and rough. Like all F2 wedges, the 58 Plus is face forward and guaranteed to be shank proof. The added bounce will reduce fat shots and chili dipped shots, guaranteed! With the 58 Plus you'll hit more shots inside the scoring zone and you will never have to worry about shanking the ball ever.

Conforms to USGA Standards. 304 S.S. Head with Satin Finish

This is their guarantee;

These clubs are "guaranteed" to lower you handicap and increase your fun!

So I am optimistic and will wait and see what happens. If you have these clubs, I would love to hear your feedback. If you don't, you will hear mine. I should receive the clubs within the next 2 - 3 weeks, and I will update this blog once I am able to use them a few times to let you know my results. My hope is shaving a few strokes off my game. If that does not happen I will be taking them up on their money back guarantee and shipping these clubs back. Again, I am optimistic!

Verdugo Hills Golf Course

Yes, I have played this course again. As you get to reading this blog you will find that Verdugo Hills Golf Course is a favorite of mine to play. This course is a very technical par 3 that challenges you to really learn your abilities with your irons.

So tonight I played and did on average what I do every night I play. I will not say at this point anything beyond, I have a lot of room to improve. I played with a friend of mine who had his best game yet at this course. Hey, we all allow a couple of mulligans right??? Well even if you don't he did quite well. Anyway, this is a perfect course to hone in on in proving your swings and outcomes with irons. The longest hole requires a 6 iron, for amateurs like me. Some of you can probably get the same function from a 7 or 8, but whatever. Give it a try before you say you can. Verdugo Hills Golf Course, may not have the most clean greens but they do offer a challenging course that can help you to learn all aspects of golf. "Except" for driving. They do have a driving range to help you improve in that area though. Tonight, I realized that they require golf shoes. (I don't own golf shoes yet.) But I have never been questioned on this point. Go figure...

If you think you are good this course will challenge you to think differently. Definatley worth while to play if you are close to it. The fairways are narrow, so there is not a whole lot of room for error. You either hit it straight or your hitting off the previous holes fairway. A great course overall. Just expect that the hotdogs and burgers may be a bit undercooked. But hey we are in a hurry to tee up right!!

July 2007 - Golf Tips for July

OK so I am not a pro, but I do have some tips for all of you playing in Los Angeles in July. First off let me point out that it is HOT! I am sure you already know this but I have a few tips to help you keep your cool out on the green.

Tip #1 - Stay hydrated. Make sure to bring plenty of water with you. Yes a few cold beers will help, but lets be real. Beer dehydrates, so make sure to carry plenty of bottled water. Case in point; I played Vista Valencia with a 8:38am tee time, got on the first tee by 9am. PS - In a cart and by the second hole I had depleted my "one" bottle of water by half. I was already looking for the ambassador by hole 3 to bring me some much needed water.

Tip #2 - Sunscreen. I don't care how dark you are, you can still blister. Carry sunscreen in your bag and make sure you spread it across you neck and arms. Make sure to spread it on the top of your hands. Most people forget this part and guess what, your blisters will form on the back of your hands. I know this from experiences. The draw back with sunscreen is the dripping into your eyes from sweat. This burns like a b....! Just keep some paper towels in your bag to wash the sunscreen from your eyes. Pour some water (carry extra water) onto the paper towel and wipe. Still worth it to wipe sunscreen across your face, you will thank me later.

Tip #3 - Carry extra balls. You may be a pro, but in the heat you can "flub" a ball just as easily as the rest of us. The heat draws energy and can make it so you hit differently then you normally do. Let's face it we are not Tiger Woods and do not have a caddy to powder our ass and wash our face. Flubbing happens, but it happens more often when your overheated. So rather then get your blood pressure up, carry extra balls and expect the unexpected drive into the mountain or water hazard and the lost ball that comes from it.

Tip #4 - How wet are the greens? In hot weather the greens are usually watered more often which means they will be more wet and slow. Factor this into your game. you will have to putt harder to get your ball into the hole. When your on the green make sure to test this out before you putt so you are not surprised by your ball coming up short against the hole. An easy way to do this is by pushing your putter down into the green and seeing how much water bleeds up. If you see noting, putt like your used too, if you see a centimeter, put a little more muscle behind it and if you see more than that drive it.

Tip #5 - Have fun. It's hot. Tempers rise. Just relax stay hydrated and know that the group in front of you has not read these tips so there game is far off from where yours is. Bask in the glory of being able to play golf year round in southern California. Yes, this is one of the few states that you can play all the time.

There are probably more tips, but hey this is all I can think of and if anything this gets you half way there with enjoying the game in one of the hottest months in California of the year.

Verdugo Hills Golf Course

I just got through a weekend of playing the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. I hit the driving range on Saturday and then played the course on Sunday. This is a course I play often. Its easy for me to get to, on my way home from work. Its a Par 3 course, but very technical. A lot of uphill and downhill holes, with some very narrow fairways. This is the course I have been learning at and is a great course for learning and using your irons. Most people play thinking if they drive hard then they will play well. This is not the case. If you think about it, driving is a small part of the game, you do it once per hole. However, your irons can be used multiple times per hole. Verdugo Hills Golf Course is a great place to get that iron practice in. Its cheap to play costing about $15 for 18 holes on the weekends. You can play at night, the course is lit, so perfect for getting in at least 9 holes after work. Keep in mind this is a Par 3 so a lot of people use this course to learn. This means that it can be slow going as far as wait time. You can not call ahead for tee time reservations, but this can also be a benefit for those like me who decide at the last minute to get a few holes in. The greens are average, they keep them up but they can be a bit choppy at times. What do you expect for $15? The great part is on a good day at Verdugo Hills Golf Course you can get through 18 holes within a couple of hours, or go for 9 and at worst you are there for an hour and half. Although for the most part I can get through 9 in about an hour. Verdugo Hills Golf Course has a club house with draft beer, did I say draft beer. That's about all that they offer, but who cares. A round a golf, a draft beer and home early enough to get what I need to done. This is an excellent mix. This is overall a great course to get some challenging golf in without the wait and planning needed for the "big boy" course.

Vista Valencia Golf Course

Wow was it hot. I played Vista Valencia on July 4th, I had a 8:38am tee time, which got pushed by 20 minutes due to back up, but still it was hot. This is my second time playing the course and if you haven't got a chance to play this course, play it. It has some technical holes including an island tee (17th). Bring extra balls just in case. Vista Valencia has some great straight fairways where you can test your Tiger Woods skills by trying to drive over 300. Ok so let's be real I can drive about 200 if the wind is blowing right, and I will say there are many at my skill level on this course. Vista Valencia is an executive golf course, moderately priced and a whole lot of fun. If you plan on walking this course, don't! Spend the extra couple of bucks for a cart, its worth it. This course has some three pars that seem easy, you hit up hill, but wait, they are surrounded by sand traps so there is no easy play You either make the green or your shoveling sand, and I haven 't even touched on the water hazards. They are not bad but if you think you can "worm burn" and ground the ball with your drive, surprise you will end up in a gully and good luck trying to find your ball. This is a fun course, moderately priced, but you definitely will need to pre-book a tee time. The greens are quick and from the last two times that I have been there are kept in great shape. This is a course to play at least once!

Welcome To The Golfing Los Angeles Blog!

I would like to use this forum to post the information that is important to all of you who live and or are visiting Los Angeles and love to golf. This is an open forum to discuss golf courses in and around the Los Angeles area. Give your input, let people know whether a course is bad or good, hard or easy, overpriced or cheap, and overall worth playing. I will post from time to time on the courses I play to lend my input, however my input is one persons view. I would like this blog to lend the view of many so anyone who visits can make an informed decision on which course they play on their own.