Forums

Idea for parallel Starters Virtual Tour

• Corwyn 2,410 Posts

  Sun, Jun 22 2014 1:12 AM

  OK, Cerino. You have a target.

  I'm in for R2 with a 68, making a clubhouse total of 139 (-1). And, just for honesty's sake, it wasn't my first attempt, lol!

  Key moments: just pushed 3rd to the 4th hole, and came very close to the curling par save; super 27ft birdie putt on #6; felt unlucky on #9 with dinged tee shot getting some Starter club lack of precision and heading right down the downslope instead of leaving a possible birdie putt; was hanging on by a thread through 10, 11, and 12, with this putt dying its way in at the last gasp on 12; this approach led to welcome birdie on #14; great rescue flop on #15 after poor tee shot; and too hard with long birdie try on #17 for big lip-out.

  

  So, a round of par will win you the title (and the sleeve!)!

• bhoese 679 Posts

  Sun, Jun 22 2014 10:45 AM

  Not so fast!  I haven't posted my first round...until now.  BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

   

   

   

  

   

  Okay, I'll need a miracle finish to take the sleeve.

  I was cruising right along, making putts and holding greens until the 8th.  I have plenty of empathy for Lexi Thompson, although my double on the 8th took a different form - approach way over, flopped long off the front, chipped way too short, 2-putted.  Bounced back a little with a 13-footer on 9, then was awful with both GIR and putting on the back.  Wedge , iron, and driver for proof of bag.

   

• CerinoDevoti 3,232 Posts

  Sun, Jun 22 2014 11:32 AM

  Corwyn:

  ColumbusStorm:

  It is my understanding the USGA frowns on men playing in the Women's US Open. I believe Corwyn is just trying to abide by the rules. ;)

  Yup, Russ is right. I thought it only appropriate given the circumstances.

  Cerino, nice going with your 68. I'll do my best to set you some sort of target with my R2, but looks like the sleeve's going to be yours!

  I guess I didn't understand what you meant. I was thinking playing the first round twice would be it because I didn't notice rd 2 was also unlimited and has low wind. . I'll have another go in rd 2 to complete the set.  I'll post up whatever happens. :)

• Corwyn 2,410 Posts

  Sun, Jun 22 2014 12:40 PM

  bhoese:

  Not so fast!  I haven't posted my first round...until now.  BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

  I was hoping you'd join the party, Ben! Looks like we're up against it, though... You need a 67 to tie me, and probably something Kaymer-esque to pip Cerino.

  CerinoDevoti:

  I was thinking playing the first round twice would be it 

  I did wonder what your comment meant, CD! I think we need to treat it as a two-round tourney though.

  I just wish it was single-play. It does make me think this will make a great Tough-It-Out special: Pinehurst with starters feels just right, a perfect match for what we've been seeing IRL. Perhaps some time in late summer we might get that going...

   

• bhoese 679 Posts

  Sun, Jun 22 2014 2:07 PM

  I didn't even come close.  Won't bother with the card.  Almost rage-quit a couple of times, but stuck it out for a lucky and skillful birdie on the last and a 74.  2 Birds, 6 bogeys, 30 putts, 24 to the pin.  Missed 8 greens, saved 3 and a 3-putt.  Funny thing is, I'm newly saturated, so my average dropped two points when this round replaced one of the starters-from-the-tips misadventures!

  The 12th is my round in a nutshell.  I almost know what I'm doing with the starters.  Pinehurst is not kind to almost.

• CerinoDevoti 3,232 Posts

  Sun, Jun 22 2014 2:26 PM

  I got in rd 2 but wasn't happy at all with my play. Missed putts for birdie and par once again like an idiot. Not sure if it was having a number in my head before the round or not. Thank you Corwyn BTW!!!! I play best with no numbers in my head. ;)

  On the front I tried to play extremely safe but still missed 3 real birdies chances. Made the one on 9 from pretty close and a very lucky tee shot. Once the back started all hell broke loose. I was all over the place. Bogies on 10 and 12 were totally my fault. Tried to pick it up a bit and instead threw strokes away. The birdie at 11 was nice and the one at 15 was sonic. Such a nice tee shot and an easy flat putt. 16 gave it right back and on 18 missed a 12 foot dead straight uphill putt for birdie that really pissed me off. I could have shot at a minimum -1. Shot Level par 70.

  Shot a 2 round Total of -2,  138. Anyway, I think I'm done with this. Too much tension. :)

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Corwyn 2,410 Posts

  Sun, Jun 22 2014 4:49 PM

  Ha, ha! I wondered how it would be for you with some added pressure, Cerino. Bravo to you for coming through it. Hardly the highest stakes, I know, but I wanted you to have to work for your sleeve, lol :)

  Now you have some idea of having to come down the stretch just needing pars but on some damn tough holes.

  What sleeve do you want for your prize?

  bhoese:

  The 12th is my round in a nutshell.  I almost know what I'm doing with the starters.  Pinehurst is not kind to almost.

  Too true! 12 in particular is brutal. I almost wonder if the way one has to play it from the tips (i.e. laying up to the left to leave 40-50 yard wedge) is actually the best method even from closer tees. I can't seem to find that green even with perfectly struck 2nd shots, and flops from long or left are nearly impossible. Your putt from the fringe was just cruel...  :(

  But, the 12th does give one a real sense of how tough the course must have played these last couple of weeks. A fantastic experience!

• CerinoDevoti 3,232 Posts

  Sun, Jun 22 2014 5:41 PM

  Corwyn:

  Ha, ha! I wondered how it would be for you with some added pressure, Cerino. Bravo to you for coming through it. Hardly the highest stakes, I know, but I wanted you to have to work for your sleeve, lol :)

  Now you have some idea of having to come down the stretch just needing pars but on some damn tough holes.

  What sleeve do you want for your prize?

  LOL. It sure was tough. You know I like to play fast and loose and when I found myself playing really slow, I knew I was in trouble. Out of my element and leaking from the seams. ;)

  I think a sleeve of Callaway L33 will do. Thanks for gifting a prize. I had a feeling you 2 guys would want to play this Tourney with the starters. I found the overall performace of the starter clubs with the course set up to match really well for a realistic experience. BTW I didn't hit a single flop shot playing these rounds. The course accepted pitch shots so beautifully I just kept using them. Something new for me. ;)

  ~CD~

• CerinoDevoti 3,232 Posts

  Wed, Jul 2 2014 8:52 AM

  I took a first swing at the WGT Nation Uneven Lies Monthly Unlimited on Pinehurst with all starter gear. Needless to say it was brutal. The starter clubs and Championship Greens don't work out so well together. I did all I could to play conservative and take the bogeys where I knew worse scores were easily possible. Really only made a total mess of 1 hole(7th) by hitting approach into the bunker then hitting on to the green with what I thought was a decent  bunker shot only for it to roll off and back into the other greenside bunker. The highlights would be 1 birdie and no 3 putts.  Looking honestly at my score and effort, I think I could have shot 2-3 strokes better but not any more. Carded a 78.

  ~CD~

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• CerinoDevoti 3,232 Posts

  Mon, Aug 25 2014 5:15 PM

  I took a swing at the First Tee Open(first round unlimited) with Starter Clubs and Ball. It certainly wasn't a cake walk. Can't reach quite a few fairways even with low wind. I didn't bother trying to hit to the front tees I just went for it to see what happened. As usual the putting makes the difference and it did for my round. I stunk it up and it shows. ;) Shot a 78 with a couple birdie chances missed and a really stupid 3 putt. I think perhaps a 74-76 is absolutely possble by better putters than myself. The funky green speed didn't help and has to be taken into account for around the green shots.

  ~CD~