Wrap Up - 2023

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bkuehn1952.2
Posts: 108
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2023 6:21 am
Location: People’s Republic of Ann Arbor

Wrap Up - 2023

Post by bkuehn1952.2 »

Looking back at 2023, it was a sort of Meh kind of year. I had some good rounds and of course several disasters. Most of the rounds were sort of okay but nothing special. Round count was 103, better than 2022 at least in volume. My raw unadjusted scoring average was once again right around 81 (81.4 to be exact). Played 28 different courses over the 12 months. No unusal accomplishments (like aces, eagles, etc.).

My tournament play was okay but I failed to place in the top 5 very often. No wins meant no Tournamet of Champions for BK this year. Finished 2nd in the Livonia Championship (old guy's flight) after winning a year ago.

No special golf trips although my wife and I visited Lakewood Shores golf resort in the northeast quadrant of Michigan. I don't consider it "special" since the courses were a bit rough around the edges and the accomodations were just average at best.

I made it through the year with no injuries, which at this point of my life is a big win. Toward the end of the season I was walking a lot and that seems to have helped lessen the overall aches & pains of getting older.

Onward to 2024!
DougE
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2023 5:27 pm

Re: Wrap Up - 2023

Post by DougE »

What the hell, I'm off from work today and don't feel like spending anymore time in bed. Been sick since mid-December, literally. Spent the last two weeks in bed, on and off, intermingled with Pro Shop shifts which I had to pull myself out of bed for, just to keep things going and the course operating smoothly. Short staffed this time of year, and all. I didn't miss a day, but to be honest, I had no business being there. I don't believe any of my co-workers caught anything from me. I hope. At least it wasn't Covid. I hope. I asked when I went to Urgent care about five days ago and they said I did not have it, but don't know that they actually tested me. Maybe they did, I was kinda groggy when I was there and they tested me for a bunch of stuff. Strep, shingles, pneumonia, etc. All neg. On an antibiotic now and have seen a slight improvement. Anyway...

I know I have not kept you guys very involved with my golf life since before we lost the old LG Forum and the new one went up. That's partly due to not having much positive to say about my game. I have played very little over the past two years. And the majority of reason behind that is injury, compounded by more injuries, pain and other personal and physiological issues, not to mention a job in the golf business which has overtaken what little free time I had. Not wanting to be a heavy downer, I limited what little info I released, because no one wants to visit this site to constantly hear about another's problems day in and day out. So I just kept quiet, only releasing small snippets here and there, of which even that seemed too much of a bummer and sorry for myself. Just know for the record, I do check in nearly everyday and read everything posted, just haven't had much gumption to offer my two cents.

In a nutshell, without getting into much detail, I was not able to play physically, beginning around July of '22. By October, I got myself back out there, only to suffer another injury after only four or five rounds, which kept me out until September of '23 for all intents and purposes. Surely I tried a few times, but couldn't muster the energy or enthusiasm. There were other things blocking me as well, again, which I won't bore you with. Bottom line, and my wrap-up for 2023, I played maybe 15 or 20 times. Only four of those were 18 holes. My game is very rusty, particular around the greens. Putting wasn't really bad at all, nor my driving either. Irons were mostly crisp and satisfying...surprisingly. But you can't really score in this game without good touch when chipping and pitching. And, that goes away when you don't play or practice nearly everyday, as I was doing in years past. The loss of skills and lack of golf-shape took away from the passion and intensity I used to play with in this game. Soon my interest level was waning. It was just easier to work the Pro Shop and talk a good game, albeit one from the past.

There's so much more to the story, yet that's enough woe-is-me. On the plus side, in an effort to renew some of my excitement for the game, I bought a new set of Titleist irons, which I'm sure I must have mentioned at some point over the last few months. A combo set of T150/T200s. Not as cool as the set Beef just got, but pretty special just the same. I thought they might help. Not help me get better directly, but maybe get me out there more. So far, they have not. And I hit them well. At least I like the way they look in my bag. Oh yeah, bought another new bag, embroidered with my name and the Team Titleist logo. So, I guess that's a plus. Of course, if I want to play that bag, I'll need a game to go with it. Can't buy that.

2024 is a new year. I'm going to try to turn things around.......on many levels. Don't know if I'll ever get back to playing and practicing at the pace I once did, or get my handicap as low as it once was, but one way or another, I hope to find the time to work at it again and maybe even contribute here a little more with something other than bitches and gripes.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year and look forward to reading all your posts in the new year, golf-related or otherwise.
GBOGEY
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2023 5:32 am

Re: Wrap Up - 2023

Post by GBOGEY »

Sorry to hear Doug. Injuries, especially for us in the 60+ set, are hard to get over. Even worse, if the sport is an integral part of our lives we tend to rush back too quickly which can lead to poor performance and/or more physical woes. Here's hoping that you can play without pain soon and then I bet you'll be playing at a higher level quite quickly.

Unfortunately, my story is similar. I've been too depressed by my golf game to even look at golf forums. My problem is I don't know why my game is so off. I ended last year playing very well and thinking that I would maintain a better handicap than ever this year. Instead, I have played a good 2-3 shots worse than the last couple of years. Part of it is moving and playing new courses. Part of it is likely that these courses are much harder than what I played in TN. Could be something physical - I"ve had more back issues this year than usual. Could be my new courses just don't fit my game like the Memphis ones did, which would be sad being that I now live in a love community and these are my courses for the next 10-15 years.

Whatever it is, I'm playing so badly my golf enjoyment is way down. I've tried to adjust my expectations. I'm now targeting a handicap two strokes higher than before, but I've also gone from the most consistent golfer I knew to a very inconsistent player who is frequently shooting very high scores. I just don't get it - I used to be deadly with a wedge in my hand, no more. I have 3-4 shots a round that I can only call mystery irons - they either go way short or too far. Maybe it's just that the courses are so much more windy than I expect or that there's hidden wind, but I'm lost out there. It took my nine months to master the Memphis courses to my abilities, I'm eight months in and have no clue. But then again, maybe these courses are beyond me. Or it could be that work is sneaking into my golf as the company isn't doing well.

I keep thinking it will turnaround, but as yet it has for only very very brief spells. Anywhere, that's where I've been lately. Hoping that I will snap out of it in the next few months.

BTW - tournament play was so bad I stopped competing. I tried to play in a year event last week. Would have placed, except that I missed 5 very short putts, with three inexplicable lip outs.

On the positive side, I did play 3 bucket list courses this year. Next year has the opportunity to play 2-3 more, especially with a big birthday coming up. But I'm hesitant to pursue these without a more solid game.
bkuehn1952.2
Posts: 108
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2023 6:21 am
Location: People’s Republic of Ann Arbor

Re: Wrap Up - 2023

Post by bkuehn1952.2 »

I have been where both of you, @DougE & @GBOGEY , currently are. I have no great advice as to how to get out of a funk other than to keep moving forward.
legitimatebeef
Posts: 168
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:42 pm

Re: Wrap Up - 2023

Post by legitimatebeef »

It was a banner year for me. I whacked a *lot* of balls. Let's do some rough math. I estimate my weekly average at 600, or five large buckets. I did not miss many days last year, and certainly did not miss any full weeks. So that's around 30,000 balls.I am guessing there are no available statistics on recreational golfers' range ball consumption, but I would venture that when it comes to volume, I am among the elites.

Also getting my first new irons in thirteen years was pretty momentous.

It has been a year of significant progress with my swing, but since I played maybe four times, that progress is not quantifiable. But that no longer really bothers me. We live in the land of feelings over facts, right? Let's just say that in 2023 I started to feel good about my stupid golf.
CeeBee
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2023 3:19 pm

Re: Wrap Up - 2023

Post by CeeBee »

I feel your pain bogey. This past year was a real trial. My left knee was absolutely killing me dating back to the end of 2022. I finally had it replaced back in March. On that front all is well. I walk almost every time I play. Perfect. However my back is hurting enough to affect my overall play. Because I am on the field of battle so much Stretching is mandatory. I use Tylenol and lidocaine patches when I need to.

Distance is an issue. Pathetic. Yes I am near 70 but damn where did it go. I’ve moved up to the senior tees and my handicap is up over 13. THIRTEEN. WTF! The only thing that saves me is the putter.

Final tally for 2023 is 113 rounds played. Not bad being as I didn’t get started till end of May. 106 birdies and one eagle.
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MattF
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2023 4:03 am

Re: Wrap Up - 2023

Post by MattF »

I had a pretty great year golf wise.

I started the year fairly average but then I was lucky enough to win a SkyTrak ST+ sim/launch monitor, a trip to Ballyhack Golf Club and lessons from GolfTek. My ball whacking increased a lot because I can set up in the garage and go to town. But I had a tendency to over do it and was hitting between 300 and 500 balls a session, which led to some fatigue.

I started the year as a 14.7, ballooned to a 15.3 and finished the year at a 12.7, which the best my handicap has been and I credit the lessons with that.

All if this gets me excited to probably have the best golf year of my life in 2024, plus I was chosen to run it back with SkyTrak, so in May I'll be playing and staying at Victoria National Golf Club in Indiana.
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