Have the thought of going to a resort outside of London with my family. Would require a high end resort for my family. I dream of playing a round of golf in the morning while my family lounges around the resort and then going to a show in the west end in the evening. Is there such a place that is close enough to the city?

Requirements:

-High end spa/resort

-Enjoyable golf

-Close to city

I had the great pleasure of meeting up with four FEGC members yesterday at Golden Gate Park GC. Myself along with Chris Brooks, Ray Gobberg, Brett Hochstein, and Jamie Hiteshew had a great round. We snuck out at 3:00 and played as a group of five. Rounds like this are truly what fill my tank.

There were plenty of good shots to recount, but my favorite moment of the day was when Brett, who is a wonderful guy and who also happened to do a lot of work on Golden Gate Park during the renovation, recommended we all hit low runners into the seventh green, which he shaped, to try to catch the contours in the ground and sling balls into the back right pin. For those of you who haven't played GGPGC, the seventh has an awesome green with three distinct quadrants. Each quadrant is relatively small, but there is a lot of mounding to work the ball into tight spaces. It's phenomenal work that Brett did and provides an equal amount of fun and challenge. I've added a couple of photos below.

The pin shown above is in the back left quadrant, whereas we were playing to the back right (just over the bunker in this picture).

Here's a more aerial view of the entire green. If you choose, you can run shots into the green using the ground and mounding on the left to feed balls hard to the right.

My highlight from the day, though, was when Jamie tried to snipe a 4i into the green and got a wee bit aggressive with his swing and sent the ball sailing onto the next tee box, coming to rest at the feet of the group of golfers in front of us. At that very moment, I remembered reading a lot of member intros where most identify as "not interested in fighting." Thankfully for us, Ray's immediate comment was something to the effect that there are five of us and only four of them AND they look old, so we can totally take them.

So I guess the TL;DR here is that Ray Gobberg is interested in fighting!

There's been a growing interest in pre-1935 hickory clubs and 1950-1990 steel shaft persimmons & irons. Let's exchange info on makers, how to build a set, connections to people that do restoration and reproductions, etc.

I'll start with hickories since I restore & play them. A number of states have active hickory groups who are very knowledgeable & helpful. The first organization I recommend joining is The Society of Hickory Golfers, tremendous resource for all things hickory including posting hickory scores & a hickory handicap system. Only $65/year: https://www.hickorygolfers.com/membership-join/

I've started dabbling in vintage/retro clubs with sets from 1958 (MacGregor) & 1970 (Hogan). Garage sales, auctions, 2nd hand/thrift shops, eBay are just some places to find gear. There's quite a few sites on IG for retro/persimmon, etc. aficionados too.

I'm in WI & you can find me on IG at: the pond is good for you or X at: golf69ski88

Andy, instead of lotteries for oversubscribed courses, how about waiting lists? It worked for Bozo Circus (parents used to get tix as baby shower gifts cause there was a 6-8 year wait) and my Cubs season tix (was #87,000 & took 8 years to get a call). At least that way you can make plans months/years in advance. If there’s AI/bot concerns, go old school and only accept mailed entries. Whaddaya think? - Perry Rouches

https://www.thefriedegg.com/articles/in-praise-of-the-golf-buddy

I wrote this because it feels like we don't talk enough about the therapeutic benefits of golf, and how you really don't need a great course or a great score as long as you have a good person with you.

It also felt like a good discussion post: When was a time a Golf Buddy lifted you up?

You can share here or shoot me a note at kvv@thefriedegg.com

Putting. Isn't it the worst? You spend hours on the range refining your swing, only to reach the green in regulation and three-putt. Sound familiar?

Historically, I've been an above-average ball striker but a below-average putter—at least compared to golfers who hit the ball as well as I do. About a year ago, I decided it was time to overhaul my putting stroke. I've implemented several strategies to improve my performance on the greens, but in this post, I want to share a lighthearted drill I created to sharpen my focus during practice sessions.

I call it "Battle the Bear." The concept is simple: start with two golf balls and work your way around the putting green, playing a nine-hole match between them. I call it "Battle the Bear" because I imagine I'm playing my first ball while Jack Nicklaus—The Golden Bear himself—is playing my second.

The format is straightforward: play two balls in match play and tally the score after nine holes.

But not so fast. That version would be boring and not particularly helpful. The twist is this: Jack Nicklaus was a legendary player and a clutch putter, so we need to make him formidable. To simulate Jack's greatness, he never three-putts and always putts second, giving him a perfect read from your first roll. Additionally, Jack's second putt is always conceded—he never takes more than two putts. This means that to beat him, you must make your first putt. Three-putt, and you immediately lose the hole. With these rules in place, defeating Jack becomes the daunting challenge it should be.

I practice this drill for two primary reasons:

First, it simulates actual on-course pressure. In this drill, your first putt truly matters. You must read the break, judge the speed, and execute. Just like on the course, there are no do-overs. You need to make it count if you plan on beating The Bear.

Second, it provides immediate feedback. With Jack's ball, I get a second attempt at the exact same putt I just hit. Now I'm significantly more informed about the break and speed, and since the Bear never three-putts, I must focus entirely on making it. Lagging this putt is worthless. This second attempt offers a complete diagnostic of my stroke and mental state. Am I starting the putt on the correct line? Is my speed dialed in? (Ideally, misses should always go past the hole.) Am I fully locked in on the task at hand?

The final aspect I love about this drill is the killer mentality that comes with being The Bear. Nothing satisfies me more than breaking my own heart. Whether it's draining a putt to win the hole or erasing a great one-putt, I get genuinely excited when I channel Jack's dominance.

Let's recap how this drill elevates your practice. The first putt forces genuine focus on the practice green—something most golfers neglect. How can you expect to putt well on the course if you don't practice the exact skills you'll need during competition? Meanwhile, the ball you play as Jack compels you to commit to making every putt. Since Jack's second putt is always conceded, you must give each attempt a legitimate chance to drop. Leaving a putt short when playing the Bear's ball is completely useless.

I hope this simple drill adds a fresh dynamic to your putting practice. And remember: when you get the chance to be The Bear, make the most of it.