The getting to know you thread.......
 

Got this idea after giving a bit of my story to Yoda and near being knocked over by Drew's superb credentials in the TT Power thread. Some people are pretty private on the net but some might be happy to tell us more about themselves......



My real name is John and i reside in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. I'm a half fit 35 and enjoy golf, competitive cricket and top grade tennis. I am having trouble finding decent time to TGM my game due to tennis, my relationship and work at present unfortunately. I played quite a bit between 1995 and 2000 getting down to a consistent 13 hcp. I don't hit far but was pretty straight and steady for my hcp. A standard PW for me would only go 110. I work as a Material Handler in the state railway here. I've been there since 17. I've only had a couple of lessons and they have been off very average instructors. Drag the club back low and straight etc etc. My golf was mainly learnt thru Faldo and Leadbetter books and articles. I use a Zero Tolerance Spectra driver that has outperformed the likes of 580XD's for me. Ping Ti Tec 3WD, Cleveland Steel Launcher 5WD, 3 to PW are X-12's, Cleveland 588 wedges and a Ping Zing insert putter.


That's about my story and i would love to see a few others :)

Ok, I will give this a go (besides its Good Friday and I am at work with not much happening :lol: )

My name is Alex and I am from Glasgow, Scotland. I am attempting to be a fitter 27 (but not for long turn 28 next week) year old and have been playing golf since I was 10.
I enjoy golf along with many other sports, I may not be the best at them all but I do like competing and doing something fun. I would again like to devot more time to the game and TGM but due to work and other things have not been able to recently but with the advent of the new season, I am sure that will change.
I have received a lot of instruction throughout the years (either in book form or lessons) but only through 3 teachers. All 3 had a big influence on my game and lead me to TGM. A lot of things that they taught me have their roots in TGM e.g. Flat Left Wrist, Lag.
Currently working in IT as a Programmer but at the moment doing some Change Management work.
Average length hitter who wants to become longer and more consistent.
Alex

Great thread!
 

Excellent idea for a thread! =D>

Ok, I'm Mike from Austin, Tx. I'm 43 with a wife and 2 great kids. I am a software development manager for a large computer company. You could say I stumbled into my latest job after company mergers and layoffs. My previous background has always been in corporate finance and I'll probably end up doing that again in the not to distant future.

I started playing golf late in life - age 30. I went several years without any lessons. I was shooting in the 80's fairly quickly - until I started playing by the Rules of Golf ! :shock: It's actually amazing how many people don't play by the rules. Anyway....I eventually got my handicap down to an 8. In the past year I've been able to whittle it down to a 6.

I started reading about TGM a little over a year ago - thanks to one of my workmates - Bagger Lance. I followed Yoda's posts on other forums and found them to be very helpful in understanding the book. Last December I made my "Pilgrimage to the Swamp" and met Yoda. I came away with a much better understanding of TGM and realized it holds the keys to my golfing future. I like the scientific approach and the fact that there are many ways to move the club.

One of the unexpected gems that came out of my trip to Marietta was my friendship with Lynn. I volunteered (as did Bagger) to help get this website and forum started. I felt like Lynn had much to offer and just needed a little help to get his platform in place.

I would like to break par in 2005. I want to win my club championship. I want to qualify for the mid-am. Modest goals for a 6 handicap, wouldn't you say? :lol:

Well, my name is Roger. I'm 32, from Cincinnati, and have played the game for about 4 years. Got introduced right at the same time as my first son was born. Having now a wife and three boys (the youngest just born early this month), has limited what time I could do to practice. Not to mention having a busy family medicine practice. I love working on my swing and the challenges that has. Got introduced to TGM from Brian's intro on the FGI website. Then Yoda came along and cemented my devotion to it for good.

Having this website has been the greatest thing for me to get to do indoor practice with dowels, mirrors, impact bag and look, look, LOOKING. You all are great help and community for me. Look me up if you are in Cincy.

I first broke 100 two years ago. This year with a newborn, I'll probably have few chances to play this year. So my goal this year is to hope to maintain the ability to score in the nineties. And have fun doing it.

As the .sig says, I'm Dave Clary, 53, retired from the USAF in 93, and now working as a civilian contractor for the US Army in Corpus Christi, Texas. I've been a life-long golf fan but I didn't start playing until five years ago. Prior to that I've gone through different stages of athletic pursuits: softball, road racing (5K to marathon), tournament raqcuetball, and USCF/NORBA bike racing. A little over five years ago I was working at a company where the Chairman/CEO was a past city champ and multiple-time club champ at the Corpus Christi Country Club. I was contemplating working on an MBA but decided that perhpas a single digit index might help more! I was taking regular lessons and practicing that first year, but then I became a quasi-parent to some young-uns while my son was doing his last cruise in the Navy. He's back but I'm more involved than ever with the grandkids which seriously limits the time I'd like to devote to golf. I've managed to get my index down to 16.7 thanks to a hot streak but I'm trending up including a couple triple-digit rounds this month. I keep a little golf diary on my personal website if anyone is interested.

http://davidclary.com/2005diary.htm

My name is Robbie,39, I reside in Charleston.SC. I work for an consulting engineer firm. I took up the game at 32.

I had a series of lessons and alot of range work(hence the name rangerover). Two years later mid 80's and currently a 6 handicap got
as low as a 4.

I picked up the yellow book about a year ago followed Brian and
others to Chucks site and now here @ Lynn's site.

I'm Steve. 43 y.o. overweight white guy. Live in Sheboygan, WI just down the road from Whistling Straits golf course - site of last years PGA. Live with my wife, 4 kids (10 years to 18 months), dog, 2 cats, and 2 gold fish.
Solo practicing podiatrist (foot doctor).

Without lessons, I played to an 8. (Started playing at 10, quit playing during all those years in colleg and residency). Then decided I could improve and shot up to 16 with lessons and reading books/magazines!

Been following TGM since the first website appeared. Read the book as suggested and threw it out. Made it back to a 12 this past year and would like to get to 8 again.

I'm a hitter, and loving it.

I am 39 years old. Married, no kids. Live in Tampa, FL area. I never got a handicap but I have shot between 83 and 89 the last 10 rounds or so. I started playing about 8 years ago. I have been consumed with the golf swing to the detriment of the rest of the game. Two rounds ago I had 6 3-putt bogeys. I wrote the book "How to turn a Birdie into Bogey in 3 easy putts". But I never work on putting. I am retired from the Air Force and have a full-time job working from the home but usually not in the home.

I got the Yellow Book last October and I have signed up for the Bash at Beach and hope to get the same results as the other seminars and workshops. I think the most impressive swing out there is Jeff Sluman in person. He has a very distinctive sound at impact...its almost as if the ball gets glued to the clubface. You can't see it or hear on camera.

Patrick

Im Mathew 22 yo who lives in Edinburgh Scotland....

Im a bat that works nighshifts at a nursing home and sleeps all day long....

As many of you know my girlfriend lives in America who is my life and love. I plan to marry her when I have the money to do so. Jennifer and me are very alike in personality and different in others and she has one of the most beautiful souls and unique and individual minds and no one could absolutely have total love for each other more than we do.

I have always found myself being very isolated from everything and while most people read this they probably look at that in the negative light, I actually like being the outsider looking in at the world and because I have always lived that way, I constantly find that I have a gigantically different perspective from others and I don't actually think I am missing anything because the distractions that life and society brings a false illusion on what is important in life which is slipping by everyday that we are on this planet. I see people die constantly and it has made me look at how most people avoid knowing their mortality and the preciousness that occurs during our short stay here on earth and love bearing witness to the beauty in things which happen everyday that passes everyone by.

There are negatives which I have have to come to acknowledge....which I won't list ...lol but I am me .... and I have come with Jennifers help to feel happy within which is really what everything is truely about..... I can't even describe how it is almost mystical with how beautiful she is - an angel on my shoulder looking over me and allowing me to be hers....

I don't know if exactly this is what you were looking for.... but there it is

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you...
 

Trigolt or Bagger,

Anyway to attach these posts to each person's profile? Might be a nice idea to remember who we are talking to.

Re: Getting to know you, getting to know all about you...
 

Drew,

Let me sleep on it, baby baby let me sleep on it. Let me sleep on it, I'll give you an answer in the morning.

While I'm here...

I'm Mike (Bagger) Lance, 46 years old with a wonderful family including my wife and two teenage kids here in Austin, TX. I grew up on the West Coast and started my family in So. Cal while attending Biola University, a Christian Seminary. I've been in High Tech since the early 80's and now manage a billion dollar portfolio of products for a large computer company. The company is not the one you might be thinking of in Austin.
I've traveled the better part of the world which started when I took a solo summer trip to Europe at 15.

I took up golf at 39 and stumbled on to TGM about 5 years ago while looking for the latest golf tip over the internet. A handful of you might remember Chucks original forum. I called Sally and purchased the book from her in 2001, cancelled all my Golf Digest and Golf Tips magazine subscriptions and never looked back. I'm a 9 index today but as Trig will tell you, I give away about 4 or 5 shots around the greens. And I mean give away... :roll:

My favorite golf memory is playing the Old Course at St. Andrews a few years ago. I left with an 81 and 4 birdies. One of my better rounds at the time. As I was walking up the 18th fairway a rainbow came up over the Clubhouse and it literally brought tears. Yes, I'm a full on Golfaholic and I'm looking forward to many more great memories.

My life revolves around family 7x24, work 6x12, supporting Lynn 7x4, playing and practicing at my home club 4x5, and my fitness routine 1x5. I've yet to figure out how the math works. No time for anything else except keeping a good sense of humor. Life is very, very good and it's all about keeping the right attitude.

Bagger

My name is jim...

I've been playing golf for about 5 years, however i only began to try and get better at golf 2 years ago. I've been an athlete my whole life and was always a little above average in all of them but never a "star." I've worked since i was 14 and am the only person in my family to graduate college. I'm 23 now.

About 2 years ago i decided i wanted to see how good at golf i could become. With the help of a friend who didn't know much i managed to shoot a 10 over at a US Open qualifying site (not in those conditions however)

About 1.5 ago i decided to learn as much as i could about the swing to get better. With the help of some the forums i did my best to apply them. Springtime came and i shot consistently around par but knew there was more. Kept practicing and found some lucky rounds and shot in the 60s here and there. I was preparing for a tournament and my swing went hay wire as i tried to flatten it a little bit to keep the ball down for a windy tournament.

Thats when i went to see brian manzella for a weekend, we changed a bunch of stuff but it wasn't too bad. Took me about a full 6 months to adopt the changes. During the summer i'd shoot anywhere from 60s-80s cuz i was adapting.

Around October i became extremely comfortable with my swing and decided to really get fitted and went to see my fitter and we fixed my clubs and am all ready for the season to begin.

My first goal is to get my handicap in the 0-+2 area and then i play to try and compete in some amatuer events and try and monday qualify for some mini-tour events, 1 nationwide, 1 pga and for fun i'm going to give the US Open qualifying a go.

I have the drive, i feel i have the talent, i just need to get my handicap and see if i can handle the pressure. I'm in a good postion right now where i'm young enough, have a flexible job, a wonderful g/f who takes care of me mostly, and a brother who can support me financially if i need it.

I feel i have a chance due to my attitude, my putting and short game. I can keep learning all about the full swing and getting better but my putting and short game is what made me shoot those scores on my own before so i'm very anxious to see what i can do this year with a MUCH improved swing and the same putting and short game.

I go to see brian in april and then its time to get my official handicap and try to do the best i can. Maybe if i'm blessed enough i'll be able to come back and put up a link to where i finished in some tournaments.

Sincerely
jim

wish me luck

My name is Bruce. I am 54 and live in Syracuse. I currently play to a 3 hcp and have been addicted to this game since the age of 14.

I read all of the golf books but took very few lessons until I became interested in Natural Golf in February 2001 after I saw Moe Norman at an exhibition in Orlando. I bought all of the Moe videos and must have watched them hundreds of times. I also became a friend and student of Todd and Tim Graves (Todd was Moe's protege), both great guys who give 110% to their students. Through their help, I dropped my handicap from 6 to 3.

Then last September I met a local TGM AI, who gives lessons a mere 6 miles away from where I live. His name is Ted Britschgi, and as I've posted here before he is a devotee of Mac O'Grady. So I converted from Swing-like-Moe overnight, which I must say was quite a drastic move. However, I've since improved my distance and ball striking significantly. I have also tried to digest and apply the wisdom of Yoda, a man who I have come to admire as much for his exceptional writing ability (and wit) as his golfing knowledge (I'm a lawyer, so I really appreciate good writing).

My greatest enjoyment in the game, other than working on my game at the range (I spend above half of my golf time playing and half practicing), is playing golf in Ireland or Scotland. I go almost every year and have logged over 100 rounds there -- special hellos to our Scottish forum members! I love everything about the countries -- the courses, the people, the pubs. I'm going to Scotland in August and will be firming up my tee times over the next week. If you Scots have any gems that I might not have played thus far, I'd love to hear from you!

Incidentallly, just for the record, there is a double entendre in my forum name bew69, but not what you would think. It's the year I graduated from high school (a great year too -- Woodstock and a man on the moon), and also my scoring goal at my home course. I've shot 70 many times there, but can't seem to break that barrier...yet!

Bruce

Name: Bernt Ronningsbakk

HCP 6

Age 42

Started: 1989

Have a wife and 3 girls from 2 to 10 years old.

I have a PhD in business administration and work as a business consultant with my own practice.

I've always been active in sports. While I still love physical exercise - golf is the sport for me now.

Home: Stavanger, Norway

The ambition with my own golf game is to understand and master the game - technically and mentally. I love to visit new courses, to compete, to practice, to experiment and to study the game - and above all - the estetics of golf. Nothing beats the smell of spring accompanied by a compressed ball leaving the clubface!

I believe that producing a good stroke is like riding a bike (albeit a very difficult one). Once you know H2 - you never forget. I just haven't got there yet! :wink:

Mike,

"and a little Emeril (the accent) in him."

Are we talking about the chef? If so he is from my home town of Fall River, Massachusetts. A New England boy!

Bam, Bam! :lol:

My name is Brian and I teach golf.

I am from New Orleans, currently live in New Orleans, teach some in New Orleans, but the majority of my lessons are in Louisville, Kentucky, a fact that confuses even my family but delights the Airlines.

I wanted to be the greatest something in the world, and have been hard at it since I was really little. Best 10 and under drummer (got bored), Best 12 and under football player (tired of dealing with coaches and my 4.9 & 5'9"ness).

Tried to become the next self-taught Nicklaus-beater like Lee Trevino, and made it from walk-on to #1 player at two Universities, but couldn't even beat Dave Peege (look'em up).

Found out by accident that even though I had been 'teaching golf' for about two hours, I was already better that 75% of the rest of the field and figured this would be the shortest mountain to climb.

23 years later, I've taught 23,000 slicers not to, taught Craig Perks to chip (watch the highlights this weekend and visit my site and look at my chipping motion), taught David Toms so well I made him and his other teacher famous, learned more from Ben Doyle than anyone alive, found out what the heck Homer thought was best through Yoda, and gotten kicked off of four web forums, and gave life to three others. :wink:

After 9 serious relationships that went bust, met the ONLY woman on EARTH that could meet with the 100% approval of the dozen people who got tired of me whining about the first nine, AND actually really love me, too, and married her a year and a half ago.

I am also "GA-GA" to the four kids who call mikestoc Dad, who by the way, met me when I was an Assistant Pro....

...(I had worked my way up from stock boy)....

...still am.

Thanks heaps guys, you have made this thread well worth starting :)

Steve from Nichols, NY
 

Good thread John, I had considered asking if there were any members near me and were interested in getting together this summer for a round. So far I see one from Syracuse, NY. about two hours north of me.
Bruce are you interested in getting together for a round?

My name is Steve Harvey, I am 51 and I live in Nichols, NY. Married with six children and two grandchildren. I was introduced to golf by a friend when I was 15. I played a couple times each summer using borrowed clubs till I was 18 when my brother gave me a starter set . I played a bit the summer I graduated H.S. and after that played 3 to 6 times per year, untill one of my sons indicated they wanted to play. That was 1998. Now it is a way of life. My current GHIN hdcp is 8.1. But it is an inconsistent 8.1.
I recently discovered TGM in my Quest for the Perfect Swing. I had seen it referenced on another forum and read the success stories. I just recently had a TGM based lesson and am trying to comprehend what I was shown and incorporate it. I read the forum, try to read the book, and ask an occasional question, and anxiously await the first opportunity to get out and play. The weather around here is the pits!!!

Hi all,

My name is Steve, and my family and I live in Fletcher, NC. I own a lawn and landscape business, but the most of my time is centered around my 3 sons. Zane age 4, Eli age 3, and Ivan 1. I am 35 and have been playing golf since I was about 14. I have been around a 10 handicap for the past 10 years and have been on a quest to find that magical swing key to get me toward becoming a scratch golfer. I have tryed Scigolf, Peter Croker, Paul Bertholy, among many other methods along the way. I have always been a hitter, but just didn't know it. One day I was doing a search on the web about the right arm in the golf swing, and stumbled on Chuck Evans website. I have been glued to TGM ever since. Just by studing the book, and reading the forums I have shot my 3 best rounds in the past 3 months. (2 75's and a 74) I have signed up to attend the Bash at the Beach and look forward to meeting some great people and learning as much as I can about my golfswing.

Camp Granada
 

"Hello Mudda...

Hello Fadda...

Here I am..."

:D

Getting to know you........
 

Greetings----I'm Dave, 53 y/o, live in the suburbs of the always overcast Pittsburgh. I'm a family practice physician and started playing seriously in 1990 after being run over by too many 18 year-olds playing softball. I was a competitive swimmer in high school and college, still do it as much as possible for exercise--which hasn't been much the past couple of months. Managed to survive a stage 3 kidney cancer in 1997 and decided work wasn't the only thing in life. (I've never had a dying patient tell me,"I wish I had spent more time at the office."). Golf has turned into a wonderful time for me--playing, studying the swing, trying to improve, etc. I'm always amazed how many times I've shown up some place as a single and end up having a great time with the group I join. It's almost as though the game creates a bond between its players. Am I making sense? Anyway, came upon TGM several years ago and found it REALLY fascinating--and landed at the TGM site, Chuck's, Brian's and now here. Spent a day with Lynn recently and have a post in the Clubhouse section. The fog is lifting, albeit slowly. Have a wonderful wife, Carolyn and a 21 y/o daughter, Kristen who is a junior at Auburn. This is REALLY a great thread--nice to put some info with screen names. Would love to meet and/or play with any of you--let me know if you get near the "Burgh" or near Auburn and maybe we can sustain the lag together. Have a GREAT golfing season everyone! Dr. Dave

My Bio
 

I’m Rick, 56 years old, recently retired and living in Pinehurst, NC. Originally from the Atlantic City, NJ area. Married with a 26 year old son. Started golf at 21 when I got out of the Air Force. Met my wife at the driving range. Started doing golf club repairs in 1978. My claim to fame is I once caddied for Dean Martin and reshafted Rocco Mediate's 5 iron. My current handicap index is 8.5, but with the TGM help I’m hitting the best quality shots I’ve ever had.

From Iowa
 

Hi, My name is Stan, I didn't pick up golf until I was 56. I had a fractured foot playing slow pitch and decided the young kids should continue and enjoy that game. My first set of clubs was my fatherinlaw's and he was 6' 4'' and I am 5'8''. yes, they were custom made for him. Didn't take a lesson until I was around 60. Then became interested in Natural golf and had a lesson, but was disappointed, although I stayed with the palm grip until the last few months. I tried IMA and several others, I have a very slow swing speed around 70 mph. So, I dream of hitting a drive 200 yards.. :shock: I am retired and raise about 200 different type of roses and judge them on a local and national scale. I live in east central Iowa and the winters can be rough although this year was not too bad. As I actually read this forum, Brian's, and Chucks forum and I then go out and hit balls in the snow trying to emulate what I thought I read. I smile when you say the weather is bad and it is the 40's. Our courses are opened early this year and we been playing in that weather until this week. I am retired computer programmer and analyst and had the opprotunity to go to Australia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. I have two sons who work and have a Celtic band that is very popular in this area. My wife thinks it is great that I work in the rose garden and golf because as she calls me 'never sit still' is out of the house. I would love to fly to Atlanta and have a lesson and get straightened out on what I am doing. I thought I would be a hitter since not very flexable, but seem to do better using the swingers method. I hit a driver about 160 and a 3 wood about 150 and I use irons only around the green. I have a driver, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 wood in my bag. Best golf moment when I hit a hole in one on Good Friday last year. I hit a 13 wood on a par 3 , 111 yard. Don't worry Yoda, I will never expect to hit 220 yards if I do get to take a lesson, you can relax. :D
Wife calling we have four grandkids and we are babysitting the 15 month old while young son going back to college. All of you have a great golfing season this year and remember 'Have fun doing it'.
Stan

Hi, I'm Keith, a 37 year old father of 4 (2 girls and 2 boys). I work as a database developer with a large defense firm (Raytheon). I live in Maryland, not to far from Baltimore (go O's & Ravens!).

I am a former (hopefully!) hacker that went through Yodification last month and I am starting to see some consistent progress. I can't wait to start playing on a consistent basis now that spring is finally here.

Besides golfing I enjoy woodworking (built all the cabinets and desks in my office) and being active in my Church.

Two of my kids have expressed an interest in playing so I want to start working with them some this summer. I think it will be a great activity to do together as a family...and I don't think my wife would mind me playing nearly as much if I am bringing the kids along!!!

Anyway, thats about it. This thread has been awesome for seeing the diversity of backgrounds on this forum, and getting a little background knowledge on some of the regular posters.

Keith

My name is Matt and I am 20 years old. I grew up about 10 miles from Lexington, Kentucky, but moved to Gulf Shores, AL when I was 18. I am back in Lexington now going to school at Eastern Kentucky University. Right now, my major is psychology, but I will probably double major in psychology and English. I have played golf since I could walk, but started playing seriously when I was 14. I hurt my arm pitching in Little League and didn't want to play baseball if I couldn't pitch, so I started going to the golf course with my dad. I found The Golfing Machine when I was 17, but couldn't really understand it until I attended Lynn and Chuck's workshop in Pine Needles. I have continued to study it with the help of the internet forums and I will be an AI sometime in the near future.

I was the 3rd ranked player in my region through high school and I have been a sratch player. My low round is 67. I haven't played a 'real' round of golf for several months, but I do drills every day indoors. I hit balls about once a week, but now that the weather is getting good I will be practicing and playing quite a bit. I am going to try out for EKU's team during the spring semester. I am competitive and golf isn't much fun for me if I'm not playing competitively.

My other interests outside of TGM and golf are reading, writing, learning, entrepreneurship, and watching movies. Most kids my age don't really have any interests and I think that is one of the biggest tragedies in America today. Learning and listening to other's opinions will never hurt you. Anything you learn will be of benefit at some point during your life and I hope I never stop. My motivation for studying psychology is so I can teach people how to succeed. Success begins in the mind and I would even argue that it is nothing more than a mindset. I think success, in any endeavor, is an artform that must be learned. I am particularly interested in sports/performance psychology and how the mind can be used to reach extraordinary levels.

My name is Matt and I'm 19 and from Wisconsin. Currently in Minnesota for college and I'm enjoying it. I first got into 'this stuff' in the fall of 2000, my freshman year of high school. When my book arrived, I asked myself what I was getting into - little did I know. Back in the day I played a spectrum of sports but really got into golf around the age of 12. I found myself progress from a 90s shooter in 8th grade to a 1-handicap last year with the help of numerous people - my AI in Wisconsin, Lynn, Chuck Evans, and many others.

Golfwise, I enjoy playing competitively, bantering about the swing, and watching the lightbulb turn on in peoples' heads when I show them something. I have two golf-related jobs, so I'm always around the game somehow and can practice and play all the time. I've qualified for and played in the Wisconsin State Amateur the past two years and had some great learning experiences. In 2003, I was the youngest player to make the cut at age 17. My goal this year is to play whatever competitive events I can and get my handicap to scratch or better.

Thanks to Lynn, I was able to attend the first Secrets of the Golfing Machine Workshop in St. Augustine last spring that he conducted with Chuck Evans. My 'book knowledge' and how it's applicable to my game increased tremendously. I am sometimes guilty of overanalyzing my swing and get frustrated very quickly when my game doesn't reflect the effort I've put into it. Again thanks to Lynn, I visited him in Marietta two weeks ago over my spring break. I realized that I had been overlooking several things that were applicable to my game (Hitting? Hmmm). I'm really looking forward to this golf season.

What else...I don't know what I'm studying in school yet, and I'm not ruling out a golf-related occupation. I'm not playing for the team here, as I'd prefer to 'do my thing' golfwise in the summer and 'live the college experience' during the school year. I'm very content with that. Other interests of mine are fitness/nutrition (I'm in the gym 5 days a week :shock:), playing my guitar, global politics, modern history, digging to find the real stories behind the news, and persuasive writing.

Here's to a great 2005 season. :)

My name is John (call sign is FL-John). The "FL" actually is for Florida where I currently reside, but the "FL" is also the first two leters of my last name. I grew up in great Milwaukee, so yes, I do drink Pabst, Old Style and any other cheap beer, while gnawing on a block of cheddar.

I currently work as Manger, Talent Acquisition for a large Real Estate and Travel Services Fortune 100 corp. I have a house in Port Charlotte, FL (we still hate Hurricane Charley), but have started a new job in Orlando, FL.

I played Division III college golf for three years at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Won one tourney in college (second day cancelled due to rain) with a 2-under 70. Avg score on that 40*/25 MPH wind day for the field was 78.

Picked up my first copy of TGM about 6 years ago after reviewing the old Golf Digest article showing Mac's right/left handed swings. Have the inside cover signed by Sally Kelley (for Homer). Have never made the journey to see an AI as of yet, but will soon. Nickanme in college was Leaky, as it was one of the shots I could not hit. Everything, and I mean everything, was right to left. If I had to cut a ball, I'd open the face about 45* and was lucky to hit a straight ball. Other nickname (post college) was Loopy, as my putting stroke can sometimes resemble a Figure-8.

If anyone is ever in SW Florida or Orlando and wants to hit a few, feel free to give me a PM!

FL-John

My name is Will, and I live in MI. My wife and I are currently expecting our first child, so I'm currently the happiest/ most stressed/ excited/ nervous guy in the world :lol:

I'm entering my sixth season of golf. I don't have a handicap, but I'm hovering around the 95 to 100 mark. The majority of my blowup holes are a result of severe misshits. I'm really long, and have decent touch; it's just that it sometimes takes me 3 or 4 strokes to get to the hole. I purchased TGM in hopes that I'll be able to play closer to my potential than I do now, and I am fully confindent that I am heading in the right direction. Definitely looking forward to this year.