Canadian Golfer Scores 58

[mpare]

Lorne Rubenstein writes in this morning's Globe and Mail about one Canadian who found magic on the course just before returning home from his vacation. A 58 is a hell of an exit. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/s...portsGolf/home

[fireice]

That's one hello of a round by a 2+ handicapper.

[Kilroy]

Awesome!

[1972Apex]

Wow! Two guys get put out before everyone for an early round and one of them is in a hurry to get the round in quickly so he can catch a flight. And not a gimmie given along the way... not even in the early holes when he was struggling and thinking of quitting...
That's the most amazing part of the story for me.

[Old Man]

We can only dream about it.

[Shivas Irons]

What's also impressive is the guy didn't start playing golf until he was 25. This is a story that gives the rest of us hope.

[sillywilly]

hoax?

[justsomeguy]

hoax?

Well, Lorne Rubenstein has been a golf journalist and editor for almost 30 years. I'm sure he's seen it all, and if someone fooled him with this kind of story I would be very surprised.

[sillywilly]

Just have to have a good story and be a decent actor no??? I personally do beleive but wouldn't be shocked if it was a hoax

a +2 capper going getting a 58 on a course with a rating of 74... its 500,000:1

I guess that isn't that bad considering how much golf is played around the world per year

[hoolio]

a +2 capper going getting a 58 on a course with a rating of 74... its 500,000:1

I think his odds were more like 5,000,000:1 if you take a look at the USGA site on differential odds. Hopefully I'm right assuming his differential was about -14

I hope he bought a lottery ticket after leaving the golf course.

[sillywilly]

then I def don't beleive him

[speeler_kda]

The guy's a member at Emerald Hills in Toronto. I was a guest at men's night last year. When they called his name, the room went pretty quiet, lots of rolling eyes though. Unlike many elite players, he's not well-respected by the members... His ultra-low rounds are under dubious conditions, difficult to verify. (remember the hole-in-one lady last year?)

Not trying to smear the guy or the writer, just passing along the general consensus by the guys who play with him most and know him best. Having said that, Lorne R. should have sought a quote from somebody at EH.

[Kilroy]

If he really is a +2 I'd expect some stories told and some speculation as to the truth in a club atmosphere.

There will always be skeptics but who knows... other than the guy he played with. It's too bad this happened in a non-tournament round.

[mpare]

Lorne Rubenstein has been around the block. He knows the game intimately. I would think that he checked out this guy and his story. So my tendency is to believe him Don't forget that a +2 means that this guy is shooting under par on a regular basis. Also, magic can happen to any of us. For instance, when I was a 3 handicapper in Halifax I once shot a 4 under round after being 2 over par after 7. If I can shoot 6 under on 11 holes as a 3 handicapper, I've no doubt that it's possible for a +2 to take it real low.

[sensfan63]

Lorne Rubenstein has been around the block. He knows the game intimately. I would think that he checked out this guy and his story. So my tendency is to believe him Don't forget that a +2 means that this guy is shooting under par on a regular basis. Also, magic can happen to any of us. For instance, when I was a 3 handicapper in Halifax I once shot a 4 under round after being 2 over par after 7. If I can shoot 6 under on 11 holes as a 3 handicapper, I've no doubt that it's possible for a +2 to take it real low.

actually all it means is that his best 10 out of 20 rounds are an average of two shots below the course rating...

I suppose you have to believe him until someone says otherwise, though...funny how nobody's ever heard of him.

i wonder if HE called Rubenstein?

[Kilroy]

Which means that 66 is not uncommon for him. 8 shots better is not out of the question on a day where you get ALL the breaks and never miss a putt! It could happen.

[spackler]

Seems like there are people on the Toronto forum who know, or know of him, and they don't doubt it.

[sensfan63]

Which means that 66 is not uncommon for him. 8 shots better is not out of the question on a day where you get ALL the breaks and never miss a putt! It could happen.

66? "uncommon" is a strong word. While +2 is an impressive handicap, it gets harder and harder to get to +3, +4, +5, etc. So saying 66 is not uncommon is an exaggeration. Well, perhaps on an easy golf course that's rated 68 or 69, but on a good, hard course...66 would be his absolute best, all things being equal of course.

[1972Apex]

Lorne Rubenstein has been around the block. He knows the game intimately. I would think that he checked out this guy and his story. So my tendency is to believe him Don't forget that a +2 means that this guy is shooting under par on a regular basis. Also, magic can happen to any of us. For instance, when I was a 3 handicapper in Halifax I once shot a 4 under round after being 2 over par after 7. If I can shoot 6 under on 11 holes as a 3 handicapper, I've no doubt that it's possible for a +2 to take it real low.

Agree with you on Rubenstein. Perhaps the best golf writer in the world. In fact this seems like a very unlikely story for him. One witness to a 58 and Lorne runs with it?
Maybe it was a slow week. Or perhaps he knows this guy's reputation and wrote the column purely for the laughable follow up he will get to write later as people who know this guy phone in to express their doubts...

[Kilroy]

This story does not have the obvious issues that the hole in one lady had. That one smelled like a hoax from the get-go.

I prefer to believe and congratulate this guy. Whatever happpened to giving someone the benefit of the doubt?

[sillywilly]

The hole in one lady had a camera crew follow her around and I think she scored an ace in her first few shots... video proof of atleast one ace

[1972Apex]

This story does not have the obvious issues that the hole in one lady had. That one smelled like a hoax from the get-go.

I prefer to believe and congratulate this guy. Whatever happpened to giving someone the benefit of the doubt?

Personal experience with Reverse Sandbaggers...

Your point is well taken however... it's not as obvious as the hole in one lady

However I'll bet the 'witness', who was a stranger, other than noticing a few nice birdies and an eagle was not paying as close attention to the actual score as say a march play opponent would have - at least until he announced that he had to par out on 17 and 18 to shoot a 58. Then the witness probably really did play close attention to the closing pars. Remember, the other player was just an average golfer, so I am sure he would have been dazzled by the play of any scratch player. In fact he commented on it during the round...
To me, if he had been playing in a local foursome with some money on the line and they came in and said he cleaned our clock with a amazing 58... that I would be more inclined to believe.

[mpare]

The skepticism that has been expressed here saddens me. Are we all so jaded that we cannot believe in magic, save if there's a television crew present to document every shot? Magic does happen, and it doesn't only happen to saints. If a hacker like me can shoot a round in the low 60s as a 4 handicapper, then I don't doubt that a +2 can shoot 58. I prefer to rejoice in the accomplishment.

As for suggesting that Lorne Rubenstein would run the story to set up the guy, I would dismiss that flight of fanciful speculation out of hand. Rubenstein has more integrity than that.

[Indio]

Interestingly enough, I posted much the same thing earlier Mike but for some reason when I hit the sumit button, I got disconnected and the post went into never never land.

I am constantly amazed at how not only 'we' in the forum but people in general are so quick to say something is very unlikely and won't believe most things until they see the video or have 10 witnesses! I for one believe it is possible and I salute the guy for doing it.

[mberube]

This story does not have the obvious issues that the hole in one lady had. That one smelled like a hoax from the get-go.

I prefer to believe and congratulate this guy. Whatever happpened to giving someone the benefit of the doubt?

I totally agree Dan. It’s impossible nowadays to post an unbelievable score or event without everyone not believing. I have played with guys that have played remarkably lower then their index. Last year I played with a FC that I play often with. He scored 66 and he has a 3.1 index. I played 68 (-1.2 diff) as a 5.2 index. How is that different?

Who are we to doubt?

[mberube]

Personal experience with Reverse Sandbaggers...

Your point is well taken however... it's not as obvious as the hole in one lady

However I'll bet the 'witness', who was a stranger, other than noticing a few nice birdies and an eagle was not paying as close attention to the actual score as say a march play opponent would have - at least until he announced that he had to par out on 17 and 18 to shoot a 58. Then the witness probably really did play close attention to the closing pars. Remember, the other player was just an average golfer, so I am sure he would have been dazzled by the play of any scratch player. In fact he commented on it during the round...
To me, if he had been playing in a local foursome with some money on the line and they came in and said he cleaned our clock with a amazing 58... that I would be more inclined to believe.

Sorry but if I’m playing with a stranger that eagles a hole and scores birdie after birdie, I’m noticing big time.

[Kilroy]

Sorry but if I’m playing with a stranger that eagles a hole and scores birdie after birdie, I’m noticing big time.

I'd be so amazed I'd forget about my own game and try to stay out of his way... Worry about not saying the wrong thing... trip over myself avoiding his line... avoid any other possibile faux-pas that may throw him off... kiss the ground he walked on...

Yah. I'd notice.

[1972Apex]

LOL! Ah well, what fun would the forums be without opposing viewpoints

[1972Apex]

Sorry but if I’m playing with a stranger that eagles a hole and scores birdie after birdie, I’m noticing big time.

I'll bet you, Dan and all the other members of OG are better and more attentive golfers than the 'witness' in this case. Most forum members are much more informed than the average vacation hacker
Now if he had been playing with you or Dan, I'd have to give him the benefit of the doubt...

[LBH]

As a Clublink member, we can check scores of all other Clublink members on RGCANetwork.org

Michael's handicap factor is 0.4.

His last 200 scores, vary from 63 to 82 from the blue tees.