# Stableford Tactics!?



## MKDave (Oct 20, 2010)

Hi all

I've been playing golf on and off for about 6 years. Two years ago I lost everything, could hit the ball and was out of the game for about 14 months. Right back in the swing of things now and been a member of a golf club since May. Been having a rough patch right now but My handicap is 22, average round is probably low 90's, I was shooting sub 90's but gone off the boil a bit. I have been using 'bigger clubs' in the last 2 months as I previously used a 7 iron as biggest before. I actually shot a 79 with biggest club 7 iron so I know I can play well.

I played in my first ever comp and seemed to bottle it. I did feel a bit nervous but played shocking.

I'm playing a stableford competition this Saturday and wondered what the best tactic is. Should I go for broke every hole/every shot to get as many points a possible. Or should I play sensbile and use my handicap to my advantage? Just play bogey golf and let the pars boost my score? The course I'm playing saturday I have had 7 pars in one round there and usually hit 3/4 pars on an average day.

I'm also tempted just to play round with my 7 iron to ensure no lost balls or dodgey lies. I can make most of the par 4's in regulation with two 7 irons as I hit the club 170-180. The par fives I may need the extra yardage but they deviate more than the 7.

If Stableford is better played aggresive then I smash some woods about. If sensible biding time is the answer then I'll play more selective risk.

I have played stableford loads of time but never under any sort of pressure.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Dave


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## John_Findlay (Oct 20, 2010)

Avoid blobs. That's what usually costs a very good stableford score. 

Score on every hole and you'll do ok. Use your shots wisely. If you par half of the holes you have shots on then you're laughing.

And get out the big stick. Forget that 7 iron nonsense. You know it makes sense cos' you're gonna have to eventually so the sooner the better.

Good luck, by the way.


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## MKDave (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks John

Seems like you believe a selective agression is the way forward.

I still can't hit a driver but my 5 wood has been going quite well.

Maybe to settle nerves on first I'll take a lesser club as the hole is only 350 Yrds long downhill.

Thanks John


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## chrisd (Oct 20, 2010)

Stableford is the same as medal except you dont rack up the big numbers on a bad hole. Steady, carefull golf is always the answer unless you are playing matchplay when you may have to react to what your opponent does at stages in the game

Play steady but dont stop playing your shots, just play within yourself and GOOD LUCK


Chris


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## USER1999 (Oct 20, 2010)

A 7i that goes 180 yards is a thing of beauty.

Do you play at altitude?


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## John_Findlay (Oct 20, 2010)

At the end of the day (oops, football speak) tactics very often go out the window with club and card in hand anyway. 

If I were you I'd just play every shot as well as I could. What I mean by that is if you're standing over the ball thinking you're not sure where it's going even 15-20% of the time then you've got the wrong club in your hand. Pick a shot you KNOW you'll pull off 90% of the time, no matter whether it's a chip, a dunt down the fairway with an iron or a drive on a wide hole. Avoid trouble. In fact, don't even give yourself the chance to get in any. That way you'll relax over the shot and swing and play better. That's course management.


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## MKDave (Oct 20, 2010)

A 7i that goes 180 yards is a thing of beauty.

Do you play at altitude?
		
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Do you mean the flight of the ball or the course?

If you mean to course, then no. If you mean flight of the ball then I guess yes. It has a perfect flight as I strike it so well 99 times out of 100. Truly amazing club!


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## funkyfred (Oct 20, 2010)

I'm hardly in a position to advise as I play of an h/c of 25, but you must try and score on every hole. 

Us high handicappers must first try to hit the fairway with our drives, it doesn't matter what club you hit. That will determine if you can then play aggressively or not, each hole will have its defences, so you must access the situation on every shot and hole.
On four holes you are getting two shots, these are holes you might be able to attack if you in the middle of the fairway, even if you lay up on a par 4, chip on, two putt and then walk off with your 3 points. 

I donâ€™t think you can go out with a set mind one way or the other, you just have to take each shot as you see it, but keep the scoring ticking over on every hole, its the holes you scramble a single point that in the end will determine your final score.


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## John_Findlay (Oct 20, 2010)

A 7i that goes 180 yards is a thing of beauty.
		
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Funnily enough, Murph, I've got a 7 iron that does exactly the same. Some days when I hit it really well it'll go 185. Here it is.


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## Robobum (Oct 20, 2010)

It has a perfect flight as I strike it so well 99 times out of 100. Truly amazing club!
		
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Which club are you attached to Dave?? Do you do lessons??


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## HomerJSimpson (Oct 20, 2010)

The best tactic I know is to get the ball in the hole as quickly as possible using whatever clubs are necessary. I wouldn't go out with any particular mindset and deal with each shot on its merits depending on the situation and conditions


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## JamesR (Oct 20, 2010)

It has a perfect flight as I strike it so well 99 times out of 100. Truly amazing club!
		
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Which club are you attached to Dave?? Do you do lessons?? 

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I don't understand why people treat stab's as being different to medals.
Just play normal golf and try to keep in play on all holes.

Also, try using your 5 iron off the tee, most of the par 4's will then be in range


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## MKDave (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks all of you.

As for the lesson part, Thankfully NO! It's bad enough having one of me on the course let alone more.

Looks like so far I'm going to have to be tactically agressive.


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## patricks148 (Oct 20, 2010)

I can hit a 7 Iron 190 yard, but only with 70 mph tailwind


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## Smiffy (Oct 20, 2010)

A 7i that goes 180 yards is a thing of beauty.

Do you play at altitude
		
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My 120 yarders are quite pretty too.
Sadly, I play 200 feet below sea level.


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## JamesR (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks all of you.

As for the lesson part, Thankfully NO! It's bad enough having one of me on the course let alone more.

Looks like so far I'm going to have to be tactically agressive.
		
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What do you mean by aggressive?

Trying to carry water instead of playing round it?
Drawing & Fading into tight pins?
Lob shots to the pin rather than chip & runs?

No offence but off 22 are you capable of these sorts of things, or would you be better off just getting it round as safely as possible and limiting any damage?

I'd suggest that, as you have 22 shots you should use them. 
As far as I'm concerned a stableford is just a medal but you fill in an extra box on the scorecard.


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## MKDave (Oct 20, 2010)

What do you mean by aggressive?

Trying to carry water instead of playing round it?
Drawing & Fading into tight pins?
Lob shots to the pin rather than chip & runs?

No offence but off 22 are you capable of these sorts of things, or would you be better off just getting it round as safely as possible and limiting any damage?

I'd suggest that, as you have 22 shots you should use them. 
As far as I'm concerned a stableford is just a medal but you fill in an extra box on the scorecard.
		
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When I say tactical agression, I mean that personally if I'm playing defensive then off of 22 I'll just play for bogey golf or hitting green 1 over regulation. If I'm position on a hole where I know I could carry a hazard from a long distance I try to value the risk reward. Normally in a stroke play event if i think I can get over a hazard but may not be best placed on a green for a 2 putt then I might play a lay up and then hope to chip close. In stableford, as one hole doesn't ruin the round I may be more tempted to have a go at the carry and see where I end up. It may gain me 2 points on some holes but obviously I could lose points too. If I play a lay up thinking I need to up and down for a point then I'd rather take the risk over the hazard and potentially have two on the green for 1 point or a single putt for 2 points.

As for draw and Fade - I can't play them a consistant enough level to be trying these. When I play golf I normally try to attack pins left right and centre but if i'm just playing for a casual round I'll end up just playing fairways and greens and scoring fairly well. 

I think my agression will be based on my early hole scores and the risk reward. If I'm scoring stableford par or better on the front nine I'll keep playing bogey golf. If I'm under stableford par I'll probably still play sensible. If I'm behind I'll need to pull something out so will look at which holes I can attack and which suit my play.

I am technically quite a solid golfer but my head gets messed up easily and I can become frustrated. I need to keep calmer on the course I think.

In essence I'll try to avoid the blob but if I feel I can make a point even if my shot doesnt pay off I'll go for it.


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## Macster (Oct 20, 2010)

MKDave, off 22, you can forget about 'aggressive golf', just use your shots wisely and you can get 40pts easily.

'Aggresive golf' is dangerous for anyone, let alone a high handicapper, so if getting your HC down is a priority, then safe golf is the route.

Going hunting for a hidden pin with a 5iron in hand, off a less then perfect lie, is likely to put you behind the tree, into the bush/bunker, or any one of the other permutations, and cost you a 7 for none, leaving you frustrated and chasing again on the next hole.

Play a 6 to the front, or your trusty 7, will leave you a short chip'n run, and a possible Par, safe Bogey, for 2 or 3 pts.

Why do more than that ?

As Gil says, a Stableford is a Medal with just one more column to fill in on the scorecard.

Simples.


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## Screwback (Oct 20, 2010)

Dont plan your round just play a shot at a time you cant control what might happen later in the round so concentrate solely on the shot that you are playing..


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## muttleee (Oct 20, 2010)

If you can shoot 79 off 22 using nothing more than a 7 iron then you should be good for about 50 points.  Should be in with a shout, I would think...


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## Ethan (Oct 20, 2010)

No difference in tactics between medal and stableford unless you are standing over a putt for 1 point. No point in leaving that one short.

Plan conservatively and execute aggressively, as Sam Torrance said. Look for the safest line down the hole or the safest side of the green, choose a club that will get you there and then commit to it.


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## MKDave (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks again all of you, I thinks it's making me think more rationally now.




			If you can shoot 79 off 22 using nothing more than a 7 iron then you should be good for about 50 points.  Should be in with a shout, I would think...
		
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I wish I could shoot it all the time.

Best rounds are;
79 - Once
83 - Once
86 - Twice
87 - Once
88 - Twice
89 - Twice

Then the rest are between 90 and 99

I've had one round since may which was 106 in my first competition!!! What a bottler eh!

I reckon I should be able to get between 36 and 40 points but always looking for some advice to get me more points!!


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## Region3 (Oct 20, 2010)

I'm going to bore you with a story. Allegedly a true one, that I read in a golf instruction book.

Tommy Armor turned to coaching after his pro golf career was over. One day he overheard a conversation between some guys and one of his students, trying to make a bet.

The bet was that the student couldn't break 90 in the round they were about to play. He had never broken 90 before, but Armor offered to take the bet, provided he could walk the course with them and offer advice to the student.

On the first, the student drove into the right hand rough. The shot he had left was 5 iron distance, and the green was protected by 2 bunkers front right and front left.
Armor told the student to put the 5 iron away, and hit an 8 iron short of the green between the bunkers, then chip on and have a putt for par, hopefully no worse than bogey.

This continued throughout the round, with Armor choosing only shots that he knew his student could pull off 90% of the time, rather than the typical high handicappers choice of always trying to hit the 2 or 3 out of 10 shot.

The student not only broke 90 for the first time ever, he broke 80 as well scoring a 79 and winning Armor his bet.

****

Much much much easier said than done, but well worth trying.

Bogey golf will score you 40pts.


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## 19th (Oct 20, 2010)

"As Gil says, a Stableford is a Medal with just one more column to fill in on the scorecard.

Simples." 

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I accept the above but Stableford does put you in a '$hit or bust' situation where a medal round does not.

A 25 foot putt for a net point - no 'dustbin lid area' in stableford ... in the hole or it is a blob!

Down in two from off the green for a net point ... think Phil and go for it!!

Enjoy and the best of luck!


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## JamesR (Oct 20, 2010)

19th,
Very true, once you get to the all or nothing shot for 1 point you must go all-out for it.
But by playing normal, sensible golf upto that point you will often be better off than if you try too much.

I quite often find that I'm poor at 4BBB as I change my game too much.
My usual playing partner is a short hitter, but is very steady, off 11.
As I get fewer shots I go for the risk/reward shots and they often come to nothing and he rolls in the 2 point putts. If I just played my normal game I'd probably be in better position for the birdies.
But I do enjoy trying stuff out in a competitive environment when my handicap is safe.


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## Tiger (Oct 21, 2010)

I'm going to bore you with a story. Allegedly a true one, that I read in a golf instruction book.

Tommy Armor turned to coaching after his pro golf career was over. One day he overheard a conversation between some guys and one of his students, trying to make a bet.

The bet was that the student couldn't break 90 in the round they were about to play. He had never broken 90 before, but Armor offered to take the bet, provided he could walk the course with them and offer advice to the student.

On the first, the student drove into the right hand rough. The shot he had left was 5 iron distance, and the green was protected by 2 bunkers front right and front left.
Armor told the student to put the 5 iron away, and hit an 8 iron short of the green between the bunkers, then chip on and have a putt for par, hopefully no worse than bogey.

This continued throughout the round, with Armor choosing only shots that he knew his student could pull off 90% of the time, rather than the typical high handicappers choice of always trying to hit the 2 or 3 out of 10 shot.

The student not only broke 90 for the first time ever, he broke 80 as well scoring a 79 and winning Armor his bet.

****

Much much much easier said than done, but well worth trying.

Bogey golf will score you 40pts.
		
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Playing on my own again this weekend  I'm going to try this and see how I get on.


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## CrapHacker (Oct 21, 2010)

I'm going to bore you with a story. Allegedly a true one, that I read in a golf instruction book.

Tommy Armor turned to coaching after his pro golf career was over. One day he overheard a conversation between some guys and one of his students, trying to make a bet.

The bet was that the student couldn't break 90 in the round they were about to play. He had never broken 90 before, but Armor offered to take the bet, provided he could walk the course with them and offer advice to the student.

On the first, the student drove into the right hand rough. The shot he had left was 5 iron distance, and the green was protected by 2 bunkers front right and front left.
Armor told the student to put the 5 iron away, and hit an 8 iron short of the green between the bunkers, then chip on and have a putt for par, hopefully no worse than bogey.

This continued throughout the round, with Armor choosing only shots that he knew his student could pull off 90% of the time, rather than the typical high handicappers choice of always trying to hit the 2 or 3 out of 10 shot.

The student not only broke 90 for the first time ever, he broke 80 as well scoring a 79 and winning Armor his bet.

****

Much much much easier said than done, but well worth trying.

Bogey golf will score you 40pts.
		
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Playing on my own again this weekend  I'm going to try this and see how I get on.
		
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You'll get bored after 6 holes , and just try the slightly tricky escape as an experiment, and then be doomed to normality like the rest of us


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## funkyfred (Oct 21, 2010)

Tiger

If you playing on your own this week may i suggest that you play two balls. The first one is your actual score ball, and your second is your ''lets go for it'' ball.

My money is on the 1st ball.

good luck.


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## RGDave (Oct 21, 2010)

This continued throughout the round, with Armor choosing only shots that he knew his student could pull off 90% of the time, rather than the typical high handicappers choice of always trying to hit the 2 or 3 out of 10 shot.

The student not only broke 90 for the first time ever, he broke 80 as well scoring a 79 and winning Armor his bet.
		
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Was his student me?


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## Tiger (Oct 21, 2010)

You'll get bored after 6 holes , and just try the slightly tricky escape as an experiment, and then be doomed to normality like the rest of us 


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Most of the tome I succumb to peer pressure and/or machismo when I'm playing with other people probably why I have always scored better on my own 




			Tiger

If you playing on your own this week may i suggest that you play two balls. The first one is your actual score ball, and your second is your ''lets go for it'' ball.

My money is on the 1st ball.

good luck.
		
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Mmmmmmm I feel an experiment coming on...


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## HawkeyeMS (Oct 21, 2010)

Without wanting to be rude, are you sure you play off 22? Just it seems odd that someone off 22 can choose how they play to score points, can choose to attack the pins and can choose to be agressive. As for hitting a 7 iron 180 yards, I hope your not offended if I'm sceptical. In current conditions my 7i goes just over 140 and I can't get to any of our par 4s with 2 of them, I need my 19deg hybrid to carry 180.

Might I suggest that you play each shot on it's own merits. The worst thing you can do is decide how you're going to play before you start. You don't know how you're going to be hitting the ball and sometimes you have to play with what you've got on the day and make the best of it so you can't decide how you're going to play upfront (you've probably guessed that I don't buy the hitting your 7i perfectly 99 times out of 100)

After a frustrating year of not making the most of my own ability thanks to a suspect mental game, I have recently come to realise (with the help of the good folk on here) that a round of golf is actually a series of individual shots, each that must be played on it's own merits, neither one being affected by the one before or affecting the one after.

So don't worry about how you're going to play, assess each shot based on your capabilities which will allow you to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.


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## MKDave (Oct 22, 2010)

Thanks Hawkeye I take what you've said on board.

My three cards I handed in were 92, 93, 93 which were on a course with an SSS of 71. I had 4+ pars on each round so I feel my handicap should have been set at 17 (I worked it out manually). The bloke in the pro shop just looked at my cards, and said you can play off 22. 

To be fair all three round were off yellow tees and comps are played off whites so I may be high teen handicaper. My dad shot 106, 103 and 93 and got a 22 handicap also! Go figure!!!

I know it might seem bandit of me to not challenge the handicap given but I did finish last in my first competition with a 106 round so maybe the pro shop knows my game better than me?!? I have felt negative since being given the handicap as I considered myself a solid 18 handicapper.

My 180 YRDS with my 7 iron is not carry that is with run. I consistantly shoot 170-180 YRDS WITH run.

As I say, I take all feedback on board, but at the end of the day it don't care if people don't beleive I can hit a ball a certain distance as I know I can.

I think I need to gain some confidence back and get back in the game. fingers crossed eh!?

Thanks again


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## JamesR (Oct 22, 2010)

MKDave,
Being able to play to mid-teen handicap in friendlies is one thing, but, many of us when we have a card in our hand, off the white tees play totally different golf and the scores reflect that.

My advice would be to accept the 22, learn to play solid, sensible golf and then next year it should tumble. You'll win a few comp's and we'll all call you a bandit.
Good luck


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## MKDave (Oct 22, 2010)

Thanks Gil

I know I need to admit defeat in handicap terms and it's my fault for building myself up.

I need to lose my nerves but the good feeling is that I should be able to win a comp along the way which is all I care about! 

Thanks again


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## HawkeyeMS (Oct 22, 2010)

I'd say 22 was right for those cards. Playing with a card in your hand is a different beast though.

Golf is 80% between the ears so I would urge you not to get ahead of yourself. Don't try to plan your round up front as it won't work, I know from experience. The more you play the better you will understand your own game and that's when you have to make smart decisions based on your ability and how you are playing on the day.

As for s'ford tactics, it has already been said that medal and s'ford are the same thing with different margins for error. Personally I approach every round as a medal, I don't really give a damn about points. For me it is about gross score, s'ford comps just give me an opportunity to get cut with a couple of bad holes.

Finally your 7i, my misunderstanding, how far you hit each club is how far you carry it as far as I'm concerned. You can't be aggressive if you don't know how far you carry it. How do you expect to fire at a pin tight to a bunker if you don't know how far you carry the ball? Plus I doubt you'll still be getting enough run to hit a 7i 180 yards at this time of year when there is no run, good luck to you if you can.

All I can say as I said before is take every shot as it comes, stay in the present (something I don't do very well) and your h'cap will come down. Good luck.


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## MashieNiblick (Oct 22, 2010)

Don't try to plan your round up front as it won't work, I know from experience.
		
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Whilst I agree that it's hard to plan a round in advance, I would say that having a strategy for particular holes can work. This can take the pressure off when you're on the course. For example there's a reachable 5 that always used to catch me out as I was suckered into going for it. I changed my approach and decided to lay up irrespective of how good my drive was. This took the presure off me. Instead of trying to belt my drive or standing over my ball on the fairway wondering if the lie is good enough for my 3 wood, I just relaxed knowing I'd be playing to get on in 3. Result - more pars. 

Your strategy will depend on your ability and what holes trip you up but most of my disasters come from that on course rush of blood (usually with a long club in my hands). How often do you find yourself saying "I knew I shouldn't have tried that"?


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