# Cheap round at Bearwood Lakes this coming Monday (21st)



## Smiffy (Jun 18, 2010)

Playing at Bearwood Lakes on Monday afternoon, as a warm up for the forthcoming Trilby Tour game on 12th July.
Region3 (Gary) is joining me along with a mate of mine (Paul) who is a member there.
Paul can sign 3 players in at guest rate which is Â£40.00 per person, terrific value to play this fantastic course.
We are teeing off at 2.30 and have a space free.
First come, first served


----------



## Ethan (Jun 18, 2010)

Will you be wearing the aforementioned titfers?


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 18, 2010)

Will you be wearing the aforementioned titfers?
		
Click to expand...

Nope.
Get them issued to us on the day


----------



## Imurg (Jun 18, 2010)

If only I didn't have to be back home by 6 I'd bite your hand off.

Grrrr. I'll get there one day.


----------



## TXL (Jun 18, 2010)

Yes please Smiffy 

What time are you planning on getting to the club?


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 18, 2010)

Yes please Smiffy 

What time are you planning on getting to the club?
		
Click to expand...

I'm planning on meeting up with Gary (Region3) about 1.30 so that we can have a quick bite to eat before we tee off.
What's your "proper" name and what handicap are you off?
Rob


----------



## TXL (Jun 18, 2010)

Yes please Smiffy 

What time are you planning on getting to the club?
		
Click to expand...

I'm planning on meeting up with Gary (Region3) about 1.30 so that we can have a quick bite to eat before we tee off.
What's your "proper" name and what handicap are you off?
Rob
		
Click to expand...

Anthony and I play off 11. I will aim to get there around the same time - not very far for me to travel


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 19, 2010)

Yes please Smiffy 

What time are you planning on getting to the club?
		
Click to expand...

I'm planning on meeting up with Gary (Region3) about 1.30 so that we can have a quick bite to eat before we tee off.
What's your "proper" name and what handicap are you off?
Rob
		
Click to expand...

Anthony and I play off 11. I will aim to get there around the same time - not very far for me to travel 

Click to expand...

PM sent Anthony


----------



## PNWokingham (Jun 20, 2010)

Hi Rob - played today and the course was really good - greens are now as they should be - first time this year that I was getting nervous on most putts, just the way it shold be - like my 4 put on 14! Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow.
Cheers
Paul


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 20, 2010)

Hi Rob - played today and the course was really good - greens are now as they should be - first time this year that I was getting nervous on most putts, just the way it shold be - like my 4 put on 14! Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow.
Cheers
Paul
		
Click to expand...

Looking forward to it (as always) Paul.
Will be there about 1.30 mate.
And how could you 4 putt the 14th? One of the easiest greens on the course....   

Welcome to the site by the way


----------



## PNWokingham (Jun 20, 2010)

Hi Rob
It ain't easy when the pin is front middle and I was back middle, there are two valleys to cross - I putted off the front - the ball was really rolling and slopes were coming into play much more than they have - puts were often breaking 90 degrees as they slowed! If you are slightly in thewrong place now you need to get speed and direction ight, which mkes going for a lag very difficult!

Won the second round of the singles - we both didn't play very well, I was getting 9 shots but tended to loose the shot holes and win the others! 1 up on 18, with a shot and stuck it out-of bounds onto the Bearwood Road - a fantastic high slice! Hence another trip down one - he stuck his drive in the woods and had to chip out but a good chip left him a tricky 10 footer from above the hole - he missed. I had 75 yards to go after a big drive but left a really tricky put and then a Denis Wise with break for the win, which I holed - very relieved!! Great fun round even though form was still poor! Club champs next weekend so looking forward to my last attempt for any form tomorrow.
Cheers
Paul


----------



## Region3 (Jun 20, 2010)

Hi Paul,
I'm really looking forward to the game tomorrow after everything Smiffy's said and what I've read on t'internet.

Hoping to pick up some good tips about the course for the comp there next month.

Sounds like the greens are tricky 
Gary


----------



## PNWokingham (Jun 20, 2010)

Hi Gary
Looking forward to seeing you there tomorrow. One of the main defences are the greens, which are usually quick, although this year they have been slower probably due to some snow/frost damage. If you are playing well you can score well, there are no tricks, but you need to put yourself in the right positions on the greens if they are speedy - I hope they are stil good tomorrow.
Cheers
Paul


----------



## TXL (Jun 20, 2010)

Paul, Sounds like your greens have just come good in the same way ours did a couple of weeks ago. I think the green keepers deliberately left them long later this year due to the hard winter. Certainly paid off as ours are both true and quick now.

I look forward to tomorrow.


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 21, 2010)

You're gonna have a great time lads.
Weather forecast is good, should be a cracking day for it.
Paul, are we playing for our normal Â£50.00 front 9, Â£50.00 back 9 and Â£50.00 the match mate and Â£50.00 birdies or shall we ease off for Â£25.00 to make it a little easier on the new lads?


----------



## TXL (Jun 21, 2010)

You're gonna have a great time lads.
Weather forecast is good, should be a cracking day for it.
Paul, are we playing for our normal Â£50.00 front 9, Â£50.00 back 9 and Â£50.00 the match mate and Â£50.00 birdies or shall we ease off for Â£25.00 to make it a little easier on the new lads?
		
Click to expand...

At least it will be cheaper than the round I had at Sunningdale


----------



## PNWokingham (Jun 21, 2010)

Rob - you can choose the format, by all means let's keep things cheap! 
See you all later
Cheers
Paul


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 21, 2010)

Individual Stableford, Â£5.00 in the pot, winner takes all I guess....who do you want the cheque made payable to


----------



## TXL (Jun 21, 2010)

Many thanks for the invite Rob and also to Paul for hosting us. Many thanks to Gary, Rob & Paul for your company on the course, I thoroughly enjoyed the golf and the course.

I look forward to meeting up again in the near future for another eventful round where maybe all of us can manage to get at least one birdie


----------



## bobmac (Jun 21, 2010)

Smiffy got a birdie?
Did he hole a 4 iron or something ?


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 22, 2010)

Smiffy got a birdie?
Did he hole a 4 iron or something ? 

Click to expand...

Nope....  

Anthony got 2, Paul and Gary got 1 apiece.
Me?
Gave myself a few opportunities (especially towards the end of the round) but couldn't quite get the putts.
Great game and thoroughly enjoyed the company. Course was in fantastic condition and the greens were really quick, scarey quick in places. 
Had 15 points on the front 9 (with 3 bloody blobs) and 16 on the back (with another blob) for a 31 point total. Wasn't hitting the ball too badly at all, just a few "silly" holes.
Paul won with 37 points, and Anthony and Gary both had 36. Gary came out of the traps like a whippet with 21 points on the front 9 but faded mid-round. Great striker of the ball and if he plays like that on the big day he stands a very good chance of qualifying.
Anthony played very well too. Hit's a long ball and a very good iron player.
As I say, thoroughly enjoyed it. Got back home at 10.30 last night absolutely knackered.


----------



## rickg (Jun 22, 2010)

Well done guys. How do you fancy your odds with 3/4 handicap on the day?

Sounds like I need to get myself a practice round rearranged by the sound of those greens!!


----------



## Region3 (Jun 22, 2010)

Great weather, great company, great course.
Thanks to all for the game, Paul for hosting and Rob for organising (again!).

30pts after 13 holes then my luck ran out a bit, but I've gained some valuable knowledge for next month and also some hope that if I can keep the ball straight off the tee I might get a respectable number of points. Qualifying might be pushing it a bit especially playing off 3/4 (8) but low 30's will make me happy.

Going to make some notes about the holes later, while it's still fresh in my mind. Something like this...

1. Keep left off the tee. Very quick green.
2. Left off the tee. Scary quick green.
3. Don't miss long. Silly fast green.

A lot of people on here will be used to greens that quick but for anyone that isn't it takes so much getting used to, I still hadn't got a clue after 18. Paul had a word with a greenkeeper and I think he said they were about 10.5 on the stimpmeter.

The other big difference to what I'm used to was the grass around the greens. Where I play, it's fairway length. At Bearwood it about an inch tall and very thick. The ball sits halfway down in it and it tries to grab your club when you're trying to play a delicate chip that won't run off the other side of the green


----------



## rickg (Jun 22, 2010)

Great weather, great company, great course.
Thanks to all for the game, Paul for hosting and Rob for organising (again!).

30pts after 13 holes then my luck ran out a bit, but I've gained some valuable knowledge for next month and also some hope that if I can keep the ball straight off the tee I might get a respectable number of points. Qualifying might be pushing it a bit especially playing off 3/4 (8) but low 30's will make me happy.

Going to make some notes about the holes later, while it's still fresh in my mind. Something like this...

1. Keep left off the tee. Very quick green.
2. Left off the tee. Scary quick green.
3. Don't miss long. Silly fast green.

A lot of people on here will be used to greens that quick but for anyone that isn't it takes so much getting used to, I still hadn't got a clue after 18. Paul had a word with a greenkeeper and I think he said they were about 10.5 on the stimpmeter.

The other big difference to what I'm used to was the grass around the greens. Where I play, it's fairway length. At Bearwood it about an inch tall and very thick. The ball sits halfway down in it and it tries to grab your club when you're trying to play a delicate chip that won't run off the other side of the green
		
Click to expand...

Hi Gary,

I won't bother booking a day off for the final then!!!


----------



## Ethan (Jun 22, 2010)

The greens at BL are generally pretty good, and there are some slopes to avoid. When the hole is short right on the 15th, being long leaves a nasty putt. Likewise on the 11th. Long right is no good.

The rough has been cut back a fair bit this season. There used to be a lot more long heathery rough between the fairways. 

In terms of tactics, I would suggest:

1. Safe tee shot. Best miss off the tee is long right, as the approach to the green is easier from there. 

2. If running fast, a 3 wood may be a good play aimed at the edge of the left bunker and will feed back into the fairway. Left side of the fairway if the hole is right, as the know short right is tricky to get over.

4. Long hitters can clear the left bunker, otherwise aim right of that. 

5. If you hit a good drive, green is on in 2. Best not to overclub, as you could run through into H2O, so a club less than you think and that gives you a better chance of avoiding the bunkers if you don't catch it.

7. 3 wood with a draw is ideal off the tee.

8. I hit a 5 iron off this tee.

10. 3 wood best for good hitter, driver has risk of right trees or being close to tree line.

11. Left half of fairway. Good drive allows wood/hybrid up left side. Aim at left edge of green. Never aim at the pin unless close. Second shot over left bunker can run up close or leave nice pitch right up green. Fast from back to front. 

12. Dead ground over bunker.

13. 3 wood to carry lake best play usually. Good drive could each drain.

14. Never aim at right half of the green, regardless of hole position. 

15. Right side of fairway usually best, especially if hole left.

16. Need a big drive to have any chance of reaching in 2. If not,play down to 100-120 yards between two trees like rugby posts. 

17. 5 iron right of bunkers or timber aimed at right edge of green.


----------



## Region3 (Jun 22, 2010)

Ethan, thanks for the info. I'll combine that with what I remember myself.
Why do you say don't aim right on 14? Is it because of the water or that the green is too difficult from over there? Yesterday the flag was front left. I missed the green by about 6 or 7 yards left, only tricked the chip on and finished 20' past. My note was going to say don't miss left!

Rick. You can score well if you keep it straight off the tee and have a half decent touch around the greens. Plus, you only lose 2 shots, I lose 3!


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 22, 2010)

The greens at BL are generally pretty good, and there are some slopes to avoid. When the hole is short right on the 15th, being long leaves a nasty putt. Likewise on the 11th. Long right is no good.

The rough has been cut back a fair bit this season. There used to be a lot more long heathery rough between the fairways. 

In terms of tactics, I would suggest:

1. Safe tee shot. Best miss off the tee is long right, as the approach to the green is easier from there. 

2. If running fast, a 3 wood may be a good play aimed at the edge of the left bunker and will feed back into the fairway. Left side of the fairway if the hole is right, as the know short right is tricky to get over.

4. Long hitters can clear the left bunker, otherwise aim right of that. 

5. If you hit a good drive, green is on in 2. Best not to overclub, as you could run through into H2O, so a club less than you think and that gives you a better chance of avoiding the bunkers if you don't catch it.

7. 3 wood with a draw is ideal off the tee.

8. I hit a 5 iron off this tee.

10. 3 wood best for good hitter, driver has risk of right trees or being close to tree line.

11. Left half of fairway. Good drive allows wood/hybrid up left side. Aim at left edge of green. Never aim at the pin unless close. Second shot over left bunker can run up close or leave nice pitch right up green. Fast from back to front. 

12. Dead ground over bunker.

13. 3 wood to carry lake best play usually. Good drive could each drain.

14. Never aim at right half of the green, regardless of hole position. 

15. Right side of fairway usually best, especially if hole left.

16. Need a big drive to have any chance of reaching in 2. If not,play down to 100-120 yards between two trees like rugby posts. 

17. 5 iron right of bunkers or timber aimed at right edge of green.
		
Click to expand...

Couldn't have put it better myself.


----------



## Twire (Jun 22, 2010)

You'll have to work out what to do on the 18th yourself.


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 22, 2010)

You'll have to work out what to do on the 18th yourself. 



Click to expand...

Do what I did yesterday.
Tonk a reasonable drive down the right hand side (all the crap is on the left) and leave yourself a nice, flushed 7 iron that hits the green, bounces once and zips back to about 4 feet from the pin.
And then stub the fecking ground with your putter as you go for the birdie and leave it a foot short


Made the par though and the 7 iron was a thing of beauty.


----------



## Ethan (Jun 22, 2010)

Ethan, thanks for the info. I'll combine that with what I remember myself.
Why do you say don't aim right on 14? Is it because of the water or that the green is too difficult from over there? Yesterday the flag was front left. I missed the green by about 6 or 7 yards left, only tricked the chip on and finished 20' past. My note was going to say don't miss left!
		
Click to expand...

The carry is longer the further right you aim, so if the shot is a bit weak or leaks right, you will probably get wet. Most of the members always aim at the left half of the green and settle for 2 putts. If you do that and slightly push it you still have a bit of room for error. 

On the 18th, I try to hit driver down the right/middle. With some run on the fairway that will often get a long way down and leave a wedge or short iron in.


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 22, 2010)

The carry is longer the further right you aim, so if the shot is a bit weak or leaks right, you will probably get wet.
		
Click to expand...

Plus the green has a wicked slope from left to right and if they are really cut short you can see your ball roll off the right hand side and down the slope into the drink.


----------



## Ethan (Jun 22, 2010)

The carry is longer the further right you aim, so if the shot is a bit weak or leaks right, you will probably get wet.
		
Click to expand...

Plus the green has a wicked slope from left to right and if they are really cut short you can see your ball roll off the right hand side and down the slope into the drink.
		
Click to expand...

Yeah! It is like the 12th at Augusta, and Nicklaus said about that hole that when the flag was right, if he hit his ball directly at it he had mishit the shot.

Missing it left can be rather tricky too, but at least it is dry!


----------



## PNWokingham (Jun 22, 2010)

Great fun game guys - really enjoyed it and had no idea I had won until you told me - after blob blob on 12 and 13 I was well out of it and didn't worry at all about the score but then shot 1 under for the last 5!

My tips for Trilby
1. more room right than left but gorse and the woods are in range if you are wide and long
2. From 120 or so - i.e. uphill, it can play longer than it looks if there is even a slight breeze against. Give the green some respect if you are anywhere near the ridge in the middle - my last partner on Libys before Rob putted slightly uphill and across fom middle left and was slightly low in his aim and his ball went 30 yards backwards off the green - we did win though! 
4. Be careful where you end up on the green - the mild looking left to right can seriously take a ball away - always aim left of the flag on approach
5. Pin on front = trouble. For your second if you are not going for it aim to lay up on the opposite side from the flag. If you go for it there are worse places to be than in the bunkers if the pin is on the front.
7. second shot uphill can play longer than it looks especially with a bit of wind. 
8. If you can hit an iron 170-200 down the middle, take it - easier with a full shot in - check the flag position when you drive in to the course. Same for 7 - check the flag on the first tee
11. i find the easiest second is from the right of fairway so you can aim left of or over the left bunker - leaves a much easier third than if you lay up before the bunkers with the ball slightly below your feet
12. Play the distance - it sometimes looks less due to dead ground.
13. Lay up short of ditch - no more than 3 wood unless strong wind against = if using driver, aim up the left
14. Aim for left side of greem especially if you have a fade - ball on green = relief
15. ball runs to left on fairway so aim just inside right hand bunker.
16. Aim to leave about 110 for your third if you want to play from fairway - if flag is on front, definitely stay on the faiway and leave a wedge - if pin at back it is not so bad being in dingly dell but you are not guaranteed a good lie.
17. Safe to just leave yourself on fairway short of left bunker to leave cicra 130ish - i.e. hit it about 190 - usually better to have a full shot in
18. Aim for the right side of fairway. If you can, stay below the pin on the gren.

Good luck
Cheers
Paul


----------



## Region3 (Jun 22, 2010)

5. Pin on front = trouble. For your second if you are not going for it aim to lay up on the opposite side from the flag. If you go for it *there are worse places to be than in the bunkers if the pin is on the front*.
		
Click to expand...

Unless it's a foot from the lip and buried so only the top 5mm is showing.

 

Thanks for the game, and the tips Paul


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 23, 2010)

Unless it's a foot from the lip and buried so only the top 5mm is showing.

 :grin
		
Click to expand...

Like I said at the time. He gets all the luck


----------



## PNWokingham (Jun 23, 2010)

I forgot about that! One of the worst lies and hardest bunker shots I have had - came after 3 other sh*t shots as well! If it wasn;t buried, that is not the worst place to be with that pin


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 23, 2010)

I forgot about that! One of the worst lies and hardest bunker shots I have had - came after 3 other sh*t shots as well! If it wasn;t buried, that is not the worst place to be with that pin
		
Click to expand...

But you played it like a true professional Paul


----------



## TXL (Jun 23, 2010)

I forgot about that! One of the worst lies and hardest bunker shots I have had - came after 3 other sh*t shots as well! If it wasn;t buried, that is not the worst place to be with that pin
		
Click to expand...

But you played it like a true professional Paul


Click to expand...

despite our efforts to confuse you with all sorts of advice on how to play it


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 23, 2010)

I forgot about that! One of the worst lies and hardest bunker shots I have had - came after 3 other sh*t shots as well! If it wasn;t buried, that is not the worst place to be with that pin
		
Click to expand...

But you played it like a true professional Paul


Click to expand...

despite our efforts to confuse you with all sorts of advice on how to play it 

Click to expand...

I stayed out of it


----------



## rickg (Jun 28, 2010)

Tee times are posted on the Trilby website for 12th July. See you got a nice early one Smiffy (07:45)... I'm off at 09:06.
There's a total field of 114 players.

I still need to get a practice round in as I had to cancel my last one. Anyone else playing the TT at Bearwood hoping to still play a practice round?


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 28, 2010)

Tee times are posted on the Trilby website for 12th July. See you got a nice early one Smiffy (07:45)...
		
Click to expand...

Yep. Saw it.
And as you have to register an hour before your teeing off time that means I've got to be there for 6.30am at the bloody latest.
Good job it's only just up the road from the Sussex Coast


----------



## rickg (Jun 28, 2010)

as you have to register an hour before your teeing off time that means I've got to be there for 6.30am at the bloody latest.
		
Click to expand...

Surely you'll have to get there even earlier for them to do your hair & make up for the Sky Sports camera's ????


----------



## Ethan (Jun 28, 2010)

Bearwood Lake members got an email warning us that there would be lots of strange people with hats around on the 12th. OK, it didn't say it exactly like that, but that is how I interpreted it.


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 28, 2010)

Surely you'll have to get there even earlier for them to do your hair & make up for the Sky Sports camera's ????  

Click to expand...

I bet you are quite gutted that you can't dress up like a tarts handbag Rick?
I was hoping to have a slightly later tee off than that, and had planned to stay the night before if I pulled an early one. But 6.45 registration???
They don't start serving breakfast until 7.30 at the B&B I had in mind


----------



## rickg (Jun 28, 2010)

They don't start serving breakfast until 7.30 at the B&B I had in mind
		
Click to expand...

You're more than welcome to stay at mine the day before. I've got another player coming down from Yorkshire staying at mine together with his caddy (travelling from hampshire!).

We're also playing my course at 16:04 on the Sunday so you're more than welcome to make up a 4 ball as Deano can't make it now.

It'll still be an early start for you, but our kitchen will be open for bacon rolls unlike your B&B!!!


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 28, 2010)

You're more than welcome to stay at mine the day before.
		
Click to expand...

Appreciate the offer Rick but I've got my two kids down that week-end as it's their birthdays so we have something planned during the day. I was planning on cracking on up to the B&B at about 7.00 on the Sunday evening as it's literally only 5 minutes away from the course.
The last two times I have played Bearwood have seen me caught in traffic on the M25/M3/M4 corridor and getting more and more stressed by the minute as teeing off time approached. I was hoping to wake up about 7, have a nice brekkie and drive off down to the club about 8.15. 
Now I'm shafted.
Thanks to that William Hunt William Hunt I will now be knackered!


----------



## forefortheday (Jun 28, 2010)

You're more than welcome to stay at mine the day before. 
It'll still be an early start for you, but our kitchen will be open for bacon rolls unlike your B&B!!!
		
Click to expand...

Be prepared for either an early night or a snoring Smiffy about 9 if you have more than 2 cans of beer in the house


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 29, 2010)

Plus I have another problem.
My caddy's wife is working nights on the Sunday and doesn't get home until 7.00am. Bearing in mind my caddie lives at least an hour away from the course it really is dropping a spanner in the works having such an early start.
If I lived 5 minutes away from the course I would actually relish such an early tee off. I love going out early in the morning. But the logistics of it all are turning this into a bloody nightmare.
I have emailed the Trilby Tour to see if they can give me a later tee time and should hopefully hear back today. But I don't hold out much hope to be honest.


----------



## bobmac (Jun 29, 2010)

Rick, if you live much closer than Rob, can't you swap tee times?


----------



## rickg (Jun 29, 2010)

Rick, if you live much closer than Rob, can't you swap tee times?
		
Click to expand...

I'm about an hour 15 minutes away, but have to pick up my caddie. I'm already setting off at 06:00 otherwise I would have gladly swapped. Other thing is I have another player staying at mine overnight with his caddie and his tee time is later, so theyre already having to leave earlier than they would have needed to, (one of them's a Yorkshireman so clearly couldn't be trusted to stay in the house with my wife there!!)    

Bit of a nightmare. Hopefully there'll be some requests to have earlier tee times that TT can accomodate a swap for Rob.


----------



## Smiffy (Jun 29, 2010)

Took the bull by the horns and rang the TT HQ. Not a chance of changing my tee time, set in stone.
It's the last time I enter this pisspot tournament. The whole organisation of it from day one has been a joke.
I was told we would know the venues and dates by the end of November last year. When did we find out? March this year. You have to wear the trilby tour outfit you are supplied with at all times. If it rains you can wear waterproofs but you won't feature in any television coverage. What if it's pissing down with rain all day? No television coverage at all or are you supposed to stand out there in a short sleeve shirt and lightweight trousers and get soaking wet just so that they can see your ugly mug?
The guys who aren't teeing off until midday are certainly going to have an advantage where they can roll up at 9.00am, nice casual breakfast, an hour on the range and a session on the practice putting green before they have to knock off.
Why couldn't they have had a 2 tee start to give everybody an even chance?
And if my caddie doesn't turn up at least half an hour before I'm due on the tee then I'm disqualified.


----------

