Are you missing winter golf?

[Oddsocks]

Missing going to the range with a large coffee and just switching off. I don’t mind rain, I don’t mind wind, but the last two months bar the off day has been driving rain and wind which I really don’t enjoy.

 

[Oddsocks]

I'm the same.
Obviously a large part of the range is actually practicing golf, but with a large coffee and headphones in listening to something, it's as much about just killing time and chilling for me.
I'll hit a few balls, sit and have some coffee and have a look at the phone for a couple of minutes, then repeat.

Even the minimal interaction with the familiar staff is part of the deal.

Exactly. I’m not one for head phones, it even just taking wedges for an hour shuts the brain down.

 

[Golfnut1957]

Here's our place this morning - the Ashludie has only eight holes open and I think the Medal has 17 open, all on temp greens but largely on proper tees with a couple of exceptions.

Was a day for orange balls, sadly I don't have any but only lost one ball - it's in the light rough at the left of the 7th if anyone else is playing here this week and is short on ammunition.

Winds gusting to over 30mph and a couple of brief flurries of snow but otherwise a very nice walk and when the wind was only blowing at 20mph quite warm - hoodie over the waterproof jacket is definitely the way to go.

View attachment 34922
6th green - showing the temp water hazard which has appeared this week - apart from the puddles the course is not at all damp underfoot.

View attachment 34923
4th green with temp green

View attachment 34924
15th with other closed holes behind it - this bit of the Ashludie course is below all of the surrounding areas so floods at times - will be fine within a couple of weeks of water going down.

View attachment 34925
10th temp green with flooded bunker.

Enjoyed that - probably saved my sanity for another week.

Looks very picturesque.
Very cold.
I admire your persistence and fortitude and very much wish I was able to join you.

 

[Oddsocks]

You might be of you went to the same range ??

Beware the angry range golfer lol.

 

[USER1999]

I'm the same.
Obviously a large part of the range is actually practicing golf, but with a large coffee and headphones in listening to something, it's as much about just killing time and chilling for me.
I'll hit a few balls, sit and have some coffee and have a look at the phone for a couple of minutes, then repeat.

Even the minimal interaction with the familiar staff is part of the deal.

Where is there a decent range near Northwood?

I used to go to Stanmore on Brockley Hill, but it closed. The one in Mill Hill is ok, but a bit of a slog to get to. Harrow is ok, but also a slog, as is the one off Western Ave Polish War Memorial.

 

[CliveW]

Here's our place this morning - the Ashludie has only eight holes open and I think the Medal has 17 open, all on temp greens but largely on proper tees with a couple of exceptions.

Was a day for orange balls, sadly I don't have any but only lost one ball - it's in the light rough at the left of the 7th if anyone else is playing here this week and is short on ammunition.

Winds gusting to over 30mph and a couple of brief flurries of snow but otherwise a very nice walk and when the wind was only blowing at 20mph quite warm - hoodie over the waterproof jacket is definitely the way to go.

View attachment 34922
6th green - showing the temp water hazard which has appeared this week - apart from the puddles the course is not at all damp underfoot.

View attachment 34923
4th green with temp green

View attachment 34924
15th with other closed holes behind it - this bit of the Ashludie course is below all of the surrounding areas so floods at times - will be fine within a couple of weeks of water going down.

View attachment 34925
10th temp green with flooded bunker.

Enjoyed that - probably saved my sanity for another week.

I love the Ashludie but always get confused between the summer and winter layout.

 

[USER1999]

I mainly go to Northwick Park, hence the need for the earphones ? with all the 30 year old kids screeching and giggling ?

Yeah, that's the Harrow one I guess, next to Northwick Park Hospital. Nice range, but too rubbish to get to from Watford.
Brockley Hill was perfect, a decent range, decent balls, and half way home from work. Sadly, the lady who owned it sold up.

 

[Paperboy]

Missing it a lot, my course would be open as it’s on chalk and drains quickly.
would have been shut for 3 or 4 days with the snow.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Went for a walk on the course yesterday and in the lower area of course still some flooded parts and other areas just a swamp. Being closed is allowing greens team to start rebuilding a bunker that I think was scheduled for next winter as well as having completed this winter’s rebuilds. And they’ve been able to do a huge amount of clearing scrub and small trees from under and around mature trees, as well as some strategic felling. A big silver lining to the dark cloud of being shut for a lengthy period of time.

 

[HarrogateHacker]

I’m missing golf but not because of the lockdown, our course wouldn’t have been open very much, it’s very wet and has been for months. Last two years we’ve had ridiculous amounts of rain, they are working from improve drainage etc whilst lockdown is in place so hopefully longer term it’ll improve

 

[Sats]

I don't miss the mud, rain, wind, cold, early nights, reduced distance, closed holes, temp greens, temp tees, the amount of layers you have to wear, standing water, etc etc. I do miss my friends, and the golf though. If I could I'd fly south for the winter and play in only sunshine! Winter is the worst time of the year!

 

[davidy233]

I love the Ashludie but always get confused between the summer and winter layout.

I don't think they alter the layout now - it's different from any of the previous ones - fi

Looks very picturesque.
Very cold.
I admire your persistence and fortitude and very much wish I was able to join you.

Wasn't really cold at all - hoodie with 'hot hands' hand warmers in the pouch kept the hands warm and that's the main thing - rest is all just sensible winter layering - rain in this morning's temperature would have been a problem - luckily it was dry.

 

[davidy233]

I love the Ashludie but always get confused between the summer and winter layout.

They changed the order of holes last year and as far as I understand it's same order winter and summer now. To me it's a much better routing.

 

[CliveW]

Well, we have gone from promising signs of a thaw over the weekend to more snow today.

 

[Boomy]

Yes.

 

[davidy233]

I've got a tee time for Saturday morning - chances of me getting out then? Two inches of snow lying is highly unusual for where I live. I'm sure there will be kids sledging on the 15th (only hole with a decent slope) tomorrow.

 

[sunshine]

I mainly go to Northwick Park, hence the need for the earphones ? with all the 30 year old kids screeching and giggling ?

Back in the day, the top tier was full of people messing around, whereas the bottom tier was mainly golfers quietly practising. A clubfitter had his workshop down there next to the gym. I guess it's not like that any more?

The short game area used to be excellent, tour quality with the replica road hole bunker, and rarely more than two people using it. It was pretty cool when it all opened in 2005.

I grew up over the far side of the park, but when I was a kid it was just football / rugby pitches.

 

[CliveW]

Over a foot of snow today and the A90 is barely passible with care. I don't think I'll bother in the morning.

 

[patricks148]

Over a foot of snow today and the A90 is barely passible with care. I don't think I'll bother in the morning.

most of it was gone up here yesterday.... snowed last night and its back again

i'd imagine guys that are only members in Inverness, wouldn't have played since Christmas

 

[Deleted member 3432]

most of it was gone up here yesterday.... snowed last night and its back again

i'd imagine guys that are only members in Inverness, wouldn't have played since Christmas

I think I'm missing skiing more than golf looking at the Glencoe webams this morning. Mountain is loaded with best snow for years...?