Best round in years................

[Smiffy]

Went round Highwoods after work last night, played with a mate of mine and the Missus walked round with us...she's a great caddy.
Beautiful evening, sun was shining, just a slight breeze fluttering the flags. Played off the blue (mens competition) tees and just wanted to play a nice steady round. Shot a gross 78, nett 66 and am as chuffed as anything. Two birdies and a superb par save on our 11th (par 5) where my second "safety shot" found the stream that runs across the fairway. Took a drop and hit a beautiful 9 iron in from 140 to about 6 inches from the hole.
Short par 3's are still my nemesis. We've got 4x3's on our course, one is 129 yards (missed the green, chipped and two putted), the other two are roughly 150, missed both of these (found greenside bunkers, splashed out and two putted both of them) but the long one (205 yard 16th) I hit a superb 4 hybrid to about 8 feet and canned the putt for the second of my birdies. That's the last card I require for my handicap and with my other two showing 38 and 37 points in Stableford games I'm hoping to get awarded a handicap of around 10. My last offical handicap was 11 and I've been "messing around" off 12 for the last 8 years or so, so hopefully I can fulfill my seasons ambition to get down to single figures.
If only I could play the shorter par 3's well though. It's a mental thing with me now. Whenever I go to play a new course, the first thing I look at on the scorecard is the length of the par 3's. If they are all around 170 or more I'm happy, but if there are 4 short ones on there all under 150 or so, then I get it in my mind that I'm going to struggle.

 

[backwoodsman]

Looks like you stayed out celebrating the round - at least judging by the time of your post

Tis days like that, that make the whole thing worthwhile - good golf, good surroundings & good company. Great scoring by the way...

Note to self: get missus to caddy.... hmmm

 

[The23rdman]

Well played Smiffy!

Regarding the par three mental thing. Why not try to think of them as just hitting the perfect approach shot on a par 4? It might even be a good idea to hit them offthe deck for a bit so it feels like a fairway shot. Just till you've overcome it.

 

[Smiffy]

Regarding the par three mental thing. Why not try to think of them as just hitting the perfect approach shot on a par 4? It might even be a good idea to hit them offthe deck for a bit so it feels like a fairway shot. Just till you've overcome it.

I keep meaning to try this, but everytime I get on one I put a tee peg down and have a go!
The problem, I think, is in trying to protect my score I end up "steering" the ball towards the hole with one club more than I really need for the given distance, and this ends up with me making a half hearted swing and blocking right. It happens with alarming regularity, and I can almost guarantee that my ball is going right!
On longer holes, or approach shots, where I know I've got to give the ball a decent clout, it doesn't happen.
It was the same at Beau Desert a few weeks ago. Going great guns, three over on the front 9, got to the 10th the shortest hole on the bloody course...105 yarder and I stuffed it in the bunker short right. My first blob of the day and I was so annoyed I went and blobbed the next one too. I will try your recommendation the next time out.
Thanks

 

[CrapHacker]

Congrats. Nice round. Just coming into form in time to take my money, eh ?

Just hope you get yourself that nice single figure handicap pdq, to at least give me some kind of hope.

Well played indeed, sir.

 

[The23rdman]

Yep, I understand that, mate. Been there many times.

 

[Golfmmad]

Good to hear Smiffy, well played, seems you were relaxed and cool!
Good luck with your single figure ambitions.

You can show us the way at Chartham Park

Golfmmad.

 

[Ste_Denial]

nice shooting, iv got a par 3 problem aswell

 

[Leftie]

Great round m8. Good to see that you should be on a proper handicap in time for your visit to Sundridge. You will love our Par 3's..........

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think once you get a couple of pars and break the cycle it'll all return. Nice shooting though

 

[Smiffy]

Played again last night, friendly Stableford with two mates, 16 points out (with a blob) and 20 in for another steady round. Bumped into the secretary afterwards and he "activated" my official handicap yesterday. Based on the cards I have handed in has put me off 12, but will review it over the next few weeks. He did mention my 78! Would have liked it to have been a couple of shots lower because I feel I am capable of playing off 9 or 10 without too much trouble. Most rounds now I am scoring around 36 points or thereabouts so feel that I am a little bit better than 12.
So I've now got my offical handicap back after 7 or 8 years in the wilderness and can enter some open competitions at last. Well chuffed.