Bogey holes conquered?

[goldenbare]

After all the new year posts about goals and achievements I thought it would be interesting to ask if anyone has managed to get their bogey hole(s) on their course off their back and in doing so lower their handicap?
I had always said that if I could play the first 2 holes and last 2 holes on the course better my Handicap would be 2 shots better. They have been noted by the committee’s statistician as being the 4 hardest holes on the course but cannot be strokes 1-4 because of their position in a round.
At the start of 2010 I had a purple patch on these holes and as I had predicted dropped 2 shots as well as winning a couple of comps.
Anyone else got the monkey of their back on a bogey hole to improve their Handicaps?

 

[AuburnWarrior]

I've always considered the back nine at my place to be the harder of the two nines. I've played the front nine very well in the past and then come undone on the back nine. I think it's because the 10th is my bogey hole. It's relatively straightforward on paper but has become something of a nemesis for me.

Today I parred it and then went on to shoot the back nine in level par so I've not won the war but I've won a battle..

 

[goldenbare]

Auburn, don't you find when you play the hard 9 well you cock up the easy 9?
Ours has the harder 9 first so you step on to the 10th tee with great optimism only to be brought back down to earth again by this wonderful game

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Auburn, don't you find when you play the hard 9 well you cock up the easy 9?
Ours has the harder 9 first so you step on to the 10th tee with great optimism only to be brought back down to earth again by this wonderful game

Funnily enough, I had 16 points on the front nine today which included two three putts and a blob!!

So yes, I never seem to be able to put two good nines together.

 

[goldenbare]

I thought blobs were another story today

 

[AuburnWarrior]

I thought blobs were another story today

They are.

I can't say it enough though - 38 points with a blob..

There, I said it again..

 

[bozza]

The back 9 on my course always costs me shots as all the par 5's are on it and i seem to struggle abit on them as i always really try to go for them with my 2nd shot and it usually ends up costing me a shot. Also the last 2 holes are 2 longish hard par 4's.

 

[goldenbare]

The back 9 on my course always costs me shots as all the par 5's are on it and i seem to struggle abit on them as i always really try to go for them with my 2nd shot and it usually ends up costing me a shot. Also the last 2 holes are 2 longish hard par 4's.

Take it steady Bozza, you're allowed to hit the greens in 4 of your handicap.
Lay up in 2 and put in a nice pitch

 

[Imurg]

I tend to get one bogey hole off my back and instantly pick up another.
Cured myself of our 6th - a doddle of a a short par 4 that I always screwed up - It moved to the 7th, then the 14th, on to the 17th and now its back to the 7th....

 

[RGDave]

I thought it would be interesting to ask if anyone has managed to get their bogey hole(s) on their course off their back and in doing so lower their handicap?

No, and, no.

My bogey holes are just that...bogey holes.
.
.
.
.
.
unless I make a double of course.

 

[bozza]

The back 9 on my course always costs me shots as all the par 5's are on it and i seem to struggle abit on them as i always really try to go for them with my 2nd shot and it usually ends up costing me a shot. Also the last 2 holes are 2 longish hard par 4's.

Take it steady Bozza, you're allowed to hit the greens in 4 of your handicap.
Lay up in 2 and put in a nice pitch

I always tell myself before i play to stop going for it on the par 5's but as soon as i get them it's like a red rag to a bull and i can't resist trying to smash my 2nd shot as near to the green as i can.

I'm playing tomorrow and i'm really going to make an effort to not go for it so much on the par 5's

 

[goldenbare]

The back 9 on my course always costs me shots as all the par 5's are on it and i seem to struggle abit on them as i always really try to go for them with my 2nd shot and it usually ends up costing me a shot. Also the last 2 holes are 2 longish hard par 4's.

Take it steady Bozza, you're allowed to hit the greens in 4 of your handicap.
Lay up in 2 and put in a nice pitch

I always tell myself before i play to stop going for it on the par 5's but as soon as i get them it's like a red rag to a bull and i can't resist trying to smash my 2nd shot as near to the green as i can.

I'm playing tomorrow and i'm really going to make an effort to not go for it so much on the par 5's

perhaps my length taking reaching in 2 out of the equation except in a very dry summer has its benefits then

 

[Macster]

The Devil Incarnate at my course is our 12th, a less than 'easy' Par 3 of 199yds off white's, down a tunnel of trees and surrounded by humps and hollows all around the green.

My stats on Howdidido show me Parring it only 7 times out of 51 medal rounds, which is truly appalling off 10. I swear I am going to go down there one day in April this year and hit every frickin club in the bag until I defeat the beast and find a way of trcking my mind into playing it like I should be able to.

 

[goldenbare]

nice post macster.
2 wedges, hope you sink the putt?

 

[JustOne]

Funnily enough, I had 16 points on the front nine today which included two three putts and a blob!!

and then went on to shoot level on the back 9.

You'll never make a decent hustler! I'm leaving my wallet firmly at home and borrowing £20 off Leftie for my green fee!!

Besides, it's against my religion to play golf for money...... suddenly

 

[jammydodger]

I had 2 main probs at my place

1. the 17th was becoming a nightmare for me and 90% of the time I would either bogey or double bogey it. Very annoying indeed at the end of round. It has cost innumerable chances of a cut. I would take all sorts of clubs off the tee including 7 irons at one stage ! Anyhow I think i've got this one beat now so thats a YES

2. The back 9 as a whole. This year in comps I played the back 9 a complete 3 shots worse than I played the front 9 on average. I know cos I kept the stats
I've been 3 under at the turn and playing beuatifully and then gone 7/8 over for the back 9. Shockingly bad. This one is still a work in progress and something that i'll have to work hard to overcome this year if I want ot make any significant progress at this course.

 

[MashieNiblick]

The Devil Incarnate at my course is our 12th, a less than 'easy' Par 3 of 199yds off white's, down a tunnel of trees and surrounded by humps and hollows all around the green.

My stats on Howdidido show me Parring it only 7 times out of 51 medal rounds, which is truly appalling off 10. I swear I am going to go down there one day in April this year and hit every frickin club in the bag until I defeat the beast and find a way of trcking my mind into playing it like I should be able to.

That looks like a fabulous hole. Maybe the devil has all the best holes as well as the best tunes.

I went through a phase where my bogey hole was a par 3. Just 161 yards SI 15 but with a cavernous bunker front right and deep do-do back left. Narrow undulating green easy to 3 putt from nowhere. Always has a swirling wind. Never felt comfortable whatever club I used. That's the trouble if your bogey hole is a par 3 I think. You've got one hit, no scope to play tactically. Finally got over it by just focusing on making a smooth swing (it's only a mid iron off a tee peg for goodness sake) and not thinking about the hole.

 

[thecraw]

The bloody 9th at Letham Grange, pars, the last twice yet in about 8 previous visits I don't think I ever came close to finishing the dam thing.

Also the 18th at Letham Grange, par'd that for the first time in years last year!

 

[RGDave]

It does look quite a challenge. From the picture, the green looks really narrow. Do the banks ever knock/bounce the ball on, or do they tend to get stuck up there?

We have a par 3 at mine which claims over 4 shots for me on average. Horrid.

 

[Macster]

Hi Dave, yes the banks can knock the ball down & on, but as you say, the green is narrow, and anything offline can be kicked way wide too.
In fact, if you hit the wrong side of the banks on the right side of the green, your ball gets swallowed by a big hollow, where you can't even see the green/flag, so leaving you virtually no chance of getting up and down.

Thats the problem I think, off the Medal tee, you might have a 4 iron in hand, but have a green width of about 10yds to aim for in reality.
Perhaps why my stats are so pants.