Formby (open qualifier,Formby) Sunday 8th March £55

[Junior]

Course was not what I expected, didn't have much of a links feel, which is what I thought it would be.
Had a great round playing with Anne, her better half Simon and their guest Dave.
Putter was stone cold for the first 7-8 holes, finally started getting a feel for the greens after that and started to roll some close.
The course is really very nice, greens not amazing at this time of year but still rolled fairly true. Some very tight tee shots to blind landing spots and sneakily hidden greens.

Glad to meet you mate and thanks for making the trip across. It really is a great track and much much better in the Summer. Carpet fairways and rapid greens!!

 

[NWJocko]

Course was not what I expected, didn't have much of a links feel, which is what I thought it would be.
Had a great round playing with Anne, her better half Simon and their guest Dave.
Putter was stone cold for the first 7-8 holes, finally started getting a feel for the greens after that and started to roll some close.
The course is really very nice, greens not amazing at this time of year but still rolled fairly true. Some very tight tee shots to blind landing spots and sneakily hidden greens.

Know what you mean re "links feel". Hard to describe it really. Some holes reminded me of sort of North Hants type courses.

I loved it though, will be back for sure

 

[chellie]

Fantastic day with great company as usual on these meets. Thanks for organising it Peter

Loved the course and would think it could be evil in the summer. Was really pleased with how I played it today and would love to go back when I'm not battling a chest and throat infection. Saw some superb golf played by James.

 

[HDID Kenny]

Made good time getting home, great (long) day all round, thanks to Pete for organising and playing partners all great company, golf was not the best today, ran out of excuses when the rain finally went off, witnessed some great shots from Ian, Martin & Andy, last word to Ian's 18th a 1 shot from tee 290yrds another 5 from under 100yrds.......tut tut.

Ps what's Hillside??

 

[Liverbirdie]

Ps what's Hillside??

It is the Elysian fields of Merseyside golf, Ken. Something the local barbarians wouldn't understand.

I mean on one side you have people like Odvan, who joined a local goat track called Stand, on the other the famous golf writer PeterLav, who is like the Henry Blofeld of golf.

Glad to see a few new and old faces, from far and wide. Hope you all got home ok.

This has turned into an annual day out in March, so as long as they keep this offer on, I'm sure we'll be there again next year - maybe a two day event, if the interest is there?

Glad people enjoyed it, I'm sure Glyn will post the scores up soon. BTW Russian stableford was a good laugh, deffo fancy that again, even if just for the banter.:thup:

Sorry I had to shoot off to the match, Martin Skrtel ensured I only missed 3 minutes, although missing 90 would have been preferable........

Dave mac, your butties went to a good home.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

What a top day out, fantastic course different class to Hillside :whoo:. Not a weak hole on the course and it really feels special.

Never have so many fairways been hit with so little points scored. Pathetic :angry:and my putting was horrendous and not helped by the presure of putting up with the village idiot for 5 hours who was my partner for the day and he wasting plenty of opportunities to carry the team to glory. He nearly 4 putted the 18th to top the day off
Scores to follow in the morning as I have left the cards in my car and I can't be bothered to walk outside.

I know val and jocks won by 6 points in the end. Did enjoy the Russian Stableford although if I get odvan again it's Russian roulette we are playing.

Hounarable mention to LB for snaffling Daves sarnies, it was the quickest he had moved all day.

 

[Val]

Now, to answer Lumps thoughts about links, well part of me agrees due to lack of sea views and quantity of trees but to be honest it is links, in fact I'd say more links than Hillside

Anyway to answer the Formby v Hillside debate, from a pure golfing perspective I think Formby has a far greater variety of holes, few if any stand out as weak. Like Iain if I was given a freebie and a choice I think I'd pick Formby, that's not to say Hillside isn't class as it is but for me Formby shades it mainly due to variety.

Really enjoyed the day, played steady on the whole and had a wee golden spell through the turn rattling off a string of pars and finished with 34 points (with 2 blobs, got to remember the blobs because they matter )

Russian Stableford was a good format, very interesting and would be really interesting doing it as blin pairs.

Thanks Peter and Birchy for sorting this one out, cheers to Andy, Kenny and my winning partner Iain for an enjoyable day.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Interesting comments about the course. I loved it although I did think the first 3 holes are definitely weaker than the rest. Still to play Hillside so can't take part in the 'which is better' debate.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Now, to answer Lumps thoughts about links, well part of me agrees due to lack of sea views and quantity of trees but to be honest it is links, in fact I'd say more links than Hillside

Anyway to answer the Formby v Hillside debate, from a pure golfing perspective I think Formby has a far greater variety of holes, few if any stand out as weak. Like Iain if I was given a freebie and a choice I think I'd pick Formby, that's not to say Hillside isn't class as it is but for me Formby shades it mainly due to variety.

Really enjoyed the day, played steady on the whole and had a wee golden spell through the turn rattling off a string of pars and finished with 34 points (with 2 blobs, got to remember the blobs because they matter )

Russian Stableford was a good format, very interesting and would be really interesting doing it as blin pairs.

Thanks Peter and Birchy for sorting this one out, cheers to Andy, Kenny and my winning partner Iain for an enjoyable day.

Barbarian.

No wonder the Romans built a wall, to keep your sacreligious views out on golf course design.

 

[Val]

Barbarian.

No wonder the Romans built a wall, to keep your sacreligious views out on golf course design.

Well it worked, we stopped you lot copying true links :rofl:

 

[Birchy]

I think the Formby vs Hillside debate has been decided at least

 

[bluewolf]

I think the Formby vs Hillside debate has been decided at least

It would also appear that we have decided that whoever gets paired with Glyn is usually referred to as the "Village Idiot" from then on...

 

[Liverbirdie]

I think the Formby vs Hillside debate has been decided at least

Top100 (England)

17th - Hillside

18th - Formby

I think a more August barometer, than some daft herberts on a golf forum.

http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/country.asp?Move=Next&id=1

I think we all can agree that there is only a sliver between them, and not even 1/2 out of ten separates them.

Apart from some numpty who said that one was, and I quote, "a goat track, in comparison". A bigger fool than BA Baracus fancying a 5 litre bottle of milk, just after they've received a letter from a place 3 hours flight away.

 

[Val]

I agree not much between the all very subjective BUT so many of us can't be wrong

 

[Liverbirdie]

I agree not much between the all very subjective BUT so many of us can't be wrong

Not as a big a majority as for top 100, review wise........

 

[Val]

Not as a big a majority as for top 100, review wise........

As I said it's all subjective, some wouldn't have the old course near the top 10, others wouldn't have it anywhere but top 5

 

[Liverbirdie]

As I said it's all subjective, some wouldn't have the old course near the top 10, others wouldn't have it anywhere but top 5

Agreed, and this all started due to Birchy, who we can all agree is a numpty.

 

[Liverbirdie]

As I said it's all subjective, some wouldn't have the old course near the top 10, others wouldn't have it anywhere but top 5

Anyway, it would be interesting to see if any of the Formby virgins now put it into their top 5 or top 10 lists...............or not.

 

[peterlav]

Great day, again Formby never disappoints, although we were playing preferred lies, most of the time you didn't bother to lift clean and place, immaculate for the time of year.
Thanks to Pete, Paul & Glen for a great day, and to Pete & Scott for organising
Highlight of the day has to be witnessing the butty robber having to play a bunker shot from a sitting position (not as flexible as you used to be!!)
On the Hillside/Formby debate, Hillside edges it for me (just) more spectacular holes and has a general feeling of being somewhere very special, as opposed to Formby being very pretty and having a feeling of being somewhere very nice and picturesque, it must just be 'proper' golfers who prefer Hillside!!!

 

[davemc1]

Fantastic day out for me, I never even let my terrible golf spoil it! But have to thank Paul, Glynn and Matt for that as there wasn't a dull moment, good job them two where partners, I hate to see them really say what they thought of each other... :rofl:

I started off in the rain ok, picking points up fairly regular. Then the rain went off and took my game with it, had a nightmare 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 holes... Then remarkably started to hit a few decent ones again, culminating on a birdie 4 on 17 for about a thousand combined points with Paul :whoo:


My slant on the big debate, while Hillsides best hole is better than Formbys, I'd pick Formby all day long (it could do with one more par 3 tho)

I'm glad the sarnies went to a good home, well deserved for organising a memorable day, nice one Pete. Thanks also to Birchy for sorting the logistical side of things. And as previously mentioned, thanks to the boys, not least for not giving me too much stick when things weren't going well :thup: