Frozen course lottery.

Mungoscorner

Mungoscorner

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Have just returned home after playing my clubs February Stableford comp.The course was frozen solid everywhere,so as expected we had to use winter tee's,and the aprons as greens.I finished with 34 points and thought i'd played very well considering the conditions (bad bounces etc) only to find out somebody had scored 46 points !!!!! and another had 43 !!!!!
Yet another reason why Stableford comps should never be full handicap IMO.

I am fitting my crash helmet and earplugs as we speak,ready for the forthcoming backlash.:D
 
Someone will always figure out how to play in those conditions. Bump and runs will usually be good strategy and if you know how to play tha way them frozen greens are not an issue. We generally get whooped by the seniors in these situations :)
 
Perhaps they just had more lucky bounces - you get them in these conditions as well as bad ones. There is usually someone who plays out of their skin in a stableford - it is more often than not someone with a higher handicap but not always. I remember coming in with 41 points of 15 in one at our club only to be beaten by 45 points from a 6 handicapper.
 
We never play full handicap in winter Half at best.

i lose four shots, the club captain won the money today he's off 3 so only loses 1 shot, and the bugger got 43 points.
 
I didn't play in it but looking at the February stableford today that Bash posted about on another thread there were some good scores all round. It says non-qualifier and as it was -11 according tot he car at 8.0 this morning I assume (hope) they were on temps. Seems like the frozen course suited a lot of players. Me, I enjoyed the lie in watching the telly with the leccy blanket warming the bed until the lesson this afternoon. Even then it was in plus numbers and didn't feel too bad
 
I loved it out there today. Bagged 38 points with two blobs on full length course and greens. The ball wouldnt stop with high shots so I was aiming at least 20 yards before the green and letting it bounce on. Playing bump and runs from 60 yards out was fun as well. I won the front 9 but the overall winner had 40 points.
 
Fun, innit? :D

We played full tees and greens today. Loved every second and scoring wasn't too bad, 20 odd points on the front 9 and probably 15 ish on the back. Bounces were ridiculous but it's best to get on with it and not worry too much.
 
I was on our practise ground at 8 am this morning, practising from 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 & aprons to see what shots I needed when playing short to the green to avoid the big bounce and over the back.

I teed off at 10:40 in hail.

It's not the fault of the guys who scored well that the OP didn't.

A valid handicap is just that, a player with a valid active handicap should be allowed to play his full allowance without the 3/4 hcp lobby whining like little kids.

BTW our winter league is 3/4 hcp so I have to play off 16 instead of 21 and couldn't give a monkeys hooter who scores better than me.

Cheers

Steve...
 
HomerJSimpson said:
I didn't play in it but looking at the February stableford today that Bash posted about on another thread there were some good scores all round. It says non-qualifier and as it was -11 according tot he car at 8.0 this morning I assume (hope) they were on temps. Seems like the frozen course suited a lot of players. Me, I enjoyed the lie in watching the telly with the leccy blanket warming the bed until the lesson this afternoon. Even then it was in plus numbers and didn't feel too bad
Click to expand...

Was -7 at 9.00am, but some good scores in. 4 people in Div 1 with 40 points and in division 2 there were 2 blokes with 43 points.
There was a ladies comp on as well which not many played in, but the winner of that came in with 54 (yes, 54) points, playing off 35.
By about 10 oclock it had warmed up a fair bit, so mittens were no longer needed. I was a bit of a whimp though and still kept my jumper on!!
Looking out of the window I see a bit of snow on the ground has settled so looks like tomorrow will be a no golf day
 
Bash said:
Was -7 at 9.00am, but some good scores in. 4 people in Div 1 with 40 points and in division 2 there were 2 blokes with 43 points.
There was a ladies comp on as well which not many played in, but the winner of that came in with 54 (yes, 54) points, playing off 35.
By about 10 oclock it had warmed up a fair bit, so mittens were no longer needed. I was a bit of a whimp though and still kept my jumper on!!
Looking out of the window I see a bit of snow on the ground has settled so looks like tomorrow will be a no golf day
Click to expand...

Were you on temps Bash
 
Doc said:
I was on our practise ground at 8 am this morning, practising from 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 & aprons to see what shots I needed when playing short to the green to avoid the big bounce and over the back.

I teed off at 10:40 in hail.

It's not the fault of the guys who scored well that the OP didn't.

A valid handicap is just that, a player with a valid active handicap should be allowed to play his full allowance without the 3/4 hcp lobby whining like little kids.

BTW our winter league is 3/4 hcp so I have to play off 16 instead of 21 and couldn't give a monkeys hooter who scores better than me.

Cheers

Steve...
Click to expand...

The course was frozen solid all day and my group played the last 6 holes in a blizzard,yet i still managed to play within 2 shots of my handicap ? I'd say i played pretty well to be honest and i didn't spend any time practicing before i tee'd off.How about we all play off scratch ? or would people start whining like "little kids" ?
 
It's a weird one, course was completely frozen and the ball was bouncing everywhere, but it seemed to suit my game today and I played a blinder. Shot 18 with 2 blobs on the front 9 and came in with 27 points on the back 9 for a 45 total. I was putting everything today!!
It was our February Monthly today and with the snow being like it is tonight I would hope to be in pole position to win it, which qualifies me to enter the "Jubilee Cup" which is for Monthly and Mid-week Medal winners.

Should also see a pretty big h/c reduction too, which is nice, seeing as I'm playing to well and deserve it.
 
Mungo,

Had this conversation before on here, ok let's all play off scratch.

I'll still play but let's see where that takes the games appeal to the masses.

A handicap is a handicap, that's what the governing body wants, that's what the majority wants, unfortunately it seems you want to tip the level playing field in your favour?

Cheers

Steve...
 
Brooksey, we don't play on temps unless the frost is deep and it's thawing.

Our winter league is a pairs comp, hence 3/4 hcp.

My hcp target for this year is to get to 16 as that's what I've had to play to all winter.

Cheers

Steve...
 
When the course is frozen like it has been all week down here, I only concentrate on my drives and trying to get a decent strike in the ball. Even if you do get a decent strike, unlike normal conditions where the amount of spin you put on the ball gives you some control over what it's going to do, you have no real control at all. It's pure luck
I hit some glorious iron shots this week, amazingbounces often took the ball well away from the green, some towards it.
Worrying about it is pointless, trying to combat it equally so.
It's not about scoring in these conditions, it's about getting out, keeping a swing going and having a laugh.

Anyone who practices in these conditions is taking life too seriously.
 
Doc said:
Mungo,

Had this conversation before on here, ok let's all play off scratch.

I'll still play but let's see where that takes the games appeal to the masses.

A handicap is a handicap, that's what the governing body wants, that's what the majority wants, unfortunately it seems you want to tip the level playing field in your favour?

Cheers

Steve...
Click to expand...


Steve,

In an ideal world the handicap system would be fair to all,sadly its flawed and as such doesn't always work.When a golf course is in the grip of winter there is every possibilty that there will be a combination of,temp tees,temp greens,bad bounces,and a course that is far shorter than normal.As Imurg pointed out the rewards of better ball striking,shot placement etc are negated by the conditions,so the things that allow a lower handicap player to play to his/her handicap are of little or no use to him/her.
The high scores in our monthly stableford were all from 20+ handicappers,most of the single figure handicappers failed to make 30 points,and i'm sure this is much the same situation at most clubs when comps are played in winter conditions.I said to my playing partners yesterday on the 1st tee,that there would be some high scores from high handicappers,it always happens.
Do i want to tip the level playing field in my favour ? absolutely not.
Do i think handicap allowance should be altered when the course is shortened,frozen,has preferred lies,etc ? yes i do.
 
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