granters
Q-School Graduate
Well, had my first round at my new club early this morning, and let's just say the course won.
It's a final Open qualifying course, and while not overly long, it's brutal.
The greens are simply magnificent, not a single bump. As a result i didn't miss a single putt inside 6 feet. That's the good news.
I shot 98, my worst score in probably 17 years. Admittedly i didn't play all that well, but anything wide of the mark is lost. And some of the targets are 20 yards wide. This is the drive from the 18th, one of the more open ones. I stuck a 1 iron straight down the centre here. A 1 iron is essential, there's no point getting anything up in the air in that wind.
It took me until the 10th to admit defeat and leave the woods in the bag.
Miss the green on many holes and it's a certain bogey (or triple in my case!). There are some brutal punishments for poor accuaracy and distance control
Tie all that in with 5 long par 4's, one of which i hit driver, 3 wood, wedge into and only just made the green, then you can see what you're up against.
At this hole, i screamed a driver to the top of the hill, and was left with a 4 iron into the green, with OOB 5 yards left. I bailed right!
I'll humiliate myself here by printing my scores- 4,7,6,6 ,6,6,5,3,5,4,5,7,5,7,.6,3,7,5.
It's my first real taste of links golf, and i'm chomping at the bit to get back. It's definitely more brain than brawn. If the short game's not there, you've no chance. If you're not hitting it straight, it's a 5 iron off the tee or a lost ball. I lost 7.
I suppose i'm writing this to say that, although i thought i knew a lot about the game, i actually know very little. Maybe it's the kick up the arse i needed to get me playing well again, and hopefully down to single figures. But i am absolutely buzzing, what a course, what a challenge and i can't wait to get back.
It's a final Open qualifying course, and while not overly long, it's brutal.
The greens are simply magnificent, not a single bump. As a result i didn't miss a single putt inside 6 feet. That's the good news.
I shot 98, my worst score in probably 17 years. Admittedly i didn't play all that well, but anything wide of the mark is lost. And some of the targets are 20 yards wide. This is the drive from the 18th, one of the more open ones. I stuck a 1 iron straight down the centre here. A 1 iron is essential, there's no point getting anything up in the air in that wind.
It took me until the 10th to admit defeat and leave the woods in the bag.
Miss the green on many holes and it's a certain bogey (or triple in my case!). There are some brutal punishments for poor accuaracy and distance control
Tie all that in with 5 long par 4's, one of which i hit driver, 3 wood, wedge into and only just made the green, then you can see what you're up against.
At this hole, i screamed a driver to the top of the hill, and was left with a 4 iron into the green, with OOB 5 yards left. I bailed right!
I'll humiliate myself here by printing my scores- 4,7,6,6 ,6,6,5,3,5,4,5,7,5,7,.6,3,7,5.
It's my first real taste of links golf, and i'm chomping at the bit to get back. It's definitely more brain than brawn. If the short game's not there, you've no chance. If you're not hitting it straight, it's a 5 iron off the tee or a lost ball. I lost 7.
I suppose i'm writing this to say that, although i thought i knew a lot about the game, i actually know very little. Maybe it's the kick up the arse i needed to get me playing well again, and hopefully down to single figures. But i am absolutely buzzing, what a course, what a challenge and i can't wait to get back.
