Gutted

[HRC99]

I can only bring myself to talk about it after a bottle or two of wine last night.

Played in the second round of a medal yesterday. Teed off on the 10th just to get an early start.

Started like a train. Out in 36 - 1 over. My best nine in competition.

Feeling great.

Dropped one at the next.

OK, no problem.

Monster drive down the second hole. One 170 to go.

Hit a great 6 iron that pitched on the front of the green, bounced like it hit a brick and screamed through.

Double.

Ouch.

OK, still playing good golf, just unlucky.

Par 5 next.

Nice drive, decent 3 wood that just trickled into the rough.

110 to go. Easy wedge.

That's when the horror show really started.

Got an flyer from the rough and it shot straight into greenside bunker.

Uh oh.

The pin was cut tight against that side so not much green to work with and a pretty steep face to the bunker.

Get down there.

It's plugged.

Sh*t.

One mighty swipe and I've managed to advance it right underneath the face of the bunker.

Now, I'm really really in trouble.

Can't go out sideways, can't go out backwards.

Another swipe.

Barely moved.

Aaargh.

Swipe.

Incredibly, somehow, managed to actually get it airborne, up and out of the bunker. Still, no idea how.

It pitches about two inches from the crest and rolls back in.

Noooooooooo.

Swipe.

Cracking bunker shot to about a foot.

8.

Just dropped 6 shots in three holes.

Tough Par 3 next. Not what you need after a disaster like that.

Head totally gone.

Double.

8 shots dropped in four now.

Tricky par 4 next with out of bounds all down the left.

Think play safe. Three wood.

Thin, thin, thin.

Into the gorse.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Play a provisional. Very shaky swing. But ok.

Somehow, my first made it through.

Awful shot now.

190 yards to a green with a ravine 8 yards right and at the back and out of bounds 6 yards left.

Nice shot.

Bit of fade, Moving on the wind though.

Hit the green but kicks right.

Fast.

Heading towards the ravine.

Stooooooop.

That's close.

Second provisional of the hole.

Same shot, same result.

Sod it. I'm off up there.

My first has hung on; just into the ravine.

Phew.

Chip up, putt, lip out, bogey.

9 gone now on 5 holes.

Parred the next two, somehow. Swing and head in pieces.

Bogey.

Bogey.

36 out.

45 back.

12 over par. Bang on my handicap.

Could have cried.

 

[Smiffy]

But was it sunny?

 

[Whee]

You've played exactly to your handicap, that's nothing to get despondent about partner. You've just got to laugh about it for now and get back out there next week and play with a clear head.

After your showing on the front 9, you know you've got the skills to beat your handicap.

 

[HRC99]

But was it sunny?

No.

 

[Smiffy]

But was it sunny?

No.

Damn. Then I feel for you.

Mind you, you could have been at work

 

[thecraw]

A couple of bad breaks went against you, just take the positives.

 

[madandra]

You'll be back there again on Saturday o if it doesn't stop you playing then don't let it do your head in.

 

[daymond]

HRC. When you were plugged close to the bunker face did you ever consider taking a drop back in the bunker for a one shot penalty?

 

[BROOKIE]

One day you'll look at it and smile and wonder what all fuss
is about..........but not today

 

[HRC99]

A couple of bad breaks went against you, just take the positives.

I know, I know.

I'd already decided not to play today as there's loads of work to be done down at my allotment. I can clear my head with a change of scenery and a load of digging.

I'm away on a course for two nights from tonight up in Newcastle and there's a driving range a couple of miles away.

200 balls or so and I should have forgotten all about it.

 

[HRC99]

HRC. When you were plugged close to the bunker face did you ever consider taking a drop back in the bunker for a one shot penalty?

Not when it was plugged. I've managed to get them out like that before.

When it was literally underneath the edge of the bunker (as in physically in a hollow beneath the edge of the bunker), I did think about it.

And then hit it anyway!

 

[Oddsocks]

Had a similar day, +2 front nine but poor club choice chasing a card on the 16th resulted in a double to see a +8 back. Was gutted but still three under hc

 

[birdieman]

HRC. When you were plugged close to the bunker face did you ever consider taking a drop back in the bunker for a one shot penalty?

Not when it was plugged. I've managed to get them out like that before.

When it was literally underneath the edge of the bunker (as in physically in a hollow beneath the edge of the bunker), I did think about it.

And then hit it anyway!

If you're going to take a penalty drop why would you drop it in the bunker?
You'd declare it unplayable then choose to-
1. drop in a line with the flag as far back as you need to go
2. within 2 clublengths of the ball not nearer the hole (might get you clear of the bunker)
3. go back to where you played the last one

depending on which option left you in the best position.

When you're in meltdown you have to stop, step back and think your options through to minimise damage by using the rules to your advantage. Sounds like you needlessly wasted a few by poor course management.

 

[evahakool]

Birdieman in option one of the ruling you gave ie- line of sight from a bunker could you please clarify this for me.

I always thought if you took a penalty drop from a bunker you had to go and play from your last position,so are you saying I cold drop a ball say 5 yards behind the bunker in line with the flag and play from there?

Thanks for clearing this up as I think this is a important rule to know .

 

[Whereditgo]

Rule 28

The player may deem his ball unplayable at any place on the course, except when the ball is in a water hazard. The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable.
If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must under penalty of one stroke:
Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or
Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or
Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.
If the unplayable ball is in a bunker, the player may proceed under Clause a, b or c. If he elects to proceed under Clause b or c, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.
When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.

So you either go back to where you played the last shot from, (bear in mind in Henry's case it was in the bunker) or you drop in the bunker

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Hope the digging has cleared the heartache away and it has become a distant memory. The trouble with a lot of us on here is that in competitions we tend to go on autopilot and try to protect the score the best way possible but never really consider all the options. I've been in horror places in a bunker and done the same and swiped away where a drop, a decent chip and a single putt would have minimised the damage. Will we ever learn though?

 

[rickg]

Really unlucky!!

Quick question.....how are you able to tee off in a medal on your 10th tee at your course? Did the committee agree to it? Otherwise you're only only allowed to play a stipulated round in a competition, ie 1-18

 

[AuburnWarrior]

You can start on the 10th at my place in a medal round - plus, play in a fourball.

 

[birdieman]

Birdieman in option one of the ruling you gave ie- line of sight from a bunker could you please clarify this for me.

I always thought if you took a penalty drop from a bunker you had to go and play from your last position,so are you saying I cold drop a ball say 5 yards behind the bunker in line with the flag and play from there?

Thanks for clearing this up as I think this is a important rule to know .

See Whereditgo's post for teh correct answer, I haven't played golf in so long I'd forgotten the unplayable in a bunker stuff, sorry.