Homer Vs HTL @ Ascot

[HTL]

We met up today in a friendly before our loser buys lunge grudge match.

The weather was around -2 as we set off but warmed up and finished play in my polo shirt and base layer. We had to play on temporary greens due to the weather. They were a nightmare to play on and any shots fired in high bounced off and into trouble behind the greens. As Homer found out on the 3rd.

I shot a 20 over, two below my handicap. I am sticking with my 3 wood off the tee and found all but two fairways, after I posted my swing I have slowed it down and relaxed more, I am defo seeing the results. If the greens had been in play and able to receive shots and have a consistent roll on the greens I would have broken 90!

Homer also played well and has defo improved off the tee with his driver, and I am defo going to have to practise and be on my A game to keep my wallet in my pocket.

Any how, I really enjoyed it and looking forward to our first game at my new club (hopefully)

 

[theeaglehunter]

Glad you both played well and had a good time. What are the current odds for victory in the grudge match then? Who is the favorite ?

congratulations on braving the conditions as well.

 

[HTL]

Depends on what my official handicap comes in at, if I get around 20 / 22 I reckon its neck and neck.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have to be honest and say Hywel is a different player to the one I played last Summer. That video clip he put up doesn't tell the whole story. His swing is much smoother than the jerky action he had last year and he is hitting the ball great off the tee with his 3 wood even getting a soft draw on most holes. I can think of only one bad shot (tee shot on 7 which he recovered well enough to make 5 nett 3 - he would get two shots off 22)

I did drive the ball a lot better but I found distance control into the temporary greens difficult. The shot he refers to on the 3rd being a case in point. After a good drive SC told me I had 133 to the front of the normal green and the temporary being some 10 yards in front I tohugh 120 would be ideal. I pulled a nine iron which pitched two thirds off the way up the proper green and bounced as if on tarmac, struck a tree and was never seen again.

I think it depends on what handicap Hywel gets at Leatherhead. Anything 20 and above and I will certainly have to be on my toes. As it is a stableford format home and away with the total points deciding the overall winner it is probably too close to call at this stage and may depend who is playing well when we get going.

It was a shame the greens were all temporary today (the soht at 3 showed why though) as I think on a normal day firing into greens and holding the ball he wouldcertainly have shot much lower and I think I would have had more distance control as well. In my defence that was the first time I have ever played Ascot where there have been temporary greens throughout (there has been one or two holes before but never all 18). Sometimes it is easier to come to a place you haven't played very often and can be more subjective in clubbing where if you play a course regularly and know what you normally hit you begin to start 2nd guessing all the time.

I have to say that the temperature as we played seemed much warmer than the 1 degree my car said on the way home. The course was in good knick apart from the greens and should be a good test for all those coming to the GM society day in April.

 

[USER1999]

Minus two? You pair of softies, my car read minus 5 as I pulled into the car park this morning. Temps, obviously, has been for weeks, came 7th with 40 points, the winner having 46. Bandit, if ever I saw one.