I played today and..(Rolling) -originally created by JohnnyDee

[Hacky]

On holiday in the Scottish Highlands and had opportunity to play a lovely well presented course at Taynuilt (9 hole course near Oban). A rushed start saw 3 bogies and a shocker on the 4th leading to a lost ball. Turned it around and parred the next 5 for my best score ever. Other half couldn’t believe I still moaned about some of my shots!

Also played a couple of rounds at Dalmally, which is where we’re staying, and have thoroughly enjoyed the courses. Given the annual membership costs of around £250 I wouldn’t mind making it my local.

 

[GG26]

A round today that was both bizarre and frustrating, yet at the same time sums up my golf of late.

I've been playing a mix of okay and downright golf the last few weeks, mostly the latter, so for today's seniors Stableford my expectations weren't high. Okay tee shot, fat 8 iron that luckily bounced through the bunker, then a wedge short, chip and put for bogey. But then my game clicked and I scored 1 more bogey and two birdies to be level gross after nine on 24 points.
Maybe I got a bit excited and tensed up but I only managed to score 8 points on the back nine!

Terrible tee shots, bad lies in deep rough and a lost ball, extremely deflated.

Just remember the front nine - it shows that you are capable of great golf for at least half a round and you just need to keep it going (I appreciate easier said than done, but the potential is there).

 

[SteveW86]

Had the day off today to play with my dad and cousin at Caddington (Luton). Hadn't played it before, it's only £20 so you can't knock it for that. Weirdly we were asked to keep our trolleys off the fairways - not heard that one before in summer??

There are a couple of odd kooky holes as well. Like the 5th, a short par 4 but internal out of bounds all down the right where the 6th hole is - and in these conditions everything rolls that way so I was screwed. It's a blind a tee shot as well so I was absolutely clueless as to where my ball was. I just blobbed the hole and later found my ball while walking up the 6th!

Aside from that blob my front nine was decent and turned in 16 points. Then the wheels came off as they usually do these days. Doubled a simple par 3, then tripled a par 4, a nice par just for banter followed by a blob and two more doubles. Then the thunder that we'd been trying our best to ignore got too close for comfort and we ran in whilst being peppered with hailstones.

Nearly all my problems seemed to be short-game related. Instead of looking to get up and down it's an underhit chip and 3 putts, or knife it through, chip back up and two putts. The last double was a short par 5, I was only 50 yards short of the green for two! I don't really know what's happened, I think over the last six months I've changed my clubs, changed my chipping technique and now the courses have dried out and baked and I don't know which way is up. Can't even reset to the last point I remember it working because everything's different now.

Oh well, Club Champs this weekend. Deep joy.

You may have already watched it, but I found the video Rick Shiels did with Dan Grieve has really helped my short game in the last couple of weeks, in particular my contact which then builds the confidence.

 

[Orikoru]

You may have already watched it, but I found the video Rick Shiels did with Dan Grieve has really helped my short game in the last couple of weeks, in particular my contact which then builds the confidence.

I did watch that and thought it was helpful at the time. Now I'm wondering if it was actually the opposite. Maybe I'm trying to execute what he said without having really practised it.

 

[SteveW86]

I did watch that and thought it was helpful at the time. Now I'm wondering if it was actually the opposite. Maybe I'm trying to execute what he said without having really practised it.

I’d get the camera out then and see if What you think you are doing is what you’re actually doing.

 

[louise_a]

An eventful couple of days, yesterday was Captains prize, after a decent start, but then took 7 putts on the 6th hole, I did let my frustration get the better of my sadly. Onto the 8th hole and I was walking to my ball when one of the others in my group shouted Louise, your trolley! I must have caught the control and set it off and it was heading towards a ravine, a raced after it and as I was reaching ou tto try and stop it I when flying. I was rather cut and bruised and ended up leaving the course.
This morning my hand was swollen but we were down to play in an open at Fulford so off I went, it was sore was sore when I gripped the club but I started off with 4 pars all with single putts from 2 feet to around 20 feet, I also had a regulation par on the 5th, but couldnt keep it going and had an indiffferent middle of the round, but I did come back over the last half dozen holes.
I really enjoyed the course although it was very hot and after a long drive there and bak I am pretty worn out this evening

 

[AAC]

I played in the 3rd round of our Captains Prize singles last night, played like a numpty for the first two holes and was 2 down, I then settled in with a birdie 2 on the 3rd and got back to level on the 4th with a par, thereafter we were back and forth around even or my opponent being 1 up, I got my game together on the last few holes and was two up after 15, we halved the 16th in par, I lost the 17th to a par but won the match 2 up with a par 3 on the last.

Overall quite pleased with my game although I still have a propencity to cock a hole up completely too often from a good position, onwards now to round 4

 

[Bdill93]

Managed 4 holes last night before the heavens opened and the lightening ended the round.

Me and 2 mates were trying a 3 man scramble to try and beat our record of 6 under.. We were 1 under through 4 and all swinging pretty well with some very scoreable holes still to play..

Ball finished an inch away from an individual eagle for myself on the 2nd, making me contemplate hitting driver there again in future... (very short par 4)

 

[Wilson]

You may have already watched it, but I found the video Rick Shiels did with Dan Grieve has really helped my short game in the last couple of weeks, in particular my contact which then builds the confidence.

I watched this, it was a good reminder on some bits I had been taught, really good video I thought.

 

[Backache]

I got confirmation from the club earlier that as it's a scratch comp you don't need any minimum amount of cards submitted or comps played. Basically leaving it wide open to cheating then. What's the point?

Time to move clubs next year I think, I ain't dealing with a bunch of sandbaggers and cheats anymore.

Not quite sure I understand this. How does a scratch competition enable sandbagging or cheating?

 

[sjw]

Thought I'd post about Sunday's round of "golf"...

Front 9, first time playing with my mate in ages. Shot a 46 (I think), pretty happy with that. Couple of pars, a birdie, a triple on the first which was annoying... pretty standard stuff. Mate left after 9 as it was his kid's bedtime.

Back nine, started reasonably, double on ten, bogey on 11, not my best but was reasonably happy with ball striking etc so no problem there.

Hole 12... dear oh dear. Tried to mash driver extra hard for some reason, twice. Two hooks, two lost balls off the tee. Next shot, lost a ball as well. Three lost balls on one hole for an 11.

13 - triple. Duffed tee shot completely, three put. (It's a par 3)

14 - picked up. Another two lost balls and I just couldn't be bothered any more.

15 - par three, another triple. Think my watch gave me the wrong distance as I completely flew the green and struggled from there.

16 - triple. Couldn't strike the ball.

17 - par. Don't know what happened, but absolutely striped the ball and played the hole perfectly from there. Had a chance at birdie.

18 - can't even remember. A double, I think. Think I lost a ball as well...

I lost 7 balls in 9 holes, which is just ridiculous. If I hadn't hooked that first drive on 12, I would've scored much better, because I would've been more confident and in a better mood. Alas, I was hot (it was about 25-30 degrees) and bothered, more so by each poor shot.

Has anyone got any tips re. the mental side of things? I wasn't angry per se, but I was frustrated and thinking "well that's that scorecard ruined" and my swing just deserted me more and more. After 15 holes I was ready to go home. I need to get better at just putting a bad shot behind me. Even if I'd hooked the drive on 12 into trouble, and I'd found the ball, it wouldn't have been so bad, but I'd played 11 holes without any penalty strokes and the same ball so I was really annoyed to lose two in two shots.

 

[TigerTime]

Not quite sure I understand this. How does a scratch competition enable sandbagging or cheating?

So in theory, someone could sandbag to get into a different class making it basically cheating. In this case, my opponent has only submitted 5 scorecards in a whole year, played in the qualifier, and because of his inflated handicap, he qualified for the 'C' class. The guy was clearly a much better player than the specified handicap range for the 'C' class and should probably be off 8-11 and playing for the 'B' class. The matches are played off gross so it makes absolutely no sense to put people into different classes based off handicaps in that case.

 

[rudebhoy]

Played Hexham today. Hard work pushing a manual trolley in that heat, but what a lovely course.

Was good from tee to green, but could not get the hang of the greens at all, must have 3 putted a dozen times. And 4 putted on a par 3 after a lovely tee shot to about 15 feet.

Went out with a bang on 18. Hit a great drive down the middle, then watched all 3 PPs go for the green, only to end up well to the right of it. Decided to aim for the clubhouse and let it fade into the green. Hit it clean as a whistle, went straight as an arrow, and smacked off the clubhouse! Couple of feet to the left, it would have taken out a window. Thank heaven for small mercies.

 

[louise_a]

Another England Golf Captain's event today this time at Hollinwell, what a stunner of a course from first sight driving down the access road it did not disappoint, that said it is tough, narrow fairways, good bunkering, and some brutal heather if you strayed.
So how was my round, I parred the first 2 holes 5 points safely in the bag, on the 3rd there was a spotter, I was playing with 2 men, after they had teed off he went looking for a ball, didnt wait for my tee shot, as it was a blind drive I wasnt impressed and so I waited but he never looked up, I was feeling annyed and of course blasted by drive into the heather, I did find it but although only trying to get it back onto the fairway the heather twisted my club and i found more heather, this happened again and I eventually blobbed the hole.
On the next I hit good shots but sadly one found an unseen fairway bunker and with no shot it was another blob.
I then played pretty steadily picking up a few 3 pointers and then the last 4 holes, disaster, i knocked a putt 20 feet past after watching the others ball run like mad, on the next I forgot I had a shot and went for a reckless shot missed my bogey putt and knocked my ball away wasting a shot and finally on the last after having about 15 feet for a birdie which just missed I went to tap in but the ball horseshoed out and then I missed the next,
I only scored 28 points although I felt I played a lot better maybe 33/34 ish would have been a fairer score.
The course really was a joy to play and as a result of a poor score my handicap looks like it will go up a full shot tomorrow as I am losing a 4.8 and rpelacing it with a 13.2

 

[Crow]

Played the seniors open at Northamptonshire County today, my crap play continued, but I still enjoyed the round.

 

[Springveldt]

Midweek sweep last night and I think I might need to go for a lesson as something is off. Just couldn't keep the ball in play off the tee, lost 4 balls which is probably more than I've lost all season so far. Put the driver away for a few holes and started using a hybrid for "safety" and even managed to lose a ball with that. Had a massive slice with driver yet was pulling all my irons so I'm leaving the driver face wide open to target and path while with irons I'm closing the face to target and neutral to path, something isn't right but I've no idea what.

At least my chipping from around the green was great, got up and down loads of times, chipped in once and had another 4 chips that finished within 2 feet from around 15-20 yards away.

 

[backwoodsman]

Played at Chingford Golf Course yesterday - just on outskirts of Epping Forest. For a public course, on public open land, I thought it was in pretty decent nick. Greens were better than expected, albeit grass was a bit longer than I'm used to. Never going to make it into the top 100 courses list, but at only £18 for playing at peak time, was a decent deal. Well done to all involved in looking after the course.

 

[DeanoMK]

Midweek Stableford yesterday, teeing off at 4:30.

Started really well with 2 scrambled pars and a bogey but the rest of the round was a little bit of a battle, my strike was ever so slightly off resulting in tops and thins.

Even hit a sh*nk which I haven't done for a while. Managed to finish par, bogey to hit the 30 point mark which I was pleased with.

Lost a good score on my handicap though so I've gone up to 15.4 - just can't seem to put a decent round together when it counts but really don't feel like I'm too far off.

Medal on Saturday - we go again!

 

[Wilson]

9 holes this morning, first hit on the course with my new fairway wood, and it was a shocker, punched a 4i under the tree for my 2nd, wedge to 2ft for a simple par! After the bad start I was really consistent, bad drive on 6 cost me a bogey, but a birdie on 8 gave me a level par round, very happy.

 

[Bdill93]

Thought I'd post about Sunday's round of "golf"...

Front 9, first time playing with my mate in ages. Shot a 46 (I think), pretty happy with that. Couple of pars, a birdie, a triple on the first which was annoying... pretty standard stuff. Mate left after 9 as it was his kid's bedtime.

Back nine, started reasonably, double on ten, bogey on 11, not my best but was reasonably happy with ball striking etc so no problem there.

Hole 12... dear oh dear. Tried to mash driver extra hard for some reason, twice. Two hooks, two lost balls off the tee. Next shot, lost a ball as well. Three lost balls on one hole for an 11.

13 - triple. Duffed tee shot completely, three put. (It's a par 3)

14 - picked up. Another two lost balls and I just couldn't be bothered any more.

15 - par three, another triple. Think my watch gave me the wrong distance as I completely flew the green and struggled from there.

16 - triple. Couldn't strike the ball.

17 - par. Don't know what happened, but absolutely striped the ball and played the hole perfectly from there. Had a chance at birdie.

18 - can't even remember. A double, I think. Think I lost a ball as well...

I lost 7 balls in 9 holes, which is just ridiculous. If I hadn't hooked that first drive on 12, I would've scored much better, because I would've been more confident and in a better mood. Alas, I was hot (it was about 25-30 degrees) and bothered, more so by each poor shot.

Has anyone got any tips re. the mental side of things? I wasn't angry per se, but I was frustrated and thinking "well that's that scorecard ruined" and my swing just deserted me more and more. After 15 holes I was ready to go home. I need to get better at just putting a bad shot behind me. Even if I'd hooked the drive on 12 into trouble, and I'd found the ball, it wouldn't have been so bad, but I'd played 11 holes without any penalty strokes and the same ball so I was really annoyed to lose two in two shots.

I share your struggle once I've properly cocked up a hole. I just stop caring about the whole round entirely.

I will note that it tends to happen with mates more than it does in a comp, at least you have something to grind it out for in a comp, playing solo/ socially at your home club who literally cares

An that's my tip really, just go to work on making some good chips or putts etc if your longer game has gone to pot and you're playing for nothing. The round doesn't matter!