Mandofred
Well-known member
Actually went to practice this morning and noticed the clubs practice balls on the field for the first time since March. I just bring my own since it would cost a fortune to pay for buckets of balls.
I'm doomed
- Thread starter Mandofred
- Start date
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
We use to be able to hit our own (and go and pick them up - players had an unwritten rule that they'd stop hitting - or simply pitch etc when someone went out) but H&S got involved especially as we have a large house at the far end. Now have to use reduced distance range balls and pay although the pro does offer a "range membership" and you pay £75 (or the equivalent of 25 buckets) for unlimited use. Must be close to be being ahead of the game already and only paid when we came back after lockdown
Mandofred
Well-known member
It's only a matter of time before something will need happen on our field. I drop to wedges when another person goes out to pick balls. But, I also try to practice early so I don't have to share the field at all. Others keep hitting the long balls no matter what.
bobmac
Major Champion
Is betting not allowed at your place?
Mandofred
Well-known member
Betting is fine, exchanging money hand to hand is the no-no as part of the virus rules. A couple groups are keeping spreadsheets to keep track of who owes money to who. Too much effort in my opinion. I also wouldn't want someone coming up to me in a couple of months and asking for a bunch of money that I may owe. Being an ex-teacher....that would be kind of like having a kid in class get in trouble and then you punish him 2 months from now. I don't care much about betting, but it means something if you get money or pay money immediately afterwards. 2 months from now I won't have any idea why I got the money/or owed the money.
Foxholer
Blackballed
With that state of mind, your prediction of doom is be fulfilled!
Relax, enjoy the sunshine (or rain, wind or whatever). Negative thoughts create negative results, so think positive!
Mandofred
Well-known member
I'm actually not worried. I'm just hoping I can continue the swing improvements I have been working on. Short easy swing and keep my friggin eyes on the ball. I'm one of those guys with a bit of a temper which I've been improving the last couple of years. It just drives me crazy to KNOW that if I take a nice easy short swing then I get good results. But somewhere at the end of the backswing the evil Fred pops up and I change the rhythm of the swing and swing too hard. The ball pretty well NEVER goes further because the timing is worse.
Mandofred
Well-known member
Well, now I wish I'd only been doomed. It was worse than that. Pulled my tee shot on the 1st into trees about 40 yards from the tee....luckily bounced mostly forward and almost saved my par. 2nd hole lost my 2nd shot in the bushes/trees, double bogie. 3rd hole par 3 landed middle of green and proceeded to hit a putt so truly bad that it hit someone else's ball....penalty. 5 over after 3 holes and just gave up. Nothing worked all day. Not being able to warm up is such a crap shoot for me. Sometimes I can swing fine, but if things aren't fine it takes most of the round to get things going again.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
The warm up is important to me, aside from getting old and need to get the back and other parts moving and loosening up, to get my tempo for the day. Do you have a practice net by the first tee. Something has to be better than nothing. Have you raised it with the club? If you are hitting your own balls why does there have to be a start time in place. Definitely worth pursuing
Mandofred
Well-known member
Yep, asked. No. To be fair to them though.....plenty of people just will ignore the rules. There is a hitting net near the putting green.....but it's blocked off. I'm sure that if there were some balls just sitting there, people would just walk in and grab them without caring/thinking about it and start smacking them. They are just trying to keep people from doing stupid things.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Did they give a reason? It seems rather an archaic ruling. May be something worth considering bringing it up as AOB at the AGM (however it's conducted this year)
