Just too difficult?

[Heidi]

Phew, survived my trip to do courses 99 and 100.
Kintyre was beautiful, great weather on Sunday too. The hotel at Turnberry is magnificent.

Then they hit you with a golf course that is just mega - the Ailsa proved too long, too tough, and way too windy for me!

are some courses just too difficult for us mere mortals?

 

[FairwayDodger]

Sometimes the combination of long courses and difficult weather makes it a bit of a struggle. All I remember of playing the Wales National course in wind and rain was that I didnae enjoy it at all! :mmm:

How long is the Ailsa?

 

[Heidi]

its 6100 off yellows par 69, 5800 off reds - and a par 75, but i never seemed to play anything but driver, then 3 wood, then another 3 wood into the wind - exhausting! and the bunkers! eek! managed to get out of a few, but i really shouldnt have gone in them.

the wind and rain was horrible.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Yeah at that length it's a different game than I'm used to - lots more fairway woods and long irons. Add the wind and rain....

 

[Heidi]

i'm gonna play it again tho! it was gorgeous - but you have to think your way round and not just hit and hope like i was doing today!
might get a lesson on how to get out of bunkers that are above your head...tell you what though - I'll be fine in normal bunkers now!

back to parkland for me again for a few weeks!

 

[Andy]

Shame you never got to play the Ailsa yesterday in the sun Heidi, it is much the better course.

Still you can say you have played both.

Where's your own course?

 

[connor]

its 6100 off yellows par 69, 5800 off reds - and a par 75, but i never seemed to play anything but driver, then 3 wood, then another 3 wood into the wind - exhausting! and the bunkers! eek! managed to get out of a few, but i really shouldnt have gone in them.

the wind and rain was horrible.

same length as my home course just we got par 72. and are course is unplayable in bad winds being its right on a cliff top

 

[Heidi]

aye - was just bad luck that the rain started at about the 15th, but the wind was fierce all day today. yesterday was t shirt weather - and much less wind. but hey ho, that just the luck of the draw.

am feeling mentally drained from playing, hope that's the worst weather i have to contend with on an open championship course!! somehow i doubt it tho. carnoustie in june better be kinder to me

usually play munis in Edinburgh, they will seem short in comparison at just over 5000 yards off the reds and par 70/71

I will defo go back tho, the whole turnberry experience was amazing

 

[connor]

i really want to play a famous course and take my old man there for his birthday but not sure where to go. Do most need a h/c cert as mine is only 27 and his is 28

 

[patricks148]

Ladies don't worry about having to hit 3 woods on your 2nd shots. I had to hit 4 of them as my 2nd shots on saturday on the front 9 at Nairn, and some of those still didn't reach

 

[Heidi]

i really want to play a famous course and take my old man there for his birthday but not sure where to go. Do most need a h/c cert as mine is only 27 and his is 28

No - they didnt care about handicap certs, they just want your cash! I play off 18 (altho today i would happily have taken 36) and hubby plays off 24.
Check out golf breaks.com - thats who i used to book it. they offer some really good deals.
the price of the courses is steep, but the whole combo can be a reasonable price!!

beware - the hotel is expensive - two gins - over £20! We ate out last night at the local restaurant called Wildings.

if you go - trust me, you will have an amazing time!

 

[papyt]

glad you had a good time HEIDI your story has highlighted a debate we had at a golf dinner last year regarding h/caps were it got a little heated,if you have read my posts on here you will note i have a large dose of sarcastic tongue in cheek fun so when i said to a fellow diner that his h/c off 10 was only based on his rather easy very flat up and down course and if he played at mine he would be off 16 proves a point is your h/c only relevant to your own course?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Glad it was a good trip even if the elements made the golf perhaps more of a grind than a game. I guess if you are hitting nothing but drivers, woods and hybrids to most holes it can become a little soul destroying but I'm sure the views made up for it.

 

[Heidi]

glad you had a good time HEIDI your story has highlighted a debate we had at a golf dinner last year regarding h/caps were it got a little heated,if you have read my posts on here you will note i have a large dose of sarcastic tongue in cheek fun so when i said to a fellow diner that his h/c off 10 was only based on his rather easy very flat up and down course and if he played at mine he would be off 16 proves a point is your h/c only relevant to your own course?

I dont disagree that i really could have done with a larger handicap today, but surely if i played that course every week, i'd know how to play it, how to avoid traps, where best to place the ball...and my handicap would be a reflection of my ability over a number of rounds in all sorts of weather.

sometimes, i cant play my own easy, flat course !

 

[gregbwfc]

Turnberry is an amazing place.
I've played this time of year a few times (wedding anniversary) and had 4 seasons in one day.
16th into the wind- wow.
Just stood in the fairway thinking " I can't make it over the burn, lay up".
Yeah, it's tough - as it should be.

 

[connor]

glad you had a good time HEIDI your story has highlighted a debate we had at a golf dinner last year regarding h/caps were it got a little heated,if you have read my posts on here you will note i have a large dose of sarcastic tongue in cheek fun so when i said to a fellow diner that his h/c off 10 was only based on his rather easy very flat up and down course and if he played at mine he would be off 16 proves a point is your h/c only relevant to your own course?

i agree with this my best ever score has been a 90 and that was on my uncles course 300 miles away which ive only played 5times, and i felt like i could of been lower after scuttling a few down the fairway, My cousin plays off 22 and thinks my 27 is far to high when i played with them. but My best score down here is 95 and i play there every week but normally average 98-105.

 

[Heidi]

Turnberry is an amazing place.
I've played this time of year a few times (wedding anniversary) and had 4 seasons in one day.
16th into the wind- wow.
Just stood in the fairway thinking " I can't make it over the burn, lay up".
Yeah, it's tough - as it should be.

am still in awe of it!
we went into the clubhouse for grub after and were looking at all the stuff on the walls, the scores those pros can post is phenomenal!

its definately the hardest course i've played. It really brings home the difference between what a pro can do, and what a club golfer is capable of! I think the 16th was my fave hole - difficult to tell with the wind and rain battering into me tho.

roll on the next time. I'll not let a golf course beat me!