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Molly

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Jun 11, 2008
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I am playing my first round of Links tomorrow at Princes.

I have been playing golf for about 7 years and surprised myself that this will be my first stab at the proper form of the game. I am really looking forward to it.

Just back from a 3 day break in Norwich where I was shocking at best - 27, 34 and 29 stableford points over the three days - so not completely confident! I am also playing with a 7 handicapper that is bang in form and a 10 handicapper that just text gloating he'd come off his local track (Broome Park in Canterbury) having shot 79. He advises a re-mortgage to cover the swindles!

I will be warming up with a few slaps on the range and the odd putt before I get to the first tee, but wondered if you Links veteran's had any pearls for me?
 
Keep the ball on the short stuff or else you will lose 12 balls like me. That course really did give me a good kicking. I left a broken man! Much to the amusement of my playing partners.
 
If its windy don't get to caught up with yardages you can almost play anything from anywhere keep it down - I know it sounds obvious but try to hit as many fairways as you can, a 3 wood down the fairway will be longer than a driver into the rough and avoid the bunkers.

Enjoy it and I am jealous
 
It really is a case of thinking your way around rather than blasting. Take a look at where you get shots and decide whether you really need to attack. Enjoy it though - links golf is the purest form of the game

And btw if find any Srixons with a blue dot drop HTL a PM for his address!!
 
I know the course very well, keep it out of the rough as if you dont, you WILL lose plenty of balls.

Greens will not be particularly stoppy this time of year so take a club less and let it work on with anything longer than say 80 yards.

The 1st on the dunes is a hard drive, aim straight out of the tee-markers and take a long iron or rescue.

Beware the evil bunkers, there are some bad ones and thats for sure.

Most of all though, enjoy it, it really is a great place.
 
Swing easy in the wind.
Avoid the use of very lofted clubs off tight lies.
Master the knock down shot by clubbing up into the wind and moving ball back in stance.
Keep the ball below the hole when approaching greens.
Take a compass in case it gets foggy.
Enjoy it!
 
Molly - Breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy your walk.

Links golf means you can hit your best shot and end up in the clag and your worst shot can end up being great.

Enjoy your day
 
I had a day there a few weeks back and it is a great course. Like everyone says it is not overly long but the rough is extremely penal so staying (relatively) straight is advisable!

Enjoy...not jealous in the slightest.
 
Stay in the fairway dont try and bring hte big dog out all the time because the wind it strong the rough is thick and you wont have any balls left by the end of the round.

Irons of the tee maybe.
 
Cheers for the advice lads - will definitely be on the putting green MWJ and will be trying out McIlroy's distance putting drills from this month's mag.

Finished packing - plenty of balls in the bag, but the 58deg wedge is staying at home. Just deciding whether to take full waterproofs or just go straight for the scuba gear!

Teeing off at 13:30, then a few beers for the post match pi55 take, so likely post a review Saturday.
 
If you've got a Skycaddie (or similar) remember to take it with you. If not, I strongly advise that you purchase a strokesaver from the pro shop.
If I remember correctly, the yardage discs at Princes are all different colours and whereas on most other courses I've played the yellow discs indicate 150 yards, you can have different colours meaning different things down there. On one hole a yellow disc will be 150, on another the yellow will be 100 and a red will indicate 150!
Also the lack of reference points, (trees etc), will make it a little more difficult to correctly judge distances.
Rob

Oh! And the greens will be quick.... ;) ;) ;) ;)
 
Why you leaving the wedge out? Hope ya dont get stuck behind a bunker. If you can use it, take it.

3 pieces of advice from me.

1) Get the putter out as early as you can
2) Get the ball on the deck as early as possible (chip and run rather than half wedges etc)
3) Enjoy it and dont get hung up thinking about all the advice, links golf is something else!
 
WOW! Links golf is for heroes, superstars and the hardiest of souls! What a tough day!

We played the Dunes and Himalayas. We were very lucky with the weather as we stayed dry all the way round, it started to spit as I loaded the clubs back into the boot. But....the wind blew - ridiculously hard - it was at least 3 clubs worth!

The good news is that I finished the best of our fourball and won the cash :D. I had half a dozen pars, which I was very pleased with, but all too many double bogeys...which totalled up to just 28 points...that said, I was pretty happy with that! I was hitting the ball well and on a day without the wind (which I took a while to cope with), I would likely have hit my handicap (15).

As expected, anything remotely wide was punished and even to hack out was difficult. Gives you even more respect for the pros when they get in the knee high stuff and nail a 7 iron 180 yards to within 15 feet...within 6 feet and your man's a god!

The greens were...surprising. I say surprising as I don't want to say disappointing. They very good and did have a very true roll, but they were slow...surprised by that as expected Links greens to be lightening. Though i should not complain as I putted pretty well - no 3 putts, very pleased!

I drove pretty well, but the wind just took the ball. It took me a few holes to work out just how much to allow....loads! Even once I thought I'd cracked it, I obviously hadn't! Best drive came on the 5th of the Himalayas...wind behind mind you, but according to the GPS it was 318 yards - daft!But then two holes later, I hit a flushed 3 wood into the wind on the par 3 which measured 168 to the flag. I was just on the green and 15 yards short of the flag...but I took the nearest pin cash :cool:

Used a new tactic on my short game too. I pulled out the 8-iron around the greens and was chipping everything to within 6 feet, quite a few even stone dead. That felt great and I think the 8-iron might be the way forward for the short game - usually a wedge man, but often leave things short or overhit.

Sounds like I have described a round much better than 28 points, but that's how I felt I played....much better than I scored!

In summary, it was a great day. It was very difficult, but very enjoyable. I don't think I'd like to do it every week as I am sure it would be soul destroying to battle those sort of conditions every week - and I realise I got off lightly looking at the Irish Open! The company was very good too, which always helps. My jaw is still aching from all that laughing!

Thanks for all the advice...look forward to seeing some of you in action on a forum day some time.

Cheers
 
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