Not fair!

[toonarmy]

Well, even when you try and be good, you get stopped! I've just come back in after an aborted attempt at some putting practice.

I'd had a midday tee time booked but my playing partner cried off with the weather being cold. After insulting him for being a big nancy, I pottered off to test out my putters and see about some solid shortstick practice.

After about 10 minutes, my hands were bright red and I couldn't feel a thing! And then it started to snow! Even I know when to give in! If there's such a thing as Karma, I should hole everything on Monday cos at least I tried to get some practice in.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Spent the afternoon at the range trying to iron out some swing kinks. Had to stop several times for snow showers blowing into the bay and causing a white out. Couldn't see the ball at all shooting straight into the snow.

Got a lesson booked for 11.00 tomorrow but the forecast is not looking good so got a feeling the practice ground will either be under snow or it will be raining

 

[brendy]

Snow? dear god!, it was bright blue skies and the occasional cloud here, the reason for very few clouds was the 40+mph winds we were playing into for most of the time.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Yep we had 40+ mph gusts as well. Only redeeming part being they blew the snow squalls through very quickly

 

[golfcitydweller]

went out at 3pm ...effin freezin!played ok ,greens on jubilee running at 8.5 on the `stimp`..superb for this time of the year..

 

[brendy]

On our 15th hole, dogleg left 410 yards with massive landing areas bit the longer you go the further it takes you from the green, hit a 5 wood second shot into the wind after a well struck driver only went around 220 into the wind tops. Started off right of the flag and turned 60 yards left at the end and barely stayed on the course, that must have been an awful swing with a big hook I told myself, hit another in case the first was gone, did exactly the same thing, threw down a third in tin cup style and did the same again, wandered down and found all three just inside the course boundary and each within 4 yards of each other. As much as I had a nightmare with a set of trial RAC LT2 irons, I enjoyed the driving challenge.

 

[RGuk]

We had snow.....not to mention gales......

I managed to come 3rd in the monthly stableford though, despite finding the into-the-wind holes crazy.

Par 5 (normaly driver, 3 wood, wedge) - yesterday driver, 3 wood, 3 wood, 20 yard 7 iron chip....2 putts for a crappy bogey...

 

[John_Findlay]

We had squawly snow in East Lothian for about five minutes yesterday before I teed off.

Thought there was no prospect of us playing as the wind chill factor was -5. By noon we decided to take a risk but it was still very windy and ended up cold but very, very happy with a 76 to claim our "League of Gentlemen" title for the first time.

Our par 3's are normally around 8 or 7 iron hits but yesterday I played 4 iron, 3 iron, 5 iron, 7 iron, 3 iron.

Was pipped to the individual event by one shot by my pal getting an eagle (net albatross) on the last but did enough to come second for the points to overtake the leader in the last event of the season. Wayhay.

Thought it may have been my day when my pitch over the bunker on the 1st, which would normally have skipped happily through the green, hit the pin and stopped dead to save a par!!

Championee, championee! (Sorry, I don't win often )

 

[DCB]

J_F

Well done contending with the wind, the snow, the wind chill etc.

I'm afraid I didn't bother yesterday it was just too wintery for my liking. The wind and wind chill were unbelievable for this time of year.

Well done on your win in those conditions.

 

[brendy]

Got back out today and using the Titleist AP2's and middle tees (first week this year) shot a round of 77 (+6) which I am very happy with, the wind was blowing something rediculous again, as it was yesterday though these new irons handled the wind a lot better as they definately are lower trajectory though every bit as easy to hit. The real difference in my game today with the irons was on the par 3's where I hit 3/4 greens and had 2 2's plus one yesterday so I think I might just but that credit towards these irons

 

[John_Findlay]

Thanks David,

Fairly lifted my spirits scoring so well in those conditions. Hit 85% fairways, 56% GIR and 33 putts (with three 3 putts!)

The greens were actually in great nick for once but it was full winter woollies and knock downs all the way round.

Radio Forth were playing "I'm dreaming of a white easter" in the car on the way down to Craigielaw...and we got one. Mental weather but a lovely trophy on the mantelpiece for a year to show for it

 

[RGuk]

Does that make 24 putts for 15 of the holes?
Calm down......could have been a 73 without.....scarily good J_F!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Had a lesson this morning. Was absolutely freezing. I knew it must be cold because the course was open and there must have been 20 cars tops at 11.00 in the car park.

I was fine swinging a club but once we stopped to look at the video of my swing (pro took his camera out without me asking for any video analysis) and for him to go through the faults and cures it was shockingly cold.

Good news was he has pointed out what I am doing wrong (reverse pivot as I thought in my previous posts) but was caused by a knock kneed address and excessive knee movement.

He has me standing with my weight far more central over the laces of my shoes and has worked on making sure my takeway is more back with my arms in front of my chest instead of going inside too quickly.

Rather than stand in a wet desolate practice ground to hone these changes I went inside paid the guy his money (well earned) and went to a local range where at least I was protected from the wind and rain a little.

Took a little time to get into it and I was beginning to panic but I've got it sorted a little more now (although I still feel I'm about 10-15 yards down on distance) and I have started to eradicate the weak slice or big pull hooks. Not perfect yet but I'll take it on the course tomorrow (and maybe the range afterwards) and see how I go.

 

[John_Findlay]

Does that make 24 putts for 15 of the holes?

Yes, Dave. Lord. Not like me at all, who's averaging 36.5 putts per round this year.

Did have a couple of tap-in birdies and scrambled well from just off the greens for once. (50% par scrambles!) That made all the difference. Felt like Brendy!

Had a silly spell on 10, 11 and 12 where I went bogey, double bogey, bogey or it could have been a doozy.

Had to play a greenside bunker shot from both knees on 10; 3-putted 11 and missed a short one on 12. Came in level par after that, though, so vey happy.

 

[brendy]

50% is pretty damn good JF, maybe ill call it doing a JF in future!
My up and downs were a little off today as I was concentrating on my md 50deg instead of my 56deg spin mill, its taking a while to adjust to the little more roll out it is giving so my par scrambles took a little hit today. Should be business as usual next week with a little more off course practice.

 

[John_Findlay]

Yip Brendy. 4 scrambles out of 8 is very good for me. Usually would only have 1 or 2 out of 8 but I've started chipping with my 5,6,7 and 8 irons instead of the wedges. Real links shots. What an improvement. Lesson learned.

Driving was great, too, yesterday. Was hitting into the wind on most holes (it kept changing) and I was visualising just hitting a spot on the fairway well short of where I wanted the ball to land. Made me swing really smoothly, keeping the spin off it and meant I controlled pretty much every drive very well. It's all a good learning process.