Played with a Pro

[John_Findlay]

I was lucky enough on Sunday to play a full round with Ian Butcher, the professional who's been giving me lessons for the past 3 or 4 years. What a great experience.

Not only did I get to sample a new course, Archerfield (Dirleton) which is right beside Muirfield and is pretty exclusive but we got a great day for golf for once and I got the chance to pit my game against a pretty tidy player to say the least.

Ian gave me 5 shots on any holes of my choice.....he called them "bisques"...which I've never played before. Good format, rather than getting shots according to stroke index. Very tactical. 3 up at the turn and 1 up going down the last I played the wrong ball from the rough next to the green so we ended up with a very friendly halved match.

So what did I learn?

Well. First of all, I can't chip. TOMO21 and anyone who has ever played with me knows this and it'll be my priority again this year. Major technical and psychological issues which I'm sure I'll eventually sort out with tons of proper practice.

Secondly, I don't play daft shots too often. The par 5's at the Dirleton especially were very tactical. Most could just about be reached with 2 screamers but I was sensible enough to lay up to a full wedge on them all and played them very well. Most had run offs into water on the approach so why try landing a 5 wood on the green from 240 yards. You'll only do it once in a blue moon. Good lesson learned form Ian, that. And to the heart of the green on any par 3 is always good.

Thirdly, you don't need to "mell" the ball to keep up with the good guys. Play to your own strengths and keep the ball in play. Don't be tempted to try to drive it 280 every time. I can't anyway so why try.

Fourthly. It's great fun playing with someone who knows what they're talking about. If any of you ever get the chance then go for it. Highly recommended.

So, Ian, if you're watching...thanks. And see you for that next chipping lesson!

 

[Herbie]

Im pleased for you john, I have played with 5 pros over the years, most of them the pro at the club I was a member and you do learn a lot from a great player.

The last pro I played with was about 4 yrs ago, the pro of Tetney golf club, I had to play some of my best golf ever just to halve the 9 holes we played.My round included an eagle and 2 birdies, he seemed to just flow along as if he was just having a knock about. Heh heh, maybe he was?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I had a similar experience last summer. Nipped off work early and was going around my home course when I caught up a 2 ball who turned out to be a pro and his assitant from a nearby club. I was invited to join them and immediately felt nervous playing with such good players (irrational given my experience but I'm only human).

The pro's ball striking was pretty solid and he was fairly long off the tee but it was around the green that it was a revelation. He didn't hit too many GIR's which suprised me but I don't think he failed to get up and down once. It all seemed so simple. Not sure he had a putt longer than 15 foot all round

The assistant was a bit of a loose cannon. Very much a bomber off the tee he was stunning when he found his ball but was way too wild and lost a couple. He also didn't have the short game skills of his boss although still adept.

I learnt that you don't have to try and hit every green as long as you have the skils to recover. Simple stuff but a real eye opener when you see it in action.

 

[Adjani]

Played my coach about 7 months ago, i was excited more than nervous, and talked more golf than i played; great lesson/experience though.

Learnt alot from his relaxed attitude, his course management and very accurate short game on the day.

He finished level par, i was 11 over (first time on the track)

Gonna kick his arse next time we go out!!

 

[Tommo21]

I’ll tell you John, how I learned to chip was by not looking at the target after the initial sizing up, or even bothering where the ball went. I would just hit say 20 balls without looking at the result or the target. That way you learn to feel the shot and only bother about a better ball strike. Then you can bother about length. A little like a good football player who knows where the net is.

Good playing with the pro init.

 

[TonyN]

I am fortunate enough to have a mate who is a pro. And when he came home from playing on the swiss PGA last year he was HOT! We played Vicars cross in chester, first time he had played, with out a planner and he went round 2 over I think, he was just sublime. He hits his pw as far as I do my bloody 7 iron, with ease.

On the subject of chipping. I just watched a few pro's. Including my mate and seen what was going on in the swing. Replicated it untill I was getting the right results and spent hours on hours grooving it. A week without practice leaves me rustier than an old bmx chain!

 

[Doh]

Being the club captain this year i get to play with our club pro in the winter league. We have played together a lot before. Must say it's a great expierience and would reccommend it to anyone.

 

[DCB]

That's a rather fine tick on your list of courses played John.

It's a real eyeopener to see how these guys plot there way around a course. I had the pleasure of a pro walking round with myself and another chap when we attended a course at Inverclyde some years ago. Simple things like where to (try) drive the ball. What side to miss a green on, if you can't get it on the green. Layups, where to layup to / from.

The difference in the way they a) attack the course or b) play defensively, is what seperates the men from the boys.

Glad you had a good day weatherwise when you played Archerfield.

 

[Canfordhacker]

I played Turnberry on my own once in the middle of March, all wrapped up against the cold. Caught up with a three ball who invited me to join them. It was obvious one guy was hosting the others, and after two holes I asked one of them what the guy played off as he seemed pretty good. They laughed and told me he was Andrew Murray, and he had played at the Open when it was staged at Turnberry. I watched him hit driver driver to one hole into a very stiff wind and understood why...it's a different game.