Played yesterday in hurricane like conditions

[brendy]

And loved it, I was playing Clubchamp07's track, Massereene GC, in a society outing (4 ball betterball) . My parther Paul and I managed 44 points, I shot a 79, 36 out and 43 in par 72(38 points) with a bogey bogey finish which was a little disappointing) and was very happy with that because of the weather and dressed greens.
The greens are still in a tined condition so nothing was easy on the short stuff, I managed a couple of good 40 foot lags but missed a lot of 6-10 foot putts that just stopped on the edge of the hole. Virtually every par 3 and some of the par 5's were into the wind. I got to put my recent practice of long irons low into the wind to use and was surprised at how well I was hitting the ball and still getting good distance.
Three teams drew with 83 points (2 x 2balls per team) with us being beaten on the best second score rule, ours having 39. Still, I won nearest the pin on the 148 yard 14th and got a couple of bottles of plonk.

 

[TonyN]

Well done Brendy.

I have been practicing the knockdown (have been in the trees alot) and I was also surprised at how far it goes considering.

Glad someones game is up to the job. I was thinking of taking up bowls.

 

[mono217]

well played sound like you played well considering the conditions.

 

[theeaglehunter]

Nice play Brendy, and I'm glad that you also enjoyed the challenge wind can bring to a golf course.

I played in the windiest conditions I have ever experienced on Wednesday and played very well. There was at least a 4/5 club wind on some holes and even though my club selection was well out when downwind playing full shots, trying to manufacture different shot shapes / trajectories and seeing them come off into / with a side wind is very satisfying.

One hole that stands to mind is on a 535 yard par 5 that was playing straight into about a 3 or 4 club wind with random stronger gusts. I hit a full blooded driver off the tee which spun up in the wind and ended up dropping almost straight down 220 yards from the tee, I was happy though as I had caught it bang out of the middle and in other conditions it would have been a peach straight down the middle. I was on the fairway with a nice lie and decided to try and hit a low running 5 wood up to about the 100 yard mark I caught it very well and it went nearly as far as my drive having kept under the wind (It was probably about 15 ft in the air at its highest point!) and got a good bounce. My layup had worked and I had about 100 yards to the green. I got out my 9 iron (usually travels about 130-135 in the air) choked down on it and punched it with 100% effort taking a nice clean divot. I then stood back and watched it penetrate through the wind and spin / stop dead pin high about 6 ft away which I was very happy with.

As I say I have never really played in strong winds (I play on an inland course, which although high on a hill usually only has relatively strong gusts- very rarely does it have permanent 4/5 club winds with gusts that probably make a 6 club difference!) and I throughly enjoyed seeing shots come off that I pictured in my mind. Granted some were unsuccessful and got caught in the wind taking them well off line, whilst even with the help of my skycaddie I was over clubbing into downwind greens- I carried my 9 iron 170 yards at 1 point. The experience was definitely good fun though and the fact that I came in 11 shots under the CSS for the day (I wasn't playing in the comp unfortunately!) despite my inexperience in these conditions was very pleasing.

I am now desperate to play a good windy links course to try and out do similar conditions again Seeing a drive hold up straight having hit it with a nice draw into a strong left to right wind is as pleasing to me as any birdie has been.

Oh and before I get slaughtered for considering these to be windy conditions, I fully accept that some of you links boys would consider this a gentle breeze, however I am by no means used to this and have never played in stronger winds in the gradually approaching 2 years in which I've been playing seriously.

 

[brendy]

It certainly concentrates the mind doesnt it? Playing the low shots is one area I was crap at in the past and now would consider it one of my better attributes, I was hitting 3 irons into some of the longer par 3's into the wind, around 180-195 yard, normally a 5 iron, with no wind, Id say a normal 3 would have just about made it with 100% effort but hitting it low into the wind it never rose above 15 feet or so and landed just shy of the greens and ran up to the middle fo the green, not always stiff to the flag but certainly a better result than trying to loft a long iron in.
Massereene is right on Lough Neagh so for all intents and purposes gets links style weather at times, Im back playing there again in a couple of weeks and am looking forward to it.

 

[Herbie]

Its a good feeling when it comes togeather in high winds, well done.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Its cetrtainly an advantage you links player has over the majority of us who don't have to tackle such conditions on a regular basis and so never really practice the different shots required. I grew up on a course on common land which was very hard and dry in summer so got use to hitting low pitch and runs from 150 yards and in and could hit low running hooks and high cuts but its an art I haven't practiced for years. I'll be out next week though hitting low shots and little knockdowns ready to take on Lydd again.