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Barking_Mad

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Nice win! (y)

I'm keen to play bigger courses - like Headingley - just need to get a little more consistent. Still have too many days where I hack around like I've never picked up a club before. Strangely enough though, when I played Cookridge, I did better than I expected. Only fourteen holes were playable because of the weather and I got round those in 74. In contrast, I played 18 at the much smaller Village course this morning and only just got my score down to double figures. Had a shocker!

Headingley is a good test, especially the greens. I've played it 3 times but that was the first time I've broken 90. My friend is a good player but his 10 handicap is mostly on his own course and full of gimmes and drops in the fairways for lost balls. ?



Im not a member of a club, as expense aside, I'm not convinced I'd wouldn't be bored playing the same course all the time and I think I'm a better player for switching courses each week. That said playing the same course is probably a better way to get a lower handicap....
 

2blue

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I'm not a member of a club, as expense aside, I'm not convinced I'd wouldn't be bored playing the same course all the time and I think I'm a better player for switching courses each week. That said playing the same course is probably a better way to get a lower handicap....
I used to think that before joining a Club & working on my H/cap. Yes it's great to play lots of different courses & I still do but, I quickly came to realise that the idea that your home course is the same each time you play it is so, so wrong. Wind, course condition, pin positions etc when you become tuned in to improving, are enough to maintain your interest. In fact putting a score together on another course can be very frustrating due to the 'unknowns'.... yes, they do add interest but don't often help the H/cap.
Plenty to chose from in the N Leeds area as well as those Starter courses such as Brandon, The Village & Roundhay are great but you need to join a Club if you want to progress & somewhere with good practice facilities & coaches.
Good luck
 

HeftyHacker

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I used to think that before joining a Club & working on my H/cap. Yes it's great to play lots of different courses & I still do but, I quickly came to realise that the idea that your home course is the same each time you play it is so, so wrong. Wind, course condition, pin positions etc when you become tuned in to improving, are enough to maintain your interest. In fact putting a score together on another course can be very frustrating due to the 'unknowns'.... yes, they do add interest but don't often help the H/cap

This.

The trick is to find somewhere that has a bit of a balance.

My home club isn't the most difficult and is quite forgiving off the tee. When I joined, as a rookie 20 handicapper with a wild slice, this was exactly what I needed as I learnt my game as it meant I could still post a score and not get too demoralised. As I've got better it means I can focus on getting my handicap down and knowing a course well means that, even when you're having a disastrous round, you can usually salvage it to some extent. I have played at some courses and, although I've enjoyed it, I'd thought I could never be a member there as I'd be fed up of it beating me up if I was out of form etc. But I guess you'd learn to adapt and probably become a better player.

With my course not being the longest I have found that my iron play has suffered somewhat but because the rounds are "free" you don't mind just heading out with specific clubs in mind and practising a few different things, whereas if I was paying 30 quid plus for the pleasure I'd want to be playing proper golf, all the time. But that's just my mentality.
 

clubchamp98

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This.

The trick is to find somewhere that has a bit of a balance.

My home club isn't the most difficult and is quite forgiving off the tee. When I joined, as a rookie 20 handicapper with a wild slice, this was exactly what I needed as I learnt my game as it meant I could still post a score and not get too demoralised. As I've got better it means I can focus on getting my handicap down and knowing a course well means that, even when you're having a disastrous round, you can usually salvage it to some extent. I have played at some courses and, although I've enjoyed it, I'd thought I could never be a member there as I'd be fed up of it beating me up if I was out of form etc. But I guess you'd learn to adapt and probably become a better player.

With my course not being the longest I have found that my iron play has suffered somewhat but because the rounds are "free" you don't mind just heading out with specific clubs in mind and practising a few different things, whereas if I was paying 30 quid plus for the pleasure I'd want to be playing proper golf, all the time. But that's just my mentality.
Yes this.
If I want to practice my irons I just throw a ball in the semi just ahead of the tee rather than playing off it.
 

Depreston

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down to 7.1 from 9.4

every round feels like a hell of a battle now. need to forget about handicap and just try and get more enjoyment out there i can comfortably shoot enough pars to break 80 but double bogeys are the killer
 

harpo_72

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Yes this.
If I want to practice my irons I just throw a ball in the semi just ahead of the tee rather than playing off it.
Careful you could attract the club rules brigade … but the other way to do it is play a 7 iron off the par 4s and get long iron second shots as practice and then no one can be upset.
 

Junior

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Started at 4, got down to 3.8, then a couple of good ones dropped off and I've finished on 4.8. Played more qualifying rounds than ever before and aside from a run of bad few rounds in the middle of the season, I've played quite consistent.

The elusive level par in a qualifier still has not happened yet, despite being under par after 13 holes a couple of times. I also achieved my best ever score of 2 under (at Knutsford gc) , but this was in an AM AM. After an awful 2020, its been a good years golfing.
 

chico

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Just got my H/C today 11.1 just as the season has ended up here. Has given me the incentive to work on my short game and maybe get to single figures, something I never thought I could do.
 

bluewolf

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The elusive level par in a qualifier still has not happened yet, despite being under par after 13 holes a couple of times. I also achieved my best ever score of 2 under (at Knutsford gc) , but this was in an AM AM. After an awful 2020, its been a good years golfing.

That’s my next target too. Thought I had it last Saturday then threw in a stupid Bogey, Double Bogey combo to finish 3 over. Was also stood on the 18th at level par earlier in the season, then Doubled it ?. Was a matchplay comp though so doesn’t really count!
 

clubchamp98

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Careful you could attract the club rules brigade … but the other way to do it is play a 7 iron off the par 4s and get long iron second shots as practice and then no one can be upset.
We have Blue academy tees in front of our main tees I could just use them.
But it saves wear and tear to just play from the semi rough.
Nobody has ever said anything but I did ask the head greenkeeper and he had no problem with it.
There is something about hitting a 7i off a pristine tee that bothers me as I do take big divots.
 

Junior

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That’s my next target too. Thought I had it last Saturday then threw in a stupid Bogey, Double Bogey combo to finish 3 over. Was also stood on the 18th at level par earlier in the season, then Doubled it ?. Was a matchplay comp though so doesn’t really count!

Tough to get over the line under par gross mate .... As soon as i think its a possibility my putter becomes a rattle snake
 

Shooter McPowick

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Season definitely not over yet!

I haven’t played nearly as much golf as I would have liked and what was supposed to be the year I concentrated on practice has been a year of very little practice.

That said, I’ve dropped to single figures for the first time ever (although that’s mainly due to WHS) and shooting low 80’s just about every round now.

Really hoping to get the time to grind on the range this winter!
 

HeftyHacker

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How many rounds have people played since the 1st April?

I've managed 25.

48 on my Garmin, but there have been a few that I've discarded, and a few more where I'd forgotten my watch and used other apps on my phone...

I'm thinking its probably around 60 ?.

Thats far more than I thought and actually made me feel a little guilty about how much time away from the missus and littlun I've spent.
 
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