So how did your Summer season go ?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Rollup 18 today then October Sunday Medal tomorrow will see the end of my place as a qualifying 18 for maybe 4 months. From Monday we strip the apron plus some fairway of our 14th for significant remodelling of maybe the last 60yds of the approach and green complex area.

As I’ve got a couple of ‘free knocks’ in my 20 at #19 and #20 I’m hopeful that with winter rules in place I can replace my current counting #8 and get my HI down…though maybe a stretch to knock 0.3 off it. Though if H4H on Tuesday is a qualifier ?

Would be nice to finish the season at 8.0 having started summer season at at 10.4

Anyway - though it was over last winter - I did win one significant board comp in 2022…our Winter Singles K/O. So that makes this year just a grand success for me whatever happens these next few knocks.

And I perhaps shouldn’t mention that I‘ve just about managed to get the unmentionables into the back row - though they are still in the theatre.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Interesting summer for me. My coach very unfortunately had a stroke back in March and had to stop teaching, consequently I stopped having regular lessons.

There was maybe a silver lining to that in a converse way. Junior Wedge qualified as a PGA professional and took over my swing, albeit on an infrequent basis given he’s based up in Scotland this year. Within 10 minutes of our first session, he changed my setup with two very minor tweaks, and got me to forget about the grip that I’d been struggling with. What a difference that made…..

Had my first hole in one a couple of weeks later and started shooting lower scores. Broke 80 at Leighton a couple of times and put a few cards in. Had a few trips away to some really nice courses and put more cards in, broke 80 on a couple, including my best ever round of 78 at the amazing Lofoten Links.

Had a couple of wins in our Sunday swindle, which I hadn’t done for a couple of years. Handicap dropped from 15 at the start of the year to 9.9 at best up to 10.2 now.

Still struggling to score well in comps but that is mental rather than ability. Am learning to have less ego on the course, just accepting the bad shots when they happen, knowing that a double or triple won’t kill the round. Have played more good rounds than bad since March, and am just thoroughly enjoying playing golf, recently played 15 rounds in 17 days whilst on my recent vacation. Hopefully it will continue……

Now looking forward to hacking it round Stoneham and Hayling next week??.

 

[Jigger]

12.8 to 14.6. Very little practice but played 3 times a week. Felt I was hitting the ball better but not scoring well when in trouble. Also had two really low scores come off my record but feel I’m one stroke too high. Challenge next year is to try and get all my 20 rounds at sub 90 After a winter of practice and fitness training.

 

[garyinderry]

Not enough comp rounds this year. Only played 9 at home and 7 away.
Half the summer hacking it and the 2nd half playing some really good golf.

 

[KenL]

I've been rubbish for the last few months. Gone from 4.1 to 5.5. Just not been playing enough.

 

[Skytot]

Had a great 1st season back after 14yrs . Started on 15.6 looks like I will finish on 10.7. Played probably 3 to 4 times a week. Highlight was a 79 gross with no doubles, finished with a 65 net it was a 2 day board job comp but I had already arranged a trip to play Conwy so couldn’t play 2nd day . Just been for fitting for some Mizuno jpx923 hot metal irons . Hoping them and a new putter can help me get to single figures.

 

[Val]

Not great, playing a couple of times a month won't do it for my game and suffering a dose of the shanks isnt fun. That said, shot a season best +8 at Elie and managed to tick off a couple of new courses.

 

[Dando]

Joined a club after 10 years of saying “I’ll join somewhere next year”

It’s only a 9 hole but I’ve been able to play twice a week and use the range (free balls as part of the subs)

Handicap has dropped from 16 to 13 but I want to get that much lower next year.

Positives are my driving and iron play has improved massively and my putting is better than it was.

I still have the touch of an axe murdered around the green but it’s getting slightly better

 

[HeftyHacker]

Plateaud somewhat and, despite my driving coming good again and improving my short game and putting, my irons have gone to pot so I'm missing far too many greens. Had hopes of getting to single figures and I reckon I could get there if it wasn't for the irons.

Some major work required over winter and I'm not sure what next year will hold for me golfing wise with another littlun on the way (will have 2 under 2 ?).

 

[4LEX]

The season started well and I was playing some decent stuff. Managed to get to +2 and was eyeing some of the big amateur comps up then injury struck. Shoulder injury that has required steroid injections and will likely need more as I didn't rest for long enough after the first ones. I've had a really good summer just getting out and playing golf for fun without worrying about scores. I'll be putting the clubs away in November until the New Year and quite looking forward to a rest and coming back next year in much better shape

 

[Barking_Mad]

Joined a club, had an official handicap for the first time. Went from 13.7 to 13.1.

Played some really good golf and came close to breaking 80 on more than a few occasions. My last round was an 82 with 5 doubles, so I feel im plenty capable of going really low.

Highlight was the Hotchkin at Woodhall Spa. ?

Sad the summer has gone. Need to move to Spain or somewhere warm!

 

[GG26]

Started the year getting down to 16.7, but as a number of good scores dropped off the HI rose rapidly and even hit the soft cap. Was up to 20.6 at one point. A few good competion rounds over the past couple of months has got that back down to 19.1.

Won two baord comps, the Foursomes Medal with my usual PP who plays off of 28 and the Betterball Medal with a PP off of 12. In the latter worked out that was my best round to date off of the white tees. Came close in a stableford baord comp, where I lost on countback after scoring 41 points (my 23 point back nine was beaten by a 24) and also reached the final of the Seniors Matchplay knockout, losing on the last hole. Me and my usual PP also won a senior pairs open at Stanton on the Wolds and came third in a team competion at Scraptoft where VoyagerEMH kindly invited a few forum members to join him in a team. All in all by far my most successful year in competitions, where I managed a few very good rounds inbetween a number of poor ones.

In addition to the above played more new courses this year than in any previous year by booking a number of opens back in January and taking advantage of a couple of opportunities that came my way.

 

[BubbaP]

Looking back, my last 5 scores are counting, they span 3 shots. In fact for year the span is only 8. That all comes across as consistent. Whereas my feelings are more of frustration and feeling inconsistent! Part of this is the ongoing swing changes partly started in the later lockdowns. At times I've struck the ball how I've never done before. I've enjoyed at lot of that, even more enhanced by the warm weather we had. But tied in have been uncharacteristic course management mess ups, and at times struggling for fall back swings at sticky patches. Too many rounds feeling let scores slip away & nothing really low. Have probably played a bit less and not many trips also, but have been decent in the team matches and still in a (delayed) knockout.

 

[Bratty]

Joined a club after 10 years of saying “I’ll join somewhere next year”

It’s only a 9 hole but I’ve been able to play twice a week and use the range (free balls as part of the subs)

Handicap has dropped from 16 to 13 but I want to get that much lower next year.

Positives are my driving and iron play has improved massively and my putting is better than it was.

I still have the touch of an axe murdered around the green but it’s getting slightly better

I've maybe got something to help with that! ?

 

[Bratty]

Not too badly. Several lessons have seen my ball striking improve and I'm now hitting 10 yards longer (or more) with all clubs bar the driver. Last round, 2nd shot to par 4, I lasered the flag at 175 yards and hit a 7 iron that pitched pin high and finished 15 foot past the hole. Carrying a 7 iron 175 is unheard of for me for goodness sake!
I've gone from 10.9 to 9.4 and I've been level, 1 or 2 under handicap most rounds recently, but they haven't counted due to the score diff not being low enough.
Just need to focus on chipping and pitching next, once the swing change is settled.

 

[Jason.H]

An enjoyable year for me. Made lots of new friends and enjoyed the golfing challenge. Got down to 3.7. My lowest score being level par.

 

[OnTour]

strange year - ball striking amazing, driver on point lots of excellent positions to work from BOOM anxiety central with the putter and the continued failed short game.

Season start 4.5 season low 2.4 season looks like a finish with 3.3 (standard double bogey finish on lots of good rounds, killed my dream to get into the 1's) nerves central - 2023 need a new plan