HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Was due to play the 2nd round of the Stone Cup at Royal Ascot today. It is a stableford where you play two rounds over any three days of the bank holiday weekend. After a whopping 25 points yesterday and looking out of the window at 6.45am this morning I wasn't exactly up for it.
Funnily enough when I go there, another group of hardy souls were getting ready to go out as well. As my partners arrived and were quicker to get ready we were the first group out on the course. In a driving gale blowing into and from the left into my face on the 229 yard par 3 it was a full blooded driver in a squally downpour. An surprising big slice into trouble lifted my mood no end. A chip out, a chip on and 2 putts for a 5 nett 4 and 1 point and I was really happy to be playing.
One of my partners (dodgy Rob Soutar from the GM challenge) opened up with a par net eagle (how can you get 2 shots on a par 3??? for 4 points). However we were all soaked by the time we had played the first.
My glove was soaked and my grip on my driver was dripping by the time I got ready to tee off at the 2nd. Fortunately my Footjoy Wetgrip glove came out and did a perfect job gripping the club better the wetter it got. My towel inside my waterproof trousers meant I had a good dry grip and I ripped a drive straight into the teeth of the wind. A full out 5 wood got me within 120 yards and a full 8 iron was the right club to get me on in regulation.
However the 2nd green was showing considerable signs of distress as the whole of the front apron was one huge puddle and it was flooded along the length of the left side towards the hole. Having moved my ball for casual water and made par we moved on.
The third was fairly uneventful as I made a bogey 5 (net 4) but it was the 4th that was the turning point. The tee box was sodden and there was no spot within the confines of the teeing area that you could peg it up and not be in standing water. I hit a decent 3 wood into the right rough (not clever given the conditions!!!). I had a good lie and hit a good 8 iron to about 15 foot. However when we got to the green the fun began.
There was standing water all around the hole which was running from the greens highpoint down to the lowest level at the front. With nowhere to move the ball to I putted stright uphill and despite adding in for the wetness only managed to move it to within 5 foot. Having marked and dried both ball and putter head I tried to putt out for par. Looking to hit it firm and straight to get it through the puddles it stopped nearly 2 foot short.
Once we had holed out we decided to call it a day before going any further from the clubhouse. It was farcical and we noticed as we crossed back over the 3rd fairway that the group who had been behind us must have called it a day at the flooded 2nd as they weren't in sight. We got back to the clubhouse and I told the pro about the farcical conditions. He radioed the head greenkeeper to go out again for a look and unsurprisingly he came back and immediately shut the course (apparently the 6th green was a boating lake).
Not sure how the competition will be decided as obviously those that played Saturday and Sunday will have the required two cards in and everyone wanting to play today won't. There seems some confusion as several people seem to think that it will go to the winner of those with two cards in whilst others think it may be decided as an 18 hole event. Should make the handicap secretary a popular man to se when he does the cards tomorrow.
Did anyone else in Southern England (we aren't as fortunate as you Northerners weatherwise) actually venture out in these gales and driving rain and did you actually make it all the way round. If so how did you play. Can't wait to read the tales of suffering
Funnily enough when I go there, another group of hardy souls were getting ready to go out as well. As my partners arrived and were quicker to get ready we were the first group out on the course. In a driving gale blowing into and from the left into my face on the 229 yard par 3 it was a full blooded driver in a squally downpour. An surprising big slice into trouble lifted my mood no end. A chip out, a chip on and 2 putts for a 5 nett 4 and 1 point and I was really happy to be playing.
One of my partners (dodgy Rob Soutar from the GM challenge) opened up with a par net eagle (how can you get 2 shots on a par 3??? for 4 points). However we were all soaked by the time we had played the first.
My glove was soaked and my grip on my driver was dripping by the time I got ready to tee off at the 2nd. Fortunately my Footjoy Wetgrip glove came out and did a perfect job gripping the club better the wetter it got. My towel inside my waterproof trousers meant I had a good dry grip and I ripped a drive straight into the teeth of the wind. A full out 5 wood got me within 120 yards and a full 8 iron was the right club to get me on in regulation.
However the 2nd green was showing considerable signs of distress as the whole of the front apron was one huge puddle and it was flooded along the length of the left side towards the hole. Having moved my ball for casual water and made par we moved on.
The third was fairly uneventful as I made a bogey 5 (net 4) but it was the 4th that was the turning point. The tee box was sodden and there was no spot within the confines of the teeing area that you could peg it up and not be in standing water. I hit a decent 3 wood into the right rough (not clever given the conditions!!!). I had a good lie and hit a good 8 iron to about 15 foot. However when we got to the green the fun began.
There was standing water all around the hole which was running from the greens highpoint down to the lowest level at the front. With nowhere to move the ball to I putted stright uphill and despite adding in for the wetness only managed to move it to within 5 foot. Having marked and dried both ball and putter head I tried to putt out for par. Looking to hit it firm and straight to get it through the puddles it stopped nearly 2 foot short.
Once we had holed out we decided to call it a day before going any further from the clubhouse. It was farcical and we noticed as we crossed back over the 3rd fairway that the group who had been behind us must have called it a day at the flooded 2nd as they weren't in sight. We got back to the clubhouse and I told the pro about the farcical conditions. He radioed the head greenkeeper to go out again for a look and unsurprisingly he came back and immediately shut the course (apparently the 6th green was a boating lake).
Not sure how the competition will be decided as obviously those that played Saturday and Sunday will have the required two cards in and everyone wanting to play today won't. There seems some confusion as several people seem to think that it will go to the winner of those with two cards in whilst others think it may be decided as an 18 hole event. Should make the handicap secretary a popular man to se when he does the cards tomorrow.
Did anyone else in Southern England (we aren't as fortunate as you Northerners weatherwise) actually venture out in these gales and driving rain and did you actually make it all the way round. If so how did you play. Can't wait to read the tales of suffering
