Tell us about your game today...

First topic message reminder :

As one of the more popular threads on the dark side, a place to tell us about your latest game

I did something similar at the 1st yesterday myself Davie. Par 5 and I topped it about 20 yards into deep rough. I never top a drive, can't recall the last time I did. I hacked out and then played and 8 iron up the hill to where my tee shot would have been in 1. Tried to be a hero and go for the green with a 3 wood. Scuttled it about 120 yards into the right rough leaving an approach obstructed by a tree that could have had a starring role in Avatar. Tried to hit a low running cut and failed. Now in left rough. Wedge on, 3 putt for a 9.

I've set myself a target this year of breaking 90 regularly. I've been peppering it since last autumn. I've had an 86 before, but I feel I should be breaking 90 unless I am having a stinker. The last few times I have started well, and then come a cropper late on when I start chasing scores to break 90. So yesterday having started 9, I decided I wouldn't look at my card again until I was done., hoping I would run it close and take a moral victory.

I had 3 pars and two doubles on the next 5 holes and then hit a triple bogey at a par 3 after a spot of bunker trouble, lipped out for bogey on the stroke index 1 9th to go out in 50. Came back with 3 pars and a birdie, the rest bogies. I had a 10 footer for birdie on the last which I left 3 inches short. Came back in 40! Had I known I was putting to break 90, I would never have been short! Happy enough with the effort though and took it as a moral victory after the outright stupidity of my opening hole.

Good recovery RR.

Opening day today. Bright and sunny but pretty breezy, temps in the mid 50s. Course in pretty good condition, greens still recovering from being aerated a few weeks ago, we've not had much rain so that slowed recovery a little.

Double bogey to start but settled down after that. Dropped a shot at the third and again at the ninth after a birdie on eight. Birdied ten and feeling pretty good. Carved one to the right after my foot slipped on the tee and had to re tee. Just missed a putt for a second ball par and walked off with an 8! Played well from then but couldn't really get it going again.

So out in 38 and back in 44. Played to course handicap and will be entered as an 81 as I can't take more than a 7 on any hole. Pretty happy with that as I had a couple of 90s in the two warm up games this year.

Hopefully will play again on Sunday after getting the driver regripped and maybe the lofts and lies checked too.

I actually played twice over the Easter weekend (Friday and Sunday) on the local muni 9-hole course and after a dodgy start on the first 3 holes on Friday, suddenly remembered how to play and haven't really looked back since. The short game is a little rusty still, but it's only a matter of feel and touch (as Lee Westwood knows only too well!). I have to remember that I've hardly touched a club for the past 18 months (2 rounds on holiday in September and 9 holes at Christmas). I started like a dream on Sunday with pars on the first 3 holes (I just missed a putt for a birdie on the 3rd) but then started thinking about it and mucked up a bit with a "Stenson snowman" after going in the water on the 4th. Still, I ended up with a gross 46 (par is 36) so I can't be too disappointed with still playing to my 20 handicap after all that time. LordPutt said he hadn't seen me strike the ball as well for years (not since I started having hip problems) so I'm well chuffed. Bring on the better weather and the chance to try it out over 18 holes.

Well done LP, that is good news and pleased to hear it

Nice one, LP!

Net 71 today, 1 under par but scored worse than I played. Putter went a bit cold after a good start and didn't have my share of luck. Off again tomorrow so hopefully I can keep the good run going.

Nice one LP. Good to hear you're back on the course and things seem to be going well. Thinking about your round will mess you up every time.

Nice going RR, sometimes you play well and don't score, sometimes you score well and can't remember any good shots. Hopefully you'll play well and score well next time.

I also played on Sunday; didn't play as well as I did on Friday but was a respectable 87 for an early season game and in windy conditions. Tried and failed at course management on the par 5 7th. Tee shot ended up close to the crap, sorry wetlands, and I thought about trying to chop it over with a wedge. Trouble was I would have been standing well below the ball and would have been in danger of hooking it into the crap. Chipped it to safety, knocked it over, knocked it beside the green and then with a poor chip I missed the putt and walked off with double.

I also managed to scuff up one of my wedges and end up with an air shot. There was a rock sticking up about 8-10 inches behind the ball and thought I could clear it safely. Bang, miss ball and yell fuck. Grip further down, break wrists quicker, hit same fucking rock but do move the ball that time. Cue the mutleys as I'm finishing the hole. Hit a beautiful drive on the next, can't think why

2nd week of my regular after work Tuesday golf. Managed 14 holes with a 5.15 start time so no delays.
New Cobra NL driver is working well, although it was a waste of time and money buying an adjustable driver as it hasn't been moved from neutral. Had a brain fart when taking the clubs out of the car - decided I didn't need a 3 iron or 3 wood, but left the 5 wood in the car by mistake, big hole on the bag, but I striped a few 4 irons when needed and the rest followed suit.
But the most miraculous thing was I seemed to remember how to putt today, meaning I won the pot while giving away shots that I can ill afford.

I will probably have forgotten again by tomorrow! Ah well!

Well done OS. Just goes to show we don't always need the clubs we think we do!

Played Hintelsham in a society day today. It's a very forgiving (easy?) course, but as my society handicap is 7 as opposed to my club handicap of 11 I can't complain. The greens had been recently hollow-tined, so the greens weren't great. I played ok on the front, but made just one point on each of 8 and 9 to turn with 16 points. After pars at 10 and 11 I made a mess of 12 and then bogeyed 13, meaning 4 one pointers in 6 holes. I then set myself a target of making 4s on the remaining 5 holes, which were the stroke index 1 longish par 4 14th, a shortish par 5, a short par 4, the 400yd signature 17th, one of the few holes with water, and then the 18th which is a 5 on the card despite being only 452 off the back tee.

I'm chuffed to say I made 4 on all of them, which I consider realistically to be 5 pars since the 2 par 5s were not only short but downwind. That salvaged my score, giving me a total of 37 points. 2 points short of the overall winner, but I did get 2 nearest the pins so came away with a couple of bottles of vino!

Good work SJ - it's nice to make and acheive targets. A couple of bottles of plonk eh - do I perceive another Rioja moment coming on?

Have just finalised the lads trip to Bonnie Scotland in May, it would be nice if I can keep putting like Tuesday when up there! Probably a bit too much to ask for, maybe the power of prayer.........?

The quest to regularly break 90 goes on, 91 today... finished +8 for the last 3 holes... 3 birdie chance holes too FFS!

Wasn't a round so probably doesn't count to this thread but went to the range tonight to work on a few things with my long time swing coach AKA my dad oldman mav.

Filled with much sadness as this is possibly the last proper range session we'll get together! Why? Well he finally goess under the knife this Saturday to have his right hip replaced, and by the time he's fully able to play golf again and hit balls, family Mav will have moved across t'pond!

Found it hard to concentrate until he gave me one of his man up! Talking to's. He gave me something to try with my transition as my timings been off and low and behold had me hitting the ball well again. Always thinks of others before himself. Going to have to think of something nice as a treat for all his support and for when he's mobile again.

Good luck to "old man Mav" tomorrow. I'm sure it will all be fine. He'll certainly notice the difference when he comes round after the op - it doesn't hurt any more! He'll be up and about in no time - in fact, the physioterrorists will get him out of bed and doing exercises the next day. Where's he having it done and do you know who is doing it?

Where's he having it done and do you know who is doing it?

He's having it done at Medway, his consultant is Mr Samsani. Though I can only assume he's the operating surgeon I don't know that 100% to be accurate.

I can't work out if he's more hesistant about going under the knife or excited about being pain free on the golf course again.

Good luck to your old man, Mav. Hopefully by the time you're settled he will be able to play and you can take him somewhere nice in the states.

Mav - tell him not to worry at all. He'll sail through it. But tell him to make sure he does his exercises (tedious though they are) and if he has a chance to do any hydrotherapy, then that's really beneficial.

I'm not familiar with hospitals/consultants that far down in Kent. I had mine done (private - thanks BUPA) at Blackheath and my consultant was Mr Sakka - a charming little man from Jordan who's married to a micro-biologist from Liverpool! I think they met at uni ....

Cheers grumps, was thinking along those lines to and as its HHI this week and somewhere I'm desperate to play may treat him to a couple of days golf there ones he's fully healed, fulfill a dream of mine and celebrate his good health to.

LP I'll pass on your pearls of wsidom about the exercises when I see him at 7pm for a family Mav gathering at my parents consisting of a chinese meal and a bit of the golf on the goggle box! A kind of last supper for his gimpy hip!

I went to the range this afternooon with the aim of trusting my swing.

I was shit.

I'm not sure where I go from here, bearing in mind I have a Medal tomorrow, but I did manage to not let it affect my evening out so Dr Bob has worked on that part.

Mercurio wrote:I went to the range this afternooon with the aim of trusting my swing.

I was shit.

I'm not sure where I go from here, bearing in mind I have a Medal tomorrow, but I did manage to not let it affect my evening out so Dr Bob has worked on that part.

What the hell do I know?

I shot 4 under handicap and win my first ever Medal (by 5 shots).

Nice one Merc congratulations...The late evening out must have been good preparation!

Monthly Stableford for me this morning, qualifier competition off the white tees. Managed a gross 76, nett 71 for 5th, played pretty solid with no disasters for a change and course management was good.

Standard scratch was 73, so a nice little 0.2 cut to get me down to 5.1 and a bit of category 1 breathing space.

Congrats Merc on a fine win amd yet further proof that with this game when you think your at the depths a new day can be a fine one. Nice going

Nive bit of breathing space you've earned there blue always a good thing.

Funny old day for me today. Just a bounce game but felt like I played pretty well and came in one under handicap (and took the money)

But....

It could have been so much better! After only 5 holes I was 5 under handicap - started with a gross bogey (on a 2 shot hole for me). Gross birdie on 2 and gross par on three and 4 under handicap after 3 holes - and those first two holes are often pretty tough for me - I'd normally be very happy with 4 stableford points after two and suddenly I've got seven and 10 after 3.

Played six and seven quite poorly which pulled me back a bit but start hot on the back nine too. Index 1 13th I lipped out for a gross par but a kick in for another 3 points. Water ball on 17 and 3 off the tee on 18 meant I came in with 37 points which I'd usually be pleased with but just felt it could have been so much better. Still very pleased with my driving though after the change I mentioned in tips and tricks subforum - hit a drive on 10 that was probably 30 or 40 yards further than I've ever been on that hole - just simply because it went straight rather than the horrible slice I used to have. Apart from the 3 off the tee on 18 I drove the ball as well as I've ever done and though I'm still a believer in the old "drive for show" philosophy I can't believe how much more confidence I have now I'm hitting the ball longer and straighter off the tee

Cheers Mav, how is Dad after his op today?

Thanks, BCM/Mav.

I've dicovered I've been cut to 11.8 (a new low for me) plus I've also been earmarked for a further reduction of 0.5 under CONGU's Exceptional Scoring Reduction system - this needs to be confirmed by the Handicaps Chairman, though.

Mercurio's Trilby Tour odds are lengthening.

Davie wrote:

It could have been so much better!

I know the feeling Davie. I played Stoke by Nayland today, a courtesy round as our course was closed for a county comp. The course has hosted Europro and Senior Tour events, so I was very intrigued to see how it played compared to our home course. The total yardages were similar (around 6500), as we played off the whites, though the very back tees the pros would have used were out of use.

I started as well as possible, holing a 2 footer for birdie, but then dropped a few, so reached the turn at +5, pretty much on handicap. I parred the next 5 holes, and made the mistake of thinking I was going well. I then proceeded to take 4 to get down from less than 100 yards on 15 (3 putt), 16 (missed green from less than 100 yards and then chipped and 2 putted) and 17 (missed green from 95 yards AND 3 putted) then bogeyed the par 3 last from the bunker. Shot 80, officially 3 under my handicap but really 2 as the 9th was playing 164 yards rather than 412 due to work being done. I should be pleased but can't help feeling that finish was really poor, and that I should have shot more like 75.

As for the course itself, I enjoyed it but it was apparent that the extra 600 yards that the pros would play were made up on a handful of holes where realistically the extra length would have made little difference. For example, the 12 played at 285 yds off the whites, but there was a tee back behind the 11th green which extended the hole to 397yds. I hit driver and a short pitch, a pro would presumably hit driver (it wasn't a tight hole) and wedge. 16 also added 100 yards to a par 5 where I hit driver, 5 iron, gap wedge. If anything, their tee promoted a safer line away from the water. At 650 yards or so it's a 3 shotter, as it is for us mere mortals at 550, albeit that they may need to hit a longer second.

Overall though I enjoyed the course, and as there's another 18 there I definitely hope to go back.

So Merc could be down to 11. Nice one merc

Blue, I'm off to visit him this afternoon, his surgery went very well indeed was a little groggy from the morphine yesterday but they are having him out of bed and getting him to walk with help today to see what movements like and they reckon 2months time he can start playing golf so great success.

As for my round today! Indfifferent if I were to compare my game to other players.

Driving - Miss Daisy
Irons - Miss Daisys daughter
Wedges/short game - big fat phil
Putting - brad faxon on a hot streak.

I slapped the ball woefully but somehow scrambled 39points to take the 25quid swindle money. My mates weren't not happy, especially as on one hole the par 4 7th I played it like so: tee shot cold hard top 40yards, 2nd shot 3 wood topped 30yards, wedge to 6feet holed putt for par! Another beauty was the 12th popped the driver up just made 200yards! Hit a low runner of a 3wood to 120yards short and then went and holed the wedge shot!

A very strange day on the course but sums up my game lately of piss poor ball striking yet my short game is getting me round.

Maverick wrote:2nd shot 3 wood topped 30yards, wedge to 6feet holed putt for par!

30 yards was the difference between a 3 wood and a wedge? How does that work?

Davie wrote:

Maverick wrote:2nd shot 3 wood topped 30yards, wedge to 6feet holed putt for par!

30 yards was the difference between a 3 wood and a wedge? How does that work?

Your right it doesn't with out me elaboriting that the 3wood was gripped down and was meant to be a low running chip out that got me under the trees and onto the green at a driveable par 4 but turned out to be a top that left me a full wedge.

And another thing!!! I've twice edited my above post due to the spelling of the word "elaborating" yet its still showing incorrectly!

Maverick wrote:A very strange day on the course but sums up my game lately of piss poor ball striking yet my short game is getting me round.

I wish my piss poor ball striking could get me round 4 under!

Maverick wrote:

Davie wrote:

Maverick wrote:2nd shot 3 wood topped 30yards, wedge to 6feet holed putt for par!

30 yards was the difference between a 3 wood and a wedge? How does that work?

Your right it doesn't with out me elaboriting that the 3wood was gripped down and was meant to be a low running chip out that got me under the trees and onto the green at a driveable par 4 but turned out to be a top that left me a full wedge.

It must be a very driveable par 4 Mav, if it is only a wedge from 70 yards off the tee!

Davie wrote:

Maverick wrote:2nd shot 3 wood topped 30yards, wedge to 6feet holed putt for par!

30 yards was the difference between a 3 wood and a wedge? How does that work?

busted just another one of mav's online fantasies

Its very short hole if you go across the corner as I tried. I hit my wedge with my new irons about 135 to 140 plus flag was at the front which meant in real term the route I took was about no more than 210 from the tee I tried hitting a soft cut to land passed flag and stop! It went wrong!

scarpa wrote:

Davie wrote:

Maverick wrote:2nd shot 3 wood topped 30yards, wedge to 6feet holed putt for par!

30 yards was the difference between a 3 wood and a wedge? How does that work?

busted just another one of mav's online fantasies

Not at all! But if you want to think that then feel free! Twat!

name calling <<shakes head>> is there really any need?

That's not quite what you said earlier scarpa, or did that comment disappear into the same out of bounds area as a couple of my tee shots this morning?

on reflection i felt it would be best to keep that nugget to myself. no need to add further fuel to the forest fire. it didn't really add anything i hadn't said already anyway

When you're hot . . .

I played at Clandon Regis today. It was a courtesy round in advance of next week's Surrey 5s match there (only, after yesterday's round, I'm out of the team as I was in as a Cat 3 player - I don't wish to dislodge the team captain!).

Off 12, I had 38 points with 3 blobs in the last 8 holes (2 of them I didn't have a shot on, mind).

My second shot into 18 was one of my best ever. 194 yards to the pin. Into a 3 to 4 club wind. There's water in front of the green and the clubhouse is right behind the green so there's little margin of error. I cream it to about 10 feet pin-high. All the more remarkable because I'd never been able to hit a 3-wood until the last month!

Mercurio wrote:Thanks, BCM/Mav.

I've dicovered I've been cut to 11.8 (a new low for me) plus I've also been earmarked for a further reduction of 0.5 under CONGU's Exceptional Scoring Reduction system - this needs to be confirmed by the Handicaps Chairman, though.

Mercurio's Trilby Tour odds are lengthening.

It's happened - 11.3.

It's getting a bit silly.

Well after bedding in the new swing for a few weeks, I took the plunge and entered my first medal of the season yesterday. Determined to get my handicap down and been playing well under in recent bounce games. I had a nightmare and shot my highest gross score in years.!!!

I started pretty well even though I bogied the 1st due to my par putt not dropping. I played the 2nd as a par 5 and layed up instead of going for it, but managed to thin my wedge into the front bunker system, so playing safe didn't work so the head started dropping. The par 3 3rd saw me scoop my ball into the plantation, so taking a provisional knocked it to within 7-feet. We found my first ball, and instead of taking a drop I tried to get it out and carded a 9!!!!. Anger and spitting feathers by now. I seemed to get every bad break going, but didn't help myself at all. A classic case of too much determination, too tense, too much anger and not enough good strikes. By the time I got to the 7th I knew my card was goosed so relaxed and tried to make light of it. I hit my drive OB then proceeded to go down for a bogey 5 and then did exactly the same on the 8th. So you stand on the 9th thinking positive; 'come on those last 2 holes were birdies, if you discount the crap drives ....' No things went badly wrong all day and I carded a 113 a massive 41 over par, and when I think that I've been playing to 12 for the last few weeks, this was a real shock to the system. I couldn't even face going for a beer after the round and didn't sleep well last night as I'm absolutley gutted.

Keep positive, Doc. It’s very important you don’t let it affect your life outside of golf. You should have gone for that post-round drink. There’s been many times I haven’t wanted to but was glad I did after doing so.

To play your best golf you need to care less about what happens. With the amount of effort you’re putting in, it will come, but golf is not a game you can force the issue with. I suspect it will still take a bit more time for your new swing to feel as natural as it needs to. When you fully trust it and don’t analyse what you’re doing on the course, it will flow. I know this because I’ve gone/am going through the same.

There’s lots of golf left to play this year.

Thanks Merc, Had a sullen day yesterday but was determined to go out and get back on the horse. fairly empty course so used 2-balls on each hole and played the front 9 where most of the wekends damage was done. Played strict rules and 3 pars with ball 1 and 3 different pars with ball 2. Shot a gross 42 with each ball. I had one shank and a couple of thinned shots that worked out ok, but pleased in the main with the ball striking. Putting could have been better, but eh ho I rescued my sanity. can't work out how I can play to 12 last night and usually most of the time, yet have a car crash in the medal. I know how Rory must have felt last year in Augusta.

I think I play ok most of the time, especially in bounce games with friends, and sometimes excellent. As soon as I play medals with people I don't know and especially low handicappers it seems I try too hard to show I can play. That has got to be the reason I'm garbage in comps. I need to somehow change my mindset and forget everything and just play my own game. I know it sounds easy, but .....

It does sound easy Doc, but it is probably one of the hardest things to do. Being able to handle the additional pressure when playing outside of your normal comfort zone, generally affects all ranges of players from the weekend hackers to those playing the game professionally for a living.

A young lad at my club has fantastic talent and turned Pro last year. Regularly shoots low 60's off the backs at our course. He played at Frilford Heath last week attempting to qualify for the EuroPro Tour this season, shot 8 over and never even made the cut.

In my opinion, what separates those who are successful at this game from those who are not, at whatever level of ability it is played, are those that are able to play to their capacity when it means something and really matters the most. I personally feel that this is one of the most difficult skills that you can attain or accomplish in this game.

Managed to get 18 in after work tonight (although the 18th was a tad dark). It was a game of two halves for me today - first 9 started really well with a birdie 2, but I wasn't hitting my second shots in at all well and I had to reload second shots a couple of times. Driving is still good and putting, while not reaching the giddy heights of last week, was solid. It was just my iron work that really let me down going out, but that all changed on the back 9, when something just seemed to click into place, my 2nd shot in was hitting the target and I came back in 40, with a handful of silly mistakes.

If only I could cut out those silly mistakes!!!

First medal of the year today; having only played over handicap twice this year in bounce games, expectations were high. They were shredded by the second hole though, +6 after 2 and recorded a net +5. Played the par 5s terribly and started the back 9 poorly or I might have recovered for a decent score. I guess I got in my own way a bit. Expected a bit much and compounded the odd error with a succession of errors on a few holes. Hopefully I'll catch my buffer from general play. Back on the saddle on Saturday, a stableford competition so hopefully I can cut myself a bit of slack if I have the odd poor hole.

More of the same poor scoring today but this time I played much worse than I scored. Everything that was improving nicely this year has gone diddies up and rapidly.

Friday - lost Summer Singles Matchplay 3 & 2. I was giving 11 shots and didn't do enough on the holes I wasn't giving shots. An underperformance.

Friday evening - The Rozzers gave me 3 points and a £60 fine 200 metres from my house. Very sneaky.

Saturday - spent all day recovering from my worst hangover for a long time.

Today - lost Surrey 5s matchplay match 4 & 2 against Clandon Regis. Playing off scratch. Arms felt heavy early on but got back to level after 6 after losing 3 of the first 4 holes. Then lost 7, 8 and 9 and I was always on the back foot.

Apart from a great night out on Friday, it hasn't been the best weekend.

Still, at least my handicap hasn't gone up.

Mercurio wrote:Still, at least my handicap hasn't gone up.

Your weight might have done though Merc, after all that booze!

First round of Singles Matchplay for me as well today. Managed to beat a 12 handicapper to progress to the next round.

I was giving him 7 shots and it was pretty tight all the way round. Late into the back 9, he uncharacteristically played 2 shot holes badly back to back, which let me in and I hung on for the win.

Fortunately there was no visit from the Rozzers afterwards for me though!

BlueCoverman wrote:

Mercurio wrote:Still, at least my handicap hasn't gone up.

Your weight might have done though Merc, after all that booze!

What went in on Friday night more than came back out again on Saturday!

I didn't eat from noon on Friday until 5pm on Saturday (which I suspect is part of the reason for the mega-hangover). I was well and truly emptied.

Sounds like perfect preparation for the Surrey 5s match today Merc!