Tell us about your game today...

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

1. Cos I've only just got it into single digits

2. There's no freaking room on our course. You can be a little off or a mile off and you are #%(@ed. That means another go at it and two shots added onto the score

3. No 4 putts just means you're ball striking wasn't as good as mine

4. Okay, so maybe hacking it up was wrong, sounds like I should have used choke disappointing instead

159 for 3rd?! 157 scraped into the last 16 at our place this year and everyone was saying how poor the standard was compared to normal!! seems like you've a great chance to get your name on the honours board blue - good luck in the matches.

Don't think there's going to be matches Scarpa, think it's all over. Seems to be a north/south thing. I've only played club championships that were 36 hole strokeplay over 1 day or weekend. But I know a bunch of the Scottish guys say they need to qualify for knockouts.

Must have a bunch of good guys at your place if basically +6 or +7 a round means you miss out.

The game you talk affects the sympathy you receive.

LondonJonnyO wrote:The game you talk affects the sympathy you receive.

Eh? Comment's aimed at?

-8 was the lowest q score, followed by -4 , -1, everyone else was over.. only 40 cat 1s entered this year and(there are 70+ at the club). there were 109 entries in total from cat 1 / 2. only four entrants off +1 or better. standard is higher than my other club, - bit more strength in depth, but q score was much lower there this year.

Blue

Wow, tough crowd Scarpa. Have to play really well to win something round your place then.

to be honest i thought that would be pretty much average. wouldn't expect to get that close myself. went as far as the last 16 at my first attempt this year - which was well beyond my expectation seeing as there were 55 lower handicapped golfers in the field than myself. ended up with a good draw against a guy only 1 shot lower handicap but got thumped 5&4 despite only being 1 down at the turn

Not sure where I suggested I was looking for sympathy LJ...

We have had a lot of people leave over the last couple of years scarpa, a combination of problems with lack of investment on the course by the owners and a general reduction in membership due to the economic climate. So much so that there were only 5 category 1 players entered in this years club championship. A sad state of affairs really.

In all honesty both the words disappointing and choke could be used Grumps!

Blue, you probably started pressing over those last few holes instead of staying patient so don't worry about the teasing. Was it the same guys ahead of you that finished 1st and 2nd?

Must be tough for the club to put out strong teams in club matches with so few Cat 1s; didn't you get that half that one time?

Yes Grumps the +1 handicapper won it, the guy off 3 was runner up.

Indeed it is and it did show when we got a complete hiding in the Thornton Cup this year!

Played at Toot Hill near Harlow yesterday in a Society day. Only the second one I have been able to make this year.

Nice enough track but a bit short off the yellows. Greens were fairly quick and a reasonable meal afterwards. Played ok, shot 76 for 35 points to be a couple of points outside of the prizes. Watched the England game after dinner, thank christ Frank can take a penalty!

Playing in a Martin Peters MBE charity event today at StockBrook Golf and Country Club, Billericay. Supported mainly by ex Spurs and West Ham players like Trevor Brooking, Martin Chilvers, Ossie Ardilles, Marc Falco and others from around that era.

Usually a few good old football stories in the after dinner speeches and if you want to donate £1500 to the charity you can have a round of golf with Martin and Ossie. Not for me I don't think but some people obviously have got more money than sense!

Saturday's game showed just how one's perception of how you've played isn't always correct when it comes up adding up totals!

Turned up for what we thought was a friendly 3-ball but the pro shop had put a fourth with us (which was fine by us) so we had a friendly 4BBB matchplay

The balls were thrown in the air to draw partners and I got paired with my regular partner (20 and 22 h/c) against a 23 and this guy we didn't know who was off 15 (though he didn't play like it)

Anyway, me and my partner played well and were 4 (should have been 5) up after nine - went on to win 6&5

At the end, speaking with my partner, we both agreed we'd played well together and both had decent individual scores without being spectacular - just dovetailed well together - however when we estimated some scores (though there were a few pickups/gimmes etc) he came to approx 41pts and I was "only" 34! Really felt much more even than that though on reflection, 3 "blobs" hurt my score.

Betterball 9 over gross though for us which was very pleasing off our handicaps

Thanks to weather forecast I wasn't sure WHAT to expect from today!

Supposed to be teeing off at 10:30 and when me and my mate arrived just around 10 we were told we could start as soon as we were ready - there was no one else out there!

At that time it was just very light rain so we thought we'd give it a go and see how it went...

2.5 hours later walked off the 15th green and gave up - the heavy rain was in for the day and I was dormie 3 down - it just didn't seem worth it as the 15th green is a good place to walk off anyway and the greens were just starting to get waterlogged. Must say the first 11 or 12 holes were quite enjoyable though in just light rain!

Strange game to "lose" though at 3 down with 3 to play - despite the weather I felt good and relaxed on the 1st tee - proceeded to hit a 3 wood off the toe into a lateral, get my third shot back to nice PW distance and then proceeded to s***k 2 consecutive shots into a pond on the right. 2nd tee I hit another off the toe into a pond - then from there on (2 down after 2) played no so bad! The scores fluctuated between 2 and 3 down for the rest of the match so apart from the start it was a fairly close game! Still didn't mean I wanted to take on the last three holes though when soaking wet

Played Saturday 4bbb.

Was 4 down after 6.

Hit decent drive down 7, 9 iron to 4ft & in went the birdie. That was me off and running.

Then birdied 9, 12, and 15.

Only to lose on 18 when the now rocking opponents were struggling, but one of them managed to hole a 20ft putt for par to stop us getting a half.
After my birdie putt, lipped out.

Came back in 35, 1 over par. I don't think I've birdied 4 holes in one round before.

Lost, but very happy with the way I played the last 12 holes.

Played three rounds in three days and overall must be fairly happy. Scores of 83, 76 and 80. Had my first three putt for well over 50 holes today on 12. Nearly repeated that feat on the next hole.

Will look to get a couple more games in as I'm off for the rest of the week and hope that the lower scoring continues.

Played medal on Saturday.

After all the trouble I have had with my shoulder, been hitting it nicely over the past few weeks.

Went round in 76 (3 putts on 1 & 18), net 64. Cut to 11. Though spoke with the Handicap Convenor on Saturday & he was ready to rule 19 me down to 10 on Monday.

If I am now at 10, this will be the first time since I got married that I have been down at 10. Its only taken me 27 years to get back playing the way I played when I was footloose & fancy free.

First game for me for two weeks today. Kids were rock climbing and hiking in the Peak District last week so took the opportunity for a cheeky weekend away with the Mrs.

Monthly stableford off the whites, must admit that I did feel a bit rusty. Managed to score every hole but only one three pointer and six one pointers for a total of 31 points. Can't see that will be enough to get me in the buffer zone unfortunately.

I played a charity/society day today at Wokefield Park just South of Reading - not been there for a couple of years and was quite looking forward to it despite it being the kind of place I wouldn't want to play there every week - very disappointing condition though even accepting it's middle of October. Fairways pretty ropey and the greens were more like January green. 28 pts with a handful of NRs - actually felt like I played OK (certainly more than 28 pts) but putting was a nightmare.

Looking forward to getting back on my own track tomorrow - today really reminded me why I pay so much for my membership

And so after yesterday, today was a dream. Conditions were about as perfect as could be for mid October!

Just a friendy matchplay with my usual partner - very close game - it went from +1 to me to level until the 12th where I finally went one down - levelled it again on 13 then he went back to one up on 14 when he was very close to a hole-in-one. Dormie 2 at 16 and despite keeping the game alive on 17 just didn't play the last well enough as so went down by two holes

Though it was matchplay, estimated stableford points was 32 to 30 so while neither of us played particularly well, it was evenly matched

Only real downside for me (apart from losing the money game) was that my driving was pretty awful today after a great driving day yesterday. Such a pleasure to be out there today though!

Disappointing day today I guess. It was the last medal of the season and I needed a top two finish to get into a final next weekend for the top medal players. Felt pretty good and even hit a few balls on the range before I started - not something I always do - I usually just make do with a warm up of practice swings and a few putts

Started pretty well - found a ditch on 2 but recovered OK and after 8 holes I was one under handicap - a disappointing dropped shot on 9 but I was still feeling OK as I usually play the back 9 better. 10 was routine then really 11 was more a lapse in concentration that anything else - scored an 8 without really hitting a bad shot - just a sloppy drive and 2nd shot which put me in a bunker that took two to get out of - and missed a 3 footer to cap it all.

Picked a couple of shots up on 12 and 13 and was still in OK shape going to 16. My real bogey hole (OK most of the time I'd settle for a bogey) and hit my first real bad shot of the day (as opposed to just careless shot) - dumped my 2nd into a pond and did well to only drop 1 shot to h/c - then 17 was a nightmare and 18 was back to just careless again.

All in all it was a day of conservative shots and good course management which left me in reasonable shape until the last 3 holes which spoiled it all for me. Though unusually for a C medal, there were some pretty low scores out there. If it wasn't for the few lazy shots and one really bad one I could have perhaps come in with a net 69 which would normally do the trick and get at least a place - felt for my regular playing partner who shot a net 67 and only placed 4th!

A tale of two halves for me this weekend. So, so front nine on Saturday but finished with a strong back nine. Today great front nine and bad back nine. Definitely a coulda, woulda, shoulda today. Level par through 8, finished the last 10, 10 over

Played yesterday in the Captains Charity Cup. Off the yellow tees so a non-qualifier and playing preferred lies due to excessive overnight rain, standard scratch worked out at 71.

Shot 76 gross for 37 points, highlight of which was holing my shot from a greenside bunker on the par 5 12th for eagle! Makes a change from thinning it through the back!

Nice game yesterday, despite it being VERY cold the course is still in great condition for the time of year.

Just a friendly matchplay with my regular playing partner - went behind on the first and 2 down on the 7th but got it back level at half way - then went one up after 13 and should have gone two up but 3-putted from about 8 foot on 14 to go back level and then one down on 15! Then won the last 3 to win by two holes! Real see-saw battle but such a lovely day

Horrible weather conditions for the Saturday morning swindle. Cold, gusty wind and driving rain for most of the round. A lot of people gave up, I battled on to the bitter end for 30 points which was good enough for 2nd!

First round of the winter league yesterday, 4 ball betterball format. Just about had got the gear dried out but conditions were not that much better than Saturday. Partner and I managed a fairly mediocre 35 points which was about the average score, 40 points was good enough to take the gold medal.

Turned up just before 8 on Saturday to find that the course was closed due to frost and a covering of snow! Fortunately it thawed quite quickly so we were fully open by mid-morning which meant I could follow the junior match instead. Daughter was hitting the ball well but got a bit of a drubbing - she complained to me that the men's tees were with her's most of the time but got no sympathy given the distance she hits it. Son was playing in his first league match and won fairly comfortably despite not hitting it as well as he can but playing well within himself and knowing when to be aggressive. The team won overall but look to have just missed out on promotion. Son won the County Schools Nett on Tuesday and the two of them were second in the team competition so have a trip to Woodhall Spa to look forward to next year. A good week for them overall.

I managed to get a game in yesterday, despite the forecast it was dry and fairly pleasant. Disasterous start with a lost ball off the first tee but settled bown to make 7 nett pars in a row (despite only hitting one fairway) then a nett birdie. A couple of nice pars on shot holes up the stretch of long par 4s put me in the lead by a couple of shots but I made a mess of 14 then another lost ball on 16 left me too much to do. Par-bogey finish was OK off my handicap but not enough to avoid paying out.

As I have mentioned on another thread I am in the middle of a total swing rebuild and had been getting a bit frustrated at hitting the ball batter than ever during lessons and on the range but not being able to do it on the course. I mentioned this to the Pro who asked me if I was thinking about what we are working on while I was playing. I said that of course I was at which he point he said that this is the problem; as soon as I start thinking about the mechanics of the swing on the course it goes to pieces so he suggested I read Bob Rotella's book 'Golf is not a game of perfect' which I did and it certainly seems to make a difference. There is a great deal in it but it boils down for me to the three T's of (focus on the) Target, Trust (your swing) and Tempo.

Main comps have finished for the year now so I should be able to try out the new ideas in a more relaxed environment of stablefords, better-ball and Am-Ams.

J

Played a 4bbb match at an away course (Toot Hill) yesterday. Took me a while to settle into the game, it being so bloody cold, and my partner wasn't at his best either so we lost the first and were lucky not to lose the second as well. I was 6 over after 3, but then got my act together and must have really pissed our opponents off. Having had a putting lesson last Monday I was delighted to hole numerous putts, many for par from around 6-12 feet but then all square on the last I rolled in a 30 footer for birdie and the win.

Always a good feeling to roll in a birdie putt to win on the last SJ

Not a bad hole the 18th at Toot Hill but it must be about half the distance of your 18th at Crondon Park!

BlueCoverman wrote:Always a good feeling to roll in a birdie putt to win on the last SJ

Not a bad hole the 18th at Toot Hill but it must be about half the distance of your 18th at Crondon Park!

More like 1/3 - I skyed a 4 wood and still only had a pitching wedge in. They were so sick, I almost felt bad for them. Almost.

A week off work for me to use up some annual leave and trying to get a few cheeky games in while the weather is still just about bearable

Friendly matchplay closed out 3&1 but the 17th where it was won was a bit of a comedy - 165 yards downhill (but windy) - my oppo hit what looked like a real beaut to a front pin but just caught the pond in front of the green. I played for the high cut which turned into a low cut that just dodged trees, then the ornamental bridge over the pond and ended up about 12ft from the pin. Only needed windmills and giant's legs to complete the crazy shot scenario.

Sadly 3 putted from there but as I was dormie two up my oppo needed to hole his chip from the drop zone to keep the game alive so it was game over

Once again beautiful conditions though!

And another casual game today on my week off. Not such good conditions as Tuesday as it had rained heavily overnight and the wind was up again, but still very playable. This time my regular playing partner cried off with man-flu so I ended up playing straight matchplay with another friend of mine - he has been a member for almost 4 years and is only now trying to get an official handicap. A lovely guy and a very successful businessman before he retired, he has an inexplicable shyness when it comes to playing golf and can't get over that to play with anyone he doesn't know well.

Though he hasn't an official handicap yet, he will probably get a h/c of around 26/27 once he has his mandatory card in with a committee member

Anyway, off his unofficial h/c of 28 I should have been giving his 6 shots but I ended up somehow giving him 9 shots to boost his confidence. As it turned out he had a shocker over the first nine and I played pretty well for 15 holes , playing to my handicap in very testing conditions - and ended up winning 6&4 though I then lost concentration and once the match was over he won the last 4 holes!

Happy with my own game though (at least the first 15) - didn't really add much over the last 3 holes but played pretty good until then!

No golf this weekend for me, first in a long time but probably getting me ready for the winter. The course has been closed all week due the effects of Sandy. There were, are a few trees and branches to clear but no real major damage done. Needs the regular maintenance too so they're reopening on Monday hopefully. I have a three day weekend next week so lots of golf to make up for it, especially as the missus is away with her friend.

I know this is off topic but this Saturday just keeps on getting better and better with Jack getting himself sent off.

What game today was that then? Turned up in the hope that it might stop raining, but the monthly stableford was cancelled without a ball being hit. Hung about for an hour with a bacon roll and a coffee hoping that we might get a friendly game in but when the greens started to flood admitted defeat and trudged home without the bats even leaving the boot of the car.

Been a good weekend, Col U getting stuffed in the Cup and no golf. Oh well at least there is work to look forward to tomorrow

Blue I feel your pain.

Woke up this morning and it was bucketing it down, but the forecast indicated it would brighten up later. Sure enough it had stopped raining by 10am, and when I left home at 11am it was quite bright. I had got my winter gear out for the first time this autumn, thermal base layer, wooly hat etc, but got to the course to find it closed, with puddles all over the 18th green just to make it clear the greenkeepers weren't having a laugh. So I hit a few balls on the range and went home to watch QPR v Reading... which didn't do much to improve my mood.

Great weekend all round then eh lads. Fingers crossed for better weather in the week and for next weekend.

It's alright for those that have got three days of golf and the missus away to look forward to next weekend...

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:Great weekend all round then eh lads. Fingers crossed for better weather in the week and for next weekend.

Not too bad on the Costa del Mansfield over the weekend. Cold but bright and sunny on Saturday, cloudy yesterday but none of the nasty wet stuff until quite late in the afternoon. Greens are understandably slow at this time of the year but actually putted better than they did a couple of weeks ago.

My game was pretty steady both days. 35 points was enough to take the money in our sweep on Saturday (c/b from the boy, which didn't go down too well!). Stood on the 18th yesterday with 32 points, reasonable drive into the right-had semi followed by lovely 8 iron to 6 feet and holed the putt for a birdie, net eagle to finish level par

J

Is no-one else playing at the moment?

Midweek stableford today, weather was dry but cold and dinstinctly breezy. Ball striking was pretty good all day but the radar a bit off for the first 7 holes; managed to scramble OK though to 13 points. After that things were better off the tee than they have been all year but given the wind and our fairly brutal back nine I had nothing less than a 5 iron to the green (on the 3s and 4s) until the 18th. Ended on 33 which isn't too bad considering where I was early in the year.

Off to Malta working next week but should have a couple of afternoons off. Does anyone know what the golf is like out there? I will take my shoes and look to hire clubs for a quick knock if it is any good.

J

No Jethro, we are all at work thanks!

Never been to Malta but enjoy your week, think of us trudging around in the wet and cold at the weekend, if our courses are open that is!

Jethro, I'm glad things are working out for you on Costa Del Mansfield. Here in freezing Pennsylvania the course isn't open due to the clean up needed from that Sandy bitch. The members got an email late last night to update us on the course status which is downed trees across cart paths, debris and branches in a lot of places that needs to be cleared up. Plus as we're getting some poxy snow this evening all in all it's enough to make me live up to my username.

I know of one course that is currently open so I'll play there if we're not open on Saturday.

Good luck to you in Malta, hope you get to play.

Looking forward to a game tomorrow. until I looked at the weather forecast rain all morning. Deep joy!

Oh dear Blue. We're about to get some warm weather between 12 and 17C.

Got some funky competition on Sunday. Money is going in for the blind partners best ball or combined score or something, I don't know. Then we have money going in for nearest the pins on the 5 par 3s. Then there is money for low net score - low net also gets to pick their partner first. There's money for skins, has to be won with birdie or better; can't see too many of those happening and there could be a few ties if they do happen.

There's a mercy rule for bad holes; one over double par and it's being played as winter rules or as I loving call it, pick, clean and cheat. Oh well, it's supposed to be a bit of fun and and it'll only cost me a tenner I suppose.

Amazing weather today for mid November - a rare winter stableford qualifier off the yellows and the weather was gorgeous - a touch chilly first thing (had to scrape some frost off the car) but by the time I teed off at 10:45 it was glorious. Only real downside was a VERY slow round (just shy of 5 hours for 4-balls)

Shot 37 points in what was my steadiest round of the year - bad first two holes - got back on handicap on next two and from then on it was 2pts per hole all the way with 1 3-pointer to take me to 37 (which was CSS for the day)

Just a little sad I 3-putted the last two holes as my putting had been pretty good all day but one was a slippy downhiller towards water and the other was just a long first putt that I misread (got the weight right but left it about 5 foot right)

My regular playing partner won it with 41 pts (and got himself cut just before our winter knockouts)

Well I finally got my last lesson in on Saturday, and it was a playing lesson and I'd been looking forward to it for months. The conditions were gruesome owing to a downpour Friday night that just topped the course up again, making for a lot of standing water, no run and plugged balls on the fairways.

The pro was fairly complementary about my thought process before each shot, so pleased with that. The best thing I picked up though was a couple of simple bits and then he changed the way I play bunker shots. After a few go's with the new technique I was finding it fairly easy to get fairly close from sand and it didn't matter if the pin was close or the other end of the green. Loved it so well worth it. He also had me use a simple technique for chip shots, bump and run's. I holed out 3 times and got very close almost every time with this new bit of info.

The funny part of the lesson was when he was teaching me the flop shot technique, as the ground was very squishy. He managed to make a mess of 3 shots, whilst I, using his technique put all 3 of my balls within 3-feet of the pin.

Well worth having a playing lesson, because it gives you plenty to think about and you learn some good stuff.

Are you sure your handicap is 18 and not 1.8 Doc?