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

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

Thanks BC, I suppose I talk a good game My brain works like Rory's but the execution is like Harry Hacker

Played the team stableford 6/6/6 event on Saturday as mentioned on the weather thread..

2 to score on first 6 holes, 3 to score on next 6 and all 4 to score on final 6 - but as I suspected we didn't have a full team because of late withdrawals so they came up with a scheme where our team of 3 took turns to have their score recorded twice for holes, so we always had 4 scores to choose from.

Didn't really even up the disadvantage though as it seemed to put extra pressure on the player who was "doubling up" on a hole

It did work in our favour occasionally - 3rd hole and on the rotation of players the guy in our team who was doubling on that hole was a 5 h/c and extremely long hitter who could make mincemeat of a relatively short par 5 - and due to a rather strange SI allocation he was also getting a shot there! So easy birdie for him for 4 points which was eligible to be used twice and so the two scores on that hole were both his!

Downside was holes like the par 3 14th where I was the player to be doubling up - hit the green no problem but then proceeded to 4-putt (and I'd been putting so well up to that point!) - even though I got a stroke on that hole, it was still a 1 pointer which as it was in the final 6 holes HAD to be used twice!

113 points total in the end - winning score was 124. Something like an estimated 32 pts on my own ball which wasn't too bad considering the 4 putt and the subsequent mess I made of the next hole where I was still seething over what I'd just done and messed it up

I managed quite a bit of golf over a three day weekend on 10-12 November as HID was away. Had some high points and some low points so I'm now going to bore you with it:

Started well on the Saturday and then faded a little bit and then chased it and ended up with a crap score. Played a few holes in the afternoon with one of the best players in the club and was playing sensibly by clubbing up, gripping down and swinging easy. He was really impressed as I was hitting the ball really solidly and I was scoring well.

The Sunday was this weird comp day. I ended up playing with my really talkative and annoying mate and the organiser. Both had poor days and there was me playing really consistently but not making anything. I dropped a shot on the sixth and was still one over on the par 5 11th. Hit a nice drive that got a couple of bounces down the handily placed cart path and was well within range for to reach the green. Ended up on the edge and a downhill, side hill chip left me a 4 footer up the hill which didn't break as expected. Jabbed at the 6 inch tap in and it didn't move! Cue some loud cursing and muttleys as we went to the 12th. 3 jabbed the 12th from 5 or 6 feet for double and I could feel the round unravelling. Dropped three more over the last six and I still didn't hole anything. Ended up with joint low net with the guy I played with on Saturday afternoon but definitely a coulda, woulda, shoulda round.

Went out in the afternoon for nine holes with the same guy and together we had better ball 35 (level par) and worse ball 53. We're thinking of running a worse ball comp for fun next year. Played again on the Monday morning and it was definitely a case of after the Lord Mayor's show; plenty of lip outs and edge burning.

I think I definitely need to sort the mental side of my game out so I've just ordered a couple of books online by Patrick Cohn. Going Low and Peak Performance Golf, I've seen both be highly recommended by those that have read them on a number of forums. Hopefully these will do the trick. I sometimes find that I get ahead of myself and force stuff when thewheels start coming off a good round.

I'm playing at Woolston Manor on Friday which I believe may have been one of LJ's old clubs.

We are paying £60 for a fourball and that includes lunch! It's no wonder golf club membership is falling off a cliff!

Blimey Blue, that's still a deal if there were only three of you. I've played it a few times too as it's pretty close to where my parents live. LJ did used to be a member there before moving to Theydon Bois? I think.

I had a couple of good rounds at the weekend, I'll post more when I'm in the office.

So Saturday's round was delayed by two things. The Arsenal / Spurs game and a heavy frost. I arrived at the course in a very good mood but unfortunately there were no Spurs fans to offer a high five to. We ended up waiting around for about 30 minutes as we waited for the frost to clear. Myself and another player in the group were under instructions to be finished early. I had to finish early to drop the wife's friend off at the airport for her to return to London. The orders were something like this: I don't care what you do or what time you play but you have to be done by 2:30. If that means I come and pick you up from the 12th hole so be it.

We tried to start on the sixth but it was clear that the frost was still in full effect so we went back to the first. By that time I already realised that I'm not going to finish. I don't know if that relaxed me but I was certainly playing well. I missed out on a sandy on the first due to a lip out and then birdied the next hole. Got up and down on the par three third and then holed an enormous putt for bogey on the fourth after taking on a stupid carry shot. Just missed par on the fifth after a reverse lip out; the ball rolled along the front edge of the cup and turned away, very bizarre. Par on six and then dropped one on seven. Birdied eight and then made double on nine, was so busy admiring a shot before I actually hit it. Idiot boy! Finished the front nine 4 over which is pretty good.

Made par on the par five tenth after screwing up the pitch onto the green. Nice sandy on the eleventh and solid par on the twelth. Time was ticking away and we thought we would be at the furthest point away from the road at 2:30. Played the thirteenth and thought I would get my first 4 on the card but lipped out. Started to press as I really wanted to finish the round but ended up messing up the back to back par 3s making double on both, missing putts for an elusive four. Missed a putt on the sixteenth for a four as it turned hard left in front of the hole. Called the missus for pickup after 17 as we would just about be there at 2:30. Made my first four there and finished the round one hole short. All added up to 76 and probably would have made 5 on the last had we played it.

Luckily enough this was good enough to take the money. The group comp was reduced to 17 holes as we to finish early.

Sunday had an even later frost delay and we didn't start until nearly 11. I was a bit ropey to start but settled down after the first hole. Dropped shots on one, six, nine and doubled seven to be five over through the front nine. Got a lucky break on the tenth after my tee shot clattered into the trees and back out onto the fairway. Made par there and another sandy par on 11. Doubled 12 but made par on 13 and 14 getting up and down both times. Birdied 15 after a really solid tee shot. This par 3 had been kicking my butt all year and that birdie was nice. Stood on 16 and lost the tee shot to the right. Didn't realise that the group in front, that we hadn't seen for five holes, were down in the valley and I hit right into them; felt like a real ar$ehole. Hit provisional into the trees on the left once they were gone. Couldn't find ball number 1, found the provisional and could only hack out. Put the next one into greenside bunker. Played another great bunker shot and missed the damn putt. Walked off with an 8! Birdied 17 by holing a downhill breaking 30 footer, then birdied the last too after an approach to about 8 feet. I would have taken playing the last four in one over standing on 15 tee box but to throw in a quad! Finished with 78 after that finish to beat my handicap by one.

All in all a good weekend of golf. This weekend is going to be the last as we're closing for winter on Sunday.

BlueCoverman wrote:I'm playing at Woolston Manor on Friday

No I'm not. Heavy overnight rain has left a waterlogged course and with more rain forecast this morning a late postponement seemed only slightly more attractive than another day in the office

Oh dear, sorry to hear that Blue. Did you not bring your wellies? Will you still get that deal?

Morning Grumps, yes deal is valid until 31st January apparently, have provisionally rescheduled for 11th December.

Enjoy your last weekend of golf before the winter closure, hope that the weather is kind

Supposed to be playing our first round Winter Foursomes match tomorrow but only 9 holes open today after overnight rain - we'll have to see if we get more rain overnight (it's certainly meant to be getting bad again later tomorrow but if it stays dry between now and tomorrow morning we may just get away with it)

Good luck with the 11th Blue. Thanks, it's supposed to be cold this weekend; high of 2C on Saturday so I'm not sure if we'll be able to get out. Sunday is warmer we're looking at a balmy 3C!

The weather was great yesterday, only about 10C, no wind and warm sun. Wish I'd gone out instead of doing little bits and pieces around the house.

Off to Dundonald tomorrow.

This will make a great change from muddy home course to a nice dry links course......

Well damn - that was quite some match today. Only the first round of the Winter Foursomes knockout but what a match it was!

Expecting really shitty weather we got lucky and while it wasn't pleasant it was bearable

Me and my partner (22 and 18 h/c) against two better players (8 and 11) so we were getting 11 shots which must be tough for any good pair.

Started really well and used our shots sensibly - we were up through the first 6 until they came level on 7 but shots on 8 and 9 let us turn 2 up

Then they started to play and they got level after 12 and suddenly were 2 up with 3 to play. We did really well to get a half on 16 after an up and down from a tough green side bunker but that was still dormie 2 and all our shots had now been used up - we looked dead and buried

Par3 17th and opponents were very unlucky to hit one over the back of the green when it looked as if it was all over the flag (lost ball for them though my partner left me quite close so even if they'd found it they would have had an almost impossible up and down for a half)

Then inexplicably they blew up on 18 - I hit my worst tee shot of the day and thought we were out of it but we played the hole out very well and they messed up badly - so down the 1st again for the extra hole. We knew we probably needed to win it there if we were going to win at all as the 2nd extra hole wasn't a shot hole for us and it's one of those that is an easy hole for lower handicappers but tough as hell for higher handicaps - thankfully we got the hole we needed on the 1st extra for a very unlikely win!

Almost all down to my partner though I must admit - I played OK and (mostly) did what I needed apart from a couple of shockers that really SHOULD have cost us- but we knuckled down and somehow got the job done

Much better day weather-wise than predicted yesterday. A bit misty but perfectly still and no rain until mid-afternoon by which time I was sat on the sofa shouting at the rugby.

Golf was 'a game of two halves'. A bit messy on the front nine, but much better on the back. My tee shot on the first par three found a rock hard bunker with a steep lip, no chance of a splash out so tried to clip it off the top with a 60 degree but flew the green into the cabbage on the far side, a duffed chip and a poor first putt later and I am walking off with a blob. Another silly blob on the ninth from a perect tee shot left me with a distinctly average 14 points going out. A good par with a shot on the long par three 10th, followed by a couple of nett pars on two tricky, long par 4s steadied the ship a bit. I then had a very nice run of par, bogey, par, par, par (all but one with shots) to leave me needing a bogey up the last for 36 points which would have been quite a recovery. Tee shot was perfect leaving a wedge to the green, pushed this slightly but not into any trouble leaving a straightforward chip which I duly put about four feet past the hole. At this point I made the mistake of counting my score and realised that if I holed it I would have a back nine of 38 which is as good as I have ever done. In my defence it was a fast downhiller with a nasty left to right break but it was still pretty inexcuseable to charge it five feet past. Needless to say I missed the one back as well so finished with 35 points - not bad considering where I was after nine but could so easily have been 36 or 37.

The highlight for me was the par 5 16th. As I was addressing the ball I noticed a blob of mud on it but was too lazy to bend over and clean it. Maybe as a result of this (or a cr@p) swing the ball flew into the trees on the right. Getting to the ball the only way out was either the way I came or though a two feet wide gap, under a branch then over a bunker onto the fairway. Despite trying very hard on course management recently I went for the career shot and amazingly it came off, popping out 80 yards down the fairway and into the semi on the far side. A very nice hybrid from about 180 later and I am facing a fifteen footer for birdie. This stayed out but a par from where I was off the tee was a real bonus.

Overall I am very pleased with my game at the moment and the course of lessons are really starting to pay off. Just a bit gutted that the main season is over now.

J

Sounds an entertaining round Jethro - I recognize a lot of me in your description!

Light snow forecast for Saturday morning, yellow balls at the ready

BlueCoverman wrote:Light snow forecast for Saturday morning, yellow balls at the ready

I thought based on your name and avatar you had a different colour already

They might turn that colour if it gets much bloody colder...

Christ that was cold out there for the Turkey Trot this morning. A sharp frost and rock hard greens awaited us which only thawed when freezing rain arrived on the back nine. Not the most enjoyable round of golf I have ever had and a gross 86 for 27 points reflected that.

Needless to say I will be buying my own turkey for Christmas lunch again this year!

Cold but no wind so not unpleasant yesterday; overnight frost meant that we were on temps all the way round but it was still good to be out. There were only four of us so we just played a pairs fourball which we manage to win 2up. My recent run of good form continued with an estimated 40 points including a couple of birdies on shot holes but also a couple of blobs on the back nine so still plenty to work on.

J

Similar day for me to BCM yesterday - also a Turkey trot and rock hard greens (thankfully no freezing rain though)

4BBB and only an estimated 28 pts for me - and my lady partner didn't add a lot to that so it looks like chippolatas for xmas for me again - lovely to be out there though - only one temp green (the rest were what the club calls "frost greens" - flag on the proper green but only a yard or two from the front of the green) - tee to green (or around the green) was fine but chipping and putting was a nightmare

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:Good luck with the 11th Blue.

No luck I'm afraid Grumps. A hard overnight frost has resulted in our trip to Woolston Manor being postponed again

BlueCoverman wrote:

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:Good luck with the 11th Blue.

No luck I'm afraid Grumps. A hard overnight frost has resulted in our trip to Woolston Manor being postponed again

Sorry to hear that Blue. It was good through 2013 right? Might need it to be at this rate.

Yes valid until 31st January Grumps, might try again one day next week.

Have you had your last game now until after the winter?

I think so Blue. The weather was good enough the last couple of weekends although a little foggy but all the nearby courses are closed in my area. I'm hoping I may be able to slip off somewhere this weekend as I have a long weekend planned. The Monday could be good if I can find somewhere that's open. If I can't I might walk up my road and onto the course, with a little carry bag, and play 11, 13-15 and then finish off with 12. But that's the really hilly section high on the mountain and there could be bears around.

Bears?...bloody hell, the most we have to worry about are the swans protecting their young and the grumpy canadian geese!

Earlier this year the group in front of us had to wait for a bear to finish wandering around the wetland area before they could tee off. One of the group posted a picture on facebook about one of the additional hazards of playing our course.

I've disturbed a bobcat, about the size of a labrador or golden retriever, luckily for me it was occupied with a groundhog. But we both looked at each other warily; him thinking is this so and so trying to steal my lunch and me pondering which wedge to fight him off if necessary. Obviously a chunky bloke with a couple of wedges over each shoulder is a scary prospect as the bobcat and his lunch disappeared sharpish

Christ Grumps it sounds like a round of golf with Bear Grylis...

Played on Saturday.

I recently purchased a "Grip-Rite" to put on any club & try to fix my grip. As we were not in competition; I put it on my 3-wood & played a wee texas scramble with 6 of my mates. About half way round some of them noticed my grip & asked to have a go. Out of the 6, not one of them could grip the club. Not one of them grip their clubs right.

The reason for using the "Grip-Rite" was to try & help me to stop hooking. I must admit; I never hooked one shot all day. But I did notice that it did restrict my back swing a little. No bad thing as I tend to overswing a little or a lot; similar to John Daly sometimes.[b]

Well I did our turkey trot and as expected after not playing for 9-weeks, was pretty tepid. Conditions were dire as it was gloop and no run, with lost balls plugged in the fairway. i scrambled a bogey to start with but then took 4 strokes to propel the ball just in front of the ladies tee Picked up on that one, then went ob off the tee on the next so another non scoring hole. After trying to work out where I was going wrong, I managed to par the next 4 and bogeyed the following 2 holes. Relaxed and swinging pretty well by now, and finished up holding my own in our team, contributing plenty. Overall after a garbage start, I thought I did ok but I'm stiff this morning after the muddy 5-hour walk. Playing in the peak District on Sunday, so I hope I can remember how to swing this time.

Managed to get 18 in today before the rain got too heavy. Bit wet underfoot but the course stood up to it remarkably well

Thought it would just be two of us (and the course was relatively quiet) but as we had just teed off a guy rushed up and asked if we were the 9:58 tee time and said that the pro shop had said we wouldn't mind if he tagged along with us. We didn't mind at all and when he hit his first tee shot with no warm up about 280 yards into the wind (even if it was blocked right a little) we knew we were in for some good company

After a few holes I asked what he played off and he said he'd "crept up to 3" but was looking to get back to scratch next year. When I asked him if he'd already been scratch at some point he said he'd been as low as +2 when he worked as an assistant pro in Australia for a few years - and also at Wisley.

Sadly he had to leave us after 12 holes as he had a phone message from his office that he was required there - but great to watch him strike the ball and also to offer advice to us (but only if we wanted it - he wasn't pushy)

As for my own game, played OK and won the little informal matchplay against my regular partner by 4&3 (probably fortunate I closed it out with 3 to go as I had an inexplicable lost ball on 17 - in only semi rough - must've got hidden under a leaf or something - and then hit worst tee shot of the day on 18 to dump it in water that probably shouldn't have been in play)

Was just under handicap for the round before those last two holes though so can't complain

Well I got a game in today (see the "friggin weather" thread for how doubtful it would be

Just a bounce game with me and my regular playing partner (though the pro shop put a third guy with us to make use of limited tee times)

3 temporary greens, and most of the tees down by the ladies' tee boxes, though that only evened out the very wet conditions I'd say - I'd have hated to play off the full tees considering how wet it was underfoot.

The first hole, I think both me and my mate almost decided we shouldn't be out there (hole halved in EIGHT!!! and I had to sink a decent putt to get 8!) but after that we both played close to our handicaps (albeit on some very shortened holes). Lost our little private game on the last though I had been 3 down with 5 to play.

All in all though, nice to just get out there for some sort of game - I'd been going stir crazy sat at home over Xmas while the course was closed or very near unplayable

I bet the third guy with you was thinking after the first hole 'Christ, this could be a long morning'!

BlueCoverman wrote:I bet the third guy with you was thinking after the first hole 'Christ, this could be a long morning'!

"I wish I never asked in the pro shop, didn't realise he was hooking me up with two old duffers" was his other thoughts on the matter

Yes that thought crossed our mind too! Thankfully he was about the same standard as us (though he played that first hole pretty well)

And we did get around in about 3.5 hours including being stuck behind a slow 4-ball for the first 7 holes!

Course was open today although the fairways were saturated and all the bunkers were out of play as they resembled more like paddling pools. The new year starts for us with the Hangover Cup and in traditional new years day fashion I was feeling suitably hungover and rather jaded. As I wandered wearily, unshaven and rather dishevelled to the first tee I did wonder if a lie-in, a fried breakfast and a mid-day refreshing walk along Clacton seafront might have been a better way to spend the bank holiday, rather than a slop round the golf course in the very wet conditions.

My opinion hadn't really changed as I walked off the fifth green having just completed my 4th bogey of the morning. However, it was a lovely bright morning and as the cobwebs began to clear I started to string a few pars together and managed to hole a couple of birdie putts. Played the last 13 holes only one shot over to finish with a 77, nett 72 which is bang on handicap and was good enough for 4th place.

Happy New Year to you all and wishing you an enjoyable golfing year in 2013

Good work Blue! Happy New Year to you and all the Golf Chat UK readers. Hopefully we'll all have such happy tales to tell soon!

Davie wrote:Happy New Year to all the UK readers

Not those in Pennsylvania then Grumps!

Oi! Stop that! I said "Golf Chat UK"

Did Santa leave you a big wooden spoon this year Blue

Happy New Year to all, hopefully the weather will improve soon. Happy golfing.

Or you insinuating that I stir things up or are you predicting Col U's end of season league position Grumps?

You may think either Blue, but I can't possibly comment

You've been following Arsenal for too long...Arsene Wenger didn't see it and you couldn't possibly comment

I always remember it from the House of Cards, Blue. Francis Urquhart, I think.

Well I got the first game of two this weekend and considering how wet it was a week ago, the course was in remarkable condition

A Greensomes Stableford comp (a format I'd never played before) and the first 9 we ripped it up! I joked with my partner that he brought the talent and I brought the extra handicap shots (we were getting 15 shots). First 9 we scored 23 points and it seemed all very easy! He was hitting long and straight off the tee, I was having 2nd shots from much closer than I normally would - not always getting very close to the flag but almost always on the dance floor - he then lagged up and I had a tap-in! Easy....

I did pull my weight on a couple of holes but mostly it was about not making mistakes which I managed to do

Sadly, the 2nd 9 wasn't quite so easy - he lost form a little and I made a couple of mistakes too - total of 38 points in the end which while no disgrace wasn't what we hoped for after 9 - still a very good day with good company and some good shots - now onto tomorrow and our 2nd round Winter Knockout Foursomes match (playing very good opponents but getting 9 shots I think so steady play will give us a very good chance!) - game should be a LOT of fun though as we know our opponents very well and there will be a LOT of banter

And the second part of the weekend double header saw a winter foursomes knockout. Me and my partner (18/22) against two guys (10/13) getting nine shots but even that many shots I was a little worried about it - the 10 h/c guy is still on his way down and could get a lot lower in the future.

As it happened, today he had a total mare and I felt heart-sorry for him as he's a lovely guy

First hole was a mare for US (or me anyway) - nobbed my drive almost into a ditch about 20 yards in front of the tee and while my partner made a good recovery from an almost impossible position I mishit my next shot also and at that point I thought it was going to be a long, painful day.

As it happened, the rest of the first nine I played nicely and my partner was the one struggling but fortunately the opponents couldn't capitalize and we were 2 up up after nine (and could have been more!)

Back nine and my partner found his game and I stayed steady while they continued to struggle - ended up with a convincing 5&3 win and if it hadn't been for a chip in on 13 for them it could have been all over even quicker!

Love the adrenalin rush of winning even if it was quite comfortable! Kudos to my partner for getting his head straight after a bad front nine by his standards

The Presidents New Year Cup for us today and the generous fellow that he is, he provided a couple of bottles each of Brandy and Scotch for those who appreciate an alcoholic addition to their early morning coffee. Not for me I'm afraid, I find that little white ball is difficult enough to hit out of the middle of the club as it is early on a Sunday morning, without the infusion of alcohol into my system.

The bunkers were back in play today after the greenstaff had worked hard pumping the water out of them and making them just about playable but the course was very wet still. Played to handicap on the front 9 but a couple of careless shots cost me double bogeys on the back 9 and I finished with a gross 80, nett 75.

The Cup was won by a 10 handicapper who shot a gross 75 and earnt himself a handicap cut down to playing off 8 and a good start to the New Year for him.

Sounds a good day Blue - surprised it was a qualifier though!

Yes must admit that so was I Davie, especially as not all of the tee markers were on the white tee boxes and obviously it was winter rules with pick, wipe and place on the fairways.

Disappointed mainly though because I missed the buffer zone by 1 shot and start 2013 with a 0.1 addition to my handicap!

A good win for you today by the sound of things, well played.

Thanks Blue, yes in the cold light of a new day it was very satisfying and a nice reminder to me of another reason I love being a club member after so many years as a golfing nomad. I really love these club comps that I'd never had a chance to play in before and still get a real adrenaline buzz winning one of these matches even if it was relatively straightforward like yesterday. On a different day I know for sure that they could and would have given us a much stiffer test.

Next round is a 4 and 11 handicapper (father and son) - so something like 13 shots for us - but we'll have to play better than yesterday I suspect

As for your qualifier, maybe it was designated as a Q off the yellows? That would allow the course to be much shorter - do you have a difference in SSS for yellow and white?