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

Thanks Blue. You could tell this guy could play but he was a little rusty too; I think he said he had a 78. I think I only had a couple of shots that were really bad, the one's where you say to yourself where the #$&%'s that going? This is usually what happens; I find that I can still hit the ball well with one or two more bad ones than my rust free game but I don't chip and pitch very well which makes all the difference. Not sure when my next game will be so I could be back to the simulator next weekend.

Davie wrote:The wind must have been pretty cold though! 12-15C I'd be in short sleeves! ;-)

Thinking about it I got my temperature conversion a bit out of whack. In fahrenheit, cos that's what I'm used to now, it was mid 40's when I arrived at the courese and when I got in the car afterwards it was late 50's. I think the wind was blowing a good 20-25 mph, enough to make you eyes water when you were facing it, and when you were out of the sun it chilled very quickly.

Rumour has it that my course isn't opening until April 14 so that would mean my first game there isn't going to be until the 19th! I'm not happy at that but the missus thinks it's great as she thinks I'll be doing more chores. Hopefully some of the other local courses will open up earlier otherwise there could be a couple of road trips coming up.

Woohoo, sneaky game today as the missus will be out all day.

Have a good one grumps! Lovely weather here this weekend .. stableford comp for me tomorrow!

Hope you have a good one out there tomorrow Davie. Our weather is nowhere near as good as yours and a couple of weeks ago when I played my first game of the year. It was cold, wet, windy, and goddamn miserable at times out there today; my hands were so cold on the back nine.

A friend of mine called yesterday to say a club about 35 miles away was open and as my missus ended up being out for the day today I took the opportunity to sneak a game. I started out a bit ropey with two scuffed shots and ended with a triple. Birdied the very next hole after hitting it to just over a foot. I was putting quite nicely although they seemed to be a bit quicker than the practice green. I had another birdie on 6 after hitting an approach to about 10 feet. I don't think the conditions helped but my softer swings rather than full out all tended to be a little chunky. I finished relatively well but had too many doubles today.

Our course will be open on April 11 and I might take a day off that week to play another local course which is opening on the 4th before starting out the season the 12th.

Very lacklustre start to to season for me and not really sure why

After battling through the winter conditions and not doing too bad considering, now the weather is here, I've been struggling for the last month or so! 3 or 4 weeks ago I had possibly my worst round in 5 years as a member of my club . to say I played like a beginner again would be an understatement. Since then, the scores have got progressively better but still nowhere near where they should be. This week I thought I was finally back to somewhere close to where I should be - 18 points on front nine which is the tighter of the two nines, but then faltered on the back for a total return of 28 points

Starting to hit some decent shots again now though (where a month ago I felt fortunate to even lay a club on the ball!) - at least an encouragement that I can still hit a ball properly .. just need some consistency now

Played yesterday - first time since Christmas. Had a 51 round a 9-hole course (bloody bunkers did it for me) and was only 3 shots behind LordPutt who plays twice a week! Can't wait to retire and get my game back into really good shape. It is soooo close  

Really glad I took a 4-month sabbatical over the horrendous winter drudgery. My game is starting to come back together and just starting to play to my handicap again after 6 weeks   

Likewise .. I'm still not quite back to buffer zone after a horrendous few weeks but yesterday in the first big stableford of the year I missed the buffer zone by one shot and that included 3 off the tee on both 7 and 8 and a total horlicks of 16 .. cut out those mistakes and I'll be back to somewhere where I want to be.

Yesterday it was all about the driver (or lack of it) and I really should have taken more 3-woods off the tee - but I wanted to try to work out what was wrong. My course isn't terribly long (though it's not a really little course) .. but being a short hitter I do need the driver to be working. Time to visit the pro I think to see if he can work out what I'm doing wrong .. the rest of the bag, while not brilliant, are not too far off the mark (that's MY mark, not anything special). Short game coming back though which is what usually gets me through to some semi decent scores

Even better - a 47 today which is a couple of shots off playing to my old handicap of 20 and that after a layoff of nearly 4 years serious play since I had to have my new hips. And I left at least 4 shots out  there when I allowed for the fast greens of Friday and forgot yesterday's downpour.  

Excellent LP! Well done

A mixed team event for me today and thankfully I'm getting back to somewhere close to where I need to be. Team score wasn't great but on my own ball I was something around 35-36 points. After the last couple of months that was quite a relief - and I missed a couple of short putts, though sank a couple of longer ones too so I suppose I shouldn't complain

Mrs Blue and I decided to have a game whilst we were in Marbella for Easter and chose the Marbella Golf and Country club as I had played there before, although not since 2007. I coughed a bit at the size of the green fee, but the ever helpful pro-shop assistant said that if we played after 3.00pm then the rate reduced to 146 Euros for the pair of us including a buggy. I still felt slightly mugged as I handed over that and another 50 Euros to hire some clubs, but I thought what the hell we are on holiday after all. A 40 Euro taxi fare and a few more Euros for a couple of range tokens mean't that it wasn't exactly the cheapest afternoons golf that I have ever had!

Having just been cut to 5 after finding some early season form, I was feeling in a generous mood and as Mrs Blue hasn't had the chance to play much golf lately I offered her 4 courtesy shots to add to her club handicap of 20. This proved to be a very serious error of judgement on my part as Mrs Blue showed excellent course management to par the signature hole, which with its stroke index 1 gave her 4 points and an early lead. It was a lead that she never relinquished and my insistence on using my driver on a couple of fiddly holes on the front 9 led to a couple of blobs, and a rather barren looking scorecard on my part at the turn.

Mrs Blue faded a little on the back 9 but her final tally of 29 points was more than enough for my paltry effort of 24 points. In my defence I could point to the unfamiliar hire clubs and far too much alcohol and a late night spent in the bustling nightlife area of Puerto Banus the previous evening. However all of those things applied to Mrs Blue as well...in fact if I'm honest she probably had more to drink than I did!  

Well done Mrs Blue   

Just back from a great weeks golf in Spain. Played one round at Torrequebrada, two at Mijas, (one each on the Lagos and Olivos courses) but the highlight of the trip was three rounds at San Roque, two of which were on the Old course and one on the New. Both have hosted the Spanish Open in the past, the New in 2005 and the Old in 2006 and the Old course was right up there amongst the best courses I have ever played.
 
Anyone else played much golf on the Costa del Sol? Where have you played and what did you think of the course?
 
How was the trip to Murcia Setup?

I've played quite a bit on the Costa del Sol (that's actually where I first met LordPutt   ) but only played San Roque New which I didn't like very much (it was a very wet and cold December I seem to recall but it was a freebie so I couldn't complain). I think my favourite has to be La Quinta, closely followed by Los Arqueros, La Duquesa and Monte Mayor. Never had the money to play any of the really expensive ones like Valderrama!

Monte Mayor closed about 18 months ago LP, a victim of the downturn in the Spanish economy. A great pity, it was one of my favourites too.

Mrs Grumps has been away for the last couple of weeks so I've played a fair bit of golf over the last two weekends.  Highlight on FA Cup weekend, after watching Arsenal win, was shooting 78 and being very relaxed over the majority of the round.  Not much to write home about on the other three rounds although two nearest the pins on the Sunday netted me the grand total of $1.
 
Bank holiday weekend I was a little more restrained with just one round a day.  The Saturday was a scramble tournament where we mixed up the tee boxes and I played from a number of spots that I wouldn't normally play from and that made club selection interesting.  Out team came second with a score of -3.  On Sunday I had a very good front nine but let it slip a little on the back to finish with a net 71 and the majority of the money paid out.  I saved the best until last on Monday.  
 
There was just four of us playing, and at my request we switched up who would play with who, so we played for $2 front nine, back nine, overall and $1 junk.  The junk being if you make birdie, hit the green on a par 3 (have to make par or better to collect), make par after being in a bunker.  My partner contributed on a couple of holes but basically I was on fire.  I was +2 for the front including a birdie, we were dormie 4 through five and my partner won the sixth.  We did lose the 8th to a stroke so we were 4 up for the front nine.  I birdied the 10th and we won 6 straight holes to win the back and basically crush them.  My back nine was a little more ragged but I also birdied the 17th, matching a birdie that they made but losing the hole to a stroke, to get back to +2 for the back.  My only aberation came on 18 where my regular partner was pissing about as I was about to tee off.  Tugged tee shot left into the trees, I found it and decided to be a hero and go for the green.  Not big and not clever as I ended in the hazard 90 degrees right of where I just was.  Slashed it out of the swamp, chipped on, and two putted for my only double of the day and to finish with a 76. I only made $8 but was very satisfying sticking it to my regular partner who had said as moved off the tee box on 4 "so what are my chances of beating you today?"
 
Mrs Grumps is back tomorrow so I don't know if the rematch will take place on Sunday as it's also our anniversary.

That's some good golf there Grumps, well played   
 
Can you just confirm how many shots I will be getting in July please?

I ain't givin you nuttin!

My handicap has been on the rise since the end of last season when the computer didn't process any scores for weeks. Once the season was over I jumped to 9 and the start of this year has been a steady increase to 10.3, playing off 12. The next update is Sunday so I might drop down a little.

10.3 playing off 12? How's that work then?

You'll both be giving me shedloads then .. but it will be my club card behind the bar so bring your wallets as I intend to recoup the bar bill on the golf course ;-)

Warning Grumps: I think we are going to be hustled!  

BlueCoverman wrote:10.3 playing off 12? How's that work then?

Slope rating of the course. It's tougher than average so your course handicap is adjusted upwards.

BlueCoverman wrote:Warning Grumps: I think we are going to be hustled!  

Don't worry Blue, I've got a plan . Full contact golf or gotchas  

Gotcha. Playing off 5.6 the slope system gave me 8 playing the Old course at San Roque

Must be a tough track at San Roque. Ours is rated 132 which is about 20 points above the average.

Played yesterday and had an up and down round. Three pars and three bogies through the first six. Lost my way a little on the next six that included a double and a triple and no pars to be +12. Wanted to finish well after bogeying 13 I said to myself let's finish with 5 - 3s which would be three under. Regulation par on 14 and a three putt bogey on 15 put paid to that but I did birdie 16. Hit a nice approach into 17 and when one of the guys knocked it in to a foot I told him I would get the birdie in before him. I'm glad it hit the centre of the hole or it would have been a good few feet back. On 18 I watched both guys stuff up the approach and then hit mine right at the flag. It pitched about a foot away, hopped, and then spun back about five feet. I tugged the putt a fraction and just missed a 3-3-3 finish but played the last six level par. All in all it matched my handicap which after the triple on 11 I didn't think was possible.

Wasn't expecting to play this morning as its the anniversary but Mrs Grumps showed what a wonderful wife she is and I'm off to the course in a few minutes. Playing mid afternoon with her in couples golf too.

Murcia trip went really well. Golg & The Champions league all in one weekend....how could you go wrong.

Was leading after the first day, but faded to second overall. Not bad considering there were 16 of us.

I would highly recommend Las Colinas & Lo Romero. Not much facilities at Lo Romero but the course is magnificent. The signature 18, par 4 island green is a treat.

As for Costa del Golf, played there many times.
Mijas, La Cala, Marbella GC, Monte Mayor (for the insane), Torrequebrada, La Quinta, Santa Maria, Naranja, Rio Real to name but a few. La Cala was always my favourite, though never usually played very well there, until the very last time I played a few years ago, & managed to win the money.

Home mixed match yesterday against Castle Royal .. team lost 4-2 unfortunately but partner and I won ours 6&4!

A high handicap group with my partner, though a more elderly lady was the lowest h/c with me getting 5 shots and opponents 3 and 4

Opponents struggled but I played OK and partner was very steady with a red hot putter - she must have drained 3 very decent putts for a win or a half. Still would have won without the hot putter I think but that made it so much more confortable

Funniest moment was 1st hole when I sliced tee s hot into a lateral ditch, dropped out and put 3rd shot into fairway bunker! Moved about 80 yards with 4th shot - pulled the 5th shot left to about 20 foot and then sank the putt for an unlikely 6 but a score that I didn't think would count - until everyone else proceeded to 3 (and in one case 4) putt and my 6 ended up winning the hole, much to my embarrassment - good company though with excellent conditions and the course just starting to come into close to perfect condition with the annual pro-am and then club championships coming up in the next 2-3 weeks

I presume it was a better ball then Davie? Just as well you didn't pick up and say "over to you" to your playing partner!

Yes exactly LP .. Had it been further into the round I maybe would have done but being 1st hole I just wanted to get a feel for things (and get the bad shots out of the way!)

Very definitely a "could've, would've, should've" day today .. C medal and came in with nett 74 which on the face of it was steady without being spectacular. However, winning score was only 71 and with two 8's on my back nine including an 8 on par3 17 .. plus 4-5 short putts missed .. well what can I say

Overall best I've played for a while now and I should be trying to take positives out of it - but really I'm unlikely to have a better chance than that this year. 17 that I blew up in is a notorious card-wrecker but even a 4-5 on there would have seen me in good shape and if the stupid little putts had gone in then I'd have been laughing

It all comes down to chipping and putting in the end doesn't it? On most sub-6200 yard courses you could pretty well take a 4/5 iron off every tee and providing you get 2/3 reasonable swipes away you'll never be far way even on the lengthy par 4s and 5s, but if your putting is woeful then you won't win anything    

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:Wasn't expecting to play this morning as its the anniversary  but Mrs Grumps showed what a wonderful wife she is and I'm off to the course in a few minutes.  Playing  mid afternoon with her in couples golf too.

The missus must have begrudged me on our anniversary; I was okay but not great and didn't score that well. I did get a nearest the pin and my partner carried me this time around so I came out all square money wise. We played a couples golf scramble the same afternoon and the missus did whacking and putting for a while before she got tired. I was definitely tired towards the end and we finished a big raggedly for a 42?

Yard work last weekend meant I played late on Saturday afternoon. Front 9 not too bad; a couple of loose swings meant I was out in 41 with two doubles. I birdied the 10th and that was where I peaked. Played the last 8 in 42 with a few three putts so that wasn't so clever.

Last Sunday everything was really, really solid. I hit the first five greens and was level par; makeable birdie putts on the first two just missed, three putted the third, left it a ball roll short on 4 before holing a three footer for birdie on 5. Sand save on 6, missed the green on 7 and didn't get up and down. Got lucky on 8 that I found the ball on the edge of the tree line and made par. Was pin high on 9 in two an inch off the green and took 5 putts to get down!! The only thing that was missing on the green was a windmill. The slope and speed were too severe for the pin placement. One of my putts died about 3 inches short of the hole and then ran 4 foot down the hill. Was out in 39, +4, but felt let down.

Birdied 10, followed it with par on 11, and a bogey on 12. Was unlucky not to have a better lie in a trap on 13, I was about 6 inches on the back edge but the ball was not sitting cleanly. In hindsight I should have splashed out leaving a full shot in but I went for it and left an awkward pitch up the hill and a bogey. Got up and down on 14 after catching my 7 iron a bit fat. Solid 7 into 15 got me a nearest the pin and another birdie much to the chagrin of one of my partners who had just rolled a breaking 20 footer in for birdie. Got aggressive on a chip on 16 trying to hole it and then shaved the edge on the way back. Regulation fairway, green, and 2 putt on 17. Nice tee shot and approach on 18 left me a slightly turning down hill putt which I holed. Level par back nine and 74 when all was said and done. The last putt also meant I took the money beating another of my playing partners by 1 shot; I had all of the birdie money too as I knocked out the guy on 15 so I walked away with 70% of the pot.

Not playing tomorrow due to more yard work; playing in the money game on Sunday so hopefully the good golf will continue.

Played both days of the weekend last week despite shed loads, or barrow loads to be more precise, of yard work. Didn't feel like I played that well but was only a couple of shots above handicap both days. Wasn't that successful in the money game; a couple of nearest the pins got me a whole dollar above my stake money but having already tipped the cart kid it didn't amount to a profitable day.

Lots of golf this weekend with the member/member comp tomorrow, money game on Sunday, and then 9 holes of couples golf with Mrs Grumps Sunday afternoon.

Played at Wanstead last Sunday in the Thornton Cup plate. We lost 6-4 overall although I did manage a 3 and 1 win. Played in a society day on Wednesday at Canons Brook, Harlow and scored 33 points, 37 won it. I did succeed in winning the 'nearest the pin in 2' but I did also manage to miss the 6 foot birdie putt!
 
Playing 36 holes tomorrow in the Curry Cup at Stoke-by-Nayland in Suffolk. Weather forecast looks a bit grim with plenty of thunderstorms predicted. Could be a long day!

Having driven close to one of my old clubs on the way to Five Lakes yesterday I went over to Three Rivers this afternoon.

A few putts on the practice green and set off in early afternoon sun. After a couple of holes it became obvious that if putting at Five Lakes was like putting on ice then putting at the Rivers was like putting on a shag carpet. Three, 3 putts in the first six holes was a bit disheartening but I did have a two putt birdie on the par 5 4th which is probably the best I've ever played it. I also birdied the 7th before finally making par on the 8th with a 2 putt! Nearly chipped in on the 9th and had an easy tap in for par. Made the turn in 40.

Drove the par 4 10th, second time I've managed that, and another two putt birdie. Made some great up and downs on 11 and 12 after tee shots that weren't in the best positions. Set up for a little fade off the 13th tee box and pulled it way left. Horrid lie and a little blocked out and then I was lucky to get away with a poor pitch and dropped a shot. Hit a monster drive on the 14th and was breathing hard after scaling heart attack hill in full sunshine. Made a mess of the next shot but was able to recover for par. I was starting to tighten up a little as I knew I was on good score but a solid par on the par 3 15th before making a very good sand save on the par 3 16th after not trusting the club. Tried to bomb a drive down 17 but slipped a fraction at the crucial moment and pulled the tee shot. Was only able to chunk it forward but was happy to have a par putt which I of course missed. Bombed the drive on 18 and was about 110 out but wasn't confident on club selection and ballsed the shot up. Was pretty lucky not to stick it in the pond but good pitch gave me a chance to save par but I left it about an inch short The two dropped shots over the last two meant I had a 37 on the back and equalled my best score round the Rivers.

Had a little look around the clubhouse and checked the Honours board to see if I recognised any of the names still there.

Pleased to see that the little lesson I gave you the previous evening paid dividends Grumps!   Seriously that's a great round   Good to see you getting warmed up nicely for Thursday.  

An early start in the office today and a pleasing relatively light workload saw me disappear late morning with an almost clear desk. One of my favourite days of the year (apart from those spent with fellow Golf-Chat contributors of course!) is a round at the magnificent Thorndon Park near Brentwood and this was the venue for a society day today. A bit pricey at £80 for the round but that included a decent meal in the evening and the course was in fantastic condition, no doubt even a little better than normal prior to an Eastern Region PGA Pro-Am event to be held there later this week.

Got a good draw to be first out at 1.30pm and was feeling nice and loose and confident after an enjoyable game with Grumps the previous evening. A great drive down the middle, in front of the starter and around 20 mischievous fellow society members just waiting to take the mickey in the event of a poor shot, was pleasing and a solid 8 iron to 4 feet set up an early birdie and a good start. 4 birdies, 6 bogeys and a double gave me a gross 75 for 38 points and a win by 1 point from a 13 handicapper. The Summer Cup duly presented to me from the Captain looked like it hadn't seen any polish for at least a couple of years, Mrs Blue will be delighted when I pass that in her direction to be rectified   

We all know that a good round is usually followed by a dire one, desperately hoping that won't be at Sand Martins later in the week!  

Blue, I think we need to get that bad one out of the way today. Well played, get the Brasso out!

That would be nice Grumps, unfortunately its a day in the office for me today!

Oh dear, that must be a big shock to the system no one likes to hear that.

I tell you it's a struggle!   
 
Where are you playing today then...maybe Burnham another one of your old clubs?

Out and about in London Town today so no golf for me. I think if we play up how bad we're likely to play tomorrow we can lull Davie into a false sense of security

Have a good day.
 
Not a chance I think he's gunning for us...  

Blue/Grumps .. I'll know how worried to be tomorrow on the first tee if I see either of you hotshots pull out a driver

Happened to me and my mate in a club match once .. as soon as the driver came out on 1st we knew we were in trouble. "normal" shot is a long iron or rescue down to the dogleg - a driver means the person is either a very short hitter (I sometimes need it in the winter) - or you are going straight over the tall trees on the dogleg

Funnily enough Davie I was looking at that on the 'virtual tour' earlier in the week.
 
I dunno I might be tempted to give it a go...I mean visitors are allowed a mulligan right?   

Let's call it an M25 ball Blue. If it don't work we'll claim being stiff from the drive and lay up with the official shot

Davie wrote:Blue/Grumps .. I'll know how worried to be tomorrow on the first tee if I see either of you hotshots pull out a driver

I think something similar happened in a celebrity pro am thingy once. One of the pairs got to the tee first and teed up the ball and were taking practice swings in the wrong direction when the other pair got there and said "oi, we've got the honour". The team on the tee let them smack a great one in the wrong direction before smashing their's the other way and said see you on the green

Steady Grumps I'm not sure I can hit it on the M25 all the way from Wokingham...

Just knock it into the back of a passing lorry....