The Enthusiasm Thread

[barragan]

First topic message reminder :

In these gloomy times [boggin winter about to set in etc.], I thought it would be nice to have a thread about golf related things we are enthusiastic about.

I've just been invited to play at a little course called Kilspindie on Thursday, and i'm feeling very enthusiastic at the prospect - in fact, I cannae wait! I've never played it before, but have not heard a bad word against the place:

www.kilspindiegolfclub.co.uk

So, what's gettin the thusiasmos spinning with thee?

[SmithersJones]

Don't do what I did the first time I played the Royal at VDL - I spent 15 holes looking forward to the signature 16th, made a nice up and down par there and then followed it up with a 10 on the 17th!

The old course is lovely, if a little tight in places.

[George1507]

Found out today that getting to play Trump on Mon May 6th for £45, 20% of the normal price! Work outing....also getting on muirfield for £25 the Tuesday 9 days after the Open finishes, grandstands will still be up hopefully; won't say who I work for!

Need something to look forward to with this horrific weather at the moment..

Great to play at Muirfield, but not great if the grandstands will still be there. I played Lytham a few years ago about a week after the Open, and the noise from the guys dismantling everything was terrible. Also there were scaffolding poles everywhere, cables being rolled up and so on...

It's great to imagine wandering down the 18th with the crowd cheering, but the reality of about 100 blokes making as much noise as they can while dismantling everything is a bit different!

Always great to play Muirfield though.

[barragan]

hmm. also got an offer for Muirfield at beginning of August...think i;ll pass this time...

[ralphjohn69]

Re Muirfield, have played it 3 times before; we usually play it in the middle of June but due to The Open we're delayed 'til the end of July. Having played it as it usually is I would like to play it with the stands still up, obviously if they're in the process of dismantling everything when I'm there then it won't quite be the same.

Shouldn't be as hard as usual though, at least some of the jungle rough won't be there due to the spectator walkways!

[McLaren]

hmm. also got an offer for Muirfield at beginning of August...think i;ll pass this time...

Really? Muirfield is a good course despite the knobbishness of the members.

[barragan]

Having paid up two memberships, a couple of entries for opens and a green fee for kingsbarns recently i don't think i can justify another £60 on a game of golf this year!

[McLaren]

£60 to play Muirfield is a bargain. I would be surprised if you would get much change out of £60 if you bought dinner for a couple of nights at the supermarket.

[barragan]

£60 is about a weekly shop in this household as we don't waste money on booze and brands!
Yep i agree it's a great offer, but having forked out over £1k in the last couple of months on golf fees i'm not inclined to dip into my pocket again - alas i'm not made of money. The offer will probably be open again next year so not too fussed at missing this chance.

[McLaren]

"£60 is about a weekly shop in this household "

That is seriously impressive, what sort of stuff do you cook?

[barragan]

I guess batch meals like bolognaise, chilli, stews, curry, soup etc are quite economical. I guess a lot of whizzable food so we can give it to our 1 year old too. Just depends. Personally i'd be happy to live off pasta dishes for the rest of my life.

[barragan]

Surely you don't spend £750-900/month on food mac do you?

[McLaren]

Surely you don't spend £750-900/month on food mac do you?

I hope not. I also tend to go for the sort of things you can eat two days running or put in the freezer, so hopefully I eat quite economically. Although there tends to be at least one night a week I eat out because I can't be arsed to cook.

I really cheap meal I love to make is pizza. It has taken a while to perfect the dough but with some experience and a pizza stone they come out great.

I always wonder what nations food I would pick if I could only eat one nations food for the rest of my life. I tend to think either Italian or Mexican would be a good choice.

[incontinentia]

After struggling on the range for a long while, a few days ago I re-discovered a move that allows me to hit the ball brilliantly time after time! I'm sure a lot of you will identify with this, finding your perfect swing and falling in love with the game again. Alas, I know this new romance with the game will not last, and so I must make the most of it. Inevitably these quick fixes fail and then its back to the range trying to find the 'secret' again. For the time being though, my enthusiasm is at an all time high.

[JAS]

Enthusiasm really tested at the weekend...very happy with my winter work (reinforced by 2 great rounds in East Lothian during my birthday trip 3 weeks ago.

So I was absolutely full of beans for the first qualifiers of the year (RND Sunday and Saunton 36 holer on Easter Monday) what did we get?? 4-5 club wind and utter (Reductions Only) carnage....humf!!! A few days to regroup now before the first one at my home course this weekend.

What was telling was that the swing more or less stayed intact, hit so many great drives, holding the wind, shaping when appropriate. Was drilling irons fairly well too considering the severity of the conditions. Where it all fell apart was around the greens. Decelerating on downwind chips, pulling them into the wind, jabbing putting stroke at oscillating balls on greens.

So I'm thinking the winter range work is paying off but its blindingly obvious that I haven't been able to work enough on chipping and putting. I think I might be making a few sacrifices to get additional short game practice sessions in April to catch up.

[MontysMerkin]

Played in a texas scramble at the weekend - makes you feel like a pro! 8 birdies and an eagle - wish I could do that on my own.... Certainly makes you want to get out their and play properly!!!!

[barragan]

West Links, North Berwick today - for the first time. Wow.

[JAS]

West Links, North Berwick today - for the first time. Wow.

Now that's something to get enthusiastic and excited about :-) How did it go Barra??

[McLaren]

Nb West is my second favourite course after toc. Hope you have as much fun as I do there.

[JAS]

Hey Mac, I see your hero Doak has had a wee reccie around Woodhall Spa with a view to suggesting some improvements.

[McLaren]

Didn't know that Jas and thanks for letting me know, of late I have not been following golf architecture news as closely as I used to. I would think he could make some sensible suggestions. I have never played Woodhall spa but I would assume like most courses there has been tree and rough encroachment on the playing area over the years.

[navyblueshorts]

Hey Mac, I see your hero Doak has had a wee reccie around Woodhall Spa with a view to suggesting some improvements.

Oh Christ, no!

[barragan]

Not the best conditions for it to be fair - gloomy, chilly, a little breeze which got up for the last few holes.

Great fun though - very quirky, but not non-sensical in any way.

I'll reserve full judgement to my next game (hopefully in Spring), but at the moment I'd rate it above Kingsbarns but below Muirfield - those are the only two I can readily compare it to from personal experience.

It does have a similar feel of enclosure to Dunbar at points - wedged between the beach and the boundary wall. There were also moments walking by the ragged dunes that conjured memories of my old haunt Fortrose & Rosemarkie.

Loved the stretch home from the 9th onwards. 13th and 14th holes in particular are gems - and the 16th green is a sculptural masterpiece - the photo's do not do it justice.

We were a bit rushed in the end - tee'd off late, so finished 18 in failing light after jogging the last few holes. But very good fun. I am very envious of my host's new golfing haven!

[dynamark]

Hi peeps .Just had a few days in tenerife next to golf del sur and Amarillo.Full of enthusiasm but hip refused to join in .Course looked great but over £100 a pop incl buggy and they were piling them on (£500 a 4 ball why not) .Dozens queuing on the first tee with £2k worth of clothes and clubs but forgot their golf swing! The shop at gold del sur must have 1/2 million pounds worth of stock incredible.Membership is £3k a year.Bit like being in an episode of Benidorm with golf attached.
Hope all are well I'm having an op this year NHS or not!

[BlueCoverman]

Hi Dyna sorry to hear about your hip problems, good luck with your op later in the year. Me and Mrs Blue were on golfing holiday in Tenerife in late September but didn't pay anything like that, guess it must be peak season now. We had four rounds at Golf Las Americas, Costa Adeje as well as Golf Del Sur and Amarilla and I paid a total of just over 500 Euros for golf for us both including buggy and lunch at each course. Adeje was our favourite, fantastic and by far in the best nick.

[LadyPutt]

Last time we were in Tenerife for golf (about 3 years ago) we had the same experience of overcrowded courses, especially Golf del Sur and Amarilla, with people on them who hadn't a clue. We were lucky to get deals as well (they are about) but still didn't feel it was value for money and the courses, especially Amarilla, were in terrible condition. Quite frankly it has put us off going back there - probably put us off golfing holidays altogether.

Sorry to hear about your hip problems Dyna but hopefully the op will sort it out. I went private for both mine (fortunately I was working so could afford private insurance) but I have to say that while the first (the left one) was a success, the op on the right one which was done 9 months later, has never felt as good, although the consultant did X-rays and a scan and said there was nothing to show any reason why. It's put me off having anything done to my knees which are now also knackered! Oh the joys of getting older

[dynamark]

Ladyputt that's a lot of surgery.The courses looked in good order but this is the time of year when they get a bit of rain and the grass is not under any real stress.Prices drop by about half in the summer.Queue at Amarillo on sunday morning was horrific probably running an hour behind but everyone seemed to accept it so keen to play.Starter had the hardest job in the world that day.I have played Adeje and would agree it is very good.Staff there were great I slipped and cut my knees open and they sent a man out to patch me up.
I have a scan on my hip amongst other bits on Wednesday and then have to make a decision re private or wait.Stupidity is if am back working fulltime tax and spending would pay for the op inside 12 months rather that working 1 or 2 days and sitting around all the time .
Onwards and upwards.

[barragan]

Anyone playing the open at Lundin Links this weekend...? SR?

[super_realist]

Sorry Barra, off on a stag weekend. Great course that one.

[barragan]

looking forward to it. went over my ankle badly on the 8th at the open this time last year and that was basically the end of my golf season..hoping to make it all the way round this time!

[McLaren]

Super

Is it your own stag weekend?

Given your inexperience in the bedroom feel free to ask the forum about any birds and bees questions you have about the wedding night?

[super_realist]

Mac, I bet I've got a longer list of conquests than you have. To find more than one person who would find a cat loving, Man U supporting, F1, Doak reading glory hunter with a crap job and a grotty tenement an attractive proposition would be a miracle.

[SetupDeterminesTheMotion]

Off to Vilamoura in 2 weeks.

Play Vila Sol & both VDL courses

Not played Vila Sol before, so looking forward to a new challenge.

It's several years since I've played both VDL courses, really looking forward to playing both of them, again.

So 20 of us going, split into 2 teams, as an added bonus I'm Captain of (the winning team, hopefully)..

[Roller_Coaster]

Hope you enjoy it Set. Played VS and VdL Royal (I think) last year.

Had the newest 9 at VS (play 2 of the 3 sets of 9 holes) and I found it ridiculously hard, got easier as our back 9 was one of the older, original 18.

Like the VdLs immensely.

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