Tell us about your game today...

First topic message reminder :

Fresh thread - you know the score: share some of your tales of woe, indifference and banditry with us all.

i must make an effort to get up to edzell sometime. our club has a reciprocal agreement through the 1895 club for free games, and it is a nice course. only played it once, but i remember thinking that the fairways there were the in the best condition i'd ever witnessed. used to play alyth a lot when i was at uni, had a friend who was a member and got us on regularly in our 4th and 5th years - really good fun, and usually in great condition too. i usually try to get up there for either the 18 or 36 hole open but haven't managed this year.

HDYD Redrage.

It didn't go ahead, Doon. Our contact was meant to get us deal on a 4 ball in and around St. Andrews (likely the Dukes of the Castle) but it fell through. We played a local course instead and were rained off after 14. The puddles on the greens were just becoming a bit of a joke.

May have picked up a prize on saturday playing combined stableford comp full handicap both scores count.leaders in the clubhouse when we left.I was a bit rusty after two weeks off but a decent short game gave me 33 points and partner off six dropping just 3 made 39.So 72 total which is always a decent effort.Both birdied the last which helped.Funny playing only every two weeks has somehow made me a bit more patient and careful on the course,appreciating it more.

disappointing last night - planned our 3rd round k/o 4bbb match - but postponed as the back 9 was closed for hollow coring. played the front 9 with my partner, and the greens were a bit bumpy but better than i had expected. thankfully the weather over the weekend and start of this week has been good. last time they cored the greens were very soft and there was lots of wet weather and they took a few weeks before they recovered. hopefully they'll be more or less back to a decent roll and speed by next tuesday when the match is rescheduled for.
i didn't play very well - had a week off since the club champ exploits where i had a couple of good scores - last night my swing was far from solid. made 6 reasonable pars (nothing spectacular) / and 3 putted for bogey once, but lost a ball in the rough on the 3rd and got caught up in some forestry excavation on the 7th so scoring wise was a few over hcp. played with just 4 clubs (2i hybrid / 6i / 52deg wedge / putter) for some practice before our groups 4 club comp on saturday - which made for some interesting shots from both of us. it was pretty breezy so quite good fun despite the poor scoring.

I know that the name of the thread is "Tell us about your game today" but I only found out the results of my game yesterday. We have a major comp (board job) which is always over two rounds, the first is early in the year and the second much later. So leader by 2 with a four under handicap and having won the first round, Sunday was the second round. I played badly. Hit the ball well (occasional pulls, but nothing disastrous), but my short game was very poor. Anyway finshed 6 over handicap and 2 over for the 36 holes. Thought I'd blown it - very disappointed. Then yesterday the results were posted and I'd won! By 4 shots. None of my closest competitors could better my score. I am amazed.

It's a funny feeling. Delighted to have won, but still unhappy about the way I played and another 0.1 back...

The comp is split into two divisions and one of the guys I was with won the "junior" division (16 and above). And he managed a 7 on a par 3. Front bunker off the tee, across the green into a another bunker, back into the first one, two to get out of there and back in the other bunker again, then up and down from there. He's really happy cos it's his first board comp win.

Played in our monthly midweek eclectic last night with my pairs partner. We've been playing loads of matchplay and very little strokeplay this year, so wanted to get a card in. The course had been closed for hollow coring most of the day, unbeknownst to us, so was empty. The greens were fine, though, and conditions ideal. We were level up to the 9th, both just under handicap. I hit a hard lob wedge out of the rough to the 9th green which somehow span off the front, and I 3 putted to be behind by 1 at the turn. My short game then really kicked in, and I got up and down for par on 10 & 11, chipped in for birdie on 12, parred 13, birdied 14. Another up & down on 15, parred 16 and I arrived on the 17th tee already on 39 points. Made a bogey from the sand there, and ended up doubling the last when my 6 iron approach flew 190 yards and out of bounds from an iffy lie. 27 putts in a 78, -2 for the 10 holes 7 to 16. Chuffed to bits, though my pairs partner isn't as I've now lost a shot!

Club match last night.last one of the league season .these are supposed to Be 'friendly' matches but one of our opponents was a very prickly character.7 handcap New zealander with that sharp edge to his voice.Started on the 2nd when I was taking a drop from Bunker under repair.I marked nearest point of relief but didnt mark the club length as the ball was always going to roll forward and had to be placed .he pulled me for an incorrect drop.next hole my partner went into a plantation classed as GUR(local rule etc) couldnt find the ball and we agreed an entry point took his free drop.Our man claimed he should go back to the tee under penalty.Ninth he insisted my partner had made 6 when he tapped in for his 5.All square at halfway.On 10 there is a black and white marker post halfway down the fairway and my drive came up about 5 yds short dead in line with the flag.Now for 23 years everyone has moved these things when interfering with the line of shot which I did.Voice from behind you cant do that!Technically possible correct as our latest local rules didnt cover it specifically.Anyway cut shot for me and made par but Im starting to get a bit peed by now.He made super birdie on 12 to take a lead.On 15th tee I removed the insoles from my shoes because the feet were hurting he questioned that.made his one real error on 15 loosing a ball in the trees on the left spending at least 10 minutes looking.I made a point of moving us on after 5.16 its getting dark long putt from me to keep it at 1 down.18 its only the clubhouse lights give us a clue.I put my bag at the side of the green in the dark and one leg of the stand was on the very edge of the green.he starts again 'your bag is on the green'.All pars so we loose one down to a really good player who was fine in the clubhouse after.Why why was he such a dick on the course.?

Good golfing weekend for me this weekend. Friday was my works client golf outing played very well but didnt hole a thing. Won the work employee prize so was happy with that.

Yesterday was a golf society outing at Montrose. Very good links course and was blowing pretty hard. Played excellent again and probably drove the ball, best ive ever done. Shot 80 which was delighted with in that conditions with only blemish a triple, where it was 2 woods into a par 4 but hit a good shot but wind just took it into the gorse.

Today was medal at my club, shot my PB on the course of level par. 3 under for the last 4. Should hopefully have a major cut as it was very windy. Will get me closer to 3 handicap after getting down to 4, two weeks ago with a 2nd scratch in a open competition.

hope you're listening Grumps all hcp cuts before Sep 30th count

Where's the sombrero? Me thinks we might be having a stewards inquiry coming up.

Nice play Sand, well done mate

My playing partner from last Thursdays loss in a club match(and he by his own admission played cack)went out the following morning and won our seniors open partnering our other regular group member.42 points B ball off 3/4.
Bit of a transformation overnight.Two solid players off 11 and 14 quite capable of level par between them

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:Where's the sombrero? Me thinks we might be having a stewards inquiry coming up.

Nice play Sand, well done mate

cheers, thought I was a shoo - in for winning the medal but finished 3rd... Someone shot 1 over off ten Still, delighted with how I played and down to 3.6, which is a PB for me and so much lower than I every thought I could get down too.

Final club match last night.Friendly and very pleasant end to the season it was too.Bumped into an old friend who it turned out was their captain and played with the vice captain also.One up at the turn with a tap in birdie but then some real heavy showers saw us hesitating on 11 whether to carry on.But the rain cleared through to blue sky and we needed to win the last two for a half.The opposition faltered and my partner took 17 with a par. I needed a 2 putt from long range to win the last left the first 4 ft short and made the putt into the side entrance.Finished about 7 pm couple of beers.few jokes,steak pie just what club golf should be.

That is just about the perfect end Dyna.

(Unless you've just seen your opponents take 17 with a par before seeing their final 4 footer sneak in the side door for a half that was unlikely a mere 15 minutes earlier!)

Although - Steak pie and jokes aplenty

3rd round 4bbb tie on tuesday. I played absolute cack - especially from the tee. My partner was also struggling a bit but was a bit more steady than me. Halved the first 4. I won the 5th with an outrageous 40footer for birdie after both of us had been in real trouble off the tee. lost 6, 7 (to an equally outrageous putt from them) and 8 to a birdie from then. My partner won 9 -though one of them had been taking practice swings in a yellow staked hazard so we would have won by default in anycase. I sunk another silly swinging putt from about 30 foot on 10 for another birdie to get back to A/S by the skin of our pants. A solid par from me on the SI.1 eleventh was beaten by a nett birdie when one of them rolled in from 30ft (followed by exaggerated celebrations). Clung in on the 12th - i chipped in from off the back of the green to save par against their nett par. My partner won 13 with a nett birdie - and we both made pars on 14 to their bogeys to go 1up. All pars on 15, then one of them knocked in a 20 footer to save nett par, and a half on 16. my partner and one of our opponents both 3 putted 17 to halve and we won 18 by both hitting the green (my first really clean shot of the day) - our opponents both coming up short in the burn. one of them was playing really steady golf and i feel like we mugged them - but then again we both pulled out some great shots at important moments so i guess i wouldn't go as far to say we didn't deserve it. into the quarters - half way there.

Whoop! Got some time off for a Medal today and shot a 70(-1) in a stiff breeze. Generally hit irons great, putted solidly (no 3-putts in 4 consecutive rounds now) and driving is a revelation at the moment - hit ~86% fairways today.
Assuming CSS stays at 71, I'll lose another 0.4 and be 2.7. Will have lost 0.9 in two rounds . Never would have thought of it a few weeks back but really hope I can reach a playing HCP of 2 by the end of the season.

Well done Navy!

CSS was 72 again so it's 2.6 now and some more money in the pro shop!

Well played NBS, what a great way to start winding down the season.

Today is our Ryder Cup.

Isle of Man vs Rest of World within our club. Something like 14-18 Bbfb match play games off full diff. Drawn with a big hitting 12 who's a good laugh against a couple of blokes I get on really well with too.

Banter, belly laughs and a "few" beers after and I note there even seems to be the hint of that big yellow disc thingy in the sky.

Today is a good day.

hope your the high guys, difficult to compete if your the low guys giving full rather than 3/4 allowance.

Low I'm afraid. 5. Giving 9 & 10 or 10 & 11 to the oppo. 7 to partner though who is handy off 12. Bloody difficult, but them's the breaks. Our place seems to have a penchant for full diff, which I think we're just about the only ones I know of that do.

Give em the game face, tell em it's for cash, ask them if they breathe when they play their shot, then smash my first drive into the adjoining housing estate!

Strange round today. Played the par 5s in one under, the fours in +5 and the 3s in +7. Struck the ball really well, except off the par 3 tees where I barely made contact on occasions. 34 putts including three 3-putts and holed nothing over 2 feet barring a 20 footer downhill with 8 feet of break on the last for birdie. As I say, a strange one, and all added up to 35 points with 2 blobs, and a grand total of 4 points on the 5 par 3s.

Hmmm. Not quite so good today - 77. Some really good stuff but too many daft mistakes and the short game couldn't quite bale me out. Back up 0.1 but at least I got a 2 on one of the par 3s so that's a bit of money in the pro shop at least.

Decent few weeks for me, shot 4 over yesterday to get cut again to my PB of 3.4 as CSS likely to be 74 (Par 72). Hitting the ball well but most noticable thing is im hitting much more fairways.. Amazing how much easier the game is when you do that.

Should hopefully be in the hunt for a prize anyway as yesterday was the 3rd round of 3 for a competition. Depending on how its worked either gross or net, Im thinking I should be in with a chance.

Three scores of buffer,last weeks big cut and another decent enough cut yesterday should have me there or there about.

Had an odd feeling after yesterday's round. Stableford - scored 35 points with a scrub at the first, so should have been quite happy. But had a niggling doubt about "advice" given on the 17th regarding a local rule. Susequently I have reread the rule, and I find that I proceeded incorrectly (which I already had an inkling) and therefore have DQd. It would have only cost me a point which still ought to keep me in the buffer, but I know the rules and can't work out why I was persuaded otherwise!!

GM - what did this "advice" lead you to do?

Roller

It's too complicated to explain really. At our course we have a long par 4 with a 30 foot high bank that needs to be negotiated at about 200 yards to the green. The 8th and 5th fairways pass either side of a copse of trees going up the bank. So that people aren't firing balls over the heads of the players putting out on the fifth, we have a local rule that basically you must go left palying the 8th and right playing the 5th. Obviously, there are many occasions when players either don't get up the bank or (more rarely) get up the bank having passed to the wrong side and there is a rule that tries to cover such eventualities. Some parts of this, it was felt left an inequitable position. So a recent amendment was made allowing a player to replay a shot with a "distance only" penalty. I was told that I could apply this "distance only" peanlty, but now I think that I was not entitled to.

I'm sure that that is clear as mud without knowing the course...

You're right, my Monday brain can't cope with that without seeing the course I'm afraid. Sorry.

Still, hope you made the buffer after!

Sand wrote:...Hitting the ball well but most noticable thing is im hitting much more fairways.. Amazing how much easier the game is when you do that...

Isn't that the truth! You may putt for dough but you won't get many putts for dough if you can't find fairways off the tee. Improved accuracy off the tee over the last couple of weeks has made a huge difference for me as well.

Up 0.1 on saturday so now 13 -its been coming for a while TBH.Shotgun start on the 9th and just missed par putt but then played some decent stuff to get to 19 points off my first 9.Then came the real second(my 12th) which if played as the second I would treat as a par 6 and try to squeeze 2 points but got sucked into going for it with the drive as I was going Ok but just pulled the drive kicked left and OB -Blob.Never really recovered and another non score dropped me out of it.Couple of weeks off again now,watching some basketball and footy next weekend.

navyblueshorts wrote:

Sand wrote:...Hitting the ball well but most noticable thing is im hitting much more fairways.. Amazing how much easier the game is when you do that...

Isn't that the truth! You may putt for dough but you won't get many putts for dough if you can't find fairways off the tee. Improved accuracy off the tee over the last couple of weeks has made a huge difference for me as well.

In my opinion, "Drive for show, putt for dough" is the most over-used and inaccurate cliche in golf.

It may be true for the pro's, where everyone in the field has a fantastic swing and can knock it a long way, but for us amateurs driving is the most important part of the game.

Not today ... but tomorrow ... at Pine Valley, a course like no other I've played. Of course, I want to play well, but the experience itself is what I'm most looking forward to.

raycastleunited wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

Sand wrote:...Hitting the ball well but most noticable thing is im hitting much more fairways.. Amazing how much easier the game is when you do that...

Isn't that the truth! You may putt for dough but you won't get many putts for dough if you can't find fairways off the tee. Improved accuracy off the tee over the last couple of weeks has made a huge difference for me as well.

In my opinion, "Drive for show, putt for dough" is the most over-used and inaccurate cliche in golf.

It may be true for the pro's, where everyone in the field has a fantastic swing and can knock it a long way, but for us amateurs driving is the most important part of the game.

Maybe not putting alone but I certainly think the short game is more important than driving at any level. I know I've played plenty of matches where I've been a better ball striker than my opponent, often a lower handicapper, but the difference has been the short game.

Driving for amateurs is never the most important thing, for anyone less than say 18 handicap or anyone looking to shoot less than 90 on a regular basis, the biggest single thing is what you do from 150 yards and in, although, until you start to realise this and the important of it, it's easy to see why people think driving is most important.

What use is a good drive, if you take a further 4-5 to get down from 150 yards?

I reckon an 18 handicapper could improve that handicap by 3-4 by course management alone, and a further 3-4 within a season by working on the approach shots and chipping/pitching around the green.
Imagine that, down to 10 in one season.

Sadly, lots of people don't realise this, and hope to stripe 14 fairways with the hardest club to hit in the bag. The driver. Never going to happen, the driver is not a scoring club, and even 14 perfect drives will mean nothing if you can't get the ball to the hole when it matters, and that's achieved with the short game.

Without a doubt spot on Super... Just saying whats helped me recently is hitting more fairways.

Over the winter definately going to try and improve inside 150 yards or so, definately where any amateur can improve without a doubt.

Although i understand what you're saying super i stand by my point .

What's the point in having a great short game if you constantly hit poor tee shots? All very well getting up and down to save bogey, but golf is much easier when your approach shots are played with short irons from the middle of the fairway .

Well, I'm really on a roll. DQd two weeks running. This week - a 4bbb comp, partner marked the card and our marker attributed a 5 for 2 to me on a hole where I didn't get a shot and partner did (I had a putt for a 4 but didn't take it cos we already had the 2 pionts). Shame really cos we would have come 2nd with 43 points. We did however genuinely score 43 points, so well pleased with the way we played and all we lost was a few golf balls and a cententary book I've already got!! Just missed out on bragging rights. Mark that one down to experience.

Quarterfinal match this afternoon in the club 4bbb knockout . Forecast is horrific - its pishing down and blan a gale out there... Think i'd rather be working. Suggested we postpone to the opposition, but after a brief too-ing and fro-ing of potential alternative days to play - they decided they'd rather get it done today...gutted , but hopefully we'll get the job done anyway.

Shotrock

Where is the PV report?

And some pictures if you have any?

Really good event on Sunday our club hosted 9 teams of 10 players from other clubs.Singles stableford with 6 to count for the team and 12 individual prizes.Played with 3 folk new to me all good company.Reasonable 35 points thanks to some decent putting which was good enough for 12th and a pair of footjoys.We managed to pick up the team prize and a few others.Good meal and presentations after and then watched RC in the clubhouse .Good day all round.Second year of this comp and it should now rotate around all the clubs involved.

Played our match last Monday as planned. Weather on the first few holes was ridiculously bad, pishing heavily and strong sideways wind. To make the situation more silly, only one of our opponents turned up for the match. His partner had just become a dad again so he understandably had called off as things at home were a bit crazy. The guy who turned up, a 4 handicapper, seemed happy enough to give it a go, and played pretty steady for the first few holes, even getting 1up after 7. From then on it was a bit of a landslide though, ended up winning 4&2. My partner was steady all the way round. I started with 7 consecutive bogeys, but played out the remaining holes +2, including a nice birdie on the stroke index 1 hole, par 4, 455 yards, uphill and straight into the wind, driver, then 2iron hybrid to 4 feet. pleasing! into the semis, hope we can repeat our triumph of two years ago.

wednesday medal last night - equalled my best round of the year with a solid 74. conditions were decent enough, though greens were pretty sandy again after another top dress. slower surfaces seemed to suit me though - round in 30 putts with a couple of 3putts (both for d. bogeys...). 5 birdies saved me though, and +2 (-3) hcp was enough for 3rd best gross and 2nd best handicap, so a few quid in the pro shop account.
only slight disappointment was, having knocked my 8iron dead on 16 for a tap in birdie, i then proceeded to tighten up on 17 with the same club, causing a double. hit a great drive up 18, but did the same with my approach - fortunately i was able to get up and down on that occasion. normally my irons are quite solid under pressure, and its the long game that tightens up - hopefully put that right on saturday if i'm in the same position coming down the stretch.

Final medal on saturday .made a lovely recovery 30 ft putt on 1 after taking a drop for a bogey 9 over after 11 so running out of shots(13)and went a bit gung ho on 12 making a triple.just lost patience sadly cos the last 6 holes are are par able but 12 is a bit dangerous due to water.So another 0.1 on a really super morning.
Saw my daughter for a few hours and then watched Leicester go top of the championship breifly.Not a bad day

Played a stableford qualifier yesterday. Frustrating day - lost two balls and had a 4 (yes, four!) putt on one hole (after a great drive and approach) and still shot a 77. Up 0.1 but at least I'll finish the year lower than I started .
High point was after hitting a very fat (but straight) 2-iron about 150 off the tee on one hole, I then proceeded to flush a ~210 3-iron right down the flag and canned the putt for a birdie. Stupid game!

Looking forward to saturday playing a betterball medalford.First 9 medal second 9 stableford.Take away the points from the medal score and lowest wins.Only thing is its a shotgun so Im presuming comps guys will denote 1-9 for the medal holes and 10-18 for the points.Will report

Dyna

Sounds like fun. One thing though - how do the hole indexes pan out re. low vs. higher handicaps? Would it be better to say that holes with index 1-9 are the stableford and indexes 10-18 are for the medal?

Another very frustrating day on the golf course....Captains Log stardate 14th Oct 2012, Westlake Trophy -Trevose
Morning round 84 (with a Mott the hoople on 16), 12 greens in reg but 37 putts.
Afternoon round...utter gash!! Felt I was hitting the ball better but failed to break 90, putted like a complete arse, never had Trevose so take able weather wise but Christ its such a different test off the blues with the pins in their most awkward positions. Thoroughly enjoyable and very well organised comp tho and at £30 for 36 holes a great bargain.