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.

Just got back from a cheeky weekend in Dublin, well Malahide to be exact. Played some little corkers (tho not well). Portmarnock - old style links with greens like glass and impossible pin positions (probably due to lack of wind!). They've had no rain for over 3 weeks, fairways were running so fast - one of the boys hit 6 iron nearly 300 yards! I decided to putt from 77yards and went through the back. Absolute carnage but a great test - was won with 29 points (off 6) and I thought I'd done well with 24. A few scores didn't break 20 points with no-one over a h'cap of 14.
On to Luttrellstown, parkland course, completely diff kettle of fish. Greens holding so you could at least try to go for flags, 29 points for me off 9, but still not in prizes.
Then a little place called Corballis Links, an absolute gem (you can walk the course on Google maps). 2nd hole par 4 requires 2 9irons to the green. But woe betide you if you lose sight of the ball! Out in 2 over but back in 7 over (with a bloody 7 on a par4). Lovely trip, great weather, great food, great booze, and some great golf courses. And didn't play too bad either. Well worth checking out if folks are heading that way.

Friday afternoon and you just got back from a weekend????  

Well a long and boozy weekend, plus catching up with work, etc...
 

Worlds slowest golfer=I met him today.Nice fella but never seen anything like,19 handicap and over every putt he took ten or sometimes eleven(probably lost count)looks at the hole then ball.His putting stroke was a big long backswing and decelerate into the putt,even four foot putts.No instinct in his game at all.Over the drives we all just stood and waited and waited and waited.
Awful weather but good company and never a bad day on golf course

dynamark wrote:Worlds slowest golfer=I met him today.Nice fella but never seen anything like,19 handicap and over every putt he took ten or sometimes eleven(probably lost count)looks at the hole then ball.His putting stroke was a big long backswing and decelerate into the putt,even four foot putts.No instinct in his game at all.Over the drives we all just stood and waited and waited and waited.
Awful weather but good company and never a bad day on golf course

I disagree Dyna, I think they were on our course today, see Evian Masters thread...

Away day trip on Saturday. Course in great nick, lovely sunny pretty calm day. 33 points with a blob (dreaded one of them on a par 3 into hay and lost). All round game was good to very good but putts simply would not drop. Roll on Majorca trip week on Wednesday, v keen now...

Beginning to feel that I'm destined to be stuck on 6 for a while. 2 rounds at the weekend one at my home Club and 1 at my 2nd Club. Never looked like having anything worse than a bogey and didn't. All very steady stuff but just didn't drop putts. 78 net 72 on Sat for a buffer and a 79 for 35 points Sunday for another buffer. Conditions got steadily worse yesterday but still managed the ball well. 4 bogeys in the last 5 holes denied what should have been a decent cut. On another day it could easily have been 39-40 points. That would probably have been even more frustrating though. I knew at the turn that 40 points had come in with the benign early morning conditions. What I didn't know was that a 23 handicapper 3 groups in front of me (so also out in the worst of the weather) was compiling 46 points!!

Anyone ever get muscle pain under their left shoulder blade during and after their swing? I'm a relatively new golfer and I've had this ever since I've had my swing 'corrected' via a lesson. I am hitting the ball a lot more accurately although the pain is probably stealing some distance from my shots which I can live with for now I guess. I think it may be down to the fact I overswing trying to hit the ball too hard although I've corrected that somewhat yet the pain is still there - maybe I need to rest it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Anyone ever get muscle pain under their left shoulder blade during and after their swing. I'm a relatively new golfer and I've got this ever since I've had my swing 'corrected' via a lesson. I am hitting the ball a lot more accurately although the pain is probably stealing some distance from my shots which I can live with for now I guess. I think it may be down to the fact I overswing trying to hit the ball too hard although I've corrected that somewhat yet the pain is still there - maybe I need to rest it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Played in our last open of the year yesterday in howling wind and drizzle. Managed 3rd place, which is nice. Bit gutted tho - dropped 3 shots in the last 3 holes! 5 yards from a par 5 into the wind in 2 and walked off with a 6! Crap chip and 3 smelly putts after holing out well for the rest of the round. Still, got cut to 8.2 which is lowest ever and felt like it could have been a lot better. 4 over on the 4 par 3's needs to be improved tho....

Golf injuries is probably a good topic for a thread in it's own right Liver. Well I say golf injuries but it's probably more common to be trying to get ones golf swing to cope with an injury/condition sustained outside golf. Do we have any physio's on the boards?

With regard to what you're describing, any attempt at trying to diagnose would be guessing without a lot more info. What sort of correction took place via the lesson? Was it more turn? more weight-shift? If you have an underlying imbalance in your spine it won't take an adjusted golf swing long to find it and it won't neccessarily manifest itself where the imbalance is, you could get referred pain (for example under your left shoulder). Do you get pain on other movements? Do you do any gym work/stretching/other sports? If it were me I'd try and find a good sports physio in your area and get them to check it out and try and pinpoint what it is before deciding whether or not to play through it.

Cheers JAS. The correction was all round really. As I've said I've only started recently so my swing was all over the place but yeah I wasn't swinging from the hips properly - I still think I need to use the hips more in fact. I play a bit of football and I would weight train 2/3 times a week. Neither of those aggravate the injury. The pain only comes during and after the swing. After I've finished a round, the pain usually dissappears very quickly or a least subsides substansially. It feels like I'm tearing the muscle on each swing although on the last occason I reduced the backswing a bit which seemed to help ease the pain a little.

First frost delay of the season. Gorgeous now though!

Wow Kwini, we've started to be a little cool this week but no frosts yet

Well after being double bogey free for the whole of last weekend I opened up with a blob today Somehow scraped and scratched my way to 19 out. Slipped into a better groove at the start of the back 9 then somehow dribbled away a good score by bogeying 4 of the last 5 for 36 points.

9 of us out in 3 groups playing for £££ and winner of the front 9 and the overall was none other than my guest for the day...the 19 handicap bandit formerly known on these boards as Noshankingtonite. To be fair he played really well.

Another good day today, 41 pointer and a 0.9 cut to 15.9.

Despite taking a 9 on the second hole ended up with 43 for the front nine so was quite pleased with that as well as playing par 3s one over and par 5s one under.

Once again though it's the short game that was most impressive with only 27 putts. Just need to get the the long game to a semi respectable level now.

Managed to put together a round of 75 and 6 over today. My best 18 hole score to date. Love it that I'm timing my golf coming into form with the end of the golf season

no golf this weekend - b section meeting on saturday scuppered any chance of a game for me.

pitched up for some practice on saturday morning though and had a good session (first in a while) working on my alignment and ball striking. my hands have been drifting a little forward, opening the club face, and my right foot has been a little forward meaning a slightly open stance. surprisinly my shoulder alignment was pretty decent (got a fellow a sectioner to check). i also dropped my hands a little lower as i'd been a little upright, and worked on a couple of drills from previous lessons.

ball striking was much improved and i hit a good number of 6 irons within a 5 yard target circle. little looser when i moved up to the 4 iron, but 8 iron and wedge were working well. spanked a couple of drives to finish and feeling a lot happier with the swing - felt a lot tighter than of late, where i've been spraying it a bit - good distance control but limited control of direction.

spent a good 40 mins warming up before that on the practice chipping/pitching green with my 58deg and wedge. short game feels invincible during practice, but have to take that onto the course, where it's functionally ok, but not as good as it should be.

Bit of a strange weekend. Saturday, unmentionable into houses on the second, 6 on first par 3 solid par golf to the next par 3 (8th) 50 deg wedge full on duff another lost ball and another 6. +6 for 2 par 3s. All round play good, ended with 37 points for a point one up (CSS 39 points). Missed a 2 footer on 18 for the buffer, doh!

Sunday started like a train. -3 through 5 and everything as good as it can be. Striping drives, fizzed irons, crisp wedges and putts dropping. Dropped one on on 7 after a trip to a bunker and 3 jack on 9 for 22 points out. Bang. Wheels off, talent gone in a heartbeat, 6, 6 with not seeing a fairway (by some margin!) further 3 putts on 13 and a majestic 3 wood top on 15 leading to another 6 via a hedge. Fortunately birdied 18 for 3 points getting me 14 back for 36 points.

Funny how it comes and goes and how when it goes, boy does it ever go.

MontysMerkin wrote:Just got back from a cheeky weekend in Dublin, well Malahide to be exact. Played some little corkers (tho not well). Portmarnock - old style links with greens like glass and impossible pin positions (probably due to lack of wind!). They've had no rain for over 3 weeks, fairways were running so fast - one of the boys hit 6 iron nearly 300 yards! I decided to putt from 77yards and went through the back. Absolute carnage but a great test - was won with 29 points (off 6) and I thought I'd done well with 24. A few scores didn't break 20 points with no-one over a h'cap of 14.
On to Luttrellstown, parkland course, completely diff kettle of fish. Greens holding so you could at least try to go for flags, 29 points for me off 9, but still not in prizes.
Then a little place called Corballis Links, an absolute gem (you can walk the course on Google maps). 2nd hole par 4 requires 2 9irons to the green. But woe betide you if you lose sight of the ball! Out in 2 over but back in 7 over (with a bloody 7 on a par4). Lovely trip, great weather, great food, great booze, and some great golf courses. And didn't play too bad either. Well worth checking out if folks are heading that way.

hey monty thats my neck of the woods. did you actually play Malahide or just stay there? interesting you thought Corbalis was nice. over the years its been known as a hackers spot and not up to much but theyve put alot of work into it in last couple of years.
which Portmarnock course did you play? the one with the hotel or the more prestigous "Old Portmarnock". the Hotel course is a better layout IMO and playable for about 1/3 of the price.

Just stayed in Malahide, which is a beautiful spot. Great pubs (Gibleys?), great grub, you are v lucky! Compared to our public courses Corbalis was great! A real challenge, greens were in great nick. Mind you I don't play much links golf so perhaps the novelty helped, but on a lovely warm sunny day I would say it was pretty spot on. Don't think you could carry enough balls to play 18 if you were a hacker tho! I played the Portmarnock with the hotel, although the lads played Old Portmarnock the day before I got there (meetings - grrr) and had a great time. Very warmly received by the club and some great nosh after. We all really struggled at Portmarnock, couldn't get a ball to hold for the life of me (and I can usually get a bit of zip), meaning playing some outrageous recovery shots up some of the slopes around the greens. Think it was something like 40 euro? Seemed good value with good changing facilities, and good ale/food. Highly recommended!

yeah its a nice spot (gibneys included )
i played portmarnock hotel first week in Sept so had similar conditions to yourself. when theres no rain its very difficult i think. i dont play much links golf myself but its the only one ive ever played with some elevated greens meaning its very hard to get on when you cant pitch on them and hold.it. theres also quite a few front bunkers which doesn't help. i've played it a couple of times in winter and it presents a very different test. the rough is unplayable and you do well to find your ball.
as is the case with alot of Irish courses Lutterlstown and Portmarnock Hotel are currently in financial trouble so theres great value to be had yet the courses havent really suffered yet from the cutbacks. in a couple of years time the effects of staff reductions might start to tell though of course

Quiet day in the office so took the chance to do a mac, and take a bus up to the golf club. Got out a 2/3 set (D, 2H, 4, 6, 8, P, 52, 58, P) from the locker, and rocked up on the tee with the pencil bag. Joined up with a group of 6 guys who kindly welcomed me into their sweep. Embarrassing took the money, but really pleased with my game which is transformed following Friday and Saturday's practice sessions.
Parred the first six, with a couple of nice up and downs on 1 and 4. 4 on particular was very pleasing as I'd left a really tricky one back after overshooting the green from a fairway bunker. Nipped a nice lob to gimmie range. Made a good birdie on 7 after a great drive and an 80 yard flick to 10 feet - the only putt I holed all day outside 3 feet. Another par on 8. Caught a fairway bunker off the tee on 9, and was gutted to find a mound of sand right behind the ball. Moved it about 20 yards which was decent considering, nipped a nice wedge from 60 yards to 6 feet but lipped out. First dropped shot. Plugged in a front greenside bunker on 10 - first shot where being inbetween clubs was an issue - but nearly holed the recovery, finishing 6 inches short in the jaws. Great driver and a 6 iron to 10 feet on s.i.1, 11th hole. Putt trickled over the edge. Solid drive and approach on 12, but missed the green on 13 by a fraction leaving a tricky downhill chip from the rough. Nipped a little 8, lipped out and another tap in. Solid 8 iron into 14 leaving a 15 footer, lipped out. Good 2H up 15 and a little gap wedge from 80 yards to a foot took me back to -1. Great drive up 16, but tugged my wedge left into a greenside bunker. Not a great lie again and left a 10 footer for par which I missed. Good drive up 17, laid up with my 6, then nipped the lob wedge from 60 yards to 4 feet - disappointingly missed the birdie putt. Indecision on the final tee and a poor shot tugged left into the trees. Didn't really have a shot out except sideways which would have left 220 over water. Opted to go for a tight gap but failed and got oit at the 2nd attempt. Gathered myself and hit a solid 6 iron to 5 feet. Managed to miss that too, so an ugly double to finish +2. A little disappointed but pleased with my game on the whole. I've a couple of medals next week so hopefully a chance to go for a wee cut to get down to 4 by the season end. Short game particular plus, 4/5 up and downs from greenside would have been unimaginable at the start of the year.

Played a corporate day today at Surrey National near Caterham. Played ok, it was 4bbb and I and my colleague off 8 and 7 managed 43 points. We played with a pair of '28' handicappers, who cruised to 45 and one of them nicked the longest drive from me by a couple of feet. They weren't even second. Winners included one of the guys who won the same day last year, who swore blind he'd been trying to get his handicap down but couldn't do it in medals. The organisers cut him from 14 (which he was off last year) to 11 before he teed off but that didn't stop him shooting 76 and his mate coming in on 6 holes on top of that to give them 49 points. Course was alright, I putted pretty well but the whole thing leaves a bit of a bitter taste.

49 pts is just outrageous. Was it 3/4 handicap as it should be for 4BBB?

I'm in that awkward position myself of not being able to turn in on in medals, though I have won one this year - it was on a tough day and it only earned me a 1.2 cut (nett -3). I've played pretty much every qualifier I was eligible for this year though and just can't do it on qualie days apart from that one. Playing off 22 I know I should be at 18 or 19 but I just haven't been able to do it - I do know I'm going to get caned in the annual h/c review in December though. I look forward to it but just wish I could have done it in a comp that meant something

49 pts is way beyond anything I could dream of though even on an inflated h/c. I won one comp this year with 44pts by playing the best round in 5 years as a member. I just wished that one had been a qualie

To listen to this guy before we teed off you'd think he was playing to maybe 9 or 10, but we all know how a bad hole can ruin a medal card. For him to drop only 4 shots (3 of them in the last 4 holes) on a strange course suggests to me he's not tried to get cut at all.

Played the best I have ever played tee to green today,hitting eleven greens in regulation with another couple only a foot or so out on the fringe.

Sadly I decided to do this on a day when the greens were still undergoing treatment and were covered in sand, so ended with a disappointing 37 putts.

In the end finished with an 81 though for another 0.9 cut to 15.

Also managed to record my best ever 9 holes of golf playing the back 9 in 38 (three over).

Well, I can now highly  recommend Bethpage Black, having just played it for the first time.  It was a perfect September day here -- not a cloud in the sky and although we headed out to play 9 holes on the blue course, when we saw how quiet it was on the black we couldn't resist !  It was 45 USD for twilight -- can't beat that !  

They're not kidding when they say its a long tough course -- I drove well and putted well but had way too many shots in between.     I found a lot of bunkers too, which didn't help my score.    But never mind that -- I didn't expect to score well anyway.  The important statistics for me are that I only lost 1 ball and I only had two three-putts.  We managed to get through all 18 but only just -- played the last 3 holes in semi-darkness.  What a great course though -- it really is as good as it looks on TV.  Can't wait to get out there again !

Wowzers Plunky....$45 bucks for Bethpage?? That surely must be the best deal there is for a U.S. Open Course anywhere. $45 converts to just under £30 at the moment.

I'm off for a 36 hole Open at Trevose the weekend after next thinking I'm getting a great deal at £30 (so £15 a round effectively).

I know which one I'd rather pay that price for...shame I'd also have to factor in a transatlantic flight price tho (

Sorry JAS, forgot to say that 45 USD was twilight for NY state residents -- you'd probably have to pay double, although I bet some high school kid could get you a fake ID ! We may try it again next weekend -- we just couldn't believe how quiet it was out there. It was aerated recently, maybe that put some folks off, but we practically had the course to ourselves.

Waited months to play 2 day 36 hole event at Alwoodley GC in Leeds. Practice round on Tuesday, 3 over gross to take the money on a fantastic course. Then first round destroyed by pouring rain, and strong wind, fortunately R/O, and second cancelled altogether as the rain continued to hose down and was then replaced by mist meaning visibility from first tee approx 50 yards! Hey ho, best laid plans!
Very lucky golfers in Leeds area to have Alwoodley, and Moortown within a stones throw of each other!

Hi folks back at work so little golf and posting respect to the Plunks at Bethpage sound good.
We had the final bash of our b team league last week 9 clubs with a team of ten each shotgun start.Really nice to meet and play with different guys well organised and lucky to start on the first struggling with back after moving house but somehow made par 4 on the first.Couple of blobs on 4 and 5 before getting organised and making 18 points on the back 9 with a really nice 4 on the long last hole.Dinner and presentation after with a second place for us.Great thing was to enjoy the day with a lot of friends and fellow golfists been some keen matches over the year but all in the right spirit. Hope all are OK ON 606 GOLF

Bethpage black two weeks in a row -- this is the life ! Course is crazy long for me so I don't bother counting my shots as it would be too depressing. Last week I lost 1 ball, today I lost zero balls, so I think that's a 100 pct improvement. The bunkers are huge, and the rough is really thick and lush -- a damp day today made it even tougher. But again, the course was quiet and a fun time was had by all. Started to get dark -- one of us was getting tired, and the other was getting hungry so we walked in after 14 holes. Perfect finish for me as I parred the 14 th. Fingers crossed we can make it 3 weeks in a row !

Plunky

How do you find the 4th hole where tiger crushed it over the bunker just inside the corner of the dogleg left in 2002?

Always seems like a very good par 5 on TV, but I am not sure how it would play for us regular golfers?

Woo hoo! Name on club Honours Board (  ) as won final of Pairs KO yesterday. Mixed bag for me golf-wise with some excellent stuff and some nonsense but partner played very well when it mattered and we played the last 5 holes in 2-under gross to close it out.

Home leg of an autumn inter club BB4B match play comp. I (off 5) was partnered by a 16 h/cap up against a scratch and a 3. Shotgun start from the 2nd and a shakey start. 3 putt for a loss, huge carve onto the 5th going up 3 (GIR and par though) 25 yard top on the 4th for another shot gone and a failure to get up and down on the 5th so +3 through 4 (but only 1 down). From nowhere with no swing suddenly steady, good golf appeared gathering 5 consecutive pars (inc 3 birdie putts settling 2mm from the hole, doh) so level at the match turn (10th). Dropped shot on 11 after a visit to the trees before another 4 pars (2 similar birdie putts not dropping, garg!) but partner won 15th with his par and shot to nudge us ahead by 1 with 3 to play. Par 3 16th good 2 putt from wrong level on a 3 tiered green to half then drove par 4 17th and secured 2 putt birdie (only a half after a great approach from the scratch guy), 1 and 2. Big drive and flicked lob wedge to 8 foot on the 18th, needing it for a win after they only secured a par. Huzzah. One finally drops under pressure to take it 2&1. +3 after 4 to +2 after 17, a good days work in the end and looking forward to the away leg next week. Think it's the same pairings so much, much tougher round their place. Hopefully my partner will come in a few more times with his shots next week!

One odd incident on our first. One opponent out of bounds other on the green. Out of bounds guy asks to just have a practise putt, said OK as it's a social good natured comp and our greens have just been tined and still recovering. Then he walks across green and drops his ball a foot away from his partners and basically has a go at his putt while partner watches. My fault for saying OK in the first place, but naughty (didn't really matter in the end as oppo's first putt was still crap but he held his 7 footer for par while my 3 putt lost it). Would have hoped a 3 handicapper wouldn't have done that, ungentlemanly at best (regardless of my idiocy at letting him have a putt instead of making him wait until the hole was done). Still, worked out OK in the end I suppose.

Nice work NBS  

Good work NBS - think the only way mine'll appear is if they move the list of handicaps off the notice board and into the clubhouse proper!

Roller_Coaster wrote:
One odd incident on our first. One opponent out of bounds other on the green. Out of bounds guy asks to just have a practise putt, said OK as it's a social good natured comp and our greens have just been tined and still recovering. Then he walks across green and drops his ball a foot away from his partners and basically has a go at his putt while partner watches. My fault for saying OK in the first place, but naughty (didn't really matter in the end as oppo's first putt was still crap but he held his 7 footer for par while my 3 putt lost it). Would have hoped a 3 handicapper wouldn't have done that, ungentlemanly at best (regardless of my idiocy at letting him have a putt instead of making him wait until the hole was done). Still, worked out OK in the end I suppose.

That's well cheeky! Might have to use that one...  

Good win RC

McLaren wrote:Plunky

How do you find the 4th hole where tiger crushed it over the bunker just inside the corner of the dogleg left in 2002?

Always seems like a very good par 5 on TV, but I am not sure how it would play for us regular golfers?

It's a bit of a brute Mac ! Long bunker on the left ( mr. P hit into that both times ). If you're in the fairway, the ball's above your feet and all you can see is deep bunkers in front of you. It's a tough carry unless you're way up the fairway (which I am not) but if you decide to lay up in front of them and you misjudge it then you're in some nasty thick rough. Once you're over those bunkers there's another set of bunkers around the green. And it's all uphill ! Actually standing on the tee, it looks endless and it's also pretty narrow off the tee, but the green's flat when you get there. We have yet to play that hole well !

MontysMerkin wrote:

Roller_Coaster wrote:
One odd incident on our first. One opponent out of bounds other on the green. Out of bounds guy asks to just have a practise putt, said OK as it's a social good natured comp and our greens have just been tined and still recovering. Then he walks across green and drops his ball a foot away from his partners and basically has a go at his putt while partner watches. My fault for saying OK in the first place, but naughty (didn't really matter in the end as oppo's first putt was still crap but he held his 7 footer for par while my 3 putt lost it). Would have hoped a 3 handicapper wouldn't have done that, ungentlemanly at best (regardless of my idiocy at letting him have a putt instead of making him wait until the hole was done). Still, worked out OK in the end I suppose.

That's well cheeky! Might have to use that one...  

Good win RC

I would venture that it's more than cheeky...it's loss of hole. As I understand it in better ball you can't have a putt when you are "out" the hole and your partner is still in it

navyblueshorts wrote:Woo hoo! Name on club Honours Board (  ) as won final of Pairs KO yesterday. Mixed bag for me golf-wise with some excellent stuff and some nonsense but partner played very well when it mattered and we played the last 5 holes in 2-under gross to close it out.

Well done Navy

I would agree JAS - but in my stupidity I didn't call it at the time (and his partner didn't either, which is the ungentalmanly aspect - especially when he could have had as many practise putts he wanted after I'd lost the hole).

My fault entirely for not calling it. He didn't try anything else so maybe his partner had a word, I would hope so.

Cancelled early yesterday due to the heavy rain probably correct decision but wouldn't have expected that to happen in October.

Re-match on Saturday, away against the chaps we scraped through against last week. Different partner for me and different result a 2 and 1 reversal. Thought it might be a different kettle of fish on their own course, especially as they are a scratch and a 3 handicap (the scratch hasn't been beaten for something like 2 years in the scratch league) and so it was. I threw pretty much everything I could muster away from home, being level for 15 of the 17 with 4 birdies but they countered with 4 and 3 respectively, halving shot holes we played well and winning a couple we thought we were nailed on halves. Had a couple of aberrations, with my drives being fairly consistently slightly left I carved 2 drives waaaayyyyy right on one of the shot holes and unfortunately so did my partner. Cue 400 yard walk to the next tee!

Did get a world class half on the stroke 1. Pulled drive into gorse, drop back in line leaving me a blind 215 yard approach having to go through a gap in the gorse 20 yards in front of me, and shape the ball left to right about 50 yards. Bang, rescue did exactly that and left me 15 foot away which I duly held. Definitely one of those shots that come around that wouldn't have looked out of place on the telly and would probably have been better than most of them. Filed in the "makes you come back for more" locker.

Spent quite a lot of the day watching the scratch player's ball flight masterclass. High left right, right left and penetrating straight shots. The same with low ones. Drives within himself when needed and then unleashed when able, all splitting the fairways. Boy, scratch is a world of difference from 5 and I'm pretty happy at getting to 5.

Good week this week Tuesday and Thursday.
Tuesday at Shirland near Ripley really tough up and down track built 1977 and looked after us well .Only 350 members so not exactly thriving but well worth a visit sort of course you would join but not near large populations.
Thursday Willesley park near Ashby,Leicestershire in the county alliance.Most of the county club pros and a bunch of really keen amateurs met a lot of old friends.Course is great proper test out and back real old school if you know what I mean.3/4 bb stableford and we had a chance but no points on 16 little par 3 cost us.
I did nothing for 6 holes and holed from 60 yards for birdie on 7,almost made another on 190 yard 17th and sand save on 18th to help enjoy the round.Sun shining autumn leaves lovely stuff.
All down to the weather now.

My game today ... it was played at Pine Valley, which is always an incredible experience.

How did I play? Well, nothing to write home about other than the fact I finally (after numerous times) actually parred the 7th hole. On in regulation and 2 putt. Man, that felt good.

What did you hit to get on in regulation?

Mac - Driver, Utility, 7-iron ... As anyone who has played Pine Vally will probably attest to, it's more visually intimidating than anything else. That said, it's REALLY visually intimidating. I had 6 pars, and handful of bogey's and numerous others!

Tale of 2 halves on Sunday. 20 points out could have had 5 straight birdies from the first only sanded, sodden tined greens held 3 of the putts out. Couple of dropped shots later on but in the wind everything was going as well as I could hope. +1 at the turn.

Cracking drive up 10 (541 yard p5) leaving me a 230 yard hybrid in. Tugged to cabbage. Found it and got on but 3 jack for a point that should have been 3 (provisional second in heart of the green). Carved drive into field on 11. Second ball par for a point, still level 2's. Cracked a drive to 75 yards on par 4 12th (with a shot). Missed green, crap chip, 2 putts 2 points but bitter taste. No shots left. 2 points on the 13th with a great up and down (ie crap iron to the par 3). Wheels off. Half piped/slapped 4 iron followed by tugged 8 iron lost another ball on 14. 3 putt on 15 for another drop. Another drop on 16. 2 pars to finish. +8 coming back. Debacle, switch went and I didn't know how to hold or swing it.

Funny to watch...