Tell us about your game today...

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Congrats Super!

Thanks SJ.
I don't think my mate knew he had a shot but deliberately kept quiet. He just didn't notice - I think I try and note when my opponent gets a shot but no real obligation to.

I wouldn't say refusing to accept it 12 holes later is cheating.

Thanks for the example. The very last sentence implies it should have been left at all square but as you say, the concession in that example complicates things. Even if that guy didn't have a shot and conceded thinking he'd lost that would be tough luck as a concession cannot be withdrawn

MustPuttBetter wrote:Thanks SJ.
I don't think my mate knew he had a shot but deliberately kept quiet. He just didn't notice - I think I try and note when my opponent gets a shot but no real obligation to.

I wouldn't say refusing to accept it 12 holes later is cheating.

Thanks for the example. The very last sentence implies it should have been left at all square but as you say, the concession in that example complicates things. Even if that guy didn't have a shot and conceded thinking he'd lost that would be tough luck as a concession cannot be withdrawn

No worries, it's a very grey area and in all honesty I don't know whether your mate has been hard done by or not. I didn't mean to imply he did know and keep quiet, just meant if that had been the case it would have not been cricket, so to speak.

SmithersJones wrote:After all, if your friend had known that his opponent had forgotten a shot, but didn't fess up when the half was assumed, surely he would have been cheating?

I had something like this once. I was getting a right hiding from a high handicapper and as we left the 7th green I was 4 down without doing a great deal wrong and I was thinking "this bloke is a complete bandit". On the 8th he had a shot and had a putt of about 10 feet for the nett win. He rolled it up to about 2 inches, an obvious gimme and as we left the green he said "Your hole, back to 3"

I thought to myself 'Well mate, if you can't be arsed to work out where your shots are I'm not going to tell you' and I strode onto the 9th tee in front of him. I did feel a bit guilty when I won on the 18th but did that make me a cheat? Not in my book.

Anyone ever played Farleigh Golf Club near Croydon?

Played 18 holes in a fraction over 2 hours last night (on my own, obv). Just about played to handicap too, off the whites.

Played a local course, richings park, not a long course by any means but still shot 86. Is par 70, and play off 21 so pretty happy. 41 front 9 just couldn't keep it going and a few 6s thrown in on the back 9. But pretty happy. Played an early two ball in a touch over 3 hrs so hone by 10.45!

Fun game at Kilspindie today. Lovely warm breeze, a good 2/3 clubber early on. First round in a fortnight (following our disappointing defeat in the club 4bbb knockout final...No disgrace, our 3rd final in 6 years is quite a feat in itself given the size of field requires 5 or 6 victories just to make it to the final) so was pleased to play some good golf interspersed with some patchy stuff too which was to be expected. Hit some lovely drives and short game was unusually sharp as I turned back the years with some exquisite work with the 8 and 5 iron...ah, I miss those days! Those that know the course will be aware that there are quite a number of drivable par 4s. 5th hole was lasered at 279, I melted my hybrid through the back of the green, near 300 with the wind and run. Also made it onto the front edge of the tricky plateau 9th (playing 294) with the same club - great fun. Greens were as slick and smooth as I've ever encountered there too, which was a delight. A very pleasant treat.

Ah Richings Park. Played there quite a few times, but last time was over 6 years ago. Remember a very very easy front 9, then a more interesting and challenging back 9.

It's still the same Ray, though condition is always pretty good. Stop mentioning very very easy, I don't want my achievement to be diminished!! I'm pleased with my score.

Well, that's the season over in terms of club "majors".

Not a bad set of results for the year:

4th, 1st, 2nd and 2nd with a 3rd in the "players".

Set of lessons over the autumn to sort out my dreadful GIR % and hopefully next year can be even better.

Played a corporate do at Collingtree Park today. What a super track! Not a bad hole on the course, the 'worst' being the short par 3 15th, which is not a bad hole but is quite dull in comparison to the rest. Would thoroughly recommend a visit. Just don't take 5 and a half hours to get round - I know corporates are notorious for slow play but that was ridiculous. I'd like to think it was that that led me to drop 9 shots in the last 4 holes!

Certain parts of this story might make you wonder if it is being written by our Maverick friend from Kent but I can assure it is all true!

A busy few days golfing for me recently starting with 12 of us on a 3 day trip to Norfolk last week. A handicap cut down to 5 following a runners up finish in our club championships earlier in the month had left me fairly happy with my game as we started our trip at Thetford on Wednesday. The weather as forecast was dire and it rained continually as I limped to a rather disappointing 29 points. We drove up to Sheringham that evening where we stayed for the following 2 nights.

Thursday was dry although windy and as we arrived at the golf club it was busy as usual. Our 10.45am first tee-off saw us following a seniors county match between Norfolk and Leicestershire. Playing off the white tees I had my best ever round at Sheringham a 2 over 72. The following day at Royal Cromer playing off the yellow tees I again had my best ever round there a 3 over 75.

Back home Saturday morning I felt alright so I went and played in the Saturday swindle at my home club. On the 4th tee with only 4 points to my name I selected my 7 iron for the 159 yard shot and promptly holed it for my 4th hole in one...over a long period of time I might add! It was a very good day for me as in the afternoon I was watching my team Colchester Utd unexpectedly defeat the League 1 leaders Gillingham 2-1 to move us nicely up the table.

Yesterday I played in a society day at Abridge, a lovely full English breakfast to start with...minus the bacon obviously! A tidy 77 gave me a level handicap 36 points. Back in the office for the rest of the week now, playing at Felixstowe Ferry on Saturday morning...can't wait!

Congrats Blue - great stuff.

However, what I need to read to turn it into a Maveresque story are the details of the shots you played. Those 300 yard drives into the wind and that hole in one from 159 yards was surely just a wedge that pitched 20 feet past the pin and spun back in?

Nice one Blue - breakfast reference made me smile, but I don't suppose we ought to elaborate. Last time my society played there I don't know what was in the breakfast sandwiches but I don't want it again!

Breakfast bagel surely?

Come on tell us about the breakfast!

Ray's breakfast bagel is the clue. Abridge is Jewish owned, so bacon is off the menu. If you like a bacon sandwich with your coffee before your weekend game of golf then Abridge is not the club to be a member!

Ah! I wondered if they'd gone all Forest Green Rovers

No bacon, but on the plus side it must be easy to get a tee time on Saturday!

Season salvaged! Won the Summer Pairs today, really tough 36 hole match which I was sure was going to extra holes but for just about the first time all day our 16 hcp opponent missed from 8 feet.

Congrats SJ and you too Blue.

This season's going down as a bit of a backward step for me, been plagued with some terrible form off the tee, short game has saved it from being a really bad one. However out of the blue Saturday it all came together in an away friendly match against another local club. Off 6 and my partner off 4 playing 2 15s had a decent enough front 9 but got to the turn al square. On the 10th tee, one of our opponents pulled out a flask and some small plastic cups, "would you like some coffee...special coffee!!" (It was black coffee laced with Sambuca - I must get a flask and carry the same!!), hit 6 out of 7 fairways and 8 out of 9 greens in reg on the back 9, was 1 under for the back when we closed out our match 3&2, only missed fairway & green was coming down 18 when the match was over. We ran out winners 3.5 to 1.5 in the friendly overall...Good day. Although 1 swallow doesn't make a summer and the season is almost done I still have a couple of opportunities to get back to 5 if I bring that form home. Got a freebie at St Mellion tomorrow which should be a good test of the flickers of confidence coming back to my tee to green game.

Cheers JAS and well done on your success SJ.

Just back from our 'Captains Weekend' at the Belfry. A good turn out of 32 players from our golf club and really enjoyable. Played the PGA National yesterday and the Brabazon today, both the courses were in good nick and significantly better than our trip there this time last year. Didn't score that great, 31 yesterday and 30 on the Brabazon today which was disappointing as I was going okay until I had a severe attack of crappy course management and only scored 2 points on the last 3 holes. I put my rather jaded finish down to tiredness due to a late night and one or two too many JD and cokes in the bar, however my combined total of 61 was good enough for 3rd place which rather suggests that a far greater number of people had a later and more drunken night than me!  

Going on a similar two day trip to Gatton Manor in Surrey at the end of the month. A new venue for me, anyone played there or know anything about it?

Hi Blue
I have played there many years ago. As it was a long time ago I seem to remember it being a nice parkland course. But the issue for us was (as it was winter) they had (some) temporary greens and the holes were as big as dustbin lids. Made scoring a bit meaningless.
Hope they don't do that any more.

SmithersJones wrote:Season salvaged! Won the Summer Pairs today, really tough 36 hole match which I was sure was going to extra holes but for just about the first time all day our 16 hcp opponent missed from 8 feet.

Well done SJ!

BlueCoverman wrote:
I put my rather jaded finish down to tiredness due to a late night and one or two too many JD and cokes in the bar, however my combined total of 61 was good enough for 3rd place which rather suggests that a far greater number of people had a later and more drunken night than me!  

Just a few JD's and coke? I've never been there, but have heard many stories of the Bel Air, including the ladies who can relieve the swelling in your wallet.

Played it safe in the interests of matrimonial harmony and stayed on a Sunday night Ray, when said establishment is not open for 'business'...

Up and down in all respects this week.

bogey bogey double start. That's it I thought (off 6). Before the bizarre force of nature that is golf took hold. 30 foot birdie putt dropped on 4. Held par putt on 5 and 6, held bogey putt on 7 and one for par on 8 all good up and downs. Back to back birdies on 9 & 10 before 2 3 putts on 11 & 12 for bogey. Huge pull on 13 lost ball then great up and down for a double with second ball (another bogey bogey double run). pars, a birdie and a bogey on the way in from there and finished +6, net level.

4 3 putts, 2 doubles, 10 1 putts and 4 birdies. What a bloody game it is.

Played Berkhamsted for the first time at the weekend. What a lovely place, heathland golf at its finest. I love playing golf in a forest, it just has that feeling of tranquillity as if you are escaping the rest of the world for a few hours.

Remarkably, the course has no sand bunkers at all. Instead it has grass hollows and mounding where you would typically expect bunkers, which offers a similar level of hazard. My golf was a bit rusty to begin with, a few drives leaked out right, where trees, gorse and heather await, but I put together a solid run of 7 pars in a row in the middle of the round to stabilise things, and then started creating genuine birdie chances on the closing holes, but sadly couldn't convert any of them.

At 6,600 yards it's a healthy yardage, but it didn't feel long at all, especially compared to my home parkland course with its elevated greens. Was hitting driver off every tee (except the par 3s) but my playing partner explained that in summer you needed to hit 3 wood or long iron because the course gets firm and fast. I could tell the greens were designed to favour the running game, I'll have to wait 9 months to come back and experience it in all its glory.

Had the pleasure of Yas Links in Abu Dhabi yesterday, it's apparently the best course in the UAE. I wouldn't disagree, some great holes, 16 being a particular brute as was 18 into the wind. 17 was probably the pick of the par 3s. The only real downside is the amount of construction still going on in the immediate vicinity which will complete at some point and turn it back to a much more tranquil place.

In terms of how I played..great front 9...8 x4s and a 6 (a reload on a par 5) 3 putted both par 3s so really pleased with tee to green. Struggled a bit more on what I thought was a more difficult back 9, was still heading for mid 70s before having a complete meltdown on 16, water, fairway bunker and knee high stuff all visited resulting in a snowman to wreck was was a really good card.

Worth the trip down if you're in Dubai, it certainly has a lot more availability than the top Dubai courses who seem to revel in being allegedly fully booked.

JAS,
Booked your winter trip yet? You always seems to have a mouth-watering destination while I'm shovelling snow.

Sadly no Kwini, I'm in a relationship now with a lady who likes to have Xmas at home, I'm now compromise central :-( Got away with this trip as my daughter lives out here so it's a daddy/daughter visit with a couple of rounds and the R2D ;-)

I've never played golf in Scotland, but perhaps this is the appropriate thread for this article about Golf in Northern Scotland:

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-high-road-to-scotland?mbid=nl_120615_daily_hitlist&CNDID=25665405&spMailingID=8319889&spUserID=OTA2NDc1MDkyNzUS1&spJobID=820676282&spReportId=ODIwNjc2MjgyS0

Nice Kwini. Petty sure if I ever tried that it would be war of attrition battling cold, wind, and rain.

I played the Highlands in the middle of May and it was plenty cool. Can't imagine the shorter days in November!

nice to see my old club F&R get a hat tip. knew about the discovery that golf was being played on the site in the early 1700s, but didn't realise this made it the 15th oldest known site!

For the first time in about 6 weeks I've been back on the course, if it hasn't been low temps, it's been gale force winds forcing cancellation, and why it's still been windy, the mild temps made the course just about playable today and yesterday.

Very wet underfoot, temporary tees, terribly slow greens, but very nice to get out again and hit some balls, and good to see a reasonable touch still there in the absence of course time.
Motivation rising for 2016, getting the handicap down and defending club champ.

Were you on TOC?

New course yesterday Mac. New traditionally has the best greens so I was surprised how slow they were. Wind was 20mph+ so scoring wasn't easy.

TOC looked incredibly quiet though.

Incredible weather on the course today. Like a summers day at times.

super_realist wrote:Incredible weather on the course today. Like a summers day at times.

You mean wet and windy? :P

Same in Suffolk today. Unbelievable weather for time of year, I played in shirtsleeves. Even saw a bloke playing in shorts, that was pushing it a bit though!

Wish I'd played today...

Been off a week and yet to strike a ball.

Forecast tomorrow is pretty dire, which is a real shame as I'd planned to take our boy up to the club for his first muck around at the practice green (having picked up an age 3-5 putter and 9iron for his Christmas to get him started).

Looks like it'll have to wait til the 1st, as I've a game planned on Thursday.

Cracking winter, still on main greens which are still running well. Normally we've been on and off temps a couple of times by now. Long may it last

Final round of the year yesterday. About 12 degrees, not quite short sleeves weather (I needed a base layer under the polo shirt) but felt warm when the sun came out. Played at Berkhamsted and it was in fantastic condition, no sogginess to be found on fairways, greens or tees. There's a lot of pros to golf on heathland turf at this time of year.

No warm up and was feeling very stiff on the 1st tee, which led to me semi-shanking it off the toe of the driver, and then 3 putting for a double bogey because I had no idea what pace the greens were. Quickly recovered with a string of pars, only one more dropped shot and a lovely birdie on the front 9. More of the same on the back 9, but finished bogey, bogey after 2 careless tee shots left me out of position.

All in all a mixed 2015 for me. Pretty ropey for most of the year, solid stream of 0.1 increases, I got it together at the end of the season in time for our November golf holiday to Spain, and handicap finished exactly where it started. Just need to carry this form into 2016.

barragan wrote:Wish I'd played today...

Been off a week and yet to strike a ball.

Forecast tomorrow is pretty dire, which is a real shame as I'd planned to take our boy up to the club for his first muck around at the practice green (having picked up an age 3-5 putter and 9iron for his Christmas to get him started).

Looks like it'll have to wait til the 1st, as I've a game planned on Thursday.

Cracking winter, still on main greens which are still running well. Normally we've been on and off temps a couple of times by now. Long may it last

I took my wee one up to practise green in summer (he will be 4 in January) spent 10 mins putting and 30 mins doing rolly pollys down the hill ha ha.

He prefers the driving range.

LL Cool Nay wrote:spent 10 mins putting and 30 mins doing rolly pollys down the hill.

They have nicked my practice routine!

Good start to the year for me.

Played in the new years day nine hole comp shooting a decent 39 for a nett 30.5 and third place finish.

Followed that up yesterday with a 77 (nett 60), particularly pleasing as i was 5 over through 5 so good final 13 holes.

Sadly the tees are up so non qualifying rounds mean no cut and the aim of getting to a single handicap golfer this year waits.

This must be the longest absence from a golf course I've had since I started playing again 10 years ago.
Even the range is out of action having been under 6 feet of water for the last week.

I know what you mean super - comp cancelled at our place for 2nd week running - and it's usually only snow that closes our course. This rain can do one now!

Yet to play this year Davie, and maybe only a few rounds since October. Fortunately I've been keeping things going at the range, but if it's not rain forcing a closed course, it's high winds and low temperatures which make it unplayable.

Think I've only played 3 rounds since October too