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Congrats Super!

Mac, I don't think Roller or myself were saying it was okay to move the impediment if it was in the hazard. Both Roller and myself accept JAS's line that it was outside of the hazard and based our responses on this.

I believe they were looking to check whether they could move something "blocking" the shot and that's where intended ball path comes into it.

Super, you have to be very careful with natural, loose impediments in hazards. If there is a local rule you can move stones in a bunker but anything natural is not to be disturbed unless identification or actually seeing the ball is an issue. Always check the card before chucking a stone out as it would mean a penalty if it's not listed.

Yep I think moving stones in a bunker is covered under local rules - of which 99% of clubs implement that local rule; but in the straight rules of golf it's not allowed. Same as having a sprinkler head on your line of chip or putt - in the rules of golf you don't get relief from that - but 99% of clubs implement a local rule that allows it (preface all of the above with "I think")

Well managed to get a full 18 in tonight, chipping still iffy, but improved. Putting was excellent tonight (26 putts) although i did miss a 6 footer for a par on the 18th and level par back nine. Which would have been the first time i have ever managed a level par 9 holes.

So all in all an excellent round of 76, albeit it was from yellow tees.

Hole 1: par - 1 putt (O/G) / 1 putt
Hole 2: Bogey - 1 chip / 2 putts
Hole 3: Bogey - 1 putt
Hole 4: Triple - 1 chip / 2 putts (pressure of the play thru)
Hole 5: par - 2 putts
Hole 6: par - 2 putts
Hole 7: par -1 putt (o/g) / 1 putt
Hole 8: par - 2 putts
Hole 9: par - 1 putts

Hole 10: birdie - 1 putt
Hole 11: bogey - 2 putts
Hole 12: birdie - 1 chip / 1 putt
Hole 13: bogey - 1 chip / 1 putt
Hole 14: birdie - 1 putt
Hole 15: par - 1 putt (o/g) / 1 putt
Hole 16: par- 1 chip / 1 putt
Hole 17: par - 1 chip / 2 putts
Hole 18: bocey - 1 chip / 2 putts

Played a few seniors scratch events past few weeks - Kingsdown, Burnham and Berrow, Parkstone and Kirby Muxloe. Gawd it's been tough - UK is more windy, and wet at inappropriate times than in recent times! Lightning at Burnham something to behold - frightened the bejesus out of me, but even more so the chap who was teeing off when the ground turned white all around us!
Burnham has the best/most difficult green complexes I've ever played.
Lack of grass growth a real problem in the south right now - prompted CONGU to recommend extending winter rules to end of May - but no problem growing rough in Leicestershire! KM is one of two courses to be used for English Seniors at end of May (Rothley Park the other one) so good to get an outing in advance. Not the smartest course but a real test, and a terrific club atmosphere. Many thanks to all concerned for letting 110 golfers have use of the course for a couple of days, before they do the same again for a whole week at the end of the month.
Oh, and found one of the best coffee shops in the world (my ranking) with a stupendous bacon butty. Leicester aren't only Premiership champs!

Hi Puligny - I played in the Seaton Robson Trophy at Aldeburgh last Friday, 36 holes scratch medal. A tough course (Par 68, SSS 73) as I believe you know, I seem to recall you have played in the English Seniors there previously?

I made the buffer zone in both the morning and afternoon rounds. Having just celebrated my 55th birthday this has given me sufficient encouragement to enter both the Essex Seniors Championship and the Suffolk Seniors Championship later in the year, for the experience if nothing else.

I recently had the good fortune to sell my business to one of the leading Insurance Brokers in East Anglia. Semi-retirement gives me the opportunity to not only play more but practise as well, something that time restraints having never really permitted in any seriousness during normal working life. Needless to say I am looking forward to this summer enormously.

Don't you need a local rule enabling you to move stones in bunkers. I think the general rule prohibits this?

Blue - yes it's a cracking course - not sure it wouldn't be improved by having a couple of par 5s, as it can seem a bit of a slog. English Seniors was there, linked with Thorpness, another very good and tough course. Also had a UK Seniors event at Aldeburgh last year. Apparent they had taken a lot of gorse and trees out, and it's all the better for that!Good scoring to make buffer in successive rounds - well done.
You'll have to have a look at UKSGA website. Some really good courses - 15 events this year, plus plenty of clubs do their own seniors scratch events - North Foreland, Kingsdown, Burnham and Berrow, Parkstone, Hankley Common, Worplesdon, high Post, Southport and Ainsdale, Wallasey, Hunstanton, etc etc. Of course you might not like the thought of "seniors" but my tale is I didn't find these until I was a few years past 55, and I reckon I missed out. I think combined handicap of top 5 at this weeks event was 2! Some really good players, and some good fun.
Anyway again, good scoring at Aldeburgh - just as a matter of interest what did CSS get to. If I remember right on both my visits we've had one round 76/RO!

Thanks Puligny - CSS in the morning was 76/reductions only, pm it was 74.

Cheers for the info, I will have a look at that website with interest. Good luck for your season, I look forward to reading about it on here.

Played in a society day today at Colchester, shot 79 for 33 points. Was a little distracted from the golf at times by tales of drunkenness and debauchery from some of the reprobates in the society who had just returned from a golf trip to Portugal. "How long were you there for?" I politely asked the organiser. "5 days, 1 night" came the reply!

Blue, Puligny, maybe you can provide me with some advice. Planning a weekend trip with a couple of mates over the summer.

I fancy Norfolk: Hunstanton and Brancaster. My mate is suggesting Suffolk: Aldeburgh and Thorpeness. Any views on which is the better option?

Thanks.

Ray - like choosing your favourite child! You won't be disappointed with either.

... But one point Ray - if you want to see the sea from the course it will have to Norfolk!

Ray I have to agree with Puligny, that is a real toughie!...Hunstanton and Brancaster would just edge it for me purely because of the sea. If you can manage to find a couple of extra days throw in Sheringham and Cromer as well for a fantastic trip!

One word of warning though if you are an odd number...Aldeburgh operate a two-ball or foursomes only policy and last time I played at Brancaster it was the same.

Thanks guys. Yes it seems they are all great courses and the green fees are similar too so a bit of a dilemma! I favour Norfolk for the links effect.

Aldeburgh, Hunstanton and Brancaster are all 2 ball courses. We should be a group of 4 and I quite fancy alternating between singles and foursomes.

Alternate shot on a trip away Ray? I quite like the format occasionally, but going away I'd personally rather play the whole of the course myself, particularly if they are good ones.

Also, and I admit to being a bit of a cheapskate here, I'm not paying a full fee for effectively half a round!

Played Hunstanton and Brancaster last year and was very impressed, smashing courses, great welcome, clubhouse and meal. One of the best trips yet!

Roller_Coaster wrote:Alternate shot on a trip away Ray? I quite like the format occasionally, but going away I'd personally rather play the whole of the course myself, particularly if they are good ones.

Also, and I admit to being a bit of a cheapskate here, I'm not paying a full fee for effectively half a round!

Agree with the sentiment Roller. I was thinking about 36 holes in a day, 18 holes singles in the morning then a fun foursome in the afternoon (or vice versa).

Like you, I'd never go on an away trip to play half a round.

We played in 2's which was a bit weird but the courses were so good, it didn't seem to matter...

Ahh right. If doing 36 a day it might be quite a fun idea (and less taxing - I'd probably struggle to do golf justice over 36 a day now). If I could, then BBFB matchplay would get my vote for the second lap. Still a full lap and can have a few quid and forfeits for the next day for the fun (hideous shirts/hats to be worn by the losers etc).

Played 81 holes over the course of the weekend. Feet were in tatters.

was that 4x 18 holes and a 9 hole round.

How did you fit all that in?

"Two ball or foursomes only".  Pardon my ignorance but I've not come across this before.   So if you're a group of 4, you have to play alternate shot ?  What if you're just two people, will the course combine you with two others and have you play alternate shot or can you go out as a regular twosome ?  What if you show up on  your own
looking  for a round of golf ?

Fri, Sat, Sun Mac.

18 on Friday
36 on Saturday
27 on Sunday.

In comps or just for fun?

Plunky wrote: So if you're a group of 4, you have to play alternate shot ?  

YES

Plunky wrote: What if you're just two people, can you go out as a regular twosome ?

YES

Plunky wrote: What if you show up on  your own looking  for a round of golf ?

Don't know but I assume you get paired up with another single if it's busy.

Thanks ! Our local course over here says "foursomes" but that just means they'll send you out in groups of four -- they don't care what you do once you're out on the course.

It's cos of the tides, one part of the course is a bit dicey at hightide (so I'm told) so they prefer you to play at 2 ball pace.

McLaren wrote:In comps or just for fun?

Two comps, rest for fun. Weather was good, so I thought why not?

super_realist wrote:

McLaren wrote:In comps or just for fun?

Two comps, rest for fun. Weather was good, so I thought why not?

Ahh, those carefree happy days. One of my mates is in this position but the rest of us are under the thumb.

Went up ahead of tee time to hit a few wedges to groove tempo, loosen up, see what the wind was like etc.

Plan - 3 balls up and down the practise ground 3 times, about 24 nice easy wedges.

Lost balls: 1
Duffs: 2
Tops: 3
Shanks: 6 - 8
Confidence: 0

Incredible. Just could not hit it properly.

Had a few putts and played in the comp.

18 points (+4) out nothing worse than a bogey, 22 points back (-1) 8 pars and a dog. Won. Go figure.

Who knows why Roller, I think that's the reason we love this game!

Played in the Eastern Counties Cup yesterday at the beautiful Woodbridge Golf Club in the heart of the Suffolk Countryside. An East Anglian order of merit qualifier this trophy has been played for since 1897. Restricted to a field of 66 players with a maximum handicap of 12, although the vast majority were category 1 and 20 of the competitors were 3 or under including a number of scratch golfers and two at +1.

Was not feeling completely out of my depth at the start after 2 reasonably good rounds at Aldeburgh in the Seaton Robson Trophy a couple of weeks ago when I made the buffer zone both rounds. Any nerves were soon settled with a good opening drive and a short iron onto the green, but then managed to 3 jab it! 3 over after 5 but a good birdie at 6 and then 3 pars saw me turn in 38. A steady back nine of 3 over gave me a 75, nett 69 and I sat down to lunch in 4th place.

The afternoon round was a rare joy as I hit it as straight as I think I ever have. With 3 to go the putter had given me 4 birdies and I was only 1 over. It was dawning on me that I was probably in with a great chance and that was the cue for every muscle in my body to tighten up. The next hole was a par 3 and my subsequent pulled 7 iron left me a horrible lie in the rough and my only double bogey of the day followed. I thought that was my chance gone but I got my head back in gear and finished with two good pars for a 73, nett 67.

I won it by 2 strokes. I couldn't believe it and I still can't quite believe it this morning that I managed to beat all those young guns from all over East Anglia. Handicap reduction to 4.9 which may open one or two doors for me. Possibly even on the fringes of the Suffolk Senior County squad, I really hope so!

Great work Blue

Well done Blue. Great stuff, at this rate you'll soon be making the acquaintance of Puligny at major senior events.

Cheers Grumps, but lets not get carried away!

Just a pity I could only manage joint runner-up in the fantasy league, so nearly the perfect weekend!

Note it was major with a small w. I'm not suggesting, at the moment, that you'll be meeting Monty and Langer at Major senior events...

I'll have you know that Monty signed my cap after his play-off win at Woburn last year...

That's fantastic Blue well played. I guess you've escaped the 5/6 bounce for a while at least.

I led a field of proper low handicappers (I'm off 5/6 depending on the ECG) after 18 in a mens open last year but bottled it in the second round and missed out on a two man play-off by two. Won the handicap element but it counted for sh!t in truth.

Hibbz, did you enjoy the cup final?

Spent some time wondering why you were asking Mac but I figure you've got me muddled up with my old sparring partner Mystiriokey who was/is a Palace fan, is that right?

If not, then as someone who barely watches football anymore, I thought the 1st half was sh!t and was irked by all the fuss over the Palace's disallowed "goal" when Man Utd clearly stopped playing once the whistle was blown and Palace would not have scored otherwise and then I turned it off after it went to extra time because I didn't wish to see Palace lose in extra time and Man Utd celebrate like it was some great achievement.

Hibernian won the Scottish cup. Obviously nothing to do with your name.

Lost the winter league final on Sunday. 1 down all the way round till a birdie on 15 and a 12ft par putt win to go up 17 1 up (with a shot si 2) On in 2 and bloody 3 jabbed! Never mind I thought 1 up down the last. Knocked it to 10 ft on 18 and partner to 6 ft. Oppo cans it from off the green, I leave mine in jaws, and partner lips. Extra holes. Both drive into Poopie on first and lose to par. What a way to go...

Well done blue - great stuff

BlueCoverman wrote:I'll have you know that Monty signed my cap after his play-off win at Woburn last year...

As long as he didn't sit on it...

McLaren wrote:Hibernian won the Scottish cup. Obviously nothing to do with your name.  

Hardly merits a mention really. Such a poor standard. Halifax beat Grimsby 1-0 in the FA Trophy final at the weekend, not sure which is more prestigious.

Agreed, Scottish Football is absolutely terrible. They should stop trying to compete with other countries and do what Norway and Sweden do and play over summer.

raycastleunited wrote:

BlueCoverman wrote:I'll have you know that Monty signed my cap face after his play-off win at Woburn last year...

As long as he didn't sit on it...

Fixed it Made it more childish and ridiculous for you.

Posted with apologies for my idiocy.

Great work Blue!
A friend of mine is a member at Woodbridge, loves the place. Never been but he raves about it.

That's made me feel quite ill Roller...

Thanks a lot guys if anyone is feeling really, really bored there's a short report on it at www.suffolkgolfunion.co.uk under News/Eastern Counties Cup

Blue are you wearing another bloody Ping shirt??? Will this mean they will sponsor you full time now?

You mean there are other shirts available Grumps??...

great win blue.

Jason Day like, you lapped the field. Only player to go under par in both rounds.