Starting the Season

So enough about politics, football and other rubbish. The nights are extending, can almost squeeze in a bit of putting practice after work before it gets dark. After weeks and weeks on the range the season is almost upon us. I guess some will play all through the winter but apart from the odd bounce round I don’t usually bother.

1st semi competitive outing for me is a winter team Comp at Royal Porthcawl next Tues (26th). Competitive but not a handicap counter as it’s best 2 scores from the 4ball on each hole. Think it’s a great event on a great course to start the competitive juices flowing for the season. It was cancelled due to snow last year and I was working away the year before so really looking forward to this years.
My first qualifier will be our Captains Farewell on the 9th Mar. Not expecting a sprint out the blocks for the coming season but I am happier with this winters work than I have been the last 3-4 years.

How’s everybody else’s early season prep going?

Only played once so far this year, it went ok. Highlight so far was having a putt for eagle. I didn't hole it.

As I always say my competitive days are behind me and I just look to play as often as possible and on as many interesting courses as I can.

Must admit there is a case for stepping back from the competitive side to get more enjoyment out the game. I like the competing side, like it even more if a bit of success comes along but I suppose if you put in a lot of practice effort, raise your expectations and not meet them then golf isn’t a very enjoyable experience. If I’m honest I’ve had 4 years of the latter and not sure if I could be arsed if 4 were to become 5. I’d like to think I could be less competitive and still enjoy the game but I’m not sure I wouldn’t just drift away probably back to surfing or martial arts (oddly enough not to be competitive)

Golf is on the back burner a bit, still trying to get in as much as I can at the weekend, but London Marathon this year, so most evenings are spent getting the miles in.

super_realist wrote:Golf is on the back burner a bit, still trying to get in as much as I can at the weekend, but London Marathon this year, so most evenings are spent getting the miles in.

Did you get in via the ballot Super? Hope the trainings going well, what sort of time are you targeting?

Super

Where do you run? I'll pop by and give you a sticky bottle.

I'm about to fully rejoin after my hip but aphysical test to the point of exhaustion.
I cannot get a handicap back under winter rules and will be playing mainly with the senior crowd which I never thought I would do they have a number of serious bandits and tend to play a different set of rules.
Looking forward though when the weather is like today

Played twice so far. Ups and downs on both, but considering last year I only played 3 times im.pretty happy! Not a member anywhere so its only ever just for fun. I don't practice and rarely warm up. But may have troon and turnberry on the horizon for summer, so something to lool forward to. I've never played a harder course then Troon, and the weathet was perfect!

JAS wrote:

super_realist wrote:Golf is on the back burner a bit, still trying to get in as much as I can at the weekend, but London Marathon this year, so most evenings are spent getting the miles in.

Did you get in via the ballot Super? Hope the trainings going well, what sort of time are you targeting?

Yeah, amazingly I got in through the ballot. Tough odds, but I've been in it since my last marathon 17 years ago, so had to come good at some point. Hoping to get under the 3 hour mark. 33km last night, feeling it a bit this morning.

Super credit there I don't go that far on my holidays.
Mate of mine did a golf thing in Iceland where you play 4 rounds in one(midsummer)day for charity .That sounds good but a severe test for sure.

Starting to get too hot to play over here. 35C plus. Been the hottest 'cool' period I've known in my 12 years of living here.
Golf going reasonably well and happy with my game. Nice to walk off the 18th green occasionally with a smile on my face knowing I had a good game.
Using a buggy for the last 9 holes. Still not 100% after a stroke in Sept.

Fairly encouraging if unspectacular start to the season, 35 points around Tenby Monday followed by 32 points at  Royal Porthcawl yesterday. Decent 20 point front 9 including a tap in eagle couldn’t be sustained on back 9, had a torrid first half of the back 9 before rallying for the last 4. Best bit though was realising that I should have packed the factor15...for Wales...in February...wtf!!! Must admit the 8-10 foot breakers rolling in and full of surfers was a bit of a distraction too. Amazing couple of days really.

4putt wrote:Starting to get too hot to play over here. 35C plus. Been the hottest 'cool' period I've known in my 12 years of living here.
Golf going reasonably well and happy with my game. Nice to walk off the 18th green occasionally with a smile on my face knowing I had a good game.
Using a buggy for the last 9 holes. Still not 100% after a stroke in Sept.

Where do you play in Thailand 4putt? My wife and I had a golfing holiday in January playing the courses around Hua Hin. Our first trip to Thailand, really enjoyed it.

BlueCoverman wrote:

4putt wrote:Starting to get too hot to play over here. 35C plus. Been the hottest 'cool' period I've known in my 12 years of living here.
Golf going reasonably well and happy with my game. Nice to walk off the 18th green occasionally with a smile on my face knowing I had a good game.
Using a buggy for the last 9 holes. Still not 100% after a stroke in Sept.

Where do you play in Thailand 4putt? My wife and I had a golfing holiday in January playing the courses around Hua Hin. Our first trip to Thailand, really enjoyed it.

I'm in the North East. Local courses are OK but mainly 9 holes. A new expensive 18 hole course will be open later this year. There are some nice courses in nearby Khon Kaen.
I've not played the courses around Hua Hin but have heard they are good. Before moving out here I had quite a few golfing holidays at Pattaya. Lots of very good courses nearby and easy to join up with the local societies who arrange comps and transport to the courses. Would have preferred Pattaya as a retirement location for golfing purposes but too expensive for me to play regularly. My local course which is 2 minutes away are just putting their prices up to 400baht, 10 pounds, for 18 holes.

Some of the lads from my golf club do an annual trip to Pattaya and always come back raving about how good the golf courses are. We've got some friends in Hua Hin who have got a property next to Palm Hills Golf Club where he is a member. They are there about 4 months of the year now he is retired and we met up with them and played at Palm Hills. We also played at Black Mountain, Banyan, Springfield Royal and Lake View, had 7 rounds in all it was a great trip.

Best wishes for a speedy return back to 100% health.

Bought a new set of irons back in Sept, 718 AP 2's hitting them ok PW-6i 5i & 4i not great, played winter league with them and tried to "bed them in", never really happy with the 4i, couldn't get it off the ground even at the range. Went back to my ancient Callaway X 20's at the range last night and was hitting them lovely, 4i a major improvement. I'm sick now... the AP's are going in the shed.

Betheball

Send the ap's my way if you don't want them.

No golf here. Lake Champlain finally froze completely, just the 3rd time in the past 12 years; which is good for walking to New York State or most of the way to Montreal, but not so much for prospects of golf round here much before late April.

You don't want them Mac, they're cursed!

Kwini, a friend show me a pic they had form 1 year ago today and she was out playing in the snow with her kids, UK&I were hammered by "the beast from the east" however today it's 15* C where I am, I think 17* somewhere in Wales, mental!

I can pm you my address.

McLaren wrote:I can pm you my address.

Your interest here's a little odd Mac - I didn't think you actually played anymore...

I have admitted to not watching much golf on TV anymore but I still play every week weather permitting.

First full round yesterday and very disapointing as my back let go after 4 holes but I carried on as it was a pairs comp and playing with a friend of 25 years.Couple of good holes early on and putting is spot on but by the end all I could do was flick a 5 wood about 100 yards.So now a weekend of being very careful and regroup for next friday,Seniors group looks very well run with at least 30 players each week and made me very welcome.

Bit of an update after another couple of rounds really struggling after a few holes I went to see my long term physio today and it appears my left leg is approx. 10mm shorter than the right after hip replacement putting pressure on the joint between hip and pelvis.Very cleverly took photos of my back with markers on the spine and its very apparent there is an issue (NHS !!!)So 2 insoles in my left shoe from no on.Very small difference hope that will sort it out.

Played this past Sunday. Never remember hitting the ball better this early in the season. Hope
and confidence at an all time high. (I know, it will crash hard at some point, but enjoying the moment until then.)

Shotrock wrote:Played this past Sunday.

Thendara?

'Upgraded' my driver for the start of the season proper because it's always the gear isn't it ? Anyway, picked up a Ping G400 w/ the stock stiff shaft, after trying a mate's at the range. Bloody Hell! Still miss some right and then over-compensate the other way at times, but it's a good driver. Feels and sounds awesome off the face too.

Here's hoping...

Thendara still under 3 feet of snow!