Tell us about your game today...

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McLaren wrote:Ben

I am not doubting jas and believe him that the guy handed in a score for 51 points. I am just astonished by 51 points, as I said this is a score that I have never seen before. This is more about acknowledging the rarity of this event.

We are talking rarer than a hole in one, this guy has shot a nett score that only a handful people will ever have shot.

It just seems like others on here are not as blown away by a 20 handicapper shooting +5 as I am.

As a junior in the early 80s, I shot a nett 56 (a +4 or 5 round I think) and a 58 in the same Summer. I didn't cheat, but I did get cut a lot that year.

Well, today started off bad but got better and better as I went along. The bad bit was that I forgot to book a tee time for my group for next Wednesday last night. I can only blame my phone for the automatic alarm not activating. So four of us would be without a game next week.
Then onto playing - first hole had a 9. (Par 4!!). Then later on had an 8 and a 7 on two of the par 5's. But 8 other pars and a birdie resulted in a round of 3 under handicap and 41 stableford points. Woo hoo. We have preferred lies on the fairways.
Had to buy a bowl of chips for playing partners as compensation for not booking the tee time.......only to find another group had dropped out next week and the golf operations manager (who knew I had missed out) slotted our fourball in. That will cost me. So all's well that ends well.

First game for a couple of weeks (last one was 22nd December). Ground a bit frosty and wet in places, and the ball wasn't travelling very far at all. Not a very good ball striking/putting day - only 28 stableford points. I will blame the fact that it was "carry only" and I had the full number of clubs in the bag. I'll probably take a few out on Friday for a practice for the upcoming qualifier on Monday. Frosty greens noticeably slower. Greenkeepers moved a tee up on one par 4 hole which tempted me to go for the green. (Through/over trees and a lake in front of the green) I hit a good shot and there was a snap and a splash. Got near the green and saw my ball on the bank over the water, greenside. Must have broken a branch and it fell into the lake causing the splash. Birdied the hole! Played with my mate who is 89. He was able to use a trolley on 9 holes and carried for the second nine. Wish I will be able to do it when I get to his age.

Qualifier didn't happen on the Monday just gone, and that was a good thing as I played rubbish. Much better today, although that might have been because we played preferred lies through the green because of the frost and general muddiness of parts of the course. I ended up with 37 stableford points and played (for me) very steadily. My mate had a five footer across a slopey green to tie with me. He made it. We were nip and tuck all the way around. Very tricky to putt on frosted greens.

Qualifier would be tough at this time of year on most courses. Do you play a links or are you expected to score in a quagmire?

McLaren wrote:Qualifier would be tough at this time of year on most courses. Do you play a links or are you expected to score in a quagmire?

The course is made up of two halves Mac. The front nine is a parkland style course, which suffers the worst re drainage as it is on the lowest part of the property. The back nine has a more linksy "feel" but it is nowhere near the coast. It is more "open" with deep revetted bunkers. In summer the rough is grown long which makes hitting the fairways a priority. Not long, but picturesque.

So I guess your course manages to keep a full rated set of tees (and greens) open over the winter? That is pretty good going.

McLaren wrote:So I guess your course manages to keep a full rated set of tees (and greens) open over the winter? That is pretty good going.

They protect the tees by combining the front and back ones into one (moveable) position, but, yes keep greens and tees open. One of the "selling points" of the club - even though membership is full and 100+ on the waiting list. I'm not sure I understand what you mean by rated tees - I'm assuming you mean of an adequate length for qualifying scores, in which case yes on qualifying comp days. Although if we want to put in a General Play card other than on qualifying comp days we have to check with the pro shop first just in case the course doesn't comply on that day.

Equalled my best round of golf, ever - although it was with preferred lies. Went round the course in 80 shots, and a putt for 79 lipped out on the last hole. That round of golf generated 46 stableford points. 10 pars, 6 bogeys and two doubles. Didnt miss any tiddler putts. Course in so good a shape that trolleys are allowed. One is chuffed.

1st qualifier of the year today. Stableford off 95% handicap. 35 points. Missed one tiddler. Three other holes I got a 7 and two 8's. Course still in good nick for February, but one or two greens a bit "bobbly". I will get a small amount of money for finishing second in my division and another few pennies for a gross birdie on a par three. Pleased, but like a lot of people can (and do) say....if only.....

INW, sounds like you have found some form. What would you attribute that to?

McLaren wrote:INW, sounds like you have found some form. What would you attribute that to?

Not practice Mac, if you were looking for that answer! A little bit of it is due to a higher handicap that I can play to, by at least two shots. I am trying to get it down for my own self esteem. The main reason is - if I am in trouble, not to go for the "hero" shot but take medicine. I can reach almost all of the greens in regulation, so if I am a bit wayward, I have the buffer of a shot a hole to use. Handicap Index is now at 18.6 which equates to 19 off front tees (95%).

Hope you can sprinkle some of that magic dust on me INW, I'm playing Mount Juliet tomorrow. Top parkland course here in Eire which has hosted 2 WGCs in the early noughties and the Irish Open last year and later this year.

I have been cut! Only 0.1 but it's a step in the right direction. Inco - I have seen Mount Juliet on the TV. I think I would be well into 3 figures on that course.
Edit: I've just looked it up: Mount Juliet has a course rating of "only" 113. That seems very low to me. I would "lose" a shot from my handicap index. Strange.

I'm never wrong wrote:I have been cut!   Only 0.1 but it's a step in the right direction. Inco - I have seen Mount Juliet on the TV. I think I would be well into 3 figures on that course.
Edit: I've just looked it up: Mount Juliet has a course rating of "only" 113. That seems very low to me. I would "lose" a shot from my handicap index. Strange.

MJ would be considered a pretty easy course by pro standards at least. Few too many bunkers for my liking but hey ho. Played decent enough in the end, good tee game but poor approach and putting meant I only had a few pars and one birdie. Don't think I broke 90 (handicap 10).

Just looked up the WGC at MJ back in 2002. I remembered that Tiger had won but hadn't remembered that The Goose nearly chased Tiger down by shooting a final round 62, to Tigers 66.

McLaren wrote:Just looked up the WGC at MJ back in 2002. I remembered that Tiger had won but hadn't remembered that The Goose nearly chased Tiger down by shooting a final round 62, to Tigers 66.

I was there as an 18 year old chap on the Saturday in 2002. The reception Woods got can only be likened to a rock star or some sort of messiah! The Goose did well to almost catch him, but it was Woods' tournament all week long. His only bogey was on the 72nd hole after a camera man put him off.

Our club installed a couple very high end indoor golf simulators. Meh ... better than nothing I suppose, but it does little for me.

My golfing buddy refers to it as going to the methadone clinic for winter withdrawal symptoms.

Does anyone really enjoy these things?

shotrock

I would love our club to install a simulator. Me and my mates sometimes go to other clubs simulators or the dedicated simulator places. It isn't cheap.

I have never used them for a proper practice session but playing the worlds courses with some mates in the middle of the Scottish winter is pretty appealing. And when you know the data is pretty accurate you can keep tabs on how your game is going.

If I had a garage I would seriously consider installing a simulator set up in it.

McLaren wrote:shotrock

I would love our club to install a simulator. Me and my mates sometimes go to other clubs simulators or the dedicated simulator places. It isn't cheap.

I have never used them for a proper practice session but playing the worlds courses with some mates in the middle of the Scottish winter is pretty appealing. And when you know the data is pretty accurate you can keep tabs on how your game is going.

If I had a garage I would seriously consider installing a simulator set up in it.

I too would love such a simulator. I don't have any friends, but if I did I'd defo do what you're doing.

It sounds like a productive way to spend the winter months, I've recently been playing in mucky and saturated courses here in Ireland- not much fun or valuable for the overall game.

Shotrock wrote:Our club installed a couple very high end indoor golf simulators. Meh ... better than nothing I suppose, but it does little for me.

My golfing buddy refers to it as going to the methadone clinic for winter withdrawal symptoms.

Does anyone really enjoy these things?

I’m with you SR, they put one in at our place and I just find it hard to get excited about. Had a couple of lessons but would far rather be outside, even with the crappy range balls. I’m not convinced there’s many amateur golfers that actually benefit from being overloaded with the numbers, statistics and data that you get using trackman. It’s obviously great for the top end guys but the majority of us’d just be bamboozled.

Not a good game today, I won't go into details. But one benefit that happened to me was that a ball stopped on a very steep slope down to a pond within a penalty area. The reason it stopped? Twigs and branches blown down by the storm recently. After carefully removing them, I played on without losing a stroke.

INW

Good to hear you are getting some golf in though. After some spells of heavy rain over the last few weeks I have decided to just avoid the course for a while. Might try and get a game at the coast this weekend or next.

McLaren wrote:INW

Good to hear you are getting some golf in though. After some spells of heavy rain over the last few weeks I have decided to just avoid the course for a while. Might try and get a game at the coast this weekend or next.

What you playing off these days Mac?

You will pleased to know, although I think I mentioned this at the back end of last season. But I had a rough time under the new handicap system and went up to 5. Over 2 shots up over what it would have been under the old system. In fact I think my season would have broken even under the old system due to just hitting a lot of scores in what used to be the buffer. But because of course/slope rating those scores now raise your handicap. I had 3 pretty low rounds for me that under the old system would have easily offset the times I wasn't in the buffer.

On the plus side it is easy to get cut.

I managed to win our 9-hole winter knockout final without playing! My opponent decided to go skiing during the first three weeks of the month we were given to play it and then managed to hurt her back removing her luggage from the carousel at the airport on her return home so couldn’t play and we couldn’t have an extension of time because it has to be played by the end of February which is the end of the season. She did admit to me on the phone that her priority was to get her back better so she can go skiing again so I do wonder where her priorities lie but I would have preferred to have played the match and won (or lost) legitimately. I do wonder why people enter these competitions, knowing all the dates of the various rounds, when they know they’re not going to be fully available but maybe I’m different.

LadyPutt wrote:I do wonder why people enter these competitions, knowing all the dates of the various rounds, when they know they’re not going to be fully available but maybe I’m different.

There are a couple of competitions that me and my mates do not enter precisely because of this. For example, a pairs knockout competition. Trying to find a date that works for four people is hard. Apparently the IG app can match up all 4 peoples availability, but then you've got to be able to get a tee time, which is sometimes difficult.

Maintenance week at my course. All greens are temporary, so we lose about 500 yards off the length. Temporary greens are nothing special (i.e. not flat, not rolled or anything). My three ball today scored 45, 45 and 51 stableford points. Everything just went into the hole, sometimes by circuitous routes. Can't say it's for real as we played off full handicap, but it does make you feel good.

4 ball better ball Seniors competition today. Lovely day, sun was out and maintenance had finished. Greens a bit bobbly but OK. Just need to be ironed in the coming week. Me and my partner scored 46 points (I went round in net par, 36 points) and we were nowhere near the top. 52 points won it. I hope this coming summer we have a few more qualifiers so people can get cut!!! (Not me of course!)

Played a 2-person scramble last week, finished 3rd playi g alongside my high handicap father.

Played a competition today. Finished with 31 stableford points but my game is in bad shape. I cant hit my irons at all and am shanking a lot of shots. I've no idea what I'm doing wrong. Very frustrating.

I seem to one of the few people on here who prattle on about my golf. (Todays' game was so up and down - 2 birdies and several other holes we won't mention.) But my post today is about one of my regular playing colleagues. I think I have mentioned him before. He is 90 years old, and has a handicap of 39. He carries his bag when required. Today was his day. He scored 45 stableford points with a blob on the last. Under the old handicap limit of 28 he wouldn't be able to "compete". But today he thrashed us. We were all pleased for him, as it will keep his enthusiasm for the game. He just hit the ball down the middle, and when he got to the green, some of the putts went straight in. I only hope he keeps his form for Monday as we are playing in the same team.

.

Seniors qualifier today. Weather wasn't that great, squally showers. I ended up with 36 stableford points off 95% handicap. Two holes blobbed (nil points). One of them I should have played safe and maybe got one point. Ended up 10th overall, but 2nd in my Division so will win some money. (£14). Might see a reduction in handicap as that is better than a couple of my recent counting 8 scores.

My course is slowly getting better and better as the weather improves. Fairways are fine. Greens need a little work (ironing and mowing) and they will be perfect. This week I've played well. Wednesday 39 stableford points (3 under handicap) and today I played even better getting 44 points (8 under handicap). Handicap has gone up one stroke since my last report, and it won't change much for the next few weeks as I have a load of high scores to get rid of. So going to try and take advantage of it in the Monday Seniors competitions (not all are qualifiers).

I have the full swing yips and am quitting the game

incontinentia wrote:I have the full swing yips and am quitting the game

I was there just a week ago. Maybe not full swing yips but just terrible ball striking. Last round offered some glimmer or hope. You will get through this. Just get out there.

First game back after Covid. Seniors Qualifying stableford off the back tees. I scored 39 points and won some money. I varied between double bogeys (1 point) and pars (3 points) throughout my round. Finished off with a chip in birdie on the last. Might be another handicap reduction to compensate for the recent upward trend.

Last round was in April, so been a while. Played this morning. Lost ball on first shot and ended with a double bogey 6. Then, out of nowhere 11 pars in a row. 2 over front 9!

Couldn't quite keep it up, and faltered towards the end 3 doubles and 2 bogeys in last five holes.

But still finished with an 81 and 11 over. Which is probably my best ever round. 43 points off 18.

I always knew there was a decent golfer in me somewhere

I got a new driver yesterday for the first time since 2009, got it custom fitted. I played a round in the evening then and left wishing I had upgraded years ago! Hit some amazing drives and the distance increases on some holes was crazy. Granted the ground was very dry and lots of roll, but on our index 1 hole (par 4 of 414 metres/450 yards) I had 7 iron into the green when it would usually be 3 hybrid or sometimes 3 wood. On the short par 5 10th I was over the green with my 2nd shot, previously I would've been lucky to get within 50 metres of the green.

Anyhoo, it was a medal comp yesterday and I shot a net 78

Just like Inco, I bought a new Driver and 3-wood (Cobra Speedzone) a few weeks ago and they have transformed my game. Even before the drought made scoring so easy, I was playing well and last Wednesday I played the first 18-hole round for about a year, thanks to a new knee support, and scored 39 points - only to be beaten by 43 and 40 and another 39 with a better back 9! But I am happy with a .4 cut and am now much more confident in my game and look forward to the “proper” conditions in the winter. Only down was being beaten in the 9-hole club championship final having to give 8 shots to a woman who was virtually on every green in two! She hardly ever puts in cards and when she does the score doesn’t affect her handicap

Played in a four ball better ball competition today. Older seniors agains younger seniors. Interesting result came up. Prize money went down to third place for each side. Two pairs with same score, same back nine, same back six, same back three, same final hole. Had to go to front nine, same 9, but different back six to separate. The losers still got money so they were happy.

Do you listen to any types of music before you play? Or avoid any types? I'm thinking my lhabit of blasting rock and metal in the car on the way to the course is having an adverse impact on my swing tempo and course management. Soft rock a bit less so- I had a decent tound recently while Bon Jovi's 'wanted dead or alive' was playing in my head. I'm thinking tines like 'horse with no name' or 'do you know the way to san jose' may be optimal.
What do you think?

If I got a bon jovi tune stuck in my head all I would be able to think about would be shooting myself.

McLaren wrote:If I got a bon jovi tune stuck in my head all I would be able to think about would be shooting myself.

I agree for the most part but thats a good tune

Went to Scotland last weekend. Drive up from Staffordshire Saturday morning. Played a round at Troon. Love that course, easily my favourite ever course played.

Anyway, it isn't easy even though the sky was clear but a bit of wind blowing. Hadn't played since June at all, took me 9 holes to get going but played the back 9 OK, with a birdie on 17.  When it shoukd be the front 9 the scoring side!

Lovely stay in the hotel by the course, nice meal and drink. Back to the in laws on Sunday.

All a bit rushed but great fun.

beninho wrote:Went to Scotland last weekend. Drive up from Staffordshire Saturday morning. Played a round at Troon. Love that course, easily my favourite ever course played.

Anyway, it isn't easy even though the sky was clear but a bit of wind blowing. Hadn't played since June at all, took me 9 holes to get going but played the back 9 OK, with a birdie on 17.  When it shoukd be the front 9 the scoring side!

Lovely stay in the hotel by the course, nice meal and drink. Back to the in laws on Sunday.

All a bit rushed but great fun.

Well done Ben.
Put three cards in recently. The first one, although not good, didn't matter as it was a non scoring 20th card that dropped off. Second one did count and only 32 points. Up 0.4 on index but no handicap change. Had a good round today with 39 points so that should bring it back down again. Putting cards in now as the hard ground makes the ball run and the greens are in good nick.

Not my game today, but yesterday. It was just awful. Every stinking aspect. But it was 36 holes at Pine Valley, so any complaining is really unwarranted. Sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield as they say.

Also played at a fantastic course near Allentown, PA last week ... The Weyhill course at Saucon Valley. Not particularly well known, but a great test of golf. And I did play much better there thankfully.

Just come back from a three day break at the Cotswold Golf Resort and Spa. It was our annual Seniors Autumn Trip. 32 of us went away for 3 rounds of golf and a two night stay. Hotel was fine, dinner B&B, not earth shattering but it was done for a price.
Golf course could have done with quite a bit of tidying up, especially the tees and areas where other animals had left large "animal scrapings". But the greens were fine, so that made up for it a bit. I played decently with 39, 35 and 41 stableford points and came about 5th. (Won a nearest the pin and third place on one day for some vouchers at my home club). Winning score was 126 points over 3 days. (=42 points per round). Slope index was higher than my home course, but scoring was easier - probably because my playing handicap rose. All in all a good three days, and we didn't get wet.

Shotrock wrote:Not my game today, but yesterday. It was just awful. Every stinking aspect. But it was 36 holes at Pine Valley, so any complaining is really unwarranted. Sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield as they say.

Also played at a fantastic course near Allentown, PA last week ... The Weyhill course at Saucon Valley. Not particularly well known, but a great test of golf. And I did play much better there thankfully.

No matter how good the course is, playing your worst golf sucks. Just feels like you can't play the course like you should be able to. And I think the better the course the more true this is. You can see all those shot options out there but you just can't execute any of them.

After a disastrous weeks holiday (rain and my car breaking down) it was back onto the golf course today. Scored 39 Stableford points without a blob on the card. Hit all par 3's in regulation. Greens in fantastic condition for the time of year. Very enjoyable round.