GOLF - 2024

[WindyCommon]

milesgiles said:

WindyCommon said:

What are some good drills for someone who was happily playing off 11 but is now struggling with topping the ball. Happens with all full swing clubs, and short irons are somewhat bottom-groovy too.

Asking for a friend obvs…

Cause varies we’d need to see your swing. For me thingy shots can come from lifting my right heel too early on the ds

Ahem, HIS swing ;>

Could be difficult. He’s talking about carrying around a set of screens to hide himself from sight as he swings. The type of screens they put around racehorses who don’t make it over Beecher’s Brook…

[DuncanM]

milesgiles said:

Don’t have a fit bit. I’ll put in Peebles, Seaford Head, Aldwickbury, Willingdon..

I would seriously reroute the last two. A decent hill can be great for golf but I’d rather work my way up it once then back down again. Those two you go up 4 different times, ridiculous.

This will get talked about at Augusta, don’t believe it. I’ve been and it’s as steep as Hadley Wood (also a McKenzie..)

Love Peebles, we used to do a boarders golf trip every year, and it was always on the list.

Aldwickbury in Harpenden? A bit hilly yes, nice though, a Ken Brown design I believe.

[milesgiles]

DuncanM said:

Love Peebles, we used to do a boarders golf trip every year, and it was always on the list.

Aldwickbury in Harpenden? A bit hilly yes, nice though, a Ken Brown design I believe.

Yes played it loads always really good condition and decent value for the area.

If you know it, it’s a big reason I’m working on speed, there are 3 or 4 carries 240-250 which make a big difference to how easy you find the course

I think my new course Milton has similar bunkering in places(still on temps so still haven’t played)

[DuncanM]

milesgiles said:

Yes played it loads always really good condition and decent value for the area.

If you know it, it’s a big reason I’m working on speed, there are 3 or 4 carries 240-250 which make a big difference to how easy you find the course

I think my new course Milton has similar bunkering in places(still on temps so still haven’t played)

I don't remember any big carries off the yellows, played it a handful of times, underrated for price and area I think. Aldenham is nice too, greens a tiny bit slow/not cut close enough.

[milesgiles]

DuncanM said:

I don't remember any big carries off the yellows, played it a handful of times, underrated for price and area I think. Aldenham is nice too, greens a tiny bit slow/not cut close enough.

8th is an easy par 5 if you can carry the bunkers. So is 16. Tough carries depending on wind and tee. Then there is the hedge hole 12th, three shotter again if you can’t easily clear it. You could include 9 and 18 as driveable par 4s

[milesgiles]

Aldenham has grown on me I’m not in the area any more it’s definitely not a winter course but lots of good holes

My information is that it’s under threat of closure but that could be twaddle..

[DuncanM]

milesgiles said:

8th is an easy par 5 if you can carry the bunkers. So is 16. Tough carries depending on wind and tee. Then there is the hedge hole 12th, three shotter again if you can’t easily clear it. You could include 9 and 18 as driveable par 4s

Ahh ok, so, carry for aggressive play, rather than essential.

12th, I've duffed a drive, and reached the green from wrong side of the hedge with a hybrid, par 5s I agree, however, going for 9 and 18 would be too brave/reckless for me, unless it was matchplay

In other news, the finest swinging golfer on the planet (in my opinion!), has just won 3 in a row. Just amazing watching Korda swing, love to see it.

[48Valves]

What a difference two days makes. On Friday I couldn’t make even remotely solid contact with the ball. Yesterday after a slightly shaky start into a very stiff easterly wind I finally remembered where the middle of a club face was.

Shot a 78 with three 3 putts and a host of missed opportunities from inside 10/15 feet. I didn’t have a 6 on the card and even made it on to a par 5 in two and didn’t 3 putt .

Our greens were hard work. The pins were in the same positions as they were on Friday and hadn’t been cut for a couple of days. We had some comedy lip outs and balls that were going in the middle just completely change direction and miss. Putting cost me 4 or 5 shots.

Handicap is back down to 6.7 after going up to 7.5 over the last few weeks.

[bodhi]

Only greens I've played recently which weren't like that were the Belfry, which were lightning quick despite most of the course being a boggy mess. With any luck we'll get some decent weather soon but the forecast isn't looking too promising.

Think this was finally the last weekend of decorating hell for me, but still managed to get some useful golf time in to keep things going.

On Saturday I had a fairly lengthy practice session - tried out TrackMan Range, worked on a couple of things and started using the gapping session functionality to see where all my yardages are. Good news is they are still about where they are when I had Shot Scope a couple of seasons ago.

4 and 5 iron are a bit close together on average carry, but a good strike on each restores the difference to 10 to 15 yards carry so fairly ok with that.

Then went and spent an hour or so in the short game area and putting green, trying to get the feels back for the season. Short game is getting there, still some work to do with the flat stick, although smoother greens will help with that.

Then came out and played 9 at the Chase today in between rain showers, and played pretty well. Was 3 over in the end so one under where I should be with regards to handicap, and left a couple of shots out there on the greens and not hitting my irons quite as cleanly as usual.

First comp of the season next week - assuming the course is open of course.

[DuncanM]

Well played chaps, looking good going into spring.

I've been stuck playing local par 3 course, although it's actually decent, par 4 finishing hole, brilliant short game practice.

Bodhi, what did you think of the Trackman range v toptracer?

[bodhi]

Bearing in mind it was my first experience with Trackman Range the overriding impression I got that it was more accurate than TopTracer - numbers lined up a bit better compared to what I see on the course and there seemed to be less "adjustment" going on.

However it also looks like TopTracer has a lot more game modes on it if you don't want to just practice or play a virtual 18. I like the challenges on TT where it calls out shots for you to play - haven't found that on Trackman yet, however I'm more than happy to do more research on this

Maybe later in the week tho, after all the golf and decorating I need a sit down

[milesgiles]

DuncanM said:

Ahh ok, so, carry for aggressive play, rather than essential.

12th, I've duffed a drive, and reached the green from wrong side of the hedge with a hybrid, par 5s I agree, however, going for 9 and 18 would be too brave/reckless for me, unless it was matchplay

In other news, the finest swinging golfer on the planet (in my opinion!), has just won 3 in a row. Just amazing watching Korda swing, love to see it.

It’s a one in a million shot to hit and hold that green from wrong side of the hedge. 210 plus ball above your feet to a narrow green that only takes a fade.

Anyway I wouldn’t call it aggressive, just correct by shots gained. Can’t be turning two shots into three if you can’t carry hazards off the tee

[Rosscow]

Evening golf is BACK! Shot 80, should have been 77. Greens in magnificent shape.

Another little cut, down to 8.4.

[DuncanM]

milesgiles said:

It’s a one in a million shot to hit and hold that green from wrong side of the hedge. 210 plus ball above your feet to a narrow green that only takes a fade.

Anyway I wouldn’t call it aggressive, just correct by shots gained. Can’t be turning two shots into three if you can’t carry hazards off the tee

It was a nice shot, not 1 in a mil though . I agree with you re par 5s and 12, but if you don't think going for 9 and 18 in one, is aggressive, then we'll agree to disagree there

[Rosscow]

How has everyone found their home courses' new handicap chart?

I get 13 shots now off a HI of 8.4!

[RayDonovan]

4.3 index

3 shots from the Yellow tees
5 shots from the White tees

[Leithen]

Yup. 15.4 getting 18/19 off the yellows on two of our courses and 21 off the whites.

[48Valves]

Currently off 6.7

Edited by 48Valves on Tuesday 2nd April 12:39

[Ashfordian]

48Valves said:

Just based on what you have said, I expected the CR and slope to be higher for your course.

I'm guessing they don't put the weather into these calculations, as a 10mph breeze elsewhere could easily be a 2-3 club wind on your exposed course

Edited by Ashfordian on Tuesday 2nd April 13:21

[DuncanM]

Leithen said:

Yup. 15.4 getting 18/19 off the yellows on two of our courses and 21 off the whites.

This doesn't seem right to me, 6 extra shots!