The Golf Thread - 2017!
Discussion
Good stuff Bodhi!
I managed 21 points on the front 9 on Saturday (4 over gross) which started with a birdie on the first then a 7 on a 120 yard par 3 (people who don't rake bunkers are the devil - ended up in a nice deep heel print which i fatted into another & fatted that one for good measure too).
I was of course brought screeching down to earth on the back 9 and ended up with 29 points...memorable to say the least.
I managed 21 points on the front 9 on Saturday (4 over gross) which started with a birdie on the first then a 7 on a 120 yard par 3 (people who don't rake bunkers are the devil - ended up in a nice deep heel print which i fatted into another & fatted that one for good measure too).
I was of course brought screeching down to earth on the back 9 and ended up with 29 points...memorable to say the least.
Won a 4bbb medal with my little brother at the weekend. Nett 58 (par71). Best of all it was a board comp too. So we got our names on the board together.
Then came 2nd in a charity event at Scarborough south cliff yesterday (in driving rain, never played in such poor conditions and I'm an all season golfer) PP had a hole in 1 too.
Used some of my winnings to buy 3 new Ping Glide 2.0 wedges.
Then came 2nd in a charity event at Scarborough south cliff yesterday (in driving rain, never played in such poor conditions and I'm an all season golfer) PP had a hole in 1 too.
Used some of my winnings to buy 3 new Ping Glide 2.0 wedges.
kentlad said:
Good stuff Bodhi!
I managed 21 points on the front 9 on Saturday (4 over gross) which started with a birdie on the first then a 7 on a 120 yard par 3 (people who don't rake bunkers are the devil - ended up in a nice deep heel print which i fatted into another & fatted that one for good measure too).
I was of course brought screeching down to earth on the back 9 and ended up with 29 points...memorable to say the least.
Something similar happened to me in last months Senior Stableford. I'm still playing off 28 but if everything comes together I'm probably a bit better than that. I had an amazing 18 points after six holes including a birdieing the tough par 5 5th hole for 5 points, the wheels fell off on the 7th and I had only added one point by the ninth. I managed 21 points on the front 9 on Saturday (4 over gross) which started with a birdie on the first then a 7 on a 120 yard par 3 (people who don't rake bunkers are the devil - ended up in a nice deep heel print which i fatted into another & fatted that one for good measure too).
I was of course brought screeching down to earth on the back 9 and ended up with 29 points...memorable to say the least.
Played steadily on the back nine for 15 points but the deep doggy dug hole in the greenside bunker on the par 3 16th was a disaster, the ball was two inches below the rest of the sand, my first just got it under the lip and it took another two to get out, don't you just love the doggy walkers.
A total of 34 points was pretty pleasing though, the winner only had 39 points so if everything had gone right I could have been in the running, still it was a nice walk in the sunshine and I refuse to be stressed by the silly game!
Senior Stableford again tomorrow, the 25 mph wind up on the top of Seaford Head will definitely make it interesting!
Just been up to the golf club to enter tomorrows Senior Championships and looked at the results for last week, the winner had 37 points so my third place with 30 points is pretty pleasing seeing as how windy it was last Wednesday.
We had to park our trolleys in a pack to stop them blowing over, balls were blowing off of tees and you had to wait for a gap between the gusts to putt or the ball just went offline with the wind, on the 17th I even had to move back a couple of times as the ball was blowing towards me when I was setting up to putt.
My 105 yard shot into the 11th green was a really good strike with a six iron from below the ridge, when the ball hit the wind it just stopped and dropped from the sky landing 10 yards short of the green, character building my mate said, he's right there.
We had to park our trolleys in a pack to stop them blowing over, balls were blowing off of tees and you had to wait for a gap between the gusts to putt or the ball just went offline with the wind, on the 17th I even had to move back a couple of times as the ball was blowing towards me when I was setting up to putt.
My 105 yard shot into the 11th green was a really good strike with a six iron from below the ridge, when the ball hit the wind it just stopped and dropped from the sky landing 10 yards short of the green, character building my mate said, he's right there.
Club champs for me this weekend, shame my golf game totally and utterly fell apart, not just for the first round but the second too!
Started out well enough but got a little unlucky with a wayward drive and lost my head, never re-capturing it, was level gross until then too! Less said about Sunday the better though! Haha
Started out well enough but got a little unlucky with a wayward drive and lost my head, never re-capturing it, was level gross until then too! Less said about Sunday the better though! Haha
LazyRoss18 said:
Has anyone played either the Old Course or Victoria Course in Vilamoura, Algarve at all? I am there for a week in September and wanted to get a few rounds in. If so, are they strict on the need for a handicap certificate? (I left my club earlier this year). Cheers!
Iv played both, both good courses. Iv played all over the world and only ever been asked for a handicap certificate once, that was at the national in turkey, Not been playing too well recently which is bloody frustrating, although not unexpected as I only started playing again properly in March after smashing my hand to bits.
Played yesterday, friends shot -1 gross (of 6) and +9 (off 10) where as I limped in at +18 (+10 on handicap...) not ideal!
Finding that my issues aren't just the one thing is frustrating with various bits weaker from hole to hole. However yesterday the biggest issues came on approaching greens, somehow I've finally learned how to strike the ball properly again but this means flying greens from 160 yards with an 8 iron! or when choosing the correct club spinning it a good 10 yards back off the front, slowing things down to reduce clubhead speed and spin rates just resulted in the correct distance but leaving it ~10 yards right of target, often fading away...something to work on at the range I think.
To add insult my chipping was also w
k...annoying as I have patches of good play, last weekend I was level par after 7 (with 3 birdies showing the inconsistency) but seem to throw away shots with doubles/triples rather than just the odd bogey here and there...
One weekend I'll get there I'm sure!
Played yesterday, friends shot -1 gross (of 6) and +9 (off 10) where as I limped in at +18 (+10 on handicap...) not ideal!
Finding that my issues aren't just the one thing is frustrating with various bits weaker from hole to hole. However yesterday the biggest issues came on approaching greens, somehow I've finally learned how to strike the ball properly again but this means flying greens from 160 yards with an 8 iron! or when choosing the correct club spinning it a good 10 yards back off the front, slowing things down to reduce clubhead speed and spin rates just resulted in the correct distance but leaving it ~10 yards right of target, often fading away...something to work on at the range I think.
To add insult my chipping was also w
k...annoying as I have patches of good play, last weekend I was level par after 7 (with 3 birdies showing the inconsistency) but seem to throw away shots with doubles/triples rather than just the odd bogey here and there...One weekend I'll get there I'm sure!
Edited by kiethton on Monday 19th June 11:35
thebraketester said:
Newbie. So I went playing golf with a mate at Little Hey Herts. I've only played pitch and putt before so hitting a driver was interesting. First round 114, week after played second round 106 so a little improvement. Par is 71. Haha.
Just looking for some clubs on eBay. :-)
I know I'm like a stuck record on this point, but do yourself the biggest favour your golf could get, and leave the driver in the garage.Just looking for some clubs on eBay. :-)
106 is honestly not a bad score at all for a beginner. It's not a bad score for a lot of people who've played for decades.
But now is the perfect time in your golf career to get your mindset right, and avoid some simple costly mistakes that will hold you back.
Don't copy the club-selections of the blokes you play with - unless they're either very good, or very unusual, they almost certainly aren't getting this part of the game right. And if they're very good, then their best club choice is not your best club choice. If they've been playing for years and are still off 18 then they're actually behind you, not in front.
Beginners using a driver is like taking your driving lessons in an Ultima. Counter-productive.
To be honest I felt I was half able to hit a decent drive after the second round. OK I hit a few with a fare amount of fade, but most went straightish even if they didn't go very far :-) Will probably play again this week. My weakest spot is probably shots off the fairway, I struggled to get any sort of consistency of shot quality.
Played for the team on Saturday away at Congleton Golf Club - weird course, only 9 holes like ours, but whereas we have 9 greens and 18 tees, meaning the back 9 plays appreciably different from the front, they had 9 tees and 2 flags in most greens. Longest hole was 360 yards, so wasn't set up for the bigger hitters like me and the chap I was playing with - we were 4 over after 13 and got stuffed 7 and 6.
Bit gutting considering I went out for 9 the night before and played one of the best 9 holes of my life - 3 birdies, 5 pars and a bogey for a 2 under 33. Been making some big swing changes recently, trying to tighten up my backswing and stop coming up out of it on the way through, bloody tough though. Seems to be going well with my irons, woods are still a bit variable. But when it works....
Anyone else a bit groggy after staying up for the US Open last night? Very impressive from Koepka, always had him down as more of a bomber, but played very solid on the back 9. Thought Fleetwood did well as well, shooting level par in the final round of the US Open in those conditions isn't to be sniffed at. Corking round fro Matsuyama too.
Bit gutting considering I went out for 9 the night before and played one of the best 9 holes of my life - 3 birdies, 5 pars and a bogey for a 2 under 33. Been making some big swing changes recently, trying to tighten up my backswing and stop coming up out of it on the way through, bloody tough though. Seems to be going well with my irons, woods are still a bit variable. But when it works....
Anyone else a bit groggy after staying up for the US Open last night? Very impressive from Koepka, always had him down as more of a bomber, but played very solid on the back 9. Thought Fleetwood did well as well, shooting level par in the final round of the US Open in those conditions isn't to be sniffed at. Corking round fro Matsuyama too.
thebraketester said:
To be honest I felt I was half able to hit a decent drive after the second round. OK I hit a few with a fare amount of fade, but most went straightish even if they didn't go very far :-) Will probably play again this week. My weakest spot is probably shots off the fairway, I struggled to get any sort of consistency of shot quality.
Best advice I can offer is go and have lessons now before you develop any bad habits which will be a nightmare to put right at a later stage. Main thing is to enjoy it, which isn't always easy 
StescoG66 said:
WindyCommon said:
I found this (which I won on a golf day many many years ago...) in a bag containing a spare "bits and pieces" set that I lend to guests.
Apparently it is "non-conforming". Excellent! I will take it out on the Royal Course at Vale do Lobo where I'm playing on Wednesday afternoon.
Is it likely to be any good? Or has modern tech now moved the driving game on so far that it'll be rubbish?
Wise man once said - it's not the tools, it's the tool behind the tools! Apparently it is "non-conforming". Excellent! I will take it out on the Royal Course at Vale do Lobo where I'm playing on Wednesday afternoon.
Is it likely to be any good? Or has modern tech now moved the driving game on so far that it'll be rubbish?
bodhi said:
Played for the team on Saturday away at Congleton Golf Club - weird course, only 9 holes like ours, but whereas we have 9 greens and 18 tees, meaning the back 9 plays appreciably different from the front, they had 9 tees and 2 flags in most greens. Longest hole was 360 yards, so wasn't set up for the bigger hitters like me and the chap I was playing with - we were 4 over after 13 and got stuffed 7 and 6.
Yeah Congleton is a funny course - it's been a while but I remember quite liking it - accuracy a premium around there as you say though. I grew up in Congleton and played at Astbury as a junior, but have been round Congleton a couple of times. Hi braketester , your post reminded me of when I took up golf and played little hay every week queuing on the first tee waiting for daylight and every week I would be over a hundred shots , whether it was 101 or 121 I just couldn't beat it . I remember adding my score up on the 17 th thinking I only need a bogey for a 99 and I've done it , no chance golfing gods would make sure I got a triple ! Back next week ! Scores on the card would vary from a birdie to a 13 on a single hole and would ruin the card ! So frustrating but keep at it cos it feels so good when you break the 100 in your head it feels like par golf , enjoy regards Craig
Hah. Well we went back last Friday. Played a great front 9 holes, played 6 really good holes for my standard (1 over or par). Then it all went to st and hit a load of terrible holes on the back 9 ( played a few 10s which was heart breaking). Went around in 110 (6 shots down on my last game). It was very windy and we had load of hold ups. But the most important thing was that I enjoyed it and played some great shots including a few great chips on to the greens. Made the green on one of the par 3s which was a good feeling. . Consistency is a big problem. Still slicing the driver a lot which I need to fix asap as that really is hindering me.
I've got the bug totally.
t and hit a load of terrible holes on the back 9 ( played a few 10s which was heart breaking). Went around in 110 (6 shots down on my last game). It was very windy and we had load of hold ups. But the most important thing was that I enjoyed it and played some great shots including a few great chips on to the greens. Made the green on one of the par 3s which was a good feeling. . Consistency is a big problem. Still slicing the driver a lot which I need to fix asap as that really is hindering me. I've got the bug totally.
Edited by thebraketester on Sunday 25th June 22:59
thebraketester said:
Hah. Well we went back last Friday. Played a great front 9 holes, played 6 really good holes for my standard (1 over or par). Then it all went to st and hit a load of terrible holes on the back 9 ( played a few 10s which was heart breaking). Went around in 110 (6 shots down on my last game). It was very windy and we had load of hold ups. But the most important thing was that I enjoyed it and played some great shots including a few great chips on to the greens. Made the green on one of the par 3s which was a good feeling. . Consistency is a big problem. Still slicing the driver a lot which I need to fix asap as that really is hindering me.
I've got the bug totally.
The quickest way to fix a slice with your driver/3 wood is to leave it in the car...i bet you'd be the right side of 100 if you did...t and hit a load of terrible holes on the back 9 ( played a few 10s which was heart breaking). Went around in 110 (6 shots down on my last game). It was very windy and we had load of hold ups. But the most important thing was that I enjoyed it and played some great shots including a few great chips on to the greens. Made the green on one of the par 3s which was a good feeling. . Consistency is a big problem. Still slicing the driver a lot which I need to fix asap as that really is hindering me. I've got the bug totally.
Edited by thebraketester on Sunday 25th June 22:59
95% of high handicappers could be 5/6 shots lower if they just left the drivers alone! I play off 12 and struggle with my driver at times so it gets left in the car some rounds...I know a player who plays off 4 who doesn't actually own a driver...just a 3 wood & he's not particularly long either..
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