The Golf Thread - 2017!

[The T Boy]

Fingers52 said:

I've been told I have a 'single figure handicap swing' and am getting a bit fed up with it..............and my mental ability to be consistent

Welcome.

Sounds like you have the same challenges that I have. Just cannot string a full round together.

I've been working on my iron consistency and am now getting good compression and very consistent ball striking. Played in our first work social comp of the year today and, despite a few double bogeys, after 16 holes I was on 72 gross. Just two straightforward par fours of about 380 yards each. Should have been a three wood, a six iron and a couple of putts on each to card an 80 gross.

No chance.

Tried to steer the first tee shot and ended up OOB. Thinned a 60 yard sand wedge 40 yards over the green and into a green side bunker on a different hole. On the final hole I pushed my approach right and into the lake. Chipped into a bunker and ended up in an unraked footprint. First attempt hit the lip and rolled all the way back into my divot so I then thinned it straight across to the far side of the green. Ended up carding two nines for a total of 90.

I was so disappointed with that result as I'd really focused on course management and playing percentage golf. The only time I didn't was on the 18th after I'd dropped from the water. The flag was very tight behind the bunker and I shouldn't have tried to get it close as I ended up 6 inches short and in the bunker. I think that if I hadn't already blown up I would never have taken that on but by then I thought I may as well go for it. That mistake cost me 3 extra shots.

I guess it's the other 16 good holes and the teasing promise of something better that keeps us all coming back for more.

[Fingers52]

Ouch!

After that it's just a case of deciding whether to shout and scream...........or just laugh at yourself and hope for better next time.

Good luck for the next round.

[_Neal_]

The T Boy said:

Fingers52 said:

I've been told I have a 'single figure handicap swing' and am getting a bit fed up with it..............and my mental ability to be consistent

Welcome.

Sounds like you have the same challenges that I have. Just cannot string a full round together.

I've been working on my iron consistency and am now getting good compression and very consistent ball striking. Played in our first work social comp of the year today and, despite a few double bogeys, after 16 holes I was on 72 gross. Just two straightforward par fours of about 380 yards each. Should have been a three wood, a six iron and a couple of putts on each to card an 80 gross.

No chance.

Tried to steer the first tee shot and ended up OOB. Thinned a 60 yard sand wedge 40 yards over the green and into a green side bunker on a different hole. On the final hole I pushed my approach right and into the lake. Chipped into a bunker and ended up in an unraked footprint. First attempt hit the lip and rolled all the way back into my divot so I then thinned it straight across to the far side of the green. Ended up carding two nines for a total of 90.

I was so disappointed with that result as I'd really focused on course management and playing percentage golf. The only time I didn't was on the 18th after I'd dropped from the water. The flag was very tight behind the bunker and I shouldn't have tried to get it close as I ended up 6 inches short and in the bunker. I think that if I hadn't already blown up I would never have taken that on but by then I thought I may as well go for it. That mistake cost me 3 extra shots.

I guess it's the other 16 good holes and the teasing promise of something better that keeps us all coming back for more.

Ouch indeed, but we've all been there - you'll get there soon. Personally I'd never actually add up my card on the 17th tee, as somehow (for me at least) knowing exactly how good my score is rather than just knowing I'm having a good round makes it harder, psychologically. Also potentially you'd written off the last two holes as easier than they were - 380 yards each with OOB and water - they don't necessarily sound it.

[bodhi]

The T Boy said:

Welcome.

Sounds like you have the same challenges that I have. Just cannot string a full round together.

I've been working on my iron consistency and am now getting good compression and very consistent ball striking. Played in our first work social comp of the year today and, despite a few double bogeys, after 16 holes I was on 72 gross. Just two straightforward par fours of about 380 yards each. Should have been a three wood, a six iron and a couple of putts on each to card an 80 gross.

No chance.

Tried to steer the first tee shot and ended up OOB. Thinned a 60 yard sand wedge 40 yards over the green and into a green side bunker on a different hole. On the final hole I pushed my approach right and into the lake. Chipped into a bunker and ended up in an unraked footprint. First attempt hit the lip and rolled all the way back into my divot so I then thinned it straight across to the far side of the green. Ended up carding two nines for a total of 90.

I was so disappointed with that result as I'd really focused on course management and playing percentage golf. The only time I didn't was on the 18th after I'd dropped from the water. The flag was very tight behind the bunker and I shouldn't have tried to get it close as I ended up 6 inches short and in the bunker. I think that if I hadn't already blown up I would never have taken that on but by then I thought I may as well go for it. That mistake cost me 3 extra shots.

I guess it's the other 16 good holes and the teasing promise of something better that keeps us all coming back for more.

If i tmakes you feel any better I think this is one of the most common stories in golf - out 18th is a 155 yard par 3, any many people have added up their round to figure out a 3 will get them an awesome score - and promptly walk off with an 8.

Reminds me of a Leslie Nielsen (RIP) quote from one of his videos - "Golf is only called golf becuase all the other four letter words have been taken".

All I will say is at least you made it to the 18th - we went down for a game yesterday, and couldn't get to the 1st tee becuase the patio had flooded so another range session and early doors to the pub it was....

[Rosscow]

Got absolutely bladdered yesterday, we had our annual winter match against the parent club. 32 a side, foursomes.

Played really well in the morning and won our match 6&4.

Had far too much to drink at lunch and couldn't hit a ball afterwards!! Literally couldn't hit a ball - 1st tee, tried to hit the ball and missed it. Twice. So funny!!

[SpeckledJim]

The T Boy said:

Welcome.

Sounds like you have the same challenges that I have. Just cannot string a full round together.

I've been working on my iron consistency and am now getting good compression and very consistent ball striking. Played in our first work social comp of the year today and, despite a few double bogeys, after 16 holes I was on 72 gross. Just two straightforward par fours of about 380 yards each. Should have been a three wood, a six iron and a couple of putts on each to card an 80 gross.

No chance.

Tried to steer the first tee shot and ended up OOB. Thinned a 60 yard sand wedge 40 yards over the green and into a green side bunker on a different hole. On the final hole I pushed my approach right and into the lake. Chipped into a bunker and ended up in an unraked footprint. First attempt hit the lip and rolled all the way back into my divot so I then thinned it straight across to the far side of the green. Ended up carding two nines for a total of 90.

I was so disappointed with that result as I'd really focused on course management and playing percentage golf. The only time I didn't was on the 18th after I'd dropped from the water. The flag was very tight behind the bunker and I shouldn't have tried to get it close as I ended up 6 inches short and in the bunker. I think that if I hadn't already blown up I would never have taken that on but by then I thought I may as well go for it. That mistake cost me 3 extra shots.

I guess it's the other 16 good holes and the teasing promise of something better that keeps us all coming back for more.

This is the very core of the game, and the strength of your disappointment is what fuels your determination to have another go and get it right. The appeal of golf is directly proportional to how keen you are to out-play yourself.

You took on the game in its purest form (strokeplay) and it beat you at the death. AAAAAARGH. Great though, because now you know you CAN do it, you just don't know WHEN you'll do it. And therein lies the magic.

If you'd been playing Stableford, you'd have walked off with 34 points or something and been pretty satisfied on a superficial level, and thought little more about it.

Whereas now, the grit that strokeplay just snuck into your sandwich is going to drive you insane, and what more can you ask of a stupid hobby than that!?

(well done, nice round, pahhahahahahahaaaaaa)

[Fingers52]

Rosscow said:

Got absolutely bladdered yesterday, we had our annual winter match against the parent club. 32 a side, foursomes.

Played really well in the morning and won our match 6&4.

Had far too much to drink at lunch and couldn't hit a ball afterwards!! Literally couldn't hit a ball - 1st tee, tried to hit the ball and missed it. Twice. So funny!!

I had the honour of being our club captain a few years ago. Captains Day was a washout after 9 holes so we retired to the bar for a couple of hours until the sun came out, whereupon ten or so of us went back out for a swift 3-hole comp - as an ten ball! Much hilarity ensued with at least 5 of the ten balls ending up in the lake on the eighteenth (mine included). The most fun I've had on the (now empty) golf course!

[GTO-3R]

Rosscow said:

Got absolutely bladdered yesterday, we had our annual winter match against the parent club. 32 a side, foursomes.

Played really well in the morning and won our match 6&4.

Had far too much to drink at lunch and couldn't hit a ball afterwards!! Literally couldn't hit a ball - 1st tee, tried to hit the ball and missed it. Twice. So funny!!

Been there myself with that one. We have an annual England vs Scotland game that starts at 8:30 am with a glass of whiskey and then drinking as you play. It's hilarious watching people play pissed, while being pissed yourself

[SpeckledJim]

Anyone played Nefyn in North Wales?

Gorgeous course, most of the second nine is played on top of a very narrow peninsula out into the Irish Sea.



Anyway, down on the beach on the left of this picture is a pub. A local rule allows you to pop down to the pub after (I think) the 15th, and slot back into the course at the 16th tee later on. Very sporting indeed.

We were a 3-ball when we played there, so 3 pints each seemed reasonable, in the mid-afternoon blazing summer sun. About two hours later we climbed back up the hill for the last three holes.

Totally fking useless. Couldn't stop laughing which didn't help. Somehow parred the last, thanks to an enormous and enormously lucky putt.

Great day out. Nefyn is a fabulous place to play golf.

[Rosscow]

That course looks fantastic! Love the pub on the beach - what a way to spend an afternoon!

[SpeckledJim]

There's a par three that runs right to left on that photograph. You can see the green clearly on the left. The tee is ON the tiny building to the right, which is a coast-guard-type-concrete thingy. You're way on in the air, all on your own.

The hole is almost as far downhill as it is forwards, and almost all you can see is sea.

What a course.

[bodhi]

SpeckledJim said:

Anyone played Nefyn in North Wales?

Gorgeous course, most of the second nine is played on top of a very narrow peninsula out into the Irish Sea.



Anyway, down on the beach on the left of this picture is a pub. A local rule allows you to pop down to the pub after (I think) the 15th, and slot back into the course at the 16th tee later on. Very sporting indeed.

We were a 3-ball when we played there, so 3 pints each seemed reasonable, in the mid-afternoon blazing summer sun. About two hours later we climbed back up the hill for the last three holes.

Totally fking useless. Couldn't stop laughing which didn't help. Somehow parred the last, thanks to an enormous and enormously lucky putt.

Great day out. Nefyn is a fabulous place to play golf.

Fantastic course, as long you play the "old" back 9, the new isn't anywhere near as impressive. But what a 9 holes though, blind drives, 200 yard carries over the Irish Sea, that par 3 (think it's 11) where you are either on the green or taking 3 off the tee - and of course, the pub at the 16th. Which, if you're there on a typical golf holiday, means your hangover from the night before has probably just cleared by the time you get to it.

Great place to play golf though - I'd hate to have to maintain a handicap there, as so many shots are into the lap of the gods, but always entertaining.

Just booked in for the annual pilgramage to Ashbury in Devon with 18 other lads - usual drill, 4 days, 7 rounds of golf, all food thrown in, just drinks to buy on top of the £300 it cost. Hoping for a repeat of last year when the organiser decided one lunchtime he was going to have more pints of Guiness than he had stableford points in the morning - before going back out in the afternoon. I can tell you he had 7 points in the morning, and was successful at lunchtime.

Pretty sure he had even less points in the afternoon round

[The T Boy]

_Neal_ said:

Personally I'd never actually add up my card on the 17th tee, as somehow (for me at least) knowing exactly how good my score is rather than just knowing I'm having a good round makes it harder, psychologically. Also potentially you'd written off the last two holes as easier than they were - 380 yards each with OOB and water - they don't necessarily sound it.

bodhi said:

If i tmakes you feel any better I think this is one of the most common stories in golf - out 18th is a 155 yard par 3, any many people have added up their round to figure out a 3 will get them an awesome score - and promptly walk off with an 8.

I learnt many years ago not to add up my card on the way round as it just causes a loss of focus. I knew I'd been playing ok but it was only when I was adding up my score at the end when I realised how well I'd been playing until that point.

In my younger days I'd be so focused on my score that I'd be visualising my par putt dropping whilst still stood on the tee lining up my drive! Stopping that nonsense was one of the biggest single improvements I've ever done.

SpeckledJim said:

You took on the game in its purest form (strokeplay) and it beat you at the death. AAAAAARGH. Great though, because now you know you CAN do it, you just don't know WHEN you'll do it.

Yes. The next round will be the one. Always the next round.

[Dan_1981]

We have a local municipal course nearby, it's only 9 holes and a bit rough around the edges but is a nice enough way to spend 7 quid and a couple of hours.


The 9th is a long iron down hill to the shores of a fishing lake, it's then maybe 150 yards into the green, with possibly a 30-50 yard carry over the water just infront of you.

The numbers of cards i've had ruined standing on the shores of that lake and duffing ball after ball into the water.

I have thoughts about the hole all the way round.

[SpeckledJim]

The T Boy said:

_Neal_ said:

Personally I'd never actually add up my card on the 17th tee, as somehow (for me at least) knowing exactly how good my score is rather than just knowing I'm having a good round makes it harder, psychologically. Also potentially you'd written off the last two holes as easier than they were - 380 yards each with OOB and water - they don't necessarily sound it.

bodhi said:

If i tmakes you feel any better I think this is one of the most common stories in golf - out 18th is a 155 yard par 3, any many people have added up their round to figure out a 3 will get them an awesome score - and promptly walk off with an 8.

I learnt many years ago not to add up my card on the way round as it just causes a loss of focus. I knew I'd been playing ok but it was only when I was adding up my score at the end when I realised how well I'd been playing until that point.

In my younger days I'd be so focused on my score that I'd be visualising my par putt dropping whilst still stood on the tee lining up my drive! Stopping that nonsense was one of the biggest single improvements I've ever done.

SpeckledJim said:

You took on the game in its purest form (strokeplay) and it beat you at the death. AAAAAARGH. Great though, because now you know you CAN do it, you just don't know WHEN you'll do it.

Yes. The next round will be the one. Always the next round.

I always know how my round is going, to the shot.

If it's going well, I use that knowledge/pressure to remind myself not to do something rash. Whereas if the round is already a gonner, I know I can try more risky things / experiments to see how they go.

If it helps with motivation, tracking a score as 'n under bogey' (or even 'n under double bogey') sounds a lot better than 'n over par'!

[PatrickOUFC]

Rosscow said:

A few more pics from the Club last weekend for those interested:

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/event/the-presidents-...

What is going on in photos 2 and 4 here? Looks like the golfers have hit their balls almost into the clubhouse! On Photo 2 you can see people inside drinking tea and watching the shot through the window!

[Rosscow]

PatrickOUFC said:

Rosscow said:

A few more pics from the Club last weekend for those interested:

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/event/the-presidents-...

What is going on in photos 2 and 4 here? Looks like the golfers have hit their balls almost into the clubhouse! On Photo 2 you can see people inside drinking tea and watching the shot through the window!

That is exactly what has happened!

The clubhouse is right on the 18th fairway short of the green.

Chances are the players have hit their tee shots and missed the fairway right - which is nasty. A steep drop off into rough and a few gorse bushes.

If they found their ball and have hit back up onto the fairway, chances are they hit it better than they thought and have gone too close to the clubhouse.

Either that or they've hooked their approach!

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.9399204,0.770164...

[bodhi]

Just wondering - I am more than happy with my current putter, apart from on sunny days the chrome finish reflects sunlight straight into my eyes. Am I bonkers for wanting to replace it with a putter made famous in the late 80's by a certain Mr Faldo?

http://www.golfbidder.co.uk/product/296008/Taylor_...

(Ignore the description in the link, as it isn't a TaylorMade )

[sidicks]

sidicks said:

Looking forward to seeing the new Taylormade TP irons when they are released later in the year.

Well, here they are...

http://taylormadegolf.eu/P750-Tour-Proto/DW-WZ706....
http://taylormadegolf.eu/P770/DW-WZ705.html

I have a fitting scheduled at Wentworth at the start of March so I'll see how thing compare to my current clubs and then decide - my swing has changed (improved!) a lot since my fitting a few years ago due to lots of lessons, so I'm keen to see how my numbers vary from before (and vary with a different club set up).

I'm certainly considering a change to my set up to include a gap wedge (as well as a sand wedge and a lob wedge), so I'll then need to decide whether I go for 3 woods plus a rescue as currently (and ditch the 4-iron) or keep the 4-iron, keep the rescue (definitely) and just have the one fairway wood. Hmm, choices, choices!

Happy golfing!

[Rosscow]

sidicks said:

Well, here they are...

http://taylormadegolf.eu/P750-Tour-Proto/DW-WZ706....
http://taylormadegolf.eu/P770/DW-WZ705.html

I have a fitting scheduled at Wentworth at the start of March so I'll see how thing compare to my current clubs and then decide - my swing has changed (improved!) a lot since my fitting a few years ago due to lots of lessons, so I'm keen to see how my numbers vary from before (and vary with a different club set up).

I'm certainly considering a change to my set up to include a gap wedge (as well as a sand wedge and a lob wedge), so I'll then need to decide whether I go for 3 woods plus a rescue as currently (and ditch the 4-iron) or keep the 4-iron, keep the rescue (definitely) and just have the one fairway wood. Hmm, choices, choices!

Happy golfing!

I have 4 wedges and wouldn't be without any of them!

My current bag:

3 wood (13)
3 Hybrid (19)
4 hybrid (22)
5 hybrid (26)
6 iron (30)
7 iron (33)
8 iron (37)
9 iron (41)
PW (46)
GW (50)
SW (55)
LB (60)
Putter

I still have room for my driver. When I can hit it!