GOLF - 2022

[Blackpuddin]

Andy 308GTB said:

Westy commits with Mickelson on joining the Saudi series.
My understanding is that Bubba Watson, Paul Casey & Ian Poulter are also possibilities.

Garcia too judging by his on-course outburst last week.

[Andy 308GTB]

Blackpuddin said:

Andy 308GTB said:

Westy commits with Mickelson on joining the Saudi series.
My understanding is that Bubba Watson, Paul Casey & Ian Poulter are also possibilities.

Garcia too judging by his on-course outburst last week.

Yes of course, I heard about that. He can be very petulant.

[Blackpuddin]

Andy 308GTB said:

Blackpuddin said:

Andy 308GTB said:

Westy commits with Mickelson on joining the Saudi series.
My understanding is that Bubba Watson, Paul Casey & Ian Poulter are also possibilities.

Garcia too judging by his on-course outburst last week.

Yes of course, I heard about that. He can be very petulant.

Quite an unpleasant character by most accounts.
Surprised Mrs Doubtfire hasn't been jumping up and down trying to attract Norman's attention, he's egotistical enough to think that spectators will still gladly pay to be glared at by him.

[Greenie]

fourstardan said:

Greenie said:

I managed to get our to Portugal (just for a weekend).

Just blown away by the condition of the courses and facilities compared to the UK. All the lies everywhere are just amazing - so much nicer to play off. But the greens - omg so fast and undulating.

I actually played really well - scored well on one course but the greens on the other just beat me up.

The tough green were at Palmares, the other course was Boa Vista.

What are you favourite courses in the Algarve? What course would you suggest would be good for a mid- handicaper?

Can't wait to go back.

Go back after a full playing season

Might be a bit late for that - got flights booked in 3 weeks

[Rosscow]

Just treated myself to some of these:

https://gb.ecco.com/en-GB/product/5642845384/ECCO-...

It has to be said, I love an Ecco shoe. These are like slippers!

[Teebs]

Rosscow said:

Just treated myself to some of these:

https://gb.ecco.com/en-GB/product/5642845384/ECCO-...

It has to be said, I love an Ecco shoe. These are like slippers!

Looks like something you get free from the NHS.

[Rosscow]

Teebs said:

Looks like something you get free from the NHS.

[Teebs]

Footjoy Classics used to be my choice but they weighed a ton. Proper workout

[Rosscow]

Teebs said:

Footjoy Classics used to be my choice but they weighed a ton. Proper workout

These are my posh shoes: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ECCO-Mens-Golf-Lux-Shoes/...

Look at the price of them! I don't think they're made anymore. I paid £165 down from £290 in an Ecco outlet shop. Bargain!

[DuncanM]

True Linkswear are next level if you walk the course, particularly the zero drop ones.

[Teebs]

Rosscow said:

These are my posh shoes: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ECCO-Mens-Golf-Lux-Shoes/...

Look at the price of them! I don't think they're made anymore. I paid £165 down from £290 in an Ecco outlet shop. Bargain!

Nice, a proper pair of shoes.

[Kneedragger95]

In the last 2-3 months I have been getting back into golf after playing on and off for the last few years.

My local 9 hole course is a par 34, and during my first round of the year in March I shot a 64 (30 over par). I was pretty terrible, struggling to get the ball in the air, duffing chips, topping/slicing the driver etc.
After that I started to hit the range and at least once a week and play at least 9 holes on every Friday, with a full 18 at least once a month.

A couple of weeks after that terrible round, I played 9 holes in 48 (14 over). Afterwards I set myself a target of shooting 42 (8 over) before the summer is over. I've stuck to playing once a week and going to the driving range regularly and my score has dropped to 46 (12 over), which for me i think is a decent round.

Then last week I played 9 holes again. Parred (?) The first hole. Good start. Nailed the tee shot on the second hole to within 90 yards of the green. I get my PW out and aim for the center of the green and swing. The ball heads left of the green and lands in the greenside bunker.

I just couldn't get out! I must've tried 8 times until I picked the ball up in frustration! Angry as fk i stomp to the next tee.
And then I continued to play the best golf I have ever played in my life! Parred all three par 3s and bogied pretty much every other hole, except for one double bogey on a par 5. Every shot I played panned out exactly how I imagined it.

So I check my scorecard after the round and if I had just played the second hole without getting stuck in the bunker, and took a double bogey I would've achieved my target of playing the round in 42!

It felt so good to play a round to probably the best of my current ability, however so frustrating that one bunker completely wrote off my score.

I'm back out there this morning and hopefully I can play similarly, but avoid the bunker .

Edited by Kneedragger95 on Friday 13th May 08:07

[sxmwht]

Is it worth practicing chipping at the range? Does the mat give an accurate enough representation of what it's like on the course?

My short game needs so much work lol

[kiethton]

sxmwht said:

Is it worth practicing chipping at the range? Does the mat give an accurate enough representation of what it's like on the course?

My short game needs so much work lol

Unless its a pitch in over 50 yards I'd say not - the intricacies of turf vs. mat are completely different (the latter being a lot more forgiving!)

[deckster]

kiethton said:

sxmwht said:

Is it worth practicing chipping at the range? Does the mat give an accurate enough representation of what it's like on the course?

My short game needs so much work lol

Unless its a pitch in over 50 yards I'd say not - the intricacies of turf vs. mat are completely different (the latter being a lot more forgiving!)

This - which is why a decent short game practice area is worth its weight in gold. There's a course round me (that I've been on the waiting list for over a year now ) which has a crappy range but the best short game practice area I've seen; they've planted different areas of rough all round it so you can genuinely practice loads of different styles of chips/pitches/hacking it out of the knee-deep stuff. It's an amazing facility and just great for sharpening your short game.

[Ashfordian]

sxmwht said:

Is it worth practicing chipping at the range? Does the mat give an accurate enough representation of what it's like on the course?

My short game needs so much work lol

You need a real green and surround to get the best out of chipping practice.

If the course you play has a practice green get there 60 minutes before your tee time and use that time to practice different shots with different wedges to different holes. Doing this will benefit your short game. I believe you occasionally play Bar Hill. As an example that is the perfect practice green to do this on when you next play there.

[sxmwht]

I do indeed play Bar Hill, in fact that's the only local course I've played so far, and only the second full 18 hole course.

There's a sign that says no pitching on to the practice green. I didn't want to get into trouble, everyone else was just putting. Is a pitch in that instance more of a full shot? Not sure how people would be doing that in that location lol

[Ashfordian]

sxmwht said:

I do indeed play Bar Hill, in fact that's the only local course I've played so far, and only the second full 18 hole course.

There's a sign that says no pitching on to the practice green. I didn't want to get into trouble, everyone else was just putting. Is a pitch in that instance more of a full shot? Not sure how people would be doing that in that location lol

Hmm, that must be a new sign. It wasn't there 12 months ago! Shame, but you are correct, it is not worth risking it.

The other option is to be creative. If you have space on the course with no-one behind you, throw some balls down and chip onto the green you are playing.

Unless they have developed a chipping pitching area in the space to the left of the 2nd, or the space to the right of 11. Probably not but one of those areas would be perfect for this!

[sxmwht]

I'm sure I've seen a "practice area" left of 2 mentioned somewhere or other, but I've never checked it out. The other evening I played after work and I was the last one out, starting at about 19:20. I have to admit it was bloody lovely and I will definitely be doing it again, and maybe I will chuck a few balls down each time I have a chip shot

EDIT: I've just looked on Google maps, I hadn't realised just how much space there was right of 11!

[48Valves]

Practicing off real grass around the greens is really important.

But, make sure you don’t just practice from perfect lies as this isn’t representative of what happens on the course. There is a big difference between chipping into the grain and against the grain.

And practice with clean grooves.