It was stroke play competition today, the course was closed in the morning so the numbers were down I decided to use my driver as I eally need to get used to it.but I started out very steadily with 5 straight bogeys and then birdied the 6th so I was thinking I might be in for a good round but a couple of badly chosen shots and a not so good back nine meant I ended up with a net 75 the same as CSS, it was enough to win but could easily have been a lot better.
The round in all its glory and gory details
Hole 1, 5 iron off the tee was a little short of the green but a decent chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4 start.
Hole 2 Drive a bit right into light rough followed by a 6 iron then a good wedge to the green 2 putts for a bogey 5.
Hole 3. Reasonable drive follwed by a decent 5 iron left a 6 iron to the green, left it a bit short but a chip and 2 puuts for a bogey 6.
Hole 4. 7 iron just short then a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4
Hole 5. Reasonable drive to light rough then a 6 iron left 80 yards to the green, overhit just off the green but a chip and a 15 foot putt for a bogey 5
Hole 6 Good drive and 5 iron left me 90 to the green good chip 10 feet short of the hole holed the putt for a birdie 4
Hole 7. Good drive to middle of fairway left 150 to the green with a ditch to carry at 110 yds went for the carry and plugged in the far bank of the ditch, penalty drop then chip to green, 3 putted for a trble bogey 7. (dont go for long carries!!)
Hole 8. Good drive to middle of fairway and another ditch 100 yards away to consider, umed and ahed but the ball was sitting up so nicely! didnt hit it completely cleanly and the ball disappeared into the ditch. Penalty drop, the hit approach short of the green, chipped to 18 inches then missed the putt! for a double bogey 7 (its about time I learnt. dont go for carries unless sure of getting over !!!)
Hole 9. 8 iron to front fringe, chip and putt for a par 3.
So 45 shorts for the front nine but could easily have been 41 or 42 with a bit of sense and steadier putting.
Hole 10 Drive to right rough, a 6 iron left 150 to the green, 5 iron just short, chip and 2 putts for a double bogey 6.
Hole 11 Decent drive and 2nd left about 120 to the green, 7 iron to green but temporary green in play putted back onto temporary green then 2 putts for a bogey 6.
Hole 12, Decent drive to about 30 yards short duffed chip to right of green chipped on the left first putt woefully short so 3 putted for a triple bogey 6
Hole 13 Drive to righthand rough 6 iron to fairway left 80yards to green, hit pitch into right hand bunker, chipped out to fringe chipped on and 2 putts for another triple bogey 7
Hole 14 5 iron to left of green, chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4.
Hole 15 Drive a bit right then 6 iron and 5 iron left 90 to the green, a pitch woefully right, left a chip of a bunker which ran through the green, chip back and 2 putts for another triple this time an 8.
Hole 16, Nice drive to middle of fairway 150 from green, slightly mishit right so a chip over a bunker and 2 putts for a bogey 5.
Hole 17 Decent drive and 2 irons left 70 to the green good pitch shot on landing through the back, chip and 10 foot putt for a bogey 6
Hole 18 6 iron off tee slightly wayward caught tree branches, good chip for a steep bank and 2 putts for a bogey 4.
52 shots for back nine gave me 97 for a net 75.
So a win but with better course management could easily have been a few shots less. Its Lady Captain's day on Saturday, I will do my best to resist the temptation to go for carries, maybe irons off the tee on 7 and 8 will take away the temptation. Watch this space....
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Friday, 24 August 2012
first round after the hols
I asked the question in the last blog "would I get back from holiday in time to make the monthly medal" the answer, yes I did! After landing at Manchester at 1.10 in the afternoon, I headed for the course after dropping off the bags at home, fortunately for me one of the girls was just getting ready and said I could play with her and another.
So onto the round, I felt a bit rusty but I started out with my intention of sticking to just playing my irons, but I wasn't hitting them too well of the tee so after 5 holes I decided to give the driver a go. Happily I hit it pretty well with no great slicing although I still have a tendancy to hit it to the right, I really need to do some work on it. Overall the round wasnt too bad.
Hole 1, rusty 5 iron well short of the green, the chip ran off the green but chipped back dead for a bogey 4
Hole 2 Another rusty 5 iron, follwed by a 2nd from the fairway, good 7 iron from the rough ran through the green, chipped back and 2 putted for a double bogey 6
Hole 3 A better 5 iron off the tee but hit left into the trees, chipped back onto the fairway, then a good iron short of the ditch, 4th was just short of the green, chip to green then 2 putts for another double
Hole 4, 6 iron to green and 2 putts for a par.
Hole 5 Another iffy iron of the tee, reasonable 2nd but a poor 3rd, chip on and 2 putts for a double bogey
Hole 6 Decideed I might as well get the driver out, decent drive but in the rough, a nice 6 iron left a half wedge to the green, hit it a bit thin and it rand off the back, a chip and 2 putts for a bogey.
Hole 7 A decent drive again down the right, forgot about my course management and took on the ditch and lost, miss hit pitch followed by a chip through the green finally got on thr green and 2 putted, for an quad bogey.
Hole 8, Again a driver to the right, laid up in front of the ditch, 3rd short was short of the green, a chip and 2 pouuts for a bogey.
Hole 9 A 9 iron to the green and 2 putts for a par.
So I went out in 49, not too bad but a shame about the 7th hole.
Hole 10, A good drive onto the fairway, and a decent 2nd left a pitch to the green and 2 putts for a good bogey.
Hole 11 Decent drive and second left me about 130 to the green so I went for the green rather than laying up, left it short on the steep bank but chipped on, but 3 putted from about 15 feet so I bad double bogey.
Hole 12 Took a rare 3 wood from the tee to 20 yds short of the green, chip and 2 putts for a bogey
Hole 13 A decent drive and second left about 80 yards, hit the best pitch of the day but a bit long, so was left with a very long downhill putt, which I holed for a very rare par on the SI 1 hole!
Hole 14 short with a 5 iron, chip and 2 putts for a bogey
Hole 15 Reasonable drive and second left 150 to the green, I hit it right though so a tricky chip, wanted to use SW but the lie was poor so to a PW and left it short, SW to 3 feet but missed the put for a Double bogey 7
Hole 16 5 iron off the tee for safety then a well hit iron but way off line, finished under trees. hit a low runner onto the green but 3 putted for another double bogey
Hole 17 Good drive and good second left me 160 to the green but in a divot hole, didnt hit it cleanly then a bit of a shank from the rough missed the green so on for 5 and 2 putts for a double bogey.
Hole 18 A 7 iron onto thegreen and 2 putts for a par to finish.
So 46 shots coming in for a total of 95 and a nett 72, which was CSS, I finished 2nd on a CPO. The quad bogey was rounded down though so I got a cut of 0.4 so back to 22 (22.2)
The pluses, I had putts for par on most of the back nine, a shame about 3 putting twice and my driving wasnt bad.
Negatives, forgetting what I had decided about course management which cost me 3 shots on the 7th. Although only 3 putting twice, I did miss a couple of shortish putts after chipping close, infact one finished further away from the hole.
All in all I was pretty pleased with my round and it was nice to get a little cut too. I MUST practise with my driver though.
So onto the round, I felt a bit rusty but I started out with my intention of sticking to just playing my irons, but I wasn't hitting them too well of the tee so after 5 holes I decided to give the driver a go. Happily I hit it pretty well with no great slicing although I still have a tendancy to hit it to the right, I really need to do some work on it. Overall the round wasnt too bad.
Hole 1, rusty 5 iron well short of the green, the chip ran off the green but chipped back dead for a bogey 4
Hole 2 Another rusty 5 iron, follwed by a 2nd from the fairway, good 7 iron from the rough ran through the green, chipped back and 2 putted for a double bogey 6
Hole 3 A better 5 iron off the tee but hit left into the trees, chipped back onto the fairway, then a good iron short of the ditch, 4th was just short of the green, chip to green then 2 putts for another double
Hole 4, 6 iron to green and 2 putts for a par.
Hole 5 Another iffy iron of the tee, reasonable 2nd but a poor 3rd, chip on and 2 putts for a double bogey
Hole 6 Decideed I might as well get the driver out, decent drive but in the rough, a nice 6 iron left a half wedge to the green, hit it a bit thin and it rand off the back, a chip and 2 putts for a bogey.
Hole 7 A decent drive again down the right, forgot about my course management and took on the ditch and lost, miss hit pitch followed by a chip through the green finally got on thr green and 2 putted, for an quad bogey.
Hole 8, Again a driver to the right, laid up in front of the ditch, 3rd short was short of the green, a chip and 2 pouuts for a bogey.
Hole 9 A 9 iron to the green and 2 putts for a par.
So I went out in 49, not too bad but a shame about the 7th hole.
Hole 10, A good drive onto the fairway, and a decent 2nd left a pitch to the green and 2 putts for a good bogey.
Hole 11 Decent drive and second left me about 130 to the green so I went for the green rather than laying up, left it short on the steep bank but chipped on, but 3 putted from about 15 feet so I bad double bogey.
Hole 12 Took a rare 3 wood from the tee to 20 yds short of the green, chip and 2 putts for a bogey
Hole 13 A decent drive and second left about 80 yards, hit the best pitch of the day but a bit long, so was left with a very long downhill putt, which I holed for a very rare par on the SI 1 hole!
Hole 14 short with a 5 iron, chip and 2 putts for a bogey
Hole 15 Reasonable drive and second left 150 to the green, I hit it right though so a tricky chip, wanted to use SW but the lie was poor so to a PW and left it short, SW to 3 feet but missed the put for a Double bogey 7
Hole 16 5 iron off the tee for safety then a well hit iron but way off line, finished under trees. hit a low runner onto the green but 3 putted for another double bogey
Hole 17 Good drive and good second left me 160 to the green but in a divot hole, didnt hit it cleanly then a bit of a shank from the rough missed the green so on for 5 and 2 putts for a double bogey.
Hole 18 A 7 iron onto thegreen and 2 putts for a par to finish.
So 46 shots coming in for a total of 95 and a nett 72, which was CSS, I finished 2nd on a CPO. The quad bogey was rounded down though so I got a cut of 0.4 so back to 22 (22.2)
The pluses, I had putts for par on most of the back nine, a shame about 3 putting twice and my driving wasnt bad.
Negatives, forgetting what I had decided about course management which cost me 3 shots on the 7th. Although only 3 putting twice, I did miss a couple of shortish putts after chipping close, infact one finished further away from the hole.
All in all I was pretty pleased with my round and it was nice to get a little cut too. I MUST practise with my driver though.
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Denton Open
I played in the Denton Open yesterday, my last game for over 2 weeks. Off to Spain tomorrow yah!! We played eary and in common with eveyone else who went out befor abot 1pm, we started in pouring rain, some of the greens had a lot of water on them, it wasnt pleasant at all. However in the afternoon theweather was glorious. Needless to say the top 3 were in the last four groups to go out. In fairness 3/4 of our round were played in sunshine, but with wet feet and wet clubs. with 2 scoring on each hole off 7/8 handicap we scored 70 points, not too bad, but it would have been interesting to see if we could have bettered that if the whole round had been played in the good weather, but c'est la vie. I could have been lovely in the morning and rainy in the afternoon.
For myself I kept my own score and did a net 75, which wasn't bad, the SSS is 72, some of my iron play wasn't has sharp as it often is but I did putt well which made a change. I am still mostly driving with my 5 iron.
So 2 weeks on a beach beckons, and then back home for the last month or so of the season, still got Lady Captains day to come, and a the big Hillside Golf Monthly event too.
So, only 2 questions remain, have I packed everything? and can I make the tee for the monthly medal the day I get back?
For myself I kept my own score and did a net 75, which wasn't bad, the SSS is 72, some of my iron play wasn't has sharp as it often is but I did putt well which made a change. I am still mostly driving with my 5 iron.
So 2 weeks on a beach beckons, and then back home for the last month or so of the season, still got Lady Captains day to come, and a the big Hillside Golf Monthly event too.
So, only 2 questions remain, have I packed everything? and can I make the tee for the monthly medal the day I get back?
Saturday, 4 August 2012
Britain's Best Putter
After replying to a post on the Golf Monthly forum I found myself going to Formby Hall to take part in the North West final.
I arrived as requested before 11am, the idea was to see the Odyssey people to try out putters as you had to lose an Odyssey one in the competition. I was taken to the lounge to wait, where I was joined by another couple of competitors and we had a coffee while we waited. After about30 minutes the GM rep came over and told us they were waiting for others to arrive, so we had another coffee. another 30 minutes passed and they finally came to take us to the putting green. Much to our surprise after the long wait there were already lots of people there and they were ready to start. This only gave me a couple of minutes to find a putter to use, not a great start, why we were kept waiting so long I dont know.
The first part was to play 36 holes to decided the knockout seeds. Despite holing my first putt I didnt do particularly well and finished last of 8 with 42 and 40 putts. This meant I had to play the guy who did the best 35 & 33 in the knockout.
He holed hid first putt which didnt bode well, but I followed him in and matched him for the first few holes until he had another single putt, I threee putted for the first time to go 2 down, but then he had a rare 3 putt for me to go back one down, I thought I might get back to all square when he had a longish putt but he holed it and we reached the 17th where his 2 meant I had to hole my first putt, I just missed and so lost 2&1.
I certainly did a lot better in that match but sadly not enough to get me to the final and get me a free putter.
I did enjoy it, but it was a shame it was a bit of a shambvles to start with.
I arrived as requested before 11am, the idea was to see the Odyssey people to try out putters as you had to lose an Odyssey one in the competition. I was taken to the lounge to wait, where I was joined by another couple of competitors and we had a coffee while we waited. After about30 minutes the GM rep came over and told us they were waiting for others to arrive, so we had another coffee. another 30 minutes passed and they finally came to take us to the putting green. Much to our surprise after the long wait there were already lots of people there and they were ready to start. This only gave me a couple of minutes to find a putter to use, not a great start, why we were kept waiting so long I dont know.
The first part was to play 36 holes to decided the knockout seeds. Despite holing my first putt I didnt do particularly well and finished last of 8 with 42 and 40 putts. This meant I had to play the guy who did the best 35 & 33 in the knockout.
He holed hid first putt which didnt bode well, but I followed him in and matched him for the first few holes until he had another single putt, I threee putted for the first time to go 2 down, but then he had a rare 3 putt for me to go back one down, I thought I might get back to all square when he had a longish putt but he holed it and we reached the 17th where his 2 meant I had to hole my first putt, I just missed and so lost 2&1.
I certainly did a lot better in that match but sadly not enough to get me to the final and get me a free putter.
I did enjoy it, but it was a shame it was a bit of a shambvles to start with.
Friday, 3 August 2012
Do I really need to use my driver?
Recently my driver has been mis-behaving, going left or right with me seemingly doing anything differently. So today I started playing a round and decided on the 3rd to to compare drives with different club. First my driver, reasonable distance but with a bit of a slice, next up 5 iron dead straight, finally a 3 wood again pretty straight. The landing area was out of sight from the tee so I was interested to see the respective distances. When I reached the balls, the shortest drive was the 3 wood, about 5 yard longer was the 5 iron, and the driver was slightly longer than that although with the slice was very close to the rough. So bearing in mind that the slice from the driver was not as bad as it often is and barely longer than the 5 iron, I decided to place the rest of the round driving with the 5 iron.
I am happy to report that I hit every fairway with the 5 iron, granted the drives were not as long as they would have been if I had hit as straight with my driver but definitely as long if not longer than a sliced drice or one of the heel. It was pleasing too to see that as I was hitting every 2nd shot from the fairway I hit only a couple of false shots. The only draw back was that as i wasn't hitting as far as a good drive and good second, I found myself hitting my shots to the green from a bit further out than I nornally would do, however I could still reach most of the par 5s in regulation.
I played the front nine in 44 and the back in 49, I had a run of double bogeys on the back nine after I caught up a 3 ball and was waiting on every shot as they wouldnt let me through, i got around the problem by palayin the last few holes in the wrong order to keep moving.
So I shot below my handicap despite only using my driver on the 2nd and 3rd holes, should I leave it in the locker in future?
I am happy to report that I hit every fairway with the 5 iron, granted the drives were not as long as they would have been if I had hit as straight with my driver but definitely as long if not longer than a sliced drice or one of the heel. It was pleasing too to see that as I was hitting every 2nd shot from the fairway I hit only a couple of false shots. The only draw back was that as i wasn't hitting as far as a good drive and good second, I found myself hitting my shots to the green from a bit further out than I nornally would do, however I could still reach most of the par 5s in regulation.
I played the front nine in 44 and the back in 49, I had a run of double bogeys on the back nine after I caught up a 3 ball and was waiting on every shot as they wouldnt let me through, i got around the problem by palayin the last few holes in the wrong order to keep moving.
So I shot below my handicap despite only using my driver on the 2nd and 3rd holes, should I leave it in the locker in future?
Practice or play.
I have to admit that I am not big on practice. I go to the course with the intention of doing some work but after a few chips and putts I end up playing a few holes or a full round. I am sure there is good value in practicing and I have respect for people who can go and do their drills hitting 50 or 100 balls but I just find it so boring. I will happily try different shots on the course and play several balls if its quiet but that is about it.
So, am I taking the wrong approach here, should I buckledown and do practice drills or should I just get out on the course and enjoy a round and wait until my handicap drops a lot lower at which point practice on the range may become useful?
So, am I taking the wrong approach here, should I buckledown and do practice drills or should I just get out on the course and enjoy a round and wait until my handicap drops a lot lower at which point practice on the range may become useful?
Course Management
Quite a number of holes at Ellesmere have water hazards that come into play, I do have a tendency to take these on even if the more prudent shot would be to lay up short. Yesterday I played 9 holes and tried laying up, I was pleasantly surprised to find I scored better on holes where I normally go for the carry. So in todays competition, a stableford, I decided to try and follow this approach.
As it turned out, I didnt start off very well, getting to the greens but then taking far too many shots to get down.
The round
hole 1 just off the fringe with tee shot but down in 5 after chipping too strong.
hole 2 pin high but in a bunker in 3 but down in 7, shot from bunker cleared green into bunkewr on the over side.
hole 3 just short in 3 chip too strong, down in 7.
hole 4 a straightforward bogey for 2 points
hole 5 an awful drive and again a poor showing around the green meant I blobbed despite getting 2 shots
Hole 6 a bogey for 2 points
Hole 7 I didn't take on the stream but didnt play my approach well so a double bogey for 1 point
Hole 8 Another lay up followed by a decent 3rd but then took another 4 after chipping into a bunker.
Hole 9 finally a pin high tee shot, just missed the birdie but the first par for 3 points
Hole 10 just short in 3 chipped but again chipped right over the green and another 7
Hole 11 saved a bogey with a single putt for 2 points.
Hole 12 as the 11th single putt for a bogey and 2 points.
Hole 13 through the green with overhit pitch then fluffed first chip, so a nett bogey and 1 point.
Hole 14 tee shot into front bunker but a good bunker shot and a single putt got me a par and 3 points.
Hole 15 on in 4 but took 3 from a long way for a double and 1 point
Hole 16 an iron off the tree was wayward so fringe of the green in 3 but another 3 to get down.
Hole 17 3 good shots put me just short of the green in 3 and a chip and 2 putts gave me a bogey and with 2 shots that was 3 points.
Hole 18 Tee shot pin high, and I holed from 15 feet across a sloping green for a birdie 2 and 4 points.
So I finished with a respectable score of 30 points, but bearing in mind I scored 13 points on 4 holes, the mere 17 points from the other 14 shows how poorly I played overall.
My driving at best was iffy, enven when I hit it well it tends to slice sometimes just a little but other times badly, I also still occassionally hit of the heel.
My irons remain the strongest part of my game although my approachs from around 100 yds were not so good as recently.
My chipping was disappointing with constantly over hitting them.
As for putting, a mix of 3 putts and singles shows I still cannot judge line and length.
I did follow the careful approach? yeand I only went for carries when I felt sure I could clear the obstacles easily, sadly the way I played around the green negated any benefit I may have got from this approach.
I do find this inconsistency very frustating, maybe I should practice more.
As it turned out, I didnt start off very well, getting to the greens but then taking far too many shots to get down.
The round
hole 1 just off the fringe with tee shot but down in 5 after chipping too strong.
hole 2 pin high but in a bunker in 3 but down in 7, shot from bunker cleared green into bunkewr on the over side.
hole 3 just short in 3 chip too strong, down in 7.
hole 4 a straightforward bogey for 2 points
hole 5 an awful drive and again a poor showing around the green meant I blobbed despite getting 2 shots
Hole 6 a bogey for 2 points
Hole 7 I didn't take on the stream but didnt play my approach well so a double bogey for 1 point
Hole 8 Another lay up followed by a decent 3rd but then took another 4 after chipping into a bunker.
Hole 9 finally a pin high tee shot, just missed the birdie but the first par for 3 points
Hole 10 just short in 3 chipped but again chipped right over the green and another 7
Hole 11 saved a bogey with a single putt for 2 points.
Hole 12 as the 11th single putt for a bogey and 2 points.
Hole 13 through the green with overhit pitch then fluffed first chip, so a nett bogey and 1 point.
Hole 14 tee shot into front bunker but a good bunker shot and a single putt got me a par and 3 points.
Hole 15 on in 4 but took 3 from a long way for a double and 1 point
Hole 16 an iron off the tree was wayward so fringe of the green in 3 but another 3 to get down.
Hole 17 3 good shots put me just short of the green in 3 and a chip and 2 putts gave me a bogey and with 2 shots that was 3 points.
Hole 18 Tee shot pin high, and I holed from 15 feet across a sloping green for a birdie 2 and 4 points.
So I finished with a respectable score of 30 points, but bearing in mind I scored 13 points on 4 holes, the mere 17 points from the other 14 shows how poorly I played overall.
My driving at best was iffy, enven when I hit it well it tends to slice sometimes just a little but other times badly, I also still occassionally hit of the heel.
My irons remain the strongest part of my game although my approachs from around 100 yds were not so good as recently.
My chipping was disappointing with constantly over hitting them.
As for putting, a mix of 3 putts and singles shows I still cannot judge line and length.
I did follow the careful approach? yeand I only went for carries when I felt sure I could clear the obstacles easily, sadly the way I played around the green negated any benefit I may have got from this approach.
I do find this inconsistency very frustating, maybe I should practice more.
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