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.