Video lesson.

After seeing an offer on Groupon for a video golf lesson for £19,  I thought I would take advantage of it. I hoped it would sort out my set up and alignment which I thought was the the main problem with my game. I had the lesson today and it was quite an eyeopener.

The first thing that stood out was how hunched my stance was, I basically bend the top of my back instead of bending from the waist, my grip is also too strong apparently. The pro changed my grip a little, even though I swore I didnt want my grip messing with, but he insisted it was fundimental to making me swing better. Fortunately the change is only slight but it felt like I was barely holding the club and had no control over it. That said when I took a shot it didnt feel too bad, the changing of my stance felt the strangest. The pro did assure my that if I could change those two elements then he could work on my swing a lot more.

So I hummed and ahhed and decided to book 5 lessons starting in two weeks, the price wasn't too bad for booking in advance and I will see where they take me. It will give me something to work on during the winter, I just hope I dont start going backwards.

Texas Scramble

This week our weekly competition was a Texas Scramble. This is a team event, in our case teams of three. Each player drives and then you choose the drive you want to take, all 3 players then play from this point and again you choose the shot you want to play, this continues until the ball is in the hole. The only proviso was that you must takes at least 3 drives of each player. I was playing with 2 players with handicaps in the 30s so I expected that we would be playing my shots most of the time all least the long shots.
I sugggested that we tried to make sure we all got 3 drives in as soon as possible so we weren't stuck near the end of the round with having no choice. Of the other 2 players, "C" can hit the ball well but is inconsistant and "M" didn't hit the ball very far.

Hole 1 we played my tee shot whch was just off the green, but none of us chipped to closer than 4 feet and we all missed the putt so had to settle for a bogey 4

Hole 2 we played C's drive even though mine was longer, we were on the green in 3 but not close to the hole no one holed their putts so a bogey 5

Hole 3 again we didnt take the longest drive  but played M's even though it was about 30 yards back from mine, we finished with a bogey 6 after failing to get on the green in 3, which we might have done had we taken my ball.

Hole 4 None of us hit the green from the tee so we played Ms again, got up and down for a par 3

Hole 5 I found the rough so we took Cs drive, not great 2nds but I hit the green with my third 2 putts for a bogie 5

Hole 6 played my drive, 2nd and 3rd to put us on the fringe of the green, C and myself putted close enough to make sure of the par, I had noticed that M wasnt lining her putts up incorrectly so I made her adjust her line and she promply holed her putt for a birdie 4.

Hole 7 My drive wasnt long enough for me to risk trying to clear the ditch guarding the green so we played Ms drive and all played safe, chipped on for 3 and 2 putted for a bogey 5

Hole 8 Took my drive reached the green in 4 and M holed a 15 footer for a par 5

Hole 9 my tee shot was about 15 feet away, M hit the back of the hole but it stay up for a par 3.

40 shots going out was pretty decent

Hole 10 My drive longest but in the rough so we play Ms, I hit a good pitch onto the green for 3 and M holes from 20 feet for a par 4.

Hole 11 I hit a good drive and 2nd, pitched just short of the green but bad chips from me and C and M only got to 10 feet, all missed so a bogey 6.

Hole 12, 3 bad tee shots played Ms short in 2 but up and down for a bogey 4.

Hole 13 C hits her first decent drive for ages so we play her ball as it makes her 3rd drive, not great 2nds but I hit the green from about 130yds failed to hole so a bogey 5

Hole 14, I hit the green off the tee and M holed from about 30 feet for a birdie 2

Hole 15 Despite a decent drive from me, a disaster, all hit poor seconds, about 80 yds short in 3, a decent chip by me finds the green, but none of us get nearer than 3 feet and we all miss, so the first double bogey, but not excuse for 3 putting in this format.

Hole 16, Decent drive by me but my second was poor so we played C's, on the green in 3 and 2 putts for a bogey 5

Hole 17 played C's drive, her best of the day, good 2nd and 3rd by my left a pitch off 90 yds, I found the green and we 2 putted for a bogey 6

Hole 18 My teeshot hit the green, 2 putts for a par 3.

So 42 coming home for a gross 82. the competition was played of 1/6 combined handicap so we had 14 to deduct for a nett 68. We came 2nd, the winners,, 3 of the lowest handicap girls scored a nett 64 playing of 4.

This was my first experience of a Texas Scramble, it was fun but with the handicap calculation it probably favours lower handicaps. The main problem I found that as we mostly played my ball we were didadvantaged if I hit a bad one. That said we all played  a part and Ms putting was a revelation once I had her lining up properly, our biggest failing though when when chipping for close to the green and not getting done in two enough times.

Its golf Jim, but not as I know it.

These words were spoken by me to Jimmy who had kindly invited me to play Blackpool North Shore, this morning. I am not used to playing in strong winds and at over 30 mph this was a high wind according to the Beaufort scale. right from why first drive which set off straight untill the wind picked it up and took it about 40 yds of course, I knew it was going to be a bit of a struggle and so it proved. After a respectable 6 on the 1st hole, I immediately took 9 and then 10 on the next two holes. I did managed to hold it together better for the rest of the front nine and my 56 wasnt that bad, I even managed to par the 9th. The back nine was steadier but not great and I took 52 shots.

On of the problems compounded by the wind was that the green had tricky slopes on them and the holes were often set on these slopes, so a putt that looked to be dead weight suddenly took off, with a combination of the slope and the wind, and finished 6 to 8 feet away from the hole.

Despite being only a couple of hundred yards yards from the seas, North Shore is hillier than I expected, apparently its the highest point in Blackpool, or so I was told, and certainly isnt a links course, which was a surprise.

despite the wind it was an enjoyable round, and it would be nice to ply it again in more benigh conditions.

No hole by hole report for this round but here are a few photos instead.

Flagpole bending in the wind.

 

 

7th hole

 

 

 

 

14th green

 

 

a few others

 

 

 

 

Practice and breaking 90

Well with one thing and another I haven't been on the course much this last week a shame realy because when  I have been out its gone really well.
We  had no competition last week as the greens were being tined and treated I did get out for a few holes myself on Thursday evening and started par, par, birdie, par and also parred the 8th I needed a par 3 on the 9th for a 39, which would have been my first sub 40 but the 9th hole was closed!

I also spent time practicing with  different sized tees when driving and found I was hitting it well off the smaller yellow castle instead of the white ones, so on Monday I went up for 18 holes and decided to play off the yellow ones all round. I was very pleased and was hitting the ball 20 to 30 yards farther and alsoa lot straighter, the extra yardage makes a big difference. On the 7th and 8th, where I tend to struggle with the ditches on my second shot,s were a lot easier and I cleared both ditches easily. Unfortunately the course was closed yesterday and I cant play today so I have had no further chance to play again so see if it was a fluke or not.

Today we had a 5 club stableford competition, a month ago I would have just taken irons and a putter but I took my driver, 5 iron, 7 iron, pitching wedge and putter.

I played very steadily, had putts for pars on most holes and finished up scoring 89 for 40 points, the first time I have broken 90 in a competition, normall this score would have got me a nice cut in my handicap, but unfortunately a 5 club is not a qualifying competion and so my handicap did not go down. Its a shame as I believe it would have dropped to at least 19.9.
as for playing with just 5 clubs, I didn't find it too much of a hassle, a few time I wished I had other clubs with me but mostly I managed with what I had.

Here is the round

Hole 1 par 3, 5 iron off the tee to the left of the green, chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4 and 2 points

Hole 2 par 4, Decent drive and 5 iron left about 80 yds to the green, wedge was pin high but on the fringe, 2 putts for a bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 3 par 5, Decent drive and 5 iron left 140 to the green another 5 iron slightly thinned to about 30 yds short Chip to 8 feet and 2 putts for a bogey 6, stroke index 2 so 2 shots for 3points.

Hole 4 par 3, 7 iron just short of the green, chipped to 2 feet and holled putt for a par 3 and 3 points.

Hole 5 par 4, good drive and decent 5 iron left about 50 yds chipped to the fringe and 2 putts for a bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 6 par 5, Good drive and 5 iron left about 110 to the green, tried to half hit a 7 iron but sdqueezed it right into the rough leaving 40yds chip and 2 putts for bogey 6 and 2 points.

Hole 7 par 4, Good drive then liad up 100 yds short, half hit 7 iron this time made the green, 2 putts for bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 8 par 5, good drive but in rough so laid up, reasonable 5 irion about 30 yds short, chipped to 10 feet and holled for a par 5 and 3 points.

Hole 9 par 3, nice wedge off the tee landed just short but hit a path and the ball bounced to the back of the green, first putt long and down hill was 6 feet short, missed for par, bogey 4 and 2 points.

So 43 shots going out, my best in a comp and 21 points.

Hole 10 par 4, A good drive to the middle of the fariway, I usually end up in the right hand rough on this hole. Hit 5 iron way left into rough, pitch fom 100 yds missed the green chipped on and 2 putts for a 6 the first double bogey of the round and just one point.

Hole 11 par 5, good drive and 5 iron left 140 to the green dont a great 5 iron in the rough short of the green chip to fringe and 2 putts for a bogey 6 and 2 points.

Hole 12 par 3, Drive to 30 yds short pitch and run 7 iron to fringe and 2 puttsfor a bogey 4 and 2 points.

Hole 13 par 4, Good drive then decent 5 iron left about 100 yds pitchjust short chip and putt for a bogey 5, stroke index 1 so 2 shots for 3 points.

Hole 14 par 3, 5 iron thinned so short of green, chip over bunker and 2 putts for a bogey 4 and 2 points.

Hole 15 par 5, good drive, decent 2nd left 150 to the green, hit 5 iron right and chipped to about 10 feet, holed putt for a par 5 and3 points.

Hole 16 par 4, decent drive but in rough 5 iron to just short, chip and 2 putts for a bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 17 par 5, good drive and good 2nd left 160 to the green, hit it thin so left 70 yds to green, a nice wege to the fring and 2 putts for a bogey 6, 2 shots again here so 3 points.

Hole 18 par 3 hit a 7 iron which usually would find the front of the green, this was hit left and went long scarey chip over bunker with steep downhill so played wide and safe, messed it up, so had to take on the bunker chipped well but ball ran off the green chip on to a couple of feet and holed put for a double bogey 5 and 1 point.

Came back in 46 for 19 points, so a total of 89 and 40 points.

I was really pleased with the round apart from a tendancy to hit irons to the left, but not all time, thinks it my alignment,

St Annes Old Links

On Wednesday I played in the Ladies open at St. Annes Old Links, I was really looking forward to another game of links golf have the wonderfull visit to Hillside. I wasnt disappointed although there were big differences.
Whereas Hillside is played for the most part between high dunes, SAOL is very open the dunes are quite small but still have quite an effect on your round if you stray from the fairway. Also the wind, conditions were very benign on Monday but yesterday that was quite a blow, roughly from the North West and the course ran north south. This meant that even when the wind was behind it was still blowing the ball across the fairway.
Although there were some shortish par 4s there were also a couple that were longer than some of Ellesmere's par 5 and both were into the wind, which made them very tough.
The course was in very good conditon, the fairs dry and the grren closely cut and very true, it didnt match the very high standard set by hillside, but nevertheless  I enjoyed the challenge. In honesty I didn't play very consistently, but my putting for once was generally very good.

My round in detail.

Hole 1 318yds par 4 into the wind. An iron off the tee didnt quite reach the fairway but  a 6 iron from light rough found the middle of the fairway about 80 yds from the green, a pitch was just right  of the green, a chip and one putt for a bogey 5.

Hole 2 298yds par 4 wind behind. A good drive left me about 100 yds fom the green, I topped a wedge into a bunker short of the green, got out but didnt reach the green, a chip and a putt for a bogey 5.

Hole 3 136yds par 3 wind behind, I hit my tee shot a bit thin but it skipped over bunkers guarding the green and ran toward the back. a badly judged first put was well short but I holed the putt for a par 3.

Hole 4 324yds pa4 into the wind, reasonable drive but only about 130 yds and to the right good 2nd and 3rd to just short of the green, duff chip into bunker but out and 2 putt for a triple bogey 7.

Hole 5 462yds par 5 into the wind, A decent drive to the fairway but then a thinned 2nd, a good 3rd and 4th to green 2 putts for a bogey 6.

Hole 6 454yds par 5 downwind, A good drive and 2nd left about 150 to the green but a duffed 3rd followed by a 4th that went through the green, chip on and putt for a  bogey 6.

Hole 7 399yds par 4 into the wind, drive just reach the fairway poor second found a mound in the rough, 3rd to fairway, 4th just short of the green, chip and 2 puuts for triple bogey 7.

Hole 8 333yds par 4 wind behind, poor drive didnt reach the fairway, good 2nd and third found green side bunker, despite steep bank above my ball I tried to go for the green ands failed, 2 more to get out and two putts for a triple bogey 7.

Hole9  144yds par 3 wind behind, tee shot ran to back of green, misjudged the slope and was well short with first putt, missed the 2nd so a bogey 4.

After a good start not the best golf but some good putts holed for 50 on the front 9

Hole 10 272yds par 4 into wind reasonable first but poor 2nd found fairway bunker, chipped out then 4th to fringe of green chip on and putt for a double bogey 6.

Hole 11 272yds par 4 into wind not a great drive but a decent 2nd left me 80yds as my pitching ha been poor I tried a bump and run which found the green, 2 putts for a bogey 5.

Hole 12 371yds par 4 into the wind, 3 decent shots to the gree nand 2 putts for a bogey 5.

Hole 13 138yds  par 3 across the wind, A good teeshot ran through the green, chip on and 2 putts for a bogey 4.

Hole 14  329yds par 4 wind behind, drive to the left 2nd found a grass mound on the rough, 3rd short of the green,  bad chip into bunker chip out  and 2 putts for a triple bogey 7..

Hole 15 330yds par 4 into the wind, drive to fareway, poor second, 3rd to just short of bunkers in front of green, bad chip missed the green chip on and 2 putts for triple bogey 6.

Hole 16 130 yds par 3 across the green poor first into rough, 2nd nto bunker chip and 2 putts for a double bogey 5

Hole 17 467 yds par 5 wind behind,  godo drive but a bad 2 second to dune in rough, 3rd over fairway to rough, 4th short of green, chip and 2 putts for double bogey 7.

Hole 18 461yds par 5 wind behind drive to right hand rough,  2nd to fairway, good third to about 50yds, chip and 2 putts for bogey 6.

after a reasonable start some bad holes for a total of 52 back nine and 102 for the round.

Hillside

Today I played Hillside Golf Club in Southport, in a  day organised bt Golf Monthly. What a superb course probably the best I have played so far. I had a great day and played pretty well but a bit of misfortune on 3 or 4 holes cost me a lot of points. I ended up with 32 points, the winner had 42 but 3rd place only had 35 so I wasnt too far away.
There was a strange incident when leaving the 15th green when a play played his shot too early and nearly hit me, I had to jump away, the guy who played the shot was Kenny Dalgleish! he wasnt playing in our day but along with Alan Hansen was whizzing through us all in a buggy.

The competition was Stableford format.

Hole 1 382yds par 5. I thought I would play safe on the first tee and so hit a 5 iron, I caught it really well and of it soared, sadly my direction was terrible and it soared of the boundary fence onto the railway lines. I hit another off the tee which hit the fairway, followed by a thinned one then a nice 3rd just short of the green, a chip and 2 putts for a 6, sadly made a triple bogey 8 due to the penalty off the tee.

Hole 2 456yds par 5. A reasonable iron off the tee but an iffy 2nd, a decent 3rd then a chip on to the front tier of the green, didnt judge the sloe up to the top tier as 3 putted for a double bogey 7 and 1 point, so off the mark.

Hole 3 332yds par 4. A reasonable drive but in the rough so laid up short of a ditch and 80 yds from the green getting 2 shots here so looking for a good score but topped by chip into the ditch, penalty shot out then hit the chip I should have hit first time onto the green and 2 putts for a triple 7 and just 1 point.

Hole 4 165yds par 3. A tee shot just short of the green, a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4 and 2 points.

Hole 5 423yds par 5. 3 steady shots to just short of the green, a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 6 and 2 points.

Hole 6.326 yds par 4. A good drive and a 2nd that I thought would be just left off the green but ended up being on the front, 2 putts for a par 4 and  3points.

Hole 7 141yds par 3. A 6 iron to the left handside of the green first putt was woeful and left a good 10 footer which I missed, I leaned over to tap in from 2 inch and only grazed the top of the ball so a disasterous 5 and only 1 point.

Hole 8 347yds par 4. driver a little right luckilt on the top of a mound in the rough, a good second just short of the green, a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 9 381yds par 5. A great drive and a 5iron to short of the green, a good chip to 2 feet which  I holed for a birdie and 4 points!

So front nine 50 shots for 16 points, a good return following the poor start.

Hole 10 142yds par 3. A nice 6 iron to the left hand side of the green, 2 putts for a par 3 and 3 shots.

Hole 11 481yds par 5.  A good drive from an elevated tee a good 5 iron then a great 5iron put me on the green. 2 puuts for a par 5 and 3 points.

\Hole 12 326yds par 4. A drive too far right found a pond, the water was very shallow and my play was only half submerged to I played it with a sand wedge, I got soaked but hit the fairway 3rd shot hit the green and 2 putts for a  bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 13. 326yds par 4. A good drive and second decent 5 iron from the tee but a thinned second left me about 100 yds from the very elevated green 3rd was just short so a chip and 2 putts for a double bogey 6 but got 2 shots so 2 points.

Hole 14 340 yds par 4. A good drive and a good second that I though would be short of the green but actually was pin high but in a bunker, failed to get out with the first then well over the flag with the next followed by 2 putts for a disappointing triple bogey 7 and my first blob since the first.

Hole 15 319yds par 4. A big dogleg, I hit a lovely drive to the top of the dogleg and a good second onto the front of green, overhit my first put then missed the next for a bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 16 142yds par 3. A nive teeshot that looked pin high but was actually just off the side of the green, made a mess of the chip, but 2 putts for a bogey 4 and 2 points.

Hole 17 488yds par 5. A good drive but a thinned 2nd. I hit a decnt 3rd to leave about 80 yds to another elevated green, but left the pitch short. chipand 2 putts for a double bogey 7 but got 2 shots so 2 points.

Hole 18 284 yds par 5. Teeshot into rough, decend 2nd but still into the rough. 3rd ran through the green and finished in the rough, messed the chip because Iwas in 2 minds. 2 chip was on but well short and 3 putts for a diappointing triple bogey 8 and no points to finish.

A disappointing repeat of 50p shots and 16 points, I generally played very well on the back nine and the two hole I blobbed I was just off the green and both times took another 5 shots to get down.

So all told 100 shots and 32 points, the wining 3 scores were 42, 36 and 35, so pretty close to 3rd at least. It was a thoroughly brillliant day and a massive thanks go out to the guys from Golf Monthly for the great organisation.

Lady Captain's Day

Yesterday was the big day of the season, I was first out due to having the best qualifying scores and played with Sarah, a very good player who is a 5 handicapper.

We went out in lovely sunshine with a clear course in front of us, I played pretty well but was let down by my putting particularly on the back nine, although I did chip very well. I did finish with a 93 for a net 71 which was good enough for 2nd place and a 0.8 handicap cut which has dropped me to 21.4. Sarah played well and hits the ball a very long way easily outdriving me by 50 yds but she was unlucky with her putting but still shoy a 79 net 74 which easily won the best gross prize.

In the evening, it was the presentation dinner and so a chance to dress up a bit. It was a lovely meal with probably too much red wine and as well as the prizes for the day, the major prizes for the season were handed out too, so I got presented with the trophy I had won earlier in the season.

The round

Hole 1.  5 iron off the tee just short of the green, a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4.

Hole 2   Reasonable drive a bit short but a 5 iron left about 90 yards to the green, I hit a nice wedge to the green and 2 putts for a bogey 5.

Hole 3. A good drive but and indifferent 2nd meant I had to lay up short of the ditch, missed the green with my 4th so a chhip and 2 putts for a double bogey 7.

Hole 4. 6 iron to the green and 2 puts for a par 3.

Hole 5 A nice drive and a 6 iron left a 70 yard wedge to the green, 2 putts for a bogey 5.

Hole 6 A good drive and a good 5 iron into the wind left a 6 iron to the green, it hit the fringe and stopped dead but a good chip gave me a 6 footers for par, sadly missed for a bogey 6.

Hole 7  A to the right meant I wasnt tempted to take on the carry to the green, so I laid up short but missed the green with my 3rd, a chip and 2 putts for a double bogey 6.

Hole 8 A decent drive and I resisted the temptation to go for the carry and laid up about 140 from the green, I thinned it straight into the dtich! it was playable but I made a hash of it only knocking it sideways, 5th shots was right of the green but I hit a lovely sand wedge to a couple of feet and holed the putt for a double bogey 7

Hole 9 I hit my 8 iron a bit fat and was just short of the green, but a good chip and a 5 foot putt got me a par 3.

This all added up to 46 shots on the front 9.

Hole 10 A drive to right hand rough, my 2nd was restricted by a tree so I could only play it about 100 yards 3rd shot was short of the green and the chip ran off the side so 5 onto the green and 2 putts for a triple bogey 7 not a good start to the back nine.

Hole 11 A good drive and second shot left me about 145 to the green, unlike on the 8th I hit a great iron to the front of the green and 2 putted fore a par 5.

Hole 12. Hit my tee shot short and right but chipped to about 6 foot, missed the par putt for a bogey 4.

Hole 13. a good drive and second left me about 60 yds, thinned my wedge but luckily ran on to about 6 foot from the flag, sadly again missed the putt so a bogey 5.

Hole 14, A lovely 5 iron to the green but left my birdie putt woefully short and took 2 more for a bogey 4.

Hole 15 a good drive and 2nd left about 120 to the green a nice 8 iron to the bottom tier of the green just failed to run up the slope so a tricky putt up the slope for a birdie, I left it 4 feet short, I missed the par putt so a bogey 5.

Hole 16, Played safe with an iron off the tee but hit my second off line, fortunately it hit a tree and bounced on the right side of the tree line so a wedge to the green and 2 putts for a bogey 5.

Hole 17 A decent drive and 2nd left me 180 to the green, I didn't hit it very well, a bit of a shank, so had about 80 yds over a tree to the green. I thinned it and it failed to get down the slope so had to chip down to the very sloping green and it ran right to the back, a good first putt left a tap in for a double bogey 7

Hole 18 Hit my  tee shot a bit fat again so short of the green, a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4.

47 shots on the back nine but with better putting it could have been 45 or less.

93 was my best score in a competition and I am going round regularly in the 90s, so I am quite happy with the way I am playing apart from my putting, I just cant get a nice smooth putting stroke consistantly enough. There was a putting competition before we went out and I took 29 puuts for 12 holes which is really quite shocking.