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,