Happy New Year

As we enter 2013 the new season is getting nearer, despite the weather I have been playing quite a lot, and had a few away days.

I played the grandly named North National course in early December, it was apparently intended to be a championship course but lack of funding caused  a lot of problems, including not being able to finish the clubhouse. It is a decent course with lots of water although I didnt play very well.
I also played Formby Ladies, a course that only has red tees and is situated inside the Formby Golf Course. It is a nice links course with some very tricky holes, needless to say I did not play very well on the day. I did take some nice pics though.

 

 

 

It got misty in the afternoon

 

 

 

 

On Christmas Eve I also played Frodsham, due to the offer we took we got to use buggies, which were great fun, sadly they do not do the course a lot of good and in my mind its was a mistake by the club to allow many visitors whizzing around leave tyre ruts everywhere. I played pretty well on the front nine but sadly I tailed off on the back nine.

Back at Ellesmere, I have played and lost one winter league game since the last blog, I had to give 9 shots and struglled against my opponent who played well, I birdied one hole only to get halve it as she parred the hole and received a shot.
I have managed to play 3 or 4 times most weeks and at the moment I am playing very well, yesterday I had my best score  on the front nine when I played it in 40 shots, however today I bettered that as part of my best round todate.

Here are the details

Hole 1 par 3, my  tee shot was pretty much pin high but to left of the green, I chipped to 10 feet, holed putt for a par 3

Hole 2 par 4 A nice drive followed by a decent 3 wood left me about 30 yds short of the green, I played a nice chip to 6 feet but missed putt so bogey 5

Hole 3 par 5 A good drive then a 6 iron lay up before the ditch left about 130 to the green, my 3rd left me just short and I chipped in for birdie 4

Hole 4 par 3 my tee shot was again pin high but left of the green, I chipped to 8 feet, but missed the putt so bogey 4

Hole 5 par 4 A very high drive left me 110 yards from the green I hit an 8 iron just short, then  chipped to 3 feet and holed the putt for par 4

Hole 6 par 5 My drive was right into light rough, a 5 iron left about 100 yds and I hit my pitch just short, I chipped to 5 feet and holed the putt for par 5

Hole 7 par 4 A good drive left me 145 from the green, a 5 iron was just short, not such a good chip this time left me 15 feet short I took 2 putts for a bogey 5

Hole 8 par 5 Another good drive but a little right left me in a hollow in the rough, I went to clear the ditch and lucky just made it over, hit a good pitch to the front edge of the green and 2 putts gave me a par 5

Hole 9 par 3 I hit my tee shot a little thin and it went just through the green  but I chipped to 6 feet and holed putt for par 3

 

so out in 38, just 2 over par, even better than my 40 yesterday

Hole 10 par 4 (temporary green) I hit a good drive and a decent 3 wood to the left of green but hit a poor chip, and then 3 putted on the very bumpy green for double bogey 6

Hole 11 par 5 A good drive and then a 5 iron left me about 110 from the green, I hit a 7 iron to about  10 feet, but missed the birdie putt so par 5

Hole 12 par 3 I hit a bad tee shot way right into the roughand missed the green with my pitch  but chipped to a couple of feet and holed putt for bogey 4

Hole 13 par 4 Despite a good drive, I thinned a 3 wood so left 90 yds from  under trees, I could only aim for part of the green and I pitched to about 20 feet but unfortunately in a bunker,  I came out a bit strong and 2 putted for a  double bogey 6

Hole 14 par 3 I hit my tee shot a little fat and into a bunker, I came out wellto 6 feet but missed the putt so a bogey 4

Hole 15 par 5 A good drive and 5 iron green left me about 100 yds, an 8 iron  hit the green  but unfortunately pitched on the slope and ran back down to the bottom tier of green. I left my first putt woefully short and missed with the 2nd so a bogey 6

Hole 16 par 4 A decent drive and a godo 5 iron left me just short of the green, I hit a good chip to 2 feet and holed the putt for a par 4

Hole 17 par 5 I hit a good drive and a 5 iron left me 170 yds from the green, I  nailed a 3 wood and hit the green (a very rare occurence on this hole), 2 putts gave me par 5

Hole 18 par 3 A 7 iron off the tee hit the green and I took 2 putts for a par 3.

 

So 43 shots for the back nine for an 18 hole total of 81, easily my best ever round.

 

While losing distance from no run on fairways, we are playing off fairway mats which do help especially with my 3 wood, also the greens are fairly soft so the ball does stop quickily. So I am not getting carried away and expecting such good (for me) scoring when the season gets underway, However the way I chipped,  6 up and downs and a chip in, and only taking 30 putts,only twice 3 putting (both with a kind of excuse) was very encouraging, as this is where I normally waste a lot of shots.