The trouble with irons

The firsr competitive golf this week was the Ladies Captain's v Lady Secretary's match, it was more a fun game really played over 12 holes. I didnt play too badly but giving 5 shots to a player who was on form was a tough ask and I lost the match on the last.

On monday we had the first match in the Manchester area Shield, which starts of as leagues but then becomes a knockout. Our first match was against Saddleworth GC at home. I was receiving 2 shots and that, coupled with my knowledge of our greens, meant that I came out the winner by 5&3. The team match ended up as a draw 3½ - 3½. Not the best of starts as home advantage can be massive so you really need to win at home, but its only the first game, there are still 7 more to go.

So we come to the club's weekly competition, this week a Stableford. My long iron play as been very indifferent recently so I was hoping for some stability. I started reasonably although a bad chip and an awful drive resulting in 2 early blobs, but I then found some consistant golf and I scored very well for the next 10 holes, with 6 net birdies and 4 net pars. This put me on line for a good score if  I played steadily over the last 3 holes. Unfortunately at this point my long iron play, which had been a bit up and down all round went to pot and I only scored one point over the 3 holes, for a final score of 34 points. This was enough to see me come 3rd in the competition and also safely in my handicap buffer, but from looking forward to a handicap cut with 3 holes to go, the final score was very disappointing.

So, as usual, onto the round.

Hole 1, I pulled my 6 iron left, but  a chip onto the green and 2 putts gave me a steady start of a  bogey 4 and 2 points.

Hole 2, I hit a good long drive, followed by a reasonable 3 wood to 40 yds, sadly I mishit the chip into a bunker, and came out too strongly right over the green, I chipped on but missed my putt so a triple bogey 7 and no points.

Hole 3, Another good drive, but I have to lay up infront of the ditch with my second, I pulled a 7 iron left, which gave a pitch over a large tree, just caught the top branches and fell  short of the green, I chipped on but a bit long and 3 putted for a double bogey 7, I did get 2 shots though so I scored 2 points.

Hole 4, Again pulled a 6 iron left, but chipped to 10 feet and holed the putt for a par 3 and 3 points.

Hole 5, Completely mishit drive to bad rough, then had an air shot, I knock out to the fairway but then 3 wood into a ditch so a penalty drop, then an 8 iron was short of the green so I picked up as it was another blob.

Hole 6, A good drive, was followed by a slightly topped 3 wood, which left me about 60 yds from the green, I pitched on and 2 putted for a par 5 and 3 points.

Hole 7, A reasonable drive went a bit right, so the green was blocked out by trees, I hit a decent 5 iron just short of the green, chipped to about 15 feet and holed the putt for a par 4 and 3 more points.

Hole 8, A lovely long straight drive and a nice 3 wood left me just short of the green, the chip wasnot  as close as I would have liked but 2 putts fot the 3rd par in a row and another 3 points.

Hole 9, Slightly worried as I have hit poor tee shots here recently, but hit an 8 iron pin high but just left of the green, It was however in some newly turfed area which was GUR. I hd a free drop, I would have chipped over the GUR but the stream right off the green is ready to catch a thinned or over hit chip so I elected to putt over the GUR, overhit the putt, as I was worried about the new turf holding up the ball, so left myself about 10 feet, and I missed the par putt, but a bogey 4 for 2 points.

So the 4 pars negated the 2 blobs and I finished the first 9 with 18 points.


Hole 10, A decent drive to light rough, the lie was good enough for my 3 wood which I hit to 50 yds, I pitched onto green, then holed a 20+ foot putt for a par 4 and 3 points.

Hole 11, I hit a good drive and good lay up, left me an 80yd pitch to green I found the green and 2 putts gave me a par 5 and 3 points.

Hole 12, My drive went right, I chipped to fringe but left my first putt 6 feet short fortunately holed it for a bogey 4 and 2 points.

Hole 13, My drive caught the trees but fortunately came back onto the fairway, I hit a nice 3 wood to 60 yds, A pitch on and 2 putts gave me a bogey 5, I get 2 shots here so another 3 points.

Hole 14, I normally take a 5 iron here, but the way I was hitting my irons I decided to take a 5 wood instead, My teeshot landed on the green but ran through and over the back, I chipped on and 2 putted for a bogey 4 and 2 points.

Hole 15, A reasonable drive and 3 wood, left me with a 6 iron to the green but I hit it way right, I hit a lovely chip to 2 feet but missed the putt, so a bogey 6 and 2 points.

Hole 16, I hit a good drive, but then completely mishit a 7 iron, which ran through trees into a ditch, I took a penalty drop in trees, but then hit a tree, I chipped to fairway, then played a  pitch and run to a foot, but that was my 6th shot so a blob

Hole 17, I hit another good drive and took a 7 iron to layup infornt of the ditch, this 7 iron I hit too well and it finished on the path just over the ditch ,, a free drop into rough, then I squirted a 6 iron right onto another path. another drop, but trees were blocking the grren, I chipped to right of green, the ball coming to rest against a wall, so yet another free drop, chipped onto the green and 2 putted for a double bogey 7 and 1 point.

Hole 18, I hit a 6 iron off the tee which squirted way right, I pitched to the green but over hit the ball and it went out of bounds, I tried again and failed to find the green, putt my chip into a bunker so picked up for another blob.

So despite scoring 15 points on the first 6 holes on the back nine. The shambles of the last 3 meant I finished the nine with 16 points for a round total of 34.

So I mostly drove and pitched well, my fairway woods were generally decent and my putting was mostly good, but when I had a long iron in my hands I really had no confidence in what was going to happen, this is most worrying, as last year my long irons were the strongest par of my game. In the coming few days I have 2 matches for the club but next wednesday I have booked a lesson to see if I can get to the bottom of my iron play. Fingers crossed it will soon get sorted out.