Getting more consistent.

After a golf free weekend, although I did spend Saturday at the club helping out for Presidents Day, Monday saw the next game in the handicap shield league. This time we were playing Oldham at home and it was a match we were keen to win as they, like us, had won 3 out of their 4 previous matches. I was receiving one shot of my opponent and we both played steadily over the first nine holes at which point I was just 1up. Fortunately for me my opponent then went off the boil  a little and I won both 10 and 11 to go 3 up. After sharing the 12th, I received my shot on the 13th which I also won to go  4 up and then a par at the par 3 14th won me the match 5 & 4. The team match was very close and but we won that 4-3 to leave us in a good position with 3 matches left although we still have to go to  Oldham and Saddleworth which are both hilly moorland courses quite unlike Ellesmere.
The particularly pleasing aspect of my match was that I was a lot more consistent than I have been with 5 pars and nothing worse than a bogey over the 14 holes we played.

After a practise round on Tuesday, I decide to go and look at maybe getting a 7 wood, as I had found the one that I had borrowed was a useful club to have. I went down to American Golf and tried a 26 degree hybrid which I found I could hit well. I didn't buy one as there is also a 23 and 29 degree version and I am unsure which will serve me best. I am even considering buying 2 but that would mean would I have to drop an iron from my bag and I have always thought it was a bit of a cop out to used high lofted woods instead of irons. However I am still not too confident with my irons so maybe woods are the way to go.

The weather finally broke for Thursday's competition, a medal, and so we set off in the rain, I was playing with one of our older members, a lady who had been as low as 9 but was now playing off 23. You could tell she had been a lot better than she is now as she played some delightful shots.

I didn't start very well, 3 putting on the 1st green from 4 feet and then double bogeying the 3rd but then I steadied and 3 pars in a row saw me on level 5s after 9 holes and 3 more pars coming home negated the 2 double bogeys and I finished the round bang on handicap with a net 72. This proved to be enough to win the competition in a reduced field as several players were put off by the weather.

Friday saw the Ellesmere team going to Greenmount to play in the next round of the Bell Cup. Like Thursday the weather wasn't great and the match didn't start until 5pm so I was a little worried it might be rather dark towards the end of the rounds.

I found myself having to give 4 shots to my opponent but  pars on the 2nd and 3rd gave me an early lead and although I lost the 4th to a par I was 1up going into the first two holes where I had to give shots.  I managed to half them both to preserve my lead, a par on the 8th then put me 2 up and I won the 9th with a bogey to be 3 up at the turn. We both had pars the 10th then I also parred the 11th to go 4 up.
Up to this point I had barely hit a false shot, but then I hit my tee shot on the 12th off the toe of the club and went out of bounds to lose the  hole. My opponent then won the 13th with a par following my drive being too long and finding deep rough, so I was back to just 2 up.
We both missed the green on the par 3 14th, but my opponent messed up a chip and I won the hole with a bogey and after my opponent found the out of bounds on the 15th I won the match 4&3.
Again I played pretty steadily certainly for the first 11 holes over which I had 5 pars and 6 bogeys.

The match result turned out to depend on the last match out and we had a long wait before the match finished with our girl winning 2&1 to give Ellesmere the match 4-3 and so putting us into the last 16 of the cup, further than we have been before. A match against Blackburn or Wilmslow now awaits.

So overall for the week I played 47 holes of competitive golf which yielded 16 pars and only 6 holes of double bogey or worse, which is certainly the most consistent I have played. If I can improve my up and down rate from close to the green I can see more improvements ahead.

My medal round in detail.

Hole 1, Not the best  tee shot and then my pitch to the green got held up by standing water, I chipped to 4 feet but knocked the putt 3 feet past the hole and missed the return for triple bogey 6.

Hole 2, I hit a good straight drive, but then topped a 3 wood, I hit a good pitch to fringe, chipped  to 3 feet and holed the putt for a bogey 5.

Hole 3, A Wayward drive into trees meant I could only play out sideways back onto fairway, I hit a good 3rd but topped the 4th, I then chipped onto the green and 2 putted for a double bogey 7.

Hole 4, My tee shot went through green, but I chipped  to 3 feet and holed the putt for a par 3.

Hole 5, A lovely drive left me in perfect position and I hit a good 5 wood that just ran off the back of the green. I  chipped to 2 feet holed out for a very pleasing par 4, as it was the first time I had parred the hole in a competition.

Hole 6, Another good drive, then a 3 wood to 10 yds short of the green, I then hit a weak chip but 2 putts gave me a par 5

Hole 7, I hit a good drive followed by an 8 iron to fringe of the green, I chipped to 3 feet, and holed for par 4.

Hole 8, After a good drive, my 2nd was off line and caught the branches of a tree and fell into a hazard, I chipped out then found the green with a pitch from 80 yards, 2 putts gave me a  bogey 6.

Hole 9, I hit my tee shot right but luckily had a reasonable lie, a chip on and 2 putts for a bogey 4.

So despite a poor start I took 45 shots for the first 9.

hole 10, A good long drive, then a 5 wood just right of the green, chipped to 3 feet, but missed the par putt so a bogey 5.

Hole 11, A reasonable drive and a  good 2nd, left 80 yards, my pitch just short of the green, a chip to 4 feet but again missed the par putt so a bogey 6

Hole 12, I hit a wayward drive then under hit the pitch, a poor  chip on  and 2 putts for a double bogey 5.

Hole 13 A good long drive, then an 8 iron to the  fringe, I putted to 2 feet and for par 4.

hole 14, My tee shot ran to the back fringe, I badly overhit the putt and missed the return so a  bogey 4

Hole 15,A  good drive, but thinned the 2nd, a nice 5 wood went through back, but another poor chip and 2 putts for bogey 6.

Hole 16, A lovely long drive left an 80 yard pitch, I found the green and 2 putts gave me a par 4.

Hole 17, I hit a good drive but  thinned my lay up, a poor 3 wood followed then a pitch to fringe, my chip was long so 2 putts for a double bogey 7.

Hole 18, A lovely 6 iron to 8 feet, I missed the birdie putt so a par 3.

3 pars and 2 doubles gave me a 44 for a total of 89, which less my handicap of 17 gave me a level SSS of 72.