The week started with a visit to Lymm golf club on Bank Holiday Monday, with some of the Golf Monthly forum. Two of the guys I was playing with were having a grudge match which provided some hilarious moments. As Lymm is one of the courses in our order of merit, I elected to use this round as my card for Lymm.
It wasn't the best of days although the forecasted rain did hold off for the first few holes and I started the round very well, in fact after 13 holes I had scored 33 points off full handicap, helped by an unprecedented 3 birdies, sadly my tendency to fade kicked in and I only managed 7 points over the last 5 holes and needless to say my shank reappeared on the 16th which ended up being the only hole I failed to scored on. 40 points was very pleasing though on a course I had never played before and even off 7/8 handicap I scored 38 points for the OOM.
Tuesday was my first round in the Hebblethwaite Trophy, the club's pairs 4BBB knockout. I didn't play in this last season and I was looking forward to it. My partner played off 26 and our opponents were off 12 and 21. I started steadily and although my partner struggled early on the match was very close with no more than one shot in it all the way round. Sadly on the back nine I started 3 putting and we found ourselves down with a few holes to go, but fortunately my partner found her game and she won a couple of holes for us to be one up with just 2 holes to play. I was getting a shot on the 17th so was confident but I played it very badly, including the dreadful shank. One of our opponents got a very good par so we were all square playing the last. My tee shot found a bunker and my partner was through the back of the green with one of our opponents on the fringe. My partner chipped to 3 feet and the girl on the fringe putted about 4 feet short, she missed the putt and my partner held her nerve to hole her putt and give us a hard fought win of 1up.
The Thursday competition this week was a medal, I played very steadily taking 44 for the first nine including a double bogey 5 on the par 3 9th and taking 44 for the 2nd nine including a triple bogey 6 on the par 3 18th. My gross 89 (net70) was good enough to win the competition and also give me a handicap cut of 0.6, although at 18.5 my playing handicap is still 19.
On Friday morning I played the next round in the club's singles knockout, I was playing this year's most successful golfer and was giving her shots on 2 holes. The match didn't start well for me with my opponent holing a 30 foot putt on the first to win the hole and despite me winning the 2nd I played very poorly over the next few holes and found myself 4 down after just 7 holes. One interesting thing did emerge during these early holes though, I hit what I have been calling a shank, however there was still dew on the ground I could see the path of the clubhead which showed that as opposed to a shank I had in fact hit the ball off the toe of the club, so maybe I can now work out how to stop doing it.
I did rally later on in the round and although I missed a short putt to get a hole back on the 10th I did manage to get 2 holes back as we reached the 16th, where after both of us having problems, I was far nearer the hole and had taken a shot less, but again my opponent holed a long putt to be 2 up with 2 to play and a good bogey on the last to my 3 putt gave her the match 3&1. The result was disappointing but she played very steadily and deserved to win so I have no complaints.
This weeks medal round in detail.
Hole 1, I topped my tee shot, but a good pitch found the green and 2 putts gave me a bogey 4.
Hole 2, I hit a decent drive and a nice 3wood found the fringe of the green, 2 putts gave me a par 4.
Hole 3, A good drive then a lay up short of the ditch but I topped the 3rd, my pitch was short but I chipped to 3 feet and holed the putt for a bogey 6.
Hole 4, My tee shot was just short of the green, a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4.
Hole 5 I hit my drive into ditch so had a penalty drop, a nice 3 wood was just short and a chip and 2 putts gave me a double bogey 6.
Hole 6, My drive was a bit right and I was lucky that the tree I landed next to was staked so I had a free drop, I hit a good 3 wood and a chip and 2 putts gave me a par 5.
Hole 7, After a good drive I found the green with a 9iron and 2 putted for par 4.
Hole 8, A reasonable drive and a 3 wood, left me a pitch to the green but I was just short, I hit a poor chip but 2 putts gave me a bogey 6.
Hole 9, I topped a 9 iron into the ditch, so another penalty drop, then a chip and 2 putts for a double bogey 5.
Despite the 9th, 44 shots on the first nine was under my handicap.
Hole 10, My drive went right but a nice 3 wood was just short of the green and a pitch and 2 putts for a bogey 5.
Hole 11, I hit a good drive and laid up with 100 yards of the green, I pitched to the fringe and 2 putted for a par 5.
Hole 12, I hit a poor drive but chipped on and 2 putts gave me a bogey 4.
Hole 13, A decent drive into the right rough followed by 3 wood to 80yds I pitched on and 2 putted for a bogey 5
Hole 14, I hit my tee shot to the right of the green a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4.
Hole 15, A good drive and a decent 2nd left a pitch which a little fortunately finished 6 inches from the hole, a tap in for a birdie 4.
Hole 16, A good drive but found a bunker with an 8 iron, my recovery came out too cleanly and shot over the green, a poor chip on and 2 putts gave me a double bogey 6.
Hole 17, Despite a good drive, a poor lay up meant I could not reach the green, I hit a 3 wood short then a chip and 2 putts gave me a bogey 6.
Hole 18, On what was the last full shot of the round, the bad shot finally arrived and I hit the ball way short and right of the green, I managed to get the ball up over the steep bank under the trees but found a bunker and took 2 to get out, 2 putts followed for a triple bogey 6 and an awful way to finish what had been a good round.
I still only took 45 shots on the last 9 to give a total of 89 for the round but it was so disappointing, after having held the round together so well, to drop 2 or even 3 shots on the last hole.
One pleasing fact was that I didn't 3 putt, but I do need to consistently get my chips a lot nearer the hole.
No comments:
Post a Comment