Signs of improvement.

 

9th at Ashton

This week I have been getting sights ofcourses we will be playing this coming weekend in two quarter finals the club has reach.

Firstly, I went to play Ashton-under-Lyne where we will be playing the quarter final of the Archie Preston against Ashton on Saturday. Its a mixed foursomes and the men tee off on the odd holes, so we take the tee shots on the even number holes. The course seems to be very much a what you see is what you get kind of course, with little problems providing you hit the ball straight. The trickiest holes seem to be the par 3s and it was good to be able to practice my tee shots, as most of them need a club more than you think. For these holes alone the visit was worthwhile and I hope that I can take what I learned into the match on Saturday.

18th at Dunham Forest

The second course I played, was Dunham Forest, this is the neutral course for our Bell Cup quarter final against Prestbury, which will be played on Sunday. Dunham in contrast to Ashton needs some thought, quite a few of the holes have blind drives or are doglegs, with some tricky approaches to greens as well, like Ashton, the par 3s need some thought and it was good to get a chance to play them before the match. I hope I can take what I learnt into my match on sunday.

Here's hoping we can get through one if not both quarter finals this weekend.

On Thursday it was back to the weekly Thursday competition at the club, I had seen signs of improvement during the last week and was hoping to keep this going into the medal round we were playing. Early signs were promising and I began with 2 bogeys followed by 2 pars, A good putt gave me a bogey on the 5th despite taking a penalty drop out o a lateral hazard. This was followed by another par at the 6th, sadly all my good scoring was undone on the 7th with a disastrous 9 but I recovered to birdie the 8th and par the 9th. The second nine was more erratic with 4 pars but also 3 double bogeys and another disaster on the 17th.

The round in detail.

Hole 1, Just short of the green with a 6 iron, then a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4.

Hole 2, Decent drive but a little off line finished on the bank of a bunker, a 7 iron left me 50yd to the green. I pitched to 15 feet and 2 putts gave me a bogey 5.

Hole 3,  A good drive gave me a chance to try and clear the ditch, but a well struck 3 wood was hit to the right and I finished in a little dell, I had a line to the green and found it with a wedge, 2 putts gave me a par 5.

Hole 4, A 7 iron hit the green and 2 putts gave me a par 3.

Hole 5, My drive was a bit right and found a lateral ditch, a penalty drop and then a 3 wood to the right of the green, I hit a chip to 20 feet and holed the putt for a bogey 5.

Hole 6, a good drive and a nice 3 wood left a 30 yard pitch to the green, I found the green but left  it a bit short, but 2 putts gave me a par 5.

Hole 7, I hit a decent drive but it did go to the right meaning a stand of trees between my and the hole, I decided to play for the front of the green to miss the trees but my ball was a little of line and caught the branches at the edge of the trees and the ball bounced back among them. I picked a line through the trees towards the green but sadly my ball caught the last tree, a very thin one too bounced back and landed in the roots of another, I tried to knock it forward but the ball jumped up off the root and hit me, so that was a penalty shot to add, I managed to get it out next shot, then chipped it onto the green and 2 putted to finish with a nine!

Hole 8, I put the 7th behind me and hit a nice long straight drive and then hit a nice 3 wood to within a couple of yards for the green, I chipped to a foot and tapped in for a bogey 4.

Hole 9, A 9 iron found the green and 2 putts gave me a par 3.

So despite the 9, I finished the first 9 in 43 shots, just a shame that the good work of 4 pars and a birdie were undone by just one hole.

Hole 10, I good drive then I hit a 3wood to the left and short of the green, I slightly thinned my wedge and it went over the green, I chipped to 10 feet but missed the putt, so a double bogey 6.

Hole 11, another good drive but had to lay up in font of the ditch with a wedge, then another wedge found the edge of the green, 2 putts gave me a par 5.

Hole 12, My drive was way right into thick rough I got out but it shot over the green into a bunker, I was out first time but just missed a 15 foot putt so a double bogey 5.

Hole 13, Another drive that went right into rough, I knocked it forward then thinned an 8 iron that fortunately ran onto the green and I hole a 20 foot putt for a lucky par 4.

Hole 14, A topped tee shot left me still 70 yds from the green, a good wedge found the fringe o the green and 2 putts gave me a bogey 4.

Hole 15,  Another drive way right, this time into trees, so I had to play 3 off the tee hit the 2nd drive well and a good 3 wood left 50yds to go A nice pitch to 10 feet but missed the putt so a double bogey 7, (a par with the 2nd ball though)

Hole 16, A straight drive, then a 7 iron to the side of the green, I chipped on and holed the putt for a par 4.

Hole 17, A lovely drive meant I could take on the ditch, sadly like the 3rd I hit it well but right and although it cleared the ditch it caught trees and bounced back into it. A penalty drop then an ambitious 7 wood that went right, I had to avoid a tree to reach the green but sadly found the roots and could only knock it sideways, I then played to the green but the ball ran through the back and I had to chip back on and 2 putts gave me a 10!

Hole 18, My tee shot found a greenside bunker, but I got it out to 10 feet and holed the putt to finish with a par 3.

So thanks mainly to the 10, I took 48 shots on the back 9, but again I had 4 pars which is encouraging.

The total for my round was 91 for a net 76 which due to stableford adjustments meant I was at least in my buffer.

I was more than happy with 8 pars and a birdie, but the ruinous 7th and 17th together with losing a ball, meant that my actual  score was disappointing.

I just hope that I can keep the good but lose the bad and play well at the weekend.