A good week

Three weeks into the season and the course is beginning to settle down nicely, with firmer greens running far more truly than they had been in the preceding weeks.

After a fun 12 hole competiton on Sunday, the Lady Captains v Lady Secretary's teams,we had our first handicap shield match on Monday, this is a season long Lancashire competition, with the county beng divided into 4 regions, and each region into 4 groups. The groups play a home and away league. The winners of each group then play off to get a regional winner and then the 4 regional winners play off to get the overall winning club. Last season Ellesmere won our group but we lost in the regional semi final.

We were playing Manchester and I played a lady off 19 handicap so I was giving her 3 shots. I played very steadily, the best in fact I have played so far this season, I took and early lead and kept it going until I finally won the match 4&2 on the 16^th. One of the most pleasing things about the round was that I only had one hole where I scored worse than a bogey

Due to having other things to do I only managed a further 9 holes this on Wednesday evening before Thursday's competition day.

Thursday's comp was a foursomes stableford, a qualifier for another Lancashire ladies competition the Scott Leggat. I played with Janet, who I have played with in doubles competitions n the past and we tend to play well together.

We started steadily with 4 bogeys for 7 points after 4 holes, but messed up the 5^th after 2 good shots, we recovered by birdieing the 6^th and paring the 7^th and 2 more bogies gave us a front nine total of 18 points.

We started the 2^nd nine with another 2 bogies then parred the 12th, but then messed up the 13^th, another par at the 14^th and a bogey at the 15^th was followed by another bad hole, we finished with a bogey and a par at the last for another 17 points and a total of 35. This proved to be enough to win the competition and so we will now play in the regional qualifier at Walmersley golf club in early June.

I was mostly pleased with how I played this week and I hope can carry it forward to next week's medal.

Thursday round

Hole 1
A lovely teeshot from Janet found the back of the green, but wth the flag near the front I badly overhit a long putt, Janet couldn't hole the return so we started with a bogey and 2 points

Hole 2

I hit a decent drive but it was a little right and finished in a bunker, J got it out well to about 50 yards from the green and I found the green about 20 feet from the hole, J's putt was just short, so a tap in for a bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 3

A decent drive from J but I pulled my 6 iron a little and then J hit the 3^rd just short of the green, I chipped over a bunker and we had 2 putts for a bogey 6 and 2 points.

Hole 4

I hit a good teeshot but it ran through the green, J chipped to 3 feet but I missed the putt so a bogey 4 and no shot here so just 1 point.

Hole 5

J hit a nice drive and I followed it with a lovely 3 wood that was unlucky to run across the front of the green and into a bunker, sadly it took us 2 to get out and we were still off the green J's chip was long and I missed the putt so a triple bogey 7 and no points.

Hole 6

A lovely drive from me and a nice second from J left me a 40 yard pitch, I hit it to 4 feet and J holed the putt for a birdie and 4 points.

Hole 7

A decent driver from J left me 160 to the green, I hit another lovely 3 wood which just ran off the back of the green, J chipped to 3 feet and I holed the putt for a par and 3 points.

Hole 8

A poor drive from me found the trees and J could only knock the ball forward about 50 yds, I didn't ht a great 3rd and J left it short of the green but I chipped to a foot and J holed for a good bogey 6 and 2 points.

Hole 9

J's tee shot just missed the green but was in long grass, I came out a bit thin to 15 feet and 2 putts gave us a bogey 4 and 2 points.

Hole 10

Another poor drive from me and an average 2^nd from J left me 135 from the green, I hit a lovely 7 wood, which ran through the green (again!). J chipped to 3 feet and I holed for a bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 11

A decent drive from Janet and I pulled an iron which left J 100yds from the green but unfortunately  her swing was obstructed by branches so she laid it up before the ditch, I hit a decent pitch and 2 putts gave us a bogey 6 and 2 points.

Hole 12

Finally a good drive from me but it ran through the green, J chipped to 3 feet and I  holed for a par 3 and 3 points.

Hole 13.

A good drive fom J but for once a poor 3 wood from me left a 50yd pitch over a bunker, J found the green and 2 putts for a bogey 5 and 2 points.

Hole 14

I hit a nice teeshot but it was right of the green and found a bunker again it took 2 to get out and a long bogey putt missed, no shot here so no points.

Hole 15

A reasonable drive from J but I messed up a 3 wood from a mossy lie, J hit the next to 90 yds and I hit a lovely 9 iron to 3 feet and J holes for a par 5 and 3 points.

Hole 16

An awful drive from me found trees, J knocked it out and I slightly topped the next which finished just shot of a bunker, J's chip ran through the green I chpped on but short and J missed a long putt so a treble bogey and no points

Hole 17

A decent drive from J and a good iron from me into the wind left us 190 from the green, J was a bit off line with the next and I was left with a pitch over a tree, I hit it well and found the green and 2 putts gave us a bogey 6 for 2 points.

Hole 18

Another pulled iron by me finished up wide of the green but pin hgh, J chipped to 10 feet and I holed the putt for a par and 3 points.

I was disappointed with my driving and I was pulling my irons, but I mostly hit my woods well and chipped and putted well too, in fact we only had 30 putts in total.