Is it that simple?

Caldy Golf club from Thurstaston Common.

Before I type anything about myself I thought I would share a few thoughts. A thread ran on a popular Golf forum questioning the point of blogs. The popular consensus among those that don't do blogs, is yes it s mostly a narcissistic exercise on behalf of the blogger and is probably read by hardly anyone. That said I do enjoy doing this so I will continue and those that think it can just ignore my ramblings.

After a couple of indifferent weeks where my handicap rose a few points, I have, at least for the time being, suddenly found some form. last weekend we had out Presidents prize to the ladies competition and in fairness I didn't stat very well. I just wasn't hitting the ball with any consistency, and then half way round something seemed to click and I hit my best drive of the day, seemingly effortlessly.
I tried to think what I had just done that I hadn't been doing and it seemed that I just taken a full easy swing  without trying to force anything. I managed to continue swinging this way for the rest of the round and though I didn't score too well, I was at least steady.

I had a long on the following week so  only played twice, both in competitions, but I set off just hoping to continue swinging through the ball without worrying about anything else and in the Thursday competition, despite a couple of back to back 7s, one on a par 3! I finished up 4 below CSS and had a nice cut of 1.1 to take me to a new low handicap of 12,1 and Category 2.

Saturday was the pinnacle of the season, Lady Captain's Day, and again I started with the same thought. I couldn't believe the way I started, after 8 holes I was just 2 over par, after having hit 7 of the 8 greens in regulation, on the only one I missed, the ball ran across the green and off the back. The only downside was that although I had a few good birdie chances, I didn't hole any. I continued playing well and on the 12th and 14th, both par 3s, my tee shot was only 4 feet from the hole, sadly I missed both birdie putts. I did go off a little over the last 4 holes but still finished with a gross 83 and 2 under CSS for another cut, this time of 0.4 to drop me to 11.7. I also finished 2nd in the competition beaten on a card play off.

I don't seem to have really done much different, just maybe been more relaxed in my swing but it seems to have made a big improvement in my game, I just hope I can keep this up and it becomes second nature.

The last round in detail

Hole 1
A 5 wood hit the green, but I left the first putt way short and took 2 more for a bogey 4.
Hole 2
A good drive and a 4 wood to the middle of the green, 2 putts for a par 4
Hole 3
A good drive but I laid up a bit short, I found the green with my 5 wood and 2 putted for a par 5.
Hole 4
A 7 iron found the fringe of the green and my first putt hit the pin but stayed out and I tapped in for a par 3.
Hole 5
Another good drive was followed by  3 wood which pitched short but ran through the green, I chipped on and 2 putts gave me a bogey 5
Hole 6
A good drive and a decent 3 wood left a 50 yard pitch, I hit it to about 15 feet but missed the birdie so a par 5.
Hole 7
A nce drive but a little short left a 5 wood to the green, I hit it to 10 feet but again missed the birdie, so a par 4.
Hole 8
Another good drive then a 3 wood to about 50 yards, I chipped on and 2 putted for a par 5.
Hole 9.
I played safe and hit my tee shot to the left of the green chipped on a bit short then 2 putts for a bogey 4.

39 shots for the first nine, which equalled my best.
Being Lady Captains day there was a tent by the 10th tee where Pimms and cake were on offer, so  hoped the break would my affect my game.

Hole 10
I thinned my drive (the Pimms effect?) and was fortunate to clear the ditch 50 yards from the tee, I then hit a 6 iron form rough and left 140 yards to the green. I hit a lovely 5 wood, which finished about 15 feet from the hole my par putt just missed so a bogey 5.
Hole 11
A decent drive then an iron to just over 100 yds from the green, I found the edge of the green with my 3rd but left my uphill putt 10 feet short and missed the next so a bogey 6.
Hole 12
I hit a lovely drive which finished just 4 feet from the hole but the birdie putt just slipped past, so a par 3.
Hole 13
I hit a nice drive but it bounced to the right and finished in a fairway bunker, I got it out OK and then found the green with a 7 iron, 2 putts gave me a bogey 5.
Hole 14
A 5 wood finished 4 feet from the hole but like the 12th the putt just slipped past, so a par 3.
Hole 15
After a good drive, I  hit a 3 wood a bit thin , but still only had a 7 iron to the green, sadly I hit the ground before the ball and put it in a bunker in front of the green. I got it out to the fringe of the green and putted to 2 feet but missed the putt so my first double bogey a 7.
Hole 16
Another good drive  but I missed the green to the left with my approach, my chip was a little long and my par putt missed so a bogey 5.
Hole 17.
 hit my drive way to the left nearly onto the adjacent fairway, I found a gap though trees and then hit a 3wood to 60 yards short of the green, I had to keep my chip low to miss overhanging branches but I hit it too high and was still short of the green, I chipped down and 2 more shots gave me another double bogey 7.
Hole 18,
My tee shot was long and left, but I chipped to 4 feet and hole the putt for a par 3.

I couldn't maintain the good play of the first 9 and finished with 44 and a total of 83 of which 37 were putts!

Challenge final

Today I played in the final of the challenge, our club's knockout competition. I was playing against Joanne, who plays off 10 handicap and so I was getting 3 shots.

Here is how it went.

 Hole 1
I hit my teeshot a bit flat but it reached the fringe of the green, Joanne found the front of the green, I putted and left myself a 10 foot putt, Joanne hit hers to 3 feet and we both holed for par 3s so a half to start with.
Hole 2
I hit my drive a long way right, Joanne found the fairway,  hit a decent second which left a pitch to the green, Joanne was also short and we both found the green with our 3rd shots, I had a putt of around 25 feet and I rolled it straight in for a par 4, Joanne just missed and I was 1up.
Hole 3
The first hole, where I got a shot, we were both short of the ditch in 2, I didn't hit a great 3rd shot but it did clear the ditch, Joanne left hers short of the green, I chipped to about 20 feet and Joanne also found the green, I then holed my putt for a par 5, which took me to 2 up.
Hole 4
We were both short of the green with our tee shots, Joanne chipped to about 4 feet but mine only just found the green leaving me a putt of around 25 feet and it just lipped out, Joanne holed for her par to bring me back to 1up.
Hole 5
We both hit reasonable drives but then I found the ditch with a poor 2nd, Joanne hit hers to about 20 yards short of the green, I took a penalty drop and found the green with my next, Joanne chipped on and we both had 2 putts, so Joanne won the hole and we were back to all square.
Hole 6
Joanne hit a decent drive but  hit mine sharp left and into the trees so I had to play 3 off the tee, then made a mess of my 4th shot and I was 6 on the green, Joanne was on the green in 3 and holed a nice putt for a birdie  4 to go 1up.
Hole 7
We both hit decent drives although I was a long way right. My second caught overhanging branches and rebound onto a bridge right against a little wall and all I could do was putt it off and then messed up my 4th  Joanne missed the green with her 2nd but chipped on and 2 putts gave her the hole and a 2 hole lead.
Hole 8
I finally hit a good drive and we were both safely over the ditch in 2, Joanne put her 3rd shot on the fringe and although I had a much shorter shot I could only put mine near hers. She chipped to 6 feet and I elected to putt and left it 3 feet short. Joanne missed her par putt but I couldn't hole mine so the hole was halved.
Hole 9
Joanne was left of the green and I was just short, I putted about 5 feet short and Joanne chipped to 4 feet, we both holed for pars and another half.

So at the turn Joanne was 2 up.

Hole 10

Joanne hit a nice drive and mine was decent but n the rough, I hit an iron to about 80 yds from the green, Joanne was a bit left but 20 yds short,  then fluffed my pitch and Joanne found the green, I did just reach the green with my 4th but missed my putt and Joanne 2 putted to win the hole and go 3 up.
Hole 11
We both hit nice drives and then laid up, Joanne was a bit too far right though and failed to clear a bunker with her 3rd, my 3rd shot finished on the front fringe. I putted up a bit short and Joanne came out of the bunker a bit strong and finished on the far fringe, she putted to about 6 feet but neither o us holed our next so won the hole with a bogey 6 to get back to 2 down.
Hole 12
I hit my tee shot to the right but the Joanne hit hers further right an into the rough, she could only hack it out and I found the green with my 2nd, Joanne chipped on and then after  I putted up to the hole and tapped in for a 4 she missed from about 8 feet and I was back to just 1 down.
Hole 13
My second shot hole, We both hit decent drives and were just short of the green in 2, Joanne chip on about 20 feet away and I chipped to about 10 feet, we both missed our pars and so a bogey with my shot gave me the hole and we were back to all square.
Hole 14,
We both hit nice tee shots, mine to the fringe and Joanne's to the bank at the back of the green, I misread the line finished 5 feet away, Joanne chipped to about 4 feet, I holed mine but Joanne missed so  I won to go 1up
Hole 15
We both played well and were on the green in 3 shots each, Joanne then holed a putt of around 15 feet for a birdie 4 and my 10 foot putt just missed so we were back to all square.
Hole 16
Joanne hit a reasonable drive, but then hit an awful one short, left and in the rough, we couldn't find it so again I played 3 off the tee and hit a nice drive this time, Joanne was just short in 2 and I found the green with my next, Joanne chipped on an after I missed my bogey putt, Joanne holed hers for a par 4  and she was back to 1 up.
Hole 17
My final shot hole, two decent drives and then we were both short of the ditch in 2,  hit my 3rd to 40 yards short of the green but Joanne , from a rough lie, could only top hers, she then hit her 4th to just short of the green, I chipped on to the back of the green and Joanne could only find the front. I hit a nicely paced putt to a few inches away and the bogey 6, with my shot, was enough to win my the hole and bring us back to all square with just one hole left.
Hole 18.
I hit a nice 7 iron which found the green and Joanne followed to the fringe, she elected to but but left it 10 feet short, I then judged my pace well again to give me a tap in par and when Joanne missed, I won the hole and the match.

We both didn't play our best, although Joanne did play very well on the front nine, and fortunately   I started hitting the ball better just in time.
Surprisingly I probably won the match with my putting, as I certainly putted better than normal, whereas Joanne wasn't as good on the greens as she usually is.

Time for a think about my game.

Over the last week or so I have played in a few opens as well as two competitions at Ellesmere. I feel I have been hitting the ball well but there is always something that lets my down ,so  thought I would go through the various aspects n the hope that seeing it down in black and white helps.

So first of all driving, after the lesson a couple of weeks ago, this has got back to being a lot more consistent again and over recent games. I would say that maybe 80% of my drives are good, sadly, however I still do have a tendency to hit the occasional slice and pull one left now and again, Overall I am  pretty happy with how it is going and would give my driving 8/10

Woods off the fairway, when I hit these correctly there general go pretty straight and a decent distance, however  far too often I still look for the ball, which results it a topped or scuffed shot. I know its a basic fundamental to not look up until you have finished your follow through but even though I tell it to myself before the shot, I still do it far too often. So my rating for my woods are 6/10

Long irons, I generally hit them pretty well but I do often pull them to the left, this means I will often aim to the right of the target, which is fine unless I then hit them straight. I am really not too sure why I am doing this, maybe I have sometimes have too round a swing, I will still give them a 6/10 rating.

Short irons, mostly I hit these well and am pretty good with my distances. another 8/10

Chipping, this is an area where my inconsistency shows, if I have a little grass under the ball I will normally hit them pretty well, however I occasionally look for these shot too which means I will scuff or thin them, I also do this a lot more off bare lies, I will score myself 5/10 as  I am never totally confident when playing these shots.

Bunkers, since I had a lesson earlier this year, I do feel far more confident in sand than I used to, I don't always get out first time but I always expect too and more often than not I do. I am not great at judging the distance from sand but I am mostly happy just to get out first time so I think 6/10 again.

Putting, again this is something that I have improved although I am still not completely happy, I generally putt better at Ellesmere where I am used to the speed of the greens as well as the slopes, but get me on a strange course, especially with slower greens and I do tend to leave longer putts way too short then I try to compensate which means I them start hitting them far too hard. I also have a lot more confidence when stood over short putts and although I still do not hole them all, at least I expect to rather than in the past where I expected to miss them. I would rate myself 7/10 at home but only 4 away so overall I will say another 6.

Altogether then 45/70, which is around 6½/10, I would be nice if  could this perceived average up to 7½ or even 8.

There have been some good examples of this inconsistency recently. Today we had a Stableford competition and I plated well over the first 7 holes wth 4 pars and 3 bogey for 16 points but after a bad 8th and then a couple of poor putts, I started to try and chase things and ended up scoring only 10 points over the remaining 11 holes.
I did judge my putt well today for the most part, particularly pleasing where 3 long putts which all ended up within 12 inches from the hole, contrast that with Monday when  played in an open at Hesketh and one each of the first 4 holes I had long putts and left them all over 10 feet away from the hole.

One sad fact of this recent inconsistency is that  have had 2 0.1 handicap increases and with time running out before then end of the season  would really like to reverse this.

Tomorrow is one competition where I will not be worrying about the effect on my handicap as I will be playing in the final of our knockout competition. I am playing a girl off 10 and on paper it should be a good match. I just hope I can raise my game for it.

Anyway, after all the circumspection, a few photos from the last week or so.

 Manchester GC

 

 

A very windy Hesketh

 

 

 

Hesketh, approach to 15th green

 

Funny old game.

Its been a strange week, following my lesson, played in a medal at Ellesmere, after a couple of dubious drives, I started hitting the ball a lot better and t seemed like the lesson was paying off. The round started well with my holing a nice putt for a birdie on the first hole, Then came the dubious drives but I did get bogeys on 2 and 3 but 3 putts meant a double bogey on the 4^th. I was a little unfortunate on the 5^th when my 2^nd shot found a greenside bunker and finished up against a pile of sand and I failed to get out first time. I then parred three of the next four holes to finish the front nice in 42.

I didn't start the back nine too well with a double bogey on 10, but pars on 11 and 12 brought things back until a double on 13 set me back again. I then finished par, bogey, par, bogey, par to finished with another 42 and a total of 84. This gave me a net 71 and with standard scratch being set at 72, I got a little 0.3 cut to get me to my lowest ever handicap of 12.9.

On Friday I was playing in a Lancs senior ladies competition at Ashton and Lea, a course I had not played before. Unfortunately my driving slipped back to how it had been earlier and I really struggled in fact I started to develop a slice, something I have only occasionally been plagued with for the last 18 months,. My game generally was poor and a big disappointment.

Sunday, and I had another competition, this time the Centenary mixed trophy at Ellesmere. Sadly, I continued as I had played at Ashton and Lea and it was no surprise that my partner and I scored poorly.

Monday was a ladies open at Worsley, the course I had gone round in 79 shots just three weeks ago. Once again I couldn't string two good shots together, I did have the occasional decent drive, but when did I seemed to hit a poor second. It wasn't all doom and gloom though as I did improve towards the end of the round and I played the last 3 holes quite steadily, which at least gives me hope that there is a small improvement on the way.

All in all it has been a strange few days, a handicap cut, followed by 3 poor rounds, with only a few weeks to the end of the season I really hope I can get my game back together and finish the season strongly.

Here is the good part of the week.

Hole 1
A nice tee shot to 20 feet and I holed the putt for a birdie 3

Hole 2

My tee shot was right then I hit a3 wood to short of the green, I chipped to 10 feet and my par putt lipped out so a bogey 5.

Hole 3

A reasonable drive and then a lay up short of the ditch, I hit an 8 iron a little shotof the green, chipped on and 2 putts gave me a bogey 6

Hole 4

I pushed my tee shot left then chipped on, I over hit the first putt then missed the return so a double bogey 5

Hole 5

I hit a good tee shot, and then a nice 3 wood which unfortunately found a bunker up and the ball was right up against a pile of sand, I couldn't get it out first time but then got it out to 6 feet, but sadly my putt lipped out so another double bogey this time a 6.

Hole 6

I hit a nice drive, and then a 3 wood to just short of the green, I chipped on and 2 putts gave me a par 5.

Hole 7

A decent drive here but a little shorter than usual, I hit a  nice 6 iron pin high on the fringe and 2 putts gave me a par 4.

Hole 8

Another decent drive but a bit short again, I hit 3 wood to 50 yds, but left my chip short, I putted from off the green and left it short, 2 more putts gave me a bogey 6.

Hole 9

hit my tee shot left if the green then chipped  to 2 feet and holed the putt for a par 3.

The birdie start and the 3 pars at the end of the nine holes gave me a steady 42, which s right on my handicap.

Hole 10,

I hit a good drive but a poor 3 wood left me a wedge to the green, I hit it a bit right and missed the green, I chipped on and 2 putts gave me a bogey 6.

Hole 11

A reasonable drive was followed by a lay up, then I hit a nice 9 iron that came back on landing but 2 putts gave me a par 5.

Hole 12

MY drive was way right and in the rough, I managed to get it onto the front of green, and holed a 40 foot putt for a par 3.

Hole 13

My tee shot was high and left and finished in trees, I chipped onto next fairway, but failed to reach green with my 3rd, I had a nice chip to 20 feet, and my putt horseshoed out so a double bogey 6.

Hole 14

I hit my tee shot to front of green and 2 putts gave me a par 3.

Hole 15

I had a nice drive then hit a 3 wood to 80 yards, I hit a good wedge, which unfortunately landed  at the top of slope and came back down to the lower lever of the green, I left my first putt 4 feet short and missed my second so a bogey 6.

Hole 16

I hit a lovely drive and then found the green with a 9 iron, two putts gave me a par 4.

Hole 17

After a good drive, I laid up a little short and my 3 wood was short of slope down to the green, I chipped and 2 putted for a bogey 6.

Hole 18

A nice 7 iron found  the green and 2 putts gave me a par 3.

A second 42 and a total of 84, net 71 gave me a moral boosting 0.3 cut, to more than make up for the two increased I had at the last weekend.