The coarse was very busy, so I can’t put all the blame on them. But due to the coarse lay out you could see that no one was playing on the two holes in front of them.
Golf Thread
- Thread starter Andr3w
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I'd have insisted on playing through as they've clearly lost their place on the course. They should have offered to let you play through as well. I'd have been raging.
Most people do when I am playing on my own, first time Iv experienced people not letting me play through. Sometimes I am more than happy not to play through, as it always goes horribly wrong when I do
. Their pace of play was incredible slow, is what annoyed me more. Never mind, Iv just put it down to the time of year, they where having time away family and where all just friends having a good chat.
Good fun today....
New Year 5 club comp.... Yes as it says - only allowed 5 clubs.
Took 3w, 7i, 9i, 54 degree and putter.
Course is play fairly short at the moment - tees well up etc. Shot 5 over front 9, then -1 back nine. 8 pars and a birdie including a par from inside the hazard.... Was sitting on some stones in the burn and chipped out of the burn haha...
Nice to be out hit off grass.... Fun to have to "create some shots" with just 5 clubs.... Had to hit 180 into wind..... 7i not enough - 3w way too much etc..... Really good way to have fun, get creative etc.
New Year 5 club comp.... Yes as it says - only allowed 5 clubs.
Took 3w, 7i, 9i, 54 degree and putter.
Course is play fairly short at the moment - tees well up etc. Shot 5 over front 9, then -1 back nine. 8 pars and a birdie including a par from inside the hazard.... Was sitting on some stones in the burn and chipped out of the burn haha...
Nice to be out hit off grass.... Fun to have to "create some shots" with just 5 clubs.... Had to hit 180 into wind..... 7i not enough - 3w way too much etc..... Really good way to have fun, get creative etc.
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I'm currently using the Rife RX Max set but looking to replace the irons. As a beginner, I'm already having lessons and would like to upgrade the irons to something that will help me improve but last a while (min 1 year). I'm looking around the £400 mark for 5i or 6i - PW + SW or 5i-PW. What clubs should I be looking at? Second hand is an option.
I saw the Cobra Air-X Ultralite (steel shaft) that are 5i-PW+SW for £300 brand new, but a lot of reviews online recommend these for senior players and low swing speed (which I have as a new player) but would they then hold me back once the swing speed improves?
Are the Cobra LTDx Irons an good alternative at £429 new?
I saw the Cobra Air-X Ultralite (steel shaft) that are 5i-PW+SW for £300 brand new, but a lot of reviews online recommend these for senior players and low swing speed (which I have as a new player) but would they then hold me back once the swing speed improves?
Are the Cobra LTDx Irons an good alternative at £429 new?
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I'd reccomend going to a local shop and trying some clubs out, maybe even getting a fitting, to see what works and whether you may need non-standard length or lie angles...
I got the Wilson Dynapower irons back in June 2023, I'd been playing ~10 months and my handicap was 41.6 (yeah, I'm that sad to have that noted down
) now ~18 months later and my handicap down to 18.3 I'm still using them. Starting to think I've improved enough to use 'better' irons but also don't feel they're holding me back at all. Think I've seen them on sale for ~£369 so maybe an option, but as above try some different ones 
If buying new go to a shop whether it's a chain (e.g. American Golf) or an independent one and speak to them, try out a few options or get fitted. These places are not exclusively for low handicappers or serious golfers and I am sure they would be delighted for your business and to help you find the best solution.
Alternatively Google the ping dot system and get yourself measured up (height and wrist to floor distance) Find the colour "dot" that you fit into and get yourself online looking for a set of used Ping G400 irons. That should leave plenty in the budget for some other clubs e.g. a forgiving 4hybrid or a couple of extra wedges
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Thanks both. I'll go down to the American Golf store near me to see what they say. I got my starter set from them. I have looked at the Ping dot system before but it did confuse me but I'll take another look.
Out today for a round at Stockwood Vale, we've had kinda miserable foggy/misty weather but not much actual rain so it was nice and dry out there. Greens there always seem to stump me, takes me ages to get a feel for the speed, think partially they're a bit 'grainy' which doesn't help.
Started off terribly, duffing shots all over the place but finally got things clicking again in the back 9, overall was +22 (ouch!) but was 9 over on the back 9 which is 'ok' but had 2 triples there with stupid shots so actually really solid over 7 of the last 9 holes
Playing the next two days too, which I think gets me to 201 rounds for the year! Counting 9 hole rounds as 'a round' but still
Sounds good If you're going to an AG store they do free custom fitting so worth going for that really Heard mixed reports about how much of a sales pitch might accompany that fitting but you can always say no.
I was pleasantly surprised a few months back doing an AG 'Full Game Review' session where it was an hour with the guy hitting balls on a trackman and discussing my game/clubs/lessons etc and had literally zero sales pitch, even kinda putting me off changing my irons etc so the opposite...
Started off terribly, duffing shots all over the place but finally got things clicking again in the back 9, overall was +22 (ouch!) but was 9 over on the back 9 which is 'ok' but had 2 triples there with stupid shots so actually really solid over 7 of the last 9 holes
Playing the next two days too, which I think gets me to 201 rounds for the year! Counting 9 hole rounds as 'a round' but still
Sounds good
If you're going to an AG store they do free custom fitting so worth going for that really Heard mixed reports about how much of a sales pitch might accompany that fitting but you can always say no.I was pleasantly surprised a few months back doing an AG 'Full Game Review' session where it was an hour with the guy hitting balls on a trackman and discussing my game/clubs/lessons etc and had literally zero sales pitch, even kinda putting me off changing my irons etc so the opposite...
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Can’t wait for this to open in February
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yeah - Got this in Glasgow - it's good, but very "tempting" to get stuff there and then.....
I'm very very twitchy about testing the GT Driver.... 3 wood has been superb since I got it at the end of last year....
My existing Srixon ZX7mkII with velocore shaft is good but on the "off" days, it's fairly hard to hit....
Fitting days are popping up in Glasgow for GT.....
Must resist....
Went for a driver fitting at the Titleist regional centre at golf it before Christmas, I'd say it was lackadaisical at best, prob only hit about 15 balls max with the GT2/3 and was in and out in less than 30mins.
No real deep dive exploring shaft, loft, weight combos. No opportunity to do a proper warm up beforehand It was a total waste of money and petrol.
I'm putting this down to it being the last slot before Christmas break and the guy was driving down to NE England that night.
GT3 was good but only marginal gains compared to my current stealth driver.
Went for a fitting at affordable golf in the summer, guy was good but it's timeboxed to 30mins and I can't justify shelling out £500+ on something when you only have data for like 8 balls or something.
I think I might look for something a bit more in depth next year
That's odd - Roddy is usually the fitter at the Glasgow Titleist place and he's done fittings for me for 3 wood and separately for wedges... He's class.
3 Wood fitting was good there.... Despite being tall (6ft3) ended up in shorter shaft etc.... so we really did go through loads of stuff to get there.
Right on cue.....
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I got an email just before christmas for a complimentary fitting at the Titleist 'national fitting center' (Cambridgeshire for us lot ) and got that booked for the end of January, definitely looking for a new driver so thought why not, hopefully my experience is more like booyaka's 
Bit of a trek still but gonna plan to play a round <somewhere> after it so why not.
Out today and had a shocker of a round... Todays score dropped off a 79 I got a while back which is/was my best counting score by far, and I knew it was dropping off, and I collapsed like a wet paper bag under than staggering pressure
Did end birdie-birdie though, a rare feat indeed and also the first time I think I've ever birdied the 18th, even though last year I drove the green on a shirt par 4. was 25 yards short this time (~255 to the front) but the good ol' chip and a putt got it done.
Replaced the 79 with a 93 though. Ugh. Think that's gonna bump my handicap up by >1 shot in one go, ouch. But at least it's done now, tomorrow I can shoot another 79
) and got that booked for the end of January, definitely looking for a new driver so thought why not, hopefully my experience is more like booyaka's Bit of a trek still but gonna plan to play a round <somewhere> after it so why not.Out today and had a shocker of a round... Todays score dropped off a 79 I got a while back which is/was my best counting score by far, and I knew it was dropping off, and I collapsed like a wet paper bag under than staggering pressure
Did end birdie-birdie though, a rare feat indeed and also the first time I think I've ever birdied the 18th, even though last year I drove the green on a shirt par 4. was 25 yards short this time (~255 to the front) but the good ol' chip and a putt got it done.
Replaced the 79 with a 93 though. Ugh. Think that's gonna bump my handicap up by >1 shot in one go, ouch. But at least it's done now, tomorrow I can shoot another 79
And that's it done, last round of the year!
As kinda pre-empted with no pressure on I remembered how to play golf and shot an 81, didn't birdie-birdie finish though
In fact no birdies at all! The 79 I dropped off yesterday (same course, but also my best ever score even by score differential) had 3 birdies, 2 shots worse today with none.
1 triple bogey (lost ball), 1 double, 6 bogeys and 10 pars, everything just felt so much easier today without the pressure.
As kinda pre-empted with no pressure on I remembered how to play golf and shot an 81, didn't birdie-birdie finish though
In fact no birdies at all! The 79 I dropped off yesterday (same course, but also my best ever score even by score differential) had 3 birdies, 2 shots worse today with none.
1 triple bogey (lost ball), 1 double, 6 bogeys and 10 pars, everything just felt so much easier today without the pressure.
Still can't wrap my head around scores in winter counting to handicap...
None of the course anywhere near me are scoreable for handicap. Tee's are either moved up, some winter greens, others need to move off the fairway and play from rough etc.... Hence no scoring allowed...
None of the course anywhere near me are scoreable for handicap. Tee's are either moved up, some winter greens, others need to move off the fairway and play from rough etc.... Hence no scoring allowed...
I think it varies by course but I seem to recall there being rules around things like number of winter greens (2 per 18 holes maybe) and how far a tee can be from the 'official' tee position (either forwards or back, and not just winter tees but all around the year)
This course for example is playing exclusively off winter mats most of those are a bit further forwards than 'normal' summer tees but not that much really, a couple are actually further back, they also drop the white tees so just red and yellows (red being the forward tees usually), red is still off a few grass areas but mostly shares the mat with the yellows. Greens are all normal greens, no rules on fairway mats or moving to the rough. Other than fixed tee positions, preferred lies and reduced bounce/roll it's not that different from summer.
Review of last years...
Handicap - Went up to 6.7 at end of season....Nothing particular but probably just didn't play enough scoring rounds.....
Home Course score - Shot 75 from the backs this year - 4 birdies in that round but also 2 doubles....
Hit More Greens - probably still need to be improved - didn't use my shotscope this year so not sure of exact numbers.
Other highlights last year -
Did win 2 trophies last year at our club - 96 year old Stutt Cup is a lovely cup to get my name on, along with another doubles victory.
Played golf abroad for first time - 5 days in Spain with the boys was a highlight for sure - already booked up for same again this year.
Goals for 2025.....
- Get back into the 5.* - this needs me to practice more and play more. Was a busy year family/business wise last year and it looks better this year so hoping to improve here.
- Play more "opens" / away comps..... I tend to play a lot at my home course but want to try playing away more - loads of options and just need to get organised.
- Fitness / stretching - As I continue to close in on 50 years old in a couple of years - need to do more stretching / flexibility - working with a local guy who is very good at this stuff so hoping to see some improvements here.
- Continue working on swing path... Less over the top and my game improves massively - focus on this