played up at Ramsdale - 7.20 tee off
http://www.ramsdaleparkgc.co.uk/the-seely-course.asp on sunday morning. first time i've played this course, i have to say it was excellent if a little short. lots of challenging approaches to greens surrounded by deep bunkers, very hilly and a sweet elevated tee shot over ponds and trees on the par 5 15th.
went round in 88 - 2 under my handicap of 19. played pretty poorly if i'm honest, really gashed some tee shots (pee rolers 100yds kind of thing) but escaped with nothing worse than a triple. missed out on a 20ft birdie putt by about 3mm (still don't know how it didn't drop), holed a couple of good par putts and had a few good approaches.
re the slicing thing, i have it too especially off the tee and with long irons when i try and hit it too hard, my shoulders turn after my hips, opening the club face and creating the slice. if i control my swing speed it seems to help, as it doesn't happen consistently.
when i had my first lessons it was from the pro who taught all the county young golfers. i used to struggle with thinking about what i was having for dinner on my downswing so i'd fluff it completely, so it was more of a mental lesson from the guy. he told me to focus at a spot on the ball i wanted to hit, and make a swing to hit it (I guess because most of the basic swing mechanics were there), and low and behold it went like a rocket.
if i struggle now it's when i thin it, happens a lot of the fairways, it goes a fair distance but trajectory is low and runny as opposed to high and soft.