Golf Thread

[booyaka]

Another local open yesterday - Annanhill Golf Course.

£10 entry and a free beer

Tough course - not the longest but greens are tough. Very very wicked pin placements on some greens, literally couldn't get close. If you were above the hole you had zero chance.

Played ok - One silly hole - lost 2 balls off the tee with a super tight tee shot. Good day out for the money.

 

[TheCSSDoctor]

Played 9 yesterday with the mixed couples group and shot +4 but that was a double (lost ball) and 2 bogeys

Setup tweaks from my lesson feels awkward still and I wasn't fully trusting them, but the drive down the 9th was a sign of what it can do - 270yds into wind was a nice way to finish

I was hoping to get to the range for some practice this morning but we have had rain, and we have plans for this afternoon, so I will have to wait until Tuesday for another 9 after work now

 

[SKILL]

Feels like it's been an age since I last posted here! Still playing a bunch of golf cause golf is life but also just been really busy with other stuff...

Few highlights/thoughts in there though. Played some more NCG events last month (East Sussex swing), played 'ok' throughout really but amusingly the 2 courses I played last year, did well on and hence thought I'd do well again were just 'ok' rounds, think at least one counted for the handicap but nothing special. Then the course I'd never played before I got 38 points, finished 4th outside the prizes naturally but hey, good counting round that. With that my handicap is down to 17.7, just 0.1 over my lowest from last year, and that's almost all comps (my last 14 rounds were comps) so kinda happy with that. In general it feels like I'm playing a bit more towards that 'bogey golfer' level with fewer blow ups than I had been.

Then had a family holiday after the NCG events where we stayed at a place 2 doors down from St. David's City Golf Club which is a small 9-hole links with an 'honesty box', now via paypal, £200 for a 'family' of 2 adults and upto 3 kids unlimited 7-day so decent value as my stepdad and 2 nephews play/hack it around Ended up basically doing 9 holes every morning and then a loop of 4 in the evening for good measure Didn't end up playing the full 18-hole loop this time around, went there last year and did that, but did manage 9-holes solo on the last day, basically 1h10 vs 2.5 hours with the kids. Didn't really pay attention to score but just enjoying the golf, playing with family and good weather.

Put off my hernia surgery till 1st December or later as well so I can keep playing golf, cause golf is life So now thinking of doing some more NCG events, probably the Prestwick package towards the end of September again, there's also a Wirral package (Wallasey and Caldy) the week before I could do 'on the way'

Finally last night I got an email that I'd been allocated tickets in the ballot for The Open next year at St. Andrews. Wasn't sure when I applied whether I even wanted to, and still not sure now Applied for/got the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before the open (Think Sunday is a practice round, Monday is last chance qualifier, not sure about Tuesday) then the actual Sunday of the The Open to see who wins. My thinking was I could go play golf somewhere on the Wed-Sat Feels like I 'should' with it being the home of golf and all but kinda meh about it, those 4 days is the best part of £500 iirc let alone anything else, I assume I could *play* the Old Course some other time for that kinda money, plus accomodation would be cheaper then...

 

[OldKitMan]

Finally last night I got an email that I'd been allocated tickets in the ballot for The Open next year at St. Andrews. Wasn't sure when I applied whether I even wanted to, and still not sure now Applied for/got the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before the open (Think Sunday is a practice round, Monday is last chance qualifier, not sure about Tuesday) then the actual Sunday of the The Open to see who wins. My thinking was I could go play golf somewhere on the Wed-Sat Feels like I 'should' with it being the home of golf and all but kinda meh about it, those 4 days is the best part of £500 iirc let alone anything else, I assume I could *play* the Old Course some other time for that kinda money, plus accomodation would be cheaper then...

had a look at the ballot ticket prices and thought - absolutely no chance - I'd rather use the money to play the course - not watch other people play it. I'll stick with the Genesis Scottish Open final day tickets for now.

 

[Superpatsy]

I've been selected for tickets for the Sunday but I'm on the fence. £190 is insane when I paid basically half of that for the same day for the 150th Open.

Even it only being half an hour along the road from me still has me questioning whether I'll bother or not...

 

[SKILL]

had a look at the ballot ticket prices and thought - absolutely no chance - I'd rather use the money to play the course - not watch other people play it. I'll stick with the Genesis Scottish Open final day tickets for now.

Yeah, kinda my thoughts too, I don't really go watch many live events mostly cause I'd rather 'do' than 'watch'...

Got till Monday to decide so will give it a few days to mull over but yeah.

 

[jaybee]

Played the other day early solo and hit my best ever 85. Went out the same evening with a friend feeling confident for a quick 9... I'll show him how well I'm playing...
Heel shank. Toe shank. Top. Chunk. Pulls. Slices.
Basically looked like someone completely new to golf.
This happens every time I play with anyone. It makes me want to quit golf and I'm now going to just keep scores to myself as it's embarrassing turning up with mates claiming to be able to play when I basically can't with any witnesses.

 

[OldKitMan]

Played the other day early solo and hit my best ever 85. Went out the same evening with a friend feeling confident for a quick 9... I'll show him how well I'm playing...
Heel shank. Toe shank. Top. Chunk. Pulls. Slices.
Basically looked like someone completely new to golf.
This happens every time I play with anyone. It makes me want to quit golf and I'm now going to just keep scores to myself as it's embarrassing turning up with mates claiming to be able to play when I basically can't with any witnesses.

talk to yourself when playing solo, call out what works well and why things went wrong with a shot.

Before taking a shot with other people talk to yourself - talk about what you need to do - eg, nice and smooth, out to in, don't come over the top. I do that quite often and seems to work ok with me. Don't worry about people thinking you are mad for talking to yourself.

 

[TheCSSDoctor]

Played 9 after work tonight with my wife for a bit of practice before we are away at the weekend

Started with a birdie, then followed it up with a bogey on the 2nd, although I thought I may have lost the ball after pulling my tee shot towards trees but it must have got a friendly bounce as it was in the rough

Missed a birdie putt on the 3rd, but a simple tap in for par got things settled

Pulled my tee shot left again on the 4th, so hit a provisional, and it was needed as we couldn't find the ball. However, a good wedge left me with about 10ft and I made the putt to walk off with a bogey

Pars on 5, 6 and 7 were then followed by a couple loose shots ok both the 8th and 9th resulted in bogeys for a +3 score for 9 holes (which is still playing to my handicap)

Playing another 9 tomorrow and we might play the back 9 if it is quiet enough when we get there and we can jump on

 

[TheCSSDoctor]

Played the back 9 tonight and it was a mixed bag of shots to say the least

I had 4 birdies and 1 par but still only managed to shoot +3 overall

Had a double and a triple due to lost tee balls and another 2 bogeys on the other holes

Positive is the lesson last week is showing good results when I trust the setup change and just release through the ball, but the 2 lost balls were when I didn't trust it and lost them both right

 

[booyaka]

Lovely afternoon yesterday at The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh.

Whilst golf in some form has been played from a much earlier time; it is in the first half of the eighteenth century that the first ‘golfing societies’ were formed. The Royal Burgess is recognised as the oldest of these (1735)

Lovely old school clubhouse but not snooty in any way - beautiful deck over looking first tee, starter rings the bell when it's your time to tee off etc. Some lovely touches.

Course was fabulous - you forget your basically in the outskirts of Edinburgh, lovely tree lined course. Greens were beautiful, lovely and receptive to good shots but very quick. Some pretty sloped greens and big as well.

Shot a solid 80 gross (+10), 2 nice birdies, but a poor double double finish at 17 & 18 after not having a double all day to that point. Last is a tough 230 yard par 3....

Beautiful weather as well - lovely day out.

 

[SKILL]

Played with the networking group yesterday at Cumberwell, it was warm.

I'm still getting kinda amazed recently just how dry and burnt out everything is down south, it's like a barren wasteland for most of the course/fairwarys... Interestingly Cumberwell are actually watering there tees as well as the greens, some of the courses I've played recently you need a hammer to put a tee in the ground and there was a 100% chance that thing was snapping.

Overall an ok game, +16 and 37 points, but that was with 1 point in the first 3 holes! Also managed a blob and a 1-pointer on the back 9 too, but 2 birdies and some number of pars helped. The second birdie was nice, hit a really crisp clean wedge that just hopped and stopped, even as during the back 9 the greens were clearly drying out already and starting to firm up.

Crazy golf at times though, on the 10th I topped my 2 iron off the tee, barely carried 15 yards, ended up 206 yards (downhill, obviously). Then on the 14th I hit a lovely 5 iron that went 207 yards, almost into the water, I usually hit 5 wood there but that was definitely making the water, I do not hit my 5 iron even close to 200 yards normally

Got a busy week ahead too, potentially 36 holes Sunday if I go crazy (comp at my local but playing Bristol in the AM, might do 36 if I can find someone to play with), Monday and Tuesday at the Vale Resort near Cardiff, then over the East Sussex National on the Wednesday for my nephews late birthday present, then up to St. Ives in Cambridgeshire for Friday at a Team Titleist event.

The latter I'm gonna be that weirdo turning up to a team titleist even with just 1 titleist club... Might get lynched

 

[stephenb]

Got a busy week ahead too, potentially 36 holes Sunday if I go crazy (comp at my local but playing Bristol in the AM, might do 36 if I can find someone to play with), Monday and Tuesday at the Vale Resort near Cardiff, then over the East Sussex National on the Wednesday for my nephews late birthday present, then up to St. Ives in Cambridgeshire for Friday at a Team Titleist event.

Passing through my neck of the woods (south West Sussex)? Can offer you a game on Thursday if you really want to max out

 

[SKILL]

Passing through my neck of the woods (south West Sussex)? Can offer you a game on Thursday if you really want to max out

Thanks for the offer but think I have to pass this time, my nephew gets his GCSE results on the Thursday so either celebrations or commiserations, apparently this is super important when your 16, he doesn't know yet they're meaningless in a year or two Plus I'd probably die from too much golf

I'm over that way pretty regularly though, I grew up and my mum/sister/nephews still live in Crowborough so over there quite often If you're south West Sussex if I've got a fun car I do like taking the A272 rather than the boring motorway so may pass by pretty close!

 

[TheCSSDoctor]

We are heading south for the weekend, travelling down to the daughter tomorrow, then golf on Saturday (Broome Manor Golf) for a family relative golf day, then back home on Sunday

Hoping the weather isn't going to be too hot, but not holding my breath lol

 

[SKILL]

We are heading south for the weekend, travelling down to the daughter tomorrow, then golf on Saturday (Broome Manor Golf) for a family relative golf day, then back home on Sunday

Hoping the weather isn't going to be too hot, but not holding my breath lol

Oooh, near me!

Not supposed to be too bad on Saturday, still high-20's but not the 35c it is today/tomorrow

Have you played Broome Manor before? I've only played there 3 times now I think, it gets a lot of hate it seems from some around here but it's not 'that' bad... Prepare for everything to roll out an insane amount

 

[JustBen]

Played 9 this evening... Bogey, bogey, double, double then par'd the remaining holes. Funny old game, I get 9 shots on the front 9 so a little under HCP.

Presidents day at the weekend, I've nr'd a good few medals so just need to keep it in play.

Today I hit my longest drive, 310 yards, think it carried about 250 then hit a bit of a path after the bridge and took a big bounce forward, every little helps eh

 

[TheCSSDoctor]

Oooh, near me!

Not supposed to be too bad on Saturday, still high-20's but not the 35c it is today/tomorrow

Have you played Broome Manor before? I've only played there 3 times now I think, it gets a lot of hate it seems from some around here but it's not 'that' bad... Prepare for everything to roll out an insane amount

No, never played there before as we are up north so it will be new to us

It is a charity day so not going to be too fussed about my score, but everywhere is running out a lot up here as well - I went something like driver, wedge on a 430yd par 4 the other day, then almost drove a few 330-350yd par 4 holes on Wednesday evening due to how firm everything is

 

[JustBen]

Played presidents comp today so a busy field resulting in a long 5 hour round ....
After playing **** yesterday I set of with a 270ish yard drive from no where and had a short wedge shot into the green which I shanked, first in a while walked away with a double. Then played well until I tried going for the green a little far out to go for par which cost me a treble as I was out right in the long rough. Was 3 of a t on a par 4 and managed a 5 on the next which I was really happy with.
Onto a long par 5 (577 I think) drive was a little right and landed unplayable in the only bush in site. Finished front 9 11 over playing of 18, second half was full of really good drives until the last in which a 5 on a par 4 would have got me nett 0 par.. Drive cleared a big hill great but unfortunately rolled left between trees, I had a small gap and wanted par so went to get through the trees instead of diagnol right to safety... Hit the first tree left me in a nice lie so again went for the flag made good contact caught a branch and rolled into the front of the bunker. I had to try hitting with my feet out , 2nd attempt out I got it out and it rolled back in, 4 attempts later then a long out for a 9. Soooo lesson from today just play it blooming safe and I would have been below par or just admit defeat and take the penalty drop out of the bunker declaring it unplayable.

Putting was good, driving was good, iron play was good, wedges were *****.
Finished net 76

I wasn't the worst today as one of the chaps drove of home after 9

 

[booyaka]

Nothing to write home about today.

Was generally ok - lovely birdie on the tough into wind 12. Driver and a beauty of a 6 iron to 2 feet.

15th tee shot (par 5) is my current problem - just tight, need to hit it straight as anything cutting is potentially lost. I've struggled all year with it.... tried driver, 3w etc - Lost 2 balls off it today. Literally the only hole I loose a ball these days. Took 9 today and then a silly 8 at the last - brain had switched off at that point.

Need to work something out for that tee shot on 15..... Might be 7 iron one of these days....