Carlow Scratch cup

gorfield

Anybody else heading up to carlow at the weekend?? the forecast is good so hopefully its in good shape up there!!

mag

am off to roscommon for the connaught mid-amateur myself. best of luck to those heading to carlow.

Paulusmaximus

just seen this thread now after posting in the scratch cup threads. 6 of us from my club are heading down. I've been away on holiday for two weeks and haven't hit a ball in over 3 weeks so hopefully with a little bit of practise tomorrow i might be able to avoid 4 .1's!!!!

I've never actually played Carlow so i'm lookign forward to the 4 rounds irrespective...and possibly a few pints on saturday night....

PhilipMarlowe

Best of luck to anyone from here playing in Carlow over the weekend.
Played it a few times this year and it's a beautiful track... so natural.
Some brilliant par 4's, particularly on the back 9.
Take a 360 degree look around at the back of the 12th green... I love the 14th, 15th & 16th.
Paul, far be it from me to give you advice but most of it is out in front of you...
First is a strong par 4, water left of the green.
2nd is a short par 4, leave yourself 90 yards or so after your tee shot.
don't go past the pin on 4, the green slopes severely from back to front.
The 5th is a left to right par 5 that may be on in two from a good drive (on the right) though you can't see the green over a crest... safe enough to have a go.
Drive left side on the 7th because the landing area slopes left to right and you may kick off into trees...
10th is short par 4 with water right that you can't really see off the tee so hit an (4?) iron left leaving a flick over the water to the green.
12th doesn't need a long drive... huge hollow front left of the green so lay back off the tee a bit. When you play the 12th take a look around and you will see the 14th and 15th greens from the back of the 12th green.
14th has a slippery upturned saucer green, hard to stay on from a long approach... don't bite too much off the dogleg from the tee because there is gorse over the crest on the left (though you want to shave a little of the corner off because you'll kick right anyway).
Enjoy 16!
18 is a good par 5 too with a big green.

Haven't been there in a few months but it's always in good order anyway... nice dry turf.

PhilipMarlowe

Oh and at some times of the year the long rough there can be very difficult... hard to even find a ball...
If you are going for the 5th in two, once you get over the crest the ground slopes down towards the green so either take a bit less club or even if you think you are just out of range you may still be able to get home.
The only water on the course is around the 10th...
The 8th is a fun drive...
Wish I was playing there...

L.O.F.T

mag wrote: »

am off to roscommon for the connaught mid-amateur myself. best of luck to those heading to carlow.

Best of luck to you also

gorfield

Licksy.... 2nd in carlow is driver all the way!! the layup is tighter than the landing areas around the green!! Paddypower has it on their site.....might have a punt........What odds on my ccourse record being beaten??? :eek:

f22

Very surprised there aren't a few more big names playing, it's one of the more prestigous events

PhilipMarlowe

gorfield wrote: »

Licksy.... 2nd in carlow is driver all the way!! the layup is tighter than the landing areas around the green!! Paddypower has it on their site.....might have a punt........What odds on my ccourse record being beaten??? :eek:

Well Holy God Miley!
I wish I could play 'real' golf like that
Do you drive the 10th too? Or are you chicken!

gorfield

Licksy wrote: »

Well Holy God Miley!
I wish I could play 'real' golf like that
Do you drive the 10th too? Or are you chicken!

Me chicken?? no!! Not long enough.......:D jeez i HATE that
10th hole!!

Paulusmaximus

just looked at the betting and i don't even make the list... i'm disgusted!!! might still have to ring them up and get a bet on anyway... or maybe they are afraid to take a bet on me!!

thegen

Any updates on the scoring?

Benicetomonty

thegen wrote: »

Any updates on the scoring?

All I know is 155 qualified, with a couple of 156's squeezing through. A high cut considering how nice the day was, probably attributable to a fairly weak field. Not sure how today went

Paulusmaximus

Greens were like concrete, and flags in difficu;t positions so it was very difficult to get close or to get many birdies.
Thoma O'Flynn from Fota Island won with a total of +4. gorfield (+5) was 2nd, Des Morgan (+7) third and Andrew hogan (+9) 4th.

soundsham

hopefully gorefield had a few bob on himself ew

f22

soundsham wrote: »

hopefully gorefield had a few bob on himself ew

Good work gorfield, a few quid in the bank!

PhilipMarlowe

Well done to gorefield... looking forward to hearing the reports of the weekend.

Paulusmaximus

Gorfield will also testify to how hard the ground was!!... his 5 iron felt the brunt of it..and is going home in two pieces!!!....


licksy, if gorfield has any probs with this post, please delete...gorfield no offence meant....

PhilipMarlowe

How did you get on Paul... what did you think of Carlow? Take on the 2nd? Favourite hole?
Judging by the sounds of things it had a bit of a links type thing going on...

Paulusmaximus

i hadn't played golf in 4 weeks and only hit a few balls on friday evening so was far from any form. Started on the 10th and was 9 over after 7 with a couple of shanks, but managed to get it back together to shoot an 81. 2nd round didnt get off to a good start and then after a 7 on the 7th, all interest was gone when there was no chance of making the cut.

Hit driver on two, and was slightly off the fairway on the left and was under trees, so didn't really think it was the right shot. for me its rescue and wedge. I'm not long enough to really have a go at it. The course i thought was fantastic, only thing was the greens were like concrete and was extremely difficult to hold anything on them. Also, i noticed that i was getting a lot more flyers from the rough than normal. On one occasion i was 175metres out and i hit 5 iron about 25metres over the back. i'd normally only hit a 5 iron 160m.

I have to say, even though i was shattered and wasn't playing well i'd have liked another two rounds today and i'm definitely looking forward to it again next year.

gorfield

Paulusmaximus wrote: »

Gorfield will also testify to how hard the ground was!!... his 5 iron felt the brunt of it..and is going home in two pieces!!!....


licksy, if gorfield has any probs with this post, please delete...gorfield no offence meant....

Haha no i dont paul......i was a bit fiery at the time......First club ive broke since i was a boy i d say!! Id just been told i was tied for the lead:mad::mad:, then made the worst swing ive made since 1988 and felt the need to let it out!! Played great from there though!! But for 2 lip out birdies on 16 and 17 it may have been a different story!! My 2nd round cost me though, finishing on the front 9 i bogeyed 6, 7, tripled 8 and parred 9 for 75, so the damage was done there.

Benicetomonty

Anyone any idea where I'd get the full leaderboard? I played Saturday(lousily) but made the cut, before withdrawing citing exhaustion! The top 10 is up on Carlow golf club website in the results section, but would be interested to see the total results. Plus 4 was a high winning total I thought for a senior scratch. Course was very fair and weather was fabulous, on Sat anyway

PhilipMarlowe

gorfield wrote: »

Haha no i dont paul......i was a bit fiery at the time......First club ive broke since i was a boy i d say!! Id just been told i was tied for the lead:mad::mad:, then made the worst swing ive made since 1988 and felt the need to let it out!! Played great from there though!! But for 2 lip out birdies on 16 and 17 it may have been a different story!! My 2nd round cost me though, finishing on the front 9 i bogeyed 6, 7, tripled 8 and parred 9 for 75, so the damage was done there.

Ouch to that finish in round 2...
8th is a hole that looks so inviting from the tee but I haven't been able to play it properly because the tee is sheltered but obviously the ball gets affected by wind a fair bit once it's out there and plenty of trees just a little off line... that's my excuse anyway. Parred it in Barton Cup anyway when it mattered

So how did you fair on the 10th and the 2nd over the 4 rounds?

gorfield

Licksy wrote: »

Ouch to that finish in round 2...
8th is a hole that looks so inviting from the tee but I haven't been able to play it properly because the tee is sheltered but obviously the ball gets affected by wind a fair bit once it's out there and plenty of trees just a little off line... that's my excuse anyway. Parred it in Barton Cup anyway when it mattered

So how did you fair on the 10th and the 2nd over the 4 rounds?

10th- 4 pars.
2nd- hit driver 1st 3rds, 2 pars 1 birdie, last rd hit 3iron made bogey......:rolleyes:

The wind didnt affect my tee shot on 8th in 2nd round, the combo of a 40yd block with a cut attached to it added up to a rather wild one.......never seen it again!
Happy enough though after a very poor year......And picked up some money from paddy power too id also backed des morgan ew.

SWAR

gorfield wrote: »

And picked up some money from paddy power too id also backed des morgan ew.

Good bet...what price did you get him at if you don't mind me asking?

Was going to back him myself as he's a good friend of mine (not that that matters) but he also won it a few years back if I remember correctly and is usually pretty consistant.