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The Year That Was 2015
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To continue the theme:
Highlight of my year. A birdie on our SI 2 after knocking down my drive 70 yards, hitting a peach with my 3h, wind assisted on a dry links, then chipping in from 60 yards. The hole is 420 total. I'll leave the maths to the non-believers
Haven't played much of late so will do my review when I get a few more rounds in.0 -
My highlights
My main golfing highlight came without me even having a golf club in my hand. Winning the Connacht title for the Senior Cup as Athlone Captain was an incredible journey and then getting to represent the club as Captain for the All Irelands was even better. We pushed eventual champions Maynooth all the way but it was an incredible run. Really hope I get the chance to Captain again for next year.
My lowlights
Sadly the rest of my golf was a lowlight. I suffered a few fairly serious health issues during the summer that seriously impacted my ability to play well. In the end I was going out just to play and with failing health could manage no more than 12 holes before getting too tired to go on... Accumulated a lot of 0.1's that way, but t'was great just to be able to play. Thankfully my health issues are almost behind me now.
Your goals you achieved or failed
Didnt achieve my own golfing goals, but getting either the Barton Shield or Senior Cup team to the Connacht final was a goal. Being able to get it further than that was a dream come true
Your great shots
My best shot of the year was in the Junior cup and it was a 10 foot putt, up the hill, with a twist. It was a good putt, but it was the significance of it that made it my best shot. I go into a bit more detail below
Your best day on the course(as a player)
I had been dropped from the Junior Cup squad due to the aforementioned illnesses but after we just scraped through qualifying, I assured the team captain that i was fit to play and gnashing at the bit to get out there and kick some ass. He still didnt want to pick me though and only after he consulted with some other golfers in the club and the guy that I replaced did he change his mind and draft me in. The logic being that if you have someone who's played off 5 for 10 years, you probably should play them if they are available. I got a buddy of mine who plays off +3 to caddy for me and he was invaluable.
I asked to be put out near the back and I was out last. Anchorman. I won my first match in the morning 5&4. I played sublime for the 14 holes. 1 over par. I proved my point. Captain still wasnt sure about me and asked me was I still fit to play and I assured him I was. Out last again, I was playing against a fella who used to play off 1 and only hit irons off the tee.
I was 2 down after 9 and looking like going 3 down after 10. I hit my t shot into the front right bunker on the 9th with my opponent on the green in reg. I hit an absolutely sublime bunker shot to an inch and from there I went on a mini run winning holes 11,12 and 13 to go 1 up. That bunker shot absolutely ignited my round. He won the 14th but I won the 15th to go back to 1 up. Playing the 16th hole I was in control all the way along. Split the middle of the fairway with my tee shot. Hit my second 10 yards short of the green and hit a nice chip to 10 feet away. A 5 looked like a guaranteed half. My playing partner hit a good drive, but hit his second shot into the bunker right of the green. He just got the ball out and from 70 feet and off the green, he holed his putt. it was never going anywhere else.
All of a sudden, my likely par putt for a win, was now a putt for a half and to make sure I was going to remain 1-up playing the 17th. It was one of the few putts all day I didnt ask my caddy to measure for me. I knew the line. Ball outside right and firm. I hit it lovely and ball went straight in the centre of the cup. I was fist pumping with a foot still to go. Adrenaline was immense. There was a large crowd around the 17th green, from where you can see the 16th green and there was a great cheer. (People thought I had won the hole though, lol).
A par was good enough to win the 17th hole and win my match. Walking off the 17th green, my opponents caddy turned to my caddy and said : " I'm so glad your fella made that putt on 16. There's no way he would have deserved to lose that hole or the match the way he played."
My opponents caddy used to play off scratch, so that gave me a real good boost as well.
As a player, far an away my best day on the course this year
Your plans and goals for 2016.
Would love to be asked to manage the Senior Cup and Barton Shield teams again. I've got some unfinished business with it. Namely winning the All-Ireland. I'd always back us to do well and think we have a great chance again. We'll have almost the same squad and have some good players coming through, so a great chance to advance. Would love another bite at the Junior Cup too, though will need to get my handicap back to 5, lol
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My highlights
My main golfing highlight came without me even having a golf club in my hand. Winning the Connacht title for the Senior Cup as Athlone Captain was an incredible journey and then getting to represent the club as Captain for the All Irelands was even better. We pushed eventual champions Maynooth all the way but it was an incredible run. Really hope I get the chance to Captain again for next year.
My lowlights
Sadly the rest of my golf was a lowlight. I suffered a few fairly serious health issues during the summer that seriously impacted my ability to play well. In the end I was going out just to play and with failing health coul manage no more than 12 holes before getting too tired to go on... Accumulated a lot of 0.1's that way, but t'was great just to be able to play. Thankfully my health issues are almost behind me now.
Your goals you achieved or failed
Didnt achieve my own golfing goals, but getting either the Barton Shield or Senior Cup team to the Connacht final was a goal. Being able to get it further than that was a dream come true
Your great shots
My best shot of the year was in the Junior cup and it was a 10 foot putt, up the hill, with a twist. It was a good putt, but it was the significance of it that made it my best shot. I go into a bit more detail below
Your best day on the course(as a player)
I had been dropped from the Junior Cup squad due to the aforementioned illnesses but after we just scraped through qualifying, I assured the team captain that i was fit to play and gnashing at the bit to get out there and kick some ass. He still didnt want to pick me though and only after he consulted with some other golfers in the club and the guy that I replaced did he change his mind and draft me in. The logic being that if you have someone who's played off 5 for 10 years, you probably should play them if they are available. I got a buddy of mine who plays off +3 to caddy for me and he was invaluable.
I asked to be put out near the back and I was out last. Anchorman. I won my first match in the morning 5&4. I played sublime for the 14 holes. 1 over par. I proved my point. Captain still wasnt sure about me and asked me was I still fit to play and I assured him I was. Out last again, I was playing against a fella who used to play off 1 and only hit irons off the tee.
I was 2 down after 9 and looking like going 3 down after 10. I hit my t shot into the front right bunker on the 9th with my opponent on the green in reg. I hit an absolutely sublime bunker shot to an inch and from there I went on a mini run winning holes 11,12 and 13 to go 1 up. That bunker shot absolutely ignited my round. He won the 14th but I won the 15th to go back to 1 up. Playing the 16th hole I was in control all the way along. Split the middle of the fairway with my tee shot. Hit my second 10 yards short of the green and hit a nice chip to 10 feet away. A 5 looked like a guaranteed half. My playing partner hit a good drive, but hit his second shot into the bunker right of the green. He just got the ball out and from 70 feet and off the green, he holed his putt. it was never going anywhere else.
All of a sudden, my likely par putt for a win, was now a putt for a half and to make sure I was going to remain 1-up playing the 17th. It was one of the few putts all day I didnt ask my caddy to measure for me. I knew the line. Ball outside right and firm. I hit it lovely and ball went straight in the centre of the cup. I was fist pumping with a foot still to go. Adrenaline was immense. There was a large crowd around the 17th green, from where you can see the 16th green and there was a great cheer. (People thought I had won the hole though, lol).
A par was good enough to win the 17th hole and win my match. Walking off the 17th green, my opponents caddy turned to my caddy and said : " I'm so glad your fella made that putt on 16. There's no way he would have deserved to lose that hole or the match the way he played."
My opponents caddy used to play off scratch, so that gave me a real good boost as well.
As a player, far an away my best day on the course this year
Your plans and goals for 2016.
Would love to be asked to manage the Senior Cup and Barton Shield teams again. I've got some unfinished business with it. Namely winning the All-Ireland. I'd always back us to do well and think we have a great chance again. We'll have almost the same squad and have some good players coming through, so a great chance to advance. Would love another bite at the Junior Cup too, though will need to get my handicap back to 5, lol
Thanks Rik, love this post. Without knowing you or the finer details it reminds me of all the things I love about golf. Hope your Health keeps improving and when your inevitably asked to manage your senior cup/barton shields you get over the final hurdle next year. Best of luck.0 -
So my golfing year of 2015 is summerised as follows
Your highlights
Had some really good golf days this year both in club and society. Highlight has to be the Junior Cup overall but especially the district quarter finals.
We were playing Carlow in Portarlington and I was up against a woman who had played off 7 but had drifted out to 10 in last couple of years. This was only my second ever club match, first was 4 years ago in 1st round of challange cup and I was playing off 35 😂😂
Myself and one of team mate love to play a few holes to warm up rather than listen to women natter over tea and scones in clubhouse. So we started warmup on the 3rd a par 3, I hit 2 7i shanks into the trees about 30yards off tea box, bogied next 2 holes then on last practice hole something in my swing just clicked!!
So as I stood on the 1st tee I was quietly confident and had no real nerves (great to be young), bombed a drive down left centre, perfect, 5i into wind to 5 ft and sank the birdie, if I was confident on tee box I was buzzing after the putt. 4 up through 5 and she pulled one back on 5, matched each other over next few holes and I was 5 up after 13 and won hole and match with a birdie on 14 (6&4) I was ecstatic, last game out and we won 3&2, great feeling, some buzz!!
I couldn't do a thing wrong all day, added up score after for the 14holes and including gimmes I was only +4
Another highlight is that I was never down in a Junior cup match even though I played 5 matches.
Also I was hugely honoured to be picked ahead of 2 lower handicappers from 2nd match on.
low lights
Had a few of these this year
1) loosing junior cup district final to the eventual winners. I was 4 up after 4, big swing on 9 after my birdie putt to go 5 up lipped out rolled a nice distance away and putt back lipped as well so instead of being 5 up after 9 I was only 3 up. She won next 3 holes and I lost my head, and halved the next after I copped on and cooled down a bit. So here we were on 15 lying a/s I felt I had thrown it away, she was riding hight after pulling it back, I dove down middle and she found water, great I though here's my chance to turn momentum back to me. She had just taken her penalty drop 100yards back from my drive on a par 4 when we heard a roar from up ahead, they had won 3 of the first 4 matches and I was gutted. Turned around only to spot my mam and dad and uncle in crowd, a few tears wear shed
at least we can say we got bet by champions
2) Loosing the society captains prize on county back and missing out on Seve's amazing prize, anyone who stayed around in cork knew how I dealt with the loss (athlone99 helped by ordering whiskey
)
3) Not getting to single figures, spent too much of the early part of the summer putting too much pressure on myself and getting frustrated, once I relaxed, stop giving out to myself and playing one shot at a time I dropped a shot and a half!
4) society outing to Naas! (Less said about this the better )
Your goals you achieved or failed
1) Lowest handicap ever but not single figures
2) No round in the 70's except last Saturday but it was perfered lies in fairway and semi so doesn't count
3) only one round without a scratch
Your great shots
Driver was good all year, kept me in play 99% of time.
The shot that stands out as one of the best for me was and the East of Ireland mixed foursomes in the Smurfitt course. Playing with +1 golfer and he left me with 190m to flag on par 5 but had to carry at least 180m over 2 bits of water or lay up.....after a bit of deliperation I went against his wise judgement to lay up because I had my new custom fit 3wood and loved it. Stood up and caught it sweet out of the centre looked good all the way and we were both doing a Spieth on it and talking the ball to the hole, it landed and looked great about 6ft away but pin high, when we got to green we couldn't believe it, 1.5ft max for a tap in eagle!! Brilliant.
worst
The thin shanks I had going on for a couple weeks early in season and again 2 weeks ago!
Your best day on the course
Couple stand out:
4/5 Junior cup games
2nd in both mr. captains and Mr. Pres prize to ladies. And under par rounds in all ladies majors.
Played good golf in Carton and Fota too in society
your worst
Hands down my worst round of golf, not just this year but ever has to be the 15pts I scored in Naas with society!! Thin shanks with every wedge if I didn't make green in regulation I wasn't going to score! Was the most disheartening round of golf ever, almost felt like packing it in altogether!
Your plans and goals for 2016.
Get to single figures
1)Play junior cup and senior cup
2)Win a major in club
3)Shoot 77 (+4) around home course
4) Practise short game for at least 2 hours ever week from 1st April to 1st October
Jaysus that feels good to say 0 -
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TRIGGER WARNING This post contains the S-word.
In summary, had been cut to 6 by June and was playing well and heading for further cuts. On the 7th hole of a comp I was +1 gross, enjoying myself and out of the blue...... shanked it.
I haven't stopped shanking since 
Game fell to pieces. Great drive, just a wedge left in and ... shank, walk away with a double. Rinse and repeat. The precision with which I could hit a small dot on the hosel was astonishing, far smaller than a blade's sweet spot. Almost shaken them now, have a better swing for it too with all the work I did to shake it. But I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. The only experience I have ever had that stopped me enjoying golf. Just playing badly would have been a dream compared with it
Your plans and goals for 2016.
Outplay the field with my new handicap. No SHA$$'s........0 -
TRIGGER WARNING This post contains the S-word.In summary, had been cut to 6 by June and was playing well and heading for further cuts. On the 7th hole of a comp I was +1 gross, enjoying myself and out of the blue...... shanked it. I haven't stopped shanking since Game fell to pieces. Great drive, just a wedge left in and ... shank, walk away with a double. Rinse and repeat. The precision with which I could hit a small dot on the hosel was astonishing, far smaller than a blade's sweet spot. Almost shaken them now, have a better swing for it too with all the work I did to shake it. But I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. The only experience I have ever had that stopped me enjoying golf. Just playing badly would have been a dream compared with it
Your plans and goals for 2016.
Outplay the field with my new handicap. No SHA$$'s........Went through them myself for about 4 months, 15 years ago. Shanked every club in my bag except the 8 iron and the putter. It got so bad, that I was only bringing the 8 iron and putter with me. In the end, I put weight on my heels, lined up the club off the toe and just made sure to keep my head down. Combination of all 3 did the job.0 -
TRIGGER WARNING This post contains the S-word.
In summary, had been cut to 6 by June and was playing well and heading for further cuts. On the 7th hole of a comp I was +1 gross, enjoying myself and out of the blue...... shanked it. I haven't stopped shanking since Game fell to pieces. Great drive, just a wedge left in and ... shank, walk away with a double. Rinse and repeat. The precision with which I could hit a small dot on the hosel was astonishing, far smaller than a blade's sweet spot. Almost shaken them now, have a better swing for it too with all the work I did to shake it. But I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. The only experience I have ever had that stopped me enjoying golf. Just playing badly would have been a dream compared with it
Your plans and goals for 2016.
Outplay the field with my new handicap. No SHA$$'s........
Went through a bad spell of them earlier this year and a similar spell last year, soul destroying stuff. Have put in a good deal of work over the past two years so hoping for a great 2016, it's sure due:Dr_Colossus wrote: »Your highlights or low lights
Lowlight was going through a horrendous spell of the shanks through Apr and May that has left a lot of scarring.
Your great shots your worst
Worst included the countless shanks hit throughout the year, what made them worse is that I was driving the ball quite well during this period so they were often from the middle of the fairway into severe trouble. One particular bad one was during Jimmy Bruen foursomes club qualifiers where after a great drive from my playing partner down the middle I proceeded to shank a 6 iron into heavy rough where he had no shot at all.
.0 -
RoadRunner wrote: »
Failed Goals:
Did not join a course
Last minute update just in before the end of the year! 0 -
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