Boards Golf Society (Round 7) Tullamore Golf Club (27th Aug 1400 hrs)

VW 1

Really enjoyed the course yesterday, parkland would be my preference over links, and Tullamore is certainly a lovely parkland course.

Had the privilege of playing with a local in Slave who was generous in his advice and pointers on where to play and where not to play. His advice was sound but it didn't mean my ball went where he said it should!

My own play was frustrating, I am well able to hit the ball but my inconsistency maddens me. Along with some fantastic drives, for example being 140m from the pin on the 14th as Slave noted previously, I hooked an 8i into the trees right of the green and finished with a 6. Some other highlights were a smashing drive on the 10th to leave 65m to the green, but again duffed a 54° into a bunker and two shots to leave me on the fringe meant a 7.

Too many 1s on the front 9 meant my race was run effectively, with 13 at the turn. Managed to get going better on the back 9 finishing with 17, had a good par to finish on the 18th. A drive to prime position and a 6i from 170m to 20ft left me with two putts for par.

Pleasure to play with Fix who has a mesmerising way of striking the ball. Swing shape and ball flight, commitment to the swing and power to boot. Real links game for sure, but great to watch.

Break80 struggled at times off the tee, but a lot of very good shots across the round, including some excellent drives. enjoyed talking with him about his golfing experiences across Ireland.

Really looking forward to Mt Juliet next month, and thanks to Fix and those involved in the background doing the organising and admin work.

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119535121#Comment_119535121

I think you're getting offended there, for the sake of offence. What I can tell you is that Snackbox20, when referring to the important people, will have meant that very literally, and will not have been slagging off anyone involved in the organisation, or participation, in the half-marathon.

So you can take your righteous indignation off with ya, and maybe try actually reading a message or knowing someone before jumping to incorrect conclusions and accusing people of behavior, or comments, that they never made in the first place.

FixdePitchmark

We are seeing the steely space competitor now.

Snackbox20

Apologies if I have caused offence and I in no way went out of the way to slag anybody or slag off anyone involved or who participated in the half marathon.

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119535121#Comment_119535121

I loved seeing the 1/2 marathon - as I arrived at the roundabout the volunteers and I had two completely different needs, but they had put in place a system for the cars to get to the club. I put the hazards on and drove on the LHS of the road as slow as I could - it all worked grand. I love athletics so gave the lads a few shouts - was amazing to see the pace. There were a few houses out giving them water - and one with a hose to spray them, that was very cool. There was a great sense of community and commitment from all. You got a sense of the community spirit in Tullamore.

It was in my head why run past the gate of a clubhouse on a Saturday - but when you seen the road , mature tree lined and a nice hill , it made sense. You could see the singlets of the Athletics clubs I might know - Tullamore - Raheny - Crusaders. The effort and intensity was something to see , from people very comfortable, to guys hitting a wall and a depth of effort and despair that is past my human comprehension. Athletics and sporting events like that, are probably one of the most uplifting for the human spirit - complete strangers giving support for each other - it is like a deeper part of the human mind and spirit - I love it. I rolled the window down and shouted - keep going - go on lad.

I guess in life there seems to be a need to do something outside of the norm - one lads hill walk is another's 1/2 marathon - one guys sea swim is another persons' cycle - one persons' rock concert is another persons' trip to an art gallery. I think the brilliant thing about a club in Ireland, is the sport or pursuit is the only common ground (maybe societies are even better). I play golf with so many different people - but there is a rich mix of backgrounds and attitudes and experiences that I can learn from. I agree on some things and fundamentally disagree with others - and that is ok. I'll still play golf and have a laugh about it all. Golf is an absolutely ridiculous sport , bizarre on so many levels. But there is nothing I have found in the world like it when it is perfect. My feeling on a golf course , perhaps when I've played well or when I can see the sea , is my special place. It is my running down that hill past the golf club - it is my crossing the line to a crowd in Tullamore.

In saying all that - a good few of these guys will end up playing golf like yourself. We need variety in golf and not people from the same background or attitudes. I love characters in golf and on teams. Are you available for a pick......

slave1

Ignore the troll folks

RoadRunner

Loved the whole day from start to finish!

Actually enjoyed the later start, lack of time-stress and lie on in the morning with time to warm up in a nearby range all positives. Family arrangements meant I didn't need to rush back home either.

Due to the unusual late start for me I actually felt very relaxed when I started the round, despite a funny feeling I was forgetting something all day. But hit a good drive down the first and realised I was all good. As I reached my drive I realised I had forgotten to put on my golf shoes before the round and was in my runners. I laughed it off and continued on my merry way.

Played great, definitely one of my best days on the course. Recent range session earlier in the week informed me that in the real world I really only need to swing at 90% off the tee for best results. So I tried that and it worked. I played mostly without too much stress and just enjoyed the round.

Standing on 16th tee I was -1 gross. One bad drive on 16 cost me heavily and I was left in an atrocious situation where it took me a number of swings to advance the ball back to fairway. I lipped out for a 6 on that hole leading to a triple bogey and an end to the chances of a par or better round, my long term goal. Funny, I hit a great provo off the tee (had to pick that one up), but hit a great approach after getting it back to fairway after a number of swings to where the provo finished, and actully hit an excellent first putt and read the break and pace correct. So I would have had tap in par, and may not have bogied the final two in response. So it would have absolutely been an under-par round (without question 😄).

I putted well on the day, minor adjustments before the round may have helped here, I'll be monitoring the change moving forwards because more research will be needed before any outlandish epiphanies can be claimed.

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" - Carl Sagan

The banter was great. I've played with each of the lads a couple of times now. Great to see charlie playing the way he really can. Well done with the win bud! Great to see bohtoffee just hit the ball. Everyone here should try watch him hit a ball. If your in close you kind of hear-feel the power. The harmonics of it or something, it reaches you soul, maybe. As the ball leaves on a laser trajectory you spend a second just glad your not a golf ball. There's a great sound around tullamore. The sound of balls reverberates through the trees like a amphitheatre on many of tee boxes. Doublecross played poorly through injury. His good shots were still great - incredibly really, but his poor shots were greater in number than than you normally see from him. In the spirit of the day of sounds that stir the sound -I promise.. you'll never hear a better practice swing "whoosh" than you get out of doublecross. He might be doing it on purpose to show off, I'm not sure. The data on his whoosh was actually measured at enniscrone last year when his swingspeed was somehow captured. Next time, get in and listen to doublecross's practice swing and then bohtoffee ball sound at impact. If you could somehow combine the two of them? 😲

Thanks to everyone, particular fix for fixing this treat for us. As usual the committee were busy as work as soon as results were handed in and food was incredible. Maybe I was just hungry, but my veggie curry was lovely.

spacecoyote

My last little story from the day...

I was inside chained to the laptop while Fix was out entertaining the troops.

Was chatting with the girl working in the bar and she says...

"So you're the one that sorted out the session with Corey are ya"

"No", I reply, "that was Fix"

"Ah right", she replies, "why are you stuck in here sorting out all the scores?"

With a grin on my face I reply with "hes the face, I'm just his secretary..."

Was met with laugh and a smile in return

boccy23

A great day out with Boards again. As my kids say now, "you're off with your virtual friends!". I say, no they are in fact real! Thanks to Captain Fix and all the various guys involved for a brilliant day. I'm probably a bit like Rory McIlroy after that one, I felt I was close all day but couldn't quite get it together. 😁 I was thinking back and one thing that became obvious about Tullamore is that all the trouble is on the right hand side of all holes. If you can control your ball flight (and know where it's going), you would score well. For me I was trying to avoid the trouble on the right and either couldn't (ball in water on 5 and in trees on right of 10) or aimed left and it stayed there ending up in timber. A hack out meant I was scrambling all too often.

The short clinic before the round was a fantastic idea and I will work on the tips Corey gave us over the coming nights in the short course area. It was great to have the chats and a bit of banter before hand as well. Lead to a very relaxed start to the day. Played with @kev_s88 @spacecoyote and @bakerbhoy which was an absolute pleasure. The first tee was like a little sanctuary of peace before the race began and not having a hoard looking meant that with less pressure, good drives were had.

I know that Space is moaning (🤣) about his low handicap and that Fix has it out for him, but he really has a velvet game. The 3W tee shots he hit were things of beauty. The bad luck around the turn probably upset more than it should but didn't prevent striping the longest drive at the time, only to have a brutal downhill lie over the hump in the middle of the 13th fairway. Summed up his day I think. I had played with Kev at Portmarnock but it was clear there is good progress being made on the game. He was super consistent. All he needs now is his beloved Jags to display that same consistency! First time playing with Baker and as always conversations are had over where Boards names come from. He has a lovely game as well. Again had very little luck. Beautiful iron shot into the long (again!!) 12th which was too big based on the small green was typical. We both felt that local knowledge was an advantage and we would know better the next time.

The course was majestic, the greens were excellent, but were very subtle and needed better skill than I had to read. The weather was like playing in Spain or somewhere with heat emanating off the turf. The lack of rain meant it was like playing a links type of iron shots a lot. Crisp strikes were well rewarded with balls that stopped quickly on the receptive greens. The facilities are second to none and the after shower was very well received. Sitting on the veranda (?) with fellow virtual friends having nice food and a good debrief was very enjoyable and probably the highlight of the day.

Again, thanks again to all involved and will see you in Kilkenny.

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119537262#Comment_119537262

I love this narrative that I do nothing that has seemed to have defined the year ( I think I came up with that rumour myself). I never let the truth get in the way of a good story 😂

charlieIRL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119537262#Comment_119537262

The society & committee would be lost without you and Seve’s hard work, it’s very much appreciated.

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119538395#Comment_119538395

We all do our bit Charlie

benny79

Any chance of goty standing's? Rumour has it I've dropped a place :(

spacecoyote

@Seve OB should be on the case I think. Tables are up to date, just need to stick it in a boards readable format

FixdePitchmark

2022 Boards Golf Society (2).pdf

Tullamore

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119538897#Comment_119538897

Swamped. Will do it in the morning

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119539484#Comment_119539484

Posted - slightly different format , but should be ok.

Manhatton

Cheers Fix and co. for another good day out. Good company, great course and nice weather. Bobster and LinoRichie had decent rounds, well done lads. Snackbox20 will shoot the lights out one of these days when he tames the putter. As for my round, I think one of Bobsters words sums it up...I made a "hames" of it.

Thanks for the golf clinic. Great idea. I could do with a week or two of it before MJ.

Nice touch from the vice captain and Boards member to wish us well.

a post punk

Only posting now and great to read the reviews as usual. We’ll done Charlie on another boards win great shooting on the day in the links like conditions!!

My playing partners Kiith, Spuddy and Rally23 was a pleasure to play the round together. Being out first together with Kiith’s great course knowledge kept a good pace to the round.

I have to say I actually loved the course not just the great greens and multiple dogleg holes that force layups but when you look up and around, those trees have been watching golfers for many years and will for many more. Definetly my highlight of the year and the reason I keep coming back to play new courses is when you find 1 like Tullamore. Charlie you are lucky to be a member here with the course and facilities it offers….. if it was an hour and 45 minutes closer I’d join tomorrow !!

Anyway onto my own day ….not the best day and not the worst but all the problems were off the tee box. We had our presidents prize the evening before and while I knew I wouldn’t get a score near winning that (49 points won!! ) I knew it would be good practice to try get back up the Leaderboard with my round Saturday. I thought my driver was good Friday night but it deserted me Saturday , so badly so that I resorted to a 5 iron off the tee to just get in play and try muster a respectable score. Tullamore demanded accuracy off the tee , I didn’t have it so that was my day in a nutshell!!

Great food and banter afterwards , seemed like the whole group was in great spirits after the round irrespective of scores ( sign of a good course and pick by the Captain)

I won’t be making the jug team this year unfortunately ….it looks like …..so I can enjoy Mount Juliet and the great weekend that is boards captains day every year.

Ill sign off with a picture of my luck / no luck tee shot on the last par 3 , 1 of many trees I took the time to inspect on Saturday 😂😂

PP

Kiith

Only getting to this now as well, mad few days. Having been a member in Tullamore, i was really looking forward to this. Had been playing some nice gold as well lately, so hoped i'd have a decent score, to try and push into the top 10. But alas, most of my round was pretty poor, and disappointed with my score. Had 5-6 putts just not dropping when you'd expect, and had far too many drives getting me in trouble (1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, 14th, 16th, and 18th all into trouble...so yeah 🤔).

However my chipping was fantastic on the day, and definitely because of the lesson before hand. Thought that was a fantastic idea, and really helped me in an area i've been struggling lately. Looking forward to seeing if it can help me on a better round.

Enjoyed it overall though. Great company in a post punk, Spuddy and Rally23. Think my Jug fight is done, but sure we'll see what happens on the final day.

benny79

What Can I say this is probably the only boards event that I went out a few weeks earlier on a scouting mission as I really needed to play well.

My group was Alanm, Kieran and new member to me anyway blue note. Alanm I think was level par for front 9 but fell apart on back 9, 2 rounds of golf in a day probably catching up with him, I'd say but think still ended up with 80 strokes! Stuff I could only dream off but always a masterclass playing with him makes the game look so easy! Kieran who I have also played with a few times. Just had not got his game unfortunately. As I know he is a very good player and last but not least blue note love meeting new members and what a game blue note has! his swing just doesnt make sense to me. Such a slow black swing but his follow through and contact is unreal! sends it.. and I mean sends it! Is tap in eagle was unreal something you would only see on tour! The big hitters have serious competition here! lol..

And then there's me 😁 what can I say I love this game so much! I'd retire in the morning if I could and play it everyday and die a happy man! I had 2 hours sleep the night before as I was on baby duties and the little boy wonder wasn't playing ball 🙄🙈 So not the best start plus I missed the short game clinic.. But dont worry I'll be sure to remind the little bugger when he's older! 😂 I am hitting my driver/woods the best I have ever hit them in my golfing career but unfortunately my Irons have deserted me! This game 😣 So turned with just 10 points had a chat with myself. I just needed something and parred the 10th there it was! challenge accepted lets go and played the black 9 in 22 points! and could of been more. One thing about tiredness you cant putt for sh!t 😂 and this been the strongest part of my game really affected me. I had about 4 or 5 3 putts and I never 3 putt. 😉

But have to say a Fantastic day as is all the boards outings!

Congrats to Charlie on a fantastic score & actually winning something on his home course 😂😂😂

See you all In MJ

doublecross

Well at least the weather was good, because my golf was sh$te. Fighting a slice at the moment, not sure if caused by injury or not (the excessive practice swings on each tee box was me trying to figure out what the hell I was doing wrong). Will find out once it heals I suppose. It wasn't helped by my putting either, couldn't get line or pace. Just one of those days.

At least I got to enjoy Roadrunner and Charlie tearing it up. The lads are usually pretty good off the tee but they were exceptional around the greens. Best I've seen RR putt. -1 on the 16th tee tells you enough. Well done to Charlie on the win, I think we'll have to give you an ESR off that handicap :)

First time playing with Bohtoffee and he really does crush the ball off the tee. Could have had a good score himself if it wasn't for the bunkers. I can see some good results in his future.

RoadRunner

Just remembered a few minor pace-of-play type issues I had in tullamore (apols to my group & lads behind!)

Issue 1: With the crazy slopes on the greens, a number of times after marking my ball I struggled to put it back in the correct spot without it trailing away a quarter or half rotation down the hill. So it took me longer than normal to replace my ball a few times. (Also what to do here - these are not accidental movements or gusts causing it!)

Issue 2: ready to hit, more than once, a wasp came over (to try to steal my wallet?) which cost time as I wasn't ready to hit until he effed off or I removed him. Anyone notice similar on the day?

The Big Easy

I've just read back through the posts a second time and very enjoyable once again. Gutted I missed out as Tullamore truly is one of Ireland's great parklands.

I took advantage of missing my own Captain's and not getting a late spot for Tullamore by painting the house, such a shame to waste such good drying weather playing golf lads! 😉 should make the staying over for Captain's/Grand Final/Fix's Finale more palatable all round 😅

Drum roll please...............

The winner of the generously sponsored Stinger Golf Post of the Outing is @blue note for his heartfelt and touching post

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119535340#Comment_119535340

Running him very close was former captain @benny79. My solidarity for you having your golf game affected by your baby son almost had me giving you the top prize! Fix assures me there is a prize of some description for you too 😀 Also as Fix said the shirts are a nice athletic fit, I thought you might be too muscular 😂

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546917#Comment_119546917

Well done everyone, so looking forward to MJ now, I'm booked in already and cleared for staying over after 😅

I'm ready to go 2 for 2 in Mount Juliet, providing Charlie has been suitably chopped 😂

FixdePitchmark

Class posts lads. Blue note , you have a lovely writing style and Ken - as you slow down and age you are improving , like a fine wine , smelly cheese or an old car.

A shirt each guys - I'm softening as the end approaches - 2 hours sleep and the kids got me. ( "I don't care about the kids" previous post I withdraw 😂)

PM us color and size from this website.

https://www.stinger.ie/

benny79

Jesus I actually won something! The tide is turning Gents 😎😂

Golfgraffix

If the ball moves after being marked it gets replaced, if it moves before being marked (picked up) it’s play as it lies

blue note

Jaybus, I didn't expect that win. I'm delighted with it though. No handicap cut associated with it I assume?

RoadRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119555538#Comment_119555538

Okay, that's what I thought. What if you can't get the ball on the exact spot when replacing the ball (about to take your putt).

For example. I'm trying to replace ball like the first case. Black dot is my marker, I line the ball up and pick up the marker. Arguments about using a line on the ball aside... when I put my ball down it continuously settles offline a centimetre or two closer to the hole (like the right side). We're only talking a centimetre, could someone say I was cheating similar to Lexi Thompson?

Fyi I eventually was able to get it to stay like the image on the left, but only after what felt like a minute of trying and I had to push the ball down into the grass slightly to get it to stay. This may be a situation the rules don't account for?

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119558396#Comment_119558396

Definitely ban the line!