How did you score in your last round? - 2023
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I got to play the Sunday comp in Corballis at the weekend. There was a desperate wind out there, only 2 people broke 36 points on the day. Still though, my 22 points is hard to defend 😞
I am wondering slightly if I need to change my mindset on the course. I have always been thinking bogies are fine and really it's mostly a case of avoiding the triples. A few doubles for 1 point aren't going to wreck your card, whereas you need a fair few pars to offset a triple / scratch. But now I've only 10 shots there from the whites, so on 8 holes the doubles are zero pointers. And I was sort of thinking that I don't need to go looking for pars really, if I'm playing half decent I'll get half a dozen at least. Whereas now with half a dozen and the rest bogies I'll have 34 points. Which is a fine score but not really what you should be aiming for. I am aware that after a round with 6 double and 2 triples and a scratch I'm thinking about whether or not I need more pars as opposed to how to get rid of those high scores, but it's more a general thought. I've never really thought about whether or not I need more pars before, but if I want to ever have a good score on Corballis I probably do need to think about it. However, I can't think of anything particularly different I should be doing on the course to achieve that. I wonder if changing my mindset about what I'm aiming for on the holes will alter how I play them even if I don't try to do anything different. I'm thinking about when I have an eagle putt - I'm far more likely to par the hole than I am birdie it. Even though I'm trying to do nothing different, the chances of me leaving myself 10 feet short or going 10 feet long with my putt go through the roof.
Also, I wonder should I just try to forget a good score there. My best ever round there was over 3 years ago and is my only score differential better than my current handicap. And if I shot that in the morning it would leave me with 35 points.
I didn't actually feel like I played all that bad on Sunday. I was a bit unlucky to lose a couple of balls, I had a couple of silly three putts and a chunked chip on the first which is never a good way to start. As regards really bad swings - I'd only really pick out the 5th a 6th holes as ones where I hit terrible shots. And undoubtedly, playing into the wind completely put me off on those holes. I was lucky to find one out of 4 tees shots on those two holes.
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You are a long hitter Bluenote.
You don't need to flog your ball around Corballis. You need to golf your ball. Start there and you will see improvement in your score.
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Reading various guys who talk golf management and improvement and the one they often come back to us...
The biggest difference between the low guys and the mid handicap guys is not that they make lots more birdies, they don't, its that they do a much better job of avoiding doubles or worse.
Going by arccos data
Scratch averages 2.2 birdies per round and 0.7 doubles or worse
15 handicap averages 0.5 birdies per round and 4.5 doubles or worse
So from your end, yes, you need to be focussed on dropping the big numbers, that's where you'll see the biggest gains
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Played the qualifier for the four ball match play last week. Silly time to do it really, placing was lifted a week later and the greens had just been punched and sanded. Top 32 got in
Combined handicap of 9 and shot 42 which we thought was decent considering the greens, finished 35th 😂 can’t complain too much, one team off 1 shot 6 under and didn’t qualify.
Then played the first counting comp of the year on the Championship course. Lovely warm day but very windy at times and still the odd mud ball in the rough but otherwise really good condition.
It was an open and got joined with two visitors, genuinely don’t think one of them ever played in a competition before, easily 25 golf balls lost in 9 holes so it wasn’t ideal setting.
8 over after eight holes,birdied 9 to get back to 7 over, played the back nine 2 over with a birdie on 17 to finish 9 over for 37pts. Very happy considering I really wasn’t nailing the irons most of the time and first time off the white tees in a few months.
Back down to 9.3
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Played a foursomes stroke comp a couple of weeks back. Unusual as the club typically doesn't ever feature a foursomes format on Sundays. Inter club committee suggestion and glad it was done. Got to play with a potential team partner and we turned in a nett +4. We played another team pairing and won the "match" on 16 but then went +3 on final two holes. The putting line discussions were brilliant and generally we approach the game very similar. Although he's 8 shots lower than me, very obvious on consistency, irons and short game. The only other thing of note is that skipping shots and multiple holes without putts in a match will take getting used to.
Last weekend back to the usual stableford off whites. Lots of sand and maintenance work that week week. This meant placing and non counting. My chipping and pitching has disappeared entirely. Drove quite well tbh but my lack of short game bled strokes everywhere. Irons were decent and hit a peach 8i 160yds to 3ft on 18 for closing birdie. Also birdied 9 with driver, 54d to 4ft from 75yds. I must like walking to the clubhouse 🤣. Ended with 24 points and 5x scratches. Tbf there's 6+ duffed chips and 2 occasions I picked up in frustration rather than realise I had had a putt for 1pt.
Short game woes are consitently chunks and it's clearly a set up issue. I'll try to grind it out in the practice area this week but a lesson is on the cards. First time I had this much trouble since I started playing.
Driver and irons are where I need to be. Full to partial wedges ok but the short game is as above. Putting is much improved since last year. Reading lines better and a couple of Rotella audiobooks have made me very relaxed over the ball. Away this weekend and a break is probably no harm.
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All of my best rounds have 3x or more double bogeys featuring in low 80s. Correct that and I'm a single digit golfer.
It's way easier to tidy up a few sloppy holes than manufacture 2-3 birdies. It's always a combo of decisions/execution that compound errors, loose short game and a couple of 3 putts. My best 9-12 holes in a round are not far off a guy who's cap is 5 shots lower.
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Well I'm certainly not thinking about birdies. Or even changing strategy on the course to look for more pars - I'm more just thinking about mindset. Currently, I think of a bogey as a net par, a par as a shot gained and a double bogey as a shot dropped. And I'd love to see data on how I perform based on how many shots I've taken to that point. Without question my putting when I have an eagle putt.... is terrible. I reckon I'm about 50/50 to three putt them, with leaving my first one about 12 feet short being the most common problem. And I suspect this runs through my game, if I'm on a green in regulation I reckon my putting is worse than if I'm on putting for par. And if I've left myself somewhere from the tee where I should comfortably be getting down for par I reckon that's the time I'm most likely to duff / blade a pitch. Of course, it could just be that I notice those ones more because they're far more annoying. There's nothing worse than leaving yourself 80m to the green and then duffing a pitch. But currently I'm probably thinking that this is great, an opportunity to pick up a shot if I'm pitching on from 80m to give myself a birdie putt. Whereas I should probably be thinking this is normal, nothing special here.
Without doubt keeping the big scores off the card has to be front and centre in your mind. If you can't it's very difficult to come in with a good score. But in terms of targets, I've always thought of half a dozen as a solid number of pars in a round. On a really good day I might get 8 or 9. Keeping double bogeys to one in a round would be fantastic. And if I did that with 6 pars that would leave me with 33 points. With 9 pars 36 points. So if I'm going to get my handicap moving in the right direction, I probably need to be aiming a bit higher.
As I say, I can't think of any real strategy change. I could aim for the middle of the greens on some of the holes where I'd more likely play for the front (and away from the real trouble), but I'm happy enough on those to leave myself long two putts for pars instead of risking a lost ball in the rough around the green, or a hack out that would be fairly random.
For all I read about easy ways to come down - everything seems like magic bullet fixes. When in reality, for the vast majority of people the thing holding them back is their swing. For me, it's duffing and blading occasional shots - these can costs 1-2 shots each. Hitting the ground before a chip - that's another shot gone. Hitting a putt 6 or more feet short or long - that's another shot gone. A big dirty slice / pull on a drive - 1-2 shots. Pulling an iron long and left - 1-2 shots. The only thing there that arguably can be fixed with a change in strategy is the driver, but even there there's an argument both ways for taking the driver out or not. You have to figure out which side of the equation is bigger between the gains you make by being further up the fairway minus the losses from lost drives / drives in to the trees, etc vs the gains you lose out on by taking a shorter club from the tee plus the losses from hitting your safe club into trouble. Sometimes you're better off hitting a 5 iron from the tee and sometimes the right thing for you is to grip and rip that driver.
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I had a pierce purcell practice round with my partner and we shot +6 gross for 16 holes. We were very happy with that and both our games compliment one another despite both being polar opposites in how we approach shots but it seems to work! Our general consensus is to play our own game and only offer advice or suggestions when its asked for. That stops us from taking on something we aren't normally comfortable with.
That was followed by singles stableford and I had a great start, level par thru 6, scratched 7 and finished with 2 bogeys on the front 9 for 20 points. In typical fashion, I lost the feel of my driver on the back 9 causing me a lot of trouble and hitting out sideways on most holes to get back in play and limped home with a very scrappy 15 on the back 9.
Keeping consistency with my driver is the focus for now, everything else is in reasonable shape. If I drive well, I score well. It gives me a certain level of confidence playing out the hole knowing I've done the hard work to get me there.
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Looking at your post and stepping back a moment. We're at a similar level, where it comes back to consistency and on-course decisions. I played hurling most of my life until recently. The only way to improve consistency was rep after rep of touch and striking. The same applies to golf.
- Irons: practice will improve consistency.
- Driver: As above.
- Short game: as above but also with the caveat of playing lower tariff shots where possible (chip on with PW rather than lobbing your 60 unnecessarily).
- Putting: Nothing but reps here. A lesson may help but generally, it's all about feel and repetition. I try to hit loads of 4-5 footers and do a little lag/pace putting. Commit on a line even if uncertain, try to start it on the line and have a feel of the pace needed. Let the ball go and do it again.
- Lessons: were of HUGE value to fix fundamental technique problems, especially irons and short game.
- On-course: I aim to play the percentages and accept bad stuff will happen to us all. Some courses are treacherous if you're 5 yards off the fairway or green. Super-conservative golf may be needed at times even if it's not that sexy. No matter how well the driver is going, it's often not the optimal play. Attack the safe pins and aim for safe misses if pins are too risky.
Golf is about scoring. Safely leaving a 150 approach rather than pushing to get a 110 approach. I'd imagine we both have a slightly better average from 110 without question. But how often do we lose a stroke by being in trouble from pushing it too much with the previous shot?
Yes I have a goal of being in single figures and breaking 70. However, in each round, I only think of the goals of no doubles, no penalties and no 3 putts. This means trying to check the ego at times but also staying focused to try to salvage a bogey/par when I'm inevitably finding trouble. Also, the best advice I got recently was to ignore the score (good or bad to that point) and just focus on making the best shot possible for the situation you're in. Easier said than done at times.
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I played with you just the once but I can still remember the sound of the ball when you hit it. Serious striker of a ball. My comments back then might still ring through, you hit the ball very high and very long for each club. I would suggest that a course like corballis where the landing areas are so small and the wind is so punishing, that is going to be very expensive if you can't lower that flight. Potentially a low spinning golf ball would help - Titleist AVX
the short game is just practice - if you are knocking putts that far past then its probably just reps on the greens themselves you need to develop. Perhaps a different putter with a soft face to develop that touch?
Either way I think once you crack it you will kill it, the ball striking alone you should be a mid single figure handicapper
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Been a long time since posting in this thread. Achilles injury meant that last year was a write off in terms of any decent scores and handicap drifted fairly quickly as a result.
But it's nice to have a decent score to post. 43 points off 15 yesterday. And it was a case of leaving quite a few points out there.
Was 1 over through 10 and an unfortunate lost ball on 11 killed the momentum slightly. Nothing drastic but it was scratched hole and turned par golf into bogey golf with 5/7 remaining holes bogeyed. All 5 were as a result of a poor chip or missed short putt. Frustrating end but extremely happy to have gotten a decent round in. A bit embarrassed to say it could have easily been better.
The HC system is a joke but I'm hoping to quickly get down once we're counting again.
The "what ifs" didn't last long once I heard there was 49 points in. Course was playing easy and I actually know the guy with 49, relatively new to golf and his HC was right at the end of last season, but he has come on leaps and bounds over winter.
14 months on from the achilles and I was still hobbling after the round. Wouldn't wish it on anyone. But it's getting stronger by the week so the excitement for the year ahead is growing.
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Won second round of our club matchplay on Saturday 3UP
Did it take some resilience to do so. I suffer from herniated disc - L5S1, it flares up a few times per year and usually means a few days on my back but I can play golf no problem within a week. Anyways, I had 3 shots on my opponent, I am off 7 and he was off 4. He won the 1st hole with a par, I won second hold with a par. I had a shot on the 3rd and hit middle of the green with my approach shot so I was 1 up playing 4 which we halved.
5th hole I get a good tee shot off and an approach just short of the green. Walking up to my ball, POP, back went, full spasm, up and down, couldn't bend over. My opponent hit his ball up to the green which meant I was away. I told him I was in trouble and he was very nice, said to take time.. I nearly walked off. I chipped the ball just to see if I could move. Decent chip to a couple of feet which won the hole.
Said to myself, two holes up, this might go away, See if you can hit one onto the par 3 6th. Made a swing with just arms moving, barely a half swing with a 9 iron. Up to front of the green. Opponent missed way left. I got up and down somehow. 3UP
Another punt down the fairway and a wind assisted approach meant I got a half. He takes the 8th with a tee shot to 2 feet. On the 9th I get up and down from no mans land, actually able to swing the club at this stage through stretching and generous latherings of deep heat.
10th tee I said, give this a full swing, if its painful then you have to quit. It was actually fine, made a par for half. Missed a tiddler on 11 for a win, won 12 with a birdie to go back to 3 up. He wins 13 and 14, I take 15 due to his sloppy play. We halve 16 where i needed a shot and 17 laying dormie I hit a great tee shot to 10 feet. No Idea how I won that
I have been lying on my back ever since, its freeing up a bit. Should be okay in a day or two :)
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I was disappointed to miss out on playing in the boards society on Saturday but I was asked to represent the club in the Pierce Purcell and I really didn't want to turn down the opportunity. Unfortunately I'd been away for 2 weeks prior to this and hadn't touched a ball, it also meant no opportunity for any practice rounds but I was playing at home so not as big a deal. I got out early to the driving range to get a good warm up and was striking the ball surprisingly well. Got to the clubhouse nice and early too, a lot of putting practice to get a feel for the greens. There were a bit quicker than the last time I was out which I actually really like, felt like the distance control was much easier. All good so far.
We were the first match out and I was driving on the odd holes so meant hitting the first tee shot for us. Our opponents had the honor as the visiting team and they put a solid ball down the fairway, not the longest but good position. I was very nervous and the adrenaline was pumping. Our first hole is a par 5 a bit downhill and dog leg to the left but was downwind on the day too. I pumped the best drive I ever hit over the corner cutting the dog leg and carried it a solid 290 yards, middle of the fairway to 150 marker. Absolutely delighted with myself walking off the tee knowing there was an audience watching. Unfortunately we actually managed to loose that hole due to a knocked down second shot and poor short game by my partner but his nerves settled down quickly and from the 4th onwards we started to motor. We ended up winning 6&4 playing very consistent golf and thankfully the club won the overall tie 3v2. The foursomes is quite an interesting format but I really enjoyed the challenge.
Post edited by token56 on1 -
little in golf more satisfying than winning an inter-clubs match
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Played Pierce for the first time on Sunday. Out on the anchor but still a crowd on the First Tee. My baby fade/slice deserted me as I watch my ball drift left towards OOB. Partner played a provisional but we found mine and dug out a half. They played some excellent golf and where level trough 5 which put us 4 down. Won 6 only for me to pull my 5I right on par3 7 to go 4 down again. Got it back to 2 at the turn. Both missed 6 footers for wins on 10 & 11 we won 12 and 3 putt on 13 cost us again to level the match. Called a shore halfway up 14 as we had 3 matches won. Still think we would have got the win. Really enjoyed the format and looking forward to the next round if I hold my place on the team.
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Fair play willabur! I don't know how you won like that, once I get a sniff of an excuse my game will fall apart.
I existed the club matchplay last week. My opponent had no chance, I can't think of any way he'd have lost that match. I actually started okayish on the first 6 holes - I went long on the first and lost a ball, but that can happen. Par 2nd to win, lost 3rd to a par, tied 4th (neither of us deserved a point on it), won 5th with a par and then lost 6 to a par. So 1 down after 6, but striking it okay, so I'm optimistic. Then I shanked one on the 7th to another fairway. Lost that hole. Lost to a birdie on 8, but I had a par so it wasn't too bad. I duffed my tee shot on 9, lost it. Won 10 with a par. I hit the green on 11 from the tee, but then found my first which I had shanked. Lost that hole. I hit a sweet drive on 12, left myself about a nine iron into the green (par 5). Then I found my first which I had sliced. I took an unplayable, and then shanked that. Lost that hole. Thinned my wedge on 13, lost that. That left me 5 down with 5 to play. So I shanked the next tee shot onto the beach and that was essentially the match over.
Fair play to the lad I played with, he was really nice. Under awkward circumstances! It's hard to play with someone doing what I was doing out there. So we played 18 and went in. I creamed a drive just left of the fairway. Pitched to about 4 feet and holed the putt. It's a funny game.
On reflection, I'm wondering if I just started standing too close to the ball. I've adjusted my setup recently and it's probably something as simple as me overdoing a change and standing too close to the ball. I didn't feel like I was swinging it terribly, so I suspect that's all there was to it.
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It's very often something minor that causes catastrophic results. In matchplay, you don't the opportunity to reset and find your groove by being more conservative than you would playing your weekend stableford
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Had 33 points off 12 today. First counting comp of the year for me. No placing was announced early in the week but after a big Saturday of rain it was mudballs galore and plenty of plugging. Placing on fairway probably should have been allowed but hardly the end of the world.
Mixed bag but very happy overall. Wiped one drive off the planet but scraped a point on the 2nd ball. Had 4 mini brainfarts of various sources but can't complain tbf. Irons were the highlight. Sneaks into my top 8 but not enough for a cut.
Had 1x triple and 3x doubles. Need to remove them from my scores as they are the big killers of otherwise very solid golf imo. Short game practice to continue. Couple of practice matches coming up to look forward to.
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Finally broke 90 today for the first time.
I started playing golf maybe a year and a half ago. Struggled to break 100 for a while and then when I finally did, the scores hovered around high 90's since then, and occasionally dropping back above 100 again.
Things seemed to be going in the wrong direction and I've been getting very frustrated with it. I've been a 28 handicap since the beginning and it's pretty embarrassing telling people that when they ask. A lesson is badly needed.
But today I went out and had a different attitude and approach to the game which seems to have helped.
Driver, which is normally an automatic slice, has been improving lately and behaved well today. Everything was long and, more importantly, in play.
Irons and wedges were about the best they've ever been. There were a few poor decisions and the odd duffed chip that cost me, but overall I was very happy.
Hole of the day for me was the index 4, 12th hole. Plays 360 from the yellows. Hit a good drive down the middle, leaving me 96 yards to the pin. I stuck my approach to about 2 inches. Very nearly my first eagle but I'll happily take the kick in birdie.
Overall I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Only thing is I played with a friend who has no GUI so I cant submit it for handicap purposes.
Finished up with 3 pars, 2 birdies, 9 bogies, and 4 doubles for an 87. Very steady golf for me.
Post edited by El Guapo! on12 -
Well played and congrats on breaking 90, you absolutely smashed it!
Breaking 90 is a very satisfying milestone. You can definitely go out and do that again.
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Won the first round of the club Matchplay last night. Wasn't holding out much hope as aside from a couple of good 9 hole scores in January my golf has been dire. Last 4 or 5 rounds all taken on the same pattern. Driving & Putting been good to great. But everything in between absolutely dire. Constantly finding myself in the middle of the fairway 120 yards out with a wedge in hand and then proceed to duff it.
Last night suddenly managed to start connecting with my irons, Was 4up after 14 and he conceded as 14 is right back beside the clubhouse. Was giving him 5 shots, we only played 4 of the holes he had a shot on in the end but I managed to halve all of them with Pars which was the difference.
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The 37pts/9 over got me second place in the last competition, was hoping for a top 10 so was delighted with it.
I played with Bettystown for the second time after playing it a few years ago. Wind was really up and not knowing the course ( it was 5 years ago i played it) plenty of good shots were hit to the wrong places. A lot busier this time aswell and I have to say I found it a bit claustrophobic at times with groups on either side. Maybe I'd enjoy it more with a member but can't say it would have me going back anytime soon,I think Baltray just has me spoiled. 32pts/14 over and not overly unhappy with it considering the day it was.
No competition on this morning so put in a counting round on the Old Course off the backs. And back they were, maybe 4ft of room left on most tee boxes so played about as long as it can. Greens are close but still not quite there and actually had a few plugged balls, very little roll if it was had. Off the tee was fine,irons below average and very good from inside 100. Left two in the jaws to save par's and another birdie putt I still can't understand how it didn't drop. Still, new PB of 75 for 3 over
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Great shooting Dan..you've turned yourself into a serious golfer over the years ...Great stuff...
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Played Ardee for the first time and really enjoyed it. Shot 90, 38 points. Really happy with that on a course I'd not played before.
Triple bogey on the first mainly due to me being an idiot. The bunkers were out of play so when I hit a fairway bunker with my drive I dropped it giving myself nowhere to put my feet so I was a couple of feet down in the bunker trying to hit it into the green, half shanked it and then thinned my chip over the other side of the green. I'd three more doubles on the front 9. However, I shot 7 bogies and 2 pars on the back 9 after that ropey start. Finishing with a fairly long putt which is always satisfying.
After a disjointed 2022 I finally got to my 2022 handicap goal of 18. Hoping to break 90 in most rounds now but I've been there before!
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Played the same day if that was Monday, pity about the heavy rain they got, the greens just weren't rolling as true as they should but honestly thought the bunkers with a bit of a rake would've been fine. Also you get to take nearest point of full relief then 1 club length no nearer the hole once the bunkers are GUR.
Shot 83 that should've been a 79. Not one to usually complain about putts not dropping but 4 really good puts didn't drop that left me scratching my head. Rolled back into the hazard on 13 and donned the jacket to get up and down for par albeit a very muddy one. Otherwise a good day out, weather was fantastic
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Played 18 hole comp on Sunday. Finished with 36 points (off 12) - which isn't bad, but, I hit 9 greens in reg and on all the other holes I was putting for par. I had seven 3 putts. Seven! And I didn't get up and down once.
6 weeks ago I shot +1 in a 12 hole comp and followed it up with a +2 the following week.
Since then I have lost absolutely all touch and feel around and on the greens. It's driving me mad because I've never hit the ball as well as I am right now and traditionally the best part of my game has been my putting and chipping. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong all of a sudden but I'm pulling and pushing putts and under/over hitting them from everywhere and anywhere. Really really disheartening. Hoping to get to 10 or under this summer but I just can't see myself managing that if I don't get things sorted around the green fairly lively.
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We had our first major comp yesterday, strokeplay off the back tees. Finished with 84 off 13, so a -1 nett, which was good for T5. I'll be out in the 2nd last group for the final round this weekend and 3 off the leader.
Had decent prep during the last week with a few short game/putting sessions. Unfortunately, I arrived at the pro shop 2 mins before teeing off and didn't even get a practice putt in. We got a rescue cat the day before and she wrecked the gaff. Had to clean up before racing off to the course. Maybe that's good enough prep 😂.
Had a very good start, scrambled in two solid pars. Was +2 through 5 and got stuck in the worst bunker in the course. My wedge drop-kicked off concrete into the face essentially. There was sand under it the next time (1 foot away from the "concrete"), but I blasted through the green in frustration. Managed to get up/down and make what was a good double.
Then the fun stuff starts. Ripped a brilliant drive on the index 1 long par 4 into the wind. Left me 210 into the teeth on a slight downslope hollow. Took the extra club in my 7w but topped it, then chunked my 7i, then chunked my SW short. Made a long 2 putt for double and moved on to 8. Topped another tee shot, pushed my 7i right and almost blocked out. Thankfully I got over the trees and pin high but made a long 2 putt for a respectable bogey. Not content with the last two holes, I topped 9 with my driver before thumping a 7w 220 up the hill to the edge of the green. Chipped and 2 putted for another bogey which I was glad to take. I joked to the lads on 8 that I might as well head home at the turn.
Back 9 clicked and the pressure was off somewhat but I was determined to get a few pars. On 10 I scrambled from a wayward tee shot to make a solid bogey. 11 I ripped a solid drive and the wind pushed my approach right of the green. However, I chipped in a snaking double breaker for birdie which I wasn't expecting at all. Par 3 12th I hit the green and had a simple tap in par. 13 another topped drive (seeing a pattern here folks?). Layed up to full wedge distance with my 7i and tugged my GW well left. Disaster mud ball on a steep, slippy muddy bank. I debated putting here but a strawy clump of grass meant it wasn't an option. Couldn't make contact and chunked it forward 3ft. Thankfully chip/putted for double but very frustrated. 14 I tugged my drive left, punched under trees to leave 135 downhill and downwind. A solid PW went a fair bit longer than expected but I drained another unexpected birdie with putt from the fringe to neutralize some of the damage. Tugged the tee shot on the following par 3. Couldn't get up/down and took bogey. Good drive into the wind on 16, solid 2nd and gave a nice full wedge number. Elected GW instead of PW which left me short and a long putt that ended up being 3 stabs for bogey.
17th into wind, hit a great drive and pured a 7i onto an elevated green. Almost holed a rare birdie here but tapped in before my marker told me I was probably going to make next week. I had stopped paying attention early on the back 9 tbh. Pushed my drive wide on 18. Cut a high 9i back over trees but it floated under another to leave no clear approach/punch as the green has a small moat. Elected to attack with hooked low PW and around the branches. Hit it on the money and it banana'd in low before skipping through and up a bank into basically compost in a roped area on a downslope. It should be GUR but there were no markings or notes on the comp sheet so I nudged a 9i down the slope and couldn't make the 6ft return for par (first putt I underhit all day).
Putting was really good, threatening the hole quite often and I'm proud of my progress recently. Scrambling was decent too and ultimately what kept me in the round. So many basic errors off the tee and chunks were disheartening BUT I still equalled my best score off our back tees. I bogeyed 3/4 of the Par 5s inc 2x 3 putts when I had a GIR. It's clear there's been progress in my overall game and I feel I have a real shout for next week to post a 79 or 80 (no pressure at all 😂). Strokeplay off the back tees for a major is just a different game and I love the challenge. Another cut, this time 0.4 gone from my index to bring me to 11.1.
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Played the final round yesterday and had a complete mare in all honesty. I got bumped into the final group as two guys were unable to play so I started T2 and 2 off the lead. It was exciting to be in that situation for the first time and I was really up for it.
My drive on the first flew off the face and almost ran too long despite being slightly into a breeze. The ball was really traveling in the heat and ground was beginning to firm up a little. Landed in a divot in the middle of the fairway. Gouged a SW through it and it carried more than I expected again. Couldn't get my putts up/down and took a bogey of no real damage. On the long par 3 2nd I got greedy when facing fully into the breeze and came up short-sided in a bunker 6ft+ below the green. Got to hold on to the far side of the green and 2 putted for bogey.
A solid drive on 3 travelled along on the optimal line, leaving a PW approach that pitched 4ft short of the pin. However a slight downslope meant it spun back to the front of the green. Lagged up close and tapped in for par. Pushed my drive wide on 4, and punched back to the fairway. Chunked my approach well short and right but nearly jarred my 50yd pitch before tapping in for a great par. On the 5th pushed my tee shot long and right leaving a nasty downhill short sided recovery from the roguh. Standard chip either runs a mile past or gets stuck in the rough. Went high and caught it perfect but got an unlucky massive kick forward. Thankfully 2 putted for bogey. Hit a perfect 3i on 6 to leave 102 flag and a full SW in. One groove low meant it flew the green and then the fun starts. Flubbed my recovery from the rough, then thinned a standard chip through the green into the bunker. Same concrete bunker from last week but I got out first time and 2 putted for a triple. It left me scratching my head tbh. Pushed my drive wide on 7. Wedged back to the fairway but chunked a standard wedge shot short, chunked a chip and 2 putted for double. Tee shot on 8 was a big snap hook into trees when I was just trying to hit a smooth safe drive. Tripled 8 and it featured a chip that thinned through the green. 9 was a solid long drive but slightly pushed, duffed a wedge short into the bunker but couldn't make the up/down for par.
At this point it's worth noting that the leader had a 10 on par 3 5th and declared his round over on 8 as N/R (6 shots in a bunker). The other guy who I started T2 with wasn't exactly burning it up either and +2 for his hc. He'd kind of resigned himself to earlier groups going lower and need 3 or 4 shots clawed back to have a chance. It relieved the pressure for him and he just tried to enjoy his golf at that point. Likewise for myself even further back and we both felt quite bad for the other guy who was leading.
Super drive on 10 but could take advantage before doubling. Also doubled 11, before 3x bogeys on the trot to finally fist pump celebrate a par save from the sand on the last par 3. Doubled 16 before making a great drive/approach count for a double. Put a snowman down for 18 having found a lot of foliage plus water and was glad the round was over. The guy in our group managed two birdies on the back 9 and pulled back to par for his hc. Much to his surprise later that evening, he ended up winning by 6 shots overall! There were two guys who had -1 rounds but they were miles back, he was the sole player on par. Everyone else really struggled in the conditions and looks like they threw in the towel.
While I was happy walking off the course that the round was over, I can't hide the fact that I was bitterly disappointed to be completely honest. My practice was good during the week, I was confident with my short game, putting and swing. 100% I threw in the towel after I had the triple-double-triple stretch on the front 9. Had I not, there probably still was a decent shout for 2nd or 3rd overall. I wouldn't have known that obviously but it's still an important lesson learned.
Nerves weren't really an issue here, felt a healthy amount of pressure and adrenaline. Probably the main thing I need to work on is re-setting fully after a setback (or collection of them😂). Last week I did a much better job of this. It won't be the last time I have a blow-up and I'm trying not to over analyse things. We all have bad days and thankfully there's next week with another round of golf to play.
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Hole in one today... might retire now
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Out in the second round of club matchplay. Actually played pretty well and somehow it was over by the 13th.
Was giving him 15 shots and he was the best 28 handicapper I have ever seen, every drive 200-220 straight down the middle. I only won one hole all day and that was a birdie on the 7th. I played the stretch from Hole 7 - Hole 13 in +1 Gross and went from 3down to 6down in that stretch of holes. Did everything I could but just wasn't to be, if it had have been Stableford I had 27 points after 13 holes and he would have had 35 points.
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