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

Yupp, road is open but definitely allow more time to get to the course. It’s a narrow road down. It’s starting at 11 so the main contenders should be gone through by 1pm.

"Think I may have peaked too early"

You're early peak is plenty, work is done, well played all year, it's hard to be organising and going out to golf

Late afternoon rounds are unusual for me but with the weather we got it was well worth it.

Golf is a sport best enjoyed in the balm heat and shorts and single top, love it in current weather.

Had the pleasure of joining the current and last years Captains alongside (checks booking as doesn't remember "handle") VW1.

VW1 has an awesome swing with some serious length off the tee, not many folk will be 150y off the Index 1 14th, a wee bit more Weetabix in his putts and the score would be well improved.

Break was abandoned by the Golfing Gods, he must have been an arborist in past life as was in such an amount of trees all day, hard to put a round together when in the thick stuff so kudos for the calm presence during the round.

Was waiting to see Fix in the flesh, we read of his exploits on the hallowed links turf and indeed you can sense his game is built around windy links conditions, not many folk take a divot off a teed driver such is the shallow piercing ball flight. I'd love his punched baby draw approach from long irons too and even inside 60yds it's still a very low checked approach. Very much in contrast with whatever way my octopus falling off a cliff swing works. Ironically it was the flat stick that was not behaving on the day, such is the way things are for us amateurs.

I'd only golfed once in the previous two weeks, wasn't expecting or thinking too much about it as I've played Tullamore countless times before and at this stage know my clubs and shots for every hole (unless things go sideways), know which dog legs I can go for and which I simply lay up, I lay up on them all. My irons were very bad recently and I only figured out recently what was going wrong so I was adjusting my stance for every iron shot and played probably my best iron play in a long time resulting in 3 birdies and a good few more safe two putts although I did throw in a pair of three putts from GIR which was annoying but at this stage I accept this.

Taking the extra time on the tee (I generally play very quick in casual rounds) was welcome too as I only had to "chop out" twice and such is Tullamore that these both ended up as doubles. I'd never drove past that fairway hill on the first before so was delighted to pop over it yesterday, still bedding in a new driver but the honeymoon period is nice at the minute. The shot I need to empty from my brain was the par 3 12th apprach. I say approach as I can't hit that green with reliability so was very happy to be front left as planned with path to flag, I punched in a low 9iron into the mound at the front of the green so the ball would trickle over and come to rest near the flag, I could just picture it but the ball stalled going up the mound and rolled well off the green and left me a more difficult version of the same shot again, thankfully it worked out this time and we all played rather nifty shots in, Break from the bunker on the left, Fix from putting off the green across the ridge and VW with the most super of shots from the RHS of the green over the bunker resulting in these balls....

..and we all failed to convert, gotta love this game......

Long post alert!

Heading to my home course for the penultimate round of this years society I had all sorts of thoughts going through my head. I got a lesson with Corey a few weeks ago to sort out my erratic driving and within a few minutes he had me hitting it longer but much more consistent. I have also put a massive amount of work into my <50m game in the last few months - I spend at least 2 lunchtimes every week at the areas you all used for the short game clinic on Saturday practicing my chipping - the joys of working 4 minutes from the course. Unfortunately as both the start and finish of my game on each hole started to come together - my second shot game fell to pieces, typical isn’t it. I was on the practice range one day and thankfully Corey came over to me and yet again, with one tweak, I was nailing my 100m shots with ease. I spent a few weeks alternating between the short chips and the 70/80/90m shots until I felt a bit more comfortable with them. 

As soon as I thought it was all coming together, it fell apart and my round 2 weeks ago - I had 26 points. Last Saturday, driving the ball well, approach ok, chipping ok, I just couldn’t buy a putt and for the first time in years - I had no pars in a round and a miserable 23 points. 

I was more relaxed yesterday, got there early, bit of banter and crack and then headed off to the putting green.  Few putts and then off to the chipping green, was hitting them fairly close so confidence was growing. 

Off to the first tee with two old friends in Roadrunner and  Doublecross and my first time meeting Bohtoffee. Straight away the banter started and continued for the whole round making it very very enjoyable. Roadrunner and myself nailed our drives on the first, just to the left fringe of the fairway. We never play off the whites in Tullamore so wasn’t used to being so close to the green, was nice to approach with pw instead of a 8 iron and this was the same for the full round. Not a great third am shot and two putts for me got me going though. 

Going long on 2 is always trouble so I use a club less than the middle of the green yardage but I hit an 8 a bit too short and found the front bunker, taking two to get out and two putts annoyed me a bit but it was still a point. 

Absolutely bombed a drive on 3 - 265meters according to my gps again left me with a 100m approach, green in regulation and 2 putts for my first par. Woohoo. 

Hugged the trees on the right too much on the next resulted in my chipping out sideways, nice approach to the green, chip and 2 putts for another bogie, happy with that. 

Teeing off so far forward on the next had us thinking, this pond is drivable. I had told the lads it’s a 3 wood to the centre of the fairway but no, we’re fellas and we can take on this pond!! Unfortunately / fortunately 3 of us cleared it with ease but poor bohtoffee went swimming - he almost cleared it with his 3 wood! It’s a tough green to hit so club less, land at the front of the green, two putts and 3 points kept topping up my card. 

6th is a tough par 3 but the adrenaline was flowing so took a 7 iron only to find the rear right bunker, hit a peach of a shot out and sunk the putt- was today going to be my day??

Another decent drive on 7 but was eclipsed but Roadrunner, who also had a score going, out with the driver taking dead aim at the pond. I’ve never seen anyone clearing it and here he goes and bombs one over lading in the fringe the far side of the fairway - WOW!! Nice hybrid approach had me pin high but in the left bunker. Chip out and 2 putts for another par, where we’re all these last week?!!

The 3 lads took on the 8th with varying success, I took driver when I normally use my hybrid down to the tree to the left of the pond. Went long but through the trees which left me a handy chip to the green, 2 putts and another par! 

I like the 9th, the easiest par 3 on the course, PW pin high but left bunker, got out and 2 putts for another 2 points. I counted them up and was amazed to see 22 points, one more and I had beaten last weeks score. I need to keep this going I kept telling myself. 

Great drive on 10 but found another bunker on the left - you really can’t be left of the green here. Delicate chip didn’t make it out of the bunker so had another go and it landed on the fringe. Tapped the putt and it ran on way past the hole. Finished with a 6 which was annoying after the decent drive. 

11th was another great tee shot, lw to the green with a decent look for birdie - what did I do - damm 3 putt from nowhere for a 5. 

12 is a demon of a par 3, well for everyone except bohtoffee, peach of a tee shot to middle of the green and sank the putt, well done sir. I hate to admit it with 12, but I always play to the front fringe of the green as anything long or left is serious trouble. Hit a 7 iron to the front and thankfully it rolled and rolled up the green for me, just missed the birdie putt but got the par - my first one here in over a year!! 

On to 13 and nailed one down the middle, I thought I had caught up to the LD marker but was about 5m short. Still another nice chip to the green and another birdie putt- which I missed, but yes, another par. 

14 is my bogie hole, I just can’t play it. Drove it left but had a line out, nice chip to the middle of the fairway and I had 140m to go. Took out an 8 iron, lovely crisp hit but slightly left and seen my ball bounce left into the valley and halfway on the upslope. Standing over it I was thinking, how the hell do I get outta this one and then I though of a recent Nick Doherty’s tee time tips, shoulders parallel to the ground and just hit it! Chipped up lovely and two putts for a 6, was never as happy with a double in my life. Was this my day? 

On 15 I took a 3 wood for safety, ha ha, drove it right into the trees, chipped sideways and then absolutely bombed my 3 wood to the front of the green!! Two putts and another par - where has this gold come from? Can I bottle it and use it every week!!

Forward tees on 16 was nice, even of there are only a few meters forward, it’s nice. 253m drove left me a gap wedge in and I pulled it left just about over the stream. Chipped up but another 3 putt, but points in the bag. 

17 is another long par 3 so again, I lay up to the fringe and play up from there. 7 iron in hand, 170m to go I leave it pin high right!! I’m saying it was the dry and hard course helping me! 2 putts and a par - another hole i never score on so delighted. 

Standing on 18 I have to admit I got nervous about my score, I haven’t played this well in years. Tried to take something off my driver but pushed it right so had to chip out left to the fairway. Lovely 88m approach to the green and 2 putts for my bogie and another 2 points. I nearly got weak when I added them up. Absolutely, genuinely chuffed to bits with my score, and thinking in 2 of the bunkers, it took me 2 shots to get out and I had 3 x 3 putts, still my lowest round in years and a very decent cut in my handicap as I entered the round before I started. 

I was marking Roadrunners card and knew he had an amazing round going but it was unfortunately undone on 16. Rare bogies on 17 & 18 took from what was an amazing score. Some absolutely fantastic shots throughout his round. 

Doublecross was having a tough day with his injury, his class and effortless golf wasn’t on display yesterday but it will be back. 

Bohtoffee has some drive when he connects, as roadrunner said on numerous occasions “that sounds feckin deadly!!”

A very enjoyable day start to finish, good crack afterwards and some excellent food to round it off. 

I hope everyone enjoyed the course and clubhouse, even  now when I book my next round, I can’t wait to get over to play it and still get nervous. Well done to Fix for organising the clinic, yet another brilliant idea for this year. In my opinion, Corey is an excellent coach and has a great way of explaining what he would like you to do or what needs to be changed, he’s helped me so much this year that I have to credit him with my score yesterday. 

I know I can play good golf, I know I can be poor at times but I’ve better at accepting bad shots and moving on. Hitting my driver more consistently and the work on my short game will get me to and beyond my handicap goal, I will do it. 

See ye all in MJ, I can’t wait to go back.