Random Golf Thoughts

I wouldn't recommend getting swing advice from here. Noting against the good folk on here, but without seeing or knowing you're swing and set up, there could be numerous factors to why your swing is bottoming out early. Best advice would be a quick session with a local pro.

From my own perspective, if I'm having a poor ball striking day with my irons. Ill just reset, take that extra bit of time with my set up, and ill put an bit more weight onto my lead leg to help me get that feel required for the wight transfer.

I played 9 yesterday evening when the course was quiet. Pretty much every chip I did I got wrong (bladed, awful connection, etc.). As it was quiet I hit a second ball after messing up the first and took the 'just hit it' approach and they were all miles better than my first, not perfect but not mistakes. It could be lack of pressure on a practice shot or it could be just overthinking the first. I'm going to try this going forward. I find it also works for putts once I have my line.

Read a piece a year or two ago. Basically it said that there are usually 2 types of chipping people, internal focussed and external focussed.

Internal people chip better when then concentrate on a move they're doing or their technique (eg brush the grass as you swing through the ball).

External people chip better when they're focussed on a target for example (eg I want to land the ball in a certain spot, etc...)

The idea suggested was to go out to the practice green and hit 10-20 chips using each method.

Then review your results and it should give you a bit of a picture around whether you're a better internal or external focussed player.

Maybe an experiment worth playing around with overthe winter

Done this myself and it is a very good shot to have in the bag
I like it for short running shots with like a 9 iron and just think of it like a putt

Anyone tried hovering the golf club just a touch when hitting irons ?. Saw it mentioned somewhere and tried it the other day when strike was off and worked well for a few shots. Interesting.

A narrower stance should see better hip rotation

Played it once and can't remember tons about it. Think it's generous enough off the tee, but gets narrow in spots and has some tricky slopes greens

It’s a narrow long course with some greens that are easy to miss in the wrong spot. They’re usually fast but this time of year they shouldn’t be an issue. The trees are almost a hazard in their own right as they’re quite dense so sideways or back can be the only option if you’re unlucky.Probably be playing blue+red nine as the yellow is used less often.

Blue. 1st is a par5. keep right side, either stay short of the bunker or if your long enough you can turn it around the corner and down the hill. The green is tiered back to front so if the flag is back try not to leave it on the front or it’s a very long putt.

2nd is a par4. Narrows and if you’re too far right you will be blocked out. Too far left is red stakes where tightens.

3rd par5. Keep centre or left or centre off the tee, hole basically has a chicane on the middle of it.

4th and 5th pretty straightforward.

6th can take it over the edge of the right trees if your long enough leaving 60-80yds in. The shot from the bottom of the hill isn’t ideal if you can’t do try to get it on the shelf

7,8 straight forward

9th if you take it too close to the right without enough length you can be blocked out. Just right of centre should give a shot at the green in two.

Red is pretty much straight forward, the 7th/16th slopes heavily front to back , aim front or middle of the green if a back flag depending on how firm they are

There’s a range right beside the first tee and two putting greens and a bunker,chipping green

Was cleaning the clubs before putting them away for the winter and noticed quite a few nicks in them.

Has anyone tried to buff out these marks themselves, whats the best approach? I have srixon forged fwiw, not sure if there's plating etc underneath

Ahnn good info….

Don't put them away for winter, which leads to not giving them a good clean, which leads to not noticing the few nicks. Problem solved!

Grange Castle are probably a course that fluked their timing.

They had massive plans. Were going to expand to 27 holes, build a hotel on site and a big new clubhouse.

Funding and start was delayed, then the post Celtic Tiger crash kicked in and the whole plan was shelved.

You can see some of the holes from the course that were started but never finished.