Pierce Purcell 2014

the lawman · 14-05-2014 12:34PM #1

I'm playing Co. Meath GC for Rathcore on Saturday. Its my first year playing and it seems bloody difficult to qualify for the Sunday. Best 4 out of 22 clubs to make it out of Saturday.

We’re out with Co. Longford GC at 13:20 and I’m looking forward to it.

Anyone else playing this at the weekend?

GreeBo · 14-05-2014 01:11PM

Play conservative golf, you don't need to beat your partners, pick a target score 87 say, create a plan and sick to it regardless.
Qualifying is the hardest part, too many people take themselves out of contention with an 8 or 9 somewhere along the way.

Enjoy, it's good craic and great for your golf, if you let it be.

Rikand · 14-05-2014 01:13PM

Best of luck with it.

Also cups and shields thread for more information and maybe more people talking about it

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057115307/7/#post90366975

the lawman · 14-05-2014 01:16PM

GreeBo wrote: »

Play conservative golf, you don't need to beat your partners, pick a target score 87 say, create a plan and sick to it regardless.
Qualifying is the hardest part, too many people take themselves out of contention with an 8 or 9 somewhere along the way.

Enjoy, it's good craic and great for your golf, if you let it be.

Good advice GreeBo. I'm gonna get chatting with my partner about that. he tends to be a bit gungho.

millerj · 14-05-2014 01:16PM

GreeBo wrote: »

Play conservative golf, you don't need to beat your partners, pick a target score 87 say, create a plan and sick to it regardless.
Qualifying is the hardest part, too many people take themselves out of contention with an 8 or 9 somewhere along the way.

Enjoy, it's good craic and great for your golf, if you let it be.

I don't understand what you mean here. You have to beat your direct opponents, ie your playing partners or has the format changed in the last couple of years to strokeplay?

the lawman · 14-05-2014 01:18PM

millerj wrote: »

I don't understand what you mean here. You have to beat your direct opponents, ie your playing partners or has the format changed in the last couple of years to strokeplay?

Strokeplay on the first day and matchplay if you make the second round. Top 4 out of 22 qualify on the Saturday.

Rikand · 14-05-2014 01:22PM

Leinster is strokeplay to start. Connacht is matchplay from the start, if you're thinking of that?

Loire · 14-05-2014 01:32PM

Out walking the course one evening the club pro comes across a usually Steady Eddie playing erratic golf. After a good drive he would take out his putter and hit the ball 10 yards ahead into the rough and from there would hit a sweet iron onto the green. His first putt would be good but he would slap the next putt 5 feet past. Perplexed he approaced Eddie and asks what he's up to.....

"Practicing for the Pierce Purcell" says Eddie

As someone who has represented my last club twice at PP level I think it's OK for me to post the above.

From my experience:

It's a nerve wracking experience. You'll hit good shots and bad shots, but probably more bad than good.
Get on well would your partner...we got on very well and had one rule - no saying "sorry" for any bad shot
Lag every putt over 6 feet unless you need it to halve a match

Conservative golf IS what it's all about.

millerj · 14-05-2014 01:42PM

Rikand wrote: »

Leinster is strokeplay to start. Connacht is matchplay from the start, if you're thinking of that?

Thanks for that. Never knew this as had only ever played in the Munster area. Presumably just down to the amount of clubs in Leinster and a quicker way to cull numbers?

Rikand · 14-05-2014 01:49PM

millerj wrote: »

Thanks for that. Never knew this as had only ever played in the Munster area. Presumably just down to the amount of clubs in Leinster and a quicker way to cull numbers?

that's the reason I'd say. Connacht might have 40-50 clubs. Split into 4 zones(east,south,west and north) that's 10 teams in straight matchplay knockout, wouldn't take too long to do and they started Saturday last.

Leinster 150 clubs.... Take a lot longer I'd say, probably have 5/6 zones too, would take forever in just matchplay, plus its a massive commitment for amateurs to be making

Sean_pop · 14-05-2014 03:48PM

If 4 of your 5 groups shoot a combined total of +40 or +50 you should qualify. Its all about keeping the ball in play. Play bogey golf and try get your pars/birdies on the par 3 and par 5. the weather is to be good for the weekend so enjoy it.

the lawman · 14-05-2014 03:52PM

Been speaking with my partner today and we are gonna be following all the advice in here. Aiming for 12 over so bogey golf everywhere and try make pars on the high index holes. No bunkers, no water and no forest.

Sean_pop · 14-05-2014 03:53PM

the lawman wrote: »

Been speaking with my partner today and we are gonna be following all the advice in here. Aiming for 12 over so bogey golf everywhere and try make pars on the high index holes. No bunkers, no water and no forest.

If only Golf was that easy. Good luck!!!

slingerz · 14-05-2014 04:11PM

This is gas, pierce purcell for us is saturday week and we havent even picked our team not to mind partners. Not even talk of a practice round even some evening to check things out!

SnowDrifts · 14-05-2014 04:13PM

the lawman wrote: »

Been speaking with my partner today and we are gonna be following all the advice in here. Aiming for 12 over so bogey golf everywhere and try make pars on the high index holes. No bunkers, no water and no forest.

Aiming for 12 over! :eek: That would probably be a PP record. My advice... don't waste your time thinking about round target scores. Play each hole as it is and play conservative golf. Just keep the ball in play and try stay away from danger ( i.e. don't take on in 2 a par 5 green surrounded by water).

Every single team will have disaster holes so keep the head up when it happens to you.

darraghjm · 14-05-2014 05:10PM

here's the results from last year,
http://www.gui.ie/leinster/championships/results/pierce-purcell-at-abbeyleix
leinster provisional section was in ardee last year
353 was the 4th score that quailified which is 3 88's and a 89 off the top of my head I think Ardee is a par 71 so that would be 3 17overs and a 18over, so 12over is a bit of a stretch
I played in it before and I seem to remember the plan was pretty much bogey every hole and try to pick up 1 or 2 par's along the way.
Co meath is nice course, bit of strange start with the par 3 followed by 2 par 5's, its a tight enough track probably not driver off every tee as its not overly long

cjfitz · 14-05-2014 05:15PM

We (Castleisland) are playing Kanturk on the new course in Ballybunion on saturday wk. We have practice in ballyb this sat. It is my first year playing. I get on well with the guy that I have been matched with in practice and we have won 3 trials on our own course 3 up for 12 holes in 2 matches and 3 up for 6 holes in the other. We haven't had more than 8 players any night at trials so hopefully a few more turn up at the weekend.

millerj · 14-05-2014 05:37PM

cjfitz wrote: »

We (Castleisland) are playing Kanturk on the new course in Ballybunion on saturday wk. We have practice in ballyb this sat. It is my first year playing. I get on well with the guy that I have been matched with in practice and we have won 3 trials on our own course 3 up for 12 holes in 2 matches and 3 up for 6 holes in the other. We haven't had more than 8 players any night at trials so hopefully a few more turn up at the weekend.

A tough draw playing Kanturk I would think

cjfitz · 14-05-2014 05:48PM

millerj wrote: »

A tough draw playing Kanturk I would think

I have no idea tbh. Think getting drawn against a links club would be worse but maybe not

Me boombastic · 14-05-2014 05:55PM

Hopefully we get good weather in Ballybunion. Were playin out practice there Monday.

cjfitz · 14-05-2014 05:58PM

Ya with a bit of luck. Have only played the new course once so am looking forward to getting a practice round on it.

the lawman · 14-05-2014 08:30PM

darraghjm wrote: »

here's the results from last year,
http://www.gui.ie/leinster/championships/results/pierce-purcell-at-abbeyleix
leinster provisional section was in ardee last year
353 was the 4th score that quailified which is 3 88's and a 89 off the top of my head I think Ardee is a par 71 so that would be 3 17overs and a 18over, so 12over is a bit of a stretch
I played in it before and I seem to remember the plan was pretty much bogey every hole and try to pick up 1 or 2 par's along the way.
Co meath is nice course, bit of strange start with the par 3 followed by 2 par 5's, its a tight enough track probably not driver off every tee as its not overly long

Thanks for that (and Snow).

I only said 12 as that's been my handicap for so long I just always try to hit that on strokes comps.

Yeah gonna aim for maybe 15 over and chat with my partner about it.

Russman · 14-05-2014 08:40PM

No need to set numerical "targets" as such. The real key is keeping the car crashes off the card as far as possible. You're pretty much bound to get a couple of pars at least so if you limit the doubles, you're in business. Take your medicine if in trouble, don't turn a 5/6 into 8/9. Chipping out sideways is only one shot more on the hole, so do that and then play the hole as you would if ye're drive had been there in the first place. IMHO the most important shot in strokeplay PP is the 50 yard pitch from trouble back into the fairway, its almost never used.

Ben1977 · 14-05-2014 10:32PM

have played on the PP team over the last 4 years. I really enjoy the comp. I've found that if you get on with your playing partner and there is respect then its easier to shoot a good score. With my different partners we've scored 87, 90, 83 and 101.
Its a totally different game when you qualify for the second day. On some holes play for the bogey. Four teams of +15 to +18 will qualify everytime. If your one of the later teams out, bring loads of food and fuel up. One of the years it was a 5 1/2 hour round, probably due to the late start.

Jazzzman · 15-05-2014 10:41AM

5 and a half hours??

that's really bad form

GreeBo · 15-05-2014 11:01AM

Russman wrote: »

No need to set numerical "targets" as such. The real key is keeping the car crashes off the card as far as possible. You're pretty much bound to get a couple of pars at least so if you limit the doubles, you're in business. Take your medicine if in trouble, don't turn a 5/6 into 8/9. Chipping out sideways is only one shot more on the hole, so do that and then play the hole as you would if ye're drive had been there in the first place. IMHO the most important shot in strokeplay PP is the 50 yard pitch from trouble back into the fairway, its almost never used.

Agree with what you say but I do think targets are important on each hole.
If you wait to see what happens then you can get tempted into going for things you shouldnt.
I always set a target of a bogey on each hole and played for it. As you say you will get loads of pars ad hopefully avoid any large numbers. Not having a target/plan often leads to thoughts of "sure this is a great drive, would be crazy to not go for it from here, its only a 4i...)

Ben1977 · 18-05-2014 01:42PM

So lawman how did you enjoy your PP strokes round?

the lawman · 18-05-2014 04:55PM

Ben1977 wrote: »

So lawman how did you enjoy your PP strokes round?

Very enjoyable Ben. We finished 5th out of 22 in the end so just missed out. We played well and it's so true how conservative you have to be. All about bogey golf really. We were going well up until 8th when we had double, double and then triple.

What helped a lot was our club vice captain walked front 9 with us and kept us ticking over. That helps.

I was full of butterflies on the first with all the crowd!

All in all it was a great day and Co. Meath GC did a great job running it so hats off to them.

Anyone know how the Matchplay finished today actually?

The Premier Man · 18-05-2014 06:35PM

Callan qualified in 3rd hosting theres and then bet kilkenny in semi 3-2 and castlecomer in the final they won 3 early.finalists last year looking strong again

phkk · 18-05-2014 10:04PM

The Premier Man wrote: »

Callan qualified in 3rd hosting theres and then bet kilkenny in semi 3-2 and castlecomer in the final they won 3 early.finalists last year looking strong again

Great win for Callan today Premier Man, were you playing? Anybody know who won in Gowran Park?

The Premier Man · 18-05-2014 11:44PM

phkk wrote: »

Great win for Callan today Premier Man, were you playing? Anybody know who won in Gowran Park?

no wasn't there,but was talking to one of the lads who was playing.he said the last match of the semi vs kk was nerve wracking.were you at it?

Pierce Purcell 2014

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