How did you score in your last round? - 2020

Might be a long one, haha!

During lockdown & before competitions restarted, I was streaky and shooting great scores for 9 holes (as in some of the best 9 hole scores I've ever shot) but falling apart and scraping through the other 9. I knew there was a score coming. I was hitting the ball as well as I have ever done. Putting was terrible but with play it improved quite a lot, but the ball striking hasn't been as good since I was flushing it back in May. I just couldn't stick it all together. Then competitions restarted, but the score never really came plenty of of .1's, a few in the buffer and a couple of 36's. I did shoot one good score though, 39 points at the first boards outing back after lockdown was enough for 3rd, but unfortunately not going to get me cut I was going the wrong way and then a few weeks back I remembered last that at Christmas I had received a gift of a lesson, a clinic and a day at the academy in Carton House. A phone call had me booked in for the short games clinic on the Friday and a lesson the following week. I took a few points from each, hit the range a few times and felt a bit better.

I had drifted from about 11.7 out to 12.4 at this stage. Swing changes and thoughts are always hard to bring straight to the course so my next outing and a mere 27 points had me back out to 12.5 but I was feeling improvements and a couple of weeks ago I played a midweek team comp in Greystones and rattled off 10 pars, the game was coming back. I had 38 points off my own card, our team came 3rd. (second prize of the year) The following Saturday I kept it going in a Fourball comp, had a solid 33 points, but was improving. Unfortunately it didn't last and I struggled and fought to make 30 points on the Wednesday. Captains was the following Saturday and at this stage about the best I could hope for was to hit the buffer.

So Captains Prize last Saturday was a lot later in the year than usual, I hit a few balls at the range to loosen up & then headed to the course just in time to hit a few puts ahead if tee off at 13:45. I was playing with my dad who had arrived earlier and sorted out the check in for us. I don't play an awful lot with him and he had been out most of the year with health and was only recently back playing (but he had been part of my team a couple of weeks back when we came 3rd). The weather was rotten last Friday with a savage amount of rain falling. I was still amazed though that there was placing allowed on closely mown areas. I generally don't like placing and only do it if i really have to and think I only had to a couple of times on the day. Saturday was at least dry, but very tough windy conditions.

I had been playing a lot lately thanks to Covid and it gave me a much better feel for the golf course especially with the wind up and knowing how it was playing. I therefore knew I needed an extra club on the first and a solid strike caught the wind and ended up in the green side bunker, a decent out and 2 putts from about 20 foot for an opening bogey and 2 points. I didn't get my drive away well on the second hole into the wind and found the first cut but a good lie. I had a game plan to play for solid bogeys by playing sensible and not playing to many risk/reward shots and I felt there were enough par chances for me to turn with 19-20 points if I could keep it together. I was a long way back and between clubs for my second shot, so I decided a 4 iron might leave me just short, but it was the clever play and a nice strike came up about 5 yards short of the green, but a really weak chip left me with a long putt of about 30 feet which I pushed and hit hard about 4 foot away. Foolishly I walked up and just hit it.... and missed :mad: 3rd and the drive was pushed into the trees but long. I could chase it out low with a 3wood and left myself about 150yards to the pin. 9 iron and 2 putts for a solid bogey on the index 1. A dogleg right hugging gorse means left side of the fairway is a clever play on the 4th but it can bring its own trouble with trees, rough and a bunker. I found the first cut with a long iron off the tee but a weak approach came up a little short. A decent chip ran a little farther than I had hoped and left me with a downhill 15footer, but I nailed it for par and 3 points. A little right on the par3 5th with a wedge and just off the green but pin high left me with a stinking downhill big breaking right to left putt of maybe 30+ foot. Aiming about 10foot right of the hole I only went and drained it for the 2 and now I'm in the money and 1 up on 2's. The 6th hole has been killing me in the wind over the last few weeks and I think I've lost 2 balls on it each time I played over my last 3 games. I played a long iron off the tee and flushed it, but it didn't go really far with the wind. I didn't care, I was in play. A slightly blind 7 iron downhill came out of the centre and I was delighted when I walked down a little and saw it in the middle of the green. But a terrible putt came up 3-4 foot short, a knee trembler after missing from similar distance on the 2nd but thankfully I made it this time.

We had a little audience on the 7th tee as it shares tee box with the 1st. We missed Captain when we were starting so we had a little chat and he was talking about how tough it was playing and that we should not let it get us down and push on. Maybe there were lots of bad scores coming through but he didn't know I was 2 up at this stage. I hit a decent shot, ok but a little left on a hole which doglegs slightly to the right and now there are rocks to go over right in front of the green for me. I got to the top of the hill and no sign of the ball, oh oh! Luckily when I went over to where it should be it was in the second cut of rough as opposed to the gorse but all I could do was hack it out to the middle of the fairway. A good approach left me a good look at par from about 18 foot or so. It went close but another solid 2 putts and 2 more points. I've no shot on the 8th, I pushed it right off the tee.......FORE! maybe too long but unlikely, provisional just in case..... same line.... damn. Thankfully when I got down I was ok.... middle of the 9th fairway, about 5 yards short of the trouble and a handy wedge over the trees to the left frindge of the green, a downhill 20 footer slight break, comfortable 2 putts. The 9th is playing a lot shorter lately with trees cut down and TBH more like a long par 4 than a par 5. It was a little tougher with the wind though and even though I flushed my best drive of the day so far I decided to play a sensible layup 4 iron about 50 yards short dead centre. My playing partner was a bit short of me looking for his ball but while he found it handy enough he wasn't ready and told me to fire away. The second bad decision of the day, I should have waited, but I rushed it and hit it hard over the back of the green. A very big downhill breaking putt, read and hit so badly and while i was good for pace, it dropped off the side of the green and I did well to get it down in 2 more for bogey. So I was disappointed to turn with only 20 points, but I also knew that was a lot better than I had been scoring, so could keep pushing on and play sensibly and not have to chase things to much.

A long draw down the centre of the 10th left me holding my favourite club, a 7 iron...... which I duffed about 20 yards 9 iron now...... into the bunker an ok out but a long way from the hole, maybe 25 foot, ah here we go again..... but I drained the putt for 5 & an unlikely 2 points maybe, just maybe it could be my day. The 11th is a par 3 and I've no shot. My recent play and I know its playing long, very long. 4 iron to the middle of the green and a decent roll.....but I miss the 2 footer. Back to only 1 up. The 12th is a bit of a dilemma for me, I can drive close to the green if I absolutely flush it, but there is water, bunkers, trees.... A more gentle strike with the driver or a well struck 3 wood will find the widest part of the fairway. My long irons are good though and it's a short hole so I went 3 iron but pushed it a little right however thankfully just far enough back that I could get a 9 iron over the tree, but pushed it right again. Pin high with the flag very close to my side of the upside down saucer style green left me a very difficult chip from no more that 10 yards out of the rough, but a delicate strike finished stone dead for a tap in par and another 3 points. Pulled my drive on 13 and was lucky to see a gap to the green, but it would have to be a low punch and hope I wouldn't catch the water in front of green. I needed to take on more shots now as I knew I had already left a few out there and there was the chance of a decent score on the day. I wasn't playing to come third again! I caught it nicely, bounced short of the water, onto the green but with the pin at the front it kept going out the back door leaving me with a pacy downhill chip, which I played well, high to get it to stop, but it was never going to stop that quick. A solid 2 putt though from about 18 foot for another 2 points.

The 14th is another par 3 with no shot for me, but with the tee shot from behind trees I've been coming up short a lot lately with the wind so I took an extra club and it was good. I went straight at the back right pin over the bunker. It came up a little short and I opted to chip rather than putt. I left it about 4 foot but the putter was in the main working today and it wasn't a problem and another par. My best drive of the day came on the par5 15th, long and drawn, right down the centre. A 5 wood will probably be to much and a 3 iron might get me there in 2 but still could be long and with trouble out the back a 4 iron was the clever play. Made it close to the front of the green but it rolled back down the hill to leave me with a delicate chip of about 25 yards and I played it pin high about 10-15 foot left of the hole. Boom.... birdie The 16th is another par 3 with no shot and a hole where I've been struggling lately and with the pin in the trickiest position at the back right I played an 8 iron landed almost pin high at the centre of the green and I recall giving a little fist pump. But when I got down close I realised it had spun right back down the hill leaving me with a long 30 footer..... almost made it but it horseshoed out to leave me with a tap in par. A poor drive on 17 left me sitting nicely up in the fisrt cut, but a long way back into wind with water in front. Do I go for it? I like the hole and usually play it well despite it being index 4, but I was very far back. I was very 50:50. I'm 4 up now but felt I probably needed at least a couple more. Felt confident about the strike, it was a 5 wood, might be long though and there is a bunker out the back. Shout comes from the old man, I wouldn't be going for it..... he does this every so often and it annoys me. I'm waiting for the lads to play, thinking, overthinking...... I whip out the 9 iron and play a weak shot. Now I'm 110 out when I wanted to be a lot closer, its a 52 degree for me but the wind, I don't want to come up short and in the drink so I play a gentle wedge but it bounces hard on the green and runs into heavy rough out the back. I did well with a chip to just get it on the green and now I've a 15 footer to make.

So the 17th green is just to the left as you walk off the 14th tee. Earlier on, my dad had knocked down his tee shot on 14 and was very close to the 17th green. As I was standing in front of him about to play his second shot I was looking directly over at the 17th and saw a trolley start rolling back off the edge of the green and I started shouting the guys who looked at me...... "no, don't look at me, look at your trolley"..... but it was to late and in slow motion the trolley picked up speed and as it got to the water it did a somersault and emptied its entire contents into a deep enough stream. Once its stirred up a bit it gets very murky and hard to see, but the guys were able to dig out the trolley bag and clubs. Well most of them anyway because as I was trying to play golf and line my putt on the 17th up, my dad started mucking around at the water, so we went over to him as he was fishing more clubs out for the unlucky gent and we could se plenty more items sitting in the bottom now that the water had settled a little. I had enough and didn't need the distraction so told them to stop messing and we should move on. I went over and looked at the putt again, waited for them but wanted to play, I had a good feeling standing over it, so as soon as they gave up fishing and told me to hit I did and dully found the bottom of the cup for a really good 5.

Had an argument with my dad heading to the 18th tee over what he said when I was about to play my second shot into 17 and between that and a bit of banter being had between my playing partners and the guys on the 14th green. My head was fried. I had to step off my drive twice. Its not a difficult hole for me but it's index 12 so I've a shot. I surely need a birdie to stand a chance of winning, but at very least a par. I should have stepped off again, my worst drive of the day as I sliced it deep into trees. Of course I was more relaxed playing my provisional as I put it dead centre 100 yards out. Luckily I found the first ball though and there was a reasonable gap in the trees, I need to find the fairway but a bad execution clips a branch and drops down close to the edge of the trouble. I can chase it out up toward the green, but pull it a little and it holds up in the rough. However possibly my best chip of the day, a deft flop shot as loft is required so as not to run down the hill and I finish 3 foot below the hole.......... I miss what should be a handy putt..... :mad: double bogey.

So I finish with a single point to rack up 39 points and I feel like it is chance blown. Knew it would get me a prize, maybe class, but probably in the top 6. I didn't want that, I wanted to win so I was disappointed. No usual Captains prize banter, dinner and show afterwards this year, just a private prize giving to the winner and second place. So just a quick bit of grub after and time to head home. But whispers from good golfers and the pro shop were doing the rounds that it was really tough today and they think 37 could win....... WTF! I said nothing but rather than make the long drive home I went down to visit the sister as it 8pm now and not many playing after us. No sooner in the door than I got a call to see if I could hang around, I was leader in the clubhouse but some scores still to come in. I not only hung on, but I won well, 37 was second and only 3 others matched their handicaps on 36 points and 4 had 35. 268 played.

It is a great honour to win a Captains prize, especially when the club I've been a member of since I was a kid (31 years ago) is celebrating 125 years in existence this year. Obviously delighted that I also got to play with the old man on the day as he got me into the game all them years ago. I think he was even happier than me! He let out quite a loud shout when I drained the birdie putt on 15 and got a few heads turning from the adjoining tee box. I'm there a long time, but one gent played his 68th Captains prize last Saturday, how fantastic is that?

I'm really looking forward to seeing the name going up on a the wall and as I said to a bunch of boardsies on a golf trip during the week, I don't care now if I never win another golf prize again in my life!.... Of course that will change soon enough and I'll be heading out next week to try and win another Captains Prize in Dromoland

Well went out and played the worst golf since getting back yesterday in Druids Glen... was struggling with tightness from a few busy work days and played a few holes on Thur after being in back to back meetings all day at my standing desk at home.. Felt so tight and it followed into yesterday.

Was 16 over after 13 holes, did come in at 15 over so -1 for the last few..

Driving which is normally a solid part of my game was erratic and irons where slappy, had 2 shanks..This has been the strongest part of my game particurly longer irons of late..

Bright part was with wedges in my hand as played some lovely 50-100 yard shots and it was solid all day but also couldn't hole a putt... 10 putts from 8ft in where missed but on other side only 1 3 putt..

2 birdies all day on the 10th and 14th but so many hacks

Felt for the forst 13 holes I was sitting on my right side not able to move my weight or turn the body even though I spent a good 40 mins before trying to unravel the mess I put my body in the day before.. Not young anymore

Went away with a few boardsies during the week and played 3 games. I think someone mentioned special Olympics when it came to scoring. I was brutal.

Played again today in my own club a week on from my triumph and wasn’t expecting much. 3 putts on the first for bogey, missed a 2 footer on the third, doubled the 5th........ it wasn’t going well. I was +7 through 5 and a measly 6 points. But then had a solid par on the 6th, a poor bogey on the 7th after blading a short approach through the back but bounced back with a regulation par on the 8th and rolled a long one in for birdie on the 9th to turn with 17 points.

A good strike with the driver on 10 didn’t get the draw I needed so ran long into a bunker on the 11th and didn’t leave me with much options except splashing out and hoping I could get on in 3, which I didn’t, but I did get up and down from close range to make 5. I had a great chance for a 2 on 11 from about 10 foot but it just slipped past. Then went driver this time on 12 but my draw turned into more of a hook and I caught trees, but it dropped and left me with a nice look in and I stictched it to about 18inches for a tap in birdie. 3 wood off the tee on 13 was pushed and short as I got under it. Had a lot of tree to go over from 135 out into the wind. 8 iron to less than a foot for another tap in birdie. On 14 I was on the fringe with about 15 foot to the hole, went close but a tap in par. 15 I hit the best drive of the day and had a 4 iron in my hand going for the par 5 green in two. I lifted the head and topped it, ran up into a bunker about 70 yards out. A delicate shot from the sand was very close to being excellent, but it rolled back into the green side bunker this time and I followed that up with a nice out which spun and stopped 2 foot from the hole.
I missed the putt :mad:
Middle of the green on 16 and a long putt, maybe 40 foot went close, tap in par. A solid drive on 17 left me a 7 iron out, but I felt there was a bit of wind that was hiding on me so hit a gentle 6 and stuck it to 10 foot. Gave a little fist bump as my putt was rolling into the centre of the hole but couldn’t believe it bounced out
A good drive down 18 ran a bit long and into the rough and was sitting down. I had a 56 in my hand and with the wind at my back I knew it would be enough club to put me out the back, but I knew it would be a hard shot out of the thick rough and wouldn’t go as far. I considered clubbing up but was afraid if I caught it, that I would be long. Short would be ok....... damn, I pushed it also and found sand and barley got out to leave me a very long putt of about 50 ft from off the green. I put it to about 2 foot to finish with a bogey and I was raging to be so close to shooting a level par back 9......... well back 13 actually.
So came home with a whopping 23 points. 77 strokes, my best ever in Greystones. Incidentally my previous best was 79 strokes which I had matched last week. I played so much better today though, less pressure, more relaxed. Still a bit raging that I had a few silly mistakes though.
Will be a cut, maybe an ESR. Not sure if it will get me a prize though as scoring has been quite low lately

Won matchplay on 19th for the second round in a row

Into the 4th round

Was a real ding dong battle. Scratched the first (with a shot, index 3) were I had a shot with a lost ball on third after chipping out of trees. Managed to be 2 up after 6 and held a lead until 16 were we got back all square. On 15 he had a mmiracle up and down after I was GIR.

17th I managed to scrape a half with a dodgy bogie on a par 3. Both missed makeable par putts on 18

It was a 14 vs a 17 so i had 3 shots. Managed to lose index 1 and half

Bit of a controversial end. He wasnt happy that I still had shots for play off. First is index 3 so I had a shot. Was getting tired but found fairway bit further back than normal after he put one in the bunker. Flushed a 4 hybrid to 10 feet. He hooked his shot miles out of bounds and off he stormed!! Heard he was in checking the rules on shots in play off but I would have won it anyway without the shot

Seve OB wrote: »

Sounds like a dick

Sent me a congratulatory text much later! But hey!

Congrats on your big win

And in fairness if it was me I would have done the same but conceded much more politely. We were already on 19 and the football had started and I was dying get out of there

Its a nice way to win tbh, knowing it meant so much to them

Played final round of the Presidents prize today. I was 2 off the lead starting out, played ok for a lot of the way but had two 8’s and two 7’s, all on par 4s which ruined it for me. Had an 80, very unhappy with it

Thankfully swearing isn't allowed here cause it was absolute s$#t.
108 shots gross off 15.
Never lost so many balls in a round.
I honestly think getting 5 shots back wouldn't be half enough.
Better be better next week.

Edit: winner off 1 shot 67 gross with a dbl bogeys, bogey finish. Only 41 shots behind. LOL

31 pts this morning off 20, couldn't buy a putt, must have missed 7 or 8 par putts that I would usually gobble up. 3 scratches 14 bogeys and a double.

All over the place lately.

26 points in Blessington last Saturday. Had 10 points after 3 holes and just totally fell apart, couldn't get the ball off the tee box to save my life and had a load of scratches.

27 points in Druids Heath last Wednesday. Same problem again, just couldn't get the ball away off the tee, knocked down at least 5 or 6 that barely made it past the red tees. And again had one three hole stretch in there which bagged me 9 points.

33 points in Blessington on Saturday. Only one scratch. And was 100% me being stupid, hit my only bad tee shot of the day on the 10th which went right. And instead of jsut playing back out to the fairway tried to get the ball over some very tall trees towards the green. Duff. Chunk. Finally over the tree lying four and then shank a wedge. Just wasn't to be. However driving was much better and it was nice to just play solid golf the whole way around.

Playing Druids Glen with a mate tomorrow so looking forward to that.

Frisbee wrote: »

All over the place lately.

26 points in Blessington last Saturday. Had 10 points after 3 holes and just totally fell apart, couldn't get the ball off the tee box to save my life and had a load of scratches.

27 points in Druids Heath last Wednesday. Same problem again, just couldn't get the ball away off the tee, knocked down at least 5 or 6 that barely made it past the red tees. And again had one three hole stretch in there which bagged me 9 points.

33 points in Blessington on Saturday. Only one scratch. And was 100% me being stupid, hit my only bad tee shot of the day on the 10th which went right. And instead of jsut playing back out to the fairway tried to get the ball over some very tall trees towards the green. Duff. Chunk. Finally over the tree lying four and then shank a wedge. Just wasn't to be. However driving was much better and it was nice to just play solid golf the whole way around.

Playing Druids Glen with a mate tomorrow so looking forward to that.

What did you think of Druids Heath? I played it for the first time in mid July. Turned with 16 points hitting it fairly well. Had 12 points on the back. I thought it was like a completely different golf course. Hit a pitching wedge off the par 4 13th tee and was left with an 8 iron in. Got punished for a couple of decent shots. I don't know would I go back. Yet to play Druids Glen. Looks nice from the Hotel.

29pts off 16 midweek at Black Bush in Meath (my first time playing there) but I felt ok as I played better than the score suggests.

I was much happier though with 34pts at the weekend back in Moate but it was a funny sort of round. I could not get a 2 pointer on the front 9 (I had 4 pars, 4 double bogeys and 1 bogey with no shot for 17pts) followed by a back 9 where I only got 1 par and 1 scratch but had 7 x 2 pointers (also for 17pts). A game of two halves scoring wise anyway.

Frisbee wrote: »

I liked it. It gets a lot of stick for being forgettable towards the end of both nines but I didn't find that myself. We played on Wednesday after the bad weather Tuesday evening. We had been due to play Courtown but rang to cancel and had been advised course may end up being closed anyway. Heath was in great condition, greens and fairways both really firm.

It was in great condition when I played. Driest fairways I've played. I just thought a few shots which seemed good were punished, huge fairway bunkers on the back 9. Maybe I'd enjoy it more having played it once.

Captains Prize there at the weekend on the home course. 18 hole qualifier and 9 hole playoff for the top 21. Played solid for pretty much the full round on Saturday 3 birdies and 3 bogeys. However a disastrous 7 on both the 6th and 17th (both par 5's which is even more annoying) left me feeling very deflated. Still had 76 strokes for a nett 72 off 4. Conditions were tough, lots of wind and pretty wet underfoot. Qualified in 12th position which I was surprised and happy with 4 back from the leaders.

Played awful unfortunately in the play off. Any faint hope of victory went out the window on the 1st with a 6 from pretty much 40 yards from the green, a couple of duffed shots there and the less said about them the better. Another 6 thrown in on the 4th too sealed the deal. Had 41 for the playoff and I was surprised and extremely delighted to learn I had won my class. Seems everyone else had their own problems in the playoff. Our winner was 76 (member of club for 40 years) which is absolutely exceptional and shows golf isn't all about the younger guys. A real shot in the arm for our older members.

Great to see my good form has continued in general and have moved to the top of our Golfer of the Year rankings. 5 more competitions to go 8 played - currently averaging over 37 a round so far so if I can keep that up then hopefully the win will come along with it.

Finally got my first handicap of 21. Got shafted by the committee according to my mates :pac:. The net result of this was to go out and shoot a pb of 99 last weekend, finally breaking 100 - previous best was 105.

The big difference for me was no penalties for the first time and fewer 3 putts. I only hit 2/14 fairways when I'm usually about 5-7. Also managed 2x GIR for the first time.

My target for the rest of the season is more rounds in the 90s. Would be in dreamland if I broke 90 but it's unlikely for me to figure out how to shave off another 10 strokes before the season ends.