I see what you did there!
Very good.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LWjmvpMMEd...a_nude__07.jpg



I need to start taking more of an interest in women's golf!

(This is SFW by the way, despite the word "nude" in the link!)

I had a bit of a odd 9 holes yesterday.

I was striking the ball the best i've done in months. However everything was slightly pushing right and I kept ending up in awkward positions on the course. All the holes were a bit narrow and had lots of trees so I kept finding myself in them and having to hit back on to the fairway. I'd then hit well up towards the green but slip right and land in the bunkers. Then I dont' know what was going on with my bunker shots - they were all over the shop.

It was mainly double/triple bogies for the first 6 holes, but I managed to hit 3 bogies in a row on the last 3 to leave myself with 55.

Basically i'm now playing very similar to how I did back in March before I got new clubs and started my lessons. I'm hoping i'll keep improving but if not i can live with this now, at least I'm beating my playing partners again!

I enjoyed doing the scoring today. I still havent washed after my handshake and kiss from Maria after her round. She was +6 after 7 holes but hit every GIR after that and clawed a couple of shots back.

I play the course regularly off the same tees they were using today so it was good to see how they managed their rounds. It's great watching the men's events but seeing JB Holmes etc smashing 350 yard drives and then short irons at almost every hole is a totally different game from what us mere mortals play. At least with the ladies you can relate to it a bit better.

Ah ha! I think the problems I've been having this week are because I've been too relaxed. I'm on holiday and have been just 'bimbling' around the course. Today I concentrated and scored 88 despite missing two easy putts and dropping a ball into one of the bunkers from hell on the 17th(*). Take it seriously and my scores dropped back to where they should be.

(*)Actually today it was the 8th because on Tuesdays and Friday's we play the course the old way round(**). Whatever. Those bunkers are at least half a metre deep and one helluva nasty surprise on a par 5. In this case I saw my third shot arch toward the green then come down and lurch left right into a *censored* bunker. The chap I was playing with commented 'It's okay to swear. I won't report you' :-/

(**)or maybe it's the new way round. I'm not that clear on the history of the course.

I didn't have such good groups to score for on Saturday and Sunday.

However I spoke to Maria for a wee while after her round on Sunday which more than made up for the lack of nice girls in my groups over the weekend.

I haven't played for a few days now, weather's been terrible here, not even hit a few balls at the practice area.

Has everyone gave up?

I've put in a lot of hours on the range this week but never made it out onto the course.

I played my local course yesterday - hit 118 in total, 62 going out and 56 coming back in. I find the course really tough as the long rough that surrounds all the holes is instant lost ball territory. But to be fair I lost most of my shots yesterday around the greens - my putting was pretty bad.

On the plus side my driving is a lot better now. I made the majority of fairways.

Sigh. Sometimes a good score is not enough.

Went to Rye Hill today. That's our local 'championship' course. I think it did actually once host the Eurotour(*) or somesuch. Anyway it's the longest course in the area and recently I've been playing it below 100. Today I scored 91. That's my lowest score ever. But I'm annoyed because:

* I missed three easy putts.
* I lost one ball (bizarre sky scraping push).
* Took two attempts to get out of the bunker from hell on the 14th.

Any other time I'd have been well pleased about 91. But the fact I could've been in the mid-80s means I'm annoyed. Two years ago I remember being pleased when I first broke 110 at that course.

(*)Yup. I just checked. Looks like it was a venue for the EuroPro tour in 2001/2002.

Played yesterday for the first time in several weeks. Played a friend of mine at a links course he's a member of. We did Stableford and I only scored somewhere in the 20s, which is a bit crap but I was actually reasonably pleased with my game.

I was striking the ball well from the tee, which can be a problem of mine. Also putted pretty well. Did a couple of very good lags from a long way out.

The thing that decimated my score was I had too many blobs on the card due to losing balls in ridiculously long rough. My friend did too and he's a low teens handicapper. He was moaning a lot about the rough, saying they've recently elected a new person to whatever position it is that makes decisions on course set-up. He said they've basically set it up for the very low handicappers. Higher handicappers are struggling a lot as anything even slightly off the fairway is dead.

So with that in mind I wasn't too unhappy!

That's was my complaint with our local course as well. You only have to be 5 yards off the fairway on most of the holes to lose your ball - I was in double figures of lost balls on Saturday. I did my best to play sensibly to avoid the rough but then I shanked a few of my 8/9 iron lay up shots and lost the ball anyway - just 50-60 yards further away from the green than if i'd hit the 6 iron in the first place.

I'm feeling more confident on the course but still struggling to get my scores down to what they were when I first picked up the clubs again back in March. I seem to be playing similar to how I did but for some reason i'm not making the occasional pars that I used to - I must have had 4-5 par putts on Saturday but didn't make any of them.

My problem on Sunday was lack of concentration. I played the first nine with a chap I happened to meet because my regular partner is away. I think his presence distracted me. After he was done my game improved. I've noticed though that some days I just can't get serious about the game. It's like I'm just there for the walking. Now on Saturday I took my practice session seriously and nearly broke 80 at my home course. I was on it that day. If I hadn't fallen foul of one of the bunkers from hell I'd have been broken 80(*).

(*)My home course is only par 70 so it's not quite as impressive as it sounds

Oh yeah, concentration (or lack of it) is a major factor in my game.

This inner-monologue is fairly typical of me when playing a tee or long-iron shot:


*Takes stance next to ball*

My brain: You sure your feet are in the right place? I don't think they are. Go on, shuffle them about a bit

Me: Errr.....OK

*Shuffles about a bit*

My brain: Wiggle your arse a bit too.

Me: How will that help?

My brain: Everyone one else does it. It's got to help, right? Just do it.

Me: OK

*Wiggles arse a bit*

Brain: Haha, you fell for it! You look like an idiot!

Me: Shut up now, let me concentrate

Brain: OK

*Silence for a bit*

Brain: Although.....

Me: What the hell now?!

Brain: There's people over there. They can see you. They're watching.

Me: So what?

Brain: Well what if you play a duff shot? You'll look stupid and they'll laugh at you.

Me: SHUT UP WILL YOU AND LET ME PLAY!

Brain: OK, OK, I'm just trying to help

Me: Well you're not.

Brain: Sorry.

*More silence*

Brain: Shall we think about some of the crap shots you've played in the past?

Me: NO! NO! NO!

Brain: You're gonna mess this up....

Me: I'M NOT! SHUT UP!

Brain: You are, you're crap. Give up.

Me: I DON'T CARE! SHUT UP! I'M PLAYING MY SHOT!

Brain: Ha ha, this will be hilarious!

*Plays duff shot*

Brain: Hahahahahahahahahahaha! What did I tell you?! Brain wins again!

*Throws club into nearest water hazard or long rough*

Lol!

Or in my case when getting ready to putt.

Me: "Do you think we should pick the ball up and align it?"
Brain: "Nah, just go for it. Let's move on to the next hole."
Me:"No really I think we should take a bit more care."
Brain:"Bah. One sec."
...
Me:"I think we should align to the mark on the ball."
Brain:"Nah, it doesn't look right from here. I know best."

..ball prompts slides past the hole missing it by 10mm.

That's the nature of golf - we'll never be satisfied.
If you'd shot mid 80's you'd find reasons why you might have broken 80 "if only........"
After every comp when I check the scores I reflect on what position I could have been had I not screwed up in several places - and so does every one else in the comp except the winner.
It's why Mickelson shot a 63 and was peed off that he lipped the putt on the 18th for a 62.
As my Pro says "It's that one outstanding shot during the round that brings us back the next time". 👍

For me that would currently be the 13th at my club on saturday. It's a 408 yd uphill par four that for me normally plays like a five. I hit my drive 210 yards, which isn't bad for me on that hole as the last twenty yards are the start of the hill. But my second shot was with my dodgy 3-hybrid and it was a beauty. It managed to cover the remaining 200 yards which is mostly a gentle uphill slope and came to rest on the green. I parred it which is probably only the second time ever.

And this week that would be my fourth shot on a par five in Saturday's stableford comp.
It's a daunting tee shot over a stream totally tree lined on the right and a massive oak on the left guarding the stream. If you can't hit straight you pray for a draw on the right - I cant hit a draw - or a fade on the left wich will have to soar over the oak.
I clipped the oak but my ball fell far side of the stream but with a very restricted next shot. My second shot meant I had no long shot up the fairway, just an angle from left to right of the fairway for as far as you could scrounge. I hit a five and watched it go a reasonable way but into the tree line on the right. My next and only option was to chip sideways back onto the fairway. Now I've already played three. So, fourth shot was 185yds to green with a huge fairway bunker about 160 and a green side bunker protecting the pin.
I took a five wood expecting it to finish over the fairway bunker in a wide, safe area leaving me a pitch/ chip to the green.
As I struck it I thought "Bloody hell!" and watched it soar toward the green side bunker, bounce and run up past it to finish about 8' past the pin. I was agog and so was my partner. Then..... I sunk the putt.
5, nett 4, 3 points after hitting a tree then hitting into the trees.
Crazy game 😜

Today, playing against a visiting club my partner carried me and he putted us out of trouble on 4/5 holes. I was at sea putting as the greens had slowed completely with two days rain. We were three down after 12 holes then, stood on the 17th we were one up and I'd bagged a hole and halved one.
17th is a longish par 4 to brow of hill then dogleg left - trees on left like magnets.
I had a shot on the 17th so, felt pressured not to waste it. I got on the edge of the green for 3(2). I putted woefully short for 4(3)) by about 7/8 ft and cursed myself.
Our opponent sunk his for 5, my partner sunk his for 5 to halve the hole leaving me to putt for the match.
I sunk it for 5(4) to win and all of the rubbish shots I'd played for 16 holes were forgotten.
Crazy game 😜

I was playing Mill Ride Golf course near Ascot a few months ago. I started off very well for me, was only 5 over after 6, but then lost a few balls and had a terrible back nine.

Feeling pretty dejected, I teed off on the 18th hole (par 5) into strong wind and went long right, landing in the light rough on the adjacent hole. I hit back up onto my hole but it swung left so I ended up just on the very edge of the fairway. I had well over 200 yards uphill to go to the green and the wind was blowing against me. So I pulled out my 3 wood and hit one of the best shots of my life; it swooshed straight as an arrow and high up into the sky and didn't stop until it got all the way up the fairway. It fell perfectly onto green and rolled 8 yards away from the hole.

I then got to walk 200 yards up the 18th green, in front of all the crowd outside the club house no doubt admiring my skills, and complete an easy two putt for my par.

I carded 116 but that last hole made it all ok

It's that rare moment - the perfect strike - when the ball leaves the clubhead and you think "I will never, ever hit a better shot than that with this club" 😎

What is the one shot that everyone fears? Plugged in a bunker or 20 yard pitch off a bare lie with a bunker between you and the pin. Perhaps a 100 yard shot over water?

For me it's tee shots on holes with tight OB down the left. I hit a draw and just an odd time get a bit tight in the hands when faced with this show and hit a huge pull miles out of bounds. Either that or I will come right out of it and end up hitting a wayward high cut which looks horrendous.

Short approach shots when I can't use bump and run. That generally means either:

* There's a slope up to the green.
or
* I'm more than thirty yards from the pin.

Anything less than eighty yards from the pin and I have to be able to bump and run to stand any chance of a good result. You can't get in too much trouble over such a short distance but you can end up frustrated when your ball either doesn't quite make it onto the green or else goes scooting past and off the back.

I'm currently practicing my chipping because I feel it's a real chink in my armour to be so dependant on bump and run. I either have to be on the green/fringe or 90 yards out and I think it's costing me a few strokes.

In what way do you struggle with pitches? Anything straight forward from less than 80 yards and you can usually just get all your weight on your left hand side, very little body movement and let your arms do the work. It's all about technique from that distance and you don't need to have many parts moving at all.

Hole one, tee shot. I always think the first tee shot shapes my whole game. If it's a good one, I'm in for a decent round. If it's a bad one....aaaaagh!

It's made a million times harder if there are strangers watching. Especially if they're on the slot behind you and are itching to get going!

Good question:

I'd say trying to hit more than 100 yards out of any sort of rough that's higher than the ball. If it's 6 inches or more than I might as well not bother and just drop.

My current efforts aren't doing too badly actually. What I'm doing is putting the ball slightly forward, leaning left which puts the hands ahead of the club and weight on the front then doing the swing without wrist hinge (my left arm and the club are almost in a straight line all the way through).

What's different this time is me putting the ball forward. Previously I'd tried it with the ball back in the stance and that was very unreliable. Another option I tried was 'sack of potatoes':Ball in middle of stance, arms hang down and swing club like a sack of potatoes (no wrist hinge again). That worked sort of okay but had a lot of roll which made it too unpredictable based on where the ball initially came down.

In the end I decided that always approaching the green from between 100 and 130 yards was safer. It could cost me a shot because it meant my first landing point on the green was random but at least I was on the green and could two putt out. That was better than my approach being just off the green and me having to work out how to get out of bunkers(*), sloping rough and the all other horrors that lie around the edges

But the extra distance I've been getting of late forced me to try again and this new technique seems to be working. At least this time I feel like I'm in control and just have to dial in the distances and clubs. This weekend will be interesting because it's the first time I've used the technique while playing with my buddy. He has always been pretty good at chipping. I find it scary watching him do it because he's so confident of it.

His technique is: Ball back, do a half swing. And when he does that from ten yards off the green I almost have to close my eyes. But he clearly puts a reasonable amount of back spin on the ball and although he's no pro he usually ends up in a reasonable position. Shame his putting lets him down as he could so often one putt.

(*)Actually bunkers aren't that much of a problem for me. I can usually get out in one. However I have little control over where the ball will end up so I'm pretty much where I'd be after a longer approach anyway in which case the bunker is just a detour that costs me a stroke.