Tell us about your game today...

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Congrats Super!

Sorry to disappoint all those who have been without their golf this weekend but just returned from a great day at Thorpeness where as always the fairways were as dry as a bone. Bit of a trek for me, a 130 mile round trip but well worth it for a decent game of golf whilst the courses in Essex wallow in a sea of mud. A reasonable score of 80 and an eight footer holed on the last to nick a win against my regular golfing partner and a hearty Suffolk breakfast at the local farm café on the way up all added to the enjoyment.

A game of golf and a surprise win for Col U in the Cup yesterday mean that the trials and tribulations of the insurance broking world that await me in the morning will be met with a little more enthusiasm than otherwise!

Hope you went to the game Blue; tho' it must've been tempting to go to Carrow Road instead . . . . !
Get Leeds tomorrow and summon Ray Crawford (saw him play for PFC on his wedding day - difficult to believe).

Yes I was at the match yesterday kwini, I don't miss many home games. When my son was growing up we used to go away as well but now he is studying at Bournemouth Uni my only away trip this year will probably be Southend...unless we get a tasty away draw tomorrow in the 4th round of course! I see your Portsmouth boys were only a couple of minutes away from a Cup upset themselves against our old friends at Portman Road!

Ray Crawford now there's a blast from the past...I saw on the BBC website his first goal against Leeds all those years ago was still in the top 5 greatest ever headers in the F.A Cup!

Away to Pompey would be a good road trip for you . . . . .

East Anglia and its courses must be the envy of all on this board, except perhaps robo, in Houston

Played Gog Magog (Cambridge) last Friday. Fantastic condition - chalk downland courses (Old and Wandlebury) which drain really well. Turf was spectacular, and the course I played (Wandlebury) no sign of temporary greens etc. It's a relatively new course, big in every respect - 7000+ with wide fairways, big greens. Well worth a trip, though I'm told members reckon the Old course is favourite?
My home course is chalk downland, so we play year round comfortably, but Hampshire much wetter than Cambridgeshire it would seem!

First game since early November!

Played OK too, 27 staby points through the 12 open holes. Struck it OK just a bit rusty on the greens. So nice to just get out there however boggy it was underfoot.

My course in Hertfordshire has been open whenever I've been free to play (ie Saturdays). I recognise this is pretty fortuitous as most of the heavy rain seems to have fallen during the week, which is unusual! Greens and fairways were ok, but quagmires to be found in the rough. My mate plays at Berkhamsted which is a heathland course and has been in great condition throughout this wet spell. Looks like we are in a cycle of milder, wetter winters so maybe I need to factor this in if I move house / course.

I played a team stableford comp at the weekend, playing in 3 balls with best 2 scores counting on each hole. Never done one of these before, and enjoyed it immensely. Totted up 83 points for joint 3rd which I thought was a good effort until I saw the winning score of 91. Inevitably this was a team of high handicappers, the purists may not like it but this type of fun competition is perfect to keep the golf enjoyable in these conditions.

No offence kwini but Spurs or Leicester at home is much more preferable!. . . . .

We'll get you in the Fifth Round . . . . . Good luck to us both!

Yep, I'm sure it will be rocking down at the Weston Homes Community Stadium. Battle of the 'Mouths should be fun, Kwini.

Bloody hell. 2 games in 2 weeks.

Intermittent rain all day so got sick of coat on/off/on/off etc but no wind and not as cold as expected so not unpleasant at all.

13 hole stableford, eagled the par 4 1st (drive to 3 ft), birdied the next before getting back to normal with scrappy pars and bogies. Couple more birdies on the way back in and a customary double. 30 points and quite pleasing, particularly with only 18 putts on mixed quality greens.

Had a lovely round on Saturday. Course was closed first thing due to frost, but it was a bright sunny morning and when I teed off at 10:40 it was fantastic, and the first non-soggy round for a while. Cold but no wind and bright sunshine, perfect weather for winter golf.

Didn't bother with a warm up (error) and struggled with drives into the sun on the first couple of holes (a problem I can live with), so was mainly bogeys on the front nine. Once I had warmed up I got on a roll on the back nine however, 8 pars with a solitary bogey coming at the 440 yard 12th. Very satisfying to finish the round with 6 straight pars and claim 13 skins.

It was meant to be our Captains' Drive-In on Sunday and with a shotgun start with two groups on every tee it was always going to be a long day. Arrived at the course for 8:30 start and the snow was falling. Organizers decided the course was open, though most greens were temporary and tee up everywhere, the snow was going to stop and pushed the shotgun back to 9:00. Cue lots of people stood around for an extra half hour having already kitted out in full waterproofs and cold weather gear...


At 9:45 and with only 2 holes played the klaxon went calling us all in - not quite sure the reasoning but I heard it was something to do with "elf and safety" - presumably when the snow stopped and started to melt, it was getting too slippery

Davie that is absurd. Did the organisers also fail to arrange a p!ss up in a brewery? I know everyone is keen to get out on the course but that is farcical. Pity the poor people who trudged through the snow to the far end of the course for the shotgun start.

To be honest Ray I think it was mostly people wanting to support the incoming captains despite the weather. No one really wanted to be out there but as we'd all turned up we wanted to try. I actually had one of the longest "trudges" to the 8th tee for the start but the klaxon went just as we finished the 9th, back by the clubhouse. The sadist in me was amused at those people who had gloated they had a good starting tee and found themselves 2 holes later at the farthest point from the clubhouse

Davie wrote:The sadist in me was amused at those people who had gloated they had a good starting tee and found themselves 2 holes later at the farthest point from the clubhouse

Haha! It always seems to be the same people who engineer themselves good starting positions in shot guns. It's never a "draw". Must be a nightmare if you play on a 9 out and 9 back links course.

Two games under my belt at the weekend. Game still in good shape.

Got my first game in 5 weeks yesterday - 2 temporary greens, and carry only (which I don't usually do but found an old lightweight carry bag and found it much easier)

Way too rusty with the putter but the rest of the game wasn't too bad - we got a bit of a stuffing but played ok apart from some scrappy putting .. my 12 h/c partner had a bit of a stinker though and we lost 7 holes to 2

It's like emerging from hibernation right now eh Davie?

Well with more storms promised this week the hibernation could last a little longer - but at least the end is hopefully in sight

Beautiful day in Hampshire today. Bit soft underfoot in a few places, but no temps, and local rule for plugged balls outside cut and prepared, which helped me a couple of times. Hardly a soul on the course, so our two 3 balls yomped round in 3 hours. All good with the world, and then found I have an irksome and awful name! Hey ho 18 holes, and although it might be a bit more windy, same planned for tomorrow.

Entries opened today for 15 UK Seniors Scratch Tournaments. Most have 120 places, but already 6 of them have reserve lists. Fortunately I was online at 0800 so got everything I wanted (9) but with competition for places getting tougher it will be difficult for you youngsters when you get to 55!
Nice breezy 18 holes in Dorset to celebrate. Surprisingly mild, but definitely wetter than the Hampshire chalk at home!

More frightful weather putting off another saturday game. Cold, Wet and Windy.
At least the range is warm and dry.

Starting to hear rumours that my eponymous course is being sold, nine holes to be developed for up-market housing, the other nine (and hopefully an excellent practice area) gifted to the town as a 9-hole muni. Sad news, especially for my lad who grew up playing it and worked there for many summers.
Not too many golf courses doing well in this part of Vermont. Short season and high prices will do that.

May change my v2 handle to munigolfer . . . . . .

Kwini

I am the munigolfer around these parts.

I wouldn't be too sad about the course if the 9 holes are reasonably priced and well maintained. Nothing better than a quick nine (or less) holes on a muni after work in the summer.

Many a good 9 Holer around, or at least there used to be. Gairloch is one of the better I have played.

Yes, love a good 9-holer. But there are very few open-to-the-public 18-holers, especially of any quality, for 50 miles around and losing Kwini is bad news - have no confidence that the remaining 9 holes will be maintained to the standard of a club w/membership.
State Amateur here four or five yeasrs ago, replaced by the spectre of bulldozers and JCB's.
Shame on them.

Beautiful late winter/early spring round in zero wind. Level par. Delighted after a winter of less than usual golf.

A beutiful morning again for golf this morning, though ground was still frozen when i teed off, didnt really thaw out till about the 8th.

A combination of having not played for a month frozen greens, new putting grip, and a tweaked swing after midweek lesson all contributed to a far from stellar 44 out. back in with a 3 over 38 though.

Hoping the work i have put in over winter months will lead to a significant handicap reduction over the year.

Currently 17, looking to get to 9

Having been let down by the company meant to be guving me driving lessons this week, i have used the decent weather and fact that i am on holiday anyway to play golf everyday so far to pretty aversge results shooting between 87 and 91 with 9 good holes and 9 indifferent holes.

Today i managed to put it all together shooting a best ever round of 75.

Front nine was a fairly consistent 6 pars 3 bogeys for a 38, front nine was slightly more exciting with 2 chip in birdies 5 pars, one bogey and a disappointing triple bogey for a 37 after rushing each shot after being played through.

LL Cool Nay wrote:
Today i managed to put it all together shooting a best ever round of 75.

Well done LL.

LL Cool Nay wrote:
a disappointing triple bogey for a 37 after rushing each shot after following through.

There was someone else who did this. I remember a story on here about someone who had to use their golf towel in the woods after an emergency.

Tarka.  Definitely not picking up any towels that are lost on the course ever again; you never know if they were his

On a stag trip to Spain we played Torrequebrada and I had to abort a hole to fulfil one of nature's more urgent requirements, driving past 3 groups of perplexed players to bomb it to the on course facilities and do the return trundle back past them with much more of a pleasant demeanour the other way a few minutes later. Was a bloody shot hole as well!

On course facilities - oft a haven to behold and their whereabouts is a local knowledge that is surely a courtesy to share with any unwary traveller.

Well managed to get out again today, sadly standards dropped a little from yesterdays round only managing to go round in 76 nett 59.

Hit a lot more greens today but had 34 putts including three 3 putts, (5 if you include 2 which were only a few feet of the green).

Still 2 birdies, 8 bogeys and 8 pars works for me

First game of the 2016 season but not 2016. Having played on New Year's Day it's now 10 weeks since my last game. Going to the range first so hopefully the rust will be knocked off there before play however I'm likely to have the touch of Carlton Palmer so breaking 90 will be a challenge.

The weather was good but the wind was a big factor today and oh boy was there some rust. One big problem was not being able to hit putts hard enough to reach the hole. Highlights included an uphill, into the wind, driver off the deck, slider around a tree on eight to set up another bogey. Another was a downhill, slight side hill lie, four wood second shot into the tenth green which set up a two putt birdie. There were a few low lights which won't make the highlight reel. Overall a good day at an unfamiliar course.

Great day yesterday with our "Home Internationals" day - always coinciding with a 6N rugby day.

4 teams of England Ireland Scotland and Wales - qualification criteria is pretty arbitrary - usually just to even the team numbers out but .... look away now Mac and Super ... for one day a year I'm a proud Scot!

OK as I said, qualification criteria is pretty vague but I do qualify on a grandparent clause and the only real rules is once you've represented one country you stick with them - and this was my fourth appearance for the bravehearts ;-)

4BBB Stableford with all points to score for the team - me and my partner scored a steady 36 which we were quite pleased with as we were both higher handicappers and the 3/4 h/c rule meant I was losing 6 shots and my partner 4.

Very competitive day though, the best pair scored 47(!!) and the worst pair out of 44 pairs still got 30!

My partner was more "up and down" - played some holes really well and blew up on others - I was probably more steady. Once we got closer to the end and it became apparent we weren't going to get a really big score we decided we wanted to hit 36 points and we just made it though it was a fight! Needing a 5 from either of us on the last, he put his tee shot out of bounds then hit his next ball in a water for a pick-up. I had to lay up before a pond and needed a wedge and 2 putts for the 2 points and fluffed my wedge .. but a good chip left me a 10 footer which I holed to make the 36 points by a whisker.

The Bravehearts regained the trophy though after a two year absence by nine points over the Irish. Good meal and beers watching the rugby finished the day off nicely

Nice Davie, good to see you putting in a good showing for us scots.

Last day of holiday today and after a rest yesterday went round in 82 nett 65, which isnt too bad.

Sadly 38 putts cost me a really good round but thats hopefully me in good shape for the start of the folfing season proper.

Davie

I am half English and not really a very proud Scot and super hates Scotland so I am sure you are more worthy Scottish representative than both of us. Sounds like a really fun format. If there were more fun events like that to play in I bet more people would play the game.

I am sure that day compared to a regular medal is far more engaging.

Very strange day yesterday, but very calm and sunny and actually some warmth filtering down from a very odd glowing disc thing, the likes of which hasn't been seen for some time...

Bizarre game though. I felt like I couldn't drive for toffee, mid irons were inaccurate and I had an annoying case of the flubs on short chips. But boy could I score (sorry Mac - but person could I score). Somehow - and I really am not sure how - I shot level par for 42 points. I think I had a good day on the mental side and just played the shot in front of me rather than reflect or project.

2 bogeys on the first 2 holes then a double on 6 going out offset by 2 shot hole 4 point birdies and a shot hole par for +2 (19 pts). 1 bogey 3 birdies back for -2 (23 pts). Putter really woke up from the 7th with only 15 putts in from there.

That's good going roller. At this time of year the greens aren't the smoothest so nice to be rolling (and coasting) the putts in.

Roller, sounds a bit like one of the guys I played against on Saturday. His back nine was 2 bogeys, 4 birdies and 3 pars. 3 of the birdies were "on the spin". -2 gross off a 9 handicap! Not surprisingly we lost!!

[quote="LL Cool Nay"
went round in 82 nett 65, which isnt too bad.

[/quote]

is this a case of Wummery? or is it a 15 hole course?!

Why would it be wummary?

Enjoying some sun and heat in Arizona for a few weeks. Played some nice courses - local favourites are still at We Ko Pa, which has 2 courses surrounded by desert not houses.
Last week played one of the courses at Wildfire, which is the venue for this weeks LPGA Founders Cup. They are using both back nines of Palmer and Faldo courses in a composite course, totalling 6600 yards. I played the Palmer of tees giving me just over 6600 yards. Course was superb with greens as good as I've seen, and I played well enough to get my 36 points off 4. Imagine how good I felt about my game when leader after round 1 sat on 10 under (about 5' tall and weighing 6 stone) with a number of others at 9 under! Watched a bit on tv last night, and will go along on Saturday. Did someone ever suggest these ladies aren't very good!
Oh and almost got taken out in supermarket car park by Laura Davies, obviously rushing to get somewhere to watch Utd/Liverpool on tv. Noticed she was 2 under after round 1, which is the likely cut.

I cannot get rid of the horror holes! 4 pars offset against 4 double bogeys with 7 bogeys, the problem is the 3 holes of 2 x 7s and an 8! So very annoying. One day it will all come together and ill get some consistency, maybe I need to play more to do it. I doubt the wife is going to agree to that request.

puligny wrote:Enjoying some sun and heat in Arizona for a few weeks. Played some nice courses - local favourites are still at We Ko Pa, which has 2 courses surrounded by desert not houses.
Last week played one of the courses at Wildfire, which is the venue for this weeks LPGA Founders Cup. They are using both back nines of Palmer and Faldo courses in a composite course, totalling 6600 yards. I played the Palmer of tees giving me just over 6600 yards. Course was superb with greens as good as I've seen, and I played well enough to get my 36 points off 4. Imagine how good I felt about my game when leader after round 1 sat on 10 under (about 5' tall and weighing 6 stone) with a number of others at 9 under! Watched a bit on tv last night, and will go along on Saturday. Did someone ever suggest these ladies aren't very good!
Oh and almost got taken out in supermarket car park by Laura Davies, obviously rushing to get somewhere to watch Utd/Liverpool on tv. Noticed she was 2 under after round 1, which is the likely cut.

There must have been a sale on Devon Slices.

Super, watched her on Saturday for a few holes. Amazing player but she is a bit bigger than last time I saw her in the flesh, as it were. She wasn't playing well, apart from a few fantastic shots, but she kept out of the way of playing partner who was having a good day.
Walked 8 holes with Lydia Ko - I think the best, most controlled golf I've ever seen.

Mrs Blue and I are just back from a week's golf in the Canary Islands. Flew to Tenerife South and then got the Fred Olsen Express Ferry to La Gomera. Our first visit to this island and what a lovely place it is. Stayed at the Hotel Jardin home of the spectacular Tecina Golf Club perched on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the snow covered Mount Teide on neighbouring Tenerife.

We had 5 rounds of golf, I scored 27 points on each of the first two rounds before working out where and where not you could put the ball on the sloping course and shooting 76, 75 and 78 for 37, 38 and 35 points on the last 3 days. Despite consuming most of the island's stock of wine Mrs Blue played nicely all week finishing with 36 points on both of the last 2 days.

On Easter Sunday evening we ate at the Tapas restaurant within the Hotel Jardin. On arriving for our meal I asked the waiter if we could have an outside table as it was a beautifully still and warm evening. To my surprise this caused much discussion between the staff and the head waiter before we were finally led through to the outside dining area where it was strangely quiet. There was a couple in one corner with two tables showing reserved around them which stayed unoccupied. We were shown to a table next to one of these and apart from us there were two rather burly and serious looking gents sharing a table and two couples on another table at the opposite end of the restaurant to us.

As we were enjoying our pre-dinner drinks I looked at the woman sitting no more than a few feet away from me and thought 'Bloody Hell, you're a dead ringer for Angela Merkel' the German Chancellor. By the time our starters arrived Mrs Blue was on her second bottle of Semillon Sauvignon Merlot and obviously no help, so I secretly googled 'Angela Merkel Husband' on the I-phone. To my utter amazement up popped a picture of Joachim Sauer the bloke sitting opposite her, I couldn't believe it!

We sat there almost next to them for a couple of hours, I was sorely tempted to mention the Germany v England football score from the previous evening but the two burly gents (who turned out to be her bodyguards) didn't look too receptive to annoying English tourists engaging in conversation with their number one lady.

I spoke to the head waiter at the end of the evening and apparently La Gomera is a favourite holiday destination for the German Chancellor who enjoys the hiking and walking around the trails of this quiet and unspoilt island. Amazing who you bump into on your holidays!

Imagine how Herr and Frau thought about seeing you and Mrs Blue. (No word yet on your consumption . . . . . . )
Perhaps they were the inspiration for last night's action at the Ricoh

Great story. I'll tell Bernie he might have a kindred spirit to invite to the White House.