Tell us about your game today...

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McLaren wrote:Ben

I am not doubting jas and believe him that the guy handed in a score for 51 points. I am just astonished by 51 points, as I said this is a score that I have never seen before. This is more about acknowledging the rarity of this event.

We are talking rarer than a hole in one, this guy has shot a nett score that only a handful people will ever have shot.

It just seems like others on here are not as blown away by a 20 handicapper shooting +5 as I am.

As a junior in the early 80s, I shot a nett 56 (a +4 or 5 round I think) and a 58 in the same Summer. I didn't cheat, but I did get cut a lot that year.

Bit of a mixed weekend to say the least, squeezed in 2 winter league matches. This is the first time I've played winter league for about 8 years. 2 reasons really a) the Captain asked & b) It's likely to be my last at my home club.

So after cruising our first match 7&5 a couple of weeks ago we were fairly confident going into the weekend double header. Tricky match Sat playing a 3/23 handicap combination. 3 down after 7 was a bit chastening as we though we were playing pretty decent. we had a good run 12 thru 14 using our shots well to get it back to all square on 15th tee. It all hinged on 17, the low handicapper absolutely ripped one. The high handicapper fumbled his way down. Low handicapper went for it in 2 and ended up in pond (well dried pond but with thick vegetation). Middle of fairway, middle of fairway, middle of green for me, I wasn't doing any worse than a par 5 net 5. Somehow the high handicapper had got it to 2 feet in 5 so had a put for a half. The low handicapper, instead of taking a drop and getting up and down tried to play it out the reedy undergrowth...unsuccessfully. The high guy then missed his 2 footer. Both then folded on 18 so a 2 up win which had looked very unlikely through 11.
Onto Sunday then and the tables were turned a bit, I was the low handicapper so the shots were all off me. Again we went down early on despite good steady golf then something really odd and disconcerting. I'm usually either a rescue or a 4 iron off our 5th tee, Sunday I chose 4 iron and unfortunately the last ever shot for the shaft. You know sometimes when you swing through, the tee springs up and clips the shaft? Well I heard the click and for a split second though that's what it was, only to discover that the click had actually been the shaft snapping. so a club down and 3 down through 5 and it just kept getting worse, we actually got to the turn one better than we had been the previous day but this time we were 4 down, it ended up 6&5, we never won a single hole but ended up shooting the same through 13 that we had shot the previous day. That's the kind of variation that makes matchplay and it's unpredictability so interesting.

Small footnote...turns out I picked up my irons on 20th Oct last year so the 4 iron is within warranty by 4 days!!

Possible game changer over the weekend. Played two rounds of hitting driver fades instead of draws.
FW hit went up from 50% from this year's stats to 75% and GIR from 55% to 70%. Perhaps two rounds is a bit early to tell, but seemed effortless.

What changes did you make to alter your shot shape?

Swing path (outside) and alignment. Very much easier to get through the ball and complete a swing. Only seems to lose about 5 yards on before as I'm able to swing more confidently and hence maybe a few mph quicker.

Obviously not every hole or wind direction suits the shape but it's a useful tool to have. Feels like the biggest gain I've had all year

Played another Senior Qualifying Stableford competition today. Foggy in the morning so we started a bit later than usual. I was a bit concerned beforehand as the greenkeepers had let the fairways and rough grow a bit last week, and it affected my play badly. They must have cut the fairways, rough and greens before today as the course was in excellent condition for mid November. No temporary tees or greens. (Exceedingly rare if we ever have to use them). Ended up with a nett par score (36 points) but I was just 1 point out of the money. Two highlights of the round - a second shot 3 wood to the first green resulting in a birdie, and a chip in from about 30 yards for a par on the 16th. It should see a handicap index reduction, but I don't think it will be a playing handicap reduction. Ended the round playing in shirtsleeves it was that mild.

It's been exceptionally mild. Who says global warming is all bad.

super_realist wrote: It's been exceptionally mild. Who says global warming is all bad.

And then some. I actually picked several ripe strawberries in my garden this week…strawberries…November…WTF!!!

I'd rather have it grey and mild than -5c and frosty.
Just hate the winter (probably not the best time to be moving to Norway)

JAS wrote:

Small footnote...turns out I picked up my irons on 20th Oct last year so the 4 iron is within warranty by 4 days!!

Update to the small footnote posted back in October. Taylormade have been ABSOLUTE MINCE!! First of all they tried to tell me I broke it in temper, my playing partners confirmed I didn't. The American Golf Rep knows me and my playing partners so he was able to state quite clearly NO if they're saying it wasn't broken in temper it wasn't, knowing the guys I can vouch for that. Taylormade then said, actually it's not covered by warranty, we don't cover that part of the shaft!! Oh and by the way we no longer do that shaft (they do, that's just another lie). I've now been able to source one elsewhere which arrived today. It's now a case of getting grip & head fitted.

Meanwhile, with the Titleist driver on order I'm turning my attention to 3 wood fitting. Needless to say any Taylormade options have been removed from the shortlist, Shame as I quite liked the look of the stealths but they can do a big fat juicy eff off.

Game is in good shape the last few months, thankfully a long way from the despair I felt earlier in the year when I had the full swing yips and quit the game for a while. Hit the driving range today at lunch, a new swing thought of keeping the head behind the ball at impact has improved ball striking with the longer clubs a lot. Not sure its so important for the shorter clubs. I'm looking forward to 2023 golf with great excitement.

I'm looking forward to it too, but it won't be just yet for me. 7 weeks since my total knee replacement, never known such a long winter!

Monday is Seniors competition day at my club. Front 9 waterlogged so back 9 only. Reverse Waltz competition, teams of four. (3 to score on 10th hole, 2 to score on 11th, 1 to score on 12th, etc) Par score = 36. My team scored 43 stableford points and won. I contributed a whole ONE point. To say that i was carried is an understatement. Embarrassed or what.

Do you ever get the loft/lie angles checked for your irons? I got my current set of mizuno mp-52s way back in 2009 and am wondering if the characteristics would have changed in that time.

incontinentia wrote:Do you ever get the loft/lie angles checked for your irons? I got my current set of mizuno mp-52s way back in 2009 and am wondering if the characteristics would have changed in that time.

Yes, especially forged irons that have been in the bag a long time or have been practiced with a lot.
Definitely worth getting looked at.

However the biggest change that is likely to have happened in that time is your swing, for better or worse. What might have suited you in 2009, probably doesn't now.

super_realist wrote:

incontinentia wrote:Do you ever get the loft/lie angles checked for your irons? I got my current set of mizuno mp-52s way back in 2009 and am wondering if the characteristics would have changed in that time.

Yes, especially forged irons that have been in the bag a long time or have been practiced with a lot.
Definitely worth getting looked at.

However the biggest change that is likely to have happened in that time is your swing, for better or worse.  What might have  suited you in 2009, probably doesn't now.

I did make some swing adjustments in 2022, will look into this and get it done if the price is right. Thanks Super.

Back in Scotchland over the weekend for a game on TOC.
Saint Greta won't appreciate my air travel but worth it for flat calm conditions.

Super

Can't tell you how envious I am of you having the TOC to play at this time of year. I'd burn a lot of fossil fuels for the chance. Every season it seems like inland winter golf gets more bleak. Seems like every links in commute distance from Edinburgh has a 20 year waiting list.

I see the green fee rate on TOC is up to £295 for 2023. By the time you’ve paid the caddy you’ve done the best part of 400 quid!

Seems like the top courses are making up for lost dollar during the pandemic by hiking up the green fees now. Even second and third tier courses charge well over £100 now.

St Andrews Links ticket up in price too.

Played a few practice holes today after a break from the game due to some back trouble. It was a day of tinkering and experimentation. After making some swing changes last year to combat an excessively in to out swing path, I now have an issue where the ball is starting too far to the left. There is a fade there but I want to straighten up my ball flight more. To that end, my experimental swing thought for the day was to follow through to the right of the target line, which produced some decent results. Spent some time on the putting green and tried hitting various length putts while looking at the hole. The results were surprisingly good, felt like it was easier to judge speed.

First game for me today for 10 weeks after a knee replacement. 34 points but more importantly great to be out on the course again and the knee felt really strong. Looking forward to the new season with a degree of optimism now.

Played 15 hole stableford yesterday and finished with 33 points. The course was shortened considerably with the tees moved up on all holes. Happy overall with my game; managed to straighten out the driver a lot, and the irons were well struck although some were poor interms of direction and distance control. Putting was average enough; I tried the Jordan Spieth method of looking at the hole during the stroke, but I dont think its a keeper.

Surprise weekend for me, I knew my other half was taking me away Thurs - Sun as a kind of pre-birthday treat, I knew I'd be playing a couple of rounds but wasn't sure where. As I was packing Weds afternoon it was " what are you doing you're over packing, you won't need all that" She then took me out to garage and said "but you will need this" pointing to my golf travel bag. So after thinking I was heading for some corporate hotel in the midlands with a 2nd rate course attached I found myself on Thursday morning on a plane to Faro. She'd only gone and booked the Tivoli Marina hotel in Vilamoura and a round on both the Old and Quinta do Lago (South). Had an absolutely fabulous time, couldn't believe how empty the Old was. Paired up with an Irish guy on the 9:00 am tee, we had 2 empty tees in front of us. The group behind was a Dutch couple in a buggy whom we let through on the 7th (we were walking), basically it was millionaires golf, whole course to ourselves. Played ok, 80, good ball striking with the new driver and 3 wood and some really good putting (great greens to be fair). I love the Old, it's just such a pleasurable and quaint setting. The following day I rocked up at QdL. Greens were even quicker, this time I got paired with a youngster from Luxembourg, dad caddying for him, played off 1. Holy moly, he could strike a ball, that being said the added breeze on the Saturday tore both of us to bits. Because he was playing off the tips, I felt I should join him...yeah bad idea, 6414 sounded more than fine...until I realised it was metres (so 7000 yards). Never broke 90 in the end despite a lot of good stuff and the greens chewed me up too, unlike the day before nothing dropped. Really really tough test though which brought me back down to earth after the relative signs of encouragement the day before. All in all great surprise experience though which I'd quite happily repeat in Feb half term time.

Interesting that the Old was empty. I wonder if a lot of golfers just can't justify the inflated green fees these days?

BlueCoverman wrote:Interesting that the Old was empty. I wonder if a lot of golfers just can't justify the inflated green fees these days?

More that it's February

JAS wrote:Surprise weekend for me, I knew my other half was taking me away Thurs - Sun as a kind of pre-birthday treat, I knew I'd be playing a couple of rounds but wasn't sure where. As I was packing Weds afternoon it was " what are you doing you're over packing, you won't need all that" She then took me out to garage and said "but you will need this" pointing to my golf travel bag. So after thinking I was heading for some corporate hotel in the midlands with a 2nd rate course attached I found myself on Thursday morning on a plane to Faro. She'd only gone and booked the Tivoli Marina hotel in Vilamoura and a round on both the Old and Quinta do Lago (South). Had an absolutely fabulous time, couldn't believe how empty the Old was. Paired up with an Irish guy on the 9:00 am tee, we had 2 empty tees in front of us. The group behind was a Dutch couple in a buggy whom we let through on the 7th (we were walking), basically it was millionaires golf, whole course to ourselves. Played ok, 80, good ball striking with the new driver and 3 wood and some really good putting (great greens to be fair). I love the Old, it's just such a pleasurable and quaint setting. The following day I rocked up at QdL. Greens were even quicker, this time I got paired with a youngster from Luxembourg, dad caddying for him, played off 1. Holy moly, he could strike a ball, that being said the added breeze on the Saturday tore both of us to bits. Because he was playing off the tips, I felt I should join him...yeah bad idea, 6414 sounded more than fine...until I realised it was metres (so 7000 yards). Never broke 90 in the end despite a lot of good stuff and the greens chewed me up too, unlike the day before nothing dropped. Really really tough test though which brought me back down to earth after the relative signs of encouragement the day before. All in all great surprise experience though which I'd quite happily repeat in Feb half term time.

QDL South is 1 of the best courses I've ever played, easily top 5 anyway. The Old Course is class as well, you've probably played the 2 best courses in the area on your trip, kudos to your good lady for arranging that!

Played a 12 hole stableford at my home course today. It was a mixture of some sublime play and a lot of ridiculous. 2 birdies, few pars and several scratches. I practiced pitching, bunker shots and irons for about 2 hours after the round.

Bit worried I'm an ex golfer. Only two games this year so far.

Super as a single, non social guy don't you have all the time in the world to play golf? Get yourself out there.

Mac, you haven't seen the courses here, totally unplayable at the current time.

Just get a flight back. TOC will be in superb condition. What else are you going to do with your time?

McLaren wrote:Just get a flight back. TOC will be in superb condition. What else are you going to do with your time?

I'm back about every three weeks, but considering I used to play about 2 times a week it's been the toughest thing about being away.

Almost certain to be a 2nd weekend of "course closed" for me. Even if it isn't closed I'm not sure I want to entertain another 18 holes of quagmire golf!! That sinking when you're a foot or two off the fairway and have a big dirty mud ball...hate it.

Meanwhile on the plus side I made it off the reserve list and into the field for the 36 holer at Saunton Easter Monday. We'd have to have biblical rain for that to be closed!!

Jas

Might I humbly submit, that whilst I am unaware of the climatic conditions prevailing in your vicinity, the winter we have had in Edinburgh, I dare say, has been rather benign. Not a solitary skirmish with snow of any magnitude, and barely any instance of thick frosts. However, to my great dismay, such clement weather appears to have left the courses in a sorry state. As I venture forth in this April morn, the ground underfoot remains distressingly damp.

JAS wrote:Almost certain to be a 2nd weekend of "course closed" for me. Even if it isn't closed I'm not sure I want to entertain another 18 holes of quagmire golf!! That sinking  when you're a foot or two off the fairway and have a big dirty mud ball...hate it.

Meanwhile on the plus side I made it off the reserve list and into the field for the 36 holer at Saunton Easter Monday. We'd have to have biblical rain for that to be closed!!

Well we didn't get the biblical rain but we did get at least half a rounds worth in the morning, trouble was when the rain stopped the wind ticked up from a 3 club to a 4 club. Speaks for the toughness of the conditions that the winning gross was +9 and the winning net was +6. Only around 20% of the field NR'd so I have experienced worse but jeez it's incredible/uncanny year after year that Easter Monday in North Devon is highly windy and usually rainy.

As for me? one to forget, there was some good stuff in there but equally there were a scattering of howling unforced errors. I can put most of it down to the conditions e.g. hat blowing off mid putt, trolley blowing over mid chip. When I look at my stats, my ability to find the fairway off the tee was decent given the conditions 19/28, GIRs weren't where I'd expect 16/36 but again Id expect that number to be down in a 4 club wind. The startling stat though given i'm a 30-31 putts per round putter was 36 & 38 putts, absolutely shocking putting stats. So I'm thinking was it...a)Just the conditions? b)Just a bad day trying to 2nd guess the wind? c) Conditions exposing/exacerbating a minor flaw? d) Complete malfunctioning of the basics? I'd like to say it was a) or b) and I saw a scratch guy I was playing with play well but also have a clutch of inexplicable 3 putts. Regardless of the conditions I really cant be averaging over 2 putts per hole.

I know I've brought this up before under the new WHS system thread but the Saunton scores from last week illustrate the point very well (the point being that I believe there is  a bit of a flaw in the 8/20 calculation given that there is now no equivalent to a "Reductions Only"). Let me illustrate the point....

Last week my scores were 87 on the West, 92 on the East (modified to 90 by reducing 2 hole scores to nett double bogey). The Score differentials were were 9.5 and 11.2 respectively

Now in old money both are Par 71, the West had an SSS of 73 whilst the East had an SSS of 74. Obviously if the CSS was deviating more than 3 it would be reductions only, so 76 on the West & 77 on the East, given the differentials above that is suggesting that the CSS would have been around 77.5 West & 78.8 East (both clearly way over the old R/O limit). Most of the field will now have to carry effectively 2 dead weights as part of their 20 or put another way their formula is effectively best 8 out of 18.

Now those conditions are a relative rarity for me but imagine several of those over a 2-3 month period, some could end up with artificially high handicaps and then get slated as bandits when they get the chance of a few outings in benign conditions.

I think that is one of the biggest oversights of the new system

JAS, I am not conversant with tha handicap system, but was there not a Playing Conditions Correction?

I'm never wrong wrote:JAS, I am not conversant with tha handicap system, but was there not a Playing Conditions Correction?

Yes clearly there must have been hence my score differentials being only 9.5 & 11.2 on 2 Par 71 courses despite shooting 87 & 92 (off 7) So the PCC does a similar job to the old CSS. However where there is now a gap is that the PCC doesn’t have an equivalent to where in the old system it said “bloody hell, CSS going higher than 3 so the conditions were pretty much impossible for most people then, let’s call it “Reductions only” so that peoples handicaps aren’t adversely impacted by impossible conditions.

1st day of the trip today, 11 of us played Silloth. Must admit 3rd time of playing it and the first time I've seen the Solway resemble a millpond.Quietly pleased with 38 points even though it wasn't enough to take the money (tough school). However that wasn't the story today...I was in a 3 ball, with the rest of our group making 2 four balls behind us, now....what are the chances...walking up 13th a bit of a roar goes up, one of our group nailed a hole in one at the 188 yard 12th. Further up 13 another roar goes up, one of our 2nd 4ball also holes in one on the same hole. What are the chances?? A hole in one in 2 consecutive groups?

Because my course suffers in the wet weather, golf has been a bit hit and miss this spring. But in the last week it seems to be getting better. Course was in excellent condition today and my clubbing distance has returned to summer levels, instead of the extra two clubs I needed before. Round in 2 under handicap which is about 10 shots better than recent performances. Strange it was a good round as physio has said I might have early onset osteoathritis. Don't get old, people.

So true INW. I played club level squash at a reasonable standard until I was 47. Fast forward 10 years and I’m retired, playing loads of golf and down to a handicap of 4 and in the Suffolk County Seniors squad. Sadly it only lasted a year before my left ankle joint and right knee were beset by bone on bone osteoarthritis. Since then I have struggled on using a buggy on the golf course aided by steroid and Durolane injections, weekly physio, handfuls of Co-Codamol tablets and a myriad of various ankle and knee straps. This winter however, I bit the bullet and had a total knee replacement. My mobility is better now and I am hanging on to a WHS Index of 9.0, but still playing in a buggy as not able to walk the course. Ankle surgery awaits me, either a fusion or total ankle replacement. Hoping to get through another couple of years before going under the surgeons knife again.

BlueCoverman wrote:So true INW. I played club level squash at a reasonable standard until I was 47. Fast forward 10 years and I’m retired, playing loads of golf and down to a handicap of 4 and in the Suffolk County Seniors squad. Sadly it only lasted a year before my left ankle joint and right knee were beset by bone on bone osteoarthritis. Since then I have struggled on using a buggy on the golf course aided by steroid and Durolane injections, weekly physio, handfuls of Co-Codamol tablets and a myriad of various ankle and knee straps. This winter however, I bit the bullet and had a total knee replacement. My mobility is better now and I am hanging on to a WHS Index of 9.0, but still playing in a buggy as not able to walk the course. Ankle surgery awaits me, either a fusion or total ankle replacement. Hoping to get through another couple of years before going under the surgeons knife again.

Wait until you get to 72 with two hip replacements, two dodgy knees, an arthritic shoulder and crippled top finger joints! Oh the joys of inheriting osteoarthritis from both sides of the family. But I still walk the course and play to my handicap, although it is much higher than yours

Thanks for those words of encouragement LP! 

Glad to hear that you are still able to enjoy your golf.

Played 9 holes round a local club, it has 18 holes but they just have 2 tee positions for each hole so we just did the 'front 9'. Only starting to play properly this year but went really well from the tee & with my longer irons but game went to pieces whenever I got within 50 yards of the green - typical!

Couple of par & birdie chances went to pot!!

Game beginning to disintegrate…at the point of the season where it typically starts to come together. Carrying a few niggles at the moment , tight lower back, calf injury from getting back into running. Those are not intended to be excuses but trying to work out if they are influencing. All the shots are there basically and yes I have been through a phase of using 3 wood more as it’s more reliable than old 3 wood but I’ve got to the stage where nothing is now reliable except for maybe chipping which is saving a helluva shots but in the context of scoring it’s making the difference of being pish rather than embarrassingly pish. Seriously now thinking of either jacking it or going back for a lesson.

WHS Index down from 10.4 to 7.8 since knee replacement in the winter 

Good going blue.
I had a shocker yesterday. Hit 13 greens, but had 41 putts. Dreadful.

super_realist wrote:Good going blue.
I had a shocker yesterday. Hit 13 greens, but had 41 putts. Dreadful.

Bad greens, or bad putting?

LadyPutt wrote:

super_realist wrote:Good going blue.
I had a shocker yesterday. Hit 13 greens, but had 41 putts. Dreadful.

Bad greens, or bad putting?

Greens superb LP. Just abominable putting.