- Joined
- Mar 25, 2014
- Location
- Miami, Florida
- HCP
- Old Age
- Local club/country
- Killian Greens Golf Club
- Irons
- MX-1000
- Driver
- ST-180
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2012
- Location
- Deeside, North Wales
- HCP
- CONGU 3.9
- Local club/country
- http://www.padeswoodgolfclub.com
- Irons
- JPX 900 TOUR 5-PW, PX 5.5 shafts Standard length 2 degrees upright Titleist SM6 wedges 52,58 degree TaylorMade Ghost Spider S Putter
- Driver
- Mizuno JPX 900 Driver JPX 825 3Wood MP650 hybrid 22* FLI HI 18* 24*
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
- HCP
- 7.1
- Local club/country
- England
- Irons
- Titleist T100s 😬
- Driver
- TM Stealth 2+
With all the snow on the ground and weather forecasts looking like we won't be playing again this year even though the weather should warm up a bit by the end of the month, it seems like I got through another season without breaking 80.
I got my handicap down to 9.7 at one point and now it's back to where I started this season, 10.1. I did come very close to breaking 80 once shooting -2, 33 on the front nine (net -7) and was still -1 after 12 before my collapse that begun on the 13th tee. The final six holes were +10 for a smooth 80, my new record after several 81s over the years.
Then there was my first round with the MP-4s a couple of weeks later. I unboxed the set in the parking lot and we didn't have any time to go to the range to warm up. The first shot with them was a PW approach shot on the 1st hole to less than a foot from the hole. Things did get a bit worse after that but I played the last ten holes +1 with three more birdies for my new record of 4 in one round. Too bad I played the seven other holes on the front nine +13 for a 85.
There were other low 80s rounds but those two really stood out.
Maybe next year!
I got my handicap down to 9.7 at one point and now it's back to where I started this season, 10.1. I did come very close to breaking 80 once shooting -2, 33 on the front nine (net -7) and was still -1 after 12 before my collapse that begun on the 13th tee. The final six holes were +10 for a smooth 80, my new record after several 81s over the years.
Then there was my first round with the MP-4s a couple of weeks later. I unboxed the set in the parking lot and we didn't have any time to go to the range to warm up. The first shot with them was a PW approach shot on the 1st hole to less than a foot from the hole. Things did get a bit worse after that but I played the last ten holes +1 with three more birdies for my new record of 4 in one round. Too bad I played the seven other holes on the front nine +13 for a 85.
There were other low 80s rounds but those two really stood out.
Maybe next year!
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2016
- Location
- Derby, Derbyshire
- HCP
- Pro
- Local club/country
- Derby Golf Centre
- Irons
- Mizuno JPX 919 Tour (4-PW) - Project X LZ 6.5 120g - 0.5° Flat - 1/2"+
- Driver
- Titleist TS3 - HC Project X LZ17 6.5 60g, 9.5°, A1 - 11g
I did it, I did it, I finally did it!
79, +8 and 38 points. New handicap is 9.5, record low for me, my previous best was 9.7. After that I've been bouncing back and forth around 9.9 and 10+
We went to play one of the top golf courses in the country (Golf Digest has ranked it 4th in the Nordic countries, 53rd in continental Europe), it was my first visit playing the course, I've only been there once before to watch some tournament golf.
The greens were completely different from what I had gotten used to. They were hard and slippery with false fronts but the ball rolled true and there were no irregularities or surprises. If you read the green correctly, you always had a chance.
My game plan was to hit hybrid off the tee but once we got there I found out the fairways were wide and with the scorecard having distances to all the bunkers, it was easy to determine which bunkers I couldn't reach or could carry over. I started off with a double bogey after one chip and three putts on the green. After six holes I was +4 but then managed a triple bogey to go +7 after 7. At that point I had 1 GIR, 6 chip shots around the green and 15 putts.
Things changed slightly after that even though I didn't realize it yet as I finished the front nine bogey, par for +8. The back nine started with four easy pars (3/3 FIR, 4/4 GIR, 8 putts), then I made a birdie with a putt from off the green to go 1 under on the back 9. Unfortunately it was followed by a bogey when my approach shot came up short and my chip shot from some tough rough came up short.
Lucky for me I hit a great tee shot on the next hole, a par 3 and made the birdie to go 1 under again. That didn't last long either though as I three-putted the 17th leaving me +8 after 17 and requiring a par finish. The 18th was a par 5, I hit a great drive, there could've been a chance to go for it with the hybrid but chose to lay up with a 5 iron as there was water on the left and trees on the right. I hooked the shot slightly to 60 yards out. There was one tree on the edge of the LWH on the left leaving the branches on my line of play. While figuring out the shot I wanted to hit I kind of forgot about the branches on the way. Needless to say the ball clipped the branches but lucky for me the ball fell to the fairway. A very good chip shot left me with a testing 4-foot putt for the 79 but I made it (the chip was good considering the greens ) .
Even par back 9 and +1 for the last 11 holes (28 Stableford points). 2 birdies, 9 pars, 5 bogeys, a double and a triple. Even though the course was new to me and I hit the driver off the tee on every par 4 and 5, I finished the round with the same ball I started with..
I think the score had a lot to do with a decent swing but also having no fear and no previous bad memories from the course. All I did was check the distances to the bunkers and play accordingly, just concentrating on a good swing one shot at a time. I was concentrating on hitting good shots rather than worrying about bad ones. And the good shots were there.
I've been chasing a score in the 70s for several years now getting a fair share of 80s, 81s etc (the most memorable ones this year have been an 80 with three double bogeys and a triple bogey and an 83 with 44 putts when the greens were mostly sand!)
Thanks for listening!
79, +8 and 38 points.
New handicap is 9.5, record low for me, my previous best was 9.7. After that I've been bouncing back and forth around 9.9 and 10+We went to play one of the top golf courses in the country (Golf Digest has ranked it 4th in the Nordic countries, 53rd in continental Europe), it was my first visit playing the course, I've only been there once before to watch some tournament golf.
The greens were completely different from what I had gotten used to. They were hard and slippery with false fronts but the ball rolled true and there were no irregularities or surprises. If you read the green correctly, you always had a chance.
My game plan was to hit hybrid off the tee but once we got there I found out the fairways were wide and with the scorecard having distances to all the bunkers, it was easy to determine which bunkers I couldn't reach or could carry over. I started off with a double bogey after one chip and three putts on the green. After six holes I was +4 but then managed a triple bogey to go +7 after 7. At that point I had 1 GIR, 6 chip shots around the green and 15 putts.
Things changed slightly after that even though I didn't realize it yet as I finished the front nine bogey, par for +8. The back nine started with four easy pars (3/3 FIR, 4/4 GIR, 8 putts), then I made a birdie with a putt from off the green to go 1 under on the back 9. Unfortunately it was followed by a bogey when my approach shot came up short and my chip shot from some tough rough came up short.
Lucky for me I hit a great tee shot on the next hole, a par 3 and made the birdie to go 1 under again. That didn't last long either though as I three-putted the 17th leaving me +8 after 17 and requiring a par finish. The 18th was a par 5, I hit a great drive, there could've been a chance to go for it with the hybrid but chose to lay up with a 5 iron as there was water on the left and trees on the right. I hooked the shot slightly to 60 yards out. There was one tree on the edge of the LWH on the left leaving the branches on my line of play. While figuring out the shot I wanted to hit I kind of forgot about the branches on the way. Needless to say the ball clipped the branches but lucky for me the ball fell to the fairway. A very good chip shot left me with a testing 4-foot putt for the 79 but I made it (the chip was good considering the greens
) .Even par back 9 and +1 for the last 11 holes (28 Stableford points). 2 birdies, 9 pars, 5 bogeys, a double and a triple. Even though the course was new to me and I hit the driver off the tee on every par 4 and 5, I finished the round with the same ball I started with.
.I think the score had a lot to do with a decent swing but also having no fear and no previous bad memories from the course. All I did was check the distances to the bunkers and play accordingly, just concentrating on a good swing one shot at a time. I was concentrating on hitting good shots rather than worrying about bad ones. And the good shots were there.
I've been chasing a score in the 70s for several years now getting a fair share of 80s, 81s etc (the most memorable ones this year have been an 80 with three double bogeys and a triple bogey and an 83 with 44 putts when the greens were mostly sand!)
Thanks for listening!
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2014
- Location
- Miami, Florida
- HCP
- Old Age
- Local club/country
- Killian Greens Golf Club
- Irons
- MX-1000
- Driver
- ST-180
A psychiatrist friend of mine would definitely agree with your analysis. Negative thoughts leading to self fulfilling prophecy is a mean master on the golf course. Standing there, about to hit a shot, with no way to displace negative thoughts harbored from past bad experiences is pretty much impossible for most people.
I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning, but I can remember where I've hit every shank or OB in the past.
I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning, but I can remember where I've hit every shank or OB in the past.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
- HCP
- 7.1
- Local club/country
- England
- Irons
- Titleist T100s 😬
- Driver
- TM Stealth 2+
Thank you Bonobo!
Dennis, possibly the most important thing I'll need to carry over to the club championships next weekend is to try and keep focus on one shot at a time. To have the proper pre-shot routine, feel the swing before even addressing the ball and always concentrating on the good swing, not worrying about the previous bad shots on that hole or going into the autopilot mode.
Dennis, possibly the most important thing I'll need to carry over to the club championships next weekend is to try and keep focus on one shot at a time. To have the proper pre-shot routine, feel the swing before even addressing the ball and always concentrating on the good swing, not worrying about the previous bad shots on that hole or going into the autopilot mode.
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2016
- Location
- Derby, Derbyshire
- HCP
- Pro
- Local club/country
- Derby Golf Centre
- Irons
- Mizuno JPX 919 Tour (4-PW) - Project X LZ 6.5 120g - 0.5° Flat - 1/2"+
- Driver
- Titleist TS3 - HC Project X LZ17 6.5 60g, 9.5°, A1 - 11g