Thanks Gaz… yep, I reckon the decision making is pretty strong at the moment. My personal favourite was the 8i on 14. Rather than trying to bend a 5i punch and go further down, I took a club that left me spot on my PW distance, which I duly nailed to the green.

I actually said that to BTB4, I feel more comfortable from 100m than I do from 20m!

In regards to the shot on 17, I might have misled you there mate. That should have read 50deg. I’m pretty comfortable at that range with that club and can put a nice swing on it. This one I just got lazy in the wrists and didn’t follow through square causing it to slide off… I’m one of the few people in the world who can fade a wedge… It was almost an identical shot to the one on 4 which I nailed.

But you are right, and hence why I do play lots of 3/4 PW’s and 50deg where I assume most would play 56 and 60s… At the Marsh it’s very difficult to get under the ball on the hard turf. Ask Goldy about my “Lob Wedge Rule” when at the Marsh. It’s pretty simple… don’t use it.

Another thing about the 17th is that it’s the only green you can’t really run it up on. There is a patch of very spongey kikuyu (sp?) at the front which traps the ball every time. Locals know about it, but it’s always funny watching visitors who have pitched and run all day get to 17 and go “WTF??”. So it has to be an elevated shot into this green. Unless you’re lefty, and you just nail your second from 160m to 2ft…

My key distances at the moment though mate are 20m in, particularly those that may be 5-10m off in the rubbish. These are the ones I’m struggling to nail to one putt territory. But I’m getting there… Hopefully I’ll get it to click one day! :)

Next flags on the horizon… a 14 and 13. Replace them with 12s and I’ve reached my goal. Or, I could just roll in another 11 and 9.4 jumps in!

I must admit, it’s pretty nice to see 9.7 on the golf link…

I seemed to be stuck in that 14 to 12 band there for a while. I think the break over Christmas certainly helped, as I might have been over golfing myself.

But I’m not a single figure marker, so the job is not done yet. Mrs Smergs wants to know if I’m going to retire once if I get to 9, as that’s the life long goal. Somehow I doubt it…

Get there first and we’ll cross that bridge as it comes.

Matty,

I figure you just have to knock off that played to 14 ….... and then that played to 13, over the next few rounds …. then you will be firmly ensconced in single figures …..... with probably ten rounds to spare.

Just keep focussing on each shot, and playing to your strengths, and one more thing, which I reckon is really important but not really mentioned …. is not hitting “two bad shots in a row”.

Off single figures you can get certainly away with hitting bad shots every now and again… but you can’t get away with hitting two bad ones in a row.

Looking forward to seeing you get that final poofteenth of a handicap reduction Matty.

Matty,

I figure you just have to knock off that played to 14 ……. and then that played to 13, over the next few rounds …. then you will be firmly ensconced in single figures …….. with probably ten rounds to spare.

Just keep focussing on each shot, and playing to your strengths, and one more thing, which I reckon is really important but not really mentioned …. is not hitting “two bad shots in a row”.

Off single figures you can get certainly away with hitting bad shots every now and again… but you can’t get away with hitting two bad ones in a row.

Looking forward to seeing you get that final poofteenth of a handicap reduction Matty.

Thanks mate… Yep… I’ve got 4 rounds to just roll in a couple of nice ones and then I’ll be well and truly “anchored” for a while.

Good point (you make a few…) about two bad shots. I’m now nearly as good as Essendon as taking my medicine when stuffing a shot. Hero shots are now saved for matchplay (when required) and social rounds as far as I’m concerned.

Wow Smergs, on a roll mate.
Just had a bo peep at your GL and that is some streak you’re on.
Clearly you’re thinking more about your game these days and it’s paying dividends.
Single figures await.

On behalf of all the choppers, we’re a little sick of all of you “faux-choppers” claiming to be choppers, when you don’t have the first idea of what chopping really is…....just choppin’

PS well done Matty.

Smergs, you should absolutely enjoy having the handicap under 10 in actuals, even if not for a playing handicap (yet). Keep making the good decisions and make sure you are mentally in shape for those rounds which aren’t going to come quite so easily as some that you have on your radar at the moment.

Wow Smergs, on a roll mate.
Just had a bo peep at your GL and that is some streak you’re on.
Clearly you’re thinking more about your game these days and it’s paying dividends.
Single figures await.

Thanks mate… yeah a bit of a roll. I’m not sure how long it will last but I’ll just keep trying to focus on the things I’m doing right, staying relaxed and keep laughing.

I guess one key thing I’m finding out is that I’m starting to learn why shots might be hit poorly and learning the feedback from the club. I seem to know why I might miss a shot/target and can make a mental note to concentrate more if the same shot arises.

A bit of summer conditioning also helps I suppose and I’m hitting a lot more scoring irons for second shots these days.

Either way… it’s exciting stuff and I hope I can keep the ball rolling…

Smergs, you should absolutely enjoy having the handicap under 10 in actuals, even if not for a playing handicap (yet). Keep making the good decisions and make sure you are mentally in shape for those rounds which aren’t going to come quite so easily as some that you have on your radar at the moment.

Thanks Deege… it’s nice to see the 9 at the front. But the jobs not done… a couple more decent rounds to go.

I’m primed about SL actually, that’ll really test where I’m at. Good scores at the Marsh and Yarrambat where inaccuracy isn’t terribly penalised is one thing… rolling in decent scores out on the Wastelands of Sanctuary Lakes is another thing.

On behalf of all the choppers, we’re a little sick of all of you “faux-choppers” claiming to be choppers, when you don’t have the first idea of what chopping really is…….just choppin’

PS well done Matty.

If you don’t play golf for a living, you’re a chopper (and some of those that do still are…).

Some are just bigger choppers than others…

OK… a quick round up of SL…

Well we were playing off the Whites in very still and very hot conditions. And the flies… man they were everywhere.

Basically it was a tough day at the office on a course playing very very short. The round can be broken up into two parts:

The bad:

Wiped 3 holes and I had as many points as I had holes played (7). Thing is, I wasn’t hitting them too badly. I had been taking the 3w off the tee trying to play for position when accuracy was better than distance. But The Rocket Stick was off and everything I hit stayed left where I was aiming. Which resulted in 3 balls basically either being lost or nigh on unplayable off the tee. And when I did crush a driver, I’d destroy my good work with poor approach work. I just couldn’t get a rhythym.

The not so bad:

After 7 holes the “Give-a-shit-o-meter” was running off the scale. But some friendly encouragement from Peaksy and I set myself a challenge. 30pts. It’s what people expect of me. It’s what the fans want.

First GIR on the 17th converted to par, and then my shot of the day after skying my drive on 18. Water carry all the way from 160m, a 5i was a thing of beauty to finish pin high. Salvaged 5pts from the last two holes to scrap 12 for the 9.

Over to the front nine, the 3w stays left again. That’s it. It’s done for the day. Went 1 over for the next 4 holes as the driver blasted me into A1 position. Actually the driving on the last 6 long holes was probably the best I’ve put on in a long time. I failed to capitalise on the position but all the holes I didn’t par, I bogeyed. In the end, finished with 18pts and a 41 off the stick. So after going 11 over for the first 7 holes, I closed out the next 11 in 6 over.

Things to take out from it:
1) The driver was gold. Took it 10 times, found the target 9. And most weren’t hanging around… they were down there.
2) Putting was solid so I was happy with that.
3) It’s all in the wedge work. And I didn’t have it yesterday. On such a short course, I reckon I’d have been better off playing 5i-8i combos a lot of the time!
4) Peaksy is a gun
5) And never give up on a point or a round. In the end it still was an 88 off the stick at a course I’d never seen in hot conditions (and 4hrs sleep). It’s not the best round I’ve had, and my streak of flags is over. But there’s positives to take out of it and lessons to be learnt.

Roll on next time.

OK… back to the Marsh for the first time in quite a few weeks… And still chasing that elusive round(s) that keep me moving towards single figures.

Teed it up with ISG’rs Pozza, BMan and Tippy for a stock standard stableford round.

Started OK going through the first 4 holes with 8pts, and striking it well. Then it all seemed to go to sh!t. Went wipe, 1pt, wipe, wipe. to walk onto the 18th (teeing off the back) with sweet F’ all… I’m not really sure what happened. Was a bit of a blur, but it was a blur of rubbish.

On 18 smashed a good drive up the right and then took 8i into the green which I clipped beautifully. Airmailed the green and chunked chip back on before rolling in a solid 12-15ftr for par… Well a stellar 12pts.

But I wasn’t Robinson Crusoe… BMan had a massive 10pts and Tippy 9pts. Pozza was a rock with 18pts.

With a disgusting 47 off the sticks, I realigned the goals and decided to try and break 90. Hitting 18pts would see it done.

Massive drives on 1 and 2 went left, but I scrambled 5pts from them. Got lucky with a tree on 3 and scrambled a 1pt. The Nemesis, the 4th was greeted with a topped 3w that barely made the fairway. I kept the fath, and hit a 3w from the gods onto the RHS fringe. Got up and down for 2pts. A sh!thouse 5th, the 6th with a booming drive and awesome 9i to 6ft. Missed the birdie, rolled in par. 7th hit a nice drive, horrid 3 wd, some more rubbish but salvaged a 6 for 2. The 7th was shizen, and another 6.

Basically scrappy with flashes on some nice stuff in between. Standing on the 9th, Tippy and I work out I need to birdie the last to break 90 and get the job done.

Drive of the day up the guts leaving 220m to go. Hit the 3w a little fat but got enough to be up and over the little ditch in front of the green. Finally got a wedge right and put it to 3ft… and nailed the putt. Oh yeah…

So it’s another 30pts, and like SL, a 12-18 split. Some of the play is as good as ever, just more bits of shit sneaking in. I’m happy that my sh!t days are still breaking 90 which is something.

Still… I’ll keep toiling…

Highlight though was watching BMan turn it around… 3 birdies in the second 9 and the boy finished with 23pts for the 9, a 41 off the stick, and a wipe on the 8th! His near chip in on 7th which would have netted an eagle an $900 (a side bet) just lipped out and had us all on the edge of our seats.

He has game that’s for sure, and it’s good to see him out and about and finding a balance with the Bboy in his life. Once he works out his course management to reign in the emotion and clear the head, he’ll be sub 18 and Golftime will be cleaning up OOM dollars all over the show.

howd did the adams family go???

howd did the adams family go???

Always Always stand behind when playing in Shreks group
hosel rockets are soooo un predictable

Hey champ..

Only got to hit them once each, as a provisional both times.

I must admit, standing over them, they aren’t as attractive on the eye as I’d hope. But the 20deg (3i) I hit up 15 was immense and wasn’t far short of Pozza and TIppy’s drives.

The 23deg I hit on the 3rd, but hit it pretty fat. Ironically landed middle of the green.

Overall, I like them when holding them, but they might take some time getting used to them standing over it. Range time will be required.

As another note… I’ve dropped the driver off at the pro shop to get the Diamana blue shaft taken out and the V2 Proforce shaft from a Nikent driver I bought on Flea Bay put in. Pick up on Wednesday.

Not sure if this is a good move or not, but thought it was time to change something. The driver has had some decent legs on it at the moment, but it’s no great deal longer than my 3w and I want a different option in the bag.

The 3w has a completely different ball flight, piercing and direct, whilst the driver is more balloon. Didn’t like the Nickent combo, and wasn’t too phased with the current one. So at worst, I’ve got two new drivers to try out and get a feel on.

And if I don’t like it… they can both go on in the bargain basement barrell and I’ll go shopping again….

agree get some time into them will be the only way.

agree get some time into them will be the only way.

Always Always stand behind when playing in Shreks group
hosel rockets are soooo un predictable

Yep… just getting the time is the hard part. I’m getting more and more time poor as the Smerglings get older. Not a single daylight saving hitout for me this summer….

Midtable mediocrity – resorting to living vicariously through bman’s achievements???!!! Ba ha ha.
You will get to single digits soon enough. Question is, will I catch you first?

Highlight though was watching BMan turn it around… 3 birdies in the second 9 and the boy finished with 23pts for the 9, a 41 off the stick, and a wipe on the 8th! His near chip in on 7th which would have netted an eagle an $900 (a side bet) just lipped out and had us all on the edge of our seats.

He has game that’s for sure, and it’s good to see him out and about and finding a balance with the Bboy in his life. Once he works out his course management to reign in the emotion and clear the head, he’ll be sub 18 and Golftime will be cleaning up OOM dollars all over the show.

Cheers mate – appreciate the comments – hopefully a full 18 isn’t to far round the corner. Just hit it like a busted monkey the first 9!

Midtable mediocrity – resorting to living vicariously through bman’s achievements???!!! Ba ha ha.
You will get to single digits soon enough. Question is, will I catch you first?

Ghetto train – get on it.
Bandit express.

Winner C grade OOM #3 Patterson River.

Perhaps… not much golf on the horizon past March…

So picked up the driver from the proshop this arvo… A nice donor ProLaunch V2 shaft with a new grip in to replace the Diamana Blue shaft.

Old Mate reckons it should play “pretty stiff” which will be interesting. Whether that translates to more control or distance is yet to be seen.

Ultimately I’m chasing distance, as I’ve got a reasonable amount of control with the 3wd. Whether that’s realistic I’m yet to know.

OK… quick update from the Shambrose today at Scumshine.

Had the new driver out there. Well… the old driver head with a ‘new’ V2 shaft from a donor driver.

Extended with a plug in the handle, was told that it would be “pretty bloody stiff”... Well after some of the drives today, it wasn’t the only one…

Look, it’s not prodigiously longer, and yeah it feels a lot stiffer. It feels like I have to work a little harder to get it going but the results were very promising… honeymoon period? Perhaps. But it could have been worse.

There were some very big hits, quite a few that I think were ~250m. Made pin high on the Par 5 second hitting driver, 4hy.

So yep, I’m pretty happy with the experiment. A round tomorrow and it’ll get another crack.

Hit the Adams hybrids a few more times and hit one a little fat, but the others were mint. Still not sure about the look, but the results are good.

I also grabbed the old putter, an Odyssey Marxman Blade putter from the club rack. Putted reasonably well, was pleased with it and put some good rolls on it. It will get another run tomorrow as well.

As a whole for the day, pretty happy from the tee, and on the greens. To the green though, was coming up short a lot. Also wasn’t connecting well. Need to focus on getting through the ball better with the scoring irons…

good read mate
the adams are certainly an acquired look
i do fear your need to hit the driver hard could be trouble
time will tell

good read mate
the adams are certainly an acquired look
i do fear your need to hit the driver hard could be trouble
time will tell

Always Always stand behind when playing in Shreks group
hosel rockets are soooo un predictable

Yeah… maybe I was just going a little hard because the Ambrose mate… it’s a “free for all”...

But at the end of the day it felt really good in my hands and I felt I could really track the club through the swing.

Will see what you think next week.

gotta give this driver a whirl some time.

Oh thats right you played in the corproate shambrose today didnt you?