A lot of you guys know me pretty well by now, and have seen my golf game in action (not pretty at times, but sometimes it can have flashes of sheer and utter …... goodness) so some of this may not be news to some.

Anyway, back to the start, and I started playing golf socially way back in the dark ages, as a teenager, (playing right handed incidentally), but other sports and life, generally got in the way for at least the next decade or two. I did manage to spend the odd year in my 20’s and early 30’s perfecting the “recovery shot” up at Royal Olinda. There’s nothing like hitting the ball in one direction and then walking off in another, cause you know that’s where you’re ball will end up ….. either due to the slope of the ground, or to my perennial wild slice back then.

A couple o years ago, I stumbled across some mildly amusing golf forum just at the point where I was playing a bit more frequently and looking to improve. I also had my one, and to date, only golf lesson …... which consisted of the local golf pro (henceforth to be dubbed Eric the Idle) instructing me in how to hit the draw shot, thereby eliminating my 40 year slice.

The sum of Eric’s coaching consisted of one sentence ….. “try to hit the ball over mid on, instead of over covers”. For a former opening batsman of some distinction, the dusty light bulb turned on instantly, and Eric quickly departed back to the clubhouse ….. to continue on with his idle ways.

It was about this time that I decided, with much encouragement from my ISG brethren to also get an official handicap. (I’d call it nagging, but let’s not split hares, as that would be bloody and messy, and likely to draw the attention of the RSPCA)
So, sadly for me, after finding some good form over a recent xmas period, I put in my three Howlong holiday scorecards and lo and behold, received a starting handicap of 11. A few weeks later and I started playing in a regular comp at Centenary Park in Frankston with a few ne’er-do-wells. One good back nine later (-3) that resulted in an overall 42 pointer, and sixty dollar winner’s voucher … and my handicap suddenly shot from 11 down to 4.8 overnight ….... and took with it, any semblance of my golf game.

For the next several months I was trying to play catch-up off every tee, and this only made things worse. I’d occasionally throw together nine holes which were also pretty good, but the other nine’s were fraught with blowouts including the odd lost spheroid, as I was forever hitting them flat out in order to catch up to my handicap.

Also during this time I attended my first “Club Ho” meeting ….... sneaking in the back door with cap pulled down low, and sitting quietly in the back row, as I listened to Dave_1, L4G, and others tell of their addictions, and how they too, fought hard to stop themselves from clicking that seductive “Buy now” button. (I had by now started to gather drivers, as I worked my way from regular whippy shafts, through to more rigid poles, along with also trialling various driver lofts. I’d also upgraded my iron set a couple of times .........and bought the odd associated golfing gadget, as well as a golfing wardrobe that has become the envy of all.)

My regular comp game at Centenary was interrupted around this time, by concurrent injuries to my playing partners (at least that’s what they told me) ... so I was rendered homeless for six months or so, and became something of a wandering nomad, finding solace instead, in regular games in the windblown golfing mecca’s of The Dunes, Moonah Links and St. Andrews Beach.

Interspersed with all of this, was ISG and the 2011 season, with OOM events, Outer Rim games (we’ve got to find a better term for them), and other ad hoc games with my fellow ISG’ers …... as well as social Sunday afternoon and mid week post work 9’s with the beloved .. henceforth to be known as “the beloved” …......... up at our local course, Beaconhills.

Indeed I’d played a fair bit of golf up at Beacy over the years, (including back in the days when they had 2 complete 18’s, The Hills, and the Lakes) and so with Wasabipea’s encouragement, (and with it being very handy for both comp games, and for use as a training practice venue) ....... I bit the bullet and have recently joined up as a fully fledged 7 day member …... or 8 day clock, (it was one of the other, I can’t remember which one exactly).

Anyway, I am due to play my first comp round at Beacy bright and early this Saturday morning, and walking onto the course last night for a training run with the beloved, I found the greens had just been sanded and cored. How’s that for timing?

With a shiny new, Yes Victoria II putter also in the bag to test out for the first time (I’m a ho, and I need help) ........ it was always going to be hard to get a feel for it on those greens, so the plan for Saturday’s first comp game at Beacy, is to try and leave myself with short putts and not long ones.

And that I think guys and girls …...... brings us up to date.

I shall endeavour to cast my pearls before you with great frequency, and indeed, I shall willingly, and eagerly, accept your comments, advice and banter …......let the games commence

We swine eagerly await your pearls, Gazman.

One suggestion for tomorrow re the putting surface – hit ‘em hard, and hit ‘em straight.

You know it makes sense.

Your obedient disciple, Goldenrod

Ah Goldy …..... lovely to see you stopping by.

Feel free anytime buddy, as the light is always on for you … (So long as it’s during the daytime when I’m happily getting paid to post from work)

On to Victoria now, and the thing I noticed about Victoria immediately on pulling it from the cardboard box ….... is how much heavier than my previous putter, an Odyssey White Hot blade variety, she is.

With my main putting woes (there are others) being distance control, and having no feeling for it with the blade, I figured a heavier mallet putter with a decent alignment line, could only help my putting consistency. (Oh, that, and the fact that I’d never have to try and spell odyssey again).

The plan for tomorrow though, is get them on the green but failing that, chip them thru the air right to the flag, and not try to run them onn the green, as they were pretty inconsistent and very bumpy last night, and I don’t think that’s going to change by tomorrow.

I did however manage to confirm an epiphnay of sorts, last night. For ages now I’ve been spraying my irons shots when firing at the greens, and at the end of the previous practice round, I got them straightened out by closing the clubface more.

This is probably more like just getting it back to square, but it looks slightly closed to my naked eye …... (but then I do have an eye like a dead garfish on the greens, so perhaps that also extends back up the fairway)

Anyway, I probably got 7 good irons shots at the greens last night, and making sure the face had that “square to closed” look about it, managed to get 6 of them firing directly at the pin. One long, one short, and four thereabouts …..... so it’s definitely something I’ve got to remember and to really focus on. Golf is so much easier when you know where they are going to go off the clubface.

Like I said Golden one …....... drop by anytime.

Next update, probably Monday morning with all of the comp round summary.

P.S. “Pearls” were tongue in cheek, buddy!!

Tsk tsk tsk GP, very disappointed to see that you have forgotten how todays quick alignment fix for straight shots is tomorrows hooking out of bounds shot. But on a lighter note, one has to admire the sheer optimism of the keen golfer, to think that on a Friday afternoon he has stumbled on some great secret, then on the Saturday watching in dismay as it all goes horribly pear shaped. So the new secret is cast aside in disgust, never to be remembered again, and the search begins afresh for the new secret to golfing Nirvana. This optimism is typified by those poor souls that believe the advertising hype coming with the purchase of new equipment. Sure enough the new gear plays like a dream for approximately 27 holes before turning into the equivalent of some terrible dark monster. Then ironically it is banished to the darkest area of the garage to gather dust for eternity, or for the more pathetic types meekly offered as a trade for a fraction of its previous value.

So when’s the sale on Waff?

Haven’t bought a club this century Goldy.

5 posts.

That’s all it took for me to thread jack.

And from a mate, too.

Ashamed.

Ashamed but not surprised I expect Goldy?

I’m a disgrace, Weetie.

Please resume normal transmission Gaz.

Nice background GPJ. Sounds like you are a natural – just got to deal with the headgames!

Look forward to future installments.

Looking forward to the journey.

nice long 1st post there gaz
thought i was on postcards again

anyway fyi
i have a yes Victoria too
i got golfguy to add 10 gramms of lead to the arse
smashes it
awesomest putterer

got get em tiger

5 posts.

That’s all it took for me to thread jack.

And from a mate, too.

Ashamed.

“Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you; she is after your barn”……Ed Rayner

Successfully avoiding the NAGA since 2011.
Vice President of the “Rock Lobster 23” Fan Club.

Goldy, never met a thread you couldn’t jack …...... so while I am thrilled to have now joined the growing list of threads that you have conquered…...... it doesn’t make me feel special.

Now if you were to do it twice …......... that would be impressive!!!

GPJ,
Looking forward to hearing how you are progressing.

Okay on to Saturday’s round now …....... and teed off up at Beacy with a couple of my new mates, in mist and drizzle, not far on the right side of 7 oclock.

Opened with a lovely gay faded driver to the inside corner of the dogleg, then put a pitching wedge onto and then slightly over the green. Chipped back on and close, and then tapped in for par on very sandy bumpy greens. Off to a decent, but not outstanding start. Drizzle turned to rain for the 2nd hole, managed bogey after missing the green wide and 2 pointed it.

Rain went back to drizzle for the 3rd, and then it stopped as I ended up with an easy 2 putt par on the uphill par 5, 4th hole.

Next hole and again in light sunshine, bogeyed it for another 2 points. Then the rain came once more, and so did the wet weather gear, this time the rain was harder, and looked set to continue for a while. Got through the next few holes in pretty confortable fashion depsite missing one or two greens. The driving was on song and I was leaving myself in good positions.

I made the turn with 20 points, and the wet weather gear back in the bag. Played the long par 5 10th in great fashion ….. a long drive down the hill, caught a 3 wood slightly fat though and left myself with a chip of about 30 metres up the steep hill and onto the green. Hit a nice soft lob wedge which got me within a metre …....... and then missed an easy birdie as the ball took a big bounce left on the green. Tap in for par.

Given the cored, sandy, bumpy greens I wasn’t too unhappy.
Had a wipe at the uphill par 3 13th though, when I lost control of my 5 iron off the tee, dragging it way right, and pretty much dead. Back on track by the next hole after yet another change of glove (I’d been through about 4 by now). Playing the short downhill 128 metre par 3 15th, I Hilary Schwanked one way left …..... down through about 50 metres of gum tree and scrub and just about onto the next tee. I hit a lovely lob wedge back across onto the green and then dropped a bumpy, bouncing,10 footer for par …........ who said this game is hard?

I was almost managing to play to my handicap on the back nine …... although by now the wet wether gear was working overtime, and I was just trying to bunt them off the tee, as my fifth glove for the day was getting pretty wet.

I got to the last, a par 4 slightly uphill dogleft left, just as a real torrent ocurred …...... and I dragged a 3 wood out of bounds right, as I was just trying to hang onto the club. I hit a lovely provisional (don’t we all), followed by a nice wedge in, missed my last chance at a point as the ball stayed up …... and that was me done for the day.

I compiled 14 points on the back nine (with two wipes) to go with my 20 on the front nine …........ so 34 all up in my first comp at Beacy.

A quick sprint through the deluge to the bar, and my first beer was going down before noon (probably should have had something to eat for brekky) as we watched the torrent now pouring down off the clubhouse roof. With rain like that we could have been in the tropics there was that much of it.

So in summary, I was pretty happy with the round, despite not playing better than my handicap. With cored greens, and the all the torrential rain at times, I got around there pretty comfortably and felt that I’d left a couple out there, on both nines, but particularly the back nine where two shots cost me points.

nice long 1st post there gaz
thought i was on postcards again

anyway fyi
i have a yes Victoria too
i got golfguy to add 10 gramms of lead to the arse
smashes it
awesomest putterer

4 MORE YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Muzz, I’ve got to say, I’m loving the feel of Victoria, after my previous putter.

She’s got a lovely heavy weight to her already …. so I don’t think I’’’ be adding more weight to her ….... it’s a wonder you can swing it at that weight ….. maybe use her off the tee instead, as she’d feel so rock solid.

GPJ,
Looking forward to hearing how you are progressing.

An official iseekgolf.com teaching panelist

scott@zenolink.com">scott@zenolink.com

http://www.facebook.com/zen…

Hey Scotty, lovely of you to drop on in.

FYI ….... I didn’t really get to use the old aimcharts on Saturday, as the greens were in pretty rough condition …........ I probably would have been better using “tide charts” instead, given all the rain we had.

It is good though playing there all the time, as you soon build up knowledge on the greens as to which way they’ll bend, a bit like you at Kingswood.

I’m not sure how many actually got out and played their rounds on Saturday, as it was pretty crowded in the bar when we got back, with more than a few pulling the pin without firing a shot …........ no committment!!

Welcome to the ‘Yes!’ fan club. And judging by your round it was a 4 season round! Good to see your persistence in such conditions. I play with a lot who wuss out. I prefer the challenge as the game play is so different to adapt to the weather. Well done.

got get em tiger

A-GRADE Champion Vic ISG Round #3 OOM Growling Frog.
Longdrive Champion Vic ISG Round #4 OOM Keysborough GC.
Longdrive Champion Vic ISG Round #5 OOM Eagle Ridge GC.
I shot 69 (-3) in an OOM event and didnt win, go figure??
Golfer with the only sub par round in 2011 ISG OOM

Thanks for encouragement Hacky ….... much appreciated.

I see our friend Bowdo had a bit of an up and down week up at Coolum …...... you’ll have to get him back on track at Keysie, and remind him that one round does not a tournament make.

Welcome to the ‘Yes!’ fan club. And judging by your round it was a 4 season round! Good to see your persistence in such conditions. I play with a lot who wuss out. I prefer the challenge as the game play is so different to adapt to the weather. Well done.

TP534
The other AB (AB2)
’The Drop Bear Commeth’

Thanks AB …..... I think the Yes fan club is growing pretty rapidly on here.

As for the round, it was pretty interesting adapting to the conditions, there are some bad points to it of course, but also some good ones, such as actually swinging within yourself, oh, and being able to check that your eyes are over the ball as you watch the drips from your cap land on the ball when you’re about to putt.

Yep. Heavy rain presents a whole new approach. The irritation of wet gear on wet gear off can be off putting also and distract from performance. A game within the game

I think one key AB I have in mind in those conditions, is to just make myself slow down.

You see lots of guys who hate playing in the rain and when they’re playing, you see them quickly duck out from under their umbrella, hit the ball even quicker, and then race back to their umbrella.

I hopefully, try to take the approach that you keep it simple, I want to take the same amount of time in deciding what I’m going to do ….... and I don’t try to work the ball unless I have to, I generally take an extra club and just swing that little bit easier to try and get good contact.

I figure though, that it’s much easier to play in the rain, than in the wind.

At least the rain will generally just knock your ball down a bit (so club up slightly) .......... and it won’t blow it sideways.

nice long 1st post there gaz
thought i was on postcards again

anyway fyi
i have a yes Victoria too
i got golfguy to add 10 gramms of lead to the arse
smashes it
awesomest putterer

4 MORE YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Muzz, I’ve got to say, I’m loving the feel of Victoria, after my previous putter.

She’s got a lovely heavy weight to her already …. so I don’t think I’’’ be adding more weight to her ……. it’s a wonder you can swing it at that weight ….. maybe use her off the tee instead, as she’d feel so rock solid.

2 deg loft, now there’s a thought

2 degrees would keep em nice and low and under the wind I’d imagine.