Give me a call if you want some company out there big fella.

“Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you; she is after your barn”……Ed Rayner
Goldy. G-Oldy? Godly? Goldenrod? Goldfinger? Numbnuts? Whatever.
No ponies were harmed in the making of this post.

You coming running with me Goldy?

http://www.golflink.com.au/...

2011 ISG Weight Loss Challenge Participant.

2011 ISG Vic OOM Midtable Mediocrity Specialist.

You’re a funny man.

Ha !!!

Yeah, I’m sure that’s what he meant Smergs, you, him, some spandex, and speed golf.

You could always hang a donut off a fishing rod …. just in front of his face, just to keep him on track.

Now that game I would love to see!!!

http://www.golflink.com.au/...

“The meek may inherit the earth ……..
but they’ll never reach the par 5 green in two”
Longdrive Champion Vic ISG Round 3 OOM Growling Frog.

Everyone’s a comedian.

Or a fisherman.

In spandex?

Kill me.

Onto the training plan for this afternoon now …..... and the driver will be back in the bag after a well deserved day off yesterday.

With it being windy out yet again, I think the plan for this afternoon will be to play, and to practice, a lot more more 3/4 knockdown shots into the greens … (as the odd short iron shot of that nature that I’m hitting of late is working really well.)

I figure it’s time to get some more of those knockdown distances sorted, by moving on to use the mid irons, and to integrate the “knockdown shot” distances across the whole range of irons, if at all possible.

Hopefully in doing so, (adding some more fixed distances) it can add a few more strings to the bow, and allow me some greater flexibility within my game, so that I can vary the club and type of shot, depending on the prevailing conditions.

As always, this game I figure is about challenging yourself and learning ….. not to mention fun …... so it promises to be another interesting practice round.

Give me a call if you want some company out there big fella.

“Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you; she is after your barn”……Ed Rayner
Goldy. G-Oldy? Godly? Goldenrod? Goldfinger? Numbnuts? Whatever.
No ponies were harmed in the making of this post.

You coming running with me Goldy?

http://www.golflink.com.au/...

2011 ISG Weight Loss Challenge Participant.

2011 ISG Vic OOM Midtable Mediocrity Specialist.

You’re a funny man.

“Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you; she is after your barn”……Ed Rayner
Goldy. G-Oldy? Godly? Goldenrod? Goldfinger? Numbnuts? Whatever.
No ponies were harmed in the making of this post.

Sometimes I get one out of the middle.

Give me a call if you want some company out there big fella.

“Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you; she is after your barn”……Ed Rayner
Goldy. G-Oldy? Godly? Goldenrod? Goldfinger? Numbnuts? Whatever.
No ponies were harmed in the making of this post.

how about we drag gaz out in early Jan goldy to get a sense check of this fine tuning, id reckon he must be seeing the ball like a pumpkin right now…I’ll post elsewhere for takers…back to normal transmission and Gaz, keep carving it up mate, I wanna see a beacy boy bring home the bacon in an OOM event

Done deal Wasa.

Yep, sounds good to me too Dave.

Okay, update from last night now, and rather than focus on scoring I was just focussing on playing shots from different lies, using different clubs, and hitting from different angles into the greens.

I pretty much used my 3 wood off the tees instead of driver last night, and while it lacked a little distance, the accuracy wasn’t too bad at all. It also gave me that little extra distance to go on most of the par 4’s and 5’s which was good.

I managed to get a lot of my 3/4 swings sorted as far as the various club distances go.

For instance …. on the 7th hole (par 4 dogleg right, uphill 2nd shot to green.)

I teed off with a nice high straight 3 wood to the middle of dogleg corner, and had 120 metres up the hill to go.

With a 3/4 swing (my hands don’t go past around “9 o’clock” in the backswing) ...... that distance for me I estimated was going to be a 6 iron.

So I hit a smooth 3/4 shot with my 6 iron up the hill and it sailed up and landed on …... nice one.

Next I paced ten steps closer, tossed down another ball …... and then picked out the 7 iron. 3/4 swing …... on again.

Another ten steps closer (100m out this time) .. I grabbed my 8 iron, 3/4 swing …...... on again.

Ten more steps .(90) ........ a 9 iron 3/4 swing …...... on again.

Another 10 steps closer etc ….... all the way down to me hitting a 50 metre 3/4 swing with the lob wedge.

All of them landed either on the green or just to the side of it, but at the right distance. This should now give me alternate distance options which will be good.

Rather than hit my normal high SW it’s usual 90 metres, instead I can now hit a lower shot in with a 3/4 swing with my 9 iron ….... and know that will be around the mark too.

I think it will be very handy to now have two different options for each distance when I’m within scoring range.

With my usual shot distances imprinted clearly in the old brain box …...... I also have an easy way to remember these new 3/4 distances with each club.

As a reference point I can just use the following 9×9=90 (9oclock swing x 9iron =90 metres) .......... and then work out the rest from there either upward or downward depending on the distance requirement …... (1 club = 10 metres).

I try to keep things pretty simple …....... so this should be quick and easy for me to remember.

No doubt this is something that I should have gotten around to sorting out years ago ….. but better late then never I figure.

I figure this will come in handy when hitting into the wind when I want to keep the ball “down” ....... or hitting into greens that slope from back to front, as the lower shots in should still “bite” and stop nicely.

In summary of last night practice, I got to dial in some new club distances into my game …...... and I learnt something about my 3 wood distances and where they may “land” on some of the holes where I rarely use it …... an interesting nights work, and something that I can add into my game at the appropriate times.

Practice night again last night, and I was joined by Francie on the Hills of Beacy for a relaxed 9 in the late afternoon sun.

Started the 1st with a straight drive left thru the inside dogleg corner to leave myself with around 90 to go. A SW into the wind was slightly short to the front fringe, and then two putts for par …..... 0

Playing the downhill 2nd, I hooked my 5 iron high, wide and not at all handsome. My chip back thru the trees across to the green fell well short, another chip got me onto the green, and two putts for double bogey ensued …......... +2

3rd hold Par 5 dogleg left. Hit my driver a bit too straight to be blocked from the green, but with about 180 out, I hit a nice draw shot with my 6 iron that sailed thru the trees, to finish up on the front fringe. Two putts for birdie ….... +1

4th uphill par 5. A driver up and over the first hill, leaving some 220m to the green. A nice 3 wood that faded late and I was 30 metres short. A short chip to the fringe, and 2 putts for par…....... +1

Bastard 5th hole dogleg par 4. Drew a 3 iron long and into the rough, but still had a shot at the green. Hit a 9 iron that stayed left and got held up in the wind to drop into the greenside bunker. A small soft SW out and onto the green to about 10 feet away from the pin …. sunk the par saving putt ….. +1

6th uphill short par 3. Played a pitching wedge, aimed left, drew it in but it finished just on, and short right of the pin. Two putts for par…...... +1

7th dogleg right par 4. A draw shot with the driver thru the inside of the dogleg to finish 90 out. A ¾ swing with my 9 iron = 90 metres, so that was the shot. Lobbed onto the green nicely and two putts for par …........ +1

8th hole …....... driver draw shot never happened and it stayed straight and slammed into the trees leftward. Tried a low percentage shot thru a small gap in the trees, and hit the tree. It rick o’shayed out and across onto the 9th fairway’s rough. Hit a SW but way too soft, and dinged my SW in the process on an underlying tree root …..... bugger …....... another chip on, and then a one putt from memory, for let’s see now …..... plenty(5 .. bogey)............. +2

9th hole. And a swirling 3 wood in the cross breeze that eventually faded back from the tree line to finish mid fairway. A draw shot with my 8 iron up the hill to the green worked nicely, and an easy two putt par followed…....... +2

All up, it was pretty solid 7 holes, but a couple that were so much less than glorious, but in the end the two “shockers” never really effected the score too much.

Playing with Francie though and it showed me that the “local green knowledge” that I’m getting there is really helping to keep the putting to a mimumum, as I was gerneally leaving myself easy uphillers for my 2nd putts, and that is always a good thing … while Pete had a few tricky ones to deal with.

Old mate Francie hit them pretty consistently as usual though, with just the odd shot going astray every once and awhile.

We finished up the late afternoon with a couple o coldies sitting outside in the sun, having a yak and a laugh as we watched the goings on, on the nearby practice green. A great relaxed way to wind down the day.

Pete, anytime you want a relaxed belt, a beer, or a chat, just let me know buddy, and we’ll lock it in …....

Bloody hell, talk about living the dream!

Off 5/6 by WV mate, or you’ll be labelled a bandit for sure :)

Thanks for the vote of confidence Stink …. but we’ll see what happens.

Got a few half decent rounds still to drop off my golflink before we get into a few really rubbishy ones …..... so the old handicap may not vary too much just yet, before it then takes a decent leap downward.

Oh, there’s also that small question of actually putting it together in comp rounds to deal with, if the HC is going to go anywhere.

But enough about me …... any ideas yet of when are you “biting the bullet” and signing up somewhere?

Getting “regular” is good for most things, and also for golf as well …. so having a home you can call your own should see your own HC drop …......... unless of course you want to maintain your wandering minstrel ways, in which case, that makes it harder to maintain your HC doesn’t it?

It does indeed mate, like trying to have a family with several lovers, it bites you in the arse for sure, ask Tiger :)

I got down to 11 by playing regularly at the Frog, but honestly it’s 50 mins to get there, and the time factor adds up.

Just renewed my golflink at N’cote, might even play a few comps there. But joining a course wont happen till Feb, and the money may have run out by then, so will have to wait till my next wind fall.

In the mean time I need to get my distances sorted, notice you working on the 1/2 swing idea with various clubs. I’m finding that when I make a few swings in the yard, I have 3 levels of swing that feel repeatable, there’s the one where I keep my hips solid, no turn, and turn shoulders. left arm goes to about 7.30, then the 9 o’clock one you mention, then full swing. Need to record the average length for those swings with all irons I reckon.

Thinking back to my putting stats last night, and while I had several 1st putts from on the fringe, I got them nice and close, so that my actual putts from on the green itself last night …..... went along these lines…...

1st – 1 putt
2nd – 2 putts
3rd – 1 putt
4th – 1 putt
5th – 1 putt
6th – 2 putts
7th – 2 putts
8th – 1 putt
9th – 2 putts

13putts (from on the green) for the front 9, has got to be something of a record for me, given my former woeful putting efforts.

There are three reasons for such a huge improvement in my putting in the last few months I think …. and I do mean a huuuggge improvement.

Anyone who played with me back then, and recently …. would surely see the difference … I know I certainly do.

Anyway, the first reason, which I’ve stated before on here, is in finding a putter that fits me, both in my ideal set-up, and in the actual weight of the putter head … it just feels so very solid as it swings thru pendulum style.

The second reason was in doing an “Aimpoint Clinic” with Steve Giuliano at Albert Park, (See Steve in the Ask A Pro section if you’re interested ….. highly recommened, both Steve, and Aimpoint)

Steve and Aimpoint tought me to look at “greens” in an entirely new way, and it has taken out so much of my former “eye like a dead garfish” guesswork, and has allowed me to really play with confidence on the short stuff, knowing (and not guessing) which way the ball is going to break on most of the various green’s locations etc.

The third reason, is probably a combination of both of the above, and my growing familiarity with Beaconhill’s greens.

With me now having a good understanding of the various green’s “slopes and breaks”, while I am focussing on trying to get the first one in the hole ….... more importantly, I am trying to make sure that I finish up with my ball at the hole or at worst …....... leaving it underneath the hole.

On sidehill sliding putts of say 15 feet ….... I don’t mind missing the hole, so long as the ball finishes underneath it, so that it leaves me a straight uphill putt to come.

There is nothing worse than putting across a side slope, and leaving it short, so that you still have the same nasty little cross-hiller to come.

That’s been something of a focus of mine with my putting of late, making sure that if I miss ….... that I leave an easy “uphill putt” to follow …... and that has made a huge difference in my recent putt counts.

In the last week or two I’ve nailed a lot of those putts up to and including 12 footers, just because I am sitting directly beneath the hole for either my 1st or 2nd putt.

Hopefully as the old brain box continues to swell with knowledge, and endless numbers and tactics, ... that this little gem of “finishing below the hole if I miss” will remain in the forefront ….... whenever I step onto the short stuff.

It does indeed mate, like trying to have a family with several lovers, it bites you in the arse for sure, ask Tiger :)

I got down to 11 by playing regularly at the Frog, but honestly it’s 50 mins to get there, and the time factor adds up.

Just renewed my golflink at N’cote, might even play a few comps there. But joining a course wont happen till Feb, and the money may have run out by then, so will have to wait till my next wind fall.

In the mean time I need to get my distances sorted, notice you working on the 1/2 swing idea with various clubs. I’m finding that when I make a few swings in the yard, I have 3 levels of swing that feel repeatable, there’s the one where I keep my hips solid, no turn, and turn shoulders. left arm goes to about 7.30, then the 9 o’clock one you mention, then full swing. Need to record the average length for those swings with all irons I reckon.

http://www.golflink.com.au/...

I really don’t stink so,,,,,,

Assistant forum moderator, servant to MADAM

Well Northcote would be nice and local for you.

No doubt you have a good idea already of how to best work your way around there …........ so playing comps would be good, not only for the old handicap, but more importantly I guess ….... for the confidence factor Stink ….... (whether you’re a member there, or a regular “visitor”)

Now, onto the various swings and roundabouts.

So you’ve jumped ahead of me and cottoned onto the 7:30 swing as well …very nice.

I have heard of that one, and no doubt I too will get around to something resembling it …... just got to work out how to keep track of these sets of numbers piling up around me.

Maye like the pro’s, we need to develop a “yardage book”, not of the course we play, but of our club distances using the various swings.

I would consider taping the distances onto the various club’s shaft, but I’d hate to spoil the pure sultry looks of my 68’s, as I’m sure you would too with your 63’s..

From your description …..... my 9 o’clock swing sounds like your 7:30, not much if any deliberate lower body, but then give it some nice smooth acceleration thru on the downswing.

I guess with me not having been through the whole “I’d like to learn to play golf, can you please give me a lesson” regimen, ......... where they actually start you off with doing these sort of half swings …... I started from a point of “hit the cover off it and then go find it” ....... so I am sort of developing my game backwards if you like, and heading on down the food chain ….... towards these little intricacies.

It’s a little like “deconstructing” as you go …....... interesting and rewarding . should have done it years ago though, like a lot of things I guess.

Gaz, your bastard 5th hole bit my leg off today,
Hooked into the trees lhs and never managed to get back out,
finished with 38 points 1 wipe (5th) and 3×1 points.
Greens are quicker now.

No wonder you bag the Frog mate hahahaha… Do they have any slopes in the greens at Beaconhills mate? How bout a men’s course? I thought the Frog was short… :P

Only shit stirring you mate, caught you ragging on my home so thought it was only fair to get stuck into you about your pitch and putt, I mean golf course. No wonder you took Driver out of the bag… ;)

Probably be able to take the SW out too, where’s the sand?

Only stirring mate….

No wonder you bag the Frog mate hahahaha… Do they have any slopes in the greens at Beaconhills mate? How bout a men’s course? I thought the Frog was short… :P

Only shit stirring you mate, caught you ragging on my home so thought it was only fair to get stuck into you about your pitch and putt, I mean golf course. No wonder you took Driver out of the bag… ;)

Probably be able to take the SW out too, where’s the sand?

Only stirring mate….

It is quite possible that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

AB_Uncut: Damien Powell, Growling Frog Golf Club, Yan Yean, Victoria

No trouble at all AB …...... feel free to drop on in any time, and stir away.

Actually, I’d love to see you get it around the hills of Beacy.

I’m not sure what sort of golf clubs you’d have to hit, in order to “trim down” your natural game to “fit” within the confines of the course …..... perhaps if you brought a kids set of clubs with you ….... you wouldn’t overshoot the Par 4’s by about 150 metres …...... off the tee.

Beacy does have the ocassional bunker though ….... just the odd fifty or sixty less than “the frog” ... so much less work for the guys to maintain.

Oh, and I have heard of late the the Frog is indeed in excellent condition once again …... shame I had to have my first up round there in less than ideal conditions.

Mate I will play Beacy with you anyday mate…

Yeah it wasn’t in the best nick when you played happy to acknowledge that, was a wet winter and couch on clay is not the best. A lot of courses at that time actually had to shut. But the fairways are fairly good at the moment, greens are still too slow (faster than most but slower than we like). The thing with the Frog though, the hotter the weather gets the better it is going to get. The other drama we have being an extremely popular golf course with the public, these “sometimes” golfers fail to repair divots, pitch marks and rake bunkers, and that makes life tough – we play our own local rules though which makes it livable.

290 going through the course on the first half of today, think the course is booked out to 3ish, no doubt it will be a pig sty after that, the ground staff can only do so much. Being a designated public course, we (regulars) can’t complain too much.

Three practice greens, a long practice fairway and a challenging track is good for my development though so am happy!

Good to see you are playing well mate by the sounds of it.

Gaz, your bastard 5th hole bit my leg off today,
Hooked into the trees lhs and never managed to get back out,
finished with 38 points 1 wipe (5th) and 3×1 points.
Greens are quicker now.

LOFT. the real reason why my handicap is where it is!

Hey Steve,

The right hand side is a little bit better if you’re in the trees (than the left) ............. but it remains a bastard of a short par 4.

Great score there buddy (38) ....... with a wipe and some 1 pointers …....... enjoy the 38 though and don’t ponder on what “might have been” ..... (as it never does us any good)

Bastard 5th again, and last night I hit a 5 iron off the tee and got it into prime position middle of the fairway in the dogleg’s corner ........ so I’m slowly working down the clubs now (3, 4, 5) until I find the one that I can be the most consistent with …...... so I’ll probably end up teeing off with the putter on that bastard hole!!!

290 going through the course on the first half of today, think the course is booked out to 3ish, no doubt it will be a pig sty after that, the ground staff can only do so much. Being a designated public course, we (regulars) can’t complain too much.

It is quite possible that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

AB_Uncut: Damien Powell, Growling Frog Golf Club, Yan Yean, Victoria

290 players in half a day …....that’s just a ridiculous number isn’t it? Hope the groundstaff are getting paid plenty, as I figure they’d need to be.

Yeah but it is understandable, it’s Xmas break up, it’s a popular public track, the council spend $800,000 on the course a year. I guess they want to recoup some money when they can…

Yep, the same thing is occuring up at Beacy at the moment.

The “hills” were alive last night, with swarms of “once a year golfers”.

I got called thru on the par three 2nd hole, after the guys ahead had all teed off, and then as I was putting out on the green down the steep hill, one of them who had fallen foul of the trees way short, decided to hit up on me.

I would have paused to explain some golfing ettiquete to him, but I figured it wouldn’t have made it thru his growing “beer haze”.

Hahaha sounds like you need me with you mate? I don’t explain golf etiquette anymore… I either pick it up and put it in my pocket or I tee it up and hit it back with interest ;)

Failing that mate a clip in the mouth tends to get the message across hahahaha…

Reminds me of a time a bloke at the Frog stood 260 away from the tee in the middle of the fairway and called us through. We gestured to move off the fairway and he angrily waved back telling us to “just hurry up and hit dickheads”. A low bullet off the tee that landed just shy of him and bounced by him I think will set him straight that it is not the smartest move when calling up! ;) He apologized but there was a scent of human poo in the air when we passed.

Got to love the tracksuit wearing once a year golfers :)

hahaha, I love the idea of you sending one up like that AB, scare the b-jesus out of them I’d say :)

Lol… Nothing better mate! Fortunately I haven’t seen stupidity on the course much of late… Then again takes a bit to hit up on our regular group at the Frog lol… I am definitely not the longest hitter in that company lol… I get the young bloke occasionally but that kid is stupid long… Yesterday 260 meters out in a fairway trap on the par 5 3rd and hits 3 iron to a few meters short of the putting surface!!! WTF??? Lol….

He is a dickhead, I don’t like him, he needs to meet me so I can tell him you can’t do that. :)