Well then its obviously your Putting stroke… :)

Another step in golf’s endless journey

I am not sure what to think about today’s round.

Another round of Par, with a front nine akin to a pizza shop – a pick-up every few holes.

Three pick-up Double Bogeys in the front nine, three-putts here and there, but five GIR, and sitting square at the turn.

I feel as though I butchered the front nine, but as someone said to me, how can you have butchered the front nine if you were square after nine?

I was regularly tentative with first putts, when I wasn’t, they stopped just short, or lipped out and sat on the edge of the hole…. This round could have been anything.

Front nine – 42 off stick (0)
1 Birdie (3)
5 Pars (2, 5, 7, 8, 9)
3 Double bogeys (1, 4, 6)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (5)
Missed greens
1st, short, struggling with fairway bunker (pick up Double Bogey)
4th green-side bunker (pick up Double Bogey)
5th back fringe, over-clubbed (1-putt Par)
6th short, recovering from beep trouble (pick up Double Bogey)

Back nine – 38 off stick (+1)
1 Bogey (11)
8 Pars (10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) – 3-putted 14th
Fairways (5/7)
GIR (7)
Missed greens
10th front fringe (1-putt Par)
11th front fringe (2-putt Bogey)

Friday, Par, front markers (standard rating) – result: 82 off stick
Differential 8
3 Double Bogeys
1 bogey
13 pars
1 Birdie
FIR – 64%
GIR – 75%
Putts – Too many pick ups in front nine to have legitimate record.
(unofficialy, but on my golfshot, 32 putts – 14 & 18)

Handicap drops .2 to a new low of 7.2

I will not make any excuses, nor look for any. There are days or holes where you are just not into it as you feel you may otherwise be. You may not execute a shot as well as you think you did, or that a bounce was not as true as it may have been… there are just days like that. In this case, it is called today…. and then the powers that be are there to rub salt into the wound…

I hate Par on days like this. True, I was not hitting greens as I should have. Clear shorts to the green, into a breeze, clubbing up to compensate, only to find myself short time and time again – on for three, and in reasonable position to 1-putt to square… leaving it an inch short, or an inch long, after the ball lips the cup. that describes the 3rd, 6th, 11th, 15th, and 18th. Turn those five wipes into squares and I end up +3. As frustrating as that was, it was not the big frustration, and confusion… that happened afterward.

Last year, the ladies committee at my club decided that ALL games would be played off the red markers. When the markers were set forward (in the area of the red permanent mark) the round would be rated 71 (3 under) and when the red markers were set back (in the area of the white permanent mark) the round would be rated 74 (par). Tuesday and yesterday saw the red markers back-ish (not all holes back) and the rounds were rated 74 – today the markers were where they were yesterday, but someone else take care of the Saturday ladies comp, who seems to think that if the round is played near the white permanent mark, then use the white markers, otherwise the red markers (wherever they are) means a rating of 71… so today’s round was as long as yesterday’s but rated harder… a round 3 worse than yesterday suddenly became 6 worse…. just one of those days.

Front nine – 43 off stick (-1)
5 Pars (2, 4, 5, 8, 9)
2 Bogeys (3, 6)
2 Double bogeys (1, 7) – 7th, GIR, then started to putt like a 2 stroke motor.
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (5)
Missed greens
1st, short, under-shot (pick up Double Bogey)
3rd front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
6th short, under-clubbed (2-putt Bogey)
9th short, green-side bunker (1-putt Par)

Back nine – 40 off stick (-1)
4 Bogeys (10, 11, 15, 18)
4 Pars (12, 13, 16, 17)
1 Birdie (14)
Fairways (5/7)
GIR (5)
Missed greens
10th short, poor escape from fairway bunker (1-putt Bogey)
11th left fringe (2-putt Bogey)
15th front fringe-ish (2-putt Bogey)
18th right green-side grass bunker (2-putt Bogey)

Saturday, Par, back-trending markers (short rating)– result: 83 off stick
Differential 12
2 Double Bogeys
6 bogeys
9 pars
1 Birdie
FIR – 64%
GIR – 56%
Putts – Putted out all holes, even though should have picked up. 37 putts – 20 & 17

Handicap remains on 7.2
(Had rating been 74, differential would have been 9, and handicap dropped to 7.0).

Tuesday is the first Monthly Medal for 2012.

As I said on another thread…

What is it with the par 4s?
It can’t be a lack of accuracy with my irons, hitting par 5 GIR with percentages like 90% (8th), 85% (14th), 75% (17th) or the par 3s, 80% (12th, the longest par 3), 65% (16th).

Could it be the Kikuyu fairways at my home course?
On some par 5s, I can be close enough after two shots to play a short iron shot that can land on (or very close to) the green, like a tee shot off a par 3… but on a par four, landing the second shot a little short of the green, may not make the green. the bounce may be unexpected… is the answer to club-up even more?

And this is before I have to struggle with my erratic putting…!

Thinking about what club to use to hit greens or par 4s, may have been the main cause of my struggling to hit many greens at all today. It seems I was getting caught up in that mental waste of time, rather than focussing on the shot at hand, and maintaining the structures to perform the shot properly.

In short, it was a shocker.

Stroke round, monthly medal, tee markers set back (the 1st tee back on the men’s back tee area – par 5 distance). The last time The markers were all back on a Tuesday comp round was on November 22 last year and I scored 78 in a good round… Today however, began with a 5 with a 2-putt, a score I would become all too familiar with – it would happen ten times.
1st (bogey), 3rd (bogey), 4th (par), 5th (double bogey), 6th (bogey), 8th (par), 10th (bogey), 11th (bogey), 14th (par), and 15th (bogey).

As usual, I couldn’t buy a first putt… until well into the back nine… by then the round was a write-off…. finishing with 87 – but still making the ball count – as best off the stick!

Front nine – 46 off stick
2 Pars (4, 8)
5 Bogeys (1, 2, 3, 6, 9) – 3-putted 9th
2 Double bogeys (5, 7)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (3)
Missed greens
1st, short, tee marks back, unprecedented (2-putt Bogey)
2nd laft green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)
3rd front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
5th short, green-side bunker (2-putt Double Bogey)
6th front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
7th short, in trouble (2-putt Double Bogey)

Back nine – 41 off stick
5 Bogeys (10, 11, 12, 15, 18)
3 Pars (14, 16, 17)
1 Birdie (13)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (4)
Missed greens
10th back fringe (2-putt Bogey)
11th left green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)
15th left green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)
17th front fringe, miss-hit approach (1-putt Par)
18th short green-side bunker (1-putt Bogey)

Tuesday, Stroke, back markers (and then some)– result: 87 off stick
Differential 13
2 Double Bogeys
10 bogeys
5 pars
1 Birdie
FIR – 57%
GIR – 39%
Putts – 37 – 29 & 16

Handicap remains on 7.2… It’s like the punch-line of a bad joke.

The fact you were still the low score shows the gap between you and the previously (this thread?)mentioned ‘low’ teens player is bigger than she thinks…

Keep at it Mekat – golf is a game of inches after all,.

Focus today was on approach shots and fully release left hand, and putting grip… on a windy day.

Approach shots in the front nine when not in the sand missed the green small margins. A ball width or two off the 3rd, and 5th greens. a metre of two off the 1st and 6th greens. Putting looked a bit better with one putting 5th (Par), 6th (Par), 7th (Par), and 8th (Birdie).

Front nine – 40 off stick (20 pts)
1 Birdie (8)
4 Pars (2, 5, 6, 7)
4 Bogeys (1, 3, 4, 9)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (2)
Missed greens
1st, short, miss-hit approach after long wait (2-putt Bogey)
3rd front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
4th right green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)
5th back fringe – a ball width (1-putt Par)
6th short of front fringe into wind (1-putt Par)
7th right green-side bunker (1-putt Par)
9th left green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)

Three metres would cover the total distance of greens missed on the back nine. Six inches would cover the distance missed on the 10th and 11th combined. 3 putts on the 12th and 16 worsened what looked to be a decent nine. 12th (bogey), 13th (Birdie), 14th (Par), 15th (Par), 16th (Bogey), and 17th (Par) greens hit….
Good signs

Back nine – 39 off stick (18 pts)
3 Bogeys (12, 16, 18)
5 Pars (10, 11, 14, 15, 17)
1 Birdie (13)
Fairways (5/7)
GIR (6)
Missed greens
10th right fringe – a ball-width (1-putt Par)
11th front fringe – two ball-widths (1-putt Par)
18th right green-side grass bunker (2-putt Bogey)

Friday, Stableford, many markers around standard length (short rating, and I have no idea how)– result: 79 off stick
Differential 8
7 bogeys
9 pars
2 Birdies
FIR – 64%
GIR – 44%
Putts – 31 – 14 & 17

Handicap drops to a new low of 6.9.
(Had rating been 74, differential would have been 5, and handicap dropped to 6.6).

Vardon event on Sunday… the exploration continues…

Starting to show off there Mekat

Go the 6 :)

I am happy with what I am working on… the signs are good, fully committing to the approach shot, putting grip and lining up… I won’t make predictions, as I could not have imagined looking at a 6 handicap just two months ago…. but a good game on a 74 rated round… who knows…

Keep the faith, trust your game …

and go shoot the lights out at the Vardon!!

This is an interesting thing.
With my clubs home (instead of in my locker at the club), in readiness for tomorrow’s vardon, I had an idea of checking the line of my putter against a straight line to make sure my address was straight. To do this I used tiles on my bathroom floor, and found that (or so I thought) the putter-head needs to look closed to actually be square to the target…. That was last night.

This afternoon I went to the club to see how my putting would go with this new information… I also chatted to one of the guys at the pro-shop about it. he looked at my putter, and the grip and told me that the handle was off-line… and that it was also a bit twisted… so he re-set my putter grip.. It appeared to go ok on the practice green (not the truest green in the world), so tomorrow will be a good test.

Interestingly this morning I went through my putting stats hole-by-hole over the last 20 rounds at home.
Of the last 20 home rounds
Average putts – 34
Average putts per hole – 1.9
Average puts – best hole – 10th (1.6)
Average puts – best GIR – 8th (1.95, rating 11th)
Average puts – worst GIR – 1st (2.05, rating 16th)
Average puts – equal worst holes – 1st, 12th, 18th (2.05)

I am SO tired, I hope I can stay awake to write this tonight… (not that you all would know).

First round – front nine first.
Didn’t get into a real warm up. just some putting chipping a some iron hitting in the nets – not nearly enough – and the first four holes told me. I could not get club onto the ball to save myself
1st, pulled drive left, club head went under ball on 2nd shot, on for 6 in for 8 – Triple Bogey
2nd, drive hit fairway, duffed 2nd shot, on for 3 and 3-putted – Double Bogey.
3rd, sprayed drive right, on for 3, Double Bogey.
4th, drive hit fairway, on for 4, 2-putt Bogey.
Parred 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th.
9th, drive just off back of green, putted onto green, then 4-putted – Triple Bogey.

First round, Front nine – 48 off stick
4 Pars (5, 6, 7, 8)
1 Bogey (4)
2 Double Bogeys (2, 3)
2 Triple Bogeys (1, 9)
Fairways (4/6)
GIR (2)
Missed greens – no real detail (cant remember them all)
1st – 2putt Triple Bogey
2nd – 3 putt Double Bogey
3rd – 2 putt Double Bogey
4th – 2 putt Bogey
5th – 1 putt Par
6th – 1 putt Par
9th – 4 putt Triple Bogey

Back nine was largely uneventful but more steady, with putts that just missed, or that I lost focus on.. like the 18th, on for 4, inside a metre… and just tapped the ball, and it was short…. Bogey!!
That round could not have ended fast enough.

First round, back nine – 42 off stick
3 Pars (12, 13, 16)
6 Bogeys (1, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (2)
Missed greens -
10th – 2putt Bogey
11th – 2putt Bogey
13th – 1 putt Par
14th – 2 putt Bogey
15th – 2 putt Bogey
17th – 2 putt Bogey
18th – 2 putt Bogey

Sunday, Stroke, AM round vardon – result: 90 off stick
Differential 16
2 Triple Bogeys
2 Double Bogeys
7 Bogeys
7 Pars
FIR – 62%
GIR – 22%
Putts – 36 – 19 & 17

Handicap blows out .3 to 7.2.

We were due to start our second round just before 1:15. We did not sit down for lunch until 1:30… I did enjoy the curry.

Second round – back nine first.
What a difference a break makes…
10th, GIR, 2 putt Par
11th, hit fairway, GIR, 1 putt Birdie
13th, GIR, 2 putt Par
14th, GIR 2 putt Par
16th hit fairway, 1 putt Par
17th, hit fairway, 1 putt Par
18th, hit fairway, GIR, 1 putt Birdie

Second round, first nine – back nine – 38 off stick
2 Birdies (11, 18)
5 Pars (10, 13, 14, 16, 17)
1 Bogey (12)
1 Triple Bogey (15)
Fairways (5/7)
GIR (5)
Missed greens -
12th – 2 putt Bogey
15th – 1 putt Triple Bogey
16th – 1 putt Par
17th – 1 putt Birdie

With shadows lengthening, making distance judgement difficult, we were back on the first – GIR, Par… second – GIR Bogey (the putter started wrecking me. third – GIR Bogey… Finally arriving at the ninth – the hole I had previously 4 putted…. sprayed my drive, chipped on and proceeded to 3 putt.

Second round, second nine – Front nine – 44 off stick
3 Pars (1, 6, 7)
5 Bogeys (2, 3, 4, 5, 8)
1 Double Bogeys (9)
Fairways (4/6)
GIR (5)
Missed greens -
4th – 2 putt Bogey
5th – 2 putt Bogey
8th – 2 putt Bogey
9th – 3 putt Double Bogey

Sunday, Stroke, PM round, vardon – result: 82 off stick
Differential 8
1 Triple Bogey
1 Double Bogey
6 Bogeys
8 Pars
2 Birdies
FIR – 69%
GIR – 56%
Putts – 34 – 21 & 13 (3 putts on 2nd, 3rd, and 9th)

Handicap drops .3 back to 6.9
Nett result of the day, no change to handicap .

Sounds like you need to get on the 9th green and nut out why it’s causing you putting grief. Maybe a hour just playing around that green working on landing chips and putting to pin locations you know of to work on lag?
It sounds easy enough but if I could do it I’d be a single figure hcp too :)

This vardon event was at a ‘foreign’ course, so I cannot readily practice on that hole.
The greens at that course yesterday were quite a bit faster than those at my home course…. But I think (in generaly) I putted much better in the second round, especially the first (back) nine

In the final stats for the second round I have put the putting in numerical order (front nine, back nine) when in chronological order it was 13 & 19 (back nine, front nine).

It is interesting how 36 holes on a gopher can hurt your legs days later… I was still sore today after Sunday, and yes, I again did not have a proper warm up before today’s round. Although the consequences of not properly preparing for the round were not as severe as they were on Sunday morning (the first four holes), they were more sustained (the first 12 holes).

Golf is a ‘feel’ game. If it doesn’t feel right, the chances are that it is not going to be right. My swing action didn’t feel quite right, My grip did not feel properly secure until the second shot on the 13th. In shot, it was a day where neither me nor my game felt right, and ultimately performed accordingly – on a windy day.

Front nine – 46 off stick (14 pts)
2 Pars (8, 8)
6 Bogeys (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9)
1 Triple Bogey (7)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (1)
Missed greens
1st, short, green-side bunker (1-putt Bogey)
2nd, (temp green), short (2-putt Bogey)
3rd front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
4th front fringe (1-putt Par)
5th back, over-shoot with wind (-putt Bogey)
6th short, recovery from rough (2-putt Bogey)
7th well short, after getting out of trouble (pick-up Triple Bogey)
9th short, green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)

I seriously considered pulling out after the ninth, as the game was becoming increasingly difficult to physically do… but I plodded on, ultimately making just finishing the round a quest.

Back nine – 40 off stick (17 pts)
4 Bogeys (10, 11, 12, 6)
4 Pars (13, 15, 17, 18)
1 Birdie (14)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (5)
Missed greens
11th front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
12th short, bunker (2-putt Bogey)
16th short, bunker (2-putt Bogey)
18th right green-side grass bunker (1-putt Par)

Tuesday, Stableford, short markers, result: 86 off stick (31 pts)
Differential 15
1 Triple Bogey, It seems I need one every round these days
10 bogeys
6 pars
1 Birdie
FIR – 57%
GIR – 35%
Putts – 30 – 13 & 17 – not counting pick up on 7th (3 putted 10th)

Handicap remains on 6.9

I envy those who play on those smooth Cooch grass fairways, who can push their buggies with a little ground resistance, even against a very strong wind. Today was hard work pushing my buggy into a 32 knot wind on thick Kikuyu.

Ask any horticulturist, and they will tell you that a healthy tree is one that is well rooted. After pushing my buggy in that 30+ knot wind on Kikuyu grass all day, I can tell you that I feel like a healthy tree.

I wasn’t expecting too many GIR in the very windy conditions. Three greens in the front nine, four on the back, and some very close misses makes today’s effort not too bad.

Front nine – 42 off stick (18 pts)
4 Pars (2, 6, 7, 8)
5 Bogeys (1, 3, 4, 5, 9)
Fairways (5/7)
GIR (3)
Missed greens
1st, short, miss-hit drive (2-putt Bogey)
3rd front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
4th right, green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)
5th back, over-club into wind (2-putt Bogey)
7th front fringe (1-putt Par)
9th right, misalign in rough (2-putt Bogey)

Happy with the steady start, considering the conditions. Wheels appeared to be falling off the game late in the front nine, and early in back nine, but held on and the strain increased ending in a tired crash and burn on the 18th.

Back nine – 40 off stick (17 pts)
1 Double Bogey (18)
1 Bogey (13)
7 Pars (10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17)
Fairways (5/7)
GIR (4)
Missed greens
10th short, poorly out of fairway bunker (1-putt Par)
11th short, pulled up through a tree (1-putt Par)
13th short, green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)
17th front fringe, under-played pitch – wasted shot (1-putt Par)
18th short, hit out of trouble (pick-up Double Bogey)

Friday, Stableford, short markers, result: 82 off stick (35 pts)
Differential 11
1 Double Bogey
6 bogeys
11 pars
FIR – 71%
GIR – 41%
Putts – 30 – 17 & 13 – not counting pick up on 18th

Handicap remains on 6.9

Not impressed that we are still playing comps from the front markers less than four weeks before the Club Championship.

I am not sure anyone at my club has a clue!!
A fortnight ago, when I last played on a Saturday, I was not sure what was going on in relation to what rated course we were playing, now it is becoming a joke… but more on that later…

It was Saturday, the ladies played in the middle of the men’s comp as usual, so it was always going to be slow (don’t kid yourself guys, you are), but not even I was prepared for today. The guys in front were taking more time than a clock can give.. but claiming the group in front of them were holding them up… The tee markers were all forward, so I thought it would be rated tree under. While becoming frustrated at the speed of play (and the damage that does to one’s game), I was prepared to take the poor result the rating gives – and played a largely careless round with a couple of moments of focus and light.

I came in with my worst stableford score for the year so far, only to be greeted with the news that the round was rated at 74… On top of that, yesterday’s card had not yet gone through.

Front nine – 45 off stick (15 pts)
1 Eagle (8)
2 Pars (2, 4)
3 Bogeys (3, 5, 9)
2 Double Bogeys(1, 6)
1 Triple Bogey (7)
Fairways (3/7)
GIR (3)
Missed greens
1st, left fringe (3-putt Double Bogey)
3rd front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
5th left, green-side bunker (1-putt Bogey)
6th way short, sprayed second shot (2-putt Double Bogey)
7th short, after recovering from trouble (pick-up triple Bogey)
9th left, green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)

Only 15 points (with an eagle) at the turn, there is no real recovery from there – but I tried… five fairways, six GIR for the back nine… but two pick up holes, one of which would have been a GIR, had one of those freaking putts dropped… and the twist in the tail?
A birdie on the 18th

Back nine – 44 off stick (14 pts)
1 Triple Bogey (13)
1 Double Bogey (16)
3 Bogeys (10, 12, 17)
3 Pars (11, 14, 15)
1 Birdie (18)
Fairways (5/7)
GIR (6)
Missed greens
13th lost ball out of green-side bunker (pick-up Triple Bogey)
16th a missed green because it was picked up, but really hit green and putt putt putt (pick up Double Bogey)
17th short, green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)

Saturday, Stableford, short markers (standard rating), result: 89 (official gross 88) off stick (29 pts)
Differential 14
2 Triple Bogeys
3 Double Bogey
6 Bogeys
5 Pars
1 Birdie
1 Eagle
FIR – 57%
GIR – 60%
Putts – 30 – 15 & 15 – not counting pick ups on 7th, 13th, 16th. (3 putted 10th and 12th)

According to my records, handicap should blow out .3 to 7.2

Stats check
Last 20 rounds at home course.
Holes, Par, (Index) – FIR – GIR – ave putts – ave strokes over par.
1st, Par 4 (4) – 70% – 10% – 2.15 – 1.3
2nd, Par 3 (15) – 0% – 60% – 1.65 – .05
3rd, Par 4 (11) – 60% – 20% – 1.8 – .75
4th, Par 5 (1) – 55% – 55% – 1.95 – .45
5th, Par 3 (17) – 0% – 25% – 1.9 – .9
6th, Par 4 (6) – 50% – 35% – 1.75 – .5
7th, Par 5 (2) – 75% – 15% – 2 – 1.3
8th, Par 5 (10) – 85% – 95% – 1.95 – (.3) sub-par
9th, Par 4 (7) – 60% – 25% – 1.85 – .65
10th, Par 4 (9) – 50% – 35% – 1.6 – .35
11th, Par 4 (8) – 65% – 20% – 1.8 – .65
12th, Par 3 (16) – 0% – 85% – 2.15 – .3
13th, Par 5 (5) – 80% – 65% – 1.85 – .25
14th, Par 5 (14) – 70% – 85% – 1.9 – (.05) sub-par
15th, Par 4 (12) – 55% – 45% – 1.9 – .55
16th, Par 3 (18) – 0% – 70% – 2.05 – .35
17th, Par 5 (3) – 65% – 70% – 1.75 – .1
18th, Par 4 (13) – 55% – 45% – 1.95 – .6

With a trade day (I think Qantas) kicking us off the main course, we were relegated to the North, or Executive 60, course. As the name implies, it is a par 60 course, properly rated (59 for the guys, 58 for us), with tiny but very good greens (better than on the major course), that are like upturned saucers – hard to keep the ball on.

The game was stableford. the winning scores (it was not graded) were in the 50s. C and B graders from the major course who could get the odd 3 for 5 – how do you compete with that?

OK, to the course and how it happened.
1st, Par 4 – hit fairway. ball rolled off back of green, 2 putt Bogey
2nd, Par 4 – right light rough, rolled back off front green, 1 Putt Par.
3rd long Par 3, – Monkey see Monkey do, just watched a playing partner put a ball into trees… recovered, then on for 3… 2 putt Double Bogey (one in every crowd).
4th, long Par 3 – GIR (just), 1 putt Birdie
5th, Par 3 – again GIR (just) 2 putt Par
6th, Par 3, short, not fully committing to the shot. Maybe this is an issue for me with approach shots on the main course. I choose my club, but don’t fully commit to executing the full shot. Anyway, on for two and 2 putt Bogey.
7th, Par 3 – GIR (just – is there any other way?) 3 putt Bogey – my only 3-putt today.
8th, Par 4 – (there must be something about an 8th hole) Drove the green (219m), just missed the eagle putt – so 2 putt Birdie.
9th, Par 3 (shortest hole on course – 82m) – GIR (just on the edge again) 2 putt Par

Front Nine – 33 off stick (18 pts)
Fairways (2/3)
GIR (5)

10th, Par 3 – GIR, 2 putt Par
11th, Par 4 – Hit fairway, GIR, 2 putt par. It needs to be understood that these two putts are generally as a result of narrowly missing first putts through slight misreads on unfamiliar greens.
12th, par 3 – just missed green, putted in for off – chip in Birdie
13th, Par 3 – GIR, 1 putt Birdie.
14th, Par 3, short, again not fully committing to shot, on for two, 2 putt Bogey.
15th, Par 4 – Missed fairway to the right, into a bit of trouble. missed green, on for three, 2 putt Bogey.
16th, Par 4 – Just missed fairway left, GIR, 2 putt Par.
17th, Par 3 – just missed green. Some of these missed greens are as a result of the sloping sides of the inverted saucer. 1 putt Par.
18th, long par 3 – just off green edge, 1 putt Par.

Back Nine – 30 off stick (22 pts)
Fairways (1/3)
GIR (4)

Tuesday, Stableford, Executive 60 course, result: 63 off stick (40 pts)
Differential 5
1 Double Bogey
5 Bogeys
8 Pars
4 Birdies
FIR – 50%
GIR – 50%
Putts – 30 – 17 & 13 (3 putted 7th)

Handicap drops .2 back to 7.0

Well done

Excellent shooting, you will be putting some of the fellas here to absolute shame!

:)
keep it up

note to self – I MUST discipline myself to get to the course early enough for a warm up before I begin a round, and not just let the first six holes act as the warm up – I simply do not have the shots to spare for that kind of thing.

Looking again at the last 20 completed rounds at my home course (including today’s activity):
I am averaging 8.55 shots over par.
Averaging 3.95 over par for the first six holes (or 46% of total)
Averaging 2.8 over for the second six (or 33% of total), a better average even though it has a higher par than the first six (23 – 25).
Averaging 1.8 for the last six holes (or 21% of total) . The best average with the highest par (23 – 25 – 26).

To hammer the point home to myself – today I was ten over for the round… six of those ten were the first six holes – all bogeys!

You know what you need to do.
You know you need to properly commit to the shot you are playing.
You know you need to be up to the hole when you putt….
but are you?
....no….

If you’re never up, you’re never on or never in.

Front nine – 43 off stick
3 Pars (7, 8, 9)
6 Bogeys (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Fairways (5/7)
GIR (4)
Missed greens
1st, short, tentative approach (2-putt Bogey)
2nd left fringe (2-putt Bogey)
3rd front fringe (2-putt Bogey)
4th short, took medicine after poor drive (2-putt Bogey)
6th left fringe – rolled off green (2-putt Bogey)

As for being competitive in the comp is concerned, that went out the window with the first six holes… could I redeem myself??

Back nine – 41 off stick
1 Double Bogey (13), There had to be one of these.
3 Bogeys (10, 16, 18)
4 Pars (11, 12, 15, 17)
1 Birdie (14) and one of these
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (5)
Missed greens
10th right fringe (2-Putt Bogey)
13th right, miss-hit approach (3-putt Double Bogey)
16th back fringe (2-putt Bogey)
18th, short, tentative pitch out of deep trouble (2-putt Bogey)

Friday, Stroke short markers, result: 84 off stick
Differential 13
1 Double Bogey
9 Bogeys
7 Pars
1 Birdie
FIR – 64%
GIR – 50%
Putts – 37 – 19 & 18 – 3 putted 5th and 13th

Handicap remains on 7.0

I am disappointed at my tentative attitude at many approach shots, and some putts today… but tomorrow is another day.

A mixed bag of lollies today – some sweet, soft, and easy to chew on – others sour, if only I could have spat them out.

Another tweak to my swing is producing interesting results in distance and accuracy. I just wish my putting could do the same.
On the first, the second shot hit the green but rolled through to the back fringe (putted on, and par putt lipped cup), same for the fourth (the putt on, lipped cup). The sixth was on line but just short (just off fringe) because of under-clubbing into the wind (pitch on was a tad too long, first putt just skimmed edge), the seventh was inches off the green, and the ninth saw the ball on the right fringe.

Front nine – 40 off stick (20 pts)
6 Pars (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9)
3 Bogeys (1, 6, 7)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (4)
Missed greens
1st, back fringe, approach shot ran across green (2-putt Bogey)
4th back fringe, approach did not stick landing (1-putt Par)
6th short, under-clubbed into wind (2-putt Bogey)
7th right fringe, not quite getting on (2-putt Bogey)
9th right fringe (1-putt Par)

20 points after 9… missing greens by inches, missing putts by millimetres. pin-high on the green for two on the 8th, and three-putting for par… It was enough to drive you to distraction, and distraction was not wanted… but…

Back nine – 44 off stick
2 Double Bogeys (10, 18)
4 Bogeys (11, 12, 15, 17)
2 Pars (14, 16)
1 Birdie (13)
Fairways (4/7)
GIR (5)
Missed greens
10th right fringe (pick-up Double Bogey)
11th front fringe, par putt lipped out (2-putt Bogey)
15th back fringe, shot from sand didn’t stick landing (2-putt Bogey)
18th, green-side bunker (pick-up Double Bogey)

three putted 12th, 14th for Par, and 17th

Saturday, Stableford, short markers, result: 84 off stick (33 pts)
Differential 13
2 Double Bogeys
7 Bogeys
8 Pars
1 Birdie
FIR – 71%
GIR – 50%
Putts – 33 – 17 & 16 (not counting pick ups 10 and 18) – 3 putted 8th, 12th, 14th and 17th

Handicap blew out .6 to 7.6 – off 8 again

My game is like a jigsaw puzzle… all the pieces are there, just that the picture is a little jumbled.