Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

Yesterday I replaced the grips on my sand wedge, and my putter. The guy who re-gripped my putter told me that the old grip was at least 10 degree off-line, and the grip itself was pretty much ‘stuffed’. The new rubber grip (far more tacky than my old grip (different feel) and now on-line) will take a bit of getting used to, as was seen in today’s stableford round. My putting was either feast or famine – putting from just off the 4th green, a putt of over 20m dropped mid cup for birdie. 3-putting on 3, 8, 9, 11, and 12. Lipped birdie putts on 2, 5, 6, 13, 15, and 16.

No warm-up… was intent on remembering and replicating the feeling, technique, and process of the last half-dozen holes from Tuesday. To a large degree I was successful – hitting all but two fairways, and 10 of the 18 greens in regulation… and yes, the course was playing short – again.

The biggest shock on the front nine was having to pick up on the 8th. I cannot remember the last time I have had to do that on the 8th. Into the g/s bunker for two – too hard a shot, over green, on for four, the first two putts missed – picked up (the next shot assumed, so 3-putted).
Front nine 41 ‘off stick’ (19 pts)
1 Birdie (4)
4 Pars (1, 2, 5, 6)
3 Bogeys (3, 6, 9)
1 Double Bogey (8)
6/7 FIR
5 GIR (2, 3, 5, 6, 9)
7 GIHR (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9)
3 Three putt (3, 8, 9)
3 One putt (or less) – (1, 4, 7) chip in on 4
Missed GIR: 4
1st, well short, recovery from f/w bunker (1-putt Par)
4th, about a metre short, under-clubbed (chip in Birdie)
7th way short, recovery from tree trouble (1-putt Bogey)
8th, long, too hard out of g/s bunker (3-putt Double Bogey)

While disappointed with missed opportunities, I was happy with my ball-striking, in consistency and feel. I recognised that I am still coming to grips (pardon the pun) with my altered putter.

The human ear is attuned to recognise the sound of a human voice, even if there is other kinds of noise around, the ear will pick out the sound of the voice. What the voice is saying may not be able to be ascertained, but the sound is what the ear will identify. One reason I that I do not like playing with high handicappers too often is that some (not all) do not have an awareness of where other people in their group are, and/or are not aware of what others in their group are doing – and as such, will blissfully wander down the fairway chattering to themselves, while 10 or so metres away someone is over their ball, and can hear the voice(s). I tried to play through chatter when approaching the 9th – I missed the green. On the 18th, I pulled out of my approach shot and told the talker that I could hear her… returned to my ball and promptly sprayed my shot into the g/s bunker, subsequently scrubbing the hole.
Back nine – 42 off stick (17 pts)
1 Birdie (14)
4 Pars (10, 13, 15, 16)
2 Bogeys (12, 17)
2 Double Bogeys (11, 18)
6/7 FIR
5 GIR (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
7 GIHR (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
2 Three putt (11, 12)
1 One putt (10)
Missed greens: 4
10th, just short left, under-club? chatter? (1-putt Par)
11th, inches short, that happens… (3-putt Double Bogey) that shouldn’t. pick up..
17th, long, over-clubbed (2-putt Bogey)
18th, short, sprayed approach into g/s bunker (2-putt Double Bogey) pick up

Friday, Stableford, Short course.
result: 83 off stick, Differential 12
2 Birdies
8 Pars
5 Bogeys
3 Double Bogeys
FIR – 86%
GIR – 56%
GIHR – 78%
5 Three putts
4 One putts (or less)
Putts – 36 – 17 & 19

Handicap remains on 8.9

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

I’ll keep you posted on how my ball striking goes on Friday and on Monday at Tea Tree Gully

Topic: Sports Talk / Collingwood - How good are they !

good win pies, but only during the home and away games. A win against Geelong in a game that matters, like a Prelim, would be orgasmic……

Can you and mugcanic get a room?

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

This morning my legs did not feel as bad as they did last night, so I thought that I would play, especially given the weather forecast for the coming days (rain)... No warm up and my legs did hammer me during the front nine – to a point where I nearly dropped on the fifth green when taking the ball out of the cup… I needed help to get up… my legs settled in the back nine, but now sitting here tonight, I am glad I am not playing tomorrow.

OK, Monthly medal… ungraded… unbelievable…
Played with two 30 markers (one of whom does keep her play moving even though her hitting is inconsistent), and a 20 marker (who played a shocker). As A grade at my club goes up to 23, the 20 marker is A grade… but calling a 20 marker A grade is like calling the 15th of December – Christmas. Yes, you are dealing with presents and singing the carols… but it is not quite there.

It has to be understood that etiquette is rarely followed at our club, if only given lip-service. A few of the women are real sticklers, some follow it to a basic degree, for the rest (especially on the green) it is a free-for-all. Let me describe some of the things that happened, specifically by one of the 30 markers and the 20 marker. Very rare to see them showing any awareness of where balls or markers were one the greens. Lines of play were stepped on (and walked along) without any regard to the person whose line they were walking on. If a person wants to putt and she needs to stand on (or near) my line, if she asks me, I generally have no objection (this shows a regard for me)... but someone just walking all over the lines as heedless as Wildebeest crossing the veldt – I get a little put out…. but stay silent.

Another thing is; even though it is not her putt, they will simply walk up to their ball address they ball and putt. On a number of occasions today I have had to pull out of my putt (and shots on the fairway), as I have seen someone walking up to play while I am already over my ball…. These are not rare events..

Now, to the round, A poor start. It took me until the fourth to realise that the change of season has arrived, and the air has become ‘heavier’ and the ball does not fly as far. By then my legs were a concern, and my frustration was rising. I was standing over my 2nd shot on the seventh, when, in my peripheral vision, I saw the 20 marker walk up to her ball and take her stance. I pulled out of my shot, and by the time I had taken two paces back, she had hit her ball. I was sore, frustrated, and after that I just mentally lost it for a few holes. I did not care where my ball went.. a triple on 7, a bogey on 8 (I rarely bogey 8), and after 3-putting for a double on 9, I was ready to pick up the ball to disqualify myself and walk off the course… I didn’t… But I would ultimately be disqualified…
Front nine 49 off stick
1 Par (3)
5 Bogeys (1, 2, 5, 6, 8)
2 Double Bogeys (4, 9)
1 Triple Bogey (7)
6/7 FIR
0 GIR ()
5 GIHR (1, 3, 4, 6, 9)
2 Three putt (7, 9)
3 One putt (2, 3, 7)
Missed GIR: 9
1st, short right, unexpectedly under-clubbed (2-putt Bogey)
2nd, left, pulled drive into g/s bunker (2-putt Bogey)
3rd, short, just didn’t make it (1-putt Par)
4th, well short, short drive (3-putt Double Bogey)
5th, short left, drive into g/s bunker (2-putt Bogey)
6th, short right, under-clubbed approach (2-putt Bogey)
7th way short, in deep tree trouble (1-putt Triple Bogey)
8th, just short, who cared? (2-putt Bogey)
9th, short, under-clubbed (3-putt Double Bogey)

The only relief I felt on the 10th tee is knowing that I had stayed under fifty for the front nine. I wanted to start caring about what I was trying to do… but the dance-floor was still a floor-show, and the 10th was a 3-putt double.

My legs loosened their grip on me on the 11th, and I hit my first green of the day on 12. the birdie putt grazed the edge – this would be a trend. as the legs settled, and I no longer cared about a score, I focussed on technique, and what might have been missing yesterday… and it did come back, with the last five holes being GIR..
Back nine – 42 off stick
5 Pars (12, 14, 15, 16, 18)
3 Bogeys (11, 13, 17)
1 Double Bogey (10)
4/7 FIR
6 GIR (12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
8 GIHR (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
2 Three putt (10, 17)
0 One putt ()
Missed greens: 3
10th, short right, careless approach (3-putt Double Bogey)
11th, short, recovery from rough (2-putt Bogey)
13th, short, poor 2nd shot (2-putt Bogey)

Tuesday, Stroke, Long course.
result: 91 off stick, Differential 17
6 Pars
8 Bogeys
3 Double Bogeys
1 Triple Bogey
FIR – 71%
GIR – 33%
GIHR – 72%
4 Three putts
3 One putts
Putts – 37 – 17 & 20

Handicap blows out .5 to to 8.9
My handicap is falling off a cliff!!

The captain was delivering the day’s results, and the last result was best off the stick – it was won by the woman whom I played in the championship final, and who was my caddie yesterday. This win came as a surprise to her. As she was sitting beside me, I asked her what she got, she said that she shot 93. I approached the captain and asked her about the best off the stick winner, and the captain replied – ‘Oh, didn’t you know? you were disqualified, for not signing your card.’

Just goes to show….

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

I am so tired and sore tonight. While I have prepared in the assumption that I will play in tomorrow’s monthly medal – it is not a certainty. For even when using a cart, playing at Mt Lofty still requires you to assume the abilities of a mountain goat… and tonight my legs are reminding me that I am by no means a Mountain goat.

I started generally connecting with the ball better than my opponent, but with a reversal or result. Where my drive (or 2nd shot) would fly better than hers, my ball would find difficult places to stop, whereas her ball would go through trouble and finish clear. the shot I lost generally cost me the hole… after a while this dents your confidence.. the longer the game went the better she became, and more confident – especially into the back nine.. and my game (and body) just fell apart. On the last two holes I missed putts from less than a metre… but than again, I was happy to still be vertical on 11.

My caddie drove the cart for the round, and she (as I would have had I been driving that large club cart) took the cart only to places where carts were permitted – even if that was up or down hill from my ball…
How I envy you who can walk courses… especially hilly ones.

For those of you who do not know Mt Lofty Golf Club… the first hole is nicknamed ‘Cardiac Hill’. As you can imagine, it is straight up a steep slope. My opponents ball ran a long way up the hill, and my 3 wood drive flew and finished just short of adjacent to it, but left side of the fairway, and the cart path was on the right… so I took a club (pw) that I thought would be right to use, and my caddie took the cart to the top of the hill… I played my shot, and walked up the hill to the cart… that was the start of the end for my legs… My shot had run through the green and fringe and was up against the edge of the rough. I had had to guess the clubs I would need, and walk to my ball… not the best guess… my opponents bal had also gone through the green, but was on the fringe and her chip finished close… hole gone.
1st, -1
2nd, -2. my drive to centre of fairway. my partner hit her drive thin, and it ran through rough and finished on edge of fairway. Not the best 2nd shot, but rolled back onto what looked to be green or just before it… this lead to another uphill walk and a club guesstimate… a wrong one…
3rd, -2. pulled drive into what looked like trouble, but turned out approachable… just short, on and in – square.
4th, -2. Another thin drive by my partner, and good connection by me.. and again she found herself clear, and I was behind a tree… I made the mistake of going for the green, only for find the creek in front of the green… dropped a new ball, a pitch on and putt in… square.
5th, -3, Again I hit middle fairway, and she hits a runner… I must have misaligned my 2nd shot and it went left… lost ball.
6th, -4, I found sand off the tee, and she found the green, I got out but a bit long, she got close…
7th, -3. I had used 3 wood off the tee to this point, but pulled out the driver, and connected sweetly, she pulled her drive left, but not too badly left. We were both close together in a green-side bunker for two, my sand shot finished close, hers ran to the back of the green.
8th, -2. Over rotated my hands on the drive and slightly hooking drive, but cleared water and finished just off left edge of fairway. My opponents drive hooked more severely than mine, and the ball was lost (that would be her last poor drive)... she went 3 off the tee, I was on the green for 2, she was on for 5… My caddie had parked the cart by the 9th tee… an up hill climb… I think my legs were wobbly from thereon.
9th, -3. Good drive, finished just off fairway right over the top of the rise, my opponent crushed it – over the rise, down the hill. My 2nd ended in a dirt patch… duffed chip, then thinned to back of green…
10th, -2. Both of us short, my chip close, hers long
11th, -3. Pulled drive behind tree, poor chip out, duffed 3rd…
12th, -4 Pulled drive to fence, 2nd shot backward, duffed 3rd
13th, -4. scrambled on green to square.
14th, -4. Missed 6 inch ‘gimme’ putt…
15th, -5&3, found sand off tee, cleanly out… too late, game over.

After the 10th, my opponents drives were pictures, her short game was above mine… A credit to her skill, application, ability… and to her learning and coach.

Next week Tea Tree Gully at Tee Tree Gully… A tough course and a course I have never played well at… but first… tomorrow? Friday? We’ll see…

Topic: Sports Talk / Collingwood - How good are they !

The most uneven umpiring I have seen in a long time at the G tonight. Geelong with 22 frees to Collingwood’s 12, including a lopsided 8-1 in the third quarter… and that Collingwood free coming 10 seconds before the 3/4 time siren… and the result…?
Collingwood by 6 points…

What does it mean? we will have so see what it means over the next few weeks.

Topic: Playing the game / Deege 2013 - Project: Awesome Putter

That is the theory AB

Topic: Playing the game / Deege 2013 - Project: Awesome Putter

Congrats on your first GIR, and on taking your opponent to the 17th. That is a very good achievement for someone just learning match-play.

I am so happy for your performance and achievements.

As for your opponent complaining about having to give you 12 shots – in the first round of the Laurel Wreath (handicap match-play) I had to give my opponent 23 shots (I won on the 18th), next I had to give 6 (won on 19th), and for the next round I will have to give either 16 or 32 shots…
Yes, I said that I may have to give my opponent 32 shots.
To put that into perspective, I will have to give my opponent 2 shots on each of the four par 3 holes – if I birdie the hole, she can bogey to square it…. In fact that would be the situation on 14 of the 18 holes… only in the par 4s 1st and 9th, and the par 5s 13th, and 17 will I have to give her just 1…

Topic: Sports Talk / Collingwood - How good are they !

Yes, on the back of a couple of interesting free (aren’t they all these days)... oh they were there… but a great pack mark and steady goal after the siren by Nic-Nat… had he missed it, they would have lost four in a row at home….

As I have said before, a football season is a marathon, not a sprint..

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

I hope so Tochakka, I’ll keep you posted.

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

The five round pennant competition begins on Monday, and I feel so under-prepared, competitively speaking.

None of the pennant squad have played together as a group, nor practised together, as a group, nor (to my knowledge) in part. Nor has there been any training or coaching. We have simple played in the Tuesday or Friday comps. In the lottery like draw for Tuesdays, or as self entered for Fridays. We play with whoever we are placed with be they whatever handicap they have. Today I played with a 17 marker, who by her own admission is in woeful form (she is), a 37 and a 40 marker. Also, we have played the course short (in most cases)... as we did today… in a Par round… As I alluded – preparation for pennant it is not.

Over time, I have been given suggestions on how to deal with the slow/inconsistent play of high handicappers; these have included not watching the player’s swing, looking at the sky (or trees, birds, etc.), working on statistics, close my eyes and relax, breathe deeply when about to switch back on… and if you miss-time switching on, take another breath. It is, in affect, an added mental job to do during a round; and it being an ongoing activity, after a while you get tired, mentally tired, and when that occurs the mind starts wandering away from what you need to be focussing on. That mental lethargy started setting in late in the front nine, and by mid back nine I was more concerned about Monday’s pennant round than the game I was playing.

Front nine 43 off stick (-1)
1 Birdie (2)
4 Pars (3, 5, 8, 9)
1 Bogey (6)
3 Double Bogeys (1, 4, 7) all pick-ups
5/7 FIR
3 GIR (2, 5, 8)
6 GIHR (2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9)
0 Three putt () but 3 pick ups
2 One putt (2, 9)
Missed GIR: 5
1st, short, g/s bunker (pick-up Double Bogey)
3rd, pin high left, less than a metre off (1-putt Par)
4th, well short, tree trouble (pick-up Double Bogey)
6th, short, rushed misaligned approach (2-putt Bogey)
7th way short, in deep tree trouble (pick-up Double Bogey)
9th, short, miss-hit approach (1-putt Par)

After birdying the second, I went within a ball-width of birdie (either short of wide) on 3, 5 par on 6, birdie on 8, 10 par on 11, 12 birdie on 14, 16 and par on 18… It is easy for me to say it…but we will never know IF!! But pick ups on 12, 13, 15, and 18 made for frustration.

Back nine – 44 off stick (par) (-4)
3 Pars (10, 14, 16)
5 Bogeys (11, 12, 15, 17, 18)
1 Double Bogey (13)
3/7 FIR
6 GIR (10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18)
6 GIHR (10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18)
3 Three putt (12, 17, 18) pick ups on 12 & 18 (13 & 15 2-putt pick ups)
0 One putt ()
Missed greens: 3
11th, inches short, it just didn’t make it (2-putt Bogey)
13th, short, in g/s bunker (pick-up Double Bogey)
15th, well short, out of f/w bunker (pick up Bogey)

Friday, Par, Short course.
result: 87 off stick (-5), Differential 16
‘Off the stick’ in a par round is kind of stretching it…
1 Birdie
7 Pars
6 Bogeys
4 Double Bogeys
FIR – 57%
GIR – 56%
GIHR – 67%
3 Three putts
2 One putts
Putts – 37 – 16 & 21

Handicap blows out .3 to to 8.4

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

You are too kind Max. I think sometimes my journal turns into a kind of ‘days of our lives’ saga over my struggle to overcome my frustration with slow or inconsistent play… or the issue of always playing with high handicappers… With the odd stray beam of sunlight that is a good satisfying round.

Max it is a pleasure to relate my rounds to the ISG collective… some posts are more pleasurable than others to write.. but feedback like yours makes it worthwhile… thank you.

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

Thanks MiuraCrazy, I get a kick out of reading responses to my journal. I hope you can find something in here that can help you in your game or your enjoyment of the game.

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

Thanks Deege, I was most happy with being able to return a good back nine on a wet course… good way to prepare for the ongoing Winter season…. good golfing to you too

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

Thanks Deege, I will put it to the back of my mind for the time being.

16mm of rain overnight, turning the recent summer-like golfing conditions into the realm of early winter golf – with all the adjustments a player needs to confront.. Playing with more layers of clothes…A wet Kikuyu course that couldn’t run if it had a nose. Club selection becomes difficult again – one or two clubs up… A green’s fringe becomes akin to a fishing net – nothing gets past..

Showery morning, with sunny breaks, but mostly cloudy round.
No comprehensive warm up, just looking to loosen up in the early holes. The story of the front nine is under-clubbing approaches.

Front nine 43 off stick (16 pts)
2 Pars (5, 8)
7 Bogeys (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9)
3/6 FIR
1 GIR (8)
7 GIHR (1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
0 Three putt ()
2 One putt (2, 5)
Missed GIR: 8
1st, short, under-clubbed approach (2-putt Bogey)
2nd, well short, hit drive thin (1-putt Bogey)
3rd, short, under-clubbed approach (2-putt Bogey)
4th, short, under-clubbed 2nd and 3rd shots (2-putt Bogey)
5th, pin-high a metre left, right club pulled a bit (1-putt Par)
6th, short right, poor drive, under-clubbed approach (2-putt Bogey)
7th pin-high left, right club pulled a bit (2-putt Bogey)
9th, long right, trying to counter a pull (2-putt Bogey)

I was aware of the changed playing atmosphere, and that I was trying to adapt to the wintry conditions, so while not happy with 16 points at the turn, I recognised that it is a transition period, and am not too upset.

During the round I was also looking to counter a tendency to turn my shoulders laterally through impact causing a pull to the left. This is an old issue for me, and from time to time I feel I have overcome it, only to find it is a short-lived reprieve, perhaps what happened on the back nine is such a situation… I hope not.

I can’t remember on which hole it was (it may have been 11), but I became conscious of shots when I could feel a connection of both arms to my body through impact being much straighter. I have in recent times being conscious of feeling a connection of my right arm to my body into impact, to be on plane, but sometimes I could feel my left shoulder turning out, and the shot pulling left. Being conscious of bilateral upper arm connection to the body, appears to inhibit lateral shoulder turn, and gets the left shoulder up rather than out.

If not for three-putting 13, and thin off the tee on 16, the back nine would have been sub-par

Back nine – 37 off stick (par) (21 pts)
2 Birdies (12, 14)
5 Pars (10, 11, 15, 17, 18)
2 Bogeys (13, 16)
7/7 FIR
6 GIR (12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18)
7 GIHR (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18)
1 Three putt (13)
4 One putt (10, 11, 12, 14)
Missed greens: 3
10th, short, recovery from f/w bunker (1-putt Par)
11th, pin-high just left, chip on putt lipped half the cup (1-putt Par)
16th, 2m long, hit drive thin (2-putt Bogey)

Tuesday, Stableford, Short (altered) course.
result: 80 off stick (37 pts), Differential 10
2 Birdies
7 Pars
9 Bogeys
FIR – 77%
GIR – 39%
GIHR – 77%
1 Three putts
6 One putts
Putts – 31 – 16 & 15

Handicap drops .1 to 8.1

Topic: Sports Talk / Carlton - How good are they !

Did Carlton suffer from Monday N-itus…?
Carlton gave less effort or interest that Collingwood against Freo… the difference being that Freo took full advantage.

Topic: Sports Talk / Collingwood - How good are they !

Yes Collingwood got smashed in the first and last quarters… yes Freo were undermanned (as were Collingwood)... but watching a football team lose being better than sex?? REALLY?
Some people might suggest that you take your hand of it… but then I already have…

and as for Shmuck… you clearly don’t read a lot of my posts on football… There are some intelligent people (in relation to football) who do not barrack for Collingwood… but for the rest, it is like being at the races… those people are a ‘photo finish’... there is only half a head between them.

Topic: Sports Talk / Collingwood - How good are they !

An Anthropologist ought study the effect of a Collingwood loss on those who do not barrack for Collingwood, and compare that to a loss to their own club.

A case in point… mugcanic said

watching Freo demolish the ‘pies in that last quarter was better than sex…..and lasted longer

Being only round 7, one could accuse mugcanic of experiencing something prematurely….. But I do note that about 70% of the letters in that message are on the left hand side of the keyboard… the message shows that (at least) he tried… he made a fist of it… but perhaps his right hand was tired… maybe even buggered.

Topic: Playing the game / Deege 2013 - Project: Awesome Putter

Well done Deege. Having a closely matched opponent adds to your focus. Good luck in our semi final..

(tip) forget it is a final, just focus on winning hole by hole through each individual shot.

Topic: Sports Talk / Collingwood - How good are they !

40 odd points down in the 2nd quarter to a few points up early in the last… and again the cue goes in the rack, and a more determined team (Fremantle) runs over the top of us… Again, this is about individual accountability…. Players have to be accountable (even to their own pride) for their effort in obtaining the ball or of denying the opposition of possession.

A team of committed players, even one with some of their top players out (Pavlitch, Sandilands, etc.), will beat almost all teams who are not so committed…. That is what happened last night.

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

I think in all tight contests like that luck plays its part… a good bounce here, an unfortunate roll there lipping out. My draw shot approach to the 4th. I was relying on the wind to help… it drew more than I planned, and it finished just over a metre from the pin… birdie… what if it hadn’t drawn so much? what if her putt on 11 had missed…?

History turns on the head of a pin…. thanks Tochakka

Depending on the winner of another game, I may have to play a 40 marker… and have to give 32… If that happens, I will try and make sure we do not play the course short…

Topic: Playing the game / Mekat's Golf Trek

I have just participated in the tightest, most competitive match-play game that I ever have. I would place it higher than the 2009 A grade final, where I took the winner to the 35th hole.

2nd round Laurel Wreath
My opponent today was my opponent in the A grade final a couple of weeks ago or so.
Gave away 6 shots, that is one shot on the… par 5 4th, par 4 6th, par 5 8th, par 4 10th, par 3 12th, and par 3 16th
The tee markers were again well forward.
1st, 0, square, 5 (g/s sand)
2nd, 0, square, 3
3rd, +1, won – conceded, probable 4
4th, +2, won, 4 (birdie)
5th, +3, won – conceded, probable 4
6th, +3, square, 5
7th, +4, won – conceded, probable 5
8th, +3, lost – conceded, probable 6 (bladed 3rd shot thru green)
9th, +4, won, 3 (temp green)
Probable off stick front 9 – 39

Did not expect to be 4 up at the turn, but was happy to be so.
My opponent, after a slightly wayward drive on 10, said that this will be a short game… I said don’t speak too soon, this game is a long way from over. She was able to recover for par, and as my tap-in putt would also have been for par – there was no point and conceded. I parred the 11th, my partner had a 10+ metre putt to square…. it did not deviate off its line to the middle of the cup. Her confidence was noticeably rising, and the momentum shifted… but to where?
On the back nine, the three holes where I had to give a shot, were conceded because of that shot given – otherwise (off the stick) they would have been square. the greatest disappointment was on 18, where a good drive ran off fairway and ended up in tree trouble… bogey … my partner dropped her par putt, and after 18 holes, we were all square, I had not won a single hole on the back nine… so back we went to the first…
10th, +3, lost – conceded, probable 4
11th, +3, square, 4
12th, +2, lost – conceded, probable 4
13th, +2, square, 6 (g/s sand)
14th, +2, square, 5
15th, +2, square, 6 (f/w sand)
16th, +1, lost – conceded, probable 3
17th, +1, square, 6 (hit 2nd shot fat, bladed 4th)
18th, 0, lost, 5 (tree trouble)
Probable off the stick back 9 – 43
possible off the stick round – 82…

19th, +1, won – conceded, probable 3
approach shot bounced before green, and the roll bent toward the hole, and finished very close… a nice way to finish… but I had not won a hole since the 9th…

It was a game of high quality ball striking… from both of us… my partner had great consistency off the tee and fairways… in the end, either of us could have won… I think that my partner’s long putt on 11 changed a lot of things.

Topic: Sports Talk / WELL done Jason Collins for coming out

Life is a can of worms P&B.

Human nature would suggest that there would be instances of such events as you describe… I just hope for the straight guy’s sake the gay gym staff didn’t make it obvious… THAT would be a violation… but (going by the gay guys I know) would be an exception rather than the rule… being gay does not automatically equal such violation…

I imagine in the Collins situation, he has played and showered with his team mates for some time before coming out… Violation?

If legalities change in the future be sure you will see separate change rooms etc and disclosure contracts in school and workplace..

Secondly, I have had teachers that I (years) later were gay… I have had lecturers and teachers that I have known to be gay or lesbian… it was never an issue to me. If they would have had uninvited advances toward me – then there would have been an issue… a criminal one….. But then a high percentage of abuse of students is caused by straight teachers…

I guess you have never been to Melbourne baths or the likes….

Strength to stand up in adversity and to speak your mind regardless of others opinion is a good trait..doing it for a political stance is just a puppet show…

Politics is such a game..

Honesty to self and others – the very essence of coming out

Topic: Sports Talk / WELL done Jason Collins for coming out

Well to answer that i would be fine with it but still conservative .. Though would it be wrong if i felt uncomfortable about the situation once knowing ? I don’t think it would be..

From Romans 14:14 …there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

I suppose it is a good idea to be a bit conservative and even modest in a change room with anyone anyway… Your discomfort over knowing that there is a gay man in the change room is an issue you may well need to deal with in your own time and way, but I would consider it a certainty that from time to time, when you are in a change room with others, perhaps at a swimming pool, or such there will be a gay (or bi) man in there with you… I imagine, to you, the possible feeling of ‘violation’ is in the knowing who the gay man is, not in the generic fact that there may well be (or is) one there.

The issue of discomfort is yours to overcome – and this is for more general consumption, rather than being specific to you personally P&B.

Should other people alter their regular behaviour, or restrict themselves just because you are uncomfortable?

Topic: Sports Talk / WELL done Jason Collins for coming out

I do not believe I am twisting it at all.
You used the word violation when referring to an out gay man in team sport when in the change rooms…. I am not psychologically trained, but I feel you are projecting a fear you have into the situation.

Let me ask you a question. If you knew that a man in your team, or someone in the change-room you are using (both of you going about normal activities) was gay (or bi) – would that knowledge affect you or what you did?

To answer your reverse question, I would not worry, or change activity if I knew a lesbian was in the change room I was using. It would not concern me, and I cannot understand why it would.

Another question. Would you prefer not to know there there may be gay (or bi) men in your change room? aka keep the gays in the closet…