2014 handicap watch

Seeing as it proved fairly popular last year...

Another geeky thread for all wannabe handicap busters to share our adjustments with tales of woe and of extreme banditry   


Starting Exact Handicap: 4.9
2013 high and low 5.5, 4.6
Target: Handicap - 3.9, Qualify for knockout stages of Club Champs, break my pb medal score at home course (73)
Approximate no. planned hcp counting comps in 2014: 20
First counting comp planned: 2/4/14

Can't wait for the season to arrive. It has been a splendid winter in Edinburgh and course looks like it is going to be in terrific shape again this year.

20.8 on my today golfer handicap. If it goes any lower this year I'd be bloody shocked. But I'm still happy.

I'll give this a go this year as I intend to begin competitive golf again for the first time since 2010!!

Starting Exact Handicap: N/A (lowest ever was 9.9, I'm guessing new club will give me ~15.0)
2013 high and low: N/A
Target: Handicap - 10.4, break 80 at least 5 times
Approximate no. planned hcp counting comps in 2014: 15
First counting comp planned: ~2/4/14

Really looking forward to getting back into the golfing goodness. Short game needs a lot of work, long game pretty good if the last few practice rounds are anything to go by.

Starting Exact Handicap: 8.3 (I think, deff off 8)
2013 high and low: Started on 11 couple of good medals to get to 8.something
Target: Handicap - would like to get to 5, have been asked to join the club scratch squad so could do with some consistency.
Approximate no. planned hcp counting comps in 2014: as many as poss!
First counting comp planned: sometime soon I hope!

Start HCP 2.3.
2013: High 2.4, Low 2.0.
Target: Be happy to stay the same, don't play competitions much.
No of counting comps. Maybe a dozen.
First comp: April.

Could do with getting a competitive mojo back, but like bounce games.

you in for any opens yet s_r? booked in for lundin, hoping to enter the alyth 18 also.

Nothing yet Barra, still struggling for motivation. I do like Lundin though and I've notplayed MOrtonhall for a few years so might get into that.

You thought about Blairgowrie 36?

unfortunately i can't get a pass for any 36ers these days, not that i've a particularly strong record in them anyway..

Starting Exact Handicap: 5.1
2013 high and low: 5.3 - 4.3
Target: Handicap - 4.4 and hold at least once unlike last year. Want to post red and hopefully beat my best of -1.
Approximate no. planned hcp counting comps in 2014: Average 1 p/w from now on.
First counting comp Last saturday - disaster (23 points but reductions only)
Second counting comp Last Sunday - +3 and a cheeky reduction to 4.8.

Starting Exact Handicap : 3.5
2013 High and Low : 3.7 - 2.9
Target: Handicap 3.0 and hold to play confidently off it.
Approximate No of comps : 2 a week usually on average
First Counting Comp - Possibly 30th March but most likely 5th April.
Need to get my finger out and hit some balls as haven't played hit a ball since October!

Starting handicap 6.1
Target 5.0
2013 lowest 6.0, highest 6.6
Expected qualifiers 30-35
Opens entered so far Saunton Easter 36 holer, Saunton August 36 holer, Carnoustie Tassie early Sept.
I've dropped my 2nd Club this year so I can focus on home course and just the above Opens. Slight distraction may be the Captaincy...drive in is a week on Sunday

Heres hoping for a clean strike off the first JAS   

No pressure at all, I'm sure none of my mates would even give a thought to recording it for a potential YouTube moment if it all goes wrong. Can't be worse than the 2012 Captain who hoofed it all of 20 feet off the heel sideways into the hedge left of the tee :-O

My season is go. Struck the ball poorly on Saturday but scored well(ish) to scramble 35 pts. Struck the ball beautifully last night, but putted erratically and had a couple of near unplayable lies. Stupid game...! The positives are after 2 rounds I've hit 75% fairways and 69% GIR. But averaging 38 putts/round is a card killer right now. Don't feel like I'm stroking it badly and nearly all of my putts are skirting the edge of the hole. I'm just seriously struggling to judge the pace and not knocking enought of them in from 4-6 feet. Didn't help that our greens were super fast on Saturday and then super slow yesterday after a couple of rainy days. Still, it will come. Up to 5.0. Oh, one other positive... nailed a beauty of a 3iron into a wee breeze to 2 feet on the 6th yesterday and knocked in the putt. Turns out that very unusually it was the only A-section 2 of the day and looks like I've pocketed the full £45 sweep...not too shabby!

2. 02 APR___83n78___CSS/73___t36/93___+0.1 = 5.0
1. 29 MAR___78n73___SSS/72___t21/130___0.0 = 4.9 (NQ)
Starting 4.9

Had to look this up as it been a while in hibernation. There are some good golfers on here so I want to add some balance!

Starting Exact Handicap: 10.6
2013 high and low: Started on 11.9 and just went down.
Target: Handicap - Would love to get down to single figures but that would involve playing more than once every two weeks and practicing.
Approximate no. planned hcp counting comps in 2014: If I get 6-7 in a year I've done well.
First counting comp planned: Saturday...

Given that I seem to be playing nice consistent bogie golf I am a little worried about this Saturday's medal. Nothing hugely wrong, just everything a bit off. Hopefully now that the evenings are lighter I will be able to get out 1-2 times after work and get a bit of a groove going. I've also started lessons again for the first time in a year or two.

My skill last year was to stay rarely break my hc but stay within the buffer zone. I would then throw in one or two holes with a triple and as they get wound back I would get cut. There's a lesson in there somewhere!

Hi all, new here. seems a neat idea to track and discuss form / handicaps!

Currently 5.5
2013 High / Low 5.2 - 6.3

2014 Targets:
Handicap: 3.something or better
Break Par in a competition. Top 5 Club champs.

Played a competition Saturday (1st board comp) got off to a shocking start - shotgun start 14th tee. Par, Bogey, Blob, Bogey, Blob. Handicap well gone after 5 holes!!
Managed to get it back together and eagled 10 (my 15th) then finished with 3 pars for 33 points which I wasn't too disappointed with as I played my last 13 holes in +1 gross.

Just coming back to the game, 30th May last year was the 1st time I hit a ball since 2006. I was playing off scratch (or 0.something) when I packed it in but really got back into things last year.
Playing a lot better now, only my long game is holding me back from shooting consistently in the mid to low 70s (both blobs were down to huge blocked drives off the tee where I lost both balls)
Quite a few competitions in the next 3 weeks; mid week medal thurs, another board comp Saturday, medal following sunday. So im hoping I can get a couple of decent scores in at least.

Up the range tonight to try and cure this horrible blocked driver im hitting!!

Positives from Saturday... short game was tidy and Putted very superbly, Had a good mental game after a shocking start
Negatives: Long game (driver especially) was very poor, missed 6 greens from between 120-160 because of either a horrible 'head up early block slice' or miss clubbing.

Looking forward to this season though. Havent set my goals too high as I cant practice as much as I would like but quietly id really like to get the course record back!! (I had it at 68 in '04 but its now 67)

cheers

Medal yesterday.
74 net 68 (0.5 cut)
Current 5.0

Played some great golf yesterday and actually feel a bit hard done by to not shoot par or better.
Most of my problems from the weekend were caused by poor driving. only used the driver 4 times yesterday (on 2 par 5s and 2 long par 4s) and hit it solidly each time, although I will be playing plenty of 2 irons and 3 woods again on Saturday until iv hit another hundred balls or so as don't fully trust myself off the tee with the big stick.
Got off to a good but disappointing start, lipped out for birdie on 2,3,4 then lipped out again for par from 5 feet on the 6th and thought it would be "one of those days". stayed composed though and hit a great 3 wood & 8 iron to 10feet on the 450yard 8th to make birdie.
Was level par 110 yards from the 14th green with my approach when I made a good swing with a gap wedge only to see my ball go 40yards right of the green into thick rough.... looked down and had hit a huge, buried flint stone just under the turf behind my ball - more annoyed with the resulting double bogey 7 than the huge dent to my wedge.
2 good pars were followed by a mis cue into 17 (flew the green from 160 with an 8 iron - couldn't feel the strong wind due to the trees) and didn't get up and down. But I birdied the last from about 12feet to shoot +2 and get straight back down to 5.

Overall I am pleased with the score as the greens were a bit wooly making it hard to hole anything substansial.
hit plenty of 2 irons and 3 woods off the tee and remided myself that (round my course) if you can get your tee shots in play then you will always be in with a chance of a good score, looking forward to Saturday now as hopefully the greens will have had a cut 1st thing tomorrow morning so if I can play like I did then hopefully another score around par will follow!

longgame wrote:looked down and had hit a huge, buried flint stone

Fred or Wilma?

Levity aside though, I feel your pain with the driver. I have retired the big stick for the moment, and to be honest, I don't see the point in bringing it back. My 3 wood is much more reliable and the loss in distance is more than acceptable. Hope to take part in my first comp in 3 years in the next week, and my new course has plenty of trees and furze bushes so accuracy is paramount. Good luck in your quest longgame!

Fred judging by the size of it!!!

Yeah I agree regarding the driver, fortunately im a pretty long hitter anyway so even with a 2 iron off the tee on our long par 4s im never usually left with more than a 8-6 iron.
im planning to play a few scratch opens this summer though and the courses they are at require you to hit long and straight, the first one I have coming up next month and If I hit 2 iron or 3 wood (go about the same distance for me) on a few of the par 4s there then I will have another 3/2 iron to the green.
Thinking of getting a new driver as well though, one im using is an old R7Quad with an alida (yellow) shaft and it has seen better days. might go and try a few at the range this weekend if I can

79 net 74 on sunday - bufferzone so still 5.0.

very disappointed I didn't carry the form I had midweek through to the weekend. Par 5s cost me really - played them in +5 when all but 1 were downwind so easily reachable.
Started poorly, blocked my drive off the first (that same stupid block I cant get rid of) took a penalty drop but made 7.
Managed to get to 9 @ +3 but after a great 2 iron off the tee pull hooked my 2nd into the greenside bunker (plugged) holed a good putt for bogey and thought id get it going on the back 9 (with 3 par 5s) Promptly blocked one out of bounds off the par 5 10th. played 3 off the tee and made 6 (only a driver and 7 iron) dropped shots on the other 2 par 5s and all pars from there.
Didn't hole anything but didn't miss anything either if that makes sense (didn't have many putts inside 20feet but holes some good 5 footers here and there)
Disappointed to play the 5s in +5. realistically I could get on 2 of them with a 3 wood and 3/4 iron and only have 50-100 yards to the others but blocked it off the tee with driver on 3 of them and mis clubbed into the 16th.
Going out for 9 holes later this week and going to try and get to the range as well to work out this bloody horrible block shot. Game is tidy enough though.
Another competition this Saturday, seriously tempted to leave the driver at home but we shall see!!

-------------------------------------------------------
2014:

33points = 5.5
74 net 68 = 5.0
79 net 74 = 5.0

Another 78 (net 73) this week (bufferzone)

Scores are consistent if not the golf.

Played lovely golf tee to green this week but missed 4 putts of around 3ft. Course was playing tough with the wind (seemed into on almost every hole)
3 putt bogeys on 2,3,5 had me in a pretty foul mood but chipped in on 6 for birdie to steady the ship. couple of pars and a bogey to turn in 39.
Started well on the back 9, 2 putt birdie on 10 and holed a decent putt for birdie on 12. Gave the shot straight back on 13 with a miss from about 3 feet.
misclubbed into the 15th and couldn't get up and down from back bunker but was in a decent frame of mind at +3 on the 16th tee. Went for the green (par5) with my 2nd - 3 wood from 250ish, blocked it slightly and caught a tree sending it into the weeds, shouldn't have even looked for it and just tried to make 6 with my provisional but I found it with no shot, hacked it about 30yards still in the weeds, played out sideways, hit a 8 iron long with my 5th and took 3 to get down for an 8!!!!
Holed a decent putt for par on 17 after again going long with my 2nd and then a regulation par up the last for 78.

Was obviously livid with a stupid 8 which ruined what would otherwise have been a tidy round.

Greens were about 4or5 feet quicker than the week before and like concrete to hit into, it was almost impossible to get it within 20feet unless playing anything other than a wedge from the fairway into the greens.
The missed short putts were mainly due to me being very tentative with my stroke due to the speed on the greens.

No competitive golf for a couple of weeks now but will try and get down the range a few times and maybe squeeze in 9 after work one night.

2014:

33points = 5.5
74 net 68 = 5.0
79 net 74 = 5.0
78 net 73 = 5.0

Chance to update this..

6/4/14 - As pretty much expected lack of practice, over the winter led to an extremely rusty 24 points  = up .1 to 3.6

12/4/14 - Played excellent for 11 holes to be +2. Much better than I expected so early in the season and still hadn't really managed to hit any balls on the range or practice on the course. Then proceeded to go double, triple on 12 & 13 (two tough holes) but I had already done half the work by splitting the fairway on both holes! Pretty much lost interest there and then and couldn't wait to get off the course, so finished horribly too. = somehow managed 86 - 4 = 82 up to 3.7

20/4/14 - Played lovely pretty much the hole way round, missed a few birdie chances 1 - 3, but then managed to hole my first birdie effort of 2014 at the 4th.. Two 3 putt bogies on 5 & 7, disappointed me obviously but the pin position on 5 was awful and almost on the side of a hill. Pars all the way to the turn so out +1. Par 10, bogies at 11,12 so needed to steady ship and not let round get away from me. Hit a beauty of a 4 iron into the wind at 13 to about 8 ft and holed the putt for a birdie, then birdied 15 which is a long par 3 and managed to hit a 5 iron to about 3 ft. Bogied 17, after a good tee shot and iron shot which was a shame but just misjudged the wind and didn't get up and down from the trap.
Finished two over 74 - 4 = 70, 38 stableford points and a win in the sweep on count back. Handicap reduced from 3.7 to 3.2.  

Chuffed with how hitting the ball at the moment but no competitive golf for a few weeks so we will see how that affects me!

stableford up north this weekend then back for a mid week medal at home.

feels like the season has taken ages to get going, but got 4 further comps including the lundin open planned in may.

form has been patchy of late as i've been busy with other stuff.

first lesson of the year booked for thursday - hopefully one or two tweaks to get me firing confidently again.

Barra, What time are you planning on playing Lundin? I might make an entry.

afternoon slot s_r, crowd of us heading up and missing our 'home' open

So started season at 6.1, messed up the Captain's farewell Cup...6.2, first big drawn event last weekend, awful 6.3

Saunton Easter Challenge
East Course 80, net 74 (with a Triple) Visitors CSS 76 - 0.6 cut
West Course 77, net 71, Visitors CSS 74 - 0.5 cut

New Handicap 5.2

Ya Beauty!! Cat 1 achieved so early in the season and courtesy of decent away cuts.

JAS can you explain those cuts to me please? Not doubting you but I thought I understood the system and it seems I don't

I would have thought you were already cat 2 at the start of the two days so your first round of two under CSS would have given you 2 x 0.2 cut for 0.4 (to 5.9) - then as still cat 2 your 3 under on the second day would have been 3 x 0.2 .. to bring you to 5.3

Amounts to almost the same in the end but I thought you'd have been cut slightly less on the first day and slightly more on the second.

Confused of Berkshire

I'm guessing his triple was on a non-stroke hole hence the further 0.2 from the first day..?

Then 3-under so 5.7 to 5.2 (becomes 0.1 cuts once you're into cat 1).

Thank you Ralph - overlooked the stableford reduction .. that makes perfect sense.

Well done JAS

Yep Ralph got it spot on Davie. Btw both rounds were same day.

Understood JAS .. I'd just not noticed the Stableford reduction stroke   

good work jas   

Cheers Barra..it's been a long time coming for me, been like a glass ceiling :-/

On a slightly different tack...I thought I'd blown the chance of getting to Cat 1 with the poor finish in the afternoon. I hung around for the results and the CSS's which came out as 74 & 73. What I didn't know at that point was that that was the Members CSS...and the visitors CSS announced later were 76 & 74. Is that the norm in large opens on top notch courses (I.e. A separate member & visitor CSS??)

As an amateur observer of CONGU matters I've never heard of separate CSS ratings .. but obviously it must be sanctioned .. very interesting!

I kind of get why they would do it Davie....but it would sure put me off becoming a Country Member

If you have a look at Sauntons website Davie, click on Open Comps , Easter challenge , when the results come up you'll see the member CSSs for both rounds at the top, click on that number and it shows the member AND visitor calculations.

Every open I've played over the past few years has had a v css

First time in cat 1?

Yes first time Barra, get as close as 5.8 in Autumn 2011. Passed up so many chances to get there last year. Took my chance Monday with a bit to spare. Hopefully now the glass ceiling has been broken I can stay there.

First 18s as a Cat 1 will be on the Montgomerie tomorrow then the Emirates Sunday.

Starting exact handicap: 5.9
2013 high and low: 5.9, 5.1
Target: Get back to category 1 and maintain it
Approximate no. planned hcp counting comps in 2014: 20/25

First comp of the year shot gross 77, net 71 standard scratch was 74 so a nice 0.6 cut down to 5.3. Next 2 comps didn't make the buffer zone so back to cat 2!

First away round of the season. Off to a decent start, first outing following lesson on Thursday and things were looking good until the 9th. Steady start, missed 10-15 footers for birds on 1, 3, 5 and 6. Pleased with the improvement in my pitching - even hit the flagstick on 4 from 40 yards. Drained a 10 footer on 7 for my first bird and back to +1 after 8. Found gorse on 9 after an unconvincing swing - first blob. Missed a 6 footer on 10 for bird, then got plugged against the back and then front lip of a greenside bunker on 11 - never used to happen here - normally the ball rolls in and gives you a fair go at getting out - albeit with a deep bunker face to go over but the sand they've put in this year is very soft and thick...hopefully it'll sort itself out. Things got worse later on and despite a couple of glimmers of form, i signed for a disappointing 31points. Work to do.

3. 26 APR___82n77___CSS/70___t38/67___+0.1 = 5.1
2. 02 APR___83n78___CSS/73___t36/93___+0.1 = 5.0
1. 29 MAR___78n73___SSS/72___t21/130___0.0 = 4.9 (NQ)
Starting 4.9

Starting Exact Handicap: 12.0
2013 high and low N/A
Target: Handicap - 9.0
Approximate no. planned hcp counting comps in 2014: 20
First counting comp planned: 4/5/14

Got handicap last week, 12.0. Played first comp this morning, quite a poor showing but not awful. 32 points off 12

Long game:3/10
Irons:5/10
Wedges and chipping:5/10
Putting:7/10
Course management:8/10

Was disappointed with this at first, but upon further inspection, there are some positives. My misses for the most part, were manageable, and didn't have a double bogey til the 14th hole. Putting was quite good and had about 6 lip-outs from >6 feet. On the down side- my full swing was appalling, more of a lunge really. Chipping was OK but was tough to judge how the ball would react on landing, and as a result, up and downs were as rare as atheist american golfers. A LOT of work to do...

incontinentia wrote:up and downs were as rare as atheist american golfers

  

BlueCoverman wrote:

incontinentia wrote:up and downs were as rare as atheist americans golfers

  

Sorted.

0.1 reduction at the weekend.

Similar story to last weekend. Started fairly well - missed good birdie chances on 1 and 2 from 15 and 20 feet. Lipped out with a chip on 4 for birdie, then missed a 6 footer on 5, a 4 footer on 7 and a 10 footer on 9. Bogeys on 3, 6 and 8 meant I was disappointed to reach the turn at +3. Made a good up and down on 10, then a succession of bogeys on 11-13, a tough stretch of long 4s. Shot of the day followed on 14, a punchy 7iron into the 140 yard par 3 which landed a couple of feet short and finished in the jaws - a single ball turn away from my 1st hole in one...gutted. Still a tap in 2 and in the money (albeit pocket money at just £6) for the 3rd time this year. Then things got messy - inexplicably chunked two pitches up 15, carding a double, and then after a great drive on 16 I missed the green and rocketed a fairly simple chip 15 feet past the hole. An up and down to save par on 17 and a reasonable recovery after a horrendous tee shot on 18 and signed for a 9 over 81 - the run of stale results continues despite some positive moments...

4. 30 APR___81n76___CSS/73___(5)+3___t25/87___+0.1 = 5.2
3. 26 APR___82n77___CSS/70___(5)+7___t38/67___+0.1 = 5.1
2. 02 APR___83n78___CSS/73___(5)+5___t36/93___+0.1 = 5.0
1. 29 MAR___78n73___SSS/72___(5)+1___t21/130___0.0 = 4.9 (NQ)
Starting 4.9

Handicap in freefall   

Not quite sure how to sum up Wednesday's round. Finished 12 over, with 4 doubles on the card (5,8,9,10 - can't remember the last time I had 3 in a row...). four 3 putts on the way out, largely thanks to the speed of the greens which have sped up brilliantly over the last week or so. some solid driving 11/14 fairways. driver working a treat. lots of inconsistencies elsewhere. started strongly for the first 3, then went awol (with the exception of a good birdie on 7) until the 12th. sloppy/ slightly unlucky on 13-15. solid par, birdie, par finish - left feeling a bit better despite missing good opportunities from 15 and 4 feet on 16/18. four 3 putts on the outward 9, but 2 single putts out and four back meant there was something to be positive about on the greens - just took me a while to find the pace and read slightly more movement into the quicker greens than we've been playing of late. medal tomorrow - hoping for much better, but i need to stop losing focus for large parts of the round and string together some much better scores or i'll be back up to 6 in no time.

5. 14 MAY___84n79___CSS/72___(5)+7___t88/142__+0.1 = 5.3
4. 30 APR___81n76___CSS/73___(5)+3___t25/87___+0.1 = 5.2
3. 26 APR___82n77___CSS/70___(5)+7___t38/67___+0.1 = 5.1 (away score)
2. 02 APR___83n78___CSS/73___(5)+5___t36/93___+0.1 = 5.0
1. 29 MAR___78n73___SSS/72___(5)+1___t21/130___0.0 = 4.9 (NQ)
Starting 4.9

A-Section Spring Meeting today. Scored much better than last outing. Ok but not brilliant off the tee - 9/14 fairways, only 9 GIR. Putter was steady - 31 putts - some decent scrambles, holed out really well and until the last green hadn't missed a putt outside 6 feet, and quite a few knee knockers around 4-5 feet - 8 of them to be exact. Need to get the birdies going though, only one today - happily for another 2 and a few quid on the account. Biggest dissapointment was slipping up over the closing holes - finished bogey bogey bogey, thanks to a heavy 7iron on 16, left the chip 10 feet short and couldn't convert. Lost a ball off the tee on 17, managed to scramble a bogey with the second ball. Three putted the last after knocking my 8 iron approach long. Could have been better, but I guess it could have easily been worse. Couple of weeks before my next mid week medal then it's up to Lundin Links at the end of the month for my only planned open of the year.

6. 17 MAY___79n74___CSS/73___(5)+1___t20/110___0.0 = 5.3
5. 14 MAY___84n79___CSS/72___(5)+7___t88/142__+0.1 = 5.3
4. 30 APR___81n76___CSS/73___(5)+3___t25/87___+0.1 = 5.2
3. 26 APR___82n77___CSS/70___(5)+7___t38/67___+0.1 = 5.1 (away score)
2. 02 APR___83n78___CSS/73___(5)+5___t36/93___+0.1 = 5.0
1. 29 MAR___78n73___SSS/72___(5)+1___t21/130___0.0 = 4.9 (NQ)
Starting 4.9

Sliding, sliding, sliding.

Can't keep disasters off the card. Doubles and trebles again costing me this weekend (treble on Saturday, 3 doubles yesterday) although i worked back to buffer on Saturday for the first time in a while.

4.8 mid March to 5.8 now and not looking like I'll beat it anytime soon either!

18/5 Medal
77 net 72

2 bad holes and poor putting killed what could have been a very good score.
Hooked my 1st OB on the 1st tee. 3 off the tee made double bogey.
then hit all but one green round the front giving myself makeable birdies on 5,6,9 but failed to convert.
Went for a big drive off 10 to get on in 2 and turn things around, snap hook again. Lucky to find it, chipped out, 2 iron to 15 feet missed putt for par.
3 putted 11 from 20feet above the hole now +3. Then another hooked tee shot off 12, got greedy with 2nd when I should have taken my medicine and pitched out. Went in the water, double bogey.
All pars to the 15th which I 3 putted from about 20 feet again.
16th (long par 5 in the trees) 3wood 2iron to about 6feet but never threatened the putt. birdie to get back to +5.
holed a chip shot on 17 after getting a hard bounce through the back of the green. Par 3 18th - hit a great 6iron but mis clubbed and came up 5 yards short of the green - good pitch to 4 feet but of course missed the putt.

Ball striking was great, Driving a bit iffy - mainly because Im going after it a bit too much and hooking the ball.  Putting was poor - couldn't get the speed of the greens. Front 9 were very slow but back 9 seemed very quick.

Some good scores in cat 1 yesterday - couple of level pars gross and a lot of 73-75s.
Will neglect the range this week in favour of a few hours on the putting green.

Club champs in 2 weeks and whilst I will struggle to win it with there being 2 + figure golfers at our place I would like to contend / be within a few shots at worse. Putting and a bit of course management should see the scores come down

2014:

33points = 5.5
74 net 68 = 5.0
79 net 74 = 5.0
78 net 73 = 5.0
77 net 72 = 5.0

24/5 - Medal: 72 net 67

Its finally come together!

Did 5 hours of short game practice last week mainly putting, instead of going to the range - paid dividends!

My best round of the year despite not actually playing brilliantly for large parts.
After seeing it was sunny with very little wind I decided I would Only hit driver on 3 holes (2 very long par 4s and the par 5 where its a wide fairway) Im sticking with my no driver play for as long as necessary now as it always produces solid scores. I may not be able to shoot many under without a driver but I wont shoot many over either!

First 4 holes were all very similar - Hit 2 iron off the tee on each and had 9,8,6 iron into first 3 which yielded regulation pars. Over cut it off 4 and blocked myself out so sensible hit a wedge about 40 yard short and pitched it to a foot for a good par save.
3 more pars then holed a nice 10 footer on 8 for birdie, regulation par on 9 to go out in -1
Killed my drive off 10 to leave me 190 in with my 2nd (par 5) felt a bit of wind behind and misclubbed coming up 10 yards short with a 7 iron made par.
Few more steady pars then missed the fairway by 50 yard right on the 13th - was very lucky that I had a line to the green but it was a blind shot which I hit too far left and made bogey. couple of good up and downs for par then hit a 2 iron (too much club off 17, fiddly par 4) through the fairway blocking me out with my 2nd, wedged out and wedged on but missed an 8 footer.
Ended in style though but hitting a 5 iron to about 2 feet on the last for a 2 and finished level par.

Very pleased with the score and very pleased with my short game. Little annoyed with my long game though as I hit 3or4 silcey tee shots. Iv been suffering from a snap hook off the tee lately and have overcompensated by playing a lot of tee shots with my left foot turned out and shoulders a bit more open to stop me getting too far inside. it has had the desired effect of getting rid of the snap hook but if I don't fully commit to the shot (especially with a 2 iron) then I end up overdoing it and missing things big right. Simple fix - commit to the shot!

Got my dates wrong for the club champs - not until the end of June so still have 4 weeks to prepare which is nice seeing as my form has improved lately (-2 & +1 for 9 holes after work a couple of times a week or so ago.
No comp for 2 weeks now so will try and get 9 holes in at least once a week and a couple of trips to the range.

2014:

33points = 5.5
74 net 68 = 5.0
79 net 74 = 5.0
78 net 73 = 5.0
77 net 72 = 5.0
72 net 67 = 4.4 (SS went up to 73 for the first time in a while)

Anyone heard from Mav recently? He's been quiet on twitter .. I wonder what he's up to

Few rounds to update...

Season Start 3.5 by 20/4 down to 3.2

10/5 Medal on Second Course 75 less 3 for 72 - CSS 71. Buffer. Played really well for 12 holes but then struggled on the way in. - 2 through 7 was good but then my missing GPS came back to haunt me and I overshot the green into the water. Still decent round after 2 week break.

14/5 Pish. Started double, double. Belter. Up .1 got a 2 though    Now 3.3
17/5 Not much better than the round before, no birdies but ok round but silly double on 16 lead me going up .1
18/5 Played in an open at my old course, very windy tough conditions but not great. Up 1 to 3.5

21/5 Solid round, no birdies but no doubles either, just 5 bogies. 77 less 4 = 73 CSS 74 down .1 to 3.4
24/5 Good round on 2nd course, -2 thru 14 so probably, a what could have been. Finished double, par, bogey, for 73 less 3 = 70. CSS 71 down .1 to 3.3
25/5 Not a great round at all but probably should have been buffer but few stupid errors. 81 less 3. CSS 73 as Yellow Medal. Up .1 now 3.4

Playing tonight so we will see how I get on but quite happy with how im scoring and hitting the ball but would like to be more safe off 3 handicap. Carnoustie in an interclub match on Sunday so can't wait for that.