Sun 28th Dec 2014 - Snow place to play golf .. virtual golf instead

While on a family visit to darkest Lincolnshire we usually manage 18 holes as part of the Xmas trophy competition. This year it was not to be. A fall of snow on Boxing day caused closures of all the usual courses. So instead of just giving up and heading for the bar, we checked out the internet and found the Peterborough Virtual Golf experience. http://www.peterboroughvirtualgolf.co.uk

Ok it was 40 miles each way but a least it was open. We were not the only ones there at first but the others were gone before we got started. The owner was helpful and got us started on a practice range. This showed us straight away that M hits the ball further than I do. No real surprise there. Without the help of the owner we selected St Andrews and made a schoolboy error. I thought red and white were some kind of colour code for each golfer. It turns out the red was for red tees and white was for white. So I played off the Lady tees. We did not realise this for the first few holes. The putting we found to be more difficult than in real golf. You have to understand the difference between ft and yds for a start. The owner said we should have waited for him to get us started then he would have made sure we had some putting practice. He also said they the greens at St Andrews were not easy. We found that you have to retrieve your ball quickly after playing each shot or the computer can become confused and award a score to the opponent. You can only go back one shot using a mulligan.

After the first few holes we got into the swing of it and both made reasonable progress. With my advantage of having shorter holes it was not a fair contest but I managed to get round in 105 and M scored 110. This does not count to any Xmas trophy but was simply a fun alternative to real golf when golf is closed. I suspect that we would not have scored so well on the real St Andrews!

Would try again in similar circumstances. (Although the owner told us it was likely to close if no one wanted to buy it).

Sat 13th Dec 2014 - 18 Holes after a nice Breakfast

This is the first of 3 Xmas golf rounds for the 2014 trophy. No special rules this year except for a max of 2 out of a bunker.

Meet M at the Clubhouse 8 for the usual great breakfast. We were also treated to a talk from the Golf Pro who said "Get better or get your money back". I was a little shell shocked from a late night at work.

We set off with no-one in front and no-one behind. M hit a great tee shot to the green and down in 1, great start. That set the tone for the first 5 holes and M was 4 up after 5. I had a nightmare 10 on the 5th. I was thinking oh no this is bad. Then I won the next 4 and it was all square after the front 9. It stayed this way until the 14th. The scores ended up identical so it was very close but my 2 lucky breaks came on the 15th and 18th and I won by 2. In particular we both navigated round the last 3 in good style.

The weather was pleasant and we caught up with the people in front after 9 or so. We let a lone golfer through and he had a nightmare which we understand well! We were happy to get round in 4 hours. The course was in reasonable shape and it was a fun day. One of the great comebacks of our time! ;-)

My score in click here.

My putting was +1 and I had 4, 3 Putts so I could have been 5 better on putting alone. I had 8 proper golf scores including 2 pars. I messed up on 4 holes. 4, 5 and 13 were due to lost balls from the tee. All avoidable! On the 9th I had a duff close to the green. So that would have saved another 4 shots. So with 9 less I would have been nicely under 100.

Bring on the next 2 games for the legendary trophy!

The Trophy

On the Green the 9th?

Red Clubs

A Wet One

Have It - or will you dance?

Its Christmas

Tues 9th Dec 2014 - 9 Holes at Skylarks

This was an experiment to see how quick we could be. After 1pm its 7.50 for 9 holes. I books and R paid before I arrived.  The weather was cool and cloudy but warm enough once we got going.

They said we could go when we were ready as there was no one in front or behind. Nice. Pity the workmen were hanging round the 1st tee otherwise I might have had a better start. I went right R went left. The 1st was a mess up for me with a duff 2nd shot and a 3 putt. Never mind.

The 2nd can be a nightmare but I was over the back of the been on my 4th shot so thats good for me. We drew the 1st 4 holes neither of us playing very consistently. Despite a bunker on the 5th I managed 4. My nightmare hole has been the 6th, this time I took a 4i off the tee and was on the green in 3 a few inches from the hole. I followed this with another par on the 7th, and finished off in style with a par on the 9th. My score is click here.

I messed up 2 holes, the 1st I blame the workmen and must remember to take time on 2nd shot of game especially if in a bit of rough. The 8th I messed up with a duff from the tee (grr). My putting was good considering the damp greens but could have been 2 better without 3's. I had 5 proper golf scores including 3 pars. So on a more lucky day I could have saved 4 shots.

So it was my turn to win. We got round in about 1.5 hours so thats a good thing to do to keep golf ticking over in the dark winter months. The course was not too bad despite the extremely wet weather we have had of late.

Good fun and we will no doubt be back!

Sat 31st Nov - 18 Holes at Dummer

With M and A as part time caddy. Met just before 12 for 12:28 tee time. Weather was forecast as mist but it was sunny with wind and clouds. We just had time for the usual 14 balls warm up which didn't feel too good. It was a good 2 weeks since either of us had played. Despite the recent rain the fairways and greens were in great condition.

M seems to have turned a new leaf and did not bring the big Woods. He was also walking as feet have almost recovered.

We were following a 2 ball who kept ahead of us until the last few holes. We were followed by a buggy over the front 9 but we were never caught.

As usual over recent games it was quite close. At the end of the front 9 M was ahead by 1 hole and by the 13th I had managed to draw level. The winning move by M was a par on the 14th when I did a duff 2nd shot. I also messed up my 2nd shot on the Par 3 17th and ended up in the bunker. Again the trophy goes North. Now we are on equal handicap!

Our biggest problem was playing into the low winter sun making it difficult to find a few balls. On 3 separate occasions M lost a ball the was found by A late. Better late then never! I seemed to struggle in a few more bunkers than usual, but I took the opportunity on the 9th to get out using my 60 degree wedge. A first use ever for my 50 quid stick. My score is click here.

My putts were exactly neutral, however I had 6, 3 putts. I managed 8 proper golf scores including 3 par 4's which is nice. (all 1 putts!). On the other hand I messed up 4 holes. Starting with the par 3 5th losing the tee shot in the pond and then 3 putting. On the 6th I went in the big ditch from the tee, got out well and then went in the green side bunker and a 3 putt. The 10th I did a bit of a duff from short range and a 3 putt. The 18th was my only duff from the tee, I had a lucky escape from the lake (stopped short) on my 3rd shot.

Looking at M's score card there were 6 penalties that could have been avoided and 1, 3 putt. If only we had both avoided mistakes it could have been 2 rounds under 100.

Look at the weather in November!

Waiting for the 2 in front on the 16th

M in action on the 16th

Zoom for a golfer on the horizon

Sundown on the 18th

The end

Sat 15th Nov - 5 + 18 Holes at Chichester

Almost forgot this one. (Not coz I lost?).

Met M and A for a few holes on the par 3.

We set off just in front of 2 4 balls. A bit of pressure from the 1st tee. M got on the green and I did a poor tee shot left. No one laughed!

The weather was great and we managed to keep  ahead of the followers and A was a reasonable ball spotter. M had decided not to use the driver and this meant social golf for several holes. Also I suspect M had more fairways than usual.

The game was quite close but M had a good run on the back 9 and he was 3 up with 3 to play. On the 16th he sunk a putt from 30ft to half the hole after a duff from the tee and that was enough to win by one hole in the end. (I did win the last 2 holes for pride.)

My score is click here.

My putting was average but could have been 2 less without 3 putting. I managed 5 proper golf scores with 1 par on the easy 13th. I messed up 3 holes. The 4th as usual was a pain and made worse by the soggy ground. I made a mess of the 10th with mistaken use of my 4r. Mental note not to use again. On the 15th I had a mental block and hit a wild tee shot into the trees and lost a ball. (Cant remember if M found it?).

Great fun and ended with a quick beer!

The soggy 4th

Nice weather

Sunshine .. note the new bag!

Sun 9th Nov - 18 Holes on a Sunny Chichester Tower

With M after a poor Harvester breakfast. We were only just in time to play so no time for a par 3. M had booked a buggy but they were off! So he had to walk.

The ground was quite wet but the weather was fine and the course was quiet. We just let a lone golfer pass on the 5th (he had a minor nightmare).

The wet conditions did affect my score as its much more difficult to make a good contact with the ball. Perhaps its time to get out my 4r?  We were very even for the whole round and with 3 to play we were drawing. We both par'd the 16th like a couple of pros but M got 1 better on the 17th and won by 1 hole (taking the Geller trophy back North). Anyway thats good as my handicap will get 1 closer! M did well with the walking and he realised that with no buggy it was better to hit irons then woods. This may become a problem for me in future games.

My score is click here.

My putting was poor especially on the front 9 and should have saved me 4 shots. I only managed 4 proper golf scores, 3 bogeys and 1 par. However, I only messed up 1 hole (the 9th caused by a 3 putt).
The bunkers were all free drops as they were water logged. If I could avoid a couple of pairs of duffs this would save another 2 shots and I would have had a more respectable score and might even have won the trophy.

Back in the pro shop I got a good deal on a larger golf carry bag which will(should) be better for carrying winter layers and perhaps some bigger clubs.

Great fun and weather!

The weather really was good!

Rare shot of M in action

Looked stormy but it wasn't!

Arty pic attempting to show spiders web's.

Wed 22 Oct 2014 - 18 Holes at (a hilly) Romsey Golf Club

With R. Its getting more difficult now to finish in the light and still do a days work, we had a 2:45 tee time. We payed 18 quid each as a special deal by the lady in the Pro shop.

On the 1st we both needed a mulligan as I went in the ditch and R went in the trees left. The first 3 holes are fine, nothing special. But after this it gets hilly. I had forgotten how much. The 4th is over a hill down into a valley and back up the hill to the hole. I made a mess of this with a 9. The rest of the front 9 was steady and I think we were level.

On the back 9 I made a mess of the 11th with a lost ball int the trees right. On the 17th I did a good tee shot that just got stuck at the edge of the big ditch. I went right and got stuck in the trees for another poor score. In the end R won by any scoring method. My score is click here.

My putting was just ok. I only managed 4 proper golf scores (all bogeys). I messed up 3 holes. The 4th across the valley could have been avoided. The 11th should not have had a lost ball. And the 17th could have been a couple better. So with 7s instead of 8's and 9's I could have saved 4. Without the double bunker on the 15th I could have saved 1 and with a 3 instead of a 4 putt thats 1 more. So perhaps I could score 6 better on another day.

Tough course as there are no flat lies its all up down or sideways. Perhaps its good to practice here?We were lucky enough as no one was in front or behind and we just finished before 6 so we could see easily. The weather was cloudy but not cold.

  

Sun 19th Oct 2014 - 12 Balls + 18 Holes at Dummer

With M and A as part time caddy. 1:15 tee time. We had the usual 2 quids worth of balls and I managed to hit my 5W quite well with the last 3. (Using a new in-to-out swing).

We set off behind a 3 ball and were followed by a 4 ball and they never slowed us down or got in the way. The weather was very blustery which I found to be a pain. M walked most of the way round but was recovering from flu but the foot was better so maybe next time no buggy required?

For some reason putting seemed difficult for me and I had 3, 3 putts in a row not a good start! M won the 1st 2 holes and I won the next 2. After this M went on a winning spree starting with a par on the 3 across the lake. At the end of the front 9 he was 5 holes up. I had an absolute nightmare on the 6th when I had 2 duffs t get to the green side bunker in 4. I then went in another bunker went over came back and finally 3 putt for 12! My first 12 in a long time thank goodness this is rare! It messed up my score though.

I managed to pull a couple back to get to 2 to M with 2 to play. However I lost 2 balls on the 16th and 17th from the tee (a new very bad trend late in the round). So M won and the Geller Cup goes back like a ping-pong North.

On the last I risked my new 5W shot and it sailed down the fairway with ease. I got over the lake with another 5W and went over the back in 4. My score is click here. This was one of my worst scores for some time (sigh).

My putting was terrible +6. I only managed 5 proper golf scores. Messing up 4 holes. The first with a 3 putt. The 6th with the bunker incidents (see above). The 7th with a 4 putt. The 16th with a lost ball in the lake from the tee. (Although I did find it on the waters edge). I had 1 very flukey chip in to the hole on the 10th although M managed to draw this one. This could be the game changing hole!

Perhaps it was the wind or perhaps we were both a little bit under the weather but neither of us played our best. Thats golf!

Thurs 16th Oct 2014 - 18 Holes at Paultons

Funny one this as Thursday is a non-eating day for me. With R after work. getting difficult to get a round in before dark at just after 6. We started at just after 3. No one in front or behind.

I started badly with a duff from the tee but managed to get within a foot of the hole on my 4th shot.
I was 1 up after 9 with a nice score of 47. A nice steady back 9 until I lost my ball in the lake on the 15th as usual. Then I had a bit of nightmare on the 16th getting stuck in a mole hill and taking a mulligan. I am learning to do proper high pitches to get on the green which is a nice new trick when it works. My score is click here. 

I made 9 proper golf scores and my putting was slightly better than 2's. I only messed up 1 (the 16th and this was avoidable). I could/should have saved 3 shots which would have been less than 100. Still I am not complaining as it was my turn to win again. I suspect that we need to start playing a points based game in the future.

We were a bit miffed as 3 golfers appeared in front of us on the 17th but in the end they did not slow us down so it was ok and we just managed to finish in the gloom.

Sun 13th Oct 2014 - 18 Holes at Dummer

With M we had a tee time of 9:45. Just time for 14 balls each before we were off. I took my 5W among for the first time in ages and i I tested it on the range. (It went right sigh). As it turned out we were following some sort of Ryder Cup competition so it was not fast. The 2 guys in front of us complained a lot but we still managed to get round in less hat 4 hours so can't have been too bad. I don't remember standing waiting much we just took our time.

I set off on a nice roll and was 5 up after 7. M had a good run at the start of the back 9 and I was only 2 up with 5 to go. In the end I kept on at a seedy pace and it was my turn to win. The Geller ropy comes home!

My front 9 was very nice just less than 50 and the back 9 was worse overall but had a nice run of 5,4,5,4,4. My score is click here.

I managed 9 proper golf scores 2 pars and the rest bogeys. My putting was +2 so thats nice. I only messed up 3 holes. The 7th which is the banana my 3rd shot was a duff for no good reason. The 11th going towards the white house which is usually easy .. not if you get stuck in the fairway bunker and get out in 2. The last mistake was on the last hole where I got nicely over the lake and then went in the left hand green bunker and then over. I was pleased o get over the lake on the 5th and the sand bunker on the 14th. I even used my 5W in a chip and run on the 16th.

M did great putting but only managed 5 proper golf scores, however this included 2 pars and a BIRDY! The birdy was on the 7th with a great tee shot close to the green followed by a chip 2 1ft from the hole.

Great fun as usual!

Sun 5th Oct 2014 - 9+18 holes at Chichester

With M and A (as caddy). The par 3 was nice and easy and I managed an odd biddy and a few pars which is nice. It was very close (a draw?) as we both played better than of late.

M had given me a fright earlier in the week by booking the Cathedral by mistake but luckily we spotted it just in time, The clubhouse was in panic when we paid as the card machine was not working (The cost was 20 quid each plus the buggy for M.) but despite all this we managed to get onto the first tee on time.

The only problem was .. so did a large group of other players. A bit of stress for hole 1 but we both managed to avoid embarrassment and I managed a par. I set off well and was 3 up after 4. On the 5th I made a silly mistake, not waiting until M was ready to watch my ball and I lost it right. This was a mess and I had my first 10 for some time. This was the start of a very good run for M who never had worse than a 7 the whole round! After 12 holes M was up by 2 and I managed to pull the 13th and 14th back to make it all square. Over the last 4 we both played pretty well but M managed to win 2 and draw 2 so that was that. The Geller Trophy returns North for a while. My score is click here.

This was one of my best scores ever here so I can't complain but I was beaten fair and square on handicap so we both played well. I only messed up the 5th and I could have done an odd shot better on the 8th by getting to the green in 2 (not the edge) and the 17th by avoiding the bunker. I was pleased to easily clear the lake on the 16th using my 4i which was working nicely from the tee. I was also pleased with 9 proper golf scores (including 6 pars).

M hit way more fairways than usual and could easily have scored 5 less without 2 lost balls and an odd duff. His great chip in from the edge of the 10th was a real (fluke) highlight! Also M managed to walk the whole of the par 3 and the front 9 for the first time in a long time. (A drove the buggy and looked very pleased with himself!)

Great fun and the weather was amazing: warm and no wind.

Wed 1 Oct 2014 - 18 Holes at Paultons

With R after work. Tee time of 3:40 is as late as we dare if we are to finish before dark at 7.  R takes the cash and pays. He gets us an over 55s discount of 1 quid.

We set off well with no one ahead but quickly catch up with a 3 ball who are waiting for a 3 ball. It got slow then and we worried if dark would beat us. The 3 ball in front stopped after 9 and we quickly caught up the next 3 who were in no rush (sigh).

I played quite nicely (for me) making a bit of a hash of the long 2nd after going over the green in 4 and adding a duff before green and 2. I probably played as well as I ever have done here, even managing to get over the lake at 15. I made up for it though with a lost ball from the tee on 16 and 17. I think I was a bit too excited that my score was going well. My score is click here.

So it was my turn to win again, I suppose one of our handicaps should change! I messed up no holes and even managed 10 proper golf scores.

In the end we finished in the gloom which was part of the reason for the lost ball on the 17th.

Tue 23rd Sept 2014 - 18 Holes on Iona

With A as caddy. The usual 8:45 ferry with the locals. The weather was nice enough but a light coat was needed until we got to hole 2.

We went the short way to the start but it was still 9:30 at the first tee. I started off poorly with a 9 and an 8. I was not quite on form from the tee and ended up with a number of awkward lies. We made good progress after the first holes and I avoided mistakes made last week. On the 7th I did a nice tee shot but found the cows waiting on the green so called it a 5 and let sleeping cows lay.

As usual we were the only golfers. There was a minor shower on the long 10th but it was over in a flash. On the 11th my tee shot landed among a flock of sheep. The line "Sheep may safely Graze" not appropriate here. We were surprised by a black sheep who seemed to think hat we may have something to eat.

I know my way round this course now and I like it. My score is click here.

No many proper golf scores and no pars is a reflection of the difficulty of this course. The fairway is undulating and the greens are small.  I messed up 3 holes the first 2 with duffs from difficult lies. And the 16th where I did my usual and lost a ball, not in the long grass but over the fence near the flag.

Great fun as usual!

Tue 16th Sep 2014 - 18 Holes on Iona

Catch 8:45 ferry with bin lorry with Caddy A. Sunshine! Call in at Post Office to pay 1 quid (I paid 4). This is my return trip and last time I played in trainers. This year I walked in trainers and played in golf shoes. There is a good 20 minute walk to the start. As usual I had the course to myself. I was  little worried about the cows but I was assured by the locals that all would be fine.

This year I have given up using anything bigger than a 5i so my bag was lighter!

The course is a natural course and has very little maintenance so the fairways are kept under control by shell and cattle. The greens are probably mown and flattened once a year for the Iona open. The greens are small and putting is tough. As a result I either gave myself a score of 1 or 2 when I got to the green.

On the first I took a route right and ended just short of the green in 3.

On the 2nd I made good progress to the hole being just short in 3.

On the 3rd par up the hill I went short and should have been OK but my shot went over, hit a stone and bounced quite a way along the path ending up with a 6!

On the elevated 4th down the hill I went right of the hill and only messed up a bit close to the hole.

On the 5th I did a nice tee shot and then ended up on the beach, paid the price with a penalty (must go right in future!)

On the 6th by the sea it was a nice easy 5.

On the 7th I went left over the fence towards the farm but got back to the hole nicely with a 4.

Over the fence to the 8th away from the farm,

Back over the 8th on the par 3 9th I went too far with the wind behind, No trouble though.

The 10th is a long way going away from the farm to the rocks. At least I had an idea where I was going. I got to the rocks in 3 scaring a couple of sheep on the way.

The 11th is one of my favourites towards the beach.

The 12 is a long way up a hill. This year I kept left of any trouble and found the hole with the help of a caddy.

No memory of 13th

14th is short par 3 and I went over a bit.

The 15th is across some sand dunes and a couple of stiles up a hill. Quite along way.

The 16th is back across the 2 stiles and then over a sand dune. Instead of playing short before the dune I lost my ball in the long grass. (Just after the caddy had said "at least we have not lost any balls").

The 17th is a one way back up to the open hillside near the start.

The 18th is almost at the first tee.

This year is was definitely easier without a load of duff shots from my woods and it was drier so my balls went further. My score is click here.

With a handicap of 28 I only messed up 2 holes. The 3rd par 3 with a poor 2nd shot and the 16th with a lost ball in the long grass. Both were avoidable. It is quite telling that I only managed 3 greens in anything like a proper golf score. With 4 real bogeys and a real par.

Great fun!

Sat 30th Aug 2014 - Train and Breakfast before 18 Holes at Dummer

With M after catching Train to Basingstoke. Thanks to M for the lift from the train station so that I could have a beer later! We had time for breakfast at the Dummer golf club before our 9:30 tee time. Not a bad butty! (perhaps not quite as good as Chichester).

Golf was quite expensive 27 quid I think (and very expensive including a buggy). We had time for 14 balls each on the range. I was pleasantly pleased with 13/14 good shots from PW to 4i. Wonder if its a bad omen?

Just time for a couple of putts before we got off. We were following a 3 ball playing off white tees. They were quick enough and finished after the 9th, perhaps they played starting from he 10th? Anyway it was fine as we had a few holes while we caught up a slow 4 ball but never waiting more than a few minutes.

The weather was one of the nicest this year for golf, warm not hot with perhaps just a bit too much wind. The fairways and greens were in great shape and there was plenty of sand in the bunkers which makes a change from recent courses I have played.

We decided to play stableford points for a change to hole play. Its a bit more complicated to score but we will get better as we practice. I set off nicely on the first 3 holes despite a couple of shots in the green side bunker on the 2nd. On the 4th I decided to try to get a bit farther right than usual and ended in a bit of trouble in the big hole to the right of the fairway. Make mental not never to do this again. On the 5th across the lake I was pleased to land just short of the green and avoid the bunker with a 5i (the wind was behind so this helps!). I had a bit of bunker trouble an the 6th which is a pity as this could have been a good score on the hardest hole. For some reason I messed up the 9th by going in the big hole right from the tee and then going well right of the green as M went off to find an out of bound ball. No excuse just lack of concentration.

M played particularly well on the 3rd and 4th holes going ahead by 1 point but this was reversed at the end of the front 9 as I was 1 point up. On the 10th I got another point up and this is how it stayed. The trophy stays here which is nice. My handicap goes back to 26 as I have won 2 in a row. Maybe we should make it 3 wins in a row before changing handicap to stop flip flop between 26 and 27?

We both had a nice run of holes 12 to 17 with acceptable scores all round. Sadly we both messed up the 18th. M from the tee and me into the lake. M did however get applause for his shot from the 16th to the 18th fairway. M's driver worked well on several holes and he had great par on the 3rd. My score is click here.

I got to the green in time to make 7 proper golf scores and I made them all. I made 1 extra with a 1 putt at the 17th. (No pars though). My putting was better than usual saving 3 and I had a couple of very near misses so could have been a bit better with some extra luck! (I am thinking of adding a new shorthand + to indicate the the last putt was a 'drop in' or gimme.) I only messed up the 9th through lack of concentration and the18th with my only lost ball in the lake. I was pleased with my tee shots only letting me down on the 4th and 9th. If only I could hit a 3W I could improve a lot.

Great fun!

Before the off.

Only reference to hole in 1 to date!

Concentration!

Sun 24th Aug - 18 Holes on a Sunny Sunday morning at Rother Valley

With B on a weekend visit to see the folks.

An early start for a 7:45 tee time. The weather was fine. We were following 2 lads in a buggy and were followed by a 3 ball. Neither slowed us down of speeded us up. We had played this course earlier in the year (click here) but neither  of us could remember any holes. There was a reason for this .. last time we played in the fog.. this time the visibility was good.

With the early start the fairways and especially the greens were damp and this caused us a few problems with lack of roll and odd putting. The fairways and greens were in good shape however the bunkers were more like soil than sand and this caused us some problems.

I set of nicely with 5's and 6's until the 9th where I took 9. B had lost his favourite tee and was struggling to find the right tee height for his usual accurate tee shots. After the front 9 I was up by a few shots. On the back 9 I played steadily and had quite a bit of luck. We both got caught in bunkers and I took 3 to get out of one on the16th. In the end I won by a few more shots but with a bit of luck it could easily have gone either way. Great fun and good to catch up with my old Sunday running mate.

My score is click here. 

I was very happy with this score I had 8 chances to make proper golf scores and ended up with 7 so not too bad. My putting was better than average for a change. I only messed up one hole the 9th and I can't remember what caused this. I had a couple of holes where I got stuck in an unreasonable bunker. I would have need some exceptional luck to improve  my score to go less than 100.

I like this golf course and will try to play again soon. The holes are interesting but are fair. I remember the 9th green was like a roller coaster. I like the long down hill hole and today I liked the18th as I had a near miss with the lake and scored a par.

Great fun, no photos this time...

Wed 20th Aug 2014 - 18 Holes for 3 at Paultons

With M and R after work. It was 16 quid each as usual we had a tee time about 4:30. M arrived with 5 mins to spare and we just managed to get to the tee on time. There was no one in front or behind so we were not rushed.

For a change we had decided to play Stableford Points as hole play for 3 is a bit confusing. I set off well and didn't really make any mistakes until the annoying par 3 8th where we all went in the bunker and poor scores for all. M had a bit of a nightmare 4th with lost balls from the tee and in the lake and it took until the back 9 to recover. At the half way point I was ahead and aside from the par 3 over the pond where I messed up the tee shot and lost 2 balls I continued more of less to par and it was my turn to win again. M made a bit of a recovery charge at the start of the back 9 but collapsed as the driver was not working on the last few holes and R played pretty much to handicap with just a couple of poor holes.

We were caught by 2 golfers on the 13th and we decided to let them through which turned out to be a mistake as they played terrible while we watched. After that we had 2 golfers waiting behind for the last few holes. The weather was very pleasant, the fairways were ok but the greens were terrible as they were full of holes for some sort of maintenance. We all suffered from poor putts!

My score is click here.

A typical round for me at 105 with 9 possible proper golf scores by getting to the green but due to poor putting I only made 5. But funnily enough this included 3 pars and best of all I managed a par on the 13th, I think this may be a first! My putting owed me at least 3 and some time soon I must try to practice a bit as I am sure there is a 5 point improvement possible. I messed up 3 holes: the par 3 8th due to bunker trouble and poor putting, the 9th due to bad putting and the 16th lake with double stupidity as this was the only really bad tee shot of the day.

Its starting to get dark well before 9 now and we finished at 8:30 in the gloom.

No photos from me.. M may have some…?

Sun 17th Aug 2014 - Par 3 + 18 Holes at Chichester Tower

With M on Sunday at 1ish. The Par 3 was busier than usual perhaps due to the super-mini-golf? We did them in the wrong order and neither of us was concentrating very well. We only managed a couple of 3's between us. (No wonder we struggle a bit at real golf!).

The 18 hole was as quiet as I can ever  remember. We payed 20 quid each + a buggy. We set off with no one in front and no one behind and that was how it stayed. Can't blame anyone else! The weather was hot to start with, we had a downpour after hole 5 and then it was fine. The wind was a bit of a problem but it died down toward the end of the round.

I set off very well with 4,5,4 went 2 up after 2. However on the 4th I hit a great tee shot then went onto the Cathedral fairway to the left. That never happened before! This was the start of a bad run of 4 holes with 7's and 8's. At the end of the front 9 M was up by 1 hole and we were tied on shots. By the 11th we were all square. From this point in M only messed up one hole (the 17th) and ended up winning by 5 clear holes and 4 shots. I played average and collapsed on the last 3 holes losing 3 balls. So the Geller trophy stays North yet again. My score is click here.

Even though it was just less than 110 it was very messy and could have been better. I only got to the green with any chance of a proper golf score on 6 holes. My putting let me down as it has recently and I was 2 over par. I only ended up with 5 proper golf scores (all bogeys). I messed up on 4 holes.
Hole 4 was spoilt by my great tee shot going to far and getting lost. Hole 5 was destroyed by a 3 putt.
17 was caused by a lost ball on my 2nd shot after a great tee shot over the tree. The 18th was a disgrace as I decided to use a chip and run 4i into the wind... it ended in Beaches Brook and was lost serves me right. So I should have saved 2 puts and lost 3 less balls, who knows I may even have won!
As usual I failed on the 16th in thepond but I have decided to take a PW next time and just go left perhaps 40 yds... lets see if I can remember.

This strange shot is of the hay making in the next field.

M's view of the flag

This shot shows the evil sky after the downpour

But it did brighten up later.

Wed 13th Aug 2014 - 18 Holes at Paultons

With R after work. We arrived late to discover that the first available tee was at 5:25. This would give us a problem to finish before dark especially if we got behind a slow 4 ball. Anyway we paid 16 quid each and decided to be ready for any gap at the 1st tee.

The weather was very pleasant, warm with just a bit more breeze than we would like for golf. The fairways were looking a bit sorry and the greens looked good but played odd. Perhaps because of a few recent downpours?

At 5 o'clock we noticed a 2 ball in a buggy set off and as no one arrived we quickly followed with 2 decent iron shots. We never saw anyone behind so not sure what happened to all the tee times after us? We were never help up until the last 3 or 4 holes and we were called through on the 17th where we both hit respectable golf shots. I almost got to the post and R went over the hill.

I set of very nicely playing to my handicap or better on every hole on the front 9 except the par 3 8th. Must make a mental note to play an 8 iron to get a good chance of a scrambled 3 next time. As a result I was up by a few holes after 9. My steady play almost to my handicap continued on the back 9 where I never went more than one shot over my handicap. Particularly on the 13th and 14th where I took a few shots in bunkers. I even managed to get over the lake with a nice 5i. So in the end it was my turn to win again. My score is click here.

I was happy with my score of exactly 100 as with a bit of golfing luck it could have been 3 or so better. I got to the green in acceptable golf scores on 12 holes which I think may be a first. This only translated to 9 proper golf scores as my putting was poor. I had way too many 3 puts and only a couple of 1 puts. I could blame the greens but I need to practice this! Very unusually I did not mess up any holes completely (this is rare). I could however have scored an odd point less if I had avoided the bunkers. I lost no balls and had no penalties.

Great fun! No pics this week as I was experimenting with not worrying about the photos .. concentrate on the golf!

Sat 10th Aug 2014 - 25 balls and 18 holes at Chichester

Sat lunch time with M. We had a 12:54 tee time so we met in time to play a few holes of par 3. For the first time I can remember the par 3 was full so we opted for 25 balls each on the range. The range worked well for me and I don't think I hit a bad ball.

When we went to pay (20 quid each and 24 for a buggy) we found M had booked to play the tough Cathedral course. We panicked and were quickly re-booked on our favourite Tower course. The chap in the pro-shop was quite encouraging to us and suggested we give the Cathedral a go sometime soon... Perhaps...

We were following a 3 ball in 2 buggies playing off white tees. They were good and had no trouble keeping ahead of us. The 3 behind were a bit slower than us so after the first we had no audience at the Tee.

I set off well with a 6i onto the green (wind behind). On the 2nd M hit a great drive and I followed steadily along the fairway. M's 2nd went too far over the green and we ended up with 6 each. We drew several holes on the front 9 including another pair of 6's on the most difficult hole (5th). I had a bit of a problem on the 6th with a duff from the tee followed by 2 more. This knocked my confidence a bit and M won holes 6,7 and 8 giving a 3 hole lead at the end of the front 9.

On holes 10 and 11 M was on great form (driver working well) with a par and a bogey (proper golf scores). I steadied the ship a little as M hit a duff from the 12 tee and I won a hole. M was quick to recover with another par 4 on the 13th with a chip into the hole that got some respect from the 3 golfers in front. On the 14th I did a great PW from 75 yds to within a couple of feet of the hole and got a round of applause from the 3 in front. (Good job they missed some of our less impressive moments!).

In the end we drew several more holes but M won by 5 clear holes. Thats 2 in a row so my handicap will be back at a more realistic 26. My score is click here.

I would be happy with any score less than 110 normally but this one was bad for many reasons. First of all my putting was terrible I lost 4 on the front 9 and 1 on the back. So even an average 36 would have saved 5 shots. I only managed 6 proper golf scores (4 bogeys and 1 par). I only failed to get to the green in regulation on 1 hole but had scores spoiled by poor putting. I messed up 3 holes. The 6th with 3 duffs could have been 1 or 2 better. The 10th had 2 duffs and a bunker (I put this down the the aerobatics in the light plane just above our heads). The 16th as usual I went into the lake from the tee (not unusual.. must remember to aim left!). On the plus side I played the17th as well as I ever have.

Great fun even though I was a bit knackered on the last few holes.

Lilly pond looking good on 8th

Buggy cam almost on the 5th Fairway

Buggy cam on the 5th Fairway

Approaching the 9th

Wed 6th Aug 2014 - 18 Holes at Paultons

With R after work. We arrived without booking and got a tee time just before 5. (16 quid each). we were following a 4 ball so it was slowish. The weather was overcast and threatened to rain but very hot.

I set off well with my best tee shot ever on this hole and managed an easy 5 to go 1 hole up. Unfortunately I messed up the tee shot from the 2nd and struggled down the left hand side to score a poor 9. Still early days and I settled down to play well over the rest of the front 9 only messing up the easy par 3 by getting in the bunker and ending up with a 5.

On the back 9 I won 3 in a row which makes a change because I usually struggle on these. I went right into the trees and ended up with another 9 on the 13th. In the end I won easily so maybe I have to drop my handicap next time by 1. We passed the 4 ball on hole 11 when they were looking for balls, we both made good tee shots and scored 5 each so thats confidence!

My score is click here.

I was quite pleased as it was just over the 100 and could easily have been under. My putting ended up par despite chipping straight into the hole from 20 yards on the 5th. I managed 9 proper golf scores including 2 pars (all before hole 13, pity I couldn't carry on!). I messed up the 2nd and 13th as described above. I could easily have been 4 less. As usual I lost a ball over the pond.. no idea how to play this one!

Great fun if not a little hot. I only took this moody picture.

Looks like rain - it never did!

Thu 31st July 2014 - 18 Holes for 3 at Meon Valley Golf

With R and M!

R had played here before but it was new for me and M. It was 20 quid each and 10 quid for M's buggy (although they did try to charge 30 for the buggy). We had a tee time of 5:12 but they asked us to go a bit early before a couple of late comers. We were met at the tee by a representative who instructed us when to go and chatted about some holes. At the tee we felt some pressure as we had an audience. I went first with a decent 5i, R was next with an average 3W and M went last with a brilliant 4i that almost got an applause from the crowd!

The weather was very kind.. not too hot and even though black storm clouds threatened it kept dry.

We were following a 3 ball who turned out to be quick after the first few holes and we never had to wait. We were followed by a 3 ball with a buggy who were almost quick enough to let through but not quite…

I set off very badly but M was on good form winning the first 2 holes. But I recovered winning the 3rd and 4th. The 4th was a nice par scramble out of a bunker with a hole from the edge. We decided that hole play was tough for R but he managed to win a few. In the end M won easily. M was using his driver quite a bit and in general it worked well. (He took advantage of having the buggy when the ball went on the wrong fairway).

The course was quite tough compared to our normal stomping grounds. On the front 9 there were quite a few tight fairways lined with thick trees. For me the biggest problem was the challenge of getting onto the large greens as they all seemed to be hidden behind lakes, ditches or bunkers. Not best suited to chip and run! However I think it was fun and would go back for another try.

My score is click here.

One of my worst scores for a while but I will put it down to first time on a tough new course. I only managed 6 proper golf scores including 2 pars. My putting was better than usual (only 1, 3 putt). I messed up 6 holes. The 1st I laid up for the green but did a poor 9i costing 2 shots. On the 2nd I lost one on my 3rd shot as I went a bit too far left. I can't remember the 5th but it looks like I had bunker trouble. I did 4 bunkers and managed to get out in 1 each time. The 11th was the dog leg left with a sloping fairway this is just a tricky hole .. could do better next time. The 16th was just poor play. The 17th was another tricky hole not helped by a duff from the tee and a lost ball in some short grass. I would hope to improve by at least 4 or 5 shots on another day.

From this pic it looks easy?

M in a bit of trouble on a par 3

Sat 26th July 2014 - Breakfast and 18 Holes at sunny Blue Mountain

With M .. we could not book a buggy at Downshire so this looked like a good alternative. I think it cost 28 quid each including a "club breakfast".

The breakfast was quite acceptable and we had time to go and hit 25 balls each. We were ready to go a few minutes before our tee time and we were told to go when we were ready.

The weather was baking hot, by far the hottest day I have ever played. We arrived behind a pair of golfers who offered to let us go but we declined being in no rush, I think they were following a 3 ball.

The course was quite tricky on most holes (or so it seemed to me) the flag was not visible and several nasty ditches and ponds were hidden from view until it was too late. That said, the fairways were in good condition and the greens were well kept (I commented that most were large enough to be par 3 in there own right... that may just be my putting ability). Progress was slow due mainly to the heat and not knowing the course.

I set off with a nice 3 hole lead but at the first par 3 M steadied the ship and after 5 I was only 1 up. On the 9th M drew level. I was playing very consistently but not scoring many 4's or 5's. M was using his driver and starting on the wrong fairway so he was doing a fair bit of scrambling. It was fairly even right to the end where I ended up winning by 1 hole with M just missing a biddy on the 18th.

For a new course I was very pleased with my score. click here.

My putting was minus one which was OK due to the large and undulating greens. I only managed 6 proper golf scores (all bogeys). But luckily I did not mess up a single hole (0 SP). I could have done a little better on a couple of holes. On the 10th we were caught by a 4 ball playing an extra deciding hole which surprised us and then put pressure on so I went into a bunker instead of the green. On the next par 3 I did a poor tee shot but recovered quite well. On the nasty 13th we watched the 2 in front struggle with the scary green behind a pond. I did a poor duff and then went over the back in sympathy. My highest score was a 7 so that helps the general scoring.

It was so hot that we need extra drinks of water at the 9th.

On the 18th green I found a PW belonging to one of the golfers in front. We had chatted at the 9th and it turns out he did IT as a job too. As a result I returned the PW and suggested that he might give golfshorthand.co.uk a go. We will wait and see.

Waiting for the off

Don't remember there being s much space

Looking over the driving range

One of the uphill tees

Look at the size of the green

Diving ducks

Shark infested ond

Round the 18th tee on the way out

Up and over again

Giant bunker

Ball cam!

Wed 23rd July 2014 - 18 Holes at Paultons

With R after work. Tee-time of 5:24 cost 16 quid each. We were ready at 5:15 and no one was around so we set off following a lone golfer, following a 3 ball. The weather was hot and even at 5:30 the sun was strong.

I set off quite well (for me) and we drew the first 4 holes  both playing pretty much to handicap. At the end of the 1st 9 I had won 2 and so had R. I messed up the easy par 3 8th after getting in the bunker and failing to get out then going over. This was my only mess up. On the other hand I got onto the green on the long par 3 6th with an average shot that just rolled and rolled and finished very close to the flag. I missed my birdy by a smidgen.

On the back 9 I played fine. As usual I lost a ball on the par 3 lake. (Must remember to aim left and trust my left to right shot!) We were label with 3 to go and I managed to equal R's scores as the heat wore him down. So it was my turn to win again. I was pleased to score exactly 100. My score is click here.

I made 7 proper golf scores and only messed up the 8th. My putting saved me 4 shots.. that would be a good trend. I had 2 avoidable penalties and got stuck in a bunker and 1 silly 3 putt so perhaps there is chance for me to get well under 100 yet?

Great fun, the fairways and greens were good.

Pics to follow...

Par 3 12th

Waiting at the 14th

Lone Golfer

Sat 12th July 2014 - 18 Holes at Dummer

The one with the X-Rabbit.

With M during weekend at Fleet. There has been a long break since the last game and even longer since we played at Dummer. We had a 2 o'clock tee time with a buggy.  M paid and I still owe him something or other. The weather was perfect even though it had promised to rain.

We arrived in time for 14 balls each. I did not hit many shots that gave me confidence. We had time for a bit of bunker practice before following a couple of holes behind a 2 ball. This was a mistake.

I was playing off 25 this time as I had won 2 in a row. I set off right as usual but managed to get to the green in 3 and down in 5. A nice start. On the 2nd I had a bit of bad luck getting into my first bunker of the day on my second shot, still down in 5 so no problem. M struggled on the 2nd when he lost a ball which should have been in clear view. On the front 9 I only messed up the most difficult hole on the course but M was on an unbeatable streak using his driver and getting well on the way in the right direction from the tee. At the end of the front 9 M was up by 1 hole.

We were called through the 2 ball on the 8th which we managed ok. Then we got called trough a 4 ball on the 10th playing a competition. M hit his driver well past any of their balls and even mine was equal to the 2nd shot of a couple who had got into trouble. It was tough for me as they stood to watch my second shot (not my best). I also got into a bit of a mess on the tough 10th green and M played like a pro. On the 11h my shot disturbed a large bird of prey eating a rabbit and I was forced to play my ball nearby... not pleasant and in a rush I went in the bunker. This started a rash of bunker shots which resulted in several dropped shots and M went well into the lead. I managed to regain a bit of pride with a par on the par 3 across the sand-pit (so did M) and also on the 16th. In the end M won by 5 clear holes so the trophy returns to "the other" sideboard.

M managed one of his best scores at less than 100 and he only messed up on the 2nd with the lost ball. If the putting had been better this score could easily have been in the low 90's. As for me I was pleased to keep under 110 (just). My score is click here.

I messed up way too many holes(6). On the difficult 6th I was in the bunker and did not get out cleanly. On the 10/11/12 and 13 I had various trips to the bunker and made a mess of getting onto the green. Finally on the last hole I hit a good tee shot, got just short of the lake on number 2 and my 3rd was just short of the green. Thats good for me. Then I messed up getting onto the green. My putting was just worse than average. So I expect with a bit of luck I could have shaved off about 9 points or so and it would have been a bit more competitive. On the other hand my tee shots were working well I got onto the green for 2/3 par 3's.

Great fun as usual!

On the 2nd, next stop the bunker!

 M waiting on the 6th

Pleased to get the Geller Trophy!