Kevin04

Congrats to Brakkus. Keep going, buddy! Good work! Played the home Par 65 today. The front 9 are harder - 32. I shot 40, I think once I've scored in the 30s and that was 39. Back 9 was good, and started with 3 pars, and what should've been a 1ft par save, but lipped out. Scored 39 (Par is 33) 79 for a Par 65. Last 5 have been 80, 81, 79, 78, 79. My golfing season is nearly over for 2013 at least. I'll play some winter golf at Christmas when I'm home, but overall my h'cap is shaping up to be around 13/14 so I'm pleased for shaving 3-4 shots.

Played a select few 9 holes due to fog. 1-5, skipped onto 7, before playing 17-18. Ended up +4.

After hitting lots of form recently, came crashing back down to earth. 87 on the par 65. I had been hitting 77, 79, 80 recently. Just one of those days I suppose as although ball striking and especially driving were fantastic. I had not much luck with my approach shots - 4 ended up in the sand, and I need to work on this paper, I cannot get it out well and just happy if it gets out at all. Putting was terrible, lots of 3 putts. On the green for a 140 yard par 3 - within 20 ft and 3 putted. Whilst my buddy shanked right into the cabbage, found his ball chipped out and nailed his 15footer for par. Back out tonight though.

Thanks for the replies. Really interesting to read all the opinions. I noticed last night as I hadn't paid much attention to it in the past, but my buddy hits a club less than me. I'm going to try the hitting down tonight. Maybe scooping is not the best description of it, but it's definitely a lighter type of hit than I would in the middle.

Inconsiderate people with slow play. I was playing behind a group of 4 players - they were either beginners or didn't play golf often. I am no golf snob or dictator of the rules, but they were all over the course. -One of the guys had shanked his shot, they all teed off and left him there teeing off about 3/4 times til he managed to get it in play. His partners were 200 yards already down the fairway. -Shouting at bad shots. It's a frustrating game and especially if you are in the middle of a good run, but shooting loudly even it is at yourself on the course is poor form and makes you look like a douche. -the inability to see around you and notice you are holding people up. Sometimes it cannot be helped if the course is full up, but I mean the ones who are holding up the queue. -rules guys - My friend hates going first, so if he wins the hole even then he does not want to go first, and this I have no issue with. I try to follow as many rules as possible with putting off the green/green and so on. We played one day with a club member and he was almost mad about the ''honor of teeing off'' and following the game right to a tee. I think we should try in our best to follow them, but if my bud doesn't like going first - no one should force him, and does it really matter at the end of the day who tees off? None of our group seem to care.

Played the local Par 65. Shot 78. Last few rounds have been 81, 79, 80, 78,and 78. Started strongly and usually do not. Parred all 4 - got behind a slow group (who eventually let us through), but then started a 3 hole run of poor scoring, 6, 6, 7. Back 9 was a strong finish with the wind at our backs. +4 for the back 9. 6 GIRS which I'm chuffed about, overall (8 pars) but blew 2 more with short putts and 3 putting. Hopefully out tomorrow. Overall - things are progressing well. Driving is hit or miss at the moment and need to focus further on this. Putting overall is good, but I tend to struggle a bit with it to begin with maybe I should use the practise greens more often.

Hey guys, Just curious to see what most you guys do on a Par 3 or if hitting an iron off the tee on a hole. Do you hit down much like you would if you were in the middle of the fairway with an iron, or do you hit it differently, more like a scoop type shot? I didn't either think about this until I seen a video on the net recently from a PGA pro Conan Elliot saying that most golfers do and are meant to hit down on it from the tee, and the tee is used just as an aid to give yourself a perfect lie. I did not know that at all, and I think in my 4 years or so of playing regular golf I more or less kind of hit the ball differently from the tee (almost a half scoop/half hitting down) very, very rarely leaving a divot. It would be interesting to see what most folk do? And to be honest, I don't know if I want to try hitting down like my regular iron play as I am usually qute strong from the tee e.g played today, 5 par 3s and parred 4, bogey on the last. I've found though I tend to use a lower club n a bit and almost give it a 80% swing rather than a direct flowing one with less club. Anyhoos, thanks again.

Never had one. I wonder if I'll ever get one as even on a long par 4 (460-480) I struggle to get on in 2. I often end up 20-40 yards off the green with my 2nd shot. I was 3ft away from a hole in one last night.

How did you do, Hardballs tonight? I hope it went well with the new shades, hat - if it didn't at least you look the part ;) Are you being too hard on yourself mentally? I noticed a while back I was playing almost everyday and there went a period when I was going backwards almost (duffing it, slicing my driver) I was putting too much pressure on myself, as if I had a bad round the day before, I was focused on doing better and if I ever hit a 6/7 it would knock my confidence and end up getting frustrated with myself inside but without showing it. I cut all that out and decided to focus on one shot at a time and I can't change the past and I've noticed my consistency has improved tenfold. I also find by marking my scorecard, but not really counting it out until the turn or 18th as I don't get too bogged up with numbers and just focus on hitting the ball. I know it's a bit of a tired old cliche, but one shot at time really is a great attitude to take. Today, my first shot (par 3 - 160 yards) looked great but got caught up in the wind and dropped 40 yards away from the flag - instead of thinking ''oh crap! I need to get very close to now get par''. I just tried to forget and told myself, even a bogey is an ok start, I can't change the past, and just keep hitting one shot at time - I cannot do anything about that last one, just focus on this one and even if it's a 4 or worse, there are 17 holes, there are easier/shorter par 4s/3s to make these back and the sun is shining, I'm on the golf course and I actually hit the ball great just didn't take into account the wind. Sorry for going on, but good luck buddy and all the best. Keep at it and don't beat yourself up too much. I was +28-30 for about 18months ago and sure I've gotten better at hitting the ball and fixing my short game or driver, but so much of it is down to my head and taking it easy. I always try to look to Mickelson as a bit of a hero golfer to follow - nothing seems to bother him, he just plods his way around the course and if he's -15 or +7 he just goes around.

Finally broke 80. Shot 79 on our Par 65. My last rounds on my local course have been - 82, 81, 85, 83 and now today 79. Played pretty well all round. Club choices were near perfect most of the afternoon. Only 6 GIRs, but 5 more that were fringe or just off ( 5-10 ft from the green). Driver is hitting well, irons very good (a few fats), but 90% consistent hitting. My biggest disappointment was the flat stick. I really shouldn't be greedy, but I could have gone in for 75 if I was more clinical with it e.g I missed 3 par saving putts from 3-5ft and 1 bogey from 2ft ;( but I ain't going to fret too much on anything and just try to remain positive and continue to both enjoy and hopefully improve my golf. Happy playing folks :)

About 10-20 ft off the green but with some bumps with long fairway grass in the way. If it was flat, I'd probably bring out the driver or the putter and try to knock it on, but I can never get the chip/pitch type shots right on these and end up nailing to past the hole or a mere 3-4 ft in front of me. Today, I was sitting there 20 ft from the hole in this exact location on my 3rd shot, and somehow ended up with a 6. Knocked it for 4 ft, then used the putter and knocked it too far, and missed the next putt again. GOLFFFFF......

Played on my own. Played 11 holes (marked 9, and then over to 17 and 18 but didn't score them). Course was quiet and I could have went round all 18, but decided just to play 9. I scored very low, but didn't feel like I connected great at all with the ball much today, yet somehow managed to scramble away for pars, and the odd birdie. It's a very strange game at times. Par 34 and shot 38. Getting closer to my first hole in one. A par 3 - 165 yards, hit a 6 iron spot on, no wind and dropped just at the start of the green where I had planned before rolling to about 3 inches from the green - and managed to secure the birdie. Hopefully get out tomorrow and played a links course which depending on the wind near the sea can be mighty tough on the first 7 holes, right into it! ;()

Hiya I'm from Scotland too and welcome to the forum. All the best with your golf and Slainte gle mhath!

Hardballs, this sounds identical to my friend too.

I don't play with a cheat, but I do play with a guy who constantly ''What y'all hit there?'' When I say 7 Iron. ''Wooo! I hit a 9 or PW on this hole'' I have no idea why he thinks this matters. I'd rather a 85% strength swing with more control with a 7 than try to pummel a PW and then it hooks or ends up in the water. He's not very good at loosing though. He is a great golfer, he's around 8 handicap. I beat him without h/cap rules. It was his first round in ages, I was having a great round that day and he had all the excuses under the sun when I managed to beat him by 1 ''My back is sore.'' ''You play like 2/3 times a week'' ''I've not played in months''. And still ''Yeah, but that course was short. If we were on a longer course'' ''You hit 7 iron when I take out the 9'' He is actually a good guy in real life, but he cannot stand losing!