2026 TST Birdie Challenge

[iacas]

Just like the 2022, 2021, 2020, 2023, 2024, and 2025 topics, we're doing it again in 2026!

Once again, I'd like to birdie every hole at Whispering Woods in 2026 (and maybe every numbered hole on other courses). I'd like you to join me on this quest. This year's spreadsheet is below:

2026 TST Birdie Challenge - Google Sheets

 

Please click through, add your name, home course, and location, and when you make a score on the holes as you play them, update your line in the spreadsheet with your ringer score, basically. The idea is to score a birdie or better on each hole on the course this year.

If you're above a certain handicap and would like to make it a par challenge, go for it! Just add that note to the Notes column.

Please leave the formatting as is. And note that you only write down one score - if you birdie a hole three times, you aren't writing down -3. It's just your best individual score for each hole.

We can all cheer each other on and see where this takes us!

If you truly play a TON of different courses, then follow these two guidelines:

• If you just play a lot of golf, but still get 20 or 25 (or more) rounds in on one course, consider making that your home course and just doing the birdie challenge there.
• If you truly play only 20-40 rounds per year, and never more than a handful at the same course, consider trying to birdie holes numbered 1 to 18 across all of your courses. Or even doing it twice. Yeah, some hole #17s will be easier birdies than others, but that's why you might do it twice.

[Maroon88]

Off to a descent start,  2 birdies today, so I'm -2 for now.

[Maroon88]

Birdied last 2 holes today for 44/36 (Par 37 on front, 35 on back).  Nearly Eagled #17--had a sidehill 30 ft putt, breaking right to left.  Aimed about 8 ft above hole, ball broke and stopped about an inch from going in.

[jsgolfer]

Played once this year and made 1 birdie. Weather not looking good for a while to play again.

[Maroon88]

Eagled #18 today!  It's a short par 4, about 290 yds from the Blue Tees.  My drive was right, about even with the front of the green and just inside the cart path (so I didn't need relief). I chipped onto the green and it kept rolling, then went into the hole.

[WillieT]

Picked up the 1st Birdie for the year on #16 (usually the easiest to bird for me on my home course) in early Jan....now to get 17 more on the other 17 holes.   Recent cold spell (ice, snow, etc) has completely shut down any play here in eastern NC. 

[DeadMan]

Broke the seal last week with a birdie on 12. Only 17 more holes to go!

[DaveP043]

After a couple months of rest, I'm at Streamsong for my first golf in a while.  Red course yesterday, 1 birdie, Blue today with one more, but I'm definitely jumping in at the deep end.  

[MentalityJohn]

I have only played one round and birdied both of the par threes on the front nine. I have never played a game like this, new here. Excited to join 

[coachjimsc]

Knocked out my first Eagle of the season this past Wednesday. 3W from 200 yds out in the cold (for us) and windy conditions.

[bkuehn1952]

First round of 2026. No birdies and a very pedestrian 86. Maybe I should have hit a few balls over the past 100 days. Next year!

[Ty_Webb]

Played three and a half rounds in England last week. I will not be playing more than maybe 4 rounds on any one course. Probably only about 20 rounds all year and between 4 and 8 of those will be alternate shot, so don't really count. Off to a pretty good start though. Three and a half rounds gave me 5 birdies and an eagle (with two of those birdies being on the same hole number). 

[MentalityJohn]

I did get a birdie in my round the other day! downwind and downhill par five I had a wedge in after a great drive. 

 

But according to usga my rounds dont count at this time of year in colorado. bummer there

[DaveP043]

21 hours ago, MentalityJohn said:

But according to usga my rounds dont count at this time of year in colorado. bummer there

That's a decision made by the Colorado Golf Association, the USGA just administers the handicap system.  Still, your birdie counts for THIS purpose, well done!  

[MentalityJohn]

45 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

That's a decision made by the Colorado Golf Association, the USGA just administers the handicap system.  Still, your birdie counts for THIS purpose, well done!  

It also counts in my heart! Thank you

[jsgolfer]

On 2/27/2026 at 8:11 AM, coachjimsc said:

Knocked out my first Eagle of the season this past Wednesday. 3W from 200 yds out in the cold (for us) and windy conditions.

Got my first eagle of the year as well, our 17th hole, holed out from 105 Yards.

Edited yesterday at 09:13 AM by jsgolfer

[MentalityJohn]

I shot my best ever round of 3 over 75 the other day, 5 birdies a couple double bogeys and four bogeys. Crazy wild round honestly but I ended birdie birdie and chipped in at the last! 

[Shindig]

I held off posting to this because I wasn't sure what my home course for 2026 was going to be.  There are two courses, which I'll call A and B, that could be candidates.  My friend who is able to get me tee times at A is moving in a few months to where I won't be able to play A anywhere near as often.  That's too bad, both because my friend is moving away and also because I like the course (it's pretty much the only well-maintained and reasonably-priced course in a short drive from me, plus hanging out with my friend).  B is much further, I used to live near there, and while I kept club membership, I haven't played in club events and it's hard to get a tee time, plus it's an hour drive away.  I'm going to get back into club events soon so maybe that re-becomes my home course in more than just name. 

I'll track my BB for those two courses separately as well, and if one becomes the clear home course, I'll make it the home course (and remove it from the away composite).

In any case, I've had far more birdies (5, but one hole repeated) this year in 5 rounds than I anticipated, especially since I don't fire at flags.  These are, so far:

* February 15, Navy GC, birdied holes 2 and 5.  What a fun opening that day was:  par birdie triple par birdie.   Both birdies were the result of a forward pin where I was aiming well past it, a habit I picked up from Erik + Mike's notes from a recent Newport Cup, and hit the shot poorly, leading to it coming up short... right at the pin.  

* March 15, same course, hole 9, a par-3.  Pin was right in the middle of the green, I hit at the middle of the green, and wouldn't you know it?  I sank a 6' putt for birdie.

* March 16, same course;  birdied hole 5 again and managed to also birdie hole 18 (also a forward pin, also aimed a little past it, also didn't catch it perfect and ended up with a 6' birdie putt that I made).  That was a great day, 11 GIR including 9 in a row (holes 4 through 12 inclusive, plus hitting the greenside fringe in regulation on 13).