Kevin04

25 years old 26handicap playing 1 year

Just played a 66 course and shot a 85. 45 on the first 9 - 40 on the back. Not a long course filled with Par 4s and a few mis hit shots but I am so pleased with the progress I am making. I just want to focus and continue to improve my game.

I'm sure most of us on here have these type of holes but the key is to get them out of your mind, I was playing a 9hole vs a 15 handicap although he was having a nightmare - slicing drives, I was winning by 3 shots then came a par 3 17th hole - I rolled in for a 9, OB tee shot, then again, bunker, bunker - bunker and poor putting(was fuming) back to even and he beat me by 2 shots on the 18th. That was last summer when I was still getting into the game but I've said to myself that what really killed me was the double bogey on the 289 par 4 last hole and I think alot of it had to me thinking back to the 17th hole and my bad hole. I've played 5 times or so this season and the highest I've scored is a 8 on a par 5. I think a huge reason I've improved my scores is to do with the mental side of the game, forget about this double bogeys and focus on getting those shots in the hole for the next one

Another goal for 2008 cracked today, shot a 92 on a 70 course, a few mishit shots as usual but slow and steady...

That guy went on to win it as well. I'm sure he's not too bothered about a bit of fresh Irish water as he won the comp and probably has done enough to secure his card for next year.

Already cracked one of my 5 goals for 08 to beat 100 which I did on Thursday, managed to pick up a birdie yesterday which was delightful especially because I drove the green. Working away on my swing, bunker shots and Irons and can feel the improvement. I need to focus on the mental part of my game and taking more time when setting shots up, I played yesterday and a few times mishit a few shots which I feel I could have hit better if I didn't lack focus.

The teams have not been selected yet but a rout? how can you suggest that? we have been magnificent in the last 3 tournaments and really whooped some american ass on the golf course. For what we lack in Tiger's and Phil's we make up in team spirit. America in the last few cups look to have no team guile. We do and I expect us to be favourites going into this tournament. Mon' the europeans!

Well done to JD. He's had problems, injuries and now from the coverage i seen looks like he's focusing on the game. When is he playing next Duval's pal? I think us Europeans like Daly more than the Yanks. Give him that Italian passport and maybe Faldo can use JD as his wildcard! imagine that? He's got problems but he's got a good heart. I hope he sorts himself out.

Played this weekend for the first time since Sept and yesterday played 9 holes at plus 4, today was playing a further 9 and was -1 until the last 2 and double and tripled bogeyied the last 2. lost the skins game and got drunk with my golf buddies watching the players. I was dissapointed to play so badly on the last 2 but look at Sergio today. He did something similar at Carnoustie, just delighted to be getting my handicap down to a decent score

Has to be my par 3 - birdie. A very small par 3 of 90 yards but with a large brae(hill) to the green and a row of trees to the left and bunkers to left. I suppose for the great golfers - you are looking at getting a nice beautiful lofted chip onto the green. I shanked my shot at take off and it went flying into the top of the trees, ruffled - pinged off another tree and landed on the green and rolled over the hole, for a moment I thought it was going to go in but stopped 3ft away and rolled in for birdie. Memorable for so many reasons, My first birdie came from a terrible shot.

Well done Monty and good luck with the new wife, as for the Kilt - I wish I could wear mine everyday, they feel so comfy.

Went to a driving range here, I'm out of town and borrowed 2 clubs from the range Nike slingshots (7iron and 9)and felt a great improvement in my shots,

Hi Folks, again much thanks for the replies. I can drive, putt and chip reasonably well but major disapointment at the moment or last season (still haven't got out yet) is my 3-4-5-6 Irons and getting loft in them, I am going to go practising with friends and play 9 holes and see how they go so i was basically not looking at a new set just a 3iron or so thanks again

Cheers Isaacs for the reply and Info.

Hi Folks I am a novice to golf and although I have not attempted to calculate my Handicap, I think it is roughly at the moment around 28 or so from my last 3 scores on the same course. My father had a spare set and I ended up just using them, They are not in a bad condition but they are quite old, maybe a good few years. Would you recommend me to buy new clubs or wait a few rounds and see how the old clubs are fairing up? of course I wouldn't be buying a great few clubs like alot on here have, but there is a decent deal with Wilson's I've seen in the local sports shop for $250 which include a hybrid. My main question is do new clubs affect your confidence on the course? mucho thanks.

Main goals - - Hit my Long-Irons better - Work on improving my handicap - Continue the progress with my putting - Take more time on my shots, instead of rushing into them.

Well I'm a long-way from becoming a single digit handicap but I am really looking forward to the new Golf season, I'm out of the country at moment so I am looking forward to coming home and going golfing. I only took up Golf last year in June, 2 of my good friends are keen golfers are were going for a game on a new 9hole golf course just opened and asked if I wanted to come along, My father has played golf for years but for ages I just couldn't get into it, I loved watching it on tv - but would rather play football,soccer,volleyball than a 3-4hr game like Golf I found the old clubs of my dads in the garage and went out with my pals and something changed,I seen the 'Golfing' Light I loved it and managed to hit a few decent shots, so last summer I really got into it playing golf at least twice a week, both 18holes and 9. I managed to go from shooting 135 on my first 18, to around 101 on a par 70 but my last score was a 109 or so, some of these improvements were very basic e.g 'not placing the ball in the middle of my stance when using the driver'. My main aim this year is to try and get into DOUBLE figures consistantly, I went to the range here where I could borrow clubs and hit 50 balls last week and focussed on my long-irons and managed to hit them well and getting loft (one thing I struggled with last year) although a driving range can be very misleading than a golf course, haha I hope to continue the decent shots in a few weeks when I'm home. I also rushed alot of shots last year and I've told myself that I'm not going to rush them, My putting is pretty good but I've always played putting even when I didn't play golf, I'd often go to putting greens with pals and play putting comps and usually don't 3putt so often, chipping is quite decent as well - and although my driving at the beginning was terrible, I've now learned some basics and don't try to 'whack' it, a 3-4 length swing and i'll get to around 230-50yards and that's fine right now for me, hoping to work on the power aspect and full swing this year. a long way to go til I make a single handicap but I'd say just keep playing, enjoying yourself and go around with friends who are fun, that's the whole reason i got into playing golf. I love playing with my 2 pals and my dad, my 2 friends are good and have handicaps of 9 and 3, (one won a tournmanent last weekend) they are good guys and give me alot of encouragement, last year the 3handicaper kept telling me to keep playing, you hit the ball well, just take more time with your shots and don't try and nail it so much, go for safety. Try to limit your 3putts although I know it's difficult , work alot on your putting.

I voted 'soon' as well, I'm considering the option of buying maybe a h 3 or h 4 when I come home, I only really started playing golf this summer and was quite happy with my driving, putting and chipping just feel alot of need for improvement in my long-mid irons, hopefully a hybrid can help me out in that field as my problem always when using a 3 iron or so is getting loft and flight in the ball.

I found this years Masters fun, I was out of town so ended up going to find a pub with a tele and watched the whole 4hours of coverage. Immelman played well and sounds like a good guy, very sincere in his speech and paid thanks to the people who support the game. Good luck to him, he seems a good lad. I had a few bets on, so it's always fun seeing if Mickelsen, Romero, or O'Hair could have finished in the top four. Can't wait for the US open now.

I'd love to see Romero win it, after his 'so close yet..' I met him in a pub in Carnoustie after his round, still in his red addias top and brown golfing slacks - He was quite tipsy to say the least and his caddy with a green Guinness Hat on, both great friendly people.He didn't speak much English but his Caddy did and they were very nice to smile for a photo and have a drink with us If not Romero, I'd go for Casey (seems a good guy off the course), The Goose, Kelly or Adam Scott.

I usually always go for outsiders with little bits of cash firstly and maybe 2 faves. I've gone for JB Holmes 100/1 eachway Sean O'Hair 100/1 eachway Villegas 150/1 eachway Jerry Kelly 200/1 eachway (seems a good guy off the course) and Ogilivy 20/1 Scott 33/1

When Sabbatini takes his hat off you can see his face being quite tanned and then part where his hat sat is white, I think Big Phil when he won the masters had a white forehead as well. This happened to me last summer when i was playing and it was quite nice weather, I didn't notice until I went to meet my pals in the bar for a few beers and it was quite dark lit the rooms when 3-4 of your face are brown and a the last frontal part white. I think the main reason really is both sponsor ship & sun protection, It is quite funny when Furyk takes his hat off, your are expecting him to have hair. Wasn't Tiger balding as well a few years ago? Now his hair seems fine, mmmm ?

Cheers folks for the links and replies

I don't hate any of them but Sabbatini seems a bit of an arse,

hi there, It's from their last album but they just released a new album called 'April' checkout their myspace site, sun kil moon is very similar to RHP, I think when they play live 3 of the ex RHP people play. Songs for a blue guitar, has to be one of the greatest albums ever