b101

Looks like Spieth and Schauffele are both about to drop one, as well.

Really? He's been a really solid player on the European Tour for a while now and contended for the 2015 Open before he hit OOB on the 17th in the final round. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/golf/eddie-pepperell-english-golfer-in-open-2015-contention-after-incredible-round-at-st-andrews-10399994.html

Dunno - I think if he ends up -4 then he may be in with a shout. There are flags he can go for and ones where par is good. I could see most ending up over par if the wind gets up more.

If ever there were proof of why I need to use a camera constantly... First swing didn't feel that bad, but looked abysmal and I am so far off hitting the positions I need to be. Good by the end of the session, but I have to keep putting in the time and effort to work those feels into a normal swing. I am happy that I can tidy up A4 relatively easily, but shallowing the downswing is a whole different matter... I ended up going with a feel of driving the flat left wrist through and almost trying to hit a cover drive (cricket shot) out right. It's getting there, but I still dislike the 'crunched' look at impact.

I feel like all signs are pointing towards another Spieth win. That said, I've been seriously impressed by Schauffele and particularly Kisner over the last few days. Things I have loved about this Open so far: Packed leaderboard The fact that it isn't a bombers' paradise, even when it looked like it would be. Rose going from the cut-line to T-13 Woods being on fire yesterday - he just has the ability to move the needle that nobody else does Every day playing differently - first day being hot and fiery, second having wind and rain, third being perfect, fourth definitely more windy. Would love to see someone go really low and win from the pack, but just can't see it happening. Money on Spieth, although I'd love pretty much anyone else to get it. I have nothing against Jordan as a person, I just like different winners!

And feels like another is on its way. Ugh.

Classic McIlroy three putt from nowhere. You just don't really see anyone else near the top of the leaderboards do it anywhere near that often.

I hate when Spieth does this. Plays so ridiculously wild in the first two rounds and holes a few ridiculous shots, then gets his eye in and you can almost guarantee he'll be on top of the leaderboard tomorrow. Fair play to him, he does deal with the awful places he puts himself in really well.

Don't see the problem with that - it's not the US Open where par is sacred, just a good test of golf over four days. It's nice to see how hard the other days can be when there's one day where they rip it up a bit!

What a tee shot from Spieth, driving the first green to about 10 feet!

I think you'd take a -3 through the front nine if you're a Tiger fan... Lots of good scoring out there and I'm loving the bunched leaderboard. And scoring is still roughly the same as ever. Love links courses.

Driver, 7 iron, gap wedge, putter - not having a longer iron might hurt on a few holes, but then again, I can lose my 3 wood fairly often, so could be safer...

A new one in video/horrible advertising form. I know a man who will love this swing tip sending golfers to the range with great advice (@iacas)

First time I've felt happy enough with my swing to post it in a while. Lots of things to work on,but it's looking better than it did! A few thoughts: A4 is looking better than it has in a long time. Still focusing on loading into the right leg during the backswing and added the feel of a DJ-like bowed wrist at the top to clean up some of the angles. Still need to engage the core more in the downswing, but without crunching downwards - bit tricky, but I am getting there with it. Leads to that annoying flip through impact that I think I can tidy up. Still working on shallowing the club path (hence the alignment stick as a drill), but we're getting there.

Yep - glad you like it! The photos on the site are amazing as well. It is well worth the hour and a bit drive and is just a class course. Really tough around the greens if you miss in the wrong spots, wind changes daily making every hole play differently (I've taken wedge through 3 wood on one of the par threes), but does reward good play.

Ok, scratch the last post - played even better today and shot a level par 71 at the home course with FIVE (!) birdies... https://www.gamegolf.com/player/benpage101/round/2278664 I didn't play anywhere like lights out but everything was just solid and I had a few breaks along the way. Took 10% off the driver on pretty much every hole and then played for the middle of the green each time, erring either front or back depending on where the trouble was. Kind of gutted I didn't make par on the easy 16th, which would have seen me in at -1 but I played a poor wedge shot and left myself the wrong side of the ridge, meaning I was never leaving my first putt close to the hole. Thrilled to make some excellent pars on the back nine and the five birdies is a lifetime best that I don't see myself beating in a long while. 1st - having run out of the car to get the early tee slot without a warm up (it was raining, so I didn't fancy it and jumped on an hour before I would have done otherwise), I hit an awful 4 iron. Good hack out, overdid the wedge, decent two putt. +1 2nd - sensible drive, well-judged approach in terms of line (have to trust aiming it between the flag and left edge) that rolled up to 3 foot. Par 3rd - average drive, but loads of space right. Great wedge that I pushed a little bit (but that's why I aim between flag and left of green). Rolled in the 4 foot putt. -1 4th - good drive, ball slightly below my feet on the approach so took a 6 iron rather than a 5 as I felt more comfortable. Struck it nicely and it rolled up to just off the green. Standard two putt. -2 5th - struck the wedge nicely but just pulled it. Could have played the wedge better (I was on top of a dune on a downslope and thinned it a little. Nearly made the par putt. -1 6th - horrible hybrid off the tee (low and thin) that rolled nicely up the fairway. Great six iron to the middle of the green, good two putt on a tough breaking putt. -1 7th - decent tee shot, horrible approach as I didn't really commit to the shot (the 'weak flail' right where I don't really engage my core). Poor attempt at the chip and run and bogey was always the outcome. Par 8th - Ok tee shot, another slightly low hybrid that found the middle of the green. Nearly made the eagle putt. -1 9th - Happy with this. Played for middle of the green and totally ignored the flag. Good comeback putt for par after a downhill 30 foot putt slid a little past. -1 10th - Good drive (blind tee shot over a huge dune, so you just want something in the air and straight) then overcooked the wedge I wanted to hit the middle of the green. Poor chip and par putt slid just past. Came off the green and realised I'd made the wrong length swing for that yardage... Really need to tape those to the clubs again. Par 11th - Awful flail drive right, but it was lying ok. Took one more club than I thought I needed and hit a 6 iron hack out that I thought I'd caught heavy - rolled up to half a foot. Get out of jail free card used! -1 12th - Another flailed tee shot as I tried to adjust what I was doing. 8 iron hack out. Putt up a massive slope in front of the green broke hugely left to right, leaving me at 20ft. Holed that putt for a huge par save. -1 13th - This is my bogey hole (rare for a par five). Nailed the drive over the path, played a scabby six iron up the left that faded badly, but with enough space. Weird wedge shot from above my feet and I just pulled it horribly, bouncing over a dune on the left of the green. Actually caught the next wedge slightly heavy, but it all rolls down toward the green. Tap in for par. Bar the approach to the green, I played that hole as well as I've ever done and took a lot of danger out of play. -1 14th - Slightly pulled a 7 iron, but had taken one more club, so it was safe. Two putts. -1 15th - Really tough hole. Damn good drive to find a tight fairway and had 180 to the front of the green with ball above my feet. Aimed at the middle, thinking the fade would counteract the lie, which it did and I got the bounce I played for onto the middle of the green. Birdie putt just didn't quite break, but you take a 4 and run here. -1 16th - Easiest hole on the course. Slight flail on the drive, but had a tiny wedge in, which I over-hit and left the wrong side of the tier. Never two-putting, but it came close. Fuming. Again, I hit the wrong wedge shot as I'd forgotten my yardage... Par 17th - long par three - really nice tee shot, two putt par. Par 18th - Another toughie that I rarely par. Hit driver down the left and slightly pulled it into a little ravine. 8 iron was the most I could get over the top and landed 35 yards or so short of the green. With people on the first tee watching, I played a nice pitch to a foot and got a round of applause. Par So, definitely not my best round in terms of how I was swinging, but by far my best in terms of course management. Very little happened that I didn't plan for or predict and the fact that I've got a predictable ball flight (albeit one I'm trying to improve) is certainly helping! I avoided pretty much all of the no-go zones and my approach play was really good for the most part. To do: Keep working on driver and that flail shot (same is true with irons) Develop that non-driver tee shot, as that was crap today (#1 and #6 - after those, I just went with a tappy driver swing) Short game - could have definitely got up and down on 10 and had an outside chance on 7. Keep working on the partial wedges.

https://www.gamegolf.com/player/benpage101/round/2278664 71, level par on my home track. Best round I've ever had - didn't play anywhere like lights out but everything was just solid and I had a few breaks along the way. Took 10% off the driver on pretty much every hole and then played for the middle of the green each time, erring either front or back depending on where the trouble was. Kind of gutted I didn't make par on the easy 16th, which would have seen me in at -1 but I played a poor wedge shot and left myself the wrong side of the ridge, meaning I was never leaving my first putt close to the hole. Thrilled to make some excellent pars on the back nine and the five birdies is a lifetime best that I don't see myself beating in a long while.

Never heard of anything like this - I think you've managed to (unfortunately) find a bad league. Don't assume that it's all like that, honestly, there's lots better out there!

Probably played my best round ever so far yesterday with +2 round Liphook, a tough heathland course to win our match 3&2. I had thirty minutes on the range to find my swing and got the feels I needed, then stuck to them. Played in the morning and really found my rhythm with the driver and just couldn't miss with wedge in my hand. The stuff that I've been doing to get the distance control going has been invaluable and it felt like I was hitting my number every time. Lots that @iacaswould be happy seeing me do - aimed at the middle of pretty much every green and was comfortable hitting the nice baby fade with the driver and with the fiery fairways (we haven't had rain in about 2 months...), it was just rocketing down there. https://www.gamegolf.com/player/benpage101/round/2275874 I'm intending to head out for a range session tomorrow to work with the camera properly, then hopefully get a morning on the course on Thursday to work on continuing to translate those range feels to the course. Really pleased with this though and a great start to the summer - maybe it's not as far off as I had thought!

Played today and shot +6 at a course that isn't that difficult. The good news is that the iron and wedge play is much more solid than a fortnight ago. Bad news is that the driver is atrocious and was pretty much left in the bag all round because of that. Just can't get it sorted and needs some serious work. As a result, I felt I played a lot more conservatively, which is ok on a short track where I can scab a 6 iron off the tee and get away with a crap shot, but I will really struggle at my home course playing like this... https://www.gamegolf.com/player/benpage101/round/2272810

Congratulations - that's a really good first round! Dread to think what my score was and not sure I counted for the first however many... Glad to hear you've got the bug and look forward to hearing how it all goes for you. Enjoy!

Yep, that was the response I expected!

Congrats, great news and clearly well-earned! Has it in any way benefited your primary roles of running the site or instruction? Just interested.

Looking good - love how well you shallow the club in transition and there's so much good that you do that I'm trying to manage with my swing.

Definitely good to have the 'gamer' shot and glad that's working well for you. Do get a 3 wood video up and people better than me will take a look at it