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Post by oswinner on Aug 1, 2024 13:48:22 GMT -5
I’ve not been able to golf too much the last two years due to the birth of my first child.
However, after going on a golf weekend in mid-June - my first two rounds since September last year and playing badly (+3 net and +14 net to a 22.8 handicap ewww - in fairness it was terrible weather second round and I may have been a little hungover and cranky), I’ve decided to try and get back out whenever I can squeeze in 9-holes (or 18-holes on a rare occasion).
I’m gonna post my rounds here as I aim to try and get my 22.8 handicap back down to a more respectable number. When I was playing more frequently pre-covid I was probably 16/17 or so.
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Post by oswinner on Aug 1, 2024 14:00:29 GMT -5
Monday 8th July, 2024
The Leicestershire Golf Club
Green Tees (Front 9)
33.0/123
2,728 Yards
Par: 34
Net Par: 46
I decided to ease back into it and play from the forward tees to try and regain some confidence. I’m not a big hitter at all so I thought this would regain some confidence with my ball striking.
It did.
5 fairways out of 7 hit so my driver was talking. However, my putting was woeful as I struggled with pace control. I’m usually good with the old putter en all. A short game collapse on the par-3 8th when I was half a club short of the pin and the ball rolled off the green and into the bunker. Some messy shots later and I carded a 6 for the hole.
A disappointing but highly enjoyable round of 50 (+4).
HCP before round: 23.0
HCP after round: 23.0
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Post by oswinner on Aug 1, 2024 14:21:26 GMT -5
Monday 15th July, 2024
Glen Gorse
Red Tees (Full 18)
68.5/125 (unofficial)
5,664 Yards
Par: 72
Net Par: 94
I decided once again to tee off from the forward tees. These tees are not rated for men but I used a guide from USGA to give a rough CR/Slope. My handicap is unofficial and is for my own benefit. I try to keep it as true as I can.
It’s interesting playing a course you have played before from forward tees - gives it a different feel. I hadn’t played this course in 5 years but I always struggled a little from the yellow tees. Only played it 3 or 4 times before but think my best score was 100. With this unofficial CR/Slope my net par would be 94. Could I hit 94 or better?
I started on the 13th hole and found the fairway. Brilliant. My driver is still working after last week. However, come the 18th hole I had shot two net bogeys four net pars - thanks to missing two 2ft putts for net birdie on 15 and 17. What a numpty.
The putting woes continued when I three putted 1 and 2. What the hell was going on? My steady putting had deserted me…! That left me at +4 thru 8 holes. Needed to give my head a wobble and fast…
A lovely gross par for net eagle on the third got me buzzing before another three putt on the fourth after hitting the green in reg brought me back down to earth, but it was still a net par so perspectives…
I then strung some lovely holes together relative to my handicap shooting -3 thru my remaining holes with the only blemish being a pulled drive on the 7th causing a lost ball and a net double bogey.
With that lovely run that included yet another poor putt - lipping out for gross birdie on 8 from 4 feet - I finished my round 93 beating my net par by one shot (-1).
Really enjoyable round once again. I worked out I had 15 net birdie putts and only finished -1. That’s shocking. Shows my ball striking was great relative to my ability but awful putting.
HCP before round: 23.0
HCP after round: 22.5
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Post by oswinner on Aug 1, 2024 14:34:52 GMT -5
Friday 26th July, 2024
Market Harborough GC
Yellow Tees (Front 9)
34.9/123
3,005 Yards
Par: 36
Net Par: 47
I had never played this course before but having just got back from family holiday and the weather being beautiful, for a change, I managed to convince my partner and 1 year old daughter to join me on the links. Bad idea. They retreated to the clubhouse after 4 holes.
I, however, had a blast. Unlike my scorecard.
I decided to play from the middle yellow tees this time as felt my ball striking confidence was somewhat coming back and off the tee I was steady once again. 5/7 fairways hit. But my approach play was dire. I shanked a wedge from 100 yards out at one point, blamed it on the daughter moaning about her finger halfway thru my swing - never blame yourself, always the caddies fault!
Putter for the third straight week let me down aswell. Didn’t make anything of note.
Still, it was a lovely course. The 8th is actually called Postage Stamp like Royal Troon. 100 yard par-3 with OB right next to the green. I thought I put my first shot OB and hit a provisional to the middle of the green, only to find the first shot had bounced out of the trees and sat next to the green. Bumped it to 6 feet - missed the putt. I can’t wait to go back and play the full 18 one time.
A highly distracted 55 (+8) round.
HCP before round: 22.5
HCP after round: 22.5
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Post by oswinner on Aug 1, 2024 14:51:15 GMT -5
Sunday 28th July, 2024
Lutterworth GC
White Tees (Full 18)
70.8/130
6,243 Yards
Par: 70
Net Par: 97
Got up very early for this one to play a 4-ball with some mates. 6am start. Deep joy. Even deeper joy when I learned they wanted to play from the back tees. Considering we are all 17-28 handicappers I was expecting a long, gruelling round. How wrong was I?
Shot a gross 42 (+7) front 9 to be -7 to my handicap. Couldn’t believe it. No three putts on the card. Fairways being found. What was going on??
The round continued to be somewhat strong on the back nine too with my best approach being on the beautiful 199 yard par-3 15th, downhill to the middle of the green. A nice putt to tap-in range for a lovely gross par. My best drive followed on the 16th. Big dogleg left I managed to hit above the trees and find the middle of the blind fairway.
When all was said and done I hit 88 (-9) to make my handicap come tumbling down by two strokes due to a bit of exceptional scoring.
The only blemish being that a few days later (today as of writing) I got a speeding ticket sent thru for 5:45am of that day for going 35mph in a 30mph zone. D’oh!
HCP before round: 22.5
HCP after round: 20.5
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Post by oswinner on Aug 2, 2024 6:11:57 GMT -5
July Recap
Starting Handicap: 23.0
1: Leicestershire Golf Club (Green Tees - Front 9)
50 (+4)
2: Glen Gorse GC (Red Tees)
93 (-1)
3: Market Harborough GC (Yellow Tees - Front 9)
55 (+8)
4: Lutterworth GC (White Tees)
88 (-9)
Ending Handicap: 20.5 (-2.5)
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Post by oswinner on Aug 9, 2024 6:55:20 GMT -5
Friday 9th August, 2024
Leicester Golf Centre (Gallops)
Back Tees (Horse Shoes)
35.0/113 (unofficial)
2,947 Yards
Par: 35
Net Par: 45
Old Oadby GC has been reformed into a 9-hole course. Doesn’t have a slope rating but I gave it a 70.0/113 from the back tees for my unofficial handicap tracking. I know it’s not a ‘proper rating’ but it’s close enough to give me something to shoot for.
I started like garbage pulling my drive into the trees and it bouncing back out to just before the start of the fairway. Got back in the hole and had a putt for gross par - which I 3-putted. Joyful.
Second hole is a toughie if you can’t draw the ball. I topped my drive to just before the fairway. 2/2 for not reaching the fairway with my drives. Joyful. Hacked my way down the hole for a gross 9 (net double 7 for hcp purposes).
Steadied the ship a little afterwards, after my driver woke up, until 3-putting the 7th and 8th for gross double bogeys. The 8th was horrific - 3-putt from 10 feet.
Made up for my putting woes with a 40-foot made on the last with a round of applause from two other groups watching - if only they saw my other putts during the round. Shame it was for a bogey 5 after hacking my way to the green.
A disappointing 53! 51 (+6) for hcp purposes).
HCP before round: 20.5
HCP after round: 20.5
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Post by oswinner on Aug 11, 2024 8:52:32 GMT -5
Sunday 11th August, 2024
Lutterworth GC
Red Tees (Full 18)
66.9/122 (unofficial)
5,393 Yards
Par: 69
Net Par: 89
Shot an 88 from the back tees two weeks ago, so let’s see what I can shoot from the front tees which play 850 yards shorter…
My aim was, as always, to try and beat Net Par - which for these tees would be an 89.
Found the fairway on the first but pitched into the 6am damp and deep green side bunker. Couldn’t get up and down for par, let alone net par. 6 to start.
Found the green in reg on hole two and then 3-putted!
Found the fairway again on hole three, approach slightly right of green, up against a tree and scored another double bogey 6. +2 net thru three holes.
Green fringe on the first par 3, three hits from the flat stick later for a sloppy bogey.
Not sharp enough front nine, other than the stroke index 1 hole. A 436 yard par 4 dogleg left, which I nailed a beautiful 20-footer for gross par and eagle net to get back to net +3.
Two more sloppy net bogeys on 9 and 10 left me at +5 thru 10.
Proceeded to play the last 8 holes in -4 net without a net bogey in sight, even with a three putt on the 15th after finding green in reg. I actually put my ball back afterwards to where I took my first putt and nailed it - if only we could take mulligans in golf…!
48 front nine followed by 42 back nine for a 90 (+1 net).
Shot two worse than the back tees but it was still a decent round, especially the back nine. No lost balls is always good. Handicap unfortunately gone up due to losing my last 20th round from two years ago (I need to play more golf…!)
HCP before round: 20.5
HCP after round: 20.8
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Post by oswinner on Sept 12, 2024 13:51:02 GMT -5
August Recap
Starting Handicap: 20.5
1: Leicester Golf Centre: Gallops (Horse Shoes - 9 Holes)
51 (+6)
2: Lutterworth Golf Club (Red Tees)
90 (+1)
Only 27 holes played in August. Hopefully get a few more rounds in September…
Ending Handicap: 20.8 (+0.3)
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Post by oswinner on Sept 20, 2024 9:38:00 GMT -5
Thursday 19th September, 2024
Greetham Valley (Lakes)
Yellow Tees
71.0/130
6,305 Yards
Par: 72 / Net Par: 95
Wanted to get a few rounds in September but my daughter picked up an illness which put paid to that plan. So had to settle with one day out, two rounds, 36 holes around both the Greetham Valley courses. Never played here before but had a good time…
Before teeing it up we found out that a member that plays of 1 will be joining our threesome of 20.8, 26.0, 26.0 to make it a fourball. I hope he enjoys bogey golf as the first golfer teed it up and snap hooked into the trees for a more than likely lost ball and then I pulled my drive into the trees for another possible lost ball. Luckily, I found my ball and managed to punch out and then hit a hybrid to the green and two putt my way to a net par start.
A 5 on a relatively easy par 5 which was four on the SI index meant I net eagles the second. Short sided myself on the third but hit a lovely sand wedge chip which hit the pin and I tapped in for a net birdie to go net -3 through three holes.
Three net pars either side of a net bogey, where I topped a hybrid after a lovely drive, kept me at a steady -2 through ten holes. The 10th was a beast of a par-3 but I hit the middle of green with approach - proceeded to three putt.
Played the par 5 13th and 15th holes terribly where tiredness was creeping in for net doubles on both. The 16th, also a par 5, was a good hole for me. Had a 3-footer for gross birdie but played for break and hit it too hard so burnt the edge, should have just hit it right centre from that distance. Ah well, was still a net eagle to get my round back together.
An unfortunate water ball on my approach to the lovely 18th hole meant a gross double bogey for net bogey and I finished my round at -1 net.
Was flagging near the end, time to have some lunch and a beer or two before taking on the Valley course…
Score: 94 (-1)
HCP before round: 20.8
HCP after round: 20.6
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