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It felt like we were playing in Queensland’s tropics this morning; no wind and high humidity with temperature at 28 degrees.
I started of well with 4 pars on the front 9, then without warning I push faded a 7 irons into the dam on hole 9. i don’t hit push fades with my irons anymore, or so I thought. Lack of concentration? I played bogey golf on the back nine. My tee shots started to go left on a few holes. I had to chip out several times, mostly with good results except on 17 when an attempted hero shot failed.
5 pars, 11 bogeys and 2 triples ( penalty 2 for lost ball and one penalty for touching my ball with a practice swing) OTS 89 & 32 points.
Oh, and I forgot my phone so I played without GPS.
I’m probably wrong again!!!,but wasn’t one of the new rules that if you accidentally moved your ball, you replaced it without penalty as you were not at address and not playing a shot. Different of course if you were removing an impediment and your ball moved. Or I could just have it wrong on both accounts. That would not surprise. 🙃
I had better check that. Too late now, of course, but for future reference. I put my brain farts down to humidity . We are not used to it on the south coast.
It felt like we were playing in Queensland’s tropics this morning; no wind and high humidity with temperature at 28 degrees.
I started of well with 4 pars on the front 9, then without warning I push faded a 7 irons into the dam on hole 9. i don’t hit push fades with my irons anymore, or so I thought. Lack of concentration? I played bogey golf on the back nine. My tee shots started to go left on a few holes. I had to chip out several times, mostly with good results except on 17 when an attempted hero shot failed.
5 pars, 11 bogeys and 2 triples ( penalty 2 for lost ball and one penalty for touching my ball with a practice swing) OTS 89 & 32 points.
Oh, and I forgot my phone so I played without GPS.
I snuck out for a quick 9 holes ( back 9) at Portland with a few skill issues in mind that needed attention. It was sunny and a moderate breeze was blowing. The greens were wet with dew.
Issue #1 was distance and accuracy with my single length Hybrids. I teed off with the 19H with a draw shape shot to the left side of the fairway. Yep that was a good 160m . My next shot with the 19H I aimed right of the green expecting the draw and it went where I aimed with a minimal draw shape. I teed off at the next hole par 3 155m, aiming at the centre of the green, expecting a draw. I got the green distance 150 m or so right, but the ball hit the left side angled verge and bounced about 8 m further. Not a bad result.
Next I have been disappointed with my fade shots off the tee with the Driver of late. On hole 12 I put a fade to the centre of the fairway 190 m, then a 156 m fade with my 4 W to the edge of the green. I tried again on hole 13 and got a 180m fade to the fairway. On this hole the second shot to the corner is crucial. I was at my limit with the 4W, but the draw shot went 167m and I had a clear shot at the green ( no pesky tree on the corner issue) . I hit a easy 8i into the wind and the ball was 30 cm from the hole for a tap in birdie.
Hole 14 tee shot over the dam required a draw shape. I didn’t get this shot in the centre of the face ( toe) but a 188 m length gave me a 7 i shot to the in green that just missed right side. I tried the same shot again on 15 and it worked O.K. My 19H shot at the green that I aimed right for a draw ended up 30 m right of the green. I got the aim wrong! My Driver shot on 16 went in the right direction, but no distance ( 167M). I followed that with two good draw shaped 4W shots ( in the 160’s) to get a GIR on the par 5 for a par.
Then the wheels fell off. I hit a ripper draw tee shot ( hit the centre of the face) 212m that ran out of fairway. I had to try a fade with my 25H club, but it went army golf style left rough. I chipped on for three, and three putted on the slow green. I guess the second one went I aimed it, expecting the slope to work its magic. Nope. The on 18 I tried a fade with Driver into the wind. A good miss left side ( no fade back) is the best I could describe it as. My pitch shot out of the long grass was too short and 3 putts again.
I finished by 8:45. 4 pars, 1 birdie, 2 bogeys, 2 doubles. 41 OTS.
Two steps.
1) Better fades with Driver by aiming a little further left and holding the little finger tight on the left hand seemed to feel right.
2) Better Hybrid shots but aiming for the draw isn’t reliable. I need to aim as per my usual system and accept that some shot swill over draw.One Step Back
1) three putting on the holes my chips left a long first putt from the verge. I am better off chipping those close.Will this form last tomorrow in the comp? ( I hope the doubles disappear though)
Tony and I went to Warrnambool to play today. It has been a while since either of us had played that course. The weather was cool-ish, misty wain and a southerly wind; typical SW Victorian conditions. Fairways were lush and greens fast ( for us) and bunkers had soft sand in them. I found the course to be very scenic.
The course has many uphill and down sale fairways, some with side hill lies. Using a push cart we were felling the effect after a few hours. I hit 7 pars, 8 bogeys and 3 doubles. 85 strokes , plus three unplayable lies penalties.
Two steps forward
1) I hit most fairways ( missed two right side) and on the shipwreck holes I used my 19 Hybrid off the tee to find the fairways with reasonable distance.
2) I used the 4W a few times today with accuracy.One Step back
1) I took too long to come to terms with the fast greens ( to many 3 putts / 40 putts in total), plus I ran out of fairway length once, hooked a Hybrid into the weeds, and one where I hit a ball a bit wide into the deep rough. All unplayable. I should have been more conservative.Warrnambool is a Gr8 course, and one I have on my 2021 tournament list. The event is on in mid November.
really tests your game.If you have a battery assisted cart, bring it! Pushing you clubs up those hills takes it out if you by the last few holes. Oh, and practise your low flat tee shot for the wind.
I played Warrnambool golf course today. it is rate in the top 100 courses in Oz.
Cost $49 for 18 holes.
Fairways were well grassed.
Greens were fast.
The fairways were wide enough, but some slope up and down and laterally to make shot making a bit difficult.
There is a section that goes through the sand dunes with elevated tees.
Scenery was good.
The club house seemed a bit tired.
We found the course a physical challenge using push carts ( ages 67 and 72, but fit old blokes) .
Bang for buck? Yes it was worth the green fee.3 users liked this post.
Tony and I went to Warrnambool to play today. It has been a while since either of us had played that course. The weather was cool-ish, misty wain and a southerly wind; typical SW Victorian conditions. Fairways were lush and greens fast ( for us) and bunkers had soft sand in them. I found the course to be very scenic.
The course has many uphill and down sale fairways, some with side hill lies. Using a push cart we were felling the effect after a few hours. I hit 7 pars, 8 bogeys and 3 doubles. 85 strokes , plus three unplayable lies penalties.
Two steps forward
1) I hit most fairways ( missed two right side) and on the shipwreck holes I used my 19 Hybrid off the tee to find the fairways with reasonable distance.
2) I used the 4W a few times today with accuracy.One Step back
1) I took too long to come to terms with the fast greens ( to many 3 putts / 40 putts in total), plus I ran out of fairway length once, hooked a Hybrid into the weeds, and one where I hit a ball a bit wide into the deep rough. All unplayable. I should have been more conservative.The rain stopped and my son-in-law called to see if I wanted a quick 9 holes at the local club while his son had a sleep. In the interests of family cohesion I agreed.
I hit my 4 W a lot in order to eliminate my short pull/hook shot. Eventually I worked out that if I aimed a little more right and swung out to my target it worked. I got around 170 m carry and one rolled out to 191m.
Using my Driver only once I scored 45 shots.
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It is pissing down rain in SW Victoria this morning. Mixed emotions that we can’t play/ child mind my 2 year old grandson on the cart this morning. I trimmed the tree next to my backyard net, so at least I can have a swing if it clears up. I have been using the PRGR launch monitor to work on club distances with a good smash factor. It seems to be fairly accurate in relation to what I get on the range, once you compensate for wind conditions.
After looking at the Arccos recording of my shots from yesterday, I can see that my 4W needs some work. It is going too far left/ short off the tee. It costs me about three shots yesterday, Possibly I have the club face too closed at set up, but it sure is at contact. There was a time that I could not hit a reliable draw with it. Now it is the opposite!
My approach iron shots worked really well yesterday. I got better distances with my one length hybrids by moving the ball back to the centre of my stance and de-lofting the club face with forward press ( hit it like an 7 iron shot). I think I had been presenting too much loft to the ball previously, producing higher/ shorter carry shots. In reality the 25 degree/5H was giving very similar number to the 29 degree/6H. What I am trying to achieve is shot distances 6H 130-140; 5H 140-150; 4H 1550-160; 3H 160-170m . The low number of the range is a poor smash factor strike, the upper number is the best smash factor shot I can do. My ” smart range” distance is mid way. Weather conditions, the lie and the ” how am I playing today” factor also be considered for club selection. My general rule is, if in doubt club up one, unless there is trouble long.
GA dropped from 13.7 to 12.7 ( lowest ever!)
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I had a much better game today. Score 82 OTS/ 39 points.
On the front 9 I hit 7 pars and two bogeys( 38 strokes)
On the back nine my formed dropped off after a double bogey on the 13th . I had managed three pars on 10,11, 12.
I pull hooked my tee shot on the par 5 13th. into the trees and managed to almost get to the dogleg corner for three. I had to fade an 8i at the pin to get around the “tree”, but it didn’t fade. I chipped on with another 8i shot and then 2 putted for a 7.The rest of the holes I bogeyed, except for the 16th where my tee shot went short-ish left. I had to draw a shot around the ” tree” on the left side corner, so I hit my 6 hybrid ( draw guaranteed) then a nice 4W down the middle. The wind today made this a par 5.5 and so I was short by 40 m. I tried a reliable 1/4 swing PW, but it lobbed and stopped dead in the spongy grass. I chipped on and missed the first putt by a Bee’s appendage, for another 7 score.
Stats from Arccos.
10 pars, 6 bogeys, 2 doubles.
Fairways middled 7/14 ; Tee shots in play 14 ( 4 bump out shots needed)
7/18 GIR
Average approach distance 124 m
up and down 2/9
33 putts
With the new data analysis on the App it compares my game to an average (13 handicapper).
10 pars ( 6), 6 bogeys ( 8) 2 doubles ( 4)
Strokes gained this game +4.5 in comparison to a 13 handicapper
+ 3.2 on approach shots
+0.5 on short game
+2.1 putter
-1.3 DriverThings that helped me were;
100-150 m approach shots
shots from the rough
par three tee shotsThings that need work
Driver distance and accuracy.
25-45 m chip shots cost me a few strokes todayTwo steps
1) I kept the ball in play on 14/18 holes off the tee
2) I don’t think I have ever scored so many pars and had that many birdie putts ( I missed them all)One step back
1) well I was disappointed in my short chip shots. I usually have these dialed in , but I think I needed to club up for the conditions. It was a bit spongy on some holes.1 user liked this post.
Had a better day today; I hit the fairways and avoided the bunkers. 82 OTS/ 39 points.
I suspect my handicap ( 13) will drop a bit more.1 user liked this post.
I had some time this morning to go out for a hit at the practice area.
I spent 30 minutes hitting at a target area 90-100 m using my 9 iron and 8 iron partial shots ( into the wind)
I wanted to see whether I was more accurate with full shots or partial shots clubbing up one club. Answer: Not sure!Later in the day I had time for a quick 9 holes. I was trying to hit a fairway finder off the tee, but gave up with the fade shot with Driver. I am better off going for a small Draw shape.
My approach shots were pretty good , especially my 8 iron 100 m shot on the last hole. I had a tap in birdie! Was it the morning practice?? 6 bogeys, 2 pars and one birdie. I hope I can play like that tomorrow at the club competition at Portland.Weather permitting, I am hoping to play Heywood on Friday with my son in law and his 2 year old son. It could be interesting!
I stayed in Adelaide a bit longer than first expected. I amused myself by playing the Marion golf park 9 hole course and and West Ward Ho 15 hole Executive course near the airport. Both of these courses have their own challenges. The hilly Marion course has fairly chopped up fairways, but required thought in ball placement to avoid tee shots rolling off the fairway. The greens were good. I had a lot of time to practice side hill lies, which I found strange using long irons instead of my 7 iron length clubs. The Executive course doesn’t require bookings and can be quite deserted mid -week. It is flat, but the greens are protected by dense bush close to the verges of some holes. I Bazooka-ed a ball into the bush on one hole with an over drawn 5 iron shot. I came out with 5 balls in hand.
Yesterday I played Vets at Hamilton. The weather was mild and the course in good condition. After the rush of doing my duties as Treasurer I rarely play well at Vets events. My neck still isn’t 100% yet. Perhaps I could best describe my game as one where I missed the fairways and found the bunkers. I scored 92/ 26 points playing off 11 for the first time.
Two steps
1) I got a lot of bunker shot practice and was 100% successful getting out of the bunker/ onto the green
2) My 6 iron-hybrid worked well with consistent shots in the 130-140 m range, except for one flyer in the high 150m.One step back
1) My tee shots lacked accuracy , but gained distance. My 3H got a work out with punch shots.2 users liked this post.
I am spending a week in Adelaide. Heaven help them if the Covid gets loose, they have no idea of social distancing. Perth is the same I am told. Little wonder their Illustrious Leader is closing borders at the least hint of an Eastern states outbreak. When is his election date? March?
Echunga ( S.A.) golf course is set in the Adelaide Hills, near the tourist town of Hahndorf.
The course is well watered and has lush fairways and good greens. Direction to the next tee were clear. It has rolling hills and uses gullies in the fairway to add to the tee shot pressure. Several tee shots required accuracy with corners close by, or narrow gaps between tall trees. There was a deep layer of fine sand in the bunkers ( big tick from me) making splash shots possible.
Green fees mid week $30 and they have several carts available for hire at $28.
It took about 30 minutes via the freeway from the Southern Suburbs to get there.Yes a likable course, but care needed in the winter months as it can be too wet to play.
I am used to playing in the mud and slush in gale force winds. I live in Victoria!
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