Golfers Thread

[IrishBhoy]

Well just played my first full 18 holes since I was about 14. Went round in 104 and I got considerably better as I went on. Need to go ti the range and practice my driving. Chipping and putting was really good as was most of my iron shots, although I did duff a few.

[die hard doonhamer]

I'm playing again on tuesday morning, hopefully I'll beat 110, certainly achievable.

[Gaz]

I'm still plugging away, although not a member anywhere - let my membership to Grangemouth lapse due to the smells coming from the nearby landfill site.

Playing Falkirk on Thursday with my paw-in-law.

Closest I've ever came to breaking 100 was 104. Rather annoyingly, in the Autumn I went for a quick nine holes late in the evening and played the front nine at Grangemouth in 47. The back nine is far easier than the front nine, but I didn't have time to play it.

[mid-table]

Got my subs letter in yesterday, £1602 this year.

[Gaz]

Got my subs letter in yesterday, £1602 this year.

Where do you play?

[mid-table]

Where do you play?

Northwood, in Middlesex.

[TheScarf]

I'm the only one out of my group of mates who doesn't play golf. Even the guys at work all play, so I'm gonig to take the plunge and take it up. Was looking at clubs last night. I'm thinking of checking out eBay and plan on buying the clubs by type, so maybe go for Calloway Woods, Mizuno irons etc, just as a starting point.

I'm a lefty too so finding clubs will be a tad harder. If anyone see's any deals let me ken eh?

[Todd_is_God]

Try your local driving range? They will have second hand sets. Take someone with you who plays and can give you advice.

Don't go in with a pre-conceived idea of a make you'd like. Test the clubs out and settle on what feels right and you can hit best with.

No point in a new player buying an unforgiving set of blades just because they like the name, for example.

[TheScarf]

Try your local driving range? They will have second hand sets. Take someone with you who plays and can give you advice.

Don't go in with a pre-conceived idea of a make you'd like. Test the clubs out and settle on what feels right and you can hit best with.

No point in a new player buying an unforgiving set of blades just because they like the name, for example.

I thought about trying the local range but was advised the prices will be higher than online. I agree about trying before buying though. No point in buying cheap ones if you don't like them. Think I'll take the hit price wise and be sure I like what I'm buying.

[Todd_is_God]

I got a cracking set of 2009 Pro V1s from the range last year for £110

Couldn't be happier with them.

For somethin like golf clubs, id suggest trying them out first would always be a good idea.

[die hard doonhamer]

Shot 124 today. Truely horrific. Missed some stupid puts, played some horrid shots with the woods and irons. Bad day all round, for the most part. I played my tee shot on the 18th to 3 feet of the pin though, which I was delighted with, still didn't birdie it though as I 2 putted.

I think I'll get a lesson in at some point soon to straighten out my inconsistincies, certainly think that I can get towards 100 in the next few months,

[Diamonds are Forever]

chipping and putting is the most important thing on a golf course.

I'd probably agree with that. My play with woods and irons is excellent (well for someone with a handicap of 15 anyway) but my short game is awful. I play with a couple of mates who off the tee and on the fairway are worse than me yet generally get better scores as they are solid around the greens. This is really a result of when I was younger when I lived 5 minutes away from the driving range and I used to go all the time, but I wasn't a member of a golf club and hardly ever played on a course so when I actually joined a club I'd barely ever seen a golf green in my life and I'd never played little pitches or chips or any other subtle shots that require touch and feel. At the level that most of the people on here play at being good around the greens is where you will make your score. I know people who have spent hundreds of pounds on new drivers and woods to make them hit the ball an extra 20 yards (which will make next to no difference to their score) when really they should be concentrating on improving around the green which can easily take 10-15 shots off your score.

[Todd_is_God]

Bit like me. My driving is usually decent, and my mid-to-short irons are the same. I can't hit a fairway wood to save myself, and long irons are hit and miss (i don't even carry a 3 anymore).

My chipping is poor, but my putting is fairly consistant. I rarely average over 2 putts per hole over 18 holes.

[Distant Doonhamer]

I'd probably agree with that. My play with woods and irons is excellent (well for someone with a handicap of 15 anyway) but my short game is awful. I play with a couple of mates who off the tee and on the fairway are worse than me yet generally get better scores as they are solid around the greens. This is really a result of when I was younger when I lived 5 minutes away from the driving range and I used to go all the time, but I wasn't a member of a golf club and hardly ever played on a course so when I actually joined a club I'd barely ever seen a golf green in my life and I'd never played little pitches or chips or any other subtle shots that require touch and feel. At the level that most of the people on here play at being good around the greens is where you will make your score. I know people who have spent hundreds of pounds on new drivers and woods to make them hit the ball an extra 20 yards (which will make next to no difference to their score) when really they should be concentrating on improving around the green which can easily take 10-15 shots off your score.

No question about it. Short game is key. As long as you avoid real disaster with the long game you can score well with a decent short game. A great deal of it is mental and a good strategy is key. The old adage of a poor putt being as good as a decent chip from off the green is very often true. You see many players trying to hit high approaches from near the green when a putt or a low pitch and run is easier and much less likely to produce disaster.

As others have said modern equipment is very forgiving. For most players the newer "hybrid" clubs are much easier to hit than the old 2, 3 or even 4 irons.

Hitting the ball a long way off the tee is great but keeping it in play is key.

Golf can be a most frustrating game but when you play well it`s fab.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Distant Doonhamer

[Fuctifano]

Trying to cut a long story short here and possibly a very obvious question- see these "national" clubs you see advertised where you can get a handicap by playing a course of your choosing, I'm guessing that these aren't CONGU affiliated and therefore if you did turn up somewhere a handicap certificate was required they'd laugh you out of town?

Although on a separate note, has anyone ever been asked for a handicap certificate? I've never played a properly posh or big course i.e. Open or Open qualifying standard, but considering trying to rope some folk into doing it later on this year so this is why I'm wondering. I used to have an official one but it will have lapsed about 5 years ago and I've never rejoined a club since cos I move about too much with work.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Fuctifano

[Distant Doonhamer]

Trying to cut a long story short here and possibly a very obvious question- see these "national" clubs you see advertised where you can get a handicap by playing a course of your choosing, I'm guessing that these aren't CONGU affiliated and therefore if you did turn up somewhere a handicap certificate was required they'd laugh you out of town?

Although on a separate note, has anyone ever been asked for a handicap certificate? I've never played a properly posh or big course i.e. Open or Open qualifying standard, but considering trying to rope some folk into doing it later on this year so this is why I'm wondering. I used to have an official one but it will have lapsed about 5 years ago and I've never rejoined a club since cos I move about too much with work.

Played lots of top courses but never asked for a handicap certificate. I do know of one or two folk who have been asked to produce one but think this is pretty unusual.

[mid-table]

Trying to cut a long story short here and possibly a very obvious question- see these "national" clubs you see advertised where you can get a handicap by playing a course of your choosing, I'm guessing that these aren't CONGU affiliated and therefore if you did turn up somewhere a handicap certificate was required they'd laugh you out of town?

Correct, they will not be CONGU affiliated handicaps.

Although on a separate note, has anyone ever been asked for a handicap certificate? I've never played a properly posh or big course i.e. Open or Open qualifying standard, but considering trying to rope some folk into doing it later on this year so this is why I'm wondering. I used to have an official one but it will have lapsed about 5 years ago and I've never rejoined a club since cos I move about too much with work.

Depends where you are going. If it's a competition you will need a handicap certificate or a CDH number if in England and Wales. If it's organising a golf day then probably not, but I wouldn't rule out some places asking for them.

[Shaggy Jenkins]

Have not played reguarly for about 10 years years, got down to 9 but got pretty frustrated with it, plus work, wine, women and song took over. Thinking of getting back into it again.

What I am concerned about is the new club regulations spent a bit on a set of Callaway x 18 irons and a mickleson wedge with the 'mack daddy' grooves my driver is an older hawkeye steelhead and 3 and 5 wood hawkeye VFT. I would hate to think I would need to shell out again if any of these are illegal now.

[Supras]

I'll eventually take up golf.

My dad has always been an enthusiastic player so I could shadow him for a while - and take about two weeks to get better than him

[Fuctifano]

Correct, they will not be CONGU affiliated handicaps.

Depends where you are going. If it's a competition you will need a handicap certificate or a CDH number if in England and Wales. If it's organising a golf day then probably not, but I wouldn't rule out some places asking for them.

Cheers, it would be a social thing- I can understand why you would need something if it was a competition. My uncle played the Old Course at St Andrews 20 years ago or so and didn't have one, but they asked to watch him tee off before they let him play. I'd be shiting myself right there, even though it's a massive fairway , and I'm not Ian Baker-Finch.

Have not played reguarly for about 10 years years, got down to 9 but got pretty frustrated with it, plus work, wine, women and song took over. Thinking of getting back into it again.

What I am concerned about is the new club regulations spent a bit on a set of Callaway x 18 irons and a mickleson wedge with the 'mack daddy' grooves my driver is an older hawkeye steelhead and 3 and 5 wood hawkeye VFT. I would hate to think I would need to shell out again if any of these are illegal now.

I know there was talk about certain clubhead sizes and "trampoline effect" clubs being banned, but in the shop at the weekend and even on the TV the driver heads still look gigantic. Maybe just the dimensions have changed to get round this.