Random Golf Thoughts

I'm a big fan of seed, but just to point out, aren't they their budget balls? So comparable to a pinnacle or something. These are not their premium balls.

Anybody any course knowledge of Waterford Castle Golf Club? Is the course any use? Possibly looking to book a weekend there for a society in the new year.

I hope that's not true as I can think of at least 4 courses with the word "Island" in their name 😮

Of course the other "Island" courses all have access via bridge or road.

It's a decent course. You can put away your driver for most of it but a lot a tight holes.

The SD-15 Seed balls are a waste of time imo. Srixon distance especially when on a deal is better than the SD-15.

However it's Seed's Pro1/X1 all the way for me, they have great value and performance.

Seeing as it's a 'Random' thread - how about what kinda new random/never gonna happen (unless maybe on LIV tour) rule would you like to be implemented? I'd be a big fan of a second serve like tennis whereby if you don't like your tee shot (water/lost/OOB whatever) you get another free one off the tee.

That would save me a nice few shots every round 😀

I'd vote against it. I'd just lose twice as many balls.

For the average golfer, I'm a massive advocate for:

If you hit a drive and you track where it went but can't find it (i.e. winter soft ground/leaves), you can take a drop where you thought it was and take your next with a penalty stroke (i.e. it's now your 3rd shot), instead of having to go back to the tee

Obviously it potentially leaves things open to people taking the mick to an extent, but it would help out a bit surely

Another one potentially would be being in a divot on the fairway. The punishment for it is too harsh I think and i think you should be allowed place within 6 inches. Obviously again, a small dent and someone might call it a divot and want the free place, but I'd nearly be fine with that

The stats guys say that keeping the ball in play is the #1 rule to improving for amateurs. If you think about it, any OB tee shot, you need a par to get a point assuming you have a shot. It's a hard ask.

Allowing amateurs to take the relief where it goes OB, or lost would be a far fairer system. But it would be a complete change and as you say, open to interpretation.

But the penalty would still be the same, you would still be hitting your fourth shot after dropping with the two shot penalty, same as if you took stroke and distance. You just have a chance to put your provisional or 3rd on the fairway with stroke and distance as opposed to likely dropping in the rough and taking your fourth from there if you take the drop and two shot penalty.

When I played kileen Castle they had the rough marked as lateral hazards at a certain distance from the fairway. It wasn't a bad idea in terms of pace of play. It makes some difference to the difficulty of the course though.

I go on a trip each year with friends where we'll drop where we think the ball should be if it's lost in the rough or the like with no penalty. I put in the rounds now so don't do it but I'm happy for friends to. You couldn't have anything like that in counting golf or real comps though. If it's lost it's lost. Either go back and replay your last shot or scratch the hole.

On the golf Ireland website when I look back to 2018 it has my index at 8.2, at the time my congu handicap was 10.6 - can I call myself a single digit golfer?

The thing is, if an amateur hits a ball out of bounds with their tee shot there's a decent chance they might do it again with their provisional. Allowing them to drop under penalty near the out of bounds spot, particularly in a stroke play comp could give them a big advantage in competition over the straight hitter who never goes wild. Some difference between making a 7 with the drop out over making 13 after you hit 4 out of town

Definitely, it's way too unfair of an advantage. And it's not just a low Vs high thing or a wild Vs straight thing imo... I've seen good straight golfers hit the odd poor shot oob under pressure. A par would still be well achievable on a Par 5 and an outside chance on a Par 4. At the very least, 3 off the tee would need to be played.

It begs the cruel question, what's the highest, or biggest meltdown, you've witnessed off the tee?

Was playing with a guy who was flying in a medal. First, second and third ball out of bounds... It was car crash stuff, none of us knew which way to look or what to say. 7th off the tee was finally in play but the damage was well and truly done.