How did you score in your last round? - 2023

Had 30 points for 15 holes over the weekend. Usual winter rules of placing everywhere and forward tees. Had 7 GIRs which is probably a pb for 15 holes and easily could have dropped a couple of birdies.

The damage was done early from a rare one that rhymes with bank, that was on the fairway where I went OB for a double. Next hole index 18 I had 180yds to reach a par 5 in 2 after a perfect drive. Somehow I conspired for a double after finding trees twice. Steadied up before a double-cross into the trees from a perfect fairway lie which cost me a triple after the turn. My provisional ball would have been a handy double of course.

Despite those unfortunate big ones, my wedges and short irons were excellent. I managed a ridiculous houdini up and down for a par. Faced a steep downslope from essentially a grass bunker to a downhill and downslope green. I needed to hit it as a flop shot to attempt to keep it on. Clipped it perfect and it grazed the cup for kick in. Would have loved to see a video of it. Probably won't make a better recovery all year.

Outside the big number mistakes it was very encouraging. Was a whisker off 4/4 GIRs for the par 3s. Irons generally going well and I think there's shots to be saved with putting too. Once the ground dries up a bit I'll go back to practicing short game properly. The practice area is very boggy atm, bunkers packed in and greens are inconsistent. Maybe I should be learning here.

Driving solidly and learning a fade with the big dog atm. Helps attack 3x holes a lot better and leaving better misses on them also. Confident enough in the technique but needs drilling. Funnily enough my usual draw with the driver was starting to be a straight or baby fade shape lately. Played around to try to exaggerate it and found an option B fade setup that worked. Now I've a little more belief that I won't hook or slice drives as I've noticed a few setup errors I was making. Confidence is a big thing and removing nerves on certain tee shots is a fantastic feeling tbh.

Forward tees and receptive greens this time of year so it's early days. Nonetheless, very encouraging signs for the upcoming season. Can't wait to get properly stuck into practice.

Had 30 points in a 15 hole competition at the weekend with one scratched hole. Only 1 point better than the previous weekend but much more consistent golf. Apart from the scratched hole, no doubles on the card which I was really pleased. I had been struggling with my iron play recently but that was much better. Even though I'd say it was a poor driving performance I hit a nice number of GIRs thanks to the irons. The short game was also decent enough, one sloppy 3 putt but overall coming along very nicely. If I can get the driving working and keep up the rest I really think I can start to go low (for me).

Ok, was pick clean place, damp and soggy & 20 HCI…40 points/87 swings. Best round ever! Bad start with a 130yrd drive and a double bogey followed by a triple (4 putt) and then par, par, bogey, par (index 2), par…and so on. Ended up with 1 bird, 6 par, 7 bogeys, 3 doubles and 1 triple. Driver was all over the place/short but safe (think first time finished a round with same ball I started with) and was poor with the short putts (long puts were very good). Irons…couldn’t do anything wrong, 6 GIRs. Loved every minute of it (bar first 2 holes). Lessons and practice paying off I hope…but afraid of the golfing gods.

41 points to win the members comp in corballis. 118 golfers so good going. It was the lowest gross on the day also which I am more satisfied about!

Have to say... I didn't play that well. Had a slow start, bogey on the first after a bad pull off the tee. Scrappy par on the second and a good putt gave me a bogey on 3. 5 points after 3 holes. 8th hole is index 3 but its a gimme par and a handy birdie once you get the tee shot up to the green. I was in greenside bunker in 2 on par 5 twelve and holed the bunker shot. First shot with a brand new wedge..

Made a balls of 9 and 15, sloppy sloppy golf for two double bogeys.

Hit the absolute shot of my life on 16, 210 yard into the wind to a tucked flag. Knocked it to 3 feet (missed the putt). Missed what would have been a great par save on 17 (3 feet again). Birdied the last.

Obviously delighted to win but my mind is blown by how much better the score should have been.

27 points for 14 holes which i was delighted with considering none of my winter practice plans had come through. First round since mid September and zero range sessions. Driving and short game were much better than expected, but my irons need a tidy up. A few early shanks (4) cost me a good score. On the plus I have been doing a lot of mobility work especially around my hips and shoulders and that seems to have come to fruition. Just have to keep that going so I don't start locking up again.

first comp in the home club this year. 27 points for 14 hole. Happy enough with how it went, striking the ball well enough. been doing a lot of work on swing control lately, reducing swing speed etc so have definitely lost a bit of distance, but gained consistency in my irons. definitely giving me the confidence to take on shots that i used to shy away from at risk of not connecting with the ball.

Congrats on the hole in one, even if you're shooting 99 strokes to go along with it, you've achieved something most golfers never will in their lives

Fair play - I won my first round also on friday. It was blowing a gale. I was playing a former pro so I was expecting a trouncing in the conditions (he was giving me 3 shots) but I have to say I played some super golf. Over shot the green on 1 to the back of the low dune that runs along the left hand side of the 2nd hole, Managed to get up and down from over there for a half. Went 1 up on 3 with a comfortable 5. Was robbed off a birdie on 4, don't know how the putt didn't drop. Made a brilliant save on 5 which sickened him as he had a kick in birdie. We got stuck in a bunker in 6 but he beat me on 7. I won 9 with a super tee shot, won 11 with a super wedge approach to 1 foot then won 12 getting onto the green in 2. That left me 5 up after 12, ended up winning 5&4

played great stuff, didn't give him anything easy and took advantage of most opportunities that came my way. I was extra motivated to finish the match early because on the 12th tee box I realised I had my wifes house keys with me in the golf bag. There is balance in the universe

Reading various guys who talk golf management and improvement and the one they often come back to us...

The biggest difference between the low guys and the mid handicap guys is not that they make lots more birdies, they don't, its that they do a much better job of avoiding doubles or worse.

Going by arccos data

Scratch averages 2.2 birdies per round and 0.7 doubles or worse

15 handicap averages 0.5 birdies per round and 4.5 doubles or worse

So from your end, yes, you need to be focussed on dropping the big numbers, that's where you'll see the biggest gains

Played a foursomes stroke comp a couple of weeks back. Unusual as the club typically doesn't ever feature a foursomes format on Sundays. Inter club committee suggestion and glad it was done. Got to play with a potential team partner and we turned in a nett +4. We played another team pairing and won the "match" on 16 but then went +3 on final two holes. The putting line discussions were brilliant and generally we approach the game very similar. Although he's 8 shots lower than me, very obvious on consistency, irons and short game. The only other thing of note is that skipping shots and multiple holes without putts in a match will take getting used to.

Last weekend back to the usual stableford off whites. Lots of sand and maintenance work that week week. This meant placing and non counting. My chipping and pitching has disappeared entirely. Drove quite well tbh but my lack of short game bled strokes everywhere. Irons were decent and hit a peach 8i 160yds to 3ft on 18 for closing birdie. Also birdied 9 with driver, 54d to 4ft from 75yds. I must like walking to the clubhouse 🤣. Ended with 24 points and 5x scratches. Tbf there's 6+ duffed chips and 2 occasions I picked up in frustration rather than realise I had had a putt for 1pt.

Short game woes are consitently chunks and it's clearly a set up issue. I'll try to grind it out in the practice area this week but a lesson is on the cards. First time I had this much trouble since I started playing.

Driver and irons are where I need to be. Full to partial wedges ok but the short game is as above. Putting is much improved since last year. Reading lines better and a couple of Rotella audiobooks have made me very relaxed over the ball. Away this weekend and a break is probably no harm.

Looking at your post and stepping back a moment. We're at a similar level, where it comes back to consistency and on-course decisions. I played hurling most of my life until recently. The only way to improve consistency was rep after rep of touch and striking. The same applies to golf.

• Irons: practice will improve consistency.
• Driver: As above.
• Short game: as above but also with the caveat of playing lower tariff shots where possible (chip on with PW rather than lobbing your 60 unnecessarily).
• Putting: Nothing but reps here. A lesson may help but generally, it's all about feel and repetition. I try to hit loads of 4-5 footers and do a little lag/pace putting. Commit on a line even if uncertain, try to start it on the line and have a feel of the pace needed. Let the ball go and do it again.
• Lessons: were of HUGE value to fix fundamental technique problems, especially irons and short game.
• On-course: I aim to play the percentages and accept bad stuff will happen to us all. Some courses are treacherous if you're 5 yards off the fairway or green. Super-conservative golf may be needed at times even if it's not that sexy. No matter how well the driver is going, it's often not the optimal play. Attack the safe pins and aim for safe misses if pins are too risky.

Golf is about scoring. Safely leaving a 150 approach rather than pushing to get a 110 approach. I'd imagine we both have a slightly better average from 110 without question. But how often do we lose a stroke by being in trouble from pushing it too much with the previous shot?

Yes I have a goal of being in single figures and breaking 70. However, in each round, I only think of the goals of no doubles, no penalties and no 3 putts. This means trying to check the ego at times but also staying focused to try to salvage a bogey/par when I'm inevitably finding trouble. Also, the best advice I got recently was to ignore the score (good or bad to that point) and just focus on making the best shot possible for the situation you're in. Easier said than done at times.

Been a long time since posting in this thread. Achilles injury meant that last year was a write off in terms of any decent scores and handicap drifted fairly quickly as a result.

But it's nice to have a decent score to post. 43 points off 15 yesterday. And it was a case of leaving quite a few points out there.

Was 1 over through 10 and an unfortunate lost ball on 11 killed the momentum slightly. Nothing drastic but it was scratched hole and turned par golf into bogey golf with 5/7 remaining holes bogeyed. All 5 were as a result of a poor chip or missed short putt. Frustrating end but extremely happy to have gotten a decent round in. A bit embarrassed to say it could have easily been better.

The HC system is a joke but I'm hoping to quickly get down once we're counting again.

The "what ifs" didn't last long once I heard there was 49 points in. Course was playing easy and I actually know the guy with 49, relatively new to golf and his HC was right at the end of last season, but he has come on leaps and bounds over winter.

14 months on from the achilles and I was still hobbling after the round. Wouldn't wish it on anyone. But it's getting stronger by the week so the excitement for the year ahead is growing.

I was disappointed to miss out on playing in the boards society on Saturday but I was asked to represent the club in the Pierce Purcell and I really didn't want to turn down the opportunity. Unfortunately I'd been away for 2 weeks prior to this and hadn't touched a ball, it also meant no opportunity for any practice rounds but I was playing at home so not as big a deal. I got out early to the driving range to get a good warm up and was striking the ball surprisingly well. Got to the clubhouse nice and early too, a lot of putting practice to get a feel for the greens. There were a bit quicker than the last time I was out which I actually really like, felt like the distance control was much easier. All good so far.

We were the first match out and I was driving on the odd holes so meant hitting the first tee shot for us. Our opponents had the honor as the visiting team and they put a solid ball down the fairway, not the longest but good position. I was very nervous and the adrenaline was pumping. Our first hole is a par 5 a bit downhill and dog leg to the left but was downwind on the day too. I pumped the best drive I ever hit over the corner cutting the dog leg and carried it a solid 290 yards, middle of the fairway to 150 marker. Absolutely delighted with myself walking off the tee knowing there was an audience watching. Unfortunately we actually managed to loose that hole due to a knocked down second shot and poor short game by my partner but his nerves settled down quickly and from the 4th onwards we started to motor. We ended up winning 6&4 playing very consistent golf and thankfully the club won the overall tie 3v2. The foursomes is quite an interesting format but I really enjoyed the challenge.

Played Pierce for the first time on Sunday. Out on the anchor but still a crowd on the First Tee. My baby fade/slice deserted me as I watch my ball drift left towards OOB. Partner played a provisional but we found mine and dug out a half. They played some excellent golf and where level trough 5 which put us 4 down. Won 6 only for me to pull my 5I right on par3 7 to go 4 down again. Got it back to 2 at the turn. Both missed 6 footers for wins on 10 & 11 we won 12 and 3 putt on 13 cost us again to level the match. Called a shore halfway up 14 as we had 3 matches won. Still think we would have got the win. Really enjoyed the format and looking forward to the next round if I hold my place on the team.

It's very often something minor that causes catastrophic results. In matchplay, you don't the opportunity to reset and find your groove by being more conservative than you would playing your weekend stableford

Finally broke 90 today for the first time.

I started playing golf maybe a year and a half ago. Struggled to break 100 for a while and then when I finally did, the scores hovered around high 90's since then, and occasionally dropping back above 100 again.

Things seemed to be going in the wrong direction and I've been getting very frustrated with it. I've been a 28 handicap since the beginning and it's pretty embarrassing telling people that when they ask. A lesson is badly needed.

But today I went out and had a different attitude and approach to the game which seems to have helped.

Driver, which is normally an automatic slice, has been improving lately and behaved well today. Everything was long and, more importantly, in play.

Irons and wedges were about the best they've ever been. There were a few poor decisions and the odd duffed chip that cost me, but overall I was very happy.

Hole of the day for me was the index 4, 12th hole. Plays 360 from the yellows. Hit a good drive down the middle, leaving me 96 yards to the pin. I stuck my approach to about 2 inches. Very nearly my first eagle but I'll happily take the kick in birdie.

Overall I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Only thing is I played with a friend who has no GUI so I cant submit it for handicap purposes.

Finished up with 3 pars, 2 birdies, 9 bogies, and 4 doubles for an 87. Very steady golf for me.