Random Golf Thoughts

Of course it does.

I took up golf at 27. Joined a club about 8 years later.

Id say im an average golfer ( handicap 11).

I play with people who make the game so complicated they cant get out of their own way and wonder why the handicap is never coming down.

You can hit a provisional any time ,I think.

Original poster said he cant stand on a tee and be comfortable.

Expectation is probably interfering with all the good things he can do and he amplifies the bad.

My "revolutionary " idea has got me from 14 to 11,my lowest ever round and a monthly medal.

Why though?

All the practice etc. Id imagine we all know our own ability. Original poster believes between the ears is holding him back.

I'm not fighting anything or anyone.

I wasnt having a jab or trying to be condescending.

I think people overthink things and sometimes they should just play.

yes and I’m pretty sure is not an option in the CONGU area

Yes you are correct if it’s clear and obvious (spindling like VAR now🤣). But sometimes it might not be clear if your ball went into a hazard ( the purists will go mad at us now for calling them hazards 🤣)

Rule 18.3 prohibits playing a provisional ball If the only place your ball could be lost is in a penalty area. If you do, then it just becomes the ball in play.

However there is a model local rule B3 which clubs/courses can adopt which would speed up play. eg 18th in Castleknock is a par 3 over water with reeds on the far side which made it hard to see the bank. It happened quite a lot that you might not be sure if your ball cleared the water or not. Up till about 3 years ago (when the finally adopted the model local rule) you would often see people playing provisional balls illegally. Really they should have walked around, looked for their ball and either played it if it was there, of trudge back to the tee/drop zone if it wasn’t. It made no sense, but it was the rules. Thankfully there is an option now for clubs to implement …… but they must officially adopt the local rule and specify where on the course it is in play.

oh and if you do actually find your ball in the penalty area after playing a provisional under model rule b3, you are entitled to play it if you want, or play the provisional.

so let me flesh out the castlekbock example above again. Let’s say you hit provisional and hole it for a potential 3 but then Find your first ball in play …. It’s tough, got to play the first ball and abandon the provisional. Now let’s say your first ball in the hazard but playable if you want to try…. You can abandon it if you like and call a 3, but if you are feeling lucky, you could play your second and try to hole out for a 2…. Ie, you get a choice

I took one this year (only one for 2024). I found that I wasn't as bad with course management as I thought but could quickly improve that.

The pro gave me a few pointers on options for different situations. He also showed me that I was not accounting for yardages properly on approaches by choosing where to miss. Eg generally, the middle of the green is the rule but I wasn't picking short/long/left/right to leave easier up/downs or 2 putts when it was the best play.

He did a mini-lesson on short chips which had been kryptonite and this was the biggest takeaway. Also I was trying way to hard to draw the ball on drives and flipping hands. This meant a two way miss as the timing on the hands is difficult to manage. So he sent me almost completely the opposite way and to "feel" a fade while keeping the hands quiet. His point was that by sorting out chips/driver by keeping it a 1 style option removed headworms. Then you have the confidence to execute when needed and build your round steadily. As opposed to fearing a particular drive, dogleg, chip etc that's coming.

A short game lesson would have sorted chipping no doubt, likewise for one focusing on driver. However, the course management piece and covering chips/driver together probably had a bigger overall impact in a short space of time. Keep balls in play and safe while missing where you can get up/down easier - sounds simple right?

Tbf your mileage varies massively depending on what you're seeking and what applies to your game. I'll have separate short game, driver, irons lessons before the season is out. This is of obvious benefit to me right now. I wouldn't do another playing lesson until next year at least.

If you can afford one I think it's a no brainer tbh.

Is this more of a sequence thing then as such. Because under 17.1d(1) you can take stroke and distance relief from where you played the previous shot. So by hitting a provisional, was he not just speeding things up?

How would you rate the scumminnes of the following:

Didn’t renew my golf membership this year and I’m playing in a classic soon (elsewhere)

Kinda tempted to say I’m a non-member and get given the default handicap for the classic for men then rather than telling them what my most recent handicap was

Is it just completely against the spirit of a classic?

How big is the difference?

Haha ya I’d say significant enough tbh

I think last known index was 8.8 but default for men in the classic is 18

Probably wouldn’t have the heart to do it in the moment anyway

Ya probably

Do people think rules should be explained a small bit better for things like Champagne Scrambles/Classics etc?

I’d say moreso than any other competition rules may be incorrectly/accidentally broken - things like best ball player placing their ball (even I’m not 100% sure on it), somebody putting out for their par to let another person ‘have a go’ for birdie when it’s only one score to count etc

Love learning things like that. Wasn’t aware at all

I kind of did one. If you have access to a driving range, I'd advise doing it in winter because you need to be able to hit hundreds of balls to ingrain the new movements, and you don't want to waste a summer hacking it around. It's als hard to fully commit to a new swing if you're worried about hitting it OB or missing a green. You'll need a few lessons, monthly at the beginning perhaps, to make sure you're on track and to keep building on things.