This has taught me I take golf a lot less seriously than others!
I realise moaning a bit might imply that I take it too seriously. Believe me I enjoy if far more now for the chat and the beer and the laughs than for the golf and take it much less seriously than I used to. There are however just a few things that over the years get to you to a point where you can’t Help moaning. Slow play and the abuse of the handicap system are my two personal “favourites”. Guess cos I can’t play at the moment I’m taking my frustrations out on those who’ll listen. Cheers chaps.
Oh btw, interesting fact. I am told that Dartford, Sidcup, Shooters Hill and Shortlands have recruited nearly 150 new members between them over the last month. That’s quite remarkable.
Agree with everything said by sillybilly and Bobmunro about bandits and was not intentionally and very embarrasly one myself! Played two different societies and played off 20 for both of them and then on one of them won morning greensomes and single stableford in the afternoon with 41 points. When playing with the other society I told them what had happened and said I'd been cut to 16 to which they said you didn't do it with us so will play off 20 still. We was playing at Woodlands and course was partly waterlogged so couldn't play two 18 hole rounds always a team game first 18 then afternoon singles, only 9 holes playable in morning. So ended up 27 hole single stableford and off 20 I came in with 71 points, second place was 59 points! The joke was I got abuse beforehand for telling the truth about previous tournament with many saying "keep your mouth shout" and "everyone tries to get extra shots and lies" then afterwards the abuse was even worse and was even banned from the next competition. To me apart from the enjoyment of playing golf is to then get as good as I possibly can and achieve the lowest handicap mark I can. Currently haven't played for three years due to bad back and hip but hopefully starting again this year and will play off the last handicap mark I achieved which was 14.
Handicap abuse happens everywhere. Societies the worst. The new Handicap system effective from 1 November is going to cause all sorts of issues.
76 this morning. Less wind around. Weekends comp results due end of today. I'm expecting a cut!
When was the last time you scored under 36 points ;-)
Since the lockdown ended?... Haven't hit anything worse than 36! However, below is my OFFICIAL handicap tracker. A year and a half of struggles but genuinely glad I appear to be over them!
I've played in the first comp available since lockdown finished. I'm trying!
One thing I’ve never really understood is picking up when points blobbing.
Never really played for points thinking about it, but never really understood why someone picks up after 6 shots if they’re going to have a 9 or 10. Just play out your hole, so what if it’s a 9 or 10? Surely your measure is what you go round 18 in, not a good hole / bad hole combo but still score well? Takes a really bad round for me to do that, but some people just seem to play for points and routinely do this.
I play with a lot of novices (I’m not much better) and always try to make things easier for them (kicking it 20 yards on, lobbing it out the rough onto the fairway etc). It’s hard enough for them, might as well help them a bit.
Slow play and people that fart around is my massive bug bear. Not got the best of patience with that.
One thing I’ve never really understood is picking up when points blobbing.
Never really played for points thinking about it, but never really understood why someone picks up after 6 shots if they’re going to have a 9 or 10. Just play out your hole, so what if it’s a 9 or 10? Surely your measure is what you go round 18 in, not a good hole / bad hole combo but still score well? Takes a really bad round for me to do that, but some people just seem to play for points and routinely do this.
I play with a lot of novices (I’m not much better) and always try to make things easier for them (kicking it 20 yards on, lobbing it out the rough onto the fairway etc). It’s hard enough for them, might as well help them a bit.
Slow play and people that fart around is my massive bug bear. Not got the best of patience with that.
Picking up when you’re heading for a blob is an etiquette thing designed to not slow up play unnecessarily. You’re on the tee in a stableford waiting behind the duffers in front who are still lining up putts on their ninth and tenth shots. Adds hours to some games.
One thing I’ve never really understood is picking up when points blobbing.
Never really played for points thinking about it, but never really understood why someone picks up after 6 shots if they’re going to have a 9 or 10. Just play out your hole, so what if it’s a 9 or 10? Surely your measure is what you go round 18 in, not a good hole / bad hole combo but still score well? Takes a really bad round for me to do that, but some people just seem to play for points and routinely do this.
I play with a lot of novices (I’m not much better) and always try to make things easier for them (kicking it 20 yards on, lobbing it out the rough onto the fairway etc). It’s hard enough for them, might as well help them a bit.
Slow play and people that fart around is my massive bug bear. Not got the best of patience with that.
Jesus, I'd hate to play a round of golf with you. Handicap bandits I can just about deal with but people who takes drops out onto the fairway when they lose the ball in the rough & dont take at least one penalty stroke (it should be 2 - stroke & distance) really grinds my gears. Then there are the people who just can't count (Or have memory lapses) when you ask them how many they scored after holing out & they often say 1 less. I don't think they intentionally cheat, just they can't believe they took 4 shots from the edge of the green. If I had a £1 for every time I stood on a green going over someone's shots on that hole, pointing out......"drove to there , iron short of the bunker, duffed chip, another chip onto the green & then 2 putts..."
We've all been novices & even now I could have a bad round & shoot 105 but I always count every stroke.
Played parkwood today wasn’t a fan of the numerous golfers boozing and congregating after 18th boozing all sat next to each other the littering all around the tee boxes of tees and cans and bottles, played okay 1st proper 18 of the summer and only been playing 2 years for value its good £30 playing pedham next Sunday with my cousin who plays off of 4
shot 113 today but it was sunny and got to see my pal so every cloud.
Played parkwood today wasn’t a fan of the numerous golfers boozing and congregating after 18th boozing all sat next to each other the littering all around the tee boxes of tees and cans and bottles, played okay 1st proper 18 of the summer and only been playing 2 years for value its good £30 playing pedham next Sunday with my cousin who plays off of 4
shot 113 today but it was sunny and got to see my pal so every cloud.
Is Parkwood the course just North of the M25, between junctions 6 & 7 ? Hard to bloody find if so......
Played parkwood today wasn’t a fan of the numerous golfers boozing and congregating after 18th boozing all sat next to each other the littering all around the tee boxes of tees and cans and bottles, played okay 1st proper 18 of the summer and only been playing 2 years for value its good £30 playing pedham next Sunday with my cousin who plays off of 4
shot 113 today but it was sunny and got to see my pal so every cloud.
Is Parkwood the course just North of the M25, between junctions 6 & 7 ? Hard to bloody find if so......
Played parkwood today wasn’t a fan of the numerous golfers boozing and congregating after 18th boozing all sat next to each other the littering all around the tee boxes of tees and cans and bottles, played okay 1st proper 18 of the summer and only been playing 2 years for value its good £30 playing pedham next Sunday with my cousin who plays off of 4
shot 113 today but it was sunny and got to see my pal so every cloud.
Is Parkwood the course just North of the M25, between junctions 6 & 7 ? Hard to bloody find if so......
yep just off a unmade country lane, serious amounts of cyclists on the drive to it, very pleasant part of the world though.
Played my second round at Sundridge Park today since becoming a member there. I shot 92 (It’s a par 69) scoring 37 playing off 24.
The weather was absolutely stunning and just a beautiful day for golf. Got 3 rounds planned over the next 6 days. Really got the bug for it. The course really offers some different challenges which I appreciate. Too many courses are very samey I find.
Reading some of the comments above though, I should probably be lowering my handicap again soon, I’ve never had an official one as until 18 months ago I was a tragic hacker. I went from 28 to 24. The guys I play with play off 15 and 18 and our friendly matches are always quite even which is why I play off 24. But sounds like I shouldn’t play to my handicap very often?
Played my second round at Sundridge Park today since becoming a member there. I shot 92 (It’s a par 69) scoring 37 playing off 24.
The weather was absolutely stunning and just a beautiful day for golf. Got 3 rounds planned over the next 6 days. Really got the bug for it. The course really offers some different challenges which I appreciate. Too many courses are very samey I find.
Reading some of the comments above though, I should probably be lowering my handicap again soon, I’ve never had an official one as until 18 months ago I was a tragic hacker. I went from 28 to 24. The guys I play with play off 15 and 18 and our friendly matches are always quite even which is why I play off 24. But sounds like I shouldn’t play to my handicap very often?
Correct 1 in 3 times ish is what I gathered from above
Will see how I play over the next few days then. I did play particularly well today until the last two holes. 7 on the par 3 17th was particularly disappointing!
Played parkwood today wasn’t a fan of the numerous golfers boozing and congregating after 18th boozing all sat next to each other the littering all around the tee boxes of tees and cans and bottles, played okay 1st proper 18 of the summer and only been playing 2 years for value its good £30 playing pedham next Sunday with my cousin who plays off of 4
shot 113 today but it was sunny and got to see my pal so every cloud.
Is Parkwood the course just North of the M25, between junctions 6 & 7 ? Hard to bloody find if so......
yep just off a unmade country lane, serious amounts of cyclists on the drive to it, very pleasant part of the world though.
Played it once about 20 years ago. Had a tee time booked for Sunday morning......poured down with rain for a couple of hours so sat in the bar having a coffee. Finally went out after lunch. Can't remember too much about the course apart from it being rather bland & flat. Final hope had a fountain on it iirc.
Tried finding it around 6/7 years ago when in the area for a twilight round. No sat nav then & after driving around that neck of the woods gir some time came across another course so played that. No idea of the name but was a decent track.
How about using a site like www.golfshake.com where every time you play you enter your latest scores and it’ll generate a proper handicap for you.
Thanks for this, I had 9 rounds saved from this year so inputted them on the site and it's generated 22.4. So I'll play off 22 going forward and keep a track on the site.
Most of the discussion on handicaps is about banditos whose handicap is too high for their abilities. The other, though rarer, side of the coin is that it is possible to have a handicap that is too low for you. Much more prevalent under the old handicap system than the current one but I know people who have had a mad few weeks and reduced their handicap significantly/been given merit cuts by the club to the point where there is too much pressure on them and they can’t handle it. At the lower end, a shot or two can make a world of difference. At Dartford, stroke indexes 8,9 and 10 occur on holes 9,10 and 12. You get your handicap down from 10 to 7 and suddenly you are not playing a four hole stretch where you get shots and feel you can attack but a tricky corner where your score can collapse. At the end of the day, we play this game for enjoyment. It isn’t much fun playing when a bad start can mean your allowance is effectively spent after two holes. When I first got down to 6 (the lowest I’ve been) I didn’t have the game for it. Way too wild but my short game kept saving me. You can’t rely on it forever. Just think Jordan Speith.
I’ve also never played any other sports where the difference between playing well and playing badly is so vast. So many times where I’ve been striking it beautifully and the hole is the size of a bucket yet the next day I can’t hit my hat despite doing, apparently, exactly the same things as the previous day. It’s weird.
Played this morning. Beautiful out there! Hoping to play Friday too at Moor Park. Have a Society Club membership there but cannot book until 4pm today so hoping me and a buddy can get on!
Comments
76 this morning. Less wind around. Weekends comp results due end of today. I'm expecting a cut!
I've played in the first comp available since lockdown finished. I'm trying!
Never really played for points thinking about it, but never really understood why someone picks up after 6 shots if they’re going to have a 9 or 10. Just play out your hole, so what if it’s a 9 or 10? Surely your measure is what you go round 18 in, not a good hole / bad hole combo but still score well? Takes a really bad round for me to do that, but some people just seem to play for points and routinely do this.
I play with a lot of novices (I’m not much better) and always try to make things easier for them (kicking it 20 yards on, lobbing it out the rough onto the fairway etc). It’s hard enough for them, might as well help them a bit.
Slow play and people that fart around is my massive bug bear. Not got the best of patience with that.
We've all been novices & even now I could have a bad round & shoot 105 but I always count every stroke.
shot 113 today but it was sunny and got to see my pal so every cloud.
Tried finding it around 6/7 years ago when in the area for a twilight round. No sat nav then & after driving around that neck of the woods gir some time came across another course so played that. No idea of the name but was a decent track.
Appreciate the nod in that direction.