Bulldog2k's Journal

I haven't played for maybe more than a decade, and then at the start of this month, thought - Hey - You know what? I'm gonna go play golf. Have been hooked since then. The rest of the family searched through all there bags, and so I have a bunch of hand-me-down equipment, of which the irons, I really enjoy. I bought a putter, though that has now been superceded by a Nike T130 (still awaiting arrival from Ebay ).

I can't explain this - don't ask me to - but all my stuff, bit by bit, will be Nike.

I've sinced joined Bath Entry Hill golf club. It's only 9 holes, but it's not easy, though I guess that's not reflect in the fact it's par 66, SSS 61. It's hard enough for me, put it like that.

The first round I shot after my decade of resting was gross 95, Handicap 86 (ie; after all Double Bogey+ are reduced to Double Bogey). Since then I've been desperately trying to match it.

I've shot a PB gross 93, but I've never beaten the hadicap reduced figure. Next up, 3 marked rounds for handicap, of which, more later. I've played every day (by myself, for the most part) for last 2 weeks, but today will be the first in rain. Kind of intrigued. I predict general rubbish-ness.

We'll see.

Bulldog, your obvious enthusiasm for our game is sensational. Infectious even....

Best of luck bettering the PB.

Cheers

Scrags, your kind words mean a lot - thanks very much

It's a silly game, really, isn't it?

Teed off at 6:50am, as usual, course to myself, though today the gate was locked, which was odd. I had wondered whether the course was closed because of the comedy torrential rain, but hurdled the gate, teed up on the first, and thought to myself, "What the hell am I doing?"

Ah well. Bogey on the first, bogey on the 2nd. That's not bad, that's good for me. My target is 1 over par on every hole - I know I can do it. I just haven't done every hole in the same round yet

7 at the 3rd. Rats. And from there on, rubbish. Top. Top. Topped again. The weather was getting me down, I wasn't concentrating, and it was all going to hell in a handcart. Another 7 on the 7th (SI 1) but followed by a bogey on 8th, which is a tough hole. My heart lifted briefly, before I took 3 shots out of the sodden sand on the 9th.

51 gross. Rubbish.

It's a nine hole course, short, as I said, but I think hard - or at least harder than Par 66, SSS 61 implies. For the back (same) nine, I grabbed myself by the metaphorical lapels and shook myself. My head was moving all over the place in my swing, and I was trying to hit the cover off the ball. I told myself to slow down, and keep my head down.

Right off the tenth tee, the ball striking came back, and you know that feeling where everything starts going your way - even the bad shots? Holed out from 15 feet to get par on the 10th, par on the 11th, rubbish 3 putt on the par 4 12th but still feeling ok. Next three hole go bogey, bogey, bogey, and I'm delighted to step on to the 16th tee for 27 gross. It's a hard hole requiring (for me) a long lay up with a 5 iron, then a strong 3 iron the remaining 170 to the pin. The 5 iron from the tee couldn't have been sweeter, and the 3 iron flew straight as a die. On the green for 2, delighted Putt to 1 foot, was going to give myself it, though, "Nah - on a hole I've played as well as this, I should play every shot," and missed it! Gah! 3 putt! But Bogey's still ni the game plan, and is still a great score on that hole. I'm not going to start beating myself up about 'What might have been'.

Still, I had to remind myself about the 15 footer on the 10th - I guess it all levels itself out.

9 shots for the par four 17th and the par 3 18th together to beat my best ever 9 hole figure; but the 17th is a tough hole, gotta get the ball in play, crack another 3 iron straight down the fairway 170. By now am no longer aware of rain dripping of my face. Am getting soaked in my polo shirt because it's too hot for my coat anyway.

2nd shot, long 4 iron, top it like a monkey. Realise I'm getting carried away, and not concentrating. 5 iron to front of green, great strike. 3 putt from fringe, but it's a hard green, 6 is ok.

Par on the par 3 18th for my personal best 9 hole score. 1 bounce into the greenside bunker, the same one I took 3 shots out of earlier. Trusty 64^ wedge comes out, ball 8 feet past pin. 2 putt, but that's ok. Bogey, gross 42, joint equal personal best 9 hole score, joint equal personal best 18 hole of 93 - COME ON!!!!! (and the round I was equal with was on Friday - is this a good sign? Am I playing better in general?)

I know I can break 90 soon, I know I can, I just need to keep chipping away at it.

If I think about it, I get kind of demoralised by the CONGU system. My 93 represents 27 over par, and if I reduce the Double Bogey + to Double Bogeys, it would be +24. But it's not worked off Par, as far as I understand it, is it? It's off SSS, meaning if my handicap was taken from that card, it would have been +29, which is kind of gutting. I'm aiming for an initial Handicap of 25 - that's what I shot on that 1st ever round - Gross 93, but reduced to 86 without the Double Bogey+. But now, I'm scoring each hole more consistently, but my SSS figures just don't look good.

Oh well. Nuts to it. I felt pretty good when I walked off, and I guess that's the important thing.

I love this game!

Further to the above, my first marked round is going to be on Wednesday morning. Eek! I feel nervous already!

Dogfather,

This is the best post I have seen in quite a while. What a wonderful way you have of putting your experience on the golf course in words!. Its all there. The excitement, the dissapointment, and the maybe!. If the game does not improve, I am sure there is a career in writing novels. Keep them coming. You certainly brightened up my day!!!!

Bulldog,

2 things jump out at me from your post, and yes, I agree with Rob, a great post it is...

First, forget the score through the round. There's plenty of time to add up the numbers and disect the round in the clubrooms after the round over the obligatory frothy or two with your playing partners. On more than one occasion I have have been guilty of checking my card mid round to see how I am going and promptly blowing up what might have been a PB round. The game can be hard enough for us without ADDING pressure. You have got to the point of the round where it is going well without thinking about score, why start before the round is over. Just keep doing whatever it was you were doing that got you in position. OK, now I'm repeating myself...

Second, "swing easy" IMHO is the greatest advice you will ever give yourself during a round. On the course during a round is no place to be analysing your swing. That's what the practice fairway is for. (Mental Post It Note to Self: Must find time to use one...!!!)

And one more thing whilst I think of it, if and when a round looks like it might go to "hell in a handcart" (love that term) as I see it at that point you have two choices... First, you can indulge your anger/frustration and quickly ensure that it does or, you can try to forget what has happened in the round to date, and effectively start again, clean slate, so to speak. For me last Sunday in a Pennant match, I was 3 down through 3 holes after having played as badly as I think I ever have. My frustrations were apparent, my opponent could see me struggling and as a result, his play was improving. Both bad things. So, I simply said to myself, right, now that I'm 3 down, the match could well have been gone, so I just started again. From that point I can't tell you if I carried myself any differently outwardly or not, but I was determined not to give my opponent any more ammunition to beat me with than he already had. I put a massive smile on my face, swung easy, and from there I went on to win 8 of the next 10 holes to go from 3 down through 3 to 4 up through 13. Eventually taking the match 4 and 3 after halving 14 and 15.

Bottom line, as I've said before in other threads, we should enjoy ourselves first, worry about the results after the ink has dried on the scorecard. For me, that is the first opportunity we get to change things.

Good luck in your handicap rounds, just enjoy yourself. For me, you obviously do...

Cheers

__________________
Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe....

Thanks to both of you. Robert, for what it's worth, I'm 50,000 words into writing a novel, and since I started playing golf, I don't seem to get a lot of time to write anymore

Scrags, all points I completely agree with, and can totally see what you mean. The way I score is using Wireless18 on my phone - that is, I fill it in hole by hole, score, putts, fairways found, etc, and then as soon as I press keylock, it shows me my gross, though like you say, I don't especially want to know it.

It was something my Dad said to me a couple of weeks ago - the worst thing you can do is stand on the last couple of tees and say to yourself, "Now - if I can just get a..."

I guess one of the interesting - well, fascinating - thnigs about this amazing game, is that it IS a game of psychology and pressure. It's just how you manage that. Your pennant game (I read about it with fascination and admiration when you first posted it ) I think is an object lesson in how to do it correctly. You managed the pressure by turning your back on it, and reaped the result your deserved.

I've still yet to play a competitive game, but the biggest pressure game I've ever had to play is tomorrow. It's the first of my three cards for handicap, and when I rang the old boy (who'd very experienced) to sort it, he said, "Now - are you sure you're ready for a card?"

I said, "Yeah, I think so, I keep scoring in the 90's," and my last 3 rounds have been. "Fine," he said. "We tend to say anything under 100 is," which I take to mean if I score under a 100 the card will still count, though it will still be towards a 28. Now, part of me will be gutted to get a 28. I honestly know I can play to 25 and I'm getting better and better.

On the other hand, the only guy who can do anything about that is me. It's up to me to play better, and again, it's one of the brilliant things about golf.

So now I have the panic and the pressure of not just playing to my 9 hole magic number (45) (twice), but I've the pressure sneaking up behind me of my shoulder demon saying, "It's not 90 you're trying to break, you chimp. It's 100. Who do you think you're trying to kid anyway?"

And I can see the first tee shot in my head now. Long up hill, fairway pinching at about 150, OB left, and a world of trouble in the trees on the right.

God.

That's going to be pressure.

On the other hand, I know how I'm going to play it. I've seen so many people try to blast a driver up the hill and I've only seen one person hit the fairway from it in the last week. The extra 70 yards isn't worth the pressure and the trouble that will follow from getting it wrong. No, I'll take a three iron and follow my mantra, "KEEP THE BALL IN PLAY!"

And it seems to me that pressure never goes away; I don't think my brother (playing off 9 HC) feels any less pressure than I do on a big shot. And I don't think he says, "If only I'd..." any less than I do. Things are rough all over, right?

So to hell with it. Tomorrow, my target is below 100, and anything better is a bonus. If I get a handicap of 28, then so be it - it ain't gonna stay that way for long.

And thank you, Scrags. I'm sure you're right. Tomorrow, the most important thing to do is (a) relax, and (b) enjoy it. Everything else will be what it will be...

PS However, heading out for a last practice round now

Bulldog...

Again, best of luck tomorrow...

To my mind, you won't need it...

I look forward to reading how things pan out...

Cheers

My Ten Commandments for tomorrow:

1) Play my game
No matter what my opponent does, I have to stick to my game. I must not be tempted to let the big dog bite. My game involves letting the little terrier yap, and that's what I have to stick to.

2) Same routine before every shot outside 100
Hands/elbows/head. Every shot. I know what works for me, and I know what happens when I don't stick to it. I must not just walk up to it and smack it, but must concentrate shot by shot.

3) I do not three putt
No matter what it looks like, I have to remind myself; I do not three putt. I sink eight-footers in my front room, and 'we used to bullseye wamp-rats back home - this isn't that different'...

4) If it looks unplayable, it probably is
I must remember that 'having a hack' is a recipe for disaster. Pay the price and get the ball in play

5) I cannot defy the laws of physics
I cannot thread balls through trees, or buildings, and optimism does not change this. Glass is possible but I should avoid it where I can.

6) Stick to my distances
170 yards is 170 yards. Swinging harder does not make it closer; it makes it further away.

7) Trust my short game
Short game is feel. I must not over-analyse it.

8) My worst chip is worse than my worst putt
If I can putt from off the green, I should.

9) Short putts will not go in the hole
Get it up there.

10) No one is forcing me to be there
Enjoy it. Hit shots. Duff shots. Sh1t happens. Ain't no one's fault but mine. Win/lose/deal/move on.

Rain forecast for tomorrow...

Bring it on

__________________
~_~_~_~_~
Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st

So, I got there early - had to drive the missus into work at 7:30, so had time to crack through the first four holes as a warm-up, and it was really useful. Made a couple of pars and was feeling good.

What is it about superstition? At the moment, it seems whenever I see squirrels on the course, good things happen, and again, I saw squirrels. I'm not remotely superstitious, but, well, I figure, it doesn't do any harm (does it?)

So, I meet the guy I'm going to be playing with, and we crack off promptly for a two ball.

First tee, I haven't even remembered to be nervous; there hasn't been time. So the 3 iron comes out and I smack it one. It leaks right on to the bank but it's safe. It needs a 7 iron punt back on to the fairway but it's ok.

Now I remember the nerves. How dumb. Why now?!

3rd shot; pitch on to the big bank on the left - there's a lot of bail out there, but inexplicably I leave it short, for another pitch, a 2 putt, and a 6 for the first.

That's ok. Wanted a five but that's ok.

2nd hole. OB left has been bothering me. Smack it down the middle, putt from off the green, putt, par. COME ON!!!

Feeling better, and the 3 iron drive off the third is a good strike, but leaks left into the trees, but I can punt it down the fairway, and get a good 5 on the par 4.

This is starting to feel ok. My opponent is playing unremarkable but remarkably successful golf, but I'm trying to ignore that. I'm starting to forget what I'm doing, and just play my game. I remember Luke!! ("We used to bullseye womprats back home..." This is my course and my way of playing it. I'm just fitting back in with what I do every morning at 6:30) Next two holes go bogey, bogey, until I'm staring down the barrel of the 6th hole. The gates of hell...

This hole is a nightmare for me. It's 270 yards but the last 100 are violently doglegging downhill left. Accordingly, it's 130 off the tee, then 110 to punt it down the hill. The problem is, OB is left, many trees are right, and it needs to be straight, no matter what, even if very short, to get to the green in two.

I whack a seven iron out there, and I nearly cross myself while I do it, and I'm an atheist. It flies straight, and I smile. As I stride up the next shot, I forget rule (2) and smack it without focussing on straightening my left arm. hit it off the toe into the right trees and lose it, and kick myself. I've been so careful, and really let one slip through the net. I've played a provisional, and get away with a 7 no a hole where a 5 would be welcome.

I keep thinking WWSD - What Would Scrags Do? I know for sure he wouldn't be checking his card on the way into the 7th hole, but I can't help it. I'm on 30 and 30's good. I smile, feeling slightly guilty, knowing I shouldn't be checking.

7th is SI 1, a long par 4 350 yarder, veering left. The five iron lay up is sweet, the 3 iron into the greenm is not, but the following pitch is on. Chance for 5, but I three putt, on a tough green. 6 is ok.

OK. 36.

Smack the 3 iron up the middle of the 300 yard 8th. I have to start playing woods, but the 3 is working so well, and the woods can wait til the practise range. I get bogey. The short but interesting par 3 nineth waits; rubbish tee shot but I rescue it well with a short pitch, following the bank down into the green, leaving a two put for a bogey.

I have to double check on my phone (running Wireless18); yup! 45. COME ON!!!!

So chuffed. That's the magic number, that's what I want. Never mind the missed 3 footers; my short game's been great. I've really played around the greens, using the banks and slopes pretty much as I wanted. The putting's been ok, the striking's been ok, but 45? That's great. As long as I hold it together, the back nine don't have to be amazing. I just have to remember Plan A - beat 100. Percentage golf. Bring it on...

10th tee (9 hole course: same as 1) Is it laxness? I don't know. I hate this drive. Let the 3 iron slip left into the trees. I watch for ages ,then see it tumble down into the thick rough at the bottom. It's proabably 100 yards away, but when I get there, can I find it? Man.... We both look. No sign. I'm so annoyed - I know it's there. But in the end I have no choice. My opponent offeres me a drop from the woods, but that's not what I'm here for.

My 3rd from the tee goes the other way, into the bank on the right in the same place as my first tee shot. Again, I hoik a 7 iron back onto the fairway, but the chip this time finds the bank, and rolls down, a make-able three footer for 6.

Miss. Damnit. A 7.

Shake myself.

Come on.

Par 3 11th. Fudge it right into the dense trees that slope violently away right. The provsional is perfect, 15 yards short, just short of the green in the middle.

Unfortunately, I find the first one, half way down the bank, buried in a forest of trees. Nowhere to drop, and S&D is no use. Somehow I whack it back into play, but it stil takes a pitch and (stupidly) 3 putts. 6.

The golden thread starts to trickle away from me, and I dive after it. A great tee shot is smacked away with the 3 iron, resulting in another bogey (remember; Bogey for me = good), but the following par 3 has another bad 3 putt for a 5.

Come on... Steady it. Fluff the 13th tee shot, top the 2nd and through the back (tho only just) for the third. I'm starting to annoy myself. I know I can do this. What is this? Flap at the chip and leave it short, two putt, and somehow get a 6 on a hole that I really don't deserve.

Come on. WWSD?

He 'd sort this sh1t out. He'd relax and swing easy.

My bogey hole, the 6th/15th. A 7 iron, just get in play. I relax, square my wrists, swing easy, and smack it down the middle; smile, watching, before wondering why the club feels so light, and why there was a funny noise behind me. The clubs my Dad lent me have given up. The head of the 7 has separated from the shaft, and I put both bits in my bag, feeling at least glad the shot went ok.

I see - and I kid you not - a squirrel, trying to carry my ball off.

I take an 8 again, trying to knock it down the afore mentioned slope, having already got my opponent to watch where it goes. He watches. I hit it clean and it bangs into the trees where I lost the first ball on the ouward 9. It hits a tree and bounces back on to the fairway. He shouts at me, "God loves you!" I nearly shout back, "No, but the squirrels do!"

On the "7th" for 33 for the back nine. Scrags would not approve and to be honest, I don't want to know, but I do.

The same old 5 iron lay-up. Cracking great contact, and I watch it drop down the hill. The 3 iron is again fudged, and the 100 yard wedge is pulled 10 yards left into the bunker. Part of me is annoyed and part of me knows that to be greenside in 3 is ok. 64^ wedge comes out - I close my eyes when I hit it, stupidly, waiting for sand in my face. 8 feet away. I smile. 2 Putt for 6, and that's ok.

For the first time, my opponent (and literally, the reason I haven't mentioned him is I have't seen his game. I just haven't thought about it - I know he's been playing well, but I'm just focussing on my game) slices one right into the dry water hazard. I let the little terrier of my 3 iron yap again, and follow him (though, I'm gratified to notice, further up).

His provo goes OB left, and we can't find it. This, and this is quite dark, makes me smile. I quite enjoy this. He drops, with my consent (he's only marking my card, I don't care), and fluffs his next. I go back to mine, in the dry ditch on the right, and - and I do this so often I don't know why I don't practice this more - I hoik mine back across thew fairway to the rough on the left. My 8 iron from there finds the right front bunker, and again I swear softly.

Out in one, two putt, 6. That's ok, particularly with my 300 yard zigzag. My opponent takes 10, and for some reason, this fires me up.

18th. Short par 3. Squirt it right badly again. Again, a short shot I would dream about plays off to the right (deliberately) by 15 feet to allow it to roll down the bank to finish on the green 8 feet from the pin. Stupidly, I hole it for par.

Again, while the score is fixed in the back of mind, I have to get my phone out to double-check it, while my opponent is congratulating me for the putt.

49 back.

The 49 pisses me off. There was too much loose stuff going on, but even so, under 50 is fine, and my gross of 94 is one shot off my PB of 93 which I've only reached twice.

I still don't know I wasn't as ripped up about it as I should have been. My target, when I closed my front door this morning, was under 100. I beat that. I would have been delighted with under 95. I beat that.

So why the long face? I don't know. I played the game I wanted to play. I am - genuinely - chuffed as nuts. but I know that doesn't meet my best ever 'handicap reduced' figure of 86, and actually puts me, technically, handicap 30. My club are still happy for that to be 28, but I know - I know - I can play better than that.

Well, what the hell. I still can. I have another 2 cards to follow. I played well, I played my game, and I got the result I wanted.

Back on at 6:30am tomorrow morning to keep working on it. Did I mention that I love this game?

__________________
~_~_~_~_~
Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st

"Back on at 6:30am tomorrow morning to keep working on it. Did I mention that I love this game?"

think you love typing as well bulldog
well played and well written!

Cheers Slats.

Made the magic number again this mornin, and iI felt really good about it; it felt like I followed The Plan all the way round and it really worked for me. 18 tomorrow morning and I'll see if I can do it twice.

Need something to cheer me up. My gear box failed today, and it's not economic to fix. Car shopping on Saturday due to a very loving girlfriend, and as I'm a driving instructor, I need to sort it out ASAP, and not spend the time playing golf.






But it's tempting

A 94 this morning; out in 51, back in 43. It included a pointless and stupid 9 and an air shot! Yay me!

Still, I played the last 3 holes with a guy I've seen there quite a lot, and he didn't believe I was aiming for a 28. He said I was striking the ball really well (helped with my smart-arse 5 iron lay-up on the 7th that I deliberately drew round the corner! That was before my accidental fade into the dry water hazard on the next hole ) and that my HC would come down fast, and that I should concentrate on getting it down to 18 ASAP so that I can play in their league team. Awesome! That made my day! (though I love the idea of playing for the league team and doing an airshot)

I've bullied him into marking my third card for HC, so hopefully next week, I'll know where I stand.

I might have found a car as well - and I didn't even see any squirrels today! Go figure...

__________________
~_~_~_~_~
Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st

Dear Diary,

Today, for the first time..... Wait for it....! I BROKE 90!!!!! WOOOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COME ON!!

So pleased. It was a little bit soured by playing a kind of 'best ball' type thing on the first, where I hit my 3 iron (not great), and thought just for badness I'd have a practice tonk with my 5 wood, and ripped it down the middle. So I played both balls, took a 7 with the first one, and a 5 with the 2nd. I counted the 5, and it put a bit of a nasty taste on it, but - hey - oh well...

Out in 49 (not great), back in 40 - my personal 9 hole best, giving me a personal best of 89.

On the back nine, the place was riddled with squirrels.

On the 10th, after a cracking 3 iron drive, I pull my 9 iron well short and on the huge left-hand bank. When I get there, a little squizzle is sat there, 15 feet away, exactly where I want to land my pitch. I land it 2 feet away from him, and he doesn't move a muscle, just sits there looking at me, chewing nuts.

The pitch, though, is well short. It rolls down the bank and on to the green, but still a long way away. I think, "Well that's not very good - I thought you guys were supposed to be lucky for me?" So I step up to the putt and hole it from 28 feet! I turn round, and the squirrel is still just sat there, looking at me, chewing nuts...

Hilariously, on the par 3 13th, I hit what felt like a good 8 iron, kinda low and drawing slightly. Next thing I know, a squirrel pops its head up, looking at me from the end of the tee 10 feet - I'd played over it's head and finished 2 feet from the flag, followed by a two foot birdie putt.

On the long 350 yarder par 4 16th, I strike my third shot with an 8 iron from 130 yards to 2 feet again, and this time, there are no squirrels!

7 on the 17th including a really dumb topped punter shot that went 10 yards. Back on form on the 18th, though I three putted from a long way for a 4.

Dynamite. Well pleased.

There were two other things I was chuffed about. One was that the CONGU handicap from that, if it had been one of my three cards, would have been 23.

The other is that I really resolved my putting stroke. I honesty thought I wasn't breaking my wrists and was putting with my shoulders, but found a new stroke, and that is to - sounds weird - stick both elbows out, so my whole 'shoulder assembly' swings as one. I must look like a right pratt, but it worked so much better, and the difference was immediately obvious, not least in my best ever 31 putts.

Gotta go look at a car in a minute, but hopefully might be able to get back on the course this afternoon.

__________________
~_~_~_~_~
Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st

Yesterday, I tried some 'new' Nike golf shoes I'd bought on Ebay. I only played 9, which was probably as well, as after 4 holes, I could (seriuosly) hardly walk. I slackened the laces off, and finished 9. Played ok, but feet really hurt.

I had blisters the size of 10p coins on both heels. This morning, I didn't want to miss my chance for 18, but really didn't know what to do. I figured bare foot was an option - partic at the time I tend to play. In the end I got my girlfriend to put dressings on both heels, and wore my most comfy DCs.

Out in 42, feet not too bad at all. On the 16th tee for 30 on the outward nine, and I realise I've got a real shot at a PB here - Scrags, I'm sorry! I couldn't help it (and you know what's coming! )

Draw the 5 round the corner spot on, 4 iron to the green, take a 5, really fired up now!

17th tee - God, why do I try to do the maths? Scrags, you couldn't be more right. Stupid. I try to really heave it one, and, for the first time for AGES, slice it right back on to the 16th fairway. It takes a nine iron back on, clear the trees, and somehow end up in a great position to the green. I thin the wedge like a chimp, through the back into the jungle. A hack (WHEN am I going to REMEMBER to take an unplayable?!) sends it 2 yards and the 5th shot puts it on the green for a two putt. 7. God damnit.

The 18th really needs to be better, and the pitching wedge feels good and looks straight; right between the two front bunkers. On the green, 2 putt for par, back nine of 45, making a personal best of 87! So pleased, it's slowly falling

31 putts, still a few stupid tops, toes, and other punter stuff, but I'm getting there. But why do I put the pressure on myself? I just need to keep my head down and get on with my game. Hmm...

Another 18 tomorrow, another on Thursday, and on Friday, my 2nd handicap card with a really nice, friendly member of the club - the one who was telling me about the league team. Bring it on!

__________________
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Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st