Cowshed Chris

Have you had a handicap before? If so, they often give you somewhere between your old handicap and old handicap plus two.

Easy. Generally played in teams of 4, all players tee off and the best drive is selected, all players play from that spot and then choose the best shot from that position from which to play their next. Basically everyone plays the same shot and you select the best outcome until someone is in the hole. Usually there is a criteria that you must select 3/4 drives from everyone to make you think a bit.

Consistent scoring mate, nothing wrong with that! I seem to be getting back on track as I followed Saturdays score with a good victory in the last 16 of the handicap knockout yesterday. The weather was dreadful, had to hit driver (and was short) at two par 3s barely over 200 yards and also nailed a 3 iron from 150 yards (yes... 3 iron) on 9 only to see it finish 20 yards short of the green. Thankfully my short game was excellent and I was only 9 over after holing the winning putt on 17 - given the weather that was an absolute miracle. The fact that it was against my pal and playing partner (and the 2011 winner) was an added bonus. All in all a good weekend of golf for me and my faith in the golfing Gods has been restored after some trying times lately!

Two medals in two days DD?!

Returned to single figures today as, despite dropping 6 shots over holes 9-12 I managed to play pretty much par golf for 76 less 10 = 66. Was leading the section by 2 when I left although I'm sure there will be at least a couple of better scores than that by the time the day is out. However, getting back to single figures was the main thing so delighted with that.

Made my exit from single figures in spectacular fashion last night with the highest net score of my golfing career - 87 - 9 = 78 Have managed to raise my handicap an impressive 0.6 in the month of June. Depressing stuff.

Well I've backed Sandiva so I'm obviously going to say its a formality! Placed through Racing Post app so stake back if she finishes second - hopefully wont come to that, however...

That's a brave bet... I strongly fancy Sandiva for the 2.30pm

The way I played tonight you'd think that I hadn't hit a ball for 7 years either

The way I played tonight you'd think that I hadn't hit a ball for 7 years either

Paddy Power - money back special if Animal Kingdom wins the 2.30pm at Ascot. American horse, first race over here and statistically poor at this distance so going for - £10.00 on Elusive Kate (7/1) £2.50 on Declaration of War (7/1) That'll be £80 back, £20 back or £12.50 stake back, hopefully!

Another 0.1 increase on Saturday. This time through no fault of my own. Had just birdied the 6th when I received a phonecall to say I had a christening (which I knew nothing about) in an hour so had to flee the course. My own fault for having my phone on the course! Handicap up to 9.2, highest its been since the beginning of July. Strange as I'm playing well at the moment. Still, might give me a chance of getting up to 10 for my forthcoming tie...

Mixed bag for me also in tonight's medal. Started birdie, par, bogey before running up a quadriple bogey 8 at the fourth. Parred 5 thru 9 for a +4 39 outward half. Started my back 9 with a 2 at 10 but didn't hit many good shots after that, scraping home in 39 for a 78-9=69. Putting was dynamite but having to take a penalty drop from a burn (on 4) and drops from unplayable lies on 4 (again) and 17 was frustrating to say the least

Was actually sitting beside the snooker table as I read this last night! Pretty mental tie last night... my opponent was +1 for the first 10 holes and I was 4 down but I managed to come back in 35 and sneaked it at the last. Certainly the best come from behind victory I've had in a long time - delighted.

Superb... We should get a game over the summer - a rematch of the 2010 Royalle Club final. Playing off 9 at the moment but have only had one score (along with 4 buffer and 3 NRs) all season which is a bit disappointing. Hoping to make up for my NR on Saturday with a win in my tie tonight.

You back up the road boyo?

Forza... Some people broke into the shed overnight and hotwired 3 of the golf carts before driving them around the course and setting them alight on the 16th green. Took a couple of photos tonight. The CSS will need to rise by a shot IMO if we are using the 9th on the wee course instead of the 16th for the foreseeable. Hopefully it gets sorted soon but I did hear that they may have to relay the whole green.

Pretty successful day at the Gleddoch Quaich yesterday (fourball better ball). Despite having 3 double bogeys thanks to a lost ball, going OB and a four putt on one of the teared greens I went round in 75 (+4). Not bad for a 9 handicapper who hadnt played the course before. My partner wasnt at his best so sadly we missed out on the win by 2 shots but picked up £30 prize money each so not all bad.

To be young again! The greens are running well just now. If the rest of your game is ok it might be an idea to spend a bit of time with the putter instead of going out for a full 18?

Gaz, it's a net double bogey that scores are capped at and as you are off 27 there's a possibility that you had 2 shots at the holes you got 9s at. So if your first 9 was at a par 5 where the stroke index was 9 or less your stableford adjusted score would be 5+2+2 = 9 so actually no adjustment made If it was a par 4 it would be capped at an 8.

Superb mid-table! The medal didn't go according to plan last night... Having been level par after 8 (thanks to some solid play and good putting) the putts stopped falling and i ended up with a 79 which was shocking given my start. Game of two halves...

Nice day for the medal tonight, looking forward to it. Anybody playing in the Gleddoch pairs on Sunday?

I've never had a Course Management lesson but I would have thought that you'd benefit far more from a lesson addressing your technique, especially as a high handicapper looking to get to grips with the fundamentals. If the option is there, I'd suggest exchanging your 5 hole course management lesson for a 45 min one on one lesson to look at your swing, grip, etc. No point in learning the right shots to hit if you aren't comfortable hitting them! I'm not sure the pro can offer you much more in terms of course management than a decent playing member in any case. As for my own golf, played a 4-man team event on Saturday (greens were horrendous) and shot a 78 which is scoring to handicap exactly. Delighted with that especially as it was my first round on the 18-hole course since last season and at least 4 of those strokes could be attributed to the terrible condition of the greens. Seems like the winter golf this year has given me a good starting point for this season, hoping to build on that and shave another couple off the handicap.

The new season is nearly upon us... How's everyone feeling about the new season - aims? Things to improve this year? Handicap target? Can't wait to get started. And having played winter league golf this year I feel slightly more prepared this year which has to be a positive!

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