Waldringfield GC: December 2009

So much to report but I'll leave my musings for tomorrow and just focus on today's round. This was my first venture out onto a full 18 hole course and to say I was nervous to start with would be an understatement. To be on the safe side I started off with a 6 iron on the opening 203 yard par 3. 30 yards short and off to the left. Cue woeful chips and three putts, not the greatest start.

Next up 504 par 5. Not the greatest hole to face when the longest club in your bag is a 3 iron. Duff. Duff. 6 iron, skew. Decent 6 iron from the rough. In the end I carded a 9. Two holes down, 15 shots taken, it could have been a long painful afternoon. The third hole changed all that. 167 yard par 3 I hit a great tee shot to within 12 foot of the winter green and though I three putted (I'm blaming the grass) it reminded me of why I was playing.

I wasn't trying to beat the course, I don't have the experience, skill or even clubs to do that. I was playing to learn what elements of my game needed improving, what skills I need to take with me into playing conditions and to understand a little bit more about how to build a round. So rather than continuing to provide a blow by blow account of each hole I'll tell you what I learnt.

1. Relax - tension ruins your game
My swing was too fast (especially the back swing) and I was trying to murder every ball. The more I mishit, the 'harder' I would try on the next one - big mistake. This caused thins and fats. The more relaxed I was, the less I worried about my swing the better my ball striking.

2. Play to your strengths
I wasn't striking the ball cleanly today yet continued to persist on hitting my 3 iron on the longer holes. What I should have done was built confidence in my game by using my 6 iron more frequently and then working up through the irons as (if) my swing improved. A sweetly struck 6 goes a lot further and straighter than a duffed 3!

3. Winter greens suck
I've often heard people bemoan winter greens but having now experienced them for myself I can concur they are utter rubbish and completely unputtable. They robbed me of two pars today and for that I will never forgive them, ever!

4. I need more kit
I've got quite a lot of golf kit and am quite fortunate, but having played today there are a few things I feel I need. I've got rubbish circulation and after 6 holes today I couldn't feel my hands. Winter mittens only work when your hands are dry and warm so once the rain had got to me they were pretty useless (and a pain to take on and off). WeatherSof gloves only work when they're dry. So I need something to keep my hands warm or warm them up.

I need more distance and a club I feel comfortable with off the tee on longer holes. I don't want to get a driver or fairways until my swing is more solid so thinking about a 2 Iron hybrid.

Iron headcovers are a great idea in theory but a pain in the @!$£ in practice. Carrying is great in theory but rubbish in practice. So my conclusion is I need a push trolley with one of those umbrella holder thingies!

5. Playing with better players is a great way to learn
Played with the club captain today who is a friend of mine's dad. Apparently he was having a bad day, with the chip in eagle, three birdies and plenty of pars I could see what he meant ;0). Some of the most valuable things I learnt today came from bits of advice, knowledge or experience that he passed on to me.

So for the statisticians out there we only managed 15 holes today as we had a 12pm tee time and it got dark before 4. From what would be a par 60 I hit a 92. 32 of those shots came on the four par 5's and the winter greens cost me a few shots. It was wet, miserable, blinking cold and at times I played like an absolute idiot. Most embarrassing incident. Playing a 6 iron to the green after a mishit tee shot went hideously left. Two chaps playing to the green on the opposite hole wait to allow me to play my shot. Catch it hideously fat and club gets caught in the turf and ripped out of my hand nearly hitting one of the blokes. They stood well back when I played it again, though at least I got a decent connection second time round.

Bottom line: weather was awful, I played pretty badly, hands froze but waterproofs kept me dry and I absolutely loved it. Hopefully hitting the heath for pitching practice tomorrow before my lesson on Saturday.

Comments:

Bogey
Tiger mate, sounds like you had an interesting day to say the least!

I concur with you on the long irons, I too have found them difficult to hit well and have shied away from my 3i, which I recently replaced with a Wilson Fybrid club – game changer for me. A rescue wood has made an enormous difference and not only am I hitting it more regularly, it’s probably the club that I hit the straightest. And it’s suitable to play off a tee if you feel like. Next time you’re at the range ask to try a couple of hybrid 3’s and hit 100 balls or so. I did and haven’t looked back.

Good to see you’ve managed to get a game in this side of the New Year! I’m literally itching to get out on the course!

Dooby
Not sure if you’ve sorted this already, but sounds like you could do with some Glenmuir MacWet gloves – basically, they get more grippy the wetter they get. No idea what sort of technology they use, but I played 15 holes in solid rain, ringing wet etc., and they were awesome. They don’t keep your hands particularly warm, but rest assured no matter how wet your grips and gloves are, you will still have perfect grip, increasing confidence to whack it!

All the best with your mission mate.

Tiger
Hey Dooby, thanks for the tip on the glenmuir gloves. Might get some for the spring but the main thing for me is keeping my hands warm. Anyone with any ideas on that front please let me know.