Golf forum

Have a question to ask of you all. Please be as honest as you like (for some, that ain't asking much).

Recently during a round, I was about 15 feet from the side of the green. There was as bunker in between but only the second third was in my way. At the right end of the bunker it went up into a slope like mound.

Instead of playing a lob wedge and going over the bunker, I proceeded with my Chipper.

I aimed for the slope of the bunker and let the Chipper hit the mound and then kick left onto the green. I overhit it slightly, but the end result was that the ball was exactly in line with the pin, about 10 feet behind it.

A playing partner scoffed and said "Play the game properly!"

He said I should have used a lob wedge and not been cheeky enough to have used the edge of the bunker.

Surely, that is what made the likes of Seve great! Inventive shots.

Please guys, how many of you agree with my playing partner.

David, thanx for this also.

I was shocked at the statement really. I will continue to play as I choose. Long live my Chipper!

Erm, it was enlightning!

I let them down with the lack of quality on my side.

I am going to blame it on the fact my eyes were blurred from Waynes colour of clothing choice. Least said the better. Mark was very conservative in his attire. I did as I said and wore understated black!

Course was excellent and well worth a visit for anyone. No sloping tees!!

Read my review of the course, Grange Park, St Helens.

Seriously Dave.....You must have had some really bad luck in the past finding courses with sloping tees!

They are a pair of nice guy's.....Wish I lived nearer to them, so I could play more often.

Beginning to think nobody down here wants to play with me. 

If only I was still down south.

I'd have played you.

Yes they are nice guys, glad I had the experience :-)

Dave,

Think that you partner was just being bitter! Same sort of thing happened to me a while back when i chipped in with 3 iron from just off the green, i just gripped the iron further down the shaft and palyed a putting stroke, the result was the ball cleared the 2foot of rough and apron and struck the pin and dropped..... my parter claimed that it was "shoddy" and "lucky" play. I have since played the same shot with good results, however i now use my 7 for this as most other people do. 

I just pointed out that i could have used my driver to do the same if i felt like it and to concentrate on his own game (he was having a mare). 

Dont let it get to you, its usually players that are on a tilt that comment on things about parters games. 

Well thats my tupence worth anyway.

Danny,

Thanx for your tupence worth!

When I play with my best mate, we congratulate each other on shots. As we are always trying to go for the hole, however we do it. Is it more luck if we miss or more if we get it there?

Mr Pettitt,

Thank you for your gracious reply

On the course where I am a member we have a dog leg par 4 the second half of which is steeply downhill and funnelled at the top of the hill.  I was really chuffed when I realised that a 5 iron chip for the second shot results in a green side lie if you get the ball in the funnel.  I am sure I am not the first person to work this out but its great when you visualise a shot and it works out.

On a similar theme the young American who was in contention at Augusta used a lofted club on one of the greens to take out a mound.  If you can be unconventional at the Masters it must be alright.  I wouldn't have wanted to be him though if he had taken a divot.

Keep dreaming up new shots Dave.

First of all let me say IT WAS ME THAT PASSED THE COMMENT, but it was said in banter and yes if he tried it again it wouldn't have come off

It was a great shot and one I would have tried if i hadn't been playing so well

Thanks for the game mate, enjoyed your company even if your golf was somewhere else

Wayne,

Firstly, I never mentioned it was you and I hold no reflection (hard to with your colour clothes) against you for making the comment.

I was thinking more about the comment in general and wondered how many other people i have played with might have thought that and not said it.

Oh and by the way, If I played the shot again, you are right it wouldn't come off like it did, IT WOULD HAVE GONE IN!!

I was a bit annoyed it went that far passed. Once I'm in full swing it will be nearer.

Company was good and yes my golf was somewhere else far far away.

Oh Wayne.  Mr Pot, meet Mr Kettle.  See N v S tournament results.

So let me get this right!

Previous statements stated that

"You can use whatever club you want, to play any type of shot you want."

"The game is 'how many' not 'how'. I like to see imagination and invention"

"Keep dreaming up new shots Dave."

"It was a great shot "

But then suddenly beacuse it was uttered by the WS, I am told,

"Shame on you Dave Doncaster (sounds like a radio dj), not for the shot, no, shame on you for rounding on our great northern leader, the great orange man lead us to a famous victory, if he say's it's not proper then you should have said sorry and asked for forgivness.  "

oh how the weather changes.The fact is, it was a good shot but not great, as it went too far passed. I will not adhere to tradition and play a certain club for a certain shot. I play the game to aim from the tee, to get the ball in the hole in as least amount of shots as possible (yes WS, I know I didn't on Friday).

Long live inventiveness and inspiration !!

Can't recall sevy ever using a chipper regardless of his inventivity...

Thought they were for girls anyway.....

 "Chippers" complete with lipstick holders and vanity mirror....

No wonder the Captain of the victorious north was taken aback at such a shot...

Chippers....ROFLMAO....

Sorry but when I hear that term "chipper" it lightens my day.....

Oh what it must be to be a professional golfer and scoff at a club in someones bag.

oh oops sorry your not, your a 20 handicapper. Maybe if you had a chipper too, you could get a lower score ROFLMAO

Surely Dave you must have come in for some stick in the past when pulling out your, erm, chipper from friends/playing partners, assembled galleries, fair game to me.

I have never seen a "good" player using one, but not having seen you play I may be wrong    

Dave right behind you on this one, think i remember tiger pulling out a 3 wood and roling around a bunker a few yrs back and he was a leader of change or words to that effect.

As for the comments about your chipper, as far as i was aware your aloud 14 clubs in your bag and its your choice entirely!!  surely the chipper is just another type of wedge but easier to use. 

I just think its a shame that some cant abide by the same etiqutte that os followed on the golf course in forums but maybe thats just me!!!

If anyone had sense they wouldn't be on this site

That's what makes this site great

Perhaps Mr Whittaker could join you for a round to see your array of greenside shots for himself !!!!!!!!!!!

We're all in roughly the same area.

Wayne id gladly join you for a game when work and kids permit!  where in this beutiful country to you reside!

perhaps we can get something arranged for a little bit later in the summer

Stewart,

Feel free to include me on that invitation. I am near Ashton under Lyne.

Any time, shout!

Dave

 i never realised you were so close!  i think we will have to get something sorted out in the very near future so you can show case this chipping stroke of yours!

Any recommendations of course out your way? theres a few over near warrington but as i have only lived here a short time i dont know them all!

Stewart,

I'm fond of Brookdale in openshaw. Read my review and let me know what you think.

"Oh what it must be to be a professional golfer and scoff at a club in someones bag."

"oh oops sorry your not, your a 20 handicapper. Maybe if you had a chipper too, you could get a lower score ROFLMAO"

David, your opening line said "be as honest as you like" - so I did.....

Well spotted, I am not a professional golfer and yes a poor "off the whites" 20 handicapper. Maybe your right in that I would lower my scores with a chipper.

But only because I would then be playing off the red tees.

Chippers.........

Stewart,

Having a crack on an open forum can hardly be compared to ettiquette on a golf course otherwise David would not have started this thread..

Let them have it Pard'ner

Stewart I'm near Wigan and play all over, can you travel if so there are loads of courses withinn an hour from you.

I'll pm you my Mob number mate.

Wayne needs to be told that when you want his opinion Dave, you'll give it to him!

And it's each to their own imo. I personally have never used a chipper, nor do I think I ever will, as I use many clubs around the green, so see a chipper as a wasted club in my bag. However, if it works for you, and you can see and play inventive shots such as the one you played around the bunker, then good on ya.

Jonathan,

Thank you for that. If you fancy sharing the course with a woman golfer dressed as a man with a chipper in his/her hand, then feel free to contact me in regards to a round.

Robbie, I hear your second shot is always from the Red tees anyway :-)

Mark,

Thanx for the comment, the first part !!

Yes I did hit another 107 shots, for the quirk, but at least I learnt something during the round. That was, that my Chipper works, I don't.

It was good meeting you Mark and hope meet and play again soon.

Robbie,

I should have played off the reds with Mark and WS but I still would have been crap!

Next time though you will be a different player - thats how it goes..

Happy chipping Dave....

Robbie,

I hope so because I'm not sure I could have been any worse.

Long live the "if" in Golf :-)

Jonathan,

Thanx for the offer but maybe I will let you three play alone. Might be better standard of golf

Your welcome, besides who else could I take the P**s out of if your not there.

WS,

Take a handheld mirror with you  :-)

I have not read all the responses in full, but having a playing partner say play the game properly like this is just wrong.

I'm not good enough to play the game "properly" either, and I'll choose my club or shot depending on how I feel at that very moment.

5 years ago at St. Andrews Old Course, I was sitting on the hill south of the 18th green with the valley of sin between me and the pin. The other three people in my group all putted from the fairway as that was the proper way to play the shot. None of them came close.

I took out my 52* wedge and my caddie said no you should putt it. I told her that I was not good enough to judge this type of shot but that my wedge is a better option, IF I don't skull it like I did on the first hole and promplty rolled it into the bern on that earlier shot. Well, I nailed this shot to within 3 feet of the pin, made my par and broke 100 with a legal 99. Caddie kept score.

So next time he says something like that, tell him to coach someone else and learn how to play in a foursome properly!

Michael,

I appreciate your reply but must state something straight away!

I am not, in any way, having a go at the person that said it. He was entitled to his opinion and has since grovelled to me afterwards :-) (lol that should wake him up).

Your reply was a bit more venomous than I expected. This is a site of banter and we all have a jibe at each other but it should not be used to be aggresive.

The player who said it, is a funny person (in his own lunch time) and deserves a bit of respect for his playing prowess. I would always accept to play a round of golf with this person and do not want you think anything else.

Once again, thanx for your reply. Happy golfing.

Sorry, didn't mean to "sound" venomous.  Your original post did not tell of the followup grovelling by this guy.  

I've just played with too many people in my 10 years of golfing who really ruined my round trying to coach another player with unsolicited advice.  Even more annoying is that I usually play as a single joining other groups and to have some of these people tell me I'm using the wrong club or whatever.

Even though I'm a 21 HC, that's only because I have not played but 6 rounds since moving to the UK, otherwise I was down to a 14 HC prior to my arrival.  And a 14 primarily due to those two or three holes where I shoot an 8.  

Michael,

I understand your disdain at some golfers, although the gentleman (use that sparingly) concerned is an okay guy and anyone would enjoy a round with him.

If you don't mind being looked at by all other golfers on the course, and probably some pilots, due to his attire colour.

Happy golfing!

You know something Dave?...I seem to remember, a few weeks back, after your first ever post, you said something on the lines. "This is my first and last forum discussion".

What happened?

grovelled to me afterwards

Now you are taking the P**s Dave .

However I take any comment from people on the chin mate, and can fight my own battles, usually on the course.

once they have met me their view changes ( I don't hear from them again ) I love the whole social aspect of this game and have no desire to "Play to Win" which is my downfall to being a better player  however banter and wind up's are my speciality.

As for missing a spelling mistake, I proof checked the site at 06:45 in less than 5 minutes as requested by the webmaster with the view to re-visit it again during the day.

Make sure you do the same before posting Dave because I'm looking out for you mate!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the message I originally tried to post first thing this morning but the server timed me out.