On Wednesday I played with a guy who had a swing like a demented octopus, hit numerous ankle biters and yet we both shot 88. He was really pleased with the score, I on the other hand was left feeling frustrated that I felt I had played far better golf but could not beat him.

One hole in particular sums up why I love this game even though it frustrates the hell out of me. Whitehill Golf Club - 17th - 280yds - par 4 - a ditch runs across the fairway and the green is protected by a small pond. As I was swinging well (as usual) and we had a following wind I went for the green with my driver. I hit the green and the ball ran just through the back into some fluffy stuff. I then chipped back on to 5ft, but missed the putt and so parred the hole. My opponent on the other hand used a 6 iron on the tee to put his ball into the ditch. He then got into the ditch, and chipped out going through the back of the green. He then chipped in for a BIRDIE.  

Grrrrr - Golf!

Ian

I know what you mean Ian I played a match play event a few years ago, I had to give my apponent a shot on the second hole I hit a loverly drive straight down the fairway, he hit his drive into the rough, I then hit a shot on to the green about eight feet from the hole, he hit his second shot in to the rough again to the right of the hole, then he chipped the next shot in and I was 1 down. That is the beauty of the game when you play well you want to go out and play again, and when you play poorly you want to go out and play better , I love it.    

I love this game because it turns up some real surprises. Played Monday in our 6 strong society for one of our four majors we have running throughout the year. One of my neighbours even ran a book on it.

We were waiting to tee off later in the first round when my partner said something has happened with the other group as cheers were ringing in the air. Turned out that a hole in one had been achieved, so high fives all round!

Second round we decide to let a 2 ball through who were waiting to approach the green we were on. So we were waiting for them on the next tee when in a buggy turns up Ossie Ardilles and Ricky Villa. Handshakes all round and a brief chat and also a signed golf ball which we gave to the hole in one achiever.

You just never know what turns up on the day. As for the bookie, he was £15 down! 

We must all have similar storys... here's mine...

As part of a four ball at my local course, there are two par threes in a row, the 3rd and 4th. The third is an easy 110 yards over a massive fiarway bunker. The 4th requires a draw round huge trees to a well bunkered green 187yards away. (It's still the toughest par three I've ever played).

 On the 3rd I use my PW to get within 3ft. (one of the best PW shots I've ever played). My playing partner, under pressure,  plops his ball right in the middle of the olympic-swimming-pool-sized bunker. This holes mine I think. Nope. The hole is on a severe downslope and so I miss my putt and end with a par. My playing partner knifes his bunker shot thin, it shoots low and hard, whacks the lip of the bunker taking all the speed off the ball, it trickles on to the green and catches the downslope, rolls towards the hole... you can finish the rest... BIRDIE!

On the 4th.  I take out my 3wood. Choke up on the grip and deliver a beautiful draw shot round the trees that comes up slighlty short of the green - position A. (Believe me, it takes proper skill to reach this green in 1.) I'm thinking - chip close and get my par. I chip to within inches and knock in my par. Another playing partner (not the one who knocked in the birdie) decides that trees are not on his menu of course obstacles and takes out his driver and whacks it... through the tress, taking a few deflections along the way... and plops softly on the green. He drops in the resulting 25 footer to break my heart once more...

And here's why I love this game: For the next 14 holes I continue to play the course wisely, picking my shots and playing the percentages. So while they have the occasional jaw dropping luck and drop in the odd birdie, the fact that I didn't blob any holes, constantly knocking in pars and 2 putt bogeys (playing my handicap) I ended up winning easily.

In fact, no matter how we scored the cards, Match Play or Stroke Play, despite one of my opponents scoring 3 birdies, my consistant play would have won the day anyway. What use is three birdies when you blob the other 15?

It goes to show that it is not perfect shots that make a score you just need to cut down on the really bad ones and get it in the hole in the least amount of ok shots, Simples.

its not how you get there, it is how many yout there for that counts.

 I can Par a hole with 3 god awful shots to the green and take one putt, but a par is a par!