My Best Round Ever(mickey mouse course)

Well this evening i have had my best round ever and my first birdie for over 4 years. Played a fourball at woodlands golf course in south glos. Played the signature course that i had a bit of a nightmare on a few weeks ago so wanted to play the masters course but as its only 14 holes at the mo as theyre remoddeling 4 holes the vote went to the signature. So glad we did as i hit a 1 over par front nine and 10 over par 80 in total. Just hope my next round doesnt bite me too hard now !

That sounds amazing. Being just one over after 9 must have been an awewsome feeling! Did you know? I try to play each shot at a time and not work out my score until the end (this is easier for high handicappers to do!) so I don't always know my exact score.

A gross 80 is going to have a major impact on your handicap! 19.3 now - I will keep en eye on it to see what it is down to next time you post! 

Congratulations!

The problem will be when he plays a course that has some length. 5200 yards is not long enough to get too excited about an 80. There are many very good courses around the Bristol area which are a much sterner test.

Way to go John, always finding a way to put a negative spin on something, 80 is always a good score i appreciate a longer course will be more challenging thats obvious, however 80 is not something to be sniffed at.

Well done Mike and keep it up.

Well done Mike.  I have played both courses at Woodlands many times and my best on the Signature is 82 (full 18 holes) and have done that twice.  I have managed coming back in 2 over par and was chuffed to bits with that.

John - You should know that length alone is not the test of how difficult a golf course is.  The Signature is an awkward little bugger that looks fairly simple but can easily bite you if you put your ball in the wrong place.  It also has some well positined hazards and difficult approaches. 

I actually think it's a cracking matchplay course with some great risk-reward holes.  14 is a particular favourite of mine, although it really doesn't suit my game.  The only downside is that the greens are slow because they leave them long to protect them

When are you lot going to realise that producing scores on mickey mouse courses of that length is only giving a false handicap. Do you honestly believe that I would be 19 at that course. If he can shoot 80 at Clevedon, Long Ashton, Bristol & Clifton, Knowle and even the short Shirehampton, for example, then he is a good player.

Mike, even though it is a shortish course your 80 was a great score, very tidy and no blobs. Well done beats my best of 81.

Dave CAC handed Geordie.

John, why are you running down someone you don't even know?  He's got his best ever round and is rightly pleased.  He's come on here to share it and everyone but you is happy for him.  Why?  What is wrong with someone being happy to score a PB?

He's not claiming to be a single figure golfer, but playing to 10 over (12 over against the SSS) off 19 is a good round in anyone's book.  You can only play what is in front of you. 

You are regularly saying that golf courses are not all about length and that good course design can make even a short course difficult.  I know I would find it easier to play a long, straight open course than a tight, shaped and short one

Have you played Woodlands John?  I have, many times, and I can assure you that shooting 1 over on the front 9 of the Signature is no easy task.  I believe it is the easier of the two, that is true, but it forces you to put the ball in the right place and be accurate with your second shot if you want to score well.  A score of 80 will have required steady golf all the way round

You didn't answer my question, Chris, do you think I would 19 playing at that course.

Chris, if you bother to read and take in what I have said very carefully then you will notice that I have not denigrated the person at all, just stating my belief about courses of that length, which provide very little test of anyone's game.

You are always very to quick to jump, Chris. This is a forum and anyone is entitled to submit their views, they will on occasion upset those who do not really understand the game with all its little intricacies and if anyone is offended by anything I say then the redress should come from them, not interfering busybodies.

To answer your first post John, I don't know how you are playing at the moment so I can't answer honestly. From the last time we played together, and knowing your game, I believe you are capable of playing ANY course to 19 as your short game will ensure you always have at least a bogey putt on the majority of holes.

As regards the second post, I did read it carefully and agree that Mike would likely struggle to score 80 round the courses you have mentioned, as would you or I and many golfers better than us. As regards quick to jump, I wasn't the first to be disappointed that instead of patting someone on the back for carding their best ever round you sneered at it and insinuated it wasn't worth consideration because it was on a 'mickey mouse' course. You may not have denigrated the person, but you did denigrate the score without knowing the course it was scored on purely because it is, in your opinion, short and therefore must be easy. This was more so as I do know the course, I don't believe you do and whilst not long it is certainly not a "gimmee" course.

You know me well enough to know that I do understand the intricacies of the game and am fully supportive of the traditions being maintained. I also think that everyone should receive support and encouragement to continue enjoying the game and striving to be their best. Great rounds like Mike has had will encourage him to keep playing and striving for a lower handicap, even more so since I know he has been have a bit of a struggle with his game recently. And if you think I am an "interferring busybody", then I remind you that "this is a forum and anyone is entitled to submit their views"

Well its certainly my most viewed post so far! lol. Thank you for your replies ladies and gents.

John. You are quite welcome to post your comments whether it be negative or positive. Its an open forumn to post your personal views within reason. Yesterday i hit my best ever score at a course that a few weeks ago i hit a 96. It may not indeed be the longest course or a test for the seasoned profesional like yourself but for you to look up and say do you really think i would hit a 19 over at this course makes we wonder why wouldnt you? You play to a handicap of 19 so do you never go over that handicap? do you never have a bad round? Have you played the course? I didnt start this post to tell everyone im a great player, just to tell people i went out today and played to the best of my ability and produced what i feel to be a good score for myself at that course. Im quite new to this site and im not offended by your comments far from it but fear comments like yours will stop people from posting there best score so far for fear of being mocked for playing an easy course according to you.As for calling Chris an interfering busybody i feel an apology is due. You obviously know him as you have played together but he like yourself was stating an opinion on your post as you were mine. I have played knowle, Filton, Henbury,Shirehampton(78) many years ago when i played regularly so i know there are far sterner courses out there, ive played them but as i have only got back to playing again in the last 2 months or so after a near 5 year layoff this round has given me a much needed confidence boost. . Any way as said thank you for the responses and for you John i have ammended the title ;-)

Judy, Sorry for not replying above but was side tracked by other posts so my apologies lol. I didnt know my score as one of my playing partners was marking the card as we were playing matchplay but i had an idea the first nine was low. On the back nine there were quite a few shots wasted as its my short game im working on mostly as it is the weakest part of my game. Ive been playing a short 9 hole course near me and its hopefully its starting to pay off.

Which 9 holer are you playing Mike? I work local to you (Airbus) so I'm probably playing the same courses occaisionally (Filton, The Bristol, Thornbury) despite being a member at Minchinhampton

Hi Chris. I play at Tickenham, very short course but always excellent condition with great greens. Also has a good little range and very rarely busy. A little expensive for nine holes and no real bar area but very friendly none the less.

I wasn't aware that we had to applaud mediocrity with a pat on the back and a well done.

I asked for neither John, i simply posted about my best round as i thought i had joined a golf forum to share and post about all things golf. Unfortunately your mediocrity is my best John obviously, but if i hit a 79 there next week i will still post a new thread about it mickey mouse course or not as your patronising doesnt bother me at all.

That's out of order John. Not everyone is as lucky as you to have a natural talent for the game and have a starting handicap of 6. Some of us, myself included, have had to work hard to get our handicaps into the teens. What we are 'applauding' is someone making positive steps and in this case a new stride forward. These small victories give people belief that they can achieve what they are trying to and the motivation to keep striving for it.

You need to accept John that not everyone will be a scratch golfer or is even capable of being one. You are one of the lucky few who have achieved it and it came quite easily to you. Some of us are having to work hard just to get below the teens and many would be very happy to play to the standard you are at now. It's not because they have set low goals, it's because you don't appreciate how good a golfer you have been and how out of the ordinary this is. Imagine how it feels when you have a blinding round for your ability and someone makes a belittling comment like you have. I bet you would be happy to go round any course in 80 nowadays

You have been very lucky John, I only wish you could realise that so you could see how much so many would give to have your talent

Hi Mike. I'd just like to congratulate you on your score. You should rightly feel pleased with yourself, and I hope that you aren't put off by some of the comments that have appeared on this thread. The course may be shorter than a lot of other courses, but a huge percentage of the game is played on and around the greens, and you still have to make the chips and the putts to get a decent score.

I look forward to hearing about how you broke 80 in the next few weeks!

Mike, Well done, I know how I felt when I shot a 79 around my old course Handsworth. You mention you were playing match play were there any 'generous' concessions made or did you hole out everything? Keep up the good work.

I'm not sure if John would call this course 'mickey mouse' but surely even he would have to say this is a good round! http://au.sports.yahoo.com/golf/news/article/-/13715032/aussie-golfer-rhein-gibson-shoots-55/

Judy. I used to work in OKC and River Oaks was a course that I have played a few times and it is not easy, I can assure you.

An incredible score, but then I can remember watching Harry Weetman shoot a 58 around Selsdon Park Golf Club, Surrey.

We all know that there is a vast difference in difficulty from one course to another, something that the SSS has completely failed to solve