P.G.A. NATIONAL 19/12/2008

Hi all,

I've arranged a round for eight players (2 tee times) at the Belfry/P.G.A. NATIONAL for this Friday, and have 2 space's left.

Playing are:the munters Chris Perry & Myself, Tim Hawkins, David Ley, John Flood, Martyn Flemming.

Tee off is 10:50 & 11:00. the course is not busy so far so we should be off asap. Weather forecast so far predicts possible light rain showers in the afternoon.

I have some 2-fore-1, but if anyone as any please bring them as the round will only cost you £20.

REMEMBER THIS IS FOR 2 PLACES ONLY AT PRESENT( As that wuss Santo can't get the time off, i'm only joking Wayne...you'll be missed)SO I WILL OPERATE A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED POLICY. handicap of 24 or better is also a requirement.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CAN GET THE TIME OFF BEFORE COMMITING AS NOT TO DISAPPOINT

Regards Paul. 

I'm good with that mate

me toooo.............I've left a msg with Kev Hewitt

Mr Hewitt is unavialable 

His loss.  I'll be there.  I'm hoping Mr Ley will be giving his usual teaching sessions. 

I want to be on the winning team Paul, don't care about the golf, just don't want to get my hand in my pocket at the bar!

Tim, you are on the winning side don't worry.

Paul,

If money is involved then you need to get my handicap correct which is 15, not 14. This extra shot could make all the difference!!

As for teams why not just stick all the balls into a hat & pick 2 teams?

John.

Paul,

Don't think it really matters, that's what the handicaps are there for.

john.

Paul,

That can only mean that either you or Chris didn't play anywhere near your handicaps or Martyn played well below his??

John.

I would just like to say I was Martyn's partner and did win a few holes/halve a few, notably winning the 1st hole to start our team on a winning run and a putt off the green on the 18th to take double or nothing

None of us played to our handicaps.  Difference was that Martin only shot 3 over net with an 8 over gross on the front and 3 over gross on the back.  He was closer to his handicap than we were. 

Thought you couldn't make it Santo.  Or are you just collecting your shiny new sticks?

Wayne, I have just been informed by Dave L that he had to use the tour wrap grips, that he had ordered for me to put on your new clubs. So I feel that makes us even and we can be friends again. I hope you play well with them, I really do.

come on Wayne, you know you want to!!

throw a sicky or book yourself out on a meeting. It will be dangerous to drive away straight after getting your clubs cos you'll be day dreaming about them........CRASH

just think of all the stick you can give Mr Perry

John.

Come on Wayne, I want to be abused.  Hang on a bloody minute........

We'll send you out in the first group and if it starts getting dark your outfit will show us where to aim. 

How many we got so far Paul?  Think Steve Hancox is interested. 

I'm lookig forward to friday and the forcast is good havn't played for ten days so i'm having a warm up here  www.pandkgolfclub.co.uk on Thursday. Why this isn't on the top 100 god knows.

 oops apparently it was on the list once..

Quick update David, tried the driver out today, first time my back has been up to it since I got it. It's going to take a bit of getting used to, the difference between the Aldila and the Graffaloy is amazing at impact, the Blue just feels softer somehow. Now all I've got to do is to hit it in the centre of the face....

Where was most impact Tim towards heel or toe?

Oh how I wish I could join you all at the PGA on Friday.

When you're fit and able John we'll do it again.  When are you allowed back on the course?  And that's when the doctors said; no rushing it!

Everywhere apart from the sweet spot in the middle David, which remains as virginal and unsullied as me....

Chris, I am hoping that I will be able to play when I get to the Algarve in Feb and meet he lads. Anything before willbe a bonus as far as I am concerned.

Well the £20 each with 2-fore-1 is available through til the end of March so use the Algarve as a warm up John and we'll have a game at the end of March to celebrate the clocks moving forward and giving us extra daylight for afternoon games. 

What a wonderful idea Chris.

I'll have a chat with them on Friday

Dave,

Are you taking your (dare I say it? ) GPS on Friday, I'd like to see one working??

Thanks,

John.

Yes John

I can see those shiny new clubs being wrapped around your neck, Wayne.

If Dave had your short game John he would be on the pro tour.  I've never seen anyone get as frustrated as him when he realises he left himself a chip from around 20 yards.  It's like he's just missed a two footer!

Indeed he would, Chris, such a lovely striker and shaper of the golf ball. My thoughts are that he tends to stick with the same shot all the time and that just does not work on a regular basis. The short game is a game of imagination, invention and flair.

He should be a category 1 player and I am sure he will do it this year. 

It'll click for him I'm sure and the handicap will plummet again.  If I ever drew you pair in a Texas Scramble I'd concede without leaving the clubhouse!

Don't keep on putting yourself down, you are forgetting that I have seen you swing a club and there is not much that needs changing, I can assure you. The secret, initially, is in finding that half a shot a hole. When we play at the end of March you will see how easy it is to find that, if you pay attention.

Dave,

Just got to hope I'm in the same group as you then to actually see any advantages.

John.

John F, I doubt they are as accurate as they claim to be, so I would take the distances given as a rough guide only. Trust your eyesight and get a feeling for the type of shot you are planning on playing, then commit 100% to it.

John,

I agree but I'm a bit of a gadget geek & would like to see one of these in action.

Hope your knees are OK.

John.

Knee is not showing any significant improvement at the moment, but I am not too worried as I feel the longer the rest the stronger it will be.

Sorry Paul, No luck with my mate.

I've tried 2 others & no joy. Can't believe there's no other members on here that want to come along??

John.

Paul, he was desperate & in between me ringing Chris & then phoning him back his missus had told him he'd got to go Christmas shopping!!

Beware guys, he opened up with six straight pars at Wychwood recently and finished with a birdie.

OK Jonny, the last spot is yours mate. See you there.  Don't worry if you forget the scuffs and duffs, I'm sure I'll have plenty for everyone. 

Paul - maybe your wife should have kept her legs crossed 8 months ago....

You're joking Tim, he's only got to speak to her and she's up the duff again!  This is their fourth and Ladbrokes have stopped taking money on her being pregnant again by April Fools Day!  They need to get a telly......

jonny,

are you sure you haven't been hit by the xmas shopping curse like my mate??

Only a few hours to go been out today for a warm up at Pyle & Kenfig hope its not as windy tomorrow as I had it today. I will be there around 8 to meet Santo and give him his new bats he can't wait to hit the range. Looking forward to meeting a couple of new faces.

Have a great day tomorrow, guys, I am jealous.

If all goes well I'm going to try and get there early enough for a quick warm up on the range, try and avoid another first tee duffer.  See you there or in the bar (for a coffee) David?

Well, here's the results.  A great day that started off in reasonably warm, dry weather with bright sunshine and little or no wind.  By the turn it was cold, the wind was getting up and for the home stretch (all into the wind) we were being robbed of distance and taking two extra clubs!  Couple it with the 5 minutes of light drizzle and the conditions could be described as "changeable and challenging".  A great day for golf though. 

Playing off 3/4 handicaps, we went for a pound in each with £2 for the front, £2 for the back and £3 for the round.

• Front 9 - Chris Perry, 16 points
• Back 9 - Dave Ley, 15 points
• Round -  Dave Ley, 28 points

Full results were: -

Obviously the weather conditions were not conducive to good scoring with a cold wind beating the ball down.

I see the cream rose to the top which is expected when the conditions are tough.

Pleased that you all enjoyed yourselves.

The wind really picked up after around 7 holes John, and don't forget those scores are off 3/4 handicap too.  I think you're right with the better players scoring best, the exception being Martin who plays off 8 but had an off-day.  There's only a couple of strokes between me, Paul, Tim and Phil. 

Shame you couldn't make it John, but check out the post I've just added re a game in March.

John,

The weather on the back 9 was testing. Hitting a 5iron to a 139yrd Par 3 says it all!!

The highlight for me was watching Dave hit a Driver out of the rough & sticking it pin high just off the green, classic!!

I have to admit his GPS unit was very impressive, came in handy as all the tee positions had been moved quite a lot forward. Didn't have to do any 'pacing' out either.

Came in handy for me on the 2nd Par5, my second shot was right by the 200yd disc & I was preparing to 'play it safe' but the GPS said I had 186 so I took my rescue, knocked in on, 2 putted & walked off with a par.

I know you probably won't agree but horses for courses

John.

And Mr Flood specifically requested being in Mr Ley's group so that he could witness the operation of his gadget.....

ohhhh yessss!! Well worth it!

Paul,

The key is don't take it too serious. The people you were playing with today didn't think any less of you if you hit a bad shot. The only time you should be shaking is if you've got a 3 footer for a million quid!

Don't give up, keep going. I downloaded a few of Bob Rottella's audio books which are great for setting targets, dealing with pressure & relaxing.

John...

John F, I thought a five iron for 139 yds is normal, is for me anyway.

Paul keep plugging away.  I've been playing just over two years and I've found that improvement comes like waves on a beach when the tides coming in.  You hit a new high point, consolidate for a bit and often drift backwards before the next surge forward.

If you're playing with new sticks and in less than ideal conditions just put it down to experience and keep trying, it will come.

You can be guilty of trying too hard Paul.  At your home track you are comfortable, know you can play it well, know what club to take and if you are playing someone new there you also know that you are likely to have the upper hand as you will know your way around it better.  Result - a relaxed Paul. 

When you are out of your comfort zone - either a new course, new playing partners or your worst nightmare of both - you worry about your performance because you don't want to let yourself down and you're worried the new people will judge you if you play badly.  Result - stress, pressure, lack of focus and a ratty swing that desends into a downwards spiral as your performance deteriorates further as you worry about it more and more. 

Let's be honest Paul, we played last week with someone who if they have a bad shot look outwards for excuses as they can't admit to themselves it was their fault.  If they have a couple of bad holes, they lose interest and may as well not be playing.  You are the exact opposite and if you hit a bad one you try to atone for it with the next one.  Consider my first drive today - 40 yards according Dave's GPS!  I didn't try to make up for it and go for the green with the next one, I accepted my cock up and made sure I put myself in a decent position to go for the green with my third.  You need to learn to do the same and stop putting yourself under pressure to make up for it.  Once you've swung your club, no amount of worrying, stressing or self-flagelating will change where the ball has (or hasn't!) gone.  All you can do is play the most appropriate shot from where the ball now lies, and that shot should be the one you would play if you hadn't cocked up the previous one. 

What it all comes down to is only one person's opinion matters on how good or bad your round is, and that's yours.  You will have good rounds when you're accused of being a bandit and others when you feel like a hacker.  That's the nature of golf.  Accept a bad shot or round as 'one of those things' and bringing you closer to your next good one.  And dont give a toss about what anyone else thinks; you've come through a lot and when you consider where you are and where you've been, does it matter if someone think you had a rubbish round of golf? 

Yes I studied psycology

Nice post, Chris, my sentiments exactly. We could have been vying for longest drive on the first then, Chris.

You would've beaten me with your wedge John.  It wasn't one to be proud of; I didn't even make the fairway!

Paul its just your hormones they are all over the place when your having a baby!!

And thanks for organiing the day matey I really enjoyed  it. Having a laugh with some like minded chaps is what it's really all about, didn't  enjoy the biting wind though,,,,,,,,,can you do summit about that for next time.

Paul, this is know as Murphy's Law and can happen to anyone, yes, even the Pros. The only difference being, that their bad rounds do not affect their handicap like an amateurs bad rounds do.

I can imagine how difficutl it must have been for you to watch David a hit ball knowing that you were going to be very hard pressed to emulate him. I have the same problem with all these guys who power it out of sight. I let them get on with it and I try and plot my way down the hole hoping for no worse than a bogey.

I studied what was inside the books, not the title on the cover Santo.  Though I do apologise for the slight error in my post. 

If anyone who played Friday wants to know their strokeplay to put on here, drop me a PM as I have both team cards at home. 

I didn't set it up mate, Mr Williams did.  He's rubbish at maths though so I had the cards to work out who won.....

Pipped at the post!!

It was surprising to see how far the average drives were going compared to how far people thought they were going.

Dave L hit a monster & it was downwind yet it was still only 241yrds!! Although the other one with Tim's driver went 265yrd!

you have to question these guys on here with high handicaps who claim to hit it 280+yrds??

You know I can hit it 300 yards, John, irrelevant that it takes me two shots to do it.

I couldnt get it over 200 hardly on saturday or sunday

Liked the throw away remark John:

"Dave L hit a monster & it was downwind yet it was still only 241yrds!! Although the other one with Tim's driver went 265yrd!"

My drive with my driver actually went 195yds straight in to the face of the fairway bunker!