Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Golf can drive you batty
Had a short lecture today. As an accountancy student that tends to happen at this time of - the financial - year. That opened up an opportunity or two: 1) Go home and spend the remainder of the day, evening and night doing last minute revision for the exam tomorrow, or 2) Go to play a few holes in the glorious spring sunshine. It was decided that education is overrated, so to Bolton Old Links it was!
It was busy around the 1st tee, so I headed to the 10th after some putting practise. The hole played out something along the lines of: great drive just down the right of the fairway; duffed the second shot with a 5 iron; over-cooked the third shot beyond the green with 9 iron; half decent pitch back using 60 degree; poor first putt; in the hole with the second putt. This pattern continued for several holes, until I reached the 15th (my 6th) where the three-ball in front waved me to play through as they were struggling to find a ball. I hate having to play through! It isn't so much the nerves as people watch me play, but the fact that I have to then rush my shots. My drive was the best of the day, straight down the middle and with some decent distance. As this was an uphill hole however, when reaching my ball I was slightly out of breathe, put felt pressured to hit my second without the usual stop for water, several practise swings, check distance to flag etc. Within two shots I had hit my best and worst, as the ball trickled 25 yards along the ground. The third was a little better, but still left me short of the par 4 green. Rather than duffing a pitch - and taking up more time - I grabbed my putter and putted up past the hole, then proceeded to three-putt for the first time during the round. I played out until the 18th (my 9th) and called it a day.
At home later on, I was twitching at birds at the rear of our house when a bat flitted past the window. As it was still reasonably light, I grabbed my camera and went out into the back yard keen to grab a semi-plausable shot. They are quick little buggers, but I did manage to capture the image below, not the best, but not the worst given my level of expertise in bat photography!
It was busy around the 1st tee, so I headed to the 10th after some putting practise. The hole played out something along the lines of: great drive just down the right of the fairway; duffed the second shot with a 5 iron; over-cooked the third shot beyond the green with 9 iron; half decent pitch back using 60 degree; poor first putt; in the hole with the second putt. This pattern continued for several holes, until I reached the 15th (my 6th) where the three-ball in front waved me to play through as they were struggling to find a ball. I hate having to play through! It isn't so much the nerves as people watch me play, but the fact that I have to then rush my shots. My drive was the best of the day, straight down the middle and with some decent distance. As this was an uphill hole however, when reaching my ball I was slightly out of breathe, put felt pressured to hit my second without the usual stop for water, several practise swings, check distance to flag etc. Within two shots I had hit my best and worst, as the ball trickled 25 yards along the ground. The third was a little better, but still left me short of the par 4 green. Rather than duffing a pitch - and taking up more time - I grabbed my putter and putted up past the hole, then proceeded to three-putt for the first time during the round. I played out until the 18th (my 9th) and called it a day.
At home later on, I was twitching at birds at the rear of our house when a bat flitted past the window. As it was still reasonably light, I grabbed my camera and went out into the back yard keen to grab a semi-plausable shot. They are quick little buggers, but I did manage to capture the image below, not the best, but not the worst given my level of expertise in bat photography!
An early evening flight
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Membership renewed
It has taken me almost three months but I have finally renewed my membership at Bolton Old Links Golf Club. The closest I will get to the first tee today however, will be a drive - in the car, rather than with the SQ Dymo - past the club on route to The Blundell Arms for an early dinner with Lucy. I may get in a few holes tomorrow after my morning lecture, but with a company law exam on Thursday morning, 18 holes might just have to wait until Friday (it would be Thursday PM but I have another lecture).
For now though, it's back to the exam revision.
Bolton Old Links Golf Club
With signs of some rather pleasant weather on the horizon, the golf appetite is starting to kick in again. My challenge for 2011 is to play at least one sub-eighty round. My personal best to date is 87, achieved at The Old Links and at Breightmet G.C. but I believe I can improve on that greatly by simply playing more rounds. The overall aim is to get as good at the game as I possibly can without the assistance of a coach, then, when the time - and the finances - permit, I shall enlist the help of a professional coach to push me to the next level.For now though, it's back to the exam revision.
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