Tournament At Pyrford...

Hey! I had the Crown Golf Assistants Championship qualifier at Pyrford today. It was blowing an absolute 'hooley' and I seriously dislike windy conditions as I tend to struggle in them! Here are the vital statistics:

Score: 82
F'ways: 9/14
Greens: 9/18
Up and Downs: 3/9
Putts: 33 (2 3-putts)
Penalty shots: 4!!!

Yup, I shot 82. I have to be honest though, I didn't play as bad as that and hit a bunch of great shots that didn't really get the reward they deserved. I got off to the perfect start and was -1 thru 3 holes. Here's my round:

1 - I hit a nice little drawing 5 wood down the middle and then a gap wedge to about 20 feet. Then I 2-putted nicely for par.

2 - I hit a solid 6 iron about 20 feet pin high right of the flag and just off the edge of the green. From there I holed the putt to go -1.

3 - I hit 7 wood off the tee and pushed it slightly. However it suited the shape of the hole perfectly and wound up about 50 yards from the green. From there I hit a POOR pitch about 25 feet short of the hole but 2-putted for par.

4 - Crunched a drive down the middle of the fairway, then hit a good 5 wood up to about 100 yards short. There, I totally lost concentration and skulled my gap wedge over the green. This was poor and I compounded it with a duffed chip and a 2-putt bogey. Back to Even Par.

5 - Hit a poor blocked 5 wood off the tee and an even worse 8 iron block 2nd shot! However, I hit a great pitch to 7 feet and boxed the putt for a par.

6 - This was the first time I got screwed by the wind. Having watched my playing partners have their shots blown majorly long so I hit my wedge softly. It never really got up in the air and got blown straight down into the front bunker. From there, I had an average bunker shot and missed my par putt. +1.

7 - Realised on my way to the tee that I'd forgotten my 'two move' and proceeded to hit a sweet 3 wood down the fairway. Then I hit a nice 9 iron which came up about 30 foot short. Then I hit a terrible first putt and missed the next for a lame bogey. +2.

8 - Nice 7 wood lay up to about 60 yards short. Then baring in mind the pitch was straight downwind, I did well to get it to about 20 feet. 3-putted woefully again!! +3.

9 - Cracking 3 wood down the middle. Then, on a very narrow lay up and a strong crosswind, I let my 5 wood lay-up drift on the wind for my first taste of the water!! I took my drop and the wind seemed to drop and then pick up and then drop again. I committed to an 8 iron and hit is really solid at the flag. However, I got the wind wrong again and ploughed the ball over the back of the green from where I chipped and 2 putted for a double bogey 7. Front 9 score: 41 (+5).

10 - I hit a gorgeous low 5 iron straight at the flag again through the wind. It seemed to penetrate the wind completely and ended up long. However I putted back down to 3 feet and saved par.

11 - Tried to draw my driver and it stayed straight. From there I flushed a 3 wood just right of the green, leaving a pitch over a hill. I struck my chip perfectly with plenty of spin and left it about 6 feet away. This was a good save when the putt dropped!!

12 - I hit a lovely 5 wood down the middle and the layed up with a pitching wedge. I was left with 84 yards and hit a shocker!! A REAL SHOCKER!! The ball flew low left, over the back of the green in to a lake!! I was in shock!! The wind just propelled my ball forward like i'd never seen. Not even I can misjudge a pitch that badly!! This is how bad the wind was. Anways, following a duffed chip, I made another double bogey 7 and went to +7!!

13 - Hit a lovely low draw with my driver and then a beautiful 5 wood straight at the middle of the green. I didn't see it land and when I got to the green and found it had gone through the back into deep rough I was gutted. I had misjudged the wind again. I hit a great recovery but couldn't save par. +8.

14 - I went for the green but bottled it right slightly. I hit a good shot out of the rough but it didn't release. I 2 putted from 30 feet for par.

15 - I hit a gorgeous low 3 wood down the fairway and then another misjudged pitch to the back of the green. 2 putt par.

16 - I hit a low thinned pull with a 5 wood in to a fairway bunker. From there I hit a great recovery over water with a gap wedge to about 20 feet for a 2 putt par.

17 - I could not commit to a club here. I couldn't decide on the wind. In the end I took a 7 iron and although I hit it well, turns out the wind was against, and a massive gust just killed it up in the air. It bounced back in to the water hazard. From there, I had a lousy drop in to a divot and chunked my pitch short of the green. From there, I hit a much better pitch and holed an 8 footer for another double. +10.

18 - I didn't commit or concentrate on my 5 wood tee shot and shoved it right into water again. I dropped out, smacked a 5 wood up near the green and pride allowed me to chip and putt for par

Back 9: 41 (+5).
Overall: 82 (+10)

Well, it was a day of good execution and poor judgement. On those grounds I feel quite pleased really. I swung it well. I had to remind myself to stand over the ball properly and make my two move. These usually culminated in good shots. My new routine with my grip is working well. I am working to get rid of my closed clubface problems by starting with an exagerrated weak grip, and I work from there back to square position. This was great, it really took my hands out of shots and I didn't really get any closed clubfaces so I was pleased!!

My pitching particularly needs dire work. I have absolutely no idea of my distances so I really need to pull my finger out and work on this. It cost me a pantload of shots today. On a longer golf course I would have done ok I think. And as for my putting, it was it's usual crap!! My judgement of distances is poor!! I have the yips and just basically zero confidence. I am licking my wounds a bit now, so am going to think about how I can improve these areas of my game.

Anyways, for a long blog, I'll leave it there.....