Fourball championship - Day 1

[Curval]

For s**** and giggles a friend of mine and I entered the golf association's annual Fourball Championship.  I don't know why they call it "fourball" because it is teams of two, each playing their own ball and recording the lowest gross and net scores between the team members on each hole. 

Yesterday we played round one, of three.  My partner will show up today with a sore back and shoulders from carrying me pretty much the entire round.  I had 3 good holes, the rest are his scores.    But, we aren't last!  In fact out of 18 teams, we are currently 12th gross, but 3rd net!!  The conditions were pretty good weather wise, but course-wise...omg.   This is the same course that the Grand Slam was played on a couple of weeks ago and it is deadly.  If you don't land the ball on the fairway you better hit a provisional ball because you probably won't find the first, even in the first cut. I lost two balls because of this and was out of the holes at that point because they penalise for slow play and I would have had to go back to the tee to hit another, and have it be my 3rd shot anyway.

I can't putt very well at the best of times.  I have goblins in my head or something.  But these greens are just ridiculous.  Many putts are simply "touching" the ball to get it moving.  Think of them like a warped pool table.  Add that to the snakes in my head and it spells trouble.  The only way for me to make pars is to get the ball close on my approach.  Sometimes I can, most times I can't...and 3 putt.  Infuriating. 

We tee off today at 9.25 for round 2.  Fingers crossed that my game shows up today.  Saturday I am hoping will be better because I can leave my blackberry alone as opposed to checking it every 2 minutes when playing on a work day.  We'll see.

If any interest at all the scores and leaderboards are posted here:


https://www.ghintpp.com/bga/TPPOnlineScoring/Default.aspx?id=44


 

[bacon8tr]

Sounds like fun.  I play in similar events usually twice a year.  My caddyshack buddy and I usually play best ball tournaments.  Generally because I only play irons from the tee box as my woods are scud missles ( I'm good for a couple of house windows a round and even have a Ferrari windshield to my credit  ) however, from 100 yards in I have laser guided accuracy.....go figure.

Hit em long and straight   

[Shane]

sandbag much?   

my own pet peeve about the lost/provisional ball rules and effects on pace of play is that the non-pro's, i.e., the rest of us, don't have hundreds of eyes both watching our ball and helping find it - galleries and on-course volunteer spotters, etc.

make a lost ball (and indeterminable ob's) the equivalent to a hazard, one-stroke and drop from observed/agreed crossing point of wherever.

[Curval]

I totally agree.  I actually spoke to the guy in charge before the round yesterday and he said they have cut the rough TWICE since the Grand Slam and that they can't cut it right down in one shot because that could burn the grass and kill it.  They have to do it in stages.  Then my partner came up to us as we were chatting and asked if I was being a whiney bit** about the rough again....lol  In point of fact, I played the same ball for the whole round yesterday and although I can't say I hit the fairway every time, but at least I found them when I needed to.

Poor guy though.  He had to carry me again, although I did show up on some key holes.  The dreaded 16th, for example.  I pared it (net birdy) after Luis put one in the Atlantic and then on 17 I stuck a 180 yard 4 iron close to ensure another net bird.  I helped out on a few others by getting us net pars.  Other than that though my partner was the man.  Some tense moments early on when I missed a couple of puts, he was starting to get as frustrated as me about my putting.  Fortunately the drinks cart was handy and a couple of "green teas" (Heinekens) for breakfast turned his frown upside down....the lush.

So, we now hold 3rd place alone for the Net, 3 strokes behind the leaders.  We are too far behind to worry about any prizes for gross.  I just don't understand where the heck my real game has been for the past two days but hopefully today will be the day.  They made the course even tougher yesterday by moving back the tee boxes to where the blacks are most of the time and the pins were in the toughest spots.  If they do the same today it will be a slog.  Luis told me after the round that this is MY tournament to win or lose as I am the high handicapper.  We need me to make 3 or 4 pars and 1 or 2 birdies.  "That will do it" he said yesterday.  Jebus Luis...no pressure. 

Final day.  We shall see.

[Curval]

Why can't I putt?  I didn't play badly, had some excellent shots but once again the short stick let me down.  We had the same net scores all 3 days...68.   It will take a massive collapse by the guys ahead of us to get us a prize but anything is possible.  They put the tee boxes back at the black distances.  16 was playing 220 yards...par 3 over water, the tee boxes were just in front of the plaque in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEJDiIuwo5I

One of my better holes today actually.  I put my drive in the pin-high bunker on the right side, got out to 4 feet and actually managed to sink that putt. Par but net bird.

But, the winds were calm and it is just as possible that some guys behind us carded a good score.

Fun format, I'd do it again but am kind of sick and tired of Port Royal.  It just beats the snot of you of and 3 days in a row is too much.

[Triton28]

What putting issues are you having?  Distance control, misreads, stroke inconsistencies, or a hybrid of everything?

If your stroke is pretty solid, the goofiest and most effective thing for me to do is to putt without looking at the ball.  Just keep focused on the hole (or your target if it's a big breaker).  I honestly don't like to do this, but sometimes when I'm putting bad and need a quick fix it works.  You'd be surprised at how much better your distance control becomes when you take some of your brain out of the process.  Then again, your brain might not be as stoopid as mine.  

Edit:  I practice like this from time to time as well.  I find it can help you visualize the putt even when you go back to putting the 'normal' way.  

[Curval]

Hybrid.  I can't read the greens and I misjudge distance and slope.

What I need is some instruction and some major practice.  I need to start getting scientific about putting.  I think if I can get to a point that I know if I pull the club back distance A it will travel distance B.  Sure there will be different greens and different speeds but I need a baseline to work from.  I think I will use a large ruler and mark it with a ball for my backswing.  Then I am going to keep hitting it the same way and get some consistency.  If I can solve the distance problem I will shave one stroke off most holes.  I just need to get it close on the first try.  Too many times I am on the green and 3 putt, or even worse.

We lost the net by two strokes, ended up tied for third.  I had 6 or 7 makeable chances to lose strokes with putts.  Luis was right, it was my tournament to win or lose and I lost it.  On the green.  Everything else was pretty darn good.

Ugh.

 

 

[Triton28]

Hmmm... I dunno.  Most people want to think less when they putt.   

Good luck in finding your groove.    

[NatCigg]

What I need is some instruction and some major practice.  I need to start getting scientific about putting.  I think if I can get to a point that I know if I pull the club back distance A it will travel distance B.  Sure there will be different greens and different speeds but I need a baseline to work from.  I think I will use a large ruler and mark it with a ball for my backswing.  Then I am going to keep hitting it the same way and get some consistency.  If I can solve the distance problem I will shave one stroke off most holes.  I just need to get it close on the first try.  Too many times I am on the green and 3 putt, or even worse.

I found this is a great way to practice chip shots around the green.  try different clubs and notice how the ball travels in the air and on the ground.  I find using 10, 25, and 50% backswings for each club gives me many options around the green.

Putting is all about speed.  Once you pick out a aim point or line, strictly think about and practice the feel of the speed.  This is analogous to bocce ball or hand toss.

With practice you will gain confidence.

[Tank-Ace]

I thought the title said "furball" championship  .

[Curval]

I found this is a great way to practice chip shots around the green.  try different clubs and notice how the ball travels in the air and on the ground.  I find using 10, 25, and 50% backswings for each club gives me many options around the green.

Putting is all about speed.  Once you pick out a aim point or line, strictly think about and practice the feel of the speed.  This is analogous to bocce ball or hand toss.

With practice you will gain confidence.

Agreed. 

I used to be a good putter, natural, like Triton says....I never thought about putting.  But as doubts crept in and nerves took over I lost all confidence.  I figure this is the only (and best) way to get it back.  Time to take some time to get it started.

[Golfer]

Take a sleeve of balls and go to a putting green at sunrise.  Putt.  Leave at sunset.

Rinse and repeat.  You'll get better.  You lack dedication if you don't do it. 

[Curval]

I'll lack a wife too.