First Stroke Play Event In 6 Months..

Golf On Camera
Oct 24, 2018
4 min read

It's hard to think you can go 6 months without playing in a stroke play event as a member of the golf club. There has been a number of reasons to why this had happened, whether that be golf days, knockout matches, busy weekends, or there simply not being an event the day I got to play golf.

Expectations

On the 6th of October, the planets aligned and I was able to take part in the Carey Cup. As you will know from my previous posts, I am a realist when it comes to managing expectations. I felt that with the lack of golf I had played leading up to the event, expecting to shoot 74 (+2) was only going to lead to frustrations and pressure during the round. I set myself the target of shooting anything in the 70's (+7 or below). On the Day of the event, for the first time in a while I had that buzz of a golf morning, I felt like it was going to be a good day. Arriving at Lamberhurst G.C. I warmed up and got myself ready to compete again. I find it funny how we talk about tour players needing to compete in order to be match sharp, but we expect amateurs to turn up after 6 months and shoot a good score.

Trying to get off to a good start on the front 9

The early exchanges, between myself and the course were scrappy but positive. I managed to whole an 8ft par putt on 1, before birdieing the 2nd. A par on the S.I. 1 fourth hole would confirm the perfect start. The 6th hole would be a turning point on my front 9, after bogeying the 5th I stared down a 20ft par putt. Admittedly it was pacey and heading 4/5ft past, but my putt caught enough of the hole to go in. I feel this was key, as back to back bogeys after the great start would have made me very defensive. After a good 2 putt from 40ft on 7 and a bunker save on the 8th, I would make an unfortunate bogey on the 9th. Considering I had only given myself 2 good looks at Birdie and scrapped on a few holes, +1 was probably the best I could have shot.

Trying to hold it together on the back 9

The back 9 at Lamberhurst G.C. can always go one of two ways, shoot under par or wreck a decent round. 10 & 11 would lead to some more disappointment, having to 2 putt from 40ft again on 10 and bogey 11 with a wedge in my hand. The 217yrd 12th would, like the 6th on the front 9, be a pivotal part of the round. Having miss hit my tee shot into the wind, I had come up 30yds short of the green. Facing 12ft for par, I was fully aware this would determine my strategy over the next 6 holes. Thankfully the 12th green is the flattest on the course and I managed to find the bottom of the hole.

Standing on the par 5 13th, I just needed a hole without stress. I decided not to give myself the option of taking on the water in 2 by hitting 2 irons, to leave me 75yds in. The trend would continue as my approach ended up some 25ft, leaving an easily achievable but unnecessary lengthy 2 putt. After a par I headed to the par 5 14th to take on the 2nd part of my plan. I had worked out the 14th was only a driver and an iron in the days conditions, and my most obvious birdie chance of the closing holes. A driver and 6 iron would leave me my 40ft eagle putt, which in turn left me a tap in for my planned birdie. I would again complete a 45+ two putt on 15, which in fairness is the best 2 putt I have completed in 2018 under pressure. My wedge game showed some more holes when I made bogey on 16 from inside 100yds. The 17th & 18th would complete the familiar theme to the back 9, when I two putted from 30+ feet on both occasions. A 37 on each side I had manged to card a level handicap 74, giving me 36 points in the Carey cup.

My Thoughts

As said in the beginning of this post, shooting 74 was pretty unrealistic. Although I made some errors with my wedge game, I maxed out what I could have achieved in this round. The positions I hit my approach shots on greens, I could have easily walked off the course 3 or 4 worse and given the impression I had just putted badly.

I learn from every round and it was good to see me scrap for a 74, rather than play solid and shoot 75. This mentality in a round has been what's missing in 2018 during my matches and social rounds.

Moving Forward

I am hoping with a change of circumstances in 2019, I will be able to compete more in competitions at Lamberhurst. looking at 2019 goals, I will be putting in a goal to win 3+ events next year. The 3+ events can be anything from your Mid Week Medal, Club Championship or Scratch Knockout.