A funny old thing happened to me on Saturday...

[IrishGolfer]

So it was the club championship this weekend. I'm not exactly sure why I decided to play. This is the playground for all the club's top players, you know the dudes off scratch and 1-2 h/cs. 36 holes from the tips didn't exactly appeal given that I have been playing like a dog for the last 6 weeks. And the forecast for strong winds playing on a dried out course didn't improve my confidence before kick-off.

Anyway the sun was shining, I thought what the hell. If I shot a terrible score in the morning I would graciously retire (or feign injury) to avoid further embarrassment in the afternoon. I was drawn with a really nice young guy, who holds the current course record. I was happy to play with him and watch the dude strike a ball. So off we set at 8.20am.

The only problem was that the stupid bastard head greenskeeper thought it would make it a bit more challenging to put some of the pins in impossible positions. At least 5 of the pins were placed on slopes of the most exposed greens, making it a bit like Crazy Golf. I cannot understand the logic of this guy. All he had to do was see the forecast for strong winds. If he had put the pins in the easy parts of the greens it still would have been tough. But no! This guy is a dick!

So anyway I shot an 81 in the morning. I enjoyed it, and hit some fantastic shots. But despite striking the ball great I was cursing my luck with the flatstick and thinking that I had blown my chances. Only to find that I was lying forth in the clubhouse. There were stories of 5 putts, balls blowing off greens, etc. Last year's club champion had a 10 on 17!! The best score in the morning was a 77, the next best were 2 x 80s.

So I decided to continue in the afternoon, thinking I had a chance of a top 10 finish. The afternoon seemed to get worse (ie windier). To give you an example of just how windy I played the 7th hole as follows. It was a dogleg 500 yard par 5 playing into the wind. I hit a good drive but ran out of fairway. As it was not far enough up the dog-leg, I had to punch a 6 iron out to the 150 yard marker. Turns out I had 170 to the pin directly into the teeth of it. I nailed my Sonartec 3 wood which never rose above 20ft and tracked the pin like an Exocet missile (my shot of the day) and ended up 10 ft below the hole. My first putt stopped 6 inches short of the hole and then the wind blew it back down past where I originally was leaving me a 20 ft putt for par!! What the fxxx!! Again with my next putt I was just short, but this time I ran up behind the ball and just as it came to a rest I marked it, before it had a chance to blow down again!!!! I managed to salvage a 6!

And I was chipping from 40 yards after my drive on the 420 yard 18th (downwind!). Still managed to make bogey!!!

Anyway I finished with an 84, and don't recall many bad shots. I had 3 doubles which resulted from missing greens. My playing partner seemed to strike the ball great too, albeit he did have a few wayward tee shots that cost him dearly. Although I hit the ball really solidly off the tee and didn't make many bad swings I felt I got a "good kicking" from the course. I misjudged a few shots down the wind and that seemed to cost me dearly. I can't recall playing in such difficult conditions! TRICKED UP!

Slightly deflated I headed home and told the wife I had screwed up. Only to discover that night that I finished 2nd!!! The young guy who shot a 77 in the morning followed that with a 78 winning by 10 clear shots from the field. In the circumstances, it was an incredible score. Yours truly came in second on 165 with 2 shots to spare over the guy in 3rd.

The tournament was declared non-counting for handicap purposes as not enough of the field completed. But imagine shooting +21 for 36 holes and finishing SECOND in the premier tournament in the club!! It certainly put a smile back on my face, and strengthened my resolve to never give up! And ima gonna get me a nice voucher!!

Irish Golfer is back!!!

[Dave Ireland]

Originally Posted by IrishGolfer

.........Irish Golfer is back!!!

Major congrats IG !!....... having personally experienced the "welcome" a strong wind can provide at your course, 165 for 36 holes was brilliant. I agree with ya regarding pin placements - our place tend to place them mid-slope for the big tourneys also, so a putt that has an uphill start then flattens b4 the downslope will see a ball run 10 -15 feet past, they're also placed on the severest point of a side slope, giving you a 5/6 foot of a breaker that runs 10 feet past if it doesn't drop.

Played with 2 members of Senior Cup team yesterday (1 being the obligatory a£$ehole), having being playing well over the last 4 weeks I thought I could put a marker down, but as is always the way - shot +10 front nine (13pts), then came home in an majestic -3 (26pts), was absolutely chuffed, esp as my other playing partner was very complimentary about my game. I went in for a "socialable" afterwards and was looking down the honours list of Club Champion - Mr Nice had won it twice in 3 years(2001&2003), reigning champion was da dickhead ... I know who I'll be shouting for next weekend (if I don't win it myself ) ) .... congrats again IG

[IrishGolfer]

Sounds like congrats to yourself!

As for playing with an arse, I agree. Golf is one of those games that brings out the best and worst in folk. The young lad I played with never flinched the whole round. He plays off 2 and shot 85, 84 and you would have thought he shot 65, 64. Never threw a club, never cursed. Exemplary behaviour.

On the other hand the 3rd guy in our group had shot 80 in the morning. He is a big hitter and loves telling others how far he smashes it. Actually he is a pretty good guy, just very intense on the course. Only problem is he is a tad wild when it all goes wrong. The dude starts 5,5,5,9,8 and at that point is gone. He goes ballistic smashing clubs, shouting and running all over the place. He even had his 12 year old kid caddying for him. I almost burst out laughing at one point, I looked at the other young guy, who gave me the "What da fxxx?" look!

He stands up on the 4th (which was strong left to right breeze par 5). He smashes one with a slice on it. Amazingly he finds it! After a few chops he then stuffs one in the gorse beside the green. He then 4 putts his provisional for a 9! Game over. But then the fun begins. He gets his driver and starts smashing it on a gravel path. What a funny game this is.

Originally Posted by Dave Ireland

then came home in an majestic -3 (26pts)

That score is duely noted for Monday 12th. Are you still on for it? How's your boy fairing up, has he gone in yet?

[SiberianDVM]

Congrats, IG!

Everytime I have a good day at the range, smoking the people on either side of me, I too have delusions of glory. I plan my victory march up the 18th on the last day of the US Amateur.

Then I play 9 holes and realize, I'm a hacker!

[Dave Ireland]

Originally Posted by IrishGolfer

.........That score is duely noted for Monday 12th. Are you still on for it? How's your boy fairing up, has he gone in yet?

Young lad went back to his preschool this morning ... he was well up for it .. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he's in hospital this afternnon for 4 days ... he's pre-oped today b4 the operation tomorrow.

Yeah really looking forward to Headford ... you wont be able for our sissy parkland courses after prevailing against the elements in Portstewart, the new course will separate da men from da boyz tho....

btw IG how's this for a free jolly ... 3 of the guys were out with a software vendor last Friday ... Played the O'Meara course in Carton Manor ... arrived treated to breakfast baps ..out for the round - presented with sleeve of ProV's, ball marker/repairer and golf towel with C Manor insignia. Out on the course the beer dollies are everywhere (free). In to a 4 course dinner with free tab behind bar. He didn't go into great detail on prizes, but the novelty prizes were as follows - Longest Drive, choice Ping G2 or TM R7, nearest pin New 2 ball Odyssey or TM Rossa Monza... happy days wha ?...

[IrishGolfer]

[quote=Dave Ireland]Young lad went back to his preschool this morning ... he was well up for it .. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he's in hospital this afternnon for 4 days ... he's pre-oped today b4 the operation tomorrow.

Good luck with everything, hope it all goes well. [quote]

[quote=Dave Ireland]

btw IG how's this for a free jolly ... 3 of the guys were out with a software vendor last Friday [quote]

Who was it? PeopleSoft? JD Edwards?

Makes you wonder why these systems are so expensive. Big news up here at the moment that a couple of dudes working for the Courts Service have been suspended pending an investigation. They were allegedly guests of a "software provider" who took them for a weekend sailing. Civil Servicers caught with their pants down, if you ask me.

[Dave Ireland]

[quote=IrishGolfer........Makes you wonder why these systems are so expensive. Big news up here at the moment that a couple of dudes working for the Courts Service have been suspended pending an investigation. They were allegedly guests of a "software provider" who took them for a weekend sailing. Civil Servicers caught with their pants down, if you ask me.[/QUOTE]

Aye .... we've changed a lot here also .... we've had to sign a code of practice as an addendum to our employment contract which stipulates that all "prizes" or "presents" must be declared, and in some circumstances handed over to the Corporate Affairs Dept... conflict of interests etc ... the irony being that nearly all the management conerences in here take place at a weekend retreat with an adjoining golf course ...

[Big Brother Dunk]

Congrats on your 2nd place finish!

[The master]

Congrats was it paul that won it or Aaron Lundy or gerard?

I can only imagine how tough the port can get when a gale is blowing.

[IrishGolfer]

Originally Posted by The master

Congrats was it paul that won it or Aaron Lundy or gerard?

I can only imagine how tough the port can get when a gale is blowing.

Thanks.

Paul Cutler won it by a mile. I played with Gerard.

ps Aaron Lundy died 4 years ago. Terrible story, one of the best potential golfers ever to come out of Portstewart. He collapsed after playing a football match. I think he was only 18 when he died.

[VtDivot]

Nice golf IG in those conditions. Our CC was this weekend too... I didn't finish 2nd. I'm looking forward to snow now... Let's just leave it at that

[Bravo]

IG...loved the story. Great narrative...playing like a dog and encounter the horrible conditions and come through.

Isn't it like that sometimes though? This game we love sometimes hands us a sack of sh** and sometimes an unexpected pearl? It is truly the Agony and the Ecstacy...

Last night, one of my daughter's friends had been over all day (U.S. Holiday). Her dad came to pick her up. Came to the door beaming. Told me he shot a career best two under par, after shooting an 81 and an 86 last week.

DaveI: What an outing! Some pretty awesome prizes...I need to get my butt over there for one of these events...you Irish really know how to do it right...

[The master]

Originally Posted by IrishGolfer

Thanks.

Paul Cutler won it by a mile. I played with Gerard.

ps Aaron Lundy died 4 years ago. Terrible story, one of the best potential golfers ever to come out of Portstewart. He collapsed after playing a football match. I think he was only 18 when he died.

Wow that is sad to hear. The only reason I ask was becuase the pro here at bangor use to teach him when he was playing for ulster about 9 years ago, he said he was a great player from portstewart but I didn't realise he died.

Sad storie.

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by IrishGolfer

The tournament was declared non-counting for handicap purposes as not enough of the field completed. But imagine shooting +21 for 36 holes and finishing SECOND in the premier tournament in the club!! It certainly put a smile back on my face, and strengthened my resolve to never give up! And ima gonna get me a nice voucher!!

Irish Golfer is back!!!

Way to hang in and not give up. Maybe you can use your voucher for a Shottalk thong.