Tiger On Fire, Daly Disaster

July 2009

After a routine 71 to begin the Buick Open, Tiger bounced back by firing a 63 in the second round and is now tied for 5th place at ten under par. Tiger opened his round by going birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie, and birdie for the first five holes. This was his best career start and yes, this is ridiculous. This weekend should be a shootout as there are a lot of players in contention.

On the other end of the spectrum, John Daly put on quite a show by shooting an 88 which included a 51 on the front nine. His round included a ten on the first hole, a quadruple bogey, a triple, and two doubles.


"This is different," Daly said. "I can't control my hands like I used to. I have no clue where it's going. I just don't have any feel, and it scares me. This is the most down I've ever been with my golf game. I'm working my butt off, doing everything I need to be doing, and nothing is going right on the golf course." For full details on Daly's tough day and his recent weight loss, click on this article, describing his "toxic state."

For full scoring details, check out the leaderboard.

Shark Week?

July 2009

Shark Week is coming up on Discovery Channel but could this be the week Greg Norman gets his first Major win on the Senior Tour. After two rounds at the U.S. Senior Open, he is in fourth place alone at eight under behind Fred Funk, Joey Sindelar, and amateur Tim Jackson who leads at eleven under par.


Norman held the lead at last weeks Senior British Open heading into the final round before being surpassed by winner Loren Roberts. The Shark has been in this situation many times before and only time will tell if he can get his next Major trophy this week.

Michelle Wie climbs to mediocrity, Tiger Woods says 'keep it down', and world golf attractions

July 2009

Click here to listen.




Michelle Wie is being "considered" as a possible U.S. Solheim Cup golfer but is it in the team's best interest to have her on their side?

After a disappointing bid to gain points at the Evian Masters where she could only muster a tie for 23rd place, Wie appears to be slipping into LPGA mediocrity. It is true that Michelle currently has a decent rookie year under her belt with five top-ten finishes in twelve starts, but she isn't a steady player. Wie is also behind in the total number of points needed for a top contender as this is her first official year on the Tour.

Since Michelle Wie did not play in the U.S. Women's Open, she missed the opportunity to gain double points but since the British Open is at hand, Michelle has another opportunity to catch up to the tenth position held by Natalie Gulbis.

Beth Daniel will have to wait until she sees Wie's performance at the British Open in order to determine whether to make Michelle the Captain's pick although Wie is definitely on Daniel's "radar screen". The problem with Wie is that Daniel wants "someone who's playing really well going into the event."

Even Wie is a bit concerned about her ability to place in the standings this week noting that she has to get her tee shots working and get her groove back." But pray tell, at nineteen, where could her groove have possibly gone?

We cannot even compare her performance in last year's Open as she accepted an invitation to play in the PGA Tour's Reno-Tahoe Open after not even receiving a shrug for a wild-card spot from the Ladies' Golf Union. In 2007, Michelle Wie summed up her British Open experience with an 80 and an M/C.

If I were Beth Daniel, I would consider Pat Hurst for the U.S. Solheim Cup team. Hurst is a professional team player with six wins in her 16-year career under her belt. You definitely need someone who the team respects as a 'mate' and I don't think the ladies really like Michelle all that much.

Of course, even those people with a passing fancy for golf would certainly tune in if Michelle Wie was defending the Cup. What a wonderful sight it would be to see Wie and her teammates, faces painted with the American flag, raising the Solheim Cup in victory!

US_Solheim_Cup_team


This week on golf for Beginners, we discuss Michelle Wie's LPGA status. Tiger Woods' golf tip also proves that a four-iron can get you closer to the pin than a flop-shot. We also let you in on a few great golf attractions from the longest course in the world to a short par-three at Turnberry that shouldn't be missed!


Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes. Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free!

Get to know us on You Tube and MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by ResortsGolfandSpa.com, 866-643-6078.

Photo Credit: © The Sports Beacon

Magner's Qualifying Medal Draw

July 2009
This weekend's event is the Magner's Qualifying Medal. This will be a stableford event with the highest stableford score in the following Categories going forward to the Regional Final to represent the Club as a pairing:

1. Highest Stableford score for a player with Handicap 12 or less.
2. Highest Stableford Score for a player with a Handicap of 13 or more.

The draw is as follows:

Early Worms

0800 J McBain & M Scott
0807 I Butchart & G Hunter
0815 J Grant, M Melville & C Davidson
0822 C Scrimgeour, W McGregor & R Milligan
0830 C Fairweather, S Schofield & K Taylor
0837 T Bennet, A Ramsay & J Wood
0845 A Downs, R Miller & Mike Bell
0852 B Simpson, I McGowan & M O'Toole
0900 I Stewart, G Martin (Jnr) & J Ireland
0907 Matt Bell, G Bruce & A Jones
0915 S Bolderson, D McDonald & P Simpson
0922 L Duncan, D Gordon & A Docherty

Late Risers

1200 F Martin & E Ritchie
1207 I Scott & E Gray
1215 C McKenna, J Torrie & R Michie
1222 D Gillespie, D Thomson & A Hughes
1230 D Robinson, C McDonald & A Easton (Jnr)
1237 R Tinker (Jnr), F Barber & D Grant
1245 J Scott, M Truswell & S Tosh

Best of luck to all concerned.

Away Scores

July 2009
All members are reminded that they are responsible for providing the Handicap Secretary with a record of their scores when playing in competitions away from Strathmore, whether that be copies of their scorecard, or completion of an away score slip. Away score slips are located in the changing room.

Kinpurnie Cup

July 2009
The draw for the re-scheduled Kinpurnie Cup, taking place on Sunday 2nd August will take place on the day of the competition.

Tiger Criticized for Antics

July 2009

In the past two weeks after missing the cut at the British, Tiger Woods has been openly criticized throughout the sports media for his actions after bad shots. Apparently, some people feel Tiger needs to be more of a role model for kids by not cursing or "throwing clubs" after poor shots.

First of all, has anyone ever seen Tiger "throw" a club. I've seen him toss the club aside, hit it against his bag, and slam it in to the ground. Many players on the tour do the exact same thing but obviously its not made to be a big deal when its not Tiger. I've seen many normal golfers "throw" a club, and the club ends up in a lake or stuck in a tree.

My personal opinion is that people need to get a serious grip when they suggest Tiger is not being a good role model. I would say that his overall effect on the world, especially with kids, has been overwhelming positive. Yes, it is true, he curses when he hits bad shots, and regardless of what parents think, your kid is going to curse whether they see Tiger curse or not.


As far as being a role model, lets take a look around the sports world. Michael Vick is killing dogs, Big Ben is being accused of rape, Pacman Jones is making it rain and gets arrested time after time. Many athletes in all sports have been found guilty of taking steroids. Countless athletes have committed adultery. Many athletes are involved with drugs and guns. Tiger's name has never been involved in any of this nonsense.

People need to understand that when Tiger is playing golf, he is 100% focused on the task at hand, and is concentrating in the moment. When he hits a bad shot, he is immediately reacting and getting frustration out. The people criticizing Tiger must be "perfect" and never curse, get mad, or frustrated while at work. Just because he is the #1 player of all time doesn't mean he is some robot that will never show emotion.

Anyway, there has been lots written about this issue and here are some examples that can be found at Golf Girls Diary, Wie Under Par, Devil Ball Golf, and Rick Reilly's article for Espn.

Did Tom Watson do enough to win the British Open and Camilo Villegas' backhand move

July 2009

Click here to listen.



When asked about Tom Watson's chances of raising the Claret Jug at the 2009 British Open, Jack Nicklaus replied, "It is going to take constant concentration and discipline." The Golden Bear asserted, "whether or not Tom plays well tomorrow, whether or not he wins, it doesn't make a difference."

After watching Watson's head held high in spite of the occasional tear being wiped away by the fifty-nine year old legend, one can truly say that Nicklaus could not be further from the truth.

Cink and Watson look admirably at the Claret Jug after the 2009 British Open


With an invitation to play St. Andrews in 2010, Tom will be sixty. This was his swan song. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Will Watson will be in the same condition and if so, will he even want to play in another Open? Tom mentioned that he isn't anxious to play in another Masters because he doesn't want to be the "memorial" player in the field, applauded by the crowd as the old guy on the tee. Can you blame him?

Although in five events on the Champions Tour, Watson has made every cut with one top-ten to his credit, the golfers playing in those events are also coming off of the PGA Tour at fifty, making it more of a struggle for Tom to stay competitive. The money isn't that great either, compared to the PGA Tour. Even though Watson is currently ranked in 47th place, his total 2009 earnings are a mere $183,000 to date. Ernie Els, who ranks 47th on the PGA Tour after playing in thirteen events has over $1 million. With his $700k second place winnings, Watson has been able to close the gap but perhaps this is a good time to write another book?

Hats off to Stewart Cink who came through with clutch play. As for Tiger Woods, he could still learn a few things about staying even from Tom Watson, whose gentlemanly demeanor totally collided with the thuds heard from Woods' clubhead as Tiger slowly but steadily fell to pieces.

Golf for Beginners also discusses Camilo Villegas' easy backhand move for straight contact.

Did you know that Amsterdam Hotels are just 221 miles away from London? After the British Open, take a whirlwind tour of the surrounding areas!


Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!

Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes. Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free!

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This podcast is supported by GolfCalifornia.com, 1-866-351-1688.

Photo Credit: © PGA.com/Dennis/Getty Images

George Black Memorial Trophy

July 2009
Saturday saw the George Black Trophy played in glorious conditions, and it appears that when the suns out, not many concentrate on the golf, preferring to focus on catching some rays and the banter rather than the golf, with only 7 scores under Nett Par. And so to the results

CSS: 71

1st. S Thomson - Nett 67
2nd. J McBain - Nett 68
3rd. A Easton (Jnr) - 70
4th. C McKenna - Nett 71

2's

Only 4 2's this week, as below:

4th. L Bushby
6th, M Scott, I Butchart & G Martin (Jnr)

Handicaps

Reductions

The following players receive playing handicap reductions as a result of this competition:

S Thomson - New Playing Handicap - 4
J McBain - - New Playing Handicap - 16

Up- Revisions:

The following players receive a playing handicap up-revision as a result of this competition:

M Scott - New Playing Handcap - 5
L Duncan - New Playing Handicap - 8
G Haynes - New Playing Handicap - 15
A Downs - New Playing Handicap - 16
F Martin - New Playing Handicap - 18

Next weekend event is the Magners Qualifying Medal next Saturday. Entry sheet is in the clubhouse.

George Black Memorial Trophy

July 2009
The above competition takes place on Saturday, the draw for which is below. Players are to ensure that the correct handicap is entered on their cards, they have signed in correctly, and that payment has been made prior to taking to the tee.

How Early?

0800 L Duncan & L Bushby
0807 P Simpson, Matt Bell & I McGowan
0815 GN Hunter, J MacBain & M Scott
0822 A Ramsay, Mike Bell & A Downs
0830 K MacLeod, A Jones & S Bolderson
0837 S Schofield, B Simpson & C Fairweather
0845 C Davidson, D McDonald & B McGowan
0852 M Grieve, I Clark & P Crockart

Really Late Today!

1300 A Aird, S Thomson & I Butchart
1307 F Martin, D Thomson & I Scott
1315 M Truswell, C McKenna & WD Robb
1322 F Barber, D Henvey & D Robinson
1330 J Torrie, J Scott & N Dyce
1337 G Martin (Jnr), D Gillespie & DM Alexander
1345 J Wood, R Michie & F Moran
1352 C McDonald, A Easton (Jnr) & S Tosh
1400 A Hughes, W McGregor & G Haynes
1407 D Gordon, H McKelvie & E Ritchie

Good luck to all.

The Ultimate Job in Golf

July 2009

Tired of your day job? Who's not?

Well, here is your chance at a dream job in golf. Yourgolftravel.com is looking to help someone escape the rat race for a year by offering a chance to travel the world playing and reviewing golf courses in desirable places.

To apply for the ultimate job in golf, candidates will be required to send a 500-1000 word article detailing their best golf holiday and why they are the best candidate for the job. The top 18 candidates will then do battle over 18 holes in a scratch tournament to find out who is the winner of the ultimate job in golf. For more information visit the ultimate job in golf or to apply email greatgolfjob@yourgolftravel.com.

The successful candidate will be chosen by means of a golf tournament and entrants must have a handicap of less than 14. “It’s a genuine offer, with a competitive salary,” Ross Marshall, one of the founders, tells me. “A lot of my friends have been made redundant and are struggling to find jobs. We’re only offering the job to people made redundant in the last 12 months. A corporate background would be useful, but we’re not restricting it.” This article from the Times Online offers more information.

I wish everyone luck in getting this job. Actually, not too much luck, because I will be applying immediately.

Ailsa Golf Course at Turnberry Resort, a British Open legend

July 2009
The 2009 British Open is now in the books and golfers are looking forward to the PGA Championship, which is hurried along in order to make more room in the schedule to accomodate the $10 million Fed Ex Cup.

The season is going by way too fast for this lover of the sport! I cannot watch four days of phenomenal golf without ever dreaming about what it would be like to visit Turnberry Resort, and play golf on the revered Ailsa Course (pronounced "ale-sa") where Tom Watson nearly made history for the sixth time in his career! I'm sure though, that my score would not reflect my true potential!

Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson's 1977 "Duel in the Sun" brought Ailsa to public view as a golfing destination but it has been the stuff of legends way before that! Read Robert Burns' poem, Tam O'Shanter, and you will begin to immerse yourself in the folklore that surrounded Scotland as early as 1790.

The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last;
The rattling showers rose on the blast;
The speedy gleams the darkness swallow'd;
Loud, deep, and lang, the thunder bellow'd:
That night, a child might understand,
The deil had business on his hand.


Turnberry Resort is a blend of history and golf where you can stare at the sea for hours, play golf at either of two of the leading golf courses in the world and check out the surrounding sights, from Bruce's Castle to Ailsa Craig. But, before you think that heading there is like taking a trip through the past, be aware that Scotland is very much a thriving metropolis, boasting high end retail shops, galleries and museums.

If I'm considering ever flying to Scotland, my main focus will be on the golf and to enjoy what Turnberry has to offer. Carry your sticks and take a walk along with me as I shed a few fast facts about Turnberry Golf Club and the Ailsa Course.

The Ailsa Course and Turnberry Resort sit on 800 acres of beautifully manicured greenery with equally unparalleled vistas of the Irish Sea.

The Ailsa Course was ranked as Britain's number one golf course and the first purposely-planed golfing resort in Britain. As recently as July 15, 2009, Ailsa at Turnberry was ranked the number-one golf course on Scotland's Top 100 list!

Ailsa Craig, also known as "Paddy's Milestone", is two miles in circumference and rises to 1,110 feet. The Craig is actually a volcanic island which was once a haven for Roman Catholics during the 15th century Scottish Reformation.

The lighthouse, was commissioned in 1873 and is the oldest man-made structure on the premises.

Turnberry almost met its demise during the first two World Wars as it was used as a landing strip by the Royal Flying Corps. Can you believe that those verdant fairways were utilized to protect and defend? The acreage also became a base for planes to protect shipping convoys and the golf course we see today is barely reminiscent of its former glory, although Philip Mackenzie Ross did a fine job recreating the Ailsa Course from scratch.

This was Tiger Woods' first year playing at Turnberry and, only for the second time in a major championship as a professional golfer, missed the cut. Tiger admitted that the course was "tough", further noting that "It's a lot more difficult than people are letting on."

Another links course, the Kintyre Course, sits along the shoreline as well, and is meant to round-off Colin Montgomerie's Links Golf Academy, also on the premises. The Academy uses the nine-hole Arran course to teach Montgomerie's philosophy, "You want to get around a golf course in as few shots as possible, and that’s what we at the Academy believe we can teach you." Ah, just like Colin; always thinking positive!

I am going to think positively as well, hoping that one of my future vacations include a visit to this enchanting resort, but, I think I'll skip the Haggis!

The Ladies' British Open Amateur as well as the Scottish Ladies' Amateur were played here as early as 1912. I wonder how the winners, Miss G. Ravenscroft and Miss C. Leitch would describe Turnberry today, as they walked Ailsa?

For further reading check out the Travel Guide Turnberry and look for London Hotels here.

Gent's Match v King James VI

July 2009
Special request from Eric!

This Sunday see a Gent's match against King James VI Golf Club. Any interested players should annotate their name on the team sheet in the changing room.

LPGA joins the Navy, Bivens walks the plank.

July 2009

Click here to listen.




After LPGA golfers signed a petition rallying for the resignation of Carolyn Bivens with a show of "no confidence", the Tour is now searching for a permanent replacement.

Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis and Morgan Pressel were among fifteen golfers concerned about issues facing the LPGA including a loss of seven events since 2007. The latest bailout of the Kapalua Classic was probably the nail in the coffin for Bivens. Morgan Pressel was the winner of the inaugural event and she happens to be the Tour Pro there as well.

What a blow for Carolyn Bivens, the first female commissioner in the LPGA's 55-year history!

Early in her career with the Tour, Bivens can be credited with establishing guidelines for the protection of players' rights and enhancing the image of the LPGA as young and vital. Remember how viewers USED to see the LPGA?

Retired Navy Rear Admiral Marsha Evans has been appointed as the interim commander of the LPGA. With experience serving as CEO with the Red Cross during Hurricane Katrina to her credit, the Admiral may go down with the sinking ship.

Evans resigned from her position with the disaster-relief group taking with her $780,000 in severence pay. Red Cross spokesman Charles Connor noted, "concerns about her management approach and coordination and communication with the board," as reasons for her ousting.

Annika Sorenstam has been appointed as an advisor to the LPGA Board but it might be a better idea if she was elected as the new Commissioner. Sorenstam is popular with both player and venue, well-versed on how to run a business and promises "to ensure that the LPGA remains the pre-eminent women’s sports association in the world."


The future of the LPGA?



This week on Golf for Beginners, we also discuss Phil Mickelson's "forward press" drill from his new DVD set, "DVD Set "Phil Mickelson Secrets of the Short Game."



Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!

Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

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This podcast is supported by ResortsGolfandSpa.com, 866-643-6078.

Photo Credit: © WashingtonFlyer.com, World Prout Assembly

July Medal Results

July 2009
Results for the July Monthly Medal are as follows:

CSS: 71

Gold:

1st. S Thomson - Nett 65
2nd. N Dyce - Nett 69
3rd. L Bushby - Nett 69

Silver:

1st. R Milligan - Nett 66
2nd. S Schofield - Nett 71
3rd. E Ritchie - Nett 73

Bronze:

1st. E Gray - Nett 71
2nd. D Thomson - Nett 75
3rd. J Torrie - Nett 76

Sweep Result

1st. S Thomson
2nd. R Milligan
3rd. E Gray

Congratulations all.

2's

A total of 9 x "2s were recorded during this competition, which is the highest so far this season. They were as follows:

4th. D Gillespie
6th. Matt Bell, K Taylor, A Easton (Jnr), L Bushby, N Dyce & E Ritchie
13th. G Martin (Jnr)
17th. W McGregor

Great Stuff fellas

Handicaps

Reductions

The following player receives a handicap reduction as a result of this competition:

R Milligan - New Playing Handicap - 11

Up Revisions

The following players receive a handicap up-revision as a result of this competition:

R Tinker - New Playing Handicap - 9
I Scott - New Playing Handicap - 9

Cink Wins Open over Watson

July 2009


In what could have been one of the biggest stories in sports history, Stewart Cink put an end to Tom Watson's stunning run by winning the Open Championship in a playoff. Cink made a great birdie at eighteen in regulation to post two under par and become the leader in the clubhouse, and then went on to defeat Watson by playing the four hole playoff in two under par.

Cink is a deserving champion, but his victory will be overshadowed by the great play of 59 year old Tom Watson, who going into the eighteenth hole in regulation was one par away from making history. Watson hit a perfect drive, and his second shot was directly at the pin but went too far and ended up in a difficult location for getting up and down. His first putt went eight feet past the hole and he missed the par putt for the victory. He would have become the oldest major champion of all time and won the British Open for a record tying sixth championship.


I'm sure this was a difficult tournament to watch for many people rooting so hard for Watson to pull it out. I could barely watch the last few holes and it was completely deflating when he bogeyed the last. Regardless, Watson is an all time great champion and earned even more respect all around the world with his performance at the Open. He will be playing next week at the Senior Open at Sunningdale and it will be interesting to see whether he has anything left after such a strenuous week.

Time to Make History

July 2009
After three rounds at the Open Championship, Tom Watson leads by one stroke over Matthew Goggin and Ross Fisher. Tomorrow Watson could make history by becoming the oldest major champion ever at age 59. With a win, he would also tie Harry Vardon for most total British Open wins with six.

We saw a similiar situation last year with Greg Norman, age 53, who had a chance to win before fading with a final round 77 and finishing third. Hopefully Watson will get off to a good start tomorrow and handle all the pressure. He will have a lot of people rooting for him to make history. For the full leaderboard and Sunday tee times, click here.

Medal Draw Amendment

July 2009
Due to a late withdrawal, all competitors are to note the amended tee-times in the Draw post.

First Mrs. Doubtfire, Now a "Drama Queen"

July 2009
In the past, Colin Montgomerie has been compared to Mrs. Doubtfire. Now, according to Sandy Lyle, Monty has been acting like a drama queen. For full details on this story, click here.

Turn Back the Clock

July 2009
Tom Watson, age 59, shot a bogey free round of 65 today at Turnberry and is tied for second place in the British Open behind Miguel A. Jimenez. Watson has won five British Opens, including the 1977 Championship also held at Turnberry, where he battled Jack Nicklaus in the famous Duel in the Sun.

Watson has also won three Senior British Opens and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988. A slew of stars are chasing him on the leader board and its definitely a little early for everyone to get too excited, however, he is one of the greatest links players of all time. He could make history as the oldest major champion ever and it will be great to see him stay in contention through the weekend.

July Monthly Medal

July 2009
This weekend sees this months medal, the draw for which is below. All competitors are reminded that they must ensure they have entered the correct handicap on their scorecard. The handicap list is updated twice weekly, please ensure you check before playing.

Early Doors

0800 A Easton (Jnr), M Scott & M Bell
0807 L Bushby, I Butchart & K Taylor
0815 B McGowan, S Robertson & R Milligan
0822 B Jackson, C Davidson & J Grant
0830 B Simpson, A Downs & J Wood
0837 M Melville, H McKelvie & I McGowan
0845 S Schofield, G Hunter & P Simpson
0852 A Jones, J Ireland & C Petrie
0900 D McDonald, C McDonald & D Findlay

Late Openers

1200 N Dyce, S Thomson & C McKenna
1207 D Gillespie, J Scott & G Martin (Jnr)
1215 R Tinker (Jnr), I Scott & A Aird
1222 R Michie, D Grant & E Ritchie
1230 G Haynes, W McGregor & DM Alexander
1237 M Truswell, F Moran & F Martin
1245 A Hughes, D Thomson & F Barber
1252 E Gray, J Torrie & D Gordon

Best of luck to all.

J Scott (Printers) Trophy Draw -Sunday 19th July

July 2009
11.45 I. BUTCHART & D. BUTCHART - M. TINKER & D. TINKER
11.52 J. SCOTT & S. SCOTT - D. DOUGLAS & J. GRIFFITHS
12.00 D. NORMAN & A. GREWAR - P. TINKER & C. TINKER
12.07 G. HAYNES & L. HAYNES - M. MELVILLE & J. GROOM
12.15 D. GORDON & G. ALLARDICE - D. DAWSON & H. DAWSON
12.22 L. BUSHBY & S. BUSHBY - B. JACKSON & E. RALSTON
12.30 F. MORAN & J. MORAN - F. MORAN (Jnr) & H. ROBB (Jnr)
12.37 D. GILLESPIE & J. GOODFELLOW - C. McDONALD & S. FENNER
12.45 D. GRANT & K. FINLAY - R. MILLIGAN & C McNAB
12. 52 E. GRAY & R. FRASER - C. BRAND & E. LOW
13.00 C. DAVIDSON & R. McGEOGHEGAN - G. BULLOCK & M. YOUNG

THERE IS A SPECIAL 2 COURSE MENU FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO STAY AFTERWARDS

Optimize your Golf Website Now!

July 2009
In addition to producing a weekly golf podcast and writing about golf, I represent National Positions, the leader in Search Engine Optimization or SEO. I would like to tell you about our company, which has just been recognized and endorsed as an Authorized GOOGLE Consultant for Website Optimization.





We assist both small and large companies gain a stronger internet presence and bring your website over to the left side or "free listings" of Google, MSN and Yahoo, dramatically increasing your website's traffic and drastically reducing your pay-per-click budget.

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SEO or Search Engine Optimization, means building a website so that it will be discovered by search engines. It also means designing each page in such a way that the site's content will be thoroughly mapped and indexed to keywords that potential customers employ when seeking your products or services. Organic SEO engagements with National Positions are based on key objectives using all appropriate techniques available to professional search engine marketers. National Positions' organic search engine optimization methodology is designed to identify those steps necessary to move quickly from planning stages through implementation in order to achieve tangible benefits in as short a time-frame as possible.



Search Engine Optimization Methodology



The 4 Steps to an Effective SEO Campaign




1. Keyword Selection

While a lot of people think they know what keywords get typed in more than others, they don't. I have been wrong myself, and that's why a good SEO will let the search engines produce the numbers when it comes to how many people type in any keyword.

When you have a list of keywords that you want to rank high for, search each one of them on Google to find and record the amount of search results for each keyword.

Once you have these figures you can get an idea of how much work is going to have to be on the first page of all the search engines. Here's how to do it:

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When you have completed selecting your top choice keywords, we run a baseline rank report, you should do the same whether you pay an SEO or not.



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After careful selection of relevant keyword and keyword phrases, National Positions constructs search engine friendly HTML code, including page unique Titles, META Descriptions, ALT Tags, and Navigation and Link Structures which include:

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One of the most important aspects of Search Engine optimization is to have the appropriate content that the search engines require for a top ranking. National Positions has a team of Search Engine copywriters, experts in writing content that will generate top rankings. Our services include:

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In addition, National Positions will closely examine web page body content, and will utilize its copywriting team to create "smart" website copy that will appeal both to the your consumer and the search engines.


The Most Important Step In SEO:
Link Popularity and Traffic




4. Link Popularity and Link Networking

Internal Linking


Many times company's internal website networks make up some of the best link acquisition potential. With your help, National Positions will help outline various link opportunities, which could greatly increase the overall rankings of your website.

Partner Linking
Web partners, service providers, yours, and other web properties all have the ability to link to you. National Positions will work with you to determine which sites these are, and will help make contact with these firms through either phone or email.

Post Implementation Reporting Rankings
Once a portion of National Position's suggestions have been implemented on your site we will begin the reporting process. As ranking reports begin they will continue to run on a bi-monthly basis from the day of the month when the process began.


SEO Maintenance

The Ongoing Process of Keeping Ahead of your Competition


5. SEO Maintenance

When Google became the number one website in the world, did they stop there? No.

When anything that has never been done before has been done, doesn't it happen again after that first time? Most of the time. When you reach the top of the search engines for your keywords, you are sure to have competitors picking their brains to figure out how you beat them and get their spot back... Check out how we maintain our clients search engine rankings...

Monitor search engine rankings
There will be many fluctuations in your search engine rankings. This may be due to search engines changing their ranking formulas, or competitors trying to get ahead of you. More sites are added to the web each day so you need to monitor your search engine rankings to be competitive.

Traffic Tracking
It's essential to know where most of your traffic is coming from so you can make adjustments to your marketing strategies. For example if most of your traffic is coming from one particular page, you may want to place your best products on that page to get more sales. We analyze your site statistics to check how much traffic you are receiving, where is it coming from and what keywords are being used to find your site.


Keyword research

Web sites are being added to the web every day, therefore keywords that once got high rankings may no longer work. You may have high search engine positions for your most important keyword phrases but if you are not receiving any traffic from those phrases, you will need to evaluate the keywords that you have used. Attaining a number 1 ranking for keywords that no one will search for, will not increase your traffic.

Researching new keywords is essential to maintain good rankings. We analyze the current keywords used on your site and research and add new ones. Once the keywords have been chosen, the content needs to be updated to reflect these changes. This may include subtle changes to the meta tags, page titles and text headings; or it could involve adding additional sections to the site, rewriting content and reorganizing the web site's structure.

Competitive analysis - an integral part of search engine optimization is determining what keywords your competitors are using. We analyze where your competitors are currently ranked for the same keywords you are using for your web pages. We also check how many competitors you have for each of the major search engines. National Positions also analyzes the link popularity of your competitors to determine how many incoming links they have and the quality of these links.


Adding fresh content
- web sites that continuously update and/or expand their content, usually experience higher rankings than stagnant web sites. New keywords should first be researched before adding new content. This will help boost your traffic and rankings because visitors will have more ways to land on your site based on the keywords they entered in the search engines. One great way to achieve this is to have National Positions add new articles to your site on a regular basis.

Web copy analysis - getting a lot of traffic to your site does not guarantee sales. It primarily depends on the effectiveness of your web copy. To convert visitors into sales, National Positions analyzes how your web copy is structured on the page and we suggest verbiage that sells.


Boost link popularity
- this refers to the amount of other quality web sites that have links pointing back to yours. The more quality links there are, the better you will rank on the major search engines. We extensively research other sites related to yours and add or exchange links with them.


National Positions caters to the needs of a wide range of businesses, whether they are strictly online or "brick and mortar" and can quickly and effectively create your corporate identity.

We are on the cutting edge of technology with the ability to optimize your website for mobile phone technology as well!


Call me for a free analytical look at your website: 1-914-595-4949

ssolomon@nationalpositions.com

Kinpurnie Cup

July 2009
New date for the above event is the 2nd August.

Could Tiger Woods' win at ATT foretell problems at the British Open?

July 2009

Click here to listen.




Tiger Woods has made it a habit to win two weeks before a major tournament this season. He won Palmer's, Nicklaus' and his own event in this fashion and, because of this, fans are waiting to see if this streak will cause him to falter during the third major of the year.

Is it possible that Tiger Woods could fall prey to the "middle of the pack" at the British Open?

Prior to the 2009 Masters, Angel Cabrera's best finish this year was a tie for thirteenth at the Northern Trust Open. He was cut from the Arnold Palmer Invitational where Tiger Woods solidly annihilated the competition. Cabrera's stats are also not that impressive: he currently ranks 187th in driving accuracy and only 140th in greens-in-regulation. It is only because of his major win that Cabrera now ranks twentieth in money leaders on the PGA Tour.

Golf afficionados can now say that they have heard of Lucas Glover but, prior to a strong 2009 season and a win at the U.S. Open, Glover had only two top tens in 2008. Taking more of an interest in his game has improved his stats dramatically and only now is the name Glover synonymous with a piece of history.

Anthony Kim learned a valuable lesson as to how to challenge the Tiger at the ATT but can he employ his method at the British Open? "I learned that if you have a birdie putt, you better make it," Kim said. "Tiger obviously is a proven winner for a reason and he makes the putts when you have to do it." Shining your belt buckle in Woods' line of sight may also help, AK.

Still, this is a true "Open" in every sense of the word. "Any certified professional or amateur with a scratch handicap" can qualify for the event which means even the least obvious contestants have an opportunity to shine.

Woods is going to be difficult to beat at the British Open and has already amassed three Claret Jugs during his career. He will be hunting for both his 15th major win in Scotland as well as coming closer to matching Nicklaus' record. Although Tiger has never played Turnberry, he is practicing to have his game "dialed in", feeling confident "with my swing, short putting, everything, then start getting the feel for how to play over there."

This week on the Golf for Beginners podcast, former top LPGA golfer Annika Sorenstam provides her keys to choosing the right golf club. We also offer a few new product reviews and update you to the effectiveness of our previous tests.


Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!

Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

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Photo Credit: © OpenGolf.com/Nike

President's Day Draw - 11th July

July 2009
Saturday 11th July sees the Club's Annual President's Day. Please note the format for the Competition.

Format.

0930 Shotgun Start, please take note of which tee you are on, and be there in time for the hooter!

Stroke Play, Full Handicaps, Gent's and Male Juniors off the Whites, Ladies and Female Juniors off the Reds.

Seemples!

Allocated Tees:

1. S Bushby, L Bushby, T McGeoghan & L Duncan
2. M Aird, G Hunter, A Hughes & D Gordon
3. E Ralston, M Melville, R Tinker & F Barber
4. C Tinker, C Gray, B Jackson & D Thomson
5. M Hunter, FJ Moran, R Michie & P Tinker
5. J Moran, H Robb, I Butchart & M Scott
6. M Young, B Bannerman, K Macleod & C McKenna
7. J Groom, G Hunter, H McKelvie & C Fairweather
8. S Peacock, B McGowan, C Thoms & A Aird
9. G Gray, R Peacock, S Bolderson & J Scott
10. J Taylor, A Bushby, C Davidson & A Easton
11. J Goodfellow, R Miller, J Grant & Mike Bell
12. E Aird, E Gray, P Crockart & D Robb
12. D Butchart, Josh McKenna, C Scrimgeour & D Gillespie
13. K Findlay, J Wood, I Clark & A Ross
14. S Fenner, Matt Bell, E Ritchie & F Moran
15. S Scott, DM Alexander, G Martin & S Schofield
16. C Sturgis, D Dawson, F Martin & DJ Alexander
17. C McNab, M Trusswell, D Findlay & D Norman
18. R Fraser, John McKenna, B Groom & C McDonald

There you have it folks, hopefully the forecasters get it wrong and the sun shines!

Inside Sport

July 2009
In the run up to the Open, the BBC broadcast an interview with the Open Champion, Padraig Harrington. Paddy discusses his career and his expectations. The interview is contained in the link entitled Paddy, on the left hand side of the page.

Golf In Scotland

July 2009

Of all the places in the world, traveling to play golf in Scotland would have to be the top destination on the list due to the great history, the variety and abundance of links style courses, as well as the chance to play several of the most famous courses in the world.
Golf began in Scotland in the 15th century, is considered the home of golf, and the place where the modern game was developed. The R & A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club) is the governing body for the game, except in the U.S. and Mexico. It is located at St. Andrews (pictured below), one of the most famous golf courses in the entire world.
Several famous Scotsmen are in the World Golf Hall of Fame, including Old Tom Morris, Young Tom Morris, Willie Anderson, Tommy Armour, James Braid, Allistair Mackenzie, Dorothy Campbell, Donald Ross, Willie Park, and Allan Robertson. Both Old and Young Tom Morris (pictured below) are considered to be pioneers of golf and won four British Opens a piece.



There are many famous golf courses in Scotland, such as Carnoustie, Royal Troon, Prestwick, Muirfield, as well as the site of this year's British Open, Turnberry. Former British Open Winners at Turnberry include Tom Watson (1977), Greg Norman (1986), and Nick Price (1994). This year, Padraig Harrington seeks to win his third consecutive Claret Jug, the prized trophy the champion receives.

For many golfers, Scotland is at the top of the list for a golf vacation. With over 550 golf courses in a relatively small area, Scotland provides many great choices. Playing in Scotland would provide a great new experience for several reasons. First of all, the links style courses differ greatly from typical U.S. courses. A player would need to be prepared to hit a lot more low bump and run shots instead of high pitch shots. Links style courses call for a lot more creativity and shot making than typical courses in America.




These courses will have pot bunkers (pictured above) all over them, which usually causes a player to hit out sideways instead of going at their intended target. These courses are known for very deep rough and gorse bushes that can swallow up wayward shots. The biggest difference however, could be the weather. Scotland is known for a huge variance in weather conditions. One moment it could be calm and sunny, and the next you could have a storm come through bringing windy, rainy, and cooler conditions.

All in all, Scotland seems like a golfer's paradise. With the combination of the history, the variety of courses, the possible weather conditions, and the chance to play on several famous courses where history has been made, a trip to Scotland seems to be the ultimate golf destination.

EGM

July 2009
A reminder from the Captain that all members are encouraged to attend the EGM taking place this Friday to discuss the reviewed and revised Club Constitution, with motioned amendments. This document will form the basis for how the Club operates in the future, and the EGM is the members final opportunity to raise any concerns before it is signed off. It is therefore vitally important that as many of the membership as possible are present in order to ratify it's contents.

Re-Scheduled May Medal

July 2009
After the excitement of Finals Day, it was back to business on Sunday 5th July, as the May Medal, cancelled earlier in the season, was run. A good sized field was met initially with great weather, then not so good, then great again, so just another typical weekend at Strathmore for the weather!

Results of the Competition are as follows:

CSS: 71

Gold Medal

1st. S Thomson - Nett 69
2nd. I Scott - Nett 71
3rd. I Butchart - Nett 72

Silver Medal

1st. A Aird - Nett 68
2nd. J Wood - Nett 71
3rd. E Ritchie - Nett 72

Bronze Medal

1st. J McCowan (Jnr) - Nett 70
2nd. T Bennet - Nett 71
3rd. A Jones - Nett 72

Sweep Monies

Sweep Money placings are as follows:

1st. A Aird
2nd. S Thomson
3rd. T Bennet

Handicaps

Reductions

The following players receive Handicap Reducations as a result of this competition:

A Aird - New Playing Handicap - 10
J Wood - New Playing Handicap - 15
A Jones - New PLaying Handicap - 21
J McCowan (Jnr) - New Playing Handicap - 21

Up-Revisions

The following players suffer handicap up-revisions as a result of this competition:

C McKenna - New Playing Handicap - 6
B McGowan - New Playing Handicap - 10
D Gordon - New Playing Handicap - 13

2's

A plethora of 2's this weekend saw the following 2's recorded:

4th - J Wood & E Ritchie
6th - I Scott & A Ramsay
13th - R Michie & C Brand

Finals Day

July 2009
Saturday 4th July saw the Club host it's annual Finals day, with the Junior Handicap Final, the Ladies and Gents Handicap Finals and naturally, the Ladies and Gents Championship Finals. Starting the whole day off, of course, was the Finals Day Texas Scramble hosted by the Mixed Section. And, what a stunningly good day it was day, with some excellent golf all round and glorious weather as well.

From the Gent's perspective, Vice Captain Charlie Davidson beat Colin Fairweather on the 15th to take the Tankard Trophy, whilst Scott Robertson defeated Allan Easton on the first extra hole in what was an enthralling much which swung from one player to another. Congratulations to our winners, and to all our finalists, for standard of golf on show. As usual, a few happy snaps of our Finalists.

Top 5 Courses (as at July 09)

July 2009
Top 5 Tasmanian Courses I've played
(in order ...)

1. Barnbougle Dunes
2. Ulverstone (Allison) Golf Club
3. Launceston Golf Club
4. Bothwell (Ratho) Golf Club (for historical reasons)
5. Royal Hobart Golf Club

Top 5 Tasmanian Courses I've reviewed (so far)
(in order ...)

1. Barnbougle Dunes
2. Claremont Golf Club
3. New Town Bay Golf Club
4. Bagdad Community Golf Course (par 27? 27!!!)
5. Fairway Lodge at Nubeena (it's closed - how good can it be?)

OK, so I've only reviewed 5 courses so they all get a go.
But that will change over time!

More Top 5's to follow,
Patto

Tiger Wins AT & T

July 2009
Tiger Woods won for the 68th time on the PGA tour at the AT & T National today as he held off Hunter Mahan and Anthony Kim. The tournament host shot a three under par 67 which included a key birdie on the 16th hole giving him a one stroke lead, which he did not relinquish.

With the win, Tiger:

  • vaults into first place on the PGA tour money list
  • takes the lead in the FedEx Cup Standings
  • closes in on Jack Nicklaus for second place on the all time win list
Sam Snead - 82
Jack Nicklaus - 73
Tiger Woods - 68
Ben Hogan - 64
Arnold Palmer - 62
  • wins for the third time this year, most on tour
  • wins his last tournament heading into a major (British) for the third time this year
  • According to Jim Nantz, Tiger will be donating his entire victory check to the Tiger Woods Foundation
For Tiger's post round interview transcript, click here.

Tiger loses twice in NY, the LPGA needs Woods versus Wie and handy golf rules to keep in your bag.

July 2009

Click here to listen.




Tiger Woods was defeated at Bethpage Black not once but twice in one month! The first loss came at the 2009 U.S. Open where Woods' putter let him down. Lucas Glover, a relative "apprentice" on the PGA Tour, defeated the top brass there and Tiger probably needed to convince himself that it was the man, not the course, that kicked his butt.

Seeking out a "rematch" of sorts, Woods took on SNL comedian Jimmy Fallon where it seemed certain that Tiger would triumph and gain bragging rights on the 'Black'. But this match did not 'officially' take place on the golf course. Instead, it was through the new Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 that the number-one golfer in the world attempted to 'raise' the coveted trophy.



In a meeting arranged by EA Sports, Woods and Jimmy Fallon teed off in Times Square, Tiger wearing his Sunday red shirt, black pants ensemble and Fallon sporting typical publinks trademark of jeans and polo shirt.

Unfortunately the game was cut short. Woods did something that we, his truest of fans, would sadly never believe possible; he conceded after the third hole mentioning, "I just got killed at my own game."

Tiger is now not the only famous Woods out on the golf course. Cheyenne Woods, the niece, was given an exemption at the Wegman's and although she missed the cut, it was her first foray into the world of professional golf. Michelle Wie might have come in tied for tenth place, but all eyes will surely be following Cheyenne in the future to see if she has the eye of the Tiger.

A mere twelve strokes separated Woods and Wie this past weekend after the first two rounds of competition. Although Cheyenne did not mention Wie by name she did have this to say, "I'm going to use this tournament to see how I handle large galleries and how I stack up against the best women golfers in the world."

'Uncle Tiger' and Cheyenne were both students of Earl Woods, with similarities that propelled Tiger into greatness. Watching and waiting with bated breath, the world wonders if Cheyenne will be the next superstar to shine the spotlight brightly onto the ladies tour.

As far as who is considered the "hotter golfer" in the areas of both athletics and looks, Fannation.com "Throwdown" fans are undecided but I'm sure, as soon as Cheyenne Woods starts making strides in golf, she will certainly be a force to be reckoned with in the LPGA.

Golf for Beginners show also interprets which training aids can be used during a round and how you can make a golfer replay his shot with the use of Rule 10-1.



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Photo Credit: © FoxSports.com

Early Fireworks at AT & T

July 2009

Anthony Kim shot a course record 62 at the first round of the AT & T National which included eight birdies and no bogeys. Kim is the defending champion, and now seeks his third victory on the PGA Tour. Kim is capable of going very low and making a lot of birdies, which he proved at the Masters earlier this year when he set a record by making 11 birdies in one round.



He will have to fend off tournament host Tiger Woods, who shot a first round 64 and trails Kim by two, along with D.A. Points and Bryce Molder. This year Tiger has already won Arnold Palmer's tournament at Bay Hill and Jack Nicklaus's tournament at the Memorial, and now seeks his third win this year by claiming his own tournament.

Re-Scheduled May Monthly Medal - 5th July

July 2009
The draw for the above event has now been made. All members are reminded that Medal Competitions are drawn in Handicap order and as such specific tee-time requests will not bee granted other than in exceptional circumstances, and only when those circumstances have been explained in full to the Comps Sec. The draw is as follows:

Morning

0900. B McGowan & K Mitchell
0807. R Milligan & R Howkins
0815. A Docherty, A Low & M Grieve
0822. B Jackson, B Simpson & C Davidson
0830. A Ramsay, I Stewart & A Downs
0837. M Melville, G Bruce & D Fotheringham
0845. H McKelvie, R Miller & S Schofield
0852. G Scrimgeour, C Brand & G Hunter
0900. S Tosh, J Ireland & P Simpson
0907. A Jones, J McCowan (Jnr) & T Bennet

Afternoon

1200. C McKenna & M MacGillivary
1207. I Butchart & S Thomson
1215. I Scott, A Aird & R Michie
1222. E Ritchie, D Robb & W McGregor
1230. DM Alexander, J Wood & F Martn
1237. M Truswell, A Hughes & D Thomson
1245. F Barber, D Bell & A Ross
1252. E Gray, J Torrie & D Gordon

4th July Weekend

July 2009
This weekend see not only Finals Day, but also the re-run of the cancelled May Medal, the draw for which will be published in due course. Finals Day includes a Texas Scramble event run by the Mixed organisers, so sign up for a few holes of golf and support all our finalists.

Abandoned Stableford Competition – 1st July 2009

July 2009
As a result of the severe thunderstorms which took place in the afternoon of 1st July, the above event was abandoned. All those members who deposited fees for this event in the money box can collect the refund from the main office.

F Martin
Comps Sec

Back to the 'Mont

July 2009
The course
Claremont Golf Course
Par 71, ACR 69, 18 holes, 5667m

Claremont Golf Club is an 18 hole golf course built next to Cadbury’s chocolate factory at the end of Bourneville Crescent (mmm, chocolate). Quite often you can smell Cadbury’s cooking their latest batch and a river of chocolate waste used to flow across the 1st fairway from time to time. Those with a keen sense of smell claim to be able to pick the different types of chocolate that are being made on a given day.

View over the 17th green to Cadbury's

The outside nine holes (#1-6, #16-18) at Claremont use the Derwent River as a boundary with water also coming into play on some of the internal holes courtesy of the dam on the 9th and the newer grey water dam between the 8th and 14th holes. As the course is situated on a peninsula, there is little room to extend the length of the course to combat the recent advancements in golf equipment technology. Still, it has always been the par 3’s (including the 2nd, 4th & 15th) and longer par 4’s (5th, 7th, 13th & 16th) that have made it difficult to regularly post low scores at Claremont and this will remain the case.
The 16th hole - part of the "outside" nine

Claremont Golf Club was formerly known for the pine trees that lined and defined many of the holes. In particular, the par five 8th was lined with pine trees from tee to green penalising any shots that were sent there way. Unfortunately pine trees only have a finite life and in around the year 2000 the club made the difficult decision to remove many of the offending trees that had been residents since the 1930’s. The tree removal has drastically affected the look and playability of the course, but was required to ensure the longevity and safety of the club. It’s probably no coincidence that “the Freak” has a monopoly on Club Championships now that the course doesn’t play as tight. Having said that, Freak had already won a couple prior to the pine removal helped by his super-human ability to get himself out of any sort of trouble.

The 8th without the trees is no longer the signature hole of the course and will take years for the newer trees to impose the same level of threat that the pines did. The trees affectionately called Teddy Bear’s Picnic to the right off the tee on the 17th is another group of pines that have been removed, much to the chagrin of the resident teddy bears I’m sure.
The 17th hole with no more Teddy Bear's Picnic (and no more teddy bears)

Claremont is still a demanding and challenging course which is affected by wind on the now exposed holes. The wind whips over the peninsula on its way up or down the Derwent making drives on the holes on either side of the course very daunting, particularly with a strong sea breeze later in the afternoon. The grey water dam in the middle of the course also has the habit of gobbling a few balls now that the pines aren’t around to block the wind.

The lack of practice facilities at Claremont has always been an issue especially as Claremont is considered a “Metropolitan” course. Unfortunately the land doesn’t exist to extend the current setup and this will no doubt restrict their ability to host major golf tournaments and attract quality players. What Claremont may lack in facilities, it has always made up for with a relaxed club atmosphere, similar to Tasmania and Mowbray Golf Clubs. It’s location and scenic views can’t be faulted and anyone living in the Northern Suburbs would be a fool to be a member on any other of Hobart’s 18 hole golf courses.

Picturesque view of Mt Wellington from the 1st green

I understand that the club is looking to make changes to the course layout. Hopefully this will result in a tougher course in relation to par. Past efforts by the club in course redesign have been focussed on lengthening the course and trying to achieve a par 72 – both fruitless ventures considering the course is waterlocked. I’d personally like to see the course reduced to a par 70 with a course rating the same. I’m happy for the experts to figure out how this is best achieved but after reading about the course design of Barnbougle (Barnbougle Dunes: The Beginnings - Clayton, Doak & Schneider), I understand that length isn’t the only way to toughen up a course.

Best holes
The par four 5th hole is one of the most challenging on the course and has water in play on the right for the length of the hole. Although this is considered the hardest hole on the course, I believe that it is more difficult to make a par on the 400+ metre 7th on any given day. It’s just that it’s easier to rack up a big score on the 5th with the water hazard in play down the entire right hand side.

Worst holes
The 12th hole has it on for me. It should be such an easy hole requiring a short drive and a pitch to a narrow, but long green. By taking a direct route to the green the hole is even driveable during good conditions. I used to play it well but my standard shot shape (draw) doesn’t suit this hole at all. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a badly designed hole - I just hate it.

The par five 1st hole also rates as one of my least favourite on the course. Due to its short length it cannot be considered a true par five and gives too many golfers an advantage at the start of their round. Compare this to the first at Royal Hobart which sets your knees knocking especially when you haven’t warmed up. A four is par here for golfers of all levels.


The round
Date: 27/6/2009
Score: 76, hit greens 8/18, hit fairways 3/13, putts 27

OK so as the stats tell you, I didn’t hit the ball very well this day. I could have not blogged this round and waited until I had a better score, but in the interest of keeping this thing moving I have decided to tell you about my round of 76. I reserve the right to remove this entry and replace it with the details of a better score at a future date!

In case you aren’t aware, this marks my return to Claremont having been a member there for about 16 years from 1987. Some things never change, however, and despite my old golf gear being replaced with technologically advanced equipment it turns out that ability is the overriding factor in hitting the ball straight. I spent the majority of the day hooking my woods and irons into the left rough apart from one wicked cut on the 9th that went out to the middle of the 18th fairway. I know if I slow my swing down to a blur that I start hitting it straight but it’s hard to do in the middle of a round. It would help if there was somewhere to hit practice shots before the commencement of my round .....

I started off well, hitting the first 3 greens for regulation pars. I also played the last five holes in one under. It was the crap in the middle that was a worry.
I made a regulation par on the usually difficult par three 2nd

I didn’t putt well on the front nine where I easily converted six makeable birdie attempts into 13 putts. I only hit two greens on the back nine (16 & 17) but managed to one-putt or zero-putt (in the case of 14) all of the others. I’ve never considered myself a good putter until recently, but I think that’s because I’ve always hit my fair share of greens. It’s much easier to one-putt when you’ve had a chip rather than a full iron shot. It’s also easier to hole putts on a quality course.
Another up and down on the 18th was required after missing the green with an easy approach shot

I’m sure I’ll improve on 76 now that I’m back playing at Claremont, but it was a fair effort after a six year break. The condition of the course wasn’t that great mainly because of the rain that we have had lately and the fact the greens don’t seem to have come back that well from scarification. It didn’t seem to affect my putting though!

The 6th green looking a bit worse for wear

Best shots
I had a nice chip-in on 14 from directly under the hole. It wasn’t that great but it definitely rates a mention. My best full shot is a toss up between the 7 iron on the 7th hole from the middle of the 5th fairway and a drive I hit up the middle of the 13th, leaving myself less than a wedge to the green. I know it was less than a wedge because I hit wedge and air-mailed the green. I’d have to go with the 7 iron on the 7th. Even though the ball ultimately rolled off the right-hand edge of the green, the fact I was able to hoist it over the trees between the 5th and 7th holes got me out of potential trouble (a-la Freak).

Worst shots
If you were there this day I guess you’d say the (mild) shank I had on the par three 11th was my worst shot, but seeing as I got up and down for par I don’t think it was that bad. Worse for me was the 6 iron from 150 metres out in the middle of the 5th fairway. I reckon it went a good 40 metres left of my target even though the ball was below my feet (which would imply a fade). The ball finished under one tree and amongst many others. The fact I one-putted limited the damage to a double bogey.

Next round: Claremont (take two)
Patto
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