The 2024 golf season has been a bit of a shocker for me. As I await the ladies to tee off for the second day of the #olympicGolf I reflect on a better round in a tumultuous stretch of #badGolf that has led to my handicap, rather embarrassingly, being soft capped.
Author: golfisfun18
A weekend of WTAF!
What a weekend of golf this was. Looks like I picked the wrong day to play later in the day and miss 2 unlikely climaxes to tournaments featuring the stars of the #LGPA.
Greatest Modern Day Golfer? Plus, Jailbirds, Needles, and Wet Socks This Weekend
This amazing golfing weekend climaxed with Xander Schauffele winning his first major championship, the USPGA with a record breaking 21 under par total at Valhalla Golf Club.
Golf Season Over Before it Begins
As May Day holiday approaches the grim reality has hit: my golf season may be over before it even begins.
Golf Simulator Season Over – What did I learn
The close season is over for me and now am waiting for the snow to clear and get back on the #golf course again for real. Here’s a short summary of the sim season.
LIV Golf 2024 Calendar
Add LIV Golf Tour events to your calendar. A direct link to ics calendar file to view all the events on this tour.
Clutch Season Start for Fleetwood
The calendar year of the DP World Tour kicked off in dramatic fashion with a final group pairing of Fleetwood Mac, Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy, sparring it out over the final 18 holes at Dubai Creek Golf Course.
My Golf Year 2023 summary
Last year I made 2.5 out of seven #golf goals. How would 2023 fair? DO you have any goals for #golf this year?
Reflecting on LIV Golf 2023: Team Dynamics, Rahm’s Impact, and the Future
2023 has been quite a year in professional golf, here are a few takes of the season looking at the mens game as it stands and some insights into what could happen in 2024.
Tee Generator
Random tee generator: white, yellow, red or blue. Have a day
5 Lessons from 11 straight days of golf
Weather has put an end to a streak of #golf that has seen 3 rounds of scramble, 2 competitions, lots of fun and sun and torrential rain in the space of 11 days.
Park Life – Mini Tournament at Pickala Golf Club
This week was another special week for me on the golf course. As my friends and I assessed our bookings for the week we realised that we were top heavy on Park golf course so we decided to make a small tournament on that track.
LET Experience – PARK
Pickala Golf Club had a LET event here last week. Today we go over the modifications in layout to the Park course. How does the set up compare against the regular course
Is Ladies Professional Golf Relatable
I have seen many a rant on Twitter by women getting upset at people like myself for calling the ladies game “relatable”. In this post, I examine from close experience whether it really is or not.
Pickala Golf – The LET Experience #2
The final day of the Ladies Open at Pickala Golf Club. Local caddying in the penultimate grouping took the caddying experience to the next level
Pickala Golf – The LET Experience
The LET came to Pickala Golf Club. What an experience it was. What was it like from a volunteers perspective as a local caddy.
Road to Pickala Golf
The LET are coming to my local golf course this week. How relatable will their games be? I cannot wait to find out.
J6 – a version of the Tiger 5
My interpretation of the Tiger 5 rules of #golf. I need you help in refining it to my playing ability. Maybe this can help you to monitor your playing too? #golf #helpNeeded
Season 2023 Vappu Long Weekend
54 holes with no cuts, invitation only and no OWGR ranking points – sound familiar? That’s where the similarities end. There was no prize money at stake, no butchered journalist’s remains (at least visible) and Sihwan Kim may have stood a chance. #vappu
Golf ball fitting online
I was lucky enough to win an online golf ball fitting through Twitter from the people at Ballnamic. I managed to get a few options from my session and did a short video on it too.
This post adds a bit more context to the fitting, the results and the overall experience.
Season 2023 First Full Weekend Analysis
Has your golf season started as expected? The first full golf weekend just passed for me and it was a doozy.
Weekend Winner: Lilia Vu is a major champion
What a great result for Lilia Vu. She is a great example of perseverance and never giving up. After losing her card in her first year as a LPGA pro she came back really strongly this year and continued her impressive streak by capturing her first major title.
Know Your Stats
Do you know how far you hit every club in your bag? This post covers the reasons why you should know, if possible, carry and total distance of your golf clubs.
Season 2023 Kicks Off
Normally on a Monday I am writing short reviews of the tournament winners on the PGA, LPGA, DP World tour & LIV.
However this week, the two main events were so out of my timezone that I only watched brief coverage of both.
666
Not to be mistaken for the sign of the devil, 666 is a simple method to add a bit of structure to your strategy on the golf course. It can work for anyone with a handicap although I am guessing that scratch or lower handicappers would have a slightly different approach.
Jon wins Masters: Rahmifications
Jon Rahm cruised to a magnificent Masters victory yesterday with an efficient display of great driving, sensible approach shots and nice putting. He won comfortably by four shots in the end.
No laying up
It wasn’t just weather storms that were brewing during the first couple of days at The Masters this year. While strong winds felled some trees at Augusta on Friday a #twitterGolf storm was raging.
Just how good are pro golfers?
With the creation of LIV Golf and the dilution of the professional golf game the LIV fanboys are always shouting about how the golf rankings are not correct and how their players are amongst the best in the world. But how do you gauge their performance in “competitions” with no qualification?
Chasing the YouTube Dream
This year I am going to chase this dream and pursue a career in a field I am truly passionate about. And I need your help #golfers #PickalaGolf
Week #12 2023 Weekend Winners
This weekend climaxed with the WGC World Matchplay final – the winner of this weekend was matchplay. This is the final ever playing of this event and it highlighted what a different and fascinating format this version of golf really is.
How to shoot in the 70s consistently
I’ve already listed Hack It Out podcast as one of my top 5 golf podcasts and they have now introduced a new series of episodes on the subject of shooting consistently in the 70s.
Their first episode was last week and I thought I would deep dive into the show and try to compare their averages to my game.
Week #11 2023 Weekend Winners
This weekend was a somewhat weird viewing experience for me with regards to the golf. Being a total golf junkie I was limited to highlights in YouTube and watching the #livBroadcast live to get my weekly fix. Here are some of the highlights.
Manage Your Expectations
Golf is a fickle game. You can emulate the top professionals by playing on some of the same courses, score comparatively with the handicap system and everyone can hit that wonder shot.
Week #10 Weekend Winners
There were some interesting results this weekend on the major tours this week. One tournament that I didn’t see, other than highlights was the South African Open on the #LET. Aside from the margin of victory, 4 shots, there were two stand out performances.
Learnings from simulator golf
What are the lessons you can learn from playing simulator golf? Here’s an assessment of my performance over the winter months. I do hope to get out soon.
Week #9 Weekend Winners
There was no DP World Tour action this weekend but there were a couple of other noticeable happenings elsewhere. Former world number one Jin Young Ko returned to the winners circle in Singapore.
Top 5 Golf YouTube Channels – instructional
YouTube golf can be a minefield when it comes to instructional videos. There are 1000s of videos ranging from absolute nonsense and non-truths to exceptional ones that can really help your game. This post comes with a disclaimer.
Week #8 Weekend Winners
This was a non-elevated event for the USPGA but that didn’t mean there was no excitement. A water ball on the 72nd hole led to a playoff. The LPGA went to the 72nd hole. The DP World tour effectively had 3 players with a chance of winning on the final hole. Oh, and there was LIV.
Top 5 Golf YouTube Channels – worth watching
YouTube golf has exploded in popularity over the past couple of years. Due in part to Covid and the lack of live golf, the number of channels with huge viewership and very high quality content has been taken to another level recently.
Week #7 Weekend Winners
3 of the major golf tours had events this weekend and some familiar names were on top of the podiums. A big shout out to Jon Rahm, Thorbjørn Olesen and Lydia Ko. Here are some of the talking points.
Putting Make Rates
Golfers often struggle with reality on the golf course. One area that most get it wrong is on the green. Golf can be leveled significantly with the handicap system and, of course, EVERYONE is capable of hitting a worldy every so often. The closer to the green you get the disparity between the pros and […]
What makes Tiger g-g-g-great?
Tiger Woods, considered by many as the greatest golfer all time, announced his return to competitive golf for the Genesis Invitational that takes place at the Riviera Club this week. But what makes Tiger so good? Here are 5 reasons why Tiger is the GOAT.
Back to back 2nd time winners on the DP World Tour
For the second week in a row the DP World Tour produced a great tournament that, again, went to the final hole and resulted on a second tour win for the respective winners.
5 top tips for course strategy
5 quick tips to get you around the golf course better. What would you add?
Course Handicap Calculator
This tool allows you to calculate your playing handicap, or course handicap, for the day. You will need to know the course and slope rating, what the par of the course is and naturally your own current handicap index.
Handicap Index Calculator
This tool allows you to calculate your handicap index based on in the top 8 golf rounds from your last 20. Visit the page to see how to enter your data.
Handicap Differential Calculator
This tool allows you quickly check your differential for your golf score. It does not take into account playing conditions, but based on your score the course and slope ratings it should give you a good idea how your round may affect your handicap index. #golf
Max Homa – One step closer to greatness
Congratulations Max Homa. What a pleasant surprise to open the PGA app to see Max on top of the leaderboard.
A little bit on fanboy-ism #golf
Top 3 Golf YouTube Videos plus a bonus
There are some great YouTube videos. Here is a selection of the best golf videos out there, many of them featuring pros. All will take a bit of time to watch, but they are worth it. #golf @youtube
Top 5 Golf PodCasts
I listen to podcasts a lot. Every day when I am walking the dog, or just walking (my most common form of exercise), I have my AirPods on and drift back into the world of #golf. What do you listen to?
40-Second Rule
The 40-second rule can mean different things to golfers. For me it is a block of time to focus on each shot, both as pre-shot routine and post-shot assesment.
5 Things to do in the off-season – maintenance
Finland has been buried in snow since November already. As we bring in the new year it is a good time to reflect and prepare for the coming season – this could be your greatest year in golf to date. Here are a few things that can help you prepare equipment-wise.
4 Ways To Have More Fun On The Golf Course
Does it ever get boring playing the same format all the time or are you taking it too seriously? This post covers some ways to bring the fun back to #golf.. What would add?
My 3 key takeaways from Ockie’s 1st DP win
As I watch the final days play of the Mauritius Open on the DP World tour my thoughts drift back to the Dunhill Championship in South Africa and Ockie Strydom’s first victory on the DP World Tour.
My Golfing History
My golfing history. A checkered past? I played as a junior and as most young kids had quite an awful temperament. I soon realized that I wouldn’t make the grade,
My Golf YouTube Channel
I started my YouTube channel earlier this year and realized just how hard it is to film without the buy-in of your playing partners. (this is my first post using ActivityPub)
My Golf Year 2022 summary
2022 promised to be a tremendous golfing year. I had spent one evening a week in a golf simulator over winter keeping my swing intact. I had high hopes of improving my game in terms of consistency, bringing my handicap down, and perhaps getting a decent score in the senior championships but how did it pan out?
3 Reasons why LIV Golf works & how to make it even better
There have been quite a few things that I feel have not worked this weekend but there have been many positives too. Here are my 3 reasons why LIV golf worked this weekend.
5 Reasons why LIV Golf fails to capture the imagination
The final event of the inaugural LIV Golf season started yesterday in Miami with the first day of team match play. All set for a great day? Here are 5 reasons why today did not work.
20220710 Summary
2 man scramble match play was the format for the Sunday game. My partner and I played quite (read very) poorly on the front nine. We were 2 over par and 4 down at the turn.
20220709 Summary
The weekend started with a traditional own score, lose interest after 3 holes type of round. Forest was the course, and whilst there was some sort of optimism I lost the round very early on.
20220707 Summary
Another midweek round. On Park again. This time we moved it forward to the blue tees for a bit of fun. Yesterday’s round was perhaps a bit of a fluke and my expectations were pretty low.
20220706 Summary
After a weekend away from the golf course, I was back to Park on a midweek round with some random dudes (all around the same handicap). It was windy and sunny so after a break in play I had no real idea what to expect.
20220619 Summary
I’ve been playing quite a lot of golf recently but most of it has been pretty poor and I’d seemed to have lost interest in trying to document the good from the bad.
20220610 3 Round Summary
I’ve been playing over the past 3 days and thought I would summarize them all in one go. This is partly because the first round was mostly un-memorable.
I’ve really been struggling of late and shot memories are the only thing I can really take from the game – not a great score.
20220605 Summary
The second round of the week, and we are on Seaside again. Did I manage to keep the demons away?
Short answer: yes. Sort of. I introduced new bad outcomes that were hopefully one-time but I continued my poor run of form..
20220601 Summary
I managed to sneak away for a midweek game on Seaside today. Playing from the yellows Seaside is not my favorite course but I feel I have a few demons to crush.
20220529 Summary
Weekend game number two was a nice morning stroll around Park from the Blue tees (5400). I am more than happy to play from the more forward tees as you have less club for second shots and it makes some of the par 5s makeable.
20220528 Summary
Saturday round was a scramble on Forest from the yellow tees (5700 meters). There was very light rain throughout the round but it wasn’t too unbearable.
20220526 Summary
An early round on a day off work with my buddies. It was mostly fine despite the risk of rain. The golf was awful but the company was good as always. The golf in fact was so poor that we switched to scramble format for the second nine. I lost 5 balls today 🙁
20220525 Summary
The first of four rounds scheduled for the week, an late afternoon start in a twosome, as the other couple dropped out perhaps because of the threat of rain, we had a really pleasant round on Park at Pickala Golf Club.
20220522 Summary
This weekend’s Sunday game was on Forest from the yellow tees. It was still quite windy so we tried to relieve the scoring pressure a bit by having a better ball matchplay game on the side.
20220521 Summary
A windy but sunny and moderately warm early Saturday round on Park was the start to the weekend. The usual foursome playing individual Stableford I played OK in parts but had 2 disaster holes in a row that ultimately caused the lousy score.
20220518 Summary
Today’s round was fairly impromptu. I only decided the night before to play.
The weather was set to be nice, and it was: 18 degrees, and sunshine though the wind was quite strong.
Minjee Lee Wins Again
I have to say that I really enjoy watching the LPGA. Not that I would come even close to beating any of the ladies in a match there is a certain air of realism to their games. They are methodical, lacking real egos and they hit the ball around the same distance as me.
20220515 Summary
Part 2 of the pre-NATO golf weekend concluded with a windy round on Park from the senior tees.
20220514 Summary
The first round of the weekend included quite a heavy and unexpected shower after around five holes. But the rain did not dampen the spirits and the whole group managed to play within an acceptable buffer.
I’m Keeping a Journal
Golf teachers often mention one thing to try to remember the positives from your round to help influence future shots and decisions by how you reacted in certain situations.
Weekend Winners
Both the DP World Tour & the USPGA had quite remarkable winners this weekend. Both worthy of a mention – congrats Max Homa and Thorbjorn Olesen.
What’s In The Bag?
What golf clubs am I playing with right now. This is the home of the what’s in the bag video for 2022.
The Golf Season Has Started – Kind Of
Pickala Golf Club has opened its par 3 course, Garden, and there is a semblance of real golf away from the simulator.
WELD
WELD is a simple method to take your situation into account allowing you to execute your next golf shot without doubts about where to hit and with what club.
Scottie Too Hottie
That was some week wasn’t it? From late Friday afternoon, it looked as if newly crowned number one Scottie Scheffler would run away with The Masters. To be fair he made it a lot closer than it needed to be but it all added to the final day drama.
5 Reasons To Use The Red Lenses Golf App
Are you a user of the NexGolf booking system for your golf games? Red Lenses golf allows you to add your tee times directly to your calendar.
New Balls Please
I’ve been playing quite a bit of simulator golf over the close season and had a equipment malfunction.
Magical Kenyan Open? Almost
The DP World Tour is back and this time they were playing in Kenya. After a hiatus of a few weeks, it was great to see golf back on TV and there were some quality shots played.
Great Start Daniel Son
After what seems like a lifetime the DP world tour is back. My routine is back and the golf is in the background as I work. But I’m delighted to see our Daniel son has started very well.
The First Video Published
At last, I have finally pushed a golf video to YouTube. After years of threatening to do so, I uploaded a short clip of this week’s simulator golf highlight.
Saudi golf league
There is no DP World Tour golf this week so there has been a little void in my life. However, there is a lot of chatter about Phil Mickelson and the Saudi golf league.
The first tee
Welcome to Golf is fun. I’ve decided to start blogging again. First off, congrats to Ryan Fox.