Other – The Sussex Golfer

January 1, 2019February 14, 2019 thesussexgolfer #Goals, Other

2018 Goals Review 01/01/2019

When reviewing my 2017 year in numbers, I decided that it would also be beneficial to set myself some goals and targets for 2018. I reviewed my progress vs these goals in May (which can be found here) and September (here).

Throughout the year, I have come to realise that the goals I set were perhaps overly optimistic due to the fact that I rarely practice and mainly play, but it is interesting to see my progress towards them regardless!

I had every intention of practicing significantly more this year, but this hasn’t gone as planned despite investing in some alignment sticks and a Swingyde! And when I say rarely practice, I can confirm that I have been to the range once this year, but I have also invested in a PuttOut training aid, which I do try to spend some time with each week!

So lets see how I managed to get on!

How many more courses in Sussex can I tick off?

One of the main purposes of this blog is to get out and try and play as many of the courses in Sussex as I can!

Rounds played: 30 ⇒ 40+
- 39.5 – So close to my goal! But an increase from last year despite spending 6 weeks away in the United States with work this summer.
Courses played: 20 ⇒ 25
- 30- 23 in Sussex, 1 in Surrey, 1 in Oxfordshire, 1 in Northamptonshire, 1 in Warwickshire, and 3 in the United States!

The big one- Handicap

So this was always going to tough given my lack of practice time and the fact that I tend to play different courses week in, week out…

Handicap: 13.2 ⇒ 10
- 10.4 (Playing Handicap 10) – I reached my my goal following two consecutive reductions of 0.6 after rounds of +7 in each of my last two 18 hole rounds of the year!

Fairways and Greens

I expected that these would go hand in hand for me, and that If I had managed to get the ball in play off the tee a little more, I would hit more greens! Again, 45% across the board looked to be overly optimistic, but minor improvements nevertheless.

GIR %: 30.93% ⇒ 45%
- 33.04% A slight improvement on last year, but not quite the dramatic increase as hoped! I spent a lot of the year in what I call ‘protect’ mode, where ultimately I am just trying to stay out of trouble, hitting a lot of irons and hybrids off the tee, in order to limit misses, often leaving myself longer shots into the green.
FIR %: 32.37 ⇒ 45%
- 34.21%. Drastic times called for drastic measures! Towards the end of the year I switched back to my old driver and have instantly regained much needed confidence off the tee. In my last 5 rounds, my FIR % has increased from 33.05% to 42.86%.

Scoring Averages

Minor improvements across the board needed here, and I am targeting most improvement on the par 5s. Instead of always pulling the big stick, I need to learn to sometimes treat them as clear 3 shot holes, and focus on keeping the ball in play!

Scoring Average Par 3: 3.62 ⇒ 3.5
- 3.56 Marginally improved from last year, but didn’t quite hit the optimistic goal. Continues to be one of the stronger points of my game; on Par 3s this year I average 44.3% GIR!
Scoring Average Par 4: 4.99 ⇒ 4.75
- 4.99 Managed to hold steady with last year in the end!
Scoring Average Par 5: 5.91 ⇒ 5.5
- 5.82 Slight improvement on last year, which I am mostly putting down to better course management.
Scoring Average: 86.9 ⇒ 84
- 86.76 near identical to last year again! Despite some of the low rounds (four in the seventies this year), there have been a couple of disastrous ones!

Short Game

An area that I felt needed work, and is always the first area of my game to go when I don’t play regularly. It was also pointed out to me by my lovely lady / caddie / scorer / photographer as one of my weaknesses back in May when I was averaging 33 putts per round.

Putts per Round: 32.1 ⇒ 32
- 31.64. Since I changed putter, this number is down at 30.38 from upwards of 33 before the switch – so possibly money well spent so far as this is below my target!
Putts per GIR: 2.01 ⇒ 1.9
- 1.96 As long as this number stays below two, I am making more birdies than bogies after hitting the GIR, which is good enough for me! Down to 1.9 (my goal) with the new putter, converting over 22% of birdie chances, as opposed to 13% with the old putter in the first half of the year.
Putts per Missed GIR: 1.68 ⇒ 1.6
- 1.69 – Not much has changed since last year or my September update. Scrambling needs to be a better. My chipping is often one of the weakest parts of my game, not getting the approach close enough. Something to work on! 1.64 since changing to my new flatstick.
3 Putt %: 7.59% ⇒ 5.55%
- 8.95% – Still a significant increase from last year due to some early season putting struggles.. Since reverting back to a short putter (34″), this number sits at 7.59%,vs 10.49% before, so the change has definitely helped me head in the right direction!

How did you get on against your 2018 goals? Let me know on Social Media or in the comments below!

December 24, 2018December 24, 2018 thesussexgolfer Other, Uncategorized

@TheSussexGolfer Alternative Christmas Message

As we approach the final stages of 2018, and everyone is enjoying the festive cheer, I thought I’d take a moment to look back at the year just gone, and a few thoughts and things to look out for as we head into 2019!

2018 has been a season of mixed fortunes for myself on the course as I have looked to work my way through as many courses in Sussex as possible, but I suppose that is one of the downsides of not really getting the chance to learn how to play a course when you may only play it once!

One of the most influential moments of the year for me was pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and attending the @aks_golf Charity Golf day, and playing with a bunch of people that I hadn’t ever met before. It was a pleasure to be able to be involved in the day, and I met some great like minded people who went on to form the 3PuttLife Society, which has continued to grow and provide further opportunities to interact and play with fellow golfers.

My struggles off the tee continued for the majority of the year, which potentially has held me back. Not having the confidence in my long game has meant that I’ve been hitting a lot of irons off the tee, and a lot of long irons into greens! Whilst it hasn’t had a detrimental effect (I genuinely feel a lot of golfers could just benefit from keeping the ball in play), it has stopped me progressing towards the single figure handicap I’m aiming for! Plenty of room for improvement here in 2019!

The highlight of the year (score wise) was a 73 (+4) at Dale Hill GC (Old Course), one of three times in the 70s this year, the others being a 78 (+7) at Pyecombe GC, and a 77 (+7) in my final round of the year at Royal Eastbourne GC. Good way to finish the season on a high!

On the other end of the spectrum, my worst round of the year was a 102 (+30) in my first round at Rusper GC, one of two rounds in triple figures this year (the other being at The Belfry (Brabazon) for the inaugural 3PL End of Season golf day. Another one of the years highlights was bouncing back from the 102, to follow it with an 82 (+10) the next time I played the course.

Highlights of the year on the blogging side of things have been securing www.thesussexgolfer.com, rolling out my ‘Dream 18’ as an advent calendar style feature, and of course running my first giveaway across social media. I hope you’ve all enjoyed the content so far, and hopefully will continue to do so going forward!

So what does 2019 have in store? Plenty more Sussex Golf as you can expect, but below are some of my aims for the year away from the course…

2018 Year in Numbers
2019 Goals
Long awaited update to my Sussex Golf Top 10
More course reviews
More giveaways (stay tuned!)
Further supporting local businesses to grow (please get in contact if you are interested)

I hope that all of you have a fantastic Christmas and New Year, and I look forward to hopefully meeting a few more of you out on the course in 2019!

December 1, 2018January 7, 2019 thesussexgolfer Course Reviews, Other, Top 10s, Uncategorized

Sussex Golf ‘Dream 18’

Have you ever fancied yourself as a course designer? Well here’s your chance! I’m looking to hear some of your favourite 18 holes in Sussex! Let me know across social media or in the comments below what your stand out holes are!

The aim of this was to create a Sussex Golf ‘Dream 18’. A fantasy course, combining the best holes in Sussex (within their respective hole number), all working together to a combined par of around 72!

If you’ve played all 18 holes – you can download a scorecard here! I would love to see how you’ve got on!

#1 – 1st @ Horsham Golf & Fitness (Oaks Course) – Par 5

One of the most intimidating opening tee shots I have faced in the county, and therefore had to be first up in my Dream 18. This par 5 winds its way through the wooded opening stretch at Horsham Golf & Fitness, and requires a long and straight drive to ensure you have a chance of making par.

#2 – 2nd @ Crowborough Beacon GC- Par 4

Another imposing tee shot, especially if you have a right to left ball flight! This downhill dogleg right par 4 sets up for a fade, to set up an easier second shot in to a large green set over a large hollow.

#3 – 3rd @ Pyecombe GC – Par 4

The signature hole at Pyecombe GC is a must for the ‘Dream 18’ in my book. The dramatic elevation changes not only off the tee, but also back up the other side towards the green often leaves golfers more than happy to settle for bogey!

#4 – 4th @ Sweetwoods Park GC – Par 4 / 5

Another signature hole going straight into the ‘Dream 18’ the par 5 4th at Sweetwoods Park may be our first genuine birdie opportunity our course (from the Yellows). A solid drive down the left-hand side of the hole will catch the slope and open up the green to a long approach and a chance to hit the green under regulation. Care has to be taken though, particularly in the summer with a downhill slope short of the green which can kick the ball towards the water hazard which lines the right-hand side of the green.

#5 – 5th @ Willingdon GC – Par 3

Willingdon GC has two fantastic par 3s back to back at the 4th and 5th, and I’ve plumped for the latter, a railway sleeper surrounded gem of a short hole. What might be a touch ‘gimmicky’ for some, I love the added challenge and risk that the sleepers add, ensuring that you must be accurate with the approach to avoid your ball being catapulted in the opposite direction. A hole where nearly any score is possible!

#6 – 6th @ Crowborough Beacon GC – Par 3

Back to back par 3s on the ‘Dream 18’. I couldn’t leave out the 6th at Crowborough Beacon GC, a fantastic short hole which requires a demanding carry over a former quarry. There is room on the right to bail out for those not confident in the carry.

#7 – 7th @ Sweetwoods Park GC – Par 3

So our ‘Dream 18’ is going to have the slightly odd layout of 3 par 3s in a row, but the 7th at Sweetwoods Park is one hole sticks in my mind due to its uniqueness. Whilst only being a mid iron, the hole has the added challenge of carrying the river valley which traverses the course, and avoiding the sleeper lined bunkers guarding the front edge.

#8 – 8th @ Dale Hill GC (Woosnam) – Par 4

The stretch of holes between the 7th and 9th on the Woosnam Course at Dale Hill GC is a thoroughly enjoyable stretch of holes, all of which were considered for the ‘Dream 18’, but the hole which I have selected is the par 4 8th hole. A slight draw is required off the tee to avoid long rough which cuts in on the right-hand side, but over cooking it will leave you blocked out by a tree down the left hand side. Pin position and club selection is vital on the approach to a green which runs diagonal to hole, with the left side being guarded by a deep bunker and significant drop off.

#9 – 9th @ Pyecombe GC – Par 5

The 9th at Pyecombe GC is another genuine birdie opportunity on our ‘Dream 18’. A fairly short (and sometimes reachable) par 5, finding the fairway from the elevated tee box is critical, with the hole lined both left and right with trees and deep rough. From the fairway, a draw around the corner might find the edge of the green to set up a relatively simple up and down for birdie.

#10 – 10th @ Ashdown West GC – Par 4

Potentially overshadowed by the insanely tough par 3 11th at Ashdown West, the approach into the 10th is picturesque with the green surrounded on 3 sides by trees and ferns. Whilst the course may not have any bunkers, significant undulations and hollows short of the green are placed to add visual distraction to the approach.

#11 – 11th @ Hill Barn GC – Par 3

A toss up with the aforementioned par 3 11th at Ashdown West, the par 3 11th at Hill Barn stands out due to the fact that the green is almost entirely surrounded by bunkers (10 of them to be precise!). If you can avoid the swathes of bunkers between the tee and the green with your mid iron approach, you’ll be happy to make it out of there with a safe two putt par.

#12 – 12th @ Willingdon GC – Par 5

Driving over the 11th and the brow of a hill, despite being from an elevated tee, the shot is blind to the landing area. Get a decent drive away down the left hand side and you have an outside chance of getting on in two, but most will settle for 3. Once on the green, the hole doesn’t get any easier, with undulations similar to those found at Augusta National (which course architect Dr Alistair MacKenzie was also responsible for!). A fantastic par 5!

#13 – 13th @ Lewes GC – Par 4

With the same picturesque views found on the 12th tee at Lewes, this tricky par 4 with its narrow landing area off the tee, is not only beautiful, but also deadly (to the scorecard!). Keep your tee shot to the right hand side of the fairway in order to leave a line into a tough green which slopes away from you.

#14 – 14th @ Ruspser GC – Par 4

The 14th at Rusper GC would not look out of place on many courses of far higher ilk. A long and demanding par 4 requiring two carries over water, firstly to the sloping and tree lined fairway, and secondly, the tough to judge downhill approach into the narrow green guarded by a pond short and right.

#15 – 15th @ East Sussex National (West) – Par 4

Possibly the hardest one for me to pick out of the 18, but after much deliberation (other alternatives being Lewes, Slinfold, West Hove and Ashdown West) I plumped for the 15th on the West Course at East Sussex National. After the brute of the 14th hole at ESN, the 15th seems relatively easy in comparison, but leave yourself the wrong angle into the flag and you can leave yourself with a tricky up and down.

#16 – 16th @ Dyke GC – Par 4

Whilst not being the most visually attractive hole on the course (of which there are many), this long par 4 may well be the most challenging. Two decent shots and you have a chance of hitting the green in regulation, but it could well take you more than two to get down from here if you leave yourself on the wrong level of this massive two-tier green.

#17 – 17th @ Cottesmore GC (Griffin) – Par 3

Whilst not quite on a par with some of the other par 3 17th holes over water around the world (TPC Sawgrass!), it felt like the perfect hole to lead us into the final stretch. Whilst it faced stiff competition from the 17th at Sweetwoods Park GC and The Dyke GC, the 17th on the Griffin course at Cottesmore GC just edges it for me, due to the added difficulty of the green running diagonally to the hole.

#18 – 18th @ Seaford Head GC – Par 5

And what better way to finish it all off than the spectacular 18th at Seaford Head GC? With the ~60m elevation change between tee and green, there are few holes in the county that can provide the same thrill as you get when taking your tee shot on 18. This par 5 plays substantially shorter due to the elevation change, and therefore is a great chance to finish with a birdie.

October 23, 2018December 24, 2018 thesussexgolfer @3puttlife, Other, Uncategorized

@3PuttLifeSociety End of Season Golf Day

The Brabazon Course at the Belfry is used to holding major sporting events having hosted the Ryder Cup on four individual occasions, but never has it seen anything like it witnessed on the 20th October. Yes, that’s right, the Brabazon has a new jewel in its crown: ‘Host of the Inaugural @3PuttLifeSociety End of Season Golf Day’!

After months of hype and build up, the day finally arrived, and boy did we have the weather for it. I’ll be honest, at first I was sceptical about signing up for the event knowing how temperamental the British weather can be, but come Saturday all those worries were put to rest as the fog lifted and the sun broke through the clouds to unveil a perfect autumnal day.

The Ryder Cup these days is renowned for the atmosphere around the first tee and the although the crowds weren’t there (or over half of the other players for that matter!), the nerves definitely were having not played for a month! Once underway, the nerves settled but I definitely took a while to get going and instantly regretted not going to the range beforehand!

: First tee nerves anyone?

One of the most striking features of the course is the hazards, with significant bunkering and large swathes of water almost always seemingly in play, or at the very least providing a visual distraction to the golfer. The Brabazon is very much a matchplay course, with a huge element of risk reward involved due to the positioning of the hazards. Go for the carry, or aiming to the narrower points of the fairway and you are definitely rewarded with significantly shorter approaches to the heavily undulating (and fast!) greens, or lay back from the hazards but leave yourself long carries over yet more water

After easing you into it with the first couple of holes, the first real challenge comes with the par 5 third hole. After two solid shots down the fairway, the approach from the left hand side of the fairway to a back left pin is brutal, as I found out the hard way, watching my short iron sail into the water a yard short.

: The approach into the third

After my struggles continued on the fourth, fifth and sixth, with a combination of 3 putts, struggling to get used to the speed of the greens, poor tee shots and other short game woes, my first attempt at getting a decent score on the board came at the par 3 seventh. A picturesque hole, just a mid iron over water to a slightly raised green, perfectly framed by trees, I managed to strike my iron solid, and safely found the green (inside of the closest to the pin marker- although we were only the second group out!), only to be bettered by one of my playing partners. I had left myself an uphill putt, but having been scared by the pace of previous greens, I ended up leaving my birdie putt a good 6 foot short, before racing the par putt by, and lipping out on the bogey putt. Tapping in for a 5 was definitely a painful and awakening moment, reminding me that focus is required on every shot regardless of perceived simplicity! #4puttlife anyone?

: Par 3 seventh in all its autumnal glory

More short game troubles after finding the greenside bunker following two fairly good shots down the eighth cost me another couple of shots. Heading up the 9th, I decided to change my gameplan as I was not protecting a score and took driver off the tee. Needless to say, the usual happened, finding the trees down the left hand side! After punching out successfully, I left a 70 yard pitch over water into the 3-tiered kidney-shaped green, where the pin was residing on the lower right portion of the green. An average pitch shot left me on the bottom left tier with left myself a tricky putt which broke 90 degrees from left to right, going up a tier and then back down. I managed a solid 2 putt, and was fairly satisfied to walk away with only a bogey.

The iconic tenth at the Brabazon was next, scene of many Ryder Cup memories. The ultimate short par 4, with the green a small target tucked tightly over the meandering water hazard across the front of the putting surface, protected by overhanging branches from the surrounding trees. Not feeling confident in my swing (and even less in my ability to move the ball left to right!), I felt my best chance of birdie was going to be through laying up and a good pitch. This approach had me safely on the green in two and putting for birdie, but 3 putts later and again, I’m walking away with a disappointing bogey.

: The iconic par 4 tenth; would you go for the green?

The eleventh and twelfth went by with much the same play from my behalf as on the front nine, consistently inconsistent! The highlight being a creative and well judged chip on eleven, having missed the green back left, with the pin on the lower front tier.

: The long par 3 twelfth

I finally (and somewhat embarrassingly) made my first par of the day at the thirteenth after hitting my third GIR of the day. After missing the fairway to the right, a towering 8 iron over the trees found the back half of the green, before lagging my putt up and tapping in for par.

Luckily, I didn’t have to wait that long for my second par of the day, which came at the par 3 fourteenth, following a mid iron drawn in to the left side of the green off the tee. The birdie putt had the right line, but just needed a foot more pace and it could have had a chance.

The fifteenth is a fantastic twisting and turning par 5. Two gaping bunkers await errant tee shots, so I decided to lay back with a hybrid off the tee. Perhaps being a little greedy with my second trying to hit hybrid again, I pulled my second shot into the trees, never to be seen again buried by leaves! Autumnal golf can be beautiful, but my can it be frustrating!

My improved form on the back nine continued on the sixteenth. Following finding the first cut right of the fairway off the tee after an average tee shot, I sweetly struck mid iron landed just on the front edge of the green, before releasing down the tier to the same level as the pin, which was tucked back left. Two putts later and I’m walking away with my third par of the day.

The seventeenth is the longest par 5 on the course, and plays even longer due to the near 90 degree dogleg in the fairway. Longer hitters may hit over the corner, however I played a hybrid to the corner, but unfortunately found the fairway bunker on the corner. Trying to lay up short of the cross ditch in the fairway, I managed to strike my iron particularly well out of the bunker and ended up straight in the hazard! After a drop, my long iron found the back edge of the green where I was able to get down in 2 to limit the damage to a bogey.

: The jaw-dropping approach into the eighteenth

Eighteen is yet another fantastic risk reward hole. The further up the hole you wish to hit (and thus leave yourself a shorter approach), the tighter the tee shot, and the further left you have to aim alongside the water. There are also bunkers lurking down the right hand side of the fairway to catch any shots which leak right of your intended line. Again, playing fairly conservative off the tee, I hit hybrid and found the semi rough on the right hand side, but left myself about 190 yards to the flag. I attempted to force a 3 iron, but ended up chunking it, which actually worked out as a pretty good layup to a more manageable distance! With 8 iron in over the spectacular water hazard, I found the left hand side of the green with my third. I hit one of the best putts I hit all day, the perfect lag putt, before tapping in and closing out with a fairly respectable bogey.

Overall, a fantastic day was had by all at the inaugural @3PuttLifeSociety End of Season Golf Day, and I think it was safe to say that the course defeated most of us! It was a pleasure to play a course steeped in history, and is hopefully the first of many seasons of golf with this awesome and ever growing group of people.

: @3PuttLifeSociety – what a handsome bunch!

Special thanks to all of the various sponsors (Walrus Apparel, Seed Golf, P2 Grips, SawyerCo Golf, Go&Golf) for providing prizes for the event and kitting us out, The Belfry for hosting us, and of course to Ross Noonan for helping to organise the whole event! Hopefully we raised lots of money for Oxfordshire Mind.

Check out my review on @GoandGolf which can be found here !

– The Sussex Golfer

September 2, 2018January 1, 2019 thesussexgolfer Other

2018 Goals Update 02/09/2018

The goals that I set were optimistic (perhaps overly so since I rarely practice and mainly just play..!), but I felt that I had to make them challenging, hoping that it would spur me on to improve.

I had every intention of practising significantly more this year, but this hasn’t gone as planned despite investing in some alignment sticks! And when I say rarely practice, I can confirm that I have been to the range once this year, but I have also invested in a PuttOut (https://www.puttout.golf) training aid, which I do try to spend some time with each week!

All of the information below in blue is the update as of 02/09/2018.

How many more courses in Sussex can I tick off?

One of the main purposes of this blog is to get out and try and play as many of the courses in Sussex as I can! I felt that playing 30 rounds across 20 courses last year was a good effort, and I’m hoping if I can squeeze another 10 rounds in this year I’ll hopefully play around 25 or so courses.

Rounds played: 30 ⇒ 40+
- 30 – already equalled last years number, so anything from here on is a bonus!
Courses played: 20 ⇒ 25
- 24 – 19 in Sussex, 1 in Surrey, 1 in Oxfordshire, and 3 in the United States!