Golf Post ‘Post Lockdown’

Listen. Lockdown and in general, COVD-19, has been awful. Inconsistencies all over the gaff. The only consistent thing has been my golf.

I should probably count how many rounds I’ve accrued. Maybe not how many balls I’ve hit. Although COVID-19 may be extinguished by the time I’ve finished calculating.

Personal Game

I really feel like my game has gone from strength to strength. I invested in a series of golf lessons and now my early extension, is slowly turning into just an extension, which is nice. One of the biggest improvements has been around the greens. It started with a technique overhall and being properly taught what ‘bounce’ is. Life changing stuff. However, a recent session in short game management has been hugely beneficial. I certainly would not have shot a 79 around Royal St George’s without it.

The thing I have suffered with, however, is transposing my practice/social golf ability into a Medal situation. Early medals highlighted a number of concerns and nerves definitely got the better of me. I know that I do not just speak for myself, it is a common disease amongst many amateur golfers. It will come. I have managed to halve the golf course. Left is no longer a miss. Tempo, visualisation and complete concentration is what I need to focus on. Out of 18 holes, there is normally 7 or 8 slightly askew shots which result in an extra shot into the hole. We will get there gang.

State of the Game

English golf has had quite the revival. As I have mentioned before in Golf Post Lockdown, memberships have gone up and first tees are overloaded. It has been great to see golf clubs thriving despite the economic disaster. However, this has resulted in members suffering due to a lack of available tee times. Foxhills case in point. I love Foxhills and I think it is a terrific club, and whilst I can understand the obvious requirement to recoup lost funds during those Lockdown months, the lack of available tee times has been incredibly frustrating. I know this is also the case for many other clubs. However, for a club that has two championship courses, surely something more needs to be done. I would take a leaf out of the other Surrey golf clubs which host two courses. Set up a two-ball and four-ball course. Alternate them. This will assist concerns over slow play and also free up tee times on both courses.

The state of the English game is about more than just our golf clubs. Golf Twitter is an interesting and resourceful place as many of you will know. However, the English Golf Scene is growing exponentially thanks to a few individuals. Cookie Jar Golf, 4 industrious and obsessive golfing chaps, are blazing a trail in terms of golfing media and content. Their video homages to golf clubs such as Woking, The Berkshire and Royal Lytham have been worth waiting for and have explored stories and club history that most are unaware of. The cinematography is also out of this world. Other blogs such as Evalu18, UK Golf Guy, The Heathland Blog and also England Golf Project have also been a source of enjoyment and inspiration. Evalu18 especially, these guys have been working tirelessly this year. Producing course reviews, but most importantly what must be the most stunning golf course map illustrations I have ever seen. Please do check them out as they light up my Twitter feed every time a new one is released.

Golf Twitter outshines Golf YouTube, in my opinion. But congratulations surely has to go to Rick Shiels, who is the first golfing YouTuber to surpass 1 million subscribers (1.3 million as I write). He surpasses the likes of Me and My Golf, Peter Finch, Seb on Golf and Mark Crossfield. Whilst his content is at times below par with clickbait videos such as The SWINGLESS Golf Club, he surely deserves the accolade as the highest subscribed golfing channel in the World.

Talking of the rest of the world … You must have been living under a rock if you haven’t watched No Laying Up, Erik Anders Lang (Random Golf Club) and Skratch. Check them out and you won’t be dissapointed.

Please see below a number of images from my golf post ‘Post Lockdown’. Thank you