2015 – October – How to shock a mummy…

Short mans first Hole-in-One!

Given the Mcilroy  esq meltdown at South Herts, both ‘caddies’ agreed to go with him for his next Lannock link event. Also there was a serious amount of practice put in before hand. The good news was it all worth it.. a round of 34 saw him get his little mitts on the gross 1^st place and leave him 3^rd in the order of merit. The sneaky birdie on the 3^rd helped out a little. This was followed up with his first Hole in 1! (on a practice round at Alderwickbury). Two weeks later with mummy caddie presiding he managed a 35 to pick up his third gross win in a row at the Lannock Links. This was followed that same day with a 34 At Alderwickbury (futures tour) were although he didn’t win anything he was promoted to division 1 (handicap Cat 2). Thus this month was all Jekyll and an no Hyde! This left him with one Links event to play in November, and 2 Tiger medals (Nov/Dec). On the whole October made Mr Aaron a very happy golf monkey!  

2015 – September – Jekyll and Hyde golf..

" Daddy....This trophy is bigger than my head!"

The inconsistency of competition golf is a seeming common theme in Shorty-mans golf head. The September installment of this ongoing saga highlighted this to perfection.

Jekyll – A blistering assault on the Lannocks Links on championship day.. Steamrollered round in very creditable 32 (including 2 birdies) thus lifting the Cubs Gross trophy (which was bigger than his head) and 2^nd in the net! Happy factor x10!

Hyde- Two Weeks later at South Herts the home of his first ever competition victory, he was six steady holes in looking to get something close to 34, and then the wheels fell off big time. On three holes he doubled his score….unbelievably from such a good start he capitulated to a 46 stroke finish… Happy factor  x -10.

2015 – August- Holiday Therapy

It's not exactly Chesfeild is it?

Just under a year ago, during a late night battle with BA’s airmiles booking system, the family holiday was booked in the mad scramble of actually getting seats on the holiday booking madness. When the dust settled we realized this year we were going to the Cayman Islands and didn’t have a clue about what to expect / or even if there was any golf facilities there… we needn’t have worried as the hotel we booked was right next the only three course on the island. Learning from previous holiday’s golf kicked off at 7:30, (only nine holes) and then the rest of the day mostly included Pool / beach /getting fat and visiting stingrays. The wee man even made ‘friends’ with the golf course alternative locals, the resident Iguana ‘Family.’ On return to the North Atlantic shores the sun, sand and sea seemed to have an effect as he recorded an improved 38 at Mill green with the futures Tour…Maybe the Iguana’s gave him some tip’s….

I will grow into these glasses

Hello Stingray!

2015 – July – The yo-yo story continues…

Practice, practice and practice (aided by real actual, yes it did really happen good weather) saw the wee monster begin to think a little about such things as stance and alignment.. those little thing many amateur golfers completely fail to pay full attention to. The little golfer was seen in practice rounds getting behind the ball and almost looking like he lining up a shot all proper like.. . It wasn’t long before this policy was transposed to putting and in the matter of a few practice rounds his notoriously bad putting began to improve.  Evidence of this mini transformation came at the first of two July Lannock Link events when he rocked round in 35 (sinking 2 birdies along the way) all under the guidance of ‘Mummy caddie.’  It got him joint 3^rd in the net and 2^nd in Gross .However just to remind us he was still human, 2 weeks later on the same course he crawled over the finish line with a hefty 44 and a case of the Grumps. With over a month till his next completion and a holiday to ‘chillax’ on we hoped this was a blip rather than a road back up handicap hill..

2015 – May / June – Hit, Miss & Maybe

The immediate reaction to the ‘greater involvement initiative’ was positive, a steady 36 at the Lannock link event, Gross winner in his age category and a happy golfer t’boot. Later that day he took on his second County event on the futures tour and posted a slightly higher 40 on the shorter yet ‘sneaky’ tree lined Stevenage course, though not brilliant it earned him a handicap cut and not a bad effort for a first time at the new course and second round of the day. A second bash at the Main course nine holes saw another win and his handicap cut buy a staggering 8! Sadly however this was to be the high point of the period. One week later in nasty wet weather for June he posted an equally nasty 51 (arghhhhh – Aarons exact words…)  followed a week later by a semi recovery 42 back on the links, only to undo his good works with a 49 at the Shire London’s academy course.. shades of the last two years were beginning to colour the scene. Things were not at their best and perhaps his various tour handicaps reflected this.

Lannock links =  11 (Up 3 from a year ago)

Tigers  = 17

Futures  = 31

Main course = 40

Again however the cheeky chaps enthusiasm for ‘beating the course’ remained and as such more mini golfer vs the course were planned + much, much more practice.

2015 – Mar/ April - New courses, Old boo-boos..

1st Tee = No fear!

 The shaky start at Mill Green proved be a glimpse of what was to come, the eight year old bottom lip sticking out action associated with ‘Grumbledown.’ Despite his poor end of season raising his Lannock Links handicap upped by two, his ‘interesting’  shot selection around the greens and wayward drives lead to the Grumps and rushed shots on both his first two Lannock Link events resulting in the cursed 40/41 stroke score line. A trip to Redbourne for the County Futures tour looked to promise a turn around as the first four holes were all solid fours, then a wayward tee shot set ‘Grumbledown’ in motion, and the round began to dissolve rather rapidly. The ‘parental’ coaching staff where a little concerned, and thus set about trying to tackle this bottom lip destruction. This involved both parties being more hand on with both practice and completion day. (Mummy even got a putter and pink club ! ) Before that however he was loosed on a nine hole main course event, and much to everyone’s surprise finished first in his section with a score of 55.. (HC , Junior, 48) The Mini golfer’s interest once again picked up and he seemed excited about Mays upcoming events.

2015 Winter – Cold yet promising

Aaron's new 'Fashion' statement....Plus a wee trophy

Despite the previous year being a near copy of 2013, with regards to improvement the shortmans enthusiasm has clearly not dwindled. The weather in January was not overly supportive of outside activity and as such practice was consigned to the range and putting green. As January rolled into February the Mill green monthly medal appeared on the calendar and proved a fine opportunity to try out the new clubs (he had been growing again!) The new clubs proved a bit tricky to handle at first but he settled into the round and despite some strugglesome putting managed to ‘knick’ 2^nd spot in his division and shave a couple off his handicap. Generally happy with himself, his message to the big people was “This year I will win five medals and a trophy,” all said with a seriously serious totally must be, believed face…