Barnbougle, what an incredible place, if you ever have a chance just go, just taking away the golf for a bit and you feel like you are miles away from the real world, which we all need at times.
We lobbed Tuesday arvo and headed out to play Bougle Run, the 14 hole short course, got the the first to find 20 guys from Sydney crowded around the small 1st tee waiting to go after us. I was rushed and proceeded to chunk the tee shot 20m :oops: had a horrid 1st and 2nd hole but then hit my tee shot to 4 inches on the 3rd for a tap in birdie to settle the nerves, ended up 13 over for 28 points with 3 triples on the card, but 2 birdies - this is the story of the place, you can score if you keep straight, or end up with a big number of you don't, there isn't much inbetween. Bougle is great fun, most holes are 80-100m but very demanding.
Wednesday we hit Barnbougle Dunes, which I had played before, started par, bogey, par and then decided to try and drive the green on the 4th, nearly made it but still fell short, then stuffed my wedges up and walked off with a 9. From there the front 9 went all down hill, with the only highlight hitting the green on the signature 7th and making par, out for 58 and 12 points. Things didnt get any better on the 10th and walked off with a 9, but then I found some form with only one more scrub for the day. Highlight was again trying to drive the green on 12 and landing 1 metre off, got up and down for a birdie. 47 & 16 points gave me 28 points for the day, 5 behind the lead.
Thursday we tee'd off at Lost Farm at 8am, ready for 34 holes of golf in front of us. Lost farm is a little less challenging that the Dunes, flatter and much bigger fairways, best comparison is Lady Bay here in SA. I had a great day with the driver, hitting 12 of 14 fairways (other 2 were lost balls) with the irons and putting very consistent. Front 9 of 44 and 21 points followed by 58 and 18 points (11 holes) on the back, take away the 2 extra holes I had 93 off the stick for 36 points. Rapt that I played well and ended up winning the 8 man comp by 1 point to take the cash.
We had an hour break and then went and played ambrose on Bougle Run to finish the trip, which our team won. Quick change and then beers, bets, footy at the Sports Bar finished off an awesome trip. 66 holes in total is just over 2 days, special place.
14 balls lost for the trip, you go off the fairway and 1st cut of rough, ball is lost 90% of the time. One of the blokes on our trip lost his first ball on the 66th hole, hit it perfectly at the flagstick but took too much club and into the maram, fair effort though!