This was the last course on our May 2010 golfing holiday, played on 13 May en route back from Celtic Manor. Polly and I had booked to play at 1100 but since ours was the third car in the car park, we guessed we'd get off early. One look up the steep hill at the first suggested a buggy might be wise! Lockerbie is a 5334 yard par 67 parkland/moorland course, but the changes in elevation and small greens made it pretty tricky. The bitingly cold wind didn't help either, though I guess carrying the clubs might have kept us warmer.
Craig, Stu and I always target birdies in playing the Scottish courses, so it was great to start Lockerbie in that fashion. The 1st is a 351 yard steep uphill par 4. My 8 iron second had left a difficult downhill 25 foot putt, but I'd seen how quick the green was from Polly's first putt. Anything above the hole was very fast and the greens were a wee bit bumpy after all of the winter frost and snow. 
However, the gentlest of putts trickled its way into the hole. An easy par at the Stroke Index 18 2nd hole followed, but a series of bogeys or worse took me to the turn in a disappointing 43. The feature hole on the course turned out to be this, the short 118 yard par 3 8th. I missed the small green (a feature at Lockerbie) for another bogey.
However, the gentlest of putts trickled its way into the hole. An easy par at the Stroke Index 18 2nd hole followed, but a series of bogeys or worse took me to the turn in a disappointing 43. The feature hole on the course turned out to be this, the short 118 yard par 3 8th. I missed the small green (a feature at Lockerbie) for another bogey.
My indifferent play continued on the back 9, culminating in a wild slice off the exposed 15th tee. By that time an icy wind was blowing from left to right across the hole and I only just managed to poke my tee shot back onto the fairway from the middle of some tall pines. 
I'd almost got used to the small greens by the but the 15th green was small to the point of comical, as was my attempted pitch, which took one bounce and scurried off to the shelter of the rough. A double bogey followed and I limped home in 43 for an 86, net 76, some 9 strokes adrift from net par. My golf was pretty poor and Polly easily took the honours in our holiday competition, leaving me with a fragile 3-1 lead. One outstanding aspect of this course is the friendliness of the members and its officials. From the time we entered the Secretary's office we were made most welcome. The Lockerbie club was a good test (which beat me on the day!) and it's obviously a strong focal point for the local community. I hope I'm less golfed-out next time I play it. I blame the long walk round the 2010 course, or was it just a hangover from much earlier in the week?
I'd almost got used to the small greens by the but the 15th green was small to the point of comical, as was my attempted pitch, which took one bounce and scurried off to the shelter of the rough. A double bogey followed and I limped home in 43 for an 86, net 76, some 9 strokes adrift from net par. My golf was pretty poor and Polly easily took the honours in our holiday competition, leaving me with a fragile 3-1 lead. One outstanding aspect of this course is the friendliness of the members and its officials. From the time we entered the Secretary's office we were made most welcome. The Lockerbie club was a good test (which beat me on the day!) and it's obviously a strong focal point for the local community. I hope I'm less golfed-out next time I play it. I blame the long walk round the 2010 course, or was it just a hangover from much earlier in the week?
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