FROM HEROES TO VILLAINS

Sport is the epitome of everything which defines the best of the human race; competition, fairness, the pursuit of betterment and that sense of achievement, to name a few. Growing up, I chose my sporting heroes and heroines based on what they had achieved and how they had done it.

I have no problem with sportsmen and women being compensated for their success and efforts. But I cannot help but think that the current disquiet surrounding the LIV Tour risks throwing all that is good about golf – and sport in general – in the bin.

Our individual desires to emulate our sporting heroes comes not from how much they earn, but from how they perform under pressure, how they hold themselves to the highest standards of sporting integrity, and how magnanimous they are in defeat or victory. The pursuit of money over these more intrinsically sound objectives cannot, in any sense of the definition of sport, be an advert for growing the game of golf. Richard Falle, email

ONE OF GOLF’S TOUGHEST TESTS

Pastures Golf Club in Derby is a tight nine-hole course which plays to a par-64 off the competition tees. The course record of one-over-par has stood for a number of years. Rick Shiels featured the course on his Youtube blog in 2021 and brought along a tour professional to see if he could beat it. He scored four-over-par.

In June this year, we held the Pastures Challenge, where pros and low handicappers were invited to see if they could break the course record. We had golfers from all over the UK playing, as well as one from the USA, but nobody came close. Six over was the best score on the day, achieved by the current course record holder, Richard Essex, who plays off two.

The challenge will now take place every year until the course record is finally broken.

Greg Moran, Pastures Golf Club

LEARNING MY LESSON

I read with great interest your article on taking golf lessons on the course as opposed to on the driving range. I thought I would share my own experience because I purchased a block of four lessons in November, which actually included a two-hour course lesson for free.

I found the playing lesson to be far more beneficial, especially as this was the first time my instructor had seen me play this crazy game outside a range setting. It helped highlight where my course management can improve and how I can utilise more of my clubs for different shots.

It was a real eye-opening experience, something I would recommend to other golfers.

Mark Teasel, Burton on Trent

SHORT-GAME SALVATION

I have been playing golf for just over 15 years. Being a senior, I have a number of joint and mobility conditions and this effects how far I hit the ball. I did manage to get to a 13 handicap but I have been plateaueing for some years.

I spoke with my golf professional friend who advised me to concentrate on my short game. With just a few adjustments and a fair bit of practice in recent months, my chipping and putting has improved considerably.

The test came recently in a monthly medal and with great delight I scored a net 63 (six-under-par). A large part of my success was getting up and down on seven of the holes.

I am now off 10.6 and would advise the ‘not so long’ players to join me in focusing more on their short game.

William Harding, email

HANDICAP FLAW SKEWING RESULTS

I understand all the complaints about the World Handicap System and how high handicappers seem to win every tournament. By implementing a 95 percent handicap allowance, players from 11 to 30 are only seeing a reduction of one shot. Were we to increase this to 80 percent, it would make a worthwhile difference and give every one of us a fair chance of winning.

Phil Foxley, email