This week we're taking on one of Narooma's sneaky little par 3s. At 153m (167 yards) it doesn't look intimidating... until you start looking at the misses. 🌲 Left? Jail. 🌲 Right? More jail. ⬆️ Long? A nasty uphill recovery from a steep bank. 🏌️ Short right? That's the one miss I actually don't mind. There's a bank that can kick the ball onto the green if you use it properly. My play 👇 I took 6 iron, aimed at the right bunker and tried to turn a little draw back into the middle. It landed almost pin high... but the green spat it out, leaving me with a 60-foot putt. Fortunately, the lag putt was good enough to leave myself one of those short putts that looks easy... until you realise it's got just enough break to ruin your day. 😅 Made it. Walked away with par. Your turn... ⛳ What club are you hitting? 🎯 Where are you aiming? 🤔 Are you using the front bank or flying it all the way to the flag? 🏆 What's your favourite miss? Drop your strategy below before you watch the video - I want to see how everyone would UNHACK THIS HOLE.

Good: Bunker play and putting was good. 28 putts and 2 sand saves. Went fairway bunker to greenside bunker and got up and down for par. Bad: Driver was atrocious. Topped them. Sliced them. Hooked them. Missed fairways. A lot of recovery shots. To be fair - all the bogeys on this card could have been waaaaaay worse if I didn't play sensible. Donny: Recovery shot out of the trees on 18 just kept going ... and going .... should have stopped. Didn't. Straight in to the smallest dam you've ever seen.

What a first week! A massive thank you to everyone who's joined the Fairways Optional Golf Club already. We've now got members from all over the world, and it's been awesome seeing everyone getting involved, introducing themselves and jumping into the challenges. We really appreciate you being here. I had a fun weekend on and off the course. Friday night we headed out for some glow-in-the-dark night golf. It was absolute chaos! We're still trying to work out the best way to film it, but stay tuned because I think we've got something pretty cool coming. Saturday... let's just say the golf wasn't exactly one for the highlight reel. 😅 One of those rounds where nothing really clicked. But it's a good reminder that golf is supposed to be fun. Not every round is your best, and that's okay. Keep smiling and enjoy being out there. Sunday was much better. I got out with the boys and filmed nine holes with Gaudi to kick off his Breaking 100 series. We've now got a baseline score, a clear idea of what needs improving, and I'm really excited to see how much we can help him - and hopefully plenty of you along the way. A huge congratulations to Cody Dixon, our Week 1 Lag Putt Challenge winner with an impressive 9 points! 👏 Can anyone knock him off this week? Grab a few balls, head to the practice green and let's keep working towards saying goodbye to those three-putts. I've also uploaded this week's Lower Scores Fast lesson, all about aiming. It's one of those simple things that every golfer - even the good players - can benefit from. Take an extra few seconds to check your aim before you check into the Hotel Double Bogey. And if you haven't seen it yet, the latest Unhack This Hole is live! I froze my backside off and got absolutely soaked filming that one, so I really hope you enjoy it. Have a fantastic week everyone. Hit 'em well, make smart decisions, and remember GOLF IS FUN!⛳️

Welcome to the first Fairways Optional monthly challenge. This month, we’re keeping it simple: The Lag Putt Challenge. Have as many cracks as you want, then drop your best score in the comments. Video evidence is a bonus, but we’ll trust you. Golf is a gentleman’s and gentlewoman's game. The score matters, but the bigger question is this: Does it actually help your putting on the course? After you try it, let us know: Where did you practise? What score did you shoot? And more importantly — did your distance control improve during a real round? Weekly winners will go on the Board of Honour. And tell your friends to join in too. The bigger this gets, the easier it is for us to hassle some golf companies for prizes. Now grab the putter, find a green, and see how close you can get.

This is where we share the real stories from our rounds. Not just the perfect shots. The good ones. The bad ones. And the absolute Donny moments. After your round, drop a quick post using this format: THE GOOD What went well? Best shot, smart decision, good score, solid recovery or something you’re proud of. THE BAD What cost you shots? Three-putts, short game chaos, penalties, poor targets, lost balls or general golf pain. THE DONNY What was the decision or shot that seemed like a good idea for about three seconds? Example: THE GOOD Hit 7 greens and finally stopped aiming at every flag. THE BAD Three-putted twice from nowhere. THE DONNY Tried to hit a 4-iron through a gap that only existed in my imagination. This thread is for laughs, learning and helping each other avoid the same disasters next time. The best stories may end up on the Board of Honour, including the famous Donny Award. Fairways are optional. Smart decisions are not.