The Count Back

Every golfer has had one. This week Barry and Sigma get into meltdowns: first tee nerves, the chipping yips, the lost ball injustice, a 10 on the last hole of a Break 80 round, and what Rory, Seve and Spieth can teach the rest of us. Plus how to help a playing partner over the line (never say “steady the ship”), unsolicited swing advice, AimPoint, and the one thing that works when your head goes. Seen a proper meltdown on the course? Tell us in the comments. 0:00 Cold open 0:36 This week: meltdowns 4:22 The meltdown of all meltdowns 9:32 Match play or stroke play? 15:01 The chipping yips 20:18 Types of meltdown 24:09 The lost ball injustice 30:06 A 10 on the last 31:48 Rory, Seve and Spieth 39:44 The running commentary 44:26 Getting it over the line 47:32 Unsolicited advice 54:10 Chasing the feel 1:02:10 How to stop a meltdown New episode every Wednesday. Website: thecountback.com Instagram and TikTok: @thecountback Barry: @golfwithbarry Sigma: @the_creative_sigma

The handicap system, and the people who game it. The first Count Back ramble. Barry knows of a man who broke 100 four times in twelve months. All four were captain's prize rounds. He won it twice. Sigma shot two 66s in a captain's prize and finished seventh. Episode 4 of The Count Back, weekly discussions on Irish golf with Barry and Sigma. No course this week and no score, just the handicap system, bandits, and whether anything can be done about either. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - The handicap system 00:01:30 - Is it fair? 00:03:32 - The old system 00:06:45 - Two 66s and seventh place 00:13:31 - What a bandit looks like 00:20:00 - Four good days a year 00:21:12 - Endemic and systemic 00:25:35 - The JP McManus Pro Am 00:28:31 - Six shots back 00:32:08 - The Bandit Gazette 00:38:38 - Gross prizes 00:43:30 - It gets worse 00:45:16 - Teaching juniors 00:49:01 - Would you refuse to sign? 00:53:28 - Fixing the countback 00:59:34 - Shots on the 19th 01:17:48 - Sigma's solution Is this format worth keeping? Tell us in the comments, along with any topic you want covered. New episode every Wednesday. Follow the show and it comes to you. thecountback.com Instagram and TikTok: @thecountback New episode every Wednesday. Website: thecountback.com Instagram and TikTok: @thecountback Barry: @golfwithbarry Sigma: @the_creative_sigma

Strandhill in Co. Sligo. A par 70 links under Knocknarea, sitting between Enniscrone and Rosses Point and rarely mentioned in the same breath as either. Episode 3 of The Count Back, weekly discussions on Irish golf courses with Barry and Sigma. Every course gets a verdict and a score on The Count Back Index. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Strandhill 00:01:08 - The hidden gem 00:02:31 - What the Americans said 00:04:49 - Is it easy? 00:06:47 - The dress code 00:08:09 - Sigma's first time 00:09:48 - The price 00:11:17 - The condition 00:13:48 - Will the price go up? 00:17:08 - Where to start on links 00:19:12 - The undulations 00:22:07 - Golf all year 00:23:43 - Barry's first time 00:29:30 - The opening holes 00:31:13 - Featured holes 00:36:09 - The welcome 00:37:29 - The 13th 00:38:50 - The Count Back Index 00:45:12 - The score New episode every Wednesday. Follow the show and it comes to you. thecountback.com Instagram and TikTok: @thecountback New episode every Wednesday. Website: thecountback.com Instagram and TikTok: @thecountback Barry: @golfwithbarry Sigma: @the_creative_sigma

Carton House in Co. Kildare. Two courses, a Fairmont hotel and half an hour from Dublin. A long way from Enniscrone in every sense. Episode 2 of The Count Back, weekly discussions on Irish golf courses with Barry and Sigma. Every course gets a verdict and a score on The Count Back Index. New episode every Wednesday. Follow the show and it comes to you. thecountback.com Instagram and TikTok: @thecountback New episode every Wednesday. Website: thecountback.com Instagram and TikTok: @thecountback Barry: @golfwithbarry Sigma: @the_creative_sigma

Our first review. Enniscrone Golf Links in Co. Sligo, all dunes and Atlantic, and whether it lives up to the reputation. We get to the verdict eventually. Along the way there's a fair bit about links golf in general, because it's hard to talk about Enniscrone without it. New episode every Wednesday. Website: thecountback.com Instagram and TikTok: @thecountback Barry: @golfwithbarry Sigma: @the_creative_sigma