Portugal's Fastest Greens Left Us All Traumatised 😯 Plus Ross' 170mph ball speed
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This week on Both Sides of Par, Colin reports back from a lads' golf trip to Portugal, where he tackled three courses near Cascais including the stunning Oitavos Dunes, a links-style track with greens so fast they left everyone slightly traumatised. Despite scores north of 100 (those courses were hard, OK?), Colin found himself putting smart golf strategy into practice for real, laying up with a trusty 7-iron from 200 yards during match play and actually winning his singles match. He even unleashed the driver on the final two holes and sent one 304 yards dead straight down the fairway!
Meanwhile, Ross has been quietly rebuilding his putting routine around a countdown technique he picked up from a sports psychologist. The idea is simple: count down from 10 as you walk to the ball, take your practice stroke at 5, and pull the trigger on 1. It sounds almost too easy, but a friend he played with recently commented on how relaxed his stroke looked, and Ross was sinking putts from all over the place. He has also been seeing real results from his winter speed training, getting his 8-iron ball speed up to 118-120 within just a few swings and accessing 165 ball speed with the driver comfortably. A pre-round warm-up routine involving a 5kg medicine ball, therabands, and arriving 45 minutes early is paying off in a big way.
The lads wrap up with this week's open competition at Cardross Golf Club near Glasgow, a course Ross describes as a mini Augusta, and put the call out for listener feedback on what they want to hear more of going forward. Email in at hello@bothpar.com.
Episode Highlights
🟢 Colin's Portugal golf trip review: three courses near Lisbon, including the spectacular Oitavos Dunes with its terrifyingly fast greens and stunning par 3s over cliffs and ravines
🟢 Smart golf in action: Colin laid up with a 7-iron from 200 yards on six to eight holes during match play, saved strokes, and won his singles match against a 6-handicapper
🟢 Ross's 10-to-1 countdown putting routine: a simple mental technique that blocks out overthinking, keeps you calm, and has transformed his consistency on the greens
🟢 Speed training gains: Ross can now access 170+ ball speed within 10-12 balls and his 8-iron ball speed has jumped from 112 to 118-120, all thanks to consistent winter work and a med ball warm-up
🟢 Colin pulls the driver out after keeping it in the bag all day and smashes it 304 yards straight down the middle, outdriving a 5-handicap playing partner
Gear & Resources Mentioned
🟢 Oitavos Dunes Golf Course, Cascais, Portugal - oitavosdunes.com
🟢 Campos de Golf Peña Longa, Sintra, Portugal - penhalonga.com
🟢 Club de Golf Quinta da Marinha, Cascais, Portugal - quintadamarinha.com
🟢 TaylorMade Stealth Driver (Colin's current driver)
🟢 5kg Medicine Ball (bouncing type, for pre-round warm-up)
🟢 Therabands (for range warm-up stretches)
🟢 Claude Tarmann - mentioned for course management and smart golf strategy
🟢 Ryan Chrysler - mentioned alongside smart golf strategy discussion
🟢 Mark Immelman Podcast - referenced for a sports psychologist episode on the countdown technique for clearing your mind
🟢 Cardross Golf Club - cardrossgolfclub.co.uk
🟢 Windy Hill Golf Club - mentioned alongside Cardross, with pro David Orr praised for junior and ladies development
🟢 Blinkby Golf Podcast - Ross's other podcast, mentioned in connection with David Orr
Weekly Competitions
Cardross Golf Club is this week's open pick. Located just over the Erskine Bridge, northwest of Glasgow, Ross calls it a mini Augusta and says he has never heard anyone say a bad word about the place. The open takes place on Saturday 13th June, it is a pairs event with a handicap limit of 25.8 and costs £35 per person (£70 per pair). A great excuse to grab a mate, play a beautiful course, and maybe win a prize.
Chapter List
00:00 Welcome to Both Sides of Par
02:35 Colin's Golf Trip to Portugal
05:20 The Three Courses: Peña Longa, Oitavos Dunes and Quinta da Marinha
07:37 Oitavos Dunes: Stunning Par 3s and Lightning-Fast Greens
09:26 Playing in the Wind: Ross's Simple Low Shot Technique
15:19 Ryder Cup Style Match Play in Portugal
16:52 Smart Golf in Action: Laying Up with a 7-Iron from 200 Yards
21:16 Scores, Slope Ratings and Managing Expectations on Foreign Courses
25:29 Colin Unleashes the Driver: 304 Yards Straight
27:52 Portugal Course Reviews and Recommendations
30:21 Ross's Early Season Form: Process Over Results
32:36 The Countdown Putting Routine: 10 Down to 1
39:06 Speed Training Progress and Ball Speed Gains
42:38 The Pre-Round Med Ball Warm-Up Routine
44:09 Open Competition: Cardross Golf Club
46:40 Listener Feedback and Sign Off
