NOTE TO SELF - Don't do this...

So, now that golf season has started in Maine (all of about two weeks ago) I have been wondering why my ball is not going where it is supposed to, and also why I have to lay flat once I get home from playing and practicing. In those two weeks, it never occurred to me that those two problems might be related.

You know, because I have only been playing golf for 30 years...

Sure enough, a nice review of the basics - grip, stance, setup, etc. - basically all the things we like to get on newbs for here at WRX - and no pain, and a pleasant ball flight has returned with more than a slight amount of predictability. No Advil needed.

So, note to self, don't suck. It hurts.

LOL, I have been hurting pretty bad after my first couple of rounds, and I don't think the walking caused it. Thanks for the tip.

First few times out always kill me each year. Probably just forget what I'm doing and slowly get it back each time.

Maybe this year I should do a quick review.

LOL, but it's not funny at the time, been playing a few full rounds gradually working elbow back into it and to the point where if I don't overdo I can play 18 and was having some "normalcy" and we've had some terribly windy days and all of a sudden couldn't find fairways off the tee in a progressively horrible way. Which last night in a gale turned into not only not finding them but hitting some godawful shots of all varieties. Then it showed up with a couple wedges and . . . . found a relatively calm spot on the course, put down a few balls and had a little setup/takeaway/tempo/rhythm "review". Played a couple holes after that with better results and got the heck off the golf course. My third round in super windy conditions apparently found me abandoning all sorts of reason in trying to hit the ball, and I think my elbow was sort of silently protesting the way I was making a pass at it (out of sync for various reasons and way too hard) and affecting results as well.

Amazing for sure how the "little" things need attention!

My first couple of rounds back my left shoulder really hurt. It's funny there's little movements associated with everything that if you stop doing....you don't even realize it until you try to start up again.

About 3 weeks ago I tweaked my back lifting weights. Before this I was generally hitting the ball fine. I did a lot of stretching, ibuprofen, etc and I managed to play through it.

I'm feeling a lot better now, but my swing (especially driver and long irons) is a bit of a mess. I think I got into some bad habits trying to make things work when my back wasn't too happy.

I've got a lesson scheduled for later today. Hoping he will be able to "reset" my swing.

I've had rounds where I hit it crappy for no apparent reason, but then realized later that I was compensating for a slightly "tweaked" or stiff back but didn't notice the pain during the round because I was focusing on (the crappy) golf.

Was reading a Hogan book the past few days, the grip section. Made me really concentrate on grip the past couple of times out. Making sure the hands were really locked together. Hit fewer crap shots. Thats my goal this year. Reduce doubles and triples.

Every month or so I have to spend an entire day on the range getting back to weakening my grip slightly. Every round I play I gradually strengthen my grip. No idea why I continually do this but it happens. It is crazy how one minor basic detail can completely screw you up and you don't even notice what is causing it right away. It is nice to basically go to the range like you've never played before and just look at every minor thing and then you notice you aren't even lining up the right way lol.