My Road to Improvement - swing video 3/15/24

[bortass]

16 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

Not sure if you've talked about any of this in the thread, but have you ever taken some time to actually work on stretching and flexibility? Especially if you've got 3 days straight of rain ahead of you?

 

The good thing, even beyond gaining flexibility, is that it's actually low-impact exercise too. You'd be surprised how much energy you're burning just by stretching, and it will build a little muscle. Sure it's not heavy cardio or weight training, but if you're sitting around watching the Masters because it's raining, you might as well throw some stretches in there. 

I have not talked about it. Relocating to ATL had a side effect on my overall fitness. I played recreational volleyball in Maine, 4+ hours a week. I seem to be in a volleyball wasteland where I am. No rec VB near me except a group that plays what I would politely call picnic VB. Pretty much most rules are not followed and it's actually dangerous. Very nice people and all but not worth the risk of busting my ankle. So my fitness has fallen off as my waist has expanded, lol. 

 

VB was great for me because it's fun, sure my knees love the fact I don't play any more, but it helped keep me in okay shape. Overweight but able to sustain hours of burst cardio. Right now golf is my only exercise and I don't walk the course nearly as much since getting the cart.

 

I'm kinda bummed because my P90X stretching DVD is missing. That was a great full body stretching routine. Key stretches for me would be hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back. Getting into shape takes effort and willpower. I know how to do it but I have not found the motivation to do something about it. I know that's pathetic. Motivation is the key and for whatever reason I ain't got it right now, sigh.

[betarhoalphadelta]

3 hours ago, bortass said:

I'm kinda bummed because my P90X stretching DVD is missing. That was a great full body stretching routine. Key stretches for me would be hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back. Getting into shape takes effort and willpower. I know how to do it but I have not found the motivation to do something about it. I know that's pathetic. Motivation is the key and for whatever reason I ain't got it right now, sigh.

 

You're not alone, my friend!

 

I've managed to stay the same weight during the pandemic, but if I hadn't gotten a dog in January 2020 that demands I walk him every day, I would not have lol... Even today, I work from home and have dumbbells sitting on the floor RIGHT next to my workspace... Think I ever pick them up? Nah... Not even the ones I bought for tennis/golfer's elbow exercises, which still crops up from time to time... 

 

But hey, if you want motivation, think about what it would mean to have the fitness level to drive it 30 yards farther, and how that will help you get closer to breaking 85 😉 

[bortass]

Well the rain held off and I snuck out for an unexpected 9. Overcast with a 12 MPH wind. temps are low 70s. I warmed up by swinging my Orange whip a few times on #1.

 

 

1 – par 4, 404 yards, straight, #1 HCP, bunker front right. It's into the wind and I hit driver. It's a pull draw, 217 yards, into the left rough. I'm 200ish yards out and the hole is on the right side behind the bunker. I aim more middle with my 4w and top it 44 yards down the fairway... Wind in my face and Arccos says it's playing 160ish, so I hit my 4i. It's a low draw that lands on the green and I see bounce. I don't see what happens after that. I get to the green and there's no ball. Crap I went long... Sure enough I find my ball about a yard into the brush that fronts the drop off to a stream that's behind this green. I take my drop, 168 yards from my prior spot, and I'm on bare dirt. I flub the chip across the cart path to the rough on the slope that's behind thre green. I stub my SW on the next chip but get on the green 24 feet short of the flag. I hit my putt and it's rolling ture but stops 2 feet short. A 2 putt 8, quad bogey.

 

I am so good at golf, lol.

 

2 – par 3, 142 yards, #17 HCP, bunkers short left and right, and long left. Arccos says it's about 130ish to center, so I hit my 7i. Contact is good and it's a high draw that lands on the green, 133 yards. I have my first GIR and am 13 feet behind the hole. I hit my birdie putt and it goes a foot long. So a par, 3.

 

That's a bit better. Still a sad start but it's one hole at a time.

 

3 – par 5, 458 yards, dogleg right, #9 HCP, couple of fairway bunkers on the left at the corner. The wind is kinda behind me and I hit a high baby fade with my driver, 216 yards, around the corner into the fairway on the right side. My normal play is to hit my 4w close with my second shot but I don't trust it. I'm waiting on the foursome in front of me and getting ready to hit a 5i layup when a ball lands behind me. The single behind me caught up and didn't know I was there. He joined me through 8. I hit my 5i and it's a high push into the trees on the spine of the hill that juts out a bit. I don't hear the ball hit anything and I find on the slope to the left of the trees, 138 yard shot. I'm above the green with a clear shot at the green. I hit a partial PW that lands near the back of the green and rolls off, 89 yards. I chip with my putter to 6 feet and hit the par putt a foot long. I make the bogey putt though, 6.

 

I have no real complaints with the last two holes, things are going well after the mess on #1

 

4 – par 4, 293 yards, straight, #15 HCP, water left and OoB right. Right side has a slope. There's a fairway bunker on the right. I hit a high draw with driver with the wind, 240 yards into the fairway and not that far from the green. The flag is forward so it's about 40 yards away... I grip down on my SW and hit a partial shot. It's a nice looking shot that lands on the green. I can't see what happens since I'm a bit below the green and my view is blocked by the back lips of the front bunker. My ball is near the middle of the green, 53 yard shot, and I'm 33 feet past the hole, GIR #2! I expect it to break left to right and I hit my birdie putt. It barely breaks and I miss high and 3 feet past the hole. I manage to sink the par putt, 4.

 

5- par 5, 501 yards, dogleg right, #5 HCP, hazard down the left side. There's a slope on the right side which makes the fairway narrow in the landing spot. A stream runs down the right side from the corner to near the green. The foursome in front waves us through. I hit driver and it's a lowish draw down the right side. It hits the face of the slope to the right of the cartpath and kicks left into the fairway, 211 yards. I have guys in front of me and still don't trust the 4w. Arccos says I'm 280 from the green as the crow flies. I just want to get around the corner and I hit my 4i. Contact is okay, near the toe, and it's a mid height shot that goes 141 yards into the center of the fairway near the 150 yard marker. The hole look to be near the center on the bottom tier. I decide to hit my 5i and it's a high shot that lands on the green and releases left, another GIR! I'm 23 feet to the left of the hole. It will break left to right. I hit my putt and miss high and 5 feet past the hole... Crap, what is with putting long today? I look it over and sink the par putt, 5.

 

Hmmm, where did this come from?

 

6 – par 4, 367 yards, slight dogleg left, #7 HCP. Medium width landing area with a bunker on the left. Houses are on the right and there's a sharp slope into the left trees if you end up too far into the left rough. I hit a mid height draw, 234 yards, into the fairway towards the middle. The flag is front right and I'm about 138-140ish from center. I hit my 6i, off the toe, and it's a high shot that lands on the green, 127 yards, and another GIR.... I'm 12 feet left and long. My birdie putt misses high and roills three feet past the hole, sigh. I sink the putt for par, 4.

 

The guy that joined me 3 starts to call me tee to green. I tell him he's good luck 🙂 I also mention I'm a 25 index and this is unusual for me. He says whatever it is you're working on, keep at it because it's working...

 

7 – par 4, 351 yards, slight dogleg right, #11 HCP, elevated tee shot to a wide open fairway that slopes down right to left all the way to about the 100 yard marker. Bunkers on the left marking the corner and a slope on the right. I hit a low pull, 191 yards, into the fairway on the left side. I just made the hole longer but I have a pretty level lie. I am quite a ways out and decide to hit my 4w. It's a real low shot that lands short of the green by the front left bunker and rolls up and on and through, 184 yards. The hole is near the back to my right and I'm in the rough between the two back bunkers. The path to the green is level and I chip with my putter. I watch as the ball rolls onto the green and slowly turns right it gets near the hole and catches the right edge dropping in for a chip in birdie, 3.

 

I have a great round going barring #1.....

 

8 – par 3, 160 yards, elevated tee shot, #13 HCP, bunker on the right side of the green. Slope to the right of this hole that is weed whacked. So it's long stuff and wild. Balls can get lost here. The hole is forward and I decide to hit 8i since I'm hitting the ball well. I return to form and hit a high push, 141 yards, onto the right slope. We find my ball. It's steep and my goal is to just get the ball on the green. I take an easy, steep, chip/hack out swing and the ball pops out, lands in the fringe and rolls on the green 19 feet below the cup. I'm happy with the result, my normal hot from up there lands on the green and rolls through it. I hit the par putt and miss high and 5 feet long... Crap, crap, crap. I just brought double bogey back into play. I manage to sink the bogey putt, 4.

 

I dodged a bullet there by poulling the bogey outta my butt. The guy that joined me heads to the range as I head to 9.

 

9 – par 4, 357 yards, straight hole, #3 HCP, water on the left as you approach the green. The pond fronts this green. I hit a push draw with my driver, 237 yards, that lands in the right rough near the cart path. I should be in decent shape up by the big pine tree. I get there and my ball rolled right, across the cart path... I'm not far out but my only shot is a low punch to the left of the big pine tree, across the pond and on. Homey don't play that... I take my SW and chip the ball 43 yards into the correct fairway. I now have a clear shot and the flag is back left on the top tier. I'm inside 100 yards and a partial PW looks good to me. I hit it and it's a bit of a push that lands on the back of the green and rolls into the fringe, 89 yards. My ball is sitting in a bare patch with grass behind it. So this won't be clean since the ball is also slightlybelow ground level, if you know what I mean. I use my putter and I chip it on the green, 9 feet above the hole. I hit my bogey putt and it stops on the high side, 3 inches from the hole... Double bogey, 6.

 

 

Some stats:

Avg drive: 221 yards

Longest drive: 240 yards

Fairways: 5/7

GIR: 4/9

Avg Approach: 129 yards

Up & down: 1/5

Putts: 16

 

Strokes gained compared to a 12 HCP. 

Overall: -0.5 strokes, so in theory I played close to a 12!

driving: -0.1

Approach: -1.1, my best approach stats ever!

Short game: +0.9, love that chip in birdie.

Putting: -0.1

 

Birdies: 1

Pars: 4

Bogey: 2

Dbl Bogey: 1

Other: 1

 

A 43 with an 8 on the card... This is my best 9 hole score since coming back and is in the top 5 of my life. I know I once shot a 40 up north based on something I posted here back in 2013 and I'm pretty sure I have a 41 and 42 in the mix as well. I'm not gonna get too excited because I shot a 44 last April when I was using my 4w off the tee and playing blades. I then went and carded a 102 the next day.... But this is the kind of round that makes me say I can break 85 again. I know my rounds in the last 4+ months don't lend my credence to cracking 85 since I wasn't anywhere close score wise. 

 

The driver was huge today. It really shortened holes for me and gave me irons for my approach in most cases. My dispersion is much better with it this round too. No big push fades or pull hooks. I wasn't perfect but the direction and shape of my drives was very solid.

 

I thought I was toast after #1. An opening quad does not made me think I have a possible good round in the works. Thing is, I never cared. I got to #2 and hit a very good 7i onto the green and got my par. The drive on 3 was solid too. So I never got down with myself. I also didn't get too excited/nervous. Trust me by the time I sank the birdie chip on #7, I knew I had something pretty good going. I was even par over 6 holes and that's almost unheard of for me. My nerves were fine though. I was just hitting the ball and building confidence as I went. Sure #8 and 9 were not great but I can't complain about them either. #9 is a tough hole and I played it smart and didn't execute as well as I could have.

 

#5 surprised me. I struggle with this hole so much and I actually hit it in 3 for a change. It's nice hitting an iron around the corner and not a wood that may be so so.

 

Can you tell I'm a bit pumped? It was awesome and I felt like a golfer even if my 6i was only going 130ish, lol. 

 

Again like I said in a few paragraphs above, I'm not holding my breath that I'm on the verge of a breakthrough. Been there and it went poof. But the recent swing changes seem to be clicking a bit and with some luck thrown in, ya never know.

 

Have a good one!

[betarhoalphadelta]

Nice round! 

[Myherobobhope]

On 4/8/2021 at 4:19 PM, bortass said:

So I never got down with myself. I also didn't get too excited/nervous.

This right here is a break through in and of itself... it's hard to recover when playing poorly, and easy to mess up a good round when you are playing well... staying focused on the task at hand is where you need to be...

 

I forgot to mention it in the putting thread, but the third hole of my course is a par five... Crushed a drive (280) and had 200 in to the middle and a front pin... I had a tree cutting off my preferred target line, but went for the green anyway (didn't try to hit a draw, just hoped the wind would be me right)... ended up pin high in the sand... choked the sand shot over the back of the green... knocked the second chip to about 6 feet and saved par... had to take a deep breath after the bad sand shot and refocus...

 

Tried to make sure I wasn't focused on how I had gotten to where I was, or what number I was hitting... just focused on getting the ball in the hole.

 

Also, a 43 with an 8 shows that you can hit 85 with a bad hole... you should probably also play more rounds with your new friend!

[bortass]

@MyherobobhopeI told him he was lucky and I need to play with him more, lol.

[Chip Duffer]

Very happy for you about your round Thursday. The driver seems to have opened a whole new game for you. 4 of 9 GIR is a great sign of true potential and the improvement is a reward for your commitment and effort.

[bortass]

On 4/11/2021 at 9:25 PM, Chip Duffer said:

Very happy for you about your round Thursday. The driver seems to have opened a whole new game for you. 4 of 9 GIR is a great sign of true potential and the improvement is a reward for your commitment and effort.

Thanks. It's amazing what being able to hit the ball a decent distance off the tee will do for you. I look at this round, like my other real good ones, as signs of potential. I have not done anything on the course, except maybe that eagle on #10 last year, that I can't do again. It's a confidence builder and I won't expect it to be the norm until it actually happens more often.

 

We did get rained out Saturday. The storm was to hit when we were to tee off, so everyone bailed. It hit on time too and cleared up after but I never got out.

 

Hit the range today and nothing significant. I worked on various NTC drills and the drill from D4D where you try to hit a wedge as far as possible. That last drill is lol worthy when I do it.... If any of you follow the NTC thread, you'll know Monte keeps reiterating that it's not a quick fix and can take months or years to get ingrained. I'm pretty sure I'm in the years category but that's fine. I'm seeing progress on the course and that's the true test of things.

Edited April 13, 2021 by bortass
typos...

[bortass]

Got in a quick 9 today. Sunny, low 70s, not much wind. Greens were top dressed and the mowers lowered this week. So they are faster now and this is my first round on them  set-up this way in 2021.

 

I caught up to someone practicing for a mid-am qualifier as well and we played 5- 9 together. Interesting to see him hit the ball since I don't play with guys that attempt to play in that type of tourney. There were a couple 3-somes in front of us and I made sure to tell him on #5 that hitting extra balls wouldn't bother me. We weren't going anyplace and he's practicing to learn the course.

 

I did make it to the range yesterday and worked on my myriad of different things, lol. I find that I tend to work on a number of different drills and things when I go. I just don't seem to sit there and work on one thing for 30 minutes straight. Doubt this is ideal but it's what I did...

 

 

1 – par 4, 404 yards, straight, #1 HCP, bunker front right. I hit a slight fade down the right side with driver, 227 yards. I watch the ball land on the right edge of the fairway and roll towards the stand of trees on the right. Sure enough my ball is in the right rough and I have to hit between the trunks. I have no realistic shot at the green, so I don't bother looking at how far out I am. I have a decent sized gap to go through and need to keep the ball low. I hit a 'power' chip with my 5i that goes between the trees and rolls, 81 yards, into the middle of the fairway. The hole is front left and it's about 90 yards to center. I decide to hit a partial PW. Contact is good but I didn't swing as hard as normal. The ball lands short of the green and rolls a bit back to me, 76 yards. I make a decent chip with my SW to 8 feet past the hole. My bogey putt misses and rolls 2 feet long. Double bogey, 6.

 

Not a great start but better than that 8 last week!

 

2 – par 3, 142 yards, #17 HCP, bunkers short left and right, and long left. The flag is back middle but I can't tell and I aim for center. I use my 7i and it's a mishit off the toe. It's a high fade into the right front bunker, 115 yards, sigh. Now I see the flag is back and I have the entire green to work with. I get out of the bunker in 1 but leave myself 33 feet short. I gotta give it more of a swing with the longer sand shots... My par putt doesn't break as expected and my speed is good. This results in me being pin high on the high side but 6 feet out... Crap. I hit the bogey putt and it stops center of the cup 2 inches out... Double bogey, 5.

 

Well no blow ups but this is not good and I'm where I was after 2 last week...

 

3 – par 5, 458 yards, dogleg right, #9 HCP, couple of fairway bunkers on the left at the corner. I hit a solid draw with my driver, 217, into the left middle of the fairway. I'm 240ish out and have a great angle. I decide to hit my normal 4w and I thin it and watch it roll fairly straight, 136 yards. I'm about 104 from center and go with my 9i. I blade it to the right and watch as my ball runs into one of the bunkers on the front right and it reaches the back lip, pops up in the air and comes to rest in the rough right on the edge of the bunker. Well this is gonna be fun. I decide to hit a bellied wedge which is not a shot I have used more than a handful of times in all the time I've golfed. I have to stand in the bunker and grip down onto the shaft because of the height difference. Awkward... I don't swing too hard and hit is okay and the ball rolls out 6 feet short of the hole. I make the par putt, 5.

 

4 – par 4, 293 yards, straight, #15 HCP, water left and OoB right. Right side has a slope. There's a fairway bunker on the right. I catch my driver thin and watch the low that doesn't get very high land in the fairway and roll out. I'm expecting my ball to be not that far out off the tee but it went 221 yards. I'm in the fairway and the hole looks to me either middle or front. I can't tell because of the back lips of the bunkers. I hit a partial GW and it's a high shot that carries the bunkers. I see the ball bounce but that's it. I get to the green and I'm 9 feet right of the hole. I hit my birdie putt but misread things. I end up 4 feet out on the low side. I hit the par putt and watch as it rolls into the cup, 4.

 

5- par 5, 501 yards, dogleg right, #5 HCP, hazard down the left side. There's a slope on the right side which makes the fairway narrow in the landing spot. A stream runs down the right side from the corner to near the green. I catch up with the guy practicing for the mid-am qualifier on this tee box and join him. I hit a draw with my driver, down the right side and it hits the face of the slope to the right of the caret path. I watch my ball kick left into the fairway, 215 yards. I'm in great position and I remember how I hit two irons last week to reach the green. I leave the woods in my bag and hit my 5i. I blade it and it rolls 152 yards down the fairway. I'm just inside the 150 marker now and aim to the right of the green and hit my 5i again. It's a mishit that goes low and a bit right, landing to the right of the green. The hole is front left and i'm more back right, so my chip has to go down the tier in this green. I use my putter and it ends up being a 26 yard shot that breaks early and ends up 10 feet short and below the hole. Not the greatest but I sink the par putt, 5.

 

6 – par 4, 367 yards, slight dogleg left, #7 HCP. Medium width landing area with a bunker on the left. Houses are on the right and there's a sharp slope into the left trees if you end up too far into the left rough. I tell the guy about the bunker on the left being a bad place to be near. He hits a couple tee shots and then I go. It's a pull with my driver that lands short of the fairway bunkers front left corner. The ball goes into the trees as expected. I find it but I don't have a good shot. It's marked as a hazard, so I drop 184 yards off the tee. I take my 7i and hit a decent high shot 115 yards to get into the fairway and about 70 yards out. It's partial GW time and I chunk it 44 yards and almost into the front bunker. I hit a high chip with my SW and the ball lands on the green and release a little, 6 feet below the hole. I make the putt to 'save' my double bogey.

 

7 – par 4, 351 yards, slight dogleg right, #11 HCP, elevated tee shot to a wide open fairway that slopes down right to left all the way to about the 100 yard marker. Bunkers on the left marking the corner and a slope on the right. I hit a severe pull with driver and it rolls down the cartpath on the left a bit. It rolls back into the left rough near the first fairway bunker, 209 yards. I'm 150ish out, maybe a bit more and decide to go for it with my 4i. Ball is below my feet and I mishit it. The ball goes low and right, crossing the fairway and landing on the right hand slope where it hangs up in the long grass, 102 yards. Well that was not a smart decision, should have hit an partial shot into the fairway. I hit a partial SW and it's a high shot that lands near the front of the green and takes a weird hop to the right and it rolls to the back right, 66 yards. I'm 33 feet past the hole and I screw up the par putt, missing high and 4 feet long. I hit it too firm and miss again. Double bogey, 6.

 

8 – par 3, 160 yards, elevated tee shot, #13 HCP, bunker on the right side of the green. Slope to the right of this hole that is weed whacked. So it's long stuff and wild. Balls can get lost here. Hole is back right and I hit my 6i. It's a real good looking, high shot, that lands on the green and rolls towards the back left, 159 yards. I'm 18 feet to the left a bit below the hole. My par putt misses low and I have about a foot and a half to go. I make the par putt, 3.

 

9 – par 4, 357 yards, straight hole, #3 HCP, water on the left as you approach the green. The pond fronts this green. I hit another pull with my driver, 212 yards, into the left rough short of the leading edge of the pond. I'm about a 5i from the center of the green but it's all pond carry. No thanks, Jeffery. I use my partial wedge swing with my 7i and it's a low draw that goes down the fairway to the right of the pond and rolls out to the right of the green, 140 yards. The flag is back right and I'm in the rough near the back of the green but a fair amount to the right. I hit a pitch with my SW and the ball gets high and lands on the green and rolls 12 feet past the hole. My par putt misses but I make the two footer tha remains for bogey, 5.

 

A 45 with 4 doubles. Ball striking wasn't perfect and a bit worse than last week but it was still better than my normal. I feel real good about this round. We're playing the sister course with all of the water tomorrow.

 

Some stats:

Avg drive: 212 yards

Longest drive: 227 yards

Fairways: 2/7

GIR: 2/9

Avg Approach: 107 yards

Up & down: 3/6

Putts: 17

 

Strokes gained compared to a 12 HCP. 

Overall: -2.3 strokes

driving: -1.5, no surprise with the mishits and the penalty

Approach: -1.5, this is massive. My approach game is normally what sucks hard core but I did well enough to make it look decent for a change!

Short game: +0.5

Putting: +0.2

 

Birdies: 0

Pars: 4

Bogeys: 1

Dbl bogey: 4

triple+: 0

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

42 minutes ago, bortass said:

A 45 with 4 doubles. 

 

Hey, but 4 pars too!

 

Not like me, who managed to play 9 holes of bogey golf this morning with zero pars (but one birdie). 

 

And... You had nothing worse than a double. Avoiding blow up holes is a huge win if you're trying to reduce the average scores.

 

BTW doesn't your course use flag color to denote where the pin is? Almost every course I play out here uses blue for back pins, white for center pins, and red for front pins. Really helps on those holes where you don't have a clean look at the green from the tee on par 3s or approaches on longer holes. 

[bortass]

Just now, betarhoalphadelta said:

Hey, but 4 pars too!

 

Not like me, who managed to play 9 holes of bogey golf this morning with zero pars (but one birdie). 

 

And... You had nothing worse than a double. Avoiding blow up holes is a huge win if you're trying to reduce the average scores.

 

BTW doesn't your course use flag color to denote where the pin is? Almost every course I play out here uses blue for back pins, white for center pins, and red for front pins. Really helps on those holes where you don't have a clean look at the green from the tee on par 3s or approaches on longer holes. 

 Avoiding big numbers is real important and a win. The 45 is a win too since that's 90 golf. All the scores I have that are 100+ are traumatic to my golfing soul... LOL. I feel like things are coming together, maybe not perfect but overall being solid for me. Today my good putts offset my bad ones and my approach game was much improved. 

 

Part of the approach game is probably how I played #5. The 5i second shot got me to close to the 150 marker in the middle of the fairway. A 4w might have gotten me closer but could very well have gone into the stream to the right. I gotta remember to take my medicine though. The 4i on #7 was not a wise move. Layup and hit the green in 3 with less risk than what I ended up doing, which was hit it in 3 but with a shot that is more likely to go wrong from the rough on a slope above the green.

 

 

They do not use flag color. My old course in Maine used the flag height to denote front, nback, middle. Instead they have a numbered pin location sheet. I happen to have a laminated copy in my golf cart. So it'll show where the pins are supposed to be if it's say hole location #2 today. I rarely ask the location when I call to check in when I play 9 though. Most weekends I make a note of it when I check in for the Saturday 18. So I would have known if I wasn't lazy. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

4 minutes ago, bortass said:

They do not use flag color. My old course in Maine used the flag height to denote front, nback, middle. Instead they have a numbered pin location sheet. I happen to have a laminated copy in my golf cart. So it'll show where the pins are supposed to be if it's say hole location #2 today. I rarely ask the location when I call to check in when I play 9 though. Most weekends I make a note of it when I check in for the Saturday 18. So I would have known if I wasn't lazy. 

 

Ahh, got it. My goat track munis don't have pin location sheets lol...

 

[bortass]

Played the course with all of the water. Greens are bent grass. It was high 60s with a breeze and overcast when we teed off. I warmed up on the range prior to the round with chips, pitches, partial GW and I think my 8i. Shorter course, 5452 yards on the card. rating 67.1, slope 120.

 

 

1 – par 5, 444 yards, dogleg left, #10 HCP. I hit driver off the tee and it's a mid height draw that lands and rolls, 247 yards. I'm in the middle of the fairway and the ball is past the corner, about 200 yards out. I leave the 4w in the bag since there are trees left and right. I hit a partial shot with my 7i and make good contact, 130 yards down the fairway. I have set myself up great for a partial wedge of about 70 yards. I go with my partial GW and chunk it 47 yards into the front bunker. I get out in one and I'm 33 feet right and past the hole, lol. I get the par putt to 3 feet and sink the bogey putt, 6.

 

Not bad score wise but I was thinking par once I saw where my drive was. I had the right plan and just mishit one of the shots I tend to be pretty good at.

 

2 – par 4, 328 yards, #14 HCP, dogleg left and forced carry over a small creek/drainage channel. Driver could send me through the fairway, so I hit my 4w. It's a low draw, 179 yards, that ends up in some soft stuff on the left side rough. I'm blocked out from the left side of the green now and it's about 135-140 yards to go. I aim for the right side with my 6i and I hit a thin push into the front right bunker, 121 yards. The bunker saved me since the ball had some heat on it and was very low. I hit a decent shot out of the sand to about 9 feet. It slopes away from me and I hit my par putt. I watch it miss and keep rolling 5 feet past the hole. Oh crap, what did I just do? I hit the bogey putt and it drops, 5.

 

Dodged a bullet there.

 

3 – par 4, 356 yards, straight, #2 HCP, forced carry over a stream short of the green. I hit a very strong mid height draw, 258 yards into the fairway on the left side. Awesome drive for me. The hole is near the front by the stream. I aim more center and hit a partial PW. It's very good contact and a high shot that lands on the green and ends up near the back, 95 yard shot. I am 58 feet from the hole and my birdie putt stops hole high, low side, 3 feet out. I sink the par putt, 4.

 

 

4 – par 4, 319 yards, straight, #8 HCP, elevated green with a tier in it. I hit a push with driver and watch it land right of the fairway bunker on the right side. I'm not feeling too good since there's OoB over there with house and there's a small wooded area as well. My ball is fine, 215 off the tee. I know the hole is back left on the upper tier because I looked at it's location while teeing off on 3. I don't want to be long since the hole is near the drop off of the tier. I decide to hit my 8i and I blade it... It's a low line drive that runs up to the green and to the back left, 132 yards. Ugly shot but the end result isn't terrible. I'm just off the green in an area of bare dirt where there should be fringe. I'm around 15 feet from the hole and I chip with my putter to 4 feet. I sink the par putt, 4.

 

Feeling real good about things.

 

5- par 3, 138 yards, #16 HCP, elevated tee shot with a forced carry off the tee over and overgrown area with a small stream in it. Flag is forward and I hit my 7i. It's a high pull that lands left of the green and almost rolls into the trees, 123 yards. I blade my chip through the green ... I chip with my putter and somehow stub the ball and barely get on the green and I'm 12 feet below the hole. I screw up the bogey putt and it takes 2 more to putt out from 7 feet. A triple bogey, 6.

 

Well that was very bad.

 

6 – par 4, 318 yards, slight dogleg left, #12 HCP, entire hole slopes up away from the tees. I hit a nice fade into the fairway on the right side, 201 yards. I'm 115ish out and hit my 8i. I chunk it and it's a high shot that comes up short, 96 yards. I'm in the rough to the right of the green and not far off the putting surface. The hole is back right and I use my putter to chip. I'm aiming through a fair amount of rough bordering the green to get it up by the hole. I hit it with decent pace but the ball reaches a small hump and rolls to the right away from the green instead of left and on.... So I'm in the rough up a few feet from the fringe and use my putter again. This time I get the ball on and 6 feet past the hole... Another disaster is brewing. The bogey ball heads for the hole and drops, 5.

 

I got real lucky and my short game is killing me all of a sudden.

 

7 – par 5, 414 yards, dogleg right, #6 HCP. Slightly elevated tee shot to a fairway that slopes away from the tee box to the lake, roughly 205 yards to the water. Hazard left off the tees and houses right as well. Fairway on the other side of the lake runs 90* right. Lake is on the entire right side and it's a clear shot to the green or any part of the fairway from the tee box side of the fairway. So the first forced lake carry of the day. I tee off with my normal 7w. It's a pull hook that lands on the cart path and kicks hard into the left hazard. NO sign of my ball and I drop 140 yards off the tee... Crap! A 5i will get me across with plenty of room to spare. I make great contact and the ball start a bit left and clips a branch. I find the ball in the fairway on the other side, 134 yard shot, and I'm about 155-160 from center. I aim left of the green with my 4i and hit a decent shot that catches the slope and rolls onto the green, 153 yards. I'm 38 feet below the hole and hit the par putt to 2 feet. I walk away with a bogey, 6.

 

I dodged another bullet when I save my bogey. I think it's time to tee off with an iron on that hole....

 

8 – par 3, 126 yards, #18 HCP, green is elevated and a forced carry off the tee. The flag is back and I go with my 7i. I mishit it but it's a high shot that lands on the green. I'm 44 feet below the hole, putting up slope and I hit my birdie putt. The line is decent and I miss high but roll 6 feet past the hole...Sigh... I make the par putt though, 3.

 

9 – par 4, 306 yards, dogleg right, #4 HCP. Forced lake carry off the tee to a fairway that runs 90* right. Water down the entire right side of this hole once you get across. I hit a good looking drive that lands near the slope on the left side of the fairway across the water and we watch my ball roll to the right. Great looking shot. I should be in the fairway but we can't find my ball. I start looking in the area that's past the cart path and find my ball in a small divot under a leaf. I went through the fairway and don't have a good shot at the green. I decide to hit a partial 8i between some trees to the green. Contact is real good and not what I wanted. I needed more of a low power chip and instead I hit a solid half shot that sails over the green and goes into the lake... Get my ball out of the water and drop, 111 yards from prior spot. I'm on a steep bank and stub my chip 26 feet short of the hole. I get the bogey putt to 2 feet and walk off with a double bogey, 6.

 

Some real good holes and some stinkers.

 

10 – par 4, 250 yards, dogleg right, #7 HCP hole. Straight off the tee with lake down the entire right side. The green is across the lake with a forced carry all the way to the green. I tee off with my 4i and aim left. It's a decent shot that goes 159 yards into the left rough and short of the bunker over there. The ball is below my feet and I'm about 125 to center. I decide to go for it with my 7i. It's a high push fade off the toe that lands in the lake a few feet short of the far side... I drop at the edge of the lake, 48 yards up, and hit a partial GW that goes 86 yards and into the back fringe. I chip with my putter to 3 feet and make the double bogey putt, 6.

 

Not a good start. I need to not try to carry anything unless I have a good lie. Ball below my feet isn't one of them. I could have chipped the ball 20 – 30 yards and likely would have saved a stroke.

 

11 – par 4, 260 yards, straight, #15 HCP. Short par 4 the green is on the left side and houses on the right of a fairly wide fairway. I hit a solid draw towards the right side of the green and the ball lands and rolls between two of the green side bunkers, 234 yards. The flag is on the front right and I'm in the rough between the two bunkers. I'm chipping with my SW and don't adjust to the slope I'm on. I dig the leading edge into the turf behind the ball and it only goes about 8 yards and into the fringe, short of the green, lol. Great drive and I do that. I use my putter to chip it to 4 feet. I miss the par putt long by 6 inches... So awesome drive leads to bogey, 5.

 

Oh well, a lost opportunity but bogey is still okay.

 

12 – par 5, 477 yards, straight, #1 HCP. Drainage ditch about 200 yards off the tee. It's playable in there but you may have a bad lie. Approach shot is a forced carry over a marshy area of the lake short of the green. I tee off with my 4w and it's a pull into the left trees that run between this hole and #14. We eventually find my ball on bare ground, 202 yards off the tee. I have an out in the direction of the green and I hit a partial 4i. Contact is good and it heads down the left side. The ball lands in the left rough on the side of a slope and must have rolled into a root because it takes a big hop up and to the right, 131 yards. I'm in the fairway and have a 6i in. It's a high slight pull, 149 yards, that misses the green to the left. I chip with my SW, about 25 yards, and am 15 feet above the hole. The par putt misses and I have 2 feet left which I make. Bogey, 6.

 

Honestly happy with this. I'd take a bogey on this hole everyday.

 

13 – par 3, 154 yards, #17 HCP, green is elevated with bunkers short right and tiered green. Flag is front left and breeze coming at us. I hit my 4i and it's a decent looking shot, 159 yards, to the back right of the green. I'm 59 feet above the hole and have to go down the slope. I expect it to break to the left but it doesn't... My birdie putt ends up 24 feet past and above the hole.... So it's a 3 putt bogey, 4. Sad, second time I can recall a front left flag and I hit 4i back right and then 3 putted...

 

14 – par 4, 349, straight hole, #9 HCP. The approach to the green is from an elevated fairway. I hit a solid push with my driver that hits a tree on the right and drops into the right rough, 180 yards. I hit 4i again and the ball starts a bit right on me. Contact was solid and it clipped a small branch. I find it plugged in the right greenside bunker, 144 yard shot. I am able to get the ball out in one but I have 57 feet to go. My par putt goes 6 feet long and I make the comeback putt, bogey, 5.

 

15 – par 4, 274 yards, straight, #17 HCP. Entire hole slopes down to this green. The area fronting the green is always very soft. I hit a solid draw down the right side, 249 yards. My ball is right of the green and just a few yards short of the front edge in the rough. See picture below, my ball is the one at the bottom of the picture. I chip with my SW and it's decent. The ball lands in the fringe and rolls onto the green. One of the guys says, if you landed that on the green, it would have rolled off the other side. I'm 26 feet from the hole. It's a down slope putt. I hit the birdie putt and it tracks at the hole and drops, 3.

 

 

Sweet!

 

16 – par 3, 112 yards, #13 HCP. Forced carry over a small creek. The elevation of this hole is like a U with the tee and green being the top points. I decide to hit my 9i to stay below the hole which is back left. It's a slight pull that lands on the green and looks like it rolls off the left side. I get up there and my ball is on the green resting against the collar of the fringe. 106 yard shot and I'm left of the hole ad below it, 43 feet to go. I hit the birdie putt and it's rolling pretty good and drops for my first ever back to back birdies, 2.

 

Wow, never have done that before! Get to 17 and I put a small BB on my ball and putt it back into my bag.

 

17 – par 5, 467 yards, mostly straight, #5 HCP. Forced carry over junk off the tee to the fairway which is about 150 yards away. The lake is down the entire right side of this fairway and the green is offset to the right, so the approach in is almost always crossing water. Tee shot is an issue because driver can reach the lake with a push of about 205-210 yards. There are a couple trees that will knock balls down into the junk on the left side, so you are forced to hit at an angle that makes the lake and issue off the tee. I tee off with my 4w and top it into the junk in front of the tee box. I retee after the rest of the guys hit and do the same thing.... I take an X and hit some shots to keep Arccos happy. I would be laying 5 assuming my next tee shot would have made the fairway and Arcoss has that in it. Gotta love it. I post NDB into GHIN, 8 which is what I will use in the end.

 

18 – par 4, 360 yards, straight, #3 HCP. Lake down the entire right side and the fairway narrows but I'm not sure exactly where distance wise off the tee. I hit a solid fade that I see land in the fairway and kick right. I find my ball in the lake and retrieve it and drop, 223 off the tee. I'm 140ish out and hit a bad pull that misses left and ends up near the tees for #10, 155 yards shot. I blind pitch it into a bunker. My bunker shot ends up 7 feet from the hole and my DBL bogey putts is about 6 inches short, Triple bogey, 7.

 

 

 It's a 45/46 91 as far as GHIN is concerned with the NDB X on 17. There were some major issues this round but I am extremely happy with things overall. I don't know what to do about #17 off the tee. Maybe try a 5i and hope I hit it far enough to reach the fairway? The 4/7w would be good options but I am struggling with them lately.

 

The new driver has been very solid of late, thanks for getting me to head down that path @Myherobobhope.  The birdies in a row were awesome too. My putting, even though I screwed up badly on #5, was very solid. Overall a very solid round and it dropped my index by a stroke!

 

I think I keep working on things the way i have been lately. Something is clicking for me and it's getting better out there. I feel like I am making progress for a change.

 

Some stats:

Avg drive: 194

Longest drive: 258

Fairways: 5/14

GIR: 5/18

Avg Approach: 114 yards

Up & down: 2/12

Putts: 33

 

Strokes gained compared to a 12 HCP. 

Overall: -10.3 strokes

driving: -7.5, penalties account for 7.0 of this thanks to the 4W and 7W penalties off the tee.

Approach: -4.1

Short game: -1.8

Putting: +3.1

 

 

Birdies: 2

Pars: 3

Bogeys: 8

Dbl bogey: 2

triple+: 3

[betarhoalphadelta]

Looks like it's starting to come together. Seems like overall it's just improvement in consistency across the board. That leads to fewer blow up holes and a few more pars (and back to back birdies! congrats!). Thus without doing any one thing mind-blowingly better, the final score starts coming down. 

[Myherobobhope]

Keep chipping away at the big numbers and you'll continue to do great. 

 

I've been travelling and busy and haven't had much time to catch up, but it seems like you are still improving!

 

I'd re-evaluate your strategy on 17! Make sure to carry the junk, even if it puts water into play. If a bad shot with a driver and a bad shot with a 4w are both going to lead to penalty strokes, you might as well hit driver.

[betarhoalphadelta]

2 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

I'd re-evaluate your strategy on 17! Make sure to carry the junk, even if it puts water into play. If a bad shot with a driver and a bad shot with a 4w are both going to lead to penalty strokes, you might as well hit driver.

 

I guess this is a rules question... But it seems more optimal to hit it into the water than the junk.

 

I assume the junk is OB / lost ball. So your penalty is stroke and distance; i.e. retee it from the tee box and you're hitting three. Whereas the water would be a hazard--take a drop 200+ yards from the tee box where it entered the hazard and you're still hitting three, but you're 200+ yards closer to the target. I'd take door number two on that all day long. 

 

Right? Or do I not know my rules properly?

[Myherobobhope]

2 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

I guess this is a rules question... But it seems more optimal to hit it into the water than the junk.

 

I assume the junk is OB / lost ball. So your penalty is stroke and distance; i.e. retee it from the tee box and you're hitting three. Whereas the water would be a hazard--take a drop 200+ yards from the tee box where it entered the hazard and you're still hitting three, but you're 200+ yards closer to the target. I'd take door number two on that all day long. 

 

Right? Or do I not know my rules properly?

Junk seems to be unplayable... though he mentions that he topped both shots into it, so my assessment might be incorrect on driver vs 4w. 

 

Your assessment seems to be correct, though if the junk was a hazard, the retee on a topped shot makes sense... a good drive that goes in the water would have advanced the ball... 

 

I was thinking he didn't carry the junk with the 4w, so it's a reading comprehension issue on my end... overall, my view on optimal strategy is to SEND IT unless a well struck ball brings trouble into play. Seems like he can't aim away from the trouble due to trees, though... Still worth thinking about as a double bogey would have broken 90! 

[betarhoalphadelta]

4 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

I was thinking he didn't carry the junk with the 4w, so it's a reading comprehension issue on my end... overall, my view on optimal strategy is to SEND IT unless a well struck ball brings trouble into play. Seems like he can't aim away from the trouble due to trees, though... Still worth thinking about as a double bogey would have broken 90! 

 

To me it seems like a gapping issue at the top of the bag due to not being confident in the 4w or 7w, not due to not being capable of carrying the distance. I.e. he can easily carry that distance with those clubs but isn't hitting them well. His driver is consistent but might be in the water, and his 5i is consistent but he's gotta get a hold of it to be sure he's got the distance to carry the fairway. 

 

This is WRX, so he obviously just needs a new 4w and 7w 😉 

 

[Myherobobhope]

4 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

To me it seems like a gapping issue at the top of the bag due to not being confident in the 4w or 7w, not due to not being capable of carrying the distance. I.e. he can easily carry that distance with those clubs but isn't hitting them well. His driver is consistent but might be in the water, and his 5i is consistent but he's gotta get a hold of it to be sure he's got the distance to carry the fairway. 

 

This is WRX, so he obviously just needs a new 4w and 7w 😉 

 

Ha! That will surely fix the problems... Topping a 4w isn't good, though... less to do with equipment and probably a focus issue... my guess, as an armchair psychologist and part time fear fighter is Bortass was more worried about making a mistake than focused on hitting the ball well... 

 

Improvement in golf, in my mind, is a blend of mental and physical... the mental part is fun because the more shots you have, the more chances you have to lose focus... especially when you get excited after a good or bad shot... When you see the local scratch player, their rounds tend to be "effortless" both because they don't have to concentrate as much and because they aren't often out of position, and when they are, they likely aren't trying to force a shot... 

 

I'm working hard to get into a more zen mindset of accepting where I am on the course, and taking the shot that I do have... just making the best swing I can from where I am and then doing that same thing over again... It's hard for me to stay in that mental space, so I'm working on getting into it on each shot... I have definitely noticed an improvement in performance when I concentrate, but i'm still probably only hitting 1/2 my shots in a good mental space.

[bortass]

 @Myherobobhope @betarhoalphadelta Picture this:

 

 

I don't recall which round this image is from but it was spring of 2020 and I think I posted it around page 5 or 6 of this thread. My 4w off the tee should be safe unless I hit it right, which I have done and it goes splash...

 

The fairway bunker is the aiming point but just to the left of that line are the trees I was talking about. The white line goes through the edge of one of them. Hit a tree before where the cart path turns towards the lake and you probably will not find the ball. It's boggy in there and not maintained. 

 

You can play from the trees on the left once you get past the cart path. It's open under there so the houses have a water view, not ideal but you're not in terrible shape unless you're dead behind a tree trunk.  

 

Saturday I topped my 4w and it got maybe 3 feet off the ground and flew into the brush that's 10 yards or less in front of the white tees. My second one got maybe 4 feet high but either way the ball went into the leaves of bushes just off the tee before I lost sight of each ball forever. 

 

Maybe driver is the way to go, at least I'd get the ball in play a decent distance if I'm gonna end up with a penalty regardless, lol.

 

My 4w and 7w have been MIA off the tee for over a month now. I have topped my 4w on #5 at my home course so often, I just hit driver now. My 7w, which I hit off the tee on #11 at the home course has also been an issue. A few topped shanks low and left and some pulls. Not sure why I have lost my woods swing but I have for some reason. I also have not been hitting them great off the deck but those tops normally will run out 150+ yards which is useless if there's a forced carry, lol.

 

I wasn't nervous and didn't try anything odd with my swing Saturday. I just can't seem to make contact is all. Kinda lame since I like being able to use a wood off the tee when I don't think driver is safe.

 

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Got it. Much easier to see now. I thought the water was more in play ONLY if you pushed it right, not if you hit it in the direction of the ideal landing area and simply hit it long.

 

With that picture, I wouldn't hit driver. Even if you are starting to draw the driver, the landing area for a 240-250 yard driver is too narrow.

 

Do you have anything between 7w and 5i? I thought you used to carry a hybrid in there? It might make sense to carry a club specifically for this tee shot, or work a lot more on the range on the 4w/7w and make friends with them again.

[bortass]

22 minutes ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

Got it. Much easier to see now. I thought the water was more in play ONLY if you pushed it right, not if you hit it in the direction of the ideal landing area and simply hit it long.

 

With that picture, I wouldn't hit driver. Even if you are starting to draw the driver, the landing area for a 240-250 yard driver is too narrow.

 

Do you have anything between 7w and 5i? I thought you used to carry a hybrid in there? It might make sense to carry a club specifically for this tee shot, or work a lot more on the range on the 4w/7w and make friends with them again.

 

 

Pictures make it so much easier to see since I don't do a great job with describing everything, otherwise it'd be a book...

 

I have my 4i and there's the 2h that's in the bag but I don't hit it well. It has a stiff shaft in it which is probably part of my issue. I do need to get my woods working again. They make life so much easier either off the tee or deck. I would have loved to hit my 4W for my second shot on #1 because it would have gotten me very close to the green but I can't afford a pull into the left trees or a push to the right either.

 

My current 7w was specifically for #15 at my home course in Maine. Par 3 with pond carry, you had maybe 20 yards of 'fairway' between the green and water but it was always soft because it was very close to the water table. So I have no problem getting a club for just one hole

[bortass]

Ever have a round that just goes sideways? That was today. Walked a quick 9 for the first time in at least a month. Sunny, low 70s. Wind is a wildcard though. For example I feel it in my face as I walk down the fairway on #7 and as I get to my ball it's suddenly behind me, lol.

 

1 - par 4,  top my driver 181 yards into the fairway. Not a good start... Decide to hit my 4w and smoke a high pull draw, 215 yards, to the left of the green. Pitch on and two putt for bogey.

 

2 - par 3, Hit a high draw with my 6i that lands on the back of the green and rolls off, 145 yards. Chip with my putter to 9 feet and two putt for bogey.

 

3 - par 5, push fade with driver into the right trees. Can't find it and I drop a ball 184 yards out and add a couple penalty strokes.  Hit my 5i, 147 yards, into the left rough. Hole looks back and I hit a high shot with my 7i off the toe. Ball lands on the front of the green and releases a few feet, 119 yards. Get to the green and I'm 3 feet from the hole. make the putt for bogey.

 

4 - par 4, push fade into the right trees with driver. Top my provisional 73 yards... First ball is lost so the provisional it its. I decide to lay up with my 5i and I hit a high draw that somehow goes 189 yards and winds up barely in the front of a bunker. Takes 2 to get out and I two putt from 31 feet for a quad.

 

5 - par 5, the heck with driver... Tee of with my 4i and it's  a pull hook into the left hazard.... Drop on the edge 140 yards out. Hit a little punch with my 9i 75 yards to setup a shot past the corner. Hit a decent 5i 143 into the fairway. Try my 4i again and it's a low pull draw, 144 yards, that misses short. takes two chips to get on the green. I'm 21 feet below the hole and get my putt to 3 feet. I space out and miss... Three jack for a +5, 10...

 

Well this round is toast.... I don't pack it in and try to do the best I can with what I got.

 

6 - par 4, tee of with my 5i into the wind and hit an okay shot 144 into the fairway. Great lie and I'm not worried about trouble with my approach, so 4w it is. It's a solid low draw 188 yards that stops a few yards short of the green. Chip on, poorly, and two putt from 35 feet. Bogey.

 

7 - par 4, wide open downhill fairway. Aim lewft and hit a push with my driver down the right side. The slope kicks it into the middle, 252 yards. Chunk a partial GW 66 yards into a bunker. barely get out of said bunker. Chip from the rough with my putter and send it 15 feet past the hole. 2 putts from there for double bogey.

 

8 - par 3, I hit a high draw with my 6i, 144 yards downhill, onto the green. I'm 56 feet below the hole and get the birdie putt to 3 feet. Space out again and it's a 3 jack bogey.

 

9 - par 4, with a pond. Hit a push with my driver 229 into #1. I have to go under trees and try to punch my 7i.  Contact is good but it clips a small branch and drops about 56 yards in front of me.  Hit a partial GW 81 yards to 15 feet. I'm putting down slope and send the ball 10 feet long, lol. Another 3 jack, double bogey.

 

A smooth 54... I did have some decent shots but it was just ugly. Hence the abbreviated write up. I just want to put this behind me, lol. Too bad because I felt good about the opening bogey and thought I may salvage things on #3 when i got the bogey there but no dice.

 

Some stats:

Avg drive: 170

Longest drive: 252

Fairways: 4/7

GIR: 1/9

Avg Approach: 138 yards

Up & down: 0/7

Putts: 20

 

Strokes gained compared to a 12 HCP. 

Overall: -11.4 strokes

driving: -6.7, penalties account for 5.0 of this. I just struggled off the tee today.

Approach: -0.1, I was somehow decent in the area I struggle the most in. The two solid 4w shots from the deck helped and my par 3 tee shots were either on or just off the green.

Short game: -2.6, not a good day out there

Putting: -1.9, not on point here either.

 

 

Birdies: 0

Pars: 0

Bogeys: 5

Dbl bogey: 1

triple+: 2

Edited April 20, 2021 by bortass

[bortass]

On 4/19/2021 at 2:27 PM, Myherobobhope said:

 

Improvement in golf, in my mind, is a blend of mental and physical... the mental part is fun because the more shots you have, the more chances you have to lose focus... especially when you get excited after a good or bad shot... When you see the local scratch player, their rounds tend to be "effortless" both because they don't have to concentrate as much and because they aren't often out of position, and when they are, they likely aren't trying to force a shot... 

 

I'm working hard to get into a more zen mindset of accepting where I am on the course, and taking the shot that I do have... just making the best swing I can from where I am and then doing that same thing over again... It's hard for me to stay in that mental space, so I'm working on getting into it on each shot... I have definitely noticed an improvement in performance when I concentrate, but i'm still probably only hitting 1/2 my shots in a good mental space.

  Very true. I know I have said it many times over the years but the mental improvement has been the biggest thing overall for me. It doesn't matter how good you hit it if you are a glass cannon mentally that will meltdown after a bad shot or hole. It is also the most difficult thing to learn for me. Trying to break years of bad habits and grow in a positive manner is no simple task. I doubt I'll ever get perfect but trying to stay in control when things go t**** up is what I am striving for. Luckily I'm not the type that loses their temper on the course. I've read some of the stories here about people throwing things and losing control.

 

I will say the most fun golf I have ever had is when I first broke 100. I went out and just played. I didn't care about my score or stats. It was hit ball, find ball and I was in a positive zone. I was shooting in the mid to low 90s within weeks of breaking 100. Funny how playing good, which is always relative, makes the game so much easier, lol.

[Myherobobhope]

I didn’t break 85 today... it was ugly...

 

my third 18 since august, though!

 

 

[bortass]

11 hours ago, Myherobobhope said:

I didn’t break 85 today... it was ugly...

 

my third 18 since august, though!

 

 

It's great you're able to start playing again. I expect it to start coming around once you get back into the groove. 

 

How's your back feeling after you play?

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, bortass said:

It's great you're able to start playing again. I expect it to start coming around once you get back into the groove. 

 

How's your back feeling after you play?

Back is feeling great. I think I got lucky in that it was a cartilage tear, so there shouldn’t be lingering issues now that I have it fixed...

 

got a lesson this morning and I had been putting my weight way back in my heels... working on being more in my toes (in a more athletic position, like you’d be waiting to volley in volleyball) and it felt way better.

 

it also significantly helped my “power” wedge shots... the low launch, high spinners... id been unable to hit them and feel some more confidence now.

 

It is interesting how much difference grass vs mat makes, though... I’ve been hitting off mats for over a month and the transition to actual golf has been interesting.

 

my goals for the season are: get the ball in play off the tee to have the shortest possible shot into greens, hit mid and long irons well enough to make par, hit wedges well enough to have a good look at birdie, and have good, consistent speed with my putter... add in some wedge practice around the greens and I’m excited for the season.

[bortass]

On 4/21/2021 at 10:46 AM, Myherobobhope said:

Back is feeling great. I think I got lucky in that it was a cartilage tear, so there shouldn’t be lingering issues now that I have it fixed...

 

got a lesson this morning and I had been putting my weight way back in my heels... working on being more in my toes (in a more athletic position, like you’d be waiting to volley in volleyball) and it felt way better.

 

it also significantly helped my “power” wedge shots... the low launch, high spinners... id been unable to hit them and feel some more confidence now.

 

It is interesting how much difference grass vs mat makes, though... I’ve been hitting off mats for over a month and the transition to actual golf has been interesting.

 

my goals for the season are: get the ball in play off the tee to have the shortest possible shot into greens, hit mid and long irons well enough to make par, hit wedges well enough to have a good look at birdie, and have good, consistent speed with my putter... add in some wedge practice around the greens and I’m excited for the season.

 

Great news on the back. I had some back issues a long time ago and it was frustrating.

 

Mats are always 'interesting' can't hit a fat shot/chunk with them. 

 

I like your goals. They all seem doable.

 

I will probably be looking into lessons sometime in May.  See what it is that I should be trying to fix...

[davidy1948]

Bortass you really need to forget all this nonsense about new clubs and stuff and focus on your short game. Just reading your accounts of the 2 rounds you've played on this page alone I reckon with even half-decent nothing special chipping and putting you would be saving 5/6 shots per round. Just go back through your own stories and tell me I'm wrong ! Very rarely in all these 26 pages have I heard you mention practising your short game with any intensity or purpose - putting literally never ! Reading your accounts it sounds to me like your home course has quite tricky and slopey greens, so that has to be the best investment of your time. It also helps avoid the big numbers - just watch a certain Jordan Speith to prove it. That's what you should be trying to fix.......

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, davidy1948 said:

Bortass you really need to forget all this nonsense about new clubs and stuff and focus on your short game. Just reading your accounts of the 2 rounds you've played on this page alone I reckon with even half-decent nothing special chipping and putting you would be saving 5/6 shots per round. Just go back through your own stories and tell me I'm wrong ! Very rarely in all these 26 pages have I heard you mention practising your short game with any intensity or purpose - putting literally never ! Reading your accounts it sounds to me like your home course has quite tricky and slopey greens, so that has to be the best investment of your time. It also helps avoid the big numbers - just watch a certain Jordan Speith to prove it. That's what you should be trying to fix.......

Bortass and I have talked about this... I think here? Maybe elsewhere... 

 

the question becomes where do you spend what little practice time you have... and can you do it effectively to improve what you need to improve...

 

he’s been focused on long term improvements in his “long game” and I think it made sense in the context of what he was doing... avoiding penalty strokes, putting the ball in play and not topping 4 woods into hazards is a great way to improve... 

 

I do think there is some low hanging fruit on the short game side... though I’d argue getting better with full swings will help chipping. 
 

ive personally struggled with putting my entire life... I’ve finally figured out what works for me to actually improve... I’ve worked on tempo and speed since January. Honestly, my ball striking has suffered because of my putting focus... it’s hard to balance all the aspects of your game with limited practice time. 
 

That said, the @SeeMore Puttersputting mat I have is an excellent training tool and doesn’t need a ball to use... that and a few hours of ladder drills can get you putting better!