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

[Chip Duffer]

Davidy1948, Bortass is currently playing the forward tees as he rediscovers his game. On page 6 of this thread he has posted screen shots from Arccos which show the course and his round. If I remember correctly, he’s playing at about 6200 yards. I found those images very useful in understanding his descriptions of the holes and how he plays them.

[ClubBuildRookie]

@bortass Keep up the good work. 85 is just around the corner and will come when you least expect it.
I haven't read thru all of the posts but it looks like you are getting alot of great support from others on the forum.
In one of your recent posts I seen you mention about not making solid contact at the range on full swings. Contact is KING in golf. If you haven't tried using any face impact stickers on your clubs at the range, I would very highly encourage you to give them a try. You will learn alot about your tendencies and how to correct by visually seeing where on the clubface you are making contact. Then you'll start connecting the dots and be able to associate the feel of the strike and know where you it on the face. All of this will lead to you being able to self correct.
Lastly, if you haven't ever heard of the "Rule of 12" in golf you probably oughta seek out and watch a video or two on YouTube that explains it. The concept and system works great for chipping and proper club selection when your near the green and it will lead to more stable game of bogeys and pars. Good Luck!

[bortass]

Thanks for the comments over the weekend. I think there will be multiple posts from me today just to prevent a single wall of text that will cause things to get lost.
@SNIPERBBB @berndgeurts I tried chipping with my 7i using a putting stroke on the range before my round Saturday morning. I liked the initial results and I did use it both Saturday and Sunday on the course. My distance control was off Saturday but it removed the bladed chip and short chip completely. I think I used it once during Sunday's 18 and it did not pan out but that was my fault. I tried to use it going up an embankment to get on the green. It's a fairly steep slope and it just didn't work. I should have use a chip that gets in the air for that shot. So I chalk that up to all me using the wrong shot for the situation.
@ClubBuildRookie I am familiar with the rule of 12. I have read about it in a couple books many years ago. I'm pretty sure it is explained in either or both Break 100 Now and Break 90 Now. Which are both good books.
@davidy1948 Thanks for the kind words. @Twin2L explained it well. I am playing the forward men's tees. Total yardage is 5484 on the card. There are a couple of holes where those tees have been moved forward even more for some reason. #3 is a par 5 and the tees are just behind the woman's tees which are 358 yards on the card. This may have been for winter play when the course was wet but they have not moved back to what I assume is the normal spot. I just joined the club last December and these tees have always been in this spot. #4, they moved the forward men's tees to right behind the women's tees which are 224 on the card. It was this way for 6 weeks or so I think but they got moved back to their normal spot when I played Saturday.
Yardages from the card. I will do teal/white. Teal is the front tees I play.
Teal rating 67.3/slope 121 White rating 68.8/slope 126
total: 5484/5963 Front: 2758/3033 Back: 2726/2930

hole(HCP) teal yardage/white yardage
1(1) par 4 375/404
2(17) par 3 133/142
3(9) par 5 452/458 - actually in Women's teeing area, 378
4(15) par 4 283/293 - had been in Women's teeing area, 223
5(5) par 5 439/501
6(7) par 4 290/367
7 (11) par 4 346/351
8(13) par 3 140/160
9(3) par 4 300/357
10(10) par 4 338/342
11(12) par 4 268/329
12(14) par 4 308/312
13(18) par 3 118/123
14(4) par 5 447/543
15(16) par 4 258/264
16(8) par 3 141/147
17(6) par 4 354/363
18(2) par 5 494/504

[bortass]

1 month "skill" update. I did this on 4/14. These will be rounds played from 4/21 through 5/10. My driving and sand are getting better but putting and overall play are worse. Chipping has a bad trend as well. My driving is getting a bit longer. I am getting a few less doubles+ and replacing those mostly with pars. I dropped my par 3 average score a little but remained flat on par 4 and 5. I'm getting a bit more GIRs and which seems to be coming from short misses and left misses overall.Last 10 rounds:

Overall, this is what Arccos thinks I play like based on all of the individual areas and it uses strokes gained: 26.1 (-.3) 

Driving: 28.4 (-.9),

Approach: 29.1 no change

Chipping: 24.1 (+3.2), Chipping has been horrible

Sand: 15.0 (-4.8), nice drop but I am having issues in the sand

Putting 23.6 (+2.4), putting is getting worse as the greens are getting faster

 

 

My overall dashboard EDIT - this is actually based on my 10 best rounds:

Average Score:

par 3: 4.3 (-.1)

par 4: 5.9 no change

par 5: 7.0 no change

 

 

Scoring breakdown:

eagles:0.2 (+0.2) This will go down

birdies: 1.3% (-.3)

pars: 13.7% (+1.5)

bogeys: 31.2% (+.6)

double+: 53.6% (-2.1)

 

 

Driving Range, this is what Arccos says I can expect on a normal, non mishit shot:

176(+3) - 202(+8) average is 186(+1)

 

 

Driving accuracy:

Center 58.1% (+.3)

Left: 15.5 (+.9)

Right: 26.4% (-1.2)

 

 

Approach, this is all shots outside of 50 yards except for tee shots. So needs to be taken with a grain of salt since a shot from 250 on a par 5 is counted in this:

GIR: 16.9% (+2.1)

Left: 6.6%(-.6)

Right: 12.9% (-.1)

Short: 58.4% (-1.4)

Long: 5.3 (+.1)

[scooterhd2]

Bortass, do you have a go to shot? Especially something that translates throughout the bag.

When I am struggling on the range or on the course, I know that a shortened 9-3 kind of swing, with my feet set close together is almost guaranteed to produce a shot with great contact, albeit at 80% or so of my normal distance. But I'm willing to sacrifice some yards to ensure that the ball gets up and goes reasonably straight. It's a great confidence builder. I just grab one more club and setup for contact. The swing thought is just make great contact. No other movement, no obstacle in front of me. Just hit it solid and it will be a decent shot. Even when I am playing well I will turn to this kind of shot every now and to safeguard against a forced carry or where placement is key. Even seen guys on tour like Fleetwood and Reed play near entire rounds of golf this way and bring home hardware.

 

[bortass]

Okay Saturday's round. I kinda wish I could forget it and I will eventually. Weather was cooler. Low 60s to start and probably got up to high 60s. Sunny with some wind but nothing major. There was enough that I took it into account at times though. Still playing the forward tees. My warm up before the round was to chip with a 7i like a couple of you mentioned and hit a few putts. I then hit some pitches. No full swings.

 

1 - par 4, I tee off with my 4w and it's a nice draw down the right side 213 yards into the fairway. I got completely past the clump of trees on the right side that I'm normally dealing with. I check my GPS and I'm 150ish from center. I have never been this close off the tee and I grab my 4i. Don't think I have ever gone for this green in 2 with an iron before. The flag is on the right behind a bunker. I mishit it a bit thin but it's a high fade that lands in the back of the right front bunker. It was not my 'normal' weak push fade miss. I did lose distance though and needed maybe 1 more yard to clear the bunker. The shot itself went 141. I'm in the back of the bunker and the ball is on the up slope and the pin is nearby. I'm feeling real good as I get ready to swing with my GW. I level myself to the slope and i seem to have some sand to work with. I swing and blade it into the trees and stream behind the green.... Seriously? I am saddened by this. I was feeling great about my shot until contact. I drop and chip on with my GW. I misjudge the landing spot and the ball kicks to my right, which is now away from the flag and rolls out 45 feet away. So I'm kinda mid-front left and the flag it back right. I pull a two putt outta my rear for a nice triple bogey 7.

 

I'm bummed about this as I walk to #2. There was not reason to have a 7 there. It's not like I had a tricky shot. My standard short bunker shot would have been fine there...

 

2 - par 3, the flag is mid left behind the left front bunker. This green slopes from back right to front left, so i'm aiming right of the flag, trying to use the slope to my advantage. I hit a nice high draw with my 7i but it's start line is a little more right then I want. I see it clear the right front bunker and land. The ball is just short of the green, front right, 123 off the tee. I only have a little fringe to deal with and chip with my putter. I misread the speed and the ball rolls 8 feet past the hole. Not good at all. My putt breaks left to right and I'm going up slope at an angle. I hit my putt and it drops in for a par. Phew.

 

3 - par 5, dogleg right. Wind is behind me on this hole. I hit a mid height pull draw, 176 yards, into the second fairway bunker on the left. Might have been a pull hook. Regardless this is a rare miss for me to hit. I have a decent lie in the bunker but am not real confident about shots from fairway bunkers. I take my 6i and i'm able to hack the ball out, about 61 yards, and into the fairway on the left. The flag is on the left and there're no bunkers in play. I check my GPS and it says 170ish from center. I decide to hit my 4w off the deck. I hit a strong, low draw, that misses the left side of the green in the air.... Did I mention the wind behind me? Ball went 202 yards and stopped on the edge of the bushes on the left said. Not good, I have no way to get the club on the ball. Take an unplayable and I use my GW to hit a real long chip/pitch. That was the plan at least... Two swings later and I'm on the fringe... I use my putter for another chip and i roll the ball to 2 feet and sink the putt for an 8.

 

I'm kicking myself for not hitting my 7w for my third shot. I also am telling myself that I hit a more solid 4w than usual. So I'm looking at it from the view that I hit it well and paid the price.

 

4 - shorter par 4, they finally moved the tees back where they belong, so no more going for the green with my 4w, lol. I tee off with my 4w and top it 154 yards into the fairway on the right side. Sigh. I'm 120ish from center and go with my 7i. The ball might be slightly above my feet but not by much. I can aim through the slight gap between the front bunkers. I hit it fat and the ball goes all of 48 yards. I'm still in the fairway with a good lie. I do need to carry the left front bunker now though. I hit a partial PW and it's a high draw that goes 76 yards and lands on the green. I'm 18 feet below the cup and this green is sloped back right to front left. Flag is towards the back right and i'm more in the middle. I hit my putt and it stops 6 feet short.... Sweet.... End result is a three putt 6.

 

Yup, I'm making a mess of things.

 

5 - par 5, dogleg right. I have switched to my 7w off the tee on this hole in the last month because I have come close to putting my 4w into the stream on the left side where it goes under the fairway. I hit a strong draw, abit left, with my 7w. It goes 188 yards and ends up in the stream... Another solid shot costs me. Maybe I need to use an iron going forward? I drop and have a great angle around the corner of the dogleg. I hit a nice fade off the deck with my 7w, 168 yards, into the middle of the fairway. This green has a tier in the back that runs at an angles across the green. So the back right tier is narrower than it it on the left. The flag is on the lower tier near the middle right. Long is very bad and there is a tiny stream short of the green on the left. I'm 75ish from center and hit a partial PW. I hit a push and miss the green right. i'm a good 6 yards off and decide to chip with my 7i as suggested by SniperBBB and Berndguerts. I use a putting stroke and the balls takes off and rolls about 7 feet past the cup. I'm happy with this. I have not practiced and i avoided my normal misshits of well short and bladed through the green. I two putt and 'save' a double bogey 7.

 

6 - par 4 slight dogleg left. , I hit a strong draw down the right side of the fairway, 212 yards. great shot and I'm inside 100 yards, about 70 to center! Great drive. I take my PW and hit a partial shot. It's a chunk that goes 10 yards... Wow... Time for a partial GW. I mishit this as well and I miss the green right.... So now I'm chipping from the back right to an elevated green that's running away from me. I use the niblick to chip and I land on the green and it rolls off the front.... I use the putter to chip again and come up 9 feet short and proceed to 2 putt for a 7...

 

Less than pleased now. Great drive completely ruined by my inability to move the ball inside 70 yards... Unaccptable.

 

7 - par 4, slight dogleg right with an elevated tee shot. this fairway runs away from the tee box and also slopes right to left until you get close to 50-70 yards from the green. I hit a high draw, 198 yards into the middle of the fairway. I'm 145 -150 from center and hit my 5i. It's a mishit push that goes 133 yards and misses just right of the front of the green. i'm only a few yards off and chip with my putter. I misread the break a bit but my speed is decent and I'm 5 feet out. I hit my putt and come up a couple inches short. So I get a bogey 5. Finally a decent hole.

 

8 - par 3, elevated tee shot. The flag is near the front and I hit my 7i. It's fat and a draw that goes 114 yards and stops 7 or so yards short of the front. I use my 7i again to chip and I hit the ball about 7 feet past the hole. I two putt for a bogey. I'm liking the chipping with an iron. My distance control is bad but the results are better than what happens with most of my chips.

 

9 - par 4, water to the left as you get closer to the green. I use my 7w off the tee since I hit a good 4w a little left and into the pond. I hit a strong draw with the 7w a bit left and it's in the pond, 178 yards.... I drop and I'm about 140 from center and unless i bail well right of the green, I have to cross the pond. I take my 5i and go for the green. It's a mid height fade that lands on the green, the shot only went about 122. Love the mishits.... I'm front right and the flag is back left and up a tier. It's about 38 feet and I pull off a three putt for a 6.

 

I am so glad the front 9 is over. 4 penalty strokes is killer and my mishits didn't help either.

 

10 - par 4, dogleg left, last weeks eagle hole. Can I do it again? I hit a push slice with my 4w that's low. It lands in the fairway on the right and curves, rolling into the trees... So much for another eagle. Shot was over 177 yards and I have to take a drop. I'm too far out to go for the green. It would be a 4w shot that is more likely to go wrong based on past experience. I lay up with a partial 8i to get in the fairway on the left side. the flag is left, so I have a shot that avoids the right front bunker. I'm about 105 from center and the green is above me. I hit my 9i and it's a weak push fade that goes 74 yards right, into the bunker... It takes me 2 PW shots to get out.I have 30 feet to go since I'm front mid and the flag is back left. I go on to three putt for a cool +5 9.

 

I don't know what to do any longer. I am sucking hardcore.

 

11 - par 4, dogleg left, forced stream carry on the approach shot. I top my 5i, 113 yards. At least i'm in the fairway on level ground. I have been putting my ball into the stream a lot on this hole as of late. I'm 160 from center and hit my 7w. It's a strong push that carries the stream and misses the green right, 169 yards. I am so happy that I made it across. I think it's been a month since I last did it, at least that's how it feels. The green is elevated from me and slopes away from me. I use my niblick and hit a decent chip but it rolls through the green thanks to the slope. I use my putter from the fringe and come up 11 feet short. So I go and two putt for a nice double bogey 6.

 

Stick a fork in me. I have been thinking about how bad it's gonna be to type this post. I can't say I'm mad or frustrated. If anything I'm resigned to my fate, but still trying to pull some good holes together.

 

12 - par 4, dogleg left. I hit a low push fade, 177 yards, with my 4w into the right rough short of the fairway bunker that marks the outside of the corner. I'm 130 or so out, elevated green. I decide to hit my 6i and it's a low pull that hits a slope short and left of the green. My ball kicked right and i'm in the fairway partway up the slope to the gree. A nice 97 yard shot... I have a clear run at the green up a smooth slope, no sudden changes in the slope. I use my 7i to chip and I hit a nice on to 5 feet and I sink the par putt!

 

13 - par 3, elevated green. It slopes back left to front right. Flag is back mid towards the left. Last week I hit my shot left of the flag and the slope brought it to about 8 feet. I decide to try it again. I hit my 7i and it's a high draw to the left side of the green. I can't see what the ball does or where it even landed. I get up there and my ball is 5 feet to the left of the cup. I miss the birdie putt low and it stops a couple inches from the hole. So an easy par. A guy i'm playing with asks if I have ever played bumper pool. I guess using the slope to my advantage 2 weeks in a row is surprising. lol.

 

14 - par 5, water on the right when you get closer to the green. This fairway slopes down to the green and from left to right. I hit a strong, mid height draw, 207 yards down the middle. There is a ridge that runs across the fairway where it drops down by a good 6+ feet in in short span. I came to a stop in the flat area just short of that drop. Too bad, another yard and i would have gained at least 15-20 yards of roll. I aim left with my 7w and hit a great fade, 188 yards, into the fairway near the green. The flag is front middle and I'm in the fairway to the left of the green, inside 50 yards out. I have a good angle in and hit a punched partial GW. I don't want to try to loft a shot most of the way in and risk doing something stupid and having the ball go in the pond. I make good contact and the ball lands short of the green and rolls on, 47 yard shot that 12 feet above the hole. I'm lookig at the break and it seems weird. The hole is in a little swale on the green. Part of me thinks the break is going to be opposite of what it should be based on the overall slope of the green. I stick with what I think it should do and it breaks opposite, lol. I make the par putt though.

 

Wow, 3 holes of real golf in a row!

 

15 - par 4, elevated tee shot into a flat fairway that's soft. The ball won't plug but it's unlikely to roll very fair. I hit my 4w a bit heavy and it's a low draw, 170 yards into the fairway. I have been in partial wedge range a number of times on this hole lately and dubbed them all. This time I'm closer to 95 out and hit a full PW. It's a high shot, that's slightly mishit and it goes 86 yards and is barely on the green. I'm front right and the flag is more back left. I have about a 31 foot putt. I send the ball well past the hole by a good 5-6 feet...Two more putts and I have a bogey 5.

 

16 - par 3, forced carry, slightly elevated and into the wind. About 130ish and I hit my 6i. It's a high push slice into the right trees. I drop and use the niblick to pitch onto the green. The flag is mid front and I hit the ball to mid back. I'm 38 feet from the hole and have to go down a tier. What ensues is a three putt debacle for a 6.

 

17 - par 4, slight dogleg right. I hit a nice draw with my 4w, 204 yards, into the middle of the fairway. I'm kinda shocked since my last 3 or Saturday rounds have had my tee shot miss right into the treeline. I'm 145ish out and hit my 5i. It's a high fade that comes up short, into a bunker. Another slight mishit. I use my PW and get out of the bunker in one, for a change. I'm 23 feet from the hole and two putt for a bogey 5.

 

18 - par 5, with a stream carry on one of the approach shots and there's a pond fronting the green. I push slice my 4w into the right trees, 142 yards. I drop and mishit a 6i about 113 yards into the fairway. I'm well short of the stream. My normal play is to aim left of the green for my third shot while crossing the stream and hope to get on in 4. I stick with that plan and hit my 4w. It's a top that goes about 100 yards into the stream. I drop, back in the fairway on the line it went in on. I have150 to center and say screw it. I grab my 7w and hit a great high draw, over the stream, and pond and it lands on the back right of the green. Of course the flag is front left and I have to deal with a tier. So another three putt ensues for a nice 9 with the two penalty strokes.

 

a nice 53/52 for 105 with 8 penalty strokes. I played a few holes well but pretty much stunk. Three 7s, an 8, and two 9s.

 

Talk about a kick to my confidence that i'm getting better...

[bortass]

@scooterhd2 I do not have a go to shot any more. It used to be a punched iron. I would hit low draws with that and it travels a pretty good distance. In Maine, I spent a lot of time hitting out from under trees. So over the years I got decent with that shot. I rarely use it now and would have to practice it on the range since it's been so long. It would probably be helpful since I sometimes like the same shot type with wedges into the green. It tends to go straight unless I completely mess something up.

[scooterhd2]

You don't have to use or think of it a purposeful punch. The goal is not necessarily flighting the ball lower. But just to take a narrower stance so that the body is not allowed the sway as much, and to take a shorter backswing so that the body can stay in sync and to avoid a dramatic transition that throws things off. Only extending the backswing until the arms are parallel with the ground, and then only following through until the arms are parallel to the ground. It's a great way to play wedges, and there is no reason it cant extend into approach shots with the 9,8,7, etc.

 

On another note, do you always use a PW or GW out of greenside bunkers, as opposed to a more traditional SW or LW in the 54-60 loft range?

[bortass]

Played 18 Sunday as well. high 60's/low 70s. I started on 10 and rode. My wife came along and drove the cart. I'm hoping to get her into the game at some point and this was her first time driving around the course. So while the round was horrid, I wouldn't change anything.

 

10 - par 4, slight dogleg left and elevated tee shot. I hit a high fade with my 4w, 207 yards, into the right rough at the corner. I'm about 160 or so from center with a good lie and the green is a bit above me. I hit my 7w and it's a nice draw and I should be on the green. We drive up and no sign of my ball. Another eagle? Nope, I went through the green, 169 yards. I have a chip with the corner of a bunker in my way. The flag is back right and i'm off the middle back. I chip with my niblick and it lands as expected and rolls out 11 feet from the flag. I two putt for a bogey 5.

 

A good start!

 

11 - par 4, dogleg left, stream carry on the approach. I hit my usual 5i and it's a low draw that follows the curve of the fairway and reaches the downslope in the air. We find my ball at the bottom of the slope in the flat short of the tee, 203 yard shot... I'm 50 yards from center and hit a partial SW 49 yards onto the green. yay, a GIR! The flag is back and I'm 27 feet from the hole. I am putting uphill and struggle with my putting and three putt for another bogey 5.

 

12 - par 4, dogleg left. I top my 4w, 98 yards, and barely in the fairway. I have no shot at the green and hit a layup with my 6i. It's a strong fade, 141 yards on level ground. I'm in the right rough and about 70 from center. The flag is right which is behind the bunker and the green is elevated. I hit a partial PW and it's a high draw that goes 60 yards and barely clears the bunker. We drive up and I'm a foot from having not cleared it. I use my putter to chip it to 5 feet and sink the bogey putt.

 

I tell my wife she's good luck as we head to 13.

 

13 - slightly, elevated par three. it slopes back left to front right. I've used this to my advantage the last few rounds. the flag is on the right today so I aim left of the flag which is the middle of the green. I go with my 8i since the flag looks forward. I hit a low pull hook into the front left bunker, 104 yards. Oops. I use my PW in the bunker to try to make up some of the distance to reach the flag. The ball pops out and stays in the fringe. At least I'm out in one. I use my putter again since I only have a couple feet of fringe to deal with. I hit it to two feet, just missing the hole. I sink the bogey putt.

 

4 bogeys in a row. I won;t say it's an awesome start but I am quite happy with it. And tell my wife, again that she's good luck.

 

14 - par 5, water on the right as you get closer to the green. The tee box is on the left side and the fairway slopes down from back left to front right. I hit my 4w and it's a push slice OOB. We saw the ball land near a tree near someone's backyard. I go looking for the ball, staying out of the yard. Sorry, but I am not going onto someone else's property to look/retrieve a ball. No sign of it. I drop using the rule change, so I'm laying three in the right rough on top of a little slope. I punch my 7i, 121 yards, back into the fairway. A nice low draw. I'm 160ish from center or so. To go for it means hitting across the pond/lake. No thanks. I lay up with my 6i by aiming left. I hit a high fade about 115 yards. It stays in the fairway and I'm maybe 15-20 yards off the green. I hit a low punched pitch with my GW 38 yards onto the green. Shot came out just as I wanted but I'm 21 feet past the hole. I two putt for an 8.

 

Well I played bogey golf on this hole and the 2 stroke penalty hurt me. I'm bummed but fine with things. My wife says maybe I said she was good luck too soon.

 

15 - par 4, elevated tee shot into a flat fairway that's soft. I hit another push slice with the 4W that hits a tree on the right side solid and the ball kicks left into the fairway 153 yards off the tee. I'm 120ish from center and grab my 7i. My lie is fine. The ball is a bit back in my stance and I don't adjust to fix things. I catch it thin, one of those shots that hurts your hands when you hit a blade this way. it's a weak push 100 yards that misses the green right. I have to pitch over a bunker now and use my niblick. I make decent contact and clear the bunker but the ball stops in the fringe. I use the putter for my chip and get it to 6 feet. I send the ball past the hole and make the next one for a double bogey 6.

 

16 - par 3, elevated green, stream carry. Wind in my face. The flag is on the left side, as is the tee box. I'm 130 or so from center and hit either my 6i or 7i on this hole. I go with my 6i and I hit a beautiful high draw over the green into the back left bunker, 133 yards. Wrong club but a great shot. So I'm in the back left bunker and the pin is front left and there's a tier i have to come down. There's no real lip to the bunker, maybe 1/4- half an inch. I'm not sure about putting out, so i try to chip out with my SW. I leave it in the bunker.. I take a normal sand shot next and it come out of the bunker and lands on the green near me. The ball takes the slope and tiering and rolls off the front of the green. I chip with the SW to 6 feet and two putt for a 6. Argh.

 

17 - par 4, slight dogleg left. I tee off with my 4w and top it about 161 yards into the middle of the fairway. I'm 190ish out with a great lie. I take my 4w off the deck, which is my normal second shot on this hole, and I hit a high push slice that lands near the cart path that runs down the right side and rolls towards the bushes/trees on that side. The flag is way up on the back left and I'm well right of the green and a bit short. I hit one of those low punched pitches with my PW and it's too hard and i'm through the green. This is bad... The green slopes severely back left to front right. I try to chip with the PW using a putter stroke but there's a rise I have to climb and I don't make it. I use my putter to get the ball over the little rise and onto the green. I don't hit it hard and the ball trickles 33 feet past the hole. Wow. So I hit my putt and miss high and about 2 feet past the hole. I hit the ball softly and it breaks before the hole and trickles all the way back to where I started pretty much. The putt itself had no real pace on it but the slope just let the ball slowly roll a long ways. Well i've seen this putt once before and I jar it from 30 feet for a nice 8.

The wheels are coming off the bus hard.

 

18 - par 5, stream carry on an approach and a pond to deal with. I top the 4w into the rough short of the fairway, 102 yards. Punch a 6i from the rough 96 yards. Punch a 7i to layup short of the stream 101 yards. I am going to lay up left of the green. I take my 5i and hit this awesome looking fade, nice and high 148 yards. the flag is back right where I put yesterday's 7w shot. So I have to traverse the entire green and go uphill. I'm about 60 yards from the flag and hit the low punched partial wedge with my GW about 51 yards, so i'm on the green but short. I decide to three putt from 24 feet for another nice 8 and not a penalty to be had...

 

 

 

1 - par 4, I hit a push slice into that clump of trees on the right. We watch the ball land short and run into them and it tries to go up a trunk. My wife comments that my ball tried to climb the tree and we laugh as we drive to it. I could try to punch a ball between the trees at the green from the pine straw, which is what I attempted last time I was here and I hit a tree with the shot, or punch one to the left at an angle and into play. I take my 6i and hit alittle power ship to the left that goes 80 yards into the fairway on the left side to set up an approach shot. I'm on the left side now and the flag is also left with no bunkers to deal with. I'm 125 or so from center, which is right of me. I hit my 7i and it's an awesome high fade right at the flag and over the green, 125 yard shot. I'm in the back rough by a yard or so and i use my putter for the chip and I get it to 1 foot. So I make a bogey putt!

 

#1 plays like a par 5 for me. I have never hit it in two and am usually hitting 4w/4w on this hole and trying to chip on with my third. I am pleased with the results this time.

 

2 - par 3, green slopes back right to front left. Flag is middle back. I use the 7i as usual and hit a push fade, 122 yards and I miss right. The green is elevated and runs away from me. I use the niblick to chip on but it rolls 39 feet past and below the hole. I two putt for my bogey though.

 

Feeling decent about things.

 

3 - par 5, dogleg right. I hit my 4w and it's a nice high fade that follows the curve of the hole, 193 yards and in the middle of the fairway. I'm 190ish from center and hit 4w again. It's a low push and I can't see the ball after it clears the spine of the ridge that the right side of the green sits behind. I'm expecting a bunker shot abut my ball is on the green, 186 yards! It missed all the bunkers and must have rolled on. So I am back right and the flag is front left. It's about 66 feet and there are two tiers I have to come down. I hit my eagle putt and it rolls down the first one and stops in the middle of the flat area before the next down slope. The birdie putt rolls past the flag, so I three putt for a par.

 

4 - shorter par 4, I thin a pull into the left side of the fairway with my 4w, 159 yards. I'm 135ish from center and hit my 6i. It's a high weak push fade, 113 yards, into the right green side bunker. it takes me 2 shots with the GW to get out and I'm still 60 feet from the hole which is back right. I go on to 4 putt for an 8...

 

5 - par 5 dog leg right, I tee off with my 7w and hit a push, 170 yards, to the flat area on the slope that's right of the fairway. I have no shot towards the green and just punch my 6i about 90 yards to get to the left side of the fairway past the corner. 200+ out so i could whack a 4w to get close to the green but there is a tiny stream in front of the green on the left and the entire right side of the fairway has a bigger stream. I decide to layup with my 4i and I hit a beautiful mid height fade, 162 yards to the right of the green and just a bit short. I was very surprised with the shot. The flag is back left and i have a ways to go. I use my PW to hit a low punched pitch/chip. I hit it good but it rolls through the green into bunker on the left I'm short sided and there's a tier below the flag. I use my SW to get out of the bunker but the ball trickles down the tier 11 feet below the hole. So I two putt for a 7.

 

6 - par 4, and I hit a nice draw with the 4w, 192 yards, into the fairway on the right. The flag is middle of the green and about 115ish. I take my 8i and blade a push over the back right side of the green. Not good since the green is above me and slopes away from me. I chip with my GW and it land son the green and rolls about 30 feet below the cup to my left aka right side of the green. Another 3 putt double bogey ensues.

 

7 - par 4, elevated tee shot, slight dogleg right. I mishit the ball thin and maybe a few feet off the ground to the middle of the fairway, 189 yards out. I tell my wife i figured out my problem after with that shot. I felt my weight go left in my backswing, big no no. Luckily it was a good mishit. I'm 145ish out and go with my 5i. There's a bunker front left I have to carry. I hit a high draw that goes 156 into the back left bunker. A bunch of issues ensue that has me hit from one bunker to the next and 4 putting from 36 feet for an 8...

 

8 - par 3, elevated tee shot. Flag is back, so i hit 6i. It's a high draw that misses the green left, 158 yards. The green is elevated from my some with a change in the slope. I have a brainfart and use my 8i to chip putter stroke style and it doesn't work. I try again and fail to make it on. I use the putter and get it to a foot and 1 putt for a 5.

 

9 - par 4, water left as you get closer to the green. I hit a very high push slice with the 7w into the middle of #1. There is nothing memorable aka good about the rest of this hole. I get near the back bunker in three. take two chips to get on and two putt from 6 feet for a 7 and the end of the golf score misery.

 

55/55 with only 2 penalty strokes. I started good with 4 bogeys and even had three more in a row when I made the turn to on 1. I just fell the crap everyplace else. the great 6i shot on #16 cost me in the long run but how can I complain about a pure shot? A couple of the fades I hit with my 4i and 5i were surprising in that they were true fades and I hit the ball well. I kinda feel bad for my wife having to watch me hack things up on the course but she had fun driving the cart and wants to do it again next weekend at one of the course at our sister club.

 

I do think I learned some things though. The chipping with an iron doesn't work for me with an elevated green and SniperBBB even mentions it in his post about the shot. I forgot that fact, though, and it hurt. It took 17 holes to figure out one of the likely reasons I was topping the ball with the weight going forward with my back swing. The round is behind me and I'll move on.

 

Talk about a kick to the teeth this weekend. I gotta remember that 41 I carded playing the front. I know I can break 85 eventually even if I seem to be going backwards lately.

 

As always, have a good one.

[bortass]

I have been using the sand technique from Monte's short game series. It does actually work even though I am not making it look good at the moment. He references using other clubs, I think even a 9i, but definitely a PW, if you need more distance. I normally do not hit the ball far out of the bunker, which is why I tend to use the 52* GW over my 56* SW. The sand is not thick and I have never had the club dig. I use the PW when I have further to go but am still short. I think I am swinging too slowly but I also fear blading the ball because that is never good. I can use my SW easy enough though.

 

Bunkers on the course tend to have a thin layer of sand over compacted sand/dirt. Depending on the conditions and if they have not been maintained recently, you can sometimes get a lie with no sand, just the compacted layer of damp sand. That can cause the club to skip into the ball...

[SNIPERBBB]

I kinda wonder if you're falling into the trap I get into sometimes of writing the story in my head before I finish the hole. Might try taking a few rounds off with no intentions or thoughts of doing a write-up.

[Chip Duffer]

Bortass, on the chipping with the 7 iron, I did this for many years and still use it if the situation allows. I typically figure that I need to carry the 7 iron about 25% of the way to the hole. For more elevated greens, try the PW and figure the carry to be about 2/3 of the way to the hole. That should give you a good starting point and give you better distance control.

The next time you are at the range, focus on only a couple of distances. I typically work 150 and 100 yards as much or more time than the rest of the bag. Pick the numbers that work for you. I suggest you try 7 iron and PW. I know they may not be quite the exact 100 and 150 clubs, but really groove those in. Once you know those numbers, the other clubs will essentially be automatic. They should also be quite natural because they’re not going to be much longer or shorter. Of course, then work your 4w or driver for a bit. I always finish a range session with a few (4-6) smooth wedges.

I also wonder if maybe you’re spending too much energy on just the 1/2 and 3/4 swings. I suggest experimenting with practicing mostly smooth, full release swings. Then when you have confidence in those irons and distances, you can experiment with gripping down about an inch with the same club and smooth, full swing. It will give you a range of yardages with one club and swing, the only change is griping down some.

Just some thoughts for you to consider.

[bortass]

Something a bit different today. I walked 9 and had to wait after a bit, so I took some pictures to let you 'see' the course some. If people like this i may try to take more and consolidate them into a single post.

#1, par 4, from the white tees. The forward tees i play are at the base of this slope and you can see the front edge of that tee box. That group of trees on the right is the clump of trees i talk about being behind alot. I took this while walking back to my truck, so no other pictures of this hole. The fairway to the right is #9.

This is where I started to take pictures. This is #5, par 5, and I am standing on the left slope near the 150 marker looking back at the tee boxes. That flat area in the left of the picture is the flat spot in the right slope i talk about. That section of long grass on the right side of the fairway is the stream where it comes under the fairway and I have hit balls into it about 180+ off the forward tees. The long grass on the other side of the fairway is also stream. the forward tees are near that last tree you see next to the cart path in the distance.

 

#5 from the same spot as the previous picture. The long stuff left front of the green is that stream where it goes under the fairway again.

This is #6 green from about 115 to center on the right side of the fairway.

This is #7 tees, par 4. Wide open downhill tee shot. The bunkers in the distance on the right are the left front and rear green side bunkers. I was playing through and didn't take pictures of the green.

Number 8, par 3, from the forward tees. You can see the greenside bunkers of #2 behind this hole. Flag is middle and probably close to 140 from the tee box. I don't have a rangefinder so it's my guess.

#9, par4, from the forward tees. You can kinda see the pond near the green and left side of the fairway. I have put two balls into it when I hit pulls that went 180+ and had them roll in. That golf cart is in the 18th fairway short of the green. The bunker on the right is the rear greenside bunker on #9. The one to the left is the left rear greenside bunker on #18. Both 18 and 9 are by this pond.

 

 

[bortass]

@SNIPERBBB Very good point about falling into a trap. I want to say I don't do it but I also don't want to gloss over the fact that maybe I do and am not aware or not admitting it.
@Twin2L My partial swings on the range, mostly with wedges, is to try to groove my swing change and tempo without a full shot. I can feel somethings better in a partial swing, namely pressure of the shaft against my right index finger with a partial swing. I can't feel that at all in a full swing. I also tend to go back to the partial swing if I hit a spate of poor full swings to try to get back on track. I know I will have to spend more time working on the fullswing and my driver in particular. I do want to get that club back into use.
I'm kinda hosed when it comes to working shots to a specific distance. The range is on a hill, so I don't know the actual carry distance assuming that the distances on the board are even correct. I'll have to think on this more and see if I can still get a ball park idea for the first flag that normally is listed as being 118 yards. My guess is on level ground the carry distance that reaches that flag is 112-115 but I have no clue.

[SNIPERBBB]

For your distances, find a place to can hit balls where you can step off or use your GPS to get yardages to be sure. Or borrow a rangefinder from a friend if don't have one.

 

I prefer to find bring your own ball ranges or empty times at the course. Makes it easier and your hitting your own balls so you don't have the doubt about how realistic those range balls are to your gamers

[bortass]

Got to walk 9 today and feel positive about the round. It wasn't perfect by quite a bit but I saw some really good things. Low 70s, sunny and dry. I was behind a foursome for a bit and noticed dust when they hit the ball. Fairways are firm.

 

1 - par 4, see picture above, I hit a low thin pull fade with the 4w, 207 yards, into the fairway almost in the left rough. The ball was never more than a couple feet off the ground and this is a trend for a few holes. 160ish from centr and the flag is right middle back behind the bunker. I'd like to hit my 7w but if I make solid contact and go long I'm probably in the hazard that's behind the green. I hit my 4i instead and it's a low pull draw that misses the green left, 173 yard shot. I'm well left of the green and the hole is back right, probably 40 yards from the pin or so. I want to hit a low pitch with my SW and have it land on the green, near me, and run out to the hole. I chunk it about 2 yards. I try again and hit it correctly and am about 20 feet short of the hole. I'm putting over the spine in this green. I hit my putt and it's tracking pretty good but i miss and end up about 2 feet out. So i two putt for a double bogey 6.

 

The flubbed pitch is unfortunate but I still think of this hole as a par 5 for me. A double here is not the end of the world

 

2 - par 3, the flag is middle front and the green slopes back right to front left. I aim a tough right of the flag and hit my normal 7i. It's a high draw that carries the bunkers but lands a couple feet short of the green, 123 yards. My contact was not pure, I think a touch thin but still a nice high draw that drops down. I also discover as i am walking to the green that the wind is in my face. I never felt it while on the tee box for some reason. With only a couple feet of fringe to deal wit, I use my putter to chip. I make a good stroke and the ball breaks low and I'm about 2 feet out. I sink my par putt and am feeling good as I walk to 3.

 

3 - par 5, dogleg right. I hit a lowthin pull with the 4w, again a few feet off the ground, it rolls 182 yards to the left side of the fairway. I'm 220ish out and not gonna reach. I stay with my 4w and mess up my weight again in the back swing and top it 139 yards. Blah. So I'm inside 100 now and go with my PW. The flag is on the right side of the green behind bunkers. I hit a high push that misses well right. Very odd shot. So now I have to pitch over a bunker. I take my niblick and hit a pitch. It comes out perfect, high with backspin. it lands on the green and stops 2 feet from the hole on the high side. I sink the putt for a rare up and down par! That pitch was so nice to see.

 

4 - par 4, I start to catch up to people and start waiting on all my shots until #7. I hit a thin draw, few feet off the ground, 205 yards to the right side of the fairway. I'm 78 yards from center(wrote it down for some reason). Partial PW time. I hit a low push slice, well right, 112 yards past the green to the right. So now I have a long pitch over a bunker and the green is sloping away from me. I hit it thin and into the front left bunker, near the front of said bunker. I need to hit the ball a good 7-9 yards at least to get out of the bunker and land in the fringe. Maybe more. I don't know how to hit a sand shot this far.. I try and leave it in the bunker near the back. I hit my normal bunker shot that only goes 3-4 yards and i'm on the green at least. I'm front leftish and the flag is middle right, 22 feet. It turns into a 3 putt for a quad 8.

 

Kinda bummed by this but I still feel good walking to #5.

 

#5 - par 5, dogleg right. I use my 7w and have yet to get the ball airborne with a wood today. I hit a high push draw, 181 yards, that misses the fairway right, lands on the flat area on the right slope(see pictures above) and it kicks right and up the slope for some reason a few feet. I find my ball in the rough with a decent lie and it's a few feet above my feet. No time for heroics. I take my 6i and aim as far right as I dare and hit a low draw, 119 yards, to the left side of the fairway near the 150 marker. It may sound dumb but right after I hit the shot, I just watched it and said 'beautiful'. It looked so good to me based on what I was dealing with. Exactly what i wanted for a change.

I'm 152 and waiting, so take pictures.

The ball is below my feet now. I hit my 5i and top is 56 yards to the right. The flag is forward and being on the back tier is bad in this situation. I "hit" my PW. I don't get this shot at all. Partial swing and the club slides under the ball and sends it high and right, 76 yards. I'm a good 8 or so yards right of the green. The flag is probably 10 yards from the right edge. This is all ball park. I use the putting stroke with my 7i and it's a bit too soft but I get on the green about 18 feet from the hole, short and right. I two putt for a double bogey 7.

 

I'm questioning the PW now. Three mishits in a row with it going right.

 

6 - par 4, slight dogleg left and the fairway slopes down starting around 150 from the green. I hit a high draw with my 4w, 190 yards, into the fairway on the right. The flag is middle left and it's 104 to center. Time for my 9i. I don't need to worry about the bunkers at all. I hit a real high push all of 79 yards and I'm short of the green. It was the same kind of mishit as my PW. The green is elevated some and I have a fair amount of grass to cover. I decide to chip with my niblick. I make great contact and the ball lands on the green and rolls at the hole. I miss high and am 3 feet out! I have time to kill since there's a foursome in front of me and no one behind me. I look at this putt from all four sides to determine that it's gonna do. I hit the putt and it drops center of the cup for another up and down par!

 

I'm so happy as I walk to 7. I feel like my short game is showing signs of competence.

 

7 - par 4, elevated tees shot. The fairway slopes from the back right where the tees are to the left, short of the green. See picture above. The foursome is in the fairway and yell if I want to hit. I do, so I start to play through. I hit my 4w fat and it's a high pop up draw, 174 yards, into the left side of the fairway. I'm 170ish out and 7w sounds good. I hit that fat too, 60 yards. One of the guys tells me to take my time, there's no hurry. Now I'm 110-115 out, still in the fairway and I have to clear a bunker. I take my 8i and hit it fat too, high draw short of the bunker, 92 yards, sigh. I have to pitch over another bunker and go with a lower niblick shot. Contact is good but I run through the green on the left. The green is narrow on the left side and gets fatter as it goes to the right. I'm in the fringe about 10 yards from the cup. I use my putter and come up 6 feet short, lol. I sink the putt for my double bogey and thank the guys as I head to 8.

 

I did not feel rushed at all while I was playing through but I made a mess of things. Oh well.

 

8 - par 3, flag is middle right. See picture above. Elevated tee shot and I go with my standard 7i. Contact is very good and it's a high draw that carries the left back corner of the green and lands on the slope that elevates the green from the surrounding area, 158 yards after the ball stops rolling. I'm about 13 yards from the edge of the green and it's eleavted a bit. So I chip with the niblick and make good contact but barely get it on the green. That's how I know I was roughly 13 yards from the edge, lol. I'm 27 feet from the hole and it's breaking left to right since i'm pretty much pin high, just on the wrong side of the green. I hit my putt and it's looking good. I miss though but have less then 2 feet to go and I make that for a bogey 4.

 

9 - par 4, water on the left as you get near the green. See picture above. I use my 7w and hit a very high push slice, 157 yards, into the middle of the first fairway. The clump of trees that you can see in the picture of the first tee that I always talk about? I went over them.... I almost always hit a push fade or push slice on this hole. Maybe I should switch to an iron and see if that will find the correct fairway. I have no shot at the green, so I figure a little 9i punch to try and get back into the correct fairway. I chunk it 10 yards... try again and make good contact and it goes about 95 yards or so and almost rolls into the pond. I hit a partial SW to the right side of the green, flag is left. I didn't want to deal with the pond. So I have a 62 foot putt now, across the green. The overall slope is back to front since the pond is the low point. I have to putt along the slope of the tier as well though. I aim high and hit my putt. it's tracking pretty good and breaks a couple feet short and then rolls out 6 feet below the hole. It's actually not a bad putt overall. I'm going uphill now and want to take the break out and hit the next putt firm. I miss high and go a couple feet past the hole. So a 3 putt triple bogey to end things.

 

An even 50. Not a great number but some of what led to it was so positive to me. The few great pitches that set me up. My putting was also better overall. I made my short ones and mostly kept it to 2 putts when I was 18 - 27 feet from the hole. The PW shots are a head scratcher for me.

 

Until #9, I was happy with my woods off the tee. The thin shots went pretty straight and rolled a decent distance. The push on #5 was unfortunate but I was just happy I got the ball in the air with a wood. #6 was a solid draw and even the fat pop up on #7 was a decent draw.

 

The 7i on #8 while long made me happy. At least it was a very well struck ball. That's a miss that I don't plan on which is why I am cool with it. I have to play the odd which are I will not hit it close to pure, so if I do and it costs me, so be it. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

Overall, I am happy with what I saw on the course today. I have plenty of room for improvement but feel like I saw some of my potential out there.

 

Have a great one!

[ClubBuildRookie]

Or find someone in your area with a launch monitor and get some screen time. If you have 9’ to 10’ ceiling height in a space at your home, you can even put your own hitting bay / simulator together so you never pay for range balls again or have to drive to the range for full swing practice. It’s not near as expensive as people think and the launch monitors today are amazingly accurate.

[Chip Duffer]

It sounds like you had a much improved short game today. 16 putts, several nice chips/pitches including 2 up and downs. Your early misses off the tee we’re slight thins that’s were mostly on line.

I wonder about the partial PW from the 75 yard range when a gap wedge or even SW may be a better option with a smooth swing, even if gripped down. It will also tend to settle better on the green and not release as much. I admit that I think that way because I don’t have to alter my swing tempo to hit those shots and I feel I’m going to miss a simple shot, it’s usually because I’m altering my swing and like your example, if I miss a partial it is because I’m taking something off and don’t release the club and block/push the shot.

[bortass]

@SNIPERBBB Good suggestions. I have never practiced on the course before. That would probably be an option at some point.
@ClubBuildRookie I have the height but wife would kill me
@Twin2L I will have to see how this would play out. I can try a full SW for 70 yards and see what happens. I don't have any distance numbers for my GW and SW since I don't use them for full shots. I will see what happens. It'll help in the long run to see what my full wedges look like.

[bortass]

Snuck in another 9 today. I gotta play 36 holes a week to break even on the membership, so my first instinct is to go play versus hit the range. I rewatched some of Monte's short game videos regarding bunkers and bump and run chips with an iron. I saw what I was doing wrong in the sand. His method uses a full finish, I have not been doing that. It may explain my weak distances.

 

It was low 80s and mostly cloudy. A bit humid and I messed up my wardrobe and wore pants, not shorts. Oh well, I won't melt. Pins are same exact spot as yesterday.

 

1 - par 4, I aim left because of my push fade miss. I hit a low draw a little left of my target line, 226 yards and through the fairway and into the rough across the cart path that runs down the left side of this hole. I have never been here before, lol. I'm also about 145 - 150 out which is kinda new to me. I can't go at the green because of a clump of trees that sit on the left side maybe 30 yards closer to the green. The flag is right and behind the bunker. I figure punch a 5i to lay up. I hit a push, 134 yards, just short of the white tees on #9, lol. Way offline. I am too close to go over the small trees between me and tyhe green. I hit a real low 8i, maybe 1/4ish swing that hits the lower leaves and it gets knocked down and rolls forward and right, towards the green. So I've made a bit of a mess of things. The green is elevated and I don't want to bump and run. I hit a normal chip with the niblick but am too soft as usual and leave it 20 feet short. I hit my putt and it breaks early but stops inside 2 feet. So a 2 putt double bogey.

 

2 - par 3, flag is forward mid still. I hit a high draw with my 7i, 124 yards into the wind, and 8 feet behind the hole. I wave a single up to join me from the green since I'm waiting on 2 groups in front of me. This turns into a bit of a boondoogle. I hit my putt while he's looking for his tee shot that went into the front bunker. I missed and it went a few feet past the cup. I now rush and miss again.... So a 3 putt 4 from 8 feet... The single decides to go ahead of me and try to play through the two groups. It's fine with me, I'm planning on waiting on most of my remaining shots any how. He was in a rush and I get the feeling my company wasn't exactly of any interest. No skin off my teeth.

 

3 - par 3, dog leg right. I wait for the single to clear the area and never see him again after this hole. Guess he made it through the groups in front of me. I hit a strong draw into the wind, 211 yards, and through the fairway into the left rough. I'm about 180 out with a good lie and angle. The flag is to the right behind bunkers. I'm into the wind and feel okay with my 4w. I hit a high push fade. The ball is heading for the right corner of the green but I can't see where it lands. It was a shot that was going to drop out of the sky at the end. Perfect for clearing bunkers. However I was too right and a bit short, 173 yards, so i'm in the front of the right front bunker. I have to carry most of the bunker to get out. I use my GW and do what Monte said. I swing and finish high, the ball goes much further, lands on the green and rolls into the back fringe, 23 yards total. Wow, this is a game changer for my bunker play i think. I have a couple feet of fringe and use my putter for the birdie chip. the ball dies 2 feet from the cup and I secure my first par of the day.

 

I'm pretty happy, the ball is going pretty straight and far off the tee for me. Things aren't perfect but in the context of my game it's pretty good.

 

4 - par 4, I screw up my aim off the tee. I hit a mid height draw well left, right where I was aimed... Luckily it hit a branches and dropped into the left rough, 161 yards. It may have been okay oif it went through the branches since the tree overhands the rough some but I'm not sure. So I'm okay with this. I'm 135 from center in the left rough. I take my 6i and hit a big push that has no chance to reach the green. I missed right by a good 20. The shot did go 129, so I didn't lose much distance. I have a severe downhill lie and a couple of bunkers to deal with. I figure a low niblick shot. I don't commit and come up short of the green but the ball stays on grass. I decide to chip with my 7i but I can't go at or above the flag because of a bunker. So my chip will be below the hole and breaking further away from it. I make good contact and it misses the bunker and rolls on the green and the slope feeds it 22 feet below the hole. I look at my putt. I'm going uphill and it breaks right to left. It breaks a bit early and stops a couple feet out. So a 2 putt double bogey 6.

 

5 - par 5, dogleg right. I decide to tee the ball up closer to the left side of the teeing area and aim straight down the fairway. I hit a push draw with the 7w,168 yards, close to where I was yesterday. I hit my 6i, like yesterday, and it's good contact, 133 yards, through the fairway on the left side by the 150 marker. Guess I need to use my 7i for this shot in the future. I'm 152 out and the ball is below my feet. Yesterday I topped a 5i. Today i grab my 4i and take a couple practice swings, which is very rare for me. I aim towards the right of the green and hit a thin pull that tracks towards the green and breaks hard left on the fronting slope which feeds my ball towards the tiny stream over there. The ball stays out of the water though, gotta aim more right in the future if I'm in this spot. The ball went 133 though. I have to chip to the green above me and I use the niblick. I can't see the hole but it looks like the ball went real close to it and I'm 9 feet past. My putt is down slope and the ball can roll off this green. I just tap it and it rolls a foot past the hole, so a 2 putt bogey 6.

 

6 - par 4, slight dogleg left. Wind in my face still. I aim a bit more left and hit a great draw down my target line. It carries the slope in the air and it a lower draw that will land at a shallow angle and run. I'm 213 off the tee, in the fairway on the left and 65 yards from center. I have to carry bunkers to reach the flag which is on the left. I decide to forego the partial PW and hit a full SW and see what happens. I chunk it and it's a high push that goes 53 yards and lands on the right front of the green. I'm 48 feet from the cup and putting uphill with a right to left break. it turns into a 3 putt bogey.

 

Oh well. The mishit SW didn't help but the shot did most of what it was supposed to and didn't go real far offline. An improvement over the mishit partial PW shots yesterday. I'm good with the decision and plan to try more full wedges.

 

7 - par 4, dogleg right, elevated tee shot to a fairway that slopes down and left. I hit a high true fade with my 4w into the wind, 228 yards, and i'm in the fairway on the left. The flag is left behind a bunker and I'm 115 from center, which would be to my right more. I hit my 8i and it's a nice shot that clears the bunkers. I was a little thin and the green is elevated, so the ball is gonna run a bit when it lands. I'm off the green in back by a couple of feet. I chip with the putter and completely misread the break. I aimed low by mistake and it broke that way, pin high 5 feet from the cup. I sink the par putt though.

 

8 - par 3, elevated tee shot. I walk up to the tee box and the tees are missing. I look behind me and there are about a yard in front of the white tees and the blues are a yard behind the whites. maybe it has to do with mowing or something, very odd. So I'm another 15+ yards back. I use my 6i instead of 7i. it's a dead push to the right. It hits a tree and I see the ball kick left. This is bad. If you look at the picture I posted yesterday you can see the thicker stuff where they don't mow on the right side slope. My ball is in that crap someplace and I have lost balls there before. I don't hit a provisional and go looking for it. No sign and I can't find it. So I drop a ball short of the green, add a couple penalty strokes, and use my 7i to bump and run. I make the adjustments that Monte mentioned in his video to deaden the club and it worked great, I came up 22 feet short. I'm going up hill and it breaks right to left. I hit my putt and miss high and 5 feet past....Awesome! Three putt quad 7....

 

9 - par 4 with the pond on the left as you get closer to the green. I always seem to hit push fades or push slices on this hole with my 4w and 7w. I have played this hole from #1 probably at least 10 times more then I have from 9 itself. This is how bad I am at hitting this fairway and I don't know why. I leave the woods in my bag and hit my 4i. It's a low drive, 183 yards, down the fairway... I'm in shock that I get to play from the correct fairway. The flag is left and I'm 115 from center. 8i time. I aim right to reduce the amount of pond carry. If I hit a great draw or even a slight pull, I'm on the green close to the flag. If I hit a weak high push fade, I'll be right of the green where it's dry. this is my logic. I swing and it's a high pull and a bit thin, 102 yards and right of the green. I'm in a decent spot and have the entire green to work with. I hit a bump and run with the 7i and don't deaden the club this time. It come sout hot and rolls all the way to the other side of the green, stopping an inch into the front fringe below the flag. I chip with the putter to a foot and sink the putt for a bogey 5.

 

So a 48 today. Slightly better score wise then yesterday but my tee shot on #8 killed this score. Outside of that I am okay with the rest of the round, well the 3 putt on #2 wasn't good either. I am suddenly getting off the tee with the 4w, gotta love dry fairways. A big change from what my swing was last weekend. I felt like I was golfing out there. Still plenty of room to improve though.

 

The bump and run chip is gonna be a big help as I figure out how i want to hit it and get used to it. I think the refresher from the sand will be a game changer. I have been struggling to get the ball to travel more than 3-5 yards from in a bunker. Time will tell and maybe I will start using my SW more if I am going long with the GW. I also like the full wedge shot instead of partial PW. I will see how that shakes out long term.

 

So I appreciate the advice and feedback I've gotten in this thread. It helps challenge what I'm doing and that there may be a better way or something different I need to consider. Thanks for the help, I need it

[Chip Duffer]

Very nice that you had a round that you can feel good about and build on. Really glad to know that the 7 iron for chipping and full wedge show some promise. A little time with those wedges will turn them into trusted friends.

[berndgeurts]

Just got back from my first 9 holes since lockdown. What a great feeling to be playing again. Very nice to hear you had a solid round. Go for it, build on it and improve.

[bortass]

How'd you play?

[berndgeurts]

It went very well. 9 holes, par 34, I shot 36. Against all odds I performed like I did not have break. Probably the dry training in my living room has helped. I was very lucky my bad shots (low draw shaped drives and long clubs) were compensated by my bump and run chips, which all ended up 2 feet next to the hole. So sub 80 rounds regularly are just around the corner..

[bortass]

@berndgeurts That's great!
@Twin2L Thanks, I think if I keep on my current path using the advice given, I'll start to see some solid gain. It'll come down to pulling it all together though and being more consistent.

I played a practice 9 today. I was thinking about what @SNIPERBBB said regarding writing the story for a hole as I play it. I went out and played a bit more liberally. It's something I have thought about off and on going back to February. Most of my real practice is on the course while playing. I have to push myself outside my comfort zone at times. Try shots that may be riskier but are legitimate ones, I'll give an example in a bit. This means my score may not be that good because my course management is not as 'tight'. I'm still trying to score as best I can but I may do something that is currently sub optimal with playing within myself.

For example, today I went for the 9th green in 2 from about 160ish with my 7w from the fairway. It has a long pond carry but I do tend to get my 7w in the air and it will carry that far. This is a shot I almost always avoid. I hit it thin into the pond and I think my ball position was off. Oh well, maybe next time. Eventually I need to not be leery of going for this green in 2 just because of a pond when I have a club that I can hit decent in my hands. I would not do it with the 4w or 4i.

I broke my driver out of the bag on #6 and #7. I didn't use it on #1 because the wind was in my face which will magnify the spin on the ball. On 6, I hit a low draw 223 into the fairway down the left side like I did with yesterday's 4w. On 7, I hit a nice higher fade that hugged the curve of the fairway down the right side, 231 yards.

I messed up my tee shot on 8 and came up well short of the green. I used the 7i to bump and run and rolled the ball all the way to the back of the green 4 feet short of the hole. I really am liking this shot. It'll take more work though.

#3 was a mess for me. They moved the forward tees back where they belong. So 452 on the card versus being up by the woman's tees which are 378. No more getting close in 2 for me. My aim was off and I hit a nice draw into the front left fairway bunker. I will need to remember to aim more right from back here because of the angles. I went on to mishit a bunch of balls and carded a nice 9.

I used my normal 7w off the tee on #5 and it was a mishit high pull hook that almost went into the stream on the left. I think I will start teeing off with an iron on this hole. Speaking of which I used my 4i off the tee on #9 and mishit it only 139 yards but into the fairway. So I will stay with this.

Here is something I recently found on Arccos using the website. The cool, to me, part is at the bottom of the image. It's the strokes gained for each shot. It really liked the 7i chip on #8.

[img]https://s3.amazonaws.com/golfwrxforums/uploads/063/32ZLMV2JTKNQ.jpg[/img]

[Chip Duffer]

49 with a 9 and a triple suggests that you played the other 7 pretty good.

Also, hitting shots because it’s an acceptable play, even if it’s not the most conservative will also teach you more about your game. I think in the long run it will serve you well. While I surely understand good course management and playing “smart”, I am also aware when over thinking a hole or shots, that “safe” begins to almost feel like “fear”. As I write that, I’m reminded of an old friend who used to say, “seek your limits and they SHALL be yours”. LOL

[SNIPERBBB]

That's one of the great/bad things about playing in scrambles. That's basically how I can pulled into golf playing with my dad and his friends in scrambles. The team we had was basically 4 10 handicap players. Me and my Dad were the long drive guys and the other two where the steady eddy short game masters. You didnt hit many conservative shots in scrambles unless you didnt have anything in play at all. Bad thing was it was hard to break pulling driver out on every hole in real golf and not trying to hit hero shots .

[Chip Duffer]

I have had the same experience with scrambles. They are good for learning what you can do just hitting shots when there is the safety net of team mates who can do better if you miss. Then, it’s back to remembering that I have to play my ball into the cup the next time out. The advantage of the scramble for me is, I most often know what shots I would not normally take in a stroke play tourney. It does help me know though what shots I can hit with confidence later if a similar situation presents itself.

The drawback for me was that last year I was in a series of 2 and 3 man scrambles, and by the time it was over it took me a couple of weeks to findi “my swing” and “my game” again.

[bortass]

@SNIPERBBB @Twin2L I miss scrambles. My previous course was public and all the scrambles had teams created by the pro shop. So none of the build your own team funny stuff. There was an A, B, C, and D player based on index. I was almost always the D player except that one year I got down to 19 and was a C. Nothing was expected of me, so I went first a lot except with tee shots on some teams. This is gonna sound odd, but I was sometimes the long guy on the team. We played at sea level and it was mostly an older crowd. I recall one guy that played in a few that was longer then most and I think he would average 250ish. There were no 300 yard off the tee all the time kinda guys at this course. The majority were your average golfers that are closer to 225 off the tee or less.

My favorite format was called a shamble. Everyone tees off and you pick a ball to play like a scramble and then you play your own ball the rest of the way in. I liked these because they were handicapped, I think 80%. Yesterday's round of 49 shows why I was good to have in a team event if there are strokes in the mix. I tend to post higher numbers because of a blowup. Eek in some pars which will likely be birdies and I help the team.

I just highlighted the challenge I'll face. To get where I want to go, the blowup has to be gone. My swing is much better then when I started months ago but a string of mishits will still leave me with a struggle to go low. Luckily I know from experience I can have a blowup and still score well for 18. More then a couple though and it get's real hard to do.

I'm hoping to start posting some 18 hole rounds that are in the 90s again. I have the two low rounds a while ago where I shot 94s. My current short term goal is to break 90 from the forward tees. I should be able to do that if the recent improvements in my short hold up longer term.

[Chip Duffer]

I have only played a few shambles, but I really like them. My best Shamble resulted in a net 58. It surely reinforced what I was already working on. My mid and short game were strong, but I couldn't find a fairway. When I start missing fairways, I still need to remember to club down and put the ball in play.

edit to add: Funny thing is, I still prefer working with my sand wedge and 8 iron on the range. I now make a conscious effort to work with the driver more.