Revelations. & Resolutions

[oldschoolrocker]

I thought it might be fun, as we are nearing the dawn of a new year to reflect upon the past one and anticipate the coming one with respect to our personal triumphs and struggles regarding our golf games.

 

Myself, while the surgery sidelined me a great deal with regard to number of rounds played it did force me to concentrate on the short game and by doing so I was able to greatly improve in that area. So much so that I now have a high degree of confidence around and on the greens. A good thing, because having made the decision to play vintage almost exclusively certainly changed my GIR stats from years past. That said, it is quite apparent the upcoming year needs to be spent sharpening my long iron and fairway wood play if I am going to get my scoring in line with the classics. Also, during this next year I hope to acquire a playing set of hickories and delve into that arena. All in all, as golf goes it was a very good year. The local thrifts providing a virtual treasure chest of booty and spoils to be plundered which in turn allowed me to feed my ho'ing ways at a fraction of the cost of new gear. Much fun was had by trying out numerous wood and iron combinations.

[Sean2]

I work on my short game incessantly. I'll practice for two to three hours and maybe 20 minutes will be spent on the full swing. I have done this day in and day out. This year I'm going to spend more time practicing the full swing.

[HoldenCornfield]

This year I plan to spend less time on the range and more time walking the fairways. Since most of my golf is during the week and after work (or late on weekends), I usually play by myself and I don't have time for 18 before dark. However, lately I've been walking 9 while playing 2 balls and I've found this to be a great way to get in 18, get some good exercise, [i]and[/i] be home in time for dinner! Last time out, driveway to driveway, it took me just a few minutes over 2 hours to complete (it really helps living just 2 miles from the course).

With this in mind, my golf goal for 2014 is not score-oriented, but rather participation-based: to play 100 rounds of golf this year.

I'm also planning to learn how to re-shaft and re-finish persimmons. For Christmas I received Maltby's encyclopedic club repair book and I've been busy studying like a schoolboy.

[okesa]

[size=5]I do the same at this time of year when days are short and play one brand against another over 9 holes,Titleist vs Srixon the other day,DT Solo chipped in for birdie three on the 1st,Soft Feel chipped in for par to tie the game on the 9th.[/size]
[size=5]Goal for '14 is to play more golf with my persimmons,I've played with them recently and rediscovered the joy of that 'thwack' of ball off clubface,I'm not hitting them consistently at the moment but intend to persist and sort my swing out.[/size]

[Blade Junkie]

A few 2014 golfing goals for me[list]
[*]For every £X of equipment expenditure, spend £2X on lessons.
[*]Play 100 rounds, of which at least 30 hickory and at least 30 persimmon/blades
[*]Reduce handicap to single digit
[/list]

Happy new Year everyone. For 2014, may you all hit more fairways and more greens, hole more putts, and have prosperity, health and happiness for yourselves and your families.

[freddiec]

With 2 very young children I have no idea how often I'll be out on the course in 2014. This year I played less than 5 18 hole rounds, (as opposed to 40 prior to having kids), but often during the season sneak out for 9 before dark, which I really enjoy. I probably did that 25 to 30 times last year and this year will do it again exclusively with persimmon like always. I'm not setting expectation, but just to love every moment of it and smell the flowers along the way. I hope everybody this year stays strong and healthy.

[guisician]

Since there's too much for a 16 to wish for, I'm going with one all-encompassing resolution this year. that's to enjoy life and everything in it; family, music, golf, friends (including all of you). Happy New Year!

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='guisician' timestamp='1388517137' post='8374795']
Since there's too much for a 16 to wish for, I'm going with one all-encompassing resolution this year. that's to enjoy life and everything in it; family, music, golf, friends (including all of you). Happy New Year!
[/quote]

I think resolving to enjoy life is a biggie, thanks for the reminder guisician!

I resolve to pick up a golf club once a day. I may not swing it but I will pick it up and hold it with the correct grip.

I want to walk and play 18 holes even once without pain. That's a big goal and I don't know if it's achievable but I'm going to try.

and I would like to improve enough to have a terrible handicap!!!!!

Kathy Marie

[Sean2]

[quote name='Kathy Marie' timestamp='1388525665' post='8375577']
[quote name='guisician' timestamp='1388517137' post='8374795']
Since there's too much for a 16 to wish for, I'm going with one all-encompassing resolution this year. that's to enjoy life and everything in it; family, music, golf, friends (including all of you). Happy New Year!
[/quote]

I think resolving to enjoy life is a biggie, thanks for the reminder guisician!

I resolve to pick up a golf club once a day. I may not swing it but I will pick it up and hold it with the correct grip.

I want to walk and play 18 holes even once without pain. That's a big goal and I don't know if it's achievable but I'm going to try.

and I would like to improve enough to have a terrible handicap!!!!!

Kathy Marie
[/quote]

I hope you can walk and play 18 without pain Kathy. :-)

[btg]

2014 will be my year of conversion back to persimmon. I went back to blades a couple of years ago and it has re-energized my passion for ball striking. I have no idea what to expect with the driver. I'm hopeful that I can still hit it somewhere around 250. If I can, I think I'll be hooked. Having spent the last few weeks locating a set of MT Tourneys and wearing out the simulator, I can't wait for spring and the upcoming season.

[oldschoolrocker]

Welcome back to the world of wood btg. Just get ready for all the comments on the first tee.

[HoldenCornfield]

[quote name='Kathy Marie' timestamp='1388525665' post='8375577']
[quote name='guisician' timestamp='1388517137' post='8374795']
Since there's too much for a 16 to wish for, I'm going with one all-encompassing resolution this year. that's to enjoy life and everything in it; family, music, golf, friends (including all of you). Happy New Year!
[/quote]

I think resolving to enjoy life is a biggie, thanks for the reminder guisician!

I resolve to pick up a golf club once a day. I may not swing it but I will pick it up and hold it with the correct grip.

I want to walk and play 18 holes even once without pain. That's a big goal and I don't know if it's achievable but I'm going to try.

and I would like to improve enough to have a terrible handicap!!!!!

Kathy Marie
[/quote]

KM, that's a great idea to do a little "shadow boxing" everyday with a club, especially if you've embarked on a particular course of instruction so that you're practicing correctly and specifically. Harvey Penick was a big fan of slow motion practice, as was Ben Hogan iirc. It's been a big help to me this year as I've revamped my swing. I never go a day without practicing something, even if it's just shadow boxing.

[btg]

[quote name='oldschoolrocker' timestamp='1388533091' post='8376287']
Welcome back to the world of wood btg. Just get ready for all the comments on the first tee.
[/quote]

I've been dishing it for years. Guess it won't hurt me to take a little! :-)

[JShaw]

In 2014 I'd like to have more fun playing golf. The last couple of years I've been so wrapped up in score that I haven't really enjoyed golf regardless of how I've played. I've definitely played a lot more "golf swing" than golf. My goal in 2014 is to enjoy the journey and my playing partners more.

[BIG STU]

[quote name='HoldenCornfield' timestamp='1388533305' post='8376309']
[quote name='Kathy Marie' timestamp='1388525665' post='8375577']
[quote name='guisician' timestamp='1388517137' post='8374795']
Since there's too much for a 16 to wish for, I'm going with one all-encompassing resolution this year. that's to enjoy life and everything in it; family, music, golf, friends (including all of you). Happy New Year!
[/quote]

I think resolving to enjoy life is a biggie, thanks for the reminder guisician!

I resolve to pick up a golf club once a day. I may not swing it but I will pick it up and hold it with the correct grip.

I want to walk and play 18 holes even once without pain. That's a big goal and I don't know if it's achievable but I'm going to try.

and I would like to improve enough to have a terrible handicap!!!!!

Kathy Marie
[/quote]

KM, that's a great idea to do a little "shadow boxing" everyday with a club, especially if you've embarked on a particular course of instruction so that you're practicing correctly and specifically. Harvey Penick was a big fan of slow motion practice, as was Ben Hogan iirc. It's been a big help to me this year as I've revamped my swing. I never go a day without practicing something, even if it's just shadow boxing.
[/quote]Good advice I personally have several weighted clubs that I built cheaply from thrift store finds with lead powder poured down the shaft. I keep one at work one in my truck and several scattered at the house. I am assuming you are my age or older (im 56) it is important to keep flexibility up to avoid injuries and such. I have also found that swinging the weighted club gets my heart rate up some and that is a good thing.

[scomac2002]

I resolve to work on my core strength and general fitness as I rehabilitate my tendinitis injury. The goal is to play the full season (Apr. - Oct.) without a recurrence of this injury.

I've resorted to targeted segment practice in an effort to rebuild a bowling game. So, I'm thinking of using this approach with golf, lessening the amount of full swing ball contact practice. I continue to work on my putting indoors. I've made some equipment changes going into 2014 and resolve to play this set-up for the season, scores be damned.

I resolve to continue to work on enjoying the game for the game's sake as well as enjoying the social aspect of the game. As I age, I'm discovering that it's important to keep the body moving year round with the range of movements that are required for pain free participation. You can't just turn things on and off again on a seasonal basis. Playing golf or bowling is turning into a year round commitment whether the facilities are open or not.

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1388529709' post='8376015']
I hope you can walk and play 18 without pain Kathy. :-)
[/quote]

Thank you so much Sean2, I really appreciate it!!

Kathy Marie

[Kirasdad]

A happy 2014 to all my virtual friends on the golfwrx classic forum.

Even though I feel I know many of you obviously I don't really. You may drink too much, or are mean to your wives, or give no money to the church, or perhaps all three...

But on this forum you are the classiest of gentlemen, witty, literate, and well spoken.

Happy New Year to us all. May 2014 bring us good golf, in whatever fashion one chooses to pursue.

PS - to Kathy Marie. I too wish you a pain free golf year. From your name I'm assuming you are a woman. Welcome aboard. It will be nice to have a distaffer around this part of the web. Keep us on our toes.

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='HoldenCornfield' timestamp='1388533305' post='8376309']
KM, that's a great idea to do a little "shadow boxing" everyday with a club, especially if you've embarked on a particular course of instruction so that you're practicing correctly and specifically. Harvey Penick was a big fan of slow motion practice, as was Ben Hogan iirc. It's been a big help to me this year as I've revamped my swing. I never go a day without practicing something, even if it's just shadow boxing.
[/quote]

Thanks Holden, no special course of instruction but I did get Harvey Penick's books for Xmas. I'm reading For All Who Love The Game and he mentions the slow motion swing is in his Little Red Book. I didn't know Hogan liked slow motion practice, is it in Five Lessons?

So much I'm reading makes my head spin, I think it's written for intermediate-to-advanced golfers. That's why Harvey is a delight!

I took a golf mini course and at the end I realized I'd been taught to *hit the ball,* but I wasn't taught *how to play the game.* I'm struggling for words here because we were taught the rules, of course. But I heard nada about how to approach a course. What do I DO out there? How do Players THINK about golf, how do they THINK about playing a course. Like Hogan! "There are no seven iron shots at Marion." He was thinking about his approach ahead of time; he analyzed it and figured out how he wanted to play that golf course.

I just think there must be some guidelines or principles on the "shape" of your game (for lack of a better term.) There must be ways to make decisions about which club, where you're going and how you're going to get there that play to your strengths and avoids your weak areas--and the course hazards--at the same time.

Me, I aim down the middle of the fairway, swing and pray. There's just got to be more than that!

Huh. Maybe I should join the young uns playing video golf!!!

Kathy Marie

[freddiec]

KM, welcome to our little corner of golfwrx. Glad you joined us.

Speaking of Hogan and slow mo, have you guys, and gals, seen this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34GOeyjr0Uw

[Kirasdad]

Wow, is that cool or what. That is a heck of a shoulder turn for someone in their what, mid 60's I'm guessing? Some serious club head speed too.

Where and when was that shot? Looks like SoCal, but it could be SE Texas, down by the Gulf.

[freddiec]

Kirasdad, Hogan had friends at Seminole which is in Palm Beach Florida. He also played there a lot. I'm pretty sure thats where this at his friends house in the Palm Beach area.

[guisician]

George Coleman's butler is the super-8 cameraman @ Coleman's Palm Beach oceanfront estate; just Hogan, Coleman and their wives hanging out one afternoon and Hogan films a for-your-eyes-only lesson for his lifelong friend.

[super20dan]

his swing looks better than ever

[HoldenCornfield]

[quote name='Kathy Marie' timestamp='1388636386' post='8382795']

Thanks Holden, no special course of instruction but I did get Harvey Penick's books for Xmas. I'm reading For All Who Love The Game and he mentions the slow motion swing is in his Little Red Book. I didn't know Hogan liked slow motion practice, is it in Five Lessons?

So much I'm reading makes my head spin, I think it's written for intermediate-to-advanced golfers. That's why Harvey is a delight!

I took a golf mini course and at the end I realized I'd been taught to *hit the ball,* but I wasn't taught *how to play the game.* I'm struggling for words here because we were taught the rules, of course. [b]But I heard nada about how to approach a course. What do I DO out there? How do Players THINK about golf, how do they THINK about playing a course.[/b] Like Hogan! "There are no seven iron shots at Marion." He was thinking about his approach ahead of time; he analyzed it and figured out how he wanted to play that golf course.

I just think there must be some guidelines or principles on the "shape" of your game (for lack of a better term.) There must be ways to make decisions about which club, where you're going and how you're going to get there that play to your strengths and avoids your weak areas--and the course hazards--at the same time.

Me, I aim down the middle of the fairway, swing and pray. There's just got to be more than that!

Huh. Maybe I should join the young uns playing video golf!!!

Kathy Marie
[/quote]

Kathy, I got a lot out of this book many years ago:

Butch Harmon's [url="http://www.amazon.com/Butch-Harmons-Playing-Lessons-Harmon/dp/B001PO69AU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1388675899&sr=8-4&keywords=butch+harmon"]Playing Lessons[/url]

It's a great read although still a poor substitute, in my mind, for a real playing lesson from a qualified golf instructor. Hopefully, you've already found one, or at least a friend who's a pretty experienced player.

Side note: its my opinion (and my wife will vociferously agree!), that men generally make bad golf teachers for women. We tend to get too mechanical and focus on positions; beginners (and especially women, according to my wife) need more kinesthetic information; images that help them 'feel' the game, not analyze it.

My 14 year old daughter is yet to voice any interest in golf, preferring team sports like softball and basketball, at this point in her life. But were she to get the bug the first thing I would do is find a qualified [i]female[/i] teaching pro to give her some lessons. I believe it would greatly facilitate the process. That's just my opinion, though.

In the meantime, just get out and play! The answers are, as Mr. Hogan famously said, in the dirt.

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='Kirasdad' timestamp='1388633282' post='8382481']
PS - to Kathy Marie. I too wish you a pain free golf year. From your name I'm assuming you are a woman. Welcome aboard. It will be nice to have a distaffer around this part of the web. Keep us on our toes.
[/quote]
[quote name='freddiec' timestamp='1388637193' post='8382831']
KM, welcome to our little corner of golfwrx. Glad you joined us.
Speaking of Hogan and slow mo, have you guys, and gals, seen this?
[/quote]

Kirasdad, thank you so much for your good wishes! And you are correct, I'm a woman. I'm not much at creating screen names so I just use my own.

freddiec, thank you so much and WOW!!!!!! on the video, that's fantastic! I thought Hogan didn't do that sort of thing except under duress, how wonderful of Mr. Coleman's family to share it with us! What's most impressive to me, though, is the *sound.* Do you hear the sound his club makes? It [i]sings[/i] just before the sound of the impact (or I guess you could say it whistles.) And later on in the video, at 9:13 Hogan makes a partial swing, you can really hear the sound of the club hissing through the air even though he maybe went half-way back. I think the "singing" is coming from his wrists, he's uncocking his wrists to accelerate the club.

Thanks so very much for this video, it's wonderful.

Kathy Marie

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='HoldenCornfield' timestamp='1388677425' post='8384527']
Kathy, I got a lot out of this book many years ago:

Butch Harmon's [url="http://www.amazon.com/Butch-Harmons-Playing-Lessons-Harmon/dp/B001PO69AU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1388675899&sr=8-4&keywords=butch+harmon"]Playing Lessons[/url]

It's a great read although still a poor substitute, in my mind, for a real playing lesson from a qualified golf instructor. Hopefully, you've already found one, or at least a friend who's a pretty experienced player.

Side note: its my opinion (and my wife will vociferously agree!), that men generally make bad golf teachers for women. We tend to get too mechanical and focus on positions; beginners (and especially women, according to my wife) need more kinesthetic information; images that help them 'feel' the game, not analyze it.

My 14 year old daughter is yet to voice any interest in golf, preferring team sports like softball and basketball, at this point in her life. But were she to get the bug the first thing I would do is find a qualified [i]female[/i] teaching pro to give her some lessons. I believe it would greatly facilitate the process. That's just my opinion, though.

In the meantime, just get out and play! The answers are, as Mr. Hogan famously said, in the dirt.
[/quote]


What I would give, Holden! It's zero degrees (-18*C for our metric brethren) with 6" fine powder atop a layer of ice, I'd need a shovel and a drill. And the "heated" range (note quote marks) has mats so skinny I have [b]really[/b] hurt my hands on fat shots--in fact I think that's why I whiff so much. Someone mentioned to me he's seen guys bringing in their own mats and that's something I want to research.

About a woman instructor: D'oh!!!! I can try looking for one, it really never occurred to me!

Finally, Butch Harmon's Playing Lessons is enroute as I type--thank you!!!

Kathy Marie
(Edit: that's being snarky about the range, it's OK down to around 20* or so. K)

[super20dan]

burr-too cold for golf in florida -its 40deg

[oldschoolrocker]

Ah, 32 degrees with winds NNW @20 knots. Heading to the course. Hope this UA stuff works as advertised.

[NRJyzr]

I would kill for 32°F right about now.

Well, maybe maim.

Been below zero for several days here, we get two days of reprieve (one of which where the high temp will be around 10°F), and then back to constant below zero.

At least I don't live another couple hundred miles north, in the Iron Range area of MN. They'll be pushing -40 overnight in a couple days...