I met my cousin, Joe, and my Uncle Joe at Rolling Meadows Country Club in Ellington, Connecticut, for 18 holes last Saturday and had a blast.
Although it has "country club" in its name, the course is public and it is absolutely beautiful. Immaculate greens, nice wide fairways and great customer service.
We were met on the first tee by the course ranger who explained the course and one of its coolest features ... usually courses use a wooden or metal marker of come kind to delineate when you're 150 yards from the pin. At Rolling Meadows, they use a rounded bush. It's a little thing to be sure, but yet something unique.
Also fun was the beer cart that came around several times. It was about 10:30 a.m. the first time we saw it and while I was not looking for a beer or a shot (we had just gotten a round of Bloody Marys from the bar after completing the front nine), I just had to buy a beer from the cart because I could. So, $4 and one Corona Light in a can later, I was good to go.
Overall I did fairly well (we didn't keep score). As usual, I made some really great shots, a lot of mediocre shots and many bad shots.
One of the best holes I had was the 15th (433 yards, par 4). I absolutely crushed the tee shot for about 310 yards ... it was just perfect (one of only a small few I had that day). My next shot was with my 3-Wood and I crushed that too ... another perfect shot and I landed about 10 yards away from the pin (which was at the front of the green). On both of these shots, it just felt amazing. As soon as I hit the ball, I knew they were good shots ... just felt and sounded "right".
Anyway, I hit a sweet pitch shot onto the green and then two-putted, so even though I bogeyed the hole, all three of my approach shots were very satisfying.
With the good news always comes the bad and there most bizarre thing happened to me all day ... I had a wicked hook in my drives. I have absolutely no idea where the hell this came from but damnit if I couldn't stop hooking the ball. It took me a few holes to diagnose what I was doing ... I was cupping my hands at the top of my back swing which closes the club head at impact. Even figuring this out didn't help much because I kept hooking my drives. Really, really strange because I can literally count on one hand the number of times I've ever hooked my drives (I usually have some kind of slice). Something else to work on, I guess.
All in all, it was a great day on the course. Had a lot of fun with my cousin and uncle and we're going to be a tourney in October at another course in the Nutmeg State, so we have that going for us ... which is nice.
Showing posts with label Golf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Golf. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
"Welcome to golf"
If anything typifies my experience with golf, it's my playing ability over the past few weeks ... well, my abilities with one certain club - the pitching wedge.
For the past month or so, I haven't been able to hit the PW at all. Used to be that my "go-to" clubs were my 4-iron, 9-iron and PW. But for some reason, the PW has absolutely eluded me recently, especially the last three weeks of the golf league I'm in.
Speaking of which, the league is over and Kell and I (Team 5) came in at 5-6-3 for the season. We're missed the playoffs, but it was a lot of fun playing every week.
Anyway, I lost all touch with the PW ... until yesterday. Kell and I shot 18 at the Woods (7 a.m. tee time ... amazing) and it was like night and day with the PW. I couldn't do anything wrong with it. Every shot had great loft, I was dropping the ball exactly (well, most of the time) where I wanted it and was swinging it consistently. I was even hitting out of very tall rough with it. Go figure.
Told a co-worker this morning about this anomaly and he smiled and said, "Welcome to golf!" Indeed.
Playing yesterday morning reminded me why I love this game so much. There is nothing like standing in the tee box at 7 a.m., sun has only be up for about an hour at the most, the air is still, fresh-cut grass and a faint dirt smell permeate the air and there's barely a sound save for a few birds. There was no one else on the course at the time, so it felt like Kell and I were the only two people in the world.
But even when there's others on the course, it's fun to hear people shouting in celebration on other holes when someone does something well.
Yesterday's pace was fantastic because we didn't have any other players pressing us. We shot our round in about 4 1/2 hours, which is pretty good.
So it's a bummer I won't be playing every week, but I've got a tournament or two and some golf dates lined up and Kell and I have already said we can't wait to golf in the Fall when it's cooler out.
So at least I have that going for me ... which is nice.
For the past month or so, I haven't been able to hit the PW at all. Used to be that my "go-to" clubs were my 4-iron, 9-iron and PW. But for some reason, the PW has absolutely eluded me recently, especially the last three weeks of the golf league I'm in.
Speaking of which, the league is over and Kell and I (Team 5) came in at 5-6-3 for the season. We're missed the playoffs, but it was a lot of fun playing every week.
Anyway, I lost all touch with the PW ... until yesterday. Kell and I shot 18 at the Woods (7 a.m. tee time ... amazing) and it was like night and day with the PW. I couldn't do anything wrong with it. Every shot had great loft, I was dropping the ball exactly (well, most of the time) where I wanted it and was swinging it consistently. I was even hitting out of very tall rough with it. Go figure.
Told a co-worker this morning about this anomaly and he smiled and said, "Welcome to golf!" Indeed.
Playing yesterday morning reminded me why I love this game so much. There is nothing like standing in the tee box at 7 a.m., sun has only be up for about an hour at the most, the air is still, fresh-cut grass and a faint dirt smell permeate the air and there's barely a sound save for a few birds. There was no one else on the course at the time, so it felt like Kell and I were the only two people in the world.
But even when there's others on the course, it's fun to hear people shouting in celebration on other holes when someone does something well.
Yesterday's pace was fantastic because we didn't have any other players pressing us. We shot our round in about 4 1/2 hours, which is pretty good.
So it's a bummer I won't be playing every week, but I've got a tournament or two and some golf dates lined up and Kell and I have already said we can't wait to golf in the Fall when it's cooler out.
So at least I have that going for me ... which is nice.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A win is a win
A weird night for the golf league last night.
First, I wasn't sure we were going to get nine holes in because there were nasty-looking thunderstorms predicted for our area right around the time were supposed to be going out (which seems to be the norm this summer because every Wednesday has had rain or the threat or rain, no exaggeration).
But, after a torrential downpour around 3 p.m., the skies cleared and it actually was a nice afternoon.
When we got the to the course, we found that the team we were playing couldn't make it, so we "played the card" instead, meaning that we still went out and played nine holes because the scores were still needed for the sake of our handicaps.
We played the back nine and on the 11th hole we were met by another two-some and decided to join together for a four-some. So that made for a good time ... both of the other guys were about our skill level although one of the guys, Jerry, was a bit better. He seemed to make better shots when he needed them.
As for me, I shot 63 for the round and as usual, I made some great shots and some not-so-great shots. Still, I was making consistent contact, but I still need to work on my aiming. Once again I would make what would've been a nice, straight shot but because my aiming was off, the ball would sail to the right or left of where I wanted it.
The only real mistake I made was on the 16th hole, (par 3, 129 yards). I teed off and landed in the rough just to the right of the green, but this rough is very steep and instead of taking a drop, I tried to hit out of it. If I had taken a drop, I would have been on in three; instead, I was on in five and ended up with a seven. I've talked before about taking chances but this was one of those times where I should have taken a drop, especially since the cup was on the side of the green near where my tee shot had landed.
Anyway, it was kind of nice to play and not have to think about scoring and points. I took last night's round as a practice of sorts.
So, what did I learn this week?
First, I wasn't sure we were going to get nine holes in because there were nasty-looking thunderstorms predicted for our area right around the time were supposed to be going out (which seems to be the norm this summer because every Wednesday has had rain or the threat or rain, no exaggeration).
But, after a torrential downpour around 3 p.m., the skies cleared and it actually was a nice afternoon.
When we got the to the course, we found that the team we were playing couldn't make it, so we "played the card" instead, meaning that we still went out and played nine holes because the scores were still needed for the sake of our handicaps.
We played the back nine and on the 11th hole we were met by another two-some and decided to join together for a four-some. So that made for a good time ... both of the other guys were about our skill level although one of the guys, Jerry, was a bit better. He seemed to make better shots when he needed them.
As for me, I shot 63 for the round and as usual, I made some great shots and some not-so-great shots. Still, I was making consistent contact, but I still need to work on my aiming. Once again I would make what would've been a nice, straight shot but because my aiming was off, the ball would sail to the right or left of where I wanted it.
The only real mistake I made was on the 16th hole, (par 3, 129 yards). I teed off and landed in the rough just to the right of the green, but this rough is very steep and instead of taking a drop, I tried to hit out of it. If I had taken a drop, I would have been on in three; instead, I was on in five and ended up with a seven. I've talked before about taking chances but this was one of those times where I should have taken a drop, especially since the cup was on the side of the green near where my tee shot had landed.
Anyway, it was kind of nice to play and not have to think about scoring and points. I took last night's round as a practice of sorts.
So, what did I learn this week?
- I need to remember that the last thing I need to think of before I start my swing (whether it's teeing off or on the fairway) is to keep my head down. I found last night that if I didn't do this, I topped the ball. Ye gods.
- I've got to find a way to get more confidence and I think a good way to do that is to more often picture the shot I'm about to take. I think doing this will lead me to subconsciously do the things I need to do in my swing to make a better shot. Something has to change because if I can't change the issues with aiming, I'm in trouble.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Under the umbrella and dreaming
Looking at yesterday's radar for our area on weather.com yesterday, you could just see the rain and thunderstorms creeping closer and closer. Personally, I thought it was going to be a miracle if we got nine in for the golf league.
But, nine holes and a lot of soaked players later, we did.
Shot a 60 last night and I really think I would've done better if it weren't for the weather. It just got very distracting after a while and frankly, it was tough to concentrate. I'm not saying I would've broken my personal best of 54 from last week, but still.
We started off OK, but briefly had some light rain on the second hole. OK, no problem. It pretty much held off on the third (which feature a couple of rumbles of thunder, but nothing serious). But the fourth featured a downpour that soaked us for a few minutes. Once that was over, it was drier until the sixth hole where the rain steadily got heavier and heavier. By the end of the seventh, my golf glove was toast.
Anyway, other than the weather it was a typical round for me ... made some really great shots and others were horrible. Still searching for even a modicum of consistency.
But, like last week, I didn't focus on my score (we split the round 18-18). I just concentrated on the hole we were playing.
And I also took some chances on some shots to see if I could make them (like hitting out of longer rough, for example) and for the most part I did well. I was trying to take as few drops as possible and I'm gaining confidence in my ability to make something out of nothing.
The most frustrating shot, though, was my tee shot on the third hole (525 yards, par 5). I shanked the shot and it dribbled 15 yards at the most from the tee box to the edge of the fairway. So, instead of trying to hit it there (it was just too close to the wooded area) I teed it up again and hit a gorgeous shot to the middle of the fairway for about 280 yards. As I said to the others in my foursome, "Now, why couldn't I have done that on my first shot?" Still, I didn't let the first bad shot rattle me and I actually double bogeyed the hole (only because I had to take a drop) so it wasn't that bad.
I then had two best shots on the round. The first was on the next hole, the fourth (295 yards, par 4). I destroyed the tee shot with my 3-wood and put it exactly where I wanted it. I was on in three and two-putted, so even though I bogeyed the hole, I was making solid contact and had my PW working.
The second "best-of-the-round" for me was the sixth hole (175 yards, par 3). Hitting my 5-iron, I dropped the rock right onto the fringe on the back of the green. I had trouble with my putter and took a five for the hole, but I still liked what I had done from the tee.
Speaking of which, here's what I learned:
But, nine holes and a lot of soaked players later, we did.
Shot a 60 last night and I really think I would've done better if it weren't for the weather. It just got very distracting after a while and frankly, it was tough to concentrate. I'm not saying I would've broken my personal best of 54 from last week, but still.
We started off OK, but briefly had some light rain on the second hole. OK, no problem. It pretty much held off on the third (which feature a couple of rumbles of thunder, but nothing serious). But the fourth featured a downpour that soaked us for a few minutes. Once that was over, it was drier until the sixth hole where the rain steadily got heavier and heavier. By the end of the seventh, my golf glove was toast.
Anyway, other than the weather it was a typical round for me ... made some really great shots and others were horrible. Still searching for even a modicum of consistency.
But, like last week, I didn't focus on my score (we split the round 18-18). I just concentrated on the hole we were playing.
And I also took some chances on some shots to see if I could make them (like hitting out of longer rough, for example) and for the most part I did well. I was trying to take as few drops as possible and I'm gaining confidence in my ability to make something out of nothing.
The most frustrating shot, though, was my tee shot on the third hole (525 yards, par 5). I shanked the shot and it dribbled 15 yards at the most from the tee box to the edge of the fairway. So, instead of trying to hit it there (it was just too close to the wooded area) I teed it up again and hit a gorgeous shot to the middle of the fairway for about 280 yards. As I said to the others in my foursome, "Now, why couldn't I have done that on my first shot?" Still, I didn't let the first bad shot rattle me and I actually double bogeyed the hole (only because I had to take a drop) so it wasn't that bad.
I then had two best shots on the round. The first was on the next hole, the fourth (295 yards, par 4). I destroyed the tee shot with my 3-wood and put it exactly where I wanted it. I was on in three and two-putted, so even though I bogeyed the hole, I was making solid contact and had my PW working.
The second "best-of-the-round" for me was the sixth hole (175 yards, par 3). Hitting my 5-iron, I dropped the rock right onto the fringe on the back of the green. I had trouble with my putter and took a five for the hole, but I still liked what I had done from the tee.
Speaking of which, here's what I learned:
- I really need to work on my putting. I'm taking too many three and four putts on the green, which is driving up my score. Not good.
- Speaking of my score, I've found it very helpful to not think about my score while playing. I literally take it one hole at a time and don't look at the scorecard during the round (Kell keeps track).
- I've gotten so much better at shaking off bad holes or shots. I'm working hard on adopting an "it's only a game" attitude while still trying to improve myself. We'll see how long this lasts.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
An excellent birthday present
Turns out I can play this game after all.
Under humid and partly sunny conditions, we trudged around the back nine in the golf league yesterday afternoon and lookie lookie here ... I shot a 54! The best round I've ever had over nine holes.
Of course, it didn't start out that way as I lost my ball on my first tee shot. Over the course of play, I ended up taking three drops, so if I hadn't had to do that, I would've shot a 51 ... bummer. Still, I really felt good yesterday and was in a bit of a groove. Dunno if it was because it was my birthday (40th) but whatever it was, I had it working.
Even better, Kell and I won the round and it was close throughout, so that made for a great game. Kell also won the closest-to-the-pin hole and the skin for the hole, so that was fun, too.
Here's my score card:
Of course, what might have helped was a new weapon I bought earlier in the day ... a TaylorMade 3-Wood ... sweet! I picked up this club because I really hated my old 3-Wood. I just couldn't get any touch on the old club and couldn't hit it consistently. I tried out the TaylorMade at Dick's Sporting Goods and once I bought it, took it right across the street to the driving range. Ho-lee crap ... it's just incredible how different the club feels at impact. It's so solid and the ball really takes off. As with my driver, I was blown away by how much this club does for correcting a less-than-perfect strike ... just beautiful.
Anyway, I ended up using this thing on the tee on the first three holes last night (although the first hole was a mistake, should've used my 4-iron). It just felt so good in my hands and swings so sweetly, it felt like a perfect fit. Can't wait to test it out even more.
Last night I also had two really great drives. On Hole 15 (315 yards, par 4) I absolutely crushed the ball and landed on the fringe, just enough to keep me out of trouble. Saved the best for last, though, on Hole 18 (340 yards, par 4). Just tied right into the ball and landed almost in the middle of the fairway. If I hadn't fraidy-catted my chip shot, I could've been on in two, but it took three instead. Even though a double-bogeyed the hole, I still felt like I had done well.
So a good night all around on the course. Yes, made a few mistakes and ended up losing a sleeve of balls but still, it was nice shooting a low score (well, low for me).
Over nine holes, I learned the following:
Under humid and partly sunny conditions, we trudged around the back nine in the golf league yesterday afternoon and lookie lookie here ... I shot a 54! The best round I've ever had over nine holes.
Of course, it didn't start out that way as I lost my ball on my first tee shot. Over the course of play, I ended up taking three drops, so if I hadn't had to do that, I would've shot a 51 ... bummer. Still, I really felt good yesterday and was in a bit of a groove. Dunno if it was because it was my birthday (40th) but whatever it was, I had it working.
Even better, Kell and I won the round and it was close throughout, so that made for a great game. Kell also won the closest-to-the-pin hole and the skin for the hole, so that was fun, too.
Here's my score card:
- Hole/par/score
- #10 / 5 / 6
- #11 / 4 / 6
- #12 / 4 / 7
- #13 / 5 / 5 - par! Woo-hoo!
- #14 / 3 / 4
- #15 / 4 / 8
- #16 / 3 / 5
- #17 / 4 / 7
- #18 / 4 / 6
Of course, what might have helped was a new weapon I bought earlier in the day ... a TaylorMade 3-Wood ... sweet! I picked up this club because I really hated my old 3-Wood. I just couldn't get any touch on the old club and couldn't hit it consistently. I tried out the TaylorMade at Dick's Sporting Goods and once I bought it, took it right across the street to the driving range. Ho-lee crap ... it's just incredible how different the club feels at impact. It's so solid and the ball really takes off. As with my driver, I was blown away by how much this club does for correcting a less-than-perfect strike ... just beautiful.
Anyway, I ended up using this thing on the tee on the first three holes last night (although the first hole was a mistake, should've used my 4-iron). It just felt so good in my hands and swings so sweetly, it felt like a perfect fit. Can't wait to test it out even more.
Last night I also had two really great drives. On Hole 15 (315 yards, par 4) I absolutely crushed the ball and landed on the fringe, just enough to keep me out of trouble. Saved the best for last, though, on Hole 18 (340 yards, par 4). Just tied right into the ball and landed almost in the middle of the fairway. If I hadn't fraidy-catted my chip shot, I could've been on in two, but it took three instead. Even though a double-bogeyed the hole, I still felt like I had done well.
So a good night all around on the course. Yes, made a few mistakes and ended up losing a sleeve of balls but still, it was nice shooting a low score (well, low for me).
Over nine holes, I learned the following:
- Spending time on the practice green before the round is a good idea. I spent the better part of 20 to 30 minutes practicing different putts and chipping and it really did make a difference later. Still, I have a lot of work to do because I'm still taking way too many putts to finish a hole.
- I don't have to use my driver on every tee shot, especially dog legs. Others in our foursome would use their drivers on some holes, but I went with my instincts and either used my 3-wood or 4-iron (or, in one case, my 8-iron) and still got the results I wanted.
- Trust my instincts. On one shot, Kell advised me to take a club saying it was the one she would play in the fairway. But, I knew if I had done that I would have fallen way short of the green, so I took a club up and - PLOP - dropped the rock onto the green. I'm getting to know better every week how I hit clubs, so that's helping a lot.
- I can get out of tough lies. We're on Hole 17 (300 yards, par 4) and my tee shot found some tree love and ended up in the middle of the fairway (thank you, golf gods!). I hit my second shot with my pitching wedge because I was less than 100 yards from the green and ended up over-shooting the green (figures, when I want to hit the PW like that, I can't!) and found my ball buried in some really deep weeds. Oy vey. I kept looking at the lie and was considering taking a drop, especially after taking a few practice swings and it looked like I had a scythe in my hand with all the weeds and grass flying in the air. But, I decided to hit out, instead. The ball ended up skidding onto the green rather than flopping with a nice arc (as it "should" have), but, I was on the green and didn't have to take a drop. I'll take that any day!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
It's beginning to look a lot like ... winter?!?
Apparently, yesterday was the first day of winter and no one told me because there were more snowmen on my golf scorecard than there are at the North Pole.
Another round in the golf league last night and some typical results ... shot 65 and we lost.
I did well in not focusing on my score (I really had no idea what the actual number was while we were playing) but, I knew it wasn't good because I couldn't stop shooting double pars for many of the holes.
It started off badly when I shanked my first tee shot and had to take a drop about 30 yards from the tee. But, what seems to be my modus operandi in such instances, I made a really sweet rescue shot (this time with my 4-iron) and set myself up for a nice pitch onto the green ... which I then proceeded to 3-putt on and wound up with a seven.
Sigh.
Still, I was making much more consistent contact for most of the afternoon (something that's eluded me recently) but once again I would lift my head at the absolute worst possible time and just kill any momentum I had going.
Truly, my worst hole was the 7th (405 yards, par 4). It's a dog-leg right which features a wide water hazard just after the bend. Two weeks ago I dominated this hole ... hit the perfect tee shot for about 220 yards with my 3-iron, then shot right over the water (still with the 3-iron) to about a foot outside the edge of the elevated green.
Last night? Not so much.
It's about 250 yards from the tee to the bend, and I flopped my tee shot about 30 yards at the most, so with my 4-iron in my hand, I went searching for the ball because the greens were very tall. I actually almost lost my ball and found it at the last minute. After three attempts to lift it out (tried my pitching wedge, too), I picked up and dropped. I was at nine strokes before I even got on the green. So I took a 10 for the hole and used it as putting practice. Hoo boy.
Now for the good (or, least the better) news ... my tee shots with my driver (when I was making good contact) were straightened out. I've said before how I've developed a wicked slice lately in my drives and was at a total loss trying to fix it. I asked a co-worker who has been playing for years and he suggested turning my right hand in my grip a 1/4 of an inch to the left so my hand was more on top of the shaft. I saw immediate results. I didn't realize my grip had changed that much. Thanks, Craig!
Another testament to my shots being straighter (although not always well-aimed) was that I spent very little time in the woods. Good feeling. Still, I lost three balls for the night because when I did hit into the woods, there was no way I was going to find them.
There were a lot of frustrating things about last night, but I did end on a high note because I parred the last hole (#9, 320 yards, par 4). Had a tremendous tee shot that landed just outside the green. Nice flop shot onto the green and I 2-putted ... I'll take it!
Also, my pitch shots are getting better. I'm not over-hitting them as often and I'm getting better at controlling the shot, so that's helped on those lies that are within 100 yards of the green.
So, what did I learn this week?
Another round in the golf league last night and some typical results ... shot 65 and we lost.
I did well in not focusing on my score (I really had no idea what the actual number was while we were playing) but, I knew it wasn't good because I couldn't stop shooting double pars for many of the holes.
It started off badly when I shanked my first tee shot and had to take a drop about 30 yards from the tee. But, what seems to be my modus operandi in such instances, I made a really sweet rescue shot (this time with my 4-iron) and set myself up for a nice pitch onto the green ... which I then proceeded to 3-putt on and wound up with a seven.
Sigh.
Still, I was making much more consistent contact for most of the afternoon (something that's eluded me recently) but once again I would lift my head at the absolute worst possible time and just kill any momentum I had going.
Truly, my worst hole was the 7th (405 yards, par 4). It's a dog-leg right which features a wide water hazard just after the bend. Two weeks ago I dominated this hole ... hit the perfect tee shot for about 220 yards with my 3-iron, then shot right over the water (still with the 3-iron) to about a foot outside the edge of the elevated green.Last night? Not so much.
It's about 250 yards from the tee to the bend, and I flopped my tee shot about 30 yards at the most, so with my 4-iron in my hand, I went searching for the ball because the greens were very tall. I actually almost lost my ball and found it at the last minute. After three attempts to lift it out (tried my pitching wedge, too), I picked up and dropped. I was at nine strokes before I even got on the green. So I took a 10 for the hole and used it as putting practice. Hoo boy.
Now for the good (or, least the better) news ... my tee shots with my driver (when I was making good contact) were straightened out. I've said before how I've developed a wicked slice lately in my drives and was at a total loss trying to fix it. I asked a co-worker who has been playing for years and he suggested turning my right hand in my grip a 1/4 of an inch to the left so my hand was more on top of the shaft. I saw immediate results. I didn't realize my grip had changed that much. Thanks, Craig!
Another testament to my shots being straighter (although not always well-aimed) was that I spent very little time in the woods. Good feeling. Still, I lost three balls for the night because when I did hit into the woods, there was no way I was going to find them.
There were a lot of frustrating things about last night, but I did end on a high note because I parred the last hole (#9, 320 yards, par 4). Had a tremendous tee shot that landed just outside the green. Nice flop shot onto the green and I 2-putted ... I'll take it!
Also, my pitch shots are getting better. I'm not over-hitting them as often and I'm getting better at controlling the shot, so that's helped on those lies that are within 100 yards of the green.
So, what did I learn this week?
- I really need to work on putting. There are times when I can get onto the green in two or three but then I'm all over the place with my putter (#8 hole, a par 3, was a perfect example last night because I could have parred the hole but ended up with a six instead). I was reading the greens fairly well, but just couldn't make the shot to sink the rock. Putting is key and I don't work on that enough at the range.
- I have got to stop over-thinking shots. No doubt this is killing me, especially when I tee off. Look, I know perfectly well I can hit the damn ball, I do very well at the driving range. The issue is that I start thinking too much on the course and it destroys what little talent or touch I have. I'm considering not taking practice swings before I shoot ... we'll see.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
2, 4 and 9
A little different take on the golf league last night. Instead of playing teams, we did a tournament-type thing, every player for themselves.
The rules were:
So, with a sleeve of balls plus one and two clubs, we headed out. I ended up playing with my regular golf partner; the other pair in our foursome weren't regular partners (one was A-Flight, the other B).
We shot the back nine and started off on the 17th (255 yards, par 4). After we all teed off (I never used a tee, just put the ball on the ground because that's how I usually hit with an iron anyway), we all thought using an 8-iron was a great idea because we were making great shots.
But, again, on longer holes, you really had to think about how you were going to swing as you approached the green. Pitches and chips were the order of the day.
So I shot a typical 60 for the round (my lowest score in a while) and I didn't lose a ball, which was a great feeling. I don't think I've ever played nine holes and not lost a ball and I attribute my luck last night to the fact that I wasn't hooking or slicing shots with a 3-wood or driver. As I've noticed before, I rarely hook or slice my irons. If the ball doesn't go where I intend with my irons, it's because I aimed poorly or shanked the shot.
There were two particular highlights for me last night:
So, what did I learn?
The rules were:
- Nine holes with a shotgun start.
- Each player was allowed only two clubs: 8-iron and putter.
- You could only bring four golf balls. Once you lost them, you were done even if you didn't shoot nine holes.
- Individual scoring, no teams.
- All players hit from the ladies' tees.
So, with a sleeve of balls plus one and two clubs, we headed out. I ended up playing with my regular golf partner; the other pair in our foursome weren't regular partners (one was A-Flight, the other B).
We shot the back nine and started off on the 17th (255 yards, par 4). After we all teed off (I never used a tee, just put the ball on the ground because that's how I usually hit with an iron anyway), we all thought using an 8-iron was a great idea because we were making great shots.
But, again, on longer holes, you really had to think about how you were going to swing as you approached the green. Pitches and chips were the order of the day.
So I shot a typical 60 for the round (my lowest score in a while) and I didn't lose a ball, which was a great feeling. I don't think I've ever played nine holes and not lost a ball and I attribute my luck last night to the fact that I wasn't hooking or slicing shots with a 3-wood or driver. As I've noticed before, I rarely hook or slice my irons. If the ball doesn't go where I intend with my irons, it's because I aimed poorly or shanked the shot.
There were two particular highlights for me last night:
- The 13the hole (350 yards, par 5) it dog legs a bit to the left, so you have to clear a small hill on the left or hit to the right of the hill and stay on the fairway. I ended up half way down the hill. No worries, I've hit from there before. So I set up for my second shot, trying to cut around the hill a bit and THWACK, I hit a tree about 10 yards in front me square on and my ball ricocheted back at me and almost landed right at my feet. Too funny.
- On the 16th hole (125 yards, par 3), I didn't hit down on my swing enough and the ball ended up scooting right along the fairway (the tee box and green are both elevated, so it's like a bowl in the middle) and the ball popped up right onto the green (I ended up winning closest-to-the-pin for the night on the hole). The guy standing next to me (he plays A-Flight) just stared and said, "That was the longest goddamn putt I've ever seen!" I do what I can to keep people entertained.
So, what did I learn?
- I can play this game. I have the skills to do it, I just need to give it time and I will get better.
- If I slow down, I'm a better player. Slow down in my back swing, realize when I need to slow down in my follow through ... I can make the shots I need to make when I need to make them. I just need to take the time to recognize things like that.
- I shouldn't stand over the ball at address for too long. The longer I do, the more chance I have for making a mistake and the worse my shot will be. Like a player from another team told me weeks ago, "Get up to the ball and pull the trigger."
Monday, July 6, 2009
Shooting 18
Shot 18 holes with two of my brother-in-laws, Paul and Neil, and my nephew, Nick, at Westminster last Friday. Finally had an absolutely gorgeous day after so much rain ... high 60s to low 70s, sunny and dry.
Needless to say, playing in this foursome was an adventure. As the day wore on, we tended to not keep score as stringently ... well, at least Paul and Nick didn't. Paul has been playing for a long time and Nick is just starting. Neil and I are scratch golfers, but Neil is definitely better than me.
I shot a 129 for the day, taking an automatic double par for a hole once I got to that score even if I hadn't finished the hole, so my score is a bit skewered at best. I readily admit to not being a good golfer, but I will say that I think the condition of the fairways definitely influence my score. We've had so much rain that it was like playing on a sponge ... a muddy one at that. I've never been covered in so much mud after golf ... it was so bad I threw away my socks when I got home. We had had a torrential day of rain the day before, so conditions weren't at their best when we teed off.
Still, we had a blast and once again I tried to learn as much as possible. Speaking of which ... what did I learn this time out?
So, I think slowing down my swing and trying not to over think everything will help me in the end. Something has to because I know I can play this game ... I just need to find a way to bring that confidence to the fairways when it counts.
Needless to say, playing in this foursome was an adventure. As the day wore on, we tended to not keep score as stringently ... well, at least Paul and Nick didn't. Paul has been playing for a long time and Nick is just starting. Neil and I are scratch golfers, but Neil is definitely better than me.
I shot a 129 for the day, taking an automatic double par for a hole once I got to that score even if I hadn't finished the hole, so my score is a bit skewered at best. I readily admit to not being a good golfer, but I will say that I think the condition of the fairways definitely influence my score. We've had so much rain that it was like playing on a sponge ... a muddy one at that. I've never been covered in so much mud after golf ... it was so bad I threw away my socks when I got home. We had had a torrential day of rain the day before, so conditions weren't at their best when we teed off.
Still, we had a blast and once again I tried to learn as much as possible. Speaking of which ... what did I learn this time out?
- I really need to slow down. I think at this point I'm trying too hard. As Paul pointed out when I saw him the next day, he could tell I over analyze every shot and the more I do that, the worse I get. Don't think, Meat ... it can only hurt the team.
- I need to find a way to translate to the course what I do on the practice range. I spent the better part of an hour at the range yesterday and was hitting iron shots like I could do it in my sleep ... great loft, nice and straight. When I get on the course, many times I top the ball and/or the shot goes anywhere but where I'm aiming. Very frustrating. And once again, I seem to have lost the ability to at least make solid contact on the course. Need to find that groove.
So, I think slowing down my swing and trying not to over think everything will help me in the end. Something has to because I know I can play this game ... I just need to find a way to bring that confidence to the fairways when it counts.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Swingin' in the rain, Part II
The saga continues ...
Another rainy, cold day in June in New England and we're out shooting nine in the golf league.
And, as usual, it was a disaster for me ... shot a 66. Damn.
Once again, I just couldn't get anything going. I just can't seem to stop lifting my head, which is killing my shots.
And the most frustrating thing is that I know exactly what I'm doing wrong and yet I keep doing it!
It got so bad that I actually threw a club ... well, I tossed it in the air. On the 15th hole, I had already taken five strokes and had only gone about 150 yards ... so I picked up the ball and took a snowman for the hole, which was double the par for the hole.
Just so, so, so, so frustrating.
What did I learn?
Another rainy, cold day in June in New England and we're out shooting nine in the golf league.
And, as usual, it was a disaster for me ... shot a 66. Damn.
Once again, I just couldn't get anything going. I just can't seem to stop lifting my head, which is killing my shots.
And the most frustrating thing is that I know exactly what I'm doing wrong and yet I keep doing it!
It got so bad that I actually threw a club ... well, I tossed it in the air. On the 15th hole, I had already taken five strokes and had only gone about 150 yards ... so I picked up the ball and took a snowman for the hole, which was double the par for the hole.
Just so, so, so, so frustrating.
What did I learn?
- I have got to stop lifting my head. I think what has happened is that I was concentrating so much on other things that I got into the very bad habit of lifting my head. Now that I realized this, though, I can start working on correcting it.
- I need to slow down in my swing, especially in my tee shots. My backswing is good, but I think I'm coming down too fast in my downswing. If I slow down more consistently, I think that will help.
- Gotta work on my aiming. Too many times I'm really surprised at where the ball goes. Everything feels good as I line up, but then the ball goes in the totally wrong direction. My irons don't seem to be slicing or hooking, my aim seems to be off because the ball is going straight ... just not where I want it to go.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Swingin' in the rain
Co-worker of mine and I made our way through the 35-par, nine holes that is the Groton Country Club in Groton, MA.
Overall, it's a nice course with short and long holes, but battling the elements was definitely less funner. For those who may be unfamiliar with the weather here in New England, June thus far has felt more like March or April ... cold and damp. We've had cloudy and/or rainy weather almost continuously for weeks. Truly the last nice weekend was Memorial Day weekend in May.
The first couple of holes were OK, weather-wise ... just overcast, low 60s and humid. But, showers kept moving through and it got dicey for a while.
Needless to say, this didn't really affect my game because I ended up with a 60 for the round ... well, I ended up picking up the ball on a couple of holes because I was double par and had reached my patience limit.
Speaking of which, I finally lost it on a golf course. You'd think being the mediocre golfer that I am that I would have fairly low expectations for myself.
You'd be wrong.
Turns out, I was wrong, too.
I just could not make solid contact consistently and as I've said in this space many times, if nothing else per round, I want to make consistent contact. Just wasn't happening last week (or lately, for that matter). And as much as I'd like to blame the weather, my buddy, Craig, shot a 45 (although he's been playing a lot longer than I have and is a much better golfer).
Still, shooting in the rain was kind of fun ... at least it wasn't thunder and lighting. The course is nice, but wow are there some serious hills. On the second hole, you can't even see the pin on the green because you have to shoot up and over a hill. And then once you get over the hill, you have to shoot straight up another hill to get to the green.
But like I said, I had had enough by the time I teed up on the 9th hole (303 yards, par 4). I "teed off" (and I use that term loosely) and only hit the ball about 20 yards. I took the penalty stroke and teed off again ... same result. At first I picked up the ball and announced I was done, but Craig encouraged me to drop the ball somewhere on the fairway and play through for practice ... so I did and it was still a disaster because I used too much club and cleared the green and then putted all over the place.
In the short time I've been playing this game I've never been so frustrated. I actually think about my game all the time and I think I've figured out that my address is messed up in that I'm standing too far away from the ball. Going to work on that at the range and see if that's what the problem is. If it's not, then I've got to figure this out soon because I'm really getting aggravated and that's not what I want when I head out onto the fairways.
I'm trying to have fun, but damn it's getting so tiring doing so poorly so consistently. If the weather would break, I could go to the range and get some work done ... here's hoping we see the sun soon.
So, what did I learn in Groton?
Overall, it's a nice course with short and long holes, but battling the elements was definitely less funner. For those who may be unfamiliar with the weather here in New England, June thus far has felt more like March or April ... cold and damp. We've had cloudy and/or rainy weather almost continuously for weeks. Truly the last nice weekend was Memorial Day weekend in May.
The first couple of holes were OK, weather-wise ... just overcast, low 60s and humid. But, showers kept moving through and it got dicey for a while.
Needless to say, this didn't really affect my game because I ended up with a 60 for the round ... well, I ended up picking up the ball on a couple of holes because I was double par and had reached my patience limit.
Speaking of which, I finally lost it on a golf course. You'd think being the mediocre golfer that I am that I would have fairly low expectations for myself.
You'd be wrong.
Turns out, I was wrong, too.
I just could not make solid contact consistently and as I've said in this space many times, if nothing else per round, I want to make consistent contact. Just wasn't happening last week (or lately, for that matter). And as much as I'd like to blame the weather, my buddy, Craig, shot a 45 (although he's been playing a lot longer than I have and is a much better golfer).
Still, shooting in the rain was kind of fun ... at least it wasn't thunder and lighting. The course is nice, but wow are there some serious hills. On the second hole, you can't even see the pin on the green because you have to shoot up and over a hill. And then once you get over the hill, you have to shoot straight up another hill to get to the green.
But like I said, I had had enough by the time I teed up on the 9th hole (303 yards, par 4). I "teed off" (and I use that term loosely) and only hit the ball about 20 yards. I took the penalty stroke and teed off again ... same result. At first I picked up the ball and announced I was done, but Craig encouraged me to drop the ball somewhere on the fairway and play through for practice ... so I did and it was still a disaster because I used too much club and cleared the green and then putted all over the place.
In the short time I've been playing this game I've never been so frustrated. I actually think about my game all the time and I think I've figured out that my address is messed up in that I'm standing too far away from the ball. Going to work on that at the range and see if that's what the problem is. If it's not, then I've got to figure this out soon because I'm really getting aggravated and that's not what I want when I head out onto the fairways.
I'm trying to have fun, but damn it's getting so tiring doing so poorly so consistently. If the weather would break, I could go to the range and get some work done ... here's hoping we see the sun soon.
So, what did I learn in Groton?
- I need to pay closer attention to my mechanics if I'm going to try and figure out what's wrong. You can't diagnose and fix a problem if you're not paying attention.
- Without a doubt, I've got to be more consistent in slowing down as I enter my backswing. Between too much speed and potential issues in my address, my contact is all off.
- Once again I've got to work on lowering my expectations. I haven't been playing that long and this game takes quite a while to get at all good.
- Despite my recent troubles, I can play this game. My first tee shot last week was spot on and beautiful ... just perfect. And I did make a few great shots. Like Craig said, that alone should tell me that I've got the basics to play this game ... it's a matter of playing and getting more experience and, like anything else, practice practice practice.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Four shy of complete disaster
Ye gods.
Despite the weather being picture perfect for golf last night (sunny, dry, low 70s, slight breeze), I shot the worst round of my life in a long time ... wait for it ... 68.
Yes, that's 68 over nine holes.
Again, for those blessedly devoid of golf knowledge, let me put this in perspective ... a typical 18-hole course has a par of 72, so that means the par for the front and back nine holes is 36 each. So, I shot 68 last night, which means that I only needed four more strokes and would have doubled the par for the nine holes! For those keep track at home, that's really not good.
I can't begin to figure out what was my problem. For some reason, I kept lifting my head on my downswing, which made me top the ball, which caused very poor shots, which means it took far too many shots just to get to the green because I couldn't get any loft or distance. For as much as I was confident that I had improved on my goal of making solid contact, I sure as hell did not do that last night. Amazing ... just amazing.
I don't know if the issue was that I was playing without my partner (who has a miserable head cold) and therefore was playing both of the guys on the other team or if I simply wasn't concentrating but didn't realize it.
I'm still just as frustrated now, 14 hours after playing, as I was last night walking off of the 9th hole. Speaking of which ...
If I had had any chance of redeeming myself last night, it was gone on the 9th (and last) hole. I hit a gorgeous tee shot to land right in the middle if the fairway and set myself up for a chip shot onto the green. The cup was at the front of the green which is protected by a bunker ... you can see where this is going. One chip shot later and I'm standing in the kitty litter.
OK, no big deal, I know how to hit out of a bunker, so if I take my time and ... three shots later and I'm finally on the green. Instead of a possible bogey for the hole (or even a par), I wound up with a seven. Ho-lee crap.
Here's my score card:
So, what did I learn this week?
Despite the weather being picture perfect for golf last night (sunny, dry, low 70s, slight breeze), I shot the worst round of my life in a long time ... wait for it ... 68.
Yes, that's 68 over nine holes.
Again, for those blessedly devoid of golf knowledge, let me put this in perspective ... a typical 18-hole course has a par of 72, so that means the par for the front and back nine holes is 36 each. So, I shot 68 last night, which means that I only needed four more strokes and would have doubled the par for the nine holes! For those keep track at home, that's really not good.
I can't begin to figure out what was my problem. For some reason, I kept lifting my head on my downswing, which made me top the ball, which caused very poor shots, which means it took far too many shots just to get to the green because I couldn't get any loft or distance. For as much as I was confident that I had improved on my goal of making solid contact, I sure as hell did not do that last night. Amazing ... just amazing.
I don't know if the issue was that I was playing without my partner (who has a miserable head cold) and therefore was playing both of the guys on the other team or if I simply wasn't concentrating but didn't realize it.
I'm still just as frustrated now, 14 hours after playing, as I was last night walking off of the 9th hole. Speaking of which ...
If I had had any chance of redeeming myself last night, it was gone on the 9th (and last) hole. I hit a gorgeous tee shot to land right in the middle if the fairway and set myself up for a chip shot onto the green. The cup was at the front of the green which is protected by a bunker ... you can see where this is going. One chip shot later and I'm standing in the kitty litter.
OK, no big deal, I know how to hit out of a bunker, so if I take my time and ... three shots later and I'm finally on the green. Instead of a possible bogey for the hole (or even a par), I wound up with a seven. Ho-lee crap.
Here's my score card:
- Hole/par/score
- #1 / 5 / 7
- #2 / 4 / 7
- #3 / 5 / 10
- #4 / 4 / 9
- #5 / 4 / 7
- #6 / 3 / 5
- #7 / 4 / 9
- #8 / 3 / 6
- #9 / 4 / 8
- On Hole 2 (275 yards par 4), I hit a perfect tee shot with my 3-wood ... straight, dead on. Then I shanked the PW shot to get to the green and four putted to drop the rock. Crap.
- On Hole 5 (345 yards, par 4), I topped the tee shot and it flopped about 50 yards (at most) in front of the tee box. Hoo boy. But, with my 3-wood I hit a beautiful, dead-on shot to drop the ball less than a yard off of the green. It was all downhill from there (shot a 9 for the hole!) but at least I hit my 3-wood well, something I have trouble doing.
- On Hole 3, I had to hit out of some very tall grass on the edge of the fairway using my PW. Was able to flop the ball right onto the middle of the fairway. So at least I had that going for me, which was nice.
- On the par 3 holes, especially Hole 6 (172 yards) I teed off well and was hitting my irons fairly straight and with great loft, for the most part.
So, what did I learn this week?
- That I really need to figure out how to recover from a bad hole. I didn't realize last night how much I carry poor playing from one hole to the next instead of letting things go and essentially "starting over" on the next hole.
- A good tip from one of the guys I was playing against for teeing off. When placing the ball on the tee, put the words on the ball so that you can read them as you stand at address. That way, it forces you to look down at the ball and, hopefully, keep looking down so that you don't pick up your head.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Grab the suntan lotion, kids, we're on the beach!
Shot 62 in the golf league last night and my partner and I lost the round, so we're 2-3-1 for the season. I just couldn't get anything working and only got four points for the night.
I'm trying not to focus on my score, but it still stinks when I shoot over 60 like that and look at the sheet from the league and see that my handicap is listed as 28 ... ye gods.
Having said that, though, I seem to have worked out the slicing issue in my drives (at least for last night I did). As I've mentioned before, for some reason this slice that has crept into my drive over the past few weeks. Well, after practicing and analyzing my swing, I realized the issue is that I'm cupping my hands at the top of my backswing which breaks my wrists and opens up the club face by the time I hit the ball.
So, I made a small adjustment in my backswing and that seems to have taken care of it because every drive was straight last night. Granted, some didn't go exactly where I wanted them because I mis-aimed and I topped a couple, but still, I met my goal of being able to diagnose the problem and find a solution and that's huge for me.
What's weird, though, (at least I think it is) is that the slice doesn't show up in my irons. I hit those straight on every time.
Moving on ...
Without a doubt, the biggest problem I ran into last night is when I hit into a bunker on the 13th hole, a 435-yarder with a slight dog-leg to the left. My third shot (I topped the tee shot, so I was screwed right from the beginning) landed in really tall stuff and I had to hack my way out with my PW. Sure enough, I couldn't clear the bunker and landed in the sand. It took me three shots to get out of the bunker and then I three-putted on the green. Not good ... really not good.
Despite hitting 62 for the back nine, there were a few good things that did happen last night:
I'm trying not to focus on my score, but it still stinks when I shoot over 60 like that and look at the sheet from the league and see that my handicap is listed as 28 ... ye gods.
Having said that, though, I seem to have worked out the slicing issue in my drives (at least for last night I did). As I've mentioned before, for some reason this slice that has crept into my drive over the past few weeks. Well, after practicing and analyzing my swing, I realized the issue is that I'm cupping my hands at the top of my backswing which breaks my wrists and opens up the club face by the time I hit the ball.
So, I made a small adjustment in my backswing and that seems to have taken care of it because every drive was straight last night. Granted, some didn't go exactly where I wanted them because I mis-aimed and I topped a couple, but still, I met my goal of being able to diagnose the problem and find a solution and that's huge for me.
What's weird, though, (at least I think it is) is that the slice doesn't show up in my irons. I hit those straight on every time.
Moving on ...
Without a doubt, the biggest problem I ran into last night is when I hit into a bunker on the 13th hole, a 435-yarder with a slight dog-leg to the left. My third shot (I topped the tee shot, so I was screwed right from the beginning) landed in really tall stuff and I had to hack my way out with my PW. Sure enough, I couldn't clear the bunker and landed in the sand. It took me three shots to get out of the bunker and then I three-putted on the green. Not good ... really not good.
Despite hitting 62 for the back nine, there were a few good things that did happen last night:
- For the second week in a row, I won the "closest to the pin" hole (last week it was eight feet, this week it was 11 feet, 11 inches). I also won the skin on the closest hole last week, so I won $25 (not sure how much I won this week). Every week the league has such a hole on a par 3 and it's the par 3 holes that I seem to excel at (my golf partner started calling me "Captain Par 3" last night).
- Although I didn't birdie it, I did par the money hole last night, so at least I had that going for me ... which is nice.
- Once again I was making solid contact, so now that I seem to have that down, I need to work on another part of my game. I've got a consistent address and solid contact, so I want to work on my aiming, which would help me immensely.
- I only lost one ball last night, which was a huge improvement over last week when I lost four.
- I didn't have any 10-stroke holes. It seems like every week I have at last one hole (usually a par 5) that I hit 10, but not last night. Um, I did have a few nines, but at least they weren't tens! < rolls eyes >
- I really need to work on my bunker shots. I'm not sure how I'm going to practice this because the only driving range in my area that I know of that has a practice bunker isn't very good ... it's literally like standing on beach sand because your feet sift through the sand and frankly, no sand trap is really like that. So I'm not sure how I'm going to practice this, but I definitely need to. I can't be taking three shots to get out of a trap. Of course, if I was a better golfer, I wouldn't end up in the kitty litter in the first place.
- I should lower my expectations. I have to remember that this is only the second season I've been playing and I can't expect that I'm going to shoot around 50 over nine holes. I'd like to be able to do that, but I still have a lot to learn.
- It's a cliche, but high risk, high reward ... I should every so often try to take more chances, especially with shots using my PW. Last night I was in some pretty tall stuff right on the edge of the fairway and normally I would've just taken a drop, but instead I decided to try hitting out of the grass and lo and behold, it worked! Flopped the ball right back onto the fairway and set myself up nicely for the next shot. Now, I may not want to do that every time, but making those kinds of shots will only add to my confidence.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Look at the pretty birdie!
Had the golf league last night and shot a 59 on the front nine. For the points race, we split with the other team 18/18, so we're 2-2-1 for the season thus far.
I started off poorly on the par 5 first hole with a 10, but I regrouped and hit OK to fairly well at times after that. As usual, though, drops were killing me and I lost four balls last night ... not good.
But, the real highlight last night was that I birdied my first hole. Very, very cool feeling. It was on the 6th hole, par 3, 147 yards. Used my 7 iron to tee off and dropped the rock right on the green, eight feet from the hole. I know it was eight feet because we actually measured it as the 6th was the money hole for the night (whichever player gets closest to the hole for the night wins some money ... I think it's $10).
Anyway, it was such a great feeling. I knew I was set up for a birdie when I was lining up for the putt and I was trying to ignore that and just sink the shot. Frankly, I would've been happy with a par for the hole, but the birdie was mighty sweet.
As any golfer will say, it's a hole like that that keeps you coming back to play.
Of course, this hole was followed by the 7th, which is a dog-leg right with a huge water hazard at the bend. It's a par 5 and I picked up my ball on the green after hitting 10 and still not dropping in the cup. And just like that, you're humbled once again.
But like the past few weeks, I was absolutely crushing my drives ... I mean, not for nothing but, damn I can really tie into these things. I have no idea where this stroke came from, but that ball will sail if I hit it right, to which ... we were on the third hole, par 5, and it's a long, straight fairway with a hill in the middle that just cuts off your view of the green. Anyway, I teed off and the rock took off nice and straight for about 330 yards. Had a little trouble on the green so I parred the hole.
Also, as I've said before, I'm consistently making solid contact with my driver and irons, which is a good thing. Now that I'm getting that part of my game down, I need to work on consistent accuracy.
The only really disappointing thing from last night is that I went to the 9th hole with a 52 and could've shaved three strokes off my average if I had parred the hole. Alas, once again taking a drop killed me and I ended up with a triple bogey.
So what did I learn this week? Actually, three things:
I started off poorly on the par 5 first hole with a 10, but I regrouped and hit OK to fairly well at times after that. As usual, though, drops were killing me and I lost four balls last night ... not good.
But, the real highlight last night was that I birdied my first hole. Very, very cool feeling. It was on the 6th hole, par 3, 147 yards. Used my 7 iron to tee off and dropped the rock right on the green, eight feet from the hole. I know it was eight feet because we actually measured it as the 6th was the money hole for the night (whichever player gets closest to the hole for the night wins some money ... I think it's $10).
Anyway, it was such a great feeling. I knew I was set up for a birdie when I was lining up for the putt and I was trying to ignore that and just sink the shot. Frankly, I would've been happy with a par for the hole, but the birdie was mighty sweet.
As any golfer will say, it's a hole like that that keeps you coming back to play.
Of course, this hole was followed by the 7th, which is a dog-leg right with a huge water hazard at the bend. It's a par 5 and I picked up my ball on the green after hitting 10 and still not dropping in the cup. And just like that, you're humbled once again.
But like the past few weeks, I was absolutely crushing my drives ... I mean, not for nothing but, damn I can really tie into these things. I have no idea where this stroke came from, but that ball will sail if I hit it right, to which ... we were on the third hole, par 5, and it's a long, straight fairway with a hill in the middle that just cuts off your view of the green. Anyway, I teed off and the rock took off nice and straight for about 330 yards. Had a little trouble on the green so I parred the hole.
Also, as I've said before, I'm consistently making solid contact with my driver and irons, which is a good thing. Now that I'm getting that part of my game down, I need to work on consistent accuracy.
The only really disappointing thing from last night is that I went to the 9th hole with a 52 and could've shaved three strokes off my average if I had parred the hole. Alas, once again taking a drop killed me and I ended up with a triple bogey.
So what did I learn this week? Actually, three things:
- I figured out why I tend to slice or fade my drives. As I was warming up with my driver, I swung through completely a couple of practice swings and for some reason on the third practice swing decided to stop as the club head was at the ball. Sure enough, the club face was open, hence the tendency for the ball to slice or fade. OK, so what's going on? Took a few more swings and realized I was rolling my wrists at the top of my backswing which changed my left wrist (I'm a right-handed player) and opened the club face. Once I started concentrating on not rolling my wrists, my drives straightened out.
- Other golfers have told me that a "secret" to pitching is to swing the club with the same force as though you were standing with the ball in your hand and tossing it underhanded onto the green. Doing this, my pitches got a bit better.
- Definitely need to practice hitting out of sand traps. I know what you're "supposed" to do, but knowing and executing are two different things. Problem is, I don't hit the beaches very often so it becomes a "use it or lose" kind of thing for me. Still, the driving range I go to has a practice sand trap and I should be practicing there as well.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
In a fog
Let's see ... 49 degrees at game time, fog rolling in, light to heavy mist in the air ... yup, it must be time to play golf!
Shot the back nine in the golf league last night and it was probably the most surreal round of golf I've ever played. It had been raining steadily all day and had stopped only a couple of hours before we set out. As we went hole to hole, the fog got worse to the point where the average visibility was about 20 - 30 yards at best. You could hear people yelling all over the course asking from the tee if the green was clear because you just couldn't see a damn thing.
I'd like to think that it was because of the weather that I shot one of the worst rounds I've shot in a long time ... 67. Yes, that's about 7 1/2 shots per hole. The closest I came to a par was double bogey, and I did that a lot. Add to the mix that I lost three balls and it didn't make for a good afternoon.
But, in my defense, I will say that it was very disconcerting teeing up and realizing that you were going to have NO idea where in the hell the ball was going to land. If you really shanked the tee shot, you could kind of see the ball hit the rough or trees, but if the shot went fairly straight, it often took some time to find it on the fairway or in the rough (as was often the case).
So what did I learn this week? That I need to modify my drives better. Once again, I was absolutely crushing the ball and with solid contact, but often I was over-driving the shot and not leaving myself set up for the next shot. Really need to work on that if I want to cut down on strokes.
Shot the back nine in the golf league last night and it was probably the most surreal round of golf I've ever played. It had been raining steadily all day and had stopped only a couple of hours before we set out. As we went hole to hole, the fog got worse to the point where the average visibility was about 20 - 30 yards at best. You could hear people yelling all over the course asking from the tee if the green was clear because you just couldn't see a damn thing.
I'd like to think that it was because of the weather that I shot one of the worst rounds I've shot in a long time ... 67. Yes, that's about 7 1/2 shots per hole. The closest I came to a par was double bogey, and I did that a lot. Add to the mix that I lost three balls and it didn't make for a good afternoon.
But, in my defense, I will say that it was very disconcerting teeing up and realizing that you were going to have NO idea where in the hell the ball was going to land. If you really shanked the tee shot, you could kind of see the ball hit the rough or trees, but if the shot went fairly straight, it often took some time to find it on the fairway or in the rough (as was often the case).
So what did I learn this week? That I need to modify my drives better. Once again, I was absolutely crushing the ball and with solid contact, but often I was over-driving the shot and not leaving myself set up for the next shot. Really need to work on that if I want to cut down on strokes.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Another nine, another 20 over
Went with a friend of mine, Craig, to Lancaster Golf Center and shot their nine-hole course.
It's a very short, par 3 course (longest hole is 202 yards) for a 27 overall. Did OK, but ended up 20 over ... yeesh. Once again, taking drops killed me on a few holes.
Although I didn't shoot nearly as well as I had hoped, I did make solid contact on every single shot I took (of course, there were some shanks into the woods) but it felt good hitting the ball so solidly and consistently.
What did I learn? I need to think more often about hitting down on the ball to get loft on short shots. It took a few holes, but once I remembered to hit down, I could get some good loft with my pitch and 9 iron.
By the way, did I mention how much I love golf?
It's a very short, par 3 course (longest hole is 202 yards) for a 27 overall. Did OK, but ended up 20 over ... yeesh. Once again, taking drops killed me on a few holes.
Although I didn't shoot nearly as well as I had hoped, I did make solid contact on every single shot I took (of course, there were some shanks into the woods) but it felt good hitting the ball so solidly and consistently.
What did I learn? I need to think more often about hitting down on the ball to get loft on short shots. It took a few holes, but once I remembered to hit down, I could get some good loft with my pitch and 9 iron.
By the way, did I mention how much I love golf?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The back 9
Had the golf league last night and shot a 59 over the back 9.
Biggest difference I noticed this week was that I consistently made solid contact, especially with the driver. For the first time, I was using these new brush tees and I think it did make a difference because the ball was teed up at the same height every time. I've been trying to develop a method for consistently teeing up the ball with a wooden tee so it was one less thing I'd be thinking of at address, but nothing was really working. So far, these brush tees seem to be working out.
The other thing I'm really trying to work on is not topping the ball with my irons and damn if I didn't do that always at the worst possible times yesterday. On at least two holes I ended up having to take one to two drops because I topped the ball and shanked the shot.
And why do I top the ball? BECAUSE I KEEP PICKING MY HEAD UP! As I told my golf partner, Kell, yesterday, if there's one thing that really super duper aggravates me in golf is topping the ball. Talk about a line of explicatives ... ye gods. The worst part is that I know what I'm doing and still do it. Yeah, I get a little annoyed.
But, over the first three holes, I had a par, bogey, par and the pars felt really good. Nice drives, solid irons and the putting was there, so at least I had that going for me. I only bogeyed the second hole because I mis-read the green and missed it by *that* much.
What I learned this week: To slow down in my back swing on the tee. That's really helped me in making a better drive. Also, I try not to stand at address too long. Like another league member said, "Get up to the tee, address the ball and pull the trigger. Don't stand there thinking." Good advice.
Biggest difference I noticed this week was that I consistently made solid contact, especially with the driver. For the first time, I was using these new brush tees and I think it did make a difference because the ball was teed up at the same height every time. I've been trying to develop a method for consistently teeing up the ball with a wooden tee so it was one less thing I'd be thinking of at address, but nothing was really working. So far, these brush tees seem to be working out.
The other thing I'm really trying to work on is not topping the ball with my irons and damn if I didn't do that always at the worst possible times yesterday. On at least two holes I ended up having to take one to two drops because I topped the ball and shanked the shot.
And why do I top the ball? BECAUSE I KEEP PICKING MY HEAD UP! As I told my golf partner, Kell, yesterday, if there's one thing that really super duper aggravates me in golf is topping the ball. Talk about a line of explicatives ... ye gods. The worst part is that I know what I'm doing and still do it. Yeah, I get a little annoyed.
But, over the first three holes, I had a par, bogey, par and the pars felt really good. Nice drives, solid irons and the putting was there, so at least I had that going for me. I only bogeyed the second hole because I mis-read the green and missed it by *that* much.
What I learned this week: To slow down in my back swing on the tee. That's really helped me in making a better drive. Also, I try not to stand at address too long. Like another league member said, "Get up to the tee, address the ball and pull the trigger. Don't stand there thinking." Good advice.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
A four letter word
I think my brother-in-law, Paul, put it best: "Why do they call it 'golf'? Because all the other four letter words were taken."
I realized recently that I haven't posted about this before, so here goes.
I love golf ... really, really really love golf.
For the longest time, I've had people ask me if I play and I'd say no, but I've always wanted to.
Then friends of mine needed another player for a foursome last summer and asked if I wanted to join them. I borrowed my brother-in-law's clubs and 18 holes later, I was smitten ... big time.
So I played a number of rounds last year, even going to Connecticut to shoot 18 with my cousin and uncle. Good times, good times.
But, as my cousin pointed out, I really needed to take lessons. So over the past winter I took intro and intermediate lessons and this season I'm seeing improvements already.
And then my friend, Kelly, got me into her golf league ... which means I get to play golf once a week for the next 14 weeks. Sweet.
So, what's in my bag? I bought a set of used PowerBilt clubs (4-9 irons, SW, PW, 3W, 7W and a driver). I like the clubs (they're about 10 years old) and had them re-gripped, but the driver wasn't great, so I bought a '07 TaylorMade Burner driver (on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods for $250). Giddy up.
The league started last week and Kelly and I were paired together. We shoot the front or back nine in a foursome at the Woods at Westminster course.
I don't have a handicap yet (that'll come in a few weeks) but I shot 60 on the front nine last week and parred my first hole.
I'll post weekly how I did in the league. Hoping to get out as much as possible this summer and fall.
I realized recently that I haven't posted about this before, so here goes.
I love golf ... really, really really love golf.
For the longest time, I've had people ask me if I play and I'd say no, but I've always wanted to.
Then friends of mine needed another player for a foursome last summer and asked if I wanted to join them. I borrowed my brother-in-law's clubs and 18 holes later, I was smitten ... big time.So I played a number of rounds last year, even going to Connecticut to shoot 18 with my cousin and uncle. Good times, good times.
But, as my cousin pointed out, I really needed to take lessons. So over the past winter I took intro and intermediate lessons and this season I'm seeing improvements already.
And then my friend, Kelly, got me into her golf league ... which means I get to play golf once a week for the next 14 weeks. Sweet.
So, what's in my bag? I bought a set of used PowerBilt clubs (4-9 irons, SW, PW, 3W, 7W and a driver). I like the clubs (they're about 10 years old) and had them re-gripped, but the driver wasn't great, so I bought a '07 TaylorMade Burner driver (on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods for $250). Giddy up.
The league started last week and Kelly and I were paired together. We shoot the front or back nine in a foursome at the Woods at Westminster course.
I don't have a handicap yet (that'll come in a few weeks) but I shot 60 on the front nine last week and parred my first hole.
I'll post weekly how I did in the league. Hoping to get out as much as possible this summer and fall.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Yup, Tiger really CAN make that shot!
For those of you not in the know about video games ...
Every once in a while when a game is released, there can be glitches in the game that make graphics render incorrectly, code is wrong and will allow people to walk through walls, do weird things, whatever.
When this happens, the game maker will release a patch to fix these things so that when you fire up the game and play on a console that has internet access (like the Xbox 360 or the Sony Playstation), the patch is automatically downloaded and the problem fixed.
EA Games, which produces the excellent Tiger Woods golf games, recently became aware of a glitch that allowed the Tigers Woods character to stand on water to make a shot in the 2008 version of the game. Instead of tucking their tail between their legs, tho, EA made a fantastic commercial about it, to which ...
Every once in a while when a game is released, there can be glitches in the game that make graphics render incorrectly, code is wrong and will allow people to walk through walls, do weird things, whatever.
When this happens, the game maker will release a patch to fix these things so that when you fire up the game and play on a console that has internet access (like the Xbox 360 or the Sony Playstation), the patch is automatically downloaded and the problem fixed.
EA Games, which produces the excellent Tiger Woods golf games, recently became aware of a glitch that allowed the Tigers Woods character to stand on water to make a shot in the 2008 version of the game. Instead of tucking their tail between their legs, tho, EA made a fantastic commercial about it, to which ...
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