Some Thoughts

I've played ok for the last couple of rounds.  Played from the back tees two out of three times.

With my painfully inept driver, the back tees represent extraordinary challenges.  Getting to the greens after an 80 yard drive is not possible, so I've become somewhat of an "up and down Expert."

My short game and putting have been saving the day.

I've also noticed a number of divots heading left while the ball is going right of target.  It looks, from that evidence, that I'm above the proper swing plane on everything.  I've seen commentary that the over the top swing is what you want with a short iron.  Provides a crisper contact, more spin and keeps the ball down a bit.  If this is what I'm truly doing, my abilities with the short irons bears this out.

This is the opposite of the swing you want for a longer club.  The approved path is in to out?

What I have to do is figure out why I'm doing this.  Is it setup or transition or lower body action.

I must admit that I'm getting pretty tired of it.  One of the big problems is that I cannot replicate this at the range.  Should I put it all down to nervous tension?  Or that on the course one is more (or fully) target oriented and at the range, just swinging away?

Barb is busy for the most of the weekend and I'll see if I can be target oriented at the range and replicate some of this.  If not, then I'll take a careful look at my range setup and make sure I do that on the course.

A smart golfer would take some notes and then read them before each round!

Oh, well, I can still putt for the nonce.  (Putting details: I've found that relaxing the hands, arms and shoulders allows me to smoothly stroke the little beasty-ball.  Keeps it on line and the longer putts are less of a "hit and hope" swing.)


On Tuesday we are off to the UK.  There will be some golf there with David.   We will be playing his private course, the "Gogs."  It's outside of Cambridge.   David tells me the greens are slower than Las Po -- a transition that is hard to adjust to usually for me.  Also the greens are hard and you can't throw darts at the pins.  I'm expecting to have to change my style of play.  The course is long by my standards, but if the fairways are hard, there may be a lot of run out.  Also hard greens make it easier to get to, as you hit short and let them run up.  I'm looking forward to a different style of play and the odd pint in the club house afterwards! 

I was thinking of shutting down this blog as I don't have much more to say.  But I'll see if I'm inspired by the differences with the UK course and good old Los Positas.

I'll create a travel blog for the trip.  If you're interested, then clicking on RSH At Large profile will get you to the other blogs.  Here is the blog address: HumesUKTrip2017.blogspot.com