Was Heinlein Right?

Well, he had some science degrees, I believe.

We go back to the book Glory Road which is probably 50 years old at this time.  The protagonist has a wild old adventure, fights some bad guys, marries the empress of the 20 universes, gets bored and heads back out again.

While he is fighting the swamp ghouls he is hanging from a rope and decides that he needs to get the rope swinging as the ghouls are not real bright and if he can do that, he can land and win the skirmish.

The line from all of that is, "you have to work with a swing, not fight it."  I'm guessing at the wording as it has been a long time since I read it.

Anyone who has swung on a swing knows the truth to that too.  The old golf swing has to be like that too.  We have a nice take away and then we return the swing back to the ball.

We don't want to fight the club back to the ball, we must work with its position, the various levers in play and work on accelerating the turn to eventually move the club around.

More to think about down the road.  I wonder why it came to mind this last week?  Is it time for some epiphany?

The round on Wednesday was interesting.  I scored quite well.  Putted well enough to generate some envy.  I made a couple of slidey, down hill, birdies and got it up and down with some chips that were close enough to not need a putter.

The highlight was a very pure swat on the second hole, the first drive of the day and usually the start of my frustration.  I'm usually left about 180 off the tee, seeking the fairway for the next shot and deep in thought. 

But this time, the ball was hurt.  Wacked about 260 right up the middle, just short of the cart path.  I was about 210 out at that point and anything was going to get me home in regulation. 

Sadly the driver was still the under performer on the day, but I made the turn with a sloppy bogey on 9, I hit it over the green with one of the better 5 irons of my life.  It hits pin high and then jumps a bit over the green.  It was a back pin and I don't chip it well at all, at all.  Sad as I've managed to par every hole getting there.

But a turn at one over is pretty good for me.  I start the 10th with one of the birdies and then play like goof ball on the 12th and take another sloppy bogey. 

Work like hell to par the 13th a par 5 where my drive has placed me behind all the trees.  A "chip out" 5 irons seems to go forever and I managed to get pin high in three.  A careful down hill putt snuggles up to the hole.  This is the toughest green on the course and attention must be paid.

14 is a simple 2 putt, though I managed to get it to 4 feet from 190 yards, one of the shots of the day - sad as it should have been a medium iron if the driver had been pulling his weight.

Let's skip a head to 16, where I manage the other slidey 20 foot birdie putt, which leaves me even for the round.

17 is a non-adventure and I'm off to the 18th.  A birdies sees me home for the first 18 holes under par.  But I go topped drive, hooked second shot, that hits a tree.  I've still got a chance to get home from there, but another ugly shot and then finally, a wedge and it's not very close.  Finish with a bogey for a 73, which, is probably the 2nd best round of my life, but it seems a hollow victory.

Ah, well, off to Costco for a nice hot Polish sausage and a contemplation of the cosmic swing.  Thursday a down day - it's pouring rain, I was hoping to get to the range, but that will wait and I'll think about working with the swing another time.