An Exceptional Day

Over the weekend I had a couple of range sessions where I simplified my golf swing.

I was hoping that I could carry this to the course.  Swings change when you put a ball down and they change again when there are consequences to bad hits.  I was delighted to find that all was going to work on course too.

I played some very flawless golf today in re the hitting of the ball.  The path through the golf course was a broad, comfortable, yellow brick road.  I was master of my fate for the most part.  Now, it was not perfect and the problems that showed up were sometimes due to hitting the ball too well.  How is that possible, I can hear you ask.  Let's look at the second hole, par 5.  It's about 480 yards and I started with a 4 wood down the middle, then a hybrid to 100 yards out.  The pin is in the middle and there is a touch of breeze in my face.  I took an extra club and promptly hit the ball over the back edge of the green.  I got up and down just fine, but it was an interesting problem to have.  Usually you can't hit a ball over a green when hitting into the wind.  Hmm, new neural pathways were burning.

The next hole was a bit like the second.  I hit a 4 iron and had 135 yards to the pin with a right to left wind.  Over the past couple of sessions, I've recalibrated my irons and 130 is now the 9 iron.  It was an eight not too many days ago.  An effortless shot to the center of the green followed.  Sadly the wind was not able to move the ball at all back to the pin.

And so it went through seven holes.  I was one under par at that time and not really close to a bogey.  Eight is like the 12th at the Masters.  It's about 140 yards to the middle and there is a pond that lies in front of the green.  You might have 6 feet between water and green and there is a trap right and one long right and then two green high on the left.  There is no run up, you have to carry the water or bend the ball around.  Now, a couple of the guys I play with excel in the "bend it around shot."  In the "but wait there is more" category, it always seems to me that the water affects the ball flight and one more club is usually required.

Thus being as well informed as playing it 30 times or so, I hit my 150 yard club.  The line is wonderful and once again it sails over the green and I'm up in the mounds at the back of the green.  There is no trap or dogwood there, but it's a daunting flop to a down hill green and water beyond.  I flop it well, but can't make the putt and I'm back to even.  Again, it was an error due to hitting the ball too well...

During the back, some of the old habits came back.  It's so hard to make changes.  But I think I shot one over on the back for a 75 all day.  It was a different round  with different challenges.  We shall see, it's a busy golf week ahead.