I've been trying to use the suggestions that Sonny has sprinkled my way. To summarize those would be to suggest more of an arm swing, less of a body pull through, and try to get the wrists to still be hinged at the left leg.
Some of the above is a means to change the swing than the actual positions and actions that are desired. For example you can't get your hands to your left leg and still have a full wrist cock. The motion of the club will have started to unhinge the wrists when the hands get to the right leg. But as aids to getting better, this valid instructional methods.
Today I'm playing with my usual group. Except Rich II decides to play at the upscale course down the street. Putting on airs if you ask me! Rumor has it that if you slice or hook the Bridges is not your golf course. I'll have to see how R2 did; he likes to move it left to right on all shots. I seem to have digressed...
It's a strange weather day. It's muggy and there is no wind. The fairways are dry, which is a bit unusual. I think the sprinklers are off for the nonce. We've had a cool summer and there is not much need to dampen the course with reclaimed water. I've got one of the golf shirts on, which is fine in hot weather as long as there is a breeze. They wick a lot, but you're going to feel hot without the wind.
I had a nice day at the range yesterday, so I'm confident that I can do what I want to and put the new moves into operation.
I'll have to skip a head a bit as to wade through all the holes would require more typing that I want to do today - more on that later, and if you are not a keen student of the game it would be fairly boring.
But I'm hitting greens and moving the ball quite well. I'm not knocking down flag sticks, which can happen, but I'm clubbing well and hitting them fairly straight.
I top a shot from the rough on the long second and then miss a four footer for par to take the first bogey. But I stuff it closely on the long par 3 fourth and make the 4 footer this time for the birdie. Holes six through eight are boring pars with two putts. Then nine is a longish par 4 where if I had the confidence, I'd hit a driver. But I go with the trusty 4 wood and then have about 160 in and it's slightly up hill. I try a five iron, a bit much, it comes out low, clears the water and heads for the apron of the green. I lose sight of it. It might have dug in short of the green or popped on. As I get to the green I see the ball has gone all the way through and is sitting on the back fringe.
The ninth is a green with a lot of slope and I'm tempted to chip the ball. There are some tufts of grass behind the ball, another reason to chip. But it looks like a putt to me. Note that I'm not hesitant to chip or pitch the ball. I practice those shots almost every day -- you want a soft lob over a bunker, you come to me. The putt is awkward, but I do ok and wander the ball down to the hole. The pace is perfect, but I've misread the breaks a bit -- there were three of them. But it's two feet and those kind of putts are meaningless today. I finish the front with even par 36, one birdie, one bogey, eight greens in regulation.
The back starts the same. I'm perfect vis-a-vis GIR and two putts until the long 13th. I pull out the driver for the first time. The hole is 530 yards long. I follow my instructions during the swing. When the smoke has cleared I'm in the fairway, a solid 115 yards off the tee. What a shot! I could have done better with my pitching wedge. But, we have not given up on par yet... A 4 wood gets me to the 200 yard mark and I hit the 4 wood again and I'm almost pin high. But this is the toughest green we have. I put up a soft lob and then watch the ball not break and run out. Hmm, 3 feet to go, I hit it well, but I didn't get the break right and it's the second bogey of the day.
The 14th is also a driver hole. It's 380 or, I try the driver again and now I'm 170 out with a side hill lie in the rough. Well, I've got a club for that, my trusty hybrid 4 iron and I give it a lusty wack, with a small nod to the gods who protect golfers like me... It comes out low, but my line is great and I'm on the green with 12 feet to go. A routine two putt and we are off to other holes.
The 15th is a longish par three. I hit to the back of the green, and two putt. Then the driver comes out for the penultimate time and I hit it well. Solidly on the face, right down the middle, not too high and it's a lovely strike. My faith in physics is restored and hope fills my soul and it's a wonderful day and I'm no longer concerned about the vertigo that I'm feeling whenever I get over a putt. This is a new sensation and I am not a fan of it. I stumble around with my largish feet as it is, I don't more complexity. But the short putts are all dropping, so I can't complain too much.
Where were we? Yes, moving on the par 4 17th. This hole crosses the arroyo and we have longish bridge to cross. Interestingly on Friday last, I watch two young foxes walk across the bridge. Too lazy to jump the arroyo I guess.
I hit a very solid 4 wood and then a pitching wedge to get to 6 feet or so. I manage to roll it home as my head spins. Ah, back to even par.
Last hole, par 5, driver is a good idea. We have a double dogleg to negotiate. I catch it off the heel a bit, but I've got a clear shot forward from a fluffy lie. It goes fine and then a 9 iron to the green, This comes off low and doesn't carry well. It did stop well, just when not wanted, but there you are. I stub the putt leaving myself 6 feet for an even par round. I stubbed a number of putts today. Not sure what that was all about, but I managed to make all the putts I left short. And the 18th was no exception! It is goes in and I'm even par for the day. One of my life time better rounds. Certainly one the most consistent with exception of the driver. Looks like 8 GIRS on the back, with about 35 putts for the round.
So a thanks to Sonny for the tips. I see progress there and I can't complain about the ability to golf my ball.
Ok, we will retry on Wednesday with an early round. Tomorrow is back to the pickleball courts. I have new court shoes, so I'm expecting great things there too!
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