Mar 10
14
Golf – Saturday March 13th
It was more like spring today. No frost delay. No cold temps. I left the cart cover and heater at home. Let’s celebrate the coming of spring!!!
Bad thing about spring is we get a lot of rain. This was the case in point this week. We’ve had rain off and on since Wednesday. Then the skies opened on Friday evening and we had thunder storms dropping another inch of rain.
So while the weather was warmer and the rain behind us on Saturday morning, the ground was saturated. Cart path only. Lift clean and place rules applied.
Conditions: Spring like morning. Sunshine to begin the day gave way to a heavy fog which later burnt off. The soggy turf from the storms the night before was with us all day. Mud balls, plugged balls, no roll, mud splashes at impact, less distance and all the rest of the troubles that come when the ground is wet and squishy.
Recap: Scored 94 today (49 front/45 back), a couple of strokes better than last week. Given the condition I’ll take it. I have recently published an article titled “Five Tips to Hitting Pure Iron Shots from Wet Lies” so the tips were fresh in my mind. Chipping and putting were the best part of my game today. Due to the rain the greens were more receptive today, putts were slower and there was less break.
My course management was good today. I made the proper set up adjustments given the lie and conditions today. I even took the extra club or two at the right time. However, my mental game still needs improvement if I hope to break 80 consistently. Poor judgment and bad decisions lead to more bad shots and higher scores than does poor execution of the golf swing.
Highlights:
- I putted well today overall. Speed and touch was right on. Made several putts to save bogey. Only one three putt.
- Short game went well today. Chipping and pitching were very effective leaving me a good chance at par many times. Need the chipping and putting game to be good, if not great, to break 80 consistently
- Game/course management. To play better golf consistently, I need to keep my head in the game and not just pull a club because it’s the one I always use. Think, don’t place the mental game on automatic.
- Approach on #8. Was dealing with a soft, downhill lie to an green protected by a bunker short and right. The pin was tucked on the right of the green behind that bunker. The shot of about 200 yds required a fade. I carry a 2-hybrid which I usually hit about 215 yds. Made a good swing and created the shot just like I intended. The ball finished at the center back on the fringe.
Lowlights:
- I had trouble adjusting to the feel of my new grips. I re-gripped all of my clubs last night and the different, more tacky feel of the new grips took some getting use to.
- Tee shot on #2 went in the lake on the right. The lake is 4o or more yards off the fairway to the right and shouldn’t even be a factor. However, I have a frequent swing fault where I am too steep with my angle of attack and also my hands get ahead of the lower body causing a high fade that is blocked to right. Splash!
- Missed makeable par putts on #8 and again on #9. I was on a bit of a roll playing well and should have made those putts.
Summary: Decent round under the conditions. Discussion after the round with the guys indicated that most felt the conditions made the course about a half shot tougher on most holes (par 3s excluded). That would mean, if you agree with that assessment, that I would have scored a 87 today had we played under more normal conditions.
The goal is to break 80 enough to reach a single digit handicap. To do that I need a more consistent golf swing for both tee shots and iron shots, an accurate short game and a sound putting stroke.
I need more work on the new driver set up position. I find myself reverting back too often and making a mess of the tee ball. The changes for the putting set up position are more consistent now and the results prove it.
I am still determined and confident that I can soon begin to break 80 consistently enough to earn a single digit handicap.
So I have a goal of breaking 80 on a consistent basis, I have a plan on how to get there and I am making progress. I can do this!!
Enjoy life. Play golf. Be happy.
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