GOLF - WInning is easy in the sunshine

23rd August 2010 Monday; A win on the weekend, all a result of the preparation over the past month. This was proof that golf is not a game of ‘luck’. Four weeks ago I began to improve my game and fitness for the final rounds of the Caledonian Inn Trophy on this past Sunday and next weeks, John Leake Trophy. There was finally a change in the weather and to not be playing in pouring rain and gale strength wind gusts was a delight. Yes dear readers, I was beginning to dislike playing golf after going through the past three weeks of weather conditions. A note of interest, thanks to referring back to Golf Link competitions played details, in the previous two weekends playing in terrible weather, I finished in 3rd place each time.




The result on Sunday with a Nett 67 gave me a one shot win for the day and tied the best two of three rounds result with 134 apiece for the Caledonian Inn Trophy. The final placing is still to be decided and I do not know how it is done. Hopefully it is based on all three rounds, as I had Nett 67, 72, 67 and the the other golfer had a Nett 66, 75, 68. Either way the competition was sensational fun. I do not attribute luck too much importance in playing well, I never discount that it does happen. On the 18th hole my opponent hit his drive out of bounds it bounced three times down a bitumen road and then rocketed to the left back into play, leaving him a 50-60 m shot to the green which he made in regulation, a 1.5 m putt for birdie which he just missed gave me the day. After I sank a 5 m putt up a two tier green on the 18th, it was one of those rounds where the pleasure of playing far outweighed what was being played for.



Golf is fun to play, if it was not then the game would soon lose its appeal to me. You have to make your own fun as well, it does not just happen we had a lot of good natured banter to make it fun and not a dull boring game. I definitely believe the improved weather had a lot to do with the happy nature of all the golfers playing on the day. Also I had three days away from the golf sticks (Wed,Thurs. and Friday) and that helped my game as well. The weight training benefits were obvious in my consistency with irons and driver golf swings and playing some of the more delicate pitch shots onto the green. All I do is a series of routines with 25kg each day now, to start with it was 15kg every second day taking no more than 20 minutes. It is a very minor gym commitment designed to do exactly what is being delivered, built stamina and stop those mishits caused by tiredness during a round. During this time I am continuing the daily excercise routine with the Chest Expander and Hand Grips. this is far easier to do in the comfort on my own home. The weight training takes an extra effort but after another 4 weeks will be almost finished with being done as a particular excercise and can be reduced to every second or third day by then if not sooner. I have to be on the ball at the minute, after last week when I realised that I had over done “golf” and had a three day break. This is recreation for me not a job so even though it is a happy obsession, it is still fun, not a must do activity.



It was well worth the experience of the past two weeks, only using a #2 Hybrid off the tee and not carrying a driver, this week the big stick came back into the bag and produced good results. The short game, pitching especially, was very good from the practise and weight training. Putting was good for my expectations at least and will be a particular training focus for coming weeks. As regular readers are aware over the past three months my irons have been reshafted three times. This experiment has been completed and last week I reshafted the Presto periphally weighted irons again. I now have the original shafts in these irons to the #7. The #8 iron has a heavier True Temper Dynamic shaft and the #9 iron has an #8 iron shaft the PW has a #9 shaft and SW a PW shaft. It has been crucial to establish a set of irons that benefit my game and has not been expensive less than $200 to purchase a new set of Presto Irons, and two second hand iron sets that also gained me two new putters and a 60 degree lob wedge. This way of setting myself up with the irons that I need and am well suited to use is just that way I chose to do it. I do not recommend it for everyone, I now can plan on purchasing a set of new blades in the future if my game continues to improve.



Here is the proof of my success, on January the 3rd., 2010 my handicap was 25.2, today on the 23rd of August it is 19.4, six strokes better over an eight month period is a safisfactory result. There has been a lot of work put in and my target of reaching 15 is still in reach before the end of 2010. That I will get to the goal is not certain, the most consistent handicap I have played to in competition is 17 when breaking 90 (gross). While doing the maths is easy, to figure out what is possible, playing golf well enough to reach 15 is more than calculation, it takes action. Fact is I may not be good enough to play to 15, that is not defeatist that is something that may be a reality. A golfer at our club once wanted to make single figures, 9 or less. He reached 12 and could not drop those last three strokes no matter how much he practised or played. It was his own choice to stop and this was a fella who had 10 acres with his home and had built a practise area for driving, fairways and pitching/putting. Now playing and satisfied with his handicap he said to me that at the time it was irritating but simply he did not have the talent to get to single figures.



I have no delusions of my ability only the and desire to see what I can do on the golf course. This year will have me in “B” grade for the club championships and that alone requires me to improve a lot. Club Championship opponents in “B” Grade are far more experienced golfers than I and many have been Penant and “A” grade golfers to boot, that is something that can put their actual handicap into a lower figure during matchplay based upon the knowledge they have. Hence I have chosen to bolster my playing stocks with fitness and practise to try and be able to compete and succeed in this seasons games. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em Straight all” , Geoff

Golf - splashing around in the rain

16th August Monday. Beginning to become tired of playing in the wind at the minute, nothing in the comment in fact just the usual winter doldrums getting vented. It may appear that for an amateur I am being too serious about improving my golf game, that is not the case. It is not easy taking the next step down the handicap figure in my game, a slow process though is the reality of getting the improvement in so many facets of my game consistent features in rounds. Having worked on one part of my game at a time, now starting to get the overall benefits is the reward. This takes a level of commitment and focus that usually would only be used in my work. There is nothing natural about a ‘golf swing’ so it is a matter of teaching your body to react as it should for a good swing plus it is “a game of millimetres”. Using a stick to make a little round ball fly through the air and land it on a target and having to co-ordinate so many facets of your body to do this as perfect as possible. The add to this activity the mental challenge of competition and all the nuances this brings out in individual personalities and there is the essence of why this game hooks players.




The winds and rain continued throughout Sunday, fortunately I hit off an hour and a half earlier to go around with another player who had to head to Adelaide and wanted to get a qualifying round in. The weather conditions decided an acceptable target of a 95 off the stick for me would be a good round. Not playing at my best at the minute, still tuning my game on the green and around them at the minute. The #2 Hybrid was used off the tee all day and the Driver was not even in the bag.



That said I came in with a 98 off the stick with 34 putts and one lost ball penalty, as my playing partner commented it was one of those days where a little luck went a long way. Not being a player who relies upon luck to do well but never rejects it, a few strokes especially on the green could have used some good fortune. One putt finished with part of the ball hanging over the lip of the cup, the wind was strong enough to hold it there and I had the good humour to laugh at that. Another two putts stopped just shy of the rim of the cup. That is just golf and not a concern , the other three putts that took off like a space shuttle and rocketed way off course to boot were a problem. The cause though was from my weight training and having increased the routine, it happened previously in my golf game and for a week or two my ‘touch’ with the putter will be a bit sensitive. Accepted the 98 which with a 10 metre birdie putt dropping in on the 18th was given a lift. Having finished at 2 pm and the rest of the field still had 9 holes to go I do not know how my score fared in comparison but from some chat know I was by no means the worst score in the first qualifying round for the club championships.



Importantly I have a score on the board and with another qualifying round to go and many golfers skipped the day due to the weather. I can pull the stops out and have a real crack at getting up the table for the match play seedings. Today I played a casual 9 holes with my set of blades which felt good and I hit the balls well. Even the adjustment needed to counter the shorter shafts on them was no problem, again I realised the benefit from improved technique and the weight training adding another 10 m to these irons. Used the Cobra driver for a few hits and that will need a bit of work before the coming round, Hit is poorly with a slice but not too hard to correct with a bit of diligence in practise. On the 22nd it is the 3rd and final Caledonian Inn Trophy match, myself and two others lead this and I will be trying hard to win, as well as the following weekend when the same three are all in the lead for the John Leake trophy. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em straight all”


Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

GOLF - it is better than doing nothing

14th August Saturday. Strong wind warning out for the region together with showers of rain passing through because the wind is blowing the clouds over so fast there is no time for it to get saturated underneath. Living here on the Limestone coast a drought for us is what many would still call above average rainfall so it is a good thing that the rain is passing over to fall inland. Another plus is that it will not be another drenching like last weekend and to be straight to the point, it is enough to make me leave a round halfway through in those conditions.




This weekend is the first qualifying round of the club championships so the water would have to be above my ankles on the whole course to stop me completing a round. The last two weeks of using the #2 Hybrid off the tee and leaving the driver out of the bag is definitely a decision that is going to work in my favour. Played in the nine hole Chicken Run yesterday afternoon and did not miss a fairway and set myself up for an easy bogey on every hole. Was not quite on the pulse with my seconds only hit one green in regulation (got the par though) and my pitching was just a little unsettled. In that it was to be expected practise of the ‘Flop’ shot and dropping the ball onto the green with minimal run has only been a recent addition to my game plan. Just came inside from an hour of practise of this shot and pitching putting drills to get them a little better. Also set up and hitting into the wind for a while as well to get my game tuned for tomorrow.



Putting was concentrated on, still not satisfied with my shots on the green, yet that is not detrimental just a real assessment of my ability. As the next few months pass by this part of my game is going to be better than now and that is the goal. Having changed to the Proline Mallet style putter that previously I had no skill with and putting just as well as before if not better, proves that practice not preference for a club is the key.



Over all feeling particularly good with my game and the developing fitness level with the addition of weight training this week already showing benefit. Next week I will be upping the ante with the training until Wednesday when I go away for a couple of days which will let my body recuperate from the weight training. Doing weights is not harmful and those who have not done this would not be aware of the fact that after doing the repetitions your muscles let you know they have been exercising in short order. It is not pain as such but a feeling of soreness as your muscles respond to being specifically exercised and it soon goes. I have been very gradual in my start and set up as my body is not in prime condition and overdoing it will result in stiff and tired muscles and not benefit my golf as it has with the sensible informed approach this week.



Nobody has to do this sort of training to play golf it is my own choice and has a purpose in achieving personal goals. It is like playing football, you go to training once or twice a week and do the fitness and skills work to get into the team on the weekend. Just because golf is not a team sport or seen in the weekly media coverage except on the international news or in the brief results section in newspapers, does not mean individual amateur players cannot take it to this level. This works for me and I need the additional health benefits besides the pleasure of playing and competing at a good level. Thankyou for your time and attention “Hit ‘em straight all”Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Adam Lindsay Gordon Committee AGM

http://www.adamlindsaygordon.org/
An absolutely lousy day winds gusting and rain falling at the minute I should be on my way to the Coleraine Races for the Adam Lindsay Gordon Commemorative Committee AGM. It is one of the benefits of the spirit of Australia's national poet that permeates the committee operations, that the AGM is held at a race meeting. Aside from the fact that Gordon was a champion jockey as well as a member of Parliament, mounted Trooper and other more colourful personal traits which when combined with his use of language became Australian poetry, he most likely rode at Coleraine in his career as well.

Sitting here and busying myself with other tasks and feeling a little guilt at not being at the AGM it is not the end of the world. The past three years have been the least number of performances I have done in any medium for a long time. Fortunately the film making developments and educating myself into this medium kept my creative juices lowing and invigorating my character with the vigour that artistic endeavour give me.

With a documentary project up and runing for the next 9 months plus live performances scheduled for October/November this year it is great to be back into the game again. Standup is still a passion that I have not organisd any shows for yet and will get itself an airing once I finish the writing of the next pile of material into a usable form. Best of all is the gradual peeks of an onstage persona that is poking it's head and mouth out from time to time of late and getting some laughs. Who would have ever thought that being a fool took so much effort!

Thank you for your time and attention, Geoff

GOLF - Practise time it never stops...

12th August Thursday. Winter is making it’s presence felt this week with the wind still delivering strong gusts during the day. At least rain has been bearable and not a continual downpour drenching anyone who steps outside. Practice has been concentrated on the short game of pitching and putting drills. Gaining a little more variety with pitching to the green and being able to stop the ball from running though too far past the hole has been a major success. Never really had the confidence to try and play anything but the most basic of shots until recently and still do not vary far from “hitting the ball straight” for the most part. Playing with a conservative frame of mind with regard to attacking golf is still the main base of my game strategy. Improvement in my stroke play now has shots what would have been discarded as ‘too risky’ only a month ago, now I play them. Certainly many golfers would look at my deliberations over shot choice and decide to play what I call the risky one straight away. This is a slow decision for me as I come to terms with being able to play strokes consistently and not mishit as many shots.




I have persisted with last weeks decision and left the Driver out of the bag and used a #2 (16 degree) hybrid off the tee. Losing 20-40 metres distance is balanced with the accuraccy and fairways hit. The perceived effectiveness of this club in the windy conditions was always a reason behind the purchase of the hybrid. Last year I used my #3 Iron, the hybrid gives better distance and burrows into the wind on and off the tee block. As to whether using the driver would be just as effective is not an issue, I am hitting more fairways and that is enough proof for me and not having to create shots from difficult positions is a bonus. There is another factor which is benefiting my game at the minute, adding weight training to me excercise routine.



As written previously the past month has included regular excercise routines using hand grips, chest expander and yoga leg lifts. This week I began a regular weight regime for increased stamina during rounds. Starting off with 20 minute sessions every second day using 15 kg on the bar and three exercises this will become a daily routine in a couple of weeks. Not after any spectacular changes or improvements the results are already being delivered in the first week. The effort to swing a club is barely noticeable and yes I have become consistent with striking the ball and the benefits of this include confidence personally as well as results with the ball.



Putting is still a little bit erratic on occasion but this will be dealt with in time with more practise. Still a little surprised how the transition to the new mallet style putter has evolved and how badly I used this putter previously yet now am much better with it. Through research and reading what other golfers said about changing putters, then opinion of coaches and professionals and their attitude to using new clubs of any type that gave me the idea to seriously do the ‘change putter’ experiment in the first place. It comes down to ‘How little people like change’ the old adage of ’better the devil you know’ also comes into consideration. I am of the opinion that a good number of golfers are monkeys and have no idea what they can or can’t do on a golf course and perpetually sell themselves short. Yes I do make a particular effort to play a lot of golf and am in a position to do so. Yet I have heard many golfers rave on about their game and never act upon what they say is needed to be done, even better is the number of golfers who have had lessons and roundly criticised the coach as not having a clue. When all it has been is they do not want to accept the advice and change how they have (incorrectly) played strokes for so long.



Every golfer is going to do what ever they want to, that is the only fact that never changes in the game.

Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em straight all”Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

GOLF - webbed feet would not have helped

9th August Monday Time to relax and recharge the energy after a very draining day on the course in the competition on Sunday. One of the rare occasions when I had a care factor of zero for the result and continuing the round, brought on by a continual downpour for the first 6 holes. Not a skerrick of enjoyment in those holes there were moments when it was bearable, mostly nothing but getting drenched. Being a par round and nothing more than a game with no importance in the end result apart from the final score my concentration did wander for a space of four holes and if any less effort was put into them would have been better played by a coma patient. The day was won with a score of minus 2 and my score was minus 5 so not too far off the pace even though no effort was put into the game for four holes.




On reflection as the field only had four golfers in total it shows that my commitment was better than many. Maybe having played so much during the week was a detriment to my interest in the game, although it was a very good week of development for my game. Currently planning on increasing the gym work another level with weight work together with the low impact excercise routines of the past month. The playing technique improvement with setup, swing and short game can still improve over time, with the coming club championships I will need more advantages to succeed.



Unfortunately the fact is that as much as I improve, having now gone up into “B” grade, opponents will be far more experienced and consistent in their golf game. The improvements to my game skills will be a benefit of course but I am going to add a higher level of fitness in particular stamina/strength conditioning to counter some of the advantage other players have over me. This approach has previously delivered consistency on the golf course in my game and that is going to be vital in the qualifying and matchplay rounds if I make it though. It was interesting that my playing partner persisted in saying I use the Driver off the tee Sunday. I stated that would not be happening at the start of the round and it was replaced with the #2 Hybrid. Lost about 30-40 metres on the drive distance and the accuracy gain was well worth the sacrifice. Playing from the fairways is much better than having to construct shots around, over and under obstacles on either side, or losing balls.



As I understand it the grades for the Championships are suggested to be “A” 0-14 “B” 15-22 and “C” 23-36. In which case I will be in the high figure section of “B” grade. The best I have done in competition is play to 17 handicap, without lost balls and out of bounds my scores can get to the 15-16 handicap figure. Even so it is going to take a lot more than that to win against most opponents in the grade. The short game is the key, being able to get up and down in two shots for pars and making more birdies is the only way to be able to win. At the minute my ability is better but nowhere near good enough to be able to defeat several of the “B” grade regulars. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em Straight all”

Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Golf - Heavier irons well suited to winter conditions

5th August Thursday. Maintaining the practise regime this week including the physical excercise and build on the progress of last week. During the two 18 hole rounds I have played (scores of 87 and 88) on Tuesday and Thursday I have continued using the heavier toe/heel weighted irons. Last used them in competition on the 27th of June at the Keith Open and after the recent strengthening excercise routine they feel as light as ever. Importantly my swing has began to show the effects of the regular practise and even the higher loft on these older irons are not causing a problem when shooting for distance at greens that was noticeable previously.




It has been a week of very heavy rain and moderate winds after the Kingston Open and the experience had the possibility to take a bit of confidence out of my game. Back on the course this week there was no change to my playing approach in a negative sense. Being aware of my limitations as a golfer is not damaging it is important to be able to maintain an aproach that the game is just that and not something that the fate of life depends upon. Also playing on the ‘home’ course is a lot easier with knowledge of the fairway and green variations. The greens have not been cut since Sunday though simply too wet for the greenkeeper to do at the minute so they are a little furry and slower than usual even with the water.



I will be having a hit with the newer irons tomorrow (Friday) and see how they feel before deciding which I will choose for the weekend. The course is very wet now and the run has gone from most fairways and for some reason these older irons have a better ‘feel’ in the wet conditions. I have made two other additions as well, using a blade pitching wedge around the greens instead of the sets and the Proline “Oddessy 2 ball” look alike putter. Before I was not good with this club on the greens and again practise has paid off and although still leaving some putts short the accuracy from 2m in is very good.



Thankyou for your time and attention, "Hit 'em straight all", Geoff

Lake Albert, Meningie, South Australia. 2nd August 2010

In 2008 I made a short film on the Coorong and Lake Albert which were showing the effects of the drought and reduced water supply coming down the River Murray to the mouth in South Australia. At that time there was many suggestions and ideas being put forward to protect the region. The Mouth of the river was dredged to stop it silting up, there was discussion about the lack of a national plan for the Murray River which is dealt with by each state individually to suit themselves.

The use of water to grow cotton and rice with irrigation methods that are wasteful for crops that themselves are not suited to Australian conditions. In 2010 the residents of Meningie have many opinions of the situation, the pool level is not going to be increased over what Lake Albert currently has. The debate has pitted local experience and residents rights against expert opinion, state autonomy and conservationist ideals.
Now in 2010 I returned to Lake Albert and filmed the same area to see what had changed in the lake environment now that water flow has resumed in the Murray River and rains have fallen in Queensland to replenish the river system.







Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Golf - Kingston SE Open 1st August 2010

3rd August Tuesday Two days after the Kingston Open on the 1st and I am back home and played another 18 holes on the local course as I do after the weekend competition with a different set of irons. This has became a part of my routine the past 4 weeks no matter what the result has been, to play a round with a different set. Fortunately I do have a good selection to choose from, a set of blades, and a 1980’s set of toe/heel weighted irons which still suit my game well even with the higher club lofts. In the calmer conditions today I carded an 87 Gross, using the heavier 1980’s Toe/heel weighted irons. Also played 9 holes yesterday with these clubs and it was interesting to feel the touch improve especially around the green with pitching close to the pin regularly. Used the Proline 1.5 Ball Oddessy look alike putter that previously I had never handled well and did quite well with it for a change, still left a few putts short but the 2nd putts all dropped.




The reason I do this is to eradicate any delusion that the equipment is to blame or the reason for a good round on the weekend. This started out as an experiment initially due to the tale I was told by a golfer at my club and similar versions of it being recounted here and to me at competitions.You may have heard it or had it told to you in person, “where a professional shows a golfer how old clubs work just as well as the new and gets an old iron or a wood out and hits the ball just as far and well as a newer stick does.” I agree that the new technology does have advantages and benefits for almost any golfers game. By using the different sets I give my ability and variety a tryout and stop the equipment failure excuse in my game ever occurring.



The Kingston Open was a test of my ability and I was found a little wanting in the end. The weather was definitely a factor in my results, 19-17 Knot winds with gusts that blew players backwards and sideways while trying to set up for shots. The temperature of 8-12 degrees Celsius was on the cold side and did not make getting into a rythym easy for me, a few showers a little hail as well but the full brunt of the storm clouds passed around us on the course thankfully. Managed to keep my drives on track most of the day off the tee and the approach shots for the green were off the distance all day, together with some very poor pitching. Could not get comfortable at all on the 20 m in to the pin shots all day and that cost me several shots and was the main fault in my game.



I set myself a target of 95 to be in the placegetter zone at the finish and my total Gross 99/79 nett was four over that, there were many chances all day to get the target. I could not quite manage to maintain the consistent effort when in position to make the score I was after. With a 6th place over all in B grade the Gross winning score was 90 and the Nett was 73. My ability was exposed and found lacking in the conditions, as a 20 handicapper it was a grounding experience. Even so I did much better than many lower hcp. golfers on the day. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em Straight all”
 Geoff