8th November 2010 Good weather on the day of the open had it set for a good score after my build up over the week. That was not the end result finishing the day with 100 and a nett 81. The two 8's on the front nine had me on the ropes after the front 9 and a 52 off the stick. I still had not given up on getting a reasonable score, a 40-42 on the back nine would have been fine and was the target after lunch. The final score was a 48 yet not a day to forget at all, golf is a social game and the group was a very convivial and entertaining one.
Being my home club open for a change I did not have to leave early to return after the round. I caught up with several golfers who I had played with and met over 2010 playing at their club opens. The experience of playing off the home patch was a major benefit to my game this season.
Five shots were the cause of my high score each and every one was from a bad tee shot that added more strokes to my tally with each error in simple terms, 5 Tee shots x 2 penalties each = 10 and 100 - 10 = 90 and a reasonable round. There is confession to be made I could have held back on my drives and played the accuracy option instead of my less accurate distance off the tee choice. Through the weeks practice my accuracy had been okay and confidence in that was a major reason I took the distance option.
No matter what the occasion the day comes when a golfer has to make the decision to play what they are practising. This time last year I did not even carry a driver in my bag and only played with irons and I won the nett section of the open. I also played with a fella who in March 2010 was doing the same with irons only. Yesterday he had a driver that for the first two holes he hit off the tee. Not well so he put it away for two holes got some confidence with his tees shots them used it well for the rest of the rounds 14 holes. Finished tied in first (second after countback) in the B grade Nett with a 69.
For me hitting a long ball is not a search for an ego booster, I could return to using irons only if I was satisfied with staying at a low 20 handicap. After playing with many golfers of various handicaps and against others in matchplay the advantage of a long drive off the tee has been made obvious to me for lower handicappers. The need for accuracy is crucial and that is lacking at my current standard even though it is improving the hardest factor for me in this is the lack of a driving range to practise on. I can now hit the ball consistently 240-270m and apart from on certain course fairways there is nowhere available to refine this part of my game. The course driving range area is 200m long and is great for developing control and rythym up to that distance. Eventually you have to set up and hit the
ball long to get the ‘feel’ of the changes. I can hit long and straight where the aim is yet still make errors that can be easily corrected in practise. Yesterday the decision was made to ‘practise’ on course. Here is the ego gratification, I easily went past the long drive by 10-15m, the ball just trickled off the fairway on the first attempt. As we play some fairways twice off different tees I had a second crack at the long drive, from a tee 30m further back and fell 2m short of the mark in the centre of the fairway.
Golf is pure joy at times and these two drives epitomised that. Setting up playing the stroke and feeling every facet of the swing working to perfection, making contact with the ball and watching it soar is a delight. With the commentary of your playing partners sharing the moment, as I have done when seeing other golfers make the perfect shot nothing can beat those moments. It was just timing, rythym and a full swing that felt effortless. Which is where I am finishing todays writings with that moment being refreshed in my memory. Thankyou for your time and attention. Hit ‘em Straight all regards GeoffThankyou for your time and attention, Geoff
ANOTHER CRACK AT THE TITLE
View the trailer here and click on the VOTE button if you like it. For me it would be even more satisfying to produce the full 7 part web series that the trailer is for in the Movie Extra competition. Based at the 36th 2011 Southern Ports Golf Tournament week. every vote you give until then is very much appreciated. Thankyou for your time and attention. regards Geoff Dening
2 comments:
thanks for the comment geoff :) I adore playing golf! you're blog is wonderfully refreshing :)
Thankyou for the kind words. It is a game that occupies my mind and inspires my creativity and work at the same time. Being great fun to play as well is a bonus.
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