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