Tuesday 3rd May 2011
The pleasure of traipsing around the golf course so far this winter has been increased with the brilliant weather. There has been a bit of good fortune as the rains have fallen on the non-competition days, leaving us golfers with having to walk around in sunshine in recent rounds. Making the best of the good weather at the minute and getting my game focus back at the same time is working. The benefit from making the effort to not play for about a fortnight has paid off, my body has recovered from the strain of continuous golfing in the past 6 months.
Back into playing the way that has got the best results form wise previously. Dropping the excercise routines and working on just hitting golf balls is working very well for me now. My fitness is good enough and as the past two rounds have shown, hitting the ball well is crucial when playing off a lower handicap. It is something that after reading many Tour Golfers comments has also provided advice that works. The physical excercise is not as important as the ability to hit golf balls well. I am fit enough to play 3-4 nine hole and 2-3 eighteen hole rounds in a week, if I want to and have the time. Unfortunately that is rarely the case these day, playing less golf that when I began in 2009 is a combination of work commitments and I do enjoy just doing sessions on the driving range some days.
Sundays competition was a stableford and in fine weather a couple of second shot mistakes, one stupid club choice and one hit out of bounds resulted in a score of 33 points. It is still an exciting experience playing off 14 and hitting those sweet shots that feel so grand, just want to throw my hands in the air and do a happy dance when they happen. The small number of mis-hits are not too frustrating, except when they happen in the last 3 or four holes because I am running out of opportunities to make up shots by then.
When I say “mis-hit” that is referring to the very poor shanked, fat or thin shots. Not including the reasonable second shots that end 4m off the green when going for regulation figures. Here is where my next major coaching lesson is targeting. My pitching/chipping is just not good enough most of the time. Biggest fault is not stopping the ball in that 1-2 metre target circle around the pin and making birdie putts a lot easier. Since the rounds at Naracoorte in preparation for and during the Masters Games my putting has improved markedly. Playing in the “Two Cocks” Sponsors day on Friday at Naracoorte this week which will be a lot of fun and a great way to experiment on their greens without any real pressure to score.
It will be a treat to test out my improvements off the tee as well which was made imperative after playing there previously. So far this week and on Sunday the Driver has been consistent and suitably straight to the targets off the tee and this course will test my progress with that as well. Putting in 9 hole rounds Monday to Thursday at the home track to keep tuned up and push myself on the day as well.
Thankyou for your time and attention, "Hit 'em Straight all." Geoff
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