4/7/11 The home track at Robe has one weather feature which really swings a round of golf into the course's favour. What sarcastically can be termed a "delightful sea breeze". Sunday was a tossup to play until the sun rose after the nights storm unveiling a course that was wet. Not saturated to the state of being better suited for the running of Messiah Footraces over 300m of water.The odd feature was that the wind was coming from the direction North West as opposed to the prevailing South Easterly gales.
One unexpected addition to the day was the late arrival of a golfer who is a country member who started playing at the same time as myself and has the same dedicated obsession to the game. The progress through handicaps are literally in unison since we were on 36, at the minute my 14 is leading his 15. There is no competition between us apart from when in the same competitions. Playing a round together we both have very similar analysis of golf and how to improve our games and philosophy of golf enjoyment. As we ambled around on Sunday the discussion, sharing the experience learnt from playing with single digit golfers, catching up on where we were both at golf wise at the minute, oh yeah and also playing some golf at the same time was a hoot. Managed to fill in at least four holes of dedicated banter on the “aggressive / attacking game strategy.
On to the important stuff, executing the attacking game plan. Pulled all the stops out in taking on the course, on a day that was definitely not the best to have a crack. In essence that was important ,after all picking and choosing what day to play is not really the spirit of competitive golf. My game stood up to the effort in every facet, except the one weakness that has been afflicting it of late. The damn “second shot screw ups” five par 4 holes were subjected to this malaise. Still managed to score 1 par, 2 bogies and 2 double bogies out of the errors. In fact I was making a serious charge on the back nine and the 10 scored on the 13th hole was in part a result of taking an aggressive shot choice twice. After the only poor tee shot on the day instead of playing safe I chose to attack instead of play safe acknowledging that I could destroy the whole round with that decision. My mind was totally into this attacking frame of golf and even after scoring the ten my only thought was five pars on the last 5 holes is the goal. Managed two pars two bogies and a double bogey. Two second shot screw ups added some pressure to my game in the last 5.
Even so I knew that my round of 88, nett 74 with 30 putts was in the conditions better than the rest of the field. Eventually holding out two 25 plus handicappers for the win at the end of the day, second place in the putting to my mate in golf, who also trumped the NTP on the day as well. For the first time out with the changed attitude there was one bad choice made, in time I will manage to get the balance back with the attacking game strategy. This is a major alteration of how I play golf and expecting this to not have some growing pains would be ignorance at its best.
The “second shot screw up’s” are another matter all together, have been getting to be a regular feature of my game and at this stage I conclude that it is a mental fault. Partly caused by the increased effort to hit greens in regulation together with the lack of consistent ability to play the required shot. Hence it is not an impassable obstacle just a matter of building the bridge with golfing ability to counter and remove the affect it has in my golf.
Oh yeah and the secret key that unites my mate in golf and myself and our progress toward lower handicaps, practise, practise, practise. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em straight all”Geoff
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