How much is too much?

22/8/11 Sitting here this morning slowly recovering from yesterday’s round. Another second place after an 85 Gross, 72 Nett with 32 putts. Played well enough on the day with no penalties and only 4-5 bad shots that added to the final total. The driver was perfect on Friday in the 9 hole Chicken Run, yesterday it took 3 holes to get on target and that created some difficult second shots. apart from that my short game was okay but has to start getting more chips in side 2m from the pin. Putting with 13 on the front nine and 19 on the back nine fell away from the 15th hole to the 18th. The technical side of my game was good enough, physically I had nothing left in the tank and my condition for the last four holes was letting me down. Been carrying a few injuries the past month and this round took the last of my endurance.




This is no excuse after all I still came second and had my chances to go one better on the day. Have began to lift the training/exercise routines up again with the club championships and various season trophy rounds beginning from now on into September and October. I played with last seasons club champion on Sunday (6 handicapper) After the front 9, I had a good result of 42 (13 handicap), he had a bad one with 43 off the stick. That is the best example of the gap between us as golfers, reality is that I will be in the “A” grade of our club championships competing against these golfers in matchplay. As much as I will play to win and never give up, My target is to qualify for the final and at best finish 2nd, this may change in the coming month if the current practise does get me to scores of 77-79.



The results from the last coaching session are encouraging, the swing plane, follow through and grip changes in effect now have increased consistency, accuracy and confidence with all shots. The new equipment in Irons and Driver have also combined with the better technique for more improvement. The changed mental attitude is gradually becoming the a comfortable state of game play thanks to the former improvements. Now for the downside of my ability, there is only two. One is my short game it going to take time and that is running short. Chipping is not quite there and getting these shots to drop or finish within ‘gimme’ distance of he hole is a must. The increased GIR in rounds is helping, yet I do not get many birdie putts and end up with scoring easy par. Fine in stroke rounds and general competition, in matchplay I must drop the birdie putts to have any chance against the single figure handicap opponents.



Second downside is a definite ‘shot in the dark’ to not affect my golf. It is not a fitness or training issue per se’, as a result of a motor vehicle accident in the 1980’s my body is pretty well stuffed at times. Generally I can maintain the disabling periods to a bearable level in pain and mobility effect. When returning to golf in 2009 approx. 3 months were lost to injury recovery and not able to play or practise. In 2010 no games were missed and practise was regulated to let the body recuperate. So far in 2011 no rounds missed with injury, using the same practise regulation. Lasting 36 holes though in a day without some injury flare ups, is beyond my physical ability. Yesterday was prime example of what happens when the body screams out, “Enough!” Playing through the pain barrier is nothing unusual to me but once the injuries physically hamper movement, the precision to play good shots cannot remain consistent. That can be covered with handicap allowances in ‘A’ grade, I will be up against guys who are adept at playing with no handicap allowance for most holes (two thirds or less in 18 holes).



The upside is that this is a major motivation for me, c’mon I am a bloke who has the ingrained belief of “nothing is impossible”. What is the worst thing that can happen? Lose a game of golf, that is nothing in the scale of disasters and past things that have affected my life. So look out pain barrier, once again the voices in my head have decided that it is time to push the boundaries again. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all”


 Geoff