28/2/12 Tuesday. First round played at Kingston SE on Monday and whilst the weather was fine the scores apart from one golfer with a nett 72 were below expectations. Including
my own score which I was happy with considering that once on the green the putting was poor. After having three putted thrice in the round there was nothing much else that was notable in the rounds errors. Then on the 18th
hole inexplicably I had an 8, taking no penalties just could not get the ball on the green after two good shots on the par five. Replaying the strokes in my mind I have no explanation why, after having no problems and actually
having a run of pars on the back nine.
A mental brain explosion took me from an acceptable 76-77 nett finish to a 79. That is not even bothering me, the score is a fact now and whilst a better one would be preferred
I can deal with this starting number. Last season I was similarly placed after the opening round of Southern Ports, certainly it was not best start but it is not the end of the challenge. Played to the game plan for each hole throughout the round, putting was a failure could not get any rythym, front nine was short or wide with misreads. Frustrating day on the course considering
that the play was all on target after the first 3 holes. It took me a little by surprise for those first hole hitting through the green unexpectedly. This was easily fixed simply by taking a club less on approach shots.
The table has one player on Nett 69, 73 and 73. Followed with five on 74, four on 75 and five on 78 then myself in the five on 79. Tomorrow is at Beachport and the weather prediction
is a return to the windy coastal conditions that are familiar to the local players. his will have no bearing on my game as I have the game plan already for this course. Chose to rest up today and relax, starting work at 5.30am,
finishing work around 12.30. The Bridgestone iron have slotted into use with ease, better than expected in truth. The Driver improvements held up well throughout the day, good enough for me to play a consistent round with
at Beachpport and try and pick up some strokes on the current leaders. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em straight all”
26/2/12 Sunday. Southern Ports Golf week is underway with the various Pinehurst foursome events on Saturday at Beachport and Robe and today at Kingston SE. These rounds are more
relaxed and give visitors the opportunity to play the courses before the various grade competitions begin on Monday. The heat on Saturday took a toll on the various fields with 32 degrees and humid conditions not all that
pleasant. Today the humidity remained, as the day progressed the temperature became cooler there was only a smattering of rain drops. It certainly did not reach the predicted 35 C.
Monday the Kingston SE weather is cooler still 16-23 degrees and 1-5mm of rain. 14 to 22 kmph wind speed is nothing difficult to play in either. Being aware of the weather conditions
is not usually a consideration to my playing golf or not. With a three day tournament I have to pace myself, hence today I played a morning 9 holes and then spent the day doing practise sessions on the short game, putting
and a selection of long and short irons. First off tomorrow will be restocking the bar and having it all ready for the volunteers to man for the C grade Women and Mens events at Robe. Then having a warm up session prior to
driving the 42 km to play.
23/2/12 Thursday. Went into the CBD and got the work side of the trip out of the way early this morning in Adelaide. This was to beat the heat as it was going to get into the low 30's which for us country dwellers on the Limestone Coast is a little uncomfortable in a cityscape.
Then as many golfers do I went for an amble through golf stores on the way to the Drummond range on Tapleys Hill Road. Dropped into the Golf Locker on South Road a clearance warehouse style store which is being revamped at the minute. This has been a good place for getting the bargain priced clubs that I have been experimenting with over the years. Had decided to get a wedge to use around the green and replace the SW that has been the tool used for that job. Last trip I also noticed several Bridgestone J36 irons in the clearance bins and was going to see how many remained. The j33 set I sold in 2011 I really enjoyed using but stiff flex shafts and the new groove rules made them redundant in my bag.
This was changed when I saw a j36 #3-PW combo set on sale as an opening/renovation special. Had no intention of buying a new set but for $175 and they were the right length and shaft flex it was a good deal, together with $28 for a 56 degree wedge. Not the perfect configuration with the mix of blades and cavity back irons but good enough for me. So ended up at the driving range the #3 wood and #2 Hybrid left in the car and putting the irons through their paces.
The new wedge was excellent, great feel and the right loft. Same with the j36 PW to #7 irons, very good distance and accuracy. In the heat and tiring a little my use with the #3 - #6 irons was more ragged than I wanted. Nothing particularly wrong, it was not my prefered way to practise nothing more. I had to rush a little to keep to my schedule and that is not the way to practise.
Again that trait of mine to use a variety of irons in my weekly practise has been an assistance. I have no concerns about not using my 'regular' set when it comes to playing a round of golf. With my recent return to form with injury improvement I intend to put these irons through their paces on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If I am satisfied with my ability to get the distances right with them I can decide on the AP2 or Bridgestone j36 set for Mondays opening tournament round.
The following quote is taken from another golfers diary/thread at iseekgolf and this sums up golf for some,, not all of us. I am in the serious catagory. The practise, the coaching, the looking at equipment, all has a part in the purpose of getting better at the game. I do it my way just as many others do. The commitment is not for the light hearted and there are sacrifices which have to be made.
“I can tell you that some of us are on here taking this all super seriously, guys like myself (and many others) have a goal and come hell or high water we are chasing it like there is no tomorrow.”
The last three months have been worth every bit of the sweat, pain and dollars spent. Winning is the goal and nobody is going to let me or any other golfer win without trying their best to come first. Thankyou for your time and attention, "Hit 'em straight all" Geoff
22/2/12 Wednesday. Four days out from the first round of the Southern Ports Tournament week, all of the coaching and practise has improved facets of my golf game. The last three
weeks of pain and and erratic game play from the injury flare up has been corrected with the medical treatment program. Another session in an hours time today, that will be the final must have rehabilitation treatment. Then
off to Adelaide this afternoon for work, hopefully will get to see a Standup comedy show or two at the Fringe as well.
It was terrific to get out on the range this morning and hit my way through a selection of 9, 5 and 3 ,irons then the driver which confirmed the recovery was complete. Took
the AP2 irons which have been unplayable for me of late with the injury restrictions. Also the replacement irons which I used to good effect this weekend at Kingston on Saturday, then followed up with another 18 holes at
Robe on Sunday. Final score at Robe was 32 stableford points from an 89 Gross with 31 Putts a fourth place behind the winner on 37 points. Had the opportunity to score better at times but playing a relaxed social round, also
a little within myself with the mental attitude that was not achieved. It has taken three months of dedicated effort and for the third year in succession this has prepared my golf game for the three tournament rounds.
Taking the AP2 irons to the range this morning was the crux of my fitness and form test. These are the irons which have been used when getting best results. The ‘combination’
set I made up from a cavity back and blade irons worked well enough this past weekend and I can break 80 with either in the bag. If my physical condition is at its best the AP2 set is the first choice to go in the bag, with
them comes an extra 10-20 metres with the short irons. The MDD 380 cc Driver is a Titleist clone and this has greatly benefited from the coaching changes in particular. It was confirmed in the past weekend rounds and this
weeks range practise that this club is reaching 220 m off the tee with ease. This week I have practised with the driver, deliberately hitting into the wind. Not the easy option but living on the coast this is a weather condition
which creates havoc among golf fields here. Not a golfer obsessed with hitting the big drive, a good thing because up until now this was beyond my ability. It seems that part of my game has now improved, I can hit the plus
side of 230m a benefit from the recent coaching.
Being the third consecutive attempt at a title in the Southern Ports Golf Week, with second placing in both previous years I have total confidence in the preparation. Even the
last three weeks of abject misery from the pain and inability to maintain a consistent swing or concentrate were nothing unexpected. This has happened at the same time, with the same problems during the training routine in
2010 and 2011. This is something that epitomises a touted aspect of the game, “the best golf is played with a regular predictable game.” even my injury problems are predictable each season. When I contracted ‘golfers
elbow’ in 2011 my game fell apart, that was new injury. The back, shoulder and groin problems are expected and are rectified with a regular treatment program. This does not make them any more tolerable, having a management
program is a great benefit in recovering and still maintaining good golf scores.
Time out for the next couple of days from golf is planned. There will be some light golf practise and physical exertion. The goal over the remaining four days is to engage my
game focus and attitude that is crucial during rounds. There is no leeway in this aspect of playing the game for success, be mentally lazy or detached and the result will be crap. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit
‘em straight all.”
18/2/12 Sunday. Very satisfied with the stroke round result yesterday at Kingston SE, not only with the return to form score wise but the course strategy approach which could at last be put into effect. The last two weeks have been hampered with recovering from injury, the Bowen Therapy treatment has been successful as always. Practise has not been enjoyable in this time, physical discomfort never is let alone persisting with getting results from training routines at the same time.
The score would have been woeful if the practise routines had not been completed, especially the short game and putting. The final score of 87 gross for a nett 75 with 28 putts came from getting myself in position to recover and save holes with only one Green in Regulation for the day. Still not 100% fitness wise. That will improve in the coming week with one more treatment on Wednesday to complete the rehabilitation. As I write this I am sitting with gel pads attached to the stiff spots as my TENS machine works the stiffness out. I am considering playing again today in my home track 18 hole competition, the weather is cooler and some thunderstorms are forecast nothing too uncomfortable to play in though.
I also want to test out the bag configuration that I have settled on for the coming tournament. It has been a success so far and some fine tuning after a range session this morning resulted in the AP2’s being totally removed from the bag and the 8, 9 and PW irons are all blades from my Wilson 1200 set. This has taken 5-10 m off the distance easily achieved with the Titliest clubs, replaced with a much better accuracy and grouping of balls on the range. I am bemused as to why the AP2 irons have became so erratic, first thought is that they are not suitable for my ability. Considering the injury restriction, even before that happened there was a definite effort needed to maintain accurate shots with these irons, they all would go left if I did not concentrate 100% when using them.
Changing to the old cavity backs and blade mix I have improved the accuracy, together with better distance as a result of the coaching improvements as well. The driver is a Titleist clone, MDD Tour 380cc stiff flex. With 210-220m easily achieved and yesterday a few 230m plus results were delivered when I put the effort in on par 5’s and long par 4’s. On target with accuracy off the tee and that is a vital part of my game plan. The GIR shots where not disastrous as far as misses went, with short chips getting me in place for par attempts still. I feel that improvement in the offing this week after a little more practise with the replacement irons.
My confidence of being in form for the Southern Ports Tournament has never wavered. It has taken a big effort and that is motivation to want to play even better, whilst every round is a different course and game plan this is a motivation in itself also. Thankyou for your time and attention, “hit ‘em straight all”Geoff
17/2/12 Friday. The players draw for the Southern Ports Tournament arrived in the post this week, a 12.36pm tee off on Monday the 27th February at Kingston SE, 1.54pm at Beachport on the 29th and 1.42pm on the 2nd of March at Robe. After three months of training in preparation for the tournament it is good to have the solid piece of paper in my hands confirming my entry.
This week has been a good one training wise, recovery from the exertion of the past weeks has progressed well. One more Bowen Therapy session next Wednesday will complete the recovery and healing process. The physical failure of my body to maintain a consistent level of capability has always been a hurdle for playing consistent golf. Which has a lot to do with my variety of club purchases to get a suitable configuration in my bag. At my best form the Titleist AP2 set of irons with the 420cc or 460cc Driver off the tee do a grand job. When my body is faltering the iron play becomes very erratic with the #3 to #6 AP2’s and at its worst the 400cc Driver with Senior Flex is a must off the tee.
Having the benefit of the details of my last 3 years of golfing to refer back to, it is not difficult to make a change to the club’s in the bag to suit my ability. This is where the advances of todays club technology becomes invaluable. Together with my routine of using all of the 3 sets of irons I have when practising, there is no detrimental effect when making club changes. The last couple of weeks it became obvious the I could no longer sustain the effort to play consistently with the AP2 #3 to #6 irons especially.
A couple of quick sessions on the driving range replacing the AP2 irons with the Ping Karsten cavity back #3 to #6 irons and the problem was solved. A driver change was made also replacing the Dunlop 400cc with a Titleist clone MDD Tour 380cc with a stiff flex shaft. I will miss the extra distance of the Cobra driver in particular. The MDD driver still gives a 210-220 drive with ease and I can get accurate 230+m with it when required. The improved physical condition has had my short game and putting standard improve this week. It is obvious to me that I could not maintain a high level of physical exertion and play my best for the three day tournament without adding game assisting irons to the bag. Having lived with the results of chronic injuries from a motor vehicle accident since 1983, making adjustments to be able to be competitive and active is second nature.
The pain is never pleasant and I make no effort to endure it with good grace, preferring to act upon any flare ups and stop the discomfort. The drawn out process of my preparation over 3 months may seem excessive to some. Even I can see that, on looking at my handicap of 12 and that I can score 80-82 off the stick, it may be apparent that my golf is good enough. When playing weekly rounds, I cannot maintain the physical condition to be a consistent 12 handicapper. To play three rounds in five days it is crucial that my body is conditioned to cope with the effects that are not all going to be comfortable. This year playing in A grade I have had to step up another level from B Grade in 2011 as I did when moving up from C Grade in 2010. It is overall another gradual increase over a three year period, that is proof that formulating a golf plan and sticking to it does work.
The coming weekend I will be playing Kingston SE on the Saturday and depending on how my body pulls up will keep the option of playing Robe on Sunday open. The following week will be light training nothing more than fine tuning on the range and playing a few holes. If possible a return to Beachport to play again is a definite priority. The game plan for each course has been established over the past months. All that is required is to execute it with the benefit of the practise routine to support my crack at the title again. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all.” Geoff
15/2/12 Wednesday. Travelled to Kingston SE for an 18 hole stableford round on Saturday, still recovering from last weeks injury flare up and not 100% in much better condition after the game .That said the score was woeful 24 points. Missing putts was the biggest fault on the day with 36 total and no GIR, off the tee was good hitting most fairways and that is a crucial require for the coming tournament. Approach shots were erratic still, a little bit of a quandary mostly caused by the injury problem affecting the swing consistency. Hitting long is the fault that is creating the main problem, this is a result of the coaching improvements in January. With my body recovering from the increased training schedule since December it will be fine once the balance is restored in the coming week.
Having kept this diary on my golf since 2009, referring back to the corresponding periods in 2010 and 2011, I had the same injury problems and form. Whilst on the table having Bowen treatment this week I had my therapist check my previous year’s records and they confirm this conclusion. Which is why I am not concerned about the poor results in recent rounds and the physical discomfort. To draw an odd parallel, this is a consistent result and that is a requirement of good golfing. I am not having to deal with an anything unexpected a the minute and make adjustments.
With the changes to my stance and set up for strokes established, the latest practise on the range is still a pleasantly refreshing experience still. The ease of playing the strokes with less effort has added to it the ability to begin playing slightly adventurous shots in my opinion. Deliberately trying to play draws and fades is something that is occaisionally trialed on the practise range now. Mostly I keep to my tried and tested golf approach of hitting the ball forward and straight to the target. There is nothing impressive or special about my approach to golf, I am satisfied with a functional, minimal risk game to get the ball in the hole.
Yesterday I took a drive to Beachport the third course of the Southern Ports Tournament which is the second round in my grade. It is a nine hole course and each one is played twice to make up the eighteen of a round. Over the past three years the greens have improved considerably and are much truer and better to play on. This course is generally regarded as the easiest of the three played on in the week long tournament, yet plenty of players have crap rounds at Beachport as well. Having not been there for ten months the round yesterday was to refresh myself with the layout and the hazards.
There are five or six sand bunkers on the course and these are all next to greens. Made up of three par 3’s, two par 5’s and four par 4 holes it is a short course over all of 2711 metres x 2 for a total of 5422 metres. Being a small course it is very easy to cross over to adjacent fairways with inaccurate tee shots, there being just a line of trees separating most. These are the hazard that can tear a game apart if you approach this course with over confidence. Most are either gum or sheoak trees and tall enough to be difficult to play over and underneath them a full swing is not possible. There is also several patches of ti-tree to punish the golfer who is not on target. What appears on paper to be an easy course to negotiate is much more complex when playing around it. This is why I have made the effort to play all of the courses a few times before the tournament since 2010. It has helped a lot, coming runner up in 2010 and 2011 was not a result from poor course knowledge.
Yesterday I started out with two pars and that took a bit of a scramble on the first hole, no problems on the second, finishing up with a 42 after nine holes. There were several holes that I played poorly, straying off the fairways and having to negotiate the trees between the ball and the hole. It was not a difficult round. The mistakes made were all from testing the boundaries of playing the course efficiently or taking the temptation to dominate it. It was a valuable experience in preparing to play Beachport in the 2nd round. This week I am attempting to get to Kingston and play a solo social round, since playing the last three Saturday competitions it is time to have a casual amble around the course and put the game plan to work and see if it is as effective as envisaged. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em straight all.”Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff
8/2/12 Wednesday. A later than usual entry this week. The writing time was taken up in other club duties. One activity that comes with being a golf club member is being a volunteer to get jobs done. This achieves a few things, besides getting work completed it also develops club pride and belonging in members. As well as the fiscal benefit of saving money and improving the viability of the club. A less obvious benefit is the improved knowledge of golf club and course operation among members. Golfers are players of the game, it is not our area of employment or expertise in expressing the modest appraisal we have of our ability in the game. Knowing how a golf club operates is very different from the view point of a golfer who just plays, to a golfer who volunteers and does some of the work that keeps a club going.
After the previous week of good golf on the course Saturday’s round at Kingston was a total collapse of any game ability during the first 14 holes. I was not able to establish any consistency while playing each hole, a good drive would be followed by an off target second, or inaccurate chip shot. The biggest failing was the disappearance of any form on the green with the putter. Given that 24 hours earlier I went around 9 holes for 18 stableford points and a 43 off the stick to say that I was a little bemused is an understatement. Then I began to claw some form back on the last 4 holes with some pars. It was a draining battle all day, feeling physically uncomfortable and any focus during shots could not be maintained. The final tally was 95 Gross for a Nett 83 with 36 putts.
Initially I was shell shocked that the round was devoid of the consistency that had been established from the last 6 weeks of practise and coaching. None of that “golf can be like that” adage could apply to this score. The conditions were great for golf, the range practise before driving to Kingston was good and the first couple of holes apart from a little stiffness I felt fine and accepted the bogies without really paying much attention to the second shots both being fat and short of the green. After driving home and sitting down to diner the cause of the bad game was becoming apparent as the pain medication I took earlier in the day began to wear off. Of late it had became an almost unconscious action to take a Tramadol tablet in the morning. Yes I do have chronic pain from motor vehicle accident injuries, that is why the script is provided. Usually if the pain begins to affect movement and comfort all that is needed is a Bowen Therapy treatment or even a therapeutic massage and all is fine again.
This time the oversight on my part was caused from concentrating on the coaching and practise program. Not paying attention that this was a lot more than the usual effort and body activity that can be comfortably maintained. Taking medication is a masking effect not a pain management technique, although increasing the comfort during the flare up of injury it has to be used as a stop gap between treatments.
Returned home now from having a Bowen therapy treatment and booked in for next week as a follow up. Already the discomfort is minimal and free fluid movement has returned to the everyday actions of standing sitting and walking. I am fortunate that from years of maintaining a regular therapy program and being aware of the limitations of my body that the bad times like these are recovered from rapidly. That said the booking in for another treatment next week is a guarantee that recovery is complete. It will not be until later in the golf season that I will have an increased practise routine and that will be nowhere near as imposing as this one has been. Taking in to account that my stance and associated movement in my swing is radically different, having removed the adjustments that accommodated the injuries but reduced golfing effectiveness.
The positive latitude and belief in my ability to play well in the coming tournament did not reduce whilst putting up with the discomfort of the past few days. It was not an unknown experience and once identified all it took was to follow the proven repair methods and all is well again. Golf may be a game of new action and results each time you step out on the course. Prepare well and don’t leave it to imaginary good fortune and luck and that will increase your ability to play better golf and get winning results. Thankyou for your rime and attention. “Hit ‘em straight all.” Geoff
1/2/12 Wednesday. The 81 gross round on Sunday had several features which contributed to the nett 68. First off hitting eleven fairways set up clear shots at the greens to begin with on the majority of holes. A total of 53.8% Up and Downs was a statistic supported with the total of 27 putts in the round.
Now I am is back into the practise routine to keep the current standard and establish this as a consistent base to play my game from. The coaching did not end with the professional clocking off after the session time.
I have been given a series of practise session routines which include a competitive scoring aspect. Following the results of the weekend round my personal expectations are high. It has also tapped into the increasing “hunger to win” attitude with my game attitude. Whilst the winning attitude has always existed with my golfing, having a deliberate attacking game strategy has not. This has taken a marked increase in my golf ability to be able to initiate and do with confidence. The attacking game plan was part of the cause of the 11th hole blow out in Sunday’s round. That the back nine (Gross 38) included eight par scores and the 8 (4 over) on the 11th hole was something that is a positive golf experience in my game book. Having since reviewed the shot that caused the blowout. I did consider a different club choice at the time, choosing the one that gave the best chance to hit the green in regulation. After this analysis and hindsight, I would play the same club and shot in those conditions again.
The continuing practise through February is set in stone with the Driver, hybrid and long irons in one section, then the Short irons, wedges second, followed by the crucial putting the ball in the hole. Yesterday the intention was to concentrate on range work that was curtailed by an invitation to play a social 18 holes. This unexpected change of events was well worthwhile, hitting 14 Fairways (including all par 3 greens) using the 460cc driver for the majority of par 4 and 5 holes. The social nature of the round also gave me a chance to further explore the distance issue with the short irons. Deliberately underclubbing on several holes to see what the outcome was. It was encouraging to see that the accuracy and swing tempo etc was not affected by the club choice and that the ball was consistently 10m short of the target.
Whilst the playing conditions are unknown in the future I am making a specific effort to get on the range on the windy days and set up to be hitting into the natural force. This is one regional weather condition that does affect golf here on the coast and practising in it can only be beneficial. At least during summer the wind is not accompanied with rain and is a little more pleasant to practise in. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all”Geoff
