9/4/12 Monday This weekend of golfing reflection has revealed a few interesting insights into my game. The best one being the realisation that my ability with shots
played has significantly improved. Whilst playing the game the nuances of improvement get overlooked in the concentration that is required to play the shots.
Whilst reviewing the past three months of golfing, the last round played at Bordertown was the one that revealed the most. I used a 5 iron off the tee on the No
11, 157m hole (started on the back nine). Where I had an 8 (par 3 into the bunker off the tee) and finished with an 87 Gross. The point was that in playing the shot I was actually going for the green and was only 2-3m off
target, to the right with a slight fade. Coming from a course that has two bunkers in total I did not even consider the threat of them in playing this shot. In fact every par three at Bordertown I approached the same way and
this was the only one which came to grief in the two days of play.
This past week I have been out 3 times and hit 20-30 balls at the range each time, just keeping my hand in with the 6 and 9 irons. Again not playing competition this
week I was relaxed and just enjoying the ease of the shots played and the accurate results. Did not even think about anything to do with my game at the time. On Saturday after getting out and being a little more serious when
using a reshafted driver the golf brain switched on. It was then I realised that I am hitting the ball so much better and finally hitting greens in regulation. My Average for the year to date is still 13%, my last 5 rounds
have been 22% three times, then 11% and 44% at Bordertown.
That is the confirmation that the improvement, whilst not excessive it has definitely established a better strike rate. This is a combination of two factors, accurate
use of my irons and the increase off the tee by 10-15m with the driver and using #8 iron to Wedges in shooting for the green. To use a phrase from Steve Bowditch “I carry 4 wedges because I worked out along time ago that I’m around the 100m mark a lot
more then the 220 mark and that I would be more affective if I carried more wedges to give myself more options with the scoring clubs rather then the 3 iron…” Obviously I do not hit the ball that close to the green on par 4’s which are the majority of holes on a course. The ‘scoring clubs’ are still
higher lofted ones, which are now coming into play for me more often. The confidence is a pleasant feeling to have when an iron is in my hands lining up to hit the green. It is still the actions that have to be maintained
in set up etc. that gets the result.
Today after lunch and watching the final round of the 2012 Masters, if the weather holds out and does not pour rain to go with the blustery winds, I will get on
the range and test out the drivers again. This time taking the first choice (in the bag)380cc driver and see how the now stiff flex shafted 400cc driver compares. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em straight
all”
Geoff
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