2014 Single digit handicap goal...

My efforts up to date, this year have been under harder review than previous seasons. The failure in 2013 due to injury was very frustrating, it did take me some time to realise the problem was less my golf game and more my physical condition. So far this season I have backed off on intense practise and changed my physical rehab program as well as adding a serious dieting program for weight loss. Definitely feeling better and the injury problems are on the improve as well. The proving ground is on course and the practise range and this week has been markedly improved. Perhaps this year I have finally got the complexity of golfing understood as it applies to an individual's capability. I have always been optimistic on improving and barreled along without getting lost in trying to understand the varied influences on a golfers game. That happy ignorance has helped in a small way as I used that time to become aware of golf from playing reading and learning all this time. I always enjoyed sitting down and reviewing all that information which has been documented in 3-4 years of doing my "Playing the Game" posts. The many "Eureka" moments of finally understanding a game facet or mastering a clubs use as a whole has been the journey so far. Thank you for your time and attention, Hit the ball, find the ball, Hit it again, Geoff

Acupuncture another golfing tool...

Satisfied with the chiropractor treatment yesterday, also had my first acupuncture session. Interesting practise and I understood the simple logic explaining how it works. Have an 8 day wait for the doctors appointment to have the cause of the recurring thigh/groin strain injury. One of the realities of country living is the shortage of doctors for non urgent appointments. At least the process has began and I am sure the answer will be revealed in time. Spent an hour working on the short game 25-30 meter shots to the green and putting. Particularly happy with the improved chipping from in close and getting out towards the 50 meter distance. Again the GIR improvement was circumvented with the physical failing on Saturday. Which has a bearing on my high level of frustration, front nine Saturday 4 GIR back nine, 1 GIR. I just could not play the shots once the groin went. Was concentrating on not adding to the pain, instead of the focus being on hitting the ball freely to the target. Yesterday it felt good hitting balls on the practise area, that is something which is part of he pleasure in golfing. I look back over my videos since 2009 and remember how hard it was to hit the ball let alone hit it well and consistent. That pure sweet easy swing is part of the enjoyment of hitting a ball and seeing it land on target. These days that is one of the things that has me looking forward to getting out on the range. There is only trepidation when I know that there is going to be another bout of pain and restriction during a round that saps away some of my golf fun Thank you for your time and attention, Hit the ball, find the ball, Hit it again. , Geoff

Good Form, Average Form, Winning Form...

Finally some golftime, thought it would never happen the way this week has panned out. Sunday's competition was a stroke round and I finished with a Nett 74 not a great round and not a disaster at all. three x triple putts and a couple of other misses from 1 to 1.5 metres added 5 strokes to the round. I would like to say I was disapointed yet that is a lie, it was an enjoyable hit out. Except for an out of bounds on the 15th hole no penalty errors affected the score card. I was more focussed on how the shoulder and hamstring stood up to the 18 holes of golf. Which accounts for some of the poor putting. The driver and fairway shots werre acceptable and the tee shots with the driver were given a bit of a distance boost compared to my usual standard, 220m plus was the accepted reach all day. This was worked on today at the Drummond Golf Mile End range. Head down and mind focussed on taking the mishits and short drives out of my game play. It was a gradual progression through the practise with 60 balls finishing with the final 10 all straight and true soaring over or just to the left or right the 200 m marker landing 15-20 m past it. As regular readers of my annual game threads since 2009 will know long off the tee and in general has not been a feature of my game. Since returning from the shoulder injury it is begining to be a consistent driver aspect on the course for my golfing. Finally have some metres in the tank to use in competition. GIR once again, third competition round in succession = 16.7%. Mind you there were 4-5 shots that were sitting on the fringe of the green. This is not a failing in total still a work in progress. The putting on the other hand was a fail. Ended up buying a new putter today a Dynacast Force II with the larger Kraytal grip after a long work out on the putting area. It is a lighter and better balanced putter than the older 1 and a 1/2 ball Dynacast used on Sunday. Have put the Odessy away for a few week whle I regain some form on the greens using the 2 ball mallet style. Do this a few times each season so nothing unusual about the change in stick. Did have a few hits on the range with the PowerBilt Airforce 1 irons. That was a fun trial as I carry the Airforce 1 Driver and it is working well. The irons had very good (longer) distance and good accuracy and feel also. Regular flex I noted as well compared to the stiff flex Cobra S3 in the bag at the minute. So it was a full golfing fix for me and making sure that I get a good range work out on returning to Robe tomorrow is a must for the coming weekend rounds. All of this is preparation for the Masters Games at Naracoorte commencing 4th April and tuning for the coming Club Championships. Thanbkyou for yourtime and attention, Hit the ball, find the ball, Hit it again. Geoff

Shaky Putter fun...

Monday 3/3/14 Feeling remarkably spritely this morning, perhaps all of this exercise on the golf tracks has helped. After a lay day on Saturday the twitching started as the day drew on and ended up having to go and do some chipping practise to scratch the itch. Felt much better afterwards and was in no doubt that golf would be Sunday afternoons occupation. Joined the crew and it was great to be back in the club fold again with the banter and familiarity. If anything was obvious it was the calmer everyday mood before tee off for me. This is one of the great things about having a home club for me at least. Travelling to play Club Opens and other events like Southern Ports and the "Race to" series are 100% competition challenges. My home club competition rounds are the comfort zone where I hone my golf competition skills and social skills. Make no doubt about, it the competition is just as fierce. Perhaps even more so as mates are people who you can add more banter, sledging and golfing aggression towards than with strangers. As the various threads here in the forums show golfing mates can push the boundaries and take it as a personal camaraderie. As two Americans once asked me about a group of people I was with, 'Why do you curse at each other?" My reply, after some thought about it was, "We are mates it does not offend us" We dont do it to strangers though, not in the first five minute at least until we get to know them. Sundays round was n\my 5th x 18 hole competition round in 8 days. Managed a 3rd place and it was tough work in the last 5 holes the wind did not abate and was 20 kph into the face at times. Once again the most obvious fail was putting, at the beginning was smacking the ball 2m past the hole and 3 putting twice. Same thing happened at Kingston and Beachport in the first couple of holes as well. Yet after that I get on target but have to recoup a couple of extra shots. Still played well enough to finish third after a countback and pick up a bottle of Cabernet Shiraz. Interesting I am having an alcohol free March, so far have won two bottles of wine golfing. Being a golfaholic is full of temptations, I feel sorry for Tiger Woods. Naracoorte Summer Open this weekend but cannot make it with guests booked in. Will concentrate on getting the GIR improved and putting of course, in readiness for the Masters Games Golf in April. Hit the ball, find the ball , hit the ball. Thankyou for your time and attention Geoff

Southern Ports Golf week 2014

Slow steady recovery day today after the week long tournament. Not good enough to get over the competition and finish a winner after the final round. The final 7 holes were my downfall and like all 54 hole competitions just like an 18 hole competition consistency is the key. On the 14th hole a double bogey and 17th a triple bogey and that was the end of my challenge. Too late in the round to be able to come back from that and the course conditions stymied any final charge attempt. The four of last five holes were played into the face of a 30-35 kph wind. I made too many mistakes at the wrong stage of the round that was all. Finished tied in ninth place on the day Nett 76. Total Nett for the competition 219. Winning A Grade nett score was 216, second place in the nett went to 218 score. Yes dear readers, one shot off a podium finish. BUGGA! Went to the presentation night to congratulate a home club mate who won the A Grade off the stick tournament. Got a surprise myself in winning the progressive nearest the pin, Sponsored by Youngs Menswear in Mount Gambier. In fact the home club had several tournament champions. Winning the C grade Men Championship and Veteran, Ladies C Grade Veteran, B Grade Gross R/U and the A Grade Gross Champion. Hit the ball, find the ball , hit the ball. Thankyou for your time and attention Winners are Grinners (Also picked up worst dressed golfers at presentation.) Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff