Steady progress and much better game play...

Yesterday the practise was in a different set of routines. Chipping into a bucket from 10 m and 5 m get twice as many balls in from 5 m compared to 10 m. Good fun though and enjoyed the session. Then setting up the Dreamswing and hitting 50 foam balls into the driving net at home as well. Will be practising putting in the house passage tonight as well. A physically lighter load than the rest of the week to give the shoulder a bit of a rest. Then played nine holes with two balls to get some walking into my legs and see what the game is like after the weeks practise so far. Very happy again with the accuraccy off the tee and hitting greens. Chipping also showed the benefit of practise and the putting was acceptable either two or one putt per hole. All will be improved more with continuing the practise regime. There was one unexpected result that has given me a major confidence lift. As regular readers are aware distance is not a facet of my game nor is it a particular goal with my practise either. I have been happy with the consistency in my game and that is much more valued than adding 10-20m to tee shots or other clubs. It has been apparent that there has been some slight distance gains already with various clubs thanks to the better technique. Today though I decided on the last three holes to really let the tee shot have everything in the tank, continuing to play two balls off the tee as well. First hole good distance and 1st ball 210m 2nd ball 220 m and two pars GIR. Second hole a par five 464 m 220 and a 230m drive off the tee. Hitting one second shot ten metres short of the green was excellent. Was not trying to smack the ball just lined up and hit it straight and true with the #3 wood. That this was into the wind and done without labouring to hit a 100/1 chance shot was the bonus. I now have more proof hat the game that was my standard as little as a month ago is still improving. Two pars were the result on the hole. The third and final hole I let the driver fly again and both drives were within 20 metres of each other on the same line with the best only 100 m from the green a massive, for me, 235 metre drive. A par and a bogie followed. All in all a very relaxing and satisfying trial of the weeks practise done. With more to come before the first match play round next week. With the playoff schedule now settled I have this weekend free to play club golf and the first match play the following week. This is very satisfactory for my 5 iron to PW workouts to improve the Greens in Regulation statistic. It also has made it possible to maintain the physical demands at an acceptable level. Not 100% in the shoulder just yet, the groin injury is a big winner though. Up until Sunday I was still concerned it may relapse. After the weekend rounds though all was good. Some tenderness as to be expected but the strengthening and stretching exercises have done the job. Will continue being sensible with the effort,, it's not just about hitting golf balls it is about being able to hit them well. This afternoons casual 7 hole hit out showed the improvement coming from the practise. The driver was given a searching review and making one standard action when teeing off had the balls all on target. It is a concentration lapse where instead of taking the club head back low and slow and then unleashing and hitting low and through the ball, I had been swinging high and loose. The mid irons where a step closer to the accuracy wanted again. Still a way to go but not as far as there was on Monday. Every day is a little closer to getting the standard I want. The related benefit for all my golf strokes from the practise routine is the establishing of a confident rhythm when I set up to play all shots. Thankyou for your time and attention. "hit the ball, find the ball, hit the ball" Geoff