Always look on the bright side of Golf, don't dwell on the negatives...

26/9/11 Sunday’s competition was a touch and go decision to enter. Carrying the “Golfer’s Elbow” the last week has been painful and disruptive in more than just hitting golf balls. It is tender all of the time and the disabling effects are in use that is mundane. Picking things up and reaching feel the strain with sharp stabbing pain then a hot buzz of discomfort while it abates. Swinging golf sticks is not fun after a very short time. Purchased an arm brace to assist with relieving the discomfort which definitely helped. Went out and played a poor scoring round 23 points in Stableford Comp. Was ready to pull the pin after the front nine but as feeling good about the fairway accuracy, finished with 11 fairway hits and won a ball on the day.
Had no short game whatsoever, could not chip or putt well and the injury was the fault. This was frustrating, being able to hit the long ball shots well without any discomfort. Short chipping and approach shots were the poorest quality in a long time. The chipping and putting was at the most damaging with the in close shots, could not swing smooth and easy or keep the strokes consistent, blading the ball or hitting little bunny hops. The longer shots from 25-100m were a problem with the distance being hit a shot in the dark, going long and short all day. No consistent error to try and correct just the numbness of the arm in the brace. Playing with out the brace would have been more damaging long term to the existing injury so I was happy to play out the round as it went.
Reflecting on the day and the score returned from playing to a 26 handicap was not a bad thing. It was only a couple of years ago that I was on that handicap. Playing like that again showed me how little difference there was in playing to a 25 to 20 handicap in the day. Although on Sunday it was the result of an injury, all that needed to happen was a 2-3 chips that bunny hopped forward to have been hit well and made the green saving a second chip shot. Then 4-5 putts not falling short or rocketing past the hole and the score would have been much improved. The 37 putt total on the day showed how much I struggled on the day considering the average putting total is 25 for me from 1/8/2011 to the end of September. Golf is a fickle game good and bad results happen, not letting the crap days disrupt your enjoyment of playing and also your playing partners is never acceptable.

On the second bad round day in recent weeks I copped a bit of sledging, and still had the good humour to fire back. It could have easily been a DNF card for the day. After nine holes the soreness was not going to abate, the round was not going to improve, I kept going because I thought that I was a chance for the Most Fairways hit on the day. A very small goal and a enough to lift me to do the best possible off the tee. It was a good choice and a valuable victory. Hitting fairways off the tee was the reason for changing drivers through the season now with a 400cc Big Stick that is delivering the results and getting that extra 20-30m more that the 380cc Driver. Unfortunately my next upgrade the 420cc Driver is going to have to sit out the coming weeks of competition golf while the injury recuperates. Which is a hurdle in my planning having already practised several times at the range with this stick and getting another 20-30m off the tee in distance easily. That was a calculation I had been estimating would be the result and with the accuracy give me a step up against the single figure players in the match play of club championships. It may not be all lost though as the warmer weather is already delivering longer ball flight and run putting me within 7-9 iron range of greens on par fours. These are irons that my accuracy is better than 50% unlike the 3-6 irons down to the 35% accuracy statistic for GIR.
Going to rest up this coming week working on being 100% for the Matchplay semifinal on the 9th of October. Thankyou for your time and attention all, “Hit ‘em straight”

Geoff

Footyheads review 2nd Semi Carlton V West Coast

2nd Semi Final over in the West and Carlton played the game out to the very end. So close to victory coming back and in with a chance several times throughout the game. Even so the loss sucked. Season 2011 is over now and 2012 is the next outing for the Blues and at the minute looking good for fans. GO YOU BLUES!!
Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Four weeks of best effort to come...

23/9/11 Friday, having made it to the business end of the season, like a well used rubber band the elasticity is starting to show a bit of wear. There have been no major injury problems this season. Thanks to being fitter in the most part thanks to playing so much golf since 2009. Sure enough though after all of the effort put in I have stumbled a little in the final weeks injury wise. Carrying the right wrist strain has been possible and not too bad, it is now joined with the left arm and a case of golfers elbow. It is all being worked on and looking after myself as best as possible in the coming weeks is a must, ‘less is more than enough’, when practising from now on in.
Again the good fortune from the final qualifying round is helping. My next round is on the 8th of October in the Semi-Final playing off for a position in the 36 hole Championship matchplay. This gives me time to heal the niggling injuries and be back in good condition. Although my recent writing has not been what could be called positive or confident it is by no means defeatist. Now that I am definately in the running and do not come up against any single figure golfers unless I make the last game, the idea of playing in the club championship is not just a fanciful dream. If this happens I will be playing off against either a 5 or 6 handicapper from my 12-13 handicap position. Not being a person who believes life is a potential Disney Movie of happy dances and free jelly beans at the end of the race against bigger and better opponents, does not make me a pessimist.
Every single care and treatment possible to be put to work in my favour will be given a go. My mental game is getting a total upgrade to top gear and out of the happy hacker mode of enjoying the game and playing into contention for the championship as was done through the season. Since the Southern Ports Tournament in March to now my entire golf year has been playing to make this a possibility, that is a success which I am pleased to have achieved. The feeling is very good to be experiencing at the minute of having thrown everything in my ability into the effort and have followed through, in spite of various hurdles. Without any formulation or crafting of the subject, against every possible opponent I have a motivation to beat each of them in the match play.
Now it is all or nothing to win through and have a crack at the club championship.


Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Love it when a plan works...

21/9/2011 In the aftermath of the success in qualifying for the club championships it would be remiss of me to not backtrack to the Junior Coaching clinic on Friday just gone at the club. With a group of 18 year 6-7 students from the Primary School, the regional coach and three volunteers the couple of hours went along really well. The interest by the students and the fun they had with golf shows what can be achieved and the real future of golf that is there to be developed. Of course there are hurdles, getting volunteers on a regular basis is not that difficult. The government need for training, police checks etc and all that entails is a pain in the neck. Make no doubt I and the rest of the members are fully aware of why this must be done. The commitment to having a successful club far outweighs the imposition of time spend in doing administrative duties. The plans for regular junior clinic over the school holiday period are certain to be developed and acted upon after this recent example of junior interest.
Do not be misdirected that this is all too much, instead it is an example of why many golf clubs are struggling. Volunteers are in the main happy to do the work but having to become pseudo employees is an anathema to many. I have lasted one year as secretary not because I do not want to be involved in the club. It is because if I wanted to be an administration officer then my career would still be that and not my current profession. The amount of tasks which involve supplying information to public operations for statistical purposes is not balanced out with the same bodies returning the effort in assisting the smooth operation of golf clubs.
Now to the reason of why I am a golfer, playing the game. The satisfaction of qualifying has proven every effort to get out and practise in 2011 was worthwhile. Out in the rain and wind of storms on the practise range, without hesitation all because I wanted to give myself the best possible chance. Having to come in with a spot on score to set myself with the best possible matchplay pairings did come off. All season I have wrote about my game strategy working towards setting particular goals that if reached in a round enabled specific targets to be set over 18 holes of golf. One was to always aim at being set up after the 12th-13th holes to be able to be aggressive and not playing to minimise damage.

On Sunday even after a pair of 7’s on theses two par four holes, I could go hard on the closing five holes and it was by millimetres that I missed out on getting all 5 in regulation par scores. This left me in limbo as to what the matchplay pairings would be having tied with another golfer in qualifying. By good the good fortune of my scores I won out in the pairings and miss playing both the defending champion and one of the club’s (with 15 “A” grade championships) best golfers in the semi and qualifying finals. It is still going to be a hard road through the matchplay finals, it is realistic in dreaming of making the final. Luck has had and will have no bearing on the outcome, making it happen is up to me and not changing what has been in place all season. All the aches pains and crunchy bits that I feel now because of the seasons’ effort are not pleasant, but having succeeded and made it this far were well worth inflicting upon myself. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em Straight all” Geoff