Tournament preparations almost complete...

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.”

Geoff

Golf form return after Kingston SE round...

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

One week to go before Southern Ports Golf Week..

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

Practise round at the Tournament's 3rd course

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