New Driver in the bag, now more practise...

This morning the latest driver for my bag arrived. Purely functional and a club that I am comfortable with. A Cleveland SL290, 460cc with 10.5 degree loft and 43g Regular flex shaft, previously using a 310 version (440cc) with a voodoo stiff flex shaft and moving that on as it was too stiff to be consistent with. Managed to get my labours all done and dusted in the main by noon and headed to the range to hit some balls. Using it in tandem with the Toskii 400cc driver for comparison. The first insinct on the range was to hit the ball too hard and I let this pass and at the same time was quite satisfied with the results. Sprayed the ball and the slices were not too bad although would have been disaster in a round to be that wayward. It was all about getting the feel of the new driver and how the ball behaved when hit either well or badly. Once loosened up I headed off to get some work done before returning to the club later and playing nine holes. Very satisfied with the 38 off the stick in the nine hole round with two double bogeys all from poor club choice when chipping and using the putter off the green. Something that would not be done in a competition round but good to experiment with low percentage shots in practise. Off the tee was excellent if a little too much height with several drives.Keeping that in mind I returned to the course a couple of hours later and gave the Cleveland another workout. Putting my observations to the test with changing my set up posture and adjusting the take away. That got the ball trajectory lower and added 10-15 metres to the driver shot off the tee. Nothing spectacular dear readers only reaching 220 metres with accuracy and ease, which is the minimum I want off the tee. More practise is going to be the key of course and that is not a problem. Having settled into the ;swing: with the new driver, knowing what is to be established for the best return. Now it is time to get the putting up a few points in accuracy. My game is travelling well at the minute and that is from steady and regular practise. I am still chasing the elusive single figure target and to do so have to shave off a few more strokes. Greens in regulation is the first goal that has been attacked for improvement and is improving still. Chipping is okay, putting still is marred by the occasional c@ck up. Then the fitness level is under attack to improve as well, more stamina means less errors caused from tired efforts. Thank you for your time and attention. hit the ball, find the ball, hit the ball. Geoff

First Qualifying Round 2013 championship

Sunday's stroke round was to begin the qualifying rounds for the Club Championships. It was also a Monthly Medal round and first round of the three round Gallerie Trophy event. The westerly wind did make it a different playing experience and with the relatively mild conditions the scores were good in the main. Following on from my round at Kingston on Saturday with a 33 Stableford points result I improved with a gross 86 Nett 74 on the Sunday. With an easy putt missed on the first hole and a lost ball on the 7th hole I was travelling well enough with one hole to play. A double bogie 6 on the last cost me a place in the count back for a third place finish. The double bogie was caused by a poor second shot with a finished under a tree from a centre of the fairway drive. Left with a very restricted shot to go for the green. A chip shot that went short and on for 4, missed the first putt to score a 6. This error was again a result of a poor second shot while going for the green off the tee. Whilst this was the poorest of them all on the day there were 3 other approach shots which were compounded with below average chip shots. Putts having to be played from long distances are harder to get in the hole than those inside one or two metres. The statistics for me were 30 putts on the day and 12 fairways were hit off the tee. As has been noted over the past weeks all of the practise since December 2012 and fitness training has been a major assist. Now it is time to build upon this and the improved technique. Dedicated shot practise to get the ball on the green from 150 into 50 metres is the crucial development that must be achieved. The tee shot with the smaller driver and regular flex shaft is proving its validity. The need is for a larger driver though with a regular flex as I cannot go for the club championship success with the 10 to 20 metre distance loss off the tee. This coming Easter Weekend is a very busy one for the club in green fees. The competition on Easter Sunday is the club Guest Day a 2 person aggregate Stableford starting at 12pm. A fun social day for golfers and friends to enjoy a walk around the course having a hit. Beer o'clock in the clubhouse The following Sunday on the 7th of April is the second Qualifying round of the Club Championships, Gallerie Trophy and the April Monthly medal. A great combination of events all on the same round for golfers to have a game in. Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Fitness means better golf...

22/1/13 Tuesday. A very successful weekend of golfing on Saturday and Sunday again. The fitness training is delivering obvious benefits in tandem with practise. In this my second set of rounds for 2013 after the week before I broke my handicap on Saturday with a 38 stableford point round and backed up on the Sunday with a 36 Stableford point round. These results have got my playing handicap down one stroke to twelve. In the coming weeks I will be adding a new facet to my training which is expected to drop several strokes off my handicap and establish a solid single digit playing handicap. All of the recent improvement shown by the competition results has come from the improved fitness and weight loss. This is not an instant change and the dieting started in August 2012 the fitness training was gradually introduced in December. A daily routine since January 1st, 2013 using strand pulling (chest expander equipment) exercise routines and swimming. My golf practise has not increased or changed from the past 3 years in terms of action and time spent. Whilst this with coaching has definitely developed golf skills, it is the fitness that has made the execution much better on the course. As regular readers will be aware my game has never been a long one due to health and physical condition. Hence my total focus has always been on establishing a proven correct swing technique to make the ball go forward as well as it is possible for me to do so. No prizes for guessing who won the Long Drive competition on the Sunday, it was me. Once again I had a great game off the tee and noticeably consistently much longer. This was also happening with the rest of my clubs and did cause some difficulty with club selection. My game attitude is one of having fun more so than usual at the minute. Taking the opinion that as I am hitting the ball much better than 2-3 months ago, so what if this is causing problems. I had never imagined that hitting the golf ball like I am now, could feel so good! Golfing feels so fresh and new to me every week and these days I hit many shots that are so sweet, it is sensational. Sunday I tied in second place in the A Grade at Kingston SE. Playing for fun is the focus but the success in the competition is still an important motivation behind the enjoyment. There is a consistent fault in my game at the minute and this is exacerbated as a result of the improved fitness. In all of my past two weekend rounds (four) I have belted putts way past the hole. It is in part a misread of the green speed at the time. The major cause is that my strength has significantly improved and these misreads end up with the ball going four to five metres too far. In my reading of other golfers game diaries and many observations on the analysis of our golfing rarely is fitness given as much attention as swing plane or grip, stance etc. My Golf Diaries were not much different. Physical condition was a regular subject in mine, as I have permanent injuries which affect my game so they would get attention. Mostly because of the limitations placed on my ability to swing a club correctly. Fortunately awareness of injury as a regular facet of my life, does make me look at improving the condition, just as I have my golf swing. Rory McIlroy has made significant changes in his physical training and Tiger Woods was always noted for it. There are many lesser contemporary golfers who have done the same as well and this is something that many club golfers have ignored as a way to significantly improve their golf. I fully expect this fitness program I am now doing in tandem with the new golf training system starting in coming weeks to be the cause of a three to eight stroke drop in my playing handicap. Thankyou for your time and attention “Hit ‘em straight all” Geoff

Woops Apocalypse....

Friday 21/12/12  "Debate has raged about exactly when doomsday will strike. News.com.au has melded science and superstition to bring you the exact time.
Apocalypses are notoriously tricky things, given that so far they have a 100 per cent fail rate..."

In the meantime with 11 or so hours until the lights go out I am sticking to my less is more golf approach. This has been the key to my improvement and recovery from the rigours of the 2012 season. Harnessed with the equipment in my bag, the complete hybrid set has been a significant aid to my game. So with some fitness including major weight loss of 8-9 kg add to these and of course the coaching and associated practise of the 2012 season my game is at it's best state ever at the minute. As the preceding details show it is not one thing but several combined that have brought me to this point in my golf.

Nor is it just words the results of three second place finishes in the last three weeks competition including the Division 1 Nett at the Kingston Open last week. Yes there is some pride in the results gleaned from the effort. It still surprises me at the reaction of some golfers to winners who do not spout false modesty when having success. Water off a duck's back to me the slights and to be honest poor sportsmanship of some losers in golf clubs. I will go as far to say that this facet of club golfing is also an influence on the failure of some clubs to progress into having growth in people joining these clubs.

Yesterday I had a very light range session 40 balls 20 with the #5 hybrid, 10 each with the #3 Metal and Driver. Nothing more than a technique practise session, hitting balls with measured effort. Concentration directed at making certain the stance, grip, swing and set up were being as well as possible and establishing consistency. Then off to the putting green to do the same with setting up for the all important finish to every hole. Thankyou for your time and attention, "Hit 'em straight all"

 Geoff

Learning to play golf with added distance...

Friday 14/12/12. Yesterday as I ambled around the Kingston course smacking the little white ball without the game brain on it was possible to experiment. As my chosen game is one of minimal risk and playing the shots which have the least opportunity to fail, these social rounds are where I test my capability.

Coming to grips with the added distance and what changes it initiates in my rounds is going to take several social rounds yet. Kingston is a course with several doglegs and with trees 3 to 5 metres on the corners it is possible to take the short cut. Going across the corner is the shot which was not considered by me previously. Yesterday was a day when I tested the limit to see if these shots could be played and have a high percentage of success.
What is the first thing noticed about the improved distance is the lack of effort required in playing the stroke. The improvement is all from the technique that has been developed from the coaching and practise over the past two seasons. To get to the end of the story is to say, yes, I can 'cut the corners' and do it easily. Mentally though this is now an accepted reality and that is as important as being physically able to play the shots as well.

On two holes in particular the new game was made especially apparent. The first is a 193 metre par 3 a hole which is a stretch for me club wise as I carry a #2 iron and a #3 hybrid and not a fairway wood. 200m though is a distance I play with the second 400cc (10 degree) driver in my bag yesterday I did not try hard and was still too long. Should have had a crack with the 2 iron or 3 hybrid but was not too fussed with being long and can negotiate this distance well enough. The second hole is a 325 m dogleg right par 4 and I generally play to the left side and finish at 80-100m from the green. Yesterday though I cut the corner into a breezy cross wind. The ball finished 60 metes from the green. A big 20 to 40m advantage gained for me in going to the green with the next shot. 

The next hole was the 358 m 9th hole and I continued with the trialling my capability off the tee. This time with a definite aggressive mindset. This was opposed to my usual, find a reachable target on the fairway and place the ball as close to it as possible. The green is visible at the end of a straight fairway and all I did was aim to the right of the green and hit. Finished 125 metres out hitting into the gusty breeze which had picked up as the round progressed.
Now it is back to the putting green for the next day. Practising on getting the ball into the hole with a much improved return.

Thursday 13/12/12 A busy week yet I have managed to maintain a consistent  level of practise following the weekend. Was a runner up in the competition on Sunday and happy with a second place.  Especially happy with the distance off the tee and accuracy. This was a flow on from results on the range last week. By happen stance was in a group with two single digit handicappers who are noted big hitters. In no way did I chase them off the tee it was a head down have fun day of golf and concentrate on hitting the ball and consistency.

As the round progressed it was obvious that off the tee my shots were not much off the distance and 10-20 metres behind big hitting golfers is in the 230 - 250 metre range. Not my usual distance that is reached with ease or consistently at all. The last 3 holes though I was in the rythym and genuinely began to chase the drives and yes I did match them off the tee. Still in my taking it easy golf period consolidating my game in preparation for 2013. This weekend though is the Kingston Summer open and I went for a drive played nine holes just for a hit out. Putting and short game is still a bit ratty. Not sure what this is caused by 100%. Have a suspicion that it is not technical but mental and not having a red hot go at the task when on the green.

Hence I am about to go out and get on the practise green again in 10 minutes.

Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Finally a consistent swing...

Saturday 8/12/12 So much for second last day of paper run! The changeover has been  delayed again and I have agreed to keep on doing it until the 23rd of December. Not the hardest job in the world but it interferes with my golf too often. Would much rather be playing in the Golf Challenge on the 9th in Adelaide than here delivering papers. The weather may be better but I really like playing golf on other courses and in competition.

Still buzzing over yesterdays range results and looking forward to getting out and emulating them again later today. The real proof is doing it the second, third, time etc. A consistent swing is the key to playing better golf and that has been the major development on the golf journey so far.

There is another aspect which was again in evidence yesterday that was particularly noticed. I am able to work the ball not a lot but consistently enough to be able to see this as another inclusion in my golf game. It is still a surprised golfer who is sitting here and revealing that I can do the things within my limits that is accepted as a given among the better golfers.

 

Been up for 4 hours and have been out and hit another 50 balls on the range to follow up from yesterdays revelation. Still got the 'new'swing and all the benefits which being able to completely hit through the ball. In fact it was a harder practise session, this time hitting into a strong breeze and still getting good results. In the past two days I have hit 100 ball which is most likely how many I hit all up in November on the range. The 'Less is More' recovery plan is not laziness it is about improvement and that has me very pleased at the minute.


No longer is there any concern about my swing every shot has been simplified. I know that it is a complete smooth operation that I can now do. Not having to focus on as many actions through the swing increases effective shot's and mental comfort. Already the Driver problems of late are being improved on with having to concern myself with one less swing facet.In fact today was particularly interesting with the accuracy, effort and distance using the big stick.
Thankyou for your time and attention. "Hit 'em straight all"
Geoff

Back in the winners circle...

5/11/12 Monday. It has taken a few weeks and little good fortune but at last I have returned to the winners list. This weekend took the extra step and played twice in competition Saturday at Kingston SE Stroke round for a Gross 89 for a Nett77 (12hcp) with 33 putts. With a sub 80 gross score dropping off my handicap went out to 14 for the Sunday round.

 

Nothing spectacular playing wise plugged along steady steady had a few chances for birdie along the way, still with a poor putting result 34 in total for the round. A Gross 85 off the stick this time a Nett 71 and my handicap has dropped back to 13 which has been the median number for 2012.

 

Off the tee I was in some very good form as the round wore on. Fairway and short game play was all effective and the combination of hybrids and irons has proven itself. In good physical condition and this will be the set up for the better physical condition golfing. At the minute it's very different with summer replacing the winter tough as granite playing conditions. The all hybrid set will be a valuable option in the midst of the winter weather season also.

 

This week a Bowen Therapy tune up on Wednesday is booked. This will release the stiffness that playing twice in two day has brought on. After which apart from some dedicated putting practise nothing else is going to be added to the preparation for the Club Open on Sunday 11.11.12. Having played myself into some winning form after a month itis going to be a big ask to get a win in theOpen but will be having a red hot go at the A grade handicap section. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all”

Geoff

Steady improvement and recovery...

28/9/12 Still recuperating to an extent and playing minimum golf at the minute. Playing nine holes last Friday after a couple of days using the driving nets and a good hit out at Drummond golf driving range at West Beach. Yesterday playing 5 social holes and sticking with the changed attitude off the tee and even surprising myself and continuing to hit the ball with aggression on the fairway also. It was an erratic day when it came to accuracy but that was improving with every hit. What is particularly noticeable is that now swinging freely and hit through the ball and have the club finish behind me. This is still taking time to become accustomed too. It is a lot harder than it looks. After 20 plus years of protecting injury and not straining the various tender spots my body is much more supple and flexible after three golfing seasons. Making the step up to a full unrestricted swing took me 40 balls at the driving range two weeks ago. It is a little psychological battle in letting the swing bloom. This morning again there is a little stiffness around the ribcage but nothing that will be a major restriction. As long as there is no follow up today and I hit the ball in moderation for the next couple of weeks. There is a 27 hole tournament in two weeks that I will consider if my progress maintains this improving game development. Thankyou for your time and attention, Hit ‘em straight all. Geoff

Back in the swing...

29/8/12 Wednesday. Did the smart thing yesterday and did not succumb to temptation and withdrawal symptoms and go out swing a club after the Bowen Treatment. It did help keep me indoors with the rain falling throughout the afternoon, as I am certain that going to practise some putting and chipping would have led to hitting some long irons.

This morning though I grabbed twenty balls together with the six iron and pitching wedge then went out on the practise fairway. Nice and easy swings after some stretching exercises to warm up were very satisfying. No twinges and good distance and accuracy was the result and that was exactly what was wanted. Back home afterwards a little tenderness was apparent in the recovering area but nothing foreboding about this.

My golf game will fall back into the recent rhythm easily enough. No big hitting in my golf, just a steady plod of hit the ball straight and accurately, as is possible. The coming weeks will be fun and this week I will enjoy the mental exercise of preparing my game brain for match play. The opponents do not count in my planning very much, that is a distraction to actual play of winning golf. Awareness of them during the round is a must, ignoring the signs of faltering is also an effective way to lose a game of golf.

Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all”

 Geoff