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

Second place in Kingston SE Open..

18/12/12 Tuesday A very satisfying result in the Kingston Summer Open on Saturday. The results from practise and playing preparation over the past month delivered a second place finish in Division 1 (14 Hcp or less) Nett result 83 gross and a nett 69. Did not as the saying goes, "leave any shots out on the course". Played as well as I could on the day and this is my third second place finish in my last three competition rounds.

Consistent hits on the fairways and getting greens in regulation all contributed to the ease of the round. The short game chipping and putting is more affected by carrying some residual back stiffness, not from lack of ability to play better shots. I am choosing to make a note of this affecting my game as a reminder for the future. It is time that I have to make a specific effort to not accept playing with this restriction. I will delay taking action until after January as I will be no longer doing the 5.30 am starts on weekends to deliver newspapers from the 24th of December. I want to ascertain that this early morning drive around and throwing papers is not the major cause of this restriction.

As relaxed as I am this has been noted and a mental note of not letting this affect my coming season game attitude. Off the tee and on the fairway my game was strongest. Short game with chipping and putting are still the weaker links. Nothing that practise will not improve and patience a usual is a virtue. It has not only been actions which has assisted in the recent results. The playing for fun and enjoying the rounds has been a major influence in recovery from the 2012 season.
Thank you 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