The club championship preparation...

22/8/12 Wednesday. Pacing myself this week in the build up to the weekend golfing, maintaining the practise and playing routine that has been established through the season so far. It is very satisfying to know that the past twelve months has been effective in improving on the previous season. While still not the best golfer in the field of championship competitors, my preparation has put me into a position to be able to challenge the best.

It was a big test and perhaps to some an overstepping of the reality of what was possible in attempting some of the goals I have tried for during 2012. That was never a consideration in my mind with the entry into Southern Ports Golf Week and the various regional Club Open tournaments. Not winning was not failure. The transition into A Grade at the high end of that handicap division was never going to be an easy one. I did not have the consistent golf game to be successful on the travelling golf competition circuit this past season. I did have several ‘one hit wonder’ winning shots for long drives and nearest the pins in various open competitions. So I was not ineffectual in playing among the better class of golfers.

The coming weeks of rising to the challenge are exciting to contemplate. In the field I will be a decade or more years older than the favourites and golf wise less powerful off the tee and fairway. So the past season of dedicated practise, obtaining equipment that has improved my accuracy and distance and much improved fitness and body condition is my compensation. In past months the weekly competition results have delivered the proof that there are three A grade golfers who are in consistent winning form, I am one of those. Playing seven competition rounds at my home club since the twenty seventh of May have resulted in three first place and two third place results and only twice have I been headed by another A grade golfer.

This week the Driver has been left out of the bag during practise. Choosing to play only with #3 hybrid to PW during nine hole rounds and on the range. This is to assist in improving the GIR rate with the longer clubs. Range practise is good for establishing consistent shot play. Doing it on the course is where it matters, hence the increased use of the longer clubs in practise rounds by taking the driver out of the bag. There is another purpose in this round play as well. Our club championship is decided by match play after qualifying rounds. Creating extra pressure on myself during practise with tee shots that are twenty metres or more shorter, is about getting accustomed to having to get the best result with all shots. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all”

Geoff

Nine days of weight loss to go...

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22/8/12 Another week of being restricted in getting outside due to the weather. One of the important aspects of the weight loss effectiveness from taking the diet supplements has been exercise. Nothing extraordinary or excessive as far as exercise routines go based around playing golf it has been a matter of walking 6km (playing 18 holes) twice a week and 3km (playing 9 holes) 2-3 times a week. Even if you are not a golfer making the effort to walk 18 to 21 kilometres a week in addition to your usual activities is not a lot.

Yet it makes all the difference when it comes to losing weight. During each week the practise is not to get on the scales and check your weight. This is not an effective action as your weight does fluctuate day to day the only total that matters is the weekly result which gives the loss or gained tally.

This week though after having already taken seven kilograms of weight off my body I have been breaking this rule for a purpose. Being unable to exercise due to the weather and with the very loose diet when it comes to what I eat I was interested to see what the effect would be. Starting on Sunday I have weighed myself each morning on rising and have fluctuated between 101.6kg and 102.1kg in that time.

Having lost so much excess body fat in the past two months obviously there is less to lose in the future. Having not followed a strict dietary regime and instead putting the diet supplement claims to the test has worked in favour of the supplement. Sitting about doing no exercise though would not have been as effective in the weight loss result. The success has all came from moderation and that covers the gamut of eating and exercising while taking the diet supplements.

With a nine days to go, the end of the second month of taking the diet supplements has arrived. It will be grand to hit the 100kg mark but even 101kg would be more than acceptable. Yes the diet supplements are a definite success in assisting with weight loss. As long as the person taking them is not lazy and make the effort to improve them self and not just expect weight loss to happen magically.

Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Close run finish..qualified for championships

20/8/12 Monday. The first qualifying round had to be played on a composite course yesterday. The front nine had too much water laying on some holes not to ignore that the ground was muddy and plugged balls would have been easily lost. A stroke round and championship value it would have been unfair on the possible scores. Hence the decision was made to play the back nine twice as this is up in the sand dunes and not as much effect on the holes by the flooding.

I was in a good mind set and the score was a messy 83 for a nett 70 a par for the back nine as this is 35 gross series of holes. Apart from an out of bounds on the ninth hole two missed putts and one duffed chip shot the rest of the round was played out well enough to my expectations. In the days competition I tied in fourth place. Behind the winner with a nett 66, second place 67 and third a 69 nett there was no regrets in the score, improving on the previous days effort at Kingston was achieved again. I do have a benchmark expectation with the two competitive round weekends I have been playing to prepare for the club championships. Eventually I want to be playing the my handicap or better at both club rounds each day. Improving on the moderately effective first rounds followed by the winning or par at least efforts the next day.

It was also the second round of the Gallerie Trophy and I have now moved to second place over all in this annual club competition won from the best two of three rounds played. Leaders Score is; 78/67=145, mine in 2nd 77/70=147, 3rd 80/69=149 & 4th 81/71=151. This is a little in my mental favour as this is Trophy I would like to win and will be coming out to chase the victory next weekend. My preparation for the championships is more than just playing two competition rounds a weekend in the build up for form. The whole point of playing in genuine club competition is to doing the effort to win in match conditions. The next five weeks of competition are all going to be played to break my handicap standards. That is the only way winning is going to be possible.

The current club champion has just drifted out to an eight handicap I am fluctuating between 11 to 13 of late. Yesterday by good fortune I was again drawn to play in his group and got to compare our game standards in a review this morning. In the same foursome I kept my partners card and noted the champions scores as well on each hole. My front nine of 44 compared to the champions 40. Followed with a 39 alongside his 38 for the back nine. We both had the same number of putts and the major difference was in GIR, I am a marginally better putter with five one putts to his three. Also my driver is 20-40 metres less off the tee and that is a major difference on the par four holes. The game was not a matchplay event so a lot of the game pressure was not there yet the pair of us were competing on a sociable level. On the scores I would have been defeated with a score of -2 on the 18th hole (one down after the 17th). The previous week I was in the same group as the champion as well and the result was the same. I am 4-5 strokes higher in handicap yet closer than last season by 2 strokes when losing on the thirty second of the thirty six holes in the final.

This may seem to some a little silly to have put this effort into getting closer to being able to beat the club champion. To me it makes total sense, the benchmark is a person but the prize is a championship. A victory that I have the good fortune to be able to analyse what is required to be a legitimate competitor in. I am not going to make up the distance off the tee, the ability to hit the green from 140 to 160 metres is a must improve game aspect. As well as maintaing the current putting and chipping standards attained so far. My total physical game standard is still improving and is much better than last season both in ability and condition to be able to play comfortably. The mental aspect of my game is under review as well and has also been conditioned in the preparation of past weeks. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all”  

 Geoff

Weight keeps getting lower...

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18/8/12 Saturday. Very satisfied with the weigh off this morning.Following last weeks gain of .7 kilograms, today the total is 102.1 kg a loss of 1.10 kg.

The thought did cross my mind that possibly the diet supplements had ran their course of effectiveness and were beginning to falter as a reliable weight and health program. Instead the supplements have passed with the best possible result and that is a lower weight figure on the scales for me.

Again there was no specific dietary regime followed in the weeks eating. Coffee, toast and cheese for breakfast. Ham and salad sandwiches for lunch and grilled lamb chops with salad and vegetables with baked potato for dinner. On Friday and Thursday I had baked chicken Pie with salad for dinner. These were straight from the Bakery. What is a major plus is eating apples and carrot sticks or celery when getting the hankering for a snack while working. No crap foods like corn/potato chips, biscuits or cake etc.

With the particularly bad weather during the week I did less exercise with no 3-4km walks around the golf course on Thursday and Friday as I would usually do. With this and not following a particular diet program it would be possible to gain weight. Instead once again there has been a significant loss of more than a kilogram.

With approximately 2 weeks to go until the end of the second month of taking the supplements, it is still possible to reach my goal of 100kg. The benefits of carrying less weight 7kg at the minute is apparent in the lessening of other physical ailments. I had a Bowen Therapy yesterday and the usual groin and hamstring treatments were barely noticeable. They were almost perfect in their ability to operate without discomfort and pain.

Will head to Kingston and play 18 holes of golf today and also on the home track Sunday in the competition, first qualifying round for club championships.

Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff