Made the change covered in a previous post.
Bumped into Glen up the range on Monday and had a good chat with him about what was going on and what we could do and got a good feeling that we could work together.
It's a shame as I liked working with Bryan, but it's just to much of a problem getting to see him given the distance and diaries.
I had my first lesson with Glen today with him and went really well.
Went though a bit of my golfing background and what I was looking to do. Then done the usual video swing anaylsis. Usual stuff for a first lesson.
He confirmed my setup was pretty good. Good grip, posture, ball postion etc.
He then started to look at the swing and spotted something he had never seen before in 20 years of coaching.
What I'm doing is as soon as I take the club away both my heals come off the floor and I'm on my toes, this continues and my right leg straightens, which allows my hips to turn to far back and also allows me to rotate my upper body too far. In my backswing I develop a huge turn, but no real resistance between my upper and lower body.
We worked on keeping my feet planted and keeping flex in my right leg. Now when I take the club away I can really feel the resistance beetween my upper and lower body. It feels like I get no turn at all, but I am getting a full 90 degrees.
After a few swings, although it felt odd, Glen got me just shiifting my weight right in my backswing slightly, so I was turned behind the ball as well.
From a shot point of view everything was pretty much down the middle with a touch of draw. Ball flight was a bit lower than usuall as well. Very Nice.
I'm going to just practice this and nothing else until I've got this embedded before I change anything else. hopefully a couple of weeks will do it.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Next Year - Planning Already Started
As mentioned in the last post my attention has already turned to next year.
This year hasn't really panned out the way I envisaged.
I need to learn from this year. Over the winter I'm going to have more lessons but not change so much in as short a space of time. Wait for the changes to bed in before I change something else.
I've also been thinking about the coaching situation. I should have probably had more lessons through the summer with Bryan rather than wait for things to start going wrong. But the problem is as he's 30 mins away, getting to see him can be tough and he has quite a full diary, as do I. So it's hard to get a lesson in when I really want one.
I don't really want to go back to Keith as I had similar problems, Keith doesn't teach everyday, so it's hard to get a lesson when I want. But my club's facilites are close by and some of the best in the area.
I don't really want to swap from Bryan as I really like him as a coach (and he's Tom Lewis's Dad :-) ), but he's just that little bit too far away.
I'm thinking about giving Glen at go at Chesfield, he's one of the other pro's up there. I chat to him quite a bit and we get on pretty well so I might book a lesson and see how it goes. If it's ok I'll book up a course of lessons and see what we can acheive over the winter.
This year hasn't really panned out the way I envisaged.
I need to learn from this year. Over the winter I'm going to have more lessons but not change so much in as short a space of time. Wait for the changes to bed in before I change something else.
I've also been thinking about the coaching situation. I should have probably had more lessons through the summer with Bryan rather than wait for things to start going wrong. But the problem is as he's 30 mins away, getting to see him can be tough and he has quite a full diary, as do I. So it's hard to get a lesson in when I really want one.
I don't really want to go back to Keith as I had similar problems, Keith doesn't teach everyday, so it's hard to get a lesson when I want. But my club's facilites are close by and some of the best in the area.
I don't really want to swap from Bryan as I really like him as a coach (and he's Tom Lewis's Dad :-) ), but he's just that little bit too far away.
I'm thinking about giving Glen at go at Chesfield, he's one of the other pro's up there. I chat to him quite a bit and we get on pretty well so I might book a lesson and see how it goes. If it's ok I'll book up a course of lessons and see what we can acheive over the winter.
5 Days Running
Got back from a week in Turkey sitting by the pool and managed to play 5 days running when I got back.
Mixture of mainly bad, but put together an 80 on Saturday morning over at Whitehills.
Started Birdy, Bogey, Birdy, Par. Then OB'd the 5th and double bogeyed. Still finished the front on 38 shots, 2 over gross. Solid back 9 as well, double bogey on the par 3 11th, and 3 putt the last 2 greens for an 80. Best I've played in ages. Just seemed so easy.
Played yesteday at Chesfield and I was truly shocking again. Shot 94. Drove ok. But everything else was off. No real big scores apart from 16 when I took and 8 on a par 5. Just bogey after bogey and only a couple of pars.
I'm probably only going to play 1 more comp this year, last comp of the season at the end of Oct. We have 2 comps this and next Saturday and I'm probably going to skip them and call this year a bust.
I guess planning starts for next year now.
Mixture of mainly bad, but put together an 80 on Saturday morning over at Whitehills.
Started Birdy, Bogey, Birdy, Par. Then OB'd the 5th and double bogeyed. Still finished the front on 38 shots, 2 over gross. Solid back 9 as well, double bogey on the par 3 11th, and 3 putt the last 2 greens for an 80. Best I've played in ages. Just seemed so easy.
Played yesteday at Chesfield and I was truly shocking again. Shot 94. Drove ok. But everything else was off. No real big scores apart from 16 when I took and 8 on a par 5. Just bogey after bogey and only a couple of pars.
I'm probably only going to play 1 more comp this year, last comp of the season at the end of Oct. We have 2 comps this and next Saturday and I'm probably going to skip them and call this year a bust.
I guess planning starts for next year now.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
News just in
Comp results just posted. Somehow I managed to avoid a .1 to take me to 12.5.
CSS was 72 (Par is 71), and as 18 gets cut to a net double bogey I just about hit the buffer zone.
So I guess that's lucky.
CSS was 72 (Par is 71), and as 18 gets cut to a net double bogey I just about hit the buffer zone.
So I guess that's lucky.
How to Destroy a Round in 3 Easy Holes
I think the title says it all. Medal Comp today in dry but windy conditions.
Got off to a steady start. and was net level after 3. Dropped a shot on 4. Still 1 down after 5 then run off 4 par's to finish the front 9 2 under with a total of 40.
Solid back 9. Got myself to 3 under standing on 16th. Wind howling left to right and OOB all down the right and I have a habit of sticking it OOB here.
Not this time though. Started the teeshot way left and let the wind bring it back to the middle of the fairway.
Then my round went downhill rapidly.
16 is a long uphill par 5. So took out my favourite 3w to knock it up to about the 140-150 yard mark. Struck it well enough but it started to drift right, the wind hit it as well, but it looked to be safe. Got up top of the hill and couldn't see it. After a bit of a search i found it about sitting about 2 inches OOB. So a march back down the fairway to play another.
Hit this one ok. Thought I hit a good 5i at the green from 160 but the wind hit it hard and pushed it to the right of the green. Chip and 2 putts and I've got an 8.
Still 1 under at this point.
17th. long Par 3. 215 yards, Wind behind. Struck a good 5i but it just stayed right of the green. Easy 15 yard chip shot, well it should have been, but shanked it. i just don;t know how. Duffed second chip then 2 putts and I card a 5 and chucked another shot away.
Now Net Level Par.
18th. Par 4 SI 18. Right into the wind. Hit an ok drive but finds the bunker on the right leaving about 180.
The ball was far enough back in the bunker so decide to give it a go with the 5w. Probably a mistake given what happened on the last 2 holes, but I fancied it as the ball was sitting clean.
Caught the ball cleanly enough but push sliced it right, OOB. Argh. Reloaded. Tried again and just got enough of it to advance it 100 yards. 9i to the middle of the green. Then somehow managed to 4 putt. First putt was about 30 ft and hit the ground before the putt and left it 15ft short. Ran the next 3ft past then didn't really think about the next and just putted it in disgust and missed. Took a 9.
40 out, 49 back for a 89 net 77.
Just picked my ball out the hole and launched it onto the driving range.
Walked off in complete shock at what had happened. I didn't feel under any pressure. 1 Bad shot on 16. 1 Bad shot on 17 and 1 bad shot selection on 18. Amazing how quickly a round can go south.
Drove the ball pretty well all round. Didn't hit that many fairways, but was only just off most of the time.
Hit my irons really well. Chipped and putted well also.
Just 3 insane holes.
oh well. Got 2 weeks off now. Going to play tomorrow, maybe twice. Going to play Whitehills in the morning and maybe go play Chesfield in the afternoon if I feel like it.
Got off to a steady start. and was net level after 3. Dropped a shot on 4. Still 1 down after 5 then run off 4 par's to finish the front 9 2 under with a total of 40.
Solid back 9. Got myself to 3 under standing on 16th. Wind howling left to right and OOB all down the right and I have a habit of sticking it OOB here.
Not this time though. Started the teeshot way left and let the wind bring it back to the middle of the fairway.
Then my round went downhill rapidly.
16 is a long uphill par 5. So took out my favourite 3w to knock it up to about the 140-150 yard mark. Struck it well enough but it started to drift right, the wind hit it as well, but it looked to be safe. Got up top of the hill and couldn't see it. After a bit of a search i found it about sitting about 2 inches OOB. So a march back down the fairway to play another.
Hit this one ok. Thought I hit a good 5i at the green from 160 but the wind hit it hard and pushed it to the right of the green. Chip and 2 putts and I've got an 8.
Still 1 under at this point.
17th. long Par 3. 215 yards, Wind behind. Struck a good 5i but it just stayed right of the green. Easy 15 yard chip shot, well it should have been, but shanked it. i just don;t know how. Duffed second chip then 2 putts and I card a 5 and chucked another shot away.
Now Net Level Par.
18th. Par 4 SI 18. Right into the wind. Hit an ok drive but finds the bunker on the right leaving about 180.
The ball was far enough back in the bunker so decide to give it a go with the 5w. Probably a mistake given what happened on the last 2 holes, but I fancied it as the ball was sitting clean.
Caught the ball cleanly enough but push sliced it right, OOB. Argh. Reloaded. Tried again and just got enough of it to advance it 100 yards. 9i to the middle of the green. Then somehow managed to 4 putt. First putt was about 30 ft and hit the ground before the putt and left it 15ft short. Ran the next 3ft past then didn't really think about the next and just putted it in disgust and missed. Took a 9.
40 out, 49 back for a 89 net 77.
Just picked my ball out the hole and launched it onto the driving range.
Walked off in complete shock at what had happened. I didn't feel under any pressure. 1 Bad shot on 16. 1 Bad shot on 17 and 1 bad shot selection on 18. Amazing how quickly a round can go south.
Drove the ball pretty well all round. Didn't hit that many fairways, but was only just off most of the time.
Hit my irons really well. Chipped and putted well also.
Just 3 insane holes.
oh well. Got 2 weeks off now. Going to play tomorrow, maybe twice. Going to play Whitehills in the morning and maybe go play Chesfield in the afternoon if I feel like it.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Hit a few and 9 Holes
Gave the golf a rest for a few days after the club champs. Didn't pick up a club until Thursday when i went up the range and just hit a few balls to see what was going on.
In the main struck the ball ok.
Played 9 on Friday after work just to get some course time in. Played pretty steady. Shot 41 with a 7 on the par 5 5th after a good drive and good layup.
Highlight. Hit the pin on the par 3 9th with my tee shot and finished the 4 foot putt it left me for a nice Birdy finish. 140 Yards, Wind a bit from behind, hit an easy 9i to a front pin location. Started right and started to draw. Was still about 4 yards right and caught the bank which kicked it left a bit into the pin :-)
Comp on Sunday. Medal 7:44 start.
Might be able to get in 18 later today.
In the main struck the ball ok.
Played 9 on Friday after work just to get some course time in. Played pretty steady. Shot 41 with a 7 on the par 5 5th after a good drive and good layup.
Highlight. Hit the pin on the par 3 9th with my tee shot and finished the 4 foot putt it left me for a nice Birdy finish. 140 Yards, Wind a bit from behind, hit an easy 9i to a front pin location. Started right and started to draw. Was still about 4 yards right and caught the bank which kicked it left a bit into the pin :-)
Comp on Sunday. Medal 7:44 start.
Might be able to get in 18 later today.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Club Champs Roundup
So Gary Wing won the Scratch and Nigel Jones won the Handicap.
We had an interesting discussion in the bar afterwards why we have a scratch and a handicap champ. The scratch champ being considered the 'Club Champ'. Surely the best net score should be the champ ?
Or why don't we have a champ for each Catagory of Golfer ?
Anyway. I'm neither so doesn't matter.
Well refecting back on the weekend I can't be too unhappy.
My driving on Saturday killed me. Yes I hit just about every bunker on the course over the two days, but on 3-4 occasions it took me more than one shot to get out. I recon I must have lost at least 6 shots due to not getting out first time.
Putted pretty well overall. I think 31 and 33 putts. I think only 1 or 2 3-putts. Missed a few short ones as well. One on the 18th on the last round which would have got me a little handicap cut to award my efforts.
Hot some great irons shots and some really good 3w,5w and hydrids.. Couple of bad wedge shots. But nothing major and in general my wedges from inside 100 were ok.
Around the greens I was pretty solid which pitches and chip and runs. All giving me good 1 putt changes and many leaving tap ins.
Not sure where I came overall. I know I finished 9th on Sundays score. But was 70th on Saturdays. Might find out later if I get time to go up the club..
Next Comp is a Medal on Sunday. Out early, 7:44, again.
I'm going to have to re-think my goals for this year as the qualifying comps are running out. I think 10 is going to be a stretch.
We had an interesting discussion in the bar afterwards why we have a scratch and a handicap champ. The scratch champ being considered the 'Club Champ'. Surely the best net score should be the champ ?
Or why don't we have a champ for each Catagory of Golfer ?
Anyway. I'm neither so doesn't matter.
Well refecting back on the weekend I can't be too unhappy.
My driving on Saturday killed me. Yes I hit just about every bunker on the course over the two days, but on 3-4 occasions it took me more than one shot to get out. I recon I must have lost at least 6 shots due to not getting out first time.
Putted pretty well overall. I think 31 and 33 putts. I think only 1 or 2 3-putts. Missed a few short ones as well. One on the 18th on the last round which would have got me a little handicap cut to award my efforts.
Hot some great irons shots and some really good 3w,5w and hydrids.. Couple of bad wedge shots. But nothing major and in general my wedges from inside 100 were ok.
Around the greens I was pretty solid which pitches and chip and runs. All giving me good 1 putt changes and many leaving tap ins.
Not sure where I came overall. I know I finished 9th on Sundays score. But was 70th on Saturdays. Might find out later if I get time to go up the club..
Next Comp is a Medal on Sunday. Out early, 7:44, again.
I'm going to have to re-think my goals for this year as the qualifying comps are running out. I think 10 is going to be a stretch.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Club Champs Day 2
Much better.
Still hit a ton of sand and took a couple of shots to get out a few times but put a half decent score together.
Went out in 44, with a double on the 9th, AGAIN, from the same bunker. But came back in 39, should have been 38 but missed a3ft putt on the last for Par which would have got me a .2 cut.
83, So shot to my handicap, so can't be too unhappy about that after yesterday.
in reality I could (should) have shot a level par back 9. Bogeyed 10, 13 and 18.
10 I was just off the back of the green after 2 and about 10ft from the pin and missed a 4ft putt for par.
13 I was middle of the green for 2 and 3 putted, again missed a shortish putt for par. And the 3ft putt on 18.
So all in all pretty happy with the last round. Just a shame I couldn't have got a little cut out of this weekends exploits.
That round should shift me up the quite a way. Doubt it will get me any OOM points though. Top 20 would be nice, but a stretch.
Still hit a ton of sand and took a couple of shots to get out a few times but put a half decent score together.
Went out in 44, with a double on the 9th, AGAIN, from the same bunker. But came back in 39, should have been 38 but missed a3ft putt on the last for Par which would have got me a .2 cut.
83, So shot to my handicap, so can't be too unhappy about that after yesterday.
in reality I could (should) have shot a level par back 9. Bogeyed 10, 13 and 18.
10 I was just off the back of the green after 2 and about 10ft from the pin and missed a 4ft putt for par.
13 I was middle of the green for 2 and 3 putted, again missed a shortish putt for par. And the 3ft putt on 18.
So all in all pretty happy with the last round. Just a shame I couldn't have got a little cut out of this weekends exploits.
That round should shift me up the quite a way. Doubt it will get me any OOM points though. Top 20 would be nice, but a stretch.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Club Champs Day 1
Well that didn't go as planned.
Driving was absolutely dreadful. Loads of huge slices right.
Started badly. Took a triple bogey 7 on the 1st, and missed an 18 inch putt. Double bogeyed the 2nd after another teeshot right.
Then got a good par on the par 3 3rd.
lost a ball with a way right tee-shot on the 4th. But managed to get away with a double bogey 6.
Then strung a few holes together to get me back into it. Par, Birdy, Par, Par. Then Double bogeyed the par 3 9th. To go out in 42. So could have been better. Could also have been a lot worse !!!!
Back 9 started ok. Great drive down the 10th then shanked an easy 8i. Chip and a couple of putts and get away with a bogey.
Another double bogey on the 12 after hitting sand off the tee, then again on my approach shot to the green.
Then came the par 3 12th. This hole is going to stick in my memory for a long time. Hit an ok teeshot into the left hand bunker. Then flew the green into the bunker on the other side. No sand under the ball and the club just bounced into the ball. Then take 3 to get out. And carded a 7.
That's it my round was over. No coming back from that.
Bogeyed 13, double bogey 14 after having to hit balls from the tee after slicing my first two into the deep rough. But found them. So could have been even worse.
Par, Par then double,double. For a 48 back 9. 90 net 78. 7 shots over par and 13 shots off the lead when I left the club.
I think the thing that really pissed me off is that I really fought hard to get myself back into it and then just threw it away on the 12th.
My driving was probably the worse it's been in a long long time. Again after driving really well for the past couple of weeks.
Oh well. I'll be out early-ish tomorrow I guess with the other high scores. At least that will give me an afternoon to do other stuff.
This is why God Hates Golfers !!! He giveth and he taketh away.
Driving was absolutely dreadful. Loads of huge slices right.
Started badly. Took a triple bogey 7 on the 1st, and missed an 18 inch putt. Double bogeyed the 2nd after another teeshot right.
Then got a good par on the par 3 3rd.
lost a ball with a way right tee-shot on the 4th. But managed to get away with a double bogey 6.
Then strung a few holes together to get me back into it. Par, Birdy, Par, Par. Then Double bogeyed the par 3 9th. To go out in 42. So could have been better. Could also have been a lot worse !!!!
Back 9 started ok. Great drive down the 10th then shanked an easy 8i. Chip and a couple of putts and get away with a bogey.
Another double bogey on the 12 after hitting sand off the tee, then again on my approach shot to the green.
Then came the par 3 12th. This hole is going to stick in my memory for a long time. Hit an ok teeshot into the left hand bunker. Then flew the green into the bunker on the other side. No sand under the ball and the club just bounced into the ball. Then take 3 to get out. And carded a 7.
That's it my round was over. No coming back from that.
Bogeyed 13, double bogey 14 after having to hit balls from the tee after slicing my first two into the deep rough. But found them. So could have been even worse.
Par, Par then double,double. For a 48 back 9. 90 net 78. 7 shots over par and 13 shots off the lead when I left the club.
I think the thing that really pissed me off is that I really fought hard to get myself back into it and then just threw it away on the 12th.
My driving was probably the worse it's been in a long long time. Again after driving really well for the past couple of weeks.
Oh well. I'll be out early-ish tomorrow I guess with the other high scores. At least that will give me an afternoon to do other stuff.
This is why God Hates Golfers !!! He giveth and he taketh away.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Club Champs Prep is Complete
Just got back from playing 9.
Pretty happy with how I played.
Drove the ball really well. Hit my irons well, except the 7i into the par 3 3rd which I thinned a little and dumped into the water.
Chipping was ok, although didn't need to much as I hit the greens in reg quite a bit.
And putted ok. 1 stupid 3 putt.
So I'm about as ready as I can be for tomorrow.
Mentally I feel good and confident in my game. Which is half the battle won.
Pretty happy with how I played.
Drove the ball really well. Hit my irons well, except the 7i into the par 3 3rd which I thinned a little and dumped into the water.
Chipping was ok, although didn't need to much as I hit the greens in reg quite a bit.
And putted ok. 1 stupid 3 putt.
So I'm about as ready as I can be for tomorrow.
Mentally I feel good and confident in my game. Which is half the battle won.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Club Champ Prep
Well didn't get to practice Tuesday. But got up the range yesterday and spent some time hitting irons and drivers.
Irons good as usual and quite pleased with how I was hitting my driver. Mainly starting straight but with a touch of draw.
Went to spend a bit of time on the putting green but it was packed, so I gave it a miss.
Went up again this afternoon. Spent some time just doing a few putting drills and some chipping. Putting seemed pretty good. Chipping was awful. I had to stop as I was loosing my temper with myself. So went and hit a few on the range.
Few Irons and some more drivers. Hit the ball ok but was really stiff. I think my muscles in my back from Tuesdays weights session have started to tighten up. So I'll stretch out a bit tomorrow.
9-12 holes practice tomorrow afternoon and maybe some range or pitching\putting depending on how the 9 holes go.
Then champs on Sat.
Irons good as usual and quite pleased with how I was hitting my driver. Mainly starting straight but with a touch of draw.
Went to spend a bit of time on the putting green but it was packed, so I gave it a miss.
Went up again this afternoon. Spent some time just doing a few putting drills and some chipping. Putting seemed pretty good. Chipping was awful. I had to stop as I was loosing my temper with myself. So went and hit a few on the range.
Few Irons and some more drivers. Hit the ball ok but was really stiff. I think my muscles in my back from Tuesdays weights session have started to tighten up. So I'll stretch out a bit tomorrow.
9-12 holes practice tomorrow afternoon and maybe some range or pitching\putting depending on how the 9 holes go.
Then champs on Sat.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)