2nd time out after reading nail it..

2nd time out after reading nail it, and practicing some of the drills in the book...


I came agonizingly close to breaking 90 once more. I played a very good game, not so good off the tee as last week but my irons were very very good and I putted pretty well too. Alas, I ended the 18 with a 93 (adj 92) net 69 (68) on a par 72 course.

5 pars
7 bogies
5 doubles
1 quad

For a +21 gross (-3 nett).

But I was oh so close, I burned the edge of the hole 5 times. I landed OB twice and found 2 water hazards. My mental game wasn't bad as I didn't really get ahead of myself or anything. It was just inconsistency that cost me, a couple of bad shots, a couple of bad decisions.

The quad really hurt as I had been hitting great tee shots but then found the trees on the hardest hole, hit a provisional but it was only just in play, had to pitch out and then nuke one over water (and the green). I am just thankful I hit such a good putt on that hole and didn't hit the water...

I am anxious to get back out and practice the 3 skills. However I do find that if I put a leaf in front of the ball I hit it fat, so I just use the nail analogy and let it rip without any other swing thoughts, my divots are straight at the target but I guess the club-face needs some work as I send the ball left and right of the target with amazing regularity.

Anyway, pretty excited with my score today and my calmness, I felt within myself and although I made some silly mistakes (putting when I should have chipped), trying to nuke a 5w off the deck when 2 7i's would have put me in much better shape, and not taking a club extra a couple of times when I could feel the wind in my face.

Sub 90 is close my friends, I just need to drop a few more putts, or lose a few less balls, and with practice my irons are getting better and better, soon I'll be putting from in closer and the scores will fall.

__________________
Personal bests:
18 holes - 92 (+21 02/08/06), 92 (+20 24/06/07)
9 holes - 43 (+7 02/08/06), 41 (+7 24/06/07)
Putts (18) - 30 (04/09/07)
Putts (9) - 12 (02/08/06)
Fairways - 11/14 ((02/08/06, 24/06/07, 01/08/08), 10/13 (09/06/07)
GIR - 5/18 (01/08/08)
Pars in one round - 7 (24/06/07)

Lifetime birdie count - 8 Latest - 03/09/08 - 7th hole Kingsway 318 yard par 4
Lifetime eagle count - 1 Latest - 15/06/08 - 4th hole Canadian G&CC 9 hole 481 yard par 5

I'm sure that the sub-90 score is just round the corner.

Last year I was exactly where you are and its a great feeling when you crack it; the trick is to stay there and then move down.

Good luck on the next round - it could be the one!

Thanks Robin. That was only my second full 18 of the year, so I am in fine form. If only I could get the time to practice and play more, but having 2 kids under the age of 3 isn't conducive to a lot of golf.

Here's my scorecard.

6 4 6 5 3 5 7 4 6 46 (+8)

6 3 4 8 4 6 4 6 6 47 (+13)

PAR
BOGIE
D BOGIE
Q BOGIE

In my book, if you're making par or bogey on 12 holes, you are entitled to take some confidence from that fact.

And confidence and decision making will soon become the keys to your scoring.

As you rightly say, keeping the "blow out" holes off the card will certainly result in your first sub 90.

Good luck in your next few rounds...

Cheers

Nice going snowman!

just stick with the drills and it will eventually come good

if id have stuck to my pre season promise and practiced more than i played then i think my progress would have been more prolific

got to work at the drills!


good luck

Thanks for the support guys. The way I was playing and feeling was that I could par or bogie every hole. The 5 doubles were the result of 2 OBs and 2 water hazards, and a flub from a bad lie in the fairway. I took solace in that the rest of the shots on those holes were very very good, and that on 4 of the 5 times I burned the edge of the cup to save a bogie.

The 8 was just one of those holes. Already the hardest hole on the course where one must hit a near perfect drive to see the green. I hit a slice into the woods and then put myself in a bad spot with my provisional. But I regrouped and pitched out to safety and then went for the green. I had to clear the water to hit the green and decided to take a club extra to make sure, just in case I caught in a little fat or thin. Typically I nuked it right over the green, pitched back on and then made a mess of the putt (trying to be too aggressive), I then held my nerve to hole a nice 12 footer (for an 8). It could have been a lot worse and I didn't let it bother me or try any hero shots.

I can take a lot of positive things from that round. The greens are very tough with big breaks, undulations and plateaus and I managed 34 putts.

Anyway, I can't wait until I can get permission to hit the range again. I think I might just take my irons and work on accuracy, I was pin high so often but 15-20 feet left or right of the hole.

Then i'll hit the putting green and work on my stroke. I have swapped to a reverse putting grip (left hand low) and I seem to be able to judge the speed a lot better and keep the ball on a better line. However, I am not fully comfortable with it so a few times I switched back when I didn't feel fully comfortable over a putt (typically the short ones).

I think I will save up over the winter and get some new irons and fairway woods (and possibly wedges). I want to get the lie angles adjusted to match my swing (now that I feel that my swing is consistent enough), it could be that a few of my irons are too upright/flat for me and that could explain the inaccuracy as my divots (shallow and target side of the ball - thank you 3 skills) were often dead inline with my intended target.

__________________
Personal bests:
18 holes - 92 (+21 02/08/06), 92 (+20 24/06/07)
9 holes - 43 (+7 02/08/06), 41 (+7 24/06/07)
Putts (18) - 30 (04/09/07)
Putts (9) - 12 (02/08/06)
Fairways - 11/14 ((02/08/06, 24/06/07, 01/08/08), 10/13 (09/06/07)
GIR - 5/18 (01/08/08)
Pars in one round - 7 (24/06/07)

Lifetime birdie count - 8 Latest - 03/09/08 - 7th hole Kingsway 318 yard par 4
Lifetime eagle count - 1 Latest - 15/06/08 - 4th hole Canadian G&CC 9 hole 481 yard par 5