Perfect, keep it up. And intense!

Today marks 8 years since my first card for handicap with the club.

There are benefits in warming up before a round…
but I didn’t do that.
There are benefits in caring about what happens with every hole…
but I didn’t do that.
There are benefits in playing on a course with just Couch fairways…
but I didn’t do that.

What did I do?
I hated the 9th.

Without a warm up I under-played drives off the first and second tees, and was a touch wayward from 3 and 4, missing fairways by inches.

If there is a hole where the Kikuyu usually hurts my game, it is the 6th, and today was no exception. A lovely looking drive, the ball pitches at the top of the rise, but appears to bounce left. When I came to the ball I saw it was just 10 metres from where it had pitched. Then the second (maybe not the most perfectly aligned) shot, pitched 10m short of the green, but finished 5m short of the green… You would think I would be used to it by now…

After rather carelessly parring the 8th (badly misaligned 2nd shot), I found myself on 17 points with a hole to play on the front nine.
The ninth, temporary par 3, stated to be 148m on the Autoscore card, but the tee markers were close to the temporary men’s distance of 176m. I hit 3 wood and was short of the ‘green’ (wherever that started), and then was not sure what I would use, as I was not going for a green, but a part of the fairway with a hole in it… I didn’t care about it, didn’t take it seriously, but was just pee’d off at the whole thing, and ended up picking up… was still wound up about it on the 10th green and picked up there as well…

I have been told that the 9th has been indexed (7) to be akin to a par 4. My response to that is to say thank goodness I missed those six close putts on Tuesday, otherwise I would have had to play that hole to scratch today.

It is almost not worth playing to my handicap lest I drop that shot and have to play that hole to scratch…

Front nine 42 off stick (17 pts)
5 Pars (1, 3, 5, 7, 8)
3 Bogeys (2, 4, 6)
1 Triple Bogey (9) Pick up
4 FIR
3 GIR (5, 7, 8) 2 & 3 missed inside a metre
1 Three putt (9) as pick up
2 One putts (1, 3)

Uptight start to the back nine, but ball striking improving as round went along.
Missed 10th green by a metre, and the 11th by inches.

Again my game proved its sense of humour, by me sinking a 5m birdie put on 18.

Back nine 41 off stick (16 pts)
1 Birdie (18)
4 Pars (12, 14, 15, 16)
3 Bogeys (11, 13, 17)
1 Double Bogey (10) Pick up
4 FIR
4 GIR (14, 15, 16, 18)
2 Three putts (10, 14) (inc pick up on 10)
3 one putts (12, 13, 18)

Friday, Stableford, short (altered) course,
result: 83 off stick (33 pts) Differential 13
1 Birdie
9 Pars
6 Bogeys
1 Double Bogey
1 Triple Bogey
FIR – 57%
GIR – 39%
3 Three putts (including pick-ups on 9 &10)
5 One putts
Putts – 34 – 17 & 17

Handicap blows out .2 to 7.2
Only 3rd blow out round since the beginning of August (23 games).

As I approach the end of my eighth complete calendar year of club golf, it is interesting to look at the development of my game from you to year. For example, in 2005 (my first full year of golf) I played just 34 comp games, I was studying at the time. In 53% of those games, I scored a gross of 100 or more, the rest (47%) were in the 90s – none below 90. In 2011, the year with the most comp games (97), 62% were grosses in the 80s.
The shift is interesting to see.

2005 (34 games, average gross 101.03)
90s 47%
100s 50%
Other 3%
In this case ‘other’ denotes a score over 110, for the rest of the list ‘other’ represents handicapped games on the par 60 course, or pre April 2010 new system DNF, NCR or DSQ .

2006 (43 games, ave gross 95.51)
80s 12%
90s 67%
100s 21%

2007 (55 games, ave gross 92.48)
80s 25%
90s 65%
100s 5%
Other 4%

2008 (70 games, ave gross 91.87)
80s 29%
90s 59%
100s 9%
Other 4%

2009 (62 games, ave gross 90.59)
80s 42%
90s 55%
100s 2%
Other 2%

2010 (87 games, ave gross 88.23)
70s 2
80s 56%
90s 40%
100s 0%
Other 1%

2011 (97 games, ave gross 88.34)
70s 2%
80s 62%
90s 33%
100s 2%
Other 1%

2012 to 1 Dec (79 games, ave gross 85.47)
70s 11%
80s 71%
90s 15%
100s 1%
Other 1%

14 Jan 2005 – 30 Nov 2012
(527 games, ave gross 90.4)
70s 2%
80s 44%
90s 45%
100s 8%
Other 2%

A rare practice (non-comp) round, hoping to inject a bit of intensity into the play… it ebbed and flowed.

Front nine – 44 off stick (15 pts)
3 Pars
5 Bogeys
1 Triple Bogey
5/6 FIR
5 GIR
4 three putts ( inc a pick up)
3 one putts

Back nine – 41 off stick(16 pts)
5 Pars
4 Bogeys
4/7 FIR
5 GIR
1 three putt
2 one putts

Total – 85 off stick (31 pts)
8 Pars
9 Bogeys
1 Triple Bogey
FIR – 64%
GIR – 59%
5 three putts ( inc a pick up)
5 One putts
Putts – 36 – 19 & 17

I must admit I am seriously contemplating (and exploring the idea of) moving to a different club (The Vines), ostensibly to look for more competition in my game.

The main points of attraction are that at my home club ‘A’ grade goes up to 23 and I am the only single digit handicapper, while at The Vines ‘A’ grade goes up to 18 and there are sever al single digit players, so the chance of stronger competition is at The Vines.
But I would not always be playing with A graders, or single digit players, but it could happen more regularly than at my current club.

Is that a good enough reason to leave a club I have been with for eight years?... my first round with the club was eight years ago tomorrow (30 November 2004 – 111 off the stick).

So how am I working it out?
Money – can I afford it?
Membership subs and 6 day playing rights.
My home club works if I set aside $45 per fortnight
The Vines works if I set aside $60 per fortnight
Can I handle that?
yes… but that is not the only financial cost.

Distance – driving.
It takes a bit over 10 minutes to drive to my home club,
it usually takes a bit over 20 minutes to drive to The Vines.
I spend some time most days at my home club for short game practice. Would I do the same at The Vines?... probably…

I cannot house my gopher at my current club, but I would be able to keep it housed and charged at The Vines for a cost of up to $300 a year. This would mean that there would be no need for me to tow my gopher to The Vines (with cost/petrol savings, and wear and tear on a 20 year old car)... but $300 worth?

A new club, a different culture, some people will know me, most won’t… I may find that the on course issues I have at my current club, may be present at a new club…. a risk?

To stay where I am would be cheaper, though possibly less competitive. My challenge would be to continue to search for strategies to improve mental discipline… but then again, that would probably be a challenge for me wherever I was…

The pros of staying put are: lower cost, familiarity with club, course and members.
The pros of going to The Vines are: a better/more diverse course with Santa-Anna Couch fairways), probability of higher level of competition, on site housing of gopher, better clubhouse facilities, a few free games a year at a few other courses in Adelaide….

I feel pangs of guilt or a feeling of disloyalty at thinking of going elsewhere… but as some people have said to me that the other ladies at the club would understand why I would be going and would not hold it against me… and that I need to decide what is best for me, and my golf – as it is very important to me.

But my gopher is what is sticking in my mind in relation to making a decision at this point.

On Tuesday the gopher seemed to be under-powering, and was very sluggish to get going.
If I moved to The Vines and my gopher broke down, there are the costs of repair, and even just getting it back to the clubhouse – downhill, without the electrostatic brakes…. imagine having to free-wheel it down hill without brakes…

Do I stay where I am, and save the money I would otherwise have used for subs at The Vines for future gopher servicing (lately going toward gym membership… rarely go..)... or save longer term to replace the (now 7 and a half year old) machine??

I need to finalise a decision by the end of March…
much to think about.

The speed at which men play golf is inversely proportional to that of the vehicle bearing their clubs

I was in a very similar position and after years of dithering chose to move clubs for increased competition, a champ course, larger membership but similar distance differences, membership costs etc that you’re experiencing. Money was tight but I didn’t have to run a gopher and I was earning – but for me it was a great move and I didn’t really imagine the benefits until I experienced the change – if that makes sense :) Maybe the gym membership might have to go….

Good luck with it.

Maggie, if I had a newer gopher (or similar vehicle), and perhaps a newer car, I would be a member at the Vines on Easter Tuesday next year… That is not going to happen in a hurry, so either will my moving clubs…

It’s just how it is… though I do appreciate hearing about your experience

and the gym membership is gone

OK, let’s get the excuses out of the way first…
A cold, very windy day with a few light showers… at the tail end of the field of a stroke round – slow… in a group with handicappers (other than mine) that ranged from 25 to 45 (the lady I marked).
Having said that, it was pleasant company, and I largely held my focus together for the front nine… but you can hold it for only ‘so’ long.

Front nine 42 off stick
1 Birdie (4)
4 Pars (2, 5, 7, 9)
2 Bogeys (1, 8)
1 Double Bogey (3)
1 Triple Bogey (6)
5/6 FIR
3 GIR (4, 8, 9)
1 Three putt (8)
5 One putts (1, 2, 4, 5, 7)
Missed greens: 6
1st, short, into strong wind (1-putt Bogey)
2nd, short, miss-hit off tee (1-putt Par)
3rd, short wide sprayed 2nd shot right (2-putt Double Bogey)
5th, short, into wind (1-putt Par)
6th short wide sprayed 2nd shot right (2-putt Triple Bogey)
7th, short, under-clubbed approach to green (1-putt Par)

Notwithstanding butchering the 3rd, the carnage of the 6th, and the wastefulness of the 8th, where a long uphill putt for eagle became a straight drive past the bowler for four runs – I could accept 42 at the turn, though I was well aware that I was (at best) holding myself together, rather than feeling comfortable and relaxed in my game.

The hold I had on myself slipped a bit on the 10th, and then was lost completely on the 11th where I pulled the drive into trouble, then hit into deeper trouble, later finding sand, out, on the green, and finishing with a NINE…. My major thought from there was not to give it away, to try and keep interested… Four bogeys and a double later I was on the 18th green for two… missed the first putt, lipped the second, tried to tap it in toward myself, but the ball missed the hole and hit my foot, so I picked the ball up and threw it off the green – disqualification….

Later in the clubrooms, I was accused of protecting my handicap… I don’t even understand that concept…

Back nine – undefined, but call it 51 off stick
1 Par (12)
6 Bogeys (10, 13, 14, 15, 17)
2 Double Bogeys (16, 18)
1 Quintuple Bogey (11)
3/7 FIR
3 GIR (12, 14, 18)
3 Three (or more) putts (14, 16, 18) – undefined putts on 18
0 One putts ()
Missed greens: 6
10th, short, out of fairway bunker (2-putt Bogey)
11th, the less said the better (2 putt Quintuple Bogey)
13th, left, approach ran off green (2-putt Bogey)
15th, short, slightly wayward approach (2-putt Bogey)
16th short into wind (3-putt Double Bogey)
17th short, short drive left too much to recover (2-putt Bogey)

Tuesday, Stroke, standard (altered) course,
result: possibly 93 (but officially 95 gross) off stick
Differential 22
1 Birdie
5 Pars
8 Bogeys
3 Double Bogeys
1 Triple Bogey
1 Quintuple Bogey
FIR – 64%
GIR – 33%
4 Three putts (or more)
5 One putts
Putts – 36? – 14 & 22?

Handicap remains on 7.2

Oh, by the way… 93 would have been best off the stick….

Another twilight zone at the Vines… where it was suggested that my under-powering of my gopher could be the batteries beginning to drop… no surprise as I was told recently that the batteries are 5 years old…

anyway, putting on the practice green was like a cloudburst – they fell like rain… get out on the course and 3-putt 4 holes, in a 9 hole round. Putts lipped, others stopped on the edge… 13 points and I was not happy with my ball striking… It needs to work tomorrow – Stableford again, what else would it be?

Expected top temperature being 36, today’s comp was reduced to nine holes… and after four of them I had two double bogeys, a bogey and a par… and was still 17 points for the front nine (no birdies).

Ball-striking did not feel right early on, and was battling with frustration at the slow play. The group in front was a hole behind, but not seeming to make any effort in keeping up… grrr!

Front nine (the only one that counts today) 42 off stick (17 pts)
5 Pars (3, 5, 7, 8, 9)
2 Bogeys (1, 6)
2 Double Bogeys (2, 4)
4/6 FIR
1 GIR (9)
1 Three putt (2) same as pick up
6 One putts (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
Missed greens: 8
1st, short wide, sprayed 2nd shot after long wait (2-putt Bogey)
2nd, short right into bunker, misread breeze (3-putt Double Bogey)
3rd, short by inches, fringe, Kikuyu, what can I say? (1-putt Par)
4th, right, long wait to play approach (1-putt Double Bogey)
5th, short, under-played drive (1-putt Par)
6th short wide sprayed 2nd shot right (1-putt Bogey)
7th, short by inches, miss-hit approach from light rough (1-putt Par)
9th, short by inches (1-putt Par)

Hitting only one green, two doubles, not striking the ball well… and still walking away with 17 points… my putting seems to have saved me somehow… 6 one putts, 13 putts in total…

Submitted the card and played on… and began by stringing six greens hit in a row – 3 pars, 3 bogeys, 3 three-putts… Ultimately it has no relevance, as the back nine was not handicapped.

Back nine – 42 off stick (14 pts)
4 Pars (10, 12, 13, 18)
5 Bogeys (11, 14, 15, 16, 17)
6/7 FIR
6 GIR (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
3 Three putts (11, 14, 15)
1 One putts (18)
Missed greens: 3
16th, pin-high right (2-putt Bogey)
17th, short right, short drive left too much to do (2 putt Bogey)
18th, pin-high left by inches, (1-putt Par)

Friday, Stableford, standard (altered) course, 9 hole comp.
result: 82 gross, differential 9.
As played – 84 off stick
9 Pars
7 Bogeys
2 Double Bogeys
FIR – 79%
GIR – 44%
4 Three putts
7 One putts
Putts – 33 – 13 & 20

Handicap drops .3 to 6.9 (equal lowest ever).

4BBB, non-handicapped, but nonetheless a chance to work on my resolve to maintain interest when there is nothing ‘riding’ on the game… In other words, treat every shot, every hole, every game the same, handicapped or not.

Part of this resolve comes a book I am currently reading, Dr Bob Rotella’s The Golfer’s Mind.

A couple of things caught my interest early in the book (I am going through it slowly), and they are:
1. Not allowing other things to bother or upset me on the course, or letting such things affect of control my attitude.
The 45 handicapper I marked for last Tuesday, I marker her card again today… and I found that being aware of my thoughts, and not allowing myself to accept the idea that other people’s inconsistent play was a cause for poor shots of poor processes, I found that I was catching myself thinking of the excuse – and stopped myself from carrying on with the thought. I also found that I was not getting wound up flustered or frustrated (almost as a result)... except for the fact that I could not buy a first putt… but that was just a judgement issue… more about that later.

2. Accepting that poor shots will happen, that remembering them ahead of the good shots is not just adding insult to that injury, it is a sure path to frustration and lower confidence.
Yes I played some bad shots. Badly executed drives, or recoveries. These were from poor preparation or alignment, nothing more, my response was to look closely at my process rather than get frustrated at the acts of others… After losing the grip on my focus last Tuesday, my back nine today shows the early results of my new resolve.

As I said before, I could not buy a first put today, but third putts seemed to be going cheap, so I got nearly half a dozen.

Instead of remembering wayward shots, I will notice good shots, or shots that I was happy with, irrespective of their result. Fairways and greens hit are acknowledged in the stats, but these are shots that I was happy with their execution, or their consequences.
Good shots – front nine
4th, Third shot – after finding water off tee and taking drop, hybrid through narrow gap to find fairway 120m out.
7th – Approach shot pitches mid green, but bounces square and rolls off green – pin high.
8th – second shot finds front of green.
9th – second shot stops level to, and a foot from, pin.

Front nine 44 off stick (15 pts)
3 Pars (2, 8, 9)
4 Bogeys (1, 3, 5, 7)
2 Double Bogeys (4, 6)
4/6 FIR
3 GIR (2, 5, 8)
8 GIHR (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
4 Three putt (4, 5, 6, 8)
1 One putt (9)
Missed GIR: 6 (missed by a metre or less – 3rd, 7th)
1st, short, miss-hit drive, too much to make up (2-putt Bogey)
3rd, short fringe, thought it was enough club (2-putt Bogey)
4th, way short, drive found water (3-putt Double Bogey)
6th short, miss-hit approach (3-putt Double Bogey)
7th, pin-high left, approach bounced square on green (2-putt Bogey)
9th, short, misread wind (1-putt Par)

The greens had been cored and dusted, but that is no excuse, I was just not getting the weight right on my putts – simple.

Holding it together mentally, but could it continue? While I was not thinking about it, I was holding it together last Tuesday at this point as well, only today did not feel it was a task to keep it together.

Good shots – back nine
10th, second shot finished 2m past pin.
13th – Approach shot pitches and stops mid green.
15th – second shot clears bunker and finds front of green.
17th – second shot stops stops adjacent to green-side bunker.
18th – second shot finds green 3m from pin.

Back nine – 40 off stick (17 pts)
7 Pars (10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18)
1 Bogey (14)
1 Double Bogey (11)
5/7 FIR
7 GIR (10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18)
7 GIHR (10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18)
1 Three putts (11)
0 One putts ()
Missed greens: 2 (missed by a metre or less – 11th)
11th, short, from light rough (3-putt Double Bogey)
14th, short, after recovery from bushes (2 putt Bogey)

Friday, 4BBB Stableford, Short (altered) course.
personal result: 84 off stick, non handicapped
10 Pars
5 Bogeys
3 Double Bogeys
FIR – 64%
GIR – 61%
GIHR – 83%
5 Three putts
1 One putts
Putts – 40 – 21 & 19 (ouch)
Understanding that this is a ‘dry run’ in relation to my new resolve, the true test begins with a handicapped game…
Friday – stroke… my last non-stableford round for 2012.

The weather forecast said there would be isolated showers… I did not know I played on an isolated course.. for once it started it didn’t stop we finished… but I am getting ahead of myself…

Being a stroke round, play was slow. Ball-striking did not start well, though it improved, by then it was irrelevant – wet Kikuyu is like flypaper. It began under threatening skies (a threat that was soon to be carried out)... showery, humid, sticky, uncomfortable, and early on – windy.

There were light showers by the third, and steady rain by the eighth, which generally stayed around for the duration, fading on the last hole.

Lesson for the day – carry more than one glove. My glove was wet by the fifth, and had to be regularly wrung out from the seventh. Getting and maintaining a grip was difficult with or without a glove through most of the round as everything got wet… and in the end i was wet to the skin – even in wet-weather gear.

Good shots – front nine
1st – Third shot pitching from green-side grass hollow, close to pin.
9th – second shot stops close to pin.

Front nine 42 off stick
3 Pars (1, 5, 9)
6 Bogeys (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
3/6 FIR
1 GIR (5)
6 GIHR (1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
0 Three putt ()
2 One putt (1, 9)
Missed GIR: 8 (missed by a metre or less – 3rd, 9th)
1st, approach rolled into green-side hollow (1-putt Par)
2nd, right, in green-side bunker (2-putt Bogey)
3rd, short fringe, wet Kikuyu (2-putt Bogey)
4th, short, out of trouble (2-putt Bogey)
6th short, miss-hit out of rough (2-putt Bogey)
7th, short, recovery from trees (2-putt Bogey)
8th, short, caught in wet Kikuyu (2-putt Bogey)
9th, stopped just short of temp green (1-putt Par)

I began the round thinking that there would be short showers, so went without my umbrella. With the main bridge over the creek out of action, I could not nip into the clubroom and get the brolly after the 6th… so had to do without it for the round… my wet-weather jacket was saturated, the sleeves clinging to my arns… it was a tough day… Highlighted by a 10 metre birdie putt on 12. It ran straight at the hole. It was always going in… it just had to get there, and it did.

Gripping clubs became a struggle, and a couple of doubles and a 3-putt occurred in the last four holes… the ball barely moved once it hit the ground… under the conditions, I’m satisfied.

Good shots – back nine
12th, 10m+ putt
13th – Approach shot pitches and stops mid green.
14th & 15th – Approaches would have been on, on a dry day.
16th – drive finds green, not easy when gripping is uncertain.
18th – Approach just rolls off green.

Back nine – 42 off stick
1 Birdie (12)
4 Pars (13, 14, 16, 18)
2 Bogeys (10, 11)
2 Double Bogeys (15, 17)
4/7 FIR
3 GIR (12, 13, 16)
3 GIHR (12, 13, 16)
1 Three putts (15)
3 One putts (12, 14, 18)
Missed greens: 6 (missed by a metre or less – 10th, 14th, 15th, 18)
10th, short, app from rough just clears g/s bunker (2-putt Bogey)
11th, short, miss-hit app (2 putt Bogey)
14th, short, app caught in wet fringe (1-putt Par)
15th short, app caught in wet fringe (3-putt Double Bogey)
17th well short, poor drive and 2nd shot (2-putt Double Bogey)
18th, app rolled just off green (10 ‘o clock) (1-putt Par)

Friday, Stroke, Standard (altered) course.
result: 84 off stick, Differential 11
1 Birdie
7 Pars
8 Bogeys
2 Double Bogeys
FIR – 57%
GIR – 28%
GIHR – 50%
1 Three putts
5 One putts
Putts – 32 – 16 & 16

With all my top eight differentials being single digits, today’s 11 means nothing.
Handicap remains on 6.9.

I am becoming more readily aware of the thoughts that would ordinarily derail my focus, which would lead to excuses and blaming external forces for poor shots (thank you Dr Rotella). I recognise those thoughts, and instead of letting them run in my head, I catch them and squash them… but sometimes the mind wanders elsewhere… this is a work in progress.

With a less tumultuous mind to contend with, I wonder if I am noticing more what I need to look at tactically in my game – especially in the back nine, or where I have no shots to support me. On my handicap (7), at my home course I have five shots on the front nine, but only two on the back. After an indifferent start (like today) like two points after the first two holes, I would still have four shots to help me recover to a good score for the front nine (again, like today’s 19 pts). But on the back nine, if I drop a point early (like on the 10th today) I only have two shots to recover during that nine…. I think the answer would have to be (as standard procedure) to attack the pin on every hole on the back nine, and not be happy or satisfied to be safe anywhere on the green in reg…. especially when the course is set up short.

Today started with having a long wait for the group in front to clear the first green, from then the play was at a good pace.

Struggled to find my feel early. a few unlucky putts, and shots that held up in the grass… I am not greatly concerned about the round today… In relation to par, I played to my handicap (7 over).

Good shots – front nine
6th – second shot straight flight, pitched on fringe, and struggled to reach green.
7th – second shot from rough straight down middle, rolling to left.
8th – second shot pitched and bounced in rough, but reached green.
9th – drive to mid ‘green’

Front nine 40 off stick (19 pts)
1 Birdie (8)
4 Pars (3, 5, 6, 9)
3 Bogeys (2, 4, 7)
1 Double Bogey (1)
4/6 FIR
5 GIR (3, 5, 6, 8, 9)
7 GIHR (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
0 Three putt ()
1 One putt (1)
Missed GIR: 4 (missed by a metre or so – 2nd, 4th, 7th)
1st, app pulled into rough after long wait (1-putt Double Bogey)
2nd, left, just short of pin-high (2-putt Bogey)
4th, short left fringe, just didn’t go for it (2-putt Bogey)
7th, left, rolled hands early (2-putt Bogey)

19 points after a shaky start, nothing to be upset about.

Good shots – back nine
13th, drive & third shot, taking on bunkers (ball just didn’t release)
15th – drive and approach.
16th – first putt.
17th – drive to good position.
18th – Approach to mid green.

Back nine – 40 off stick (17 pts)
6 Pars (11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18)
3 Bogeys (10, 14, 17)
4/7 FIR
4 GIR (14, 15, 16, 18)
6 GIHR (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
1 Three putts (14)
3 One putts (11, 12, 13)
Missed greens: 5 (missed by a metre or less – 11, 12, 13)
10th, short, app from rough, difficult stance (2-putt Bogey)
11th, short, pulled up on fringe (1 putt Par)
12th, left (inches), misaligned approach (1-putt Par)
13th short (inches), app just didn’t run on (1-putt Par)
17th short, app hit overhanging branch (2-putt Bogey)

Tuesday, Stableford, short (altered) course.
result: 80 off stick (36 pts), Differential 10
1 Birdie
10 Pars
6 Bogeys
1 Double Bogey
FIR – 57%
GIR – 50%
GIHR – 72%
1 Three putts
4 One putts
Putts – 33 – 17 & 16

Today’s differential 10 replaces an 8
Handicap blows out .3 to 7.2.

With one expected comp game to go for 2012, here are a few preliminary stats for the year.

Average Stableoford, 32.8 pts
Average Stroke (nett), 73.7
Average Par, 0.4

Ten days since I had a club in my hands, and after a week in Melbourne… no warm up – not as much as a single practice putt… on a windy day… I saw how quickly rust can develop on one’s game, technique, focus, etc.

Today I will not be concerned about good shots or missed greens. Suffice to say that there were not many good shots, and fewer greens hit.

Front nine 47 off stick (12 pts)
1 Birdie (8)
4 Bogeys (2, 3, 5, 6)
4 Double Bogeys (1, 4, 7, 9)
5/6 FIR
1 GIR (8)
3 GIHR (4, 6, 8)
1 Three putt (4)
1 One putt (8)

Back nine – 44 off stick (13 pts)
4 Pars (11, 14, 17, 18)
3 Bogeys (10, 12, 16)
2 Double Bogeys (13, 15)
4/7 FIR
2 GIR (11, 14)
3 GIHR (11, 14, 17)
0 Three putts ()
2 One putts (17, 18)

Friday, Stableford, standard (altered) course.
result: 91 off stick (25 pts), Differential 18
1 Birdie
4 Pars
7 Bogeys
6 Double Bogeys
FIR – 69%
GIR – 17%
GIHR – 33%
1 Three putts
3 One putts
Putts – 34 – 18 & 16

Handicap remains 7.2. (lowest end-of-year handicap)

Ten days since I had a club in my hands, after a week in Melbourne… no warm up, tired, sore…. not a good recipe for competitive golf.

2012, a good year for me golf-wise.
Record low scores, record low handicap.
Best off the stick for a stroke round, 77, way back on 31 January.

Best gross, 77 – twice, both Par rounds, 7 February and 19 October.

Best Par round, +7 on 19 October
Unofficially best off the stick , 74 in Par round 19 October.

Equal best differential, 4 on 26 October

Lowest average gross for a year, 85.19

Lowest handicap, 6.9,
First achieved 16 March
lost, morning of 18 March
regained, afternoon of 18 March
lost, 24 March
regained, 7 December
lost, 18 December.

Best Stableford for the year, 41 pts, twice, on 5 and 26 October.

So the sun is beginning to set on the last evening of 2012, and when it rises again, it will be 2013.

What did I think of my golfing year of 2012, not the statistical aspects (which can be seen above) but how did I feel bout things, what was i satisfied with, and where was I less satisfied? – and what do I hope for in 2013?

The most satisfying event for me golf-wise in 2012 was winning the club championship final by a large margin (11 & 10), and knowing that margin could have (and should have) been wider. Also the satisfaction in remembering how I generally maintained my process even when the pressure dropped.

The least satisfying period was during winter when I lost confidence in my swing, thinking it was faulty while it was actually sound. I played to my handicap just twice in the first 20 rounds after the club championship it was my mental approach that was faulty. Once I realised my swing was fine I played six of the next 20 rounds to my handicap (another four to within one).

The year ends with a better grasp on what I need in relation to mental discipline and acceptance. Accepting that bad shots and bad rounds will happen, while maintaining trust in my process.

As for 2013, I aim to explore this mental discipline further. Focussing on remaining in the present, letting things happen as they will about me, executing that which I can as well as I can, and not disregard the round I am playing.

I have not handicap goal for 2013, no definitive golfing resolution beyond that which I have stated.

I once thought playing with people close to my handicap was a panacea to my game, but the key was with me all the time.

Happy new year!

happy golfing Mekat, great to see your revelation, ” I once thought playing with people close to my handicap was a panacea to my game, but the key was with me all the time. ” It is a great game not only to play but for the thinking which comes from ambling around the course.

Happy new year to you Tal. Yes, there are so many levels and layers of learning in this game… But suffice to say that I am not setting any specific goals for 2013 – just work on what I can do, and let results take care of themselves.

I am so looking forward to the battles and jousting we will have over the coming football season,,, just six weeks Friday til the first round of the NAB Cup.

Go Pies!

just warming up ;)

I have upgraded my playing rights to seven days, which allows me to play in the small Saturday comp…. Just as well I did…
Was planning to have my first comp round for 2013 tomorrow. The early forecast was for 41 degrees, that would have reduced the comp to 9 holes… and I would have played… but as the official forecast for Adelaide tomorrow is actually 44 degrees… ummm!... and the forecast for Saturday is 31 degrees… I know which one I’ll choose….

A rude reminder of why I dropped Saturday games was in store for me today. but now it is why I need to keep playing on Saturdays to develop my mental focus.

Playing in the middle of the Men’s Saturday comp is (let’s face it guys) a lot slower than playing in the women’s comp on Tuesday. Developing the skill of maintaining mental focus, interest, and my process, under duress is best done under the worst of conditions, like those found in the Men’s comp on Saturdays.

Today was a very warm, breezy, stroke round. It was only my second round of golf in the last 18 days, so rust (both physical and mental) was very evident from the start.

Mixed but underdone warm up, lead to a struggle to find feel in my technique, add a constant misreading of the breeze, and the slow pace of play leading to my technique falling apart later in the back nine.

I hit more traps than a mouse plague, saw more sand than a day on the beach.. etc..

Playing decent golf (I feel) requires regular playing on course, maintaining a routine of playing. This routine has been disturbed for me in recent weeks, and I hope it will become more settled and stable in the coming weeks… Nine hole rounds by virtue of hot weather is still on course play.. but 43 – 45 degrees is just silly.

The first hole was a portent of what was to come.
Drive to just short of the fairway bunker I would hit into. From the bunker onto the fairway, then into the green-side bunker. Out of the bunker, over the green, then on for 6, two putts for a quadruple bogey 8.

Front nine 47 off stick
1 Birdie (8)
1 Par (2)
2 Bogeys (6, 7)
3 Double Bogeys (3, 4, 5)
1 Quadruple Bogey (1)
3/6 FIR
1 GIR (8)
4 GIHR (6, 7, 8, 9)
1 Three putt (3)
3 One putts (2, 8, 9)

Back nine – 48 off stick
2 Pars (11, 12)
4 Bogeys (10, 13, 15, 17)
2 Double Bogeys (15, 18)
1 Triple Bogey (14)
4/7 FIR
3 GIR (11, 12,17)
4 GIHR (11, 12, 13, 17)
2 Three putts (14, 17)
0 One putts ()

Saturday, Stroke, short (altered) course.
result: 95 off stick, Differential 25
1 Birdie, you know that my game has a sense of irony.
3 Pars
6 Bogeys
5 Double Bogeys
1 Triple Bogey
1 Quadruple Bogey
FIR – 43%
GIR – 28%
GIHR – 44%
3 Three putts
3 One putts
Putts – 36 – 16 & 20

Handicap remains 7.2… and that’s the punch-line of the joke.

Meekat here’s a good read and many more in Golf School – Psycology section.

http://www.iseekgolf.com/go...

It’s a facet of the game a lot of us club hcp players avoid. The ability to prepare to take out the factors we can’t control. Eg. Slow play, outside noises, slow playing partners, frustrated playing partners throwing tantrums etc.

If you can develop a way to switch off from golf between shots you may overcome this. I’ve spent time talking with playing partners etc but have also developed things playing solo. This I find the most difficult time to get your head out of the game.
Andrea’s topics are the best in the section IMO and I often return to them.
Good luck.

I don’t have a problem with outside noise (non human voice) on the course.. hey, my home course is just off the end of the main runway of Adelaide Airport… Jet aircraft fly almost directly over the third green… you can’t hear anything else on most of the front nine when a plane is landing or taking off.

My main issue is around slow play/slow playing partners. I am developing a switch on and off, but it is when I want to switch on, but can’t because the group in front is still in my range, or when I am wanting to play my 2nd shot, a partner who may be slightly backward of me is preparing to play her 3rd or (sometimes even) 4th shot.

On the tee of a par 4 or 5 on my home course (this includes the first), if I have the honour, I can (almost) never take it, as the shorter hitters tend to go first (to keep play moving), but heaven help me if I play even slightly out of turn on the fairway.

It is in wanting to switch on and prepare for my shot where lies an issue. I am always anticipating when I can go into preparation and pre-shot routine. I can go from off, to anticipation of switching on, then either to off again, or I can switch on.

An illustration of this was today on the 13th, My drive was a good long one, the breeze and the Santa-Anna fairway gave it good run (the 13th is our only Santa-Anna fairway). My playing partners hit their drives and second shots, so as I approached my ball I began to anticipate preparing for my 2nd shot. Two of my partners balls were about five metres short of my ball, so I had to switch off again and wait for them to play their third shots from just backward of my drive before I could go back through anticipation and switch on… suffice to say I sprayed my second shot, the third found the green-side bunker, on for four, two putt bogey.

This is a situation that if it is bad enough in some rounds, it can break down one’s very technique in a round.

I have a lot of work to do on this issue. I am going through Dr Rotella’s book ‘The Golfer’s Mind’ for strategies to combat it.

Mekat, I think that you have identified this mental issue (with slow or higher HC playing companions) for a long time. If you can find a fix to it (and I think that Rotella is really good), then it will make a huge difference to your play – even if just wiping out the mental chatter you seem to be battling with.

One other thing that I might suggest is specifically watching some of the pros – there are some that seem to cope mentally really well and some that seem constantly pissed off. This suggests to me that the mental game can still be a problem even when you are playing with good players. I hear some tour pros talk about their frustration with other slow players. So even though it is high handicappers that get in your head at the moment, it might just as much be something else that gets in your head if you were playing with low handicappers. Maybe not, but if you can find a way to deal with it, I reckon it will equip you really well for other things that might come your way.

Car unexpectedly being kept at garage overnight, so no golf tomorrow…. can’t get gopher to course, and I cant walk 18 holes… so can’t play comp… Next game Friday or Saturday.

Nine hole serious practice session.. Walked all nine, pushing my Smoothy buggy through that thick Kikuyu…. I shouldn’t have… my legs struggle to deal with it… thank goodness I’ll have my gopher tomorrow – I hope nothing happens to it tomorrow.

Main focus in today’s practice was firming and maintaining my grip throughout the swing. I find that I have a tendency to soften my grip in the backswing – to the point of nearly letting go with one hand. The other focus was maintaining a flat left wrist in my putting stroke, and have one moving part…

I hope my game is not teasing me…

Front nine practice
1st – Good contact with drive, but faded into forward end of fairway bunker. Another good contact with 9iron out of bunker to 30m off green. Pitch on (GIHR), 2-putt bogey 5… Acceptable start.

2nd – Tee markers were forward today. Pin close to front edge of green, pitching wedge finished on green at 10 0’clock to and 8m away from hole (GIR), 2-putt par 3.

3rd, Another good connection off tee, aimed right, and finished 6 inches off fairway right. Green-keeper was mowing fringes, and we would encounter him a few times… after waiting for the mower, 7iron seemed the right club, connection was good and travelling in pin direction. lost sight of ball as it landed, as the mower passed by the back of the green…... It was pin high 2m left GIR)... 1 putt birdie 3.

4th – A low drive to middle fairway, sweet connection with 3wood for 2nd shot. Approach pitched in light rough less than 5m in front of green… the ball stopped on fringe – the joys of Kikuyu… putted on (GIHR)... 2-putt bogey 6.

5th – After watching the mower perform its dance, 7iron, straight over green-side bunker, pin high 3m left (GIR), 1-putt birdie 2.

6th – A short wait for mower hypnotically going back and fourth across the fairway, middled driver over rise. 7iron approach pitched on fairway just five metres short of green, but bull stopped just off front of green… one would think I would be used to it by now…chipped on close (GIHR), 1-putt par…. 6 holes, even par.

7th – By now legs were pretty much finished, but three holes to go… After going in for loo stop and getting umbrella for shade… rushed drive left, 2nd shot drew into trouble, 3rd shot chipped out onto fairway, duffed 4th shot left, pitched close for 5… missed 6 inch putt, in for double bogey 7.

8th – Good connection with drive, but there was an unintentional slight fade onto fairway right. Hybrid 2nd shot ran just off back of green. Putted on, down-hill stopping adjacent to hole (GIR), 1-putt birdie 4. Three birdies!!!

9th, and all I want to do is finish – Slack alignment sees ball draw into rough. underplayed pitch to temporary green – still in rough, but third shot finds green, and one putt finds the hole.

38 off stick
3 Birdies
3 Pars
2 Bogeys
1 Double bogey
4 GIR
7 GIHR
13 putts (five 1-putts)

I really hope my game is not teasing me…
see what happens tomorrow.