Today I finished our annual three day Mens Club Championship. I went in with high confiidence after fine tuning my swing on the range and checking everything out on video. I had a choice of playing gross or net and chose gross because I wanted a true test. I've beaten the guys that won first/second/third today on informal Friday Skins matches, but this was a different ballgame. Unfortunately I can't post this in the Hole-ies/Pole-ies section because I didn't place. I PM'd the following to Yoda and he encouraged me to post it. Its not easy to post about personal disappointments. I really wanted that parking spot!
Yoda,
I didn't place. Our course was in excellent shape and the rough off the fairways was a three-club-rough on every hole due to the heavy rains we've had for the last two months. Had to be right on top of the ball to see it.
Learned a ton. Even though I was disappointed in my performance, I wouldn't trade the experience.
For example, the first day I was grouped with our club champ and a former mini-tour player. While the former champ was throwing his club on double bogies, I was congratulating everyone else while carding a triple. Very hard to have high expectations for yourself, play poorly and still honestly congratulate your fellow competitors on each hole. That chin gets very heavy and its hard to hold up sometimes.
A real character builder.
The things I've been working on at the range did not hold up to competitive pressure. Hence they are wrong. The menace of overacceleration stalked me for a day and a half until I settled my backstroke into an acquired motion pattern with a full finish. Not true acquired motion because of the extra pivot action, but keeping the feel of the right forearm level at the end of the stroke really helped. Only then did I experience good compression and a straight ball without losing any distance on all clubs.
My short game held up very well. Just a simple right forearm wedge putting stroke with a right shoulder rock down plane. I made good money on skins on birdie putts and chip-ins that didn't get covered.
I took notes each day after the round on what worked and what didn't.
I love competitive golf. What a great test. Next year I'll be ready.
Whatever you do . . . don't beat yourself up man . . . you don't do it for a living and nobody died. What you were working on at range may not be wrong. Just like having a kid. They don't come with no instructions. People can tell you all about 'em. But until you got one . . . you don't know squat. That's what a dude told me . . . "If you want to get better, you have to play in tournaments period." Don't wait until next year. Go play in another one ASAP.
Great post Bagger,
I bet the guys you played with don't know the work you do on this site......we do.
You put yourself to the test and learned that you need a bit more work-that's just being honest with yourself
and you should be proud
Don't get me wrong, I hit many great shots. The kind that burn into your visual and sensory memory. The kind that are talked about after the round. The kind that absolutely confirm the ball was struck perfectly. Many more good than bad. Just not enough of them.
A three day tournament tests every element of your game including your character. You put everything into the fire to see what burns and what comes out pure. You won't find a hot fire on the range.
Thanks guys. I'm motivated baby!
__________________
Bagger
1-H "Because of questions of all kinds, reams of additional detail must be made available - but separately, and probably endlessly." Homer Kelly
Bagger....thanks for that. And know this...you and others on this forum have helped me gain a much more clear insight to propelling the pill. Thanks man.
If I may, can I ask what the percentage was between playing golf and playing golf swing? I don't mean to open a can of worms here but I've had experiences where I've done both with great success. I've also had experiences where playing golf swing did not. Hope ya don't mind.
If I may, can I ask what the percentage was between playing golf and playing golf swing? I don't mean to open a can of worms here but I've had experiences where I've done both with great success. I've also had experiences where playing golf swing did not. Hope ya don't mind.
spike
Spike - Great Question. I moved this thread into a forum where it makes sense to discuss this.
I'm a certified range rat. Probably spend over 90% of my time on the range and 10% on the course. It may be a higher ratio because I live two blocks from the clubhouse range. Its easier to peel off an hour a day for practice time, or maybe shoot a swing video than carve off 4 for a round.
I'm a single digit HC but lately its rising. In my opinion, the challenge with a lot of TGM knowledge is that its tempting to tinker.
A few months ago I commited myself to reversing the ratio and spending more practice time around the greens.
__________________
Bagger
1-H "Because of questions of all kinds, reams of additional detail must be made available - but separately, and probably endlessly." Homer Kelly
Spike - Great Question. I moved this thread into a forum where it makes sense to discuss this.
I'm a certified range rat. Probably spend over 90% of my time on the range and 10% on the course. It may be a higher ratio because I live two blocks from the clubhouse range. Its easier to peel off an hour a day for practice time, or maybe shoot a swing video than carve off 4 for a round.
I'm a single digit HC but lately its rising. In my opinion, the challenge with a lot of TGM knowledge is that its tempting to tinker.
A few months ago I commited myself to reversing the ratio and spending more practice time around the greens.
Stinker . . . here's a thought . . . how about purchasing a net for your "tinkering" mechanics practice . . . . and spending your hour at the range playing shots rather than mechanics. Use more of your range time to really practice like you play. Go through your routine change targes and clubs. Practice at a slower pace . . . the game is SLOW between shots so try not to hit and rake.
Stinker . . . here's a thought . . . how about purchasing a net for your "tinkering" mechanics practice . . . . and spending your hour at the range playing shots rather than mechanics. Use more of your range time to really practice like you play. Go through your routine change targes and clubs. Practice at a slower pace . . . the game is SLOW between shots so try not to hit and rake.
Bucket,
Much wisdom in this post. The reason why golfers CAN'T take it from the range to the course, because they never take it from the course to the range. At least fifty percent of your practice should be as you have described.
Stinker . . . here's a thought . . . how about purchasing a net for your "tinkering" mechanics practice . . . . and spending your hour at the range playing shots rather than mechanics. Use more of your range time to really practice like you play. Go through your routine change targes and clubs. Practice at a slower pace . . . the game is SLOW between shots so try not to hit and rake.
Makes sense pokechop, but my course is hilly canyon style. Short but very tight. Target golf on every hole. Most shots are uphill, downhill, sidehill so my plan is to just walk 9 a few mornings a week before work and do my practice on the course. Side benefit is the workout.
I like the net idea for mechanics but my lightbulb moment this weekend was competitive heat. The intent of playing my absolute best with others doing the same for a prize. Putting each stroke to that test is what its all about and doing it on the range or even in a casual practice round is hard to duplicate. Its a combination of mindset and environment. The intensity level gets jacked up, but also have to stay relaxed and have some laughs between shots.
I've worked the imperatives and essentials for years now. Its time to let them out for some hard playing time. I'll be back to tinkering when I've made some significant scoring breakthroughs.
__________________
Bagger
1-H "Because of questions of all kinds, reams of additional detail must be made available - but separately, and probably endlessly." Homer Kelly
Practice at a slower pace . . . the game is SLOW between shots so try not to hit and rake.
Very good point. Hitting balls too fast on the range becomes like Geoff Ogilvy described as like throwing rolled up paper into a trash can. Once you get the first one the rest are easy as you get into a rhythm.
For what it’s worth when I practice I try to not hit the same club more that three times in a row and when hitting my irons I try and hit a “Ben Doyle” basic motion chip with a little pivot, then an acquired motion pitch, a punch and then a full shot. To me this is to mimic what happens on the course where you rarely have two full iron shots in a row.
__________________ Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing.
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Target golf on every hole. Most shots are uphill, downhill, sidehill so my plan is to just walk 9 a few mornings a week before work and do my practice on the course. Side benefit is the workout.
Hybrid Mode
