Its been a while since I posted any updates and that isnt a great thing. I’m updating this site mostly for me. These posts help me reflect on my rounds, my progress, and they remind me what I’m working on and what has/hasn’t been working.

Bottom line: My game is in the best shape its been. My last 4 rounds were all in the 80s and I’ve lowered my handicap down to 14.1 from 16.6 in March. My average score in 2012 is 89.2. But most importantly, I’m hitting golf shots that look, feel, sound and perform like real golf shots. Not only that, but I’m trying shots I wouldn’t have tried before. I’ve tried to intentionally fade the ball, or play a trap slice out of the trees to recover. I’ve tried the “belly wedge” around the green. Basically, I’m trying to play golf.

I haven’t had a brush with 80 yet however. 84 is my best round so far this year with a pair of 85s and an 88. I haven’t put everything together yet. My putting is a problem area. I don’t have any confidence or a consistent stroke and the only way I can break 80 is by putting better. I need to stop 3-putting and I need to roll in some longer birdie opportunities. Looking at my trends (on myscorecard.com) over the next 10 rounds, if I continue to play as well as I have on the previous 10, I could drop my handicap by as much as 8 strokes. I think that is a bit unreasonable, but it gives me something to shoot for. If I factor in the last 20 rounds, then I could drop it by 6 strokes over the next 20 rounds. I’d be a single digit handicap player. But I need consistency off the tee and consistency with my short game to make that happen. I think its a lot easier to lower your handicap from a 20 to a 10 than it is to go from 10 to scratch.

I’ve spent some time really trying to quiet my swing down, simplify it. I’m trying to stay consistent with my pre-shot routine, setting up to the ball the same way and starting the same way.

Some keys:

  • Keep the ball position slightly forward in the stance
  • Legs flexed and loose with the right leg knocked in a bit and ready to brace the swing
  • Keep the hands nice and loose and make a practice move taking the club away with the shoulders
  • Start the swing by turning the shoulders, don’t worry about the arms and hands
  • Keep the biceps against the chest and simply turn the shoulders back as far as they will go, pivoting against a braced right leg and let the hands hinge naturally, don’t force them
  • When the shoulders stop, the backswing is complete, bump the left hip to the left and feel pressure in the left foot into the ground
  • Simply let force and momentum do the rest, but keep the feet into the turf.

When I do the right way, my swing is much more on plane, my swing speed is up, my contact is more center/center instead of heel/center and the ball flys straight with a slight draw. I just need to keep at it. And I need to hit my driver more often. I need to practice this swing with my fairway woods and driver. Right now, I’m laying up on par 5s if I have anything more than 220 out. I should be able to attack any normal length par 5 (from the Blue tees) in 2 if I have a decent drive. I’m leaving strokes on the course right there.

I’m feeling really good about my swing right now and really good about my progress. I’ve gotten a lot of benefit out of the Swingbyte (I’ll write a formal review soon) which has helped me really get a sense for what is working and not working with my swing. If I can start putting, I might have a chance of breaking 80 some time soon.

Photos From Earlier Rounds

Birdie putt after blind approach shot downhill with 8i at Wolf Creek


Looking back up #1 and #9 at City Club Marietta


Approach shot on #1 at Stone Mountain Golf Course


One of those days where I was just off the green ALL DAY long