I suppose there were some good shots but it was very inconsistent. Frustrating. Thin shots still and lots of hooks. I can’t call them draws they were pull hooks, ugly. Some flushed shots, baby draws and balanced finishes. Staying down and thru the ball helps. But still swaying too much and still struggling with alignment and posture.
After a great week in Florida, a tune up with Corey, and some indoor practice with the Swingbyte and SloPro, I can finally say its time to simplify my swing thoughts. So here they are…
- Keep my posture more upright. I get too bent over, pull up the shoulders
- Keep my head as still as possible. My shoulder turn will happen without help
- Turn into a braced right leg (setup with knee slightly knocked in and braced on inside of leg). The still head makes this almost automatic.
- Keep my posture and knee flex
- And let go on the downswing, thinking about keeping the club low through impact as I extend
My Tune Up
Another great aspect to River Strand is getting a chance to have Corey take a look at my swing. After the day I had yesterday, I was all messed up. I had shot 78 early in the week, had a chance to shoot low during other rounds, and yet yesterday I couldn’t hit anything. I had chalked it up to being tired and fatigued, but that wasn’t really it.
Corey is an excellent instructor and a great player in his own right. Its too bad I don’t live down here, because I’d work with him often. He only needed a couple of swings and he pinpointed two massive issues with my swing. 1) My posture was too bent over. So he had me pick up myself up. I instantly felt better and started to hit better shots. 2) Stop moving my head.
The last one I was aware of, but not to the extent he saw. One thing I had seen in my swing lately was a movement of my head to the right to finish my backswing. I thought that was OK, but hated the way it looked. But on the range, Corey insisted I keep my head still, which forced me to post more into the right leg. It felt great on the range, but produced mixed results. We didn’t take video, BUT we did go out on the course.
I had a chance to fill out a foursome of the pros at RS. Great guys. But they are pros and I’m not so I was a bit nervous. We played blues, which eased my tension a bit. On the first tee, we called 2 off the tee because most of the guys didn’t have a chance to warm up. I was the only one to hit the fairway on the first shot and not take two. That felt great and its a story I like to tell. But more importantly, my round with those guys confirmed that my game is coming along and that I can play longer tees like Blues or courses at 6600-6800 in length. It proved that if I get my ball striking a bit more consistent, I can hit shots that look and perform like real shots. And it proved that I need a ton of short game practice. That is where these guys really shine. They are magicians around the greens. Yes, their ball striking is fantastic and I really enjoy watching them hit beautiful baby draws with a perfect trajectory. But they save strokes around the greens.
For me, it solidified what Corey wanted me to do. I hit a couple fantastic iron shots and rives, by focusing on keeping my head still and my posture upright. I didn’t lose distance not coming off the ball, in fact, I probably picked some up. But more importantly, my swing felt much more simple, turn back and turn through. It produced results and thanks to this round and the instruction Corey gave me before, during and after, I have the confidence to own my swing, keep my swing thoughts simple, and keep improving.
My Rounds
Andrea came out on the course with us on Wednesday. I shot 86 with another 8 on Trib #9 and two 5s on par threes, so the round could’ve been better. But, I always enjoy it when Andrea comes out on the course with me. I hope one day she starts playing, but its nice to have her on the cart and actually see that the hard work and obsessive practice has actually paid off. Just hitting a few great, flushed irons and a could nice drives, is all I need. And on Wednesday, that certainly happened. Its fun playing with Debbie, too. Her game has come a long way and she’s always fun to play with.
My expectations were high after the 78. I don’t think thats surprising at all, but its certainly dangerous. That said, I think I kept it together well all things considered. I was even par through #4 with a birdie. But dammit!! Trib #9 got me again. Another 8. This time, a par would give me a 39 on the front. Another hybrid off the tee, this time much worse. I came up on it and sent a little worm burner into the crap in front of me. Found it, but couldn’t play it. Took a drop. Put my next shot into the crop right, another terrible hybrid. Then a couple irons, a couple putts and an 8.
Spanked my new RBZ fairway wood on #1 right down the middle, hit a great approach shot and 3-putted. But at least I’d moved on. Hit some more solid irons but my putter started failing me. All in all, it was a blast, even with some disappointments.
Awful day on Thursday playing with the Men’s League. Just terrible. I felt so tired and stiff in the morning. We had just finished the round the night before and this was round 5 in 5 days. I let that get to my head.
But my swing faults were showing themselves and I hadn’t realized it at that point. I wouldn’t realize it until I worked with Corey the next day. But I was having all kinds of issues. Topping shots, slicing shots, hooking shots, hitting fat shots. No consistency. No common miss. It was infuriating.
I shot a 97 and with the exception of one hole, I either parred or +2 or greater on every hole. My card was either black or blue. I still hit 8 GIRs. With the exception of one hole, if I hit the GIR, I parred the hole. But I had 6 penalties, 5 sand shots and had 10 holes with double or worse. It was a very bad round. I would learn why the next day.
Photos
This storm blew through in 15 mins. Wednesday. It was kinda fun huddled under the cart
This pic looks familiar. The fairways on number eight Tributary are unreal.
After the 78, I was pretty excited to get out and play. Unfortunately, the course is closed on Christmas Day. After working out, I noticed nobody was on the short game area at the range and I jumped at the opportunity to practice. I spent an hour.
I started at the chipping/pitching area. I love this place. Man, I would be an awesome short game player if I had access to this every day. I planned for this and brought a bag of B330s so I could see what actual balls will do around the greens. The usual range balls roll out way more than the balls i play on the course. Nobody was out there, so I could work on long shots, short shots, whatever I wanted.
I was going to putt, but a couple people showed up so I started home. But I had just received a new RBZ fairway wood for Christmas, so I tried to find an empty hole to test it out.
I felt like a pro. I had the hole to myself and dropped down about a dozen fairway woods. I ended up with a nice tight dispersion of 6-8 shots. A few went wide left and right. But it was a lot of fun to test out a new club on the actual course. I played the next two holes and got to the par 5 3rd. I peppered a drive leaving me 240, with the wind slightly at my back. I hit the new fairway wood and went in the water, but hammered. I might’ve been aligned that way. I dropped another and again, water. I dropped the third ball (all these balls were crap balls) and flushed one to the back of the green, flew it 240, bounced and checked up in the soft conditions. I think its clear that I like the new fairway wood.
Photos
Nice consistency with the new fairway wood
I would be out here every day if I lived close
My Round
I broke 80 at River Strand! Its funny, my best round last year was during the shotgun and now I’ve broken 80 and posted my lowest score to date during the shotgun. Something about this format really suits my game. And I’m thinking I know what some of it is. I’m playing with people I’ve never met. I know it sounds weird, but I think I keep my emotions in check and I think I stay more focused.
Whatever it is, I had 8 pars and 2 birdies, hit 71% of the fairways and 56% of the greens and my putts averaged < 2.0. Thats a recipe for a good round. I had so much confidence that by the back nine I was starting to fire right at the pins and get a bit bummed if I hit the green but far away. I was confident on the tee, confident with my irons and confident with the putter. I played Sanctuary/Estuary, which is the hardest of the pairs at River Strand. It was a great round, I had a blast and unfortunately, had to wait almost two days to play again.
My Round
Well, I think I can say I have the tools to shoot in the 70s on a regular basis. Now I just need to stop making huge mistakes and wreck my score. I shot 86 on a challenging pair of courses, Trib/Sanc. I had 11 pars which might be the most pars I’ve ever had in my round, BUT I also had two 8s. And those 8s were stupid.
I was swinging the club really well today and putting well. Aside from a four putt on the first hole. Although to be honest, having Andrea and my sister in law yelling at me from the street as they drove by didn’t help. But I had numerous one putts which saved me.
Lets talk about those two 8s. #9 Tributary, a hole which will bite me again later this week. I took a hybrid off the tee and pushed it with a little fade, over into the water. Penalty. My drop and short iron approach, boom, penalty. Now I’m steaming mad. A par and I shoot 40 on the front. Now I’m looking at a 6. I should’ve just settled down and focused, but I was upset. My next shot ended up in the bunker. Getting out took me 2 shots. Theres your 8. I need to relax and let shots go. I need to let expectations go.
I turned around and parred the next 4 holes with GIRs in 4 of the next 5. I 3-putted #5 and got a bit frustrated, but what can you do, I moved on. Took a 5W out of my bag because we were playing from the whites. I should’ve taken driver. I hooked it left a bit, hit the path and was behind the tree, so I took a penalty and drop. I took a 7i from the rough, from what I thought was 160yards. I flew it long and bounced through into the hazard. I was standing on the 150 marker. Thats an 8i. Had I slowed down, I would’ve realized that. Theres another 8.
Ended up parring the last two and shooting 86. 86 is a good score for me at River Strand, but it could’ve been so much better. It could’ve been a sub 80 round. I need to relax and let shots go. Stay focused and not rush.
But it was an awesome day of 36 holes. Always fun playing golf with Chris.
Photos
One of my favorite and usually challenging par 3s at River Strand. #5 Tributary
The quality of the course and the turf is unreal. It hurts (and feels good) to take a divot
Tough shot. 168 yards over water to a tough, elevated green. Flushed a solid 6i
Perfect afternoon at River Strand. Couldn’t ask for anything more
The Course
We played the British at Bobby Jones Golf Complex. Bobby Jones is Bobby Jones. If you live close, like Chris, this course is almost perfect for those early morning or late day rounds. Its pretty wide open, but maintained pretty well and even with a foursome, you can get around the track quickly. This isn’t the best Florida golf has to offer, but its a nice course and I’d play it again for sure.
My Round
I wanted to experience Chris’ first tee time Bobby Jones experience, but unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate. We got to the course before 7a, but ended up on a frost delay for two hours. This was the first 18 of 36 we had planned.
I might’ve come into the day with high expectations. Chris has been shooting upper 80s here and talked about how I should tear this course up, maybe even shooting 70s. I might’ve let that, plus the frost delay and being concerned about making our River Strand tee time, affect how I played. I had a great time, but wasn’t playing my best.
There were bright spots, like hitting a 3H about 220 into the 14th green giving myself a real good look at eagle. But I couldn’t putt, parred that one. I had some solid irons and some good drives, but I was definitely off my game.
Even so, it was a fun round.
Photos
We got here before 7am and had this view on the range
I’m still not 100% and probably shouldn’t be hitting, but I had time to kill this afternoon. I wanted to try the RBZ fairway and Razr Fit. Obviously I’m thinking Razr Fit. But I also just wanted to see if my visualizing worked to keep my right leg/hip/foot more stable and on the ground during the swing.
I was pleasantly surprised. Really solid shots and balance after impact. I think it’s working.
I also like the RBZ Tour S 3W. 10 yards longer than the others I tested today with a few shots at 260y. Easy swings with a slight fade to straight and even some draws.
Also tried the Anser irons, 7i. 172-174y and felt amazing. Hit the Razr X 6i 199 w/ 192 carry.
Discounting for the indoor simulator which always will be a bit long, the contact and balance was the most important piece today. I haven’t hit balls in a month but I was able to pick right back up where I left off.
I’ve had some good milestones so far this year. Now it’s low scores, fun shots and rounds I simply want to remember.
