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Played Rio Secco Golf Club – Henderson, NV (98)

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The Course

By any other standard this course was excellent. However, we just played Cascata yesterday, which was the greatest course I’ve ever played, and there is no way Rio was going to stand up to it. I also had high expectations for the maintenance of the course because they hold the 3-Tour Challenge there in early November, so I assumed it would be tour quality condition. It wasn’t. The tee boxes were uneven and marked up. The grass needed a bit of a trim and the layout was just ho hum. Yes there were cool holes, like the par 3 over a ravine or the par 4 on the back with beautiful views of Las Vegas. But I expected more. Again, if we would have played Rio then Cascata I might feel different. It was still a great course and I’m lucky to have played it.

My Round

My round was not as solid as yesterday. I didn’t hit as many fairways or GIR. I fact my first few shots I must’ve said “polar opposite of yesterday” a hundred times. I also was trying not to swear and that streak ended on the first hole.

What happened? Hard to say. Expectations too high, maybe. Tired? Probably. But I was not driving the ball well or striking irons well. My nice controlled fade from yesterday was replaced with a slice. My nice iron play replaced by good contact but really low ball flight with a more aggressive fade. I got frustrated quickly and that didn’t help. It’s all about consistency. I need to play more and I need to practice more if I’m going to score well. My putting was OK, I’m starting to feel more confident with my putting after ready Stockton’s Unconscious Putting. I needed to get out of my head and that book laid it out perfectly. My bunker play was really good, which is a positive. I was confident and thumping the ball out even from deep bunkers or from the short side.

I need to spend more time on the range with my driver. That’s a club that has been neglected as I work on my swing. I also should get a new driver. I used Andy’s rental Diablo Octane again (first time in florida) and hit first shot with mine and the second with the DO. I got at least 25 yards more out of the DO, probably closer to 30. But I want to get properly fit when I do invest in a new driver.

Again it was an awesome day on an awesome course playing with good friends in the middle of the desert… What more could I want.

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Played Cascata – Boulder City, NV (93)

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The Course

WOW. How many ways can I say WOW. Cascata is easily the best course I have ever played. The desert layout, literally cut into the side of Red Rocks, is something I’ve never seen before. The fairways, greens, tee boxes, and waterfalls were situated between a large expanse of nothing but desert floor, mountains, and wildlife. There wasnt a house in sight or other golfers for that matter. The greens were impeccable. From our Caddy, we learned things like how to read double breakers going up slope, but down grain. Or feeling like you’re putting downhill, but since we were at the base of a mountain, having to putt it firmer than expected. It was a truly unique course and a truly unique experience.

Thanks to Andy, I got to play an amazing course and have a truly memorable round.

My Round

I am right on the edge of playing good golf. Low 80’s consistently kind of good golf. I was pretty excited to play this course, some might call it obsessed. So I had a lot of expectations going into it. I knew the course would be beautiful so I had things in my head like “hitting firmly down on an iron in the middle of a fairway and watching the divot fly while the ball tracks toward the hole.” My focus for the day was consistent contact. Really striking my irons well, ball first, divot after, nice penetrating ball flight.

Well, I can say I hit some great, confident shots. My driver: the driver was mixed. I hit a few good drives early, but also some slicey disasters. Our caddie suggested I try the “Anthony Kim” which essentially means I grip down on the driver all the way to the steel. My first drive with the AK was beautiful. Solid contact, nice ball flight and straight. I didn’t really lose any distance because the contact was better. I used it thru out the rest of the round with great success. I know it’s a band aid, but it’s a good one. The irons: I had some really nice iron shots, with good contact and flight. I still hit fat shots and that’s due in large part to the lean left I still do. Have to stop that. Also have to hold the hinge. My distance control and accuracy isn’t there, but that’s just practice, I hit some nice approach shots and I had a confidence that I haven’t had before. In the past when faced with water or some other hazard, I was worried about it. Now, I’m thinking about the shot and not about the water I have to carry or the side of a mountain I need to go over. That’s awesome.

Still need to stay calm on the course and not rush my shots. Don’t be too eager to watch it fly. Stay solid with the legs and don’t lean forward.

Scorecard:

Here are some additional shots from the course.

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Played Towne Lake Hills GC – Woodstock, GA (89)

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The Course

The course was excellent. Really unique layout weaving thru the subdivision, but still plays with a wooded, country feel. Doglegs, tight landing areas and strategic bunkers make it difficult. It’s not long, but it is tight making it difficult.

My Round

Mixed round. I played with my brother which brings in a competitive fun element. But really teste my patience being paired up with 2 poor golfers. I don’t usually say that, but these guys were bad.

My driving was mixed. I hit a couple great drives, one that tracked 300 (elevated tee so let’s say 275) but perfect flight. A couple others were great but also had really slicey. When I hit it well…. setup was solid, ball forward off the left toe, flex in the knees, everything squared up, and the shaft leaning slightly back, takeaway was slow and controlled with a nice hinge and then I just let the hips go. I have to just whip things forward and let it go.

Irons were mixed. My misses were straight and thin with longer irons and chunky with short irons. When i struck it well I stayed centered, head not swaying with a wide takeaway and good hinge. Need to leave my root foot on the ground longer. My foot doesn’t need to come up manually, just stay grounded and come up naturally after impact as hips continue to turn.

Im getting smarter at course mgmt and getting out of trouble. Was in pine straw, elevated from green, and played a 7i under trees to land in front of the green and roll on. 100 yrd punch, something I’ve never practiced, but managed to pull off confidently.

I need more time with this new swing and I need to stay concentrated. No coincidence that last round and this round, when I realized what I needed to win or break a certain number, that I would play better. I need to do that during the first 15 holes, too.

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Played City Club Marietta – Marietta, GA (90)

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The Course

OK, first round after the wheels came back on. Tee time: 7:20am which meant the front nine was smooth with zero traffic on the course and the weather was gorgeous. Playing with my younger brother is always a blast. The course was in awesome condition, first time I’ve played it when it looked this good. Greens were excellent, fairways and rough were green and trimmed up.

My Round

I tried to focus on the pre-shot routine and making a good lower body move. Again, when I did it, I hit the ball really solid. A 9-iron on 11 was the best example of that. But I still “blank out” over the ball. On the range I can keep a calm head thru the swing, hitting my checkpoints along the way. On the course, I must be way to interested to see where it goes. I also lost my head on a par 5 on the back. Got a 10. Went right on approach and decided to re-hit instead of taking a drop. Ended up pancaked in the bunker, 2 to get out and the rest is history. I haven’t lost it like that on the course in a while.

Had a couple decent drives, oddly all of them were from elevated tee boxes. I’ll have to figure out the psychology of that. Chipping was not solid. I left shots out there. And 3 putts. Especially on GIR… stop 3 putting.

What to work on:

  • All lower body. Just spend 30 mins a night focusing on the transition from top
  • Keep your wrist hinged longer and stop casting
  • Full shoulder turn and feel back facing to target
  • Keep your arms connected
  • Full release .. which i stopped doing. Getting the lower into it will help
  • Work on your putting stroke. Its not bad, but you need consistency, especially contact
  • Stop caring about where the ball is going

 

 

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Played City Club Marietta – Marietta, GA (90)

The Course

I guess at this point City Club Marietta is my “home course.” It’s close to the house, pretty easy to get on, and convenience will win every time. The layout is really interesting as well with holes really using the land and elevation to create some interesting holes. On the front 9, it’s tough to find a level lie which makes it interesting. The downside is the condition. I know it’s early in the season but the course is pretty rough. The tee boxes haven’t grown in, fairways were a bit sparse in places and the greens were better, but still not awesome. Looking forward to playing again in late May.

My Round

First off, I enjoyed the round. It’s always fun to play a round of golf with Charlie, and since this was my 3rd round this week, how could I not enjoy it. But I didn’t play well. There were glimmers of Tuesday’s round such as my tee shot on the 252 yard (up hill) par 4 which I knocked on the front edge. There were a couple good solid irons, but nothing felt good.

Maybe i was tired, maybe I rushed it, but things were off. Settle back down, continue to work on the lower body move, connected turn back and thru and a solid setup and routine. Putting was better, chipping was dead on. My 90 would have easily been 94+ if it wasn’t for some great chips.

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Played Abacoa Golf Club – Jupiter, Florida [92]

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The Course

Abacoa Golf Club was in great shape and had some really great holes. For a public course I’m really impressed. The only downside is that so many of the public courses in Florida are in awesome condition that I almost “expected” it. But great course, nice design and really fun to play.

My Round

This was the best round in recent memory. I shot a 92, which on the surface seems like just an OK score, but it was a 92 with 40 putts! If I shaved some of my many 3-putt holes, I’m shooting 85-87 on a course with a 126 slope.

I was so comfortable out there with my pre-shot routine, setup and swing that I felt I could pick my target, step to the ball and hit it. I was striking it so solidly, taking turf in the right places and really dialing in my drives. I hit 80%+ fairways on the back nine.

So what did I do? Had a consistent pre-shot routine all the way down to the final waggle. And when I was over the ball and going thru my swing I didn’t have a ton of thoughts in my head, I just let myself swing and trust the work I’ve put in would actually work. Chipping was on. Putting was off. I couldn’t read the super fast greens all that well. Bottom line: solidly hit irons, straight drives, consistent routine and setup with good flex and a connected turn and this round turned into my best yet.

 

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Played Jupiter Dunes Par 3 Course in Jupiter, Florida

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The Course

I learned about this course from Luke List, a golfer on the Nationwide Tour, while on the flight down to PBI. Only spent an hour chatting with him, but he’s a great guy and a great golfer. I’m sure he’s gonna have a killer year and we’ll see him tearing up the PGA Tour very soon.

Jupiter Dunes is the best Par 3 course I’ve ever played. They took a lot of time designing this course to feel like you’re hitting your approach shot into a green on any championship course and they got it right. The condition and maintenance of the course was better than any I’ve played in Georgia. Jeff Leishman has a great course here and I’m thankful he had us out for a round

My round

Knee Flex, connected. Those are the two words. Pre-shot, consistent routine. Those are a couple others. Started really hitting solid shots on the course… for a change. Felt great to actually hit some of the shots on the course that I’ve been hitting on the range. Started off a bit like old-Kane, but then got it together and started dialing things in. Looks like a 3/4 60 degree produces a 75 yard shot and I can fire off a 9-iron around 155. Really need to spend time getting my ranges in check with the “scoring clubs.” Fun round.

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