Trying to Break 100

[tehuti]

I had a really rough practice round today on the par 71 Willowick course. It’s my official “home” course, but I really only play it about 2 or 3 times a year.

Although I have made great progress playing executive and 9 hole par 3 courses I have not made any progress on par 71 and 72 courses. I am still not confident at all on long par 4 and par 5 holes. The middle 2 to 3 shots kill me. I shot 55/49 - 104 which was actually better than I expected. but it was a ragged round that included an 11 on one hole.

So my goal this winter is to play less on my regular exec course and more at Willowick, Fullerton and Dad Miller to work on my long game. 3w, 7w and 3 ironwood all got work today. On a few of the longer holes I would have been better off hitting driver, 4 ironwood, 4 ironwood to get into wedge range rather than hitting dribblers with my 3 wood. I guess I need to reread LSW.


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[LLIB]

Went ahead and played 18. 44+41=85

It was ugly. It felt like a >100 round. My tempo was horrible. And then my back tightened up and my hands were killing me so I had a lot of thin shots. I didn’t feel like I could get down and through the ball. I drove the ball reasonably well and my putting was good but my irons and chipping/pitching were horrible. About 3 holes in realized what kind of round it was going to be so I started trying to just put the ball in safe spots. I guess my course management is getting better.

I sure hope I take a better swing to my fitting next month than what I had today.

 

[dthrog00]

On a few of the longer holes I would have been better off hitting driver, 4 ironwood, 4 ironwood to get into wedge range rather than hitting dribblers with my 3 wood.

If the 3 wood is not a reliable club then benching it is a smart move. Long par 4s, par 5s I think for higher handicaps are about advancing the ball and not having penalties.

Dave

 

[dthrog00]

Went ahead and played 18. 44+41=85

It was ugly. It felt like a >100 round. My tempo was horrible. And then my back tightened up and my hands were killing me so I had a lot of thin shots. I didn’t feel like I could get down and through the ball. I drove the ball reasonably well and my putting was good but my irons and chipping/pitching were horrible. About 3 holes in realized what kind of round it was going to be so I started trying to just put the ball in safe spots. I guess my course management is getting better.

I sure hope I take a better swing to my fitting next month than what I had today.

For the B100 thread how can the 41 be that bad?

Dave

 

[LLIB]

For the B100 thread how can the 41 be that bad?

Dave

The score isn’t bad. How I got around the course was. When I looked at my total at the end of the round I was shocked. I honestly expected to see triple digits.

 

[tehuti]

If the 3 wood is not a reliable club then benching it is a smart move. Long par 4s, par 5s I think for higher handicaps are about advancing the ball and not having penalties.

Dave

You’re right. What’s frustrating is that I WAS advancing the ball and generally staying out of trouble, but I had a lot of topped shots and rollers.


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[vdubtx]

So...this just happened. 41+41=82...2 birdies, 5 pars, so that's nearly half the course at or under par. 8 bogeys and 3 doubles, annoyingly 2 of which were 17 & 18...serves me right for checking the scorecard and realising a par and a bogey would mean I'd break 80. Either way, a very good days work (play).

Beautiful day today, cold (5°C) but still, clear and sunny.

Very nice round

 

[mtbloco]

Have you shifted the weights on your driver?

Yes. The slide weight didn’t do too much. I have the hossel in the draw setting which moves the lie angle up 2 deg.

Some range time yesterday I made some progress with a tee 4-5 ft out in front and slightly away from my line. Then swing through that mark.

This drill helped me get my hips initiating movement forward. And I started to hit some straight drives.

Today on course was better. I even hit two legit draws. Thanks to a great kick and hard ground next to fairway I hit a 272 yard drive. That was in a playable position.

 

[Hamfist]

Went to the range today determined to figure out what has been plaguing my swing. Went with a good attitude and an open mindset. I know I can swing a club, I just needed to figure out what fundamental it was that I've let slip (f*** slip, it was GONE).

So I go to the pro shop and the pro tells his outside attendant to "grab this guy a cart". I stopped him and said, "No, I donated enough balls to your grounds crew the other day. Just get me two large buckets".
He says "It can't be that bad can it"?
"Brother, you have no idea"

Off I go with my six tokens and the resolve of white on rice. IT. WAS. NOT. GOOD. The same problems: pushes, slices, hooks, pulls, fat, thin. The whole gammut. I could not for the life of me figure out how I completely lost how to hit a golf ball. I swung an entire bucket's worth of 50* and 54* wedges (thinking, O.K. start small and work your way up the bag. Easy right? WRONG!). I couldn't even hit a wedge. I was so discouraged (and I'm not going to lie: scared sh*tless).

Well the other day, when I finished my round, I went back to the pro shop and bought a medium bucket to see if I could just figure SOMETHING out. When I showed up, there was an older gentleman there that seemed to be, literally, sleeping as he leaned against the club rack on the range. I paid him no attention and went about my business. Once every 10 minutes or so he would grab a club and hit ten or twelve balls and go back to his slumped position against the club rack. There was nothing remarkable about his swing. He hit some decent ones duffed a bunch and he'd continue this routine until his bucket was empty, then he loaded up his clubs and went on is merry way. I thought nothing of it until he showed up an the range again today.

Similar routine. He's a bigger guy and, as I mentioned, a little older. You could tell that he'd been robbed of much flexibility and certainly strength. He takes his place a couple of spots down from me and begins his routine. Only this time he doesn't slump against the club rack. He seems to be watching me pretty intently during his "breaks". At this point, I'm on medium bucket #2 and I am about at the end of my rope, mentally.

I put my club down, mentally exasperated, he slowly saunters over and asks "Do you mind if I stick my nose in your business"? Now, 9 times out of 10 I'll tell someone that I'm working on something and that I don't want to mix up swing thoughts but thank you, anyway. But today I was completely defeated and I said "Sure, at this point, it couldn't possibly get any worse". He says "It actually can, and you've got a lot more to work with than you think". "First" he says "you've got really quick hands. I've watched you save shots with your hands that most people just can't do. You're recognizing things in the middle of your swing and your hands are quick enough to try and save it. That's a sign of pretty good awareness, too" he says. "But, you'll never time up that sway in your swing on a consistent basis" DING, DING, DING. That was it! When he said it, I immediately realized that that was exactly what I was doing!!!! I was so focused on staying "behind the ball" that I was literally swaying back behind the ball, trying to stay there as much as possible and then trying to save the shot with my hands as I kept my head back but lunged everything else forward. "The center of your swing is changing a minimum of three times in your swing" he says. "Once at set up, again in your backswing, and disasterously in your downswing. Here, try this" as he explains rotating AROUND that forward hip as opposed to moving it laterally (something I already knew but, for whatever reason, had let slip completely out of my swing). The first couple of balls were "meh" but after about five of them I was just striping the ball with my usual 3-5 yard draw. Not only that, but my 155 yard 8 iron was now going about 165!

The 6 iron was pushed quite a bit and he says "Trust your alignment. You've spent quite a few balls pulling everything and now you don't trust your set up so your pushing it out there to avoid it. Trust it and fire at your target". Sure enough, nice baby draws right toward the green. I'm ecstatic, at this point. I'm blown away by the fact that I let that ONE fundamental creep it's way out of my swing but even moreso by the fact that a guy that can barely push his 7 iron out there 125 yards with one of the most restricted swings you've ever seen, has me straightened out! I get to talking to him and he tells me that he hasn't been able to play for over a year. He had a heart attack that robbed him of all of his strength and stamina. He proceeds to tell me that he's 75 years old and been playing golf since he was 9 years old (66 years, he reminds me several times during our conversation). He goes to the driving range every single day. Hits balls anywhere from one to three hours. He says he thinks he'll be able to play again next year.

Interesting guy. He built his own clubs (Maltby heads) one length 13 years ago! I got to talking to him about gear and he really likes the Cleveland Launchers. Someone let him hit a set a couple of weeks ago. He's also fully aware of the OL Cobras (which he's also interested in), Turbos, and T-rails. The dude seems pretty dialed in on what's out there and what's coming up. I know I'll see him out there again and I'm going to make it a point to have him check this place out. I think it will be like a kid in a candy store to him. He's going to try some sets out over the winter and dial in what he's going to buy before he resumes play next season.

Overall, I'm elated. I can't wait to get back to the golf course. I'm even considering skipping the Cowboys game (something I haven't done since I don't know when) and going out to play. Ah, such a relief to finally nail down what's been plaguing me.

TLDR version: I hated golf, had an old guy fix my swing and I love golf again. The end.

This is great to hear. Did you offer to buy him lunch for saving your swing?

 

[Hamfist]

So...this just happened. 41+41=82...2 birdies, 5 pars, so that's nearly half the course at or under par. 8 bogeys and 3 doubles, annoyingly 2 of which were 17 & 18...serves me right for checking the scorecard and realising a par and a bogey would mean I'd break 80. Either way, a very good days work (play).

Beautiful day today, cold (5°C) but still, clear and sunny.View attachment 8915202
View attachment 8915203
View attachment 8915204

Pretty course. Nice round. Is that a castle in the distance?

 

[Hamfist]

I focused on having less tension in my arms and was able to push the club head speed up a bit (3 MPH). I still have a long ways to go and am swinging slowly compared to many, but I will take the progress.

Driver

Shot	View	Ball Speed (mph)	Club Speed (mph)	Smash	Carry (yds)	Launch Angle V (°)	Spin (rpm)	Height	Time (s)
1		120.5	85.3	1.41	183.8	16.1	2928	72′8″	5.5	delete
2		120.2	84.1	1.43	177	13.8	2265	53′6″	4.8	delete
3		119.2	85.5	1.4	180.4	15.8	2499	65′4″	5.2	delete
4		122.1	85.4	1.43	177.3	12.3	2416	48′11″	4.7	delete
5		121	85.8	1.41	181.5	14.7	2163	58′7″	5	delete
6		119.1	85.1	1.4	182.7	17.1	2406	71′6″	5.4	delete
7		120.4	84.9	1.42	179	14.7	1863	55′7″	4.8	delete
8		113.9	84.1	1.35	160.2	13.5	2196	44′9″	4.4	delete
9		118.3	84.4	1.4	180.1	18.5	3410	85′10″	5.9	delete
10		122	86.3	1.41	187.6	16.2	1959	66′10″	5.2	delete
11		119.4	84.1	1.42	174.3	12.9	3509	57′6″	5.1	delete
12		117.3	84.9	1.38	174	14.9	3151	63′1″	5.2	delete
13		121.7	-	-	185	15.2	2686	66′9″	5.3	delete
14		121.9	84.8	1.44	186.2	18	3697	91′1″	6.1	delete
Avg		119.8	85	1.41	179.2	15.3	2653	64′5″	5.2
Dev		2.2	0.7	0.02	6.6	1.8	571	12′7″	0.4

Dave

That’s a very nice smash factor.

 

[robrandalgz]

This is great to hear. Did you offer to buy him lunch for saving your swing?

Actually, I told him I was going to the clubhouse to grab something to drink and asked if he wanted anything. He said he was fine and thanked me for the offer. When I got back, he was gone.
I'll see him again. I'm certain of it. But you're right. I owe that gentleman, big time!

 

[Hamfist]

Went out and played a practice nine at my executive course. Stunk it up for 8 holes then hit some okay bunts on the ninth to save my set from a watery death in the lake.

Edit: to flesh out the above, I was just wanting to get in some practice shots with my Pings after deciding the cobras just weren't it. So, the first few shots, I topped/thinned, and figured, "Well, I'm just not used to the lengths of these shorter clubs after the OLs." So, on I played. Hit some decent shots, whilst monkeying around with various positions on the grip, but, for the most part, it was tops and thins. Yeesh.

So, after deciding I needed a new hobby, I went to the ninth with low expectations.

I decided to do something drastic. (Backstory: I'm a damn fool for watching YouTube videos on swings. I hate you, Crossfield! Actually, I quite like his stuff, but he will be my scapegoat.) So, I went back to Ye Olde Monte Sheinblum No Backswing Drill. Three short but nice 6-irons later, I had a par putt. Go figure.

 

[vdubtx]

Only had time for 9 today. Shot really well with 5 pars for a nice 41.

Par on both of the par 3's, par on 2 par 4's, and par on a par 5. Had a double bogey on par 4 #15 where my approach shot was 30 yards past the green, then my chip was way too strong up to the green but continuing to roll another 15 yards past it . No 3 putts on the day.

Some really nice drives today with high of 281 and averaging over 250. 57% of fairways hit with my misses all being left.

 

[thommo.sx]

Pretty course. Nice round. Is that a castle in the distance?

No sir - far from it. Those Brigadoon mists can even make ugly old tower blocks look mystical and heraldic. Well disguise.

 

[Hamfist]

No sir - far from it. Those Brigadoon mists can even make ugly old tower blocks look mystical and heraldic. Well disguise.

I was bewitched!

 

[JB]

Only had time for 9 today. Shot really well with 5 pars for a nice 41.

Par on both of the par 3's, par on 2 par 4's, and par on a par 5. Had a double bogey on par 4 #15 where my approach shot was 30 yards past the green, then my chip was way too strong up to the green but continuing to roll another 15 yards past it . No 3 putts on the day.

Some really nice drives today with high of 281 and averaging over 250. 57% of fairways hit with my misses all being left.

Seems like you are getting ready for Trying to Break 80 or at a minimum trying to Break 90 threads.

 

[mtbloco]

Sunday I played at a new to me course. It's a longer course. Due to them still re surfacing some tee boxes, it played longer than we intended. (6400-6500 range) . It was in really good condition, the greens were difficult. Both in slope and read. They were lighting fast yet slow all at the same time. Shadows and grain elevated the difficulty.

I actually played quite well. One of the guys I started playing with this summer and I had quite the battle during the round. I won the front 9, by one stroke posting a 46 with 3 pars. I birdied #10 (par 5) and the game was one. But I gave a it all back. We went back and forth the rest of the way. Due to a miss count we thought he was only up one going into the last hole. Another par 5. We both got on the green in regulation. He was under 10ft away though. I had a nasty 35 footer with multiple breaks. I put the fear into him with I rolled it an inch past the hole. It left me with a 4 footer back up hill for par, which I made. He ended up with a 2 putt par as well. That was a great way to end. Thinking I could have tied him with that 35 ft putt. In reality, he had me by 2 strokes.

46/48 with 4 pars and a birdie. Astonishing for me, I hit 6/18 GIR! I've now shot 94 twice in a row. The return to the mean is evident with the looming Arizona THP get together.

 

[vdubtx]

Seems like you are getting ready for Trying to Break 80 or at a minimum trying to Break 90 threads.

With some more consistency maybe. ?

 

[LLIB]

With some more consistency maybe. ?

Same issue I have. I just shot an 85 and the next time out I may shoot a 105

 

[JB]

With some more consistency maybe. ?

Isn’t that what they are for?
If you always broke them, it wouldn’t be trying...?

 

[vdubtx]

Isn’t that what they are for?
If you always broke them, it wouldn’t be trying...?

True, true.

I can't imagine not posting in the B100 thread though. Such great peeps in this thread. ?

 

[olperfesser]

Weather was miserable, 40's, rain started around the 8th hole. Got heavy by the 14th. Somehow, we finished 18. 53/48 - 101. Should have been less, but 2 or 3 putts stopped short of the hole by inches. But got in a round despite the conditions. Looking forward to better weather later this week, and Carolina get together.

 

[Hamfist]

Waddup, BCrs? Using the Roman numeral for 100, ‘cause I’m way hip. Work is killing my days, so no golf until the weekend. Looks to be pretty decent, so, I’ll be trodding a course somewhere.

 

[dthrog00]

That’s a very nice smash factor.

I'll take what I can get. I've been starting an exercise routine -- planks, squats, and stretching -- to try and get some better core and lower body strength. I've never been heavy, but ate much better and lost some weight over the past year down from 194 lbs to 177 lbs on a 5'10" frame.

I was on a Trackman a few years ago with 81 mph measured 7 iron speed, but somehow, someway I've lost some speed. Maybe if 85 mph is my new driver speed with some better technique and lower body/core strength I can get it to 90 or more. Blasting an average drive out to 225 w/roll would be awesome.

Dave