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Even Par Blocky Boy


My comeback started in July and its time to check in on what's going on. I found a serious group of guys that all play scratch and single digits that play for a little cash twice a week. Its been great for my game to play it down every time. The last 8 rounds I have shot 75, 77, 80, 78, 82, 75, 81, and 78. But let's talk about the last 75 and 78 because I learned a lot from those rounds. The 75 was the second round of the day after a 39-43 (OB, Lost Ball on back) performance so I was not expecting much. Well maybe that was a good thing as I ripped off 4 birdies, 3 pars, 1 bogey, and a double for a 35 before the darkness fell. I came back Monday afternoon to finish up and found myself with a few pars and another birdie and two bogies and I am even going into 17. I push a tee shot right on the narrowest fairway on the course and a bogey ensues. I get to 18 and I just want to make a nice swing and I block it off the face of the earth into the lake for a double resulting in a 75 from the big boy tees. I have been working on my right hip pivot and turning with the club going down the line and the tension of the moment had me doing the all arm don't turn blocky boy swing. 

Fast forward past a boring 41-40 and some range work on my turn to a very windy day. I was killing it on the range and hit 4 drivers that were perfect. Thinking I have it nailed down, I step up to the first tee and confidently block it into the treeline narrowly missing the adjoining fairway. Punch out and make bogey. Second tee and Blockarooni into the trees again but almost have a miracle up and down par. Well, now I am beside myself, but I manage to scrape it around with nothing worse than bogey.  I start to trust the turn and start aiming down the left side with a full release (aka power fade) and manage a 42. I start the back going bogey, par, birdie, and with the wind now howling, rip off 6 pars in-a-row for a 42-36. Funny thing is that I hit every fairway on the back whether it was downwind, sidewind, and the last 2 holes into the teeth. 

So what did I learn in these 2 rounds? 

1. Don't get ahead of myself and let the pressure of a good round get me out of my routine. 

2. Never give up on a round. Bogies don't kill me and help me hang around, pars are my friend, and birdies will come if I am patient. 

3. If my shot shape is a little off that day, remember "You gotta dance with who ya brung" and work it out on the range. 

 

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