Bo the Golfer's Golf Journey

[Bo the Golfer]

I have decided to put my journey in a blog of sorts so I can get some feedback/accountability from this esteemed group. I have been a member here for a good amount of time but seem to come and go for long periods but consider this forum to be both highly educational and entertaining. For me this will be a golf/fitness/lifestyle type of blog that I hope to update at least weekly. 

I live in MN so for me the golf season is over. I played 33 rounds this year (mostly 9 holes) and Swing U says I'm a 22.4 hc unofficially. Hurts to write that as I have been playing forever. I've said before on this forum that I'm the fool that jumps from swing theory to swing theory hoping to finally get it. I can play stretches of fairly decent golf (say +4 for 6 holes) then destroy the round with the remaining holes. This winter I have a golf dome near me that I will try to frequent every couple of weeks as well as doing at least 5 minutes daily of some golf movement. I will hopefully for the first time get some swing video on here as well. I would love to get to a 15 by this time next year. 

For fitness I have been going to the gym semi-regularly over the last 18 months or so. I started out at 321 lbs and am currently 260. I am hoping to get to 230 and feel with stepping up my cardio and paying more attention to what I fuel my body with i can get there fairly easily. I have always enjoyed weight lifting so that part has been easy to stick with. 

Despite being 260 (and as high as 321) my health has always been fairly decent. I have dealt with depression/anxiety since my teen years and was recently put on a cholesterol med but most of my health numbers have always been really good. I am a smoker. Hate saying that but it is something that I really need to quit. I'm 54 and by pure luck it has not affected my health yet. I have a med my doctor prescribed to help with that but I've put off taking it for a month now. I'm suprised my wife hasn't threatened me with bodily harm yet over this issue lol. 

I apologize for the long post but wanted to get out there where I'm at and where I want to go. Thank you in advance to any and all contributions. 

[DeltaAir423]

While I can't attest to your golf game, I have only been hitting the ball since Sept, but I can attest to quitting smoking and losing weight.  Both journey's are incredibly tough, but the rewards are entirely worth it. 

 

I made a deal with my wife that when she got pregnant, I would quit smoking.  I tried the patch, the gum, and even welbutrin.  Ultimately I had to set a calendar where I was only permitted "x" number of cigarettes per day, and I had my wife dole out my cigs to me.  I succeeded in quitting by the time that my son was born.  Now that I quit, did I fall off the wagon a time or two?  I certainly did, but I had my wife to remind me why I quit, and and I got back on the wagon.

 

With weight loss, everyone is different, I tend to lead a fairly active lifestyle, even when I was 353 lbs.  Sure my annual physical looked great, and I could move with the best of them at work, but being at the weight I was at didn't help.  Everyone has their own path on weight loss.  I resisted the eventual path I took (gastric bypass) as long as I could, but I eventually took the leap and it did wonders for me (I'm at 202 now).  I still work with my dietician on a monthly basis to keep me honest.  I haven't touched any alcohol or pop since my bypass, and I do contribute that to helping out a lot with keeping the weight off.

[Bo the Golfer]

2 hours ago, DeltaAir423 said:

While I can't attest to your golf game, I have only been hitting the ball since Sept, but I can attest to quitting smoking and losing weight.  Both journey's are incredibly tough, but the rewards are entirely worth it. 

 

I made a deal with my wife that when she got pregnant, I would quit smoking.  I tried the patch, the gum, and even welbutrin.  Ultimately I had to set a calendar where I was only permitted "x" number of cigarettes per day, and I had my wife dole out my cigs to me.  I succeeded in quitting by the time that my son was born.  Now that I quit, did I fall off the wagon a time or two?  I certainly did, but I had my wife to remind me why I quit, and and I got back on the wagon.

 

With weight loss, everyone is different, I tend to lead a fairly active lifestyle, even when I was 353 lbs.  Sure my annual physical looked great, and I could move with the best of them at work, but being at the weight I was at didn't help.  Everyone has their own path on weight loss.  I resisted the eventual path I took (gastric bypass) as long as I could, but I eventually took the leap and it did wonders for me (I'm at 202 now).  I still work with my dietician on a monthly basis to keep me honest.  I haven't touched any alcohol or pop since my bypass, and I do contribute that to helping out a lot with keeping the weight off.

Good for you my man. Stories like yours for sure show what is possible. 

[Bo the Golfer]

So I figured I'd give an update in my various endeavors. 

Golf- Restarted the 5 minutes practice daily as that seems to really help with ingraining the feels I'm looking for. I have historically been a mostly arms player and am really working on rotation in the backswing and getting my pressure forward in the downswing. I hit a bucket today at the dome near my house and felt some progress for sure. Trield to get video but my 5 year old daughter is not skilled at that yet so I'll have to bring my wife next time. 

Fitness- Started a new routine this week after finishing an 8 week program on gaining strength. It's 4 days a week instead of the 3 I had been doing but I really enjoy being at the gym so it shouldn't be an issue. I have my annual physical tomorrow so I'm hoping my doctor is as pleased with the weight loss as I am. 

Smoking- Work in progress. Absolutely has been less in the last week but I really just need to pick a day and be done. 

Hope everyone is doing well with whatever you are working on. Miss playing golf but living in MN makes for quite a pause with that. 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Bo the Golfer

[klineka]

48 minutes ago, Bo the Golfer said:

Trield to get video but my 5 year old daughter is not skilled at that yet so I'll have to bring my wife next time. 

Just get a tripod for your phone. They're like $15 on amazon

[Bo the Golfer]

6 minutes ago, klineka said:

Just get a tripod for your phone. They're like $15 on amazon

Great idea. Thank you. 

[StuM]

Glad you started the blog.  I'm on a similar journey and support helps.  Losing 61lbs. is great and I'm sure you feel better already.  I quit smoking in 1992 and know it is not easy but also know it can be done and you will appreciate it once you've accomplished it.

Also, a shout out to @DeltaAir423 for his success.  Not sure how long it took you to lose 151lbs but I'm impressed.  Good job!

I look forward to your updates.

[Bo the Golfer]

1 hour ago, StuM said:

Glad you started the blog.  I'm on a similar journey and support helps.  Losing 61lbs. is great and I'm sure you feel better already.  I quit smoking in 1992 and know it is not easy but also know it can be done and you will appreciate it once you've accomplished it.

Also, a shout out to @DeltaAir423 for his success.  Not sure how long it took you to lose 151lbs but I'm impressed.  Good job!

I look forward to your updates.

Thank you. The support does help for sure and I feel as if rhe fitness part of my journey will only go so far if I keep up with the smoking. Congrats on your quitting!

[iacas]

5 hours ago, klineka said:

Just get a tripod for your phone. They're like $15 on amazon

[Bo the Golfer]

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

Thank you sir. 

[boogielicious]

11 hours ago, Bo the Golfer said:

Thank you sir. 

I fits easily into your golf bag.

[StuM]

49 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

I fits easily into your golf bag.

You’re odd, Why do you want to fit into his golf bag? 🤪

[boogielicious]

8 hours ago, StuM said:

You’re odd, Why do you want to fit into his golf bag? 🤪

It’s cozy.

[Bo the Golfer]

Figured I'd throw in an update as a couple of things went down. 

Fitness/Health- Saw my doctor on Friday for my physical and that went very well. He is really pleased with the weight loss and urged me to keep going. Every number from my blood work is back in normal range other than A1C which is .2 above normal range. Spent time at the gym Saturday and Sunday and feel great. 

Golf- While there's no playing here in the balmy state of MN I did go to the local dome. Worked with a much slower backswing and it really clicked. Felt that I had control of the clubface and the ball was rocketing. Hitting the middle perhaps? Bring on spring. 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Bo the Golfer

[StuM]

2 minutes ago, Bo the Golfer said:

blood work is back in normal range other than A1C which is .2 above normal range

.2 above is minor and my guess is if you stick with eating better & exercising that will continue to drop.  Not to rat out my wife, but she dropped her A1C from 7 to 6.0 in six months and her doctor was ecstatic.  Still needs to knock it down more but 6 is much better than 7.

[Bo the Golfer]

This has been a good week. Some updates. 

Fitness/Health- workouts are going well and it feels great to be prioritizing my health. Feeling stronger and have been finishing every workout with stretching which I've been neglecting. Smoking is still an issue but less and less each day. Have picked the 23rd of this month as a quit date as an early present to myself. 

Golf- doing really will with the 5 minute daily practice. Seems like such a big help to be doing golf movements daily. Went to the dome today and really wish it was the start of the season as I'm excited by the contact I'm making. 

[Bo the Golfer]

Some updates for the week. 

Fitness/Health- workouts are going great. Had some worry about going to a 4 day/week program but have made every session. I have also increased the weights on most of my lifts and am genuinely feeling stronger. I do a HIIT workout on the bike twice a week and that combined with stretching after every workout has felt great. Smoking is still less getting ready for that 23rd quit date. 

Golf- been doing well with the 5 minute daily practice. Feels helpful to be doing some type of work every day. Went to the dome today and ended up working on tempo. Really found a nice groove and think if I can continue down this road I should see some real improvement come this spring. I make sure to practice slowly using lots of slow practice swings before hitting a shot. 

[Bo the Golfer]

Some updates before the holiday weekend. 

Fitness/Health- Going very well. I have yet to miss a gym session and continue to up the amount of weights I am using. As I've said before, I believe the post workout stretching has been such a great addition as I feel like I am able to better move and recover. I actually look forward to the bike HIIT workouts the two days I do them as I try to up both my time on the bike (around 20 minutes per session right now) and the intensity. 

Golf- Have stuck with the 5 minutes daily practice and love doing something golf related daily to improve. I never really said but after this season while not looking to do a full swing revamp that's pretty much where I'm at. My swing has become a bit Bryson DeChambeau-ish. What I  will say is my last trip to the dome on Tuesday was far and away rhe best I have ever hit a gilf ball. I'm 6'3" 255 so my thought was with his size he clearly went with a swing that fit his body type. While I am in no way in the shape of Bryson this swing seems to let me go at it much more efficiently. I'm standing a little taller and closer to the ball and out of a bucket hit maybe 2 balls thin and none that felt like it was all arms which has never been the case. I'll run with this and keep looking to improve. 

Happy Holidays to all of you here at The Sand Trap!