More course, less range

[Zeph]

After working on getting the hands more in front at impact on a simulator today, my right wrist hurt. I usually hit on the higher rough, but wanted to see if I could do anything on the short one too. Results were slim, and my annoyance with the mats just grow. My upper body translates forward a lot, so I come down hard on it, but I just can't ever get comfortable with the mats.

Next year (the season is coming to a close now), I want to play more golf and hit less balls at the range. What happens to my handicap I don't know, I will keep working on the swing, but more on the course than range. One of the reasons is simply I want to play more golf, another is that I want to hit shots off grass, not mats. I had my best ball striking ever on a round where I incorporated a change for the first time, never having hit a single shot on the range. It's more important that I hit shots I can commit to than hundreds of balls on the range. I have just lost all confidence in my swing on a mat.

The fact that my home course got mats on the tee is a problem. During 18 holes on that course, I hit three long irons off grass and maybe 9 shots from 130 to 70 meters off grass. The rest are shots from a mat tee. I don't pay anything for the next three years to play on that course (except membership fee ($250)), so I'm seriously considering joining another course too where I can hit more off grass and hit more long clubs. Don't hit anything over my 23º hybrid on the home course.

Right now I'm frustrated that Charlie left his putt short, is one over for the day and two shots off the lead.