My Swing (Golfingdad)

[SimpleSimon]

Nice swing! Nice tempo! Tempo is everything!

[Beachcomber]

Pressure Point #4 left armpit.

[iacas]

Don't take a comment made in August and apply it now... :)

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by iacas

Don't take a comment made in August and apply it now... :)

Noted.

I was going back there looking at my older swings trying to see some differences, and saw that comment.  (Now I'm just making excuses)

:)

[Golfingdad]

Had a pretty decent range session today.  (No videos though )  I'm still working on the same things as the last few weeks ... keeping the head steady and elbows closer together.  Today I was mainly concentrating on the Key #1 stuff today.  Trying to eliminate the head tipping forward in the backswing, thus requiring it to tip back in the downswing.  I was giving myself the feel of a slight pre-setting of the hips forward a little, and also trying to slightly tone down my head tilt (looked a little over the top in my last videos).  I have also incorporated a Mike Weir/mvmac style half backswing into my pre-shot routine.

I have a tournament this Saturday, and want to get this stuff a little more ironed out before then, so I'll be back at it tomorrow ... hopefully this time with more video. :)

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Had a pretty decent range session today.  (No videos though )  I'm still working on the same things as the last few weeks ... keeping the head steady and elbows closer together.  Today I was mainly concentrating on the Key #1 stuff today.  Trying to eliminate the head tipping forward in the backswing, thus requiring it to tip back in the downswing.  I was giving myself the feel of a slight pre-setting of the hips forward a little, and also trying to slightly tone down my head tilt (looked a little over the top in my last videos).  I have also incorporated a Mike Weir/mvmac style half backswing into my pre-shot routine.

I have a tournament this Saturday, and want to get this stuff a little more ironed out before then, so I'll be back at it tomorrow ... hopefully this time with more video. :)

Good stuff.  Hope your tournament is on Saturday and not Sunday... Looks like some crappy weather is in the forecast.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Good stuff.  Hope your tournament is on Saturday and not Sunday... Looks like some crappy weather is in the forecast.

It is Saturday ... up in Fresno.  The forecast has been all over the place.  First it was going to rain Saturday, then it was going to rain Sunday, now it says it's going to rain Friday, and I plan on playing a practice round Friday.

Fingers crossed it stays relatively dry both days!

[Ernest Jones]

Good stuff.  Hope your tournament is on Saturday and not Sunday... Looks like some crappy weather is in the forecast.

Lol. Define crappy weather. It was -35*C in Montreal today. I'd give my left nut and half of the right to be able to play golf in January you insensitive bastards!!:)

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Lol. Define crappy weather. It was -35*C in Montreal today. I'd give my left nut and half of the right to be able to play golf in January you insensitive bastards!!:)

Ooooh, ouch!  Sorry about that ... it was insensitive.  Crappy is very relative ... we're basically referring to a high of 68 or so and a 60% chance of rain.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Lol. Define crappy weather. It was -35*C in Montreal today. I'd give my left nut and half of the right to be able to play golf in January you insensitive bastards!!:)

Oh stop whining and get out there and play!!!

[Golfingdad]

I'm copying this over from the "what'd you shoot today" thread since it'll get lost over there, and here I can keep it for posterity ...

Argh! I friggin' hate this game. Played a fantastic practice round yesterday - shot a 77 - for my tournament today. Felt great all day, figured my swing changes are really starting to sink in and I'm ready to go to the next level, and am really confident for my tournament. On top of that I feel really good during warming up AND driving in I noticed they did not move the pins today. Everything's in place for me. And then I go out and shoot a freaking 90 and finish in last place.

The bright side is that it was all on 5 holes. (4 triples and a double - otherwise 4 over par on the other 13 holes). The other bright side is that I drove the ball well today (usually the cause for my poor rounds). If you count the first cut, I hit 11 of 14 fairways.

The REALLY bright side ... I carded an eagle today! Par 5, decent drive into right rough (only in name ... lie was as nice as if in the fairway) Leaving myself 215 to the pin, big bunker directly in front of me so its a blind shot, except there's a power pole in the distance perfectly in line with my target. Hit a perfect 4 iron to about 20 feet. Putt was in the whole way ... very nice feeling on an otherwise doodoo day. It helped that I birdied this hole yesterday from almost the exact same line from 30 feet. :)

After more introspection, I think it's really all a matter of nerves, overthinking, and just getting comfortable playing in tournaments.  It is only my third ever, after all.  Staying positive!!!

[mchepp]

After more introspection, I think it's really all a matter of nerves, overthinking, and just getting comfortable playing in tournaments.  It is only my third ever, after all.  Staying positive!!!

Yes, tournament golf is certainly different. You should be patient with yourself. I suggest you forget about the bad round and focus on the good round you played. Especially the good shots.There are some real positives even in the bad round. Take those and remember that you performed them under pressure in the tournament. So the next time you start to feel some pressure remember the good shots.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by mchepp

Yes, tournament golf is certainly different. You should be patient with yourself. I suggest you forget about the bad round and focus on the good round you played. Especially the good shots.There are some real positives even in the bad round. Take those and remember that you performed them under pressure in the tournament. So the next time you start to feel some pressure remember the good shots.

Thanks!  That is basically what I was planning on doing.  I'm always trying to be positive, so I'm basically telling myself that in time I will become more and more comfortable playing in tournaments, and the better scores will eventually come.  (And the fact that I am working hard and improving is an added bonus) :)

[dsc123]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

After more introspection, I think it's really all a matter of nerves, overthinking, and just getting comfortable playing in tournaments.  It is only my third ever, after all.  Staying positive!!!

I would chalk it up to this.  Isn't it ridiculous how nervous you can get on the first tee?  Nobody cares what you do, but you feel like you've got something to prove.  Its sort of like public speaking.  You're so self conscious that you forget that everybody else is too worried about themselves to be critical of you.

My handicap was about 16 when I played in my first tournament.  I shot a 136.  For the first few tournaments I was just nervous and trying to crush the ball. I learned from that and in the last tournament I played, took it easy and tried to remain calm throughout.  I shot a 38 or 39 on the front nine, but then I learned what happens when you lose focus and carded a 95 or so.  Another learning experience.  Gotta maintain the focus.

Relatedly, I read about an interview with one of the young guys in Tiger's group and he said this tournament is no more important than the last one or the next one.  That's really the attitude I think you have to have to avoid over doing it. Just focus on executing the shot like you would any other round.

[jefkve]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

The REALLY bright side ... I carded an eagle today! Par 5, decent drive into right rough (only in name ... lie was as nice as if in the fairway) Leaving myself 215 to the pin, big bunker directly in front of me so its a blind shot, except there's a power pole in the distance perfectly in line with my target. Hit a perfect 4 iron to about 20 feet. Putt was in the whole way ... very nice feeling on an otherwise doodoo day. It helped that I birdied this hole yesterday from almost the exact same line from 30 feet. :)

NICE. Congtrats on the eagle!

[Golfingdad]

Took my first rear view video today (sorry about that) and I don't look nearly as bad as I thought I did.  Not good, but could be worse.  A little closer to Erik's "more gooder" photo than his "dumbass on the left" photo.

Still a lot of work to do though.

[logman]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Took my first rear view video today (sorry about that) and I don't look nearly as bad as I thought I did.  Not good, but could be worse.  A little closer to Erik's "more gooder" photo than his "dumbass on the left" photo.

Still a lot of work to do though.

I hate that when some guy sneaks up and tickles you when you're about to hit it!

[Beachcomber]

Did Erik grow 6"?

Welcome to the right elbow club (REC).  The first rule of the REC.... We don't talk about the REC.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Took my first rear view video today (sorry about that) and I don't look nearly as bad as I thought I did.  Not good, but could be worse.  A little closer to Erik's "more gooder" photo than his "dumbass on the left" photo.

Still a lot of work to do though.