TJB Golf Blog

[TJBam]

40-42 on 6200 yards. 82 is new career round however played up a set of tees up from 6600. Something is clicking with putting and pre shot routine. Irons are drawing nicely and any slice or hook is gone for now. Went to the range afterwards to hit my 7i as it missed more than a couple greens. Not one major mishit in 20 balls which was shocking to say the least. Good day of golf and I'd like to thank Arizona green tea as it powered me through 18 after work. Edit: was in my zen zone and played cautiously. Layed up on every par 5 and took par from three of them and a bogey from the other. No birdies on the day, but also no holes worse than bogey.

[Slice of Life]

Good work man. Great idea keeping a log of all this too. I'm far too lazy. lol

Laying up is boring, but almost always a good idea. I've lost so many strokes through the delusion that I'm Bubba Watson...

[TJBam]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Good work man. Great idea keeping a log of all this too. I'm far too lazy. lol

Laying up is boring, but almost always a good idea. I've lost so many strokes through the delusion that I'm Bubba Watson...

Thanks.

Even laying up on a Par 4 that has danger back, left, and right of the green.  It doesn't give me the gambling reward feeling knowing that there is a 1 in 4 chance that I'll stick the long iron exactly in the spot in needs to go to get the coveted GIR.  But coming in with a shorter club knowing no matter how I hit it, I won't reach danger.  And getting up and down for par.  Feels good walking off the green itching to scratch down that 4!

For me it's about keeping a level head and not getting desperate.  I know I'm not good enough to stick a 6 iron to a 10 foot span of green between a trap left and front, downhill green right, and water or thick second cut behind.  So I lay up to a clear area front of the green, chip once, putt once, and I've made par just like the guy who stuck an iron and 2 putted.  Whooop!  Learning as always.

[TJBam]

Shot 42 on 9 yesterday.  Roughly 3300 yds.

Blew my first tee shot with a 3H with a wicked hook OB (first swing of the day).  Recovered in 3-4-5 in the hole for a "birdie" aka bogey on the scorecard.  Stuck several greens but just couldn't putt.  Too many 3 putts but I'm not mad at them.  Greens were punched and had a couple balls jump way off line.

[TJBam]

2 months ago every club faded.

About 1 month ago my irons started to draw but hybrids and driver still faded.

The past few weeks my hybrids have started to draw in addition to the irons - and only my driver fades.

Has been up and down trying to learn the ball flight but it has something to do with my setup.  Hard to describe but when I set up and think about swing plane and point of contact in the swing I seem to be able to fade or draw the hybrids on demand -- but the irons are stubbornly drawing only slightly and I'm convinced the driver will always be a pull-fade which I'm OK with.

[TJBam]

Draw with scoring irons turned into a hook yesterday.  May be caused by the heat index of 108+.  Not too worried about it, taking a few days off, cleaning the grips and letting them get their tackiness back.

On the bright side first shot of the day was a screaming tee shot- straight draw drive that cut the corner of the first par 4 into the fairway, leaving me with a sand wedge into the green.  It was slow that afternoon and the starter said "I don't know if that made it over" (the trees and water).  I said "It made it.  I have a sand wedge into the green."  He followed me in his cart and I let him go ahead to check it out: 60 yards from the middle.  We high fived.  Whooop!

[TJBam]

Hit the range and got my mojo back.  I think I was overswinging, mainly in my backswing, causing me to compensate by coming in steep inside and putting major sidespin on the ball.  No matter the cause of the sudden hooks, I found that shortening my backswing made my good swing come back.  Thoroughly enjoyed a 2 hour range session.

[TJBam]

In the beginning being in the sand meant that a double bogey was imminent.  Would just try to blast it out to anywhere as long as it got out.  And a lot of times, it didn't get out.

Did some reading and found that the hands should stay behind the ball on sand shots.  That'd all I needed.  Had a very nice sand save a few days ago and have been really working it out of the sand.  It used to be "oh crap, I hope I can get out in just 1 stroke."  Now it's "oh cool, let's see if I can put it near the pin and maybe save par."

[TJBam]

Played aggressively and shot 41-44 on a 73.3/131 6800 yd course.  Putts were dropping on the front but found a few 3 putts on the back.  Pleased with the performance.  Big cost was a +3 triple bogey that was just plain dumb, no other comments.

Best shot of the day was third shot on a par 5.  The 2nd shot 3H hooked a bit and ended up in the rough, downhill lie, trees in front, with about 80 yds to the pin.  Took a 5 iron and gave it a chop and it popped straight out and careened down the fairway to land 10 yds short in the first cut.  Stuck a SW and saved par.

[TJBam]

Will be at the range trying out some different ball positions for my 6i and my 5i, which are my least consistent clubs in the bag.  Hit a great 6i the last round and it was in nearly the same position relative to my left foot as a hybrid.  We'll see what we learn.

[Strausy007]

Good read TJ.  I like the idea of keeping a log like this.  I did some similar on Saturday and went to the range yesterday to work on the mistakes of my round.  Now I feel like I corrected a lot of the issues I was having.  Also this helps put confidence back in the clubs and shots that I lost during the round.  I'm excited to test it out on the course.

[TJBam]

Took my 7i to golfsmith and hit the trackman.  Ended up getting a 4 wood to replace my 3W.  Good deal.

Also hit a used TM Rocketbladez 7i against my Titleist 755 7i.  I know the TM is more strongly lofted but my Titleist was carrying 150-155 consistently with a 20% hook miss (stiff shaft) while the r-flex TM 7i was carrying 170 and bringing back my baby fade.  I will not buy new irons, I will not buy new irons.

Swingspeed in sandals averaged 80 on the irons.

The 4W kicked ass carrying 210 and "rolling out" to 235.  I have found that trackman numbers are very optimistic as I was also hitting a 24* hybrid that was rolling out to 235.  (my 24* is good for 180).  Sure enough upon further review the 24* carry was around 190 but they were tacking on 45 READ FORTY FIVE yards for "roll out."  Now THAT'S how you sell clubs baby!!

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by TJBam

Took my 7i to golfsmith and hit the trackman.  Ended up getting a 4 wood to replace my 3W.  Good deal.

Also hit a used TM Rocketbladez 7i against my Titleist 755 7i.  I know the TM is more strongly lofted but my Titleist was carrying 150-155 consistently with a 20% hook miss (stiff shaft) while the r-flex TM 7i was carrying 170 and bringing back my baby fade.  I will not buy new irons, I will not buy new irons.

Sounds about right. Once I picked up my Rocketbladez, my 7 iron went from my 150 yard club, to my 165-170 yarder.

[TJBam]

Fitted at Golfsmith for some new iron shafts. Significantly lighter with a bit less flex. I saw a higher, straighter, longer flight than with my S300. Maybe a new set of AP1's isn't what I needed after all. Old: DG S300 New: Nippon 8950 R-flex Difference in weight is significant. These much lighter. A slow fluid swing finds the right kick point for distance with less effort. Looking forward to their arrival and installation onto my 755's. Throwing on some orange Lambkins to match the purple grips on my driver, woods, and hybrids.

[TJBam]

+3 through nine. Ended total of +8 through 15. Had to call it early, life happened off the golf course and I was summoned. If I had parred out the last three it would've made for a career round. Played with the old shafts as the new ones haven't arrived. Nearly ever par was the result of a good up and down. Can't wait to try the new shafts and maybe help accuracy a bit.

[TJBam]

38-45 for an 83 on 6800 yds. Partners referred to me as a machine on the front as it was all pars and two bogies. Back 9 was ridiculous , got hot and tired. Avg drive was up to around 250 and ended up blasting a few 300. Only needed one provisional all day and ended up abandoning it anyway. 4 wood was solid. Pulled it three times and didnt let me down. Best wood of my life was a 240yd cut on a par 5 to roll up near green. Did exactly what I wanted it to. Ball mark dead on sweet spot. Playing some good golf. If I could only put two 9's together and post a round under 80.

[TJBam]

Played a hungover round Sunday morning and shot 85 on 6800 yds 131 slope.  Lots of dumb mistakes, more than a few duffs with irons, and two balls lost OB from the tee.  Which is worse than usual but the weather was nice so I didn't mind.

Best hole was a 280 yd par four dogleg right.  It is a reward hole after a tough par 3. Drive needs to carry 240 to clear bunkers.  I drove a straight fade, cleared the bunkers, and was left with a 15 yard sand wedge to the front of the green.  Ball was on a downhill lie and green is elevated 10-15 ft.  The pin was at the very front of the green tucked behind a lip.  My caddie (read: injured friend who can't play but wanted to ride along) and I picked a dark spot of grass on the lip and decided I should chip up, hit the spot, and let the ball release and roll down and left to the flag.  The chip came off perfect, hit the intended spot, and rolled to the flag, nearly kissing the lip leaving me with an 8 inch birdie putt.

Still loving the 4 wood.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by TJBam

Played a hungover round Sunday morning and shot 85 on 6800 yds 131 slope.  Lots of dumb mistakes, more than a few duffs with irons, and two balls lost OB from the tee.  Which is worse than usual but the weather was nice so I didn't mind.

Best hole was a 280 yd par four dogleg right.  It is a reward hole after a tough par 3. Drive needs to carry 240 to clear bunkers.  I drove a straight fade, cleared the bunkers, and was left with a 15 yard sand wedge to the front of the green.  Ball was on a downhill lie and green is elevated 10-15 ft.  The pin was at the very front of the green tucked behind a lip.  My caddie (read: injured friend who can't play but wanted to ride along) and I picked a dark spot of grass on the lip and decided I should chip up, hit the spot, and let the ball release and roll down and left to the flag.  The chip came off perfect, hit the intended spot, and rolled to the flag, nearly kissing the lip leaving me with an 8 inch birdie putt.

Still loving the 4 wood.

I've been eyeballing a 4 wood for awhile now and just haven't been able to pull the trigger on buying it. It would probably be a good idea to have something else to hit off the tee that can still get 240ish max distance for shorter 4s and possibly a tee and 2nd shot on par 5s.