The Drive for 5...

[Faksakes]

Haven't been out on the links in two weeks. Have gotten some practice in but not that much. I'm going to the range today and hitting the course tomorrow. Looking forward to it! Going to be working on a shorter back swing and staying more connected.

[Faksakes]

Well it was an up and down day. I went to the range yesterday with a pretty big hangover and shanked about 60% of my shots. No joke. Have not shanked a shot in about a year so I was freaking out a bit. Played today and thankfully that was gone, I think due to reviewing a lesson I took. Just focused on staying centered in the backswing and hinging up in the back swing. I shot 95 on a 131 slope rating with a 13 on a par 5. Just a horrific hole. I bounced back with 3 pars in a row so that was a consolation but still.  Sometimes this game is so tough, just damn. My adjusted score was 89 so my HC sits at 14.5, still a long way to go.

[rkim291968]

Well it was an up and down day. I went to the range yesterday with a pretty big hangover and shanked about 60% of my shots. No joke. Have not shanked a shot in about a year so I was freaking out a bit. Played today and thankfully that was gone, I think due to reviewing a lesson I took. Just focused on staying centered in the backswing and hinging up in the back swing. I shot 95 on a 131 slope rating with a 13 on a par 5. Just a horrific hole. I bounced back with 3 pars in a row so that was a consolation but still.  Sometimes this game is so tough, just damn. My adjusted score was 89 so my HC sits at 14.5, still a long way to go.

I tend to give up after 10th stroke on any hole.  Well, get it together, @layup.  Reading your posts, I think you may need a little more structure in your practice/golf approach ....

As for me, I restarted my lesson (went in for a quick drive fix and signed up for 5 lesson series).   I am in the midst of adjusting my drive swing and it showed.   In the last two rounds, I had really good drives but also had number of drives that went OB.    Other than that, I played well until the last two holes.  In both rounds, I scored a combined +7 on holes 17 & 18.  I should have quit after #16 and they would have been excellent rounds.   As is, the rounds didn't help or hurt my HI - currently at 19.5.    A long way to go to 12.5.

[Faksakes]

I tend to give up after 10th stroke on any hole.  Well, get it together, @layup.  Reading your posts, I think you may need a little more structure in your practice/golf approach ....

As for me, I restarted my lesson (went in for a quick drive fix and signed up for 5 lesson series).   I am in the midst of adjusting my drive swing and it showed.   In the last two rounds, I had really good drives but also had number of drives that went OB.    Other than that, I played well until the last two holes.  In both rounds, I scored a combined +7 on holes 17 & 18.  I should have quit after #16 and they would have been excellent rounds.   As is, the rounds didn't help or hurt my HI - currently at 19.5.    A long way to go to 12.5.

You may be correct there my friend. I have been very inconsistent in my practice, and don't have a set routine. I shall have to ponder. As for carding the 13, that's what I shot so that's what goes on the card. How are you supposed to gauge your improvement accurately if you don't count all the strokes? :)

[rkim291968]

Carded 95 today - a decent score, not great or not bad.  The score will lower my HI ever so slightly from 19.5 to 19.4.

2 OBs, 1 lost ball, and 1 ball in hazard did most of the damage.   All these penalty shots came on unexpected shots despite my attempt to stick to LSW/shotzones: topped driver, 3H tee shot that landed on rough and hopped into a dried out grass area for lost ball, two 3H shots from fairway that went into OB (another bad hop) & hazard area, respectively.   My hybrid has been reliable at range and in field lately so it was a shock to lose 3 strokes + 2 distances with a trusted hybrid club.

After a driver lesson a week ago, I've adjusted my swing.  Driver practice must be exercising unused part of my back muscle.  My back has been sore.  Driver distance got significantly shorter as the round went on.  It was accurate though - hit 11 of 13 fairways with the driver.

[Salte]

Starting HC 18.0

Target HC: 13.0

Focus area: Driver, putting from less than 10-ish feet

Last Sunday: 16.4 -> 16.5

99 strokes, 31 stableford points.

Had a shocking day with the putter. Numerous three putts and missed 3-4 footers.

To minimize the damage with my driver I shortened my backswing. This kept me mostly in the fairway, but combined with my slice lost me a lot of distance.

After this round I decided to try a new approach with my driver and short putts.

I got the shaft cut down to 44" on my driver, and went back to the original swing I used when I first got my driver (which served me much better that the stuff I've been trying lateley). Here's a link to the instruction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W89QnvY4Rg

For the short putts I started looking at the hole while executing the shot.

Today: 16.5 -> 15.9

90 strokes and 38 stableford points. My best ever score for an 18 hole round (I've carded 90 before, but on easier courses,)

Major improvement with my driver. Longer and more accurate with the new swing and the shorter shaft. Loved it. Only 1 bad drive.

The putting was a bit akward at the start, but after the first 5-6 holes I didn't miss a single putt inside 5 feet (highly unusual for me).

[rkim291968]

90 today with just one blow up hole - lost my hybrid tee shot again on the easiest ranked hole which eventually led to a snowman.  Everything seemed to work better: 32 putts, 5 pars, 1 birdie, 4 GIRs, 5/14 FW hits (bad).  This, after an EMS treatment and 6 Salon Pas overnight to relax my back muscle.   90 will lower my HI from 19.4 to 18.9.   It's still 6.4 from my goal of 12.5, a long way to go.

[dfreuter415]

Can't believe that you played with the back pain. Is a bad back normal for you? I have a bad back, as well. Do the Salonpas patches work? I know that when I play with a tweeked back, I tend to swing less aggressively, and have a score that is not much different than when my back feels strong.

As for your game, have you had another lesson yet since you last posting, or have you just been working on your driving?

[rkim291968]

Can't believe that you played with the back pain. Is a bad back normal for you? I have a bad back, as well. Do the Salonpas patches work? I know that when I play with a tweeked back, I tend to swing less aggressively, and have a score that is not much different than when my back feels strong.

As for your game, have you had another lesson yet since you last posting, or have you just been working on your driving?

This is a minor muscle pain, a kind that happens when unused muscle is being worked for the 1st time.  Salonpas relieves soreness a bit but that's about it.  The pain should go away as muscles get trained on new swing.

I took a driver lesson about 10 days ago but have been practicing all aspects of game.   I've got homework assignments/drills from the lesson.  Once I get them right, I will go back for another lesson.

I have now two small artificial putting greens on my back yard.  They are designed in with 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% slopes.  It will help me master Aimpoint putting method. One of the green has tiny chipping area as a bonus.  I will re-post the pictures in another thread.   They were removed b/c I didn't follow the right way to post.   I am hoping the putting greens will lower my total putts per round average even lower (trending 31.5/round).

[dfreuter415]

I have now two small artificial putting greens on my back yard.  They are designed in with 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% slopes.  It will help me master Aimpoint putting method. One of the green has tiny chipping area as a bonus.  I will re-post the pictures in another thread.   They were removed b/c I didn't follow the right way to post.   I am hoping the putting greens will lower my total putts per round average even lower (trending 31.5/round).

Looking forward to the pics.  What are the dimensions of the putting surfaces?

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

I have now two small artificial putting greens on my back yard.  They are designed in with 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% slopes.  It will help me master Aimpoint putting method. One of the green has tiny chipping area as a bonus.  I will re-post the pictures in another thread.   They were removed b/c I didn't follow the right way to post.   I am hoping the putting greens will lower my total putts per round average even lower (trending 31.5/round).

Looking forward to the pics.  What are the dimensions of the putting surfaces?

Pictures and dimensions are here --> http://thesandtrap.com/t/56898/back-yard-putting-green-design-input-wanted/72#post_1182812

I practiced on them the last two days.  They are great and I am hoping they will help improve my putting (and short chipping), and lower my HI.

[pecos24]

Pictures and dimensions are here --> http://thesandtrap.com/t/56898/back-yard-putting-green-design-input-wanted/72#post_1182812

I practiced on them the last two days.  They are great and I am hoping they will help improve my putting (and short chipping), and lower my HI.

That is pretty cool!

I will be down .6 since my last revision, down .2 from my 1st post in this thread.  Last couple of 9 hole rounds didn't help lower my HCI.

[rcwkent]

My new revision number is 18.9...I started this year at 23.1.  Down 4.2 and still swinging.

[rkim291968]

90 today with just one blow up hole - lost my hybrid tee shot again on the easiest ranked hole which eventually led to a snowman.  Everything seemed to work better: 32 putts, 5 pars, 1 birdie, 4 GIRs, 5/14 FW hits (bad).  This, after an EMS treatment and 6 Salon Pas overnight to relax my back muscle.   90 will lower my HI from 19.4 to 18.9.   It's still 6.4 from my goal of 12.5, a long way to go.

I had almost an identical score/stat round today: 91, 31 putts, 6 pars, 3 GIRs, 8/14 FW hits.

With today's round,  HI is 18.4.  4.5 months & -5.9 more to go for 12.5 HI goal.

What's working/What am I working on:

• Took 2 lessons on driver in the last two weeks.
• Applying some tips from Lowest Score Wins book: both feet flared out ad address, focusing on keys #1 - #3, hitting into middle of green from 60 yards and out, ..., reading the book for 2nd time to apply more tips.
• Steady practice routine
• Got out of a mini slump - HI will likely keep going down after peaking at 19.5.

[rkim291968]

88 today.  Don't laugh.  Its differential score is 14.2 and will lower my HI even further to 18.2.   After a mini slump, I am playing at 16 - 17 HI level this month.   I am loving it.   A couple of driving lessons and following LSW seem to be helping.  I am also doing a lot of mirror work at company gym, with focus on keys 1 - 3.

[dfreuter415]

88 today.  Don't laugh.  Its differential score is 14.2 and will lower my HI even further to 18.2.   After a mini slump, I am playing at 16 - 17 HI level this month.   I am loving it.   A couple of driving lessons and following LSW seem to be helping.  I am also doing a lot of mirror work at company gym, with focus on keys 1 - 3.

Congrats. Looks like your hard work is paying off.

I have enjoyed following your progress from the new fitted clubs, to the Edel wedges and putters, to the new putting greens, and the rest of it. You are a prime example of what I truly believe: The journey is more important than the destination. Take the time to smell the roses along the way.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

88 today.  Don't laugh.  Its differential score is 14.2 and will lower my HI even further to 18.2.   After a mini slump, I am playing at 16 - 17 HI level this month.   I am loving it.   A couple of driving lessons and following LSW seem to be helping.  I am also doing a lot of mirror work at company gym, with focus on keys 1 - 3.

Congrats. Looks like your hard work is paying off.

I have enjoyed following your progress from the new fitted clubs, to the Edel wedges and putters, to the new putting greens, and the rest of it. You are a prime example of what I truly believe: The journey is more important than the destination. Take the time to smell the roses along the way.

Thanks, @dfreuter415 .   There is one more tweak coming for my "fitted" club set.   I will post the result sometime next week in my blog thread since it is more relevant to post there.  It has to do with trying a different driver shaft to lower my ball trajectory - to squeeze out 5 more yards.   This came out of my last driving lesson.

I did some number checking after my last post in this thread.  If I only count my last 8 rounds, my HI is 15.5.   The biggest culprit for the better number is that my ball striking accuracy has gotten better, e.g, 1 penalty shot in the last 36 holes played.    If I continue my current pace, in time, my HI will fall below 16.   Two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, ....

[rkim291968]

Thursday - 96, CR 71.9/139, Friday - 97, CR 71.9/139, Saturday - 96, CR 71.2/128

HI is trending to high 17.  A few more rounds to go before 8/31 GHIN.  Anything in 17s will be good.

More lessons + apply LSW judiciously + mirror work = more downward HI trend.