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Played this week for the first time in a while.  Not a lot of spectacular shots, just lots of fairways and greens.  I guess if I had to pick one, it would be a par-4 green I drove into the wind.  Straight-away and level, it's 295 on google earth from the tees to the front of the green.  That must have been quite a poke.  I lost it visually as soon as I hit it, but it felt like a really good swing, so I just went up and tried to find it.  Missed the eagle, but had an easy birdie.  It was pretty much a normal swing, so nothing spectacular, just a nice result.

[ Equipment ]
R11 9° (Lowered to 8.5°) UST Proforce VTS 7x tipped 1" | 906F2 15° and 18° | 585H 21° | Mizuno MP-67 +1 length TT DG X100 | Vokey 52° Oil Can, Cleveland CG10 2-dot 56° and 60° | TM Rossa Corza Ghost 35.5" | Srixon Z Star XV | Size 14 Footjoy Green Joys | Tour Striker Pro 5, 7, 56 | Swingwing


On the Par 5 5th Hole (one of the more difficult holes on the course), I hit a slight pull - just left of my target from the box (which was the left side of the fairway)... I hit the ball high - and with the wind - it just sailed off my line and into the trees on the left side rough.  I get up to my second shot to find I really had nothing other than to just punch a 5 iron out back into the fairway as I was directly behind a tree.

So I hit the little punch shot - and got it back out in the fairway... Safe enough shot... But I left myself with ~190 to the flag.  Here is what the approach shot looked like:

This hole often plays into the wind in the afternoon - and I could see/feel the wind in my face so I clubbed up and went with the 5 hybrid.  I wanted to be long - rather than short given the water hazard that I had to carry.  So I took a few controlled practice swings and just tried to vision the line my ball would fly on.  And the practice swings felt really good.  I stepped up and ripped it and the ball just flew beautifully through the air.  Very high trajectory - and landed back near the pin.  I couldn't see how close I was - but I knew it was a solid shot based on the ball flight and feel.  And given the greens were soft - I knew the ball would stay near its pitch mark.

Here is the result of the 5 hybrid....  Left myself with a fairly straight 15ft putt.  I just lipped out the putt for birdie - but was very pleased with a Par considering what I needed to do to get onto the green in regulation.

Here is a view from the green - looking back up the fairway.  The ball soared directly over the top of the Palm trees sitting next to the pond.

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Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I actually had two 'best shots of the week' back-to-back -

Played Bella Collina CC in Clermont Fl. Designed by Nick Faldo. Really nice course that was built during the height of the housing boom in the early 2000's with plans of it being ringed by mediterranean-style villas. That part never materialized. Anyway, I parred the first five holes. We get to the 6th, which is the stereotypical 'drivable par 4' that you see on a lot of newer designs - 265 yards uphill, first 150 over water, the rest bunkers on the straight line to the green. But to the right, Faldo 'banked' the terrain towards the green so a shot hit there could kick on, which is what I proceeded to hit - a ripped driver that landed about 20 yards short & right of the green, took a kick to the left & juuuust rolled onto the green. The pin was in front so I had about a 15-footer for eagle which I ran in. My first eagle in about 4 years. :)

The next hole was an uphill 135y par 3. You could see the top of the pin but not the hole. I totally flushed a 9-iron right at the pin that lands on the green - I couldn't see where it landed but knew it reached. I said to Mike, "That could be close." He said "That could be in."

It was this close -

I made that putt to go eagle-birdie back to back. From even par to 3 under. Armed with this knowledge I bogeyed the next hole.


toughest par 5 on my home course - never birdied it.     Nice drive, nice 3w, nice 35 yd pitch to 7 ft.      Really nasty bending putt ... played about 15" of break & made it.     Feels really good to string 4 nearly perfect shots together - very rewarding ...

  • Upvote 1

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

9th hole par 3. 207 yards from the back tees, over a crossing river. I hit my tee shot short and left of the green, about 40 yards away from the hole. My ball was lying in medium rough with a good lie, just behind a cart path. To make things worse, the greens at this course were very tough and I was below the green. I took out my sand wedge, lined up, and took the shot. The shot felt perfect and I knew it would be very close to the flag. I watched it land softly onto the green and gently roll into the hole for an unlikely birdie.

Driver: :cobra: BiO Cell (10.5º)

Wood: :ping: G15 3 (15.5°)

Hybrids: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 3 (21º), 4 (24º)

Irons: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 5-PW

Wedges: :cleveland:588 RTX CB 50º, Paradise Black Chrome II Sand Wedge 56º


  • Administrator

It may have been the 8-iron from 142 that I played on the first hole yesterday, a little low, boring chippy swing that put the ball to two feet.

Or it may have been the same shot I played from 139 on the third hole that went to about twelve feet (ball mark was a foot from the hole).

Or the pitching wedge I nearly holed from 96 yards to the uphill ninth.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

92 yard approach shot to the raised 9th green. Holed it with a 3/4 swing, gripped down sand wedge for eagle.

"My ball is on top of a rock in the hazard, do I get some sort of relief?"

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I holed a nice 20 footer on 18 - for a birdie - to shoot 79 today.  Not bad considering I had 4x 3 putts.

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Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

It's been raining all weekend, so the best shot of the week is my 10yr old son converting the 4-7-10 split today.....LOL    Yea, we went bowling!!!

What's in Paul's Bag:
- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Driver
- Big Bertha Alpha 815 3-wood
- Callaway Razr Fit 5-wood
- Callaway Big Bertha 4-5 Rescue Clubs
-- Mizuno Mx-25 six iron-gap wedge
- Mizuno Mp-T4 56degree SW
- Mizuno Mp-T11 60degree SW
- Putter- Ping Cadence Ketsch


Best shot for me was today on a par 3.  Hit a terrible push shot off the tee and hit a tree.  Ball fell straight down and landed about 30 yards from the green in a bunch of pine cones/needles etc.  I couldn't loft it up due to the trees so I hit a runner with my PW.  Came off the club a little harder than I wanted but it hit the berm right where I wanted and slowed down.  Ended up hitting the flag stick and falling right into the hole.  Hard birdie but I'll take it.

Jeff

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I hit two  approach shots yesterday to 4 feet of the hole. Both holes were cut close to the front, just behind a bunker.

And yeah, my putter was not working...at all ! Missed both birdie puts!!!!  The belly putter is already back in the bag.


Hit my drive to the right.  Landed in this valley of rough with a sidehill lie..toe high.  Had about 130 the the flag but was hidden by a line of trees in front.  Grabbed the 9 iron and I felt really good with my setup.  Took I nice full swing and the ball felt great off the face and was going right at the green.  I didn't see it land until I got to the green..when I got there, my divot was 3" from the hole and the ball was 1 foot away from the hole..ended with a tap in birdie.


1ST hole - par 5 bladed my full gap wedge in from 95 yds - flew 35-40 yards past green to the left.      Wound up nearly out of bounds in the fringe of the woods under trees with trees lining green.     HIt nice 5 iron low liner punch shot to fringe.     Holed a 22 ft chip for the best up and down ever.    Tough way to par a hole ...  but set the tone for a nice round

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

178 yard Par 3 - 6 iron to 7 feet, made it for birdie!

Cobra LTDx 10.5* | Big Tour 15.5* | Rad Tour 18.5* | Titleist U500 4-23* | T100 5-P | Vokey SM7 50/8* F, 54/10* S, SM8 58/10* S | Odyssey 2 Ball Blade | Vice Pro Plus  


Put an 8 iron to about 6 feet on a 140 yard par 3 and made the birdie putt!  The putt sat on the lip of the cup for a split second before falling in, pretty cool stuff.


I've been playing mediocre golf......'m grasping at straws to find a shot worthy of sharing.........LOL

My best shot today is a stretch..........

A fairway bunker shot from 89yds............I pull a 60d........and nip it perfectly!!  The shot was blind over the massive bunker lip.............

The pitch mark was 10' behind the cup and it zipped back to hole high.  I was left with a 5' for birdie.........I read it right/left break...target was the right lip........and lipped out on the right lip...........DAMN!!!  I can't catch a break...LOL  I should hat hit the put inside the cup..........

Sheesh.......the story of my game lately.  Nice shot, but no reward....

What's in Paul's Bag:
- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Driver
- Big Bertha Alpha 815 3-wood
- Callaway Razr Fit 5-wood
- Callaway Big Bertha 4-5 Rescue Clubs
-- Mizuno Mx-25 six iron-gap wedge
- Mizuno Mp-T4 56degree SW
- Mizuno Mp-T11 60degree SW
- Putter- Ping Cadence Ketsch


Played last Sunday and had back to back birdies on 8 & 9.  On 8 I hit a nine iron to about three feet and made the putt. The 9th is a good par 4 - 459 yards, and I hit a seven iron to about 15 feet and made the birdie.  Both skins held up as well.

Driver: Callaway RAZR Fit 9.5* , Aldila RIP’d stiff shaft (60g).

Ping G10 15* Hybrid
Callaway Heavan Wood 19* Hybrid
Putter: T-Line XXIV Tommy Armour

Ping i/3 Irons green dot
Cleveland 60* Lob wedge, Ping 56* Sand wedge, Nike SV Tour Black Satin 52* wedge, Ping 48* wedge.

Ball: TaylorMade


So far this week, 8 hole at harbor town. hit a good drive up the right side,(in the fairway) but left me blocked out by a tree. water on the left, 166 to the pin in back. I hit a high fade (not my normal shot shape) just missed the edge of the tree. started over the water, drew back over the bunker and onto the left edge of the green, pin high, 12 feet... 2 put for par... 8 is the number 1 handicap hole... probably the 2 bast swings so far this week on a hole...

I have hit some other good shots this week, but to pull off the fade on command with trouble left and tree right felt really good, almost like I know what I am doing.


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