Ben

Vijay Singh. Minor success in his 20s and 30s, exploded in his 40s to world number 1! Maybe not the best comeback, but certainly quite spectacular. Give me hope at least. Go Vijay!

I like that quote from Rory: "I've never thought of breaking any records," he said. I said when I won my first one, I wanted to win a second. And now that I've won a second, I want to win my third. I've got no targets, no records. I've never been that kind of person. I just want to and play my golf and try to win tournaments. If they add up to whatever number it is at the end of my career, I'll be happy." I do however, believe that it is important to have goals. I'd have to imagine Olympic Gold is on his mind. Whether he puts it to paper or not. And to answer the question of the thread. That'd me my goal. Olympic Gold and Ryder Cup victories. I was lucky enough to compete in something called the North-South Cup put on between SoCal and NorCal PGA pros. As much of an introverted, semi narcissist that I am, it was SO much fun playing for and representing the SoCal team. It didn't hurt that we won as well. But yeah, representing America against the world's best has to be as exhilarating a feeling as an athlete can experience. Aside form that I'd shoot for the career slam. As well as multiple US Open wins. Edit: to address Clambake. Once a goal is reached, take in your sense of accomplishment for a while, then recalibrate. There's always something bigger to strive for. But yes, Rory's method is something I admire as well. very zen-like. Go with the flow.

Awesome! Do you work in the golf business? I've been to Korea (Gunsan and Seoul) a few times to try the Korean Golf Tour Q School. I plan on being there again this year in November. Its a great country. And Seoul is too much fun! Gangnam is the best!

I forgot to mention. For the short and mid-range putt portion of the routine I place the balls around the hole, and a different distance at each putt. That way I'll have an entirely different putt each time. And when I get really crazy with the routine I'll even vary circling the hole clock-wise and counter-clockwise. Two future putting wizards! hahahaa,

Here's the routine I developed last year when I sprained my wrist and could only practice putting. Use five balls (makes remembering your running count easy.). Make 100 short putts. Whatever "short" means to you. To me it was 1' - 4'. If you miss a putt, subtract from your running total. Make 50 mid-range putts. Mine were 4' - 10'. Use your putting pre-shot routine and use it every time . I didn't subtract from the running total, but I would note how many times I went all 5-putts without missing. Play 18 holes, pretend you've hit the green in reg and see how many under par you can go. 4' - 35' Play 18 holes of LONG lag putts. Note how many times you three-putt, hopefully none! This would take me about two hours to complete. I did it three times a week for two months and turned into a putting beast.

Back of the cup!

Speed and solid contact brings spin. As small as pitch shot strokes look there is still the need to impart clubhead speed to them, if you are looking for them to check. You're flop shots aren't checking and your pitches aren't checking because you aren't fast enough. And of course, which LuciusWooding mentioned, grass types and firmness of greens play a large roll as well.

I started hitting more greens when I realized that I didn't have to hit at pins all the time. And I'm talking both line and distance. Now instead of getting the distance to the pin, I get that along with distance to the front of the green. This is particularly helpful with those very shots you're having problems with. If you're 185 to the pin, more likely then not you really only need to fly the ball 170 and it can bounce and stick or bounce and roll out. You're probably not back up anything 7iron or higher. As far as targeting. There is no need to pin hunt from long approach shots. So you have a 30' putt? At least its a putt for birdie, and you're not faced with some crazy chip to save par. 30' putts will find their way into the hole, particularly if you find yourself having them more often. Always play to the safe side of sucker pins.Again, birdie putts are far birdie to have then birdie chips. Use the elements use your momentum. What way is the wind blowing in relation to where the pin is? Is it hot outside, cold? Are you at elevation or at sea level? What shot are you most comfortable hitting? If the pin is left and you hit a fade, start it at the pin, no need to get crazy looking at the left side of the green. Play smart.

Hey, that's a set I don't have in my collection yet... Or maybe I do?? I'll have to check my Hogan closet. but yeah, the Channelbacks are definitely from the 90s

Wait a minute, just shipping? SIGN ME UP! Sheesh, thanks!!!!

In regarding to people talking about hitting down on the ball? If so, you can still be shallow and have that downwind motion through impact. Off the topic of "the slot," you just have to make sure you're left wrist stays positive through impact is all. Supinated toward the target , as Hogan would say.

I love that feling of being "in the slot", "on plane", whatever you'd like to call it. Staying there on the backswing, downswing and follow-through is one of the main companent I focus on with the people I teach. I like your swing thought of "resting on your right arm" to achieve this move. Makes perfect sense, to me. The most important thing, Maverick, is to remember that this works, so when things go a little astray, and they will, that you stick with it. Look back to how excited you are about this discovery right now. Its correct, and it works. believe in it.

I reached my playing ability, not by banging balls, but rather playing tons. I'm not, nor have ever been a range rat. When I was a kid I spent hours hitting various chips and developed a great short game. As an adult I've combined that with bunker and putter work. Now its more about maintenance work, and still spend the majority of "practice" time, on the course. Hitting actual shots. Keeping score. When I started playing competitively I realized how easy the guys more advanced then me made the game look, and introduced mental practice to my routine. Stay cool, stay positive, play conservatively, don't chase a score. I work at a club and have a few members that spend hours on the range. Take their game to their course and more often then not, don't break 80. Becoming scratch is about playing the entire game very well.

Thanks! And yeah, Southern California certainly isn't the worst place in the world to ride, or golf, or most things for that matter... :)

Solid 9 holes after work today. Played a match with two of the young guns at my club. -3 finish for me. Pretty awesome day. Up and down for birdie on the Par5 10th, Up and down from a bunker for birdie on the short par4 11th. Up and down for par on the longish Par3 12th. Two putt par on the par5 13th (left birdie putt just short). Up and down for par on the long par3 14th. Green in reg birdie on the 15th. Up and down from the bunker for par on the par3 16th Up and down for par on 17 Up and down from the bunker for par on 18. If you're keeping track, that's 10 putts. 3/3 from the bunker and 3/3 up and down from off the green! Plus I won dinner money off those jerks!

So, in a fit of rage I slammed my [Callaway XForged] 5 iron into the ground on the tee Tuesday and bent the shaft. Wednesday I had a tournament so I needed something to fill the gap. No big deal, I have a ton of sets to choose from , but only a few real contenders as most are old Hogans. So, I pulled out a Mizuno MP30 , a 2008 Hogan Apex Blade and a Hogan Channelback . The MP30 felt a little weird, not the weight I am used to with the XForged. Although rather similar in look. The Apex had a lame Rifle shaft in it. So, I went with the Channelback, even though its 2*flat, and I need 1*upright. I only needed it two times in the tournament, I also played with it today and hit it twice for 9 holes. Man this thing feels good! Much better then I remember hitting them when I first got them for my collection. I'm gonna have to get myself one more set!

Another Wednesday, another trip to Brookside. +3, 75. One shot from the money... ugh Hit the ball freakin' great! The fade is still on and my driver, if it didn't find the fairway, it wasn't missing by much. I didn't find myself in real trouble off the tee all day. I was hitting really crisp and solid irons too. I hit 12/18 greens (67%) but when I didn't hit them I only got up and down once, lame. My putting was quite lack-luster today, and that's what totally killed me. I can't tell you how many 20'-30' putts I had today. Actually, I can tell you; nine. I made two, and one of those two was for par... I had a couple of closer looks too. I had two for birdie, made one. Had five for par and only made one of those. Now, normally I don't blame course conditions for poor performance, but I must say, the greens weren't at their greatest. The maintenance crew had recently punched. They were weird too, about 2" long cuts in the green. That certainly didn't help those long birdie chances as putts had a tendency to hop around. On top of that there were a few greens that had some awful flowering in them. But again, no excuses. I got get back to practicing my putting.

Back in the Saddle. Played the weekly Pepsi Tour event at Brookside today. CW Koiner Course #1 7228y 74.8/134 15pars, 2 bogeys 1 birdie add up to +1, 73 and a tie for 5th. I work in the shop from 7am-12pm, tee times start at 12, but there have been some big crowds this year, so I text the tournament director to ask him to get me in one of the last groups. I hop in my car, stop at 7-11 for a protein bar and a gatorade, then jetted the 25 minute drive to Pasadena. Got to the exit when he text me saying that I was in group 8 and group 6 was on the tee. So I grab my clubs from the trunk, save the extra time in putting on golf shoes and just head to him in my regular Adidas shoes with my entry fee in my hand. 5 minutes later I tee off. Hole 1 is a breeze. 304y, dead straight, no real trouble. On the tee I tell myself not to get crazy and just smooth one out there. I do, end up with 40ish yards, didn't even pace it off. My wedges aren't sharp enough right now where +/- 10 yards isn't going to effect my shot, so I dink one up to the green to 30', roll up the birdie chance to tap in range, and that's how it starts. Standing on the 2nd tee I think to myself, My swing thought for the day will be to make a nice finished backswing and that I should go with what I know and play my baby fade today. So, I line up down the left side of the fairway, get to the top and smooth through the shot. Sweet little fade to the left center of the fairway. I have 127y left to the middle, so I grab my PW and aim for the middle of the green, pin is back right (perfect, right?!) I hit my spot, but decel a bit, I find the green bit it spins from the top teir to the bottom. I give the 40' birdie a good look, but it runs by 4.5'. A tester on hole 2, I got the line, I love short putts, tester nothin'. Center cup, lets go. Hole 3 is a bit of a beast. 474y, pretty narrow, oaks tree right, fairway bunker left. I'm playing the fade today. Aimed to the right side of the fairway bunker, felt the good transition. Left side of the fairway, 187y to the pin. 6 iron to the front of the green, chip, tap in, solid par. Hole 4 , built for fades, except I pull it just a hair and find myself literally a foot from the fairway in the left rough. I've got 156y to the hole that is tucked just over a ridge that sends anything short to the front of the green and 40' away. An 8iron will get there, but I can't tell if I have a flyer, or if the kikuya grass will grab. Knowing kikuya I side with the later and grab my 7iron thinking of a solid cut-off stroke. I pink my spot, and hit what looks like the perfect shot, except, its a flyer, dang. It catches a piece of the green but gets shot long. I don't get up and down. Bogey. Whatever. I now know that chacing a bogey and trying to force something to happen usually doesn't work. So I let it go, and stick to being patient. Hole 5 is risk-reward. 363y. bunker at 260y (carry) guards the right side of the fairway, bunkers at 285y guard anything that stays a little left. This hole usually plays into the wind, and was today. I usually start my driver at the left bunker and fade it around the right bunker. I hit this drive solid, and it was fading through the slot, but it must have caught a weird bounce and I ended up in the 285y bunker. I had 80y, thankfully to a back pin, This green slopes quite sever from back to front. So a 3/4 58* wedge, if not hit the right distance is going to spin crazy to the front. Anything long and it actually kicks to the back, then pin was tucked too far back to get too aggressive. I pull off the shot nicely, great line, but its just too skecthy to hit it long. solid two-putt from 35' and I'm out of there. Par 5 time! I fan a fade out and leave myself 280y to the front edge. I hit a really solid 3w from there and end up right and short, 40y to the front 47y to the pin. I want to hit this one 41y and let it roll to the pin. I hit it 39.5y and the kikuya grabs it and stops in on the front. Okay attempt at birdie. but settle with a par. Hole 7 is beastly too. 441y, bunker right, hazard left, still into that wind. DLIII said "when its breezy, swing easy" I melted a fade out there, so nice. This green is a sliver! probably 20 paces from left to right, with two tiers and the pin is on the top. I've got 157y to the tier, 165y to the pin and 172y to the back of the green. My buddy is right behind my and I see him hit a solid drawing 7iron, that doesn't get to the tier. That takes 7i out of my hand. I choke down on my 6i line up to the middle of the green and hit the most gorgeous, solid stinger thats tracking to the back right pin. Oh it was sexy! It hits just passed pin high and rolls out to the back fringe. I miss the putt, but will take a par. tough hole. Hole 8 , another beast, in the for of a 193y par-3. tall eucalyptus trees and a hazard left (the LA [cement] "river", can't tell you how many times I've pulled shots and seen people pull shots in there) plus there a lake that guards the green from the middle to the right side. With the pin in the back and still being into the wind I opt for a a 4i that I want to hit like that 6i on the hole before. On the tee and about to hit I hear a dude hit his driver that seconds later, and in my take-away smacks the crap out of a tree. My Tiger-like control takes over and I abort the shot. Up over it again, I kinda skank one to the front of the green which rolls up to about 15ft, go me!! Just like a planned. I got a tad aggressive with the putt and lip out on the high side. That would have been great to take advantage of! Oh well. Patience Ben. Hole 9 , nothing crazy, just have to make sure you keep the tee shot left, HUGE eucalyptus tree guards the front right of the green. I kept it left, had 130y in from what looked like a flyer lie. Smooth PW should be right. But this was one of those smooth shots that get hit WAY too good. so it ended up at 140 yards. I two putted though. +1 after 9. Hole 10 on paper isn't too nuts 422y, straight away, par-4 kinda big fairway. But for some reason standing on the tee I don't have a good feel for the hole. I line up for my fade, and pull one into the trees left. I get to my ball to see that I have no shot to the green. That LA "river" guards the front, no chance of punching one low and running it to the green, which maybe was a good thing? Although I'm very good as escape shots, its the Seve in me. So I take my medicine and chip forward, leaving 80y to a pin that on the right. The wind has switched directions, and its blowing into us again. Right now I'm licking my chops. My 58* goes 90y, the pin is on a nice little back to front slope that breaks right so I can hit a nice full 58* just passed the pin, let the wind hold it a bit and let the green take it back. It did just that and I ended up 5' a little farther then I wanted left then I wanted, didn't quite take the break like I though. Anyway, this was a bit of a tester here, but I like left to right putts. I tell myself to take a nice stroke and all should be fun. The stroke was a little questionable, but the putt still dropped. Great par save! 11, Downwind par-5, time for a birdie! Its a bit long 559y, but very narrow! I want to bomb one high to the trees on the left and let the fade take it in. I super pull my drive and it hits some trees about 100y from the tee, great! Thankfully the 15th runs parallel (in the opposite direction) and I have a shot to just blast one down the 15th. I hit a solid 3w considering the lie, but I push it and it ends up in the tree line. SO I'm left with 200y, no chance to hit the green so I pull a 3i to hit a lay slinging draw. Its low and its drawing but it was far from solid. Whatever, I'm out of danger and have my 58* in my hand, Lets get another solid up and down for par. From 60y I can only manage to get it to 17', but I roll the par putt into the center of the cup. Back to back super saves! 12 and 13 back to back beasts. 12 is 506y par-4 from the back, its playing a little forward today, 490y and a little downwind. I hit a sweet little fade, but it wasn't the most solid. Still left with 217y to a back pin, and sitting up in the rough. I really wanted to spank a 5i off this flyer and let it ride the wind to the front of the green and run tot he pin. But, the wind died. I hit an okay 4i, great line, but short, that dang kikuya is relentless today. No roll at all. So, from the front edge, about 35y to the pin a play a bump and run with my PW, great distance! put kind push it and am left with 7' for par. I drain it like nothing! one down, one to go. 13 is 202ys of par-3 madness. a Heart shaped green that sloped from back to front. The opening in front is about 3 paces across, the center of the green maybe 15 paces and the back 25 or so. Bunkers guard anything short to middle left and anything short to middle right. Into the wind I go the the 4 iron, knowing that short is the place to be. The shot looks great of the club, but is drifting right, drifting right, driftingggg, right but to position A! just to the fringe, I've got 20ft, up hill right to left. I snuggle my birdie to a foot and tap in for par. Hole 14 , 374y, par-4 usually into the wind, cake hole, particularly since the wind knocked down the punishing trees left. My tee shot it solid, but in the left rough, I have 118y to the pin, this green is a bit severe from back to front, I hit a beauty of a PW and a laser to the pin, but the wind doesn't touch it and it sails to the back of the green. With a slippery, left to right downhill 30ft breaker the best I could mange is 6'. I forget to tell myself to put a good stroke on the par putt, and miss it, three putt, bogey number two on the day. grrrr! Hole 15. 528y par-5 just as narrow as 11, I kinda pull another drive, it was trying to cut, but was just too far left to begin with. So I'm in the 11th fairway with 260y to the pin, but the mature pines and eucalyptus to navigate over and around. Sweet! 3 wood, cranked! over the right side of the fairway then the fade kicks in just at the right time. Another ultra sexy shot! it ends up just off the front of the green. The pin is in the back, there's a tier to get up I've got about 25ys to navigate. Bump and run time. I little aggressive and it runs to the back fringe and about 15ft to the hole. Left to right, a little downhill. I've got the read down, I just hope that the kikuya fringe down't do something crazy cause I really want this birdie to drop. Great stroke, center cup, finally a birdie! Hole 16 , Pump a drive out to 100y to the pin. The only problem its on the cart path, right next to a huge eucalyptus. Before getting to the ball I'm thinking a drop isn't going to give me much, I might be playing this shot from the cart path. But I get closer and see that I can drop it near the cart path and still navigate under and around the tree. I hit my 54* to about 14' but just wasn't 100% on the read. I miss the putt. Here come two more beasts, 17 and 18 have been round killers on more then one occasion. 17 seems innocent enough. 181y par-3 playing 170y today. I was dialed in today, and struck one of the most pure 7irons I've hit in a longggg time. the pin being middle right I line up to the middle in order to work that fade. couldn't have been better, except I hit it so good that it ends up 25ft passed the pin. Had a pretty good read on this downhiller but it misses and rolls out to 4ft. Tester, no, center cup, no sweat! Hole 18 , 468y of par-4 hell. Straight, huge trees and thick rough left, the Rose Bowl parking lot right. I'm teeing off last at this point. The first guy, a lefty, fans one out that kinda comes back but into the left rough. The second guy, super blocks one right, and into the parking lot, he'd bee hitting good shots all day, so that's the last thing I needed to see, someone get squirrely on the last hole and pound one OB. I tell myself F that. I've been hitting my fade all day, aim down the left and hit this dang fade. Pull it off to perfection! I find myself in the left fairway by a foot and 189y to the pin. This green is rediculous, the entire front half is like a false front, but thankfully the pin is back, andddd back right! yes! I grab my 6iron, pick a tree in line with the center of the green and swing away. This ball landed in the center of that tree trunk, so hot! I'm in the center of the green at this point with about 25ft for birdie. I got a good read on it, but, not good enough. I send it to the hole but it misses low, and runs out to 3ft. Tester, 'fraid not, center cup. solid par! I know 73 isn't going to win, but I also know it'll make me something. And after coming back from the edge of quitting competitive golf playing as solid as I did today was worth more then the T5th place money. Wow, this was a long review. Thanks for reading...

That's really bitchin'! Like you're own Grand Tour! Must have lost a pound or two over that period of time I'd imagine...

Well, the bug hasn't left me, and has actually grown larger. I've been on an eBay frenzy looking for Campy parts, and recently completed the upgrade. Went from a 9-speed Shimano Sora group to 10-speed Campagnolo Chorus/Record group on my Bianchi! Got out twice this week. My normal 19mi loop on Wednesday and then hit PCH for 30 miles on Friday. Pacific Coast Highway is a bear from Malibu to Ventura. Northbound is practically all uphill and always into a brisk headwind. I made sure that was the first half. Such a bear. Anyone else here on Strava? Here's me: http://app.strava.com/athletes/60631 Friday's PCH ride: That's a pretty amazing feat! How many miles a day did that work out to? How much time in the saddle/day too?

Nah, not much going on elementz... I've played in one, maybe two events since my last post here. Quite honestly I was very close to giving up on the whole game. My work schedule just doesn't fit in with the tournament schedule of the Golden State Tour. With nothing to practice for I gave up playing in favor of caddying. I have a super talented young kid that is a very close friend of mine. So, instead of taking time off work to play in an event myself, I would take time off to help him on his bag. We've had a bit of success. We got to the US Am last year, qualifying is coming up for that. He placed 4th in the Pasadena City Championship this year. Made it to the Cal State Am, Cal State Open. And we've got out eyes set on PGA Tour Q School which starts at the end of September. As far as my game, I've played golf maybe ten times in two months. Forget about hitting balls on the range or shortgame practice. I missed it, sorta, but not really. The desire left me. Like I mentioned I did play those two events, I just figured I'd go out and try since they were at courses I liked. I think I shot +4 at one and maybe a couple over at the other. Certainly not in the money. I'm in a bit of a tough spot at work that my shifts are on days that most of the good GSTour events are held, and we are so short staffed at the club where I work that its hard to get time off. None of us feel good about leaving the rest of the staff with the workload. I had a serious talk with myself about what I want to be doing. I have full faith in my kid and his ability, and would love to be his caddy. My friend Zeke is out there on John Huh's bag and every time he's back in town he tells me how great it is out there. That being said, I also came to the realization that I can't give up on myself. I work at a course which I have full access to. The days are long, the weather is great, I need to find time to keep my game sharp. There has to be something coming up in the future for me. I did hit balls for 45 minutes this morning, then got out on the course after work (6pm) and managed to jump around and play 15 holes. I shot -4 with one bogey, three birdies and holed out a wedge on a par4 for eagle. Today was definitely a step [back] in the right direction!

If it makes you feel any better, I don't think I've ever shot a round over 100...

I still remember my first sub-70 round and I still remember my first bogey-free round. I think the bogey-free round holds more weight in terms of satisfaction.

Dang your girl Sue kicked butt!

Another solid HUH performance at The Players!