lagolfer

On Monday shot a 3 over par round of 75 at Harding. One under on the front and four over on the back. I've got the short game of a 20 handicapper. Seriously. It's really pathetic. So much so that I checked out that Pelz scoring school website and and I couldn't believe it...they want $2,400 for a three day lesson! That's unbelievable. Talk about an elitist game! I'm gonna learn this on my own by actually practicing. I was never good at taking lessons anyway.

So would I. All you have to do is pretend you're Phil Connors from Groundhog Day. Learning piano has to improve your life. Just think of it.

Shot 70 today (36+34) on a par 72. Hit 11/14 fairways, 13 greens, and 29 putts. Drove a 330 par 4 in one and two putted. Made a chip-in while short sided. Had 2 bogies and 4 birdies. Consumed 2 gatorades, one banana, and smoked 11 cigarettes.

It was on the 13th hole at Santa Anita this Sunday. It's a dogleg right 510 yard par 5, with out of bounds on the right. I set up for a fade, but instead pulled it in the left trees. I had well over 300 to the hole and I had to go under some trees, and so I punched a 3 iron to about 105. The pin was tucked middle right, right over a sand trap. I hit a crappy sand wedge left about two feet short of the green. Here's the shot: An up hill, double breaker, fifty foot putt. And guess what? Right in the hole for a birdie! I thought it was pretty good after a 200 yard drive in the trees. Plus that got me to one under, then I birdied the next hole, and then seventeen to shoot 3 under par! Another good shot I hit was a 170 yd eight iron to the middle of the green on 18. That's the shot of the round that pretty much sealed the deal. But the whole day I was striking the ball like a pro. Had a ton of easy pars where I didn't have to get up and down. Felt really good to finally play well.

Yesterday shot a 68 (par 71) with a 35 on the front and 33 on the back at Santa Anita golf course. I had two bogies and five birdies. One of the putts I made was a fifty foot double breaker from off the green. Hit a total of fifteen greens and 8/15 fairways with 31 putts. My 67th shot was a horrible lip-out where the golf ball went entirely in the hole and then came out.

Lately I've been perfecting a fade off the tee. When I do this, it pretty much eliminates the left side, and my driving accuracy is at least 75%, a lot higher than it was before. Although I'm losing a few yards off the tee, I can still get it out there at least 265 every time. However, though, when I come accross a hole that's over 430, I may try a draw or the typical grip it and rip it straight shot to get it as close to the 150 marker as I can.

A few months ago I saw a guy at a driving range, who was using the Moe Norman Natural swing method, and he was hitting his driver at least 320. I was so amazed because I've seen the Moe Norman video, and I couldn't believe someone had actually used it so successfully. I mean, I hit my driver at least 270, and I couldn't even get my drives within many yards of this guy. He was just putting me to shame. You don't really get to see guys like this too often.

Well, I played the shortest par 70 course in the world. It measures 5,200 yards, but all the tees were way up, so I waited for all par 4s to clear except for one. That being said, I birdied 5 holes, but four were from two putts. Ended up with a 67 (rating: 64), but I knew a 64 would have been good, and a 62 would have been great. Years ago I heard a twelve year old shot a 58 there onece, so I felt like I really shot 3 over par.

Played Woodley Lakes in the Valley and shot 74 (37, 37) on a par 72. Many of my approaches were missed like 20 yards left, but the greens were so huge I was still putting. Must of had about five birdie putts outside 50 feet. Two putted one from 81 feet. Hit a really great shot, though, on the 13th hole, a par 5. It measures about 510, and I hit a puny, yet straight drive and had 260 left. The guys were still on the green and I knew my 4 wood couldn't get there with a slightly elevated green. Plus the guys on the tee were waiting to hit, so embarrassed to wait, I just let loose my driver from the deck, and hit the green with a nice fade right at the group in front. The ball even went between one of the guys' legs while he was putting, but fortunately later he told me what a great shot it was. So I birdied two of the par 5s, yet bogied the two other ones, which made the round a little dissapointing. Would have been content with even par, and very happy under. So two over's really not that good.

On Monday played one of the best rounds in my life shooting a 4 under 68 (37+31) at Wilson at Griffith Park. The greens were sandy and punched but the putts were just going in; however, three of my six birdies were inside 5 feet. Today, though, shot a 10 over 82 (40+42) at Brookside #1. 1 eagle, 1 birdie, 8 bogeys, 2 doubles, and a triple. Pull-hooked 6 approaches and had 3 3-putts. I wasn't even thinking about lagging any of them, and aside from the eagle didn't make anything outside of 4 feet.

Well, my last round I hit about 4 drives over 300, and three of them were downwind. Into the wind at least 270. I made a little change with my driver swing and I'm hitting it a lot further.

Shot a 5 over 77 today. Was 2 for 5 from the sand, but struggled off the tee a little bit w/ lost ball and one in the hazard. Plus I missed a coupla short birdie putts and only made one which was a two-putt birdie. Really should have shot even.

I have the same problem, except with the mid-long irons. I played today and had three bogeys, all from hooks or pull hooks on my approach. This probably happens 50% of the time with a 7 iron and up in my hand. I'm thinking of just opening the clubface and aiming a little left. Or I can try aiming right, as long as right of the green isn't shortsiding myself. Any suggestions?

Shot even par 72 on Brookside #1 from the blues. 3 bogeys and 3 birdies. All the bogeys hit pull hooks with 7, 5, and 4 iron. Finished w/ 40 ft putt on 18.

Are you kidding? Everyone can improve their short game. I'm always chipping it too far because I have 4 wedges and never know which one to use. And it's not just the high handicappers who don't have a short game. I can only shoot low if I hit like fifteen greens, because less than 50% I get up and down. And from 40-70 yards I'm a hacker. I always have to lay up to at least 90 yards so I have a full swing to the hole, otherwise I'm screwed. Today I shanked it from sixty yards, then chunked it from forty, and then failed to get up and down, so I made a 7 on a par 5, when it probably should have been 4. Fortunately, my putting saved me from shooting like 84.