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MrLeek

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Everything posted by MrLeek

  1. MrLeek
    When I started playing I picked up a 2nd-hand set of clubs (plus bag) for £30, had a couple of lessons to get the basics, then hit balls on the range 2-3 times a month (I was finishing my dissertation so hitting golf balls was a nice break). Six months on I joined a club, played a few rounds with some friends and had a couple more lessons over a 3-4 month period. Then I realised that I really liked golf. I really liked trying to understand how it all worked and how to get better. I really wanted to play good golf. So I signed up for a years worth of lessons. I’m getting better - the contrast between a video of my golf swing 12 months ago compared to now is frightening. I genuinely don’t know how I was even hitting the ball 12 months ago, such was my ridiculous out-to-in swing path!! Now…it’s a baby fade with a 3-wood (most of the time). I’m beginning to master the 20-y/o driver I have (apparently it was an excellent driver back then). My scores are improving consistently. I’ve just renewed my 12 month lesson package. I won’t get to scratch - I’m too old to realistically do that. But by damn I’m going to try - and the guy that’s been teaching me has been a massive part of my golfing journey. Having that consistent voice to help me, to answer all the stupid questions I have, to explain the same concept in 14 different ways to make it click in my brain? I wouldn’t be without it.
  2. MrLeek
    Day 48: Aug 3 An hour or so in a practice net working on clubpath; put an object near the ball that encourages an in-to-out swing path. Get it wrong and I clip the object when hitting the ball - the result is reasonably good feedback on my swing.
  3. MrLeek
    Day 47: Aug 2 Range session. Lots of 3-wood practice focusing on maintaining a flat wrist at the top of the backswing with good results. Seeing a baby fade with a 3-wood on a regular basis is a really nice feeling! Misses tend to be a not-terrible slice (say 7-10 yds right of target line) which I can live with for now, mixed in with the occasional pulled shot (which is less desirable). Either miss is fine; having both is not ideal.
  4. MrLeek
    Day 46: Aug 1 Round of golf. A poor start over the opening two holes, then a really good run over 12 holes (+8 gross, which is terrific for where I am on my golfing journey). Then some bumpy moments mixed in with good golf coming home. One thing I’m trying to do - not always successfully - is having a better decision-making process before stepping into the shot. How’s the lie? Where can I land the ball? Where do I want to be playing from next? Some of that is happening, but not consistently enough. As before, it’s a skill that only really improves by playing golf.
  5. MrLeek
    Day 45: Jul 30 Lesson followed by range practice. Continuing to work on clubpath, including drills to create an extreme in-to-out clubpath. I’m increasingly understanding the feelings I’m trying to achieve and the trackman data shows that it’s working. Range time focused on the same feels, followed by plenty of 3-wood practice focusing on a slightly bowed wrist (closing the clubface) at the top of the backswing. The result was far better clubface control and a generally controlled shot shape.
  6. MrLeek
    Day 44: Jul 29 Played in the monthly medal. Was -5 nett over 15 holes. Shame the game is played over 18 holes!!! 😆 Lots of lessons learnt: DO NOT lose my rhythm on the tee; consider all my options when in trouble, including taking an unplayable penalty. The point of that “in trouble” shot is to ensure I’m not in trouble on the subsequent shot. So think it through!
  7. MrLeek
    First sub-bogey round of golf (-17 gross). Lots to work on, but lots to be really pleased with: five up-and-down recovery saves; six pars (matched PB); and no blowup holes! Which I’m probably the most excited about - not a single triple-bogey or higher recorded, something I’ve never done before. Of the five double bogeys: two ultimately caused by a poor distance putt (ended up 3-putting both times); lipped out one bogey putt. The remainder were caused by poor tee shots ( unplayable lie and hazard respectively) but played the rest of the hole as well as possible.
  8. MrLeek
    Day 43: Jul 28 Played 18 holes at regular course. Really good round (new PB I think) with lots of positives to take away. Also lots of things to work on: trust my rhythm off the tee (don’t force it); commit to the shot; improve long-distance putting. But it’s reinforcing the belief that I’m getting the hang of this silly game 😆
  9. MrLeek
    Day 42: Jul 27 Staying with the theme of trying to create a consistently neutral clubpath: spent an hour or so hitting 1/2 & 2/3 power shots into a net, focusing on clubpath.
  10. MrLeek
    Day 41: Jul 26 Continued with indoor backswing/transition drills, trying to create a consistently neutral clubpath.
  11. MrLeek
    Day 40: Jul 25 Played 18 at home course. Strung together a strong run of golf - 3 under bogey golf (or -7 nett) over 13 holes, which is outstanding for me - then deliberately stopped to focus on a tee shot that I’ve been struggling with from the longer tournament tee and tried a few different options. Not an easy tee shot to carry the trouble, but the bailout area in front is small and hard to find. I’ve got a better idea how to tackle the shot, but it’s a real risk/reward tee shot and probably means playing a precautionary provisional ball to avoid the trek back up the hill! Finished off at home with some clubpath drills.
  12. MrLeek
    Day 39: Jul 24 Another matchplay round. Played -2 nett; with the exception of two blowup holes (a familiar mantra) I’ve played yet more good golf. Made good decisions and executed well.
  13. MrLeek
    Day 38: Jul 22 Range session. First half focused on over-exaggerating an in-to-out swing path (regardless of ball strike), then practiced driver/3-wood. Good results overall.
  14. MrLeek
    Day 37: Jul 21 Played 18 holes matchplay. Had a couple of blowup holes but easy to identify why they happened. Otherwise a good tussle of a match - there was never more than two holes in it, I had a very long run of better than bogey-standard golf and the match came to the 18th all-square. Finished 1 up which obviously I’m delighted about. Plenty to work on: improve my tee shots and make better short game decisions. Also learn to minimise the damage when in trouble. All of these things will happy at least in part by playing more golf.
  15. MrLeek
    Day 36: Jul 20 Couple of short takeaway/transition drill sessions.
  16. MrLeek
    Day 35: Jul 18 Played 12 holes at home course (had to cut it short due to time constraints). Which was a shame given I was -4 gross at that point. Some errant shots (not unexpected given my handicap), but lots of good golf tee to green. Poor lag putting cost me a couple of shots. Also mindful that I’m “flipping” at the ball with a GW. But really pleased how I’m approaching each shot, thinking it through and understanding what I’m trying to accomplish with the shot (and planning the subsequent shot).
  17. MrLeek
    Day 34: Jul 17 Played 14 holes at home course - played two tee shots (some of the time) then played a single ball in. Lots of tap-in putts for bogey, the weaker/poorer tee shots were typically playable. Really good confidence booster.
  18. MrLeek
    Day 33: Jul 16 An hour practicing in the net, trying to shallow my swing. Followed by a couple of hours of short-game practice before finishing with 20 mins or so of short putts on a Matt. Busy day.
  19. MrLeek
    Day 32: Jul 15 Several sessions of indoor takeaway/transition drills
  20. MrLeek
    Day 31: Jul 14 Lesson followed by range time. Club head/ball speed is increasing without losing significant form. But I can still slip into bad habits; I can catch myself when I see the trackman numbers then concentrate and create a better swing profile. But there’s a part of me that’s objecting to the idea that I can “feel” what’s a good/bad swing - I’m beginning to wonder if I need to stump up the money for a decent launch monitor that I can take to the range. That would provide the feedback and data needed to help me improve more effectively. Maybe this is just part of the process and that it takes time to be able to feel what I’m doing on a given golf shot.
  21. MrLeek
    Day 30: Jul 13 Played 18 holes at a different course. Shot -5 nett (which I’m still celebrating). A few wayward shots tee-to-green and a couple of sticky short game moments. But lots of good sensible golf.
  22. MrLeek
    Day 29: Jul 12 Couple of short practice drill sessions indoors
  23. MrLeek
    Day 28: Jul 11 Played a round on an away day. Different course, fast undulating greens, questionable short game and some occasional wayward drives. But still managed to play to hcap…which I’m secretly excited about. I really need to become more accurate with my short game. Too often I put myself around the green in regulation/one over regulation, then proceeded to execute poorly and end up scrambling to finish the hole cleanly (not always successfully). These are the things that are turning realistic bogey/par opportunities into ugly numbers.
  24. MrLeek
    Day 27: Jul 9 Range session. At least I got some exercise! Then settled down and focused on rhythm, which had a positive impact. Ended the session well.
  25. MrLeek
    Day 26: Jul 8 Range day. I still feel that my good shots happen when I make a full turn, focusing on getting the club behind me. Bad shots feel like I’m chopping down on the ball with 3-wood; I think I’m getting too steep in my downswing. Made a point during this session of trying to have a pre-shot routine before each shot; again, the perception I’m getting is that a practice swing before settling into the shot is resulting in a better strike. Almost feels like I’m reminding myself what I should be doing before stepping into the shot. Something to stay with during practice tomorrow.
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