Anyone got a flake?

Well as you know I'm missing ten days of golf from Saturday so I squeezed in a quick 18 holes after work today. Things didn't get off to the best start as I duffed my tee shot on the 1stand then overhit my pitched approach, two more shots to get it on the green and two putts for a six.

I hit a solid tee shot on the 2nd and although I duffed my second I put my third within pitching distance. Unfortunately a sloppy 3 putt ensued which meant I scored seven. I hit the green on the 3rd, yet another three putt arrrrgh! Duffed tee shot, recovery into play, third to the fringes, chip putt for bogey...getting better.

Hit my longest ever tee shot on our longest hole, 248 yards with the 3 wood. Finished about 50 yards short of the green after the next two shots but hit a great chip to four feet and sunk the putt for par. Thought I was getting the hang of it, tee shot at the 6th brought me crashing back to earth. Sliced off to the right and two poor chip choices and a two putt saw me land another double bogey. Pants.

Our 7th is a reachable par 5 and I stunned myself my reaching it in two with the hybrid (god I love that club). Eagle? Birdie? Don't be silly three putt par, to be fair it was a long first putt. But I was starting to get into my stride. It wasn't consistent gorgeous golf but I was finding ways to score, bogey, par, par, bogey followed and I found myself 100 yards from our par 5 12th after two shots.

Then I peeked, I know I shouldn't but I couldn;t resist the temptation and looked by early to see where my pitch would land. Cue a nasty thin through the green, lost ball. Arrrrgh!!!! Trudge back to where I took the original shot and score an eight. I was still seething when I teed it up on the 13th and hit a orrible slice onto the tee box of our 4th. To be fair you couldn't get a better lie from a shot that bad and I hit a humdinger to the fringes of the green, 213 yards, get in (seriously this hybrid is amazing). Didn;t hit the best chip and my putt lipped out but to come away with a bogey was nice.

Bad tee shot again on the 14th, lost ball, three off the tee and I scrapped a seven. Bogey on 15 courtesy of another good chip and lipped out putt. Then disaster struck, tee shot out of bounds, reload into gorse, find it drop, pitch to green, catches top lip of bugger, anguish, still in the sand, thin it into the lip, three putts back 10. My entire round ruined, in ashes, over kaput aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrgggggggggghhh!!!! Why me!!!

Now things did take a turn for the worst when I caught up with two three balls that had teed off earlier. I had got into a rhythm but I had to wait wo hit that pitch on the 12th and from that point on my round nose dived as I waited on each hole. I MUST get better at waiting and keeping in the zone. My fault, not good enough.

Anyway back to the round and on 17 I found another greenside bunker and struggled to get out. Seriously, how do you escape compact wet bunkers? Second attempt was in fairness pretty good, got it to two feet and dropped the putt for a five. Another five on the 18th and I finished with...

99!

So I've finally broken 100 but I just can't savour the moment because of that bloody 10, not to mention the shocking and unnecessary 8 on the 12th. But the signs are promising, my chipping is getting better, I have fallen  in love with my hybrid and I'm starting to believe I can score irrespective of where I end up. So a brief break from golf and hopefully firing on all cylinders in the mid month October medal.

I do also have a couple of thanks to two Bobs. Started re reading 'Your 15th Club' by Bob Rotella and managed to adhere to the orinciples up until the 12th and my chipping and putting was much better than my recent performances thanks to Bob McArthur's fabulous V-Easy (if you don't own one I seriously recommend you invest.

99 (71)
6(3), 7(5), 4(3), 5(4), 5(5), 5(3), 5(5), 5(4), 4(4), 4(4), 4(3), 8(5), 5(4), 7(4), 5(4), 10(4), 5(4), 5(3)

Some you win...

Electronic Arts must have thought all of their nightmares were being realised simultaneously. First of all the cover star of their all conquering golf computer game is found out for his salacious activities when away from home. Then shortly before the release of the massive FIFA franchise cover star Wayne Rooney is exposed as a love rat (again!) with allegations that he slept with a prostitute several times whilst his wife was pregnant.

A PR annus horribilis beckoned for the mighty software giant, that was until chirpy Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy made the rather brass necked suggestion that the world number one had lost his golfing mojo. On the eve of the Ryder Cup the press are full of stories of Rory vs Tiger, the big face off and as it happens the two stars who feature prominently on the cover of the latest golfing instalment from EA.

The EA Sports marketing team couldn't have dreamt of a better build up and they will be made up as I can foresee sales of the computer game going into overdrive over the coming weekend. Sadly, the reviews just were not strong enough to tempt me into shelling out on a copy, but come Friday I will be able to slip the new FIFA into my PS3, Wayne or no Wayne it is simply too good to miss!

Disability golf

I have to say it was a bit of a bombshell. I went to sleep on 8th September 2008 feeling fine, I woke up the following morning with no sensation from the neck down. I could still use my limbs but I just couldn't feel them. It was a pretty horrendous experience that extended for the rest of that month. My son was due to be born in early October and I was completely helpless, relying extensively on my other half to carry out simple things like eating, drinking and dressing. Occasionally, I am haunted by that memory and a fear that another relapse is around the corner.

As an MS sufferer you never know when your next attack will come and any signs of fatigue or illness will cause concern, even though it is often a false alarm. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate in that I am participating in a clinical trial and so far it has been just over two years since my last relapse.

That said as a keen sportsman being unable to continue playing football (or most other sports) was a terrible blow and if I had not found golf I don't think I would have been able to deal with my condition half as well.  Golf really has been the crutch that I have heavily lent on over the past year and a chance meeting on the Golf Monthly Forum has opened my eyes to a whole host of people who have benefitted from golf in a similar way. I was quite amazed at how a blend of engineering and sheer grit has enabled countless individuals the opportunity to continue/start playing this truly fantastic sport.

I am therefore happy to be able to promote the Disabled Golf Society on this blog and urge you to get in touch with them if you feel your home course could host a local event. Ask yourself is there more your club could do to encourage and support disabled golfers? Most importantly please help spread the word to anyone that you believe would be interested in this new and exciting organisation.

www.disabledgolfsociety.com

The return of the V-Easy

Ever bought a golf training aid and thought "Mon dieu, what a stupendous invention, I simply cannot understand why I never bought this earlier, I feel ready to take on the masses, bring it on!"  I did, it is called the V-Easy and it has been neglected recently lying at the back of the cupboard under my stairs like an old Harry Potter wand.

I dusted it off today and took it out onto the heath and hey presto (maybe it is magical after all) my chipping was greatly improved. I will be giving my putting stroke a good going over later on as I build up to my final round of the month, a solo jaunt on Thursday evening. Fingers crossed I will get round in sufficient time to avoid dusk and my improved chipping technique will enhance my touch round the greens.

"C'mon Jack, let me play 18 holes and I'll tell you
whatever you want to know"

Unfortunately, this will be my last taste of golf for a while. I am seemingly being punished for sins that I must have committed in a former life. I'm journeying to the Highlands and had originally planned to take my sticks with me and sample wonders such as Boat o' Garten. Then my missus invited her mum and dad along and the space in the car became a premium. Consequently, the all terrain buggy took preference over my golf clubs.

I will therefore be compelled to travel north of the border to the home of golf, whilst the Ryder Cup is on AND not play any golf. Forget chinese water torture, or sleep deprivation I'd rather spend some time in Jack Bauer's company than undergo this ordeal. Gutted? Doesn't even come close!

Jelly on a plate

Wibble, wobble is actually about right. My balance is woeful and is a fundamental issue in my golf swing. A solid foundation is a really important factor in golf but I've let myself go a tad and my core stability is not what it used to be. But fear not for I have a fun remedy for my ailment.

Enter the Wii Fit returned from the forlorn bosom of my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. As the winter months kick in my ability to practice during the week is severely hampered. But 30 mins a night improving my balance on the Wii will not only be fun, but will also hopefully give me a sound base to my golf swing.

My bad habits include losing balance on follow through and falling back in the swing. Eradicate those two issues and hopefully I'll be onto a winner. I'm planning on working really hard this winter so that I can begin next year firing on all cylinders. Wii Fit also has the added bonus of being something the missus enjoys, so I actually get brownie points for couply fun, when in fact I have a golfing alterior motive, just don't tell the wife!

The good, the bad and the ugly...

Well what a day i had today on the course. I was playing the Noodle + for the first time, using my G15 hybrid for the first time and hoping to make that killer break through. I didn't get off to an auspicious start as I failed to get to grips with my new club and started +3, +4, +3. I then drilled one with the new G15 on the 4th just missing the left of the fairway. My approach also went left and my chip on long. I finished with a 6 and was frustrated I hadn't made at least bogey.

Cue more inconsistent golf, wasting a brilliant tee shot on the 5th and scoring +3, +1, +1, +2. So 8 holes down and I was sitting pretty on +19, ouch! Then I found a bit of consistency and hit my straps. I hit a great tee shot on the 9th and though I missed the green with my approach I chipped to eight feet and drained the putt for par. I scored bogey on the 10th after an awful tee shot that went way right and then came the highlight of my round.

The wind had picked up and the rain was lashing down and somehow I found some composure to hit my tee shot on our tiny 11th to five feet and drained the putt for birdie. My tee shot at the 12th and 15th were a little wild and I failed to take my medicine on both occasions. Despite those set backs I still managed to come back in a score of 47 (+12).

To be honest my putting was atrocious today and cost me massively. Far too many 3 putts and an obscene total of 41 putts. To be fair I did hit 5 GIR today, which would have had a negative impact on my putting, but I still should have done better. So I'll be spending some quality practice time with the short stick between now and my next round. The most important thing to come out of today is that after a shaky start I am getting on well with the new stick!

The good: My birdie
The bad: My putting
The ugly: the G15 hybrid (but boy does it work!)

• 14% FIR
• 28% GIR
• 191 yards Average Driving Distance
• 41 Putts

102 (71)
6(3), 9(5), 6(3), 6(4), 8(5), 4(3), 6(5), 6(4), 4(4), 5(4), 2(3), 8(5), 5(4), 5(4), 8(4), 5(4), 5(4), 4(3)

Super Noodles +

Some may question their nutritional content, others may scorn the freeze dried flavouring that comes with every packet, Gillian McKeith may well wet herself in a fit of uncontrollable rage if you served her up a plateful having asked her round for dinner, but in my opinion Batchelor's deserve a Nobel prize. Countless students up and down the country, owe their survival in the face of hunger to a diet comprised of lager, dodgy kebabs, Heinz Baked Beans and of course Super Noodles. I would go so far as to say I'm not sure I'd be here to write this blog if it hadn't been for the sustenance offered by these little packets of salvation.

So Super Noodles saved me once, I'm hoping a different variety can save me again. The Srixon AD333 affair was a brief flirtation behind the bike sheds, like a lovesick teenager I've fallen head over heels and this time I promise it is the real thing. The thing is, very much like a teenager, I was after something softer to caress, albeit this time round a golf course. The Srixon's were just too hard for me but by god these Noodle + are as soft as a basket load of ducklings. Obviously the real test will come on Saturday when I tee them up for a full 18 holes, but at the moment they are the one(s) for me.

So emblazoned with my markings (I write Tiger in Chinese in red), I shall step boldly onto the course, safe and secure in the knowledge that I have wisely invested less than £1 per ball on the objects that will catapult me from high scoring obscurity into the wonders of double digit finishes.

Is this yet another false dawn? Will I reappear on these virtual pages a whimpering kitten with my tail trailing between my legs? Or will I return a triumphant tiger, holding aloft my clubs with the sweet spots still fresh with blood (okay marker pen)? Tune in at 9pm tomorrow to find out...

Not unlucky for me...

It's here, my lucky 13th club has arrived!!!! Yes my 2 iron hybrid has entered the building and will hopefully give me a little more control and distance off the tee. This will not see the end of my long iron striking but there are a few really tight holes on our course where you need a little bit of distance and accuracy and hopefully this will fill that void.

I am off to the club tonight so I will be able to pick it up and if all is quiet on the course have a few hits on the 9th hole before I head home. I am really excited to get out on the course with the new pre shot routine, the new club and hopefully some new balls if they arrive before the weekend. Happy, happy golfing days!

On the oche

"Game shot!" the crowd go wild and Phil 'The Power' Taylor allows himself a wry smile as he heads to yet another world title. Or perhaps it was just me nonchalantly slotting a double sixteen, albeit at my 4th attempt (not to mention the countless darts it took me to get my score to 32. I always prefer to miss outside rather than needing to readjust aim and go for double 8, double 4, double 2...


I haven't played a lot of darts recently, primarily because of my golf obsession and that every time I venture into the garage my putting mat has to be rolled away to play. I feel guilty enough to think that I should have just a few putts. Then one of two things happens:

1. I get on a hot streak and can't stop because I want to beat my previous best, or 
2. I get on a cold streak and can't stop until I get on a hot streak!

Normally, it is a call from upstairs that breaks whatever experience I am having, but the last two putts have to go in. Yesterday, I bucked the trend and beat my best straight off so I thought I'd chuck a few arrows. Amidst the daydreaming of winning a fictitious grand masters world title disposing of Taylor, Barneveld, Bristow and co en route I realised something.

I am missing the golfing equivalent of a checkout. It used to be a half swing with my pitching wedge. Nice, smooth, relaxed and controlled 100 yards job done. All I needed to do was get the ball 100 yards from the flag. However, recently my distances have gone beserk. I hit a 9 iron 164 yards at Brett Vale the other day, not a thin, a proper golf shot. I'd have thought I'd hit the wrong club if I didn't still have it in my hand when I reached it. Any form of decent connection is travelling much further now and at some point I will need to check my distances, at least in my scoring clubs.

But that doesn't answer my checkout question and I guess I'm still searching for that answer, but once I find a reliable go to approach shot, I'm hoping my course management will go to another level.

Back to basics

The direction of the ball is determined by the position of the club head at impact. The position of the club head at impact can be affected by a range of factors including grip, swing plane, alignment, ball position, posture etc. Currently, I am either pull hooking it or slicing it (mainly because I am scared of pull hooking it)! Reflecting on Saturday I thought more about how the rest of the four ball played and noted how consistent my good friend Simon was. Yes he was occasionally wayward but more often than not he was right on the money. His secret, well if you ask me it is his pre shot routine, it never changes ... ever.

When I was at school if you 'copied' large chunks out of a text book without referencing or borrowed a mate's homework, slightly changed the wording but kept the same messages it was called plagiarism. Those found guilty were tied to a post in the school yard and given numerous lashes with a cat-o-nine-tails before being immersed in salted, lemon juice (okay perhaps it was just a detention but that lacked the level of drama I was looking for).

When I left school the 'p' word seemed to disappear from people's lexicon. Instead you were praised for not 're-inventing the wheel' and wasting much time, effort and resource in the process to eventually duplicate the good practice that somebody had already created. Outside the corporate world people actively encouraged this practice, willingly sharing their knowledge and expertise, at times fervently pressing you to adopt policies and procedures that they swore by.

As I am no longer in education, I feel completely at ease at using Simon's routine as the basis for my new, revised approach to each shot. On the course I will need to think about yardage, elements, lie, hazards etc and after this point I will choose a club. Taking the club from the bag is my trigger.

1. Standing a couple of yards back from my ball I take two practice swings perpendicular to my target line. Through these swings I practice the two swing thoughts my pro has given me: hold bend in right knee, flatter swing plane so I strike inside the ball.
2. I then use my club to identify my target line, my target in the distance and my target on the floor (6 inches in from of the ball)
3. With the club outstretched I also check my grip
4. I address the ball feet together ensuring my club is square to my target on the floor
5. I open my feet to ensure the ball is in the right place in my stance
6. Adjust posture, stance and distance from the ball so I feel comfortable
7. Look at the target in the distance
8. Eyes back on the ball, breathe out, swing

I then figured out why I am hitting my recovery shots so much better. When the ball is in the rough, I am intently focussed on hitting it and keep my eye on it till after it has gone to ensure a clean strike. Ball on the fairway, head up early trying to see where I've hit it, cue thins, fats and slices.

Results? Well during my lunchtime practice today I am already seeing positive signs of improved ball striking. Just need to do it on the course/practice hole. Thursday seems so far away...

Patchy

It's a malaise that affects all high handicappers but I think I may have quite a severe case of patchy golf syndrome. The Texas Scramble format is normally very accommodating of patchy play, but to take full advantage you need to pair a mid and high handicapper together. Yesterday I played with my friend Graham who also plays off 28. We never really expected to contend for honours and we never even came close to troubling the prizes.

What I am finding difficult at the moment is maintaining concentration and focus, without getting too tense. I need a trigger to get me in the zone and a routine that I follow religiously to allow me to think only of my shot but remain free and easy. I am finding this especially difficult on social knockabouts and formats such as scrambles. I imagine it will take some time for me to be able to relax and enjoy my round but switch off from the banter, company and comraderie in the brief moments when I am playing a shot. I can do it on the putting green, but then again the swing mechanics of the putting stroke are hardly complicated. There are so many things that can go wrong on my full swing: but thinking of them or not thinking about them both have detrimental outcomes.

I suppose like a learner driver I am currently consciously competent, because when I do apply myself properly I can play some good golf. On our 2nd (par 5) yesterday we found ourselves 208 yards from the flag in light rough after 2 shots. The ball was sitting up pretty nicely but you couldn't get away with anymore than a 6 iron. My aim was to be accurate between the two greenside bunkers and hope that I may generate enough roll to make the fringe. I followed my routine, cleared my mind, thought only of my target and flushed it. I knew it was a good connection but did not expect to not only reach the green, but hit it pin high 12 feet left of target. This was not an isolated incident, there were a number of good approaches, recovery shots, chips and putts that I hit yesterday. What I haven't been able to do, is maintain that level of concentration for periods of time so I can string several good shots together and build some momentum.

Where I am consistently coming unstuck is the tee box, where far too often (especially recently) I am hitting out of bounds or into massive trouble. As always it is another inevitable step on my journey and while the good shots are the ones that fuel my desire to play, they also leave a sour aftertaste that usually presents itself the next time I slice one out of bounds. "How is it possible to play quite brilliantly one minute and so awful the next?" I have often asked myself as I disconsolately put my 4 iron back into the bag. "Because it's golf" my condescending subconscious will reply as I drill one out of the cabbage and back into play some distance up the fairway. I'm not asking for much, but a little consistency would be nice.

Good fun but we got spanked

Played today with my mate Graham in a Four Ball BetterBall stableford against a couple of his work friends. The game was at Brett Vale Golf Course, which you can find in the reviews section. I cannot praise the course highly enough for it's stunning presentation, it was quite simply sumptuous. To be fair I didn't play too badly and chipped really well but the greens were so fast. I have never played on greens like it before and it definitely made for a stern test of golf. Graham and I both play off 28 and limped in with 33 points, primarily due to costly three putts on the slick putting surface.

Our opponents who play off 18 & 24 fared slightly better, especially Darren who played to handicap with a personal haul of 37 points in their total of 43.

Partnering Graham tomorrow in the Captains day scramble. It will be my first time playing 36 holes in 48 hours, hopefully today was a good warm up.

I love Lamkin

Well it didn't take long to resolve my dilemma, thanks primarily to Brett from Lamkin. You have to hand it to them, the Yanks do understand the importance of good customer service. I emailed Lamkin on Wednesday night and explained my questions. I was confused by getting conflicting information from various grip fitting guides and what I found comfortable. Problem is my grip feels nice and snuggly in my right hand but a little too big in my left hand. My shot shape (on good connections) is a gentle draw.

This is what Brett had to say:

"Our measurement system and many of them around are merely guidelines of where to start looking for grip sizes. The real test is going to be the comfort that you feel with the grip in your hand, it's a lot of personal preference! Some players with small hands use a larger grip because it feels more comfortable in their hands and at the address position before you start your swing...

...the N-DUR and the Performance Plus grips are both built up ( a bit larger) in the bottom hand of the grip. The N-DUR is built up about a 1/2 layer of tape underneath, so about (1/32 of an inch), and the Performance Plus grip is built up about 1 full layer of tape, about (1/16 of an inch) BOTH in the bottom hand ONLY! This will also affect the shot shape similarly to the larger grips that I explained above without getting larger in the top hand as well...

...If your comfortable in the bottom hand with your OVR. Grip then yes, a midsize N-DUR would probably be a great fit... especially if your top hand is feeling a bit too large. Basically the Midsize N-DUR would cure both those problem, but again it has to feel comfortable. From what I have heard, it sounds like this will be a great match, but I still recommend purchasing one grip and making sure before you spend all the money only to find out its not what you like."

Apparently, this is something professional players request as they prefer a consistent grip thickness over the tapering of many of the models on the market.

Brett was quite forceful in his recommendation that I try it on my 7 iron and then if I like it do the rest of the set. I guess they recognise that if they hook you in you are more likely to be a long term loyal customer.

So from one Brett to another. Playing Brett Vale this afternoon. Wish me luck...

But all in all very happy with the speed,depth and quality of advice. I will be trying out the N-DUR next month and will let you know how I get on.

Grip decision...well almost

Dare I say it but things are starting to move in the right direction with my swing. However, my good shot now has a gentle draw on it, my bad shot a little too much draw and my awful shot is a pull hook. Essentially, the ball wants to go left. Now my understanding of the potential impact of the grip on a golf shot is that if it is too small you are more likely to hit the ball left and too large and hit it right. Basically all things suggest that my current grip is the right size, or if anything a fraction too small.

As you know I checked on Ping webfit and that suggested I get a +1/32" grip, while I'm currently using a +1/8" jumbo grip. It seemed like a huge disparity at the time and I've since checked again online and with my pro. Having looked more carefully at the Ping webfit categories my measurements put me right on the +1/32" / +1/16" boundary. Long story short is that once I have decided on which grip I'll try it out as a +1/16" on my 7 iron and see what effect it has.

When I do change I know that the Tour Velvet's will be out and currently I am weighing up either the corded Lamkin Crossline or the new N-Dur, which I looked at today and have to say look like a tremendous grip. The slight problem is the N-Dur only comes in standard size so I either need to get happy with applying loads of extra build up tape or wait to see if Lamkin introduce a midsize/oversize option of the N-Durs when they announce their 2011 range in the autumn.

Essentially, the N-Dur is made of a new 3 Gen material and has different texture on the top and underside of the grip. Lamkin say "the hexagon-patterned back panel promotes light tension and protects hands from slipping at impact while the front comfort panel reduces fatigue and promotes an ideal grip position to hit the ball longer with increased accuracy". I say they look like the dog's proverbials and feel well nice!

To find out more about the N-Dur click here.

A real eye opener

I recently lent my Shotmiser to the Assistant Pro at my club as he is thinking of getting one and wanted to try it out on the course. I popped up last night to pick it up as I am playing on Friday at Brett Vale and he was out on the track with it. I wandered out to intercept him on the 4th and walked with him while he played that hole. In that brief amount of time I saw him hit his Driver, a wedge and a couple of putts. What struck me most was his tempo, especially with the Big Dog and the simplicity and repeatability of his pre shot routine.

His swing was so smooth and so effortless it was unbelievable. It wasn't about how far he hit it into a strong headwind, but more about the control he exerted over the ball. He has promised me that we'll play a full round together and after yesterday I'm going to try and get that date confirmed and in the diary as soon as possible!

Cleats

Bit of a dull post this one so apologies in advance if you have suddenly awoken, with qwerty embossed on your forehead, to see this on your screen. I got a pair of Footjoy Dryjoys for Christmas and I have to say, albeit in my limited experience, they are great golf shoes. The last time I was out practicing I noticed I wasn't getting the same 'hold' in my left foot, which was twisting around on follow through. Checked my cleats and lo and behold they were absolutely knackered. It hadn't dawned on me to check them periodically in the same way I did my football studs.

So replacements were in order but rather than plumming for the same yellow and blue numbers I opted for some slightly jazzier red and white ones. Ordered them from Gamola Golf and have to say I was extremely impressed with their pricing and delivery speed. I also noted how competitive their pricing was on grips and other accessories, I may well be visiting that e-store again.

Anyway, I'm hoping that I feel more rooted in my follow through and that hopefully that will help me in quest to resolve my pull hooks. I think I am getting there I just need to swing through less forcefully, the more relaxed my tempo the much better the result. This is a bit of a massive week for me golf wise. I'm playing at Brett Vale on Friday and then in a scramble at Waldringfield on Saturday. Depending on how those two rounds go will decide whether I enter the extra medal being played midweek. If I don't my only chance to get a cut 'this season' will be in October's midweek medal.

Here's hoping the new cleats play a small part in helping me get to grips with this game.

Man flu

It has struck early this year and having started Sunday feeling grotty and getting gradually worse through the day, I woke up this morning with a full on case of man flu. It's the heavy head and achiness that I can't stand. I'm hoping I'll shake it off today but in the meanwhile I'm wrapped up in bed and wondering where I shall get my golfing fix from. Well as I don't own the latest Tiger Woods on the PS3 and I'm in no fit state to thrash about on the Wii I have turned to my iPhone for solace.

If you own an iPhone I recommend downloading Stickgolf. Thoroughly addictive, extremely challenging in places and bloody good fun. Think Worms but with Holes in One rather than explosions. Best 59p I spent this weekend and currently saving me from ultimate boredom!

13th club and the 'flop chip'?

Almost there. So close to having 14 clubs at my disposal and I'm salivating at the prospect. Whether number 13 will prove an unlucky addition is yet to be determined but personally I can only see positive things happening. I have invested my hard earned cash in a 17° Ping G15 hybrid with a stiff Aldila Serrano shaft. Consistent with my other shafts it has a low torque 1.8 and should nicely fill the gap between my 3 iron and 3 Wood. Like many at first I was slightly put off by the significant offset but as my enjoyment of striking my long irons has grown I feel a little more comfortable setting up to hit my hybrid in the same way.

The hybrid has performed well in many consumer tests, often failing to achieve top marks because of its aesthetics. However, if it does the job then it could be as ugly as the Elephant Man's reflection and I wouldn't give a damn.

So the flop chip I hear you ask, well I was experimenting around the greens on Thursday I decided to try it and it worked. Since changing balls I have struggled to get the ball to sit when chipping over an obstacle. I only hit this shot when I have a nice lie so the club can slide easily under the ball. Effectively, I set up the same as I would for a flop shot with club face open on my 56° wedge and play a chipping stroke. I suspect to many low & mid handicappers this will be as much of a revelation as the fact that water is wet, but to me it has opened up my options in and around the green.

Unfortunately, there is a charity day at the course on Sunday so I won't be able to play a round this weekend. Instead I'll spend some time playing the practice hole which will most likely be deserted. As well as working on the latest swing changes, I'll also be taking a bit of time to review my wedge distances as lately I have been hitting the ball much better than I ever have before, and consequently hitting it further and past the green!

My pro is happy, so I'm happy

Played today with a good friend of mine and my ball striking and short game are improving. My normal cards are very up and down some good pars mixed with disasters. Today was the first sign of some real consistency. I started badly getting in trouble with two hooks on the first two holes leading to triple bogeys. I parred the 3rd and almost parred the 4th, a hole which has caused me numerous problems in the past. My card became a collection of bogeys and doubles, apart from a stupid 6 on the 11th and a pull hooking disaster on the 15th that led to an NR.

So greater scoring consistency, which is a start, just need to shave off a shot here and there. I'm also happier with my tee shots today. I hit some duffers where I didn't quite catch it right, but considering I only pulled the 3 wood out twice to walk off with an FIR of 45% and average driving distance of 185 yards was very pleasing.

Shot of the day: a 40 yard bunker shot to 3 feet. I was extremely chuffed with that as well as a couple of nicely read long putts over 10 feet.

96 (67)
6(3), 8(5), 3(3), 5(4), 7(5), 4(3), 6(5), 6(4), 5(4), 5(4), 6(3), 7(5), 6(4), 6(4), -(4), 6(4), 5(4), 5(3)

So round over and straight into a lesson. Onto the practice hole 8iron in hand. My pro is concerned about my weight transfer and swing plane. Makes a couple of adjustments hey presto drilling it with a little draw onto the green. My pro is absolutely ecstatic, especially because of the practice time I put in to bed in the changes from the last lesson. I spend a bit more time practicing after my lesson and head home. So still to break 100 but genuine rays of light at the end of the tunnel.

Getting 'two' grips with my clubs

I have treated them well this past year, with regular warm soapy washes and a nice towelling down afterwards. They are still pretty grippy as well. Unfortunately, they are slightly too large but that's all part of the learning curve I guess. I used PING webfit, which really is quite excellent, and it turns out my grips should be +1/32" larger than standard as opposed to +1/8" that I have at the moment. At least I've got the right size on my fairway, even if I can't consistently hit the blinking thing!

So I'm currently looking at Lamkin N-Dur and Golf Pride New Decade multi compound and hope to 'cop a feel' today if they stock them at Nevada Bobs. I've also decided to take the plunge and regrip them myself which has led to a better understanding of how many layers of tape to add to get the desired size with a standard grip.

I'm thinking of possibly buying one of each grip and putting them on my two wedges to see how they perform comparatively on the course and help me make an informed decision. I'll keep you posted on my decision and how easy/difficult/messy I found the regripping process.

Logic

I think I may have been a little hard on myself over the weekend. I had been hitting the ball pretty well and was hoping for a better score than I eventually posted. I finished the front nine with 50 (though I didn't know this at the time) and then had a disaster coming home. But on reflection the round in wasn't disastrous.

Much to the chagrin of Spock,
logic and golf seemingly don't mix

The issue seems to be my concentration around the greens. My three best scores have been when I have played on my own 101, 104 and 105 each time off the yellows. Logically you expect me to have hit more fairways and greens in regulation on the shorter, slightly easier course. Obviously, that would be completely incorrect! Playing solo off the yellows I hit 31% of FIR and 6% of GIR, whilst I hit 35% of FIR and 10% GIR off the whites in medals.

So feeling more relaxed or focussed off the tee in a medal? Then conversely as I get closer to the hole I lose that feeling as my stats highlight on medal days the short game isn't as good. Perhaps I don't care as much about  whether the ball drops or not when I'm playing solo. Perhaps, logically, that is why my average Putts Per Round when I play solo is 35.25 and when I play a medal 36.75. Maybe that's why I've got a sand save statistic of 0% in a medal and 20% on my own, or why I have a 7% scramble rate on my todd and just 3% in a medal.

Perhaps it is logical after all. Maybe I focus more intently on a target in a medal and am more accurate with my ball striking as a result, but have too much tension in my short game and lack the carefree spirit that gets the ball dropping in the cup on my solo rounds. Maybe I get distracted around the greens when I play with others or allow their manner to frustrate me as I get closer to each green?

But if I'm more focussed on the tee and have a better FIR and GIR why do I concede so many penalty shots? 6 on average in a medal, just the 3.5 when I play solo (not that chuffed with either stat to be honest) and no I am not more lenient on myself when I play on my own. Something just does not add up.

What does add up is the fact that 107 is actually my best ever score off the whites, so it would have been more logical for me to be pleased with my score knowing that I left a hatful of shots out there and could, and should, do better next time. But then again logic, me and golf don't seem to blend too well!

Petulance

Spat my dummy out yesterday and didn't hand my card in. Not impressed with myself and have subsequently handed it in. Won't be doing that again. My frustrations are just boiling over and anything that is not helping the situation is getting a full dose of ire. I've got to eliminate those disasters from my play but more importantly I've got to learn how to deal with on course set backs and frustrations better.

It's a continuous learning curve and the fact that I'm still waiting to make a breakthrough of any substance doesn't make it any easier.

So I've picked the dummy up, tried in vain to remove the bits of fluff and dog hair and popped it back into my mouth. Like defeat it tastes bitter, but here's hoping I won't make the same mistake twice.

Lack of positivity

I seem to have developed
a nasty case of the Donalds

Now I don't normally go into much detail about my rounds but bear with me today as I need to vent a little. I was confident about today but disappointingly duck hooked my first, lost ball. Reloaded and drilled my tee shot onto the green and two putted for 5. My playing partner had a mare and scored 10. It set his mood for the rest of the round and meant a definite lack of positivity. Eventually it rubbed off on me as he complained about every bad shot.

Next hole is a par five. I hit two solid shots by thinned my approach and was unlucky to find a greenside bunker. Took me 3 shots to get out. 3rd is a par 3 queue another duck hook. Slice off the tee on the 4th before I got my tee shots straightened out. Only used my irons today and finished with an averaging driving distance of 171 yards and 62% FIR.

I scrambled a couple of pars including the 8th where I had my only stroke of luck. Hideous slice on my tee shot hits a tree trunk on the out of bounds boundary and bounces back onto the fairway. Hit a 5 iron 191 yards pin high just off the green, chipped to four feet and dropped the putt.

Putting was pretty solid today, well until the end of my round but I'll get to that in a bit. I was sinking a lot of good putts and had a couple of long ones lip out. Finished with 34 putts, should have been 31.

Anyway, played the front nine in 50 but with my playing partners negativity, the phonecall he made on the 3rd tee and him losing it on the 7th as he hacked his way through the rough and then couldn't find his duffed shot I'd done ok. I hoped that stroke of luck on the 8th would be the turning point.

Then the duck hooks returned on 12th and 13th tees and I hit three shots out of bounds. Card ruined and despondency set in, culminating in three unnecessary three putts on the closing holes.

I spoke to my playing partner afterwards and pointed out that we never play well when we play together and that maybe we shouldn't play together in medals.

So disappointed. Hoping to play in the extra medal in the middle of the month to make up for it.

107 (71)
5(3), 8(5), 5(3), 6(4), 7(5), 4(3), 7(5), 4(4), 4(4), 6(4), 4(3), 8(5), 10(4), 6(4), 6(4), 6(4), 7(4), 4(3)

Nerves

So tomorrow is the big day, my first competitive medal. I've been hitting the ball quite well recently and practicing a fair amount. Trying not to think about it but the excitement is definitely building as is a slight nervous anxiety that I haven't felt since my football days. I have to say I have missed that buzz and really looking forward to playing competitive sport again. It's been a long time coming and I only wish I had been able to play today as I'd be teeing off about now. Oh well not to worry, the tension is mounting and I'm feeling positive whilst simultaneously trying not to get too excited!

Into the groove

Continuing the theme of short game inspiration courtesy of 80's pop legends, it is now the turn of Madonna's lyrics to come to my aid. You'll have seen from my recent posts and In The Bag update that I'm now playing Srixon AD333 balls.

They may keep me straighter tee to green but do not offer anywhere near the same control around the green as the ProV1x. Some have suggested giving the Wilson DX3 a go and I may do just that when I next replenish my stocks. Till then I need to adapt my short game.

I can get the ball to bite quite well on full and half shots but chipping is a whole other matter. So today I started to groove a chip and run shot, which till now has been a noticeable gap in my armoury. The plan is to groove a repeatable stroke and adjust distance by changing club. I already use this method when chipping from the fringe and hopefully this will give me a more reliable result from 40/50 yards out.

So in the slightly modified words of Madge...

Get into the groove
Ball you've got to prove
Your worth to me, yeah
Quickly down to roll, yeah
Right into the hole
And score a birdie...

August stats

Had a lot of fun playing in the Texas Scramble this month and spent more time on the practice hole honing my game. It's been a long old year and I'm still to make any significant breakthrough during a round. Posted my lowest score this month a frustrating 101 but there are green shoots emerging and my confidence in playing shots is steadily improving. I used to have a fear of the longer irons but now feel perfectly happy again with the 4 iron and growing confidence with the 3.

A lot of people say that it takes time for them to bed a swing change in and during that time their game takes a bit of a dip and then gets better. On reflection I have been doing that all year. With periodic lessons all designed to develop my swing each time I have got to grips with one swing change I've incorporated a new one. Since August last year when I first started playing I have had 14 lessons. Two of those were spent on chipping and putting leaving 12 lessons on swing mechanics. I've

• modified my grip
• adjusted my stance
• corrected my posture
• worked on my wrist hinge at the top
• tidied up my weight transfer
• slowed down my tempo
• improved my follow through

To name but a few!! I have another lesson next Thursday during which we will unpick the my performance from Sunday's medal and I believe work on flattening my swing plane. I truly hope that gradually building a solid, simple, repeatable swing will have caused me a lot of frustration this year but that I'll reap the rewards in the future. To back it up I've committed to practice, practice, practice and consequently have spent more time this month with my 8 iron bedding in the latest changes.

Practice

Distance	Time (minutes)	% of practice time
Driver	0	0%
Other Woods	30	4%
200 - 250 yards	0	0%
150 – 200 yards	45	6%
100 – 150 yards	170	23%
Short Approach	350	48%
Bunker Play	15	2%
Putting	120	16%
Total	730	100%

Over 12 hours this month, the most practice I have crammed in since the snow melted in February. Here's hoping that I at least play to handicap in my first competitive medal.

Rounds
A significant improvement this month, which does not include the Texas Scramble were my ball striking had continued to improve. This month I've kept last months results in brackets to reflect the positive strides I am making. My putting does need more work but to be honest when I get the chance to visit the course I spend more time working on other elements of my game. I do need to spend some time working on distance control for those longer putts but at the moment getting the swing and short game right are taking priority. Need to get myself in a position to score more often.

Statistic	Performance	SS2 Handicap level
Fairways in Regulation	35% (21%)	19 (26)
Greens in Regulation	15% (9%)	16 (22)
Putts per Round	38.77 (37.67)	25 (23)
Birdie Conversion	12% (0%)	18 (28+)
Par Scrambles	0% (4%)	28+ (28+)
Sand Saves	0%	28+
Penalties per Round	1.73 (6.33)	18 (28+)

The SS2 handicap level is a calculation made indicating your performance on different facets of your game.

This month I have a lot of golf lined up. Medal on Sunday, midweek game on Thursday, another game on the weekend, Brett Vale on the 17th, playing again on the 19th and 26th and as much practice as I can cram in between. There's an extra medal week in the middle of the month as well so here's hoping I can make some in roads into that pesky handicap.

The Full Monty

As a newcomer to golf I had been left confused by the seemingly disconnected process of Ryder Cup selection. I just didn't understand how it is possible to have two players inside the world top ten who fail to make the 12 man squad on merit. Obviously, the Captain's picks are designed to mitigate against such an odd occurrence, so when Monty left out a proven matchplay exponent and World number 8 Paul Casey and instead plummed for Padraig 'where's my form gone?' Harrington it got me wondering. Is it a case of The Emperors New Clothes with the Vice Captains unwilling to speak out against Casey's omission and would Monty's naked ambition leave him embarrassed and well rather naked in the media spotlight?

To make sense of it all I had to translate to a sport I understand much better, football. My initial thoughts were the system is nonsense, one great championship sees you rocket up the European Tour rankings and voilà, you're in the team (by the way Peter Hanson I am pleased for you). Ludicrous I thought, that would be like picking the England team based on Opta Stats. Then I did some research. Had Fabio unfurrowed his extraordinarily wrinkled brow, relaxed and let the stats do his team selection for him, this summer may well have been different.

According to Opta Stats and the Daily Telegraph Capello would have named a different starting XI. Cue Joe Hart, Michaels Dawson and Carrick and the human beanpole Peter Crouch.

Hart, Johnson, A Cole, Dawson, Terry, Milner, Gerrard, Carrick, Lampard, Rooney, Crouch

Had he selected this side maybe Rooney would have been better supported through improved link up play with Crouch. Barry could have fully recovered while Carrick pulled the midfield strings in his absence. We would have had better balance at the back when we played the Germans and not leaked four horrible goals. Or possibly never met the Germans at all as we beat the USA in the opening game through the lack of Teflon on Joe Hart's gloves.

With this in mind I've softened my stance on Monty's decision. Perhaps Casey would have been as disappointing as Rooney or disruptive as Anelka. Maybe the new caps will be as inspired as New Zealand and secure draws against 'mightier' opponents. Maybe Peter Hanson will be Europe's Diego Forlan surpassing all expectations.

The thing is I have no idea what the personalities of the tour players are. I don't know if any individuals could upset the balance of the team. I wonder if the now chastened Tiger Woods will earn a wildcard, be more of a team player as a result and play a major role in the US defence of the trophy. I'm not sure whether the gritty out of form Harrington will use this as a springboard to reignite his career.

What I do know is I will be glued to the TV and hoping that actually Monty (and the crazy selection criteria) were right all along.