Pelz, Putz & Prison

Dave Pelz has done it again. After 'fixing' my bunker technique he has now explained why I chip inconsistently. Have moved the ball back in my stance so that it is level with my right ankle. Hey presto nice clean contact. I have to say that I am getting much more from this book now I have been playing a little longer. I rated it pretty favourably the first time of reading as well. If only I had remembered most of his advice! Putz.

So following my lunch time hit on the heath, yesterday saw the end of my midweek evening practice at the club. It is just too dark, too early now and with the clocks due to go back soon I've made the transition back to the driving range.

It was the first time in a while I got to practice with my longer clubs. I have got noticeably more control, which was pleasing to see. I also started to get a feel for the tempo that yielded the best results. Unsurprisingly, it felt quite languid.

What followed was a rather surreal moment of rose tinted haziness. I had the startling misperception that I had actually quite missed the range. I doubt this nonsensical state of mind will last. It's nothing like hitting off grass for starters. It's also quite lifeless and, despite my best efforts to visualise, you don't really know if a shot would be punished on course or not.

In fact the experience itself feels a little bit like a punishment. You are forced to 'play' golf in a little cubicle with a bland outlook. The soft feeling of grass underfoot is prohibited, replaced by an artificial, ungrasslike, substance. It's cold there with heaters battling the elements to keep you warm. You queue by a machine waiting for your serving of balls, which are spat at you and lack the softness of your preferred weekend choice. You say to yourself, it's only a few months you can get through this. But gently gnawing away at you is the fact it could quite easily be six months, with no sign of early release in Spring. Remember the snow? Just mentioning it gives me the chills.