Unconsciously competent

When you learn to drive they talk about four stages with the last being where you don't think about what you are doing, you just do it. In my nine holes today there were glimpses of that. Hit the green on our opening par 3 and narrowly missed the birdie putt. Chipped sideways on our par 5 secod when my second shot kicked into the nasty stuff and then stuck my 7 iron on the green. Hit a great approach on the 7th. Hit some very nice chips as well. They all seemed to happen when I wasn't really thinking about what I was doing. Rather like sliding up through the gears, I was picking target, setting up, looking at my target and letting the shot go. When however I thought about things a little, tension crept in and I hit some shockers. Didn't finish the 5th properly due to a lost ball but the 8 holes I completed I amassed 17 points. Not setting the world alight but steps in the right direction

It kind of reminded me of my striking days. Slam a ball across goal or give me a chance to pull the trigger and more often than not I'd score or make the keeper work. Give me time to weigh up my options... Same with cricket. Pace bowler I'd react better and score better than facing a spinner. Time it seems is my enemy, reflex is my friend.

42 (31)
3(3), 7(5), 4(3), 6(4), -(5), 5(3), 6(5), 6(4), 5(4)

Nonplussed

On Saturday I'll be playing in the July Medal, but I'm surprised to report that I'm not that excited. So far every competition this season has gripped me with a feeling of: what an opportunity but to me Saturday is just another game of golf. It will be slightly tougher as we'll be off the big boys tees and the greenkeeper will probably opt for a few nasty pin positions. Despite that to me it's just another round, no build up, no nervous anticipation, nothing. After seeing my good friend Ian amass a whopping 42 points in the 1922 Cup and come second to a phenomenally good 45 point haul it just reinforced that no matter how well you perform you cannot legislate for other people.

My only hope is that I play well enough to make handicap or buffer so I don't accrue another 0.1 and go back up to 28. Other than that I hope to keep it in play and hit a few memorable shots that I can reflect on in the bar afterwards with a wry smile. With any lucky there will be a bit of banter flying about and if one of the swindle lads can put in a good round that will make it all the sweeter.

I am hoping to play 9/12 holes tomorrow night with my mate Graham who hasn't hit the course for a while. It will be interesting to see if I can take some of the confidence I built at the range on Monday onto the course. The ball reserves are getting depleted so I pray I can at least be accurate as I'd like to make do with what I have until my birthday at the very least. Thinking of changing to the Bridgestones but that's a decision for another today. Right now I'm off to go and play a few holes of Tiger Woods 12 on PS3. If you fancy a game add me to your list, my gamertag is tigerdes...

Gordon Ramsey Golf

F****** go f****** straight you f****** stupid f****** ball. Now this type of Gordon Ramsey golf would not be good. In fact it would be conducive to getting thrown off the driving range and told to "Never f****** come back!" No, I am referring to a useful analogy my pro made at my lesson on Sunday. Golfers need to be like top chefs. When they are cooking they taste the food. By tasting it they know when they've got it right and when they've got it wrong. They also know what adjustments they need to make. At the moment with my 3 wood in hand I am the culinary equivalent of Jamie Oliver with no tongue (and sense of smell for the pedants among you).

The prescribed treatment for this malaise is to spend more time on the driving range striking the offending club. Today I was fortunate enough to get a range session in and took full advantage. Towards the end I did start to get a taste for it and the last dozen or so were really quite promising. I am aiming to make at least one visit to the range every month until at least the end of July hopefully it will be the final piece of my golfing jigsaw and can get me on the way to a sub 20 handicap.

Right I'm off to practice my putting... "You little son of a bitch ball! Why you don't you just go HOME? That's your HOME! Are you too good for your HOME? ANSWER ME! SUCK MY BLACK ASS, BALL!"

A fresh start...

Had a lesson today and was also given some great bunker advice by our assistant pro. My first lesson in two months, some subtle changes and a reinforcement of the necessity for me to swing easy. In terms of making me a better golfer, my pro once again highlighted that distance and club head speed are not a problem for me. Controlling that power is. Having spent 20 minutes on the practice hole we ventured onto the course in a buggy armed with my 3 wood and a 910 driver. It was the first time we had looked at my woods together and my pro wanted me to swing really relaxed say 60-70%. The ones I caught well went a bloody mile and though there was some pap in there the message (I think) has finally sunk home.

So a really productive day and time for me to reassess my practice regimen. For the next month I am knocking my midweek play on the head and will instead go to the range to work on my long game. This will also help build confidence and consistency in my woods at an important time. I'm hoping to add a 910 driver to my bag at the beginning of August with my birthday money and will need to book a visit to Cambridge for the not too distant future. Hitting pin high drives on our par 4 16th opened my eyes to what I have been missing on the course.

I think that all of the short game work I have done will hold me in good stead but it's time for a fresh start and a fresh approach to get that score down. Whilst, I'd like to play more golf, I know I need to groove those longer clubs first. Medal next week and I'm optimistic.

Confessions of a technoholic...

"Good morning...my name is Tiger and ... I'm a technoholic. I'm not sure what came first, probably the obsession then the blog followed. I've seen other cases on other blogs of those that have become immersed in all things technical with regards to their golf. Many descend into tales of woe, which from the surface is fairly inexplicable given the hours of dedication these guys tend to ply into their game. These guys...I guess that's another denial. I am one of those guys.

I didn't want to admit it at first. It was something other people suffered from. Not me. I'm different. I'm aiming to reach my full potential and to do that I surely have to analyse my game. The stats, the practice regimen, the focus, the analysis, the lessons, the training aids, the video clips, the magazine articles, the theories, the list... Is.... Endless.

I guess admitting I have a problem is the first step, but what do I do know. Two years, well nearly two years and I have nothing to show for it save a web archive of narrative and a 0.6 handicap cut. None of it makes sense. I hit the ball pretty long. I have the ability to hit it pretty straight. I predominantly get it airborne. I know my wedge distances. My chipping is fairly good. My putting is solid. Yet I rack up golf scores that rival Alastair Cook's innings in last winter's Ashes.

I can't let go of the analysis though, as the phrase goes it has paralysed me. I don't play golf with freedom and bravado. I don't throw caution to the wind to have fun, have a blast and whack it round the course. I become over cautious, protective of my score desperate not to let an error seep in and ruin a good card, or compound a bad one. I hit 4 iron when I should hit 3 wood. I still don't own a driver. What in the name of the illustrious Seve Ballesteros am I scared of? Feck knows. It's just a bloody game.

Maybe it's time to draw an end to this blog, forget about any form of challenge and/or aspiration and just play for feck's sake.

This is my confession. I am a technoholic. It has done me no favours. It has been a curse rather than a blessing. Don't make the same mistakes as me. Enjoy your game without pressure. Set yourself goals if you must but don't enshrine them in metaphorical tablets as a set of commandments or they may well become your golfing epitaph. Whatever the weather, whereever you are, swing free, have fun and enjoy. I'll try to do the same."

FFS...

EFT Points

Very interesting thread on the Golf Monthly Forum if you haven't already seen it. When I started playing golf I had an aspiration to learn it from green to tee. Two years later and I am still struggling to score well and started to think maybe I got my approach all wrong. A guy on the Golf Monthly Forum has a markedly different approach. Work hard on your long game, improve your accuracy and distance and the rest will follow.

Today I hit the course to play nine holes. As usual it was hit and miss with a couple of errant long shots destroying an otherwise decent card. At the 7th I ran into traffic and headed to the practice ground. Admittedly, I hit my trusty 6 iron but shot after shot arrowed in on the green. WTF! I can't win. I go to work on my swing: lovely ball striking. I go on the course: error strewn.

I hate this bloody game sometimes. Seriously considering Emotional Therapy Technique (EFT). There has to be some kind of psychological block as I cannot make head nor tail of it. Here's hoping Sunday's lesson will help, he's got an hour I'm not sure if that's enough time for a miracle.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters

Well the title star is out of action (he doesn't even feature on the front cover), The Masters is old news but it was a thoughtful Father's Day gift and I'm very pleased with it. Unlike past iterations of the game I have played, this one seems like a more realistic simulation. First up the new over the shoulder view is great. No more birdseye opportunities to pick your exact landing spot you know pick your shots as you would do on the course for real. I like the caddie option especially as the real skill comes in knowing when to take their advice and when to go for your own shot. They do also seem to get better as you progress as I've noticed some subtle differences especially with approach shots and putting recommendations.

What makes the game though is playing Augusta. It looks absolutely stunning and plays as your memories of action would suggest. Putting is monstrously difficult and it gives you an appreciation of the level of skill that the professionals display to tame certain holes. I've not delved into most of the other courses yet but if they are as breathtaking I'm in for a treat. The crowds are poorly rendered and almost detract from the sumptuous backdrop.

My one bug bear is the need to purchase some courses for the career mode. Downloadable content is great and a more subtle execution (enabling purchased courses to 'appear' in career mode) woul;d have been advisable. Executing it in this way seems more of a shameless money grabbing ploy than a response to gamers demands.

This aside it is a tremendous improvement to the franchise. The last Tiger Woods game I owned on PS3 was the 07 iteration and things have certainly moved on. Whether I'll be tempted to get Playstation Move for the complete experience I am not sure, but for now it has surplanted FIFA as my 'pet game' and that takes some doing!

My rating 82%

Hitting in the wind

Went out this evening looking to eradicate the issues I faced on Saturday, but it didn't quite go to plan. Short game was on fire. Six holes played: four up & downs (one from sand) and one GIR with two putts. The other hole was chip and two putts. I'm really pleased that my short game graft is finally coming together. I feel so much more confident in and around the greens. I've also opted to chip from our compacted bunkers, which is working better than a normal swing. That was the good news...

Unfortunately, I'm still really struggling in the wind. When the wind is in my face it just goes right and keeps going. So after being blown all over the shop after six and a half holes I headed to the practice area. After a bit of practice I managed to improve my ball striking and shape. All about focusing on the ball and releasing through impact.

Thank god I don't play on links, I think if I did I'd have chucked in the towel already! I'll be back up to the course on Thursday and hope it's blowing a gale again so I can continue to improve my play in the wind. I really want to do myself justice in the medal next month. I'm fed up of playing to a handicap that I know I'm better than and the threat of returning to 28 is not a pleasant one.

Blockbuster entertainment: the sequel

McIlroy got the job done (Reuters)

On 11th April at 07:21 I sent Golf Monthly a letter by e-mail. It was the morning after McIlroy's Masters meltdown and I had been moved to put finger to keyboard. Under the title Blockbuster Entertainment, this is what I submitted:

"I'm not sure who is writing the scripts at Augusta, but this year's instalment is worthy of an Oscar nomination.

The fallen hero seeking redemption whips the crowd into a frenzy in a scintillating front nine. The plucky debutant almost has his Day with a stirring late rally. The comeback kid finally finds peace on the greens with an inexplicably long short stick.

There are other sub plots but the romantic ending is reached in a pulsating climax when, on the golden anniversary of Gary Player's inaugural triumph a cool, calm and collected South African seals his first Major win with four consecutive birdies.

But the most gripping, harrowing plotline is a souped up Holywood remake of an Australian classic. This time it is a youthful hero who suffers a unrelenting, brutal encounter. We attempt to mask our eyes but are compelled to watch the carnage unfold through our fingers. I sincerely hope that they are planning a sequel where the magnanimous, precocious talent bounces back and secures a series of Major victories. I'm not one for schmaltz but for once I think we all deserve a happy ending!"

Sadly my letter didn't make it into print, but happily it loils as though this evening I will be granted that happy ending. What makes it truly remarkable is the speed with which this has happened. Bouncing back to finish third the week after was special. Destroying the field at the next Major is incredible. I hope I do not live to regret these words but as I intimated on Thursday McIlroy seems to have matured. His chastening experience at Augusta seems to be a timely injection of resilience. The boy from Northern Ireland has come if age. I look forward to watching him write his name in the history books this evening!

Fading into the background

Cheerleader today instead of champion

For f***'s sake. Played like an absolute tit, disappointed but rather than stewing on my round I slipped into the roll of cheerleader as my playing partner made a dash for honours. The rain held off but the wind was gusty and I struggled with my ball control. This was especially the case with the wind in my face but what cost me today were two early chips. Today's comp was stableford and having scored 3pts on our opening hole, my tee shot on the 2nd drifted out of bounds. I made par with my second ball for two more points and felt pretty good on the 3rd tee. The ball held up in the wind but was on a mound by a bunker and a relatively straight forward chip. I peeked, thinned it and ended up with a blob. Guess what? Tit that I am I did exactly the same thing on the 4th. So all of a sudden I am staring down the barrel, all the while my playing partner is amassing points a plenty.

I started chasing a score, desperately trying to get back into the game but on the 13th my challenge came to an abrupt end with another blob. I picked up my 4th blob on 15 and carded a miserable 29 points. Frustratingly my chipping for the rest of the day was pretty good and I played a great flop shot on 18. But the damage was done early on and that led to me trying to hard and consequently my tempo went.

My playing partner Ian was having a completely different round, punctuating steady golf with flashes of brilliance. A couple of top drawer four pointers were the highlights in a round that culminated in a haul of 42 points. When I left the club he was the leader in the clubhouse and I really hope his name is set to be etched on the Honours board as he richly deserves it. As for me, it's back to the drawing board...

97 (67)
4(3), 7(5), 6(3), 8(4), 7(5), 3(3), 8(5), 6(4), 6(4), 5(4), 4(3), 6(5), -(4), 5(4), 8(4), 5(4), 5(4), 4(3)

Jim'll Fix It!

"Now then, now then, now then", croaks the geriatric, rake thin, multiple marathon runner. He is dressed in an awful spangly gold tracksuit and runs a sovereign ring covered hand through his bedraggled silver mane. He holds a crumpled piece of paper under his rose tinted spectacles and begins to read.

"This letter is from a young man called Tiger...

Dear Jim, Please fix it for me to be able to hit my hybrid again. I have a big competition this weekend and it's the only club in my bag I can't use. It's just goes low and right off the toe every time. It's driving me bananas. There was a time when it was my go to club and there are some holes on my course where it would be the right option off the tee. Please, please, please can you fix it for me"

The aging presenter furrows his brow and takes a puff on his cigar. As the acrid smoke partially obscures his face, his expression shifts, gradually forming a mischievous grin. "Well young man, Uncle Jim has the perfect Fix It for you. You'll travel to Ufford Park Driving Range and there you will receive a bucket of balls. With the freedom to experiment and without the pressure of each shot counting I'm sure you will resolve your problem".

It's been four months since I last went to the driving range and lo and behold the senile, coffin dodger was right. Once again it turned out to be a problem with my set up. The ball position was too far forward meaning I was through the impact position before reaching the ball. No wonder I was hitting it off the toe. The ball position is now nearly in the middle of my stance and I'm striking it sweetly again.

Thanks Jim!

US Open

Westwood and McDowell at Congressional (Getty)

Tough uncompromising course? Check. Ridiculously massive yardage? Check. A list as long as your arm of people who have a real chance of winning it? Check. Looks like it will be an exciting weekend of golf.

According to statistics only Retief Goosen and Tiger Woods have finished inside the top 40 in defending the title and I don't think that Graeme McDowell is going to repeat that feat. His comments in the media this week speak of a man that has struggled with the burden of his first Major win. As a result as long as he remains in contention for repeat honours the media intrusion will be too much of a distraction. I hope that last year's success does not mark the zenith of his career.

McIlroy said he was humbled by his Haiti visit

I would love Lee Westwood to be proudly holding the trophy aloft when the dust settles on Sunday, but I don't think this tournament and this course is for him. Next month at Royal St Georges however...

I also think that while Luke Donald will be in contention that he will not be holding aloft any silverware on the final day. He lost his way with his driving at Wentworth and though he was able to use his wonderful short game and scrambling to remain in contention, Congressional will not be so forgiving. My European Tour tip would be Rory McIlroy. His recent experience in Haiti seems to have levelled him and he will be burning to put right the wrong of his Augusta collapse.He is long off the tee, incredibly accurate with his irons, and given the uncompromising and penal nature of the rough, a premium will be placed on ball control.

Despite supporting the British Isles finest, I have to say I feel this trophy is returning stateside. Stricker, Mickelson, Kuchar and Nick Watney must all be in with a very good chance. However, having seen their recent tongue in cheek 'Golfboys video' I'll be routing for my favourite fantastic four US golfers. If it has to stay on that side of the pond I really hope it's Watson, Fowler, Mahan or Crane that are planting a smacker on the silver come Sunday. Oh, oh, oh...

Cutting back on duff

You will, in all likelihood, be familiar with this tale. You've pulled your drive a little and it's come to rest on the first cut. You are not overly aggrieved as it's sitting up nicely and you have a great line in to the pin. There is a fair way to go but you choose your iron decisively and confidently. You address the ball and hit a crisp shot that fizzes off into the afternoon air. At first it appears to be honing in on the flag like an Exocet missile, but then the sirens come calling. Perhaps it's your natural shot shape or maybe it is a gust of unexpected wind. Whatever the root cause it is luring your ball away from the pin, flirting dangerously with the fringe. You plead for a kind bounce or some ferocious bite on landing but your prayers are in vain as the ball skirts off into the rough.

You let it go. You missed the bunker and an up and down from there should be relatively straight forward, especially if you have a good lie. You arrive to see you ball glistening like a pearl on an emerald sea of grass. You eye up the break, pick your landing point and rehearse the shot. Then you proceed to come in a bit fat. Your butter soft hands cannot compensate and all the momentum of your delicate swing evaporates like a fart in the wind. Maybe the ball travels a few feet staying in the comfort of the rough, perhaps it reached the green but died on landing leaving a long, tricky putt or if you are really unlucky it plops in a nearby bunker. What had moments ago seemed like a birdie or par opportunity is now a fight to save bogey.

I've lived and breathed this nightmare but yesterday's chipping tip may well have resolved my woes. Practicing last night in my savaged back garden, off horrible lies, I was slicing the ball effortlessly off the surface. I hope that this will breed new confidence into my short game and improved scores on my card!

Magazine instruction

Pick up any golf magazine from the racks of a newsagent and I guarantee the front cover will promise to improve your game. Tips on how to be a better golfer date back to the first edition of Golf Monthly published in 1911. What is fascinating is that the same publication are leading the way on innovation with QR links in the latest magazine taking you to online video instruction content. Despite these advancements, most golfers I know pay these pages of advice very little, if any, attention. This has always perplexed me as surely any golfer could potentially benefit from the advice these sections offer. Potentially there are some who would equate it to having a sneaky peak in Pandora's Box but in my opinion they can be extremely valuable, yet modestly priced, words of wisdom.
Perhaps my thirst for knowledge and relatively low standard of play makes me a suitable target. Whatever the cause the latest two gems I have spotted in this month's Today's Golfer will hopefully make a big improvement in my game.

The first is for chipping and pitching. On reading the description of the fault I was struck at how it perfectly described my problem. Having worked really hard on my short game Ihave got better at brushing the grass with the sole of my club and making crisper contact. However, on occasion I'll get stuck in the turf and duff it a few feet. To compensate next time I may swing a little harder and subsequently run it long. The tip was so simple, yet it's often the smallest things that we miss. Your swing with wedges is naturally steeper due to your proximity to the ball. By opening the clubface just a fraction I should, theoretically, avoid this error. The logic behind it certainly makes sense and I'll hopefully get a chance to give it a whirl before Saturday.

The second piece of guidance relates to ball position. I have always struck most of my irons from the middle of my stance. As a result my clubface might be slightly open at impact causing my slight left to right ball flight. I have worked recently on other parts of my set up but not ball position. Hopefully, this will prove a eureka moment at the range on Thursday.

Wedge play: phase three

First off I must start with a sncere thank you to the Met Office whose announcement of an East Anglian drought caused the heavens to open. The rain was certainly needed and though things are still dry out there, the returning tinges of green are a wonderful sight. Anyway enough meteorological chat, Monday lunchtimes is wedge time and today I trundled off down the heath with a couple of Vokey's in tow.

After months of hard work thing are beginning to click. My wedge approach shots and some (there were a couple of untimely duffs) of my chipping was top drawer. As a result I decided to focus my entire practice session on a shot that I've really struggled with: the quarter swing pitch.

Like most golfers I have this rather large and uncomfortable gap between a full sand wedge and a closer range chips. As you know I'm a follower of the Pelz system but to date I have not been able to crack that little pitch shot. Today I made great strides in the right direction. Armed with a lob and sand wedge I modified my grip and concentrated on controoling my swing distance. The results were mixed as far too many lob wedge shots were hit fat, but I got pretty consistent with the sand iron. In fact the SW went so well I now feel confident from 65 yards out.

However, I am now torn about what to do on Thursday. My head tells me go to the driving range, working on your full swing with your long irons in preparation for Saturday. My heart tells me go and play 9 holes and do some bunker practice. The clock is ticking for the comp and I still have so many things to work on. Having looked at last year's account of my performance in the 1922 Cup (read Mr Blobby here) I think that my long game and putting is the most important focus for me, so driving range it is. I hope it's the right choice!

What a promise!

Enjoying what has become a regular Sunday morning ritual today. Sat watching recorded golf footage with my littl'un while he works on his putting on my mat. He's only two and a half and is definitely converted. This morning however, he made a rather startling assertion and promise.

He comes toddling over in his PJ's, with his trousers twisted round and hoisted in Simon Cowell fashion. "Come and sit on the sofa with me and watch golf balls Daddy". Can't argue with that request so we sit on the sofa with him still clutching his plastic putter and his golf ball. He is insisting on us clapping good shots and regularly adds his own commentary, "what a good shot", "he got it in the hole Daddy" and "oh no he missed it" being regular fixtures.

The footage we are watching is day 3 of the Masters and the coverage cuts to one of the Masters infomercials. This one is the making of the Green Jacket. The littl'un turns his head to me and says "What is he doing Daddy?" "He is making a very special Green Jacket", I reply "If you get really good at golf and win this tournament you get a green jacket and a locker with your name on it".

"I want to get a green jacket" he says with a voice that is innocence personified. "But not yet, Daddy, I have to wait until I'm a bigger boy". I'm smiling at this point, actually I'm positively beaming, "Well if you work hard you have every chance" I say. "Will you play with me when I go Daddy?" is the next question. I fail to suppress a laugh and chuckle, "I think I'm a bit old to get good enough". "That's ok Daddy you can carry my golf clubs", and with that he's back off to his putting practice.

So there you have it, one day I'll be caddying for Tiger jnr as he plays Augusta, though I have a feeling it may well be in the Par 3 tournament. Who knows, he may even let me make a putt for him. Here's hoping I don't hit it through the green and into the water!

Scrambled

Texas Scramble is a funny format. You don't really get into a rhythm, you attempt shots you wouldn't normally hit and you wind up with no real idea of how you have played. I hit some good shots today, a couple of great ones and though we finished way off the pace it was a good bit of fun. Played with my good friend Ian who plays off 23. Scrambles don't really suit a pair of high handicappers and though we finished with a respectable 72.9 nett the Pro's carded a stunning 61 with the nearest team finishing with 62.9.

We did have our chances but we just didn't take them and a couple of consecutive horror double bogeys ended any chance we may have had as we drew to the end of the round. Ironically, it was our short game that held the key as we pulled off some miraculous escapes to save either par or bogey. I suppose the good thing about a scramble is you have to take on certain shots and as a result I have learnt three key lessons:

1. you can't win the longest drive when you're only hitting a 3 wood, but you can give it a bloody good go
2. it's usually a good idea to mark your putt in a scramble so your playing partner can have a go at it, and
3. a well struck flop shot runs the risk of flying up your nostril and causing serious brain damage

I am still feeling pretty confident for next week. My short game was pretty sharp today, the putting was fairly solid and though there were a few that were a bit 'toey' the ball striking was ok. Checked out my performance in last year's 1922 Cup. I scored 30 points but had a nightmare run in, picking up just two points from the last six holes. Here's hoping I can sustain a good start this time round.

Is my handicap, my handicap?

Sparked a debate yesterday on the Golf Monthly forum about handicap and whether it can be a limiting factor on your ability to score. You see I've recently been failing to take my chances, feeling I've left a lot of shots out there yet still scoring better than handicap. So my question was simple: is my handicap subconsciously limiting my scoring potential. Golf Monthly Forum discussion

I have come to the opinion that I have been getting in my own way. It all starts on the first tee. Our opener is a long par 3 and I'm always stood there thinking a four here would be a good start. This is despite the fact that the last six times I have played it Ihave been pin high to the left of the green. Why I always pull my opening tee shot I don't know. What I do know is that a chip and putt for par from that position is doable. With hindsight I realise that I don't take sufficient time over my chip. I rush it a little caught up in the excitement that four from there is a banker and three points safely in the bag.

On to the 2nd tee and the aim is damage this is literally my bogey hole. In fact quadruple bogey hole would possibly be more accurate. A seven for two points would be nice I'm thinking. Invariably I blob it.

This type of mindset has become prevalent and needs to go. Don't get me wrong, it served it's purpose when I was struggling. Thinking this way helped me forget bad holes and move onto the next without concern. But now I need to revert back to a medal mentality. It is the Pro's Challenge Texas Scramble tomorrow, a perfect opportunity to change my outlook. I will certainly be hitting a few more long iron approaches. My partner is super steady so I will have a license to play some aggressive golf. It could be the perfect tonic.

Let's have a look at what I could have won...

Well I walked off the course disappointed with how I played last night, ruing the shots I left out there, yet I still racked up 19 points from nine holes. On the 2nd hole I found myself 80 yards from the green. Rather than hit my lob wedge I tried to get cute with a choked down sand wedge, airmailed the green and had a disaster. Having chalked up a 10 (bunker, fairway, fairway, rough, bunker, rough, rough, green, putt, putt) I walked back to the spot where my problems had started, hit the lob, stuck it in the middle green and two putted for a six.

This began the Bullseye inspired, let's have a look at what you could have won element to my round. On three other occasions I replayed chips using the club I 'knew' I should have played first time round. Every time I was proved right as my chips finished much closer. On two of those three occasions I sunk a one putt. So had I trusted my instincts I would have scored a 44 instead of a 50 and racked up 24 points. The potential is there, the decision making needs work.

No penalties today and unbelievably I am still playing the Bridgestone B330S that Dave gave me last time out. It's now lasted 25 holes and is still in pretty good nick. I'm impressed and when I run out of Z-Stars it will be my new ball of choice.

My approach play and iron striking is certainly much better but that fade can be destructive. Bunkers are still a nightmare nd my short putting is a little ropey at the moment. Things are looking up, here's hoping it all clicks in time for the 1922 Cup.

If you haven't voted already you can predict how I will get on using the poll on the right.

50 (36)
4(3), 10(5), 4(3), 5(4), 8(5), 4(3), 6(5), 4(4), 5(4)

Legs akimbo, hands forward, slice!

John Wayne Bobbit

Relax, breathe, don't worry or panic my missus has not gone all Lorena Bobbitt on me. The title in fact refers to a little wedge session on the heath on my lunch break.Not as exciting I know, but from my perspective a darn sight less painful.

So there I am on the heath, getting this horrible clunky sound on most shots and the ball shape being a horrible left to right slice. Then suddenly out of nowhere I have a revelation to narrow my stance to give me more control. Well blow me down with feather and cover me in treacle if it didn't help my ball control. Sadly, the clunky sound remained. Then striding in from the distance came my saviour, my very own John Wayne here to help a hapless John Wayne Bobbitt.

Reg used to be club captain at Waldringfield and often practices his ball striking n the heath as well. After watching me hit a few he suggested that I was pushing my hands too far forward. I need to relax them, which in turn would result in the tip of the club being slightly off the ground. Well tickle me pink with a flamingo and coat me in marmalade if my ball striking was pure as the driven snow. Lovely sound of ball on club, followed by divot and consistent distance and shot shape. Now I still play with a slight fade, something I don't intend to fight, but things just got a whole lot more interesting. If this subtle change produces the same improvements in my longer clubs you might well find me streaking down the A12 whooping with joy, with my tackle in one piece.

Organising my first golf meet...

There is something mildly therapeutic in preparing for an event. For me it's almost full circle from my days as Sports President at Southampton Uni to be back organising sports competitions. It kind of feels like slipping on an old pair of jeans. My early career was in sport, first as a sabbatical, then working for England Netball, before holding a cross sport position. As a result I'm really looking forward to the upcoming golf meet, which will hopefully build on the cracking experience when I hosted my own mini meet last week.

Thetford Golf Course was in my top five list of tracks I wanted to play in East Anglia. So I'm delighted that it will be the venue for our East Anglia Golf Monthly Forum meet. Well established and carved expertly out of the trees of Breckland Forest, it will be a tough test of golf. Judging by the pictures I have seen, James Braid did a fantastic job. My only hope is that my game will be a little more polished by then as frequent visits into the woods are not on the agenda!

There has been good interest so far and Craig negotiated a fantastic £25 green fee. If you fancy joining in the merriment please click here.

A spot of rain!

I have to be honest I was beginning to wonder what rain looked like. To say that our fairways have been rather parched is a bit of an understatement. Over here in East Anglia we have had the disconcerting conundrum of enjoying hour after hour of brilliant sunshine, while simultaneously yearning for a spot of precipitation. Today we had the perfect scenario a solid spell of rain on a Monday so it didn't spoil our weekend golf, not that I got to play any mind.

My front lawn is my fairway improvement gauge and seeing the returning of green tinges from the desolate, dusty straw like grass is like beholding a natural wonder. It will take a lot more than a few drops of water to get our course back to it's former glory but today was a very good start.

Despite the downpour I was not to be put off my practice and so I slipped on the waterproofs and strode out into the showers to improve my wedge play. Dog walkers clearly thought I was barking but I cared not a jot as for the most part I struck the ball pretty well. A sneaky glance at the calendar and I have noticed that I have a lot of competitive golf coming up. Plenty of chances to get that pesky handicap down to a more respectable level as I am growing increasingly aware that lower handicappers tend not to be overly happy when anyone gets two shots on any hole. Here's hoping I can snag some silverware on my way down.

Imparting knowledge: a wise move?

When you play golf you need a mind like a coffee filter. In the relatively short space of time I've been playing my brain has needed to sift the advice of numerous well intentioned individuals. A lot have been helpful observations such as tempo speeding up. Others attempt to coach you despite clearly lacking in skill themselves. I vowed to not become one of those people but today I broke the rule. But in hindsight I'm glad I did.

My brother has been struggling massively with his chipping. My entire short game is predominantly self taught through magazines, video tips and of course Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible. I introduced my bro to the X Factor chipping technique and from skulking them 45 degrees right he was chipping ball after ball into his net. He was happy, I was delighted and hopefully he will continue to progress. I certainly won't make a habit of it but this was a tip worth sharing. If you missed it click here.     

Is it safe to go back in the water?

You know the scenario. The beach on Amity Island has been closed, the grubby Mayor is concerned about the detrimental impact on tourism and Chief Brody is caught between a rock and a hard place. They reopen the beach but everyone is scared to go back in the water. Eventually they take the plunge and a pet dog called Pippet and Alex Kintner are the collateral damage.

Now I am not suggesting that my Mrs is a vicious Great White Shark, but after last weeks golf fuelled nuclear fallout I am proceeding under a degree of uncertainty. It looks as though our plans to go to the christening and stay up on Saturday night have been altered. In their place are an up and back on the same day approach. This potentially provides the opportunity to play some form of golf on Saturday...but is this the suicidal equivalent of popping in for quick dip on a shark infested beach?

At present my heart says no, it will be fine, nip up for a quick lesson and a bit of putting practice. My mind says are you fecking out of your mind! You forgotten last week already! So I've decided to be a man and show some balls. However, the thought has seemingly caused my testicles to retract like those of a well trained sumo wrestler. Having assumed this weekend was a write off I used the "well I'm not playing next week" card as justification for last weekend's efforts. I anticipate devastating retribution for suggesting  breaking of that entente cordial. Like England's troubled historical relationship with France I fear this turning into another 100 Years War: a period steeped in tension punctuated by outbursts of violent conflict. Keep a watching brief, if I'm not back by Monday fear the worst...

Momentous day

Great chance to win trophies and get some big handicap cuts

How gutted am I? If that wasn't a rhetorical question the answer would be extremely. I have just returned from a practice session at the club, although I had originally intended to play nine holes. However, on arrival I realised that in my haste I had forgotten my iron head covers and I loathe bag chatter. Those that claim that the dreadful din caused by your clubs banging together is angel song need their ears syringed. So instead of damaging my ear drums I worked on my short game before finishing up with some approach shots on our practice hole. It was this last bit of practice that has caused my mixed emotions.

You see today is a momentous day as it is the day when I believe I have finally made huge leap forward in my ball striking. Today is the day that I felt in complete control and the real shame is that I will have to wait a while to test my skills on the course. That delay is due to my nieces christening this weekend, which sadly coincides with our club championship. With what now seems like an outrageously high 27 handicap I would have seriously fancied my chances of bagging the nett trophy. But such is life, you never know maybe my putter would have gone in to meltdown.

But back to tonight and my reason for such elation and euphoria. I hit 25 shots today at a pin 165 yards away. One missed the green short, three landed on the green but rolled off right, six I pulled left of the green and they were all within about 6 yards of each other. The other 15 finished on the green. That's a 60% success rate and vast improvement on the results I normally get. The key thing was how it felt: effortless. It was almost as if all of a sudden the muscle memory has taken on board all that it has been told and decided to respond consistently. That and my new pre-shot routine getting me set up correctly each time.

I may be missing out on the Club Championship but I have set my sights squarely on the next competition on June 18th the 1922 Cup. It's an Honours Board competition and I'm seeing it not only as a chance to get cut but an opportunity for my first bit of golf silverware. I've set up a new poll so that you can guess my stableford score. Will the anticipation and expectation get to me or will I finally fill my boots?

Lesson learned

It's nearly two years since I first took up golf but I have finally learnt the simplest and most profound lesson. You have to take responsibility for your own game. Bizarre as it sounds up until a month ago that is not what I was doing. You see I was buying regular lessons, I was devouring tips from magazines, taking heed of sage words of advice from playing partners, seeking guidance from virtual friends online but none could pinpoint the reason why I was so erratic and inconsistent. Each tweak promised a new breakthrough that failed to materialise, each moment of nirvana proved to be a false dawn. The reason why was staring me right in the face. I was allowing other people to diagnose my issues, I was not doing it myself.

I guess it is a bit like going to the doctor when you are feeling under the weather. The diagnosis and prescripted treatment you receive is only as good as the information that you provide. The malaise I had was range syndrome: great on it, but useless on the course. Now I have resolved the root cause I have mixed emotions. Relief that I can finally start to make some headway and frustration that is has taken me so long to figure it out.

I can't talk about all golfers but for me at my current stage 80-90% of my problems were caused by my set up. It was not consistent, I did not feel comfortable over the ball and it was not repeatable. As a result the results were unpredictable. You can have a great grip, excellent back swing, nice smooth tempo and strike the ball cleanly but if there is trouble left and that's where you're aiming you are screwed. I can recall now the times when frsutrated I would look to the heavens unable to decipher why I larruped my tee shot arrow straight and inexplicably smashed my approach out of bounds/into gorse.

Master Oogway offers sound advice to Kung Fu Panda

It is difficult when you first set out. Everything is new, the game and the swing are so complicated and you can be easily blinded by all the science. Fundamentally my approach to the game was flawed as it was built on the premise that other people knew best. That was fine for the first six weeks when you are learning the basics but after that you have to take ownership of your own game and your own swing. My pro couldn't know my set up was awful because he wasn't with me on the course and as such couldn't see where and why it was all going wrong. A playing lesson some months ago would have been a sound investment but that's all water under the bridge. I'm just glad I've learnt that lesson and realised that I am the master of my destiny. For now I'm just enjoying my little purple patch. As the sage old tortoise in Kung Fu Panda said "the past is history, the future is a mystery and today is a gift, which is why we call it the present".

May Statistics

Back in the game. Happy days, eureka, back of the net, by Jove I think he's got it, hallelujah and any other relevant superlatives you can think of. Elation to despair and back again in just eight weeks, with a rather enjoyable holiday thrown into the mix for good measure. I'll dissect the why's and wherefore's tomorrow. Today I am just pleased that, despite the savagery of the distinctly poor scores I returned at the start of the month, things are looking pretty rosy.

Practice
Following last month's epic effort my practice has been quite significantly limited. The holiday burnt up a huge amount of potential time to hone my skills and in between I crammed in as many holes as I could. The main reason for this conscious choice was to bed in a new on course approach. This would hopefully enable me to replicate my range ball striking. The rounds stats seem to indicate that this is working. That said a visit to the range could well be on the cards to help eradicate a swing flaw that is more prevalent (and damaging) in the longer clubs. The way our fairways are at the moment just flirting with the edges can have catastrophic consequences. So a premium being placed on ball control, ably supported by a lot of putting drills.

Distance	Time (minutes)	% of practice time
Driver	0	0%
Other Woods	0	0%
200 - 250 yards	0	0%
150 – 200 yards	0	0%
100 – 150 yards	90	32%
Short Approach	135	47%
Bunker Play	20	7%
Putting	40	14%
Total	285	100%

Rounds
The month didn't begin very well. A measly 26 point haul was swiftly followed by 110 in the medal. I was aghast and despondent. How had I fallen so far so quickly. A brief pep talk and some kindly advice and I was back in the game. In the rounds that have followed (three nine holes and two full rounds) I have amassed 17, 19, 18, 40 and 39 points respectively. To make things better I don't feel that on any of those occasions I have played anywhere near my potential. Lapses of concentration and scrappy chipping/putting/bunker play have cost me shots they shouldn't have. The fact is I've been scoring well despite that, salvaging single pointers when I play a bad hole and making up for it with threes and even the odd four point salvo. The stats are therefore a blend of two awful performances and a steady improvement. As a result they do not show a huge leap on from April, but I have a feeling that June's report will be a little bit special!

Statistic	Performance	SS2 Handicap level
Fairways in Regulation	33% (28%)	20 (22)
Greens in Regulation	15% (17%)	16 (15)
Putts per Round	35.79 (35.31)	19 (19)
Birdie Conversion	8% (0%)	25 (28+)
Par Scrambles	8% (7%)	27 (28+)
Sand Saves	0% (0%)	28+ (28+)
Penalties per Round	3.93 (1.38)	28+ (14)

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

I have let my short game work go off the boil and I need to dedicate some more time to that. But my priority is ironing out the destructive fade that at times can become a weak slice. Do that and my scores will really start to tumble...