Step in the right direction

So today I played 18 holes with the swindle guys and then had a lesson. The upshot is that for several holes today and for the second half of my lesson I got my tempo spot on. When I do that my scoring potential is scary. During my lesson, when I was in the zone my bad shots were on the fringes left and right, the good ones hugged the flag all the way in. But that was not the highlight of my day.

On the 13th hole I pulled my drive left and hit my second shot blind. The connection was great but my playing partners never saw it and after a good search I gave up hope and wrote down a blob. An angry tee shot on 14 went very right and my approach was too strong and into the horrible long grass. Seven. So I am on the 15th tee our stroke index 2, and the hole I find the toughest, with a total of seven swindle stableford points. I talk to myself about my tempo and aim to swing smooth and easy. Distance wasn't great, 229 yards but it was just in the first cut. My approach was the best shot I have ever hit. Nine iron to three inches. Birdie.

Hit the tee shot on 16 a little harder out to 240 yards, but stuck in a divot. Aprroach goes through the green but I chipped back and putted for par. Slightly longer drive on the 17th, 258 yards, this time no divot and a pitch to six inches. Birdie. Now the boys started giving me a bit of stick on the 18th so I ended up with a cautious double bogey, but that run of three holes really opened my eyes. If I get my tempo right I am capable of that kind of golf.

I also made some adjustments in my bag today. A new grip on my hybrid so it is consistent with my irons and a new grip on my putter. The putter grip is a Tiger Shark Lite Jumbo and feels so comfortable it is unreal. For the sixteen holes I completed I only took 24 putts today, but a lot of that was due to good (and not so good) chipping and pitching. Average drive distance 257.2 yards. Score off actual handicap 38 points. Getting there.

80 (62)
5(3), 7(5), 5(3), 7(4), 6(5), 4(3), -(5), 4(4), 5(4), 4(4), 4(3), 7(5), -(4), 7(4), 3(4), 4(4), 3(4), 5(3)