Finally, Finally, FINALLY!

It is starting to click a bit better. At least my results are getting better. I changed my grip a bit stronger with the right hand yesterday at the range. Hit some nice 3 woods that way and thought I would give it a try on the course today.

For whatever reason, it freed up my stroke a bit. I am not sure if I was swinging or hitting, but the results were nice. I had a nice solid round. I shot 79 on an average difficulty course (6446 yards - 71.3/125 men's (no point in confusing y'all with women's ratings ). My long game was still a little scruffy, but much improved over the barely breaking 90s rounds I have had recently. I had 3 birds with one being a chip-in from 20 yards on the hardest hole on the back nine (414 dogleg left into a 1-club wind).

Then I decided to play 9 more holes and I lit...it...UP! I finally got comfortable with the grip change and started driving down, out, and through the ball. I started out by almost driving the 1st hole (downhill, downwind 318 yards slight dogleg right) leaving the ball 1 yard short and right of a greenside bunker (missed the green with my chip - don't ask ). I hit 6 greens in regulation and made 4 birds (none over 15 ft). I hit it to 10 feet on the par 3 8th and found the ball mark exactly 1 women's size 10 right of the hole. I shot a 33 with 12 putts (I actually had a 3-putt as well - snarl). It is the best 9 holes of golf I have ever played and ties my low 9 ever. I finally got the putter and the long game in sync (chipping was pretty good too ) and it was scary good.

Originally Posted by ThinkingPlus It is starting to click a bit better. At least my results are getting better. I changed my grip a bit stronger with the right hand yesterday at the range. Hit some nice 3 woods that way and thought I would give it a try on the course today.

For whatever reason, it freed up my stroke a bit. I am not sure if I was swinging or hitting, but the results were nice. I had a nice solid round. I shot 79 on an average difficulty course (6446 yards - 71.3/125 men's (no point in confusing y'all with women's ratings ). My long game was still a little scruffy, but much improved over the barely breaking 90s rounds I have had recently. I had 3 birds with one being a chip-in from 20 yards on the hardest hole on the back nine (414 dogleg left into a 1-club wind).

Then I decided to play 9 more holes and I lit...it...UP! I finally got comfortable with the grip change and started driving down, out, and through the ball. I started out by almost driving the 1st hole (downhill, downwind 318 yards slight dogleg right) leaving the ball 1 yard short and right of a greenside bunker (missed the green with my chip - don't ask ). I hit 6 greens in regulation and made 4 birds (none over 15 ft). I hit it to 10 feet on the par 3 8th and found the ball mark exactly 1 women's size 10 right of the hole. I shot a 33 with 12 putts (I actually had a 3-putt as well - snarl). It is the best 9 holes of golf I have ever played and ties my low 9 ever. I finally got the putter and the long game in sync (chipping was pretty good too ) and it was scary good.

Woo hoo...congrats!

Originally Posted by ThinkingPlus It is starting to click a bit better. At least my results are getting better. I changed my grip a bit stronger with the right hand yesterday at the range. Hit some nice 3 woods that way and thought I would give it a try on the course today.

For whatever reason, it freed up my stroke a bit. I am not sure if I was swinging or hitting, but the results were nice. I had a nice solid round. I shot 79 on an average difficulty course (6446 yards - 71.3/125 men's (no point in confusing y'all with women's ratings ). My long game was still a little scruffy, but much improved over the barely breaking 90s rounds I have had recently. I had 3 birds with one being a chip-in from 20 yards on the hardest hole on the back nine (414 dogleg left into a 1-club wind).

Then I decided to play 9 more holes and I lit...it...UP! I finally got comfortable with the grip change and started driving down, out, and through the ball. I started out by almost driving the 1st hole (downhill, downwind 318 yards slight dogleg right) leaving the ball 1 yard short and right of a greenside bunker (missed the green with my chip - don't ask ). I hit 6 greens in regulation and made 4 birds (none over 15 ft). I hit it to 10 feet on the par 3 8th and found the ball mark exactly 1 women's size 10 right of the hole. I shot a 33 with 12 putts (I actually had a 3-putt as well - snarl). It is the best 9 holes of golf I have ever played and ties my low 9 ever. I finally got the putter and the long game in sync (chipping was pretty good too ) and it was scary good.

Wow! Do you have them bullet proof bracelts and a cape too? Congrats! Great playing.

Originally Posted by 12 piece bucket Wow! Do you have them bullet proof bracelts and a cape too? Congrats! Great playing.

No bracelets, but I do have flat left and bent right bulletproof wrists!

Nice one!! Well done!
Alex

Originally Posted by Yoda Congratulations, Steph, on a great round. It is especially rewarding given your frustrations of late. Most especially, congratulations on your commitment to long-term progress and your willingness to substitute today's Mechanics and Feels for those of yesterday.

The words of Homer Kelley continue to ring true (1-E):

"The student must approach instruction as a step-by-step process. The only real short cuts are more and more know-how. A careless beginning can be disastrous. Every board and every panel must be cut to fit its place and cut to fit in with the overall design. It's as premature to expect the complete results of instruction before the last factor is fitted in, understood and mastered."

While Sunday's golf made me feel much better about my game and one can't argue with the results, I need to get my stroke on video and see what it looks like. I am a little worried that I have regressed a little vis-a-vis the changes I have been trying to implement. I hope to get some video work done this next weekend. I don't think I am flipping , but I might be a little off plane. The video will tell all.

Regardless, I am still fighting the cuts which I don't like. Luke the Nuke likes them left to righters 'cause he hits it a ton, but I need to hit it straight or a little draw to boost my distance. Thanks for the good words!

I'm very happy for you!!

Originally Posted by YodasLuke I'm very happy for you!!

Thanks. As you can see, not only was my ball striking pretty good, but I had your kind of putting day. I missed exactly 1 putt inside of 15 feet on that last 9 hole stretch. I missed about a five footer because of a mis-read which cost me a 3-putt and a 32. Oh, well, I guess you can't make them all, but it sure seemed like I was going to for awhile.

Originally Posted by ThinkingPlus Thanks. As you can see, not only was my ball striking pretty good, but I had your kind of putting day. I missed exactly 1 putt inside of 15 feet on that last 9 hole stretch. I missed about a five footer because of a mis-read which cost me a 3-putt and a 32. Oh, well, I guess you can't make them all, but it sure seemed like I was going to for awhile.

Isn't it great when the little gopher keeps running in the hole? One thing I've done in the past was to keep my putting stats. I did it every round for an entire year. I wanted to know if I was as good at putting as my BIG HEAD thought I was.
My lowest putts per GIR was 1.125 (7 birdies) and I averaged about 1.71 per GIR for the year. At the time, it was a very good average compared to the Tour. And it was THE ONLY thing that I had in my game that resembled a professional, B.Y. (Before Yoda).
Keeping that kind of information gives you an idea about the best places to shave strokes.

as a fellow socal alum i to am struggling with the changes from last oct but the reults have been fleeting but change is good.been doing a lot of fitness work to resign my membership in the big belly club

Originally Posted by sdsurfmore as a fellow socal alum i to am struggling with the changes from last oct but the reults have been fleeting but change is good.been doing a lot of fitness work to resign my membership in the big belly club

Oh, man don't start with that! I so need to do the same thing. I think the solution to my distance dreams can be found in a frequently used gym bag. I'm not greedy; I just want to carry the ball 240-250 off the tee.

Nice work steph,

ldeit

I want to thank everyone for their kind words. It is not every day that I play so well (although it is a habit I could get used to ) and I had to share. Don't forget to include your special happenings in the future. I think everyone gets encouraged when LBG patrons do well.

Originally Posted by ThinkingPlus I want to thank everyone for their kind words. It is not every day that I play so well (although it is a habit I could get used to ) and I had to share. Don't forget to include your special happenings in the future. I think everyone gets encouraged when LBG patrons do well.

Steph,

Thanks for the reminder that this is what the site is all about. Sometimes I get wrapped up in things that don't apply to our mission, and it's all about our tag line.

Keep it up! And please keep posting!

Congrats and Thanks Again!

Bagger

Originally Posted by ThinkingPlus I want to thank everyone for their kind words. It is not every day that I play so well (although it is a habit I could get used to ) and I had to share. Don't forget to include your special happenings in the future. I think everyone gets encouraged when LBG patrons do well.

Another special happening to add....

I received this text message from one of my students when I got back from the West Coast.

"I got be(sic) eagle on a par four this morning. Three of my flight mates want to learn from you. They are all from Hong Kong. I gave your phone to them. happy new year."

TGM is going places...!