Award for bravery

[HomerJSimpson]

Been to see my teaching pro today for a catch up and a chat. We've been finalising what needs working on over the winter and the one subject we keep coming back to is tempo and he's agreed to work on that with me.

Nothing much in that except those who have played with me or seen my swing on video on here will know that at best its a blur. He wants to get into metronome etc but I'm sure there isn't one that goes that fast.

To be fair he's got me from 20 two years ago to within touching distance of my goal of 10 and I have complete faith in him. I can't recommend him highly enough as a coach who will teach you as simply or in as much technical detail as you want. However I fear even he has met his match trying to get my tempo slowed. He's a brave man. The outcome should be very interesting (and I daresay at times very amusing to those in the other bays).

 

[chipsandegg]

If your swing is that quick, you wont be wanting a metronome to keep you at that speed anyway, you will want to set the Bpm to slower so that ur swing and come down to that

 

[Dodger]

20 two years ago?

Were you not aspiring and working to become an Assistant Pro at one stage? How did you go from that level to 20 handicap?!

 

[USER1999]

Dodger - Tempo.

Homer, you don't need a metronome, you need thrash metal. Once you can slow it to thrash, you can start thinking metronome.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Dodger

I was an assistant of low single figures aged 16, some 27 years ago, at Wimbledon Common. I wanted to try an turn pro but my parents couldn't afford to put me through the PGA's and the pro and club wouldn't sponsor me so I ended up quitting the game from 18-30. I played at Ascot in my early thirties and gave up aged 36 through illness, injury and family committments and then started again at 39. When I rejoined I had to put three cards in.

Cut to the middle of January 2006 and the wettest winter on record and combined with two rounds in 35+ mph I chopped to 98,99 and 100. However having played at the old Royal Ascot in the racecourse off 12 they took my "previous" into account and gave me 20 instead of the 28 the cards would have attracted. To be honest I was disappointed and asked for a review but was told my game would take care of that.

I went from 20-14 in 2007 but stagnated last year practicing my long game way too much and generally ingraining nothing but faults and went back up to 15. I got cut back to 14 last December and have now dropped to 11.3 although 12 is looming large again

 

[drawboy]

Shame that homer, it just goes to show that the kids these days have life too easily, we parents bend over backwards to pay for everything for them. I started with second hand everything my parents couldn't afford for me to go into a store and just pick up the gear I wanted, I had to wait until I was working myself to afford decent kit, but at least I was flipping grateful for what my Mum & Dad did for me.

 

[RGDave]

When I rejoined I had to put three cards in.

...However having played at the old Royal Ascot in the racecourse off 12 they took my "previous" into account and gave me 20 instead of the 28 the cards would have attracted. To be honest I was disappointed and asked for a review but was told my game would take care of that.

You know, you and me are the same regarding this. In a way it deeply peas me off that clubs put so much emphasis on previous. If someone comes back after a year or two, fine, but after a long lay off (5+ years) it seems unduly harsh to put a player either too high or too low.

It's taken me two whole years (supported, I must add by the good folk on here, including you) to get competitive and in a way all those entry fees and "failed" rounds off the white tees were just a kind of "tax" on my pocket.

It's hard to come back and (dare I say) less of an attractive proposition when your initial h'cap is less than your cards should indicate. I won't do it again, so it's now or never.

Today was supposed to be the culmination of those two years work. We (the lads) had a 27 hole planned with lunch/tea in between. It was rained off. I'm more than a bit miffed t.b.h.

I'm now unavailable to play on Saturdays for 3 months.....so ALL my scores on Sundays will just be ignored by the sec and I'll have no cuts or 0.1s.
Still, on the bright side, If I can match the 75s to 80s I've been making day in day out, I should win a few roll ups. Bring it on.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My dad owned a newsagents (great for sweets not so good for profit margins) and my mum only worked P/T so I was fairly resigned to my fate. I loved working in the pros shop and would happily walk the 5+ miles even on dark winter mornings to be there by 7.30 to open up.

The subject of previous performances when rejoining a club is a tricky one. I had a relatively successful career at the old course but to be fair it was only about 5900 off the whites and in summer was very dry and became a virtual pitch and putt in many places. The new course is much longer and a stiffer challenge and a different golfing world entirely. Most members reckon you can add at least 2 shots onto the handicap you had on the racecourse side.

I guess the fact that I'd won a major, numerous medals and stablefords and enjoyed a two year unbeaten run in club matches and was a regular around the clubhouse meant there was little chance of escaping the radar. The fact that I hadn't played at all and had only had a number of range sessions prior to playing off the whites (never seeing the course before) meant that I was rusty in the extreme.

In hindsight they got it right. I was never a 28 handicapper despite my cards and would have shot some ridiculous stableford and nett scores of that figure. I was pretty lethal off 20 and 43 in a monthly stableford was the start of regular trimming of my handicap. I think it worked out for the best and I didn't embarrass the handicap secretary's judgement and there weren't any bandito jibes!

 

[Leftie]

However I fear even he has met his match trying to get my tempo slowed. He's a brave man.

I've got the answer Homer - trust your old Uncle Leftie.

What you need is open heart surgery. After a couple of days you will be out on the range again giving it your all but I guarantee your swing will be a little slower. Get used to that tempo and don't change it 6 months later when the doctor pronounces you ok to play golf again.

Simples

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Uncle Leftie

I'm not sure about open heart although my swing will undergo major reconstructive surgery this winter (hopefully no boob job). You gotta admire an optimist and he reckons he'll have me sorted with no problem

 

[birdieman]

Is there an ultimate goal Homer?
All these practice sessions and swing analysis and changes would do me in, never mind the cost.
Sure your coach isn't telling you what he thinks you want to hear? Ever the cynic here but it sounds like he's on a good earner.
Being not far behind you age wise I cant relate to this - is it not too late to being going through this intensity of coaching?
Your game will start to go back from mid forties, suppleness, strength etc.
Maybe you're aiming for the Seniors Tour?

 

[Smiffy]

Go for your very first lesson with a teaching pro. Swing like an ape, take divots out the size of small countries, numerous air shots and shanks. And then ask him if you have a future in the game and is it worth persuing lessons?
Kerching!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The aim is for single figures next year and a regular place in our scratch team. I appreciate the drop from 11 to 9 is where the trouble start as it becomes harder to consistantly shave off the extra shots. My swing at the moment is good when my blur of a swing is on but once I'm marginally out I can spray it to all parts.

The idea behind the winter work isn't so much to rebuild the swing technically as what I have is fairly ingrained but to tweak it a little and focus on a slower, smoother tempo that will eradicate the overswing, lateral movement and reverse pivot.

To be fair the guy has done me a great deal on the lessons and said we can book individually rather than a block so that if it falls into place sooner I'm not honoured to have a lesson I don't need or want. Can't say fairer than that really.

 

[Tommo21]

Homer, I’m genuinely surprised that if you were a low HC player when you were a lad that it hasn’t carried on after a year or so of playing when you came back. I never started until I was in my early twenties, got down to single figures, gave up for around 10 or so years and got a 7 hc after handing in 3 cards. Okay everyone is different but all the guys, 5,6 and 7 hc guys, I knew when I first started, who gave up through marriage, kids and the likes have come back many years later to be single figure players after a relatively short period of a season or two.

Of course everyone is different but I’m beginning to wonder if there is way too much stuff going on in your head….golf related that is. If I was once a low handicapper, my goal wouldn’t be 10. If it was going to happen it would have by now so I would ditch the coaching stuff as I think your wasting your money. Go out and play and enjoy.

The pro at Royal Musselburgh said to me after I said “I’ll be back” His reply “I’ll not be telling you anything different” Saved me lots of money that.

 

[RGDave]

I never started until I was in my early twenties, got down to single figures, gave up for around 10 or so years and got a 7 hc after handing in 3 cards.

Good for you - I'm impressed. (No sarcasm).

It's not the same for everyone though. One of our scratch team players was off 2 and gave up for 10 years. It took him 6 years to get back to 2 and once he did it, he gave up trying and now plays off 4.4.

I quit on 8-9 (don't remember exactly) and have only got back to 10.6 in two long (and rather annoying) years.

I do however agree with the idea of just going out and enjoying the game. I'm not chasing any particular standard....I know better *this time around* than chasing a number.....that's not a good reason to play.

 

[clubchamp07]

I agree with Tommo21, I read most of your posts Homer, (good job I don't work) and some of them baffell me. You go into alot of detail, as Tommo21 says, just go out and enjoy it. I know a good golfer who was on the Ulster junior team with McIlroy, now the guy I know is good but then he was very good, but started all this technical stuff. His head is so far up u know where now, he has gone to pot, still plays off 1.
If as much stuff was going through my head as you put into your post's, I wouldnt be able to hit the ball, Your 42 years old, your never making the tour, so why on earth do you put yourself through that torture?
Your Teaching pro must be making a small fortune from you.
I know practise helps, but you can over practise.
You need to be out playing golf on a golf course as much as you need to be at the range, if not more. No point hitting it 300yds at the range then find you hit it 300yds straight into tree's on the course.
Just my tuppens worth.

 

[Smiffy]

I agree with Tommo21, I read most of your posts Homer, (good job I don't work) and some of them baffell me. You go into alot of detail, as Tommo21 says, just go out and enjoy it. I know a good golfer who was on the Ulster junior team with McIlroy, now the guy I know is good but then he was very good, but started all this technical stuff. His head is so far up u know where now, he has gone to pot, still plays off 1.
If as much stuff was going through my head as you put into your post's, I wouldnt be able to hit the ball, Your 42 years old, your never making the tour, so why on earth do you put yourself through that torture?
Your Teaching pro must be making a small fortune from you.
I know practise helps, but you can over practise.
You need to be out playing golf on a golf course as much as you need to be at the range, if not more. No point hitting it 300yds at the range then find you hit it 300yds straight into tree's on the course.
Just my tuppens worth.

Hate to say it Homer, but I agree with all said above.
Paralysis by Analysis I think they call it.