HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
As you all know, my short game woes have reached new depths over the last few months and after trying to fix it myself I gave in and had a lesson. Today was my first round since the lesson on Monday and all I had was a couple of practice sessions under my belt. Despite not having any on course success I went into today actually looking forward to missing some greens and putting it into practice. I didn't have to wait long, first hole, tee shot short, 1 chip, 1 putt = Par to start :thup:
As the round went on I realised something else was happening that I hadn't really expected, I actually stood over my approach shots not caring about missing greens. Whether that was a factor in me only missing 2 more greens in the next 9 holes and both of those in bunkers I can't say for sure, but it can't have hurt. I won't go through hole by hole as I'm sure you don't care but 18 was the hole which I feel might change the way I play forever. My normal train of thought on Par 5s is to layup to 100 yds and take my chance from there.
Today however, that changed. I hit my tee shot left and was partially blocked by an oak tree. The shot needed to be a low draw which I hit great but an inch to high and caught a branch leaving me about 230yds from the centre of the green. I can't hit 230yds but instead of laying up to 100 yards and pretty much accepting a bogey, I now had a new option, smash the 3W as close to the green as possible and trust the fact that I can chip. I managed to get it to about 20 yards short of the green and with the pin at the back had plenty of green to play with I went through the options my pro had talked to me about, pulled the PW, picked my landing spot and stuck it about 4ft right of the pin, sunk the putt and made a par that this time last week I could never have made.
I shot 77 and hit a lot of great shots (a few ropey ones too) but of all the shots I hit, of all the shots I have ever hit, all the holes I have ever played the way I made par on 18 today has absolutely made my weekend.
Sorry for boring you all but Mrs H really doesn't care and I had to tell someone
As the round went on I realised something else was happening that I hadn't really expected, I actually stood over my approach shots not caring about missing greens. Whether that was a factor in me only missing 2 more greens in the next 9 holes and both of those in bunkers I can't say for sure, but it can't have hurt. I won't go through hole by hole as I'm sure you don't care but 18 was the hole which I feel might change the way I play forever. My normal train of thought on Par 5s is to layup to 100 yds and take my chance from there.
Today however, that changed. I hit my tee shot left and was partially blocked by an oak tree. The shot needed to be a low draw which I hit great but an inch to high and caught a branch leaving me about 230yds from the centre of the green. I can't hit 230yds but instead of laying up to 100 yards and pretty much accepting a bogey, I now had a new option, smash the 3W as close to the green as possible and trust the fact that I can chip. I managed to get it to about 20 yards short of the green and with the pin at the back had plenty of green to play with I went through the options my pro had talked to me about, pulled the PW, picked my landing spot and stuck it about 4ft right of the pin, sunk the putt and made a par that this time last week I could never have made.
I shot 77 and hit a lot of great shots (a few ropey ones too) but of all the shots I hit, of all the shots I have ever hit, all the holes I have ever played the way I made par on 18 today has absolutely made my weekend.
Sorry for boring you all but Mrs H really doesn't care and I had to tell someone
