Seconds out...round two!

[Tiger]

Afternoon gentleman. Firstly, can I just say what a glorious day it is today and how I thoroughly enjoyed my second full round of golf. I got off to a disastrous start with a 6 and a 15!!!!!!! But then went on a really good run scoring 22 stableford points and making four pars on the next nine holes.

I finished weakly today but am pleased with the progress I'm making. My stamina went towards the end and along with it my concentration levels. Of course the more I play 18 holes the more staying power I will have on the back nine.

You'll be pleased to hear that 4 wood is definitely coming soon for two reasons.

1. I struck my mid irons sweetly today, and I think the 4 is a positive work in progress
2. The holes that destroyed my card were 3 of the par 5's where I was just trying too hard with the irons

A return of 31 shots on those 3 holes is not good!! However, I did score a 6 on the longest hole on the course, but that was really set up by a following wind and a peach of a 4 iron off the tee (arguably one of my best shots today).

The most satisfying things today were the number of clean iron/approach shots I hit and just 33 putts today (with a lot of my putts the length a good player would expect if they hit a GIR).

So things to work on:

1. Slice on irons, the longer they get the more the problem is there. It's intermittent on the 6I but is probably a combination of swing plane and set up
2. Concentration levels. I must stay in the zone as much as I can
3. The time for a 4 wood has arrived

There's a much more interesting, and descriptive post on this round on the blog and it would be great if you could pay it a visit. I'm hoping you'll find it an entertaining read.

To read the blog click here

 

[Bigfoot]

Well done- handicap will soon be down. Everyone has some difficulties at the start. Keep going, the good holes show how you can play with better stamina and concentration.

 

[BushFinder]

Well Done!
Nothing beats playing 18 on a full course on a nice day!!
As a fellow beginner I would definatley recommend carding stableford points scores, it means you can try to forget about bad holes...
Obviously 36 would be your target, you can stil achieve it with blobs

BushFinder

 

[Imurg]

Not bad Tiger - but could do better. Get those disasters down to doubles at worst and you're on to it. Decent scoring on the other holes though and a good number of putts.

Do you drink on the way round - not Stella! Try these energy drinks. I find they help to keep the body going and also the mind.

 

[Tiger]

Hey Imurg, I have a bottle of lucozade on the go and have two snack bars after holes 6 & 12. Could have done with a bit more fluid. Most challenging thing is concentrating for four hours!!!

Agree with you about the disaster holes. They were the longer holes where I hit a poor tee shot and a decent hit with a four wood would eradicate a lot of my problems. I'm quite excited that I am ready to put a wood in my bag now. There is still a lot of work to do!!!

Bushfinder and Bigfoot thanks for your positive comments.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can't drink the energy drinks (or at least shouldn't - I do trangress sometimes) as I'm diabetic but I do make sure I drink as much fluid as I can. I usually look to drink at the very least one of those 750ml bottles (fit nicely in the bag) but usually 2 x 500ml of water. I try and drink a sip or two on every hole and every other hole as a minimum. In the summer (remember that) I do sometimes add a lucozade sport but tend to have that every 3/4 holes and only a few sips.

I also make sure I keep my energy up with fruit. I have a banana on the first few holes and another around the turn and try and eat a small box (one of those small lunchbox size) of raisins front and back. Way back when someone posted me recipe for weetabix biscuits when I first mentioned I was diabetic. I admit I haven't had them for a while but I went through a real splurge with them once I had the recipe and they really helped. You could also try a bowl of porridge before you get to the club.

Some good stuff there and a very funny blog entry. I think you know where the problems lie with your game and its clear the long game is putting the rest of it under pressure. I still feel a 3 wood, 5 wood and 3 hybrid are the way to go but a 4 wood will still help off the tee. I'm wondering how many of those poor tee shots were you swinging too fast or hard trying to eke out a few extra yards to compensate.

Keep it going as your new course will take some learning. It will come.

 

[Andy]

Tiger

In between shots enjoy the banter and relax. When you reach ur ball, think of your game and what you want to do with your shot. Starting on the tee, think of the hole and where you want to put your ball to leave the ebst second \ approach shot. Continue this idea until you are on the green and then go about sinking the putt.

You'll never concentrate 100% for 4 hours.

Andy

 

[jammydodger]

As Andy has just said you dont need to concentrate for 4 hours Tiger. Very little time should be spent in a high state of concentration on the golf course. Do not try to maintain a golfing brain , relax and forget about it until its your turn to play (obviously start to ramp up the levels so youre ready though). Then forget about it again after the shot.

 

[haplesshacker]

I with the last two. You don't need to concentrate for four hours. Actually, the more I conciously think about it, the worse I play.

I do wonder though if you think about too much whilst out there? I tend to find the less expectation I have, the better the score.

As I walk upto the ball, it's distance, lie, hazards, type of shot (for the short shots only generally, ie bump and run, lob over a bunker etc) and where I want the ball to end up. Choose club, and hit it. Hope the set up just happens! Occasionally it works out okay!! I might think about the ideal shot shape, but it's too much at this stage.

Whole process happens so quickly it's hardly a concious thing.

PS. My mind plays a very good game. It's just that my body won't play ball sometimes.

My method might be 'wrong' but it's just how I do it. Rightly or wrongly. All advice welcome!

Oh. And get as many rounds in as you can.

 

[Tiger]

Homer you've hit the nail on the head. Every single poor tee shot was a result of trying too hard and overswinging. When I relaxed the results were so much better cuts probably why I nailed the 5th hole as I'd already accepted I'd struggle to get on in 3.

Andy i'll bear that advice in mind, I think I'd feel more relaxed with a better playing partner as two beginners together reduces the opportunity to chat etc between shots.

 

[Andy]

I've always been of the opinion that you'll never improve unless you play with partners who are better than yourself Tiger.

When I was around the 12 handicap mark I always played with single figure guys to see how they played and reacted to whatever the course threw at them. I'm still learning now and always will.

Some of the lay up's and strategies they played were eye openers, now they are second nature to myself.

Try hooking up with some better players and see what you learn.

Andy

 

[Canfordhacker]

probably why I nailed the 5th hole as I'd already accepted I'd struggle to get on in 3.

For me this is the absolute crux of it. You have a handicap for a reason - you should accept the fact that at you curreent standard you get a shot, therefore green in regulation is 4 shots on the par 5's. Three well struck 7 irons and a wedge will get you there if you relax. And knowing that, you should be hitting them off the fairway, which is always a bonus. Simples...

 

[Spinn77]

Well done Tiger, some very good holes in there, and as mentioned they'll give a glipse of the potential you posess. The bad holes are what you need to work on, get them down to bogeys if you can then you'l be under 18!

Your putting appears to be as good as mine (or as bad as mine?) which for someone starting out must be half decent, i'm getting round in about 33 putts (today excluded).

I spotted your still using the Zstars, get rid mate, until your reducing the side spin you've got going on they are prob more hasle than there worth.

 

[Imurg]

Don't count the putts as such. Having 33 putts on the face of it is good but if you chip'n'putt a lot but 3 putt every other green it gives a false stat. Your Par Scramble stat is respectable - that means you had a few chip'n'putt holes.
Count the 3 putts and eliminate them. You're "allowed" 2 putts per green. Yes its great to only use 1 but not good to use 3 or 4. That's where the problem lies.
How many 3,4 or (dare I say it!) 5 putts were there today?

 

[Spinn77]

Good point Imurg. guess i'm frustrated with my putting as i hit a lot of greens, and usually im inside 20ft (most approaches with a wedge of some sort or the occaisional 9i).

I wide review of the stats is the way forward Tiger

 

[Tiger]

Spinn77 Z-Stars have gone as have the ProV1 lake balls. Lost the Z-Star on the first tee. Funny timing though as I've just updated my blog to reflect my new choice of ball. When I'm hot with a premium I'm smoking, hit +2 yesterday over four holes but then the inconsistent strike & sidespin returned. Check out today's blog post.

Imurg I had just the one three putt yesterday unsurprisingly on the disastrous second hole. Didn't concentrate as the card for that hole was already wrecked and got careless with the second putt. Won't be doing that again, I was furious with myself as I want to breed a mentality that every shot counts. Most of the one putts were just good putts ranging from about 4 - 15 feet. My chipping is not good enough to get it close on most occassions it's the putting that comes to my rescue.

 

[TWM]

Tiger,
Counting fifteen on one hole is depressing.
When you know you are not going to score just pick up. You will not then be holding up play and your partners will respect you for it.

 

[BrianDamage]

Great stuff Tiger.

Just thought I'd say on the energy topic, I've recenty started eating a few nuts each hole and a few sips of water aswell as a banana about half way round and I've really noticed significant improvement in my energy levels. Also have porridge for breakfast.

Previously it used to be chocolate and lucozade and toast.

 

[Spinn77]

Ah, a result for the NXT Tour....you'll do well with it for a while i would think. maybe aim to get on top of things by this time next year and when it starts to warm up and the courses start to get harder and faster in the summer 2011 move to a premium ball then. Give you something else to aim for, mini milestone if you like.

The other thing is that you wont need a premium ball through October this year till easter next year anyway. The greens are softer so the ball will hold the green much easier without the added spin.