Sunday, May 1st, 2011.
Second 1/2 round of the year.
Trying out a new swing:
The former PGA teaching pro from my weekly Hold 'Em game says the cure for my frequent over-the-top, outside-in swing plane is:
- a narrower stance,
- a firmer right side,
- less trunk rotation (which is getting me too much onto my right & causing me to lose load),
- a shorter backswing (I've heard that before!), and
- using my left hip to trigger the transfer of weight and the beginning of the downswing.
Also testing a set of longer clubs:
- Nakashima NX-5 4-PW. Nice looking set of cast, 'coin-forged' cavity backs. I like the shape, although the top line is a bit thick for my taste. Clean lines, understated engraving. The cavity is a split design that reminds me of some of the in-house models from the great Japanese custom foundries (Miura, Endo & especially Kyoei). Mid-width soles, not shovels. More offset than my old Mizuno MX-20s, but it seems to help with the longer irons: I am getting the face closed at impact (or close), the ball is coming out straighter and higher, with a nice high draw.
- Nippon Steel N.S. Pro 950GH shafts, Stiff flex but soft-stepped twice. I like the balance point, and higher flight of these shafts, although I am beginning to think I could use a bit heavier shafts - maybe the 1150GH? - to help fight my outside-in swing plane tendencies.
- +3/8" long, standard lies. Progressively swingweighted to maintain a constant full swing MOI of 2,780 kg*cm^2 throughout the set.
Hole 120 : Par 4, Dogleg left, 320 yards. Not a lot of danger, except maybe left, which is OOB.
Great drive. Over the dying tree on the left of the fairway bend, to dead middle of fairway, 70 yards out. Should be perfect full, smooth sand wedge. Aimed too far right, hit it a little chunky, came up short & right, but on the green (1 for 1 G.I.R.s),35 feet below the hole. The putt doesn't break as much as it might look, partly because it's uphill and partly because Jason's 40-foot chip from above the hole barely moves, and in the opposite direction I expected. I guessed right edge, two feet past, and roll it just the right pace, settling 4 inches left. Tap in par.
A good start.
Hole 2: Par 3, 142 yards, 15 feet uphill, against a 10-12 mph breeze.
My first thought was 8 iron, but I switched to a 7. Got quick and slapped it off the toe, short and right in the rough, leaving a 20 yard pitch up the hill to a green I couldn't see. I chickened out, and left it short on the fringe, uphill 30 feet breaking gently right to left. My chip was overzealous and thus 9 feet past, two balls right, above the hole. I missed the left-to-right downhiller, and tapped in for double bogey.
A dissapointing follow-up, but not a complete disaster (for me, anyway).
Hole 3: Par 5, maybe 500 yards, double dogleg (first left, then right).
My drive was aimed too far right, and didn't draw like I was trying for, ending up in the bunker at the end of the first fairway. The lip of the bunker was not all that high, and I thought I could pull off a slicing 5-wood that would leave me 120 ~ 130 yards out on the left side of the fore fairway. I could not, hitting it fat and again slapping it off the toe, squibbing right into the hardpan triangle that is behind the line of trees right of the fore fairway. I planned to hit a high gap wedge over the only low point of the tree line and beyond the water hazard, to just get back into the fairway. Instead, I hit a thin, low screamer, under the branches, apparently with an open face because it sliced right to skirt the pond and bounce along the right cart path just short of the green, maybe a hundred feet from the hole. I chose to hit a bump and run 9-iron from sparse rough. Again too overzealous, and apparently aimed too far left, I finally got on the green in four, but left and long, 16 feet away. From behind, it seemed to break left; from above (where I was), it looked like it went right. I split the difference and just aimed at the back of the cup. It was downhill, not much but enough, and I went six feet long. I was struggling to judge long ones. The come backer (fairly straight, center right, uphill, just hit it firm), however, was good, for bogey.
Back on track.
Hole 4: Par 3, 146+ yards (the pin was in the back left).
A gusting wind, maybe 15 mph peak, in my face. If I hit it good, but pull/draw it left, I'm in the trees (too ofter), either O-O-B or with a nasty pine straw chip-pitch over narrow bunkers to a narrow green. If I chicken out and slap it right, I'm in the woods right, with a lengthy 30 ~ 40 pitch from an equally ugly lie in a hazard, if it's even playable. I chose a 6 iron, which usually would be too much club, but I'm figuring the wind and the back pin add an easy 10 yards or more, and I'm confident I can swing like Steve just taught me (narrower stance, strong right side, shorter, more arms & less trunk rotation to stay loaded, shorter back swing, front hip triggering/pulling the downswing. And I pull it off: a high, gentle draw, pin high, 12 feet left on a fairly flat & straight level. 2 out of 4 G.I.R.s. It should be an easy two putt par. So, of course, I scuff the putting surface and leave my first putt 4 feet short. And I miss the 4-footer, right. Tap in for bogey.
The missed 4-footer is aggravating.
Hole 5: Par 4, 340 yard dogleg right, breeze helping but somewhat left to right.
My first drive is spanked, but I've both aimed a bit too far right (having planned to hit a high drawn over the big tree right to cut off the dogleg) -and- got out of sync & hit late, blocking it right down the right cart path and tree line. I hit a provisional, and do virtually the same thing, but even further right. The provisional is clearly gone, so I go look for the first. It too ultimately can't be found, so I take a drop where I crossed the tree line hazard and play my third. My lie is uneven, and the ball is slightly below my feet. I end up hitting it thin, skulling it long, and off the back and into the far shrubs. I have no backswing, so I have to punch and hope on my fourth, and while it is well aimed - Jason yelled "Hit it!", hoping the flag would slow it down - but way long, off the front, leaving a 50 foot chip or putt. I chose to putt, but blasted it 25 feet beyond the hole in frustration. My sixth was six feet past again, way left (I pulled it). My seventh was short and left. Tap in for Snow Man.
There's my blow up hole.
Hole 6: Par 3, 150 yards, island green, with the wind slightly in my face blowing somewhat left -to- right.
7 iron, well-struck off the tee, high draw that lands pin high, 20 feet left of the hole (3 out of 6 G.I.R.s). My first putt is a reasonable, if not great, lag putt that leaves me a 3-foot tester. I finally pass the test. Par.
So close to righting the ship... Aargh!
Hole 7: Par 4, 310 yards, slight dogleg left, uphill (maybe adds 10 ~ 15 yards), wind helping right -to- left.
A good smash off the tee, high, straight, aimed a bit too right.70 yards to the back pin, over the left edge of a fronting bunker. I deliberately aim left, trying to avoid the bunker and leave it in the middle of the green for a lengthy putt. I choke down a bit on my gap wedge, and go for a smooth 3/4ths swing. I almost pull it off like I plan, just a little bit more left than perfect - but still on the green (4 out of 7 G.I.R.s) - and a little bit longer than planned - which actually left me a shorter putt than expected. My first putt has got the pace perfect, but I've missed 3 balls left. Tap in for par.
OK, now I'm back.
Hole 8: Par 4, a long gentle dogleg right, somewhat downhill but still long (for me!) at 460 yards.
Wind in my face, now blowing strong, 15 ~ 20 mph, slightly out of the left. I want to keep it low, and I manage to do that by hitting it low on the face. But I overswing and pull it left, and hit a low bullet that catches the rough and limits the run out, leaving a long 230 yard 2nd. I hit my first 3-wood of the year, and as expected I hit a big banana slice that I fear might catch the pond guarding the right side of the green. I get lucky and wind up in the middle of the cart path, short of the green, with a 20 yard pitch from light rough (on my free drop). My gap wedge proves trusty, and I leave myself a makeable 4-footer for par. Unfortunately, I don't make it, pushing it right, burning the edge. The tap in results in a bogey.
Sigh. Not bad, but it could have been so much better with just a smidge of putting ability.
Hole 9: Par 4, about the same distance, but uphill (maybe 20+ yards?) and the slightest of dogleg left.
My tee shot is again spanked off the toe, right and slicing into the fairway on 8. A long way from the elevated green, over a swath of snarled scrub lands and brush.I completely mishit my 5 wood, but at least advance the ball and stay out of trouble. Maybe an 8 iron left to the hole (with wind now at my back). I hit it too well, and while I hit the green, it takes two hops and then rolls off the back into a rough collection area that used to be a bunker. Braver men than I would try to putt it up and out and try to let it roll down the back-to-front-sloping green towards the pin. I choose to chip with my gap wedge, and and thin a bit to put it off the front, in the fringe. My putt goes 5 feet long, and leaves me above the hole with a slippery come backer. I just need to touch it, and it doesn't look like it breaks much at all. I nudge it: it feels decent, maybe a hair pulled. It seems to be tugging right, but it flattens out near the hole and just slips into the right side of the cup for double bogey.
Final score: 45. 3 of 6 fairways. 4 or 9 G.I.R.s. A couple missed easy putts, some shaky/overzealous pitches, a couple of late swings on drives. Could have been better.
I'm encouraged.
Possibilities for 40? Maybe better, maybe 1 or 2 over (35-36), if I can really put it together.
That would be really auspicious for hitting my goal of breaking 80.
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