The Back Nine is a documentary of his entire journey.  It covers his experience from all angles.  There is not only the work on his game but we also witness the interaction and support of those around him and the effect of it all on his life in some very profound ways.

When Jon Fitzgerald started the journey, he was over the age of 40, but he was armed with serious determination.  His dedication took him through a lot of hard work with a swing coach, a mental game coach, and a fitness coach.  In the process of putting in all that work, he lowered his handicap by 11 strokes.

Part of the desire to become a pro comes from his strong competitive spirit.  He found an outlet for that on the Golf Channel Amateur Tour.  He didn’t just spend time putting the back yard and beating balls at the driving range.  He worked hard to hone his competitive edge.

Naturally, regular readers will be able to infer that Jon Fitzgerald’s journey hit home with me.  His goal is a little different than mine, but his desire and competitive spirit are the same.  I try to learn all I can and seeing what others are doing to achieve similar things is very informative for me.

Aside from being an educational experience, I found The Back Nine to be very inspirational.  Watching a person work so hard for something is quite uplifting, especially when golf is the goal.

The Back Nine went way beyond golf, though.  Through the film, Fitzgerald found himself redefining relationships in his life.  His parents were divorced when he was younger and growing up, there was something lacking in the relationships he shared with his father and stepfather.

One of the more touching segments of The Back Nine showed Fitzgerald taking a golf trip to Scotland and Ireland with his father.  His purpose was to visit the home of golf and to draw on that for his quest, but visiting the place of his ancestors with his father had a profound effect beyond just golf.

I personally enjoyed this film a great deal.  It actually exceeded my expectations. It had special meaning for me because of the nature of the quest, but I think the story is compelling on many levels beyond just golf.  It’s about determination, dreams, family, and priorities.

I won’t reveal how it all turned out, but the journey is what it’s all about.  I enjoyed this film and I think you will too.  You can get more information at the website by clicking here.

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

DVD Review: The Back Nine

The days are getting pretty short now, so most of my work is accomplished on the weekend, though I have tried to make arrangements here and there to play a round or hit the driving range during the week.

As you may recall from my previous update, I was a little torn about trying to make one last surge to improve my handicap, versus doing things that might cause short-term pain for long-term gain.  I chose the latter, but, well, this isn’t what I had in mind.

Let’s rewind a couple of weeks.

I was preparing for a weekend driving range session and it occurred to me that I hadn’t taken video of my swing for a while, so I took my camera with me.  I had been hitting the ball fairly well, but I wanted to look for improvement as well as things still needing to be improved. I recorded a number of swings with a number of different clubs, both down the target line and face-on.

I went home and started analyzing swing after swing in slow motion.  Immediately, it was apparent with every club that I was having problems staying on plane.  My takeaway was decent (but not quite where I want it to be) but right at the top of the back swing, I was cupping my left wrist and getting the club way across the plane.  This led to a steep, over the top down swing, which kind of explains why I’ve been missing to the right lately.

I also noticed that my stance was a little wide and I wasn’t getting my weight all the way to the left, especially with the driver.  That also explains why I started slicing it recently.  I was hanging back to the right just a little.

So, I contemplated a couple of minor fixes.  First, I would keep my wrists more quiet on the back swing, making sure to keep my left wrist more flat and the club more on-plane.  Second, I would narrow my stance a little, making sure to transfer my weight to the right on the back swing and then to the left on the down swing.

The next day, I went out to the course.  Because it was late in the day, I only had time to hit a few warm-up balls.  I tried to feel the changes I wanted to make, and had some nice results.  I don’t typically try and make changes on the course, but I was just playing a practice round, so it wasn’t inappropriate for what I wanted to accomplish.

After a few holes, I noticed some excellent improvements.  I was hitting my irons very crisply.  The narrower stance had me really killing my driver.  I had two in excess of 320 yards, and that was on a cool, 50-degree day, when the ball doesn’t carry quite as far.

I did notice something odd. The shots that I didn’t hit well were contacted more toward the heel of the club, whereas all year, my misses were toward the toe.  I even shanked one or two.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I hadn’t gotten any work in, due to lots of rain around here at all the wrong times.

When I got out to the course again, I tried to continue the changes that I had success with, and what did I find?  Awful slicing and and ever-increasing number of shanks.  It got so bad that during my next practice round, I didn’t even finish.  I packed it in.  The improvements were gone and I was left with smoldering ruins.

I made a critical mistake. Two, really.

First, I committed to making a couple of changes to my swing when I knew that I might not be able to put in a lot of work because of short days and the possibility of bad weather. Not being able to get in enough repetitions, when I went back to trying to change again, I very likely wasn’t changing exactly how I had intended and with long breaks between sessions, it just got worse.  By the way, Joe warned me about this a few weeks ago. I should have heeded that advice, but in fairness, I think my logic for tinkering wasn’t outrageous, but had I listened, I would have avoided these problems.

Second, I made a couple of changes without consulting my pro. It’s not that I intended to do that.  It’s just that I assumed I would tell him the next day and see what he thought, but bad weather rolled in and we still haven’t crossed paths.  I don’t feel like I should make a habit of making changes like that without talking it over. We have a plan and he’s the pro, and keeping that in mind will help keep me on the right path.  One of my problems is a tendency to try new things all the time. That’s good in some ways, but when there’s an existing plan, it can be a hindrance.

At the point of meltdown, I did the only thing I could.  Last weekend, I went back out to the range and just tried to go back to where I was. I concentrated on the things I’ve been working on all year and just tried to feel my “old” swing.  And I scheduled a lesson for this Saturday.

Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law was working in over-drive.  I was striking the ball better, but things were still out of place.  I was slicing the ball.  My divots were pointing left.  That tells me I was probably coming over the top.  I didn’t have my camera with me so I don’t have a definitive answer.

On top of that, my pro spends the late fall and winter in Florida.  Fortunately, I have a lesson scheduled for Saturday, which is his last weekend here for the year.  That’s good, at least, but it means I’m going to be on my own over the winter.

If I’m not restored to my previous glory after that lesson, then I’m going to have to rely on myself to keep myself on the right track over winter.  I don’t expect to improve much with irregular winter play, but I’d at least like to remain stable so I can start where I left off when spring arrives.

If this had all happened in July, it would almost be a non-issue.  Being the end of the season makes the timing just awful.  After my lesson Saturday, it’s going to be hard to get enough regular practice to fix whatever went wrong and groove it properly.  During the summer, when I was able to work at it all the time, things were moving in a positive direction virtually all the time.  Now, it’s like everything fell apart.

Oh well.  These are the trials and tribulations that make life interesting.

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Progress Update: October 27, 2009

Here are ten things that you don’t ever want to hear (or possibly say).

1. “Wow, your club went further than the ball.“  Might be time for new grips.  Or anger management classes.
2. “Uh oh, that’s in the fairway on the next hole.“  The fact that the ball is in the short grass is little consolation when it comes time to perform the Walk of Shame.
3. “Fore!“  Obviously, we hate having to shout this one, but hearing it means that someone might be saying #10 next, where you’re “that guy”.
4. “I think I saw a splash.” I bet you never thought you could slice it that far.
5. “You’re still away.“  Following a four foot putt with a ten foot comeback putt probably isn’t ideal for scoring.
6. “Do you mind if we put a little something on the match?” If you hear this from a stranger, you might want to decline.  Unless you’re a Tour pro ranked in the top 125.
7. “It’s going to be really slow out there today.“  Really? Maybe you should have told me that before taking my money.
8. “You didn’t make it past the forward tee.  Drop ‘em.“  Maybe this just happens with the guys I play with?
9. “Was that lightning?“  And look at you, holding a 3 1/2 foot metal rod in your hands.
10. “Holy @&%$, I think you killed that guy!” Is your homeowners insurance up to date?

These are my top ten.  What are some of yours?

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Things You Don’t Want to Hear (or Say) on a Golf Course

The golf season in this area comes to a close at the end of October.  I will continue playing throughout the fall and winter whenever possible, but scores can only be entered for handicap purposes until the end of the month.  I’m finding this goal becoming increasingly elusive at this point in time for the simple fact that daylight is becoming scarce and after-work practice and play is becoming less frequent.

To make matters worse, at my most recent lesson, my pro and I decided on a couple of changes that have to happen for me to take my game where I want it to be.  The biggest change is a weakening of my right hand grip.  This means rotating it more on top of the shaft, rather than the super-strong position it had been occupying more on the side of the shaft.

Since starting to make the change, my ball striking has seen some definite improvement.  I’m catching the ball more solidly than I have all year.  However, if any of you have ever worked to consciously change your grip, you know that it isn’t easy because there is a long period of discomfort and it’s easy to mindlessly revert to the old way on any specific shot.

On top of that, I’ve been working on keeping the club face a little more open at address, and with a little more loft (i.e. hands back a tiny bit).  These two changes have had the benefit of helping me hit the ball a little higher, and have also transformed my typical ball flight to somewhere between straight and nice fade.

The discomfort I’m feeling as I try to groove the changes has triggered a little erratic ball striking here and there, making it difficult to score.  It has also led to another problem that wasn’t entirely unexpected.

The recent change to my grip hasn’t really turned it into a weak grip so much.  More like, my grip is now somewhere between neutral and strong, maybe a little closer to neutral.

Obviously, with my right hand in such a strong position and the club face maybe ever so slightly shut at address, I needed to delay the release of my hands and arms or risk hitting a massive hook.  Now when I try that with a grip that’s not as strong, it promotes a strong fade.

With the driver, this has led to a massive push-fade and even a slice at times, sending the ball 50-75 yards to the right.  Yes, I’ve had to take the Walk of Shame to adjoining holes a number of times in the last couple of weeks.  The problem diminishes down through the shorter clubs, with some really nice shots coming from the short irons.

Clearly, though, I need to work a little on a proper release of my hands and arms at impact.  This probably calls for a little video analysis, as well.  That will help me understand what’s actually going on, and to make sure I don’t start fixing things that aren’t really broken or even over-fixing things that are.

At the top, I misled you a little.  I said I had a difficult decision.  As much as I’d like to reach my goal of a single-digit handicap by the end of the season, it’s really no decision.  I’m always going to pursue the avenue that will provide me with the best long-term benefit.

With the season winding down, I need to commit to making these changes stick before winter gets here, or I’m going to find myself doing it again when spring arrives.  I’ve told you all before, but here it is again: I’m in this for the long haul.

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Progress Update: October 5, 2009

This year’s “playoff” marked the third since the FedEx Cup was introduced in 2007, with Tiger Woods winning in somewhat predictable fashion.  Then, the following year, Vijay Singh took the Cup home while an injured Tiger Woods sat home recuperating.  The joke of that year was that the outcome was pretty much decided before the last event and Singh basically just had to continue breathing to take home the cup.

Over these first three playoffs, the Tour tweaked the format each year to try and make sure there was a little drama going into the last event.  Well, this year the situation was a little better.  Sunday at the Tour Championship was dramatic, and ultimately, the FedEx Cup was awarded to Tiger Woods, the player who also had the best year (more on that later).

And that player also finished second in the event.  Therein lies the problem.  I’m trying to think of another major sport where the loser of the championship wins it all.  And make no mistake – in any tournament there is exactly one winner, and a whole crowd of losers.

There is not a bigger Tiger Woods fan in the world than I am, but on Sunday he was a loser.  I’m not suggesting Phil Mickelson “deserves” the Cup.  After all, Tiger won it fair and square playing in the framework that the Tour set up.  I submit, though, that this system is severely broken.

Can you imagine if the loser in the Superbowl game actually won the Lombardi trophy because it had accumulated more points throughout the season and then again in the playoffs after the points were reset?  Or, what about the World Series, Stanley Cup, or NBA Championship?  Winning teams don’t blow out the opposition and then lose the final game.

As the FedEx Cup playoffs started approaching this summer, a number of players were vocal in their feelings about the unfairness of the idea that a player who had the best season could get bounced out of the playoffs or that a player who had a mediocre season could win the Cup with some great play in the playoffs.

I’m failing to see the problem there.  If you just want to reward the player who had the best season, then why bother having a playoff system?  Just throw the $10 million at the guy at the top of the money list and forget the playoffs.

In sports that have a playoff system to decide a champion, these are the “unfair” realities.  But in those sports, the regular season is also looked upon as really just a way to buy a seat at the playoff table.  The rewards of playing well in the regular season come in the form of bye weeks, advantageous seeding, and home field/arena advantage.  In all those cases, however, the ultimate winner is the team that wins the last game.

I’m not a tennis guy, but someone tell me:  can a player lose the final match and still win it all?

The fact is, sometimes the teams that had the best year get upset in the playoffs.  The best team doesn’t always win it all.  That adds to the drama. Occasionally, an underdog slips in and wins the championship game in an upset.  And when that happens, they win it all. They don’t give the trophy to the loser.

So how would I do it?

The current format isn’t too far from a good one – with some minor tweaks.  I would have the players accumulate points throughout the regular season, just like now.  Those points would be used to determine the field for the first playoff event.  Once the field is set, toss the points.  Don’t reset them, don’t adjust them.  Trash them.  The winner of the FedEx cup should, well, win.  Accumulating points doesn’t cut it.

As the four events progress, the field should be cut smaller and smaller as the events progress.  If a player doesn’t perform, he goes home – period.  Just like in the current system, start with 125 and then the top 100 move on.  From there, the top 70 move on.  Finally, the top 30 play for the Tour Championship.

The big difference would be, the winner of the Tour Championship wins the FedEx Cup.  Period.

Now, if I had my way, the Tour Championship would also be a match play event.  A mano y mano fight to the finish.  I’ve heard people say that it wouldn’t work for television.  I say, “Bah”.  The WGC Accenture Match Play championship works for television.

Remember, the 2008 U.S. Open playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate?  That worked for television, and it happened on a Monday for crying out loud.

I’m willing to let go of a match play Tour Championship, though.  I would be happy if the winner of the last event was the winner of the FedEx Cup.  Match play works best for me, but not awarding the trophy to a tournament loser works better.

Look, I’m not naive.  I know a Tiger or Phil win is better for the Tour because it means better TV ratings.  They want their big names out there getting coverage.  However, the cream tends to rise to the top.  More often than not, the Tour is going to get the big names in it down to the wire, even if the winner isn’t who they wish it was.

If that’s not a good enough argument, then just drop the hokey playoff system and award the cup to whomever has the most points at the end of the season and stop calling it “playoffs”.

That’s all I’ve got to say about that.

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

The FedEx Farce

At the same time, so many players have trouble chipping effectively.  Put some players just off the green with a perfect lie in the short grass and the results will be somewhere between inconsistent and disastrous.

It almost goes without saying at this point, but I have completely modeled my short game using the techniques outlined in Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible.  This certainly goes for chipping too.  To summarize his chipping technique:

• Stand relatively tall, close to the ball, feet close together, turned about 20 degrees toward the target, with the ball positioned off the back ankle.
• Around 65% of your weight should be on the front foot.
• Grip down a bit with “dead hands”.  Keep the wrists firm and quiet throughout the stroke, but not tense.
• Use a finesse swing with the upper and lower body synchronized.

The setup is quite simple, really, and the stroke is even more simple.

One thing I want to examine a bit is how close we stand to the ball.  Pelz instructs players to “crowd the ball”.  I’ve heard it said that you almost can’t stand too close.

File that away for a moment and consider another part of the technique:  keeping the wrists firm.  One good way to do that is to bow them down toward the ground a bit.  Grip a club and hold it straight out in front of you.  Now bow your wrists down, making the club head move closer to the ground.  Then, simply address the ball with your wrists bowed like that.  Notice how that helps make your wrists a little more firm, making it easier to keep them from breaking side to side during the stroke.

Have you noticed what happens when you address a chip shot standing very close to the ball with the wrists bowed slightly?  If you noticed that it orients the heel of the club off the ground a little, you win a gold star.  That’s another part of Pelz’s technique, and other players and teachers advocate that, as well.

Getting the heel up helps keep from hitting the ball fat.  With a shallow swing, with the heel coming in first, it’s easy to hit the turf first, causing fat contact.

As I worked heavily on my chipping technique this year, I started to perceive that I was hitting the ball off the toe of the club.  Contact felt very dead and in the few cases where I contacted the sweet spot, I could tell the difference.

I started to question whether I had the heel of the club a little too high and whether I was forcing myself to only be able to hit the ball with the toe of the club.

I decided to experiment a bit.

For several weeks, I worked on standing just a tiny bit further away and addressing the ball with the sole of the club flat.  I started to notice better contact with the sweet spot.  Distance control was a little better.  However, I noticed something: I was hitting more chips fat.  I neglected to realize the specific reason for keeping the heel up a little in the first place.

I went back and reviewed the Pelz technique again and gave that method another go.  Almost immediately, I realized something.  Just like with my full swing, this year, my takeaway was faulty.  I was taking it away too far to the inside, instead of straight back and through.  Exactly like with my full swing, I was then experiencing toe-hits.

After a little work on my chipping swing path, I started to make more solid contact. My distance control got better, and I started hitting more quality chips.

I learned a few important things from this experience:

• Chipping is a seemingly simple action, and it is.  But there are many ways to ruin your chances of making solid chips. Learn proper technique and practice it.
• Learning in golf is not a one-time deal. It’s difficult to absorb everything you learn, and it’s easy over time to forget why something is done a certain way. I did this with my flat-sole experiment. On one hand, it was good to prove proper technique to myself. On the other hand, I could have saved myself some time by just referring to my learning materials in the first place to brush up.
• Even after a skill is learned well, it can just as easily be unlearned without attention to technique as time goes on. I grooved a faulty takeaway in my chipping stroke over time, just like I did with my full swing. It’s always good to perform checkups on your golf swing to be sure you’re not evolving your swing in a way that will be harmful later.  Swing faults don’t occur overnight.  It’s not enough to practice a technique until you start hitting the ball well.  Techniques should be re-examined to be sure they are being adhered to over time.

I’m back on track now, but for a while there, my chipping got hairy.  If you’re having trouble, don’t be lulled into complacency because it’s a seemingly simple action.  Re-learn your chosen technique and then be sure to maintain it as time goes on.

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Chipping: Simple Yet Tricky

After an on-course meltdown, the pro finds himself some 80 miles west of San Antonio in the town of Utopia where a 9-hole “goat track” surrounds an old cemetery.  The pro meets up with Johnny, the local rancher who takes him through a seven-day journey on the Links of Utopia.

This book is much, much more than simply a story.  Beyond being an interesting tale, it is also a serious lesson in the mental game of golf.  On top of that, it is also a deep spiritual journey.

Dr. Cook is recognized as one of the country’s top sport and performance psychology consultants.  He has served as mental coach to over 100 PGA Tour players, and has also worked with athletes from many levels of sport including the NFL and NBA, Olympics, and collegiate players.  Golf Digest has recognized him as one of the top mental-game coaches.

And that’s just some of the highlights.

It’s clear that Dr. Cook brought together all of his experience with the mental game of golf and crafted a story which is not only compelling, but is also highly informative, educational, and inspirational.   His mantra of “See, feel, and trust” may seem awfully simple, and on some level it is, but it’s something we golfers don’t do very well.  The fictional pro spends his seven days trying to come to grips with that simple philosophy.

But this book isn’t just about a simple mental game philosophy.  It is also a parable for a very spiritual transformation that our friend the pro must go through.  And frankly, it’s a very powerful and uplifting transformation.

When a copy of this book arrived in the mail, I was wondering when I’d have time to fit it in, with the massive pile of books I’m trying to work through.  But, sort of by chance, I had a few minutes that evening and I leafed through the first few pages.  I was hooked.  I ended up moving it to the top of the stack and knocking it out in two or three pre-bedtime reading sessions (which is unheard of for me).

Understand that when I say this book has a spiritual message, I mean in a Christian sense.  And also understand that I’m not a religious person at all (not that there’s anything wrong with that).  However, I still found the message to be very powerful, applicable to me (and really anyone), and I absolutely, positively, felt personally uplifted when I read it.

If I had not been sent a copy of Golf’s Sacred Journey, it’s not likely that I would have read it.  As I said, I’m not a spiritual person, and I don’t tend to read much fiction anyway.  If I saw it on the shelves at my local book store, I might not have connected with it.  However, I’m glad that it showed up at my door.

If you’re a spiritual person who plays golf, I believe you will get a lot from this book.  If you’re a golfer with interest in the mental game, I believe you will get a lot from this book. If for some reason, you really don’t like to delve into spiritual material (and I typically don’t), you might want to give it a pass, but I think you’re really missing out.  The lessons apply to both golf and life, in general, and while a spiritual person may get another layer of meaning from the book, I don’t think a non-spiritual person need feel left out, because the message is still valuable.

I give this book my highest recommendation.

One side note:  the golf hole on the cover of the book is actually a hole through the book itself.  How cool is that!

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: Golf’s Sacred Journey

Believe it or not, I’ve never played in a competitive tournament like that, and I’ve played a LOT of golf in my life.  I’ve played in evening men’s leagues and scramble tournaments, but nothing where it was a true competition, 100% by the book, with everyone playing their best.

I intended to play competitively last year as part of my journey, but regular readers will remember my lengthy knee injury which put a hold on that.  Fortunately, this year, I was able to work much harder and only had one minor stretch where I had to play through pain and take some time off.

So, I know you want me to cut to the chase and tell you how I did.  OK, I didn’t play great.  I shot a 91 for a net 76 (my handicap index is 13.9 giving me a course handicap of 15). I know, a 91 is a 91, but I think I played a little better than my score shows.  Still, I didn’t play up to my own standards.

However, I’m still thrilled with the experience and I’d like to share some observations and things I learned. Some of it will sound like I’m making excuses.  I promise, I’m not.  This is all just part of the learning experience and I hope you can learn from my mistakes too.

A Whole Different Course

We played the championship from the back tees.  That’s right, the tips.  The last word I got was that they were considering playing to the next set up (we have four sets of tees), and I never bothered to check before my practice round on Saturday.

The reason I bring this up is that I had literally never even stood on the back tees at my course prior to the club championship.  It’s not really an issue of distance.  I’m a pretty long hitter.  The course is relatively short with my regular tees coming in at 6000 yards (don’t let that fool you – there are a lot of narrow holes and thick rough and precision is required).  The back tees are only about 500 yards longer, which was no big deal.

The problem comes in the fact that, unlike some courses, the back tees aren’t just a little further back on the same continuous strip of grass.  They’re further out and many are at drastically different angles with respect to the rest of the holes.

I’ve played the place dozens of times, but from the back tees, it was a whole different look which caused me problems with club selection.  Remember I mentioned precision?  Well, the holes aren’t designed for people to just bomb away from the tee and then just compute the approach to the green.  There are places were you don’t want to run through the fairway because of water or waste areas.  Someone who hits the ball longer has to be more careful about club selection on many holes.  I was forced to make guesses on several tee shots and a few times I guessed wrong.

The lesson learned here is to play from the back tees once in a while because there’s no reason for me to have felt uncomfortable on a course that I’ve played many, many times.  I should have been diligent in checking which tees we were playing from, and I certainly could have just safely assumed we were playing from the back tees and practiced there, because if we did play forward on game day, it would have been familiar still.

The Pressure

I can’t remember feeling the kind of pressure on a golf course that I felt on Sunday.

I showed up at the course with butterflies in my stomach and they lasted the whole round. It was certainly worse in the beginning and on holes that I don’t typically play well, but it did get a little better as time went on.

There are several obvious factors for this.  I clearly wanted to play well.  Not having played something so formal was a contributor.  There’s pressure in knowing that every shot counts.  There’s no conceded putt.  There’s no jacking a ball out of bounds and then dropping one up somewhere just to keep the game moving.  There’s the pressure of not wanting to look foolish in front of strangers.  That one wasn’t too bad, because I played with a great group and I quickly felt comfortable with them.

The pressure is one thing I felt like I handled very well.  I’m not sure I can say it cost me any strokes.  Honestly, I truly believe I was prepared to deal with it from reading Bob Rotella’s books (Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, etc.).  I went out there, planned and visualized every shot, hit each shot, and then accepted the outcome.  I dealt with the butterflies by looking at each shot as being a chance to excel.  I trusted my swing, even though I knew I’m in the middle of working on things with my pro, and some of those things came out in my round.

I don’t relish feeling that pressure, but it was constantly telling me that I cared about the outcome and that I should take each shot seriously and play each meticulously.

Observing The Winner

The eventual club champion was in my group.  In fact, it was his third in a row.  I learned a ton watching a low handicapper play a tournament round.  Well, I learned some new things, but most of it was stuff that I already know, but may not have witnessed for 18 holes, up close.

His swing was solid, and he had really good tempo.  Things like this are almost a given with a player whose handicap is in the lower single digits.  But he also meticulously stuck to his pre-shot routine.  If he addressed his ball and was not completely confident in his club selection, he would back away and get the right club.

The quality of his shots was pretty amazing.  His ball almost always started out right on target.  There was very little variation in trajectory and curvature of the ball except when he was trying to work the ball purposely.  From what I could tell, it didn’t seem like he missed the center of the club face much.  I think I saw him hit one truly bad shot in 18 holes.

The one thing that was highly encouraging to me playing with him is that there’s not a single shot he hit that I can’t hit.  The only difference is, he hits the shot he intends a lot more often than I do.  That’s a simple matter of working on my fundamentals and practice, practice, practice.

Playing with someone of that caliber showed me that I’m not as far from that level as I might think.

Positives in My Game

I didn’t shoot a good number, even considering my handicap, but there were some things I did well that I’m happy with.

• As I said above, I’m very happy with how I dealt with the pressure.  I can’t say I feel like it cost me any shots.
• I’m fairly happy with my short irons.  I hit some very solid shots and had a few very makeable birdie chances (which I didn’t make).
• My putting was very solid.  I don’t have my stats in front of me, and I might have had a couple of three putts, but made a number of putts in the 4- to 8-foot range.

Non-positives in My Game

I didn’t want to be negative, so I said “non-positives”.  It’s like Tony Robbins over here.  OK, I admit it, there were a number of negatives.  There have to be, considering I shot a 91.

• I made the cardinal mistake of the classic nonchalant putt.  I hit my tee shot to the par-3 13th and was left with about a 6-footer.  I slid it by the right side and had less than a foot left.  I went up and tried to tap in while straddling another player’s line and flat duffed it.  That’s a mistake I won’t make again.
• I made a couple of course management blunders.  On the par-5 14th, which is a dog-leg left, I hooked my tee shot over by the woods into thick rough.  From there, I had around 100 yards to get to the corner with limbs overhanging. I chose to punch a 5-iron, but the rough was too thick and it just squirted forward maybe ten yards.  Then, I did the exact same thing again.  After that, I had enough sense to wedge it out.  It took me five shots to get on.  If I wedged out the first time, I’m confident I would have saved one stroke, and maybe even two.
• I touched on this above, but I don’t think I prepared properly.  I was sick over the couple weeks prior, so there wasn’t much I could do about that, but when I did have the chance to work, I didn’t play from the back tees like I should have.  I also don’t feel like I worked on my short game enough, even though that probably didn’t cost me much.  There were, however, some chances to get up and down that I missed.  Knowing what I know now, I will prepare much differently next time.
• This isn’t really golf related, but I wanted to point out what a dunce I am when it comes to proper hydration.  I practiced the day before the event in some seriously hot, humid weather and got behind in my hydration.  On tournament day, the weather was nice and not hot at all, so I was lulled into not drinking enough.  I was cramping by the time I put my clubs in my car and was in agony for hours.  I got cramping in my calves, hamstrings, hips, all around my midsection, and even in my right hand.  My hand!  Let this be a warning:  stay hydrated.  I can’t help but wonder if it affected my later holes, but I can say with 100% certainty that it would have affected me had I played the day after.

On any particular day, my swing is what it is and I’m going to make some mistakes.  I don’t like them, but I don’t regret them either.  But the mental errors are things that I do regret, because there’s no reason for them to happen.  I estimate that those errors cost me a minimum of 4 strokes.  That would have gotten me into the more respectable land of the 80’s to a net 72 for the tournament.  Oh well, it’s a learning experience.

Onward!

At this point, I can’t wait to get back to work.  It’s time to schedule my next series of lessons, and I have a good idea where I need to work on my game after putting it to the test.

It’s coming down to the end of the season and it won’t be long before winter is here.  My goal is to get my handicap down into the single digits by the end of the season.  I think that’s very possible, but it’s going to require some focused effort on my part.  That will also leave me in a good position for next year.  If I’m in the single digits right out of the gate, I’ll be in a good spot to actually be able to contend for the championship next year.

I can’t wait!

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

My Best Learning Experience Yet

1. I don’t care about the new groove regulations because I would still love the game if I had to hit featheries with persimmon woods across six holes of sheep pasture.
2. If I owned a golf course, alcohol would be forbidden on the course, but would be allowed in the awesome 19th hole bar that would be on the premises.
3. I cannot explain why, but I firmly believe in dress codes on golf courses. If there isn’t one, then fine, but if a course is going to have one, it should be enforced in a draconian manner, even if it means sacrificing revenue.
4. As a fan, I prefer watching golf on TV.  As a student of the game, there is absolutely no alternative to being there on the premises during a tournament.
5. The length of time Sam Snead played at a high level is amazing to me. Tom Watson is performing well at his age, but isn’t even on the same planet with respect to total wins.
6. The LPGA Tour has some great players, cool personalities, and good golf, but given the choice, I prefer watching a PGA Tour event 99% of the time.
7. My dream foursome:  David Feherty, Gary McCord, John Daly.  THAT would be a fun day.
8. Why do people refuse to fix ball marks and rake bunkers?  I bet those same people complain when their ball lands in a foot print or their putt rolls like a game of Plinko.
9. I love how people will spend $400 for the newest driver for its “forgiveness” but won’t spend $50 on a lesson with a pro. With a good swing, there’s not much to forgive.
10. Attention golf course operators:  I appreciate the guy who is there to help get carts loaded and unloaded and shine up clubs, but I would be infinitely more happy if you would have him riding around as a course ranger – and not just during weekend mornings.
11. There are some great golf blogs out there.  To anyone thinking of starting one: if you’re just doing it for money, your heart won’t be in it and it will show.  And, it probably won’t last for long.
12. I believe I will make every putt within ten feet. I don’t just tell myself I’ll make it, and of course I don’t make every one, but I believe that I will before I make the stroke.
13. If you’ve ever mowed fairways on a golf course, then you know that when you finish one and the striping is nearly perfect, it’s a very rewarding feeling.
14. I’ve done just about every task a golf maintenance worker can do and the one I hated most was changing hole locations.
15. I’m still waiting for the wonderful day when I get matched up on the course with some stranger and he says, “Do you mind if we play a match for honor, not money, and can we strictly enforce the rules?”
16. I’m not sure how I feel about long putters. I could see outlawing them and forcing a traditional-type stroke, but at the same time, they don’t really bother me that much to push the issue.
17. I’m a fan of using a little gamesmanship, but I’m afraid that in a serious tournament, I might cross the line, so I would probably not even try to play any mind games.
18. Since I started my journey to become a pro, I’ve been working with my pro to develop my game, but I haven’t played any competitive tournaments, partly because of poorly-timed injuries.  My club championship is this Sunday and it occurs to me that I don’t really know how to prepare effectively for a tournament. Both in the days leading up, and on the day itself.  I need to develop my own routine.
19. I have Hogan’s famous 1-iron photo hanging up in my dining room in my apartment, or my “golffice” as I like to call it.  It provides great inspiration on a daily basis.
20. I prefer match play to stroke play in a one-on-one situation. In stroke play, it’s too easy for a player just to zone out and shoot a number.  In match play, the opponent matters a lot more and there’s a lot more opportunity to get inside a player’s head. Especially since in match play, when the match is mathematically decided, it’s over, but in stroke play, a huge lead just means the need to grind out the final holes.

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

20 Random Thoughts About Golf

The storyline was almost surreal.  Tiger Woods, probably the best player who ever lived, had come back after knee surgery, and as we found out later, was still seriously injured.  He was stared down to the bitter end (and then some) by Rocco Mediate, a player often described with terms like “journeyman” and “everyman”.

It took 91 holes to decide the battle and, as we know, Tiger Woods came out victorious. Tiger needed to hole a knee-knocking putt on the 72nd hole to even get into a playoff with Mediate.  The two then stayed neck and neck for an 18 hole playoff and Tiger finally won it on the first sudden-death hole where Rocco didn’t make the putt he needed to extend the playoff.

Tiger’s performance became more legendary after we learned the true nature of his injury.  Throughout the week it was obvious he was hurting, but we didn’t find out until later that he had a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee as well as stress fractures in his leg.

That’s not to take anything away from Rocco Mediate.  He gave Tiger a serious run.  Though he was an underdog in the tournament – usually the entire field is when Tiger plays – he bested everyone else and nearly beat The Man himself to take home the prize.

The drama on Sunday that spilled into Monday swept the golfing world.  It’s reported that trading was actually down on the New York Stock Exchange during the playoff.

The story was spectacular, but the story behind the story is compelling, as well. How did it all start for Rocco Mediate? What hurdles did he face on his way to that historic showdown?

“Are You Kidding Me?“, by Rocco Mediate and John Feinstein answers those questions and more.

No only does this book give a lot of detail about Rocco’s start in golf and his early career, it also gives a very detailed account of that U.S. Open week and the lead up to it, where Rocco had to play his way into the tournament through sectional qualifying.  We learn more about his longstanding back problems and how he overcame them.  We also learn how this brush with greatness affected Rocco as he moved on and found himself flush with new opportunities.

I still vividly recall the 2008 U.S. Open and I remember the knot I had in my stomach as it played out on Monday.  I’m a huge fan of Tiger Woods and always like to see him win, but how could I not pull for Rocco to win?  He seems like a great guy and the word is that he’s liked by everyone.  It was a great underdog story with two guys that had to play through adversity to contend for the U.S. Open.

I found this book to be a thoroughly enjoyable recounting of how Rocco found himself in that moment and how the week played out.  It is well written and quite a compelling story. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning Rocco’s back story or for anyone who would like to relive some of the magic of the 2008 U.S. Open from the perspective of one of the guys that made it happen.

© 2007-2009 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: Are You Kidding Me?