A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that my left arm bended too much at the top of backswing. So I tried to keep it a little bit more straight. I made this adjustment on the golf course during a round, but it did not work well. I could not hit the ball solidly. Towards the end of the round, I realized I also need to adjust ball position, from observation of the divots I made.
In the following week, I went to the driving range twice, move the ball a little more forward. Suddenly everything worked out. This combination of swing/ball position adjustments changed my ball flight higher, and also increased carry distance. The overall distance does not change much, because the ball does not roll as much as before. I think this is a big improvement for me.
Now the ball position is a little forward than the center between my feet for mid-irons (5~7 irons), and at the center for short irons (8~P). Before the change, it was at the center even for 5-iron.
Mid-Season Score Summary
So far in 2011 I have played for about 15 rounds, about 6 rounds below 90, 4 rounds between 90~92, and 3 rounds between 93~95, and 2 between 96~99.
Broke 90 (88) for the second round played at Walden Ponds.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
My First Eagle
I got my first eagle (2 shots, no putting) on Hole 6 (Par 4) at Glenview West on April 23, 2011. From the first cut on the right side of fairway, with a good downhill lie, about 105 to 110 yard to the pin, I hit a perfect 9-iron. The ball bounced twice on the green, and then rolled straight into the hole.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Score Summary (September to November 2010)
Nov. 27, 89 (44/45, West/East)
Nov. 20, 89 (45/44, South/East)
Nov. 13, 92, Beckett Ridge
Nov. 11, 89, Crooked Tree
Nov. 6, 93 (46/47, South/East)
Oct. 30, 88 (46/42, South/East)
Oct. 16, 95 (44/51, West/South)
Oct. 9, 94 (42/52, West/South)
Oct. 7, 87 (41/46, West/East)
Oct. 2, 48 (West)
Sep. 30, 44, Crooked Tree (Front 9)
Sep. 25, 91 (46/45, South/East)
Sep. 18, 85 (45/40, East/West)
Sep. 15, 41, Crooked Tree (Front 9)
Sep. 11, 85 (44/41, West/South)
Sep. 6, 40, Crooked Tree (Back 9)
Sep. 4, 88 (45/43, South/West)
South/West/East are Glenview.
Nov. 20, 89 (45/44, South/East)
Nov. 13, 92, Beckett Ridge
Nov. 11, 89, Crooked Tree
Nov. 6, 93 (46/47, South/East)
Oct. 30, 88 (46/42, South/East)
Oct. 16, 95 (44/51, West/South)
Oct. 9, 94 (42/52, West/South)
Oct. 7, 87 (41/46, West/East)
Oct. 2, 48 (West)
Sep. 30, 44, Crooked Tree (Front 9)
Sep. 25, 91 (46/45, South/East)
Sep. 18, 85 (45/40, East/West)
Sep. 15, 41, Crooked Tree (Front 9)
Sep. 11, 85 (44/41, West/South)
Sep. 6, 40, Crooked Tree (Back 9)
Sep. 4, 88 (45/43, South/West)
South/West/East are Glenview.
2011 Golf Season Started
Before I write about my 2011 golf season, I would like to add a few words to conclude the second half of last season. Year 2010 was a great year with my golf handicap dropping down to 15.0. I felt that it was easier to break 90 at Glenview, and I think I played more rounds in 80s than in 90s between August and November 2010.
A note for equipment update: in addition to switching to Mizuno MX-23 irons, I also switched to Taylormade R9-460 driver (10.5 loft) from Cobra SZ-460 (12.0 loft). In my early golf years, I had trouble to hit a decent trajectory with a 10.5 loft driver, so I had played a 12.0 driver for many years. It was in 2010 that I realized my driver trajectory tends to be too high. So I tried several 10.5 loft drivers, and finally selected the R9. This R9 driver is adjustable for the face angle, and I set it to Left.
Now fast forward to the 2011 season, which started on March 12 with my first round at Glenview. So far I have played three rounds, 2 at Glenview and 1 at Walden Ponds. The weather was great for the first 2 rounds, with temperature in 60s, and my scores were not bad either: 90 and 87. But it was very cold yesterday at Walden Ponds (in 30s), and my arms felt cold and stiff, especially during the first 2 holes. Also, this was my first time that I played Walden Ponds. After a shaky start with a quadruple bogie and a triple bogie, I settled down quickly and followed up with 3 consecutive pars. The rest of the round was ok, and I ended up with 94.
Walden Ponds is a very nice course with residence hourses and some country roads along its fairways. It has creeks and ponds into play at some holes, and many bunkers around the greens and fairways. The course is well maintained. The fairways are relatively wide, and I could hit the fairway more often than not, almost at every par 4 or 5 hole. The green is in great condition too, and I like it because I sunk all putts with 6 feet yesterday. But I need to improve my chipping and bunker shots. Without those chipping and bunker mishits, I could have broken 90 easily at Walden Ponds.
Now I look forward to going back there again.
A note for equipment update: in addition to switching to Mizuno MX-23 irons, I also switched to Taylormade R9-460 driver (10.5 loft) from Cobra SZ-460 (12.0 loft). In my early golf years, I had trouble to hit a decent trajectory with a 10.5 loft driver, so I had played a 12.0 driver for many years. It was in 2010 that I realized my driver trajectory tends to be too high. So I tried several 10.5 loft drivers, and finally selected the R9. This R9 driver is adjustable for the face angle, and I set it to Left.
Now fast forward to the 2011 season, which started on March 12 with my first round at Glenview. So far I have played three rounds, 2 at Glenview and 1 at Walden Ponds. The weather was great for the first 2 rounds, with temperature in 60s, and my scores were not bad either: 90 and 87. But it was very cold yesterday at Walden Ponds (in 30s), and my arms felt cold and stiff, especially during the first 2 holes. Also, this was my first time that I played Walden Ponds. After a shaky start with a quadruple bogie and a triple bogie, I settled down quickly and followed up with 3 consecutive pars. The rest of the round was ok, and I ended up with 94.
Walden Ponds is a very nice course with residence hourses and some country roads along its fairways. It has creeks and ponds into play at some holes, and many bunkers around the greens and fairways. The course is well maintained. The fairways are relatively wide, and I could hit the fairway more often than not, almost at every par 4 or 5 hole. The green is in great condition too, and I like it because I sunk all putts with 6 feet yesterday. But I need to improve my chipping and bunker shots. Without those chipping and bunker mishits, I could have broken 90 easily at Walden Ponds.
Now I look forward to going back there again.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
2010 Golf Season
As I am writing this post, I realize that it has passed the half point of the 2010 season.
The first couple of rounds back in late March and early April were not good, with some scores over 100. I kind of expected it since I did not practice at all during the whole winter, not even swinging a club at home. On top of that, the weather was not good in early Spring, windy, rainy, muddy...
Later on, my scores went down little by little, and settled down in 90s in May. And then starting in June, I think I broke 90 again, with my short game coming back again.
One thing worthy to be noted: I upgraded my irons to a used set of Mizuno MX-23, and sold Ben Hogan Apex Plus and BH-5 on e-Bay. I had been looking for a better set of irons for a while. I like the looks of forged irons with thin top lines, like Apex Plus. But it was more than 10 years since its debut. So I want a set with newer technologies, better performance and equal looks. I checked some models from Titelist, Cobra, and Callaway, and I set my eyes on Mizuno MX-23. Then I compared the specifications (loft, lie, length) of MX-23 with Apex Plus, and figured that I could gain some distance with Mizuno MX-23 too.
So far I have been happy with my choice of the Mizuno irons, and I did hit longer with these clubs. A good hit of 6-iron would carry 135 yard, and roll close to 150 yard...
Here are the scores recorded since July:
July 17: 84 (41/43), a great round
July 24: 94 (2 balls into water at 2 par-3 holes)
July 31: 92 (46/46), an ok round
August 7: 88 (45/43), a good round
August 14: 83 (42/41), a great round, GIR more than 50%.
The first couple of rounds back in late March and early April were not good, with some scores over 100. I kind of expected it since I did not practice at all during the whole winter, not even swinging a club at home. On top of that, the weather was not good in early Spring, windy, rainy, muddy...
Later on, my scores went down little by little, and settled down in 90s in May. And then starting in June, I think I broke 90 again, with my short game coming back again.
One thing worthy to be noted: I upgraded my irons to a used set of Mizuno MX-23, and sold Ben Hogan Apex Plus and BH-5 on e-Bay. I had been looking for a better set of irons for a while. I like the looks of forged irons with thin top lines, like Apex Plus. But it was more than 10 years since its debut. So I want a set with newer technologies, better performance and equal looks. I checked some models from Titelist, Cobra, and Callaway, and I set my eyes on Mizuno MX-23. Then I compared the specifications (loft, lie, length) of MX-23 with Apex Plus, and figured that I could gain some distance with Mizuno MX-23 too.
So far I have been happy with my choice of the Mizuno irons, and I did hit longer with these clubs. A good hit of 6-iron would carry 135 yard, and roll close to 150 yard...
Here are the scores recorded since July:
July 17: 84 (41/43), a great round
July 24: 94 (2 balls into water at 2 par-3 holes)
July 31: 92 (46/46), an ok round
August 7: 88 (45/43), a good round
August 14: 83 (42/41), a great round, GIR more than 50%.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Shot 83 on Sept. 19 - personal best
On Sept. 19 I shot an 83 at Glenview Golf Course (South-West: 40-43), which is my personal best score so far. Finally broke 85, two years after reaching 85.
Some statistics for this round:
1 birdie, 7 pars, 8 bogies, 2 double bogies.
7 out of 14 fairway hit (another 2 just rolled out of fairway a little bit)
4 GIR (with another 3 very close to green)
32 total putts with 5 1-putt, and just one 3-putt.
4 up-and-down par saves
Since this summer, I scored mid to high 80s in all 4 rounds during July, low to mid-90s during August, and 80s to low 90s during September. It feels good to realize I increased my yardage for iron shots since this season, and now I can hit 6 iron around 145 yard.
Goal: need to keep up the short game, avoid 3 putts, and try to stay in 80s.
Some statistics for this round:
1 birdie, 7 pars, 8 bogies, 2 double bogies.
7 out of 14 fairway hit (another 2 just rolled out of fairway a little bit)
4 GIR (with another 3 very close to green)
32 total putts with 5 1-putt, and just one 3-putt.
4 up-and-down par saves
Since this summer, I scored mid to high 80s in all 4 rounds during July, low to mid-90s during August, and 80s to low 90s during September. It feels good to realize I increased my yardage for iron shots since this season, and now I can hit 6 iron around 145 yard.
Goal: need to keep up the short game, avoid 3 putts, and try to stay in 80s.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
2009 Golf Season Started
This golf blog has not been updated for almost two years now, since nothing really exciting happened during the last season. Hope 2009 will be different.
Well, my 2009 golf season just started last month, and I have played 3 rounds so far. The first round was terrible in every aspects, score, driving, iron shots, chipping and putting. If I had counted it correctly, the socre would have been beyond 110, and close to 120. But after certain point, I just lost the interest in counting how many shots I hit.
I posted a much better score, 98, at the second round. The problem was obviously in my iron shots, since all four tee shots dropped into water at the only four Par 3 holes. Without the 4 penalty shots, the score could be even better, with a chance to break 90.
The third round score was 97, and the number of my penalty shots was dramatically reduced to just 1, thanks to much improved iron shots. However, it seems I was rusty in chipping and especially escaping from bunkers. Otherwise, the socre should be lower than 97. But 97 and 98 are already within my normal range, and I should feel good about it considering that I had not practiced for almost 5 months.
The Masters Tournament begins next week, and the golf season officially starts with it to many US golfers. Looking forward to a great 2009 season.
Well, my 2009 golf season just started last month, and I have played 3 rounds so far. The first round was terrible in every aspects, score, driving, iron shots, chipping and putting. If I had counted it correctly, the socre would have been beyond 110, and close to 120. But after certain point, I just lost the interest in counting how many shots I hit.
I posted a much better score, 98, at the second round. The problem was obviously in my iron shots, since all four tee shots dropped into water at the only four Par 3 holes. Without the 4 penalty shots, the score could be even better, with a chance to break 90.
The third round score was 97, and the number of my penalty shots was dramatically reduced to just 1, thanks to much improved iron shots. However, it seems I was rusty in chipping and especially escaping from bunkers. Otherwise, the socre should be lower than 97. But 97 and 98 are already within my normal range, and I should feel good about it considering that I had not practiced for almost 5 months.
The Masters Tournament begins next week, and the golf season officially starts with it to many US golfers. Looking forward to a great 2009 season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)