Walden interclub vs the woodlands

I have to say I truly enjoyed the round yesterday at walden playing against some very good opponents. Mark and Stu. I was parred with a new partner this week Bill. He was and 8 handicap, mark was a 7, and Stu was a 16. I was playing to a 4 so they all played off my ball and it started off a good match to begin with.

We started on the 18th hole and i hit the green in regulation with a 6 iron to the back of the green. Then promptly 3 putted to loose the hole. Then Stu parred one with a stroke while i missed my 10 ft birdie putt. 2 down. I made par on the next hole trying to hit it close and it bounced into the back bunker. Mark holed out of the front bunker for birdie 3 down. I made par on the next hole and Stu made a 35 footer for birdie 4 down. I made par on the next hole to tie. Finally relief. I made par from a difficult position after having mud on my ball out of the fairway. Mark of course made birdie 5 down. My partner and i both made birdie on 6, but Stu did also a push is all we got. I made par on 7 Mark made par as well with a stroke 6 down. I made par on 8 and Stu did also getting it up and down from 125 yards with a stroke 7 down. I hit 9 the par 5 in two and made birdie but my partner hole out of the bunker for birdie as well and are opponents made double incredible we finally won a hole after play 10 holes 6 down. I shoot 2 under par on the front 9 and we loose 5 down. We got smoked. The back nine wasn’t much better however we were able to fight for a tie and get 1/2 a point which believe it or not was the difference in our team winning and loosing the entire match.

So even though we were getting beat badly i told my partner we need to scratch out whaat ever amount of points we can get because you nene really know it might make a difference. Little did we know when we came in defeated and only getting 1/2 a point that it would be the difference in winning and loosing the entire match. It was a good round considering i had to focus for the entire round not give up and work hard to make what ever score i could to try and not get drowned by our opponents. I enjoy rounds and match like this because later when you need to rely on the fact you can actually keep playing and not give up and make something happen and scratch out a round even when you don’t have your best game that day. What players don’t understand is some days putts don’t fall your not hitting it solid but a tournament nor the golf course knows that just as it doesn’t know your playing well.

I have come to realize over the many years playing both casual rounds and tournament rounds that there are many obstacles that can derail a round of golf. How you feel can be one, both physically and mentally which by the way go hand in hand. I knew when i hit the range yesterday that i wasn’t going to have my best stuff that day so i focused on sequence of my swing set-up and posture, along with worked on my 5-6 foot puts. I hit more wedges than usual thinking i may need to if i don’t hit a lot of greens. I still hit 13 green sin regulation which is not bad but far less than normal for me considering i usually hit 15 or more.

I also realized i need to play with in myself as well. And not try and force things if my timing was a bit off. As you may have hard several announcers say he doesn’t have his “A” game today. The difference in amateurs and professionals is there is very little difference in their score between the “a” game and “C” game.

Ours well a bigger difference in strokes. Two weeks ago i had my “A” game hit the ball very well and shot 72. Yesterday i had maybe my “C” game if not “D” and shot 74.

I am Happy with the resulting score considering i could have give up and accepted defeat but i kept fighting back to try and win even if it was just for a 1/2 a point.

The amazing thing was when we got back in and were sitting down having a refreshment my opponents said if it were them they would have given up and not tried after a period knowing it wasn’t their day. I told them that i never give up until the final putt is hole there is always a way unless it is mathematically impossible to win a point.

Once again,

Work on your short game it can truly help when you don’t have your “A” game.

Putting and work on 3-6 footers, and 50 yards and in wedge shots.

Remember to use the same reshot routine for practice and play. Practice like you play, and -play like you practice.