Interclub at April sound.

I was fortunate enough to play at April SOund on Lake Conroe last week and it was a good time to play. The course was very wet from the rains we have been getting for the last month. April Sound is a 27 hole golf course located on Lake Conroe.

I was parked with a good player and the group i was paired with happened to be a ex pro i had worked with in the past. It was great seeing him and his partner was a good player as well. We stroked off my handicap which is 2, and I gave one 6 strokes and the other 7.

April Sound has an unusual driving range in that you hit the ball into the lake. And usually off mats. I don’t like to hit balls off mats because of the lack of knowing exactly how you hit the ball. I prefer to hit the ball of grass. Mats just erase bad shots in my opinion, however not a bad way just to stretch.

I started on the 17th hole in a shotgun start. I hit the ball well and was in the trees to long down the fairway. I punched out and again a bit to long and into the high rough. I had a 135 yards over water to a tight pin placement and hit it just a bit thin and of course it went into the water. Double. Then i three- putted the nest hole for bogie and missed the green on the next hole and missed a 4 footer for par. And three putted the next hole for bogie. I was hitting the ball ok just not the right distance. I was 5 over after 4 holes and were 5 down after five holes.

I began to slow down and think a bit more. Breathe a bit slower. Take a few seconds more on my approach making sure i lined my club up properly to the intended target. I hit the ball better and actually made a put on the next hole for birdie. Then on the par 5 i hit the green in two and made birdie. Then on 9 i almost hit the green off the tee and made birdie. We came from being 5 down to loosing 2 up on the 9 holes. Now we had to get back the 2 down we were on the next nine. I hit the ball poorly off the tee on 10, hit the best shot i could to advance the ball as close to the green as possible. I. I hit a good chip to 8 feet and then made the putt for par to tie the hole. I out drove the players in my gourd on the next hole with a 3 wood and it didn’t sit well with them.

I then hit a gap wedge to 3 feet and made it for birdie and a win. We were 1 down. I made birdie on the next hole to win. Now even for the nine. We tied on the next hole a par three and the next hole with one of their players missing a putt right after he saw me make the same putt on his line. Then on the next hole i hit my tee shot in the water and we lost the hole and we both made birdie in the last hole for the loss.

It was a hard day and the ground was very wet. I realized early i need to make sure i stayed within my feet when i was swinging and not sway at all or i would hit the ball fat and not be able to hit it the proper distance. I also remembered that when you are playing in wet conditions to swing at 70-75% because the harder you swing the more you can move on the ball because the ground is not as stable under you.

After a very bad start i shot 72 when i was 5 over after 4 holes. It is not always how you hit the ball but your mind set on getting the ball in the hole.

I didn’t want to loose so i was able to scratch my way back into the match even though i didn’t have my best ball striking day. It is about getting the ball into the hole and that is all there is to say.

I enjoyed my round even though i had to work hard at making every shot that day. What i want to tell you i you learn more about yourself and how you play when you don’t strike the ball well and you figure out a way to get it in the hole.

I learned that when pitching i usually come up short most of the time. I took a less lofted club and hit the ball and landed it where i thought i should with the lofted club and ended up getting it closer because of the role. Most player want to put spin on the ball when thy pitch it. There are times when it is required but as a whole you should try and roll the ball more and not try and hit it next to the flag hoping you can spin it and get it tight. Those are rare occasions that we can do those things. For one we don’t have the club head speed to create spin. We also don’t know when to try and get spin on the ball. Mainly tight lies and good lies. Also the tour players don’t always use their most lofted club to pitch the ball. Sometimes they use the best club for them and roll the ball up to the hole.

I will say that the short game can help or hurt your round. It is worth practicing at least as much as your long game if not twice to three times as much. Experiment with hitting the ball different heights and see what the reaction is when the ball lands on the green. If you watch the tour professionals you will see they bring the flight of the ball down because it is easier to control the distance that way. Where most amateurs like to fly the ball all the way to the hole. This take much more skill and practice than rolling the ball to the hole.

Is it easier to putt the ball close or flying it all the way to the hole. I hope you know the answer to this question right away. It is rolling the ball. So go out and flight the ball down with your wedges and see how much easier it is to get the shot close.