Golf Notes 1
Covering period from Summer 2004 to December 2007
TUESDAY 13 JULY 2004
Today is my first entry. I was playing a friendly with Harry & June and I was playing lousy.I was 12 over par in the first 7 holes. As I had already decided to make this my first diary entry I was dismayed. My first move to achieve single figures, I decided,has to be consistency so on the 8th tee I slowed and shortened my swing. Here's my score for the rest of the round
8th 4 par 9th 5 par 10th 5 +1 11th 5 par 12th 6 +2 13th 5 par 14th 4 par 15th 4 par 16th 4 par 17th 5 +1 18th 3 par
In addition to slowing and shortening my swing I also took longer over the shots. Harry's always commenting on how fast I am from taking my club out of the bag to putting it back in again. To start this slowing up process I introduced a waggle So slower and shorter..and waggling...that's what I'll take into the next games
August 2004
Match play with Harry.
Before introducing these changes it's fair to say that I was paying Harry a few quid in pocket money every week and he without a qualm ( and with a smirk ) was taking it.
Well, the position has reversed. He now pays me more often than not.
Because the games were match play I've not kept scores but although I've not
necessarily been playing below my handicap overall I know that I've been playing
better golf.
For instance I've got one card where my score was 88..40 going out...48 coming back.
I had 2 birdies and 4 pars. The 48 coming back was partly caused by a bad Amen Corner 6 5 6 and an 8 on the last. However I can draw comfort from the 8 because for the first time ever my tee shot was over the back of the green in the out of bounds.
I should think twice about taking my driver off the 18th tee for two reasons
(1) In addition to a shorter and slower backswing I also more consciously start the swing with a left shoulder turn
(2) I have changed my driver and that has added 10 yards or more to my drives
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More comments later on why my putting has improved but I can say it was based on a suggestion by Harry and indeed I changed my driver on his suggestion.
As he's been putting his hand into his pocket to pay me my winnings he's been miming shooting himself in both feet
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What I need to write on my hand
*time over shots
*concentrate
*left shoulder
*short and slow
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I'm winning more money than I used to but not making as much progress as I'd like. Today I had only 4 pars and a birdie.( Alan had the same and Harry had 8 pars) Played close to my 15 handicap in very wet conditions and I think my putting and chipping were a little better. Still convinced that I'm on the right lines. Need to concentrate harder on concentrating while executing each shot.
September 2004
I've been too busy to make regular entries and I know this is a disappointment to all
my regular readers, Peter Bright and Harry to name...them all.
I've hardly played any golf because of :-
*rain and wind in NE England generally but specifically in and around Heworth Golf Course. For those unfamiliar with Heworth it has it's own weather system. Often there is not a breath of wind in, say, Low Fell and when I arrive at Heworth, 10 minutes laterthere's gales. I must ask Paul Moony of the Radio Newcastle Weatherdesk why that is
*missing 3 competitions in a row because of holiday. I was only away for a week in Malta but the Saturday I was away Harry had booked me down to play and so I was barred from the next two for failing to nip across by private jet to make the tee off time. Rules are rules !
*missing the next competition because of tendonitis caused by too much typing on
the computer. I must learn to type with more than one finger of one hand. I think I'm on the mend now but obviously because of this tendency towards tendonitis I'll need to temporarily temper my typing. Tch !
I'm playing in a competition today so I must stop now, lest I relapse.
2005
April 2005
Played a fourball today, me and Jonathan against Harry and June. We won the first nine 1 up and they won the second nine 2 up and took the money. We all played mediocre, according to our own standards, but it was blowing a gale..
22.10.2005
Had Driver,3,5,7,11,13 in woods and felt I needed a 9 which I have now bought second hand
Went to driving range and was hitting it well but every now and again pulled it left. Need to aim club carefully and consciously follow thro to hole
30.10.2005
Played in a charity competition..the last comp of the season.. partnered with Harry and Jonathan
Tried out my new methodology..described on the main page..and I was well pleased. Drove really well and barely missed a fairway. It involves a slower shorter swing and goes further. I outdrove Harry most of the day and that's unusual. Must keep golfing thro the Winter. I have high hopes for next season
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2.11.2005
Yesterday, I played with H & J and won the money. My new short & slow backswing is paying off. Must keep this going thro the winter
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6.11.2005
Played 12 holes with Harry on Thursday. New slower shorter swing still working. We halfed the match
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7.11.2005
Played 14 holes today with Harry...beat him 4 and 3. Was 7 over on 14 holes. Short and slow backswing still working well
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14.11.2005
Played on Saturday afternoon partnered with Jonathan against Harry and June. I started 3, 4, 3, 4, and we were 3 up. Played 11 holes and got beat...but I blame Jonathan entirely. He was rubbish. Never mind, my slow short backswing is still working. Are you reading this Jonathan "Jet Propelled" Stobbbs?
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15.11.2005
Had a lucky break today because Jona was at work and I didn't have to carry him round the course. As a result, and because of my new short and sweet swing I took the money
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17.11.2005
Match play against Harry today. Started with 4 pars and was 3 up after 4 holes...won 3 and 2 and took Harry's pound again. As I write this my face is expressionless but between you and I, dear diary, inwardly I'm being terribly smug
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20.11.2005
Played with Harry and June yesterday afternoon. The ground was like bell metal and we were playing on winter greens. It was Mickey Mouse golf and to show how good Harry is at playing this type of golf he was 6 shots better than me after 2 holes. Never mind, I rallied and by the 9th hole, where we quit, I had levelled. We took 50p each off June
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21.11.2005
Played with Harry today. I was hung over and Harry played well. It was a close match but Harry pipped it...bless him he needed the pound
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24.11.2005
Played 11 holes against Harry to winter greens and it was cut and thrust but I got my pound back.
Realised the benefit to me of waggling is not just to ensure I take the club back square but, more importantly,to remind me to turn my left shoulder under my chin. When my shots go off the likely cause is failure to make a proper shoulder turn.
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19.12.2005
Played last Tuesday and Thursday and again today against Harry. Harry won the two last week and I won today
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Summary of 2005 season
1 Failed to keep a regular diary
2 Failed to win a competition
3 Failed to get my handicap down..now off 16
4 Managed to hole out from 180 yards which takes the same skill, and luck, as a hole in one
5 Check out my current diary, which I now keep regularly. You'll see I'm finishing the season playing well with my new short and sweet swing
I'll attempt to describe, for my benefit, my new short and sweet swing developed at the tail end of the 2005 season
1. Stand behind the ball and focus on something, a leaf, a grass clump that is a foot or so ahead of the ball in line with the target
2. Take up the stance using this allignment
3. Grip the club with the left hand and waggle as a reminder that the club must be taken back keeping the club face square to the target
4. Place the right hand on the club and, as doing so, draw back the right arm to tuck the elbow well into the right side of the body. This ensures the right side is inside the left and creates an inside the line swing and a right elbow that hugs the body
5. Ensuring the left shoulder turns under the chin make a slow short turn..no more than three quarters, tho it feels like no more than a half turn.. Definitely a lot shorter than Harry's...
6. Controlled downswing, concentrating on hitting the ball well, rather than hard and trying to visualise the classic photo finish, which is only possible if the swing is at less than full speed
If you look back at my first diary entry in July 2004 you'll see the near par golf I played when I slowed and shortened my swing. Why has it taken me from then til now to play game on game with a shorter slower swing? I know not. But by keeping a diary of every game from now on I ought to be able to spot if I've gone off. I know that if I keep to a shorter slower swing I will need no more than 9 shots over par
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2006
12.1.2006
The Golf Club now has it's own website www.theheworthgolfclub.co.uk
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16.2.2006
Played yesterday..the first time in 2006..against Harry. Tight match first nine but due to better chipping and putting, for me, I won 3 and 2
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18.2.2006
Played with Harry and June today and shot a 39 for the first nine which built up a big lead over the other two. Harry rallied making up 5 shots thro the three holes of Amen Corner but I held on to take the money. My short and slow swing augers well for next season. This is my best chance yet to get to single figures
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23.3.2006
Played 15 holes matchplay against Harry today. Put first two balls off the tee out of bounds and conceded the first hole to Harry. Harry won by that one hole and took my pound. We were both pleased with the way we played (my first hole excepted)
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8.4.2006
Played matchplay with Harry on Thursday and it was cut and thrust until the 9th when my previous night's beer and wine started giving Harry an advantage and he took my pound
Today I play in my first competition of the season so I drank very little last night. I'll be back later on to tell you how I got on
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13.4.2006
Competition on Saturday was cancelled because it snowed.
Played Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. On Monday against Harry he went three up and I pulled it back to level only to lose at the last. June & I played Tuesday...her first game since Oct,,,I capitalised on her rustiness and took her pound
On Wednesday against Harry I went three up and he pulled it back to level but the last was a half to give me the match
With today's result the league position betwen me and the Stobbbs is 6 wins to Harry &/or June and 10 to me
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17.4.2006
On Good Friday I played against June & Harry and Harry took the money.
Saturday was competition day and I finished with a net 75. It was a difficult scoring day and at least I took the £3 each sweep money from Harry & Jonathan
Easter Monday against Harry & June saw me winning a £ each from them
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21.4.2006
Played with Harry & June on Tuesday. June hit a purple patch and trounced us.
On Thursday, played against Harry and was, again, well beaten
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23.4.2006
Played June on Friday and went 3 down but managed to bring it back to dormie one. I won the last to square the match
Yesterday was competition day and as I write this I am hopeful that I won. I had a net 65 and this was the winning score when I left the clubhouse at 6.45pm...but there were still people out on the course.
The round started very edgely with 5,5 but then I parred to the turn 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 5 for a 37...my best ever first nine score
I was by now finding it hard to keep the concentration going. I came through Amen Corner bogey, bogey, bogey 5, 6, 5 and then in and around the 13th green I arsed about to finish with a 7...5 shots dropped on the second nine. I rallied with par par par then a 5 on 17 and a nervy 5 on the last to finish 44 making 81 gross, 65 net
I'm not sure if my final score was my best yet...I've a feeling the last time I won I did 39, 42, 81
I'll continue this when I know the final result
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26.4.2006
I write this as the current holder of the Fenwick Green. Someone did come in with an 87 late on to take second place
Played against H & J on Monday and H won
Played against Harry today and I won but it was a close game and we both played well
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28.4.2006
Played 15 holes with H & J. None of us played well but I pipped it to take the money
Looking forward to tomorrow's competition
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4.5.2006
Played badly in the competition, particularly bad was my putting. Scored only 7 stableford points outwardly, 16 on the way back in for a lousy 23 points total. As Captain Peter said "Golf can make you a hero one minute, a fool the next"
Jonathan won the sweep money with 36 points
Handicap has gone up to 14
Played a few holes with H & J on Tues in a howling gale...no money changed hands
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16.5.2006
Got some catching up to do
On Saturday 6 May played in the competition and was reasonable...came in with a net 73 and won our sweep money
On Saturday 13 May played terribly..had a net 82! Harry had a net 69 and won the bigger sweep we have joined
In between the competitions played with Harry.. and June... and Harry & June and lost a pound each time
Harry has bought a new driver and is playing really well and June is playing the best I've seen her play
I went to the driving range yesterday to try to put my swing right because I am playing my Calcutta match on Wednesday. I may go to the range again today. I haven't lost faith in a shorter slower swing but I need to work on getting back consistency...even my putting has gone off
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29.10.2006
11:19 h
It is a ridiculously long time since I wrote in my diary and a long time since I played well...the two are related
Indeed, I'm writing today because after a whole Summer of losing the sweep money, buying the drinks and giving Harry his pocket money, I beat Harry yesterday and I think I have rediscovered my short sweet swing ( it involves making sure my left shoulder is forward of my right at address ) and my very loosely gripped putting.
This a repeat of last year when I started playing well as the season ended
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2007
2.2.2007
Finished last year off by buying a new driver. Played my first round in 2007 today with Harry and June and took the money
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Haven't kept the diary up. It is now the beginning of November. if I was to summarise the year I'd say 'LOUSY'. I've kept Harry in £1 coins most of this year, I've never won, or even scared, a competition but...
... I've relaunched this website and I have relaunched my determination to do better in 2008
2.11.2007
Now doing the John Jacobs 'two turns and a swish'. That is...move your right side out of the way as you move your arms and hands back and up and for the downswing simply move your left side out of the way and your arms and hands will swing down and through the ball. I find that standing tall helps with the turn. It feels like a short backswing but the ball travels well. I also get the feeling that it's got fewer moving parts and therefore less to go wrong. I barely missed a green in regulation today, albeit I was often on the green in 3 put territory and did indeed 3 put. The match with Harry was halved so at least I've stopped the rot