SMU Law Harlem Shake

Putting Woes

I played a private golf course in Cleburn last weekend and as usual, my putting remains by far the weakest part of my game. The golf course was SPECTACULAR. The property is called The Retreat, and the golf course is an exclusive course reserved for owners of property within the community. My dad said the course was "so beautiful that your score at the end of the day doesn't even matter."  It was a perfect day for golf, with some really great people, a country singer, and horrendous putting by me. 

I'm really struggling on the greens.  Probably because I never do drills and I change my grip, posture, stance, speed, rhythm, etc. on an almost-weekly basis.  To shave strokes I really need to spend more time chipping and putting and less time hitting shots that I already know I have in my bag.  It's not that I dislike practicing short game, I just enjoy the stress relief when blasting balls down the range more.

Odyssey Metal-X #9

I thought about it the day after and it all boils down to me not feeling comfortable with my putter.  I feel like a good stroke will only get me close and not in the hole.  The putter feels out of control and I have no feel for the club head the way I do with every other club in my bag.  Dad suggested I look into getting a new putter so I'm standing over a club that inspires confidence.  New club? Why not?  I absolutely love the Odyssey Metal-X #9.  I think it's a beautiful putter, the metal insert is a bit firm, but it feels like I'm placing the ball on a path instead of hitting it towards a general area.  I thought about taking the plunge and purchasing the new Odyssey Versa #9, but I just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger for $169.  Luckily, I found an Odyssey White Hot Tour #9 for a really great deal and it should be arriving in the mail within a week!  I can't wait to work on my putting with the new club.

Odyssey Versa #9

It's really difficult to feel okay with my score on Sunday. I don't feel like it accurately reflected my play for that day.  I felt great about my long range game, my irons were solid, and my shots from 100 yards and closer felt really good.  What totally killed my score were all the 3- and 4-putts!!!  I had so many birdie opportunities and every single one ended with at least a bogie.  

Odyssey White Hot Tour #9

From now on, I'm going to make sure that for every one hour I spend on the driving range, I spend at least three hours on the putting green or putting at home. 

Getting Matched with Randoms

Annoying Golf Partners (Courtesy of Golf Digest)

I don't have enough game to flirt with cart girls.
You probably don't either.

This weekend I played Chester Ditto in Arlington with Salman & my dad. I played the course last week too - the back nine absolutely destroyed my face.

Our group of six was too big for one flight so Salman and I were paired up with two randoms. Random #1 was nice but random #2 was super unpleasant. He threw his clubs on the ground after bad shots, didn't crack a smile, just constant brooding.  #2 ended up leaving after a bad tee shot on the tenth hole and that made the rest of the round more enjoyable.  The fact that I shot two over par on the back nine didn't hurt either (^-^).  #2 reminded me of how rare it was that I enjoyed the company of randoms (maybe it's me...). Playing golf with others means I'll be spending the next four to five hours with them and I always try my best not to ruin their time away from the real world.  Maybe it's naive of me to assume others feel the same way because bad tempers and foul attitudes happen more often than not.  But if there's anything I learned from watching Les Miserables, it's to never give up hope.  Especially if Wolverine is on your team, or if Catwoman is your mom.  But I digress...

Guaranteed slice with that backswing

Picture this:  Fred works 40+ hour weeks and devotes whatever spare time he has to his family. Fred's wife suggests that he take an afternoon off to play golf with his best friend, Barney.  Fred's twosome gets paired up with Tiger and Phil. Tiger and Phil claim to be 11 handicappers but in actuality they rarely shoot under 95. Fred and Barney are enjoying their round for the first few holes but Tiger's constant complaining and Phil's moping is beginning to affect them. Fred's finding himself walking on eggshells because of Tiger's short fuse, and Barney feels uncomfortable joking with Fred because of the cloud hanging over Phil's head. Before they know it they're on the 18th tee box; Tiger is blaming poor course conditions for his weak play, Phil is still dragging his feet, and poor Fred and Barney are both silently hoping that their next round (whenever it may be) will be more enjoyable than this one.  Fred returns home feeling like he should've just gone to work instead, lists his golf clubs on craigslist, and cries himself to sleep.

I know golf is a 1-player sport.  It's just you, your level of sobriety, your equipment, and the course.  But consider this - you would be hard-pressed to find a golfer who considers their time on a course as anything less than sacred.  Therefore, it should follow that golfers appreciate that other golfers see their time chasing par as a sanctuary away from the stresses of life as well.  It does not.  Temper tantrums and whining are too common; and although potentially hilarious once or twice, one to four hours of constant negativity can absolutely ruin a beautiful day outdoors.
Do yourself and everyone around you on the first tee box a favor:

• Keep it playful
• It's just a game
• Realize that your foul mood will ALWAYS affect your playing partners.  ALWAYS.

TL;DR:  A round of golf is sacred. Don't screw it up for others.

New Years Resolutions!

It's 2013! This year I have one goal!
I want my full swing to look super nice by finishing with perfect balance every time.

Last year I was too focused on shooting low and I'm realizing that that's not gonna happen consistently if the golf swing is a complete mess.  I also realized a big flaw in my game and something I never really considered before this year:  With every good shot my first thought was always "I got lucky that the ball went where I aimed."  It needs to be the opposite.  I need to expect that my shots will go where I intend for them to go, and I need to be surprised at my faults.  I won't ever be perfect, but I need to stop feeling like I got lucky for sending the ball where I meant for it to go.

In 2013, I will get my swing under control.  Scores don't matter this year. 

• In-to-Out club path
• Relaxed grip
• Club face control through impact
• Maintain the spine angle until the club pulls me out of it
• 80% power at most
• Hold the finish
• Hold the finish
• Hold the finish

Three Rounds in Six Days!

I want to start this off by thanking my wonderful wife, for letting me play so much golf in such a short amount of time.  What a gift!  Feels like Christmas came early for me this year!

Last Thursday I played the Creeks course at Indian Creek with Phong.  Saturday I played the Red and White at Prairie Lakes with Salman and Soks.  Tuesday morning I played Tierra Verde in Arlington with Salman.  What a week!

How I felt after 54 holes

Tierra Verde was phenomenal.  It isn't quite as nice as Twin Lakes in Canton, but the two courses are so different that comparing them isn't really fair.  Tierra Verde has an amazing layout.  You NEVER see any other holes than the one you're playing on.  They're all divided by very dense tree lines so you never see any other golfers other than the group directly ahead of you and the group behind you.  The landscaping was absolutely beautiful.  Fairways were extremely well taken care of, rough was cut perfectly, greens were near flawless.  That being said, I think Tierra Verde is probably the most difficult course I've ever played.  I've never seen such drastic elevation changes and there were so many blind shots into the fairways.  If there was one thing I had to criticize about TV it would be that.  I think this course really needs GPS on the carts.  Luckily, Salman and I were paired up with two really nice guys who knew the layout well.  It was a very enjoyable round and a perfect ending to such a great week.

Saucer Pass Is Legit!

Tried out the saucer pass this weekend. Everyone knows by now that my putting stroke is pretty unorthodox; James Lepp's saucer pass was actually the inspiration behind it.  The saucer pass is a hockey style shot that is 100% legal according to USGA rules. After my successes with it on Sunday I am for sure sticking with it for pretty much every shot onto the green from 30 yards and in. The level of accuracy is fantastic and the best part is that it COMPLETELY removes any chance of hitting a chip fat or thin. Guaranteed.

Kikkor creator James Lepp will be competing in this year's Big Break competition on golf channel! Complete purchases on Kikkor.com using promotional code LOTL to get a discount on the sexiest golf shoes on the market.

Set Some Goals! Then Shatter Them!

I'm sure if you spent some time looking up golf tips, you would find several people talking about Practicing with Purpose. I think "practice with purpose" is probably the single most important thing to remember when trying to learn anything new.  I apply this to everything in my life; from being a father, student, golfer, to less important things like cooking or video games. If you aren't doing something for the sake of improving yourself then you're just waiting for the activity to finish without it serving a purpose. In other words, you're allowing a unique opportunity to disappear forever.

 

Saying "I'll work on ____ next time" means you aren't do it this time and this time will no longer exist after it finishes. Every time I step foot on the driving range or golf course I clearly define my goals specifically for that session. E.g. "Ten balls with a controlled fade," "Fifty balls without hitting it fat," or "No three putts on the back nine." The more specific your goals, the easier your successes can be measured.  Remember, there isn't a mathematical formula to improving your golf swing. Despite what many believe, X (number of balls hit) has absolutely no relationship to Y (level of skill obtained). You can only increase your skill if you use every ball your club makes contact with for a purpose. Be specific with your goals so you can measure your progress and celebrate your victories! Enjoy the feeling that you get when you accomplish something new because you deserve to feel good about yourself! Now go and set your next goal so you can focus on blasting past it! Before you know it, you can look back at everything you've accomplished and can actually measure just how much you've improved.

My current goals:

• Shoot under a forty on a front or back nine.
• Eighteen holes without a three putt. 

 Keep Putting (with Purpose),

-Juno