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.

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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