pavaveda - 4/18/10 round

[pavaveda]

Played Fresh Meadow today in Hillside, IL. Par 70, 5,975 yards, 68.6/113.

50 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Played with two guys from work and a friend of one of theirs. Had a really nice time and while I didn't play that well, it felt like I did because I made a couple pars and a some bogies.

#1 - (P4/435) Drive down the middle. I don't get any distance really out of my driver. Furthest I've ever hit it is probably 235. Most of the time, I hit it about 210 depending on how much I slice it. Hit this one about 210 with a nice easy swing. Then hit 5 metal to just short right of the green, pitched up, but went through the green. Used the putter to try to get it close, but didn't. 2 more putts. (+2)

#2 - (P3/124) Hit an Equalizer straight but short of the green about 5 yards. Chipped up, and then proceeded to four putt. This green is always quite tilted and depending on where the hole is, it can be a pain to get it in. (+5)

#3 - (P5/456) Hit Driver just right of the fairway. Hit 3 metal short left of the green. Pitched up and 2 putted. Par. (+5)

#4 - (P4/408) This is a 90* dogleg right. Trees on the right, OB on the left. I typically try to hit about a 175yd shot down the fairway to the corner, but this time, I figured I'd see what happens if I try to go over the trees. So, 5 metal over the trees, sliced, and went further right than I had planned. I had to punch it out between some trees with a 3 iron down toward the green. Pitch over a bunker and 2 putts. Happy with the escape. (+6)

#5 - (P3/156) This is a par 3 over water. The wind was in my face. I hit 5 iron but pulled it somehow and it almost made it over, but almost doesn't count. Next ball I toed to the right and thankfully stayed dry but was way short of the green. I pitched up and 2 putted. (+9)

#6 - (P5/440) Driver ended up right of the fairway in some trees. I punched out and ended up in the opposite rough. Hit an iron that went the right distance but too far right of the green. Chipped on and 3 putted. Crap. (+11)

#7 - (P4/429) Driver sliced right into the rough. Can't remember much else about this hole, but I did 1 putt and made a bogie on the #1 handicap hole on the course! (+12)

#8 - (P4/388) Driver in right, almost the adjacent fairway. Hit an okay shot back over the trees, then messed up the short game something awful taking 3 more shots to get to the green where I two putted. (+15)

#9 - (P4/399) There's water that covers the right half of the fairway where you'd land your drive and you can't see it from the tee. So, I teed off with a 4 iron and sliced that right into the range net adjacent to the hole. Punched out to the fairway. Next shot was a push which I always do on this hole way right of the green. Pitch over a bunker which I fatted and got lucky that it didn't go in the bunker. Pitch over the bunker #2, then two putts. (+18)

#10 - (P4/431) This probably an easy hole for good players but the trees on right are a death trap for the rest of us. Driver sliced right into the trees. Tried to hit over a tree back onto the fairway and hit a tree high up and the ball bounced next to the fence on the far right. Then pulled an iron into the left greenside bunker. Two shots to get out of there and almost went into the opposite bunker. 2 putts and I carded a 9. Love it. (+23)

#11 - (P4/348) Slight dogleg left which is trouble when you slice your drives. I tried to hit 3 wood because we were into the wind and I wanted to keep it lower. Still sliced it right. 2nd shot from the right rough ended up in the right greenside bunker. I hit 2 sand shots, and two putts. (+26)

#12 - (P3/202) I topped the 5 metal tee shot. Didn't hit a 6 iron very well and ended up short of the green. Chipped up and 2 putts. (+28)

#13 - (P3/140) 6 iron the right distance but LEFT of the green. I moved the ball forward in my stance this time and instead of slicing it right, I pulled it left. Can't win. I pitched up and sunk a pretty long putt! Hello Chicago! Par! (+28)

#14 - (P4/307) Great 5 metal drive about 200 down the middle and just before the pond. I had about 110 into the wind uphill so I tried to hit an easy 8 iron...into the water. Next shot made it over, but went too far up onto a cart path. I had to then try to punch downhill between some trees to a pin that was close to me. I messed up the pitch and hit it into a bunker. Out of the bunker and two putts for a snowman. (+32)

#15 - (P3/169) Okay 5 iron but didn't get all of it. Pushed it right and short of the green. Pitched on and two putted for bogie. (+33)

#16 - (P5/438) Sliced a 3 wood off the tee short, tried to punch out of some trees with 3w, and pushed it into the water hazard. Dropped and hit 3w well. Iron shot pushed right and hit the cart path, and ended up way behind the green. Flubbed a pitch to the fringe and 2 putted for an 8. (+36)

#17 - (P4/351) Sharp dogleg left. Shanked a 3 wood into a tree left of the tee. Hit 4 iron well but a bit far into the right rough. Hit an 9 iron short right of the green, chipped on and one-putted for bogie! (+37)

#18 - (P4/357) Another dogleg left. Sliced a drive into the right rough. Punched back into the fairway. Approach pushed right and short of the green. Flubbed a pitch. Finally got on but went too far past the hole. 3 putted for an 8. (+41)

54+57=111(+41)
2/15 fairways
0/18 greens
36 putts
3 penalty shots

Hope you guys got a laugh out of that! I would love it if some of your better players, and by better players I mean anyone that has figured out how to break 100, would give me some advice. That's really the reason I went through the time to type this up. The guys I play with don't shot any better than I do, so it's not like I can get any help from them.

[Richie3Jack]

Tough to tell w/o seeing your swing. I would probably believe that your swing is well above the plane on the downswing (OTT) and I have some ideas of what you probably do that cause that, but don't know until I see your swing. Reason I think you have that OTT move is you hit slices and hit it short, 2 common themes with the OTT move. But, you may have a clubface issue which actually wound up causing that OTT move and if that's the case, you'd need to fix the face first and then the path.

You've been on here long enough, but if you don't know I like to break the swing down into 3 things:

1. Clubface Control
2. Clubpath Control
3. Low Point control

And then your pivot and how well and how dynamic your pivot is. It's not about 'keeping your head down' or gripping the club a certain way.

There is no real 'quick fix' in golf, it takes a good amount of practice. A good instructor (maybe I can recommend one if you tell me where you live) can help diagnose the base part of the problem, recommend a remedy and then needs you to work on it and eventually move onto to other problems and sculpt you into the golfer you are willing to work to be.

gmbtempe is a great example. I have a lot of admiration for him as a golfer. He wanted to get down to scratch from a 10-12 handicap, he went out on the internet and took the time to learn and then when he found the right info, he practices quite a bit and is now down to about a 5 or so. And he's enjoying the game a lot more. And it's not like he's practicing until his hands bleed.

'Golf in happiness
It's intoxication
without the hangover

It's stimulation
without the pills

It's price is high
yet its rewards are richer

Some say it's a boy's pastime
yet it builds men

It cleanses the mind
and rejuvenate the body

It's these things and many more
For those of us who know it and love it.

Golf is truly happiness.' - Moe Norman

[pavaveda]

Thanks for the reply. I think you're definitely right that I'm coming OTT. When I'm on the range, I've been able to figure out how to consistently hit much better shots and not come OTT, but I still don't have that as an automatic movement in my swing. Plus, this time, I was trying to "dance with the gal I brought" and the more I aimed left to compensate, the more I would slice it, it seemed. Every time I started to think about using the module work in my swing during the round, I stopped myself and said, just swing it my way.

So, need to get some practice time in to get to the point where I'll be able to trust the non-OTT swing when playing. In addition, I'll try to get some video of on the course shots since I think those are going to be much more relative to any swing problems than swings on the range.

[secondary]

I grew up playing on that course and Timber Trails and all the other local munis. Thanks for posting that, you made my day! Good luck with your journey....

[pavaveda]

Apr 24, 2010 23:54:25 GMT -5 secondary said:

I grew up playing on that course and Timber Trails and all the other local munis. Thanks for posting that, you made my day! Good luck with your journey....

Thanks and no problem.

I had to look up Timber Trails. From Google Maps, it looks like it's been turned into a housing development.

Biggest bummer is that I've lived in Chicago for 11 years now, and just started playing golf the last year! It's been fun to get out of the city and see some of the surrounding area.

[secondary]

The pro at Timber was there for over 30 years and his son is still my best friend today. My first job ever, cart boy. Crashed a cart in the first half hour on the job and didn't get fired! I owe my obession to golf to that place and those guys. Every time I drive by on 294 and look over at what was once a great golf course I get really sad. If the old owner (Anderson) isn't rolling over in his grave I will eat my hat.
Don't know where you live in the city, but the southwest burbs are loaded with great courses. There are good courses all over the burbs actually, but Lemont and Palos area will be your friend in the future!

[pavaveda]

I played Jackson Park twice this past weekend. Jackson Park is owned by the city of Chicago, and was the first public course west of the Alleghenies, opened in 1899. It's in pretty good shape for a muni, and because it's so short (5444 yds), I was hoping I would shoot my personal best score. Well, I guess it doesn't work like that. My scores were awful for no real good reason. I felt better after the second day (although I scored worse) because I actually made par on a par 3 and missed a GIR by a foot (hit the green, but rolled into the light rough) on another hole.

One thing I did learn was that I am still a beginner and need to ask more questions if I'm ever going to get any better. I appreciate all of this information that is available from excellent and improving players and I only hope that one day I'll be able to give back what has been given to me.

[Richie3Jack]

Thanks for the kind words.

One thing you'll realize about golf is that most golfers are willing to help others out. Why? Because ALL of us have been there at the same point. For me, I wouldn't wish the confusion, frustrationa and time wasted on stuff that doesn't work or is flawed on my worst enemy. Plus, it's fun to see people figure it out.

One thing you'll realize is that going out for a quick 9 or so and playing by yourself is often beneficial. You really start to learn things about your game and the game of golf in those situations.




3JACK

[pavaveda]

Thanks. It surely is great that more experienced golfers are willing to help out.

I think I've intuitively come to the conclusion that playing a solo 9 by myself would be beneficial, so it's great to hear that suggestion as well. I've been trying to devise a plan to get out either before or after work on the weekday to a nearby course. I feel like I would need to do it a couple of times before I felt comfortable and would be able to try everything I would like to try. Any suggestions on the best time to go (morning vs. evening)?

[Richie3Jack]

Tough to get out in the mornings by yourself as there usually is somebody wanting to play then, be it a person getting out before work or somebody retired. I play after work and the weather is usually perfect at 6pm, even in Florida and usually I'm the only person there.





3JACK