Yabba dabba do

Remember I set myself a goal to lower my handicap in the three remaining handicap qualifying competitions left this season, well I've done it and I did it a competition early! I was ecstatic. On the short drive home I even did four sets of fist pumps and a bit of a woo whooo! Golf hasn't brought me this feeling in a long time. I missed it. It's good.

The details are that I played Saturday and Sunday in competitions and shot 2 over and 1 over respectively. However don't be fooled, don't think my new found gym work and golf coaching have instantly turned me into a sweet striking par golfer, they've not. My golf this weekend was ugly. Hitting 4 or 5 fairways, around 6 greens and having about 24 putts each round paints the picture that I must of miss a lot with the long game and then got up and down pretty well for a lot of each round, which I did, but I was completely unaware of this till afterwards when I analysed my round. My short game didn't feel good, it felt mediocre, you know just pitching reasonably close and holing a good share of those missable length putts - nothing special. This leads to me to my top tip, which is always analyse your round and see whats hot and whats not, you may like my be surprised to discover a certain weakness, ie. I was surprised with how few fairways I hit. Therefore this week it's off to the driving range. I've got to remember I started this to get better and have that thirst for improvement that all good players have.

The first few steps of the marathon have been good. I need to now keep up the pace.
Handicap: 4.6.

Things are looking up

I remember the day I started this blog, I'd just returned a woeful 89 costing me about six golf balls and a handful of dignity. But I pledged on this very blog to the entire world that I shall improve and this weekend there was a very definite sign that I have. On both Saturday and Sunday this week I can confidently say that I played like a 5 handicapper, yey! Saturday I shot a seasons best 5 five over which included a double bogey via going out of bounds and Sunday in a friendly scratch matchplay I beat my good professional golfer friend, yey again!!!

So things are looking up, practice is working and coaching ideas seem to be having a good effect (early days though). But, I've got three more events before season ends that can effect my handicap. I'm going to set myself the goal to reduce my handicap before the season is out. I'm currently 5.1, if i'm anything less than that after the 4th October then I'll be delighted.

OK - Journey to scratch

I'm going to say a word now that I've purposely avoided till now: "Scratch". The goal is to get to scratch handicap - there I said it, but as I originally called this blog "From 5 handicap downwards" and not "From 5 to scratch" you can tell I'm a little tentative with the word Scratch. Because what if I don't get there? - perfectly possible, scratch is a difficult handicap - will I look a fool for suggesting it?, Am I arrogant for thinking it? I think the answer is that I'm better for mentioning it than not, because now I've got a real live goal - a target to train towards, which am sure all the positive thinking gurus wouldn't discourage. Scratch it is, I am on a mission to get to scratch.

I'm brought to introduce the word scratch by my new coach. I had a lesson this evening and was instantly inspired. My new coach was very interested to get to know my game and aspirations and acted like a coach, not a teacher, which just what I wanted. He give me training drills, pictures of my swing and a promise of some body conditioning work - it all felt very professional and I now have a renewed confidence and desire to work. I'm inspired and raring to go low.

Somebody teach me please

Well I finally got the shove I needed to get a golf lesson. Sadly it was another poor performance that did it. It sucks doesn't it. You work all week working towards you saturday golf and then I start with a heeled 3 wood, a shanked pitching wedge and then a fatted wedge. Played well a lot of the time but just awful in patches - the perfect recipe for frustration. After prodding it round in 80, still in golf shoes I sent a text message to set up my golf lesson. Whether I'll find the coach I need to lead me to a lower handicap many factors will determine - compatibility, effort, money...

So I've started each of my trio of methods to greatness: gym, blog and coach. Now I've got to stick to them and make them work for me. I must say though having made the effort in just starting an improvers attitude is inspiring in itself but as we know I've got to get results on the course.

A step towards the perfect golfing body

The day after my golf life changing 89 I hit the driving range and the gym. In hindsight it was quite a heavy handed approach to greater golf, especially now considering my groin is so sore that whenever I move I groan in discomfort like a senior member.

The driving range merely confirmed that I need some professional guidance, which is still a thought that is troubling me. I can't find a pro that is convenient enough for me to make the move, then again I'm not really looking all that hard. Maybe so soon as day 3 of my quest i need to buck my ideas up and bring myself to start properly pro hunting. As well as merely finding a pro where I can easily get to and afford and so on, I need a pro whom I can open up to about my aspirations and really get them on board operation "The Golfer".

My visit to the gym was downright scary, I did a class to avoid waiting for a gym induction. The class was a circuits class where you run and in one minute blasts do exercises I've never heard of whilst a woman shouts inaudibly at you. It all seemed a bit casual - not what I was expecting for an exercise class, but I sweated my ass off which I've done on my own in a long time so it must be worth £3.80.

So onwards I go, next step to seek professional guidance.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step

Today shot a rather dis-pleasing 18 over par 89 ( if you are wondering how, I had a 20 foot putt on 18 for a 88 but left it just next to hole).
So driving home I noticed how not upset I was, how I was behaving as if an 89 in perfect condtions was normal and how I accepted that for the past 5 hours I had just existed on the golf course rather than lived and enjoyed my precious weekends.

So I decided action was necessary and have come up with 3 changes to improve my game:

1. Get a coach
2. Join a gym
3. Maintain this blog

Point 1 most of you read and thought "well dur" but to explain I did have lessons and my game benefitted for this but my friend and pro decided to quit teaching to have a bash at "living the dream" and focussing ony on his own game.
So I need to find a coach whom I like and trust and will gladly obey and return to. At the moment a recommended guy called "Rick" looks most likely to earn my dough.

Point 2 you could argue I should spend time practising not working out but I feel if I feel fitter this could have a positive effect on my mindset. Also remember I need find the secret to get better from being resonably good 5 handicapper (excusing today of course) and all the good players I know hit it further than me with their big man arms as oppose to my school boy arms.

Point 3 is a committment to ensure I stick to the other two commitments, I've done this page at least. Is today the first day of the rest of my golfing life? Maybe.