November 2007 Archives

Went to the range last night (40 degrees and flurries, thank goodness for heated tees).

Driver was dead on. A little lacking in distance (I'm sure temperature had something to do with it), but it was arrow straight.

Iron distance and height were good, but I'm hitting a little right of the target (10-15 yards). It doesn't appear to be a slice as it doesn't really look like it's curving (maybe those range spot lights are fooling with my eyes). I found that opening my stance (left foot back a bit) helps this but it feels awkward to setup like that. I've tried closing the club face and it does help, but it's a very fine line between closed enough to straighten out my shot and too closed so that I pull the ball left (almost too fine to even mess with right now). Unless I figure something out before Sunday, I guess I'll have to play into this fade or whatever it is.

I'm shooting for a half-round tomorrow, but it looks like Mother Nature will be putting a stop to that. If I don't get to the course, the guys at the range will be seeing me for sure.

Sunday is on. I'm playing at my "home" course again. I like playing the same course while I'm learning because I can see how changes I'm making are affecting my shots each week on terrain that I am familiar with.

I just got back from the range about 2 hours ago. The first half of my bucket was an exercise in frustration. I could not get my irons up to save my life (kept hitting thin). Finally, I stepped back and went through the motions very slowly without a ball and realized what I was doing.

I figured out that I have to open my hips sooner and kind of lead with my hips. Once I did that, I got every shot in the air. Then to correct my tendency to pull my irons, I found I need to push the club through the shot instead of pulling it back over my shoulder.

Since I was consciously executing these two things (lead with hips, push the club) I consistently added about 10 yards onto each club from last time I went to the range.

What a great feeling to figure out the problem and see the ball go where it should. Now I just have to take it to the course Sunday.