It could be worse, but not my score!

I played like shit. That pretty much sums up my round yesterday at Renaissance. It could be worse. At least I was playing golf. Eric and I went to play a twilight round and ran in to a couple of other players, Rachid and Meagan, who we asked to join us since there was a foursome in front of us.

Rachid said he was playing from the black tees, so I knew he had to be pretty good. Anyone who isn't good doesn't make a fool of themselves by trying to play a tough 7400 yard course from the tips for fun. It would not be fun or productive.

Meagan said she played college golf at McMurry University, so I figured she had game too. She was alternating between the blue and white tees depending on distance. She is thinking about trying to play professionally, so she was out for some practice.

We started on the back nine, which is considerably more difficult than the front, in the scorching heat. We were all dripping sweat before we even teed off. We all took two balls off the tenth tee. The nerves and tension of playing with strangers always has some affect until everyone calms down. No one hit their best tee shot. However, in hind sight, being behind a tree 137 yards from the green with somewhat of a shot would qualify as one of my best tee shots all day. Seriously. Rachid, as I expected, hit lasers that drew a little more left than he wanted on such a narrow hole. Meagan has a long fluid swing, and her first two shots drew as well, but I could tell she had good instruction. Eric hit a three wood that was a little short for him but in a good position to approach the green. His wedge came up short. I punched out from behind the tree, but then hit a wedge that was off target and off the green. The four of us ground(fyi....grinded is not the past tense of grind....I had to Google it because spell check underlines grinded) it out on our first hole. Rachid got up and down for par, and the rest of us didn't.

From there it's all a blur. I mean, I remember most details about the round but I just wasn't as in to it as I normally am. Mainly because I had to take a drop after every tee shot on the first nine we played. I felt like LeBron in game four against the Mavs. I was there, but didn't rally contribute much to the team.

Meagan made par on the eleventh hole after she hit a nice tee shot from 150 yards. I think that settled her down some. She would hit some good and bad shots along the way, but overall I think she played fine. Her short game was money. Every time I thought I hit a good chip, she would chip it closer, and she made some putts. Meagan played nine holes with us until the heat and hunger kicked in and we parted ways. I think she would have played better on the front because it cooled down a lot, and it is easier. She mentioned that she hadn't played competitively in two years. I assume that with consistent practice and coaching, she can compete professionally. The swing and short game are there. She said that she works for Wells Fargo, so I'm sure it's difficult to find time to work, practice, and have a life! Whatever she decides......Good Luck!

Rachid played like a scratch golfer. He may be the best player I have ever personally played with. His routine and swing are amazingly consistent. He was always in the fairway. If his approaches weren't on the green, he chipped to within three feet to make par.......every time. Every putt was on line, and either holed out or burned the edge. He didn't leave many short. I didn't get his score, but I'm sure it was close to par. Rachid has played in a few amateur tournaments. I'm not sure what his golf plans are, but his game seemed comparable to that of the guys on the Carolinas Pro Tour. On the elevated thirteenth tee, Rachid used a three iron to reach a 236- yard flag. All in all, it was a good experience to play with a player of his caliber.

The thing I respect most about Eric is that no matter how well or poor he's playing, he plays every shot as if it were the most important shot of his life. He is always in the moment. If I'm not driving the ball well, my mind wanders and my focus wanes. Not good characteristics for a golfer. I think I expect to do well because I practice a lot and I'm a good athlete, so if I don't do well, my pride is hurt and I give up a little. Not Eric. He is good at forgetting his previous shot and making the best decision for his next shot. Maybe that is why he shot a 92 and I shot a 116 yesterday. Eric shot a very respectable 42 on our second nine, which was the front. Eric's best shot was probably on the par three, fifth hole. I've heard a lot of people say how difficult they think the hole is due to the length, and contour of the green. We played it form 185 yards, and Eric hit a pretty shot to within five feet of the flag. Unfortunately he missed the birdie putt, but it was still a nice par. I shot a 62 and a 54. Even by my standards, that was bad. So, of course I have physical adjustments to make, but I know for certain that my biggest hurdle is mental. I actually hit some very nice shots on the second nine, which is why I'm sure that the issue is mainly in my head. I also know that I need some instruction to solidify the positive aspects of my game and eliminate the negative, so that I can limit my swing thoughts.

I didn't have my camera, so I don't have any pictures from this round. I'll remember it next time out. That 116 hurt. Oh well, I'll be back. Hit 'em good!

Carolina Lakes

A few weeks ago, I went out to Carolina Lakes to watch a Carolinas Pro Tour event. While there, I thought to myself, "man, I would love to play this course!" It's a big, nice course out in Indian Land, South Carolina. From the tips, it is 7140 yards and the course rating is 74.1. So it's long and hard. (Insert joke here) Joey lives out that way, so we decided to get a twilight tee time. The twilight rate is only $32. I thought that was a steal for this course. The only problem is that it was nearly 100 degrees, even at 3:20 pm when we teed off.

We were dripping with sweat on the first green! I'm not used to courses that big. I hit into the bunker and it took me 2 minutes just to walk around the massive bunker to a point at which I could enter. I knew it was going to be a long day. I've been working on my grip, and it seems to be helping a bit. I think technically, I'm using a weaker grip. My right hand is more underneath the club, and my left hand is more on top. I also finally understand what instructors mean about your left thumb fitting in to the pad of your right hand. My hands function more like one unit now. The other technicality I've been focusing on is the amount of shoulder turn I get in my backswing. A few months ago, I adopted a slower take away that allows me to create more potential energy. My ball striking improved, but my distance was still lacking. I was still only getting 150 yards out of my 7 iron which will be fine when I'm 60, but at 31 I think I'm capable of greater distance. So, I started trying to turn my shoulders a little more in my backswing, and I was amazed at how much higher and farther the ball traveled. The par three fourth hole is listed as 163 yards. It is probably elevated 15-20 yards and the pin was in the front. I pulled out my 150 yard club and figured any decent shot would be somewhere on the green. Well, I hit a decent shot but since I applied my new shoulder turn to the shot, the ball flew completely over the green and in to the hazard behind it. It sucked because I made double bogey on that hole, but it was a revelation of sorts as well. I felt like Luke Skywalker because all of sudden I heard voices saying, "The force is with you!"

So, I hit a lot of good shots that had bad results. I learned that together, my grip and shoulder turn adjustments will produce more distance. Joey played up and down as well. I think the heat snagged him too. He played from the sand enough that he might as well have been at the beach. Bunkers are waiting on every hole. Like all amateurs, we both play well in stretches. We kept score, but I didn't bother to add mine up. If I had to guess, I'd say I shot around 105 and Joey may have been in the 90's. No birdies, a few pars, and a lot of other stuff. I took the positives from the round and kept it moving. According to my computer, its only 86 degrees, so I'm going to the range to continue working on my adjustments. Until next time.......Hit 'em good!