Another Birthday and a Most Embarrassing Moment from Junior High

Written on 9-8-2020.

        Well, I don’t really want to be writing about another birthday celebration for myself, but why not?  I love the attention.  So, it was on this date a year ago that I had a stroke.  I won’t recount the entire ordeal, because I already wrote about what happened, but just know that it would have been devastating if it weren’t for my wife Belinda’s quick actions.  

If it weren’t for her, and the many others who helped me through it all, I would not be able to write this, that’s for sure, and I know my keyboarding has improved drastically as I have continued to practice.  Once again, it is through my reflection in this journal that has helped me put it all into perspective, and it has also helped me to shine a light on the things I am thankful for, the things that make my life worth living.

For example, let me write about what is happening right now, because I am thankful in this moment.  Belinda and I are...

Target Tree and a Little Break

Written on 8-29-2020.

        B and I are camping in our Baker Street at the Target Tree Campground tonight.  We only came up for one night, and James will be joining us shortly.  We had breakfast for dinner (eggs with sausage mixed in and pancakes on the side), and we finished taking Kody for a walk on the trail that goes right up the mountain behind the campsite right across the road.  It was beautiful, and we even got to see Eric flying and circling above us when he was working for C.A.P. tonight.

James decided not to buy the Fiat from Char and Ed after all.  He chose instead to buy Anna’s Acura, and I am relieved.  It is older, has more miles on it than the Fiat, but it is bigger, more comfortable (it is a luxury car after all), and ultimately more reliable.  He plans on getting new tires, and he has already replaced the battery and charged up the air conditioner.  He will also get it lubed soon.  The only step after all of that maintenance is to get the paperwork done with Anna, and they will seal the deal next week.  He is getting a good price, of course, so he can afford to put a little extra money into it.

Written on 8-30-2020.

We are back home now, and I am relaxing and watching the BMW Championship.  We played frisbee golf around the campground loop this morning, and then B and I relaxed until checkout time while James hurried home to have a meeting.  It was a wonderful weekend getaway, and I would like to go there again.  The camp host said the campground was designed by a woman, and I said she had done an incredible job.  Super layout there.

The wedding was great, but not for the reasons that most weddings are great.  I enjoyed the vows that Savannah gave, but the best part for me was seeing Danielle give Matt a huge hug when we first arrived.  She left some tears on his shoulder, and it was a tremendous reunion for both of them.  And, it was a miracle it even happened.  They both didn’t think Matt would be able to come with his work, but...

James's Birthday and an Obsession

Written on 8-15-2020.

        And, the learning continues.  I am now watching the YouTube series #Grip to #Finish-Build a 365-Day ‘Moe Norman Single Plane Golf Swing, and I am on Part 2.  

My Perfect Impact Club came in the mail yesterday, so I hope to go to the range later this week.  I am thinking that this system is similar to Shot Doctor’s Successful Six.  I just need to know this system inside and out.  

Written on 8-17-2020.

It’s James’s 27th birthday today!  We have had a great day so far, too.  He dropped me off at Pinon Hills on his way to Char and Ed’s place.  He was having a little business meeting with Char, but the bigger news is that they are willing to sell him their Fiat, and it only has just over 30,000 miles on it.  I think he should do it.  They are asking a reasonable price.  

He joined me on the range after his meeting, and I shared some of my range balls with him.  He arrived earlier to pick me up than I thought he would, so I was still down there.  We had a blast swinging my clubs together.  

After the range balls were used up, we went to...

What Is It About Hole #7 at Civitan?

Written on 8-7-2020.

        It’s 4:07 in the afternoon, and it’s quiet time here in our house.  James is playing video games in his room, and Danielle and Belinda are taking a nap.  James was surprised this morning, but it was because he didn’t think Danielle was coming today.  Belinda accidentally let it slip that Danielle would be coming, and then she tried to cover it up, but James was super suspicious.  He knew something was up.  He just thought she would be coming tomorrow.  Despite the slip-up, they had a great reunion.  Our little family is all together again!  I am just happy I wasn’t the one who let the secret out this time.

We had a wonderful brunch together, and Jess came up to get a picture of the two kids.  James and Danielle went shopping at Safeway for dinner tonight and tomorrow, so we are all relaxing and doing our own things.  I see very few clouds outside my computer room window, and it’s a little cooler than yesterday.  It’s still hot enough to keep the swamp cooler running most of the day, but it’s not super hot outside.  It’s bearable.  It feels like the day is letting go and allowing room for the evening to come out.  

On to golf…  

I am watching the seventh part of the series today.  He is continuing what he said in Part 6 about the proper positions.

Oh, I ordered two clubs from Graves Golf.  I got the Sandy Andy Wedge and the Perfect Impact Training Club.  We got a little extra money from Popo, so that is what I bought with my money.  Thanks, Popo.  I look forward to using both.

Todd is going though the positions.  They are the stabilization of the right knee,  the stabilization of the left knee, and the stabilization of the left shoulder after it goes through impact and behind the body.  He is saying that if anyone of those is off, or out of order, a golfer won’t get the proper acceleration of the club.  The left shoulder blade has very little movement through impact once it goes behind the body.  

Nothing is ever going backward.  That is why Moe simply stands up after the ball is gone.  There is no reverse C.

Working Out During the Pandemic and Even "Moe" Lessons

Written on 8-3-2020.

        It’s a Monday in summer at the Swope household, and we have our son, James, with us.  It’s wonderful!  It’s a half-off day at Durango Joe’s, so I bought two coffees this morning, one for him and one for me.  It’s a bit reminiscent of when Matt and Danielle were with us at the beginning of the coronavirus, but now we are in our sixth month of it.  I went to the store this afternoon, and I wore my mask.  I felt a little stifled by the end.  I bought three meals worth of groceries, the most I have had to buy since this all started, and I just wanted OUT of there by the end.  It’s just no fun, and I am sick of it.  I know we have months and months to go still, though.  

After a shower, however, I feel refreshed, and I realize again that it’s (the pandemic) also a gift.  How often do we have time to do the things we want to do, to really focus on them.  Not often.  I have worked out consistently lately.  I run on our treadmill for fifteen minutes every day except Sundays, and I am covered in sweat by the end.  I sweat so much, because I set the incline to three or above, and the uphill really challenges me.  Oh, and it is hotter, too.  

What I want to say is that I hope to...

James Comes Home and 36 Holes at Riverview

Written on 8-1-2020.

        B is driving our Escape, and we are on our way to Albuquerque to pick up James.  He is coming home to the U.S.A. for good…we think.  I can picture our embrace right now, and I am certain the tears will be flowing.  Hopefully, we will see him in less than five hours now.  

I learned today that Mom and Dad bought their home at 1542 South Benton Street on this date in history.  That was fifty years ago today!  We always wondered whether I was about two or three years old when we moved into that house, but I was actually coming up on my fourth birthday.  I am 53 now, so if they bought it fifty years ago, I would have been three years old in August way back then.  Wow!  It boggles the mind.

The Edgertons ended up painting/staining their cabin deck on their own, because the sprayer wouldn’t work for them.  I feel bad, because we could have helped them out, but nobody knew the sprayer wouldn’t work.  I chose to play golf instead when I heard we would be free.

On to golf…

I chose to go play golf after two straight days at the range.  I had some really productive sessions during my time on the range, and I mostly had met my goal that I had mentioned earlier.  I thought I was ready, and I was looking forward to seeing the improvement on a golf course.  Wrong.  

It was just not as good as I thought it would be.  Now, I did not...

I Need to Do Drills and I Hit My Target at the Range

Written on 7-24-2020.

        I am in bed, and I am all ready for sleep.  Because of the oxygen, the blood thinner, the teeth brushing, the flossing, and all of the other twelve steps I do every night, it takes a while now.  It feels cool in our bedroom due to the rainstorms we have been having.  The red curtain that covers the sliding glass doors keep billowing out like Santa’s belly due to the breezes.  Kody just came out of the bathroom, leaving the cooler tile floor to be with his “girlfriend” (his lambskin-like dog bed) directly below Santa.  We call it his girlfriend, because they became very close when he was younger.

On to golf…

I know that using video to record my swing has helped me to “match the model.”  Luke concurred that I am on the right track whenever I am trying to do that at the end of our lesson.  I have done so much to change my swing already, but I fear I have so much more to accomplish.  I recently watched a YouTube video with the title Modern Moe Part 3 with Todd Graves, and I watched Todd help the creator of the My Swing Evolution change his swing with a quick lesson, and what I learned was that my impact and follow-through are still not where they need to be.  Todd showed him

Graduate From the Range?

Written on 7-22-2020.

        I am on the back deck under our cover, and it’s a Wednesday afternoon.  It just turned 4:00, but it’s not hot for being just past the middle of July.  It’s been overcast here all day, so the temperature has been very comfortable.  We haven’t run the swamp cooler at all today.

On to golf…

I had my third lesson with Luke yesterday, and it was another good one.  The highlight came at the end when I picked out three different targets and came pretty close to each one.  I will revisit my note for his tips from that lesson first, and then I will write about those three shots.

Luke Tanner’s Third Lesson on July 21st, 2020

Exaggerate that lean, set up on the left side for a while

“Stack” the left side with wedges, shoulders more parallel to the ground higher right shoulder is better 

Braced left knee through impact

Same for right knee in backswing 

Good driver specific tip…

Slow down 50% to 60% and keep building up to 80%

My idea to “graduate” from the range

Start out with a super drive to my intended target (like rolling a double before I can move out while playing a board game)

Start with the Gap Wedge and get 3 out of 5 flush, no tee

1 good drive after each club, or I have to start over with the Approach club

Approach through 7 to start    

         

First, I would like to write that he acknowledged that I was remaining neutral/no more forward press.  I have really worked on that.  I had to ask him about it, but he agreed I was much better with that.

It’s hard to do a lesson while thinking of new things.  He gave me a tip for my footwork at the beginning, so thinking about that messed me up on all of the other stuff I have been working on.  Let me recount what he said.

For the footwork, he said to always keep the weight on the insides of my feet.  That was a hard thing for me.  It’s not something I can really feel, so I mostly just ignored it.  

I actually brought out my...

Keeping a Steady Head During All of This

Written on 7-19-2020.

        It’s another Sunday, and I am watching the Memorial Tournament again.  I am using my Chromecast, though, and I am sitting in the living room.  A weather delay has just been called, so they are showing the 2013 final round instead.  

I checked in on Kody in the front yard a few moments ago.  I washed off his muddy paws earlier, so I was letting him dry off and take a nap out there.  I asked him if he wanted to come inside, but he didn’t even get up.  He just lifted his head from his napping position in the cool grass,  considered what I had said and liked his current position in life, so I let him stay out there.

He had mud on his paws due to a walk with Belinda this morning.  A huge rainstorm caused our street to flood yesterday.  Our Anasazi Drive looked more like the Anasazi River.  The storm had some small hail mixed in, but it fortunately didn’t do any damage.

Jim Nantz just interviewed Jack, since they had some extra time during the weather delay.  He revealed that he and Barbara had the coronavirus from about mid-March to around late April.  Barbara had no symptoms, but Jack had a sore throat, he said.  They both turned 80 recently, so they were fortunate to survive it, although Jack said they were blessed.

I decided to spend some time on the range after we played at Riverview, and I learned a few things.  I used the Swing Catalyst app once more, and I chose to video all of my shots from the front view.  I used my 7-iron most of the time, and I teed most of my shots up tiny bit, too.  

The first thing I learned is...

A Rare Pandemic Bird

Written on 7-18-2020.

        It’s AnnMarie’s birthday today.  I just wished her birthday wishes with a text and on FB, also.  

I just had to restart my MacBook Air again, because the Bluetooth keyboard was slow and delayed.  The background somehow changed, too.  I don’t know why, but a restart always gets it going smoothly again.  Then I just changed the background back to what it was.  It’s a quick and reliable fix.

Not much going on this Saturday.  B and I pulled weeds this morning, because it rained for over a half hour last night.  It made pulling weeds easy, but now it’s a nappy afternoon.  

B and I have our own projects going.  She is starting her own Shutterfly account, so she can upload pictures and order prints before James comes home.  The cork board in the kids’ hallway is the place where she likes to post the most recent pictures.

I am writing (obviously), and I am watching the Memorial Tournament on CBS online.  My little project is making a makeshift copy of the Steadhead training aid.  I used a clip, a short USB charging cord, and two bright orange earplugs to make it.  I saved $24.99 by doing that, but I wonder if it will work.  It actually looks pretty good for being homemade.

Speaking of golf…

I played with Shawn yesterday at Riverview.  That makes four times I have played since my new swing change, and that is probably a bit too much.  

I didn’t really want...

How I Am Learning All of This Stuff and a Reunion

Written on 7-13-2020.

        I am sitting on the deck of the cabin home in Mancos, and it is just absolutely gorgeous here.  We made an escape in our Escape again, and of course, we brought the dog.  The sky is a bright blue, and it is filled with pearl white clouds with pale gray bottoms.  I can hear the wind blowing through the trees, and it sounds like a distant crowd cheering.  I’m listening to a podcast Joe e-mailed to me called Punishment Without End from Hi-Phi Nation.  It’s about a girl who was caught with drugs in her suitcase, so I am multi-tasking by listening and writing at the same time.    

I talked with Joe last night, and I realized I really miss him and our conversations.  I try not to think about what this pandemic has taken from us, but one of the things we are missing out on was a trip I wanted to give to Joe.  We went to Boston after I got my Masters, and it was mostly his treat.  My reason for wanting to take him on a trip was his turning 50.  Postponed.  Cancelled.  We’ll do it later now, and that is a bummer. 

My forehead looks really comical right now, too.  It is dotted with circular band-aids that are meant to stop the blood.  I had much of my millia removed today at Durango Dermatalogy, so my forehead was ravaged today, and now it is polka dotted with band-aids.  This was the perfect time to do it.  We came right to the cabin home afterward, and it’s near the middle of our summer.  I just counted, and it’s thirteen band-aids, but I just removed the one between my eyes, so it was fourteen.

B and I just got off the phone with Danielle.  Her crew is still in Casper, Wyoming, and they are doing some training this afternoon.  When I left the car, B asked Danielle to tell her everything, and she lamented that she hates long distance relationships.  I think they are very much in love, and it’s just really hard.  Firefighting keeps their minds busy, but as soon as they are off, they think of each other more, and that just stinks knowing they are apart right now.  I don’t know if they can stand another season of firefighting without each other, but I also don’t know what that might mean for their future together.

We had a long talk on Facebook Messenger Video Chat with...

How to Chip and a Glimpse of Success

Written on 7-8-2020.

        I’ll talk about how my short game worked well at Green River later.  I had my second lesson with Luke today, and we focused on chipping, so I want to talk about that first.  This lesson focused on a 9-iron chip that Luke says should land the ball at a spot 30% from the starting point.  Or, maybe a better way to say it is fly 30%, roll the rest of the way.  Then, and this is where it got a little complicated, he said it would go up 10% from there with each club with more loft and 10% down with each club with less loft.  In other words, a pitching wedge would/should land at about the 40% mark (10% more), and an 8-iron would land at the 20% (10% less) mark and roll more.  Sounds like I would used the same motion, a putting type motion, and I would want to get the ball rolling as soon as possible.  All of this to decrease the margin of error in chipping.  Makes sense to me.

We never got to putting, and his lessons go really fast.  It’s like playing a round with Guy.  We tee off on #1, and then we are putting out on #18 a few minutes later.  With Luke, we start talking, and I start swinging, and then we are driving the cart back up to the pro shop....

River Rafting in Boise and My New Swing = My Blood Thinner

Written on 6-29-2020.

B, Kody, and I are camping at Willard Bay State Park in Utah, and we will be on our way to Boise later this afternoon to go see Danielle.  We just took Kody for a walk out on the North Eagle Beach, and we will leave close to the 1:00 checkout time here.  He was so funny, because he had never seen little waves coming in at the shore, and he didn’t know what to make of them.  He jumped back when some of them lapped up to the shore, and he bit at them, too.  It was funny to see him react to those for the first time.  

Yesterday was my one of my birthdays, the brain tumor one.  I now have three birthdays, since I had a stroke on September 8th.  So, the dates for all of my birthdays are 1-29-67 (birth), 6-28-11 (survived brain surgery), and 9-8-19 (survived a stroke).  Hopefully, I won’t have any more.  That’s enough.  No more, please.  

Today is Matt Frings’ 26th birthday, too.  That’s just past the quarter life crisis age, according to James.  I am sure he will survive it.  That is soooo young.

I will write more later during this trip, I am certain.  It is 3 minutes past 12:00, so we are going to pack up.  I am so excited!  We get to see our daughter today!

Until later…

Written on 7-3-2020.

I am sitting at the dining room table in Baker Street, and it’s on the cusp of dusk here (8:42 PM) at the Green River State Park.  Just like in Canada at the Algonquin Provincial Park, we had to move over to a different site today.  Belinda looked for a place where we could camp somewhere on the way back home, and she found this place.  Linda Crone also recommended it.

We managed to snag last night’s spot online a couple of nights ago, #32, but it was reserved by someone else tonight (a Bambi Airstream with a matching silver Toyota truck), but we were able to get spot #22 tonight.  Somebody had cancelled their...

More on Moe and My First Lesson with Luke

 Written on 6-23-2020.

        I am watching another YouTube video on Moe, and this one it titled Moe Norman Documentary Full Demo Reel/Sample.  I’ve waited to watch this one, but it piqued my interest, especially because of the frame that shows Moe wearing a black mask introducing the video.  

It says that Moe could hit 800 golf balls in a day without a problem.  Is that what I am about to do?  I rather doubt it.  I’ve still been unable to make full swings, because my clubs are in the shop.  I called Don today to check on their status, and he said they will be ready by tomorrow at 11:00.  I am thrilled to get going with this, and I have my lesson with Luke on Thursday, but I want to go to the range first and give this new swing a go.

Somebody on this video just said, “Golf was a refuge for him.  Through golf, he just found this place of serenity and peace.”

Todd Graves said, “You should watch him hit a golf ball.  It’s freakish how good he is.”

Tim O’Connor said, “I believe it is the most efficient, simple way to hit a golf ball ever devised.”

Inspiring stuff.

Written on 6-25-2020.

I just had my first lesson with Luke (last name) this morning, and it was great!  I told him that I had really only used the newer swing the night before at the Pinon Hills range.  This was only the second time, so I wasn’t sure how it would go, but it helps that...

Chimney and Companion Rock with My Companion

Written on 6-19-2020.

I am sitting at the dining room table inside our Alto, and I just got a little bit of Ben and Jerry’s Salted Caramel Core ice cream on my left index finger.  I didn’t bother to lick it off, so it has made the letters f, r, t, and g a bit sticky.  We got some ice cream for both of us today at the Wal-Mart in Pagosa, and we saved it for tonight.  Belinda chose Chocolate Fudge Brownie.    

We are staying here for our second night at the Ute Campground, spot #24, outside of Pagosa Springs and near Chimney Rock.  We went to Chimney Rock and Companion Rock (we didn’t know until today that Companion Rock even had a name) for the first time today, and it was marvelous.  They had a kennel for Kody to stay in down below with plenty of shade while we explored the site and the ruins.  It took us about an hour and a half to view the upper and the lower sites, and we wondered, as we walked along, how many times have we driven by without ever stopping.  Always admiring it from Hwy. 160, but never stopping.  Now, we can say we have done it.  We stopped.

This trip happened spontaneously, and that’s the way I had hoped to use our Alto.  I didn’t want to take a lot of time planning and prepping to go somewhere; I just wanted to go.  It took us less than an hour to pack up this time, and we were on the road.  We threw together some food in bags and brought it down to the fridge and freezer.  We packed our clothes and our shave kits quickly and easily.  We gathered the dog’s stuff together and got the cat ready for our absence.  We are getting faster at hooking up the trailer.  It was magnificent, I thought, how fast we got ready, and I don’t think we forgot anything.  B just reminded me that we did go back for the map of our southwest area, but we chose to go get it.  We didn’t really need it.  

And, here we are.  We ate at Rosie’s Pizzeria for lunch after the tour of Chimney Rock, and we had leftovers for dinner.  Oh, and the ice cream.   

On to golf…

I have my lesson with Luke this Thursday.  Those lessons will be a...

Perpetual Practice, Patience, and Perspective

 Written on 6-16-2020.

        It’s a Tuesday afternoon, and Belinda is back from her cabin trip with her lady teacher friends.  They had a wonderful time, despite a new fire that was 14 miles away.  B called this group Steel Magnolias this time, and it is because they have been meeting consistently for nearly two decades now.  Just a bunch of old ladies getting together for conversation, food, gossip, and therapy.  

Kody and I had a swell time together while B was away.  “Bach”ing it, as it is called.  I was his nurse, though, giving him his meds and wrapping his leg in bandages.  We walked more than we have since the accident, too, and he was really pulling on the extendable leash to go after lizards, a sure sign of his recovery.  The leash would make a high zipping sound as it let out, and I had to say, “Easy!” as it got close to its full length, so he wouldn’t snap the line…or his neck.  

Even with my vigilance, he still managed to...

A Simplified Version of the New Swing and 7 in a Row!

Written on 6-12-2020.

        I have my “older” keyboard, and I am using it to type on my iPad tonight. Our new MacBook Air is in the shop to fix its Bluetooth, a hardware problem according to Apple Support.  It’s a Friday, and we are being mellow out on our glorious deck. It’s Belinda, Kody, and me again.  Danielle just posted on FB about her adventures in Alaska, specifically the news from the past four days on the Isom Creek Fire near the Yukon River, the mosquitoes, and how she and her crew were pulled from the fire a day before they were finished to get tested for Covid-19.  What an adventure!  *Update on 6-17-2020, they all tested negative.

Kody continues his recovery.  Oops!  Pikachu just joined our back deck party.  Hello, kitty.  

I bought Kody some new dog food, because he wasn’t eating the old stuff.  He gobbled the new food right away, so I guess it was the flavor.  He went to go see Jess for lunch today, and to Aunti’s house tonight, too, because Char was in town.  He should sleep well tonight.  That was the most activity he has had since the accident.  

Speaking of the accident, B and I saw Frank at the store, and he joked he was going to buy Kody a Get Well card and some Milk Bones.  All joking aside, he was truly concerned, and I let him know Kody is recovering well.  He’s on his way to chasing rabbits again soon.  Hopefully, not trucks, though!

On to golf...

My own adventure continues with the single plane swing.  I did my Friday “longer than usual” workout today, and I cooled off at the end by using a training club Don gave me.  After my workout, I added some notes in my um...err...notes.  This is what I wrote to try and help me learn this new motion more quickly, and it is a way of simplifying it and the differences from a traditional swing.  

Address: Legs straight, arms pointed straight at the ball before the swing

At Impact: Left knee flexed and braced, trail arm straightens in the follow-through

Finish: Let the swing balance me!

See, that’s a very simplified version of the new swing that I am trying to emulate.  I noticed that when I tried to remember lots of different things when I was practicing swinging a club, it didn’t work out too well.  Those thoughts were steady head, trail foot stays on the ground during the strike, brace into the lead knee, remain in the bends, and stand up in the follow-through once the ball is gone.  That was a lot of different things to focus on, and I really could only focus on one feeling each time.  Eventually, they will become a part of my sub-conscious, and I will focus only on...

Getting Set Up for How I Will Change My Swing

 Written on 6-10-2020.

        The learning continues.  I am in our computer room, and I am relaxing on a Wednesday afternoon.  I made a makeshift training aid, and I used the measurement from Todd Graves’ book, but I don’t think it’s accurate.  It is both an alignment and a ball position aid.  $100.00 is what I saved by making my own, because that’s what I saw for its price on his website.  I don’t want to pay that much for a piece of plastic with marks on it.  So, I made my own, and I think it is correct, since I also used my Kindle book.  In that book, he sets up with his feet apart 22” for a driver swing with the ball position for irons set 5” back from the lead foot for the ball position for a driver.  That’s what I have done with my homemade aid, but 22” might be too narrow for my larger body.

I video recorded my swing using...

Kody Tries to Catch a Big Blue Rabbit

 Written on 6-8-2020.

Well, what an adventure we’ve had today.  Kody, in his youthful exuberance, attempted to catch our neighbor Frank’s truck.  He caught it, but not in the way he probably pictured.  We thought the worst, because we have seen this happen before.  The first time it happened, we lost our Zen.  We ran from our spot just outside our front doors as soon as he took off, yelling all the while.

“Stay! Stop, Kody! No! Stay!”

He wouldn’t listen, hellbent on catching a large blue rabbit with tires.  We didn’t see what happened (thank goodness), but we heard it (yikes!).  What an awful sound!  That terrible thumping sound of dog against metal and tire.  It didn’t sound good, and I thought he was a goner, for sure.  I am pretty sure Belinda thought the same thing.  It sounded bad.

Thankfully, he wasn’t a goner.  He is resting in our bedroom right now.  We got him to Valley Veterinary Clinic in less than 15 minutes (I drove a little faster than the speed limit), and he was taken away for an evaluation.  I was encouraged, because he walked to the truck to be able to go there, and then he repeated the task going up to the their building.  He couldn’t be hurt too bad, I thought, if he could do that.  

He had no internal bleeding.  He had no broken bones.  Both small miracles, truly.  He did have some serious road rash on the underside of his front right leg, however, and they did discover a laceration that needed six stitches in that armpit.  He is on pain medication and antibiotics, of course, and we will put him in the “cone of shame” at night and anytime we won’t be watching him until it heals.  Poor dog.  Poor us.

I am going to bed now.  It’s nearing 11:00 PM, and it’s been a stressful day.

Until next time…

First Step: Are My Clubs Correct for a Single Plane Swing?

Written on 6-7-2020.

It has dawned on me that I need to figure out if my clubs are fitted to the single plane swing.  I talked about the grips above, but I wondered about the rest of the clubs, too.  I am watching a video from Moe Norman Golf about the importance of club fitting.  What about single length?  Steel or graphite?  Are my lie angles and lofts correct?  I am listening to find out.

The person talking about club fitting with Todd is saying that graphite is better, so that answers that question.  He says they are easier on the body, more consistent, and they will hit it a little bit farther.  He is saying people don’t like to take divots, because they are afraid of hurting themselves.  I never thought of that.

He is also saying, though, that the two wedges (sand and lob/56 to 60 degrees) need to be forged and with steel shafts.  Forged material is softer, and steel has more weight.

Oh, it’s Tim Graves, Todd’s brother.  Makes sense.  They own the Graves Academy.

        I just submitted my information for a club fitting at moenormangolf.com.  I will wait to see what happens. 

Did My Stroke Affect My Golf Stroke?

Written on 6-6-2020.

Well, I played one final time yesterday using the two plane swing.  I definitely plan on switching now.  I am not considering doing this anymore; I am doing it.

Shawn and I took on C.J. and Tim in best ball match play, and we ended up even after nine holes.  I never contributed.  I got a par on hole #4 with a smooth 9-iron that hit the green, and I got a bogey on #6 with a long drive up to the 100 yard marker, but everyone else got pars and bogeys on those holes, too.  

After we finished nine holes, C.J. left, because the weather was picking up considerably, and lightning was lurking.  Tim and his wife Julie left after he played hole #10 and part of #11, because it got really gusty and big raindrops were pelting us for a short time.  It stopped when Shawn and I got to #12, though, which I figured it would, so the two of us continued on for the remainder of the round.  It did get really bad once more on #17, but we managed and we finished up on #18, and he and I both finished with a bogey, which I feel is a good score for that hole.  I am glad I got a bogey with my old swing.  I didn’t want to end with a handicap seven on my last hole with the two plane swing and the membership.  I wanted to finish the entire round to get my money’s worth.  I ended up playing 38 times this past year.

I forgot I had a stroke (silly me), and that is a possible reason for the higher scores.  I checked my scores and since I’ve had the stroke, I have been unable to break 90.  That could be part of the reason, but I have made up my mind still.

Shawn invited me over for a beer after the round, and C.J. came over, too.  When we had a lull in the conversation, I told them my new plan.  I didn’t want to tell them before or during the round, because that would have been a major distraction, and I secretly really wanted to break 90 and play better with my two plane swing one last time.  However, that wasn’t meant to be.  

I don’t think it would have changed my mind, though.  C.J. listened carefully, understood, and decided not to renew his membership after that.  I called Eric later that evening as we drove back to Hobby Lobby to get some fabric for a movie screen to use with our new projector.  I gave him the news, and he said he would wait on buying a membership, too.  He wanted to take some refresher lessons with Luke anyway.  My deciding not to get the membership ended up causing a Domino effect.  It changed both C.J.’s and Eric’s plans.  Shawn will continue getting a full membership no matter what I do.  Oh, and Bruce has said he isn’t coming out until there’s a vaccine.

Now, I just need a plan for improvement.  How am I going to do this?  Record the change?  What is the first step?  I am going to take a little break and develop a plan.  Shawn recommended I talk to Luke, too, and let him know what I am thinking.  That’s a good idea.  Like I said above, Eric is planning on taking lessons with Luke to refresh his game, too.  He might be able to help accelerate my learning.  Right now, I am simply reading the book, The Single Plane Golf Swing: Play Better Golf the Moe Norman Way.

Until next time…

Obsessing Over Single Plane a Bit?

The learning continues…

Feet say on the ground at and through impact.  Lead leg remains flexed through impact.  

The impact positions of every player have the club, if extended, going through the middle of the back or spine.

Why is the club at address set so far behind the ball with the single plane swing?  Or, at least a few inches back?  Because that point moves forward at impact.  It is priming the club for impact is the way I would describe it.  I think Moe said something about this when he said, “You can’t take the club back any slower than that.”  

It’s the simplest anatomical way to go from address to impact.  In a conventional swing, the arms are hanging down, we are standing too close to the ball.  That is what Todd Graves says is the single mistake most golfers are making.  This will free my arms.         Hitting the ball on the sweet spot solidly will make it go farther.  It will increase the distance.

Consistency of ball speed is what makes better players better.  It’s not about swinging it faster; it’s about swinging it consistently.

Who uses this on the PGA Tour?  Steve Stricker is pretty close to using a single plane swing on the tour.  Bryson is using it.  

Ball position stays in the same place with irons, but the stance narrows and widens.  Narrower for the shorter irons.  

Your hands are the connection to the golf club.  That’s why the grip is so important.  I know I’ve heard that before the traditional golf swing, but it means even more with the single plane swing.  That trail hand is like hammering a nail.  The grip of the club needs to be thick enough to hold onto the club, but thin enough to have a release.  I wonder if my grips are the correct size for the single plane swing.

I also have always wanted to hit it straight.  I know I swing it right to left mostly (hooking, pulling, and hopefully drawing), but I would be so happy if I could just hit it straight every time.  This swing, with its consistency, widens the fairway.  I won’t have to aim right and hopes it ends up on the left or vice-versa.  

Side note: Todd Graves recommends the Pro-V1, because he says you have more control with it.

Wow!  I have spent the better part of today looking at his book and another YouTube video.  I need to take a break.  I will play one last time tomorrow, and then I will report back here after that.

Until next time…