Another Birdie at Moab!

Written on 3-17-24.

      I am riding in the back seat of A’s and E’s GMC Sierra, and I am being jostled about.  Eric is studying for a series of Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) tests next to me.  He takes the first of four tests next Friday.  We joked about how he is becoming a teacher after years of putting up with all of our teacher talk.  A is driving, and B is happy in the front seat with her twin sister. 

We are heading to Albuquerque to pick up Becca, who has flown out to show off her big baby belly before she delivers “our grand-baby” around May 23rd.  Exciting stuff!

We have brought cookies, taco salad, Cheez-Its, and more.  We sure spoil our kiddos.

Back to golf…

Hole 10-Eric hit the best tee shot on this par three.  He was just off the green on the left side, and although he left his putt short of the hole, he made the longer par putt to earn the point.  My tee shot ended up short, but I chipped it to within eight feet.  I had a real chance to cancel out his point with my own par, but my putt missed left.  Greg got a bogey after hitting his tee shot short and into the bunker on the right side. 

Hole 11-I won the hole for Greg and me with a bogey.  My 7-iron approach was skulled, but it ended up on the green.  It was far from the hole, but...

My First Birdie of 2024 in Moab!

Written on 3-13-24.

      I am in our Alto sitting at the dining table.  My keyboard is cool from the nighttime temps here, but I will warm it up soon with some clacking.  Amanda, Belinda, and James just pedaled off on their bikes towards the city of Moab.  We are set up at Group Site B at the Goose Island Campground with the Edgertons and Greg and Nan, and it’s been just great.

James surprised us all by appearing two nights ago.  Some college kids have Group Site A next to us.  Nan counted nine tents, and over a dozen twenty-somethings swarmed the site with multiple rented Chrysler Pacifica mini-vans.  When James pulled up, I thought he was one of them.  He was driving his Kia and using his phone to video out of his window, and I thought this young man was silly.  When he pulled into our site behind Eric’s and Amanda’s RV, I thought he was coming to talk to us or apologize for their impending loudness again.  I didn’t even think that he wasn’t driving a mini-van.  A girl had approached us earlier to inform us that they might get a bit loud at night, but it they did, please just come over and tell them.

Oh, wow.  Sleazy Bed Track just came on on my phone, and that’s a song that always makes me think of James.  Not that he is sleazy, of course, but it’s a song we both appreciate.  Hey, I’m not sleazy either.

And, there was much rejoicing when we realized it was him!  It felt so wonderful to see him, and he came with super news.  After passing the two required insurance tests, he now has a potential job (more than likely) with Grant’s company selling insurance premiums for businesses.  He drove here from Albuquerque immediately after his two-hour interview.  He only has to talk to the owner of the company on Thursday.  

Those kids next to our site, by the way, would peter out well before we did the past two nights.  We should have been the ones to go over to their site to let them know that if we got too loud, they should feel free to come ask us to quiet down a bit.

I was able to text Danielle to see if she was alive when we had boys’ night out at the Proper Brewery.  She was.  She said she was a tired girl.  She had survived four weeks and two days.  Keep going, Dani-Girl!

On to golf…

Greg, Eric, and I played at the Moab Golf Club yesterday.  Greg called in advance to set a tee time for 11:30, and we arrived an hour early to warm up.  It was a bit chilly despite the weather reports.  Yesterday was supposed to be the best weather day, but it was breezy and brisk at times.  

I recommended that we should pay the "King of the Beach” type game that we have played before, and they agreed.  It’s perfect for three players.  I was the first to play by myself, and it was a rough start.  I will do a hole by hole retelling, since the rest of the round went well for me.

Hole 1-I pulled my tee shot...

We Witness a Personal Best

Written on 3-3-24.

      It’s another Sunday here at home, and I am watching ShyShay’s team, the VA Elites, playing a match from yesterday’s tournament in Florida on balltime.com.  They are getting beat rather soundly, but Guy did say some of the opponents were already committed to play at D1 schools like Oregon and Tennessee.  Shy’s teammate, Anna, is out, also, and she is one of their better players, if not the best, in my opinion.

Danielle has made it through three weeks at the Albuquerque Fire Academy, but Friday was a rough day.  She sobbed in James’s arms later that day, but she has since recovered.  She did say that they would have to make her quit, because there is no way she would make the decision to quit.

James gained some of his confidence back by passing an insurance test.  He has another one coming up on Thursday, and he needs to pass both to be able to apply for a job where Grant (last name) is working.

Belinda and I have one more week before our spring break.  I work at McCoy this Tuesday, but after that, I’ll only have two more visits, one each to Newcomb and McCoy to finish out my year.  I will get those in during the week after spring break.  We are looking forward to getting Baker Street de-winterized and ready for a trip to Moab and a group site.  Yes, golf will be included!

On to golf…

Greg and I played at Pinon Hills again.  He had his best nine holes on the front, shooting a 43!  He was playing so well that it went by unnoticed.  I played lousily on the front after a decent start.  After four holes, I was only down by one stroke, but then he went one way…and I went the other.

I rebounded on the back nine, and I shot a 46.  I only had two bad holes, #15 and #16, but I had five pars, and that really boosted my confidence with the new clubs and the Arccos sensors.  Greg manage a 46, too, but he texted me later that he forgot a stroke on hole #14 where he had a bad blow-up hole.

Two of my pars came on the last two holes, which are the #2 and #4 handicap holes.  On both, I had drives of over 260 yards.  Yes, those can give me some confidence going into my next round, also.

We played with a young man named Easton, too.  He had just graduated from Piedra Vista, and he was on the golf team.  He said he was a JV player, but he shot his best round with us.  He earned an incredible eagle on hole #8, and he backed that up with a birdie on hole #9, the two toughest holes on the front nine.  He drove the ball far and straight most of the day.  He was even on the front nine, and he ended with a 79.  Greg and I commented that it was like playing with a pro and getting a front row seat to the action.  He was so excited about his score (as he should be), that he was saying over and over again as we walked off of #18, “I’m geeking.  I’m geeking about this.”

It was fun to see.

I am Arccos Enabled

Written on 2-18-24.

      I just started my Arccos membership, and I quickly added a reminder to cancel it in February of 2025.  Otherwise, it will charge me $155 for another year.  

It was fun getting all the sensors synced with the app, and I look forward to trying them out tomorrow.  I will also pay for another membership at Pinon Hills tomorrow.  

Until next time…

Written on 2-25-24.

I am watching the Mexico Open at Vidanta on NBC on a Sunday afternoon.  It looks like it’s coming down to a battle between two golfers: Knapp and Valimaki.  Jake Knapp has a golf swing that mirrors Fred Couples, one of the announcers just commented.  

I just laced up my new cloudy gray Skechers golf shoes, and my plan is to...

Hmmm, I'm a Positive Guy. Who knew?

Written on 2-17-24.

      B and I came up to the cabin at Vallecito for the long Presidents’ Day weekend yesterday.  Kody is sitting next to me in the dining/family area just staring out the window, and the fireplace is humming in the background.  We just had lunch at the Woodfire Grill, and it was yummy.  We shared a small Supreme Pizza and had two side salads.  Their pizza is really delicious, and I can honestly say I haven’t had a bad meal there.  It’s expensive, but it’s worth it.

Amanda and Eric are flying home from the Cayman Islands, and James and Casey will fly home from Florida later tonight.  Danielle survived her first week at the Albuquerque Fire Academy.  B survived her week with parent-teacher conferences, too.  I have two more visits left for my work this year, and I go to Albuquerque for the SIP Gathering this Friday, too.  Maybe I will have...

My 7 Essentials Scores

Also written on 1-31-24.

On to golf…

        I have wanted to get this in here since I borrowed another book from our neighbor John.  It’s called 7 Strokes in 7 Days, and I was making headway reading it until I was given an assignment.  I thought it would be super to start this year’s journal with, so here I go.

Dawn Grant, the author, asked the reader to complete some highlights and exercises.  The first is to start a journal.  Check.

The second is to “rate how well your are currently addressing each of your Seven Essentials For Great Golf on a scale of 1-10.”  (10 being the best)

1. Mechanics-7 I have spent many of the past several years on my swing mechanics (switching to more of a stack and tilt type swing), and I have improved.  Am I where I should be?  No, but I am much more confident.

2. Sleep-7  I get consistent sleep, and I sleep best when I use my oxygen.  At least that’s what B tells me.  I would score this higher if I wouldn’t sleep in sometimes, and if I was more consistent  with when I fell asleep.

3. Nutrition-6 Couldn’t most people be better with their nutrition?  Or, be better with all of these essentials?  I could cut down on sugar, of course.  I could improve the quality of my meals (better proteins and more veggies).  I could reduce my coffee intake (which includes reducing the half and half and the creamer).  So many ways I could improve in this area, but that is why I scored it a 6.

4.Hydration-9 I do really well with staying hydrated.  Not only do I do it daily, but I also do it when I play a round of golf.

5. Fitness-7 I walk daily.  I run on the treadmill and lift weights.  I have a stretching routine I work in, too.  When I am at home, I have a consistent routine.  I let my body rest and recover.  It’s when I am away from home, I struggle to work out and eat well.

6. Mental Training-4 I did lots of visualization in the past, but I have gotten away from that.  I let negative thoughts creep in when I play, too.  This is an area I could really improve.

7. Faith-9 Anyone who knows me knows I am a faithful person.  I don’t see this as an area I would need to work on right away.

There.  I got them in here.  Now, I need to get to work on my weaker ones “and get to work on them immediately.”

She is instructing me to set long term and short term goals for each of the Seven Essentials.

Onward and Upward in 2024!

Written on 1-2-24.

      Onward and upward into 2024!

Written on 1-26-24.

It’s Eric’s birthday today, and he is 58.  His birthdays go right along with the number of Super Bowls.  Happy birthday, Eric!

Amanda drove me to the Durango Airport (on Eric’s birthday even), and I am at DIA as I write this.  I am sitting in the corner at the New Belgium Restaurant, which is right next to my B32 gate for my flight out to Dulles.  Both flights have been delayed, but I don’t mind.  Guy will be able to pick me up at the airport, because he wouldn’t have been able to do so before these delays.  It’s 4:28, but my flight leaves at 6:13, so I have a few moments.  I will continue this on the plane, too.  

ShyShay is playing in a tournament at National Harbor this weekend (a three-dayer), and that’s mostly the reason I am going.  I am so excited to see her and her team play, the VA Elites U17 team!  Guy said they have already won their first two games.

Life is expensive.  I just spent around $32.00 on fish tacos; at least they were fresh, hot, and tasty. 

Until a bit later…

Written on 1-31-24.

I am in seat 36D on my way back to Denver after an incredible trip to Reston to watch ShyShay play in the National Harbor tournament.  They won, and I joked it was because I made the trip.  I said, “I didn’t come all this way for them to take 2nd place.”

I tried to get a fund going for me to come back next weekend for the Baltimore tournament, but it didn’t take hold.

I have my noise-cancelling headphones on, and I have found a soothing video of New Zealand scenery with soft music and waves lapping up on river rock shores.  Life is good.  Wait, here is some turbulence.  Oh, and the two seats next to me are...

A Well-Wrapped Wrap-Up of the Year 2023

Written on 12-17-23.

     I am watching the highlights of the Woods playing at the PNC Championship.  Before that, I finished a YouTube video of Zach Allen.  It was called Ben Hogan’s Trail Arm Secret (Part 2).  It talks about holding the club cack—handed or backwards.  I first heard about this from a Pete Cowen video.  This weird way of holding the club actually puts you in the perfect position with your arms and body in the backswing.

I tried a few mini-swings with it indoors and then I went outside, too.  What I like about it is the way it feels so connected and consistent.  I might even try some swings “cack-handed” at the range at home tomorrow or at Pinon Hills on Tuesday.  Eric and I have a tee time at noon on that day.

Written on 12-24-23.

Closer and closer, we are coming to Christmas and the end of another year.  I recently gave a thumbs-up to John Lennon’s Christmas song on Pandora, Happy Xmas (War Is Over). It’s because these words resonate with me: So, this is Christmas.  And what have you done?  Another year over.  And a new one just begun.  And so this is Christmas.  I hope you had fun.

It’s nostalgic, and I am also reminded of part of the purpose for this journal.  At the very beginning of this diary (way back in September of ’99), I was getting more...

Eric is Back

Written on 12-14-23.

      Eric and I got out yesterday to play one more time with some decent weather, and darned if he didn’t beat me again.  It started out bitter cold with biting wind, but it steadily got better as the round went on.  By the back nine, I was taking off my jacket to hit my tee shots (not that it helped).

We played our “usual” game starting on hole #2, which became my only warm-up.  Eric went to the range, so he was good to go.  It was so cold, and I arrived later due to getting my temporary crown fixed and stopping for breakfast sandwiches.  I had a terrible front nine, and Eric dominated until holes #8 and #9 where I gained my first ties.  By the end of the front, he was leading 18 to 7.  

I thought I could catch him, however, because I was warmed up and playing.  As the weather got better, so did my play.  Could I recover enough to get the win?

Written on 12-16-23.

The first two holes, I got skunked again, and it was looking like I might repeat what happened on the front nine.  I had to start scoring big points, and he needed to help me by cooling off.  Then I did get some big points!  I scored...

Too Many YouTube Golf Videos?

Written on 12-10-23.

    It’s another Sunday afternoon, and I am listening to the Broncos.  They are 6-6, and they are playing the Chargers (5-7).  Right now, they are ahead by seven at the end the first quarter.

B rode her stationary bike for five miles, and now we are relaxing.  I filled up the Cherokee’s tires with some air, too, because the freezing temperatures lowered the pressure.  They were all low (around 31 psi), so I brought them back up to 38 psi.

I did that after watching the end of the Grant Thornton Invitational.  Jason Day and Lydia Ko teamed up to win that premiere event.  I really enjoyed watching the PGA players joining up with the LPGA players.  What great athletes they all are, and they are a joy to watch together!

On to golf…

I just glanced at my blog, swopeofthegreen.blogspot.com, and I see that I had the brain surgery in 2011 and the stroke in 2019.  Now, it’s 2023, so it makes me think again that time keeps marching on.  This diary is coming to a close again, too, and that is another marker of the time just flowing by.

I saw a YouTube video with Rick Shiels and Bryson DeChambeau.  Bryson gave Rick a lesson, and I had an epiphany again.  

*Do I watch too many YouTube videos to try and improve my golf game?  An argument could be made for that, but I do enjoy hearing tips from people who are experts on golf.  The hard part is discerning which ones to try.  Mike Stark taught me about everything he could when I took a year of unlimited lessons from him, and I remember him saying something like this to me, “Once you have all to tools and information, it’s up to you to practice and get better.”

He was right, but there is so much to learn about golf.  I have heard of other golfers who learned something new, and it changed their golf games in unimaginable ways.  That is not the epiphany, however.

Back to the YouTube video I saw, and this is the discovery.  I know that...

Love the 5-Hybrid and the My54's

Written on 12-1-23.

    I got stir crazy this afternoon, so I did go ahead and drive to the golf course to play nine holes.  It was cold, but I didn’t care.  On hole #7, it started to flurry with confetti-like snow, and it was surreal.  I had never played at Pinon Hills when it snows.  It was beautiful.  I can picture my golf ball sailing through the air and the snowflakes on #8’s fairway.  Pretty cool. I mostly went to play with my new Wishon irons out on a golf course, not just in my backyard.

I managed two pars, and the new clubs helped.  On hole #2, I used my 3-wood to tee off, and I ended up just 149 yards out.  I chose my 7-iron next, and I used that new baseball grip.  My ball sailed with a wonderful trajectory to the middle of the green.  I managed two putts from there for my first par. 

The second one came on hole #6.  I used my new 5-hybrid (I used it for the very first time on the previous hole for an incredible tee shot), and I struck another beauty.  My ball landed on the front part of the green.  I checked the yardage, and that shot was 170 yards downhill with a large side breeze coming in from the left.  I used up two putts there, too, of course.  I hoped I would get another birdie, but my first putt missed left, and it was a smidge short.

I love the new 5-hybrid.  I did have those two successful and consistent swings with it.  I did...

First Time With My New Irons

Written on 11-29-23.

        I tried out four of my new clubs for the first time today, and they were all marvelous.  I used my gap wedge, pitching wedge, 9-iron, and 8-iron on my personal driving range.  I did some swing fast, stop quick swings with the gap wedge.  Then I did some experimenting with different grips the rest of the time.  I had done a Ryp Stick workout just before I tried them, so I was warmed up despite it being cold outside.  It was supposed to snow today, but nothing came.

The new grip I adopted allowed me to keep my right hand over the ball better with my wrist bent back.  I just didn’t do an overlock like I normally do; I used a baseball grip.  When I took videos of my swing with that grip, I was more on plane.  I would love to have that transfer to the course.  If it’s nice enough, I might go play tomorrow, but it looks like it will only be 41º for the high.  Brrrrr.  Here’s hoping the sun will come out.

Until next time…

My New Irons Specs

Written on 11-27-23.

     Well, I got ‘em!  They are beautiful.  I already took off the little plastic coverings, too.  My mostly new TGW (The Golf Warehouse) bag looks incredible with shiny new stainless steel EQ1 NX irons in it.

Tom spoke to me for over an hour when I picked them up, and I didn’t even notice that much time had gone by.  I got there right at 11:00, and when we were concluding our business, it was 12:10ish.  I found out that...

Obsessing About Golf Much? Not ME!

Written on 11-26-23.

        I read this entire journal today (off and on throughout the day), and I made a few changes.  I am just like Ralphie in the movie A Christmas Story when he reads his own theme about his Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun.  I think my writing is so good.  I wonder if I would get a C+ from Ralphie’s teacher, too, though.

B is in bed at 8:17, and she is reading a book on her iPad, and Christmas Radio Station music is playing on Pandora on my MacBook.  The song that is playing now is Character Dances: Dance of the Reed Pipes.

We just had the best Thanksgiving break, but it ends tomorrow for B and the other teachers.  I go to McCoy on Tuesday, but then I am done with my visits for November.  I have all four of my visits happening in the first two weeks of December, however, so I will be busy (busy for me), too.

Thanksgiving break was wonderful, because we were able to all get together for Thanksmas in Colorado Springs, and for the most part, everyone was healthy.  Bev got sick the day before our holiday celebration, but she felt better pretty quickly.  Then Weston threw up on...

Irons, Wedges, and Arccos, Oh My!

Written on 11-19-23.

Back to golf…

I am reading a book that John, our neighbor, lent me titled Be A Player by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott.  He got it because it might help him for his shooting tournaments, but because it focuses on golf, he let me borrow it.  Pia and Lynn host VISION54 training programs (54 because they believe it’s possible to birdie every hole) for amateurs and pros, and it’s been a good read so far.  It has helped me focus on balance, tempo, and tension when I play and practice, and I am enjoying the Think Box, Play Box, and Memory Box chapters, too.  The Memory Box is similar to Dr. Rotella’s “accept the results” after each shot, and I have always believed in and followed that advice (as best I could).

They quoted Annika Sorenstam when she was asked about a double bogey.  Annika and most pros know that they will likely be asked about their bad or disastrous holes, and Annika said something that I will now use after losing to Eric.

Annika said, “Yes, I double-bogeyed that hole, but it was what happened afterward that was important.  I committed to every swing after that hole, and I came back.”

The book said right after that quote that she refused to over-emotionalize a mistake and replay it.

Brilliant!  Here it is in my words...