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...