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...
after playing hole #1, “Sure, I had a blow-up on that first hole, but I focused on playing better on every hole after that, and I did. I played well enough to catch Eric after being down 12 points.”The final scores were Eric: 32, and Pat: 26. I could think of many holes where I could have scored more points by hitting greens in regulation. On #13, my ball rolled up onto the green, paused, and then rolled off the front. That was after I had clipped a tree’s limb on my approach, too. On #13, I tugged my approach left, and my ball ended up on the fringe. I actually hit the green on #14 with my 7-iron, but Eric got his ball closer earning the extra two points there. On #15, I was just short of the green, and I missed #16’s green (long but just on the fringe again) from 58 yards away. All of those misses (no matter how small) cost me eight points and that would have been the difference. Do you see how I always put a positive spin on everything? Still, Eric did beat me this time.
On our previous round, we split wins. I haven’t written about that yet. We played at Pinon Hills, and I beat him so badly in the points game that he wanted to change it up on the back nine. I remember C.J. and I wanting to do that when Bruce used to get so far ahead, we would ask for mercy, and then we would start a new game, too. Nice to be on the other side of that, but I really wasn’t beating him that badly. I had 20 points, and he had 12, so he might have led a charge on the back nine.
We played skins on the back, though, and it was a bit weird. The even holes were worth $20,000, and the odd holes were worth $10,000. It was Eric’s idea, but it was fun and different. It ended with Eric winning with $80,000, and I gathered up $55,000. It was great to play with Eric only for that round.
My quest for new irons has resolved itself. I am getting single length Wishon EQ1 NX irons, and Tom Wishon is building the set for me. This happened, because I reached out to Diamond Golf International. That was where my Google search led me when I looked for Wishon Golf. Tom is “rewired” like Belinda and me, and he still owns the shop where he builds clubs for Diamond International, I think.
Tom was very sad to hear about the passing of Don Greenwood. I was surprised to hear that he didn’t know about it. I was so sorry to be the one to let him know. I got to meet Tom when I went to his shop last Wednesday. We used the specs from my 2018 fitting from Don to help build my set. He also asked many questions for specificity on the new set. After all the back and forth e-mails and one face-to-face meeting, I will be getting single length 6-iron through PW, AW. They will be 37.25 inches long, and they will have mid-size grips on them. I will get my 5-hybrid a bit longer for more speed and higher trajectories to replace my 5-iron. Tom has built his own set of these irons, and I think his swing speed might have slowed down, too. I am hoping these will be my new irons for the next 5 to 10 years. Who knows?
I also supplemented my iron set with two new wedges. I bought a new Cleveland RTX 6 Zipcore Mid 56º Wedge at Hillcrest, and I used my $35.00 prize money as a discount. After that, it cost right at $140.00. My first wedge was a Cleveland, and I have good memories of using it. I look forward to seeing what this one will do for me. The plastic is still protecting the head. There, I just took it off. It says it is good for any condition and max spin. Ooooooh!
Then I saved a Black Friday deal in my notes from Fairway Jockey, and I was hoping to find a Ping Glide 4.0 wedge in order to get my first 60º wedge. I found one, and I ordered it for around $166.00 (Black Friday deal and an extra 5% off to allow for text and e-mail promotions). I was seriously looking at Ping i525 irons before I found out about Tom and the upgraded single length irons he designed, and I love my Ping G410 driver. I am really looking forward to getting that in the mail, because I have never owned a 60º wedge, and I am wondering what I might do with one. I wonder if it has the hydropearl 2.0 finish, too. I just read that it does on the Ping website.
The Cleveland wedge will replace my Wishon 56º, and it will have a straighter shaft. The Wishon shaft has bent slowly over the years, and the head is looking pretty tired and scuffed up, too. I am retiring it and the Wishon Sterling set as an extra set for Guy, or anyone else for that matter. I am including the Wishon “White Knight” driver, also. He can borrow it when he comes out again, and I could also use one of the irons as a replacement if one of the new ones gets busted somehow.
Last thing for today, because we are heading to Kelly and Rocky’s for dinner and the Sunday night NFL game between the Broncos and the Vikings. I asked for an Arccos set for Christmas this year. Things are really looking up for next season. I have tried to keep stats, but this way will be much better. I am interested in learning what they will tell me about my game.
Until next time…
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