Feels
My previous couple of weeks of freedom have enabled me to further explore my thinking and principles. I have spent some time flipping my thinking around practice and play. My focus has been on what I DO NOT want from the session and what I DO NOT want from playing. Examples include:
I don't want to repeat the same conditions on each shot (club, lie, distance etc)
I don't want to focus on my score from the previous hole
I don't want to focus on having technical thoughts when playing
This has helped clear some things up for me and solidify some direction. Even spending the time thinking about what I don't want from a round beforehand, helped calm me and focus my attention on things in my control…. My attitude and responses!
I've added a "Buy Me a Coffee" link if you'd care to support my writing endeavours (which I usually do in coffee shops or while contemplating a cup of coffee).
Practice
A speed-focused putting session this week!
I paced out 8 steps (around 20ft) in 4 directions (uphill, downhill, L-R and R-L) and marked it with a tee.
I placed an alignment stick to the side of the hole so that the middle of the stick was aligned to the hole (leaving around 2ft before the hole and 2ft after).
I think hit 3 putts from each of the tees, alternating after each putt X3 - 36 putts total.
I completed the session with 28 in the 4ft zone and with more short of the hole (particularly on the uphill putts).
Play
I played at Dinsdale Spa GC on Saturday this week. One of my playing partners won a 4 ball last year in an Open competition, so we returned for a free round.
I would describe ball striking as average overall but my scrambling was excellent. Conditions were a little soft after some rainfall and I managed to take advantage of that.
I only hit 7 greens but managed 9/11 in scrambling. A complete outlier in terms of my standard ‘up and down’ percentage. My low point and strike on the 30y and in shots were excellent, leaving me with several tap-ins.
A mental error made during the round was discussing/sharing my score on the 15th tee box (Level Par). We laughed after a partner suggested that I make sure I don't get a double on the next 4 holes and I'll be fine!
I bogeyed the 15th and doubled the 16th but managed to get it together for the final 2 holes and finished +3 for the round, carding a 75.
Overall, I am very pleased with the round, only my Driving in the negative against a 7hc. My next round is tomorrow in the midweek Stableford. I aim to take confidence from my scrambling performance to reduce the pressure on hitting greens.
The positive round is broken down below and shows how good my short game and putting were across the 18 holes. A little concerned about driving but it only highlights that I haven’t put any work into it specifically, given my time constraints. Knowing and understanding this means that I won’t get myself ‘down’ about it or worry, it is simply a result of how much time I have worked on that area of my game.
Reflective Questions
Have you had a late-round collapse from a strong position?
How do you ‘stay out of your way’ when playing well?
How could you reframe your thinking in troublesome areas of your game?
75!!! well done!