Saving you time and money by experimenting and reflecting! An update on the week's progress and activities.... and a Big Question!
Big Question?
What are your measures of success, when you play a round of golf?
Feels
My feeling this week is one of persistence.
We’re now three weeks post-lesson and my determination to improve has not lessened. Each day I continue to have some mini breakthroughs and have learned so much from the answers to my questions on Twitter. What stands out to me from those answers is the absolute difference in attitude and ‘philosophy’ within the game of golf. I may think differently. I may take things too seriously for some. I may have no hope for the type of improvement I am aiming for. One thing is clear in my mind though, I am going to be persistent.
Playing
One round this week, as part of a 4 man team. The round was played at Houghton Golf Club in windy conditions. The course was in good condition despite torrential rain a day earlier. As the competition was a best-ball, I didn’t finish every hole (as my partner was on the card pretty much half of the time) so I didn’t collect detailed strokes gained stats. I did have 5 pars on the front 9 and 3 on the back but that was between a few bogeys, doubles and pick-ups. Subjective scoring on the round;
Tee Shots - 7/10
Approach - 5/10
Short Game - 6/10
Putting - 7/10
One thing stuck out to me about my mental state during the round. I have so many technical thoughts to go with the other decision-making cues we get on the course. I often find myself thinking through my swing technique, grip, stance, lie, the wind, and distance. It is the thought process of a beginner. This is humbling but provides me with an opportunity to grow and develop more of a target-orientated approach. My current approach makes me feel a little passive. I get confused and can lack focus. That is my most frustrating factor at present.
The Mental Scorecard is a must.
I recently wrote how I saw it as just another thing to be thinking about, but in reflection, I was wrong. If anything, it will support the removal of additional thoughts, providing more clarity and focus on the most important thing…. the target.
Practice
I spent a little more time at Ramside Hall GC on the Top Tracer this week. I completed a TOPTRACER30. This is a randomised 30-shot challenge that includes drives, approach shots and pitch shots. It took me at least 10 shots to get the aim lined up and settled in. On completion, the report shows some strokes gained for Tee Shots and Approach Shots plus some strengths and areas for improvement. The image from the app is shown below.
I scored 591, which is made up of proximity and distance, with the lower score being better. My ‘Performance Handicap’ was given as 18.5….. yikes. It isn’t something I will complete regularly but I will visit it again at some point and compare it to this initial score.
I finished with some wedge shots, alternating between Gap Wedge (target at 91 yards) and Sand Wedge (target at 55 yards). Results for the Gap Wedge are shown below. I am hoping the dispersion is transferred to the course. As you can see, the middle of my dispersion pattern is pretty much the target.
Physical
I recently subscribed to Mike Carroll’s @Fit_for_golf App. On examining the programs, I decided to commit to completing the Winter Strength Program for at least 6 weeks. I am supplementing this with the Golf Flex Mobility program between the three workouts. My week looks like this.
Note: The Daily Mobility routine is completed before the start of the WInter Strength sessions as my warm-up.
Using the app and getting subscribed was incredibly easy and took less than 5 minutes all in, to get up and running. The app is intuitive and has lots of integrations such as MyFitnessPal, Apple Watch and Fitbit etc. If you wanted a sample of the types of workouts and exercises, follow Mike on Twitter @Fit_for_golf or visit the website to find out more about pricing here - Fit For Golf App
Starting point
As part of my weekly updates, I will share some workout reviews, weight and body measurement updates (01/10/22 below), and swing speed/distance improvements. My current weight is 94kg (14 stone 8lbs). I would describe myself as lacking in mobility and have some tightness/stiffness in my hips and back after some rounds.
Would you consider starting too?
My targets are as follows;
Lose 4kg
Build swing speed (at present using Average distance, P-average and Top Tracer carry distance, completed once per month)
Increase mobility/flexibility
Session One
Session one of Winter Strength was great! I completed it in 29 minutes total, which is much shorter than my usual sessions. The session involves a mixture of ‘power’ moves such as jumps and rotations as well as classic upper and lower body strength moves. The structure of each session is similar and it is the one that stood out to me when selecting my program. I did have to substitute one exercise for another (which is included in the app by the way) so it wasn’t an issue. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into the rest.
If readers/followers are interested, I would happily set up an accountability document where we could log workouts/track weight/targets etc. Leave a comment below if you are interested in some supportive accountability, it might drive you along.
Reflective Questions
What are your physical targets for the winter period?
How do you keep yourself accountable to your goals?
How do you control your on-course thoughts?