I hated it...

[Bravo]

I played yesterday in my walking group but did not walk. I have a nice head cold and am a little weak so I rode. It was a nasty day - about 45 at tee off at only about 53 when we finished. We had a decent breeze and a light rain from time to time...I shot an 84.

Today, great weather and we had 8 guys. We threw up balls and three of us "lower" handicappers played together which us unusual because we usually separate the lower players.

After a rough start, I played well, shooting a 79 with three birdies. In each case, I hit my approaches to 12 feet or less and dropped the putts. So I felt great about that.

One of the other lower players has an index of 4 so his handicap on our course is 5. He started slowly also but on #6 - 490 yard par 5 (with water carry) we saw his tee shot hit the cart path on the drive... then he and I are looking for it and find that it must have hit the cart path 3-4 times because his ball traveled 350 yards. He had 140 to the pin and hit it to 12 feet and made it for eagle. In our stableford, we play the points 1-2-4-8 - so he got 8 points for this.

I thought this would charge him up but he played the absolute worst I have ever seen him - he had an 86 with the eagle! He had 5 doubles....

I guess I take it too seriously because I hated watching it. (I mean I am playing well and am enjoying that but...) He has a very laid back personality, never curses - just goes silent when things go bad....This may be a function of his income. He built one of those Extreme Makeover houses here that was on ABC three weeks ago. He's worth a ton of $$ but nonetheless I hated watching him being tortured like that.

Anyway, I came home $20 to the good (won the stableford)....even though we lost the team bet.

 

[Silver]

Sounds rough. I also find it hard to see someone that normally plays really well do really poorly. As you guys know, I'm about a 23 or 24 and I scored better than a friend of mine once who plays to about a 12. I played well and he played incredibly poorly and by the end of the round, I almost wished we hadn't played that day because I felt bad for him.

 

[Bama Duffer]

I played Saturday at our muni course in Montgomery. The sun actually came out for a couple of holes and I took off my jacket. Then it started drizzling on 16. One of those days where you think you're making good contact, but when you total the score, you wonder how it got so high. I had three holes (I'm blaming 17 and 18 on the weather) where I couldn't do anything right and ended with a 97.

 

[Bravo]

What is the name of that course? Is it Lagoon Park?

 

[Farquod]

Actually, this shows that your mental game is there, B. One of the hardest things for me is to continue to shoot well when my partner is struggling. Nice work.


Didja use part of the $20 to help him ease his pain?

 

[buddha33]

Hmmm. I guess that would be tough to watch. It's even tougher when your friend isn't laid back. That means "Curse After Every Shot Guy" comes out. CAESG is great for a round.

 

[IrishGolfer]

Hmmm. I guess that would be tough to watch. It's even tougher when your friend isn't laid back. That means "Curse After Every Shot Guy" comes out. CAESG is great for a round.

Is he a friend of the Club Flinger Guy, or the Unlukiest Player to Walk the Planet (aka Can You Believe That!!!) Guy?

 

[Bama Duffer]

That's it. First time I've played there in about two years. Many of the greens had some large brown patches on them, but I'm sure they'll green up when warmer weather gets here. The course wasn't in bad shape, but it was fairly wet, so we didn't get any roll.

I walked the course for the first time in a couple of years, too, and enjoyed it, although I was pretty stiff Sunday morning . I've gotten so used to sitting in a cart that I'd forgotten how much fun walking can be. Except when there's a twosome in carts pushing you. They were impatient, but we had a foursome in front of us we were waiting on, so there was nowhere for them to go anyway.

 

[DaveE]

Good Sunday round Bravo. Most of the guys I play with are better than me so I sometimes get to see what you're describing.

Be happy you haven't had to watch me lately. I am rapidly approaching a point where I will be described as tortured. Driver, woods, utility and short game all fine. Irons however are impossible to hit.

When I grip any iron it either feels too strong or too weak, causing me to compensate on the downswing. The result is ugly. I've been through this before so at least I know it will end. The worst part is that I know it's all in my head and even though I tell myself to swing away and except the slice or hook I just can't do it. Crazy, that's me right now.

 

[Bravo]

Good for you with the walking...I walk half the time at my place and you know how hilly that is. And if the course is loaded with players, walkers never hold up riders.

I have never played that course but I know it has a good reputation. Are the greens bermuda or bent?

 

[Bravo]

Dave:

It will come to you...just keep at it. I want to ask you a quick question about the Tempo stuff.

I keep working on the Tour Tempo but must admit I am having a hard time internalizing it. Overall my tempo is decidedly better but I cannot recall the tones at will and synchronize to my swing.

How about you??

 

[DaveE]

Dave:

It will come to you...just keep at it. I want to ask you a quick question about the Tempo stuff.

I keep working on the Tour Tempo but must admit I am having a hard time internalizing it. Overall my tempo is decidedly better but I cannot recall the tones at will and synchronize to my swing.

How about you??

I've made it a point to not try to recall them when I'm playing. I have a feeling it could turn into a do you breathe in or out on the downswing kind of thing.

I have noticed that the longer I work with the tones, the slower they seem to be. Pretty sure this is a result of reacting rather than anticicpating.

My guess is that you are internalizing them because as you say your tempo has become decidely better. The fact that you're not hearing them in your head is no big deal IMO.

 

[Bravo]

thanks...

You know the author of the book/CD has schools too - which are built around the tones.

I was just wondering if they have a method to really internalize it that I am not getting through my little practice routines with the headphones.

And yes - I am experiencing the same thing...the tones are definitely slowing down over time. At first, I seemed terribly rushed...

 

[DaveE]

thanks...

You know the author of the book/CD has schools too - which are built around the tones.

I was just wondering if they have a method to really internalize it that I am not getting through my little practice routines with the headphones.

And yes - I am experiencing the same thing...the tones are definitely slowing down over time. At first, I seemed terribly rushed...

I'll bet his school would be interesting to go to. I wonder if the music that they sell is suppose to help internalize the tempo on the way to the course.

I use my minidisc player to listen to music on the mornings I run so maybe I should be listening to his stuff. Who knows?

 

[Bama Duffer]

Bravo--The greens at Lagoon are bermuda. I usually play at the RTJ course in Prattville and the greens at Lagoon were decidedly slower.

I'm curious about the Tour Tempo tones. I downloaded the tones I found in an earlier post and have listened to them some. Sometimes on the course, though, like Dave says, hearing it in my head simply throws me off. I know you've been working with the tones using an MP3 player while practicing. Has that helped internalize them? Or is it just a matter of working with it so long it becomes second nature?