Golf Adventures with Conrad

golf fundamentals

2010-07-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

1. drive: grip correctly with left hand at power position (club more in fingers) and right index finger hooked and slightly separated, elbows close together, high tee, spine tilt, wide back swing... now working on isometric physical training and lunge with twist, and using the glutes to power the ball. might also experiment with delaying the release for increased clubhead speed

2. fairway woods: swing smoothly and more elliptical, club gripped for accuracy (range aim- maintain)

3. long irons: ball position, swing through and play for draw (range- improve direction)

4. short irons: ball position, play for draw (range- maintain)

5. controlled shots (30m-70m): clock technique for distance control (range- maintain)

6. chipping (short, mid, long): work on reading the landing area (flight and roll ratio) for diff clubs and diff distances and diff lie and diff break (range- improve reading and improve execution consistency)

7. bunker (greenside): backswing control and sand entrance target for better consistency and distance control (on the course)

8. putting: lag putting - work on speed control and slope judging, short putting - pelz method working well (practice on flat ground to produce smooth stroke)

new onoff irons very nice to hit, lookin for a good driver

practicing again

2009-04-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

ok just finished a gruelling 2 months of golf (actually very fun and eye opening). Played in the SGA league for my club and we came in 5th out of most of the golf clubs in Spore. Not too bad for my first time, though my actual scores under league conditions were 92, 93, 95 and 96.

Now is a lull period. Time for a swing change to find a drive that goes longer. I realized 200m straight is not long enough for some par fours. To improve, I need at least 220m straight.

Went to the range just now and managed to tweak my drives in a way to get more distance, pity no time to try it on the course yet. Will try on Thurs.

Other recent scores:
1. Club tournament - 86
2. Seah Yap tournament - 85
3. Social game (monday) - 89

current handicap 11.6

OK will try to practice properly this month to see if I can make further improvements:

1. Full swing (range)
2. Chip, Pitch, Bunker
3. Putt

Will dedicate 1/3 time to each department, and try to apply skills in games. Target is consistent low 80s by June 2009.

League game so far

2009-03-02T22:07:00.000-08:00

Been playing ok golf recently, in the 80s, so when my first SGA league game came up last Sunday, I was highly disappointed with my 93.

My mistake was that I had just changed putter from a Scottie (not Scotty) to an Odyssey Tri-Ball putter and hadn't had much course time with the new putter. Wasted 3 very short 2 feet putts which circled the hole but failed to drop. And of course the temperament led to 4 wasted strokes in a bunker (that was stupid!). Could have been an easy 86, but of course in golf, there is NO could, if or should.

So I can only look forward to the next league match. So far, at least my 93 contributed to my team making it to the top 5 in Singapore, but I think I'd better buck up with an 88 or better for all my next games.

ALRIGHT!!!! BROKE 80 FOR THE FIRST TIME. Shot a 78!!! YAY!!!

2008-10-29T17:55:00.002-07:00

Mission accomplished!

PLayed the best game of my life yesterday 29 Oct 2008. Shot a 78. Towards the last 2 holes when I knew I had a good chance of breaking 80 for the first time, I was really struggling to stay composed. Almost blew it when I pulled my drive on the second last hole towards the water, but found the ball in the hazard just on the rocks, screwed up the first recovery shot when the ball just travelled 2 feet, but punched out with a 5 iron on the next shot.

I really needed bogey on that hole (or better), so I flew a long 5 wood to greenside, chipped it past the hole, and made a 11 ft putt for my bogey 6. Parred the last hole easily, and jumped for joy!

Shot a 39 on the front and 39 on the back for a 78 total!!!

How did I do it? Didn't do anything spectacular, just didn't blow any holes and had 13 pars, 4 bogeys and 1 double bogey. Didn't try to think about the swing or anything. Just focused on the target and swung with confidence. When my playing partners started discussing their swing mechanics, i tried not to listen as it would affect my own swing. My swing thought for that day was TAKE DEAD AIM and Grip it and Rip it! Well, it worked that day.

If I could get up and down better there would have been a much lower score, but who cares. I'll just enjoy the moment now and hope to repeat this feat consistently. Now the next aim is to break 70. Wonder if that's possible for me... well, no harm trying.

better scores, new discoveries

2008-10-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

OK, starting to shoot low 80s regularly now, just shot an 84 on the last game despite spending the first half of the day out at sea fishing. Been shooting 40 a few times during 9 hole practice.

Learnt a few more important things that helped lower the scores.

1. short putting: more aggressive shot with less break has much higher probability of going in the hole than dying short putt. (reason: only 1 factor (line) is in play when the putt is slightly more aggressive, while 2 factors are in play (strength and line) on a dying putt, plus more break has to be factored in, which increases misses.)

2. chipping : strength and acceleration through the ball at correct target point and confidence in swing helps put ball near the pin (and i mean VERY near) most of the time.

3. mental focus and positiveness: less mental errors on the course= lower scores. staying positive prevents 1 bad shot from turning into 2 bad shots.

4. range practice is crucial in keeping swing consistent on the course. once or twice a week is sufficient to maintain nice swing.

OK, these are my notes on my last few games, at least i'm starting to win many skins even if i haven't broken 80. that's still the target, though.

Back to golf

2008-09-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

Finally back from one year in the golf wilderness, changing swings, playing without seriousness or any analysis, keeping my handicap at 11.9. shooting low 90s and the occasional 80s, but not making much progress in terms of breaking 80.

So what changes have I made?

1. More upright stance
2. Better, more technically sound, grip
3. Better feel around the greens
4. More dependable bunker shots because of change in targetting focus

Overall, better distance and a clearer picture of the parameters for good scores.

Ranked in order of importance, here is what I feel contributes most to lower scores.

1. short distance putting (10 ft and under) - really important to make these putts cos a missed putt is a stroke lost - concentration, strength and a proper read of the line are crucial
2. lag putting and med distance putting (above 10 ft) - these must be put near the hole (sinking them is a bonus) to avoid a risky situation of lost strokes - speed is really important and the gradient of the ball to hole must be studied
3. Drive - a good drive builds confidence and brings the hole nearer, it can help me focus on attacking the pin rather than just trying to get out of trouble on my second shot - distance from the ball must be just right, too near and a hook will result. proper grip pressure, stance and shoulder tilt are the basic requirements for a long, straight and repeatable drive.
4. chipping - this turns bogey into par - the reading of the target spot, club selection and proper execution are crucial - loose hands
5. iron approach shot - the problem recently has been duffing (esp if I forget the proper stance) - getting on the green as frequently as possible - GIR - many claim this to be the crucial score determiner, and rightly so if other departments are not working well, it sure makes par easier
6. recovery shots from off the fairway - this is a stroke saver, sometimes playing safe could simply mean one lost stroke but making another mistake from the jungle might be very costly - the right decisions based on circumstances (lie, line of sight, risk and reward assessment etc)
7. fairway woods - this is my go-to shot. long, straight and dependable... just avoid the rare topped shot when not concentrating
8. bunker shots - that grain of sand an inch behind the ball is so important - look at it!

recent scores:
8 Sep 2008 - 90
9 Sep 2008 - 90
10 Sep 2008 - 87

OK now I think I'll try to play better golf again.

july No.1, 9 holes

2007-07-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

Month ------Jul------Aug------Sep------Oct------Nov------Dec
Played-------1
mistakes---6
allowed-----18/9-----16/8-----14/7-----12/6-----10/5-----8/4
target -----88/44----86/43----84/42----82/41---80/40---78/39
Best score---41

Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,short,putt) Remarks(mistakes)

10......12.......4..... 380 _ 4 (2,1,1) sand save 1
11......16.......3..... 173 _ 4 (1,1,2) chipped to 8ft not enough1
12.......2.......4..... 415 _ 5 (2,1,2) pitched to 8ft not enough
13......10......4..... 370 _ 4 (2,1,1) chipped to 7ft and parred1
14.......8.......5..... 480 _ 5 (3,0,2) first putt short 5ft, made1
15......18......3..... 150 _ 5 (1,1,3) first putt too aggressive1
16.......4.......5..... 484 _ 6 (3,0,3) short par putt missed1
17......14.......4..... 337 _ 4 (2,0,2) gd adjustment to slope
18.......6.......4..... 386 _ 4 (2,1,1) gd pitch to 5ft, made it
In.................36..3175 _ 41 (17 putts), 6 mistakes

5 over par 41

10. missed green from 170m
11. chipped a little too hard
13. chipped too short duff
14. lag putt short
15. too agressive par putt
16. too casual putt

Mistakes were mostly causd by poor chipping 2 and putting 3. Keep focused.

ENROLLED for new self monitoring program to Break 80 in 6 months... see if it works

2007-06-28T19:52:00.000-07:00

Haha, I've finally fallen for it, the Break 80 in 6 months thing. Well, with nothing to lose, why not give it a try? Let's see how it goes.

A. Criteria for breaking 80 consistently:

1. good drive

2. good mental game and course management

3. accurate short irons (7 iron to SW)

4. good pitching and chipping

5. excellent putting (especially pace), lag and short

6. steady long clubs (6 iron to 3W)

7. perfect escape shots from trouble (eg. low punch)

8. good bunker play (out in one, with par chance) (fairway/ greenside)

9. shot-shaping (high, low, fade, draw)

B. The general rule is that mistakes can and will occur in a few, if not all, of these areas. Since a mistake will generally lead to a stroke lost, the given formula for 18 hole scoring would be [Score= par + No. of mistakes - 2], and for 9 hole scoring would be [Score=par + No. of mistakes -1] , allowing for some excellent shots. So, to shoot 78 for a par 72 course, the No. of mistakes (NOM)allowed would be 8. (For 39 in 9 holes, NOM=4)

C. The aim of the program then, would be to reduce the NOM per round gradually over 6 months CONSCIOUSLY, by tracking scores, noting the common mistake areas, and doing extra work on those areas. It is hoped that frequent playing (minimum 3x per week) WITH AIM IN MIND would bring the average score to 78.

(refer to post dated 28 Jun 2007)
D. Here is the TRACKING TABLE:

Month ------Jul------Aug------Sep------Oct------Nov------Dec
Played
mistakes
allowed-----18/9-----16/8-----14/7-----12/6-----10/5-----8/4
target -----88/44----86/43----84/42----82/41---80/40---78/39
Best score

E. Here is the basic scorecard:
Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,short,putt) Remarks(mistakes)
1.........7........5......495 _
2........15.......3..... 165 _
3.........3........4..... 420 _
4........17.......3..... 140 _
5.........9........4..... 380 _
6.........1........5..... 515 _
7........11.......4..... 360 _
8........13.......4..... 346 _
9.........5........4..... 385 _

Out..............36...3206 _

10......12.......4..... 380 _
11......16.......3..... 173 _
12.......2.......4..... 415 _
13......10......4..... 370 _
14.......8.......5..... 480 _
15......18......3..... 150 _
16.......4.......5..... 484 _
17......14.......4..... 337 _
18.......6.......4..... 386 _

In.................36..3175 _

Total............72....6381_

GIR: Ratio/ % =
Fairways Hit: Ratio/ %=
Driving Ave (Hole, 1,5,6,10,14,16)/6=
Learning Points =

F. OK, so here goes. Let's see if it works.

CONCENTRATION-general play analysis

2007-06-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,chip,putt) Remarks
1.........7........5......495 _7 (3,1,3) horrible green, but no excuse, must adapt
2........15.......3..... 165 _3 (1,0,2) gd tee shot
3.........3........4..... 420 _5 (2,1,2) must chip better
4........17.......3..... 140 _4 (1,1,2) gd bunker shot
5.........9........4..... 380 _5 (2,1,2) must chip better
6.........1........5..... 515 _ 10 (7,1,2) went water twice, sliced the drive, bad lie for 3rd
7........11.......4..... 360 _5 (2,1,2) two gd bunker shots (fairway, greenside)
8........13.......4..... 346 _ 4 (2,0,2) missed birdie putt (great drive 240m and approach)
9.........5........4..... 385 _5 (2,1,2) must chip better
Out..............36...3206 _ 48 (19 putts)

1. Driving well generally, slight draw, 210m to 240m. Except the disaster on 6th hole, one wasted drive led to a 10 after concentration was affected. Must learn to regroup properly after one bad shot and not let it lead to a series of bad shots out of frustration. (wasted 3 strokes because of frustration)

2. chipping very badly , can't put them within 4 ft range today, maybe the green has a part to play, but must visualise properly then chip, too rash and over-confident. (wasted 3 strokes, should have been one putted)

3. 3 putted the first hole, must observe green carefully: sandy green less break, sandy green slower (wasted 1 stroke)

Learning Points:
1. could have saved 7 strokes with better mental game (frustration, stick to proper short game routine)

2. drive starting to really stabilize, only one wayward drive out of 7 drives. distance going up. Average 210m, occasional 230-240m ones show that there is a possibility of reaching those distances.

Latest check on skills and targets

2007-06-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

Current handicap index - 12.8

1. putting: rather confident with putts under 40 ft , very confident with putts under 8 ft, only slight problems with the very short putts (around 3 ft) ... if concentration is off, can miss. KEY: concentrate on these short putts and don't be complacent.

2. driving: after being lost in the driving wilderness for a while, with attempted swing changes that seemed rather disastrous, the driving is starting to steady up. Average distances also slowly creeping upwards, with a few 230m-240m drives showing up on occasion. Consistency also improving.

3. chipping: requires constant maintenance. after a few days break, a little practice is required to sharpen the short game.

yesterday's game analysis:

Hole Par Score Long Chip Putt Remarks
1 5 5 3 0 2 Drive mis-hit, gd 3 wd, gd 6 iron approach, gd 2 putt
2 3 3 1 1 1 decent uphill chip past pin, 6 ft putt sank
3 4 6 2 2 2 sliced the 3 wd approach, duffed first chip on sandy rough
4 3 4 1 bunker 2 decent bunker shot, but not near enough to pin for sand save
5 4 5 3 0 2 pulled the drive, hit tree, gd 3wd and SW to 10ft
6 5 5 3 0 2 drive cleared water, duffed 5W, gd 3W from 200m on green
7 4 4 2 0 2 gd drive, almost eagled approach, wasted short putt from 3 ft
8 4 5 2 1 2 approach pulled left of green, chipped past by 10ft
9 4 6 2 2 2 duffed 3w approach to left bunker, blasted past green... too clean

36 43 17 putts

1. major blunder on hole 3 should have been avoided, chip from sandy rough MUST contact ball first! (1 stroke)
2. major mistake on hole 3 that could have been avoided: 3 wd slice (watch address position) (1 stroke)
3. hole 7 should have sunk short birdie putt, but too casual... putt seriously! (1 stroke)
4. hole 9 error, MUST take sand from greenside bunker, or ball will fly over the green to other side! (1 stroke)

COULD HAVE SAVED 4 strokes for a 39.

Personal Improvement Plan

2007-05-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Current USGA handicap 13.0
Average score from blue tees at Seletar: 86-88

Target handicap and average by Jan 2008: 6.0 , 79-81

Score depends on performance in 7 key areas:
1. Putting
A. short (<10ft)1-4 steps
B. med (10-25ft) 4-10 steps
C. lag / long (>25 ft) > 10 steps

2. Driving
A. Distance
B. Direction

3. chipping
A. short (just off green)
B. med (around 25 m)
c. long chips and pitches ( 30-50m)

4. < 150m approach shots

5. 150m-200m shots

6. bunker shots
A. Greenside
B. Fairway

7. Mental components:
A. Concentration and fight
B. Course management and strategy

Step 1: Plan a program to work on these 7 key areas
Step 2: Implement program and track progress

SUnday 29 apr 9 holes general play

2007-04-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

walked 9 holes on sunday evening to see what would happen if I took my chipping and putting a little more seriously... much better results. But after 7 pm, the light started fading fast and the last 3 holes were played in semi darkness... so i lost a little concentration there trying to speed up play and couldn't really read the greens well towards the end.

Hole Score ,Putts, Chips ,Sand, GIR(Y/N)
1(5) 5 ,2,0,0,Y
2(3) 2,1,0,0,Y
3(4) 4,1,1,0,N
4(3)3,2,0,0,Y
5(4)5,2,0,0,N (drove into trouble, 1 shot punch out)
6(5)6,2,1,0,N (hard chip)
7(4)6,1,2,1,N
8(4) 5, 2,1,0,N
9(4) 5,2,1,0,N

(36) 41 (+5) , 15 putts, 3 GIR

projected 82 (+10), 30 putts, 6 GIR

thoughts:
1. concentration on short game is key to good scores, was even par after 5 holes, missed a short par putt on the 6th, and when the game was sped up cos of darkness, everything went.
2. hole 7 was double bogeyed, did well from fairway bunker to get to greenside bunker, but hurried the shot and sent it way over the green, hurried the first chip and didn't even reach the green, then chipped the second one near enough for a one putt double bogey.
3. hole 8 missed short par putt after good chip to 5 ft
4. hole 9 missed short par putt again after good approach after pulled 3 wood to the left, missed from under 10 feet again.

Takeaway:
1. driver - keep it OUT of trouble
2. CHIP AND PUTT - concentrate! could have saved 3 strokes today.

10(4) 11(3) 12(4) 13(4) 14(5) 15(3) 16(5) 17(4) 18(4) (36)

26 Apr 9 hole practice round, played in darkness for last 3 holes

2007-04-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hole, score, putts, chips, sand, gir (Y/N)
1(5) 5, 1, 0, 1, - ee
2(3) 4, 2, 1, -, - ae 1
3(4)6, 3, 1, -, - ae 2
4(3)4, 1, 2, -, - ae 1
5(4)4, 1, 1, -, - ee
6(5)7, 1, 2, -, - ae 1
7(4)5, 3,0, -,Y - ae 1
8(4)6, 3, 1, -, - ae 2
9(4) 5, 2,1,-,- me

(save 8 strokes X 2 = 16)

Total: 46 (10 over), 17, 9,1,1 (Saves: 2)(3 putts: 3)

projected: 92 (+20), 34, (6 3-putts)
analysis:
1. darkness and flu aside, the drives were ok, approaches ok (around the green, but not sharp enough), chipping was not helpful (couldn't pick the right landing zones), putting was worse (3 putted thrice from short distances (about 15-20ft) cos of poor distance control in first putt)

work on:
1. putting to eliminate 3 putts (possibly save 3X2=6 strokes)
2.chipping to save par (put ball within 2 ft radius of hole) - (possibly save 5X2=10)

possibly save 16 strokes from +20 to play a +4 (76) for 18 holes.

moral of the story: chip and putt properly!

hole in one, improve game

2007-04-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

another hole in one on 13 March 2007 complemented my hole in one on 9 Dec 2006. Same hole, same club...

Well, currently my USGA handicap index stands at 13.0, and I recently shot an 84 on 13 April at Laguna, which put me at 2nd position for gross score for that competition.

I think it's time for me to start tracking my scores properly again if I ever want to keep improving. So here's my aim, to shave 10 strokes off my average score, and that would have me firing in the mid 70s. How to go about it? I saw from Golf Digest that the game improvement scorecard is interestingly formatted.

Target: 75

Template

Hole Score GIR Putts Chips Sand Saved
1(5)
2(3)
3(4)
4(3)
5(4)
6(5)
7(4)
8(4)
9(4)

(36)

Hole Score GIR Putts Chips Sand Saved

10(4)
11(3)
12(4)
13(4)
14(5)
15(3)
16(5)
17(4)
18(4)

(36)

Total Score GIR Putts Saves

Will start following this to see if I can shave 10 strokes off my score.

Intermediate targets (to shave 10 strokes)
a. hit more fairways off the drive (10 out of 14) - 71% (shave 2)
b. hit more GIRs (10 out of 18) - 56% (shave 2)
c. avoid more 3 putts and make some 1 putts (total 32 putts per round) (shave 2)
d. chip better (make 90% saves from chipping around the green, only allow 1 mistake) (shave 2)
e. sand shots (get out of the bunker in 1 shot and within 10 ft from hole, every time) (shave 1)
f. course management (stick to the gameplan and don't do stupid things, NO stupid actions allowed)(shave 1)

Social round on Sunday 4 Feb and 9 holes on 6 Feb

2007-02-06T15:42:00.000-08:00

Sunday 4 Feb

only the first and last drives were solid, but having problems keeping the ball on the fairway from the drive. Gotta work on this. Chips not doing well too, seem to have forgotten how to chip it to within 1 foot of the hole, sigh.

6 Feb general play

did some research on driving, went to the course, and started hitting my drives long and straight again. shot a 45 due to bad putting on sand covered greens. Drove and chipped better.

Notes:
1. Driver -
a. choke down a little for control
b. head behind ball
c. strong grip
d. tempo ... 1,2,3
e. swing through, aim 10m right of target to allow for 10m draw

2. Chipping-
a. trust the favourite club
b. focus on small landing zone (imagery of a tee box marker used for practice)

hcp now 14.8... qualified for SGA league B div

Won my first golf championship on Sunday 21/1/07

2007-01-21T16:18:00.000-08:00

Now playing off a handicap of 12.1, I entered the 2007 Seletar Country Club handicap 4 ball better ball matchplay competition just for some experience. Didn't expect to win though.

Stage one, qualified as one of the top 16 players in Jan club medal game
Quarter finals: Partnered RL to defeat DL and JO 1 up on hole 19 (sudden death)
note: we were 2 down with 4 holes to play

Semi-finals: with RL, we defeated KC and LAU 1 up on hole 18, once again, we came from behind and never led till we won the last hole.

Finals 21 Jan 2007: with RL, we met strong opponents CG and LAI, went 2 down early in the game, and struggled back to be 1 up by the turn. Then we went 1 down again on the 11th hole, but fought back to 1 up by the 14th hole, then LAI made it all square with a good birdie at the par 3 15th. We halved 16 with me and CG getting pars, then halved 17 with CG and me getting bogeys, then on 18th, I blew my drive into the left rough, punched out, and hit to greenside bunker on the 3rd shot. Meanwhile, RL and CG were 2 on, while LAI was way out. I posted a double bogey 6, but my partner struck a beautiful winning putt for par when CG hit his first putt too soft, then missed his second but right by a mere centimetre. WE WON!!!!

This marks another milestone in my golf adventures, now I've learnt how to win, after coming in 2nd three times and 3rd once in 2006 for various club tournaments. Will be hoping to play in the SGA league this year if not next year.

Positions:
1st: once (4bbb matchplay with RL) 21 Jan 2007
2nd: 3 times (SCC vs Segamat with DO, Nov medal B div, Dec medal B div)
3rd: once (SCC vs Kluang with DO)

Total top 3s: 5 times
Hole in ones: 1 Time (9 Dec 2006)

HOLE IN ONE on 9th Dec 2006

2006-12-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

ALRIGHT!!!!! shot a hole in one at seletar during the monthly medal on 9th dec 2006. hole 4. 6 iron struck sweetly into the strong headwind, flew 145m, landed a few feet before the hole and rolled straight in. We all saw it. It was sweet...

after that couldn't play properly already. Still having the flu, and my mind was in all places, so I shot a 90 from the blue, but strangely, I came in 2nd in the B div again. haha. looks like everyone played badly too.

usga hcp now 14.0 but i think it will kena chop again.... dun think there's anymore chance to stay in B div... sigh

new r7 425 working well.

Another milestone, nov monthly medal results and Sunday 3 Dec score

2006-12-03T18:18:00.000-08:00

I found out that my 89 from the blue tees in the NOV medals landed me in 2nd place in the B Div. So now my handicap index has been cut to 14.0

Played 84 from the blue tees for the first time yesterday. Played with an r7 driver with Jap specs, was driving on average 10m more than my r5, plus straighter too. I'll go buy one today.

Weakness: Chipping it close EVERY TIME. This is possible, must practice.

Golf improving... inter club segamat and kluang

2006-11-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

Been playing lots of golf as usual, besides the daily rounds of golf and recently started gym workouts, I joined a few competitions and shot some good scores (by my standards). Here's a brief summary:

29 Oct 2006: My first inter-club friendly against Kluang. Partnered David (I shot 89) to 45 pts stableford. Came in 3rd for Seletar.

12 Nov 2006: Captain's prize. Partnered Arthur, Texas Scramble. Played 5 under.

19 Nov 2006: Inter-club against Segamat. Partnered David (I shot 84) to 47 pts stableford. Came in 2nd for Seletar.
(84 is my best official 18 hole score to date)

24 Nov 2006 (Fri): Played at Singapore Open venue (Serapong at Sentosa) off the blue tees, shot a 97 and thoroughly enjoyed myself, imagining that I'm playing the singapore open.

26 Nov 2006 (sun): Seletar monthly medal, with Edmund, Chia and KC Tan, shot an 89 from the blue, which is 3 under for the course. (HCP index 16.0, course rating 143, course hcp 20), for 39 stableford points. (45 front, 44 back)

Improvements so far:
1. Driving distance and consistency (crucial for Seletar Blue tees): ave 220m, hit 8 out of 14 fairways, draw to straight ball. (Danger: hook on first few holes)

2. Getting up and down: improved chipping with Sand Wedge AND Pitching Wedge, able to get up and down more frequently.

3. Putting distance and direction control: stroke and confidence have improved, especially for putts under 10 paces (25 feet). Putts 3 paces or less have a high percentage of falling (10ft). Some one putts from 4 to 7 paces (11ft to 18 ft) occur per round.

Must improve:
1. Iron approach to the green (80m to 150m), to put within 7 paces of the pin.

2. Sand saves, to be able to get out in one and put the ball within 3 paces of the pin.

flurry of golf activities

2006-10-29T15:53:00.000-08:00

last fri i played 27 holes. 9 at seletar in the morning with vicki, quek and simitzu, scored 45 off the blue. Then went for charity golf at raffles country club, played inconsistent golf in the rain, and scored 93 (21 over par). Turned out that many didn't play well, and with the double peoria system, I came in 4th overall. Was more lucky in the lucky draw.

Sunday 29th Oct, played for seletar against kluang country club in the inter-club, partnered david against richard and chai. scored 89, won the 3rd best pairing of the day with 45 pts.

19 Oct 06 - gen play 9 holes, michael, james, chua-44

2006-10-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,short,putt) Remarks
1.........7........5......495 _ 5(3,0,2)long good drive swing THROUGH
2........15.......3..... 165 _5(1,2,2)bad first chip over bunker
3.........3........4..... 420 _ 4(3,0,1)excellent 20 ft par putt
4........17.......3..... 140 _ 5(1,3,1)bunker to hazard line
5.........9........4..... 380 _ 4(3,0,1)duffed 2nd shot
6.........1........5..... 515 _ 6(3,1,2)missed 8 ft par putt
7........11.......4..... 360 _ 4(2,0,2)
8........13.......4..... 346 _ 6(2,1,3)chipped 50ft past hole
9.........5........4..... 385 _ 5(2,1,2)
Out..............36...3206 _44(+8) (20,8,16(32))

10......12.......4..... 380 _
11......16.......3..... 173 _
12.......2.......4..... 415 _
13......10......4..... 370 _
14.......8.......5..... 480 _
15......18......3..... 150 _
16.......4.......5..... 484 _
17......14.......4..... 337 _
18.......6.......4..... 386 _
In.................36..3175 _

Total............72....6381_

GIR: Ratio/ % = 2/9=22%
Fairways Hit: Ratio/ %= 4/7=57%
Driving Ave =220 + 200 + 200/3=207m/230yds
Learning Points =drive swing through, must practice bunker and follow dave pelz putting drills (short putt, 20ft putt, lag putt, safety drawback)

17 Oct 06 friendly skins game, bob,chua,kg

2006-10-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,short,putt) Remarks
1.........7........5......495 _ 6(3,2,1) duffed first chip
2........15.......3..... 165 _ 4(1,1,2) missed 3 ft putt
3.........3........4..... 420 _5 (2,1,2) 40m pitch to 15ft
4........17.......3..... 140 _ 3(1,1,1) chipped to 5ft
5.........9........4..... 380 _ 5(2,1,2)
6.........1........5..... 515 _ 7 (4,1,2) first shot landed on slope
7........11.......4..... 360 _ 4 (2,1,1) sank 6 ft putt
8........13.......4..... 346 _ 4 (2,0,3) missed 5 ft putt
9.........5........4..... 385 _ 6 (2,2,2) bunker out to fringe

Out..............36...3206 _ 44(19,10,16) (+8)

10......12.......4..... 380 _ 6(3,1,2) duffed second shot
11......16.......3..... 173 _ 3 (1,0,2) decent putting
12.......2.......4..... 415 _ 5 (2,1,2)
13......10......4..... 370 _ 5 (3,1,1) hit 2nd from hazard
14.......8.......5..... 480 _6(4,0,2) hit 2nd shot into right water
15......18......3..... 150 _4 (1,2,1) 2 shots from bunker
16.......4.......5..... 484 _ 6(3,1,2) missed 8 ft putt
17......14.......4..... 337 _ 4 (2,1,1) chipped to 3 ft
18.......6.......4..... 386 _ 6 (4,0,2) drove right into water

In.................36..3175 _45 (+9) (23,7,15) a few good chips

Total............72....6381_ 89 (+17)(42,17,31) putting saved the score

GIR: Ratio/ % =
Fairways Hit: Ratio/ %=
Driving Ave (Hole, 1,5,6,10,14,16)/6= 200m
Learning Points = chipping and putting kept the score respectable, but losing distance from the drive cos not swinging through + no physical training this week

16 Oct 2006 PM - practice round scc-92

2006-10-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,short,putt) Remarks
1.........7........5......495 _7 (4,1,2) 2 bunkers
2........15.......3..... 165 _3 (1,1,1) sank 3 ft par putt
3.........3........4..... 420 _5 (3,1,1) sank 4 ft bogey putt
4........17.......3..... 140 _ 4 (1,1,2) putted out of bunker
5.........9........4..... 380 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed 4 ft par putt
6.........1........5..... 515 _ 7 (5,1,1) topped 3rd shot into water
7........11.......4..... 360 _ 5 (2,1,2) bunker out with PW hard sand
8........13.......4..... 346 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed 3 ft par putt
9.........5........4..... 385 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed 3 ft par putt
Out..............36...3206 _46 (22,9,15), hazy day, sandy greens

10......12.......4..... 380 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed 6 ft par putt
11......16.......3..... 173 _ 5 (3,1,1) topped 1st shot into water
12.......2.......4..... 415 _ 5 (2,1,2) pitched from 50m to 15 ft
13......10......4..... 370 _ 5 (2,1,2) pithed from 50m to 20 ft
14.......8.......5..... 480 _6(3,0,3) missed 5 ft par putt
15......18......3..... 150 _ 4 (1,2,1) PW out from hard bunker
16.......4.......5..... 484 _ 6 (4,0,2) tee shot into left water
17......14.......4..... 337 _ 5(2,1,2) missed 4 ft par putt
18.......6.......4..... 386 _ 5 (2,1,2) pitched from 40m to 10ft
In.................36..3175 _46 (21,8,17)

Total............72....6381_ 92(43,17,32) really need to make short putts

GIR: Ratio/ % = bad
Fairways Hit: Ratio/ %= not bad
Driving Ave (Hole, 1,5,6,10,14,16)/6= about 210m (lethargy?)
Learning Points = missed 6 putts below 6ft, sank 12 below 3ft. (12/18) need to work on my putting, reading dave pelz book on putting like the pros (hope it will help)

15 Oct PM Seletar Country Club Championship 2nd Round - 96

2006-10-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,short,putt) Remarks
1.........7........5......495 _ 7 (5,0,2) 1st shot OB left
2........15.......3..... 165 _ 5 (1,1,3) bunker to 3 shot zone
3.........3........4..... 420 _ 6 (2,2,2) 40m pitch topped
4........17.......3..... 140 _ 4 (1,0,3) missed short putt
5.........9........4..... 380 _ 6 (3,1,2) drove right into drain
6.........1........5..... 515 _7 (5,0,2) 3rd shot topped into water
7........11.......4..... 360 _ 7 (3,2,2) fairway+greenside sand
8........13.......4..... 346 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed 4 ft putt
9.........5........4..... 385 _ 5 (2,1,2)
Out..............36...3206 _ 52 (+16) (24,8,20)

10......12.......4..... 380 _ 6(3,1,2) fairway bunker
11......16.......3..... 173 _ 5 (1,2,2) chipped short, missed 3ft putt
12.......2.......4..... 415 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed 4 ft putt
13......10......4..... 370 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed 4 ft putt
14.......8.......5..... 480 _ 5 (3,1,1) chipped 1 ft from hole
15......18......3..... 150 _ 3 (1,1,1) sank 4 ft putt
16.......4.......5..... 484 _ 5 (3,1,1) sank 5 ft putt
17......14.......4..... 337 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed 4 ft putt
18.......6.......4..... 386 _ 5 (2,1,2)
In.................36..3175 _ 44 (+8) (19,10,15)

Total............72....6381_96 (+24) (43,18,35)
GIR: Ratio/ % =
Fairways Hit: Ratio/ %=
Driving Ave (Hole, 1,5,6,10,14,16)/6=
Learning Points = stay out of trouble, avoid sand, practice putting, choke down on driver

12 Oct 2006 PM seletar - 88 blue

2006-10-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,short,putt) Remarks
1.........7........5......495 _ 6 (3,1,2) missed short putt
2........15.......3..... 165 _ 3 (1,0,2)
3.........3........4..... 420 _ 5 (2,1,2)
4........17.......3..... 140 _ 5 (1,2,2) overshot green
5.........9........4..... 380 _5 (2,1,2) missed short putt
6.........1........5..... 515 _ 6 (3,1,2) best drive of 9
7........11.......4..... 360 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed short putt
8........13.......4..... 346 _ 5 (2,1,2) missed short putt
9.........5........4..... 385 _ 6 (3,1,2) missed short putt
Out..............36...3206 _ 46 (+10) (19,9,18)

10......12.......4..... 380 _5 (2,1,2) missed short putt
11......16.......3..... 173 _ 3 (1,1,1) finally up and down
12.......2.......4..... 415 _ 6 (3,1,2) missed short putt
13......10......4..... 370 _ 6 (3,1,2) missed short putt
14.......8.......5..... 480 _ 6 (3,0,3) missed 1 ft putt
15......18......3..... 150 _ 3 (1,1,1) saved par
16.......4.......5..... 484 _ 5 (3,0,2) best drive of 9
17......14.......4..... 337 _ 4 (2,0,2) steady play
18.......6.......4..... 386 _ 4 (3,0,1) approach to 10cm
In.................36..3175 _ 42 (+6) (21,5,16)

Total............72....6381_ 88 (+16) (40,14,34)

GIR: Ratio/ % = 4/18=22%
Fairways Hit: Ratio/ %=12/14=71%
Driving Ave = 220 + 225 /2 = 222.5m or 245 yards
Learning Points= trust your own line with short putts (ignore others' comments on line), drive every ball like you need it long and straight (like hole 6) you've got to want to drive it good

Seletar Scorecard: course index 143 (blue)

2006-10-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hole. Index. Par. Dist(m). Score (Long,short,putt) Remarks
1.........7........5......495 _
2........15.......3..... 165 _
3.........3........4..... 420 _
4........17.......3..... 140 _
5.........9........4..... 380 _
6.........1........5..... 515 _
7........11.......4..... 360 _
8........13.......4..... 346 _
9.........5........4..... 385 _
Out..............36...3206 _

10......12.......4..... 380 _
11......16.......3..... 173 _
12.......2.......4..... 415 _
13......10......4..... 370 _
14.......8.......5..... 480 _
15......18......3..... 150 _
16.......4.......5..... 484 _
17......14.......4..... 337 _
18.......6.......4..... 386 _
In.................36..3175 _
Total............72....6381_

GIR: Ratio/ % =
Fairways Hit: Ratio/ %=
Driving Ave (Hole, 1,5,6,10,14,16)/6=
Learning Points =

scc (18 from the blue) - 94

2006-10-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hole...... 1....2......3......4......5......6......7......8......9......out _________________________________________________
Index... 7....15......3.....17.....9......1......11....13.....5 _________________________________________________ Blue....495..165...420...140..380..515....360...346..385...3206 m _________________________________________________ Par........5.....3......4......3......4......5.......4......4......4......36 _________________________________________________
Score...6.....4......6.......4......6......7.......5......5......5......48
_________________________________________________
Fairways
GIR
Putts
Up & Down
Remarks : the drive on 6 should have been more right, then it wouldn't have entered water.

Hole...10....11....12....13....14....15....16....17....18.... in _________________________________________________ Index..12....16.....2.....10.....8....18.....4......14.....6 _________________________________________________ Blue...380..173..415...370..480..150..484...337...386...3175 m _________________________________________________ Par......4.....3......4......4......5......3......5......4......4......36 _________________________________________________
Score..5.....3......5......6......5......4......7......4......7...... 46
_________________________________________________
Fairways
GIR
Putts
Up & Down
Remarks : good 230m drive on 10th hole, lost the pro v 1 on the last hole again, stupid slice from the drive AGAIN!!! Must avoid slicing this hole next time.

TOTAL SCORE: 94 (1 over)
TO PAR : 22, course index 143
CURRENT USGA HANDICAP: 16.9
REMARKS: course handicap = 21 (16.9X143 /113)
LEARNING POINTS: don't overdo the gym workout, aching muscles don't help the swing, hard to achieve GIR with inconsistent direction. Be steady on the 3 foot putts, don't putt short. The PW and SW chips are ok, but the finishing putts must be improved. WORK ON SHORT PUTTS.

Seletar Scorecard Template

2006-10-06T01:27:00.001-07:00