Full Meltdown

WHS Scores

SOW: 25.0

EOW: 25.0

Welcome to this week’s rundown of everything 54 to Scratch, where I talk about the various things I’m doing to try and improve my game and build this community.

Let’s start with some off the course bits. First off - thank you to everyone who has followed my progress on Instagram so far. My aim when starting this blog was that I would try and grow something from scratch to document my journey, offering some much needed creativity into my life and lets face it - writing can be quite a cathartic process, which can only help with the mental aspects of golf and life in general.

I didn’t quite expect that I would be looking to grow quite this quickly. I mean, I don’t have thousands of followers or anything. But to be nearing the 100 mark, without the support of friends and family just yet (I haven’t told many people about this, so if you are a friend who knows - consider yourself to be underprivileged!) is somewhat humbling and surprising to me.

Seriously though, this week has seen the instagram rise above expectations after just a couple of weeks, the blog is getting read - thanks for that! I even have setup a YouTube - watch this space for content soon!

The lessons from Imagine Golf’s series based on Arnold Palmer’s book “A Life Well Played” have been really helpful this week too, focusing on some topics that have really resonated, not least the lesson on how AP had to fight against a lot of criticism about the way he played and, more bizarrely in my opinion, his swing.

Having videoed myself for the first time in the past few weeks for Instagram, I’ve seen my swing at full speed and was surprised at the speed of the whole thing. I have a lesson the day this blog goes live with Tom where I will be discussing with him the tempo of my swing and if it’s actually ok or not…

So off the course, lots going on that’s positive and as I mentioned last week I feel quite confident at the moment despite the conditions sometimes getting the better of me that come spring my handicap will tumble.

And this weeks round seemed to be following this pattern. I was playing my home course (kingsnorth GC) and the weather was not too bad at all. It had rained the previous day, which had left some of the fairways boggy with standing water and some of the water features had broken their banks, but otherwise was lovely.

Myself and my stepdad were playing together, with my brother in law joining for the back 9. We had a 4 ball ahead of us which was slowing proceedings on the first hole (par 4), but I have recently come to terms with slow play happening and not letting that affect my game, so was full of confidence over the ball.

My 5 Iron tee shot on the first went a little short, but middle of the fairway. My second shot I then caught fat and it took me against a bush which I was able to wedge myself into to get something on the ball and around the green. I then duffed a chip and still left myself with an 8 foot putt for a double bogey.

The second hole is a 90 degree dogleg to the left, so making the corner is critical if you want to get par. I often struggle with this as it’s about 190-200 yards to the corner, which makes it too short for a driver and too long for my hybrid in the current weather. I had decided to not use a tee on this hole for a change, as I’ve been finding that when I use my hybrid with a tee, I often hit it low and slicey. I absolutely crushed it, but still hadn’t made the corner, so needed to pitch over the trees and onto the middle of the fairway.

Unfortunately, my third shot was a little to the left in the rough and so I chipped onto the green but missed my putt from within 6 feet to get another 6. So - 4 over after 2 holes, but not the worst start I’ve ever had.

I then had one of my best runs in recent memory, starting with a par on the par 3 3rd. I hit a 6 iron into the wind that landed a mm short of being on the green, then putted 30 feet to a tap in for par. Probably the best I’ve played the hole if I’m honest. 4 bogies came next, with me driving to fairway on the 4th (par 4), leaving my approach short and 2 putting from the chip-on.

Another lovely tee shot on the 5th (par 3) went a little long, but another chip on and 2 putt gave me a 4, then the 6th loomed. I hit my iron short, but recovered with my hybrid. Another short approach into the wind meant I needed to chip to get on in 4 but managed to get this close enough to 1 putt.

Finally, my tee shot was a little wayward on the 7th (par 3) so mean another chip and 2 putt to see out my string of bogies.

Then, I went completely mad. My tee shot on the 8th (par 4) went slightly right into the rough. I had two options, either play a safe shot back onto the fairway, or play for the green which can be risky if you have a tendency to push right as there is a bomb hole with trees surrounding it. I swear the trees sometimes grow arms, catch your ball and throw it down there as if we are living in a golfing nightmare concocted by JR Tolkien himself…

Anyway, I hit the shot out of the rough well, but a little right, It hit a tree and went into the bomb hole. This wouldn’t normally be too bad, but at the moment it’s full of water. I went to have a look to see if I could find my ball - maybe it was on the bank and safe. I saw it - it was on the edge of the water and looked hittable.

I slipped my way down into the hole, to much laughter from my step dad, but when I got the ball it was submerged in about 2 inches of water. It still looked hittable. Now - I should have dropped. I could have even said to my stepdad that I’d have a couple of free goes at it.

I did neither and proceeded to try not once but twice before dropping. I still then needed to get round the trees and onto the green before 3 putting for the first time for a 9. I’m normally ok at recovering from these things - I feel like I’ve managed to overcome anger issues on the course over the past year.

But the disappointment at perceivably ruining a round got to me. I then had another bad hole, mis hitting my drive and a couple of other shots on the way to an 8 on a par 5. I then stupidly tried to drive the green on the next par 4, instead driving into the pond - a rather bizarre 4 putt then resulted in a 7. An 8 followed that, again with me losing a ball.

I’d gone into full on meltdown mode. I slightly recovered on the next par 3 with a 4, but that was a scramble after going into the rough. A 6 on the next hole, despite driving well again came, then another 3 putt resulted in another double bogie on the 14th.

By this point, I’ve gone from having potentially my best ever round at the club to not even breaking 100. With this realisation I step onto the 15th, the par 4 with the trees cutting into the fairway and proceed to hit my tee shot fat and short. It took every bit of self restraint I had to stop myself from throwing my clubs over the hedge into the adjacent field.

Thankfully, I got off that hole (with a triple) and then calmed down, telling myself that if I could just finish playing bogie golf, I’d come away happy. The 16th (par 3) was a double, so had to tell myself the same thing again. I then played the next 2 holes well, getting bogies on both, despite losing a ball on the 18th.

If there is anything to take from this, I guess it’s this - bad shots are going to happen. Don’t compound them though with a bad decision to follow. Also, anger has no place or point on the golf course. It just impairs your ability to play and read the course. My lesson with Tom is going to be an interesting one!

As always, thanks for taking the time to read. If you have the time, please checkout my instagram and follow. Until next time!

Gear Check

Driver - Callaway Rogue ST

Irons - Taylormade Stealth

Wedges - Taylormade Hi-Toe 52, 56, 60

Putter - Scotty Cameron Squareback

Shoes - Adidas Tour 360 22