I took a lesson before the round where we started at the range and then chipped and putted. On the range we worked on an 80 yard swing. I hit the ball really well; we also focused on alignment.

On chipping and putting: chipping we focused on making a smaller swing and leading with the toe of the club.

Putting was tough and I definitely got in my own head. The emphasis for putting was alignment and also striking the ball instead of pushing or jabbing at the ball. I tried to work on looking back and swinging immediately. As the round went on, this got away from me.

I think we also tried to focus on too many things in the lesson: full-swing alignment, and chipping, and playing from the sand, and putting. Don’t stab at the ball but don’t whack it. Etc etc etc.

However, i did articulate goals going into the lesson:

Goals for this lesson:

• Improve Chipping in order to get a short/m/long shot (5, 10, 15, 20)
• Figure out a 70 yard shot
• Continue swing improvements
• Play well immediately afterward

My last two rounds I have died to the short game. Round 1 I had an 85 at EI and had 41 putts and 51 total putter strokes: yikes!

EI round: I was in my head on putting and I’ve definitely gotten out of thinking about the backswing distance.

Round 2 at Welk Oaks course, i had 31 putts and 42 total strokes with the putter, which was better.

My issue was chipping: I made terrible contact on 11 chip shots on 9 holes: I was unable to hit the green and when I did hit the green, I was far away.

The other issue was that there were lots of awkward tee shot distances but I was also trying to figure out my gap wedge. I’m getting closer but need to talk it through/test with an expert.

Hole 1 I hit a 9 iron at the center of the green. My new clubs have added 10 yards so a 9 iron got me front of the green for a front pin position. It was an easy 2 putt that I did a good job with of looking at the hole and then immediately putting. As the round went on, I realize I got away from that good habit.

Oh we were playing best ball against Jimmy. We tied on hole 1; this also influenced some of the plays I made; I was being extremely aggressive.

GIR 1 and Par 1

I hit a 6 iron off the tee on hole 2 and hooked it. Ball went into the sand trap left of the green. I blasted the ball out of the trap and it rolled long of the green. I had an excellent chip putt from the fringe to 1 foot for par.

Jimmy drove the green and birdied.

Up and down 1 and par 2

Hole 3 is one where I made a mental error: I hit a choked up smooth 7 iron to ensure I reached the green backstop at the 150 yards. Except that I compressed the 7 iron and the ball ended up flying the green by 30 yards.

I then tried to hit a high shot, failed, and the ball went into the water. So that was a bad shot followed by a stupid shot.

Then I hit uphill onto the green and 3 putted from 28 feet. Not sure what happened here. I know it was a long putt that I missed. I think I also said I would 3 putt which was a bad call 😦

Jimmy birdied this hole. Our best was a 6.

Hole 4 I hit 9 iron thin but it ran up the hill through the green. I putt chipped on to 7 feet on a tough downhill putt and the 2 putted to make bogey. That was disappointing. I was definitely trying to make the par to try Jimmy.

I did not. He made the par.

Hole 5 I hit a good but short tee shot. I stopped short of the green but the chip shot was what I had practiced in the lesson. Missed my spot short but then drained the 10 foot putt for a par.

Par 3 and up and down 2

Hole 6 I hit my 9 iron a little thin. It ran over the green and left me a good chipping distance from the green. A great SW chip to 5 feet which I made for another par.

Par 4 and up and down 3.

Tied Jimmy on back-to-back holes.

Hole 7 I hit my 5 iron off the tree and pulled it. The ball bounced, ran down the hill and into the hazard. I then chunked my pitch shot to the front of the green.

Then I made a long 8 iron chip to 9 feet. I then proceeded to 3 putt for another 7. 

Jimmy hit his into the hazard but got up and down for a bogey.

Great tee shot on 8 to the left ridge of the green, exactly where I was aiming. Ball rolled backward leading to a 30-foot uphill putt that I promptly 3 putted. I was trying for birdie which is why I missed the lag putt (which I did do well). Then I missed the 4-footer, which ran away to 4 feet, and made the other 4 footer.

GIR 2 and 3-putt number 3

Jimmy missed his par putt by about a half-inch low and about 10 feet long. Then he cleaned up the 10-footer for a bogey. “Golf is stupid” he said.

Hole 9 I hit a 9 iron uphill and got backspin down to the 23 feet high of the pin. I missed the downhill put by an inch right and long. Going for birdie which is why I missed.

This was after Chason managed to putt his ball to an inch and make the par.

GIR 3 and 3 putt 4.

Hole 10: a tee great shot to 13 feet. Trusted my swing and trusted my distance and made the hard shot.

Tried for a birdie, missed it and 3 putted coming back. Jimmy had a bogey this hole and Kiv got us up-and-down for a par.

GIR 4 and 3 putt 5. 

Hole 11: finally hit a good tree shot on this hole but a little long. Chipped downhill and it ran out long to 9 feet. 2 putt for a bogey train.

Hole 12 was a bad one. I faded my PW long and right into a bush. Found the ball but I should have hit a provisional off the tee. I dropped into a tight dirt lie and thinned the ball into the drainage ditch in front. Automatic Ball Return back into a bush. Dropped out and got barely onto the green, 40 feet from the hole.

Missed the 40 foot putt, missed the 7 footer and then missed the easy tap in. 8. Hooray.

3 putt number 6 (with chip putting number 8)

Hole 13: great tee shot to the green. Went for birdie and gave it too much juice. The ball ran off the green and I could never get it back on: chip was a yard too short 3 times. Walked away with a GIR, 1-putt, 4 chip 6. Chason pared the hole so I was happy to give up.

GIR 5

Hole 14: still thinking about hole 13 I chunked it off the tee into a tight lie. Then I blasted the ball into the trap guarding the green and then blasted it out of the trap. 18y putt chip to 6 feet and I apparently missed the 6 footer. Not sure if I actually did but that’s what Arcoss says.

3 putt number 9

Good chip though.

Hole 15: good 8 iron tee shot that was long of the green. Good 18 yard putt chip from a tough lie downhill to 9 feet. Missed 9 footer for bogey.

3 putt number 10 (well, technically not but…).

Hole 16: shanked the first ball. Top hooked the second ball: both into the hazard. 

Third tee shot was good, to the green. 15 foot 2 putt for a 7- or a mulligan par.

Very nice that Kiv hit the green and made a 40 footer for birdie.

Hole 17: chunked my tee shot and then chipped on with a 9 iron that went way long. 14 foot 2 putt for bogey.

Hole 18: great tee shot to 7 feet long and good 2 putt for a par.

GIR 6 and par 5

The issue was the short game and penalties which is what happens at EI. Shot an 85 and we lost handily to Jimmy. I did contribute 4 scores and helped with 3 more so that felt good. Carried our team on the front 9.

21 tee shots, 15 were good.

2 approach shots.

39 putts, plus 5 chip putts for 44 total putter strokes.

21 tee shots

2 approach shots

39 putts

6 haz

6 penalty

14 chips

This time I both played better and worse. 5 pars, 7 bogies — and no doubles. But the blow ups were bad: 3 triples, 2 quads, and a +8 for 19 strokes over double.

Longest make was 10 feet.

1. Tee shot 1
2. 21-foot 2 putt on 1
3. 21-foot 2 putt on 1
4. 30-foot up and down on 2
5. 30-foot up and down on 2
6. 10 foot par save on 5
7. Chip to 5 feet on 6
8. 5 footer on 6 for par
9. 8 iron to 9 feet on 7
10. Tee shot on 8
11. Tee shot on 9
12. Tee shot on 10
13. Tee shot on 11
14. Tee shot on 13
15. Chip putt on 14
16. Chip putt on 15
17. Third tee shot on 16
18. 2 putt on 16
19. 2 putt on 16
20. Tee shot on 18
21. 2 putt on 18
22. 2 putt on 18

Shots to do over:

1. Tee shot on 3: 8 iron all day
2. First chip on 3: at a loss of what to do.
3. 3 putt on 3
4. Chip putt on 4
5. Approach on 7
6. 3 putt on 7
7. 3 putt on 8
8. 3 putt on 9
9. 3 putt on 10
10. 3 putt on 11
11. No provisional on 12
12. First chip on 12
13. Second chip on 12
14. First putt on 13
15. Tee shot on 14
16. Second shot on 14
17. Tee shot 1 on 16
18. Tee shot 2 on 16
19. Tee shot on 17

The issue on this round was blow up holes. Adding a 20 yard shot will be useful. And continued working on putting and chipping as well.

Had 7 GIR and 5 pars lol. Also got up and down 4 times (but 1 of them was I think on Hole 13).

3 up and downs, 7 GIRs … and 5 pars. Oof. I par-ed just 2 of those GIRs.

The match

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	N	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	O	T
J	3	3	2	3	3	3	5	4	3	29	4	3	3	4	2	3	4	3	4	30	59
Team	3	4	6	4	3	3	6	4	3	36	3	3	4	3	4	4	2	3	3	29	65