As some of you may know, I’ve decided to put myself through a 12-week Golf rehabilitation program as a way to 1) get my golf game back in shape and 2) get myself back in shape.
I went out for my 2nd 18 holes of the year on Friday. I played the same course and distances I played in late March. And the conditions were pretty much the same. Here’s how the fairways looked:
The greens were still a bit rough and bumpy, the rough was a bit taller, and the fairways were still barren. The weather was a chilly 45 degrees with a slight breeze and overcast. The biggest difference was that the ground was a bit dryer. I got a bit more roll on my drives and fairway shots.
The course I’m playing is Brenton Bay Gold Course. http://www.bretonbaygolf.com/ Established in 1971, Breton Bay Golf and Country Club is a member owned, semi-private country club featuring a premier 18-hole golf course overlooking Breton Bay in Southern Maryland. Playing from the black tees I shot an 85 on Friday. Which is 7 strokes better than the 92 I shot in late March.
My driving game was a lot different than the first time. I intentionally tried to “swing for the fences” (sorry bad baseball analogy). My drives were 20+ yards further than my first outing. I even hit one 295 (downwind though). But they were also more erratic off the tee. I found three fairway bunkers. But being longer off the tee was crucial to getting on the green in regulation. I had far more birdie putts (6) and birdie chips from the fringe (4) than my previous round. Unfortunately, I couldn’t convert on any of them, but they all lead to tap in pars.
My short game was also much better. I had better “feel” for my chips and putts. I’ve been chipping in my yard and putting in my living room almost everyday day for 30 minutes or so. My chips during the round were all within 8 feet and my putts all had a chance to go in…which means they were just past the hole but not on-line.
I’m happy with the progress I’ve made over two weeks. My goal is to shoot a 72 this year. 92 to 72…seems like a long way to go. I used to shoot in the mid to upper 70s all the time, when I was playing regularly…so it doesn’t seem that far off to me mentally or physically.
I’m continuing to workout about twice a week. I’ve added stretches that are specific to golf driving distance. My workout also focuses on distance off the tee. I bought a golf net and mat to put in the backyard. It should be here in about a day 😊. I plan on hitting balls every day. My focus will be on conditioning for distance. I’m convinced that if I can hit the ball farther, my game will improve. My goal is to average 285 off the tee. Which means I need to gain about 40 yards from where I am now.
I can do it!
Chris