Strange Day

If you had asked me at lunchtime about my golf and ultimately my goals for the year, the reply would not have been pretty. Frustrated, I'd come home from a terrible range session where every iron shot seemed wrong. Most were weak slices (not a normal shot for me) and there were no two consecutive shots that seemed to go in the same direction. Strangely the longer clubs and in particular my 3 wood and driver were behaving impeccably.

I'd already decided I was going to play nine holes at Royal Ascot if only to see for myself how wet the course was before the monthly stableford tomorrow morning. It was with little expectation that I teed my 5 wood up on the white tees at the first. I hit a decent enough shot, a little right and short, but it hadn't been an embarrassment. I hit a great pitch and putted out for par.

As I continued, I managed to get the ball into play off the tee but it became obvious my irons were still letting me down. A pushed 5 iron at the second, a fat approach at three and a pushed wedge at four had done nothing to improve my mood. Add a mis-firing short game into the equation and scoring was not pretty. I'm glad its not medal tomorrow.

I did managed to make a decent par at the last hitting a good drive down the right side of the fairway and a low 4 iron onto the front left of the green. At least I could feel I had made progress. As it was still light enough I decided a little short game practice was in order. Working more on a rocking shoulder motion and trying to keep the wrists passive I felt I'd made a couple of tiny steps forward.

Its hard to put a finger on what's wrong with my swing and in particular my irons today. I'm hoping it was just a bad morning at the range or at least if not, the problem is only small and a quick lesson will fix it. I'm not looking to set the world alight tomorrow and have no expectations to necessarily play well. The new more determined Homer will get his first outing and I'll be grinding for every single point but I'm realistic enough to realise my game isn't where it would have been without the snow putting a kybosh on everything.

It will be good to get out and actually play a full game and on proper greens (I'm done with temporary greens thank you very much). I know the course is very wet in places and so keeping it on the short stuff and taking advantage of winter rules will be key. Not putting any pressure on myself might be way forward as well. Either way I'll be sure to let you know, warts and all, how the first competitive round of 2010 went.

Happy golfing