Homer's Happy Place

Bearing in mind I am still to set foot on a golf course in 2014 this would seem an unlikely title for the latest instalment of Homer's Odyssey. Royal Ascot Golf Club have done well in keeping nine holes open most of the time although the back nine has succumbed to water logging in recent apocalyptic rainfall. I could have played the front nine but the idea of struggling around in wet, muddy conditions just to get a golfing fix didn't appeal and my new found love of the short game has given me an excuse to retire to the range and work on this facet.

First the bad news. Despite the love of all things short game, I am at a crossroad - AGAIN. I had a short game evaluation at Pachesham Golf Centre near Leatherhead at the weekend. We looked at the chipping action using the linear method and I left the session with plenty to work on but optimistic that I was on the right path. This evaluation programme is looking at chipping, pitching bunkers and putting as these will be key to shaving shots of my score, getting cut and reaching the nirvana of single figures.

My regular teaching professional Rhys ap Iolo at the Downshire Golf Centre is giving me an intense programme between now and the end of March on all aspects of my game so that I can hit the season running. I did the hard work on my swing last winter and although I didn't get the rewards my hard work deserved in 2013, my swing has moved forward and it is a question of refining now rather than rebuilding. The subject of chipping came up in our lesson on Monday. I explained what I had worked at Pachesham. He isn't a fan of the linear method. I knew that but he was very keen that I explored a more conventional method. He thinks in the long run it is simpler, less moving parts and there is less for me to think about.

So there's the dilemma I have. Put my faith in Rhys and have to work harder using a method I don't trust 100% or stick with the unorthodox linear method. This doesn't just impact chipping but will follow on into the pitching method. I've already eulogised about how positive the pitching work I've already done has been. Rhys and I started the session by working on some pitches and chips with a more neutral set up and action. The longer swing and more room to work on pitches were fine but minimise that into a chip going a few feet and there are still issues. How can such a simple part of the game have so many variants. Heck, I haven't even considered hinge and hold a la Phil Mickelson yet! And here I am thinking I am finally clearing the rubbish from my head. Still this is an issue for another lesson and another day. With more rain forecast and no sign of the course opening fully soon I am going to have time to weigh up the merits of both options in more detail.

The main focus of the lesson with Rhys on Monday was tackling a basic flaw in the address position which has seemingly always had a degree of curvature and not run in nice straight lines. A lot of the work was done in front of the mirror trying to get the hips in a better position, straighten the shoulders, lowering the left one in the process and basically getting in a better position to turn back and through.

The lesson had me thinking. I had got good results as part of our very first winter's work back in 2012 when I stood with the legs feeling more rigid as though there was a beach ball between the knees. It seemed to make the coil tighter and I felt there was less over swing and the body didn't lift as much as has been evident in video clips I've put up on here in the past.

And now the journey to Homer's happy place. I hit the range on Tuesday night. I wanted to work on what for me feels a much shorter swing, getting this feeling I had of the legs being more stable and the left shoulder turning under the chin. With the left foot turned out slightly I had room to then rotate through with the club exiting left as I had worked on over last winter. What followed was perhaps the best exhibition of ball striking I've produced in a very long time. I had total control of the club and its path through every stick in the bag.

Everything I have worked on fell into place and I finally feel as though the swing is complete. I am sure if I watch it back on screen the lift in the back swing will be there and there will still be plenty for Rhys to clean up but for now, I am hitting it superbly. I could even be tempted to wander out on the muddy course and put it to the test this weekend. There again. I still have this short game conundrum to solve. The cunning plan is hit the range later in the week and keep everything ticking along in this seam of golfing prowess and split the sessions between fiddling with the short game and hitting arrow straight balls with the full swing.

Sometimes, you can find a nugget of gold if you pan enough stones. I know there is a world of difference hitting balls of a flat mat at a range and playing a tight par four in a blustery squall when you can't feel your hands. However I firmly believe that if you put the hard work in before hand you will get the results. There is a lot of work to be done on pre-shot and mental aspect too. I have been guilty of having fifteen or sixteen good holes and blowing up in spectacular fashion on the others ruining all the hard work. A robust pre-shot routine and learning how to think positively during the round will be key.

For now though I am going to bask in my own glory, plan for future triumphs, reaching single figures and finding a robust chipping method I can trust once and for all. Sometimes you really do get some payback for your efforts. A glass more than half full Homer out.