The Quest For Single Figures - May Update

Welcome along to another blog and an update on the "Quest For Single Figures".  This is the May Update (yes I know May is nearly over!) and as usual there is a video on my Youtube channel to accompany it which you can also view here ("The Quest For Single Figures" - May Update)

You may remember from the last video update I did on "The Quest" (April Video Quest For Single Figures) there was some good news to end with and the handicap had taken a small cut from 14.4 (dangerously close to going over to a 15 handicap) back to 14.1 (and breathing space). Good times.

Since then there have only been two qualifying competitions I've played in and to be brutally frank with you dear reader neither were very good. This has led to a major change (more of which later) and the outcome of which contributed to the performance in the second of these qualifiers (are you still with me?).

The first of these qualifiers was the monthly stableford. This was a dire affair and I accumulated a paltry 29 points. That could have been a lot worse after struggling to a meagre 12 points going out before finding a modicum of form on the way back with 17 points despite an annoying double bogey and no points at the thirteenth. All I got from my day was a 0.1 increase and a feeling of frustration when looking at the chalk and cheese front and back nines.

May 2017 Stableford Statistics

This brings me to the monthly medal (The English Golf Qualifier) and it was approached with more than a normal level of trepidation. There was good cause for this as I explained at the beginning of my recent video (Royal Ascot Vlog) on the accompanying Three Off The Tee Youtube channel to this blog (My Youtube Channel). If you haven't already, please go over to it, subscribe, thumbs up the video(s) and make any comments you may have.

Coming off the back of a lesson (again more of which later) and a solitary bucket of balls at the range, I needed the nine holes on the vlog to try and make the change feeling natural before the medal where there would be no hiding place. Alas as the footage reveals the change was there in practice but went missing in action in the actual swing. More work and more frustration.

And so dear reader, my first tee nerves I felt as I pegged the ball up (and of course I'd be drawn first to play in the three ball and had to lead off) were perhaps rightly justified. I got the first shot away, and almost hit the green on the 229 yard opener. I didn't. For those of you that follow these ramblings regularly there is an ongoing issue with chipping. On this occasion I wanted to hit a seven iron chip and run, landing on the front foot or so of the green and running up to the flag at the back. I executed well. Too well and it rocketed off the face and over the back. Despite a valiant first effort to two feet it was a double bogey to start and a pattern set early of unforced errors.

On the plus side, I was working really hard on the mental side, and really focusing on the practice swing to feel the move I'd worked on and then picturing the shot from behind the ball and picking my target (and yes all done quickly so pace of play wasn't affected!!). It seemed to be working and while I couldn't see the swing in action, at least I was hitting fairways regularly and in fact set a personal best on the front nine of hitting 6/6. However this alone wasn't enough to guarantee a good score and solitary 1/6 greens in regulation perhaps offers a more telling reason why I went out in 45 (+10) or three over my handicap for the front nine.

A par, par start on the back nine (including a sand save on the par three eleventh) had me right back in it and the swing seemed to be holding up under a degree of pressure. I hit an iffy drive at the twelfth which led to a momentum stopping double and lost another shot to handicap at the thirteenth (186 yard par three - stroke index 17). Still only three over handicap and in good shape to threaten the buffer zone.

May 2017 Medal Statistics

From there though the game imploded in instant and dramatic fashion. I hooked a drive left on the thirteenth into deep, deep rough. I played a provisional and repeated the shot with aplomb. I found the second, in an unplayable lie and after a penalty drive, several swings of the club, I walked off the hole with a nine on the card. A carved second at the next, a par five looked to be heading to even more deep rough but I managed to just send it far enough to reach the semi rough on the sixteenth and cobbled an unlikely par. A double at the next from the middle of the fairway, a triple at the seventeenth courtesy of a lost ball off the tee on the 218 yard par three. I found the fairway at the last (and would eventually hit a 10/12 in total) but still managed to put myself out of position to finish with a closing bogey. When all added up I'd shot a net 80 (+10) and managed another 0.1 to push the handicap back to 14.3

So where does this leave "The Quest"? A very good question and I'm glad you asked. It brings me to my first bit of news and the first major change. I have decided to change teaching professionals and have gone back to Rhys ap Iolo at Downshire Golf Centre. If you trawl through the blog archives you'll know I use to have lessons with him and he actually got my handicap down from 14-10 over a two year period and I'm hoping he can repeat the feat.

I'd like to start by thanking Andy Piper for all his help and patience to date. I'm still using him for a little while longer, essentially to work on the short game as I've already paid for some lessons and want to use these up. I have been happy with the work we've done, blighted as it was this winter and last by some serious health issues on my behalf, and really feel there have been some positive and long lasting changes, especially in terms of set up and address. However, I also felt that as the handicap had stagnated and not improved (and again the underlying and on going health problems haven't helped) and it was time to freshen it up. I trust Rhys and only went to Andy Piper for the same reason, a fresh view (and off the back of good word of mouth feedback).

I've had two lessons so far. One was to stop a case of the socket rockets and was urgently needed before the next scheduled game (which wasn't great but certainly no road crash and not a hosel rocket in sight). The second, which I've alluded to already has brought about a major swing change and is the second piece of big news I mentioned (and you thought this was simply tossed together!!!)

One of the issues I've had since starting my golf as a ten year old kid is a cupped wrist. Over the years this has led to a number of issues and since working with Andy Piper is something I wanted to work on. Unfortunately with what I presented to him, it was necessary (at least in his opinion) to sort other stuff first but we'd just started to work towards it. My point is, Rhys thinks it's actually a root cause of a lot of my swing woes, especially in terms of getting too steep, over the top and cramped for space and would be happier with the odd address and posture issue to get this wrist situation sorted first.

In our second lesson, we've really worked on getting a flat (a la Sergio Garcia), nay bowed left wrist (a la Dustin Johnson).

Sergio and his textbook flat left wrist

We had the launch monitor on and I was struggling to get a seven iron out around 130 yards and the the ball was initially going both left and right. As we began work on going from a cupped position to a straight/bowed one, the results were instant. Distance went out towards 145-150 yards and dispersion improved. It is designed to get me into a tighter position at the top (and will in time reduce an over swing I have) and more importantly allows me to sequence and execute the downswing better without starting with a huge move outside and over the top. I am working on a feeling of getting to the top and then letting the arms simply drop (and fall naturally from an inside position) as I simply rotate the body. Sounds so easy doesn't it?

Dustin Johnson and his bowed wrist position highlighted

This is really a work in progress and while the DJ position isn't textbook and perhaps unique to him it (and Sergio's) are the benchmark I am trying to achieve. As said, sadly it hasn't fed into the real swing yet and as the medal showed, the swing is still capable of malfunctioning. I have a very long way to go, and while I don't envisage Rhys and I trying to re-invent my swing totally this is something big and hard to change after 35 years of playing but which will form a bedrock of what we want to do going forward. Having had a solitary practice session post medal round, the change is having an affect. It's still alien, especially with a driver or longer irons but the more I get more Dustin like the better the quality of strike I seem to have. There is still issues, especially in path and presenting the face to the ball and so huge hooks are evident, and I still try to default of some swings to my old cupped position usually hitting a weak shot right.

And there you have it. The May update for the "Quest For Single Figures" done and dusted and while the playing side of things would seem to be a case of the same old, same old, the other changes have left me very excited going forward. I have a pitching lesson with Andy Piper booked for the 26th (as part of the outstanding, pre-paid lessons) and so that will start to fix the short game woes that still blight the game.

As always, there seems a lot going on. The cynical amongst you will no doubt argue I'm changing too much in my swing again. Maybe, but as always I have a rock steady belief of a single figure golfer waiting to be unearthed inside me and this is my way of doing this. Certainly the over the top move and cupped wrists were doing my game no favours, certainly in terms of consistency and so this big change of wrist position is the first part of the latest chapter. If Rhys can get me to 10 once he can do it again.

I'm really engaged with my game again and as you'll see from the May video while there's a lot of work still to do, the early signs are good and the strike is far better. I'm taking the right side of the course out of play more often (although not totally) and while the bad ones are now massively left, contact is better. Dispersion is tighter (no really!) and the ball flight is much higher (and so lands softer). I am getting there. It's taking a damn sight longer than I ever envisaged but I'm getting there.

As we're into the heart of the golfing season I hope you are all playing well and if you're on a similar journey to my own, or your own golfing odyssey, please comment and let me know how you are getting on. Whatever you're doing golf wise I hope you are playing well and enjoying it. I@ll see you soon for another blog.

On Course Video Log - Royal Ascot Golf Club

Welcome back. I have uploaded a new course vlog for you to enjoy filmed last Friday (12th May) at my home club, Royal Ascot Golf Club. This was filmed two days after a lesson with Rhys ap Iolo at Downshire Golf Centre. I use to have lessons with him a few years back and he got my handicap down from 14 to 11 and I hope he can repeat the trick again.

We are already making significant changes including getting rid of a cupped wrist after thirty plus years of playing for something with much firmer and ideally a little bowed. However this is a hard habit to crack and as you'll see after the lesson, just one basket at the range and then out onto the course, it hasn't fed into my swing yet and is a work in progress, I was in the monthly medal on the Saturday and wanted to make sure I had taken the swing (such as it was) onto a course first.

I hope you enjoy it here in all it's glory (Royal Ascot Golf Club vlog) and keep an eye out for a furry visitor to proceedings. If you like what you see, click on the subscribe button, please thumbs up the video and if you have any comments please leave them on here or on the youtube channel and watch out for a more great content to come on the Three Off The Tee youtube channel (Three Of The Tee Youtube Channel) that runs in conjunction with this blog.

Aimpoint Express - A Video Guide

I've just added a video to my Three Off The Tee youtube channel which shows a basic Aimpoint green reading technique (Aimpoint Express video). This is in response to a number of queries I've had, not only from members at my club at Royal Ascot, forum members on the Golf Monthly Forum (Golf Monthly Forum), Let me make one thing clear. It is not an instructional video. I am a fourteen handicap golfer but it is my interpretation of a simple green read to show you the process, and hopefully dispel one myth, that it's much slower than a conventional method of green reading. It isn't and is proven to be more accurate when done properly.

I've written about Aimpoint before on here and you can check this out here:
Aimpoint Express blog

If the video interests you enough to consider looking at it further I've attached a link below to find a clinic in the US and there is also a link to Jamie Donaldson's website so UK based readers can contact him (or via his social media) to find out where and when he's holding classes. I know he uses both Woburn and Brocket Hall but I also know he does travel to other clubs too.

Find a clinic in the US

Jamie Donaldson's UK website

I hope you find the video interesting and it gives you an idea of how it works and how effective it can be. Please subscribe to the youtube channel, give the video a thumbs up and if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to put them in the comment segment and I'll read them and make sure I respond to you

Product Review - Odyssey O-Works V-Line Fang CH Putter

Odyssey have been producing tour quality putters for many years and there latest release, the O-Works continues that legacy but also in their own words, introduces "a new way to roll" with micro hinge technology.

In the UK there are numerous models split between bladed and mallet models. In the blades there is their #1, #1 Tank, #1 Wide, #2 and #9. In the mallet section they have #7, #7 Tank, R-Line, R-Line CS, V-Line Fang CH, and the famous 2 ball.

So what is this micro hinge technology? In essence they are tiny hinges on an insert moulded onto an elastomer face that Odyssey claim spring back when they make contact with the ball to impart top spin which they claim leads to the ball rolling better on the green with less skidding. Apparently the handicap golfer tends to impart too much back spin on their putts whereas the top players are able to get their putts running with more top spin. This is a link to what Odyssey have to say and why they are so excited about micro hinge technology (Odyssey Micro Hinge Technology)

If you saw my last review on the Ping Sigma Wolverine putter (Ping Wolverine Putter Review) you'll know I prefer a larger mallet type putter so I was excited to be able to test their V-Line Fang CH. Now the Fang style of putter has been around for many years now and this latest version has the Odyssey Versa colour scheme and a distinctive red line on the top to really ensure the putter is correctly lined up.

I've done a video to show the putter in action on my Youtube channel running in conjunction with this blog. I've attached a link to it here (Youtube Review). While you'll there, make sure you subscribe to the channel to get ongoing reviews, updates on "The Quest For Single Figures" and on course video logs. Don't forget to thumbs up the video as well. If you have any thoughts on this video please feel free to leave them in the comments box and I'll read each one and respond.

The Odyssey O-Works V-Line Fang CH Putter featuring Odyssey's Versa Alignment

As a mid-handicap golfer, and without access to technology like SAM Lab to measure the quality of my strike and more importantly the spin characteristics I impart, it's difficult to give a definitive tell for certain how much the micro hinge technology actually helped. What I do know is that there was no discernible difference between the premium ball I used (Srixon Z Star XV) and the firmer model, the Srixon AD333 Tour and both felt equally soft off the face.

As I said in the video, as a mid-handicapper I am not overly convinced micro hinge isn't a little gimmicky. I've been a fan of Odyssey putters for many years and have had both milled and insert faces. Odyssey have always produced decent inserts, although some have felt firmer than others, but in my mind, why change a winning formula?

All of the O-Works putters come with their new Superstroke Counter Core Grips (featuring a weight in the grip) and my putter came with their Pistol GT Tour model that has a lovely flat front and is rear stitched. It's lovely to hold and sits beautifully in the hand.

I putted from two feet, five feet and fifteen feet and it did perform really well. I really enjoyed it and although not overly sold on the new micro hinges, there is no doubt it produces a really soft feel off the face and I did find distance control easy to manage. Since the video, it has been out on the course with me for several rounds and I recorded 33 and 30 putts and holed a number of decent length putts. On the shorter ones, the Versa colour scheme really did make it easy to line up and it certainly inspired confidence.

The face of the O-Works V-Line Fang CH Putter and one of the most funky head covers I've seen

As per my last putter review, let me break the Odyssey O-Works V-Line Fang CH Putter (note to Odyssey, it's not a catchy title) into a number of sections.

Looks - It's not as big as some mallet putters, but it's not a shrinking violet either. The Versa colour scheme is subtle but the red line on the top stands out perfectly and really promotes confidence behind the ball 9/10

Grip - As mentioned I had the Pistol GT Tour grip. Despite it having a weight inserted (and which isn't removable) it doesn't make the grip feel heavy or uncomfortable and didn't really seem to influence my stroke or made a difference. I have to say that the Superstoke grip really does sit in the hands well and it's easy to make a solid, firm and meaningful grip without ever feeling like you need to grip it tightly 8/10

Alignment This is one of the O-Works strongest suits throughout the range. In the Fang CH I had the colour scheme worked exceptionally well and the ball was easy to aim correctly at the hole. This is the first Odyssey putter I've had with the Versa colouring and I really like it. I have an old White Ice #9 in an old back and it's rather plain metallic finish and white insert look rather plain in comparison to the bold Versa colouring. That said it's distinctive without being intrusive 9/10

Feel - As mentioned while not sold on the micro hinge technology completely it undoubtedly provide a soft feel but never pudding like or overly so and there was never any fear that the ball coming off the face would lack sufficient pace (subject to my strike). It was impossible for me to distinguish between the premium and firmer ball but neither felt they would fly off the putter 8/10

Stability - Although not a massive head in the world of mallet putters it's still a very, very stable putter. Whether there is any correlation between the weight in the grip and those on the sole, I can't say but I'm sure that has to have been in Odyssey's design plans. On long or short putts, it felt very solid and my relatively back and through stroke seemed at home with the design and there was no feeling of twisting 8/10

Price - The V-Line Fang I tried appears to come in around the £169 mark for most of the models in the range although the two-ball versions are retailing for an additional £20 and come out at £189 (in the UK). These are still relatively new to the market and while there will no doubt be the odd bargain to be had here and there, this RRP is not dissimilar to many of Odyssey's competitors for similar putters 7/10

Overall - Lets put this to be once and for all, the micro hinge technology should be exactly what I need to improve the quality of my putting. However without being able to prove this technology works and how well it does compared to something like the "Tru Roll" insert on the Ping putter I featured in my last review, I still remain unconvinced. If somebody reading this in the South East of England or even from Odyssey themselves has access to the SAM Lab technology and wants to show my the data compared to the Ping Sigma Wolverine I reviewed, and even my Protype Tour milled #9 I am more than happy to be educated and proved wrong

Leaving aside my feelings on this, it should not in any way take away from what is an exceptionally good putter and the O-Works range certainly continues Odyssey's proud tradition of producing innovative and well constructed putters. I am very happy with how this performed both on the putting green in the review video, but also since I've taken it onto the course. In fact dear reader, I am so happy I am pleased to say it now has residence in my bag and has become my putter of choice 9/10

Product Review - Ping Sigma G Wolverine

Welcome to another product review and this one looks at the Ping Sigma Wolverine putter. This is one of the new Sigma range of sixteen putters (in the UK) and has been available in the shops for the last few months. Unlike the previous release, "Vault" which had a milled face, with the Sigma G range Ping has gone back to an insert.

However, both the milled face and the insert on the Sigma range still has their "Tru Roll" face pattern which varies in depth and dispersion. This is less deep and wider at the sweet spot and then becomes deeper and spaced tighter for off centre hits which Ping claim speeds up off centre strikes and leads to less three putts. Now as a fourteen handicapper, the chances of me finding the sweet spot every time is unlikely so it's interesting to see how this plays out

Ping Sigma putter overview

Another new feature, much overdue in my personal opinion is the introduction of a new pistol type grip. I had one of the Cadence Anser's from a few year back and these came with a blue midsize grip (on the standard weighted putters) which I didn't feel comfortable with and I found became very slippery in the wet. This new Sigma G Wolverine comes with a PP60 midsize pistol grip which has a tacky but ribbed feel and sits nicely in the hand.

Ping Sigma G Wolverine

The Wolverine is designed for a straight back and through type of stroke. It's a large mallet type putter and on first sight, there are definite comparisons with the Odyssey Fang putter (below) or the Taylormade Spider (also below)

Odyssey Versa 2 Ball Fang Putter

Taylormade Spider

I've done a video to show the putter in action on my Youtube channel running in conjunction with this blog. I've attached a link to it here (Ping Sigma G Wolverine review). While you'll over there make sure you subscribe to the channel to get ongoing reviews, updates and on course logs and don't forget to thumbs up the video as well. If you have any comments please feel free to leave them under the video and I'll read each one and respond.

In action, it's very stable as you'll see and visually the big head and the distinctive white line makes it very to line the ball up, especially on the crucial short putts. One this you may not be able to pick up from the video sound is that it has a distinctive "ping" off the face. In the test I used both a premium ball (Srixon Z Star xv) and a firmer all (Srixon AD333 tour) and the noise was noticeable /with both balls. While I didn't mind this, clearly this may not be to every players taste.

The putts were from around two feet, five feet and out towards fifteen feet. As I've already mentioned, the putter has this "Tru Roll" polymer insert and while I was happy with the quality of the strike I made on each putt, I can't verify how many came off the centre as I don't have access to SAM Lab technology or similar. I can only describe it as I feel and see it.

Since the video was filmed it's been in my bag and I was pleased with the way it performed (31 putts with a distinctly flaky short game which meant there were very few tap i/n putts for up and down scrambles). Speed control was consistent which I guess you could argue vindicates Ping's claims about this insert and "Tru Roll". Of course I'd argue it was my smooth putting stroke but the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle somewhere/.

As I've done with all my other recent reviews I've broken it down into a couple of key sections

Looks - Visually it's definitely big, but I don't feel it's "in your face" big and no different to most other mallets on the market of similar design. It's clear, single white sight line is very simple but works well. The grey finish works well in the sun and glare is minimised 8/10

Grip - The mid size PP60 pistol grip definitely enhances a soft and light grip pressure and sits nicely in the hand which should promote a smooth action. It fits nicely in the contour of the hand 9/10

Alignment - As well as the vivid white line, the top of the putter does also contain other lines in the grey head which are of varying length. To be honest, I tended to focus solely on the white line and didn't really notice these other alignment aids. That said, the shape and the white line made it very easy to line up. I felt confident the putter was aligned correctly especially on the 2-3 footers on the course and it did provide an element of confidence boosting 7/10

Feel - The insert (and "Tru Roll" design) does give a pleasant, and perhaps more importantly a consistent feel off the face with both a soft and harder ball. As said, I can't vouch for the validity of the "Tru Roll" design but distance control was good. There is a distinct sound off the face that some golfers will find annoying 8/10

Stability - As with most mallets, it's very, very stable. Designed for a golfer with a distinct back and through, straight putting style, it has a large MOI for added accuracy. The shape definitely maximises the perimeter weighting Ping have put on the extremes of the Wolverine

Down behind the ball it sat very nicely and squarely. I've had putters before that will feel as though they are sitting distinctly open or closed and I've always had an inclination to then try and manipulate the face to sit squarer. With the Wolverine, it sits solidly behind the ball and begs to stroke the ball to the hole 9/10

Price - This (and I believe most of the other Sigma range) retail in the region (in the UK) of £169 although I'm sure as the range is now a few months old, deals will start to appear online and in shops. It's comparable in price to some of the similar putters from Ping's main competitors in the putter market and certainly much cheaper than the predecessor, the milled Vault range. 7/10

Overall - The Ping Sigma G Wolverine is a no frills putter. It's decor is plain but efficient and relies on the technology and consistent quality of build that Ping are synonymous for and is a reputation garnished from over 50 years of building top class putters used not only on tours around the world but which have been in the bags of the weekend golfer too.

That said, I couldn't verify the claims of "Tru Roll" as I didn't have a SAM Putting unit (GASP - Sam System to dissect my stroke and show where I struck the ball, However it was a stable, functional putter with a distinct sound, and from a variety of distances performed well. It's definitely one I like and I've a feeling it could be finding it's way into my bag and usurping the current incumbent soon. If you like a bigger mallet style putter then this one is definitely worth trying out 8/10

A Quest For Single Figures Video Update

Welcome back to the Three Off The Tee blog and there's a new video blog for you to enjoy on the Youtube channel running parallel to the blog The "Quest" April update). It's here to update you on "The Quest For Single Figures" and discusses my progress and has some updates over and above my last post on here with details of the first honours board event at Royal Ascot Golf Club played over the Easter weekend.

This was a bogey event. a tough format that's essentially match play against the course. Keep tuned as there's some good news in there. On top of that it'll update you on some other videos that are coming to the channel soon. I hope you enjoy the update, and don't forget to click on the subscribe button. If you have any comments or ideas on how to progress "The Quest" please put them in the comments box below the video. I'll look at them all and reply.

The Quest For Single Figures - Update (5th April 2017)

Welcome back to my slightly revamped blog site. I hope you like it and have had a chance to check out the Three Off The Tee youtube channel that now runs in conjunction with the blog. There's now a link on the front page or you can go to it here (My youtube channel). Please check it out, subscribe and thumbs up the videos. There's a lot to come soon including a couple of putter reviews (Ping Sigma vs Odyssey "O" works) and an Aimpoint video

With all of that out of the way, it's time to update you on my "Quest For Single Figures". Once again, there have been issues, primarily on the health front and so tuition, practice and playing time have been impacted and I've not moved forward as quickly as I'd hoped. That said, I'm now back out and playing regularly again and now the clocks have changed will begin to work on my game, especially the short game with renewed vigour. That's the one area, perhaps bunkers aside, that's still woeful and is causing issues. I had hoped the linear method for pitching and chipping would have resolved this but having not invested any time into this method or indeed what you may consider a more conventional method, both are failing on the course and testing patience and resolve.

Since my last update, there has only been one competitive round, a medal (Royal Ascot Cup qualifier) played in breezy, damp conditions. I have to say, in my defence, I had come back from the latest illness with no time to work on the changes I was still bleeding in from the last lesson I'd had (Live Lesson). I actually started reasonably well and then hit the buffers at our 5th, having been in a green side bunker for three on the par five and walked off with an eight. Don't ask!

I frittered a few more shots away on the front nine to go out in 45 (+10 gross or three over handicap) and was back in a familiar scenario of not trusting what I'd worked on in the lesson, over thinking as a consequence, and getting myself into a world of hurt.

My back nine started with an ugly double bogey which led to a mental meltdown and a string of car crash holes, going double, triple, double from the 12th to the 14th. I managed a couple of pars over the closing few holes, chucked another almost obligatory double bogey in on the 16th for good measure and walked away dazed and confused with a net 79 (+9) which was still good enough for a mid-table 13th place finish in division 2 but of course led to an inevitable 0.1 handicap increase. My statistics for the round (such as they were) are here to peruse.

March 2017 Medal Statistics

Since this medal on the 18th March, I've had another lesson. I spoke in depth with my teaching professional about the video from the previous lesson and in particular how steep the shaft appears to be on the down swing and how trapped it seemed to make me. I had tinkered, as is my way, at the range at trying to lay the club flatter behind me at the start of the transition and down swing to come on a flatter plane and pass more in front of me at impact with a degree of success. My professional looked at the footage and could see the issues (cupped left wrist, high right elbow, and taking the club away outside the line) and we had a productive time sorting this out. Unfortunately, despite having the camera set up and working, the file corrupted and I wasn't able to download it to review at a later date and compare this lesson alongside the previous one as I hoped.

The positive note was the quality of strike which was better. Tempo was, and no doubt will remain an issue, but when I was in a decent rhythm I had so much more time to make a compact swing with the right elbow in particular in a far better position and not "flying". So of course I diligently worked on it on the range and rocked up for the usual Sunday morning roll up, feeling good and seeing some positive returns in practice and ready to compete. What transpired was my lowest point to date on this rocky road to single figures. I walked off after eleven holes. I was crap. Not even that good in all honesty and despite trying to have fun, swing slower and all the things you're suppose to do on an off day, everything went to pot. I was getting more and more wound up to the point where I was aware it was impacting on my playing partners. I didn't want to be there and as the tag line on all the betting adverts on TV says, "When the fun stops, STOP" so I did. I wasn't proud walking off but my head was a mess and I would rather have been anywhere else than enduring another two hours on the course and another seven holes of abject misery.

You would think that after 0.1 back in the medal and then this disaster the "Quest" would be over and I'd come to my senses and admit it's never going to happen. Not on your life dear reader. This stubborn old goat is made of sterner stuff and still has a deep ingrained desire to get to single figures and enjoy proving so many naysayers wrong. It's going to happen.

Of course you have to get back on the horse. I did so with a solo practice round the following week and some structured practice. The solo round was patchy at best, but I then took advantage of playing the back nine last week after work as soon as the clocks changed and that was far more like it. It felt like the old me. I was fortunate to have been invited back to Kingswood (where the Jolly Boys "Play Golf trio of videos on the youtube channel were shot) last Friday and it was a chance for a relaxed social round with no pressures on the swing. I was looking forward to it.

I then made the cardinal golfing error. I only went and boomed a drive down the first, only a foot into the semi rough, hit a pitch from 106 yards to three feet and holed the putt for birdie. It's well known that a round starting in such fine fashion can only go one way and that's down. To be honest I actually held it together reasonably well going out and had 21 points at the turn. That in itself was amazing but add in the condition of the greens, which frankly were a disgrace and it's even more amazing. They were like a ploughed field having been hollow tined but the holes hadn't been filled in properly and some of the grass was allowed to grow in patches. It was a lottery and if I hadn't been on a freebie would have been asking for a refund.

I let things slide on the back nine although these holes run across the top of a valley and played into a stiffening wind. A lost ball didn't help the cause but my last six holes were disappointing and my 33 points could have been so much better. There was some good stuff in there especially off the tee (bar two very wild drives) but the irons again felt off point and out of kilter. The greens were a nightmare and it was a job to two putt, let alone thinking of holing anything of meaning but all in all it did what I wanted from the day and got my game back on something of an even keel

And so to the weekend just gone. I was selected to play in a club match away at Maidenhead Golf Club. This isn't a course I have particularly fond memories of and have always struggled to play well there. The format was pairs, better ball and so I had a wing man in Gordon Barr, a Scotsman off 7 who I've inflicted my recent form on several times in recent months in both roll ups and competitions. I'm not sure what he'd done to deserve another dose but he accepted his fate with a stoic resignation. Maidenhead is one of those course that I simply can't find a way to score on and it somehow doesn't suit my eye and there are very few holes I stand on the tee and feel comfortable.

In the end, my form although again patchy, was enough with Gordon's rugged play, to ensure we got a half having been one down with three to go. I came in a few times with the odd win or a solid putt for a half although I left the course with a slightly bitter taste having saved my best drive until the last and was left with a simple eight iron into the green. With the match all square and the opposition not on the green in two, a decent approach would have given us a good chance to nick a win. As with the round the day before at Kingswood, it was the iron play that had been lacking and my approach came up short into the right hand bunker. I escaped well to about twelve feet and had a putt to win, but it missed left. To be honest the match had been played in good spirits on both sides and a half was perhaps the correct outcome. In the end, it wasn't pivotal as Royal Ascot came out 4-2 winners.

That dear reader brings you fully up to date (are you still with me?). As you can tell, the "Quest" is still stuck in first gear and my game shows no real sign of catching fire soon. I'm taking a more relaxed approach to it all and not forcing it. I'm going to scale down my long game practice, and that will focus on iron play. The remainder is going to be all about putting and the short game which is the real problem areas. With a medal to come this weekend, I'm wholly convinced it will bring anything but another 0.1 (and getting dangerously close to 15) but I live in hope and remain optimistic in my own ability. It's somewhat annoying that the work and time I've invested in my practice and lessons has failed to reap any reward yet but there have been signs over the last two rounds of some good stuff loitering somewhere near the surface. I just have to find a way, much as I did when I filmed the Jolly Boys "Play Golf" (Jolly Boys Round) and simply find a way to get it round. That was my first game after my stay in hospital and while the golf wasn't pretty I got it round enough to score close to handicap. That has to be the focus going forward. If I have to score ugly then I'll do that.

Despite it all, I remain in a golfing happy place. I'm still enjoying the process of trying to get better, enjoying the challenge of playing with card and pencil in hand and enjoying the robust banter of the social games. There is a vast amount of room to improve but I'm taking a far more chilled approach to it all. Meltdowns will be avoided and we'll take the good with the bad. The season is only just starting and so I've a whole summer and many, many more competitions to get the "Quest" back on track and get the handicap heading south back to where it should be. Hopefully by the time I post the next update, everything will be far rosier and I'll have good news to report. Keep your eyes out on here and my youtube channel for the next instalments.