Reflections on a Golf Season!

Where to begin? 2020 was a difficult year for us all  - Covid 19 bashed many a dream. The plans that were made and not kept were immeasurable. The only bright side to any of 2020 for me personally was the fact that the golf courses remained open... 

The golf course served as a refuge for many of us. Sanity and fellowship with other human beings was a godsend. Now to say the fact that I was able to get out on the course made me a better player in 2020 would be a stretch, My handicap actually climbed about 4 strokes in 2020. Sure, I had some great rounds but there were those really bad ones as well. There were times when I was on the course just for the simple fact that there was nothing else to do. This is not how I wish to approach the game. There were other things that lead to the poor rounds that I endured. Things like losing my comfort in hitting certain clubs, injury, and general lethargy in my approach to the game I love so much. 

Well, the 2021 season has begun and I for one have set myself a couple of goals. Firstly, I want to continue to enjoy the game. Secondly, I truly intend on getting back in touch with the clubs that I struggled with at times last year. Third, I want to get the handicap back down a couple of strokes. I do have a plan...  

I've decided to practice with intention, paying a bit more attention to the short game. Additionally, I think I'll seek out the advice of a professional. It's been a while since I last had a lesson! I'm also going to take a good long look at my equipment.

I know for a fact that my grips on either set of my clubs are not in the best of shape. The attachment of the hands to the golf club can make all the difference in the world. Besides, I have corded grips on one set and dry tacks on the other. I really prefer the cords over the dry tacks, so why don't I have to on both sets of my clubs? I'm almost positive that the consistency of the grips will make an improvement. I'm thinking of changing my putter grip as well. The old Ping is begging for a regrip... 

One more thing that I have to do before we get too far down the road is getting the loft and lies checked. I beat the crap of many a golf mat last season. I'm sure that the loft and lies of my forged clubs are nowhere near the spec that they were built to are true. 

Enough rambling... What are your goals for the 2021 season? Do you want to lower your handicap? Be more consistent? Have you given it a thought? Setting goals can be fun and may bring about the change you are looking for. Until next, cheers!

Novo's Golf Adventures: Let's Get Started

Novo's Golf Adventures: Let's Get Started: Publishing the first post is always scary!  No matter what the topic is, there is always the thought that we might say something wrong o...

Novo's Golf Adventures: The Stress-Free Golf Swing - Excerpt I Want To S...

Novo's Golf Adventures: The Stress-Free Golf Swing - Excerpt I Want To S...: Here is a small sample from The Stress-Free Golf Swing... First I want you to imagine... - Swinging without a million and one swing tho...

Novo's Golf Adventures: What's in Your Golf Bag?

Novo's Golf Adventures: What's in Your Golf Bag?: Having played golf for at least 40 years, one can only imagine all the different clubs that have been in the bag. Clubs ranging from Pin...

Novo's Golf Adventures: Do You Know How Far Your Clubs Carry?

Novo's Golf Adventures: Do You Know How Far Your Clubs Carry?: Knowing how far your clubs carry may sound trivial, but it could make a difference in your game! Have you ever watched a tournament on ...

Do You Know How Far Your Clubs Carry?

Knowing how far your clubs carry may sound trivial, but it could make a difference in your game!

Have you ever watched a tournament on TV and heard the Caddy and the Player going over the distances for the next shot? It probably went like this... 151 front, 157 middle, 172 back. We need to hit a carry of 153 with the wind. How do the player and caddy know what club to hit? 

Every year the player goes through a process known as gapping. They know exactly how far each club carries and what most likely will be the roll-out of the ball as well, depending on the type of shot they hit. This process takes a lot of doubt out of the game for them... 

Below is an example of my gapping chart. While not as extensive as a pro's chart, it does give me insight into how far the ball will carry for me on a set of known conditions. It allows me to adjust to conditions such as temperature, wind, and rain. I know that when I'm playing into the wind or downwind what my perfect carry is based on known factors and how to adjust.  

Knowing your distances can save a lot of strokes in any round. The process of gapping does not take up a great deal of time. A couple of practice sessions at the driving range or on an indoor monitor is all it takes. But here's the deal, you have to be honest with the numbers to get true benefit out of the process.

If you notice in my chart, I have recorded three different categories - Normal, Weak, and Strong. I am not looking for the best number that I can hit the ball for each club. For example, I know for a fact that on a perfect day and with a perfect swing I can carry (actually fly minus rollout) a driver 285 yards. But how many perfect days and perfect swings do I have in the bag?

What I want to know is my true distances on average. This helps me decide what club to pull when there is a bunker or a creek setting out there!  I also want to base it on how I feel and how I'm swinging on any given day as well. This is called decision making and course management!

I can honestly say that since I started being true with myself on how far I can hit a ball on average, I pull the correct club more often, I swing the club better, and my scores have decreased. I would highly recommend that everyone go through the process.

If you want more information on the process, drop me a note in the comments section. I'll be happy to send you a bit more detail.

What's in Your Golf Bag?

Having played golf for at least 40 years, one can only imagine all the different clubs that have been in the bag. Clubs ranging from Ping irons, Ping Eye 2s, Wilson Staff Blades, TaylorMade 300s, Adams a2OS, Mizuno MPs, and my latest Mizuno JPX 900 Forged. Surely there is a couple of sets that I missed along the way, but you get the idea. A lot of clubs have been in the bag! This begs the question - Why do we change clubs, especially when the ones we currently have in the bag are probably working just fine?

Is it that we are doing it to keep up with our buddies?

Are we seeking the newest technology that we think will finally get us to where we want to be?

With all the hype on Game Improvement Irons and the Player's Irons, is there a stigma attached to a certain category and we are buying clubs to meet an ideal?

Do we need the latest and greatest to promote who we are?

Knowing what I know and seeing what I have seen - I can tell you for a fact that I know some old-timers, who play clubs that are older than some of the guys I run into on the course, play an incredible round of golf! They are not concerned in the least with how far they hit the ball. They manage the course and let the game come to them. Their equipment is good enough for what they are trying to accomplish - enjoying the game.

Now I am not advocating that you should not buy new equipment from time to time. But I do have to ask - When is the right time to buy new equipment?

Speaking from my own experience, I have looked at changing equipment when I felt my game was changing. There were periods of time that I had time to practice a lot and there were periods in my life there was no time at all. When I practiced and played consistently, I could handle the Wilson Staff Blades I mentioned earlier.  I absolutely loved them! During the time period in my life when I was raising a family and had heavy work commitments, I needed clubs that would give me max forgiveness, i.e., Adams a2os and the Taylormade 300s (best club Taylormade ever produced IMHO). I always tried to match the club to my swing and the game that I was trying to play, and no they weren't always the latest and greatest.

Today, I find myself not hitting the ball as far with the irons as I once did, its an ego thing I guess to have really noticed enough to care. The clubs I play are a generation or so back. It actually took me twelve years to pull the trigger on a new set of irons when I did put them in. I changed for two reasons... First, the swing is slowing down, and second, I wanted the experience of the feel you just can't get outside of forged irons. So what's in the bag now?

Here's my humble bag starting top to down...

Driver: Wilson Staff D7, 9 degrees, UST Mamiya Helium Stiff Shaft (This club went in my bag in 2019 after an unfortunate episode of the head cracking on its predecessor.)

3 Wood: TaylorMade RBZ, 15 degrees, Stock Stiff Shaft ( In the bag for 8 years now, no need to change something that works great!)

Strong 7 Wood: Adams Tight Lies, 24 degrees, SuperShaft Stiff mid-flex ( In the bag since 1998 and will probably be three until it finally dies. Regripped to many times to count! Best rescue club ever!)

2 Iron: TaylorMade 300 Forged, 19 degrees, True Temper Rifle Shaft S flex (In the bag since 2002, partly because most more modern iron sets don't come with a 2 iron. Partly because I just can't part with it, and mostly because it goes for miles in windy conditions.)

4 Iron thru GW: Mizuno JPX 900 Forged: Strong lofted 21 degrees to 50 degrees, N.S. Pro 105 shafts (In the bag since 2018, the feel and accuracy of these irons cannot be overstated. The strong loft on these clubs puts the 19 degrees TaylorMade 2 iron in play nicely.)

Sand Wedge:  Pursuit s510 True Forge: 56 degrees. Bought it because I was curious and it turned out to be a great purchase.

Putter: I own a bunch of them, just ask my wife! But my favorite is still my old PING B60, Circa 1986.

With the exception of the wedges, I really don't see myself upgrading any of this equipment anytime soon. I do see myself hitting the range and getting a short game lesson or two in the near future. The handicap went up a bit last season - Mostly due to the short game. Putting has been the biggest challenge, working on it, and no it's not the equipment (I've tried many a putter!). I am currently playing to an 11.2 handicap. Perhaps with good weather here in Colorado and consistent time on the course, I'll get it back into single digits this year. If it comes to fruition, it certainly won't be because I went out bought the lastest and greatest equipment.