Got a short game lesson from my good friend, who also happens to be the club pro
Like most amateurs, the biggest area I could save strokes is with my short game. I shot a 73 last week where I got up and down 1 out of 4 times. That’s a 70 if I had a short game. I’ve gagged away thousands of shots with mediocre short game plays.
My friend and local pro, called today because he had some down time this afternoon. He and I play our grudge match several days a week. Some days he beats me and some days I beat him. There’s probably nobody more qualified to help me out, since he’s watched my short game in action and under pressure. By pressure, I mean when there’s a $1 skin on the line. That is pressure.
I had a good hour long lesson. My buddy knew what I needed to work on and helped me out with what he called “positional” short game. We adjusted my alignment, posture, swing plane and especially my grip. I’d been choking way down on my chips. No matter what I tried, I hit all my chips on the toe. Little did I know that being choked down like that was causing the toe shots. Other adjustments, when I properly implemented them, worked very well. We worked for practically the whole hour without ever moving the ball from the basic position, on my right foot.
I have a few keys to work on: grip, ball position, bringing the club back inside and perhaps most importantly, quiet upper body. If I get all of those working, my chips are dead on line and perfect distance. If I get all those working, rounds in the 60’s are coming. I can feel it.
Maybe Titleist got the labels backwards on the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x?
Written by: Tony Korologos | Friday, May 1st, 2009
Categories: Golf Balls • Golf Equipment • Golf Gear
Tags: Golf Balls • Pro V1 • Pro V1x • Titleist
Categories: Golf Balls • Golf Equipment • Golf Gear
Tags: Golf Balls • Pro V1 • Pro V1x • Titleist
A couple of posts ago I did my 2009 Titelist Pro V1x review. I mentioned that I got a surprising amount of spin for the ball more touted for distance.
Yesterday I played my first full round with the new Pro V1 (not the x). I call this one Pro V1 regular flavor.
I was quite blown away by the distance I had with this rendition of the V1. I found myself on the par-4 1st hole closer to the green than I’d ever been off the tee. I was 66 yards to a back pin and the hole is 393. If a back pin is +10 yards that makes it about a 340 yard drive.
So my first impression of the new Pro V1 regular flavor, is that it is plenty long. Possibly even longer for me than the X. Is that right? I get more spin from the X and more distance from the regular flavor? WTF? Did Titleist accidentally label the two models backwards? Perhaps the regular flavor is a bit softer than the X, and allows me to compress it more.
Went to a golf match today and a pig fight broke out
Spinal tap moment
First I need to set up where I am right now. I’m at a pool hall in the worst town on the face of the earth. I hate this town with every cell in my body. My friends know what city I’m in.
I’m in my capacity as a rock & roll drummer tonight. This band called me at the last minute to sub for them in a “battle of the bands.” I’ve never heard this band. I’ll be hearing them for the first time when I play their set tonight. This band is very green and excited to play and they asked me to come 1.5 hours before the show. I begrudgingly accepted. Of course these battle of the bands are always a cluster f*&k. No organization. So someone got the times wrong and as it turns out, I’m in this God forsaken town killing time for at least 3.5 hours before I perform. Thankfully I found an open wifi here at this place so I can write about today’s pig fight.
I’m typing out of order now. I just got back from driving around looking for some food. Found a lot of ice cream places. Now the first band is playing and the band I’m subbing for is 2nd. Oh, no. Now the band I’m in is 3rd. Terrific. OMG, I just heard a rendition of Van Halen’s “Jump” with someone rapping over it. I just threw up in my mouth.
Went to a golf match and a pig fight broke out
Today was the big rematch for the new Thursday configuration. That configuration pits my long time golf buddy Arnie, against Sumi-g’s Marius and his pal Roger. Last week entailed me and Arnie losing our team bet to Marius and Roger, and had me forking over $17 to Marius. This week I was hoping for a better performance. OK, vengeance.
Vengeance lite, decaf
Somehow I managed to hit 11 hazards despite feeling pretty good about my ball striking. Welcome to an Aurthur Hills designed course where if you miss a green by two feet you are in a trap or water. I putted pretty well yet had four lip-outs.
Fortunately for me and Arnie, Roger had a flame-out the back, including ditching his shoes and walking out on the Great Salt Mud Lake to see if he had a shot. He then played the rest of that par-5 in his bare, muddy feet (pictured). Marius wasn’t firing on all cylinders all day. In fact, he was golf’s version of a three cylinder Dihatsu Charade firing on two cylinders. He’d bought a new driver and new putter straight from the golf shop and took them out of the wrapper just before this round. I can safely say that putter will be heading right back to the golf shop for a refund. It didn’t work.
Managing an 82 with 11 hazards was somewhat of a bizarre achievement. Even more strange, I lost my first ball on the 18th hole, after I’d already hit 10 hazards. That hackfest 82 was enough to get $9 back from Marius. $8 more to get back to even.
After shooting four rounds of 73 or lower in a row, my last couple of rounds have really stunk. I won’t get too bent out of shape. That is golf I suppose.
Hats off to my fighter pal Demarques Johnson – UPDATED!
Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
Categories: Site News
Tags: Demarques Johnson • UFC
Categories: Site News
Tags: Demarques Johnson • UFC
Welcome to Hooked On Golf Blog Hooked On Mixed Martial Arts Blog…
A little over three years ago I met a special lady. Very special. This lady really changed my life. One of the things she introduced me to was MMA or “mixed martial arts.” You see she was a fighter herself, and a USA and WORLD champion.
Through her I had the opportunity to meet Demarques Johnson a couple of times. Demarques is an MMA fighter who is currently on a reality show put on by the UFC (Ultimate Fighter Championship). The show airs on Wednesday nights on Spike TV and pit USA fighters against the UK fighters with the winner getting a $1 million contract.
The USA team lost the first two matches. In the 3rd match this week my buddy Demarques disposed of his opponent in damn near 1-2 minutes. I almost knocked my laptop half way across the room when he won.
Way to go buddy. I’m pulling for you. Hey if you win, can I have a loan? May need a new laptop… 🙂
UPDATE 04.30.09 3:20PM
I was driving home from my horrendous hack-fest today. That hackfest is a story in iteself… Anyway I was channel surfing and managed to catch a local sports radio show interviewing Demarques! Those damn sports radio show guys are such bandwagon jumpers. They see Demarques on HOG then they think they need to interview him.
Sumi-g rematch tomorrow. Will I get my $17 back?
I’ve been waiting a week for tomorrow. You see, last week was the first “contest” between myself and my partner Arnie, with my new friend Marius and his buddy Roger. Marius is with Sumi-g, a new company which has some of the hippest golf gear ever. There’ll be more on Sumi-g later.
So last week Arnie and I took on Marius and Roger. The net result was me handing over $17 to Marius. I’m ready for the rematch, and my wallet has some space reserved for that $17 to return to my possession.
Better hit the sack. I need to rest so I can be at my best on the course tomorrow.
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