Perth Golfing Lawyer

My last blog was in July 2010

2011-02-20T08:43:00.000-08:00

My god, time has passed so quickly.

My last blog was in July 2010.

So many games have gone under the water and bridge.

There has been so many games. I have been lucky that I have been able to play regularly but not as often as these crazies like Henry and Ricky.

Is that why they are improving when I seem to be stagnant.

I hit a record of 85 at Burswood in Dec 2010. However last week, I hit 97. What a woeful difference.

In contrast Jazton my son has been steady at 90 plus and often breaking 90.

He was recently assessed at Royal Perth Golf Club. He will probably get into a private club much earlier than his old man.

His handicap will continue to fall while my fluctuates.

What is there to complain. At least I am playing golf and getting exercise.

Henry, Frank and Jaz played a few games in Taiwan during January.

It was strange playing golf with 50 year old female caddies who laugh at your mistakes.

I also had a game with Harris at Singapore Island Club while in Singapore.

The old course at Kranji was beautiful.

The question is what do I have to do to reduce my handicap.

When Jaz was being assessed at Royal Perth, there was another boy of the same age that was an 11 handicap. I was talking to his dad while walking on the course. I asked him his handicap and he said 2. He asked me mine and I said I was too embarrased.

I have set myself a task this year to bring my handicap to a definite 18. Watch me.

Jaz at Singapore Island Club

Harris , our host at the SICC

Jaz and I at SICC

Kiat Harris and I at the Cut

Jaz, Henry, and I at Taiwan with a 50 yr old caddy

Jaz Henry, Frank and myself in Taiwan

Jaz at the Cut

Jaz , Kiat and myself at the Cut

Group photo at Meadow Springs

In the meantime, here are some photos of games I have had.

Why am I not reducing my handicap when my son is reducing his?

2010-07-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

The last 2 months of golfing has been dismal for me. My scores keep fluctuating between 92 and 102.

Why is there such a big discrepancy in the game. If my drives are good, the putts are bad. If my putts are good, the chips are bad. When will they all come together?

To the contrary, my son Jazton has been reducing his handicap every week. He is now breaking 90 without a sweat.

His drives are beating me and his scores are beating me. Can he be the next Tiger Woods?

I have not broken 90 since the game at Burswood. Pars are getting more frequent on most days. The triples are still there.

What the heck do I need to do to reduce my handicap. I think I should see a pro soon.

I missed a hole in one at Collier Park last week. It was 7 inches away from the pin. Maybe next week.

The Thursday golf gang seems to have gone down in numbers because of winter. It is only my crazy son and I that seem to be braving the rain.

I am planning a golf trip to China. Lets work on that.

Golfing at Cocos Island and my fluctuating handicap

2010-05-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Golfers,

The past month has seen mixed results with my game. I played at Links Kennedy Bay on 16 April 2010 and hit 103. I just could not get the putts in. The course was not as pretty as I hope as you could not even see the ocean.

On 18 April 2010 I played with Jazton at Seaview Golf Club. It is a beautiful course although it only has 9 holes. I hit 93 while Jazton hit 96.

On 23 April 2010, I played at Collier Park and hit 95 while playing with my son and his friend Jack. Jazton shot 95 too and is becoming very consistent.

The worse game of the month was at Kwinana Golf Club. I played to 109 with just 1 par and the rest being really bad putts and approach shots. The course was great and comparable to Royal Fremantle Golf Club.

Jazton hit 99 and even beat Bambang. He is now really a force to be reckoned with.

On 2 May 2010, father and son went to the Marangaroo Golf Course and I hit 102 while Jazton hit 91 which was his personal best. He is now beating me consistently.

Played at Glen Iris on 7 May 2010 with Stevie and Henry. Hit 94 with 3 pars. Got my mojo back.

However, the most memorable game goes to the game I played at Cocos Island Golf Club called the Donga. They play every Thursday and have a Scrounger's Day. The game is best 4 ball and everyone plays in teams. It is the only course that have players walking across an airport runway.

The golf course is beautiful as the course fringes the ocean.

The best part though was how relaxed everyone was. They even play barefoot and or with sandals. No stuffy club attire rules apply here. The start of the game has everyone showing how much alcohol they have brought with them.

I managed to help my team win with a few good chips. By the time we get to the club house, I can assure you everyone was very merry. The golfers are friendly and rib each other with gusto. Here's to their continued success. Maybe golf should be played this way.

Photos of the golfers

Why do I NOT want a driver in my bag 12 April 2010

2010-04-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

I was doing so well reducing my handicap to 21 by using my 3 wood.

I then decided that to get to the next level, I needed to progress to a driver. So, I got myself a new driver. The last one I had was the Callaway FT IQ and it was never stable or my swing was never stable with it. The FT IQ was seldom used.

I have been hitting well with the Callaway Hyper X woods and hybrids. So I thought progressing to the Hyper X driver 11 degrees should bring my handicap down.

Well, I bought the driver in late March and my games in April has been a dismay since.

The company is always good, playing and inspiring my son Jazton is also great. But, but , but, what the hell is happening to my drives.

My game has gone to bits with my drives slicing to the bushes so many times.

2 April 2010 Meadow Springs : Played to 105 and Jaz played to 101.

Jaz, has suddenly clicked and found the way to cut his score. He is becoming a challenge to me???
Proud as a father can be that his son is playing well, the morale takes a dip.

Royal Fremantle, 5 April 2010

Played with Bambang, Ed and Jaz. I played to 103 and Jaz played to 96. He just lost to Bambang by 1 stroke. Jaz has become a force to be reckoned with. Even Bambang feels the threat and he has been playing for years. Bambang has been a great golfing accomplice. He has been generous in sharing his skills and inspiring Jaz and myself.

Bambang, Jaz and myself at the hole 17 Par 3 Royal Fremantle

Bambang, Jaz and Eddie.

10 April 2010: Collier Park.

This is the school holidays. Decided to play with Jaz 9 holes at Collier. I played to 47 and he plays to 48. He wants to play another 9 to beat me but we have a badminton game with Tyz and the guys. It is getting tough beating Jaz. Maybe I have been saved from being beaten by Jaz?

11 April 2010, Joondalup Golf Course

Myself, Tyz and Jaz at Joondalup Golf Course. It was great that Tyz was with us as my caddie and driver. He has great potential and every time I managed to get him on the course, I hope it inspires him.

Fofo, Bambang , myself and Jaz at Joondalup

Yeah, I played gin rummy till 2 am and then woke up at 540 am to get Jaz and Tyz ready for the game. My 1st hole is a par but the rest of the game descends into chaos with my driver. Jaz hits 99 beating Bambang by 1 stroke. I am blown out of the water and cannot even compete. What is wrong with my driver???.

I decided tonight to throw away my driver and stick to my 3 woods. Let's hope the rest of the month sees some semblance of improvement for myself. Jazton is improving in leaps and bounds. I cannot even break 100 for the last 4 games when I should be reducing my handicap to 18. What a crazy game.

I once told my wife that you can have bucketloads of money but no talent. That is exactly how I feel. Hopefully when I next update this blog, my score will have improved.

Updating the blog after 2 mths

2010-03-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

It has been a hectic 2 mths and I just realised the last time I updated the blog was at the end of Jan 2010.

Well, there has been lots of games since, some good, some bad.

The Thursday group has not been going well as some of the players have been tied up. The weather for summer has been crazy too. With temperatures above 40 degrees, lots of players have chickened out.

The most regular and the craziest has been Henry Pua and myself.

Here's some pictures of some of the games during the last 2 mths:

Golfing at Burswood 18 Feb 2010

Stevie, Myself, Sally, Poon and Michael. It was a dismal day and Sally beat me. I played to 102.

Secret Harbour 7 March 2010 Jazton, Henry and Harris. That was a great day. The weather was beautiful and I played to 93.

Harris was visiting from Singapore and we both managed to escape our wives to play a game at Secret Harbour. We both have to limit our games so as to keep our wives happy.

Jazton hit 104 which is not bad for a new player. He has great potential and has outdriven me on a few occasions.

8 March 2010. This was a great day. Henry had friends from Penang. They were Johny, Kiang and Guang. These visitors were single handicappers and they inspired me to play a 96.

Well, in between, I have hit below 100 and above 100. It is a crazy game. There is no consistency.

Today, 21 March 2010, Henry, Stevie Jaz and myself played at Maylands. I hit 102 after messing up all my par 3s. Jaz hit 98 and I am proud of him. This is the 2nd time he has broken 100. He is well on his way to reducing his handicap.

I just wish my son Tyzton was interested in the game. As usual after the game, I had to go for a cycle with Tyzton so that I spend time with him. God, was I tired.

I have been breaking 100 regularly at Collier Park. However, I need to hit below 90 again to reduce my handicap.

Here's to the next few weeks with determination.

My son breaking 100 after 6 games of 18 holes

2010-01-31T09:55:00.000-08:00

It has been a long school holiday for my son Jazton. He has been waking me up at 7 am to play 9 holes before I get to work during his Xmas break.

Of course the fact that most of my golfing friends are away on holidays made it reasonable for me to wake up earlier during a work week to play golf with my son.

I have also been playing with golf my wife Annie and Jaz for 2 Thursdays while the guys were away.

Anyway, my son Jaz has only been playing 9 holes the last 4 months. He had played 18 holes on a number of occasions but found walking 18 holes a challenge.

This Sunday, he woke me up at 9 am instead of his usual 7 am for a game.

We went to Collier Park and paid for 9 holes. I was not ready to play 18 holes as I had a late Sat night.

I did tell him that if he played at below 53 for the 1st nine, I would play a 2nd nine with him.

He played 52 on the first nine and I played 46.

He begged me to play another 9 holes. The guys at the club were helpful and put us to the Pines 9 holes.

My 2nd nine was not that great but Jaz hit 3 pars and finally ended with a 46 which was much better than my 2nd nine.

So, he broke 100 and hit 98 on his last day of the school holidays after having woken me up on numerous week days to play golf before my office works beckoned.

I am proud of him and know he will do much more in golf than I ever did.

In the evening, Annie, Jaz and Tyz my youngest son went for golf tuition at Burswood. Yes, we are a serious golfing family although Tyz is still unsure. I am sure he will see the beauty of the game and how it will keep the family occupied as a family.

To the family enjoying golf as a family.

Golf in the New Year

2010-01-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

2010 did not start off very auspiciously. I had a terrible game at Joondalup on the 3rd day of Jan 2010. I am too embarrassed to post the score as it was well above 100.

The Pua brothers have all gone on holidays and many of the other players are also away.

In their absence, I have been getting my son Jazton and my wife Annie excited about the game.

Annie , Jazton and I played at Burswood last Thursday instead of having my usual game with the boys. It was pleasant enough to play 18 holes with my son and wife on a Thursday. Jaz hit 100 while I played to 97. This was the 1st 18 holes for the missus and her score was of course quite high. However, I know her tenacity when she wants to improve in a game. That's one of the biggest reason why I love her so much.

I am getting new clubs for the missus as she definitely does not fit the current ones which was bought for her by myself to surprise her. Of course it was all an elaborate plan to get her involved in my addiction. I think it is working. Ha ha ha ( evil laugh).

My eldest son Jazton is totally hooked and will drag me out of bed in the morning to play 9 holes irregardless of the weather. He has dreams of turning pro. I have showed him articles about how much pros earn when they do not play well. He has the potential but who knows.

I just wish I can persuade my youngest son Tyzton to get interested. That way, I get a 4 ball going and am still with the family. He has so much talent but refuses to get involved.

During the Xmas break there was lots of golfing and the biggest concern was to adjust family time with golf. I am sure Harris understands what I am talking about.

Will be playing with my son Jaz and my wife again this Thursday till all the guys come back to Perth. My son has to break 100. He played to 100 last week and shocked me with some drives that were further than mine.

Here's to my son beating me.

Golfing at the Cut 28 Dec 2009

2009-12-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

Players were Bambang, Frank, myself, Henry, Stevie and Harris in this photo.

Jack , from Korea is in the left of the photo.

The Cut is rated one of the top 10 courses in Australia. It was a long drive to Port Bouvard. It is an even longer drive when you miss the Mandurah exit and nearly end up at Harvey. Jack, from Korea did one better when he reached Bunbury and had to drive back.

Harris and I did make it in time even though we had travelled an extra 100 kms. It was well worth the drive.

The course was perfect and challenging. Some of the holes overlook the ocean and on a 40 degrees day, the breeze is a welcome relief.

Score card attached.

The Cut Golf Course
Blue Tees 0.0 / 0
December 28, 2009

EAGLE

BIRDIE

PAR

BOGEY

2BOGEY+

RAY	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	OUT	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	IN	TOTAL
BLUE	344	325	291	156	480	314	339	421	370	3039	394	296	381	177	390	472	130	281	516	3038	6077
HANDICAP
PAR	4	4	4	3	5	4	4	4	4	36	4	4	4	3	4	5	3	4	5	36	72
SCORE	5	4	6	2	6	6	7	6	5	47	6	8	6	3	5	6	3	4	7	48	95
ROUND SCORE	+1	+1	+3	+2	+3	+5	+8	+10	+11	+11	+13	+17	+19	+19	+20	+21	+21	+21	+23	+23	+23
NET SCORE	5	4	6	2	6	6	7	6	5	47	6	8	6	3	5	6	3	4	7	48	95
TEE CLUB	1W	1W	1W	7i	1W	1W	1W	1W	1W		1W	1W	1W	2Hy	1W	1W	7i	1W	1W
FAIRWAYS										100%										100%	100%
GIR										22%										33%	28%
PUTTS	2	2	2	1	2	2	2	2	2	17	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	18	1.9/35
SAND SHOTS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
PENALTIES	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FRIENDS' SCORES
BAMBANG	5	6	4	3	5	5	6	4	6	44	7	5	5	3	7	8	4	5	5	49	93
NET SCORE	5	6	4	3	5	5	6	4	6	44	7	5	5	3	7	8	4	5	5	49	93
PUA	4	4	4	3	9	5	7	5	4	45	5	4	4	4	5	7	3	7	5	44	89
NET SCORE	4	4	4	3	9	5	7	5	4	45	5	4	4	4	5	7	3	7	5	44	89
HARRIS	6	6	4	4	6	4	4	5	5	44	7	4	5	5	8	7	6	4	6	52	96
NET SCORE	6	6	4	4	6	4	4	5	5	44	7	4	5	5	8	7	6	4	6	52	96

With 4 pars and a birdie, I was well pleased with my score of 95. Harris scored 95 too and we both felt we had redeemed ourselves after the bad day at the Vines.

Bambang had 6 pars and scored 93.

Henry had 9 pars and scored 89. Harris had 5 pars and scored 95.

It was particularly pleasing as we were playing off the blue tees.

I have now set myself a target to reach a 18 handicap in 2 mths time.

My biggest weakness is my putting and I have set myself a task of improving my putting as a priority.

Here's an article from the Golf Today website which readers may find useful. The author is Nick Dougherty, a professional.

Seven Ways to Hole More Putts

1. Start reading putts before you reach a green

My green-reading routine starts once I am within 10 yards or so of the green itself- sometimes earlier.
Very often, greens are slightly elevated from the fairway and you can get a better view from a slightly lower angle as you approach the putting surface.
You also get a better perspective of the overall lie of the land and the contours on the green.
It can be very difficult to spot subtle slopes when you are standing right on top of them.
I always make a point of getting down low to look at my putts since I believe that the closer you can get your eyes to the level of the ball on the green, the more chance you have of spotting those little breaks that can make the difference between a missed or holed putt.

2. Thumbs straight down the grip keep your hands passive

I've changed my putting grip several times
during the past year or so, but one aspect of my grip that has remained consistent throughout my career is the positioning of my thumbs on top of the shaft. I like to see them placed on top of the grip and pointing straight down the shaft of the putter.
Why? Because that sets both hands in a 'neutral' position where neither can dominate the stroke and manipulate the putter-face through impact.

3. Visualise the line and keep that image fixed in your mind

One thing that never ceases to amaze me about amateur golfers is how little attention they pay to the line of the putt. If you watch any top professional preparing to strike a putt, you'll notice that they constantly look at the line as they go through their pre-putt routine. Most amateur golfers have a brief look at the line from behind the hole, quickly aim their putter in what they think is roughly the right direction, then never glance at their intended line again. Remember, the more information you can give your brain at address, the better chance you have of actually setting the ball rolling on your intended line.

4. Finish with a high elbow for a better roll

I don't have too many technical putting thoughts, since I believe that this part of the game is pretty much instinct and feel, but I do have a couple of set-up keys to keep my stroke on track.
First, I like a nice, wide stance - my feet spread a little more than shoulder-width apart - to give me some stability as I stand over the ball.
Second, I like the ball pretty much central in my stance with my hands directly above it address. I believe that this gives me the best chance of striking the putt at the base of the stroke so that the full face of my putter makes contact with the ball for a pure roll.
Finally, I like to keep the putter face fairly low to the ground in the course of making the backstroke and then finish with my left elbow fairly high in my through-stroke. This ensures that I accelerate the putter through impact and encourages me to strike the ball with an ever so slight upward sweeping motion to impart top-spin on the ball for a positive roll.

5. Align putter shaft with forearms to hole more short putts

I don't have too many technical putting thoughts, but I do believe that it is very important to hold the putter in such a way that the forearms and the shaft of the club form a straight line. This sets the hands in a more arched position at address and gives you a piston-like action that will enable the club, hands and arms to work more as a unit for more consistency. This is particularly important on short putts, where you want the putter to travel straight back and through on a square-to-square path.

6. Why you can be more relaxed over those six footers

The statistics show that even the tour pros hole only about 20-30% of putts between six and
ten feet. So if guys who spend several hours every day on the practice green honing their
strokes have only a very slim chance of making putts of this length, there's not a great deal of hope for the average amateur. But that's good news for you. Now that the weight of
expectation is off your shoulders, you can go ahead and make a positive stroke.
Most amateurs miss putts of this makeable length because they get nervous about missing a putt that they think they should hole. Once they get anxious, they either tighten their grip on the putter and make a tense and jabby stroke, or they become too hesitant and fail to get the ball running positively towards the hole. Now that you know that you've got nothing to lose, you can eliminate the fear of failure.

7. Watch the ball roll past the hole

Finally, make sure that you pay full attention to what the ball is doing all the way to the end of its journey. If you hole the putt - great. You can watch it fall into the hole. )ob done. But it's even more important that you pay attention when you know the ball is going to miss, so that you can get a perfect read on the putt back. Most amateur golfers switch off as soon as they can see that the putt is going to miss. If you do that, you're missing out on vital information that will help you hole the next one. So follow the roll all the way to the hole and beyond...

I hope you get some inspiration from the article.

Come Sun, Harris and I will be taking on Joondalup with Bambang and Harris. The 1st game for the year. Should be interesting.

Christmas Golfing at the Vines

2009-12-27T07:59:00.001-08:00

Bambang, Lesley, Henry, Gunawan, Ray, Harris, Stevie and Frank at the Vines. Picture taken by Jazton my son.

It was a hot day. It was just after Christmas and everyone had to get rid of their excess fat from the Xmas excess.

Lesley, an old friend from Singapore , now living in Sydney visited us.

So there we were,

Henry, Lesley, Bambang, Gunawan, Stevie, Frank, Harris and myself. All raring to go at the Vines after Xmas.

Harris was back from Singapore and Lesley was here to challenge me. Although my score was bad, at least I had the honour of being the only player with a birdie.

Although my drives were goood, it was just a dismay day for the approach shots. Lesley won 8 skins from me. I must get to Sydney to get my money back.

Here's the score for the guys:

Ray Tan 109
Lesley 92
Bambang 98
Gunawan 96
Harris 105
Henry 90
Frank 92
Stevie 112

Stevie and Harris offered me money not to post their score. Hey guys, I am a purist and not bribable.

Any way, we are playing the Cut on Monday. I need to make amends.

Golfing handicap for the end of year

2009-12-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

Played at Collier Park today with Frank, Henry, Stevie and Kwa, a new golfing friend.

We were supposed to play at the Cut but there were some last minute changes. We all ended up at Collier.

Henry hit 88 while Kwa hit 96 with a 24 handicap.

I managed a 94 although the 1st nine was a 44.

I thought I was going to break 90 again today. It was not to be as there were 2 holes with triple bogeys. All tee offs other than par 3s were made with my 3 wood.

Managed to outdrive some of the guys with their 1 wood.

I am quite proud that I have brought my handicap from 28 in Oct 09 to 23 in Dec 09.

What will the new year bring?

Have to work harder and smarter. Need a new personal best.

Handicap Report
Raymond Tan
Handicap: 23.7 Member Number: 090946
Date of Handicap: 17th Dec 2009 Member since: Oct 2009
Lowest score: 87
Last round: 17/12/2009
Rounds in last 12 months: 11 click here to access PDF printer friendly certificate

Last 10 rounds
Round Date Coursename Tee Par SSS Score +/- Hcp
17-Dec-2009 Collier Park Golf Course - Island/Pines White 72 72 94 -2 23.7
________________________________________
13-Dec-2009 Joondalup Golf Resort - Joondalup White 72 71 106 0.1 25.7
________________________________________
06-Dec-2009 Collier Park Golf Course - Island/Pines White 72 72 96 -1.2 25.6
________________________________________
03-Dec-2009 Collier Park Golf Course - Pines/Lake White 71 71 97 -0.4 26.8
________________________________________
26-Nov-2009 Collier Park Golf Course - Island/Lake White 71 71 102 0 27.2
________________________________________
12-Nov-2009 Collier Park Golf Course - Pines/Lake White 71 71 100 0 27.2
________________________________________
05-Nov-2009 Collier Park Golf Course - Pines/Lake White 71 71 97 -0.8 27.2
________________________________________
29-Oct-2009 Glen Iris Golf Club - glen iris yellow 71 0 101 0 28
________________________________________
22-Oct-2009 Burswood Park Golf Course - Burswood Park Golf Course Mens 70 0 87 0 28
________________________________________
08-Oct-2009 Marangaroo Golf Course - Marangaroo Golf Course MENS 72 0 93 0 0
________________________________________

Golfing at Joondalup on a 40 degree day

2009-12-13T06:32:00.000-08:00

Henry and myself at Hole No. 2, Signature hole of Joondalup, Dunes.

Bambang, Ronny and Henry at the same Hole No. 2.

Yes, we are mad golfers. Henry, Bambang, Ronny and myself had made an agreement to turn up at Joondalup no matter the weather.

As it turned out, it was a 40 degree day. Luckily we arranged to use motorised buggies.

The weather did not help the game. I ended up with 106 all because of a couple of holes that I blew. This was despite all my tee off shots landing on the fairway. I was most pleased with my tee off shots. The mid game was the disappointment.

Even Henry who usually plays well was under the weather and only managed a 92.

Ronny had 2 birdies but only managed a 99. Bambang also hit a 106 even though he is a much better player than myself.

So it is back to the practice range for me. Which brings me to the newsletter below from Herbie, our resident coach. Great info which is worth thinking about.

I have been hitting below 100 for the last few weeks and it was frustrating to hit above 100 again.

Next game is at the Cut. Let's see what the score will be.

Golf Concepts Newsletter. December.

The following is some advice to take into consideration when practicing. It was gleaned from a Dr Morris Pickens who is a sports psychology consultant for many top tour players. The following thoughts hopefully will give you further food for thought and be both practical and show positive results in your game and score.

Most people only get a few hours to practice at that and as mentioned before we need to make that as beneficial as possible.

Scoring on the Golf Course.

Basically, most players only hit about 20% of all their shots whether they are a 30 handicap or whether they are a tour player, with a 9 iron to a 3 wood off the ground.

80% of your shots with either your driver/3 wood off the tee and then off the ground with wedges or on the green with your putter. That means those 5 clubs have a higher percentage importance than the other 9 clubs in your bag. These are your scoring clubs.

That means those other 9 clubs are there to “advance the ball without hurting your score” clubs

So, if you have a limited time to practice then you should split that time and concentrate half the time on drivers and wedges and the other half on chipping and putting, and in doing so you will improve in the scoring areas.

Score Card golf.

There are 36 putts in a round of golf (par three is 1 shot and 2putts, par 4 is 2 shots and 2 putts etc)

There are 14 tee shots (excluding par 3’s depending on your game) so the total of the shots is now 50.

There are 4 par 5’s where you can’t reach the green in 2 or either you go for the green in 2 and miss the green, as a result let’s just say you have 4 wedges into the par 5’s in one form or fashion. That now takes us to 54 shots.

You in most likely will miss 6 greens so we have to have 6 chips. That now takes the total to

60 shots and you still haven’t hit any irons out of the fairway yet.

The reality is, spending time trying to improve your accuracy with 5 irons and 7 irons from a 20 metre miss to a 5 metre miss does not give you a good return on investment and your time.

You will do much better spending time making sure you can take 2 putts from 20 metres and occasionally make the 8 to 10 metre putt. It will give you a better return on invested time as in reality you don’t hit enough mid to long irons to make a difference. Hitting a 7 iron, or 5 iron or 3 iron or even a hybrid is basically the same. Same swing, same set up and the only difference is the distance the ball will fly. This is determined not by you as you are constant but by the club and its design, let the tool do the job.

So, set the game up by accuracy off the tee (not length), then think conservatively but play with confidence (stay out of trouble) with your next shots to set up your ability to get the ball near the hole with either a good chip/pitch or putt and then be able to close out without costing you strokes needlessly. Remember that you game is determined by you bad shots, not your good shots.

Hope it gives you something to think about.

Herbie

golfconcepts@westnet.com.au. 0407829998

Golfing at Burswood with the Lottery West Sponsors 20 Nov 2009

2009-11-29T07:54:00.000-08:00

Bill Bui and Ray Tan at Burswood Golf Course for the Lottery West Golf Day

I always enjoy being invited to golf days. They are a great way to socialise and meet new golfers and potential clients. This was the Lottery West Golf Day and I had been invited by my friend Bill . Bill owns the Swan Lottery Kiosk. He has just started golfing and this was his first corporate golf day.

The golf day was well organised as there was coaching on all aspects of golf before the game.

Bill and I were partnered with 2 other players in an ambrose competition.

We managed only to play to 1 over after 18 holes. Handicaps were based on mystery holes.

Unfortunately our scores were not enough to win. I did enjoy the teamwork. Ambrose is always good when each player pitches in, especially at a crucial time.

The eventual winners were 8 under. It was a good day but it may have been better if I finally win something in golf.

Till the next golf day.

Walking 27 holes for the Weekend 15 Nov 09 Royal Fremantle and Collier Park

2009-11-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

Was invited by Ben Suripto to a game at Royal Fremantle on Sunday morning. The other players were Ben , Ronny and Hanafi. Although all the players are quite good players, the pars were scarce. I played to 109 and was totally disappointed with my performance. The drives were Ok but the putts and 2nd shots were just not connecting. I will have to go back to tame the course. Even the passer by who took our photo did not do it properly so I do not even have a shot of the day.

The course is challenging and beautiful. Lots of hills and bunkers everywhere. Just could not get any pars until the last Par 5. It never fails, you think you are doing so badly and want to give the game up and then you hit a real beauty and it drags you back into the game.

When I got back home, my son Jaz wanted to go for 9 holes at Collier park. So I dragged myself there happily as I wanted to do better than the game at Royal Fremantle. Managed to hit 47 for 9 holes. That salvaged my pride.

However, I need to get back to Herbie for more lessons this Tuesday.

This is the first time I have walked 27 holes. It is tiring but if you are playing well, you do not feel it. Must do it again.

Here's an article by Andrew Park that reinforces my belief that a pre shot routine is the key to lower scores.

Get a Preshot Routine
By Andrew Park Original article can be found at

http://www.golftoday.co.uk/proshop/features/get_a_preshot_routine.html

Do as the pro's do, and develop a series of habits designed to help you make a better swing more often.
To the untrained eye it might go unnoticed, but when a coach watches one of his players in a tournament he or she can tell immediately whether or not they are dialed into their A-game. Ernie Els is a perfect example, and a player we know very well at the DLGA headquarters here at Champions Gate.

When Ernie is playing and swinging well - often referred to as being 'in the zone' - he follows a very definite routine on every single shot that he makes. This involves identifying an intermediate target a few feet ahead of the ball (a leaf or divot mark that lies directly on his line to the target), and he uses that as his point of reference as he then goes through the motions of getting himself correctly and squarely set-up for the shot.

Ernie then takes a couple of looks at that intermediate target as he swivels his head to scan the distant target, then he pulls the trigger and goes. But when he's fidgety, not entirely happy with the shot or his club selection he will look up maybe four or five times before making his swing. And when that happens he usually hits a poor shot.

The point that I'm making here is that good players develop a pre-shot routine and stick rigidly to it when they are in full flow and playing well. Which is why we at the DLGA believe it is so important that our students learn to do the same - and rehearse it regularly in practice. Let me show you how to make this a habit that helps you make more good swings and hit more solid shots.

GET A FIX ON YOUR TARGET LINE

Identifying some sort of intermediate target is a key element of a good pre-shot routine, for the simple reason that it is much easier to aim the clubface squarely on a tuft of grass or an old divot-mark just a few feet in front of your ball than it is on the flag away in the distance.
When you practise, pick out a mark (a few feet ahead of the ball you are hitting) that lies bang on the line to your ultimate target, and then go through your routine - starting behind the ball - with that spot fixed in your mind's eye.
As you go about your business, everything revolves around that intermediate target: you aim the clubface squarely at it before getting your body into a good square position, your grip perfect, posture ready to make a good swing. Finally, look up once or twice (develop your own preference) and then pull the trigger.

IF YOU SLICE THE BALL, READ THIS:

Most higher-handicap golfers make the mistake of getting their shoulders aiming to the right of the target at the set-up (i.e. 'open' - aiming well to the left of the ball-to-target line). That leads to an out-to-in swing path and (most likely) a slice.

To fix that problem, make a habit of aiming the dub face with just your left hand on the grip, your right hand/arm down by your side. That will help keep the right shoulder back, so when you then bring the right hand onto the grip, your shoulders are square with the target line. You are then in a good position to make a good shoulder turn, get your upper body behind the ball and swing the club on the desired inside-to-square-to-inside path.

MAKE A SOLID FIRST MOVE

Simplicity is the key to inspiring a flowing chain-reaction

Not only do good players follow a regimented pre-shot routine, they make sure that they get their swing started with a solid first move that sets the tone for the whole motion in terms of its shape and rhythm. With a mid-iron, here's what you need to be thinking of.

From the set-up position, the key is to get everything working away together to create some momentum. By that (and this over the firm foundation of the lower body), I mean you think in terms of moving your stomach, hands, arms and the clubhead away as a unit. To achieve this, focus on keeping that triangle between your arms and shoulders pretty well intact as you move the clubhead the first two or three feet of your swing (above centre). As you do this, the wrists should be encouraged to hinge freely away from the target in the process of setting the club on a good plane.

One of the key checkpoints that we look for (and one you can check yourself in front of a mirror) occurs as the club reaches a position parallel with the ground, the back of the left hand facing forwards and nicely mirroring the clubface. As you can see, the left arm is working nicely across the chest, and the toe of the club is pointing up towards the sky.

When you practise, make a habit of going through your pre-shot routine and rehearsing this sequence of first moves to this first move checkpoint before returning to your address position and then hitting a shot.
The better and more consistently you make this first move the more you will find that your swing gels together as a whole. Basically, you are honing the first key link in what is a chain reaction from start to finish.

Thursday at Collier Park 12 Nov 2009

2009-11-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

It's the Australian Masters and everyone is watching Tiger Woods.

For me, I rather play than watch. So, there we were, Frank, Ricky and Henry Pua formed the 1st group.

Ray Pua, Stevie and myself formed the 2nd group with Ben Ben, our new playing friend from Indonesia. Ben plays off a 10 handicap. Surprisingly all of us are students of Herbie Schrale.

We all had a 2 hr group lesson with Herbie on Tuesday at Whaleback.

I was still grapplying with the new swing that Herbie was trying to get me to do. So was Ray Pua. Unfortunately, I have not had much practice with the new swing. I played to 100 and had 3 triple bogeys. It is always so frustrating when you know you can do better.

Back to the practice range next Tuesday for more lessons.

Golfing at Collier Park 5 Nov 2009

2009-11-05T05:41:00.000-08:00

Had to be in court today. However the guys were good enough to agree to play in the afternoon so that I can get a game.

Players today were Henry, Ray Pua, Stevie, Sean , Frankie and myself. My brother in law Tony, came to join us at the 2nd nine. I played to 97 today which was not bad and quite easy. I hope I should be able to consistently break 100 and 90.

Tony who is visiting from Melbourne put on a brave game despite not playing for years. You can tell when someone has had training before. Maybe I will get a chance to play more games with him.

He says Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne has lots of beautiful courses. May take him on.

here is an article from Herbie, our resident coach. I must say I agree with him about golfers just smashing balls at the range. Have a look at his article and learn from it if you want to reduce your score.

On another note, we are holding a coaching clinic by Herbie at Whaleback this coming Tuesday 19 Nov 2009 at 6.30 pm. Cost will be $20 per person with free balls. Please confirm how many will attend asap.

By Herbie Schrale

Practice makes permanent, perfect practice makes perfect sense.

Identify.

All golfers should know their strengths and weaknesses but do truly find out you need to analyse your rounds of golf and record the following:

Fairways hit, greens in regulation (according to handicap), pitches from 100m, pitches from 50m, pitches from 30m, chip and run, chips, bunkers, putts.

We all love to practice what we are good at but what we should be doing is working on our weaknesses while maintaining our strengths.

Practice with a Purpose.

The objective in golf is not just to hit the ball, we can all do that. The aim is to place the ball in a desired location desired by the golfer in a way determined by the circumstances the golfer is faced with. Practice is the logical way in which you can train yourself to achieve this ability.

When practicing always have a clear objective in mind when playing each shot (never just stand and hit balls). It is called “hitting mode” and is seen happening on all ranges where golfers just grab another ball and whack it, ball after ball.

You can only focus on one thing at a time and when working on your game you need to decide if it one of the following modes:

Mechanical

Sensory

Target/Competitive

Mechanical - stop start, checking swing, drills, conscious swing thought work in sections to fix swing problems. Use of aids, static and active drills. At no stage worry about ball flight or aiming at targets, just fix the problem and work on one aspect at a time until fixed. Use a work station.

Sensory – Rhythm and swing tempo, balance and fluidity work. Distance control work and technique shots (draws, slices, punches and low running shots etc) Speed work and high repetition work to cement and entrench mechanical work. Again, good contact with the ball and good ball flight but no regard to accuracy.

Use of a work station.

Target/Competitive. This is playing shots as you should on the golf course. The biggest complaint from golfers is they can hit great shots on the range and then, when they get on the course the results are just not there. How many of you practice shots on a range as you would on the course? One shot at a time, picking a target and going through your entire set up routine to play each shot. I watch a large number of golfers on the range and I never see golfers;

1) Walking off the mats and then standing behind the ball to line up’

2) Then walk in, correctly setting up using their routine.

3) Focus on the target and then fire off the shot.

If you don’t practice as you would play then how do you expect the body and mind to respond correctly on a course under more exacting circumstances.

Working on your routine does three things for you game and needs attention all the time.

1) Like a pilots check list, you don’t forget any basics (correct alignment, grip, stance and feet pressure, shoulder and hip position etc)

2) It acts as a focal stimulus in that the mind now concentrates on the routine and helps get you into the “zone”

3) It becomes familiar and helps the body relax and releases tension which are major contributors to a bad swing

Pointers

The following should be considered when practicing:

1) Always warm up Start with stretching and then hit a few shots using a lofted club (Pitching wedge) to 30 metres, then 60 metres and finally to 90 metres.

2) Always use a work station. These can be other clubs, two small sticks or anything you like, but always have a way of checking that you are aligned correctly with relation to your shoulders, hips and feet with the club face and target line.

3) Practice the parts of the game in percentages according to the degree of relevance it has in your game. Analysis of you game will indicate as to what % of your game is putting, short game (under 40 metres), pitching and then full swings. This can further be broken down into full swings from 120 metres or less, 120 metres to 150 metres, above 150 metres and then driving. How much of your practice time is skewered in practicing the lower % shots and not working on the parts of the game that will lower your score by improving your game.

4) Think quality on a range and at practice, not quantity. There are too many golfers that think by hitting 200 balls on the range they have had a good session. Hit 200 shots on the course and tell me your thoughts. The game is the least shots the better and the better you get the higher the percentage of your game will be putting. (Golf is designed to score in such a way that 50% of the course will be putting, i.e. par three green in 1 and two putts, par four green in 2 and two putts, par 5 green in three and 2 putts, do the maths).

5) Make practice fun, play games and always set yourself a challenge when working on target work to judge your performance and don’t quit until you have succeeded. Be realistic on your challenges and work on increments.

6) Like gym work or any other training vary what you are planning to practice be it short game one session, long game with three different clubs the next to bunkers and drivers the next.

7) Knowing what to practice and the correct technique required will do more for you game in a short time then wasting time and money practicing the wrong swing and therefore re-entrenched bad habits. With this in mind, most golfers allow the ball to dictate how they swing (change the swing to correct ball flight depending on what the ball does i.e. compensations). Good golfers get the correct swing first and then tell the ball where to go, make the ball react to you, not the other way around.

Conclusion

If you have any queries or questions on anything in this article, if you need specific drills to work on, advice on training aids or on how to set up a work station etc, then please come and see me, call or e-mail me.

I run supervised practice sessions where we work on specifics each week depending on who is there and what problems they need covering. These are held every Monday evening from 5.30pm to 7pm, Wednesday mornings from 10am to 11.30am and on Friday mornings from 9am to 10.30am and from 4pm to 5.30pm. The cost is $20.00 per person and you are given a bucket of 60 balls with which to practice. With summer coming I was wondering if there would be a desire for an early morning session before work i.e. 7am to 8.30am during the week. If anyone is interested could they please give me a call or send me an e-mail.

My apologies for the lack in newsletters but I will be in touch on a more regular basis.

Happy golfing,

Herbie

Golfing at Maylands on a Sunday with my sons and friends 31 October 2009

2009-11-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

My son Jazton, Eduard, myself and Bui. Photo taken by Tyzton , my youngest son.

It was a beautiful Sunday. Those who had to go to church would have gone and had lunch. For me, I was at the course with my sons and my friends. Ed and Bui are friends who play badminton and who have been converted by myself to the crazy game of golf.

Both are finding their feet, while my sons Jaz and Tyz have great potential but are a bit too lazy and uncommitted. Gee, if I had my dad supporting me in golf at their age, I might have been a Tiger Tan :)

Anyway, we only had time to play 9 holes. I managed to play to 46 which I thought was pretty good. All was going well and I had 4 pars. It was at the 7th hole where my ego took over my common sense. I had been using a 3 wood all along. When I saw the low scores, I told myself, let's get out the driver and blast this game. Bad mistake, it went to the right of the fairway to the bush leading me to a triple bogey.

How does one tame one's ego and just use a safe club. That is the lesson to be learnt. Bui and Ed did not do very well as they are finding their feet. Jaz was quietly achieving bogeys and double bogeys. He has potential and I have to work on him.

Tyz tried a few chips and putts but lost interest. I wish he would embrace the game as he has such great potential.

I believe I can easily break 100 each time I play if I park my ego with my Audi Q7 at the carpark.

Here's to the next game.

Golfing at Glen Iris 29 October 2009

2009-10-29T09:14:00.000-07:00

Players today from left:

William, Ray Pua, Henry, Herbie, Charles and Frank, (Ricky was late as usual)

Alas, my dreams of breaking 80 were not to be. Infact, it was a nightmare day for me. I hit 101 after having 2 balls drop in the water on a par 3. Finally hit an 8 for the par 3. I was doing so well until the call from the office regarding my clients in the immigration detention centre. It was just before I teed off on the par 3.

I think I should make it a point not to take calls on the course. Too distracting. However, what do I do with my clients who need me? I have to train more lawyers so I can play more golf!

I also found that if I just used my 3 wood, I usually get a bogey easily. I guess that should give me an 18 over score. But what the heck, how does one resist the challenge of taking out the driver. All my driver shots sliced today.

I was playing with Herbie in the group. Herbie as you know is the resident pro at Whaleback Golf course. He was encouraging but there was nothing he could do for me at the course.

Ray Pua was playing well today at 90 and I lost money to him. Herbie played to 75 but William did not have a good day. He was also taking too many phone calls.

I do not know about the other group of players.

Anyway, at the end of the game , the group decided we all need to attend a golf clinic held by Herbie just for us. Will have to organise that for the following week.

What a game. It keeps drawing you back. Just when you think you have learnt the game, you crack up again and learn how fallible you are.

Never mind, till next week here are some quotes to chew on.

I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone's golf game. It is called an eraser. ~ Arnold Palmer
The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~ Phyllis Diller


Golf is played by twenty million mature American men whose wives think they are out having fun. ~ Jim Bishop
I tried real hard to play golf, and I was so bad at it they would have to check me for ticks at the end of the round because I'd spent about half the day in the woods. ~ Jeff Foxworthy
The woods are full of long drivers. ~ Harvey Penick
When the ducks are walking, you know it is too windy to be playing golf. ~ Dave Stockton
If you really want to get better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age. ~ Thomas Mulligan
Someone once told me that there is more to life than golf. I think it was my ex-wife. ~ Bruce Lansky
Of all the hazards, fear is the worst. ~ Sam Snead

Interesting article I found on breaking 90

2009-10-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Golf Strategy - How to Break 90

By Les Ross

Visit http://www.breakingthedistancebarrier.com/ which is Les Ross's website.

Most people who play golf have never broken 90 in their golf careers.
This is obviously a major goal for these folks and a source of major frustration...
When I talk and play with these golfers, there is one common observation that I can make about their games that is creating a serious mental barrier to their progress... and that is an intense desire for "more distance".
The other common observation I can make about their game is that they are passionate about golf and will do whatever it takes to improve.
The golf industry thrives on these desires:
"buy this driver and add 10 extra yards to your game"
"buy this ball for extra distance"
"Learn to swing like the pros"
"Turn more for more distance"
Whenever you look in golf magazines or watch infomercials on TV these headlines are everywhere....its no wonder that this distance message has rubbed off on the struggling golfer.
Yet, when you do the math on what distances you require to break 90 off the standard white tees on the typical golf course, the numbers will surprise you...

Understand the Numbers

Golf is all about numbers and making smart decisions. If you can understand the numbers that are necessary to meet your scoring goals, you will begin to make smarter decisions that will quickly lead to lower scores.
I say this because it is this lack of understanding of the numbers involved in the game that leads golfers to make bad decisions both on and off the course:

"I need this new $600 driver to get my drives to 230 yards....that will make a huge difference to may scores"
"If only I could get my irons to go further, what a difference that would make"

Yet, talk to these same people 6 months after their purchase and many of them have made little difference to their scores...

This push for distance is a huge mental barrier. Those golfers who progress faster with their games are those who have discovered how to overcome this mental obstruction.

What they need to do is make mental shift away from distance, to one of "consistency"...
If you can make that change, you will find your game will accelerate rapidly to lower scoring.
That process begins by knowing your numbers....

Understand the Distance Numbers

Golf is all about making smart decisions around distance. If you can understand the numbers that are necessary to meet your scoring goals, you will begin to make smarter decisions that will quickly lead to lower scores.

I say this because it is this lack of understanding of the distances involved in the game that lead golfers to make bad decisions both on and off the course:
"I need this new $600 driver to get my drives to 230 yards...that will make a huge difference to may scores"
"If only I could get my irons to go further, what a difference that would make"
Yet, talk to these same people 6 months after their purchase and many of them have made little difference to their scores...
This push for distance is a huge mental barrier. Those golfers who progress faster with their games are those who have discovered how to overcome this mental obstruction.
Make this mental shift, and you will find your game will accelerate rapidly to lower scoring.
That process begins by knowing your numbers...

Average distances to Break 90

Let's assume you play on an average length course of 6,100 yards. I am going to throw some average distance requirements per stroke out there to break 90 that are based on different putting abilities...
45 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 138 yards
40 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 124 yards
36 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 115 yards
(average distance = 6,100 ÷ (89 - # of putts/round) )

For ladies on a 5,500 yard course the yardages are less:
45 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 128 yards
40 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 115 yards
36 putts/round - average distance/stroke to shoot 89 = 104 yards
As you look at these numbers, even some absolute beginners using a set of old clubs can reach these distances!
So where is the need for distance?
If you are any good at putting you could probably get round the course in 89 using only a 9/8 iron and a putter...

"Ah, but that is not how the game is played..." some might say.
That is certainly true. But then I would ask "how should you play the game and what are you trying to achieve?"...

Change of Thinking

In showing you these distances and prodding these questions I am not trying to be critical of those who play in the 90's or above...
I am simply trying to help you clarify the numbers to encourage you think a little more about how you may be approaching your own game.

Of course I would not suggest you go around the course with nothing but an 8 iron and a putter. That is silly. However, these numbers clearly suggest that you do not need a 230 yard drive either.
So what can we learn from just studying these distances?

1. For starters, if you are able to average a 2 putt on every green for your round, you remove a huge distance requirement from your game.
This then should be your top priority for breaking 90...practice putting at home to get your putting average down to 36 or less per round.
2. The second observation that jumps out at us is that distance is not an issue if you are able to execute every shot cleanly during the round without a miss hit or duff shot.
Swing consistency becomes key, not distance.
Here is how your thinking and mental approach to your swing has to change...
It does not matter how far you hit the ball, but it is vital that you hit every shot with some level of consistency.
Consistency comes with a lot of practice, but it can also come from making smart decisions with your shot making...

Operating at the Top End of your Swing Capability Curve

Your judgment calls on distance and club selection can seriously affect your swing consistency...this is all a "mental process" and has nothing to do with your physical capability.
Let me show you an example...
Let's say that you are faced with an approach shot to the green of 140 yards. What are your choices?
Well, on the range you know that you can reach 140 yards with an 8 iron....in most cases you might have a go with that decision.

How confident do you feel at executing that shot? What are the likely outcomes if you do not pull it off?
Here is what I observe with many high handicap golfers when making decisions of this nature...
9 times out of 10 they are always short of the green. This is because of either a complete miss hit duff shot or they did not catch the ball cleanly at contact.

On top of this the accuracy of the shot is off as well.
The reason for this is they are swinging at the high end of their swing capability curve trying to execute a "full turn", because that is what they have read, or been told will give them the "most distance".
If they adopt this same mental approach to swinging with a full turn during their practice sessions with all their clubs, their decisions on distance capability with each club is going to be influenced by the results they achieve on the range.
The shots they remember are the shots they hit well that go a mile, but do they remember how far they hit the balls that did not go so well?....probably not.
Whenever you try to run a "system" at the high of it capability it is going to experience some failure.
The same can be said of your golf swing. Try to swing with a full turn on every shot, and you will experience failure more times than not.
That is because with a full backswing extension you are more likely to experience:
• Balance problems
• Breakdowns of the left arm
• Excessive tension in the arms that leads to a prerelease of the hands from the top of the swing and poor timing
to mention but a few...
OK. Now I want you to consider your chances of reaching the same 140 yards with either a 7 iron or even a 6 iron. Are you likely to be short with either of these two clubs?
The answer is, "no, only if I miss hit the shot completely. If anything I may overshoot the target..."

Choose a Club Down for better Swing Consistency

Here is how you can immediately improve your swing consistency on the course...
I want you to ask yourself why you put yourself under distance pressure for this 140 yard shot?
Why do you need to operate your swing at the high end of your capability curve and push the extremes of your swing limits with an 8 iron, knowing that you are likely to experience a miss hit?
This is totally unnecessary. You have the option of selecting down a club that you know you will reach the distance with a much higher degree of certainty.
This same thought process can be applied to every swing decision you make with every iron you have in the bag.
The only time you reach a point where you have to make a full turn to increase distance comes with clubs at the low end such as a 3 iron, 3 wood and driver where you no longer have the option to choose down a club.
Choosing to club down for all of your distance decisions changes your mental approach from one of going for distance, to one of going for consistency.
The first reaction you have when you make this decision is worrying about over shooting the target.
This thought process forces you to shorten your backswing so that you take some "heat" out of the shot.
When you shorten your backswing:
• Your balance is better and your swing is much easier to time.
• With improved balance also comes improved accuracy.
So, club down and shorten your backswing for improved consistency...

Set a scoring goal for each hole

You can reduce the pressure to swing for distance from your swing even further by accurately knowing what distance you need to achieve your scoring goal for every hole to break 90.
On a par 72 hole course you need to score 17 over par in order to achieve an 89.
You can break that down to a scoring goal for every hole of a 1 over par, only needing a single par on any one hole somewhere during the round.
Now let's look at how knowing this information affects your decision making and club selection on the course...
For those of you who feel you need to add more distance to your game but have yet to break 90, I want to try and dispel this mental obstacle once and for all with this following example...
Let's put you under a pressure for distance scenario on the course by imaging you are standing on the tee of a 410 yard par 4. Does this intimidate you? You bet!
"I need to have a long drive so that I can give myself every chance of getting on or near the green with my approach shot..."
"It is holes like this that bring out the need for that 230 yard drive! Even with that drive I still have 180 yards to go with the next shot."
How do you rate your chances of pulling off consistent shots under this amount of pressure?
Not very high is my guess..."
Before you reach into the bag for the heavy artillery and psych yourself up for a monster drive, step back for a minute and think about what you are trying to achieve on this hole.
You are not trying to play for par, you are trying to play for a one over par because that is your goal for this hole.
Come to think of it, even a 5 handicap golfer does not need to go for par on this hole because holes of this nature usually have a handicap index of 5 or less!
Knowing you have 5 strokes to meet your goal, how can you best use those strokes to make each shot as simple as possible?
The trick lies in working your way back from the green to the tee, not from the tee to the green in your club selection...

Work backwards from the green for shot simplicity and improved consistency

First of all, I am going to assume you took note of my first observation and have practiced your putting at home and feel pretty good at averaging 2 putts per green.
That leaves you with 3 shots with which to work your way back to the tee to cover the 410 yards.
The first decision you need to make is at what distance and with what club can I feel confident at getting anywhere on the green 9 times out of 10, remembering that there is no need to push your swing to it's high limits for distance.

Let's say that a 65 yard pitching wedge comes to mind.
Ok, now let's work back a little further and decide what would be a reasonable shot that you feel pretty confident at getting you within that 65 yard approach shot range even from light rough.
Maybe a 160 yard iron or hybrid club.

What's left for your drive....185 yards, which for some of you may be a 3 wood distance.
What this exercise does for you is reduce the pressure to swing for distance completely from every shot tee to green. You will be able to swing well within your distance capability...especially if you also club down.
Your chances of executing this strategy with reasonable consistency compared to the "conventional approach" is going to be much higher because you are not swinging at the high end of your swing range.
On top of this, if you successfully land your third shot on the green, you give yourself a one putt chance of a par!
Now compare that opportunity to the "conventional approach" where you would probably be satisfied with a one or even a two over par....

Adding the Extra Shot and Shorten your Approach Shot

The one over scoring goal on every hole but one to break 90 allows you to design your tee to green play with an "extra shot" compared to a regulation strategy.
That extra shot on all the par 4's and par 5's reduces the distance you require for every shot considerably.
Knowing this allows you to back off and swing well within your distance capability by clubbing down.
The extra shot also allows you to select a shorter approach shot on every hole which improves your changes of getting on the green.
This helps you avoid many wasted short game shots from around the green which are tremendous shot consumers for high handicap players who have not developed a short game.

Breaking 90

As I have shown you in this article, knowing the distance numbers to break 90 takes away the pressure to operate at the high end of your swing capability on every shot
Making smart club choices by clubbing down, also eliminates this distance pressure.
The strategy of adding the extra shot from tee to green to shorten your approach shots on every hole, not only reduces wasted shots from around the green, you also give yourself more par opportunities for a one putt par.
The desire to add more distance to your game can be a major mental barrier that is preventing you from lowering your scores and reaching your goal of 89.
Make the mental shift to thinking more on how to improve consistency by swinging well within you distance capabilities and your scores will drop significantly in a short period of time...
Good luck and good scoring!

Les Ross is author of "Breaking the Distance Barrier" http://www.breakingthedistancebarrier.com and owner of "Highlander School of Golf"
If you would like learn more about the strategies to break 90 and how to improve the technical swing skills you need to break 90, take a look at the 3 part video series and free ebook download: http://www.highlanderschoolofgolf.com/HowtoBreak90.htm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Les_Ross

Breaking 90 as a Personal Best at Burswood

2009-10-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

BURSWOOD 22 OCTOBER 2009

From left, Gunawan, Stevie, Eduard, Ray Pua, Ray Tan, Ricky, Henry, Michael.

What a day at the course. My mind is still buzzing at the possibilities.
Have I broken my mental barrier when it comes to the game.

The boys and I played at Burswood today. There were 2 new players. Ed Bitao from the Phillipines and Gunawan from Indonesia/Singapore.

Gunawan, Michael , Henry and myself made up the 1st four. We had a fruitful day as I had an eagle and 2 birdies while Henry had 2 birdies.

The eagle was unexpected. It was at hole 7. Those who know the course will know that the hole is guarded by a water hazard on the left and also the right. Henry laid up with a 3 wood. I went for it with a driver. My shot went slightly right and I thought it ended in the water hazard.

One stroke gone, I thought and I was playing so well.

When we went near the water hazard, Gunawan spotted my ball in the rough. It was in the rough but there was a clear line to the pin.

I took out an 8 iron and went for the green. It landed on the green and I knew I was safe so I turned away from the green. Gunawan then shouted that it was an eagle and I thought he was joking.

Well, it was an eagle and was as good as a hole in one.

My eagle hole and ball at hole 7.

What a day. Must be the company. I also had 2 birdies today. All in, the score was 87 despite one blowout hole of 8 on a par 5.

All in all it was a good day for the group as Henry and Michael also played at 79 and 96 respectively. Gunawan who is recovering from tennis elbow was just warming up to his pars when the game ended.

It was also great to win Ray Pua's money again.

Till the next game, I am dreaming of breaking 80.

Golfing at The Cut with Rocky Bay Inc

2009-10-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

Ron and Ray at the Cut

8th October 2009 at the Cut, Port Bouvard

I was not able to play golf with the boys on Thursday as I had planned to play at the Cut on Friday.

And what a day it was. I was invited by Ron Taggart , my bank manager from Commonwealth Bank. Pepe Giorgio and Trent Nathan , also from the bank, made up the foursome.

It was a fund raiser for the Rocky Bay Inc. They do a lot of charity work for disabled children.

The game was based on the Ambrose rules. Unfortunately as the rest of the team and myself do not have an official handicap, we were playing off an 18 handicap.

We had 3 birdies and 3 bogeys. The rest were pars therefore we ended on a scratch score. That was not good enough because of our forced handicap. I really need to do something about this handicap issue.

The weather was beautiful and the course which is rated as one of Australia's best, was a dream to play.

There were several tough holes. However, each hole has it's own particular charm. I will definitely be back there.

It would have been better if I had been able to play the whole 18 holes on my own. Playing the Ambrose rules meant I did not have a chance to know what I would have played for the 18 holes on my own.

Till my next game, here's hoping that I break 90.

AMBROSE RULES (COPIED FROM THE INTERNET)

Ambrose is played in teams of two, three or four. The team selects a captain on the tee (usually the lowest marker) and they decide on the order of play. Every subsequent drive from the tee must be played in the same order. The players then play a shot from the tee and proceed to their ball. The captain then decides on the best-positioned ball and the other players retrieve their balls.

Each member of the team must have at least three of his or her drives used during the round. Please mark on the card for each hole whose drive was used. Thus in a four person team one person can have his or her drive used a maximum of 9 times.
The player whose ball was chosen has the first shot and then each remaining player drops their ball within one club length of the spot, but no nearer the hole, and plays their next shot in the order originally decided by the captain. This procedure continues irrespective of whether the ball is on the fairway, in the rough or in a hazard, until the play reaches the green.

On the green, the best position is again decided upon and marked. Each player then places their ball within a card length of this spot and has one putt in turn. They must not putt out, but each ball position must again be marked and the procedure repeated until a ball is holed, or a score cannot be bettered. In the interests of speed a tap-in putt may be taken after a good first putt and then the other long putts.

The card is marked as for a single stroke round and the lowest score wins the competition. It is important to note that every player must have their handicap marked on the card. Only one score is kept for the entire team, regardless of the number of members. Handicaps are calculated by adding those of all players and dividing the total by: 4 in a two-ball team, 6 in a three-ball and 8 in a four-ball team. The nett score is calculated by subtracting the exact resulting handicap so all those fractions count.

The single stroke game requires all strokes to be counted and players are unable to pick up the ball without penalty. The score for the 18 holes is tallied and the handicap is deducted from that total. . The lowest score wins, both for gross and nett.

The maximum handicap allowed for a male golfer is 27 and for a female golfer 36.
As an example suppose in a four-person team the handicaps are 13, 22, 27, and 45 which totals 107. Divide the total handicap by 8 leads to team handicap of 13 and 3/8ths.

Suppose the team compiles a total score of 84. The nett score for that team is then 71 and 5/8ths.

Besides prizes for the best team scores there are individual prizes for nearest the pin on the 9th, 10th, 14th, and 16th holes, longest drive (the ball must finish on the mown portion of the fairway) on the 8th and 18thth holes as well as hole in one on the 12th hole and a last team prize.