Accuracy at all times!

Well, this blog is in response to Patti's latest posting regarding our recent handicap adjustments.  I had in fact noticed that my handicap had briefly dipped below a 30 at one point, and I have a perfectly good explanation as to why that happened.  After golfing a 54 on 9 holes several months ago, in a hurry to enter my score and meet friends for dinner, I mistakenly entered a 54 for 18 holes instead of a 54 for 9 holes.  Even though the computer recognized this and asked for verification, "Is this correct...this is out of your normal range"...I hit yes and beat it.  Now, if a computer could talk, I'm sure it would be yelling, "Yeah, right...check the number of holes you played, idiot!  And if it is correct...join the LPGA!!!!!"   After having my bubble burst and being prematurely excited at having my handicap below 30 (meaning I would only have to enter an 8 as my maximum per hole), I now carefully review all of my information before posting.

As for my handicap actually trending downward, I am happy to report that it has come down ever-so-slightly.  Patti and I played at Jeremy Ranch yesterday and both had decent games of golf (especially Patti's 43 on the front 9).  On advice from a friend, since Patti and I were playing as a two-some, following a five-some with no one behind us all day, we had the luxury of playing 2 balls each when we had bad shots.  Of course we played our original balls throughout the game, but it was great to have the time to re-play bad putts, bad drives or bad fairway shots (not that there were very many of them...haha).   Patti finished with a 100 for 18 holes, and I posted a 110...which I was very happy about.  I  do feel like my golf game has already improved this year, but I am still somewhat erratic.  For me it's still a par followed by a 9...a great drive followed by a swing-and-miss, or my favorite one...on the green in 2 and then a 4 putt!  I also could literally write a book called "HOW TO RUIN A GOOD DRIVE".  So thank goodness there are those occasional beautiful shots that make you feel like you could really become a great golfer over time (and not want to sell your clubs on Ebay). 

Well, I'm off to golf Murray Parkway tomorrow while Patti is gearing up to golf in the Park Meadows annual golf tournament next week.  And remember..."Golf is the only sport where the most feared opponent is yourself".

What Goes Up Must Come Down...Hopefully!

We have finally had some summer weather in Park City!  It has been windy and a bit too cold for me but the sun is shining so I won’t complain after our rainy June. I have been to Chicago and San Diego since my last post and both non-golfing trips did nothing to advance my goal of lowering my handicap.  With the beginning of a new month I have a new resolve to put some serious work into my golf game. With three member/guest tournaments looming in the near future I don’t want to let my golfing partners down and I don’t want the pressure of knowing that I really haven’t done anything to prepare other than buy new golf shoes.  With these thoughts in mind I attended the first ladies short game clinic at the Jeremy Golf Club and had my first private lesson with our golf pro and coach, Jake Hanley.  I have actually gotten to the course more than 5 minutes before my tee time and shocking as this may sound, I have been spotted on the practice range several times in the last week.  With all this pent up energy directed at my golf game, you can imagine how dismayed I was when my new July 1^st handicap went up (from 25.6 to 26.3).  This got me to thinking…I wonder how Kim is doing in our little contest??? Well, I guess she’s been holding out on me…down to a 32.8 and trending downward.

I suggest to all of you who are joining us in your own personal golf quest to take a look a your handicap history.  It does make you feel a little better, when you see your handicap fluctuating more than your weight, to know that there is actual improvement over time!  For example, Miss Kimmie started her golf history four short years ago in 2006 with a handicap of 50.3 (bet you didn’t even know you could have a handicap over 50 – did you?).  Her handicap has been plummeting ever since to an all time low in ’09 at 28.6 (Bet that smartie pants didn’t even know it got that low for two weeks after winning several tournaments) to its current 32.8.  I think she should be pretty proud of dropping 17.5 points in four years!!! 

I, on the other hand, have only dropped 8 points in three summers of golf so I better get out on the practice range.  Kim is playing with me tomorrow in our guest day.  I will give you a full report of our progress in my next blog.

Happy golfing, gardening, or whatever makes you smile this July!

Patti