Reality TV ?

Last week I traveled to Orlando FL on an invitation to have an audition for a chance to be a part of the Golf Channel's reality TV show "The Big Break". A couple of months ago (sometime after the Tour Championship) I went onto the Golf Channel's website and found an application for the Big Break. My reason for doing it was because my season had finished and wasn't exactly the rookie season I was hoping for but thought that the Big Break would be another great way to continue having some excellent learning experiences on the golf course. I feel it's a great way to put my game under pressure in a whole different way. Being watched by a camera and knowing that Millions of people would be watching that episode would be a great way to develop my game into a whole other level. Plenty of players (now successful) have had their game flourish after being on the Big Break. Some notables are James Nitties - PGA Tour, Hugo Leon - Nationwide Tour, Tommy (two gloves) Gainey - Nationwide/ PGA Tour. I think a lot of their success came from their initial talent but blossomed from the high pressure created from this unique golf show.
My hopes are to be a cast member of this show. In order to do that, all I can do is sit and wait. In Orlando the audition was very quick and easy. After signing a waiver to allow the channel to perform a background check on me I was allowed to warm up for a few minutes. Shortly after I was asked to come in front of the camera and hit a few shots. That consisted of six 7 irons and 3 drivers. I thought they would have asked me to perform a few more golf shots but that was not the case, I guess they just wanted to see if I was lying on the application that I could actually hit a golf ball... Lots can be said by the looks of your swing, unless you use Jim Furyk as an example. Next I was introduced to a gentleman who mic'd me up and had a conversation or interview with him. We touched topics of how I got started in golf, what I thought my strengths were in my game, where I saw myself fitting in for the show and where I saw myself going on from here/what I thought I could get out of the Big Break.
I felt it was a successful but quick audition, I feel I did quite well considering I've never been in front of a camera but all in all I'm happy with the results up till now. So, at the moment we wait till they contact me and tell me that they will be conducting the background check. That's the point where I have made it to the "semi finals" of the audition process and then all that's left is them letting me know when I will be flying out for the taping, which I'm told will be between the 3rd of january and the 17th.

Wish me luck, just another chapter I hope added to the journey

JS

BIG 3 WEEKS AHEAD

I'm sorry I haven't made a post since Saskatoon. I certainly have had some good things happen since that dismal day bogeying last two holes to miss cut by two. Unfortunately for me the same tough stuff happened the following week when I bogeyed my 36th hole on Friday to miss the cut by one stroke. It was upsetting but I have really been playing well and feel that my game is moving in a great direction. Some proof was made when I place T2 in the Coppinwood Invitational last Monday earning a little check. Actually again, I made bogey on my final hole and missed a playoff for the win and a $5000 payday.

Lately I have had a three week break and I have used them well. Since I have been playing well I haven't wanted to mess with it too much so just a little warm up here and there and a casual round with a little wager to make the putts worth a little more. The weekends have been enjoyable, going up north to enjoy the cottage life and relax before a big three week push competing in the final 3 events of the Canadian Tour schedule.

Aug 12-15 : Jane Rogers @ Greystone GC in Milton, ON
Aug 19-22 : Seaforth Inv. @ Seaforth CC in Seaforth, ON
Aug 26-29 : Tour Championship @ St. Catherines CC in St. Catherines, ON

I am presently confirmed into the Jane Rogers and should be fine to get into the Seaforth event. The Tour Championship depends on earnings and at the moment I am in the event but need to make some more money in the next two to confirm my place. The next two events don't have a very large purse ($125,000) and the Tour Championship having a $325,000 purse, the biggest of the year. Since I'm playing well I really hope to do well and have some strong finishes. I am tired of worrying about making cuts and want to put my focus solely on hitting good shots and playing a strong round. I now understand that I am playing well enough and have the ability to compete very well in these events and deserve far more than I have achieved this year. What I would really like to do is earn my tour card for the 2011 year. In order to do that I need to earn around $7,000 for the season, which means I need to basically earn that in my next 3 events. Not out of the question ... like I said I'm playing really well.

So this upcoming week I play in Milton, ON and would love all the support I can get while competing in my first Canadian Tour events in Ontario. If you are interested in coming to the event I can request tickets. All I need is an email of how many you would need. You can email me at jacobscriven@gmail.com. Of course these are some very big weeks coming up and any and all support will be much appreciated. I look forward to seeing some familiar faces out on the links and I certainly can't wait to play some great golf for you either.

JS

Saskatoon Missed Cut

Yes, missing a cut in Saskatoon is no fun. I really enjoyed the golf course and have been playing well coming into this week. However, I still missed the -5 cut line yesterday and it hurt. Yesterday I rallied back, got off to a good start and found myself at -4 for tournament by my 16th hole. I was getting up and down when I had to (which wasn't much). I hit 14 greens and the two big ones were the final two holes 17 and 18. I knew I had to get it to -5 for tournament. That meant shooting a -6 66 for the day. A 219y par 3 over a bunch of gnarly dunes. I played it right and it rolled just off the green which meant a 40 foot putt from off green. Maybe I should have chipped it but I still like my decision to putt, it was over a couple humps and I left it 5 feet away and the killer was the lip out to ruin my bogey free round and put the pressure on to make an eagle on 18. Hitting the driver well I wanted to hook the ball into a dogleg left fairway and set up for a strong shot to the green. The ball not turning as much as I wanted flew through fairway and underneath the lip of the bunker. That pretty much solved the day there. Tried getting out, didn't and moved on.
All in all I can still say I'm happy. I'm learning, and I think I found something that I can really use to help me in the future. You see the first day I was really nervous and anxious over my putts, and I had looks at birdies all day. I was pushing, pulling, coming up short... A very timid sort of golf. It even felt like the day just blew by which I consider was lack of focus, or just trying to be too relaxed out there. Day 2 I really focused hard and controlled my breathing (deep breaths before putting) it seemed to help and I was hitting my putts. It was really the first round that hurt me. However I really think I found something that can work for in the future. It is always good to know that I can peg it with these guys out here and even better to know that I feel like I'm growing week to week even if I'm not playing in the event... Big key.
Looking forward to The Players Cup in Winnipeg, I have to Monday qualify at the moment being 3rd alternate. I hope I don't have to deal with it but whatever I'm playing well so hopefully I get through. Wish me luck

JS

Edmonton Out / Saskatoon Inn

Play on words for a title, but here I am in Saskatoon, a week after sitting around the first tee all day as first alternate. It was the second time I had been the first alternate for an event but this time I was surprised I didn't make it in. It was a pretty strenuous few days as I was the first alternate for three days until the final tee time went off 2:30 pm Thursday afternoon. Every phone call I heard ring in would have me so elated that I was going to get my start for the week. Instead, it was only a chance to get the heart rate up and the stress level higher. All is well though I promise. This week the tour is here in Saskatoon at Dakota Dunes golf club. Yesterday I played a practice round and can say that I am truly excited to play this event. The golf course is in great shape and seems like a great layout to have a good competition. I feel very comfortable with this course and hope to do very well and improve my position on the list before the Winnipeg re-shuffle. I can say I am playing well, during yesterdays round I was working the ball well both ways and also putting and chipping very nicely. Tomorrow I am part of a clinic held at the golf course where we will be getting paid $200 for the hour session. A very nice and easy way to pay for my food for the week. Anyways, Big week this week and I hope to do well, I am just going to calm down, let the stresses settle and get ready to have fun this week and make some serious money.


JS

PS for those of you that have been loving the weather in Ontario... it hasn't stopped raining all day, 30 mile winds and 15 C.

Tough Week

As you know I had the misfortune of playing this week through injury. I had hoped I would be able to work through the pain and stay calm and take it easy. At least get through the first couple days of pain, make the cut and hopefully by weekend pain is gone... Not the case. Because of the location of the spasm (under right shoulder blade) there was pain on the back swing however, the real problem was on downswing and finish I found myself leaving a lot of balls out to the right because my body wasn't allowing me to finish swing. That led to a lot of work on the short game or just a really really long putt... and I had a lot of those.
It's certainly dissapointing to have missed the cut but as I look at the number of great players that scored about as bad I did I realize I played some fairly decent golf through injury. Never once did I quit or give up due to pain and always tried to get myself right back in the game. I hope it's a character builder for when it comes to count and I feel healthy. I hope it's not long before this goes away, the most unfortunate thing about all this is how excited I was about competing in the Times Colonist which usually leads to good results. Second, how well I had been playing leading into this week. I felt like I was in the perfect place to have a strong finish. Either way, this had never happened to me where I have had a physical injury (other than flu) and had to make the decision to play through pain or WD. Another life lesson on the course and like I said before I hope it helps in the long run.

Tee Time 2:20

It's 10 am here in Victoria and I've already been to the golf course. Not exactly for practice but for therapy. Yesterday before I rolled in for the practice round the muscle underneath my right shoulder spasmed and left me in a little bit of discomfort, enough to finish after 10 holes and see the on site Dr. for some treatment. Last night was not a pretty scene as I was keeled over in pain hardly able to take a breath. I have never had this sort of problem and I will say for a golfer, this is one of those pains you wish you never had. Fast forward to now, the pain is still there but I have a larger range of motion in the back and I feel I will be able to get through today hoping the pain reduces by tomorrow. The weather is great right now, the sun is out, the wind is down and the course is soft. There is no reason why I would want to withdraw from competition at this point even with the discomfort.
Funny story, a couple of the guys who are the #1 and #2 alternates were offering $2000 to WD (under the table) from the event so they could get in. It goes to show you how important that cut in Puerto Vallarta really was as I would be one of those guys stranded in the alternate list. After this event is a reshuffle which means a chance for me to move up in the category 6 and after that there will be no more until we hit the Ontario events. Who knows, maybe being slightly injured or sick in my first rounds will be a good omen for me. I tee off at 2:20 and will be playing with two other Canadians. Greg Mactaller and a great guy who I was practicing with in Houston, Roger Sloan. Should be a good day, I'm looking for red numbers but mostly just trying to be calm relaxed and get through a day that may prove to be a little more challenging then I expected.

JS

Arriving in Vancouver

Well almost a month after my final round in Puerto Vallarta I am sitting in the Vancouver airport waiting to board my flight to Victoria. In the past three weeks I have been working very hard to get myself in game shape to compete in this weeks event... The Times Colonist at Uplands GC in Victoria BC. After the Puerto Vallarta event I felt like I knew where I needed to improve and what I needed to focus on to be competitive for this weeks event. I wanted to make sure that I was mentally confident coming into this week and worked on hitting a lot of shaped shots off tees to keep myself in the zone. One of the things I wasn't ready for was the familiarization with the V groove wedges in the longer blue grass we have in Southern Ontario and most of Canada. It was pretty confusing and very frustrating trying to get used to the sometimes sudden flyer lie or thick grass but not being able to swing hard through the grass. Needless to say my time at Woodensticks practice facility really got me into a pretty good place. I had some really strong rounds while I home even a bogey free round (which I can't even remember the last time I did that, if ever). With all that training I also took some time off ala Rory McIllroy's week off before winning with a closing round 62. A long weekend spent up at a friends cottage was exactly what I needed to calm right down and relax 100%. So I sit here in the airport, may not have a chance to practice Uplands GC until Wednesday but myself and Barry will be heading out tomorrow to Bear Mountain to have a game and get swinging again. I'll post again before event... by the way, the forecast does not look good. 12 degrees avg. rainy for the next few days, now is the prefect time to bring out all the brand new Galvin Green clothing and rain wear for this week... I hope it helps.

JS

Puerto Vallarta Check Out

As I get to pack my suitcases I feel ready to come home. I had a great time in Mexico, the food was great but I'm tired of it and I learned a great deal over the last two weeks. Despite shooting my worst round ever as a professional (I can't even remember the last time I shot higher than 80) I was able to pick away at all the positives that I did this week.
To touch on day 4 I can say that again I put myself at a disadvantage at the first hole of the day (10). I was no longer focused on shooting a score, I was focused on getting myself higher on the category 6 ... so make more money, say like $1,000 or more. Instead of trying to shoot a score that would help me. That helped me get off to a poor start, even though I hit some great shots early (first 4 holes) and was payed off terribly. On hole 13 (my 4th) hit right at the pin, hard bounce and kicked up into a tree foot off ground. I managed to try and get it all back and for the next 5 holes I gave myself great looks at birdie. Then I made a terrible bogey from 105 yards on the par 5 #2 and then it seemed to blow away. My tee shots were already poor on this day, and when I got to the open windy side I couldn't get my ball in play, I was steering the ball which is a no no. I lost 3 balls to OB and then that was it I just wanted to get into the clubhouse and get out of there.
It's tough to shoot a score like and see it on the scoreboard after you have worked and played so well to get yourself in a great position but these things happen. It's a learning experience out here and I've been taking in all I can. I'm really excited to come home and work on a few things so that I can be ready for the Victoria BC event. I think it's best to forget about what happened yesterday and just remember all the good things that have happened these past couple weeks. I did what I set out to do, I needed to make a cut and I did so I'm happy. I get to learn more now as I have a few more events I will be confirmed for. That's all I need is more tries at tournaments. I know that the Canadian Tour is where I need to be to take me to the next level and I can already tell it's working.

JS

Day 2 : 71 (-1) Puerto Vallarta

Well if you've been following online you already know I made the cut. What a relief that was considering the nerves I had coming in. Knowing you are near the cut is a bit of an experience, I wanted to play aggressive but didn't want to miss more. My back nine the body was stiff I was steering it off the tee which was out of my control. I tried to be calm and patient but it was just an experience I had never had before in my career. Remember this is truly the 3rd "tournament" I have played that has a cut after 2 days as a pro and my first ever cut made. I now have a "career earnings" HA! Either way a lot was riding on making this cut. I now am guaranteed a start in the Times Columnist in Victoria BC and hopefully everyone else. I hope this week I get myself some good money where I can get ahead of a bunch of the guys who were in my category and made cuts. This is a crazy event though, so many guys are going low. I mean a -4 cut is crazy. The course isn't that easy I can tell you but it's teh greens, they are basically straight putts on a 7" stimp. (Stimp is the speed of the green and 7 is very slow) The one good thing is that they roll pretty true (as good as 7s could I guess. So guys really don't have to fear running a putt by too far so the guys in teh lead are basically ramming these putts in. Hell, I may be the guy making the best putts on the golf course this week. I made so many great (pressure) putts coming in on the back nine today including a 25 footer for par, and a 15 footer for par save on the last (9). As all of us golfers should know it's putting that makes your round and I'm glad it's there so hopefully tomorrow (9:40 am off 10 tee) I look to be loose and ready to shoot a score and get myself closer to the top of this leaderboard.

JS

Day 1 : 68 (-4) Puerto vallarta

Today was a very big surprise for me not because I didn't think I could shoot a round like 68 but because no more than 10 hours before my tee time I was freezing cold with a fever and feeling terrible. I took some Pepto Bismol yesterday and have progressively been feeling better but Mexico is definitely getting the best of me. Tomorrow I tee off at 2:30 from the tenth tee and hope to have another great day on the greens and get closer to these leaders. I had a couple bad tee shots today which led to my double bogey and my bogey but again, I feel like this course suits me and I think I can do well in this event. Stay tuned at www.cantour.com

JS

Day 2 : 76 (+4)

Heading says it all... Can't compete in a tournament when you're over par and unfortunately for me I was only able to make a couple bogeys and pars. The afternoon proved a little more difficult for me and the rest of the players with the p.m tee time. Very windy but most of all tough putting conditions. The grass had grown throughout the day and proved to be very challenging to get a putt to stay online. I missed 6 greens, missed 7 putts within 6 feet, and the other pars on the card were putts from no more than 15 - 20 feet, I just couldn't get that ball in the hole. It's very frustrating when that is happening. In my case I was hitting the tee ball very well, always in great position and was hitting great shots into the greens considering the wind. But frustration begins to mount after a you make it through the back nine and you hadn't seen a putt drop of any length. The back nine I got the ball even closer to proximity which was great (it was the more difficult side), I managed to play it superb, 6 of nine holes were 15 feet or less in proximity to the hole, but alas, no birdies... until it was too late, hole 17 rolled my first 15 footer in on the 611 yard (wind in face) par 5.
It's unfortunate that I didn't make the cut especially when I look back at my two rounds. I know I played well enough to be competing in this tournament if it weren't for a couple poor tee shots at the wrong time and a putter failure... But you learn. For my first event I have proved my ball striking is in form and I can compete in these events. I plan on regaining some confidence with my putter over the next few days and go into next week with a good attitude and a desire to be in the red. The key is putting and I know it's there, I just have to retrieve it.

JS

Day 1 : 74 (+2)

Day 1 is in the books and despite a round of two over par I feel somewhat happy about the round. I teed off the 10th hole to start which is the more difficult of the nines (very tight). I had a few good chances at birdie to start but was a little nervous, as you can probably imagine. As that nine went along and I turned to the back I felt great with a score of even par through that tough side. Unfortunately I hit a really bad shot off the 1st tee (my 10th) and found water and had a long shot in where I made a double bogey. Next hole par 5 I hit a great second shot and almost made double eagle, missed the 15 footer and took birdie. Then on the only tight shot on this side I knocked my ball out of bounds and was left with a double bogey again. Bogey on the next and then felt enough was enough and I came back hard with three great holes and birdie on them. missed another birdie on my 17th hole by nothing and on the 18th hole missed a tough putt to save par on my 18th. All in all I was happy with my play, the first round of my Canadian tour didn't start off guns a blazin but I feel like it was respectable enough and I didn't get blown out... it really could have once I got to 4 over par. I'm happy I battled back and look forward to putting a good score in tomorrow afternoon and playing the weekend.

JS

Mazatlan

Well I have arrived safe and sound in Mazatlan Mexico. Since I arrived Monday evening I have had one 18 hole practice round and managed to get about 6 holes in this morning before the Pro - Am started at 8:30 am. The course is an interesting design, somewhat open on the front side and pretty tight on the back. The entire course is surrounded (in pretty close proximity) by Out of Bounds which demands a very strategic game plan to make it through the course effectively. On two occasions I played a 3 iron off the tee on par 5's and then a 3 wood (or 3 iron) to set up the hole. My thought behind it is, if I can eliminate the penalty strokes all together I should gain at least 2 strokes on the field easily. The other thing I have been focusing hard on is which way the grain is facing in certain locations on the green. These greens are very grainy much more than what i would be used to, even in the southern states. Same is true with into or away from grain, they will be fast or slower and also may pull side to side if going across it. I have marked as much as I could down in my course book to help from the fairway navigate to a down grain putt for different pin locations on the knowledge that the down grain putts will be faster but will also hold it's path or line to the hole much better which hopefully means I make more putts. I feel good this week though, my ball striking is looking good and my wedge game has improved. I'm hitting the tee ball very well as usual and as an added bonus I will be paired with my good friend Barry O'Neill for the first two days which hopefully will bring us both luck with a lower sense of urgency and pressure. We will be able to play golf the way we usually do everyday in Houston, light hearted and always very competitive. It's definitely a great way to start off the season (when making a cut is crucial) and you're playing with the one guy who would be able to alleviate any negative pressure you may be feeling. I look forward to this first week on tour. I'm going to relax the rest of the afternoon, maybe have a swim and maybe even listen to a few waves crash in on shore. I'll be in touch with more results but you can follow at www.cantour.com

JS

Mexico Bound

Well it's been a while since my last post and I do apologize for that. I've been up and down with my game but seem to be on the up now. I have been working hard on my short game after losing it a little bit and have been seeing my putting come around really nicely which helps the entire game. Since my last post I had the chance to speak with a past Masters Champion (Jackie Burke II) and he said you have to be great at one thing in golf, that being putting. Pretty simple idea really but it's true, if you're a great putter it will either save a bad game or make a good game great. It really allows you gain confidence on the rest of your game when you feel confident with a putter in your hand. You feel like you don't have to get it as close to the hole which relieves pressure on chipping, then back to approach shots , then back to tee shots, which in turn usually makes you hit it closer all together anyways... golf is a funny game like that.

So Monday I make my way to Mexico to begin my season on the Canadian Tour. We begin in Mazatlan and then we move to Puerta Vallarta. It should be a great time and I am so excited to get started on the tour. It should be a great experience and I hope it brings my golf game to a whole new level. One of the things that I hope will help along my path is the support of Galvin Green Clothing. They are an amazing brand and have agreed to clothe me in shirts, jackets, and sweaters for this season. The product is gorgeous and unbelievable quality. It gets me excited to play right off the bat from how good this stuff looks, and when you look good, you feel good. So I truly appreciate the help they have offered me for this year. You can check out the catalogue at http://www.galvingreen.com .

One of the things I did want to mention was the removal of a couple events on the Canadian Tour in the beginning of the season which has left some gaps in the start of our schedule. This means I will have some free time after Mexico and the Times Columnist in Victoria, BC. I plan on coming back home for a couple weeks to get some practice in at Wooden Sticks and hopefully enjoy some home cooking. I don't know if it will work out but I'm going to find out if it's possible that I open myself to some instruction and maybe a clinic or two in hopes of fundraising a little bit. It could be a great opportunity just as the season is about to start. If it all works out look for an ad or some notice of it in the local paper (Cosmos).

Until then I'm off and if I get a chance over the two week period I am out of country I will try and blog as often as I can with an inside look or response to how I am doing out on tour. I look forward to competing and am thankful for all the well wishes I have received, it is what helps me dig in when times are tough.

JS

Red Numbers, THERE YOU ARE!

Today I was invited to play a round of golf at the Redstone Golf Club in Houston. This is the course where the Shell Houston Open will be played in a couple weeks from now. All the grandstands and tents are up for the vendors so it has that feel of a PGA event, without the spectators. Anyways, the condition of the course is nearly immaculate considering the winter Houston has had... cold and rainy. The course just looks great though, the ground is firm, the grass is lush and the greens are smooth and fast. As you know I have been working hard on getting my game in shape and finally I saw some serious game show from it. I was able to pull out a 67 (-5) today which was great not only as a ball striking and putting day but mentally i was fairly sound as well. I hit 14 greens in regulation and had 27 putts with 8 birdies (could be a personal birdie record), hit a bunch of fairways and only had a couple dirty shots. I did have a tough time in the bunkers which has not been the case as of late... but the green side bunkers at Redstone have very little sand in them at the moment, actually they are more like cement, and in the week prior to play they will be filled and packed in with a bunch of sand for that oh so good "tour" feel. This still means the two shots I put in the bunkers I bounced off the ground and had avg. 30 feet back to hole.
67 or not today was a great day because my head was in it and I started to look at flags and zone in... not many worries about how to swing the club, I was more just letting myself do it. This is great because it shows me that the hard work is beginning to pay off. And no better time than now...
This morning I signed up for the pre-qualifying tournament for the Shell Houston Open Monday Qualifying. Every player who does not hold a PGA Tour or Nationwide Tour card has to play in this event to earn a spot in the Monday Qualifier like the one I played in to get into the 2008 RBC Canadian Open. Like last year this event will be played on the Tradition course at Cypresswood, the course I practice and play on daily. I feel it's a great chance for me to play into this Shell Houston Open because who knows the course better than me. I have birdied every hole on that course and just missed last year trying to get in. the way I feel with that course is, if you were to bring any PGA Tour player to that course I would still be able to compete with you solely by course knowledge alone and even if you were a better player I would still have an advantage.

Well that's the way I'm thinking right now, it's pretty positive and I keep doubt from my mind daily and I think it's really starting to pay off. I hope I see some strong results in the next couple weeks, I mean hell, if all goes well I could be playing The Masters in a month.

JS

OH Canada !!!

This is a quick video of the Maple Leaf Pub in Houston where me and a couple friends made our way to cheer on the Men's Olympic Team. What a game it was, and so good to be able to do this when out numbered by Americans in the bar... I will say Canada has huge support here in Houston. Such a great game and so proud to be Canadian !

Work In Progress

This is what I have been working on these last couple days. By using video during a range session I have assessed some flaws in my swing that have come over the time off. I then try to remedy the problem and ensure it's corrected by again using the video. This is all done quickly as I sit on the range on one of these gorgeous days we are now getting and progressively getting better.
In the first video you will see that the club is in a weird position at the top of my swing which means I have to reroute the club on the way down to have a solid strike. In the second video I will show you how I have tried to feel like I am swinging a little bit "flatter" to get the club more online. The club's shaft (in my mind) should be on an angle towards the ball if you were to draw a line. I'm trying to get my swing in the position that I try in a pre swing before I hit the ball in second video So here we go.

SUN SUN SUN

Well it finally looks like the weather is going to turn around. After a good week of windy, cold, rainy weather the forecast shows the next 6 days full of sun and warming temperatures. I’ve still been “braving” the conditions to wear this rust off and yesterday showed some signs of tempo. The hardest thing I find when returning after a long break is to regain your tempo or some sort of rhythm with your swing. Tee shots with long irons or drivers are out of sync and shorter shots are missed due to deceleration in the swing. It’s just an inconsistent trend when trying to back in fine form. I’ve been experiencing this very same thing in my game as I try to find form, and it’s been tough due to the lies you find out here on Bermuda grass and wet lies. The ball always seems to be in contact with the ground and never sitting up, or on a firm lie to use the bounce of the club which in essence makes it easier (in theory) to hit.


The last few days I have been practicing with a guy who will be playing on the Canadian Tour (Roger Sloan – Canadian) and a friend of his, past #3 junior in his country (Travis O’Connell – New Zealand). It’s been nice getting to meet these guys and even better after playing with them, Travis, found flaw in my short game and offered some advice to improve the part of my game. This is what I am presently working on:

If you look at my previous post (the video) you can notice as I make contact with the ball my clubface is open as in not square with the target. You can notice that because the butt end of my club runs past my body and my hands end up in front of my left hip. This is creating an inconsistent strike. I get away with it (most of the time) because I have strong hand eye coordination. This also means that I am using the left hand/arm to swing this shot which is from what I have come to understand is the opposite goal. Travis had to opportunity to have an hour lesson with (forget name ... maybe Jim Connor - AUS) who was then considered to have the best short game in the world. His theory is amateurs always hit chip/pitch shots with an open face trying to spin the ball by coming across it. In actuality you want to hit the ball as square as possible (certainly now with the V grooves – lower spin rate) so you catch the ball on the grooves as solid as possible instead of letting it slide off the club. The other thing with hitting the ball like this means that you also will have a consistent back spinning ball over and over again.

To do this, the shot must be hit with the right arm/hand and bigger muscles (shoulders). In doing so the club will come back to square every time creating a more consistent strike. You can see you’re doing this correctly by observing the butt end of the club. It should be pointed to your belly button at contact and through the shot as you roll your right hand and arm over through the shot. I began to practice this shot by setting up closed to my target (shoulders square with my hips and feet), drawing the club back inside and trying to hook the ball even with a sand wedge. This is a tough thing for me to do because I have swung with my left side for so long but I think I can get it … after a good 1000+ shots over a few weeks.


I will definitely put in the work and get the most out of the good weather that is upon us.


Video of the swing to come.

JS

Pitching @ Cypresswood

Today was a really nice day ... it's still a bit soggy on the golf course but I'm getting some good practice in. I decided to shoot a quick video of my swing while pitching the ball at the practice green at Cypresswood . Here is what it looks like... remember, I'm still getting that rust off, it is only day 2 after all. I'm using the new Titleist Vokey Spin Milled Gold's 62 degree and these are the wedges that are conforming with USGA & R&A starting this year.

JS

2010 Houston Arrival

Well I have finally reached Houston. A 30 some odd hours on the road and a few packs of gum later I am away from snow and ready to start my preparation for this season. Unfortunately upon my arrival it was pouring rain, the kind of rain that reduces the courses to puddles. Tomorrow there is supposed to be sun and stay for the next 5 days so hopefully I will be able to get some good practice in this week. It won't be "practice" as much as shaking the cob webs out. It's been a while since my last round of golf as I took the winter months to focus on my fund raising and weight training, which is going well I might add. I plan on using the Redstone facility which is where the Shell Houston Open is played. They have a world class practice area which includes brand new Titleist range balls and a very nice surface to hit off of. Certainly with all this rain it will be the best place to get some swings in tomorrow. I can't wait to try my new Titleist AP 2 irons that were fitted in October and I have to start playing around with the new Titleist Vokey (Gold) wedges as they have the V groove and will respond differently to the square grooves I used in the past. Some of the guys on tour are using the only square groove wedge "allowed" on the PGA Tour at this moment, the 1980 PING i2 wedge I believe. Only because of a lawsuit this club is on the good list for clubs allowed to play on the PGA Tour however it certainly does not conform because of its grooves. Many have weighed in on the debate whether the grooves even help... remember this is a 20 + year old club. As far as I'm concerned the old PING i2 or any PING club made back then weren't even a good looking club, and perhaps the grooves have worn down some over the 20 years lifespan its had (if you can even find one used or unused... they aren't making any new ones). I'm sure there won't be much of difference when it comes to these grooves and the TV commentators are blowing it well out of proportion. Either way I will weigh in on that after i get a chance to try them.

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JS