The Journey

Introduction

This section presents the status (in reverse chronology order) of Lee Woodard’s journey to play the best golf of his life- each year! 

The journey started in earnest about 3 years ago.  I realized my dream of getting better than scratch (a plus 1) at age 64.  My journey validates what the author, Mathew Syed (“Bounce”), maintains that preparation is the key to success and not innate skills.  Most of you know me and can confirm that my innate golf skill level is pretty low- average at the best. 

‘Living the dream’ lasted about 9 months and then Mr. Slump showed up accompanied with some physical ailments that curtailed my practice and playing schedules. 

October 1, 2010 Entry

I hit a major slump in March 2010 and have been working out of it since.  This entry gives you some ideas how to do your own slump busting.  Slumps happen to everybody- right Tiger?

Some of the obstacles that ‘mature’ (aka, old) golfers like me must face are injuries or ailments.  Things problems are exacerbated when you log hours on the practice range. 

Three years ago, an arthritic neck had the feel of permanently shutting down my golf game.  This feature lasted about 14 months.  My game significantly improved as the neck pain disappeared.

The current slump was triggered by two painful wrists that curtailed my practice and playing schedules.  The slump continued when I thought that I could play through the pain and my swing became sloppy.  And my thinking became sloppy.

What a coincidence: the pain is almost gone and I am now striking the ball better than any other time in my life.

In this slump, I lost my way.  I violated my number 1 practice/lesson rule of using video every practice when you are making a swing change or in a slump.  Predictably, my swing eased back into ‘previous programming’ with my faults of 3 years ago.

My faults are similar to maybe 90% of the amateur golfers: too steep getting to the ball!  In my case, this steepness is caused by being ‘across the line at the top’ caused dragging the clubhead inside on the takeaway.  Sound familiar? 

Coming into the ball can result is fat shots, blocked shots to the right, and duck hooks to the left.  This type of thing almost put Steve Stricker out of golf 4 years ago.

Here is a 12-Step plan to break a slump:

1. Review statistics (fairways, GIRs, number of putts, saves, and bouncebacks) from poor rounds to see if there is a weak area in particular.
2. Regularly use video and mirror to study biomechanics and what the club is doing
3. Regularly consult with your instructor.  Modify this general slum busting plan to meet your specific needs.
4. Until your body mechanics have been restored, you are better off swinging without a ball but using a mirror or video.
5. Review (with video) your putting and short game.  Consult your instructor as needed.
6. Check your physical game: strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance.
7. Shut down playing golf except for casual, ‘non-teammate’ golf games.
8. Review your pre-shot and post-shot routine as well as other elements of your mental game.  Make an improvement plan.
9. All practices should have feedback from video, mirror, training aids, or another set of eyes.
10. Fix ailment/injury when applicable.  Refrain from hitting balls until the pain has disappeared. When nursing an injury, use practice time on a non-painful activity like putting and maybe chipping. 
11. Watching videos of Pros and reading can improve your game while resting an injury.
12. Be committed to the plan.  Be patient.  Trust that if you follow the plan, use a structured practice plan with feedback, and improve your strength/flexibility/balance that your will break your slump and improve.

November 1,  2009 Entry

I have wanted to write this chapter for about 10 years.  Finally, I can generate this experiential report.  There are no secrets, no special clubs, and no voodoo.  The game is ‘built from the dirt’ and a plan.  A blue collar approach.

As Joe Paterno says “Everybody has the will to win, just a few have the will to properly plan and prepare”.

The journey to go from a 9 handicap to a scratch player started in earnest about 18 months ago at age 61.  On August 22, 2009, I shot a 70 in a Trilogy La Quinta Men’s Club tournament.  On that date, I became a scratch player as the computer displayed an index of 0.0!  Since then it drop to a +.6

It is very similar to Tim Gallway’s journey to break 80 at Perfect Liberty in Malibu before a publisher deadline for his “Inner Game of Golf’ book.  It is different from Tim’s journey because I have no publisher deadline, and my results included about 30 scores of better than par in the last year or so.

We all should realize by now that the handicap is ephemeral and dynamic, especially at the ripe young age of 63.  I still have days where I shot what seems like a million for a net score of a million. 

However, I believe once you get to that point, it will be easier to regain it and even improve.  With a continuation to execute your plan coupled with getting stronger, more flexible, and more coordinated each month that the improvement will continue. 

Of course, there will be some performance plateaus and even some low points.  However, if you steady the course, improvement will continue.  To steady the course, one needs maximum levels perseverance, commitment, motivation, confidence, and discipline- all cognitive processes.  These processes become stronger each month for me.

The path was not linear.  It was not like training to run marathons- where the more you run the faster you travel.  The reward for golf preparation is not that linear – different from some other sports.  For example, in the last 19 months my handicap went something like:

Percentage-wise, the biggest growth came in the last 5 months.  Jumping from 4.2 to 0.0 is huge.  I contribute the growth to the following:

• A great blueprint to improve the mental game, the physical game, and all golf techniques.
• Continued with Master instruction.
• Finally understand all nuances of the model full swing, chipping, and putting. 
• My swing is very close to be on plane- the current errors now come from improper sequencing.  Problems with sequencing are much easier to correct than plane errors.
• Worked out harder than ever.
• Did more mirror swings, chips, and putts plus other daily ‘rituals’.

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