Sunday, January 5th 2020
Today was the second outing for the new clubs away from the bay at Club Champion. It was also my first time (ever) playing with a PGA professional and two scratch golfers - quite the four ball. Enter three fantastic golfers and now friends; David Rhoden, Julien Munoz and Shawn Rowe. I'd played a round with David previously (awful from tee-to-green) before Christmas but this was my first four ball in over a year. The venue; Rhodes Ranch Golf Club, Las Vegas. Whilst the front 9 is undergoing some comprehensive remodelling the course was awesome, forcing management decisions over driver, driver...driver from the tee. No bad thing when you're snap-hooking the big dog.
Confidence was low. A little late to the practice area I approached the first tee still a little cold and didn't even look at the Cobra with driving iron the 'only' option. Nothing to write home about but I was in the middle of the fairway with a 7 iron in - maybe today was going to be different? Nope. My play with the driver was nothing short of biblically bad hooking everything (bar the last) into the surrounding desert. If confidence was low on the first I'd found a subterranean space by the turn.
So, game gone to shit I began to enjoy the moment playing with good friends on a cloudless day in the Nevada 'bowl'. I also started asking questions of the game; "Is overthinking as bad as 'just swinging the club'?" - see the graphic below (not my work) which succinctly illustrates my brain function from the moment I pluck a tee out of my pocket. The issue is, how does one turn it around? How can I go from the horror below to hearing Karen Carpenter and seeing a sunbeams surrounding the pin?
I hear you - practice. So I did, yesterday and will today and likely each day this week before my lesson with Shawn.
Brain Function, now know as 'swing thoughts' by me....and likely others suffering from low confidence.
Instagram: srowegolf_89 julienjujumunoz rhodenbuilt