The moment of truth…
"I'm telling you, if I can win the Open at St Andrews then you can definitely get to a 9 handicap by the end of next week..."
Two weeks, ladies and gentlemen. As I write this on the evening of Sunday, April 17, I have 13 golfing days left before my time runs out.
With scratch too far off to achieve in 13 days, my new goal is to get to single figures. I’m absolutely desperate to make that happen. 25 to scratch in 18 months was always a huge ask. But 25 to single figures would still be pretty awesome. I’d be satisfied with that. I must get there. One good – round 78 or better – will probably do it.
I’m consistently in the low 80s again and returning to my best form. Having broken 80 twice already I think I’d be unlucky not to pull it off.
The plan is probably to play 12 rounds between now and my final round on Saturday, April 30 – a club competition from the back tees! That’s a lot of golf, but now is not the time for a break. There will be a long rest in May!
My blog is likely to go quiet between now and next Saturday, as I need to devote every possible moment to achieving my goal. Please excuse this lapse, but writing blog posts about improving my golf does take time out of, er, improving my golf. And rest will be as important as anything if I’m going to play 12 rounds in 13 days without cart or caddy.
If you see a posting come up before next Saturday, it’ll probably be because I’ve reached single figures!
The last two weeks of my quest, quite by chance, have co-incided with some irregular goings-on with regard to playing rounds at my home club, Westlake.
Firstly there’s Good Friday, on which most courses are closed around Cape Town, but I’ve got around that one by booking a round at the Jewish-run King David Country Club!
Then, from Monday 25-Wednesday 27 April, early in my final week, Westlake will be closed again! A three-day closure is almost unheard of, but it’s sod’s law that we’re hosting the Western Province Amateur that week – something that only happens once every six years.
While I’d like to just go out and watch the country’s top amateurs show me the way Westlake should really be played, I don’t think I’ll be able to afford the luxury. I’ll need to play away – fortunately we will have some temporary reciprocity at other courses and it won’t cost too much.
Unless I get a kindly invite from somewhere for a free round (call me!), I’m expecting to play Clovelly, Royal Cape and perhaps Metropolitan on those three days. I have played all of them before – and while I won’t know any of them as intimately as I do Westlake, I’m hoping the change of scenery could be a good thing for me. It usually is!
After that the plan will be to play my final three rounds at Westlake, ending with a glorious level-par 72 and a heap of prizes on Saturday April 30.
For the last two weeks I have decided that I’ll probably stay away from lessons and further tinkering. I am going to simply go with the swing I’ve got – it’s too late to start rebuilding things now; the hard work has been done. I will certainly spend the odd hour at the range, and keep my short game sharp, but now it’s all about retaining confidence, smoothness and just getting the darn thing in the hole!
Deep breath. Here goes. This is the business end. Wish me luck!
Strength for the last two weeks. Long, straight, and in the air! GET DOWN (to single figures)!
You can do it. That 9 is yours for the taking – go get it!
well all the best for the surgery,perhaps golf is a pain in the neck afterall, the joy of golf is to find a compatable partner,and not the lowness of your handicap.