Hooking and pulling

Once again, my golf game has ever-so-slightly unravelled, with me hooking and pulling every middle distance shot. I am fighting against it, but fixing your game on the course is never a good idea, as I discovered today at Thornbury Golf club.

It didn’t help that I was badly held up by three ‘mature’ men who had no idea of the golf etiquette of letting a lone player through. I digress.

My leftward hitting required some great chipping and putting, neither of which arrived, so after almost 90 minutes I called it a day.

I decided there and then to practice on the driving range.

The first few shots were somewhat inconsistent but soon I relaxed and ball after ball from a variety of different clubs flew long and often straight. Hardly anything flew left. Why can’t I play like this on the course?

I have taken the precaution of booking a lesson with my guru at Saltford Golf Club, the genius that is Sam Hughes. (He says there is no such thing as genius, as you will see.)

I owe Sam a great deal. My obsession with a game I couldn’t play at all before Groupon brought us together, the frustration and anger that accompanies a bad day but the unqualified joy at a rare good one.

Sam doesn’t believe in talent. He believes that the harder you work, the better you get. I am pretty sure he is right about that, even though the sheer brilliance of someone like Messi or Ronaldo does seem freakish. But you read about them and it turns out they practice more than anyone else too.

I am playing Bowood next week, a highly prestigious and very long course with three great friends and anything could happen. Anything could happen but the most likely thing that will happen will be a very high score.

Sam will look at my game tomorrow and look at a few shots and work out exactly where I have been going wrong for the last few weeks. Now that is a talent because I have tried everything except relaxing in the driving range which…er…worked!

A good walk spoiled? Probably. But I am sticking with it!