Haven’t been on the road for about a month, what am I doing? Working, I have to make money once in a while. Last year I was at a YMCA camp in Lakeville, creating a premier camp in the Twin Cities area. I’ll still do some work for them out there, but the director left and went to YMCA camp Pepin in Stockholm Wisconsin, I followed him here. Now the goal is to make this a premier camp in the area. It’s a relatively small camp that has not been all that well maintained the last few years. The past few weeks have been cleaning, clearing brush, removing trees, building carpet ball tables, building a zip line – just spiffing up camp for the summer. The next couple weeks will be working with 5th graders in the outdoor education program.
I live in an awesome house with a view of Lake Pepin on a relatively secluded road on Deer Island, I am thoroughly enjoying myself, even though the nearest disc golf course is a crappy nine holer in either Wabasha or Red wing, it’s at least an hour drive to Hastings, Menomonie, or Eau Claire for the nearest good courses. I haven’t been playing much these days, mostly only weekends in tournaments, the lack of practice has shown, each tournament I play poorer and poorer. The MN Amateur Championships this past weekend gave one of my worst rounds in a long time.
3-5 new courses a day and still trying to get in 500 putts is awesome, if a little draining.
It’s the American gothic. The “farmer” was a dentist.and they have adg course.
Halfway point of experiment
After 800 putts (400 inside, 400 outside) the conditions were prime to see where my skills have progressed to. A gentle breeze and a mild 32 degrees at Bancroft. I maintained focus for nearly the entire 2 rounds, putting together the best 36 holes I’ve played out there. My putting confidence was like none I’ve ever had before. Not perfect, but close. A couple small lapses in focus led to an occasional missed opportunity, but the opportunities that I capitalized on way outnumbered the mistakes, not a single 3 putt, and an occasional spectacular save gave me a bogey free 36 holes at -13.
I’m feeling very good about where this experiment is taking me, I have definitely felt it has been worth it thus far and am looking forward to seeing where another 15 days will lead me.
After a rather hectic weekend of no putting practice, I got back into a routine of 500/day, then got a full 1000 in today before I headed out to the course for a round. I had been in a slump, until I got that full 1000 in – then putting on the course came almost easy. So, I just need 1000 practice putts before a round… or something like that. -6 at the course today, not quite my best, but I felt good about it, especially my putting and approach game, I had a few drives get away from me.
The next few days are looking good as far as time to get 1000/day.
What have I learned today?
35mph wind and -10F windchill (10F air temp) might be a great atmosphere to refine your mental game if you have a strong one. A weak mental game attempting to grow might just collapse under the pressure.
I do not know how to putt into a headwind. I asked the question yesterday. And I found the answer I need over the last 36 hours. Somebody isn’t going to be able to tell me – but a couple thousand putts into it will probably help.
Wind whistling outside I head out into the yard to work this out. 20 putts later I head back inside – weak mental game or not, that kind of torture is not worth it. Give me a chance to explain – I’m a northerner, I don’t mind the cold weather, blizzards, wind, cold, snow, rain, or.. weather in general does not keep me off the course But my hand spends 95% of it’s time in a glove or in a pocket with a hand warmer. At the practice basket it’s the inverse, I need my fingers for this putting thing.
Something clicked today, somewhere around putt 400 – I’ve had it before months ago, but I let it slip away, I need to hold onto it – (I just tried explaining it in words, but couldn’t). The stats will speak for themselves – I’ve been contemplating if a perfect 360 might be possible. After today, I believe it is, missing only 4 putts the first round, and 8 the second. I’m going to add it to my goal list: Throw a perfect game of PP360.
Data.
15′ – 300
20′ – 300
25′ – 300
PP360
124+91=215 (Compared to yesterday’s 79+67=146)
10′ – 100%
15′ – 95%
20′ – 95%
25′ – 75%
30′ – 75%
(2pm)
It’s been a while since I’ve been this sore in the morning. Putting is a lot of work. The first putt of the day is the hardest. 30mph gusting -15F windchill is great for working on the mental game. 91 in a row from 15′ (inside). How the F do you putt into the wind? 2/10, 2/10, 3/10, 5/10, 6/10 from 15′ into a 25mph wind. So I was improving by the end, there must be some relation to improved putting and frozen fingers. 90% from 20′ with the wind though. 520 putts down – time to see how this wind treats us at the course.
(evening update lost somewhere in cyberspace…)
Data
15′ 100 inside 100 out
20′ 100 inside 100 out
25′ 200 inside
30′ 300 inside
PP360
79+67=146
10′ – 100%
15′ – 90%
20′ – 85%
25′ – 50%
30′ – 50%
