The Road to 40: June 21

Let's try getting back to this a little more regularly.

Last Friday’s practice session was a tough one. I struggled to find the center of the clubface, with WAY too many tops and chunks, and ultimately walked away feeling pretty frustrated.

Saturday was a noticeable improvement. I was able to slow things down, focus on my swing and club path, and started making much more solid contact. It felt good to make an adjustment and see it translate so quickly from the previous day.

Sunday was another productive session, although the desert heat is definitely becoming a factor. I practiced for about 90 minutes, but the final 15–20 minutes were challenging as fatigue set in and my focus dropped off. Because of that, I decided to shift toward building a more efficient 60-minute practice plan for the summer.

After giving it some thought—and with a little help from AI—I landed on a structure that I'm excited to check out:

0-10 minutes: 5 shots with 60 degree wedge up to 8 iron

10-25 minutes: pick 3 distances for wedges (ex. 60 yards; 70 yards; 80 yards) and rotate through those yardages 5 times - not hitting the same distance 2 shot in a row

25-40 minutes: 10-12 shots with a 7 iron - focusing on contact and keeping dispersion within 30 yards

40-50 minutes: 10-15 shots with the driver - hitting fairway finders to gain consistency

One key thought - never hit a shot without intention

I put this plan into practice on Monday, and it made a noticeable difference. The structure kept me engaged, kept me from falling into the habit of hitting balls mindlessly, and reinforced a consistent pre-shot routine. While I’m still in the process of refining my swing, it felt like a productive session—and most importantly, one that didn’t leave me overly fatigued.

The rest of the week (Tuesday through Thursday) was focused on work, as I had to work at an on-site event. I had the chance to see the course each day—unfortunately without being able to play—but it’s definitely one I plan to come back to. The place looked outstanding.

Overall, it was a solid week, especially given the limited playing time. I’m planning to get back out this afternoon and continue building on the progress—looking forward to seeing how it goes.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoys the U.S. Open.

Until next week.

Fairways and greens, y’all.