The Road to 40: Week 3 update

I’m starting to think the golf gods might be pushing back a bit on the goal I’ve set for myself.

After a few cold and rainy days, my practice week was cut short, and I only managed to get out three days. I’ve continued to focus most of my work on shots from 100 yards and in, and that’s where the bulk of my practice has been. Lately, I’ve been working on adding a bit more spin to my wedges—especially from 20–40 yards—to help the ball stop faster on the green.

I’m happy to say that some things are starting to click. My 60–70 yard shots are becoming more consistent, which is a great feeling. The 100–120 yard range, however, has been a little sketchy. I think I’ve identified the issue… more on that later.

I’ve also noticed that my driver has been spinning more than I’d like and not producing much rollout. Because of that, I decided to lower the loft by one degree to see what would happen. At 10.5 degrees, I was seeing about 215 yards of carry and roughly 235 yards total. After dropping it to 9.5 degrees, my carry increased to around 220 yards—sometimes up to 225—with total distance closer to 245. That’s been a nice improvement.

Most of these sessions have been in the backyard using a launch monitor, but yesterday I made a point to head to the driving range to see how things translated in a more realistic setting. As I mentioned earlier, my 100–120 yard shots had been inconsistent at home. According to the launch monitor, many of those shots were starting 4–8 degrees to the right, and with a wedge, there wasn’t enough draw spin to bring them back to center.

At the range, though, I didn’t see that at all. Shots were starting much straighter with a slight draw. Based on that, I’m guessing some calibration is needed with the launch monitor.

Lesson learned: at-home practice is great, but it’s important to check in at the range or on the course to make sure everything lines up.

I was also able to spend a good amount of time chipping and putting, and I really liked what I saw. Lag putting felt solid, with most putts finishing within about three feet, which I’m very happy with. Chipping was strong as well—the spin work I’ve been doing from 20–40 yards translated nicely to shorter chips.

All in all, it was a solid few days of practice. Next week should be a good opportunity to get back on the course and play in my 9-hole league, and I’m really looking forward to that.

Thanks again for reading.

Until next week.

Fairways and greens, y’all.