The Road to 40: Week 6 update

This will be a shorter update, but I wanted to make sure I shared something for the week.

Over the past six weeks, there have been moments when I’ve questioned whether this challenge is something I can actually complete, and this week was no exception. Lately, it’s felt like one step forward and two steps back. My short game and putting have been strong, but my full swing has been a real struggle.

On Monday, I went to the driving range to hit off grass and couldn’t stop pulling everything left. I never felt like I could get the ball moving straight, which wasn’t exactly the confidence boost I was hoping for heading into league play on Tuesday.

League night followed a familiar pattern. I didn’t hit many quality tee shots, and the number of topped shots off the tee was frustrating. I was able to lean on my chipping and putting enough to stay somewhat competitive, but still finished at five over par.

The next two practice days started out better. From 70–80 yards and in, things are really coming together. Once I move into full swings, though, something breaks down — and I haven’t quite figured out what it is yet. It feels like once I crack that code, everything will start to click, but the process is proving harder than I’d like.

I’ll also own this: I didn’t stick to the practice plan I made for myself. Instead of following the drills and structure I laid out, I defaulted to working on random shots and distances. That’s something I need to correct moving forward.

Another honest admission — I expect a lot from myself, and when I don’t meet those expectations, I’m far harder on myself than I should be. Truthfully, no one has ever criticized me the way I criticize myself, and it borders on being unhealthy. While it’s easy to point to the physical aspects of golf as the issue, I know a big part of this is mental. I need to get better at resetting after a bad shot — or several — and giving myself some grace. It’s something I’m actively working on.

It was a tough week, but I made it through. It’s time to get back to the plan, trust the process, and keep moving forward.

Until next week.

Fairways and greens, y’all.