(Foxtail North, 96, Blue tees)
Yesterday I still didn’t score worth a yip. But I drove the ball well and I made some surprisingly good recovery shots. Not surprisingly, what hurt me was my old nemesis, trying too hard. Especially on a couple of occasions as I approached the green. A couple of chunked wedges and a few horrible putts. They add up quickly to become the six to eight strokes without which the ego-gods of the scorecard might have been satisfied.

Still there is the promise of ease. I write here to help me remember what I’m really up to on the golf course (having fun and learning) and to focus on what I did “right.” My relatively consistent driving is derived from a more relaxed swing. That’s progress. And, those excellent recoveries resulted from a shorter backswing and better balance. More progress and more instances that are emerging from a centered focus on simple yet solid contact, not the overblown machinations of my mind or from over-swinging. Recognizing this progress feels so much better than beating myself up over the score! And, feeling good is a sure sign that I’m on the right track.

I have the shots and the game, and yes, the scores, very low scores within me. But there’s still work to do in order to get out of my own way. I’m determined to let that happen.