a good virtual walk spoiled: part 12

This was my third time playing 18 on a simulator in a month.

A month ago:

1 par
5 bogeys

4 doubles

8 triples or worse

15 mulligans

total score 119

Two weeks ago:

1 par

5 bogeys

5 doubles

7 triples or worse

8 mulligans

total score 110

Today:

3 pars

5 bogeys

7 doubles

3 triples or worse

3 mulligans

total score 99

+17 on the front nine

+11 on the back nine

My only goal I've ever had was to break 100. Today I shot a 99 with several asterisks.

First asterisk: I did take 3 mulligans. All of those were water hazard shots.

So you could easily say I earned a 105.

Also, and this is a big one, I play it off the tee even on 2nd and 3rd shots if needed.

Also, I realize that the golf simulator does provide other advantages. One is that I can get in a good rhythm and hit three shots in a minute, reducing the amount of overthinking. It makes the mental game easier.

So I'm not here to make a big whoop-de-doo about breaking 100. But there were several good things that I want to hold onto:

1. My ball striking was much improved. A lot less chunked shots off the heel.

2. My distance has actually improved. My whole swing is better. Today with the roll, my driver was getting 175-180 on a good shot. A month ago my average drive was 143. I'm following through, which was a tip I wrote down here like 11 years ago. But in the last two weeks I've been passively absorbing some YouTube Shorts on golf swings and one thing I actually found myself employing and working, was at the top of the backswing, I was concsciously shifting my hips first to start the downswing. I was amazed how much that helped. Also, I did get a new driver and this was the 2nd time using it.

I also got a new wedge, a 56 degree and it improved my short game tremendously. This was the first time using it, and I was DIALED with it.  

3. I still left some scoring out there. On 11, I had a par putt that just lipped out but then carried past the hole. My bogey putt came up a few inches short. So I was real close to a par that turned into a double bogey. 

4. I parred the 13th. A par 4. I've only done that once before. There was a large bunker guarding the front of the green. I could have chosen to lay up, but I figured I was doing good with my wedge and the closer the better. (Now the funny thing is that the bunker limits it to 50% power. So a 20-yard bunker shot or a 40-yard fairway shot is the same thing.) My 2nd shot hit the bunker as expected. My third was a wedge shot out of the bunker that was 13 feet away. And I drained the putt. 

I still lack distance, but I managed to get bogey on two par fives. However, my accuracy has gotten better. As well as managing the correct distance when it's within reach. 

I had some extra time on the simulator so I tried a par 3 course. 

I know I used one mulligan on the 9th. There was water in front of the 9th green and I was going to have to carry 160, but somehow I carried it like 170 or 175 and it bounced into water behind the green that I wasn't even thinking about. I don't remember the other mulligan I took, but it must have been some other water shot.

Regardless, 5 pars, 4 bogeys, 2 mulligans. When the holes are not too long for my distance ability, I'm actually playing quite well.