This weekend I won the sgatour.com class A club championship. (not overall champion, that is class AA, a longer term goal of mine). As we are a traveling (locally) tour, the first day was a Blue Herron Hills GC , blueheronhillsgc.com tight track requiring target golf. I shot 78 to take the lead by one shot (par 71). For the second day, only 2 players participate as it is a free round (payed by sgatour) at one of the areas private courses, Locust Hill locusthill.org the host of an LPGA event for over 20 years, including a few majors. A tight tree lined parks style course with lightning fast tricky greens. Despite taking a triple bogey on the first hole played (we started on 11), I birdied the second hole to retake my lead and never lost it after that, winning by 2 shots. I shot 86 (par 72) while my competitor ended with an 87. It was very windy and we both had at least 4, 3 putts. I had 2 birdies in the round, both with 2 foot putts resulting from KFC wedge shots.
While I started the year taking lessons at Golf Tec (where my index shot up by 4 shots) my coach was able to tell me what he wanted me to do, I needed Tom's teaching to convey to me how to do it. Most important drill for me is the skateboard drill. My coach kept showing me what the leg action should look like, but could not convey the feeling to me.
Now my index is almost back where I was at the end of last year, but I believe with potential to get better. Over the two days, the shots that cost me most were ones that I found myself being uncomfortable with before I hit them. So I realize I need to come up with a way to feel more comfortable before pulling the trigger (maybe pretend I'm somewhere else where I have hit the shot required successfully).
Another key to me pulling it off yesterday was to focus on fun yesterday, as the few times I had played Locust Hill prior to that, I had not even broke 90. I had watched Toms VLOG playing session, and realized that I needed to set my priority on fun rather than scoring, had I not, I'm sure the triple on the first hole would have effected me more.
Congratulations on this tremendous accomplishment at two great tracks, @jimcoene!! (We lived in Macedon when I was just a tot. My dad played Blue Heron a couple of times and loved it, and he went to the LPGA event at Locust Hill and said that was a fantastic course as well.)
Fabulous job reclaiming your game this year and then successfully putting it to the test in pressure situations. I'm quite certain you're well on your way to a new level with respect to your game and your enjoyment of it.
Great stuff. Congrats again and thanks for sharing!!