Earlier in the week I posted about taking stats on my next round of golf. Although one round does not provide enough data to make any solid decisions on where I need to practice, the one round I played did provide some possible focus as to where I need work. With such a short season, it is a challenge to be patience with such a short golf season, but I do know that everything takes time. With a small sample set, this is where I realize I need the most work.

To provide an overview of my stats, here is what happened. I hit 10 of 14 fairways (par 3 excluded from this number). Most misses were left, but not by a great deal. So, my goal here is to bump that number up to 12 fairways a round on a consistent basis.

I only hit 8 greens in regulation (GIR). Three of those were within 40 yards of the green and rest from approximately 120 to 140 yards. I only hit one green from 150+. Of the 10 misses, 1 was long, 2 were short , 1 was right, and the rest (6) were left. I really felt I made a mess of many approach shot. I had the proper distance, but hit everything left. Being early in the season, this could be a result of poor alignment, pulling too fast with my left side or rotating my hands to close the club face. It is still way to early to tell, but I will work on this area the most. On a good note, I did make 3 birdie putts; all from around 12 feet.

I made 28 putts. Anything under 30 is an acceptable number for my game. Because I missed the green so often, the number is a weak number as I had many short up and down putts. Overall, though, I am happy with my putting game, but still need to keep practicing with the flat stick as it will save many a poor ball striking round.

As you can see, I have a general idea on where I need to focus my efforts. Improving my GIR is always an area I need the most work. Now, however, I realize that I need to figure out why I am hitting the ball left as the most prevalent miss. This will take some time and I am up to the challenge. I will continue to work my game and focus on hitting the ball straighter on my approach shots.

Golf is an amazing journey. The reason I mention that one round is too small of a sample group is because I might play the next round by pushing the ball more often than not. My golf season is still very early and I am trying to figure out the best way to improve my score by developing a workable plan to improve. As I walk this path, I will stay cognizant of the importance of playing golf and that is to always remain grateful. Gratitude goes a long way to making my golf journey fun and exciting.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!