Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
It's all Political
Before John McCain picked Sarah Palin to be his running mate, nearly every sound byte out of the McCain campaign was regarding Obama's lack of experience to lead the country. Now that he's effectively undercut his own argument by picking a governor with as little or less experience, we haven't heard a peep along this line of dialogue. Instead, the Republicans have continued where they left off four years ago, using the same smear tactics that cast doubt in Americans' eyes about the honor and valor of John Kerry. Kerry chose to ignore the ads instead and lost the election.
But Barack Obama is both well funded and fired up ready to stand up to the propaganda machine that is the Republican campaign. A day ago Obama said this: “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig,” clearly using a metaphor to refer to the fact that McCain's policies do not represent change as he says it does.
As expected, the Republicans feigned outrage at this statement saying Obama's remarks were sexist and directed specifically at Palin. Lipstick and pig images aside, a metaphor is a metaphor. McCain's campaign could have put out a statement highlighting exactly how McCain's policies are a departure from the failed policies of the past, shooting down the premise of Obama's metaphor, but instead they chose to take the statement literally (pretending not to understand its meaning) in an attempt to discount and discredit the only candidate who speaks reality to the American people.
Vote for Obama.
But Barack Obama is both well funded and fired up ready to stand up to the propaganda machine that is the Republican campaign. A day ago Obama said this: “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig,” clearly using a metaphor to refer to the fact that McCain's policies do not represent change as he says it does.
As expected, the Republicans feigned outrage at this statement saying Obama's remarks were sexist and directed specifically at Palin. Lipstick and pig images aside, a metaphor is a metaphor. McCain's campaign could have put out a statement highlighting exactly how McCain's policies are a departure from the failed policies of the past, shooting down the premise of Obama's metaphor, but instead they chose to take the statement literally (pretending not to understand its meaning) in an attempt to discount and discredit the only candidate who speaks reality to the American people.
Vote for Obama.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Time to take a break
For about a month now, my left knee's been bothering me. Even today, the worst it's been since it started hurting, there is no sharp or shooting pain, just a continuous soreness that I am always aware of. If it were a sharp pain, I would not be able to play golf, but since it's just soreness I've still been playing some, and playing pretty poorly.
Of course, my putter's been at least 50% of the problem. I played a round about two weeks ago where I started off by three putting holes 6 7 and 8, a pretty terrible performance with the flat stick. My stroke is not grooved, I'm unsure of the right grip, posture, alignment, pretty much every skill you need to putt well I have been lacking lately.
But also, my long game, usually the most consistent and best part of my game, has been lacking as well. Realizing my knee has been hurting but not ready to make important changes in my game, I've been using the same iron distances as I do when I am healthy, and have not been consistent. My inability to make a complete weight shift on the downswing without feeling some pain and soreness leads after hundreds of swings to learning to hold back a little. I will finish with let's say 60% of my weight on my left side when it should be 80-90%. The result is fewer solid strikes of the ball and more weakly hit shots that drift off to the right, short of the green.
The most apparent difference besides the irons is with the driver. I'm not the most powerful player, but when I'm healthy, an ideal drive will travel 265-280 yards. Lately though, my best drives have traveled no more then 260 on the absolute best ones, maybe even shorter. It all adds up to higher scores. Shorter drives, inconsistent and poorly struck irons, and bad putting leads me to shoot in the 80s about as frequently as I shoot in the 70s, which is not where I want to be with my game in mid August.
I did have a good round this past Friday though. Fresh with a new putter and a new plan, I putted a little better (of course a new putter doesn't solve the whole problem) and wound up with a 75, my best score in a while.
This time I decided not to hit a full shot all day. I played a craftier style, hooking and slicing my drives into the fairways and hitting 1 2 or 3 extra clubs on the approach shots. I would hit an easy PW from 105 when I would usually hit a SW. The longer the shot, the more club I took. The best example is on our 7th hole a 420 yard par 4. I hit a poor drive and had to chip out to 190 yards in. When healthy this is a 5 iron arguably a 4 iron depending on the wind. That day, the choice was a 3-wood. When healthy, the 3w should carry 230-240. The shot was struck nicely, about 20 feet left of the pin, made a serious gash in the green exactly pin high, and just trickled off the back. I made 5.
Overall, I need to rest my knee, ice it, etc., and if it doesn't get better soon, I'll be making an appointment with the doctor to see what is really up. I'm not making any promises, but I'm going to try my best to avoid golf for at least two weeks (I'm on day 2) to try to heal whatever it is that is wrong.
In other news, I am driving my wonderful girlfriend to New Orleans in a little over a week. I am excited for the road trip and I am thrilled for the opportunity to spend her 21st birthday with her. It will be a special day. :)
Of course, my putter's been at least 50% of the problem. I played a round about two weeks ago where I started off by three putting holes 6 7 and 8, a pretty terrible performance with the flat stick. My stroke is not grooved, I'm unsure of the right grip, posture, alignment, pretty much every skill you need to putt well I have been lacking lately.
But also, my long game, usually the most consistent and best part of my game, has been lacking as well. Realizing my knee has been hurting but not ready to make important changes in my game, I've been using the same iron distances as I do when I am healthy, and have not been consistent. My inability to make a complete weight shift on the downswing without feeling some pain and soreness leads after hundreds of swings to learning to hold back a little. I will finish with let's say 60% of my weight on my left side when it should be 80-90%. The result is fewer solid strikes of the ball and more weakly hit shots that drift off to the right, short of the green.
The most apparent difference besides the irons is with the driver. I'm not the most powerful player, but when I'm healthy, an ideal drive will travel 265-280 yards. Lately though, my best drives have traveled no more then 260 on the absolute best ones, maybe even shorter. It all adds up to higher scores. Shorter drives, inconsistent and poorly struck irons, and bad putting leads me to shoot in the 80s about as frequently as I shoot in the 70s, which is not where I want to be with my game in mid August.
I did have a good round this past Friday though. Fresh with a new putter and a new plan, I putted a little better (of course a new putter doesn't solve the whole problem) and wound up with a 75, my best score in a while.
This time I decided not to hit a full shot all day. I played a craftier style, hooking and slicing my drives into the fairways and hitting 1 2 or 3 extra clubs on the approach shots. I would hit an easy PW from 105 when I would usually hit a SW. The longer the shot, the more club I took. The best example is on our 7th hole a 420 yard par 4. I hit a poor drive and had to chip out to 190 yards in. When healthy this is a 5 iron arguably a 4 iron depending on the wind. That day, the choice was a 3-wood. When healthy, the 3w should carry 230-240. The shot was struck nicely, about 20 feet left of the pin, made a serious gash in the green exactly pin high, and just trickled off the back. I made 5.
Overall, I need to rest my knee, ice it, etc., and if it doesn't get better soon, I'll be making an appointment with the doctor to see what is really up. I'm not making any promises, but I'm going to try my best to avoid golf for at least two weeks (I'm on day 2) to try to heal whatever it is that is wrong.
In other news, I am driving my wonderful girlfriend to New Orleans in a little over a week. I am excited for the road trip and I am thrilled for the opportunity to spend her 21st birthday with her. It will be a special day. :)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Maccabi Qualifier @ PGA National
Gave it my best shot, but wound up missing out on qualifying for the '09 Games. More details soon possibly.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Missed the Cut
This Monday was the Met Amateur qualifier at Bonnie Briar in Larchmont. I finished out tied for 24th (with 12 other guys) with a round of 74 (+3). 124 players turned in cards and the top 7 + ties qualified for the tournament.
9 players who shot par or better qualified. Medalist honors went to Joe Taylor of Garden City GC and Kevin Fitzpatrick of Westchester CC who both turned in solid rounds of 69 (-2).
We started on the 10th hole par 3 about 185 yards. I struck my six iron poorly and wound up short and right of the front right greenside bunker. I got down in 3 from there and settled with a first hole bogey.
I settled down quickly though and started playing solid on the very tight (almost too tight) 6400 yard track. I sunk a curling 15 footer on the 14th hole for birdie, missed a 3 footer for birdie on 17, but got that one back with a birdie on 18, sinking a 20 footer that looked good the entire way.
I knew I was in contention with a 34 (-1) first nine, but knew that with only 7 + ties qualifying out of a field of 125+, only those with near perfect rounds would go through.
On the first hole, my 10th of the day, a 460 yard par 4 meandering around to the left and downhill after the drive, I hit a perfect 3 wood which left me about 210 yards for the approach. I took out the 4 iron and struck it perfectly. It didnt quite get to the back of the green and I was left with a slightly uphill 35 footer. I misjudged both the distance and direction on the first putt, leaving myself with a 6 footer which I missed.
Still at even par, I played a solid 2nd hole, and then got up and down on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th holes before a major mistake. The 6th hole is a dogleg left par 4 about 430 with an elevated teeing ground that allows you to hit your tee ball about 270 yards before the hole bends sharply to the left, and goes uphill. A 20 yard wide water hazard guards the entire left side of the fairway, and bunkers guard the right side keeping you from playing too aggressive of a tee shot on the left, and too safe of one on the right.
I pulled out the 1 iron, and made my first bad swing of the day. The contact was solid enough, but the ball started off left and drew a bit. It was in the water the entire way. Since the hole was recently redone, we were allowed to mark, lift, clean and place through the green. This was a slight break enabling me to drop and then find a perfect lie. In retrospect, I think I found too good of a lie and my 3rd shot 6 iron was struck too high on the face, and wound up short and right. I was unable to make another up and down, and was forced to take a semi-disastrous double bogey.
I regrouped though, and parred the 7th and 8th holes before reaching the 9th hole, a 485 yard par 5 dogleg right. On the teebox, I figured a birdie would secure my spot with a 72 (+1), so I had to play aggressive. Unfortunately, my tee shit sailed too far to the right and I was near some trees and had to punch out. I hit a fairly poor recovery shot, and was still in the damp right rough over 200 yards out for my 3rd shot. I hit a solid enough 4 iron, but the wet grass slowed my club down at impact and the ball came to rest 15 yards shot of the green. A lackluster uphill chipshot to the front-to-back sloping green left me with 25 feet. I blew my first putt by about 6 feet and made the come back putt for an upsetting bogey.
On the bright side, had I qualified, the tournament would have conflicted with the first weekend of the Metropolis Club Championship, which would have been a epic bummer to have to make that decision. While I'm disappointed with how I played the 15th hole and 18th hole, I know that my game stacks up well against the competition.
At my level, its very crowded. There are literally hundreds of scratch golfers in the Met Area, most of whom can shoot anywhere between even par and ten over on any given day. It takes more than anything, a rock solid mental game to rise above the rest and come out the victor. One mistake, just one, is unacceptable.
Sunday, my dad and I leave for West Palm Beach, Florida where I will be one of 19 trying to qualify for 6 spots in the big show in Israel, Summer 2009.
9 players who shot par or better qualified. Medalist honors went to Joe Taylor of Garden City GC and Kevin Fitzpatrick of Westchester CC who both turned in solid rounds of 69 (-2).
We started on the 10th hole par 3 about 185 yards. I struck my six iron poorly and wound up short and right of the front right greenside bunker. I got down in 3 from there and settled with a first hole bogey.
I settled down quickly though and started playing solid on the very tight (almost too tight) 6400 yard track. I sunk a curling 15 footer on the 14th hole for birdie, missed a 3 footer for birdie on 17, but got that one back with a birdie on 18, sinking a 20 footer that looked good the entire way.
I knew I was in contention with a 34 (-1) first nine, but knew that with only 7 + ties qualifying out of a field of 125+, only those with near perfect rounds would go through.
On the first hole, my 10th of the day, a 460 yard par 4 meandering around to the left and downhill after the drive, I hit a perfect 3 wood which left me about 210 yards for the approach. I took out the 4 iron and struck it perfectly. It didnt quite get to the back of the green and I was left with a slightly uphill 35 footer. I misjudged both the distance and direction on the first putt, leaving myself with a 6 footer which I missed.
Still at even par, I played a solid 2nd hole, and then got up and down on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th holes before a major mistake. The 6th hole is a dogleg left par 4 about 430 with an elevated teeing ground that allows you to hit your tee ball about 270 yards before the hole bends sharply to the left, and goes uphill. A 20 yard wide water hazard guards the entire left side of the fairway, and bunkers guard the right side keeping you from playing too aggressive of a tee shot on the left, and too safe of one on the right.
I pulled out the 1 iron, and made my first bad swing of the day. The contact was solid enough, but the ball started off left and drew a bit. It was in the water the entire way. Since the hole was recently redone, we were allowed to mark, lift, clean and place through the green. This was a slight break enabling me to drop and then find a perfect lie. In retrospect, I think I found too good of a lie and my 3rd shot 6 iron was struck too high on the face, and wound up short and right. I was unable to make another up and down, and was forced to take a semi-disastrous double bogey.
I regrouped though, and parred the 7th and 8th holes before reaching the 9th hole, a 485 yard par 5 dogleg right. On the teebox, I figured a birdie would secure my spot with a 72 (+1), so I had to play aggressive. Unfortunately, my tee shit sailed too far to the right and I was near some trees and had to punch out. I hit a fairly poor recovery shot, and was still in the damp right rough over 200 yards out for my 3rd shot. I hit a solid enough 4 iron, but the wet grass slowed my club down at impact and the ball came to rest 15 yards shot of the green. A lackluster uphill chipshot to the front-to-back sloping green left me with 25 feet. I blew my first putt by about 6 feet and made the come back putt for an upsetting bogey.
On the bright side, had I qualified, the tournament would have conflicted with the first weekend of the Metropolis Club Championship, which would have been a epic bummer to have to make that decision. While I'm disappointed with how I played the 15th hole and 18th hole, I know that my game stacks up well against the competition.
At my level, its very crowded. There are literally hundreds of scratch golfers in the Met Area, most of whom can shoot anywhere between even par and ten over on any given day. It takes more than anything, a rock solid mental game to rise above the rest and come out the victor. One mistake, just one, is unacceptable.
Sunday, my dad and I leave for West Palm Beach, Florida where I will be one of 19 trying to qualify for 6 spots in the big show in Israel, Summer 2009.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)