After a three week layoff due to the calf muscle tear, I gave the range another shot yesterday to see if anything hurt or affected my swing with any clubs. It did not. I hit at least 60 balls. Previously, I had been on the range with shorter clubs, but yesterday was the first attempt at long clubs and driver.
Even though I have not been given the go-ahead by the doctor, the sunny, 47* day was too much to pass up after proving to myself I could swing all-out on the range yesterday. So, I decided to try nine.
I purposely went out on the back nine, which is flatter than the front. I know the calf is not totally healed and walking up and down the hills on the front would be pushing it. As it turns out, after playing the back nine, I was still rarin' to go, so went out front for a few more holes. Probably should not have done so, but quit before doing any major damage to the leg.
Started with a good drive with no warm up beforehand on the range. Right down the middle, longer than typical for me, and it was cold out. Probably losing 10-15 yards of distance. So, happy with first drive. Played 8i in due to the cold (9i distance) and put it pin high. Not a bad start after a 3-week absence from the course.
Had some problems over-drawing my shorter irons today, but otherwise, considering the layoff, I was satisfied with ball striking. Drove the ball better than before the injury. All misses were left, but not way left. Only bad result of the nine holes was a good drive that got caught in the far left fairway bunker off the tee on 13. Lie was close to lip. I tried to be greedy with a 6 iron. Should have taken my medicine with an 8 iron. Still could have made the green in regulation if I got out cleanly with an 8. Instead, the 6 iron caught the lip and trickled about 80 yards. Still had 210 to the center. 5W put me in the left greenside bunker.
Worked on a new swing element on the range yesterday and it proved to be very good out on the course. Even with the 47* air, I drove the ball as far as usual in 75* temps. Feel like I made good solid contact on every drive. The ball was really jumping off the face. Not a fade or slice to be had all day. Ball flight much lower. The way I like it. Spin seemed nice and low.
Hit 3 or 4 solid fairway woods, though missed left on a couple. 3W off tee on 12 was great, as was the 5W approach. 5W approach on 13 went left into aforementioned bunker, but I got all of it. On 18, hit 3W 2nd shot extremely well. Then when I went out front to play a few more holes, hit another nice 3W from the rough on 5th.
After the front nine,I thought about stopping, but was hitting my driver so well, I had to hit a few more. I knew going out on the hilly, more uneven ground of the front, probably wasn't the best move. But after finishing the 18th, I was right next to the first tee. Oh what the hell. I teed off on 1 with another satisfying drive. I hit a decent approach, but was not completely happy with the swing, so dropped another and tried again. This one went further left and into the bunker left of the green. I played the first ball into the hole for an up and down par. I was then going to pick up the 2nd ball out of the bunker, but once I got to it decided to just hit the bunker shot. Upon stepping up and out of the bunker, I felt the calf muscle way too much. Scared me. After that, I played and walked very tentatively. I played 2, 4 and 5, then decided not to push it and went home.
bkuehn1952 says:Not bad for a one-legged old guy (says the much older guy). So it is going to be 18 holes next and then an ambulance ride to the ER??
12/7/16
CeeBee says:Decent showing with the time off. Don't push too hard.
12/5/16
