This is going to be a running journal for my 2013 Golf season which will culminate (God willing) at the World Am. I will keep it here for two reasons. 1) it will let me interact with my fellow Oober's and 2) any other Oober who are going to the World Am can share notes about what they are doing to prepare. Anyone, can comment or no one can comment at all. I am just sharing my journey till the World Am 2013!


2012 World Am Scores: 91 (ESC 87), 83, 86 (ESC 83), 87 (ESC 83)

My ESC scores where 83 for my last three rounds but that means too many blow up holes. I also did not make a single birdie in 4 rounds. (This was my first tournament ever)

My Goals for the World Am 2013 are:

1. Finish above the line

2. Two rounds in the 70's

3. Play a round with other Oober's

How will I achieve my goals.

1. Develop a consistent pre-shot routine

2. Work on my mental Game - every day (Reading "Why bad Golf happens to good people")

3. Play at least 4 times a month

4. Work on putting/short game

5. Develop better course management

6. Golf Specific work out


Books I am reading:

For mental game: "Why bad Golf happens to good people"

For my putting: "Unconscious Putting"

For my swing: "Hit down damn it," "The Slot Swing: The Proven Way to Hit consistent and powerful shots," "Little Red Book, by Harvey Penick's"

For my work out: Yoga and "Golf RX"

For my short game: (Can anyone recommend a good book) also using "the Slot Swing book.

http://www.oobgolf.com/golfers/score.php?id=2373774

I need that mental book!

It's only 99 cents and trust me you won't regret it. Ebook.

Worked out yesterday, push ups, chin ups, pull ups, reverse crunches, squats, leg twist with medicine ball, torso twist with rubber tubes and 10 minutes of cardio.

Today, my round got rained out so I spent time playing 18 holes in my mind, picturing and reliving the birdies I have made on my home course.

My problem with my irons is I swing over the top and its hard for me to correct that. Its not very severe but the video shows it for sure. focusing on getting my legs more involved with my 5-8 irons, I have my 9i thru 60* honed in but the high lofts hide the slight over-the-top move I have.

Made a commitment to hit more fairways (hope it leads to lower scores thats the point) and that means leaving the driver in the bag on most holes except probably the par 5 and any par four into severe wind.

Concluded that my go to range is 90-115 yds out. So my tee box selection will be dictated by those numbers.

I've seemed to solve my putting woes by rereading my "unconscious putting" book by Stockton. I notice when I putt well I have so much more confidence with the rest of my game.

Good Luck on your quest!

I'm planning on going again this year. We will hook up. This year instead of staying at the convention center hotel (which was very convenient, just a little costly) I am planning to stay in a condo sharing it with a golf friend who is going to enter the tournament this year. I'll also be down there early. I'm doing a tournament I know already on the Saturday before at True Blue. Last year I did a warm up tournament on Sunday - haven't yet heard if that one is on again. I could possibly get some oobers entered in that if interested. Otherwise maybe we do our own warm up.... perhaps a two-man texas scramble at night at the executive course?

As far as my planning haven't though about anything organized like you have, that sounds good. At the moment my plan is just to "not suck as bad".

For goals I would say:

top 5 in flight would be excellent
44 or better for each nine
minimize risks and big numbers
offer to Nathan to organize/host an oober get-together

OK so i'll post this here, since the thread is starting so early... I'm driving to the World AM this year. From Pennsylvania, down to MB. I may or may not have two open seats in the car and limited cargo room so if anybody feels like they might wanna pool down, i'll be posting my route as it nears. I say maybe because we may take a friend down with us, but they may also be driving separately and later in the week.

World am 2013 here i come!

birdieXris wrote:

OK so i'll post this here, since the thread is starting so early... I'm driving to the World AM this year. From Pennsylvania, down to MB. I may or may not have two open seats in the car and limited cargo room so if anybody feels like they might wanna pool down, i'll be posting my route as it nears. I say maybe because we may take a friend down with us, but they may also be driving separately and later in the week. World am 2013 here i come!

Awesome, glad to hear you are coming back to the World Am. Looking forward to meeting you!

jfurr wrote:

birdieXris wrote: OK so i'll post this here, since the thread is starting so early... I'm driving to the World AM this year. From Pennsylvania, down to MB. I may or may not have two open seats in the car and limited cargo room so if anybody feels like they might wanna pool down, i'll be posting my route as it nears. I say maybe because we may take a friend down with us, but they may also be driving separately and later in the week. World am 2013 here i come! Awesome, glad to hear you are coming back to the World Am. Looking forward to meeting you!

yea i was really jonesin' to go last year but being newly married and completely broke i couldn't swing it (no pun intended) with the other tournaments i wanted to play as well. This year i'm back on track I do believe the mostly-annual OOBER mini golf tournament will be larger this year.

jfurr wrote:

Good Luck on your quest! I'm planning on going again this year. We will hook up. This year instead of staying at the convention center hotel (which was very convenient, just a little costly) I am planning to stay in a condo sharing it with a golf friend who is going to enter the tournament this year. I'll also be down there early. I'm doing a tournament I know already on the Saturday before at True Blue. Last year I did a warm up tournament on Sunday - haven't yet heard if that one is on again. I could possibly get some oobers entered in that if interested. Otherwise maybe we do our own warm up.... perhaps a two-man texas scramble at night at the executive course?

Thanks man,

Yeah I didn't stay at the convention center because of cost and location, except for my first round at True Blue my three other course where only 30 minutes away. Funny you mention True Blue because that course ate my lunch. It was my first tournament round and I just blew up. I long to play that course again and get a chance at redemption. It wasn't tough but my nerves got me on the front 9, shot 52 then I relaxed and shot 39 on the back 9. That round alone helped me learn much about my game but now I want another crack at True Blue.

This year I might travel alone, trying to get some friends to come but not sure. Will be looking to stay at the cheapest place possible lol.

I'd love to play a round with you and other Oobers.

Writing it out and keeping a journal here will help keep me accountable...

birdieXris wrote:

I do believe the mostly-annual OOBER mini golf tournament will be larger this year.

jfurr wrote:

birdieXris wrote: I do believe the mostly-annual OOBER mini golf tournament will be larger this year.

Is Nathan a lefty? Or was he messing around if so I didn't know that. Never played with a lefty before.

GolfSmith7 wrote:

Funny you mention True Blue because that course ate my lunch .... now I want another crack at True Blue.

I just played True Blue for the first time last month, I had a "bad swing day" so I carded a high number as well, but I really enjoyed that course. Might be one of my favorite courses I have played. From the tees we played (probably further up from where you played), you definitely don't need driver on a lot of the holes. But it's not short and easy its more about playing the ball the correct side or distance to setup your second shot. I'm hoping to get over there and play it a few times this year if possible.

GolfSmith7 wrote:

Is Nathan a lefty? Or was he messing around if so I didn't know that. Never played with a lefty before.

No he's righty but he was putting lefty on the mini golf.

It hardly rains but you wouldn't know it by the last two days. Two days two rain outs.

I worked out and and did cardio again, trying to lose some fat and get more toned.

Because of the rain I have been swinging indoors with "Short Flyte Golf Balls". They sound loud but are soft as a pillow. I am concentrating on making sure I come down in the "slot" according to the slot swing book. I am tired of coming over the top.

Also I realized I have been standing too far away from the ball with my irons hence the inconsistency. When I time it just right I can hit 12 GIR but other days I barely hit 3 or 4. The "Slot Swing" should make my swing less reliant on timing and more reliant on proper swing principles. Learned too that my swing is too steep, which is costing me distance with my irons. That explains why my divots are so deep. A better swing will give my right wrist a relief.

Mental aspect: I noticed that the more stat's I track via my phone app the more it plays in my head. I begin to think about things I don't need to think about like 1st putt distance, made putt distance, etc Also I was keeping my own stat as to how close I was landing my approach shots. Having those numbers is fine but not when you have to track them yourself. Time to keep it simple on the golf app after all there is only one number that counts in golf and thats the score!

Concession: I have to keep the ego in check and keep the driver in the bag, fairways is the name of the game. No one cares how far you can hit it if you can't score. Some may say its boring but boring golfers shoot low scores in my book. To make sure I do this I will track club used off tee. If I have to say what I used it will hold me accountable to make the wise choice.

Another rainy day in South Texas.

Reading 3 books on the mental game:

1. "Why bad happens to good people" my favorite

2. "Golf is not a game of perfect"

3. "Fearless golf"

As I contemplate my mental game I notice that course management is not something I think about before hand. However, having a game plan will lead to better scores. If the hole is less then 400 and the fairways are running I can tee off with a two hybrid and be fine. In other words I have to play more strategically then "grip it and rip it" that I am prone too.

I have to start picking more definitive targets "Aim small miss small" and then swing with controlled aggression. Tentative swings garner tentative results.

Workout: Yoga and 5 minutes cardio