RichL85

Once the kids are out of school today we are heading down to LA for two days at Universal Hollywood. Never been to the west coast version of Universal, but the kids are excited for the Nintendo and Harry Potter areas. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy the weekend because next week is already slammed full of appointments and trainings. In the middle of all that I also have my annual review that will need to be scheduled. First time I've ever made it anywhere even remotely close to 5 years at a company. Two and a half was my previous threshold. By the time clients slow down production enough for me to breathe in a few months, I'll be starting the class for Six Sigma Black Belt, so maybe not so much room to breathe?

Interesting note @BMart519. I'm kind of in the same boat with the 58 degree myself. I am keeping it in the bag because it has enough uses around the green for me, but it is definitely the most finicky on distance. It feels like the full swing distance is shorter than I expect frequently, and I seem to hit the same distance anywhere from about 70% to full swing, slightly different flight, but same distance. It's a little strange. Because of this, and just for my personal self, I'm more comfortable taking a little off the 50 degree than I am going at the 58 degree. This isn't necessarily exclusive to the Indi wedges because my most lofted wedge has always been more of a special situation club, it just seems a little more noticeable with the Indi compared to my old wedges. Either way, the Indi wedges aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

It's so purple!

It's hard to believe I managed to live this long without owning a proper rice cooker, and now I'm wondering how I survived so long without it. On an unrelated note, I've already been told what I am making for dinner tomorrow. Will end up being NY strip steaks with mushroom brie and mushroom gravy. I'll probably go simple with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Then the real challenge of trying to figure out how to pull off an ube souffle cheesecake. Be nice if the actual chef cooked these meals instead of making me do it. Just saying.

My father-in-law had one of those sit-down moments with my wife and I this morning after the kids went to school. He's been having a lot of problems with his back for the past few months but he's also the type to not really keep anyone in the loop as far as what's going on. Today he told us that they had found a small lump on his right lung back in November around the size of a dime. A recent x-ray last month showed that it has grown to about the size of a quarter. They don't know what it is, so he's waiting on approval and scheduling to have another test done for more information, but in the meantime, that lump is basically pushing on his shoulder. He basically said it feels like a broken rib that won't heal, which sounds pretty miserable to me.

Still tweaking a few things with my swing. I have a slight tendency to roll onto the outside of my right foot sometimes in the backswing, so I've been focusing on keeping the inside of my right heel planted hard to resist that urge. Aside from that, just maintaining my usual tempo and letting my swing do its thing. When I get quick, things get off the rails. Driver is actually behaving recently, which has me nervous. Usually if the driver is cooperating, the irons leave me, but right now I've got a decent grasp of both. I have a sense of impending doom coming for me.

Good morning to all. Another week begins where I'm in "hurry up and wait mode" with my client. They decided to last minute run a product over the weekend and had all kinds of problems, so they wanted me here early in the morning on Monday to check things out. I walk in and the whole place is shut down while a drive shaft is being replaced. Have to love how quickly choke points can shut down an operation. Once the shaft is replaced, I've still got probably an hour or two to wait on top of that for the belts to be welded before we can start up. I'm here so my time is being charged to the client, even though my hands are tied on being able to actually do anything for them at the moment.

Cut: +1 Low Amateur: Lamprecht

Work has been crazy busy so my practice time has been limited. I've been reduced to a few range sessions and taking some putts during meetings in the office. Ever since switching to the claw grip for putting about 2 years ago, it's gotten so much better. Interesting thing I've noticed even on the course, is that I will almost 100% of the time screw myself up if I try to take a practice stroke to get the feel for distance on putts. I have to just pick the line and step up and go with it. Practice strokes just get in my head and I start second guessing myself. Range sessions have been decent. Realized a few times that I can get into a tendency to try to steer the shot where I want instead of making my normal swing. I tend to hold my wrists back from releasing and hit high and right when I do this. In response to this, I'm thinking a lot less about the mechanics of the swing because my brain and body just don't cooperate that way. If I think about wrist positions and what not, things just get out of sorts. I still feel like I pause at the top, almost like an internal checkpoint because I know when my swing gets off, I'm out of balance at the top and I can't hold that position. Overall, I'm happy with where things are and I'm only making small adjustments to clean up my minor things. Except for driver, that's still hit or miss at the moment, but I think I turned a corner on that earlier this week.

Mentally preparing myself for yet another meeting with a client site, thinking to myself, 98% chance this could have been an email. That's assuming they even bother to show up in the first place. I'm not sure I understand the mentality of people that want help and solutions but then freeze when it comes to actually implementing fixes. I've already burned through my allocated hours through June for this customer and still no closer to getting them to actually do anything about the recommendations they have been given.

I must be lucky. I've got a really good ramen place about 2 miles from my office. One of our go-to places when my wife meets me for lunch if our schedules work out. Also found a good place in Florida last time I had to go for work. I will make it at home too but I haven't used our pressure cooker to make the broth so it tends to be long day weekend dinner.

My daughter had recently refused to eat curry. Not sure why because she likes all of the individual ingredients that are in it when I make it, but maybe it's the smell. Either way, instead of serving the curry with sweet potatoes in it over rice, I made it the base and covered it in mashed potatoes for a Japanese curry shepherds pie. After I told her what she ate, her response was, "I will never trust anything you cook ever again." I'm pretty sure this counts as a victory as an adult over a kid.

Currently still the PXG Gen 4 XF 10.5 head turned down to 9.5 with the Motore X F3 shaft. Not going to lie though, it's on the chopping block this year if it doesn't shape up. Possibly a low spin head is in the future for me if things keep going the way they are.

Tough one. Despite playing almost a full PXG bag, the driver is definitely the weak spot there for me. Wedges were replaced with the Indi test but it was a marginal victory. I think I would probably go Taylormade or Ping personally. Aside from the Stealth, I've always hit the woods from both companies pretty well, and something like the P790/P770 irons would work. Wedges are solid for both, and I absolutely love the Spider putter. Cobra I can't seem to get on board with the putter and wedges, Mizuno tends to be weaker with the long game clubs, etc. I will probably one of the only people to ever say this, but I would vote Titleist out purely because I just don't get along with Vokey wedges. No explanation for it, just the way I am. Srixon/Cleveland would be another high option for me if I could find the right driver and putter. The original ZX5 driver didn't do it for me and I can't say I know enough about the putter options there to say anything would appeal. Fairway, hybrid, irons, and wedges would be set though.

"I apologize in advance for making you guys all listen to me speak for the next two hours." I think I will begin all presentations in the future this way. I'm absolutely exhausted and only halfway through this day. I think it's safe to say that public speaking is not my thing.