Jnoble89's 2023 Season Thread: Intro & Journey to Breaking 90

[berkeleybob]

Congrats @Jnoble89!

Very cool to see your progress and breakthrough!

[berkeleybob]

39 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

I’ll get into more detail this evening, but shot a career low 88 (broke 90 woohoo!!!) on a Par 70 course this morning. Still need to do it on a Par 72 but I am thrilled about it! Also did it with the 4 club challenge for the Cobra Challenge! 

Just reposting this so folks can see it.

It's inspiring, for sure!

[funkyjudge]

58 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

I’ll get into more detail this evening, but shot a career low 88 (broke 90 woohoo!!!) on a Par 70 course this morning. Still need to do it on a Par 72 but I am thrilled about it! Also did it with the 4 club challenge for the Cobra Challenge! 

That is fabulous; congratulations and keep up the good work!

[DoubleBogeyDad]

@Jnoble89 Congrats! Big accomplishment. Less clubs, less decisions, maybe more focus on those in between shots with the four club challenge. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

7 minutes ago, DoubleBogeyDad said:

@Jnoble89 Congrats! Big accomplishment. Less clubs, less decisions, maybe more focus on those in between shots with the four club challenge. 

Less clubs, less decisions I think definitely played a role. Definitely looking forward to seeing what I can do with a full bag, but the 7 wood off the tee was so consistently playable with shots that I wasn’t having to scramble hardly at all. 

[Randall Robbins]

Nice!  Next up will be to start doing it once a month, and moving on from there.  Congratulations!

[Threeputtgame]

1 hour ago, Jnoble89 said:

I’ll get into more detail this evening, but shot a career low 88 (broke 90 woohoo!!!) on a Par 70 course this morning. Still need to do it on a Par 72 but I am thrilled about it! Also did it with the 4 club challenge for the Cobra Challenge! 

Congratulations!  I am sure you will reach your goal.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Thought I would post a photo of my index as the season has gone this year. While sitting currently at a 21.6 isn’t something to brag about, the relative improvement I’ve made to this point is large, and I do think the process of getting custom fit clubs with the Cobra challenge has helped a lot.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Didn’t have time to get 18 in today before league but did get 9 in and shot a personal best 44 on the back 9. 16 total putts with the 3D Supernova including one three putt that was due to a lack of focus. Had one penalty stroke and was able to one putt bogey the hole which was huge, and hit the AJ Max driver respectably well. Longest drive was 277 and had another that was 261, which is right on pace with the TSi3. Biggest win was that I didn’t miss a single tee shot left. I was popping some up but I am trying really hard to hit up on the ball. They weren’t skied off the crown, but just really high on the face and still went 225ish typically. Probably means I’m still coming in too steep at times but overall was really happy with tee shots. 

What I may be the most excited about is that I am starting to come around on the King Tec Hybrid. On my least favorite hole of the course, I hit a 222 yard tee shot that left me with 145 yards to the pin. It’s a tight dogleg left that I typically never play well. Hit it pure and it felt incredible and the ball was smoking hot off the face. 

I played respectably well in league tonight as well, made three par putt saves which was big as we both hit tee shots OB on one hole and doubled it  then followed that hole with a bogey. Snuck one birdie in so we were gross 38, net 34. Hit another mashed tee shot with the King Tec Hybrid that was roughly 225 during that round. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Played 9 this morning and shot a 48. Felt worse than it actually was. Had some bad second shots after good tee shots that I’d like to have back.

I had a three hole double bogey stretch after getting a par (should have been a birdie) on one. After that I had a bogey, par, bogey, bogey, then had trouble with a greenside bunker on 9 and tripled the last hole. AJ Max driver was not good today, and was not very good my last 9 either (was good the previous 9 hole round I posted above, but now 18 holes of subpar shots). Going to be swapping to the TSi3 again for my next round, and over my last 4 rounds with the King 3D Supernova I am losing 3 strokes putting to compared to a 15 hdcp according to Arccos. Going to go back to the Spider Tour Platinum and see if it turns around or not. 

[NM01]

On 7/25/2023 at 10:25 PM, Jnoble89 said:

I was popping some up but I am trying really hard to hit up on the ball. They weren’t skied off the crown, but just really high on the face and still went 225ish typically. Probably means I’m still coming in too steep at times but overall was really happy with tee shots. 

Get rh thought if trying to hit up out of your head. This leads to hanging back, shallowing by dipping the back shoulder and swing to far inside to out for some. For those that come over the top it can lead to a buckhorn if other issues. You should be trying to swing neutral. That will have a more consistent path and aoa, launch, spin, etc will take care of itself. The ball placement and swing will automatically cause a neutral to positive aoa.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Hit the range at lunch today and worked through every bag in the club, just because I haven't in awhile and only got to play 9 holes last week, and hard arguably the best range session of my life that I can remember. Started out with my 52* wedge and was working through some issues I've been having with striking that particular club, which went OK. I would say I was 50/50 with that club. Moved to my 60* just to have a little fun hitting some really high flops and then went through the bag in the following order: GW, PW, 9 ,8, 7, 6, 3 hybrid, 7 wood, 3 wood, driver. I have been working again on my takeaway and not getting the club inside, and today was trying to focus on keeping my weight more on my front side. Led to some really, really good contact. I was also hitting some high, baby draws with irons that I again have never had that shape in my life. Only missed, in total, 5ish balls left through my irons. 

Went driver, and just last week decided I was going to go with the Aerojet Max from the Cobra Challenge as the last H2H I did on the course, it was just more consistent than TSi3. I think TSi heard about my post, because I could not miss with it today. Every ball was straight or just a slight fade, at intended target, and while I don't have exact distances, were getting out as long as I can remember hitting it. Aerojet Max was also good, but mishits weren't quite as long as the slight misses with the TSi. I did bring the loft setting down to 9.5* Draw setting and absolutely smoked some that were right in contention with the TSi. That spot in the bag is back open, and I am thinking of taking TSi out for league tomorrow. 

Was a really fun session today as it was one of those days where I was just striking the ball really well. Hoping to carry it over to league tomorrow.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Played 5 holes last night in the evening with my boys and had some solid ball striking. First hole was predictably terrible with zero warm up swings  but then bogey'd every ensuing hole and left two long par putts (35+ feet) 2 inches short. Long drive of 274 yards with TSi3 and ended up in a greenside bunker on a Par 4 where you can cut the corner and take about 40 yards off the hole. Carried two fairway bunkers, where I typically end up in the second, and rolled into that greenside bunker. So was probably a 255-260 yard carry. Hit some solid iron approaches as well. Was a really nice evening and hoping to do it again Saturday evening with my wife this time as well. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Been a hot minute since I posted in this thread. After what had been a pretty up and down month of August score wise with a couple scores in the 90s and a couple in the 100s, I shot a 45 on Monday this week and a 42 on Tuesday. Combining the two scores for an 87 (not consecutive 18, I know), is the second time I have broken the 90 barrier this year and super excited about that. The combined score also brought my handicap to 20.2, so I am SO CLOSE to getting sub 20 hdcp, which was one of my other main goals for this year in addition to breaking 90. I have made a feel change at the top of my swing over the last two rounds and two range sessions I've had, and so far it's made a difference in my ball flight and ball striking, especially with driver. I'll be playing 18 next week Friday which will most likely be my last 18 hole round of the year at my uncle's club, which is a course I've never played and my 20 plays to a 23 there. Hoping for a good showing and to continue striking the ball well to finish my 2023 season strong. Want to thank everyone who followed along with me this year and will post again after next Friday's round as well as a season recap once I do call it a year on the 2023 season!

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

1 hour ago, Jnoble89 said:

Been a hot minute since I posted in this thread. After what had been a pretty up and down month of August score wise with a couple scores in the 90s and a couple in the 100s, I shot a 45 on Monday this week and a 42 on Tuesday. Combining the two scores for an 87 (not consecutive 18, I know), is the second time I have broken the 90 barrier this year and super excited about that. The combined score also brought my handicap to 20.2, so I am SO CLOSE to getting sub 20 hdcp, which was one of my other main goals for this year in addition to breaking 90. I have made a feel change at the top of my swing over the last two rounds and two range sessions I've had, and so far it's made a difference in my ball flight and ball striking, especially with driver. I'll be playing 18 next week Friday which will most likely be my last 18 hole round of the year at my uncle's club, which is a course I've never played and my 20 plays to a 23 there. Hoping for a good showing and to continue striking the ball well to finish my 2023 season strong. Want to thank everyone who followed along with me this year and will post again after next Friday's round as well as a season recap once I do call it a year on the 2023 season!

congrats and good luck on your last 18 of the year. As a newly minted sub 20 cap it is such a relief to get there. You got this! One tip of playing a new course. Go through google earth on it and plan your drives out and check for hidden trouble. Take notes and bring them with you to the course. Then just play smart target golf and have fun and enjoy the new course!

[GolfSpy_KFT]

3 minutes ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

congrats and good luck on your last 18 of the year. As a newly minted sub 20 cap it is such a relief to get there. You got this! One tip of playing a new course. Go through google earth on it and plan your drives out and check for hidden trouble. Take notes and bring them with you to the course. Then just play smart target golf and have fun and enjoy the new course!

Yes, definitely going to employ that strategy. My uncle also knows my game pretty well, so having him out there with me will be really nice to get his advice on club selection. It's not a really long course, but he explained it as pretty tight and definitely a strategic shot course. 

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

3 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

Yes, definitely going to employ that strategy. My uncle also knows my game pretty well, so having him out there with me will be really nice to get his advice on club selection. It's not a really long course, but he explained it as pretty tight and definitely a strategic shot course. 

sounds good. good luck. what course?

[GolfSpy_KFT]

15 minutes ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

sounds good. good luck. what course?

Nakoma Golf Club in Madison

[GolfSpy_KFT]

26 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

Nakoma Golf Club in Madison

@Vegan_Golfer_PNW Really looking forward to it as I'll never be able to sniff a membership at a place like that! Just watched fly overs of all the holes and it looks SUPER tight lol. Some of the fairways look about half as wide as the ones I am used to. No driving range either so the driver may not see a ton of play  but I have been hitting it well this week so will definitely give it a crack!

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

2 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

@Vegan_Golfer_PNW Really looking forward to it as I'll never be able to sniff a membership at a place like that! Just watched fly overs of all the holes and it looks SUPER tight lol. Some of the fairways look about half as wide as the ones I am used to. No driving range either so the driver may not see a ton of play  but I have been hitting it well this week so will definitely give it a crack!

 

dang. just did two holes. tree lined and 35 yards between trees. have fun!

[GolfSpy_KFT]

5 minutes ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

 

dang. just did two holes. tree lined and 35 yards between trees. have fun!

Tree lined I am used to, super narrow fairways I am not  good thing I have lots of practice punching out and plenty of golf balls!