I left Saddleback frustrated today.
A 90 from the gold tees—44 on the front, 46 on the back—was the result. But the score wasn’t the part that bothered me most. It was standing over approaches and not knowing whether I would make solid contact or leave the ball substantially short.
After encouraging practice sessions, I wanted to see more consistency on the course. Instead, the heavy iron shots kept returning.
My next step is to put the clubs down for two days.
A round with some good moments
The 16th was the highlight.
A short par 4, playing around 245 yards to the middle into the wind, gave me a chance to get close with a 7-wood. I finished short in a greenside bunker, then hit the bunker shot to about three feet and made the putt for birdie.
That was a hole worth remembering: an opportunity, a recovery, and a putt converted.
The finish was more frustrating.
On 17, a long par 3 playing roughly 210 yards into the wind, I pull-hooked the 4 driving iron. A chip to around 20 feet and two putts meant bogey.
On the par-5 18th, also into the wind, the driver flared right. A 4-wood from roughly 330 yards out went left. With about 145 remaining, I mishit the 9-iron, then chipped to around 30 feet and two-putted for another bogey.
The birdie showed what was possible. The closing holes showed how difficult it was to repeat.
Slowing down didn’t explain everything
Some swings felt rushed. Others felt smooth and still produced poor contact.
That matters because “slow down” has been a useful cue recently, but it didn’t account for every miss today. The most common frustrating result was a substantially fat shot that finished well short.
I’ve also been keeping the “hips back” feeling in mind, which had helped during earlier struggles with shanks. Today’s round doesn’t establish whether that thought helped or hurt the heavy contact.
There are observations to work with. There isn’t a confirmed explanation yet.
Four rounds in six days
Today was my fourth round in six days, with practice on Friday and Saturday as well.
When I thought about how I felt physically, one thing was clear: my legs were tired.
That doesn’t prove fatigue caused the poor strikes. But it belongs in the assessment. Before I respond with another demanding practice session or a collection of mechanical changes, I want to see how I swing after some recovery.
Otherwise, I’m trying to evaluate my swing while carrying the same tired legs into the next session.
Monday and Tuesday: no swinging clubs
On October 19 and 20, I’m taking a complete break from swinging clubs, including drills and practice swings.
Walking and comfortable mobility can stay in the routine. The golf work can wait.
I want to give myself enough distance from today’s frustration that the next session starts with a clear purpose rather than an urgent need to fix the last round.
Wednesday: a smaller session and a simpler question
If my legs feel recovered on Wednesday, October 21, the next practice session will be 40–50 balls.
The focus will be a normal swing with minimal mechanical thoughts. I’ll pay attention to clean versus heavy contact and whether the strike becomes more repeatable after two days away.
The recent reminder to keep the downswing controlled—rather than trying to hit too hard—can remain a simple intention. I don’t want to turn it into another long checklist.
This session will be an opportunity to observe:
- How often am I making clean contact?
- Are the heavy misses still substantially short?
- Can I swing with controlled effort without forcing the result?
I’m not setting out to prove that rest fixes everything. I want a clearer picture of what still needs work when I arrive feeling fresher.
What I’m taking from the round
The bunker shot on 16 deserves a place in the recap alongside the missed irons. So does the birdie putt. There were useful shots in this round, even if frustration made them easier to overlook afterward.
But the heavy contact needs attention, and the next step is to approach it with less accumulated fatigue and fewer competing thoughts.
Today ended with a 90 and tired legs. The plan now is two days without a swing, followed by a modest practice session that gives me better information.
For the next two days, following that plan means leaving the clubs alone.