Yesterday was a pretty special day for me. Not for what you would normally think for it being Thanksgiving though. My wife and kids are back in Alabama celebrating the Holiday with family while I’m left at home with the envious pleasures of working Friday and Saturday this weekend.

So yesterday I took advantage of my Bachelor weekend and went and played Rio Secco. They were having a Shotgun start at 8:30am and for $40 I couldn’t pass it up. This was the first time I have ever golfed on Thanksgiving and to my surprise practically every course in town was doing a shotgun start. The green fees went from $40 all the way up to $85, so with Rio being as nice as it is, it was a no brainer to play there for that price!

The conditions couldn’t have been better, a little overcast and the temps in the mid 50′s, by the end of the round it was creeping around 70°!!

My warmup went really, really well! I was hitting every club with good consistency and even my driver was pretty solid. I definitely felt ready for the round after a quick chip and putt session we headed off to number 17 to start the round.

The first tee shot I made great contact but it was a pull shot left of the fairway. A bas miss so to say, I ended up in a fairway bunker with a really good lie. I chose my 5i with the intent of getting some distance and keeping the ball in play in the middle of the fairway, and I nailed it! I left myself a nice 90 yard shot that I hit and had a GIR on the first hole! Great way to start the day! Problem was I misread the Green chart and played the shot too short which left me a long uphill 40′ putt. Needless to say a 3 putt for bogey was the end results.

The day only got better from there. On number 3 I drained a 40′ putt for Birdie that was no doubt one of the prettiest puts I have ever made.

I was really happy with the way I played the Par 5′s. I’ve always had the mindset that I have to hit Driver-Wood on the par 5′s bet yesterday I put that thought away and played more to my game style. Driver, Iron & Iron. On 17 it worked on 18 it would have worked minus a bad 3rd shot. 7 it worked, again minus a bad iron swing and on 8 I played it perfectly.

Putting wasn’t very good though. 5, 3 putts made my putt total a lot higher than what would have liked it to be. Make those all two putts and I shoot 90!! Get ride of my unnecessary penalty on 11 and I shoot 89!! Now that would have been a cause for celebration!

I am celebrating though, I improved on my previous best at Rio Secco by 12 shots! 12 SHOTS!!

The biggest difference from the last few rounds I played to this one was something I’ve been working on for the past couple of weeks at the range. That’s what I’m calling the 80% rule. Bill and I were talking one night at the range and he was telling me about an interview he saw with Tom Watson. Mr. Watson was talking about how a tour pro wall always puts themselves in a position to hit their approach shot at 80% of full power.

When I started to think about it, the idea of swing at 80% it completely consumed me for like 5 days! When I started thinking about how I play and how I approach each shot I take I was really rather embarrassed about it. The first thing I do after I look at the lie of my shot is to get the distance, let’s say for this discussion the distance is 155 yards. For me that’s my 7I. What I’ve never thought about was is this, that’s my 7I at 100% if I hit it perfect. How often does that happen, well for me not often enough! But, a more controlled less aggressive 6I lets say at 80% is a perfect shot for me.

I couldn’t wait to get to the range last Friday. It was at the end of the night the week before when Bill told me about what he saw with Tom Watson, so I had a full week to digest and analyze the ideology of the 80% rule. That range session last week was awesome. More controlled, more relaxed and more confident I had one of the best sessions to date as far the practice range goes. That was until my 5I came out of the bag. To put it bluntly I suck with my 5I, have for a long time, and my 4I isn’t much better. I could swing it at 80% but the ball wasn’t going anywhere, no snap, no compression just a lame duck ball. My 8I was going further.

Frustrated was the half of it, I was pissed! Not a right mindset for golf. There is just something about the longer clubs and me that doesn’t get along very well. Ready to pack it in Bill came up with a suggestion. Instead of an 80% full swing he suggested an 80% 3/4 swing almost a punch shot of sorts. Wouldn’t you know, it worked! I was hitting the ball probably 50 yards further with an 80% 3/4 swing than with an 80% full swing. I didn’t have a lot of balls left to hit that night so when I got to the practice range at Rio yesterday I was excited to try it again.

I couldn’t belive how well the ball was coming off my clubface, it was really exciting for me to aim myself at the 185 flag and with a 3/4 swing and my 5I get the ball there with no issues! Then I gave it a try with my 7I and 8I and hit some fantastic shots dead at my targets!

Having that shot in my bag I know is what helped me shot that 95. I never tried to do more than what I was capable of at 80%. Not that everything was perfect, I did manage to execute a few miss hits, but, those miss hits didn’t hurt me like they have in the past, at 80% though, there were a lot less miss hits!!

Next up is my first lesson with Dustin and that’s tomorrow! Very excited about it and I can’t wait to tell him about this round at Rio!!

It’s not easy to sit down and ponder how you’re going to talk about shooting a 111. I don’t need to tell anyone who reads this blog that when you post a score like that the last thing you’re thinking about is how wonderful it’s going to be to tell every one all about it.

So for all of your enjoyment here’s my story on how I shot a 111 at The Chase in Coyote Springs.

This is how you shoot 111.

That certainly wasn’t my goal. After playing what I considered to be my best round to date last month in Idaho, I was anticipating having another successful round under my belt. Believe it not though, this was a successful round for me. Not on the scorecard, that’s a no-brainer, but it was in how I played. I adapted, made changes and bettered myself between the 1st and 18th holes. When I was done it was easy to see why my score was so terrible, but in all honesty I didn’t feel bad about it at all.

Let me explain. The last few range practice sessions I’ve had have been great. I’ve been hitting the ball really well, working on a few new things to tighten up my swing and I have been enjoying my time golfing more than ever and that has lead to a confidence boost that I’m kinda excited about. Because of how I’ve played lately I challenged myself to a much longer course than I normally play in my trip to Idaho and with the success there I went ahead and played a much more difficult set of tees at The Chase. Considering I shot 107 at the same course from the white tees, deciding to play from the blues was a big step for me to playing better.

Now I could very easily say playing the course from a more difficult tee box was the reason, or that the ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS pin placements had a lot to do with it. Don’t believe me, look at this:

16 of 18 greens had pin placements like this!

I can make excuse after excuse why I played so bad but the truth is I got my ASS handed to me by an amazing golf course. You cannot make a mistake at this place or you’re dead and I died on the first hole.

My warm up actually went incredibly well, I found myself really calm on the first tee and eager to get at it. Unfortunately my swing didn’t join me on the course, it was still back at the practice facility. It probably wasn’t able to find me considering the size of the place!

I pulled my tee shot on #1 and had to take a penalty for an unplayable lie, then botched the next few shots before 3-putting from 15 feet. That’s when we realized we were in for it with the pin placements. The 2nd hole I did something that I haven’t done in a very, very long time and it PAINS me to say it, I whiffed. Yep, I addressed my lie in the first cut of rough with my 5I and made a horrific swing at the ball. This is kinda like therapy talking about it. I was in shock that I did it, but I counted the stroke and made another swing. The 4th hole (#1 HDCP) I played great, well not really but almost. I hit a good tee shot in the right spot in order to play the hole correctly, then I hit a just a nice 2nd shot to within 20 yards of the green and had a great angle at the pin. I caught that stroke thin and sent the ball over the green into a wash area and struggled like hell to get out of it. 20 yards away on my 3rd stroke and ended up with an eight!

It got worse before it got better and after shooting a 58 on the front and 4-putting on #10 I new I had to start figuring out what was going on or a 120 was what I was about to post.

I’m not really sure what clicked in my noggin but I just started to enjoy myself more than I was. Nobody was having a good day, it wasn’t just me playing poor, everyone was struggling. I remembered back to what I’ve been working on at the practice range and in the garage and decided to just had a good time the rest of the round, and on number 14 my swing started to come back. I hit the fairway on 14, 15, 16 & 18. I made some really nice approach shots (some fell short and I had to take some penalties but the swing and impact felt awesome) and on #16 I hit without a doubt the best 3W of my entire life. Bill looked at me and said “I’ve never heard that sound come from your 3W before!“ He was right, I’ve never been able to hit my 3W very well but this swing at that time was different. I didn’t have that thought in my head that said “don’t screw this up” I was full of confidence and never once did it occur to me that I couldn’t make the shot. Problem was I hit it too good! HA, is that even possible to hit a shot too good! Anyway, the ball flew the green and it got lost in the bushes. I couldn’t get over that shot though, it was awesome. I looked back at it and took a picture just so I can remember it

It doesn't look menacing but from the other side it sure the heck is!

I hit my best iron of the day on 17 that help me Par that hole then I followed that up with a great tee shot on 18. My approach shot on the last hole went left of the target and ended up in the green-side bunker and in an almost “You can’t leave this place on a high note” I chunked my bunker shot. If there is ANY part of my game that anyone who knows me would say I’m great at it my sand play. The next sand shot I executed exactly the way I wanted to and with a 2-putt I ended my round and we headed back home.

When I look back at the round and see all the little mistakes I made and the poor putting and the avoidable penalties I had I find it unbelievable that I didn’t loose my freaking mind on the course and have a severe mental breakdown. I’m not going to lie, I’ve slammed a few clubs into the ground, I’ve hurled many, MANY expletives at the golfing Gods. I’ve wanted to take my club and beat the living shit out of the golf cart until it was laying there in a useless pile. I used to be “that guy” that incredibly angry player who is easily frustrated when things don’t go his way, and now that I think about it, I probably was really difficult to be around. I don’t think I ever wore it full fledged on my sleeve, it’s was more like a bomb blowing itself all to shit in my head and sometimes I let others know what was going on up there. For the main part though I kept it locked up inside my head pretty tight and truly tortured myself mentally to the point it has effected my progress.

Things were different this time. I stayed calm and when I did feel the hostility creeping in I put that little bastard in time out! It was almost like a breath of fresh air had come over me, instead of being upset about it I just focused on my next shot and went to work. Not that the work was fun, I left myself some really shitty shots but it didn’t bother me at all. On #4 when I hit that crappy pitch shot and it sailed over the green I so badly wanted to scream out and slam my wedge into the ground, but I didn’t. Same thing on #18. After a great drive I hit my approach into a bunker and then chunk a sand shot, I can picture in my head what it would have looked like (and it’s not pretty) had I let it get to me like it used to.

It was a shining moment for me. A true accomplishment. Not one that you get a plaque for or one you talk about with your friends later on in life like you would a hole-in-one, but for me this was huge and let me tell ya the plaque I would give myself for this achievement, there isn’t a wall big enough.

So, with no excuses I embarrassingly say out loud and to anyone who will listen I shot a 111 this past Saturday at The Chase and I’ve never been more proud of myself in doing so.

I was excited and eager to get out and put my new swing along with my new clubs to the test and we couldn’t have picked a better time. The course was empty and the weather was fantastic. Not a breeze in the sky, a little overcast to keep the sun rays off ya. The perfect way to play golf in 105° heat!

My first hole tee shot I hit pretty solid but it was little low and left of the fairway. There is a big hillside on that side of the fairway so I got away with a “good” miss as the ball trickled down the hill and came to rest in the green stuff. I was looking at a 140 yard shot with the ball lying below my feet on a rather steep decline. I caught my 8I a little thin and carried the ball through the green to the fringe on the far side of the hole. I was easily eighty feet from the pin on a really quick downhill line. My first instinct was to get my putter and just lag it up to the stick. Then I though about all the practice strokes I had been taking for this exact shot. I put the putter back grabbed my 58° and hit a fantastic chip shot three feet from the flag. I made the putt and walked away with par to start the round.

Number two is a fairly long par 5 with a really elevated tee box. I hit a great drive 250 yards down the middle and was set up perfect for my next shot. Still being 300 yards out I choose my 3W and hit a bad shot, but unlike my previous poor second shots on a long Par 5 this one actually made it down the fairway a little ways. The next shot I was still 230 yards out and this time I hit a much better 3W. Another nice chip with my 58° and a putt and I was off to a Par, Par start.

Bogeyed the next hole, a Par 3, which really ticked me off. I hit a weak tee shot with my 7I and didn’t leave myself a very good second shot. I pitched the ball up to the green and two putted from thirty five feet.

The fourth, fifth and sixth holes were my version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I duffed my tee shot on number four then followed that shot up with a chunky 5I. Next I hit a very nice 6I that came up just a bit short but it landed in some wet, muddy, short thin patch of repair grass. I thought about the ground too much and pulled up out of the shot too soon and caught it thin. That shot ended up rolling through the green and into a green-side bunker. It took me two shots out of the sand, then I missed a six footer. Scored an eight!

Then on number five I crush my drive 300 yards dead center of the fairway. Using my 58° I pitched the ball up pin high, six feet away from the flag. Then knocked in the putt for Birdie.

I put up a nine on the next hole, I’m not going to talk about that particular hole so let’s just move on to the next one.

I had another good drive on seven it was just a little right of the fairway, played what was to me a great shot that went between some tall palm trees and settled just a few yards out in front of the green. I didn’t hit the next chip very good. My intent was to lay it up just under the hole and leave myself a little 3-6 foot uphill putt but, it ended up being a 8 foot downhill that I hit a bit too hard and then got my wish for the uphill putt. Bogey

I pared the number eight after hitting a great sand shot that saved the hole, then played an almost perfect ninth hole. I hit a great drive, a very nice 9I from 130 to pin high. It was just a bit to much left, but I was really happy with the shot. Then a two putt for par.

I ended up with a 45 on the front. Which could have very easily been a 39 if I could have bogeyed those two blow up holes. I was really pleased with only 14 putts on the front, that was four one putts and five two putts.

That was hands down the best nine holes I’ve played to date. A few mistakes off the tee, but I managed to put up a decent score and I had a lot to take away from how I played.

It went downhill from there. The perfect weather turn on us and we we’re fighting the wind the rest of the day. My putter or more realistically my putting went to shit. I had Three, three putts on the back, that was terrible. Two of them I left so close that when you stood over the hole you could actually see the ball hanging over the edge. I also had two OB penalties on the back, one on number ten and one on number seventeen. That really hurt. The wind, my errors and terrible putting (14 on the front to 21 on the back) lead to a 54.

Over all a 99 wasn’t a bad score. I was actually happy with it because if it had been a 100 I would have had a harder time telling myself to be pleased with the way I played. I did hit the ball really well and recovered from some really sticky situations. That’s something I can definitely build on.

Tomorrow we’re playing Tuscany and then on Sunday I’m playing Revere – Lexington course with Dan. Back to back days on the course. It’s going to be a good weekend that’s for sure!