A mate of mine is a pro golfer and he said to me to read this book. I got a good bit through of it and never finished it but really wish I had. May just go and find it now.

Visualising the best shot you have ever hit with the club you are about to hit seems to be a common theory. Breeds confidence. Every one of us is capable of hitting a great shot, consistency being the obvious problem as noted.

One thing I notice is some players out on the course say oh I am just trying something new. Don't try that on the course. Persevere with what is correct and the good shots will follow.

Now all I need to do is follow my own advice lol.

ps. I notice you are playing in and around Edinburgh. I am a member up at Swanston albeit not playing at the moment due to a back injury. Which club are you a member of?

Also note Darren Clarke recently turned to Bob Rotella. Now if it's good enough for the Open champion .....

Sure it isn't Nutella. Dazza looking nice and cuddly these days

Oi !!

Nutella is an excellent slow release addition to your breakfast as part of a controlled diet!!

Maybe it reacts with Guinness!

Monktonhall in Musselburgh.

Staverton Park Golf Club

H P S
1 4 7
2 5 6
3 4 4
4 3 3
5 4 4
6 4 6
7 4 7
8 3 6
9 4 5
OUT 48

10 4 6
11 5 7
12 3 5
13 4 4
14 4 5
15 5 7
16 3 4
17 4 6
18 4 4
IN 48

TOTAL (71) 96

5 pars & 4 bogies gave me a stableford score of 27

Real test coming up on the 9/10/11 August.

My father in law asked me if I could do him a favour by making up a fourball to play at Hoylake, Birkdale & Lytham & St Anne's!!

Can't wait!!

Monktonhall Golf Club

H P S
1 4 8 (unplayable lie)
2 4 5
3 3 4
4 5 7 (lost ball)
5 4 6
6 3 4
7 4 5
8 4 4
9 4 3
OUT 46

10 4 8
11 3 6 (lost ball)
12 4 5
13 4 5
14 4 5
15 4 4
16 3 3
17 4 4
18 4 4
IN 44

TOTAL (69) 90

1 birdie, 5 pars & 7 bogies gave me a stableford score of 33

Excellent final 7 holes

How muh time do you spend on the range prior to teeing off???

Had an hour with the assistant pro working on long irons.

Which shots\clubs caused the lost balls?

Driver off the tee which went into the trees and a 5 wood off the tee which went over the fence. Both went wild right.

Enough to make your gamego to pieces at the start of a round!!!

Not long now!

Just about to leave now, I'll let you all know how I got on.

Good luck

good luck cant see you breaking 80 this week

Fantastic trip and a real pleasure to play 3 famous courses. The weather forecast didn't look too favourable before we left but, as it happened, only one day was spoilt. On Tuesday we played Hoylake in cool, bright conditions with just a light breeze; on Wednesday we had a horrible day with torrential rain and blustery high winds which ruined our enjoyment of Birkdale and on Thursday we got really lucky with a benign day at Lytham with only the occasional smirr of rain.

Cards to follow....

Royal Liverpool Golf Club

H P S
1 4 5
2 4 6
3 5 6
4 3 4
5 4 4
6 4 5
7 3 3
8 5 6
9 4 4
OUT 43

10 4 5
11 3 5
12 4 6
13 3 4
14 5 6
15 4 5
16 5 6
17 4 7
18 4 5
IN 49

TOTAL (72) 92

3 pars & 11 bogies gave me a stableford score of 32

Royal Birkdale Golf Club

H P S
1 4 6
2 4 5
3 4 5
4 3 3
5 4 7
6 5 6
7 3 5
8 4 7
9 4 4
OUT 48

10 4 4
11 4 6
12 3 5
13 4 6
14 3 4
15 5 8
16 4 7
17 5 5
18 5 6
IN 51

TOTAL (72) 99

4 pars & 5 bogies gave me a stableford score of 25

Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club

H P S
1 3 5
2 4 6
3 4 4
4 4 5
5 3 3
6 5 5
7 5 7
8 4 6
9 3 4
OUT 45

10 4 4
11 5 8
12 3 4
13 4 4
14 4 5
15 4 5
16 4 4
17 4 4
18 4 5
IN 43

TOTAL (71) 88

7 pars & 6 bogies gave me a stableford score of 36

As I said a great trip and the best thing is that he now wants to make it an annual thing! The suggestion is that for next year we will go back to play Birkdale and hope for better weather and play two other courses. Formby was mentioned as a possible but if anyone can come up with any suggestions they would be gratefully received.

West Linton Golf Club

H P S
1 4 5
2 3 3
3 4 6
4 5 6
5 4 4
6 4 5
7 4 6
8 4 6
9 3 3
OUT 44

10 4 4
11 4 5
12 3 4
13 4 6
14 4 6
15 4 6
16 4 3
17 3 5
18 3 3
IN 42

TOTAL (68) 86

1 birdie, 5 pars & 5 bogies gave me a Stableford of 34 points.

The pro at West linton is a scouser and he suggested Southport & Ainsdale, Hillside and St Annes Old as possibilities. Anyone played these?

Sorry, can't help you there

Well the quest began in earnest today with a lesson from the assistant pro at my club.

3 month target: to be hitting the ball consistently straighter

12 month target: to shoot 80 (consistently )

He started off by getting me to hit a few 7 irons on the practice range. Looking at my divots showed him that I had a flat swing plane with a tendency to come from in to out so he gave me a simple drill to try. He placed a line of 3 balls inside the ball I was aiming at and I had to hit the target ball without disturbing the other ones. I also had to concentrate on having the sensation of putting my chest/shoulder into the shot and allowing the hands to follow.

Result: much cleaner strikes and consistent trajectory on the ball with much improved accuracy. Although some of the shots went left and some others right, they went there in a straight line!

The other thing he suggested is an imaginary line a yard behind the ball. Behind this line is the area where you think about the shot, take practice swings etc but when you move over the line you approach the ball and pull the trigger. Stops you thinking too much about it apparently and seemed to work!

80 is in my sights as I had 12 pars today to follow up my 8 pars on Monday, the trouble is I had 3 blobs as well and that is the reason I am still a 19 handicap.

12 pars off 19? I think I got five yesterday off a 16 handicap and I was being looked at daggers then!

Be interesting to see how this goes, the thelip, now the new season is upon us.