The Update

Just a quick post to point out a new feature to the blog: at the bottom of each page you can find all my rounds going back to 2007, with graphics that show score to par, adjusted shot efficiency, and short game statistics, including median and upper and lower quartile ranges.  It's fun to scroll through (for me, anyway).

The Blog Update

Just a quick post to point out a few changes I made to the blog over the past few days [*and even this post is updated!]:

• There's a new header (obviously) at the top, featuring a picture of the 15th green at Butter Brook Golf Club in Westford, MA.
• There are 2 3 new tabs at the top of the page with links to my recent rounds and some statistical graphs via oobgolf.com, plus one to a page detailing "The Mission" itself.
• At the bottom left of the page are links to the most popular posts, in case you're new and want to see what others have enjoyed.

Hope you like the changes!

In other news, I'm traveling to Bethesda, MD this upcoming week and will be attending some golf tournament that is taking place at Congressional Country Club; if that turns out interesting then I'm sure I'll have something to say about it.

Until then....

The New Video

I know, I know, it's been a long time. I could have blogged about my round on 10/13/08 at Butter Brook Golf Club -- which featured an eagle-birdie duo on 16 & 17 -- but I never really flirted with par (3-under on those 2 holes saved the round). I also could have blogged about my round at New York Country Club the day prior to my brother's wedding, but the wedding itself got in the way. Maybe some pictures from the event will do?

Bryan (the groom) on the driving range at sunrise.

Intimidating approach to the par-5 9th hole.

Looking back out from the 9th green; you can see the

NYC skyline in the distance (though not well in the picture).

Well-groomed course with beautiful October foliage.

Left-to-right: Scott, Phil, Bryan, Chris, and Bob.

This is what happens when you live in New England -- the golf season is all too short. Just yesterday, though, I went to the range with my brother to hit balls (because next year I am reaching even par), and we did a little video swing analysis of our own. We definitely have different swings:

Scott, back view, January 2009.

Bryan, back view, January 2009.

Scott, front view, January 2009.

Bryan, front view, January 2009.

My swing has definitely changed since I last did some home videos (see "The Mission"). My posture is definitely better, less hunched over. I also think I've gotten smoother, especially on the backswing, and there's less sway. These seem like good things. It keeps me hopeful.

While I'm here making a winter-time post, I wanted to pass along 2 books I received for Christmas that I'm enjoying:

World Atlas of Golf (Rowlinson) is a combination of golf history, course design, politics, and wonderful hole-by-hole walk-throughs of the best and most famous golf courses in the world. I saw it in Barnes and Noble and was engrossed for a good 20 minutes; then actually received it on X-mas day and have continued to be fascinated.

Follow the Roar (Smiley) is the story of the author's year spent tracking Tiger in every tournament he played in 2008 -- a brief but truly amazing year. So far I'm through the first 2-1/2 tournaments, and it's a good, quick read; entertaining and inciteful.

I suspect there will be another good-sized gap between posts, as the next time I expect to play is in April/May. Unless I end up in Arizona next weekend... doubtful, though.

The Mission

My goal is a relatively simple one:

18 holes, even par. Just once.

(Of course, once it happens, the goal will be to do it again.)

I've had the goal all year, and I've come close a few times. But it hasn't come together yet. The purpose of this blog is going to be two-fold: one, to track my progress in the public sphere; and two, to keep a log of the best and most interesting rounds so that I can reflect on them someday. A public golf journal of sorts...mostly for me. But if you come across it and happen to enjoy it, then all the better.

First, a few stats about me and my golf game:

• I'm 30 years old
• I live in Boston, which means my golf season is only about 4-5 months long
• I started the year with a USGA index of 8.6; I'm currently at 6.0, and my peak was 5.3 (on 8/6/08)
• My best round of the year so far was a 74 (+2) at Pinehills Golf Club (Nicklaus Course) in Plymouth, MA (see scorecard here)
• For a quick snapshot of my game, see my profile on oobgolf.com

Here's some footage of my swing, just in case you care:

The inspiration for this blog was my most recent round -- which, by the way, was not even close to even par. So let's start there....