Went through a small par 3 nine-hole course with Aaron on the weekend. I couldn’t hit a single good shot off the tee (the holes are in the 100 yard range so all tee-offs were done with irons), but my pitching is fucking spot on. I love the feeling of grazing tall grass with a half-swing and seeing the ball make a perfect arch to the green.

I can feel my game coming together, but almost all of my problems are mental, just like my bad iron hits off the tee (I uncontrollably lift my knees on the downswing to avoid getting under the ball too much). I need to relax, loosen my grip, and pace my swing better, all when hitting the ball counts. I’ve gotten to the point where stance and address come naturally, so it’s good to know that all the summers I spent at the driving range actually helped. Unfortunately, I’m still choking down to the edge of the grip, even after having my clubs shortened about two inches.

I must have been getting a good 250 yards off Aaron’s new titanium driver, something I could never do with my steel shafts. Even though it makes me slice like crazy, it must have been the most satisfying club ever to use. It’s light, it’s responsive, it has a gigantic head, AMAZING torque, and it gives a loud, full, resonating chime on connection. I think it’s time for a new set, maybe some sweeeeeeeeeeet Japanese brand titanium shafts, like the ones I had the chance to use while in Hong Kong. The next purchase will be a decision between those and a DV cam, and that’ll be the end of my luxury spending. Honestly.