I’ve been playing golf for 47 years, and while I was once one of the longer hitters among my peers, I sometimes now barely make the fairway. Okay, I exaggerate a little, but over the last five years and probably longer, I have lost so much distance.
From the back tees at my home club of Tandridge, there are more par 4s that I can no longer reach in two than there are that I can!
In recent months, I have finally given it some proper thought. And while some of my disappointment is down to the fact that most of us believe we hit it way further than we actually do, I have come to the conclusion that there are two key reasons for my declining distance. One, I cannot do anything about - the other, I certainly can!
First things first, and I know you will find this impossible to believe, but I’m nowhere near as young or athletic as I look! I recently entered my 70th year, and while at a push I can still walk 36 holes a day carrying my bag, age has inevitably taken its toll.
As someone who has steadfastly avoided the gymnasium for the last 40 years unless it was hosting a beer festival, I have never been strong, supple or lithe. But I do have a reasonable level of fitness, I have luckily avoided the injuries and strains that have inflicted so many of my golfing friends and I have a pair of legs that seem to be unnaturally durable and reliable.
Having said that, there is no escaping the fact that age inevitably takes its toll. I cannot turn as far as I could or generate anywhere near the same power. This is frustrating, but it’s not the only reason for my decline in distance.
For years, my friend and colleague Jeremy Ellwood has gently pointed out that my alignment is very poor. Together we help to oversee the preparation of Golf Monthly's biennial Top 100 golf courses UK & Ireland.
As you will see from the photo above, taken by Jeremy on one of our 'research trips' only last Autumn, I am generally pointing way too far left. The result is that I am cutting right across the ball, generating very little power and usually sliding it lamely from left to right. Little wonder that it’s not going anywhere and I am getting into trouble.
Despairing for me, my good and very generous mate Neil recently bought me a lesson with his own coach. Ashley Roberts teaches at West Malling Golf Club, just 15 minutes from my home, and it took him no time at all to spot that my set-up… or complete lack of one… was costing me dearly.
I had no pre-shot routine, no repeated approach, and was defaulting to shoulders and hips aiming miles left to counter (and of course exaggerate!) my slice.
'Incredibly Encouraging'
After just one lesson, I now have a pre-shot approach, am standing square to the ball, and despite this actually feeling so closed and unnatural, I am trusting it. The results, and it is still very early days, have been incredibly encouraging.
I am hitting way fewer cuts and slices, the distance is returning, and I am genuinely excited about my actual game for the first time in a decade.
I have now signed up for a series of lessons - one a month - and last week returned to Ashley for the first of these, where we began to work on something more technical. My next target, especially when not using a tee, is to get the clubhead back square to the ball on impact more regularly and more effectively.
There’s practice to be done in the garden, and much work to come, but I am now more optimistic about enjoying my game than I have been in years.
As someone who is on record as saying he probably loves golf courses more than the actual game, and as someone who spent most of this dismally wet winter planning golfing trips and days out to the likes of Alwoodley, Cabot Highlands, and Aldeburgh, I have a huge amount of golfing adventure to look forward to.
