Golf is a game of recovery. We’re often told that to score better, we need a “better” swing. But if you’ve been following the Mid-Range Swing journey, you know my mission is different: I’m moving my scoring average from 98.4 down to 92 without rebuilding my swing.
This week, I took that mission to Old Gunpowder Golf Course right here in Beltsville. It was a round that perfectly illustrated why the mental game and course management matter more than a “perfect” move through the ball.
The Plan vs. The Reality
I started the day with a clear strategy. On one of the most difficult holes on the course, I even took a moment to record a video explaining exactly how to play it. The goal? Stay out of trouble, pick a smart target, and accept the results.
However, the course had other plans. Early in the round, I let a driver get away from me—a big slice that ended up lost in the woods. In the past, a lost ball early on might have derailed my entire afternoon. But to get to a 92 average, you have to learn to “limit the damage.”
The Highlights: Resilience Over Water
The turning point of the round came on a challenging par 3. With water staring me in the face, the “old” version of my game might have played scared. Instead, I focused on my yardage, committed to the shot, and stuck the green.
I also gave myself a rare look at birdie. While the putt didn’t drop, I walked away with a two-putt par. For a mid-to-high handicapper, we often focus on the “missed” birdie, but a stress-free par is exactly what keeps the scorecard on track for a sub-90 round.
Embracing the “Horrible” Moments
If I only showed you the pars, I wouldn’t be documenting a real journey. I had my share of “score killers” this week:
- The Three-Putt: A classic momentum stopper that I’m working hard to eliminate.
- The Bunker Blunder: I hit a truly horrible sand shot that reminded me just how much work my short game needs.
The lesson? You don’t have to be perfect to reach your goals, but you do have to be honest about where the strokes are leaking. A bad bunker shot is a mistake; letting that mistake lead to a “triple” is a choice.
Final Thoughts
Old Gunpowder is a great local test, and it reminded me that golf is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. I’m not teaching, and I’m certainly not a pro—I’m just a guy pushing 60, managing a bad back, and trying to play smarter golf.
Check out the full video of this round on my YouTube channel to see these shots in action!
How do you handle a “blow-up” hole? Are you focusing on your swing or your strategy? Let’s talk about it in our Facebook Group!
Stay tuned for the next episode of the Mid-Range Swing podcast on Spotify where I’ll dive deeper into the stats from this round.
Let’s change our scores, and not our swing.
Resources & Community
Blog: Welcome to the Clubhouse – Mid-Range Swing
YouTube: Mid-Range Swing – YouTube
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0KXnsQgCzWNiZAyNIsHlYy
Join my Facebook Group: Mid-Range Swing | Facebook
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