After puzzling for a few days over my miserable driving range experience with my new Wilson Pro Staff irons (see my Feb 23rd entry), I thought it through and decided another practice round with the clubs was in order.

I figure that the more flexible, floppier, regular flex graphite shafts, couple with my normal frantic, rushed, forced swing, was allowing the clubhead to torque to the right as I came through the ball, producing the ugly little shanks that I was smacking on the driving range. I decided to go back the to the driving range with the clubs, this time pretending that I was swing a medicus trainer, or a Whippy tempomaster trainer. With these devises you can not make good contact with any kind of rushed, forced swing. Sure enough, this time out I was producing nice, fairly straight, lofted iron shots!

Next, I got my son and raced out to my home course, Riviera Country Club. in Holly Hill, FL, for a quick afternoon nine. Once again, the results were pleasantly surprising, as I was able to complete the front nine in 45 strokes, which is not bad for my current skill level.

Now I've got to readjust my thinking about my swing. Maybe these graphite shaft clubs reveal some swing flaws that my steel shaft clubs tend to cover-up. Maybe I'm rushing my swing with all my clubs, but only the more flexible graphite shafts make me pay for my hurried swing. Maybe if I apply my smoother, more relaxed approach to all my clubs, I'll benefit with lower scores and before too much longer I'll arrive in the mythical, long sought-after land of the sub-80 seventies!

Low I'm back on the Briteside of golf . . . at least for the time being.