excited lim is back in business !!!

whoo !
been in a slump for like a month (i'm guessing because that's how long it's been since my last post) but now i'm back in action !
no more distracted by random new 'interesting friends', no more feeling lousy about being unable to achieve goals because they were unrealistically set.

it's the new and improved me ! my new name is excited !
although i'm still figuring out my next step of action, i know that whatever i aim to do, i can !

I GET WHAT I WANT !

female golfer tips: trust

i find myself often very impatient !
i look up very fast after i hit the ball to try and see if it is going in the right direction. but this bad habit is actually the cause for the inconsistency in the direction of my ball.

i'm starting to learn to trust that my swing will bring my ball to where i want it to go. then more often than not, it is actually travelling towards the pin rather than 10 meteres right of it.

so tip of the day is to trust in your swing. looking up too early in anticipation of the ball flying towards the target will only cause you to open (or maybe close) your clubface, causing the ball to be inaccurate.
also remember to do this will accelerating through impact to achieve the best outcome !

feel like i really haven't updated in ages

i think it's about time i wrote a new post !
i'm getting lazy with updating because i haven't been feeling psyched about my golf improvement .
but.... i'm pleased to announce that i am making progress on figuring out how to have a better short game that is more accurate and goes the distance that i want it to.

at this point of my golf improvement cycle, i think it has to do with figuring out what works best for me while incorporating good technique in order to be consistent.

building upon my previous notion of 'acceleration' through impact, i have now figured out better how to keep a square clubface through impact so that the ball goes to where i want it to (in the right direction). i've been having problems with my pitches flying about 5-10m to the right.

this is what i discovered and thus need to be more aware of in order to reach a higher level

1.club face must be square to target during setup
-it is challenging for me because the open stance makes me tend to open my clubface. *make sure club is alligned towards point chosen in front of ball to aim towards

2. correct wrist angle at top of backswing
-feel like the face is getting shut

3. accelerate on the downswing in a smooth action along the right plane
-don't drop the club under the plane (having to flip wrists over at impact)
-don't rotate shoulders too far around on follow through or the ball will cut to the right (finish with arms in front of body)

someone told me to be more aggressive

i'm too calm and cool on the golf course. it seems like there is a small minority of amateurs that are able to keep their cool after hitting a bad shot. i would like to believe i am in that minority group of golfers that are able to let go of the bad shot and move forward. yes i analyse what went wrong, then i try to commit to memory not to commit the same error in a similiar situation should it arise in the future.

but maybe i'm too calm these days. there isn't a raging competitive fire when i play with other golfers because i know that the real competition i have is with myself. i am competing against the golf course and not my flight mates so although it is good to use good golfers as a benchmark for myself i can't just compare my score and theirs.

i got annoyed on one hole where i kept duft-ing my pitch shots. from 30m: i went into a bunker from the rough., then barely got out of the bunker (still not on the green), then as i was about to scold myself for being such an idiot, i hit an amazing 15 punch that bounced right into the hole. save for bogey !

i'm considering turning up the heat a teensy weensy bit when i'm playing so that i'm playing at the optimum amount of 'arousal' (which means level of intensity) to play well.

lowest score of 78 !!

so many reasons for playing my best score ever today. its 4 strokes lower than my previous best score of 82 and on the same course. so many things were just right and i really believed in every shot and stayed committed to the entire round, bringing my thoughts back to the present instead of wondering about my possible final score.

it's my first time breaking 80 and i look forward to more more amazing scores to come !
i'm sooo excited to hit my next lowest score :)

first day after the SLGA Amatuer Open 2010

wow it's my first break from golf (as in first day not touching golf at all) in a month.
slept from 8pm to 9am yesterday and even took a nap again this afternoon. i'm amazed at how much i can sleep.

i think i would have played a better score if i had slept earlier after each round of golf. then i would have a bit better concentration on the greens and wouldn't have felt to giddy under the hot sun. i was keeping myself well hydrated and relatively shaded.

i feel pleased with myself for hitting consistent scores :) i think it is important to be consistent. although i did not play as well as i had hoped, there will be other chances for me to wow people away with my low scores ! i believe i can do it.

just remember to stay committed and confident on each shot and not slow down or second guess as i'm about to hit the ball

after a good good rest, i am all fired up and ready to work on the areas of my game that need more attention :) it is only through playing in competitions that you are exposed to those pressurizing moments like being rushed for slow play. and only through experiences can you learn how to deal with the situations better the next time round

no one told me I'd ache so much

gosh gosh gosh I didn't t realise that practicing and playing golf everyday would cause me to ache so much. previously I developed pains here and there but I just realised how much my WHOLE body aches in general. Maybe I haven't stretched enough each day. I guess I must incorporate more stretching and self massage into my daily routine and practice sessions.

best birthday present for daddy

hapy birthday daddy !
although it was 3 days late and 3 strokes higher than i planned, but it still is the closest i've been to breaking 80. played 38 on the first 9 holes thanks to sinking 2 birdie putts and 44 on the next 9 mainly because i missed 2 short simple putts but overall i'm really really happy because i learnt the importance of keeping your mind in the game and not scolding yourself for hitting a bad shot or missing a putt. easier said than done because one bad thought lasted me 3 holes and then took me another 3 holes to get my head back to where it should be.

but i'm really glad because it was a great experience and i know that the next time it happens i will be better at handling the situation and i hope that i will be able to weed out unhelpful thoughts when they occur and can continue playing well

go on., fight strong lim shuyan ! you can do it !

start the game without planning for the score you want to hit. just focus on each shot, putt, pitch, drive etc and good scores will come automatically because it is just the natural thing to happen

1st of may a new golf beginning

i love the start of a new month
1. it just feels like a new beginning , a time to restart and refresh, reassess my situation and figure how to move on and improve
2. i get pocket money heh heh
3. it means the 4th is coming, love love

the may day charity is always played on May 1 at SICC. tomorrow i will be playing with mummy. gonna have better thought processes and increased confidence when i play tomorrow. think positive and hit positively on every shot. execute it with confidence. no deceleration on the downswing

i really need to see things in perspective and get more serious. no excuses for that time of the month

-soften grip pressure, keeping thumb resting on the club instead of digging into the grip
-turn right heel down and inwards on the downswing
-keep wrist angle at impact instead of letting wrists release (the arms rotate not the wrists)
-and finally, feel how i want to hit the shot before executing it positively

awesome score! here i come !

i believe that MAY will be a good month.

the only time is now - it's your present

too often we think we'll do something after we lose weight, after we play better golf, after we do something else or another. it's like you always have to wait till you're better to do something. I was like that.

i'm waiting till i shoot better scores to play with other people. waiting to break 80 to book that flight to Shanghai. waiting till i'm happy with my iron shots to go on holiday. waiting waiting waiting. always waiting and then waiting some more. waiting to sleep before midnight before waking up at 6am. waiting to feel motivated before practicing harder. it's as though i'm reinforcing the idea that i'm not good enough.

sports psychology books remind you to play in the present. in golf you can only think one shot at a time. every shot presents an opportunity to change your mindset. changing the way you feel only takes a second, its a mental choice to smile when something bad happens, it's a decision to keep calm in a frustrating situation.

Today i learnt in a new way how to love myself in the present regardless of what happens. i love myself when i shoot 93, i love myself when i knife my pitches, i love myself when i top my irons, i love myself when i miss simple putts. i'm understanding better the concept of loving myself unconditionally and bringing it into my golfing journey.

I shall not live in fear anymore, i live in LOVE

the golf course is not the driving range

on the driving range, i am always reminded to focus on having a good rhythm. somehow, i get distracted on the golf course and my rhythm gets haywire. i'm so preoccuppied with trying to swing it faster or get good contact that i forget that i need a good rhythm in my golf swing in order to do so. it's so logical right: bringing what you've been working on off the course into your round of golf and trust in it.

i think thats the main aspect that has been hindering my game and just a simple reminder from someone can help me wake up and focus on the right thing before hitting the golf ball. good thoughts of good rhythm= good swing

this simple piece of advice helped me score 39 on the back nine that day. yay :) cheers for rhythm in everything you do

go with the flow, keep up the momentum. remember your rhythm and you will strike the ball well

give encouragement to a golfer day

wow this is my 66th post ! One sixth my goal of having 365 posts by the end of this year. Go go shuyan ! At least if I don't achieve my play golf goals, I can achieve a different sort of golfing goal. Doesn't really seem like such a big deal but hopefully by the end of this year I can use this blog for some monetary purposes

anyway, my message is that it's always great to play with encouraging golfers. we can do with alot more helpful friendly gracious people and less of poor golfing partners. i don't mind people who don't play well but please don't slam your clubs. i've really learnt to control my temper alot better. people ask me why i smile when i hit a bad shot or why i laugh when i miss the putt. its my way of knowing that even if i don't hit a good shot now, i will next time. just trust in whatever i'm doing. although there are so many times when i'm not even sure what it is i'm trusting in, i just have the belief that it's all coming together soon and hard work definitely pays off

so, everyday can be 'give encouragement to a golfer day' ! you don't need to give swing tips or anything, just be a pleasant playing partner. smile often and don't whine. tell them that they're doing a good job and not to give up. i believe in the saying that 'you get what you give'. be nice to other golfers and they will eventually be more encouraging to you too. of course you can't expect that everyone will do so. but you get my point

i'm really grateful to all the people who have encouraged me all this while. you've really kept me going :)

awesome premier team training

first time experiencing physical training since i joined the premier team and the first time i've woken up with such an aching body in a long time. the last time was probably when i went for a kickboxing class quite a few years back. i've almost forgotten how aching in my abs, back, thighs and hips feel like

its really cool because i'm aching in the parts of my abs and thighs that have never ached ever IN MY LIFE
which means that those smaller muscles are getting stronger !

all that suffering is not for nothing ! i will be able to hit the ball farther and better soon :)

what's wrong with optimism?

I always start my day with a lot of optimism. I start my golf practice really optimistic. I tee off the first hole still hopeful that I will play a really good round of golf.

I'm always hoping for a miracle in my golf game. But I find that the higher my level of optimism, the harder I fall at the end of the game, or even before I finish the game.

I always toe the iron shots or top the wood shots. By the time I hit a ball that doesn't cross the water or goes out of bounds, I'm emotionally shagged and my optimism level just drops by half its original amount.

But the biggest thing to focus on is that we are a miracle. Don't keep looking for a miracle because you're experiencing it everyday

water is of utmost importance in golf

water is something you cannot do without on the golf course. I don't mean the water features around the golf course. Those are dangers and really can make me extremely nervous when I'm not playing well.

I mean water is of utmost importance in the golf game because it is essential to stay hydrated. Our body is 70percent water and you need all of it to function properly.

especially in singapore where its really REALLY hot and gets so humid when its about to rain or just after a storm. It can really feel like you're in a sauna or rather a steam bath. Its the same for all other outdoor sports too. sweat just trickles down your face and appears on your arms and legs. Even my eye area sweats which fogs up my sunglasses. Sweat even gets onto my eyelashes and rubs against the lenses that makes it even more blurry.

you lose water by the bucketloads so you have to make sure you drink plenty of water to stay hydrated so your brain can function properly to analyse your ball position, distance, wind etc. And also you need to be able to fire up all those muscles to hit the ball the right distance instead of feeling lazy and chucking at the ball so it lands 10meters short.

I also feel that I am less likely to get sunburnt when I have drank enough water.

drink plenty of water during your golf game. I usually sip every 3 holes and drink more or more frequently as I feel myself getting dehydrated .

Its worth it even if it makes your bag heavier. You don't want to be in the of golf course, thirsty and panting like a dog with no source of clean water nearby. It's a really yuck situation.