Wood

Name: Charles Wood

Guiding Question: Do I want to take up golf as a hobby when I get older?

(optional) Use this space to list possible activities, tasks, experiences. Remember everything you do should help you answer your Guiding Question.

(Required) This plan is a “best guess” as to what you and your mentor think you will be doing. It is not meant to be a hard and fast schedule for your Exploration. The plan should illustrate how you intend to complete a minimum of 80 hours.


 * = Date ||= Location/Activity ||= Number of Hours ||
 * =  ||= golf lessons/ wilmington country club ||= 2-3 ||
 * =  ||= golf lessons/ wilmington country club ||= 2-3 ||
 * =  ||= golf lessons/ wilmington country club ||= 2-3 ||
 * =  ||= golf lessons/ wilmington country club ||= 2-3 ||
 * =  ||= swing practice/ delcastle driving range ||= 2 ||
 * =  ||= swing practice/ delcastle driving range ||= 2 ||
 * =  ||= swing practice/ delcastle driving range ||= 2 ||
 * =  ||= swing practice/ delcastle driving range ||= 2 ||
 * =  ||= golf outing/ wilmington country club ||= 8 ||
 * =  ||= golf outing/ wilmington country club ||= 8 ||
 * =  ||= golf outing/ wilmington country club ||= 8 ||
 * =  ||= golf outing/ wilmington country club ||= 8 ||
 * =  ||= golf outing/ wilmington country club ||= 8 ||
 * =  ||= golf outing/ DuPont country club ||= 8 ||
 * =  ||= watching/ reading about golf ||= 20 ||
 * =  ||= work on mechanics ||= 5 ||
 * =  ||> Total Number of Hours ||= 90+ ||

Journal: Entry #1: May 19 (meeting May 10th)
 * -Nuts and Bolts:** So far, my plan of action has worked very well: I have not had to reschedule any lessons or mentor meetings so far. May 10th was my second golf lesson with Golf Pro at the Wilmington Country Club, Bob Lennon, and my first lesson with my mentor Dave Holmes accompanying me. I spent an hour working on my swing mechanics with Bob, and another hour and a half taking practice shots with Dave. As of May 10th, I have spent about 15 hours on golf, including lessons, driving ranges, practices, and reading about golf. Dave thinks that I will be a very good golfer with practice, but that I need to start playing every day for several months to lock my swing in muscle memory. I am really enjoying my project so far, and I think that I would like to continue to golf, but before I make up my mind, I have to play a full round (to test my patience) and continue to practice each day (to test my passion).

Entry #2: May 25 **-Nuts and Bolts:** My plan of action has continued to work well. I have met with my mentor 3 times each week, and met with my swing coach each Tuesday. I have spent a total of about 45 hours on my project so far, and I am enjoying every minute of it. Last lesson, Bob worked on my mechanics with several interesting drills, to try to alter the path of my swing. I am at the point in my game where I know what I am supposed to be doing with my swing, so I can make corrections on my own, which means I am ready to play holes. Dave took me to play three holes with him after my lesson, which was challenging but very fun. I shot an +6 on my first hole, which is bad, but I double-bogeyed the next two holes, which is very good for an amateur. Next week, I will play nine holes. **- Reflection:** Golf can be very challenging and frustrating, as sometimes a good swing with small flaws can produce a terrible shot, but a terrible swing can produce a good shot. It is hard to rid myself of habits that come from baseball, and to tell when my swing is right. However, the results are rewarding, and now that baseball season is over, I am glad that I am doing something active that requires a lot of self correction.
 * -Reflection:** I am very pleased with how my exploration is turning out. I have wanted to learn to golf for several years, and I am really enjoying my experience so far, even though golfing is 10000x harder than I thought it would be. It turns out that the game is far more complicated than I imagined, as there are countless rules that are inconvenient and annoying, but crucial, and that there are thousands of different swing combinations to choose for each shot. The game is such a challenge because there are countless things that can go wrong in my novice swing that I have to remember to adjust for, and I have to learn about all of my clubs: when to use which one, and what swing to use. For example: when I am trying to hit from the fringe to the green, I have an insane amount of combinations of swing, club, and power to choose from. I could use the pitching wedge, the chipping wedge, the putter, or the sand wedge, all seemingly quite similar but with drastic differences. Then, after choosing the club, I have to choose one of 6 different swings. Then, I have to choose the angle of my club, and then the power of my swing. If I mess one of those things up, my shot is terrible. The game of golf is very difficult, and I have to keep my composure and be patient to succeed.

Entry # 3: June 5 - **Nuts and Bolts:** My plan of action was working great until my mentor had to fly to Detroit because his granddaughter was due! The only thing that this affected for me was my plan to play more rounds with him, but I just played with friends and family instead. We plan to play more rounds of golf after he comes back home in mid-June. As of today, I am finished my plan of action and exploration, but I am not done golfing- I enjoyed it so much that I want to continue to play often and meet with Dave. I have also definitely gotten the hang of the game: my first outing, I shot a 56 over nine holes, which is solid for a first timer, but the next time I shot a 48, which is excellent for a beginner. My goal for the project was to shoot under a 50, which I accomplished, so I am very pleased. -**Reflection:** I think that my exploration turned out great. I had no scheduling problems at all, and I found a new hobby that I definitely enjoy and want to continue to play**.** The answer to my exploration is: yes, I want to take up golf as a hobby, as it is a fun game that takes a lot of practice to hone my skills and a fun social outing to enjoy with friends.