Alrighty then . . . me and the kid tried out the new Stack & Tilt swing today at the local par 3 course.

It was crazy windy on the San Francisco Bay today. 20 mph winds with gusts up to about 30mph. Late afternoons on the SF Bay. Three holes faced the wind (the longest holes, of course! 120, 150 & 165 yds), three holes with the wind, two holes with a right wind, and one hole into a left facing wind. It was so windy I had to use a hybrid to get to the 165 yd 6th green!

Shot a 36 on the par 27 (2 pars, one triple, the rest 4's), and the son shot a 35... but the scores meant nothing today. It's the new swing that means everything right now. We hit about 50 balls at the range to "get used" to the funny swing. I am a 90's shooter, so bogey/double bogey golf is quite normal for me.

So the first thing to say is . . . This Swing Works! I'm in my early fifties and my body is not a flexible as it used to be. Even with stretch and strength exercises I can't get around the plynth like I used to. With this swing, it is easier to get around on the backswing. I can stay on top of the ball instead of back swinging away from, then "sliding" back to the ball.

Contact with the ball was crisper than I am used to. I can use my hands better to get down on the ball. The downswing is steeper, and when I remember to keep the back arm tucked in it is easier to hit the ball first, then the grass. The divots are now where they should be . . in front of the ball! I noticed that I need to get closer to the ball at address, which is a little weird right now. I feel like I'm completely on top of the ball. If I forgot to get on top I would hit the ball on the toe of the club. It's part of the lesson.

As always, hitting into the wind was a chore. But I noticed that with the steeper downswing the ball was boring thru the wind instead of ballooning and flying up and over to the other fairway on the right. The ball had more of a tour-like trajectory. The ball flight started low, then slowly climbed up into the wind. Like a vertical banana . . .

I read only about half the Golf Digest "Stack & Tilt" article, so I have a ways to go before this swing gets better. I duffed the swing a couple of times (natural amateur move), forgetting to keep my back arm tucked in. But I am verrrrry excited about the Stack & Tilt swing.

Don't know if or by how much my scores will change, but how can I lose? I stink with the "old" modern swing anyway! I am going to stick with this new swing. It's awesome.