Who Is Your Favorite?

October 20, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

This is a discussion I have with my friends all the time. Who is your favorite? Of course the answer changes depending on the rest of the question. I have many favorite golfers and below are just a few. So let’s get started!

http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2010-01/jack_nicklaus_at_70

Photos: Golf Digest Resource Center (35), Nicklaus family archives (10), Focus on Sport/Getty Images (1983), Augusta National/Getty Images (1990), J.D. Cuban/Getty Images (1996)

Who is your favorite golfer of all time? This is easy for me – Jack Nicklaus! I grew up watching him play and change the face of golf. All the players of his time contributed to the success of golf today, but Jack is my favorite. He is classy, skilled, humble, focused and most of all has given back to golf more than he received. Golfdigest.com has a very good article about his career and life. It is a petty good read. Jack Nicklaus’ overall career stats are amazing and he is as well.

Who is my favorite present day golfer? Without question Phil Mickelson! I think Phil is very much like Jack Nicklaus. He is classy, skilled, humble, and gives back to the game. I love his approach to the way he plays golf. He uses a devil-may-care attitude mixed with wedge play that is unparalleled. I realize he has mixed success, but I feel stroke for stroke he is the best in the game today. He makes golf fun for those around him; he interacts with the crowd and is a larger than life figure that makes time for the fans. I know all the Tiger and Rory fans will disagree, but that is fun to discuss the many facets of golf.

Who is my favorite golfer with the greatest potential? Dustin Johnson is the man. He is a long hitting, cool under pressure, up-and-coming pro that has endless potential. Many would say Rory Mcilroy, but I would suggest that he has already made it to the top. Dustin Johnson is ranked 14th in the world, but I believe he has not reached his full potential. He won once this year and then missed the cut at the US Open the following week. He was either on or off, nothing in between. He continues to get better and now that he is back from injury, I expect great things from him next year. He is a young guy with tons of potential.

Who is my favorite Canadian Golfer? It has to be Mike Weir. He is a Masters Champion, a 5-time member of the Presidents Cup (first Canadian) and has won 8 times on tour. Of course I would be remiss not to mention his 2007 Presidents Cup win of Tiger Woods in Montreal! I realize he has not played well since 2008, but he is still my favorite Canadian golfer. He is a true sportsman and has brought class to the game of golf. Additionally, he continues to promote golf in Canada and has several charitable foundations. Overall, Mike Weir has been great for golf no matter where he plays.

Golf is an amazing game filled with many players who provide excellent examples of how to play the game. I have many players who I have enjoyed watching through the years and these are but a few.

Who is your favorite?

Golfing in the Off Season!

October 18, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

I bet you are wondering what I mean by golfing in the off-season! Some may think I mean taking a trip down south or some place exotic to play a few rounds of golf in the dead of winter. Well, that is not what I mean at all. Golfing in the off Season is not about playing golf, but preparing for next year.

At info.com, “Golfers can improve their balance and posture while increasing the strength and technicality of their golf swing” by staying active and adopting an exercise program. They offer several exercises and programs that will help any golfer prepare for next year.

Sports Fitness Advisor suggests that “strength, power, flexibility, balance, core stability, body awareness, even endurance… they’re all physical traits that every consistent golfer (even the fair-weather players) must possess. The golf industry is littered with gadgets and gimmicks for increasing accuracy and shot distance. Yet for all their claims and guarantees most remain independently unproven.” I believe that an overall approach to fitness will improve your game better than any piece of equipment.

Greg Norman “The Shark” says that “as you achieve higher levels of fitness, you can generate more power with less effort, thereby producing a smoother swing with greater club head speed. You will develop more force without forcing the action, which is essential for long and consistent drives.” He also provides a program to become physically stronger to effortlessly achieve success in all aspects of your golf game.

Ian Hardie at Golf Habits.com has identified in his article “Are you running out of steam” that most amateurs do not perform as well on the last 6 holes compared to the first 6. I totally agree with him. A round of golf lasts for 4 hours. Those of us that walk and carry our clubs can attest to the fact that we get tired near the end of a round. I suggest that success down the stretch can be attributed to your physical condition.

Golfing in the off-season is about training and preparing for next season. I would suggest that now is the time to start. See you in the gym!

Is There a Difference in Grips?

October 17, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Recently we discussed the importance of grips. So now what? Which grip should I choose? What brand? What type? Is there really a difference in grips? These are all very important questions that every golfer has asked at one time or another.

Lampkin out lines why people want to regrip their clubs. They suggest that GOLFERS TYPICALLY REGRIP FOR 4 REASONS:

To fit their grips to their particular hand size
To achieve the desired feel for their playing preference and climate conditions
To simply replace their favorite grips that have become worn
To upgrade to a more premium and longer lasting grip

How does someone determine if their grips are worn? Lampkin gives suggestions on what are some of the tell-tale signs of wear? These signs are:

Smooth, hard surfaces
Cracks
Shiny patches
Wear spots, especially where the thumbs make contact
Faded or bare spots on grips that have been painted or have logos
Insufficient tack

Golf Pride has great videos and tools to choose the proper grip, size and type of grip. There are lots of tools to help determine the right grip for you; ultimately, it is a matter of what feels best. It really is the only way to decide what will work best for your swing and intended results.

Golf.com suggests that there are three things to keep in mind when choosing a grip: material, diameter and style. They make an excellent suggestion to choose your favorite club and experiment by regripping and practicing with it. This is inexpensive and will allow you to find the right grip for your game.

I have used many grips through the years. I have used full cord, half cord, chamois, rubber, ribbed and wrap type grips. Presently, I use a mid-sized tour wrap golf pride grip. I do not wear a glove and use this grip because of the feel and comfort. The only draw back is that I should change the grips twice a year, but have resisted and only replace them once a year.

Grips are important and ensuring your equipment is in top-notched shape will go a long way to improving your overall game. See you on the links!

Having Fun With Golf!

October 14, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Having fun with golf is the really why the game was invented. Seeking enjoyment in any part of our lives is truly important to one’s well-being. Many golfers find ways to enhance their time on the links but inventing new games, playing from different tees, playing in fun tournaments, and just socializing with your friends.

Golf Digest has an article with 18 different ways to have fun playing golf. Several different authors quickly outline their views on how to spread joy in your game. My favourite is by Stina Sternberg who suggests you throw out the score card. It takes pressure off the player and allows them to try different shots without worrying about hurting your score.

Personally, the best way to enjoy golf is to play early in the morning, carrying a cup of coffee, and playing with a friends. During that time, we can use a foot wedge, mulligans, and do-overs. I also have my fail safe way of spreading joy. The 30-second rule!

The 30 second rule can be used by anyone. If you hit the ball off the tee – well if you miss hit the ball of the tee; run, pick up your ball and put it back on the tee within 30 seconds, the stroke does not count. You will be surprised how happy it makes everyone.

Overall, golf is all about fun. There are many ways to enjoy your round and using your imagination is the best way. See you on the links!

Grips – Are They Really Important?

October 12, 2012October 12, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

If you talk to any serious golfer about their grips, you will find that they believe proper grips are important to their performance. For years I never changed my grips….I mean never. The grips would be old, worn, dried up, and cracked. I never thought that it was important and I changed my grips when I changed my clubs. Man, what a mistake!

Golfsmith.com suggests that: “Independent studies show that golfers who play 18 holes per week should change their grips at least once per year. Similar studies show that golfers who have been playing with worn grips show immediate improvement in their scores after regripping – some as much as 3-4 strokes difference.”

EZ Golf Grips suggest that “Some professional golfers may regrip every month or so. That is a little strong for us amateurs, but it points out that they recognize that any worn spots on their grips could cost a stroke…and that means a loss of cash for them.”

Golf Canada Magazine article by David Hearn stated that changing you grips every 20 rounds or so is the way to go. Wear and tear does cause challenges in your swing.

At PGA.com, the discussion goes further from when to change your grips; to which grip to choose for which club. It is very interesting and does open many other questions.

Ultimately the choice is yours, but I suggest that if you golf twice a week or more, changing your clubs at least once a year is important. Besides if you do not have proper equipment, how are you going to GRIP IT AND RIP IT!

How often do you change your golf grips?