Every round of golf has something to offer. Regardless of how well we play (good or bad) there are lessons to be learned. Recently, I decided to hit the links at 0630 hrs (6:30 am for you non-military folks 😉 ) At this time of year, it is usually warm and dry. Playing early birds is great fun, however lately, the early hours results in think fog. If I decided to wait for the fog to roll away, I would miss out on a great time to play. So, two days last week I hit the links to play in the fog!

I have a few pictures to demonstrate the challenges of playing in the fog and after I will tell you why playing less that optimal visual conditions is great for out game.

The above image is from 155 yards from the green. I hit a second ball that was 10 yards closer. I hit a 7 iron for the longer shot and an 8 iron for the closer. The 155 yard shot was 1 pace of the green short and the second was in the middle of the green.

The shot above was off the third tee. The bushes in the at the end of the viewing area are 75 yards from the tee box. A normal shot and these bushes are not in play. My aim area at the end of the bridge between the two bushes will result in my normal shot finishing in the middle of the fairway beside the 100 yard marker. It is impossible to see the ball finish, but fortunately I my ball straight and finished as expected.

This shot is from 100 yards. Fortunately the fog was starting to lift a bit and I could see the green. Interestingly, I had to focus on hitting the ball on the green because rolling it up is virtually impossible. Also, the wet, cool weather required an extra club to fly the distance I wanted to stay on the green. The shot I hit rolled off the back because I had a bit of a flyer lie.

After playing in the fog, I realized three things that helped my game. They are not limited to just my swing, but also the mental side of playing golf. This is what I learned:

• First, I have to trust the distances of my clubs. I had swing away without worrying about distances. I spent a great deal of time working on distances for each club. I spent hours practicing and finding a range for all my clubs. I have a 10 yard gap that I like to play my irons; for example my 7 iron is good from 150 to 160 yards with a normal swing.
• Second, I had to trust my aim. I would select an aim point just a few yards ahead of my ball. The moment I had this point, I focused on hitting my ball over that point with confidence. If I was not confident hitting my ball into the visual restricted area, I am sure poor things would have happened.
• Lastly, the conditions on the course changed drastically from the start to finish; thus I needed to adjust accordingly. As the course dried out, it started to play faster. By the end of the round, I notice the biggest changes on the green as they were considerably faster. The change in conditions helps me adjust my game to playing different courses.

Playing golf in the fog is as good as any lesson. I learned a great deal and reinforced things I already knew. Playing in less the perfect visual conditions was fun and educational. I did not play in the fog often in the past, but now that I understand the benefits, it is time to start playing more.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!