Fitness is a very important component of successful golf. Having the ability to walk 18 holes with enough gas left in the tank to perform is something every golfer should be capable of accomplishing. Of course there are always exceptions and it is not my intent to shine a negative light on other golfers; I am only talking about my golf game. If given a choice, I will walk most golf courses. There are some I have played that walking is not wise due to its design, however 95% of golf courses are walkable and I enjoy taking the stroll. Other than the physical benefits of walking a golf course, the mental benefits are often overlooked. I play better golf when I walk and here is why!
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Using A Small Target For Aligning A Golf Shot
In the past, I have espoused “aim small, miss small”. This mantra is as important today as it was a few years ago. The requirement to hit a wide open fairway often provides a challenge for players because their focal point of aim is the wide open fairway. Many times my playing partners lamented on missing the fairway that was as big as an ocean. The reason for their wayward shots was that they focused on the whole fairway instead of a specific point off in the distance. A simple change to any players setup process will rectify their wild shots off the tee; it truly is very simple.
Continue readingPlaying Golf With Long Hitters
The ultimate goal of every golfer is to shoot as low a score as possible. When playing stroke play, the responsibility to play our best golf relies solely on our shoulders. This is a challenge I relish and as I enjoy the pressure of figuring out the best shot for each situation. Playing in a scramble format, however, this strategy is less advantageous because there are other players we can rely upon to make the most out of any shot. This situation occurred last Thursday when I was invited to play on my friend’s team of long hitters. I was by far the shortest off the tee and my normal role of anchor was relegated to a different player.
Continue readingLosing A Dollar Or The Bragging Rights
Many amateur and professional golfers like to make side bets with their fellow golfers. Most of the time, it is very low stakes with a side order of bragging rights. For years, my playing partners did not want to have any side bets until Mike came on the scene. Since, Mike and I have a tradition of challenging each other with a small side bet. It is all in fun and we still continue to play regardless of how well each of us is swinging the club at that time. And after our last outing, the tradition continued.
Continue readingDropping Strokes Through A Poor Setup
Typical to the start of my golf season, I fail to align all my ducks. It takes a bit of time to align things in order to find that sweet spot I need to hit the ball properly consistently. During my round earlier in the week, I experience a failure in my shot setup which resulted in many strokes over par for the front nine. Yes, it was frustrating, but no it was not unexpected. I attribute my poor swing to many factors, however my setup was the main culprit.
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The Grateful Golfer 