On Friday past I attended the Hickory Golf Challenge at Manderley on the Green in North Gower. This was the first year for the Hickory Challenge and the organizer/host Chris Hawes pulled out all the stops. “The impetus for this tournament is really all the great events I have been able to attend through my short time as a hickory golfer, says Christopher Hawes. “Everyone is welcoming and full of character, and the emphasis, while being competitive, is on the pure enjoyment of the game.” It was a well organized event that offered a little something everyone. If you want to participate in an outstanding Hickory Golf event, then next year this is a must attend.
Continue readingAuthor: The Grateful Golfer
Never Giving Up In A Golf Match
It is impossible to determine the outcome of two equally matched golfers. The slightest error or bad bounce could determine the end results. During a Match Play format, there are 18 mini matches rolled into one larger event that will determine the winner. Have a poor hole, well, forget it because it is only 5.5% of the total score. Therefore, it is important to never stop playing because you will neve know what will happen or what fortunes may be hiding around the corner. I found that out yesterday in my match against Scott. The result of the match was determined until the last hole!
Continue readingBusy Week Of Golf
I am entering a very busy week of golf. I am playing six of seven days with a hickory stick tournament in Ottawa and a friendly in Renfrew with my wooden shafted clubs. This increased activity happens every year and I am enjoying the increased time on the links. Today, I am playing a match for the Open Match Play event I organized at my home course and it should be fun playing against a new opponent. With all this increased activity, I learned a long time ago to pay attention to the little things in my game to ensure I am playing my best for the week.
Continue readingThere Will Be A New Club Champion At Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort
My efforts to be the club champion at the Mattawa Golf and Ski resort will end this year. I played my first round match against a great young player yesterday and he sent me packing. I lost 1 up and the match could have finished in my favour, but alas Alex emerged victorious. Having said that, it was the best match I experienced in years and want to congratulate Alex and wish him well in the next round.
Continue readingKnowing Your Carry Distance Is Very Important
Every golfer hits the ball differently and to different distances. We may be grouped in relation to our handicap, however rarely are any two golfers exactly the same. Regardless of performance, all golfers should understand and know how far they hit their clubs. It might surprise you to know that many of us do not hit the ball as far as we think! This oversight in our knowledge is costing us strokes every time we tee it up. Well, today we are going to change all of that!
I have touched on this topic in the past and hopefully you found the information helpful. I am revisiting this topic today because I found a video that is all encompassing on this topic. It is about 10 minutes long and if you are looking for some distance answers, I recommend you watch it all.
As a 5 handicapper (most days), my distances match what was stated in the video. I hit my driver about 240 and my 7 iron about 150 yards on average. On my good days, these distances are farther, but on my bad….well, you get the point. Fortunately I am able to adjust my club selection decisions based on what is happening on any given day.
I realized a long time ago that my distance knowledge would improve my golf game. It opens the opportunities on shot and club selection. This in turn allows increased scramble abilities, avoiding addition strokes from under/over yardage decisions and strengthens my overall tee to green game. Lastly, when I finally learned my club distances, my course management skills improved drastically. As you can see, this bit of knowledge has many applications in our game.
If you do not know your distances, I recommend you take the time to figure them out. It will be helpful in all areas of your game.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 