Ho-Hum Golf

January 11, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

I choose to be motivated about golf!

This is the worst time of the year for golf. After a 4 week break, the PGA Tour is back to play. This week’s Hawaiian Classic is the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Unfortunately, I cannot be excited about this event. Do not get me wrong, I am happy to see the pros back to work, but this tournament just does not generate the excitement of other events. I am not sure why, but well, I am just not sure.

I am motivated to play golf. I am excited to prepare for the upcoming season. I am keen to continue to learn more about the mental side of the game, but watching….nope it is just not there.

It could be that I still have 3 months to wait to play! I could be that my the cold weather is finally taking its toll! Or maybe I am just sad I have not swung a club in 2 months.

Ok, I have led you down a negative path on purpose! I am actually very motivated about the upcoming golf season. I am actively searching for new drills and purposely reading the adventures of my fellow golfing fanatics. If you are looking for a couple great blogs to read, check out the traveling adventures of Josh at Golf is Mental or Pete’s golfing news at White Dragon Golf. The musings of SVGolfer are always fun. And of course the golf articles at Pundit Arena (you may recognize the author of some golfing articles). Reading these, and many more blogs, always keep me smiling.

It is important to stay positive and enthused about golf to be successful. I choose to be positive about golf and life. I believe that I am in control of my moods by the way I think, act, and accept what comes my way every day. This is a low point of golf for me because of the time of year, but instead of focusing on the negative, I choose to run towards the positive.

How about you?

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

Setting Golf Goals for 2015

January 9, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

It is that time again! It is time to set my golf goals for the upcoming season. This does not mean I have a plan yet, but it is time to set some achievable goals that I can build my plan around. Last year, I set four goals and met them with moderate success. These goals were realistic and achievable, yet one thing or another prevented me from reaching my full potential.

My partial success was due to the goals themselves. They were very…..mmmmm…..vague. Here is what I said last year:

get fit – focus on exercises designed to improve my golf game;
research – the drills and techniques required to improve my game;
practice – dedicate time to practice to improve my game; and
compete – either formally or informally compete every time I hit the links.

Realistically, I achieved all these goals with ease. Unfortunately, I did not tie a result to my goals. Thus, technically all were met, but the bar was so low, it was impossible not to succeed.

This year, I am trying something different. My goals will be tangible, realistic, achievable and results oriented. Here is what I am going to accomplish this year:

Win 1 golf tournament;
Make the Ontario Military Regional Golf Team;
Place in the top 10 at the Military National Golf Tournament;
Help someone become a better golfer;
Play 60+ rounds of golf; and
Become a scratch golfer!

My 2015 golf goals are quite lofty. I will have to dedicate the proper time and effort to accomplish all of them. Personally, I love a challenge and these goals will spark the motivation I need to become a better golfer.

Finally, I will use positive intent while golfing this year. I will focus on the positive aspects of my golf game. I will objectively analyze the areas of my game that need improvement! I will gratefully accept any golf advice as it is intended.

Setting goals is a helpful way to improve your golf game. My 2015 goals are in place and my desire is strong…I am ready to succeed!

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

The Mental Challenges of “Can’t” in Golf

January 7, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 34 Comments

Golf is all Mental!

The mental challenges in golf are vast and numerous! What distinguishes an average player from a great player is usually their mental toughness. The ability to have laser like focus when required is something that is honed over time. There are a few who have the innate ability to be mentally strong, but for the most of us, mental toughness must be nurtured and developed.

Through my many years of playing sports, I have developed a keen competitive edge that has served me extremely well. Like other athletes, I have played at the élite level in several sports with much success. However, the great times have also been marred with periods of self-doubt and lack of confidence. These dark times always started with one small insignificant word that has the ability to wreak devastation in its path. That word is “Can’t”!

I must have heard this word 10,000 times in my 50+ years of life! But, the greatest negative effect this word has is when I use it against myself.

Years back, a volleyball coach that I knew, always told his players “you are right, you Can’t” if they used that negative word. He told the young athletes that as soon as they say they can’t do something, their mind and body will immediately agree. He further explained that the biggest effect of that word lies in the six inches of real estate between their ears!

This coach’s teachings have stuck with me through the years. He taught me that being mentally strong is extremely important to any athlete. Last year was a great year for me on the links. There are some things I still have challenges accomplishing, but last year’s successes, as I worked towards being a scratch golfer, helped remove the word “Can’t” from my vocabulary.

This does not mean that I am successful all the time, but ‘by removing that word that shall not be spoken’ the doors of possibility stay open. Last year, I tried learning to shape the ball last year with mixed success; I tried chipping the ball with a new stance with greater success; and I stayed focused on the positive aspects of my game with the best results of all. Through this entire journey, I slowly reduced my self-doubt and increased my confidence on the links.

The greatest success story of last year was the improvement in my mental toughness.

I am no longer afraid of tough lies, hitting into the green from 200 yards, or playing over water into the wind. I found that using the word “CAN” helped improve my game significantly. Now, I did have some challenging times and that bad word did try to creep back into my mind, but I quickly vanquished it with a positive attitude and positive self-talk.

Golf offers many challenges when a player has any self-doubt. As I told my friend Brian from All About Golf, I am going improve my game by focusing 70% of my efforts on the mental side of golf. I believe that removing “that negative word” is the first place to start. I am mentally preparing to be a scratch golfer and it all starts here and now!

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

2014 Was a Grateful Year!

January 5, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

2014 was a fantastic year for golf. As the year progressed, I was fortunate to expand my golfing friends through social media. By taking a step into the 21st century, I was introduced to a whole new world of golfing enthusiasts who share the same affliction for this wonderful sport.

2014 marked some milestones for The Grateful Golfer. I was able to lower my handicap to its lowest point ever! I played many great courses that included one of Canada’s most famous – Glen Abby. And I was able to play 80 plus rounds with great friends! It was definitely a great year!

The Grateful Golfer blog expanded exponentially this year. I was able to post 199 articles on my blog and an additional 45 articles at PunditArena.com. This may seem to be robust, but when you are writing about something you really like, it is very easy to put pen to paper.

I was pleasantly surprised by all the positive feedback I received. Many of these great comments helped me shape many of the articles. They also helped focus my golf game when hitting the links. While writing articles about my golf experiences, I never really wondered if they were hitting the mark. But, it seems that some were helpful because the top 10 articles garnered about 30 percent of my blog traffic. Here are the top 10:

Which Golf Grip is Best for You?

A Growth Mindset About Golf

Why 14 Clubs

5 Wood or Extra Wedge

How Wide Should Your Stance Be

Quiet Hands to Break 100

Swing Plane Training

What’s Wrong With Phil Mickelson

Scramble or Best Ball Golf Tournament

New World Number One

As I reminisce about 2014, I become invigorated for what is to come! 2015 is going to be a great year for all things golf.

My goals for golf in 2015 are pretty basic. Continue to share my thoughts, experiences and tips about golf on The Grateful Golfer. To continue the positive interaction between other golfing fanatics. And to complete my goal of being a scratch golfer!

Well, it all starts today! I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

The Tale of Two Moons In Golf

January 3, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

paschal-full-moon-from-17th-april-2011-sky-watching-co-uk

Credit: Sky-Watching/A.Welbourn

The tale of two moons is a journey towards better golf! As my darling wife and I returned home from visiting our daughter and her husband, I was struck by the two moons we saw on our trip. It was hard to believe they were the same celestial body because of their diverse nature.

As we set out on our 1629 km (1012 Miles) drive, we saw the most beautiful orange moon! It had a majestic haze that seemed to emit hope to everyone. It filled the star speckled sky with radiance. It caught our attention and I mentioned it several times as we drove along the dark highways towards home.

Upon arriving at the end of our trip, I noticed the moon again. Although it was still an hour before sunset, the moon was shining brightly in the daytime sky. It was sharp and focused. It reminded me of a lighthouse; a beacon of clarity, shining for all to see. It was determined to outshine the sun and stay its course regardless of the challenges it faced.

These two moons are helping me shape my golf plan for 2015. Right now, my mind is full of hope, general ideas, and anticipation of what is to come. In the house of the first moon, I am molding my thoughts with no limitations. I am envisioning my goals and the positive aspects of 2015 on the links.

Transitioning towards the second moon will happen, but not until I have experienced all of what the first moon has to offer. In the second moon, I will focus on how to accomplish my goals. I will develop a clarity and single-mindedness that will drive my efforts in the same direction. Like the second moon, I will know what I have to do to succeed in golf this year and not be afraid to go for it.

This is the start of my new golfing season. Like other years, it is time to develop my goals, develop my plan, and execute my plan. As you can see through my tone, I am taking full responsibility and accountability for the success of my plan. I am, however, not shy to ask for support and advice from you the reader, other confidants, experts or even strangers. My view is: the more we talk and interact about golf, the more I learn. The more I learn, the better I play. The better I play, the more fun golf becomes. The more fun I have at golf, the more I talk…… I think you get the picture!

The tale of two moons is my first step towards an awesome 2015 golf season. I feel enthusiastic, inspired, and empowered to be successful. I am expecting a fantastic journey and look forward to sharing it with all who want to listen.

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