Wherever you are, whomever you’re with, I wish you the most Wonderful Christmas and the Happiest New Year. As I take time to reflect on my past year of Joy and Abundance, I will be thanking God for all the Blessings that have been bestowed upon me.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Golfing in cold weather is a challenge for many of us living north of the 49th parallel. Our golfing season can last up to 8 months, but during 3 of those months, we had better be ready for turbulent weather. Excluding rain, cold weather is the greatest challenge for avid golfers in the north. It is not unusual to play golf in single digit (Celsius) conditions early and late in the northern golfing season.
Many players will shrug and say to dress in layers and lets hit the links. Well, that is the simple solution and works most of the time. However, dressing in layers is not as simple as one may think. Generally, I recommend three layers. A dry-fit long-sleeved turtleneck, a cotton golf shirt, and a gortex-type wind breaker for outer wear. I recommend single layer wind pants. As a player starts to walk the course, they will warm up. The trick to playing in cold weather is not to sweat, but stay warm enough to swing the club comfortably. Layers focuses on keeping most of your body warm, but for those who have played in cold weather, they know this is only a partial solution.
Here are some other things to consider when playing in cold weather.
Playing golf in the cold poses a unique set of challenges. Keeping warm and dry is very important to enjoying a round of golf. Planning your attire, before the round, will help make sure your are comfortable and ready to shoot a low score.
Do you have any suggestions to having fun on the links in cold weather ?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
‘Play the ball where it lies’ is a fundamental rule in golf. It prevents players from using a foot wedge or other ingenious methods to improve their playing position. During competition, I completely agree with this rule; however when playing of fun, I have to admit that I am a bit more lenient.
Back to being in competition. Recently, I received a picture from Golf Meme that I thought was pretty funny. I placed it on my Facebook page so others could share in my amusement. After a short while, I began to think about the rule that governed this situation. Unless you have read the rule book, the solution might not be all that simple.
Here is the situation:
There are many questions to pose for this picture. If you are asking yourself what to do, some of the questions might sound something like:
It is not unusual for golfers to find themselves next too, behind, on, in or touching objects on the golf course. The trick is to know which objects can be moved and which cannot. For this answer we must read:
Movable Obstructions (Rule 24-1)
Movable obstructions (i.e., artificial movable objects such as rakes, bottles, etc.) located anywhere may be moved without penalty. If the ball moves as a result, it must be replaced without penalty.If a ball is in or on a movable obstruction, the ball may be lifted, the obstruction removed and the ball dropped, without penalty, on the spot directly under where the ball lay on the obstruction, except that on the putting green, the ball is placed on that spot. Rules of Golf – Golf Canada
According to the above rule, any player can move the rake without fear of receiving a stroke penalty. In a tournament, knowing this rule could be the difference between winning or losing your flight. If the ball moves, just place it back and keep playing.
A word of advice, always tell your playing partner what you’re doing to prevent any confusion or possible perception you are doing something wrong!
Reading and understanding the rules of golf are important. I carry a copy with me when ever I play. If you do not have a copy, maybe Santa can bring you one for Christmas.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Universal golf tips are difficult to find. Depending on the skill level of the player, a golf tip could be too difficult or too simple. Focusing on more than one movement during a golf swing is often overwhelming for amateur golfers. Therefore, it is very difficult to find that one universal tip that fits the needs of every golfer. Well, for two years I have searched for the elusive tip and I think I have found it!
This drill is so simple, I think everyone can do it! It helps meets the criteria of focusing on one aspect of a golf swing and can be performed by any golfer. It takes only 5 minutes a day and can be practiced anywhere! It is called active visualization. I know we have discussed visualization at length (Visualization for Success, A Growth Mindset, and Visualizing a Shot) and I have finally figured out what was missing.
What was missing was the active part! Normally, when visualizing my golf swing, I think my way through the shot. I try to picture my swing in my mind’s eye through my pre-shot to post-shot routine. I try to keep my concentration on the moment and have achieved relative success. However, I found that I am sometimes easily distracted by other thoughts creeping in, noises, or falling asleep! Ok, now that you have stopped laughing…..
Active visualization is nothing new. My idea actually comes from the movie “Seven Days in Utopia“. The seasoned golf coach in Utopia was helping a struggling golf professional. The first step to improvement was to write out his golf swing. It made the player concentrate on how and why he swung a golf club in a particular way. After some reflection, I think this approach is brilliant.
Active visualization does start with writing out your golf swing. If you are having difficulty, there are many sites that will help. However, it is important to focus on your swing. As you go through the step by step process of writing out your swing, you are in fact analysing your mechanics. This is an important step towards understanding your golf game and is critical to improving your overall game. Once you are done writing, read it out loud to yourself several times.
After reading your Pulitzer prize article aloud, you will remember it step by step. Now, close your eyes and recite your swing to yourself. You will be surprised to see images form within your mind’s eye! You will also see your swing in all its glory!
The cool thing about this process is the ability to make changes. After you have written your swing out in detail, it is easy to identify that part of your swing that is causing you the most difficulty. Once identified, change that part until you are satisfied – watching videos of professional golfers may help if you are experiencing challenges. An important aspect of active visualization is being engaged in the entire process. For 5 minutes (once you have written out your script) anyone can visualize their golf swing and as a result build confidence in their game. Visualization does help lower your golf score, active visualization will provide the foundation to a great golf game.
In future articles, I will share what I have written for my active visualization. But, before I do, what do you think? Do you think this will work? Or am I just crazy?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Does Golf Motivate You?
Does golf motivate you? Are you inspired to work on your game? Does golf fuel your desire to exercise more or differently? Does golf inspire you to learn more about the fundamentals, tips, and drills? These are all great questions. If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then consider yourself motivated by golf!
One reason for these questions is rooted in a fellow blogger’s golfing adventure. Josh, from Golf is Mental is hitting the road for 3 months. He has plans to seek and conquer all of the golf courses that he can in his allotted time. With his trusty sidekick (wife), they are going to experience what most of us dream to do. They are motivated golfers for sure.
The Silicon Valley Golfer talks about his adventures to improve his golf game. He talks about how he modifies drills to meet his training needs. He explains how he is a student of golf and hopes to continue to lower his score. He is motivated to become a better golfer!
Tiger Golf Traveller is another great blogger. He talks about many courses, and I especially like his course reviews. They are very detailed and help me imagine what it would be like to play the courses he plays. He is motivated to share his experience with those of us who are golf-less for about 5 months of the year.
All About Golf is a fun blog to follow. Brian is always up for a discussion about golf. His views are insightful and he is not afraid to call it as he sees it! Our conversations motivate me to keep learning and talking about the sport we love.
Personally, I am a pretty motivated golfer. Golf is rewarding, frustrating, exhilarating, and puzzling all at the same time. I enjoy competing against others, but mostly I enjoy competing against myself! I find golf very relaxing and it gives me time to think about life.
The best thing about golf is all the like-minded friends I continue to meet. Golf is but a vehicle to enjoy life, meet people, and share fun experiences. That is motivation enough for me!
Does golf motivate you?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
