Hitting The Wall

February 21, 2014January 10, 2018 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

“Hitting the wall In endurance sports such as cycling and running, hitting the wall or the bonk describes a condition caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles, which manifests itself by sudden fatigue and loss of energy. Milder instances can be remedied by brief rest and the ingestion of food or drinks containing carbohydrates. The condition can usually be avoided by ensuring that glycogen levels are high when the exercise begins, maintaining glucose levels during exercise by eating or drinking carbohydrate-rich substances, or by reducing exercise intensity.”

I bet you were thinking of the 17th hole at St. Andrews Old Course! It is a famous site that provides once in a life time shots for amateurs and pros alike. Only the brave will venture a heroic shot off the wall; giving credence to the saying “Where there is no risk; there is no reward!” Regardless, this is still not what I am talking about.

Hitting the wall is a golf drill with many variations. There are three specific drills I like and recommend. I will be using all three as spring approaches with the intent to increase my power off the tee.

For Beginner Golfers

The first is a great wall drill for beginners from Hitting It Solid by Troy Vayanos. This drill uses a wall or a chair. Troy’s drill works on posture. He states that “the most common reason golfers don’t hit solid golf shots is because they lose their posture on the downswing.” He provides a simple step by step process to fix this common error. I will use it in the beginning of my golf season to remind my body the proper position when addressing the ball.

The next drill comes from the National Golf Academy. It is for intermediate golfers who have the general mechanics of the golf swing down, but want more power. This particular drill is very good for players like myself who would like an extra 10-15 yards or more off the tee. This is definitely a drill I will use before the season starts.

The last wall drill comes from David Leadbetter. This drill is for the advanced player who wants to fine tune or improve their overall swing. This particular drill is might be difficult and requires an understanding of swing mechanics. Having said that, anyone can use it with varying degrees of success. Again, I plan to use this drill in the off season as I wait for the 3 feet of snow to melt!

Hitting the wall can deal with the physical nature of a sport. However, in this case it means using three outstanding drills by the beginner, intermediate and advanced golfer to improve their game. Know which drill is best for you might be a challenge; I recommend you try all three and let me know which you like the best!

I am a grateful golfer! 53 days until golf season!

World Match Play Tournament

February 20, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

A World Golf Tournament is underway. Specifically, the Accenture Match Play Championship. Since 1999, players from around the globe have competed against one another in varied formats, representing their respective countries in memorable and exciting competition. Over the past decade, World Golf Championships have been contested on five continents and in 10 countries. There are four exciting World Match Play events throughout the season that offer unique and exciting golfing events for all enthusiasts.

This year, the Accenture field is okay. Without 3 of the top 5 players in the world, the normal hype is missing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching McIlroy, Watson (Bubba), Garcia, Stenson, Rose and Els play, but for some reason the excitement just is not there. I wonder if that is a marketing challenge or an indication that match play is not really that exciting to watch. Personally, I like a match play event, especially if I am competing.

On the positive side of things, I like that many underdogs are rising to the top. At least in the first couple rounds anyway. I like to see journeyman players go head to head with higher ranked players and win. This reinforces why we compete because on any given day…..; in this respect golf is like all other sports. Most of the time the great players will win, but every once in a while a surprise happens.

I guess I like the fighting spirit of the journeyman! Much like the Olympics, never give and great things can a happen attitude is always there. Just ask the Canadian Women’s Hockey team who won golf in a come from behind win for gold – way to go ladies! Ultimately, the field at the Accenture is not that strong this year, but watching how the winner rises to the top is the real story.

For anyone interested, I picked Rory McIlroy to win. He is in a tough match right now, but time will tell how he does.

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

Feeling Inspired

February 18, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 5 Comments

What inspires you to excel? Have you ever been in a situation when watching athletes perform at an élite level sweeps you in to the moment? Has someone ever inspired you to achieve greater success in your life? These and many other similar questions are thinks that I think about from day-to-day.

This exact situation happened to me today while I was working out. As per my previous post about my goal to be a scratch golfer this year, I have embarked on a fitness program. So far I have been very successful and doing well at keeping to my 30 minutes of lifting weights and 30 minutes of cardio four days a week. Additionally, I throw in walks, yoga, squash and snow shoeing on the off days.

Anyway, as I was saying, while working out today I was watching the Olympics. Specifically, the 1000m woman’s speed skating relay race where Canadians were going for gold. As I watched the speed, precision and athleticism during the event, I found myself going faster and faster on the elliptical machine. It was crazy; next thing I knew I went one kilometer further than normal and felt great. As I watched, I unwittingly became inspired and exceeded my expectations for my work out. I thought this was pretty cool.

The more I thought about the situation, the more I realized that I am inspired by many of the people in my life. For example my darling wife who always knows how people are feeling and what to do; my friend who called me every week during some medical challenges I had a few years back; my friends in Hawaii who introduced me to the law of attraction and are LIVING their lives; my daughter who no matter what chooses what is best in any situation; I am truly blessed to be surrounded by inspiring people – I am grateful they are in my life.

So how does the relate to golf you may ask. Well, golf is a mental game. Every time you hit the links your mood, thoughts, attitude and mental awareness affect your game. This is one sport where it is beneficial to have the whole package – the mental and physical. My best scores have always come on the days when I felt inspired. It is difficult to sustain the euphoria of inspiration, but I believe having inspiring people in my life is a great way to start.

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

Why 14 Clubs – Part Two

February 16, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

As previously discussed, the 1938 rule limited the number of clubs during a round of golf to 14. If you ask 100 golfers I bet most would say that 14 is plenty. However, if you ask a professional golfer they would say it is not enough. Why the discrepancy?

When I started golfing 37 years ago…..OK, no old jokes….I had a started set. It consisted of a driver, 3-wood, 3-5-7-9 iron and a putter. As a beginner, this was plenty. I did not have to over think club selection or worry about any finesse type shots. Basically, I bashed the heck out of the ball and developed a passion for the game. Slowly, my game improved I started looking for another set of clubs.

My first full set of clubs was Spalding Rebels. I bought them 34 years ago; the set included 1-3-5 wood, 3-pw irons and a putter – 12 clubs in all. They were my first cavity back set of clubs and I used them for about 10 years. My game did not really improve because I played on and off during that time. This set was perfect for me because I did not have much money invested and they were of a good enough quality that it matched my game. I was about a 16 handicap during this period.

In 1990 things changed. I was given an old set of Ping Eye 2 red dot clubs and started golfing more seriously. 1990 was the first year I broke 80. I went from a 16 handicap to a solid 10 handicap in no time. I carried a 1-3-5 wood, 3-pw irons, sand wedge and a putter – 13 clubs in all. I used these clubs for about 10 years and only replaced the ping eye 2 persimmon woods with Callaway Warbird 1-3-5 metal wood. It was during this time that I had quality equipment, practiced 3 days a week and played approximately 100 games per year. The result of my increase play was a solid 8 handicap, which stayed that way for about 10 years.

From 2000 to present, my game improved exponentially. I have hovered around a 5 handicap with runs of breaking par once in a while. My success resulted in some club changes. I removed my 5-wood, added a 52 and 60 degree wedge, and change to hybrids for my 3-4-5 iron – I now carry 14 clubs.

This transition to more wedges has propelled my game to a new level. The extra wedges help with the scoring around the green and that is where most amateurs should focus. Currently, I use Cleveland Launcher irons, Callaway Razr Fit driver and 3-wood, Titlest vokey (52-56-60 degree) wedges and a pro gear putter.

The 14 club rule is limiting for some players. Personally, I would add my 5-wood and 64 degree wedge. The reality is that I would only hit these clubs once every 3 rounds because my other clubs cover all the normal gaps in distance and position. So I stick to 14 clubs because 16 clubs is not legal.

Ultimately, the skill and experience of any golfer will have a direct impact on the type, quality and number of clubs in their bag. As most players improve the number of clubs will change to match their abilities; there is not set rule or rule-of-thumb. The reason for club changes will vary, but low handicap players identify early that focusing on their short game will result in lower scores.

See what is in the pros golf bag:

What do you carry in your golf bag?

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

Why 14 Clubs?

February 15, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 16 Comments

In 1938, the R&A introduce the rule limiting the number of golf clubs in a bag to 14. Prior, there was an unlimited number clubs any player could carry. Amateur golfer Francis Ouimet won the 1913 US Open carrying just seven clubs. Interestingly, 21 years later Lawson Little won the British Amateur using 31. Technology of the day drove the use of different clubs and the inconsistent nature of construction was a factor in the number of clubs used during any round.

As advances in technology, specifically the introduction of metal shafts, the need to carry many clubs seemed to disappear. The evolution of golf clubs is very interesting and the fast evolution of modern technology continues to drive the golf industry. Has the change in golf club construction actually contributed to the greatest changes in golf club performance over the years? Or is it something else?

Depending on what you believe or read changes in club technology might just be a red herring. Regardless, why 14 clubs? Why not 13 or 15?

According to Canada.com, golf historians suggest the 14-club rule was made to benefit caddies, because it was common for golfers before 1939 to use 20-30 clubs of varying styles and uses. Caddies would routinely double-bag – carrying two bags at a time – and many did it twice a day to earn a living. Well I would have hated to be a looper then.

Rule 4-4. Maximum of Fourteen Clubs. The player must not start a stipulated round with more than fourteen clubs. He is limited to the clubs thus selected for that round, except that if he started with fewer than fourteen clubs, he may add any number, provided his total number does not exceed fourteen.

So there you have it, the 14-club rule was introduced for caddies, not technology, not to make if fair for everyone, increase speed of play or even to help drive the golfing industry by reducing the number and types of clubs they have to manufacture. It was all for the caddies.

I carry 14 clubs. How many do you carry?

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