No Caddie Races!

February 2, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 5 Comments

The PGA decided to ban the Caddie Races on the 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open! The PGA said: “PGA tour officials say they decided to ban the caddie races over safety concerns. In an interview with the Golf Channel, tour officials said “running 150 yards puts caddies at risk for injury. I had caddies come to me at Phoenix and at Colonial saying “this is ridiculous, it’s like we are a carnival show.”” It makes one wonder if this is the real reason.

Having carried a rucksack weighing 60-70 pounds, I can say without doubt that running 150 yards with that much weight is very difficult, possible hazardous, and one of those things I would not voluntarily do. Knowing the difficult and possible dangers, is there an unfair expectation for caddies to perform for the crowd?

Golf, like all other sports, is played for personal pride and entertainment of the fans. The tournament in Phoenix is one of the most popular events on tour partly because of the scoring and mostly because of the fan interaction. Without question, the focal point of fan participation is the 16th hole. Approximately 20,000 fans are packed in like sardines around a 150-yard hole; the electric atmosphere of anticipation rises and crashes like the waves on a beach. The fans love the venue and love the entertainment.

The caddie races were part of the entertainment, but not part of golf. More than likely, the PGA does not want a ‘Happy Gilmore’ atmosphere at other tournaments.

The current culture of golf is mature, calm, and focused. Although there are exciting moments, like Sergio Garcia climbing a tree to hit a shot at Bayhill, they are more highlights than the norm. Not surprisingly, there is a quiet expectation at each event orchestrated by the PGA and not a carnival atmosphere hoped by the fans. The focus is on the players, not the side-show entertainment off the course.

No Caddie Races! Is this really a big deal? Does the PGA have a point? It is difficult to ascertain the real reason for the change, but it appears to have no effect on the entertainment value of the 16th hole. Or does it?

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

Build Confidence When Putting

February 1, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Knowing how to putt does not guarantee that a player will be a confident putting. In earlier posts I presented a 5 part series on putting. This process works for me and I have been very successful through the years. Just recently, I realized that I was failing in one very important aspect of putting. I am not teaching myself to be successful all the time; therefore I am slowly eroding my confidence.

Teaching success is not really that difficult. “Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex.” (Norman Vincent Peale) This quote applies directly to putting and here is how.

Putt out every hole!

That is it. Looking back at last year, I realized that in none tournament play I wasted at least one putt per round because I was not in the habit of putting out every hole. I know, but when you are chatting with your buddies, I was lax and my focus was not as it should have been. So during competitions, as the pressure rose on three footers, I probably missed more than I should. Talk about the Freddy Couples’ Syndrome!

So this year, I will putt out every hole. I expect to increase my confidence in my short putts and thereby reduce my handicap. Any thoughts?

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

A Golf Lesson About Life

January 31, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed..

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—-your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else—-the small stuff.

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.

This is a version of ‘The Lesson Of Life’ circulating on the internet. Something to consider: working on fitness and flexibility is a golf ball and buying a new driver every year is sand. This life lesson struck home with me because setting attainable, challenging goals is extremely important to succeeding in golf. Staying focused on how to achieve those goals is invaluable.

Do you know your golf balls from your sand?

Oh yeah don’t forget, there is always time for a beer with your friend. I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

The Caddie Race 2014

January 29, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

The Waste Management Phoenix Open starts today. It is one of the most exciting tournaments of the year for fans because of the interaction on the 16th hole. This stadium style hole provides a unique opportunity for up close and personal entertainment not experienced on any professional tour.

During last years tournament did not disappoint. Winner Phil Mickelson’s lip out for 59, the antics on the 16th hole, the hole outs from the fairway, and Rick Fowler winning the inaugural “Going for the Green” closest-to-the-pin contest are just a few highlights of 2013.

The Waste Management Phoenix Open offers things that most subdued events do not….endless excitement! This professional golfer tournament is like no other.

The expectations of this fan crazed event seem to have changed in recent history. Each year, the fans on the 16th hole get louder and more rambunctious. Is this what golf needs to attract new fans and sponsors? Or, does this event take away from the true nature of golf?

Personally, I like the Waste Management Phoenix Open. I believe that once or twice a year this type of fun is great for golf. The players know what to expect and embrace their role as entertainers.

Let me know what you think?

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

Visualizing a Shot

January 28, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

Visualizing a shot in golf can be very difficult. You can search, ask, apply and observe ways to visualize a golf shot, but it may just seem a bit overwhelming. This skill is one of the most important to great success on the links.

Just watch the Pros pre-shot routine. They look at all the elements that would affect their shot, choose a club, then stand behind the ball. Then they just stop. Focus and visualize the entire shot. For just a few seconds they zero in on the target and eliminate all distractions. Just like Bobby Jones in the movie Bagger Vance.

So how does a golfer achieve such clarity and focus? Each person has the ability to visualize, but it does take practice. The following are the steps that I go through to visualize shots:

look at the lie of the ball;
check my yardage;
check the wind;
check the elevation of the green;
check the location of the pin;
choose my target;
select my club;
stand over my ball;
take one practice swing;
move to 3 steps behind my ball;
look at my ball – then my target;
draw a mental line from my ball to my target;
focus on the trajectory I need;
return to the ball; then
execute my shot.

The steps may seem like a long process, but all of this happens in 10 seconds or so. Steps 10 – 13 take about 4-5 seconds and is the real visualization portion of my golf shot. It is important to know that visualization is an intentional act. For me, it is important to do my pre-shot routine because it sets me up the visualization portion of my shot. There is no question that visualizing my shot has enable me to be a single digit golfer. Moving forward, refining my Visualization skills is going to be key to becoming a scratch golfer.

Do you visualize your golf shot?

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