What Would You Be Thinking?

November 2, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Dustin Johnson is leading after 54 holes at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China. He took the lead from Rory McIlroy after the first round and continues to shoot very well. Reviewing the stats and results, it is interesting to put yourself in Rory McIlory’s shoes. The trend of playing well for a round or two seems to continue and he is slowing starting to fall back from the top of the leader board.

What Would You Be Thinking? Am I “The Shark”, Greg Norman? He won many tournaments but slowly fell from the top of the world rankings by the combination of: players making miracle shots and your mental game slowly fading. (The Shark is one of my favorites)

What Would You Be Thinking? Am I John Daly? The two-time Major winner was a flash in the pan who had the ability to play extremely well for but could not sustain anything substantial to remain on top. Although a fan favorite, winning was sparse, but exciting!

What Would You Be Thinking? Am I Michelle Wie? Someone with unlimited potential to be another top-ranked player but could not sustain the spotlight. Someone who was mismanaged and made many tough financial decisions that in the end will be more detrimental than expected.

What Would You Be Thinking? Oh no, here we go again. This cannot be happening! The negative thoughts start affecting his game and he just cannot seem to get past the recent trends of not playing well for four rounds in a row.

Regardless of what Rory is thinking, he is too good a player not shake off this current funk. He has the skills and drive to play back to the top of the golfing world. He is a young player and with the proper guidance, his mental game will match his skill. When that happens, look out! He will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come!

What Do You Think?

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

Choosing A Golf Ball

October 31, 2013October 31, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 16 Comments

Image from:http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/744835-halloween-custom-iron-set-sale/

Happy Halloween!

Does a golf ball really make a difference to your game? Is there any significant difference between the top-of-the-line manufacturers’? After some research, I would suggest there is a big difference. Through the years, I started off with Canada Cup (Spalding), Canada Club (Acushnet), Ultra (Wilson), Slanzenger (Slanzenger), many varies of Titleist and Callaway. Each change was driven by my increase in skill level.

For the past 3 years, I played Pro V1 and Pro V1x. However, I have found that I do not have the same feel or touch or something from them, so I have looked for another ball. At the end of last year, I won a dozen Srixon Q Star golf balls at men’s night and decided to give them a try. I really like them. So, I think during the upcoming season, I will start using the Q Star as my primary ball; with the right to change if needed.

Choosing a ball is difficult. Deciding which ball is best for you is no easy feat. Really, it comes down to personal preference. You can use a ball selector from Global Golf, which I did an ended up being directed to Q Star (go figure), or do research with the criteria at Golf Smith. Galaxy Golf has a great chart to compare all the golf balls and more importantly why the ball was designed. It provides an overview of most golf balls and is a good resource.

Even Jack Nicklaus has a newly released system for choosing a golf ball to simplify the entire process. On a side note, his golf balls are sold to support his and Barbara’s charity: Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. Jack’s efforts to simply the ball selection process is something that most manufacturers try to accomplish, but their advertising hype seems to get in the way. I like Jack’s simple approach and would be interested to hear of anyone has played his golf balls.

Regardless of how you choose your golf ball, ensure it feels right for you. I have played with scratch handicappers who use inexpensive balls and those who play the top-rated balls. I could provide lots of advice, but unfortunately it would only apply to my game.

If I was to provide any advice it would be this: try different types and do not be afraid to change. Once you find the ball you like, stick to it for a bit to make sure. The choice is all yours and the right ball for your game will build confidence and ultimately lower your score. Which ball do you use?

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

Do You Trust Your Swing!

October 29, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

Recently, I purchased a TOM TOM 55M. I thought about buying a GPS for some time, but just never made the buy because the need was not great enough. Preparing for a vacation, I realized that the route we wanted take was through unfamiliar territory and a bit off the beaten path. So it made sense to make the purchase and let TOMTOM be our guide. Needless to say, it was worth every penny and after we figured out how to use most of the features it made our trip quite enjoyable.

So how does this apply to golf you may ask? Well, great question. Once we enter the unfamiliar roads on our trip, I started to second guess the TOMTOM. I thought I could cut of miles by taking a different road or have a more scenic route around the next bend. I started to second guess the device until finally my darling wife said, “If you are not going to follow the directions, we are taking it back”. In other words, trust that the TOMTOM is going to direct us on the path we chose and enjoy the drive.

Her statement, although not really earth shattering, was significant because it made me think about how this applies to the golf swing. How many times have golfers stood over their ball and started to make adjustments, change their grip, address, stance, finish or mental attitude because all of a sudden they did not trust their swing. Golfers suddenly decide that, in that moment, it was important not to trust the swing they have honed, shaped and worked on over years of tedious practice. Golfers believe that not trusting something that has proven reliable was a smart.

How many times have golfers found themselves in this situation? The fact of the matter is that trusting your swing is extremely important break 100, 90, 80 or 70. Trusting your swing instills confidence to mentally play well. Trusting your swing empowers golfers to apply proper course management because they are not thinking about mechanics. Trusting your swing just makes sense!

There are times when all golfers need to work on their swing, but that should be saved for the range. Once you leave the range and head to course, it is time to trust your swing. Golf is a sport that is both complex and easy at the same time. The path you choose really depends on trust!

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

7000!

October 28, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

WOW! Who would have thought! I have reach 7000 visitors. I was quite surprised when I looked and stats and realized that the numbers were climbing! I am grateful for all those who have visited this blog, followed and commented!

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

Slow But Steady

October 23, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

Golf is a Game of Patience!

Golf is a game of patience. Those willing to be the tortoise generally enjoy the game far greater than those trying to be the hare. It is sometimes difficult to describe the inner thought process when playing a shot, but watching the pros and elite golfers they all take their time. Sometimes watching them play equates to watching paint dry, but you will never see Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson rush through their pre-shot routine or their actual shot.

Golf is a game of patience. Many golfers have the best equipment, a gadget or two, and change putters routinely. They follow golfing innovations and always seem to have the newest driver in their bag. They are chasing the dream of shooting low, but never seem to play better than they did the year before. I have often heard “I am 20 yards farther with my new clubs!” or “this new putter makes the ball roll truer!” Unfortunately, they never seem to score better.

Golf is a game of patience. It is important to work on your game in little increments. Too many changes at one time has the tendency to cause more harm than good. Many players ask that if they practice, which part of the game will reap the most benefits. My response is usually, which club do they use the most when they play? As they think for a minute, the usually say their putter, followed by their short irons around the green. I respond “well that answers your question, your short game to reap the most benefit, most of the time.

Golf is a game of patience. It takes practice and more practice to become an elite golfer. It takes the willingness to put in the time to hone you golfing skills. This thought is not always popular because playing is way more fun than practicing. However, it improve your score and really enjoy the finer aspects of golf, practice is required.

Golf is a game of patience. I am a grateful golfer. See you on the links!