Author: The Grateful Golfer

Life Transitions and Golf – Part 2

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As most of you have figured, I have moved for my job.  I am looking for the new chapter in my life.  We are still working through the many wonderful aspects of moving, however after so many moves we are more relaxed and grateful for the positive things of our new life transition.  One of the positive changes for me is the opportunity to play new golf courses.

My new home course is Roundel Glen golf course at Trenton, ON.  It is a shooters course where length does not play as an important role as my previous course; Osprey Links Golf Course at Callander, ON. (Sorry no links, I still restricted on my access to IT.

I have played my new course twice.  Yesterday and today.  Yesterday was interesting because everything was new….tight fairways, postage stamp greens and new undulations on the greens.  Not to be fooled by the new surrounds, I went back to the basics by focusing on course management, playing safe, and not being too aggressive.  My tentativeness resulted in an 80 with three doubles!  Not really too bad, but not the start I was hoping for; that is for sure.

Today was a different story.  I played a more aggressive game and focused on my GIR stat.  Well it paid off.  I went thee over for the front, two under for the back, for a smooth 73.  The biggest difference between yesterday and today was: I trusted my swing and had the confidence to play my game.  Thanks to Brian, Pete, Rick, and Vet for reminding me the importance staying focused and to forge ahead with my plan of improving my GIR stat.

So, here I go with renewed gusto for my favorite game.  I have reconnected with some old friends and look forward to more time on the course.  I am a grateful golfer!  See you on the links!

Life Transitions and Golf

/ The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Many people experience life transitions on a regular basis.  For those who have lived in the same wonderful location, you are blessed.  For those of us who move every few years, the challenges of everyday experiences we take for granted seem to cause the greatest challenge during a life transition.

Golf is very much like experiencing a life transition.  The part of game you rely upon the most is the first part of your game to let you down.  Traditionally I am solid putter.  I am very confident and rarely experience the yips.  Well during my last round, I decided to focus on my approach shots.  I took my time, ensured my alignment was correct, and chose my clubs wisely.  Needless to say, my GIR stat was excellent!  However, I 3-putted five greens.  I was extremely disappointed in my performance.  It did teach me a valuable lesson not to take any part of my game for granted.  It only leads to frustration and disappointment.

I am off to the links tomorrow…..I am a grateful golfer!  See you on the links!

Canadian Open – More Than Just a Game!

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Brant Snedeker

Brandt Snedeker of the United States poses with the championship trophy after winning the Canadian Open in Oakville, Ont., on Sunday, July 28, 2013. (Nathan Denette /The Canadian Press)

The RBC Canadian Open did not disappoint this year. The Glen Abbey Golf Club is one of the great venues in Canada for golf enthusiasts. This 7200+ yard course was challenging and yet playable for the pros.  Finishing with 16 under and a 3 stroke lead, Brandt Snedeker was smooth down the stretch and did not crumble when the pressure increased during the 16th and 17th hole. Famous for his putting, Snedeker demonstrated that playing fast and staying focused can a benefit for any player.

Adam Sarson, White Dragon Golf, and TSN provide great synopsis of the tournament including some of the highs and lows.  Regardless of who you were rooting for, the RBC Canadian Open provide all the excitement of any PGA tournament.

As per The Open, the pros demonstrated many aspects of golf that can show amateurs how to lower their scores and be successful on the course. The pros were very accommodating by their play and the following is how I would recommend lowering your score.

Breaking 100

To break 100, putting was the key. Watching Brant Snedeker use his putter like a surgeon wields a scalpel!  “I hung in there really well and made the key putts I needed to and I was able to survive,” said Snedeker, the reigning FedExCup champion who, with the win, moves up one spot to No. 3 in the 2013 FedExCup standings. “That’s what today was all about.” (PGATOUR.com)  Snedeker demonstrated that the flat stick saves strokes and lowers scores.  In his case, putting propelled him to victory!

Breaking 90

Eliminating costly mistakes is key to keeping your scores low.  How many times have we been playing fantastic and decided to take a chance that we know had a low percentage of success.  Then, oh noooo, a triple brings our hopes of your best round ever crashing to the ground.  Unfortunately, Dustin Johnson experienced the same feelings of despair.  Following Johnson’s career, it is easy to see a repeat of costly mistakes.  An article from the Bleacher Report outlines his many disappointments, but does provide a lesson for amateurs.  Play within yourself, and manage the course to eliminate costly mistakes. There are many ways to achieve this difficult task and staying focused down the stretch is the best way.

Breaking 80

Practice difficult shots around the green.  Then know how and when to press a difficult position. Place your ball in deep grass, plugged in the sand trap or chipping over a hazard. Watching the pros navigate the difficult shots makes it clear why they save strokes during difficult times.  Take the 12th hole, Snedeker shot bogey and David Lingmerth tripled from the woods just off the green.  Snedeker’s ball was partly open and Lingmerth’s was buried deep in the cabbage.  The result speaks for itself. Knowing when to press a difficult position and when to take your punishment is extremely important to breaking 80. On a side note, Jim Furyk provides a great article on how to play 20 difficult shots at Golf.com.

The RBC Canadian Open was very entertaining.  Brant Snedeker is a great champion and deserved to win.  Of all the events that occurred during the Canadian Championship, Hunter Mahan provided the best headline.  He left the tournament as the leader after the second round to jet home to Dallas for the birth of his first child. I am grateful that he provided an awesome example what is really important in life.

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

The Open Champion – Phil Mickelson

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Phil-Mickelson-surges-to-first-British-Open-title-with-5-under-66

USA’s Phil Mickelson holds the Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship at Muirfield on the fourth day of the 2013 Open Championship in Muirfield, Scotland on July 21 , 2013.Mickelson won with a score of three under par. UPI/Hugo Philpott

Congratulations to Phil Mickelson for winning the 2013 Open Championship.  It is the first time he has won this prestigious tournament and he did it with style.  Mickelson is one of the top players in the world and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame….and rightly so!

It is no secret that Phil Mickelson is my favorite golfers.  He embodies all the positive aspects of golf and yet is not afraid to speak his mind on issues of importance. His performance at The Open was solid and consistent.  He really did not do anything spectacular until the last six holes of the final day.  And what an awesome last sic holes! He hung around and hung around; pressing where required and playing safe when needed. There is a lesson in his win for all golfers.

Breaking 100

Practice your short game.  Mickelson practices 25 yards and closer all the time.  That is where real strokes are saved.  He is considered one of the best wedge players of all time; so to break 100 work on your short game!

Breaking 90

After practicing your short game, practice your putting!  Mickelson is a great putter.  He is no Steve Stricker, but Mickelson seems to sink the important putts when required; much like his putt on the final hole at Muirfield….simple spectacular!

Breaking 80

After conquering your wedges and putting, the next step is the range from 150 to 75 yards. This distance will determine your greens in regulation stat.  I believe this is the most important stat in golf.  If a player can be putting for birdie eight times out of ten….their scores drop considerably.

Phil Mickelson played great during the Open this year.  His steady approach shots, chipping and putting clearly demonstrated where most players should focus their practice time to lower their score.

Phil Mickelson’s quote “A great shot is one that you pull off and a smart shot is the one you hit when you don’t have the guts try it!”  I love this quote!

However, as amateurs to break 100 or 90 or 80, it is better to play more smart shots than great shots!

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

Surviving The Open at Muirfield

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Surviving the Open at Muirfield

Lee Westwood could be the first Englishmen to win The Open since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992.  Westwood has played extremely well through the first three rounds and has demonstrated that persistence and patience does pay off.  Westwood’s greatest attribute to date has been his putting.  His skill on the green resulted in being the only player to shoot sub-par rounds in the last two days!

As we watch 90 yard roll outs on the fairways, players hitting medium irons 270+ yards, bunkers that guard the course like soldiers on sentry, and greens that are faster than your kitchen floor, Muirfield Golf Course is a relentlenss beast that challenges the world’s best golfers!

Players said that the dry conditions and constant 15 mph wind almost makes the course unplayable.  It is on the cusp of being unfair, but as the players continue to challenge the beast they are finding new and creative ways to keep their score low. Whether they are putting while standing 4 feet in a bunker or shooting eagles from the fairway, it is not difficult to understand why only so few players are breaking par each day.

The last round of the Open should prove to be as exciting as the first three. Regardless of what the odds makers have said, the winner is too difficult to call. However, watching the first three rounds, anyone at +3 or less has a chance to raise the Claret Jug!.  Here is why:

Players at +3 are going out earlier than the leaders.  All three days, Muirfield has player easier early in the morning than later in the day.  If players like Sergio Garcia or Brandt Snedeker can post a 68 or 67 early, the leaders may have some difficulty keeping their scores low enough to win.

The wind picks up through the day.  Each day the wind blew less during the morning rounds than the afternoon rounds.  The few extra mph of wind, added to the dry conditions may just be enough to cause a major shift in the leaderboard.

Lastly, the famous unknown of the Open.  Muirfield has demonstrated that the bounces off the uncountable knolls and bumps are unpredictable!   None of the players really know how far the ball will release or how the undulating fairways will affect their ball.  How many times have the pros raised their hands in a “you’ve got to be kidding me!” stance because the ball did something completely unpredictable!

The final round of the Open is going to as exciting as the first three!  Given the current leaderboard, the Grateful Golfer predicts the following:

  1. Lee Westwood
  2. Ryan Moore
  3. Phil Mickelson
  4. Tiger Woods
  5. Hunter Mahan

Prudence would suggest not betting on my prediction.  However, we can all agree that it is high time an Englishman won The Open and brought the glory home!

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