Shot of the Day!

February 16, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

I like to go on various sites and watch the shot of the day. It is exciting to see these exciting and rare shots. But are these shots really rare? Some would say that the pros (and amateurs) make these remarkable shots all the time. I would say, that media has allowed the average golfer to watch special shots without having sift through countless mundane shots.

Take for instance Phil Mickelson’s putt at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The 56 foot 7 inch putt was awesome. It was considered the shot of the day. I am sure there were other great shots, but this one was clutch and led to him winning the tournament.

Well, to put this into perspective: there were 74 players, 5089 shots in the final round with a scoring average of 68.77. Out of all those strokes, Phil’s putt was the selected shot of the day. That is 0.00019652 percent of a chance to have his shot selected. I would say that is pretty impressive. Additionally, he was under tremendous pressure because Brandt Snedeker was making a late charge and Phil’s putt closed the door.

My point today is that anyone can have a shot of the day. The perfect shot is in everyone at any time. But, the pros (or even extremely capable amateurs) seem to make it look easy. It is something to aspire too! 57 days before the courses open….see you on the links!

Supporting the Troops!

February 11, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

The True Patriot Love is a national foundation established by corporate and community leaders to raise funds for programs that support the well-being and morale of members of the Canadian military, veterans, and their families.

A PGA TOUR Charities, Inc. program, Birdies for the Brave is a military outreach initiative proudly supported by the PGA TOUR that is dedicated to supporting the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. I noticed that Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy started this initiative. I am not surprised and very grateful for their efforts

As a serving military officer in the Canadian Forces, I am touched by the generosity of so many towards the our troops. I have participated in the True Patriot Love kick off in North Bay, Ontario, last year and I was moved by the efforts of the dedicated volunteers. It is something I plan to continue supporting.

Helping those in need is the greatest give of all. The rewards are priceless.

Thank you to all the volunteers who take the time to make the lives of others better. I believe that our society is better for it and I am deeply touched for all their sacrifices. I am a grateful golfer!

What Makes People Laugh

February 7, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

What makes people laugh? Really, what does make people laugh on the golf course. Everyone is different and each situation has the potential to bring a smile to your face. This topic is very interesting because golf should not be all about focus, mental imagery, a perfect swing, or scoring low. It is important to enjoy yourself on the course; it really helps lighten the load.

Many years back I was playing in a tournament to make a military team. I was in the last group and playing with three friends. We had played on the team for several years together and were very comfortable with how each other played. My friend was the last to tee off on the first hole and the rest of us were watching in silence. For the first time ever, my friend whiffed his drive, the ball hit red tee marker, went up in the air and landed three feed behind him. At first, the three of us were shocked, but then could not hold in our laughter! We know this is very cruel and we should not have laughed, but we could not resist. My friend, after the fact, told us he was amused as well and said he did everything in his power not to laugh as well. After the tough start, he shot extremely well and finished second overall.

Other thing that make me laugh is hitting the ball out of a sand trap over the green into another sand trap. It reminds me of the movie “Happy Gilmore” and I say I spend more time in the sand than David Hasselhoff.

When I four putt, I laugh so I do not cry!

Finally, I laugh at the goofy freaking lies I get in the middle of the fairway. I know, but I really find them amusing.

There are many things that make people laugh on the golf course, whats your favorite?

Phil Does It Again!

February 4, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Congratulations Phil Mickelson! He played extremely well and as one of my favorite players, I was very happy to watch him lead the Waste Management Phoenix Open Tournament from wire to wire. His putt on the 17th hole in the fourth round actually was the shot of the tournament.

Image from: http://wmphoenixopen.com/category/photos/

16 hole WM Phoenix Open

Watching the tournament, I wondered if the players really enjoyed the 16th hole. It was a football stadium style, produced an abundance of noise, and allowed the players to interact with the fans….or was it the other way around.

I for one, enjoyed the 16th hole. It looked like the players had fun. They gave out lots of swag and provided an opportunity to really feel the pressure of the fans. It is an outstanding venue that provides the Waste Management Phoenix Open with something unique to draw fans.

I would not suggest that every tournament should have such a whole, but in this case it was every entertaining. After all, that is why we watch golf on TV…entertainment.

What do you think?

Conceive – Believe – Achieve

February 2, 2013February 2, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

The phrase ‘Conceive, Believe, Achieve’, finds it roots from the mentor Napoleon Hill – It was later adopted and given an addition by another highly successful man – W. Clement Stone. No truer words have been spoken! But really, what do this have to do with golf.

Do you think that Phil Mickelson, who was 1 centimeter from shooting the ever elusive 59, has ever sat on his couch and thought of what it would feel like to break 60. I say – absolutely! Hasn’t everyone. Do we not think of shooting a hole-in-one, chipping in from 150 yards, making a 60 foot put for eagle or winning the club championship on the 18th hole with everyone watching? If you said yes to any of these statements, then you are half way to setting yourself up for success on the golf course.

Manage your internal expectations and reality will tend to meet them. Although this is not just for golf, it can easily be applied to our favorite game. The use of positive mental imagery is nothing new. It is all around us. At Clear Mind Meditation Techniques, they describe how to use this powerful technique. It is very simple, yet can change even the greatest obstacles. Norman Vincent Peale said that “we tend to get what we expect.” So why not expect great things on and off the golf course!

At GolfMindShop.com, they talk about four benefits of positive mental imagery: emotional control, perfect result imagery, physical bio mechanics imagery and self-image “Engineering” imagery. These benefits are very important to success on the golf course. It is not just about swing mechanics, but developing a strong mental attitude in all areas of the game.

At Golf Mental Game Coaching also outlines the benefit of using mental imagery to change your game. They go into more detail of what areas can be affected, but the process is basically the same. Ultimately, each player will decide the area they what to improve – keeping it all positive will definitely help.

In an earlier post “When Life Gets In the Way“, I suggested a 5-minute mental exercise to calm your mind and to focus your efforts while running to the first tee. The techniques suggested today are an extension of that exercise. It allows for a total examination of your game and will help improve your mental toughness. There is no specific length of time one should perform mental imagery….it really is up to the individual.

Golf is not just about swing a club. A positive mental attitude through imagery is a fantastic technique to improve your game. What other tips would you suggest to help with your golf game?