How to Align Your Shot

October 5, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Aligning your shot is far from easy. I have heard of many methods to align a shot. For example: point your left shoulder towards your target; draw an imaginary line along your toes; place a club on your thighs and let it point to the target; align your elbows, stick out your tongue and close your right eye…. OK, I made the last on up, but my point is that there are hundreds of suggestions on how to align your shot while playing golf.

Recently, I came across a method I had never heard before and it actually is repeatable, simple and makes sense. This is a recipe for success if you asked me! In my Golf Canada Magazine, David Hearn provides a unique tip on how to be successful when aiming at a target. Align your heels! He says it is “imperative that the club be placed on the ground flush against your heels and not your toes. Because feet tend to flare out, the heel line is the best indicator of where you’re currently aimed.” This is brilliant. It makes absolute sense to me.

Aiming your shot has many variables, but the important point about this tip and many others is to consistently have the same set up routine. That is what really ensures success.

If you have a tip about aligning your shot, please pass it on; we would love to hear about it!

Course Management: Reality or Myth?

October 2, 2012October 2, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Play the shot that makes the next shot easy. – Tommy Armour

No truer words have ever been spoken. I am a huge supporter of course management. I believe that choosing the smart shot over bashing your way around the course is how amateurs break 100, 90, 80 or 70. Course management is something that takes practice and is unique to everyone. No two players can manage their round of golf in the same way. No really, course management is unique to each player.

GolfLink.com states that “Golf course management for a player means understanding how to play the best round possible by using your strengths as a player against the challenges the golf course has to offer.” This article provides further details on course management, but the main point is that each player must play to their strengths. If you cannot reach the green on your next shot, hit the ball to your best distance. For me that is 115 yards. I would rather hit a full pitching wedge than a three-quarter sand wedge from 75 yards.

“Good course management requires planning ahead” by Joan A. King at Positive Mental Imagery is another outstanding article. She outlines many excellent tips on how to successfully manage a round of golf. I especially enjoy how she focuses on the mental aspect of staying focused and being positive throughout the round. As Jack Nicklaus says: “Sometimes the biggest problem is in your head. You’ve got to believe you can play a shot instead of wondering where your next bad shot is coming from.” Staying positive during your round will lower your score.

“A video from the Whittle Golf Tips Series takes a look at some course management. It shows how the seven out of ten rule can be used to make smart decisions in competition and produce the best results.” This is a great rule. Play the shot you can hit 7 out of 10 times and find success instantly.

Course management is something that takes time to learn and is unique to everyone. Playing a round of golf without focusing on your strengths only leads to disaster. I am confident that everyone can be successful on the links; it just takes focus and the willingness to try new things. See you on the links!

The Ryder Cup – Not Just Another Golf Game!

September 30, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Image from: http://www.rydercup.com/europe/course/1/tour/17

Medina Golf Course – 17th Hole

Wow, what a finish! Like most avid golfers, I was completely amazed at the last day of the Ryder Cup. There is no way anyone could have predicted the collapse of the US team…or was it really a collapse?

“Dressed in the colours of the late Seve Ballesteros, Europe tonight pulled off one of his trademark great escapes in what will go down as the “Miracle of Medinah“.” I suggest that the European team played inspired and refused to give into all the ‘nay sayer’ and ‘the second guesser’! They believed in themselves and demonstrated winning attitudes throughout the entire match. This is something that all golfers need to have regardless of your skill.

Regardless of which team you were cheering for; this years Ryder Cup was one of the best competitions in years and I look forward the 2014 Ryder Cup at The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.

Iron or Hybrid?

September 11, 2012March 29, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

In recent years, hybrid clubs have hit the market, which in turn has sparked a hot debate. The question most asked is which is better. I would suggest that the average amateur golfer would benefit from hybrids in their bag verses long irons. Hybrids are more for giving and have a tendency to hit the ball further.

At PGA.com value guide a comparison of long irons and hybrids are made. They conclude that hybrids have three advantages over long irons: club head design, sole design, and shaft and length. These are three pretty important design points and clearly hybrids come out as the winner.

Laird Small, Dir. of the Pebble Beach Golf Academy explains why hybrids are superior to long irons for the average golfer. He talks about making better contact and how the club interacts with the ball. Overall, hybrids are the way to go.

As you can see, hybrids are here to stay. I have replaced my 3-4-5 irons with hybrids and found that I hit the ball further, straighter and with more confidence. It has made a difference of two strokes per round on my overall score. As a single digit handicapper, that is outstanding!

Do you use hybrids? Tell me what a difference it has made in your game. See you on the links. I am a grateful golfer!

How High Do You Tee Your Ball?

September 9, 2012June 20, 2018 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/golf/www/release/sites/default/files/imagecache/article_med_image/article_images/CSmomentofimpact_299_1.jpg

Image from Sports Illustrated Golf.com

I have played with the concept to how high to tee my ball for years. I have a tendency to tee the ball low with fairly good results. This year, however, I struggled to get any real distance off the tee. It appears that I have lost 20 yards with my driver and it has caused me some challenges on the long courses. Of course, this is not something that any of us can afford. So I decided to do a little research and this is what I found.

Sports Illustrated Golf.com conducted an outstanding experiment on how high to tee your ball. It is a quick read and everyone should take a look. It gives advice on using an iron or hybrid. Quoted from SI Golf.com: “Within each of the three handicap levels, carry distance for mid- and high-tee heights was significantly longer than the low-tee height, largely an effect of the higher tees promoting higher launch angles and less spin. The high tee height provided the most distance, giving the players an average of 12 yards more carry per drive than the low tee height.” Overall, I would rate this article a 10.

Videojug has a video Golf: How High To Tee Up With Different Clubs that gives an excellent visual overview of where to tee the ball and why. It supports the Sports Illustrated article.

Brent Kelly at About.com Golf says the same as the others, but at a different location. Most agree that teeing the ball high will increase your distance.

Well, I am off to the range. I have never teed the ball up that high. I have always placed my tee low to medium. I guess it is never too late to teach and old dog new tricks! I will practice this new revelation and get back with the results!

How high do you tee the ball?